Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year parade next month is expected to attract 100,000 people, with global toy sensation Labubu and the city’s storied wishing tree being featured on floats in the procession. The Hong Kong Tourism Board, which organises the event, said that eight “distinctive” floats would be displayed at the Kai Tak Sports Park one day after the event – the first time for such an arrangement...
Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year parade next month is expected to attract 100,000 people, with global toy sensation Labubu and the city’s storied wishing tree being featured on floats in the procession. The Hong Kong Tourism Board, which organises the event, said that eight “distinctive” floats would be displayed at the Kai Tak Sports Park one day after the event – the first time for such an arrangement. The event will be held in Tsim Sha Tsui on the evening of February 17, the first day of Lunar New Year. The procession will feature 12 floats, 15 local performing groups and 16 acts from outside the city. Advertisement “We predict that the turnout for this event this year will be 100,000 people,” a tourism board spokesman said. “We expect that half of those will be tourists.” Hong Kong Tourism Board chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok, speaking at the parade’s press conference on Tuesday, said new elements at this year’s event included three organisations making their debut on parade floats. Advertisement “Hong Kong’s McDonald’s, the Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree and locally created trendy intellectual property products will be joining the float parade for the first time,” Lam said.
Alexey_Lesik/iStock via Getty Images By Kyle Richards U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports continued to rise in 2025, and a slew of new projects were sanctioned. However, tightening spreads between global LNG markers and the U.S. natural gas benchmark put a damper on 4Q25. Learn more below about the robust project announcements seen in 2025, how margin compression impacted the liquefaction sub...
Alexey_Lesik/iStock via Getty Images By Kyle Richards U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports continued to rise in 2025, and a slew of new projects were sanctioned. However, tightening spreads between global LNG markers and the U.S. natural gas benchmark put a damper on 4Q25. Learn more below about the robust project announcements seen in 2025, how margin compression impacted the liquefaction subsector in 4Q, and which projects are targeting Final Investment Decision (FID) in early 2026. Record U.S. LNG Capacity Expansion in 2025 LNG exports are expected to be the largest driver of incremental U.S. natural gas demand over the next few years. 2025 marked a historic year for U.S. LNG, as exports reached new highs and several projects started construction. Roughly 9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of new U.S. LNG export capacity reached Final Investment Decision (FID), including major projects from Venture Global ( VG ), Woodside Energy ( WDS ), and Sempra ( SRE ). LNG exports surged in 2025 as new infrastructure came on-line, jumping 26% year-over-year to a record 14.6 Bcf/d. This growth was driven by the rapid ramp-up of Venture Global’s Plaquemines facility and the completion of Cheniere Energy’s ( LNG ) Corpus Christi Stage 3. Both projects began production at the end of 2024. Another ~2.4 Bcf/d of capacity is expected to come on-line in 2026, driven by VG’s Plaquemines LNG Phase 2 expansion and Exxon’s ( XOM ) Golden Pass Train 1. Through 2031, U.S. LNG export capacity is set to double based on projects under construction, as shown below. Most of the capacity additions greenlit in 2025 happened in the first part of the year. The sole FID in the fourth quarter was NextDecade’s ( NEXT ) Rio Grande Train 5, a 0.7 Bcf/d expansion announced in mid-October. In December, Energy Transfer ( ET ) decided to suspend its 2.2 Bcf/d Lake Charles LNG project in favor of focusing on natural gas pipeline projects with better risk/return profiles. Global Market Headwinds Pressu...
Key Points There's a limit on how much Social Security recipients who work can earn. Once that limit is reached, the SSA withholds a portion of benefits. Any money withheld is not lost. The SSA adds in those funds when the recipient reaches full retirement age. There's no reason to avoid taking a job if that's what's best for your well-being. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees complet...
Key Points There's a limit on how much Social Security recipients who work can earn. Once that limit is reached, the SSA withholds a portion of benefits. Any money withheld is not lost. The SSA adds in those funds when the recipient reaches full retirement age. There's no reason to avoid taking a job if that's what's best for your well-being. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › If you haven't reached full retirement age (FRA) yet but have claimed Social Security benefits, there's a little good news this year. Whether you're looking for a little extra money to help you keep pace with inflation or would simply be bored without a job, working (part-time or full-time) recently became a little easier. That's due to a rule change for 2026 that allows you to earn more money before the Social Security Administration (SSA) withholds any benefits. Here's how it works. 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 » If you haven't reached FRA yet For most workers today, full retirement age is 67. If you began collecting Social Security before hitting FRA, there's a limit on how much you can make before Social Security begins withholding a portion of your monthly benefits. The good news? You can now earn up to $24,480 annually before the SSA will withhold $1 for every $2 in excess of that amount. That's an increase of more than $1,000 over last year's maximum earnings threshold. Let's say you work part-time and earn $34,480 ($10,000 above the earnings limit). The SSA will reduce your benefit by $1 for every $2 you're over the limit, meaning you'll receive $5,000 less in benefits ($10,000/$2 = $5,000). While you won't receive the $5,000 you earned in the year it was earned, it will find its way back to you. That's because when you reach FRA, the SSA will recalculate your monthly benefit and add any funds withheld due to working back into your benefits. In othe...
