Hong Kong travellers in Japan were reported safe by at least one major tour operator while the Immigration Department said it was closely monitoring the situation after a powerful earthquake struck off the country’s northeast coast on Monday, triggering tsunami warnings. Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, said the operator currently had about 40 tour groups in Japan, including...
Hong Kong travellers in Japan were reported safe by at least one major tour operator while the Immigration Department said it was closely monitoring the situation after a powerful earthquake struck off the country’s northeast coast on Monday, triggering tsunami warnings. Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, said the operator currently had about 40 tour groups in Japan, including three in the northeast and four in Hokkaido, areas covered by the alert. “All our customers are...
PM Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images As the market moves into the second week of Q1 earnings, we look at the most overbought stocks in the consumer staples sector. Below is a list of the top 10 consumer staples stocks ranked by their RSI. The list includes companies from diverse industries within the sector, ranging from food distributors to personal care products. The list is topped by United...
PM Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images As the market moves into the second week of Q1 earnings, we look at the most overbought stocks in the consumer staples sector. Below is a list of the top 10 consumer staples stocks ranked by their RSI. The list includes companies from diverse industries within the sector, ranging from food distributors to personal care products. The list is topped by United Natural Foods ( UNFI ), with an RSI of 69. Smithfield Foods ( SFD ), Interparfums ( IPAR ), and Target Corporation ( TGT ) follow closely behind, each with an RSI of 66. Casey’s General Stores ( CASY ) rounds out the top five with an RSI of 65. Other notable entries include Performance Food Group Company ( PFGC ), PriceSmart ( PSMT ), and Central Garden & Pet Company ( CENT ). The RSI values for this top 10 list range from 69 down to 62, with Brown-Forman Corporation ( BF.B ) and Coty Inc. ( COTY ) each posting an RSI of 62. The Relative Strength Index is a momentum oscillator that measures the velocity and magnitude of price changes, plotting them on a scale from 0 to 100. RSI compares the magnitude of recent gains to recent losses over a chosen lookback period, typically 14 days. Here is the list: United Natural Foods, Inc. ( UNFI ), RSI: 69 Smithfield Foods, Inc. ( SFD ), RSI: 66 Interparfums, Inc. ( IPAR ), RSI: 66 Target Corporation ( TGT ), RSI: 66 Casey’s General Stores, Inc. ( CASY ), RSI: 65 Performance Food Group Company ( PFGC ), RSI: 64 PriceSmart, Inc. ( PSMT ), RSI: 63 Central Garden & Pet Company ( CENT ), RSI: 63 Brown-Forman Corporation ( BF.B ), RSI: 62 Coty Inc. ( COTY ), RSI: 62 Consumer Staples ETFs: ( XLP ), ( VDC ), ( IYK ), ( FSTA ), ( KXI ), and ( RSPS ) More on Consumer Staples stocks RSPS: Consumer Staples Dashboard For April Finding The Opportunities After The Selloff And End Of The War KXI: Consumer Staples Dashboard For March Beverage sector profitability rankings: Coca-Cola and PepsiCo lead the pack PepsiCo beats Q1 estimates, ranks second on...
Claims system launches months after supreme court ruled Trump had no legal authority to impose tariffs Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox The Trump administration began on Monday accepting applications from businesses seeking refunds for more than $166bn in tariffs, months after the supreme court ruled that the president had no legal authority to impose t...
Claims system launches months after supreme court ruled Trump had no legal authority to impose tariffs Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox The Trump administration began on Monday accepting applications from businesses seeking refunds for more than $166bn in tariffs, months after the supreme court ruled that the president had no legal authority to impose them. The administration launched on Monday the digital claims system , named Cape, which they said in court filings could handle about 63% of affected import filings, with the remainder to follow. Continue reading...
franckreporter/iStock via Getty Images Cantor Fitzgerald remains bullish on equities ( SPY ) ( DIA ) ( QQQ ) in a note released Monday, citing rising earnings growth rates and estimates, sharply lower valuations and significantly reduced institutional positioning. The firm also expects second-half rate cuts and believes the economy can weather current oil price pressures even if elevated prices pe...
