Author: Money Mechanics

Speaking today at a briefing held in Monte Carlo at the Rendez-vous event, Fitch Ratings analysts said the expectation is that property catastrophe reinsurance rates will keep softening and attachments may decline somewhat, but through this they anticipate discipline from the ILS investor base.The Fitch Ratings analysts are anticipating the property catastrophe reinsurance market dynamics we see today will persist unless there is a major market turning loss event. Capital build-up is expected to persist too, with alternative investors showing growing interest in supporting catastrophe bonds, reinsurance structures such as sidecars and other insurance-linked securities (ILS) opportunities. Brian Schneider, Senior…

Coffee shops and bookstores are college-campus staples. Now retailers selling apparel and candles are looking to get in on the action too.  Companies eager to capture Generation Z’s spending power hope campus locations will draw younger consumers to their goods and establish their brands with tomorrow’s adult spenders, with mall-based stores and other chains planting their banners in collegiate settings.  Teen fashion retailer Pacsun and creams and candles purveyor Bath & Body Works (BBWI) last month announced forays into hundreds of campuses. Pacsun is setting up pop-up shops to market “must-have” styles to students. Bath & Body Works said it’s…

Move over, Eiffel Tower. Step aside, Sistine Chapel. Instead of heading to well-known tourist destinations, many travelers are exploring tiny towns and remote villages in a bid to connect with their ancestral roots.It’s all part of a trend known as heritage travel, or ancestry tourism. Folks go to their homelands to see sights their forebears saw, taste foods that inspired family recipes, and possibly add a few branches to the family tree through connections made on the ground.The heritage travel boom is partly fueled by advances in technology and genetics that make it easier than ever to trace your roots.…

When crafting a long-term plan, it’s easy to focus on the numbers that feel solid — how much you earn, how much you save and how much you think you’ll spend in retirement.But the silent force of inflation is quietly eroding those numbers year after year.Almost everyone understands the theoretical effects of inflation. They know that their Friday night pizza is $3 more this year than last, or those new tires on the car seem “so expensive” compared with the last time you replaced them. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK…

It’s official. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that could transform your 401(k) investment options.For the first time, complex choices such as private equity, real estate, expanded annuities and even cryptocurrency may be added to your plan’s menu.These aren’t the plain-vanilla mutual funds and index funds to which most of us are accustomed. They’re bigger, flashier and at least on paper, full of promise. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing,…

Charitable giving has long been encouraged through the U.S. tax code, offering incentives to those who support nonprofits and mission-driven causes. But the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) could change that calculus — especially for high-income donors.While the bill touches many areas of federal policy, one provision has stirred debate: a reduction in the tax benefits tied to charitable giving.That’s especially troubling given that charitable giving in the U.S. declined by 10.5% in 2022 — the largest drop in decades. These changes could deepen that slide. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better…

Key Takeaways Inflation data for August comes ahead of a key interest rate decision later this month.Apple is expected to unveil its iPhone 17 at an event this week. Nvidia, Meta, and Microsoft are among the companies presenting at a major technology investment conference.Financial reports from Oracle and GameStop highlight the corporate earnings calendar. August inflation data, updates from top tech firms, and earnings from the original meme stock darling are among the events that could move markets this week.  The first look at August inflation—the Consumer Price Index—will show how price pressures are impacting the economy with Federal Reserve…

Dividend stocks aren’t typically as affected by broad market volatility. Sure, they might follow similar patterns, but for the most part, they don’t tend to swing quite as wildly. Part of the reason for this is that investors who hold dividend stocks usually do so for the long term. The result? Dividend stocks tend to lag the S&P 500. Notice I said “tend”? I said that becuase, as someone who dislikes absoluteness of any kind, I’m always out there looking for ways to buck the trend. And today, I found a handful of Dividend Kings – companies that have increased…

The U.S. government’s effort to privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac through a $30 billion IPO has prompted the Federal Housing Finance Agency to rehire employees it laid off earlier this year.FHFA Rehires Key Economists And Executives Ahead Of Historic $30 Billion IPOThe FHFA, led by President Donald Trump–appointed director Bill Pulte, had cut roughly 30% of its workforce in the spring and summer, including economists and board members of the mortgage giants.Sources familiar with the matter said several of those employees have now been asked to return as the agency prepares for the historic share sale, as reported by…

Gold, like the stock and currency markets, had been experiencing lower volatility due to the holiday period, but this is changing with the onset of a new month. Driven by strong demand, gold has reached new historic highs, now priced at $3,600 per ounce. This rise is fueled by several fiscal, monetary, and trade policy factors that benefit buyers. Key among these is the anticipated continuation of monetary easing by the Federal Reserve and the increase in federal government debt. Additionally, President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to remove Fed member Lisa Cook is seen as an attempt to undermine the…