(Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp. is offering voluntary retirement to thousands of its employees in the US.Most Read from BloombergAnthropic’s Mythos Model Is Being Accessed by Unauthorized UsersInside Alex Cooper’s Unwell: Tears, Screaming and Employees Looking for the ExitTrump Encourages Companies Not to Seek Tariff RefundsAlex Cooper, Husband Skip Team Meeting After Behavior ComplaintsUS Boards S...
(Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp. is offering voluntary retirement to thousands of its employees in the US.Most Read from BloombergAnthropic’s Mythos Model Is Being Accessed by Unauthorized UsersInside Alex Cooper’s Unwell: Tears, Screaming and Employees Looking for the ExitTrump Encourages Companies Not to Seek Tariff RefundsAlex Cooper, Husband Skip Team Meeting After Behavior ComplaintsUS Boards Supertanker Carrying Oil From Iran in Indian OceanAbout 7% of the US workforce will be eligible for t
Dow Inc. , one of the world’s largest producers of petrochemicals, expects supply disruptions tied to the war in Iran to persist throughout the remainder of 2026, according to Chief Executive Officer Jim Fitterling . “The conflict in the Middle East has created constraints that are clearly evident in the near term — this includes supply chain disruption for an extended period of time,” Fitterling ...
Dow Inc. , one of the world’s largest producers of petrochemicals, expects supply disruptions tied to the war in Iran to persist throughout the remainder of 2026, according to Chief Executive Officer Jim Fitterling . “The conflict in the Middle East has created constraints that are clearly evident in the near term — this includes supply chain disruption for an extended period of time,” Fitterling said on a call with analysts on Thursday. “We also anticipate impact to future investments, including potential delays or cancellations of planned industry capacity additions, as well as increased pressure for capacity rationalization.” The global plastics market has been thrown into upheaval. Disruptions tied to the war have tightened global supply and reshaped flows of petrochemicals like polyethylene, which are used in everyday products ranging from packaging and food containers to medical supplies and automotive parts. Global prices have jumped as producers in Asia have been cut off from ingredient supplies from the Middle East that feed their manufacturing lines. Meanwhile, demand for US exports is surging. Read More: Iran War Ripples Are Driving Up Prices for Plastics Ingredient With traffic through the Strait of Hormuz ground to a halt, roughly a fifth of the world’s oil trade has been disrupted. That means about half of global ethylene and polyethylene supplies are either offline or directly impacted, Dow’s Chief Operating Officer Karen S. Carter said on the company’s call Thursday. “These are unparalleled numbers,” she added, citing infrastructure damage, feedstock shortages and ongoing logistical disruptions. Even if the conflict ends soon, it may take some time for supply disurptions to unwind. In March, Fitterling said petrochemical shipments would lag even after key shipping routes reopen, as oil, natural gas and fertilizer cargoes take priority. Meanwhile, consumption remains robust. On Thursday, Dow reported stronger polyethylene volumes across all regions in...
Earnings Call Insights: American Express (AXP) Q1 2026 Management View "We had a very strong start to the year. Revenue in the quarter grew 11% or 10% on an FX-adjusted basis, and EPS was $4.28, up 18% over the prior year." (Chairman & CEO Stephen Squeri) "Based on our strong results to date and our confidence going forward, we've decided to increase our investments in marketing and technology to ...
