Author: Money Mechanics

Key Takeaways To afford a $1 million home with a monthly payment of around $5,000, based on 20% down at 6.50% interest, you would need an annual income of at least $215,000. Personal factors like credit score, down payment, employment, and the home’s location all affect affordability. Housing market trends like supply, interest rates, and government regulations also determine a home’s affordability. In hot housing markets or parts of the country where homes go for higher price points, a $1 million house might be fairly common. You may not even have many options at lower price points. But how much…

Key Takeaways The Social Security Administration is prioritizing a digital approach, which includes ending physical benefit checks and adding a chatbot. The agency and advocates say these changes could bring efficiency and accuracy. Advocates argue that changes are happening too quickly and aren’t considering those they most affect: seniors and people with disabilities. The Social Security Administration is implementing changes to its service it says will improve efficiency and strengthen the program. Some advocates worry that beneficiaries will be left behind. The changes prioritize a digital approach, including ending physical benefits checks, redirecting field office staff to help support the…

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO – JANUARY 14, 2020: An employee works at her computer in a home and office furniture and accessory store in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images)Getty ImagesRetiring from a career that you loved is difficult. For many people, it is hard to retire even if you were not wild about what you were doing to pay the bills. The challenge often comes from the loss of identity and structure. If we are what we do and we don’t do it anymore, then who are we? With the loss of structure, what is going…

Oracle (ORCL) is the latest mega-cap tech name putting up truly outstanding returns on the promise of artificial intelligence (AI), but long-time shareholders know ORCL stock has been a market-beating machine for ages.Founded in the late 1970s, Oracle really hit its stride during the dot-com boom when it became dominant in database management systems. After the bubble burst, the company pursued an aggressive policy of acquisitions, scooping up software and hardware firms such as PeopleSoft and Sun Microsystems.Oracle’s voracious appetite transformed the company into what’s known as a full-stack provider, offering enterprise customers everything from software and middleware to databases…

KEY TAKEAWAYS The Department of Education has temporarily paused student loan forgiveness under all income-driven repayment plans. Borrowers who have already reached the number of payments required to have their loan discharged are unsure of when they will receive their forgiveness.If forgiveness does not resume before the end of the year, borrowers may unexpectedly have to pay thousands of dollars in taxes when they eventually do receive forgiveness.As a result, borrowers are in limbo, waiting for guidance about when they will get their loans discharged and if they will have to pay taxes on them. Some federal student loan borrowers…

Key Takeaways Electronic Arts is being bought by a consortium of private-equity firms for $55 billion.The all-cash deal gives EA investors $210 per share. Electronic Arts shares soared to all-time highs last week on indications a purchase was in the works. One of the biggest video-game companies around is going private. Shares of Electronic Arts (EA) jumped in morning trading after the video game maker agreed to be purchased by a consortium for $55 billion in cash. The company said the buyers, the Saudi Public Investment Fund and private equity firms Silver Lake and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, will pay…

Key Takeaways Intel shares remain in the spotlight after soaring 20% last week, boosted by reports the chipmaker is soliciting investments from Apple and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.Since breaking out above a multi-month trading range earlier this month, the stock has continued to trend sharply higher and closed above the closely watched 200-week moving average last week. Investors should watch critical overhead areas on Intel’s chart around $45 and $56, while also monitoring major support levels near $30 and $26. Intel (INTC) shares remain in the spotlight after soaring last week amid investor optimism that the embattled chipmaker could secure additional…

The U.S. net international investment position, the difference between U.S. residents’ foreign financial assets and liabilities, was –$26.14 trillion at the end of the second quarter of 2025, according to statistics released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Assets totaled $39.56 trillion, and liabilities were $65.71 trillion. At the end of the first quarter, the net investment position was –$24.65 trillion (revised). The net investment position and components of assets and liabilities are presented in table 1.The –$1.49 trillion change in the net investment position from the first quarter to the second quarter came from net financial transactions…

By Joel Jose (Reuters) -Goldman Sachs on Monday upgraded its stance on global equities to “overweight” from “neutral” over the three-month horizon, citing improving economic momentum across regions, attractive valuations and growing support from monetary and fiscal policy. “We think that good earnings growth, Fed easing without a recession and global fiscal policy easing will continue to support equities,” Goldman analysts said in a note. The analysts held their rating at “overweight” for the next 12 months. Global equities have surged to record highs recently, driven by optimism that the U.S. Federal Reserve has begun cutting interest rates early enough…

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades and downgrades, please see our analyst ratings page. Needham raised Monolithic Power Systems Inc (NASDAQ: MPWR) price target from $820 to $1,025. Needham analyst N. Quinn Bolton maintained a Buy rating. Monolithic Power shares closed at $887.55 on Friday. See how other analysts view this stock. Deutsche Bank raised the price target for Lam Research Corp (NASDAQ: LRCX) from $100 to $150. Deutsche Bank analyst Melissa Weathers upgraded the stock from Hold to Buy. Lam Research shares closed…