LONDON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Britain's competition regulator on Wednesday proposed a package of measures that it said would improve Google search services in the country, including making sure publishers get a fairer deal over how their content is used in the engine's AI overviews. Google said in response it was "exploring" updates to its controls to let sites specifically opt out of search gen...
LONDON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Britain's competition regulator on Wednesday proposed a package of measures that it said would improve Google search services in the country, including making sure publishers get a fairer deal over how their content is used in the engine's AI overviews. Google said in response it was "exploring" updates to its controls to let sites specifically opt out of search generative AI features. "Any new controls need to avoid breaking search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people," it said. "We're optimistic we can find a path forward that provides even more choice to website owners and publishers, while ensuring people continue to get the most helpful and innovative Search experience possible." Google was the first company to be targeted by the regulator's new powers to tackle the dominance of big tech when it designated Google as having "strategic market status" in October, allowing it to step in on some issues. (Reporting by Muvija M and Paul Sandle, editing by Sarah Young)
The US dollar has fallen to its lowest level in four years after Donald Trump brushed off concerns over the currency’s fall, sending investors fleeing to traditional havens including gold and the Swiss franc. The dollar dropped by 1.3% against a basket of currencies after the president’s comments on Tuesday, marking its fourth day of declines, then slipped by a further 0.2% on Wednesday morning. “...
The US dollar has fallen to its lowest level in four years after Donald Trump brushed off concerns over the currency’s fall, sending investors fleeing to traditional havens including gold and the Swiss franc. The dollar dropped by 1.3% against a basket of currencies after the president’s comments on Tuesday, marking its fourth day of declines, then slipped by a further 0.2% on Wednesday morning. “No, I think it’s great,” Trump said of the weaker dollar, during a visit to Iowa to promote his record on the economy. Asked whether he was concerned about the currency’s slide, he told reporters: “I think the value of the dollar – look at the business we’re doing. The dollar’s doing great.” The greenback has tumbled by 10% over the past year, while Tuesday’s fall was the largest one-day drop since last April, when Trump announced his sweeping tariff plans, marking a global market sell-off. The dollar has now touched its lowest level since February 2022, after unpredictable US policymaking, including Trump’s recent threats to take over Greenland and impose further tariffs on European allies, unleashed fresh geopolitical shocks. “A weaker dollar is a two-sided coin,” said Steve Sosnick, a market strategist at Interactive Brokers, adding that it was good for multinational companies. “If you have operations around the world and foreign currency revenue that will have a conversion advantage when you turn it into US dollars, that will be good. On the other, it makes imported goods more expensive and there might be some inflationary impact from that.” The dollar’s slide has also propelled some rival global currencies to multi-year highs. The Swiss franc has soared to its highest level against the dollar in more than a decade, as traders have sought out a store of wealth traditionally viewed as a haven insulated from global volatility. The franc has already climbed 3% against the dollar so far this year, after a 14% rise in 2025. The euro has also surged to $1.20 against the dolla...
Key Points Ares Capital has delivered 16 years of stable to increasing dividend payments. Starwood Property has maintained its big-time dividend for over a decade. Western Midstream aims to increase its monster distribution by a low-to-mid single-digit annual rate. 10 stocks we like better than Ares Capital › Many dividend stocks offer a pedestrian yield today. Due to a surging stock market and a ...
Key Points Ares Capital has delivered 16 years of stable to increasing dividend payments. Starwood Property has maintained its big-time dividend for over a decade. Western Midstream aims to increase its monster distribution by a low-to-mid single-digit annual rate. 10 stocks we like better than Ares Capital › Many dividend stocks offer a pedestrian yield today. Due to a surging stock market and a deemphasis on paying dividends over the years, the S&P 500's yield is currently near its all-time low at around 1.1%. However, many stocks offer even higher yields. Here are three under-the-radar dividend stocks with monster yields of up to 10.7%. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Ares Capital Ares Capital (NASDAQ: ARCC) currently has a 9.5% dividend yield. The business development company (BDC) operates as a registered investment company. As a result, it must pay out at least 90% of its taxable income as dividends. While many BDCs have struggled to maintain their dividend payments over the years due to changes in interest rates and other factors, Ares Capital has delivered 16 years of stable-to-increasing dividends. The BDC focuses on providing capital to middle-market companies ($100 million to $1 billion in annual revenue). It makes direct loans and equity investments, which generate interest and dividend income to support its dividend payments. The specialty finance company has an exceptional investment track record. Its annualized net realized loss rate is around 0%, better than its peer group (-1.1%) and the banking sector (-0.6%). Areas has a well-diversified portfolio (587 portfolio companies) composed primarily of senior secured loans. It also has an excellent financial profile, enabling it to grow its portfolio of income-generating investments. That should support continued dividend stability and growth. Starwood Property Trust Starwood Property Trust (NYSE: STWD) ...
