One overlooked fact as markets are reeling from the threat of an inflationary shock tied to the war in Iran, is that the US economy remains largely intact. Even as bond yields climb, big tech earnings are still growing and AI spending shows little sign of slowing—creating upside risk for those investors positioned for a downturn. Goldman Sachs is modeling 2026 growth above 2% and core inflation at...
One overlooked fact as markets are reeling from the threat of an inflationary shock tied to the war in Iran, is that the US economy remains largely intact. Even as bond yields climb, big tech earnings are still growing and AI spending shows little sign of slowing—creating upside risk for those investors positioned for a downturn. Goldman Sachs is modeling 2026 growth above 2% and core inflation at 2 1/2% even with oil averaging $85 for the year. That’s a benign scenario for interest rates. If that outlook comes to pass, the prospect of interest rate hikes will fade . Meanwhile, big tech is preparing to report another stellar quarter. Higher yields will continue to expose the more vulnerable corners of the market like private credit, adding downside for a fully-priced S&P 500 as well. The US economy remains solid The conflict in the Middle East has introduced so much noise into investing, it’s become difficult to discern what the baseline is. So I thought it was interesting that Goldman Sachs’ economics team calls for 2.1% growth in 2026, with downside only to 1.8% in a “severely adverse” outcome. That’s not the levels we saw at the back end of 2025, but it’s still pretty good. Goldman also reckon that, while recession risk has picked up by 5%, it’s only up to 30% now. That tracks with the data. You have low and stable jobless claims, purchasing managers data that is slowing but still positive and personal spending that’s risen 2.4% in the last year after inflation. The bank expects Brent crude oil prices to average $105 this month and $115 next month. But they also see oil falling to $80 by the fourth quarter. Even in a severely adverse scenario with “persistent damage to production” they reckon the US can grow well over stall speed where recession risks mount. The panic has been in bonds Looking at the whipsawing moves that led bond yields higher recently, you’d be hard-pressed to come away with as reassuring an outlook. Not only did the interest sensitive 2-year T...
UBS analysts maintained a ‘Buy’ rating on Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT), while lowering their 12-month price target to $510 from $600, citing investor scrutiny on Microsoft’s M365 and Copilot offerings and broader AI competition. The firm noted the stock trades at 19 times projected 2026...
UBS analysts maintained a ‘Buy’ rating on Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT), while lowering their 12-month price target to $510 from $600, citing investor scrutiny on Microsoft’s M365 and Copilot offerings and broader AI competition. The firm noted the stock trades at 19 times projected 2026...
A new archbishop of Canterbury has been installed in a historic ceremony. Sarah Mullally is the 106th person to hold the job, and the first woman. (Image credit: Alastair Grant)
A new archbishop of Canterbury has been installed in a historic ceremony. Sarah Mullally is the 106th person to hold the job, and the first woman. (Image credit: Alastair Grant)
OHB SE is working on a sale of shares in the German satellite maker, people familiar with the matter said, potentially allowing minority investor KKR & Co. to trim its stake. Germany’s Fuchs family, which owns around 65% of OHB, and KKR are discussing a sale of new and existing shares equivalent to 20% of the Bremen-based company, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing ...
