Tatsiana Niamera/iStock via Getty Images As I'm typing, each of the 11 sectors in the S&P 500 ( SP500 ) is down, except one: energy (with industrials barely holding the line lifted by aerospace and defense stocks). In this article, I discuss the recent geopolitical events in the Middle East and my thoughts on where I think the markets are heading. I'm most definitely not chasing the rip in energy ...
Tatsiana Niamera/iStock via Getty Images As I'm typing, each of the 11 sectors in the S&P 500 ( SP500 ) is down, except one: energy (with industrials barely holding the line lifted by aerospace and defense stocks). In this article, I discuss the recent geopolitical events in the Middle East and my thoughts on where I think the markets are heading. I'm most definitely not chasing the rip in energy right now. As I'm about to show, the energy sector has been among the top performers since the start of the year due to the increase in oil prices. That increase is due to external events and not a fundamental shift in the supply/demand balance. Therefore, the constituents in this industry are likely to revert to the mean. As for shorting oil (CL1:COM, CO1:COM) and gas ( NG1:COM ) futures, I admit that I'm very tempted, but I didn't initiate a position at the time of writing this piece. Overall, I need to see more irrational exuberance from these levels. With Brent oil prices at $80, I don't see enough upside for buying OTM puts due to the infamous IV crush effect. As for shorting with shares, I’m definitely not giving it a go, given the momentum in escalations. Overall, I am staying on the sidelines, and I am monitoring the earliest signs that suggest a ceasefire. At that point, I’m considering a highly risky and speculative short bet using OTM puts on oil futures. Reading The Market Tape As I'm typing these words during the pre-market session of March 2, I can see a lot of red in most sectors, except in energy. Guidance Terminal As seen above, the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLE ) is up mid-single digits over the weekend, while every other sector is in the red. Well, there is actually an exception: industrials, which seem to be flat. Why? Well, take a look at the chart below (click image to enlarge), showing the top performers within industrials over the weekend. Guidance Terminal Unsurprisingly, aerospace & defense and marine shipping (to a lesser extent...
3DSculptor/iStock via Getty Images nLIGHT ( LASR ) shares had surged 13% by mid-morning market action on Monday as the company prepares to unveil its high-energy laser weapon solutions at the Pacific Operational Science & Technology Conference next week in Hawaii . The provider of high-power lasers for mission-critical directed energy, optical sensing, and advanced manufacturing applications plans...
3DSculptor/iStock via Getty Images nLIGHT ( LASR ) shares had surged 13% by mid-morning market action on Monday as the company prepares to unveil its high-energy laser weapon solutions at the Pacific Operational Science & Technology Conference next week in Hawaii . The provider of high-power lasers for mission-critical directed energy, optical sensing, and advanced manufacturing applications plans to highlight its newly developed 70kW-class Laser Weapon System and its recently released 30kW and 10kW high-energy lasers. nLIGHT is a key technology provider for U.S. President Donald Trump's Golden Dome project. It is a proposed multi-layer missile defense system for the United States, intended to detect and destroy ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles before they launch or during their flight. Also on Monday, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated its Overweight rating and increased its price target to $62.50 from $40. nLIGHT competitors Lumentum ( LITE ) and Coherent ( COHR ) were up 6% and 10%, respectively, during Monday trading, after they both revealed an expanded partnership with Nvidia ( NVDA ). More on nLight nLIGHT, Inc. 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation nLIGHT, Inc. (LASR) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript nLIGHT, Inc. (LASR) Presents at 47th Annual TD Cowen Aerospace and Defense Conference - Slideshow NLIGHT outlines $70M–$76M Q1 revenue target as it exits cutting and welding to focus on A&D growth nLight tumbles despite Q4 results, revenue outlook topping estimates
We Are/DigitalVision via Getty Images Market review US stocks were broadly higher in 4Q2025, rising for a third consecutive quarter (the major US stock market indices were also higher for a third consecutive year in 2025). The broad market S&P 500® Index made new all-time highs on several occasions, most recently during the last week of December. Market gains were fueled in part by more accommodat...
