The ALPS Nautilus SMR, Nuclear & Technology ETF (SMRF) has returned 21.3% since the end of March, making it a top performer among ALPS funds as AI infrastructure spending accelerated. Key Takeaways: SMRF topped ALPS funds with a 21.3% return as Astera Labs surged 77% on AI chip demand. Technology holdings returned 38.7%, contributing nearly [...]
The ALPS Nautilus SMR, Nuclear & Technology ETF (SMRF) has returned 21.3% since the end of March, making it a top performer among ALPS funds as AI infrastructure spending accelerated. Key Takeaways: SMRF topped ALPS funds with a 21.3% return as Astera Labs surged 77% on AI chip demand. Technology holdings returned 38.7%, contributing nearly [...]
Warchi/iStock via Getty Images The UK economy has gathered some renewed momentum in April after the initial impact of the war in the Middle East caused growth to stall in March, but the upturn comes with a catch. The improved rate of expansion is in part a reflection of a short-term boost from a rush to secure purchases ahead of feared price rises and supply shortages linked to the war. Prices hav...
Warchi/iStock via Getty Images The UK economy has gathered some renewed momentum in April after the initial impact of the war in the Middle East caused growth to stall in March, but the upturn comes with a catch. The improved rate of expansion is in part a reflection of a short-term boost from a rush to secure purchases ahead of feared price rises and supply shortages linked to the war. Prices have spiked higher at a rate not previously seen by the survey outside of the pandemic, suggesting inflation could rise more than many forecasters have been anticipating. Prices are rising not just because of surging energy costs, but also due to increases in charges levied for a wide variety of goods and services, with price hikes often stoked by supply concerns. The number of supply delays reported has jumped to the highest on record if the pandemic is excluded. Business confidence and employment have also been dragged lower by the ongoing conflict, boding ill for growth to weaken in the coming months just as price pressures intensify. The survey highlights the difficult choices facing policymakers at the Bank of England. The spike in price pressures will add to calls for rate hikes to dampen inflation, but the Bank will need to carefully assess the degree to which economic growth might weaken. While April’s PMI is indicative of the economy rebounding from a flat picture in March to a 0.2% quarterly growth rate, the details of the survey hint strongly that this pace cannot be sustained should the crisis persist. Business growth rebounds after initial war hit A promising start to the year faded in March as some businesses reported a drop in activity linked to the outbreak of war in the Middle East, but economic growth has rebounded in April. Having slumped from 53.7 in February to just 50.3 in March, the headline Composite PMI Output Index has risen to 52.0 in April, according to the preliminary ‘flash’ reading. The data suggest that, after the economy stalled in March, April...
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei Surrounded By 24/7 Medical Team In Hideout As Generals Run Iran: NYT The NY Times in a new deep dive of what governing structures now look like inside Iran says what's already long been obvious to many in the wake of longtime Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death: "When Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled Iran as the supreme leader, he exerted absolute power over all decisions about w...
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei Surrounded By 24/7 Medical Team In Hideout As Generals Run Iran: NYT The NY Times in a new deep dive of what governing structures now look like inside Iran says what's already long been obvious to many in the wake of longtime Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death: "When Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled Iran as the supreme leader, he exerted absolute power over all decisions about war, peace and negotiations with the United States. His son and successor does not play the same role ." The publication says it was able to interview at least half-a-dozen Iranian insiders, including IRGC officials, and individuals who know the younger Khamenei "well". The NY Times describes of Mojtaba Khamenei: "His father, wife and son were all killed. Access to him is extremely difficult and limited now . He is surrounded mostly by a team of doctors and medical staff who are treating the injuries he sustained in the airstrikes ." ISNA/AFP/Getty Images Apparently even top 'trusted' generals and IRGC commanders do visit him for fear of being surveilled and tracked to his location by Israel and the United States. Per the sources cited in the Times , "Though Mr. Khamenei was gravely wounded , he is mentally sharp and engaged , according to four senior Iranian officials familiar with his health." And more: "One leg was operated on three times, and he is awaiting a prosthetic. He had surgery on one hand and is slowly regaining function. His face and lips have been burned severely, making it difficult for him to speak , the officials said, adding that, eventually, he will need plastic surgery ." All of this provides an explanation as to why he has never been seen or heard from in public since Trump's Operation Epic Fury began on February 28. He has not so much as been photographed, and when state media has issued a few prior statements, it does so via text or what appears to be AI-configured audio over state media airwaves. This fact has unleashed an avalanche of speculation as...
Is the Strait of Hormuz open or closed? Depending on the day (or hour), you might get a different answer from the governments of Iran and the United States. In what the International Energy Agency has described as the largest oil supply disruption in history, the transport of oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf has been greatly impeded due to the ongoing conflict between the United States an...