Earnings Call Insights: American Express (AXP) Q1 2026 Management View "We had a very strong start to the year. Revenue in the quarter grew 11% or 10% on an FX-adjusted basis, and EPS was $4.28, up 18% over the prior year." (Chairman & CEO Stephen Squeri) "Based on our strong results to date and our confidence going forward, we've decided to increase our investments in marketing and technology to capitalize on key growth opportunities and build on our momentum." (Chairman & CEO Stephen Squeri) "In March, we announced a multi-year global partnership with the NFL, making American Express the League's Official Payments Partner beginning with the 2026 season." (Chairman & CEO Stephen Squeri) "In the quarter, we announced a road map for a series of commercial products and solutions that we're planning to roll out in the U.S. In 2026 for businesses of all sizes, starting with the launch of our new Graphite Business Cash Unlimited Card." (Chairman & CEO Stephen Squeri) "Earlier this month, we introduced the Amex Agentic Commerce Experiences or ACE Developer Kit, which will enable the integration of American Express Cards into AI-powered transactions with trust and control." (Chairman & CEO Stephen Squeri) "Q1 was a very good quarter. Revenue growth accelerated to 11% or 10% FX adjusted, with broad-based growth across revenue lines." (Chief Financial Officer Christophe Le Caillec) Outlook "Looking ahead, we're reaffirming our full year 2026 guidance of 9% to 10% annual revenue growth and EPS of $17.30 to $17.90." (Chairman & CEO Stephen Squeri) "We are seeing stronger earnings than expected, and we have decided to increase investments in marketing and technology." (Chief Financial Officer Le Caillec) "We now expect marketing expenses to grow in the mid-single digits for the full year." (Chief Financial Officer Le Caillec) Compared with the prior quarter’s call, management repeated the same full-year 2026 ranges (revenue growth 9% to 10%, EPS $17.30 to $17.90) while adding t...
gevende/E+ via Getty Images Quest Diagnostics ( DGX ) was added as a new short idea at Hedgeye with downside potential of 20%. Hedgeye was previously long, though it's now changing to short. "All four recent growth drivers start lapping in 2Q’26, setting up a clear deceleration," Hedgeye analyst Tom Tobin wrote in a note on Wednesday. "Management guiding to consistent with Q1' implies no 2H re-acc...
gevende/E+ via Getty Images Quest Diagnostics ( DGX ) was added as a new short idea at Hedgeye with downside potential of 20%. Hedgeye was previously long, though it's now changing to short. "All four recent growth drivers start lapping in 2Q’26, setting up a clear deceleration," Hedgeye analyst Tom Tobin wrote in a note on Wednesday. "Management guiding to consistent with Q1' implies no 2H re-acceleration, yet Street still models ~4% growth and margin expansion, likely too high as growth normalizes sooner than expected. Consumer health is strong but unproven at scale, with unclear margins and pricing sensitivity." Tobin added that "v aluation remains elevated (~12.2x EV/EBITDA vs. ~10.7x avg) despite decelerating growth, creating up to 20% downside depending on estimate cuts. Key catalysts: Q2’26 (first tough comp), 2027 guidance reset, and any slowdown in partnership channels." Shares of Quest Diagnostics ( DGX ) rose 4.5% on Tuesday after the New Jersey-based provider of diagnostic testing and services reported better-than-expected financials for Q1 2026 and raised its full-year outlook to a level above consensus. DGX shares fell 2.3% on Thursday. More on Quest Diagnostics Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (DGX) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript Quest Diagnostics Incorporated 2026 Q1 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (DGX) Presents at Leerink Global Healthcare Conference 2026 Transcript Quest outlines 2026 revenue $11.78B-$11.9B and adjusted EPS $10.63-$10.83 as it raises guidance Quest Diagnostics rises after raising 2026 outlook following Q1 beat
Uruguay’s pension savings will continue to be managed by the private sector under the government’s planned overhaul of the social security system, Finance Minister Gabriel Oddone said. Potential changes to the pension system was the top question Oddone got from investors during last week’s International Monetary Fund meetings in Washington, he told local radio on Thursday.. Pension fund managers “...
Uruguay’s pension savings will continue to be managed by the private sector under the government’s planned overhaul of the social security system, Finance Minister Gabriel Oddone said. Potential changes to the pension system was the top question Oddone got from investors during last week’s International Monetary Fund meetings in Washington, he told local radio on Thursday.. Pension fund managers “won’t be eliminated. Individual accounts won’t be affected. The system won’t be nationalized,” Oddone said in an interview with Radiomundo1170. “The private sector will continue to participate in the management of retirement savings.” President Yamandu Orsi ’s social security commission is scheduled to submit policy recommendations that will guide reform legislation on April 28, Oddone said. Pension reform is back on the agenda after voters rejected a 2024 plebiscite backed by labor unions that proposed nationalizing pension systems in the South American country. The retirement system is anchored by social security agency BPS and pension funds, known locally as Afaps, which manage more than $25 billion on behalf of about 1.7 million people. Those savings underpin the local capital markets and have helped successive governments reduce their reliance on foreign-currency borrowing in international debt markets. Read more: Uruguay Says More Social Spending Likely Needed to Lower Poverty Orsi and his ruling left-wing Broad Front party campaigned on social security reform during the 2024 presidential elections. The previous year lawmakers approved legislation sponsored by his center-right predecessor, President Luis Lacalle Pou , that raised the minimum retirement age to 65. The government may seek early retirement mechanisms for some groups that don’t affect the system’s sustainability, Oddone said. The commercial relationship between Afaps and their clients may also be changed to lower commissions, he said. Trade group Anafap, which represents three of the country’s four Afaps,...