Linklater recreates the making of the landmark French New Wave classic with an awestruck tastefulness that smooths over any disruptiveness Breathless, deathless … and pointless? Here is Richard Linklater’s impeccably submissive, tastefully cinephile period drama about the making of Godard’s debut 1960 classic À Bout de Souffle, that starred Jean Seberg and Jean-Paul Belmondo as the star-crossed lo...
Linklater recreates the making of the landmark French New Wave classic with an awestruck tastefulness that smooths over any disruptiveness Breathless, deathless … and pointless? Here is Richard Linklater’s impeccably submissive, tastefully cinephile period drama about the making of Godard’s debut 1960 classic À Bout de Souffle, that starred Jean Seberg and Jean-Paul Belmondo as the star-crossed lovers in Paris. Linklater’s homage has credits in French and is beautifully shot in monochrome, as opposed to the boring old colour of real life in which the events were actually happening; he even cutely fabricates cue marks in the corner of the screen, those things that once told projectionists when to changeover the reels. But Linklater smoothly avoids any disruptive jump-cuts. It’s a good natured, intelligent effort for which Godard himself, were he still alive, would undoubtedly have ripped Linklater a new one. (When Michel Hazanavicius made Redoubtable in 2017 about Godard’s making of his 1967 film La Chinoise, the man himself called that “a stupid, stupid idea”; Hazanavicius wasn’t even making a film about Godard’s first and biggest hit. Continue reading...
Bulgaria’s central bank chief said he won’t become his country’s premier. “If I accept becoming interim prime minister, that would be a violation of both the Bulgarian and the European legislation, and also of the established norms of central banking,” Dimitar Radev , who also is a member of the European Central Bank Governing Council, said after a meeting with Bulgaria’s president. Speaking to re...
Bulgaria’s central bank chief said he won’t become his country’s premier. “If I accept becoming interim prime minister, that would be a violation of both the Bulgarian and the European legislation, and also of the established norms of central banking,” Dimitar Radev , who also is a member of the European Central Bank Governing Council, said after a meeting with Bulgaria’s president. Speaking to reporters in Sofia on Wednesday, Radev stressed that “the sanction for such a violation is immediate resignation.” “Such a development risks the destabilization of the probably most stable institution at the moment, the Bulgarian National Bank,” he said. Read More: Bulgarian President to Resign, Hints He May Run in Snap Vote
Dublin, Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Chiplets Market Report 2026" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global chiplets market is poised for substantial growth, expanding from $13.55 billion in 2025 to an impressive $168.57 billion by 2030, driven largely by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 65.3%. This growth is fueled by increased demand for high-performance co...
Dublin, Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Chiplets Market Report 2026" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global chiplets market is poised for substantial growth, expanding from $13.55 billion in 2025 to an impressive $168.57 billion by 2030, driven largely by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 65.3%. This growth is fueled by increased demand for high-performance computing and the adoption of modular semiconductor design approaches. With the expansion of AI and edge computing workloads, there is a rising deployment of chiplet-based datacenter processors. Open chiplet standards, like UCIe, are drawing significant attention due to the cost-efficient multi-die integration solutions they offer, alongside a growing interest in semiconductor outsourcing and advanced packaging ecosystems. Industry trends reveal a rising demand for heterogeneous chiplet architectures and the adoption of standardized chiplet interconnect protocols. These are complemented by expansions in packaging technologies for chiplet integration and increased outsourcing, aimed at reducing time to market through modular designs. The electronic devices sector is a primary driver for the chiplets market's future growth. The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association recently reported consumer electronics production reached $2.17 trillion in May 2023, a significant increase from earlier figures. The proliferation of mobile connections in the UK reflects this growing demand, as smartphone ownership is projected to cover 95% of the UK population by 2025. Key market players are innovating with technologies such as 5G to maintain their competitive edge. Intel's introduction of the 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors in 2023, featuring Intel vRAN Boost and energy-efficient solutions, represents significant progress in 5G core network capabilities, ensuring operational efficiencies and performance optimization. In strategic moves, acquisitions like Tens...
