A Hong Kong air-conditioner technician was critically injured after falling from a ladder in Tsuen Wan on Thursday morning. Police said they received a report at 9.18am that the man, who is in his sixties, had fallen while working at a building at 88 Yeung Uk Road. The man was unconscious as he was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung, the force said. “As of 11.45am, the worker was ad...
A Hong Kong air-conditioner technician was critically injured after falling from a ladder in Tsuen Wan on Thursday morning. Police said they received a report at 9.18am that the man, who is in his sixties, had fallen while working at a building at 88 Yeung Uk Road. The man was unconscious as he was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung, the force said. “As of 11.45am, the worker was admitted to the intensive care unit,” a police spokesman said. Fay Siu Sin-man, chief executive of the...
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news Consumer confidence in the UK has “collapsed” since the start of the Iran war, according to new research from the British Retail Consortium. The sharp rise in energy prices caused by the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz and attacks on infrastructure in the region has led to fears of higher inflation and weaker growth across oil-im...
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news Consumer confidence in the UK has “collapsed” since the start of the Iran war, according to new research from the British Retail Consortium. The sharp rise in energy prices caused by the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz and attacks on infrastructure in the region has led to fears of higher inflation and weaker growth across oil-importing countries. “The Moneyfacts Average Mortgage Rate has hit 5.50% - heights last seen more than 18 months ago, marking another unwelcome milestone for borrowers this month. These rising costs are in direct response to the conflict in the Middle East which has dramatically shifted market expectations around inflation and future interest rates, with lenders scrambling to keep up with rising funding costs. “Moneyfacts’ analysis of more than 30 years of historic rates data shows mortgage rates have historically averaged around 1.5-1.75 percentage points above Base Rate. If a couple of rate rises materialise as markets are currently predicting, this could see the overall average mortgage rate stabilise at around 5.75%-6.00%. This would leave borrowers paying £1,500-£2,000 more per year on a typical mortgage* compared to just a few weeks ago. However, given the volatility of events this is subject to change in either direction. Average 2-year fix rose from 4.83% at the start of March to 5.56%, the highest since September 2024. Average 5-year fix rose from 4.95% at the start of March to 5.54%, the highest since January 2024. 7am GMT: GFK’s Consumer Confidence survey for Germany 9.30am GMT: ONS: housing affordability in England and Wales in 2025 10am GMT: OECD Interim Economic Outlook Report 1.30pm GMT: US weekly jobless data Continue reading...
Goldman Sachs’ ( GS ) senior chairman and ex-CEO Lloyd Blankfein has warned that the damage from the Iran war “is going to last,” even if there were “a resolution tomorrow” - and urged investors to prioritize contingency planning amid the turmoil. Speaking with CNBC’s Steve Sedgwick on Wednesday, Blankfein suggested that certain parts of the market may be too complacent in their approach to the co...
Goldman Sachs’ ( GS ) senior chairman and ex-CEO Lloyd Blankfein has warned that the damage from the Iran war “is going to last,” even if there were “a resolution tomorrow” - and urged investors to prioritize contingency planning amid the turmoil. Speaking with CNBC’s Steve Sedgwick on Wednesday, Blankfein suggested that certain parts of the market may be too complacent in their approach to the conflict, adding that it’s equally dangerous to trade on the basis that “all will be resolved” as it is to say it will “never be resolved.” “People know that, even if it stopped tomorrow, there’s so much damage to the infrastructure that the stress is going to last longer anyway, even if there was a resolution tomorrow, and there’s no reason to think there’s a resolution tomorrow,” he said of the Middle East war. Blankfein pointed to the wild swings in energy markets ( CL1:COM ) ( CO1:COM) in recent weeks as investors have sought to navigate the fallout from the conflict and price in the lasting impact from disrupted global oil supplies. Against this backdrop, he said investors should eschew conviction trades in favor of a more cautious approach, and “be very fleet of foot and very protective” of their positions. He said the investment backdrop before the war in Iran was “more tailwinds than headwinds,” pointing to solid growth and a lower interest rate trajectory. “That’s all been made secondary or tertiary to what’s going on in the war and the price of energy,” he said. Meanwhile, he said questions remain over the accuracy of valuation marks in private market funds’ portfolios, adding that assets have not been tested as equity markets have risen. More on Goldman Sachs Goldman Sachs: Selloff Represents Good Entry Point For Investors Goldman Sachs: Capital Markets Titan At A Discounted Valuation Goldman Sachs Remains A Stock To Hold, Despite Uncertainty In Markets (Downgrade) Regionals, smaller banks expected to benefit more than G-SIBs in proposed capital rules, analysts say...
Kim Jong-un welcomed Alexander Lukashenko with lavish ceremony, including artillery salute and goose-stepping soldiers before a large flag-waving crowd North Korea and Belarus’s strongmen leaders signed a “friendship and cooperation” treaty on Thursday, state media reported, after Kim Jong-un “warmly” welcomed president Alexander Lukashenko to Pyongyang for a maiden visit. Besides supporting Russi...
Kim Jong-un welcomed Alexander Lukashenko with lavish ceremony, including artillery salute and goose-stepping soldiers before a large flag-waving crowd North Korea and Belarus’s strongmen leaders signed a “friendship and cooperation” treaty on Thursday, state media reported, after Kim Jong-un “warmly” welcomed president Alexander Lukashenko to Pyongyang for a maiden visit. Besides supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine – about 2,000 North Korean soldiers are thought to have been killed – both nations are subject to western sanctions and are accused of gross human rights violations. Continue reading...
Earnings Call Insights: Health In Tech, Inc. (HIT) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Tim Johnson described 2025 as “a pivotal year for Health In Tech” and the company’s first as a public entity, highlighting a 71% revenue increase to $33.3 million and significant growth in distribution, platform expansion, and program innovation. Johnson emphasized, “Our business scales through distribution with brokers...
Earnings Call Insights: Health In Tech, Inc. (HIT) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Tim Johnson described 2025 as “a pivotal year for Health In Tech” and the company’s first as a public entity, highlighting a 71% revenue increase to $33.3 million and significant growth in distribution, platform expansion, and program innovation. Johnson emphasized, “Our business scales through distribution with brokers and TPAs serving as the primary channel,” noting the network expanded to 858 partners, up 34% year-over-year. Johnson stressed the expansion of their Enhanced Do-it-Yourself Benefit Systems (eDIYBS) to support employers with over 100 employees, describing it as “a meaningful step-up market” and claiming the platform compresses underwriting timelines from roughly 3 months to about 2 weeks for larger employers. Johnson addressed the company’s AI advantage, stating, “Our advantage is not just the AI model itself, it is the combination of proprietary data and integrated workflow and distribution.” He noted the system’s embedded, real-world data leads to ongoing improvements and increased platform stickiness. The CEO detailed the three-year rate stabilization program, which he said “can deepen client relationships, improve retention and support expansion into larger employer segments, where budgeting stability is a critical decision factor.” Johnson outlined 2026 strategic priorities, focusing on scaling the platform, expanding distribution, and investing in AI capabilities, “with the goal of evolving into a fully integrated marketplace that extends beyond underwriting to include claims administration, cost containment solutions and broader plan management capabilities.” He announced 2026 revenue guidance of $45 million to $50 million, representing approximately 35% to 50% year-over-year growth. CFO Julia Qian stated, “For the full year 2025, the total revenue increased 71% year-over-year to $33.3 million. In the fourth quarter, the revenue increase to $53 million increased -- ...