narvikk/E+ via Getty Images The collapse of US-Iran negotiations and the US threat to blockage Iranian ports presents an escalation in the conflict that the markets did not anticipate. Equities and bonds are lower, and the dollar ( DXY ) is mostly firmer. However, so far, the moves appear restrained. Iranian oil has largely been shipped to China, and with the Trump-Xi meeting in a month, the block...
narvikk/E+ via Getty Images The collapse of US-Iran negotiations and the US threat to blockage Iranian ports presents an escalation in the conflict that the markets did not anticipate. Equities and bonds are lower, and the dollar ( DXY ) is mostly firmer. However, so far, the moves appear restrained. Iranian oil has largely been shipped to China, and with the Trump-Xi meeting in a month, the blockade could jeopardize it. Moreover, the risk of escalation is palpable as Iran and its allies could try to close the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which would be an additional disruption and neutralize the Saudi east-west pipeline that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. Hungary’s Orban saw a stunning defeat in the weekend election, and the Hungarian forint is the strongest currency in the world today. It is up nearly 2% against the US dollar and around 2.3% against the euro amid speculation that Budapest’s pariah status in Europe will end and it will take steps to free up EU funds. Prices G10 • The euro rose to almost $1.1740 before the weekend, its best level since March 2, when the market first responded to the start of the Middle East War. It was the culmination of a five-day rally, and the euro settled slightly below $1.1725. The failed negotiation and the US blockade of Iranian ports caught the short-term market leaning the wrong way. The euro slipped slightly below $1.1660 almost immediately when the markets opened earlier today. It gradually recovered to $1.1700 as European markets opened, where it has consolidated above $1.1680. • The greenback finished firmly against the yen ahead of the weekend. It has spent much of the previous two sessions below the 20-day moving average but settled above it before the weekend (~JPY159.20). Still, the dollar’s second consecutive weekly fall, the first back-to-back weekly decline since the end of January, would seem to reduce the risk of near-term intervention. The dollar extended its gains to JPY159.85 in early dealings today. It has been co...
STORY: Volkswagen reported a 4% fall in global deliveries in the first three months of the year. The German auto giant was hit by weak demand in China and the U.S. VW said first-quarter deliveries dropped 15% in China and by a fifth in the U.S. China has become a major challenge for German carmakers like VW, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. They have to deal with an intense price war with fast-moving local ...
STORY: Volkswagen reported a 4% fall in global deliveries in the first three months of the year. The German auto giant was hit by weak demand in China and the U.S. VW said first-quarter deliveries dropped 15% in China and by a fifth in the U.S. China has become a major challenge for German carmakers like VW, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. They have to deal with an intense price war with fast-moving local brands like BYD. China's slowdown has also hit Volkswagen brands Porsche and Audi. Porsche's quarterly deliveries fell more than a fifth in the country. VW also saw pressure from tariffs and the end of electric vehicle subsidies in the U.S. The automaker said the first quarter saw - quote - 'very challenging economic and geopolitical conditions'. Looking ahead, VW has bet on a wave of new EVs developed with local partners to regain ground in China. It also plans model launches for Europe, where the group saw growth in the first quarter. It said deliveries rose 4% in Western Europe and 8% in Central and Eastern Europe.
EvgeniyShkolenko/iStock via Getty Images Investing in small-cap emerging technology companies has been tough going the last few months. It is my area of specialization, but geopolitical issues and the general risk-off sentiment have prompted a slight change to the plan. I have cut down the number of companies I invest in and purposely sought companies with exposure to high-growth industries, backe...
EvgeniyShkolenko/iStock via Getty Images Investing in small-cap emerging technology companies has been tough going the last few months. It is my area of specialization, but geopolitical issues and the general risk-off sentiment have prompted a slight change to the plan. I have cut down the number of companies I invest in and purposely sought companies with exposure to high-growth industries, backed by established operations. I think I have found a company that meets these requirements. Minth Group Limited ( MNTHF ) is a global company. Its group headquarters are in Taipei City, Taiwan, and around a quarter of its facilities are in mainland China; its stock is traded on the Hong Kong stock exchange. It is a tier 1 supplier to automotive OEMs. An established, dividend-paying, profitable operation with a market cap of US$5 billion. The company has technology that is being ported into new high-growth vertical markets, likely to drive a second growth phase. My investment thesis hinges on Minth's success in the Humanoid Robot, Datacenter cooling, EV, and eVTOL markets. Analysing its potential in these new sectors and its strategic positioning in both the US and Europe combined with aggressive management forecasts for 23% CAGR revenue growth I think Minth is substantially undervalued and due a significant re rating when current geo political concerns begin to subside. I am already long Minth having bought shares on the Hong Kong stock exchange (HKG:0425) targeting a return of 300% over the next few years.. Understanding Minth Minth has a defining company strategy, “Glocal”. When I was at business school, the prevailing management strategy was “Just In Time”, and these strategies keep being developed to take advantage of specific situations that arise. Minth defines Glocal as a global strategy to produce locally for its customers. It is a strategy designed to reduce supply chain risks and allow customers and countries to buy homegrown products. To enable this, Minth has bui...
