A view shows oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. Alexander Manzyuk | Reuters Oil markets have lurched from panic to relief and back again since the outbreak of war in the Middle East, with markets bracing for further volatility. Prices surged more than 55% since the start of the war, with Brent crude jumping from around $72 a barrel on February 27 t...
A view shows oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. Alexander Manzyuk | Reuters Oil markets have lurched from panic to relief and back again since the outbreak of war in the Middle East, with markets bracing for further volatility. Prices surged more than 55% since the start of the war, with Brent crude jumping from around $72 a barrel on February 27 to nearly $120 at its peak, as fears mounted over supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude jumped 51% in March, one of the largest one‑month oil price surges on record. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards 2026 Iran war and oil price impact Headlines about the war led to oil notching its biggest daily gain since the Russia-Ukraine war, while others sent Brent crude to its biggest daily drop in decades. Here are some of the key moments that oil reacted to since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, and where it might go next. February 28 The war began with joint US-Israel strikes against Iran on February 28, a Saturday when oil wasn't trading. The strikes killed several key Iranian officials, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Islamic Republic's longtime supreme leader. Iran responded quickly, hitting infrastructure across Gulf capitals and throwing the region, and millions of barrels of oil, into chaos. March 2 Oil and gas prices jumped during the first trading day since the strikes, as the war halts energy exports from the Middle East. Tehran began attacking ships and energy facilities, closing navigation in the Gulf and grinding energy production to a halt from Qatar to Iraq. March 8 The war entered its second week as Iranian oil facilities were hit for the first time . When markets opened on Monday March 9, Brent surged near $120 a barrel, which U.S. President Donald Trump said was a "small price to pay" for defeating Iran. Energy exports in the Gulf remained under pressure as the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Kuwait cut output, run out ...
iLexx/iStock via Getty Images AST SpaceMobile—Introduction and Investment Thesis AST SpaceMobile ( ASTS ) has confirmed the total loss of its BlueBird 7 satellite after Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket placed the spacecraft into a fatally low orbit during the mission from Cape Canaveral, sending shares a little over 5% down yesterday on 04/20. This would have been the ASTS’s eighth deployed satellit...
iLexx/iStock via Getty Images AST SpaceMobile—Introduction and Investment Thesis AST SpaceMobile ( ASTS ) has confirmed the total loss of its BlueBird 7 satellite after Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket placed the spacecraft into a fatally low orbit during the mission from Cape Canaveral, sending shares a little over 5% down yesterday on 04/20. This would have been the ASTS’s eighth deployed satellite in the constellation, as part of the company’s FY26 target to launch 45-60 satellites and at least double their revenue on a year-over-year basis to $150-$200 million . I last wrote about ASTS in January, when I initiated my “ H old” rating on the stock based on my reservation against possible delays or execution errors with satellite launches that could derail the company from delivering against their forward targets and contract valuation multiples. Since then, the stock is down 20%, underperforming the S&P 500, as can be seen below. SA: Price action since my "hold" rating With the loss of the BlueBird 7 satellite, ASTS’s FY26 target is indeed at risk, as the company now has to put at least 40 satellites in a span of eight months, leaving little room for execution error from here onwards. While the financial risk associated with the satellite’s cost is mitigated through its insurance policy, it nonetheless delays the pace of progress, especially as the valuation of the company is built around the scaling of its Commercial revenue along with momentum in its Government segment. As of Q4 FY25 , the company had secured $1.2 billion in revenue commitment from commercial contract partners that include MNOs (Mobile Network Operators) across continents and had projected FY26 to be an “inflection year” for commercial service as they enter commercial service with their initial MNO partners while also continuing to generate revenue from the commercial gateway and government strategies. While no MNO partners have backed off following the news of the failed launch, setbacks such as ...
TennesseePhotographer/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Introduction It is finally time to discuss once again one of my favorite companies: Tractor Supply Company ( TSCO ). It fits in that category (I think most of us know what I am talking about) of high-quality companies that I don't own. Or, better worded, I used to be a shareholder but then sold it as I thought the valuation had become too str...
