Xesai/iStock via Getty Images Hopes for a strong start to the year in the U.S. economy are fading as rising gas prices erode the impact of larger tax refunds, the Associated Press reported Sunday. A surge in refunds tied to recent tax cuts was expected to give consumers extra spending power this spring. But since the outbreak of war with Iran in late February, fuel prices have jumped sharply, with...
Xesai/iStock via Getty Images Hopes for a strong start to the year in the U.S. economy are fading as rising gas prices erode the impact of larger tax refunds, the Associated Press reported Sunday. A surge in refunds tied to recent tax cuts was expected to give consumers extra spending power this spring. But since the outbreak of war with Iran in late February, fuel prices have jumped sharply, with the national average nearing $4 a gallon. Economists now say much of that refund-driven boost may be canceled out. Higher energy costs are likely to linger even if tensions ease, as supply disruptions take time to resolve. That means more household income will go toward fuel instead of discretionary purchases like dining, travel or retail. Lower- and middle-income households are expected to feel the most strain, since they spend a larger share of their income on gas while receiving smaller refunds. Some forecasts suggest gas prices could climb further before easing later in the year. In that scenario, the average household’s additional fuel costs would nearly match the increase in their tax refund, effectively wiping out the benefit. Other estimates point to a similar outcome at the national level, with higher fuel spending outweighing the total boost from refunds. The timing is particularly challenging for consumers. Job growth has slowed, savings have declined and more households are relying on credit to maintain spending. Analysts warn that this could deepen existing economic divides, with lower-income groups bearing a disproportionate burden. While consumer spending has remained resilient so far, there are signs of strain. Gasoline purchases have jumped, while growth in discretionary spending has been steady but not accelerating. Most economists still expect the U.S. economy to expand this year, though at a slower pace. However, the anticipated lift from tax refunds now appears far weaker, as higher fuel costs absorb much of the potential gain, the AP reported. Dear Re...
Israeli Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, joins David Gura and Christina Ruffini this morning on Bloomberg This Weekend for a wide-ranging conversation on the war Iran, operations in Lebanon and achieving peace in the Middle East. Watch the show LIVE every Saturday and Sunday morning. (Source: Bloomberg)
Israeli Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, joins David Gura and Christina Ruffini this morning on Bloomberg This Weekend for a wide-ranging conversation on the war Iran, operations in Lebanon and achieving peace in the Middle East. Watch the show LIVE every Saturday and Sunday morning. (Source: Bloomberg)
On February 17, 2026, Hancock Prospecting disclosed a buy of NexGen Energy (NXE 1.14%), adding 828,245 shares in an estimated $7.31 million trade based on quarterly average pricing. What happened According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 17, 2026, Hancock Prospecting increased its position in NexGen Energy by 828,245 shares. The estimated transaction value was $...
On February 17, 2026, Hancock Prospecting disclosed a buy of NexGen Energy (NXE 1.14%), adding 828,245 shares in an estimated $7.31 million trade based on quarterly average pricing. What happened According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 17, 2026, Hancock Prospecting increased its position in NexGen Energy by 828,245 shares. The estimated transaction value was $7.31 million, calculated using the average share price over the fourth quarter of 2025. The fund’s quarter-end stake totaled 9,078,245 shares, with a reported value of $83.66 million, up $9.81 million from the prior filing. What else to know The fund’s buy lifted NexGen Energy to 2.57% of 13F AUM. Top holdings after the filing: NASDAQ: QQQ: $784.91 million (24.1% of AUM) NYSE: MP: $750.79 million (23.1% of AUM) NYSE: TECK: $493.19 million (15.2% of AUM) NYSE: HBM: $289.00 million (8.9% of AUM) NYSE: NXE: $83.66 million (2.6% of AUM) As of Friday, NexGen Energy shares were priced at $11.26, skyrocketing 123% over the past year as the S&P 500 instead gained 15%. Company overview Metric Value Price (as of Friday) $11.26 Market capitalization $7.4 billion Net income (TTM) ($309.7 million) Company snapshot NexGen Energy focuses on the acquisition, exploration, evaluation, and development of uranium properties, with the flagship Rook I project in Saskatchewan. The firm operates as an exploration and development stage company, generating value through advancing uranium assets toward production. It is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with principal operations in the Athabasca Basin region. NexGen Energy is a Canadian uranium exploration and development company with its principal asset, the Rook I project, located in the Athabasca Basin. The company is advancing its uranium assets toward production. What this transaction means for investors When it comes to long-cycle resource assets, the real conviction often shows up long before any headlines hit, and what stands out here is th...
Key Points Cinctive Capital Management initiated a new position by acquiring 157,815 shares of Commvault Systems in the fourth quarter. The quarter-end position value increased by $19.78 million as a result of the new portfolio addition. The position represents 1.07% of fund AUM, placing it outside the fund's top five holdings. 10 stocks we like better than Commvault Systems › On February 17, 2026...
