Author: Money Mechanics

Another day, another confirmation of the great disconnect. My analysis today will be rather brief, as what we saw in the past 24 hours simply confirmed what I had posted yesterday and what I’ve been writing previously. Silver is up over 6% today, and miners are flat – it’s obvious that not all of their drivers are aligned. The Market Disconnect DeepensWhen silver finally tops and declines, it’s likely to slide profoundly – likely to the $50 – $60 area. What used to be a daring bullish target area is now a distant support. Truly remarkable for the white metal.…

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its report for December on January 13th. December’s inflation was down slightly when calculated to two decimal places despite the BLS reporting that November and December were both 2.7%. The December 2025 inflation report (released in January) shows that U.S. consumer prices continued to moderate at the end of the year, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) actually falling on a monthly basis. Key drivers included lower commodity prices, with gasoline down on an annual basis. However, services were still the biggest gainers. December Inflation Summary: The BLS reported Annual Inflation UNCHANGED at…

Key Takeaways If you can leave $20,000 parked briefly, a Live Oak Bank or E*TRADE bonus can quickly add $200 or more on top of interest.If flexibility matters more, the top high-yield savings accounts still pay 4%–5% APY—with full access to your cash at any time.Interested in locking in today’s rates? The best CDs let you carry strong yields forward for months or years, even if the Fed cuts rates. 2 High-Yield Savings Accounts That Pay You Hundreds Extra on $20K Whenever you have money sitting in savings, it’s worth making sure it’s earning a competitive return. And with today’s…

Key Takeaways The U.S. economy grew faster in December, and the trend of the rich growing richer and the poor getting poorer intensified, according to a report from the Federal Reserve.The Fed’s Beige Book for January was full of examples of high-income people spending more, while those with lower incomes cut back.People with low and moderate incomes ate out less, switched to generic brands, stopped traveling, and even cut back on protein. Low- and middle-income Americans are switching to generic products, eating less protein, cutting back on travel, and generally having a harder time paying the bills.That’s according to the…

Key Takeaways While you typically need a visa to move outside the U.S., many countries have relatively low barriers to entry.Working remotely often opens up your options, since you may not need a work visa and can instead qualify for more flexible digital nomad options.Long-term visas typically have income and/or savings requirements that vary significantly by country. Moving out of the U.S. can hold allure for those wanting to experience a different culture, a better climate, a lower cost of living, or many other factors that influence where you live. However, you generally can’t just buy a plane ticket and…

Key Takeaways Major banks spoke out against President Donald Trump’s proposal to cap annual interest rates on credit cards at 10%.Executives tended to focus on how the policy could harm consumers, but JPMorgan Chase’s CFO Jeremy Barnum acknowledged it may also hurt business. Banks are knocking President Donald Trump’s bid to cap credit card rates. Lenders this week panned a potential 10% limit on credit card interest rates during conference calls at which executives discussed their latest financial results. Bank leaders were vocal about a cap’s potential to cut consumers’ access to credit and curtail economic growth—though more circumspect about what…

Key Takeaways Saks Global Enterprises, which includes Neiman Marcus, Bergman Goodman, and its namesake brand, sought bankruptcy protection Wednesday.The retailer aims to keep stores open during the restructuring, and has appointed former Neiman Marcus CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck to oversee the company during the transition. One of America’s most storied luxury names is looking for a fresh start. Saks Global Enterprises—which includes Saks Fifth Avenue, the home goods specialist Horchow, and the discounters Saks Off 5th and Neiman Marcus Last Call—sought bankruptcy protection Wednesday and appointed a new leader to steer the company through a restructuring. The Chapter 11 case…

Key Takeaways Bank stocks fell Wednesday as the nation’s biggest banks reported more mixed fourth-quarter results.Financial stocks have had a rough week, with President Trump’s recent calls to cap credit card interest rates and worries about an investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell adding to concerns. A number of big bank stocks slid Wednesday as the latest slate of earnings reports failed to reverse their recent slide. Shares of Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo (WFC), and Citigroup (C) were each down about 5% in recent trading after the banks reported their latest quarterly results. Other banks, including JPMorgan…

Key Takeaways Credit card stocks tumbled earlier this week after President Trump proposed capping interest rates on cards at 10% for a year, and endorsed legislation that could challenge Visa and Mastercard’s payment network dominance. Analysts at William Blair and Citigroup expressed confidence the long-term impact on credit card stocks would be limited. Uncertainty about payment network reform weighed on financial stocks in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis, but card issuers found ways to recoup lost revenue and their stocks have vastly outperformed the S&P 500 over the last 15 years. Credit card stocks are slumping this week…

Key Takeaways Stable inflation and movement in crypto legislation has helped boost digital asset prices, according to experts. Shares of crypto-linked stocks including Coinbase and Strategy are echoing bitcoin’s recent price gains. Bitcoin has broken out. Can this continue? The world’s largest cryptocurrency started to climb meaningfully higher on Tuesday after the Bureau of Labor Statistics’s report yesterday showed that inflation remained relatively stable at the end of last year. Bitcoin has risen more than 4% in the past 24 hours to above $97,000, levels not seen since mid-November, according to data firm Messari. Crypto-linked stocks, including Coinbase (COIN) and…