franckreporter/iStock via Getty Images Cantor Fitzgerald remains bullish on equities ( SPY ) ( DIA ) ( QQQ ) in a note released Monday, citing rising earnings growth rates and estimates, sharply lower valuations and significantly reduced institutional positioning. The firm also expects second-half rate cuts and believes the economy can weather current oil price pressures even if elevated prices persist. The note addresses four key concerns that had weighed on markets before recent geopolitical tensions: private credit ( BIZD ) ( PRIV ) ( PCR ) ( VPC ) risks, artificial intelligence ( AIQ ) ( AIEQ ) data center overbuilding, AI’s potential impact on jobs and software ( IGV ) ( IGPT ) companies, and valuation levels. According to Cantor analyst Eric Johnston, most of these worries have diminished. Private credit fears, initially driven by duration mismatches and withdrawal halts at some funds, have eased as analysis suggests losses will likely not pose systemic risks. Concerns about AI data center overbuilding are dissipating as Anthropic ( ANTHRO ) reports surging numbers while compute capacity remains constrained. Valuations have also fallen to more attractive levels. Johnston noted that while an Iran deal remains unsigned and short-term risks persist, significant drawdown risk has been greatly reduced. However, one concern remains unresolved: the potential for future AI-related job losses. The analyst acknowledged uncertainty about both the magnitude and pace of how this dynamic might unfold. More on the Markets S&P 500: Euphoric Hormuz Crash In The Making And Oil Surge Market Lesson: Why Panic Is A Costly Mistake The War Is Not Over Hormuz disruption lingers: Markets price gradual reopening, not a quick fix Iran war isn't stopping earnings upgrades - Goldman
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images In July 2025, I published my first and only article about American life science and clinical research company Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. ( TMO ). I rated the stock as a “Hold” and wrote in my conclusion: Thermo Fisher is certainly a great business with a wide economic moat around its business. However, I see the stock as fairly valued at best, as I do...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images In July 2025, I published my first and only article about American life science and clinical research company Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. ( TMO ). I rated the stock as a “Hold” and wrote in my conclusion: Thermo Fisher is certainly a great business with a wide economic moat around its business. However, I see the stock as fairly valued at best, as I don’t see the company growing in the double digits in the years to come. In the last ten years, the acquisition contributed to growth but due to rather high debt levels and very high amounts of goodwill on the balance sheet, I don’t know if Thermo Fisher can continue this strategy. Therefore, I rather see growth rates in the high single digits being reasonable and the stock will remain on my watchlist – together with Waters Corp and Danaher Corporation. Despite my “Hold” rating and rather cautious stance, the stock increased slightly above 20% in value and clearly outperformed the S&P 500. In the meantime, the stock increased even 50% to $643 and came close to its all-time high once again before the correction drove the stock down again (in line with many other stocks around the world). In the following article, I will look at Thermo Fisher again before the company will report its first quarter results on April 23, 2026. And while we can argue that Thermo Fisher will perform stably in the coming quarters and economic uncertainty probably won’t have a huge impact on the business, I still consider the stock price too expensive at this point. Results Fiscal 2025 Let’s start by looking at the full-year results. Total revenue increased from $42,879 million in fiscal 2024 to $44,556 million in fiscal 2025, resulting in 3.9% year-over-year growth for the top line. Operating income increased 5.6% year-over-year from $7,337 million in the previous year to $7,746 million in fiscal 2025. Diluted earnings per share also increased from $16.53 in fiscal 2024 to $17.74 in fiscal 2025, resul...
Hong Kong police have arrested a 16-year-old garage worker for allegedly driving without a licence after he lost control of a Tesla car and crashed into a parked vehicle, pushing the latter through a property agency’s storefront and leaving an employee injured. The force said on Monday that the teenager was believed to have been trying to drive the electric car out of the garage on Luk Mei Tsuen R...
