Author: Money Mechanics

The main U.S. equity indexes opened lower and showed red through most of the last trading session of September. Late-day buying lifted all three into the green for the day, as all three also closed the month and the third quarter with gains.Some stocks and sectors moved more than others, though investors, traders and speculators remain broadly focused on Washington D.C., hours ahead of a potential federal government shutdown at 12:01 am Eastern Standard Time.”Despite a weaker end to the month,” observes LPL Financial portfolio strategist George Smith, “the equity market ‘melt-up’ successfully navigated what has historically been a tricky…

Key Takeaways A pair of pharmaceutical giants spearheaded gains for other stocks in the industry on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, while a new OpenAI partnership weighed on payments providers.Pfizer shares jumped Tuesday after the pharmaceutical firm announced lower prices on several medications in the U.S. with President Trump at the White House.Shares of Paycom and Block shares slid as OpenAI announced a partnership with Stripe. An agreement with the U.S. government and a favorable regulatory decision in Europe helped lift shares of large drugmakers. Meanwhile, the announcement of a collaboration that will integrate shopping functions into a popular chatbot dragged…

Key Takeaways The fourth quarter has historically been the best for U.S. stocks, with a strong first nine months of the year usually pointing to more gains in the last three.Bank of America analysts recently told clients they see bullish seasonal trends across most sectors except for energy and real estate. It’s been a good year for U.S. stocks so far. Some experts are calling for an even stronger finish. An uncharacteristically strong September—the month with a reputation as the worst for stocks—saw the S&P 500 add 3.5% after logging a series of fresh highs, bringing the benchmark index up…

You’ve dreamed of retirement for years. But nobody prepares you for the downsides. You know, those out-of-your-control things that creep up, whether it’s loneliness or a big tax bill.Downsides in retirement can happen to anyone, but they tend to occur more often to those without a plan, who haven’t thought through the what-ifs, says Matt Radgowski, CEO of Halo Investing. “They haven’t had conversations with their partners, heirs or financial adviser,” says Radgowski. “Those who have the biggest surprises, quite frankly, didn’t do the planning up front.”You can’t prevent all the downsides in retirement, but you can prepare and implement…

Key Takeaways Inflation is now 2.9%, so if your savings APY is lower than that, your money is steadily losing value. Fortunately, you can move money into one of the top high-yield savings accounts, which are paying returns of 4%—5%. With Fed rate cuts expected, stashing some savings in a top nationwide CD can help you lock in one of today’s rates for months or even years. The full article continues below these offers from our partners. How to Tell If Your Savings Is Beating Inflation Inflation has been climbing again, with the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) in August…

The past few weeks have seen technology stocks outperform. Over the past month (at Monday’s closing price), the and tech-heavy indices have gained +5.11% and +5.29% respectively, while the has limited its gains to +3.11% and the to +1.69%.Recent weeks have brought several positive developments for the technology sector, including the rate cut. Technology stocks usually perform well when interest rates are cut, and the market anticipates the US central bank will implement two more rate cuts by year’s end.It should also be remembered that massive investments by and in , whose announcement led to a gain of over 40%…

Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu via Getty ImagesA government shutdown looms after midnight — and, depending on how long it lasts, could have far-reaching implications for household finances.Those repercussions might include anything from delayed paychecks and layoffs for federal workers to broad effects for other Americans, including disrupted travel plans and an inability to get a mortgage, economists said.Enhanced subsidies for the Affordable Care Act — also known as Obamacare — that have made health plans less expensive for millions of enrollees in recent years are also indirectly at stake.Economists and market analysts are predicting that Democrats and Republicans won’t be…

Just_Super/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty ImagesFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysCurrent anti-phishing training programs have little to no impact.Training methods lack what human learners need: engagement.These programs must be revamped and combined with supportive technologies.The scourge called phishing is one of the most prevalent and costly cybersecurity challenges faced by businesses today. We’ve gone far beyond the days of spray-and-pray scams and phishing emails claiming you’ve won the lottery. Phishing now can be far more advanced and sophisticated, with targeted emails carefully crafted for data theft and other malicious purposes. Also: Employees learn nothing from phishing security training, and…

Key Takeaways Some investors may be hunting for another possible big video-game stock that might get purchased after this week’s news of a deal for EA.Investors bid up shares of a few companies ahead of the confirmation of the EA deal; some analysts say not to expect another big buyout too soon. Another big U.S. video game company is being bought out. That’s led investors to the inevitable question: Who’s next? The latest big deal in the video-game business came Monday, when Electronic Arts (EA) said it agreed to be taken private for $55 billion. That followed the late 2023…

Key Takeaways Major U.S. equities indexes edged lower Tuesday afternoon, as a potential government shutdown loomed. Spotify shares slid after the music streaming service said co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek will step down.Pfizer shares gained as the pharmaceutical firm and the Trump administration struck a deal to lower drug prices. Major U.S. equities indexes edged lower Tuesday afternoon, as a potential government shutdown loomed. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq were all slightly lower. Spotify Technology (SPOT) shares dropped after the music streaming service said co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek will step down and be replaced by co-presidents Gustav Soderstrom and Alex…