Gas Prices Stay High as Refinery Bottlenecks Bite

Gas and diesel prices are rising again, and the pressure may not fade quickly even if crude oil prices cool off.Chuck Zodda and Mike Armstrong break down why refinery disruptions in the Middle East and Russia are pushing crack spreads to record highs, how tight refined-product supplies are keeping pressure on drivers, and why China’s oil strategy could quickly change the global energy picture. They also discuss how airline credit cards and rewards programs have become a major profit engine, why AI is already reshaping some entry-level jobs, what retirement planning needs to account for before inflation becomes a bigger problem, why more Boomers are buying larger homes instead of downsizing, and why prediction markets may be creating new insider-trading risks.