US spot petrochemical prices showed no signs of easing last week, led by a surge in methanol to its highest level in nearly four years as buyers seek alternatives to disrupted Middle Eastern supplies of key plastic-making materials. Spot methanol climbed to about $1.27 a gallon on Friday, the highest since April 2022. The chemical — which is used in fuels, plastics and as a key feedstock for olefi...
US spot petrochemical prices showed no signs of easing last week, led by a surge in methanol to its highest level in nearly four years as buyers seek alternatives to disrupted Middle Eastern supplies of key plastic-making materials. Spot methanol climbed to about $1.27 a gallon on Friday, the highest since April 2022. The chemical — which is used in fuels, plastics and as a key feedstock for olefins production — tracks tightening availability across global markets. Iran plays a major role in supplying methanol to Asia. Its estimated that at least 50% of mainland China’s imported methanol originates from Iran, according to data firm Oil Price Information Service. Ongoing disruptions have raised concerns about reduced export flows, lifting prices worldwide and supporting US production. Across the broader complex, prices remain elevated and are bolstering export demand for US petrochemicals. Spot US ethylene, a building block for polyethylene-based items such as plastic bags, held near 31 cents a pound, the highest since February 2025. Meanwhile, polymer-grade propylene (PGP), used to make a key chemical in plastic food containers and medicine bottles, climbed to 55.5 cents, its strongest since August 2024. Butadiene, a critical feedstock for synthetic rubber and tires, rose to 61 cents a pound, the highest since May 2024. Higher operating rates in the US are being driven by the availability of cheaper ethane, a feedstock for ethylene, boosting output of the chemical and supporting PGP prices. Though logistics constraints including longer transit times and higher freight costs are emerging as potential risks to exports, US producers are expected to keep run rates elevated as contractual commitments and global demand continue to pull material into overseas markets. US Gulf Coast spot prices (as of March 27): Ethylene : 31c/lb vs 30c/lb prior week Polymer-grade propylene : 55.5c/lb vs 49.5c/lb Refinery-grade propylene : 50.5c/lb vs 47.5c/lb Butadiene : 61c/lb vs 58.5c/lb...
Galeanu Mihai/iStock via Getty Images Investors should brace for energy prices to “skyrocket” unless there is a diplomatic breakthrough in the Iran war, according to Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations. In an interview with CNBC, Haass warned that markets have “underreacted” to the severity of the ongoing conflict and that the real impact on global energy supplies...
Galeanu Mihai/iStock via Getty Images Investors should brace for energy prices to “skyrocket” unless there is a diplomatic breakthrough in the Iran war, according to Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations. In an interview with CNBC, Haass warned that markets have “underreacted” to the severity of the ongoing conflict and that the real impact on global energy supplies has yet to be felt. Haass explained that a lag effect is masking the true extent of the supply crisis. Tankers that passed through the Strait of Hormuz just before hostilities began are only now arriving at destinations like Europe. “When there are no new tankers coming behind them, I think then is when we’re going to see energy prices skyrocket again unless there’s some type of a breakthrough here,” he said. The veteran foreign policy expert described Iran as treating the Strait of Hormuz like “a private waterway,” allowing only select ships to pass while blocking most of the approximately 20 percent of the world’s energy supply that typically transits the critical chokepoint. Haass expressed skepticism about the market’s apparent optimism for a quick reopening, saying, “I hope the market knows something that I don’t.” Adding to his concerns, Haass identified recent Houthi activity as a “worrisome development” that threatens the Red Sea, one of the few alternative routes for global energy exports. He noted that Iran appears to be exercising discipline in how it deploys its proxy forces, suggesting a calculated approach to escalation that could further squeeze Saudi exports to global markets. On the prospect of military intervention, Haass was deeply skeptical. He described potential operations to seize Iran’s enriched uranium as extraordinarily risky, noting that such missions would put troops at “enormous, enormous risk” with little guarantee of success. As an alternative, he suggested establishing a blockade in the Gulf of Oman, which he said would be “far easier, less ...
Bargain hunters are wise to pay careful attention to insider buying, because although there are many various reasons for an insider to sell a stock, presumably the only reason they would use their hard-earned dollars to make a purchase, is that they expect to make money. Today
Bargain hunters are wise to pay careful attention to insider buying, because although there are many various reasons for an insider to sell a stock, presumably the only reason they would use their hard-earned dollars to make a purchase, is that they expect to make money. Today
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) stock just flashed a red signal investors haven’t seen in years. For the first time in about three years, the stock’s valuation has effectively reset below recent annual figures, underscoring a clear shift in sentiment. The semiconductor giant’s price-to-earnings ratio ...
