Author: Money Mechanics

Chris Lehane is one of the best in the business at making bad news disappear. Al Gore’s press secretary during the Clinton years, Airbnb’s chief crisis manager through every regulatory nightmare from here to Brussels – Lehane knows how to spin. Now he’s two years into what might be his most impossible gig yet: as OpenAI’s VP of global policy, his job is to convince the world that OpenAI genuinely gives a damn about democratizing artificial intelligence while the company increasingly behaves like, well, every other tech giant that’s ever claimed to be different. I had 20 minutes with him…

Key Takeaways Nvidia shares hovered near their all-time highs Friday after setting a string of records this week on optimism about artificial intelligence demand.The shares recently broke out from a flag pattern on Thursday, signaling potential upside above the stock’s recent trading range.The measured move technique forecasts a price target of $204, while bars pattern analysis projects a potential move up to $255.Investors should watch major support levels on Nvidia’s chart around $184 and $165. Nvidia (NVDA) shares hovered near their all-time highs Friday after setting a string of records earlier this week on optimism about the artificial intelligence trade.…

(Oil Price)– China vowed on Friday to protect the rights and interests of Chinese companies after the U.S. unleashed on Thursday a new sanctions package on Chinese entities for importing crude oil from Iran. The U.S. Treasury on Thursday blacklisted around 100 individuals, vessels, and companies—including China’s Shandong Jincheng Petrochemical Group, a Shandong teapot refinery accused of buying millions of barrels of Iranian crude since 2023. Also sanctioned were the Rizhao Shihua Crude Oil Terminal at Lanshan Port, accused of handling Iran’s “shadow fleet” tankers—like the Kongm, Big Mag, and Voy—that quietly move sanctioned barrels across Asia. In response to a question…

Key Takeaways The major U.S. equities indexes dropped Friday afternoon, wiping out early gains after President Trump threatened “massive” tariffs against China. Advanced Micro Devices and other chip stocks were among the S&P 500’s biggest decliners following the news. PepsiCo shares added to yesterday’s gains after the soft drink and snacks maker posted better-than-expected results. The major U.S. equities indexes dropped sharply Friday afternoon, wiping out early gains after President Trump threatened “massive” tariffs on Chinese goods in response to China’s move to tighten rare earths export curbs. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all lost over 1%. China is a…

Key Takeaways Levi Strauss warned that tariffs will negatively affect its results in the fourth quarter.The jeans maker said fourth-quarter gross margin would fall and issued a projection for adjusted earnings per share that came in below Wall Street forecasts.The outlook offset solid third-quarter results on the top and bottom lines. Levi Strauss (LEVI) shares dropped as the jeans maker gave a muted current-quarter outlook because of the impact of tariffs. CFO Harmit Singh told analysts on the company’s third-quarter earnings call that management expects a 100 basis point drop in fourth-quarter gross margin because of the new duties and…

Key Takeaways In contrast to most financial advisors, Munger called wide diversification “protection against ignorance,” useful only when you don’t have conviction.  Holding too many positions, he argued, can raise costs, blunt big winners, and still leave you exposed to market shocks. Munger advocated a balanced approach—owning a few great companies plus low-cost index funds—that can capture upside without unnecessary clutter. But he said “know-nothing” investors—which is most people—should rely on broad market index funds. Diversification is almost a sacred word when it comes to investing, but the late Charlie Munger—Warren Buffett’s longtime partner at Berkshire Hathaway—argued that some investors…

Key Takeaways The Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index for October inched down from September as respondents to the survey raised few worries about the ongoing government shutdown.However, worries about the labor market pushed the measure to its lowest since May. The government may be shut down, but consumers hardly noticed in early October. The Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index came in at 55.0 in the preliminary October reading for the closely followed survey, a tick lower than the September final reading of 55.1. Still, it’s the lowest sentiment reading since May, when consumers reacted to President Donald Trump’s tariff announcements. Economists surveyed…

Key Takeaways U.S. banks’ earnings announcements begin next week, and their results could help investors get a feel for how the economy is doing.Analysts expect banks remained financially strong in the most recent quarter, thanks in part to resilient consumers and businesses.Bank executives are optimistic, buoyed by strong stock market performance, steady consumer spending, and a rebound in IPOs and corporate dealmaking. However, analysts said that could change if the economy takes a turn. With a government shutdown forcing a data blackout, the upcoming U.S. bank earnings season will let investors gauge the economy’s health. Big banks such as JPMorgan…

When a trucking company shuts down, it usually has a wind-down period when it delivers any remaining loads in its possession. Not doing so leaves thousands of people in limbo, since they don’t know whether their orders will ever arrive. The problem can be even worse when items being delivered have an expiration date or might otherwise become less valuable, or even worthless, if they sit. In some cases, items in mid-transit become an even bigger hassle, as customers have paid for the delivery, but whoever ends up owning the assets of the bankrupt freight company has no obligation to…

In a recent article, global broker Aon has highlighted that the continued growth of alternative capital sources is enabling more efficient risk management by bringing solutions closer with underlying risks.Aon suggests that risk buyers can more readily access these alternative capital sources through a risk capital strategy approach, which can help diversify exposures and enhance resilience, allowing businesses to make the most of favourable market conditions. Moreover, a risk capital strategy combines traditional risk transfer with alternatives such as reinsurance, structured solutions, parametrics, captives, and insurance-linked securities. These alternative risk transfer methods provide companies with direct access to capital, enabling…