Author: Money Mechanics

Procedural and zoning barriers are proving to be only the beginning of the gauntlet for adding new ground-up residential supply to America’s housing-starved communities. While removing red tape and outdated zoning laws might formalize more homes on paper, local fee structures still decide whether those homes are actually built. California is a poster child for this tension. Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers pursued housing abundance to improve affordability. The state desperately needs more units. Yet, lawsuits in California federal court reveal collisions between local fees and state reforms.​ Those collisions – and the fees at their center – in…

(Investing) – The Trump administration is beginning to outline potential steps to address rising energy prices linked to the conflict involving Iran, though analysts at Wolfe Research say the government’s policy tools may be limited. In a note led by Tobin Marcus, Wolfe Research said recent announcements from the administration suggest a focus on measures aimed at stabilizing shipping and oil markets. Marcus pointed to the administration’s proposal for a government-backed maritime insurance program aimed at encouraging tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. According to Wolfe Research, the plan appears legally feasible given the authorities of the U.S. International…

We have revised our price forecasts higher as rising conflict in the Middle East introduces fresh upside risks to an already tightening market Escalating geopolitical risks could have far-reaching implications for global commodity markets beyond and , with aluminium particularly exposed given the concentration of export-oriented smelting capacity in the Gulf and the reliance on shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Key takeaways: Rising tensions in the Middle East have introduced fresh upside risks to aluminium markets, which were already expected to remain in deficit this year, prompting us to revise our aluminium price forecasts higher. While oil and…

A new Gallagher Re white paper argues that blending cyber tail risk with uncorrelated property catastrophe risk in shared-limit reinsurance structures can lower pricing and improve efficiency for cedants, though the firm notes that long-term success will also require participation from the insurance-linked securities (ILS) market.According to the global reinsurance broker’s new white paper, “Cyber and Property Combined Covers: Buying the Tail More Efficiently,” the cyber insurance market has doubled in size globally, with gross written premiums climbing from $8 billion in 2020 to $16 billion today. As the cyber insurance market continues to grow rapidly, insurers are increasingly seeking…

pros and cons Pros Exceptional adaptive noise cancellation Features fit for power users Detailed sound Cons Tight fit Non-adjustable noise cancellation Casual users may overpay for unused features more buying choices Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.It’s been three years since Sony released the last iteration of its revered WH-1000X series over-ear headphones, and there couldn’t be bigger shoes to fill.The WH-1000XM5 are considered by consumers and industry experts to be some of the best headphones on the market, with high marks for their comfort, sound, software features, and excellent noise-canceling capabilities.Also: Are open-ear headphones viable in 2025? This…

Key Takeaways Englewood, Florida, is an affordable small town, home to about 20,000 year-round residents.Englewood’s cost of living is about 5% more than the national average, but that’s much better than other areas that offer Florida sunshine.Historic Dearborn Street offers numerous monthly events, top-notch shopping, a playhouse, and a farmers’ market.Englewood’s public transportation options are somewhat limited, but Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT) does offer local bus service and Dial-a-Ride Services. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. Images of young, frolicking beachgoers come to mind for many people at the mention of Florida, but then…

Key Takeaways Only about half of Americans under 35 had money in retirement accounts in 2022, according to the latest data available.Among young adults who do have retirement accounts, the median balance was $18,800.Time is younger savers’ biggest advantage, since even modest early contributions can compound significantly for decades. How Many People Under 35 Have Any Retirement Savings If you’re in your 20s or early 30s, you may not be thinking much about retirement. Only about half of U.S. households with a reference person under age 35 had any money in retirement accounts in 2022, according to the latest available…

Key Takeaways If you worked from home, you wouldn’t need to commute, saving you hundreds of hours per year. You’d also save money on gas, eating out, and more.If you worked at the office and had a higher salary, you could get your finances in order: pay down debt, build your emergency fund, and save for your goals, including retirement. The question of whether to work at home—but for half the salary of an equivalent office job—has inspired a viral debate with millions of online views. After all, salary decisions are part math, part philosophy. And in practice, they come…

Key Takeaways ARM applications reached 12.9% of total mortgage applications in September—the highest since 2008—though the share has since declined to around 6%-8% as fixed rates have eased.Adjustable-rate mortgages contributed significantly to the 2008 housing crisis, as many borrowers with poor credit struggled to make payments when their rates increased. High mortgage rates have been overwhelming homebuyers for the past three years, and some are turning to a mortgage option that helped fuel the 2008 housing crisis. Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) offer fixed introductory rates that later adjust—typically to a higher rate—to reflect current market conditions. These loans have become more…

Many investors have shunned cybersecurity stocks over the past year or so as they’ve tried to assess how the companies will be impacted by artificial intelligence (AI). Evaluating companies and the markets they serve is a wise strategy, but with many cybersecurity stocks plunging recently, some investors have shifted more into panic mode than simple evaluation. That’s opened up some buying opportunities for long-term investors. Here are two cybersecurity stocks that may be worth snatching up now after investors were too eager to hit the sell button. Will AI create the world’s first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on…