Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. is in talks with the South Korean artificial intelligence startup Upstage regarding the potential sale of ten thousand Instinct MI355 accelerators. Although the contract has not yet been finalized, its scale and strategic significance make it an important signal for the AI infrastructure market in Asia. The potential order aims to build computing power for Upstage’s la...
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. is in talks with the South Korean artificial intelligence startup Upstage regarding the potential sale of ten thousand Instinct MI355 accelerators. Although the contract has not yet been finalized, its scale and strategic significance make it an important signal for the AI infrastructure market in Asia. The potential order aims to build computing power for Upstage’s large language models and support the development of sovereign AI projects in South Korea. Upstage is one of the participants in a government AI program where four teams compete for the status of the national winning model. Until now, NVIDIA GPUs have dominated these projects, and AMD’s potential role in a ten-thousand-unit cluster represents a significant effort to increase competition and strengthen the company’s presence in the region. For AMD, the transaction could serve several strategic purposes. First, a cluster of ten thousand chips represents a significant scale for a local startup and government program and could serve as a reference for other clients in the region. Second, the deal demonstrates that AMD can penetrate national AI programs, where political considerations and technological patriotism may carry more weight than product specifications alone. Third, every major AMD contract reminds investors that the GPU and AI market is no longer dominated by a single supplier, while the Instinct portfolio is gaining recognition among companies requiring high-performance computing infrastructure. Currently, these are ongoing negotiations, so the market impact will depend on the contract’s finalization and delivery terms. Historically, announcements of major AI contracts have positively influenced AMD’s stock price, but until the transaction is finalized, it should be considered a signal of potential future revenue rather than a guarantee of immediate financial gains. The discussions with Upstage also highlight growing competition and demand for AI infrastructure in Asia...
Western Asset Municipal High Income Fund ( MHF ) reported total net assets of $154.6M, slightly down from $155.2M last quarter and flat year-over-year. Net investment income rose modestly to $1.36M from $1.30M quarter-over-quarter. Earnings per share remained steady for investment income at $0.06, while total EPS fell to $0.07 from $0.31. More on Western Asset Municipal High Income Fund Dividend s...
Western Asset Municipal High Income Fund ( MHF ) reported total net assets of $154.6M, slightly down from $155.2M last quarter and flat year-over-year. Net investment income rose modestly to $1.36M from $1.30M quarter-over-quarter. Earnings per share remained steady for investment income at $0.06, while total EPS fell to $0.07 from $0.31. More on Western Asset Municipal High Income Fund Dividend scorecard for Western Asset Municipal High Income Fund
Gold pared dramatic losses as US President Donald Trump postponed military strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure for a five-day period after what he described as productive talks toward ending hostilities. Oil also fell sharply, posting one of the biggest intraday price swings on record, after President Donald Trump posptoned strikes on Iranian power plants and said his team held discussio...
Gold pared dramatic losses as US President Donald Trump postponed military strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure for a five-day period after what he described as productive talks toward ending hostilities. Oil also fell sharply, posting one of the biggest intraday price swings on record, after President Donald Trump posptoned strikes on Iranian power plants and said his team held discussions about ending the conflict, though Tehran denied any such dialog. Bloomberg's Mike McGlone joins to discuss on Bloomberg Intelligence. (Source: Bloomberg)
Investing.com -- Bank of America remains upbeat on ASML after meetings with investors across Asia, with analyst Didier Scemama stating in a note that the “key message” is that the memory cycle “is likely to remain strong through at least 1H27E.” According to BofA, this strength points to “upside potential in memory CAPEX,” supporting its view that ASML will be the “prime beneficiary” as EUV adopti...