Sjo/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Shell's ( SHEL ) Pernis oil refinery, the biggest in Europe, is running on " max jet mode " to produce jet fuel, as concerns rise that the Middle East war will lead to shortages, Bloomberg reported Thursday. Europe is heavily reliant on imports of jet fuel and has lost its main supplier as the Strait of Hormuz has dried up; Dutch carrier KLM has said it will ...
Sjo/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Shell's ( SHEL ) Pernis oil refinery, the biggest in Europe, is running on " max jet mode " to produce jet fuel, as concerns rise that the Middle East war will lead to shortages, Bloomberg reported Thursday. Europe is heavily reliant on imports of jet fuel and has lost its main supplier as the Strait of Hormuz has dried up; Dutch carrier KLM has said it will operate fewer flights from Amsterdam’s Schipol airport, which is supplied by the Pernis refinery, and Dutch Lufthansa said this week it will cut 20K flights this summer to save on fuel. Shell ( SHEL ) has also needed to seek alternatives to crude grades from the Middle East, where oil producers have been forced to cut production due to the strait's closure. "We're looking at different sources, and the market, of course, completely needs to reorient itself," Frans Everts, head of Shell's ( SHEL ) Dutch business, told Bloomberg at the site in Rotterdam. " We have a global presence and therefore our ability to spot opportunities." Pernis is Europe’s biggest oil-processing plant, with capacity to process ~400K bbl/day of crude, and Everts said Shell ( SHEL ) is upgrading two turbines that run on natural gas to run on electricity. More on Shell Shell: The Company Should Be A Buy, But Near-Term Risks Warrant Patience Shell's Earnings Still Tied To Oil, Not Growth Why Shell Is A Short-Term Trade Now (Rating Downgrade)
Shutthiphong Chandaeng/iStock via Getty Images The bridge between real-world assets and crypto just got real—$11B to go on-chain. Bridgetower has officially partnered with Chainlink ( LINK-USD ) to tokenize the $11B DOM X Arizona Copper-Gold Project, bringing ~$25B worth of U.S. natural resources, energy, and metals on-chain, as announced on Thursday. This Chainlink adoption news isn't just hype—i...
Shutthiphong Chandaeng/iStock via Getty Images The bridge between real-world assets and crypto just got real—$11B to go on-chain. Bridgetower has officially partnered with Chainlink ( LINK-USD ) to tokenize the $11B DOM X Arizona Copper-Gold Project, bringing ~$25B worth of U.S. natural resources, energy, and metals on-chain, as announced on Thursday. This Chainlink adoption news isn't just hype—it’s full-scale infrastructure. Using its tech stack, Bridgetower now covers the entire lifecycle—data feeds, valuation, compliance, and cross-chain connectivity. Tools like CCIP connect assets to regulated DeFi markets and secondary markets, while Proof of Reserve and NAVLink ensure transparency and real-time valuation, reported PR Newswire. Think about it—what happens when commodities like copper and gold become as tradable as tokens? That’s exactly the shift underway. According to Chainlink’s ( LINK-USD ) official X account , this integration unlocks large-scale issuance and distribution of tokenized securities at an institutional scale. At the core of this adoption is the Chainlink Runtime Environment, which manages reserve verification, valuation updates, compliance logic, and settlement across the platform. Bridgetower CEO Cory Pugh called it a “major step” toward institutional-scale tokenization, while Chainlink Labs’ Johann Eid said this is the real-world proof institutions have been waiting for. Importantly, Bridgetower is also working with this decentralized oracle network on privacy-preserving issuance, where investor identities and ownership data remain confidential while still meeting compliance standards. With built-in KYC, AML, and fiat-to-stablecoin rails, the system is ready for institutions. This isn’t just a win for Bridgetower and Chainlink ( LINK-USD ) —it signals where the entire market is heading. Big players like BlackRock ( BLK ) and JPMorgan Chase ( JPM ) are already exploring tokenization. On the other hand, platforms like Coinbase ( COIN ) and Bin...
