Kelly Loeffler, the new administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), announced recently that the agency charged with supporting the businesses that are the backbone of the US economy would no longer be approving loans to small business owners unless they are US citizens. If you’re a legal, tax-paying immigrant with a green card and full residency? No loans for you. This is a big mistake. It’s one thing to go after and deport undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes. But it’s difficult to watch undocumented immigrants who have committed no crime other than trying to make a better life for their families in this country suffer a similar consequence. Breaking the law is one thing. But what about the immigrants who are going through the legal process as they should and have been granted full residency status? Why are they being targeted the SBA? The issue isn’t immigration policy. It’s about whether the SBA should be drawing eligibility lines that exclude legally operating business owners. This is about politics. The SBA’s mission is all about serving small businesses. It seems counterproductive to deny certain entrepreneurs the right to participate in our capitalist system just because they’re not yet citizens. It seems harmful to not allow them to receive loans so that they can start and grow a small business that will benefit their communities and the country at large. To some extent, the move is a reaction against the Biden administration. Under Biden, the SBA often looked more like it was marketing a message than reflecting the reality of who actually owns small businesses in this country. The agency always went to great lengths to ensure that every image featured a diverse group of business owners, mostly minorities. Never mind that Pew Research reports that 85% of US small business owners are white and 76% are men. And more than half are over the age of 50. This is changing as our population changes. But you wouldn’t know that by looking at ...

George and Rob Webster on a carousel in 2005 and 2026 George (on right) and Rob Webster in 2005 and 2026. Later photograph: Simon Webb/The Guardian. Styling: Andie Redman. Grooming: Alice Theobald at Arlington Artists using PERS and Benefit cosmetics. Archive photograph: courtesy of George Webster Born in 2000 in Rawdon, West Yorkshire, George Webster is an actor and presenter. In 2021, he made history as the first BBC children’s presenter with Down’s syndrome. As well as his regular hosting role on CBeebies, Webster has appeared in The Railway Children Return, Casualty, and the 2022 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special. His fourth book, George and the Dragons: Lava Goes Wild!, is out now. Webster’s dad, Rob, is the chief executive of NHS West Yorkshire. George This photo was taken at Disneyland Paris. It was such a fun trip – just me, Dad, my sister and Mum. Apart from going on the carousel, my main memories are my sister crying on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, the rain, wearing pac-a-macs, endless queueing, and not eating many vegetables. It was a brilliant holiday. When I was little, I was fun, cheeky and full of energy. I definitely kept my dad on his toes. I was about two-and-a‑half the first time he took me to work. I was sitting on the carpet and, because I couldn’t walk yet, people assumed I wouldn’t go anywhere. As soon as everyone turned their backs, I crawled off like a bear and disappeared down the corridor. I was very lucky growing up with Down’s syndrome. I had occupational therapists, amazing NHS support, my family and my friends around me. At school, I was supported by my teaching assistant, my teachers and my classmates – we were all one big team. I had to do extra lessons, often with other kids who were either disruptive in class, found it difficult to settle or on the edge of exclusion. It meant I never got picked on at school, as those were the kids that other students might be a bit scared of. Once, another kid gave me a hard time and on...

While Iranian Shahed-136 suicide drones recently drew attention for destroying key US radars and striking targets as far away as Cyprus in the US-Israel war on Iran , their distant “cousins” in China may pose an even higher risk in a future conflict. China’s ASN-301 shares the Iranian drone’s aerodynamic delta-wing design that is rooted in a common technological origin. The Chinese drone and its variants have evolved into either a highly sophisticated SEAD (suppression of enemy air defences) weapon or an even lower-cost loitering munition, capable of precision radar-hunting or air-defence attrition, which could surpass Iran’s current capabilities in scale and versatility. Eyewitness footage of drone attacks on US embassy in Iraq Eyewitness footage of drone attacks on US embassy in Iraq Specifications Despite the striking resemblance between the two – both bearing a low-aspect-ratio tailless delta wing with a cylindrical fuselage, a spherical optoelectronic nose payload and a rear-mounted pusher propeller – the Chinese ASN-301 is an anti-radiation loitering munition rather than a simple kamikaze drone. Advertisement The system made its public debut in 2017 during the People’s Liberation Army anniversary military parade, and its capabilities were showcased in a live-fire drill in October last year. Smaller than its Iranian counterpart, the ASN-301 is 2.5 metres (8.2 feet) long, with a wingspan of 2.2 metres and a total weight of 135kg (298lbs). Advertisement It is equipped with a 30kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead, which is lighter than that of the Shahed-136. But the ASN-301 is fitted with a laser proximity fuse to disperse about 7,000 preformed fragments, optimising damage against radar antennas and control systems.

