alexsl STAAR Surgical ( STAA ) shares rose on Thursday after the company issued preliminary results for Q1 2026 net sales that topped the consensus, prompting Canaccord Genuity to upgrade the medical supplier to Buy from Hold. In a statement after the close on Wednesday, the Lake Forest, California-based implantable lens maker estimated its Q1 net sales to surpass $90M compared to $67.6M in the co...
alexsl STAAR Surgical ( STAA ) shares rose on Thursday after the company issued preliminary results for Q1 2026 net sales that topped the consensus, prompting Canaccord Genuity to upgrade the medical supplier to Buy from Hold. In a statement after the close on Wednesday, the Lake Forest, California-based implantable lens maker estimated its Q1 net sales to surpass $90M compared to $67.6M in the consensus, indicating over 100% YoY growth. Canaccord Genuity analyst John Young attributed the outperformance partly to certain restocking by distributors after STAA's Swiss rival Alcon ( ALC ) terminated a merger agreement with the company in January. Analyst upgraded STAAR Surgical ( STAA ) and raised its price target to $27 from $22 per share, noting, among other reasons, the stock’s compelling valuation and the momentum in its China business, which management cited as a major reason for its Q1 sales growth. “While Q2 is historically the largest revenue quarter for China, the possible distributor dynamics related to the terminated acquisition may change this,” Young wrote. More on STAAR Surgical STAAR Surgical: Q1 Preliminary Revenues Justify Decision To Reject Alcon Bid STAAR Surgical: Despite Promises Of Improvement, Investors Should Stay Cautious STAAR Surgical Company (STAA) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Biggest stock movers Thursday: BB, ZS, APLD, and more STAAR Surgical announces preliminary net sales for first quarter 2026
Sudip Biswas/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Senior Indian military officials are calling for a stronger domestic defense industry and the ability to scale production quickly during wartime, citing recent lessons from the conflict involving Iran, Bloomberg News reported Thursday. Speaking at a military conference in Bengaluru, Navy leader Dinesh Kumar Tripathi said the weeks-long war underscored...
Sudip Biswas/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Senior Indian military officials are calling for a stronger domestic defense industry and the ability to scale production quickly during wartime, citing recent lessons from the conflict involving Iran, Bloomberg News reported Thursday. Speaking at a military conference in Bengaluru, Navy leader Dinesh Kumar Tripathi said the weeks-long war underscored the importance of resilient supply chains and sustained logistical capacity. He noted that Indian naval forces stationed in the Gulf region are monitoring developments and analyzing operational takeaways for India’s armed forces. The remarks came during an annual seminar focused on integrated military operations across multiple domains, including cyber, space, land, air and maritime environments. India remains one of the world’s largest arms importers, ranking second globally over the past several years, according to data from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute . The country has been working to reduce its reliance on foreign suppliers by expanding domestic procurement and encouraging private-sector participation in defense manufacturing. Government policy has increasingly emphasized local sourcing, including restrictions on certain imported weapons and financial incentives for domestic producers. For the 2026–27 fiscal year, India has allocated approximately 1.39 trillion rupees, or about $15 billion, toward domestically produced military equipment, representing a substantial share of its capital defense spending. Officials say the push for self-reliance extends beyond hardware production. Ashutosh Dixit , who oversees policy and future planning, said India must also develop control over key technological layers such as software systems, encryption and data standards that underpin modern defense capabilities. The comments reflect a broader reassessment within India’s defense establishment as it seeks to strengthen readiness in an increasingly complex geopolit...
The International Monetary Fund is distributing a survey to members asking about their relations with Venezuela , according to people familiar with the matter, a key step for the institution to potentially resume engagement with the oil-producing South American nation for the first time in decades. The so-called poll is being shared this week among the IMF’s executive directors, who then pass it o...
The International Monetary Fund is distributing a survey to members asking about their relations with Venezuela , according to people familiar with the matter, a key step for the institution to potentially resume engagement with the oil-producing South American nation for the first time in decades. The so-called poll is being shared this week among the IMF’s executive directors, who then pass it on to governments of the fund’s members , the people said, asking not to be identified by name because the information is private. A spokesperson for the International Monetary Fund didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Under IMF rules the Venezuelan government is barred from having formal contact, discussions or access to financing from the institution until acting President Delcy Rodriguez is recognized as the official government by a majority of the fund’s members. The IMF’s move comes after the US recognized Rodriguez as the “sole” leader of Venezuela during court proceedings in a case related to the country. The US is the largest IMF shareholder, with roughly 16% of voting power. Venezuela’s relationship with the IMF nosedived under former President Hugo Chavez, who viewed it as a tool for American interests. In 2007, he threatened to pull out of the fund and the World Bank. The South American nation’s isolation deepened under Chavez’s successor Nicolas Maduro, who was captured by US forces in a January raid and is now on trial in New York. The IMF hasn’t conducted its standard annual review of Venezuela’s economy — known as the Article IV consultation — since 2004. In 2018, the fund’s executive board issued a declaration of censure against the country for its failure to provide information. The IMF suspended Venezuela’s access to Special Drawing Rights or SDRs, the fund’s own reserve currency, in 2019.
