Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways The weekly average 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped to 6.58% this week, the lowest level in 10 months, according to a Redfin report.Pending sales are rising slightly, and one agent believes the time for buyers to act is now.LPL Financial’s chief economist expects mortgage rates to be lower in 2026 than they are today. If you’re considering buying a home but keeping one eye on the latest mortgage rates, the time to pull the trigger on an offer might be now.  The weekly average 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped to 6.58% this week, the lowest level in 10…

The chips are down to close out August. A range of chip stocks slid Friday, weighing on the major U.S. equities indexes in the last trading session of the month. China concerns weighed on the sector, but that wasn’t the only factor that pulled shares lower. The tech sector led losses on the S&P 500 Friday, with Nvidia (NVDA) among its biggest decliners. The giant’s shares lost over 3% amid uncertainty about its China sales after it reported quarterly results Wednesday. Broadcom (AVGO), which reports next week, saw its stock fall close to 4%. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and other…

If you’re saving for retirement, chances are good you’re using a 401(k) to do it. These workplace retirement accounts (or the equivalent versions for public sector workers) are the most common retirement plans in America, and with good reason.A 401(k) plan is easy to open — you may even be auto-enrolled when you start work — and easy to contribute to, since funds come right out of your paychecks. You get generous tax breaks, enjoy high contribution limits, and may even get a generous employer match depending on the company you work for.Unfortunately, while there is a lot to love…

In recent years, spring has yielded to fall as the most popular season for weddings, with 32% of ceremonies taking place in September and October compared with just 12% in June, according to The Knot, a wedding-planning website. Another tradition that is quietly changing: who pays the bill.With the average cost of a wedding now at $36,000, the customary split — the bride’s family pays for the ceremony and reception, while the groom’s family handles the rehearsal dinner — is shifting to a more collaborative approach. “These days, it’s common to see everyone chipping in where they can, including the…

Photo via Piotr Swat Trading activity has pushed Interactive Brokers’ stock through the roof, and the firm is getting a trade of its own: Today it is replacing Walgreens on the S&P 500. Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) is leaving the index due to its pending acquisition by Sycamore Partners. Interactive Brokers, which was previously included in the S&P MidCap 400, has seen its stock (IBKR) price increase 35% so far this year and 95% over the past 12 months. However, the stock has been volatile, starting the year at above $45 a share before climbing to nearly $59 in February,…

Key Takeaways Alibaba Group’s cloud computing unit is said to have developed a new chip more advanced than its legacy products, according to a Wall Street Journal report.The news hit markets Friday, with the e-commerce giant’s stock rising as U.S. chip companies’ shares largely fell. Alibaba’s ambitions and emerging AI challengers in Shanghai and Beijing show that China won’t roll over in the battle for AI dominance. China intends to keep up with the Jensen Huangs of the world. Recent moves out of the country’s tech sector illustrate the country’s ambitions to remain a contender in the race for AI…

Owned by the same family for more than 116 years, Reynolds Ranch is now on the market for $30.7 million.Courtesy of California Outdoor PropertiesFor more than 116 years, Deanna Davis’ family has owned Reynolds Ranch, spanning 7,600 acres in California’s Central Coast region. With the heirs in disagreement over the homestead’s future, Reynolds Ranch is now on the market for $30.7 million.”It’s so hard to make decisions together as a family about the ranch,” she told CNBC. “If I had the cash, I would buy the whole thing right now and cash everybody out and start over and take the…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Dell Technologies shares sank in early trading Friday, a day after it projected soft current-quarter profit.Dell Chief Operating Officer Jeff Clarke said “exceptional” demand for its AI solutions has led the company to lift its full-year AI server shipment guidance to $20 billion.Citi analysts said the increased AI server shipment guidance is good news for Nvidia and Micron Technology.Dell shares are falling around 10% in early trading Friday, leading declines on the S&P 500. Dell Technologies (DELL) shares sank in early trading Friday, a day after it projected soft current-quarter profit. The Round Rock, Texas-based maker of personal…

UnitedHealth Group (UNH) was a long-time market beater in a big way before 2025 became its annus horribilis.Shares in the nation’s largest health insurer had been a great buy-and-hold bet for decades, thanks to a relentless focus on growth through acquisitions. The company, which started with humble beginnings in the 1970s, was a pioneer in offering network-based health care plans with the aim of controlling costs.A few decades later, scores of acquisitions gave UNH an essentially vertical portfolio of health care businesses. By 2012, the company was such a force in its sector that the stock was added to the…

Each week, in our Ask the Editor series, Joy Taylor, The Kiplinger Tax Letter Editor, answers questions on topics submitted by readers. This week, she’s looking at questions on estate and gift taxes. (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Tax Letter or subscribe.)1. Estate tax changes under the OBBBQuestion: Did the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) make any changes to the federal estate and gift tax?Joy Taylor: Yes. It increased the lifetime federal estate and gift tax exemption and made it permanent. For 2025 deaths, the exemption is $13,990,000, and the highest estate tax rate is 40%. This exemption…