Abandon Big Tech: Ethereum Founder Buterin Calls 2026 The Year To Reclaim Self-Sovereign Computing Authored by Christina Comben via CoinTelegraph.com, Ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin declared 2026 to be the “year we take back lost ground in computing self-sovereignty,” starting with his own devices. In a Friday post on X, he laid out the software changes he has made to reduce reliance on data-h...
Abandon Big Tech: Ethereum Founder Buterin Calls 2026 The Year To Reclaim Self-Sovereign Computing Authored by Christina Comben via CoinTelegraph.com, Ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin declared 2026 to be the “year we take back lost ground in computing self-sovereignty,” starting with his own devices. In a Friday post on X, he laid out the software changes he has made to reduce reliance on data-hungry, centralized platforms. The “two major changes” to the software he used in 2025 were switching “almost fully” to Fileverse, an open-source , decentralized document platform — a kind of privacy-preserving Google Docs — and switching “decisively” to Signal as his primary messaging app. Signal uses end-to-end encryption by default for all one-to-one and group chats, and stores minimal metadata, meaning only limited information, such as when an account was created or the last date it connected to the service. Telegram, in contrast, only offers end-to-end encryption in optional “secret chats” and otherwise keeps messages and metadata on its own servers, a model that has drawn scrutiny as law enforcement data requests have increased in countries like France. Becoming more self-sovereign. Source: Vitalik Buterin Local AI and self-hosted tools In 2026, Buterin has moved from Google Maps to OpenStreetMap via OrganicMaps and from Gmail to Proton Mail, while prioritizing decentralized social media . Buterin also discussed his experiments with locally hosting large language models, arguing that sending all data to third-party services is “unnecessary” when users can increasingly run artificial intelligence tools on their own hardware. He said better user interfaces, integrations and efficiency are still needed to make local models a seamless default, but added that there has already been “huge progress” compared with a year ago. Privacy advocates see broader shift His post echoes points made by privacy advocate and NBTV founder Naomi Brockwell, who described running models locall...
Getty Images CoreWeave, Inc. ( CRWV ) stock is surging Monday following an announcement by the company that Nvidia ( NVDA ) has made an additional investment in the former to accelerate AI infrastructure build-outs. While this has given shares a boost in the short term, I think this is yet another example of the circular financing that has become a trademark of this sector and is a bearish long-te...
Getty Images CoreWeave, Inc. ( CRWV ) stock is surging Monday following an announcement by the company that Nvidia ( NVDA ) has made an additional investment in the former to accelerate AI infrastructure build-outs. While this has given shares a boost in the short term, I think this is yet another example of the circular financing that has become a trademark of this sector and is a bearish long-term indicator for CoreWeave. Data by YCharts In my last piece on CRWV, I discussed the coming supply shock that increasing memory prices will have on the data center industry and that the company's balance sheet and aggressive build timeline leave it uniquely vulnerable. I rated the stock a Sell, and it has risen by around 50% since. That article can be read here . So that call was poorly timed, eh? Well, I guess that depends if you judge an author by a rating alone or by the full content of what they write. The last paragraph of that most recent article states: I think CRWV will continue to be volatile in the short term as the AI news cycle ebbs and flows and could even bounce back if concerns ease, but as the memory shortage picks up steam, prices continue to rise, and supply shortages set in, shares could potentially see additional declines. Some might say I was hedging my bet or that I simply lacked conviction, but I'm well aware that the AI bubble is persistent and could chug along for years longer, so call it what you like, but this resurgence by CRWV didn't come as a surprise to me. My thesis was that the risk-reward profile in the medium and long-term timeframe looks unfavorable due to increasing input costs, high debt load, and lack of a competitive moat, and none of that has changed, Nvidia investment or no. But I do think Nvidia upping its stake in CoreWeave presents an opportunity to revisit the company's standing and gives us an interesting look into Nvidia's strategy and how CoreWeave fits into the big picture. Let's start with a quick recap of the deal. CRWV i...
Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in SkyWater Technology Inc (Symbol: SKYT), where a total volume of 14,614 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 1.5 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number work...
Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in SkyWater Technology Inc (Symbol: SKYT), where a total volume of 14,614 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 1.5 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 58.1% of SKYT's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 2.5 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $10 strike call option expiring January 15, 2027 , with 1,510 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 151,000 underlying shares of SKYT. Below is a chart showing SKYT's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $10 strike highlighted in orange: Clover Health Investments Corp (Symbol: CLOV) options are showing a volume of 29,705 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 3.0 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 55.1% of CLOV's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 5.4 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $2.50 strike put option expiring January 30, 2026, with 12,845 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 1.3 million underlying shares of CLOV. Below is a chart showing CLOV's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $2.50 strike highlighted in orange: And Hims & Hers Health Inc (Symbol: HIMS) options are showing a volume of 82,667 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 8.3 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 54.9% of HIMS's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 15.0 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $38 strike call option expiring February 13, 2026, with 8,098 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 809,800 underlying shares of HIMS. Below is a chart showing HIMS's trailing twelve month trading hi...
Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in Revolution Medicines Inc (Symbol: RVMD), where a total volume of 37,289 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 3.7 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number wor...
Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in Revolution Medicines Inc (Symbol: RVMD), where a total volume of 37,289 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 3.7 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 75.2% of RVMD's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 5.0 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $95 strike put option expiring February 20, 2026 , with 6,886 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 688,600 underlying shares of RVMD. Below is a chart showing RVMD's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $95 strike highlighted in orange: PVH Corp (Symbol: PVH) options are showing a volume of 7,143 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 714,300 underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 74% of PVH's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 965,415 shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $50 strike put option expiring September 18, 2026, with 6,033 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 603,300 underlying shares of PVH. Below is a chart showing PVH's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $50 strike highlighted in orange: And Ivanhoe Electric Inc (Symbol: IE) saw options trading volume of 13,365 contracts, representing approximately 1.3 million underlying shares or approximately 73.3% of IE's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 1.8 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $12.50 strike put option expiring April 17, 2026, with 8,000 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 800,000 underlying shares of IE. Below is a chart showing IE's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $12.50 strike highlighted in orange: For the various different available expirations for RVMD...
Looking at the universe of stocks we cover at Dividend Channel , in trading on Thursday, shares of United Community Banks Inc (Symbol: UCB) were yielding above the 3% mark based on its quarterly dividend (annualized to $0.96), with the stock changing hands as low as $31.46 on the day. Dividends are particularly important for investors to consider, because historically speaking dividends have provi...
Looking at the universe of stocks we cover at Dividend Channel , in trading on Thursday, shares of United Community Banks Inc (Symbol: UCB) were yielding above the 3% mark based on its quarterly dividend (annualized to $0.96), with the stock changing hands as low as $31.46 on the day. Dividends are particularly important for investors to consider, because historically speaking dividends have provided a considerable share of the stock market's total return. To illustrate, suppose for example you purchased shares of the iShares Russell 3000 ETF (IWV) back on 5/31/2000 — you would have paid $78.27 per share. Fast forward to 5/31/2012 and each share was worth $77.79 on that date, a loss of $0.48 or 0.6% decrease over twelve years. But now consider that you collected a whopping $10.77 per share in dividends over the same period, increasing your return to 13.15%. Even with dividends reinvested, that only amounts to an average annual total return of about 1.0%; so by comparison collecting a yield above 3% would appear considerably attractive if that yield is sustainable. United Community Banks Inc (Symbol: UCB) is a member of the Russell 3000, giving it special status as one of the largest 3000 companies on the U.S. stock markets. In general, dividend amounts are not always predictable and tend to follow the ups and downs of profitability at each company. In the case of United Community Banks Inc, looking at the history chart for UCB below can help in judging whether the most recent dividend is likely to continue, and in turn whether it is a reasonable expectation to expect a 3% annual yield. Click here to find out which 9 other dividend stocks just recently went on sale » Also see: The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Among the underlying components of the Russell 3000 index, we saw noteworthy options trading volume today in Antero Resources Corp (Symbol: AR), where a total of 115,748 contracts have traded so far, representing approximately 11.6 million underlying shares. That amounts to about 200.5% of AR's average daily trading volume over the past month of 5.8 million shares. Especially high volume was seen ...