Investors are turning even more bearish on the Magnificent Seven ahead of this coming earnings season, which comes after these companies lean even heavier into their AI investments with massive increases to capex. Truist CIO and chief market strategist Keith Lerner examines whether Big Tech's earnings estimates and valuations are too high.
Investors are turning even more bearish on the Magnificent Seven ahead of this coming earnings season, which comes after these companies lean even heavier into their AI investments with massive increases to capex. Truist CIO and chief market strategist Keith Lerner examines whether Big Tech's earnings estimates and valuations are too high.
Israel has intensified its bombing campaign in Lebanon, prompting Iran to warn it could withdraw from the ceasefire agreed with the US. Hundreds have been killed and wounded since the agreement was announced, after Israeli forces launched mass strikes on densely populated areas. Israel says the strikes are aimed at the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, while Iran claims they are a blatant viol...
Israel has intensified its bombing campaign in Lebanon, prompting Iran to warn it could withdraw from the ceasefire agreed with the US. Hundreds have been killed and wounded since the agreement was announced, after Israeli forces launched mass strikes on densely populated areas. Israel says the strikes are aimed at the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, while Iran claims they are a blatant violation of the ceasefire. Iran and Pakistan claim the agreement included Lebanon, but Donald Trump called it ‘a separate skirmish’. Lucy Hough speaks to Beirut-based reporter William Christou Continue reading...
monsitj/iStock via Getty Images The first quarter of 2026 is now over, and during that brief 3-month period, a lot of things have changed in relation to the annual outlook in equities. Unfortunately, not for the better. There are a number of signs of trouble ahead, and market participants are gradually adapting to the increased probability of a market correction. A probability that I evaluated as ...
monsitj/iStock via Getty Images The first quarter of 2026 is now over, and during that brief 3-month period, a lot of things have changed in relation to the annual outlook in equities. Unfortunately, not for the better. There are a number of signs of trouble ahead, and market participants are gradually adapting to the increased probability of a market correction. A probability that I evaluated as very high just a couple of months ago in my bearish outlook for the equity market in 2026. Q1 performance has also shown that the extreme concentration within the S&P 500 index is gradually unwinding as the equal-weighted index has outperformed its counterpart. Data by YCharts The market has also largely shrugged off recent geopolitical events in the Middle East, with the S&P 500 now headed to its late-February highs and volatility, albeit still high, gradually cooling off. Data by YCharts Even if a more permanent cease-fire is achieved and the Strait of Hormuz is fully opened, this would not remove ongoing risks for the equity market, and it is essential for investors not to be tempted to buy the dip. Tighter Financial Conditions Since the beginning of 2026, credit spreads have widened significantly, and although we see a gradual improvement over the past week, this is still a potential red flag for risk-on investors. FRED Even yields on short-term government bonds reacted. The yield on 2-year Treasuries, for example, is no longer on a downtrend trajectory and is up to almost 4%. This is above the Effective Federal Funds Rate, which usually follows the steps of the short-dated U.S. Treasuries. FRED That is why, in recent months, we have witnessed a major shift in investors' expectations when it comes to future FOMC decisions. Right now, the implied probabilities are that the Effective Federal Funds Rate would stay at current levels by mid-2027. This is in stark contrast to the anticipation of a number of rate cuts just a couple of months ago. CME website This slight tighte...
A $7 billion private credit fund managed by Carlyle Group Inc. capped redemptions after investors asked to pull 15.7% of the shares in the first quarter. Carlyle Tactical Private Credit Fund is paying out less than a third of what investors asked for, capping withdrawals at 5%, the fund said in a letter sent to shareholders and seen by Bloomberg News. That means investors who asked to redeem an es...
