Investing May 2, 2026 0 Comments

Unlocking the Hidden Secrets of a Sunny Weekend: What Most Entrepreneurs Miss That Could Skyrocket Your Success

Oil prices are playing a wild game of hopscotch, bouncing up and down with every fiery tweet and ominous statement from the Iran conflict — but here’s the kicker: the trend’s pointing stubbornly skyward. That’s not just numbers on a screen; it’s real-world heat turned up on industries that gulp energy like it’s going out of style — and on the very grid powering our lives. Remember back in 2022 when LNG was hailed as the knight in shining armor, the savior to ditch Russian gas? Well, turns out the Strait of Hormuz bottleneck is the thorn in that plan’s side, juggling a fifth of all LNG exports. So with the UAE’s surprise exit from OPEC (yeah, Trump actually cheered that one), it begs the question: can the oil cartel’s drama actually dial down prices while conflicts rage on? Spoiler alert: probably not. If you’re feeling the sting at the pump or the heating bill, you’re not alone — and transitioning to alternatives like heat pumps or even plug-in solar feels both urgent and daunting. But what if the future isn’t about waiting for energy peace, but grabbing control with your own solar panels — nailed up by you, on your fence, turning the tide on costly power? Dive into this rollercoaster of energy, finance, and the DIY rescue revolution that might just light up your summer BBQ — ready to wrestle with rising oil prices without losing your cool? Let’s get into it. LEARN MORE

The first Weekend Reading every month can be read by anyone on the Monevator website. Subscribe for free to our email newsletter or become a member to ensure you see the rest.

Oil prices continue to bounce about with every speech and social media post put out by the Iran war’s belligerents [writes The Frugalist, who has the reins this weekend].

But the overall trend for prices is upwards. And that means increasing financial pressure on energy-intensive businesses and the electricity grid more generally.

Especially when you consider that the Strait of Hormuz normally carries a fifth of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.

Think back to 2022 – LNG was cited as a key solution to the challenge of weaning off Russian gas imports.

Oh dear!

President Trump has praised the UAE’s decision this week to leave OPEC. But whatever happens with the oil cartel is unlikely to reverse the prices for gas and oil while conflict continues in Ukraine and Iran.

Besides, we have known for a long time that with growing global energy demand, a limited supply, and the increasing expense of extraction, fossil fuel prices would likely increase.

Okay, there might be the occasional reprieve. (More fracking, anyone?) But oil is never going to be cheap and abundant again.

Heating hurts

The situation is worse if you rely on physical fuel delivery to heat your home.

The UK government can’t fix the geopolitical issues, but at least it has expanded its Boiler Upgrade Scheme. This will now provide up to £9,000 in grants for households that use heating oil or liquefied petroleum gas to switch to heat pumps. This is separate from the direct funding for affected households that comes via local authorities.

How many such houses will prove suitable for getting the best out of a heat pump is a different question, however.

Can solar rescue us?

I’ve looked into solar myself on multiple occasions. Not because it makes a compelling alternative to investing in a global ETF, but because I like the principle of DIY-ing my own energy production. Saving on energy bills would justify the expenditure.

Now, solar panels have been plummeting in price. But installation costs are still a problem.

In fact when it comes to my own house, the scaffolding is so complex that I’d be several thousand pounds down before I’d even bought a panel.

Germany has led the way with a cheap and cheerful alternative – plug-in solar, where panels are plugged into an inverter and then directly into your mains. The electricity generated then flows to where it’s needed, without electricians, dedicated circuits, or formal declarations.

You’re free to put such panels on fences, shed roofs, or even to mount them on a wooden frame. (I can foresee my DIY skills and a large bucket of nails coming in handy again!)

The media has been getting into the question of whether plug-in solar is economically worthwhile.

But other, more thorny issues remain. Such as whether the panels present a safety risk – especially given British electrics have oddities that other countries haven’t had to worry about.

Solar flares

I’ve noticed more than a few people seem to have decided to jump straight in with plug-in solar, even before government legalisation. Many vendors report they’ve sold out.

This may prove premature. I expect home insurers will be paying especially close attention to fires with large claims attached to see if unapproved inverters were plugged into the mains.

Also, if plug-in solar is only an option for homeowners and not the rental sector, then that will limit their beneficial impact. Figuring out a balance between making plug-in solar safe, not exposing landlords to liability, and enabling renters to install their own panels will be tricky. And I expect the government will still get some flak for not doing it quickly or safely enough.

Admittedly, fitting a few hundred watts of solar panels to hundreds of thousands – even millions – more homes won’t instantly get us off fossil fuels.

But even if it looks like plug-in solar will take a few years to pay off financially, as soon as the standards are approved and the safety aspects sorted, I’ll be at the front of the supermarket queue for my kit.

Hopefully, just in time to pair some panels with the summer BBQ.

On that note, I hope you have a great Saturday!

