Seaport Research Partners says Broadcom may need to help finance AI data centers, including an Anthropic project, raising concerns about industry strain.
Seaport Research Partners says Broadcom may need to help finance AI data centers, including an Anthropic project, raising concerns about industry strain.
peterschreiber.media The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite ( COMP:IND ) climbed 2.7% on Wednesday, buoyed by easing geopolitical tensions after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. The agreement, contingent on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and a halt to attacks, helped lift investor sentiment and drive risk appetite across growth-oriented equities. Within the Nasdaq 100 ( NDX ), m...
peterschreiber.media The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite ( COMP:IND ) climbed 2.7% on Wednesday, buoyed by easing geopolitical tensions after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. The agreement, contingent on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and a halt to attacks, helped lift investor sentiment and drive risk appetite across growth-oriented equities. Within the Nasdaq 100 ( NDX ), market breadth was notably strong, with 87 of its 100 constituents advancing during the session. Gains were led by several large-cap technology names, whose performance contributed meaningfully to the index’s overall rise. The broad-based rally underscores how sensitive equity markets remain to geopolitical developments. Investors will continue monitoring developments in the region for signs of sustained de-escalation and potential impacts on broader financial markets. In the near term, see the Nasdaq-100’s 10 best-performing stocks in Wednesday’s trading session. Lam Research Corporation ( LRCX ), +10.1% Applied Materials, Inc. ( AMAT ), +8.7% Intel Corporation ( INTC ), +8.6% Western Digital Corporation ( WDC ), +8.4% Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ), +7.7% Axon Enterprise, Inc. ( AXON ), +7.4% ASML Holding N.V. ( ASML ), +7.4% KLA Corporation ( KLAC ), +7.3% Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. ( MPWR ), +6.5% Airbnb, Inc. ( ABNB ), +6.5% Nasdaq ETFs: ( QQQ ), ( QQQM ), ( SQQQ ), ( TQQQ ), ( QLD ), and ( QID ). More on markets VIX falls below 20 for the first time since the conflict began in the Middle East Why this oil rally isn’t crashing stocks—Deutsche Bank breaks it down Ceasefire uncertainty looms large as prediction markets signal a long road to de-escalation Cantor Fitzgerald calls the market pullback a buying opportunity despite Middle East risks From oil surge to economic slowdown: SA analysts see recession risks rising
(L/R) US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth looks on as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 8, 2026. Mandel Ngan | Afp | Getty Images The first vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since Iran and the U.S. reached a two-week ceasefire deal, ship-tracking service MarineTraffic said Wednesday. Bu...
(L/R) US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth looks on as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 8, 2026. Mandel Ngan | Afp | Getty Images The first vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since Iran and the U.S. reached a two-week ceasefire deal, ship-tracking service MarineTraffic said Wednesday. But more than 12 hours into the ceasefire, traffic through the vital waterway has not picked up beyond the slow trickle it has experienced throughout the war, experts and industry professionals say. Uncertainty and confusion in the maritime industry remain high, despite Iran's assurance that vessels will be able to safely navigate the strait during the ceasefire. That confusion stems in part from Tehran's caveat that passage through the strait is only possible "via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration to technical limitations." The potential for Iran to heavily toll ships is a key sticking point, a marine insurance executive, who did not want to be named on the record, told CNBC. Iran is planning to demand that shipping firms pay tolls in cryptocurrency to let their oil tankers through the strait, the Financial Times reported Wednesday morning. Iran will also be inspecting each ship for weapons, the FT reported, citing a spokesperson for Iran's oil, gas and petrochemical products. U.S. officials, boasting that the ceasefire agreement represents total victory over Iran, insisted Wednesday morning that the path for ships is clear. "The strait is open," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a press briefing. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine, asked at the same briefing if the strait is open right now, said, "I believe so, based on the diplomatic negotiation." President Donald Trump , meanwhile, said in a Truth Social post overnight that the U.S. "will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz." "There will be lots of positive...
Bitcoin could return above $100,000 in the short- to medium-term horizon, according to VanEck Head of Digital Assets Research Matthew Sigel. "I think that’s totally reasonable in one year’s time," Sigel told CNBC on April 2 when asked when investors...
Bitcoin could return above $100,000 in the short- to medium-term horizon, according to VanEck Head of Digital Assets Research Matthew Sigel. "I think that’s totally reasonable in one year’s time," Sigel told CNBC on April 2 when asked when investors...
The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission in Beijing. Photo: VCG China’s state asset regulator has set up a new bureau to oversee the overseas operations and assets of the country’s central state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) said Wednesday it has established an Overseas State-owned Assets Working Bureau. T...
The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission in Beijing. Photo: VCG China’s state asset regulator has set up a new bureau to oversee the overseas operations and assets of the country’s central state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) said Wednesday it has established an Overseas State-owned Assets Working Bureau. The new unit will guide international operations, optimize offshore asset allocation, mitigate investment risks and handle overseas emergencies, according to the agency.
