Renunciation Of US Citizenship Just Got A Whole Lot Cheaper Authored by Adam Dick via the Ron Paul Institute , There was some good news for liberty on Friday. That is when a roughly 80 percent reduction in the fee the United States government imposes on individuals giving up their US citizenship took effect. The fee was lowered from 2,350 dollars to 450 dollars. The move toward implementing the fe...
Renunciation Of US Citizenship Just Got A Whole Lot Cheaper Authored by Adam Dick via the Ron Paul Institute , There was some good news for liberty on Friday. That is when a roughly 80 percent reduction in the fee the United States government imposes on individuals giving up their US citizenship took effect. The fee was lowered from 2,350 dollars to 450 dollars. The move toward implementing the fee reduction had been in progress for several years in reaction to a lawsuit against the US government. For people with enough wealth or recent income, or who don’t adequately establish their IRS tax compliance, there remains yet another payment the US government demands — an exit tax calculated based on the value of their assets. While the significant reduction in the citizenship renunciation fee is welcome news, it is disgraceful that the US government imposes any fee whatsoever. Back in August of 2017, I commented on the fee, stating: Most people who are US citizens did not choose to be such. They had that citizenship thrust on them as a matter of law upon their birth. To make people pay to give up citizenship for which they never asked is an abomination. It was only in 2010 that the fee on giving up US citizenship was introduced at 450 dollars, the same amount it returned to on Friday . Before 2010, individuals could renounce their US citizenship without the government demanding any fee. And the exit tax came into being just two years earlier — in 2008. How about next returning to the situation before 2008, when individuals could renounce their US citizenship without the imposing of either the fee or the tax? Tyler Durden Tue, 03/17/2026 - 08:05
Roman Tiraspolsky/iStock Editorial via Getty Images JetBlue ( JBLU ) updated its outlook for the first quarter as better-than-expected demand raised the carrier’s revenue guidance, but higher fuel costs and two major winter storms this year will likely result in lower capacity and lower available seat miles. The two winter storms in January and February reduced year-over-year capacity in the first...
Roman Tiraspolsky/iStock Editorial via Getty Images JetBlue ( JBLU ) updated its outlook for the first quarter as better-than-expected demand raised the carrier’s revenue guidance, but higher fuel costs and two major winter storms this year will likely result in lower capacity and lower available seat miles. The two winter storms in January and February reduced year-over-year capacity in the first quarter by approximately 3.5 points versus initial expectations. Accordingly, the carrier now expects available seat mile (ASM) to decline by 1% to 2% from initial guidance for an increase of 0.5% to 3.5% previously. However, overall demand during the quarter strengthened compared to initial expectations, reflected in a boost to operating revenue per available seat mile guidance to up 5% and 7% versus prior guidance of flat to up 4%. This assumes increased demand for peak and non-peak periods across the carrier’s network. JetBlue ( JBLU ) also expects costs per available seat mile excluding fuel, or CASM-ex to be up between 6.5% and 7.5% compared to prior guidance of up 3.5% to 5.5%. This assumes an average fuel price of $3.01 to $3.06 per gallon, an increase of ~30% from the initial estimate. Finally, JetBlue ( JBLU ) updated its outlook for capital expenditures to ~$175M from ~$200M initially. This information was reported in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ahead of management’s presentation at the J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference in Washington on Tuesday. More on JetBlue Airways JetBlue: Oil Prices Are Surging And That's A Problem Jetblue Could Climb Above The Turbulence Eventually, Betting On Several New Routes JetBlue Airways Corporation (JBLU) Presents at Barclays 43rd Annual Industrial Select Conference Transcript Quant ratings roundup for airlines as sector slides amid Middle East disruptions Airline CEOs press Congress to end shutdown as TSA staffing strains airports
Quaker Chemical Corporation KWR is heading into 2026 with muted end-market expectations, but management still sees a path to steady growth. The investment debate centers on whether the company can keep taking share even if demand stays soft early in the year. What stands out is the combination of durable regional momentum, incremental capacity coming online in China and a set of self-help programs...
