It was yet another big week for earnings, and the IRS announced a big change for retirement savers.

Intro: We’re now a few weeks into earnings season, and some of our favorite financials stocks just reported their latest results. Plus, wages are growing faster than they have in years and Americans can look forward to saving a little more for retirement in 2019. In this week’s episode of Industry Focus: Financials, host Jason Moser and Fool.com contributor Matt Frankel, CFP discuss all of this news and more.

Earnings season never disappoints. Apple posted seemingly strong results, but the market was disappointed in changes to its reporting and guidance. Ditto for Spotify, who made some changes to its expected subscriber counts for 2018 and sold off after its report. But Fitbit made a statement with the success of its smartwatch segment and shares are up over 30%.

Should Apple and Spotify investors be worried? And Does Fitbit belong on your watch list?

Stocks: AAPL, SPOT, FIT

With the recent market volatility, many stocks have fallen near 52-week lows. We discuss several of these stocks to determine whether they are a “Trick” or a “Treat” for your portfolio, and break down whether the market’s recent swoon should have you spooked.

October's stock market correction was frightful, and some stocks have been particularly ghoulish performers this year, but fear not dear listeners, because we've got some advice that can help you keep your head in terrifying times.

Shares of GrubHub are down 40% even as the company recorded impressive top line growth of 52% in the third quarter. We take a big picture look at the recent market volatility before digging into the opposing forces at play for the leading restaurant delivery platform.

Thanks to Netsuite for supporting the show. Get the FREE guide -- “Crushing the Five Barriers to Growth” -- at NetSuite.com/FOOL.

It was a big week in the financial industry, as the massive Money 20/20 conference in Las Vegas produced some big announcements. Goldman Sachs’ (NYSE: GS) Marcus division announced that it plans to offer investment management solutions for everyday Americans, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and American Express (NYSE: AXP) announced a major partnership, and more. In this episode ofIndustry Focus: Financials, host Jason Moser and Fool.com contributor Matt Frankel discuss the week’s news, some recent earnings, and what stocks are on their radar right now.

The largest freelance marketplace in the world went public earlier this month and Wall Street seemed eager to get its hands on shares of the company. Should investors also want in? In this episode, we break down:

- How Upwork makes money
- Why the gig economy is a huge driver for the stock
- Whether or not we're interested in buying shares

Stocks: UPWK, TWLO

The advent of horizontal fracturing has made the Bakken Shale play in North Dakota one of the most productive oilfields in the world. We break down how the Bakken got to where it is today, investment opportunities available in the Bakken, and the future of the play in the larger context of US fracking.

Stocks Mentioned: ETP, KMI, OKE, CLR, HES, MRO, EOG, COP

Could cancer diagnostics really be the next biggest thing in healthcare? Special guest Simon Erickson dives into this burgeoning field and shares the top stocks every investor should keep an eye on. Tickers: ILMN, RHHBY, GH

After more than a decade of declining revenue and mounting losses, Sears Holdings filed for bankruptcy protection in October. While Chairman and major shareholder Edward Lampert hopes to salvage 400 of the company’s best stores, the fate of this nearly 130-year-old American brand is anything but certain. We look at what lies ahead for Sears and how major competitors might benefit from its absence.