OHB SE is working on a sale of shares in the German satellite maker, people familiar with the matter said, potentially allowing minority investor KKR & Co. to trim its stake. Germany’s Fuchs family, which owns around 65% of OHB, and KKR are discussing a sale of new and existing shares equivalent to 20% of the Bremen-based company, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information. A deal could value OHB at slightly above its market value, the people said, which was about €5.5 billion ($6.4 billion) at Wednesday’s close. KKR, which owns roughly 29% of OHB, plans to keep a significant holding after a transaction, the people said. In an interview, OHB’s Chief Executive Officer Marco Fuchs pointed to the capital needed for mass satellite production facilities in Europe and the region’s strategy to establish itself as a leader in lunar exploration. “We’re sounding out funding options to address the growing demand and keep up with industry trends,” he said. Deutsche Bank AG , Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. have been lined up as global coordinators of the offering, which could take place as soon as this year, the people said. Representatives for the three banks declined to comment. Fuchs has been CEO of OHB for more than 25 years, having taken over management of the company from his parents Christa and Manfred. Since then he’s spearheaded its expansion into a satellite manufacturer and won large projects like Europe’s Galileo navigation system. While declining to comment on the size and structure of the potential share sale, Fuchs also highlighted the funding requirements of Rocket Factory Augsburg , a low-cost rocket maker that OHB already backs, and the need for satellite companies more broadly to bulk up to stay competitive. Airbus SE, Leonardo SpA and Thales SA last year agreed to merge their satellite operations and create a European joint venture to better compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX . OHB is potentiall...
(RTTNews) - The Treasury Department continued this week's series of announcements of the results of its long-term securities auctions on Wednesday, revealing this month's sale of $70 billion worth of five-year notes attracted modestly below average demand.
(RTTNews) - The Treasury Department continued this week's series of announcements of the results of its long-term securities auctions on Wednesday, revealing this month's sale of $70 billion worth of five-year notes attracted modestly below average demand.
The iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF is seeing unusually high volume in afternoon trading Wednesday, with over 1.5 million shares traded versus three month average volume of about 236,000. Shares of IJK were up about 0.8% on the day. Components of that ETF with the highe
The iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF is seeing unusually high volume in afternoon trading Wednesday, with over 1.5 million shares traded versus three month average volume of about 236,000. Shares of IJK were up about 0.8% on the day. Components of that ETF with the highe
World champion hosts ‘Three Lions darts championship’ Littler: ‘It was a dream as a football fan to come here’ Luke Littler was happy to teach the England squad how to hit the target as he hosted a darts tournament at St George’s Park. The double world champion visited Thomas Tuchel’s group as they build up towards upcoming pre-World Cup friendlies with Uruguay and Japan. Continue reading...
World champion hosts ‘Three Lions darts championship’ Littler: ‘It was a dream as a football fan to come here’ Luke Littler was happy to teach the England squad how to hit the target as he hosted a darts tournament at St George’s Park. The double world champion visited Thomas Tuchel’s group as they build up towards upcoming pre-World Cup friendlies with Uruguay and Japan. Continue reading...
Block's strong Cash App growth and Intuit's AI-driven ecosystem momentum set up a tight fintech battle. Here's what's driving each stock's outlook now.
Block's strong Cash App growth and Intuit's AI-driven ecosystem momentum set up a tight fintech battle. Here's what's driving each stock's outlook now.
Iran has rejected a 15-point US proposal for a truce, setting out its own five conditions for bringing an end to the conflict in a blow to hopes for a quick resolution to the war. Tehran’s conditions include a demand for guarantees that the US and Israel won’t resume their attacks, reparations for war damages and recognition of its authority over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s semi-official Fars new...
Iran has rejected a 15-point US proposal for a truce, setting out its own five conditions for bringing an end to the conflict in a blow to hopes for a quick resolution to the war. Tehran’s conditions include a demand for guarantees that the US and Israel won’t resume their attacks, reparations for war damages and recognition of its authority over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported today. US President Donald Trump has signaled that any peace agreement would need to include a ban on Iran ever obtaining a nuclear weapon or enriching radioactive material for civilian purposes. Trump has said he hopes an agreement is reached by the end of the week but it is unclear who the US would negotiate with given the deaths of leading Irani government and military officials. Tehran continued to carry out attacks on Arab Gulf states and Israel, including a strike targeting Kuwait. Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant also came under attack again, Iran’s state-run tv station reported. Follow our live blog for updates. Despite his ceasefire proposal, Trump has ordered thousands of troops be deployed to the region as he considers options on how to end Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormu, with Tehran charging transit fees of as much as €2 million per voyage, we’re told. What You Need to Know Today The European Central Bank will act decisively and swiftly if the current surge in energy costs risks a broader bout of inflation, President Christine Lagarde said today. In a speech, Lagarde said the ECB is still assessing the shock caused by the conflict in the Middle East. “But we will not be paralyzed by hesitation: our commitment to delivering 2% inflation over the medium term is unconditional,” she added. European leaders are increasingly becoming concerned about supplies of energy . The region usually stockpiles at this time of the year but gas storage tanks are depleted. Dutch facilities are only 6% full and Germany which has some of the biggest sites is much...
