Author: Lucas

Pandora, which is known for its iconic silver bracelets, is betting on a different precious metal in 2026 — platinum.The Danish jewelry brand will introduce platinum-plated versions of some of its best-selling bracelets this year to reduce its exposure to price-volatile silver, it said in a Wednesday press release.The platinum-plated range will extend to its charm selection in the second half of the year, it added.The company said in the press release that this decision was made after “the price of silver and gold has skyrocketed over the past year.””By introducing platinum-plated products, Pandora will reduce its reliance on sterling…

Vet fees continue to rise and many other costs are on the increase, but pet insurance has on average become slightly cheaper as providers compete for custom, new research claims.The pricing data coincides with a study which found that one-third of UK pet owners don’t have insurance, with cost cited as one of the biggest factors.It is estimated that 60% of UK households – about 17 million – have a pet, and the high costs of ownership have been in the news lately. Last month, the government announced a big shake-up of the UK vet sector that ministers said should…

This article is an on-site version of our Unhedged newsletter. Sign up here to get the newsletter sent straight to your inbox every weekdayGood morning. The Magnificent Seven tech stocks rallied yesterday, taking the rest of the market with them, a pattern we find acutely boring at this point. A new paradigm would make our jobs more interesting. If you have one to suggest, email us: robert.armstrong@ft.com and ethan.wu@ft.com.Whither value stocksPeople, like me, who are drawn towards value stocks — stocks that are inexpensive relative to fundamentals such as profit or book value — have had a rough 15 years…

Don’t spend the difference. When a bill goes down, act like that money never existed in your spending budget.Auto-transfer the exact amount. If your bill drops by $15, set up a $15 automatic move to savings right after payday.Stack the drops. A few small reductions (insurance, phone, subscriptions) can quietly turn into $1,000+ a year saved with zero lifestyle change.Most budgeting advice focuses on cutting things out of your life. Cancel this. Skip that. Stop buying lattes. Cook everything from scratch.That works… until it doesn’t. Because eventually, you get tired of feeling restricted, and your old habits start to creep…

Energy giant BP is facing growing labor tensions after a major union said the company does not plan to follow a national oil industry bargaining agreement, raising the possibility of a strike at one of the largest refineries in the United States. The United Steelworkers (USW) union, which represents hundreds of employees at BP’s Whiting refinery in Indiana, said the British oil major has indicated it does not intend to follow the National Oil Bargaining Program. The refinery is the largest in the U.S. Midwest and produces key transportation fuels, including gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.…

Were you one of the winners in National Savings and Investments (NS&I) premium bonds February draw? Once again, two lucky players won £1m each this month. The first winning bond number, 489TB013219, was drawn and is held by someone from Central Bedfordshire. The winner has £50,000 in premium bonds and purchased their winning bond in February 2022. This marks the city’s second jackpot win. The second winning bond number, 040QJ919368, was drawn for a new millionaire living in Liverpool. The winner holds £50,000 in premium bonds and purchased the winning bond in October 2004. They are the fourth person to…

Martin Lewis has shared an important car insurance “warning” to every motorist in the UK with road users likely overpaying for cover. The Money Saving Expert founder said motorists had been “programmed” to believe annual price hikes were acceptable, when average fees were really coming down.He stressed that average car insurance fees are down 11% across the last 12 months after peaking back in 2023. It means motorists may be paying a lot more than they should for basic coverage simply because they were unaware. Speaking on ITV’s Martin Lewis Money Show, he said: “This is actually what’s been happening to car…

The precious metals began falling on Friday in response to US President Donald Trump’s nomination for the incoming chairman of the Federal Reserve.His choice for former Fed governor Kevin Warsh to replace current chairman Jerome Powell when his term ends in May soothed some investor nerves, which boosted the US dollar but saw appetite for safe-haven investments gold and silver slump in response.Gold and silver suffered their worst trading days for decades on Friday and were down heavily again on Monday, with spot prices off by another 7% and 11% respectively at one stage.Read more: Price of gold jumps above…

Arista Networks, Inc. ANET and International Business Machines Corporation IBM are leading players in the enterprise and data-center networking space, focusing on infrastructure vital to cloud computing and AI (artificial intelligence) workloads, hybrid cloud adoption and data center growth. Arista offers one of the broadest product lines of data center and campus Ethernet switches and routers in the industry. It provides routing and switching platforms with industry-leading capacity, low latency, port density and power efficiency.On the other hand, IBM offers cloud and data solutions that aid enterprises in digital transformation. In addition to hybrid cloud services, the company provides advanced…

Halfpoint/Shutterstock The smart home gadget market is crowded with technologies designed to make users’ lives simpler in various daily aspects. Whether they’re used for automating a room’s lights or for controlling all electronics on a property with the help of virtual voice assistants, numerous options exist to make life easier. On the other hand, some upgrades end up being a waste of money simply because they are not worth the added technology cost. These items usually have a price well above what you would pay for a standard version, and…