Author: Money Mechanics

(Image credit: Getty Images)That 401(k) from your last job remains where you left it. Your current IRA is on autopilot. There’s a good chance you don’t even remember what they’re invested in. These accounts are still at work building your retirement savings, but they’re also doing more than that.Every investment dollar you put out in the world impacts people and the planet. Some of those impacts are positive and some are negative, but for better or worse, those impacts are helping shape the future that the next generation will inherit.Most people never tell their retirement dollars what to do beyond…

(Image credit: Getty Images)If you have more than a million dollars of concentrated stock, you may feel stuck.You might even feel uncomfortable admitting that. It might feel wrong to say you feel scared about money when you’re seeing the biggest numbers of your life on your statements.On paper, it looks like a good problem to have. But emotionally and financially, it feels precarious. 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…

Saren Eyre Loosli and her extended family are getting excited, and getting ready, for their four-day July reunion at Loosli’s parents’ Utah lake house. They expect to see 54 family members, ranging in age from six months to 80. “The kids sleep on the floor or out on the deck or on the lawn in tents,” said Loosli, founder and director of the Power of Families online community. “It’s not necessarily the most comfortable four days, but it’s worth it.”If you’d like to hold a family reunion, here are ten key questions to answer and advice on how to make…

Key Takeaways McDonald’s is slated to post its fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday morning, with analysts expecting growing revenue and profits. Options pricing suggests traders see shares potentially climbing to new highs following the results. McDonald’s is set to release its fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday morning, with traders anticipating the fast food giant’s stock could reach new highs following the results. Current options pricing suggests traders expect McDonald’s (MCD) stock could move up to 3% in either direction by the end of the week. A move of that size from Monday’s close near $326 would lift the stock close to $336,…

China bond buying signals pressure the dollar, opening a potential path for EUR/USDtoward 1.20. ECB steady rates and delayed US jobs data keep markets cautious and range-focused. Fed leadership transition adds uncertainty as investors wait for policy direction cues. At the start of the new week, the US dollar is weakening. This appears to be linked to signals from China that local banks may reduce their purchases of US government bonds, which would lower demand for the US dollar. If this policy is confirmed, the main currency pair could move back toward the 1.20 level. Last week, the European Central…

Writing NFC tags with a smartphone. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.One of my favorite technologies is NFC. I’m blown away that I can write data to a little chip and then access that using a phone or tablet. I’ve embedded NFC tags into all sorts of things, from documents to business cards to 3D-printed objects. And it’s easy! What you’ll needYou need two things: NFC tags: These come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, from stickers to keychain disks to plastic cards. I go for NTAG215 compatible tags, because they are widely available, cheap, have…

(BOE Report) – The United States issued fresh guidance on Monday to commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for Middle East oil supplies, as tensions simmered between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program. Iran has in the past threatened to close down the Strait of Hormuz, a portion of which lies within its territorial waters, and has at times seized commercial ships and oil tankers moving through the area alleging smuggling. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration advised U.S.-flagged commercial vessels to stay as far from Iran’s territorial waters as possible and to…

January 2026 HighlightsIn January 2026, Cboe FX reached new highs with a monthly Spot ADV of $63.3B, a 33.4% increase versus January 2025 ($47.4B).Cboe SEF ADV1 also topped new records in January at $3.9B, a 37.3% increase versus January 2025 ($2.6B).At $23.2B, Cboe FX ECN Firm ADV2 accounted for 50.6% of the Spot ECN total, highest Firm ADV recorded on Spot ECN, and a 42.2% increase versus January 2025 ($16.3B).At $6.1B, Cboe FX ECN Metals ADV accounted for 13.3% of the Spot ECN total, a new high-water mark and a 349.2% increase versus January 2025 ($1.4B).Cboe’s U.S. Treasuries platform observed…

Key Takeaways Bitcoin has grown from a niche digital experiment into a widely traded global asset.Its price can be extremely volatile, with large daily swings that may not suit short-term investors.Bitcoin offers liquidity and easier access through exchange-traded products, but investor protections remain limited.Losses from stolen or misplaced private keys are typically irreversible unless assets are held with a custodian. Bitcoin evolved from a niche digital experiment into a mainstream financial asset held by individual investors and institutions alike. As Bitcoin has gained popularity, it has become increasingly easy to trade, with liquidity and access expanding through exchange-traded products. But…

Gold () futures opened at $5,020.10 per troy ounce on Monday, up 0.8% from Friday’s closing price of $4,979.80. In early trading, the price of gold moderated slightly but remained above $5,000. Last week was volatile for gold, with per-ounce prices ranging from $4,400 to $5,082.20. According to a weekend report, China’s central bank continued to invest in gold in January, marking its 15th consecutive month of gold purchases. Strong central bank demand was a primary factor in gold’s strong 2025 performance. A weaker dollar, concerns over the Fed’s ability to operate without political influence, and expectations of lower interest…