Hotter temperatures in Texas are expected to set new all-time highs for energy use in the month of May, sending electricity prices spiking higher. The state’s grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), predicted demand would jump from 57,486 megawatts on Friday to 71,893 MW on Monday, 72,725 MW on Tuesday, and 74,346 MW on May 24, according to Reuters. The coming week could see demand topple the current record for May of 71,645 MW set in 2022, while still trailing the all-time high of 85,508 MW set on Aug. 10, 2023. That’s as weather forecasts for top cities like…
Author: insighter
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to make a key decision on approving ether exchange-traded funds next week. But it will likely fail due to a lack of an over-arching regulatory framework for all cryptocurrencies, according to Ric Edelman, head of the Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals. “I think that there’s going to be another delay, which is frankly, not really bad news,” Edelman told CNBC’s “ETF Edge” this week. Edelman, an investor and personal finance author, thinks there needs to be an emphasis on regulations to protect people from crypto scams. He notes current laws are…
If you are a frequent traveler, anything that improves the airport experience is worth exploring, especially if that means spending less time waiting in line at airport security. The Transportation Security Administration runs TSA PreCheck, which can be a huge time saver, but there’s another option as well: Clear. The difference between TSA PreCheck and Clear is that PreCheck helps speed through the physical screening portion of airport security. TSA PreCheck members don’t need to remove their shoes or electronics from their bags, but they’ll still have to wait in line to show their ID. Clear, on the other hand,…
Ordini’s Best Fiberglass Pools contractors work to install a pool, which the company says have dramatically increased in sales due to COVID-19 fears, in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania, April 26, 2021. Rachel Wisniewski | Reuters Americans are kicking the can down the road on some more-costly, traditionally financed purchases as elevated inflation and interest rates bite. Corporate executives this earnings season have lamented that customers are disinterested in shelling out on big-ticket items for their bedrooms, backyards and everywhere in between. It comes at a pivotal moment for the national economy: the average Joe has been contending with a double-whammy of high…
Tiny toys are a big business in China. So big, in fact, they’ve propelled one Beijing-based company to a staggering $6.3 billion valuation, and made its founder a billionaire three times over. Pop Mart, founded in 2010 by now 37-year-old Wang Ning, has kickstarted a mystery-toy boom in China. The company’s “blind boxes” conceal the exact design of a figurine until it’s opened. Shoppers choose between colorful boxes promising one of 12 designs—and depending on what they find inside, go back for more. In 2021, blind boxes overtook assembly toys to become the largest pop toy segment in China, according…
Ascend Hotel Collection is part of the Choice Hotels International family and represents a series of boutique and luxury hotels, the top tier of the Choice brand. Those who collect Choice Privileges points may find that these hotels are often an ideal choice when making a redemption since they have a higher profile than other hotels in the Choice portfolio. If you are looking for a top hotel in the Ascend Collection, there are several options worth exploring. What is the Ascend Collection? Ascend Collection hotels deliver the same brand promise as other Choice hotels properties but offer a one-of-a-kind…
Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers prepares to take a snap in the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs0 during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Michael Reaves | Getty Images Media giants relied on sports last year when they had to woo advertisers during the Upfronts meeting week at a time when a Hollywood strike and cost cutting bit into their content and star power. This year, while stars once again graced the stages following the end of the strikes, the presentations still leaned more on sports than…
La próxima vez que planifique unas vacaciones, una tarjeta de crédito (en inglés) para viajes podría cubrir algunos o todos los costos si ofrece los incentivos adecuados. Por lo general, las tarjetas con cuotas anuales más altas brindan más valor con ventajas como recompensas continuas, equipaje facturado gratis, acceso a las salas VIP del aeropuerto u otros beneficios. Pero incluso las tarjetas con cuotas anuales bajas o nulas permiten ganar algún valor para viajar, si puede calificar. Por lo general, estas tarjetas requieren que tenga un buen crédito (puntuaciones de 690 o más) e incluso, si es elegible, no vale…
There’s much to be said about playing the part for the job you want, not the job you have—especially if you’re young and worried about appearing too youthful for a promotion or senior ranking. Brian Fenty would know. While the average Fortune 500 CEO is over 57 years old, he took TodayTix’s helm in 2017 at just 31. Under his leadership, the theatre ticketing platform has partnered with Netflix for a live production of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, acquired Secret Cinema and Goldstar, and now reaches over 25 million users on the app. Although Fenty says he initially struggled with…
Jason Alexander as George Costanza. Maria McCarty | NBCU Photo Bank | NBCUniversal | Getty Images Yada, yada, yada, this cryptocurrency crook isn’t laughing now. A New York man swindled more than $1.3 million from friends, neighbors and investors by among other things getting them to invest in bogus real estate projects involving a company named after a joke in the classic TV comedy “Seinfeld,” and a fictitious cryptocurrency, federal prosecutors said Friday. Thomas John Sfraga, 55, from 2019 through 2022 “held himself out as the owner and principal of multiple businesses, including Vandelay Contracting Corp. and Build Strong Homes…
How to use this calculator Enter your loan amount. Payday loans are typically $500 or less, but some lenders offer larger amounts. Try to borrow only the amount you need to avoid paying unnecessary fees. Add up the fees. Payday lenders usually charge a flat fee of $10 to $30 for every $100 borrowed on your first loan. A lender may also charge fees for rolling over the loan, late payments and having the money loaded onto a prepaid debit card (more on fees below). Enter your repayment term. Payday loan terms are usually between two weeks and a month.…
Volkswagen AG’s all-in on electric vehicles plan is no more. The namesake VW brand, which pitched its ID family of electric cars as central to its future, admitted last week it will need more plug-in hybrids as EV sales decelerate. This marks just the latest adjustment VW has made to its electrification strategy after the company botched several model releases and fell behind in China, where local brands now dominate. The manufacturer has also shelved efforts to seek outside investors for its battery unit and scrapped plans for a €2 billion ($2.2 billion) EV factory in Germany. In fact, the automaker is selling so many cars still running on combustion engines that it’s on track to overshoot…