The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) rose 1.20% to 7,126.06, the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC) gained 1.52% to 24,468.48, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES:^DJI) advanced 1.79% to 49,447.43 as easing Middle East tensions drove fresh highs.
The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) rose 1.20% to 7,126.06, the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC) gained 1.52% to 24,468.48, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES:^DJI) advanced 1.79% to 49,447.43 as easing Middle East tensions drove fresh highs.
Vladimir Zakharov/iStock via Getty Images Small caps loudly joined the S&P 500 at a fresh all-time high following encouraging peace-talk developments between the United States and Iran. On Friday, April 17, the Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF ( VB ) reached a new record, finally eclipsing its February 20, 2026, peak. Zoom out, and we find that VB trails only international equities among the S&P ...
Vladimir Zakharov/iStock via Getty Images Small caps loudly joined the S&P 500 at a fresh all-time high following encouraging peace-talk developments between the United States and Iran. On Friday, April 17, the Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF ( VB ) reached a new record, finally eclipsing its February 20, 2026, peak. Zoom out, and we find that VB trails only international equities among the S&P 500, mid-caps, and the Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US ETF ( VEU ). I was bullish on VB back in November 2025, and shares have returned 15% since then, dividends included. That’s 9 percentage points of alpha to the S&P 500. Today, despite a torrid rally off the March low, I reiterate a "B uy" rating. Amid increasing earnings estimates and the temperature coming down on the geopolitical front, I expect this week’s breakout to be durable. Small Caps Leading A mong U.S. Sizes YoY StockCharts.com Small Caps: Higher Yield, Bigger Buyback Percentage Compared T o S&P 500 BofA Global Research Small-Cap EPS Forecasts Rising Yardeni According to the issuer , VB seeks to track the performance of the CRSP US Small Cap Index, which measures the investment return of small-capitalization stocks and offers investors a convenient way to match the performance of a diversified group of small companies. The ETF employs a passively managed, full-replication approach. VB is a large ETF, with more than $70 billion in assets under management as of April 16, 2026. Its annual expense ratio is low at only 3 basis points, while the trailing 12-month dividend yield is about on par with that of the S&P 500 at 1.25%. Share-price momentum is strong right now, earning VB a solid B+ ETF Grade in that category by Seeking Alpha’s quantitative scoring system. In terms of risk , VB scores well, thanks to its somewhat modest standard deviation percentage (the conflict in the Middle East, notwithstanding) and in-check annual volatility level. At the moment, implied volatility has dipped to 19%, which is the lowest ...
iamporpla/iStock via Getty Images Fertilizer stocks took a sharp hit on Friday after Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a third of the world's crop nutrient supplies flow, "completely open" to commercial vessels, beginning to unwind the supply-risk premium that had built up throughout the Middle East conflict. CF Industries ( CF ) and Nutrien ( NTR ) bore the brunt of the se...
iamporpla/iStock via Getty Images Fertilizer stocks took a sharp hit on Friday after Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a third of the world's crop nutrient supplies flow, "completely open" to commercial vessels, beginning to unwind the supply-risk premium that had built up throughout the Middle East conflict. CF Industries ( CF ) and Nutrien ( NTR ) bore the brunt of the selloff, closing down 9.6% and 5.2%, respectively, at their lowest levels since early March, while Mosaic ( MOS ) fell a more modest 0.6%. Below is a list of fertilizer and agricultural chemicals stocks ranked by their year-to-date performance. The list includes primary stocks in the sector with varying market capitalizations and price movements. The list is topped by CF Industries Holdings, Inc. ( CF ), with a YTD performance of 61.25%. Intrepid Potash, Inc. ( IPI ) and FMC Corporation ( FMC ) are next, rounding out the top three performers in the sector. CVR Partners, LP Common Units ( UAN ), Itafos Inc. ( IFOS:CA ), and Corteva, Inc. ( CTVA ) follow with solid YTD gains ranging from 21% to 23%. The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company ( SMG ) and The Mosaic Company ( MOS ) round out the list with more modest performances of 7.01% and 2.66%, respectively. Here is the list: CF Industries Holdings, Inc. ( CF ), YTD perf: 61.25%, Quant rating: 3.41 Intrepid Potash, Inc. ( IPI ), YTD perf: 41.65%, Quant rating: 3.38 FMC Corporation ( FMC ), YTD perf: 26.75%, Quant rating: 1.67 CVR Partners, LP Common Units ( UAN ), YTD perf: 23.45%, Quant rating: Not Covered Itafos Inc. ( IFOS:CA ), YTD perf: 22.87%, Quant rating: Not Covered Corteva, Inc. ( CTVA ), YTD perf: 21.08%, Quant rating: 3.15 The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company ( SMG ), YTD perf: 7.01%, Quant rating: 2.94 The Mosaic Company ( MOS ), YTD perf: 2.66%, Quant rating: 2.85 More on CF Industries, Mosaic, etc. CF Industries: Shares Are Higher For Longer Mosaic: The Market Is Too Pessimistic Despite Iran-Driven Fertilizer Supply Disruptions...
