Arteta's Arsenal will be desperate to shed their tag as the side that has come up short in recent years. The Gunners and their manager are seeking a first piece of silverware since they beat Chelsea in the 2020 FA Cup final, only nine months after he left Guardiola's side as his assistant at City to take over at Emirates Stadium. In that same period, Arteta's managerial mentor Guardiola has a trop...
Arteta's Arsenal will be desperate to shed their tag as the side that has come up short in recent years. The Gunners and their manager are seeking a first piece of silverware since they beat Chelsea in the 2020 FA Cup final, only nine months after he left Guardiola's side as his assistant at City to take over at Emirates Stadium. In that same period, Arteta's managerial mentor Guardiola has a trophy haul of the Champions League, four Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the EFL Cup, as well as the Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup. Arsenal, since Arteta last tasted success, have lost in the Europa League semi-final to Villarreal in 2021, EFL Cup semi-finals in 2022 and 2025 to Liverpool and Newcastle United respectively, as well as last season's Champions League semi-final against eventual winners Paris St-Germain. The Gunners have finally broken that pattern to reach a final, but Arteta must also release Guardiola's stranglehold, having only won four of their past 16 meetings against him - including the Community Shield in 2023 - while losing nine. This suggests it is Arteta who is in urgent need of breaking the cycle of finishing empty-handed. Former Arsenal and England defender Matt Upson told BBC Sport: "I think overall, Arteta needs it most because he has not won enough trophies in his time at Arsenal for how well they have done. "It has been a case of 'nearly but not quite' for Arteta after the seasons in which they have finished second in the Premier League. They have not quite got there, so this is a big one for Arteta. "I think Arteta and Guardiola need it for very different reasons, but I feel Arteta needs it more because he needs to put some silverware in the trophy cabinet. "The overall pressure is on Arteta, but it is also fair to say the short-term pressure is on Guardiola. It is very important City get that win to try and at least dent Arsenal's confidence. That would be really helpful for them in the last eight games of the season." Former Manc...
China’s drive to grow 90 per cent of its own grain by 2032 just gained a critical weapon: an unmanned ratoon rice farm that produces 50 per cent higher yields. By harnessing smart seedling care, sowing, growing and harvesting, a Chinese biotechnology company and scientists from several institutes have built the world’s first smart farm for regenerated rice. Located in the Datong Lake District in C...
China’s drive to grow 90 per cent of its own grain by 2032 just gained a critical weapon: an unmanned ratoon rice farm that produces 50 per cent higher yields. By harnessing smart seedling care, sowing, growing and harvesting, a Chinese biotechnology company and scientists from several institutes have built the world’s first smart farm for regenerated rice. Located in the Datong Lake District in China’s central Hunan province, the smart rice farm has enabled an ancient but technically challenging technique of harvesting the second rice crop grown from the stubble of the first harvest. Advertisement “The agricultural machinery goes to the fields, but I don’t go to the fields,” Xiong Jiaojun, the founder of Hunan Hongshuo Biotechnology Co, which is leading the project, told the China News Network on March 15. Built in 2023, the farm has nearly 33 hectares (82 acres) of experimental fields, with the entire intelligent, minimally staffed base covering 200 hectares. Advertisement This year, Xiong said they deployed 20 sets of unmanned machinery, which can cover 666 hectares of rice fields.
In the days after the US and Israel first bombed Iran, financial markets bet the economic fallout from Donald Trump’s “little excursion” in the Middle East would be short-lived. “There are risks from higher oil prices longer term. But this is a tail risk,” one US-based fund manger said after the airstrike killing Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “History has shown time and time again...
