Explore how differences in sector focus, diversification, and volatility shape the risk and reward profiles of these two popular ETFs. The State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY +0.00%) and the Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF (MGK +2.15%) differ most in their sector exposure, number of holdings, and risk-return profiles, with MGK leaning harder into tech and growth while SPY offers broader diversification. Both SPY and MGK target large U.S. companies, but SPY is designed to mirror the entire S&P 500 Index, while MGK focuses on the largest growth stocks. This analysis compares their costs, performance, portfolio makeup, and risk, helping investors see where each may fit in a portfolio. Snapshot (cost & size) Metric SPY MGK Issuer SPDR Vanguard Expense ratio 0.09% 0.07% 1-yr return (as of 2026-01-30) 14.4% 16.0% Dividend yield 1.0% 0.4% AUM $713.5 billion $32.5 billion Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year weekly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. MGK is slightly more affordable on fees, but delivers a much lower dividend yield compared to SPY, which could matter for investors seeking income alongside growth. Performance & risk comparison Metric SPY MGK Max drawdown (5 y) -24.49% -36.01% Growth of $1,000 over 5 years $1,839 $1,965 MGK has delivered stronger total returns over the past five years, turning $1,000 into $1,965 versus SPY’s $1,839. However, MGK has also experienced much steeper losses during market downturns, with a five-year max drawdown of (36.01%) compared to SPY’s (24.49%). What's inside MGK tracks a basket of just 69 mega-cap growth stocks, with a pronounced tilt toward technology (55%), communication services (17%), and consumer cyclical companies (13%). Its top three holdings — NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA +8.01%) at 12.97%, Apple Inc. (AAPL +0.87%) at 12.07%, and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT +2.00%) at 10.62% — make up more than a third of the portfolio. The fund has an 18...

Insiders are betting the U.S. snack food market still holds strong appeal.

受東北季候風影響，天文台預料今晚起氣溫顯著下降，明早市區最低氣溫約13度。 入夜後各區氣溫顯著下降，在灣仔海濱，晚上來散步的人都添上禦寒衣物，仍有人穿著短袖，出來做運動。 天文台指，影響廣東沿岸的東北季候風在晚間增強，本港多區晚上氣溫比前一晚再低兩至三度，市區錄得約17至19度。 天文台署理高級科學主任林學賢指︰「隨著一道冷鋒經過香港後將轉吹東北風，隨後一、兩天，即周日、周一，附近見到有藍、綠色地區，意味溫度較低，早上相當清涼，內陸更是寒冷。(周日)早上市區最低氣溫僅13度左右，周一風勢頗大。」 天文台指，隨著東北季候風到周中稍為緩和，屆時氣溫會回升。

The race to dominate the burgeoning AI market is pushing tech giants to adopt business models reminiscent of IBM's (IBM) in the 1960s. Big Tech "hyperscalers" Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT), and Amazon (AMZN) are all in various stages of developing their own custom AI chips to put in their data centers and power their cloud and software offerings. Alphabet, the farthest along of the four companies, is even reportedly in talks to sell its physical chips called TPUs to Meta — a move that would see it go head-to-head with leading chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA). Those efforts have led Bloomberg Intelligence analysts to predict the custom AI chip market will grow to $122 billion by 2033. Big Tech's production of their own components goes beyond chips: Microsoft and Amazon are actively investing in dark fiber, or currently unused fiber-optic cables that are already underground, RBC Capital Markets analyst Jonathan Atkin said in a recent note to clients. Google and Meta also own their own cables but still buy from third parties, he wrote. Those cables are necessary to connect companies' data centers and the enterprises that use them. The dynamic in which cloud providers are making their own components (hardware) to run their core products (software) shows Silicon Valley swinging back toward vertical integration — an operating model pioneered by oil and steel tycoons in the late 19th century and adopted by IBM during the digital revolution. IBM was one of the most successful vertically integrated companies in the 1960s, when it made the hardware components for its mainframes, or large computer systems. IBM's strategy emerged from the idea that making its own specialized parts would improve its end product (mainframes) and profit margins — and amid concerns over supply shortages of parts for early computers. It worked: In 1985, the company accounted for more than half the market value of the computer industry, Carliss Y. Baldwin noted in her book "Design Rule...

