Author: Money Mechanics

Several beaten-down large-cap stocks combine attractive valuations with strong rebound potential. Screening favored financially healthy companies trading well below fair value and analyst targets. The Trade Desk and Gartner stand out despite sharp declines and resilient underlying fundamentals. Wall Street delivered a strong first half of 2026. The S&P 500 gained 9.6%, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 12.8%, fueled by continued enthusiasm for artificial intelligence. The Russell 2000 outperformed both, rising nearly 22% for its best first-half performance since 1991. Beneath the headline gains, however, performance has been far from uniform. Semiconductor and data storage companies accounted for much of…

All-items inflation fell 0.4% for the month; annual rates also dipped. By David Enna, Tipswatch.com U.S. inflation fell in June at a rate much deeper than expected, a big surprise. But current events in Iran make this dip look “transitory,” an over-used word that seems appropriate today. In June, the Consumer Price Index decreased 0.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.5% in May, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this morning. This was the largest 1-month drop since April 2020. Annual all-items inflation fell to 3.5%, well down from the 4.2% reported for May. Core inflation, which removes…

If you’re a homeowner who cuts the grass short to “get more time between mows,” it may be time to change your strategy.According to lawn care pros, cutting your lawn too short or “scalping” can stress your turf, encourage weed growth, and even attract pests.So, what’s the secret to a healthy, lush lawn? Height. Landscapers agree that a slightly taller cut, the right timing, and well-maintained equipment can transform a patchy lawn into a thriving green space.The ideal height for your grass depends on where you liveThe ideal grass height depends on your region and grass type. “For cool-season grasses…

DeepSeek, the Chinese large language model developer, is preparing for a 2027 IPO debut, but it could come as early as the end of this year as it also looks to raise around $1.5 billion in new funds at about a $71 billion valuation, Bloomberg reports. The news comes after the company raised $7 billion in funds just a month ago at around a $50 billion valuation in its first-ever outside funding round.  The China-based startup, founded in 2023, made headlines early last year after releasing AI technology that was both more efficient and more cost-effective than U.S. model makers. It…

(World Oil) – Northern Oil and Gas (NOG) reaffirmed its 2026 production and capital expenditure guidance Monday after reporting improving production conditions in the Permian basin, continued acquisition activity and the closing of its previously announced Duvernay joint development transaction. During the second quarter, approximately 7,000 boed of NOG production was temporarily shut in by operators, primarily on the company’s Novo assets in Culberson County, Texas, and Eddy County, New Mexico. The curtailments occurred across April, May and part of June as sharply negative Waha natural gas pricing reduced wellhead economics despite otherwise strong oil prices. The company also said approximately three…

Article published at 9:45 a.m. CTJJ Kinahan is Senior Vice president, Head of Retail Expansion and Alternative Investment Products at Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe).Key Takeaways:WTI Crude prices jump to $80-plus per barrelIBM shares tumble 24%CPI results reflect lower prices at the pumpWe could be in for a trading whirlwind as a slew of earnings and news – particularly updates on the growing conflict situation in the Middle East – surface as the day and week unfolds.WTI crude prices are surging again today into the $80-per-barrel territory, following yesterday’s 9.4% vault – the largest one-day advance in three months –…

If you’re looking for a more affordable cell phone plan, Ultra Mobile’s back-to-school promotion could help you save.Ultra Mobile is a prepaid wireless provider owned by T-Mobile, the same company that owns Mint Mobile. It offers lower-cost plans with features including unlimited nationwide talk and global text, mobile hotspot access and Wi-Fi calling.There are no annual contracts, and Ultra Mobile runs on T-Mobile’s nationwide network. That combination of flexibility, coverage and lower prices could make it worth considering for anyone looking to cut their monthly cell phone costs.For a limited time, Ultra Mobile is discounting select six- and 12-month prepaid…

One of the most interesting — and truly dramatic — highways in Southern California lies due north of Los Angeles. Known as The Grapevine, it is a steep, winding, five-mile section of Interstate 5 that goes through the Tehachapi Mountains, rising more than 4,000 feet via the Tejon Pass.While not apparent at first glance, there are several small communities along the route.In one of them, two neighbors were locked in a struggle over the refusal of one to recognize that an “implied easement” had been established nearly 30 years ago. Similar legal issues go back — way back — to…

While anxious eyes watch oil prices and inflation indexes, the best news for savers and income investors is hiding in the bunker often called the belly of the yield curve. So far in 2026 through the start of June, two-year Treasury yields have leapt from 3.46% to 4.01%, and three-year yields from 3.53% to 4.06%.At the same time, despite chatter about inflation pushing up interest rates at the long end, these show gentler climbs, with 30-year T-bonds crawling from 4.86% to 4.97%. This tells us traders anticipate the surge in inflation to persist through 2029, then recede toward the Federal…

I picked up Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden expecting a juicy divorce memoir. What I got was a thoughtful, sometimes uncomfortable look at how a marriage can unravel so gradually that, by the end, the person you’ve shared your life with feels almost unrecognizable.Burden’s memoir has all the ingredients of a page-turner: Wealth, privilege, beautiful homes, family dynamics, betrayal and a divorce that becomes increasingly contentious.More than once, I found myself staying up later than I should have, telling myself I’d read just one more chapter. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter,…