MoneyWatch

Gold has multiple common uses. It’s a currency, a material used in jewelry and it’s a crucial component in manufacturing. Gold is also an investment vehicle – one that’s commonly used as a source of protection against inflation, market volatility and economic unrest. If you have gold in your portfolio, or you’re thinking about adding some of the yellow metal …

The official start of spring is less than a month away, and some homebuyers are already anticipating a busy season. Historically, spring is an active period for home sales, and this year, some positive economic developments may add fuel to the fire. After spending the better part of two years raising interest rates to curb inflation, the Federal Reserve is …

Air Canada is being held responsible for a discount its chatbot mistakenly promised a customer, the Washington Post reported. The airline must refund a passenger, Jake Moffat, who two years ago purchased tickets to attend his grandmother’s funeral, under the belief that if he paid full price, he could later file a claim under the airline’s bereavement policy to receive …

Presidents Day is celebrated in the U.S. on the third Monday of February, a day set aside to commemorate the birthdays of both President George Washington and President Abraham Lincoln. Over the years, the federal holiday has shifted into a commercial event, with many retailers offering sales on Presidents Day to tempt shoppers to open their wallets after the Christmas …

The Biden administration said Monday the government is providing $1.5 billion to the computer chip company GlobalFoundries to expand its domestic production in New York and Vermont. The announcement is the third award of direct financial support for a semiconductor company under the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act.The law enables the government to invest more than $52 billion to revitalize …

It’s officially tax season, and while you technically have until April 15 to file your tax returns, the time is now to hone your strategy. Will you DIY your return or go to a tax professional? Or, maybe, like millions of Americans, you’ll let tax preparation software — like TurboTax, H&R Block, or TaxSlayer — guide the way. Don’t wait …

Another groundbreaking generative artificial intelligence tool from the company behind ChatGPT unveiled Thursday is expected to accelerate the proliferation of deepfake videos and have implications for virtually every industry. Sora, an AI application that takes written prompts and turns them into original videos, is already so powerful that one AI expert says it has him “terrified.” “Generative AI tools are …

When it comes to credit cards and the banks that issue them, bigger is most definitely not better — at least for customers. That’s because small banks and credit unions typically offer far better credit card terms and interest rates than the largest issuers, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said in a new report. In fact, the 25 largest card …

A little-heard-of pesticide linked to infertility in animals is showing up in the overwhelming majority of samples of oat-based foods sold in the United States, including popular cereal brands Quaker Oats and Cheerios. The chemical, chlormequat, was detected in 77 of 96 urine samples taken from 2017 and 2023, with levels increasing in the most recent years, a new study …

Gold has been used as an investmentand a form of currency for hundreds of years — and it offers a number of other unique benefits, too. So, it’s hardly surprising that many investors choose toadd gold to their investment portfolios. However, it’s typically best to purchase assets when prices are low and sell them when prices are high. And, it …