Brent crude rises 8% as US president vows to hit Iran ‘extremely hard’ over coming weeks Business live – latest updates Oil prices have soared after Donald Trump vowed in a televised speech to hit Iran “extremely hard” over the coming weeks , knocking hopes of a near-term end to the conflict in the Middle East. Brent crude prices jumped by as much as 8% on Thursday to $109.74 a barrel, reversing W...
Brent crude rises 8% as US president vows to hit Iran ‘extremely hard’ over coming weeks Business live – latest updates Oil prices have soared after Donald Trump vowed in a televised speech to hit Iran “extremely hard” over the coming weeks , knocking hopes of a near-term end to the conflict in the Middle East. Brent crude prices jumped by as much as 8% on Thursday to $109.74 a barrel, reversing Wednesday’s drop when hopes of a de-escalation in the Iran war pushed the international benchmark below the $100-a-barrel mark at one point. Continue reading...
Kirillm/iStock via Getty Images Stephen Roach, former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia and senior fellow at Yale Law School, said the conflict in Iran has put China in a stronger position relative to the U.S. As the Trump administration threatens to pull out of NATO and urges other nations to take oil from the Strait of Hormuz, Roach argues that America’s global standing is deteriorating while Chin...
Kirillm/iStock via Getty Images Stephen Roach, former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia and senior fellow at Yale Law School, said the conflict in Iran has put China in a stronger position relative to the U.S. As the Trump administration threatens to pull out of NATO and urges other nations to take oil from the Strait of Hormuz, Roach argues that America’s global standing is deteriorating while China benefits from its more measured approach. In an interview with CNBC, Roach drew a stark contrast between the leadership styles of President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. “You’ve got a disruptive president enacting personalized, whimsical policies that make no sense legally or strategically,” Roach said. “Xi Jinping represents a China that attempts to think strategically. They’ve done that for years, and I think the comparison between the two of them is day and night.” Roach was particularly critical of the president’s recent public address on the conflict, describing it as a “nothing burger of a speech that really didn’t describe anything that you could call strategic.” He noted that the address was “completely inconsistent” with the administration’s own national strategic strategy published months earlier. On the question of responsibility for securing the Strait of Hormuz, Roach placed the burden squarely on the United States. “The U.S. started the war, and the U.S. has responsibility for, I think, cleaning up the consequences of the war that it started,” he said. By stepping back from those obligations, Roach argued, Trump is “walking away really with a classic defeat on his hands and trying to hold others accountable for it.” Rather than acting aggressively, China appears content to watch from the sidelines. Roach said the Chinese are “just sitting back and watching the U.S. under Donald Trump continue to act in a manner that is not befitting its status in the world, and China almost wins by default here.” He added that he does not expect China to step in an...
Ralf Hahn/iStock via Getty Images By Łukasz Zembik Energy-driven surge in inflation On Tuesday, inflation data for the euro area was released. Inflation in the euro area accelerated noticeably in March, rising from 1.9% to 2.5% year-on-year. The main driver of this increase was energy prices, particularly fuels and heating oil, which reacted strongly to geopolitical tensions related to the conflic...
Ralf Hahn/iStock via Getty Images By Łukasz Zembik Energy-driven surge in inflation On Tuesday, inflation data for the euro area was released. Inflation in the euro area accelerated noticeably in March, rising from 1.9% to 2.5% year-on-year. The main driver of this increase was energy prices, particularly fuels and heating oil, which reacted strongly to geopolitical tensions related to the conflict in Iran. At the same time, core inflation, which excludes energy and food, not only failed to rise but actually edged down slightly to 2.3%. The readings came in slightly below market expectations. Impact of the war limited to the energy sector The data indicate that the increase in inflation is almost entirely due to rising energy prices. Energy price dynamics shifted from negative territory to clearly positive, directly lifting the headline inflation rate. Meanwhile, other components such as food, industrial goods, and services recorded a slowdown in price growth. This suggests that, for now, the conflict has not broadly spread across the economy. Additionally, government measures, such as tax cuts in Spain and Italy, have partially mitigated the impact of rising energy prices. Contributions to Eurozone HICP YoY% NSA (Source: Bloomberg) Lagged effects may push core inflation higher In the coming months, however, higher energy prices are expected to gradually feed through into other sectors of the economy. Rising production costs and fertilizer prices may translate into higher food and service prices, which could, with a lag, lift core inflation. Even if the conflict subsides in the near term, cost effects may persist through the end of the year, potentially leading to a renewed increase in core inflation in the fourth quarter. Limited response from the European Central Bank Despite the rise in headline inflation, the current data remain consistent with the most dovish scenario of the European Central Bank. This means that pressure for aggressive interest rate hikes is l...
Here are some of the stocks making headlines in midday trading. Tesla – The electric vehicle manufacturer lost about 4% after first-quarter deliveries fell short of expectations. Tesla reported 358,000 vehicles delivered in the period, down 14% from the prior quarter. Analysts polled by StreetAccount were looking for 370,000 deliveries. Nike – The sneaker giant dropped more than 2% and headed for ...
