Middle Schoolers' Reading & Math Scores Remain Below Pre-Pandemic Levels, US Results Show Authored by Aaron Gifford via The Epoch Times, Although math and reading scores for 9-year-old students across the country have improved slightly over the past three years, their 13-year-old peers have seen no gains in the same subject areas, according to U.S. Department of Education data released on June 10....
Middle Schoolers' Reading & Math Scores Remain Below Pre-Pandemic Levels, US Results Show Authored by Aaron Gifford via The Epoch Times, Although math and reading scores for 9-year-old students across the country have improved slightly over the past three years, their 13-year-old peers have seen no gains in the same subject areas, according to U.S. Department of Education data released on June 10. Still, scores for both age groups remain below the levels before the COVID-19 pandemic in both subject areas. That’s according to the latest release of the Nation’s Report Card, which provides new data for the two age groups dating back at least three years. For the 9-year-olds, average scores last year were 4 points higher in both reading (218 out of 500) and math (238 out of 500) than those in 2022. For the 13-year-olds, average reading scores have remained at 256 since 2023, while math scores decreased by 1 point from 2023 to 270 last year. The data, summarized by the federal agency’s National Assessment of Educational Progress office, are based on standardized assessment scores across all states for both public and private school students. For the latest report, the office examined scores of more than 7,000 9-year-olds and more than 8,000 13-year-olds across more than 400 schools. Stagnant or declining scores on the Nation’s Report Card across all grade levels in recent years have been a topic of debate among federal leaders. President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon advocate eliminating the Department of Education, promoting universal school choice, and incentivizing states and local school districts to make improvements based on local priorities for public education. They’ve enjoyed support from Republican members of Congress. Democrats have called for preserving the federal agency and providing more state and federal funding for public schools. During committee hearings in the past year, members also opposed private school voucher initiatives and ...
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is offering $1.5 billion to acquire Chinese grocery delivery firm Pupu, initiating a bidding war as part of a broader campaign to wrest market share from Meituan in online commerce. China’s largest consumer internet platform’s proposed price is more than double an earlier bid from Sun Art Retail, according to people familiar with the matter. Sun Art, a former Alibaba aff...
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is offering $1.5 billion to acquire Chinese grocery delivery firm Pupu, initiating a bidding war as part of a broader campaign to wrest market share from Meituan in online commerce. China’s largest consumer internet platform’s proposed price is more than double an earlier bid from Sun Art Retail, according to people familiar with the matter. Sun Art, a former Alibaba affiliate that’s now backed by private equity firm DCP Capital, had proposed a takeover at $600 million, the people said, asking not to be identified because the sale process is confidential. Alibaba’s proposal emerged just months after Meituan announced a $717 million acquisition of Dingdong Fresh Holding Ltd., after beating out rival bidders. Alibaba’s aggressive offer underscores its determination to prevail in an intensifying battle between three giants of Chinese online commerce. The rising valuations reflect fierce competition for scarce retail assets, as Alibaba, Meituan and JD.com Inc. step up efforts to dominate local commerce and fresh produce, among the few remaining consumer segments that remain under-penetrated online. Fujian-based Pupu is among the last independent online grocery companies in China yet to be acquired. China’s grocery platforms have engaged in years of subsidy-driven price wars, pressuring margins and perpetuating “involution” — the destructive competition Beijing is now seeking to reduce. While consolidation may help curb price wars, it also risks concentrating market power in the hands of a few dominant platforms, potentially conflicting with Beijing’s goal of fostering more competition. Meituan’s proposed acquisition of Dingdong is awaiting approval from antitrust regulators. A Pupu sale to an industry leader may also draw Beijing’s attention. A representative for Alibaba didn’t reply to a request for comment. DCP declined to comment and a Pupu representative declined to comment. Squeeze on Rivals Major internet companies have historically reli...
格隆汇6月12日｜破产对冲基金创始人George Weiss正准备出售其庞大艺术收藏中的又一件作品，计划出让英国画家弗朗西斯·培根的一幅自画像。此前，他已同意出售保罗·西涅克和巴勃罗·毕加索的作品。根据其律师周三提交的文件，Weiss正请求佛罗里达州一名破产法官批准，通过与高古轩画廊现有的委托协议，出售这幅1972年的布面油画。今年3月，另一幅同为1972年创作的培根自画像在苏富比拍卖会上以约1600万英镑成交。Weiss及其同名对冲基金此前因与Jefferies Financial Group Inc.就超过1亿美元债务发生纠纷而申请第11章破产保护。法庭文件显示，培根这幅画作是韦斯在2018年为获得美国银行1.326亿美元贷款所抵押的多件艺术品之一。
In this article @CL.1 @LCO.1 Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT APA Corporation's Beryl Alpha oil platform in the North Sea. Courtesy: APA Corporation Oil prices fell Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington had reached a framework agreement with Iran, raising hopes the Middle East conflict could be nearing its end. U.S. crude oil futures for July delivery fell 1.65% t...
