adventtr/iStock via Getty Images Market Overview Risk assets in general capped off a strong year with a solid fourth quarter. In contrast with recent trends, non-US equity markets led the way in 2025. While the threats to market stability that have prevailed throughout the year were undiminished during the quarter, investors continued to embrace risk. The S&P 500 Index gained 2.7% for the fourth q...
adventtr/iStock via Getty Images Market Overview Risk assets in general capped off a strong year with a solid fourth quarter. In contrast with recent trends, non-US equity markets led the way in 2025. While the threats to market stability that have prevailed throughout the year were undiminished during the quarter, investors continued to embrace risk. The S&P 500 Index gained 2.7% for the fourth quarter and 17.9% for the year, while the MSCI World Index returned a respective 3.12% and 21.09%. Gold, meanwhile, surged 65% during the year, its largest annual return since 1979. The US Double Bind Gets Tighter Despite ample motivation for conservatism in an environment of pronounced macro, financial, geopolitical and structural concerns, risk perception in US markets remains low pretty much wherever you look. Equity market valuation multiples are rich, high yield spreads are tight and implied volatility is low. While the post-pandemic normalization of certain macro factors has been encouraging, the country's fiscal settings remain far off-kilter. The US federal deficit remains historically outsized relative to the unemployment rate—as it has since the outbreak of Covid-19. Normally, high unemployment rates and recession beget large fiscal deficits, as lower tax revenues combine with increased government spending. Conversely, low unemployment rates and robust economic growth typically support higher tax revenues and tighter fiscal policy, causing deficits to contract or even turn into surpluses. If the economy were in balance, we'd expect budget deficits of around 2% of GDP—not the 5.8% at the end of fiscal year 2025. We believe this persistent deficit spending helps explain the decoupling of gold and Treasuries seen in recent years. The price of gold surged 65% during 2025—its largest annual gain since 1979—and has more than doubled over the past two years in an apparent acknowledgement of the double-bind facing US policymakers: Doing nothing to address the deficit could...
The post Fiduciaries Are Legally Obligated to Work In Your Best Interests. Money Pickle Can Help You Find One in Minutes, And Your First Meeting is Complimentary by Benzinga Contributors appeared first on Benzinga . Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this. Benzinga Money is a reader-supported publication. We may earn a commission from the advertisers associated with this article. Read o...
The post Fiduciaries Are Legally Obligated to Work In Your Best Interests. Money Pickle Can Help You Find One in Minutes, And Your First Meeting is Complimentary by Benzinga Contributors appeared first on Benzinga . Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this. Benzinga Money is a reader-supported publication. We may earn a commission from the advertisers associated with this article. Read our Advertiser Discloser . Nearly half of Americans believe that financial advisors are only for wealthy people, according to a survey by Lending Tree. Another 25% believe they don’t need an advisor until they’re middle-aged. Both of those statements couldn’t be further from the truth. A well-vetted financial advisor can help you achieve your financial goals whether you’re just joining the workforce, or are planning for retirement. In fact, 95% of Americans who use an advisor say it’s well worth the money. Finding one is easier said than done. That’s where Money Pickle comes in. Money Pickle helps people connect with trustworthy financial advisors, without the hassle or pressure. All you have to do is take a quick quiz and they match you with a vetted fiduciary for a no-cost, 1-on-1 strategy session tailored to your financial goals. Whether thatʼs retirement, tax strategy, investing, or simply getting organized. Every advisor they partner with is legally obligated to act in your best interest. No sales gimmicks. Just clear, personalized guidance built around your life whether you’re building wealth, preserving it, or planning for the future. Money Pickle makes getting expert help feel easy, human, and worth your time. Sign up today to receive your no-cost, no-obligation 1-on-1 strategy session from the comfort of your home. A fiduciary is always in your corner Every advisor in the Money Pickle network is a fiduciary, meaning they’re legally obligated to act in your best interest, not to sell products. That peace of mind matters. Non-fiduciary financial advisors are held to d...