Key Points Cinctive Capital Management initiated a new position by acquiring 157,815 shares of Commvault Systems in the fourth quarter. The quarter-end position value increased by $19.78 million as a result of the new portfolio addition. The position represents 1.07% of fund AUM, placing it outside the fund's top five holdings. 10 stocks we like better than Commvault Systems › On February 17, 2026, Cinctive Capital Management LP disclosed a new position in Commvault Systems (NASDAQ:CVLT), acquiring 157,815 shares in a transaction estimated at $19.78 million based on quarterly average pricing. What happened According to a February 17, 2026, SEC filing, Cinctive Capital Management reported a new position in Commvault Systems (NASDAQ:CVLT), acquiring 157,815 shares. The quarter-end value of the position stood at $19.78 million. What else to know The new position in Commvault Systems accounts for 1.07% of Cinctive’s 13F reportable AUM as of December 31, 2025. Top five holdings after the filing: NYSE:VST: $53.84 million (3.1% of AUM) NYSE:CVX: $36.56 million (2.1% of AUM) NASDAQ:FYBR: $36.41 million (2.1% of AUM) NASDAQ:EXAS: $33.51 million (1.9% of AUM) NASDAQ:CYBR: $32.93 million (1.9% of AUM) As of Friday, Commvault Systems shares were priced at $79.41, down 51% over the past year and well underperforming the S&P 500, which is instead up about 15% in the same period. Company overview Metric Value Price (as of Friday) $79.41 Market capitalization $3.5 billion Revenue (TTM) $1.15 billion Net income (TTM) $87.00 million Company snapshot Commvault Systems offers data protection, backup and recovery, disaster recovery, and cloud-based storage solutions, with flagship products such as Commvault Backup and Recovery, Commvault Disaster Recovery, and the Metallic SaaS platform. The company generates revenue primarily through the sale of software licenses, cloud-based services, integrated appliances, and professional support services, leveraging both direct sales and an extensi...
An undercover police officer has admitted he was exposed as an infiltrator by his own blunder, which has been described by activists as worthy of Inspector Clouseau, the spycops public inquiry has heard. The officer, who used the fake name Simon Wellings, jeopardised his own covert deployment by mistakenly recording himself discussing individual campaigners with other special branch officers. He c...
An undercover police officer has admitted he was exposed as an infiltrator by his own blunder, which has been described by activists as worthy of Inspector Clouseau, the spycops public inquiry has heard. The officer, who used the fake name Simon Wellings, jeopardised his own covert deployment by mistakenly recording himself discussing individual campaigners with other special branch officers. He committed the error while infiltrating leftwing groups as a member of a covert Scotland Yard unit. It happened when he attended a secret meeting with the special branch officers and was asked if he had the telephone number of an activist. He looked up her number on his phone, but then mistakenly dialled it. His call was diverted to the activist’s voicemail, which recorded him being asked by the other officers to identify campaigners from photographs he was being shown. He did not realise their conversation was being recorded. Internal police documents show that, after he was exposed, the police considered whether to leave the anti-capitalist group he had infiltrated “intact” or whether to “mount a destructive operation”. Wellings was questioned last week by the inquiry that is examining how about 139 undercover officers spied on tens of thousands of predominantly leftwing activists over the course of more than four decades. The undercover officers assumed fake identities as they hoovered up information about the political and personal lives of the activists. Wellings said he submitted up to 4,000 surveillance reports on campaigners while he infiltrated Globalise Resistance, the anti-capitalist group, and other leftwing campaigns between 2001 and 2007. These included details of campaigners’ bank accounts, housing, personal relationships and finances. Wellings made the accidental recording in 2004 while meeting with officers in special branch, the secretive police division that monitored political groups. Activists from Globalise Resistance recognised his voice from the record...
The advent and proliferation of the internet began altering corporate growth trajectories more than three decades ago. Since then, investors have been waiting (impatiently) for the next technological leap forward. While several other hyped trends followed in the footsteps of the internet, including nanotechnology, 3D printing, and blockchain technology, it's artificial intelligence (AI) that's tru...
The advent and proliferation of the internet began altering corporate growth trajectories more than three decades ago. Since then, investors have been waiting (impatiently) for the next technological leap forward. While several other hyped trends followed in the footsteps of the internet, including nanotechnology, 3D printing, and blockchain technology, it's artificial intelligence (AI) that's truly stepped up. Analysts at PwC believe artificial intelligence can add $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. If this estimate is even remotely close, it explains why shares of graphics processing unit (GPU) titans Nvidia (NVDA 3.17%) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD 1.94%), commonly known as "AMD," have soared. Since the start of 2023, shares of Nvidia and AMD have climbed by 1,140% and 208%, respectively. But while the operating results of this dynamic duo validate investors' excitement, Wall Street's immediate reaction to their quarterly results is nothing short of a $711 billion warning that AI investors can't ignore. Nvidia and AMD have laid a solid foundation as GPU titans However, before digging into the details behind this warning, investors need to understand how Nvidia and AMD became two of the most consequential companies in the AI arena. Most of the hoopla surrounding these juggernauts stems from their GPUs. While both companies have other product lines, many of which are profitable/successful, investors' focus has been on growth in their respective GPUs -- i.e., the brains powering split-second decision-making, generative AI solutions, and large language model training in AI-accelerated data centers. Nvidia's GPUs have held a virtual monopoly in enterprise data center market share for years. Several generations of its GPUs, including Hopper, Blackwell, and Blackwell Ultra, have been superior to external competitors, including AMD, in terms of compute capabilities. To build on this point, it's unlikely that AMD or any overseas competitors will close the ga...
