Are you earning work-based wages while simultaneously collecting Social Security retirement benefits? Or are you at least planning to? If so, you're not alone. Boston College's Center for Retirement Research says roughly 40% of retirees still work for several years even after claiming benefits, earning "nontrivial" income... presumably to help make ends meet. For the record, though, doing so comes...
Are you earning work-based wages while simultaneously collecting Social Security retirement benefits? Or are you at least planning to? If so, you're not alone. Boston College's Center for Retirement Research says roughly 40% of retirees still work for several years even after claiming benefits, earning "nontrivial" income... presumably to help make ends meet. For the record, though, doing so comes at something of a price -- even if only temporarily. If you earn enough employment-based income while also receiving Social Security retirement benefits, you could see a reduction in your benefits payments. Continue reading
Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide Mutual Insurance, joined "Bloomberg Surveillance" to discuss why she is "not overly bearish on the economy." (Source: Bloomberg)
Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide Mutual Insurance, joined "Bloomberg Surveillance" to discuss why she is "not overly bearish on the economy." (Source: Bloomberg)
Nathan Howard/Getty Images News Written by Sam Kovacs. Author's note: My coverage of the Iranian conflict has been subdued beyond the Dividend Freedom Tribe for the past couple of weeks as I was traveling through West Africa meeting with government officials in an attempt to create a new free zone jurisdiction for people who might want to explore new options amid the ongoing uncertainty in the Mid...
Nathan Howard/Getty Images News Written by Sam Kovacs. Author's note: My coverage of the Iranian conflict has been subdued beyond the Dividend Freedom Tribe for the past couple of weeks as I was traveling through West Africa meeting with government officials in an attempt to create a new free zone jurisdiction for people who might want to explore new options amid the ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East. I have nonetheless been following the conflict actively, and we have been gradually reshuffling our dividend portfolios to reflect the changing regime that is emerging as a consequence of the conflict. Today I pick up where we left off. Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the [redacted] Strait, you crazy [redacted], or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! [redacted] -President Donald Trump on Truth Social. Introduction Since February 28th, the U.S. and Israel have been involved in a war in Iran, which resulted in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, blocking 20% of the global oil supply. We are now on day 37 of the war, with over 2,000 casualties in Iran and over 26,500 people wounded. President Trump has repeatedly given Iran deadlines to "open the strait" which he has continually pushed back. Monday was supposed to be the deadline at midnight ET, but this has now been pushed back once again until Tuesday at 8 PM ET. A particularly colorful Truth Social post was published by the President over the weekend before removing it, encouraging Iranians to open the Strait or be living in hell. Discussions have supposedly been mediated through Pakistan, and earlier today an "Islamabad Accord" was circulated, which suggested a ceasefire framework which would provide an immediate ceasefire and Hormuz opening plus 15-20 days to finalize a comprehensive deal. In response, Iran has said it has formulated a response but cannot engage while strikes continue. Trump's deadline is tomorrow at 8 PM,...
matejmo/iStock via Getty Images By Nelson Yu Markets are pricing in a wider range of scenarios as geopolitics and AI reshape the landscape. Global equities declined during a volatile first quarter as the war in Iran roiled energy markets and fueled inflation fears that destabilized the economic growth outlook. Mounting geopolitical hazards add to existing worries around concentrated equity markets...
