Galeanu Mihai/iStock via Getty Images Fund performance Columbia Global Technology Growth Fund Institutional Class shares returned 1.97% for the three months ended December 31, 2025. The fund underperformed its benchmark, the S&P Global 1200 Information Technology Index, which returned 3.21% during the fourth quarter. Security selection drove the fund's performance relative to the index. Market ove...
Galeanu Mihai/iStock via Getty Images Fund performance Columbia Global Technology Growth Fund Institutional Class shares returned 1.97% for the three months ended December 31, 2025. The fund underperformed its benchmark, the S&P Global 1200 Information Technology Index, which returned 3.21% during the fourth quarter. Security selection drove the fund's performance relative to the index. Market overview Markets trended modestly higher during the fourth quarter of 2025, with the broad S&P 500 Index returning 2.66% during the quarter, while the Nasdaq 100 Index gained 2.47% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average outperformed, with a 4.03% advance. The quarter's performance reflected a notable shift in market leadership, as large-cap value stocks and broader market breadth strengthened, relative to the technology-heavy growth names that dominated earlier in the year. Two primary drivers shaped investor sentiment during the period: the U.S. Federal Reserve's continuation of its rate-cutting cycle amid cooling inflation, and a maturing phase in artificial intelligence (AI) investments, as markets scrutinized elevated investment levels. The Fed's accommodative monetary policy provided a supportive backdrop for equity markets throughout the quarter, with continued rate cuts bringing the federal funds rate lower, as policymakers responded to a cooling labor market and inflation that moderated but remained above target levels. The economic backdrop remained resilient, with above-trend growth continuing despite policy uncertainties, while corporate fundamentals proved solid with healthy earnings growth. Technology investors remained hyper-focused on the economics of AI deployment, as the quarter marked a critical transition from experimental pilots to scaled enterprise implementations and a fundamental shift in market expectations. Leading AI stocks experienced divergent performance, with memory-chip suppliers surging on supply constraints, while other AI infrastructure names fa...
Moody’s Ratings lifted Bolivia’s credit rating following a pledge by the government it will be able to meet dollar bond coupon payments this month. Bolivia’s rating was raised to Caa3 from Ca with a positive outlook, Moody’s said in a statement . Still, the rating remains well below investment grade and in line with with peers including Ethiopia and Niger. The upgrade comes after Finance Minister ...
Moody’s Ratings lifted Bolivia’s credit rating following a pledge by the government it will be able to meet dollar bond coupon payments this month. Bolivia’s rating was raised to Caa3 from Ca with a positive outlook, Moody’s said in a statement . Still, the rating remains well below investment grade and in line with with peers including Ethiopia and Niger. The upgrade comes after Finance Minister Jose Gabriel Espinoza last week said there were enough reserves to cover $356 million in interest and principal payments on $1 billion of notes due in 2028. The government is also looking to swap notes held by public institutions into local currency debt to help manage the liquidity of the central bank’s cash reserves. The upgrade “reflects a reduction in near-term default risks following the political transition in late 2025, which has allowed foreign-exchange reserves to rise to levels that we view as sufficient to cover upcoming external bond payments,” Moody’s analysts Dylan Walsh and Ariane Ortiz-Bollin said in the statement. Read More: Bolivia Pledges to Meet Debt Payments as Swap Talks Move Ahead
Micron Q2 Revenue of $23.8 Billion Operating Profit, 156% 'Expanding' Q1 HBM4 Production Shipment for Nvidia Rubin Shares Drop After Hours Despite All Good Conditions 사진 확대 Micron's HBM4. [Micron] Micron Technology, a global memory semiconductor company, recorded an "earnings surprise" that exceeded market expectations thanks to strong memory demand in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). Cust...
