imaginima/iStock via Getty Images MDU Resources ( MDU ) trades little changed Thursday as J.P. Morgan initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and $22 price target, saying positive sales growth trends, regulatory diversification, and upside tied to favorable Bakken natural gas dynamics should help support growth durability, enhanced by successful execution of Bakken East. However, JPM's Aidan Kell...
imaginima/iStock via Getty Images MDU Resources ( MDU ) trades little changed Thursday as J.P. Morgan initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and $22 price target, saying positive sales growth trends, regulatory diversification, and upside tied to favorable Bakken natural gas dynamics should help support growth durability, enhanced by successful execution of Bakken East. However, JPM's Aidan Kelly said MDU's ( MDU ) current double-digit premium valuation largely reflects its growth runway, track record, and repositioning, leaving limited room for multiple expansion. Under MDU's ( MDU ) base plan, Kelly sees a relatively narrow margin for execution against its targeted 6%-8% earnings per share compound annual growth rate, particularly when factoring in the spread between rate base growth and equity needs; that said, the analyst pointed to WBI Energy's pending Bakken East project standing out as a core lever that could lift realized EPS growth above the current range in 2029-30. More on MDU Resources Near-Term Outlook For MDU Resources Is Good, Not Great MDU Resources Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript MDU Resources Q4 2025 Earnings Call Presentation
Charles Schwab Corp. is likely to launch prediction markets linked to financial events as competitors including Robinhood Markets Inc. expand their presence in the space. Schwab is “taking a hard look” at prediction markets, Chief Executive Officer Rick Wurster said on a conference call Thursday, but would stay away from allowing customers to place wagers on sports or pop culture given the firm’s ...
Charles Schwab Corp. is likely to launch prediction markets linked to financial events as competitors including Robinhood Markets Inc. expand their presence in the space. Schwab is “taking a hard look” at prediction markets, Chief Executive Officer Rick Wurster said on a conference call Thursday, but would stay away from allowing customers to place wagers on sports or pop culture given the firm’s focus on building clients’ long-term wealth. Schwab's CEO Rick Wurster joined Bloomberg Businessweek Daily to discuss. (Source: Bloomberg)
In this article .SPX Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Traders work at the New York Stock Exchange on April 16, 2026. NYSE U.S. stocks climbed to record highs on Wednesday against a backdrop of war, an oil supply shock and economic forecasts warning of stunted growth amid a protracted conflict. Many investors may be thinking: Why? Largely, it's because the stock market is a barometer...
In this article .SPX Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Traders work at the New York Stock Exchange on April 16, 2026. NYSE U.S. stocks climbed to record highs on Wednesday against a backdrop of war, an oil supply shock and economic forecasts warning of stunted growth amid a protracted conflict. Many investors may be thinking: Why? Largely, it's because the stock market is a barometer of what investors think will happen in the future, rather than an assessment of the present day, according to economists and market analysts. Investors are essentially shrugging off the Middle East conflict as a blip that will be resolved relatively quickly, they said. "The stock market isn't trying to price what's happening today," said Joe Seydl, a senior markets economist at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. "The stock market is always trying to price what the world is going to look like six to 12 months from now." Why stocks have been 'resilient' The S&P 500 , a U.S. stock index, fell about 8% in the initial weeks of the Iran war, from the start of the conflict on Feb. 28 to a recent low on March 30. But stocks have rebounded since then, erasing all losses since the beginning of the war. The S&P 500 closed at an all-time high on Wednesday — about 11% higher than its nadir at the end of March. The index had extended the rally during Thursday trading as of late afternoon ET. "The market has remained very resilient in the face of the war and has rallied strongly on the prospect that it will be resolved," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's. watch now VIDEO 3:51 03:51 Tom Lee: Stock market is in better position now than the all-time highs earlier this year Closing Bell At first blush, it may seem not much has changed since the end of February — leaving everyday investors to scratch their heads at the market's jolt of enthusiasm. The stock market initially sold off amid fears that an oil-supply shock could reverberate through the global economy and fuel inflation . Iran had...
Artificial intelligence startup Upscale AI is in talks to raise a new round of funding at a valuation of about $2 billion, according to people with knowledge of the efforts. The company, which is building infrastructure to connect AI computing clusters, has had discussions to bring in $180 million to $200 million in the deal, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private infor...
