Author: Money Mechanics

Question: I have $50,000 saved. Where should I park it before a rate cut happens?Answer: You’ll want to find a savings solution that’s resistant to rate cuts. That way, you maximize your savings while rates are still higher. However, you don’t have much time to act.The Federal Reserve’s wait-and-see policy might change soon. And if the Fed does cut rates, it lowers the earnings you’ll receive on savings accounts. With this in mind, here’s a look at why the Fed might soon change policy and one strategy I recommend for maximizing your returns. Subscribe to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Be a…

Occasionally, an editor will pitch a story that sounds like absolute bait – like, say, my editor tossing me the topic “overvalued stocks to buy.”It’s a seemingly silly premise – one that is practically begging me to joke around while I point and laugh at ludicrously priced stocks that Wall Street seems to love anyway.Well, ha-ha, joke’s on her! I have a perfectly mature argument as to why looking for expensive stocks is a legitimate way to find compelling equity ideas. Subscribe to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. Save up to 74% Sign up for Kiplinger’s…

When I last wrote about China — five years ago, in the midst of COVID — some readers were critical. Why encourage us to invest in an adversary? China has certainly been a bad actor, threatening Taiwan, supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine, suppressing dissent, oppressing ethnic and religious groups. But the U.S. is not at war with China; we allow Chinese firms to list on our exchanges, and we encourage Chinese investors to buy U.S. Treasuries (current holdings: $757 billion).The Trump administration’s official position on China, according to the State Department’s website, seems reasonable: “The United States seeks a…

You’ve likely heard stories of people born rich or stumbling into a windfall, but many wealthy retirees started with just a small stash and grew it over time with smart money moves. The best part? You don’t need a fat wallet to steal their tricks.Whether you’ve got $1,000 or $100,000, these 13 habits to steal from the wealthy can set you up for a long and happy retirement.Here’s how to put each one into action, with tips and examples inspired by wealthy retirees’ playbooks. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR…

As consumers increasingly move and store their money using mobile device apps, we have seen a rise in Big Tech conglomerates extending their reach into banking and payments. There has been a recent market development that might affect the availability of payment apps for Americans who use Apple iOS devices.Last September, the CFPB published a report analyzing the growing “tap-to-pay” market, where consumers tap a device enabled with near field communication technology (NFC) to make a payment at the point of sale. We found that the makers of the two dominant mobile operating systems, Apple and Google, impose regulations governing…

If you’re a homeowner, Trump’s new tax plan contains several key tax changes that could affect your bottom line, from property tax deductions to mortgage interest rules and the elimination of major tax credits.For example, the newly enacted tax cuts and spending legislation, dubbed the ‘big beautiful bill’ (OBBB), temporarily raises the cap on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, which can save some homeowners thousands of tax dollars each year.The new tax law also locks in some tax breaks for homeowners, like making the current mortgage interest deduction cap permanent. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance…

Stocks were little changed Wednesday morning ahead of the release later today of an eagerly awaited earnings report from AI bellwether Nvidia. The S&P 500 (SPX) was hovering near unchanged in recent trading, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) rose 0.2% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) slipped 0.1%. Stocks were coming off a winning session on Tuesday, rebounding from a sluggish start to the week. Each of the major indexes entered today’s session less than 1% away from new record highs. Market participants will be keeping a close eye on developments at the Federal Reserve following President Donald…

(World Oil)– Zephyr Energy has completed its $7.3 million acquisition of working interests in accretive, mature proved developed producing (PDP) assets in core Rocky Mountain basins. The acquisition has an effective date of 1 June 2025, with cash flow accruing to Zephyr from that date. In addition to the PDP assets, the acquisition includes attractive, near-term proven undeveloped (PUD) upside and additional acreage with potential for future development. Zephyr also elected to divest a small package of the newly acquired operated wells in North Dakota and Wyoming to a neighboring private upstream operator for total consideration of $1.5 million. Based…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Krispy Kreme shares are dropping in morning trading Wednesday after JPMorgan downgraded the doughnut maker to an “underweight,” citing challenges to its turnaround plan.Krispy Kreme shares, which entered Wednesday down more than 60% so far this year to $3.73 each, went public in 2021 at $17 each.Krispy Kreme ended its partnership with McDonald’s in July as the doughnut maker said it was unable to continue scaling it profitably. Krispy Kreme (DNUT) shares are dropping in morning trading Wednesday after JPMorgan downgraded the doughnut maker to an “underweight,” citing challenges to its turnaround plan. The analysts previously had a “neutral”…

Key Takeaways Cracker Barrel Old Country Store went back to itsold logo after angry customer reaction, and shares bounced back in premarket trading.The throwback restaurant chain tried a more modern design for its logo.President Donald Trump was among those who blasted Cracker Barrel for the move. Shares of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store (CBRL) jumped 4% in premarket trading Wednesday, a day after the throwback restaurant chain reversed a controversial change in its logo. The company wrote on the social media site X that it thanked “our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” and after listening…