Hong Kong police have arrested a 16-year-old garage worker for allegedly driving without a licence after he lost control of a Tesla car and crashed into a parked vehicle, pushing the latter through a property agency’s storefront and leaving an employee injured. The force said on Monday that the teenager was believed to have been trying to drive the electric car out of the garage on Luk Mei Tsuen Road when he lost control and struck a seven-seater parked nearby. The boy had reportedly only...
The International Monetary Fund’s mission chief for Senegal met a packed room of investors in Washington on Friday, offering fresh details on the country’s economic outlook but stopping short of signaling a breakthrough in talks on a new program. The session, one of the most closely watched during the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings last week, drew standing-room-only attendance across connected roo...
The International Monetary Fund’s mission chief for Senegal met a packed room of investors in Washington on Friday, offering fresh details on the country’s economic outlook but stopping short of signaling a breakthrough in talks on a new program. The session, one of the most closely watched during the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings last week, drew standing-room-only attendance across connected rooms at the fund’s headquarters, according to people familiar with the matter. IMF staff officials led by Mercedes Vera-Martin told investors the fund is awaiting the Senegalese authorities’ publication of a revised macroeconomic framework — expected in the coming weeks — before it can update its debt sustainability analysis, said the people who asked not to be identified discussing private matters. That’s a key step for IMF program talks, as the so-called DSA assesses a country’s ability to repay its loans. Friday’s session came after the Senegalese government earlier this month issued an updated assessment of its economic outlook that the government hopes will secure a new IMF program without having to restructure its debt. The outlook — which includes cuts to subsidies, higher revenue collection and tighter control over public debt — checked many of the usual boxes that the IMF requires for a program. An IMF spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the April 17 meeting with investors. Senegal’s economy and finance ministries didn’t reply to requests for comment sent by text message and email on details about when it would issue the revised macroeconomic framework. Senegal’s dollar bonds due in 2031 were among the best performers across emerging markets on Monday, adding 1.3 cents to trade at 57.68 cents on the dollar, according to CBBT composite pricing. Fiscal Outlook The fund’s representatives underscored a stronger-than-expected fiscal performance by Senegal, driven by cuts to capital expenditure, but flagged an expected slowdown in economic g...
Vinegar, Tim Tams and baby rice are among the products to be scrutinised in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s case Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The consumer watchdog is back in court and taking on Australia’s largest supermarket chain, alleging Woolworths deliberately misled shoppers with fake discounts. The Australian Competition and Consumer Com...
Vinegar, Tim Tams and baby rice are among the products to be scrutinised in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s case Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The consumer watchdog is back in court and taking on Australia’s largest supermarket chain, alleging Woolworths deliberately misled shoppers with fake discounts. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) case against Woolworths begins in the federal court in Sydney on Tuesday, almost two months after hearings wrapped up in its very similar case against Coles . Continue reading...
Fish swam further and dispersed more widely after exposure to environmental levels of drug and main metabolite Traces of cocaine that pollute rivers and lakes may accumulate in the brains of salmon and disrupt their behaviour, according to researchers who warn of unknown consequences for fish populations. Juvenile Atlantic salmon that were artificially exposed to the drug and its main breakdown pr...
Fish swam further and dispersed more widely after exposure to environmental levels of drug and main metabolite Traces of cocaine that pollute rivers and lakes may accumulate in the brains of salmon and disrupt their behaviour, according to researchers who warn of unknown consequences for fish populations. Juvenile Atlantic salmon that were artificially exposed to the drug and its main breakdown product swam further and dispersed more widely across a lake, suggesting the substances can affect where the fish go, what they eat and how vulnerable they are to predators. Continue reading...
Study shows signature changes more pronounced in people with genetic risk, raising hopes for new therapies Changes to microbes that live in the gut can identify people at greater risk of Parkinson’s disease long before symptoms develop, according to work that also raises hopes for new therapies. Researchers discovered signature changes in the gut microbiome that are more pronounced in people with ...
