Plans to resurrect the children’s services decimated by austerity are appealing. But schools also need attention Heavily trailed reforms to special educational needs and disabilities (Send) education dominated coverage of last week’s schools white paper. But Bridget Phillipson’s policy of in-sourcing special provision, creating a new tier of support and making mainstream settings more inclusive , ...
Plans to resurrect the children’s services decimated by austerity are appealing. But schools also need attention Heavily trailed reforms to special educational needs and disabilities (Send) education dominated coverage of last week’s schools white paper. But Bridget Phillipson’s policy of in-sourcing special provision, creating a new tier of support and making mainstream settings more inclusive , is the centrepiece of a broader agenda that also requires scrutiny. All schools in future will have to join multi-academy trusts, including a new kind of trust established by councils. Ministers have also promised a drastic shrinking of the attainment gap between richer and poorer pupils, and new projects in north-east England and coastal areas aimed at raising standards. The way that £8bn in disadvantage funding is targeted is also being changed. Other measures include financial incentives for heads in challenging schools, stronger oversight of academy trusts and a clear signal of openness to flexible working arrangements. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here . Continue reading...
Kiyoshi Tanno/iStock via Getty Images AeroVironment ( AVAV ) saw its stock slide sharply Monday after Raymond James cut its rating from Strong Buy to Underperform. The downgrade came as investors reacted to fresh concerns about AeroVironment’s ( AVAV ) largest program of record and its future revenue outlook. The stock fell as much as 22% in early trading, erasing a morning rally that had been lif...
Kiyoshi Tanno/iStock via Getty Images AeroVironment ( AVAV ) saw its stock slide sharply Monday after Raymond James cut its rating from Strong Buy to Underperform. The downgrade came as investors reacted to fresh concerns about AeroVironment’s ( AVAV ) largest program of record and its future revenue outlook. The stock fell as much as 22% in early trading, erasing a morning rally that had been lifted by gains in the broader defense sector following recent geopolitical developments. SCAR program risk cited Analyst Brian Gesuale told clients the decision reflects uncertainty around the Space Force’s SCAR (Satellite Communications Augmentation Resource) program, which had been AeroVironment’s ( AVAV ) biggest contract at roughly $1.4 billion in expected value. Work on the program is now under review and may be split among new vendors or paused entirely, putting that revenue at risk. Raymond James said the shift in the SCAR landscape, combined with slowing backlog growth and moderating orders, clouds the company’s near-term revenue and backlog visibility. Backlog is the precursor to revenue and the firm noted that without stronger growth it may weigh on estimates. Wall Street reaction in context The downgrade stood out amid a generally bullish bias for defense stocks as markets cheered U.S. and allied military action in the Middle East, which has lifted companies such as Lockheed Martin ( LMT ) and Northrop Grumman ( NOC ). AeroVironment’s ( AVAV ) early gains in the session underscored that geopolitical tension can boost demand for drone and missile makers. But the rating cut highlighted how contract uncertainty can outweigh broader sector momentum for individual names. Investors will be watching further developments around AeroVironment’s ( AVAV ) backlog and contract awards, as well as upcoming earnings, to gauge whether the stock’s recent pullback reflects a short-term shock or a deeper re-evaluation of the company’s growth trajectory. More on AeroVironment AeroViro...
The Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF (NYSEMKT:SCHE) and the iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (NASDAQ:IXUS) differ most in geographic reach, recent performance, and sector makeup, while matching each other on cost. Both SCHE and IXUS aim to provide international equity exposure, but their scopes are distinct. SCHE focuses exclusively on emerging markets, while IXUS spans both devel...
The Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF (NYSEMKT:SCHE) and the iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (NASDAQ:IXUS) differ most in geographic reach, recent performance, and sector makeup, while matching each other on cost. Both SCHE and IXUS aim to provide international equity exposure, but their scopes are distinct. SCHE focuses exclusively on emerging markets, while IXUS spans both developed and emerging markets outside the United States. This comparison examines their cost, recent returns, risk, and portfolio characteristics to help investors decide which may align better with their global allocation goals. Continue reading
Shares of the optical-networking provider have nearly tripled so far this year as AI players seek out high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity products.
Shares of the optical-networking provider have nearly tripled so far this year as AI players seek out high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity products.
