watch now Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email Squawk on the Street Jefferies not interested in selling, sources say CNBC's David Faber discusses the latest news surrounding Jefferies Financial. 01:19 12 minutes ago
watch now Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email Squawk on the Street Jefferies not interested in selling, sources say CNBC's David Faber discusses the latest news surrounding Jefferies Financial. 01:19 12 minutes ago
US PMIs Signal Stagflation Fears Accelerating As War Started With 'hard' US macro data having drifted weaker all year, consensus was expecting only a modest decline in S&P Global's US Composite index in preliminary March data (that presumably will be affected in some part by the war and its consequences). The consensus was right, but the picture was mixed with Manufacturing PMI surprising to the u...
US PMIs Signal Stagflation Fears Accelerating As War Started With 'hard' US macro data having drifted weaker all year, consensus was expecting only a modest decline in S&P Global's US Composite index in preliminary March data (that presumably will be affected in some part by the war and its consequences). The consensus was right, but the picture was mixed with Manufacturing PMI surprising to the upside (52.4 vs 51.5 exp vs 51.6 prior) - highest since Oct 2025 . Services PMI, on the other hand, disappointed, falling to the lowest since April 2025... Source: Bloomberg Overall, that combination dragged the Composite PMI to 51.4 - the lowest in 11 months - indicative of GDP rising at an annualized rate of just 1.0%, with a modest 1.3% expansion signalled for the first quarter as a whole. The survey’s price gauges meanwhile point to consumer price inflation accelerating back to around 4% . "The flash PMI survey data for March signal an unwelcome combination of slower growth and rising inflation following the outbreak of war in the Middle East," warns Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence. "Companies are reporting a hit to demand from the additional uncertainty and cost of living impact generated by the conflict. Travel, transport and tourism related issues are compounded by financial market jitters and affordability constraints, notably including concern over the impact of higher interest rates, surging energy prices and supply chain delays. “Companies are meanwhile building safety stocks amid concerns that the war may lead to more protracted supply issues and price rises while trimming headcounts to reduce overheads." Today's PMI print appears to confirm the overall theme of the last couple of months... 'higher' inflation and stagnant (or falling) growth ... Source: Bloomberg ...in other words, central bankers' biggest nemesis: Stagflation. As Williamson concludes , “The Fed will therefore need juggle these intensifying upside risk...
(RTTNews) - Shares of Dollar General Corporation (DG) are falling about 5 percent on Tuesday morning trading after the company announced that Chief Executive Officer Todd Vasos will be succeeded by Jerry W. "JJ" Fleeman Jr., effective January 1, 2027.
(RTTNews) - Shares of Dollar General Corporation (DG) are falling about 5 percent on Tuesday morning trading after the company announced that Chief Executive Officer Todd Vasos will be succeeded by Jerry W. "JJ" Fleeman Jr., effective January 1, 2027.
Smithfield Foods, Inc. ( SFD ) declares $0.3125/share quarterly dividend . Forward yield 5.09% Payable April 21; for shareholders of record April 7; ex-div April 7. See SFD Dividend Scorecard, Yield Chart, & Dividend Growth. More on Smithfield Foods, Inc. Smithfield Foods: Nathan's Buyout In Focus Ahead Of Q4 Smithfield Foods Looks Tasty Enough For An Upgrade Smithfield Foods rallies after seeing ...
Smithfield Foods, Inc. ( SFD ) declares $0.3125/share quarterly dividend . Forward yield 5.09% Payable April 21; for shareholders of record April 7; ex-div April 7. See SFD Dividend Scorecard, Yield Chart, & Dividend Growth. More on Smithfield Foods, Inc. Smithfield Foods: Nathan's Buyout In Focus Ahead Of Q4 Smithfield Foods Looks Tasty Enough For An Upgrade Smithfield Foods rallies after seeing growth across all segments in Q4 Smithfield Foods beats top-line and bottom-line estimates; introduces FY26 outlook Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Hong Kong is a stable base for global wealth as rising geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties prompt wealthy families to rethink where they base their assets, according to Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po. “We are living in a world marked by uncertainty and conflicts,” Chan said at the gala dinner of the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit on Tuesday evening. “The rules-based internat...
Hong Kong is a stable base for global wealth as rising geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties prompt wealthy families to rethink where they base their assets, according to Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po. “We are living in a world marked by uncertainty and conflicts,” Chan said at the gala dinner of the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit on Tuesday evening. “The rules-based international order is under strain. Some even say it has been ruptured.” Facing such a situation, investors...
Norway’s $2.1 trillion wealth fund is saving “billions of kroner” by using artificial intelligence in trading and investment decisions, but those gains will not lead to staff cuts, its chief executive officer said. “You should introduce AI in society to increase your production and value creation rather than cutting people out,” Nicolai Tangen said in an interview on Tuesday, describing such job e...