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) stock just flashed a red signal investors haven’t seen in years. For the first time in about three years, the stock’s valuation has effectively reset below recent annual figures, underscoring a clear shift in sentiment. The semiconductor giant’s price-to-earnings ratio ...
Former Amazon Robotics Executive Steps in to Lead Global Production Strategy as Company Expands Brian Davis steps up to be the Head of Global Manufacturing for Persona AI Persona AI, an emerging leader in embodied AI, today announced the appointment of Brian Davis as Head of Global Manufacturing. This move signals Persona’s commitment to scaling commercial production, as the company is planning th...
Former Amazon Robotics Executive Steps in to Lead Global Production Strategy as Company Expands Brian Davis steps up to be the Head of Global Manufacturing for Persona AI Persona AI, an emerging leader in embodied AI, today announced the appointment of Brian Davis as Head of Global Manufacturing. This move signals Persona’s commitment to scaling commercial production, as the company is planning the manufacturing infrastructure to bring humanoid robots to markets in shipyards, steel mills, and en
Jose Luis Pelaez | Getty Images Student loan borrowers will soon be removed from the Saving on a Valuable Education , or SAVE, plan, the Trump administration announced on Friday. The Education Department said it would send guidance to the 7.5 million people who signed up for the now-defunct repayment plan. "In the guidance, the Department provides information on how borrowers can enroll in a new, ...
Jose Luis Pelaez | Getty Images Student loan borrowers will soon be removed from the Saving on a Valuable Education , or SAVE, plan, the Trump administration announced on Friday. The Education Department said it would send guidance to the 7.5 million people who signed up for the now-defunct repayment plan. "In the guidance, the Department provides information on how borrowers can enroll in a new, legal federal student loan repayment plan and previews upcoming changes to student loan repayment options," according to the announcement. SAVE enrollees have been slow to exit: Roughly 7.2 million people remained in the program as of December, according to recently released agency data. Here's what borrowers need to know. Why is the SAVE plan going away? Soon after the Biden administration introduced the SAVE plan in 2023, several Republican-led states sued to block its implementation, arguing that President Joe Biden did not have the authority to grant the forgiveness and lower payments the plan promised. After nearly two years of litigation, the SAVE plan was officially blocked by a federal appeals court earlier in March. Read more CNBC personal finance coverage Department of Labor proposes rules for including alternative assets in 401(k)s 31.5% of car buyers underwater on trade-ins; analyst says amount owed 'troubling' Why your tax refund may look different this year, and what's actually driving it Expecting to fight about money with your partner? You might be wrong: study Belle Burden's 'Strangers' highlights key financial red flags for women Average IRS tax refund is up 10.9%, latest filing data shows 1.4 million filers face tax refund delays amid IRS paper check phaseout Family caregivers now provide $1 trillion worth of care annually, AARP finds Higher gas prices from Iran war could offset Trump's bigger tax refunds Single women see homeownership as 'a wealth-building tool,' economist says Amid March Madness, NY Fed highlights sports betting toll on credit health So...
On 3/31/26, EPR Properties's 9.00% Series E Cumulative Convertible Preferred Shares (Symbol: EPR.PRE) will trade ex-dividend, for its quarterly dividend of $0.5625, payable on 4/15/26. As a percentage of EPR.PRE's recent share price of $30.52, this dividend works out to approxi
On 3/31/26, EPR Properties's 9.00% Series E Cumulative Convertible Preferred Shares (Symbol: EPR.PRE) will trade ex-dividend, for its quarterly dividend of $0.5625, payable on 4/15/26. As a percentage of EPR.PRE's recent share price of $30.52, this dividend works out to approxi
On 3/31/26, North American Financial 15 Split Corp's Preferred Shares (TSX: FFN-PRA.TO) will trade ex-dividend, for its monthly dividend of $0.0625, payable on 4/10/26. As a percentage of FFN.PRA's recent share price of $10.71, this dividend works out to approximately 0.58%, so
On 3/31/26, North American Financial 15 Split Corp's Preferred Shares (TSX: FFN-PRA.TO) will trade ex-dividend, for its monthly dividend of $0.0625, payable on 4/10/26. As a percentage of FFN.PRA's recent share price of $10.71, this dividend works out to approximately 0.58%, so
On 4/1/26, Kimco Realty Corp's 5.25% Class M Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Symbol: KIM.PRM) will trade ex-dividend, for its quarterly dividend of $0.3281, payable on 4/15/26. As a percentage of KIM.PRM's recent share price of $20.09, this dividend works out to approxim
On 4/1/26, Kimco Realty Corp's 5.25% Class M Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Symbol: KIM.PRM) will trade ex-dividend, for its quarterly dividend of $0.3281, payable on 4/15/26. As a percentage of KIM.PRM's recent share price of $20.09, this dividend works out to approxim
On 4/1/26, Kimco Realty Corp's 5.125% Class L Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Symbol: KIM.PRL) will trade ex-dividend, for its quarterly dividend of $0.3203, payable on 4/15/26. As a percentage of KIM.PRL's recent share price of $19.37, this dividend works out to approxi
On 4/1/26, Kimco Realty Corp's 5.125% Class L Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Symbol: KIM.PRL) will trade ex-dividend, for its quarterly dividend of $0.3203, payable on 4/15/26. As a percentage of KIM.PRL's recent share price of $19.37, this dividend works out to approxi
Leader understood to have spoken to 10 trade unions after party claimed working class voters are turning to them Zack Polanski has kicked off a charm offensive designed to convince trade unions to stop funding Labour and throw their weight behind the Green party, as he delivered the first in a series of speeches to union conferences. The Green leader has had “good conversations” with 10 trade unio...
