Author: Money Mechanics

In 2025, over 200 companies had their initial public offerings (IPOs) on U.S. exchanges. However, less than a quarter of these were able to beat the S&P 500’s 18% return (with dividends reinvested). Below, we’ll break down three 2025 IPOs that really stood out. They attracted significant attention from investors and handily beat the market. Implied upside and downside data are of the Jan. 2 close. KRMN Delivers More Than Triple-Bagger Performance in 2025 First up is defense name Karman (NYSE: KRMN). The stock had its IPO on Feb. 13, 2025, at a price of $22 per share. Ultimately, shares…

Key Takeaways In most cities, job growth, wages, and housing move at different speeds—but a small group of metros is managing that balance better than most.Cities like Austin, Raleigh, and Phoenix show how steady job growth paired with housing supply can reduce pressure on millennial budgets.These markets aren’t necessarily cheap, but they offer millennials more flexibility when weighing career moves against housing costs. In most cities, economic momentum doesn’t show up evenly across everyday life. A city might be adding jobs quickly, yet wages lag behind rising rents and home prices. Another metro area might offer solid incomes, but housing…

Key Takeaways No two credit scores are the same, even if they belong to the same person. That’s because the financial industry uses different scoring models for different purposes.FICO and VantageScore are most commonly used by lenders, and there are different versions of each.Focus on improving the range your credit score is in (poor, good, very good, excellent) rather than the number itself. Your credit score affects whether you’ll qualify for credit. Having a high score means you’re more likely to be approved, and you’ll also get better rates than someone with a lower score. But you may notice that…

Key Takeaways At age 65, the average Social Security payment is $1,583 per month, with men receiving more ($1,756) and women less ($1,426).The average 401(k) balance for people aged 65 to 69 is $252,800—providing about $800 per month to spend under the 4% rule.With an average of about $2,400 per month from Social Security and 401(k) savings combined, many retirees may face financial challenges without additional support or income, particularly in higher-cost areas.Options like downsizing, relocating, part-time work, and reverse mortgages can help stretch limited resources. At age 65, many retirees find themselves relying on a combination of Social Security…

Key Takeaways Thursday is the last day in most states to enroll in Affordable Care Act plans for 2026.Enrollees are facing monthly payments that are more than double on average because Congress allowed a pandemic-era health care subsidy to expire.Households across the country are facing financial hardship due to premium hikes, and more are choosing to go without insurance. On the final day to sign up for an Affordable Care Act plan for the year, people seeking health insurance must choose between paying skyrocketing premiums or risking financial catastrophe if they get sick.Because of rising insurance premiums and the expiration…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Stocks snapped their two-day losing streak on Thursday, as tech shares rebounded and market participants cheered the latest round of bank earnings. A surprise drop in weekly jobless claims helped keep the wind at the market’s back.At the close, the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.6% at 49,442, the broader S&P 500 was 0.3% higher at 6,944, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite had gained 0.3% to 23,530.Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM) led a bounce in tech stocks, soaring 4.4% after earnings from the world’s largest chip manufacturer silenced artificial intelligence (AI) skeptics. From just $107.88…

Key Takeaways Several members of the Federal Reserve’s policy committee have spoken out against the White House’s campaign to pressure the Fed to cut interest rates.Fed officials broke their customary taboo against commenting on political controversies after the Justice Department subpoenaed the Fed in an investigation of Chair Jerome Powell.The Trump Administration’s hardball tactics could backfire, leading Fed officials to keep interest rates higher for longer to demonstrate the Fed’s independence from White House control. If the Trump Administration’s investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell was intended to intimidate the central bank into sharply cutting interest rates, it’s not…

Key Takeaways A reintroduced House bill would let employees age 50 and older roll over some or all of their 401(k) savings into an annuity.Financial advisors warn that annuities can be complex, costly, and illiquid.The legislation also aims to make 401(k) rollover information easier for workers leaving a job to understand. Many workers don’t fully grasp their distribution options. Older workers who have 401(k)s may soon have a new investment option thanks to a proposed bill. The legislation, known as the Retirement Simplification and Clarity Act, aims to allow workers age 50 or older to invest some of their 401(k)…

Oakmark Funds, advised by Harris Associates, released its “Oakmark Select Fund” fourth-quarter 2025 investor letter. Oakmark Select Fund is a non-diversified fund that aims to deliver capital appreciation by investing in mid and large-cap US companies. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, the fund (investor class) outperformed the S&P 500 Index, returning 8.42% vs. 2.66% for the index. Communication services and financials were the top contributors at the sector level, while industrials detracted from the performance. In addition, you can check the Fund’s top five holdings to determine its best picks for 2025. In its fourth-quarter…

Gold hit a new record high of $4,650 per ounce on Wednesday, just two weeks after its previous peak. Prices are up about 6% so far this year. The yellow metal has now eased slightly today as some investors booked profits, but the overall direction remains upward. The latest rise came as demand for safe assets increased amid recent political and geopolitical tensions. One factor weighing on markets has been scrutiny around the US Federal Reserve, including an investigation linked to its leadership. Federal prosecutors are reviewing a $2.5 billion renovation of the Federal Reserve’s headquarters in Washington, along with…