Mohamad Faizal Bin Ramli/iStock via Getty Images Key Takeaways Markets: In the first quarter of 2026, new issuance of municipal (muni) bonds exceeded the average seen in the past few years (Source: Barclays). The war in the Middle East which began at the end of February, continued throughout March, dominating market sentiment during the month. By quarter-end, the yield on the benchmark 10-year US ...
Mohamad Faizal Bin Ramli/iStock via Getty Images Key Takeaways Markets: In the first quarter of 2026, new issuance of municipal (muni) bonds exceeded the average seen in the past few years (Source: Barclays). The war in the Middle East which began at the end of February, continued throughout March, dominating market sentiment during the month. By quarter-end, the yield on the benchmark 10-year US Treasury (UST) note moved 15 basis points (BPs) higher to 4.32%, and the yield on the 30-year UST bond increased by seven bps to 4.91%. The US Federal Reserve (Fed) Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting held in March to review economic and financial conditions in the United States, left rates unchanged, and the statement and press conference emphasized uncertainty related to the Iran war. The Fed indicated that it would look through any initial oil supply shock effect on inflation to focus on core developments, while also noting a likely dragging effect on the economy; ultimately the Committee retained an easing bias. Contributors: none Detractors: Duration exposure. Overweight high-quality bonds. Emphasis on general obligation issues. Outlook: Municipal bond valuations continue to appear attractive, particularly on a tax-adjusted basis. In a more challenging environment, strong bottom-up research and disciplined security selection will be essential to identifying relative value and preserving portfolio quality. Performance Review The strategy's tilt toward higher-rated bonds detracted from results as lower-quality issues fared better during the period. The strategy's overweight to bond on the longer end of the muni yield curve detracted from performance as yields on the shorter end of the yield curve performed better over the period. Outlook The robust demand witnessed at the start of 2026 has begun to soften amid rising market uncertainty, while supply has persisted at a record-setting pace. Looking ahead to 2026, demand will play a crucial role as supply is projected to r...
Google’s 2020 Nest Thermostat is $50 off. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge If you’re looking for a relatively affordable way to cut down on cooling costs, Google’s Nest Thermostat can help. It’s packed with smart controls and energy-saving features, and right now it’s on sale in white for $79 ($50 off), which is its best price of the year, at Amazon . Google Nest Thermostat Where to Buy: $129.99...
Google’s 2020 Nest Thermostat is $50 off. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge If you’re looking for a relatively affordable way to cut down on cooling costs, Google’s Nest Thermostat can help. It’s packed with smart controls and energy-saving features, and right now it’s on sale in white for $79 ($50 off), which is its best price of the year, at Amazon . Google Nest Thermostat Where to Buy: $129.99 $79 at Amazon The smart thermostat is quick to install and makes it easy to adjust your home’s temperature whether you’re relaxing in bed or on your way home thanks to the Google Home app. You can also create schedules and control it with your voice using Google Assistant, Alexa, or another Matter-compatible voice assistant. Once it’s set up, the Nest Thermostat can automatically turn the temperature down when you’re away to help reduce unnecessary energy use, while Google’s Savings Finder feature suggests additional ways to save over time. It also monitors your HVAC system and can alert you if something doesn’t seem right, making it easier to stay on top of maintenance before small issues become bigger, more expensive ones. If you’re eligible, Nest Renew can also automatically shift some of your heating and cooling to times when electricity is cleaner or cheaper. That said, this is Google’s entry-level model from 2020, so you do miss out on some of the premium features found on the latest Nest Learning Thermostat. Unlike the flagship version, it won’t learn your schedule automatically over time, for example, and lacks support for Nest Temperature Sensors that let you prioritize the temperature in a specific room. Even so, if all you want is an easy way to adjust your home’s temperature remotely and potentially lower your energy bills, the Nest Thermostat is still a solid investment at this price. Read our Google Nest Thermostat review.
Cruise stocks are staging a sharp rebound at midday Thursday. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NYSE:NCLH) is leading the group, up 8% to $20, while Carnival (NYSE:CCL) shares trade up 5% to $27 and Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL) shares are up 3% to $289. The bounce follows a rough stretch for the group. NCLH stock had ... Norwegian Cruise Line Jumps 8%, Carnival Climbs 5%, Royal Caribbean Rises...
Cruise stocks are staging a sharp rebound at midday Thursday. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NYSE:NCLH) is leading the group, up 8% to $20, while Carnival (NYSE:CCL) shares trade up 5% to $27 and Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL) shares are up 3% to $289. The bounce follows a rough stretch for the group. NCLH stock had ... Norwegian Cruise Line Jumps 8%, Carnival Climbs 5%, Royal Caribbean Rises 3% in Cruise-Stock Rebound
Strong 30Y Bond Auction Stops Through For First Time Since March On the heels of yesterday's stellar 10Y auction , this afternoon saw an even more stellar-er 30Y auction with the US government selling $22 billion bonds at 5.058%, the highest result since 2007, vs a 5.061% when-issued yield at the 1 p.m. New York time bidding deadline. That is the first stop-through (0.3bps) since March (after thre...