Arbe Robotics ( ARBE ) received a Nasdaq notice for failing to maintain the $1 minimum bid price requirement over 30 consecutive trading days. The company has 180 days, until October 12, 2026, to regain compliance with listing rules. Arbe may qualify for an additional 180-day extension if it meets other listing criteria and plans corrective actions such as a reverse stock split. ARBE shares up 4% ...
Arbe Robotics ( ARBE ) received a Nasdaq notice for failing to maintain the $1 minimum bid price requirement over 30 consecutive trading days. The company has 180 days, until October 12, 2026, to regain compliance with listing rules. Arbe may qualify for an additional 180-day extension if it meets other listing criteria and plans corrective actions such as a reverse stock split. ARBE shares up 4% post-market. More on Arbe Robotics Arbe Robotics Ltd. 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Arbe Robotics Ltd. (ARBE) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Arbe Robotics Non-GAAP EPS of -$0.08 misses by $0.01, revenue of $0.5M misses by $0.14M Arbe Robotics announces $16M equity offering Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Arbe Robotics
Critical Metals (NASDAQ:CRML) , a lithium and rare-earth minerals explorer, closed Friday at $12.56, up 35.49%. The stock is jumping after Greenland approved Critical Metals’ increased stake and expanded operating authority at the Tanbreez rare-earth project. Trading volume reached 72.8 million shares, about 427% above its three-month average of 13.8 million shares. The S&P 500 advanced 1.19% to f...
Critical Metals (NASDAQ:CRML) , a lithium and rare-earth minerals explorer, closed Friday at $12.56, up 35.49%. The stock is jumping after Greenland approved Critical Metals’ increased stake and expanded operating authority at the Tanbreez rare-earth project. Trading volume reached 72.8 million shares, about 427% above its three-month average of 13.8 million shares. The S&P 500 advanced 1.19% to finish Friday at 7,125, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.52% to close at 24,468. Within diversified metals and mining, industry names were mixed, as MP Materials closed at $60.99 (-2.10%) and Lithium Americas ended at $4.84 (-0.62%) despite Critical Metals’ sharp rally. Critical Metals’ stock is soaring today after Greenland approved the company’s deal to grow its stake in the Tanbreez rare-earth deposit to 92.5%. The approval clears the way for CRML to acquire the 50.5% of equity it didn’t already hold from Rimbal Pty Lmt. Continue reading
Ljupco/iStock via Getty Images Thesis It is not often we find a renewable product offering that is actually attempting to solve a near-term market problem. Solving environmental issues is a noble task but does not always align with the day-to-day market desires. However, Gevo, Inc. ( GEVO ) is has ambitions to use ethanol to solve a short market in jet fuel. The company is attempting to secure fin...
Ljupco/iStock via Getty Images Thesis It is not often we find a renewable product offering that is actually attempting to solve a near-term market problem. Solving environmental issues is a noble task but does not always align with the day-to-day market desires. However, Gevo, Inc. ( GEVO ) is has ambitions to use ethanol to solve a short market in jet fuel. The company is attempting to secure financing for its alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) plant to supplement what forecasts to be a short jet fuel market in the coming years. This short position is being created by three U.S. refinery closures since Q1 2025 as well as an increasingly heavy crude diet by U.S. refiners. Increasing consumption of cheap Canadian and Venezuelan barrels is unfavorable for jet fuel production. As a result, the EIA expects jet fuel production to fall by mid-single digits by 2027. GEVO has established itself as a cash flow positive operator, giving it a solid base to pursue this growth project. After withdrawing from DOE financing programs, the market has been spooked over the company’s future growth potential. However, the company’s existing assets have a clear line of sight to EBITDA growth that de-risk the investment if the ATJ business plan is unsuccessful. I view GEVO as Strong Buy due to its asymmetric risk-to-reward profile. What Is GEVO? GEVO is a small company with just 151 employees. The company blends ethanol from a singular ethanol plant in North Dakota. This plant has a capacity to produce 67 million gallons per year of ethanol. This plant is uniquely situated just two miles from a company owned carbon sequestration well. The company is able to capture the carbon generated during the ethanol fermentation and directly deliver it into the injection well. This allows the company to maximize the value of carbon credits offered by the 45z tax program. The company’s current CO2 production equates to less than 20% of total sequestration capacity. This offers upside from both expansion of current...
Jonathan Kitchen/DigitalVision via Getty Images FINN:CA Overview The Fidelity Global Innovators ETF ( FINN:CA ) is an actively managed exchange-traded fund listed on the CBOE Canadian exchange with a NAV of around $ 2 billion CAD. The fund invests in globally listed equities of companies that Fidelity believes are positioned to benefit from disruptive innovation and emerging technology, with a man...
