Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Electrical fires caused 425 deaths, more than 1,200 injuries, and $1.6 billion in property damage a year between 2015 and 2019.Unplugging appliances before you leave your home can prevent accidental fires and help you save on your energy bill.Unplug small appliances like toasters, hairdryers, and gaming systems as well as larger appliances, such as your washer and dryer. Your bags are packed, the lights are off, and you’ve locked the door, but did you remember to unplug your electronics? This often-overlooked step may not seem important, but it can save you from paying higher energy bills or having…

Work with your health care professionals to help warn you about serious conditions.gettyWhen you reach your 60s and beyond, if you’re like most people, you’ll need to be more proactive about maintaining your health. My wife and I are in our early 70s, and we’re at the age when potential serious and not-so-serious health conditions are more common than in our younger years. All of us at this stage of our lives will want to be alert to potential health conditions that might occur, so we can take early action to mitigate or even prevent these conditions.ForbesFoundations Of Health And…

Key Takeaways Federal Reserve officials discussed interest rates on Friday and offered differing views on where they should be set.The Fed has been caught between the necessity to keep rates higher for longer to fight inflation and lowering them to help prevent the sluggish job market from collapsing. Three members of the Federal Reserve’s policy committee talked about interest rates on Friday, and fittingly, given the divisions on the committee, had three different takes about where it should go.Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, said she preferred to keep the Fed’s key interest rate higher for…

Key Takeaways Rivian stock jumped Friday, a day after the electric vehicle maker made a number of self-driving and AI-related announcements.The move higher came even as worries about an AI bubble weighed on other stocks exposed to the technology. Are investors ready to buy into Rivian’s vision for its autonomous vehicles and AI? Shares of the electric vehicle maker surged 12% Friday, erasing yesterday’s losses after an “Autonomy & AI Day” event where Rivian (RIVN) announced a custom AI chip and plans to roll out enhanced self-driving software. The move higher came during a down day for broader markets as…

Key Takeaways Oracle shares dropped Friday following reports it had delayed delivery of some data centers for OpenAI.The stock ended the week nearly 13% lower after Oracle’s quarterly results on Wednesday fell short of expectations and amplified scrutiny of its AI investments. A bad week for software maker Oracle (ORCL) ended on a sour note.  Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that Oracle had delayed by a year the delivery of some data centers it’s developing for ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The delays were caused by material and labor shortages, according to Bloomberg. The report weighed on Oracle’s shares,…

Christmas is almost here, and if you still have a name or two left on your list, the clock is ticking. The toughest part of last-minute gifting is not the rush. It is sorting through flashy sales that turn out to be duds, especially when you want a present that feels thoughtful, useful and worth the spend.To search more easily, I combed through Walmart’s tech deals to find real savings on top-tier brands. Whether you are shopping for an Apple loyalist or a Bose audiophile, Walmart has a surprising number of solid markdowns right now.So if you are like me…

Key Takeaways The company known for its investing platform listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker “WLTH.” In an interview, Wealthfront CEO David Fortunato said its target customers aren’t into speculative investing.The shares finished the day not far off their $14 IPO price. Fast-paced speculative investing might be in vogue. But at least one money manager says it isn’t trying to make a quick buck.Neither, it seems, are its investors. Wealthfront, a robo-advisor that promotes investing for the long haul, today listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker “WLTH.” The company’s stock opened at its $14 IPO price on what…

(Image credit: Getty Images)The Dow Jones Industrial Average reached a new all-time high on an intraday basis early in Friday’s trading session but shortly succumbed to selling pressure on tickers with ties to the AI revolution. It’s all quiet on the economic calendar, but the earnings calendar continues to provide fresh fuel for the AI boom vs AI bust debate.Markets were almost entirely focused on stocks and sectors on Friday, with no incoming data, official or otherwise, reported. Semiconductor superstar Nvidia (NVDA, -3.3%) and AI hyperscalers Amazon.com (AMZN, -1.8%) and Microsoft (MSFT, -1.0%) were major culprits among Dow Jones stocks.Walmart…

Valued at a market cap of $13.4 billion, Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY) is a materials science and digital identification solutions company based in Mentor, Ohio. It is known for producing pressure-sensitive labeling materials, packaging solutions, branding and information tags for apparel and retail, and industry-leading Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) inlays that enable product tracking and supply-chain visibility. Companies worth $10 billion or more are typically classified as “large-cap stocks,” and AVY fits the label perfectly, with its market cap exceeding this threshold, underscoring its size, influence, and dominance within the packaging & containers industry. The company is recognized for its expertise in…

A tract of new tightly packed homes are viewed along the Boulder City Parkway on January 11, 2022 in Henderson, Nevada.George Rose | Getty ImagesHome values have been losing ground for much of this year, with previously huge annual gains shrinking to nothing. The result is that homeowners are losing equity.Borrower equity fell 2.1% in the third quarter of this year compared with the same period a year ago, or a collective $373.8 billion, according to a report from Cotality. This comes after years of steep gains in home prices and record equity. Even after the drop, homeowners still have…