Alternative Access First Priority CLO Bond ETF (AAA)
ARCA ARCA Primary 
CXA 
Bulletproof to bust: Top AAA bonds tarnished by a Blackstone office deal's blow up
Top AAA-rated commercial property bonds have been tarnished by a defaulted office loan on a Blackstone Inc. building in New York City, which in May left investors with big losses.
Explore California, The Ultimate Playground: Memorial Day, Summer 2024
CALIFORNIA — If you’re planning to explore California for the three-day Memorial Day weekend, knowing when to avoid the busiest times on major routes can make the difference between a stress-free holiday or one the kids will never let you forget. Some 43.8 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home to celebrate Memorial Day in 2024. That's a 4 percent increase from last year, AAA said in its annual Memorial Day travel forecast. Travel this year could approach the record set in 2005 when 44 million people took Memorial Day trips. Many California residents plan to set out and enjoy all that their state has to offer over the three-day weekend. Memorial Day, the unofficial start to summer, has always been a big road trip holiday. About 38.4 million people plan to take off in their cars, the highest number for the holiday since AAA began tracking Memorial Day travel in 2000. Ahead of Memorial Day in California, regular gasoline was selling for an average statewide price of $5.33 a gallon. Pump prices always creep higher as the summer driving season gets underway, and wars in Ukraine and the Middle East could roil the oil market, AAA cautioned. Be prepared. Heading to some of California's most favored destinations might require a tank or two of gas to get there. "The Golden State is massive," according to Visit California. The third largest state in the nation, it comprises more square miles than many countries. "To see a good chunk of California in one trip, you need to strategize. Setting from Southern California to Northern California can take 15 hours by car, the same distance from New York City to Jacksonville, Florida." For some quick weekend trips across the state, flying may be your best option. Airports are expected to be busier than last year, too, with about 3.51 million people flying to their Memorial Day destinations, 4.8 percent more than last year and 9 percent more than pre-pandemic 2019. AAA said crowds could rival the post-9/11 recovery in 2005, when 3.64 million people flew. “We haven’t seen Memorial Day weekend travel numbers like these in almost 20 years.” Paula Twidale, a senior vice president at AAA Travel, said in a news release. “We’re projecting an additional 1 million travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means we’re exceeding pre-pandemic levels but also signals a very busy summer travel season ahead.” Where are the best destinations in the Golden State? According to Wallet Hub, the Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Anaheim areas are among the most visited in California over the summer months, but Californians can see much more outside of the metro areas. Travel Times To Avoid AAA’s transportation data partner, INRIX, says drivers who are leaving on Thursday and Friday should get on the road early to avoid peak commute time. Travelers returning from their getaways on Sunday and Monday should avoid the peak travel afternoon hours. “Travel times are expected to be 90 percent longer than normal,” Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst at INRIX, said in a news release. He advised road trippers to remain up to date on traffic apps, 511 services and local news stations to avoid sitting in traffic any longer than necessary. These are the best and worst times to travel by car (all times local): Thursday, May 23 Friday, May 24 Saturday, May 25 Sunday, May 26 Monday, May 27 Peak Congestion Times: Here are the peak congestion times for busy metropolitan routes, the estimated travel time and the increase in traffic due to the holiday: Other Means Of Travel Rebound While most people are either driving or flying to their Memorial Day destinations, about 1.9 million people will take trains, buses and cruises, an increase of 5.6 percent from last year, AAA said. “This category took the biggest hit during the pandemic with fewer people taking public transportation or not cruising at all,” Twidale said. “Now — five years later — we’re back to 2019 numbers. Travel demand has been soaring, and long holiday weekends create the perfect windows for getaways.” Related:
Memorial day flights, hotels: What will it cost you?
Airfare prices will spike more than $40 per week leading up to Memorial Day weekend. Millions of people are expected to fly, based on data from travel app Hopper. "If you haven’t booked a flight for Memorial Day weekend yet, book now," Hopper lead economist Hayley Berg said. AAA reported airports are going to get a surge of traffic with an estimated 3.51 million air travelers this holiday weekend. That is an increase of 4.8% over 2023, and a 9% jump compared to 2019, according to AAA data. To handle the demand this year, a million seats have been added to domestic routes with nearly 300,00 on international routes, according to Berg. SUMMER 2024: UBER LAUNCHES SHUTTLE SERVICE FOR AIRPORTS, CONCERTS, GAMES Over 20 million seats will depart U.S. airports during the long weekend spanning from Thursday through the day after Memorial Day. That is a 6.6% increase from 2023, according to Hopper data. Memorial Day airfare is currently averaging $260 per ticket, which is down 9.5% from last year as well as 2019 levels, according to Berg. As prices will inch up over the next few weeks, price-conscious travelers should aim to fly out Saturday and return on Tuesday, given that it will save them roughly $90 from peak prices on Friday and Monday. Similar to domestic flights, international trips to many major regions of the world, including the Caribbean, Europe and Asia, are less expensive for now. For example, flights to Canada or the Antilles in the Caribbean currently cost $400 on average for a round-trip ticket. 5 TOP REASONS TO TRAVEL MIDWEEK RATHER THAN ON WEEKENDS: 'BETTER SELECTION, LOWER RATES' The cost to fly to Europe is about $974 per round trip ticket, which is down 2% from last year. However, it is still significantly higher than in 2019. Last summer, the cost to fly to Europe reached its highest level in 6 years with tickets averaging around $1,200 per round trip. Hotel stays are averaging $212 per night this year, according to Hopper data. That is slightly higher than the average prices for the summer. Saturday is the most expensive night to stay, with prices averaging 36% higher than non-weekend nights. GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE Travelers will get the lowest rate if they stay from Sunday through Tuesday. Car rentals for the long weekend will cost $43 on average per day, which is roughly unchanged from last year. The most searched car rental locations include Orlando, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Washington and Fort Lauderdale, according to Hopper data. The costs in each of the aforementioned places range between $21 and $37 per day. In terms of gas prices, AAA reported Thursday that the national average for a gallon of gasoline fell four cents since the prior week to $3.60 driven by weak domestic demand and oil costs below $80 a barrel. "Barring some unforeseen event, this pokey drop in pump prices is not likely to change anytime soon," AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross said. He noted that county gas averages in seven states are less than $3 a gallon. "This trend will likely accelerate as more gas outlets east of the Rockies drop their prices," Gross said.
