Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Springfield ranks among the top U.S. retirement destinations, offering a mix of affordability, culture, and healthcare access. Retirees can enjoy diverse activities—from museums and live events to outdoor recreation. Massachusetts sate tax breaks for seniors and Springfield’s relatively low housing costs can help make retirement more budget-friendly. Springfield, Massachusetts, nestled in the western part of the state, is one of the largest cities in Massachusetts and New England.If you’re looking for a big city feel without a big city price tag in retirement, look no further. Springfield claims the number six spot on the 50 best places to…

Key Takeaways A report Friday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is expected to show the U.S. economy added a relatively modest 73,000 jobs in December, with the unemployment rate ticking lower after hitting a four-year high in November.Tariffs, reduced immigration and artificial intelligence have all dragged on job growth since mid last year.The December data will be the first relatively free of distortions from the government shutdown in the fall. Forecasters believe the U.S. job market expanded slowly in December, extending a streak of underwhelming hiring numbers.A report Friday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is expected to show…

Key Takeaways The number of job openings fell to its lowest in more than a year in November.For the first time since 2021, there was less than one job available per unemployed worker.Employers have delayed their expansion and hiring plans due to uncertainty about the economy, according to surveys. For the first time in four years, unemployed people significantly outnumbered job openings in November as the job market continued to deteriorate.U.S. employers had 7.1 million job openings in November, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Wednesday. That was a decrease from 7.4 million in October, the fewest since September 2024,…

Key Takeaways Events contracts tied to geopolitical events are trending on prediction markets Polymarket and Kalshi.Millions of dollars of events contracts have been bought and sold on questions “Will the U.S. invade Venezuela by…?” and “World leaders out before 2027?” The world is unsettled—and people are wagering on what will happen next. Event contracts tied to geopolitical events in the Middle East, China, and elsewhere are trending on prediction markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi. Trading volumes have risen on questions like “Israel strikes Iran by January 31, 2026?” and “World leaders out before 2027?” alongside the more regular fare…

Key Takeaways Strategy, the public company with a massive stockpile of bitcoin, won’t be getting the boot from major indexes for now.MSCI on Tuesday evening said it intends to start a broader review of the matter. In the meanwhile, the stock is rising. Strategy shareholders haven’t caught many breaks lately. They did this week. Index provider MSCI late Tuesday said it would not boot publicly traded companies with big holdings of digital assets such as bitcoin from its indexes—for now. Fans of Strategy (MSTR), the company made famous for stockpiling cryptocurrency, applauded the decision: Its stock was recently up about…

The drone industry is experiencing explosive growth, driven by increasing demand in defense, commercial applications, and critical infrastructure. Amid this surge, investors are eyeing companies at the forefront of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology. Here are five drone stocks to put on your radar now and why they could be strong buys for the future.1. AeroVironment – The Leader in Tactical DronesAeroVironment (NASDAQ:) dominates the military and small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) sector, with its flagship Switchblade loitering munition and Puma reconnaissance drones seeing heavy demand from the Pentagon. As the U.S. and allies ramp up defense spending, AVAV is…

This piece was originally published to Forbes on March 4, 2024.  President Trump has proposed a ban on big institutional investors buying single-family homes. A policy move like that may sound good on paper, but as noted below, there are drawbacks to such a move, and other solutions–like building more homes–would have a bigger impact. Still, it’s a hopeful move in a year when affordability is at the forefront of society and politics; we expect policymakers across party lines to make additional moves, including zoning changes and tax reforms, to start lowering housing costs as we enter midterm season.  Bills…

By: Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Jan. 3 at 6:42 p.m. ETIt was 11 years ago when Pebble unveiled its first-generation round smartwatch, the Pebble Time Round. Eleven years later, the watch brand announced the Pebble Round 2, featuring updates that will please both veteran Pebble wearers and newcomers alike. The smartwatch is not as thin as the famously slim Pebble Time Round (it’s 0.6 mm thicker), but it offers ten days of battery life and maximizes the 1.3-inch e-paper display. Also: Cult favorite Pebble returns with Pebble Round 2 – and it’s built to look as analog as possibleWidening the display…

Key Takeaways Memory and data storage stocks soared in the first trading days of 2026, with the rally getting a boost on Tuesday after bullish comments from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Data storage stocks have been on a tear for months, with booming demand and a severe supply crunch helping them to dodge the AI bubble concerns that have weighed on the rest of the AI ecosystem. Big tech stocks may have lost some of their luster in recent months, but the first few sessions of 2026 suggest investors are still eager to chase momentum where they see it. Data…

Key Takeaways Analysts named Chipotle a top restaurant stock pick, saying shares are selling at a discount but trends could improve amid new business strategies.Conditions are generally expected to improve in 2026 for restaurants, especially fast-casual ones, though analysts were divided on Starbucks’ trajectory. Investors may want to take another look at what Chipotle’s cooking. The burrito chain’s stock fell out of favor with investors as its core audience of young, higher-earning diners cut back on eating out in recent months. But investors can scoop up shares at a discount—their prices dropped nearly 40% in 2025—and analysts say Chipotle Mexican…