While the US president’s many mentions in the Esptein files seem to have no consequences, in the UK Starmer could be the first world leader to fall All around Europe, the political and business elite are facing an inquest on what blinded so many to think it was permissible to consort with a known sex trafficker. As the 3m emails and 1,800 photos released on Friday by the US Department of Justice start to percolate across the continent and through to national media, questions about the moral fibre of this elite are starting to be asked at markedly different levels of intensity. Squirming businessmen, bankers, politicians, royals, academics, tech bros and partners in law firms have become entangled in Jeffrey Epstein’s interlocking circles of money, power and sex. It seems there was no one in a position of power that Epstein was not in email contact with, and that there was little limit to what this networking elite was prepared to do in return for a gift, a contact or an invite to a sexually charged party. Elon Musk was right when in July 2025 he tweeted – only to quickly delete it – that “so many powerful people want that list suppressed”. Continue reading...

Earnings Call Insights: Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL) Q4 2025 Management View Robert Frenzel, President, CEO & Chairman, reported that "Xcel Energy expects to invest in excess of $60 billion to modernize and expand the grid, adding advanced transmission and distribution infrastructure, new natural gas and renewable generation and smart, weather-hardened infrastructure" over the next five years. Frenzel emphasized the company's ongoing earnings of $3.80 per share for 2025, marking "the 21st consecutive year of meeting or exceeding our initial ongoing earnings guidance." He highlighted operational milestones, including the start of Phase 2 of the Sherco solar project, the conversion of the Harrington coal plant to natural gas, completion of wind repowerings at Border and Pleasant Valley, and the commissioning of the Rocky Mountain solar project in Colorado. Frenzel announced an updated capital plan that includes "an initial 7,000 megawatts of company-owned renewables, natural gas generation and storage across our states to transition our fleet and build for growth." The CEO noted that Xcel Energy has signed an MOU with NextEra Energy to "co-develop generation, storage and interconnections to serve data center projects across our operating companies." The company also announced a strategic alliance with GE Vernova to support projects into the 2030s, with Frenzel stating, "As a first step, Xcel Energy is purchasing 5 additional natural gas turbines from GE Vernova, bringing our total to 24 gas CTs on order across our vendors." Brian Van Abel, Executive VP & CFO, stated, "Xcel Energy reported ongoing earnings of $3.80 per share for full year 2025 compared to ongoing earnings of $3.50 per share in 2024." Outlook Van Abel reaffirmed, "We are reaffirming our 2026 EPS guidance range of $4.04 to $4.16. We remain confident in our ability to deliver 6% to 8-plus percent long-term earnings growth and expect to deliver 9% EPS growth on average through 2030." The company increased its da...

Arizona University, Taiwan School Partner on Semiconductor Workforce Development AdvancedManufacturing.org

Canadian stocks boomed in 2025 thanks to multiple catalysts. American stocks make up under half of global market capitalization -- yet the typical U.S. investor has over 70% of their portfolio in U.S. stocks. This tendency to prefer domestic companies, called "home country bias," isn't unique to Americans, as people everywhere are more comfortable with what's familiar. But with the U.S. accounting for just 25% of the global economy, giving in to home country bias can mean missing out on great opportunities. Last year, for instance, international equities outperformed the U.S. market -- and America's northern neighbor in particular is shining. The S&P/TSX Composite Index, Canada's equity benchmark, rose 28.3% last year, compared to the S&P 500's 16.4% gain. Expand SNPINDEX : ^GSPC S&P 500 Index Today's Change ( -1.12 %) $ -76.97 Current Price $ 6805.75 Key Data Points Day's Range $ 6780.13 - $ 6857.85 52wk Range $ 4835.04 - $ 7002.28 Volume 2.8B The 12-percentage-point beat marks the first time since 2016 that the Toronto gauge has beaten the S&P 500 in a bull market, and some analysts expect the outperformance to keep up through 2026. Why Canadian stocks are having a moment For the last three months, U.S. tech stocks have been essentially flat, as fears took hold that the white-hot rally in artificial intelligence (AI) stocks was rising into bubble territory. Since early November, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite has stayed essentially flat, rising just 0.4%. Canada's market doesn't have overvaluation fears weighing it down. While tech stocks make up a third of the S&P 500's value, tech is only the Canadian market's fifth-biggest sector. Tech makes up just 10% of the TSX Composite, which is heavier in banking and natural resource stocks. Financial firms are benefiting from falling interest rates, which at 2.3% are much lower than the 3.5% to 3.75% range the Federal Reserve opted for in its January meeting. This could change on April 29, the next time Fed officials ar...