Artificial intelligence startup Upscale AI is in talks to raise a new round of funding at a valuation of about $2 billion, according to people with knowledge of the efforts. The company, which is building infrastructure to connect AI computing clusters, has had discussions to bring in $180 million to $200 million in the deal, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. The funding round would mark Upscale AI’s third funding event in seven months. The Santa Clara, California-based company emerged from stealth in September with more than $100 million in seed financing, before raising a $200 million Series A in January led by Tiger Global Management, Premji Invest and Xora Innovation. The talks are ongoing, and the details could change. Upscale AI declined to comment. The startup has said it’s building specialized chips, networking equipment and software to help AI data centers run more efficiently. As research-driven labs and Big Tech companies clamor for AI computing, it’s one of a crop of companies that has emerged with ambitions to improve AI infrastructure with new hardware and software. Upscale AI is competing with startups like Nexthop AI , which hit a $4.2 billion valuation in March with funding from Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Long-standing networking companies including Cisco Systems Inc., Broadcom Inc. and Arista Networks Inc. are also adapting their systems for the AI era. The startup spun out of Bitcoin mining company Auradine . An Upscale AI executive told Bloomberg in January that the startup planned to have a product available later this year.
watch now VIDEO 5:26 05:26 US-Iran talks: Expert says a comprehensive deal before the ceasefire is unlikely Access Middle East Crude oil prices neared $100 again on Thursday, as tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains very low with no clear pathway to fully reopen the vital sea lane. International benchmark Brent for June delivery surged nearly 5% to close at $99.39 per barrel. West Te...
watch now VIDEO 5:26 05:26 US-Iran talks: Expert says a comprehensive deal before the ceasefire is unlikely Access Middle East Crude oil prices neared $100 again on Thursday, as tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains very low with no clear pathway to fully reopen the vital sea lane. International benchmark Brent for June delivery surged nearly 5% to close at $99.39 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate crude for May rose almost 4% to settle at $94.69 per barrel. Just a few oil tankers are passing through the strait daily as the U.S. Navy blockades Iran's coast and Tehran threatens to retaliate against ships in the Persian Gulf. President Donald Trump told reporters Thursday that the U.S. and Iran will "probably" meet over the weekend for a second round of negotiations. But a date has not been set officially for the talks. Trump announced earlier that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire . Israel's war against Hezbollah had been a sticking point in the failed talks between the U.S. and Iran last weekend in Pakistan. Several European and Gulf Arab leaders believe it could take six months to negotiate a U.S.-Iran deal, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg . Meanwhile, the two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran will expire on Tuesday, April 21. Trump agreed to the truce in exchange for Iran opening the strait to traffic, but Tehran has sought to maintain control over shipping in the sea lane. Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.
Via Transportation ( VIA ) updated in a LinkedIn post that the company has helped Sioux Falls restructure its public transit system so that nearly every resident can reach the whole city, including jobs, without additional budget increases. The city's Sioux Area Metro selected Via ( VIA ) as its technology and operations partner in late 2023, giving the company responsibility for day-to-day manage...
Via Transportation ( VIA ) updated in a LinkedIn post that the company has helped Sioux Falls restructure its public transit system so that nearly every resident can reach the whole city, including jobs, without additional budget increases. The city's Sioux Area Metro selected Via ( VIA ) as its technology and operations partner in late 2023, giving the company responsibility for day-to-day management, software, and route planning starting in 2024. Via said it rebuilt Sioux Falls' network of 85 square miles around a combination of high-frequency fixed-route buses and citywide microtransit, extending coverage to 100% of the city and eliminating prior transit deserts in outlying neighborhoods. Notably, the system now uses data-driven routing to bundle riders into efficient shared trips while simplifying the bus lines so that core corridors run more often and with fewer long waits. Riders can book trips via an app that presents both on-demand microtransit and fixed-route options, making it easier to plan trips end-to-end. The result is that Sioux Falls residents now have access to roughly 50K more jobs within a one-hour transit trip, nearly doubling overall job access compared with the old network, while lowering the cost per ride by about 25%. Shares of Via Transportation ( VIA ) rose 1.4% in afternoon trading to $17.38. The transit tech company priced its IPO last September at $46 per share and traded as high as $56.31 before trending down. More on Via Transportation, Inc. Via: More Interesting After The Crash, But AI Disruption Risk Is High (Upgrade) Via Transportation, Inc. (VIA) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Via targets 25%+ revenue growth and first profitable quarter in Q4 2026 amid AI-driven product expansion Via Transportation, Inc. reports Q4 results Historical earnings data for Via Transportation, Inc.
Some analysts say the most likely outcome for Live Nation would be more damages and penalties. Shares of the concert-ticketing giant rose on Thursday after falling a day earlier.