We Are/DigitalVision via Getty Images Market review US stocks were broadly higher in 4Q2025, rising for a third consecutive quarter (the major US stock market indices were also higher for a third consecutive year in 2025). The broad market S&P 500® Index made new all-time highs on several occasions, most recently during the last week of December. Market gains were fueled in part by more accommodative monetary policy (the US Federal Reserve Bank lowered the federal funds rate by 0.50 percentage points during the quarter) and better-than-expected corporate earnings, which rose 13.5% year-over-year in 3Q2025. Encouragingly, stock market breadth was somewhat better as the equal weighted S&P 500 Index, up 1.4% for the quarter, narrowed the gap with (but still trailed) the market cap weighted S&P 500 Index, which rose 2.7%. (Source: FactSet.) Within the Fund For 4Q2025, Nomura Value Fund institutional Class shares modestly trailed its benchmark, the Russell 1000® Value Index. At the portfolio level, stock selection detracted from relative returns while sector allocation contributed. At the sector level, investments in the information technology (IT), consumer discretionary, and industrials sectors detracted the most from relative performance; investments in communication services, financials, and healthcare were notable contributors. In terms of sector allocation, the Fund's underweight in consumer staples was the primary contributor and its overweight in real estate was the primary detractor. Teledyne Technologies Inc. ( TDY ), a maker of infrared cameras, drones, and other high-tech aerospace and industrial equipment, was a primary detractor. Teledyne's shares moved lower after the company reported results for 3Q2025 and remained under pressure for much of the quarter. Quarterly revenue and cash flow hit record highs and were ahead of consensus estimates. Earnings per share (EPS) was also better than expected but was down sequentially because of restructuring costs and ...
SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF ( MBNE ) - $0.0758 . 30-Day SEC Yield of 2.43% as of Feb. 26. Payable Mar 05; for shareholders of record Mar 02; ex-div Mar 02. More on State Street SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on State Street SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF Dividend scorecard for State Street SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF
SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF ( MBNE ) - $0.0758 . 30-Day SEC Yield of 2.43% as of Feb. 26. Payable Mar 05; for shareholders of record Mar 02; ex-div Mar 02. More on State Street SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on State Street SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF Dividend scorecard for State Street SPDR Nuveen Municipal Bond ESG ETF
Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike ( CRWD ) is set to post fourth quarter results on Tuesday, after markets close. Wall Street expects the Austin-based company to post EPS of $1.10, implying a rise of nearly 7%, while revenue is expected to rise 22.6% to $1.3 billion during the quarter. CrowdStrike has been benefiting as organizations are increasing their spending on cybersecurity. Along with that, th...
Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike ( CRWD ) is set to post fourth quarter results on Tuesday, after markets close. Wall Street expects the Austin-based company to post EPS of $1.10, implying a rise of nearly 7%, while revenue is expected to rise 22.6% to $1.3 billion during the quarter. CrowdStrike has been benefiting as organizations are increasing their spending on cybersecurity. Along with that, the company’s rollout of AI-driven features on its platform is also enabling it to attract more customers. The company recently expanded its partnership with Microsoft ( MSFT ), enabling organisations to purchase CrowdStrike’s Falcon platform through the Microsoft Marketplace. It has also unveiled plans to expand into Saudi Arabia, India, and the United Arab Emirates as it aims to broaden distribution and deepen its market. Earlier in December, CrowdStrike posted a solid third quarter print, with the company beating estimates for both top and bottom lines in the quarter and guiding full-year ahead of analysts’ expectations. A recent survey by Oppenheimer found that organisations in the U.S. and Europe moderately increased spending on cybersecurity during the last quarter, with CrowdStrike continuing to stand out as the clear leader. Over the last two years, CrowdStrike has beaten EPS estimates 100% of the time and has beaten revenue estimates 88% of the time. Seeking Alpha analysts and Seeking Alpha’s Quant ratings are cautious and rated the stock a Hold. In contrast, Wall Street considers it a Buy. Piper Sandler analyst Rob Owens believes that AI is an opportunity for CrowdStrike, saying that industry “leaders” like CRWD “are well positioned to capture this opportunity over [the] coming years.” Over the last three months, EPS estimates have seen 35 upward revisions compared to six downward revisions. Revenue estimates have seen 31 upward revisions versus nine downward moves. The stock has lost 19% so far this year, compared to the 0.4% gain in the broader S&P 500 Index. More...
