EyeEm Mobile GmbH/iStock via Getty Images By Parshwa Turakhiya WTI crude oil ( CL1:COM ) is holding near $63.41 on Tuesday, slipping modestly but staying above key support levels as traders balance rising Middle East tensions against questions over future supply. Price action reflects a market caught between improving technical structure and headline-driven volatility, with geopolitics and invento...
EyeEm Mobile GmbH/iStock via Getty Images By Parshwa Turakhiya WTI crude oil ( CL1:COM ) is holding near $63.41 on Tuesday, slipping modestly but staying above key support levels as traders balance rising Middle East tensions against questions over future supply. Price action reflects a market caught between improving technical structure and headline-driven volatility, with geopolitics and inventory data driving near-term positioning rather than conviction. Technical structure improves but resistance looms From a technical standpoint, WTI has made notable progress by breaking above its 200-day exponential moving average near $62.54. This level had capped price for much of the year, and the reclaim is widely viewed as a potential signal of a medium-term trend shift. The 50-day EMA around $61.62 has also flipped into support, reinforcing the idea that downside pressure has eased for now. Below that, the 100-day EMA near $60.64 provides an additional buffer should sentiment weaken. WTI price dynamics (Source: TradingView) Momentum indicators support this cautious optimism. The RSI is holding near 58, rising but not yet stretched, suggesting buyers are gaining traction without pushing the market into overbought territory. However, WTI continues to test a descending trendline that has defined price action through much of 2025. Multiple rejections from this trendline remain visible on the chart, making the $64-65 zone a critical hurdle. A decisive move above that resistance band would likely open the door toward $66-68, an area that previously attracted selling interest late last year. Geopolitical risk injects premium into prices Fundamental drivers have added support as tensions in the Middle East escalate. Reports that the United States downed an Iranian drone near a U.S. aircraft carrier, alongside IRGC vessels harassing a U.S.-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, have revived concerns over potential supply disruption. The Strait remains one of the world’s most cri...
Key Points This leading online bank ended 2025 celebrating its 17th straight year of customer growth. A massive retail deposit base provides a sticky and low-cost source of funding. The market is selling the business for less than its book value, even though analysts expect earnings to soar. 10 stocks we like better than Ally Financial › In recent years, there has been no shortage of attention bei...
Key Points This leading online bank ended 2025 celebrating its 17th straight year of customer growth. A massive retail deposit base provides a sticky and low-cost source of funding. The market is selling the business for less than its book value, even though analysts expect earnings to soar. 10 stocks we like better than Ally Financial › In recent years, there has been no shortage of attention being given to the "Magnificent Seven" stocks. It's deserving, of course, given that they dominate their end markets, are extremely innovative, and are at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence initiatives. But investors shouldn't ignore opportunities in other pockets of the market. Although it's not a trillion-dollar stock, here's a financial stock you shouldn't overlook. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » Posting solid financial results in a competitive industry Investors are familiar with the fact that the financial services industry is very competitive. At a high level, it seems that every business offers the same products, which makes it hard to differentiate. And some dominant players at the top of the food chain have their hands in all areas of the market. However, Ally Financial (NYSE: ALLY) has positioned itself as the leading digital bank. Its success has proven to be durable. One critical metric to follow is customer trends. The business had 3.5 million deposit customers as of Dec. 31. This was the 17th straight year of growth. The company's deposit base is another impressive trait. Ally ended the fourth quarter with $144 billion in retail deposits, which provides it with a sticky and low-cost source of funding to power auto loans, the company's bread-and-butter lending product. Ally's adjusted earnings per share jumped 62% in 2025. This can be attributed to a higher yield earned on retail auto loans and a lower yield paid on de...
(RTTNews) - The Canadian market is likely to open higher on Wednesday as energy and materials stocks look headed for more upside, tracking higher oil and bullion prices. Tech stocks may face pressure with Anthropic's new legal tools for its Cowork product prompting investors worldwide to cut exposure to traditional IT services. Gold futures are up $116.00 or 2.35% at $5,051.00 an ounce. Silver fut...