matejmo/iStock via Getty Images By Nelson Yu Markets are pricing in a wider range of scenarios as geopolitics and AI reshape the landscape. Global equities declined during a volatile first quarter as the war in Iran roiled energy markets and fueled inflation fears that destabilized the economic growth outlook. Mounting geopolitical hazards add to existing worries around concentrated equity markets and the potential for AI to disrupt businesses. Stocks began the year with gusto but retreated sharply in March after the US-Israeli attacks on Iran escalated into a regional war that threw energy markets into turmoil. Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz - a vital choke point through which about a fifth of the world’s oil is shipped - while launching counterattacks against Gulf Arab countries and Israel. The spiraling events raised concerns about a protracted Middle East conflict with complex risks for the global economy. By quarter end, the MSCI ACWI Index was down by 3.2% in US dollar terms. All major markets dropped after the war started. Emerging markets and Japan fell hardest in March but ended the quarter ahead of the global market due to stronger performance earlier in the year. Growth stocks underperformed, while quality stocks were in line with the broader market. Value and minimum-volatility stocks were relatively resilient, particularly in markets outside the US ( Display ). The consumer discretionary and technology sectors, which include the US megacaps, were among the worst performers, while financials were weak due to concern about private credit. Unsurprisingly, energy stocks surged on higher oil and gas prices. Market Volatility and the Energy Shock Market volatility jumped as the war escalated. However, the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) - a barometer of US equity market volatility - didn’t reach peaks seen a year prior when President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs ( Display ). Still, as long as headlines spotlight regional destruction, the mounting death...
Today, I’m talking with Chuck Robbins, CEO of Cisco. Cisco is one of those big companies that everyone has heard of but that most of us don’t have to interact with very much; it’s not really a consumer brand. But all of us are in some way using Cisco’s products and services every day because it makes a huge amount of networking equipment for other big companies, like telecoms and ISPs. It’s a guar...
Today, I’m talking with Chuck Robbins, CEO of Cisco. Cisco is one of those big companies that everyone has heard of but that most of us don’t have to interact with very much; it’s not really a consumer brand. But all of us are in some way using Cisco’s products and services every day because it makes a huge amount of networking equipment for other big companies, like telecoms and ISPs. It’s a guarantee that somewhere between me recording this and you watching, listening to, or reading it, the bits have passed through Cisco products. Without the actual routers and switches and silicon — and the software to make those things work — there’s no internet, there’s no cloud, and there’s no AI. Verge subscribers, don’t forget you get exclusive access to ad-free Decoder wherever you get your podcasts. Head here . Not a subscriber? You can sign up here . That’s Cisco’s new big business, of course: building all the networking needed inside all of the data centers the AI companies are trying to build. Chuck and I spent a lot of time discussing that. First, where should we build all these data centers? Because it’s not clear that anyone wants them around. A data center is a really unpleasant neighbor to have: It’s loud, it’s ugly, and it uses a ton of electricity, making rates for regular people go up. AI itself is polling pretty badly with Americans, and there’s now fairly robust, bipartisan opposition to new data center builds all over the country. So I had to start by asking Chuck what feels, strangely, like one of the most urgent questions of the moment: Should we build data centers in space? Elon Musk sure seems to think the answer is yes, and he’s pushing SpaceX that way. Sam Altman — along with a whole bunch of experts who understand how cooling and radiation work in orbit — thinks we’re not there yet. So I had to ask Chuck which way he’s leaning, and I was a little surprised how quickly and emphatically he answered. You’ll also hear me ask very directly whether Chuck thi...
Italy is preparing to appoint a new chief executive at Leonardo ( FINMF ) ( FINMY ) , potentially within days, Bloomberg News reported Monday, citing people familiar with the discussions. The move would conclude weeks of internal debate over one of the country’s most important corporate roles. Among those being considered are Alessandro Ercolani of Rheinmetall Italia and Stefano Donnarumma of Ferr...
