Author: Money Mechanics

A cargo ship sits outside of the Port of Elizabeth marine terminal seen from Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S., April 9 2025.Shannon Stapleton | ReutersThe World Trade Organization on Tuesday hiked its forecast for global trade growth in 2025, but warned the outlook for 2026 had deteriorated.In its latest “Global Trade Outlook and Statistics” report published Tuesday, the WTO predicted that trade volume growth in 2025 would stand at 2.4%, up sharply from a previous estimate of 0.9% in the trade body’s August report.The outlook for next year is not so rosy, however, with the organization slashing its previous expectation of…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Changes made in the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” are expected to result in fewer Pell Grants for students.However, since the bill’s implementation has occurred so quickly, the Department of Education said some applicants may encounter errors on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid.If students expect to receive less federal aid, they should consider non-federal financing options like local scholarships and state-based grants. As families begin to apply for student aid for the next school year, changes to Pell Grant rules may mean they are offered less money than in previous years. The Free Application for Federal Student…

Key Takeaways Embrace long-term investing and avoid chasing fleeting market trends. Focus on fundamentals: invest in quality businesses with strong value and management. Build wealth with discipline, patience, and family-focused financial education. Warren Buffett continues to be one of the most respected figures in modern investing circles. Even many investors without a stake in or designs on his Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) consider his annual letters to shareholders must-reading for their market insights. His shareholder letters deliver a crucial message: avoid chasing short-term gains and embrace patience. This mindset serves as the foundation for families looking to build lasting wealth and…

(Oil Price)– The OPEC+ group continues to return modest volumes of supply to the market, cautious not to sink oil prices as demand weakens after the summer. The production hikes are estimated to be lower than the headline figures suggest—some producers lack the capacity to boost output further, while others are compensating for previous overproduction. While the lower-than-planned production increases support oil prices, they also reduce the spare capacity of the OPEC+ producers. Not that many of them have any meaningful spare production capacity. Except for Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Iraq, the other members of the…

Key Takeaways Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Wednesday that AI demand has grown “substantially” in the last six months.The CEO also said he believes the AI boom is still in its early stages, with further room for growth. Demand for artificial intelligence is booming and only just getting started, according to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. “This year, particularly the last six months, demand of computing has gone up substantially,” the CEO told CNBC in a televised interview Wednesday, adding that that he believes the AI boom is still in its early stages, leaving room for further growth. Shares of…

Key Takeaways Most people retire earlier than planned for reasons such as health issues and job loss. Retiring early means you can have more time for doing the things you enjoy and making more social connections. You may outlive your finances if you don’t plan carefully, and you may need to pay for your own health insurance. Maximize your retirement savings, build an emergency fund, and consider making adjustments to your lifestyle. Why People Retire Earlier Than Planned At some point, many people want to retire full-time so they can focus on their well-being, hobbies, interests, travel, family, and relaxation.…

Want to spend a little extra money in retirement without the guilt? There are some strategies you can use.Think of them as permission to spend rules; they are designed to let you splurge a little without throwing your retirement savings plan off track or causing you sleepless nights worrying about outliving your money.After all, we’ve been conditioned to save as much as possible, so spending in retirement beyond whatever withdrawal rate we committed to, even if we can afford to, can be downright scary. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR…

Gold has been one of the hottest trades of 2025. The precious metal is up more than 50% for the year to date, and on October 7, it surpassed the psychologically significant $4,000 mark for the first time.This rally has come as investors have poured billions into gold exchange-traded funds. According to the World Gold Council, U.S.-listed gold ETFs saw inflows of $32.7 billion through late September, while inflows into global gold ETFs topped $57 billion.This has global assets for gold exchange-traded funds nearing half a trillion dollars, “a milestone that would highlight their role in one of the most…

After Congress failed to pass a funding bill by October 1, the country entered a government shutdown. Lawmakers now face another critical deadline, but negotiations remain at a standstill.While essential employees continue to work, their paychecks won’t be processed if Congress doesn’t pass a budget by October 13. The shutdown also threatens programs like WIC, which could run out of funds within two weeks, and SNAP, which may face similar challenges if the stalemate extends past October.With no resolution in sight, the shutdown’s effects are starting to ripple through the economy. Delayed reports, including the latest jobs data, make it…

Key Takeaways Equifax cut prices in response to Fair Isaac’s decision to offer credit score data directly to companies that provide credit scores to mortgage providers.Equifax will offer its VantageScore 4.0 credit scores at a reduced price or free to customers.The firm accused Fair Isaac of monopolistic practices in the credit score industry. A price war is now underway in the credit score industry. Equifax (EFX) has responded to a move by score provider Fair Isaac (FICO) by slashing the cost for the information to its customers, news that sent Equifax shares up on Wednesday. Fair Isaac announced last week it…