In Netflix’s Trust Me: The False Prophet, documentarians in disguise help bring down a cult leader now serving a 50-year sentence Film-making affects change. Director Rachel Dretzin, a former investigative journalist for Frontline, will testify to that. “These films that I’m making,” says Dretzin, “that other documentarians are making, are often more effective than the legal system at affecting ch...
In Netflix’s Trust Me: The False Prophet, documentarians in disguise help bring down a cult leader now serving a 50-year sentence Film-making affects change. Director Rachel Dretzin, a former investigative journalist for Frontline, will testify to that. “These films that I’m making,” says Dretzin, “that other documentarians are making, are often more effective than the legal system at affecting change; psychological change and also sometimes systemic and criminal change.” Continue reading...
Taoping ( TAOP ) secured over $3M in new smart elevator orders via its subsidiary Skyladder (Tianjin) Technology Development to support elevator deployment, upgrades, and maintenance services. Backed by this momentum, the company terminated its Oct 17, 2025, non-binding LOI to acquire Alphalion Holdings, prioritizing higher-return opportunities within its core elevator business. Stock is slightly ...
Taoping ( TAOP ) secured over $3M in new smart elevator orders via its subsidiary Skyladder (Tianjin) Technology Development to support elevator deployment, upgrades, and maintenance services. Backed by this momentum, the company terminated its Oct 17, 2025, non-binding LOI to acquire Alphalion Holdings, prioritizing higher-return opportunities within its core elevator business. Stock is slightly trading lower at $1.25. Source: Press Release More on Taoping Financial information for Taoping
Companies like ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) and ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) are finding themselves at the right place at the right time just now. Not only do they benefit from rising oil prices, but these are also the types of investments people seek out during times of economic uncertainty, thanks to their dividend payouts that can be supported by those higher oil prices. Shares of both companies have a...
Companies like ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) and ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) are finding themselves at the right place at the right time just now. Not only do they benefit from rising oil prices, but these are also the types of investments people seek out during times of economic uncertainty, thanks to their dividend payouts that can be supported by those higher oil prices. Shares of both companies have already climbed more than 37% just this year, so pairing more potential stock price appreciation with dividend returns is a powerful combination. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images News OpenAI ( OPENAI ) has released a Child Safety Blueprint as generative artificial intelligence has led to a greater proliferation of child sex abuse material, and child safety lawsuits against tech giants continue to mount. The framework of the Child Safety Blueprint is built on three priorities. This includes modernizing state legislation to enable enforceable act...
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images News OpenAI ( OPENAI ) has released a Child Safety Blueprint as generative artificial intelligence has led to a greater proliferation of child sex abuse material, and child safety lawsuits against tech giants continue to mount. The framework of the Child Safety Blueprint is built on three priorities. This includes modernizing state legislation to enable enforceable actions; improving CyberTipline report quality and operational collaboration so the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and law enforcement can act faster with less friction; and interrupting exploitation attempts before harm occurs while also generating higher-quality signals when threats emerge. OpenAI worked with several organizations to develop the framework, such as the NCMEC, the Attorney General Alliance and its AI Task Force, and Thorn, a nonprofit developed to stop the spread of CSAM. The number of annual filings of CSAM reported to the NCMEC increased from 450,000 in 2004 to more than 61M by 2024, according to Thorn. "Generative AI is accelerating the crime of online child sexual exploitation in deeply troubling ways—lowering barriers, increasing scale, and enabling new forms of harm," said NCMEC CEO Michelle DeLaune. "But at the same time, the NCMEC is encouraged to see companies like OpenAI reflect on how these tools can be designed more responsibly, with safeguards built in from the start . No single organization, business, or sector can address this alone. We remain committed to working with partners across industry, government, and the child protection community to advance solutions that reduce harm and better support children's safety." "Through collaboration and innovation, AGA is setting a strong standard for how we safeguard youth while responsibly embracing emerging technologies," said Karen White, executive director of the Attorney General Alliance. More on OpenAI Nadella's Flip-Flop OpenAI's Dilemma Wall Street Lunch: ChatGPT Tops 800M Week...
artisteer/iStock via Getty Images I previously covered AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) ( ABBV:CA ) in October 2024, discussing why the stock remained a great Buy albeit upon a slight correction to the Q1'24 levels of $180s for an improved upside potential. In this article, I shall discuss why I am reiterating my Buy rating for ABBV as the stock nears its Q4'25/Q1'26 technical support, aided by the management...
