Author: Money Mechanics

(Oil Price) – Brent Crude prices have the potential to hit $70 per barrel over the next three months amid heightened geopolitical risks, according to analysts at Citi. The investment bank raised its 0-3 month outlook on Brent Crude prices to $70 per barrel from $65 a barrel previously, due to upside pressure from geopolitical risks. Early on Wednesday, Brent Crude traded 1% higher at above $66 per barrel as the market has started to price in a potential U.S. strike on Iran and the potential of supply disruptions in the region. “We now think this oil rally has room to extend above…

Key Takeaways Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America, said he expects “further economic growth in the year ahead,” though with “any number of risks” looming.His comments were similar in tone to those from JPMorgan Chase’s Jamie Dimon, shared yesterday. A second big-bank CEO in as many days is sharing upbeat sentiment about the U.S. economy. Bank of America’s (BAC) Brian Moynihan on Wednesday said while reporting the bank’s latest quarterly financial results that he expects “further economic growth in the year ahead.” The statement followed comments yesterday from JPMorgan Chase (JPM) chief Jamie Dimon, who referenced a “resilient” economy…

Key Takeaways Trip.com shares tumbled Wednesday after Chinese regulators said they are investigating the company for potential monopolistic behavior.The Singapore-based online travel company said it would comply with the investigation. An investigation by Chinese authorities sent a travel stock tumbling Wednesday. U.S.-listed shares of Trip.com (TCOM) were down nearly 17% in recent trading after China’s State Administration for Market Regulation said it’s investigating the company over potential monopolistic behavior as a dominant travel player in the region. Trip.com said in a statement that it will cooperate with the investigation and is operating its business as usual. Why This Matters to…

Key Takeaways Streaming giant Netflix’s new reported offer, said to be all cash instead of cash and stock, would appear to diminish the main theoretical strength of its rival’s.Details of Netflix’s potential offer landed after Paramount Skydance ratcheted up its hostile bid for Warner. Cash is king. Investors tracking the streaming-media M&A saga of the moment may need to decide whose is more regal. Streaming giant Netflix (NFLX) is reportedly considering an all-cash offer to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery (WBD), a change to its previous cash-and-stock bid that would appear to take a direct shot at Paramount Skydance’s (PSKY) rival…

Key Takeaways Weather shapes daily life abroad more than many expats expect, affecting costs, routines, and how much time you spend outside.Portugal and Mexico are obvious draws for weather-focused expats, but they’re not the only places offering year-round comfort.No country has perfect weather everywhere, but each place on this list has well-known expat hubs with mild conditions most of the year. For many expats, the appeal of living abroad isn’t just about lower costs or better healthcare—it’s about finding a place where daily life feels comfortable. Weather plays a bigger role than many people expect, shaping everything from how often…

Key Takeaways U.S. retail sales rose 0.6% in November from the month before, exceeding economists’ expectations, as the 2025 holiday shopping season got off to a strong start.Increases in sales of cars, building materials and sporting goods drove the higher November figure, with the data showing healthy underlying consumer spending. The retail sales report released Wednesday was delayed from last month owing to the government shutdown in the fall. Consumers returned to stores in November after a sluggish October, according to a new government report on retail sales. The Census Bureau on Wednesday said that U.S. retail sales in November came…

(Image credit: Getty Images)It was a risk-off session for stocks on Wednesday, with the three main indexes notching their first back-to-back losses of 2026. Geopolitical worries weighed on sentiment today, while bank stocks continued to tumble after the latest batch of earnings.Tech stocks took a hit, too, on reports that China issued its latest salvo in the artificial intelligence (AI) chip war.Market participants sought out safe-haven assets on Wednesday amid reports of increasing tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Massive protests in Iran have resulted in thousands of deaths, prompting President Donald Trump to threaten tariffs on any countries doing…

Key Takeaways Traditional retirement planning focuses solely on the goal of retirement, while “die with zero” planning focuses on achieving many goals throughout your life. “Die with zero” encourages spending on memorable experiences and generous giving during your lifetime, but it doesn’t allow you to leave an inheritance to your loved ones and comes with the risk of running out of money in retirement. It’s possible to balance traditional retirement planning with a “die with zero” mindset to maximize enjoyment throughout your life while minimizing financial risk in retirement. Traditional retirement planning encourages saving throughout your working years, often by…

Current-Account Balance (Table 1)The U.S. current-account deficit, which reflects the combined balances on trade in goods and services and income flows between U.S. residents and residents of other countries, narrowed by $22.8 billion, or 9.2 percent, to $226.4 billion in the third quarter of 2025, according to statistics released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The revised second-quarter deficit was $249.2 billion.The third-quarter deficit was 2.9 percent of current-dollar gross domestic product, down from 3.3 percent in the second quarter.The $22.8 billion narrowing of the current-account deficit in the third quarter reflected a shift in the balance on…

Heartland Advisors, an investment management company, released its “Heartland Mid Cap Value Fund” fourth-quarter 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. As the overall stock market continues to widen, mid-caps are not experiencing the same. The high-quality value stocks continue to underperform, while speculative, low-quality, and momentum-driven sections of the market have received significant attention, and the valuation gaps are widening further. Against this backdrop, the Fund’s portfolio lost 1.92% in the quarter, versus the Russell Midcap® Value Index’s 1.42% return. The underperformance of its Quality Value holdings hit the performance of the strategy in the…