Author: Money Mechanics

(Image credit: Getty Images)I’ve been getting a lot of calls lately that start the same way: “Dan, I’m done.”Done with the volatility of their stock investmentsDone watching their portfolio swing wildly because oil prices are soaring through the roofDone refreshing their brokerage app at 7 a.m. and feeling their stomach drop before their morning coffee goes coldIf this sounds familiar, keep reading because what I’m about to share could turn a very bad beginning to spring into the starting point of a very smart financial move.What’s happening right nowIt’s been a wild ride, to put it politely. Just a few…

(Image credit: Getty Images)April and Tax Day have a way of sharpening investors’ attention. Even for those who planned ahead, writing a check to the IRS can prompt a familiar question: Is there a better way to manage taxes on my investments going forward?To me, it’s often the moment when investors stop looking backward at last year’s returns and start asking harder questions about how their portfolios are positioned for the years ahead.In recent years, higher short-term yields have drawn attention toward cashlike instruments and ultra-short strategies. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed…

Refresh 2026-04-27T13:51:50.504Z When does Jerome Powell’s term as Fed chair end? Jerome Powell’s term as Fed chair is up on May 15, 2026.In January, President Trump nominated Kevin Warsh to replace Chair Powell once his term is up. “Warsh was Fed Chair Ben Bernanke’s right-hand man during the 2008-09 global financial crisis and was his primary liaison to Wall Street, which earned him credibility he still retains,” writes Kiplinger investing editor David Dittman. “Markets see Warsh as a source of stability should Trump continue to pressure the central bank. He served on the Federal Reserve Board from February 2006 through…

(Image credit: NurPhoto via Getty Images)Energy is something we cannot do without. It’s been that way since homo sapiens were living in caves. Wood-burning fires helped protect people from dangerous carnivores, kept caves warm, and provided light at night. In short, it was basic.But in much of this century, many of us have taken the availability of affordable energy for granted. We expect that when we turn on the heat at home, it will work. And since the energy shocks of the 1970s, we have expected the cost will not break the bank. Likewise, getting gasoline from the filling station…

Apollo’s former risk chief has warned that some Wall Street-backed life insurers will be ill-prepared to manage policyholder funds in a downturn, raising doubts about one of the past decade’s biggest financial trends.Chak Raghunathan said some newer life insurers could struggle to stay afloat, citing their heavy reliance on private credit and newer savings products that may be vulnerable to policyholder withdrawals.Raghunathan worked at Apollo from 2008 to 2014, lastly as chief risk officer, when the New York-based firm was building its insurance business, now known as Athene.“When you’ve got asset manager owned insurers, who are not traditional life insurance…

Home prices ticked up 0.1% month over month on a seasonally adjusted basis.  Prices rose 1.7% on a year-over-year basis–the slowest growth rate on record.  On a local level, prices fell in 13 major metros month over month, with the biggest declines in Texas and the biggest increase in San Francisco.  U.S. home prices inched up 0.1% month over month in March on a seasonally adjusted basis, the third straight month of the same increase.  Prices rose 1.7% from a year earlier, the slowest year-over-year growth rate in records dating back to 2012. Home-price growth has been slowing since the…

The race to secure electricity for AI models has reached new heights: Meta has signed an agreement with the startup Overview Energy that could see a thousand satellites beam infrared light to solar farms that power data centers at night. In 2024, Meta’s data centers used more than 18,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity—roughly enough to power more than 1.7 million American homes for a year—and its need for compute power is only increasing. The company has committed to building 30 gigawatts of renewable power sources, with a focus on industrial-scale solar power plants. Typically, data centers turning to solar power must…

This week’s Baker Hughes Rig Count shows that the U.S. increased by 1 last week, resulting in a total count of 544 rigs. Canada had no change over last week, resulting in a total Canadian count of 130 rigs. Breakdown by region Of the regions tracked by Baker Hughes, the Granite Wash and Haynesville regions experienced an increase this week. Meanwhile, 1 region experienced a decrease this week: The Cana Woodford is down 1, at 20. Major Basin Variances This Week +/- Ardmore Woodford 1 0 Arkoma Woodford 1 0 Barnett 1 0 Cana Woodford 20 -1 DJ-Niobrara 9 0…

An exciting piece of architectural history has arrived on the market in Texas in the form of a striking midcentury modern home designed by revered modernist architect Karl Kamrath. The five-bedroom Houston residence at 8 Tiel Way, which is on the market for $5.2 million, is tucked along the edge of a lush bayou and spans nearly 5,000 square feet of interior living space. But this home, in particular, carries an unusual legacy because it was not only one of Kamrath’s most “exceptional” designs—it also served as his family’s private residence, remaining in their hands for years before ever passing…

In many cases, when a market leader in a category raises prices, that clears the way for similar increases from its rivals. When Costcoraised its membership fees in Sept. 2024, for example, and did not see a drop in membership, that cleared the way for Sam’s Club to do the same this year. The pattern is consistent. When a market leader raises prices without losing customers, it often resets the ceiling for an entire industry. “The single most important decision in evaluating a business is pricing power,” Warren Buffet told the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission in 2010. “If you’ve got…