Some analysts say the most likely outcome for Live Nation would be more damages and penalties. Shares of the concert-ticketing giant rose on Thursday after falling a day earlier.
I confess that I'm a tech stock bull -- even after the sector's poor performance this year as fears of overspending by some of the biggest names have taken their toll. Consumer and energy stocks are the biggest drivers of the market right now, with tech stocks taking a bit of a breather. Does that mean you should cycle your money out of tech stocks ? Not at all. Every sector -- even the entire mar...
I confess that I'm a tech stock bull -- even after the sector's poor performance this year as fears of overspending by some of the biggest names have taken their toll. Consumer and energy stocks are the biggest drivers of the market right now, with tech stocks taking a bit of a breather. Does that mean you should cycle your money out of tech stocks ? Not at all. Every sector -- even the entire market -- sees a dip every now and then. That's the cyclical nature of the market at work. And while it can be tempting to try to time the market and move your money back and forth, it's rarely a profitable way to invest. More often than not, you'll mistime your purchases and miss out on a chance to profit from the rebound. Continue reading
Noel Dixon, Senior Macro Strategist at State Street, discussed investor sentiment and market dynamics despite heightened geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. He noted that while much positive news is already priced in, the rally can continue, particularly with a shift toward higher commodity prices creating differentiated winners and losers across regions. The US is expected to be more ins...
Noel Dixon, Senior Macro Strategist at State Street, discussed investor sentiment and market dynamics despite heightened geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. He noted that while much positive news is already priced in, the rally can continue, particularly with a shift toward higher commodity prices creating differentiated winners and losers across regions. The US is expected to be more insulated compared to the UK and Eurozone, necessitating a more selective investment approach. (Source: Bloomberg)
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) has raised its dividend annually for 64 consecutive years. That makes it a Dividend King , the elite title given to stocks that have raised their payouts for at least 50 straight years, but it's often considered a boring, defensive play. Yet over the past 12 months, J&J's stock has rallied more than 50%. Image source: Getty Images. J&J streamlined its operations by di...
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) has raised its dividend annually for 64 consecutive years. That makes it a Dividend King , the elite title given to stocks that have raised their payouts for at least 50 straight years, but it's often considered a boring, defensive play. Yet over the past 12 months, J&J's stock has rallied more than 50%. Image source: Getty Images. J&J streamlined its operations by divesting its slower-growth businesses over the past few years. Today, it operates two core businesses: its Innovative Medicine segment, which sells its pharmaceutical products; and its MedTech segment, which sells medical devices. Continue reading
Over the past 10 years, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX) has delivered market-beating returns. The company owes this performance to its dominance in the cystic fibrosis (CF) drug market. Vertex Pharmaceuticals essentially has a monopoly in this area. That's a good thing so long as the biotech can protect its business from new market entrants, but if it fails to do so, the company could encoun...
Over the past 10 years, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX) has delivered market-beating returns. The company owes this performance to its dominance in the cystic fibrosis (CF) drug market. Vertex Pharmaceuticals essentially has a monopoly in this area. That's a good thing so long as the biotech can protect its business from new market entrants, but if it fails to do so, the company could encounter significant challenges. Is that where Vertex Pharmaceuticals is headed? Let's find out. Image source: Getty Images. Several companies are developing newer CF medicines to compete with Vertex's. The list includes Krystal Biotech , whose candidate, KB407, has performed well in phase 1 studies. KB407 is a gene therapy that targets the underlying causes of CF and helps clear the thick mucus that accumulates in patients' organs while restoring lung function. Importantly, it could work for all CF patients, whereas Vertex Pharmaceuticals' medicines target only those with certain mutations. Continue reading
Shares of event ticket reseller StubHub (NYSE: STUB) rallied as much as 15.3% this week, before falling back to a 10% gain as of 2:12 p.m. EDT Thursday, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence . Last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a lawsuit against StubHub for allegedly violating the "all-in" pricing rule in its first few days after it was implemented in May 2025....
Shares of event ticket reseller StubHub (NYSE: STUB) rallied as much as 15.3% this week, before falling back to a 10% gain as of 2:12 p.m. EDT Thursday, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence . Last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a lawsuit against StubHub for allegedly violating the "all-in" pricing rule in its first few days after it was implemented in May 2025. That sent StubHub shares down, even off already low levels. However, the company announced a settlement of the suit this week, with a very mild penalty and no admission of wrongdoing. Continue reading