The advent and proliferation of the internet began altering corporate growth trajectories more than three decades ago. Since then, investors have been waiting (impatiently) for the next technological leap forward. While several other hyped trends followed in the footsteps of the internet, including nanotechnology, 3D printing, and blockchain technology, it's artificial intelligence (AI) that's tru...
The advent and proliferation of the internet began altering corporate growth trajectories more than three decades ago. Since then, investors have been waiting (impatiently) for the next technological leap forward. While several other hyped trends followed in the footsteps of the internet, including nanotechnology, 3D printing, and blockchain technology, it's artificial intelligence (AI) that's truly stepped up. Analysts at PwC believe artificial intelligence can add $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. If this estimate is even remotely close, it explains why shares of graphics processing unit (GPU) titans Nvidia (NVDA 3.17%) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD 1.94%), commonly known as "AMD," have soared. Since the start of 2023, shares of Nvidia and AMD have climbed by 1,140% and 208%, respectively. But while the operating results of this dynamic duo validate investors' excitement, Wall Street's immediate reaction to their quarterly results is nothing short of a $711 billion warning that AI investors can't ignore. Nvidia and AMD have laid a solid foundation as GPU titans However, before digging into the details behind this warning, investors need to understand how Nvidia and AMD became two of the most consequential companies in the AI arena. Most of the hoopla surrounding these juggernauts stems from their GPUs. While both companies have other product lines, many of which are profitable/successful, investors' focus has been on growth in their respective GPUs -- i.e., the brains powering split-second decision-making, generative AI solutions, and large language model training in AI-accelerated data centers. Nvidia's GPUs have held a virtual monopoly in enterprise data center market share for years. Several generations of its GPUs, including Hopper, Blackwell, and Blackwell Ultra, have been superior to external competitors, including AMD, in terms of compute capabilities. To build on this point, it's unlikely that AMD or any overseas competitors will close the ga...
Wall Street's major averages closed deep in the red on Friday, with oil sustaining higher prices even as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said the country is helping to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The benchmark S&P 500 ended -1.5%, while the Nasdaq Composite finished -2%, and the blue-chip Dow closed -1%. Week-to-date, the indexes were -2%, -2.1%, and -2.1%, respectively. The S&P 500 Health Care ...
Wall Street's major averages closed deep in the red on Friday, with oil sustaining higher prices even as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said the country is helping to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The benchmark S&P 500 ended -1.5%, while the Nasdaq Composite finished -2%, and the blue-chip Dow closed -1%. Week-to-date, the indexes were -2%, -2.1%, and -2.1%, respectively. The S&P 500 Health Care Index Sector ( XLV ) also slipped about 3.76% during the week. The top S&P 500 healthcare gainers and losers for the last week are as follows: Top Gainers: Align Technology ( ALGN ) +5.45% Waters ( WAT ) +4.33% DexCom ( DXCM ) +4.22% Insulet Corporation ( PODD ) +3.30% Humana ( HUM ) +2.70% Top Losers: Eli Lilly and Company ( LLY ) -7.96% HCA Healthcare ( HCA ) -7.33% Baxter International ( BAX ) -7.18% AbbVie ( ABBV ) -6.65% Cencora ( COR ) -6.58% Here are some of the important healthcare stories from this week: Lilly cut Sell equivalent rating at HSBC on valuation concerns Eli Lilly ( LLY ) shares slipped on Tuesday after HSBC downgraded the weight loss drugmaker to Reduce from Hold, issuing the pharma giant’s only sell-equivalent rating on Wall Street, according to Bloomberg data. Shares of the Indiana-based drugmaker are "priced to perfection," analyst Rajesh Kumar wrote, slashing his price target on the stock to $850 from $1,070 per share. “Whilst the execution at Lilly has been good so far, we think the risk of paying up for its bullish world view embedded in the guidance is unattractive,” Kumar added, flagging concerns over the extent of the total addressable market (TAM) that the company can command in obesity. The analyst noted that Lilly ( LLY ), which is awaiting FDA approval of its oral obesity therapy orforglipron over the coming weeks, can risk having a smaller TAM compared to the consensus as rival Novo ( NVO ) attempts to regain market share and engage in price competition. “The company might be set to disappoint expectations if the compliance and persistenc...
Michael M. Santiago Apple ( AAPL ) Chief Executive Tim Cook struck a positive tone on China’s innovation and manufacturing strength during remarks in Beijing, even as the company faces ongoing scrutiny from regulators over its App Store practices. Speaking Sunday at the China Development Forum, Cook highlighted the role of local developers and the country’s advanced production capabilities, while ...
