The European Union ’s executive body is under investigation by the bloc’s top prosecutors over possible misconduct linked to the sale of real estate to Belgium . A spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed the probe relates to the sale of 23 of its buildings in 2024, adding that the Brussels-based institution is confident the process was conducted in a compliant manner. People familiar wi...
The European Union ’s executive body is under investigation by the bloc’s top prosecutors over possible misconduct linked to the sale of real estate to Belgium . A spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed the probe relates to the sale of 23 of its buildings in 2024, adding that the Brussels-based institution is confident the process was conducted in a compliant manner. People familiar with the matter added that several commission departments are at the center of the investigation, including the executive’s budget unit. Raids on commission sites took place on Thursday, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Financial Times first reported the investigation. A spokesperson for the European Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that “it is conducting evidence-collecting activities in an ongoing investigation.”
When you look at the most popular ETFs among retail investors, you’ll find Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF Shares (NYSEARCA:VUG) near the top of the list. With $349.9 billion in assets and a 0.04% expense ratio, it offers cheap exposure to the companies driving the modern economy. But before adding it to your portfolio, you ... PSA: Three Stocks Control 35% of Your Popular Vanguard Growth Fund
When you look at the most popular ETFs among retail investors, you’ll find Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF Shares (NYSEARCA:VUG) near the top of the list. With $349.9 billion in assets and a 0.04% expense ratio, it offers cheap exposure to the companies driving the modern economy. But before adding it to your portfolio, you ... PSA: Three Stocks Control 35% of Your Popular Vanguard Growth Fund
Arvinas ( ARVN ) appointed Randy Teel as president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Teel will also serve as a member of the company’s board of directors. Teel previously served as Arvinas’ chief business officer and played a key role in advancing corporate growth and industry partnerships. Teel succeeds John Houston, who is retiring as president, CEO, and chair of the board. Hou...
Arvinas ( ARVN ) appointed Randy Teel as president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Teel will also serve as a member of the company’s board of directors. Teel previously served as Arvinas’ chief business officer and played a key role in advancing corporate growth and industry partnerships. Teel succeeds John Houston, who is retiring as president, CEO, and chair of the board. Houston will remain on the Board and has entered into a consulting agreement to provide advisory services to the company. Briggs Morrison, has been elected as the new chair of the Arvinas board of directors, effective immediately. More on Arvinas Arvinas: Approvable, But Asset Looks Mediocre, Initiating With A Hold Rating Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Arvinas Historical earnings data for Arvinas Financial information for Arvinas
Freddie Mac press release ( FMCC ): Q4 GAAP EPS of $0.00 misses by $0.44 . Net income of $2.8 billion, a decrease of 14% yearover-year, primarily driven by lower net revenues. Revenue of $5.76B (-9.0% Y/Y) beats by $270M . Net revenues of $5.8 billion, a decrease of 9% yearover-year, driven by lower non-interest income, partiallyoffset by higher net interest income. Provision for credit losses of ...
Freddie Mac press release ( FMCC ): Q4 GAAP EPS of $0.00 misses by $0.44 . Net income of $2.8 billion, a decrease of 14% yearover-year, primarily driven by lower net revenues. Revenue of $5.76B (-9.0% Y/Y) beats by $270M . Net revenues of $5.8 billion, a decrease of 9% yearover-year, driven by lower non-interest income, partiallyoffset by higher net interest income. Provision for credit losses of $0.1 billion. More on Freddie Mac Trump Raid On Fannie & Freddie Piggy Bank Is Premature Buy This Undervalued Fannie And Freddie Potential Q1 IPO Setup Tracking Bill Ackman's Pershing Square 13F Portfolio - Q3 2025 Update Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac shares extend rise after Bill Pulte comments Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac shares climb after Bessent remarks on release
Microsoft (NasdaqGS:MSFT) and Capgemini have agreed to broaden their partnership to focus on sovereign cloud and AI services for highly regulated industries. The collaboration targets sectors such as government, healthcare, and finance, with an emphasis on data sovereignty, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. The expanded work aims to embed AI driven tools that help clients manage compliance...
Microsoft (NasdaqGS:MSFT) and Capgemini have agreed to broaden their partnership to focus on sovereign cloud and AI services for highly regulated industries. The collaboration targets sectors such as government, healthcare, and finance, with an emphasis on data sovereignty, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. The expanded work aims to embed AI driven tools that help clients manage compliance requirements and operational resilience as cloud adoption continues to grow. Microsoft,...
WhatsApp ( META ) has been blocked in Russia, the Kremlin confirmed on Thursday, a move intended to ramp up adoption of a state-backed app by its citizens. Moscow has been trying to get Russians to download the "MAX" app, which, on top of calls and texts, offers state services and allows users to verify identities via digital ID, pay utility bills, and use electronic signatures. "MAX is an accessi...