Expense ratios, sector mix, and portfolio breadth set these two consumer staples ETFs apart for investors weighing cost and diversification. The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP +1.17%) and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK +0.83%) both target the U.S. consumer staples sector, but IYK charges higher fees, holds more positions, and includes a modest allocation to healthcare stocks. Both the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF offer exposure to U.S. consumer staples companies, appealing to investors seeking defensive sector stability. This comparison examines how the two funds stack up on costs, returns, portfolio makeup, and risk, helping investors decide which approach may better fit their needs. Expand NYSEMKT : XLP Select Sector SPDR Trust - State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF Today's Change ( 1.17 %) $ 1.02 Current Price $ 87.94 Key Data Points Day's Range $ 86.70 - $ 88.09 52wk Range $ 75.16 - $ 88.09 Volume 30M Snapshot (cost & size) Metric XLP IYK Issuer SPDR IShares Expense ratio 0.08% 0.38% 1-yr return (as of 2026-02-02) 9.9% 11.3% Dividend yield 2.75% 2.75% AUM $14.7 billion $1.2 billion The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. While both funds offer similar dividend yields, XLP is more affordable with a 0.08% expense ratio versus IYK’s 0.38%, which could matter for long-term cost-conscious investors. Performance & risk comparison Metric XLP IYK Max drawdown (5 y) (16.31%) (15.04%) Growth of $1,000 over 5 years $1,302 $1,222 Expand NYSEMKT : IYK iShares Trust - iShares U.s. Consumer Staples ETF Today's Change ( 0.83 %) $ 0.62 Current Price $ 75.10 Key Data Points Day's Range $ 74.37 - $ 75.28 52wk Range $ 65.21 - $ 75.28 Volume 490K What's inside IYK tracks a broader set of companies, with 54 holdings spanning consumer defensive (85%), healthcare (11%), and basic materials (2%). Its largest weights are in Procter & Gamble (PG...

Companies in the Consumer Cyclical sector have received a lot of coverage today as analysts weigh in on Malibu Boats (MBUU – Research Report) and Amazon (AMZN – Research Report). Malibu Boats (MBUU) In a report released yesterday, Anna Glaessgen from B. Riley Securities reiterated a Hold rating on Malibu Boats, with a price target of $30.00. The company’s shares closed last Thursday at $30.71, close to its 52-week low of $29.02. According to TipRanks.com, Glaessgen is currently ranked with 0 stars on a 0-5 stars ranking scale, with an average return of -7.4% and a 39.2% success rate. Glaessgen covers the NA sector, focusing on stocks such as MasterCraft Boat Holdings, Sportsman’s Warehouse, and Fox Factory Holding. ;'> The word on The Street in general, suggests a Moderate Buy analyst consensus rating for Malibu Boats with a $35.00 average price target, which is an 11.8% upside from current levels. In a report released today, KeyBanc also maintained a Hold rating on the stock. See Insiders’ Hot Stocks on TipRanks >> Amazon (AMZN) In a report released today, Scott Devitt from Wedbush maintained a Buy rating on Amazon, with a price target of $300.00. The company’s shares closed last Thursday at $222.69. According to TipRanks.com, Devitt is a 5-star analyst with an average return of 12.7% and a 50.7% success rate. Devitt covers the NA sector, focusing on stocks such as Booking Holdings, Mercadolibre, and TripAdvisor. ;'> Currently, the analyst consensus on Amazon is a Strong Buy with an average price target of $284.53, a 26.5% upside from current levels. In a report released yesterday, Citi also initiated coverage with a Buy rating on the stock with a $320.00 price target. Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue

Most American adults today didn’t grow up with avocados, but we’ve certainly developed a hearty appetite for them. In 1990, the United States imported 38m pounds of avocados; by 2023, that number was 2,789m, mostly from Mexico. On average, each of us eats about 20 avocados, or 9lbs of the fruit, a year – a sixfold increase from 1998. Super Bowl guacamole alone fuels a staggering demand for the fruit; in the lead-up to this Sunday’s game, Americans are expected to devour nearly 280m pounds of avocados, a historical record. Avocado toast, California rolls, cobb salad? America’s answer is “yes” – and not only because of the fruit’s creaminess, but its perceived healthfulness. We believe avocados are a superfood, but why, exactly, do they have that reputation? What is the nutritional makeup of avocados? One medium Hass avocado contains about 320 calories and 30g of heart-healthy, monounsaturated fat. A serving of avocado is about 50g, or a third of a medium fruit, but portion size is flexible: a whole fruit can fit into your daily diet depending on your overall calorie needs (a person consuming 2,000 calories a day requires about 44 – 78g of total fat). Not only does monounsaturated fat help lower cholesterol, thereby our risk of heart disease, but it can “carry” the vitamins in avocado, like vitamins A, D and folate, making them easier for our bodies to absorb through the gut and into our bloodstream, says Dalina Soto, a Philadelphia-based registered dietician. Avocado’s fiber contributes to its status as a nutritional powerhouse: one fruit contains 14g of fiber – roughly half your daily needs. “Avocados provide both soluble fiber, which helps support gut bacteria, slows digestion, and can help with blood sugar regulation, and insoluble fiber, which supports regular digestion and gut motility,” Soto explains. “We need both for gut and metabolic health.” Avocados deliver vitamin E, an antioxidant helpful for immune defense and skin resilience. They also contain lutein, ...