美國總統特朗普早前，與日本首相高市早苗會晤時提及珍珠港，有分析認為，反映特朗普通過侮辱盟友確立主導。 而白宮發布多張高市早苗訪問美國期間的照片，有評論認為似乎是嘲諷她不莊重，更有日本網民指是丟臉。 特朗普在會晤中將在美方攻打伊朗前，沒有知會日本等盟友，比作二戰時日軍偷襲珍珠港。 有分析認為，這樣會令日方從盟友變成罪人，在道德高地上無話可說，亦反映特朗普的美國優先邏輯，美國無需向盟友解釋，盟友亦必須在歷史包袱與現實情況下，全盤接受美國單邊決策。

A report from a leading Beijing university has revived discussions about the “optimal size” of China’s foreign exchange reserves – with a focus on US Treasuries – calling for its world-leading forex holdings to be trimmed to a “moderately ample” level amid the drive to promote further international use of the yuan. The report, written by Sun Jiaqi from Renmin University’s International Monetary Institute and issued on Friday, examined possible ways forward and their implications for China, which has hosted the world’s largest forex reserves since February 2006. “For the yuan’s internationalisation, maintaining moderately ample forex reserves can support the currency,” Sun wrote. “That said, a gradual reduction will be inevitable, once the yuan matures and becomes more adopted globally as a medium of settlement and storage of value, supported by a large circulation abroad. Advertisement “At that point, China may no longer need to hold excessive foreign currency assets as a precaution, since the yuan can replace many of the roles once played by foreign reserves.” The report said that a desirable size for the reserves of an emerging market economy would be around 11.49 per cent of its gross domestic product, citing research by analysts from China Securities Depository and Clearing and China Construction Bank. Advertisement China’s forex reserves stood at US$3.42 trillion in February, according to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, equivalent to about 16 per cent of the country’s GDP last year. They have hovered above the US$3 trillion mark since at least 2020.

Douglas Rissing/iStock via Getty Images Article Thesis Central bank actions can impact equity markets widely due to the connection between equity valuations and interest rates. Over the last week, we saw several major central banks -- the Fed, BOE, ECB, BOJ, and RCA -- announce their most recent interest rate policies. Equity markets, already hurting from the impact of the war in Iran, were spooked -- higher interest rates are not what the market was looking for. The Connection Between Interest Rates And Equity Valuations Let's first take a look at why interest rate movements can impact equities. At first sight, the connection isn't obvious -- interest movements clearly impact fixed-income assets, such as bonds , but equities don't pay interest; they either pay dividends or nothing at all. Still, equity valuations depend on interest rates to some degree: The Capital Asset Pricing Model, explained here , has the risk-free interest rate as an input factor. The risk-free interest rate is usually the return on treasuries -- and since that is impacted by interest rate movements, so is the cost of capital. The cost of capital is used in the discounted cash flow method -- this, in turn, means that equity valuations depend on interest rates to some degree. So when we see interest rate movements, either due to central bank actions or due to shifting expectations about future central bank actions, equities are usually impacted by that -- they head higher when the market thinks that interest rates will decline, and they decline when the market thinks that interest rates will rise. What Did Central Banks Do Over The Last Week? In recent days, many important central banks had meetings and announced what interest rates will look like in the near term -- whether they will raise them, lower them, or keep them stable. Over the last two years or so, interest rates have been moving lower in many countries, including the US, where the last interest rate reduction took place in December...