We got the most recent filing of Berkshire Hathaway's stock holdings recently, and it once again showed it selling tech stocks to buy consumer goods companies.
We got the most recent filing of Berkshire Hathaway's stock holdings recently, and it once again showed it selling tech stocks to buy consumer goods companies.
Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) stock has pulled back 2.9% year-to-date to around $1,044, and institutional investors have been accumulating shares during the pullback, according to recent filings. The Earnings Machine Lilly closed 2025 with back-to-back blowout quarters. Q4 revenue hit $19.29 billion against a consensus estimate of $18.14 billion, while non-GAAP EPS of $7.54 cleared ... What Smart Money Lo...
Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) stock has pulled back 2.9% year-to-date to around $1,044, and institutional investors have been accumulating shares during the pullback, according to recent filings. The Earnings Machine Lilly closed 2025 with back-to-back blowout quarters. Q4 revenue hit $19.29 billion against a consensus estimate of $18.14 billion, while non-GAAP EPS of $7.54 cleared ... What Smart Money Loves About Lilly
In this article AAPL Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Apple introduces iPhone 17e Source: Apple Inc. Apple opened its week of product launches on Monday morning with a refreshed low-cost iPhone and a faster iPad Air, as it begins what looks to be a broader multi-day hardware push. The headline device is the new iPhone 17e, a budget model in the iPhone 17 lineup that starts at $599 a...
In this article AAPL Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Apple introduces iPhone 17e Source: Apple Inc. Apple opened its week of product launches on Monday morning with a refreshed low-cost iPhone and a faster iPad Air, as it begins what looks to be a broader multi-day hardware push. The headline device is the new iPhone 17e, a budget model in the iPhone 17 lineup that starts at $599 and comes in below the $799 standard iPhone 17. Apple introduces iPhone 17e Source: Apple Inc. The 17e keeps the same 6.1-inch size, but adds tougher glass, Apple's A19 chip, the newer C1X modem, MagSafe charging, and 256GB of starting storage — twice the base capacity of last year's model. It comes in pink, black, and white, with preorders starting March 4 and in-store availability beginning on March 11. Apple iPad Air Source: Apple Inc. Apple also updated the iPad Air, which keeps the same design and price but moves from its M3 to M4 chip. The 11-inch model still starts at $599, while the 13-inch version remains $799. Apple said in the release the new processor is up to 30% faster than the prior generation. The company has planned product announcements over the next few days. Apple has told stores to brace for a big rush, Bloomberg reported. Read more CNBC tech news Trump administration blacklists Anthropic as AI firm refuses Pentagon demands How Amazon's massive stake in OpenAI could boost its AI and cloud businesses Block laying off more than 4,000 employees, nearly half of its workforce Nintendo bets more than ever on franchises like Mario to drive Switch 2 sales
John Ross, President and CEO of Central Bancompany (NASDAQ:CBC) , reported the open-market purchase of 40,000 shares valued at approximately $980,000 on Feb. 6, 2026, according to a SEC Form 4 filing . Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average purchase price ($24.50); post-transaction value based on the market close price on Feb. 6, 2026. Continue reading
John Ross, President and CEO of Central Bancompany (NASDAQ:CBC) , reported the open-market purchase of 40,000 shares valued at approximately $980,000 on Feb. 6, 2026, according to a SEC Form 4 filing . Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average purchase price ($24.50); post-transaction value based on the market close price on Feb. 6, 2026. Continue reading
Supatman/iStock via Getty Images A specter is haunting Wall Street—the specter of the “SaaSpocalypse.” Since the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF ( IGV ) peaked on September 19, 2025, it has fallen roughly 30%. For context, the broad technology indexes like XLK and QQQ are essentially flat over the same period, and the semiconductor ETF ( SMH ) is up 30%. Between mid-January and mid-Febru...