With the public’s outrage and attention focused on the deadly surge of federal agents in Minneapolis, immigration operations have quietly continued across the US – albeit in less noticeable but still troubling ways, advocates say. In recent weeks there have been day laborers swept up at a Home Depot in San Diego. A taco truck vendor chased down outside a church in Los Angeles. Immigrants arrested at check-in in North Carolina, and during traffic stops in the nation’s capital. These efforts continue to stoke fear in communities and disrupt people’s abilities to work, attend school or go to doctor’s appointments. And in cities that have faced their own crackdown operations, raids and arrests haven’t stopped even after the drawdown of federal agents, with some signs that tactics are shifting. In southern California, under-the-radar arrests have continued at a fast clip in the first few weeks of 2026, activists and legal experts say. Los Angeles was hit with sweeping immigration raids last summer that ground daily life to a halt. Since then, even when many national headlines moved on, advocates say there’s been a steady drumbeat of arrests. View image in fullscreen Resident Shonique Williams confronts a federal agent as they investigate the scene of a reported shooting during an operation by federal immigration officers in Willowbrook, California, on 21 January. Photograph: Patrick T Fallon/AFP/Getty Images Immigrant Defenders Law Center, a non-profit firm based in LA, has seen a recent spike in the number of calls to their legal resource hotline. Those callers include people who have been detained themselves, or family members and friends trying to track down detained loved ones. For the past six months, the firm received roughly 400 calls a month. But in January, that call number jumped to 546. More or less, each one of those calls represents a person who has been recently detained, said Yliana Johansen-Méndez, chief program officer for the law center. “There’s just l...

The four-mile trail from the village of Haworth to Top Withens in West Yorkshire is well trodden; numerous footprints squelched into the boggy ground by those seeking the view said to have inspired the setting for Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel Wuthering Heights. The landscape rolls in desolate waves of brown bracken. A lone tree punctuates the scene. It’s bleakly, hauntingly beautiful. With the release of Emerald Fennell’s new film of the Gothic masterpiece starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi next week, Haworth and many of the filming locations in the Yorkshire Dales national park, where the book is set, are braced for a slew of visitors. The local residents, though, seem distinctly unfazed by the attention. “We’re used to crowds,” shrugs Craig Verity, the landlord at the Kings Arms, a pub at the top of Haworth’s steep cobbled Main Street, just steps from the parsonage where the Brontës were raised. Brontë country has been milking the connection for decades. On a wall in the Kings Arms, a board promotes a selection of Bridgehouse cask ales named Charlotte, Anne, Emily and Branwell, the latter being the lesser-known Brontë brother. In the surrounding streets, there’s the Brontë Hotel and the Brontë Bar and Restaurant, as well as – somewhat tenuously – Brontë Balti. View image in fullscreen Haworth’s steep cobbled Main Street, just steps from the parsonage where the Brontë sisters were raised. Photograph: Ian Dagnall Commercial Collection/Alamy The Brontë Parsonage, where the sisters lived, wrote and – in Emily and Charlotte’s case – died, is now a museum housing artefacts, personal items and manuscripts, as well as hosting events such as workshops, talks and screenings of adaptations of the books. It draws around 75,000 visitors annually, a number almost sure to rise this year; a screening of 1992’s Wuthering Heights planned for 12 February has already sold out. Scenes from this version, starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliet Binoche, were filmed at East Riddlesden Hall, ...

matejmo/iStock via Getty Images I put a Buy rating on Millicom International Cellular ( TIGO ) based on an advantage between a legacy telecommunications valuation and a re-rating toward a digital infrastructure multiple. This advantage is based on the structural transformation of its cash flow profile. My Buy TIGO thesis depends on the Colombia 50 margin expansion mechanism, as the successful acquisition of Telefónica’s Coltel assets and the EPM stake consolidates the Colombian market into a rational two-player structure. This consolidation allows Millicom to eliminate duplicate fixed network costs and spectrum inefficiencies. This factor is propelling the Colombian adjusted EBITDA margin from its current 43.5% toward the 50-Club standard set by its operations in Guatemala, Panama, and Honduras. Moreover, the strategic rotation into investment-grade and dollarized economies (mainly through the acquisitions in Uruguay and Ecuador) de-risks the equity risk premium by diluting exposure to volatile currencies like the Bolivian boliviano. With a confirmed $750 million Equity FCF target for 2025 and a dividend policy yielding ~4.6%, in my opinion, TIGO stock has deep value protected by hard asset monetization and capped capital intensity. However, the main risks to the thesis are regulatory intransigence, similar to the Costa Rican merger rejection, and the widening divergence between official and parallel exchange rates in Bolivia (that can trap local liquidity). YCharts The Colombia 50 Operating Leverage and the Infrastructure Multiple Re-Rating As per my observations, Millicom’s upward stock price momentum (over the long term) is backed by the possibility of the Colombia 50-Club merger. It is a catalyst to re-rate Millicom’s enterprise value [EV] from a legacy telecommunications multiple to a quasi-infrastructure multiple. Although Wall Street acknowledges the 17.3% Y/Y Adjusted EBITDA growth in Colombia with a +145% price increase of TIGO stock, it has failed to model...