Micron Technology Inc (MU) reported a massive increase in fiscal Q2 free cash flow (FCF). As a result, management raised the quarterly dividend per share (DPS) by 30% to 15 cents ($0.60 annual rate). As a result, MU stock is worth 34% more at $567 per share. I will also explain why, and one play to take advantage of this: shorting out-of-the-money (OTM) puts for a 6% monthly yield. MU closed at $422.90 on Friday, down from a pre-earnings release peak of $461.73 on March 18. But it could be worth considerably more, as this article will show. Strong Free Cash Flow Micron Technology is at the center of the massive increase in demand for its DRAM and NAND memory chips. These are for AI-related cloud and data center servers, as well as mobile phone and auto chips. As a result, its fiscal Q2 revenue for the quarter ended Feb. 28 rose 111.6% over the prior quarter from $13.542 billion to $28.86 billion. For the six months of this FY ending Aug. 31, revenue was up 123% to $37.6 billion. Management guided that next quarter's revenue would be $33.5 billion (+/- $750 million), a 40% gain over fiscal Q2. Micron also reported that its adjusted free cash flow (FCF) rose 76.6% Q/Q after capex spending was up 18.5% Q/Q. As a result, the adj. FCF margin rose from 28.6% to 28.9% of revenue: Micron adj. FCF and adj. FCF margins - Q2 earnings release March 18 and Hake analysis of adj. FCF margins This means that the company is squeezing out more cash from its operations as revenue rises. That's a sign of strong operating leverage and could imply its FCF margins will continue to rise. That will eventually push MU stock higher, as will be seen below. Higher Dividend Could Lead to Higher Price Given management's confidence in its cash flow outlook, they raised the quarterly dividend per share (DPS) to 15 cents, up from 11.5 cents. That means the stock now has an annualized forward DPS of 60 cents and a forward dividend yield of just $0.60/$422.90 = 0.0014188 = 0.1419% yield That paltry di...

Micron Technology Hikes Its Dividend 30% Due to Surging FCF - MU Is Worth 34% More - What's the Best Play? Barchart.com

Micron Technology Inc (MU) reported a massive increase in fiscal Q2 free cash flow (FCF). As a result, management raised the quarterly dividend per share (DPS) by 30% to 15 cents ($0.60 annual rate). As a result, MU stock is worth 34% more at $567 per share. I will also explain why, and one play to take advantage of this: shorting out-of-the-money (OTM) puts for a 6% monthly yield. MU closed at $422.90 on Friday, down from a pre-earnings release peak of $461.73 on March 18. But it could be worth considerably more, as this article will show. Strong Free Cash Flow Micron Technology is at the center of the massive increase in demand for its DRAM and NAND memory chips. These are for AI-related cloud and data center servers, as well as mobile phone and auto chips. As a result, its fiscal Q2 revenue for the quarter ended Feb. 28 rose 111.6% over the prior quarter from $13.542 billion to $28.86 billion. For the six months of this FY ending Aug. 31, revenue was up 123% to $37.6 billion. Management guided that next quarter's revenue would be $33.5 billion (+/- $750 million), a 40% gain over fiscal Q2. Micron also reported that its adjusted free cash flow (FCF) rose 76.6% Q/Q after capex spending was up 18.5% Q/Q. As a result, the adj. FCF margin rose from 28.6% to 28.9% of revenue: Micron adj. FCF and adj. FCF margins - Q2 earnings release March 18 and Hake analysis of adj. FCF margins This means that the company is squeezing out more cash from its operations as revenue rises. That's a sign of strong operating leverage and could imply its FCF margins will continue to rise. That will eventually push MU stock higher, as will be seen below. Higher Dividend Could Lead to Higher Price Given management's confidence in its cash flow outlook, they raised the quarterly dividend per share (DPS) to 15 cents, up from 11.5 cents. That means the stock now has an annualized forward DPS of 60 cents and a forward dividend yield of just $0.60/$422.90 = 0.0014188 = 0.1419% yield That paltry di...

Micron Technology Hikes Its Dividend 30% Due to Surging FCF - MU Is Worth 34% More - What's the Best Play? Yahoo Finance

NVIDIA Corp logo on phone and AI chip-by Below the Sky via Shutterstock The next phase of the artificial intelligence (AI) boom would be defined by autonomous agentic systems that can plan, execute, and act independently, and that’s where OpenClaw is rapidly emerging as a potential inflection point for NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA). At its 2026 GTC conference, CEO Jensen Huang framed OpenClaw as a foundational shift in computing, arguing that every company will need an agentic AI strategy going forward. Jensen Huang has highlighted OpenClaw as a breakthrough in AI, calling it the most successful open-source project ever and “the next ChatGPT.” He emphasized that it represents a major shift in human-AI interaction, moving beyond chat-based systems to autonomous agents that can independently perform tasks and execute complex workflows. Against this backdrop, Nvidia’s partnership with OpenClaw and the launch of its enterprise-grade NemoClaw platform signal a strategic move to extend its dominance beyond chips into the software and orchestration layer of AI. By combining OpenClaw’s ease of building AI agents with Nvidia’s security, privacy, and full-stack infrastructure, the company is positioning itself to make its hardware more deeply embedded in enterprise workflows while opening up new monetization avenues. The implications for investors are significant. If OpenClaw-style ecosystems become the backbone of next-generation software, Nvidia could evolve from a GPU leader into a full-stack AI platform provider, capturing a larger share of a rapidly expanding market opportunity, one that can propel to $1 trillion in AI infrastructure demand by 2027. What should be your stance as an OpenClaw-driven ecosystem seems to be gearing up to unlock a new and more durable growth? About Nvidia Stock NVIDIA Corporation is a global leader in accelerated computing and AI, renowned for pioneering the GPU that revolutionized gaming, data centers , and AI-driven computing. Headquartered in S...

