Author: Money Mechanics

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has hired Samantha Cook from the World Bank, who brings deep experience in disaster risk insurance arrangements, including parametric risk transfer and instruments such as catastrophe bonds.Samantha Cook has joined the Asian Development Bank (ADB) this month as Director, Disaster Risk Management and will be based in the Philippines. The ADB is a financial institution that supports economic growth and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, with disaster risk financing and insurance an area of increasing activity and focus. Cook’s role will see her working with ADB members on disaster risk management plans and strategies, including…

A sold sign is posted in front of a home for sale on Aug. 27, 2025 in San Francisco, California.Justin Sullivan | Getty ImagesSales of previously owned homes were essentially flat in August, coming in 4 million units on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis, according to the National Association of Realtors. That is a 0.2% drop from July and an increase of 1.8% from August of last year. Sales were strongest in the Midwest and weakest in the Northeast.This count is based on closings, so people signing their deals in June and July, when mortgage rates were about 50 basis…

Kayla Solino/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.Prime Day is about two weeks away, but you can already find some hidden-gem offers on quality products. My favorite JBL portable Bluetooth speaker is on sale for $70, its best price yet. Also: The best Prime Day deals live nowA portable speaker is a must for everyone, in my opinion. They truly are great for amplifying music, podcasts, and more. My favorite pick is JBL’s Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker — it’s an oldie, but certainly a goodie. I’ve had this speaker for several years; it was the perfect investment before entering college.…

(Investing) – HOUSTON  -Oil prices rose on Friday as Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure cut the country’s fuel exports.  settled at $70.13 a barrel, up 71 cents, or 1.02%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI)  finished at $65.72 a barrel, gaining 74 cents, or 1.14%. Both benchmarks are set to register their biggest increases since mid-June. “Markets continued to be focused on the situation between Russia and Ukraine,” said John Kilduff, partner with Again Capital. “These drone attacks by Ukraine are beginning to add up.” Russia will introduce a partial ban on diesel exports until the end of the year and…

Six Months of Earnings at Various APYs APY Earnings on $10K for 6 months Earnings on $25K for 6 months Earnings on $50K for 6 months 4.00% $198 $495 $990 4.25% $210 $526 $1,051 4.50% $223 $556 $1,113 4.75% $235 $587 $1,174 5.00% $247 $617 $1,235 These examples assume you can earn the stated annual percentage yield (APY) for the full six months, which may not be possible with variable-rate options. Important The rate you earn from a savings account, money market account, cash account, or money market fund can fluctuate and will almost certainly drop now that the Fed…

Key Takeaways Social Security calculates benefits using your 35 highest-earning years, and years with no income drag the average down. Replacing low-wage years with higher-earning years can lift your 35-year average and significantly increase your Social Security benefits. Checking your wage record at SSA.gov shows how many $0 years you have—and can help you decide the smartest year to retire. Most people who earn paychecks and pay into Social Security know they’ll qualify for monthly benefits in retirement. Those benefits checks may not cover all of your expenses, but they can provide a reliable cushion for the rest of your…

The Financial Independence, Retire Early, or FIRE movement is getting an upgrade. Whether it’s coast FIRE or Barista FIRE, there are now several variations of the quarter-century-old way of tackling early retirement.The FIRE concept is simple (well, it was simple). Save and invest aggressively so you can retire well before the average retirement age of 62. Since achieving financial freedom isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, variations of FIRE have emerged to suit different lifestyles.Popular ones include: 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…

Relatively tame inflation data boosted the main U.S. equity indexes into Friday’s opening bell, and fresh confirmation of fading consumer sentiment proved only a temporary headwind. Markets appear to be taking new tariffs on trucks, drugs and kitchen cabinets in stride into the last weekend of September.The final trading session of the week was up, down and up again, with the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge printing in line with expectations. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE) rose 0.3% month over month and 2.7% year over year in August.Core PCE, which excludes food…

Sherwin-Williams has suspended 401(k) matches—is it still worth it to contribute?getty This year, my daughter joined millions of other workers when she enrolled in her employer’s 401(k) plan. These days, that employee benefit is routinely expected—the opportunity to pay into a future retirement account is nearly automatic, and the added perk of an employer match just sweetens the pot. But what if your employer doesn’t offer a match? Or worse, what if you took a job counting on a match and then your employer suddenly announced that it would no longer contribute a match to your 401(k) plan? Sherwin-Williams Presses…

Key Takeaways Both Social Security and IRS paper checks end Sept. 30, 2025, marking a significant shift in how the federal government distributes money to Americans. There are still many Americans who must transition to electronic payments. The changes are part of a broader push by the Trump administration to eliminate unnecessary paper-based transactions by the federal government. Physical Social Security checks and IRS tax refund checks are being phased out starting Sept. 30, marking the end of an era for federal paper payments. The Trump administration says the changes are needed to modernize outdated government payment systems and crack…