This was in 2010, and Andrews is expected to be eligible for parole in May - something which has shocked Bethan's family, who have started a petition, saying it's far too soon for him to be freed.
This was in 2010, and Andrews is expected to be eligible for parole in May - something which has shocked Bethan's family, who have started a petition, saying it's far too soon for him to be freed.
Key Points The uncertain economy is forcing some consumers to tighten their spending, something Chipotle’s 2025 financial results revealed. Investors should focus on the long term, as the business will have a much larger store footprint in the future. Although the valuation presents a compelling buying opportunity, this restaurant stock isn't going to produce life-changing wealth. 10 stocks we lik...
Key Points The uncertain economy is forcing some consumers to tighten their spending, something Chipotle’s 2025 financial results revealed. Investors should focus on the long term, as the business will have a much larger store footprint in the future. Although the valuation presents a compelling buying opportunity, this restaurant stock isn't going to produce life-changing wealth. 10 stocks we like better than Chipotle Mexican Grill › Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) has a lot of work to do to win back the hearts of the investment community. Shares have fallen 46% from their all-time high in June 2024 (as of March 4). Besides late 2025, they now trade at the same level as they did in October 2023. The market has lost its appetite for this restaurant stock. Contrarian investors are ready to take action. Could investing $1,000 in Chipotle make you richer? Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » The K-shaped economy is taking its toll Based on ongoing U.S. GDP growth, we're not in a situation that warrants preparing for a recession. However, there is definitely a notable portion of the population that is feeling the pressure. After all, consumer confidence in the U.S. recently hit a 12-year low. We're in what looks like a K-shaped economy. Affluent consumers are generally doing well, but might still be discerning with their spending. At the same time, low-income households struggle with higher costs across the board. This unfavorable setup is finally starting to take its toll on Chipotle's financials. The company reported same-store sales growth of 7.9% in 2023 and 7.4% in 2024. But this key performance metric declined 1.7% last year, as foot traffic fell. Investors aren't used to seeing the popular Tex-Mex chain struggle like this. It's worth mentioning that the retail sector overall is ex...
New Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA 0.39%)(BRKB 0.28%) CEO Greg Abel officially kicked off his tenure as the large conglomerate's new chief with an 18-page letter to shareholders, officially replacing the annual letter that former CEO Warren Buffett had penned for decades. Abel provided many details, including how he plans to run the company, an overview of its current state, and an unprecedented look at...
New Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA 0.39%)(BRKB 0.28%) CEO Greg Abel officially kicked off his tenure as the large conglomerate's new chief with an 18-page letter to shareholders, officially replacing the annual letter that former CEO Warren Buffett had penned for decades. Abel provided many details, including how he plans to run the company, an overview of its current state, and an unprecedented look at how Berkshire views many positions in its roughly $315 billion equities portfolio. Here are three things investors need to know. 1. Berkshire Hathaway's corporate structure moving forward Berkshire is comprised of many businesses, including insurance, energy, mortgages, and railroads, to name a few. In total, Berkshire has 51 noninsurance operating divisions. Abel said the company will maintain its decentralized model in which the leaders of each Berkshire business have greater autonomy, less bureaucracy, and, of course, accountability, a combination that Abel and the company have seen great results from and believe is a "competitive advantage." The insurance business will, of course, be led by Berkshire veteran Ajit Jain, who is highly praised by Buffett and Abel. Adam Johnson, who has served as the president and CEO of Berkshire subsidiary NetJets and worked at Berkshire for three decades, will become president of all of Berkshire's consumer products, services, and retailing businesses, comprising 32 noninsurance operating companies. Interestingly, Abel noted he will ultimately be responsible for allocating capital in the company's large equities portfolio, which is how Berkshire invests the float generated by the insurance operations. Abel has never served as a portfolio manager or officially helped run the equities portfolio. Top investing lieutenant Ted Weschler will continue to manage about 6% of the portfolio. 2. Most of Berkshire's equities portfolio is expected to have "limited activity" moving forward For those who follow Berkshire's equities portfolio, Abel's le...