Investors are looking back at 2022 for clues on how the risk from the Iran war unfolds across equity markets. The key concern: an inflation shock that lifts correlations within stock indexes and spurs an extended period of higher volatility. The spike in oil and natural gas is rippling through supply chains, threatening to raise prices not just for gasoline but for a wide range of goods and services. That’s shifted traders’ attention away from single stocks, as macroeconomic worries begin to outweigh more granular themes such as artificial intelligence. This, in turn, has narrowed the volatility premium for individual shares versus the wider S&P 500 Index and shrunk trading volumes. While the VIX has been more sensitive to drops in the S&P 500, the overall realized moves at the index level have remained muted compared with past crises. The volatility gauge hasn’t closed above 30 points this year, after spending two weeks above that level during the tariff turmoil of last April. In 2022, the VIX surpassed 30 points periodically following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and averaged 25.64, more than 6 points above this year’s mean. The S&P 500 fell 19% that year as the Federal Reserve hiked rates multiple times. “Investors are looking to the 2022 playbook for clues on how the current situation in Iran plays out for markets,” said UBS Group AG derivatives strategist Kieran Diamond . “The risk is an inflation shock, which could drive higher correlations within equity markets, and potentially switch the index volatility regime from fast VIX rises and reversals to one where the VIX floor rises and volatility is sustainably higher.” At the same time, the Cboe Skew Index of market stress has calmed in recent days, possibly because of the unwinding of hedges as investors became disillusioned with vanilla index puts, according to UBS strategists. The low level of realized volatility to the downside since the Middle East escalation may have also caused a general re-pricing of the...

It’s exceedingly expensive to own a pet, prompting owners to delay veterinary visits or reconsider adopting one in the first place. Yet, animal health companies’ earnings keep growing. That’s down to the unwavering love between owners and their pets. While some owners might extend the time between their pets’ annual wellness visits to save money, they’ll shell out when their darling is truly sick or hurt, and that care is often the most expensive — and lucrative. Last year, Matthew Joseph, a 41-year-old New Yorker, spent $11,000 on lifesaving spleen surgery for his now 14-year-old pooch Frankie. “The amount that we spend on Frankie, you could probably buy a Hyundai, or finance one at least.” Animal diagnostic testing and pharmaceutical companies like IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. , Zoetis Inc. and Elanco Animal Health Inc. , along with pet store companies like Petco Health & Wellness Co. and Chewy, Inc. are reaping the benefits. Pet-care costs have been rising faster than overall inflation. The consumer price index for all urban consumers increased 2.4% in February from a year earlier, while pet services — including veterinary care — jumped 5.1%, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Total vet visits declined 3% in the fourth quarter of last year, marking the 16th straight quarter of declines, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Ann-Hunter van Kirk wrote in a note , adding there’s only low correlation with the performance of pharmaceutical pet companies. Last month, vet visits fell 1.7% year-over-year, according to data provided by Vetsource. “People in a down economy, they may not be taking their pet to the vet quite as often as they need to, but they also still know the main things that they need to do — those maintenance therapies — and they’re still doing that,” van Kirk said in an interview. Pet owners are still spending, Zoetis Chief Financial Officer Wetteny Joseph said at the Leerink Global Healthcare Conference on March 9, specifically for visits tha...

Mistakes are a natural part of retirement planning. Maybe you save in the wrong type of account and miss key tax advantages, or you forget to claim your 401(k) match, forcing you to save more on your own. Those mistakes are frustrating, but they're often not disastrous. You can usually make up for them with a few careful choices. There's one thing in particular that I did years ago that more than makes up for some of the smaller retirement planning mistakes I've made along the way. Starting early makes reaching your savings goals much easier I began saving for retirement at 20, and while I wasn't contributing a ton of money at that time, those earliest contributions will likely prove to be some of my most valuable. They'll remain invested the longest, which means they'll probably appreciate the most over time. It might not seem like a few years will make that much difference, but it matters more than you'd think. Consider $1,000 invested for 40 years with an 8% average annual return. It would be worth about $21,725. After being invested for 41 years, that $1,000 investment would be worth about $23,462 -- over $1,700 more. Obviously, if you set aside more money, your retirement savings will grow even faster. You'll usually have to invest far less of your own money to retire comfortably when you start early than you would if you'd waited until later in life. Say you wanted to retire with $1 million in savings. If you earned an 8% average annual return and you planned to retire at 65, you could reach your goal by saving just $322 per month if you start at age 25. Wait until age 30 to start, and you now have to save $484 per month to reach the same $1 million target. Contribute what you can, even if it's small The main reason most people don't begin saving for retirement early is that they cannot afford to do so. They have too many bills right now and are trying to save for more immediate goals, like buying a home or a car. This is understandable, but if you can spare e...

