Author: Money Mechanics

Ed Tom ▬ August 11, 2025 Link to Report: Macro Volatility DigestWHAT STANDS OUT:In a complete reversal of the prior week’s market action, implied volatilities declined across asset classes last week on the back of robust tech earnings, the anticipation of potential Fed rate cuts, and optimism of a breakthrough in Trump-Putin talks to end the 3yr conflict. Equity market volatility led the decline, with all major measures of equity market risk (vol, vol-of-vol, & correlation) reverting towards the lowest levels of the summer. (see chart below)We published last Friday our comprehensive VIX index decomposition model, breaking down changes in…

Retail giant Walmart (WMT) is slated to report second-quarter earnings before markets open on Thursday, and investors see potential for shares to approach a record high in the days following.  Walmart stock is expected to finish the week roughly 4% above or below last week’s closing price, according to options prices. A move of that magnitude would put shares at either $104, their highest close since February, or $96, a nearly 1-month low.  Walmart stock has notched an average post-earnings move of about 4.2% over the past four quarters. Shares slid 0.5% after Walmart’s most recent report in May, when…

There’s nothing like the thrill of traveling abroad and enjoying different cultures, delicious foods, and unforgettable sights. As you plan your itinerary, be sure to consider how you’ll pay for everything. While U.S. dollars and credit cards are generally accepted worldwide, having foreign cash on hand can be more convenient and, in some cases, the only way to pay.When it comes to foreign currency, a little preparation can help you avoid potential markups, or worse, not being able to get the cash you need. Whether you’re planning a trip months in advance, or just about to zip up your suitcase,…

Perplexity AI, a San Francisco-based startup backed by Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), SoftBank, and Jeff Bezos, has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion cash offer to acquire Google’s Chrome browser, one of the most widely used internet tools in the world, Bloomberg reports. The offer, sent Tuesday morning, comes as U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta is expected to rule in the coming days on remedies in the government’s case against Google, which could include requiring Chrome to be divested to open the search market to competition. Perplexity’s offer stands more than $14 billion above the $20 billion valuation the startup is seeking in…

Please enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser or access the information through the links provided below. July 21, 2025 Federal bank regulatory agencies seek further comment on interagency effort to reduce regulatory burden Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Federal Reserve Board Office of the Comptroller of the Currency For release at 4:00 p.m. EDT The federal bank regulatory agencies today announced their fourth notice requesting public comment to reduce regulatory burden. The Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act requires the agencies to review their regulations at least once…

Executive summary:Large caps make new highsMajor digital asset legislation signed during “Crypto Week”Earnings season kicks off with a strong startU.S. Dollar rallies on increasing trade dealsFOMC holds rates steadyJuly continued the strong run for stocks seeing the S&P 500 up for the third month in a row, and the Nasdaq for the fourth. Interestingly, the S&P 500 didn’t have any significant moves of 1% in either direction, which hasn’t happened since July 2023. The VIX, a measure of market volatility, stayed relatively calm, ending the month around 17. Big tech stocks were the stars of the show, but other sectors…

In-brief analysis August 18, 2025 In our latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, we forecast U.S. working natural gas inventories will reach 3,872 billion cubic feet (Bcf) by the end of October, or 2% more than the previous five-year average for that time of year. Natural gas inventories grew quickly in late April through early June, with seven consecutive weeks of net injections to inventories exceeding 100 Bcf each for the first time since 2014. U.S. natural gas production outpaced natural gas consumption during the start of the 2025 injection season. The injection season generally runs from…

American institutions continue their slide into being a clown car with the firing of the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Although the stock line appears to be that this is a dangerous step in a bad direction, that’s been true since before the inauguration. Nevertheless I would be more concerned by the continuous slide in data quality due to budget cuts and the secular decline in survey response rates. Data gathering is in a crisis even without this sacking.Given that the President has now referred to drug price cuts of more than 1000% more than once, we…

Americor (www.americor.com) is a U.S.-based debt relief company that offers debt settlement, credit counseling, and, unlike many competitors, their own in-house debt consolidation loans. Based in Irvine, California, they promote themselves as a one-stop solution for people struggling with high-interest unsecured debts like credit cards and personal loans. While Americor is one of the few debt relief companies that also lends money, this model may not be the best fit for everyone, especially if you’re already behind on payments or have a low credit score. #1 Rated Debt Relief Company in 2025? Considering debt relief this year? Before choosing, we…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Six in 10 parents say they have gone into debt to pay for their child’s needs, and half say their debt is becoming unmanageable.As the cost of living increases, parents are having a harder time buying back-to-school supplies and paying for medical for their childrens’ care.Debt is stressing parents out and making them more likely to skip meals and neglect their wellness. Parents are going into debt to support their children, and it’s harming their mental and physical health. Six in 10 parents recently surveyed by National Debt Relief, a debt settlement organization, said they have gone into…