Author: Money Mechanics

(Image credit: Getty Images)The Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up at Thursday’s opening bell and rallied throughout the trading session to set a new all-time closing high as the prospect of lower borrowing costs boosted sectors beyond technology and the AI spending boom. It was a different story for the Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500.Visa (V, +6.1%) led 22 of the 30 Dow Jones stocks into positive territory after BofA Securities upgraded it to Buy from Neutral and reiterated a $382 12-month target price, potential upside of more than 10% vs Thursday’s closing price.At the other end of the…

Please enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser or access the information through the links provided below. December 11, 2025 Federal Reserve Board announces reappointment of Reserve Bank presidents and first vice presidents For release at 4:00 p.m. EST Following a comprehensive review by the boards of directors of the regional Reserve Banks, and the unanimous concurrence of Federal Reserve Board members, the Federal Reserve on Thursday announced the reappointment of Federal Reserve Bank presidents and first vice presidents. By law, all Reserve Bank presidents and first vice presidents serve…

Wells Fargo (WFC) is the latest Wall Street firm to outline another bullish outlook for the S&P 500 (^GSPC) in 2026. Darrell Cronk, president and chief investment officer at the Wells Fargo Investment Institute, said Tuesday that the firm sees the benchmark index reaching 7,400-7,600 in the year ahead, implying as much as an 11% gain, with this rise bolstered by a combination of consumer spending, AI investment, and deregulation. “If you spin the clock forward to this time next year, in 2026 we actually think returns are going to be solid when we close the books, but we think…

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $52.8 billion in September, down $6.4 billion from $59.3 billion in August, revised. U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Deficit Deficit: $52.8 Billion –10.9%° Exports: $289.3 Billion +3.0%° Imports: $342.1 Billion +0.6%° Next release: To be determined. Report delayed due to recent lapse in federal funding. (°) Statistical significance is not applicable or not measurable. Data adjusted for seasonality but not price changes Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services,…

The Fed cut by 0.25% yesterday, helping US stocks rise. The FOMC also announced a Treasury bond-buying program, but Fed Chair suggested it will take a lot to cut rates again, lowering the chances of another in 2026. Investor mood took a hit after reported and issued cautious guidance, sending its stock down nearly 12% in after-hours trading. The lack of a rally despite the Fed’s rate cut raises doubts about year-end gains and whether a Christmas rally will happen.In search of “Financial Fortresses” to inject security into portfolios In this environment, adding caution to portfolios makes sense. One way…

Please enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser or access the information through the links provided below. December 11, 2025 Federal Reserve Board announces termination of enforcement actions with Credit Suisse Group AG, Credit Suisse AG, Credit Suisse Holdings (USA), Inc., Credit Suisse AG, New York Branch, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. For release at 11:00 a.m. EST The Federal Reserve Board on Thursday announced the termination of the enforcement actions listed below: Credit Suisse Group AG, Zurich, Switzerland, Credit Suisse AG, Zurich, Switzerland, Credit Suisse Holdings (USA), Inc., New…

By David Enna, Tipswatch.com As the Federal Reserve continues on a path toward lower short-term interest rates, the bond market isn’t tagging along. Instead, yields on medium- and longer-term Treasurys have been increasing, not falling. The Fed began its latest phase of rate-cutting on Sept. 17, 2025, and has now cut the federal funds rate by 75 basis points over the last four months. That has brought short-term rates down, but has had no effect in lowering longer-term rates: Click on image for larger version. Here is a view of 10-year real and nominal Treasury yields over the last three…

As we head into the final weeks of the year, we’re excited to welcome the newest agents who joined Redfin in November. Their expertise and enthusiasm are already adding momentum as we move into the holiday season and prepare for the housing market reset expected in 2026.  Redfin agent Teresa Asher Teresa Asher is returning to Redfin’s Maryland office after a brief hiatus at eXp and Century 21. She brings 30 years of real estate experience, from new home sales to running her own advertising agency, and later resale. Teresa first joined Redfin during COVID, growing into a team manager…

Key Takeaways Vanguard expects U.S. stocks to produce 4% to 5% average annualized returns over the next five to 10 years.The firm’s bear case for AI: The U.S. economy experiences “anemic growth reminiscent of the decade” after the 2008 financial crisis. Artificial intelligence could completely change the way the world works. It still may not do much for stock portfolios. Vanguard said AI stands to be a transformative technology and boost the U.S. economy, but the asset manager still forecasts long-term returns—single-digits over the next decade—that might represent a wake-up call for investors accustomed to the historically unusual powerhouse gains…

(BOE Report) – Oil exports of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which ships oil from Kazakhstan via a pipeline and subsequently a Russian Black Sea terminal, declined by 12% in November from October, two industry sources said on Thursday. CPC, which handles around 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil exports, was attacked by a Ukrainian drone on November 29, when one of three key exporting units were severely damaged. Since then, only one single point mooring (SPM-1) has been operational, while SPM-2 was damaged and SPM-3 has been under maintenance since the middle of November. The sources said exports declined last month…