Michael M. Santiago Apple ( AAPL ) Chief Executive Tim Cook struck a positive tone on China’s innovation and manufacturing strength during remarks in Beijing, even as the company faces ongoing scrutiny from regulators over its App Store practices. Speaking Sunday at the China Development Forum, Cook highlighted the role of local developers and the country’s advanced production capabilities, while emphasizing shared priorities between Apple ( AAPL ) and China in areas such as sustainability and education, Bloomberg News reported. “Innovation, green development and education are not separate properties. They are deeply connected,” Cook said. “They represent the vision of progress that we at Apple share, and we are committed to collaborating with our partners across China and with all of you to make that vision a reality.” His comments came shortly after Apple ( AAPL ) reduced the fees it charges developers in China, a move seen as an attempt to ease regulatory pressure in a key market. Despite that concession, state media signaled that authorities may still push for further changes, including loosening App Store restrictions and addressing what it described as monopolistic behavior. Cook also pointed to the strength of China’s developer ecosystem and its broader economic impact, noting that innovation is reshaping the country’s manufacturing sector. While Apple ( AAPL ) continues to assemble most of its products in China, the company has been gradually expanding production into countries like India and Vietnam. “There is a Chinese proverb I love - ‘a single tree does not make a forest,’” Cook said. “Together, I believe we can plant that forest.” Apple’s ( AAPL ) business in China has shown renewed momentum, with revenue climbing sharply in the most recent holiday quarter, driven by strong demand for its latest iPhones and users switching from competing brands. Also speaking at the forum, Chinese Premier Li Qiang pointed to Apple ( AAPL ) as an example of a company ben...
Michael M. Santiago Apple ( AAPL ) Chief Executive Tim Cook struck a positive tone on China’s innovation and manufacturing strength during remarks in Beijing, even as the company faces ongoing scrutiny from regulators over its App Store practices. Speaking Sunday at the China Development Forum, Cook highlighted the role of local developers and the country’s advanced production capabilities, while ...
Michael M. Santiago Apple ( AAPL ) Chief Executive Tim Cook struck a positive tone on China’s innovation and manufacturing strength during remarks in Beijing, even as the company faces ongoing scrutiny from regulators over its App Store practices. Speaking Sunday at the China Development Forum, Cook highlighted the role of local developers and the country’s advanced production capabilities, while emphasizing shared priorities between Apple ( AAPL ) and China in areas such as sustainability and education, Bloomberg News reported. “Innovation, green development and education are not separate properties. They are deeply connected,” Cook said. “They represent the vision of progress that we at Apple share, and we are committed to collaborating with our partners across China and with all of you to make that vision a reality.” His comments came shortly after Apple ( AAPL ) reduced the fees it charges developers in China, a move seen as an attempt to ease regulatory pressure in a key market. Despite that concession, state media signaled that authorities may still push for further changes, including loosening App Store restrictions and addressing what it described as monopolistic behavior. Cook also pointed to the strength of China’s developer ecosystem and its broader economic impact, noting that innovation is reshaping the country’s manufacturing sector. While Apple ( AAPL ) continues to assemble most of its products in China, the company has been gradually expanding production into countries like India and Vietnam. “There is a Chinese proverb I love - ‘a single tree does not make a forest,’” Cook said. “Together, I believe we can plant that forest.” Apple’s ( AAPL ) business in China has shown renewed momentum, with revenue climbing sharply in the most recent holiday quarter, driven by strong demand for its latest iPhones and users switching from competing brands. Also speaking at the forum, Chinese Premier Li Qiang pointed to Apple ( AAPL ) as an example of a company ben...
Alex Rodriguez, Co-Host of Bloomberg's "The Deal," sat down with Lisa Mateo for a wide-ranging interview discussing sports investments, the future of baseball and what to expect from the next season of his hit podcast. Watch the full conversation on 'Bloomberg This Weekend.' We're LIVE every Saturday and Sunday morning. (Source: Bloomberg)
Alex Rodriguez, Co-Host of Bloomberg's "The Deal," sat down with Lisa Mateo for a wide-ranging interview discussing sports investments, the future of baseball and what to expect from the next season of his hit podcast. Watch the full conversation on 'Bloomberg This Weekend.' We're LIVE every Saturday and Sunday morning. (Source: Bloomberg)
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies declined anew as the US, Israel and Iran traded fresh threats and attacks. The largest coin fell as much as 3.3% on Sunday to trade around $68,150, the lowest level since early March. The selloff was fiercer among other tokens, with Ether losing nearly 5% at one point to sink to $2,050 and Solana , XRP and Cardano also dropping. Bitcoin has sold off since the sta...
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies declined anew as the US, Israel and Iran traded fresh threats and attacks. The largest coin fell as much as 3.3% on Sunday to trade around $68,150, the lowest level since early March. The selloff was fiercer among other tokens, with Ether losing nearly 5% at one point to sink to $2,050 and Solana , XRP and Cardano also dropping. Bitcoin has sold off since the start of the war , losing roughly 20% since the US and Israel started their attacks on Iran at the end of February. The drawdown has exposed the limits of an argument that’s long been made in crypto circles about the coin’s ability to act as a safe haven amid times of crisis. But other factors are also at play, according to Peter Tchir , head of macro strategy at Academy Securities, including that Bitcoin has been caught up in a broader selloff that’s also dragged down stocks and other risky assets. Higher energy prices may also be weighing on the industry given that it makes mining the token more expensive. “Much of the recent gains to me seem to have been bets on legislation, which is probably getting harder to pass — DC is focused on war, and lately, the new legislation hasn’t led to the buying mania from newbies that the crypto community seems to expect,” Tchir said on Sunday. “It does seem like risk is increasing again.” During the war, the crypto market — which trades 24/7 — has offered traders a weekend view into how other assets might trade once traditional markets open. Perpetual futures on Hyperliquid, a crypto exchange that has become one of the largest venues for around-the-clock derivatives trading, on Sunday showed oil-linked contracts trading higher by more than 2% to $98 a barrel, as of around 9 a.m. in New York. Those on the Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 were lower. President Donald Trump said he would bomb Iran’s power plants unless the country reopened the Strait of Hormuz, a key transportation passageway that’s effectively been closed for weeks, leading to a run-u...
