Comparing the Roundhill Investments Generative AI & Technology ETF (NYSEMKT:CHAT) and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEMKT:XLK) involves weighing the high-growth potential of niche generative artificial intelligence stocks against established technology giants at a lower cost. Investors seeking technology exposure often choose between broad sector plays and targeted thematic fun...
Comparing the Roundhill Investments Generative AI & Technology ETF (NYSEMKT:CHAT) and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEMKT:XLK) involves weighing the high-growth potential of niche generative artificial intelligence stocks against established technology giants at a lower cost. Investors seeking technology exposure often choose between broad sector plays and targeted thematic funds. CHAT offers an actively managed approach to the emerging generative artificial intelligence space, while XLK provides passive exposure to the largest technology companies within the S&P 500. This comparison highlights their divergent strategies and risk profiles. Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The One-year return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield. Continue reading
FIFA is offering assurances to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani that fans may bring water into World Cup stadiums — within certain rules. Mamdani raised concerns Thursday about reports that FIFA had banned fans from bringing bottles of water to World Cup matches, demanding answers from FIFA. Bloomberg Opinion Business of Sports Columnist Adam Minter joined David Gura and Christina Ruffini on Bloomber...
FIFA is offering assurances to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani that fans may bring water into World Cup stadiums — within certain rules. Mamdani raised concerns Thursday about reports that FIFA had banned fans from bringing bottles of water to World Cup matches, demanding answers from FIFA. Bloomberg Opinion Business of Sports Columnist Adam Minter joined David Gura and Christina Ruffini on Bloomberg This Weekend to discuss. (Source: Bloomberg)
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group Plc is considering a £500 million ($667 million) bid for Metrocentre, one of the UK’s biggest shopping centers, Sky News reports. Estate agents at Knight Frank are running a sale process for the center in Gateshead, with initial bids expected next month, according to the report . An update on Frasers’ property investments will be given when it reports full-year results ...
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group Plc is considering a £500 million ($667 million) bid for Metrocentre, one of the UK’s biggest shopping centers, Sky News reports. Estate agents at Knight Frank are running a sale process for the center in Gateshead, with initial bids expected next month, according to the report . An update on Frasers’ property investments will be given when it reports full-year results next month, a spokesperson told Sky. The group declined to comment to the outlet on its potential interest in Metrocentre. Frasers owns retail brands such as Sports Direct.
VIJ/iStock via Getty Images Torrid Holdings ( CURV ) just reported 1Q26 results . The results were still very challenging, in my opinion, with sales down on an absolute and comp basis, margins down, and adjusted EBITDA down almost $10 million. Although the price remains very reasonable from an FCF multiple perspective, in my opinion, the stock remains a falling knife in apparel retail. The cash yi...
VIJ/iStock via Getty Images Torrid Holdings ( CURV ) just reported 1Q26 results . The results were still very challenging, in my opinion, with sales down on an absolute and comp basis, margins down, and adjusted EBITDA down almost $10 million. Although the price remains very reasonable from an FCF multiple perspective, in my opinion, the stock remains a falling knife in apparel retail. The cash yield may look interesting, and there is a speculative case if second-half comps turn positive, but from a fundamental perspective, I do not think the risk/reward is attractive enough. I maintain a Hold rating. 1Q26 results Torrid posted net sales of $246 million in Q1, down ~7.5% from $266 million last year. Comps decline less, 1.7%, because a bunch of the lost sales come from closed stores, almost 27% from last year. The company's store count ended the quarter at 463, down from 632 last year. The comp figure is still challenging because last year the company also posted negative comps in 1Q25 , and even in 1Q24 . Management pointed out that excluding footwear, comparable sales would have been positive 1.2%. This is because the company paused the footwear business last year because of sourcing and tariff issues, creating a first-half comp headwind. Gross profit fell even more, from $101 million to $87 million. Gross margin declined almost 300bps, on top of a 300bps decline in 1Q25. Management attributed the decline to tariffs and promotions, but also noted (positively) that opening price points now account for 30% of apparel sales. This implies lower prices, which might be offset via lower quality on the merchandising side, but is probably also burdening margins. As commented in my last article, I do not see this as necessarily positive. Opening price points may help conversion and basket building, but they also signal that the customer needs a cheaper product to engage. That is not a good sign for pricing power. SG&A was better in dollar terms, falling from $70 million to $...
