Think annuities are a rip-off? Now might be the perfect time to reconsider.

By Philip van Doorn

Also in Weekend Reads: How to change your approach as the stock-market seesaws, some good news for home buyers, and advice from The Moneyist

Preconceived notions can keep people away from entire categories of investment vehicles that might fit in with their long-term financial goals.

Some investors steer clear of annuities, even though they can provide ballast to a portfolio or retirement security with guaranteed income.

This might be because some people don't realize that there is a variety of annuity investment products, some of which may address their specific concerns about risk, potential returns and time commitments. Something else to keep in mind is that diversification might serve you well, even with annuities, to address your money goals and lower your risk.

Beth Pinsker wrote about how most people like the idea of guaranteed income, but might not consider the best investments to fit that need.

Brett Arends presented strategies to invest in annuities as part of a larger long-term investment allocation that takes inflation into account.

Related coverage:

-- I'm 58 and hate annuities. How can I get dependable income in retirement?

-- Is your annuity really guaranteed? Read this before you buy one.

-- Americans think they'll need $5,094 a month to live comfortably in retirement. Here's how far off they are from reality.

-- The MarketWatch Picks team's guide to annuities

A tale of two stock markets

Even as the AI build-out dominates their attention, investors have been making big moves toward nontechnology sectors.

For the week through Friday at about 2 p.m. Eastern time, the S&P 500 SPX was down 0.3%, but 68% of its stocks were up. The S&P 500's information-technology sector XX:SP500.45 had declined only slightly, but the communications-services sector XX:SP500.50 was down 5.7%. The communications sector is dominated by Alphabet (GOOGL) (GOOG), which was down 8.8% for the week, and Meta Platforms (META), which fell 7.5% for the week.

Underscoring the recent move away from the artificial-intelligence infrastructure build-out trade, the PHLX Semiconductor Index SOX showed a one-week decline of 2.9%.

Meanwhile, the S&P 500's healthcare sector XX:SP500.35 was up 1.3% for one week and the consumer-staples sector XX:SP500.30 was rising 0.4%.

Joseph Adinolfi looked deeper into the stock market's wild swings.

Barbara Kollmeyer interviewed Max Kettner, the chief multiasset strategist at HSBC, who advised investors chasing the AI trade to speed up their reaction time.

More coverage of this week's sector action:

-- Investors' search for safety has made toothpaste stocks more expensive than tech

-- 7 healthcare stocks that stand out as investors pay up for the sector

The bond market is also churning

Early on Friday, 10-year U.S. Treasury notes BX:TMUBMUSD10Y were yielding 4.97%, as increased buying activity brought the yield down from 5.09% a week earlier. The 10-year yield peaked this year at an intraday high of 5.37% on Oct. 7. The 10-year yield was 4.17% at the end of last year.

Christine Idzelis explained how interest-rate spreads in pockets of the bond market have been showing their most dramatic moves in decades.

Tech coverage

Meta's upcoming Muse Charm device, which will work with its Muse AI agent.

Meta's stock declined as concerns over heavy spending on AI overshadowed the 26% increase in third-quarter revenue the company reported on Wednesday.

But some professional money managers have a more positive take on Meta's ability to grow new revenue streams tied to its Muse AI agent, as reported by Christine Ji and Nora Redmund.

More coverage of technology companies:

-- This wonky maneuver kept Mark Zuckerberg from fleeing a California billionaire tax

-- Why investors should be skeptical of a potential Tesla-SpaceX merger

-- SpaceX's stock made billions for college endowments. But their luck is about to run out.

-- Why a former Intel skeptic is giving up his negative call on the stock after four years

-- Tesla's stock falls as Elon Musk leaves investors wanting more

AI fallout hurts students and colleges

Hannah Pedone took a detailed look at how a decision to major in computer science, which may have seemed a sure thing for a graduate's employment prospects only a few years ago, may backfire in the current job market.

Two bits of good news for prospective home buyers

The national weekly average rate for a 30-year mortgage loan declined to 7.32% on Thursday from 7.40% the previous week, according to Freddie Mac (FMCC). Last week, the average rate was unchanged after rising for the previous seven weeks.

Meanwhile, U.S. builders cut their average price for new homes by 6% for the seventh month in a row, according to a survey by the National Association of Home Builders.

Aarthi Swaminathan reported on how some home buyers are making 7% mortgage rates work for them.

When good news on cancer treatment becomes bad news for investors

Moderna's stock is up nearly sixfold in 2026, even after a 17.5% decline on Oct. 22.

Moderna's stock (MRNA) has shot up this year to $205.88 on Friday afternoon, from $29.49 at the end of 2025. But the stock fell 17.5% on Thursday, after details of the mostly positive trial results for the company's new melanoma treatment were leaked.

Jaimy Lee spoke with industry professionals and analysts to find out why investors reacted negatively, ahead of Moderna's official release of trial study results on Saturday.

The oil flows, but gas prices stay high

The volume of crude oil (CL00) (BRN00) flowing through the Strait of Hormuz is now close to where it was before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February. Here's why gasoline prices remain high, and what we might expect for crude-oil prices heading into 2027.

More from the Commodities Corner: Silver's recent 50% drop from a record high hints that an economic slowdown looms

Advice from the Moneyist

Quentin Fottrell is The Moneyist.

This week, Quentin Fottrell - The Moneyist - attempted to mediate a dispute between a married couple, over how to allocate their cash: Should they pay down debt, or invest?

More from The Moneyist:

-- My spouse was awarded $90,000 from my 401(k) in our divorce. How is that fair?

-- My father-in-law, 81, sold his $75,000 home to pay his daughter's $50,000 debt. How can I keep him from becoming destitute?

-- My partner of 17 years left me his $1 million home. His children are crying foul. Am I obliged to split it with them?

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-Philip van Doorn

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10-23-26 1443ET