Personal Finance Daily: Despite stress, U.S. presidents live longer

Personal Finance Daily DECEMBER 22, 2011 Despite stress, U.S. presidents live longer By MarketWatch Don't miss these top stories: U.S. presidents live longer, despite stress How you can prosper more and risk less Rates on 30-year mortgages hit another record low You've probably seen the photos on TV or in magazines: images of the president highlighting the gray hair and wrinkles they've acquired in office, along with some breathless commentary about how the stress of being the leader of the free world ages the Commander-in-Chief. Well, even if the stress of the job appears to age U.S. presidents more quickly, it doesn't seem to be doing them any lasting harm. Kristen Gerencher writes today in her Vital Signs column about research that shows U.S. presidents, on average, outlive other U.S. men of their era. Read her column to find out why. Also in today's Personal Finance news on MarketWatch, Robert Powell interviews Boston University finance professor Zvi Bodie about his new book, which shows investors how TIPS and other fixed-income investments can help them prosper more and risk less. — Anne Stanley , Managing Editor, Personal Finance U.S. presidents live longer, despite stress U.S. presidents often seem to age in dog years while they're in office, but don't let the appearance of gray hair and wrinkles fool you. Commanders-in-chief historically have outlived all U.S. men of their era thanks to their high levels of education, wealth and access to medical care, according to a recent study. Read more: U.S. presidents live longer, despite stress. How you can prosper more and risk less It's not sexy. It flies in the face of conventional wisdom. But Zvi Bodie says it's possible to prosper and to do so with less risk. Read more: How you can prosper more and risk less. Rates on 30-year mortgages hit record low Rates on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit a record low this week, averaging 3.91%, according to Freddie Mac's weekly survey of conforming mortgage rates. Read more: Rates on 30-year mortgages hit record low. ECONOMY AND POLITICS French downgrade could be inching closer In October, Moody's upheld France's triple-A credit rating. Three months later, the nation is staring down the barrel of a possible downgrade. Read more: French downgrade inches closer. Consumer sentiment remains on upswing Consumer sentiment rises for fourth straight month. Read more: Consumer sentiment remains on upswing. Economic growth expected for winter Data suggest that the economy will continue to grow this winter, and possibly pick up momentum by spring, the Conference Board said Thursday. Read more: Economic growth expected for winter. Initial jobless claims lowest since April 2008 The number of Americans filing initial claims for regular state unemployment-insurance benefits is at the lowest level since April 2008, according to Labor Department data released Thursday. Read more: Initial jobless claims lowest since April 2008. Third-quarter GDP growth cut to 1.8% from 2.0% U.S. economic growth for the third quarter gets trimmed to a 1.8% seasonally adjusted annual rate from the prior estimate of 2.0%. Read more: Third-quarter GDP growth cut. A year of aggressive antitrust oversight The Obama administration's enforcers have been more determined than ever in 2011, suing to block major blockbuster deals, and they're only expected to keep up the pace in 2012. Read more: A year of aggressive antitrust oversight. INVESTING Storm clouds over Nasdaq will part in 2012 The latest blow to the tech-laden Nasdaq, Oracle's earnings report, will be the last in a year of range-bound trading that news events suggest will end in 2012. Read more: Storm clouds over Nasdaq will part in 2012. Considering Britain, and Dickens, at year's end It has been a tumultuous year for Britain, one that is ending with the island nation isolated on many economic fronts. It's a good time to read Charles Dickens. Read more: Considering Britain, and Dickens, at year's end. Oracle's focus comes into question The focus by CEO Larry Ellison and his top lieutenants focus on hardware sales has investors worried about other underlying economic issues and its high-margin maintenance business. Read more: Oracle's focus comes into question. Taking a shot at Kodak Bankruptcy wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to Eastman Kodak Co., writes Al Lewis. Read more: Taking a shot at Kodak. 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