Joe Root hopes Harry Brook's 'beer smash' celebration will be "received the right way". The England captain celebrated his match-winning century against Sri Lanka by imitating a famous WWE wrestler. Brook was recently involved in a late-night drinking scandal where he was struck by a bouncer the night before captaining a match in New Zealand. The 27-year-old was almost fired as captain as a result, but was ultimately given a final warning for his off-field behaviour and fined the maximum amount of £30,000. When Brook reached three figures in Colombo following an astonishing, series-winning century that took him just 57 balls, he celebrated by taking off his batting gloves, striking them together and then tipping them towards his mouth. The move was first performed by former WWE wrestler 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, who would have two beers thrown to him on stage, before hitting them together and drinking them in the ring. Brook confirmed after the match that the celebration was a tribute to Austin, and also an acknowledgement of his attempts to win back the trust of his teammates. "It was just more about celebrating tonight with the boys," Brook explained. "Like I said the other day in my press conference, I've got to try and gain that trust back with the lads and the way I wanted to do that was perform, play well and lead from the front." Root, who was batting with Brook at the time, said he hoped Brook's celebration would be received with the humour it was intended. "I think that's his way of doing that really," Root said. "He's trying to show he wants that approval from the group, through humour. "That's another area of why he's going to be a great leader, because he has that side to him as well. "He's showed his calmness and his clarity under pressure, and he's also showed humour as well in doing that. "Hopefully it's received in the right way because there's definitely no malice behind it, or anything other than trying to have a bit of a joke with his team-mates....

The “Doomsday Clock” representing how near humanity is to catastrophe moved closer than ever to midnight on Tuesday as concerns grow on nuclear weapons, climate change and disinformation. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which set up the metaphorical clock at the start of the Cold War, moved its time to 85 seconds to midnight – four seconds closer than a year ago. The announcement comes a year into US President Donald Trump’s second term in which he has shattered global norms including by ordering unilateral attacks and withdrawing from a slew of international organisations. Advertisement Russia, China, the United States and other major countries have “become increasingly aggressive, adversarial and nationalistic”, said a statement announcing the clock shift, determined after consultations with a board that includes eight Nobel laureates. “Hard-won global understandings are collapsing, accelerating a winner-takes-all great power competition and undermining the international cooperation critical to reducing the risks of nuclear war, climate change, the misuse of biotechnology, the potential threat of artificial intelligence and other apocalyptic dangers.” 01:26 Trump’s Golden Dome shows US ‘obsessed with absolute security’, China says Trump’s Golden Dome shows US ‘obsessed with absolute security’, China says The Doomsday Clock board warned of heightened risks of a nuclear arms race, with the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia set to expire next week and Trump pushing a costly “Golden Dome” missile defence system that would further militarise space.

Earnings Call Insights: Enterprise Financial Services Corp (EFSC) Q4 2025 Management View James Lally, President and CEO, highlighted "For the quarter, we earned $1.45 per diluted share, which compares favorably to the $1.19 that we earned in the linked quarter and $1.28 in the fourth quarter of 2024." Lally emphasized the successful closure of a branch purchase in Arizona and Kansas, noting it "helped drive expansion of net interest income for the quarter to $168 million, which was a quarterly increase of $10 million when compared to the linked quarter and $22 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2024." He pointed out this acquisition "accelerated our strategy in 2 of our higher-growth markets by several years." Lally also reported balance sheet growth of 11% for the year and an increase in the quarterly dividend to $0.32 per share. Lally signaled a strong focus on credit improvement, stating, "I can see a clear path for the elevated level of NPAs and OREO to reduce significantly in the next couple of quarters to more historical levels." CFO Keene Turner stated, "We reported earnings per share of $1.45 in the fourth quarter on net income of $55 million. Excluding certain nonrecurring items, earnings per share on an adjusted basis was $1.36, a $0.16 increase from the third quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.20." Chief Banking Officer Douglas Bauche noted, "The completion of our branch acquisition and onboarding of new clients and associates has gone exceptionally well. We also successfully completed foreclosure of the previously highlighted Southern California real estate portfolio and are now one very important step closer to substantially reducing our nonperforming assets." Outlook Turner guided, "Moving into 2026, we expect net interest margin run rate to be roughly 4.2%." Lally outlined, "On the overall balance sheet growth, we're looking at 6% to 8%. And to your point, loans at about mid-single digit. But certainly, the deposit gathering rate and pa...