(RTTNews) - The Canadian market is likely to open higher on Wednesday as energy and materials stocks look headed for more upside, tracking higher oil and bullion prices. Tech stocks may face pressure with Anthropic's new legal tools for its Cowork product prompting investors worldwide to cut exposure to traditional IT services. Gold futures are up $116.00 or 2.35% at $5,051.00 an ounce. Silver futures are gaining $6.649 or 7.98% at $89.950 an ounce, while Copper futures are down $0.0810 or 1.33% at $6.0055 per pound. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures are up $0.23 or 0.34% at $63.44 a barrel. On the economic front, Canadian manufaturing and services sectors PMI readings are due at 9:30 AM ET. In earnings news, Brookfield Asset Management reported net earnings of US$767 million or 47 cents per share in the fourth quarter, up from US$649 million or 40 cents per share in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Bay Street closed on a firm note on Tuesday as a recovery in gold and crude oil lifted mining and energy shares. Weak technology stocks limited the market's upside. The benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index settled with a gain of 204.72 points or 0.64% at 32,388.60 after a volatile session. Asian stocks ended mixed on Wednesday as software stocks followed their U.S. peers lower on fears over artificial intelligence affecting future business growth. European stocks are broadly higher with investors reacting to regional PMI readings and the latest batch of earnings updates. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
MOZCO Mateusz Szymanski Despite another double-digit increase in bookings, Uber Technologies ( UBER ) missed Wall Street’s lofty fourth quarter profit expectations as the increase in cheaper rides and higher insurance costs weighed. The company’s increased investments in more affordable mobility also contributed to first quarter profit guidance that was below the consensus estimates, driving share...
MOZCO Mateusz Szymanski Despite another double-digit increase in bookings, Uber Technologies ( UBER ) missed Wall Street’s lofty fourth quarter profit expectations as the increase in cheaper rides and higher insurance costs weighed. The company’s increased investments in more affordable mobility also contributed to first quarter profit guidance that was below the consensus estimates, driving shares more than 6% lower in early premarket trading. Shares of rival Lyft ( LYFT ) were trading modestly lower in sympathy. “Uber accelerated into another record-breaking quarter, with more than 200 million monthly users completing more than 40 million trips every day—our largest and most engaged consumer base ever,” said CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. “We enter 2026 with a rapidly growing topline, significant cash flow, and a clear path to becoming the largest facilitator of AV trips in the world.” During the fourth quarter, an 18% increase in monthly active platform consumers (MAPCs) fueled a 22% increase in trips and gross bookings, all of which contributed to a 20% gain in total revenue to $14.4B, beating expectations by $50M. Profitability also improved, as non-GAAP income grew 25% to $1.5B, or $0.71 per share, but missed expectations by 9 cents. Moreover, as a more accurate barometer of the company’s profitability (stripping out all the “noise” from non-GAAP earnings), adjusted EBITDA margin as a percentage of gross bookings improved by just 40 basis points to a razor-thin 4.6%. For the year, Uber ( UBER ) showed a much more modest increase in profitability despite double-digit growth in trips and gross bookings, as unadjusted EPS increased by just 4%. For the current quarter, Uber ( UBER ) expects to realize a 17% to 21% growth in gross bookings to be between $52.0B and $53.5B, comfortably above expectations of $51B. The company also expects to earn a profit between $0.65 and $0.72 per share, representing growth of 37% at the midpoint, though below $0.75 expectations. Adjusted E...
The US Treasury refrained from any major shift in its debt-issuance strategy, meeting dealers’ expectations in the face of speculation that officials might take steps to bring down longer-term borrowing costs . In its so-called quarterly refunding statement Wednesday, the department said it anticipated keeping auction sizes unchanged for nominal notes, bonds and floating-rate notes, “for at least ...
The US Treasury refrained from any major shift in its debt-issuance strategy, meeting dealers’ expectations in the face of speculation that officials might take steps to bring down longer-term borrowing costs . In its so-called quarterly refunding statement Wednesday, the department said it anticipated keeping auction sizes unchanged for nominal notes, bonds and floating-rate notes, “for at least the next several quarters.” US debt managers have been using that same forward guidance for two years now . Wednesday’s guidance means the department will continue to rely on bills, which mature in a year or less, to fund the steadily increasing amount of federal spending . Ahead of the release, some market participants reported speculation of aggressive moves to outright reduce bond issuance to help pull down yields that serve as a benchmark for mortgages and other loans. “While the administration’s focus on affordability measures has brought back questions about potential efforts to lower borrowing costs via more active adjustments to the issuance mix, we do not expect Treasury to do so at this point,” Goldman Sachs Group Inc. strategists William Marshall and Bill Zu wrote ahead of Wednesday’s release. Goldman’s take reflected the views of many dealers. Any move to cut sales of bonds, or 10-year notes — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ’s key financial metric — would have run against the department’s long-standing pledge to be “regular and predictable” in its debt management. Bessent himself invoked that language in a speech in November. Fed Role For months to come, the Federal Reserve will continue to offer the Treasury a key cushion as it considers its debt-sale strategy, through its major purchases of bills. The central bank in December said it would buy $40 billion of them a month until April, in an effort to ensure ample reserves in the banking system. That “reduces the risk of Treasury oversupplying” the market with more bills than investors are prepared to handle, ...
