Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW) investors must be feeling frustrated by events in 2026. The U.S. manufacturing sector has been in a slowdown over the last couple of years, and as soon as it starts to recover, along comes a major conflict in the Persian Gulf to muddy the waters. The uncertainty created by the conflict took its toll on the stock in March, with the stock declining by 10.4% according ...
Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW) investors must be feeling frustrated by events in 2026. The U.S. manufacturing sector has been in a slowdown over the last couple of years, and as soon as it starts to recover, along comes a major conflict in the Persian Gulf to muddy the waters. The uncertainty created by the conflict took its toll on the stock in March, with the stock declining by 10.4% according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence , but its underlying growth prospects look good. After 10 months of contraction, the U.S. manufacturing sector has reported growth in every month this year, at least according to the Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) Purchasing Managers Index (PMI). Not only is the overall PMI in positive territory, but the new orders index is too. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
Dougal Waters David Zervos, chief market strategist at Jefferies, expressed concern that the Federal Reserve is overlooking a critical supply-side dynamic in the labor market. Speaking in an interview with CNBC, Zervos argued that job creation is being suppressed by technological innovation even as the broader economy continues to grow above expectations. “We’ve been seeing the unemployment rate r...
Dougal Waters David Zervos, chief market strategist at Jefferies, expressed concern that the Federal Reserve is overlooking a critical supply-side dynamic in the labor market. Speaking in an interview with CNBC, Zervos argued that job creation is being suppressed by technological innovation even as the broader economy continues to grow above expectations. “We’ve been seeing the unemployment rate rise steadily for three years while growth has been way above most estimates of potential,” Zervos explained. He noted that the economy has maintained growth between 2.5% and 2.75%, nearly touching 3% in 2024, yet employment trends have weakened alongside rising productivity. The strategist dismissed the notion that rate hikes were ever seriously on the table for the Fed, though he acknowledged such moves may have been more plausible in Europe and the UK. He observed that long-term interest rates and inflation expectations remained largely stable throughout recent market volatility, suggesting investors viewed the situation as a temporary pause rather than a fundamental shift. Zervos argued that a less restrictive Fed policy could help ease labor market challenges. “I think it would create jobs in construction. I think it would spur housing. I think it would make the potential pain of a transition in many of these industries where technology is likely to cause significant displacements; it would ease some of that pain,” he said. The strategist also pushed back against concerns about private credit risks, calling them “small potatoes in the grand scheme of credit” and noting that most of the private credit market is investment grade. He expressed little interest in pursuing that narrative as a significant market concern. Despite his concerns about employment trends, Zervos noted that risk asset markets have shown remarkable resilience. He observed that virtually everyone he speaks with has been surprised by how well equities, bonds, and currencies have held up amid recent vol...
Saudi Arabia’s oil pipeline to the Red Sea was hit by a drone attack on Wednesday afternoon, according to a person familiar with the matter. The damage is still being assessed, the person said. Saudi Aramco declined to comment. The East-West pipeline has served as a vital lifeline to getting Saudi oil to global markets after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed by the conflict in the Middle...
Saudi Arabia’s oil pipeline to the Red Sea was hit by a drone attack on Wednesday afternoon, according to a person familiar with the matter. The damage is still being assessed, the person said. Saudi Aramco declined to comment. The East-West pipeline has served as a vital lifeline to getting Saudi oil to global markets after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed by the conflict in the Middle East. The attack was first reported by the FT.
(RTTNews) - Spectral AI, Inc. (MDAI), a predictive analytics company, on Wednesday announced the appointment of David McGuire as chief financial officer, effective May 4, 2026.
(RTTNews) - Spectral AI, Inc. (MDAI), a predictive analytics company, on Wednesday announced the appointment of David McGuire as chief financial officer, effective May 4, 2026.
Kits Eyecare press release ( KITS:CA ): FY26 Q1 revenue of $57.4M (+23.0% Y/Y) from $46.66M. Adjusted EBITDA increased Q/Q to exceed 6% of revenue, while g lasses revenue expanded approximately 61% Y/Y to $10.8M. Cash position remains strong at approximately $18.9M. The company will report its full Q1 2026 results in early May, with conference call details to be announced soon. More on Kits Eyecar...
Kits Eyecare press release ( KITS:CA ): FY26 Q1 revenue of $57.4M (+23.0% Y/Y) from $46.66M. Adjusted EBITDA increased Q/Q to exceed 6% of revenue, while g lasses revenue expanded approximately 61% Y/Y to $10.8M. Cash position remains strong at approximately $18.9M. The company will report its full Q1 2026 results in early May, with conference call details to be announced soon. More on Kits Eyecare Kits Eyecare: A Buying Opportunity After The Recent Sell-Off Kits Eyecare Ltd. (KITS:CA) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Historical earnings data for Kits Eyecare Financial information for Kits Eyecare
hapabapa/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Morgan Stanley ( MS ) on Wednesday announced the launch of Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust, an exchange-traded product that seeks to track the performance of bitcoin. The exchange-traded product is set to be launched by Morgan Stanley Investment Management, the first U.S. bank-affiliated asset manager that offers cryptocurrency ETP. "ETPs remain a powerful w...
hapabapa/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Morgan Stanley ( MS ) on Wednesday announced the launch of Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust, an exchange-traded product that seeks to track the performance of bitcoin. The exchange-traded product is set to be launched by Morgan Stanley Investment Management, the first U.S. bank-affiliated asset manager that offers cryptocurrency ETP. "ETPs remain a powerful way for investors to gain exposure to new asset classes within a transparent and regulated framework," said Ally Wallace, global head of ETF strategy at Morgan Stanley Investment Management. Coinbase ( COIN ) and Bank of New York Mellon ( BK ) are set to provide digital asset custody services for the ETP. More on Morgan Stanley Morgan Stanley (MS) Presents at European Financials Conference 2026 Transcript Wall Street Lunch: Private Credit Funds Face $10B Investor Exit Wave Morgan Stanley A Vs. E Preferred Shares: Rating Change For Both Morgan Stanley raised to Buy at UBS as recent stock weakness provides opportunity for investors
IRAs aren't as widely used as 401(k)s, but they're effective retirement accounts that can play a valuable role in people's retirement finances. They're flexible like standard brokerage accounts, but come with tax breaks that brokerage accounts don't. If you don't currently have an IRA, check out our list of the best IRA brokers to get started before Tax Day . It's not too late to open one and take...