BERLIN, Feb. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Die Sportstech Brands Holding GmbH nimmt Bezug auf das Aktionärsschreiben vom 20. Februar 2026 der Interactive Strength Inc. (Nasdaq: TRNR) im Zusammenhang mit dem angekündigten Reverse Split. Die dort aufgestellte Darstellung, wonach Sportstech für die Kapitalmarktentwicklung von TRNR verantwortlich sei, entspricht nicht den Tatsachen.
BERLIN, Feb. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Die Sportstech Brands Holding GmbH nimmt Bezug auf das Aktionärsschreiben vom 20. Februar 2026 der Interactive Strength Inc. (Nasdaq: TRNR) im Zusammenhang mit dem angekündigten Reverse Split. Die dort aufgestellte Darstellung, wonach Sportstech für die Kapitalmarktentwicklung von TRNR verantwortlich sei, entspricht nicht den Tatsachen.
NiseriN/iStock via Getty Images The major oil companies operating the giant Kashagan oilfield in Kazakhstan have initiated an international arbitration process to challenge a $5B fine for allegedly exceeding sulfur storage limits at a processing facility, Shell ( SHEL ) said Monday. The companies' decision to challenge the environmental fine comes after a court late last year denied the Kashagan v...
NiseriN/iStock via Getty Images The major oil companies operating the giant Kashagan oilfield in Kazakhstan have initiated an international arbitration process to challenge a $5B fine for allegedly exceeding sulfur storage limits at a processing facility, Shell ( SHEL ) said Monday. The companies' decision to challenge the environmental fine comes after a court late last year denied the Kashagan venture's appeal against the penalty , "therefore, the international shareholders have concluded that they have no choice but to initiate a request for arbitration under international treaties." The latest claims add to a wider $166B dispute between Kazakhstan and the companies over Kashagan, with the country having multiple claims in international arbitration related to lost revenue, cost recovery, environmental violations, and deals that were allegedly tainted by corruption. The long-running legal claims are affecting Kazakhstan's relationship with its international partners; Shell ( SHEL ) said recently it will pause investment in the country until it has more clarity on how the cases will be resolved. Shell ( SHEL ), Eni ( E ), Exxon Mobil ( XOM ), and TotalEnergies ( TTE ) each own 16.81% stakes in Kashagan, with China's CNPC holding 8.33% and Japan's Inpex owning the remaining 7.56%. More on Shell Shell: Integrated Gas Is In Demand Shell: Positioned To Benefit From A Potential Capital Rotation Into European Energy Shell's Latest Results Disappoint, But External Factors Merit A Rating Upgrade
Manufacturing and aerospace & defense stocks are turning out to be potential havens as artificial intelligence disrupts industries from software to financial technology and professional services. “AI will enable a structural reduction in the cost of doing business for many commercial aerospace companies, supporting higher through-cycle margins,” wrote Deutsche Bank analyst Scott Deuschle in a Mond...
Manufacturing and aerospace & defense stocks are turning out to be potential havens as artificial intelligence disrupts industries from software to financial technology and professional services. “AI will enable a structural reduction in the cost of doing business for many commercial aerospace companies, supporting higher through-cycle margins,” wrote Deutsche Bank analyst Scott Deuschle in a Monday note.
Gap, Aritzia and Urban Outfitters are among apparel retailers that should see margins expand, with the US' global tariff set at 15% -- vs. an average 20% for the sector -- after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump's sweeping levies. Trump revised the blanket rate less than a day after announcing a 10% level, and is expected to pursue higher tariffs on China under Section 301. Bloo...
Gap, Aritzia and Urban Outfitters are among apparel retailers that should see margins expand, with the US' global tariff set at 15% -- vs. an average 20% for the sector -- after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump's sweeping levies. Trump revised the blanket rate less than a day after announcing a 10% level, and is expected to pursue higher tariffs on China under Section 301. Bloomberg's Mary Ross Gilbert joins to discuss her research on the retailer sector and how tariffs are effecting certain brands. (Source: Bloomberg)
In the lucrative obesity drug race, there is Eli Lilly — and then there's everybody else. A pair of headlines Monday reinforced Lilly's dominance: Its lone commercial rival, Novo Nordisk , released disappointing trial results comparing its next-generation obesity shot to Lilly's Zepbound. Additionally, Lilly announced a new form of Zepbound in the U.S. that provides a month's supply of the weekly ...
