Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways The Federal Reserve’s policy committee voted to reduce the central bank’s key interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to a range of 4% to 4.25%, the lowest since December 2022.Fed officials have grown more worried that tariffs will spark a wave of unemployment than that they will fuel inflation, at least for the time being.The vote was divided, reflecting the Fed’s dilemma: lower interest rates could boost hiring, but a higher rate would help keep inflation down. The Federal Reserve has cut its key interest rate, reducing borrowing costs in an effort to boost hiring…

Key Takeaways If you’re looking to find a good place to retire, you may want to consider avoiding the few states that tax Social Security benefits. Most of the country doesn’t tax Social Security, but only select cities in select states made our list of the 50 best places to retire in the U.S. this year. Ohio, New Jersey, Florida, Tennessee, Arizona, and Colorado are just a few states that made our list. Retirement takes years of planning and careful financial projections like how far your money will take you, and part of that planning includes knowing how much you…

Key Takeaways An inheritance is a one-off event that can transform your financial life. Take time to weigh options, seek expert advice, and resist the urge to splurge. While deciding what to do with your windfall, park it where it earns a strong return but stays accessible—like one of the top high-yield savings accounts. Putting some of your inheritance in a CD can also be smart, locking in a high rate and curbing the temptation to overspend. Inherited more than $250,000? Split it across accounts to keep every dollar federally insured. The full article continues below these offers from our…

Key Takeaways Ted Weschler is one of Warren Buffet’s top investment managers at Berkshire Hathaway.Weschler met Buffett when he was a hedge fund manager, paying millions at a charity auction for the chance to have lunch with the legendary investor.It’s been revealed that Weschler grew his retirement savings to more than $269 million, through exhaustive research, investing in stocks only, making concentrated bets, and focusing on long-term value. In a remarkable tale of investment success spanning three decades, Ted Weschler—now one of Warren Buffett’s top lieutenants at Berkshire Hathaway—transformed a modest retirement account into a fortune worth hundreds of millions.…

On Wednesday, Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest executed significant trades involving Bullish BLSH, Kratos Defense and Security Solutions Inc. KTOS, Pony AI Inc. PONY, and Robinhood Markets Inc. HOOD.The Bullish Inc TradeArk Invest added 36,328 shares of Bullish across its ARK Innovation ETF ARKK and ARK Next Generation Internet ETF ARKW, a stake worth nearly $1.97 million. The stock ended the regular session at $54.35, up 5.82%.This surge followed the release of Bullish’s second-quarter earnings, which reported a profit of 93 cents per share, a significant improvement from last year’s losses.The Kratos Defense TradeArk Invest reduced its holdings in Kratos Defense and Security Solutions by selling 131,177 shares across ARK Autonomous…

Mortgage rates dropped sharply Tuesday, as investors in mortgage-backed bonds seemed to buy in ahead of a widely expected rate cut by the Federal Reserve.The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage dropped 12 basis points from Monday to 6.13%, according to Mortgage News Daily. That is the lowest level since late 2022.”The overall set-up is reminiscent of September 2024 when rates were doing the same thing for the same reasons ahead of Fed meeting with a virtual 100% chance of a rate cut,” said Matthew Graham, chief operating officer of Mortgage News Daily. “Back then, mortgage rates moved paradoxically…

Although today’s Meta Connect developer conference was largely about new smart glasses, the social networking company did announce a handful of metaverse updates during Wednesday’s keynote. Of these, one of the largest was the introduction of Hyperscape, first demoed at last year’s event, which allows developers and creators to build more photorealistic spaces in virtual reality. The company announced that Hyperscape Capture is now rolling out in Early Access, meaning Quest device owners will be able to scan a room in a few minutes, then turn it into an immersive and photorealistic world that’s like a digital replica of a…

Key Takeaways LimeWire has acquired the Fyre Festival brand for $245,000, the companies announced this week.The file sharing service said it will release more details about its plans for the brand in the coming months.LimeWire was relaunched under new leadership in 2022 as a music-focused NFT and file sharing platform, and Fyre tried and failed to organize a second festival last year. Two once-infamous brands are now set to collaborate after this nostalgic sentence became reality earlier this week: file sharing service LimeWire has acquired the Fyre Festival brand. The companies announced the deal on Tuesday, with the Wall Street…

Key Takeaways The “Great Lock In of 2025” is a social media trend encouraging people to hyper focus on goals, often through small daily habits. While it can build discipline and help with financial goals like saving and debt payoff, one expert warns that burnout can occur when being too restrictive. It’s important to approach the challenge with a sense of balance: Set realistic, manageable daily goals for yourself, like setting aside a few dollars from every paycheck. On social media, people are using the time between now and the end of the year to “lock in” on their goals,…

Key Takeaways Shares of ridesharing giant Uber fell on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, after a competitor announcement, while a stake from an activist investor helped boost HR software firm Workday.Uber declined 5% after rival Lyft and self-driving technology partner announced a plan to launch robotaxi services in Nashville.Workday advanced after Elliott Investment Management said it had accumulated a major position in the enterprise software company. A big mobility and food-delivery player came under pressure after a competitor announced an expansion of its robotaxi partnership, while a cloud-based business software provider soared after an activist investment firm announced a stake. The…