Strong 30Y Bond Auction Stops Through For First Time Since March On the heels of yesterday's stellar 10Y auction , this afternoon saw an even more stellar-er 30Y auction with the US government selling $22 billion bonds at 5.058%, the highest result since 2007, vs a 5.061% when-issued yield at the 1 p.m. New York time bidding deadline. That is the first stop-through (0.3bps) since March (after three ugly tails - June's reopen was the weakest since July 2024)... The 2.44 bid-to-cover ratio compares well with the 2.39 average for the past six reopenings Dealer: 10.05% (prev. 14.7%, six-auction average 10.9%) Direct: 12.24% (prev. 25.3%, six-auction average 24.0%) Indirect: 77.74% (prev. 60.0%, six-auction average 65.1%) The internals were also some of the best on record: foreign buyers (i.e., indirects) were awarded 77.7% of the auction, up from 78.21% in June and the 2nd highest on record . Overall, this was an extremely strong auction, among the best of 2026 as the high yields have clearly attracted foreign demand as tales of de-dollarization continue to ebb. Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 13:33
Germany’s oil industry retained between €100 million and €200 million from a fuel tax reduction earlier this year that was intended to ease the impact of surging costs on motorists, a government advisory panel found. The state’s €1.6 billion ($1.8 billion) two-month gasoline tax cut — corresponding to €0.17 per liter — was not passed on entirely to drivers, according to a study by the Monopolies C...
Germany’s oil industry retained between €100 million and €200 million from a fuel tax reduction earlier this year that was intended to ease the impact of surging costs on motorists, a government advisory panel found. The state’s €1.6 billion ($1.8 billion) two-month gasoline tax cut — corresponding to €0.17 per liter — was not passed on entirely to drivers, according to a study by the Monopolies Commission presented to the Economy Ministry in Berlin Thursday. Price reductions at the pump differed widely between fuels and regions, but were between €0.15 to €0.16 on average and less toward the end of the program. “This means that several hundred million euros remained with the mineral oil industry,” the commission’s chairman, Tomaso Duso, said at a news conference in Berlin. The findings highlight the difficulties that policymakers face when trying to address market distortions caused by external shocks, after the industry promised to pass on the subsidies in full to consumers. With the Iran war and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, governments across Europe introduced measures to help ease the impact of elevated costs, but fuel prices in Germany rose particularly quickly. At least part of that increase “could also be attributed to competition problems in the upstream market stages,” the review of up to 14,000 petrol stations found. It concluded that such market interventions “should be avoided in the future because they are costly, provide relief in an asymmetrical manner, and, above all, dampen price signals caused by scarcity.” Separately, the Federal Cartel Office has opened an investigation into fuel wholesalers and refineries. There has always been intense competition in Germany, the fuel association En2x has said, while stressing that local price-making depended on a number of variables including international market fluctuations.
Nvidia has lost roughly a trillion dollars in market value in less than two months. Although the semiconductor index has nearly doubled year to date, Nvidia is up only about 4%. For the company that makes most of the chips that power the AI revolution, that kind of lag has investors asking what is ...
Nvidia has lost roughly a trillion dollars in market value in less than two months. Although the semiconductor index has nearly doubled year to date, Nvidia is up only about 4%. For the company that makes most of the chips that power the AI revolution, that kind of lag has investors asking what is ...
Earnings Call Insights: The Simply Good Foods Company (SMPL) Q3 fiscal 2026 Management View “In the third quarter, our results came in ahead of our expectations,” but “we're not satisfied with our overall performance,” said “President, CEO & Director Joseph Scalzo.” “President Scalzo” highlighted a portfolio split: “Quest and OWYN net sales grew 1.1% and 3.6% versus prior year, respectively,” whil...
Earnings Call Insights: The Simply Good Foods Company (SMPL) Q3 fiscal 2026 Management View “In the third quarter, our results came in ahead of our expectations,” but “we're not satisfied with our overall performance,” said “President, CEO & Director Joseph Scalzo.” “President Scalzo” highlighted a portfolio split: “Quest and OWYN net sales grew 1.1% and 3.6% versus prior year, respectively,” while “Atkins net sales declined 24.6% in the quarter,” and “our retail takeaway declined 6.7% during the quarter” as “the purposeful nutrition category grew 10%.” “Given the significant cost inflation we are experiencing this fiscal year and believe will continue into the next year, we recently announced a high single-digit price increase across most of our portfolio that will become effective in September,” “President Scalzo” said. “CFO & Principal Accounting Officer Christopher Bealer” said, “we reported third quarter net sales of $357 million,” “adjusted EBITDA was $57.2 million,” and “gross margin was 32.5%,” adding, “excluding $6.2 million in restructuring costs, gross margin was 34.3%.” On brand execution, “President Scalzo” said for Quest, “re-accelerating growth in Quest bars is our highest priority,” while noting “Quest chips consumption grew by over 17%,” and “we hired a new marketing agency on Quest.” Outlook “CFO Bealer” guided, “fiscal year 2026 net sales are now expected in the range of $1.345 billion to $1.355 billion,” and “fiscal year 2026 adjusted EBITDA is now expected in the range of $220 million to $225 million.” For profitability and spend, “CFO Bealer” said, “GAAP gross margins are now expected to decline roughly 375 basis points,” and “we now expect capital expenditures to be in the range of $25 million to $30 million.” For Q4, “CFO Bealer” said, “we expect net sales in the range of $322 million to $332 million,” “we expect our Q4 GAAP gross margin performance will be our strongest of the year,” and “we expect adjusted EBITDA in the range of $52 million...