UPS will cut headcount even further this year as the courier continues to reconfigure its delivery network and scale down its ties with Amazon. The company will reduce operational positions by 30,000 in 2026, on top of the more than-expected 48,000 jobs that were cut last year. UPS chief financial officer Brian Dykes said in a Tuesday morning earnings call that the cuts are expected be made through attrition, as well as a second voluntary buyout program offered to full-time drivers. The 2025 staff culling consisted of 34,000 operational reductions and 14,000 cuts to management positions. With six months left in its 18-month goal to “glide down” its Amazon volumes by 50 percent—having sifted roughly 1 million packages per day out of its network—UPS is targeting $3 billion in total savings from the reduction. According to Dykes, the delivery company plans to reduce total operational hours worked by approximately 25 million associated with the Amazon decline. The cost-cutting measures have been a success for UPS so far, with the company having saved $3.5 billion in 2025 as part of the network reconfiguration, which also included the closure of 93 facilities as part of its nationwide automation push. Company stock increased 4 percent as of noon Eastern Time. For the fourth quarter, UPS generated revenues of $24.5 billion, a 3.2 percent decline from the year prior. Net income was $1.8 billion, on an adjusted $2.38 per share. The figures surpassed estimates from analysts polled by FactSet, which called for $24 billion in revenue and adjusted earnings of $2.20 per share. The company’s forward-looking outlook for 2026 also impressed investors, as UPS guided for revenue of approximately $89.7 billion, ahead of the $88.1 billion projected by analysts and up 1.1 percent from the $88.7 billion in last year’s revenue. Adjusted operating margin is expected to be approximately 9.6 percent of sales, slightly down from 9.8 percent in 2025. The company is planning capital expenditure...

Earnings Call Insights: Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) Q2 2026 Management View CEO Neil Schrimsher stated that "we continue to effectively manage through a mixed yet evolving end market backdrop during the second quarter," with sales and EBITDA margins aligning to guidance despite higher-than-expected LIFO expense and seasonally weak December sales. Schrimsher highlighted strong underlying margin performance, cost control, expanding backlogs, and business funnels, supporting a stronger sales trajectory into calendar 2026. The company reported organic growth of 2.2%, noting that November saw nearly mid-single-digit organic growth, but December sales rates were below normal seasonal patterns due to holiday timing. Schrimsher said, "December is always a noisy month given seasonal factors... This dynamic was further influenced this year by the midweek timing of the holidays." Early third quarter trends showed January organic sales up mid-single digits year-over-year. Orders in the Engineered Solutions segment rose over 10% year-over-year, the highest in over four years. Schrimsher announced an 11% increase in the quarterly dividend and noted over $140 million deployed on share repurchases during the first half. He also announced the acquisition of Thompson Industrial Supply, with expected annual sales of $20 million, as a bolt-on to enhance the company's Southern California footprint. CFO David Wells reported, "Consolidated sales increased 8.4% over the prior year quarter. Acquisitions contributed 6 points of growth... sales increased 2.2% on an organic basis." Wells added, "Gross margin of 30.4% was down 19 basis points compared to the prior year... During the quarter, we recognized LIFO expense of $6.9 million, which was $2 million to $3 million above our expectations and up meaningfully from prior year second quarter LIFO expense of $0.7 million." He highlighted that excluding LIFO, gross margins were up year-over-year and sequentially. Outlook Wells stated, "...

Market headlines keep circling the same question: Are we in an AI bubble or boom? Investors are pouring unprecedented capital into a technology that remains early in its profit cycle. The stakes are already visible in the AI infrastructure trade.