IRAs aren't as widely used as 401(k)s, but they're effective retirement accounts that can play a valuable role in people's retirement finances. They're flexible like standard brokerage accounts, but come with tax breaks that brokerage accounts don't. If you don't currently have an IRA, check out our list of the best IRA brokers to get started before Tax Day . It's not too late to open one and take advantage of it. If you do have an IRA, make sure you're aware of the April 15 deadline, so you don't potentially leave thousands on the table. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
"The Pulse With Francine Lacqua" is all about conversations with high profile guests in the beating heart of global business, economics, finance and politics. Based in London, we go wherever the story is, bringing you exclusive interviews and market-moving scoops. Today's guests: Myles Bradshaw, JPMorgan Asset Management, Head of Global Aggregate Strategies; Alessia Berardi, Amundi Investment Inst...
"The Pulse With Francine Lacqua" is all about conversations with high profile guests in the beating heart of global business, economics, finance and politics. Based in London, we go wherever the story is, bringing you exclusive interviews and market-moving scoops. Today's guests: Myles Bradshaw, JPMorgan Asset Management, Head of Global Aggregate Strategies; Alessia Berardi, Amundi Investment Institute, Emerging Macro Strategy Head; Julien Barnes-Dacey, European Council on Foreign Relations, Middle East and North Africa Programme Director; Rafaèle Tordjman, Jeito Capital, Founder and CEO. (Source: Bloomberg)
Indian households expect a sharp pickup in inflation over the next three months, Reserve Bank of India surveys showed, reflecting concerns over the conflict in the Middle East. Households’ current inflation perception rose 30 basis points in a survey conducted during February 25 to March 10 in 19 major cities. Expectations for inflation three months ahead climbed 60 basis points, while the one-yea...
Indian households expect a sharp pickup in inflation over the next three months, Reserve Bank of India surveys showed, reflecting concerns over the conflict in the Middle East. Households’ current inflation perception rose 30 basis points in a survey conducted during February 25 to March 10 in 19 major cities. Expectations for inflation three months ahead climbed 60 basis points, while the one-year outlook edged up 20 basis points, the RBI said in its latest survey released Wednesday. “Households expect price and inflationary pressures across most of the product groups including food product, non-food product, and cost of services for both the time horizons,” the RBI said. In such surveys, the direction of change, rather than the absolute level, is more important. Earlier in the day, the RBI kept key policy rates unchanged , as it waited to monitor the impact of surging oil prices on the economy. Governor Sanjay Malhotra warned that elevated commodity prices and supply chain disruptions could weigh on the central bank’s growth and inflation projections of 6.9% and 4.6% for the current fiscal year. In separate surveys, the RBI found that consumer confidence in both urban and rural areas had turned pessimistic. “Higher proportions of respondents in the current survey round reported rising prices and inflation for both the current period and the year-ahead horizon,” the RBI said on rural responses. It reported similar trends in urban areas, where households’ assessment of the employment situation has also deteriorated.
J Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images On Monday, I stuck my neck out with a prediction that the correction lows in the major market indexes were behind us. Stocks opened sharply lower yesterday after President Trump reiterated his threats to wipe out the Iranian civilization at 8 p.m. last night if his demands were not met to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Yet investors bid up stocks throug...
J Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images On Monday, I stuck my neck out with a prediction that the correction lows in the major market indexes were behind us. Stocks opened sharply lower yesterday after President Trump reiterated his threats to wipe out the Iranian civilization at 8 p.m. last night if his demands were not met to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Yet investors bid up stocks throughout the day until the S&P 500 managed to turn green minutes before the closing bell. Unsurprisingly, the President announced after the close that he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire, which was orchestrated by the prime minister of Pakistan. Stocks bounce (Bloomberg) Evidently, this ceasefire includes Iran, the United States, and Israel, assuming Iran fully reopens the strait, which it appears they have agreed to do. As a result, oil prices plunged, with WTI falling some $18 to $94.50, while Brent is down more than $15 to $94. Gold and silver are surging, and S&P 500 futures are up nearly 3%. The dollar is giving back its gains, and Treasuries are rallying with yields falling, as investors begin to see an interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve back on the table for this year. It has paid to stay on the bullish side of the aisle during this conflict, but volatility is bound to continue in a world that is far less certain, which argues for maintaining cash in portfolios to be opportunistic. Capital goods orders (Briefing.com) In another sign of economic resilience, orders for durable goods declined 1.4% in February, but when we exclude the volatile transportation category, sales rose 0.8% and 6% over the past year. Most importantly, shipments of non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, which is the measure used to calculate GDP, rose 0.9% in February. We are currently at an annualized run rate in the first quarter that is 5.3% above the fourth quarter and should lift the rate of economic growth. Businesses continue to spend at a healthy rate. Insider buying (inside...