Investing.com -- Bank of America remains upbeat on ASML after meetings with investors across Asia, with analyst Didier Scemama stating in a note that the “key message” is that the memory cycle “is likely to remain strong through at least 1H27E.” According to BofA, this strength points to “upside potential in memory CAPEX,” supporting its view that ASML will be the “prime beneficiary” as EUV adoption broadens and layer counts increase. BofA cites three major catalysts. First, the firm expects high-NA EUV adoption in 2028, driven by TSMC and SK Hynix, following confirmation that tool availability reached 80% at the end of 2025 and should reach 90% by the end of 2026. Scemama models 15 high-NA tool deliveries in 2028. Second, BofA says low-NA EUV capacity is “likely to be reached by 4Q27E,” with 22 tool deliveries that year, suggesting ASML could signal an EUV capacity increase in 2026. The firm argues its €52 billion revenue estimate for 2028 is “increasingly conservative” compared with the consensus. Third, BofA expects ASML to hold a capital markets day later this year and sees room for the company to raise its 2030 revenue guide to a range of €53.7 billion to €65.4 billion. While noting investor scepticism around hybrid bonding adoption, BofA maintains that uptake will be gradual but real, supported by expected use in high-end smartphones and next-generation HBM technologies. “We maintain our Buy rating/top pick on ASML,” Scemama writes, with an unchanged price target of €1,598. Related articles BofA remains bullish on ASML stock after Asia checks 5 reasons why Jefferies thinks Meta’s pullback is a buying opportunity Morgan Stanley CIO survey: Why AI hype isn’t boosting 2026 IT budgets
Key Points Sessa Capital increased its Sotera Health holding by 10,630,381 shares in the fourth quarter. The quarter-end position value rose by $206.47 million, reflecting both the share addition and stock price movement. Post-trade, the fund holds 20,550,000 shares valued at $362.50 million. 10 stocks we like better than Sotera Health › On February 17, 2026, Sessa Capital disclosed a major buy of...
Key Points Sessa Capital increased its Sotera Health holding by 10,630,381 shares in the fourth quarter. The quarter-end position value rose by $206.47 million, reflecting both the share addition and stock price movement. Post-trade, the fund holds 20,550,000 shares valued at $362.50 million. 10 stocks we like better than Sotera Health › On February 17, 2026, Sessa Capital disclosed a major buy of Sotera Health (NASDAQ:SHC), adding 10,630,381 shares in an estimated $175.80 million trade based on quarterly average pricing. What happened According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission dated February 17, 2026, Sessa Capital purchased 10,630,381 additional shares of Sotera Health in the fourth quarter. The estimated transaction value is $175.80 million, calculated using the average closing price for the quarter. The fund’s quarter-end position value in Sotera Health rose by $206.47 million, a figure reflecting both trading activity and stock price movement. What else to know The post-trade stake represents close to 7% of Sessa Capital’s 13F reportable assets under management. Top holdings after the filing: NASDAQ: WBD: $1.31 billion (26.1% of AUM) NYSE: HUM: $593.94 million (11.8% of AUM) NASDAQ: ILMN: $446.48 million (8.9% of AUM) NYSE:PCG: $394.97 million (7.9% of AUM) NYSE:COF: $377.65 millino (7.5% of AUM) As of Monday, SHC shares were priced at $13.99, up 18% over the past year and slightly outperforming the S&P 500’s roughly 15% gain in the same period as a result. Company overview Metric Value Price (as of Monday) $13.99 Market capitalization $4.0 billion Revenue (TTM) $1.2 billion Net income (TTM) $77.9 million Company snapshot Sotera Health offers sterilization services (gamma, electron beam, and EO processing), laboratory testing, and advisory solutions for medical device, pharmaceutical, and related industries. The firm serves medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and food/agricultural product providers globally. It maintai...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Investment Thesis Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ) is benefiting from spectacular growth due to rising demand from the AI data center buildout. FQ2 '26 sales stood at $24 billion, up nearly 200% YoY. This was accompanied by an expanding margin, driven by price increases, as MU capitalized on the memory chip shortage. This opportunistic pricing isn't MU's i...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Investment Thesis Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ) is benefiting from spectacular growth due to rising demand from the AI data center buildout. FQ2 '26 sales stood at $24 billion, up nearly 200% YoY. This was accompanied by an expanding margin, driven by price increases, as MU capitalized on the memory chip shortage. This opportunistic pricing isn't MU's invention - it's a long-standing dynamic that is now being re-examined for smoother, fairer supply chain dynamics in what is largely considered a commoditized market. For investors, the surge in earnings is exhilarating. EPS reached $12.2/share during FY2 '26 (period ended February 2026), up nearly 700% from the $1.56 EPS figures delivered in the same period of 2025. MU's outlook is even more impressive. With shares trading at single-digit forward P/E multiples, the market might be inflating the cyclicality and commodity discounts. On the market, shares are up 370% since I last rated this ticker a Buy in late 2024, when MU's position in the AI supply chain wasn't as clear as it is today. My 12-month price target for MU is now $1000/share based on Wall Street's consensus adjusted EPS forecast of $58/share and a forward P/E multiple of 17.2x (MU's 5-year average P/E multiple ). This translates to a 137% upside from Friday, March 20, 2026, of $422/share. Seeking Alpha Premium From Supplier to Strategic Partner For years, the relationship between MU and its customers has been transactional. MU and other memory providers often found themselves holding the bag after being excluded from supply chain discussions. In its latest annual report, management states: Our customers are generally reluctant to enter into long-term, fixed-price purchase contracts. We typically enter into long-term agreements with our customers with acknowledgment that pricing, quantity, and other terms will be periodically negotiated to reflect market conditions and our customers’ demand for our products. This...