Micron Q2 Revenue of $23.8 Billion Operating Profit, 156% 'Expanding' Q1 HBM4 Production Shipment for Nvidia Rubin Shares Drop After Hours Despite All Good Conditions 사진 확대 Micron's HBM4. [Micron] Micron Technology, a global memory semiconductor company, recorded an "earnings surprise" that exceeded market expectations thanks to strong memory demand in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). Customers' competition to secure memory intensifies due to the explosion in demand in all directions from data centers to PCs and smartphones, and even a five-year multi-year supply contract has emerged. Micron said on the 18th (local time) that its second quarter of fiscal 2026 (December 2025 to February 2026) had quarterly revenue of $23.86 billion. This is a significant increase from $13.643 billion in the previous quarter and is the highest performance ever, nearly tripling compared to $8.053 billion in the same period last year. Non-GAAP operating profit recorded $16.455 billion, a 156% jump from the previous quarter, with an EPS of $12.20. The gross profit margin reached a whopping 74.9%. 사진 확대 Micron presented $33.5 billion in sales in the third quarter of fiscal 2026 and a gross profit margin of 81%, making an all-time performance forecast that far exceeded the market's expectations. [Source = Micron] The third quarter fiscal 2026 earnings guidance also significantly exceeded the existing market's expectations. Micron presented $33.5 billion in sales in the third quarter, and predicted a gross profit margin of 81% based on non-general accounts. The estimate for the earnings per share is $19.15. "Based on a strong demand environment, tight industrial supply, and Micron's outstanding execution, we expect to set another significant record in the third quarter," Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra expressed confidence. The background of this good performance is the demand for workloads and replacements triggered by "Agent AI." In the case of HBM4, the next generation of high-bandwid...
Verizon (VZ 2.03%) is a dividend stock with an ultra-high 5.5% yield. The dividend has been increased annually for decades. And the business generates reliable income from sticky telecommunications subscriptions. Before you buy the stock, however, you'll want to know a few important facts. Verizon operates in a competitive industry Perhaps the most important thing to understand about Verizon's bus...
Verizon (VZ 2.03%) is a dividend stock with an ultra-high 5.5% yield. The dividend has been increased annually for decades. And the business generates reliable income from sticky telecommunications subscriptions. Before you buy the stock, however, you'll want to know a few important facts. Verizon operates in a competitive industry Perhaps the most important thing to understand about Verizon's business is that it faces material competition. Cell phone service and internet connections are largely commodities today. And despite its vast size, Verizon has to compete for its customers with other cellphone companies and cable companies. It has no choice but to offer high-quality services at attractive prices, or it will lose customers. In other words, pricing power is limited and capital spending needs are high. That's not bad, per se, but neither is it good. And, notably, Verizon already carries a material amount of debt. To be fair, T-Mobile (TMUS 3.13%) is more leveraged, but AT&T (T 1.63%) is less. You'll need to keep close tabs on Verizon's balance sheet if you buy it. Verizon is not a great dividend growth stock While Verizon's long record of annual dividend increases is nice, investors need to temper their enthusiasm. Over the past decade the dividend has increased at an annualized rate of just 2% or so. That's below the historical inflation rate, which means the dividend's buying power has been shrinking over time. That's not good if you are trying to live off the income your portfolio generates. Expand NYSE : VZ Verizon Communications Today's Change ( -2.03 %) $ -1.02 Current Price $ 49.49 Key Data Points Market Cap $213B Day's Range $ 49.38 - $ 50.42 52wk Range $ 38.39 - $ 51.66 Volume 994K Avg Vol 31M Gross Margin 45.79 % Dividend Yield 5.41 % That said, Verizon is trying to address its anemic growth. The big move was the board of directors bringing in a new CEO. However, that only occurred in late 2025, so there's still no clear sign that Verizon's growth wil...
Key Points Verizon is one of the world's largest telecom companies. Verizon has significant debt, substantial capital investment requirements, and a new CEO. 10 stocks we like better than Verizon Communications › Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is a dividend stock with an ultra-high 5.5% yield. The dividend has been increased annually for decades. And the business generates reliable income from sticky telecomm...