Leader understood to have spoken to 10 trade unions after party claimed working class voters are turning to them Zack Polanski has kicked off a charm offensive designed to convince trade unions to stop funding Labour and throw their weight behind the Green party, as he delivered the first in a series of speeches to union conferences. The Green leader has had “good conversations” with 10 trade unions, including some affiliated to Labour, according to party sources, and is due to address the University and College Union and the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, not affiliated with Labour, in the coming months. Continue reading...
Denver Imposes Water Restrictions, Orders Restaurants To Serve Only On Request Authored by Jacki Thrapp via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Restaurants in Colorado’s capital are only allowed to serve water to guests if they ask , according to new restrictions by the Denver Board of Water Commissioners. A scenic view of the Denver skyline at sunset, with the Rocky Mountains in the background and a...
Denver Imposes Water Restrictions, Orders Restaurants To Serve Only On Request Authored by Jacki Thrapp via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Restaurants in Colorado’s capital are only allowed to serve water to guests if they ask , according to new restrictions by the Denver Board of Water Commissioners. A scenic view of the Denver skyline at sunset, with the Rocky Mountains in the background and a forest in the foreground. Bill Ross/Getty Images “Restaurants and catering businesses shall serve water only upon request,” the mandatory irrigation restrictions read. The rules were issued in the Mile High City after the commissioners declared a Stage 1 Drought and made plans to seek a 20 percent reduction in water use . City officials expect drought conditions to last until April 30, 2027. The update will affect many businesses, including the hospitality industry. “Lodging establishments shall not change sheets more often than every four days for guests staying more than one night, except for health or safety reasons or upon express request of guests,” the Denver Board of Water Commissioners stated. Drivers who attempt to wash their car are told to use a bucket or a hand-held hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle if they don’t use a commercial car wash. Residents can water their grass only two days per week, according to the schedule provided by city officials, but it is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., when the sun is up. “ Current conditions indicate that this is going to be an exceptionally challenging year for our water supply ,” Nathan Elder, manager of water supply for Denver, said at a Denver Board of Water Commissioners meeting. “Snow pack levels are at historic lows and are melting earlier and more rapidly than normal.” This graphic shows how much water is stored in mountain snowpack in 2025–2026 compared to previous years. Denver Water Denver collects water from a 4,000-square-mile area across the state to serve 1.5 million people, but the river...
Getty Images The new F1 season kicked off earlier this month, yet its stock price has fallen by around 16% YTD. In my last coverage of Formula One Group ( FWONA ), I rated the stock as a Buy because I expected media rights and sponsorship revenue from elements planned to be introduced in the upcoming season, such as an additional team, could boost the sport's popularity and drive margin expansion ...