Italy is preparing to appoint a new chief executive at Leonardo ( FINMF ) ( FINMY ) , potentially within days, Bloomberg News reported Monday, citing people familiar with the discussions. The move would conclude weeks of internal debate over one of the country’s most important corporate roles. Among those being considered are Alessandro Ercolani of Rheinmetall Italia and Stefano Donnarumma of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, along with candidates already within Leonardo. The decision comes as Giorgia Meloni ’s government works through a broader slate of leadership appointments at state-linked companies. The process has been complicated by shifting political dynamics following a recent referendum loss that weakened Meloni’s position and altered negotiations with coalition partners. In response, she has moved to reassert authority, including reshuffling cabinet roles such as the tourism minister. Rising geopolitical tensions, particularly in the Middle East, have also heightened the strategic importance of the defense sector and factored into the timing of the leadership decision. Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported over the weekend that current CEO Roberto Cingolani is unlikely to be reappointed and has already been informed he will not receive another term, while also identifying potential successors. The prospective leadership change is part of a wider refresh of boards at state-controlled companies whose mandates expire this spring, giving the government an opportunity to influence the direction of key national champions. Claudio Descalzi is expected to remain chief executive of Eni , while other companies, including Leonardo, are under review. Announcements have been slightly delayed as coalition talks continue between Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party and its governing partners, including Matteo Salvini’s League and Antonio Tajani’s Forza Italia. Elsewhere, the government has opted for continuity at Poste Italiane , reappointing CEO Matteo Del Fante to a fourt...
(This is The Best Stocks in the Market , brought to you by Josh Brown and Sean Russo of Ritholtz Wealth Management.) Josh — The last time we wrote to you about the travel sector broadly, the big picture idea was that these were among the strongest names in the consumer discretionary part of the market because travel had been immune to some of the concern over household spending. People have been p...
(This is The Best Stocks in the Market , brought to you by Josh Brown and Sean Russo of Ritholtz Wealth Management.) Josh — The last time we wrote to you about the travel sector broadly, the big picture idea was that these were among the strongest names in the consumer discretionary part of the market because travel had been immune to some of the concern over household spending. People have been pulling back on lots of wants and needs, but the desire to get on a plane and check into a hotel is showing zero signs that it is abating. With the exception of Expedia (EXPE), the travel names we've written about have held up remarkably well given the market turmoil that began in February. The Expedia sell-off has nothing to do with travel spending, it's a byproduct of the AI disruption worries. As for the rest of the sector, cruising, flying, lodging, etc. are all pretty HALO and, as a result, these stocks have been hanging in there on our list. Sean thought it would be a good time to check in on the travel names we still have on our Best Stocks in the Market list given the underlying strength of the theme in the real economy. People are trading down and sacrificing elsewhere but they're not throwing away the experience portion of their budgets. Good news. We've got a trio of names to show you today — Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT) , Marriott International (MAR) and Viking Holdings LTD (VIK) . First we'll show you some high level list stats, then we'll get to the charts. Sector leaderboard As of April 6 , there are 170 names on The Best Stocks in the Market list. Top sector ranking: Top industries: Top 5 best stocks by relative strength: Sector spotlight: Travel Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (HLT): Sean — Post-Covid, travel stocks have been massive compounders. HLT has annualized 21% a year in total returns the past five years. But if you zoom out to 10 years (inclusive of a 51% drawdown in April 2020) the hotel chain has annualized an even more impressive 23% a year. W...
A_Columbo/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Shares of GE Vernova ( GEV ) have been one of the better-performing large-scale industrial stocks in recent years. Trading in the low $100s in the spring of 2024, when the business was spun-off from GE, shares have seen massive gains to current levels around $900 per share, even as shares are down 5% from the highs. Shares have tripled in just over one a...