In the days after the US and Israel first bombed Iran, financial markets bet the economic fallout from Donald Trump’s “little excursion” in the Middle East would be short-lived. “There are risks from higher oil prices longer term. But this is a tail risk,” one US-based fund manger said after the airstrike killing Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “History has shown time and time again that geopolitical flare-ups like this tend to be short-lived. This one should prove to be no exception.’’ Goldman Sachs told clients it expected temporary disruption. “Oil prices to decline throughout the year. But risks are skewed to the upside,” its analysts wrote. UniCredit suggested crude would be capped at about $80 a barrel. “Given its struggle for survival, the Iranian regime has an incentive to keep its response measured”. Three weeks later, the prospect of a drawn-out war is causing mounting economic problems. Oil prices have soared above $100 a barrel, European gas prices have doubled, volatility stalks financial markets, and consumers worldwide are bracing for a surge in living costs. Central banks, including the US Federal Reserve, Bank of England and European Central Bank, warn the war could have a material impact on inflation and dent global growth. “Market wisdom still holds that the war will end quickly, with the strait of Hormuz soon to reopen,” said Albert Edwards, a senior analyst at Société Générale. “Maybe the market is right, but in my opinion the risks are asymmetric that stagflation bursts the complacency bubble.” With each day, more problems are emerging. From the soaring price of petrol and diesel for motorists, to cancelled flights and the worst travel disruption since the Covid pandemic. View image in fullscreen The cost of fertiliser is rising sharply, hurting farmers worldwide. Photograph: Aly Song/Reuters European heavy industry – still reeling from the 2022 energy price shock after the Russian invasion of Ukraine – are feeling the pinch in p...
The cooking is precise, proud and purposeful Osteria Vibrato appeared last month on Greek Street, Soho, feeling to any passerby just like any other neutral-fronted Italian restaurant in this pasta-swamped part of the capital. Not much to see here. Pushing your face against the window wouldn’t achieve much, either, apart from an unsightly smear. Meanwhile, all the in-the-know people – that bunch of...
The cooking is precise, proud and purposeful Osteria Vibrato appeared last month on Greek Street, Soho, feeling to any passerby just like any other neutral-fronted Italian restaurant in this pasta-swamped part of the capital. Not much to see here. Pushing your face against the window wouldn’t achieve much, either, apart from an unsightly smear. Meanwhile, all the in-the-know people – that bunch of infuriating, generously paunched “foodies” who keep London restaurant gossip alive – understood that this particular osteria is the latest opening by Charlie Mellor, former proprietor of the Laughing Heart in Hackney, which opened in 2016 and very quickly became favoured by chefs and industry media types alike, because it took food very seriously, stayed open late and danced a dainty line between debauched and old-school cosseting. It sold pumpkin cappelletti with sage, and chicken liver paté with crisp chicken skin and jellied walnut liqueur. The room was furnished with quirky tables complete with cutlery drawers, and there seemed to be a never-ending party going on in the ground-floor bar. Mellor, the star of the show, led the charge: warm, serious yet with a great capacity for silliness, though weirdly omniscient as to who needed what and when. Continue reading...
Iran has radically overhauled its social media strategy in an all-out information war launched by the country’s Islamic rulers in response to US and Israeli military attacks. Cyber experts say Iranian foreign influence operations have gone into overdrive as part of an “asymmetric” campaign designed to complement its military retaliation and intensify moral pressure on the US and Israel into curtai...
Iran has radically overhauled its social media strategy in an all-out information war launched by the country’s Islamic rulers in response to US and Israeli military attacks. Cyber experts say Iranian foreign influence operations have gone into overdrive as part of an “asymmetric” campaign designed to complement its military retaliation and intensify moral pressure on the US and Israel into curtailing their war efforts. It has meant flooding platforms such as X, Instagram and Bluesky with targeted postings calculated to exploit the war’s unpopularity in the US, including among supporters of Donald Trump. Previous multi-pronged communications aimed at fomenting support for causes such as Scottish independence and Irish unification have been jettisoned in favour of a single-issue message that has included AI-generated videos and memes mocking Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister. Some AI generated footage has faked successful strikes on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, bomb damage supposedly inflicted on buildings in Tel Aviv, and Israeli soldiers supposedly crying in fear over Iranian retaliation. The Iranian campaign has been sufficiently effective to draw complaints from Trump, who accused Iran of using AI as a “disinformation weapon”. The intensified onslaught has come as the regime imposed a near-total internet blackout in Iran while threatening punishments against anyone using satellite internet connections, such as Starlink. Government agents have also reportedly tried to intimidate Iranians living abroad against posting online messages against the regime or in favor the US-Israeli war effort. Expatriate Iranians report receiving phone calls or online warnings that their citizenship will be revoked or family members in Iran harmed unless they stop posting. Analysts believe the cyber effort has become a central component of the regime’s survival strategy, along with military retaliation against US and allied targets, and closure of the ...
Family courts are “not good enough” and have treated women and children unfairly for decades, a government minister has said. Announcing a major overhaul of the family justice system in England and Wales that will play a central role in “rebalancing” the family courts, Alison Levitt said often brutal legal showdowns will be replaced with a “problem-solving”, child-focused model. Part of a move acr...