格隆汇3月22日丨伊朗革命卫队：如果美国总统特朗普兑现威胁，打击伊朗的能源设施，驻有美军基地的国家的能源设施将成为“合法”打击目标，拥有美国股份的企业将被“彻底摧毁”，霍尔木兹海峡也将彻底关闭。

储蓄配置转向更长期、多元化且相对稳定的金融工具，或是转型方向 【财新网】 “推动居民储蓄转型，进而释放中国消费潜力，这是一个关键问题。”在3月22日召开的中国发展高层论坛2026年年会“消费增长的新趋势和新机遇”研讨会上，法国巴黎银行董事长乐明瀚（Jean Lemierre）如此称。 “中国储蓄率很高、几乎占到可支配收入的43%；日本这一比例约35%，比中国低了近10个百分点；欧洲约20%，是中国的一半；韩国约10%，是中国的四分之一；美国5%，比中国少了好几倍。”他介绍。此外，房地产仍占中国家庭财富的60%—70%；其余部分集中在利率较低的产品，以存款或者短期产品为主。

Available for over a year Today, Laura, Paddy and Henry discuss whether Iranian missiles could feasibly strike the UK, as Israel has claimed. The Israeli Defence Force said Iranian missiles ‘can reach London, Paris or Berlin.’ The claim was prompted by an attempted but unsuccessful missile strike on the UK-US Diego Garcia base. Sir Richard Shirreff, a former senior Nato commander has told Paddy we should take the the claim seriously, but cabinet minister Steve Reed told Laura there is "no assessment to substantiate" it. We also look at whether the government might consider profit caps on energy companies, as has been suggested by a government advisor. Apply for tickets to Castfest here https://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/castfest-2026 You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscord Get in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480. New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Laura Kuenssberg, Paddy O’Connell. It was made by Chris Flynn with Chloe Scannapieco. The social producer was Grace Braddock. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. Programme Website

Key Points Windsor Advisory Group added 78,197 shares of Worthington Enterprises in the fourth quarter; the estimated transaction value was $4.32 million based on quarterly average prices. Meanwhile, the quarter-end position value rose by $2.88 million, reflecting both share additions and price movement. The position at quarter's end stood at 372,282 shares valued at $19.20 million. 10 stocks we like better than Worthington Enterprises › Windsor Advisory Group disclosed a buy of 78,197 shares of Worthington Enterprises (NYSE:WOR) in its February 17, 2026, SEC filing, with an estimated transaction value of $4.32 million based on quarterly average pricing. What happened According to a February 17, 2026, SEC filing, Windsor Advisory Group, LLC increased its holding in Worthington Enterprises by 78,197 shares during the fourth quarter. The estimated value of this share purchase is approximately $4.32 million, based on the mean unadjusted closing price for the period. The quarter-end value of the position rose by $2.88 million, reflecting both the increased share count and price appreciation. What else to know This was a buy; Worthington Enterprises represented 17.13% of Windsor Advisory Group's 13F reportable AUM after the trade. Top holdings after the filing: NASDAQ:PAYX: $23.76 million (21.2% of AUM) NYSE:WOR: $19.20 million (17.1% of AUM) NYSE:WS: $7.19 million (6.4% of AUM) NYSEMKT:IVV: $6.68 million (6.0% of AUM) NASDAQ:NVDA: $6.33 million (5.7% of AUM) As of Friday, shares of Worthington Enterprises were priced at $47.64, up 15% over the past year, which roughly matches the S&P 500’s gain in the same period. Company overview Metric Value Revenue (TTM) $1.25 billion Net Income (TTM) $106 million Dividend Yield 1.6% Price (as of Friday) $47.64 Company snapshot Worthington Enterprises offers value-added steel processing, manufactured consumer products, building products, and sustainable energy solutions, with key brands including Coleman, Bernzomatic, and Level5. The...