Quaker Chemical Corporation KWR is heading into 2026 with muted end-market expectations, but management still sees a path to steady growth. The investment debate centers on whether the company can keep taking share even if demand stays soft early in the year. What stands out is the combination of durable regional momentum, incremental capacity coming online in China and a set of self-help programs that can support margins even when pricing and volumes are not doing much of the work. KWR’s Outgrowth Case in Flat End Markets The company expects 2-4% net share gains in 2026, and recent performance has skewed toward the high end of that range. That matters because the company’s base case assumes underlying markets are flat to slightly down in the first half of 2026, with only modest improvement in the second half. In that setup, outgrowing the market becomes the core 2026 question. If Quaker Chemical can keep capturing share across regions while end markets remain sluggish, it can still deliver steady top-line progress even without a broad macro lift. Quaker Houghton Price and Consensus Quaker Houghton price-consensus-chart | Quaker Houghton Quote Quaker Chemical’s APAC Momentum and EV Wins Asia/Pacific has been the organic growth leader through 2025, supported by continued wins in electric vehicle (EV) original equipment manufacturers and components. In the fourth quarter, APAC posted its 10th consecutive quarter of organic volume growth, underscoring that the region’s momentum has held up across a choppy demand environment. That consistency makes APAC an important proof point for the broader 2026 outgrowth narrative. EV-related wins represent a durable demand pocket within industrial production, and they help explain why management continues to position Asia/Pacific as the growth leader while other regions remain more mixed. KWR’s China Facility Adds Capacity and Simplifies Logistics A key operational milestone is the new China facility, which is scheduled to begin op...
March 17, 2026, 8:02 a.m. ET The project still requires final site plan and development agreement approvals from the township. The data center will be powered by new resources, including solar, under an agreement with DTE Energy. Tech giant Google would be the operator of a large data center slated for Wayne County's Van Buren Township that until now has only been known by the code name "Project C...
March 17, 2026, 8:02 a.m. ET The project still requires final site plan and development agreement approvals from the township. The data center will be powered by new resources, including solar, under an agreement with DTE Energy. Tech giant Google would be the operator of a large data center slated for Wayne County's Van Buren Township that until now has only been known by the code name "Project Cannoli." Google announced on Tuesday, March 17, that it is the company behind the planned 1-gigawatt data center, ending months of secrecy and speculation as to which tech firm the project belongs to. The data center would be built on about 130 acres of a 282-acre site, situated south of I-275, north of I-94 and east of Haggerty Road. It would have five buildings and a total footprint of over 800,000 square feet, according to a township presentation earlier this year. The township's Planning Commission voted 5-2 on Feb. 11 to give a preliminary site plan approval for the project. However, the data center still needs a final site plan approval as well as an approval of its development agreement from the township's Board of Trustees. Google also announced Tuesday that the data center would be powered by what it calls 2.7 gigawatts of "new resources for the grid," including solar power and advanced power storage technologies, under an agreement with DTE Energy. The news release didn't offer specifics about the future solar arrays and other power sources, but said Google would fully cover the project's electrical costs and infrastructure needs, "to ensure that its growth protects local ratepayers and actively bolsters the long-term resilience of the state's electricity grid." As for water usage, the township has previously said the data center is expected to use between 2 million and 3.6 million gallons per day for cooling its equipment, and that it would buy this water from the township and not take any from the ground. Van Buren Township purchases its water from the Great Lak...
(RTTNews) - The FTSE 100 index of the UK stock market remains firmly placed in positive territory around noon on Tuesday despite escalating tensions in the Middle East. Oil prices moved up sharply after Iran launched a series of attacks on the United Arab Emirates, targeting Dubai's international airport and the Fujairah oil port. Meanwhile, investors look ahead to the monetary policy meetings of ...
