amgun/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Energy price volatility of recent weeks has brought memories of 2022 for European investors. While hopes for a de-escalation in the Iran war have increased in recent days, uncertainty is likely to remain over the near term, as reflected in the attractive valuations European companies trade at. I believe this environment presents a buying opportunity for i...
amgun/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Energy price volatility of recent weeks has brought memories of 2022 for European investors. While hopes for a de-escalation in the Iran war have increased in recent days, uncertainty is likely to remain over the near term, as reflected in the attractive valuations European companies trade at. I believe this environment presents a buying opportunity for investors with a longer-term horizon. As such, in this article I will highlight four Europe-focused ETFs, discussing their strategy, geographic allocation, current valuations, and sector exposure. They include the Vanguard European Stock Index Fund ETF ( VGK ) and the iShares Europe ETF ( IEV ) for pan-European exposure, as well as the iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF ( EZU ) and the State Street SPDR EURO STOXX 50 ETF ( FEZ ) for exclusive Eurozone exposure. I will also highlight recent advances in the adoption of renewable energy and electric mobility, which are likely to blunt (but not fully absorb) the shock rippling through energy markets. This somewhat more benign outlook is also reflected in the ECB's macroeconomic projections, which I will highlight as well. Progress Made in Recent Years Following the 2022 Russian invasion in Ukraine, European countries have made steady progress in adopting renewable energy. For instance, in Q3 2025 some 49.3% of electricity was sourced from renewable sources in the European Union, a notable increase from the 37.8% share of renewables in the pre-war 2021 . That said, if you look at European electricity prices , you will see notable differences across countries, with countries such as Spain and Portugal benefiting from high solar adoption, while Italy and Greece are impacted by high gas prices. Likewise some countries such as Norway (Europe's main oil & gas supplier) are making progress to switching to electric vehicles, with 98% of all new cars sold in February 2026 being battery electric vehicles. This was achieved through tax incentives, ...
The war with Iran has, for obvious reasons, made the broader U.S. energy sector rather volatile lately. Shares of companies that extract, produce, and sell oil have risen as sharply as that commodity's per-barrel price. Already, however, it seems that the combatants are looking for off-ramps, so this "war premium" might not be sustainable. With that in mind, here's a look at two sector companies t...
The war with Iran has, for obvious reasons, made the broader U.S. energy sector rather volatile lately. Shares of companies that extract, produce, and sell oil have risen as sharply as that commodity's per-barrel price. Already, however, it seems that the combatants are looking for off-ramps, so this "war premium" might not be sustainable. With that in mind, here's a look at two sector companies that have flown a bit under the radar compared to their black gold peers. What's more, both offer generous dividend payouts for their shareholders. Here, then, is a brief rundown of Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD) and NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) . Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
President Donald Trump speaks during the Future Investment Initiative Summit in Miami, March 27, 2026. Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images President Donald Trump plans to be at the Supreme Court on Wednesday for oral arguments on whether an executive order of his can upend what has long been the constitutional guarantee of citizenship for people born in the U.S., regardless of their parents' immigrat...
President Donald Trump speaks during the Future Investment Initiative Summit in Miami, March 27, 2026. Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images President Donald Trump plans to be at the Supreme Court on Wednesday for oral arguments on whether an executive order of his can upend what has long been the constitutional guarantee of citizenship for people born in the U.S., regardless of their parents' immigration status. Trump would be the first sitting president to attend Supreme Court arguments. The White House on Tuesday evening issued Trump's daily schedule for Wednesday, which included him attending the arguments in the birthright citizenship case known as Trump v. Barbara . "I'm going," Trump told reporters on Tuesday at the White House. If Trump's executive order is upheld, it would leave tens of thousands of babies born in the U.S. each month to undocumented immigrants or visitors without American citizenship. Trump, in his first day back in the White House on Jan. 20, 2025, signed an executive order saying that 30 days after its effective date, babies born in the U.S. were not entitled to be issued citizenship documents if their parents were illegal immigrants or undocumented workers. Read more CNBC politics coverage Trump to address nation on Iran war Wednesday night, White House says Pete Hegseth lifts suspension of Kid Rock Army helicopter flyby crews after Trump comments Trump signs executive order limiting mail-in voting ahead of 2026 U.S. elections The order contradicted what has, for more than 150 years, been the legal interpretation of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as giving automatic citizenship to babies born in the country, regardless of their parents' status. That amendment says, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States." Several federal district court judges ruled that Trump's order violated the Constitution. And two federal circuit courts of appeal upheld...
