AlexLMX/iStock via Getty Images Chevron Corporation ( CVX ) is set to be a major beneficiary of the recent escalation in the Middle East as the war between the U.S. and Israel on one side, and Iran on the other, is dragging on for more than a month now and seems unlikely to get resolved in the short term. With the U.S. government prepared to continue to attack the Middle Eastern country, it is als...
AlexLMX/iStock via Getty Images Chevron Corporation ( CVX ) is set to be a major beneficiary of the recent escalation in the Middle East as the war between the U.S. and Israel on one side, and Iran on the other, is dragging on for more than a month now and seems unlikely to get resolved in the short term. With the U.S. government prepared to continue to attack the Middle Eastern country, it is also likely that petroleum prices ( CL1:COM ) will continue to surge in the weeks and months ahead... which creates a powerful earnings and free cash flow catalyst for Chevron and other major oil and gas companies. I like the growth and investment setup here for Chevron, and while I recognize that the energy enterprise has already seen a significant increase in market cap since the war broke out, I believe Chevron is on track to post billions in additional earnings in 2026...if energy prices hold up. This gives the energy company potential for accelerating stock buybacks and could lead to a revaluation following the Q1'26 earnings report . Data by YCharts Previous rating I rated Chevron a Strong Buy in my last coverage on the oil and gas major -- Why More Upside Looms In 2026 -- because I liked the growth upside that was tied to investments in Guyana and the Permian Basin. Chevron has made strategic acquisitions in the Permian Basin in order to increase its net acreage in 2023 -- through the merger with PDC Energy -- which now benefits the company in terms of strong production growth rates. With significantly higher prices for petroleum now present in the market, Chevron is set to benefit handsomely in 2026 from higher earnings and free cash flows. Iran war creates powerful earnings catalyst for Chevron The U.S. and Israel teamed up for a major attack on Iran at the end of February, and this conflict is now officially in its fifth week, with no signs of a peaceful solution in sight. In response to the military attack, the Islamic Republic of Iran has threatened the closure of ...
Devrimb/iStock via Getty Images The conflict in the Middle East continues to be the primary concern for global investors. The United States is far less energy dependent and impacted by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz than either Asia or Europe. However, it still faces higher costs for oil, gas, jet fuel, gasoline, diesel, nitrogen, urea, phosphate, and various other chemicals and met...
Devrimb/iStock via Getty Images The conflict in the Middle East continues to be the primary concern for global investors. The United States is far less energy dependent and impacted by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz than either Asia or Europe. However, it still faces higher costs for oil, gas, jet fuel, gasoline, diesel, nitrogen, urea, phosphate, and various other chemicals and metals that will ripple across the U.S. economy in the weeks and months ahead. S&P Global, CRU, IEA, Wood Mackenzie, Bloomberg In addition, new " cockroaches" continue to emerge from the private credit markets, with both KKR & Co. ( KKR ) and Blue Owl Capital ( OWL ) "gating " new private credit funds on Thursday. Concerns around a potential AI bubble have faded to the background a bit here over the past month. This even as most members of the Magnificent Seven opened the first quarter with losses after driving most of the gains in U.S. equities from 2023-2025. Microsoft ( MSFT ) posted a just over 23% decline in 1Q2026, the stock's worst start to a year since 2008, into the Great Financial Crisis. MSFT Stock Chart (Seeking Alpha) In this article, I will circle back to one of the dark sides of the AI Revolution. As it will continue to negatively impact consumer sentiment, it should also drive accelerating job losses in 2026. And that is AI's impact on the jobs market. This is already starting to become more apparent as we get further into the year. FRED A 2026 Quinnipiac poll conducted at the end of March found that approximately 55% of Americans stated they believe that artificial intelligence will be more harmful than helpful. This is up from 44% in a similar April 2025 poll. A whopping three-quarters of Americans believe continuous advancements in AI will most likely lead to a decline in job opportunities, up from 56% in the April 2025 poll. In today's article, I will highlight the three types of job losses that will be attributed to AI in the months and quarters ahead. The...