Get insights on thousands of stocks from the global community of over 7 million individual investors at Simply Wall St. Cisco Systems launched Australia’s first Secure AI Factory in partnership with NVIDIA and SharonAI, focused on sovereign AI infrastructure. The Secure AI Factory is designed to support secure, high performance AI development while keeping sensitive data within Australian borders....
Get insights on thousands of stocks from the global community of over 7 million individual investors at Simply Wall St. Cisco Systems launched Australia’s first Secure AI Factory in partnership with NVIDIA and SharonAI, focused on sovereign AI infrastructure. The Secure AI Factory is designed to support secure, high performance AI development while keeping sensitive data within Australian borders. The move aligns with Australian government priorities around digital capability and national data sovereignty. Cisco Systems (NasdaqGS:CSCO), recently trading at $78.64, is expanding its role beyond networking into core AI infrastructure with this new Secure AI Factory in Australia. The company’s shares are up 26.0% over the past year and 86.2% over the past five years, which reflects sustained investor interest in its broader digital infrastructure story. For investors watching how large tech vendors are positioning around sovereign AI, this project places Cisco directly in the mix with government and enterprise grade workloads. The partnership with NVIDIA and SharonAI could influence how AI workloads are deployed in Australia, particularly where security, compliance and local control over data are priorities. Stay updated on the most important news stories for Cisco Systems by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on Cisco Systems. NasdaqGS:CSCO Earnings & Revenue Growth as at Mar 2026 📰 Beyond the headline: 1 risk and 4 things going right for Cisco Systems that every investor should see. Quick Assessment ⚖️ Price vs Analyst Target : At $78.64 versus an analyst target of about $88.81, Cisco trades roughly 11% below consensus, which is close to the fair range set by analysts. ⚖️ Simply Wall St Valuation : Simply Wall St currently views Cisco as trading close to its estimated fair value. ❌ Recent Momentum: The 30 day return of a 7.29% decline shows recent weakness even as the company announces new AI ini...
On Feb. 28, mortgage rates did something they hadn't done for more than three years: drop below the 6% mark. Mortgage rates have been dropping since the start of the year. But the last time rates fell below 6% was September 2022. If you're retired, you may be tempted to take advantage of today's slightly lower borrowing rates. Let's review when it makes sense to act and when it pays to sit tight i...
On Feb. 28, mortgage rates did something they hadn't done for more than three years: drop below the 6% mark. Mortgage rates have been dropping since the start of the year. But the last time rates fell below 6% was September 2022. If you're retired, you may be tempted to take advantage of today's slightly lower borrowing rates. Let's review when it makes sense to act and when it pays to sit tight instead. When to consider jumping on today's mortgage rates Let's get one thing out of the way: Although today's mortgage rates are lower than they've been recently, they're not low by historical standards. However, they do present an opportunity for certain retirees. You may want to consider taking advantage of today's mortgage rates by refinancing your existing home loan. This makes sense to do if today's rates are low enough to reduce your monthly payments significantly and if you're having a hard time keeping up with your existing mortgage. Many retirees live on a fixed income that consists largely of Social Security. And given that this year's cost-of-living adjustment wasn't super generous, lower mortgage payments could do great things for your monthly budget. But be careful. If you refinance and reset the clock on your mortgage, you may end up taking that debt to the grave. Of course, that's not automatically a terrible thing. But you'll need to consider both the pros and cons of putting a new mortgage in place at this stage of life. If you've been waiting to downsize, now could also be a good time to get a new mortgage, since rates are a bit lower than they've been. By shedding square footage, you can lower your housing costs and help stretch your retirement savings further. But if you're going to downsize, make sure there are actual long-term savings involved. You don't want smaller mortgage payments and lower property taxes to be offset by high HOA fees and other costs. When to consider waiting Even with mortgage rates falling, jumping into a new home loan may not ...
After months of uncertainty, Netflix (NFLX 0.10%) investors got the news they've been waiting for. Late last week, the company walked away from a potential bidding war with Paramount Skydance (PSKY +2.17%). The two media companies were locked in a fierce battle to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD 0.21%). While Netflix only wanted the streaming and studio assets, Paramount wanted the company loc...