In the lucrative obesity drug race, there is Eli Lilly — and then there's everybody else. A pair of headlines Monday reinforced Lilly's dominance: Its lone commercial rival, Novo Nordisk , released disappointing trial results comparing its next-generation obesity shot to Lilly's Zepbound. Additionally, Lilly announced a new form of Zepbound in the U.S. that provides a month's supply of the weekly injectable in a single device, rather than the status quo of one dose per device. The head-to-head data is the more significant development because it shows that Lilly remains the leader in weight-loss shot efficacy, a setback in Novo's efforts to follow up its blockbuster Wegovy with a more powerful new drug. Meanwhile, the new device for Zepbound, while likely not an immediate financial needle mover, demonstrates the wide net Lilly is casting to maintain its lead and showcases its supply chain advantages. Lilly is adding convenient options for patients, while Novo is racing to defend its pipeline. "At what point do we just say, 'You know, Lilly's got the better one and just move on?'" Jim Cramer said Monday on CNBC. "I don't see a path to own [Novo's] stock. I just don't," he said. "I still see a path to own Lilly ... I think Lilly may go much higher." Novo Nordisk's New York-listed shares fell more than 15% in Monday's session, reaching levels last seen in 2021. Lilly added more than 4%, putting the stock about 5% below its all-time closing high of roughly $1,110 on Nov. 25. LLY NVO 1Y mountain Lilly's stock performance versus Novo Nordisk over the past 12 months. In a press release Monday, Novo Nordisk said patients on a fixed dose of its experimental drug CagriSema achieved 23% weight loss after 84 weeks. By contrast, people on a fixed dose of Lilly's Zepbound lost 25.5% of their body weight during the head-to-head trial. CagriSema is Novo's lead candidate to succeed Wegovy. It targets two hormones that help regulate appetite and blood sugar: GLP-1 and amylin. Wegovy t...
The board of directors of Abbott today declared a quarterly common dividend of 63 cents per share. This marks the 409th consecutive quarterly dividend to be paid by Abbott since 1924. The cash dividend is payable May 15, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business
The board of directors of Abbott today declared a quarterly common dividend of 63 cents per share. This marks the 409th consecutive quarterly dividend to be paid by Abbott since 1924. The cash dividend is payable May 15, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business
A US judge permanently barred the Justice Department on Monday from releasing a prosecutor’s report on the criminal case accusing President Donald Trump of unlawfully retaining classified documents following his first term in office. Florida-based US District Judge Aileen Cannon found that releasing the report would be a “manifest injustice” to the Republican president and two former associates w...
A US judge permanently barred the Justice Department on Monday from releasing a prosecutor’s report on the criminal case accusing President Donald Trump of unlawfully retaining classified documents following his first term in office. Florida-based US District Judge Aileen Cannon found that releasing the report would be a “manifest injustice” to the Republican president and two former associates who were charged alongside him because it would detail substantial allegations of criminal wrongdoing...
Bridget Phillipson’s 10-year plan is generous in places, but her party might not be in power long enough to see it through Whether the change is down to the shifting of the Overton window or the demise of basic decency, one awful feature of the current national conversation is becoming clearer by the day: the demonisation of disabled and vulnerable children and young people – and their parents – b...
Bridget Phillipson’s 10-year plan is generous in places, but her party might not be in power long enough to see it through Whether the change is down to the shifting of the Overton window or the demise of basic decency, one awful feature of the current national conversation is becoming clearer by the day: the demonisation of disabled and vulnerable children and young people – and their parents – by voices that seemingly know no shame at all. The crude version of the “ overdiagnosis ” theory – essentially, the idea that such conditions as autism and ADHD are exaggerated and confected – is everywhere. Seemingly by law, every two-bit newspaper columnist must now write an annual piece about how the cutting edge of human psychology and child development is really just a byword for needless expense and sharp-elbowed families milking the state. A Facebook page used to find people to speak to the media recently appealed for a “mum who’s concerned her child’s school budget is being spent on pupils with special educational needs”. Aren’t there, the ad wondered, “more important things you feel the school should be spending money on? For example … computers, sports equipment etc?” The fee offered to anyone willing to stoop that low was £150. Continue reading...