A $7 billion private credit fund managed by Carlyle Group Inc. capped redemptions after investors asked to pull 15.7% of the shares in the first quarter. Carlyle Tactical Private Credit Fund is paying out less than a third of what investors asked for, capping withdrawals at 5%, the fund said in a letter sent to shareholders and seen by Bloomberg News. That means investors who asked to redeem an estimated $750 million only received about $240 million, based on the fund’s net asset value as of December. Investors are rushing to yank out billions of dollars from private credit vehicles run by managers from Blue Owl Capital Inc. to Cliffwater LLC this year as concerns intensify over the $1.8 trillion market’s exposure to software businesses threatened by AI disruption and overall lending standards. The deadline for the Carlyle fund’s shareholders to request redemptions was later than most of the other funds, leaving it vulnerable to elevated requests from investors whose money was already trapped in other vehicles, according to a representative for the firm. Capping withdrawals “allows us to manage liquidity in a disciplined way, avoid forced asset sales, and preserve the integrity of the portfolio, particularly in periods of market volatility,” managers of the fund said in the letter Thursday. The fund is not alone in limiting withdrawals this year, with vehicles run by Apollo Global Management Inc. , Ares Management Corp. and Morgan Stanley also making the same decision. A smaller number of firms, including Blackstone Inc. and Oaktree Capital Management, have gone to unusual lengths to meet shareholder demands. Carlyle said that retaining capital will allow them to start making new loans in a market that has “early signs of widening spreads.” The fund’s software exposure is around 12%, the firm said. The fund, which invests across asset-backed finance, opportunistic credit, direct lending, real assets and liquid credit, values its holdings daily, using third party pri...
Mary Fariba Afsari's book, Labor, is a portrait of reproductive healthcare in post- Dobbs America. Her book also is about her Iranian heritage and her grandmother's death from an illegal abortion.
Mary Fariba Afsari's book, Labor, is a portrait of reproductive healthcare in post- Dobbs America. Her book also is about her Iranian heritage and her grandmother's death from an illegal abortion.
Her rare cover appearance with Meryl Streep may be to promote The Devil Wears Prada sequel, but it also marks a shift from elusive editor to carefully curated personal brand In the world of magazines, when someone announces they’re leaving a job, their colleagues will traditionally present them with their own personalised mock-up of the magazine’s front cover. Perhaps their face is superimposed on...
Her rare cover appearance with Meryl Streep may be to promote The Devil Wears Prada sequel, but it also marks a shift from elusive editor to carefully curated personal brand In the world of magazines, when someone announces they’re leaving a job, their colleagues will traditionally present them with their own personalised mock-up of the magazine’s front cover. Perhaps their face is superimposed on the body of a previous celebrity cover star. There are probably some witty cover lines referencing memorable office moments or their favourite snacks. It’s a rite of passage – and this week, Anna Wintour was bestowed with her very own cover. But instead of a jokey imitation bidding her adieu , it was the real, glossy deal, coming to a newsstand near you on 28 April. In a somewhat surprising effort to promote the forthcoming The Devil Wears Prada 2, Vogue’s May issue sees Wintour share the cover with Meryl Streep, whose steely Miranda Priestly, editor-in-chief of the fictional title Runway, is said to have been inspired by Wintour. “Seeing Double. When Miranda met Anna” reads the cover line. While Wintour has fronted various industry titles, including Interview in 1993 and Ad Week in 2017 , it’s the first time an editor has placed themselves as the subject. In another fun twist, both Wintour and Streep are wearing Prada. Continue reading...
alexsl U.S. Treasury yields reversed course and moved lower Thursday afternoon as geopolitical developments in the Middle East eased investor concerns and boosted demand for government bonds. The shift followed comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicating a willingness to pursue direct diplomatic engagement with Lebanon. In a public statement, Netanyahu said he had instructed...
alexsl U.S. Treasury yields reversed course and moved lower Thursday afternoon as geopolitical developments in the Middle East eased investor concerns and boosted demand for government bonds. The shift followed comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicating a willingness to pursue direct diplomatic engagement with Lebanon. In a public statement, Netanyahu said he had instructed his cabinet to initiate talks “as soon as possible,” citing repeated appeals from Lebanon to begin formal negotiations. The announcement signaled a potential de-escalation in regional tensions, prompting a modest flight to safety across fixed-income markets. The shorter end rate sensitive U.S. 2 Year Treasury yield ( US2Y ) dropped four basis points to 3.75%, reflecting shifting expectations around near-term economic conditions. Meanwhile, the benchmark U.S. 10 Year Treasury yield ( US10Y ) fell two basis points to 4.26%, and the U.S. 30 Year Treasury yield ( US30Y ) edged lower by one basis point to 4.87%. The move highlights how geopolitical headlines continue to influence market sentiment, with investors responding quickly to signs of diplomatic progress that may reduce broader global uncertainty. Fixed Income ETFs: ( TLT ), ( TLH ), ( IEF ), ( IEI ), ( SHY ), ( SGOV ), ( SCHO ), ( BIL ), ( AGG ), ( BND ), ( VCIT ), ( MUB ), ( MBB ), ( JNK ), ( LQD ), ( HYG ), ( VTIP ), ( TIP ), ( SCHP ), ( STIP ), ( TIPX ), ( SPIP ), ( WIP ), ( GTIP ), ( LQDI ), and ( RINF ). More on markets Risk-on rally expands: Over 75% of S&P 500 stocks now trade above their 20-day MA VIX falls below 20 for the first time since the conflict began in the Middle East Why this oil rally isn’t crashing stocks—Deutsche Bank breaks it down Cantor Fitzgerald calls the market pullback a buying opportunity despite Middle East risks From oil surge to economic slowdown: SA analysts see recession risks rising
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) just pulled off something that looked very unlikely just a few hours before the clock ran out in the month of March. After five consecutive months of price declines, the coin closed the month 1.8% higher, breaking the downtrend's streak and barely avoiding a run that has been seen only once in its entire history. That precedent, a six-month losing streak from August 2018 thro...
