Author: Money Mechanics

Thank you, Governor Olli Rehn, for the invitation to visit the lovely city of Helsinki and participate in the Bank of Finland’s International Monetary Policy Conference.1 I highly value the opportunity to interact with, and learn from, my fellow central bankers, so thank you again for having me. When considering the Bank of Finland, the European Central Bank (ECB), and the Federal Reserve in the U.S., it is easy to point out some differences, including our mandates and our economies. But there are also important similarities across these central banks. As independent central banks, our objective is to set policy…

Gold is stealing the spotlight again. On Tuesday, soared to a fresh record of $3895.22, captivating traders amid heightened fears of a U.S. government shutdown and mounting speculation about further interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. This dramatic rally, however, finds itself at a crossroads: the precious metal has slammed into a key supply zone, setting the stage for a possible selling frenzy tonight as Congress races against a midnight deadline to prevent a federal shutdown. A recent Republican-backed spending bill cleared the House of Representatives but faces opposition in the Senate. Republicans hold a 53-seat majority, but need…

For 2025, 24 brokerage firms earned the GameChanger distinction. Each grew transaction sides by at least 75% from 2020 through 2024 — some posting triple-digit increases that underscore how quickly ambitious leaders can scale in a competitive industry. Skyrocketing growth across the map Leading the way is Keller Williams Metropolitan, based in Baltimore, which posted an eye-popping 297% increase in transaction sides, growing from just 581 transaction sides in 2019 to 2,625 in 2024. CENTURY 21 Real Estate Alliance, headquartered in San Francisco, wasn’t far behind with 237% growth, while HRC Realty, based in Michigan expanded by 193%, hitting more…

Browser maker Opera launched its AI-centric browser Neon Tuesday, with the ability to create apps through AI prompts and create repeatable prompts through a feature it calls cards. With this Opera joins a growing number of companies like Perplexity and The Browser Company that are trying to make agentic browsers happen. The company first announced that it was working on Neon in May, but the browser was in closed preview. It will now start sending invites to select people, who can use the browser for a fee of $19.99 per month. “We built Opera Neon for ourselves – and for…

Key Takeaways The highly anticipated September employment report, due to be released Friday, is expected to show that U.S. employers added 45,000 jobs in September, up from 22,000 in August according to forecasts.The report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which could be delayed if there is a government shutdown, is expected to shed light on whether the job market’s summer downturn was a blip or the beginning of a serious trend.Employment numbers that come in below expectations could push the Federal Reserve to accelerate their pace of interest-rate cuts, while higher-than-anticipated job growth could take the pressure off the…

(Investing) – HOUSTON/LONDON  -European oil and gas majors  and  on Monday deepened their commitments to the United States, with BP approving a $5 billion offshore oil field and TotalEnergies buying into an onshore gas field. . Higher investment in U.S. oil and gas production aligns with U.S. President Donald Trump’s goal to capitalise on the country’s hydrocarbon resources. BP, which currently produces around 2.3 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, is becoming increasingly reliant on the United States to shore up its oil and gas business following a strategic revamp announced in February to shift spending from renewables to hydrocarbons.…

Stock futures, Treasury yields, and the dollar pointed lower and safe-haven gold futures reached a new record high Tuesday, hours ahead of a deadline for congressional leaders to keep the U.S. government open.  Futures associated with the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average, benchmark S&P 500, and tech-heavy Nasdaq were down 0.2%, 0.2%, and 0.1%, respectively. Still, the three indexes closed higher yesterday for a second straight session following a three-day skid, and were set to comfortably end higher for the month. The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the value of the greenback against a basket of foreign currencies, was down 0.1% to 97.80…

Saving for retirement is one of the smartest steps you can take for your financial future. And with higher 401(k) contribution limits in 2025, now is a great time to review your plan and make sure you’re taking full advantage of this tax-deferred account. Here are four simple and effective ways to maximize your 401(k) contributions this year. Set Up Automatic Increases One of the easiest ways to grow your 401(k) savings over time is by setting up automatic contribution increases. If your 401(k) plan allows you to schedule small annual boosts to your contributions, it can help you steadily…

One of the most talked-about provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) is the Trump Account.Available exclusively for the benefit of children under age 18, this account was originally supposed to be a super-tax-advantaged way for young people to save for college, a first home or to start a business.The final watered-down product, however, more closely resembles a traditional IRA — only without the benefits of tax-deductible contributions. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters Profit and prosper with the best of…

As an income-oriented investor, you could look to add high-yielding corporate bonds to your portfolio. Or maybe you could go on the hunt for stocks that pay fat dividends. Which would you prefer?You just might prefer preferreds – preferred shares, that is.Much like how the Osmonds were a little bit country, a little bit rock ‘n’ roll, preferred shares are a little bit equity, a little bit debt. Companies sell them to investors for all sorts of reasons, including their tax advantages and favorable treatment from regulators. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed…