Author: Money Mechanics

The Trump administration had argued that because the Federal Reserve is operating at a loss, it does not have the money to fund the bureau’s operation. Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who had ruled agains the administration’s attempts to close the bureau in March, wrote in her Tuesday decision that the administration’s latest funding argument “is an unsupported and transparent attempt to achieve the very end the court’s injunction was put in place to prevent.” The decision is just the latest in a battle over the bureau’s existence. Soon after taking office, Trump fired CFPB Director Rohit Chopra and set Elon…

Although iconic founders like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg famously didn’t finish college, multiple studies show that the vast majority of successful startups had founders with bachelor’s or graduate degrees. Despite this data, the appeal of a dropout founder persists, though VC enthusiasm for the ‘un-degreed’ is far from constant. It is a phenomenon that cycles in and out of fashion, and right now it is certainly having a moment amid the AI boom. This trend is particularly evident during Y Combinator Demo Days, where founders are increasingly touting their dropout status in their one-minute pitches. “I don’t believe YC…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Stocks closed out 2025 on a down note, with all three main market indexes notching modest losses on Wednesday. Still, stocks logged a third straight year of double-digit percentage gains, which is nothing short of impressive given the extreme volatility the equities market endured.”Describing 2025 as ‘resilient’ might be an understatement,” says LPL Chief Financial Strategist Adam Turnquist. “The economy showed remarkable strength by overcoming higher inflation, a slowing labor market, fewer rate cuts than originally expected, and a sharp rise in the effective tariff rate.”And this strength was seen in the stocks, too. Indeed, the equities…

Rare earths are back in focus because supply chain control, not just demand, is now driving the investment story. China accounts for nearly 70% of the world’s rare earth mining and roughly 90% of global rare earth processing, keeping a tight grip on materials used in everything from EVs to consumer electronics, so even a “delay” can move markets. However, China’s promise to delay its newest rare earth export restrictions for a year has created a narrow window for the U.S. and allies to build alternatives faster. That temporary opening is why investors are hunting for non‑Chinese exposure heading into 2026.…

Say goodbye to 2025, because when we look back at history, we will remember this as the year that President Trump put the U.S. on track for energy dominance, changing not only the landscape for energy but also for geopolitics. The President understands that to lead the world, everything starts with energy. And to lead with energy you must have a strong foreign policy and be able to put pressure on our enemies like in the negotiate with countries from a position of strength.  You can say what you want about President Trump, but when it comes to energy, 2025…

Selling a business in Florida can be a huge win, but it is also one of those “measure twice, cut once” projects. The owners who get the best offers usually do the boring stuff first: clean financials, tight operations, and a deal package that makes a buyer feel safe. Below is a step-by-step plan you can actually follow, plus Florida-specific places to go for help (mentoring, official filings, tax accounts, licensing, and broker directories). I also cover Florida’s biggest cities and what tends to matter most in each market. Selling a $1M+ revenue business in Florida? Start with a free…

(Oil Price)– Argentina, in a surprise development, overtook Colombia to become South America’s fourth-largest oil producer. The country is undergoing a once-in-a-generation unconventional hydrocarbon boom, which began with Buenos Aires nationalizing integrated energy major YPF in 2012. Since then, Argentina’s oil and natural gas output has kept soaring higher, regularly hitting new monthly highs as volumes of shale oil and gas production grow. It is Argentina’s national oil company, YPF, which is at the forefront of the boom with it responsible for this strong production growth. For November 2025, Argentina’s crude oil production, despite falling from the October 2025 record of 849,646 barrels…

Key Takeaways Bath & Body Works recently laid out a plan to zero in on its core products and make its digital and physical stores feel less overwhelming.A slump in consumer sentiment is weighing on many retailers, but Bath & Body Works is underperforming its peers, CEO Daniel Heaf said. Some stores aspire to be basic. Bath & Body Works is one of them. Bath & Body Works (BBWI) is simplifying its approach after its sales slipped 1% year-over-year and adjusted income fell 33% in the fiscal third quarter that ended in early November. The retailer known for soaps, candles…

Key Takeaways AI could significantly reduce inflation if it delivers on its labor-saving promises, one economist forecasts.Cooling prices are great news for Americans struggling to stay on a budget.Historically, revolutionary technology has tended to raise living standards, but the labor market transition could be painful. If AI delivers on its promises, the economy of the future could have lower inflation and far fewer jobs.That’s according to Chen Zhao, chief global strategist at Alpine Macroeconomics, who believes that today’s “jobless profit boom,” fueled by AI expansion, will lead to a low-inflation, low-employment economy in the near future.”The chances are … that…

Key Takeaways Social Security benefits change depending on your current and past income, and the age at which you started claiming benefits.The 2026 cost-of-living adjustment boosted benefits by 2.8%. The average retired worker will receive more than $2,000 in Social Security benefits in 2026. The average Social Security benefit in 2026 will be $2,071 per month. Social Security benefits vary for each person, depending on a few factors. You can start receiving Social Security retirement benefits at age 62, but your payments will be lower than if you had waited until your full retirement age (FRA). (If you were born…