What a crowded congressional primary in N.J. says about the state of Democrats toggle caption Spencer Platt/Getty Images; Alex Wong/Getty Images; Chris Pedota/USA Today Network via Reuters Eleven Democrats are vying to be the next representative from New Jersey's 11th Congressional District in a special primary election on Thursday. The winner of the Democratic primary will go on to face the lone Republican, Randolph Township Mayor Joe Hathaway, in the special general election in April. Mikie Sherrill resigned from the seat shortly after she won the state's gubernatorial election last November. The special primary contest is one of the first congressional primaries of the year where we will find out what issues are currently resonating with some Democratic voters. Here are some key things to know about the contest: Sponsor Message 1. A labor activist is seeking to upend the race Analilia Mejia, director of the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, has been endorsed by several progressive groups and politicians including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Locally, she has received the endorsement of Ras Baraka, the mayor of Newark, New Jersey's largest city. Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, campaigned alongside Mejia in January at an event at William Paterson University. "In a moment of rising authoritarianism, of economic insecurity, of state-sanctioned violence, any old blue just won't do," Meijia said at the event with Sanders. "If you send weak sauce to Congress, we will get weak sauce back." Meijia also called for ICE to be abolished at the event. "You can't reform that. It's not fixable," she said. "Get it out. Kick it over. It is done. Forget it." 2. A former congressman, from another district, is aiming for a political comeback Former Rep. Tom Malinowski, has the backing of New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim. In a video, Kim said he cited Malinowski's experience among his reas...

格隆汇2月6日｜加拿大央行行长麦克勒姆警告称，在经济尚未完全适应结构性变化的情况下就降低利率，可能会导致未来出现通货膨胀。麦克勒姆表示：“我们必须小心，以免误判经济形势的疲弱状况。”美国的关税政策，对加拿大经济造成了沉重打击。但麦克勒姆认为，这种供应冲击也是一种结构性变化。尽管货币政策有助于实现调整，但该工具无法恢复因贸易摩擦而丧失的生产效率。他表示：“货币政策不应试图弥补供应的缺失。在经济活动疲弱的情况下降低利率，如果这种疲弱是由于生产能力下降而非需求的周期性下滑所致，那么这样做可能会引发未来的通货膨胀。”他补充道，过度刺激的需求还可能阻碍“必要的结构性变革”。

While Google’s cloud growth blew Wall Street away, a Stifel analyst worries it will be difficult for Microsoft Azure to accelerate growth in the near future.

US benchmark equity indexes were lower intraday as traders parsed the latest batch of corporate earn Upgrade to read this MT Newswires article and get so much more. A Silver or Gold subscription plan is required to access premium news articles.

JP Morgan Lowers Price Target for Qualcomm (QCOM) to $185 | QCOM Stock News GuruFocus

JP Morgan Lowers Price Target for Qualcomm (QCOM) to $185 | QCOM Stock News GuruFocus

乌克兰总统泽连斯基表示：“今天，我们的谈判团队提交了一份报告，内容是他们在阿联酋与美俄双方进行了两天的会谈。我希望基辅的团队能提交一份完整的报告：很多方面无法通过电话讨论。” 他表示，“下一次会谈计划在近期举行，很可能是在美国。” 责任编辑：陈钰嘉

