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Record $9.6M fine for Third Coast after substantial oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico

(AP) — Pipeline safety regulators on Monday assessed their largest fine ever against the company responsible for leaking 1.1 million gallons of oil into the Gulf off the coast of Louisiana in 2023. But the $9.6 million fine isn’t likely to be a major burden for Third Coast to pay. This single fine is close to the normal total of $8 million to $10 million in all fines that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration hands out each year. But Third Coast has a stake in some 1,900 miles of pipelines, and in September, the Houston-based company announced that it had ...

Wall Street gains ground as crude prices and oil company stocks rise

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks gained ground on Wall Street Monday to kick off their first full week of the new year. The gains were broad, with particularly big jumps for energy companies and banks. Elsewhere, industrial companies and retailers joined in to help boost major indexes. The S&P 500 rose 43.58 points, or 0.6%, to 6,902.05. The benchmark index is just below its record set in late December. The Dow Jones Industrial Average set a record, rising 594.79 points, or 1.2%, to 48,977.18. The Nasdaq composite rose 160.19 points, or 0.7%, to 23,395.82. Smaller company stocks had a ...

Last year’s odd economy in five charts, and what to watch for in 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — The economy in 2025 was filled with contradictions, as growth was healthy while hiring slowed, inflation stayed elevated and unemployment rose. Last year’s odd outcomes raise a host of questions for the upcoming year: Will a growing economy eventually boost the sluggish job market? Or are last year’s weak job gains a sign of a stumbling economy that could get worse? There is another uncomfortable possibility: The economy could keep growing without much hiring, as technology — particularly artificial intelligence — enables more companies to step up their ...

Stocks waver as 2025 winds down while gold and silver rise

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks wavered in afternoon trading on Wall Street Tuesday as 2025 nudges closer to the finish line. The S&P 500 was mostly unchanged. The benchmark index is still on track for a gain of more than 17% for the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 78 points, or 0.2%, as of 2:55 p.m. Eastern. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. The biggest weights on the market remained technology companies, especially those focused on advancements for artificial intelligence. Nvidia and Apple wobbled between small losses and breaking even. Both companies have outsized values ...

Stocks slip on Wall Street as 2025 comes to a close

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks slipped in quiet trading on Wall Street Monday to kick off another holiday-shortened week. The losses have little impact on the broader annual gains for major indexes as they close out their final days of the year. There are two trading days left before the year ends. Markets in the U.S. will be closed Thursday for New Year’s Day. The S&P 500 fell 24.20 points, or 0.3%, to 6,905.74. The benchmark index is still up more than 17% for the year and it remains on track for its eighth monthly gain in a row. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 249.04 points, ...

How to build an emergency fund, pay off debt and make a plan for your money in 2026

NEW YORK (AP) — The start of a new year usually brings new motivation to achieve goals like eating healthier or finally cleaning your basement. Many resolutions also focus on financial goals, such as paying off credit card debt, saving for a new house, or simply getting more educated about money. When building your goals for 2026, Erica Grundza, certified financial planner at Betterment, an investing and savings app, recommends focusing less on the past and more on an optimistic, yet realistic, vision for the future. She recommends that you focus on reestablishing the “why” ...