Author: Money Mechanics

YouTube has become the biggest platform out there, offering tons of opportunities for creators to earn a living. Back in June, the company reported that its creative ecosystem added over $55 billion to the U.S. GDP and created more than 490,000 full-time jobs. However, many YouTubers have reduced their reliance on ad revenue and brand deals. There are several reasons for this shift. First, ad revenue can be quite unpredictable. With YouTube continually updating its policies, some creators may find it challenging to secure ads for their videos, which can negatively impact their earnings. Additionally, they’ve realized that income from…

Key Takeaways Shares of Tesla retreated Thursday even after the company turned in third-quarter deliveries that came in stronger than Wall Street anticipated. But looking back, investors have been baking all kinds of optimism into Tesla’s valuation lately; the EV maker’s shares outperformed the rest of the Magnificent Seven in the third quarter. Tesla’s stock isn’t having a big day today. Given its recent performance, it can probably be excused. Shares of the Magnificent Seven stock and electric vehicle maker were down about 3% in recent trading as the broader tech sector rose, and after reporting third-quarter deliveries that, at…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Berkshire Hathaway has struck a $9.7 billion all-cash deal to buy OxyChem, the petrochemical division of Occidental Petroleum, in the largest acquisition by Warren Buffett’s conglomerate since 2022.Berkshire Hathaway has been focused on selling stakes and growing its cash pile rather than big-ticket purchases in recent years. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B) has struck a $9.7 billion all-cash deal to buy the petrochemical division of Occidental Petroleum (OXY), in the largest acquisition by Warren Buffett’s conglomerate since 2022. The two companies announced the transaction by Berkshire Hathaway for OxyChem early Thursday. Berkshire is already the largest shareholder in Occidental,…

ETF Market Expansion in North AmericaU.S.-listed Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) account for 35% of total U.S. fund Assets Under Management (AUM) as of August 2025, illustrating a steady increase from 15% in 2014 and highlighting a broader shift toward ETFs for both tactical and strategic asset allocation. The AUM in both U.S. and Canadian markets has expanded rapidly, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of approximately 24% over the past three years. Despite a brief decline in 2022, the overall trajectory remains upward, culminating in record highs by 2025 — $12.2 trillion USD in the U.S. and $0.5 trillion…

Key Takeaways Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, saw his net worth surpass $500 billion in October 2025. He is the first person to hit that milestone.Musk is Tesla’s largest shareholder, with 19.7% of the company’s equity as of August, 2025. Rising Tesla share prices fueled Musk’s record net worth.A new proposed pay package, that could grant Musk additional Tesla shares, could push his net worth over $1 trillion. The world’s richest man just got richer. Elon Musk became the first person with a net worth of $500 billion in October 2025, according to Forbes. Rising…

Key Takeaways There are about 20 million bitcoins in circulation, with more being mined every day.Blockchain data shows that there are just under 1 million wallet addresses that hold one full bitcoin.Many large holders, such as cryptocurrency exchanges, hold their bitcoin across multiple wallets, which puts the estimate for individual owners of at least one bitcoin closer to 800,000. The price of bitcoin has stayed largely above the $100,000 mark for more than four months after a dip earlier this year, boosting the value of the almost 1 million blockchain wallet addresses that hold at least one whole bitcoin. How…

The market for initial public offerings (IPOs) has been red-hot in recent months, bouncing back after a spring freeze sparked by uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.In the third quarter, there were 64 IPOs that raised a combined $15.3 billion. According to Renaissance Capital, this marked the biggest quarter for new offerings since 2021.”IPOs delayed by earlier macro headwinds were revived or even accelerated to take advantage of surging demand for new issues, resulting in a steady pickup through July, a more-active-than-usual August, and more robust deal flow in September,” wrote Renaissance Capital in its Q3 review (PDF). From…

Take a good look at some of the changes coming to Medicare Part D drug plans in 2026.gettyOn October 1, the 2026 information for Medicare Part D drug and Medicare Advantage plans went live. Past experience has taught me it is too early to dig into drug costs, coverage, and star ratings. Besides, the Open Enrollment Period does not start officially until October 15. However, there is enough information available about plan numbers and premiums, two very important elements, to get a glimpse of what’s to come. (A preliminary look brings to mind the childhood game of fruit basket upset.)…

Key Takeaways Fair Isaac said it would provide its FICO credit scores directly to firms that provide credit reports to lenders. The data provider said the decision would eliminate reliance on the three nationwide credit bureaus.Shares of those credit bureaus declined on the news, while Fair Isaac’s jumped. Shares of two credit-score providers sank after data provider Fair Isaac (FICO) said it would offer its scores directly to firms that sell consolidated credit reports to mortgage providers. Equifax (EFX) and TransUnion (TRU) were recently off 9% and 12%, respectively. The companies did not respond to Investopedia’s request for comment in…

Key Takeaways ChatGPT can be a resource for retirement planning questions, but it doesn’t replace the advice of a human financial advisor. When using ChatGPT for research, be sure to check the sources of the information ChatGPT is using to answer your question. Take your ChatGPT answers with you as you discuss your in-depth retirement plans with a human financial advisor. ChatGPT is ready for your retirement planning questions. It can provide answers on subjects such as deciding when to collect Social Security, estimating medical costs, and choosing which retirement accounts to tap first to minimize taxes. But should you…