The Fidelity Investment Grade Bond ETF (NYSEMKT:FIGB) offers a high-yield fixed-income alternative to the equity-heavy State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEMKT:SPY) , providing lower volatility and different risk exposure. While SPY tracks the broad performance of the largest companies in the U.S. stock market, FIGB focuses on the high-grade debt market. These two funds serve different roles i...
The Fidelity Investment Grade Bond ETF (NYSEMKT:FIGB) offers a high-yield fixed-income alternative to the equity-heavy State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEMKT:SPY) , providing lower volatility and different risk exposure. While SPY tracks the broad performance of the largest companies in the U.S. stock market, FIGB focuses on the high-grade debt market. These two funds serve different roles in a portfolio: one seeks capital appreciation, while the other prioritizes income and relative stability. Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield. Continue reading
Evgeny Gromov/iStock via Getty Images Investment Overview In February last year, I downgraded the stock of BridgeBio Pharma, Inc. ( BBIO ) from Buy to Hold in a note for Seeking Alpha . As it turned out, this was a bad call, because nearly 15 months on, shares have risen in value by very nearly 130%, trading at a value of $33 pre-market today. BridgeBio's market cap valuation is now $14.43bn. Let ...
Evgeny Gromov/iStock via Getty Images Investment Overview In February last year, I downgraded the stock of BridgeBio Pharma, Inc. ( BBIO ) from Buy to Hold in a note for Seeking Alpha . As it turned out, this was a bad call, because nearly 15 months on, shares have risen in value by very nearly 130%, trading at a value of $33 pre-market today. BridgeBio's market cap valuation is now $14.43bn. Let me briefly explain some of the reasons why I downgraded to Hold. I noted that BridgeBio had secured approval for its drug candidate acoramidis - now marketed and sold as Attruby in the indication of cardiomyopathy of wild-type or variant transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis ("ATTR-CM")—and noted that, despite likely intense competition against Pfizer's ( PFE ) Vyndamax (higher dose)/Vynadqel (tafamidis) and Alnylam's ( ALNY ) Ammvuttra (vutrisiran), the product was likely to one day drive "blockbuster" (>$1bn per annum) revenues, and perhaps as much as ~$4bn per annum. I also wrote: The broad label that will be attached to Attruby, which will state the oral drug reduces risk of both death and hospitalization, is a major boost for BridgeBio, as it is the same as Vyndaqel's, and BridgeBio has set the price of its drug slightly lower than Vyndaqel - $18,759, or ~$244k annually, compared to ~$268k for Pfizer's drug. The two drugs have the same mechanism of action ("MoA"), with both being transthyretin (TTR) stabilizers, although both companies - unsurprisingly - claim their product is superior. The reality may be that there may not be much to choose between them, which will make it challenging for the newer drug to take market share away from the older, especially given the relative size and scale of each company's marketing and distribution infrastructures. I noted that BridgeBio's market cap stood at >$6bn and suggested that: For me, that is a big number for a company that will do very well to squeeze >$500m of revenues from its only commercial product in 2025, I'd estimate, wi...
A new study looks at an unexpected force that helped played a critical role in shaping the lives of ancient humans. (Image credit: Smith Collection/Gado)
A new study looks at an unexpected force that helped played a critical role in shaping the lives of ancient humans. (Image credit: Smith Collection/Gado)
Anyone concerned about Elon Musk’s compensation for running SpaceX can rest easy—he’ll do just fine. Details of SpaceX’s confidential initial public offering registration statement continue to leak out as bankers and analysts meet with the company ahead of its IPO roadshow, during which those bankers will argue that SpaceX deserves a massive valuation of up to $2 trillion. The point is, the SpaceX...