Artificial intelligence threatens to leave many of the UK’s best-paid workers without a job — and the government without a crucial source of tax revenue, according to a new report. Around a fifth of all tasks performed by UK workers are exposed to AI automation, a higher proportion than in any of the other 11 advanced economies analyzed by Coface and the Observatoire des Emplois Menacés et Émergen...
Artificial intelligence threatens to leave many of the UK’s best-paid workers without a job — and the government without a crucial source of tax revenue, according to a new report. Around a fifth of all tasks performed by UK workers are exposed to AI automation, a higher proportion than in any of the other 11 advanced economies analyzed by Coface and the Observatoire des Emplois Menacés et Émergents. The study looked at 923 occupations across a dozen countries, including the US, Germany, Sweden and Australia. Britain’s jobs market is particularly vulnerable to the technology as it’s become an international hub for well-paid, white-collar roles in finance, IT, legal and media — something the report authors call a “headquarters trap.” These jobs often involve data analysis, drafting documents or generating content, tasks that AI systems are now capable of automating. The study warns that AI poses a double fiscal challenge for the UK, despite the technology’s promise to boost economic growth. The government could suffer a drop in tax revenues if AI disproportionately displaces high-earners, just as there’s a greater need to boost public spending on retaining programs and unemployment benefits. “The real economic risk for the UK isn’t a sudden loss of jobs, but a gradual erosion and concentration of its highest-value roles,” Jonathan Steenberg, lead UK economist at Coface, said. “If that plays out, it could weigh on productivity, employment and ultimately the tax base that underpins public finances.” Read more: The Coming AI Upheaval Risks ‘Collar-Flipping’ the Middle Class It echoes an analysis by the UK fiscal watchdog last month. Modeling a “technological displacement” world in which new tech replaces workers, the Office for Budget Responsibility found that AI adoption ends up having no effect on GDP, as productivity gains are offset by lower employment. Instead, it pushes up borrowing by £9 billion ($12 billion) a year and slashes tax receipts by £6 billion. There a...
US Retail Sales Jumped Most In 8 Months In February Bank of America's omniscient analysts forecast a very strong month for Retail Sales in February data (released today)... The actual print was +0.6% MoM (better than the 0.5% consensus, but less than BofA's forecast) comes after a revised higher 0.1% MoM decline in January (and December's nothingburger)... Source: Bloomberg That is the highest MoM...
US Retail Sales Jumped Most In 8 Months In February Bank of America's omniscient analysts forecast a very strong month for Retail Sales in February data (released today)... The actual print was +0.6% MoM (better than the 0.5% consensus, but less than BofA's forecast) comes after a revised higher 0.1% MoM decline in January (and December's nothingburger)... Source: Bloomberg That is the highest MoM rise sinc e June 2025, and sales rose 3.7% YoY... Core Retail Sales (Ex Autos) rose 0.5% MoM (much better than expected) and Ex Autos and Gas also rose more than expected (+0.4% MoM). Food and Beverage spending fell while Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers saw the biggest jump... Most importantly, the 'Control Group' which plugs into the GDP calculation rose 0.5% MoM (also considerably better than expected) . Interestingly, 'real' retail sales (admittedly crudely adjusted via CPI) have rebounded from a negative print in December... Of course, this data was before the war started and before gas prices really exploded (but then again April's tax refunds may offset some of the pain). Tyler Durden Wed, 04/01/2026 - 08:41