Author: Money Mechanics

Asia-pacific Images Studio | E+ | Getty ImagesThe Federal Reserve sets national interest rate policy. But the U.S. central bank isn’t the only major player in this arena: Bond investors also have a big influence on consumers’ borrowing costs.Many types of consumer loans — such as mortgages and auto loans — often peg their interest rates to 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds. That means their rates move higher when 10-year Treasury yields increase, and vice versa. Those bond yields have increased steadily over the past several months. The 10-year Treasury yield was about 4.7% as of market close on Thursday, its…

Kerry Wan/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysSamsung launched three foldable phones at its Unpacked event in London.Its first ‘Ultra’ foldable, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, is an impressive device. However, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a unique form factor that’s very compelling.Now that Samsung Unpacked is over and all the phones have been announced, you may be clamoring to get your preorder in for the all-new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. It is, after all, the first Samsung foldable to bear the “Ultra” moniker. Also: Everything announced at Samsung Unpacked 2026:…

Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers at the Wells Fargo Center on January 28, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThis week, Mom and I tackled some paperwork—she needs her own library card and transit card—to pretty much make it official that she’s going to stay with me in Pennsylvania. It’s a big change for her, since she’s lived in North Carolina for her entire life. That places me solidly in the “sandwich generation” since I also have two kids still at home. My…

A spectacular waterfront estate with a “rare sandy beach” is making waves in the Florida Keys after returning to the market mere months after it last sold—complete with a $1.75 million price hike. Located in Islamorada, just a stone’s throw from an equally-impressive abode owned by Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, the five-bedroom estate last changed hands in February of this year for $12 million, having been listed the previous month for $12.95 million. Now, just four months later, it has returned to the market, this time with an asking price of $13.75 million—an increase that listing agent Lisa Swanson…

Warner Bros. Discovery filed a lawsuit this week accusing Amazon of interference with contractual relations, breach of contract, and unfair competition. As reported by Deadline, the lawsuit alleges Amazon has been “hurriedly seeking to pirate away a number of contracted employees,” including Pia Barlow, an HBO Max marketing executive who recently joined Amazon MGM Studios. Warner Bros. (whose pending acquisition by Paramount has been paused for at least a few months) said Barlow’s employment contract was “not set to expire until October 31, 2027.” “In blatant disregard of established California law, Amazon has gone rogue by attempting to induce Plaintiffs’…

(Oil Price) –  Saudi Arabia, which at the start of the Iran war redirected virtually all crude exports through its East-West pipeline to Yanbu on the Red Sea, has seen crude exports from Yanbu crumble by 41% to about 2.39 million barrels per day (bpd) by June, from a peak of 4.07 million bpd in March, Wood Mackenzie vessel tracking and cargo data showed. Despite the near-total concentration of exports through Yanbu, volumes have declined steadily from the March peak, according to WoodMac’s tracking data. By June, Yanbu loadings had fallen to around 2.39 million bpd, down by 41% from the…

In May 2025, Lydia Rhea, a 26-year-old freelance musician and Juilliard graduate, thought she and her two roommates had found their dream apartment.​After years of living in cramped student quarters, the group found a newly constructed duplex penthouse at 463 West 125th Street in Harlem.​For three working musicians who needed space to rehearse, the unit seemed ideal. It boasted a spacious multi-level layout, large windows, two bathrooms, and in-unit laundry. Rhea even scored a second-floor bedroom featuring an ensuite bathroom and a private terrace.​They signed a 13-month lease offering a one-month free concession, paying a net rent of $5,485 per…

The “Magnificent Seven” companies have led the market for years, but 2026 has humbled them. Most have pulled back, and as a group, they now trade at their cheapest valuation relative to the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) in more than a decade. That makes this a good moment to ask a simple question: Of these seven giants, which are the best buys right now? Here is my ranking, counting down from least to most compelling. Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a “Double Down” signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time…

The family vacation is taking up a much larger share of the budget in 2026.The cost of airfare is up more than 26% compared to last year, according to research from NerdWallet, mostly because of the higher price of oil.When you add inflation’s impact on hotels and dining, you’re looking at a pretty penny for the average family of four. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters Profit and prosper with…

The transition of wealth carries a quiet, universally recognized paradox: The very resources designed to provide security and boundless opportunity can inadvertently destroy a child’s drive, purpose and self-reliance.Parents across the wealth spectrum fear that an unearned windfall will leave their children in a permanent “financial hammock,” devoid of the struggles that forge character.Warren Buffett famously summed up the ideal wealth transfer philosophy: Leave children “enough money to do anything, but not enough to do nothing.” From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4…