Prediction: Astera Labs Stock Could Soar if This AI Catalyst Keeps Building AOL.com

xtrekx/iStock via Getty Images A 20% decline in the S&P 500 is no longer a tail risk. It is becoming an increasingly likely outcome as oil, interest rates, and credit spreads reprice. It has been a rough few weeks for markets, and absent a sharp reversal in oil prices or a de-escalation in geopolitical risk, conditions are unlikely to improve. Multiple Compression Stock prices are driven by earnings and the multiple investors are willing to pay. When growth is strong and risks are low, multiples expand. When risks rise, multiples contract. Today, rising oil prices are widening credit spreads, signaling higher risk and exerting downward pressure on valuations. As these risks rise and credit spreads widen, earnings yields increase, which is the inverse of the P/E ratio, meaning valuations fall. For years, credit spreads and S&P 500 earnings yields have moved closely together. LSEG In 2022, the last time an oil spike occurred, the CDX High Yield index rose to over 600, while the S&P 500 earnings yield reached 6.5%. Today, the CDX index is at 373, and the S&P 500's earnings yield is just 4.9%. That is the equivalent of the S&P 500's PE ratio falling from 20.4 on a forward-twelve-month basis to 15.3, a drop of about 25% from current levels. In its simplest form, it suggests there is likely to be much more downside if conditions are not resolved soon. LSEG Higher Rates Rising interest rates are another pressure point, and the S&P 500 isn't cheap when compared to rates either. The current earnings yield of the S&P 500 is about 60 basis points above the 10-year rate. Historically, over the past 15 years, the median spread between the two interest rates was closer to 3.5%. It implies that the S&P 500 earnings yield rises by 290 basis points from 4.9% to 7.8%, a yield that is even higher than where it stood in 2022, and that is, frankly, because interest rates today are much higher than they were in most of 2022. Even if the spread doesn't widen, a rising 10-year rate due to ...

Iran Threatens Region-Wide Infrastructure 'Obliteration' As Trump's 48-Hour Ultimatum Ticks Down, Mass Casualties In Southern Israel Summary Iran vows regional and US infrastructure will be "irreversibly destroyed" in response to Trump's 48-hour timeline to open Hormuz or else Iranian power plants will be obliterated. Iran announces imposition a $2 million transit fee on 'non-enemy' ships wishing to transit strait. Unprecedented damage and many dozens of casualties in Israel's south after tit-for-tat strikes on areas with nuclear plants. Reports of US prepping diplomatic offramp plan but Iran says expanding war has effectively shut the door ; Bessent says "50 days" of higher prices for 50 years of no Iran nukes , and "escalate to de-escalate." * * * Bessent on Meet the Press: 'Escalate to De-Escalate' Scott Bessent said US-Israeli strikes are focused on weakening Iran's fortified positions along the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump presses a deadline for Tehran to "fully open, without threat" the critical global shipping waterway. He stated the US will "take whatever steps it takes" to eliminate Iran's military capabilities, including its ability to project power abroad; however, it remains to be seen just how degraded Iran's missile program is. "There has been a campaign… to soften up the Iranian fortifications … that's going to continue until they are completely demolished… Sometimes you have to escalate to de-escalate ," he asserted. As the conflict enters its fourth week, and amid rising oil and gasoline prices which have intensified economic pressure at home, Bessent framed the surge as a temporary cost tied to a longer-term greater objective, stating: "Let’s just pick 50 days of temporary elevated prices… Prices will come off on the other side for 50 years of not having an Iranian regime with a nuclear weapon." But then the usual more open-ended caveats: " I don’t know whether it’s going to be 50 days. I don’t know whether it’s going to be a hundred days . " A...

