"The Pulse With Francine Lacqua" is all about conversations with high profile guests in the beating heart of global business, economics, finance and politics. Based in London, we go wherever the story is, bringing you exclusive interviews and market-moving scoops. Today's guests: Wolf von Rotberg, J Safra Sarasin, Equity Strategist; Azadeh Zamirirad, German Institute for International and Security...
"The Pulse With Francine Lacqua" is all about conversations with high profile guests in the beating heart of global business, economics, finance and politics. Based in London, we go wherever the story is, bringing you exclusive interviews and market-moving scoops. Today's guests: Wolf von Rotberg, J Safra Sarasin, Equity Strategist; Azadeh Zamirirad, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Africa and Middle East Research Head. (Source: Bloomberg)
The Reform leader cynically pushes the boundaries of how far he can go without alienating too many of the voters he needs – but it’s a perilous calibration What counts as beyond the pale these days? Having successfully pushed back the cordon sanitaire that surrounds British politics, Nigel Farage is struggling to work out where, precisely, it now lies. Some decisions are simple. Attacks on Grenfel...
The Reform leader cynically pushes the boundaries of how far he can go without alienating too many of the voters he needs – but it’s a perilous calibration What counts as beyond the pale these days? Having successfully pushed back the cordon sanitaire that surrounds British politics, Nigel Farage is struggling to work out where, precisely, it now lies. Some decisions are simple. Attacks on Grenfell victims are, and have always been, beyond the bounds of decency. Farage promptly sacked Simon Dudley last week after the housing spokesperson mused of the victims that “everyone dies in the end”. But on other choices Farage dithers. Not wishing to sound prudish to his more hard-boiled supporters, he previously dismissed accusations he was racist at school as “banter in the playground”. It was only in January that he did what any other mainstream politician would do with likely unprovable claims of racism and denied them completely. Martha Gill writes about politics and culture Continue reading...
(RTTNews) - After a slightly positive start and a subsequent fall below the flat line, UK's benchmark index FTSE 100 moved modestly higher Tuesday morning but retreated again in cautious trade with investors closely tracking news about U.S.-Iran conflict.
(RTTNews) - After a slightly positive start and a subsequent fall below the flat line, UK's benchmark index FTSE 100 moved modestly higher Tuesday morning but retreated again in cautious trade with investors closely tracking news about U.S.-Iran conflict.
Nasdaq confirms Company has regained compliance with Listing Rules 5550(b)(1) and 5620(a) Nasdaq confirms Company has regained compliance with Listing Rules 5550(b)(1) and 5620(a)
Nasdaq confirms Company has regained compliance with Listing Rules 5550(b)(1) and 5620(a) Nasdaq confirms Company has regained compliance with Listing Rules 5550(b)(1) and 5620(a)
Project Prometheus, the artificial intelligence company created by Amazon ( AMZN ) co-founder Jeff Bezos, has hired xAI ( X.AI ) co-founder Kyle Kozic away from OpenAI ( OPENAI ), the Financial Times reported. Kozic will focus on infrastructure at the Bezos-founded company, the news outlet added . Project Prometheus, xAI, which is now a part of SpaceX ( SPACE ), and OpenAI did not immediately resp...