Key PointsiShares Silver Trust provides exposure to physical silver prices and has significantly outperformed Sprott Gold Miners ETF over the trailing 12 months
Key PointsiShares Silver Trust provides exposure to physical silver prices and has significantly outperformed Sprott Gold Miners ETF over the trailing 12 months
The phrase sounds almost impossible: a short squeeze involving index funds. After all, index funds are designed to be passive, rules-based buyers, not active traders caught on the wrong side of a position. Yet that is exactly the scenario Animal Spirits hosts Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson laid out on Episode 467, “The Biggest Short ... SpaceX IPO Could Create ‘The Biggest Short Squeeze’ of All T...
The phrase sounds almost impossible: a short squeeze involving index funds. After all, index funds are designed to be passive, rules-based buyers, not active traders caught on the wrong side of a position. Yet that is exactly the scenario Animal Spirits hosts Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson laid out on Episode 467, “The Biggest Short ... SpaceX IPO Could Create ‘The Biggest Short Squeeze’ of All Time on Index Funds. Here’s How That Happens.
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Pfizer ( PFE ) on Saturday reported detailed results from several mid-stage trials, noting that its obesity therapy, berobenatide (PF’3944), added from its Metsera acquisition last year, could become the first GLP-1 therapy approved for monthly dosing. Citing data from its Phase 2b VESPER-1, 2, and 3 trials presented at the 86th Scientific Sessions of th...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Pfizer ( PFE ) on Saturday reported detailed results from several mid-stage trials, noting that its obesity therapy, berobenatide (PF’3944), added from its Metsera acquisition last year, could become the first GLP-1 therapy approved for monthly dosing. Citing data from its Phase 2b VESPER-1, 2, and 3 trials presented at the 86th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association on Saturday, Pfizer ( PFE ) said that results highlight berobenatide’s potential to deliver competitive weight loss with monthly delivery. Currently approved GLP-1 receptor agonists, Wegovy from Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) and Zepbound from Eli Lilly ( LLY ), are available as once-weekly injectables for weight management. “These data highlight the potential for berobenatide to be the first approved monthly GLP-1 RA peptide," said Jim List, Pfizer’s ( PFE ) Chief Internal Medicine Officer. The New York-based pharma giant intends to run as many as 10 Phase 3 trials for berobenatide this year, targeting long-term management and obesity-related conditions. Its VESPER-6 pivotal Phase 3 study, designed to test berobenatide for monthly maintenance dosing in obese or overweight adults, is currently enrolling patients. "In Phase 2b studies, berobenatide delivered continuous, uninterrupted weight loss at all doses selected for Phase 3 while preserving a tolerable profile as people transitioned from a weekly to a monthly maintenance dose,” added List. Weeks before Pfizer’s ( PFE ) $10B bid, Metsera reported interim data from the VESPER-1 and VESPER-3 trials in September supporting a once-monthly dosing regimen for the ultra-long-acting GLP-1 then known as MET-097i. More on Pfizer Pfizer Inc. (PFE) Presents at Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference 2026 Transcript Pfizer: Reduced TrumpRx/Patent Risks Meet Accretive M&A Efforts - Reiterate Buy FQ1 Healthcare Dividend Roundup: Johnson & Johnson Keeps Outshining Pfizer Three studies used to justify U.S. vaccine po...
Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B) has reshaped its equity portfolio, exiting Visa, Mastercard, UnitedHealth Group, and Amazon. The latest 13F filing also shows a substantial new position in Delta Air Lines, signaling a different stance on airlines. These portfolio moves come under CEO Greg Abel following Warren Buffett’s retirement, pointing to a fresh management approach. Berkshire Hathaway, tradin...
Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B) has reshaped its equity portfolio, exiting Visa, Mastercard, UnitedHealth Group, and Amazon. The latest 13F filing also shows a substantial new position in Delta Air Lines, signaling a different stance on airlines. These portfolio moves come under CEO Greg Abel following Warren Buffett’s retirement, pointing to a fresh management approach. Berkshire Hathaway, trading at around $488.13 per share, sits at the center of attention as investors assess what these...
Getty Images A Diversified Mortgage REIT Paying Monthly Dividends One mortgage REIT that got my attention this week was Ellington Financial ( EFC ), which beat Q1 earnings estimates, its 4th earnings beat in a row, and is not only a monthly dividend payer but also has a yield above +11% as of this writing. This is my initial coverage of EFC, and notable about its portfolio is that it is diversifie...
Getty Images A Diversified Mortgage REIT Paying Monthly Dividends One mortgage REIT that got my attention this week was Ellington Financial ( EFC ), which beat Q1 earnings estimates, its 4th earnings beat in a row, and is not only a monthly dividend payer but also has a yield above +11% as of this writing. This is my initial coverage of EFC, and notable about its portfolio is that it is diversified across residential and commercial mortgage loans, MBS, and other strategic investments, for instance. Today's rating explores this stock holistically across 7 categories and takes a closer look at Q1 results that came out in May. My Thesis: A Modest Buy on the First Try For my initial rating of this stock, I called it a buy, and my worksheet below shows how my 7 rating categories impacted the score. EFC - Rating Worksheet (Author) Although some upside forecasts are muted, and Fitch gave it below-investment-grade ratings, I liked its margins and return on equity, loan growth, diversified portfolio, modest dividend growth, and undervaluation, underscored by a confirmed bullish technical pattern indicating a return to market momentum. A Top Line Growth Engine, Despite Considerable Headwinds In this first section, I focus on top line growth. I gave the stock a neutral rating here because positives include new loan deals and a strong 5-year revenue growth, but some negatives are higher short-term funding costs and weaker mortgage demand lately on a macro level. Stepping back to understand what macro factors could impact the niche of mortgage REITs, I think two key topics are interest rate risk and demand for mortgages. Since I haven't looked at CME FedWatch predictions in a while, currently there is a 96% expectation the Fed will not cut rates at its June meeting, so that could keep short-term funding costs higher for both banks and mortgage REITs relying on such funding, potentially squeezing margins. Some data suggests a weaker mortgage demand heading into June, with CNBC's ...
AT&T has refreshed its internet plan lineup amid intensifying competition in the broadband industry. While AT&T welcomed 584,000 new internet customers in the first quarter of 2026, according to its most recent earnings report, T-Mobile attracted over 500,000 and Verizon gained 341,000. In ...
AT&T has refreshed its internet plan lineup amid intensifying competition in the broadband industry. While AT&T welcomed 584,000 new internet customers in the first quarter of 2026, according to its most recent earnings report, T-Mobile attracted over 500,000 and Verizon gained 341,000. In ...
President Donald Trump has spent months projecting confidence that a deal to end the Iran conflict is within reach. Israel’s determination to press ahead with its own objectives underscores his tenuous control over the outcome of the crisis. Former US ambassador to Israel under Obama, Tom Nides, joined David Gura and Christina Ruffini on Bloomberg This Weekend to discuss. (Source: Bloomberg)
President Donald Trump has spent months projecting confidence that a deal to end the Iran conflict is within reach. Israel’s determination to press ahead with its own objectives underscores his tenuous control over the outcome of the crisis. Former US ambassador to Israel under Obama, Tom Nides, joined David Gura and Christina Ruffini on Bloomberg This Weekend to discuss. (Source: Bloomberg)
Major market indexes on Wall Street ended lower on Friday, as traders assessed the latest payrolls data. Nasdaq ended 4% lower as tech stocks, including Micron, Arm, and AMD, faced heavy sell-off from investors. Wall Street had a slew of upgrades and downgrades from analysts. Here are some of the major calls for the week: Rio Tinto cut to Sell equivalent at RBC RBC Capital downgraded Rio Tinto ( R...