Alla Morozova/iStock via Getty Images The following segment was excerpted from the Artisan International Small-Mid Fund Q4 2025 Commentary. Performance Discussion The portfolio meaningfully outperformed the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Growth Index but modestly lagged the blend MSCI ACWI ex USA SMID Index, amid a strong quarter of leadership for the "value" investment style and more cyclical sectors. In fa...
Alla Morozova/iStock via Getty Images The following segment was excerpted from the Artisan International Small-Mid Fund Q4 2025 Commentary. Performance Discussion The portfolio meaningfully outperformed the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Growth Index but modestly lagged the blend MSCI ACWI ex USA SMID Index, amid a strong quarter of leadership for the "value" investment style and more cyclical sectors. In fact, 2025 marked five consecutive years of "value" leadership, which is unprecedented both in duration and magnitude in our asset class. In our estimation, many businesses "of value" have been forgotten in a market driven by narratives and low-quality leadership, with price momentum and size driving market returns. The portfolio's overweight to software within the IT sector and meaningful underweight to metals and mining within the materials sector were significant detractors from relative return. Among the top-performing areas within the blend benchmark were energy, banks and utilities. Our portfolio, which has a structural growth orientation, has no exposure to these cyclical, capital-intensive and highly regulated market segments. It is important to note that while bottom-up security selection drives our process, we balance our enthusiasm with a commitment to diversification across industries, geographies and themes. In addition, industrials, where a few of our defense positions gave back a portion of strong year-to-date gains, detracted from Q4 relative return. In keeping with our contrarian approach to valuation, we trimmed these positions during the year and deployed our gains into other opportunities with a more attractive risk/reward. On the positive side, stock selection within health care, most notably in the biotechnology, health care equipment and pharmaceuticals industries, was the biggest source of outperformance and the strongest contributor to absolute return during the quarter. As we discussed in our Q2 letter, top-down pressures on the sector have resulted ...
In this podcast, Motley Fool personal finance expert Robert Brokamp discusses the pros and cons of five of the most common options, including the new Trump accounts. Also in this episode: To catch full episodes of all The Motley Fool's free podcasts, check out our podcast center . When you're ready to invest, check out this top 10 list of stocks to buy . Continue reading
In this podcast, Motley Fool personal finance expert Robert Brokamp discusses the pros and cons of five of the most common options, including the new Trump accounts. Also in this episode: To catch full episodes of all The Motley Fool's free podcasts, check out our podcast center . When you're ready to invest, check out this top 10 list of stocks to buy . Continue reading
April WTI crude oil (CLJ26 ) today is up +4.20 (+6.27%), and April RBOB gasoline (RBJ26 ) is up +0.0968 (+4.24%). Crude oil and gasoline prices are sharply higher today, with crude posting an 8.25-month high and gasoline posting a 19-month high. The main bullish factor for crude prices is...
April WTI crude oil (CLJ26 ) today is up +4.20 (+6.27%), and April RBOB gasoline (RBJ26 ) is up +0.0968 (+4.24%). Crude oil and gasoline prices are sharply higher today, with crude posting an 8.25-month high and gasoline posting a 19-month high. The main bullish factor for crude prices is...
Warren Buffett was apparently pretty bearish on the stock market late last year. The company he led as CEO until year end, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) , was holding a record amount of cash, having sold off big chunks of several major positions. But Buffett did opt to add to certain positions -- a signal of bullishness, at least for certain stocks. In fact, after a sizable purcha...
Warren Buffett was apparently pretty bearish on the stock market late last year. The company he led as CEO until year end, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) , was holding a record amount of cash, having sold off big chunks of several major positions. But Buffett did opt to add to certain positions -- a signal of bullishness, at least for certain stocks. In fact, after a sizable purchase, Buffett now owns 9.3% of an iconic value stock , pushing this position into his top 10 bets at Berkshire Hathaway. Continue reading
A sustained rise in oil prices would lift Canada’s economic growth and inflation outlook, Bank of Nova Scotia says. The war in Iran has already pushed petroleum prices higher, which may increase what Canada — a major crude-producing country — earns from exports relative to what it spends on imports. A persistent $10-a-barrel boost in the price of West Texas Intermediate would mean the level of Can...
