Hong Kong authorities searched 27 premises Wednesday and Thursday as part of an investigation into bid-rigging on building maintenance projects, two months after a fire in a residential estate killed 168 people. The Competition Commission said the search included the offices of 14 companies and residences of individuals suspected of rigging the tendering for projects at 17 housing estates and buil...
Hong Kong authorities searched 27 premises Wednesday and Thursday as part of an investigation into bid-rigging on building maintenance projects, two months after a fire in a residential estate killed 168 people. The Competition Commission said the search included the offices of 14 companies and residences of individuals suspected of rigging the tendering for projects at 17 housing estates and buildings. The total value of the projects is about HK$700 million ($90 million), it said in a statement. The bid-rigging syndicate was uncovered after analyzing evidence from four previous search operations, including two alongside the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the Competition Commission said. This week’s search operation, codenamed “Hunter,” comes after a devastating fire in November ripped through Wang Fuk Court, an estate in Hong Kong’s New Territories. The tragedy highlighted abuse in the city’s building renovation industry, a billion-dollar sector long plagued by allegations of corruption. Hong Kong Fire Reveals Corruption in City’s Renovation Industry HK Vows Independent Probe Into Fire, Crackdown on Any Unrest Hong Kong Fire Draws Fury Over Ignored Warnings The bid-rigging syndicate was masterminded by a project contractor, and its members included other contractors and a consultancy firm, according to Thursday’s statement. The Competition Commission didn’t disclose any names. The mastermind obtained confidential project cost estimates from the consultancy firm and then coordinated with other contractors, which submitted artificially high “pig quotes” to create a false impression of competition, the commission said. The operation over the past two days involved building maintenance projects at 13 residential estates and buildings, four industrial and commercial buildings spanning nine districts. Hong Kong’s government set up an independent committee to investigate the November fire and pledged to collaborate with professional organizations, such as the ...
U.S. stock futures rose on Thursday following Wednesday’s mixed close. Futures of major benchmark indices were higher. The Federal Reserve kept the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.5%–3.75% on Wednesday, putting its easing cycle on hold after three rate cuts last year that brought borrowing costs to their lowest since 2022. Meanwhile, during the press conference, Fed Chair Jerome Powell declined ...
U.S. stock futures rose on Thursday following Wednesday’s mixed close. Futures of major benchmark indices were higher. The Federal Reserve kept the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.5%–3.75% on Wednesday, putting its easing cycle on hold after three rate cuts last year that brought borrowing costs to their lowest since 2022. Meanwhile, during the press conference, Fed Chair Jerome Powell declined to engage with political criticism related to ongoing legal scrutiny of the central bank, reiterating that he does not respond to comments from other officials. “We will continue to make our decisions meeting by meeting… letting the data light the way for us,” he added. The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.26%, and the two-year bond was at 3.58%. The CME Group's FedWatch tool‘s projections show markets pricing an 86.5% likelihood of the Federal Reserve leaving the current interest rates unchanged in March. Index Performance (+/-) Dow Jones 0.15% S&P 500 0.27% Nasdaq 100 0.37% Russell 2000 0.26% Stocks In Focus Microsoft Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that MSFT maintains a weak price trend in the medium, short, and long terms with a good quality ranking. Tesla TSLA maintains a stronger price trend over the long and medium terms but a weak trend in the short term with a poor value ranking, as per Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings. Apple Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) was 0.48% higher as it is projected to post quarterly earnings of $2.67 per share on revenue of $138.42 billion after the closing bell. AAPL maintains a stronger price trend over the long term but a weak trend in the short and medium terms with a solid quality ranking, as per Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings. Meta Platforms Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that META maintains a strong price trend over the short, medium, and long terms with a good quality ranking. International Business Machines IBM maintains a stronger price trend over the short, medium, and long term with a solid quality ranking, as per Benz...
(RTTNews) - The German market's benchmark index DAX tumbled Thursday morning, hurt by a sell-off in SAP and Deutsche Bank stocks, and a downward revision by the government in the nation's growth projections. Investors also digested the Federal Reserve's monetary policy announcement, and continued to follow geopolitical developments. The Fed, which left its interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, sa...
