Author: Lucas

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…

Despite the sharp falls, the price of gold has only fallen back to where it was a couple of weeks ago and it is still about 70% higher than it was at the same point last year.As well as a continued sell-off among commodities on Monday, Asian stocks also fell, with South Korea’s benchmark Kospi leading losses with a 5% fall. Elsewhere in the region, the Hang Seng in Hong Kong dropped 2% and Japan’s Nikkei 225 was more than 1% lower.In Europe, the UK’s FTSE 100 index fell at first, but then recovered to rise 1.2%. The fall in…

Virgin Money has launched a new savings account with a 6.5% interest rate. The Regular Saver Exclusive Issue 5 launched on February 2. The fixed rate account pays 6.5% AER until 26 Feb 2027. It is an exclusive product, meaning consumers must have or open a qualifying current account. You can pay in as little and as often as you like up to the maximum of £250 every calendar month. Caitlyn Eastell, Personal Finance Analyst at Moneyfactscompare.co.uk, said: “Regular savers can be a great first step towards building and maintaining a healthy savings habit.“These accounts typically pay more generous returns, which…

Libbey Glass strikers after November 19 vote to defeat USW sellout Refinery workers: Speak out on the tentative agreement by filling out the form below! All submissions will be kept anonymous.Workers reacted with anger Friday afternoon after the United Steelworkers (USW) announced a sellout national agreement covering roughly 30,000 refinery workers across the United States. The contract, which falls far short of workers’ demands, was unveiled suddenly nearly a week after the previous agreement had expired, without any meaningful explanation or advance notice to the membership.According to information workers are receiving from the union, the contract contains only a 15…

In the February prize draw, 47 residents from the county collectively won more than £2 million, with prizes ranging from £10,000 to £100,000. Two of the winners each received £100,000, five took home £50,000, nine won £25,000, and seven received £10,000. Valentijn Bakker, Editor of Nieuwe Casino, said: “The Premium Bond winners this month took a safer investment approach at a time when saving money is paramount and saw their patience rewarded. “Premium Bonds are a low-stake, high-reward way of investing money that requires a bit of luck. “The high returns will have offered much-needed financial relief to many this…

The modern world is dependent on a vast network for extracting, processing, transporting and ultimately consuming hydrocarbons like crude oil and natural gas. But these resources come with a cost: they’re finite, difficult to extract and take carbon dioxide out of the ground and release it into the air. Instead of reducing humanity’s dependence on hydrocarbons — which is impossible or undesirable or both, depending on who you ask — Terraform Industries’ solution is to produce this resource, using electricity and air, via a system it calls the Terraformer. Today, the startup is announcing that it has commissioned a demonstrator…

U.S. stock markets have started 2026 on a positive note. All three major stock indexes are trading in positive territory. This trend is likely to continue in January buoyed by the strong fundamentals of the domestic economy, solid fourth-quarter 2025 earnings results, the Fed’s accommodative monetary policies and the evaporation of trade and tariff-related issues. At this stage, we recommend investing in growth stocks to strengthen your portfolio in February. Growth investors are primarily focused on stocks with aggressive earnings or revenue growth, which should propel their stock prices higher in the future. Five such stocks are: Micron Technology Inc.…

Gold rebounded on Friday and was set for a weekly gain, helped by bargain hunting, a slightly weaker dollar and lingering concerns over U.S.-Iran talks in Oman, while silver recovered from a 1-1/2-month low.Spot gold rose 3.9% to $4,954.92 per ounce by 2:18 p.m. ET (1918 GMT), recouping losses during a volatile Asia session following Thursday’s 3.9% decline. The yellow metal was headed for a weekly gain of about 2%.U.S. gold futures for April delivery settled 1.8% higher at $4,979.80 per ounce.CME Group had flagged a delay in publishing metals settlement, earlier in the day.The U.S. dollar index (.DXY), opens…

Roughly 95% of Americans have either a checking or savings account, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). For many people, a savings account is a great place to keep extra money for a major life event, like a wedding or home purchase, or emergencies.Savings accounts are generally FDIC-insured up to $250,000, meaning your money is protected against bank failure. The funds are also still accessible but separate enough from your checking account to where you’re less likely to use them for everyday expenses.Still, as useful as savings accounts can be, there is a right time to withdraw the…

I want to put some money into alternative investments, but I’m not sure where to begin. What’s the safest alternative for an average investor? Alternative investments are becoming increasingly attractive and more readily available to the average investor. With interest rates on the rise and the bull market beginning to show signs of fatigue, investors are turning to these investments to increase their diversification, grow their returns and get some downside protection. Easier access to alternative investments like commodities, cryptocurrencies, collectibles, venture capital, real estate or private equity, also means these holdings are no longer solely for the uber-wealthy. But…