Family courts are “not good enough” and have treated women and children unfairly for decades, a government minister has said. Announcing a major overhaul of the family justice system in England and Wales that will play a central role in “rebalancing” the family courts, Alison Levitt said often brutal legal showdowns will be replaced with a “problem-solving”, child-focused model. Part of a move across the Ministry of Justice to tackle court backlogs, the department said child focused courts – which centre on child welfare and seeks out-of-court resolutions – have reduced child trauma, cut a backlog of cases and reduced waiting times. They will now become the standard model for all section 8 cases, which involve child arrangements including where that child lives, who they have contact with and how long they spend with each parent. The Labour peer, who was Keir Starmer’s principal legal adviser when he was the director of public prosecutions, said that she had been repeatedly accused of sexism since she became a minister last autumn, including as a result of the proposed repeal of the legal presumption that both parents should be involved in their children’s lives in the Courts and Tribunal bill, which passed its second reading earlier this month. Levitt said: “It is historically so obvious that women have been victims [in the justice system], that there is a justification for putting in measures to bring them up, to make it fairer for them,” said Levitt. Change had to come “throughout the justice system, including in the family justice system, to make sure that [victims] are not, for example, being retraumatised by going through the family courts”, she said. Asked if she believed the justice system treated women fairly from what she had observed since being called to the bar in 1988, Levitt said it was “more complicated” than the system being sexist, but added: “I think that women have not received fair treatment, but things have been improving. And do I think that i...
My friends seem genuinely happy to see me when we’re together and usually accept when I suggest meeting up. But if I don’t initiate, I rarely hear from them. Not even a “Hi, how’s the new job?” or a “How are you?” Months can go by. This makes me wonder if these people are real friends and question whether I’m doing something wrong. When we do get together, we share things about our lives, laugh a ...
My friends seem genuinely happy to see me when we’re together and usually accept when I suggest meeting up. But if I don’t initiate, I rarely hear from them. Not even a “Hi, how’s the new job?” or a “How are you?” Months can go by. This makes me wonder if these people are real friends and question whether I’m doing something wrong. When we do get together, we share things about our lives, laugh a lot and do activities we all like, so time together makes me feel connected. But once we say goodbye, I don’t hear from them. It’s all very confusing and discouraging. I don’t know if it’s relevant, but all my friends are women. I am a man in my 50s and single (for several years) after a nearly 30-year relationship. I was very isolated and depressed during Covid, but have gradually been taking steps to improve my life (joining a running club, quitting drinking, changing jobs and moving). Making new friends while deepening relationships with others has been something I see as a huge improvement in my life, but now I’m wondering if they’re worth the effort. True friendship is always worth the effort, but there do seem to be two types of people: those who initiate and move friendships along and those who don’t. It can be maddening. If people accept an invitation to see you, you can probably take it as a given that they do like spending time with you – after all, there are many ways to get out of doing things. Psychotherapist Gabrielle Rifkind said that far from seeing it as an “It’s always me, if I didn’t who would?” issue, it can be reframed as an “I’m better resourced” issue. “People who are good at friendship,” explained Rifkind, “are usually quite surefooted and confident. You wonder why you’re always doing it, but maybe you are good at organising. People generally like others making things happen.” But yes, it can be tiresome when you are always the person doing it. double quotation mark Some people aren’t great at the ‘small talk’ of friendship between meetings, the chec...
Put down your negroni, hang up your Prada handbag and pick up a paperback. Next time someone whips out their phone to take your picture, grab your reading specs, not your lipstick. Smart is the new hot. Pop stars are launching book clubs – the 1970s had Studio 54, this decade has Dua Lipa’s online literary salon Service95 – or joining Substack, where Charli xcx recently published a 1,800-word essa...
