Author: Money Mechanics

The U.S. net international investment position, the difference between U.S. residents’ foreign financial assets and liabilities, was –$27.61 trillion at the end of the third quarter of 2025, according to statistics released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Assets totaled $41.27 trillion, and liabilities were $68.89 trillion. At the end of the second quarter, the net investment position was –$26.16 trillion (revised). The net investment position and components of assets and liabilities are presented in table 1. The –$1.46 trillion change in the net investment position from the second quarter to the third quarter came from net financial…

The space industry is poised for significant growth in 2026, driven by advancements in commercial satellite operations, lunar exploration, and the integration of AI with space technologies. With trends like increased sovereign investments in space assets, expanding satellite broadband competition, and a renewed focus on lunar infrastructure, investors are eyeing companies that can capitalize on these developments. Two standout stocks in this sector are Planet Labs (NYSE:) and Intuitive Machines (NASDAQ:). Both firms are deeply embedded in the space economy, offering unique value propositions that could make them attractive buys for the coming year. Here’s a closer look at what…

Competitively priced houses in desirable neighborhoods topped the most popular homes on Redfin last year A remodeled 5-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom Spanish-style house in Silicon Valley was the most popular home on Redfin.com in 2025. It was viewed nearly 35,000 times in the single day it was on the market before going under contract for $5.6 million—$740,000 over its $4.8 million list price. RankHomeTotal viewsDays on marketList priceSale priceCity median sale price 13717 Ortega Ct, Palo Alto, CA 9430334,7201$4,888,000$5,600,000$3,455,000 22220 Rose St, Berkeley, CA 947099,3771$395,000$395,000$1,265,000 3525 164th Pl SE, Bothell, WA 980128,5221$829,950$795,000$1,085,000 44741 119th Ave SE, Bellevue, WA 980068,5041$1,150,000$1,150,000$1,535,000 59 E Del…

Maria Diaz/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysOpenAI just made ChatGPT Go available in the US.The lighter version of ChatGPT’s subscription costs $8 a month.Aside from the free version, OpenAI now offers three paid tiers.After testing a lighter subscription in India for four months, OpenAI just released ChatGPT Go in the US. This light version of the subscription-based ChatGPT Plus includes everything you get with the free version, plus extra perks, like unlimited chats with GPT-5.2 Instant. Users can now find the option to sign up for Go when they upgrade their ChatGPT plan.(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET’s…

AI power stocks were on the move Friday following reports President Trump intends to urge America’s largest electricity grid to make tech giants pay for new power plants.  The Trump administration and a group of governors intend to urge PJM Interconnection, which coordinates electricity for part or all of 13 mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states, as well as Washington, D.C., to hold an emergency electricity auction in which tech giants will bid on 15-year electricity generation contracts, according to reports. The proceeds would go toward adding an estimated $15 billion worth of new power plants, according to a White House spokesperson.…

Key Takeaways Contribution limits for 401(k)s and IRAs are higher in 2026, allowing many savers to set aside more money for retirement.Savers ages 50 and up face new catch-up contribution rules in 2026, including higher limits and Roth requirements for some high earners.HSAs have higher contribution limits this year as well, both for self-coverage and family-coverage scenarios. Making the most of retirement savings requires that investors keep track of annual changes put forward by the IRS. Annual contribution limits for various types of retirement accounts tend to increase each year, allowing savers to keep up with cost-of-living increases due to…

Key Takeaways Many safe cash options are still delivering competitive yields in the 3%–5% range if you know where to look. The best savings accounts, CDs, brokerage options, and Treasuries continue to offer solid returns without taking on market risk. Choosing the right account can make a meaningful difference in what your cash earns—whether you’re saving $10,000 or much more. See Where Cash Is Paying the Most Right Now—All in One Chart With rates gradually drifting lower, many savers are rethinking where to keep their cash. The good news is that today’s safest places to park money are still offering…

Eric Qian ▬ January 14, 2026 A Year of Growth and Innovation for U.S. Exchange Traded Funds 2025 brought many wins for the U.S. Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) industry spanning multi-share class approval, a rules-based approach to digital asset ETP development, record flows and record product launches. Product innovation continues to drive the ETF renaissance, culminating best-in-class thinking across mandate structuring, distribution and service provider engagement.Active ETFs: Focusing on the ClientConstituting over 83% of U.S. ETF launches in 2025, active ETFs are redefining measures of success beyond benchmark attribution — instead focusing on how fund mandates are addressing target clients’…

KEY TAKEAWAYS The new year has done nothing to halt the silver price rally.The factors that drove the rally in 2025 remain in place, with new geopolitical concerns in play.Investors are reallocating normal portfolio assets to silver, suggesting the surge could persist. Geopolitical uncertainty and a continuation of last year’s demand trends keep driving the price of silver to unprecedented heights so far in 2026. But how sustainable is the upward climb? The rally has been nothing less than breathtaking. Silver’s price repeatedly reached all-time highs in late 2025, ending the year with a near-150% gain. The new year has…

Key Takeaways Kevin Warsh, the new front-runner to be President Donald Trump’s nominee for Fed chair, could be less aggressive about cutting interest rates than his closest contender.Warsh’s odds to become the next Fed chair surged on betting markets Friday after Trump indicated he wanted Hassett to remain in his current position.Both Warsh and Hassett have advocated lower interest rates, but each would face constraints in making that a reality. The new front-runner to become the nation’s next top banker could be less inclined to steeply cut interest rates than his closest rival.On Friday, gamblers on betting markets sharply raised…