Among the underlying components of the Russell 3000 index, we saw noteworthy options trading volume today in Antero Resources Corp (Symbol: AR), where a total of 115,748 contracts have traded so far, representing approximately 11.6 million underlying shares. That amounts to about 200.5% of AR's average daily trading volume over the past month of 5.8 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $38 strike call option expiring March 20, 2026 , with 43,934 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 4.4 million underlying shares of AR. Below is a chart showing AR's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $38 strike highlighted in orange: VF Corp. (Symbol: VFC) saw options trading volume of 62,836 contracts, representing approximately 6.3 million underlying shares or approximately 108.3% of VFC's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 5.8 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $17 strike put option expiring February 20, 2026, with 40,071 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 4.0 million underlying shares of VFC. Below is a chart showing VFC's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $17 strike highlighted in orange: And Booking Holdings Inc (Symbol: BKNG) options are showing a volume of 1,710 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 171,000 underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 91.1% of BKNG's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 187,685 shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $6000 strike call option expiring January 30, 2026, with 94 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 9,400 underlying shares of BKNG. Below is a chart showing BKNG's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $6000 strike highlighted in orange: For the various different available expirations for AR options, VFC options, or BKNG options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com. Today's Most Active Call & Put Options of the S&P ...
The programmatic advertising specialist is facing turnover in the C-suite. Shares of The Trade Desk (TTD 7.47%) slumped on Monday, falling as much as 8.5%. As of 3:13 p.m. ET, the stock was still down 7.1%. The abrupt departure of a high-ranking executive normally raises eyebrows anyway, but this move was doubly perplexing. A revolving door In a press release that dropped early Monday, The Trade D...
The programmatic advertising specialist is facing turnover in the C-suite. Shares of The Trade Desk (TTD 7.47%) slumped on Monday, falling as much as 8.5%. As of 3:13 p.m. ET, the stock was still down 7.1%. The abrupt departure of a high-ranking executive normally raises eyebrows anyway, but this move was doubly perplexing. A revolving door In a press release that dropped early Monday, The Trade Desk announced that chief financial officer (CFO) Alex Kayyal would depart his position effective immediately. The company didn't provide any reason for the departure. Kayyal joined The Trade Desk's Board of Directors early last year and assumed the role of CFO in August, so his short tenure ended rather abruptly. When a C-suite executive departs, especially on such short notice, there are inevitable questions about what precipitated the move and the potential impact on ongoing operations. In the meantime, The Trade Desk appointed Tahnil Davis as Interim CFO, while it "conducts a search for a permanent successor." Davis currently serves as the company's chief accounting officer and has been with the company for 11 years. CEO Jeff Green sought to calm concerned investors and affirmed The Trade Desk's fourth-quarter financial guidance. Expand NASDAQ : TTD The Trade Desk Today's Change ( -7.47 %) $ -2.73 Current Price $ 33.82 Key Data Points Market Cap $18B Day's Range $ 33.44 - $ 36.35 52wk Range $ 33.44 - $ 125.80 Volume 594K Avg Vol 13M Gross Margin 78.81 % Volatility continues The Trade Desk has been in the midst of a turnaround. Early last year, after meeting or exceeding its own guidance for 33 consecutive quarters, the company stumbled and has been trying to regain its footing ever since. The adtech industry is becoming increasingly competitive, and some investors fear The Trade Desk may be losing ground to well-heeled competitors, including Amazon. Green said the miss was the result of "a series of small execution missteps," and is confident The Trade Desk will regain i...
Among the underlying components of the Russell 3000 index, we saw noteworthy options trading volume today in Ramaco Resources Inc (Symbol: METC), where a total of 12,608 contracts have traded so far, representing approximately 1.3 million underlying shares. That amounts to about 40.9% of METC's average daily trading volume over the past month of 3.1 million shares. Especially high volume was seen ...
Among the underlying components of the Russell 3000 index, we saw noteworthy options trading volume today in Ramaco Resources Inc (Symbol: METC), where a total of 12,608 contracts have traded so far, representing approximately 1.3 million underlying shares. That amounts to about 40.9% of METC's average daily trading volume over the past month of 3.1 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $30 strike put option expiring January 15, 2027 , with 2,318 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 231,800 underlying shares of METC. Below is a chart showing METC's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $30 strike highlighted in orange: Zscaler Inc (Symbol: ZS) options are showing a volume of 5,921 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 592,100 underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 40.8% of ZS's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 1.5 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $215 strike call option expiring January 30, 2026, with 326 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 32,600 underlying shares of ZS. Below is a chart showing ZS's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $215 strike highlighted in orange: And Avantor Inc (Symbol: AVTR) saw options trading volume of 40,608 contracts, representing approximately 4.1 million underlying shares or approximately 40.6% of AVTR's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 10.0 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $9 strike put option expiring February 20, 2026, with 40,576 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 4.1 million underlying shares of AVTR. Below is a chart showing AVTR's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $9 strike highlighted in orange: For the various different available expirations for METC options, ZS options, or AVTR options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com. Today's Most Active Call & Put Options of the S&P 500 » A...
Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in CloudFlare Inc (Symbol: NET), where a total volume of 21,942 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 2.2 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 8...
Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in CloudFlare Inc (Symbol: NET), where a total volume of 21,942 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 2.2 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 88.4% of NET's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 2.5 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $195 strike call option expiring January 30, 2026 , with 1,332 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 133,200 underlying shares of NET. Below is a chart showing NET's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $195 strike highlighted in orange: DigitalOcean Holdings Inc (Symbol: DOCN) options are showing a volume of 15,486 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 1.5 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 85.2% of DOCN's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 1.8 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $65 strike call option expiring May 15, 2026, with 1,368 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 136,800 underlying shares of DOCN. Below is a chart showing DOCN's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $65 strike highlighted in orange: And Smith & Wesson Brands Inc (Symbol: SWBI) saw options trading volume of 3,863 contracts, representing approximately 386,300 underlying shares or approximately 79% of SWBI's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 488,685 shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $13 strike call option expiring March 20, 2026, with 711 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 71,100 underlying shares of SWBI. Below is a chart showing SWBI's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $13 strike highlighted in orange: For the various different available expiratio...
Trump abandons attack mode as Minneapolis shooting backlash grows 14 minutes ago Share Save Anthony Zurcher North America correspondent Share Save Reuters President Trump talks to reporters on Air Force One on Saturday The Trump administration has quickly abandoned its familiar "deny and attack" playbook after initially using it when federal agents shot dead Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday ...
Trump abandons attack mode as Minneapolis shooting backlash grows 14 minutes ago Share Save Anthony Zurcher North America correspondent Share Save Reuters President Trump talks to reporters on Air Force One on Saturday The Trump administration has quickly abandoned its familiar "deny and attack" playbook after initially using it when federal agents shot dead Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday morning. Within 24 hours, as various videos of the shooting circulated online, it became clear that the White House was out of step with public opinion. Since then, the administration – and the president himself - have changed tack, blaming Democrats for what happened and focusing less on the actions of the American nurse who was killed. Democrats, meanwhile, have increased their criticism of the president's mass deportation policy and the aggresive tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), leaning into a political fight that could result in a new government shutdown on Friday. On Monday morning, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche described the situation as a "powder keg". While he blamed the Democrats, many on both sides of America's political divide will agree that the current situation is fraught with peril. The initial administration response to Pretti's death was straightforward. The 37-year-old was portrayed as a domestic terrorist bent on bloodshed. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that Pretti wished to "inflict harm" and was "brandishing" a weapon. US Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino said that it "looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement". Senior presidential adviser Stephen Miller called Pretti a "would-be assassin". This White House has typically been quick to push back when criticised. "Deny and attack" has long been a bedrock Trump strategy for handling adversity. But, perhaps tellingly, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt refused to echo Miller's comments herself...
It looks like a deal for long-term investors. One of the more important artificial intelligence (AI) stocks on the market isn't one that the public interacts with. However, it arguably plays the most important role in the AI supply chain. It's Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM 0.32%) (TSMC), the world's largest semiconductor (chip) foundry. Although companies like Nvidia and AMD desi...
It looks like a deal for long-term investors. One of the more important artificial intelligence (AI) stocks on the market isn't one that the public interacts with. However, it arguably plays the most important role in the AI supply chain. It's Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM 0.32%) (TSMC), the world's largest semiconductor (chip) foundry. Although companies like Nvidia and AMD design chips for their hardware, TSMC is the one that actually manufactures them, turning blueprints into reality. Without TSMC, the AI supply chain would suffer. And although it continues to post impressive growth, it's still trading at a discount in my view. What makes TSMC stand out? When it comes to efficiency, scale, precision, and yield (the percentage of chips that work as planned), TSMC's capabilities are a step above its competitors. Companies that need chips manufactured need dependability, or it could throw off their business. TSMC is the most dependable company in the business, so it's the go-to choice. Its business used to primarily be making chips for smartphones, but now, amid the AI gold rush, it has found a lucrative lane in making advanced AI chips for data centers. Its market share for them is well into the upper 90% range. Expand NYSE : TSM Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Today's Change ( -0.32 %) $ -1.07 Current Price $ 333.80 Key Data Points Market Cap $1.7T Day's Range $ 330.21 - $ 335.10 52wk Range $ 134.25 - $ 351.33 Volume 332K Avg Vol 13M Gross Margin 59.02 % Dividend Yield 0.92 % TSMC's best year yet TSMC generated $122.4 billion in revenue in 2025, up nearly 36% from 2024. This marked the first $100 billion year in TSMC's history, crossing the mark with plenty of room to spare. Just as impressive is TSMC's margin growth over the past year. Its gross margin increased from 56.1% to 59.9% in 2025, and its operating margin increased from 45.7% to 50.8%. In the fourth quarter, its gross margin and operating margin were 62.3% and 54%, respectively. A h...