DSV A/S press release ( DSDVF ): FY GAAP EPS of DKK50.90. Revenue of DKK247.3B. More on DSV A/S DSV: The Schenker Synergy Story DSV A/S: Schenker Acquisition Hides The Pain While Building Long-Term Value Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on DSV A/S Historical earnings data for DSV A/S Dividend scorecard for DSV A/S
DSV A/S press release ( DSDVF ): FY GAAP EPS of DKK50.90. Revenue of DKK247.3B. More on DSV A/S DSV: The Schenker Synergy Story DSV A/S: Schenker Acquisition Hides The Pain While Building Long-Term Value Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on DSV A/S Historical earnings data for DSV A/S Dividend scorecard for DSV A/S
An industry laggard with the lowest valuation is probably not the bargain you think it is. They say you get what you pay for, and that's pretty apparent when it comes to cruise line stocks. Stack up Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH 4.91%) against larger rivals Royal Caribbean (RCL 2.26%) and Carnival (CCL 1.54%) -- and even river cruise leader Viking Holdings (VIK 2.50%) for good measure -- and one of ...
An industry laggard with the lowest valuation is probably not the bargain you think it is. They say you get what you pay for, and that's pretty apparent when it comes to cruise line stocks. Stack up Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH 4.91%) against larger rivals Royal Caribbean (RCL 2.26%) and Carnival (CCL 1.54%) -- and even river cruise leader Viking Holdings (VIK 2.50%) for good measure -- and one of them stands out for its low relative valuation. Pick a metric, any metric. Norwegian is, in theory, the cheapest. But that doesn't make it the best stock. You could have said that a year ago, too. How did that work out? NCL also stands out from the pack for some distinctively bad reasons. The one head-shaking reason I want to start with is a chart. NCL isn't just lagging its peers' share performance over the past year. It's the only cruise line stock trading lower during that time. Sliding more than 20% as the three other cruise line stocks have posted double-digit percentage gains isn't a good look. It's proof that a rising tide doesn't lift all ships. NCL is textbook cheap. Let's start with forward earnings. This is the P/E ratio for all four stocks based on what analysts believe each company will earn in fiscal 2026. If this was a limbo contest, NCL would win. NCL: trading for less than nine times forward earnings. Carnival: 12 times forward earnings. Royal Caribbean: 18 times forward earnings. Viking: 22 times forward earnings. Head over to the other end of the income statement. NCL also stands out for its lowest trailing revenue multiple relative to its market cap. Let's go over the revenue multiples of all four companies. Market cap divided by revenue for each stock: NCL: 1.1. Carnival: 1.7. Royal Caribbean: 4.9. Viking: 5.3. Expand NYSE : NCLH Norwegian Cruise Line Today's Change ( -4.91 %) $ -1.16 Current Price $ 22.48 Key Data Points Market Cap $10B Day's Range $ 22.16 - $ 24.01 52wk Range $ 14.21 - $ 28.91 Avg Vol 18M Gross Margin 32.19 % That's just the tip of th...
Key Points The high-bandwidth memory market is shaping up to be a multiyear growth engine for Micron. Leading foundry TSMC should continue benefiting from the explosive demand for advanced chips and packaging. Despite growing concerns about how well big tech's investments in AI infrastructure will pay off, both of these companies are fundamentally strong and well positioned in a tight chip supply ...