Anyone concerned about Elon Musk’s compensation for running SpaceX can rest easy—he’ll do just fine. Details of SpaceX’s confidential initial public offering registration statement continue to leak out as bankers and analysts meet with the company ahead of its IPO roadshow, during which those bankers will argue that SpaceX deserves a massive valuation of up to $2 trillion. The point is, the SpaceX number is big.
US Treasury benchmark yields have been locked in the narrowest range since the depths of the coronavirus pandemic, as investors fatigued by conflicting geopolitical headlines search for direction. The 10-year yield has traded within a span of 16 basis points so far in April, which would be the tightest monthly range since December 2020. The move pales in comparison to last month’s 56-basis-point s...
US Treasury benchmark yields have been locked in the narrowest range since the depths of the coronavirus pandemic, as investors fatigued by conflicting geopolitical headlines search for direction. The 10-year yield has traded within a span of 16 basis points so far in April, which would be the tightest monthly range since December 2020. The move pales in comparison to last month’s 56-basis-point swing. That stasis looked set to continue on Thursday, with data on US business activity failing to meaningfully jolt the market. The lack of volatility partly reflects a cleaning out of directional and yield-curve positions after a selloff at the start of the Iran war, with traders instead building up wagers that bond-market moves will remain subdued. Expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep its policy rate unchanged in coming months are adding to the market’s inertia. “Markets have been remarkably effective at looking through risks – and may continue to be,” said Laura Cooper , head of macro credit at Nuveen. “The dissonance cannot hold indefinitely.” Traders are grappling with low conviction around the outcome of peace negotiations between the US and Iran, as proclamations of progress from one side are met with swift rebukes. That’s left them less willing to chase market moves on geopolitical headlines, even as the threat of a prolonged disruption to global energy markets remains. A key measure of US Treasuries volatility, the MOVE Index, has fallen to pre-war levels as Treasuries trade on a holding pattern while US and Iran talks to end the conflict continue. Read more: Traders Bet on Post-War Calm to Keep Rates in Tight Range Analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. recently warned that the decline in volatility may be overdone. In a note Friday, they cited “continued two-sided risks to both inflation and the job market, in addition to the risks to the ceasefire” and the confirmation process of Federal Reserve Chair nominee Kevin Warsh.
Microsoft's $18B Australia AI push boosts its long-term outlook, but ETFs with MSFT exposure may offer a smarter, diversified way to tap the growth story.
Microsoft's $18B Australia AI push boosts its long-term outlook, but ETFs with MSFT exposure may offer a smarter, diversified way to tap the growth story.
City Holding press release ( CHCO ): Non-GAAP EPS of $2.20. Net Interest Income of $59.62M (+6.8% Y/Y). More on City Holding City Holding authorizes buyback of up to 1 million shares Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on City Holding Historical earnings data for City Holding Dividend scorecard for City Holding Financial information for City Holding
City Holding press release ( CHCO ): Non-GAAP EPS of $2.20. Net Interest Income of $59.62M (+6.8% Y/Y). More on City Holding City Holding authorizes buyback of up to 1 million shares Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on City Holding Historical earnings data for City Holding Dividend scorecard for City Holding Financial information for City Holding
In a study of analyst recommendations at the major brokerages, for the underlying components of the S&P 500, Intuit Inc (Symbol: INTU) has taken over the #30 spot from DexCom Inc (Symbol: DXCM), according to ETF Channel. Below is a chart of Intuit Inc versus DexCom Inc plot
In a study of analyst recommendations at the major brokerages, for the underlying components of the S&P 500, Intuit Inc (Symbol: INTU) has taken over the #30 spot from DexCom Inc (Symbol: DXCM), according to ETF Channel. Below is a chart of Intuit Inc versus DexCom Inc plot
A study of analyst recommendations at the major brokerages shows that Worthington Steel Inc (Symbol: WS) is the #32 broker analyst pick, on average, out of the 50 stocks making up the Metals Channel Global Mining Titans Index, according to Metals Channel. The Metals Channel Glo
A study of analyst recommendations at the major brokerages shows that Worthington Steel Inc (Symbol: WS) is the #32 broker analyst pick, on average, out of the 50 stocks making up the Metals Channel Global Mining Titans Index, according to Metals Channel. The Metals Channel Glo