(RTTNews) - The FTSE 100 index of the UK stock market remains firmly placed in positive territory around noon on Tuesday despite escalating tensions in the Middle East. Oil prices moved up sharply after Iran launched a series of attacks on the United Arab Emirates, targeting Dubai's international airport and the Fujairah oil port. Meanwhile, investors look ahead to the monetary policy meetings of the Bank of England (BoE), the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Federal Reserve. The Fed is scheduled to announce its policy on Wednesday, while the BoE and ECB's announcements are due on Thursday. The FTSE 100 was up 70.56 points or 0.68% at 10,388.25 slightly before noon. BT Group, Centrica, Airtel Africa, Standard Chartered, United Utilities, Segro and Severn Trent are up 2%-2.5%. Hikma Pharmaceuticals is up nearly 2%. 3i Group, British Land, Fresnillo, Persimmon, LondonMetric Property, Endeavour Mining, SSE, Natwest Group, Barclays, Tritax Big Box and Pershing Square Holdings are gaining 1.4%-1.85%. Energy majors BP and Shell are notably higher as oil prices surged nearly 4% after a drone attack at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone in the United Arab Emirates. Trustpilot Group shares are up over 25% after the online review platform reported strong full-year 2025 results, and said it expects revenue to grow "in the high teens" on a constant currency basis in 2026. Spirax Group, RightMove, Babcock International, The Sage Group, Halma, Relx and Croda International are down 0.5%-1.2%. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
(RTTNews) - Lumen Technologies, Inc.(LUMN), a telecom company, said on Tuesday that its Chair, Mike Glenn, has decided to retire. Subsequently, the Board has appointed Kevin P. Chilton, an existing member of the Board since 2017, as the new Chair. Chilton will assume his new role following the company's 2026 annual meeting. At Lumen, Chilton has been serving as a Board member and the Chair of the ...
(RTTNews) - Lumen Technologies, Inc.(LUMN), a telecom company, said on Tuesday that its Chair, Mike Glenn, has decided to retire. Subsequently, the Board has appointed Kevin P. Chilton, an existing member of the Board since 2017, as the new Chair. Chilton will assume his new role following the company's 2026 annual meeting. At Lumen, Chilton has been serving as a Board member and the Chair of the Risk and Security Committee since 2018. Earlier, Chilton had worked for the U.S. Air Force as a four-star General before his retirement in 2011. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
A delayed summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping has raised concerns over whether the postponement could affect a reported record US arms sales package to Taiwan, as officials insist the deal remains on track. A US$14 billion arms package – possibly the largest ever for Taiwan – is ready for the American president’s approval and could be announced after his visit to Beijing, according to Reute...
A delayed summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping has raised concerns over whether the postponement could affect a reported record US arms sales package to Taiwan, as officials insist the deal remains on track. A US$14 billion arms package – possibly the largest ever for Taiwan – is ready for the American president’s approval and could be announced after his visit to Beijing, according to Reuters on Friday. The proposed sale is expected to include advanced air-defence systems such as Patriot PAC-3 missiles and the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (Nasams), as well as an additional US$6 billion in “asymmetric” capabilities. Advertisement However, uncertainty has mounted after Trump said he asked Beijing to postpone the summit , originally scheduled between March 31 and April 2, by about a month because of the conflict in the Middle East. On Tuesday, Taiwan’s defence minister, Wellington Koo Li-hsiung, sought to reassure the public, saying Taipei had not received any indication of a sales delay.
Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) gets the lion's share of AI headlines, but I'm investing in AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) instead in my own stock portfolio. Here's a rundown of why I'm a fan of AMD right now, and why I think it could outperform its larger counterpart for years to come. *Stock prices used were the morning prices of March 11, 2026. The video was published on March 17, 2026. Will AI create the world's fir...
Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) gets the lion's share of AI headlines, but I'm investing in AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) instead in my own stock portfolio. Here's a rundown of why I'm a fan of AMD right now, and why I think it could outperform its larger counterpart for years to come. *Stock prices used were the morning prices of March 11, 2026. The video was published on March 17, 2026. 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 » Should you buy stock in Advanced Micro Devices right now? Before you buy stock in Advanced Micro Devices, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Advanced Micro Devices wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $514,000!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,105,029!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 930% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 187% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of March 17, 2026. Matt Frankel, CFP has positions in Advanced Micro Devices. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
It was on 18 October 2024, just weeks before presidential election day that candidate Trump announced at a rally in Hamtramck, a small, diverse city inside Detroit with a large Muslim population, that once in office he would “get peace in the Middle East”. For the many in attendance and who have family in the region, it was music to their ears. Time and again on the campaign trail two years ago, T...
