Author: Money Mechanics

Henry Hub futures walk into June balanced on a knife’s edge between two powerful, opposing forces. The front-month NYMEX contract is changing hands near $3.30 per MMBtu, down a fraction on the session after ripping more than 19% across May, and the entire setup comes down to one question: can rising demand from LNG exports and summer cooling outrun a relentless wall of domestic production? That’s the whole forecast. On the demand side, LNG feedgas is pulling record volumes and power burn is climbing as the air conditioners switch on across the Lower 48. On the supply side, U.S. output…

Using a 401(k) to pay off debt can sound like an easy fix. You have money sitting in a retirement account, your credit cards are charging high interest, and the idea of wiping everything clean feels tempting. I get it. After more than two decades writing about business, personal finance, inflation, debt relief, and consumer financial products, I’ve seen plenty of people consider this move when they feel cornered. But your 401(k) is not just “extra money.” It is future income. In some cases, a 401(k) loan can make sense. In many other cases, using retirement money to pay unsecured…

This Week In A Nutshell: Rates are likely to stay volatile this week as markets balance several  important pieces of jobs market data against the tumultuous peace talks with Iran. Upcoming Attractions   The key economic release this week is Friday’s May jobs report. Economists expect job growth to slow, with payrolls rising around 60k-90k and the unemployment rate holding at 4.3%. A solid report would reinforce the idea that the Fed can stay patient. A weak report would revive concerns that higher energy prices and slower income growth are starting to bite. And a strong report would deepen fears…

We aim to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. ZDNET offers 33 years of experience, 30 hands-on product reviewers, and 10,000 square feet of lab space to ensure we bring you the best of tech. In 2025, we refined our approach to deals, developing a measurable system for sharing savings with readers like you. Our editor’s deal rating badges are affixed to most of our deal content, making it easy to interpret our expertise to help you make the best purchase decision.At the core of this approach is a percentage-off-based system to classify savings offered on top-tech…

Tiny homes are becoming more and more popular. But in Portland, OR, one tiny home has become a big headache for a retired couple, significantly tarnishing their golden years.Residents John Benjamin, 77, and Trudy Benjamin, 67, are now suing their next-door neighbor Karen Ward for $200,000 over a foul odor they claim is coming from Ward’s tiny home.According to the complaint obtained by Realtor.com®, the Benjamins have to wear gas masks when they travel from their driveway to their home to protect themselves from the stench.In fact, John once reportedly became so overwhelmed by the noxious vapors that he collapsed…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Stocks were choppy Monday as market participants weighed a continued rise in tech stocks against reports that a potential peace plan in the Middle East is in peril.Wall Street is also looking ahead to Friday’s key jobs report — the first of Kevin Warsh’s stewardship at the Federal Reserve — which lands two weeks before the June Fed meeting.Nvidia (NVDA, +6.3%) wowed Wall Street over the weekend, with the artificial intelligence (AI) bellwether unveiling a new processor chip for PCs. The new superchip, RTX Spark, will integrate designs from Arm Holdings (ARM) — sending its shares soaring…

Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below. To some retirees, receiving a $3,500 monthly benefit check sounds like a stretch. After all, the average monthly payment for retired workers is just $2,081 as of April 2026, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA) (1). So the idea of adding nearly $1,500 to that number may sound like an ambitious one. But there are ways to boost your monthly payment, and one of them is easier than you might expect. Top Picks Here’s a closer look at how you can bump up…

Instagram has resolved a security issue that allowed several users’ accounts to get hacked. The attack appeared to rely on tricking Meta’s own AI-powered support chatbot into granting access to a victim’s account. Over the weekend, several users on Reddit claimed that their Instagram accounts had been compromised, and a number of users on X warned of similar account hijackings. The compromised accounts include the Instagram handle for the Obama-era White House, which appears to have been inactive since 2017; and the account of the U.S. Space Force’s chief master sergeant John Bentinvegna. Security researcher Jane Wong said her Instagram account…

(BOE Report) – Oilfield services provider Weatherford International said on Monday it has agreed to acquire energy technology firm NCS Multistage Holdings in a cash-and-stock deal. On a blended basis, Weatherford will pay the equivalent of 0.463 of its shares for each NCS share, with roughly 20% of the consideration in cash. Based on Reuters calculations, the deal values NCS at about $126 million, or $48 per share, representing a premium of about 13% to its last close. * Amid increasingly demanding drilling conditions, oilfield services companies have been looking to expand their technology portfolios, build capabilities in more complex…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Airport lounges are the best places to spend your layover or kill that extra time you have after breezing through airport security with TSA PreCheck and Clear. While the cushy seating, complimentary food and open bars are all designed to help guests relax before their flights, there is such a thing as being a little too comfortable in an airport lounge.Some of the unspoken rules of an airport lounge are common sense, but others might not be so obvious to everyone. There are certain mistakes you might make that are a dead giveaway that this is your…