Is the Strait of Hormuz open or closed? Depending on the day (or hour), you might get a different answer from the governments of Iran and the United States. In what the International Energy Agency has described as the largest oil supply disruption in history, the transport of oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf has been greatly impeded due to the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. Markets don't seem to care anymore. Crude oil prices have come back down somewhat, though they are still well above where they began the year, and the S&P 500 index has just made all-time highs. Here's how markets have handled the energy supply disruption so far, and what the conflict could mean for the stock market in 2026. Crude oil prices began rising in late February before spiking to above $110 a barrel in early April, when Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz intensified. Now, with a temporary ceasefire in place, oil prices have fallen back to between $90 and $100 as of this writing on April 22, even as Iran and the United States continue to engage in blockades while also pursuing negotiations. Continue reading
Forecasting service raises alarm over data from Paris airport used to settle Polymarket wagers on temperature French police are investigating alleged tampering with national weather forecasting service equipment after a series of unusual temperature readings coincided with suspicious winning bets made on Polymarket. Data from a Météo-France weather station at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport was ...
Forecasting service raises alarm over data from Paris airport used to settle Polymarket wagers on temperature French police are investigating alleged tampering with national weather forecasting service equipment after a series of unusual temperature readings coincided with suspicious winning bets made on Polymarket. Data from a Météo-France weather station at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport was used to settle bets between online gamblers on what the temperature would be in Paris for March and the first weeks of April . Continue reading...
(RTTNews) - Valeo SE (VLEEF) on Thursday reported first-quarter sales of 5.1 billion euros, a 1.3 percent increase from last year, beating the 3.4 percent drop in global car production.
(RTTNews) - Valeo SE (VLEEF) on Thursday reported first-quarter sales of 5.1 billion euros, a 1.3 percent increase from last year, beating the 3.4 percent drop in global car production.
WTA chief executive appointed only in June 2024 Tour needs to fine new venue for flagship event A number of top players on the WTA tour expressed their surprise at the abrupt decision by WTA chief executive, Portia Archer, to resign from her role this week after two years at the helm. “I heard literally two minutes ago, so I really don’t know why now and everything,” said Iga Swiatek after winning...
WTA chief executive appointed only in June 2024 Tour needs to fine new venue for flagship event A number of top players on the WTA tour expressed their surprise at the abrupt decision by WTA chief executive, Portia Archer, to resign from her role this week after two years at the helm. “I heard literally two minutes ago, so I really don’t know why now and everything,” said Iga Swiatek after winning her first-round match 6-1, 6-2 against Daria Snigur at the Madrid Open. “We always had a good relationship. I felt like she listened to what we had to say and was really open-minded.” Continue reading...
The United States market has shown positive momentum, with a 1.7% increase over the last week and a substantial 34% rise over the past year, alongside an anticipated annual earnings growth of 16%. In this thriving environment, growth companies with high insider ownership can be particularly appealing as they often indicate strong confidence from those closest to the business, aligning well with cu...
The United States market has shown positive momentum, with a 1.7% increase over the last week and a substantial 34% rise over the past year, alongside an anticipated annual earnings growth of 16%. In this thriving environment, growth companies with high insider ownership can be particularly appealing as they often indicate strong confidence from those closest to the business, aligning well with current market trends.
Meta Platforms Inc. plans to cut 10% of workers, or roughly 8,000 employees, in an effort to boost efficiency and offset its heavy spending on artificial intelligence. The company disclosed the move in a memo sent to employees Thursday, saying the layoffs will come on May 20. Meta also won’t hire workers for 6,000 open roles that it had intended to fill. The job cuts come as Chief Executive Office...
Meta Platforms Inc. plans to cut 10% of workers, or roughly 8,000 employees, in an effort to boost efficiency and offset its heavy spending on artificial intelligence. The company disclosed the move in a memo sent to employees Thursday, saying the layoffs will come on May 20. Meta also won’t hire workers for 6,000 open roles that it had intended to fill. The job cuts come as Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg is spending aggressively on the talent and infrastructure needed to develop state-of-the-art artificial intelligence products, including large language models and chatbots. Meta already projected record capital expenditures this year, and has announced several multibillion-dollar deals with AI partners over the past few months. Employees have been encouraged to use AI agents internally to help with writing code and other tasks. Meta alluded to its AI spending in the memo, which was written by Janelle Gale , chief people officer. “We’re doing this as part of our continued effort to run the company more efficiently and to allow us to offset the other investments we’re making,” she wrote in the note, which was reviewed by Bloomberg. Meta employees have spent much of the year fretting about job cuts, which already hit the Reality Labs division and other teams. Gale said that the company was announcing the layoffs early since details of the plan had already leaked. Reuters first reported on Meta’s planned workforce reductions earlier this month. “I know this is unwelcome news and confirming this puts everyone in an uneasy state, but we feel this is the best path forward, given the circumstances,” Gale wrote. Other big tech companies are making cuts in the face of booming AI spending. Microsoft Corp. offered voluntary retirement to thousands of US employees on Thursday. Read More: Microsoft Offers Buyouts to About 7% of US Workers Meta had almost 79,000 employees at the start of the year. The company is scheduled to report first quarter earnings next week. Read ...