It was on 18 October 2024, just weeks before presidential election day that candidate Trump announced at a rally in Hamtramck, a small, diverse city inside Detroit with a large Muslim population, that once in office he would “get peace in the Middle East”. For the many in attendance and who have family in the region, it was music to their ears. Time and again on the campaign trail two years ago, Trump has said he would get America out of “endless wars” and put “America first”. It was this messaging that, in part, persuaded some crucial voters in the upper midwest swing states to back him, voters who ultimately helped get him back in the White House. Despite Trump’s promises, in a little over a year in office the US military has opened up a host of international interventions. It killed more than 100 people during the overthrow and imprisonment in January of president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and has launched airstrikes and other attacks in Nigeria, Somalia and Syria since Trump became president. But following Israel into a conflict with Iran, one that has jolted the global economy in a way not seen for decades, has set a new precedent. A few streets north of Hamtramck is Macomb county, a community on the northern fringes of Detroit that mixes urban and suburban communities and farmland, and which voted for Barack Obama in presidential elections in 2008 and 2012, before swinging to Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024. Home to a large number of so-called “Reagan Democrats”, Macomb county’s demographics makes it a key swing county in Michigan, an important battleground state. “We represent hard-working, middle-class Americans who were the ‘forgotten class’ especially when we lost so many manufacturing jobs to other countries,” said Barbara VanSyckel, vice-chair of the Macomb county Republican party. But the effect the conflict is having on energy prices is something Macomb county residents are readily aware of, she said. “I am hoping to see the gas prices go back to a lo...
The apartment came up on the city’s alert system: a studio on a leafy street, one block from Prospect Park in Brooklyn. The location is extremely desirable – it would be a score for any single person hunting for their first New York rental, let alone someone who had spent years in the shelter system. But Diane, my client, rejects it outright. “As I’ve told you,” she says, “the prophecy apartment i...
The apartment came up on the city’s alert system: a studio on a leafy street, one block from Prospect Park in Brooklyn. The location is extremely desirable – it would be a score for any single person hunting for their first New York rental, let alone someone who had spent years in the shelter system. But Diane, my client, rejects it outright. “As I’ve told you,” she says, “the prophecy apartment is on 40th and Amsterdam.” I remind her again that the intersection of 40th Street and Amsterdam Avenue does not exist in New York City. I suggest, gently, that this might still be worth seeing. “Maybe just give it a look?” I say. We’re seated close together in my tiny airless office in the basement of a church, a space so small it once served as a clothing closet. Diane starts doing the thing where her eyes shift an inch above my head to address the voices and spirits that follow her throughout her days. This morning it’s Céline Dion, who reliably serves as the harbinger of any news that will jeopardize Diane’s fulfillment of “the prophecy”, which she has chased across seven states and seven shelter systems. She begins to shout so forcefully the veins pop in her neck. She rebukes demons and even Billy Joel, who sometimes conspires against Dion. I sit there calmly, waiting for her to finish, then she drops her eyes and re-enters my world. “I’m sorry, but we cannot accept the apartment,” she says. It’s the fourth one she’s turned down. Diane is one of many people I try to help each day who are caught between homelessness and serious mental illness. After a career in journalism covering war and poverty, I entered seminary and trained as a chaplain at New York’s Bellevue Hospital. I now serve as a mental health chaplain and clinical director clinical director at Broadway Community in Manhattan. We’re a small interfaith non-profit that runs a 19-bed shelter and a bustling soup kitchen in the basement of Broadway Presbyterian church, where I was ordained. We place no requirements...
Ready salted, prawn cocktail, pickled onion and smoky bacon – crisps are undoubtedly the nation’s favourite snack food, subject to a variety of staple and sometimes suspicious flavour varieties. According to one recent report, they were the UK’s snack of choice on 94% of “all consumption occasions”, often enjoyed with a complementary dip, or served in a packet ripped open on a pub table. But now, ...