(RTTNews) - The German market's benchmark index DAX tumbled Thursday morning, hurt by a sell-off in SAP and Deutsche Bank stocks, and a downward revision by the government in the nation's growth projections. Investors also digested the Federal Reserve's monetary policy announcement, and continued to follow geopolitical developments. The Fed, which left its interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, said the decision came amid elevated uncertainty about the economic outlook. The central bank also said it remains attentive to the risks to both sides of its dual mandate of maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2% over the longer run. A slew of German economic data, including reports on GDP, inflation, import prices and unemployment, are due on Friday. The DAX was down 295.25 points or 1.19% at 24.548.29 a little while ago. On Wednesday, German government reduced its growth projections for 2026 and 2027, citing external challenges and weak domestic momentum. SAP suffered its biggest single-day drop in over five year, tanking more than 13% this morning, after the software major's fourth-quarter earnings missed estimates. SAP reported that its fourth quarter profit after tax was 1.9 billion euros, up 17% from a year ago. IFRS basic earnings per share increased 15% to 1.58 euros. Non-IFRS operating profit was up 16% to 2.83 billion euros, and was up 21% at constant currencies. Non-IFRS basic earnings per share increased 16% to 1.62 euros. For 2026, SAP expects: cloud revenue at constant currencies of 25.8 - 26.2 billion euros, up 23% to 25% at constant currencies; cloud and software revenue at constant currencies of 36.3 - 36.8 billion euros, up 12% to 13% at constant currencies, and non-IFRS operating profit at constant currencies of 11.9 - 12.3 billion euros, up 14% to 18% at constant currencies. Deutsche Bank slid nearly 2% despite posting its largest annual profit since 2007. The lender's earnings totaled EUR1.503 billion, or EUR0.76 per share in the fiscal year ...
Company Logo The French ecommerce market is rapidly evolving with significant opportunities in omnichannel grocery and everyday retail sectors, driven by mobile-first approaches. Cross-border and marketplace shopping are expanding despite regulatory challenges. The rise of social and live commerce also presents growth potential, particularly among younger demographics. Sustainable last-mile logist...
Company Logo The French ecommerce market is rapidly evolving with significant opportunities in omnichannel grocery and everyday retail sectors, driven by mobile-first approaches. Cross-border and marketplace shopping are expanding despite regulatory challenges. The rise of social and live commerce also presents growth potential, particularly among younger demographics. Sustainable last-mile logistics is reshaping delivery models, emphasizing low-emission transport solutions. Competitive dynamics are intensifying, encouraging innovation in fulfilment and niche market focus. French B2C Ecommerce Market French B2C Ecommerce Market · GlobeNewswire Inc. Dublin, Jan. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "France B2C Ecommerce Market Size & Forecast by Value and Volume Across 80+ KPIs - Databook Q4 2025 Update" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The ecommerce market in France is expected to grow by 6.6% annually, reaching US$173.40 billion by 2025. The ecommerce market in the country has experienced robust growth during 2020-2024, achieving a CAGR of 8.1%. This upward trajectory is expected to continue, with the market forecast to grow at a CAGR of 6% from 2025 to 2029. By the end of 2029, the ecommerce market is projected to expand from its 2024 value of US$162.61 billion to approximately US$219.22 billion. Consolidating grocery and everyday retail into mobile-first, omnichannel journeys French e-commerce is increasingly anchored in everyday spending categories, groceries, prepared food, mobility and local services, with journeys that move fluidly between apps, websites, and physical touchpoints. Recent analysis by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada highlights strong growth in foodservice e-commerce, online groceries and mobility-related transactions, alongside continued expansion of mobile commerce (m-commerce). Large grocers such as Carrefour, E.Leclerc, Intermarche and Auchan combine classic home delivery with "drive"/click-and-collect. At the same ti...
