The lowdown

Here’s what you missed while you were sliding into 2025:

• ⚡ Germany's power prices turn negative. A surge in renewable energy production has outpaced demand, pushing electricity prices below zero and signaling challenges in balancing green energy supply.

• 📉 Inflation keeps U.S. businesses on edge. Despite settling rates, a new survey shows that small businesses continue to grapple with inflation's lingering effects on costs and operations.

• 🔋 China tightens its grip on critical minerals. Plans to curb exports of key materials for EVs and electronics highlight China's dominant role in global battery technology and its growing tech rivalry with the West.

Featured story

The Open Web Gets the Ax

It ends with a whimper and not a bang. After nearly two decades of squabbling, net neutrality has officially been struck down by the U.S. Court of Appeals. The rules, which once kept broadband providers from throttling your favorite sites or creating pay-to-play fast lanes, are now history. Telecom heavyweights like Verizon and Comcast are cheering, but consumer advocates? Not so much. This could mean higher costs, slower speeds, and a digital divide that hurts small businesses and creators the most.

Why should you care? Without these protections, ISPs now have the green light to prioritize traffic—think Netflix over niche streaming platforms or big box retailers over your favorite indie shops. It’s a major win for the telecom giants but a gut punch for internet equality. The dream of a fair, open internet may be fading into memory, but the fight over how ISPs wield their newfound power is just getting started.

This isn’t just about your streaming speed; it’s about the balance of power in the internet economy. History shows what happens when unchecked monopolies flex their muscles—remember Madison River blocking internet calls to save its phone business? As the dust settles, the big question remains: Will competition and innovation find a way, or are we heading toward a walled garden web?

The content we're consuming today

Here’s what we’re reading this week:

• Science.org: Laser mapping uncovers ancient Amazonian cities. Researchers have found 2,500-year-old settlements with roads, farms, and neighborhoods, rewriting what we know about early urban life in the rainforest.

• Hypebeast: Rolex raises watch prices for 2025. The luxury brand is hiking prices in the US and UK, citing inflation and soaring demand for its iconic timepieces.

• Newsweek: California sets quitting records. The state hit its highest job resignation numbers this year, signaling major shifts in workforce dynamics.

Off-balance sheet items

• 

  Credit: Reddit

The bottom line

Aquire new customers and drive revenue by partnering with us.

Balance Sheet is rapidly growing, with 1,500+ readers working in the world’s leading organizations. You can learn more about partnering with us here.