Author: Money Mechanics

(Oil & Gas 360) – Publisher’s Note: SM Energy will present at EneCom Denver – The Energy Investment Conference at the Westin Downtown, August 17-19, 2026.  Register to attend.  (World Oil) – SM Energy Company has completed the sale of certain South Texas assets for $950 million, advancing the company’s broader portfolio repositioning strategy. The transaction delivers approximately $900 million in net proceeds and represents a major step toward SM Energy’s goal of exceeding $1 billion in asset divestitures. The company said the move is aimed at strengthening its balance sheet and optimizing its asset base. “The closing of our South Texas asset sale marks decisive progress on our 2026 strategic…

In the past, we’ve highlighted the worrying trend of the declining number of listed companies. So, we thought it was worth highlighting a recent staff report from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that also focuses on this issue and the value of going public.The report is full of data and information, but we summarize key findings below.Decline in public companies entirely due to fewer small companiesThe SEC’s data shows that the number of publicly listed companies has nearly halved since 2000. But the insight they add is that this is entirely due to fewer “small” companies (market cap of less than $250 million). In 2000, some 4,000 of the more than 6,000 listed companies were small (66%).Now, there are just 1,200 small companies, out of 3,500 listed companies (34%).Some of this is due to inflation since the $250 million threshold is nominal. Adjusting for…

California resident Edwin Castro is the biggest lottery winner of all time, after hitting a $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot in 2022. But would he be liable under a proposed California law to tax the wealth of billionaires?The answer, it turns out, is complicated and far from clear. But Castro’s case highlights the difficulty of pinpointing a taxpayer’s net worth with precision under the proposed new law, which has a complex approach to valuing real estate holdings.When Castro hit the Powerball jackpot, he opted for the lump-sum payment of $997.6 million. After paying federal taxes at the top marginal rate of…

U.S. jobs report, ISM PMI survey, and more AI-linked tech earnings will be in focus this week. Palantir is poised to deliver eye‑popping growth as demand for its AI‑driven platforms surges. Disney faces headwinds as investors scrutinize streaming profitability and park trends. U.S. stocks ended higher on Friday, with the and the Nasdaq reaching new record peaks as investors assessed signs of progress in U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks, while a surge in Apple shares added further support. Source: Investing.com For the week, the S&P ended up 0.9%, while the Nasdaq and the small-cap rose 1.1% and 0.9% respectively. The recorded a…

The acclaimed Apple TV series “Widow’s Bay” has become the latest streaming sensation to captivate viewers and critics alike—earning rave reviews across the board, thanks to its witty dialog and dark, eerie undertones.Starring Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn, and Stephen Root, the series, which premiered on April 29, is set in a fictional New England town for which the show is named, and focuses on the efforts of the local mayor, Tom Loftis, to turn the quaint locale into “the next Martha’s Vineyard.”Yet Loftis, who is portrayed by Rhys, runs into one major hurdle in his scheme: Widow’s Bay, while both…

Is FRSH a good stock to buy? We came across a bullish thesis on Freshworks Inc. on Valueinvestorsclub.com by Wells. In this article, we will summarize the bulls’ thesis on FRSH. Freshworks Inc.’s share was trading at $8.29 as of April 28th. FRSH’s trailing and forward P/E were 13.16 and 14.79 respectively according to Yahoo Finance. Sprout Social (SPT) Beats Q4 Expectations but Weak Guidance and Slowing Growth Weigh on Outlook Freshworks Inc., a software development company, provides software-as-a-service products in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. FRSH is positioned as a deeply discounted beneficiary of…

In-brief analysis April 24, 2026 Data source: Intercontinental Exchange, Thomson Reuters The Dated Brent spot price increased to a premium of more than $25 per barrel (b) compared with the front-month Brent futures contract in early April. Brent crude oil price benchmarks are widely used by commodities traders, financial market participants, economists, and others to assess changes in global petroleum prices more broadly. High Brent backwardation along the lines of what we’ve seen in recent weeks likely reflects extreme market tightness in the very short term since the closure of the…

Wise men say only fools rush in, but now big oil can’t help falling in love with Venezuela. Oh sure—after the experts scoffed at President Trump’s call to invest in Venezuela, they are now knocking down the doors, or at least taking a second look at, to get in as the progress being made in the country with the biggest proven oil reserves on the planet, not to mention gold and rare earth minerals is looking too good to ignore. This is good to keep in mind because the naysayers trying to paint Operation Epic Fury as a flop are…

A one-of-a-kind Georgian manor located just 20 minutes from Richmond, VA, has found a buyer after just two days on the market.Known as Walnut Hill Farm, the Greek Revival–influenced home was listed in April for $4.25 million and offers more than 6,500 square feet of interior living space defined by its historic character and craftsmanship.Set amid the rolling countryside in western Hanover County, the five-bedroom home was completed in 1954 for celebrated Richmond philanthropists J. Harwood and Louise Cochrane. It was comprehensively renovated by its current owners in 2023.The property encompasses 40 acres.Realtor.comThe 6,500 square foot homeRealtor.comViews from the front…

pros and cons Pros Simple, no-fuss gadget.Reboots every 24 hours.No apps, buttons, or settings. Cons No option to change reboot interval.No indication of how long until it reboots.Only one DC jack size. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.It’s a fact of life that consumer-grade routers can be a bit… rubbish. Sure, you can solve many of your internet-related woes by buying a bunch of high-end gear and then connecting to a high-speed internet pipe, but most people don’t have the cash or inclination to do that. Most people just want their reels to load faster.Also: I retested Apple AirTags…