A well-timed jibe by the prime minister at Nigel Farage’s side-hustle seemed to provoke the party leader into staging a mass walkout Much of good comedy lies in the timing. We were about halfway through Wednesday’s prime minister’s questions and Keir Starmer was answering an obviously planted question from a Labour backbencher on the government’s plans to ban political donations from overseas dono...
A well-timed jibe by the prime minister at Nigel Farage’s side-hustle seemed to provoke the party leader into staging a mass walkout Much of good comedy lies in the timing. We were about halfway through Wednesday’s prime minister’s questions and Keir Starmer was answering an obviously planted question from a Labour backbencher on the government’s plans to ban political donations from overseas donors and via cryptocurrency. Having done the serious bit, Starmer couldn’t resist the opportunity to sign off with a pop at a man whose party survives on overseas donors and crypto . “There is only one party leader who has shown he will say anything, no matter how divisive, if he is paid to do so.” Without missing a beat, the speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, announced the next questioner. “Nigel Farage”. The Reform leader didn’t seem to find this quite as funny as most other MPs. Nige is becoming more and more thin-skinned these days. Maybe it’s that his party’s lead in the polls has narrowed substantially since the beginning of the war. Maybe it’s that he doesn’t like having policies examined too closely. Maybe he’s pissed off that his income stream from Cameo has temporarily dried up. Or maybe it’s just that he’s actually quite unpleasant. Continue reading...
JasonDoiy Some investors are questioning the premium Merck ( MRK ) is paying in its $6.7 billion acquisition of Tern Pharmaceuticals ( TERN ), according to an RBC analyst. Merck agreed to pay $53 a share for Terns ( TERN ), representing a 6% premium to TERN's closing price on Monday. "The majority of investors view the premium as too low for a high-probability asset, with some questioning whether ...
JasonDoiy Some investors are questioning the premium Merck ( MRK ) is paying in its $6.7 billion acquisition of Tern Pharmaceuticals ( TERN ), according to an RBC analyst. Merck agreed to pay $53 a share for Terns ( TERN ), representing a 6% premium to TERN's closing price on Monday. "The majority of investors view the premium as too low for a high-probability asset, with some questioning whether MRK and TERN lack confidence in the drug," RBC analyst Trung Huynh wrote in a note on Wednesday. "Defenders of the deal argue $6.7bn for a P1/2 asset where the data exceed early results from current SoC is reasonable. Further, the stock's 25% pre-deal run-up justifiably softens the weak premium perception." RBC believes Merck ( MRK ) likely won out over possible competitors given the lack of any CVR associated with the deal, though investors won't get a definitive answer until a 14D-9 comes out early next month. Multiple investors don't believe this is the end of the saga and expect competing bids to emerge or shareholders to outright reject the deal, according to RBC's Huynh, who has an outperform rating on Merck ( MRK ). More on Terns Pharmaceuticals Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (TERN) Presents at 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference - Slideshow Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (TERN) Presents at 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference Transcript Terns Pharma shares surge on $6.7B Merck buyout deal at $53 per share Terns Pharma shares surge on reported $6B acquisition talks with Merck Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Terns Pharmaceuticals
The Trump administration will waive higher-ethanol E15 gasoline from US volatility requirements this summer, expanding sales and delivering a win for corn farmers and biofuels producers. “Through the waiver, we are fortifying the domestic gasoline supply chain and providing Americans relief at the pumps ahead of the upcoming summer driving season,” Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee...