From Monevator

Handbags at the dawn of the AI era – Monevator

Cash total returns: a long run index for DIY investors – Monevator

From the archive-ator: Reasons to rent a house instead of buying – Monevator

News

Bank of England votes to hold base rate at 3.75% – The Intermediary

High Street sales in biggest drop for more than 40 years… – This Is Money

…with stalwart outlet Claire’s closing 154 stores – This Is Money

Pensions Schemes Bill moves forward with ‘guardrails’ – Pensions Age

Edinburgh Worldwide admits defeat to Saba Capital – City AM

British Airways owner to raise air fares as fuel soars – This Is Money

BP profits more than double as Iran war sends oil prices higher – BBC

UAE quits OPEC – Sherwood

Savers still love their cash ISAs – Simon French via X

Products and services

^{Disclosure: Links to platforms may be affiliate links, where we may earn a commission. This article is not personal financial advice. When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. With commission-free brokers other fees may apply. See terms and fees. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results.}

NS&I’s new fixed-rate savings accounts pay up to 4.5% – M.S.E.

Mortgage borrowers ‘left in limbo’ by Bank Rate freeze – Moneyfacts

Get up to £1,500 cashback when you transfer your cash and/or investments to Charles Stanley Direct through this affiliate link. Terms apply – Charles Stanley

What life insurance actually costs – Which

Middle East crisis: will your travel insurer cover you? – M.S.E.

Get up to £200 cashback when you open an Interactive Investor SIPP. Terms and fees apply, affiliate link – Interactive Investor

Saving with eSIMS for travelling abroad – Be Clever With Your Cash

What’s happening to house prices? – Which

Grade II-listed homes in England, in pictures – Guardian

Comment and opinion

Banning payment for order flow is an EU blunder the UK shouldn’t repeat – City AM

Why private equity is likely in worse shape than private credit – Verdad

Diversifying during periods of positive stock-bond correlation – 7 Circles

Politics could push UK bond yields higher… – ING

…or has the gilt sell-off already gone too far? – JP Morgan

Naughty corner: Active antics

Are investors over-valuing Corning’s AI infrastructure business? – Morningstar

Seagate’s value continues to soar – Yahoo Finance

Tech stocks suffer after reports that OpenAI missed key targets – Sherwood

Will emerging market pioneer Mark Mobius be vindicated? – Morningstar

Prediction markets racing to ban insider trading – Fortune

The 15 stocks that returned the most over the past decade – Morningstar

Running away with it mini-special

How the two hour marathon barrier was broken – The Conversation

Adidas shares rise in wake of London Marathon sensation… – This Is Money

…though investors need to watch out for Chinese competitors – BBC

Kindle book bargains

Antifragile by Nassim Taleb – £0.99 on Kindle

The Big Short by Michael Lewis – £0.99 on Kindle

The Art of Statistics by David Spiegelhalter – £0.99 on Kindle

Not the End of the World by Hannah Ritchie – £0.99 on Kindle

Or pick up one of the all-time great investing classics – Monevator shop

Environmental factors

Air pollution during pregnancy may harm babies – Guardian

European sea temperatures reach highest levels recorded – Guardian

UK supermarkets to start selling plug-in solar panels… – The Independent

…but legislation might be needed to ensure renters can benefit – i Paper

Plug-in hybrid cars can be surprisingly expensive to run – This Is Money

US is making Europe pay for its half-hearted electrification… – Geoeconomic

…though the UK broke its solar generation record again – PV Magazine

Robot overlord roundup

White House memo claims mass AI theft by Chinese firms… – BBC

…while China blocks Meta’s purchase of Chinese AI firm – Reuters

Microsoft’s GitHub shifts to metered AI billing amid cost crisis – The Register

Can AI predict fund managers’ trades? – K.O.I.

Microsoft and OpenAI loosen ties – Spyglass

Switching AI vendors at scale isn’t easy – The Register

Not at the dinner table

US charges ex-FBI director James Comey for an Instagram post – Guardian

King Charles’ subtle but striking warning to America – CNN

How Péter Magyar toppled Viktor Orbán – The Bulwark

Hungary’s business elite pivots away vanquished PM [Paywall] – FT

Russian super yachts skip the Hormuz blockade – BBC

Off our beat

Electronic warfare is sowing confusion in cockpits – CNN

Australian teens say social media ban is not working – Fortune

What does the Zoological Society of London do? – Guardian

The gamers who lost money on Peter Molyneux’s last project – Ars Technica

Why low-frequency sound might explain haunted houses – Sci News

And finally…

“In most of our decisions, we are not betting against another person. Rather, we are betting against all the future versions of ourselves that we are not choosing.”
– Annie Duke, Thinking in Bets

Note this article includes affiliate links, such as from Amazon and Interactive Investor.

Weekend Reading – featuring the week’s best money and investing articles from around the web – can be read by any logged-in Monevator member. Alternatively please subscribe to our free email newsletter to get future editions direct to your inbox.