Apple: One Strong Quarter Away From A Reality Check (NASDAQ:AAPL) Seeking Alpha

Andrii Dodonov/iStock via Getty Images Investment Thesis Oxford Lane Capital Corporation ( OXLC ) and Eagle Point Credit Company ( ECC ) are two direct CEF competitors that specialize in the niche market of investing in equity tranches (stocks of issuers that make payments last, once all the issuer's bondholders have received their interest) and junior debt instruments of Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLOs). I will conduct a comparative analysis between OXLC and ECC in this article, and the results demonstrate significant risks when investing in these assets. Although the yield on these funds is quite high (32.63% and 28.97%), changes in their shares over the past year have been extremely negative (-42.2% and -34.09%, respectively). In addition, the expense ratios of 12.45% and 9.53% imposed on investors will only exacerbate the situation to the detriment of your investments. Forecast Thesis for 2026 The CLO market is showing interesting dynamics: spreads on B-rated loans are narrowing, and funds such as OXLC are facing the problem of limited upside potential. At the same time, under the same conditions, a fund like ECC has additional potential due to the fact that its portfolio contains a sufficient share of debt tranches. In the end, in 2026, OXLC and ECC's total return results may diverge more significantly than they did before. Indeed, the bet on aggressive growth in Oxford's distribution may be met with a forced significant reduction in the payments themselves. If this happens, investing in its shares will become unprofitable for those who, seeking high passive returns, risk sacrificing their capital to a persistent trend of erosion. In contrast, ECC offers greater structural discipline, coupled with greater diversification of its asset portfolio, making it better prepared for changes in spreads. Moreover, in the second half of 2025, market risks in the US economy increased due to higher default rates. The 12-month rolling default rate, however, increased bu...

ozgurdonmaz/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images In my last coverage on Apple Inc. ( AAPL ), I had outlined three imminent execution challenges in the new year that could defy the stock’s sharp 2H25 recovery. They included structural demand uncertainties for Apple devices, a worsening cost structure, and broader challenges from shifting market dynamics: Demand uncertainties : Forward momentum for device upgrades is at risk of slowdown due to tariff-driven demand pull-forward, compounded by a tougher prior year compare due to strong iPhone 16 and 17 sales to date. Margin headwinds : The combination of extended tariff headwinds, rising bill of material (“BOM”), elevated AI R&D, and steepening talent costs could harbinger margin compression risks and challenge Apple’s earnings visibility in the near-term. Adverse market dynamics : Non-tech sectors are increasingly becoming the primary force in driving market valuations this year. And anticipation for further monetary easing this year is likely to further this trend, as non-tech valuations that’ve lagged in performance in recent years benefit from an impending macro re-rate, while lofty tech premiums face heightened scrutiny . This could reduce appetite for Apple, which has historically been a primary tech haven for investors. Not only are these looming headwinds gradually materializing, but the execution challenges facing Apple have only intensified as new industry and company-specific headwinds emerge. This includes the intensifying memory crunch and ensuing material cost increase, compounded by elevated tariff uncertainties facing imports from critical source regions like South Korea . An emerging shift in iPhone demand dynamics across its key U.S. and China markets could also risk elevating Apple’s exposure to further unit economics deterioration. In the following analysis, I explain why Apple’s upcoming fiscal Q1 earnings update on January 29th might be its last strong print for the year before looming execution chal...

Key Points Expectations are sky high for Micron stock in 2026 and 2027. NAND demand is skyrocketing, while NAND supply says flat. 10 stocks we like better than Micron Technology › After taking a bit of a breather on Monday, Micron (NASDAQ: MU) stock resumed marching higher on Tuesday, gaining 6.6% through 1:25 p.m. ET after Mizuho analyst Vijay Rakesh raised his price target for Micron stock (again!), and this time from $390 to $480 per share. If that name rings a bell, it should. A little over two weeks ago, Rakesh was the same Mizuho analyst who raised Micron's price target to $390 after updating his outlook for semiconductor stocks in the new year. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Why Mizuho loves Micron Last time around, Rakesh simply cited "attractive valuations" as propitious for semi stocks. Today, he gave details on why Micron specifically is primed to run higher: Because NAND prices are set to explode. The price of computer NAND memory, says Rakesh in a note covered on TheFly.com, could soar 330% in 2026, followed by another 50% price spike in 2027. Add those gains up, and we're potentially looking at NAND prices in 2027 that are 5 times higher than in 2025. What's driving the price spike? Simply this: NAND demand is forecast to rise 20% this year, but NAND production will remain flat. And as we all learned in Econ 101, when rising demand meets flat supply, prices rise. Is Micron stock a buy? What does this mean for Micron stock? In a nutshell, it means more sales. Higher profit margins. More profit. More growth. This year alone, analysts forecast Micron stock to earn $31.73 per share. That would be more than four times the company's 2025 profit, and implies a price-to-earnings ratio of just 13 on this $414 stock. With earnings expected to grow 21% more in 2027, the time to buy is now. Should you buy stock in Micron Technology right now? Before you buy stoc...