Major market indexes on Wall Street ended lower on Friday, as traders assessed the latest payrolls data. Nasdaq ended 4% lower as tech stocks, including Micron, Arm, and AMD, faced heavy sell-off from investors. Wall Street had a slew of upgrades and downgrades from analysts. Here are some of the major calls for the week: Rio Tinto cut to Sell equivalent at RBC RBC Capital downgraded Rio Tinto ( RIO ) to Underperform from Sector Perform, saying the shares have little room left to run after rising ~8% since the start of the Middle East conflict and seeing limited catalysts for further growth. RBC analysts Ben Davis and Kaan Peker said Rio shares look stretched given the risks to iron ore, which is forecast to decline to $85/ton by year-end 2027 and would require a significant supply disruption for current price levels to be sustained, while China macro fundamentals remain challenged but with little prospect of broad stimulus into a higher energy price environment. Bernstein gets bearish on packaged food sector Bernstein took a negative view on the packaged food sector with downgrades on Campbell's ( CPB ), Conagra Brands ( CAG ), General Mills ( GIS ), and Kraft Heinz ( KHC ) to Underperform from Market Perform. The firm also shifted its rating on Simply Good Foods ( SMPL ) to Market Perform from Outperform. Analyst Alexia Howard noted that within the broad sector, those traditional packaged food companies are more heavily exposed to headwinds, including sustained inflation in oil prices, SNAP benefit reductions, health, and wellness trends driven by GLP-1 drugs and the MAHA agenda, and a strained consumer environment and social risks. “We don't see it getting easier anytime soon,” said Howard. UnitedHealth gets upgrade from BofA Bank of America upgraded UnitedHealth Group ( UNH ) to Buy from Neutral, citing, among other reasons, a favorable Q2 earnings setup. “Improving medical cost trends and supportive near-term data points set up a favorable 2Q earnings setup and...
Utility deals rarely make investors lean forward. This one should. Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) just struck an electric service agreement with Google that rewrites who pays for the AI buildout, and it could become the template every hyperscaler and regulated utility copies for the next decade. The headline: residential and small-business customers in Minnesota are projected ... Google Data Center Deal...
Utility deals rarely make investors lean forward. This one should. Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) just struck an electric service agreement with Google that rewrites who pays for the AI buildout, and it could become the template every hyperscaler and regulated utility copies for the next decade. The headline: residential and small-business customers in Minnesota are projected ... Google Data Center Deal Will Save Xcel Energy Customers Up To $1.5 Billion Over 15 Years
Bolivia’s new president, Rodrigo Paz, is attempting to rebrand the country as a destination for foreign investment after two decades of socialist rule. Sitting atop some of the world’s largest lithium resources and vast mineral reserves, Bolivia has long struggled to translate its natural resources into economic prosperity. Paz argues that clearer laws, stability, and closer ties with internationa...
Bolivia’s new president, Rodrigo Paz, is attempting to rebrand the country as a destination for foreign investment after two decades of socialist rule. Sitting atop some of the world’s largest lithium resources and vast mineral reserves, Bolivia has long struggled to translate its natural resources into economic prosperity. Paz argues that clearer laws, stability, and closer ties with international investors can unlock growth. But, just six months into President Paz’s term, his hopes are meeting the reality of unrest at home and violent protests. (Source: Bloomberg)
ultramarine5/iStock via Getty Images Wall Street ended the week on a sour note, with technology dragging the S&P 500 index down by 2.59% from the prior week to close at 7,383.68 points. Traders sold tech-focused stocks and moved into defensive parts of the market amid growing anxiety about valuations and the potential of rising interest rates, a report by Bloomberg said. Cleveland Federal Reserve ...