Both Western Digital Corporation WDC and Micron Technology MU are major players in the memory and storage ecosystem, with exposure to NAND flash and data-center demand tied to AI, cloud computing and cyclical memory pricing. Western Digital and Micron are both well-positioned to benefit from global data growth through storage and memory solutions, making them closely watched by investors betting o...
Both Western Digital Corporation WDC and Micron Technology MU are major players in the memory and storage ecosystem, with exposure to NAND flash and data-center demand tied to AI, cloud computing and cyclical memory pricing. Western Digital and Micron are both well-positioned to benefit from global data growth through storage and memory solutions, making them closely watched by investors betting on AI infrastructure and cloud expansion. Both operate in the broader data storage ecosystem, but they play distinct roles. Western Digital is traditionally known for HDDs and, increasingly, enterprise storage systems. It also has flash memory exposure, though that part was largely spun off through SanDisk in 2025. Micron is a pure memory champion in DRAM, HBM and NAND flash. Both have soared in value recently, driven by demand tied to data growth and AI infrastructure. But their futures hinge on different markets and technology cycles. However, if investors must choose between the two, which stock should they consider based on business models, growth drivers, risks, financials & valuation, outlooks and final verdict? Here’s how it breaks down. The Case for WDC AI adoption is accelerating across industries, driving innovation, reshaping business models and advancing digital transformation through higher productivity and richer user experiences. As agentic AI scales and multimodal LLMs become mainstream, WDC is seeing growing AI use cases that are fueling sustained demand for data infrastructure. AI is both a major consumer and creator of data, transforming how data is generated, stored, scaled and monetized. As data volumes expand rapidly, HDDs remain the most reliable, scalable and cost-effective solution for storing the zettabytes of data powering the AI-driven economy. AI is improving efficiency across corporate functions. At the same time, rising AI and data-driven workloads at hyperscalers are boosting demand for WDC’s storage solutions. Customers are shifting to higher...
Both Western Digital Corporation WDC and Micron Technology MU are major players in the memory and storage ecosystem, with exposure to NAND flash and data-center demand tied to AI, cloud computing and cyclical memory pricing. Western Digital and Micron are both well-positioned to benefit from global data growth through storage and memory solutions, making them closely watched by investors betting o...
Both Western Digital Corporation WDC and Micron Technology MU are major players in the memory and storage ecosystem, with exposure to NAND flash and data-center demand tied to AI, cloud computing and cyclical memory pricing. Western Digital and Micron are both well-positioned to benefit from global data growth through storage and memory solutions, making them closely watched by investors betting on AI infrastructure and cloud expansion. Both operate in the broader data storage ecosystem, but they play distinct roles. Western Digital is traditionally known for HDDs and, increasingly, enterprise storage systems. It also has flash memory exposure, though that part was largely spun off through SanDisk in 2025. Micron is a pure memory champion in DRAM, HBM and NAND flash. Both have soared in value recently, driven by demand tied to data growth and AI infrastructure. But their futures hinge on different markets and technology cycles. However, if investors must choose between the two, which stock should they consider based on business models, growth drivers, risks, financials & valuation, outlooks and final verdict? Here’s how it breaks down. The Case for WDC AI adoption is accelerating across industries, driving innovation, reshaping business models and advancing digital transformation through higher productivity and richer user experiences. As agentic AI scales and multimodal LLMs become mainstream, WDC is seeing growing AI use cases that are fueling sustained demand for data infrastructure. AI is both a major consumer and creator of data, transforming how data is generated, stored, scaled and monetized. As data volumes expand rapidly, HDDs remain the most reliable, scalable and cost-effective solution for storing the zettabytes of data powering the AI-driven economy. AI is improving efficiency across corporate functions. At the same time, rising AI and data-driven workloads at hyperscalers are boosting demand for WDC’s storage solutions. Customers are shifting to higher...
