We all love to watch the players with the flicks and tricks, the mavericks with the magic manoeuvres. Here, BBC Sport ranks football's top showboaters.
We all love to watch the players with the flicks and tricks, the mavericks with the magic manoeuvres. Here, BBC Sport ranks football's top showboaters.
China’s top anti-graft watchdog is investigating a senior official at its main financial regulator, extending a yearslong purge in the $69 trillion financial industry. Zhou Liang, a vice minister of the National Financial Regulatory Administration, is being probed for “serious violations of discipline and law,” the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a one sentence statement Tuesd...
China’s top anti-graft watchdog is investigating a senior official at its main financial regulator, extending a yearslong purge in the $69 trillion financial industry. Zhou Liang, a vice minister of the National Financial Regulatory Administration, is being probed for “serious violations of discipline and law,” the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a one sentence statement Tuesday. The phrase is a common euphemism for alleged corruption. The investigation marks the latest high-level measure in President Xi Jinping’s signature anti-corruption campaign. Beijing has moved to centralize oversight of the industry while simultaneously launching an assault on the “hedonistic” lifestyles of elite bankers. Zhou joins a string of heavyweights targeted by the CCDI. In September, authorities opened a probe into former securities regulator Yi Huiman. Lai Xiaomin, the former chairman of Huarong Asset Management Co., was executed in 2021 for crimes including bribery.
af_istocker/iStock via Getty Images I'm continuing my coverage of Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. ( HRTG ), which I last wrote about in May 2025 . The stock has increased 367% since I initiated coverage on the company back in October 2023. This significantly outperformed the S&P 500's ( SPY ) performance of 56% over the same time. Refer to that original article for the company background informa...
af_istocker/iStock via Getty Images I'm continuing my coverage of Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc. ( HRTG ), which I last wrote about in May 2025 . The stock has increased 367% since I initiated coverage on the company back in October 2023. This significantly outperformed the S&P 500's ( SPY ) performance of 56% over the same time. Refer to that original article for the company background information. Heritage recently reported earnings results for Q4 2025 . The report has insights into how HRTG may perform in 2026. I will also provide valuation, growth, and technical stock updates in this article. Takeaways From The Q4 2025 Earnings Report Heritage performed well in Q4 2025. The company's revenue increased 2.4% yoy to $215 million, beating analysts' estimates by $2.71 million. HRTG's GAAP EPS increased 226% yoy to $2.15, beating estimates by $0.42. I would prefer to see a larger revenue gain, but 2% growth is better than no growth. The driver of revenue growth in Q4 was a 1.7% yoy increase in net premiums to $203 million. Heritage also achieved a strong 72.5% yoy increase in book value per share to $16.39. The gain in book value per share demonstrates management's effectiveness in creating value for the company and its shareholders. The book value was also driven by the high ROE of 49% for 2025 . This is much higher than the sector median ROE of 11% . This high return reflects HRTG's underwriting discipline and the company's efficient use of capital. These achievements were the result of Heritage's ongoing strategies. This involves generating underwriting profit through rate adequacy and disciplined underwriting regardless of market cycles. HRTG achieved rate adequacy in 90% of the regions where the company operates. New business premium production increased 60% yoy in Q4 2025. Another strategy that HRTG has been employing is only allocating capital to products and regions that offer the strongest returns (capital discipline). HRTG uses data-driven analytics to en...
A Japanese man who claimed to be an active officer of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces illegally and forcibly entered the Chinese embassy in Japan, Beijing said. The man admitted to the illegality of his actions and threatened to kill Chinese diplomatic personnel in the name of a so-called “deity”, Lin Jian, spokesman of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told a regular media briefing on Tuesday. Mor...
A Japanese man who claimed to be an active officer of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces illegally and forcibly entered the Chinese embassy in Japan, Beijing said. The man admitted to the illegality of his actions and threatened to kill Chinese diplomatic personnel in the name of a so-called “deity”, Lin Jian, spokesman of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told a regular media briefing on Tuesday. More to follow...
Investors in Asia are used to reacting to overnight headlines, but the war in Iran has made the start of the daily trading session an unusually fraught time. Just ask Amy Xie Patrick . By the time local markets shut last Friday, Australian benchmark bond yields had closed at around 5%. At the start of trading on Monday, yields jumped 18 basis points in minutes — reacting to worsening tensions in I...