Ready salted, prawn cocktail, pickled onion and smoky bacon – crisps are undoubtedly the nation’s favourite snack food, subject to a variety of staple and sometimes suspicious flavour varieties. According to one recent report, they were the UK’s snack of choice on 94% of “all consumption occasions”, often enjoyed with a complementary dip, or served in a packet ripped open on a pub table. But now, the humble bag of crisps is having a revamp. Enter: the loaded crisp bag. It’s a lot like loaded fries or nachos, in that it can be a vehicle for a whole gamut of flavours – as served, for example, at Pablos, a fast food outlet in Nottingham where anything from ground beef to molten cheese is dolloped into an opened bag of crisps. Commonly known as basque nachos because they mimic the region’s culinary tradition of bite-size snacks (pintxos), and apparently inspired by a dish served at the Basque-inspired restaurant Ernesto’s in New York City, the trend took off on TikTok with videos showcasing people’s homemade crisp creations. Also sometimes called “soggy crisps” and “crisp charcuterie”, loaded crisps are perfect picnic grub or a party pleaser. Customisable, quick and easy to make – you simply drop your desired ingredients into an opened bag of crisps, no cooking required. Here are four popular loaded crisp recipes, prepared by me in a matter of minutes, ranked from best to worst 1. Cheddar and onion Pipers with fennel salami, gherkin, feta and dill View image in fullscreen Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian There’s a lot going on here. Cheese on cheese crisps, cured meat, crunchy pickles with a herby garnish – it’s like a deconstructed sandwich, an entire meal in a thin foil bag. But by some miracle, it works. Pipers are probably one of the best crisp options for this because they are thickly cut, making them sturdy enough to hold the weight of the toppings. And there’s a lot of toppings here – it is a messy nightmare to eat but tastes absolutely delicious. 4/5 2. Eat...
With St Patrick’s Day this week, millions of Americans are raising a glass. Beer remains the country’s most popular alcoholic drink with more than 6bn gallons consumed each year. But from water shortages to rising temperatures, the climate crisis is putting pressure on beer’s most essential ingredients. At Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon, beer is either stacked high in warehouse rows or racing d...
With St Patrick’s Day this week, millions of Americans are raising a glass. Beer remains the country’s most popular alcoholic drink with more than 6bn gallons consumed each year. But from water shortages to rising temperatures, the climate crisis is putting pressure on beer’s most essential ingredients. At Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon, beer is either stacked high in warehouse rows or racing down a canning line and assembled into 12-packs. Inside the cavernous cellars, enormous 6,000-gallon tanks hold the latest batches in progress. But inside one of those tanks, something unusual is brewing. The secret ingredient is a grain called Kernza. It’s a perennial wheatgrass with a slightly nutty flavor and a climate-friendly reputation. Deschutes teamed up with outdoor clothing brand Patagonia to craft a new beer using the grain. From the hop fields of Washington state to the cellars of Deschutes Brewery in Oregon, the ingredients that make beer are facing several climate threats. Video: Climate Central When asked how customers react, brewer Ben Kehs laughs: “They say what’s Kernza?” Kernza has deep roots that pull carbon from the atmosphere and require less water. There is less tilling and fuel use because it doesn’t have to be replanted each year. Kernza can be used as an alternative to barley, which along with hops and water, is one of beer’s three core ingredients. “All of them in one degree or another I would say,” Kehs explains when asked which ingredients face climate threats. Those sobering threats include drought, extreme heat and wildfires. Nowhere is that clearer than in the Pacific Northwest, where roughly 75% of the country’s hops are grown. Hops are the delicate flowers that give beer its flavor and aroma. They are especially sensitive to changing conditions. In Washington state’s Yakima Valley, Ryan Christian oversees hops research at Yakima Chief Hops, a grower-owned global hops supplier. Asked whether beer’s future depends on hops, Christian doesn’t he...
With the founder talking bullishly about Nvidia's future at the AI company's keynote, some investors might wonder if any other S&P 500 stock can outgrow it.
With the founder talking bullishly about Nvidia's future at the AI company's keynote, some investors might wonder if any other S&P 500 stock can outgrow it.
A Chinese man has used public maritime radio to create a “family’s voice station” on which sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz can relay safety messages to their families. Liu Yiwen, a native of Jilin province in northeastern China, is a second officer on a Singaporean commercial ship which is now anchored near the Khor Fakkan harbour administered by the United Arab Emirates, China’s state me...
