Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Robinhood’s new sweepstakes will award a 1-kilogram gold bar to one lucky winner and 999 smaller bars to qualifying Gold members. Net deposits made to a Robinhood brokerage account between Nov. 3 and Nov. 28 count as entries, with each dollar earning one entry. Already a Gold member? Entering is simple and free. But if you’re not, the giveaway’s long odds make it hard to justify joining—and paying—just for a chance at gold. Inside Robinhood’s Gold Giveaway: What’s Actually Up for Grabs Popular online brokerage Robinhood is giving its premium customers a shot at something rare for a…

Key Takeaways Homeowners frequently over- or undervalue their homes by a significant amount, with 5% overestimating it by $53,000 or more.Homeowners who overvalue their houses tend to spend more money and invest more conservatively. There’s a good chance you’re completely wrong about how much your house is worth, and that has serious implications for your personal finances, a new study says.People often seriously over or under-estimate the value of their home, according to a new study by researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. On the low end, 5% of homeowners undervalue their house by $87,500, while another 5%…

Key Takeaways StubHub shares fell sharply Friday, a day after the ticket sales platform posted its first quarterly report since going public.The company did not provide an outlook for the current quarter, and said it will give 2026 guidance with its next report. Shares of ticket reseller StubHub (STUB) plunged Friday after the company declined to provide guidance for the current quarter with its first earnings report as a public company. The stock dropped over 20% to finish Friday’s session near $15, its lowest close since the company made its trading debut in September. CFO Connie James told investors during…

Key Takeaways President Donald Trump has reached trade deal frameworks with four Central American and South American nations that lower tariffs on products not made in the U.S.Experts say the move could reduce prices for some items that had tariff-related price increases, including bananas. President Donald Trump is lowering some tariffs, and experts say it could help reduce grocery costs. However, don’t expect prices to plummet any time soon.On Thursday, the White House announced four framework trade deals with Central and South American nations, which aim to lower trade barriers, including some of the tariffs imposed by Trump earlier in…

As policymakers seek ways to unfreeze the housing market, one idea under review is the portable mortgage, which would let homeowners transfer their existing mortgage interest rate to a new property. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte confirmed on X that the agency is “actively evaluating portable mortgages.”More than half of U.S. mortgage holders have rates at 4% or lower, and about 80% are below 6%, according to Realtor.com. These historically low rates have created a “lock-in effect,” where millions of homeowners are staying put because moving would mean giving up a once-in-a-lifetime mortgage interest rate.Supporters argue that portability…

All three main U.S. equity indexes gapped down at Friday’s opening bell to extend a sell-off driven by suspicions about an AI bubble. But the Nasdaq Composite almost immediately bounced into positive territory, as dip-buyers took advantage of weakness in tech-related stocks. The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average resumed their uptrends too, though all three faded late and closed below their intraday highs.Nvidia (NVDA) is arguably the most important of the 30 Dow Jones stocks. But Goldman Sachs (GS) has the biggest dollar figure attached to its ticker, so the financial stock accounts for more in the…

Key Takeaways Cash back is straightforward and flexible, while travel rewards can offer greater value for frequent travelers. Travel rewards cards may include perks like travel insurance, free hotel nights, and airport lounge access. Redemption options, point values, and ease of use vary widely. Annual fees, bonus categories, and transfer partners should factor into your decision. Choosing the right card depends on how often you travel, how you spend, and whether you pay off your balance each month. Credit cards offer more than just convenience—many also provide the added benefits of cash back or travel rewards. These are bonuses cardholders…

Key Takeaways Nvidia is scheduled to report earnings next week, and analysts are expecting the chipmaker to top expectations again.Jefferies and Wedbush analysts have each recently said that increasing spending from big tech companies should lead to Nvidia beating estimates and raising its outlook.The results come as markets stumbled this week amid growing concern about how long AI spending will continue to grow. Nvidia (NVDA) is set to report its latest earnings after the market closes next Wednesday, and analysts are expecting big things. Analysts from Jefferies and Wedbush have each said in recent notes that they expect the artificial…

Key Takeaways After a choppy week for stocks, savers are leaning on safer places for cash. Top high-yield savings and money market accounts still pay up to 5.00%, while the best CDs pay 4.50%. Brokerage and robo-advisor cash accounts continue to offer competitive yields in the upper-3% range, while U.S. Treasuries pay up to 4.74% for investors seeking stability. Compare today’s best safe-haven rates to find a secure spot for your cash as markets wobble and savers focus on keeping returns steady. The Best Cash Yields Still Range Up to 5% It’s always smart to make sure your money is…

Nvidia (NVDA), the leading artificial intelligence company, is now a $4.7 trillion stock. Perhaps you’ve heard of it. With its quarterly earnings due next Wednesday, Nov. 19, rest assured Wall Street will be ready for its biggest event this side of Super Bowl Sunday. NVDA stock has done so well for shareholders in the past several years, it is now exactly one-twelfth, or 8.33%, of the entire S&P 500 Index ($SPX), all by itself. As a long-time market tracker, I have to say, I can’t believe I could even type that factually. But with success comes pressure to keep up.…