Sign in Subscribe

Money & Finance

Money is less about arithmetic than about belief. It tells stories of security, freedom, and failure, shaping how people measure worth and imagine possibility. Personal finance becomes a mirror of culture, where saving is cast as virtue, debt as shame, and spending as identity. Beneath the advice columns and budget apps, money reflects power, psychology, and trust. It is both deeply personal and entirely collective, a system of value that only works because everyone agrees to pretend it does.

A flat vector illustration of a couple standing next to an older sedan, looking thoughtfully at a new car advertisement, with question marks above their heads symbolizing uncertainty.

When the Fed Sounds Calm and Nervous at the Same Time

I was making coffee when a headline crawled across the TV: Fed cuts rates by 0.25%, and Powell says there's 'no risk-free path.' In one line you get a green light and a warning sign nailed to the same post. Lower rates are supposed to

An illustration depicting a circular feedback loop where rising prices lead to money inflow, and falling prices lead to money outflow.

What BlackRock’s Bitcoin Exodus Actually Tells You

If you really want to know what someone believes, don't bother with their tweets. Just watch for when they actually press the “sell” button. In November, investors pulled roughly $2.2 billion from BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust — the big spot bitcoin ETF, you know, the one

An illustration of a person contemplating career moves while reading a headline about a vulnerable labor market.

When a Fed President Sounds Nervous, Hiring Managers Flinch

Mary Daly’s public worry about a “vulnerable” labor market isn’t abstract. It gives executives cover to slow hiring, tightens workers’ bargaining power, and shows up next month as quiet freezes and hesitations in real hiring rooms.

An illustration of a large arrow first pointing up and then sharply reversing to point down.

The $2.2 Billion Bitcoin Exit Isn’t About Price. It’s About the Herd.

When CNBC reported a “record exodus” from BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, the news had already been all over X (formerly Twitter) for a while. The internet was full of screenshots from a FactSet chart, showing lots of red bars that looked like a panic-filled barcode. A huge caption screamed,

An illustration of a fast-food franchise owner looking stressed while examining finances in a kitchen setting.

The Five Dollar Desperation Play

I watched a man count out change for a McDouble last week. Quarters, dimes, and nickels spread across the counter as the line behind him shifted from foot to foot. The cashier waited, steady as a rock. Twenty years ago, that same guy would have flashed a twenty and told

An illustration of a chess board with a large rook piece dominating smaller pawn pieces, symbolizing the bank's strategic advantage over fintechs.

JPMorgan’s Quiet Checkmate on Fintech Data

Power rarely announces itself. It slips in quietly, rewrites the rules, and sends you a fresh bill. That's what JPMorgan Chase did in its long clash with fintech firms over access to customer data. CNBC reports that the bank has now struck deals that ensure it gets paid