Author: Money Mechanics

The US and Israel’s war on Iran is expected to help China’s exporters gain global market share from rivals in countries hit harder by high energy prices and supply chain shocks, according to economists.Chinese factories should be able to maintain steady production thanks to the country’s large oil reserves and domestic energy supplies, they said, while the war’s disruption to oil and gas markets could spur a longer term shift to green energy that would benefit Chinese industry.“One could certainly see China take more market share globally as a result of the energy shock,” said Fred Neumann, chief Asia economist…

The April 1st reinsurance renewals saw a continuation of the softening trend, with risk-adjusted property catastrophe rates-on-line returning to levels last seen in the early 2020’s, according to broker Howden Re.The Japanese reinsurance renewals are a key bellwether for this time of the year and Howden Re reports that catastrophe excess-of-loss programmes in that country saw risk-adjusted price reductions of up to 20% (point estimate: 16%). The renewals were completed even as geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East “drove acute stress across multiple specialty lines globally” the reinsurance broker explained. “Japan rates are now broadly back to early twenties levels,”…

Mercor, a popular AI recruiting startup, has confirmed a security incident linked to a supply chain attack involving the open-source project LiteLLM. The AI startup told TechCrunch on Tuesday that it was “one of thousands of companies” affected by a recent compromise of LiteLLM’s project, which was linked to a hacking group called TeamPCP. Confirmation of the incident comes as extortion hacking group Lapsus$ claimed it had targeted Mercor and gained access to its data. It’s not immediately clear how the Lapsus$ gang obtained the stolen data from Mercor as part of TeamPCP’s cyberattack. Founded in 2023, Mercor works with…

(Image credit: Getty Images)For many retirees, the realization that “tax-free” doesn’t always mean “cost-free” comes as a shock when their Medicare premiums arrive. The Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) is a surcharge that can significantly increase your health care costs based on how you manage your wealth.Because Medicare uses a specific calculation — Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) — certain common financial moves, like selling a home or collecting municipal bond interest, can unexpectedly push you into a higher bracket. This 10-question quiz is designed to help you navigate these nuances, ensuring your legacy and lifestyle aren’t sidelined by avoidable…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Crude oil prices declined and stocks rallied on Tuesday after Iran’s official news agency said the Islamic Republic is ready to end hostilities, subject to certain conditions. With markets appearing to absorb the initial impact of an energy shock, the main U.S. equity indexes all rose at least 2.5%. And the biggest theme for stocks before the war remains a major upside catalyst.President Masoud Pezeshkian told EU Council President Antonio Costa that Iran has “the necessary will to end this war” but requires “essential guarantees to prevent the recurrence of aggression,” according to the Islamic Republic News…

Livonia, Michigan-based Masco Corporation (MAS) designs, manufactures, and distributes branded home improvement and building products, primarily serving the repair and remodel markets. Valued at a market cap of $12.1 billion, the company is scheduled to announce its fiscal Q1 earnings for 2026 before the market opens on Wednesday, Apr. 22. Ahead of this event, analysts expect this home improvement products provider to report a profit of $0.88 per share, up 1.2% from $0.87 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has topped Wall Street’s earnings estimates in two of the last four quarters, while missing on two other occasions. In Q4 2025, Masco’s EPS of $0.82 surpassed…

Introduction Good afternoon, thank you for the invitation to join you for the Consumer Bankers Association’s CBA LIVE 2026, and for Lindsey Johnson and CBA’s leadership in the industry. We have been busy at the Federal Reserve and the other prudential regulators over the past 9 months, so today, I would like to share my thoughts on some of this work.1 Congress has given the Federal Reserve a dual mandate, to promote maximum employment and stable prices. But while monetary policy can support achieving the economic conditions necessary to reach these goals, we all know that the Fed doesn’t create…

(Investing) – LONDON – Battered financial markets enter the second quarter significantly exposed to war headlines, a backdrop that could prompt a bigger retreat for equity markets while a hefty selloff in bonds could tempt buyers back.   Even if a resolution to the conflict boosts near-term sentiment, damage inflicted on Middle East energy infrastructure and higher for longer oil prices will still hurt economic growth and drive up inflation, investors expect. It’s a backdrop that could prompt a bigger retreat for equity markets, while a more protracted conflict that sees growth worries outpace inflation angst could prompt a recovery in…

Income tax cuts are coming to North Carolina, or are they? Thanks to a landmark law passed just a few years ago, Tarheel State taxpayers are slated to see personal income tax rates trigger annually downward until 2028. But a new legislative push seeks to hit the brakes.Gov. Josh Stein (D) and some Republican state House leaders are warning of a $2.8 billion to $3.5 billion budget shortfall over the next two years. That could potentially threaten funding for critical services unless the income tax cuts are paused.”We are not a poor state,” Gov. Stein remarked to reporters, while proposing…

(Image credit: Getty Images)You hit your 60s. Maybe you’re even sliding into early retirement, and suddenly the days stretch out in a way that feels both enjoyable and… weirdly empty. For many, retirement starts after that long-awaited exhale after decades of work. But then the quiet sets in. The structure of the 9-to-5 vanishes, and the identity you built around “what you do” starts to crumble. That’s when a surprising number of people decide to hit the late-career reset button, and they go back to work.The reasons vary, and it’s not always because they have to. Although money often plays…