The stock market has had its fair share of down days recently, but April 2 was not one of them -- the S&P 500 ended that session essentially flat. However, shares of Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) plunged by more than 5% on the day after the company announced a disappointing set of electric vehicle (EV) delivery numbers for the first quarter. And then they kept falling. Tesla is coming off two consecutive y...
The stock market has had its fair share of down days recently, but April 2 was not one of them -- the S&P 500 ended that session essentially flat. However, shares of Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) plunged by more than 5% on the day after the company announced a disappointing set of electric vehicle (EV) delivery numbers for the first quarter. And then they kept falling. Tesla is coming off two consecutive years of declining passenger EV sales, and another decline in 2026 looks possible. Many investors own its stock because they are enthusiastic about future products like the Cybercab autonomous robotaxi and the Optimus humanoid robot, but 73% of the company's revenue still comes from selling passenger cars. On that note, sluggish EV sales have led to poor financial results, which could drive its stock sharply lower from here. Continue reading
Data-center operator CloudHQ plans to raise $1.4 billion through US asset-backed securities backed by a pair of Virginia facilities leased to undisclosed hyperscalers. Moody’s Ratings and S&P Global Ratings published premarketing notes Wednesday for a planned five-part deal due in 2031, with closing expected around end of April. Moody’s described the transaction as CloudHQ’s first hyperscale data-...
Data-center operator CloudHQ plans to raise $1.4 billion through US asset-backed securities backed by a pair of Virginia facilities leased to undisclosed hyperscalers. Moody’s Ratings and S&P Global Ratings published premarketing notes Wednesday for a planned five-part deal due in 2031, with closing expected around end of April. Moody’s described the transaction as CloudHQ’s first hyperscale data-center ABS issuance. CloudHQ didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. The deal is the latest ABS backed by data centers, fueled by surging demand for computing power. Such bonds are typically supported by leases on completed facilities, not projects under construction. Hyperscaler capital spending plans have helped propel a record start to 2026 for US investment-grade bonds. S&P said all of the annualized adjusted base rent generated by the Ashburn, Virginia, facilities backing the ABS “is attributable to two hyperscale cloud and technology tenants.” While deal positives include the tenants carrying high investment-grade ratings, challenges include asset and tenant concentration, Moody’s and S&P said. There have been $7.5 billion of data center-tied ABS priced this year, about 60% more than at this point in 2025, according to data compiled by Bloomberg News. CloudHQ was founded in 2016 and has 23 campuses totaling more than 30 million square feet, according to its website .
Defeat for Viktor Orbán on Sunday would be celebrated in Brussels, mourned in Washington and Moscow, and would give his country its democracy back Hungary has a population of less than 10 million and an economy that produces a modest 1.1% of the European Union’s GDP. But on Sunday it will hold the most important election in Europe this year. After 16 years as prime minister, during which he has di...
Defeat for Viktor Orbán on Sunday would be celebrated in Brussels, mourned in Washington and Moscow, and would give his country its democracy back Hungary has a population of less than 10 million and an economy that produces a modest 1.1% of the European Union’s GDP. But on Sunday it will hold the most important election in Europe this year. After 16 years as prime minister, during which he has dismantled the checks and balances customary in a democracy, Viktor Orbán faces the most serious threat to his power in that time. Polls consistently place the centre‑right party led by his main challenger, Péter Magyar, ahead by a substantial margin. Mr Orbán was once described by Donald Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon as “Trump before Trump”. In his political hour of need, luminaries of the global far right have duly turned up en masse to support him. Last month, Marine Le Pen, Matteo Salvini and Geert Wilders made the pilgrimage to Budapest. This week, the US vice-president, JD Vance, paid a tub‑thumping election-eve visit , as his boss issued apocalyptic threats to have Iran “taken out in one night”. Risibly, given the explicit purpose of his trip, Mr Vance spent much of it inveighing against alleged EU interference in the forthcoming vote. Continue reading...
⚽ Europa League updates from Portugal; kick-off 8pm BST ⚽ Bologna v Aston Villa – live | Join us on Bluesky | Mail Will Pre-match reading, courtesy of your man Ben Fisher who is literally in Porto. Who can forget that night in October when Sean Dyche won his first game in charge of Nottingham Forest against Porto in the Europa League? It looked like things were set at the City Ground, having moved...
⚽ Europa League updates from Portugal; kick-off 8pm BST ⚽ Bologna v Aston Villa – live | Join us on Bluesky | Mail Will Pre-match reading, courtesy of your man Ben Fisher who is literally in Porto. Who can forget that night in October when Sean Dyche won his first game in charge of Nottingham Forest against Porto in the Europa League? It looked like things were set at the City Ground, having moved onto their third head coach of the season. Six months on and plenty has happened in between but, against the odds, they are still flying in high in Europe and face Porto for a second time. Continue reading...
