After sliding nearly 6% so far this year, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) could be in for more trouble. Moody's AI-driven recession model just put the odds of a U.S. downturn at 49%. The model was trained on 80 years of backtested data, and every time the odds have tipped above 50%, a recession hit within 12 months. Here's what makes this especially concerning for investors: That 49% figure is based...
After sliding nearly 6% so far this year, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) could be in for more trouble. Moody's AI-driven recession model just put the odds of a U.S. downturn at 49%. The model was trained on 80 years of backtested data, and every time the odds have tipped above 50%, a recession hit within 12 months. Here's what makes this especially concerning for investors: That 49% figure is based on February data, meaning it doesn't account for the U.S.-Iran War -- a war that has knocked out roughly 20% of global crude oil production, pushing oil prices well above $100 a barrel. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
Live cattle futures were up $1.582 to $3.47 on Tuesday, led by the front months. Open interest was up 5,500 contracts on Wednesday, mostly in June and August. Cash trade has yet to get kicked off this week, as last week settled in at $234-235 sales and $238 late in...
Live cattle futures were up $1.582 to $3.47 on Tuesday, led by the front months. Open interest was up 5,500 contracts on Wednesday, mostly in June and August. Cash trade has yet to get kicked off this week, as last week settled in at $234-235 sales and $238 late in...
A court in Hinggan League, Inner Mongolia, delivered a first-instance verdict against Kou Wei on bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power. Photo: CCTV News. Kou Wei, former chairman of State Grid Corp. of China, was sentenced Wednesday to death with a two-year reprieve for bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power, capping the downfall of a veteran executive who once led the world’s largest utility...
A court in Hinggan League, Inner Mongolia, delivered a first-instance verdict against Kou Wei on bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power. Photo: CCTV News. Kou Wei, former chairman of State Grid Corp. of China, was sentenced Wednesday to death with a two-year reprieve for bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power, capping the downfall of a veteran executive who once led the world’s largest utility. The Hinggan League Intermediate People’s Court in China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region also stripped Kou, 65, of his political rights for life and ordered the confiscation of all personal property. The court said the penalty was reduced because Kou confessed, voluntarily disclosed previously undiscovered crimes, showed remorse and returned illicit proceeds.
Benchmark initiated coverage of Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) with a Buy rating and $450 price target, arguing that the stock’s steep retreat from its 2025 highs represents a compelling long-term entry point. Microsoft shares have fallen 28% from their October 2025 level of $517.54 to $370.17 as of March 31, 2026, even as the company’s underlying fundamentals ... Microsoft’s Pullback From October Highs ...
Benchmark initiated coverage of Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) with a Buy rating and $450 price target, arguing that the stock’s steep retreat from its 2025 highs represents a compelling long-term entry point. Microsoft shares have fallen 28% from their October 2025 level of $517.54 to $370.17 as of March 31, 2026, even as the company’s underlying fundamentals ... Microsoft’s Pullback From October Highs Is a Buying Opportunity, According to Wall Street
Cotton price action is down 110 to 130 points early on Wednesday. Futures saw weakness later on Tuesday, with contracts down 19 to 29 points following more than expected acres. The US dollar index was $0.658 lower at $99.695. Crude oil futures were down $1.13 to $101.75 on the day....
Cotton price action is down 110 to 130 points early on Wednesday. Futures saw weakness later on Tuesday, with contracts down 19 to 29 points following more than expected acres. The US dollar index was $0.658 lower at $99.695. Crude oil futures were down $1.13 to $101.75 on the day....
The chip sector is rallying Wednesday morning, with Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) shares up 8% and Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) stock rising 3% in early trading. The two moves reflect distinct catalysts, but together they signal that investors are choosing company-specific optimism over macro caution today. INTC stock opened at $44.13 and is trading near $47.50 as ... Intel Jumps 8%, AMD Rises 3%: A ...
The chip sector is rallying Wednesday morning, with Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) shares up 8% and Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) stock rising 3% in early trading. The two moves reflect distinct catalysts, but together they signal that investors are choosing company-specific optimism over macro caution today. INTC stock opened at $44.13 and is trading near $47.50 as ... Intel Jumps 8%, AMD Rises 3%: A $14.2 Billion Fab Deal and AI Momentum Lift the Chip Sector
Permira Co-CEO Brian Ruder joined Bloomberg Open Interest to break down how market volatility is creating real investment opportunities, how AI disrupted software valuations, and why incumbents hold the upper hand in the AI era. (Source: Bloomberg)
Permira Co-CEO Brian Ruder joined Bloomberg Open Interest to break down how market volatility is creating real investment opportunities, how AI disrupted software valuations, and why incumbents hold the upper hand in the AI era. (Source: Bloomberg)
Albany Times Union/hearst Newspapers | Hearst Newspapers | Getty Images Artificial intelligence may be the future of customer service, but some early consumer reviews suggest that, at least for now, you should prepare to be annoyed. AI-powered chatbots can act as virtual concierges steering wayward customers to the right resolution, but many customer service chatbots still deflect rather than reso...
Albany Times Union/hearst Newspapers | Hearst Newspapers | Getty Images Artificial intelligence may be the future of customer service, but some early consumer reviews suggest that, at least for now, you should prepare to be annoyed. AI-powered chatbots can act as virtual concierges steering wayward customers to the right resolution, but many customer service chatbots still deflect rather than resolve issues. Outright request refusals — or sending customers into a maze of AI-powered ambiguity that leaves them too exasperated to continue a complaint — are still common in the chatbot playbook. "I hate AI customer service chatbots," said Carmen Smith of Campo, California, who said she often ends up in an endless loop when dealing with the technology. "It seems that no matter what, they all will either point you to some type of FAQs list or repeat information you've already tried and found lacking," Smith said. "I hate dealing with them, but a lot of companies use them nowadays, alas. I'd rather speak to a human being." Smith is not alone. Nearly one in five consumers who have used AI for customer service saw no benefit from the experience, according to the Qualtrics 2026 Customer Experience Trends Report. That figure — a failure rate almost four times higher than for AI use in general — points to something specific about customer service that makes it harder for AI to get right. Consumers rank AI applications for customer service among the worst for convenience, time savings, and usefulness. "Too many companies are deploying AI to cut costs, not solve problems, and customers can tell the difference," said Isabelle Zdatny, head of thought leadership at Qualtrics XM Institute and the author of the report. There's a simple business reason why the experience for many customers has not been a positive one. "AI doesn't change corporate incentives — it scales them," said Ben Wiener, global head of Cognizant Moment, the digital experience practice of global technology and consu...