Tax The Rich political rally hosted by the Democratic Socialists of America and featuring Senator Bernie Sanders, March 29, 2026, at Lehman College in New York City. Andrew Lichtenstein | Corbis News | Getty Images More Democratic states are embracing higher taxes on the wealthy amid increased fiscal pressures . But these policies could cause future revenue issues, experts say. " Progressive taxat...
Tax The Rich political rally hosted by the Democratic Socialists of America and featuring Senator Bernie Sanders, March 29, 2026, at Lehman College in New York City. Andrew Lichtenstein | Corbis News | Getty Images More Democratic states are embracing higher taxes on the wealthy amid increased fiscal pressures . But these policies could cause future revenue issues, experts say. " Progressive taxation ," or paying higher rates as income rises, isn't new or surprising, said Jared Walczak, a senior fellow at the Tax Foundation, a nonprofit think tank. In 2023, the average income tax rate was 14.1%, while the top 1% of taxpayers paid 26.3% on average , according to a Tax Foundation analysis of the latest IRS data. But there's an increasing focus on generating more revenue from the top earners and the highest-net-worth individuals, Walczak said, "and there's fundamentally a challenge with this." Read more CNBC personal finance coverage Trump officials give mixed guidance on new student loan cap: financial aid group Trump's Fed pick Kevin Warsh signals approach to interest rates Gen Z looks for scholarships on TikTok. There's a better way, experts say What a looming jet fuel shortage could mean for summer travel Incoming college freshmen may owe $43,000 in student loans by graduation Retirement savings for caregivers a focus of new bipartisan bills in Congress This year's college graduates face a changed student loan landscape There's an 'art' to writing AI prompts for personal finance, MIT professor says As AI restructures workforce, some young adults turn to grad school Average tax refund is 11.2% higher, latest IRS filing data shows Bessent says to adjust paycheck withholdings, but mistakes may trigger a tax bill Why the stock market is hitting records despite Iran war 35% of Gen Z homebuyers are single women. Here's why they need an estate plan Community college enrollment rises as more grads pursue associate degrees CNBC's Financial Advisor 100: Best financial adviso...
Earnings Call Insights: CVB Financial Corp. (CVBF) Q1 2026 Management View Net earnings and profitability streak were emphasized upfront, with CEO David Brager stating, "For the first quarter of 2026, we reported net earnings of $51 million or $0.38 per share, representing our 196th consecutive quarter of profitability," and adding, "We previously declared a $0.20 per share dividend for the first ...
Earnings Call Insights: CVB Financial Corp. (CVBF) Q1 2026 Management View Net earnings and profitability streak were emphasized upfront, with CEO David Brager stating, "For the first quarter of 2026, we reported net earnings of $51 million or $0.38 per share, representing our 196th consecutive quarter of profitability," and adding, "We previously declared a $0.20 per share dividend for the first quarter of 2026." Brager framed the quarter around margin and core balance-sheet momentum, saying results reflected "net interest margin expansion, loan growth and growth in deposits and customer repurchase agreements," including "Our net interest margin expanded by 13 basis points over the prior year quarter to 3.44%." Loan growth and mix were tied to commercial real estate and certain specialty categories, with Brager reporting, "Total loans at March 31, 2026, were $8.64 billion," and attributing year-over-year growth primarily to "commercial real estate loans of $141 million," plus growth in "dairy and livestock and agribusiness loans" and "construction loans." Brager also highlighted quarterly seasonality, saying dairy utilization declined from "78% at the end of 2025 to 69% at March 31, 2026." Pricing pressure surfaced as origination volumes rose, with Brager noting, "Loan originations have started off the year at a strong pace" and adding, "Loan originations in the first quarter had average yields of approximately 6%, which was roughly 25 basis points lower than the prior quarter," while warning that "rate competition for high-quality loans continues to be intense." Credit commentary included a new specific-reserve action, with Brager stating, "Total nonperforming loans increased by $1.5 million to $6.1 million" and explaining the change was "primarily due to the downgrade of a $2.9 million C&I loan for which we established a specific reserve." CFO E. Nicholson linked earnings and operating leverage to net interest income and expense discipline, saying, "Pretax pre-pr...
Dmytro Skrypnykov/iStock via Getty Images Cannabis multi-state operators, which surged Wednesday following a report that marijuana would be reclassified as a Schedule III substance, are poised to benefit from increased capital investment and lower taxes, according to an industry insider close to one MSO. The individual, who requested anonymity, told Seeking Alpha that the official announcement ear...
