Bets on a ceasefire between the US and Iran have sent more than $170 million coursing through Polymarket, making it one of the largest geopolitical wagers in the short history of prediction markets. Now, the aftermath is raising the same questions that have dogged the platforms for months: whether bettors are trading on inside information, and whether the platforms can cleanly settle the contracts...
Bets on a ceasefire between the US and Iran have sent more than $170 million coursing through Polymarket, making it one of the largest geopolitical wagers in the short history of prediction markets. Now, the aftermath is raising the same questions that have dogged the platforms for months: whether bettors are trading on inside information, and whether the platforms can cleanly settle the contracts they broker. A series of well-timed Iran wagers placed on Polymarket by freshly created anonymous accounts have generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits so far, prompting analysts to scour the trades for tell-tale signs of insider activity. Some payouts on Middle East-related bets are now frozen in a dispute, with traders unable to collect as users debate what constitutes a ceasefire. Together, they expose the growing pains of an industry that is still building the infrastructure to match its ambitions. Almost all of the recent cases that raised insider trading concerns have been based on circumstantial evidence, with no smoking gun pointing to specific insiders at work. On Wednesday, blockchain analytics firm Lookonchain highlighted three recently created accounts that secured more than $480,000 in profits by betting on a ceasefire by April 7 and selling the positions at high prices. The final result of the April 7 contract remains under dispute, a process that will force most traders to wait for more than two days for payouts. Total volume on the market has topped $60 million and remains open for trading while the dispute is resolved. The contracts highlight a persistent problem in prediction markets, where real-world events don’t always resolve according to black-and-white criteria. What’s more, the growing array of suspicious activity is adding urgency to efforts to address the new risks opened up by prediction markets at a moment when Wall Street is moving to legitimize them and everyday users are piling in. Prediction markets offer a way to make yes-or-n...
President Xi Jinping has signalled a renewed focus on China’s services sector, calling for a demand- and tech-led strategy to reshape growth and create jobs, as policymakers met to chart the path forward. “The focus must be on demand-driven development and reforms as well as empowerment by technologies,” Xi said in a message to a two-day conference on the sector that concluded on Wednesday, accord...
President Xi Jinping has signalled a renewed focus on China’s services sector, calling for a demand- and tech-led strategy to reshape growth and create jobs, as policymakers met to chart the path forward. “The focus must be on demand-driven development and reforms as well as empowerment by technologies,” Xi said in a message to a two-day conference on the sector that concluded on Wednesday, according to state-run news agency Xinhua. Highlighting the role of services in tackling some of China’s...
Getty Images Every quarter, Wall Street breaks down Alphabet Inc. ( GOOGL / GOOG ) by segments, which is why the company draws so much attention. There’s always something to discuss and argue about. And now, with the first-quarter 2026 earnings potentially on Apr. 29, 2026 , the stock will be coming back into the limelight after a brutal selloff that doesn’t align with the foundation of the underl...
Getty Images Every quarter, Wall Street breaks down Alphabet Inc. ( GOOGL / GOOG ) by segments, which is why the company draws so much attention. There’s always something to discuss and argue about. And now, with the first-quarter 2026 earnings potentially on Apr. 29, 2026 , the stock will be coming back into the limelight after a brutal selloff that doesn’t align with the foundation of the underlying business. As a shareholder, I have many reasons to be optimistic, which I’m excited to cover today. With that, and everything else outlined below, my Strong Buy rating for Alphabet stays in place. Where does Alphabet stock stand? Before anything else, let’s set the stage with where the stock sits today to help frame its trajectory. Seeking Alpha At the time of this publication, Alphabet last traded at around $305 per share , which puts it roughly 13% below its all-time high of about $350 per share set in early February this year, while the stock is modestly in the red zone on a year-to-date basis. That said, zooming out shows the share price has more than doubled over the past 12 months. It’s also worth noting that Alphabet was among the few companies that were less affected by the widespread growth stock selloff that’s been going on since late 2025, which potentially shows that the market woke up to the idea that Alphabet’s AI push isn’t a lab experiment, but something that can actually pay off over time. Going back, what’s behind the near-term weakness? Well, we had a perfect storm, with the center being the tension between the U.S. and Iran, which sent oil prices flying and triggered a broad selloff in growth stocks. That said, Alphabet was less affected. What did we learn in Alphabet’s Q4 ’25 earnings call? To see where a business is going, we first have to understand where it’s been. In Alphabet’s case, Q4’s numbers were as solid as ever. Revenue came in at $113.8 billion, rising 18% from the same quarter last year. Full year revenue crossed $400 billion, a new re...