Trelleborg AB press release ( TBABF ): Q4 Non-GAAP EPS of SEK4.30. Revenue of SEK8.38B (-4.6% Y/Y). EBITA, including items affecting comparability, amounted to SEK 1,366 m (1,511) for the quarter. More on Trelleborg AB Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Trelleborg AB Historical earnings data for Trelleborg AB Dividend scorecard for Trelleborg AB Financial information for Trelleborg AB
Trelleborg AB press release ( TBABF ): Q4 Non-GAAP EPS of SEK4.30. Revenue of SEK8.38B (-4.6% Y/Y). EBITA, including items affecting comparability, amounted to SEK 1,366 m (1,511) for the quarter. More on Trelleborg AB Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Trelleborg AB Historical earnings data for Trelleborg AB Dividend scorecard for Trelleborg AB Financial information for Trelleborg AB
Aryna Sabalenka kept her cool to storm past Elina Svitolina and reach a fourth Australian Open final in a row. World number one Sabalenka overcame fluctuations in form and a hindrance call against her in the fourth game of the match to thrash Svitolina 6-2 6-3. Ukraine's 12th seed Svitolina had beaten two top-10 players to reach the semi-finals but was no match for Sabalenka's powerful hitting. Sa...
Aryna Sabalenka kept her cool to storm past Elina Svitolina and reach a fourth Australian Open final in a row. World number one Sabalenka overcame fluctuations in form and a hindrance call against her in the fourth game of the match to thrash Svitolina 6-2 6-3. Ukraine's 12th seed Svitolina had beaten two top-10 players to reach the semi-finals but was no match for Sabalenka's powerful hitting. Sabalenka has yet to drop a set this year and is now on an 11-match winning streak. She will face either Elena Rybakina or Jessica Pegula on Saturday as she bids for a fifth Grand Slam singles title and a third here. The 27-year-old will also be searching for some redemption after last year's final, when she felt she was "not brave enough" in a three-set loss to Madison Keys. "I cannot believe that," Sabalenka said of reaching another Melbourne final. "It is an incredible achievement but the job is not done yet." More to follow.
After shares got hammered at the end of 2025, Meta Platforms made a statement with its Q4 earnings report, beating estimates on sales, earnings and guidance.
After shares got hammered at the end of 2025, Meta Platforms made a statement with its Q4 earnings report, beating estimates on sales, earnings and guidance.
A view of Oslo seen from the roof of the Oslo Opera House in Oslo, Norway, on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Norway's $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund posted a record $1.4 billion return in 2025, its management team said Thursday, thanks to rallying tech, financial and mining stocks. By the end of last year, the fund's total value stood at 21.27 trillion Norwegian k...
A view of Oslo seen from the roof of the Oslo Opera House in Oslo, Norway, on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Norway's $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund posted a record $1.4 billion return in 2025, its management team said Thursday, thanks to rallying tech, financial and mining stocks. By the end of last year, the fund's total value stood at 21.27 trillion Norwegian kroner ($2.2 trillion). Over the course of 2025, the fund returned 13,456.8 billion kronor, or $1.38 billion — its highest annual return since its inception in the 90s. The overall return was 0.28 percentage points lower than the return on its benchmark index. Equities, which make up about 71% of the fund's investments, returned 19.3% last year. Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) manages the fund on behalf of the Norwegian population. Set up in the 1990s to invest excess revenues from Norway's oil and gas industry, the fund is currently an investor in more than 7,000 companies across 60 countries. Its most valuable investments include a 1.3% stake in Nvidia , a 1.2% stake in Apple and a 1.3% stake in Microsoft . "Stocks in technology, financials and basic materials stood out, making a significant contribution to the overall return", Nicolai Tangen, NBIM's CEO, said in a statement on Thursday. NBIM's holdings in the basic materials sector include mining giant Fresnillo — the best-performing stock on London's FTSE 100 last year, which surged 452.5% amid a silver boom and its acquisition of Probe Gold. In the financial sector, NBIM holds significant stakes in Bank of America , JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs . The fund also has various holdings in global lenders, including European banking giants Santander , UBS , HSBC and UniCredit . Europe's banking sector has been a source of major returns for investors in recent years. Outside equities, NBIM's fixed income investments returned 5.4% in 2025, while unlisted real estate returned 4.4%. Its renewable energy infrastructure...
