Author: Money Mechanics

(By Oil & Gas 360) – The oil market is shifting quickly from cautious optimism to supply-driven urgency, as analysts raise price forecasts and physical buyers race to secure crude amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Several banks have lifted their outlook for oil prices this year, citing a sharp increase in geopolitical risk tied to disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. The upgrades reflect a market that is no longer trading on fundamentals alone but increasingly on the risk of supply loss. Analysts note that even limited interruptions to Middle East flows can quickly tighten balances, particularly…

For decades, the intellectual elite of high finance have dismissed as a non-productive hunk of yellow metal paying no dividend and serving no purpose in a digitized, high-speed economy. But in 2026, this old narrative is starting to wear thin.As the veneer of “king US dollar” is showing some gapping cracks due to a $38+ trillion US federal deficit – now soaring higher, like a firehose with no cut-off value – gold is not just a hedge, it has become the premier exit ramp from a global experiment in fiscal recklessness.The most compelling case for gold today isn’t found in…

CRC Group, a wholesale insurance services provider, is leveraging the insurance-linked securities (ILS) market to bring capacity to support data center capabilities, which comes as the firm has launched a data centers product on its Insurisk platform.According to the firm, the product is aimed at addressing the insurance needs of the global data center sector including owners, operators, and developers as investment and scale increase. “As demand accelerates for hyperscale, colocation, and enterprise data center developments, Insurisk has expanded its specialist capacity and underwriting capabilities to support owners, operators, and developers at every stage of the project lifecycle, from construction…

What is cache on my iPhone? Cache is a collection of temporary files that apps and websites store locally on your device to speed up loading, browsing, and your overall session. For example, Safari saves images or scripts from sites so they don’t have to download again. It’s helpful, but too much cache can slow your iPhone down, so clearing it regularly keeps performance smooth. Also: Cookie pop-ups don’t have to be a fact of life online – how I block them and whyClearing cache only removes temporary data, not your bookmarks, messages, photos, or passwords. Offloading an app also…

Each week in our Ask the Editor series, Joy Taylor, The Kiplinger Tax Letter editor, answers questions on topics submitted by readers. This week she’s looking at five questions on changes to charitable deductions and other tax breaks that first take effect in 2026. (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Tax Letter or subscribe.)1. Charitable deduction for nonitemizersQuestion: I generally claim the standard deduction when I file my Form 1040. I heard that next year I can deduct my charitable gifts even if I don’t itemize on Schedule A. Is this true?Joy Taylor: Yes, but there is a limit.…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Stocks opened lower Friday and stayed there through the close. Amid bare economic and earnings calendars, market participants tracked developments in the Middle East and higher oil prices, which have muddied the outlook for interest rates.At the close, the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1.0% at 45,577, the broader S&P 500 was off 1.5% at 6,506, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite was 2.0% lower at 21,647. All three benchmarks notched a fourth straight weekly loss – the Dow’s worst weekly losing streak since February 2023.The small-cap Russell 2000 fell 2.3% to 2,438 – entering correction…

Travel medical insurance is a standard travel coverage that can reimburse you for covered medical expenses while traveling, such as hospital stays, dental procedures, and medical evacuations. This type of insurance typically only covers emergency situations, so you likely wouldn’t be covered for routine doctor or dentist visits, or optional procedures. Learn more: Travel insurance: What it covers, costs, and how to choose the right policy When we talk about travel medical insurance, we may be referring to several different coverage types. Depending on your travel insurance policy, you may have some or all of these types of coverage included:…

Pinterest’s CEO, Bill Ready, has called for governments to ban social media for users under 16 in a new Time op-ed. He’s now one of the few top CEOs to call for such a restriction, as nations worldwide begin to implement or consider ways to limit children’s online time, and exactly how to verify ages.  Ready wrote that children today were “living through the largest social experiment in history,” as they have been given “unfiltered access to social media platforms.” Research shows the damage this unfiltered access has done, with today’s youth seeing increased rates of depression, anxiety, and lower…

Filing your taxes as early as possible has always been a good idea. It’s the most effective way to thwart crooks from submitting a fraudulent return in your name, claiming a refund. And if you are due a refund, the sooner you file, the sooner you’ll have the money in your pocket.This year, it’s even more important than usual to get a head start on preparing your return. As a result of tax legislation enacted in July 2025, known by some as the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), you’ll need to navigate a thicket of new provisions, covering everything from…

Georgia drivers will soon see some relief at the pump after state lawmakers approved a 60-day suspension of the state’s motor fuel tax.The measure, expected to be signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp today, will reduce prices by roughly 33 cents per gallon of gasoline and about 37 cents per gallon of diesel, once fuel distributors adjust prices.The bipartisan legislation comes as high gas prices continue to weigh on household budgets across the state. Global energy disruptions due to the United States conflict with Iran, inflation, and supply chain pressures are among the reasons cited for the emergency relief.Article…