Author: Money Mechanics

First Quarter The U.S. net international investment position,the difference between U.S. residents’ foreign financial assets and liabilities, was –$24.61 trillion at the end of the first quarter of 2025, according to statistics released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (chart 1). Assets totaled $36.85 trillion, and liabilities were $61.47 trillion (chart 2). At the end of the fourth quarter of 2024, the net investment position was –$26.54 trillion (revised). The net investment position and components of assets and liabilities are presented in table 1.   The $1.92 trillion change in the net investment position from the fourth quarter of…

In-brief analysis July 23, 2025 We expect U.S. coal-fired power plants will remain relatively well-stocked through the end of next year in our latest Short-Term Energy Outlook. We estimate power plants in the United States had 124 million short tons of coal on-site at the end of June for them to consume that coal at a rate of about 1.3 million short tons per day, meaning they had about 93 days’ worth of fuel on-site. This metric, also called days of burn, is calculated by dividing coal inventories held at power plants by a seasonal…

ZDNET’s key takeaways The Shine Turbine kit is on sale for $279, while the Essentials Kit is on sale for $342.The kit includes everything you need to turn wind into electrical energy, and the turbine features a 12,000 mAh battery.There are limitations, which include the weight of the kit and the 40W of power it taps out at. Get more in-depth ZDNET tech coverage: Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome and Chromium browsers.I cover a lot of solar generators here, and they are all the rage. I’ve tested dozens of devices over the past few years and seen the…

Home Nurse is in Visit to an Elderly Woman with Physical Disabilities. getty Three things are true about long-term care, though many Americans don’t want to believe it: You are very likely to need it in old age. It will cost a lot more than you think. And, no, Medicare won’t pay for it. Two recent studies help explain how Americans think about the financial aspects of their long-term care needs, and why they are so poorly prepared. But the results also may hold a key to future policy solutions to the challenges of funding personal care in old age.…

Key Takeaways People in their 20s are at the bottom of the income ladder, but it can also be best time to start investing for retirement thanks to the power of compounding.Take part in your company’s 401(k) plan, and contribute at least enough to receive your company’s matching contribution.Further bolster your retirement savings by opening a Roth IRA and investing up to $7,000 per year. While retirement might be the last thing on your mind in your 20s—especially compared to more immediate goals like paying down student debt, traveling, and enjoying time with your friends—it’s also the best time to…

Fans of the most popular sport in the U.S. can now trade on game outcomes on Robinhood’s app. Just don’t call it “sports betting.” Robinhood Markets (HOOD) on Tuesday announced the launch of trading “on the outcomes of the most popular pro and college football games, including all regular season pro matchups, and all college Power 4 schools and independents.” (In other words, customers can bet on all NFL games and those involving teams in the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12 conferences, as well as the likes of Notre Dame.) “Football is far and away the most popular…

Key Takeaways Credit card debt is a source of growing concern among many Americans, as it was the most commonly cited financial regret in a new survey.A quarter (24%) of Americans in a survey from Debt.com said credit card debt was their biggest regret, above lackluster retirement savings, emergency funds, and large student loans.Experts recommend sticking to a tight spending plan with credit cards and using the snowball or avalanche method to pay off any debts. Most Americans have at least one regret in their financial lives, a new survey shows, and the most common regret among U.S. adults is…

Key Takeaways Nearly half of newer investors admit they’ve made a bad money moves based on social media advice.A third said “most” of their investment knowledge came from social media.Inexperienced traders also tend to be the most confident in their investments.Fidelity found that new investors were more familiar with niche investment strategies like trading cryptocurrencies. Those who want to get into investing have more access to financial content than ever on social media. Whether it’s meme stock threads on r/WallStreetBets or TikTok “finfluencers” breaking down trading strategies, young traders’ social media feeds are crowded—and many of them are relying on…

Key Takeaways The S&P 500 slid 0.6% on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, as tech losses weighed on the index. Palantir shares plunged as a well-known short seller expressed concerns about the stock’s elevated valuation.Intel stock surged as SoftBank announced a major investment in the chipmaker. Major U.S. equities indexes were mixed Tuesday as tech sector losses weighed on their performance. The S&P 500 ended the session 0.6% lower, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 1.5%. The Dow held onto a fractional gain.   Shares of analytics software provider Palantir Technologies (PLTR) tumbled over 9%, falling the most of any S&P 500 stock. The…

With robust growth in equity trading across Europe, Cboe Europe plans to launch a brand-new trading service on its European Lit order book, designed to enhance execution outcomes for retail traders. Cboe sees the demand for further retail access across Europe and is eager to provide innovative and accessible trading solutions for customers to access some of the best available Lit liquidity in European equities. The new service is scheduled to go live on September 8, 2025, and will grant retail investors the ability to trade stocks and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) across 18 European markets, completely free of charge…