Apple Inc. is preparing to introduce advertising in its Maps app, part of a broader push to generate more money from services. An announcement could come as early as this month, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The system will operate similarly to advertising in Google Maps, allowing retailers and brands to bid for ad slots against search queries, said the people, who asked not to...
Apple Inc. is preparing to introduce advertising in its Maps app, part of a broader push to generate more money from services. An announcement could come as early as this month, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The system will operate similarly to advertising in Google Maps, allowing retailers and brands to bid for ad slots against search queries, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. The program would let a restaurant bid for a search term — say, sushi. Then when a user seeks that type of food, an ad for the location of the highest bidder would appear at the top of the results. Like Google, Yelp Inc. uses a similar approach in its app and website. A spokesperson for Apple declined to comment. The increased ad revenue will bolster a services business that already generates more than $100 billion a year for Apple. The operation now accounts for more than a quarter of the company’s sales, up from less than 10% a decade ago. But Apple faces challenges in services, with regulators pushing for changes to its App Store model. The company’s multibillion-dollar search deal with Alphabet Inc. ’s Google is also under threat from a switch to artificial intelligence-based searches. The ad growth could help offset a slowdown in other areas. Apple’s advertising division remains relatively small but should generate about $8.5 billion this year, according to Emarketer. Bloomberg News previously reported that ads were coming to Apple Maps this year. Apple’s advertising division is led by veteran executive Todd Teresi , who reports to Eddy Cue , the senior vice president of services and health. The company changed the name of its advertising push last year to Apple Ads from Search Ads, underscoring its growing ambitions. Read More: Apple’s $100 Billion-a-Year App Store Will Never Be the Same Under Apple’s plan, the ads will begin appearing inside Maps as early as this summer on the iPhone and other devices — in addition to the...
400tmax/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Wells Fargo chief equity strategist Oh Sung Kwon said the firm is warming up to tech stocks after being bearish on hyperscalers ( META ) ( AMZN ) ( GOOGL ) ( GOOG ) ( MSFT ) for years, citing improving fundamentals and attractive valuations. “I think hyperscalers are starting to look a lot more interesting,” Kwon said in a CNBC interview Monday. The shift...
