Author: Money Mechanics

JG Wentworth is a recognizable financial services brand (many people know them from structured settlement and annuity services). They also promote a Debt Relief Program designed to help consumers reduce unsecured debts like credit cards, medical bills, and some personal loans. This review is written to be genuinely useful. We’ll explain how JG Wentworth’s debt relief works in real life, the trade-offs you should expect (credit impact, collections, timeline), how it compares to other options, and the exact questions you should ask before signing anything. PS: If you are dealing with high debt, and aren’t sure where to start, take…

Alison DeNisco Rayome/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysiPolish is a set of acrylic nails that let you digitally change colors.Choose from over 400 colors in an app, and change them instantly.iPolish is set to launch this summer.Ever wish you could change your nail polish without setting foot in a salon (or pulling out that bottle of remover)? At CES 2026, iPolish debuted what it’s calling “the world’s first digital color-changing nails” — and it’s pretty impressive. Also: CES 2026 live blog: Latest news on TVs, AI, phones, moreThe acrylic press-on nails connect to an app, where you can…

(Oil Price) – As 2026 begins, energy markets are reacting less to supply outages than to how governments are choosing to act. The removal of Venezuela’s president, instability along the Red Sea, and rising uncertainty around Iran have altered assumptions about restraint, escalation, and control. This piece examines four locations where those changes are already influencing energy risk. Venezuela: Decapitation Without Control The headlining news, of course, is that Nicolás Maduro has been captured during a U.S. military and intelligence operation, removed from Venezuela, and placed in U.S. custody. President Donald Trump has said the United States intends to “run” affairs…

Guest Author ▬ January 6, 2026 Guest Author: Euan Sinclair, Senior Financial Engineer, Hull Tactical Asset AllocationThere are two very consistent flows into the options markets. People buy puts as insurance and people sell calls against stock holdings. As a result, index put options are more expensive, reflecting structural demand for insurance. Conversely, covered-call strategies continually add supply of calls, pushing implied volatilities on the upside lower. These flows can create opportunities for traders who are price-sensitive and adaptive.But these strategies don’t aim to maximize return.The purpose of these strategies is to provide downside cover, smoother return profiles, to trade…

Energy stocks moved into focus after the US placed Venezuela under temporary oversight, reshaping expectations for investment flows into one of the world’s largest oil reserves. Markets are now assessing which American oil companies are best positioned to benefit as Washington signals support for rebuilding Venezuela’s energy sector and restoring production over time. US President Donald Trump said the US would oversee the country until a political transition is possible. Trump has also urged US energy firms to take a leading role in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil industry, saying they could help restore production and bring output back to stable levels in…

If there is one point of consensus among the CES 2026 keynote speakers, it is that AI is reshaping technology with a speed and scale unlike any previous technological revolution. In a live taping on Tuesday of the All-In podcast, co-host Jason Calacanis interviewed Bob Sternfels, Global Managing Partner of McKinsey & Company, and Hemant Taneja, CEO of General Catalyst. Their discussion focused on how AI is transforming investment strategies and the workforce. “The world has completely changed,” Taneja said about the unprecedented growth of AI companies. He noted that while it took Stripe about 12 years to reach a…

Key Takeaways Gold and silver prices are back near record highs after the U.S. removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from office and brought him to the U.S. to face criminal charges.The developments in Venezuela have heightened geopolitical uncertainty, giving a boost to safe haven investments such as precious metals. One week after a previous rally stalled, gold and silver prices have marched higher again in the wake of the ouster of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. Since Maduro’s weekend capture by the U.S. military, gold has gained about 4% this week, nearing its record-high spot price of around $4,540 per troy…

Key Takeaways Experts don’t expect recent U.S. military action in Venezuela to impact American gas prices anytime soon, regardless of whether it reduces or increases Venezuela’s oil exports.Venezuela produces less than 1% of the world’s oil on a daily basis, making it a small player in oil markets despite its vast reserves, and experts say it will likely take years for Venezuela’s oil output to materially impact global oil markets. Gas prices have been trending lower for years, but the average American still pays more at the pump today than they did before the pandemic. Will the overthrow of Venezuelan…

(Image credit: Getty Images)The law of supply and demand weighed on the energy sector, but all three main U.S. equity indexes opened in the green and held their gains throughout Tuesday’s trading session. Technology turned positive again, but materials and health care stocks led the way higher as the Dow Jones Industrial Average set another new all-time closing high and the S&P 500 notched its first fresh record of the new year.Energy stocks were one of only two of the 11 S&P 500 sectors to post negative returns on Tuesday. “There seems to be significant doubt concerning the oil majors’…

Key Takeaways Inflation has been elevated for the past five years, and while housing and groceries are big factors contributing to price pressures, other categories also saw significant price increases in 2025.Electricity prices rose in 2025 as demand from AI data centers climbed. Jewelry prices also rose last year, as gold and silver prices surged.Health care costs were one of the leading drivers of inflation, while financial services prices also accelerated this year as fees and commissions skyrocketed. Inflation has been a persistent problem for the U.S. economy over the past five years, primarily due to rising prices for groceries…