Footage Appears To Show China Mass-Producing Iranian-Style Kamikaze Drones Across both conflict theaters, the Russia-Ukraine war in Eastern Europe and the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, there is one common denominator that stands out the loudest: the widespread use of cheap kamikaze drones. Focusing on the Middle East, Iran's counteroffensive strategy of mass kamikaze-drone swarms, missile ba...
Footage Appears To Show China Mass-Producing Iranian-Style Kamikaze Drones Across both conflict theaters, the Russia-Ukraine war in Eastern Europe and the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, there is one common denominator that stands out the loudest: the widespread use of cheap kamikaze drones. Focusing on the Middle East, Iran's counteroffensive strategy of mass kamikaze-drone swarms, missile barrages, and electronic warfare has exposed the limits of expensive U.S. and allied air-defense systems, whose interceptor missiles can cost millions of dollars apiece. Operation Epic Fury risks devolving into a grinding war of attrition for U.S. and allied forces across the Gulf. Reports indicate that missile-interceptor stockpiles are running low, while separate reports say the U.S. has deployed a copycat Shahed-type drone into combat . There have also been reports that Saudi Arabia could acquire Ukrainian interceptor drones to defend high-value assets, such as oil and gas facilities. The point is that low-cost kamikaze drones are changing the economics of war. It is not sustainable for the U.S. and allied forces to use million-dollar interceptors against $20,000 Iranian drones. The problem gets worse for the U.S. as a new report says Chinese private companies are mass-producing Shahed-type drones. New footage published by The Sun appears to show Shahed-type drones being mass-produced at a factory in China. The footage was originally posted on the video platform Douyin. Britain's former security minister Tom Tugendhat commented on the report on X, saying, "Oh look - Iranian and Russian Shahed drones are being mass produced in China." Oh look - Iranian and Russian Shahed drones are being mass produced in China. This isn’t surprising but it’s a reminder that Beijing is the enabler of Moscow’s campaign murdering Ukrainian children. https://t.co/I2DBv2oLjo — Tom Tugendhat (@TomTugendhat) March 15, 2026 Here's the U.S. version of the Shahed-style drone, called the Low-Cost Unma...
Ali Larijhani killed in an Israeli strike; Israeli military calls for evacuations in central Beirut, warning of an imminent attack on Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah Lebanon said Israeli strikes on central Beirut early Wednesday without warning killed at least six people , as Israel’s military warned it would strike a third district in the capital. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war o...
Ali Larijhani killed in an Israeli strike; Israeli military calls for evacuations in central Beirut, warning of an imminent attack on Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah Lebanon said Israeli strikes on central Beirut early Wednesday without warning killed at least six people , as Israel’s military warned it would strike a third district in the capital. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on 2 March when Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel in response to US-Israeli strikes that killed Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Iranian army has vowed revenge for the killing of security chief Ali Larijani in an Israeli airstrike, with Iran’s army chief threatening to launch a “decisive and regrettable” retaliation. Iran also confirmed the death of the Basij militia commander Gholamreza Soleimani, after Israel earlier claimed its military assassinated him. It marks the highest level assassination in the war since joint US-Israeli strikes killed the former supreme leader Ali Khamenei on 28 February. The Israeli military called on residents of a central Beirut neighbourhood to evacuate early Wednesday , warning of an imminent attack on the Lebanese capital targeting Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. In a statement on social media, the military’s Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee issued “an urgent warning to residents of... Bashoura neighbourhood”, saying Israeli forces would operate against a Hezbollah facility there. Donald Trump continued to lash out at Nato allies , claiming “we don’t need” their help in the Iran war after pressuring them to help the US secure the strait of Hormuz, but added that “they should’ve been there”. Trump said Nato was making a “foolish mistake” and once again framed the issue as a loyalty test for the alliance. The US military said it targeted sites along Iran’s coastline near the strait of Hormuz because Iranian anti-ship missiles posed a risk to international shipping there. US Cen...
The key differences between Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYSEMKT:VIG) and FIDELITY HIGH DIVIDEND ETF (NYSEMKT:FDVV) center on yield, cost, and portfolio concentration—FDVV delivers a higher payout and holds fewer stocks, while VIG is more affordable and much larger by assets. VIG and FDVV both focus on dividend-paying U.S. stocks, but their approaches and outcomes differ in ways that may ap...