WhatsApp ( META ) has been blocked in Russia, the Kremlin confirmed on Thursday, a move intended to ramp up adoption of a state-backed app by its citizens. Moscow has been trying to get Russians to download the "MAX" app, which, on top of calls and texts, offers state services and allows users to verify identities via digital ID, pay utility bills, and use electronic signatures. "MAX is an accessible alternative, a developing messenger, a national messenger. And it is available on the market for citizens," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. However, the Meta-owned company alleged Russia is restricting WhatsApp and is forcefully pushing its citizens to install MAX to spy on them. "Today the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app," WhatsApp said on X. "Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia." However, Kremlin authorities claim WhatsApp failed to comply with local laws, which led to the move. "It’s a matter of complying with the law. If Meta complies and works with the Russian authorities, then we can reach some kind of an agreement," Peskov said. The move against WhatsApp comes immediately after the rival app Telegram was restricted by the Russian state media regulator for failing to curb illegal activity on the platform. Since August 2025, the regulator has been selectively blocking video and audio calls on both platforms. WhatsApp is currently accessible in Russia via VPN, and as of December, it had 94.5M monthly users. Dear readers: We recognize that politics often intersects with the financial news of the day, so we invite you to click here to join the separate political discussion. More on Meta Meta Platforms: Snatch Up This Big Tech Deal Now Meta Is Playing The Long Game, And It's Paying Off Meta Platforms: Follow The Numbers Meta comes under scrutiny after WSJ report hig...
(RTTNews) - Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc.(LECO), a manufacturer of welding products, arc welding equipment, welding accessories, and others, on Thursday reported a decline in net income, due to increased income tax and interest expenses. However, the company registered a rise i
(RTTNews) - Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc.(LECO), a manufacturer of welding products, arc welding equipment, welding accessories, and others, on Thursday reported a decline in net income, due to increased income tax and interest expenses. However, the company registered a rise i
(RTTNews) - While reporting financial results for the fourth quarter on Thursday, networking solutions provider Belden, Inc. (BDC) provided its earnings, adjusted earnings and revenue guidance for the first quarter.
(RTTNews) - While reporting financial results for the fourth quarter on Thursday, networking solutions provider Belden, Inc. (BDC) provided its earnings, adjusted earnings and revenue guidance for the first quarter.
Alphabet issued a 100 year bond as part of a record $20b multi currency debt sale to fund AI and cloud infrastructure spending planned for 2026. The company shifted from relying mainly on internal cash generation to raising large scale long term debt to support data center and AI chip investments. The EU granted unconditional approval for Alphabet's $32b acquisition of cloud security company Wiz, ...
Alphabet issued a 100 year bond as part of a record $20b multi currency debt sale to fund AI and cloud infrastructure spending planned for 2026. The company shifted from relying mainly on internal cash generation to raising large scale long term debt to support data center and AI chip investments. The EU granted unconditional approval for Alphabet's $32b acquisition of cloud security company Wiz, its largest acquisition to date. Alphabet, NasdaqGS:GOOGL, is stepping up capital investment at...
Meta Platforms (NasdaqGS:META) has started construction on a new AI focused data center in Indiana with an expected cost of about US$10b. The facility is described as one of Meta's largest infrastructure projects so far and is designed with advanced sustainability features. The project includes long term community investment commitments and comes during a period of record AI capital spending and r...
Meta Platforms (NasdaqGS:META) has started construction on a new AI focused data center in Indiana with an expected cost of about US$10b. The facility is described as one of Meta's largest infrastructure projects so far and is designed with advanced sustainability features. The project includes long term community investment commitments and comes during a period of record AI capital spending and regulatory pressure in Europe. For you as an investor, this move speaks directly to what powers...
jpgfactory/iStock via Getty Images Major European banks are warning that a UK proposal to loosen capital requirements for electronic trading firms like Jane Street and Citadel Securities could boost the risk for a systemic crisis, according to a media report on Thursday. The UK's Financial Conduct Authority is considering easing the requirements for electronic trading firms, which have gained shar...
jpgfactory/iStock via Getty Images Major European banks are warning that a UK proposal to loosen capital requirements for electronic trading firms like Jane Street and Citadel Securities could boost the risk for a systemic crisis, according to a media report on Thursday. The UK's Financial Conduct Authority is considering easing the requirements for electronic trading firms, which have gained shares of market-making business from banks, on the basis that their failures don't hurt any depositors and thus carry less systemic risk. The Association for Financial Markets in Europe, in its response to the proposed changes, said a blanket reduction of capital requirements "does not reflect the systemic risks posed by large investment firms," Bloomberg reported. "Market risk standards should be calibrated to the activities and systemic footprint of a firm, rather than the legal form or the presence of retail deposits," Jeanie Watson, AFME's director for capital and risk management, wrote, according to the report. Rachel Reeves, the UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer, is urging the nation's financial regulators to implement policies that increase growth. The European Principal Traders Association, which counts Citadel Securities, Jane Street, and Hudson River Trading as its members, has welcomed the proposals, contending that current rules aren't "fit for purpose" because they're designed for banks. Among the seven options being discussed by the FCA is replacing the current European approach with a net capital rule that's similar to one the U.S. applies to dealers. Another streamlines requirements for firms preferring to use their own internal risk models, the article said. Publicly traded UK banks include Barclays ( BCS ), HSBC ( HSBC ), Lloyds Banking Group ( LYG ), NatWest Group ( NWG ). More on Barclays, HSBC Holdings Barclays PLC 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation HSBC: Privatization Edge Unlocks Structural Wealth Velocity Barclays: Is There Still Value Ahead ...