is a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. The latest Anker 45-watt Nano charger, announced in January, which remains one of the smallest 45-watt chargers on the market, adds a full color screen displaying an animated character and a smattering of details about the device you’re charging. The display is occasionally useful if you like to keep tabs on how much power your device is drawing, but the screen feels more like a marketing gimmick than a feature most consumers will actually benefit from. But it’s not the only upgrade that makes the charger worth considering. The Nano’s hallmark feature is a roughly 1-inch-wide screen that takes up half of the charger’s glossy front panel. These sorts of screens are typically only found on Anker’s larger multi-port power stations, and are frequently limited in what information they display. Supported devices are identified and briefly named when plugged into the Nano charger. Anker promotes the Nano as “the world’s first smart display charger that knows your iPhone.” When you plug one in, the screen will briefly display your device’s name, then show how much power is being delivered and its battery level. But the charger is limited to Apple hardware and only recognizes a limited number of devices, including iPhone 15 and later models and iPad models from 2020 onward. I tested it with an iPhone 16 Pro and an iPad 10 from 2022, and both were recognized and identified. The Nano also has a three-stage charging system that adjusts the power delivery rate to help prolong battery life. As the device’s charge level increases, power delivery is reduced. The stages are displayed as “fast,” “steady,” and “trickle” alongside the current wattage and an animated blob-like character whose expression often confuses me. Sometimes it’s sleepy, and oth...

watch now VIDEO 12:18 12:18 Fixed income will remain essential in portfolios this year, predicts BondBloxx's Joanna Gallegos ETF Edge Amid recent debate over the so-called "Sell America" trade and capital rotating out of U.S. markets, foreign stocks have received most of the attention . But international bonds, especially emerging market bonds, have also been riding high. "The best performing area in fixed income year to date, and also last year, was emerging markets," said Joanna Gallegos, co-founder of fixed-income ETF company BondBloxx on this week's CNBC "ETF Edge." As an example, the iShares JPMorgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF ( EMB ) generated over a 13% return in 2025. BondBloxx's JP Morgan USD Emerging Markets 1-10 Year Bond ETF ( XEMD ) had a similar 2025. Weakness in the U.S. dollar , concerns about the fiscal health of the U.S. at a time of high spending and deficits, and the investing impact of President Trump's foreign policy , plus the recent performance trends, are all contributing to more interest from investors to diversify internationally. But for Gallegos, it start with the currency and performance chasing rather than a view that the U.S. is losing favor as a market. "The dollar pressure is putting more of a view on non-U.S. assets," Gallegos said. "I think people are just seeing the returns from last year and looking for a way to take advantage of those opportunities more so than anything else," she said. "The U.S. trade is not going away," she added. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon The performance of the iShares JPMorgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF versus the iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF over the past five years. Morningstar data for the month of January backs up the view that U.S. investors are not abandoning the domestic market, whether it is stocks or bonds being debated and even as more assets move overseas. U.S. market ETFs brought in an estimated $156 billion of net inflows in January, which was the best January ever, accordin...

Leif Davis’s superb late header gave Ipswich a 2-1 victory at Derby to strengthen their promotion challenge. The visitors took the lead in the eighth minute when the Derby captain, Lewis Travis, headed a corner into his own net but Derby hit back in the second half and drew level through Rhian Brewster’s penalty. But Davis had the final word and the home side ended the match with 10 men after Travis’s miserable afternoon ended with him sent off in added time for a second yellow card. Cyle Larin scored with his first touch for Southampton to bag the only goal in a 1-0 victory over managerless Watford. The Canada international completed a loan move from Mallorca on deadline day and made an immediate impact with a booming header. It allowed Southampton to win back-to-back matches for the first time since early December. Watford are winless since New Year’s Day and have not scored in their past three matches. Norwich took another big step away from the drop zone as they beat Blackburn 2-0 to make it four wins in five league games. A scrappy encounter was lit up by a quick one-two just past the midway point of the second half, with Anis Ben Slimane on target with his fourth goal in five games and Mohamed Touré scoring on his debut. Slimane opened the scoring after 73 minutes, slotting in the rebound after Oscar Schwartau’s shot had come back off the woodwork and Touré quickly added a second from close range. This story will be updated

Anthropic's ( ANTHRO ) latest funding round, initially expected to raise around $10B, is now on track to raise more than double that amount. Also, this round could close as soon as next week, Bloomberg reported. The financial news service added that the OpenAI competitor has received investments of more than $1B each from Coatue Management, Singapore’s GIC, and Iconiq Capital. Nvidia ( NVDA ) and Microsoft ( MSFT ) were previously reported as large investors in the round. Other participants in the round are Altimeter Capital Management, Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Menlo Ventures. More on Anthropic Super Bowl LX ads: OpenAI vs. Anthropic, Meta’s glasses, and GLP‑1 buzz Tech Voices: Huang on AI CapEx, Goldman-Anthropic, China CPU delays Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Anthropic Financial information for Anthropic