Key Points The high-bandwidth memory market is shaping up to be a multiyear growth engine for Micron. Leading foundry TSMC should continue benefiting from the explosive demand for advanced chips and packaging. Despite growing concerns about how well big tech's investments in AI infrastructure will pay off, both of these companies are fundamentally strong and well positioned in a tight chip supply chain. 10 stocks we like better than Micron Technology › The S&P 500 is hovering just below its all-time high of 7,002 as of Feb. 2. Yet with the market gripped by concerns about the monetization potential of the massive investments that tech companies are making in artificial intelligence (AI), many investors are worried that the rally may be coming to an end. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » However, history shows that opening stakes in fundamentally strong businesses while they are trading at reasonable valuations is a smart long-term investment strategy. Chipmakers Micron Technology(NASDAQ: MU) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) both seem to fit the bill. Here's why investing $1,000 in either of these stocks could make sense for you in 2026. Micron Technology The memory chip market has long been cyclical, but after a difficult down phase in 2023 and 2024, Micron has staged a solid comeback, with high-bandwidth memory (a type of DRAM) emerging as one of its most significant AI-driven growth catalysts. In data center servers, high-bandwidth memory is positioned close to AI chips, where it provides those processors with the data they analyze in the training and deployment of increasingly large AI models. Micron has already locked in pricing and volume agreements for all the high-bandwidth memory it will produce in 2026, which gives the company impressive revenue visibility. However, demand for those chips is significantly ...
Polyrizon ( PLRZ ) on Wednesday announced the signing of a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Arrow Aviation Ltd., a global private aviation company. Under the terms of the MOU, Polyrizon intends to acquire a 51% stake in Arrow Aviation on a fully diluted basis through a cash investment of NIS 18,000,000 (approximately $5.8 million), marking a strategic expansion into the high-grow...
Polyrizon ( PLRZ ) on Wednesday announced the signing of a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Arrow Aviation Ltd., a global private aviation company. Under the terms of the MOU, Polyrizon intends to acquire a 51% stake in Arrow Aviation on a fully diluted basis through a cash investment of NIS 18,000,000 (approximately $5.8 million), marking a strategic expansion into the high-growth private aviation sector. Arrow Aviation, with about $19M in annual revenue and $3M in adjusted EBITDA, provides private jet services, offering high-quality VIP flights for a range of clients. More on Polyrizon Ltd. Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Polyrizon Ltd. Financial information for Polyrizon Ltd.
There’s a lot to be optimistic about in the Technology sector as 3 analysts just weighed in on Palantir Technologies (PLTR – Research Report), Tyler Technologies (TYL – Research Report) and Gartner (IT – Research Report) with bullish sentiments. Palantir Technologies (PLTR) Truist Financial analyst Arvind Ramnani maintained a Buy rating on Palantir Technologies today. The company’s shares closed l...
There’s a lot to be optimistic about in the Technology sector as 3 analysts just weighed in on Palantir Technologies (PLTR – Research Report), Tyler Technologies (TYL – Research Report) and Gartner (IT – Research Report) with bullish sentiments. Palantir Technologies (PLTR) Truist Financial analyst Arvind Ramnani maintained a Buy rating on Palantir Technologies today. The company’s shares closed last Monday at $147.76. According to TipRanks.com, Ramnani is a 1-star analyst with an average return of -1.0% and a 48.4% success rate. Ramnani covers the Technology sector, focusing on stocks such as Accenture, CoreWeave, and Duolingo. ;'> Palantir Technologies has an analyst consensus of Moderate Buy, with a price target consensus of $191.94, implying a 27.2% upside from current levels. In a report issued on January 22, Phillip Securities also initiated coverage with a Buy rating on the stock with a $208.00 price target. See Insiders’ Hot Stocks on TipRanks >> Tyler Technologies (TYL) Truist Financial analyst Terry Tillman maintained a Buy rating on Tyler Technologies today. The company’s shares closed last Monday at $362.88. According to TipRanks.com, Tillman is a 1-star analyst with an average return of -0.7% and a 42.7% success rate. Tillman covers the Technology sector, focusing on stocks such as ServiceTitan, Inc. Class A, Zeta Global Holdings Corp, and Onestream, Inc. Class A. ;'> Currently, the analyst consensus on Tyler Technologies is a Strong Buy with an average price target of $594.60, representing a 59.8% upside. In a report issued on January 23, Oppenheimer also maintained a Buy rating on the stock with a $510.00 price target. Gartner (IT) Truist Financial analyst Jasper Bibb maintained a Buy rating on Gartner today. The company’s shares closed last Monday at $202.40. According to TipRanks.com, Bibb is a 4-star analyst with an average return of 12.6% and a 69.0% success rate. Bibb covers the Industrial Goods sector, focusing on stocks such as ARAMARK Holdings...