David Gyung/iStock via Getty Images Citi has updated its return-on-equity trend baskets. "We created the ROE Trend Baskets which focus on forward ROE improvement driven by improving margins and higher total asset turnover, not financial engineering," the equity strategy team said. "Essentially, the second derivative of Quality, not the factor itself, creates a more differentiated exposure that has become our flagship thematic." The large-cap stocks with positive ROE trend are: Company (Ticker) 2027E ROE Vistra Corp. ( VST ) 47.0% Boeing Company ( BA ) 55.7% Southwest Airlines Co. ( LUV ) 25.4% Omnicom Group Inc ( OMC ) 26.8% Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. ( TTWO ) 34.6% Teradyne, Inc. ( TER ) 34.4% Albemarle Corporation ( ALB ) 10.2% Estee Lauder Companies Inc. Class A ( EL ) 28.2% Jabil Inc. ( JBL ) 87.1% C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. ( CHRW ) 42.7% Ciena Corporation ( CIEN ) 29.5% Hershey Company ( HSY ) 37.3% Generac Holdings Inc. ( GNRC ) 15.1% TKO Group Holdings, Inc. Class A ( TKO ) 12.0% Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ) 40.6% CVS Health Corporation ( CVS ) 10.5% GE Aerospace ( GE ) 44.0% Freeport-McMoRan, Inc. ( FCX ) 19.4% ON Semiconductor Corporation ( ON ) 20.4% Rockwell Automation, Inc. ( ROK ) 34.8% Blackstone Inc. ( BX ) 33.8% Broadcom Inc. ( AVGO ) 51.0% Equifax Inc. ( EFX ) 21.4% Phillips 66 ( PSX ) 15.9% Analog Devices, Inc. ( ADI ) 18.6% Steel Dynamics, Inc. ( STLD ) 19.1% Caterpillar Inc. ( CAT ) 50.3% Waste Management, Inc. ( WM ) 35.1% NXP Semiconductors NV ( NXPI ) 33.9% Diamondback Energy, Inc. ( FANG ) 8.7% Corning Inc ( GLW ) 22.7% Nucor Corporation ( NUE ) 12.7% DoorDash, Inc. Class A ( DASH ) 13.6% BlackRock, Inc. ( BLK ) 22.1% PACCAR Inc ( PCAR ) 16.7% Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation ( WAB ) 17.7% Block, Inc. Class A ( XYZ ) 10.3% Amcor PLC ( AMCR ) 16.6% Johnson Controls International plc ( JCI ) 22.8% Cummins Inc. ( CMI ) 26.3% Bunge Global SA ( BG ) 10.4% EQT Corporation ( EQT ) 10.7% Newmont Corporation ( NEM ) 23.8%...

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images News GameStop ( GME ) is due to release its fourth-quarter earnings report on March 24. There are not enough analysts covering the stock to provide consensus estimates. In FQ3, the company saw a 4.5% decline in revenue but swung to an operating income profit. The holiday quarter update will have extra significance after CEO Ryan Cohen telegraphed ambitions to use the retailer as a Berkshire ( BRK.A ) ( BRK.B )‑style platform and was interested in pursuing a “very, very, very big” acquisition of a larger public consumer company. In recent interviews, Cohen described plans to buy a publicly traded consumer company that is not only “significantly larger” than GameStop but also undervalued, high quality, and run by a sleepy management team. Presumably, Cohen would then run his efficiency playbook he used at Chewy ( CHWY ) and GameStop ( GME ) to unlock earnings and cash flow. Of course, any color on deal size, timing, financing mix, and potential targets would be a key swing factor for sentiment. However, GameStop ( GME ) has not held an earnings conference call in over two years. GameStop's ( GME ) balance sheet cash position and Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) holdings position are also of high interest after Cohen signaled that capital allocation will tilt decisively toward an M&A strategy. Notably, Cohen has an incentive package that reinforces the bet-the-company nature of the acquisition strategy, paying out only if GameStop ( GME ) reaches at least $20B in market cap and $2B in cumulative EBITDA, with full vesting tied to a $100B market cap and $10B in cumulative EBITDA. Shares of GameStop ( GME ) are up 12.4% on a year-to-date basis. The market cap at the close on Friday was $10.1B. Short interest stands on GME at 14.7% of the total float. Options trading implies an 8% share price swing after the earnings report is released on Tuesday. More on GameStop GameStop Holiday Quarter Earnings Preview Signals Muted Numbers GameStop Is Still In Limbo...

As the war in Iran drags into its third week, Rep. Greg Steub joins David Gura and Christina Ruffini on Bloomberg This Weekend to discuss the potential of an American ground invasion in Iran, whether Congress is considering the Pentagon's request $200 billion in additional funding for the war and more. Watch the show LIVE every Saturday and Sunday morning. (Source: Bloomberg)

