Author: Money Mechanics

KEY TAKEAWAYS An IRS watchdog organization warned that taxpayers who struggle to navigate tax law changes may face delays this filing season.Changes to the tax law and the introduction of new tax breaks from the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” Act are expected to lead to more errors in tax returns and calls to the IRS customer service.Yet, with the tax agency’s significant layoffs and numerous leadership changes in 2025, IRS agents may be overwhelmed. Changes in tax law and significant layoffs at the IRS may result in delays for some taxpayers this filing season. The Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent…

When most people hear “529 plan,” they immediately think of college savings. While that is the primary purpose of these accounts, recent rule changes have expanded how families can use 529 plans. These changes have opened the door for a surprising and powerful secondary benefit: jump-starting a child’s retirement savings.How a 529 Plan Can Help a Child Save for RetirementgettyAt its core, a 529 plan is a tax-advantaged investment account designed for education expenses. Contributions grow tax-deferred, and withdrawals used for qualified education costs are tax-free at the federal level. Historically, one of the biggest hesitations families had about funding…

Key Takeaways Some strategists think gold prices could theoretically rise more than 50% from current levels, which as of late Thursday were well above $5,400 an ounce.A measure of investor appetite for gold: The metal has outperformed bitcoin over five years. Gold is looking more and more like the new bitcoin. While bitcoin was dubbed “digital gold,” it’s analog gold that has seen its price mostly go up these days. Meanwhile bitcoin—after doing little for weeks—on Thursday slid almost 7% to below $84,000, its lowest point since November, according to Messari. It’s likely that gold, which today fell in morning…

Key Takeaways President Donald Trump has said he wants to make housing more affordable without causing significant declines in home values.Economists said Trump seems focused on lowering mortgage rates, not housing prices.They questioned whether a strategy focused on lower borrowing costs would significantly address affordability issues. When President Donald Trump has talked about his recent proposals to make housing more affordable, he’s focused on one particular cost: mortgage rates. He also made clear that he doesn’t want to hurt housing prices. It’s part of an effort to make homeownership more affordable without driving down housing values.  “I am very protective…

Key Takeaways Caterpillar shares rose to close at a record high on Thursday, as the company’s fourth-quarter results topped estimates.Demand for equipment and construction machinery to build out AI data centers has boosted Caterpillar’s results in recent quarters. America’s construction and farming equipment giant Caterpillar has become a big beneficiary of the AI boom. Shares of Caterpillar (CAT) climbed 3.4% to close at a record high above $665 Thursday, after the company posted quarterly results that topped estimates, thanks in part to strong demand for machinery and equipment to build out AI data centers. The latest gains extend a blistering…

(Image credit: Getty Images)The main U.S. equity indexes recovered from their morning lows during another volatile trading session on Thursday. One big question drove price action, as investors, traders and speculators wonder when hyperscalers will start to see real payoffs from their recent spending sprees.Tech stocks were the worst-performing group among the 11 official sectors, suffering under the weight of artificial intelligence expectations. Energy stocks, on the other hand, posted a collective gain of more than 1%, lifted by the AI boom.A day after the first Fed meeting of 2026, federal funds rate futures pricing indicates markets don’t expect another…

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $56.8 billion in November, up $27.6 billion from $29.2 billion in October, revised.U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services DeficitDeficit:$56.8 Billion+94.6%°Exports:$292.1 Billion–3.6%°Imports:$348.9 Billion+5.0%°Next release: Thursday, February 19, 2026(°) Statistical significance is not applicable or not measurable. Data adjusted for seasonality but not price changesSource: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, January 29, 2026Exports, Imports, and Balance (exhibit 1)November exports were $292.1 billion, $10.9 billion less than October exports. November imports were…

In-brief analysis January 29, 2026 Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Hourly Electric Grid Monitor Although petroleum accounts for less than 1% of total U.S. utility-scale electric power generation, regions such as New England rely on oil-fired units during winter periods when cold weather creates high demand. When Winter Storm Fern affected New England this week, petroleum was the predominant energy source starting around midday on January 24 and lasting until early morning on January 26. Since then, petroleum and natural gas have been fluctuating as the primary energy source. New England’s…

The Q4 2025 earnings season is picking up speed, with many large-cap companies set to report over the next few sessions How can you identify the right opportunities during earnings season? Discover 10 stocks with imminent earnings releases and strong upside potential. The fourth quarter 2025 earnings season is now in full swing, and it has brought sharp moves almost every day, even in well-established companies. For example, Meta (NASDAQ:) jumped about 7% after reporting its , while Microsoft (NASDAQ:) fell more than 5% after its own . These quarterly reports matter because they give investors a fresh look at…

In order for the global insurance and reinsurance industry to meet the significant risk capital needs of the AI infrastructure and data centre build-out opportunity, securitization and third-party capital are going to be critical, Dean Klisura, CEO of Guy Carpenter said today.But, the size of the opportunity is seen as so large that investors are going to need to have deep pockets, the CEO explained during a Marsh earnings call today. Underwriting the data centre build-out, where technology giants, hyperscalers and artificial intelligence start-ups are deploying hundreds of billions of dollars to construct new capacity to power and serve their…