2月24日,外交部发言人毛宁主持例行记者会。有记者提问,据一位美国政府高级官员称,DeepSeek 的 AI 模型据说是使用英伟达最先进的AI芯片进行训练的。这可能违反美国的出口管制,美方认为 DeepSeek需要将相关设备移除。请问这一说法是否属实?毛宁表示,“我不了解你提到的具体情况。关于美国输华芯片问题,中方已经多次表明了原则立场。”(澎湃新闻)
2月24日,外交部发言人毛宁主持例行记者会。有记者提问,据一位美国政府高级官员称,DeepSeek 的 AI 模型据说是使用英伟达最先进的AI芯片进行训练的。这可能违反美国的出口管制,美方认为 DeepSeek需要将相关设备移除。请问这一说法是否属实?毛宁表示,“我不了解你提到的具体情况。关于美国输华芯片问题,中方已经多次表明了原则立场。”(澎湃新闻)
Municipal bonds are poised for a solid year after lagging US Treasuries in 2025 as market conditions stabilize, according to Pat Haskell , head of the municipal bond group at BlackRock Inc. He expects investment-grade muni debt to deliver “mid- to upper-single-digit returns” for investors, while the high-yield segment of the market will could earn “high single digits to low double digits,” Haskell...
Municipal bonds are poised for a solid year after lagging US Treasuries in 2025 as market conditions stabilize, according to Pat Haskell , head of the municipal bond group at BlackRock Inc. He expects investment-grade muni debt to deliver “mid- to upper-single-digit returns” for investors, while the high-yield segment of the market will could earn “high single digits to low double digits,” Haskell said in an interview. In 2025, the muni benchmark earned 4.25% and the high-yield index 2.46%, both trailing the more than 6% gain in the US Treasury total return index , according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Debt for state and local governments underperformed last year as the second Trump administration’s policy shifts from the impact of tariffs to the very future of the market’s tax-exemption status unsettled this corner of the market. At the same time, a record year of issuance meant supply outpaced demand amid the political uncertainty. “You had a significant underperformance in the asset class in the first two thirds of the year,” Haskell said. “Now some of that was made up from the August rally into the end of the year, but I would expect that to continue into 2026.” He noted in his outlook, released Tuesday, that “consecutive years of underperformance are rare” and typically only occur when fundamentals are weaker, which is not the case for munis. Credit quality for local and state governments is “sound,” with strong balance sheets and “resilient” revenue streams tied to essential services. “We’re still of the opinion that the Fed will ease a couple more times this year,” he said in the interview. “It leaves a very, very solid footing to put cash to work here and gets these higher levels of incremental yield.” His team forecasts annual issuance will post another record year, albeit a moderate increase, with their estimate hovering around $575 billion, from last year’s volume of $570 billion. Other forecasts have estimated 2026 could see as much as $600 billion in...
BlackRock Inc. sees European credit spreads staying range-bound this year as attractive fixed-income yields are likely to offset worries around the potential disruption from artificial intelligence. While yield premiums on corporate debt are around the tightest in years, real yields are at decade-highs and corporate fundamentals are improving, with companies deleveraging, improving efficiency and ...
BlackRock Inc. sees European credit spreads staying range-bound this year as attractive fixed-income yields are likely to offset worries around the potential disruption from artificial intelligence. While yield premiums on corporate debt are around the tightest in years, real yields are at decade-highs and corporate fundamentals are improving, with companies deleveraging, improving efficiency and profitability ratios, BlackRock said in its first-quarter fixed-income outlook released Tuesday. “Realistically, with spreads where they are, you are not going to get a huge amount of capital appreciation,” James Turner , head of global fixed income in EMEA at BlackRock, said in an interview. “But what you can do is if you make sure you capture all that income and you compound it over time, you’re going to get a pretty good return, especially with where yields are at the moment.” Read more: Hottest Credit Markets Since ‘07 Spur Warning on Complacency With European high-grade corporate debt yielding around 3% on average, while inflation expectations are stabilizing below the European Central Bank’s 2% target, that puts real yields at the highest in over a decade, BlackRock says. That’s helped pull money into the asset class, with consistent demand from institutional and retail buyers underpinning the market, while investors hold plenty of cash that they could direct to credit, the investment firm says. As Turner sees it, the outlook for European growth looks “unspectacular but positive,” with interest rates in the region on a stable footing. “That backdrop of stability is actually a very favorable environment for people wanting to invest in fixed income,” he said. Still, there is a dispersion of outcomes to consider as some industries and issuers struggle to adapt to the adoption of AI, which will likely create winners and loser within and across sectors, BlackRock expects. “People need to work a little bit harder to find the best sources of income,” Turner said. In addition...
As anyone who lives on Social Security benefits alone can tell you, it can be a tricky proposition. Even without a mortgage, the majority of Social Security recipients can't entirely cover their living expenses. However, Realtor.com recently compiled a list of states where those without a mortgage can live on benefits alone. ( Note: Housing expenses refer to the costs associated with homeownership...
As anyone who lives on Social Security benefits alone can tell you, it can be a tricky proposition. Even without a mortgage, the majority of Social Security recipients can't entirely cover their living expenses. However, Realtor.com recently compiled a list of states where those without a mortgage can live on benefits alone. ( Note: Housing expenses refer to the costs associated with homeownership. This includes things like home insurance, utilities, property taxes, and maintenance. Although eliminating a mortgage can help your dollars stretch further, housing costs remain an issue.) Continue reading