400tmax/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Wells Fargo chief equity strategist Oh Sung Kwon said the firm is warming up to tech stocks after being bearish on hyperscalers ( META ) ( AMZN ) ( GOOGL ) ( GOOG ) ( MSFT ) for years, citing improving fundamentals and attractive valuations. “I think hyperscalers are starting to look a lot more interesting,” Kwon said in a CNBC interview Monday. The shift comes as Kwon noted the Nasdaq ( COMP:IND ) ( QQQ ) has already derated by 25% since October, calling it “one of the most extreme deratings that we have seen in history.” Kwon said Wells Fargo’s previous bearish position stemmed from weakening free cash flow at major cloud companies, with 2026 estimates falling by roughly two-thirds over the past year because of massive capital expenditures. However, he said analysts now believe the sector has reached an inflection point. “Our analysts think that we are actually at an inflection point where free cash flow could actually come in above where consensus is,” Kwon said, adding that top-line growth estimates remain too conservative. “I think the street is still underestimating their potential top line growth story.” On the question of whether hyperscalers are overinvesting in artificial intelligence infrastructure, Kwon pushed back, noting that demand continues to outpace supply. “If AI is truly that transformative, then hyperscalers are probably not overinvesting,” he said. “There might be a little bit of delay on the return on investment, but if AI is really that good and we’re just gonna need more compute power too.” Beyond tech, Kwon recommended a barbell approach pairing technology with commodities. The firm remains underweight on both consumer discretionary and consumer staples, while maintaining overweight positions in energy and materials. Tech ETFs: ( VGT ), ( XLK ), ( IYW ), ( FTEC ), ( IXN ), and ( RSPT ). Artificial Intelligence/Robotics ETFs: ( AIQ ), ( BOTZ ), ( DTEC ), ( WTAI ), ( XAIX ), ( WISE ), ( GINN ), ( ROB...
Annual revenue increased to 76.72bn yuan, up 87.7% from 40.87bn yuan a year earlier. Credit: THINK A/Shutterstock.com Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has reported its first quarterly profit, supported by higher deliveries, stronger revenue and improved gross margin. For the fourth quarter of 2025, the company recorded net profit of 383.2m yuan ($55.5m), swinging from a net loss of 1.33bn yuan...
Annual revenue increased to 76.72bn yuan, up 87.7% from 40.87bn yuan a year earlier. Credit: THINK A/Shutterstock.com Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has reported its first quarterly profit, supported by higher deliveries, stronger revenue and improved gross margin. For the fourth quarter of 2025, the company recorded net profit of 383.2m yuan ($55.5m), swinging from a net loss of 1.33bn yuan in the same period a year earlier. Total revenue for the quarter reached 22.25bn yuan, up 38.2% year on year. Revenue generated from vehicle sales amounted to 19.07bn yuan in the quarter, an increase of 30% compared with the fourth quarter of 2024. Xpeng’s gross margin for the period rose to 21.3%, from 14.4% a year earlier. Deliveries totalled 116,249 vehicles during the quarter, compared with 91,507 in the prior-year period. As of 31 December 2025, the company’s physical retail network comprised 721 stores across 255 cities. Dr. Hongdi Brian Gu, vice chairman and co-president of xpeng, said: “In the fourth quarter of 2025, Xpeng’s gross margin reached 21.3%, reaching a new record high, with net profit hitting 0.38bn yuan. By leveraging a business model driven by technological leadership, we have established a profitability path that sets us apart from traditional automakers.” On a full-year basis, Xpeng continued to report a loss for the year ended 31 December 2025, posting a net loss of 1.14bn yuan, narrower than the 5.79bn yuan loss recorded in the previous year. Annual revenue increased to 76.72bn yuan, up 87.7% from 40.87bn yuan a year earlier. Vehicle sales revenue for 2025 rose 90.8% to 68.38bn yuan, compared with 35.83bn yuan in the prior year. Gross margin for the full year improved to 18.9%, from 14.3% a year earlier. Xiaopeng He, chairman and CEO of Xpeng, said: “In 2025, Xpeng delivered a total of 429,445 vehicles, representing a 125.9% year-over-year increase. We continue to push the boundaries of Physical AI, accelerating the mass production and commercializ...
(RTTNews) - Carver Bancorp, Inc. (CARV) announced on Monday, the appointment of Lisa Robinson Smith as Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Christina Maier, who has retired. Robinson Smith had served as deputy chief financial officer since June 2020. Robinson Smith previously served as managing director and head of financial planning and analysis at Guggenheim Investments, where she supported more ...