A_Columbo/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Shares of GE Vernova ( GEV ) have been one of the better-performing large-scale industrial stocks in recent years. Trading in the low $100s in the spring of 2024, when the business was spun-off from GE, shares have seen massive gains to current levels around $900 per share, even as shares are down 5% from the highs. Shares have tripled in just over one and a half year, far outpacing my expectations outlined in the fall of 2024. This is driven by continued operating momentum, seen in growing sales, growing margins, record orders, a growing backlog, and ambitious future targets. This and new innovative developments in alternative fuels add to the imagination among investors, and while the story is strong, so are expectations, with the big and easy gains already being a thing of the past. Other, higher conviction ideas, including recent M&A efforts, can be found at Value In Corporate Events . Very Strong Momentum By the end of January, GE Vernova reported a 9% increase in 2025 sales to $38.1 billion, as fourth-quarter sales were up just 4%. GAAP earnings are quite distorted, benefiting from some one-off items, with adjusted organic EBITDA margins up more than 2 points to 8.4% of sales. The core power business grew sales by 9% to $19.8 billion, representing just over half of sales, with segment EBITDA margins up two points to nearly 15% of sales. The wind segment remains a tough spot, with sales down 6% to $9.1 billion, as adjusted EBITDA is reported at a negative $0.6 billion, for margins equal to minus 6% and change. Electrification is the star of the business, with sales up 28% to $9.6 billion, as segment margin rose some 6 points to the mid-teens. The big driver was a 34% increase in organic orders to $59.3 billion, resulting in a book-to-bill ratio of approximately 1.5 times, with the backlog up to $150 billion. Fourth-quarter orders rose as much as 65% to $22.2 billion, trending at a rate near $90 billion, comfortably su...
Aleksandra Zhilenkova/iStock via Getty Images As Q1 2026 earnings season approaches, the materials sector finds itself navigating a complex landscape with tariff-driven supply chain disruptions, fluctuating commodity prices, and uneven global demand are all shaping analyst outlooks heading into reporting season. The following list highlights mid-cap materials names that have earned a Seeking Alpha...
Aleksandra Zhilenkova/iStock via Getty Images As Q1 2026 earnings season approaches, the materials sector finds itself navigating a complex landscape with tariff-driven supply chain disruptions, fluctuating commodity prices, and uneven global demand are all shaping analyst outlooks heading into reporting season. The following list highlights mid-cap materials names that have earned a Seeking Alpha EPS Revision Quant Grade of A or higher, suggesting the analyst community is growing more confident in their near-term earnings trajectory ahead of Q1 results. The list is topped by Century Aluminum Company ( CENX ), which holds the highest EPS revision grade of A+. H.B. Fuller Company ( FUL ) follows with an A grade, while Aura Minerals Inc. ( AUGO ) rounds out the top three with an A- rating. The stocks on this list represent a diverse range of materials industries, including aluminum, specialty chemicals, gold, and construction materials. Element Solutions Inc ( ESI ), Kaiser Aluminum Corporation ( KALU ), and United States Lime & Minerals, Inc. ( USLM ) all maintain strong A- grades, demonstrating solid earnings revision momentum across multiple sub-sectors. Century Aluminum Company ( CENX ) – A+ H.B. Fuller Company ( FUL ) – A Aura Minerals Inc. ( AUGO ) – A- Element Solutions Inc ( ESI ) – A- Kaiser Aluminum Corporation ( KALU ) – A- United States Lime & Minerals, Inc. ( USLM ) – A- Materials ETFs: ( XLB ), ( VAW ), ( IYM ), ( FXZ ), ( MXI ), ( RSPM ) More on materials stocks VAW Diversifies Risk With The Potential To Offer Solid Returns; IYW & FXZ Carry Higher Risks MXI: Materials Dashboard For March FXZ: A Quant-Based Fund Can Make The Most Out Of Basic Materials Bullish Trend Materials small-cap stocks with A-grade EPS revisions Roth Capital Partners flags caution as markets enter Q2
US supreme court files brief order vacating lower court ruling that had upheld rightwing media host’s conviction Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Steve Bannon , the rightwing media host and ally of Donald Trump , appears likely to have his criminal conviction dismissed. The US supreme court filed a brief order on Monday that vacated a lower court ruling...
US supreme court files brief order vacating lower court ruling that had upheld rightwing media host’s conviction Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Steve Bannon , the rightwing media host and ally of Donald Trump , appears likely to have his criminal conviction dismissed. The US supreme court filed a brief order on Monday that vacated a lower court ruling that had upheld Bannon’s conviction and sent the case back to the US court of appeals for the DC circuit for “further consideration in light of the pending motion to dismiss the indictment”. The Trump administration had moved to dismiss Bannon’s conviction. Continue reading...