After taking a bit of a breather on Monday, Micron (NASDAQ: MU) stock resumed marching higher on Tuesday, gaining 6.6% through 1:25 p.m. ET after Mizuho analyst Vijay Rakesh raised his price target for Micron stock (again!), and this time from $390 to $480 per share. If that name rings a bell, it should. A little over two weeks ago, Rakesh was the same Mizuho analyst who raised Micron's price target to $390 after updating his outlook for semiconductor stocks in the new year. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » Image source: Micron. Why Mizuho loves Micron Last time around, Rakesh simply cited "attractive valuations" as propitious for semi stocks. Today, he gave details on why Micron specifically is primed to run higher: Because NAND prices are set to explode. The price of computer NAND memory, says Rakesh in a note covered on TheFly.com, could soar 330% in 2026, followed by another 50% price spike in 2027. Add those gains up, and we're potentially looking at NAND prices in 2027 that are 5 times higher than in 2025. What's driving the price spike? Simply this: NAND demand is forecast to rise 20% this year, but NAND production will remain flat. And as we all learned in Econ 101, when rising demand meets flat supply, prices rise. Is Micron stock a buy? What does this mean for Micron stock? In a nutshell, it means more sales. Higher profit margins. More profit. More growth. This year alone, analysts forecast Micron stock to earn $31.73 per share. That would be more than four times the company's 2025 profit, and implies a price-to-earnings ratio of just 13 on this $414 stock. With earnings expected to grow 21% more in 2027, the time to buy is now. Should you buy stock in Micron Technology right now? Before you buy stock in Micron Technology, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the...

JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Listen below or on the go on Apple Podcasts and Spotify UnitedHealth sinks as revenue outlook misses amid Medicare rate shock . (0:15) Boeing , UPS earnings beat, but concerns linger. (1:34) Consumer confidence plunges below pandemic lows. (2:39) This is an abridged transcript of the podcast: Our top story so far, UnitedHealth Group ( UNH ) is plunging along with other managed care names after Q4 revenue and its full-year revenue outlook both fell short of Wall Street forecasts, hitting an industry already reeling from an unfavorable Medicare rate decision. The number one player in the Medicare Advantage market is down nearly 20%, dragging the Dow ( DJI ) into the red. Humana ( HUM ), CVS Health ( CVS ), Cigna ( CI ), Clover Health ( CLOV ) and Alignment Healthcare ( ALHC ) are also under pressure. The Trump administration has proposed nearly flat reimbursement rates for Medicare Advantage payers in 2027. The average payment increase is slated at just 0.09% — roughly $700M overall. Street analysts had been looking for a 4%–6% rise. UnitedHealth reported adjusted EPS of $2.10 for the quarter, in line with consensus, while Q4 revenue came in at $113.2B, missing forecasts by about $520M despite 12% year-over-year growth. For 2026, the company projects adjusted EPS of more than $17.75, roughly in line with the $17.76 analysts expect, on more than $439B in revenue — below the Street’s $456B consensus. Edmund Ingham, Seeking Alpha’s Investing Group Leader for Haggerston BioHealth, called it “a somewhat disastrous start to the new year for America's largest health insurer.” “It looks as though UnitedHealth shareholders are in for more pain after a tough 2025, which saw shares decline by about 30%,” he added. Also, in earnings, Boeing ( BA ) is lower despite Q4 results that beat Wall Street expectations on both earnings and revenue , as investors weigh strong delivery growth against ongoing operational and financial concerns. Boei...