Supatman/iStock via Getty Images A specter is haunting Wall Street—the specter of the “SaaSpocalypse.” Since the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF ( IGV ) peaked on September 19, 2025, it has fallen roughly 30%. For context, the broad technology indexes like XLK and QQQ are essentially flat over the same period, and the semiconductor ETF ( SMH ) is up 30%. Between mid-January and mid-February 2026 alone, approximately one trillion dollars was wiped from the collective value of software stocks, with the S&P North American Software Index posting its worst monthly decline since the 2008 financial crisis. The catalyst was a series of AI product launches, most notably Anthropic’s Claude Cowork tool and OpenAI’s enterprise agent, Frontier, demonstrating that AI agents can now handle complex knowledge work autonomously. The market’s interpretation was simple. If AI agents can replicate what enterprise software does, then enterprise software is finished. That is the narrative that has taken hold in recent weeks. The consequence has been brutal. Workday ( WDAY ) is down 35% year-to-date. Adobe ( ADBE ) has shed 26%. Salesforce ( CRM ), 25%. Atlassian ( TEAM ) plunged 35% in a single week. Even Microsoft ( MSFT ), the ultimate blue chip, fell by more than 10%. The thesis is straightforward enough. Generative AI can now write code, automate workflows, and rapidly and cheaply create customized applications. Therefore, if enterprises can build their own “disposable software,” micro-apps tailored to specific workflows, instead of paying bloated subscription fees, then the traditional per-seat SaaS pricing model is dead. Potentially worse is that AI lowers barriers to entry, enabling more competitors to quickly replicate existing software. Such would compress margins and weaken the moats that once protected large software firms. It is a compelling narrative. The question investors must answer is whether it is true. Will AI Actually Kill Software Stocks? Not So Fast Like mo...
Barbican Hall, London The pianist was electrifying in Rautavaara’s first concerto, while the young Finn conducted a condensed Ring with clever, slow-burn pacing Mess with Yuja Wang at your peril. For anyone still in doubt of her temperament after last week , here she was, exploding into the solo part of Einojuhani Rautavaara’s 1969 Piano Concerto No 1. It’s a monumental work demanding considerable...
Barbican Hall, London The pianist was electrifying in Rautavaara’s first concerto, while the young Finn conducted a condensed Ring with clever, slow-burn pacing Mess with Yuja Wang at your peril. For anyone still in doubt of her temperament after last week , here she was, exploding into the solo part of Einojuhani Rautavaara’s 1969 Piano Concerto No 1. It’s a monumental work demanding considerable physicality – at several points the soloist all but attacked the keyboard, slapping the keys in clusters or using a forearm to thump out the shape of the melody. Wang was formidable, Rautavaara’s dense writing providing an ideal showcase for her bright clarity. And the orchestra was just adversarial enough, thanks to the judgment of Tarmo Peltokoski , the Finnish conductor making his LSO debut. Wang gave us three encores, starting with a richly singing Barcarolle by the Finnish composer Erkki Melartin and finishing with Brahms’s Hungarian Dance No 6, a duet for which she was joined by Peltokoski, no mean pianist himself. In between came the highlight: her own arrangement of the desperate second movement of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No 8, dispatched with exhilarating virtuosity. Continue reading...