Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Over half of U.S. workers got a raise last year—here’s how to use yours to build real wealth. Avoid lifestyle creep: Don’t let your spending rise just because your paycheck did. Paying off high-interest debt with your raise could give you the biggest financial return. To retire richer, boost your savings rate by just 1% every time you get a raise. Use your raise to supercharge your emergency fund. Consider one of today’s best high-yield savings accounts or money market accounts, with top rates of 4.80% and better. The full article continues below these offers from our partners.…

Key Takeaways Nvidia, which accounts for about 8% of the S&P 500, is expected to move markets when it reports quarterly results after the close on Wednesday. Nvidia’s dominance within the AI chip market has made it a bellwether for AI demand, and its results now influence a variety of stocks that fall under the “AI trade” umbrella.The tech rally stalled last week amid concerns about stretched valuations and uncertain returns on AI investments. All eyes are on Nvidia heading into the artificial intelligence chip giant’s second-quarter earnings report, due after markets close on Wednesday. As the world’s most valuable…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Bank of America analysts initiated coverage of Oklo Tuesday with a bullish rating, citing the nuclear energy startup’s edge “powering the AI era.”The analysts said the company has the advantage of being vertically integrated and having long-term contracts that sell power directly to consumers, including data centers, industrial companies and government departments.Oklo shares added over 4% Tuesday and have more than tripled in value this year. Oklo (OKLO) shares surged Tuesday, as Bank of America analysts initiated coverage with a “buy” rating, citing the nuclear energy startup’s edge “powering the AI era.” The stock rose over 4% to…

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. CBRL shares jumped 7.09% in after-hours trading on Tuesday after the restaurant chain partially reversed its controversial logo rebrand amid political pressure and presidential commentary.Check out the current price of CBRL stock here. Trump Weighs In, Stock RespondsPresident Trump took to Truth Social on Tuesday, advising Cracker Barrel to “go back to the old logo” and calling the controversy “a billion dollars worth of free publicity.” The Republican Party’s official X account amplified Trump’s message with “Make Cracker Barrel A Winner Again!”According to Benzinga Pro, the Tennessee-based restaurant chain and country store, closed regular trading…

Real gross domestic product (GDP) by industry, or value added, is a measure of an industry’s contribution to GDP. In the second quarter, value added increased 7.7 percent for private goods-producing industries, 1.0 percent for private services-producing industries, and 1.0 percent for government (table 1). Overall, 13 of 22 industry groups contributed to the 2.1 percent annualized growth rate in real GDP in the second quarter of 2023 (table 2). Comprehensive Updates to the National, Industry, and State Economic Accounts As part of this first-ever synchronization of the national, industry, and state comprehensive updates, updated annual industry GDP estimates for…

Annex, a Scion community in Oxford, Ohio, that serves students of Miami University.Courtesy of ScionA version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Property Play newsletter with Diana Olick. Property Play covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, from individuals to venture capitalists, private equity funds, family offices, institutional investors and large public companies. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox.Consumers are increasingly concerned about the state of the economy, and that is affecting yet another real estate sector — student housing. Rent growth in the sector slowed to just 0.9% in July across 200 colleges…

How did we choose these deals? I only write about products I have tested myself, know is from a reliable brand, and would recommend to my friends and family. I have no interest in writing about junky products you’ll buy and regret spending money on. As a wearables editor, I’m constantly reading and writing news about interesting products, scrolling through Reddit threads to see what users have to say about these products, and testing them out for myself. So when I’m choosing deals, I have a low tolerance for garbage (and garbage discounts). You can trust that I’m only including products worth…

When you die, your IRA turns into an inherited IRA. Without proper planning, this can lead to high tax burdens for your beneficiaries. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)Getty Images An Individual Retirement Account, or IRA, is a powerful savings tool. You can deduct your contributions on your current tax return and watch those funds grow tax-deferred. At some point you’ll be required to begin taking taxable distributions, ideally after retirement when your tax rate may be lower. But what happens to your IRAs when you die? You might assume your IRA simply passes to your beneficiaries. What’s easy to forget…

Key Takeaways A modest drop in mortgage rates could make refinancing possible for millions of homeowners, a recent report found.If mortgage rates could fall from current levels to around 6.3% by the beginning of the year, 3 million homeowners could be in position to refinance their home, according to financial services firm and exchange operator Intercontinental Exchange.Homeownership has become unaffordable for many Americans as high mortgage rates, on top of rising home prices, push costs higher. Even a modest drop in mortgage rates could offer homeowners some relief from high borrowing costs, according to a recent report. The August Mortgage…

Key Takeaways The S&P 500 added 0.4% on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, as investors looked past concerns about President Trump’s move to fire a Federal Reserve official and ahead to Wednesday’s Nvidia earnings release.Eli Lilly stock surged as the pharmaceutical company reported positive results from a late-stage clinical trial of its experimental oral weight-loss treatment.Keurig Dr Pepper stock fell for the second straight day after the company said it will acquire coffee giant JDE Peet’s and then separate its beverage and coffee businesses. Major U.S. equities indexes ticked higher as investors looked past concerns about President Donald Trump’s effort to…