Chile for decades finessed the geopolitical rivalry between China, its top trading partner, and the US, its leading foreign investor. Those days seem to be over. Days ahead of a summit of Latin American leaders in Miami and two weeks before a right-wing government takes over in Santiago, the US imposed visa restrictions on three Chilean officials tied to an undersea digital cable project proposed ...
Chile for decades finessed the geopolitical rivalry between China, its top trading partner, and the US, its leading foreign investor. Those days seem to be over. Days ahead of a summit of Latin American leaders in Miami and two weeks before a right-wing government takes over in Santiago, the US imposed visa restrictions on three Chilean officials tied to an undersea digital cable project proposed by Chinese firms, alleging a threat to security. The rare move sent a warning to the region that it must now choose sides as President Donald Trump strives to reassert dominion over the Americas. The US ambassador to Chile, Brandon Judd, told reporters on Monday that the Trump administration warned the government over malign foreign hacking into its telecommunication network, and urged the country to screen investments or it could lose a longstanding visa waiver policy that allows most Chileans to easily travel to the US. “If Chile wants to participate in the visa waiver, they must secure all telecommuications,” Judd said, adding that this is not a threat but a commitment Chile made when it entered the program. Such warnings are prompting calls for soul searching in Santiago. “Chile has to start thinking strategically in a changing scenario of geopolitical confrontation,” said John Griffiths, an analyst at security-focused think tank AthenaLab in Santiago. “Like it or not, the Trump administration is acting in its national interest in a region it sees as its sphere of influence,” said Griffiths, who’s also a former Army general in Chile. The choice the Trump administration is imposing could come at a high price. China buys most of the region’s commodities and has made substantial investments in infrastructure, especially ports. After Panama last year voided a contract with Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd. to operate two ports along its namesake canal, Beijing retaliated by asking its state firms to halt talks over billions of dollars in new projects. It also tight...
Check out the companies making the biggest moves midday: Financials – The financials sector of the S & P 500 slid more than 3% in midday trading, the worst performer in the broad market. Alternative asset managers KKR and Blackstone slid roughly 9% and 7%, respectively, after activist hedge fund Saba Capital Management and Cox Capital Partners said they plan tender offers to buy stakes in a trio o...
Check out the companies making the biggest moves midday: Financials – The financials sector of the S & P 500 slid more than 3% in midday trading, the worst performer in the broad market. Alternative asset managers KKR and Blackstone slid roughly 9% and 7%, respectively, after activist hedge fund Saba Capital Management and Cox Capital Partners said they plan tender offers to buy stakes in a trio of Blue Owl credit funds. Blue Owl shares were last off more than 5%. American Express dropped more than 7%, and Goldman Sachs fell nearly 4%. Cybersecurity – Anxiety over artificial intelligence shook up cybersecurity stocks, on the heels of Anthropic adding a new security capability to its Claude AI late last week. The Global X Cybersecurity ETF (BUG) tumbled 4%. CrowdStrike and Zscaler fell 10%, Fortinet and Okta dropped more than 5%. International Paper — The packaging and pulp products maker dropped more than 5%. Fastmarkets RISI on Friday said pricing for domestic containerboard declined $20/ton in February, according to a Dow Jones report. Smurfit Westrock and Packaging Corporation of America each fell more than 6%. Docusign — Shares of the agreement management platform tumbled nearly 8% after a downgrade from Jefferies on Monday to a hold from buy. The investment bank wrote that double-digit growth reacceleration won't come soon and it believes Docusign's new AI-powered agreement management platform needs to prove itself. DoorDash - The delivery platform sank 6%. DoorDash had to temporarily suspend operations in several locations, including New York and Philadelphia, due to the blizzard. ImmunityBio — The San Diego-based clinical stage immunotherapy company surged 12%. ImmunityBio reported 700% year-over-year revenue growth , expanded Anktiva approvals for lung cancer, global label expansion plans and global commercial partnerships. Veris Residential — The real estate investment trust, which owns office space and other properties primarily in the Northeast, agreed to...