Project Prometheus, the artificial intelligence company created by Amazon ( AMZN ) co-founder Jeff Bezos, has hired xAI ( X.AI ) co-founder Kyle Kozic away from OpenAI ( OPENAI ), the Financial Times reported. Kozic will focus on infrastructure at the Bezos-founded company, the news outlet added . Project Prometheus, xAI, which is now a part of SpaceX ( SPACE ), and OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Seeking Alpha. Last month, Elon Musk apologized for not building xAI “right” following the departures of all of xAI's co-founders. Musk has had a rivalry with Bezos going back years amid competition between SpaceX and Blue Origin. Bezos co-founded Project Prometheus late last year, and the company was seeded with more than $6B in initial funding. It is focused on AI, particularly in areas such as engineering and manufacturing in several fields, including computers, aerospace, and automobiles. Bezos’ co-founder and co-chief executive is Vik Bajaj, a physicist and chemist who worked with Google’s ( GOOG ) ( GOOGL ) co-founder Sergey Brin at Google’s X. Last month, it was reported that Project Prometheus was in the process of raising $100B for a new fund intended to buy up manufacturing and industrial businesses and then upgrade them with AI. More on Amazon, OpenAI, and SpaceX Amazon Vs. Starlink: The $9 Billion Globalstar Deal That Could Change Everything Can Any Investor Actually Value SpaceX? Amazon: This Is Worse Than You Think Anthropic, Google, OpenAI team up to fight model copying in China: report OpenAI urges California, Delaware to probe Musk’s ‘anti-competitive behavior’ - report
Project Prometheus, the artificial intelligence company created by Amazon ( AMZN ) co-founder Jeff Bezos, has hired xAI ( X.AI ) co-founder Kyle Kozic away from OpenAI ( OPENAI ), the Financial Times reported. Kozic will focus on infrastructure at the Bezos-founded company, the news outlet added . Project Prometheus, xAI, which is now a part of SpaceX ( SPACE ), and OpenAI did not immediately resp...
Project Prometheus, the artificial intelligence company created by Amazon ( AMZN ) co-founder Jeff Bezos, has hired xAI ( X.AI ) co-founder Kyle Kozic away from OpenAI ( OPENAI ), the Financial Times reported. Kozic will focus on infrastructure at the Bezos-founded company, the news outlet added . Project Prometheus, xAI, which is now a part of SpaceX ( SPACE ), and OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Seeking Alpha. Last month, Elon Musk apologized for not building xAI “right” following the departures of all of xAI's co-founders. Musk has had a rivalry with Bezos going back years amid competition between SpaceX and Blue Origin. Bezos co-founded Project Prometheus late last year, and the company was seeded with more than $6B in initial funding. It is focused on AI, particularly in areas such as engineering and manufacturing in several fields, including computers, aerospace, and automobiles. Bezos’ co-founder and co-chief executive is Vik Bajaj, a physicist and chemist who worked with Google’s ( GOOG ) ( GOOGL ) co-founder Sergey Brin at Google’s X. Last month, it was reported that Project Prometheus was in the process of raising $100B for a new fund intended to buy up manufacturing and industrial businesses and then upgrade them with AI. More on Amazon, OpenAI, and SpaceX Amazon Vs. Starlink: The $9 Billion Globalstar Deal That Could Change Everything Can Any Investor Actually Value SpaceX? Amazon: This Is Worse Than You Think Anthropic, Google, OpenAI team up to fight model copying in China: report OpenAI urges California, Delaware to probe Musk’s ‘anti-competitive behavior’ - report
Tomas Ragina The U.S. has reportedly attacked military targets on Kharg Island as President Donald Trump's deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz approached. Trump has said all of Iran could be "taken out in one night" if the deadline of 8 p.m. ET Tuesday isn't met. Media reports also said electricity supply was disrupted in parts of Iran's Kharg Island after projectiles struck transmission lines...
Tomas Ragina The U.S. has reportedly attacked military targets on Kharg Island as President Donald Trump's deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz approached. Trump has said all of Iran could be "taken out in one night" if the deadline of 8 p.m. ET Tuesday isn't met. Media reports also said electricity supply was disrupted in parts of Iran's Kharg Island after projectiles struck transmission lines. Washington has hit dozens of military targets on the island, Fox News reported, citing U.S. officials. In March, Trump said he could “take the oil in Iran” and potentially seize the country’s Kharg Island export hub. Regional countries’ efforts, led by Pakistan, for a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran reportedly have reached a dead end. Last week, mediators told the Wall Street Journal that Iran has informed them that the U.S. demands are unacceptable and that it is not willing to meet the U.S. officials in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, in the coming days. A regional official from Iran involved in the talks said efforts had not collapsed. “We are still talking to both sides,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door diplomacy. On an Israeli TV station, Channel 13, the evening newscast showed a large digital clock counting down the hours and minutes to Tuesday’s deadline. Dear readers: We recognize that politics often intersects with the financial news of the day, so we invite you to click here to join the separate political discussion. More on markets U.S. Teens See Gains As Total U.S. Jobs Declines In March 2026 Commodities: Oil Climbs On Trump Escalation Threat Volatility Falls On Ceasefire Hopes, Yet Caution Remains Cintrini Research analyst gets first-hand look at Strait of Hormuz Stock market continues to hope for best on another deadline day
Paysafe ( PSFE ) on Tuesday said that it has launched “ Pay with Crypto ,” a payment option for U.S. iGaming operators and daily fantasy sports platforms, as it seeks to tap growing demand for cryptocurrency transactions. The product, powered by MoonPay , allows users to fund gaming accounts using stablecoins or other cryptocurrencies, which are then converted into U.S. dollars for use. Paysafe sa...
