Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Monday has brought more gains for shares of MP Materials and USA Rare Earth.Chinese regulators last week increased restrictions on exports that derive 0.1% or more of their value from rare earth technology. President Trump retaliated by boosting tariffs on Chinese imports. U.S. rare-earths stocks are hot to start the week. Shares of rare earth minerals providers MP Materials (MP) and USA Rare Earth (USAR) continued their recent climb Monday, rising after China took further steps to limit their exports to the U.S. Both companies’ shares were up more than 20% in recent trading. Chinese regulators, citing national…

Key Takeaways News involving OpenAI has a tendency to move the shares of companies involved. Today’s example is Broadcom, which saw its stock jump on news of a deal with the ChatGPT maker. OpenAI isn’t publicly traded. But when it acts, stocks often move. On Monday, it was Broadcom’s (AVGO) turn. Shares of the chipmaker were recently up nearly 10%, approaching 2025 highs, following an announcement that the ChatGPT maker would team with the chipmaker to co-develop AI systems for delivery from 2026 to 2029. Today’s climb in Broadcom shares is another example of the sustained popularity of the news-driven…

When the Medicare open-enrollment season for 2026 starts on October 15, brace yourself for some big, and potentially costly, changes.Premium hikes for both medical and drug coverage, shrinking benefits on some private insurers’ Medicare Advantage plans and a few rule changes mean it will be especially wise to research your choices to protect your health and save money.Yet, nearly seven out of 10 Medicare beneficiaries don’t compare plan options, according to a study last year by health policy and research firm KFF. That can be an expensive error — even if you’re satisfied with your current coverage. From just $107.88…

Major U.S.stock indexes rose sharply Monday morning after President Donald Trump softened his tone on China. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite were each up at least 1.3% in recent trading, recovering from a selloff on Friday. Broadcom (AVGO) stock popped after the chipmaker and OpenAI announced a partnership for 10 gigawatts of custom AI accelerators. Shares of fellow chipmakers Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Nvidia (NVDA), and ON Semiconductor (ON) also rose. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shares surged after the company reportedly rebuffed a takeover approach from Paramount Skydance (PSKY) for being too low. Paramount Skydance shares also…

You’re retired and cruising down a long, scenic highway, sunlight streaming through the trees. Nestled close by is your loving canine or feline companion, ready for the next adventure. Retirement is the perfect time to hit the road and discover both well-known and hidden destinations. Bringing your furry friend along makes it even more special.More than 55% of adults over the age of 50 own pets, with over half of older Americans choosing to bring their loving companions along when they travel.But traveling with pets takes planning. This guide offers practical tips to ensure your pet-friendly adventure is safe, enjoyable…

By Sinéad Carew and Dhara Ranasinghe NEW YORK/ LONDON (Reuters) -MSCI’s global equities gauge regained some ground on Monday after Friday’s steep sell-off as U.S. President Donald Trump softened his tone on the U.S.-China trade war, but safe-haven gold hit fresh record highs in a sign that uncertainty remained high. On Friday Trump had threatened 100% tariffs on China from November 1 in response to China’s curbs on exports of rare earth elements. During the weekend, Beijing defended its move as a response to U.S. aggression, but stopped short of imposing new levies on U.S. products. So by Sunday, the…

Silver’s futures curve just did something we haven’t seen in over forty years: it flipped into deep backwardation. The front-month contract is trading about $2.88 higher than the later ones, marking the steepest inversion since 1980. That might sound like a small technical detail, but it’s far more important than it appears. In the world of commodities, backwardation of this size doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the market’s way of saying something major has changed beneath the surface. To me, silver’s record backwardation is more than a data point; it’s a major signal that deserves attention. When the futures curve…

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference following a two-day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee at the Federal Reserve on September 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla | Getty ImagesIf any doubts remained about whether the Federal Reserve will be lowering its key interest rate later this month, the budget loggerheads a few blocks away in the nation’s capital may have cemented the move.Particularly if the impasse stretches out past a few days, Chair Jerome Powell and his fellow central bankers likely will err on the side of caution, which in this case would…

The countdown is on! TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 kicks off in exactly two weeks — October 27–29 at Moscone West in San Francisco — and this is your final chance to lock in up to $624 in savings before prices increase to Late Bird rates on Friday, October 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Join more than 10,000 founders, investors, and operators for three days of inspiration, connection, and dealmaking across 200+ sessions, 250+ tech leaders, and 300+ showcasing startups. Image Credits:TechCrunch Why attend Disrupt 2025 TechCrunch Disrupt is where the global startup ecosystem meets to shape what’s next — from AI…

Key Takeaways When forced to choose what to sacrifice in retirement, only 15% of Americans would cut the financial support they provide to family members, making it their least preferred option out of nine difficult choices.Americans would rather return to work, skip medical care, or move in with others (22%) than stop helping adult children, grandchildren, or aging parents.For many, family obligation outweighs personal security. When the Alliance for Lifetime Income surveyed Americans about what sacrifices they’d make to stretch retirement savings, reducing family financial support ranked dead last—chosen by only 15% of respondents. That figure is way behind having…