Author: Money Mechanics

Straight Talk may not offer specific senior phone plans, but the prepaid mobile service provider may be an appealing option for seniors.When you sign up for Straight Talk, you pay for a 30-day phone plan. There are no long-term contracts, and the plans are simple and straightforward. Straight Talk is owned by Verizon, so the plans operate on Verizon’s networks. The mobile provider offers everything from basic, affordable single-line plans to plans that include perks like high-speed and hotspot data.Let’s take a look at how Straight Talk’s plans stack up against senior phone plans from other providers. From just $107.88…

If you think inflation means stores are dropping prices to win consumers back, think again. One of America’s historic footwear giant is actually betting on higher-priced products, and closing stores at your local malls. The way we buy shoes has radically transformed. Stiff dress shoes have been replaced by versatile comfort, according to the US Men’s and Women’s Footwear Market Report. But keeping up with changing fashion trends is no longer the hardest part of the game. Today, legacy retailers face intense pressure from tariffs, inflation, and shifting consumer preferences. As McKinsey and Company’s The State of Fashion 2026 report…

Expenditures by foreign direct investors to acquire, establish, or expand U.S. businesses totaled $232.2 billion in 2025, according to preliminary statistics released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Expenditures increased $76.8 billion, or 49.5 percent, from 2024 levels.  As in previous years, acquisitions of existing U.S. businesses accounted for most of the expenditures.Acquisition expenditures in 2025 were $218.4 billion, expenditures to establish new U.S. businesses were $4.6 billion, and expenditures to expand existing foreign-owned businesses were $9.2 billion. Planned total expenditures, which include both first-year and planned future expenditures, were $284.5 billion.Employment in 2025 at newly acquired, established,…

In-brief analysis June 8, 2026 Weekly estimates suggest U.S. jet fuel production has increased to record highs in response to elevated jet fuel prices after the Strait of Hormuz closed on February 28. Higher crude oil prices and supply concerns, particularly in Europe and Asia, which previously imported much of their jet fuel supply from the Persian Gulf, have driven up jet fuel prices. Much of the increased U.S. jet fuel production is being exported, as domestic inventories remain above average. U.S. jet fuel production has increased since February 28 when the four-week average…

While the worst is probably over for the monthly CPI prints, the real question going forward is ‘how much better does it get?’ We know that energy prices will eventually retreat, but even if they merely flatline they will stop flattering headline CPI. But where does core and more importantly median CPI settle in? That’s the real question. For now, we just have one more month of data so let’s dig in. The economist surveys had CPI at +0.51% headline and +0.27% core. The inflation swaps market was in roughly the same place, with +0.66% NSA the last trade. The…

Inflation accelerated in May as rising energy costs contributed to pain for consumers, though underlying pressures were less intense.The consumer price index, a broad gauge of goods and services costs across the U.S. economy, rose at a seasonally adjusted 0.5% for the month, putting the annual inflation rate at 4.2%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday. Both numbers were in line with the Dow Jones consensus though the monthly number was 0.1 percentage point below the April reading.Inflation climbed above 4% for the first time in three years, though the increase met expectations amid concerns over how much the…

First Tesla, then Ford, and now GM — it seems every automaker wants a slice of the energy storage market. It’s easy to see why. While EV sales have stagnated in the United States, sales of large, stationary batteries have doubled in the past two years. And they show no signs of stopping. Despite incentives being gutted in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Solar Energy Industries Association expects annual installations to exceed 110 GWh per year by 2030, about double what they are today. “There’s a lot of potential for this market,” Kurt Kelty, vice president of battery and…

(World Oil) – APA Corporation has agreed to acquire Savant Alaska, LLC in a deal that will give the company control of key production and transportation infrastructure supporting its growing position on Alaska’s eastern North Slope.   The transaction includes approximately $70 million in upfront consideration, plus contingent payments tied to future development activities. APA said the acquisition is expected to improve development flexibility, accelerate project timelines and reduce future development costs across its Alaska portfolio. Among the assets included are the Badami production facility, which has a nameplate capacity of approximately 40,000 bopd, and the Nutaaq Pipeline, an 80,000-bopd system that connects…

Molten Ventures (LON:GROW) said portfolio fair value growth accelerated during the year, while management pointed to defense, space, artificial intelligence and European technology sovereignty as major structural themes shaping its investment strategy. Chief Executive Ben Wilkinson told investors that Europe remains a major generator of intellectual property and that a “structural gap to capital” persists in the growth-stage market, particularly for larger investment tickets of £20 million or more. He said Molten’s strategy is to grow both its public company balance sheet and third-party assets to address that gap. Wilkinson also highlighted the growing opportunity in secondary transactions as companies…

Article published at 9:10 a.m. CTJJ Kinahan is Senior Vice President, Head of Retail Expansion and Alternative Investment Products at Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe).Key Takeaways:Iran peace deal at stake againInflation hits three-year highInvestors worry about tech runupStock futures were solidly in the red in premarket trading today as investors negotiate a bevy of cross currents that include geopolitical tensions in Iran, rising Treasury notes and what looks to be another collapse in the technology sector.Fears were stoked after President Trump said in an early morning social media missive that Iran will have “to pay the price” because a deal…