Apple is introducing a new version of its AirTag tracking device—simply dubbed "the new AirTag"—and claims it offers substantial improvements thanks to a new Bluetooth chip. The original AirTag came out five years ago now, and it became popular in a variety of contexts. There were some problems, though—there was real concern about unwanted tracking and stalking with the devices, based on real stor...
Apple is introducing a new version of its AirTag tracking device—simply dubbed "the new AirTag"—and claims it offers substantial improvements thanks to a new Bluetooth chip. The original AirTag came out five years ago now, and it became popular in a variety of contexts. There were some problems, though—there was real concern about unwanted tracking and stalking with the devices, based on real stories of it being used for that. The company gradually introduced new features and protections against that, getting it to a much better place. This new version is focused on making the device more effective in general. Thanks to the inclusion of the second-generation Ultra Wideband chip (the same one found in other recently released Apple devices like the iPhone 17), Apple says the new AirTag can work with the Precision Finding feature in the Find My app to direct users to the AirTag (and whatever lost item it's stored with or attached to) from up to 50 percent farther away. Read full article Comments
KenWiedemann/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images I initiate coverage on Caterpillar Inc. ( CAT ) as the company is about to release one of its most important earnings reports in recent times on January 29th. After the Q3 2025 print , the stock rerated from a late-cycle boring industrial play to an AI picks-and-shovels beneficiary, similar to GE Vernova ( GEV ) and other power generation manufacture...
KenWiedemann/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images I initiate coverage on Caterpillar Inc. ( CAT ) as the company is about to release one of its most important earnings reports in recent times on January 29th. After the Q3 2025 print , the stock rerated from a late-cycle boring industrial play to an AI picks-and-shovels beneficiary, similar to GE Vernova ( GEV ) and other power generation manufacturers last year, with backlogs tied to the AI data center buildout. In the upcoming earnings release, I will be looking for signs of confirmation that engine demand for data center applications was not a one-quarter spike in Q3. The key factor to monitor is backlog, particularly the sequential increase between Q3 and Q4. As a side note, I'm looking for at least a 10% QOQ increase to validate my AI data center power demand point. I will also look for any signs of stabilization in profitability. Here, the FY26 guidance on tariffs will be key. So far, the FY25 range sits between $1.6B-$1.75B after being upgraded in Q3. Overall, I think the market may be willing to look past the margin compression, especially in the construction and resources segments, if the Q4 backlog shows a significant increase. I don't see any signs of a slowdown in the AI data center buildout among the hyperscalers. I would monitor Meta's ( META ) and Microsoft's ( MSFT ) remarks this Wednesday, but the chances of a slowdown in the data center buildout are slim. That's why I believe backlog could see a spike in Q4, followed by upward analyst revisions. The Re-Rate Story Back in Q3, investors’ perception of Caterpillar changed drastically. It quickly went from a heavy equipment manufacturer at the peak of the cycle to an AI picks-and-shovels play. The Power Generation product line is the key pillar of the narrative surrounding this stock. In Q3 2025, the Energy & Transportation segment reported an increase of 25% in sales to users, with Power Generation up 33%. What was the main driver? Well, if you are tuned...
Getty Images Could the American government be hit with yet another government shutdown? In the autumn of 2025, the United States government broke records with the longest shutdown in American history. For 43 days, much of the Federal government was shut down, leading to soldiers and federal workers turning to food banks and other charity programs to get by. Now, just a few months later, America co...