On February 17, 2026, Kintayl Capital disclosed in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing that it sold 495,390 shares of Core Scientific (NASDAQ:CORZ) during the fourth quarter, an estimated $8.64 million transaction based on average quarterly pricing. According to an SEC filing dated February 17, 2026, Kintayl Capital reported selling 495,390 shares of Core Scientific during the f...
On February 17, 2026, Kintayl Capital disclosed in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing that it sold 495,390 shares of Core Scientific (NASDAQ:CORZ) during the fourth quarter, an estimated $8.64 million transaction based on average quarterly pricing. According to an SEC filing dated February 17, 2026, Kintayl Capital reported selling 495,390 shares of Core Scientific during the fourth quarter of 2025. The estimated transaction value was $8.64 million, based on the mean closing price for the quarter. The fund ended the period holding 74,664 shares, with a quarter-end value of $1.09 million. The net position change, which factors in both trading and price drift, was a decrease of $9.14 million. Core Scientific, Inc. is a leading provider of blockchain infrastructure and digital asset mining services, operating large-scale facilities across North America. The company leverages proprietary technology and operational scale to deliver both self-mining and colocation solutions for institutional clients. Its integrated business model and focus on high-performance infrastructure position it as a key player in the digital asset ecosystem. Continue reading
It is a sign of the times. This week it was revealed that hummus is joining the list of foods used to measure the cost of living in Britain as the ubiquity of the dip at mealtimes sees it billed as the “new ketchup”. The decision to drop a pot of hummus in the inflation basket is a moment for the all-conquering chickpea dip, which arrived on supermarket shelves on the late 1980s. Since then Briton...
It is a sign of the times. This week it was revealed that hummus is joining the list of foods used to measure the cost of living in Britain as the ubiquity of the dip at mealtimes sees it billed as the “new ketchup”. The decision to drop a pot of hummus in the inflation basket is a moment for the all-conquering chickpea dip, which arrived on supermarket shelves on the late 1980s. Since then Britons have gone from spending virtually nothing to £170m a year on the versatile stuff. “What this shows us is that the UK diet is now global,” says Ramona Hazan, whose first name is emblazoned on pots of hummus stacked in supermarket fridges across the country. “There is a lot more Middle-Eastern food as mainstream and supermarket ranges are reflecting that.” The success of Ramona’s says it all. Hazan started the company in the kitchen of her London flat in 2004 with a £25 Kenwood blender. The brand was recently valued at £24m and now produces 80-100 tonnes of hummus a week. Asked whether the hummus had become, as one Times columnist put it, “officially middle-class ketchup”, Hazan says she “hopes so”, but adds: “I don’t think it’s only middle class. It is everywhere. It is a healthy alternative to a lot of things on the market. “You used to take it to a party and dip your crisps in it, whereas now it is not just a dip. Use it instead of mayonnaise. It’s a sandwich filler. You see tons of posts on Instagram and TikTok showing what people are doing with it.” View image in fullscreen Ramona’s hummus competes with a large variety of supermarket and independent brands. Photograph: Robert Billington/The Guardian The possibilities for hummus are it seems endless. Social media feeds are full of food influencers putting a dollop of it in “health bowls” alongside quinoa and avocado. Hazan adds that it can also be added to soups and mixed through pasta. “Even if you’re eating it with crisps you’re eating something that’s full of chickpeas. You wouldn’t take a bowl of chickpeas and eat t...
Regulators narrow securities definitions – a shift that could benefit Trump family’s crypto projects Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox On Tuesday, major US financial regulators published rules for the cryptocurrency industry that may reduce regulatory requirements and that insiders believe will benefit the Trump family’s ventures. The Securities and Exch...
Regulators narrow securities definitions – a shift that could benefit Trump family’s crypto projects Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox On Tuesday, major US financial regulators published rules for the cryptocurrency industry that may reduce regulatory requirements and that insiders believe will benefit the Trump family’s ventures. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued new guidelines for the cryptocurrency industry to answer the longstanding question of what does or does not qualify as a security, a classification that entails strict oversight. SEC chair, Paul Atkins, has dubbed the framework a “token taxonomy” for the sector. Published jointly with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the guidelines classify most of crypto-based assets as commodities, collectibles, payment tokens or “digital tools”, exempting them from the SEC’s more stringent oversight and disclosure requirements. Only blockchain-based representations of existing securities, such as stocks and bonds, remain classified as securities under this new framework. Continue reading...