HJBC/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Accenture ( ACN ) is moving with unusual clarity in artificial intelligence, and UBS analyst Kevin McVeigh says the market isn’t fully appreciating its strategy. In a research note following Accenture’s ( ACN ) latest acquisition activity, McVeigh framed the purchase of Spain-based Keepler Data Tech less as a one-off deal and more as evidence of disciplined e...
HJBC/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Accenture ( ACN ) is moving with unusual clarity in artificial intelligence, and UBS analyst Kevin McVeigh says the market isn’t fully appreciating its strategy. In a research note following Accenture’s ( ACN ) latest acquisition activity, McVeigh framed the purchase of Spain-based Keepler Data Tech less as a one-off deal and more as evidence of disciplined execution around a broader AI strategy. The addition of more than 240 specialists across data science, machine learning and cloud architecture strengthens Accenture’s ( ACN ) ability to deliver across the full data and AI lifecycle, particularly in Europe. For McVeigh, the significance lies in how these capabilities align with rising enterprise demand for scalable and responsible AI deployment, an area where large clients increasingly want end-to-end partners rather than fragmented vendors. $5B M&A push seen as strategic McVeigh pointed out that Accenture ( ACN ) has raised its fiscal 2026 acquisition target to $5 billion, up from $3 billion earlier in the year, and is already well on its way. The company has deployed about $1.6 billion across multiple deals, including NeuraFlash, Halfspace and Decho. Rather than viewing this as aggressive spending, UBS sees a deliberate shift toward higher-growth and higher-margin business lines. The firm is prioritizing models that rely less on traditional labor-intensive consulting and more on scalable, technology-driven offerings. That transition, McVeigh argues, could ultimately change how investors value the company, yet current market pricing does not reflect that potential. AI revenue growth A central pillar of the UBS thesis is Accenture’s ( ACN ) ability to monetize artificial intelligence at a pace that exceeds even its earlier cloud growth cycle. Since launching its generative AI initiatives in fiscal 2023, the company has grown related revenue to about $2.7 billion by fiscal 2025, implying roughly 200% compound annual growth. Th...
Diverging revenue and margins between two companies in the same industry can tell investors a lot about their competitive position. C3.ai (NYSE:AI) is an enterprise software company that provides an application development platform and turnkey solutions to help customers deploy complex systems across global regions. Revenue hasn’t been consistent, and it’s even more inconsistent where it counts. C...
Diverging revenue and margins between two companies in the same industry can tell investors a lot about their competitive position. C3.ai (NYSE:AI) is an enterprise software company that provides an application development platform and turnkey solutions to help customers deploy complex systems across global regions. Revenue hasn’t been consistent, and it’s even more inconsistent where it counts. C3.ai reported a negative 250% net income margin for the quarter ended Jan. 31, 2026, during a period marked by a leadership transition. Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) builds and deploys software platforms that enable the intelligence community and commercial organizations to securely integrate, analyze, and manage large datasets. It posted a net income margin of approximately 43% for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025, and recently struck multiple partnerships and several multi-year contract renewals with major companies. Continue reading
May WTI crude oil (CLK26 ) today is up +6.57 (+6.96%), and May RBOB gasoline (RBK26 ) is up +0.0825 (+2.74%). Crude oil and gasoline prices are moving sharply higher today on doubts about the sustainability of the US-Iran ceasefire. The Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, and Israeli attacks on...
May WTI crude oil (CLK26 ) today is up +6.57 (+6.96%), and May RBOB gasoline (RBK26 ) is up +0.0825 (+2.74%). Crude oil and gasoline prices are moving sharply higher today on doubts about the sustainability of the US-Iran ceasefire. The Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, and Israeli attacks on...
Eli Lilly made progress in its battle for weight-loss dominance Thursday, releasing its daily GLP-1 pill broadly through pharmacies and telehealth providers. Foundayo, Lilly’s once-daily oral medication for chronic weight management, is now available through platforms including GoodRx, Amazon Pharmacy, and Weight Watchers. Lilly also offers the pill through LillyDirect, the drugmaker’s direct-to-c...
Eli Lilly made progress in its battle for weight-loss dominance Thursday, releasing its daily GLP-1 pill broadly through pharmacies and telehealth providers. Foundayo, Lilly’s once-daily oral medication for chronic weight management, is now available through platforms including GoodRx, Amazon Pharmacy, and Weight Watchers. Lilly also offers the pill through LillyDirect, the drugmaker’s direct-to-consumer platform.
Medicore 30Y Auction Has First Tail Since November After a solid 3Y auction and a tepid 10Y auction earlier this week, moments ago the Treasury concluded the final coupon auction of the week, when it sold $22 billion in a 30 year reopening in what was another average auction. The sale stopped at a high yield of 4.876%, virtually unchanged from 4.871% a month ago and the highest since last July. It...
