Western Digital (NASDAQ:WDC) has been among HDD and Memory stocks representing some of the market’s best performers over the past year, benefiting from AI workloads’ rising memory needs. However, Google’s recent TurboQuant report put a spanner in the works for names in the cohort. On March 24, Google Research introduced TurboQuant, a new compression algorithm said to deliver a 6x reduction in KV c...
Western Digital (NASDAQ:WDC) has been among HDD and Memory stocks representing some of the market’s best performers over the past year, benefiting from AI workloads’ rising memory needs. However, Google’s recent TurboQuant report put a spanner in the works for names in the cohort. On March 24, Google Research introduced TurboQuant, a new compression algorithm said to deliver a 6x reduction in KV cache memory usage and up to 8x improvements in inference performance on Nvidia H100 GPUs, without an
The athletic apparel giant's latest quarter featured a sharp drop in profitability, but its beaten-down valuation and rock-solid balance sheet make the shares worth a closer look.
The athletic apparel giant's latest quarter featured a sharp drop in profitability, but its beaten-down valuation and rock-solid balance sheet make the shares worth a closer look.
In trading on Wednesday, cigarettes & tobacco shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 4.4%. Helping drag down the group were shares of Turning Point Brands, down about 14.8% and shares of Philip Morris International off about 5.4% on the day. Also lagging t
In trading on Wednesday, cigarettes & tobacco shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 4.4%. Helping drag down the group were shares of Turning Point Brands, down about 14.8% and shares of Philip Morris International off about 5.4% on the day. Also lagging t
The former England and Tottenham forward has had to be patient to get his chance but he ‘was never going to give up’ “It’s been a long time coming,” says Jermain Defoe on his first day as Woking’s manager. Dressed in a sharp grey suit that he admits he is wearing on the instructions of his mother, Sandra – “I know she’ll be watching this, and she’ll be like: ‘You’ve got to look smart!’” – the form...
The former England and Tottenham forward has had to be patient to get his chance but he ‘was never going to give up’ “It’s been a long time coming,” says Jermain Defoe on his first day as Woking’s manager. Dressed in a sharp grey suit that he admits he is wearing on the instructions of his mother, Sandra – “I know she’ll be watching this, and she’ll be like: ‘You’ve got to look smart!’” – the former England striker certainly looks the part as he fields questions in the unassuming surroundings of the Cardinal Bar at the Laithwaite Community Stadium. From missing the buzz of playing top-level football since retiring in 2022 to acknowledging why it is crucial to “earn your stripes” as a manager, Defoe is brutally honest about the task that awaits him at the club that has never made it to the Football League in 139 years of existence. He even jokes that he turned down his former team Tottenham to take over at Woking. Continue reading...
Meteorologists issue yellow weather warning, with gusts of up to 90mph expected in some areas The northern half of the UK is expected to face gale force winds over the Easter weekend, with forecasters warning of possible travel disruption and power cuts, stemming from a “significant cold plunge from Canada into the North Atlantic”. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for very strong...
Meteorologists issue yellow weather warning, with gusts of up to 90mph expected in some areas The northern half of the UK is expected to face gale force winds over the Easter weekend, with forecasters warning of possible travel disruption and power cuts, stemming from a “significant cold plunge from Canada into the North Atlantic”. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for very strong winds in Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of north Wales and northern England from 6pm on Saturday until midday on Sunday. Continue reading...
In trading on Wednesday, precious metals shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 6%. Leading the group were shares of SSR Mining, up about 9.3% and shares of Encore Energy up about 9.2% on the day. Also showing relative strength are construction shares, up on the
In trading on Wednesday, precious metals shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 6%. Leading the group were shares of SSR Mining, up about 9.3% and shares of Encore Energy up about 9.2% on the day. Also showing relative strength are construction shares, up on the
Quite rightly, global markets have switched from fretting over an inflationary shock from the war in Iran to worrying about growth . The pivot can support investors if a recession is avoided. It also increases the risk that the global economy tips the wrong way. Chair Jerome Powell gave a clear signal that the Federal Reserve wasn’t about to hike while financial conditions are tighter. That helped...
