Author: Money Mechanics

Meta Platforms (META) reportedly has frozen hiring in its high-profile artificial intelligence division as investors grow concerned about the unit’s surging costs. According to The Wall Street Journal,  the tech giant began the freeze last week amid a broader restructuring, and exceptions would require the approval of chief AI officer Alexandr Wang. Meta has hired 50-plus AI engineers and researchers for the four-team unit, and “prohibits current employees from moving across teams inside the division,” the report said. Meta hired Scale AI CEO Wang in June to lead an AI “superintelligence group.” The tech giant has been among the most aggressive…

Cannabis stocks jumped hard in August 2025 after President Trump said his administration is considering reclassifying marijuana under federal law. The news sent the sector’s stocks flying across the board: Tilray (TLRY) shot up 32% in one day, while industry names like Trulieve Cannabis (TRUL.CN) gained 35% and Curaleaf Holdings (CURLF) climbed 29%. Moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III would make banking easier, cut tax burdens, open up more research possibilities, and give the whole industry more credibility. This matters because nearly 40 U.S. states already allow some form of cannabis use. The sector’s ETFs tell the same story,…

 From your perspective, what has been driving institutional adoption of blockchain in recent years?The institutional adoption of blockchain technology has been driven by three key trends: stablecoins, tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs), and the growing acceptance of Bitcoin (BTC) and Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Stablecoins, digital representations of fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar, have become a cornerstone for institutions due to their stability and utility in payment systems, cross-border remittances, and treasury management. Major financial institutions leverage stablecoins for instant settlement and lower transaction costs, with companies like Stripe and Square providing application layers to facilitate this integration.Tokenization of…

are quoted at $3,386.7, stabilizing after a sharp decline from the mid-August high of $3,423.8. The market has rebounded from the weekly Buy 1 level ($3,350) and is attempting to consolidate above the daily VC PMI mean ($3,379). This price action is unfolding within the larger 360-day Gann cycle, which began on September 28, 2024 and is projected to bottom again on September 28, 2025. Gann Time Cycles – The Final Decline The current 360-day cycle projects a major low in late September 2025. The August 14–21 window aligned with the 330°–345° harmonic of the cycle, a classic reversal zone…

The June 2025 Consumer Price Index of All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) report indicates that inflation rose by 0.3% for the month, up from 0.2% in May. These data were released at 8:30 am EST on July 15, 2025, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Before seasonal adjustment, the year-over-year (Y-o-Y) inflation rate in the all-items index grew by 2.7%, a jump from 2.4% Y-o-Y in May. The mixed results aligned near economists’ consensus estimates. The table below is courtesy of Investing.com. The left column represents June’s figures, while the right column represents forecasters’ expectations. As you can see, core was cool,…

Key Takeaways The Jackson Hole conference will serve as a forum for Federal Reserve officials to signal whether the central bank will start cutting interest rates in September.Fed Chair Jerome Powell may also discuss whether the Fed is changing its inflation-fighting strategy, moving away from a flexible approach that failed to stop inflation from surging after the pandemic.Powell may also defend the Fed’s independence from political control amid increasing pressure from President Donald Trump. This year, the Jackson Hole conference in Wyoming is more than just a chance to see central bankers outside their natural habitat.The annual economics symposium, which…

U.S. stocks closed lower on Thursday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipping 0.3% to 44,785.50, the S&P 500 losing 0.4% to 6,370.17, and the Nasdaq easing 0.3% to 21,700.31.These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors throughout the day:Cracker Barrel Old Country Store CBRLCracker Barrel shares dropped 7.15% to close at $54.80, reaching an intraday high of $56.85 and a low of $50.27. The stock’s 52-week range is $71.93 to $33.86. The company is facing backlash after unveiling a new logo and menu update, leading to potential boycotts from loyal fans. The changes, the…

Sdi Productions | E+ | Getty ImagesMortgage rates have declined in recent months, and with the potential for a Federal Reserve rate cut this fall, it’s smart for homeowners with high interest rates to start preparing for the opportunity to refinance, experts say.Last week, mortgage rates slightly edged higher. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, the average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances, $806,500 or less, increased to 6.68% from 6.67% for the week ending Aug. 15.But generally, rates have been edging down, reaching a 10-month low earlier in August.Lower mortgage rates often result in…

Key Takeaways Fed rate cuts are expected soon, so today’s attractive deposit yields likely won’t last much longer. But by opening one of the best nationwide CDs, you can lock in a top rate for months or even years, guaranteeing a return that won’t drop when the Fed starts trimming. It’s important to do your homework and think through your goals and timeline before signing on the dotted line with any CD. A smart CD strategy also includes keeping a separate cash cushion in a top high-yield account you can tap instantly, so you’re never forced to break a CD…

Despite all the mayhem in the world today, the market has remained pretty resilient, hasn’t it? But even as summer is coming to a close and kids are going back to school, we’re only one short season removed from a market whipsaw of historic proportions. It was just in April (of this year) that the market suffered double-digit losses in only days—then recouped most of those losses in a single day, before ultimately ascending to new highs. So, while the sting of those sharp losses may have been dulled by the rebound, my inclination is to remind you of the…