Author: Money Mechanics

Oil prices have bounced back following President Trump’s  proposed Venezuelan oil sale, as markets are focused on how the bold takeover of the Venezuelan oil industry is putting pressure on other U.S. adversaries as well as a report that showed  OPEC December oil production fell by 100,000 bpd month on month to 28.40 million bpd, led by drops with the issues with Iran and Venezuela.  Not only are we watching the possibility of a 50% tariff bill making its way through the House, which could slap a whopping 500% tariff on any country buying Russian oil potentially cutting off more…

Ohio is a “sweet spot” state for business buyers: big metros, strong logistics corridors, deep manufacturing and healthcare roots, and a steady flow of owner-operator acquisitions. If you’re selling a business in Ohio, the winners usually do three things early: clean up the financials, remove deal friction (tax, licensing, contracts), and run a tight process so buyers compete. Want a realistic sale price range before you talk to buyers? Earned Exits’ valuation tool can help you sanity-check what buyers may pay, based on real market patterns (then you can plan the next steps with clarity). Get a Business Valuation Quick…

Maria Diaz/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET’s key takeawaysUnplugging idle devices can save on power bills.TVs, consoles, coffee makers, and mini-fridges are top culprits.Small daily changes help cut energy waste and lower electricity costs.With costs climbing across the US, energy prices stand out, made worse by record-breaking summer heat and recent waves of scorching temperatures that have affected multiple states. Having endured several of them this season, I’m always looking for ways to reduce energy use.There are many small things you can do to shave dollars off your monthly energy bill, and they go beyond simply…

Yesterday, Pfizer (PFE) delivered something you’ll rarely see: Its March 20 $29 put had the highest unusual options activity on the day with a Vol/OI (volume-to-open-interest) ratio of 210.16, 35% higher than the Alphabet (GOOG) option in second place. Pfizer is one of the most frustrating stocks for bulls. Once upon a time, it was printing money thanks to COVID-19. Now, it can’t get out of the $20s. Its shares are down 59% since the 2021 all-time high of $61.71. For those who don’t own PFE, it’s hard to justify the investment. This is where options come in. As I said, the March…

A cargo ship sits in New York Harbor on Nov. 19, 2025 in New York City. Spencer Plat | Getty ImagesThe Supreme Court did not rule Friday on the legality of broad tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, leaving markets still awaiting a decision poised to have far-reaching impacts on trade policy and the U.S. fiscal situation.There had been speculation that the tariff ruling would be issued on Friday, but the Supreme Court released just one opinion for the day, and it was unrelated to tariffs.It is unclear when the tariff ruling will be released. The court will release its…

The Federal Communications Commission announced Friday that it has given SpaceX approval to launch another 7,500 of its second generation Starlink satellites, for a total of 15,000 satellites worldwide. Beyond simply allowing SpaceX to launch more satellites and expand its high-speed internet coverage, the FCC says its decision also means Starlink satellites can operate across five frequencies and to provide direct-to-cell connectivity outside the United States, along with supplemental coverage in the U.S. Reuters reports that SpaceX had requested approval for an additional 15,000 satellites, but the FCC said it would “defer authorization of the remaining 14,988 proposed Gen2 Starlink…

(BOE Report) – U.S. oil executives being summoned to the White House on Friday to discuss potential investment plans in Venezuela will be carefully weighing the country’s business potential and enthusiasm from President Donald Trump with a more cautious sentiment being expressed by some of their investors. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, speaking at a Goldman Sachs energy conference in Miami this week, repeated a claim from Trump that U.S. oil firms were prepared to spend billions of dollars to rebuild the South American country’s oil economy after U.S. forces removed Nicolás Maduro from power on Saturday. Some energy investors…

Wall Street’s Q4 2025 earnings season begins next week, with major banks like JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:), Citigroup (NYSE:), and Wells Fargo (NYSE:) kicking things off, followed by broader reports through February. With the benchmark S&P 500 sitting at 6,921 on the daily chart, just a fraction below its all-time high of 6,965, investors are now looking to corporate earnings to determine whether the market’s momentum is sustainable. Source: Investing.com Earnings Calendar Highlights: Jan. 13: JPMorgan Chase, Delta Air Lines (NYSE:) Jan. 14: Bank of America (NYSE:), Wells Fargo, Citigroup Jan. 15: Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, BlackRock Jan. 20:Netflix (NASDAQ:), United Airlines (NASDAQ:) Jan. 27: Unitedhealth…

At the January renewals, property catastrophe reinsurance and retrocession markets both saw rate declines in the mid-teens. Most still agree that rate adequacy remains, while attachments stay at their current higher levels, but KBW’s analysts highlight how this may only drive compounding price competition over-time.KBW’s analysts held a panel discussion with experts from the industry to dissect the renewal outcomes and while they don’t quote Howden Re’s David Flandro, Aeolus Capital Management’s Aditya Dutt, or Aon Reinsurance Solutions’ Michael Van Slooten directly, they did provide some insights into the consensus views that emerged during the call. “Overall, the panelists observed…

Selling a business in Michigan can be a huge win, but it is not a “copy/paste” process from other states. Michigan deals often revolve around manufacturing and automotive supply chains, seasonal tourism cash flow, real estate-heavy operations, and a buyer pool that includes both local operators and strategic buyers from outside the state. Whether you are in Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Flint, Kalamazoo, or up north near Traverse City, the best outcomes usually come from getting your numbers clean early, reducing buyer risk, and using the right team for the size of your deal. Want a realistic…