Quite rightly, global markets have switched from fretting over an inflationary shock from the war in Iran to worrying about growth . The pivot can support investors if a recession is avoided. It also increases the risk that the global economy tips the wrong way. Chair Jerome Powell gave a clear signal that the Federal Reserve wasn’t about to hike while financial conditions are tighter. That helped government bonds. Earnings growth and stock prices also benefit from lower rates. Ironically, tail risks are also more likely. Any resolution of the Middle East conflict that doesn’t rein in oil prices will tilt the odds of recession. A sharper slowdown will also expose vulnerabilities tied to AI disruption and private markets, eventually hitting stocks. Bond investors can breathe easier now T he risk for higher yields has been eclipsed by investors recalibrating to focus on growth. It’s a justified shift because sky-high oil prices typically end in recession causing central banks to cut interest rates, not raise them. Once Powell confirmed that view , rate hike fears evaporated. With rate cuts back into view, expect the market to price in even more easing , driving short-dated bond yields lower. We’re back in a traditional situation where the bond side of your portfolio benefits from any economic weakness that hurts growth and lowers corporate earnings and equity prices. In a Goldilocks scenario, growth slows just enough to cause the Fed to ease policy, benefitting bonds while not enough to hurt stocks. Who will unblock the shipping straits? The core message from last week’s newsletter was that the US economy is doing well enough to overcome a temporary increase in bond yields. The latest forecast from the Atlanta Fed for growth in the quarter ended this week was 2%. Moreover, retail sales remain firm and the latest labor metrics indicate the economy is still adding jobs . A US recession isn’t a near-term worry. Things of course could slow from here as high oil prices and...
Trump May Pull Out Of 'Paper Tiger' NATO After Starmer Stiffs Strait Support In a blistering exclusive interview with The Telegraph , President Trump has declared he is "strongly considering" pulling the United States out of NATO, branding the 77-year-old alliance a "paper tiger" after European allies - including the UK under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer - refused to join America’s military cam...
Trump May Pull Out Of 'Paper Tiger' NATO After Starmer Stiffs Strait Support In a blistering exclusive interview with The Telegraph , President Trump has declared he is "strongly considering" pulling the United States out of NATO, branding the 77-year-old alliance a "paper tiger" after European allies - including the UK under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer - refused to join America’s military campaign against Iran or help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump told the newspaper the decision was now “beyond reconsideration,” adding: “ I was never swayed by Nato. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way .” He singled out Britain, mocking its naval capabilities and Starmer’s green-energy focus: “ You don’t even have a navy. You’re too old and had aircraft carriers that didn’t work … All Starmer wants is costly windmills that are driving your energy prices through the roof.” The row erupted after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz - through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil flows - in response to US-Israeli strikes launched on February 28. Allies have been reluctant to deploy warships, prompting Trump to accuse NATO of operating a “one-way street.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the president on Fox News, warning that America would have to “re-examine” its NATO membership once the Iran conflict ends . “If Nato is just about us defending Europe if they’re attacked, but them denying us basing rights when we need them, that’s not a very good arrangement,” Rubio said. Trump later told The Telegraph he was “glad” Rubio had spoken out. Starmer Fires Back: “This Is Not Our War” Starmer moved quickly to reaffirm Britain’s commitment to NATO while drawing a firm line on the Iran conflict. “ This is not our war, and we’re not going to get dragged into it ,” he told The Telegraph , describing the alliance as “the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen.” He signalled a pivot toward closer European coopera...
Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) may be well into its next growth phase than most investors realize. A $1 trillion demand signal, stronger inference economics, and a widening moat could change how the market values this AI giant.
Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) may be well into its next growth phase than most investors realize. A $1 trillion demand signal, stronger inference economics, and a widening moat could change how the market values this AI giant.