Put down your negroni, hang up your Prada handbag and pick up a paperback. Next time someone whips out their phone to take your picture, grab your reading specs, not your lipstick. Smart is the new hot. Pop stars are launching book clubs – the 1970s had Studio 54, this decade has Dua Lipa’s online literary salon Service95 – or joining Substack, where Charli xcx recently published a 1,800-word essay interrogating why it is that as a pop star “you cannot avoid the fact that some people are simply determined to prove that you are stupid”. The supermodel Kaia Gerber (who is fashion royalty – her mum is Cindy Crawford) passes the time backstage at fashion week reading Didion, Duras and Camus, not Vogue. Three years ago, we dressed in pink to go to the cinema to watch Barbie; in 2026, the mind-bendingly structured, early-Victorian masterpiece Wuthering Heights is the talk of Hollywood, and Netflix is betting big on Emma Corrin as Elizabeth Bennet in Dolly Alderton’s forthcoming adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Intellect and glamour – which have always sat at separate tables in the high-school canteen of pop culture (you can’t sit with the cool kids if you are a teacher’s pet, everyone knows that) – are flirting hard. “This is real,” says trend forecaster Lucie Greene. “There is a backlash against visually focused lifestyle content, which has become so co-opted by brands. Gen Z want more. They want knowledge. They want to go deep down the rabbit hole, on podcasts and on Reddit as well as on TikTok and YouTube.” Meet you behind the bike sheds to discuss Walter Benjamin over a cigarette, babe. View image in fullscreen Model Kaia Gerber (top) and actor Jacob Elordi (above). Photographs: Edward Berthelot; Raymond Hall, both GC Images “Reading is so sexy,” Gerber said in 2024 when she launched her book club, Library Science. (First pick: Martyr!, the poet Kaveh Akbar’s anarchic debut novel about grief, martyrdom and addiction – hardly an easy read.) She’s right, obviously, bu...
In some Chinese workplaces, employers use office Wi-fi, surveillance cameras and even smart seats to monitor what staff do, say and search online. Workers’ Daily reported that a woman working at a technology company in Guangzhou, southern China, discovered that a camera had been installed above her desk after she declined to go on a business trip because she was ill. In January, she said a manager...
In some Chinese workplaces, employers use office Wi-fi, surveillance cameras and even smart seats to monitor what staff do, say and search online. Workers’ Daily reported that a woman working at a technology company in Guangzhou, southern China, discovered that a camera had been installed above her desk after she declined to go on a business trip because she was ill. In January, she said a manager warned her not to use private group chats during office hours. Advertisement After checking the camera’s storage card, she was alarmed to find it had recorded everything from text to images on her phone and computer. In some workplaces, bosses have installed smart seat cushions like the one above to track staff activities. Photo: mp.weixin.qq.com Another case reported by Southern Metropolis Daily involved an employee at a technology company in Hangzhou, eastern China.
Sheltering from an Iranian missile attack on his town in southern Israel on Saturday, 17-year-old Ido Franky heard “terrifying” blasts like nothing he had experienced before. An Iranian missile hit Franky’s town of Arad, hours after another struck Dimona – home to a nuclear facility – wounding dozens and leaving entire residential blocks with heavy damage. Franky rushed to shelter with his family ...
Sheltering from an Iranian missile attack on his town in southern Israel on Saturday, 17-year-old Ido Franky heard “terrifying” blasts like nothing he had experienced before. An Iranian missile hit Franky’s town of Arad, hours after another struck Dimona – home to a nuclear facility – wounding dozens and leaving entire residential blocks with heavy damage. Franky rushed to shelter with his family as air raid sirens sounded, warning of an incoming attack. Advertisement “There was a ‘boom, boom!’, my mother was screaming,” he said near the impact site, where firefighters reported a blaze. “This was terrifying … this town had never seen anything like this,” the teenager said. Advertisement Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency medical service said 84 wounded people were taken to hospitals from the Arad scene, including 10 in serious condition.
Quick overview Oracle Corporation (ORCL) is showing signs of a potential bullish reversal after a significant correction, stabilizing near key support levels. The stock has rebounded approximately 22% from the golden ratio support at $125, with the 50-month EMA providing additional support. Despite mixed momentum indicators, the long-term trend remains bullish as long as Oracle holds above the cri...