Ministers are under growing pressure to end the “secrecy” around the UK’s deal with the US over the cost of medicines, which critics claim is “a Trump shakedown of the NHS”. MPs from Labour and several opposition parties want the government to publish its impact assessment of the agreement it reached last month with Donald Trump’s administration. Under the deal the UK will pay more for new medicines and let the NHS spend more on life-extending medicines in return for British pharmaceutical exports to the US avoiding tariffs. The deal has sparked concern among health experts that it could cost the UK government and the NHS billions extra a year to fulfil those pledges by the end of the deal in 2035. A cross-party group of Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green and Scottish Nationalist MPs is meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss how to compel Wes Streeting, the health secretary, and Peter Kyle, the business and trade secretary, to publish the government’s assessment of how the deal could affect the UK. It has been organised by the ex-Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell. McDonnell said: “There are real worries that the US/UK deal will result in significantly higher drug costs, which will in turn result in resources being drawn from the investment in NHS services. “The government has a responsibility to publish a full impact assessment of the deal on the NHS budget and services.” He wants ministers to commission a separate “open and transparent independent” impact assessment of the deal, to ensure that full details of the potential implications become public. The cross-party group of MPs will also discuss seeking a Commons debate and vote on the deal and inviting the Commons health, science and business select committees to undertake inquiry into how the deal was reached and its potential consequences. The department of health and social care (DHSC) and Liz Kendall, the science, innovation and technology secretary, have insisted that the deal will cost only an extra £1b...

This article first appeared on GuruFocus. SK Hynix Inc. (HXSC.F) moved within touching distance of a record high after local media reports said the chipmaker is supplying advanced memory exclusively for a new AI chip being developed by Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT). Shares jumped as much as 7.7% on the Korea Exchange, quickly flipping from early losses sparked by fresh tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. Once the report hit, those worries faded fast, with investors refocusing on SK Hynix's growing importance inside the AI hardware stack, where high-end memory has become one of the hardest pieces to secure. The move adds to what has already been a strong start to the year for SK Hynix. The stock has been climbing alongside the broader AI trade, lifting the company's market value close to $400 billion. Investors increasingly see SK Hynix as a direct winner from hyperscalers designing their own AI chips and locking in memory supply early.

Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning

The following companies are expected to report earnings after hours on 01/27/2026. Visit our Earnings Calendar for a full list of expected earnings releases. Texas Instruments Incorporated (TXN)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The semiconductor company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 11 analysts that follow the stock is $1.30. This value represents a no change for the same quarter last year. In the past year TXN has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 3rd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 0.68%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2025 Price to Earnings ratio for TXN is 35.94 vs. an industry ratio of 47.50. Seagate Technology Holdings PLC (STX)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The computer company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 4 analysts that follow the stock is $2.62. This value represents a 43.96% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year STX has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 3rd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 18.96%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for STX is 33.64 vs. an industry ratio of 34.10. PPG Industries, Inc. (PPG)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The chemical company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 8 analysts that follow the stock is $1.57. This value represents a 2.48% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. PPG missed the consensus earnings per share in the 4th calendar quarter of 2024 by -2.42%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2025 Price to Earnings ratio for PPG is 14.74 vs. an industry ratio of 7.50, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry. Packaging Corporation of America (PKG)is reporting for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. The construction company's consensus earnings per share foreca...

Dennis Diatel Photography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images BitMine Immersion Technologies, Inc. ( BMNR ) continues to trade flat on weak crypto prices. The Ethereum treasury company is progressing towards actually building a business beyond just relying on higher crypto prices, but the Mr. Beast investment has distracted investors. My investment thesis is ultra Bullish on the stock due to the ability to actually generate a profit via staking and other potential catalysts. Source: Finviz Stray Investment BitMine Immersion is back, trading at the multi-month lows as investors lose interest in the crypto treasury concept. At the same time, the company is building a solid business plan and taking advantage of loading up on ETH without prices rallying. The company listed the following assets in the market update on January 20: Ethereum ( ETH-USD ) - 4,203,036 tokens. Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) - 193 tokens. Eightco ( ORBS ) - 13.7 million units. Cash - $979 million. At the time, BitMine listed the total investment holdings at $14.5 billion after buying ~35k Ethereum over the last week. The Ethereum market price was listed at $3,211 per ETH. Also, the company made a controversial $200 million investment in Mr. Beast not reflected in the investments since the deal hadn't closed. Tom Lee explains the Mr. Beast investment was a great opportunity with content creator having a massive following, such as 250 million bi-monthly video views to match the Super Bowl. While Mr. Beast has some impressive viewership numbers, it isn't clear how BitMine benefits from this investment. The company has a goal of reaching an Ethereum ownership position equal to 5% of the outstanding tokens. Currently, the ETH price is $2,950 placing the position at $12.4 billion and BitMine Immersion only owns 3.5% of the outstanding tokens, requiring an investment of another $5+ billion at the current price. In essence, Ethereum treasury firm needs a $17.5+ billion position in the crypto coin, so a minimal inves...

