The Market Today 12/20

"All eyes will continue to be on Washington this morning where the politico continue to prove S&P’s point in their downgrade of U.S. debt when they said that the political system was dysfunctional. The payroll tax cut extension is in jeopardy and after spending several hours reading on the current maneuvering, we don’t even know that we can properly explain what is happening today. What we know is that; The Market Today :

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A Perfect Example - What Makes Credit Unions Different from Banks!

When the government shutdown hit in October and paychecks stopped, thousands of federal employees were left wondering how to make ends meet. Credit unions across the country stepped up—but Keesler Federal Credit Union went above and beyond. No loans, no hassle—just your paycheck Instead of making members apply for emergency loans, Keesler Federal launched its Paycheck Relief Program. Revolutionary in its simplicity, it worked like this: if you were a federal employee with direct deposit at Keesler Federal, your paycheck kept coming—interest-free, fee-free, and stress-free. Each qualified member could receive up to $6,000 per pay period for as long as 90 days. No hoops, no headaches. From October 1 until the shutdown ended, Keesler Federal advanced more than 5,000 paychecks totaling $6.5 million to 1,710 members. For non-members, they even offered zero-interest loans up to $6,500 with a year to pay it back. This proactive approach meant that before the first missed paycheck, Keesler Fed...

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Sunday Reading - What's the point of a consumer electronics show?

What's the point of a consumer electronics show? Consumer electronics shows are large convention-type events where companies debut new technologies and products. The largest and most notable shows are CES in Las Vegas, a trade show every January, and IFA Berlin, which takes place annually in September. The events have historically introduced novel, cutting-edge products that later became household standards, like HDTVs, VCRs, DVDs, and gaming consoles ( see list ). Over time, these shows evolved from product showcases ( see last year's coolest gadgets ) into complex industry ecosystems, serving as a meeting ground for startups, multinational technology companies, investors, and the media. Hardware launches, keynote speeches, and...

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Eight Credit Unions Pay $42 Million in Special Dividends to 1.1 Million Members

By Jim DuPlessis | January 05, 2026 at 04:00 PM So far this season, CU Times has tallied 19 credit unions, which have announced $160.3 million in special dividends for members. Eight more credit unions have reported special dividends, paying their 1.1 million members $42.1 million in December and January. The bulk of the dividends came from Police and Fire Federal Credit Union of Philadelphia and Eastman Credit Union of Kingsport, Tenn., which each announced $16 million in rewards approved by their boards. The late January payout from Eastman ($9.7 billion, 356,492 members) will bring its total special dividends to $225 million since 1998. A news release from the credit union said “the Extraordinary Dividend is never guaranteed, but the strong financial performance of ECU in 2025 enabled the Board of Directors to approve this year’s $16 million payout.” Eastman’s $16 million payout represents about $47 per member and 19 basis points of its averag...

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Syracuse Fire Department Credit Union

Congrats, Tonia, on your promotion! ================================================= Remember, you're not alone with NCOFCU.org Join/Upgrade Check out some of NCOFCU's additional features: First Responder Credit Union Academy Financial Literacy Podcasts YouTube Mini's Blog Job Board

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Sunday Reaing - Can the seasons really make you depressed?

Can the seasons really make you depressed? Seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression that repeats during predictable seasonal shifts, impacting an estimated 5% of the global population—predominantly women. Symptoms of the condition occur with significant cyclical changes in daylight hours, with prevalence increasing in regions north of 40 degrees latitude (less commonly in the Southern Hemisphere). Its etiology—or root cause—remains unclear to researchers. Though “winter blues” are commonly reported, SAD is a distinct, diagnosed subtype of major depressive disorder first formally described in 1984 ( see criteria ). Key symptoms—lasting roughly four months each year—resemble common depression: fatigue, increased sleep, carbohydrate cravi...

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New Year’s Resolution: Getting Your Estate in Order

Helping families and their businesses plan for the future Your Most Important New Year’s Resolution: Getting Your Estate in Order Happy New Year to all. Every January, millions of Americans resolve to lose weight, exercise more, or learn a new skill. These are admirable goals. But there’s one resolution that matters more than all of them combined—one that most people avoid because it forces them to confront their own mortality. Get your estate in order. Not next year. Not when you retire. Now. The Problem With Tomorrow Here’s what I see constantly...

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Are Credit Unions Serving First Responders Ready for the Coronavirus?

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to grow are credit unions serving first responders ready? Credit unions serving first responders will be a primary point of contact as first responders come off duty and into the credit union. ARLINGTON, Va.—How effective are credit union plans for addressing pandemics and business continuity? It’s a question credit unions need to be asking right now as the coronavirus outbreak continues to grow. Death tolls this week topped 1,100, with a record 100 officially reported as getting sick in a day. The coronavirus has already surpassed SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in number of affected and killed. Experts told CUToday.info the growth of the coronavirus that CUs should be reviewing their pandemic and business continuity plans, which likely have not been visited since the SARS outbreak in 2002. “I think it's too early to tell what kind of impact the coronavirus may have here in the U.S.,” said NAFCU Vice ...

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Strategies for Rebuilding Consumer Loans Post-Covid

Here are strategies recommended by Kremer and D’Acierno for making the comeback: 1. Meet credit-ready consumers where they are looking for credit. Traditional outbound marketing, even in digital forms, depends on grabbing the right eyeballs at a time when the consumer is actually seeking credit. That’s a tough challenge, according to Kremer. He suggests that financial comparison sites, such as Bankrate.com, The Ascent and NerdWallet, present a better opportunity for exposure. Today’s consumers, should they not have an offer of financing directly with their prospective purchase, are not going to wait to stumble across a web banner promoting loans, suggests Kremer. Proactively, they go hunting the best credit deals, he says, and the comparison sites are the first stop. 2. Seek opportunities where people are seeking new credit. Even as the “new normal” continues to unfold, a key opportunity for lenders is the home improvement market, which began during the pandemic, a...

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NAFCU is offering a free webinar today on PPP

ARLINGTON, Va.—NAFCU is offering a free webinar today to help credit unions better understand the process for offering loans through the Small Business Administration's new Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Just a day ahead of the launch of the program itself, the SBA last week released an interim final rule to implement the program. In response, NAFCU developed an FAQ document answering 22 questions credit unions are likely to face as they consider participating in the program (see related story). Previous guidance from the Treasury Department indicated all federally-insured credit unions will be able to offer loans under the program, but those that are not currently SBA-approved lenders must submit an application to become one. During today’s webinar, set to begin at 4 p.m. ET, credit unions will hear from Steve Meirink, executive vice president and general manager of compliance solutions in the Governance, Risk & Compliance division a...

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New Tool Seeks to Offer Better Insights into Range, Value of Electric Vehicles

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.—With electric cars (EVs) growing in acceptance and sales, a new tool is available to help consumers and lenders better understand the range (mileage capability on one charge)—and value—of each EV model. Black Book reported that it is integrating its VIN-specific data into a valuation tool built on Recurrent’s new Range Score. “Range Score makes it easier to understand expected range in a used EV by comparing a car’s current expected range to what was normal when new, which often differs from its EPA-rated range,” stated Black Book. Added Jared Kalfus, president of Black Book, “By combining our vehicle valuation data with Recurrent’s battery health data, consumers and dealers alike can access first-of-its-kind insight int...

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