Author: Money Mechanics

Please enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser or access the information through the links provided below. January 13, 2026 Federal Reserve Board announces approval of application by Fifth Third Bancorp For release at 5:30 p.m. EST The Federal Reserve Board on Tuesday announced its approval of the application by Fifth Third Bancorp, of Cincinnati, Ohio, to acquire Comerica Incorporated, of Dallas, Texas. As a result, Firth Third will indirectly acquire Comerica Bank, located in Dallas, Texas, and Comerica Bank & Trust, National Association, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For…

The December 2025 Consumer Price Index of All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) report indicates that inflation increased by 0.3% this month, up from the 0.2% average over the last two months. These data were released at 8:30 am EST on January 13, 2026, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Before seasonal adjustment, the year-over-year (Y-o-Y) inflation rate in the all-items index grew by 2.7%, matching the recent two-month average. Today’s core results also missed economists’ consensus estimates. The table below is courtesy of Investing.com. The left column represents December’s figures, while the right column represents forecasters’ expectations. As you can see,…

From Census: New home sales: Sales of new single-family houses in October 2025 were at a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 737,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 0.1 percent (±14.2 percent)* below the September 2025 rate of 738,000, and is 18.7 percent (±21.7 percent)* above the October 2024 rate of 621,000. There were some negative revisions to the past three months, but the trend still stayed positive. We are at a multiyear high in sales levels today and rates are lower now than when this…

Kerry Wan/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysPhysical AI is the latest trending frontier of the technology.It leverages real-world data for more autonomous robots.Its early stages could be on your face right now.ChatGPT’s release over three years ago triggered an AI frenzy. While AI models continue to become more capable, to truly be as helpful as possible to people in their everyday lives, they need to have access to everyday tasks. That’s only possible by allowing them to live outside a chatbot on your laptop screen and more presently in your environment. Also: I sat down with Bluetooth…

Key Takeaways Tracking every purchase, even in a simple notebook, can reveal $100+ in monthly spending that’s easy to cut.Job switching typically delivers bigger pay bumps than staying put.Often, the hardest move is keeping your spending flat after each raise instead of boosting your lifestyle. A recent post on Reddit’s r/povertyfinance struck a nerve, highlighting issues many people face: Five years ago, I was living paycheck to paycheck, making $9/hour at a gas station. I had $200 to my name, was behind on rent, and lived off Dollar Store ramen and whatever was marked down at the grocery store. Credit…

(Investing) – WASHINGTON – The Trump administration on Tuesday proposed a rule revising Biden-era pollution protections for waterways, a move the Environmental Protection Agency said would speed permitting of energy and artificial intelligence infrastructure. The proposed rule concerns the 2023 finalization by the administration of former President Joe Biden of the 401 section of the Clean Water Act. That reversed a 2020 rule from President Donald Trump’s first term and gave authority to states and tribes to protect waterways in their reviews of projects requiring federal permits. Jess Kramer, the EPA assistant administrator for water, told reporters the 2023 revision was…

Key Takeaways Software stocks underperformed the broader market for a second straight year in 2025 as concerns about AI disruption weighed on investor sentiment.Analysts at Oppenheimer downgraded shares of Adobe, which exemplifies some of the major challenges facing the application software industry. Software was once the hottest industry on Wall Street. Not so in the AI era. S&P 500 software stocks lagged the broader index for the second consecutive year in 2025 as companies making the “picks and shovels” of the AI buildout—like semiconductors and memory devices—led the stock market higher. And analysts expect the challenges weighing on software stocks,…

Key Takeaways Inflation is still pushing everyday costs higher, but reviewing bills and subscriptions can cut the impact without big lifestyle changes.Some changes save real money without much pain—think generic brands, second-hand finds, and fewer meals out.When inflation sticks around, paying down high-interest debt and earning more on savings helps protect purchasing power. Inflation may no longer completely dominate headlines the way it once did following the pandemic, but it continues to show up in everyday expenses. Consumer prices rose 0.3% in December 2025, keeping annual inflation stuck at 2.7%, according to the latest Consumer Price Index. That’s still above…

Key Takeaways One way or another, Delta President Glen Hauenstein said, the prices of main cabin airfare are likely to rise because their low profit margins are putting pressure on carriers.Delta reported that revenue from “premium” tickets surpassed revenue from basic tickets in the fourth quarter. Basic airfares may not stay at current prices for long. The price of domestic, main cabin seats will likely increase as air carriers adjust to remain viable, Delta Air Line (DAL) President Glen Hauenstein said. Airlines, including Delta, are losing money on the act of transporting passengers, instead profiting from ancillary services, such as…

(Image credit: Getty Images)With the new year, many people are setting ambitious financial goals for themselves. From catching up on retirement savings to getting out of debt to saving up for their dream vacation, now is the time to reflect on your current financial situation and make a plan to achieve your goals for 2026.Before you start giving up on the things you enjoy to cut your budget and put more toward savings, make sure you’re not wasting your money on some of these common budget-drainers.By spotting these hidden sources of wasteful spending, you may be able to free up…