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed a lawsuit against three states—Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois—over unlawful efforts to regulate prediction markets. Despite the CFTC's exclusive jurisdiction to regulate event contracts under the Commodity Exchange Act, various states have attempted to outlaw, regulate, or restrain the activities of designated contract markets that facilitate trad...
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed a lawsuit against three states—Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois—over unlawful efforts to regulate prediction markets. Despite the CFTC's exclusive jurisdiction to regulate event contracts under the Commodity Exchange Act, various states have attempted to outlaw, regulate, or restrain the activities of designated contract markets that facilitate trading in lawful event contracts. "This is not the first time states have tried to impose inconsistent and contrary obligations on market participants, but Congress specifically rejected such a fragmented patchwork of state regulations because it resulted in poorer consumer protection and increased risk of fraud and manipulation," said CFTC Chairman Michael Selig. In January, the CFTC and the Securities and Exchange Commission highlighted the importance of clarifying rules for prediction markets, or event contracts as the CFTC calls them, and discussed four actions for the sector. Event contracts markets have operated within the CFTC's regulatory framework for more than two decades, but "many view them as novel or unsettled," resulting in uncertainty that hasn't served the markets or the public interest, Selig had then said. Last month, Arizona's attorney general filed criminal charges against Kalshi ( KALSHI ). The prediction market was charged with 20 counts, including charges for operating an illegal gambling business and providing election wagering. Major prediction markets are operated by Polymarket ( POLYMARKET ), Kalshi ( KALSHI ), and PredictIt. However, brokers are starting to offer their clients access to them, including Robinhood Markets ( HOOD ) and Interactive Brokers ( IBKR ). Even Wall Street bank Goldman Sachs ( GS ) is considering entering prediction markets. More on P rediction Markets CFTC moving ahead with prediction markets rulemaking Bipartisan bill seeks to ban sports bets on prediction markets: WSJ Commodity Futures Trading Commission calls for oversigh...
(RTTNews) - The Switzerland market, which stayed weak save for a few minutes in the final hour of the session, ended marginally down on Thursday, as the mood remained cautious amid renewed concerns about Middle East tensions after U.S. President Donald Trump's latest war threat o
(RTTNews) - The Switzerland market, which stayed weak save for a few minutes in the final hour of the session, ended marginally down on Thursday, as the mood remained cautious amid renewed concerns about Middle East tensions after U.S. President Donald Trump's latest war threat o
Ollie's Bargain Outlet is the leader in a niche that's only getting bigger – and the market isn't fully appreciating that yet, according to Jefferies. The firm upgraded the discount retailer on Thursday to buy from hold. It also lifted its price target on the stock to $130 from $120, implying about 42% of potential upside. Shares rose more than 3% in afternoon trading. OLLI YTD mountain Ollie's Ba...
Ollie's Bargain Outlet is the leader in a niche that's only getting bigger – and the market isn't fully appreciating that yet, according to Jefferies. The firm upgraded the discount retailer on Thursday to buy from hold. It also lifted its price target on the stock to $130 from $120, implying about 42% of potential upside. Shares rose more than 3% in afternoon trading. OLLI YTD mountain Ollie's Bargain Outlet in 2026 The company has a unique moat in its ability to buy cheap excess inventory at scale, which was one of the drivers behind the firm's upgrade, according to Jefferies analyst Randal Konik. Ollie's is trading at a lower valuation than Five Below , despite similar growth, and has more stores and national reach than its competitors in the discount retail space, the analyst said. "OLLI is the #1 in closeout," or leftover inventory, "at a moment when scale matters most," Konik said. "OLLI shares have de-rated on peak-margin concerns, freight uncertainty, and comp durability, alongside softer Q4 new-store results driven by a deliberate soft opening strategy. As cohorts mature, this approach smooths ramps and could unlock comp upside, leaving unit growth better positioned ahead." Ollie's has about 645 stores (compared to its next closest competitor, which has 159), twice as many distribution centers, and management sees growth opportunity to 1,300 stores, the analyst said. Additionally, with the retail landscape under pressure, there are more clearance goods available to buy at a discount but fewer buyers competing for them, he added. "Closeout has shifted from a tactical outlet to a structural channel as big-box rationalization reduces vendor pricing power," Konik said. "Retail stress amplifies deal flow, but is no longer required for OLLI to source product." —CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed reporting.
