Author: Money Mechanics

This week, the financial markets are at a crossroads. , long seen as a safe haven, is facing a pivotal moment as investors weigh their options in a rapidly changing landscape. As tensions between the U.S. and China ease and President Trump signals a surprisingly dovish stance on Tomahawk missile supplies, money is flowing out of gold and into riskier assets—including the ever-volatile Bitcoin. With traders growing increasingly uncertain, all eyes are on gold futures for a decisive move that could set the tone for the weeks ahead. Undoubtedly, the current position of Bitcoin price could divert the money flow…

Following a strong first-half of the year in which it raised new capital from investors Hiscox ILS, the insurance-linked securities (ILS) investment focused arm of Hiscox Group, saw its ILS assets under management dip to $1.3 billion in the third-quarter after planned returns of capital to its ongoing investors.As we reported after the first-half of 2025, the Hiscox ILS division had raised $300 million in capital from new and existing investors through the period, lifting its ILS assets under management (AUM) back to $1.4 billion at June 30th. The majority of the $300 million of third-party capital raised by Hiscox…

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that benefits will rise by 2.8% in 2026, based on the official measure of inflation, the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). The annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is meant to help retirees and other beneficiaries maintain purchasing power as prices rise, but the government’s calculation may be underestimating the true inflation felt by consumers. The COLA is determined by comparing the average CPI-W for the third quarter (July–September) of one year to the same period the year before. The difference in those averages sets the percentage…

Billionaire real estate investor Barry Sternlicht had some harsh words for the newly elected mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani. Sternlicht is Chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group, which has both commercial and residential holdings and joint ventures in the city, as well as its own offices in Midtown Manhattan.Sternlicht blamed overly expensive development and management costs on unions and said he only expected it to get worse in the Mamdani administration.”Over $100 million, every project in New York has to go union, and it’s super expensive. It leads to extremely expensive housing. And other developers have tried…

Discord has rolled out updates to its Family Center, giving guardians more insights into their teens’ usage patterns, including purchases, top interactions, and time spent. The goal is to help parents monitor whether their teen is spending excessive time or money on Discord. The communication platform first launched Family Center in 2023 with an activity dashboard showing which servers their teens have joined and a weekly email summary for guardians about their teen’s activity. The platform is now expanding these monitoring abilities. Guardians can now see total purchases made by the teen in the last week, including items from Discord’s…

Key Takeaways Rewards credit cards can offer significant value—but only if you avoid interest charges and unnecessary fees. Cardholders who pay their balance in full each month receive the biggest gains. Perks and points rarely justify annual fees unless your spending is high enough to offset the cost. Overspending to chase rewards can erase any benefit and increase debt risk. Comparing cash back, travel, and store-branded cards can help you find the card that best fits your spending habits. Rewards credit cards can be a smart way to earn travel points, cash back, or other perks—but only if you use…

(World Oil) – Ovintiv Inc. announced a definitive agreement to acquire Calgary-based NuVista Energy Ltd. in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately $2.7 billion (C$3.8 billion), marking a major expansion of its oil-weighted position in Canada’s Montney formation. The deal, unanimously approved by both companies’ boards, is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2026. Under the agreement, Ovintiv will acquire all outstanding NuVista shares it does not already own for C$18.00 per share, split evenly between cash and Ovintiv common stock. The transaction includes NuVista’s 140,000 net acres in the Alberta Montney—roughly 70% undeveloped—and average production…

Key Takeaways Credit card churning involves opening several credit cards in quick succession to repeatedly earn sign-up bonuses. While some churners earn thousands in cash back, points, or miles, the practice carries major risks, including credit score damage and potential account shutdowns. Issuers restrict churning through bonus eligibility rules and lifetime limits. For most consumers, focusing on steady, long-term rewards is safer and more sustainable. Enough bonus miles to make booking that latest vacation less expensive, thousands of points to offset your new purchase, or just straight-up cash back. Credit card companies often offer big bonuses to get people to…

After a volatile start to the month, October turned out generally positive for equities investors. The S&P 500® Index finished the month up 2.27% at 6,840.20 and the Russell 2000® Index gained 1.76% to finish above 2,479. Both benchmarks were just shy of all-time closing highs in the final week of the month. Volatility increased early in the month during a sharp selloff on October 10 and remained elevated compared to September. The Cboe Volatility Index (the VIX Index) finished at 17.44, two points above the September average level but well off the 25-level highs touched earlier in the month.…

Key Takeaways Sign-up bonuses are often the most lucrative part of credit card rewards, but avoid spending extra just to hit them. To maximize your ongoing rewards, pair cards strategically and use the best one for each spending category. Creative redemption methods can help stretch your rewards further, such as by transferring points to partner programs with lower prices. Pay your statement balance on time each month to avoid interest charges or late fees that could wipe out your rewards. Check your rewards balances regularly to avoid missing redemption opportunities or letting points expire. The average American spends more than…