One day after The Wall Street Journal published a blockbuster story about Meta’s own dismal findings about teen girls’ mental health on Instagram, CEO Mark Zuckerberg wondered whether Meta should change how it studies its platforms’ potential harms. “Recent events have made me consider whether we should change our approach to research and analytics around social issues,” Zuckerberg wrote in a September 15, 2021 email to top executives including then-COO Sheryl Sandberg and head of global affairs Nick Clegg. The day before, the Journal published a story based on documents obtained from a whistleblower later revealed to be Francis Haugen, which showed the company’s own research had found that “Thirty-two percent of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse.” The subject line of Zuckerberg’s email read: “Social issue research and analytics — privileged and confidential.” The 2021 email was unsealed Thursday after being collected in discovery by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez as part of a case alleging Meta deceptively positioned its products as safe for teens, when it was aware of harmful design choices that the state claims addicted kids and allowed for child predators to thrive. In the complaint, the AG’s office alleged that disclosing harms Meta identified on its platforms “would have corrected the misleading and deceptive nature of its public statements proclaiming its platforms ‘safe.’” Meta spokesperson Andy Stone told The Verge in a statement that the company “is proud of our continued commitment to doing transparent, industry-leading research. As we have for years, we continue to use these insights to make meaningful improvements, like introducing teen accounts with built-in protections and providing parents with tools to manage their teens’ experiences.” The email is just one example of the kind of internal conversations expected to come to light throughout that trial, and in a series of cases with simi...

The stock price has climbed in the triple digits over three years. Eli Lilly (LLY 7.78%) stock soared 10% in one trading session this week, sparked by a strong earnings report. And the pharma giant's gains may be far from over. The company has been offering investors the best of both worlds in recent years: the "safety" pharma stocks are generally known for, along with a great deal of growth. How is Lilly doing this? The company has a vast portfolio of commercialized products, and this makes it a safe investment over time as patients need their medicines regardless of the economic environment. As for growth, Lilly has become a leader in the weight loss drug market, a market analysts expect to reach nearly $100 billion by the end of the decade. This has driven enormous gains in Lilly's stock price -- it's advanced 220% over three years -- as revenue has climbed. And just recently, this pharma powerhouse delivered fantastic news to shareholders. Lilly's weight loss drugs Before diving in, though, let's take a close look at Lilly's crown jewel: its weight loss portfolio. Lilly sells two drugs that have been making headlines thanks to their ability to help people lose weight. They are Mounjaro and Zepbound, the commercial names for tirzepatide. Regulators approved Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes back in 2022, but doctors have also prescribed it off-label for weight loss. Zepbound won approval specifically for the weight loss indication in 2023. Together, these products have driven tremendous growth at Lilly. For example, in the recent quarter, they brought in more than $11 billion for the pharma giant. Mounjaro's revenue surged 110%, and Zepbound's revenue soared 123%, the company announced this week. These blockbusters are part of a category known as GLP-1 drugs, and they act on hormones involved in the digestion process to control blood sugar levels and appetite. The company competes against Novo Nordisk, which sells semaglutide, commercialized as Ozempic for type 2 diab...

The Winter Olympics in Italy were meant to be sustainable. Are they? Loading... CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — In the main square of this town high in the Italian Alps that will host many of the Winter Olympic Games this month, there stands a sculpture of an elegant lady clutching a Dior handbag and skis. In keeping with this place that has long catered to the world's wealthy and famous, she is translucent, as if carved from ice. But curious visitors who touch her soon realize: She is plastic. The statue is a fitting metaphor for the increasingly elaborate measures being taken to preserve a wintry reality that is disappearing. As climate change brings warmer weather, the snow that once blanketed Cortina comes less often. Ski lifts whir up mountainsides of bare rock and brown grass, but for the white strips of artificial snow on the pistes. toggle caption Valerio Muscella for NPR In Italy's bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and in the Dolomites — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — organizers made a bold pledge to be sustainable and use the Games to "showcase the importance of protecting sensitive mountain ecosystems." But as the opening ceremony approaches, environmentalists tell a different story. They describe a landscape now scarred by the felling of old-growth forests to make way for new infrastructure, and Alpine rivers depleted to feed snow cannons. And they say the dozens of construction projects approved for the Games are urbanizing a mountain environment already stressed by overtourism. Sponsor Message "Cortina is known as Queen of the Dolomites. But we should rename her the 'Queen of Cement,'" says 70-year-old Luigi Casanova, director of a local environmental group, Mountain Wilderness, surveying the small town where more than 20 cranes dot the landscape. toggle caption Valerio Muscella for NPR toggle caption Valerio Muscella for NPR He's standing beside a new bobsled track that snakes its way down the mountainside through the remains of an ancient fore...