Workers shouldn’t focus on homeownership at the expense of other financial goals.

Several billionaires on Wall Street are pouring into one particular member of the "Magnificent Seven." What do Stanley Druckenmiller, Israel Englander, Ken Griffin, Bill Ackman, and Philippe Laffont all have in common? If you guessed that they are all billionaire investors, you're halfway there. While some of these investors tend to buy growth stocks, while others flock toward value plays, each of their respective funds hold a common artificial intelligence (AI) position: Alphabet (GOOGL +0.65%) (GOOG +0.66%). Let's break down why Alphabet is attracting so many billionaire investors, and assess what makes the internet giant such a unique player in the AI landscape. Alphabet is different from its magnificent counterparts When you think about Alphabet, my hunch is your mind goes straight to Google and YouTube. Alphabet's near-monopoly on internet search is what the company is best known for. What most investors probably don't appreciate is that Alphabet has a number of subsidiaries spread across several different end markets. Beyond search, Alphabet operates across the following: Consumer electronics and smart-home devices through Android Autonomous vehicles through Waymo Cybersecurity thanks to its acquisition of Wiz and other competing properties AI research through DeepMind Quantum computing development and custom silicon design Sustainable energy infrastructure through its acquisition of Intersect On the surface, these segments simply drive home the idea that Alphabet is a diversified business. However, the company's underlying operation is far more complex. Unlike some of its peers, Alphabet is deliberately stitching AI across every major business line. Through the power of its AI model, Gemini, Alphabet is introducing next-generation products and services to consumers and enterprises across both the hardware and software landscapes. Expand NASDAQ : GOOGL Alphabet Today's Change ( 0.65 %) $ 2.18 Current Price $ 335.44 Key Data Points Market Cap $4.0T Day's Range ...

White House Expects Largest Tax Refund Season As IRS Opens 2026 Filing Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times, The IRS announced on Jan. 26 the opening of the 2026 tax filing season. “The IRS expects about 164 million individual tax returns for tax year 2025 to be filed ahead of the Wednesday, April 15, federal deadline. Taxpayers can find a range of tools and filing options on IRS.gov to help them prepare and file their returns,” the agency said in a news release . The IRS has various online tools and resources that taxpayers can use before, during, and after filing their federal tax returns, the agency said in a Jan. 8 statement . The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump in July, carries provisions that can help taxpayers lower their tax bills and raise their refund amounts. “The Internal Revenue Service is ready to help taxpayers meet their tax filing and payment obligations during the 2026 filing season,” IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano said. “As always, the IRS workforce remains vigilant and dedicated to their mission to serve the American taxpaying public. At the same time, IRS information systems have been updated to incorporate the new tax laws and are ready to efficiently and effectively process taxpayer returns during the filing season.” The White House said in a Jan. 26 statement that millions of Americans are poised to receive “significantly larger tax refunds” this filing season due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The legislation is set to deliver the “largest tax refund season in U.S. history,” the White House said, projecting average refunds to jump by $1,000 or more, citing various analyses. Some of the key provisions of the bill contributing to higher refunds are no taxes on tips or overtime up to certain income thresholds, an additional deduction for seniors, and a deduction in auto loan interest payments. An analysis made by the Tax Foundation cited by the White House expects tax refunds ...