Key Points Overestimating your Social Security benefits could lead to a financial shock in retirement. It's important to know what to expect from those benefits ahead of time. Save well and line up outside income streams so that Social Security isn't your only retirement paycheck. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › The idea of guaranteed income for life is something many people dream about. And once you're old to collect Social Security, it could become your reality. Social Security is designed to pay you a monthly benefit for life. And even better, benefits are eligible for annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) to help them keep up with inflation. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » But as natural as it is to rely on Social Security for retirement income, there's one big mistake all retirees risk making. And it's a big one you need to avoid at all costs. Don't assume Social Security will cover your retirement costs in full One big misconception about Social Security is that those monthly benefits will take the place of your preretirement paycheck in full. But if you earn an average salary, you can expect Social Security to replace about 40% of it once you stop working. Now it may be possible to get by on a lower income once you're retired, since you may be able to shed certain expenses by then. But living on just 40% of your former paycheck may prove difficult. Think about the things you spend money on now. Many of them aren't going to go away in retirement. You may be mortgage-free by retirement. And if you're not working, you won't have commuting costs. But you'll still face other housing costs, like property taxes, insurance, and maintenance. And while you may not need to drive to work every week, you might still need a car to get around, whic...

在啟德舉行的世界桌球大獎賽四強，趙心童以6-3淘汰肖國棟。 兩名中國球手對決，各贏兩局。四強增至11局6勝，世界冠軍趙心童之後連贏三局，其中第六局重「Break」，一桿85度，領先局數5-2。 肖國棟次圈擊敗奧蘇利雲，當時打出一桿144度，仍保持今屆這項賽事的最高桿數紀錄。 雖然他勝出第八局追近，但趙心童之後一局，再打出重「Break」，一桿121度，奠定勝局，贏局數6-3入決賽，將與另一中國球手張安達，爭奪冠軍。

据国家电网消息，今年春节假期，新能源汽车（885431）充电量预计将创历史新高（883911）。据国家电网智慧车联网（885662）平台预测，春节假期，平台服务新能源汽车（885431）充电量单日峰值将超3400万千瓦时，同比增长17%，平台高速公路（884154）充电量单日峰值将超过1100万千瓦时，同比增长超23%。预计春节假期的出行充电高峰，将集中在2月14日～2月15日和2月21日～2月23日。预计江苏省、浙江省和安徽省高速公路（884154）充电量将创历史新高（883911），长深高速（600548）、沈海高速和沪昆高速的新能源（850101）充电桩（885461）最为繁忙。(央视新闻)

Guac Relief: Avocado Prices Tumble Ahead Of Super Bowl Guacamole, wings, pizza, chips, and beer dominate the typical Super Bowl menu, as the weekend becomes one of the world's highest food-consumption sporting events. We have good news for consumers. First, as we reported earlier, PepsiCo announced it will slash prices by 15% on snack brands such as Lay's and Doritos. The second piece of good news is on the avocado front. Prices in Mexico have plunged, down more than 19% from a year earlier as of the end of December. Bloomberg reports a bumper Mexican harvest after heavy rainfall has driven record US imports ahead of the Super Bowl, pushing supplies higher while driving prices lower, a perfect mix for millennials in the K-shaped economy . The US sources nearly 90% of its avocados from Mexico, mostly Hass, with current retail prices ranging from 70 cents to $1.50 each, well below Covid-era highs. "That has never happened before," said Alvaro Luque, president and chief executive officer of Avocados from Mexico. "Last year we had great rain, so the fruit not only was abundant, but the sizing of the fruit was very good," Luque added. Demand has spiked from millennials and Gen Z, he said, as there is no real substitute for avocados: "If you want guacamole, there's only one option." Tyler Durden Sat, 02/07/2026 - 09:55

Wavebreakmedia/iStock via Getty Images In October last year, I wrote about the Goldman Sachs Nasdaq-100 Premium Income ETF's ( GPIQ ) superior strategy that trumps the Global X NASDAQ 100 Covered Call ETF ( QYLD ) over full cycles. This thesis was based on the fact that GPIQ is a more active and agile methodology that is allowed to write options covering 25%-75% of the portfolio value, allowing better upside capture participation. This obviously works better in total returns terms over the long term. QYLD's relatively more aggressive option layer caps upside, and data from the bull markets between April and October 2025 confirm that expectation. However, since the time of the thesis, GPIQ has actually started underperforming QYLD as markets have started consolidating and pulling back in phases. It is very much expected that QYLD will even outperform GPIQ in such phases. This review does not change the long-term view on GPIQ's superior strategy. It sets expectations for long-term investors through a potentially prolonged market phase where GPIQ will not do too well. For more tactical-minded investors, rotation into, or marginal allocation to, QYLD also works out fine now - depending on how long the markets will stagnate (or how far they could correct). Overall, GPIQ remains a buy for long-term investors. QYLD is a hold but may be preferred for new and short-term income-focused allocations in the current market environment. Performance and Portfolio Discussion Since October 2025, markets have been sideways (almost flat end-to-end since) with decent pullbacks in between. QYLD has delivered noticeable alpha that its aggressive covered call option positioning promises. GPIQ has kept upside capture open by design, but that upside has not arrived. So, while it still adds income on top of the underlying's flat trajectory, it lags QYLD. Data by YCharts A look at the holdings today (6th February 2026) explains why. I downloaded QYLD's full holdings from the ETF website and sa...