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) just pulled off something that looked very unlikely just a few hours before the clock ran out in the month of March. After five consecutive months of price declines, the coin closed the month 1.8% higher, breaking the downtrend's streak and barely avoiding a run that has been seen only once in its entire history. That precedent, a six-month losing streak from August 2018 through January 2019, ended with one of the most ferocious recoveries Bitcoin has ever produced. Does that mean the same coiled energy is present now, or will things be different this time? Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
What is next for Bitcoin after snapping its five-month losing streak? Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) kickstarted the new quarter with a renewed sense of optimism, ending a grueling five-month losing streak that was the asset’s longest since 2018. March concluded with a significant $1.32 billion in total spot ETF inflows, effectively halting a four-month trend of net withdrawals and positioning the cryptocurr...
What is next for Bitcoin after snapping its five-month losing streak? Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) kickstarted the new quarter with a renewed sense of optimism, ending a grueling five-month losing streak that was the asset’s longest since 2018. March concluded with a significant $1.32 billion in total spot ETF inflows, effectively halting a four-month trend of net withdrawals and positioning the cryptocurrency for a potential move toward the $80,000 mark. Still, despite the technical breakout and renewed institutional demand, analyst sentiment remains divided as market participants weigh the impact of heavy corporate accumulation against massive miner liquidations. What Do Seeking Alpha Analysts Say About Bitcoin’s Future? Optimistic pointed to the robust return of institutional demand and the successful defense of key technical trendlines. They highlighted the $1.32 billion in ETF inflows during March and recent daily inflows exceeding $117 million as evidence that the “institutional floor” is strengthening. Furthermore, the resumption of accumulation by major players like Strategy ( MSTR )—which is poised to acquire over 1,100 additional BTC—is considered a major catalyst that could drive a fast move toward $80,000 if the price sustains a daily close above $72,600. Skeptics, however, highlighted the fragility of this institutional support, warning of a possible “bull trap.” They expressed concern regarding the concentrated nature of Bitcoin holdings, specifically noting that Strategy now controls 3.8% of the circulating supply. Bears also pointed to the unprecedented pace of miner liquidations, with public miners selling over 15,000 coins to fund pivots into AI infrastructure, which could erode the price floor if institutional buying from ETFs or corporate ATM programs slows down. Additionally, some analysts remain skeptical of Bitcoin’s performance in a true recessionary environment. They noted that past market drawdowns have seen the cryptocurrency fall significantly mor...
The sticker 'U.S. Army' seen on a soldier uniform from the 1st Infantry Division, during a military training at Nowa Deba training ground, in Nowa Deba, Poland, on April 12 2023. Artur Widak | Nurphoto | Getty Images The Selective Service System plans to automatically register eligible American men between ages 18 and 26 for a U.S. military draft by December, almost a half-century after compulsory...
The sticker 'U.S. Army' seen on a soldier uniform from the 1st Infantry Division, during a military training at Nowa Deba training ground, in Nowa Deba, Poland, on April 12 2023. Artur Widak | Nurphoto | Getty Images The Selective Service System plans to automatically register eligible American men between ages 18 and 26 for a U.S. military draft by December, almost a half-century after compulsory registration for the draft by that group became law, a government filing shows. The SSS's proposal would implement a requirement passed by Congress in December in the National Defense Authorization Act to include automatic registration for "every male citizen of the United States" between those ages. There has not been a military draft since 1973, when U.S. involvement in the war in Vietnam was winding down. But in 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed a law requiring men between the ages of 18 to 25 to register for military conscription. Since then, the federal government has relied on voluntary compliance with that law, not automatic enrollment. Men who are 26 are allowed to enroll late to comply with the law. The SSS has said that in 2024, 81% of all eligible men registered, a three-percentage point drop from the previous year. The proposal by the SSS to automatically enroll men in the draft was submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30. The proposal was made about a month after the U.S. and Israel began a war against Iran. A two-week ceasefire in that conflict took effect on Tuesday evening. There are currently no plans to reinstate a draft. Read more CNBC politics coverage Trump praises Hungary PM Viktor Orbán after Vance calls him at Budapest rally Bill Gates interview about Jeffrey Epstein by House Oversight set for June 10 House Democrats call on federal regulator to crack down on offshore prediction market war bets But on March 8, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump "keeps his options on the table"...