A sustained rise in oil prices would lift Canada’s economic growth and inflation outlook, Bank of Nova Scotia says. The war in Iran has already pushed petroleum prices higher, which may increase what Canada — a major crude-producing country — earns from exports relative to what it spends on imports. A persistent $10-a-barrel boost in the price of West Texas Intermediate would mean the level of Canada’s real gross domestic product would be 0.5% higher by the end of 2027, according to Olivier Gervais , director of modeling and forecasting at Scotiabank. “Higher oil prices represent a sizeable nominal income transfer into Canada. Energy sector profits and investment rise, supporting employment and eventually household spending,” Gervais said in a report Monday. The lift would be partly offset by weaker household purchasing power as gasoline prices rise. While core inflation would be “relatively contained,” the consumer price index would be 0.2 percentage points higher by the end of 2027 and the Canadian dollar would appreciate about 3%, “dampening imported inflation but weighing on non-energy exports.” Overall, the model implies the Bank of Canada ’s policy rate would be 30 basis points higher by the end of next year, said Gervais, who also worked for the central bank for 17 years. The analysis underscores the challenge for policymakers confronting overlapping supply shocks. In a speech Monday, Deputy Governor Sharon Kozicki said the central bank’s decision-making becomes more complex during supply shocks, which can simultaneously pressure growth and prices. The economy has already been strained by US tariffs that have weighed on exports and business investment. Despite firmer domestic demand in the fourth quarter, output contracted at a 0.6% annualized pace as inventories were drawn down. The bank projects inflation to stay close to the 2% target over the next couple of years and has signaled comfort with holding the overnight rate at 2.25% as the economy adjusts to s...
President Trump warns strikes on Iran could last weeks — and tells Tehran to stand down. Oil surges the most in four years as tanker traffic stalls in the Strait of Hormuz and a key Saudi refinery shuts down. As tensions escalate, inflation fears roar back — piling new pressure onto markets already on edge. We break down the geopolitical fallout, the market shockwaves, and the rising cyber and AI ...
President Trump warns strikes on Iran could last weeks — and tells Tehran to stand down. Oil surges the most in four years as tanker traffic stalls in the Strait of Hormuz and a key Saudi refinery shuts down. As tensions escalate, inflation fears roar back — piling new pressure onto markets already on edge. We break down the geopolitical fallout, the market shockwaves, and the rising cyber and AI risks tied to the conflict. (Source: Bloomberg)
Conflict-related betting on prediction markets hit a record last week as traders piled into wagers on the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, while blockchain analysts flagged suspicious activity and lawmakers called for a crackdown. Bettors placed $425.4 million in wagers on geopolitics questions on Polymarket in the week ending March 1, up from $163.9 million the week before, according to user-compiled ...
Conflict-related betting on prediction markets hit a record last week as traders piled into wagers on the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, while blockchain analysts flagged suspicious activity and lawmakers called for a crackdown. Bettors placed $425.4 million in wagers on geopolitics questions on Polymarket in the week ending March 1, up from $163.9 million the week before, according to user-compiled data on Dune Analytics. Across the site, total wagering reached a record $2.4 billion, up from $1.8 billion a week earlier. The growth comes as critics question the legality and ethics of betting on military conflict. US regulations are broadly understood to prohibit financial contracts tied to war, but Polymarket’s main exchange operates offshore and outside the oversight of US regulators. After US and Israeli bombs fell on Iran on Saturday, blockchain researchers pointed to several Polymarket accounts whose trading showed signs consistent with suspected advance knowledge of the attacks. Prediction markets have become more popular over the past year in large part because they offer a new way to bet on sports and crypto prices. Those remain the largest categories on Polymarket and Kalshi, but both companies have long promoted them as a venue for making trades on politics and global events. Geopolitics made up about 18% of all wagering on Polymarket last week, up from roughly 9% just a week earlier. Read More: Polymarket Iran Bets Hit $529 Million as New Wallets Win Big Nine of the 10 most-traded geopolitics markets last week were tied to Iran, according to blockchain data. Contracts linked to the timing of US strikes on Iran dominated the list, with each drawing between $53 million and $8 million in volume. The most active geopolitics market asked whether Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be out as Iran’s supreme leader by Feb. 28. That contract drew $84 million in volume on Polymarket during the week, out of $104 million total. Khamenei was killed over the weekend. Polymarket d...
Qatar’s Ministry of Defense said its air force downed two Iranian Su-24 jets, the first crewed aircraft from the Islamic Republic known to be destroyed in combat since fighting began last week. Many of Iran’s bombers have been destroyed on the ground during early airstrikes meant to hamper Tehran’s ability to protect itself. Although Iran struck targets around the region with waves of drones and b...
