Knicks host Spurs with 2-0 lead in best-of-seven series Trump to attend first NBA finals in New York since 1999 How New York Knicks finals fever reached Rikers Island Reach out to Bryan on Bluesky or by email A few years ago, plenty of people questioned whether Jalen Brunson could be the player to lead the Knicks back to relevance. Now, with New York two wins from their first title since 1973, tho...
Knicks host Spurs with 2-0 lead in best-of-seven series Trump to attend first NBA finals in New York since 1999 How New York Knicks finals fever reached Rikers Island Reach out to Bryan on Bluesky or by email A few years ago, plenty of people questioned whether Jalen Brunson could be the player to lead the Knicks back to relevance. Now, with New York two wins from their first title since 1973, those doubts look very different. Former NBA player and Guardian contributor Etan Thomas looks back at the criticism that followed Brunson to New York – and how the Knicks star has answered it with one of the great postseason runs in franchise history. Continue reading...
SlavkoSereda/iStock via Getty Images Crude oil futures backed off early highs but still finished with gains Monday as Iran and Israel said they had halted attacks on each other following an appeal from President Trump. Tit-for-tat strikes between the two countries had threatened to derail talks aimed at ending the war in the Middle East and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Yemen's Iran-backed Hout...
SlavkoSereda/iStock via Getty Images Crude oil futures backed off early highs but still finished with gains Monday as Iran and Israel said they had halted attacks on each other following an appeal from President Trump. Tit-for-tat strikes between the two countries had threatened to derail talks aimed at ending the war in the Middle East and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis said they would ban ships linked to Israel from the Red Sea, adding to concerns about energy flows that are being diverted from the strait. O PEC+ agreed to its fourth oil output target increase in four months, but analysts said the decision would have little impact since most of the group's members are unable to meet their targets due to the Hormuz closure, or in the case of Russia, Ukrainian drone attacks that have hurt its production capacity. Additionally, Saudi Arabia sharply cut official selling prices of its main oil grade to Asia for a second month as demand slows . J ulius Baer's head of economics Norman Rucker said he is sticking to his cautious view that oil prices will head lower after the summer, believing the oil market is resilient and has digested the supply shock well for now. Several vessels transited Hormuz over the weekend, Rucker said in a note, as a greater degree of trade pragmatism is mirrored in the different bilateral deals concluded between Gulf-locked sellers and mostly Asian buyers with Iran. Despite the current hostilities, common interests - and especially the profit opportunity - should keep Hormuz transits growing over time, Rucker wrote. Front-month Nymex crude ( CL1:COM ) for July delivery finished up 0.8% at $91.30/bbl, and front-month Brent crude ( CO1:COM ) for August delivery added 1.2% to $94.25/bbl, with both benchmarks snapping back-to-back losing sessions, while f ront-month Nymex July natural gas ( NG1:COM ) slipped 2.5% to $3.147/MMBtu. ETFs: ( USO ), ( BNO ), ( UCO ), ( SCO ), ( USL ), ( DBO ), ( DRIP ), ( GUSH ), ( USOI )...
Nikada/iStock via Getty Images Key Takeaways Markets: Global equities collectively declined over the first quarter of 2026, with the MSCI All Country World Index falling for the period, as a sharp drawdown in March more than offset gains earlier in the period. Contributors: The fund (Advisor Class ( TFFAX ) without sales charges) outperformed its benchmark, the MSCI All Country World ex US Index-N...
Nikada/iStock via Getty Images Key Takeaways Markets: Global equities collectively declined over the first quarter of 2026, with the MSCI All Country World Index falling for the period, as a sharp drawdown in March more than offset gains earlier in the period. Contributors: The fund (Advisor Class ( TFFAX ) without sales charges) outperformed its benchmark, the MSCI All Country World ex US Index-NR, for the quarter, primarily due to holdings in the information technology, energy and industrials sectors. Detractors: Holdings in the financials, health care and consumer discretionary sectors detracted from relative performance for the quarter. Outlook: Our focus remains on selectively deploying capital into high-quality businesses that we believe have been indiscriminately sold off but retain strong long-term fundamentals. Performance Review Global equities collectively declined over the first quarter of 2026, with the MSCI All Country World Index falling for the period, as a sharp drawdown in March more than offset gains earlier in the period. Market performance was influenced by a significant rotation in leadership, with value outperforming growth and smaller-capitalization stocks holding up better than large caps. As measured by MSCI indexes in US-dollar terms, global value stocks generally rose, materially outperforming global growth stocks, which fell significantly, while global small caps delivered positive returns despite the broader market decline. This shift reflected a sustained move away from US mega-cap concentration and long-duration growth assets. The quarter unfolded in three distinct phases: an initial rotation-driven rally in January, followed by heightened dispersion and AI-related uncertainty during February, and culminating in a sharp risk-off environment in March driven by geopolitical escalation and an energy price shock. The fund (Advisor Class without sales charges) outperformed its benchmark, the MSCI All Country World ex US Index-NR, for the q...
Choosing between a global coffee powerhouse and a domestic dining favorite depends on your preference for scale versus growth. We compare Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) and Texas Roadhouse (NASDAQ:TXRH) to see which is a better buy today. Starbucks operates a sprawling network of company-owned and licensed cafes, relying on its premium brand and massive scale to dominate the global coffee market. Texas R...
Choosing between a global coffee powerhouse and a domestic dining favorite depends on your preference for scale versus growth. We compare Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) and Texas Roadhouse (NASDAQ:TXRH) to see which is a better buy today. Starbucks operates a sprawling network of company-owned and licensed cafes, relying on its premium brand and massive scale to dominate the global coffee market. Texas Roadhouse focuses on a high-energy, casual dining experience within the United States, prioritizing value and hospitality. While both are giants in the dining space, their financial structures and growth trajectories differ significantly. Starbucks generates revenue by roasting and selling high-quality arabica coffee, tea, and food through its vast network of retail stores. The company leverages three primary channels: company-operated cafes, licensed stores, and its Channel Development segment, which brings packaged goods to grocery shelves. A critical part of its global distribution is handled through a partnership with Nestlé, which manages certain Starbucks-branded products internationally. Continue reading