Quick overview Oracle Corporation (ORCL) is showing signs of a potential bullish reversal after a significant correction, stabilizing near key support levels. The stock has rebounded approximately 22% from the golden ratio support at $125, with the 50-month EMA providing additional support. Despite mixed momentum indicators, the long-term trend remains bullish as long as Oracle holds above the critical support level. Key resistance levels to watch are between $185 and $198, with a breakout above $272 needed to confirm a sustained bullish expansion. Oracle Corporation (ORCL) is showing early signs of a technical reversal after a sharp corrective phase, with price action stabilizing near key support levels and momentum indicators beginning to turn. From a technical perspective, the current setup might suggest a high-probability bullish bounce, driven by mean reversion dynamics and improving short-term trend structure. Oracle Corporation (ORCL) Tests Golden Ratio Support Following 61% Correction After peaking near $346 in September, Oracle has undergone a steep ~61% correction over the past six months, recently finding confluence support at the key golden ratio level around $125. From this zone, price action has already staged an initial ~22% rebound, reinforcing the technical validity of this level as a potential pivot for a bullish continuation. Additionally, the 50-month EMA, currently positioned near $145, has acted as dynamic support, with the stock managing a monthly close above it—an encouraging structural signal despite broader weakness. However, momentum indicators remain mixed to bearish: the MACD histogram has been trending lower for five consecutive months, indicating waning bullish momentum, while the RSI continues to oscillate in neutral territory, offering no clear directional bias. Despite these headwinds, the EMA structure remains constructive, with a sustained golden crossover signaling that the long-term trend bias is still bullish. Should Oracle ini...
James S. Mahan III, Chief Executive Officer of Live Oak Bancshares (LOB +0.25%), reported the indirect sale of 20,000 shares of Common Stock for a transaction value of approximately $653,000 across multiple transactions on March 11 and March 12, 2026, according to a SEC Form 4 filing. Transaction summary Metric Value Shares sold (indirect) 20,000 Transaction value $653,321 Transaction value based ...
James S. Mahan III, Chief Executive Officer of Live Oak Bancshares (LOB +0.25%), reported the indirect sale of 20,000 shares of Common Stock for a transaction value of approximately $653,000 across multiple transactions on March 11 and March 12, 2026, according to a SEC Form 4 filing. Transaction summary Metric Value Shares sold (indirect) 20,000 Transaction value $653,321 Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average purchase price ($32.67). Key questions How does the size of this transaction compare to Mahan’s historical trading activity? This sale matched the recent median trade size of 20,000 shares for Mahan’s sell transactions since December of last year. This sale matched the recent median trade size of 20,000 shares for Mahan’s sell transactions since December of last year. What portion of Mahan’s ownership base was affected? The transaction amounted to 0.31% of his indirect Common Stock holdings, leaving 6,374,875 shares held through indirect vehicles. Company overview Metric Value Price (as of 3/21/26) $31.85 Market capitalization $1.47 billion Revenue (TTM) $480.78 million Net income (TTM) $102.82 million Expand NYSE : LOB Live Oak Bancshares Today's Change ( 0.25 %) $ 0.08 Current Price $ 31.86 Key Data Points Market Cap $1.5B Day's Range $ 31.29 - $ 31.90 52wk Range $ 22.68 - $ 42.89 Volume 14K Avg Vol 332K Dividend Yield 0.38 % Company snapshot Live Oak Bancshares is a Wilmington, North Carolina-based regional bank holding company that offers commercial banking products and services, including deposit accounts, commercial and industrial loans, construction and real estate loans, and government-guaranteed loan services. It generates revenue primarily from interest income on loans and deposits, as well as fees from wealth management and investment advisory accounts. What this transaction means for investors Although Live Oak Banking Company, the bank that Live Oak Bancshares owns, may be one of the lesser-known banks compared to larger global ba...
Palantir Technologies Inc (ISIN: US69608A1088) shares have rallied strongly on the NYSE in USD terms, driven by robust Q4 2025 results and accelerating AI platform adoption. German-speaking investors should note the company's expanding European footprint and high-growth potential in data analytics for DACH industrials. Palantir Technologies Inc stock has captured investor attention with a sharp ra...
