Author: Money Mechanics

In its recently published whitepaper, Cohen & Company Asset Management, the fixed income financial services investment specialist, explained that due to advances within structuring, analytics, and governance, combined with growing investor familiarity, the firm believes that casualty represents “the next evolution of ILS exposure.”Casualty ILS remains a relatively new and developing part of the ILS market. While the broader ILS market emerged in the mid-90s, the application of these structures to long tail casualty risks, has only recently begun to accelerate. “Historically, most ILS capital has supported insurers’ property coverage, particularly policies in regions exposed to catastrophic risk such as…

ZDNET’s key takeaways The LuminAid solar camping lantern is available now for $25.It’s the perfect lantern for emergencies with a very long runtime and chargeable with a solar panel or USB.The lantern could blow away if not properly secured outdoors. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.One mistake I see a lot of people make with their portable power stations is hooking up mains-powered lights, like a desk or floor lamp. Despite the fact that your lamp might make use of a low-energy LED lightbulb (and it should, because those old incandescent bulbs are terribly wasteful), using the AC…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Over the past month or so, price action in the stock market has followed a familiar pattern of oil prices up, indexes down, and vice versa. Thursday’s trading was no different, as few signs of concrete progress toward peace in the Middle East sent crude futures higher and stocks lower.President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social account earlier today that Iran is “begging” the U.S. to “make a deal,” and warned that “they better get serious soon.”This follows media reports from Wednesday that indicated the U.S. had sent Iran a 15-point peace plan. While Iran is…

Please enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser or access the information through the links provided below. March 26, 2026 Federal Reserve Board announces it has made the joint findings with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency required for the OCC to approve a request by Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A., for an exemption under section 23A of the Federal Reserve Act For release at 5:00 p.m. EDT The Federal Reserve Board on Thursday announced it has made the joint findings with the Office of the Comptroller of the…

Gold IRAs apply the tax advantages of traditional and Roth IRAs to your long-term precious metal holdings. These rules can work for or against you, depending on your financial situation and objectives. Gold IRAs follow the general IRA framework, which provides tax-deferred investment growth plus pretax contributions or tax-free withdrawals. As shown below, the timing of the tax perks depends on the type of gold IRA you own. Account type Tax-deferred growth Pretax contributions Withdrawals Traditional gold IRA Yes Yes Taxed as ordinary income Roth gold IRA Yes No Tax-free SEP gold IRA, for entrepreneurs and the self-employed Yes Yes…

AI was once again the buzzword for this latest batch of YC Demo Day companies. Nearly 190 companies participated in Y Combinator’s Winter ‘26 cohort and presented their startups in a Demo Day on Tuesday.  These companies are working on products across industries such as law, transportation, and healthcare.   I did not, admittedly, listen to every single product pitch given the sheer size of the cohort and this year’s Demo Day format available to media: YC posted the pitch videos, one by one, around 20 minutes after their presentations (rather than a livestream, or an in-person session invite).   Instead, I read about all 190 of the startups presenting and spent the day watching pitches…

(Oil Price) – Iran’s oil exports have not collapsed and are fetching much higher prices than before the war, handing Tehran handsome extra revenues from its crude, which is the only one unimpeded from transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Unlike all other Gulf producers, Iran is passing its oil through the Strait of Hormuz and its export volumes remain resilient. Steady volumes and higher prices have been bringing millions of dollars of additional oil revenues for the Islamic Republic since the war began, as oil prices jumped and discounts for Iranian barrels significantly narrowed versus Brent. Iran has likely earned $139 million…

Just as the dust seemed to settle on Washington’s tax code, the Evergreen State is once again shifting its fiscal identity.Historically a “no-income-tax” state, Washington broke a 90-year streak in 2021 by implementing a capital gains tax. Then, only last year, lawmakers enacted a record-breaking estate tax hike, pushing the top rate to 35% — the highest state “death tax” in the nation.The hike was intended to address income inequality and generate revenue for public services, like education and child care. Following concerns from business leaders regarding a potential “wealth exodus,” though, state lawmakers pursued a legislative retreat.Article continues below…

For millions of retirees, every dollar saved on taxes can help keep up with rising grocery and gas prices, health costs, and everyday living expenses.And a new senior bonus deduction in the 2025 Trump/GOP tax and spending bill is one such opportunity. The tax break is designed to lighten the tax load for eligible taxpayers age 65 and older — at least for a few years.But the impact varies considerably by income level. Here’s more of what you need to know.Article continues below From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just…

The best market bargains are sometimes found among the stocks that have suffered the most. Picking the Right Criteria Is Key to Spotting High-Upside Beaten-Down Stocks. Take a peek at nine oversold stocks offering compelling value and up to 66% upside. Markets feel shaky right now. Tensions in the Middle East remain high, inflation still feels uncertain, and central banks are keeping interest rates high. This makes it harder for investors to see what comes next, while price swings become more intense. Higher energy prices from these conflicts are adding to inflation worries. At the same time, the Federal Reserve…