After months of uncertainty, Netflix (NFLX 0.10%) investors got the news they've been waiting for. Late last week, the company walked away from a potential bidding war with Paramount Skydance (PSKY +2.17%). The two media companies were locked in a fierce battle to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD 0.21%). While Netflix only wanted the streaming and studio assets, Paramount wanted the company lock, stock, and barrel -- including its legacy television and cable assets. Netflix walked away from the deal, refusing to increase its bid for Warner Bros. Since then, headlines have trumpeted how Paramount "won" the deal. I wouldn't be so quick to call it a win. Price is what you pay, value is what you get Paramount paid a high price to convince the Warner Bros. board to accept the deal. After initially offering $30 per share, Paramount increased its bid to $31. In all, the cost of the acquisition stands at roughly $110 billion, in addition to the $2.8 billion breakup fee Paramount paid to Netflix on Warner Bros.' behalf. Beyond the price tag of the deal, which some believe may have been too high, the combined Paramount/Warner Bros. company will be saddled with $79 billion in debt if the deal closes, in what is being called the "largest leveraged buyout in history." That's not necessarily a good thing. Mergers and acquisitions are fraught with uncertainty and are uphill battles, even at the best of times. Eminent finance professor Aswath Damodaran is often quoted for saying that acquisitions are "the most value-destroying action a company can take." For this merger to succeed, the company will have to thread a needle that very few have managed to do successfully, particularly given the size of the deal. Expand NASDAQ : PSKY Paramount Skydance Today's Change ( 2.17 %) $ 0.26 Current Price $ 11.99 Key Data Points Market Cap $13B Day's Range $ 11.33 - $ 12.13 52wk Range $ 9.95 - $ 20.86 Volume 531K Avg Vol 11M Gross Margin 28.94 % Dividend Yield 1.67 % Parmount expects cost-cu...
An undercover police officer told “grotesque and cruel” lies while emotionally manipulating two women he had deceived into long-term sexual relationships, the spycops public inquiry has heard. Carlo Soracchi admitted he sought to elicit the empathy of one of the women by claiming that his sister had been abused by his father. He also told her that his father had died when he was actually alive. So...
An undercover police officer told “grotesque and cruel” lies while emotionally manipulating two women he had deceived into long-term sexual relationships, the spycops public inquiry has heard. Carlo Soracchi admitted he sought to elicit the empathy of one of the women by claiming that his sister had been abused by his father. He also told her that his father had died when he was actually alive. Soracchi also admitted to deceitfully receiving taxpayers’ money to cover the cost of a trip to Italy to celebrate Valentine’s Day with the woman, Donna McLean. He was questioned at the inquiry about his deployment, which involved infiltrating leftwing and anti-fascist campaigners between 2000 and 2006. During that time, McLean had a two-year relationship with him. The inquiry heard how he asked her to marry him and told her mother he wanted to have a baby with her. After accepting the marriage proposal, she discussed details of the wedding including seating plans and menus with Soracchi. Other witnesses have said the engagement was common knowledge within her circle of friends. Soracchi admitted he had the relationship with her, but denied that he asked to marry her or have a baby with him. McLean did not know that he was already married with a child, nor that he was an undercover police officer who would have to disappear at the end of his deployment. In 2003, Soracchi flew with McLean to Bologna for a long weekend to celebrate Valentine’s Day and his supposed birthday. Police documents showed that he claimed £477 for the cost of the trip. His managers recorded that this expenditure was justified on the grounds that he was meeting Italian socialists as part of his infiltration of leftwing groups. Asked by David Barr, the inquiry’s chief barrister, if he had deceived his managers about the real purpose of this trip, he agreed, accepting that it was “purely pleasure”. Soracchi said that over Christmas 2003, he went to Italy to look after his father who had had a stroke. In th...
‘There! There – I can see it!” The cries of my four-year-old echoed around the ruins of 13th-century Urquhart Castle, causing a group of US tourists to come running over to the corbelled bartizans (overhanging turrets) where we stood. “It’s Nessie, I saw her,” he insisted, pointing at the ripples spinning out from the back of a sightseeing vessel on Loch Ness. This was day four of a budget, week-l...