Billionaire oil wildcatter Harold Hamm ’s Continental Resources Inc. plans to increase production as the war in Iran sends crude prices soaring to the highest in four years. “Continental is increasing our capital budget, which will increase production,” Chief Executive Officer Doug Lawler said in a statement to Bloomberg. Continental is the first prominent US oil producer to say publicly that it p...
Billionaire oil wildcatter Harold Hamm ’s Continental Resources Inc. plans to increase production as the war in Iran sends crude prices soaring to the highest in four years. “Continental is increasing our capital budget, which will increase production,” Chief Executive Officer Doug Lawler said in a statement to Bloomberg. Continental is the first prominent US oil producer to say publicly that it plans to ramp up output amid the Iran war, which has crippled supplies from the Persian Gulf and sent crude futures soaring 50% in four weeks to more than $100 a barrel. Hamm is among US President Donald Trump’s most vocal supporters in the oil industry. Read More: Shale Oil Drilling Growth Primed to Restart in 2026, Citi Says Lawler didn’t say how much the closely held Oklahoma City-based company was increasing production. Continental has operations in North Dakota, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Texas. It recently began pushing into Argentina’s Vaca Muerta shale patch. Continental produced 475,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in the fourth quarter of 2025, with about 43% coming from the Bakken field in North Dakota and 23% from the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico. Prior to the war, Continental had budgeted capital spending of $2.5 billion in 2026, which would have been a 20% reduction compared with 2025. In the months leading up to the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran, fears of a global crude glut were forcing oil prices down to about $60 and below, threatening profit levels for many shale-oil companies.
Sensory organ in male cephalopod able to detect female hormone progesterone, even if male cannot see partner Sex might seem an intimate act, but scientists have shed fresh light on how octopuses manage it at arm’s length. Male octopuses use a specialised arm called the hectocotylus to place a package of sperm inside the female’s reproductive system. Continue reading...
Sensory organ in male cephalopod able to detect female hormone progesterone, even if male cannot see partner Sex might seem an intimate act, but scientists have shed fresh light on how octopuses manage it at arm’s length. Male octopuses use a specialised arm called the hectocotylus to place a package of sperm inside the female’s reproductive system. Continue reading...
Oleksandr Siedov The UK government has reached agreement with the US government that drugs made in the UK will not face tariffs in the US. Medicines exported from Britain will have a tariff exemption for a minimum of three years. While the deal was first brokered in December, the UK did not agree to the full text of it until Thursday. Terms include having the UK increase the cost-effectiveness thr...
Oleksandr Siedov The UK government has reached agreement with the US government that drugs made in the UK will not face tariffs in the US. Medicines exported from Britain will have a tariff exemption for a minimum of three years. While the deal was first brokered in December, the UK did not agree to the full text of it until Thursday. Terms include having the UK increase the cost-effectiveness threshold used by its National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ("NICE") by 25%. Also, the maximum rebate the National Health Service can get from pharma companies is 15%. In addition, the NHS will pay 25% higher list prices for new prescription drugs. Medtech products that are exported are also free from tariffs for at least the next three years. The UK will also boost spending on drug R&D to 0.6% from 0.3% of GDP. UK pharma exports to the US stand at more than £5B (~$6.6B) annually. More on GSK, AstraZeneca GSK: Chinese Expansion And Fine Financials GSK plc (GSK) Presents at Goldman Sachs 9th Annual Biopharma Innovation Summit Transcript AstraZeneca: The Big China Bet Astra posts late-stage trial win for Imfinzi regimen in liver cancer Former CDC advisor says White House pulling back on vaccine policy
Alphabet (NasdaqGS:GOOGL) has introduced Veo 3.1 Lite, a lower cost, high volume AI video generation model. The company is also cutting prices on its Veo 3.1 Fast tier, targeting developers and enterprises with large scale video needs. These moves follow OpenAI’s decision to discontinue its Sora video product, reshaping competition in AI video tools. Alphabet, through Google Cloud and its broader ...