Getty Images The new F1 season kicked off earlier this month, yet its stock price has fallen by around 16% YTD. In my last coverage of Formula One Group ( FWONA ), I rated the stock as a Buy because I expected media rights and sponsorship revenue from elements planned to be introduced in the upcoming season, such as an additional team, could boost the sport's popularity and drive margin expansion through higher-quality revenue streams. Since then, the company has finalized its MotoGP acquisition and has begun its new season with an updated race calendar along with new regulations. I’m covering this company again to assess how developments over the past year have affected the stock’s performance outlook. I’ll be looking into the impact of the Middle East conflict on the race calendar, trends in media rights value, and the contribution of the MotoGP acquisition to the overall portfolio of the company. Middle East Conflict As the conflict in the Middle East escalates, F1 has recently announced that they will be cancelling their Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix without any replacement races due to logistical constraints. As these two races are among F1’s two most lucrative promoter contracts in the race calendar, with Bahrain estimated to be paying $45 million and Saudi Arabia $55 million in hosting fees (for context, typical European circuits such as Monza pay around $20 to $30 million), this could mean revenue from promoter fees, which contributed to around 27% of the company’s revenue in 2025, will see a reduction of more than $100 million this year. Therefore, I estimated losing two of the richest contracts will reduce at least 13% to 15% of the promoter‑fee pool and roughly 3% of total F1 revenue in 2026. Middle East Race Estimated Annual Hosting Fee Bahrain GP $45 million Saudi Arabia GP $55 million Qatar $55 million Abu Dhabi $42 million Azerbaijan $57 million Total $254 million Click to enlarge Source: Data from Bizofspeed. With these two races cancelled jus...
In this article FLUT Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT A detailed view of the NFL shield logo on the field during a preseason game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium in Houston on Aug. 24, 2024. Ric Tapia | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images The NFL is asking prediction market operators to keep specific event contracts that the league deems "objectionab...
In this article FLUT Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT A detailed view of the NFL shield logo on the field during a preseason game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium in Houston on Aug. 24, 2024. Ric Tapia | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images The NFL is asking prediction market operators to keep specific event contracts that the league deems "objectionable bets" off of their platforms. In a letter obtained by CNBC, the league outlines examples of event contracts that would be easily manipulable by a single person, inherently objectionable, related to officiating and knowable in advance — and asks that operators refrain from offering such trades. The NFL declined to comment on which companies received the letter, but said it was sent to operators that are registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and that offer NFL trades. Prediction platforms Kalshi and Polymarket have dominated the burgeoning predictions industry in recent months, spurring sports betting incumbents like FanDuel and DraftKings to enter the predictions space, as well. "Sports prediction markets are not effectively regulated currently," NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller said in a statement. "We will continue to engage with the CFTC in pursuit of the necessary guardrails to protect both the integrity of the game and consumers participating in these rapidly evolving markets." While some leagues such as the NHL, MLB and MLS have embraced prediction markets, signing operators as partners, the NFL has been more cautious . "There is no greater priority for the NFL than protecting the integrity of our games and the welfare of our players," the letter stated. Get the CNBC Sport newsletter directly to your inbox The CNBC Sport newsletter with Alex Sherman brings you the biggest news and exclusive interviews from the worlds of sports business and media, delivered weekly to your inbox. Subscribe here to get access today . In the letter, signed by ...
Yuriy T/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Amazon.com, Inc.'s ( AMZN ) stock has depreciated by over 10% since we last covered the company last summer and argued that it’s time to sell the shares. Although Amazon reported a revenue beat in Q4 last month, the shares have still declined in value. This is because the EPS didn’t beat the estimates, while CapEx has been massively increased and might lea...
Yuriy T/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Amazon.com, Inc.'s ( AMZN ) stock has depreciated by over 10% since we last covered the company last summer and argued that it’s time to sell the shares. Although Amazon reported a revenue beat in Q4 last month, the shares have still declined in value. This is because the EPS didn’t beat the estimates, while CapEx has been massively increased and might lead to a negative FCF in 2026. What's worse is that the Iran war has pushed oil prices to over $100 per barrel of Brent crude oil, which is now hitting the consumers that make up the core of Amazon's eCommerce business. Because of those and other risks that we will highlight in this article, we decided to stick with our Sell rating for Amazon. This Spending Is Too Excessive The Q4 report last month showed that Amazon’s Q4 revenue was $213.4 billion. This was above the consensus by $2.17 billion. Despite this, the EPS of $1.95 was below expectations. The guidance for Q1 was also weak, as operating income is expected to be between $16.5 billion and $21.5 billion, which is below the consensus of $22.15 billion. At the same time, the thing that shocked the market the most was the release of the guidance for the CapEx for 2026. This year, the spending is expected to reach $200 billion, which is up from $131.82 billion last year. Considering that Amazon made $139.51 billion in operating cash flow last year, the company would need to use its cash resources or raise additional debt to cover such expenses. At the end of Q4, long-term debt had already climbed to $73.45 billion, which was a significant increase from the $57.94 billion reported in Q3. It is about to get much worse. Amazon is now looking to raise an additional $42 billion in bonds for the AI and CapEx buildout. At the same time, the scale of borrowing across the entire industry is also hard to ignore. The latest reports show that the five biggest hyperscalers issued $121 billion in US corporate bonds in 2025, compared to ...