28 January 2026 UPDATE Hypertension notifications available today on Apple Watch Starting today, Apple Watch introduces the groundbreaking hypertension notifications feature in Australia, which can alert users if signs of chronic high blood pressure — or hypertension — are detected.1 Hypertension is the leading modifiable risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease, and impacts approximately 1.4 billion adults globally.2 It is frequently undiagnosed because it often has no symptoms, many people do not see a doctor regularly, and even during a clinical visit, it can be easily missed with a single measurement. Hypertension notifications on Apple Watch use data from the optical heart sensor to analyse how a user’s blood vessels respond to the beats of the heart. The algorithm works passively in the background reviewing data over 30-day periods, and will notify users if it detects consistent signs of hypertension. These notifications provide users with valuable insights into their health as it relates to this widespread condition simply by wearing their Apple Watch, so they can begin making potentially lifesaving behavioural changes, or start treatment to reduce their risk of serious, long-term health events. Like all of Apple’s health features, hypertension notifications are grounded in rigorous scientific validation. The feature was developed with advanced machine learning and training data from over 100,000 participants. Its performance was then validated in a clinical study of over 2,000 participants. While hypertension notifications will not detect all instances of hypertension, with the reach of Apple Watch, it’s estimated the feature will notify over 1 million people with undiagnosed hypertension worldwide within its first year of availability. “Hypertension awareness in Australia is far too low, so we welcome new technologies that advise people that they might have hypertension and should seek confirmation from their doctor,” said Professor Garry Je...

This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) shares gained about 2% on Tuesday after the company detailed its latest artificial intelligence model, Qwen3-Max-Thinking. The reasoning-focused model, part of Alibaba Cloud's Qwen family, delivered stronger results across key industry benchmarks, highlighting gains in factual accuracy, reasoning, and following instructions. Alibaba said the improvements stemmed from scaling up model parameters and applying more computing power during training. Qwen3-Max-Thinking also uses tools to access information or run code when needed and spends more time on complex questions, which helps improve answers. The company compared its model against global AI leaders, including Google's Gemini (GOOGL), OpenAI, and Anthropic, claiming parity across 19 benchmarks. Tests included GPQA Diamond, LiveCodeBench, and Humanity's Last Exam. While Alibaba did not link the update to immediate revenue, it reinforces the company's push in cloud computing. Alibaba Cloud grew about 34% year over year in the latest quarter, emerging as a key long-term growth driver and reducing the company's reliance on its core e-commerce operations. Investors appear optimistic as Alibaba positions itself alongside leading AI developers in an increasingly competitive market.

Corning, Meta agree on $6 billion deal to support data center buildout the-leader.com

Corning, Meta agree on $6 billion deal to support data center buildout stargazette.com

Jan. 27, 2026, 1:59 p.m. ET Corning Inc. and Meta Platforms have agreed to a multiyear deal worth up to $6 billion. The partnership will accelerate the buildout of advanced data centers in the United States for Meta's AI ambitions. Corning will expand its optical cable manufacturing facility in Hickory, North Carolina, to support the deal. The investment is expected to increase Corning's employment in North Carolina by 15 to 20 percent. Corning Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. have struck a multiyear deal worth up to $6 billion to accelerate the buildout of the most advanced data centers in the United States, Corning announced Jan. 27. The work will support Meta’s apps, technologies and AI ambitions. Meta is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and other platforms. Under the agreement, Corning Inc. will supply Meta with its newest innovations in optical fiber, cable, and connectivity solutions, company officials said. To support this effort, Corning Inc. will expand manufacturing capabilities across its operations in North Carolina, including a significant capacity expansion at its optical cable manufacturing facility in Hickory where Meta will serve as the anchor customer. “This long-term partnership with Meta reflects Corning Inc.’s commitment to develop, innovate, and manufacture the critical technologies that power next-generation data centers here in the U.S.,” Corning Inc. Chairman and CEO Wendell Weeks said in prepared remarks. “The investment will expand our manufacturing footprint in North Carolina, support an increase in Corning’s employment levels in the state by 15 to 20 percent, and help sustain a highly skilled workforce of more than 5,000 — including the scientists, engineers, and production teams at two of the world’s largest optical fiber and cable manufacturing facilities.” Weeks said Corning, in partnership with Meta, is strengthening domestic supply chains and helping to ensure that advanced data centers are built using U.S. innovation and advan...

