Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Inflation erodes your money’s purchasing power over time; this happens even as the economy is slowing, creating a particularly challenging environment for investors. Assets like dividend-paying stocks, real estate, and commodities historically deliver better returns during stagflation. Traditional long-term bonds and growth stocks typically underperform amid high inflation and weak growth. Diversifying and reducing reliance on single asset classes helps cushion volatility and preserve wealth. Stagflation makes investing uniquely tricky because rising prices erode purchasing power while economic activity drops. Many strategies that work during normal downturns can backfire, so economists emphasize asset classes that can weather inflation…

Key Takeaways Goldman Sachs reiterated its “buy” rating on Dick’s Sporting Goods as the retailer expands with the acquisition of Foot Locker. Dick’s closed its $2.4 billion purchase of its rival earlier this month.Goldman analysts said the combination should further differentiate Dick’s from its competitors. Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS) stock is getting cheers from Goldman Sachs after the retailer’s $2.4 billion purchase of rival Foot Locker closed earlier this month. The analysts wrote in a note to clients that a “strong sporting goods industry backdrop along with the global reach and scale of the combined company should result in even…

Key Takeaways Buffett’s Apple investment demonstrates his complete investment philosophy: the courage to build large positions, patience to hold through volatility, and willingness to sell when circumstances change. While Berkshire has reduced its Apple stake by 69% from 2023 to 2025, the investment still represents Buffett’s most profitable position ever, highlighting how a great investment can withstand significant profit-taking. In late 2016, Warren Buffett started what would become the most profitable investment in his legendary career. Through his company, Berkshire Hathaway Corp. (BRK.A), he began accumulating shares in Apple Inc. (AAPL), first buying about $1 billion worth and soon accumulating…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.First Brands Group, a roll-up of car parts manufacturers, is preparing a bankruptcy filing after amassing as much as $10bn in debt. And last week, Tricolor, a subprime auto loan lender, ran into trouble. Today on the show, Rob Armstrong and Katie Martin ask if we are at a turning point in credit markets. Also they go long collective nouns for groups of canaries. For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie…

On Thursday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman unveiled Pulse, a personalized ChatGPT feature he described as his “favorite feature” so far, but it is launching only for $200-a-month Pro subscribers.Altman Unveils Pulse As ChatGPT’s Next Big StepAltman announced Pulse, a new feature designed to transform ChatGPT from a reactive chatbot into a proactive digital assistant.Altman said Pulse “works for you overnight,” generating five to 10 custom daily briefs based on a user’s interests, data and recent chats.”It performs super well if you tell ChatGPT more about what’s important to you,” Altman said on X, formerly Twitter. He described Pulse as a…

A Fanuc robotic arm moves bins of products during a media tour of the Amazon.com Inc. DAB2 fulfillment center in Daytona Beach, Florida, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. The DAB2 fulfillment center is Amazon’s seventh robotics fulfillment center in Florida. Photographer: Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesBloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesThe Trump administration has launched national security investigations into imports of robotics, industrial machinery and medical devices, a move that could pave the way for fresh tariffs and raise costs for consumers, hospitals and manufacturers.The Department of Commerce said Wednesday that the probes, opened Sept. 2 under…

alxpin/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty ImagesFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysMost businesses don’t anticipate AI-fueled layoffs, survey finds.Some tech leaders say AI could automate a huge number of jobs.AI upskilling is becoming “a necessity,” Creatio writes.Worried about AI taking your job? Fear not: new research suggests that most business leaders aren’t planning on replacing their employees with machines — not many of them, anyway.Also: Nearly everything you’ve heard about AI and job cuts is wrong – here’s whyAccording to a recent survey from customer relationship management (CRM) platform Creatio, only 11% of executives believe that their…

Key Takeaways Hiring managers don’t think high school graduates are ready to enter the workforce, per a College Board and Chamber of Commerce survey.Fewer graduates are going straight to college as costs continue to rise, opting to start their career in non-traditional ways.A group of hiring managers said they value things like problem-solving and communication skills in prospective hires, along with internships and other leadership experience. More than 80% of hiring managers think current high school graduates are not adequately prepared to enter the workforce. The majority also thinks high school graduates are less prepared than previous generations, and prefer…

Key Takeaways Insurers must send seniors a formal notice of 2026 Medicare Part D and Part C plan changes, called an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), between now and Sept. 30. ANOCs outline plan updates and help you decide if changes are needed before Medicare Open Enrollment. This year’s notices are especially important, with significant federal and industry changes that could affect coverage. Look for changes to your provider network, drug formulary, supplemental benefits, and out-of-pocket costs. If you’re no longer satisfied, compare and switch plans through Medicare.gov or with the aid of a trained volunteer or licensed broker. If…

Key Takeaways A key inflation report due Friday has gained new significance after a string of economic data shifted the outlook for a Fed rate cut.Several reports showed the economy is stronger than experts thought amid tariff pressures, potentially reducing the urgency for the Fed to cut rates.A hotter-than-expected inflation report could encourage Fed officials to keep the key fed funds rate high to fight inflation, which is running above the Fed’s goal of a 2% annual rate. Friday’s key report on inflation is even more significant after recent data showed the economy has been more resilient than expected in…