Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Gold and silver are on track for their strongest annual gains since 1979, powered by demand for safe-haven assets amid tariff turmoil, falling interest rates, and major buying by central banks.Copper’s record run reflects surging demand worldwide from EV, AI infrastructure, and renewable energy construction projects. Investors continue to buy up metals, driving the prices of gold and silver to new highs. Gold hit $4,460 per ounce Monday, an all-time high in a year that’s already seen it surpass its 1980 inflation-adjusted peak. Silver has more than doubled in price. Copper, the metal wiring data centers and EVs,…

Key Takeaways Stanley Black & Decker said it has reached a deal to sell its Consolidated Aerospace Manufacturing business to Howmet Aerospace for $1.8 billion in cash.The company best known for its tools said the move would help reduce debt and help it focus on its biggest brands and businesses. Shares of Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) jumped Monday after the company announced an agreement to sell its Consolidated Aerospace Manufacturing business to aircraft metal components manufacturer Howmet Aerospace (HWM) for $1.8 billion in cash. Stanley Black & Decker said it plans to use the net cash proceeds from the…

KEY TAKEAWAYS A degree in business administration qualifies you for at least six of the top 10 occupations with the most projected job openings in the coming years.Several high-demand roles, including general and operations managers and software developers, often require five or more years of experience on top of a degree, so building up your work history early matters. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released the top 10 jobs projected to have the most openings through 2034. General and operations managers lead the list, with about 308,700 positions expected annually through 2034. The degree that’s expected to open…

Key Takeaways While year-end shifts for used cars are real, the biggest advantage is negotiating power, not guaranteed price drops.Sedans and smaller SUVs saw the biggest price improvements in November, while trucks and large SUVs remained relatively firm.For hybrids and electric vehicle (EVs), policy changes are reshaping prices in ways that don’t always follow seasonal patterns. Why Used Car Prices Can Shift So Much at Year-End If you’ve ever shopped for a car in December, you may have noticed that dealerships are more willing to negotiate. Year-end is one of the most volatile periods in the auto market, especially for…

If you’re a high earner over 50 planning for retirement, you likely maximize your 401(k), 403(b), or governmental 457(b) plan with catch-up contributions. For 2026, the standard annual contribution climbs to $24,500, but those 50 and older can add a standard catch-up of $8,000, while a “super” catch-up of $11,250 is available for taxpayers aged 60 through 63. These extra contributions have long been a favorite tax strategy because they allow you to save more pre-tax dollars while reducing your current taxable income.But there’s a curveball in 2026: Starting January 1, 2026, the rules change for anyone earning more than…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.The writer is US Trade RepresentativeThe year 2025 will be remembered as the year of the tariff, regardless of one’s economic ideology. International trade is neither good nor bad — it just is. The real question is whether trade patterns serve the national interest. For President Donald Trump and his administration, that means a trade policy that accelerates re-industrialisation.America’s growing and persistent trade deficits in manufactured and agricultural goods have been devastating for our country. Multinational corporations may not care where they make…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Technology took a back seat but was still among the 10 stock market sectors in the green to begin a holiday-shortened trading week on Wall Street. The bidding war for a media property has escalated, and a new era for a widely held investment vehicle also contributed to risk-on cheer.”The Santa Claus rally is building,” Louis Navellier of Navellier & Associates writes, as all three main equity indexes traded up together for a second straight session and gold and silver also hit new all-time highs. “The concerns about the AI narrative continue to ease, seen in the…

Key Takeaways Cintas made another bid for rival uniform and business supplies provider UniFirst, sending its shares soaring Monday.The latest offer comes after Cintas said it took steps to address regulatory concerns. UniFirst (UNF) shares took off Monday after rival Cintas (CTAS) made another bid for the business uniforms and supplies provider. Shares of UniFirst jumped over 16% to finish near $198 Monday, while Cintas shares climbed about 2% to just under $192. Cintas said it offered $275 per share in cash for all of UniFirst’s outstanding common and Class B shares, a 62% premium to UniFirst’s closing price on…

Key Takeaways Fed officials are scheduled to meet Jan. 27 and 28 to set the nation’s monetary policy, and will consider whether to cut the central bank’s key interest rate for a fourth consecutive meeting.Financial markets expect the Fed to hold interest rates steady at the January meeting.Fed officials are torn between cutting rates to boost the faltering job market or keeping them high to subdue inflation that’s still over the Fed’s goal of a 2% annual rate. The Federal Reserve’s policy committee is scheduled to meet next on Jan. 27 and 28, and officials are expected to hold the…

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) is one of the 14 Best Large Cap Stocks to Invest In Now. On December 16, Barclays increased its price target on Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) from $270 to $285 and maintained its Overweight rating on the stock. Barclays pointed out that “weak” industrial growth and volatile travel demand might continue for a fourth year in a row in 2026. Based on this, the research firm suggests picking stocks with “idiosyncratic opportunities” in North American airlines and transportation. Barclays Raises Union Pacific (UNP) Price Target, Keeps Overweight Rating In other news, on December 17, Union Pacific…