Prometheus Capital

  The Economic Effects of U.S. Actions in Venezuela by Prometheus Capital Introduction: An Economic Question, Not a Political One U.S. actions toward Venezuela under the Trump administration were often framed through political or humanitarian lenses, but beneath those narratives lay concrete economic consequences that rippled through oil markets, corporate balance sheets, sovereign debt, and global energy pricing. From a strictly analytical and business-oriented perspective, these actions created a combination of short-term market advantages for specific actors and long-term structural damage to Venezuela’s economy, while reshaping global oil flows in measurable ways. This article examines those outcomes without moral judgment or political positioning, focusing instead on revenues, incentives, capital flows, and market reactions. Sanctions and the Collapse of Venezuela’s Core Revenue Stream Venezuela’s economy has long been structurally dependent on oil. For decades, petroleu...

New Year, New Markets: How the “New Year, New Me” Phenomenon Moves Money by Prometheus Capital A Calendar Turn That Drives Real Spending Every January, the global economy experiences a subtle but measurable shift. After t he excess of the holiday season, consumers do not simply stop spending—they redirect it. Gyms fill up, budgeting apps see surges in downloads, planners sell out, and self-improvement services enter their most profitable window of the year. While the phrase “new year, new me” is often dismissed as a tired cliché, the behavior behind it reflects a powerful and recurring economic pattern. The New Year functions as a collective reset, a rare moment when millions of consumers simultaneously reassess their habits, finances, and priorities. This reassessment translates directly into targeted spending. Unlike impulse-driven holiday shopping, January spending is intention-based. Consumers are not buying gifts for others; they are investing—at least emotionally—in future versio...

  How Santa Claus Became a Brand by Prometheus Capital From Saint to Symbol Every December, Santa Claus appears everywhere at once. He smiles from soda cans and storefront windows, waves from billboards and phone commercials, stands in shopping malls, and animates across television screens and social media feeds. He is simultaneously a mythic figure, a childhood fantasy, and a commercial symbol. Entire industries align their calendars around his arrival, and global supply chains move in anticipation of his annual return. Yet the Santa Claus we recognize today was not always this unified, familiar presence. The version of Santa that dominates modern Christmas did not emerge naturally from folklore alone. He was shaped, refined, and stabilized by business. Long before Santa became a brand, he existed as a fragmented collection of cultural traditions. His roots trace back to Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century bishop from what is now Turkey, known for quiet acts of generosity and gif...

Rudolph: The Story of a Discount Department Store That Created a Christmas Empire by Prometheus Capital Introduction: A Christmas Icon Born from Commerce Each season Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is visible throughout the Christmas marketplace—on jumpers, decorations, gift wrap, music collections, advertisements, commercials and plastic figures in malls spanning from New York to Seoul. He is as crucial to the holiday’s imagery, as Santa Claus himself. However here comes the twist: Rudolph is not folklore. He is not mythology. He is not ancient tradition. He works in marketing. The retail powerhouse Montgomery Ward brought him to life in 1939 as a cost-cutting tactic—one that inadvertently gave rise to one of the most lucrative, iconic and lasting holiday figures, in history. This is the remarkable entirely factual tale of how a corporate marketing project turned into a billion-dollar Christmas symbol—and what it uncovers about the role of storytelling, branding and emotiona...

  What are Tariffs? by Prometheus Capital        Few economic tools have shaped nations, ignited political battles, and stirred public debate quite like tariffs. These simple taxes on imported goods—older than most countries that use them—have an uncanny way of resurfacing every few years in headlines, campaign speeches, and global market analyses. If you’ve been online from early 2024 through late 2025, you’ve seen tariffs thrown around like a buzzword. Politicians blame them, commentators praise them, and consumers quietly wonder why their groceries, electronics, or cars suddenly cost more this month than last. Tariffs aren’t new—but their impact on everyday life has been brought to the forefront of our economy as of late. Today, we’re taking a deep dive into what tariffs actually are, how they influence the economy, and why this centuries-old policy tool still has the power to shake markets, shift prices, and spark global tension. The Birth of an Econom...