Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways The Federal Reserve’s decision on whether to cut interest rates again depends heavily on the uncertain “neutral rate,” the level at which policy neither slows nor stimulates the economy.With rates now at 3.5% to 3.75% after multiple cuts, Fed officials disagree on whether policy is still restrictive or already near neutral, fueling debate over next steps.Persistent inflation, shifting global dynamics, and unknown effects from artificial intelligence are complicating estimates of the neutral rate. The debate over whether the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates again soon rests partly on a number that no one knows: the neutral rate…

Key Takeaways Many cash options are still delivering competitive yields in the 3%–5% range if you know where to look. The best savings accounts, CDs, brokerage cash accounts, and Treasuries offer strong returns with virtually no risk. Picking the right place for your cash can significantly boost what $10,000—or much more—earns over time. See Where Cash Is Paying the Most Right Now—All in One Chart With the Federal Reserve currently in a holding pattern, cash yields are likely to remain fairly steady for the near term. And at current levels, today’s safest places to park money continue to offer attractive…

Key Takeaways Baby boomers are set to pass on approximately $105 trillion in wealth to heirs by 2048, greatly impacting personal finances and the economy.Wills, trusts, and annual gift strategies can help families minimize taxes and preserve the most wealth.Understanding rules like the step-up in basis and having open family conversations will help the process run better and smarter. The United States is on the precipice of the largest wealth transfer in history; approximately $105 trillion will pass from one generation to the next by 2048. It’s expected to have a massive impact on inheritors, older loved ones who need…

KEY TAKEAWAYS A new deduction created under the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” will allow senior taxpayers to subtract between $6,000 and $12,000 from their 2025 taxable income, lowering their overall tax burden.Taxpayers must be 65 years or older, and single taxpayers must have an income of less than $175,000, while married couples must have an income of less than $250,000, to be eligible for the deduction. A new tax deduction could lower your tax bill this year. Here’s what you need to know about it. The “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” passed in July 2025, created a new deduction for taxpayers…

Key Takeaways The data industry lost 6,700 jobs in 2025, underscoring that the AI boom has created very few jobs.The job slump comes despite almost half a billion dollars of investment in AI development and data centers. The AI investment boom has been a job creation dud, even within its own industry.Despite massive investments in data centers and artificial intelligence software—an estimated $427 billion in 2025 alone, according to RBC—the year ended in the midst of a job creation slump. Remarkably, there were actually fewer people working in the industry at the center of the AI boom: in December 2025,…

KEY TAKEAWAYS The Social Security Administration has been working to improve caller wait times, even as the staff has been reduced.But SSA workers say they are already overworked, and changes coming next month could make things worse. The Social Security Administration has significantly reduced wait times for beneficiaries calling its national 800-number over the past two years. Next month, the agency is making more changes to how it handles help requests that may speed things up—or make things worse for beneficiaries. Workflow management changes coming on March 7 will transition SSA employees from working only on local claims and cases…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Stocks jumped out of the gate and rallied into the close as market participants went bargain hunting following this week’s drubbing. Indeed, tech stocks, which bore the brunt of the recent selling, saw some of the biggest gains, while crypto-adjacent names surged as bitcoin bounced.At the close, the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 2.5% at 50,115 and the broader S&P 500 was 2% higher at 6,932 – their biggest one-day gains since last May and a new record high for the Dow. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite climbed 2.2% to 23,031 for its best day since…

Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the US equities myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.US technology stocks and bitcoin rallied strongly on Friday after three days of heavy selling fuelled by investor concerns over companies’ vast AI investments.The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index recovered 2.2 per cent on Friday, cutting its loss for the week to 1.8 per cent.Chipmaking giant Nvidia led the rebound with a 7.8 per cent surge, with Broadcom and Intel also jumping.Bitcoin also bounced back after falling to the lowest level since 2024 in the previous session. It was recently trading higher by…

White Mountains has reported that its investment into the Outrigger Re collateralized reinsurance sidecar, which supports its P&C insurance and reinsurance subsidiary Ark, delivered pre-tax income of $45 million in 2025, of which $55 million was attributable to the 2025 underwriting year, partially offset by a loss of $10 million from the 2024 underwriting year.Through December 31st, 2025, White Mountains reports that Outrigger Re generated pre-tax income of $55 million from the 2025 underwriting year, $29 million from the 2024 underwriting year, and $76 million from the 2023 underwriting year. For 2024, Outrigger Re’s reported pre-tax income was $46 million,…

“Having fully considered the arguments at the hearing and in the written submissions, and based on all materials in the record, the motion for final approval is granted,” the ruling states. The ruling also reaffirmed Don Gibson, Lauren Criss, John Meiners, and Daniel Umpa as the settlement class representatives. Additionally, the ruling noted that the settlement class is nationwide and that the agreements release claims arising “from sales of homes listed on NAR and non-Realtor MLSs, including all claims on behalf of Class Members, as sellers, buyers,or otherwise, arising from the same factual predicate.” Besides granting final approval to the…