Qatar’s Ministry of Defense said its air force downed two Iranian Su-24 jets, the first crewed aircraft from the Islamic Republic known to be destroyed in combat since fighting began last week. Many of Iran’s bombers have been destroyed on the ground during early airstrikes meant to hamper Tehran’s ability to protect itself. Although Iran struck targets around the region with waves of drones and ballistic missiles, it hadn’t attempted an attack with air-launched weapons so far. Drones hit a QatarEnergy facility in Ras Laffan, prompting the company to halt liquefied natural gas production there. Prices in Europe surged. Qatar didn’t say what weapons the Su-24s may have been armed with, but Iran may operate cruise missiles of unknown capability, according to International Institute of Strategic Studies data. The fate of each plane’s two-person crew wasn’t disclosed. The Soviet-era Su-24 is a supersonic strike aircraft that can carry as much as 17,000 pounds of weapons. Iran’s air force only had 29 operational before the war, IISS data show. None of its combat aircraft have downed US or Israeli aircraft in the conflict. “Israel and the US have air supremacy,” said Sascha Bruchmann of the IISS. “Thus far, neither the US nor Israel have had any significant losses that will affect their will or capability to sustain a campaign against Iran.” However, three US fighter jets crashed after being mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses, though all six aircrew ejected safely. The Qatari government also said that it had intercepted seven ballistic missiles and five drones.
AlexSecret/E+ via Getty Images The following segment was excerpted from the Artisan International Small-Mid Fund Q4 2025 Commentary. Throughout our 14 years of managing an international small-mid company portfolio, which now includes 7 years at Artisan Partners, the information technology (IT) sector has provided a fertile hunting ground for identifying small companies on their journey to becoming...
AlexSecret/E+ via Getty Images The following segment was excerpted from the Artisan International Small-Mid Fund Q4 2025 Commentary. Throughout our 14 years of managing an international small-mid company portfolio, which now includes 7 years at Artisan Partners, the information technology (IT) sector has provided a fertile hunting ground for identifying small companies on their journey to becoming large, globally relevant industry leaders. Today, we continue to find idiosyncratic opportunities across both the software and hardware segments of tech, despite their contradictory extremes in current market sentiment. Our approach to hardware investing has always been conservative. Although many wonderful hardware businesses can experience periods of significant upcycles, the industry is generally transactional, and spending levels often vary considerably, resulting in cyclicality. The hardware industry also tends to be asset-heavy and price-competitive, which is why companies have historically traded at a discount. To mitigate these risks when investing in hardware, we look for companies with long-term contracts and asset-light business models, as well as those at the cutting edge of shifting technology, which limits the risk of disintermediation. One example is Fabrinet, which largely operates "take or pay" contracts, performs light assembly and takes no inventory risk. The company is at the leading edge of networking technology in optical components. We believe the current supercycle has stretched valuations for many companies displaying commodity-like characteristics. This makes us wary of a scenario in which any sign of the wave cresting will reveal a lack of resiliency and trigger significant re-ratings downward. Weaker companies chasing this build-out will likely be left with underutilized capacity, overextended balance sheets and pricing pressure due to excess inventory. Further, these risks are typically more acute for smaller companies, which are often price ta...
The United Nations nuclear watchdog said military action alone won’t be able to resolve ambiguity over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “At some point, this will come to an end,” International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in an interview with Bloomberg TV . “When that happens, you will still have a question mark. We will have to go back to the negotiating table.” With ...
The United Nations nuclear watchdog said military action alone won’t be able to resolve ambiguity over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “At some point, this will come to an end,” International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in an interview with Bloomberg TV . “When that happens, you will still have a question mark. We will have to go back to the negotiating table.” With the IAEA’s board meeting this week in Vienna, Grossi said earlier in the day he was frustrated by the collapse of diplomacy with Iran. He’d met with envoys from Iran and the US the week before in an effort to avert military action. The career diplomat from Argentina reiterated that the majority of airstrikes over the last three days didn’t concentrate on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Satellite images reviewed by the IAEA indicate that only Iran’s uranium-enrichment site in Natanz showed indications of new damage, Grossi said. The IAEA chief reiterated “frustration” with the failure of diplomacy in Iran. He pointed to proposals he’d floated to limit Iran’s nuclear program that had “started to acquire some momentum” before hostilities began. “We are, quite understandably, feeling a strong sense of frustration,” Grossi told the IAEA’s board earlier, while urging all sides in the conflict to exercise the “utmost restraint.”