Author: Money Mechanics

Maria Diaz/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysOpenAI just made ChatGPT Go available in the US.The lighter version of ChatGPT’s subscription costs $8 a month.Aside from the free version, OpenAI now offers three paid tiers.After testing a lighter subscription in India for four months, OpenAI just released ChatGPT Go in the US. This light version of the subscription-based ChatGPT Plus includes everything you get with the free version, plus extra perks, like unlimited chats with GPT-5.2 Instant. Users can now find the option to sign up for Go when they upgrade their ChatGPT plan.(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET’s…

AI power stocks were on the move Friday following reports President Trump intends to urge America’s largest electricity grid to make tech giants pay for new power plants.  The Trump administration and a group of governors intend to urge PJM Interconnection, which coordinates electricity for part or all of 13 mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states, as well as Washington, D.C., to hold an emergency electricity auction in which tech giants will bid on 15-year electricity generation contracts, according to reports. The proceeds would go toward adding an estimated $15 billion worth of new power plants, according to a White House spokesperson.…

Key Takeaways Contribution limits for 401(k)s and IRAs are higher in 2026, allowing many savers to set aside more money for retirement.Savers ages 50 and up face new catch-up contribution rules in 2026, including higher limits and Roth requirements for some high earners.HSAs have higher contribution limits this year as well, both for self-coverage and family-coverage scenarios. Making the most of retirement savings requires that investors keep track of annual changes put forward by the IRS. Annual contribution limits for various types of retirement accounts tend to increase each year, allowing savers to keep up with cost-of-living increases due to…

Key Takeaways Many safe cash options are still delivering competitive yields in the 3%–5% range if you know where to look. The best savings accounts, CDs, brokerage options, and Treasuries continue to offer solid returns without taking on market risk. Choosing the right account can make a meaningful difference in what your cash earns—whether you’re saving $10,000 or much more. See Where Cash Is Paying the Most Right Now—All in One Chart With rates gradually drifting lower, many savers are rethinking where to keep their cash. The good news is that today’s safest places to park money are still offering…

Eric Qian ▬ January 14, 2026 A Year of Growth and Innovation for U.S. Exchange Traded Funds 2025 brought many wins for the U.S. Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) industry spanning multi-share class approval, a rules-based approach to digital asset ETP development, record flows and record product launches. Product innovation continues to drive the ETF renaissance, culminating best-in-class thinking across mandate structuring, distribution and service provider engagement.Active ETFs: Focusing on the ClientConstituting over 83% of U.S. ETF launches in 2025, active ETFs are redefining measures of success beyond benchmark attribution — instead focusing on how fund mandates are addressing target clients’…

KEY TAKEAWAYS The new year has done nothing to halt the silver price rally.The factors that drove the rally in 2025 remain in place, with new geopolitical concerns in play.Investors are reallocating normal portfolio assets to silver, suggesting the surge could persist. Geopolitical uncertainty and a continuation of last year’s demand trends keep driving the price of silver to unprecedented heights so far in 2026. But how sustainable is the upward climb? The rally has been nothing less than breathtaking. Silver’s price repeatedly reached all-time highs in late 2025, ending the year with a near-150% gain. The new year has…

Key Takeaways Kevin Warsh, the new front-runner to be President Donald Trump’s nominee for Fed chair, could be less aggressive about cutting interest rates than his closest contender.Warsh’s odds to become the next Fed chair surged on betting markets Friday after Trump indicated he wanted Hassett to remain in his current position.Both Warsh and Hassett have advocated lower interest rates, but each would face constraints in making that a reality. The new front-runner to become the nation’s next top banker could be less inclined to steeply cut interest rates than his closest rival.On Friday, gamblers on betting markets sharply raised…

KEY TAKEAWAYS The Department of Education is pausing wage garnishments for the millions of defaulted student loan borrowers.This is a significant reversal: The Department had previously said it would start cutting part of the defaulted borrowers’ income in early February. The Department of Education backtracked from previous plans this week, saying it will not cut the wages of defaulted federal student loan borrowers yet. In a press conference on Monday, the Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, said in response to a question about the resumption of wage garnishments for defaulted student loans that the Department is pausing wage garnishments for…

Key Takeaways Micron stock rose more than 5% Friday after board member and former TSMC co-CEO Mark Liu disclosed a $7.8 million share purchase.The buy comes amid strong AI-driven demand for memory chips, which has propelled Micron’s stock price in recent months. Micron (MU) just got a powerful vote of confidence. Shares of the chip maker jumped Friday after Mark Liu, a current member of Micron’s board of directors and a former co-CEO of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM), purchased 23,200 Micron shares earlier this week, according to a regulatory disclosure filed late Thursday. The shares were worth about $7.8…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Following President Donald Trump’s proposal to cap credit card interest rates at 10%, new Bilt credit cards offer rewards for making rent or mortgage payments and a 10% APR for the first year.However, many other credit card companies offer longer introductory periods with APRs as low as 0% for a year and a half.Consumers should be aware that when the introductory period on their credit card ends, the actual APR applies, which can make any remaining balance much higher. New Bilt credit cards will offer interest rates of 10% for the first year, echoing President Trump’s recent proposal…