Both Western Digital Corporation WDC and Micron Technology MU are major players in the memory and storage ecosystem, with exposure to NAND flash and data-center demand tied to AI, cloud computing and cyclical memory pricing. Western Digital and Micron are both well-positioned to benefit from global data growth through storage and memory solutions, making them closely watched by investors betting o...
Both Western Digital Corporation WDC and Micron Technology MU are major players in the memory and storage ecosystem, with exposure to NAND flash and data-center demand tied to AI, cloud computing and cyclical memory pricing. Western Digital and Micron are both well-positioned to benefit from global data growth through storage and memory solutions, making them closely watched by investors betting on AI infrastructure and cloud expansion. Both operate in the broader data storage ecosystem, but they play distinct roles. Western Digital is traditionally known for HDDs and, increasingly, enterprise storage systems. It also has flash memory exposure, though that part was largely spun off through SanDisk in 2025. Micron is a pure memory champion in DRAM, HBM and NAND flash. Both have soared in value recently, driven by demand tied to data growth and AI infrastructure. But their futures hinge on different markets and technology cycles. However, if investors must choose between the two, which stock should they consider based on business models, growth drivers, risks, financials & valuation, outlooks and final verdict? Here’s how it breaks down. The Case for WDC AI adoption is accelerating across industries, driving innovation, reshaping business models and advancing digital transformation through higher productivity and richer user experiences. As agentic AI scales and multimodal LLMs become mainstream, WDC is seeing growing AI use cases that are fueling sustained demand for data infrastructure. AI is both a major consumer and creator of data, transforming how data is generated, stored, scaled and monetized. As data volumes expand rapidly, HDDs remain the most reliable, scalable and cost-effective solution for storing the zettabytes of data powering the AI-driven economy. AI is improving efficiency across corporate functions. At the same time, rising AI and data-driven workloads at hyperscalers are boosting demand for WDC’s storage solutions. Customers are shifting to higher...
Central Bancompany, Inc. press release ( CBC ): Q4 GAAP EPS of $0.47. Revenue of $272M. GAAP net interest margin 1 (“NIM”) of 4.38%, quarterly increase of 2 basis points End-of-period total loans held for investment of $11.4 billion, quarterly increase of $0.1 billion, or 1.0% growth from the prior quarter Return on average assets (“ROAA”) of 2.17%, compared to 2.02% in the prior quarter Efficienc...
Central Bancompany, Inc. press release ( CBC ): Q4 GAAP EPS of $0.47. Revenue of $272M. GAAP net interest margin 1 (“NIM”) of 4.38%, quarterly increase of 2 basis points End-of-period total loans held for investment of $11.4 billion, quarterly increase of $0.1 billion, or 1.0% growth from the prior quarter Return on average assets (“ROAA”) of 2.17%, compared to 2.02% in the prior quarter Efficiency ratio 2 of 47.6%, compared to 49.6% in the prior quarter More on Central Bancompany, Inc. Newly Listed Central Bancompany Has A History Of Solid Growth Central Bancompany scores Overweight rating at Morgan Stanley Central Bancompany launches IPO of 17.78M class A shares Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Central Bancompany, Inc. Historical earnings data for Central Bancompany, Inc.
Thanadon Naksanee/iStock via Getty Images Back when I rated this a Hold , Clover Health Investments ( CLOV ) was a wait-and-see story. Since then, the price has slid nearly 23%, down to $2.49, even after a huge 53% spike in Medicare Advantage enrollment and management saying they’re about to turn their first real profit in 2026. That cautious call made sense, since last quarter’s $24.4 million net...
Thanadon Naksanee/iStock via Getty Images Back when I rated this a Hold , Clover Health Investments ( CLOV ) was a wait-and-see story. Since then, the price has slid nearly 23%, down to $2.49, even after a huge 53% spike in Medicare Advantage enrollment and management saying they’re about to turn their first real profit in 2026. That cautious call made sense, since last quarter’s $24.4 million net loss was ugly, mainly because way more new members joined than expected (and they lose money at first), plus higher healthcare costs across the industry. But a few things are different now. The mood around the stock has swung too negative and the numbers behind member profits, retention and scaling are way clearer. I think this actually sets up a real contrarian shot. The stock trades for less than 0.5 times next year’s sales and Wall Street just isn’t seeing the clear turn in profitability or giving management credit for their plan to boost margins. Investors are still missing how the big member growth will pay off later, especially as the tech starts to really help margins. Most folks are still focused on recent losses and want proof that this tech model works. But I think the upside is way better than the downside if you can wait a year or two. This mispricing is sticking around because the headlines about losses hide the real profits coming from older members, the strong quality scores and growth that’s above market. If Clover can actually turn this year’s wave of new members into profitable long-timers in 2026, investors will have to rethink what the company’s worth and whether its business model really works. Growth Despite Pressure (Q3 2025 Earnings Call Presentation) Clover Health is running a stand-out strategy built around their own Clover Assistant AI, which they’re now trying to sell to others through Counterpart Health. The company’s core business remains Medicare Advantage insurance. Management’s value proposition is that Clover Assistant improves clinical ou...