Study shows signature changes more pronounced in people with genetic risk, raising hopes for new therapies Changes to microbes that live in the gut can identify people at greater risk of Parkinson’s disease long before symptoms develop, according to work that also raises hopes for new therapies. Researchers discovered signature changes in the gut microbiome that are more pronounced in people with a genetic risk for Parkinson’s and even more stark in those diagnosed with the disease. Continue reading...
In the summer of 1971, I left behind my comfortable family home with a tent, rations and a Women’s Weekly cutting of Princess Caroline of Monaco Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email At 15 I proved the maxim: “hire a teen while they still know everything”. That summer of 1971, I judged the world and concluded that civilisation was meh, and surely doomed. So with the zeal of the truly clueles...
In the summer of 1971, I left behind my comfortable family home with a tent, rations and a Women’s Weekly cutting of Princess Caroline of Monaco Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email At 15 I proved the maxim: “hire a teen while they still know everything”. That summer of 1971, I judged the world and concluded that civilisation was meh, and surely doomed. So with the zeal of the truly clueless I resolved to try living off the land, and left behind my comfortable family home and smirking parents. Continue reading...
Bruce the kea—a species of alpine parrot native to New Zealand—lost his upper beak in an accident as a young bird. But that hasn't stopped him from becoming the dominant male in his kea community (known as a "circus") at the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. According to a new paper published in the journal Current Biology, Bruce achieved his alpha status via a unique fighting method, essentially "jous...
Bruce the kea—a species of alpine parrot native to New Zealand—lost his upper beak in an accident as a young bird. But that hasn't stopped him from becoming the dominant male in his kea community (known as a "circus") at the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. According to a new paper published in the journal Current Biology, Bruce achieved his alpha status via a unique fighting method, essentially "jousting" with what remains of his beak. Researchers already knew Bruce was special. Back in 2021 , scientists at the Kea Animal Minds Lab at the University of Auckland studied Bruce and other non-disabled kea and found that Bruce exhibited unusual preening behavior to compensate for his missing upper beak. He figured out how to use small pebbles for that purpose, wedging them between his lower jaw and tongue and then rubbing them along his feathers. Other non-disabled keas occasionally played with pebbles, too, but they chose larger ones and never used them for preening. So Bruce didn't learn this behavior by watching other birds; he figured it out on his own. The authors concluded this was evidence of keas' high problem-solving abilities and possibly an example of deliberate tool use . It's also why Bruce's caretakers at the reserve have never fitted him with prosthetics, believing it would only cause him stress and force him to re-adapt his behavior all over again. Read full article Comments
First, it was the Panama Canal, then came the Strait of Hormuz. What could be next? America’s actions in the two major shipping channels have grabbed headlines, and global attention is shifting to the strategic importance and potential risks of other critical trade waterways. Some of the chokepoints were examined in a US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) investigation in March last year of unfavou...
First, it was the Panama Canal, then came the Strait of Hormuz. What could be next? America’s actions in the two major shipping channels have grabbed headlines, and global attention is shifting to the strategic importance and potential risks of other critical trade waterways. Some of the chokepoints were examined in a US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) investigation in March last year of unfavourable shipping conditions, signalling America’s heightened focus on international routes and...
Biogen is likely to get a big boost from its increased focus on developing drugs for kidney transplant patients and individuals suffering from autoimmune diseases such as lupus, according to Wells Fargo. The bank's research arm raised its rating on the stock to overweight from equal weight. It also upped its price target on shares to $250 from $200, implying roughly 41% upside from Friday's close....