ultramarine5/iStock via Getty Images Wall Street ended the week on a sour note, with technology dragging the S&P 500 index down by 2.59% from the prior week to close at 7,383.68 points. Traders sold tech-focused stocks and moved into defensive parts of the market amid growing anxiety about valuations and the potential of rising interest rates, a report by Bloomberg said. Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Beth Hammack shared in a LinkedIn post that it's currently reasonable to keep rates steady, but if recent trends continue, it may soon be appropriate to act. Financials closed in green, with the State Street Financial Sel Sec SPDR ETF ( XLF ) adding 1.40% during the course of the week to end at $52.30. The S&P 500 Index Banks Industry Group ( SP500-4010 ) advanced 4.21% week-over-week to 608.66 points. S&P 500 Insurance Index Industry Group ( SP500-4030 ) added 4.67% to 783.69. However, the S&P 500 Diversified Financials Index ( SP500-4020 ) dropped 0.76% to 1,411.12 points. Credit card companies and crypto stocks were the decliners. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group ( MUFG ) swung to gains after leading the weekly losers last week , advancing 6.41% week-over-week to $19.91. The stock is widely anticipated to gain on the back of favorable macroeconomic developments in Japan. The country implemented a revised Payment Services Act on June 1, which reclassifies foreign-issued stablecoins as electronic payment instruments rather than traditional securities. Big banks were gaining amid media reports that certain players were planning to launch a tokenized deposit network next year. The move could help lenders compete with stablecoins and cryptocurrency firms. Wells Fargo ( WFC ) (+5.67% W/W to $81.94), Citigroup ( C ) (+5.22% W/W to $132.47), JPMorgan Chase ( JPM ) (+4.36% W/W to $312.37), and Bank of America ( BAC ) (+4.32% W/W to $53.83) were the next major weekly gainers. However, HSBC ( HSBC ) was a significant loser, retreating 3.14% to $90.80. The stock fell as...
Michael Derrer Fuchs/iStock Editorial via Getty Images I’m initiating coverage of Rolls-Royce Holdings ( RYCEY ) with a Buy rating after the strong turnaround under Tufan Erginbilgic over the past few years . The stock price has pulled back since the beginning of the year, hovering around $17 despite continued fundamental improvements. At slightly lower prices than the 52-week high at $18.98 in Fe...
Michael Derrer Fuchs/iStock Editorial via Getty Images I’m initiating coverage of Rolls-Royce Holdings ( RYCEY ) with a Buy rating after the strong turnaround under Tufan Erginbilgic over the past few years . The stock price has pulled back since the beginning of the year, hovering around $17 despite continued fundamental improvements. At slightly lower prices than the 52-week high at $18.98 in February 2026, I see an opportunity for upside following the April announcement to begin work on small modular reactors for the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom . This thesis is not for short-term investors, and my focus is on a multi-year re-rating story with a 12–16 month horizon to begin seeing the growth associated with the shift. A bull case that is more focused on civil aerospace recovery and margin expansion is short-term, which can provide a base for my thesis. I'm focused on the nuclear segment and the SMR narrative that has recently gained speed. In April 2026, binding contracts were made with Great British Energy Nuclear for three SMR units at Wylfa in Wales and one with CEZ Group in the Czech Republic. The UK’s national wealth fund committed £599 million in financing with sites identified for SMR buildout. Additionally, apprentices are being hired at Wylfa . Meanwhile, the core business is already running at numbers management said they would hit by 2028. Civil aerospace margins came to 20.5% in 2025. Free cash flow hit £3.3 billion, below the midterm target of £5 to £5.3 billion. Net cash is £1.9 billion versus £475 million a year ago, so the fundamentals in the past couple of years have been fixed. I think this provides a strong base for a rerating narrative that reflects what the business is doing going forward. The main risk to my thesis is SMR execution. Construction timelines could shift right, costs can overrun, regulatory environments and politics can change, and I don’t discount that in my models. It is also why I'm not modeling the nuclear segment a...
