Author: Money Mechanics

Individual investors are always looking for hints as to where stocks are heading next. Some use fundamental analysis to look for strong earnings growth, reasonable valuations, and manageable debt loads. Others use technical analysis to spot trend reversals or gauge the strength of momentum in a particular security. However, it’s difficult for individual investors to perform fundamental and technical due diligence on an entire portfolio of stocks, let alone entire sectors or markets. Institutional investors, on the other hand, have vast resources for market research and the expertise to separate the signals from the noise. That’s why many investors consider…

U.S. Treasurys rallied on Friday as investors bet a weak August jobs report guarantees the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates later this month.  The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which influences rates on a wide range of consumer loans like mortgages, dropped 8 basis points to 4.08%. The 2-year yield, which tends to reflect the market’s expectations for monetary policy, fell to 3.47% from 3.6% at Thursday’s close.  Both yields were at their lowest levels since early April, when President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcement rattled stocks and instigated an abrupt pivot to the safety of the…

Stock investors in the U.S. typically interface with brokers with exclusively-online platforms such as Robinhood or more traditional companies like Charles Schwab. These brokerages act as intermediaries between retail investors and major stock exchanges.  In the U.S., the two primary exchanges are the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq. These exchanges provide a marketplace through which stock trades are possible. They have typically operated from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time on non-holiday weekdays. If you’re a stock investor in the U.S., it is virtually guaranteed that you’ve interacted—even if only indirectly—with the NYSE and the Nasdaq.…

The SEC’s approval of the 24X National Exchange has accelerated the shift toward 24-hour securities trading in the U.S. This shift seems inevitable—both the NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) have announced plans to extend trading hours as well. Twenty-four-hour trading allows investors to engage in trades of stocks and other assets around the clock, rather than on the traditional stock exchange schedule that typically aligns with a workday in the Eastern time zone. This type of trading is increasingly popular among investors who have experienced substantially extended trading hours in foreign exchange, cryptocurrencies, and other areas. Tip…

The rise of 24-hour trading platforms enables investors to profit from trading activity globally. However, increased access also expands the factors investors must consider before trading.  Market hours across the four major financial hubs, London, Tokyo, New York, and Sydney, directly impact volatility and liquidity. Still, savvy investors who understand the rhythm of overlapping market sessions and apply sound financial strategies can make the most of a market that never sleeps.  Key Takeaways The forex market operates continuously across different global regions, making it a 24-hour market. Major trading centers like New York, Tokyo, Sydney, and London have specific operating…

Key Takeaways The U.S. economy lost jobs in June, for the first time since December 2020.The drop in jobs makes former President Joe Biden the only person who never presided over net job losses while in office.Several of President Donald Trump’s economic policies could be contributing to the hiring slowdown, according to economists. Six months into President Donald Trump’s second term, Joe Biden set a jobs record: He’s the only commander in chief who never presided over a month of job losses.The U.S. reported adding a scant 22,000 jobs in the month of August, signaling a sharp slowdown in the…

In October 2024, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) announced plans to extend its trading hours to 22 hours per day, five days per week, while Nasdaq has committed to adopting a 24/5 schedule by 2026. These moves mark a major shift in how and when investors can access U.S. securities, with significant implications for the market and its participants. Let’s explore expert opinions on the potential effects of 24-hour trading, from the key opportunities and challenges to the strategies you can use to navigate them. Key Takeaways The NYSE and Nasdaq are moving toward 22- and 24-hour trading schedules,…

Once limited to niche asset classes like foreign exchange and cryptocurrencies, 24-hour markets are becoming the new normal. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Arca has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to extend trading sessions to 22 hours per day, five days per week, and the Nasdaq intends to adopt a 24/5 schedule by 2026. While expanded hours create new opportunities for global participation, history has shown that continuous markets are also more vulnerable to manipulation. Let’s explore where the increased risk comes from, how manipulation has occurred, and what steps you can take to protect…

By Alex Lawler, Olesya Astakhova and Ahmad Ghaddar LONDON/MOSCOW (Reuters) -Eight OPEC+ countries will likely raise oil output on Sunday but probably add less oil from October than in recent months as global demand might be slowing with the end of the driving season, OPEC+ sources said on Saturday. OPEC+ has reversed its strategy of output cuts from April and has already raised quotas by about 2.5 million barrels per day, about 2.4% of world demand, to boost market share and under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to lower oil prices. But those increases have failed to significantly dent…

Mark Cuban and Kevin O’Leary, both prominent panelists on the reality TV show “Shark Tank,” have been close friends for a long time, yet their opinions on the meme cryptocurrency Dogecoin DOGE/USD have yet to align.Cuban’s ‘Real Money’Cuban, a billionaire investor and minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has been an avid supporter of Dogecoin and frequently uses his public image and social media reach to endorse the dog-themed meme coin.In February 2021, while the coin was gaining steam for a bull cycle, Cuban famously said, “”If I had to choose between buying a lottery ticket and Dogecoin ….I would…