Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Target shares jumped Tuesday after the retailer reported earnings that topped analysts’ estimates and gave a rosy outlook.New CEO Michael Fiddelke, who took the helm last month, forecast a return to sales growth this year. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. Target’s stock soared Tuesday after the retailer posted better-than-expected earnings and its new CEO pledged a return to sales growth. CEO Michael Fiddelke, who took the helm last month, told investors the company plans a number of changes to “get Target back to growth,” including improving its selection of products and redesigning stores…

Ever looked at the variance futures price on your screen and wondered what it really means?Natalie Reed, Senior Director, Head of Derivatives Sales, explains everything you need to know about variance.What’s Behind That Quote Variance Futures Price?The quoted price is a blended volatility strike squared. For example, if you have a 20 realized vol and a 20 implied vol, you’ll see a variance price of about $400.As the contract matures, it accumulates more realized volatility with each observation date. This means the realized vol squared component becomes a bigger part of the price over time. But don’t forget — there’s…

Key Takeaways The Housing for the 21st Century bill includes provisions that could free up more lending for low- and middle-income apartment buildings.The House of Representatives and Senate still need to merge their housing legislation before it can be sent to the president. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. Any recent homebuyer knows that finding an affordable place to live has become increasingly difficult. Congress believes it has a solution: more apartments. The House of Representatives passed legislation last month that would change how apartment building construction is financed, allowing banks to lend more money…

Key Takeaways Mining stocks including Newmont, Barrick and Freeport McMoRan are getting battered as gold gives back some of the gains posted yesterday after the start of an armed conflict in the Middle East.Research shows boosts in metal prices amid large-scale conflicts tend to dissipate as uncertainty clears. Intensifying conflict in the Middle East is driving stocks, bonds and even some safe-haven assets lower on Tuesday. One of those have typical havens, gold, is down sharply after surging in the immediate aftermath of the initial strikes on Iran over the weekend. That’s dragging mining stocks down along with it. The…

Billionaires and wealth taxes are in the news again. This time, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) have unveiled a proposal for a 5% annual wealth tax on the richest Americans.The Make Billionaires Pay Their Fair Share Act would apply to approximately 938 billionaires in the United States, who are reportedly collectively worth $8.2 trillion.The bill’s sponsors cite compelling data on wealth inequality as a rationale for the proposal, saying “the CEOs of large corporations are now making 350 times more than their average workers” while noting that more than 60% of Americans are living paycheck to…

Key Takeaways Wars often lead to short-term stock market sell-offs, but markets typically recover as situations stabilize.Defense and energy stocks tend to perform well during wartime, benefiting from increased demand.Historical data show that major geopolitical events often do not have a lasting negative impact on U.S. stocks. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. Global conflicts, from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to the U.S. war in Iran, influence market sentiment and spark short-term volatility. History shows that U.S. stocks often rebound after initial sell-offs, highlighting the market’s long-term resilience during periods of uncertainty. Defense, energy, and…

During the current 2026 legislative session, Washington state lawmakers are advancing a proposal to impose a 9.9% tax on personal income above $1 million. That is a notable move in a state that has historically avoided taxing wages, but that began taxing certain capital gains a few years ago.The measure — Senate Bill 6346, known as the “Millionaires’ Tax” — has passed the state Senate and is now under consideration in the House.Supporters highlight its potential to fund essential services and reduce reliance on regressive taxes. Opponents argue it risks chasing top earners away and reshaping Washington’s tax landscape in…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Most of us assume our retirement savings are untouchable, but the law isn’t always that simple. Depending on the type of IRA you own and/or how you inherited it, your “safe” money might actually be on the table for creditors. Take this 10-question quiz to see if your hard-earned savings are truly protected — or if you’re sitting on a hidden risk.Don’t worry if you miss an answer; you can follow the links below the quiz to brush up on your knowledge.More on IRAs, from the Kiplinger team: From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become…

If you’re hoping for a bigger tax refund this year, the window to make a difference is closing fast. While most tax-saving strategies need to happen before Dec. 31, there are still a handful of smart money moves you can make before the April 15 filing deadline that could boost your refund — or, at least, shrink what you owe. 2025 may be over, but it’s not too late to increase your refund (or lower your tax bill) before the April 15 tax filing deadline. Here are a few strategies to try now. Did you know you can still make…

Good morning. It’s a pleasure to be with you this morning to open our discussion on the bank liquidity framework. Hal and his team have assembled a series of excellent panels that will further inform our approach as we consider adjusting this framework. The panelists’ perspectives—including academics, market participants, and fellow policymakers—will enrich our understanding of these complex issues and, importantly, challenge us to think critically about whether the framework we have in place works as intended. Bank liquidity ensures that the banking system remains resilient.1 Regulatory requirements including the liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) and the net stable funding ratio…