Author: Money Mechanics

Created by Meta AI Prior to the Industrial Revolution, there was virtually no “Middle Class”; there were the Wealthy and the Poor, with little in between. The poor lived miserable subsistence lives while the wealthy had fine clothes, servants, and good food. You may have been taught that the “Middle class” was the result of Unions or Government policies, but before any of that, there was the Industrial Revolution, which resulted in massive productivity improvements.  These new factories needed laborers, and although they paid a pittance compared to today, they still paid much more than you could make as a…

Scott Rechler, RXR Chairman and CEO, and Bill Rudin, Rudin Management Co-Chairman, speaking at CNBC’s Delivering Alpha event in New York on Nov. 13th, 2025.Adam Jeffery | CNBCNew York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s views have sparked fears that there will be an exodus of companies and capital from the city. But two of the city’s top commercial real estate executives say it’s simply not true, based on leasing activity and new building investments being made, with no pullback in plans ever since it became clear Mamdani would win, and through the democratic socialist’s official election.”New York City is back,” said Scott…

Key Takeaways Tech stocks have come under pressure in recent weeks, weighed on by concerns about an AI bubble after a strong rally off April lows. Many analysts on Friday were saying they expect the rally will regain its footing, with some pointing to Nvidia’s earnings report next Wednesday as a possible catalyst. Tech stocks have at times appeared unstoppable this year. Now they’re in a rut. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite soared nearly 60% between April 8, when tariff uncertainty was at its highest, and Oct. 29, the index’s most recent record high. Those gains were driven mostly by the…

Key Takeaways Merck agreed to pay $9.2 billion to purchase Cidara Therapeutics, looking to cash in on the firm’s experimental flu treatment.The $221.50 per share offer is more than twice Cidara’s closing price yesterday. Shares of Cidara Therapeutics (CDTX) more than doubled Friday after Merck (MRK) agreed to buy the biopharmaceutical firm in an all-cash deal worth $9.2 billion to expand its reach in antiviral treatments. Merck said it would pay Cidara investors $221.50 per share, a whopping 109% premium to yesterday’s closing price.  The acquisition gives Merck access to Cidara’s top drug candidate, CD388, which uses a fragment of…

 Can you describe how institutional investors’ appetite for clean, renewable energy has evolved over the years and why solar is an attractive long-term asset?Over a decade ago, renewable energy was viewed as a nascent but promising market. At the time, many investors considered these assets high-risk due to unproven technologies and uncertain demand. As a result, capital flowed primarily from private equity sources, often at higher costs. As the market matured, technologies like solar became more efficient, and consumer demand for clean energy surged. This evolution has steadily increased institutional investors’ appetite in the sector. Solar energy, in particular, has…

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…