Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways After five rate holds this year, the Fed finally appears ready to make a cut—with a move widely expected next week. The announcement will also reveal where Fed officials see rates heading for the rest of 2025. A Fed cut means savings, money market, and CD rates will also drop. You can’t stop falling savings rates, but two smart habits can make sure you earn as much as possible. If you can set money aside, a CD lets you secure today’s high rates before they disappear. The full article continues below these offers from our partners. What Next…

Key TakeawaysAdvanced technology is transforming options trading by enhancing market resiliency, supporting record-breaking trading volumes and enabling innovative investment solutions tailored for both retail and institutional participants.Cboe Titanium℠ (Cboe Ti℠) powers Cboe’s markets and enables the seamless processing of trading volumes, ensuring market resiliency amid rising volatility.Cboe is supporting retail traders with services and products, such as a retail-focused trading service in Europe, FLEX® Options and 24X5 trading.In recent years, the derivatives market seems to be evolving almost constantly while also welcoming new participants gaining interest in trading options. Trading platforms are increasingly adopting new cutting-edge technologies, not only catering…

Key Takeaways A new report by Northwestern Mutual found that most Gen Xers don’t feel they will be financially prepared to retire.This generation has its fair share of unique financial challenges, including being “sandwiched” between caring for aging parents and children at an increasing rate.Gen X was also most severely impacted by the Great Recession starting in 2007, which made it difficult for many to build a solid financial foundation. Gen X is quickly approaching retirement, and the majority don’t feel prepared. The oldest members of Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980) turn 60 this year, which means many…

Key Takeaways The S&P 500 gained 0.3% on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, as a report showed an unexpected downtick in wholesale inflation ahead of Thursday’s Consumer Price Index release.Oracle guided for impressive growth from its cloud infrastructure business, citing strong AI demand, and shares of the enterprise software giant ripped higher.Synopsys shares plunged after the maker of chip design software missed quarterly estimates and lowered its forecasts. Major U.S. equities indexes turned in a mixed performance in the midweek trading session as the August Producer Price Index report revealed an unanticipated decline in wholesale inflation. The signal of moderating price…

Most folks would tell you they want to be at home and not go to “one of those places” to receive care when it’s needed. It sounds like a reasonable request. But when the care gets really complicated and a licensed nurse is needed to maintain the aging parent at home, the cost of care is extremely high. A Real Life Example Sadness in caring for his wifePhotothek via Getty Images Older gentleman, (OG) has been married for many years. His wife developed a breathing problem, for which there is no good solution with medication or surgery. The adult children…

Key Takeaways Oracle shares jumped 36% on Wednesday to a record high after the cloud computing giant reported a massive increase in its backlog of business amid booming demand for AI infrastructure.Analysts at Deutsche Bank, Bank of America, Citi and Jefferies raised their price targets on the stock, pointing to Oracle’s competitive advantage in the AI race.Investors will be looking for more details from the company next month at its AI event, where the company plans to unveil a new AI service. Oracle’s (ORCL) blistering stock gain amid strong AI demand has Wall Street analysts racing to raise their price…

Understanding Social Security can feel overwhelming, but it’s a vital part of your financial future. Whether you’re nearing retirement, just starting your career, or somewhere in between, the program provides a safety net that protects millions of Americans. This quiz is designed to test your knowledge of Social Security’s basic functions, from how benefits are funded to when you can start receiving them. Let’s see what you know!And don’t worry if you miss an answer, you can follow the links below the quiz to brush up on your knowledge.More on Social Security, from the Kiplinger team: From just $107.88 $24.99…

Medicare open enrollment is almost here, and your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) letter should be arriving soon. If you have a Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage Plan, this document is crucial. The information inside will help you decide whether to keep your current coverage or find a new plan for the coming year. Don’t make the mistake of keeping your plan on autopilot without reviewing it first.Every fall, Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans are required to send an ANOC to their members. The notice provides a detailed summary of all the changes to…

Stocks closed mixed Wednesday, though two of the three main indexes notched new record closing highs. In focus was an encouraging reading on wholesale prices, as well as a broader rally in artificial intelligence (AI) stocks, while market participants also kept a close eye on the latest offering to hit the Street.Ahead of the open, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said the Producer Price Index (PPI), which measures what businesses are paying suppliers for goods, fell 0.1% from July to August – coming in below economists’ estimates for a 0.3% rise. Year over year, PPI was up 2.6%.”PPI was much…

Key Takeaways Stock values have hit record highs, while measures of the economy’s health have deteriorated in recent months.Experts have identified several reasons the stock market is defying economic gravity, including a weak dollar helping exporters and companies finding ways to deal with President Donald Trump’s tariffs.Stock values and economic measures often move in different directions, since stocks only reflect a small aspect of the economy’s overall health. There’s a massive disconnect between different indicators of the health of the economy: employment and inflation measures are waving red flags, while financial markets are surging, seeing nothing but green.Indeed, stock markets…