Dmytro Skrypnykov/iStock via Getty Images Cannabis multi-state operators, which surged Wednesday following a report that marijuana would be reclassified as a Schedule III substance, are poised to benefit from increased capital investment and lower taxes, according to an industry insider close to one MSO. The individual, who requested anonymity, told Seeking Alpha that the official announcement earlier today and final order from the Justice Department have been "50 years in the making" and will have many positive impacts on companies in the space. Because marijuana was classified as a Schedule I substance before—meaning it has no recognized medical benefits and a significant risk of abuse—many institutional investors steered clear of investing in MSOs. But that could soon change, the insider said. The person said the investment landscape before the announcement had been "a desert with no buyers." The individual also highlighted tax breaks cannabis businesses will now be eligible for with the reclassification. Section 280E of the tax code, which prohibits companies engaged in the trafficking of Schedule I or II substances from deducting business expenses, will no longer apply to MSOs. It is important to note that the reclassification does not mean marijuana is legalized on the federal level. Penalties still exist on the federal level for possession and distribution, though as a Schedule III, they are less than for a Schedule I drug. The move will also allow further research into marijuana's medical benefits. While other observers cheered the reclassification, they noted that other changes are needed before more significant benefits for the industry can be achieved. The "final order to place certain cannabis-related products in Schedule III marks a meaningful, but highly targeted, policy shift," FundCanna CEO Adam Stettner said in a statement. "Rather than broadly rescheduling cannabis, the order applies specifically to FDA-approved cannabis drugs and products operatin...
Just_Super/iStock via Getty Images ServiceNow ( NOW ) announced on Wednesday that it beat the high end of its guidance across a number of key metrics, which in turn allowed the agentic AI player to exceed analyst consensus expectations for the Q1 top line. Nonetheless, shares slumped ~15% after the Q1'26 earnings report, mainly because the SaaS enterprise submitted a lower-than-expected outlook fo...
Just_Super/iStock via Getty Images ServiceNow ( NOW ) announced on Wednesday that it beat the high end of its guidance across a number of key metrics, which in turn allowed the agentic AI player to exceed analyst consensus expectations for the Q1 top line. Nonetheless, shares slumped ~15% after the Q1'26 earnings report, mainly because the SaaS enterprise submitted a lower-than-expected outlook for its subscription gross margin for FY 2026 and delayed deal closings in the Middle East weighed on investor sentiment. However, the AI-powered platform reported strong operating and free cash flow margins, with ServiceNow especially benefiting from strong momentum in its Now Assist product -- the company’s generative AI suite. A key driver of growth for ServiceNow is the platform’s ability to grow especially quickly with enterprise customers that have a platform spend of more than $5.0M annually, which are backing ServiceNow's strong margins. I believe investors are overreacting to the company's solid earnings report card, and I would recommend that investors buy the drop in shares of ServiceNow. Data by YCharts Previous rating I rated shares of ServiceNow a ‘Strong Buy’ in my coverage initiation in March of 2026 -- A Strong Bet On Agentic AI -- because of the company's enormous potential in the agentic AI market. ServiceNow is growing highly lucrative enterprise accounts at a rapid pace and as a result lifted its subscription revenue guidance, but it lowered its margin guidance slightly. I feel that the 0.5 PP decline in margin guidance should not have wiped out $15.0B of the company's market cap and I would recommend emerging here as a buyer. ServiceNow met Q1 EPS expectations The SaaS platform, which is focused on the mass roll-out of autonomous AI agents in the enterprise market reported better-than-expected revenue results for Q1'26: ServiceNow published non-GAAP earnings of $0.97 per-share, which met the market consensus exactly. The revenue figure came in at $3.8B, ...
asbe/iStock via Getty Images While gold, silver, platinum, and copper reached new record highs in late January 2026, palladium remained below its March 2022 all-time high. Palladium ( XPDUSD:CUR ) is a rare platinum group metal, or PGM, which is the least liquid of the four precious metals trading on the CME’s COMEX and NYMEX divisions. Open interest is the total number of open long and short posi...