A Chinese man has used public maritime radio to create a “family’s voice station” on which sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz can relay safety messages to their families. Liu Yiwen, a native of Jilin province in northeastern China, is a second officer on a Singaporean commercial ship which is now anchored near the Khor Fakkan harbour administered by the United Arab Emirates, China’s state media CCTV reported. The ship had planned to head to the Persian Gulf to load liquid petroleum gas (LPG), but is stuck in the war-torn waterway like hundreds of others after the US and Israel jointly launched a war against Iran on February 28. A long-distance image of one of many explosions in and around the war-torn strait. Photo: Douyin As most sailors face telecommunication signal blocks, Liu is fortunate to still be able to access the internet because the ship he is aboard is near the land, although his connection can be unstable, he said. Advertisement Ships communicate among each other via a VHF (very high frequency) radio, which is like a maritime walkie-talkie as it only works over a short distance. Liu said in early March, he heard a Chinese sailor asking on the VHF radio if other people could access the internet, adding that he was anxious about not being able to get in touch with his family. Advertisement Liu said, “My family has been sending me messages via a social media platform frequently these days. So I think his family should also be anxious.”
Chinese smartphone maker Oppo is mounting a fresh challenge in the foldable handset market after launching the latest product in its Find N series, as the industry faces rising memory prices and anticipation builds around Apple ’s foldable iPhone. Find N6, launched globally on Tuesday, featured upgraded hinge technology designed to make the crease on the foldable screen “virtually imperceptible”, ...
Chinese smartphone maker Oppo is mounting a fresh challenge in the foldable handset market after launching the latest product in its Find N series, as the industry faces rising memory prices and anticipation builds around Apple ’s foldable iPhone. Find N6, launched globally on Tuesday, featured upgraded hinge technology designed to make the crease on the foldable screen “virtually imperceptible”, according to the company. “While foldables offer the advantage of a larger display, the crease has remained one of the primary concerns for users,” said Pete Lau, senior vice-president and chief product officer at Oppo. “It’s a challenge Oppo has sought to solve ever since the original Find N.” Advertisement The handset has a thickness of just 8.93mm (0.35 inches) when folded and weighs 225 grams (7.9 ounces). It runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile platform, supporting artificial intelligence capabilities and multitasking performance. Oppo’s latest push into the premium segment comes as smartphone makers grapple with surging component costs amid a memory shortage. The memory crunch has threatened to squeeze profit margins and forced companies to raise prices. Find N6 is 8.93mm thick when folded and weighs 225 grams. Photo: Handout Last week, Oppo announced price increases of 300 yuan (US$44) to 500 yuan on some handsets “in the face of rising costs for multiple key smartphone components including high-speed memory hardware”. The new prices took effect on Monday.
Standard Template Labs, founded by former Datadog Inc. President Amit Agarwal , has raised $49 million in its debut financing to try to remake how information technology services operate within big businesses. The deal, which is large for a seed round, is the latest in a wave of financings for startups building AI-powered tools for services industries. The financing values the startup at about $30...
Standard Template Labs, founded by former Datadog Inc. President Amit Agarwal , has raised $49 million in its debut financing to try to remake how information technology services operate within big businesses. The deal, which is large for a seed round, is the latest in a wave of financings for startups building AI-powered tools for services industries. The financing values the startup at about $300 million, including the investment, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The capital will be used to help Standard Template Labs, or STLabs, build software that can automate IT management, a space that includes tasks like ticket resolution and application authorization. The company has been in stealth mode until now. Unlike some artificial intelligence startups hoping to disrupt traditional industries by buying up Main Street businesses, STLabs will try to convince large companies to switch to their tools. “There’s a category of companies that exist in this space that provide services for small businesses, like your dentist’s office,” Agarwal said. “I’m focused on companies that actually have large IT teams that manage all of this stuff in-house.” The company’s new funding round was co-led by Iconiq, where Agarwal served as a full-time general partner for a few months before starting the business, and CRV, an early-stage venture firm. Both investors were also early backers of Datadog. The idea for STLabs was hatched at Iconiq in the firm’s first-ever incubation, said Matt Jacobson, a partner at Iconiq. That means its investors helped put together the initial team and launch the company, assisting with office space, customer introductions and hiring, Jacobson said. With the deal, Iconiq is joining venture firms like Khosla Ventures, General Catalyst and Thrive Capital in not just backing startups, but creating new ones in promising sectors. The startup is a follow-up act for Agarwal, who spent about 13 years as an executive at Datadog, a cloud-based monitorin...