Biogen is likely to get a big boost from its increased focus on developing drugs for kidney transplant patients and individuals suffering from autoimmune diseases such as lupus, according to Wells Fargo. The bank's research arm raised its rating on the stock to overweight from equal weight. It also upped its price target on shares to $250 from $200, implying roughly 41% upside from Friday's close. "Our positive view comes from new medium-term growth drivers in BIIB's late-stage pipeline outside [development of therapies in neurology]," analyst Mohit Bansal said in a note to clients. "New [revenue] streams from immunology/kidney pipelines [will] reduce reliance on [neurology treatments]." Biogen has shifted its focus to its pipeline of late-stage products, including therapies for lupus and antibody-medicated rejection (AMR) treatments for kidney transplant patients, according to Wells Fargo. The pivot comes amid rising competition in the multiple sclerosis (MS) drug market. The analyst estimates Biogen will clock roughly $2.5 billion in adjusted sales from its lupus and AMR offerings by 2035. That should "more than offset" the erosion in sales seen by its MS drugs, according to Wells Fargo. "We are bullish on … important immunology/kidney catalysts in the next ~12-18 mo," Bansal wrote, pointing to promising data from trials for Biogen's investigative drugs such as litifilimab, felzartamab and dapirolizumab. "These assets w/differentiated mechanisms and already de-risked by compelling datasets [are] setting up large and currently underappreciated" opportunities, the analyst added. Wells Fargo's call goes against consensus on the Street. Of the 37 analysts covering Biogen, just 17 have a buy or strong buy on the stock, LSEG data shows. Shares have ticked up nearly 1% in the year to date, underperforming the overall market.
S. Greg Panosian /iStock via Getty Images "n.b. this post was written prior to market open today - in early trading, the stock has risen further in value, to $24 at the time of writing, up >25%, Current market cap valuation has now risen to $1.47bn." Investment Overview The stock of Dublin, Ireland-based biotech GH Research PLC ( GHRS ) was surging last week, climbing nearly 20% in value, to $18.3...
S. Greg Panosian /iStock via Getty Images "n.b. this post was written prior to market open today - in early trading, the stock has risen further in value, to $24 at the time of writing, up >25%, Current market cap valuation has now risen to $1.47bn." Investment Overview The stock of Dublin, Ireland-based biotech GH Research PLC ( GHRS ) was surging last week, climbing nearly 20% in value, to $18.3 per share, its highest value since April 2022. The stock is now up >40% year-to-date and ~110% on a one-year basis. GH Research discusses its business as follows in its 2025 annual report / 10-K submission : We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming the lives of patients by developing a practice-changing treatment in depression. Our initial focus is on developing our novel and proprietary mebufotenin therapies for the treatment of patients with treatment-resistant depression, or TRD. Our portfolio currently includes GH001, our proprietary inhalable mebufotenin product candidate and GH002, our proprietary intravenous mebufotenin product candidate. While GH001 is currently delivered via a vaporization device produced by a third party, we are developing a proprietary aerosol delivery device, which is currently in clinical investigation in Europe. Last week's gains were driven by the news that U.S. President Trump would be signing an executive order aimed at accelerating research and expanding access to substances used abroad to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. According to a White House statement : Policymakers and the medical field have long struggled to address the burden of suicide and serious mental illness rates in America. Today, over 14 million American adults have a serious mental illness, defined as having a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that substantially interferes with a person’s life and ability to function, and about 8 million are on prescription medication for these conditions. Suicide rates tragica...
(This is The Best Stocks in the Market , brought to you by Josh Brown and Sean Russo of Ritholtz Wealth Management.) Josh — We've been writing about industrials for you here all year. Along with semiconductors and utilities, industrial companies have been leading the U.S. stock market higher and benefiting from the once-in-a-generation push for increased electrification and new infrastructure. The...