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images EQB Inc ( EQB:CA ) is the owner of EQ Bank (Canada's seventh largest bank), Bennington Financial Corp (a stand alone equipment leasing company), and Concentra . I initiated coverage of EQB on January 7, 2026 due to a belief that despite a one month runup of 15% in its equity, the benefits of a previously announced purchase of PC Financial from Loblaw Com...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images EQB Inc ( EQB:CA ) is the owner of EQ Bank (Canada's seventh largest bank), Bennington Financial Corp (a stand alone equipment leasing company), and Concentra . I initiated coverage of EQB on January 7, 2026 due to a belief that despite a one month runup of 15% in its equity, the benefits of a previously announced purchase of PC Financial from Loblaw Companies Limited ( L:CA ) weren't fully reflected in its price. Since that time EQB:CA has easily outperformed the wider market by continuing to appreciate from the then level of circa $101 to $121, before pulling back to its current level of $110. Usually I would allow more time to pass before doing a follow up article but there have been a number of developments that deserve coverage; i) Economic Data in Canada has been weak and this could have a disproportionate effect upon EQ Bank's asset quality, ii) EQB released its first quarter financial results for 2026, and iii) The proposed takeover has been approved by Canada's Competition Bureau. Per Graph 1, EQB has materially underperformed other Canadian banksin the last three weeks. This could be due to profit taking or due to concerns about potential weakness in Canada's economy impacting EQB's asset quality. Despite these concerns, which I share, I believe that this recent weakness represents a buying opportunity for investors with a long-term view. Graph 1: Recent Performance EQB Inc. Data by YCharts I. Recent Canadian Economic Data In a recent article about Loblaw Companies Limited ( L:CA ), the seller of PC Financial, I discussed the challenges Canada faces going forward in 2026, a year in which the USMCA (or CUSMA as it is known in Canada) Trade Agreement is due to be re-negotiated. Table 1 is reproduced from that article. Table 1: Economic Outlook Canada Clouds On The Horizon Silver Linings The full effect of higher US Tariffs hasn't hit Canada yet and a mandatory review by all three countries will start on July 1, 202...
Nvidia is a highly rated stock that had a massive bounce on Tuesday, rising 5.59% and closing near the day's high. Investors who think Nvidia stock will continue to rally and don't want to risk significant capital can use long call options rather than buying stock in the artificial intelligence industry behemoth outright. This can be a good way to protect precious capital in these volatile markets...
Nvidia is a highly rated stock that had a massive bounce on Tuesday, rising 5.59% and closing near the day's high. Investors who think Nvidia stock will continue to rally and don't want to risk significant capital can use long call options rather than buying stock in the artificial intelligence industry behemoth outright. This can be a good way to protect precious capital in these volatile markets.
With conflicting messages coming from both the United States and Iran, it is difficult to say where prospects for a ceasefire stand . US President Donald Trump has swung from threats to escalate the conflict to claiming a deal with Iran is imminent. The critical Strait of Hormuz is a key sticking point. Iran closed the vital shipping lane to most ships not long after the US and Israel started carr...
With conflicting messages coming from both the United States and Iran, it is difficult to say where prospects for a ceasefire stand . US President Donald Trump has swung from threats to escalate the conflict to claiming a deal with Iran is imminent. The critical Strait of Hormuz is a key sticking point. Iran closed the vital shipping lane to most ships not long after the US and Israel started carrying out airstrikes at the end of February. Trump said this afternoon that he will only consider a halt to attacks on Iran when the waterway is reopened. Iran has not offered any terms or timeline for a reopening. The future of the strait will be decided by Iran and Oman, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said today, according to the state-run Press TV. Hormuz won’t be opened based on the “absurd displays of the American president,” state-run IRIB added, citing a statement by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Israel and the US have kept up their bombardment of the Islamic Republic while Iran continued to fire missiles across the region. Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates all reported attacks since yesterday. Follow our live blog here. QatarEnergy said a fuel oil tanker was struck in Qatari waters, highlighting the ongoing threat to regional shipping and the effective closure of Hormuz. A coalition of US allies is preparing a diplomatic push to persuade Iran to open the strait and is weighing potential sanctions on Tehran if the waterway remains closed. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will chair a virtual meeting tomorrow with counterparts from some 35 countries to discuss a plan to restore freedom of navigation in the strait. The US is not due to attend. What You Need to Know Today The energy cost of the conflict and closure of the Strait of Hormuz is starting to become apparent. Hundreds of French filling stations have run dry as drivers rushed to fill up vehicles, after fuel-price caps were introduced because of global supply disruption...
J Studios Chip and AI-related stocks climbed on Wednesday amid hopes of a potential resolution to the Iran war. U.S. President Donald Trump will deliver a prime-time address on Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST to provide an update on the war in Iran. Separately, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, has reportedly threatened attacks on several U.S. technology companies operating in the Middle ...