asbe/iStock via Getty Images While gold, silver, platinum, and copper reached new record highs in late January 2026, palladium remained below its March 2022 all-time high. Palladium ( XPDUSD:CUR ) is a rare platinum group metal, or PGM, which is the least liquid of the four precious metals trading on the CME’s COMEX and NYMEX divisions. Open interest is the total number of open long and short positions in a futures market, and palladium’s open interest and average daily volume are far below those of the other metals. Palladium’s price has corrected from its late January peak, along with the other precious metals and copper. However, palladium remains in a bullish trend in April 2026, with higher highs possible. The abrdn Physical Palladium Shares ETF ( PALL ) invests 100% of its assets under management in physical palladium bullion. Gold, Silver, and Platinum Reached Record Highs in 2026; Palladium Did Not Three of the four precious metals trading on the CME’s COMEX and NYMEX divisions reached new all-time highs in Q1 2026. Quarterly Continuous COMEX Gold Futures Chart (Barchart) The quarterly continuous COMEX gold futures chart shows that the leading precious metals rose to a record high of $5,626.80 in Q1 2026. While gold ( XAUUSD:CUR ) corrected from its late January 2026 high, the price moved 7.41% higher in Q1, closing the quarter at $4,662.70 per ounce. Nearby June COMEX gold futures were higher, near $4,750 per ounce, on April 23. Quarterly Continuous COMEX Silver Futures Chart (Barchart) The quarterly continuous COMEX silver futures chart ( XAGUSD:CUR ) shows the explosive gain that reached a record high of $121.785 per ounce in Q1 2026. While silver corrected from its late January 2026 high, the price moved 6.11% higher in Q1, closing the quarter at $74.919 per ounce. Nearby May COMEX silver futures were higher at around $76.50 per ounce on April 23. Quarterly Continuous NYMEX Platinum Chart (Barchart) The quarterly continuous NYMEX platinum futures chart (...
July arabica coffee (KCN26 ) today is up +9.00 (+3.11%), and May ICE robusta coffee (RMK26 ) is up +113 (+3.19%). Coffee prices are sharply higher today, with arabica posting a 1-week high and robusta posting a 4-week high. Concerns that a prolonged US-Iran war will keep the Strait of...
July arabica coffee (KCN26 ) today is up +9.00 (+3.11%), and May ICE robusta coffee (RMK26 ) is up +113 (+3.19%). Coffee prices are sharply higher today, with arabica posting a 1-week high and robusta posting a 4-week high. Concerns that a prolonged US-Iran war will keep the Strait of...
US President Donald Trump told the BBC on Thursday that British King Charles’ coming state visit to the United States could “absolutely” help rebuild strained ties between the two countries. Charles heads to the US on Monday for a four-day trip, with transatlantic tensions over the Iran war and scandals linked to the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein threatening to intrude on the landmark visit...
US President Donald Trump told the BBC on Thursday that British King Charles’ coming state visit to the United States could “absolutely” help rebuild strained ties between the two countries. Charles heads to the US on Monday for a four-day trip, with transatlantic tensions over the Iran war and scandals linked to the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein threatening to intrude on the landmark visit. Asked by the BBC whether Charles’s visit could help repair the relationship between the US and UK,...
Trevor Srednick/iStock via Getty Images J.P. Morgan downgraded Lucky Strike Entertainment ( LUCK ) to Underweight from Neutral as analyst Matthew Boss anticipates traffic to the company's bowling centers to worsen due to macroeconomic uncertainties and a “challenging pricing backdrop” after a recent price hike. Boss expects consumer behavior shifting to “more cautious” as a result of higher gas pr...
Trevor Srednick/iStock via Getty Images J.P. Morgan downgraded Lucky Strike Entertainment ( LUCK ) to Underweight from Neutral as analyst Matthew Boss anticipates traffic to the company's bowling centers to worsen due to macroeconomic uncertainties and a “challenging pricing backdrop” after a recent price hike. Boss expects consumer behavior shifting to “more cautious” as a result of higher gas prices since the onset of the Middle East conflict, a dynamic that will ultimately impact traffic to Lucky Strike Entertainment’s ( LUCK ) bowling centers. Citing Placer.ai data, traffic is shown moderating from 2% growth during the current quarter to a 4% decline by the third quarter. By the fourth quarter, Boss estimates same-center-sales growth to contract by 2%, more than 500 basis points below the street estimates. At the same time, initiatives to drive traffic “have resulted in adjusted EBITDA erosion, representing a bottom-line headwind,” Boss said in his note to clients. Based on his revised calendar year 2027 estimated EBITDA of $390M, Boss adjusts his price target for Lucky Strike Entertainment ( LUCK ) by -25% to $6. More on Lucky Strike Entertainment Lucky Strike: Confirmation Of The Volatility And Downside Lucky Strike Entertainment Corporation (LUCK) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript Lucky Strike Entertainment Corporation 2026 Q2 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Lucky Strike outlines EBITDA lift and brand consolidation while targeting 200 Lucky Strike locations by end of 2026 Lucky Strike Entertainment reports Q2 results
Chalabala/iStock via Getty Images Over the last few months now, things have been going exceptionally well for shareholders of IDEX Corporation ( IEX ). Since I called the company a ‘hold’ back in November of last year, the stock has risen 21.4%. That is significantly better than the 2.6% increase that the S&P 500 saw over the same window of time. This was driven by revenue, profits, and cash flows...