By Akash Sriram Jan 28 (Reuters) - Apple is set to report its strongest iPhone sales growth in four years on Thursday, driven by robust demand for its premium Pro models as it prepares to roll out artificial intelligence features developed with Google's technology. Investors, however, will look for comments from the company on how it aims to navigate a global memory chip crunch that is likely to...
By Akash Sriram Jan 28 (Reuters) - Apple is set to report its strongest iPhone sales growth in four years on Thursday, driven by robust demand for its premium Pro models as it prepares to roll out artificial intelligence features developed with Google's technology. Investors, however, will look for comments from the company on how it aims to navigate a global memory chip crunch that is likely to raise its cost and weigh on margins. The decision to use Alphabet-owned Google's Gemini for a revamped Siri and other Apple Intelligence features is the biggest shift to date in the company's AI strategy. Wall Street has largely lauded the move, saying it allows Apple to tap into its installed base of more than two billion devices without the hefty spending required to develop cutting-edge models. The Google deal "should demonstrate to the market the iPhone will remain the consumer device of choice for accessing new AI tools", Goldman Sachs analysts said. Even without the AI revamp - the technology has not yet been a real driver of smartphone demand - sales of the latest iPhone 17 series surged in the last three months of 2025, typically the strongest quarter for Apple. In China and developing markets, Apple drew customers with the refreshed camera design and higher storage capacity of the latest Pro devices. The company led the global smartphone market last year with a 20% share, according to research firm Counterpoint, up from 18% in 2024. Overall, Apple is expected to report that iPhone sales rose 13.8% in its October-December fiscal first quarter, according to analysts polled by LSEG. That would mark the strongest growth in more than four years. Total revenue likely increased 11.4% to a record $138.43 billion, aided by a 14.1% jump in Apple's the services business. In Greater China, sales likely jumped about 15%, according to Visible Alpha data. ROBUST SUPPLY CHAIN: APPLE'S BULWARK AGAINST CHIP CRUNCH Still, Apple ended last year with just an 8.5% rise in its sto...
Electrified vehicles accounted for a bigger market share of the European auto sector than their gasoline counterparts. Gasoline Registrations Drop Gasoline registrations fell in the market towards the end of the year by 18.7% in 2025 in the EU, according to data released by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) on Tuesday. The market share for Gas-powered vehicles fell to 26.6%...
Electrified vehicles accounted for a bigger market share of the European auto sector than their gasoline counterparts. Gasoline Registrations Drop Gasoline registrations fell in the market towards the end of the year by 18.7% in 2025 in the EU, according to data released by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) on Tuesday. The market share for Gas-powered vehicles fell to 26.6% from 33.3% a year earlier. On the other hand, Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) accounted for 34.5%, while Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) held 17.4% of the market in 2025, as BEVs sold 1,880,370 units in the EU, with the larger market accounting for 2,585,187 units, up almost 30% YoY. Tesla Declines, BYD Surges Tesla Inc.'s (NASDAQ:TSLA) sales continued to decline. In Europe during December, the EV giant recorded 35,280 sales, down 20.2% YoY from last year's 44,190 units sold. The company’s annual sales also declined almost 27%, recording 238,656 units sold in 2025, down from 2024's 326,525 units. Tesla sales have been on the decline for quite some time, with the company's Cybertruck sales falling 48% in 2025. Tesla also started selling the Cybertruck in the Middle East. Tesla's rival BYD Co. Ltd. (OTC:BYDDY) (OTC:BYDDF) continued its strong performance in Europe, with sales up 229.7% in December as the automaker sold 27,678 units, significantly more than the 8,395 units it sold in 2025. YTD, BYD sold over 187,657 units, which demonstrated a 268.6% surge from last year's 50,912 tally. BYD is also currently the world's largest EV maker, dethroning Tesla for the first time last year. Chinese automakers also took a record 12.8% market share in the European region. However, BYD's domestic performance in December fell short in comparison to the overseas market as the automaker sold 420,398 units in December 2025, which represented an 18.34% YoY decline from 2024. Check out more of Benzinga’s Future Of Mobility coverage by following this link. Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
Yu Liang. Photo: VCG Former China Vanke Co. Ltd. (000002.SZ) Chairman Yu Liang may have been taken away by authorities to assist with inquiries, according to Vanke employees. Yu, 60, formally retired and resigned from all posts at the embattled property developer on Jan. 8. He was last seen active on WeChat that evening and has had no visible activity on the platform since Jan. 9.
