Author: Money Mechanics

In the second quarter, investor purchases of U.S. homes fell to their lowest springtime level since 2020. The decline was especially big for condos. But investor market share held steady from a year earlier, signaling that declining investor activity reflects the overall housing-market slowdown.  U.S. real estate investors purchased roughly 52,000 homes in the second quarter, the lowest level for that time of year since 2020. That’s down 6% from a year earlier, the biggest drop since the fourth quarter of 2023.  This is based on a Redfin analysis of county-level home purchase records across 39 of the most populous…

(World Oil)– Shell’s return to Angola after a 20-year hiatus highlights a shift in sentiment toward the nation’s oil sector, as reforms aimed at attracting global capital start to show results. Shell, alongside Chevron and Sonangol EP, signed deals with the National Agency of Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels for Block 33 in the Congo Basin, ANPG board member Alcides Andrade told reporters on the sidelines of an oil conference in in Luanda, the capital. Shell’s return to Angola after a two-decade absence reflects the success of reforms introduced since 2019, including streamlined licensing, improved tax terms, and efforts to attract…

This episode of Volatility Views discusses the recent market volatility, particularly in response to the non-farm payrolls report. Mark Longo and Russell Rhoads (Indiana University Kelley School of Business) analyze the impact of the economic data on VIX cash and futures, highlighting the surprising downturn after an initial market rally. They examine the VIX futures curve, noting the significant spread between the September and October contracts. The episode also delves into a discussion about the explosive growth of options trading volume and whether the options market has become so large that it is now “wagging the dog” of the underlying…

Before retirement, investing is offense. After retirement, it’s defense. Or so the playbook says. In investing, you’re playing offense and defense at the same time.getty This beginner’s logic is better guidance than none, I suppose. It is true, after all, that when investing before retirement, time is on your side—and with more time, you can take more risk. And it’s also true that retirees face a more challenging math problem, once they are facing both market volatility and prospective distributions to fund life without a salary. But as personal finance rules of thumb often do, this one falls short—and may…

Newsmax Inc. NMAX on Wednesday filed a major federal antitrust lawsuit against Fox Corporation’s FOX FOXA and Fox News Network in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.On Friday, a federal judge dismissed Newsmax’s antitrust lawsuit against Fox News just a day after it was filed. Newsmax filed a five-count complaint alleging violations.The second, third, fourth, and fifth counts in the complaint, however, incorporate all preceding allegations, thus rendering the complaint an impermissible “shotgun pleading.Also Read: 12 Stocks For 2025 NFL Season With $30 Billion Expected To Be Bet, $8 Million Super Bowl LX AdsThe suit…

U.S. CPI data, Fed rate cut expectations will be in focus this week. With its cloud business gaining momentum and its AI initiatives driving growth, Oracle is a strong buy ahead of earnings. Given the combination of falling oil prices and macroeconomic headwinds, ExxonMobil is a stock to sell this week. Looking for actionable trade ideas? Subscribe now to unlock access to InvestingPro’s AI-selected stock winners! U.S. stocks briefly hit record highs on Friday before reversing course to end lower, after the weak August jobs report bolstered hopes for more Fed rate cuts, but also raised concerns that the economy…

By David Enna, Tipswatch.com Last week, I noticed something very interesting: The real yield of the most recent 5-year TIPS fell on the secondary market at one point to 1.08% and closed the week at 1.10%. CUSIP 91282CNB3 had its originating auction on April 17, 2025, generating a real yield to maturity of 1.702%. So its real yield has fallen a remarkable 60 basis points, at a time when the Federal Reserve has done nothing. The yield is falling in anticipation of possible substantial future cuts. But that isn’t the most interesting thing, which is this: The real yield of…

The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage dropped 16 basis points to 6.29% on Friday, according to Mortgage News Daily, following the release of a weaker-than-expected August employment report.It marks the lowest rate since Oct. 3 and the biggest one-day drop since August 2024. Rates are finally breaking out of the high 6% range, where they’ve been stuck for months.”This was a pretty straightforward reaction to a hotly anticipated jobs report,” said Mortgage News Daily Chief Operating Officer Matt Graham. “It’s a good reminder that the market gets to decide what matters in terms of economic data, and the…

Prada’s Linea Rossa glasses are an example of frames that could potentially fiit a lot of technology. Prada | Jason Hiner/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysWe expect the 3.0 version of Meta’s audio-only Ray-Ban smart glasses at Meta Connect in September with several upgrades.Meta executives have teased that multiple wearables are coming this fall.There are reports that Meta will also launch a new line of AR smart glasses that have a display and that it will partner with a different EssilorLuxotica brand: Prada.Multiple reports continue to stream in about Meta launching its next generation smart glasses…

A tropical escape in Panama, named the best country to live in for 2025 by the InterNations Expat Insider report.getty What are the best countries to live in right now? Ask the people who’ve moved abroad: expats. Each year, InterNations, the world’s largest expat community, publishes its Expat Insider report, one of the most comprehensive studies on life overseas. I’ve been covering the Expat Insider report since 2018. The 2025 edition draws on feedback from more than 10,000 expats representing 172 nationalities, offering a unique window into the best places to live in the world for work, lifestyle and affordability.…