Author: Money Mechanics

48% of apartments built in Q1 were rented within three months, up from 47% in Q4 2024 and 46% in Q3 2024. As the balance of power tilts back toward landlords, asking rents are ticking up. Roughly half (48%) of newly built apartments completed in the first quarter of 2025 were rented within three months, up from 47% in the fourth quarter of 2024 and 46% the quarter before that.  This is according to a Redfin analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s seasonally adjusted absorption rate data for unfurnished, unsubsidized, privately financed rental apartments in buildings with five or more…

Jason Hiner/ZDNETWhile we didn’t hear much about Siri or Apple Intelligence during the 2025 Apple Event that launched new iPhones, AirPods, and Apple Watches, there were two huge AI features announced that have largely slipped under the radar. That’s mostly because they were presented as great new features and didn’t use overhyped AI marketing language.Nevertheless, I got to demo both features at Apple Park on Tuesday and my first impression was that both of them are nearly fully baked and ready to start improving daily life — and those are my favorite kinds of features to talk about.Also: 5 new AI-powered…

Key Takeaways Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery advanced again following reports Paramount Skydance wants to purchase its media rival.The Wall Street Journal first reported that Paramount was preparing a cash bid for all of Warner Bros. Discovery.Warner Bros. Discovery announced in June it planned to split into two companies, and the Journal said the Paramount plan was to pre-empt a potential bidding war for its studios and streaming service. Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shot up for a second straight session Friday on reports rival Paramount Skydance (PSKY) was preparing to make a bid to take over its media…

(Oil Price)– Lately, Wall Street has been warning that oil markets could soon face a surplus, putting more pressure on already depressed oil prices. To wit, Goldman Sachs has predicted that oil markets could be oversupplied by 1.9 million b/d in 2026 amid OPEC+ unwinding production cuts and production in the Americas rising. Wall Street now sees oil prices sinking to the $50s per barrel next year, further compounding a $15/barrel decline in the current year. And now the experts are telling energy bulls to expect even more misery, with LNG markets headed for a glut in the coming years. TotalEnergies’ (NYSE:TTE) CEO Patrick…

Key Takeaways Super Micro Computer said it was now shipping products that use Nvidia’s high-speed Blackwell semiconductor for use in artificial intelligence applications.The computer hardware maker explained that the combination give customers optimized AI performance.CEO Charles Liang said Super Micro Computer has the “best track record” in deploying Nvidia technologies. Super Micro Computer (SMCI), or Supermicro, shares gained as the computer hardware maker announced it was delivering products with Nvidia’s (NVDA) high-speed Blackwell Ultra chips for artificial intelligence computing. The company explained that the Blackwell chips were in Supermicro’s Plug-and-Play (PnP)-ready NVIDIA HGX B300 systems and GB300 NVL72 racks. Supermicro…

Key Takeaways The number of older Americans living in poverty rose last year, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Social Security remains the most effective government program at preventing poverty, lifting an estimated 28.7 million Americans above the poverty line last year. However, experts are concerned that the looming Social Security shortfall and cuts to other government assistance programs could put more Americans into poverty in the years to come. More older Americans were living in poverty in 2024, new data on income, poverty, and health insurance released by the Census Bureau shows. According to the supplemental…

Key Takeaways RH reported earnings and revenue that missed estimates as it was hurt by U.S. tariffs. The upscale furniture and home accessories retailer also lowered its full-year guidance.RH said it is taking steps to try to mitigate the impact of tariff costs. Shares of RH (RH) fell Friday, a day after the upscale furniture and home accessories retailer posted weaker-than-expected results and lowered its guidance on uncertainty about the impact of tariffs. The company reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $2.93 on revenue that rose 8% year-over-year to $899.2 million. Analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha were looking for…

Key Takeaways Early retirees need health insurance to bridge the gap until Medicare kicks in at age 65. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace lets them buy coverage, even with pre-existing conditions.  Premiums are expected to rise sharply in most states in 2026, straining the budgets of early retirees. Expiring federal tax credits could push costs even higher. To manage expenses, early retirees should compare plans carefully, use generics, and save with an HSA. Health insurance costs are set to rise, with more than 300 ACA marketplace providers proposing premium hikes averaging 20% for 2026. Since premiums increase with age…

Key Takeaways The U.S. Federal Reserve is widely expected to start cutting interest rates soon. Some experts warn Wall Street may be too optimistic about how big or fast those cuts will be. Stock markets often climb before and during Fed rate cuts, which means waiting for the official decision could mean missing out on early gains. Jumping in also carries risks: if inflation stays high or the Fed moves slower than expected, stocks could pull back. The U.S. stock market has been at or near record levels, buoyed in part by expectations that the Federal Reserve will begin cutting…

SS&C Technologies Hldgs SSNC has outperformed the market over the past 15 years by 10.91% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 23.29%. Currently, SS&C Technologies Hldgs has a market capitalization of $21.79 billion. Buying $100 In SSNC: If an investor had bought $100 of SSNC stock 15 years ago, it would be worth $2,349.18 today based on a price of $89.21 for SSNC at the time of writing.SS&C Technologies Hldgs’s Performance Over Last 15 YearsFinally — what’s the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of…