Key Points XRP soared after the 2024 election but has since dropped more than 50% from its peak. The token's valuation looks more reasonable now, but that alone isn't enough to make it a buy. I'd want to see something real before buying, such as transparent volume data or a major bank publicly committing to XRP. 10 stocks we like better than XRP › Back in 2024, XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) looked like a great investment. Parent company Ripple Labs was wrapping up its long-running legal troubles, and the election results pointed to a more crypto-friendly administration. And XRP traded at just $0.70 per coin in early November that year, making its total market value a fairly modest $41 billion. Things changed at that point. XRP started to skyrocket, soaring to $2.70 by Dec. 2 and $3.30 in mid-January 2025. At that point, XRP was a crypto giant. With a market value of $182 billion, only Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) had a larger footprint. 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 » That jump was too much, too fast. XRP was priced for absolute perfection, leaving little room for further gains and a steep downside. The coin was no longer a top choice, in my view. The price chart has been diving since July, primarily due to macroeconomic uncertainty. The downturn applies to most of the crypto market, but XRP took a deeper six-month dive than Ethereum or Bitcoin. It's down more than 50% from the peak, and valuation isn't really holding me back anymore. All told, XRP has roughly doubled from 2024's election week, which looks appropriate, given the lawsuit resolution. But I'm still not buying XRP until people and financial institutions actually start to use it. Show me the money (moving through XRP) XRP was designed to facilitate cross-border payments. Ripple Labs pitched it as a faster, cheaper alternative to the SWIFT network (Society for W...

KLH49 As earnings season picked up, a busy week wrapped up, with 23 S&P 500 industrial companies reporting quarterly results after an already hectic prior week. The Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSEARCA: XLI ) has gained nearly 12% so far this year, outpacing the S&P 500’s 1.3% rise. In this week's earnings recap, out of the 23 companies that reported, 20 surpassed profit estimates and 3 companies fell short of expectations. On the revenue side, 17 companies exceeded revenue estimates, while the other 6 companies missed. Below are the latest quarterly reports from top industrial names this week: Eaton Corporation ( ETN ) reported fourth-quarter results that showed record earnings but revenue that came in slightly below Wall Street expectations, sending the company’s shares down 6.2% in premarket trading Tuesday. Eaton ( ETN ) said fourth-quarter segment margins reached a record 24.9%, above the high end of its prior guidance. Uber Technologies ( UBER ) missed Wall Street’s lofty fourth quarter profit expectations as the increase in cheaper rides and higher insurance costs weighed despite another double-digit increase in bookings. 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. TransDigm Group ( TDG ) reported fiscal first-quarter results that topped Wall Street expectations, but the company’s outlook for the full year disappointed investors. Shares of the aircraft parts maker fell 3.6% in premarket trading Tuesday. Huntington Ingalls Industries ( HII ) reported quarterly results that exceeded Wall Street estimates, but the stock fell 8% in premarket trading Thursday as investors focused on cash flow expectations and lingering margin pressures. For the full year, the company reiterated expectations for steady revenue growth and improved shipbuilding throughput. Pentair ( PNR ) shares plunged as much as 11% on Tuesday afte...

The Google parent's capex plans represent just one portion of a massive investment in AI infrastructure this year. In this video, Motley Fool contributors Jason Hall and Tyler Crowe break down how Alphabet (GOOG 2.42%)(GOOGL 2.46%) plans to spend $175-$185 billion on capex in 2026, and why it, along with Powell Industries (POWL +8.34%) and EMCOR (EME +6.42%) are likely winners from the trend it represents. *Stock prices used were from the morning of Feb. 5, 2026. The video was published on Feb. 7, 2026.

The periodic table never looked so lucrative. These three mining stocks want to capture the upside. Mining stocks aren't always the safest investments. The mining industry is cyclical -- growing when the economy does, but falling when economic activity slows down -- and the work itself is capital intensive. The best companies in this industry tend to be profitable, have robust balance sheets, and mine multiple metals, so one weak market doesn't derail the whole company. For aggressive investors who can stay invested for five years or longer, there are a few under-the-radar mining stocks that might be worth a $100 investment. If you can stomach volatility, here are three interesting mining stocks to consider. 1. TMC The Metals Company TMC The Metals Company (TMC +13.10%) is a deep-sea mining company that's focused on collecting polymetallic nodules from the floor of the Pacific Ocean. In a nutshell, it wants to vacuum up these potato-sized nodules with specialized sea rovers and process them into battery-grade metals. Each of these nodules is essentially an electric vehicle (EV) battery in miniature. They contain viable quantities of nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese. While these metals are also found on land, TMC's pitch is to harvest them from the seafloor without the toxic tailings, deforestation, and other destructive side effects of traditional mining. Expand NASDAQ : TMC TMC The Metals Company Today's Change ( 13.10 %) $ 0.74 Current Price $ 6.39 Key Data Points Market Cap $2.7B Day's Range $ 5.93 - $ 6.45 52wk Range $ 1.57 - $ 11.35 Volume 224K Avg Vol 10M For years, the company was at a standstill, as it waited for the U.N.'s International Seabed Authority (ISA) to finalize a mining code for deep-sea ventures like its own. While that has slowed its progress, new initiatives from the U.S. government -- which doesn't recognize the ISA as an agency -- could give it a backdoor to mining metals sooner than expected. Still, the company is pre-revenue. An invest...

