Author: Money Mechanics

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for freeYour guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the worldDonald Trump has long signalled his appetite to intervene in Venezuela. Late last year his administration mustered an armada in the Caribbean, bombed small boats it accused of carrying drugs to the US, imposed a naval quasi-blockade and commandeered Venezuelan oil tankers. All the while it intensified a public-relations campaign to justify taking action — arguing that Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro was an illegitimate leader presiding over a “narco-cartel”.  So the US attack on the oil-rich repressive state and the capture…

National average rates for home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and home equity loans (HELs) are well under 8%, the lowest in more than 36 months. Of course, home owners with the most equity in their homes — and the best credit — earn the lowest rates. According to real estate analytics firm Curinos, the average HELOC rate is 7.44%. The national average rate on a home equity loan is 7.59%. Both rates are based on applicants with a minimum credit score of 780 and a maximum combined loan-to-value ratio (CLTV) of less than 70%. With primary home mortgage rates…

Wall Street’s main indexes ended mostly higher on Friday, the first trading day of 2026, powered by gains in semiconductor names and AI-related stocks. Even so, all three indexes posted modest declines for the week. Source: Investing.com  The 30-stock Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.7%, the benchmark declined 1%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite lost 1.5% and the small-cap Russell 2000 fell 1%. The first full trading week of the new year is expected to be an eventful one as the monthly jobs data headlines a busy start to 2026 for investors. The Street is expecting nonfarm job growth of…

Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and Pinterest co-founder Evan Sharp have raised new funding for their social media startup West Co. The startup launched an invite-only version of its first app, Tangle, in November. Now the Financial Times has pieced together more details from comments made by Stone and Sharp, as well as from regulatory filings and job listings. The company has reportedly raised $29 million, with Spark Capital leading its seed round. Sharp — the company’s CEO — described West Co as emerging from the question, “What could I build that might help address just some of the terrible devastation…

(BOE Report)– Commodities were pelted in 2025 by the whirlwind of tariffs and policies imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, and while the storm may recede in 2026, the ripples will last some time. Trump’s efforts to remake global trade and his shifting geopolitical moves have boosted volatility in commodity markets, with prices being driven by daily headlines rather than fundamentals. This has created winners and losers, a trend likely to persist into 2026, even if the Trump administration calms its tariff wars and smoothes ruffled feathers with traditional allies such as the European Union and India. However, the list…

Gold futures are currently undergoing a short-term corrective phase within a larger, structurally bullish framework. The sharp sell-off from the 4400–4420 resistance band reflects a cycle-driven reaction, not a breakdown in long-term trend. From a VC PMI perspective, price has moved rapidly from an overextended bullish impulse back toward its daily mean and Buy-1 zone, a classic reversion sequence following a momentum climax. The 15-minute structure shows rejection near a Square-of-9 harmonic resistance aligned with the 4400 handle, which also coincided with a cycle crest window. This time/price convergence often produces fast liquidation as weak hands exit and leverage resets.…

Today we are announcing the fourth wave of speakers for our upcoming insurance-linked securities conference, was more ILS experts are added to the roster. Tickets are continuing to sell much faster than prior years for ILS NYC 2026. Please register soon to guarantee your place at the conference.The annual New York conference is our flagship ILS industry event of the year and among the biggest events in the world dedicated to the catastrophe bond and insurance-linked securities asset class. ILS NYC is well-known for the detailed discussions held on stage by our expert insurance-linked securities (ILS) market speakers and guests,…

Key Takeaways According to the efficient markets hypothesis (EMH), stock prices reflect all available information, suggesting that it’s impossible for investors to find undervalued stocks. Warren Buffett argues against the EMH by pointing to examples of value investors, including himself, who have outperformed the market. Still, Buffett recommends that non-professional investors should choose low-cost index funds because successful value investing takes time and expertise. ​The legendary investor Warren Buffett has repeatedly denounced the efficient market hypothesis (EMH), which claims that stock prices reflect all relevant information and always trade at their fair value. Beyond simple luck, this should make it…

Key Takeaways Warren Buffett recommends letting adult children review your will before signing it to ensure they understand your decisions and their future responsibilities.Buffett said he takes questions and comments from his three children and has often adopted their suggestions when updating his will.Open discussions about inheritance plans can prevent family conflicts and jealousies that can arise after a parent’s death. Legendary investor Warren Buffett has estate-planning advice for all parents, regardless of their wealth level: Let your adult children read your will before you sign it. In a revealing November 2024 letter to shareholders, the Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) CEO explained…

Key Takeaways Most big banks—including Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo—will pay you virtually nothing for your savings. You might not realize how much more you could be earning elsewhere: While many big banks offer just .01% APY for your savings, some online banks and credit unions offer up to 5.0% APY.Your savings are just as safe at smaller or online banks, thanks to federal deposit insurance that protects balances up to $250,000.Opening a high-yield savings account usually takes only a few minutes online—it’s easy to stop settling for low savings rates. How Big Banks Keep Their Savings Rates…