Norway’s $2.1 trillion wealth fund is saving “billions of kroner” by using artificial intelligence in trading and investment decisions, but those gains will not lead to staff cuts, its chief executive officer said. “You should introduce AI in society to increase your production and value creation rather than cutting people out,” Nicolai Tangen said in an interview on Tuesday, describing such job eliminations as “destructive.” More than half of the fund’s 650 employees currently write code — using mostly Anthropic PBC’s Claude — as part of a drive to boost efficiency by 20% across the organization. Tangen said he has been pushing staff to embrace the technology during a seminar earlier in the day at the Oslo offices of the Norges Bank Investment Management , as the fund is officially known. The 59-year-old former hedge fund manager said last year that promotions would hinge on learning AI. “We want to increase the quality of what we do, reduce costs in our trading and the other functions,” said Tangen, whose approach offers a counter-narrative to widespread fears about white-collar displacement. Read More: Norway Wealth Fund Chief Tells Staff That Using AI Is a Must During the seminar, the fund’s executives said they are using AI tools and building AI agents for over 170 different projects — from simulating contract negotiations to cleaning up decades-old company accounts. The fund’s AI team has grown to 10 from three, according to Stian Kirkeberg , who heads up its AI and machine learning. To kick-start the use of the technology, the fund asked employees to volunteer as so-called AI ambassadors, then provided them with specialized training in Claude over a two-month period. Read More: Norway Wealth Fund Says AI Caught Risks That Others Missed “We gave them ample time to experiment,” Kirkeberg said. He added that employees are free to choose any model as long as it’s from “trusted sources.” In addition to Claude, they are using Google’s Gemini and Anysphere, Inc. ’s ...
FilippoBacci Wall Street’s major market averages pushed lower on Tuesday as traders continued to monitor developments related to the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict. The blue-chip Dow ( DJI ) was -0.8%, while the benchmark S&P 500 ( SP500 ) was -0.8%, and the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite ( COMP:IND ) was -1%. From a sector-by-sector stance, nine of the 11 S&P sectors are hovering in the red, with info ...
FilippoBacci Wall Street’s major market averages pushed lower on Tuesday as traders continued to monitor developments related to the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict. The blue-chip Dow ( DJI ) was -0.8%, while the benchmark S&P 500 ( SP500 ) was -0.8%, and the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite ( COMP:IND ) was -1%. From a sector-by-sector stance, nine of the 11 S&P sectors are hovering in the red, with info tech suffering the most. At the other end, energy has been the strongest performer so far, with oil ( CL1:COM ) back on the move higher. U.S. Treasury yields continued to move higher. The shorter end 2-Year Treasury yield ( US2Y ) was up 5 basis points to 3.90%, and the popular 10-Year Treasury yield ( US10Y ) was up 6 basis points to 4.41%. Hopes of tensions easing in the Middle East came into the picture after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would postpone military action against Iran and the two countries were close to signing a deal. However, an Israeli official said Tuesday that any deal to end the war with Iran does not appear close, suggesting the purported diplomacy may be a tactic to buy time as Israel presses ahead with military operations in Iran and Lebanon, according to a media report. On the economic calendar, U.S. PMI Composite data edged down in March, while manufacturing PMI rose. As for stocks that were on the move, Corning Incorporated ( GLW ) climbed +3.6%, and shares of Estée Lauder Companies ( EL ) fell -8.1%. More on markets Cantor Fitzgerald sees the current market pullback as a possible opportunity BNP Paribas raises 2026 inflation outlook as it signals a new 3% era Wells Fargo sees the U.S. economy weathering an oil shock as inflation risks stay contained Sector breakdown since the start of the U.S.–Iran conflict: Energy leads, materials lags The AI Bubble Is Going To Burst
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who has threatened US, being weighed up as potential interlocutor to bring war to an end Middle East crisis – live updates Just as in 1967 when a rank outsider won the Grand National due to a massive pile-up of other horses at one of the final fences, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament and Donald Trump’s putative interlocutor , appears to have come...
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who has threatened US, being weighed up as potential interlocutor to bring war to an end Middle East crisis – live updates Just as in 1967 when a rank outsider won the Grand National due to a massive pile-up of other horses at one of the final fences, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament and Donald Trump’s putative interlocutor , appears to have come to the front as the field around him rapidly thinned. In the pantheon of Iran’s leaders, ruthlessly reduced by targeted assassinations, Ghalibaf stands out as a survivor, but if the US president hopes he has finally located the Delsy Rodríguez of Iran – a pragmatic leader from within the regime willing to do business with America – he may need to think again. Continue reading...
