Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Allentown has a median home value of around $303,000, and everyday costs below the national average, and Pennsylvania won’t tax your Social Security, pension, or most retirement distributions.Allentown has become Pennsylvania’s fastest-growing city, with a revitalized core that puts restaurants, free museum admission, concerts, and parks within easy reach.Two hospital systems and hundreds of medical facilities across Lehigh County give retirees the specialist access and routine care they need without traveling to Philadelphia or New York. Allentown may not top lists of classic retirement destinations, but for retirees seeking affordability, four-season living, and access to quality healthcare and…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Fundamentals, for the most part, drove price action on Tuesday as markets seemed to reject modern politics as a foundation for monetary policy. All three main U.S. equity indexes opened slightly higher, but none of them were up at the end of a trading session that was positive for other reasons.The economic calendar brought some comfort this morning: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said before the opening bell that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was up 0.3% compared to November, while core CPI increased by 0.2%. Year-over-year CPI was 2.7%.According to the Schwab Center for Financial…

Key Takeaways Money is a common source of tension in relationships, with Fidelity’s 2024 Couples & Money study revealing that finances are a top relationship challenge for around 25% of couples.Financial compatibility begins with understanding each partner’s money scripts–the beliefs about what money is and how it should be managed, shaped by one’s upbringing.Open, structured conversations about both the logistical and emotional sides of money can help couples align their values and avoid financial misunderstandings.Financial advisors can play an important role in helping couples engage in open, values-based conversations that align their goals, reduce conflict, and foster a more joyful…

Key Takeaways President Donald Trump says that tariff “dividend” checks may go out “towards the end of the year,” potentially extending the timeline for the rebates.In November, Trump had mentioned a potential timeline for the middle of the year.Trump has also raised questions about whether he needed congressional approval for the checks, saying that revenue was coming in “from other sources.” Tariff rebate checks for Americans worth $2,000 each are still on the agenda, according to President Donald Trump, but they may be coming months later than previously thought. Trump also believes he may not need an OK from Congress…

ClearBridge Investments, an investment management company, released its “ClearBridge Growth Strategy” fourth-quarter 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. US equities reported a strong but volatile performance in the fourth quarter, with the S&P 500 Index returning 2.7% while the benchmark Russell Midcap Growth Index declined 3.7%. In this environment, a balanced, highly active share approach resulted in Strategy’s third consecutive quarter of outperformance, capturing early momentum while providing downside protection during rising volatility towards the end of the period. The strategy maintained its long-term investment philosophy of disciplined portfolio management and opportunistic capital allocation. In…

U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON DC 20585 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 13, 2026 The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) published its first energy-sector forecasts through 2027 in the January Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO). EIA expects U.S. electricity use to grow by 1% this year and 3% in 2027. This increase would mark the first time since 2007 that power demand has risen for four years in a row and the strongest four-year growth period since 2000. The driving factor behind this surge is increasing demand from large computing centers. “U.S. energy production remains strong, and natural gas…

Please enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser or access the information through the links provided below. January 13, 2026 Federal Reserve Board announces approval of application by Fifth Third Bancorp For release at 5:30 p.m. EST The Federal Reserve Board on Tuesday announced its approval of the application by Fifth Third Bancorp, of Cincinnati, Ohio, to acquire Comerica Incorporated, of Dallas, Texas. As a result, Firth Third will indirectly acquire Comerica Bank, located in Dallas, Texas, and Comerica Bank & Trust, National Association, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For…

The December 2025 Consumer Price Index of All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) report indicates that inflation increased by 0.3% this month, up from the 0.2% average over the last two months. These data were released at 8:30 am EST on January 13, 2026, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Before seasonal adjustment, the year-over-year (Y-o-Y) inflation rate in the all-items index grew by 2.7%, matching the recent two-month average. Today’s core results also missed economists’ consensus estimates. The table below is courtesy of Investing.com. The left column represents December’s figures, while the right column represents forecasters’ expectations. As you can see,…

From Census: New home sales: Sales of new single-family houses in October 2025 were at a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 737,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 0.1 percent (±14.2 percent)* below the September 2025 rate of 738,000, and is 18.7 percent (±21.7 percent)* above the October 2024 rate of 621,000. There were some negative revisions to the past three months, but the trend still stayed positive. We are at a multiyear high in sales levels today and rates are lower now than when this…

Kerry Wan/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysPhysical AI is the latest trending frontier of the technology.It leverages real-world data for more autonomous robots.Its early stages could be on your face right now.ChatGPT’s release over three years ago triggered an AI frenzy. While AI models continue to become more capable, to truly be as helpful as possible to people in their everyday lives, they need to have access to everyday tasks. That’s only possible by allowing them to live outside a chatbot on your laptop screen and more presently in your environment. Also: I sat down with Bluetooth…