Will Quantum-Safe Cryptography Slow Ethereum Down? The Performance Tradeoff Explained... Authored by Dilip Kumar Patairya via CoinTelegraph.com, The quantum threat: Real, but not immediate Ethereum relies on cryptographic systems that remain secure against classical computers. However, sufficiently advanced quantum machines could one day break these systems, potentially exposing private keys and p...
Will Quantum-Safe Cryptography Slow Ethereum Down? The Performance Tradeoff Explained... Authored by Dilip Kumar Patairya via CoinTelegraph.com, The quantum threat: Real, but not immediate Ethereum relies on cryptographic systems that remain secure against classical computers. However, sufficiently advanced quantum machines could one day break these systems, potentially exposing private keys and putting billions of dollars in value at risk. Ethereum’s post-quantum initiative sends a clear message: there is no immediate threat, yet delaying action is not an option. Upgrading a global, decentralized network is a complex, multiyear effort that requires: protocol redesign ecosystem-wide coordination comprehensive testing and verification For that reason, Ethereum is targeting quantum-safe readiness around 2029, well before the threat is expected to become practical. Why quantum-safe cryptography could slow Ethereum down At first glance, quantum-safe cryptography comes with a key tradeoff: many post-quantum schemes are more resource-intensive than the cryptographic systems Ethereum uses today. Compared with today’s cryptographic signatures, most post-quantum alternatives tend to: generate larger signatures, increasing the amount of data per transaction require more computational resources for verification lack efficient built-in aggregation capabilities This creates three key challenges for Ethereum : Bandwidth and storage Larger signatures result in: bigger transactions more data moving across the network faster growth in blockchain storage requirements Computation costs Validators are responsible for verifying signatures. If those signatures become more complex: block validation slows down hardware demands risks the network’s decentralization could suffer Loss of efficiency in aggregation Ethereum’s consensus layer currently benefits from Boneh-Lynn-Shacham (BLS) signatures, which allow efficient aggregation. Most quantum-safe schemes do not support this capability nat...
In this article RVMD Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Pancreatic cancer, illustration Nemes Laszl | Science Photo Library | Getty Images Revolution Medicines ' drug for pancreatic cancer succeeded in a highly anticipated Phase 3 trial, almost doubling the typical length of survival and slashing the risk of death by 60% versus chemotherapy, the company said Monday. RevMed said its da...
In this article RVMD Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Pancreatic cancer, illustration Nemes Laszl | Science Photo Library | Getty Images Revolution Medicines ' drug for pancreatic cancer succeeded in a highly anticipated Phase 3 trial, almost doubling the typical length of survival and slashing the risk of death by 60% versus chemotherapy, the company said Monday. RevMed said its daily pill, daraxonrasib, met all primary and secondary endpoints in a trial of people whose cancer had already progressed on another treatment. People who took daraxonrasib typically lived for 13.2 months versus 6.7 months for people who took chemotherapy, an increase of 6.5 months, RevMed said in a press release. "These are dramatic, practice-changing outcomes, and our focus now is moving quickly to bring this potential new treatment option to patients who urgently need new treatment," RevMed CEO Mark Goldsmith said in an interview. Goldsmith called the results "unprecedented," saying no drug has shown an overall survival benefit greater than one year in a Phase 3 trial for pancreatic cancer. The company plans to soon seek Food and Drug Administration approval using a Commissioner's National Priority Voucher that grants a review within a matter of months. RevMed's pill could bring a new option for people with pancreatic cancer, an aggressive disease that has the lowest five-year survival rate of any major cancer, at 13%. The drug, daraxonrasib, broadly targets RAS mutations, which drive tumor growth and are found in about 90% of pancreatic cancer cases. "These results usher in a new era of RAS-targeted medicines for pancreatic cancer, which has been exclusively treated with cytotoxic intravenous chemotherapy," Goldsmith said. The company's shares jumped more than 30% following release of the results Monday. RevMed said the drug showed a manageable safety profile and that no new concerns were observed. The drug can produce rash, a side effect highlighted last week by former ...
Michael Vi/iStock Editorial via Getty Images BofA upgraded On Semiconductor ( ON ) to Buy and downgraded NXP Semiconductors ( NXPI ) to Neutral, while raising the price targets on Analog Devices ( ADI ) and Macom Technology ( MTSI ). ON Semiconductor ( ON ) The firm upgraded On Semiconductor's stock to Buy from Neutral and increased the price target to $85 from $70. Shares of the company jumped ab...