Financial stocks were decreasing in Thursday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index fallin Upgrade to read this MT Newswires article and get so much more. A Silver or Gold subscription plan is required to access premium news articles.

Key Points FMC missed on revenue but met adjusted earnings expectations in the fourth quarter. Management's 2026 guidance called for more revenue and profit declines. The Board of Directors also authorized a strategic review, which includes a possible sale of the company. 10 stocks we like better than FMC › Shares of agricultural chemical company FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC) plunged 20.7% on Thursday as of 1:00 p.m. EDT. FMC's stock had risen about that much year-to-date before yesterday, following a 71.5% decline in 2025, so the stock essentially just gave back its year-to-date gains today. FMC released fourth-quarter earnings last night, which came in below expectations. Furthermore, management disclosed that the Board of Directors had authorized exploring "strategic options," including selling the company outright. 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 » Sometimes such an announcement causes a stock to rise as investors anticipate a buyout at a higher price. However, in this case, the disclosure appeared to signal that management may be throwing in the towel on an immediate turnaround. FMC disappoints again, and guides for further declines in 2026 In the fourth quarter, FMC reported $1.08 billion in revenue, down 12% and missing expectations, as well as adjusted (non-GAAP) earnings per share of $1.20, down 33% from the prior-year quarter, which met expectations. FMC continues to operate in a difficult agricultural downcycle, with management noting an overcapacity of agricultural chemicals and low margins for growers. Additionally, FMC's chemical portfolio has largely gone off-patent, forcing the company to lower prices. That's a bad combination for generating profits, on top of FMC's $4.07 billion in debt, which is 5.8 times the company's $700 million EBITDA guidance for 2026 -- a rather...

Lemonade Inc (NYSE:LMND) stock hit a Jan. 22 four-year high of $99.90, after news of its autonomous car insurance that will launch with Tesla (TSLA) FSD models. Though the stock has moved lower since then, the pullback could be short-lived given the layers of technical support, including the $70 level and ascending 100-day moving average. According to Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White, SHOP is within 0.75 of its 100-day moving average's 20-day average true range (ATR), after remaining above this level 80% of the time over the past two weeks and 80% of the last 42 trading sessions. This signal has occurred six other times in the past decade, after which LMND was higher one month later 67% of the time with an average gain of 14.2%. A similar move from the stock's current perch at $69.50 would put it at $79.36. LMND 0205 An unwinding of pessimism could give LMND a boost as well. Short interest represents a whopping 19.4% of the stock's available float, or nearly five days' worth of pent-up buying power. Plus, despite the stock's recent peak, 11 of the 14 analysts in coverage carry a "hold" or worse rating, leaving plenty of room for upgrades.