Richard Drury/DigitalVision via Getty Images The JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF ( JEPQ ) has become one of the most popular income focused products as it has amassed over $33 billion in assets under management (AUM). While JEPQ has become one of the largest income focused ETFs focusing on the Nasdaq 100 I recently downgraded my outlook on it. At the beginning of November, I went from bullish to neutral as it continued to outperform its peers. Many investors look at the 10.78% distribution yield and the fact that JPMorgan is associated with it as reasons to get involved, but I am going much deeper into the numbers. I think that JEPQ still provides value for shareholders that want an ETF that can generate recurring monthly income without capping all the upside appreciation in a thriving market. The main reason why I am not adding to JEPQ is because when I compare JEPQ to the Amplify CWP Growth & Income ETF ( QDVO ), NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF ( QQQI ), and Goldman Sachs Nasdaq-100 Premium Income ETF ( GPIQ ), I see that as I continue to run the numbers, there is money being left on the table. JEPQ should continue to meet its investment goals, and its shareholders are likely to remain happy, but I am looking to squeeze out every last drop of alpha, and JEPQ continues to lag other alternatives in this sector. For now I am remaining neutral because that’s what the data is telling me to do. Seeking Alpha Following up on my previous article about JEPQ Back in November I had written an article on JEPQ ( can be read here ) where I had downgraded my outlook to neutral. I had discussed how JEPQ's total return and yield were lagging behind competitors like QQQI, GPIQ, and QDVO. The blend of growth and income from JEPQ was compelling, but its strategy had become less compelling over time. Personally, I have shifted the capital I am earmarking toward this investment style toward other names, as JEPQ is still underperforming its peers. I am following up with a new ...

White House officials sought to deflect blame from Donald Trump over a now-deleted video of Barack and Michelle Obama depicted as monkeys, causing internal speculation about whether the president or his aide Natalie Harp was responsible for the post. The brief clip, shared late Thursday night on Trump’s Truth Social account, appeared in a video pushing conspiracies about the 2020 election. Invoking racist tropes, the video depicted the Obamas’ faces superimposed on the bodies of cartoon apes dancing to The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Speaking later to reporters on Air Force One, Trump claimed he had briefly seen part of the video but then handed it off to an unidentified staffer to post. Trump said he would not fire the staffer in question but would not apologize because he did not make a mistake. “No, I looked at the first part. It was really about voter fraud and the machines – how crooked it is, how disgusting it is,” Trump said. “Then I gave it to the people, generally they’d look at the whole thing but I guess somebody didn’t and they posted it. And then we deleted it.” Trump’s recounting sparked speculation inside his orbit about the extent to which the president was responsible and which of his aides ultimately hit “send” on the post. Besides Trump, only two aides have access to his social media account, people familiar with the matter said: Dan Scavino and Harp. Trump’s advisers quickly discounted Scavino, given he has been preoccupied lately with his new role running the presidential personnel office – and instead focused on Harp, who has previously been entangled in Trump’s communications. The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the intrigue at the end of a tumultuous day, which began with the press shop defending the post before it backtracked and blamed a staffer – a claim Trump also repeated in calls with Republican lawmakers. In a call with Tim Scott, the only black Republican senator, who is also the chair of the national Republican se...

Michael Carrick’s Manchester United revival has a fourth consecutive league win, while Thomas Frank’s Tottenham sink further, with still no victory in the competition in 2026. Bruno Fernandes’s 81st-minute strike was a feathered touch off a shin – from Diogo Dalot’s cross – that beat Guglielmo Vicario to the left of the Spurs goalkeeper, and confirmed a miserable day for Frank. “He is our captain and one of our important players,” the Dane declared after retaining Cristian Romero as captain despite the defender’s “disgraceful” outburst regarding there being only 11 outfield players for last Sunday’s draw with Manchester City. What followed was Romero’s second red card in 10 games (and sixth overall in club colours) on 29 minutes that had Frank cursing and appearing rather silly. The excellent Bryan Mbeumo’s 10th in 20 appearances followed eight minutes later, and so you wonder where Frank goes from here – and Romero? The reckless defender must nowsurely be stripped of the armband. For Carrick the midas touch becomes ever more golden: United last reeled off four league wins in-a-row under Erik ten Hag, in February 2024. Feint, punch and counterpunch was the pattern, for a phase, as the protagonists flitted about exchanging passes and constructing the odd move. For United Fernandes, fed by Amad Diallo, prompted Mbeumo down the left, but he blasted over. For Spurs Xavi Simons, dropping off the left, was chief conductor, starting one attack inside his half then popping up in United’s, dropping the ball to Conor Gallagher who should have beaten Senne Lammens at close range. Dominic Solanke, too, failed to profit from a fizzed Destiny Udogie ball from the left, Spurs’ No 9 falling over. His team’s 4-2-3-1 was near-mirrored by United’s 4-1-1-3-1, Kobbie Mainoo operating ahead of Casemiro in the engine room, as Carrick, fielding an unchanged XI, sought a fourth consecutive win. View image in fullscreen Cristian Romero is sent off by referee Michael Oliver. Photograph: James...

