At 14, I decided to learn a martial art. I told my parents it was to defend myself on the mean streets of Congleton – a market town in Cheshire largely devoid of danger – when, in truth, it was because I wanted to be like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I joined a kickboxing club, and what could have been a passing phase became a thrice-weekly commitment spanning four years. I was a model student, picki...
At 14, I decided to learn a martial art. I told my parents it was to defend myself on the mean streets of Congleton – a market town in Cheshire largely devoid of danger – when, in truth, it was because I wanted to be like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I joined a kickboxing club, and what could have been a passing phase became a thrice-weekly commitment spanning four years. I was a model student, picking up a different coloured belt every few months to mark my progression through the grades. I grew strong and flexible, swapping puppy fat for muscle. I routinely fought men without fear and found a confidence in my body I have never experienced before or since. View image in fullscreen ‘I was in the best shape of my life’ … Lauren in 2004. Photograph: Mark Potts By the time I came to do my black belt grading in 2004, I was 19 and in the best shape of my life. Three torturous hours of punches, kicks, fitness drills and sparring pushed me to my limits and culminated in a “surprise” street-fighting section in which multiple attackers came at me with real pipes. How very Buffy. I passed – one of the club’s first students to reach that level. Then, almost as soon as I achieved what I’d worked so hard for, I gave it up. I went travelling and to university, and swapped the kickboxing club for nightclubs. Over time, my body softened and I began to view the sport I once loved as something that belonged to a younger, stronger version of myself. Until, in late 2024, a physio charmingly revealed I was “staring down the barrel of 40” with a cartilage tear and mild arthritis in my hip. I immediately mourned the thought of never again doing a spinning heel kick, despite barely having thought about it in 20 years. So, on a whim, I returned to my childhood club to see whether it was possible. I expected to feel slow and out of place; instead, I came as close to time travel as is possible outside science fiction. My old instructor Alastair was still in charge; his mum, Lyn, was still a coac...
Tippapatt/iStock via Getty Images Highlights Despite a challenging market environment, the Russell Midcap Value Index ((the fund's benchmark)) gained 3.68% in the fourth quarter. The fund underperformed the benchmark. Stock selection and sector allocations each played a role in the shortfall. Market review and outlook Broad-based equity indexes posted modest losses in the quarter. After a generall...
Tippapatt/iStock via Getty Images Highlights Despite a challenging market environment, the Russell Midcap Value Index ((the fund's benchmark)) gained 3.68% in the fourth quarter. The fund underperformed the benchmark. Stock selection and sector allocations each played a role in the shortfall. Market review and outlook Broad-based equity indexes posted modest losses in the quarter. After a generally positive start to the year, stocks turned sharply lower in March after the start of the conflict in the Middle East clouded the outlook for economic growth, inflation, and central bank policy. Notably, nearly all of the sell-off was caused by weakness in growth stocks in general, and the technology sector in particular. The value style, in fact, held up quite well amid a rotation toward defensive market segments and companies whose ownership of hard assets is expected to prevent significant disruptions from AI. In addition, mid-cap stocks outperformed their large-cap counterparts. As a result, the benchmark posted a solid gain even amid heightened investor risk aversion. The trajectory of the conflict and its effect on energy supplies remained highly uncertain at the end of March, and we anticipate that asset prices will remain volatile until there's greater clarity on a resolution. We'll continue to be mindful of risks in the portfolio, and we remain on the lookout for the types of value opportunities that inevitably present themselves in times of uncertainty. Contributors and detractors Stock selection in IT was the primary detractor from relative performance in the quarter. While several holdings suffered losses—including EPAM Systems, Inc. ( EPAM ) and General Digital, Inc. —much of the deficit was the result of zero weightings in strong-performing stocks we didn't own due to their high valuations. On the positive side, the tech sector was also home to one of the fund's top five individual contributors: the electronic design and test solutions provider Keysight Techno...
andresr/E+ via Getty Images EU passenger car registrations rose 5.1% year-on-year to 972,314 units in April, marking the third consecutive month of growth as demand for electric and hybrid vehicles continued to climb. Sales expanded in major markets, including Germany and the UK, with EV deliveries jumping 38%. In April 2026 year-to-date, new EU car registrations increased by 4.2%, despite ongoing...