Getty Images Could the American government be hit with yet another government shutdown? In the autumn of 2025, the United States government broke records with the longest shutdown in American history. For 43 days, much of the Federal government was shut down, leading to soldiers and federal workers turning to food banks and other charity programs to get by. Now, just a few months later, America could be on the verge of yet another shutdown. I’d be tempted to write off the impact of another shutdown as likely temporary, and in terms of market movements, that will probably prove true, at least initially. Yet with trust in the American federal government already bruised by intense geopolitical disputes and some signs of economic weakness emerging, another shutdown could further damage the Federal government’s image. This could lead to rising bond rates even as the Federal Reserve has labored to keep rates low, and thus, could further cool the economy. Further, we’re seeing signs that some foreign investors have been shifting away from the United States, and the dollar has been on the slide in recent weeks. Another government shutdown could rattle confidence in the United States further, thus exacerbating the issues above. There’s no need to panic, and I’m not expecting a widespread market sell-off. That said, it does feel like those in Washington DC are playing with fire, and each small cut raises the risk of serious issues. Many aspects of the American economy feel like houses built with cards, and as time goes on, the risk of a stressor setting off a sharp collapse could increase. All of this is to say, investors should be on their toes, and I believe it’s increasingly important to keep an eye on politics. Why Risks of a Government Shutdown Are Spiking As of Friday, the risks of a government shutdown were at less than 10% on Kalshi, according to Seeking Alpha . Odds have since topped 75% and remain elevated. Similar developments unfolded on Polymarket, and for now, t...
The US Department of Transportation apparently thinks it's a good idea to use artificial intelligence to draft rules impacting the safety of airplanes, cars, and pipelines, a ProPublica investigation revealed Monday. It could be a problem if DOT becomes the first agency to use AI to draft rules, ProPublica pointed out, since AI is known to confidently get things wrong and hallucinate fabricated in...
The US Department of Transportation apparently thinks it's a good idea to use artificial intelligence to draft rules impacting the safety of airplanes, cars, and pipelines, a ProPublica investigation revealed Monday. It could be a problem if DOT becomes the first agency to use AI to draft rules, ProPublica pointed out, since AI is known to confidently get things wrong and hallucinate fabricated information. Staffers fear that any failure to catch AI errors could result in flawed laws, leading to lawsuits, injuries, or even deaths in the transportation system. But the DOT's top lawyer, Gregory Zerzan, isn't worried about that, December meeting notes revealed, because the point isn't for AI to be perfect. It's for AI to help speed up the rule-making process, so that rules that take weeks or months to draft can instead be written within 30 days. According to Zerzan, DOT's preferred tool, Google Gemini, can draft rules in under 30 minutes. Read full article Comments
Earnings Call Insights: Bank of Hawaii Corporation (BOH) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Peter Ho highlighted, "We recorded yet another set of strong results in the fourth quarter. Fully diluted earnings per share was $1.39 per share, 63% higher than results from a year ago and 16% higher than last quarter." He noted that net interest margin improved for the seventh straight quarter, reaching 2.61%, a...
Earnings Call Insights: Bank of Hawaii Corporation (BOH) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Peter Ho highlighted, "We recorded yet another set of strong results in the fourth quarter. Fully diluted earnings per share was $1.39 per share, 63% higher than results from a year ago and 16% higher than last quarter." He noted that net interest margin improved for the seventh straight quarter, reaching 2.61%, and return on common equity improved to 15%. Ho emphasized, "Loans and deposits both grew modestly in the quarter. Importantly, noninterest-bearing demand deposits grew 6.6% on a linked basis. Credit quality remained and remains pristine." The CEO stated that Bank of Hawaii continues to advance its dominant market position, with market share growth in 2025 advancing another 40 basis points, reinforcing its deposit market share leadership in Hawaii. Interest-bearing deposit costs improved by 20 basis points, and the company remixed $659 million in fixed rate loans and investments from a roll-off rate of 4% into a roll-on rate of 5.8%, supporting the net interest margin. Ho remarked, "We believe NIM by the end of 2026 could come in near the 2.90% range." Vice Chair & Chief Risk Officer S. Shairson reported, "Our portfolio is built on long-tenured relationships with approximately 60% of both our commercial and consumer clients having been with the bank for more than 10 years." He added that "credit quality in these segments also remained strong with average FICO scores of 730 for auto loans and 761 for personal loans." Vice Chair & CFO Bradley Satenberg stated, "For the quarter, we reported net income of $60.9 million and a diluted EPS of $1.39, an increase of $7.6 million and $0.19 per share compared to the linked quarter. These increases were primarily due to the continued expansion of our net interest income and our net interest margin." Outlook Management reiterated that Q4 marked the seventh consecutive quarter of net interest margin expansion and stated, "We believe NIM b...