Palantir Technologies Inc (ISIN: US69608A1088) shares have rallied strongly on the NYSE in USD terms, driven by robust Q4 2025 results and accelerating AI platform adoption. German-speaking investors should note the company's expanding European footprint and high-growth potential in data analytics for DACH industrials. Palantir Technologies Inc stock has captured investor attention with a sharp rally on the NYSE in USD, reflecting explosive growth in its AI-driven software platforms. On March 20, 2026, shares traded between $149.09 and $156.60, closing around $152 levels amid high volume. This momentum stems from Q4 2025 results showing 137% year-over-year U.S. commercial revenue growth and record $4.262 billion in total contract value, up 138%. As of: 22.03.2026 By Dr. Elena Voss, Senior Tech Equity Analyst specializing in AI and enterprise software markets. In the evolving AI landscape, Palantir's ontology-based platforms position it as a key enabler for industrial digital transformation relevant to DACH manufacturing leaders. Recent Performance and Market Trigger Palantir Technologies Inc, listed on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker PLTR in USD, experienced significant trading activity in late March 2026. Shares moved within a daily range of $149.09 to $156.60 on March 20, with recent closes hovering near $152. This uptick follows the company's disclosure of stellar Q4 2025 metrics, including a record 61 deals exceeding $10 million each. These multi-year contracts signal enterprises committing heavily to Palantir's AI platforms beyond pilot stages. The stock's price-to-earnings ratio stands at an elevated 446.59, underscoring investor willingness to pay a premium for growth. Market capitalization has swelled to approximately $435.5 billion, reflecting confidence in Palantir's role in the AI enterprise space. For DACH investors, this rally highlights opportunities in U.S. tech amid European AI adoption lags. Volume reached 73.03 million shares on average, w...
U.S. equities have seen some volatility in 2026, but they've mostly been able to hold up relatively well. The conflict in Iran is adding a layer of uncertainty to the markets, but that could also create some "buy low" opportunities. One area that's compelling right now is tech, especially semiconductors. While it's true that semiconductor stocks have been on a tear over the past few years, the art...
U.S. equities have seen some volatility in 2026, but they've mostly been able to hold up relatively well. The conflict in Iran is adding a layer of uncertainty to the markets, but that could also create some "buy low" opportunities. One area that's compelling right now is tech, especially semiconductors. While it's true that semiconductor stocks have been on a tear over the past few years, the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure boom is still in the early innings. The macro setup for the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH 2.58%) still supports above-average returns over the short term. The important thing to do here is look forward, not back. Even though tech earnings have soared over the past year, the sector is still expected to deliver the best earnings growth of all the S&P 500 sectors in both 2026 and 2027. That means the fundamental foundation for this group is strong and still growing. Expand NASDAQ : SMH VanEck ETF Trust - VanEck Semiconductor ETF Today's Change ( -2.58 %) $ -10.18 Current Price $ 384.74 Key Data Points Day's Range $ 380.87 - $ 395.73 52wk Range $ 170.11 - $ 427.94 Volume 13M Investors might be naturally nervous about valuations here. The VanEck Semiconductor ETF currently has a trailing 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 43. But if you look at the P/E ratio for the ETF based on the next 12 months' earnings, it drops to 23. That's still elevated, but not nearly to the level that would suggest that the sector is overvalued, especially given its forecasted growth trajectory. Overall, we're still in the midst of the semiconductor boom cycle, not near the end of it. Semiconductor stocks and the VanEck Semiconductor ETF have rewarded investors richly lately. But the rally isn't finished yet.
Key Points Thanks to the AI boom, semiconductors have been one of the market's top-performing sectors. But the AI earnings boom isn't nearly over, and valuations are still reasonable given the growth trajectory. The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) looks like it still has plenty of short-term upside ahead. 10 stocks we like better than VanEck ETF Trust - VanEck Semiconductor ETF › U.S. equities have...
Key Points Thanks to the AI boom, semiconductors have been one of the market's top-performing sectors. But the AI earnings boom isn't nearly over, and valuations are still reasonable given the growth trajectory. The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) looks like it still has plenty of short-term upside ahead. 10 stocks we like better than VanEck ETF Trust - VanEck Semiconductor ETF › U.S. equities have seen some volatility in 2026, but they've mostly been able to hold up relatively well. The conflict in Iran is adding a layer of uncertainty to the markets, but that could also create some "buy low" opportunities. One area that's compelling right now is tech, especially semiconductors. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » While it's true that semiconductor stocks have been on a tear over the past few years, the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure boom is still in the early innings. The macro setup for the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ: SMH) still supports above-average returns over the short term. The important thing to do here is look forward, not back. Even though tech earnings have soared over the past year, the sector is still expected to deliver the best earnings growth of all the S&P 500 sectors in both 2026 and 2027. That means the fundamental foundation for this group is strong and still growing. Investors might be naturally nervous about valuations here. The VanEck Semiconductor ETF currently has a trailing 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 43. But if you look at the P/E ratio for the ETF based on the next 12 months' earnings, it drops to 23. That's still elevated, but not nearly to the level that would suggest that the sector is overvalued, especially given its forecasted growth trajectory. Overall, we're still in the midst of the semiconductor boom cycle, not near...