Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways Netflix on Friday agreed to buy the studio and streaming service of Warner Bros. Discovery, beating out rivals Paramount Skydance and Comcast.Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery rose Friday morning, but traded nearly 10% below the $27.75 acquisition price, suggesting some skepticism about the deal on Wall Street.Paramount and Netflix stocks both fell Friday, as did the stocks of movie theater chains AMC and Cinemark. One of the most closely watched bidding wars of the year is over—maybe. Netflix (NFLX) on Friday agreed to buy the movie studio and streaming service of competitor Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) in a…

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for freeYour guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the worldThe writer is a senior research fellow at the Center for Economic and Policy Research and a professor at the University of DenverOver the past four months, US President Donald Trump has ordered the largest deployment of US naval and air power in the Caribbean in decades. He has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of fuelling the international drug trade and emptying the country’s prisons to send violent criminals to the US. He has ordered deadly strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats,…

Key Takeaways Ulta Beauty posted better-than-expected quarterly results, with sales getting a boost from increasing transactions and higher average spending. The beauty retailer also boosted its full-year outlook. Ulta Beauty (ULTA) shares surged to a record high on Friday after the cosmetics and fragrance retailer posted earnings that topped analysts’ estimates and raised its outlook. The stock was up over 14% in recent trading, on track to finish the week at an all-time high and leading gains in the S&P 500. (Read our daily markets coverage here.)  Ulta Beauty reported third-quarter earnings per share of $5.14 on revenue that jumped 12.9%…

Key Takeaways SoFI’s stock is down Friday afternoon after announcing a share sale.The company’s stock is still riding high after beating analysts earnings expectations for seven of the last eight quarters. SoFi’s been on a winning streak. Today’s it’s taking a breather. Shares of SoFi Technologies (SOFI), a fintech-turned-bank, are taking a hit after a $1.5 billion share sale announcement on Thursday caught investors and analysts off guard. The most recent capital raise was its second in six months. Still, its stock remains aloft, nearly doubling so far this year. The company has been riding high on its achievements over…

Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the US financial regulation myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.US regulators have scrapped a critical safeguard put in place in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, as the Trump administration seeks to pave the way for banks to underwrite riskier loans to the buyout industry. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said in a statement they had rescinded the leveraged lending guidance introduced in 2013 because it was too restrictive and captured too many types of loans. The watchdogs said the…

Pennsylvania residents are increasingly navigating a complex financial landscape, with high housing costs in the urban centres such as  Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, coupled with rapidly rising bills, credit card debt, and even personal loans, which are placing massive pressure on households. Rural communities face different challenges, in terms of having a lack of convenient access to local banks ot to having nonprofit counsellors. Residents having $30,000 or more in unsecured debt can easily turn to specialized debt relief programs, which include counselling, debt consolidation, settlement, and bankruptcy, in order to get that financial stability and improve their long-term prospects. Understanding…

Nina Raemont/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysThe Stream Ring captures whispered thoughts and organizes them seamlessly.An Inner Voice feature responds in the user’s own synthesized voice.Stream Ring was designed for self-extension, enhancing memory, creativity, and organization.The tech industry is betting that AI will replace humans’ creativity and cognition. Sandbar, however, is creating technology that supplements these things instead. Sandbar is developing an AI-powered smart ring with a single and predominant use case. Its Stream Ring is an AI-powered note-taker and thought organizer that users can whisper into. The accompanying app organizes ideas and lists as the user…

Key Takeaways Cash balance pensions make up almost 50% of all defined benefit plans.They combine features of a traditional pension and 401(k).The employer-funded contributions and interest guarantee growth annually without the investment risk. Cash balance pensions have seen significant growth over the past two decades, with their numbers increasing 15-fold and now accounting for nearly 50% of all defined benefit plans. Unlike traditional pensions or 401(k) plans, they offer a unique blend of features that make them an appealing choice for those seeking to build wealth. Understanding how they work and how they differ from other retirement plans can help…

Key Takeaways New annual data show the typical homebuyer now earns $109,000, extending a steady rise in median income over the past four years.The biggest group of buyers falls in the $100,000–$199,999 range, with first-time buyers reporting a $94,400 median income and repeat buyers at $111,700.Married couples make up over 60% of all buyers, and single female buyers outnumbered both single males and unmarried couples. The Four-Year Rise in Typical Homebuyer Income New annual data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), covering homebuyers from July 2024 through June 2025, show the typical buyer now earns a median household income…

Key Takeaways A Fed rate cut is widely expected next week. But while that will push cash yields lower, what you can earn remains historically high. Top high-yield savings accounts as much pay as 5.00%, while the best CDs let you lock in rates up to 4.50% before the Fed makes its move. Brokerage and robo-advisor cash accounts continue to offer attractive yields in the mid- to upper-3% range, while U.S. Treasuries pay up to 4.79% for investors seeking stability. See Today’s Best Cash Yields—All in One Chart With a Federal Reserve rate cut expected Wednesday, many savers are taking…