If you’ve contributed to the program, you’re entitled to your benefit.

U.S. home builders started construction on homes at a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of roughly 1.7 million in December, representing a 1% increase from the previous month, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Wednesday. Compared with December 2020, housing starts were up 2.5%. Meanwhile, permitting for new homes occurred at a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 1.87 million, up 9% from November and 6.5% from a year ago. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected housing starts to occur at a median pace of 1.65 million and building permits to come in at a median pace of 1.71 million.

Stocks ended modestly lower on New Year's Eve, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing its grip on slight gains late in the year's final session. The blue-chip index shed about 60 points Friday, or 0.2%, to end near 36,338, still enough to solidify a 1.1% weekly gain, 5.4% advance for December and a quarterly climb of 7.4%. For the year, the Dow rose a robust 18.7%. That compares with the S&P 500 index gaining 26.9% on the year, after also ended Friday's session lower by about 0.3%. The Nasdaq Composite Index booked a 21.4% gain for 2021, while closing down 0.6% Friday.

President Joe Biden announced that he will nominate Sandra L. Thompson to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Thompson has served as the agency's interim director since June after the president fired the agency's previous director, Mark Calabria. Biden's ability to fire Calabria, who had been appointed by President Trump in 2019, was granted via a Supreme Court decision in a case involving shareholders of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The FHFA is the main regulator overseeing the mortgage giants. According to the White House, Thompson has four decades of government experience. Before she joined the FHFA, she worked at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Ray Dalio speaks with Jack Hough on the "Streetwise" podcast and unpacks the outlook for inflation, debt and deficits facing the U.S. economy.

Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates and author of the new book "Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order: Why Nations Succeed and Fail," discusses how social division and polarization could lead to a major domestic conflict.

Shopping for loved ones during the holidays doesn't have to break the bank. These tips can help you stretch your holiday dollar.

Saving for retirement is critical in your 30s, but it's hard to do when juggling other financial responsibilities. MarketWatch reporter Alessandra Malito chats with her editor, Angela Moore, about the best strategies and tips to become financially secure in your older years. Office Hours, Barron's and MarketWatch journalists take questions from readers.

Steven A. Cohen, the billionaire owner of the New York Mets, is providing $14.25 million in financing to stock trading company 24 Exchange, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. Cohen's venture fund Point72 Ventures is backing efforts by 24 Exchange to provide stock trades 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The three-year-old company is currently seeking approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission to set up a round-the-clock stock market. It's already launched trading platforms for cryptocurrencies and foreign exchange transactions.

The Biden administration has said it supports Jerome Powell as the chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve for a second term. We'll answer questions about the specter of rising inflation, currently at a 31-year high, and talk about ways to address it. Office Hours, Barron's and MarketWatch journalists take questions from readers