From the fluffy dough to the gooey filling, our resident perfectionist pulls apart the best way to create Georgia’s iconic, indulgent cheese-stuffed bread The first time I encountered what Tiko Tuskadze describes as “perhaps the most iconic of all Georgian dishes” was in her London restaurant, Little Georgia , back in the days when it was a tiny space on Broadway Market. If “traditional cheesebrea...
From the fluffy dough to the gooey filling, our resident perfectionist pulls apart the best way to create Georgia’s iconic, indulgent cheese-stuffed bread The first time I encountered what Tiko Tuskadze describes as “perhaps the most iconic of all Georgian dishes” was in her London restaurant, Little Georgia , back in the days when it was a tiny space on Broadway Market. If “traditional cheesebread … baked to order” sounded good on the menu, the reality of khachapuri was even better: a golden round of fluffy, buttery bread spilling forth frills of hot, salty dairy on to the plate (this is the kind of thing that passes for fast food in Georgia, according to Silvena Rowe , which makes me feel as if we’ve been slightly short-changed.) Tuskadze goes on to explain in her book Supra that there are “as many variations … as there are families in Georgia” – the boat-shaped, open adjaruili that Polina Chesnakova notes has “taken the internet by storm”, the Ossetian mashed potato variety and the Gurian take with hard-boiled eggs and a “supremely fluffy, slightly oniony, soufflé-like cheese filling”, which inspires Caroline Eden to share with readers of her book Green Mountains the glorious Georgian word shemomechama , “which loosely translates as, ‘I accidentally ate the whole thing’”. Here, however, I’m going to concentrate on what Chesnakova says is “by far the one most commonly consumed in Georgia itself”, and also the one that reminds Tuskadze most of home, namely imeruli khachapuri , originally from the west-central region of Imereti, which is “essentially a flat bread stuffed with buttery imeruli cheese curds and cooked on the stovetop”. Need I say more? Continue reading...
For most of its three-year bull run , the S&P 500 Index has moved in lockstep with the shares of technology giants. But the relationship is suddenly breaking down — and that could be good news for languishing tech stocks. The correlation between an index tracking the so-called Magnificent Seven and the equal-weighted version of the S&P 500, which more accurately reflects the full performance of al...
For most of its three-year bull run , the S&P 500 Index has moved in lockstep with the shares of technology giants. But the relationship is suddenly breaking down — and that could be good news for languishing tech stocks. The correlation between an index tracking the so-called Magnificent Seven and the equal-weighted version of the S&P 500, which more accurately reflects the full performance of all the stocks by removing the weighting of the biggest companies, turned negative on Feb. 23, an indication that they were becoming untethered. Since then, the correlation has continued to fall as the war in Iran disrupts markets and sparks a jump in oil prices . “We’ve never had a tech cycle move this quickly,” said Daniel Newman , chief executive officer of the Futurum Group. “We just don’t know what will come next.” The correlation has been more negative than it is now only one other time since the start of 2016. In the first quarter of 2023, the Magnificent Seven — which consists of Nvidia Corp. , Apple Inc. , Microsoft Corp. , Alphabet Inc. , Amazon.com Inc. , Meta Platforms Inc. and Tesla Inc. — raced ahead as artificial intelligence euphoria kicked off in the wake of OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT on Nov. 30, 2022. Meanwhile, the rest of the S&P 500 remained dormant as it struggled to emerge from a bear market . From January through March 2023, the Magnificent Seven index climbed 45% while the regular S&P 500 gained 7%. Eventually the tech enthusiasm spilled over into the broader market, as the S&P 500 finished 2023 up 24% and rallied another 23% in 2024. This time, the correlation breakdown comes after several months in which the Magnificent Seven lagged the broader market amid concerns about heavy spending on AI. From the end of October through February, the Bloomberg Magnificent 7 index fell 7.3%, compared with an advance of 8.9% for the S&P 500 Equal Weighted Index, led by cyclical sectors like energy and materials. In the weeks since the correlation turned negative,...
Of course, the market is in a very different place now than it was three years ago, with the war in Iran casting a shadow over everything. Meanwhile, Big Tech’s performance has been hampered by concerns that weighed on the stocks before the fighting started, namely heavy spending on AI and the disruption the emerging technology will bring. In the weeks since the correlation turned negative, the ga...
Of course, the market is in a very different place now than it was three years ago, with the war in Iran casting a shadow over everything. Meanwhile, Big Tech’s performance has been hampered by concerns that weighed on the stocks before the fighting started, namely heavy spending on AI and the disruption the emerging technology will bring. In the weeks since the correlation turned negative, the gauges have swapped positions. While the Big Tech cohort sank into a correction this month, their decline has been smaller than that of the broader benchmark. This time, the correlation breakdown comes after several months in which the Magnificent Seven lagged the broader market amid concerns about heavy spending on AI. From the end of October through February, the Bloomberg Magnificent 7 index fell 7.3%, compared with an advance of 8.9% for the S&P 500 Equal Weighted Index, led by cyclical sectors like energy and materials. From January through March 2023, the Magnificent Seven index climbed 45% while the regular S&P 500 gained 7%. Eventually the tech enthusiasm spilled over into the broader market, as the S&P 500 finished 2023 up 24% and rallied another 23% in 2024. The correlation has been more negative than it is now only one other time since the start of 2016. In the first quarter of 2023, the Magnificent Seven — which consists of Nvidia Corp., Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp., Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Meta Platforms Inc. and Tesla Inc. — raced ahead as artificial intelligence euphoria kicked off in the wake of OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT on Nov. 30, 2022. Meanwhile, the rest of the S&P 500 remained dormant as it struggled to emerge from a bear market. “We’ve never had a tech cycle move this quickly,” said Daniel Newman, chief executive officer of the Futurum Group. “We just don’t know what will come next.” The correlation between an index tracking the so-called Magnificent Seven and the equal-weighted version of the S&P 500, which more accurately reflects the full per...