日本眾議院選舉明日投票，東京再有反對首相高市早苗示威。最新民調顯示，高市領導的自民黨將取得壓倒性勝利。 日本首相高市早苗周六在東京，為自民黨候選人拉票時承諾，將讓日本更加強大和繁榮。 日本首相高市早苗說：「為了讓日本強大和繁榮，我是高市早苗。請讓我們攜手合作，我們將努力、努力直到最後一刻。」 她又表示，已收緊多項移民檢查措施，最大程度阻止恐怖分子和業界間諜進入日本，未來將仔細檢查，移民是否正常納稅和交納健康保險費。她又指措施與排外主義有明顯不同。 而在東京首相官邸前，周五再有民眾示威，反對高市早苗去年11月發表「台灣有事」言論，構成戰爭挑釁。 一名示威者指：「高市的言論明顯背離了以前政府的立場，她聲稱『台灣有事』可能對日本構成『生死存亡事態』，這是極其危險的戰爭挑釁，我們絕不能容忍這種言論。」 亦有民眾表示，高市計劃進一步增加軍費預算，根本不適合擔任首相，應該盡快請辭。 不過美聯社報道，最新民調顯示，高市領導的自民黨，將在眾議院選舉中取得壓倒性勝利。報道又指，雖然在野黨組成了新的中間派聯盟，但內部仍四分五裂，難以對自民黨構成真正的挑戰。

马斯克的净资产本周飙升至8520亿美元，创历史新高。这主要得益于他旗下两家公司SpaceX和xAI的合并，合并后的公司将于今年晚些时候进行备受瞩目的IPO。然而，即便拥有比历史上任何人都多的财富，马斯克似乎并不认为银行账户里的钱能转化为个人满足感。 “谁说的‘金钱买不到幸福’？说的太对了。”马斯克两天前在X平台上写道。目前这条帖子的浏览量已超过1亿次。 这一言论在他的社交平台上引发了广泛的反响，其中包括一些曾面临同样困境的超级富豪。对冲基金亿万富翁比尔·阿克曼向马斯克提出了一些针对性的建议。 “很多幸福都源于帮助他人。你已经帮助了数百万人，未来很可能会帮助到数十亿人。你只需要感激自己为如此众多的人所做出的贡献就好。”阿克曼写道。 阿克曼还表示，或许马斯克该找一位长期伴侣安定下来了，“幸福也可以源于与特别之人建立的长久关系。是时候去寻觅那个能与你长久相伴的人了。这只是我的一点拙见。” 亿万富翁投资者马克·库班在一定程度上认同马斯克的观点，但他也表示，将财富与幸福联系起来并非非非黑即白。本质上，金钱并不会从根本上改变幸福，而只是放大了已有的幸福感。 “如果你贫穷时感到幸福，那么致富后你会无比幸福，”库班反驳马斯克。“如果你贫穷时感到痛苦，那么致富后你依然会感到痛苦，只不过经济压力会小很多。” 责任编辑：于健 SF069

Politicians in Ireland have said the use of an airport in County Clare by planes deporting Palestinians from the United States is to Israel “reprehensible”. A private jet owned by the Donald Trump donor Gil Dezer was chartered by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for two separate flights that took detainees to Israel, a Guardian investigation revealed this week. The flights left the US on 21 January and 1 February. Both made refuelling stops at Shannon airport in the west of Ireland. Dezer’s family property company has built a series of Trump-branded residential towers in Miami. He recently spoke of his “love” for the US president, with whom he claims to have had a 20-year friendship. Some of those onboard the flights on Dezer’s jet said they had their wrists and ankles shackled for the duration of the journey. After arriving in Tel Aviv, they appear to have been taken to the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The Irish government said in a statement that as the flights stopped in the country for “non-traffic purposes” and were “not picking up or setting down passengers” they did not require prior approval from its transport department. However, on Friday, opposition politicians expressed concern to the Irish Times about the practice. Duncan Smith, foreign affairs spokesperson for the Labour party in Ireland, said: “It is absolutely reprehensible that any ICE deportation flights would be allowed stop and refuel in Shannon. The taoiseach and minister for transport must intervene and ensure this ends.” He added: “Ireland cannot in any way be complicit in these ICE flights.” Roderic O’Gorman, leader of the country’s Green party, said that it was “deeply disturbing” to learn “that Shannon is being used to facilitate the cruel actions of Donald Trump’s ICE”. Patricia Stephenson, foreign affairs spokesperson for the Social Democrats, said the government “must make a statement on whether it knowingly facilitated these flights”. She told the Irish Times that she believe...