Germany, France Hold Secret Talks On Continental Nuclear Shield In Pivot From US

Diesel Surges Above $8 In San Fran As Gulf Shock Exposes California's Disastrous Policies The Gulf energy shock is exposing the consequences of California’s economic mismanagement under the state’s one-party rule of Democratic kings and queens. Years of failed "green" policies, regulatory overreach, high taxes, endless environmental mandates, and heavy reliance on Asian refineries have transformed California into an energy island highly vulnerable to global fuel shocks, with San Francisco becoming the first U.S. city on Saturday to top $8 a gallon for diesel. "For the first time ever, GasBuddy...

Conference Board Confidence Unexpectedly Jumped Amid War In March Despite war (and rising gas prices) now on respondents' minds (the survey period for preliminary results was March 1 to 24), it is perhaps surprising that The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence rose more than expected in March (from 91.0 to 91.8), considerably better than the 87.9 expected. Even more intriguing, the Present Situation rose from 120.0 to 123.3 (118 exp) while Expectations fell from 72.0 to 70.9 (68.4 exp) Source: Bloomberg Among demographic groups, confidence on a six-month moving average basis continued to moderate...

According to Oxford Economics, an independent economic advisory firm, in late March the price of the two main fertilizer ingredients, ammonia and urea, spiked 20% and 50% respectively in response to disruptions in the Persian Gulf. Now that Iran has established a blockade and tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz in response to the United States […]