‘There! There – I can see it!” The cries of my four-year-old echoed around the ruins of 13th-century Urquhart Castle, causing a group of US tourists to come running over to the corbelled bartizans (overhanging turrets) where we stood. “It’s Nessie, I saw her,” he insisted, pointing at the ripples spinning out from the back of a sightseeing vessel on Loch Ness. This was day four of a budget, week-long Scotland adventure for the two of us, and we were spending the day in Drumnadrochit, on the shores of the country’s most famous body of water, looking for the fabled monster. It wasn’t the first time that reality and wishful thinking had seemingly combined on this holiday. When I told people I was going to take my son on a week-long trip across Scotland and my budget was £500, they were sceptical – especially as we were travelling in the school holidays. But as a woman who likes a challenge, I was up for proving them all wrong. double quotation mark The car journey was punctuated by stops at lochs so enchanting they could have been lifted from the pages of a children’s book We’d begun our adventure in Glasgow, having travelled by train (£30), then picked up a cheap hire car for the five-hour drive to the Isle of Skye. Accommodation on Skye is pricey, but I had a secret weapon – my tent. The car journey was punctuated by stops at lochs so enchanting they could have been lifted from the pages of a children’s book. We finally reached the island and checked in at Camping Skye, a community-owned campsite by the sea in Broadford. For the £16 cost of a pitch, we spent the evening playing beneath the flanks of Beinn na Caillich, eating chips and mushy peas from the local shop, and roasting marshmallows on a firepit. View image in fullscreen Camasunary Bay near Elgol on the Isle of Skye was a hit with Phoebe Smith’s son. Photograph: Phoebe Smith The next morning, primed for a mini-expedition and stocked up with supplies, we drove to the southern enclave of Elgol. The crowds who ...
On my journey documenting environmental stories in Kenya, I attended the Africa Climate Summit in 2023. It ignited a deeper exploration into the lives of waste pickers, revealing a glaring omission in global recycling narratives: the invisibility of these essential workers. Living and working in Nairobi, I immersed myself in Dandora, the largest dump in Kenya, spanning more than 12 hectares (30 ac...
On my journey documenting environmental stories in Kenya, I attended the Africa Climate Summit in 2023. It ignited a deeper exploration into the lives of waste pickers, revealing a glaring omission in global recycling narratives: the invisibility of these essential workers. Living and working in Nairobi, I immersed myself in Dandora, the largest dump in Kenya, spanning more than 12 hectares (30 acres) near the Nairobi River and receiving an estimated 2,000 tonnes of industrial and domestic waste daily. For months I witnessed first-hand how waste is devastating local ecosystems and human lives. Kenya’s waste streams are now overwhelmed by single-use plastics from companies shifting the burden on to informal workers. View image in fullscreen Pre-sorting has reduced the amount of recylables in the waste brought by truck to Dandora Each day, thousands of waste pickers, predominantly women, sift through tonnes of unsorted trash, recovering recyclables that feed global supply chains. They collect a range of materials: plastics, metals, textiles and more – selling to aggregators and farmers and earning just 300-500 Kenyan shillings (£1.75-£2.90) a day. View image in fullscreen View image in fullscreen Waste pickers such as Esther Kavini, left, and Sammy Kamau, often work 12-hour days, seven days a week View image in fullscreen Above from top left: medical waste; a protective glove; collected plastic; improvised shoes In recent years, the pre-sorting of waste has reduced the amount of profitable materials arriving at the dump, forcing pickers such as 34-year-old Esther Kavini, who has been there for most of her life, to work five times harder for the same meagre earnings. Trucks now deliver mostly unsellable rubbish. In a recent study by the Strategic Sector Cooperation on Circular Economy and Waste Management between Denmark and Kenya, in collaboration with Nairobi Recyclable Waste Association, 86 of 100 waste pickers interviewed at Dandora report that their economic situa...
Late on a Sunday night, you put your key into the front door and it snaps when you turn it. Unable to get in, you search online for an emergency locksmith and find one advertising a willingness to do the job for £69. You call it out. When the locksmith arrives, they ask no questions, drills through the lock within minutes and replaces the fixture. You are then given a bill for more than £700 with ...
