(RTTNews) - Next Plc (NXT.L) reported that its fiscal year profit before tax increased to 1.19 billion pounds from 987.0 million pounds, prior year. The company reported earnings per share of 745.4 pence compared to 605.5 pence. Revenue, including credit account interest, increas
(RTTNews) - Next Plc (NXT.L) reported that its fiscal year profit before tax increased to 1.19 billion pounds from 987.0 million pounds, prior year. The company reported earnings per share of 745.4 pence compared to 605.5 pence. Revenue, including credit account interest, increas
U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, June 16, 2025. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters The U.S. and Israeli war on Iran is having a catastrophic impact on the global economy, European members of the G7 have warned ahead of a key summit on Thursday. Foreign ministers from the group of leading industrialized nations — whose core members are the U.S., U.K., Canad...
U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, June 16, 2025. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters The U.S. and Israeli war on Iran is having a catastrophic impact on the global economy, European members of the G7 have warned ahead of a key summit on Thursday. Foreign ministers from the group of leading industrialized nations — whose core members are the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan — are set to meet in France for a two-day summit, with the wars in Iran and Ukraine top of the agenda. European leaders and ministers issued warnings about the impact of the war on the eve of the gathering, at which they're expected to encourage the U.S. to pursue an off-ramp with Iran. It comes amid an apparent impasse over a possible ceasefire, as well as potential escalation with the threat of ground troops . "To make it crystal clear, this war is a catastrophe for the world's economies," Boris Pistorius, Germany's defense minister warned early Thursday. "European partners and Germany highlighted from the beginning that we have not been consulted before. Nobody asked us before. It's not our war," he told reporters during a visit to Australia. International energy prices have rocketed since the conflict was initiated by the U.S. and Israel in late February, with energy infrastructure in Iran and neighboring Gulf states destroyed or damaged as a result of U.S.-Israeli airstrikes and Iran's retaliatory attacks. Tehran's almost total closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime passage through which a fifth of global oil and gas supplies normally flow, has severely restricted global energy supplies, with the EU's leader warning that the situation was "critical." watch now VIDEO 2:01 02:01 Iran, Ukraine on agenda for key G7 meeting Access Middle East French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said Wednesday the world is now facing a conflict "that has changed in nature, and therefore the economic consequences have also changed." "Today, 30...
U.S. troop buildup in the Middle East is being viewed by analysts as a move to pressure Iran into negotiations rather than signal an imminent ground war, even as risks of escalation remain elevated. Experts say the deployment is part of a broader coercive diplomacy strategy, giving President Donald Trump leverage to push Tehran toward a deal. “The U.S. is essentially offering Iran a choice — negot...
U.S. troop buildup in the Middle East is being viewed by analysts as a move to pressure Iran into negotiations rather than signal an imminent ground war, even as risks of escalation remain elevated. Experts say the deployment is part of a broader coercive diplomacy strategy, giving President Donald Trump leverage to push Tehran toward a deal. “The U.S. is essentially offering Iran a choice — negotiate now or face more severe consequences,” Raphael Cohen, a senior political scientist at RAND school of public policy, told CNBC , noting the buildup provides bargaining power, not just military optionality. However, the strategy faces major hurdles. A senior political-security official reportedly told Iranian news network Press TV that Iran has formally rejected an American proposal to end the ongoing conflict, insisting that Tehran will dictate the terms and timing of the war’s conclusion. Earlier on Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that no negotiations were taking place between Tehran and Washington. Analysts warn the military move could backfire. While additional forces may strengthen U.S. leverage, they also risk provoking Iran and deepening tensions. “Diplomacy is almost always backed by force,” said historian Arash Azizi, adding that under Trump, this is done even “more openly and more crudely.” “Some sort of pause in the next couple of weeks is likely [but] the question is what will follow the pause,” Azizi added. “It could be that changes in power in Iran allow for a lasting agreement or at least lasting non-belligerence. We could also enter a more war-of-attrition process that becomes another ‘forever war,’” he said. Meanwhile, Daniel Davis, a former U.S. Army officer and a military expert at policy think-tank Defense Priorities, said while forces could secure small, lightly defended target for a short period, they are unlikely to sustain broader operations against a well-prepared Iran. “I think [the reinforcement] has a very low probability...
If momentum were the only factor to consider, choosing between stocks would be a piece of cake. For example, shares of Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) are up by a double-digit percentage so far this year, while Amazon 's (NASDAQ: AMZN) stock is down by a double-digit percentage. Based on momentum, Costco would be the hands-down winner. However, savvy investors know that there's much more to consid...
