☀️ Sunny money

This year’s solar eclipse is heating up tourism revenue in local economies to a cool $1 billion.*  

Americans also have a sunny outlook when it comes to the power of savings. More than half of people have financial goals (56%) – and they’re charging up their savings to meet them. According to Empower research, people say they stash an average of $1,539 with their sights set on short-term aims.  

Read on for more money headlines lighting up this week’s news. 

— The Editors

Money

✈️ Sky-high: Sun watchers can get the view from up top with Delta’s flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Detroit, on route to give passengers sight of the full eclipse. A one-way ticket ranges from $749* in the main cabin to $1,150 for a first-class seat. This venture may be well-suited for the 38% of people who consider themselves to be “financial explorers” –whose money choices tend to be motivated by learning about the world and enjoying life in the here and now. Check out Empower’s research on money moves and movers. 

🔭 Totality charitably given: A new report predicts a 4.2%* boost in charitable giving in the U.S. this year, driven by gains in personal income, market performance, and net worth. The largest drivers of donations are among foundations and estates, with individual and household giving projected to rise 2.6%. Bonus: Donating to charitable causes is one way to reduce taxable income. 

🍩 Sugary sphere: Krispy Kreme’s shares surged after announcing a deal to sell its confections nationwide at McDonald’s restaurants, with the stock biting into a 39%* increase the day of the announcement. The partnership will double Krispy Kreme’s distribution by the end of 2026, glazing the way for the doughnut maker to further bake its market value of $2.11 billion. 

Play

Down-to-earth produce  

Ever thought about buying luxury fruit? There’s a market for that. 

Designer produce like a strawberry variety native to the Japanese Alps, for instance, now sells at $12* for a half dozen at more than 100 grocery stores. (That’s down from $50 per package, thanks to economies of scale.) Over the past decade, “cotton candy grapes” have become one of the fastest-growing produce items on the U.S. market.  

When it comes to high-end produce, the juice needs to be worth the squeeze, as 73% of Americans are willing to cut back on daily spending to save up for long-term goals.  

Daily consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables fell to a seven-year low in 2023, according to a recent report* from the Food Industry Association.  

Life

Hot ticket  

If you’re playing to win, California has earned a shine with four of the five biggest winners in Powerball history residing there, claiming prizes worth over $6 billion* in total.  

A New Jersey lottery winner scored a $1.13 billion* jackpot in March, and New York, Indiana, Missouri, and Louisiana have sold over 10 Powerball jackpot-winning tickets through the years.  

Though the odds of winning a Powerball lottery jackpot are about one in 292 million, we've got tips for what to do if you win.  

Work

New school rules 

With Tax Day upon us, savers can still make last-minute transfers to their Roth IRA tax-advantaged retirement account.  

Beyond pulling from a paycheck, there’s a new pathway for potential contributions: This year, investors can roll money from a 529 college savings plan into a Roth IRA that has been created in the name of the beneficiary. 

Be sure to study the rules: Conversions can't exceed the corresponding year’s Roth IRA contribution limits, at $7,000 in 2024, with a lifetime maximum of $35,000, and contributions to the 529 plan within the past five years aren't eligible for rollovers.