Author: Money Mechanics

The mortgage market is showing signs of recovery. After years of navigating elevated interest rates that began climbing in late 2021, lenders are seeing a path forward. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) January 2026 Mortgage Finance Forecast projects that single-family mortgage origination volume will increase in 2026 to $2.2 trillion in 2026, up from $2.05 trillion last year.  As originations increase, many lenders see selling loans to Government Sponsored Enterprises or other investors as a critical strategy to free up capital and manage portfolio risk.  But did you know there is an advantage to retaining servicing rights on sold loans…

After a better-than-expected opening weekend in theaters, box office for Amazon’s “Melania” fell 67%, to an estimated $2.37 million, in its second weekend. The documentary about First Melania Trump has grossed a total of $13.5 million so far (almost all of that in the United States), which means it’s extremely unlikely the film — which Amazon spent $40 million to acquire and $35 million to market — will break even in theaters. Before “Melania”’s release, a former Amazon film executive asked how the price tag could be motivated by anything other than “currying favor” with the Trump administration or “an…

(Investing) – Oil prices ticked up on Friday, after reports citing Iran’s foreign minister said talks between the country and the U.S. had got off to a “good start.” At 11:05 ET (16:05 GMT),  for April were up 1% to $68.15 a barrel and  rose 0.9% to $63.85 a barrel. Notably, the crude benchmarks were on track for weekly declines of 3.4% and 2%, respectively, their first since mid-December 2025, as investors priced in a smaller risk premium, while also taking some profits after a big runup. Araghchi says ’good start’ to U.S.-Iran talks U.S. and Iranian officials met in Oman Friday morning amid heightened…

We came across a bullish thesis on Amazon.com, Inc. on LongYield’s Substack. In this article, we will summarize the bulls’ thesis on AMZN. Amazon.com, Inc.’s share was trading at $210 as of February 6th. AMZN’s trailing and forward P/E were 29.3 and 25.5, respectively according to Yahoo Finance. Joe Ravi / Shutterstock.com Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) remains the world’s largest e‑commerce company and a major force in cloud computing, digital advertising, and connected devices. Its business is organized into North America, International, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), monetizing a broad ecosystem that includes the flagship online marketplace, Prime subscriptions, AWS cloud offerings,…

U.S. jobs report, CPI inflation data, retail sales, and more earnings will be in focus this week. Cisco is projected to deliver strong earnings and solid guidance, making it a high-probability winner this week. Moderna’s shrinking revenue, expected losses position it for potential downside this week. Stocks on Wall Street rallied on Friday to record their strongest gain in months, as the closed above the historic 50,000 mark for the first time ever. Friday’s advance followed three straight days of losses marked by worries about artificial intelligence, with several software companies hit especially hard amid concerns that AI could create…

Malta has streamlined the accounting requirements for Reinsurance Special Purpose Vehicles (RSPVs), a move expected to significantly bolster the country’s insurance-linked securities (ILS) market. According to Malta-based law firm Ganado Advocates, these changes offer a more proportionate regulatory environment for complex risk vehicles.For context, Malta introduced regulatory frameworks for RSPVs and securitisation several years ago. The Accountancy Profession (General Accounting Principles in respect of certain Eligible Entities related to the business of Insurance) Regulations (GAPEE) originally allowed specific re/insurers to opt out of IFRS 17 in favour of a local accounting framework. With the introduction of Legal Notice 299 of 2025, the…

The U.S. labor market barely budged in January, with hiring below even muted expectations, according to a report Wednesday from payrolls processing firm ADP.Private companies added just 22,000 positions for the month and the number would have been negative had it not been for a surge of 74,000 hires in the education and health services category. The total was less than the downwardly revised 37,000 increase in December and below the Dow Jones consensus forecast for 45,000.The report starts 2026 off on basically the same note where 2025 ended: A lackluster job market in a low-hire, low-fire environment that likely…

Football fans across the nation are gearing up for Super Bowl LX, the New England Patriots vs. the Seattle Seahawks, set to take place tonight, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. If you’re more of a here-for-the-snacks-and-halftime-show viewer, don’t worry — you’ll be treated to a performance by Bad Bunny and others. Also: The best 85-inch TVs of 2026: Expert tested and reviewedThis year, the game will be broadcast on NBC and Telemundo, and will stream live on Peacock as well. Unless you have cable or plan to watch the game over the air…

(Oil Price) – TotalEnergies is expanding its exploration portfolio offshore Namibia with acreage north of a block where a major oil discovery has been made, as the supermajor looks to boost activity in the new global exploration hotspot. TotalEnergies on Friday announced it had signed agreements to buy a 42.5% operated interest in the PEL104 exploration license offshore Namibia from Eight Offshore Investments Holdings and Maravilla Oil & Gas. Upon completion of the transaction, TotalEnergies will be the operator of the license, which lies north of the PEL 83 license of the giant Mopane discovery. The French supermajor will own a 42.5% interest…

Key Takeaways Pre-retirees heavily invested in AI stocks may be taking on more risk than intended and should consider rebalancing their portfolios to maintain diversification, according to personal finance expert Jean Chatzky. For those concerned about a recession, keeping a few years’ worth of expenses in cash or fixed income in retirement can help you avoid selling longer-term assets during market downturns. A lot has happened in the world of personal finance in the past year—from the passage of new tax legislation to the AI boom that has lifted the stock market to record highs. For individuals planning to retire…