In this article @CL.1 @LCO.1 Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT APA Corporation's Beryl Alpha oil platform in the North Sea. Courtesy: APA Corporation Oil prices fell Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington had reached a framework agreement with Iran, raising hopes the Middle East conflict could be nearing its end. U.S. crude oil futures for July delivery fell 1.65% to $86.26 per barrel, while August futures for international benchmark Brent lost 1.55% to $88.98 per barrel in early Asia trading. Speaking at the Oval Office, Trump said he expects an agreement to be signed "over the next few days," assertions he has made several time during the conflict. He also said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen once a deal is finalized. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Brent oil Earlier in the day, Trump said he had called off a planned round of U.S. military strikes against Iran, arguing that negotiations with Tehran "have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved." Tehran pushed back on Trump's claim, with Iranian state-affiliated outlet Fars reporting on Telegram that Tehran had not approved any draft text for an initial memorandum of understanding with Washington. In a subsequent post, Fars portrayed Trump's announcement as a step back from his earlier military threats, saying he had failed to present any new elements beyond a proposal Iran had already submitted. "The reality is that up until now, not only has Iran not given a final response, but it is the US that has returned to its previous demand," Fars reported in a translated post. "Of course, it seems that given that the US has accepted the text proposed by Iran, there is a possibility of re-examining this text," according to Fars. BMO Capital Markets said oil prices have remained surprisingly contained despite the recent fresh exchange of U.S.-Iran strikes, with ongoing diplomatic efforts, alternative shipping routes around the Strait of Hormuz and sharply lowe...
Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, the eldest daughter of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn, died at the age of 47 after nearly four years in a coma, the royal palace said in a statement on Friday. She was suffering from an abdominal infection and “her condition continued to worsen”, the Bureau of the Royal Household said in a statement, until she “passed away peacefully” on Thursday e...
Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, the eldest daughter of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn, died at the age of 47 after nearly four years in a coma, the royal palace said in a statement on Friday. She was suffering from an abdominal infection and “her condition continued to worsen”, the Bureau of the Royal Household said in a statement, until she “passed away peacefully” on Thursday evening. The princess was taken to hospital in December 2022, after she collapsed from a heart...
Bermuda welcomed the landing of Google's Nuvem and Sol subsea cable systems in Bermuda, describing the milestone as a significant investment in the island's digital infrastructure, economic resilience, and long-term competitiveness. The ceremony brought together representatives of the Government of Bermuda, the Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA), Google and other partners connected to the p...
Bermuda welcomed the landing of Google's Nuvem and Sol subsea cable systems in Bermuda, describing the milestone as a significant investment in the island's digital infrastructure, economic resilience, and long-term competitiveness. The ceremony brought together representatives of the Government of Bermuda, the Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA), Google and other partners connected to the project.
AlexSecret/iStock via Getty Images This week’s release of the American Association of Individual Investors survey resulted in 30.4% of respondents reporting bullish sentiment, tied for the lowest level of bullishness this year (tied with the March 19th release). Not only that, but the percentage of respondents reporting bearish sentiment ticked up to 47.7%, the highest since April 2nd. Through yes...
AlexSecret/iStock via Getty Images This week’s release of the American Association of Individual Investors survey resulted in 30.4% of respondents reporting bullish sentiment, tied for the lowest level of bullishness this year (tied with the March 19th release). Not only that, but the percentage of respondents reporting bearish sentiment ticked up to 47.7%, the highest since April 2nd. Through yesterday’s close, the S&P 500 has fallen 4.5% from its June 2nd all-time high. Consequently, bears are coming out of hibernation as the tech-led rally has lost some of its steam, and geopolitical uncertainty continues to rattle markets. Bullish sentiment fell by 5.9 percentage points this week, a decline larger than roughly 80% of all weekly changes since 1987, when the survey began. While the decline in bullish sentiment was notable, the deterioration was very apparent in the pop of bearishness. Bearish sentiment jumped by 10.7 percentage points this week, an increase larger than roughly 93% of all weekly changes since 1987 and 96% of the changes recorded so far in 2026. While the broader market has seen a pullback from its peak over the last week, and AAII bullish sentiment has dropped to its lowest level of the year, forward performance of the S&P 500 has been less grim in similar environments. Since 1987, AAII bullish readings between 30% and 35% have occurred roughly 17% of the time. Following those readings, the S&P 500 has posted positive average returns over every measured horizon, including gains of 2.9% over the next three months, 5.3% over the next six months, and 10.7% over the following year. In fact, the market tends to sour most when bulls are feeling their best, though the sample size for readings above 65% is slim. In contrast, some of the strongest forward returns, on average, occur when individual investors are least optimistic. Original Post Editor's Note: The summary bullets for this article were chosen by Seeking Alpha editors.