Paysafe ( PSFE ) on Tuesday said that it has launched “ Pay with Crypto ,” a payment option for U.S. iGaming operators and daily fantasy sports platforms, as it seeks to tap growing demand for cryptocurrency transactions. The product, powered by MoonPay , allows users to fund gaming accounts using stablecoins or other cryptocurrencies, which are then converted into U.S. dollars for use. Paysafe said the service enables transactions through crypto wallets or QR codes, with deposits converted instantly after verification. Operators can choose to settle payments in stablecoins or fiat currencies. The company cited its research indicating strong consumer interest in crypto payments, and said the new offering integrates with its existing payments gateway for iGaming platforms. PSFE -0.14% premarket to $6.8. Source: Press Release More on Paysafe Paysafe: 2026 Outlook Confirms The Sky Is Not Falling Paysafe Limited (PSFE) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Paysafe Limited 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Paysafe stock climbs after Q4 earnings beat; 2026 guidance roughly in line Paysafe reports mixed Q4 results; introduces FY26 outlook
Getty Images By Maurice van Sante, Senior Economist Construction & Team Lead Sectors More price increases expected Many sectors will be impacted by the current surge in energy prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East. As noted previously , producers of building materials such as cement, concrete and bricks rely heavily on energy. If energy prices remain high, these manufacturers are likely...
Getty Images By Maurice van Sante, Senior Economist Construction & Team Lead Sectors More price increases expected Many sectors will be impacted by the current surge in energy prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East. As noted previously , producers of building materials such as cement, concrete and bricks rely heavily on energy. If energy prices remain high, these manufacturers are likely to pass increased costs on to construction companies, which will put pressure on profit margins and lead to higher overall building costs. This, in turn, could result in reduced production volumes. Early indications point to rising building material costs. In March, a net 18% of EU building materials suppliers anticipated increasing their sales prices over the next three months. This figure represents the highest percentage observed in three years since the energy crisis of 2022. Yet, the number doesn’t come close to the levels of the energy crisis in 2022. Different energy sources among countries Heating sources differ among producers across European countries. For example, gas is commonly used in the building material sector in the Netherlands and Spain. In contrast, producers in Poland and Germany depend more on coal, wood, natural energy inputs and energy residuals. This makes building material producers in the Netherlands and Spain relatively vulnerable to the current price increases in gas. Dutch producers are also reporting the strongest expected increase in output prices. Building material production at a low level The rising cost of energy is hitting the building materials sector at a challenging time. Many countries have experienced significant production declines over the past few years, largely because fewer new residential and non-residential buildings are being constructed. Building permits for new homes have shown an uptick since the end of 2025, offering some positive signs for the sector. Yet ongoing market uncertainty, increased material costs and hesitan...
hapabapa/iStock Editorial via Getty Images April 6th was a really fantastic day for shareholders of streaming company FuboTV ( FUBO ). Shares of the stocks skyrocketed 23.5% after management provided an upbeat outlook when it comes to operating performance over the next few years. It wasn't all that long ago that I was incredibly bearish about the company. Back in February of 2024, for instance, I...