The Trump administration will waive higher-ethanol E15 gasoline from US volatility requirements this summer, expanding sales and delivering a win for corn farmers and biofuels producers. “Through the waiver, we are fortifying the domestic gasoline supply chain and providing Americans relief at the pumps ahead of the upcoming summer driving season,” Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin said. The agency said the move would give drivers more options and deliver a bigger domestic market for farmers. The waiver will run from May 1 until May 20, Zeldin said at the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference in Houston. Bloomberg reported earlier that the agency would announce the waiver on Wednesday. The move repeats a strategy President Donald Trump used in 2025 — and that was previously employed for three years under former President Joe Biden — to broaden the availability of E15 gasoline in summertime. It also comes as the Trump administration is taking steps to help ease energy costs for consumers amid the Iran war. And it allows the president to tout a victory for an important political constituency — corn farmers, biofuel producers and rural voters — who have pushed for changes allowing year-round E15 sales. Some industry representatives have lobbied the EPA to clarify its plans for summer sooner, in time for filling stations and fuel distributors to adapt. Under the approach, the EPA will issue emergency fuel waivers temporarily exempting E15 gasoline from volatility restrictions that effectively block warm-weather sales of the fuel in areas where smog is a problem. Biden first ordered such emergency waivers in 2022, casting it as a bid to lower fuel prices — in a midterm election year. Similar dynamics now confront Trump, eight months before November midterm elections that are expected to hinge on voters’ concerns about the cost of living. Oil and gasoline prices have spiked amid the war in the Middle East that has paralyzed the movement of millions of b...
In March 2026, U.S. prosecutors indicted three people connected to Super Micro Computer, including co-founder Yih-Shyan “Wally” Liaw, over alleged illegal exports of Nvidia-powered AI servers to China, prompting his resignation from the board and the appointment of DeAnna Luna as acting Chief Compliance Officer. At the same time, Super Micro has been rolling out an expanded portfolio of Nvidia Bla...
In March 2026, U.S. prosecutors indicted three people connected to Super Micro Computer, including co-founder Yih-Shyan “Wally” Liaw, over alleged illegal exports of Nvidia-powered AI servers to China, prompting his resignation from the board and the appointment of DeAnna Luna as acting Chief Compliance Officer. At the same time, Super Micro has been rolling out an expanded portfolio of Nvidia Blackwell- and Vera Rubin-based AI systems and deepening ecosystem partnerships, highlighting a...
Immix Biopharma ( IMMX ) traded higher on Wednesday after Morgan Stanley initiated its coverage with an Overweight rating and a $20 per share target, citing the potential of its lead candidate, NXC-201. Analyst Judah Frommer’s bullish view came at a time when the CAR-T cell therapy is undergoing a mid-stage trial called NEXICART-2 for relapsed/refractory AL amyloidosis, a rare disorder characteriz...
Immix Biopharma ( IMMX ) traded higher on Wednesday after Morgan Stanley initiated its coverage with an Overweight rating and a $20 per share target, citing the potential of its lead candidate, NXC-201. Analyst Judah Frommer’s bullish view came at a time when the CAR-T cell therapy is undergoing a mid-stage trial called NEXICART-2 for relapsed/refractory AL amyloidosis, a rare disorder characterized by the deposition of certain abnormal proteins in various organs. Frommer argued that AL amyloidosis represents a high unmet need with no approved drugs, and with the FDA's Breakthrough Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy designations, NXC-201 is poised to secure a potential accelerated approval in the U.S. The analyst projects approximately $802M in peak risk-adjusted revenue for NXC-201 in R/R AL amyloidosis. He expects the company to report final pivotal data from NEXICART-2 in H2 2026, immediately followed by a marketing application to the FDA, anticipating a product launch in H1 2027. More on Immix Biopharma, Inc. Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Immix Biopharma, Inc. Historical earnings data for Immix Biopharma, Inc. Financial information for Immix Biopharma, Inc.