Author: Money Mechanics

President Donald Trump is blaming the meat packers and U.S. cattlemen for rising beef prices, but the tariffs on beef from Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, feed, farm equipment and machinery are all adding to the price surge.The United States is a big buyer of Australian, Brazilian, and New Zealand beef exports.Brazil is the second-largest beef-producing country and the largest beef-exporting country in the world.Brazilian beef exports tracked by Panjiva plummeted in July and August after multiple tariffs resulted in a layered 76.4% total rate being implemented for Brazilian beef. Trump imposed a 50% tariff rate for many Brazilian goods…

In the United States, about 43 million people have student loan debt, totaling over $1.8 trillion. For borrowers, it can be difficult to meet other financial goals while also making student loan payments. However, it’s possible to do both. Follow these five tips to manage your student loans while still saving for retirement. 1. Pick the Right Repayment Plan If you have federal student loans and don’t choose a repayment plan, you’ll be automatically enrolled in the Standard Repayment Plan. Your monthly payment will be determined by the amount you owe and your interest rate, and your loans will be…

(World Oil) – Increased oil supply from OPEC and its allies will continue to put pressure on crude prices next year, while liquefied natural gas prices will likely fall later in the decade, according to Chevron Corp. Chief Executive Officer Mike Wirth. “Oil prices in 2026 are likely to feel more pressure than LNG prices,” Wirth said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. “There’s a lot of oil supply that’s coming back from the OPEC+ countries that have been holding supply back.” Back in August, Chevron correctly called the drop in oil prices in the second half of this year, and…

Key Takeaways The U.S. Treasury Department is no longer producing the penny, and it will start disappearing from circulation early next year.The one-cent coin, first minted in the late 1700s, has become virtually worthless because of inflation. An Investopedia reporter took a ride around his hometown in New Jersey in May to see what he could buy for one penny. The U.S. government is no longer minting pennies, and soon, cash retail transactions will be rounded to the nearest nickel. What, exactly, does a single penny buy you these days? We took a drive around town to find out. On Wednesday,…

Subscribe Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / PlayerFM Investors can’t help but feel like the stock market might be riding on the thin skin of a bubble, but the facts will tell us that even if we are, it doesn’t mean we should not expect more strong returns based on trends and price action. Carson Wealth’s Ryan Detrick and Sonu Varghese join the show to help up separate how we feel, and what’s really happening inside market dynamics. Plus, is AI too big to fail? The financial media has been pounding that drum given the hundreds of billions of dollars…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Thousands of high-income student loan borrowers are being blocked from switching to the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan, preventing them from qualifying for tax-free loan forgiveness.If processing delays are not rectified, these borrowers may not be able to have their loans discharged before the tax-free deadline expires at the end of the year. Some student loan borrowers are being blocked from switching to a federal repayment plan that would help them get tax-free loan forgiveness before the end of the year. Many borrowers are seeking to transition into the Income-Based Repayment plan, in which they may be eligible for…

Courtesy of the Continuum GroupTeam Name: The Continuum GroupFirm: Morgan Stanley Wealth ManagementSenior Members: Scott Siegel, Steven Rosbash, Bill DeMatteo, Joseph Carmody, Jaynie SiegelLocation: New York, NYTeam Custodied Assets: $7.5 billionBackground: Scott Siegel began his career in 1984 on the institutional fixed-income side before shifting to Bear Stearns in 1997 to advise high-net-worth clients. After Bear’s acquisition by JPMorgan, he led J.P. Morgan Securities while maintaining his client practice, joining Morgan Stanley in 2013 to build what is now The Continuum Group. Steven Rosbash, a former Goldman Sachs credit trader and Millennium portfolio manager, joined in 2014 and serves as…

Major U.S. equities indexes fell Thursday, a day after President Donald Trump signed a funding bill to end the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history. Technology shares dragged the Nasdaq down nearly 2%, while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average were also lower. Shares of The Walt Disney Co. (DIS) sank 9% to pace S&P 500 decliners after the media and entertainment giant reported weaker-than-expected revenue as its linear TV networks business continues to struggle. Flutter Entertainment (FLUT) stock dropped 11% after the FanDuel parent cut its full-year revenue and adjusted EBITDA forecasts. WEBTOON Entertainment (WBTN) shares plummeted 25% after the…

Key Takeaways The government’s statistical agencies are getting to work producing key economic reports that were delayed by the government shutdown that ended Wednesday.Forecasters expect a few reports from September to be released in a matter of days, while others could be delayed for weeks. Another key question is whether reports from October will ever be released. The government’s data dark age is coming to an end, but it might take some time for the government’s statistical agencies to catch up to their regular schedule.Washington is getting back to work after having been shut for a record 43 days, and…

Over half (57%) of Gen Zers say they have a side hustle, more than double the rate of older generations. For many young people, the traditional 9-to-5 isn’t the endgame. Instead, they’re embracing what some are calling “career minimalism,” where a day job pays the bills while a side project fuels their passion, creativity, or entrepreneurial dreams. Making money on the side is no longer limited to knocking on doors, delivering catalogs, driving people around, mowing lawns, or cleaning somebody’s house. The internet has opened up a world of possibilities, and Generation Z is taking advantage, including these seven side gig…