hapabapa/iStock Editorial via Getty Images April 6th was a really fantastic day for shareholders of streaming company FuboTV ( FUBO ). Shares of the stocks skyrocketed 23.5% after management provided an upbeat outlook when it comes to operating performance over the next few years. It wasn't all that long ago that I was incredibly bearish about the company. Back in February of 2024, for instance, I said that the firm was facing an existential crisis. I remained bearish about it until an unexpected turn took place. This involved, in January of 2025, the news that The Walt Disney Company ( DIS ) had decided to contribute to FuboTV some cash, as well as its Hulu + Live TV business in what was certainly a sizable deal that changed everything for the business. In my most recent article , I expressed bullishness about the company, with future prospects likely to be rosy following the close of that combination between FuboTV and Disney's assets. And yet, even with this recent jump in share price, shares are down since I last wrote about it in November of last year. The good news is that the data provided by management on April 6th points to what I would consider to be a very bright future for the business. With Disney owning a 70% stake in the firm, I don't see a scenario where it goes under. It also helps that the business has cash that exceeds the amount of debt that it has by $72.7 million. And when you add on top of this how the stock is priced on a forward basis, it's difficult to argue against the 'buy' rating I assigned it late last year. Taking a gander at FuboTV FuboTV It's rare that shares of a company urge 23.5% or even some number similar to that on any given day. Often, these moves up are the result of a buyout, a merger, or some other value-accretive transaction. But that was not the case when it came to FuboTV. Instead, management released a shareholder letter detailing what the next few years for the business should look like. The most important part of the ...
mustafaU/iStock via Getty Images Investment Thesis Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 ( QQQ ), is a Buy due to the upcoming release of products and services for the ETF’s top holdings, which are likely to continue driving earnings growth. These top holdings have increasing competitive advantages in AI, cloud computing, and processors, which will outshine any short-term volatility. Finally, the fund captu...
mustafaU/iStock via Getty Images Investment Thesis Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 ( QQQ ), is a Buy due to the upcoming release of products and services for the ETF’s top holdings, which are likely to continue driving earnings growth. These top holdings have increasing competitive advantages in AI, cloud computing, and processors, which will outshine any short-term volatility. Finally, the fund captures greater diversification than pure tech sector funds, which may provide a modest advantage for long-term stability. Invesco QQQ Trust – Overview and Compared ETFs QQQ is a passive ETF that tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index . By tracking this index, the fund captures the 100 largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq. With its inception in 1999, the fund has 102 holdings and $376B in AUM. By sector, QQQ is the heaviest in technology (59.8% weight), followed by consumer discretionary (21.2%) and health care (5.1%). For comparison purposes, other funds examined are Vanguard Information Technology ETF ( VGT ), State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF ( XLK ), and Fidelity MSCI Information Technology Index ETF ( FTEC ). VGT is a sector fund and exclusively comprised of holdings in the tech sector . XLK captures a representation of the technology sector of the S&P 500 Index, including mostly large-cap holdings. FTEC uses a representative sampling strategy to capture U.S. tech sector holdings. QQQ Compared: Performance, Expense Ratio, and Dividend Yield QQQ has seen a strong 10-year average annual return of 19.45%, notably higher than the S&P 500’s 10-year average annual return of about 14%. By comparison, the tech funds compared have even higher 10-year average annual returns of 21.40%, 22.43%, and 22.74% for VGT, XLK, and FTEC, respectively. However, as I will discuss later, QQQ’s diversification has also resulted in slightly lower volatility than these peer tech funds. 10-year Total Return; QQQ and Compared Tech Funds (Seeking Alpha) A key drawback for QQQ is its expense ...
DNY59/iStock via Getty Images By Nick Niziolek, CFA, Dennis Cogan, CFA, Paul Ryndak, CFA, and Kyle Ruge, CFA We entered 2026 with optimism, as the global rebalancing we anticipated was gaining traction, supported by stimulative fiscal policies, a weak dollar environment, and broadening secular growth themes. While we remain optimistic and our underlying conviction in the global opportunity set rem...