From spicy South African relish to Scottish tattie scones, food is an integral part of watching the beautiful game. Here’s how fans around the world fuel match day • International recipes inspired by the World Cup The biggest World Cup ever is surely going to mean the most ever watching parties around the world. With 48 countries competing, why not take inspiration from global cuisine to serve you...
From spicy South African relish to Scottish tattie scones, food is an integral part of watching the beautiful game. Here’s how fans around the world fuel match day • International recipes inspired by the World Cup The biggest World Cup ever is surely going to mean the most ever watching parties around the world. With 48 countries competing, why not take inspiration from global cuisine to serve your friends and family something more adventurous than crisps and lager this summer? Football, after all, is a sport of rituals – from fans wearing the same “lucky pants” to watch every game, to placing the name of an opposing team in the freezer – and that extends to eating and drinking, too. This doesn’t just mean booze; in nations where alcohol is prohibited, for example, tea and traditional sweets provide the social lubrication. South American fixtures are fiestas of churrasco (barbecues), chimichurri and a lot of cheering, while in regions where cafe culture thrives, baked goods and strong espresso are more commonly enjoyed during matches than half a cider and some pork scratchings – even at 3am. Continue reading...
Construction on the Tibetan plateau of some of the Earth’s most powerful optical telescopes is putting China on track to house the world’s biggest astronomy base by the mid-2030s, according to project scientists. Deng Licai, lead scientist for site planning at the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC) in Beijing, said the telescopes at Saishiteng Mountain in northwestern Qinghai prov...
Construction on the Tibetan plateau of some of the Earth’s most powerful optical telescopes is putting China on track to house the world’s biggest astronomy base by the mid-2030s, according to project scientists. Deng Licai, lead scientist for site planning at the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC) in Beijing, said the telescopes at Saishiteng Mountain in northwestern Qinghai province would stretch between 6.5 metres (21.3 feet) and 14.5 metres across, and partner with dozens of...
Former figures at regulator voice disquiet after series of provocative interviews by recently departed chair Regulators are not generally known for courting controversy. When the day job involves making delicate, legally fraught decisions, they tend to be a circumspect bunch. However, since stepping down as chair of Ofcom, one of Britain’s most scrutinised watchdogs, the Conservative peer Michael ...
Former figures at regulator voice disquiet after series of provocative interviews by recently departed chair Regulators are not generally known for courting controversy. When the day job involves making delicate, legally fraught decisions, they tend to be a circumspect bunch. However, since stepping down as chair of Ofcom, one of Britain’s most scrutinised watchdogs, the Conservative peer Michael Grade has been doing his best to buck that stereotype. “I’m free of the shackles,” he recently said. Continue reading...
An AI-generated image of the royal family featuring two Queen Elizabeth IIs. | Image: Meta AI Facebook has long been filled with feeds of clickbait articles. Now, Meta is making its own clickbait articles with AI. The standalone Meta AI app now has a "For You" section that populates a list of clickbait-style stories for you to read. But the topics, images, and text are all AI-generated - and as q...
An AI-generated image of the royal family featuring two Queen Elizabeth IIs. | Image: Meta AI Facebook has long been filled with feeds of clickbait articles. Now, Meta is making its own clickbait articles with AI. The standalone Meta AI app now has a "For You" section that populates a list of clickbait-style stories for you to read. But the topics, images, and text are all AI-generated - and as questionable as you'd expect from AI-created works. The Meta AI app first launched in April 2025 with its focus on a public "Discover" feed that showed AI-generated images and conversations from other users (who frequently seemed unaware that they were being made public). That's all disappeared. The app now has a standard chatbot interface, … Read the full story at The Verge.