The key differences between Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYSEMKT:VIG) and FIDELITY HIGH DIVIDEND ETF (NYSEMKT:FDVV) center on yield, cost, and portfolio concentration—FDVV delivers a higher payout and holds fewer stocks, while VIG is more affordable and much larger by assets. VIG and FDVV both focus on dividend-paying U.S. stocks, but their approaches and outcomes differ in ways that may appeal to different investor preferences. This comparison highlights cost, yield, performance, and portfolio makeup to help clarify which fund could better suit a given strategy. Snapshot (cost & size) Metric VIG FDVV Issuer Vanguard Fidelity Expense ratio 0.04% 0.15% 1-yr return (as of March 11, 2026) 14.3% 15.7% Dividend yield 1.56% 2.77% Beta 0.81 0.87 AUM $123.75 billion $8.9 billion Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. FDVV charges a higher expense ratio than VIG, making VIG the more affordable choice for cost-conscious investors. However, FDVV's yield is notably higher, so its higher fee may appeal to those prioritizing current income. Performance & risk comparison Metric VIG FDVV Max drawdown (5 y) -20.39% -20.17% Growth of $1,000 over 5 years $1,528 $1,603 What's inside FDVV seeks higher income by targeting stocks with above-average dividend yields and holds 119 companies as of its 9.5-year track record. The portfolio leans into technology (25%), financial services (17%), and consumer cyclical (16%), with top positions in Nvidia Corp (NVDA 0.74%), Apple Inc (AAPL +0.54%), and Microsoft Corp (MSFT 0.13%). This focus creates a more concentrated lineup, which can amplify both upside and downside relative to broader funds. VIG, by contrast, invests across 338 holdings and emphasizes companies with a consistent record of growing their dividends. Its sector mix is similar—technology (26%), financial services (21%), and healthcare (16%) d...
Vitoria Holdings LLC/iStock via Getty Images By Zain Vawda USD/JPY is caught in a real conundrum at present and continues to edge lower ahead of a crucial pair of central bank meetings. The pair trades at 158.90 right now as the 160.00 handle still remains elusive. The question that is also keeping markets on edge with USD/JPY is the potential for FX intervention, as both the Fed and BoJ would lik...
Vitoria Holdings LLC/iStock via Getty Images By Zain Vawda USD/JPY is caught in a real conundrum at present and continues to edge lower ahead of a crucial pair of central bank meetings. The pair trades at 158.90 right now as the 160.00 handle still remains elusive. The question that is also keeping markets on edge with USD/JPY is the potential for FX intervention, as both the Fed and BoJ would like to see USD/JPY lower. For different reasons, of course, but this appears to be the case. Looking at the longer-term bullish trend, which still remains intact, it has been largely supported by the gap between US and Japanese bond yields. This remains a key factor that will play a role moving forward. While the USD is currently overbought, buyers remain in control as long as the Fed stays hawkish and the BoJ remains relatively loose. With these longer-term factors playing out, focus will shift back to the now. The rest of this week will be key and could be the deciding factor in whether FX intervention by the Japanese Ministry of Finance will support the yen. What to watch for the rest of the week The week ahead is dominated by a "central bank double-header" that will likely determine the next major trend for USD/JPY. For all market-moving economic releases and events, see the MarketPulse Economic Calendar. The Federal Reserve (Wednesday, March 18) The Decision: The Fed is widely expected to hold interest rates steady at 3.75%. The Impact: The real movement will come from the "Dot Plot" (projections for future rate cuts). If the Fed signals fewer cuts for 2026 due to sticky inflation (currently around 3.1%), the US dollar could surge, potentially testing the 160.00 level against the Yen The Bank of Japan (Thursday, March 19) The Decision: The BoJ is forecast to keep its policy rate at 0.75%. The Impact: Markets will look for the BoJ’s assessment of rising energy costs. If the BoJ sounds concerned that high oil prices are hurting the economy, they may delay further rate hike...
Qfin Holdings ( QFIN ) declares $0.78/share semi-annual dividend , 2.6% increase from prior dividend of $0.76. Forward yield 10.81% Payable May 14; for shareholders of record April 22; ex-div April 22. See QFIN Dividend Scorecard, Yield Chart, & Dividend Growth. More on Qfin Holdings Qfin Holdings, Inc. 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Qfin: When Slow Growth Meets A 0.61 P/B And A 9%...
Qfin Holdings ( QFIN ) declares $0.78/share semi-annual dividend , 2.6% increase from prior dividend of $0.76. Forward yield 10.81% Payable May 14; for shareholders of record April 22; ex-div April 22. See QFIN Dividend Scorecard, Yield Chart, & Dividend Growth. More on Qfin Holdings Qfin Holdings, Inc. 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Qfin: When Slow Growth Meets A 0.61 P/B And A 9% Dividend Yield (Rating Upgrade) Qfin Holdings: Profitable, Cash-Rich, And Left For Dead Qfin Holdings Q4 Earnings Preview Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Qfin Holdings