Sonos is no stranger to the occasional sale. The iconic audio company routinely runs sales around Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day, and the Super Bowl, though it’s rare to see substantial discounts on its portable speakers outside of tentpole shopping events. Fortunately, if you have no interest in the Sonos Move 2 or forthcoming Sonos Play , the Sonos Roam 2 is currently available from Amazon , Wal...
Sonos is no stranger to the occasional sale. The iconic audio company routinely runs sales around Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day, and the Super Bowl, though it’s rare to see substantial discounts on its portable speakers outside of tentpole shopping events. Fortunately, if you have no interest in the Sonos Move 2 or forthcoming Sonos Play , the Sonos Roam 2 is currently available from Amazon , Walmart , and Sonos for $139 ($40 off), which is just $5 shy of its lowest price to date. Sonos Roam 2 Where to Buy: $179 $139 at Amazon $179 $139 at Sonos $179 $139 at Walmart The original Sonos Roam was by no means a bad speaker, but the quality-of-life updates on the Roam 2 are genuinely meaningful, particularly if you were the kind of person who constantly struggled to pair the first-gen model with anything via Bluetooth (guilty as charged). The latest Roam has a dedicated pairing button on the back — meaning you don’t have to hold down the power button for a set period of time just to sync it with a new phone — while still letting you tap into Sonos’ larger ecosystem of products via your home’s Wi-Fi network. Sound quality remains unchanged, though that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The first-gen Roam was one of the best-sounding speakers in its class, with pleasantly crisp vocal performance and enough depth to satiate most folks, especially when Sonos’s automatic Trueplay room optimization tool did its job. It’s a bit of a bummer that the USB-C port remains strictly for power, and that battery life tops out at 10 hours, but I’d venture that most folks are simply going to be using it at the park or simply for an afternoon at the pool. After all, it has IP67 waterproofing, which means it can withstand up to 30 minutes in 3 feet of water. Perhaps best of all, though, Sons claims to have made some tweaks and optimizations under the hood to ensure battery performance holds up in the long run, which was a crux of the original model. I haven’t had the Roam 2 long enough to say...
BJP7images/iStock via Getty Images I first came across United States Antimony Corporation ( UAMY ) towards the end of last year. I reviewed the stock and rated it a buy at that time. I liked the market and outlook for the company. It is fast-growing and is in a market of high importance with critical minerals. It is also becoming more and more vertically integrated to improve margins and become a ...
BJP7images/iStock via Getty Images I first came across United States Antimony Corporation ( UAMY ) towards the end of last year. I reviewed the stock and rated it a buy at that time. I liked the market and outlook for the company. It is fast-growing and is in a market of high importance with critical minerals. It is also becoming more and more vertically integrated to improve margins and become a US supplier of antimony. The continued world conflicts only drives the need for domestic production of critical minerals even more. The stock has performed very well since I rated it a buy, increasing by approximately 25% in the past 4 months. The stock has been volatile, and after the latest earnings report, it saw a bit of pullback. There were a few weak spots in the report, but overall I think it confirmed the continued growth and potential in the company. Seeking Alpha The company maintained its strong revenue guidance for 2026. It also has continued to expand its future potential with additional mining claims and additional sources for new antimony. The company has landed long-term contracts with the government as well as commercial companies. I think the need for a US supplier of critical minerals will continue to be more and more important over time and continue to be a focus for the government. Financials The company continued its strong growth to end the year. The company reported revenues of $39.3 million for 2025, up 163% from $14.9 million the prior year. While the growth was solid, it was slightly below previously provided guidance of $40 - $43 million. Margins improved slightly, with the gross margin increasing to 25% from 23%. At first glance this was a little disappointing for me, as I was expecting to see a higher margin as the company continued to scale and mine its own ore. The company noted, though, that the results did not include the processing of its in-house antimony. It also did not include deliveries under the government contract. So that margin is...
Suphanat Khumsap/iStock via Getty Images Real Estate Weekly Outlook U.S. equity markets fell for a fourth straight week—while benchmark interest rates jumped to eight-month highs—as continued turmoil in the Middle East rattled financial markets and revived concerns about energy-driven inflation. The third week of the Iran conflict settled into an uneasy equilibrium between escalation and de-escala...
