Author: Money Mechanics

In-brief analysis February 17, 2026 Data source: Vortexa AnalyticsNote: Data reflect exports by month of departure. Clean product tankers excludes tankers that carry crude oil, residual fuel oil, or heavy unfinished oils. LPG=liquified petroleum gases U.S. exports of refined petroleum products carried on clean product tankers have increased steadily over the last year, with exports totaling 6.3 million barrels per day (b/d) in January 2026, about 10% more than in January 2025 and near record highs, according to data from Vortexa. Growth in exports of diesel, gasoline, and liquified petroleum…

A recruiter displays information while speaking to a jobseeker during the WorkSource North Seattle Career Fair in Seattle, Washington, US, on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.David Ryder | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesJanuary job gains were better than anything the U.S. economy saw in 2025 but not still enough to sound an all-clear on what has otherwise been a stagnant labor market.With a gain of 130,000 nonfarm payrolls and the unemployment rate slipping to 4.3%, the lowest since August, the numbers indicated that hiring is at least hanging in there while layoffs appear contained.However, beneath the hood there were some trouble spots:…

WordPress.com, the website hosting platform from Automattic, will now include a built-in WordPress AI assistant, the company announced on Tuesday. The feature is designed to work inside the website to understand its content and layout, allowing site owners to make changes with natural language commands. With the new tool, you can adjust the site’s layout, its style, or other patterns by issuing commands to the AI assistant, and then see the changes reflected on the site as you work. These instructions don’t have to be precisely tailored prompts, either, the company notes. Instead, you can use more general language, like…

The major stock indexes were little changed in early trading on Tuesday as tech stocks continued to feel the pressure at the outset of a holiday-shortened week. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite was down less than 0.1% shortly after markets opened on Tuesday, while the benchmark S&P 500 and the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average each rose less than 0.1%. Stocks are coming off their worst week of 2026. The Nasdaq fell more than 2% last week when concerns about AI-driven disruption in the software and IT services industries flared up again. Tech jitters overshadowed last week’s tamer-than-expected inflation report and…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Clients today feel more uncertain than ever — and for good reason. At the macro level, what’s driving this uncertainty can be summarized by a simple concept: Expectation vs reality.In other words, it’s common for there to be a mismatch between what we think will happen and what actually happens.This creates a disorienting feedback loop that changes what people think assets are worth so rapidly that investors struggle to keep up. It’s like planning your weekly grocery budget assuming milk costs $3 per gallon, only to find it’s $3.50 when you arrive at the store and $3.25…

(Image credit: Getty Images)”Mr. Beaver, I am terrified that our four grandsons, all in their late teens and early 20s, are so out of touch with economic reality that the time bomb of financial irresponsibility they’ve built will explode when they go out on their own and wind up flat broke.”I am 80 and remember like it was yesterday that in high school, we all took a class called On Your Own that taught financial and independent-living skills. This included lessons about budgeting, renting an apartment, co-signing and getting loans, banking, using credit cards, food preparation and so much more.…

Key Takeaways No age group has saved even 25% of widely used retirement benchmarks.Workers ages 45 to 54 are the furthest behind relative to savings targets. No age group has saved even a quarter of what experts recommend, according to a new analysis from the National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS). The nonprofit examined U.S. Census data for workers ages 21 to 64 and compared their actual retirement savings to widely used benchmarks published by Fidelity. The result: Even Americans approaching retirement are far short of recommended targets. How Much Workers Have Saved—Compared With What Experts Recommend The NIRS study…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Back in 2024, I took a mahjong lesson with a friend and was instantly hooked. I joined a league soon after and now play weekly. And I’m not the only one to be bitten by the bug.This Chinese game is having a big moment — Eventbrite reports that between 2023 and 2024, searches for mahjong events jumped by 365%.In my hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, Axios recently reported that people are creating mahjong rooms inside their homes. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus…

Key Takeaways Middle class workers in their 50s have a median of $112,000 saved for retirement—and nearly half expect to work past 65 or never fully retire.Many savers didn’t start out with a lot—they began saving when they could, captured every employer match, and avoided cashing out. Do you ever wonder how well other middle class people are saving for retirement? That is, what they’re actually saving—and where they’re saving it? The truth is that Americans’ savings are messy, uneven, and often spread across multiple accounts built over decades. Here’s what the data says. What Middle Class Retirement Savings Actually…

Key Takeaways Among 35- to 44-year-old homeowners, the median home value was $392,030 in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.Your home’s market value matters less than ensuring you can afford your mortgage and your other bills, as well as saving for retirement. The median home value among 35- to 44-year-old owners hit $392,030 in 2024—but that figure hides a 34-to-1 gap between the priciest and cheapest markets in the country. A better comparison for where you stand requires a closer look. “Context really matters,” said Joon Um, a tax advisor at Secure Tax and Accounting, a financial planning and…