andresr/E+ via Getty Images EU passenger car registrations rose 5.1% year-on-year to 972,314 units in April, marking the third consecutive month of growth as demand for electric and hybrid vehicles continued to climb. Sales expanded in major markets, including Germany and the UK, with EV deliveries jumping 38%. In April 2026 year-to-date, new EU car registrations increased by 4.2%, despite ongoing geopolitical factors that are heightening uncertainty and downside risks. Tesla ( TSLA ) saw a significant volume surge, with April registrations jumping 46.5% year-on-year to 10,654 units, bringing its year-to-date volume to 89,429 units (up 45.8%). The growth comes as the company is also seeking approval for its full self-driving technology in the EU. The market continued to benefit from strong consumer demand for a range of electrified technologies, supported by new and revised tax benefits and incentive schemes across major European countries. Hybrid-electric vehicles lead as the most popular power type choice among buyers, while the battery-electric car market share reached 19.7%. Meanwhile, plug-in hybrids captured 9.6% of the market, the ACEA data showed. In contrast, by the end of April 2026, petrol car registrations declined by 17.7%, with decreases across all major markets. France recorded the sharpest drop, with registrations plummeting by 36.6%, whereas other key markets also saw double-digit decreases: Spain (-18.6%), Italy (-18%), and Germany (-17.2%). Tickers to watch: Volkswagen Group ( OTCPK:VLKAF ), Stellantis ( STLA ), Renault Group ( OTCPK:RNSDF ), Hyundai ( OTCPK:HYMTF ), Toyota Motor (NYSE: TM ), BMW ( BMWKY ), Mercedes-Benz ( OTCPK:MBGAF ), Ford Motor (NYSE: F ), Volvo Cars, Tesla ( TSLA ), Nissan ( OTCPK:NSANY ), and Suzuki ( OTCPK:SZKMY ). More on related tickers, etc. Tesla's Own Auditors Say The Growth Narrative Is Currently 'Not Probable' GREK: Stealthy YTD Gains Likely To Continue, Eyes On Banks EWQ: France An Excellent Diversifier, Here's Why ...
Crystal Palace are in Wednesday's Conference League final and one match away from winning their first European trophy. European giants have appeared in past Conference League finals, can you name every finalist?
Crystal Palace are in Wednesday's Conference League final and one match away from winning their first European trophy. European giants have appeared in past Conference League finals, can you name every finalist?
By , ETEnterpriseAI Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals. Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox. Get updates on your preferred social platform Follow us for the latest news, insider access to events and more. Nvidia plans to invest about $150 billion annually in Taiwan as the company deepens its presence in the global artificial intelligence supply cha...
By , ETEnterpriseAI Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals. Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox. Get updates on your preferred social platform Follow us for the latest news, insider access to events and more. Nvidia plans to invest about $150 billion annually in Taiwan as the company deepens its presence in the global artificial intelligence supply chain, Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang said on Wednesday.According to Reuters, speaking at a launch event in Taipei for Nvidia’s planned Taiwan headquarters, Huang described Taiwan as the “epicentre” of the AI revolution and said the island would remain central to global technology manufacturing for years to come.“Four years ago, five years ago, Nvidia was spending about $10–15 billion a year in Taiwan. Now we’re spending $100 billion, going to $150 billion in Taiwan each year,” Huang said.He did not specify over how many years the company intends to maintain the investment pace.The planned Taiwan headquarters is expected to break ground later this year and aims to become operational by 2030. The facility will further strengthen Nvidia’s ties with Taiwan’s semiconductor ecosystem, particularly with TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker and a key supplier of advanced AI semiconductors for Nvidia.Huang highlighted Taiwan’s importance across the AI value chain, from semiconductor manufacturing and advanced chip packaging to AI server systems and supercomputers.“Taiwan is booming. Taiwan is the epicentre of the AI revolution. This is where the chips come, packaging comes, this is where the systems are made, this is where AI supercomputers were created,” he said.The event in Taipei was attended by around 1,000 Nvidia employees as well as Huang’s family members.Nvidia has emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the global AI boom, driven by rising demand for high-performance GPUs used in AI model training, inference and data centre infrastructure.