Medicore 30Y Auction Has First Tail Since November After a solid 3Y auction and a tepid 10Y auction earlier this week, moments ago the Treasury concluded the final coupon auction of the week, when it sold $22 billion in a 30 year reopening in what was another average auction. The sale stopped at a high yield of 4.876%, virtually unchanged from 4.871% a month ago and the highest since last July. It also tailed the When Issued 4.871% by 0.5bps, the first tail since November. The bid to cover was 2.385, down from 2.452 in March and the lowest since December '25. The internals were in line: Indirects were awarded 64.14%, up from 63.4% in March but below the six-auction average of 66.8%. And with Directs down to 24.23% from 27.23% (above the recent average of 22.9%), dealers were left holding 11.6%, the most since January. Overall, this was a mediocre 30Y auction, with average stats resulting in the first tail for the tenor since last November, yet with markets still only focused on Iran there was virtually no little market reaction. Tyler Durden Thu, 04/09/2026 - 13:27
The novelist says she couldn’t accept the award after being told it would entail ‘extensive promotion’ US writer Helen DeWitt has spoken out after being chosen as one of the original eight recipients of this year’s Windham-Campbell writing prizes, worth $175,000 (£130,000) each, but ultimately having to turn down the award because she was unable to participate in the promotional activities that th...
The novelist says she couldn’t accept the award after being told it would entail ‘extensive promotion’ US writer Helen DeWitt has spoken out after being chosen as one of the original eight recipients of this year’s Windham-Campbell writing prizes, worth $175,000 (£130,000) each, but ultimately having to turn down the award because she was unable to participate in the promotional activities that the prize requires. In a blog and a series of posts on X, the cult author of books including The Last Samurai said that she had been told she had won the award in February, but that receiving the money was “contingent on extensive promotion”, including participating in a festival, a podcast and a six- to eight-hour filming session for a promotional video. Continue reading...
More is needed to tackle inequality and deprivation in Britain, but the importance of this week’s step must be recognised Fairness was what the then chancellor George Osborne said he was aiming at when he introduced the two‑child benefit cap. Each child costs a family more, he argued, and yet only some consider the full costs when family planning. It was an ungenerous take, reducing the complex re...
More is needed to tackle inequality and deprivation in Britain, but the importance of this week’s step must be recognised Fairness was what the then chancellor George Osborne said he was aiming at when he introduced the two‑child benefit cap. Each child costs a family more, he argued, and yet only some consider the full costs when family planning. It was an ungenerous take, reducing the complex reasons why people might have larger families to poor choices and welfare incentivisation, and ignoring the impact of events beyond their control, such as illness. If Mr Osborne wanted to change behaviour, he failed: 11 years after the limit for child‑linked benefits was announced, poorer people haven’t had fewer children , they have just suffered more. Above all, his policy punished children, who made no decision at all about the number of their siblings. This was the legacy: 350,000 children pushed into poverty and another 700,000 deeper into deprivation. Affected households were more likely to be among the poorest universal credit claimants . A disproportionate number were Muslim and Jewish . Children went without new uniforms or extracurricular activities and families skipped meals – all in the name of fairness. Continue reading...
NYC Mayor's 'Racial Equity Plan' Would Direct City Resources To 'Black And Brown New Yorkers' Authored by Bryan Hyde via American Greatness, Democratic New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has introduced a “racial equity plan” directing city resources to “black and brown New Yorkers” in an attempt to “confront institutional and systemic racism within our city.” The mayor’s policy proposal targets ho...
NYC Mayor's 'Racial Equity Plan' Would Direct City Resources To 'Black And Brown New Yorkers' Authored by Bryan Hyde via American Greatness, Democratic New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has introduced a “racial equity plan” directing city resources to “black and brown New Yorkers” in an attempt to “confront institutional and systemic racism within our city.” The mayor’s policy proposal targets housing, health, and economic opportunities, and seeks to address disparities by prioritizing neighborhoods and residents that have supposedly been historically marginalized by economic or structural factors. Mamdani’s Preliminary Citywide Racial Equity Plan and True Cost of Living Measure prompted a warning from U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon , who called the measure “fishy” and promised to take a closer look at its legality under current civil rights laws. Sounds fishy/illegal. Will review! https://t.co/HDT4FJdGwK — AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) April 6, 2026 The Daily Caller reports that during a Monday press conference, Mamdani told reporters the following: “And while today’s True Cost of Living Measure confirms that the affordability crisis touches every corner of our city, we know that these effects are not applied evenly. So often it is black and brown New Yorkers who are hit the hardest.” Mamdani added, “This Preliminary Racial Equity plan is the first step in developing a whole-of-government approach to tackling that reality.” NYC Chief Equity Officer Afua Atta-Mensah has been tasked with guiding the plan which focuses on narrowing the wealth gap and claims that white New Yorkers have a median net worth roughly 15 times higher than Black New Yorkers. The goals of the initiative include expanding access to capital for businesses in underserved areas, using a racial equity framework to guide investment, and increasing access to primary healthcare and reducing pollution in communities of color. Mamdani, an avowed socialist, has also increased the fund...