Michael Vi/iStock Editorial via Getty Images BofA upgraded On Semiconductor ( ON ) to Buy and downgraded NXP Semiconductors ( NXPI ) to Neutral, while raising the price targets on Analog Devices ( ADI ) and Macom Technology ( MTSI ). ON Semiconductor ( ON ) The firm upgraded On Semiconductor's stock to Buy from Neutral and increased the price target to $85 from $70. Shares of the company jumped about 3% premarket on Monday. "The slow auto/EV environment makes our ON upgrade potentially a tad early, but we like the company’s 1) pipeline (rising AI power, Treo products), 2) solid FCF [free cash flow] generation (~6% FCF yield), 3) buyback commitment ($6bn/next 3 years, essentially 100% of FCF), 4) model leverage (EBIT margins could reach 1.5x to ~30% by CY28E), and 5) and low balance sheet leverage (dry power for potential M&A, as discussed by management)," said analysts led by Vivek Arya. The analyst added that there is catch-up potential, with the stock down 36% in the past three years on auto/EV/Tesla-related weakness. They noted that On Semiconductor has responded well by pruning its portfolio, cutting costs, and focusing on FCF generation/returns. The company has also invested in boosting its AI power exposure, likely a focus at the upcoming analyst day in September, a potentially positive catalyst, the analysts added. NXP Semiconductors ( NXPI ) BofA downgraded shares of NXP to Neutral from Buy and cut its price target to $230 from $245. Shares of NXP fell nearly 3% premarket. The analysts said they like NXP's strength in high-value advanced driver assist systems, or ADAS, radar, and zonal processors. The company managed the prior downcycle very well, as reflected innearly unanimous (over 85%) Buy ratings, according to the analysts. "However, the downside of managing the cycle well is limited earnings leverage (only 300-400bps expansion modeled from CY25-28E, though management could raise target model). We further note lack of AI products, limited EV leverage, p...
filo UK fintech Wise said it is on track to complete its dual listing this quarter, with the listing expected to be effective on Nasdaq since May 11. In June last year, the money transfer firm's board had proposed to transfer the company's primary listing to a U.S. stock exchange, maintaining a secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange. The proposal was approved by shareholders at the July 28...
filo UK fintech Wise said it is on track to complete its dual listing this quarter, with the listing expected to be effective on Nasdaq since May 11. In June last year, the money transfer firm's board had proposed to transfer the company's primary listing to a U.S. stock exchange, maintaining a secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange. The proposal was approved by shareholders at the July 28, 2025, meeting. The announcement comes alongside Wise's fiscal 2025 and FQ4 2026 earnings report. The company reported a 26% year-over-year rise in FQ4 cross-border volume to £49.4B. More on IPOs Blackstone Digital Infrastructure Trust files for IPO SpaceX details IPO schedule; retail demand expected to break records - report
Aeluma ( ALMU ) has secured over $4 million in contracts from the U.S. Government. These funds are intended to enhance its semiconductor heterogeneous integration platform, particularly for quantum and high-speed data communication applications. The contracts align with Aeluma's strategy for commercialization and strengthen its partnerships with government entities and manufacturing partners. The ...
Aeluma ( ALMU ) has secured over $4 million in contracts from the U.S. Government. These funds are intended to enhance its semiconductor heterogeneous integration platform, particularly for quantum and high-speed data communication applications. The contracts align with Aeluma's strategy for commercialization and strengthen its partnerships with government entities and manufacturing partners. The company aims to increase wafer production and fabrication capabilities in collaboration with Tower Semiconductor and Sumitomo Chemical Advanced Technology, thus positioning Aeluma prominently in rapidly expanding markets related to AI infrastructure, defense, and quantum technologies. Aeluma is enhancing its heterogeneous integration platform for quantum dot lasers and nonlinear materials through new contracts, combining high-performance compound semiconductors with mainstream microelectronics manufacturing. Concurrently, Aeluma is developing a scalable aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) nonlinear materials platform, noted for its efficiency and versatility compared to other materials. The initiatives include scaling efforts at Aeluma’s Goleta, California facility and collaboration with supply chain partners such as Tower Semiconductor and Sumitomo Chemical Advanced Technology. More on Aeluma Aeluma: Optical Bottleneck Platform Market Still Misprices- Supply Chain Bet, Not Science Bet Aeluma: Unlocking Scalable Photonic Manufacturing Nvidia's $4B Optics Push And Capacity Constraints Are Tailwinds For Aeluma Aeluma Non-GAAP EPS of $0.07 beats by $0.12, revenue of $1.3M misses by $0.1M Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Aeluma