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US equity futures were little changed pre-bell Wednesday, stabilizing after a breakthrough in the go Upgrade to read this MT Newswires article and get so much more. A Silver or Gold subscription plan is required to access premium news articles.
Welcome to our guide to the commodities driving the global economy. Today, energy reporter Josh Saul explores tech giants’ commitments to pay for power from data centers. Surging US utility bills are fueling political ire about the cost of living, and the artificial intelligence boom is partly to blame. Tech giants including OpenAI and Microsoft Corp. have pledged they’ll pay their fair share. But...
Welcome to our guide to the commodities driving the global economy. Today, energy reporter Josh Saul explores tech giants’ commitments to pay for power from data centers. Surging US utility bills are fueling political ire about the cost of living, and the artificial intelligence boom is partly to blame. Tech giants including OpenAI and Microsoft Corp. have pledged they’ll pay their fair share. But how exactly they’ll foot the bill remains an open question. In the largest US grid, which serves one-fifth of Americans, data centers have added a minimum of $23 billion to customer bills over three years. That’s because AI’s electricity needs far outstrip existing power supplies — requiring not just new generation but also expensive upgrades to the grid itself. The cost of expanding the transmission system run by PJM Interconnection LLC was estimated late last year at $11.6 billion, driven in part by surging demand in data-center hubs such as northern Virginia. Upgrades to the power system made by utilities or regional grid operators are typically spread across all of their consumers — including households and small businesses already stretched by inflation. While Microsoft and OpenAI both said they will pay for the cost of developing energy-related infrastructure required by their data centers, neither has offered specifics. For Microsoft, “it’s hard to speculate on what the company is fully committing to here, and whether it’s a full insulation of power-bill impacts on consumers,” said David Arcaro, a utilities analyst at Morgan Stanley. Shifting the burden onto tech companies is complicated. There’s no mechanism to assign the expense of transmission upgrades to data centers, said Ari Peskoe, director of the Electricity Law Initiative at Harvard Law School. “These companies aren’t responsible for allocating transmission costs.” Transmission is just one component of grid upgrades necessary to power data centers. The AI boom is also driving up demand for electric substati...
TLDR Qualcomm reports December quarter earnings today with Wall Street forecasting $12.13 billion in revenue and $3.39 EPS The stock trades down 15% year-to-date, creating a 44% valuation discount compared to the S&P 500 Bernstein analyst keeps Outperform rating with $200 target despite smartphone market headwinds Options pricing indicates approximately 6% expected move with market bias score at -...
TLDR Qualcomm reports December quarter earnings today with Wall Street forecasting $12.13 billion in revenue and $3.39 EPS The stock trades down 15% year-to-date, creating a 44% valuation discount compared to the S&P 500 Bernstein analyst keeps Outperform rating with $200 target despite smartphone market headwinds Options pricing indicates approximately 6% expected move with market bias score at -1 Critical support sits at $146-$148 while resistance holds at $150-$152 Qualcomm unveils its December quarter financial results after today’s closing bell. Analysts project revenue of $12.13 billion with adjusted earnings per share reaching $3.39. QUALCOMM Incorporated, QCOM The mobile processor and 5G chipset manufacturer has struggled in 2026. Shares have fallen 15% while the broader semiconductor sector rallied 13%. This underperformance reflects growing concerns about smartphone demand. Rising memory prices threaten to crimp consumer device purchases throughout the year. Yet not everyone shares this pessimistic outlook. Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon maintained his Outperform rating Monday. His $200 price target suggests substantial upside from current levels. Rasgon believes the market is overlooking Qualcomm’s fundamental strengths. “We still believe there is value to be had under the surface [with its] objectively strong product portfolio,” the analyst wrote. He acknowledged the “general distaste of smartphones” currently weighing on sentiment. Valuation Gap Creates Opportunity The numbers tell an interesting story. Qualcomm’s price-to-forward earnings ratio sits 44% below the S&P 500 average. That’s a massive discount for a market leader in wireless technology. The company dominates mobile processors and 5G chipsets globally. Wall Street expects the current quarter to deliver $11.11 billion in revenue with $2.90 EPS. These forward estimates matter just as much as December’s results. Options traders are pricing in roughly 6% movement following the announcement. This...
