Author: Money Mechanics

(Oil and Gas 360) – Energy Advisors is providing continuing research as events unfold at Coterra Energy in response to pressure from activist Kimmeridge. Earlier in our report“ The Debate Begins” we looked what a merger between Coterra and Devon would look like. Imagine a Super Independent with 1.6 MMBoepd. Amazingly these volumes would exceed US volumes of Conoco Lower 48 (1.5 MMboepd), EOG (1.3 MMboepd), OXY US (1.2 MMboepd), Diamondback (0.9 MMboepd). And >50% would be in the Delaware Basin and setup a leader with room to execute further consolidation in the Delaware. Our latest is The Debate Continues which looks at…

Old‑School Networks, Modern Market Abuse The Bursa remisier manipulation case is a reminder that market abuse isn’t always high-tech or high-speed. Sometimes it comes from something much more old-school, like a human distribution network capable of coordinating retail accounts in a way that manufactures demand, shapes price action and creates the illusion of genuine market interest. January 2026 Capital Markets Regulatory Updates22 January 2026: The Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) released its 2026 Business Plan outlining its commitment to strengthening Bermuda’s regulatory framework through technology‑driven innovation, enhanced transparency and governance, sustainability initiatives, prudent oversight of AI, global regulatory collaboration and improved industry readiness20…

KEY TAKEAWAY The IRS is moving away from paper refund checks this year, and is asking all taxpayers to include their direct deposit information on their 2025 tax returns.Taxpayers who don’t include their bank information or report it incorrectly will have their refunds held until they correct it.Taxpayers can still request a paper check, but that will delay their refund. The IRS is asking all taxpayers to include their bank account information on their 2025 tax returns. Failing to do so could delay any refund this year. Starting in the 2026 filing season, the IRS is transitioning away from paper…

Key Takeaways Tesla this week detailed how many active subscriptions to its “FSD” self-driving software product it has for the first time. The number is important to Tesla, but also CEO Elon Musk, whose pay is in part tied to whether the company can get it to 10 million from around 1 million at present. Is Tesla’s self-driving software selling? Investors can now see for themselves. The EVs-and-more company last night reported its latest financial results, sharing news that has the shares drooping on a down day for stocks. Tesla (TSLA) also shared a number of updates on changes to…

KEY TAKEAWAYS An IRS watchdog organization warned that taxpayers who struggle to navigate tax law changes may face delays this filing season.Changes to the tax law and the introduction of new tax breaks from the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” Act are expected to lead to more errors in tax returns and calls to the IRS customer service.Yet, with the tax agency’s significant layoffs and numerous leadership changes in 2025, IRS agents may be overwhelmed. Changes in tax law and significant layoffs at the IRS may result in delays for some taxpayers this filing season. The Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent…

When most people hear “529 plan,” they immediately think of college savings. While that is the primary purpose of these accounts, recent rule changes have expanded how families can use 529 plans. These changes have opened the door for a surprising and powerful secondary benefit: jump-starting a child’s retirement savings.How a 529 Plan Can Help a Child Save for RetirementgettyAt its core, a 529 plan is a tax-advantaged investment account designed for education expenses. Contributions grow tax-deferred, and withdrawals used for qualified education costs are tax-free at the federal level. Historically, one of the biggest hesitations families had about funding…

Key Takeaways Some strategists think gold prices could theoretically rise more than 50% from current levels, which as of late Thursday were well above $5,400 an ounce.A measure of investor appetite for gold: The metal has outperformed bitcoin over five years. Gold is looking more and more like the new bitcoin. While bitcoin was dubbed “digital gold,” it’s analog gold that has seen its price mostly go up these days. Meanwhile bitcoin—after doing little for weeks—on Thursday slid almost 7% to below $84,000, its lowest point since November, according to Messari. It’s likely that gold, which today fell in morning…

Key Takeaways President Donald Trump has said he wants to make housing more affordable without causing significant declines in home values.Economists said Trump seems focused on lowering mortgage rates, not housing prices.They questioned whether a strategy focused on lower borrowing costs would significantly address affordability issues. When President Donald Trump has talked about his recent proposals to make housing more affordable, he’s focused on one particular cost: mortgage rates. He also made clear that he doesn’t want to hurt housing prices. It’s part of an effort to make homeownership more affordable without driving down housing values.  “I am very protective…

Key Takeaways Caterpillar shares rose to close at a record high on Thursday, as the company’s fourth-quarter results topped estimates.Demand for equipment and construction machinery to build out AI data centers has boosted Caterpillar’s results in recent quarters. America’s construction and farming equipment giant Caterpillar has become a big beneficiary of the AI boom. Shares of Caterpillar (CAT) climbed 3.4% to close at a record high above $665 Thursday, after the company posted quarterly results that topped estimates, thanks in part to strong demand for machinery and equipment to build out AI data centers. The latest gains extend a blistering…

(Image credit: Getty Images)The main U.S. equity indexes recovered from their morning lows during another volatile trading session on Thursday. One big question drove price action, as investors, traders and speculators wonder when hyperscalers will start to see real payoffs from their recent spending sprees.Tech stocks were the worst-performing group among the 11 official sectors, suffering under the weight of artificial intelligence expectations. Energy stocks, on the other hand, posted a collective gain of more than 1%, lifted by the AI boom.A day after the first Fed meeting of 2026, federal funds rate futures pricing indicates markets don’t expect another…