Alphabet (NasdaqGS:GOOGL) has introduced Veo 3.1 Lite, a lower cost, high volume AI video generation model. The company is also cutting prices on its Veo 3.1 Fast tier, targeting developers and enterprises with large scale video needs. These moves follow OpenAI’s decision to discontinue its Sora video product, reshaping competition in AI video tools. Alphabet, through Google Cloud and its broader AI portfolio, is pushing deeper into video generation tools that can plug into content...
There's been a lot of public is concerned about health risks from the chemicals, especially from the Make America Healthy Again movement. The agency's move doesn't in itself guarantee regulation. (Image credit: Justin Sullivan)
There's been a lot of public is concerned about health risks from the chemicals, especially from the Make America Healthy Again movement. The agency's move doesn't in itself guarantee regulation. (Image credit: Justin Sullivan)
To be honest, I thought Elon Musk would confidentially file for SpaceX's IPO on the 20th of this month, rather than the 1st. But maybe that just means he's moved on to other numbers, and we should all mark our calendars for June 7th as an IPO date just in case. Based on the April 1st filing, and the general length of an SEC review before the S-1 document becomes public, the earliest I am expecting...
To be honest, I thought Elon Musk would confidentially file for SpaceX's IPO on the 20th of this month, rather than the 1st. But maybe that just means he's moved on to other numbers, and we should all mark our calendars for June 7th as an IPO date just in case. Based on the April 1st filing, and the general length of an SEC review before the S-1 document becomes public, the earliest I am expecting a SpaceX IPO is June. (At least, assuming there is still anyone left at the SEC who wants to do their job instead of just glance at the first page of the filing, say, "Seems fine!" and then go out for a smoke break.) Of course, this process could … Read the full story at The Verge.
Olga Yastremska/iStock via Getty Images The last time I spoke about Vertex Pharmaceuticals ( VRTX ) it was with a Seeking Alpha article entitled " Vertex Pharmaceuticals: JOURNAVX Prescription Demand And Povetacicept Developments Warrant "Strong Buy ." With respect to this article, I mentioned that the company was seeing strong demand in terms of its drug JOURNAVX [suzetrigine] , approved to treat...
Olga Yastremska/iStock via Getty Images The last time I spoke about Vertex Pharmaceuticals ( VRTX ) it was with a Seeking Alpha article entitled " Vertex Pharmaceuticals: JOURNAVX Prescription Demand And Povetacicept Developments Warrant "Strong Buy ." With respect to this article, I mentioned that the company was seeing strong demand in terms of its drug JOURNAVX [suzetrigine] , approved to treat patients with moderate-to-severe acute pain. That, plus it was in the process of exploring the use of this drug in two ongoing phase 3 studies targeting patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy [DPN] as well. It will continue to enroll patients for this program through 2026. For the 12 months ending December 31, 2025, it generated approximately $59.6 million in revenues from it. What I also went over was the fact that this company was in the process of advancing its BAFF/APRIL inhibitor povetacicept for the treatment of patients with Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy [IgAN] and Primary Membranous Neuropathy [PMN]. Speaking of which, as an update, it was noted that the company released positive results from a pre-specified 36-week interim analysis from the phase 3 RAINER study using povetacicept on top of standard of care [SOC] to treat these patients with IgAN. In essence, there was a statistically significant and clinically meaningful 49.8% urine protein to creatinine ratio [UPCR] reduction compared to placebo. This clinical effect was statistically significant with a p-value of p<0.0001. The point here is that the company already submitted several modules of its Biologics License Application [BLA] of povetacicept for the treatment of patients with IgAN. The expected completion for full submission was set by the end of March of 2026. The point here is that the company is vying for potential FDA Accelerated Approval of this BLA of this drug for these patients. Even better, it is expected to use a priority review voucher [PRV] to speed up the review of it from 10 months to 6...