Makhbubakhon Ismatova/iStock via Getty Images Thesis Summary Just a few weeks back, I warned that AI was rotating away from infrastructure and towards the software that could build on this infrastructure. I pointed out Palantir Technologies Inc. ( PLTR ) as one of the primary winners from this trend, and I am doubling down on that today after the Q4 results . Palantir keeps showing accelerated growth and adoption, and investors can no longer argue with the robust profit margin the company is posting. While at $200 the valuation was getting frothy, after this selloff, I’d argue that Palantir is once again undervalued. Everything Is Going As Expected In my last piece on Palantir, “ Beware The AI Rotation , ” I argued that most investors were still positioned for the previous phase of AI, not what comes next. Indeed, I’d argue that while my phrasing wasn’t accurate, the sentiment very much was. Software vs. AI agents (Goldman Sachs) Software, which is what I referred to as the next phase of AI, has actually been underperforming. But the key is that it’s being replaced by AI Agents, which is ultimately what I was referring to when I talked about firms building on top of AI infrastructure. It’s all about AI agents, or AI software, and Palantir is perhaps the best example of this. Palantir Q4 Proves My Point This rotation is now visible in Palantir’s results. While AI infrastructure names are increasingly fighting for market share, and traditional software companies are being replaced by AI, Palantir continues to deliver. Q4 highlights (Investor slides) In Q4, we saw 70% YoY revenue growth. underpinned by 137% YoY U.S. commercial growth. And what I find most impressive is that income and margins keep improving. Operating income (Investor slides) Operating income reached $575 million with an operating margin of 41%. In the words of Ryan Taylor, Chief Revenue Officer: The rapid advancement of AI models is continuing to drive the commoditization of cognition. The next step i...

Palantir: The Software Killer (NASDAQ:PLTR) Seeking Alpha

生育津貼實現直接發放至個人 To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 【有線新聞】內地公司被指冒領孕婦生育津貼詐騙，案件早前引起關注。根據國家醫保局網站消息，生育津貼已全面實現直接發放至個人。 自去年底全國醫保工作會議部署要求，前期有27個省、9成半統籌區已做到生育津貼直接發放。近期貴州、廣西、新疆等地醫保部門陸續推進津貼發放流程優化工作，把生育津貼由企業代發調整為直接發放予參保人。現時全國生育津貼實現全面直接發放至個人，當局指將繼續指導地方改善服務，提升民眾便利與滿意度。

格隆汇2月6日｜加拿大央行行长麦克勒姆：结构性逆风并非暂时性的；我们与美国的贸易关系从根本上出现了裂痕。

Key Points The iShares Silver Trust can give investors an easy way to track the price of silver. The fund has performed exceptionally well over the past year. Due to volatility in the price of silver, it's down significantly from its recent high. 10 stocks we like better than iShares Silver Trust › Investing in gold and silver has typically been a way for investors to try to reduce their exposure and risk in the stock market. But while these metals can provide stability in times of uncertainty, they can be speculative in nature, as is evident in their volatility in recent months. Is investing in an exchange-traded fund (ETF) such as the iShares Silver Trust (NYSEMKT: SLV), which tracks the price of silver, a good idea for retirees and other risk-averse investors? 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 » Retail investors have added an element of risk to silver Many analysts have viewed the volatility and excitement around silver over the past several months as another meme-fueled rally, not unlike what can happen to stocks. While the gains can be sudden, so too can the declines. As of Feb. 3, the iShares Silver Trust was down around 30% from its 52-week high of $109.83. President Donald Trump's announcement of his pick for the new chair of the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh, led to investors selling silver, perhaps as a sign of greater confidence in the stock market and the Fed. For risk-averse investors, this type of volatility may be untenable. With silver acting more like a meme stock than a stable investment, the iShares Silver Trust may be a less-than-ideal option to consider. It's also trading at elevated levels. Even though silver has come down sharply in price, the iShares Silver Trust remains up over 150% in the past 12 months. There could be more room for it to fall further, given its significant run-up in value. There are better op...