(RTTNews) - Carver Bancorp, Inc. (CARV) announced on Monday, the appointment of Lisa Robinson Smith as Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Christina Maier, who has retired. Robinson Smith had served as deputy chief financial officer since June 2020. Robinson Smith previously served as managing director and head of financial planning and analysis at Guggenheim Investments, where she supported more than $200 billion in assets under management, and also held roles at JPMorgan Chase & Co. CARV is currently trading at $1.47, up $0.01 or 0.68 percent on the OTC Markets. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Regarding Polly Toynbee’s article (Young people want to work: now there may be jobs for them, 17 March), as a young person, I believe that the government must rebuild trust in its support, or young people will continue to be held back. I am now working, but I know what it’s like to leave university and face unemployment: constant rejection, confusion and anxiety about what comes next. It is scary....
Regarding Polly Toynbee’s article (Young people want to work: now there may be jobs for them, 17 March), as a young person, I believe that the government must rebuild trust in its support, or young people will continue to be held back. I am now working, but I know what it’s like to leave university and face unemployment: constant rejection, confusion and anxiety about what comes next. It is scary. But what Polly describes isn’t unusual; it’s the reality for many, and repeated rejections knock your confidence. Support on offer has struggled to keep up with the growing challenges that young people face. The issue runs deeper than “lingering stigma” – it’s embedded in the system. The constant threat of losing your benefits if you fail to meet job search requirements undermines trust and engagement. If the government is serious about change, it must rebuild that trust. That means removing punitive measures and creating a jobcentre that supports young people to move forward. They need more than CV workshops – they need time, support and relationships with work coaches who understand their ambitions and build their confidence. Most importantly, young people’s voices must be central to shaping the support designed for them. Sam Millichamp Tower Hamlets, London Polly Toynbee talks about the youth unemployment crisis without getting to the nub of the problem. The sorts of jobs that my peers and I did as teenagers 30 or 40 years ago as entry to the labour market are not filled by today’s teenagers. Visit cafes, shops, supermarkets and petrol stations today and you’ll find they’re largely staffed by 30-something workers from overseas, not school leavers. This is due to entirely rational decision-making by employers, driven by government policy. National insurance rises make employees more expensive. Rises in the minimum wage make young people as expensive as older people, yet they don’t have the same skills or experience. A ready supply of older migrants with experience means ...
NNehring/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Business Overview Aeva Technologies, Inc. ( AEVA ) is a LiDAR startup company that was founded by several ex-Apple engineers. In contrast to other LiDAR suppliers that provide standard 3D Time of Flight LiDARs, Aeva provides a Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) 4D LiDAR solution, which is unique to the market. The key proposition of its products ...
NNehring/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Business Overview Aeva Technologies, Inc. ( AEVA ) is a LiDAR startup company that was founded by several ex-Apple engineers. In contrast to other LiDAR suppliers that provide standard 3D Time of Flight LiDARs, Aeva provides a Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) 4D LiDAR solution, which is unique to the market. The key proposition of its products is that 4D LiDARs can detect the motion and speed of moving objects (instantaneous velocity detection), which allows it to estimate the velocity of other vehicles and pedestrians. This provides the vehicle with better capabilities in evading objects and avoiding crashes. Aeva is currently gearing up for the mass production stage of its business; over the past few years, most of Aeva's revenue has stemmed from prototype sales and non-recurring engineering revenue, which is why the business is still relatively small today (<$20 million revenue in FY2025). However, following several new customer wins in 2025, Aeva is looking to begin to scale up its revenue and has prepared an automated production line of 100,000 LiDAR units for this purpose. Major New Customer Wins Recently, Aeva's 4D LiDAR has also been selected as the reference sensor for the NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion autonomous vehicle platform. Being a reference partner is by no means a guarantee that Nvidia's customers will adopt Aeva's product, but it significantly boosts the recognition of Aeva and increases its chance of securing future LiDAR contracts. Looking at the present, the important details for Aeva will still be its recent order wins in 2025: Figure 1: Aeva 2025 Highlights and Achievements, Source: Aeva's Q4 Investors Presentation Aeva Daimler Trucks One of Aeva's first LiDAR contracts is for Daimler Trucks, which is one of the world's largest manufacturers of commercial vehicles. Aeva has managed to secure a design win in Daimler's Class 8 Freightliner Cascadia, which is Daimler's flagship series. Aeva will begi...