A number of stocks jumped in the afternoon session after the Nasdaq rebounded, up 1.8%, as Trump's Iran peace deal announcement released the rate pressure that weighed on the sector all week.
A number of stocks jumped in the afternoon session after the Nasdaq rebounded, up 1.8%, as Trump's Iran peace deal announcement released the rate pressure that weighed on the sector all week.
In this episode of Motley Fool Hidden Gems Investing , Motley Fool contributors Travis Hoium and Lou Whiteman, along with Motley Fool analyst Jason Moser, discuss: 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 . A full transcript is below. Continue reading
In this episode of Motley Fool Hidden Gems Investing , Motley Fool contributors Travis Hoium and Lou Whiteman, along with Motley Fool analyst Jason Moser, discuss: 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 . A full transcript is below. Continue reading
One of China’s top coal-producing regions plans to expand use of the feedstock to manufacture chemicals, even as the practice poses a rising threat to the country’s climate goals. The Iran War has boosted the coal-to-chemicals industry’s economics by raising the price of oil. Local officials are touting it as a key source of energy independence for China. “Increasing production of coal-based chemi...
One of China’s top coal-producing regions plans to expand use of the feedstock to manufacture chemicals, even as the practice poses a rising threat to the country’s climate goals. The Iran War has boosted the coal-to-chemicals industry’s economics by raising the price of oil. Local officials are touting it as a key source of energy independence for China. “Increasing production of coal-based chemical products will improve self-sufficiency in oil and gas domestically, helping to mitigate and offset energy security challenges at the industrial level,” said Huang Zhiqiang, executive vice chairman of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region’s government, at a press conference in the capital Hohhot on Thursday. “This reduces our reliance on imported oil and gas, lowering the proportion of foreign imports.” The region is home to one of China’s top coal-to-chemical hubs — the city of Ordos, where the black fuel is transformed into olefins to produce plastics as well as oil and gas. The Baofeng olefins plant, which came online last year with annual production of 3 million tons, is the country’s largest, and several other major olefin facilities are under development in the area. The Iran war has delivered a tailwind for the industry, and Bloomberg Intelligence projects coal consumption in the sector could grow as much as 20% this year. Although the coal-based alchemy is bolstering China’s self-sufficiency, it is also undercutting the country’s climate progress. The industry’s expansion in recent years has led to rapid carbon emissions growth, climbing 12% in 2025 alone, according to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Inner Mongolia has also emerged as one of China’s strongest clean energy champions, boasting the country’s highest wind generation last year and a slew of green tech factories, including from leading companies Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Ltd. and Envision Energy Co. Local officials said on Thursday that the region would peak its emissions on schedule...
poco_bw/iStock via Getty Images Gold prices slipped into bear market territory in early June, down more than 20% from the January record high above $5500 per ounce. Now below its long-term 200-day moving average, the bears control the primary trend on the precious metal. Still, many of the world’s leading gold miners are able to produce at highly profitable levels. Back in March , I had a buy rati...
poco_bw/iStock via Getty Images Gold prices slipped into bear market territory in early June, down more than 20% from the January record high above $5500 per ounce. Now below its long-term 200-day moving average, the bears control the primary trend on the precious metal. Still, many of the world’s leading gold miners are able to produce at highly profitable levels. Back in March , I had a buy rating on Coeur Mining Inc. ( CDE ). Shares are down 24% since then, however, as the quality gold industry company within the global materials sector just could not overcome outright negative trends in the metal. Today, with a modest valuation but risky chart, I reiterate a buy rating. I’ll provide color on its Q1, a refreshed valuation, and a look at where things stand on the chart. CDE Lagging Global Stocks YTD Following a Stunning Start to 2026 Stockcharts.com Gold -27% From the January High Stockcharts.com Back in May, Coeur reported a decent set of quarterly numbers. Its Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $0.36 matched the Wall Street consensus forecast, while revenue of $856 million, up a whopping 138% from the same period last year, was a solid $72.3 million beat. The firm initiated a $0.02 semi-annual dividend later in the month, following news of $2 billion of free cash flow following its New Gold deal’s closing. Shares dipped by 3.4% in the session after the quarterly report, but that was well within the 7.2% options-implied post-earnings swing. Looking ahead to the August 5 Q2 release date, the options market prices in a large 10.1% earnings-related stock price swing based on the at-the-money straddle expiring soonest after the event. With gold volatility spiking at the moment, CDE’s implied volatility figure has surged to above 70%, according to data from Option Research & Technology Services. Shares of the $17 billion market cap company carry a short interest rate of 4.2%, while the dividend yield is very low. Looking back on the quarter that was, Coeur posted generally healthy fi...