Key Points Verizon is one of the world's largest telecom companies. Verizon has significant debt, substantial capital investment requirements, and a new CEO. 10 stocks we like better than Verizon Communications › Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is a dividend stock with an ultra-high 5.5% yield. The dividend has been increased annually for decades. And the business generates reliable income from sticky telecommunications subscriptions. Before you buy the stock, however, you'll want to know a few important facts. Verizon operates in a competitive industry Perhaps the most important thing to understand about Verizon's business is that it faces material competition. Cell phone service and internet connections are largely commodities today. And despite its vast size, Verizon has to compete for its customers with other cellphone companies and cable companies. It has no choice but to offer high-quality services at attractive prices, or it will lose customers. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » In other words, pricing power is limited and capital spending needs are high. That's not bad, per se, but neither is it good. And, notably, Verizon already carries a material amount of debt. To be fair, T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) is more leveraged, but AT&T (NYSE: T) is less. You'll need to keep close tabs on Verizon's balance sheet if you buy it. Verizon is not a great dividend growth stock While Verizon's long record of annual dividend increases is nice, investors need to temper their enthusiasm. Over the past decade the dividend has increased at an annualized rate of just 2% or so. That's below the historical inflation rate, which means the dividend's buying power has been shrinking over time. That's not good if you are trying to live off the income your portfolio generates. That said, Verizon is trying to address ...
"Fully Stretched": Some US Airports Face Possible Closure If Government Shutdown Prolongs Authored by Aldgra Fredly via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Some U.S. airports may be forced to close down if lawmakers fail to reach a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and end the partial government shutdown , a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) official said on March 17. ...
"Fully Stretched": Some US Airports Face Possible Closure If Government Shutdown Prolongs Authored by Aldgra Fredly via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Some U.S. airports may be forced to close down if lawmakers fail to reach a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and end the partial government shutdown , a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) official said on March 17. Passengers move through one of the terminals as multiple flights have been canceled and delayed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va., on March 16, 2026. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl told Fox News that the TSA has “fully depleted” its available workforce from the National Deployment Office to cover staffing shortages at airports. “ So at this point, we’re fully stretched . Frankly, there’s not much else we can do,” he told the news outlet. “As the weeks continue, if this continues, it’s not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to quite literally shut down airports, particularly smaller ones.” Stahl said the government shutdown has placed financial strain on TSA workers living paycheck to paycheck, with some sleeping in their cars and drawing blood to pay for expenses. “ If there’s not action taken, particularly from Senate Democrats, this is going to get worse ,” he said. “It’s not going to get better, and there will be significant pain for passengers as well. Three [to] four-hour wait time at select airports.” Funding for DHS lapsed last month after Congress failed to strike a deal on immigration reforms sought by Democrats following the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents during operations in Minnesota earlier this year. The partial shutdown has left about 50,000 TSA officers working without pay. More than 300 officers have quit from the agency during the shutdown , according to DHS. The department said that just over 10 percent of TSA officers were absent from work on March 1...
Australian unemployment stayed relatively low in February as job gains continued, reinforcing the Reserve Bank’s view that the economy remains resilient enough to withstand tighter monetary policy. Employment advanced by 48,900, driven completely by part-time roles, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed Thursday. The jobless rate climbed to 4.3%, higher than a forecast 4.1%, as more...
Australian unemployment stayed relatively low in February as job gains continued, reinforcing the Reserve Bank’s view that the economy remains resilient enough to withstand tighter monetary policy. Employment advanced by 48,900, driven completely by part-time roles, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed Thursday. The jobless rate climbed to 4.3%, higher than a forecast 4.1%, as more people sought work. Read more: RBA’s Rate-Hike Split Raises Questions Over Timing of Tightening “This month we saw fewer people who were unemployed and waiting to start a job in January move into employment in February, compared to recent Februarys,” said Sean Crick, ABS head of labor statistics. “We also saw more people remaining unemployed this month compared to recent Februarys.” The Australian dollar held gains after the data. The data come two days after the RBA delivered its second consecutive interest-rate hike, pointing to a strong inflationary impulse across the economy even before the US-Israeli war in Iran erupted. The employment report is a crucial piece of data for Australian policymakers as they plot a path to return inflation to their 2-3% target while trying to maintain a healthy labor market, a balancing act the central bank says is still appropriate. Listen and follow The Bloomberg Australia Podcast on Apple , Spotify , YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. Economists and traders are somewhat at odds over whether the RBA will deliver another rate increase in May or wait longer to observe the fallout from the Iran war. Money markets are wagering about a 70% chance of a hike in May and fully priced in August. Between now and the RBA’s next meeting in May, the monetary policy board will receive another employment report as well as consumer spending readings. The most crucial piece of data will be first-quarter inflation in late April, which together with updated RBA staff forecasts will be key factors in the May decision. The RBA undertook a brief easin...