DNY59/iStock via Getty Images By Nick Niziolek, CFA, Dennis Cogan, CFA, Paul Ryndak, CFA, and Kyle Ruge, CFA We entered 2026 with optimism, as the global rebalancing we anticipated was gaining traction, supported by stimulative fiscal policies, a weak dollar environment, and broadening secular growth themes. While we remain optimistic and our underlying conviction in the global opportunity set remains intact, we have updated our positioning to be more balanced across cyclical and defensive cohorts while continuing to emphasize thematic growth exposure. The most significant new variable driving our positioning is the war in Iran and the disruption to commodity flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Recent signals suggesting a US-led push toward a negotiated outcome are encouraging, and a ceasefire scenario that allows commercial traffic to reopen early to mid-April remains plausible. That said - and while many severe geopolitical oil shocks have proven shorter than feared - it’s impossible to know how long the disruption will last or how deep the impact on commodity markets will be. A prolonged disruption through the second quarter would create significant headwinds for the global economy, particularly for Europe and parts of Asia, where import reliance for energy commodities is greater than in the United States. Central banks are already responding to the potential inflationary implications of higher energy prices with more hawkish messaging, representing a shift from the monetary tailwind we saw in January. While conditions in the Middle East represent the most significant unknown, we are also mindful of other potential risks to economic growth. Private credit markets, which expanded by roughly 14% annually through the post-pandemic period, are now showing elevated default rates. Major bank exposures to private credit funds do not appear large enough to represent a systemic concern, but tighter financial conditions and higher yields are incremental headwinds for lever...
US Already Spent Over $42 Billion & Counting On Iran War This week will see the Iran war reach 40 days of fighting, which is a far cry from the mere "four days" some US administration officials offered as a possible 'optimistic' timeline at the very opening of Trump's Operation Epic Fury. According to the Iran War Cost Tracker portal, the US military operation has cost more than $42 billion thus f...
US Already Spent Over $42 Billion & Counting On Iran War This week will see the Iran war reach 40 days of fighting, which is a far cry from the mere "four days" some US administration officials offered as a possible 'optimistic' timeline at the very opening of Trump's Operation Epic Fury. According to the Iran War Cost Tracker portal, the US military operation has cost more than $42 billion thus far. The tracker has arrived at this figure largely based on a Pentagon briefing to Congress on March 10, which disclosed that Washington spent $11.3 billion in the first six days of the new war in the Middle East. USAF file image The same briefing indicated the Pentagon planned to spend at least an additional $1 billion per day for the remainder of the conflict. The real cost could be much, much higher given that at this point dozens of ultra-expensive aircraft and radars have been knocked out by Iran's ongoing retaliation, and as the US has begun high risk incursions into the region and into Iranian territory itself . Axios in a report days ago highlighted that "The U.S. is dedicating significant amounts of firepower to the Middle East as it wrestles with Iran. Some of it — billions of dollars' worth, in fact — will not be returning ." Describing the mounting costs in terms of blood and treasure, Axios wrote that "Hundreds of American troops have been injured and 13 killed" - and also: " Some exquisite weaponry, everything from stealth jets to radars, has been knocked out." Axios continues, "The high end includes costs associated with radar replacement at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and some fixes to the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, which last month suffered an hours-long laundry fire." The laundry room fire narrative has been subject of immense speculation and skepticism, with the supercarrier undergoing lengthy emergency repairs at its current port of Split, Croatia. Also confirmed damaged or destroyed are the following: One Lockheed Martin F-35A One Boeing E-3 Sentry...
Abbott Laboratories' recent stock price dip contrasts with its strong Medical Devices division, creating a noteworthy opportunity for dividend investors.
Abbott Laboratories' recent stock price dip contrasts with its strong Medical Devices division, creating a noteworthy opportunity for dividend investors.
(RTTNews) - Pembina Pipeline (PPL.TO, PBA) said the company is committed to delivering 5-7 percent compound annual fee-based adjusted EBITDA per share growth through 2030. The company noted that the outlook is underpinned by higher utilization across existing assets, contribution
(RTTNews) - Pembina Pipeline (PPL.TO, PBA) said the company is committed to delivering 5-7 percent compound annual fee-based adjusted EBITDA per share growth through 2030. The company noted that the outlook is underpinned by higher utilization across existing assets, contribution