Author: Money Mechanics

Oil prices are in the news thanks to the geopolitical conflict unfolding in the Middle East. That’s pushed longer-term trends in the energy sector into the background. But the multi-decade shift from dirtier to cleaner energy sources is still underway. Here are three investments that let you take advantage of that shift in March. TotalEnergies (NYSE: TTE) is an integrated energy giant that will benefit from rising oil and natural gas prices. That’s not very “green,” but the company stands out from its peers in an important way. It is using cash from its carbon fuel operations to build a…

U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON DC 20585 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 10, 2026 U.S. energy market indicators 2025 2026 2027 Brent crude oil spot price (dollars per barrel) $69 $79 $64 Retail gasoline price (dollars per gallon) $3.10 $3.34 $3.18 U.S. crude oil production (million barrels per day) 13.6 13.6 13.8 Natural gas price at Henry Hub (dollars per million British thermal units) $3.53 $3.76 $3.85 U.S. liquefied natural gas gross exports (billion cubic feet per day) …

More downside as interest rates continue to rise. The US 2-Year Treasury is up 9 bps to 3.93%, a level not seen since January ’25. The US 10-Year is also up 9bps to 4.38%, a level we last saw in July ’25. International rates are following, with Canada +9bps, Germany +7bps, the UK +16bps. This appears to be due to inflation fears, as the realization that even if the Iran situation is ended soon, energy markets will likely be in disarray for several months. Higher rates are problematic for the struggling housing market and will add costs to the heavy…

Ekaterina Demidova/Moment via Getty ImagesFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysCompanies are exploring AI agents in multiple ways.Professionals must consider how to exploit these technologies.Measurement, collaboration, and experimentation are key.AI agents will impact every professional role. If your company hasn’t started using agents yet, it will soon, either through off-the-shelf software products or in-house tools that draw on large language models and data sources.Professionals exploring how to use agents in their roles are well-advised to seek best-practice guidance. One such source of information is Joel Hron, CTO at Thomson Reuters Labs, who is helping the information services company…

(World Oil) – Energy and natural resources (ENR) executives remain divided on the pace of the energy transition and the timing of peak oil demand, as policy uncertainty, cost pressures and shifting market dynamics reshape investment strategies, according to Bain & Company’s 2026 industry survey. The survey, which gathered responses from more than 800 executives across oil and gas, utilities, chemicals, mining and agribusiness, highlights a growing divergence in how companies are allocating capital between traditional hydrocarbons and transition-oriented technologies. Despite ongoing decarbonization efforts, most executives still expect global oil demand to rise for at least the next decade. However, views on…

The daily average mortgage rate rose to a six-month high of 6.53% on March 20.  Mortgage rates are jumping because the Iran war is escalating, increasing the likelihood that oil prices will stay higher longer, and because of the Fed’s reaction to it.  News broke on March 20 that the U.S. is sending thousands more troops to the Persian Gulf, pointing to a prolonged conflict and propping up oil prices. A brief spike in oil prices would not affect Fed policy or interest rates significantly; the Fed ignores that kind of inflation because their policy tools don’t impact oil prices.…

Anthropic submitted two sworn declarations to a California federal court late Friday afternoon, pushing back on the Pentagon’s assertion that the AI company poses an “unacceptable risk to national security” and arguing that the government’s case relies on technical misunderstandings and claims that were never actually raised during the months of negotiations that preceded the dispute. The declarations were filed alongside Anthropic’s reply brief in its lawsuit against the Department of Defense and come ahead of a hearing this coming Tuesday, March 24, before Judge Rita Lin in San Francisco. The dispute traces back to late February, when President Trump…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Over the course of my career, I’ve sat across the table from many women at pivotal moments in their lives.Rarely do they come in because they suddenly decided it was time to focus on financial planning. More often, they are there because something changed.The most common financial wake-up calls don’t arrive at a particular birthday or milestone. They happen at life’s inflection points, such as a divorce filing, the death of a spouse, a sudden separation or a serious health diagnosis.Article continues below From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor.…

(Image credit: Getty Images)For much of the past decade, tax planning has felt like planning in a windstorm. Advisers and families alike navigated gusts of shifting exemption amounts, threatened sunsets, temporary provisions and headline-driven anxiety about what Congress might do next.Today, the winds have calmed and the landscape feels steadier, creating an opportunity to plan with purpose.Greater clarity around the estate tax exemption and more predictability in core income tax rules allow families to move from reactive decision-making to deliberate strategy. Stability means the time is right to refine, optimize and refocus.Article continues below From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger…

(Image credit: Getty Images)If you are thinking about selling your home this year, timing could make a bigger difference than you expect.New housing market data points to a key window in mid-April that may give sellers an edge. Listing during this period could lead to stronger buyer demand, higher offers and fewer price cuts compared to other times of the year.There is no perfect week for every seller. But understanding seasonal trends can help you position your home more strategically and potentially walk away with thousands more at closing.Article continues below From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become…