Will Higher Ad Revenues Aid Meta Platforms Stock in Q4 Earnings? sharewise.com

This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is getting ready to experiment with something new: asking users to pay for extra features on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, as it looks for fresh ways to make money beyond ads. The company plans to start testing premium subscription options in the coming months, according to reports. These paid plans would unlock additional productivity and creativity tools, with a heavy focus on AI. Meta is also expected to fold in its recently acquired Manus general AI agents, scaling those capabilities across its apps for users willing to pay. Meta told TechCrunch it plans to move carefully, rolling things out gradually and listening closely to user feedback along the way. This push is separate from Meta Verified, the paid product launched in 2023 that targets creators and businesses with perks like verification badges, customer support and impersonation protection. By keeping the two products distinct, Meta appears to be testing different ways users might actually open their wallets, instead of forcing everything into a single subscription.

Mexico has cancelled a shipment of oil to Cuba, the country’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, appeared to confirm on Tuesday, but she insisted the decision was “sovereign” and not the response to pressure from the US. Fuel shortages are causing increasingly severe blackouts in Cuba, and Mexico has been the island’s biggest oil supplier since the US blocked shipments from Venezuela last month. On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Pemex, Mexico’s state oil company, had “backtracked” on plans to send a much-needed delivery to Cuba this month. Asked whether she denied the report in her daily press conference, Sheinbaum said: “It is a sovereign decision and it is made in the moment when necessary.” The cancelled shipment comes amid reports that the Mexican government had been privately reviewing whether to keep sending oil to Cuba amid fear of reprisals from the US. After the US captured and renditioned Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela at the start of the year, it appeared to turn its attention to Cuba, Venezuela’s longstanding ally, with Donald Trump writing in a 11 January Truth Social post: “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO!” Sheinbaum sidestepped a question about whether the cancelled shipment is a one-off or could represent a more lasting suspension of oil shipments, while restating Mexico’s longstanding stance against the US blockade on Cuba. “Cuba has been under a blockade for too many years now. And this blockade has caused supply problems on the island,” said Sheinbaum. “Mexico has always shown solidarity and Mexico will continue to show solidarity.” The issue of oil shipments to Cuba is a fraught one for Sheinbaum, who is striving to show the Trump administration that Mexico is a partner on trade and security without alienating the left wing of her party, Morena. The Trump administration has recently repeated its threats of unilateral military strikes on drug trafficking cartels in Mexico, just as the two countries begin to renegotiate the trill...

Amazon is closing all of its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh locations and increasing its focus on Whole Foods Market, the company announced Tuesday. Amazon said it plans to convert some of the locations into Whole Foods Market locations. The company currently operates 57 Amazon Fresh stores and 15 Amazon Go locations, according to The Associated Press. "While we’ve seen encouraging signals in our Amazon-branded physical grocery stores, we haven’t yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large-scale expansion," the company said in a blog post. The last day of operation for Fresh and Go locations is February 1. WANT A FASTER GROCERY TRIP? THESE AI SMART CARTS CAN HELP "We are also increasing our investment in our physical stores that are resonating with customers. Whole Foods Market, a pioneer and leader in natural and organic foods, has seen strong success since our 2017 acquisition, with over 40% sales growth and expansion to more than 550 locations," the company said. "Customers are increasingly choosing Whole Foods Market for both everyday shopping and special occasions, as demonstrated by record-breaking customer traffic and year-over-year comparable store growth that is outpacing the broader industry. Accelerating this growth, we are now planning to invest in opening more than 100 new Whole Foods Market stores over the next few years," it continued. POPULAR ALCOHOL BRANDS COULD BE FORCED TO SELL OFF INVENTORY AFTER BANKRUPTCY SETBACK The company said they "plan to introduce new store concepts" in the years ahead, including "a new supercenter physical retail concept" that would include "fresh groceries, household essentials, and general merchandise." The shift in focus comes days after reports that Amazon planned to cut thousands of jobs as part of a broader push to eliminate nearly 10% of its corporate workforce. After initially cutting roughly 14,000 white-collar jobs in October , Amazon is expected to launch a se...