(This is The Best Stocks in the Market , brought to you by Josh Brown and Sean Russo of Ritholtz Wealth Management.) Josh — We've been writing about industrials for you here all year. Along with semiconductors and utilities, industrial companies have been leading the U.S. stock market higher and benefiting from the once-in-a-generation push for increased electrification and new infrastructure. The AI capex theme has many winners. It's been fun to watch as many 100-year old businesses have gotten in on the action. AI might be a mostly digital interface for the consumers and companies who use it, but providing these tools is an incredibly physical proposition. Today's industrial stocks include a company that makes braking systems for trains out of Wilmerding, Pennsylvania as well as a trucking manufacturer in Bellevue, Washington. Transportation-related industrials are every bit as relevant to the capex theme as the rest of the companies we've been telling you about. Increased demand for heavy machinery and parts means higher revenue for the businesses who can move it all. Here's Sean: As of April 20 , there are 188 names on The Best Stocks in the Market list. Top sector ranking: Top industries: Top 5 best stocks by relative strength: Sector spotlight: Machinery PACCAR, Inc. (PCAR): Sean — You probably have not heard of PACCAR, but you've definitely passed their trucks on the highway. PCAR operates the Kenworth, Peterbilt, and DAF brands (those semis that crisscross the U.S. daily), and they own and operate a massive parts and financial services business tied to heavy machinery. PCAR has reported an impressive 87 consecutive years of profitable net income and has compounded cash flow and dividends in the 7-11% range the past decade. Longer-term, the company is targeting 1 percentage point of annual parts market share growth, aiming for $3.5 billion in incremental parts sales by 2030, supported by a 2,400-location dealer network and AI-driven connected services. This i...
Today, I’m talking with Melanie Perkins, founder and CEO of Canva, a popular online design tool. I always enjoy talking with Melanie. She was last on the show a couple of years ago, just as the AI revolution was coming to the worlds of art and design. At the time, Canva had escaped a lot of the criticism being leveled at its competitors for adding AI tools. Melanie attributed that both to how much...
Today, I’m talking with Melanie Perkins, founder and CEO of Canva, a popular online design tool. I always enjoy talking with Melanie. She was last on the show a couple of years ago, just as the AI revolution was coming to the worlds of art and design. At the time, Canva had escaped a lot of the criticism being leveled at its competitors for adding AI tools. Melanie attributed that both to how much Canva users love the product and also the huge inroads it was making into the business world. Canva is a tool that empowers non-designers to design, and that group of people was just trying to get work done. They didn’t seem nearly as threatened by AI as professionals using other creative software — they may have even felt empowered. It’s been two years, and it’s safe to say that AI is all over design software now — and a lot more people have a lot more feelings about AI in general. But Melanie and Canva are pushing even more aggressively into integrating AI. The company just announced a big new update that allows people to simply tell Canva what to make and have it go through various data sources like Slack and email to build presentations, documents, and other design materials. Those projects arrive as regular old Canva files, which you can edit at will. You’ll hear Melanie come back to that idea several times — having the output of the AI system be in a format you can edit, so that you can refine it, is a big deal. Verge subscribers, don’t forget you get exclusive access to ad-free Decoder wherever you get your podcasts. Head here . Not a subscriber? You can sign up here . The idea here, as Canva says, is to move “from a design platform with AI tools to an AI platform with design tools.” I’ll let you all sit with that for a moment. Obviously I dug into that with Melanie, as well as how she’s thinking about Canva’s relationship to the AI model providers, the cost of the tokens required to automate an app like Canva in this way, and the kinds of pricing that might lead to...
The utility sector is gathering steam as investors turn to the industry amid booming electricity demand for modern artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. Utilities are typically boring stocks prized for their stable growth and dividends but are becoming growth plays as investors price in the rapid rise in electricity demand. According to Bank of America research, electricity demand could grow ...
The utility sector is gathering steam as investors turn to the industry amid booming electricity demand for modern artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. Utilities are typically boring stocks prized for their stable growth and dividends but are becoming growth plays as investors price in the rapid rise in electricity demand. According to Bank of America research, electricity demand could grow at a rate five times faster annually over the next decade than over the previous decade. Two top electric utility stocks to consider against this backdrop are American Electric Power (NASDAQ: AEP) and NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) . Here's which one is a better buy today. Continue reading
Arm Holdings trades at steep premiums, but strong growth, rising cash & big-tech partnerships suggest investors are betting on its sustained operating strength.
Arm Holdings trades at steep premiums, but strong growth, rising cash & big-tech partnerships suggest investors are betting on its sustained operating strength.