Jenni Murray, who has died aged 75, was the longest-serving presenter of Woman’s Hour, bringing calm authority to the BBC Radio 4 weekday show for 33 years. The programme that was launched in 1946 with cooking, cleaning tips and romantic serials had, by the time of Murray’s tenure (1987-2020), become a platform for subjects such as the menopause, domestic violence, genital mutilation and sexual politics. After a decade of Murray in the presenter’s chair, the programme was described by the Sunday Times in 1996 as “Radio 4’s sisterhood of the airwaves”. Murray was fearless and thoughtful in her intelligent questioning of guests, who ranged from politicians, film stars, authors and poets to chefs, gardeners, lawyers and anxious parents. In 1990, in Margaret Thatcher’s final broadcast interview as prime minister, Woman’s Hour exposed the ideological differences between the feminist approach advanced by Murray, who advocated government ensuring accessible, affordable childcare to hasten gender equality, and the Conservative leader’s view that the issue was one for individuals, not the state. Pointing out that the group from which Thatcher was losing most support was women, Murray asked if this could be down to a lack of understanding of their difficulties. The presenter later said: “It was the first time in her entire political career I ever heard her say: ‘I don’t know.’ She was not expecting this and she floundered.” View image in fullscreen Murray, right, with Margaret Thatcher in 1990. Photograph: BBC Radio 4 Later, following the former Conservative MP Edwina Currie’s revelation in the first volume of her diaries in 2002 that she had had a four-year affair with her colleague, John Major, later prime minister, Murray began her interview with: “Edwina Currie has been called a cheat, a grade-A trollop, a total cow and the cheapest kiss-and-tell hawker.” She then probed Currie on the ethics of the relationship, considering both of them were married, and the hurt caused t...

格隆汇3月22日｜当地时间22日，俄罗斯总统新闻秘书佩斯科夫表示，暗杀伊朗领导人“已经并将继续产生极其严重后果”。佩斯科夫当天在接受采访时说，目前针对伊朗的这场战争最终目标是推翻伊朗政权，“但每一次这样的行动都促使伊朗人民更加团结地拥护其领导层”。美国和以色列2月28日对伊朗发起大规模军事行动，时任伊朗最高领袖哈梅内伊和多名军政高级官员在空袭中丧生。以色列国防部长卡茨称，伊朗最高国家安全委员会秘书拉里贾尼和伊朗“动员穷人组织”指挥官吴拉姆-礼萨·苏莱曼尼在以军16日的袭击中身亡，伊朗情报部长伊斯梅尔·哈提卜在以军17日的袭击中身亡。卡茨18日称，以军已获授权，无需获得批准即可暗杀任何伊朗官员。

Mini Gaming PC With AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS - 32GB DDR5, 2TB SSD, Win 11 Pro, Compact Powerhouse ruhrkanal.news

A private prayer and a shouting contest: photos of the weekend The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world A veiled Iranian worshipper prays as she sits at a holy shrine on the day of Eid al-Fitr in Tehran, Iran. Photograph: Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

Hong Kong’s West Kowloon arts hub has signed agreements with 12 international institutions from Australia, the UK, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere, paving the way for future collaborations as the city seeks to strengthen its role as an East-meets-West cultural hub. The memorandums of understanding (MOUs) signed on Sunday by the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority will help bring more international performances to the city, showcase Hong Kong productions to global audiences, support the exchange of talent and more. “These collaborations translate shared vision into action by supporting high quality programmes, talent exchange and professional development,” said Bernard Charnwut Chan, chairman of the authority, during the signing ceremony at the two-day International Cultural Summit. Advertisement Key partnerships include five strategic alliances “to strengthen programme development, talent exchange and professional training”, in preparation for the opening of the WestK Performing Arts Centre next year. The authority will also work with the China Association of Auctioneers to strengthen talent development art market exchanges between Hong Kong and the mainland, plus museum collaborations. Advertisement New agreements have also been signed with overseas cultural organisations and universities to support the launch of professional training courses and a pilot artist-in-residence programme.

Russia launched an uncrewed cargo spacecraft toward the International Space Station on Sunday after recent repairs to the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch site, NASA said. The Progress MS-33 transport ship separated successfully from the third stage of its Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle after blasting off from Baikonur in Kazakhstan, Russia’s Roscosmos Space Agency said on Telegram. The spacecraft, with over 2.5 tons of cargo, is scheduled to dock with the Poisk module on the Russian segment of the ISS on March 24. NASA said on X that one of the vessel’s antennas used for automatic docking failed to deploy after liftoff. Other systems were operating as designed, and troubleshooting on the antenna issue was continuing, the US agency said. If the antenna cannot be deployed, Russian cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov would remotely pilot the craft using a backup system for rendezvous and docking. The Baikonur cosmodrome, which Russia leases from Kazakhstan, remains central to Moscow’s space program, including missions to the ISS. The launch site was damaged in late November in an unspecified mishap during a previous mission, Roscosmos said at the time. Read more: Russia Brings Crewed-Rocket Launch Pad Back Online at Baikonur