Money, Wealth & Power—A Daily Look at the Financial World
Hiring in the United States is losing momentum just as the jobless rate edges toward its highest level in roughly four years, a combination that signals a cooler but still contested labor market. The latest federal report shows only modest payroll gains alongside an unemployment rate that, while slightly lower than a month earlier, remains…
Artificial intelligence is no longer nibbling at the edges of office work, it is starting to carve out entire categories of white-collar labor. Analysts now warn that as many as 5 million white-collar jobs could effectively vanish as companies automate routine decision making, reporting, and customer interaction. The same technologies that generate marketing copy, summarize…
After two years of sticker shock in the supermarket aisle, President Donald Trump’s decision to roll back some food tariffs has raised hopes that grocery bills will finally ease. The political promise is simple: cut trade taxes, and shoppers should see cheaper milk, meat, coffee and produce. The reality, according to economists and industry data,…
Wall Street is sketching out a bullish script for 2026, arguing that a powerful economic expansion could lift stocks even as President Donald Trump keeps tariffs in place. The narrative hinges on a familiar idea, that a “perfect” mix of growth, earnings and policy support will extend the bull market, but the pattern is already…
The Federal Reserve spent 2025 pivoting from peak tightening toward a gentler path, but it did so with visible hesitation and a constant eye on inflation. The pattern of rate decisions, speeches and internal projections over the year now offers a clearer map of where policy is likely headed in 2026 and beyond. Taken together,…
The United States has just delivered one of its sharpest trade surprises since the financial crisis, with the trade gap narrowing to its smallest level since 2009. The October deficit in goods and services fell to roughly $29.4 billion, a swing that caught many forecasters off guard and instantly reignited debate over tariffs, global demand,…
Chevron has quietly turned Venezuela into one of its busiest export hubs again, loading crude onto tankers at the fastest clip in months as storage tanks fill and buyers line up. The acceleration reflects both a scramble to clear backed up barrels and a calculated bet that Venezuelan supply will remain a sanctioned but tolerated…
President Donald Trump is moving aggressively to lock up Venezuela’s vast oil reserves just as the country’s biggest customer, China, accelerates its shift toward electric vehicles and cleaner energy. The result is a high-stakes bet that barrels from the Orinoco Belt will still matter in a world where demand growth is already tilting away from…
Gavin Newsom is entering his final year as governor of California with a stark warning about inequality and political stability, arguing that concentrated wealth threatens the health of democratic systems. At the same time, he is rolling out a 2026–27 budget blueprint that he casts as a practical test of that philosophy, pairing redistribution-minded rhetoric…
Investors heading into the heart of 2026 are trying to read whether a second Trump term will end with another year of gains or a painful break in the bull market. History does not offer certainty, but it does provide a set of signals that have repeatedly lined up with big drawdowns. I see three…