J Studios Chip and AI-related stocks climbed on Wednesday amid hopes of a potential resolution to the Iran war. U.S. President Donald Trump will deliver a prime-time address on Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST to provide an update on the war in Iran. Separately, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, has reportedly threatened attacks on several U.S. technology companies operating in the Middle East, including Nvidia ( NVDA ), Apple ( AAPL ), Microsoft ( MSFT ), and Alphabet ( GOOGL ) ( GOOG ). The tech-focused Nasdaq Composite ( COMP:IND ) jumped about 1.4%. At the same time, the benchmark S&P 500 ( SP500 ) rose about 1%. The blue-chip Dow ( DJI ) climbed nearly 0.9%. Shares of AI chipmaker Nvidia ( NVDA ) rose about 1%, while Advanced Micro Devices ( AMD ) surged nearly 4%. Broadcom ( AVGO ) and Qualcomm ( QCOM ) each climbed nearly 1%. Several other AI and networking-related stocks were also among the gainers. Lumentum ( LITE ) surged around 11%, while Applied Optoelectronics ( AAOI ) and Coherent ( COHR ) each soared about 8%. Ciena ( CIEN ) jumped nearly 7%, while Corning ( GLW ) grew about 6%. Celestica ( CLS ) jumped about 5%, Arista Networks ( ANET ) climbed around 3%, and Cisco ( CSCO ) rose about 2%. Micron Technology ( MU ) soared about 11%, while Intel ( INTC ) — which announced that it is buying back a 49% equity interest in a joint venture related to its Fab 34 facility in Ireland from Apollo for $14.2B — surged nearly 10%. Marvell Technology ( MRVL ) jumped about 7%, and Lattice Semiconductor ( LSCC ) grew nearly 4%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing ( TSM ) rose about 3%, Analog Devices ( ADI ) climbed around 2%, while Arm ( ARM ), GlobalFoundries ( GFS ), and Texas Instruments ( TXN ) each gained nearly 1%. Chip equipment makers: ASML ( ASML ), Applied Materials ( AMAT ), and Lam Research ( LRCX ) each surged about 5%, while KLA ( KLAC ) soared nearly 4%. More on tech stocks Nvidia And Marvell: A Match Made In Heaven Nvidia Stock Prediction: The ...
Anthropic PBC is rushing to address the inadvertent release of internal source code behind Claude Code, an AI-powered assistant that has become a key moneymaker for the company. Thousands of copies of the code were removed from GitHub in response to copyright takedown requests from Anthropic, according to a notice on the popular developer platform. Anthropic later said the takedown impacted more G...
Anthropic PBC is rushing to address the inadvertent release of internal source code behind Claude Code, an AI-powered assistant that has become a key moneymaker for the company. Thousands of copies of the code were removed from GitHub in response to copyright takedown requests from Anthropic, according to a notice on the popular developer platform. Anthropic later said the takedown impacted more GitHub repositories than intended and has since been significantly scaled back. The artificial intelligence startup is also taking steps to tweak its internal systems to prevent a similar leak from happening again, including by improving its automation process. In a series of posts overnight on X, Claude Code creator Boris Cherny said Anthropic’s “deploy process has a few manual steps, and we didn’t do one of the steps correctly.” He said the company has already “made a few improvements to the automation for next time,” with plans for “a couple more on the way.” The accidental release marked Anthropic’s second security slip-up in a matter of days, compromising approximately 1,900 files and 512,000 lines of code related to Claude Code. Last week, Fortune separately reported that Anthropic had been storing thousands of internal files on a publicly accessible system, including a draft blog post that detailed an upcoming model known internally as both “Mythos” and “Capybara.” The exposures hit at a delicate moment for the company. Anthropic is currently in a legal battle with the US government over the Pentagon’s decision to declare it a supply-chain risk following a standoff over AI safety guardrails. The company has warned that the labeling could cost it billions in lost revenue. At the same time, Anthropic has seen significant user and revenue growth in recent months, in part thanks to traction from Claude Code – a tool that’s meant to help streamline the process of writing and debugging software. Claude Code’s run-rate revenue topped $2.5 billion as of February, the company ...
McCartney and her husband faced objections including fears over threat to local otters and ‘hideous’ design The fashion designer Stella McCartney has been granted permission to build a £5m home on a spectacular Highland peninsula after a three year planning battle over the threat to local otters and the “hideous” modernist design. McCartney and her husband, Alasdhair Willis, a creative director at...