【有線新聞】內地民宿行業規模愈來愈大，在浙江就把民宿管家培訓融入本地文化，逾兩萬名學員成功通過培訓，現時收入比之前增加了大約三成。 收拾床鋪是經營酒店和民宿的人必不可少的基本功，但在浙江，要成為稱職的民宿管家，為客人製作特色飲品亦是必修一課。 民宿管家職業技能培訓學校工作人員馮超杰：「今天林老師為我們帶來的是莫干山的『蘿蔔咖啡』。正值蘿蔔豐收的季節，今天這個咖啡能夠讓客人體驗咖啡的同時幫助客人了解莫干山當地的風物，而蘿蔔這個載體可以帶給我們客人更多的驚喜。」培訓學校的負責人指，希望客人品嚐咖啡之餘亦可以了解當地的風土人情。 民宿管家職業技能培訓學校學員王建波：「以前總覺得民宿管家是酒店管理與服務的職能，沒想到除了技能還得有創意。」馮超杰：「我們要將莫干山的傳說，下渚湖的鳥圃以及農場的舊事融入到一碟碟青團、一杯杯黃茶當中，以『潤物細無聲』的方式傳遞給我們各位遊客。」 當地縣政府在2022年牽頭提出把民宿管家列入新職業，相關的職業培訓學校由此而生，為有志投身民宿管家行業的人提供系統化培訓。浙江湖州德清縣人力資源和社會保障局副局長鄭秋紅：「過去民宿從業者缺乏規範，我們通過課堂與教學讓愈來愈多的從業者能夠有一條職業化的發展路徑，在實現技能提升、價值顯現收入增加的同時更好地服務我們民宿經濟，讓民宿行業能夠發展得愈來愈好。」目前已有兩萬多人順利完成培訓並就業，收入比以前提高了三成與城市五星級酒店的大堂經理差不多，被指成功縮窄了城鄉收入差距。

Ireland have taken a back to the future approach, with Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale returning to the back division in a major tournament. Jamie Osborne continues at fullback with Hugo Keenan still unavailable. Sam Prendergast is given the nod to start at 10. Up front, injuries in the front row bring in Jeremy Loughman and Thomas Clarkson at prop, with Michael Milne on the bench. France welcome back Antoine Dupont as scrum-half and captain, where he will reform his partnership from the last World Cup with Mathieu Jalibert. In the forwards, an exciting new boilerhouse pairing of Charles Ollivon and Mickael Guillard will bring some dynamism. Anthony Jelonch is preferred to Alldritt at 8. Here’s one you’ve not heard before: welcome to this Thursday evening opening match of the Six Nations. What with this, all the AI telling us stuff that’s wrong, and washing machines that inexplicably have wifi, truly we are living in the future. The future is very much the concern for both of these teams as this marks the proper start of the Rugby World Cup 2027 run-in. The Six Nations is, of course, a tournament of great import and heritage in its own right, but only a fool would argue that Messrs Galthie and Farrell are not keeping more than half an eye on Australia in eighteen months’ time. With that in mind, Fabien Galthie has loaded his selection dice into his favourite blunderbuss in order to spin them as hard as possible, while also taking public opinion’s eye out. The languid maestro Damien Penaud is jettisoned from the wing, and Gregory Alldritt, the steadfast yet dynamic Number 8 of recent vintage is ushered out. But most surprising of all is the absence of Gael Fickou, the best 12 in the world for a period, and lynchpin of the the France defensive system. So what does it all mean for Les Bleus, a team that are current champions, let’s not forget? As it does so often of late, the rugby tide appears to have turned to wash up every bit of success on a beach in South Afr...

Little kids hosting make-believe tea parties is a fixture of childhood playtime and long presumed to be exclusively a human ability. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University presented evidence in a new paper published in the journal Science that a bonobo named Kanzi was also able to participate in pretending to hold a tea party. For the authors, this suggests that apes are capable of using their imagination just like human toddlers. “It really is game-changing that their mental lives go beyond the here and now," said co-author Christopher Krupenye. "Imagination has long been seen as a critical element of what it is to be human, but the idea that it may not be exclusive to our species is really transformative. Jane Goodall discovered that chimps make tools, and that led to a change in the definition of what it means to be human, and this, too, really invites us to reconsider what makes us special and what mental life is out there among other creatures." Per Krupenye et al., by the age of two, human children are able to navigate imaginary scenarios like a tea party, pretending there is real tea present even if the teapot and cups are actually empty. Cognitively speaking, it's an example of secondary representation, because it involves decoupling an imagined or simulated state (pretending there is actual tea in the cup) with the reality (the cup is empty). Read full article Comments

格隆汇2月6日｜加拿大央行行长麦克勒姆：部分疲软是结构性的，这意味着如果我们降息过多，将在未来助长通胀。