According to the average brokerage recommendation (ABR), one should invest in JD.com (JD). It is debatable whether this highly sought-after metric is effective because Wall Street analysts' recommendations tend to be overly optimistic. Would it be worth investing in the stock?
According to the average brokerage recommendation (ABR), one should invest in JD.com (JD). It is debatable whether this highly sought-after metric is effective because Wall Street analysts' recommendations tend to be overly optimistic. Would it be worth investing in the stock?
Luis Alvarez/DigitalVision via Getty Images A list of long term S&P 500 beaters There aren't many funds that beat the market ( SPY, VOO, IVV ) using the S&P 500 ( SP500 ) as a proxy for this measure. There are, however, more than zero . A personal habit and hobby of mine is that every time I come across one, I print out the long-term chart and put it in a 3-ring binder. In today's article, I will ...
Luis Alvarez/DigitalVision via Getty Images A list of long term S&P 500 beaters There aren't many funds that beat the market ( SPY, VOO, IVV ) using the S&P 500 ( SP500 ) as a proxy for this measure. There are, however, more than zero . A personal habit and hobby of mine is that every time I come across one, I print out the long-term chart and put it in a 3-ring binder. In today's article, I will be reviewing some long-term S&P 500 beaters from the inception of either the fund or the proxy I'm using, State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust , which came to market just prior to 1994. This is a healthy 30 + year back test period. I also look at some promising prospects that aren't yet a decade old, but have beaten over the short term, 3-5 years. As we know, many funds have prolific managers who may leave a decade or two after the fund debuts. This often times results in holders from the initial offering having a long-term beating performance, but not those in the more near term 10,5 and 3-year periods. We will also be parsing those out. Why aren't there many? Anything that beats the S&P 500 with a similar standard deviation [volatility measure] is going to be an active strategy for the most part. It's very hard to create a passive index that topples the S&P 500 over long periods of time. Growth indexes have been the one caveat, but they also introduce a lot more volatility. That very volatility is something that many retirees seek to avoid if they are now in the distribution phase . You don't want to be chasing a moving target if you are selling shares to live on. Fees When it comes to active strategies, these usually introduce more fees as well. Fees hurt the total return being taken from the principal. This is why most investing gurus recommend simple, low-fee index funds. However, if a fund can get you enough excess return to more than make up for the fee, then that fee is well earned. There aren't many managers who can do it. But they do exist. A short list: BlackRock ...
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images News Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday described the recent conflict with Iran as a decisive success, speaking a day after Washington and Tehran agreed to a temporary halt in fighting. “Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield,” Hegseth said, referring to the Pentagon’s designation for the campaign. The comments followed ...
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images News Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday described the recent conflict with Iran as a decisive success, speaking a day after Washington and Tehran agreed to a temporary halt in fighting. “Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield,” Hegseth said, referring to the Pentagon’s designation for the campaign. The comments followed an announcement by Donald Trump that the United States and Iran had reached a two-week ceasefire agreement. The pause in hostilities is expected to lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route that has been closed since late February when US and Israeli forces launched operations against Iran. The disruption to the waterway had driven energy prices sharply higher and increased pressure on the administration to find a diplomatic resolution. “Iran begged for this ceasefire — and we all know it,” Hegseth said. U.S. officials have offered varying justifications for the conflict over time, but Hegseth said the core objectives had been achieved. He pointed to the dismantling of Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities, the destruction of naval assets that had threatened commercial shipping and strikes targeting the country’s defense production infrastructure. Despite the ceasefire, military leaders signaled that tensions remain unresolved. Dan Caine welcomed the pause in fighting but emphasized that U.S. forces are maintaining readiness, noting the agreement is temporary rather than a permanent settlement. Dear Readers: We recognize that politics often intersect with the financial news of the day, so we invite you to click here to join the separate political discussion. More on iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF, State Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF, etc. Ceasefire Crash: Oil Tumbles 15% As U.S.-Iran Deal Unwinds Global 'Fear Trade' Commodities: Oil Slumps Below $100 After U.S., Iran Agree To 2-Week Ceasefire 10 Hours To $150 Oil? The Looming D...