McCartney and her husband faced objections including fears over threat to local otters and ‘hideous’ design The fashion designer Stella McCartney has been granted permission to build a £5m home on a spectacular Highland peninsula after a three year planning battle over the threat to local otters and the “hideous” modernist design. McCartney and her husband, Alasdhair Willis, a creative director at Adidas, want to build the split level property with a turf roof and natural stone walls on the rocky outcrop overlooking Loch Ailort, west of Fort William, 30 metres above sea level. Continue reading...
iQoncept/iStock via Getty Images The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLV ) declined 5.29% in the first quarter of 2026; it slightly underperformed the broader S&P 500 Index, which fell 4.63% over the same period. Market sentiment suffered due to persistent inflation, rising Treasury yields, and an oil supply shock, pushing Brent prices over $100, peaking near $118 in late March, which hurt t...
iQoncept/iStock via Getty Images The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLV ) declined 5.29% in the first quarter of 2026; it slightly underperformed the broader S&P 500 Index, which fell 4.63% over the same period. Market sentiment suffered due to persistent inflation, rising Treasury yields, and an oil supply shock, pushing Brent prices over $100, peaking near $118 in late March, which hurt the healthcare sector's performance. Performance across the 11 S&P 500 sectors has diverged notably, reflecting shifting sentiment amid geopolitical uncertainty. In the first quarter of 2026, the Energy Select Sector ( XLE ) increased by 37.02% year-to-date, outpacing the broader market, which saw the S&P 500 Index fall by 4.63%. While defensive sectors like Materials ( XLB ) and Utilities ( XLU ) remained positive. In contrast, the former leaders of the bull market—Technology ( XLK ) and Financials ( XLF )—are entering Q2 deeply in the red. The top S&P 500 healthcare gainers and losers for Q1 2026 are as follows: Q1 top performers: Moderna ( MRNA ) +63.55% DaVita ( DVA ) +34.12% Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) +17.17% Quest Diagnostics ( DGX ) +13.62% Merck & Co. ( MRK ) +12.20% Q1 bottom performers: Humana ( HUM ) -35.19% Boston Scientific ( BSX ) -34.00% Insulet Corporation ( PODD ) -26.82% IQVIA Holdings ( IQV ) -26.29% Waters Corporation ( WAT ) -22.76% Industries performance: The Health Care Equipment & Services sector declined 12.32% in Q1, while Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and Life Sciences are down 13.85% in Q1. What Quantitative Measures Say The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLV ) has seen a severe downgrade in its Seeking Alpha Quant Rating, plunging from a 'Buy' (3.59/5) to a 'Sell' (1.3/5). This regression was driven by a dramatic collapse in momentum—which fell from a B to a D grade—even as liquidity remained a bright spot at A+. Meanwhile, the ETF's risk profile rating shifted slightly from D to D+. What Analysts Expect Investors can buy XLV or similar in...
Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images In this article, I will discuss two funds that both work by buying CEFs for cheap, harvesting the income, and also making real gains when the discounts narrow. These funds - Special Opportunities Fund, Inc. ( SPE ) and Saba Capital Income & Opportunities Fund ( BRW ) - both look attractive, with double digit yields and double digit discounts. Comparing ...
Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images In this article, I will discuss two funds that both work by buying CEFs for cheap, harvesting the income, and also making real gains when the discounts narrow. These funds - Special Opportunities Fund, Inc. ( SPE ) and Saba Capital Income & Opportunities Fund ( BRW ) - both look attractive, with double digit yields and double digit discounts. Comparing these two CEFs is particularly relevant today because the CEF space is once again seeing wide discounts after recent rate volatility and credit repricing. This is more so because both SPE and BRW are explicitly designed to exploit such changes. So the discounts do exist, but it is important to understand which structure is better suited to exploit them and convert them into realized returns in the current macro scenario. The key difference is in how they get there. Being a “fund of funds,” SPE invests 68.3% of assets in other closed-end funds. It invests another 18.2% in SPACs. It pays a managed distribution fixed at 8% of prior year-end NAV. So this is an engineered payout, and investors are exposed to fee layering - meaning the fund has its own fees on top of the fees it has to pay to the funds it owns. SPE’s expense ratio is reported as ~1.86%. However, it is a fund-of-funds, meaning it also pays expense fees to the CEFs it owns. Even though they are not part of the reported expense ratio, investors are, obviously, exposed to them. Assuming 70% CEF exposure and an average expense ratio of 0.50%, that adds an indirect 0.35% to the expense ratio. BRW is a more direct – and aggressive – vehicle. It holds CEFs, credit, private credit, and other opportunistic assets. It also often has an activist overlay aimed to force value out of its holdings. That makes BRW more opportunistic and complex, but it also comes with a bumpier ride and much greater complexity. BRW reports a much higher expense ratio of ~5.8%. This is not a fee layering like SPE, but it comes from direct costs ti...