Ingredion ( INGR ) on Tuesday announced the retirement of Executive Vice President and CFO James Gray, effective March 31. The company said it will announce a new CFO upon Gray's retirement. More on Ingredion Ingredion: Positioned For Health-Focused Food Trends Despite Macro Uncertainty Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Palm Valley Capital Fund buys Ingredion in Q4, se...
Ingredion ( INGR ) on Tuesday announced the retirement of Executive Vice President and CFO James Gray, effective March 31. The company said it will announce a new CFO upon Gray's retirement. More on Ingredion Ingredion: Positioned For Health-Focused Food Trends Despite Macro Uncertainty Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Palm Valley Capital Fund buys Ingredion in Q4, sells Northwest Natural Bunge upgraded, Ingredion downgraded at Barclays after Q3 results Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Ingredion
Asked if he took his comments from the weekend too far, Guardiola replied: "With their statements, they defend each other, [that is] completely understandable. They have to do that. "But at the same time I have to defend my club. How many times did I criticise the referees last season, which was the worst season in 10 years? How many times? "If he is offended then I am so sorry. I know it's not ea...
Asked if he took his comments from the weekend too far, Guardiola replied: "With their statements, they defend each other, [that is] completely understandable. They have to do that. "But at the same time I have to defend my club. How many times did I criticise the referees last season, which was the worst season in 10 years? How many times? "If he is offended then I am so sorry. I know it's not easy on debut - and it's happened. Everyone is so sensitive, I know that." Following the match, Guardiola said he would be awaiting a call from referees' chief Howard Webb to "explain why it is not a penalty". For the third time in two weeks, Webb was again referenced by Guardiola in a news conference as he added: "Never, ever, in 10 years I have criticised the referees. What I am saying this season is arguments and reasons why we have done it. "I defend my club and my players. Howard Webb defends the referees. He has to do that. "Look what happens in the boxes from corners and free-kicks: every action, it is not easy. Every action is a foul, every action. I know it is not easy, but I have to defend my club and my players for many reasons."
Image source: The Motley Fool. Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026 at 8 a.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chief Executive Officer — Neil Hunn Chief Financial Officer — Jason Conley Vice President, Investor Relations — Zack Moxcey TAKEAWAYS Revenue -- $2.06 billion for the quarter, reflecting 10% growth, with 5% from acquisitions and 4% organically. -- $2.06 billion for the quarter, reflecting 10% growth, with 5% from ...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026 at 8 a.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chief Executive Officer — Neil Hunn Chief Financial Officer — Jason Conley Vice President, Investor Relations — Zack Moxcey TAKEAWAYS Revenue -- $2.06 billion for the quarter, reflecting 10% growth, with 5% from acquisitions and 4% organically. -- $2.06 billion for the quarter, reflecting 10% growth, with 5% from acquisitions and 4% organically. Full-Year Revenue -- $7.9 billion, marking a 12% increase, and nearly 7% growth attributable to acquisitions. -- $7.9 billion, marking a 12% increase, and nearly 7% growth attributable to acquisitions. EBITDA -- $818 million in the quarter, up 10% year over year, delivering a core EBITDA margin expansion of 60 basis points and 54% incremental margin. -- $818 million in the quarter, up 10% year over year, delivering a core EBITDA margin expansion of 60 basis points and 54% incremental margin. Application Software Segment -- Quarterly revenue up 10%, organic growth of 4%, and margin expansion of 70 basis points to 42.2%; full-year organic revenue grew 5% and EBITDA margin reached 42.5%. -- Quarterly revenue up 10%, organic growth of 4%, and margin expansion of 70 basis points to 42.2%; full-year organic revenue grew 5% and EBITDA margin reached 42.5%. Network Software Segment -- Quarterly revenue increased 14%, with 5% organic growth; full-year revenue up 8% and 4% organically; EBITDA margin for the year was 54.1%. -- Quarterly revenue increased 14%, with 5% organic growth; full-year revenue up 8% and 4% organically; EBITDA margin for the year was 54.1%. Test Segment -- Quarterly revenue rose 6%, organic growth of 5%, and margin held flat at 34.8%; full-year revenue grew 7% (6% organic) and EBITDA margin was 35.7%. -- Quarterly revenue rose 6%, organic growth of 5%, and margin held flat at 34.8%; full-year revenue grew 7% (6% organic) and EBITDA margin was 35.7%. Recurring vs. Nonrecurring Revenue -- For Application and Network Software, recur...