Getty Images Introduction and Investment Thesis I am bullish on Wildan Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: WLDN ), driven by U.S. pressure to modernize its grid infrastructure amid skyrocketing power demand, especially from data centers. For example, in 2025, power grid demand reached 22%, which is far higher than the 12% projected demand for 2028. The most interesting part is that Willdan has already taken an e...
Getty Images Introduction and Investment Thesis I am bullish on Wildan Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: WLDN ), driven by U.S. pressure to modernize its grid infrastructure amid skyrocketing power demand, especially from data centers. For example, in 2025, power grid demand reached 22%, which is far higher than the 12% projected demand for 2028. The most interesting part is that Willdan has already taken an early foothold in this grid modernization through a $97 million contract to design and implement energy and infrastructure upgrades in 24 sites. By installing solar panels, adding electric vehicle charging stations, and electrifying heating and cooling systems (HVAC), this contract shows Wildan Group can modernize the American power grid, estimated to cut around 1,777 metric tons of carbon annually. I believe Wildan’s one year price return of 245.77% demonstrates this competitive market positioning in grid modernization, as it beats the S&P 500 by a considerable margin at 15.60%. Seeking Alpha Company Brief Wildan Group, Inc. provides energy and engineering consulting services. The company operates in the energy segment, which covers grid optimization, infrastructure projects, and efficiency, while the engineering segment covers city planning, disaster recovery, safety, and compliance. The major clients include governments, industries, and schools in the United States. Grid Modernization From a broader perspective, the U.S. needs grid modernization to address the increase in electricity demand from around 50% between 2025 from 3,500 TWh to 2030 5,250 TWh. WLDN Today, data centers are the leading drivers of electricity demand, followed by EVs, both of which are significant areas of projected grid modernization. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is supporting research and development in grid modernization to unlock reliable, affordable, and secure energy transmission. Looking at electricity demand, it is worth noting that transmission is a significant challenge the U.S. face...
Southeast Asian nations stopped short of endorsing Myanmar’s post-coup elections at a meeting in the Philippines on Thursday, a decision likely, for the time being, to keep in place restrictions on the military government’s participation in the bloc that have stood since the 2021 coup. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations does not recognize Myanmar’s ruling military junta and has not endorse...
Southeast Asian nations stopped short of endorsing Myanmar’s post-coup elections at a meeting in the Philippines on Thursday, a decision likely, for the time being, to keep in place restrictions on the military government’s participation in the bloc that have stood since the 2021 coup. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations does not recognize Myanmar’s ruling military junta and has not endorsed the recent phased elections held under its supervision, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro said. Some Asean members, however, viewed the polls as “something that might be positive,” she added. Asean, which operates by consensus, has led diplomatic efforts to address the crisis in Myanmar, but has been divided over how to engage the junta. Endorsing the vote could have opened the door to easing limits on the incoming military-backed government’s representation at summits, conferring a degree of regional legitimacy on a regime largely isolated by the international community. Lazaro said Asean would hold further discussions on the matter and await announcements from the Myanmar authorities. In recent weeks, she has met senior military leaders and hosted representatives of political parties and ethnic groups in her capacity as the special envoy of the Asean chair. “Asean is of the view that even a certain compliance on the implementation of the five-point consensus is something that will make things move,” Lazaro said referring to the bloc’s framework for addressing conflict in Myanmar. Read More: Myanmar’s Post-Coup Election Underscores a Lost Democratic Era A political party aligned with the military has projected victory in the elections, which the United Nations and several governments have criticized as flawed. China, which maintains close ties with Myanmar’s military rulers, described the polls as “smooth and orderly.” Thailand is focused on what comes next after the vote, Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told reporters after the meeting Thur...