Late on a Sunday night, you put your key into the front door and it snaps when you turn it. Unable to get in, you search online for an emergency locksmith and find one advertising a willingness to do the job for £69. You call it out. When the locksmith arrives, they ask no questions, drills through the lock within minutes and replaces the fixture. You are then given a bill for more than £700 with an invoice detailing a breakdown of the costs – all in excess of the original quote. This is a well-developed “bait and switch” scam. Rogue locksmiths operating in an unregulated industry draw in customers by advertising low prices – £49 is a figure that comes up often. Once the work is done they present their victims with invoices for 10 times the cost. The Master Locksmith Association (MLA), a UK trade body, says the number of scams reported to it has risen steadily over the last five years, with 66% more overcharging complaints in 2025 than 2021. Last year, the Guardian covered the case of a reader who was initially quoted £49 for a lock to be fixed but then billed £1,406, with the locksmiths refusing to leave until they were paid. Another reader wrote to us and described how he was charged £729.60 for the installation of a lock, including labour and parts. He was quoted £375 for the lock cylinder, which he later found was available for £20 online. View image in fullscreen An example of an invoice overcharging for services from a rogue locksmith. Photograph: Master Locksmiths Association The MLA’s managing director, Steffan George, says he believes the 402 complaints received last year did not go close to representing the scale of the fraud. “It’s a distressed purchase. These are companies that are taking advantage of people in a vulnerable state because they’re locked out or they’ve lost their keys,” he says. What it looks like The adverts appear in Google search results and offer a standard Yale lock for a price of between £39 and £79. Craig Andres, a locksmith based i...
As winter turns to spring and the days warm and lengthen, we’re so keen to get out in the garden, do some work, and also go shopping for lovely new plants. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. It’s great to get acquainted with your local garden centre to see what’s on offer, but nurseries with an online pres...
As winter turns to spring and the days warm and lengthen, we’re so keen to get out in the garden, do some work, and also go shopping for lovely new plants. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. It’s great to get acquainted with your local garden centre to see what’s on offer, but nurseries with an online presence can be a horticultural lifeline if you don’t have a good one nearby, or you’re (or want to be) car-free. Online stores often provide a wider range of inspiring plants because they have more growing space or specialise in particular types of plant, such as shade lovers or hellebores, enabling you to track down the perfect plant for your space. But where to go for beautiful, healthy and reliable plants? I’ve been writing about gardens for decades, and have shopped from many of the best online nurseries for my own garden. I’ve also plundered my contacts book of garden designers and horticulturalists to ask for their favourites, as well as doing some research of my own. The best places to buy plants online View image in fullscreen Ready, set, grow: it’s time to embrace online plant buying, especially if you don’t have a garden centre nearby. Photograph: StudioKreativa/Getty Images Best all-rounder nurseries View image in fullscreen Bright spark: you’ll most likely find a wider selection of bulbs online than in-store. Photograph: Jackie Bale/Getty Images Some nurseries specialise in certain types of plants, from roses to fruit trees, but there are plenty of online garden centres that offer a huge selection across the board. Crocus is among the best known, with a helpful website and wide range of plants that are grown with a careful eye on water use, waste management and emissions, and arrive in lovely, healthy condition. Plants are at the pricier end of the spectrum, but the customer service is good; I once received a disappointing batch of peachy-coloured foxgloves, and it...
One afternoon last October, at a hotel in a forest in a Nairobi suburb, a few dozen people sat quietly in a room watching the 2020 documentary If Objects Could Speak, which explores restitution by tracing the roots of a Kenyan artefact stored in a German museum. The people were at the two-day Wakati Wetu (“Our Time” in Swahili) festival, aimed at sparking global conversations on reparative justice...