India's star 15-year-old batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struggles again as he scores just 15 before being caught by Sam Curran off the bowling of Jofra Archer in the fourth T20 at Bristol.
India's star 15-year-old batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struggles again as he scores just 15 before being caught by Sam Curran off the bowling of Jofra Archer in the fourth T20 at Bristol.
sankai/iStock via Getty Images Register now to access the Top Stocks for H2 2026 event. Growth and Income Stocks Emerge as Market Leaders After a strong first half of 2026 led by AI-related stocks, market leadership has begun to broaden. Chip stocks have cooled, with the VanEck Semiconductor ETF ( SMH ) down nearly 15% from its June highs, dipping below its 50-day moving average , as investors rea...
sankai/iStock via Getty Images Register now to access the Top Stocks for H2 2026 event. Growth and Income Stocks Emerge as Market Leaders After a strong first half of 2026 led by AI-related stocks, market leadership has begun to broaden. Chip stocks have cooled, with the VanEck Semiconductor ETF ( SMH ) down nearly 15% from its June highs, dipping below its 50-day moving average , as investors reassess valuations and shifting market sentiment. Meanwhile, reports of new tensions that could disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz have fueled a sharp rebound in oil prices, reigniting inflation concerns, and pushing the 10-Year Treasury yield back above 4.5%. While recession risks remain relatively low, the higher-for-longer rate environment continues to support value-oriented companies ( VIG ) that can generate consistent cash flows and provide more stable returns than the growth-tilted S&P 500 index. VIG vs. S&P 500: 1-Month Total Return Seeking Alpha Rather than relying on a single market segment, investors may benefit from companies in a range of industries that combine attractive growth and income qualities when slow and steady can win races . Seeking Alpha’s Quant system helps identify opportunities across five factors, including valuation, growth, profitability, momentum, and revisions. On the income side, Quant Dividend Grades have a proven track record of picking stocks while avoiding others to combine for a winning formula for building a diversified growth and income portfolio. How I Chose the Top 5 Growth and Income Stocks To arrive at my top five growth and income stocks, I used Seeking Alpha’s stock screener and selected among Strong Buys in two pre-screens – Top Dividend Stocks and Top High Dividend Yield Stocks . From those lists, I chose names in five different industries that can perform well while paying dividends in today’s market and macroeconomic backdrops. Some of these top stocks are in my new QGI ( Quant Growth & Income ) portfolio, which has ou...
Milan forward was subbed out in a 4-1 loss Pulisic had been criticized for his lack of availability Christian Pulisic suffered a microfracture and bone bruise in his leg in the United States’ 4-1 loss to Belgium in the World Cup last 16 on Monday, US Soccer announced. Pulisic suffered the injury in the second half in Seattle and was removed shortly afterward. He underwent X-ray and MRI scans on Tu...
Milan forward was subbed out in a 4-1 loss Pulisic had been criticized for his lack of availability Christian Pulisic suffered a microfracture and bone bruise in his leg in the United States’ 4-1 loss to Belgium in the World Cup last 16 on Monday, US Soccer announced. Pulisic suffered the injury in the second half in Seattle and was removed shortly afterward. He underwent X-ray and MRI scans on Tuesday to determine the extent of the injury, which is expected to keep Pulisic out for several weeks. US Soccer said the federation and Milan are working collaboratively on his rehab plan. Continue reading...
Reform UK presents itself as the people’s voice while opaque digital wealth flows around it. That makes transparency a democratic necessity Twice now, the Guardian’s questions about Reform UK’s finances appear to have been pre-empted by stories friendly to the party. This paper revealed in April that Nigel Farage received £5m from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne – but an interview with...
Reform UK presents itself as the people’s voice while opaque digital wealth flows around it. That makes transparency a democratic necessity Twice now, the Guardian’s questions about Reform UK’s finances appear to have been pre-empted by stories friendly to the party. This paper revealed in April that Nigel Farage received £5m from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne – but an interview with Reform UK’s leader, claiming he needed the cash “for security”, was published hours earlier in the Telegraph. Then, Richard Tice’s suggestion that the National Crime Agency (NCA) had leaked the MP’s bank statements landed on the Telegraph site on Tuesday, just before the Guardian said bankers had reported the £5m donation to law enforcement over money-laundering concerns. A party serious about probity would have no issue answering questions about such cash. Instead, Reform uses a pliant media outlet to frame scrutiny as persecution. In Mr Farage’s world, the questions become the scandal , not the large undisclosed sums. That is a warning about how an authoritarian nationalist party that aspires to govern treats accountability: not as a democratic obligation, but as an attack. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here . Continue reading...