Getty Images Context Since PDD Holdings ( PDD ) was last covered (HOLD rating), the stock is up over 70% despite facing an onslaught of challenges in both their home market as well as internationally. In China, they are battling a price war against eCommerce rivals including Alibaba, JD.com, and Meituan (so brutal that the government stepped in this month to stabilize extreme competitive pressures...
Getty Images Context Since PDD Holdings ( PDD ) was last covered (HOLD rating), the stock is up over 70% despite facing an onslaught of challenges in both their home market as well as internationally. In China, they are battling a price war against eCommerce rivals including Alibaba, JD.com, and Meituan (so brutal that the government stepped in this month to stabilize extreme competitive pressures). In the U.S. and soon in Europe as well, the removal of the de minimis exemption has dramatically reduced their price advantage against established rivals, impacting user numbers and therefore GMV. Investors jitters over challenging operating conditions appear to have pushed their stock price into discount territory. Business and market context PDD Holdings is a Chinese eCommerce retailer. They operate two main platforms: Pinduoduo in China and Temu internationally. Founded just over a decade ago, Pinduoduo was a relative latecomer to China’s mature eCommerce market; however, their focus on ultra-low prices enabled them to capture a share of nearly 20% at the expense of established eCommerce incumbents Alibaba and JD.com. Their ability to deliver unrivaled savings was due to a strategy that included leveraging WeChat to encourage customers to make group purchases and avail themselves of group discounts (which not only increased volume and cut logistics expenses but also reduced customer acquisition thanks to word of mouth referrals by customers themselves), integrating social and gamification elements that offered a “Costco + Disneyland” shopping experience, as well as a relatively asset light strategy that enabled rapid scale up. Temu was founded less than five years ago in 2022 and has already expanded to at least 70 countries, of which the U.S. is their biggest market. Like Pinduoduo, Temu entered a highly established market dominated by Amazon ( AMZN ), but again, their focus on ultra-low cost, partly driven by the de minimis tax exemption, enabled them to capture a s...
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) shares jumped 9.11% over the past week on signals that Washington may ease export restrictions on older AI chips bound for China. The stock closed at $190.05 on February 11, building momentum ahead of Q4 earnings on February 25. The potential policy shift matters because Nvidia’s H20 chip, designed specifically for the Chinese ... The Nvidia-China dance continues
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) shares jumped 9.11% over the past week on signals that Washington may ease export restrictions on older AI chips bound for China. The stock closed at $190.05 on February 11, building momentum ahead of Q4 earnings on February 25. The potential policy shift matters because Nvidia’s H20 chip, designed specifically for the Chinese ... The Nvidia-China dance continues
When I picked the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHD) as a great buy for passive income investors in December, I certainly didn't expect it to rocket 14.7% higher less than six weeks into the new year, especially considering the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is only up 1.3%. Here's why this seemingly stodgy exchange-traded fund (ETF) is roaring to new heights and why it could still be a bu...
When I picked the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHD) as a great buy for passive income investors in December, I certainly didn't expect it to rocket 14.7% higher less than six weeks into the new year, especially considering the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is only up 1.3%. Here's why this seemingly stodgy exchange-traded fund (ETF) is roaring to new heights and why it could still be a buy now. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
(RTTNews) - Kimco Realty Corp. (KIM), a Real Estate Investment Trust, on Thursday reported lower net income in the fourth quarter compared with the previous year.
(RTTNews) - Kimco Realty Corp. (KIM), a Real Estate Investment Trust, on Thursday reported lower net income in the fourth quarter compared with the previous year.
LiveRamp ( RAMP ) increased its share repurchase authorization by $200M, bringing the total program size to $1.5B. The company extended the buyback program’s expiration date by one year to December 31, 2027. Following the expansion, ~$337M remains available for share repurchases through the end of 2027. More on LiveRamp LiveRamp Holdings, Inc. 2026 Q3 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation LiveRam...
LiveRamp ( RAMP ) increased its share repurchase authorization by $200M, bringing the total program size to $1.5B. The company extended the buyback program’s expiration date by one year to December 31, 2027. Following the expansion, ~$337M remains available for share repurchases through the end of 2027. More on LiveRamp LiveRamp Holdings, Inc. 2026 Q3 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation LiveRamp Holdings, Inc. (RAMP) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript LiveRamp Firms Guidance As System Upgrades And Share Buybacks Progress LiveRamp aims for Rule of 40 by FY '28 while advancing AI-driven growth and usage-based pricing LiveRamp Q3 2026 Earnings Preview