Jonathan Kitchen/DigitalVision via Getty Images FINN:CA Overview The Fidelity Global Innovators ETF ( FINN:CA ) is an actively managed exchange-traded fund listed on the CBOE Canadian exchange with a NAV of around $ 2 billion CAD. The fund invests in globally listed equities of companies that Fidelity believes are positioned to benefit from disruptive innovation and emerging technology, with a mandate that is more flexible and allows it to go beyond the typical large-cap U.S. tech playbook. Its benchmark is the NASDAQ Composite Index, and since launching in May 2023, it has beaten that benchmark convincingly. I own the TD Global Technology Leaders Index ETF ( TEC:CA ) and have written about it positively, but the more I look at FINN:CA, the more I think it's a really good vehicle for Canadian investors looking to ride the current market recovery with a broader mandate that still incorporates heavy tech themes. FINN:CA is one of the few examples where the active mandate has been unambiguously additive. Since inception in May 2023, the fund has delivered a 34% annualized return , which is a remarkable number for a fund this young. And while the market slid in March as the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, this fund was the first to start a sharp recovery as ceasefire hopes started to materialize. I like the fund makeup, and if looking for a high-growth option, this has been a good fund and I rate it a Buy. Fund Breakdown FINN:CA was launched on May 19, 2023, by Fidelity with a mandate to identify companies positioned to benefit from the application of innovative and emerging technologies or that employ innovative business models. Unlike a passive Nasdaq tracker, the fund has full discretion to buy, sell, or hold at any time, and can invest across small-, mid-, and large-cap companies, including private offerings. With around 120 holdings and a top-10 aggregate weight of close to 50%, the fund is concentrated but differentiated from other top heavy benchmarks like that Na...
DTE Energy Company (NYSE:DTE) is one of the top utility stocks to buy now. On April 9, analysts at Jefferies reiterated their Buy rating on DTE Energy Company (NYSE:DTE) and raised the price target to $170 from $153. The price target hike comes on the heels of the company inking a new data center deal […]
DTE Energy Company (NYSE:DTE) is one of the top utility stocks to buy now. On April 9, analysts at Jefferies reiterated their Buy rating on DTE Energy Company (NYSE:DTE) and raised the price target to $170 from $153. The price target hike comes on the heels of the company inking a new data center deal […]
In this episode of Motley Fool Money, Motley Fool personal finance expert Robert Brokamp discusses: To catch full episodes of all The Motley Fool's free podcasts, check out our podcast center . When you're ready to invest, check out this top 10 list of stocks to buy . A full transcript is below. Continue reading
In this episode of Motley Fool Money, Motley Fool personal finance expert Robert Brokamp discusses: To catch full episodes of all The Motley Fool's free podcasts, check out our podcast center . When you're ready to invest, check out this top 10 list of stocks to buy . A full transcript is below. Continue reading
Meta To Unleash First Wave Of Mass Layoffs May 20 As It Eliminates 10% Of Its Workers The FaceBook currently known as Meta for one failed venture that incinerated nearly $100 billion in cash for its failed transformation to a virtual reality hub while laying off thousands, is at it again. As we previewed a few weeks ago , Meta - which inexplicably hasn't changed its name to AI book yet - will proc...
Meta To Unleash First Wave Of Mass Layoffs May 20 As It Eliminates 10% Of Its Workers The FaceBook currently known as Meta for one failed venture that incinerated nearly $100 billion in cash for its failed transformation to a virtual reality hub while laying off thousands, is at it again. As we previewed a few weeks ago , Meta - which inexplicably hasn't changed its name to AI book yet - will proceed with the first wave of mass layoffs planned for this year on May 20, with more coming later, Reuters reported citing sources. The Facebook and Instagram owner will lay off about 10% of its global workforce, or close to 8,000 employees, in that initial round, as it swaps headcount for GPUs. And that's just the start: the company is planning further layoffs in the second half of the year, although details of those cuts, including date and size, have yet to be determined and will depend on just how much more money Meta burns in its experiment to prove that AI will actually generate positive cash flow. Last month, Reuters reported that the company was planning to lay off 20% or more of its global workforce. Meta's layoffs this year will be the social media giant's most significant since a restructuring in late 2022 and early 2023 that it dubbed the "year of efficiency ," when it eliminated about 21,000 jobs. At that time, Meta's stock was in freefall and the company was struggling to correct for COVID-era growth assumptions that ultimately proved unsustainable. It will soon find itself in the same hole again. The Menlo Park-based company employed nearly 79,000 people as of December 31. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into AI as he seeks to dramatically reshape his company’s core business around the technology, which has yet to generate any material returns proportional to the massive capex spend. In its latest earnings call, META raised its 2026 capex guidance to a record $115-$135 billion, more than double the prior years, and dr...
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) closed Friday at $400.62, up 3.01%. The stock moved higher during Friday’s session as reports linked renewed EV enthusiasm to high oil prices and company-specific AI and robotaxi developments. Shareholders are relieved to see an eight-week losing streak end, a
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) closed Friday at $400.62, up 3.01%. The stock moved higher during Friday’s session as reports linked renewed EV enthusiasm to high oil prices and company-specific AI and robotaxi developments. Shareholders are relieved to see an eight-week losing streak end, a