Suphanat Khumsap/iStock via Getty Images Real Estate Weekly Outlook U.S. equity markets fell for a fourth straight week—while benchmark interest rates jumped to eight-month highs—as continued turmoil in the Middle East rattled financial markets and revived concerns about energy-driven inflation. The third week of the Iran conflict settled into an uneasy equilibrium between escalation and de-escalation amid a continued standstill in the Strait of Hormuz - the key global energy supply chokepoint. Washington dug deeper into the playbook to counteract the surge in global energy prices, invoking the Jones Act domestically while escalating pressure abroad through strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island oil export hub and signaling that ground troop deployments remain on the table if disruptions to the Strait persist. The Federal Reserve - long bemoaning tariff-related inflation that largely failed to materialize - did little to calm markets, delivering a “hawkish hold” that pushed traders to price in rate hikes by year-end as legitimate energy-driven inflation risks reemerge. Hoya Capital Extending its weekly losing skid to the longest in a year, the S&P 500 declined 2.1%, leaving the major benchmark 6.8% below its January record high. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 fell 2.0% on the week, now on the cusp of "correction territory" with a 9.6% drawdown from its October 2025 peak. A subtle emerging theme this week was the relative resilience of more domestically oriented sectors and smaller-cap segments - particularly those less exposed to global trade and energy shocks. Posting more muted losses of around 1% this week, the Small-Cap 600 is now the lone major equity benchmark still in positive territory on the year. Real estate equities - which had been holding their ground amid the recent resurgence in interest rates - finally came under pressure this week despite a wave of positive developments on the M&A front, including a successful IPO, a sizable REIT-to-REIT merger, and a handful of...
Getty Images Entering week four of the Iranian war that started on February 28, we are nowhere close to seeing the conflict come to an end soon. And that is despite the US and the Israeli forces claiming to have decimated the Iranian military . Yet, just over the weekend, we witnessed how Iran came close to striking the Diego Garcia US/UK military base. These attacks were reportedly carried out by...
Getty Images Entering week four of the Iranian war that started on February 28, we are nowhere close to seeing the conflict come to an end soon. And that is despite the US and the Israeli forces claiming to have decimated the Iranian military . Yet, just over the weekend, we witnessed how Iran came close to striking the Diego Garcia US/UK military base. These attacks were reportedly carried out by firing intermediate-range ballistic missiles, upending the market's conventional wisdom on the types of advanced missile arsenals that the Iranian regime possesses. Although the attack ultimately didn't pan out as Iran would have wanted to, it validates my belief that Iran remains a significant threat to US forces. But, now the threat level isn't just focused solely in the Middle East region, but we also need to think about whether Europe could also be at risk of being hit by Iran too. I believe this serves as a timely demonstration of potentially greater escalation that the Iranian regime is capable of, mitigating the optimism from the White House and from the US Central Command (the US regional military command primarily responsible for mission execution). As week four is about to unfold, I believe the uncertainties threatening the US markets and the global peers are seemingly teetering on the precipice, even though the US market has outperformed global stocks, demonstrating the resilience and confidence of investors in the strength of US equities. US & global index (WSJ) Based on what we can observe from the above chart, the go global narrative has clearly been upended. It's now sending tremors to ex-US stocks, hitting investors who bought into that proposition earlier this year. With the US economy energy independent, as the US is a net exporter of energy, I believe global investors are now starting to price in a prolonged conflict, which makes sense. As we head into week four, we have already encountered attacks by the Israelis and the Iranian sides on the Middle East...
Australia’s pensions industry will grow to A$5.7 trillion ($4 trillion) by the end of the decade as the number of funds declines because of mergers that will increasingly concentrate assets in the hands of fewer, bigger firms. A study by Mercer showed the number of funds will decline to about 45 by 2030, from 75 currently, and that will drop further to about 30 by 2035. By 2050 there will be just ...
Australia’s pensions industry will grow to A$5.7 trillion ($4 trillion) by the end of the decade as the number of funds declines because of mergers that will increasingly concentrate assets in the hands of fewer, bigger firms. A study by Mercer showed the number of funds will decline to about 45 by 2030, from 75 currently, and that will drop further to about 30 by 2035. By 2050 there will be just 20 funds that control around A$15 trillion, the report released on Monday estimated. Australia’s pensions system — known locally as superannuation — is the world’s fourth largest and is projected to leap to second place in coming years, as mandatory employer contributions help to build nest eggs for retirees. Into the next decade, however, more aging Australians are predicted to start drawing down on their savings, adding pressure on the cashflows of funds. Mercer expects the average fund to quadruple in size to A$161 billion by 2035 as investment returns drive growth. Retirement products which provide an income to members drawing down from their pension currently comprise 18% of assets and that’s projected to reach 25% by 2035. Top Pensions in $3.2 Trillion Australian System Aim to Bet on US Macquarie Touts Australian Pension Heft at Washington Meeting Wealth Fund’s Conflict Warnings Proves Prescient as Bets Pay Off
Catch up on all the headlines with BTW. Lisa Mateo, Christina Ruffini and David Gura dive into the headlines you may have missed on Bloomberg This Weekend. Watch more here: Watch the show LIVE every Saturday and Sunday morning. (Source: Bloomberg)
Catch up on all the headlines with BTW. Lisa Mateo, Christina Ruffini and David Gura dive into the headlines you may have missed on Bloomberg This Weekend. Watch more here: Watch the show LIVE every Saturday and Sunday morning. (Source: Bloomberg)