Author: Money Mechanics

Before I tell you what I think about Trump’s nominee for Fed Chairman, Kevin Warsh, I should first confess to the fact that my opinion of Chairman Powell has changed several times since he was first nominated. That’s a user-beware warning about my thoughts below, but it’s not just about me. I’ve watched the Fed since about 1990 – I wrote a book leaning against the perception of Chairman Greenspan as some kind of “Maestro” – but what happens when individuals meet institutions is that both are changed. The classic example is that Presidents always govern closer to the middle…

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysClean surfaces with alcohol for the best adhesive bond.Apply only a tiny amount of glue to ensure success.Fill gaps with baking soda to create maximum joint strength.Super glue — the chemical name of which is cyanoacrylate, also popularly known as crazy glue — is truly amazing stuff.First sold as an adhesive by Loctite in the 1960s, super glue can bond a wide range of materials — from plastics to wood, glass, porcelain, metal, and even fabric, and yes, human skin. While super glue did not…

Key Takeaways A key government jobs report due Friday is being delayed by the partial government shutdown that began Saturday.The report on job creation and unemployment will be rescheduled when the shutdown ends.The data delay could be a mini version of the data blackout that took hold last year when the government was closed for a record 43 days, delaying and disrupting the work of the government’s statistical agencies. Once again, a government shutdown is delaying key economic data.The Bureau of Labor Statistics will delay the release of data, including this Friday’s report on job creation and unemployment, until after…

(Oil Price) – Equinor will sell all its assets in Argentina’s Vaca Muerta basin to Vista Energy in a cash and stock deal worth $1.1 billion, the Norwegian energy major said on Monday as it continues to high-grade its international portfolio. The deal includes Equinor’s 30% non-operated interest in the Bandurria Sur asset and its 50% non-operated interest in the Bajo del Toro asset in the premier Argentinian shale basin that has seen oil and gas production surge over the past year. Equinor retains its acreage offshore Argentina as these assets are not part of the transaction with Vista Energy. The total consideration…

Key Takeaways Oracle shares rose on Monday after the company said it planned to raise up to $50 billion through debt and equity sales this year to fund its AI data center buildout.Oracle is dramatically increasing its infrastructure spending to meet an AI-driven surge in demand for cloud computing and take on incumbents Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon. Oracle plans to raise billions to fund its ambitious bets on AI and cloud computing. That has the stock rising today. The company on Sunday night said it intends to raise between $45 billion and $50 billion this year through a combination of…

Key Takeaways Bitcoin’s latest swoon is driving analysts’ concerns about Strategy, which is one of the biggest buyer of the leading cryptocurrency around. The company’s paid $76,000, on average, for its stockpile of 713,502 bitcoins. That’s not that far below current prices. A fire sale in bitcoin is throwing some harsh light on one of its major buyers. Bitcoin evangelist Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy (MSTR), is taking heat as crypto markets keep taking hits. Shares of Strategy, the biggest publicly traded holder of bitcoin, are down more than 2% Monday, trading at prices unseen since 2024. Crypto-linked stocks…

Key Takeaways Disney topped estimates in its latest quarterly report, but investors may be focusing on the succession plan for CEO Bob Iger.Reports emerged over the weekend that Iger is planning to leave before his contract expires, with Experiences chief Josh D’Amaro reportedly a likely successor.Disney shares were down sharply this morning, leading decliners in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Disney shares fell sharply Monday morning, despite a better-than-expected quarterly earnings report, as investors assessed reports about the company’s CEO succession plans. The Walt Disney Company (DIS) early today reported fiscal first-quarter results that topped Wall Street estimates on the…

Key Takeaways The Super Bowl Indicator, which claims an NFC win predicts a rising stock market that year, proved correct in 2025: the Eagles won, and the S&P 500 gained almost 18%.Don’t let that fool you. Since 2000, the indicator has been right less than half the time. If your portfolio could take a rooting interest in Sunday’s Super Bowl, it would pick the Seattle Seahawks. That’s according to the Super Bowl Indicator, a bit of Wall Street folklore that suggests wins by National Football Conference teams predict a good year for the stock market while American Football Conference victories…

Key Takeaways The average freelancer in the U.S. makes $99,230 per year.Most freelancers earn between $50,500 and $128,500 per year, depending on experience and specialization.​Tech specialists can earn double or even three times as much as freelancers who offer creative services.Freelancers who transition from hourly (time-based) to project-based or retainer pricing often see significant income increases.​ Freelancers are self-employed professionals who work independently, often for multiple clients. Over one in four skilled knowledge workers in the U.S. was a freelancer in 2025. They include 1099 contractors, consultants, and gig workers across virtually every industry. As a freelancer, you might be…

While cross border payments have modernised, Exceptions and Investigations (E&I) remain stuck in a slow, manual past. It’s an issue the industry has tolerated for too long, but Swift’s 2027 Case Management mandate seeks to change this by replacing unstructured messages with a standardised framework. To comply with this change, banks will have to automate how investigation cases are created, exchanged and resolved. However, as regulatory demands intensify, the mandate risks being overshadowed by competing deadlines and legacy constraints.Banks need to treat the next two years as a strategic runway, not an administrative countdown. Those who invest early in native…