Yu Liang. Photo: VCG Former China Vanke Co. Ltd. (000002.SZ) Chairman Yu Liang may have been taken away by authorities to assist with inquiries, according to Vanke employees. Yu, 60, formally retired and resigned from all posts at the embattled property developer on Jan. 8. He was last seen active on WeChat that evening and has had no visible activity on the platform since Jan. 9.
Company Logo Opportunities in the chiplets market are driven by rising demand for high-performance computing, adoption of modular semiconductor designs, and expansion in AI and edge computing Chiplets Market Chiplets Market · GlobeNewswire Inc. Dublin, Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Chiplets Market Report 2026" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global chiplets market...
Company Logo Opportunities in the chiplets market are driven by rising demand for high-performance computing, adoption of modular semiconductor designs, and expansion in AI and edge computing Chiplets Market Chiplets Market · GlobeNewswire Inc. Dublin, Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Chiplets Market Report 2026" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global chiplets market is poised for substantial growth, expanding from $13.55 billion in 2025 to an impressive $168.57 billion by 2030, driven largely by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 65.3%. This growth is fueled by increased demand for high-performance computing and the adoption of modular semiconductor design approaches. With the expansion of AI and edge computing workloads, there is a rising deployment of chiplet-based datacenter processors. Open chiplet standards, like UCIe, are drawing significant attention due to the cost-efficient multi-die integration solutions they offer, alongside a growing interest in semiconductor outsourcing and advanced packaging ecosystems. Industry trends reveal a rising demand for heterogeneous chiplet architectures and the adoption of standardized chiplet interconnect protocols. These are complemented by expansions in packaging technologies for chiplet integration and increased outsourcing, aimed at reducing time to market through modular designs. The electronic devices sector is a primary driver for the chiplets market's future growth. The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association recently reported consumer electronics production reached $2.17 trillion in May 2023, a significant increase from earlier figures. The proliferation of mobile connections in the UK reflects this growing demand, as smartphone ownership is projected to cover 95% of the UK population by 2025. Key market players are innovating with technologies such as 5G to maintain their competitive edge. Intel's introduction of the 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable proce...
Lam Research (LRCX) became a Zacks #1 Rank again ahead of its earnings report Wednesday afternoon. As with many semiconductor companies, from chip designers like NVIDIA (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) to the foundries like Taiwan Semi (TSM) and Intel (INTC), the bull case for wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) companies like Lam Research has shifted from a cyclical recovery to a structural ...
Lam Research (LRCX) became a Zacks #1 Rank again ahead of its earnings report Wednesday afternoon. As with many semiconductor companies, from chip designers like NVIDIA (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) to the foundries like Taiwan Semi (TSM) and Intel (INTC), the bull case for wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) companies like Lam Research has shifted from a cyclical recovery to a structural "content gain" play. And it didn't hurt that two weeks ago TSMC revealed expanded capex plans for their "fabs" in Arizona and Taiwan and Micron (MU) broke ground on a $100 billion leading-edge memory manufacturing complex in Onondaga County, New York, which will include up to four fabs capable of producing advanced memory to support the rising demand for artificial intelligence systems and devices. Since then, there have been a flurry of investment bank analyst actions, including raising EPS estimates and price targets... It looks like most of these analysts were stuck in their Sep quarter narratives -- before the Micron and Sandisk (SNDK) DRAM and NAND flash memory/storage explosion -- with average targets below $200! BofA to $245 Stifel to $250 Wells to $250 Needham to $250 UBS to $255 Deutsche to $260 RBC initiates with $260 Citi to $265 The 2026 "Etch Intensity" Supercycle While the lithography laser light show of ASML (ASML) often grabs the WFE headlines, the transition to Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistors and HBM4 (High Bandwidth Memory) is where Lam’s etch and deposition dominance becomes the primary bottleneck solver. Lam Research’s Systems segment revenues are likely to have registered strong growth in their Q2 of FY'26 (ends June), mainly driven by the strength of its foundry business which continues to benefit from rising investments in advanced chip manufacturing, especially for AI and HPC applications. The company’s strong position in etch and deposition tools, which are critical for smaller and more complex transistor designs, has made it a key supplier to maj...