A Mixue Bingcheng store in Qingshan district, Wuhan. Photo: VCG Chinese beverage chain Mixue Group reported sharply higher revenue and profit for 2025, fueled by rapid expansion in China’s lower-tier cities that more than offset a pullback in its overseas footprint. The Hong Kong-listed company also said Tuesday that chief financial officer Zhang Yuan will be promoted to chief executive, in a mana...
A Mixue Bingcheng store in Qingshan district, Wuhan. Photo: VCG Chinese beverage chain Mixue Group reported sharply higher revenue and profit for 2025, fueled by rapid expansion in China’s lower-tier cities that more than offset a pullback in its overseas footprint. The Hong Kong-listed company also said Tuesday that chief financial officer Zhang Yuan will be promoted to chief executive, in a management shake-up that hands day-to-day control to a finance executive as the company scales up at home and recalibrates abroad.
Aree Sarak/iStock via Getty Images As I’ve covered in a previous article some months ago, I see Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. ( MRSH ) as an interesting growth play in the insurance sector due to its strong fundamentals and growth strategy based on organic efforts and acquisitions. Despite that, MRSH shares have delivered a negative return in recent months and slightly underperformed the market...
Aree Sarak/iStock via Getty Images As I’ve covered in a previous article some months ago, I see Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. ( MRSH ) as an interesting growth play in the insurance sector due to its strong fundamentals and growth strategy based on organic efforts and acquisitions. Despite that, MRSH shares have delivered a negative return in recent months and slightly underperformed the market, due to concerns about AI and some cyclical issues. Article performance (Seeking Alpha) From an operating perspective, Marsh has delivered a good performance during 2025, supported both by organic growth and the consolidation of McGriff, that was bought back in November 2024 and has now contributed to Marsh’s revenues and earnings for a full year. In 2025 , Marsh’s revenues amounted to nearly $27 billion, up by 10% on a reported basis and increasing by 4% from the previous year on an underlying basis. By operating segment, the acquisition of McGriff impacted mainly its Marsh Risk unit, which reported revenue growth of 12% YoY, or 4% on an underlying basis. This acquisition increased the weight of Risk & Insurance Services within the group, to about 64% of overall revenues in 2025. This acquisition was also positive for the company’s operating leverage, as operating expenses increased by 11.3% to $20.7 billion during the last year. This was a slightly lower growth rate than compared to revenues, leading to some margin expansion last year. Indeed, its adjusted operating margin increased to 27.1% in 2025, representing its 18th consecutive year of margin expansion. KPIs (Marsh) However, due to higher indebtedness following the acquisition of McGriff, which resulted in higher interest costs, its net income was up by only 2.5% YoY to $4.16 billion. From a balance sheet perspective, the company’s net debt increased significantly due to McGriff’s acquisition, which was largely financed through debt. Marsh’s net debt amounted to some $19.8 billion at the end of 2025, representing a...
Thawatchai Chawong/iStock via Getty Images The fourth quarter began with a U.S. government shutdown, which lasted into mid-November. The U.S. economy avoided major broad-based disruption. However, the shutdown hampered economic data collection – creating a considerable information vacuum just as markets sought clarity on growth, inflation, and policy trajectories. Following resumed economic data, ...
Thawatchai Chawong/iStock via Getty Images The fourth quarter began with a U.S. government shutdown, which lasted into mid-November. The U.S. economy avoided major broad-based disruption. However, the shutdown hampered economic data collection – creating a considerable information vacuum just as markets sought clarity on growth, inflation, and policy trajectories. Following resumed economic data, the broader U.S. macroeconomic landscape held firm with ongoing resilience amid a gradually cooling labor market. The downside labor market risk kept U.S. Federal Reserve easing in play, leading to two rate cuts in the quarter even as the economy expanded. The global tariff environment proved less disruptive than earlier fears. U.S. monthly tariff collections rose but remain well below levels implied by announced policies. Financial markets capped a strong 2025 with fourth-quarter gains in both equities and fixed income. Non-U.S. equities outpaced the U.S., leaving global equities with a low-single-digit gain. For the U.S., a strong third-quarter corporate earnings season helped bolster the earnings outlook heading into 2026. Artificial intelligence (AI) remained a central market topic, with investors shifting from broad-based enthusiasm to taking a more critical look at potential returns of AI-related investment plans. This led to more varied performance across the largest tech-related and AI-adjacent companies. The clean energy transition continues to look less like a values-driven aspiration and more like a capital deployment cycle driven by economics and scale. Recent commentary from Bill Gates reinforces this framing, emphasizing that progress is increasingly coming from falling costs, technological learning curves, and the commercialization of solutions that were previously uneconomic. That perspective aligns with what markets are already signaling: clean power, electrification, and grid investment are now competing on fundamentals, not just policy support. For invest...