Author: Money Mechanics

In-brief analysis January 14, 2026 We expect the U.S. benchmark natural gas spot price at the Henry Hub to decrease about 2% to just under $3.50 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in 2026 before rising sharply in 2027 to just under $4.60/MMBtu, according to our January Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO). We expect the annual average Henry Hub price in 2026 to decrease slightly as annual supply growth keeps pace with demand growth over the year. However, in 2027, we forecast demand growth will rise faster than supply growth, driven mainly by more feed gas…

With the insurance-linked securities (ILS) space continuing to gain significant momentum, reinsurance giant Swiss Re and GAM Investments have affirmed their commitment to continue developing new products and identifying opportunities within the ILS market.Earlier this year, Swiss Re Insurance-Linked Investment Advisors Corporation (SRILIAC), a registered investment adviser subsidiary of the global reinsurer, took on co-investment management duties for the range of catastrophe bonds and insurance-linked securities (ILS) funds offered by global asset manager GAM. In a recently published report, both firms said, “On the business development side, we remain committed to continuously developing new product ideas and identifying opportunities within…

Wholesale prices moved up less than expected while consumers kept up a heavy buying pace in November, according to economic data released Wednesday.The producer price index, a measure of final demand prices that producers get in the marketplace, rose just 0.2% for the month, according to seasonally adjusted figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That was below the Dow Jones consensus for a 0.3% gain though one-tenth of a percentage point higher than October.Excluding food and energy, the core PPI was flat on the month against expectations for a 0.2% gain.Though the monthly readings were soft, the headline PPI…

Blackview Link 8 12.9-inch Android 15 tablet ZDNET’s key takeaways The Blackview Link 8 is available now for $219.It’s a thin and light 13-inch Android tablet with all-day battery life.The screen isn’t bright enough to deal with direct sunlight. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.While the iPad is arguably the best-known and best-selling tablet, Android users do get the benefit of selecting a tablet from a wide range of manufacturers. One of those manufacturers is Blackview, a company best known for making ruggedized smartphones with thermal cameras. But since tablets are essentially upsized smartphones, it’s a natural market for…

(Investing) – HOUSTON/LONDON – The discount on U.S. crude futures to the global benchmark  has grown by around $1 per barrel since the U.S. ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3 and took control of the South American country’s oil flows, redirecting millions of those barrels to U.S. ports in a move likely to boost U.S. crude exports in the coming months, traders and analysts said. U.S. crude futures were trading at a $4.76 a barrel discount to Brent futures on Tuesday, their largest since April, according to LSEG data. Investors said the prospect of more U.S.-bound Venezuelan barrels was…

Key Takeaways Conventional wisdom says that a target-date fund can be a simple approach to retirement planning, but a 2025 survey found that 84% of wealthy retirement investors who are nearing retirement prefer other options. Target-date funds are one-size-fits-all, which may work better for younger investors but less well as investors get older. Wealthier retirees aren’t just saving more but spreading money across different account types and pulling from them strategically to keep more of what they’ve earned. More than two-thirds of 401(k) account holders have money in target-date funds (TDFs), which shift investments from riskier to more stable assets…

(Image credit: Getty Images)When it comes to hiring, most interviews still look like a game of verbal ping-pong. The interviewer lobs “Tell me about a time…” and the candidate volleys back a perfectly practiced story. But today’s workplaces don’t run on perfect scripts — they run on improvisation, collaboration and quick thinking under pressure.That’s why a growing number of companies are experimenting with escape-room-style interviews — timed, team-based challenges designed to reveal how candidates actually think, adapt and work with others when the clock is ticking.It’s not about solving puzzles for fun. It’s about revealing the soft skills that matter…

(Image credit: Getty Images)As a mom, there is nothing more important to me than knowing my kids will always be safe. Not just physically safe, but financially safe, too.I never want them to find themselves in a terrible situation simply because they didn’t have enough money or didn’t know how to navigate a financial decision.That protective instinct runs deep. In fact, according to a Bankrate survey, more than three in five parents of adult children are sacrificing their own financial well-being to help their children feel secure and supported. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter,…

(Image credit: Getty Images)If you’re a real estate investor or high-net-worth individual with significant capital gains, 2026 isn’t just another year on the calendar; it’s a convergence point where three major tax strategies intersect to create unprecedented wealth-building opportunities.Understanding how these strategies work together could mean the difference between paying millions in taxes or building generational wealth.Here’s what makes 2026 so extraordinary: Congress permanently restored 100% bonus depreciation, the opportunity zone program faces its critical 2026 deadline for deferred gains, and 1031 exchanges remain fully intact. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor.…

A Health Savings Account (HSA) is often viewed as a tool for current medical expenses, but its “triple-tax advantage” makes it one of the most powerful and flexible retirement savings vehicles available. By strategically saving and investing your HSA funds during your working years, you can unlock the full potential of these accounts to cover health care costs and even supplement your income in retirement.After age 65, the account can even serve as a supplemental income source. At that point, the 20% penalty for non-qualified medical withdrawals disappears, leaving the funds subject only to standard income tax — similar to…