TennesseePhotographer/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Introduction It is finally time to discuss once again one of my favorite companies: Tractor Supply Company ( TSCO ). It fits in that category (I think most of us know what I am talking about) of high-quality companies that I don't own. Or, better worded, I used to be a shareholder but then sold it as I thought the valuation had become too stretched . I let it go at a share price of $57 after having issued a buy rating in mid-2022 at a price of $39. So, I walked away with nice gains. So far, the decision has been the right one, as the stock has lost almost 23% from my price of sale. This doesn't mean I am not interested in the company anymore. On the contrary, I think it is extremely interesting to know what's going on with the one-of-a-kind retailer that caters to an extremely important customer niche, which, for the most part, belongs to higher-income cohorts. Since Tractor Supply has just released its earnings, let's take a look at how the company is doing and what it tells us about the state of the economy. Tractor Supply At A Glance Tractor Supply might not be familiar to some readers, especially those who are not interested in non-urban areas or those who don't live in the U.S. According to its own definition, which we find in its Annual Report , Tractor Supply is the largest "rural lifestyle retailer" in the U.S. This means that its customers are "home, land, pet, animal, and livestock owners who generally have above-average income and below-average cost of living". As of December 2025, the company was operating 2,602 retail stores (2,395 Tractor Supply retail stores and 207 Petsense by Tractor Supply stores), whose usual size ranges from 15,000 to 20,000 sqft. In addition, many of these stores have garden centers, which are becoming a new and valuable revenue stream that generates higher margins than merchandise sales. With this in mind, many would think that an important driver of TSCO's sales would be ...
As the prospect of renewed negotiations hangs by a thread, the chances of Trump ordering some kind of ground incursion appear to be rising It is the doomsday scenario that Donald Trump repeatedly swore he would never countenance: putting boots on the ground in a deployment that could embroil the US in a Middle East “forever war”. Now, with a two-week ceasefire in the war with Iran coming to an end...
As the prospect of renewed negotiations hangs by a thread, the chances of Trump ordering some kind of ground incursion appear to be rising It is the doomsday scenario that Donald Trump repeatedly swore he would never countenance: putting boots on the ground in a deployment that could embroil the US in a Middle East “forever war”. Now, with a two-week ceasefire in the war with Iran coming to an end and prospects for renewed negotiations hanging by a thread, the chances of the president breaking that pledge and ordering some kind of ground incursion seem to be rising. Continue reading...
BlackBerry Limited shares traded lower in Monday's premarket trading. The company announced an expanded collaboration with NVIDIA Corporation and a new automotive software deal with Leapmotor. QNX Expands NVIDIA Collaboration QNX, a division of BlackBerry, will integrate its OS for Safety 8.0 with NVIDIA IGX Thor and the Halos Safety Stack to enable real-time, safety-certified AI systems. The plat...
BlackBerry Limited shares traded lower in Monday's premarket trading. The company announced an expanded collaboration with NVIDIA Corporation and a new automotive software deal with Leapmotor. QNX Expands NVIDIA Collaboration QNX, a division of BlackBerry, will integrate its OS for Safety 8.0 with NVIDIA IGX Thor and the Halos Safety Stack to enable real-time, safety-certified AI systems. The platform combines QNX's operating system with NVIDIA's computing to support robotics, medical, and indus
He’s done it again. On Sunday night, building supply company QXO announced that it would be acquiring TopBuild for $17 billion. TopBuild sells and installs insulation for both the residential and commercial markets. For Brad Jacobs, the CEO of QXO, this is just the latest in a lifetime of deals he’s made. In fact, he’s made over 500 deals in his life across numerous public companies that he’s foun...
He’s done it again. On Sunday night, building supply company QXO announced that it would be acquiring TopBuild for $17 billion. TopBuild sells and installs insulation for both the residential and commercial markets. For Brad Jacobs, the CEO of QXO, this is just the latest in a lifetime of deals he’s made. In fact, he’s made over 500 deals in his life across numerous public companies that he’s founded, most of which have XO somewhere in the ticker. Brad’s companies all tend to be highly focused o
canart7/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Belgium-based Lotus Bakeries NV ( LOTBY ) is the owner and producer of the rapidly becoming iconic Biscoff cookie (and also owns the Nakd and Trek granola and fruit bar brands). The company has been somewhat of a “victim” of its success, as its production capacity has been insufficient to keep up with demand growth. This is now being remedied with a new...
canart7/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Belgium-based Lotus Bakeries NV ( LOTBY ) is the owner and producer of the rapidly becoming iconic Biscoff cookie (and also owns the Nakd and Trek granola and fruit bar brands). The company has been somewhat of a “victim” of its success, as its production capacity has been insufficient to keep up with demand growth. This is now being remedied with a new facility that has come online in the US, with a new plant in Thailand expected to start production later this quarter. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean the stock is cheap right now, and as it has been a while since I last looked at it, I wanted to check if I need to revise my position. Yahoo Finance Lotus Bakeries has its main listing in Belgium, where it is listed with LOTB as its ticker symbol on Euronext Brussels. The current market cap is approximately 8.8B EUR. I will use the euro as the base currency throughout this article. Strong cash flows, but the stock remains expensive Before discussing the company's potential growth trajectory, I wanted to have another look at 2025, considering that those results will be the stepping stone that will determine the potential revenue and cash flow going forward. As the income statement below shows, Lotus continues to grow its revenue with a 10% increase in 2025. Meanwhile, the operating expenses increased at a slower pace, which resulted in an underlying EBIT of 232M EUR. This represents an increase of over 12% compared to 2024. Meanwhile, the total amount of net finance expenses remained pretty stable, which means the pre-tax income jumped by 12.5%, while the net income increased from just under €153 million to exceeding €172 million. Lotus Investor Relations This resulted in an EPS of just over 212 EUR per share, a very noticeable increase from the just under 188 EUR per share generated in 2024. In my previous articles, I of course focused on the company's cash flow statement as well, considering the required sustaining capex t...
Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) is stuck in a rare clash between macro fear and explosive AI demand. I break down why hedge funds dumped the stock, what Wall Street may be missing, and why this pullback could be a major opportunity if sentiment turns. Stock prices used were the market prices of April 10, 2026. The video was published on April 16, 2026. Continue reading
Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) is stuck in a rare clash between macro fear and explosive AI demand. I break down why hedge funds dumped the stock, what Wall Street may be missing, and why this pullback could be a major opportunity if sentiment turns. Stock prices used were the market prices of April 10, 2026. The video was published on April 16, 2026. Continue reading
SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEMKT:GLD) serves as a specialized commodity play on physical gold, whereas State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEMKT:SPY) provides a broad-based exposure to the 500 largest U.S. companies. While GLD and SPY are both veteran ETFs issued by SPDR, they target entirely different asset classes. Investors often compare them to decide between the cash-flow-generating potential of ...
SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEMKT:GLD) serves as a specialized commodity play on physical gold, whereas State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEMKT:SPY) provides a broad-based exposure to the 500 largest U.S. companies. While GLD and SPY are both veteran ETFs issued by SPDR, they target entirely different asset classes. Investors often compare them to decide between the cash-flow-generating potential of American industry and the historical store-of-value characteristics associated with precious metals. 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
Alongside siblings Donny and Marie, the musician was a 1970s teen idol with family hits like Crazy Horses Alan Osmond, the eldest sibling of the Osmonds family band, has died aged 76. A spokesperson confirmed that he died at 8.30pm local time in Salt Lake City, Utah. His wife and eight children were by his side. “My brother has now stepped into the presence of our Father in Heaven with honor and p...
Alongside siblings Donny and Marie, the musician was a 1970s teen idol with family hits like Crazy Horses Alan Osmond, the eldest sibling of the Osmonds family band, has died aged 76. A spokesperson confirmed that he died at 8.30pm local time in Salt Lake City, Utah. His wife and eight children were by his side. “My brother has now stepped into the presence of our Father in Heaven with honor and peace,” Merrill Osmond, his brother, wrote on Facebook . “He gave everything he had to the Lord, to his family, and to all of you … He truly was a saint.” Continue reading...
ICICI Bank JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Overview In my previous analysis , I highlighted ICICI Bank ( IBN ) as a key beneficiary of India’s improving credit cycle and strengthening balance sheet dynamics. However, despite continued earnings growth, the stock has remained largely range-bound. This divergence suggests that markets are beginning to factor in emerging risks—particularly...
ICICI Bank JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Overview In my previous analysis , I highlighted ICICI Bank ( IBN ) as a key beneficiary of India’s improving credit cycle and strengthening balance sheet dynamics. However, despite continued earnings growth, the stock has remained largely range-bound. This divergence suggests that markets are beginning to factor in emerging risks—particularly around unsecured lending growth and margin sustainability. In this article, I reassess ICICI Bank’s investment thesis in light of these developments. ICICI Bank, which has a diversified business model, has recently experienced a price dip and investors have also revised the recommendation on the shares. In this article, I will be looking at the recent developments and the earnings results released to gain a better understanding about the prospects of ICICI Bank. Since ICICI Bank operates primarily in the Indian market, I will also be looking into the Indian macroeconomic and credit scenario. Among the numerous segments of ICICI Bank, the primary growth driver is the retail banking segment while the fastest growing is the business banking segment. Corporate banking previously had much exposure to high NPAs but now has become more disciplined. One of the core competencies that it has developed is to build a complete digital ecosystem which aims to serve all customer needs and goes onto enhance cross-selling opportunities. In my previous analysis I mentioned that one of the key catalysts surrounding ICICI Bank’s story was its recovery and improvement in key metrics in an atmosphere which was relatively favourable for private-sector banks in India. However, the share price from then to now has largely remained unchanged and this has been because there have been certain concerning trends that have emerged which could potentially impact ICICI Bank’s valuation adversely. I will be exploring some of those in this analysis and weigh them against the strengths and opportunities of I...