Author: Money Mechanics

Mandy Xu ▬ August 4, 2025 Link to Report: Macro Volatility DigestWHAT STANDS OUT:Oil, equity, and credit volatilities all gained meaningfully last week on the back of the miss in payrolls, with the VIX® index up 5.5 pts wk/wk to 20.4%, jumping from the 10th to the 73rd percentile high over the past year. Interestingly, while Treasury yields swung sharply lower, driving realized volatility in bonds higher, implied volatility barely gained, with the MOVE index up slightly and the VIXTLT index actually ending the week marginally lower. The same dynamic (tame implied vol despite large pick up in realized vol)…

Key Takeaways Palantir shares slid Wednesday to log their sixth straight day of declines, after a short seller raised concerns about the stock’s elevated valuation.Yesterday’s move lower coincided with the relative strength index falling into bearish territory, signaling an acceleration in selling momentum.Investors should watch crucial support levels on Palantir’s chart around $148, $125, and $98. while also monitoring a key overhead area just below the stock’s record high near $188. Palantir (PLTR) shares slid Wednesday to log their sixth straight day of declines, after a short seller raised concerns about the stock’s elevated valuation. The stock lost 1% to…

Key Takeaways While co-signing a private student loan can help your child secure better loan terms, it also makes you fully responsible for the debt if they can’t repay it.Experts suggest that parents put themselves first financially, especially if they still haven’t achieved their retirement savings goal.Saying “no” to co-signing may feel difficult, but setting boundaries and encouraging financial independence can ultimately benefit your child in the long run. When it comes to your children, you may have the urge to help them with everything regardless of the circumstances. However, if your child asks you to co-sign a private student…

By Lewis Krauskopf NEW YORK (Reuters) -U.S. stocks have tended to fare well around the Federal Reserve’s Jackson Hole gathering in August, according to a historical analysis from DataTrek Research, although the market has seen sizable moves in both directions in recent years. The Fed’s annual Wyoming research conference is set for Thursday through Saturday, and Chair Jerome Powell’s speech on Friday is expected to be the main event for markets. DataTrek looked at the benchmark S&P 500 in the five trading days before and after the Fed chair’s speech since 2010. The index gained an average of 0.9% over…

 In your recent interview with TradeTalks at Consensus, you highlighted how risk and compliance tools are driving institutional adoption of digital assets. Can you elaborate on how institutions are leveraging these tools?Large financial institutions typically operate with well-established processes that require robust frameworks for risk and compliance. Many institutional clients demand the same, if not more, robust risk and compliance tools in digital assets, akin to what they know in traditional markets. Specifically, we have seen institutions look for sophisticated portfolio and risk engine tools to manage their digital asset portfolios alongside their traditional strategies or asset classes.At Talos, we’ve…

Key Takeaways The executive order allowing investors to invest alternative assets in retirement accounts has sparked debate over whether they should do so.Financial advisors argue that investing in these alternative assets is best suited for high earners with the time and ability to take risks.Advisors said traditional investments, like publicly traded stocks and bonds, would suffice for most investors. President Donald Trump’s executive order cleared a path to invest alternative assets in 401(k)s and other retirement accounts—and sparked a lot of debate about the idea.  Most U.S. retirement accounts hold basic, publicly traded stocks and bonds. The executive order said…

Market Overview are trading at $3,384.8, staging a sharp rebound of +$26.10 (+0.78%) after bottoming at $3,353.4, a level perfectly aligned with the VC PMI Weekly Buy-1 ($3,350) and Daily Buy-2 ($3,337) cluster. The recovery now presses into Daily Sell-1 ($3,380) and Sell-2 ($3,401), with the Weekly Mean ($3,408) looming overhead. Momentum indicators, especially MACD, show a reversal from deeply oversold, confirming the validity of this mean reversion move. VC PMI Structure Daily Buy 2: $3,337 Daily Buy 1: $3,349 Daily Mean: $3,370 Daily Sell 1: $3,380 Daily Sell 2: $3,401 Weekly Buy 1: $3,350 Weekly Mean: $3,408 Interpretation: The…

The drumbeat from the White House to replace Powell as the head of the Fed is increasing, and we are seeing potential candidates for the replacement echoing President Trump’s line that the United States needs low interest rates now. (President Trump argued Monday that the policy rate should be 1% or lower – link to news article.) I have just written an article about the difficulties finding writing opportunities about economic theory debates, and I guess I needed to be more careful about what I wish for.The debate in question is: what is the effect of “low” interest rates on…

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Key Takeaways The S&P 500 declined 0.2% on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, as tech stocks slid and minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting highlighted policymakers’ concerns about tariffs and inflation.Intel stock gave back some of its recent gains as discussions about the U.S. government possibly acquiring an equity stake remained in focus.Analog Devices posted better-than-expected quarterly results, and shares of the chipmaker pushed higher. Major U.S. equities indexes were mixed on Wednesday as tech stocks slid and minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting highlighted policymakers’ concerns about tariffs and inflation. The S&P 500 lost 0.2% Wednesday, marking the…