Hours after the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, an executive from an Abu Dhabi fund booked the first flight back to the Emirati capital, while another said they plan to return over the weekend. Others were more circumspect, waiting to see if the truce holds. A private banker usually based in Abu Dhabi and a trader at a hedge fund plan to wait out the two-week period before booking flig...
Hours after the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, an executive from an Abu Dhabi fund booked the first flight back to the Emirati capital, while another said they plan to return over the weekend. Others were more circumspect, waiting to see if the truce holds. A private banker usually based in Abu Dhabi and a trader at a hedge fund plan to wait out the two-week period before booking flights, while a Dubai-based finance professional is heading back despite being unsure when the war will end. Even among those looking to return immediately, at least some plan to head back without their families — for now. The divide indicates how employees are trying to balance their desire to return to the United Arab Emirates against lingering security risks, with confidence in a quick rebound tempered by caution over the durability of a truce described by US Vice President JD Vance as “fragile.” It wasn’t clear when the accord takes effect, but the UAE as well as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain were targeted in the hours after was unveiled. Even as US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared victory , Saudi Arabia’s oil pipeline to the Red Sea was hit by a drone attack . To be sure, such lags are not uncommon in conflicts, with hostilities often continuing before gradually tapering. Still, analysts have cautioned significant differences remain between the US and Iran’s demands to bring the war to a complete end. “The US has conceded a lot for now, so this requires significant softening of Iranian positions in coming days to avert a resumption of fighting,” said Elliot Hentov , chief macro policy strategist at State Street Investment Management. Read More: Hedge Funds, Banks Forced Into Contingency Mode in the UAE Still, the bankers’ moves hint at the region’s pull despite a month-long conflict that began after US and Israel struck Iran on Feb. 28. Those attacks prompted Tehran to target airports, energy infrastructure and hotels across oil-rich Persian gulf countries. The ...
FREDERICK, Md., April 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc. ® (“TOMI”) (NASDAQ: TOMZ), a global leader in disinfection and decontamination solutions is pleased to announce that its preliminary unaudited revenue for the first quarter of 2026 was approximately $1.7 million, reflecting a 67% sequential increase from Q4 2025.
FREDERICK, Md., April 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc. ® (“TOMI”) (NASDAQ: TOMZ), a global leader in disinfection and decontamination solutions is pleased to announce that its preliminary unaudited revenue for the first quarter of 2026 was approximately $1.7 million, reflecting a 67% sequential increase from Q4 2025.
Phoenix Education Partners, Inc. ( PXED ) declares $0.21/share quarterly dividend , in line with previous. Forward yield 2.71% Payable May 22; for shareholders of record April 29; ex-div April 29. See PXED Dividend Scorecard, Yield Chart, & Dividend Growth. More on Phoenix Education Partners, Inc. Phoenix Education Partners, Inc. (PXED) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript Phoenix Education Partners: ...
Phoenix Education Partners, Inc. ( PXED ) declares $0.21/share quarterly dividend , in line with previous. Forward yield 2.71% Payable May 22; for shareholders of record April 29; ex-div April 29. See PXED Dividend Scorecard, Yield Chart, & Dividend Growth. More on Phoenix Education Partners, Inc. Phoenix Education Partners, Inc. (PXED) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript Phoenix Education Partners: A Top Tier Play In For-Profit Education Phoenix Education Partners: Attractive Valuation With A Clearer Business Model Phoenix Education Partners, Inc. Non-GAAP EPS of $0.58, revenue of $222.4M Phoenix Education Partners reiterates $1.025B–$1.035B revenue outlook amid strong Q1 enrollment and AI-driven initiatives