If momentum were the only factor to consider, choosing between stocks would be a piece of cake. For example, shares of Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) are up by a double-digit percentage so far this year, while Amazon 's (NASDAQ: AMZN) stock is down by a double-digit percentage. Based on momentum, Costco would be the hands-down winner. However, savvy investors know that there's much more to consider when buying a stock than momentum alone. Which is the better stock to buy right now -- Amazon or Costco? Here's how the two retail stocks compare. Image source: Amazon. Continue reading
The type of IRA your money is in matters. With traditional IRAs , you don't pay taxes upfront but defer them until later. With Roth IRAs , you pay taxes on your contributions but don't have to pay taxes afterward. Roth IRA conversions allow you to move the money from a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA. The catch is that you must pay taxes to enjoy tax-free growth over the long term. Is 2026 the rig...
The type of IRA your money is in matters. With traditional IRAs , you don't pay taxes upfront but defer them until later. With Roth IRAs , you pay taxes on your contributions but don't have to pay taxes afterward. Roth IRA conversions allow you to move the money from a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA. The catch is that you must pay taxes to enjoy tax-free growth over the long term. Is 2026 the right year to do a Roth conversion? Here's how to decide. Continue reading
J Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images Highlights The S&P Regional Banks Select Industry Index—the fund's secondary benchmark—returned 3.15% in the fourth quarter and finished 2026 with a gain of 10.63%. The fund returned 5.05% and 11.39% in the quarter and the year, respectively, outpacing the benchmark in both time periods. Individual stock selection was the primary driver of the fund's positi...
J Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images Highlights The S&P Regional Banks Select Industry Index—the fund's secondary benchmark—returned 3.15% in the fourth quarter and finished 2026 with a gain of 10.63%. The fund returned 5.05% and 11.39% in the quarter and the year, respectively, outpacing the benchmark in both time periods. Individual stock selection was the primary driver of the fund's positive three-month results. Market review and outlook Regional bank stocks performed well in the quarter, closing out a positive year. The sector continued to benefit from the combination of steady economic conditions, healthy earnings, and expectations that AI adoption will help reduce banks' costs over the longer term. In addition, the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) enacted two quarter-point interest rate cuts, bringing the total for the year to three. The Fed also announced the end of its multi-year quantitative tightening program, which had involved the gradual reduction of the securities on its balance sheet. Together, these factors helped regional banks post a solid gain and outperform the broader U.S. equity market in the final three months of 2025. Healthy fundamentals also provided a catalyst for the sector's performance. Banks exhibited solid profitability, supported by strong capital and liquidity, and their credit costs remained low. A more benign regulatory backdrop contributed to a recent increase in merger-and-acquisition activity, providing a further boost to the sector. Most banks' net interest margins have risen, and we think they can continue to expand as fixed-rate assets reprice higher. This means that the portion of loan books originated during the low-rate environment of 2020 to 2022 will mature and be replaced with much higher-rate loans over the next few years, creating a tailwind for revenues. We believe net interest margin expansion, coupled with loan growth, should drive healthy revenue gains in 2026. Wall Street analysts now project double-digit revenue...
(RTTNews) - Asian stocks gave up early gains to end mostly lower on Thursday after two consecutive days of advances on hopes for a de-escalation in the U.S.-Iran conflict.
(RTTNews) - Asian stocks gave up early gains to end mostly lower on Thursday after two consecutive days of advances on hopes for a de-escalation in the U.S.-Iran conflict.
(RTTNews) - Vinci SA (VCISY, DG.PA), a French-based, concessions, energy solutions, and construction, on Thursday announced that its subsidiary VINCI Highways has signed an agreement with funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management to acquire a portfolio of nine toll highway conc
(RTTNews) - Vinci SA (VCISY, DG.PA), a French-based, concessions, energy solutions, and construction, on Thursday announced that its subsidiary VINCI Highways has signed an agreement with funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management to acquire a portfolio of nine toll highway conc
Takehiko Nakao, Japan's former currency chief and former President at the Asian Development Bank, speaks with Bloomberg's Stephen Engle at the Boao Forum on the impact of the Iran war on Asian economies and central banks, the weak yen and the how AI is influencing productivity. (Source: Bloomberg)
Takehiko Nakao, Japan's former currency chief and former President at the Asian Development Bank, speaks with Bloomberg's Stephen Engle at the Boao Forum on the impact of the Iran war on Asian economies and central banks, the weak yen and the how AI is influencing productivity. (Source: Bloomberg)
Wrapping up Q4 earnings, we look at the numbers and key takeaways for the automobile manufacturing stocks, including Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) and its peers.
Wrapping up Q4 earnings, we look at the numbers and key takeaways for the automobile manufacturing stocks, including Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) and its peers.