normal conditions we had prior to the covid-19 outbreak. predicting more stock market gains for the benchmark s&p 500. and for those receiving social security, expect 5.9% more in your checks thanks to the government s annual cost of living judgment. inflation, of course, the wild card in the new year. higher prices eat into wage gains and strain household budgets, especially for low-income earners. in new york, i m christine romans. now, anyone who s braved hockey on the frozen lakes of canada, alaska, or minnesota, i d be one of them, knows the teeth-chattering feeling of bitterly cold weather. like at the national hockey league s annual winter classic, which believe me, earned its name. oh, i m loving that clothing. good going. temperatures plunged to minus 10 degrees fahrenheit or minus 23 degrees celsius. the coldest outdoor game in league history. you can see there, the players had to bundle up, as well, with