Will Danoff , the world’s most prolific solo stock-picker who generated world-beating returns during a run of more than three decades atop the Fidelity Contrafund , is set to retire at year-end. “It has been the privilege of a lifetime to manage Contrafund for 35 years and help millions of Fidelity’s clients invest wisely and retire comfortably,” Danoff, 65, said in an emailed statement. He will r...
Will Danoff , the world’s most prolific solo stock-picker who generated world-beating returns during a run of more than three decades atop the Fidelity Contrafund , is set to retire at year-end. “It has been the privilege of a lifetime to manage Contrafund for 35 years and help millions of Fidelity’s clients invest wisely and retire comfortably,” Danoff, 65, said in an emailed statement. He will remain with Fidelity Investments as an adviser. Danoff will hand the reins of Contrafund to Fidelity veterans Jason Weiner and Asher Anolic , who were appointed co-portfolio managers last year. “We’ve learned a lot and have had fun working closely together for decades, and they have embraced the Contrafund investment approach, backed by the depth and breadth of Fidelity’s global research team,” Danoff said of his successors. His exit marks the end of an era for Boston-based Fidelity, which for years avoided publicly addressing the question of what would happen when he finally decided to step down. Danoff, who was mentored by storied Fidelity stock-picker Peter Lynch , joined Fidelity in 1986 and took over Contrafund in 1990 as sole manager. Since then, the fund has returned roughly 10,500%, more than double the S&P 500, and ended 2025 with $176 billion of assets, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Until April, Danoff almost single-handedly managed more than $300 billion across strategies. Over the decades, he won the trust of clients and management teams of the companies in his tech-heavy portfolio, including Amazon.com Inc. , Nvidia Corp. and Meta Platforms Inc. , and counted Mark Zuckerberg as an occasional tennis partner. In 2016, Fidelity released an advertisement showing a man typing a letter to Danoff and enclosing a photograph of his son, saying he had invested in Contrafund to save for the child’s college education. It was based on a real letter he had received. Read More: World’s Biggest Solo Stock-Picker Is Having Best Year Since 1991 Nidhi Gupta and Matt Dru...
Outside of trade and geopolitics, one source of market volatility could very well come from Japan, as its currency undergoes sharp moves. The Japanese yen lost more than 13% against the U.S. dollar in 2025, as worries around the country's fiscal health dented confidence and put the currency's safe-haven status in jeopardy. Last week, the yen stabilized against major currencies after the U.S. condu...
Outside of trade and geopolitics, one source of market volatility could very well come from Japan, as its currency undergoes sharp moves. The Japanese yen lost more than 13% against the U.S. dollar in 2025, as worries around the country's fiscal health dented confidence and put the currency's safe-haven status in jeopardy. Last week, the yen stabilized against major currencies after the U.S. conducted a so-called " rate check " on the currency, where monetary authorities ask commercial banks for currency quotes. The move led to speculation of possible coordinated U.S.-Japan intervention to boost the yen. Such backstops have happened before, most recently in 2011. JPY= 1Y mountain USD/JPY 1-yr Why is this important to U.S. stocks? Because it directly influences the yen " carry trade ," where many of the biggest investors in the world borrow yen and invest in stocks and bonds. If that trade comes under pressure, it will drive U.S. and Japanese bonds — thus putting pressure on equities. That's what happened in August 2024 when the yen carry trade unwound and the Topix index of Japanese stocks cratered 12% in one day — the second largest decline ever, after the 1987 crash. "Currency intervention can seem like a topic that isn't related to stocks, but that's not true. If we get increased volatility from the currency and bond space (specifically the yen and [Japanese Government Bonds]), that will impact stocks," wrote Tom Essaye, founder of The Sevens Report. Essaye noted, however, that choppiness in the carry trade won't end the U.S. bull market, "but it can cause some intense volatility." Ways to hedge Essaye highlighted several ways investors can protect themselves if yen-induced volatility grows. One of them is buying "hard assets," such as gold and silver. Investors can gain exposure to these metals through the SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD) and the iShares Silver Trust ETF (SLV) . Both gold and silver have been on a tear, hitting record highs. GLD is already up 17% in 2...