One afternoon last October, at a hotel in a forest in a Nairobi suburb, a few dozen people sat quietly in a room watching the 2020 documentary If Objects Could Speak, which explores restitution by tracing the roots of a Kenyan artefact stored in a German museum. The people were at the two-day Wakati Wetu (“Our Time” in Swahili) festival, aimed at sparking global conversations on reparative justice. Last month, the African Union adopted a motion put forward by Ghana to label slavery and colonialism as crimes against humanity. This month, the motion will be tabled at the United Nations, with demands made for redress. The motion, which was first announced at the UN general assembly last September, is the latest move in a strategic push by the African continent to seek reparative justice. The AU declared 2025 the year of reparations, with a theme of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations, marking the first time the 55-country bloc had put the issue at the centre of its agenda. By July, the AU had extended the timeline by declaring 2026 to 2036 the Decade of Reparations to mobilise support for justice. For decades, African countries suffered numerous injustices by the west, including colonialism and the forced enslavement of its people. Efforts to redress these injustices and their lasting economic, social and psychological impacts have been few and far between, and largely confined to academia and nonprofit spaces. Progress has also been hindered by a lack of resources and coordinated strategy among activists, and reluctance by European governments to reopen old wounds. With the Nairobi event, organisers hoped to get reparative justice movements on the continent to utilise arts and culture in their campaign. Liliane Umubyeyi, the co-founder and executive director of African Futures Lab, one of the organisers, said the arts could help make reparation discussions more accessible. “The arts … can speak to each one of us as Africans,” she sai...
Micron Technology's upcoming earnings report is expected to show record revenue near $18.7B, driven by its leadership in High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM) for AI data centers and strong pricing power. All eyes are on Micron Technology as it approaches a pivotal earnings report that will test the durability of its extraordinary growth narrative. The memory chip manufacturer is set to release its results ...
Micron Technology's upcoming earnings report is expected to show record revenue near $18.7B, driven by its leadership in High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM) for AI data centers and strong pricing power. All eyes are on Micron Technology as it approaches a pivotal earnings report that will test the durability of its extraordinary growth narrative. The memory chip manufacturer is set to release its results for the second fiscal quarter of 2026 on March 18, with Wall Street anticipating figures that could cement its status as a dominant force in the artificial intelligence infrastructure market. Unprecedented Growth and Lofty Expectations The company’s momentum is undeniable. For its first fiscal quarter of 2026, which concluded on November 27, 2025, Micron reported revenue of $13.64 billion—a staggering 57% year-over-year increase. Net income reached $5.24 billion, or $4.60 per share. This performance marked the third consecutive quarter in which the firm set a new record for quarterly sales. A standout segment was Cloud Memory, where revenue effectively doubled to $5.3 billion. Operational cash flow was robust at $8.41 billion, with adjusted free cash flow coming in at $3.9 billion. Now, guidance for the just-ended second quarter points to another seismic leap. Management has indicated an expected record revenue of approximately $18.7 billion for the period ending February 28. This would represent a 132% surge compared to the same quarter last year, a dramatic acceleration from the 56% growth seen in Q1. Analyst consensus estimates are even more bullish, projecting revenue of $18.85 billion and earnings per share of $8.52. If achieved, this would translate to a 480% profit increase, far outpacing the 175% growth of the prior quarter. The Core Engine: Dominance in High-Bandwidth Memory The foundation of this success is Micron’s commanding position in the High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM) market. HBM is a critical memory technology for AI data centers, and Micron has already secured...
Key Points Prediction markets tend to encourage short-term, speculative trading rather than long-term investing. When making predictions about specific cryptocurrencies, it's far too easy to let emotions take over the decision-making process. Data from prediction markets can be used to obtain real-time statistical probabilities of events occurring. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of milli...
Key Points Prediction markets tend to encourage short-term, speculative trading rather than long-term investing. When making predictions about specific cryptocurrencies, it's far too easy to let emotions take over the decision-making process. Data from prediction markets can be used to obtain real-time statistical probabilities of events occurring. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › At times, making crypto predictions on platforms such as Polymarket or Kalshi can feel a lot like sports betting. Instead of rooting for your hometown team to come away with the victory, you're rooting for your favorite altcoin to hit a certain price target. But here's the thing: Treating crypto trading like sports betting could be the fastest way to lose money. If you're planning to build a long-term nest egg for retirement, there's a better way to use prediction markets to your advantage. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » The wrong way to use prediction markets It's staggering how many different ways you can bet on Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) these days. You can predict that it will hit a certain price target by a certain date. You can predict that a certain event will happen, such as an S&P 500 company deciding to add Bitcoin to its balance sheet. You can predict whether Bitcoin will outperform a certain asset class (such as gold) within a specific time frame. Or, if you're feeling really daring, you could bet on all of them at the same time. In sports betting parlance, this would be called a "parlay" because multiple bets are involved at one time. And there's no quicker way to lose money than betting on multi-leg parlays. Where things get really dangerous is when traders start to let their emotions get the better of them. Just like sports gambling, it's easy to get caught up in the m...
Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG 4.56%) has a lot of work to do to win back the hearts of the investment community. Shares have fallen 46% from their all-time high in June 2024 (as of March 4). Besides late 2025, they now trade at the same level as they did in October 2023. The market has lost its appetite for this restaurant stock. Contrarian investors are ready to take action. Could investing $1,000 ...
Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG 4.56%) has a lot of work to do to win back the hearts of the investment community. Shares have fallen 46% from their all-time high in June 2024 (as of March 4). Besides late 2025, they now trade at the same level as they did in October 2023. The market has lost its appetite for this restaurant stock. Contrarian investors are ready to take action. Could investing $1,000 in Chipotle make you richer? The K-shaped economy is taking its toll Based on ongoing U.S. GDP growth, we're not in a situation that warrants preparing for a recession. However, there is definitely a notable portion of the population that is feeling the pressure. After all, consumer confidence in the U.S. recently hit a 12-year low. We're in what looks like a K-shaped economy. Affluent consumers are generally doing well, but might still be discerning with their spending. At the same time, low-income households struggle with higher costs across the board. This unfavorable setup is finally starting to take its toll on Chipotle's financials. The company reported same-store sales growth of 7.9% in 2023 and 7.4% in 2024. But this key performance metric declined 1.7% last year, as foot traffic fell. Investors aren't used to seeing the popular Tex-Mex chain struggle like this. It's worth mentioning that the retail sector overall is experiencing something similar. Chipotle five years from now The best investors are able to consider a business' past performance while keeping their attention on how things will look in the future. It's not hard to be optimistic about Chipotle five years from now, for example, which is what really matters for long-term market participants. This company isn't a fad. It has the scale and brand recognition that makes it a leader in the extremely competitive restaurant industry. That supports its durability. What's more, there is significant growth potential going forward. Despite weaker financial results lately, Chipotle opened 334 net new company-owned r...
At times, making crypto predictions on platforms such as Polymarket or Kalshi can feel a lot like sports betting. Instead of rooting for your hometown team to come away with the victory, you're rooting for your favorite altcoin to hit a certain price target. But here's the thing: Treating crypto trading like sports betting could be the fastest way to lose money. If you're planning to build a long-...
At times, making crypto predictions on platforms such as Polymarket or Kalshi can feel a lot like sports betting. Instead of rooting for your hometown team to come away with the victory, you're rooting for your favorite altcoin to hit a certain price target. But here's the thing: Treating crypto trading like sports betting could be the fastest way to lose money. If you're planning to build a long-term nest egg for retirement, there's a better way to use prediction markets to your advantage. The wrong way to use prediction markets It's staggering how many different ways you can bet on Bitcoin (BTC 0.79%) these days. You can predict that it will hit a certain price target by a certain date. You can predict that a certain event will happen, such as an S&P 500 company deciding to add Bitcoin to its balance sheet. You can predict whether Bitcoin will outperform a certain asset class (such as gold) within a specific time frame. Or, if you're feeling really daring, you could bet on all of them at the same time. In sports betting parlance, this would be called a "parlay" because multiple bets are involved at one time. And there's no quicker way to lose money than betting on multi-leg parlays. Where things get really dangerous is when traders start to let their emotions get the better of them. Just like sports gambling, it's easy to get caught up in the moment. When an altcoin has momentum -- either to the upside or the downside -- it's easy to assume that the momentum will continue. But how many times have you watched a sporting event, only to see momentum turn on a single play? Real-time odds can change in a hurry. There's another danger, too. In addition to making long-term predictions about the price of Bitcoin, it's also possible to make ultra-short-term predictions about the price of Bitcoin. As in: "What will be the price of Bitcoin in 5 minutes?" Good luck if you think you can consistently make money doing that. It's a bit like trying to guess the outcome of the next...