Macy's sales growth has been on the rise. Macy's (M +0.27%) is an iconic retailer, opening its first store in New York City in 1858. That's certainly impressive in a very competitive industry that's seen its share of once well-regarded companies disappear. But that doesn't mean the company will continue to thrive. In fact, Macy's had a multi-year sales slide, although it has had positive sales gro...
Macy's sales growth has been on the rise. Macy's (M +0.27%) is an iconic retailer, opening its first store in New York City in 1858. That's certainly impressive in a very competitive industry that's seen its share of once well-regarded companies disappear. But that doesn't mean the company will continue to thrive. In fact, Macy's had a multi-year sales slide, although it has had positive sales growth recently. It's time to dig deeper to determine whether the company can produce sustainable long-term sales growth. Combined with looking at the valuation, that'll determine whether Macy's shares represent a value stock or value trap. A turnaround plan In 2024, management implemented its Bold New Chapter strategy. A three-year plan, key elements aimed at improving results included strengthening the Macy's brand (including closing or selling underperforming Macy's locations and revamping a number of others) and expanding luxury brands Bloomingdale's and Bluemercury. This fiscal year's results have shown improvement. Looking at overall sales isn't particularly useful for retailers, but particularly for Macy's given store closures. Same-store sales (comps) provide a more meaningful comparison. Across all its brands, Macy's fiscal third-quarter comps using its owned-plus-licensed-plus marketplace measure increased 3.2%. Comps on this basis include online sales and sales by departments licensed to others. The results were for the three months ended on Nov. 1, 2025. Comps increased across all three brands, including 9% at the Bloomingdale's brand. Macy's and Bluemercury had 2.3% and 1.1% comps growth, respectively. Valuation These sales results should certainly give investors hope, and they've shown how their appreciation. The stock produced a total return, including dividends, of 55% over the last year through Jan. 21. That handily beat the S&P 500 index's 15%. Expand NYSE : M Macy's Today's Change ( 0.27 %) $ 0.06 Current Price $ 20.38 Key Data Points Market Cap $5.4B Day's ...
In the wake of TikTok’s U.S. ownership change last week, some users are seeking out alternative platforms. One app gaining traction is UpScrolled, a social network that pledges to remain impartial to political agendas. The app currently ranks 12th overall in Apple’s App Store and second in the social networking category. Upscrolled blends familiar features from Instagram and X, letting users share...
In the wake of TikTok’s U.S. ownership change last week, some users are seeking out alternative platforms. One app gaining traction is UpScrolled, a social network that pledges to remain impartial to political agendas. The app currently ranks 12th overall in Apple’s App Store and second in the social networking category. Upscrolled blends familiar features from Instagram and X, letting users share photos, videos, and text posts, discover new content, and send direct messages. The app was founded last year by Issam Hijazi, a Palestinian-Jordanian-Australian technologist, with the aim of giving users a place to “freely express thoughts, share moments, and connect with others,” according to the app’s website. The team behind the app says they’re “building a platform that belongs to the people who use it — not to hidden algorithms or outside agendas.” “UpScrolled is the foundation for a digital ecosystem that puts power back into the hands of the people — not the corporations,” Hijazi says in a statement on UpScrolled’s website. “It’s more than just an alternative to Meta, X, or TikTok — it’s a reimagining of what social media should be: a space where creators, communities, and businesses thrive independently, with real control, transparency, and accountability.” The app, available on both iOS and Android, is grappling with a surge of new users, but says it’s scaling to keep up with the demand. According to data from the market intelligence provider Appfigures, UpScrolled saw approximately 41,000 downloads between Thursday, the day the TikTok deal was finalized, and Saturday, accounting for nearly one-third of its lifetime installs. UpScrolled has seen an average of about 14,000 daily downloads since Thursday, representing a 2,850% increase in daily downloads. In total, the app has been downloaded 140,000 times to date, with 75,000 of those being U.S.-based installs. Techcrunch event Disrupt 2026 Tickets: One-time offer Tickets are live! Save up to $680 while these rate...