Investors in Asia are used to reacting to overnight headlines, but the war in Iran has made the start of the daily trading session an unusually fraught time. Just ask Amy Xie Patrick . By the time local markets shut last Friday, Australian benchmark bond yields had closed at around 5%. At the start of trading on Monday, yields jumped 18 basis points in minutes — reacting to worsening tensions in Iran and the chaotic moves in Treasuries in the previous session. Traders are “just getting stopped out,” said Xie Patrick, a money manager at Pendal Group, referring to a situation where a bet is closed because it hit a pre-set loss limit. “In this market environment, clearly cash is king and everybody wishes that they had more cash,” she said, adding her fund has ramped up cash holdings to over 20% to help weather the volatility. Investors in Asia are struggling to adjust to the new normal, as they try to get to grips with the outsized swings precipitated by rising oil prices while the Iran war rages on. Volatility has climbed for virtually every asset class and the region has borne the brunt of the move. The opening gaps for Asian stocks and major bond markets this month show some of the most extreme moves of the last year, according to a percentile analysis compiled by Bloomberg. Asia has been hard hit because trading in the region tends to track the gyrations in US and oil markets , and investors are especially exposed given the region’s heavy reliance on Middle East energy. For example, Australia’s benchmark bond yields have opened up or down eight basis points or more five times this month, compared to just three times during the volatility generated by US tariffs last April. On average, Australian 10-year bond yields have moved by almost six basis points at the open this month, and the MSCI Asia Pacific Index by 0.3%, more than double the pace seen in February. “We’ve been forced to adjust risk and it becomes like forced selling at times,” said Shinji Kunibe , lead p...
Defeat against derby rivals Sunderland underlined failings in the team with manager needing to show he can get team back on track next season Eddie Howe seemed oblivious to the train hurtling down the track towards him. As Newcastle’s manager urged a team by now studded with substitutes to keep attacking, Enzo Le Fée came on for Sunderland and immediately slipped Brian Brobbey a sachet of energy g...
Defeat against derby rivals Sunderland underlined failings in the team with manager needing to show he can get team back on track next season Eddie Howe seemed oblivious to the train hurtling down the track towards him. As Newcastle’s manager urged a team by now studded with substitutes to keep attacking, Enzo Le Fée came on for Sunderland and immediately slipped Brian Brobbey a sachet of energy gel. Eighty-five minutes had passed on Sunday afternoon, the score at St James’ Park was 1-1 and Régis Le Bris had made his first change to a severely injury-hit visiting starting XI. As the clock hit the 90-minute mark, Le Fée surged into space and checked before threading a low, angled, cross through the legs of Lewis Hall and Dan Burn and on to Brobbey’s feet. Although Aaron Ramsdale blocked the former Ajax striker’s initial effort, Brobbey scored at the second attempt. Newcastle had been mugged by a double nutmeg and Howe’s season appeared thoroughly derailed. Continue reading...
Despite being 150th in the world rankings, the French overseas territory can dream of a truly astounding achievement Roussillon is a small town nestled in the Rhône valley, about 40 minutes south of Lyon by car, and a reminder that the most extraordinary stories can hide in the most ordinary of places. One player says “the town doesn’t ‘live’ for [its] club”, but as you head through the town centr...
Despite being 150th in the world rankings, the French overseas territory can dream of a truly astounding achievement Roussillon is a small town nestled in the Rhône valley, about 40 minutes south of Lyon by car, and a reminder that the most extraordinary stories can hide in the most ordinary of places. One player says “the town doesn’t ‘live’ for [its] club”, but as you head through the town centre and towards Salaise Rhodia’s stadium, you begin to doubt whether the town lives at all; welcome to a Sunday in rural France. Around 30 minutes before the start of the game, the single stand begins to fill. Everyone seems to know each other in some way. Entry is free for what is a top of the table encounter in the Régional 2, the seventh tier of French football, against Craponne AS. Continue reading...
Dayton Webber, 27, accused over shooting death of Bradrick Wells in Maryland, reportedly after argument inside car A Maryland man who made history as the first quadruple amputee to compete in the professional televised American Cornhole League has been arrested on suspicion of shooting and killing a passenger in his car during an argument. Dayton Webber – who became a champion cornhole player afte...
Dayton Webber, 27, accused over shooting death of Bradrick Wells in Maryland, reportedly after argument inside car A Maryland man who made history as the first quadruple amputee to compete in the professional televised American Cornhole League has been arrested on suspicion of shooting and killing a passenger in his car during an argument. Dayton Webber – who became a champion cornhole player after losing his limbs and nearly dying from a bacterial infection in his infancy – faces murder charges in connection with the death of Bradrick Wells, authorities said on Monday. Continue reading...
In recent years, Hong Kong has introduced a wealth of measures to attract well-educated, skilled professionals from around the world to develop their careers in the city. Between late 2022 and the end of last month, the city welcomed more than 270,000 talented professionals – a number of whom also brought along their families as they began a new chapter in their lives. These efforts continue to pl...
In recent years, Hong Kong has introduced a wealth of measures to attract well-educated, skilled professionals from around the world to develop their careers in the city. Between late 2022 and the end of last month, the city welcomed more than 270,000 talented professionals – a number of whom also brought along their families as they began a new chapter in their lives. These efforts continue to play a major part in driving Hong Kong’s transition to a new economic model, which emphasises the...