Rafael weakened into a tropical storm overnight,...
Rafael weakened into a tropical storm overnight, with sustained winds of 50 mph on a westerly path away from Florida and is expected to continue to steadily weaken over the next few days, according to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center.
After that, Rafael is expected to meander over the central Gulf of Mexico Sunday into Monday, then turn toward the south or south-southwest by Monday night.
According to the NHC, heavy rainfall indirectly associated with the moisture from Rafael is expected to lead to 3 to 6 inches of rain, with local amounts to 10 inches, across portions of the Upper Texas Coast into Southwest and Central Louisiana through Sunday morning, potentially leading to significant flash flooding.
AI's gas needs usher in new opportunities for pipeline firms
Pipeline companies are stepping up efforts to meet growing demand for...
Pipeline companies are stepping up efforts to meet growing demand for natural gas due to AI and data center expansions. Energy Transfer is fielding numerous connection requests from data centers and power plants, Williams is deeply engaged in discussions about future power needs, while Kinder Morgan sees unprecedented opportunities for gas infrastructure expansion.
Wildfires burn across the Northeast and California. In...
Wildfires burn across the Northeast and California. In Southern California, a wildfire that started Wednesday continued to plow through parts of the state, destroying 132 structures, mostly houses, as firefighters work to contain it. As of yesterday morning, 10,000 people were under evacuation orders in Ventura County. In New Jersey, a 39-acre fire in the Palisades sent smoke into New York City on Friday morning and was 30% contained by the afternoon. Yesterday evening, a brush fire broke out in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park that brought about 100 firefighters to the scene. Hundreds of brushfires have ignited in the Northeast recently as the region deals with the consequences of a supremely dry summer and fall that have left 94% of the region either abnormally dry or in drought, according to the US Drought Monitor.
President-elect Trump included Elon Musk on a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, per the New York Times. It’s not known what they talked about.
US authorities, including the FBI, are investigating racist text messages sent to Black Americans, including children and college students, in the days after the election.
The DOJ charged a man who said he was hired by an Iranian government official to assassinate President-elect Trump prior to the election.
Special Counsel Jack Smith received approval from a federal judge to vacate all pending deadlines for his election interference case against Trump, a sign he’s winding down the case ahead of Trump’s inauguration.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is making moves to revive the NYC congestion pricing plan before Donald Trump takes office.
Oil settles down 2% on receding hurricane risk, lackluster China stimulus
(Reuters)—Oil prices settled more than 2% lower on Friday as traders...
(Reuters)—Oil prices settled more than 2% lower on Friday as traders grew less fearful of prolonged supply disruptions from a hurricane in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, China's latest economic-stimulus packages failed to impress some oil traders.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate futuresled the decline and settled at 70.35 per barrel, down by 2.7%, or $1.98. Global benchmark Brent crude futuresfell by 2.3%, or $1.76, to$73.87 per barrel.
Energy producers shut in more than 23% of oil output in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico by Friday to brace against Hurricane Rafael. However, the latest forecasts on trajectory and intensity reduced the risks Rafael poses to oil production.
"Threats of supply outages due to Hurricane Rafael are subsiding as the storm shifts to circling in the center of the Gulf of Mexico for the next five days or so," Alex Hodes, analyst at brokerage firm StoneX told clients in a note.
The storm, which left a trail of destruction in Cuba this week, had weakened to a Category 2 hurricane on Friday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center's latest advisory.
S&P 500 closes at all-time peak as U.S. stocks book big weekly gains
A momentous week ended Friday with the S&P 500® index (SPX)...
A momentous week ended Friday with the S&P 500® index (SPX) closing just shy of 6,000 and all major indexes up sharply since Tuesday's election and Thursday's Federal Reserve rate cut.
Wall Street's party atmosphere got another boost from falling long-term Treasury yields, volatility, and crude oil prices as election uncertainty dissipated. Consumer discretionary and energy stocks led the way this week on hopes for economic growth under a Republican-controlled Senate and White House, but all 11 S&P sectors posted weekly gains..
Monday is Veterans Day, meaning the Treasury market is closed. However, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) will trade normal hours.
Here's where the major benchmarks ended:
The SPX rose 22.44 points (0.38%) to 5,995.54 to end the week up 4.66%; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® ($DJI) added 259.65 points (0.59%) to 43,988.99 to end the week up 4.61%; and the Nasdaq Composite®($COMP) climbed 17.31 points (0.09%) to 19,286.78 to end the week up 5.74%.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) fell four basis points to 4.31%, but the 2-year yield added three basis points to 4.25%. Shorter-term yields, which are more closely connected to near-term rate policy, gained on longer-term ones this week.
The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) fell to 14.99, near a two-month low.