A risk-averse investor can short out-of-the-money (OTM) PLTR put options as Palantir Inc. (PLTR) stock rises. For example, one-month OTM puts have a yield at 8% lower strikes. Also, buying in-the-money (ITM) calls using put income is a great play. PLTR closed up on Monday, March 17, at $152.17. It's up from a recent closing trough price of $128.84 on Feb. 24, but down from a peak of $194.17 on Dec...
A risk-averse investor can short out-of-the-money (OTM) PLTR put options as Palantir Inc. (PLTR) stock rises. For example, one-month OTM puts have a yield at 8% lower strikes. Also, buying in-the-money (ITM) calls using put income is a great play. PLTR closed up on Monday, March 17, at $152.17. It's up from a recent closing trough price of $128.84 on Feb. 24, but down from a peak of $194.17 on Dec. 24, 2025. Two weeks ago, I suggested in two Barchart articles that Palantir stock was near a bottom (Feb. 24, “Buying In-the-Money Palantir Calls Looks Attractive Here for Value Buyers” and Feb. 22, “If Palantir is Near a Bottom, What's the Best Play in PLTR Stock?”). I showed that PLTR stock is worth between $189 and $245 over the next 12 months. The options plays I discussed in these articles have done well. Short Put Plays For example, I showed that doing a cash-secured short-put play expiring March 27 was worth the investment. On Feb. 22, the $125.00 strike price put option contract was priced at $4.58, and on Feb. 24, it was at $4.80. This short put play provided 3.84% yield (i.e., $4.80/$125 = 0.0384) for an OTM distance of almost 3% below the trading price. On Monday, the midpoint price was down to 43 cents. It will expire worthless by March 27 if PLTR stays at today's price. So, this has been a successful short-sell play. It makes sense to do this again. For example, the April 17 expiry period shows that the $145.00 strike price put option has a midpoint premium of $5.55. That works out to a 3.83% yield at a 5% lower strike price put contract. For more risk-averse investors, the $140 put contract has a $4.10 midpoint premium, giving short-sellers a 2.93% yield (i.e., $4.10/$140.00). That strike price is over 8% lower, providing a good downside protection. Buying ITM Calls In the Feb. 24 Barchart article, I discussed buying in-the-money (ITM) calls expiring Sept. 18 at the $120 exercise price. The cost would have been partially paid for by income generated from sho...
Rail-freight demand is subdued but stable as economic uncertainty and shifting global trade patterns cloud near-term volume expectations. In this Talking Transports podcast, BNSF Chief Marketing Officer Tom Williams joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Lee Klaskow to discuss the railroad’s demand outlook. Williams highlights the railroad’s improving service, noting that consistent transit times are key ...
Rail-freight demand is subdued but stable as economic uncertainty and shifting global trade patterns cloud near-term volume expectations. In this Talking Transports podcast, BNSF Chief Marketing Officer Tom Williams joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Lee Klaskow to discuss the railroad’s demand outlook. Williams highlights the railroad’s improving service, noting that consistent transit times are key to converting more truckload freight to rail. He also outlines how investments in technology, infras
In banking, the AI question isn’t “Can you build it?” — it’s “Can you explain it, monitor it, and shut it off when required?” As the hype cycle moves past chatbots, a real competitive divide is emerging: institutions that can operationalize AI with auditability and control versus those layering copilots onto legacy workflows and hoping for the best. In this episode of Bloomberg Intelligence’s Tech...
In banking, the AI question isn’t “Can you build it?” — it’s “Can you explain it, monitor it, and shut it off when required?” As the hype cycle moves past chatbots, a real competitive divide is emerging: institutions that can operationalize AI with auditability and control versus those layering copilots onto legacy workflows and hoping for the best. In this episode of Bloomberg Intelligence’s Tech Disruptors podcast, Capital One’s Chief Scientist and Head of Enterprise AI Prem Natarajan joins BI
Much of the new home supply has been built away from cities. Add in higher gas prices due to the Middle East conflict and things look even more challenging.
Much of the new home supply has been built away from cities. Add in higher gas prices due to the Middle East conflict and things look even more challenging.