Author: Money Mechanics

The insurance-linked securities (ILS) market is coming off a remarkable year, bolstered by record catastrophe bond issuance. According to Jean-Louis Monnier, Head of ILS at Swiss Re Capital Markets the momentum was driven by a mix of significant capital inflows and low market losses, which has ultimately helped create a high demand environment for ILS.Swiss Re Capital Markets (SRCM), the ILS and catastrophe bond structuring division and investment banking unit of the global reinsurer recently published its latest Insurance-Linked Securities (ILS) Market Insights report, which reviews developments within the catastrophe bond and broader ILS market over 2025. The firm’s report…

Fawaz, who has served the company most recently as executive vice president of strategy, growth and partnership, joined Rocket in 2011 as a mortgage banker. He entered the wholesale channel in 2017 with Rocket Pro, which serves the broker community. Prior to his current role, he was senior vice president of sales, overseeing account executives who work with broker partners. Rocket ranked as the third-largest U.S. mortgage lender in 2025, according to Inside Mortgage Finance, originating $123.7 billion in volume — up 29% year over year. Its third-party origination channel generated about $36.3 billion in sales from January through September,…

Gabriel Vasquez, a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, recently revealed he took nine flights from NYC to Stockholm in one year. While his visits included stops at companies like Lovable — where he posted from its office — the trips were also about finding future Swedish unicorns before they cross the Atlantic. This all came to light when news emerged that a16z had led a $2.3 million pre-seed round into Dentio, a Swedish startup that uses AI to help dentists’ practices with admin work. While this is a small check for a firm that just announced new funds totaling $15 billion,…

(Investing) – WASHINGTON – Venezuelan interim leader President Delcy Rodriguez said she has been invited to the United States, according an interview released Thursday by NBC News as U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited Caracas. “I have been invited to the States,” Rodríguez was quoted as saying. “We’re contemplating coming there once we establish this cooperation and we can move forward with everything.” Rodriguez, the former vice president and oil minister, was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president in early January after the United States deposed President Nicolas Maduro. She and Wright face the Herculean task of organizing the recovery of…

On February 12, 2026, Barington Companies Management reported selling 143,900 shares of TriMas (NASDAQ:TRS), an estimated $5.02 million trade based on quarterly average pricing, according to a new SEC filing. In a quarterly disclosure filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 12, 2026, Barington Companies Management reported selling 143,900 shares of TriMas in the fourth quarter of 2025. The estimated transaction value, based on the period’s average unadjusted closing price, was $5.02 million. The value of the fund’s TriMas position fell by $5.98 million over the quarter, a figure that includes both trading activity and market price…

Despite fast-depleting gas inventories, Europe’s benchmark prices plummeted by more than 5% early on Monday as forecasts of milder weather ahead and a plunge in the U.S. benchmark futures eased concerns about supply.  The front-month Dutch TTF Natural Gas Futures, the benchmark for Europe’s gas trading, slumped by 5.6% as of 9:00 a.m. in Amsterdam on Monday, to $36.41 (30.675 euros) per megawatt-hour (MWh). This was the lowest price in five weeks, since the second week of January. Weather models suggest milder temperatures in major gas-consuming countries in northwest Europe over the coming days, easing the pressure on inventories that…

By David Enna, Tipswatch.com The Treasury on Thursday will offer $9 billion in a new 30-year Treasury Inflation-Protected Security, CUSIP 912810US5. The real yield to maturity and coupon rate will be determined by the auction results, but it looks likely this TIPS will get an attractive real yield, possibly close to 2.5%. The 30-year real yield has been sinking a bit through the month of February, down about 17 basis points since February 2. But the current Treasury estimate of 2.46% remains historically attractive. In the last 16 years, only one TIPS auction of this term — last year’s August…

Key Takeaways Even if you don’t earn a high salary, you can build a high net worth by saving consistently. Automate your savings and pay yourself first.Avoid lifestyle creep: as you earn more, don’t needlessly spend more.Use the power of compounding to your advantage: start saving early, and, once invested, leave those funds alone for a long period of time. A high net worth gives you the freedom to live the life you want, from starting a business to retiring early to quitting a job you dislike without having another one lined up right away. If you’re not earning a…

KEY TAKEAWAYS The IRS began processing tax returns on January 26.The deadline for employers to send out all W-2 and 1099 forms reporting income was February 2.Taxpayers have until Wednesday, April 15, 2026 to file their 2025 taxes or request an extension. The 2026 tax filing season has begun. Here are the key dates you need to know. During this filing season, taxpayers will need to use the newly created Schedule 1-A to take advantage of the new tax deductions and credits created by the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’, such as the no-tax-on-tips deduction and the additional deduction for older…

Key Takeaways A 2025 study by MovingPlace.com found that the states where homes are more likely to have issues, such as foundation damage, faulty plumbing, and electrical problems that could go undetected during the buying process.Rhode Island, Ohio and Massachusetts led the states with potential ‘lemon’ homes, while Nevada, Florida and Utah were states where homes were likely to have the fewest issues.States with a higher proportion of lemon homes were generally in the Rust Belt and suffered from an aging housing stock and harsher weather conditions. Does the home you’re thinking about buying have hidden problems like water leaks,…