Chalabala/iStock via Getty Images Over the last few months now, things have been going exceptionally well for shareholders of IDEX Corporation ( IEX ). Since I called the company a ‘hold’ back in November of last year, the stock has risen 21.4%. That is significantly better than the 2.6% increase that the S&P 500 saw over the same window of time. This was driven by revenue, profits, and cash flows, all rising. Even the most recent quarter saw expansion for the business. For this year, management does expect a slight increase in sales. More importantly, profitability is expected to rise also. Even after the share price increase, the stock is trading at a discount compared to some other similar enterprises. But on an absolute basis, the firm looks pretty much fairly valued to me. In light of that, I believe that maintaining it as a ‘hold’ makes sense. Of course, I am not afraid to change my mind if new data justifies it. Hopefully, that will happen soon. After all, management is expected to announce financial results for the first quarter of the company's 2026 fiscal year on April 29. And as we approach that date, analysts believe that revenue and profits for the business will rise on a year-over-year basis. Adjusted net income might dip slightly. So that should definitely be watched. However, even if the company comes in above expectations, an upgrade is unlikely. Checking Out IDEX Corporation Again At its core, IDEX Corporation is an intriguing business. Management describes the company as a global applied solutions provider that caters to a wide array of industries. It does this by producing and selling mission-critical components, with examples being scientific fluidics and optics products, pneumatic technologies, valves, dispensing technologies, its signature BAND-IT product line, agricultural products such as pumps, controllers, fittings, etc., and more. In 2025, the largest chunk of revenue for the company came from the industrial and life sciences and markets....
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals ( REGN ) announced on Thursday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval for its gene therapy Otarmeni as a treatment for a type of hearing loss caused by a gene mutation. According to the FDA's labeling information, the one-time therapy will be available in the U.S. for adults and children with sensorineural hearing loss associated wit...
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals ( REGN ) announced on Thursday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval for its gene therapy Otarmeni as a treatment for a type of hearing loss caused by a gene mutation. According to the FDA's labeling information, the one-time therapy will be available in the U.S. for adults and children with sensorineural hearing loss associated with molecularly confirmed biallelic variants in the OTOF gene. Patients with severe-to-profound and profound sensorineural hearing loss and preserved outer hair cell function will be eligible for the therapy if they have had no prior cochlear implantation in the same ear. The FDA has approved Otarmeni under the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher program, which seeks to expedite the review of products developed by companies aligned with national priorities. The approval is supported by data from the company’s CHORD trial. The Phase 1/2 trial reached the primary endpoint as 16 out of 20 trial subjects surpassed a predetermined hearing level over 24 weeks after receiving Otarmeni. The continued approval of the drug depends on positive results from the confirmatory portion of the trial, which is currently enrolling patients in countries including the U.S. and the U.K. More on Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) C5 Complement Development Program Focusing on Cemdisiran and Pozelimab for Complement-Mediated Diseases - Slide Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) Discusses C5 Complement Development Program Focusing on Cemdisiran and Pozelimab for Complement-Mediated Diseases Transcript Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) Presents at Leerink Global Healthcare Conference 2026 Transcript Regeneron is said to have reached a drug pricing deal with U.S. Sanofi and Regeneron’s Dupixent becomes first biologic for kids under 12 with CSU
Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) shares set to snap six straight sessions of losses on Thursday, as the stock rose 1.9% to $230.42 in afternoon trading. The New Brunswick, New Jersey-based pharma giant lost about 5% in the preceding six sessions. Overall, the stock has risen nearly 10% so far this year, compared to the 4% rise in the broader S&P 500 Index. JNJ is down nearly 2% over the past one month. T...
Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) shares set to snap six straight sessions of losses on Thursday, as the stock rose 1.9% to $230.42 in afternoon trading. The New Brunswick, New Jersey-based pharma giant lost about 5% in the preceding six sessions. Overall, the stock has risen nearly 10% so far this year, compared to the 4% rise in the broader S&P 500 Index. JNJ is down nearly 2% over the past one month. The stock closed marginally higher on Wednesday. April has not been a favourable month for the company so far, with 12 sessions in red and two sessions in green. Looking at Seeking Alpha's Quant Rating, JNJ has a Hold rating with a score of 3.43 out of 5. The company received an A+ in the prospect of profitability, while it got a D- in the growth factor. Turning to the Wall Street community, 14 analysts gave JNJ a Buy and above, 10 analysts have given the stock a Hold recommendation, and one recommended Sell. Seeking Alpha analysts are also bullish and see the stock as a Buy. Earlier this month, Johnson & Johnson lifted its full-year guidance after reporting better-than-expected financials for Q1, largely thanks to its cancer drugs, while sales from its Crohn's disease therapy continued to drop. “Johnson & Johnson is not necessarily known for mega-money M&A deals, but in recent years, the company has been busy growing its business inorganically as well as organically,” said Seeking Alpha analyst Edmund Ingham. “JNJ's diversified portfolio—driven by double-digit growth in Innovative Medicines and strong growth in MedTech—positions it as “the cleanest growth story in healthcare,” added Ingham. More on Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson: Why I See Downside Ahead Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript Johnson & Johnson Q1 Earnings Review: Why You Should Be Buying The Stock Today J&J's Imaavy demonstrates long-term disease control in myasthenia gravis Earnings Scoreboard: 85% of S&P 500 early reporters beat EPS estimates as Y/Y growth hits 25 firms
RYO Alexandre/iStock via Getty Images By Elior Manier USD/JPY ( USD:JPY ) is often playing tricks on FX traders, and this time it is completely avoiding volatility after gigantic up-and-down moves. The currency pair is known for its erratic price action, highly affected by movements in rates, global trade, and inflation, as well as regional and geopolitical developments - all of which have been se...
RYO Alexandre/iStock via Getty Images By Elior Manier USD/JPY ( USD:JPY ) is often playing tricks on FX traders, and this time it is completely avoiding volatility after gigantic up-and-down moves. The currency pair is known for its erratic price action, highly affected by movements in rates, global trade, and inflation, as well as regional and geopolitical developments - all of which have been severely affected since the beginning of the US-Iran conflict. Seen as a major safe haven currency since the early 2000s, profiting from lower yields in times of panic, JPY could not find any appeal during this conflict. Even as stock markets initially sold off, risk-off assets and currencies failed to gain traction, with the US dollar and WTI crude drawing all the attention. Believing the conflict would stay focused on the Middle East, a wider flight to safety was avoided. But the economic damage to Europe, and in the case of today's USD/JPY outlook, Japan and Asia, is still heavy, and that led to massive rallies in the US dollar against currencies from these regions. You can see the strong correlation between USD/JPY and oil movements in our recent analysis of the pair. Add to this narrative a striking stall in inflation in Japan, which was the only path to justify a return to less accommodative policy, and traders really found a natural terrain to race back to Japan shorts. Recent Japanese CPI data (Courtesy of Trading Economics) The Japanese CPI, releasing tonight at 19:30 ( ET ), is expected to rebound, as supply-side inflationary pressures could once again slowly push Japanese consumer prices higher. The Bank of Japan mentioned conflict-led inflation a few times but reportedly still leans toward a pause at the upcoming meeting , while hinting at a higher chance of a 25 bps hike in June to allow for further analysis of the war's impact. So, unless CPI beats expectations by a lot, this pricing shouldn't change much. With the second round of talks, delayed for almost a wee...
Key PointsThe penalty for a missed RMD dropped from 50% to 25% under SECURE 2.0, and can fall to just 10% -- or even zero -- if you correct the mistake and submit the proper paperwork.
Key PointsThe penalty for a missed RMD dropped from 50% to 25% under SECURE 2.0, and can fall to just 10% -- or even zero -- if you correct the mistake and submit the proper paperwork.