Kimberly Adams

Tseng says since oil prices went negative during the pandemic, energy companies shifted gears towards discipline.

So you've got more corporate discipline, low oil prices, an oversupplied oil market, and uncertainty around demand.

Not exactly the makings of a let's take on a big investment risk moment.

Thomas Lyles is with Reistad Energy.

So investing in places where there's already massive operations, like in West Texas or Guyana.

As for the outlook in Venezuela specifically, a lot needs to happen to make that country investable in a big way, says Andy O'Connor with Morningstar DPRS.

The University of Houston's Ed Herz puts it a different way.

Even Chevron, which is already operating in Venezuela, is cautious.

While it may increase its Venezuelan production in the near term with modest investments, there's still a ceiling on major growth for now.

I'm Elizabeth Troval for Marketplace.

Pushback against immigration and customs enforcement funding by Senate Democrats is blocking a government funding deal.

And so we're likely going to have at least a partial government shutdown over the weekend.

And congressional Democrats aren't the only ones trying to protest the ongoing immigration crackdowns across the country, especially the ones happening in Minnesota.

A coalition of activists from across the country have called for a national shutdown today to protest ICE and

In New York City, Fannie Gerson of Fan Fan Donuts and the restaurant Mijo says the vast majority of her employees are immigrants.

And so today, like many businesses around the country, she faced a choice.

She asked her employees what they wanted, and everyone chose to shut down.

In Wisconsin, TJ Samanshin, owner of Wonder State Coffee, says it's important to him to keep showing solidarity with the movement, even if there's a financial cost.

But not everyone can do that.

Caroline Glover of the restaurant Annette and the traveling Mercy's Bar in Aurora, Colorado, says this is a tough time of year.