Author: Money Mechanics

Rising energy prices delay Fed rate cuts and strengthen US dollar support. Geopolitical easing keeps the US dollar rangebound as markets shift to wait mode. Cooling US data and lower energy prices could weaken the US dollar below key levels. The is moving for more than one reason right now. It is not just about investors looking for safety. Tensions in global energy markets are pushing oil and gas prices higher. This is increasing inflation expectations and making people think the may keep interest rates higher for longer. Because of this, the US dollar is getting support from two sides.…

A new proposal calling for a European natural catastrophe insurance pool to diversify risks across countries and perils could be further enhanced by the insurance-linked securities (ILS) market, according to the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and the European Stability Mechanism (ESM).In a joint paper recently published by the two organisations, they suggest that a risk-based, premium-financed, EU-wide nat cat pool could significantly increase insurance penetration for severe natural disasters such as floods, droughts, storms, and wildfires. In the paper, it is argued that a pool solution combined with an additional loan-based backstop for extreme tail events that…

This Week In A Nutshell: Mortgage rates have been steadier for the last few weeks. But the risk of outsized mortgage moves remains as markets await the outcome of Iran war ceasefire negotiations. Upcoming Attractions   This week is light on market-moving economic data, as we’ve now gotten the key labor market and inflation indicators for the month. The next Fed meeting is still two weeks away. We will get the producer price index (PPI) on Tuesday, which will help round out the March inflation picture alongside last week’s consumer price index (CPI) data.  Markets will continue to focus on…

pros and cons Pros Tough polycarbonate construction built to last in a wallet or purse.5-month battery life with wireless recharging.Simple to use, no third-party app needed Cons High price (but on par with similar tracker cards).I wouldn’t use this as a luggage tag. more buying choices Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.Once again, I’m waxing lyrical about Apple AirTags. I absolutely love them. They’ve been the one piece of tech that has truly transformed my life. But as much as I adore them, they’re not perfect. One thing that hasn’t changed in the nearly five years…

This WeekThe two focuses for markets this week were the Iran conflict and the Federal Open Market Committee meeting.Iran: Continued developments saw Brent oil prices swing from under $100/barrel to $119 to $105 to $112 now. Those included:Announcements that Israel killed multiple Iranian leaders.Continued attacks on Persian Gulf energy infrastructure, including some that could take five years to repair.Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu saying Israel and the U.S. are working to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the conflict could end “faster than people think.”Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei saying Iran’s enemies were being “defeated.”News the Pentagon is sending three warships and…

March was a whirlwind of celebrity news—particularly when it came to real estate. Mark Zuckerberg kicked off the month in extravagant style when it was revealed that he had dropped a staggering $170 million on a brand-new megamansion on Florida’s famed “Billionaire Bunker,” setting a new Miami-Dade County record in the process.The nine-bedroom, 11.5-bathroom property was originally put on the market for the even higher price of $200 million in November 2025, despite being only partly built.Zuckerberg’s purchase of the property, which closed on March 2, according to records, marks the most expensive residential real estate transaction ever completed in Miami-Dade County—and…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Stocks hit their session lows early Monday as market participants reacted to news that the U.S. and Iran failed to reach a resolution during high-level talks held over the weekend. All three main indexes were higher by the close, though, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite notching its longest daily win streak since 2023.After Vice President J.D. Vance left Pakistan without a peace deal, President Donald Trump said via Truth Social that the U.S. will block ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz.News of the blockade sent front-month West Texas Intermediate crude futures up more than 2%…

In 2017, Eliza Walter founded Lylie with the ambition of creating fine jewellery without relying on newly mined materials. Today, 100 per cent of the metal used in the brand’s ready-to-wear collections comes from its Gold Exchange programme, through which customers return unwanted gold, platinum and silver jewellery in exchange for credit towards new pieces.The London-based, B Corp-certified jeweller launched the initiative in 2021, embedding circularity at the core of its operations. “We are constantly thinking about material as something that already exists, rather than something newly sourced, which naturally brings a greater sense of intention to the process,” Walter…

In-brief analysis March 19, 2026 Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Vortexa Analytics, trade press reportsNote: LNG=liquefied natural gas; MMcf/d=million cubic feet per day The United States exported approximately 0.3 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to destinations in the Caribbean in 2025, the second-highest volume since the first LNG cargo departed Sabine Pass in 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s LNG Exports and Re-Exports Details. Large-scale LNG regasification capacity in the Caribbean is concentrated in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Panama. Antigua and Barbuda,…

In-brief analysis March 20, 2026 Over the past 20 years, electricity from wind power and utility-scale solar power has increased to 17% of generation in the United States compared to less than 1% in 2005. In 2025, net generation of wind and solar together accounted for 760,000 gigawatthours (GWh) of electricity, 88,000 GWh more than in 2024, according to data from our Electric Power Monthly. We classify a power plant as utility-scale if it has at least 1 megawatt of generating capacity. In 2025, wind power generated 464,000 GWh of electricity, 3% more than in…