artisteer/iStock via Getty Images I previously covered AbbVie Inc. ( ABBV ) ( ABBV:CA ) in October 2024, discussing why the stock remained a great Buy albeit upon a slight correction to the Q1'24 levels of $180s for an improved upside potential. In this article, I shall discuss why I am reiterating my Buy rating for ABBV as the stock nears its Q4'25/Q1'26 technical support, aided by the management's excellent portfolio renewal beyond the prior Humira patent expiry. ABBV Proves Their Big Pharma Competency ABBV 1Y Stock Price (Trading View) Since my last Buy rating nearer to the Q1'24 levels of $180s for an improved margin of safety, ABBV has already pulled back as posited, albeit more than expected to the prior trading floor of $160s after the poorly received FQ3'24 earnings call . 1. Portfolio Renewal Otherwise, given the established uptrend support line since November 2023, it is apparent that the pharmaceutical company remains well positioned to drive renewed growth beyond Humira's prior patent expiry in 2023, thanks to Skyrizi's and Rinvoq's promising double-digit growth thus far. For example, ABBV has reported a robust global Skyrizi net revenues of $5B in FQ4'25 (+32.5% YoY) and global Rinvoq net revenues of $2.374B (+29.5% YoY), with it well balancing the ongoing Humira erosion at $1.246B (-25.9% YoY) to deliver an excellent overall revenues of $16.618B (+10% YoY). This alone presents the most important picture of ABBV's pharmaceutical capability, significantly aided by Skyrizi's and Rinvoq's elongated patent expiry through 2033 and 2037, with it underscoring their resilient portfolio prospects. Readers may also want to note that Skyrizi (risankizumab) is a result of ABBV's global collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim since 2016 , with the initial US FDA approval for psoriasis in 2019 and the subsequent indication expansion to active ulcerative colitis in 2024 underscoring the management's success in pushing out blockbuster therapies. This is significantly a...
Sundry Photography As a standalone entity from FedEx ( FDX ), FedEx Freight will become the largest pure-play less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier. The company has also shared its medium-term goals at its inaugural Investor Day presentation, forecasting a 4% to 6% increase in revenue on a compounded annual basis, and 10% to 12% CAGR in operating income. “FedEx Freight is well-positioned to drive prof...
Sundry Photography As a standalone entity from FedEx ( FDX ), FedEx Freight will become the largest pure-play less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier. The company has also shared its medium-term goals at its inaugural Investor Day presentation, forecasting a 4% to 6% increase in revenue on a compounded annual basis, and 10% to 12% CAGR in operating income. “FedEx Freight is well-positioned to drive profitable growth through greater focus, disciplined capital allocation, and targeted investments in its network and technology," said Brad Martin, current executive chairman of the FedEx board of directors and incoming chairman of the board of FedEx Freight. FedEx Freight targets free cash flow generation of more than $1B with free cash flow conversion greater than 90%. In the most recent quarter, FedEx Freight generated $2B in revenue, down 5% from a year earlier. FedEx Freight is expected to spin off from FedEx ( FDX ) on June 1, subject to board approval. The stock will be listed on the NYSE with the ticker symbol FDXF. More on FedEx FedEx: Premium Mix And Network Optimization Supporting High-Quality Growth FedEx: A Strong Q3, But A Rich Valuation FedEx Corporation 2026 Q3 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Meet FedEx Freight: The LTL trucking player spinning off from FedEx Trump budget proposes TSA job cuts, $1.5B reduction in funding
PeopleImages/iStock via Getty Images Rotation, Volatility and Opportunity in SMID Growth Market Overview Small and mid cap (SMID) growth equities as measured by the Russell 2500 Growth Index declined 3.5% during the first quarter as market leadership rotated away from a narrow set of mega-cap growth leaders and toward a broader set of companies, including value-oriented and more cyclical areas of ...
PeopleImages/iStock via Getty Images Rotation, Volatility and Opportunity in SMID Growth Market Overview Small and mid cap (SMID) growth equities as measured by the Russell 2500 Growth Index declined 3.5% during the first quarter as market leadership rotated away from a narrow set of mega-cap growth leaders and toward a broader set of companies, including value-oriented and more cyclical areas of the market. This shift in leadership has been somewhat counterintuitive given the macroeconomic backdrop. Rising rate expectations, as well as persistent and uneven inflation data, would historically be expected to weigh more heavily on smaller cap equities. However, the unwinding of crowded positioning in large cap technology — particularly within the Magnificent Seven — alongside early signs of stabilization in select cyclical end markets, has supported relative outperformance across SMID equities. The macroeconomic and geopolitical backdrop remains highly fluid, with the first quarter marked by a rapid and often disorienting pace of headline-driven developments, including escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, renewed policy uncertainty and a debatably shifting monetary policy framework following the appointment of a new Fed Chair. To that point, market expectations for rate cuts were revised lower over the quarter as inflation remained stubborn and energy prices rose rapidly. At the same time, the debate around the potential for accelerated disruption driven by artificial intelligence (AI) has reached a fever pitch, catalyzed by impressive new large language model (LLM) model releases and intensifying investor concerns around the AI disintermediation impact on existing business models, particularly in software and services. These concerns have contributed to increased dispersion within sectors, as areas perceived to have greater obsolescence risk — such as horizontal/front-office software, information services and contract research organizations (CROs) in ...