"CCTV in the area is currently being reviewed and officers are speaking to potential witnesses to assist with our investigation. We know a lot of people came to the aid of the victim before emergency services arrived and we want to thank them for their help.
"CCTV in the area is currently being reviewed and officers are speaking to potential witnesses to assist with our investigation. We know a lot of people came to the aid of the victim before emergency services arrived and we want to thank them for their help.
Fitell Corporation Sydney, Australia, Feb. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fitell Corporation (NASDAQ: FTEL) (“Fitell” or the “Company”) announced today the appointment of Jack Zeng as the Head of Technology of 2F Robotics Pty Ltd, Fitell’s robotics-focused subsidiary. Before joining Fitell, Mr. Zeng has founded and scaled successful technology ventures and brought experience in building data analyti...
Fitell Corporation Sydney, Australia, Feb. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fitell Corporation (NASDAQ: FTEL) (“Fitell” or the “Company”) announced today the appointment of Jack Zeng as the Head of Technology of 2F Robotics Pty Ltd, Fitell’s robotics-focused subsidiary. Before joining Fitell, Mr. Zeng has founded and scaled successful technology ventures and brought experience in building data analytics and intelligent agent solutions for major enterprise customers including Fortune 500 across Asia, spanning product research and development, deployment, and go-to-market. With a background encompassing top-tier computer science education, Microsoft-certified engineering, and successful AI ventures, he has a track record of repeatedly driving international market entry for advanced hardware products, including launching next-generation robotics in key international markets, establishing early-user programs, and securing distribution channels across North America and Australia. In his role as Head of Technology, Mr. Zeng will lead Fitell's global market strategy, including product commercialization and strategic partnerships. He will report directly to Ms.Sam Lu, CEO of Fitell Corporation. “Jack combines technical depth with strong execution focus.” said Sam Lu, CEO of Fitell. “As we advance our AI and robotics initiatives, his leadership will be instrumental in bringing our vision to a global audience. This strategic hire marks another concrete step of our commitment our AI-driven robotics initiative and well positions us to further our inroad to robotic product development, sales and marketing down the road.” “I’m excited to join 2F Robotics and be part of the new chapter of Fitell," said Jack Zeng. "My focus will be to architect and execute the commercial engine that delivers this value to a global customer base, creating sustainable and scalable growth." About Fitell Corporation Fitell Corporation, through GD Wellness Pty Ltd (“GD”), its wholly owned subsidiary, is an ...
Walk the rows of the farmers market in a small, nondescript Texas town about an hour away from Austin, and you might stumble across something unexpected: In between booths selling fresh, local pickles and pies, there’s a table piled high with generic-looking streaming boxes, promising free access to NFL games, UFC fights, and any cable TV network you can think of. It’s called the SuperBox, and it’...
Walk the rows of the farmers market in a small, nondescript Texas town about an hour away from Austin, and you might stumble across something unexpected: In between booths selling fresh, local pickles and pies, there’s a table piled high with generic-looking streaming boxes, promising free access to NFL games, UFC fights, and any cable TV network you can think of. It’s called the SuperBox, and it’s being demoed by Jason, who also has homemade banana bread, okra, and canned goods for sale. “People are sick and tired of giving Dish Network $200 a month for trash service,” Jason says. His pitch to rural would-be cord-cutters: Buy a SuperBox for $300 to $400 instead, and you’ll never have to shell out money for cable or streaming subscriptions again. I met Jason through one of the many Facebook groups used as support forums for rogue streaming devices like the SuperBox. To allow him and other users and sellers of these devices to speak freely, we’re only identifying them by their first names or pseudonyms. “People are sick and tired of giving Dish Network $200 a month for trash service.” SuperBox and its main competitor, vSeeBox, are gaining in popularity as consumers get fed up with what TV has become: Pay TV bundles are incredibly expensive, streaming services are costlier every year, and you need to sign up for multiple services just to catch your favorite sports team every time they play. The hardware itself is generic and legal, but you won’t find these devices at mainstream stores like Walmart and Best Buy because everyone knows the point is accessing illegal streaming services that offer every single channel, show, and movie you can think of. But there are hundreds of resellers like Jason all across the United States who aren’t bothered by the legal technicalities of these devices. They’re all part of a massive, informal economy that connects hard-to-pin-down Chinese device makers and rogue streaming service operators with American consumers looking to take cord-...