Author: Money Mechanics

Between gift shopping, charitable donations and gearing up to host or travel for the holidays, many Americans will be spending a lot of money over the next couple of months.All that money being spent over the holidays brings scammers out of the woodworks as they try to steal your cash, your credit card information and other sensitive data. And the techniques fraudsters use are getting more and more sophisticated every year.As the biggest sales event of the year rolls around, make sure you’re taking advantage of legitimate Black Friday deals and not handing your hard-earned money over to a fraudster.…

Key Takeaways A 401(k) might be your best bet for saving more for retirement.A recent study shows that people with 401(k)s were able to save 29% more for retirement than their peers who did not have the same type of account.401(k) plans are often sponsored by employers, but even if you’re self-employed, you can open one for yourself.These plans offer tax-deferred investing, a smart approach to regular contributions, compounding interest, and other tax advantages.Your employer might provide a matching contribution up to a certain percent of your salary. Choices for saving for retirement are plentiful, but a 2025 survey conducted…

Key Takeaways Kohl’s appointed Michael Bender as CEO on Monday after Bender spent the past six months as interim CEO.The retailer is trying to regain its standing with long-time shoppers by focusing on private labels, jewelry and petite sizes. Kohl’s new CEO is on a charm offensive, pursuing shoppers with private labels and jewelry. Michael Bender on Monday secured the role full time after helping Kohl’s (KSS) regain some footing as its interim CEO. He steps into the big chair at the retail chain, which had begun to struggle—according to its last CEO, Ashley Buchanan—as it overlooked items that were…

The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) is among the stocks Wall Street analysts are watching closely. On November 12, Lance Wilkes, an analyst at Bernstein, trimmed the price target on The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) to $294 from $346, while maintaining a ‘Market Perform’ rating on the stock. The firm believes the company’s new pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) model is “more sustainable,” but stated it was “not expecting valuation rerating yet” as the company’s third-quarter earnings report was released. In the third quarter, The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) delivered revenue of $69.7 billion, representing a 10% increase from the third quarter of 2024, and…

In-brief analysis November 24, 2025 Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power MonthlyNote: Coal represents less than 1% each year. Although natural gas generation still provides more electricity than any other source in California, electricity generation from natural gas has decreased over the past several years while generation from solar has increased. According to data from our Electric Power Monthly, electricity generation from January through August 2025 (the latest data in our October release) was 140.9 billion kilowatthours (BkWh), 8% more than the same period in 2020. The generation growth in…

Oil prices have gone into hibernation, and the diesel crack spread has come back down as peace hopes and LNG exports from the US to Europe are rising. US Energy policy is playing a part in the peace process and raising hopes that parts of Europe won/t freeze this winter.  There has been a modest shift toward risk off mode in oil, gold, and silver markets following reports that US and Ukrainian negotiators have developed an “updated and refined peace framework.” The parties announced on Sunday their intention to continue advancing the peace plan in the coming days. According to…

Key Takeaways A 1-point drop in mortgage rates can translate into hundreds of dollars in monthly savings.You can put extra money toward household bills, investing, or paying down debt faster.Closing costs can cut into your equity, so compare the fees to your monthly savings to determine how long it will take to break even and whether the refinancing is truly worth it.Restarting a 30-year term may reduce your monthly payment but could extend the life of your mortgage, so it’s important to calculate whether the long-term tradeoff is worth the immediate savings. Over the last few years, mortgage rates have…

Key Takeaways Novo Nordisk’s U.S.-listed shares are falling sharply Monday after the drugmaker said its latest drug trial was not effective in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s.The company was testing whether semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, could slow the cognitive decline of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Novo Nordisk (NVO) shares tumbled Monday morning after the Danish drugmaker posted the latest results from a drug trial. The company had been looking to determine whether semaglutide, the active ingredient in weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, could also slow the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The trial’s goal…

(Investing) – Oil prices edged marginally higher Monday, steadying after last week’s sharp losses as markets weighed the prospects of a potential peace deal in Ukraine. At 07:50 ET (12:50 GMT),  expiring in January edged up 0.2% to $62.08 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 0.7% to $58.20 per barrel. Both contracts recorded losses of nearly 3% last week. The U.S. and Ukraine have agreed on an “updated and refined” peace framework for the conflict with Russia. Under the revised plan, Kyiv and Washington accepted changes to an earlier 28-point draft, which had been criticised by Ukraine and its…

Key Takeaways Among the most common financial mistakes, a scattered portfolio, old accounts, and overlooked documents can quietly drain wealth.Tax inefficiency and outdated beneficiaries often go unnoticed until it’s too late.If you want to prevent costly mistakes, make sure you have a clear financial plan that you regularly revisit and adjust as necessary. Many people assume their finances are in decent shape—until a closer look reveals gaps that can cost them money, time, and peace of mind. Carolyn McClanahan, founder of Life Planning Partners, says new clients often arrive with portfolios and plans that don’t line up with their goals—or…