Here are some of the stocks making headlines in midday trading. Tesla – The electric vehicle manufacturer lost about 4% after first-quarter deliveries fell short of expectations. Tesla reported 358,000 vehicles delivered in the period, down 14% from the prior quarter. Analysts polled by StreetAccount were looking for 370,000 deliveries. Nike – The sneaker giant dropped more than 2% and headed for a second straight day of losses. Earlier this week, Nike issued a bleak outlook , calling for a 20% decline in sales in China during the current quarter. Shares had tumbled more than 15% on Wednesday. Coherent , Lumentum – The companies, makers of optical transceivers, were the top gainers in the S & P 500, heading for a third straight day of gains. Coherent was last up more than 4%, while Lumentum advanced more than 5%. Wingstop – The chicken wing chain saw shares pop about 6% on the back of an upgrade from Piper Sandler. The firm lifted its rating on Wingstop to overweight and gave it a price target of $190, citing an improving risk-reward setup. Blue Owl – The alternative asset manager slumped 1% after the company disclosed unusually high redemption requests in two of its private credit funds. Blue Owl chose to cap the requests at 5% for both funds. Oil stocks — Shares of energy companies jumped alongside the move higher in oil prices , which surged more than 10% after President Donald Trump's speech Wednesday night indicated the war in Iran would continue. Diamondback Energy gained 2%, while, APA , ConocoPhillips and Chevron all added about 1%. Cruise stocks — Major cruise operators tumbled after Trump's speech failed to outline a clear path to end the war in Iran, leading oil prices to surge and reigniting demand fears. Carnival fell 3%, while Royal Caribbean dropped 1% and Norwegian Cruise Line lost 2%. Airliners — Higher oil prices also sent airline stocks tumbling, with Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines falling 2%. United Airlines declined 3%. General Motors — ...
核心要点 由于用户持续取消有线电视订阅，Main Street Sports 旗下转播美国职业棒球大联盟、NBA 及 NHL 赛事的地方体育频道已濒临关停。 各大体育联盟正应对这一转型，美国职业棒球大联盟已接手十余支球队的赛事转播分发业务。 据知情人士透露，近几个月 康卡斯特 将其持有的纽约大都会队旗下频道 SNY 的股份出售给查特通信，标志着这家传媒公司进一步退出该业务领域。 尽管直播体育赛事仍...
核心要点 由于用户持续取消有线电视订阅，Main Street Sports 旗下转播美国职业棒球大联盟、NBA 及 NHL 赛事的地方体育频道已濒临关停。 各大体育联盟正应对这一转型，美国职业棒球大联盟已接手十余支球队的赛事转播分发业务。 据知情人士透露，近几个月 康卡斯特 将其持有的纽约大都会队旗下频道 SNY 的股份出售给查特通信，标志着这家传媒公司进一步退出该业务领域。 尽管直播体育赛事仍占据着电视收视率的顶端，但一批地方体育频道即将关停。这意味着曾经利润丰厚的商业模式走向消亡，地方棒球、篮球与冰球赛事的转播命运也因此悬而未决。 随着用户转向流媒体，地方体育频道可以说是受有线电视套餐用户流失冲击最严重的领域。如今，这一商业模式正快速衰落。 上周，2026 赛季美国职业棒球大联盟开赛之际，联盟宣布将接手 14 支球队的媒体转播分发业务。这很大程度上是 Main Street Sports 即将关停的必然结果 —— 该公司前身为福克斯体育网，2019 年以来几经易主，2021 年之后多次更名。 知情人士称，Main Street Sports 于 2024 年底摆脱破产保护，尽管就在去年春季还宣称订阅用户增长，但今年早些时候因需支付棒球大联盟版权费，再度遭遇流动性危机。 该公司曾拥有约 15 个频道，破产重组后一度转播 30 支棒球、冰球及篮球队的赛事。 据悉，该公司今年早些时候曾与 DAZN、Fubo 等平台洽谈出售事宜，但最终未能达成任何协议。 在 NBA 与 NHL 赛季进行期间，有关其清算的传言一度流传，但 Main Street Sports 迄今暂未走到这一步。与之相对，棒球大联盟各球队在新赛季开始后各自寻找出路：部分球队转由联盟统一分发转播权，阿纳海姆天使队、亚特兰大勇士队等则开始自行负责地方频道的制作与分发。 知情人士表示，NBA 与 NHL 常规赛预计仍将通过 Main Street 旗下现有的频道（现已更名为 FanDuel 体育频道）完成转播。但在 NBA 常规赛与 NHL 季后赛首轮结束后，该公司计划正式启动关停流程。 其余 NBA 与 NHL 球队的转播归属尚未确定，不过据接近谈判的消息人士称，部分球队可能会转投斯克里普斯等已在收购地方赛事版权的广播电视台运营商。 地方体育频道模式的终结还不止于此。 长期以来，各大体育联盟一直依靠这些频...
BING-JHEN HONG/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Introduction Taiwan Semiconductor ( TSM ) recently retreated from its all-time highs, and with the earnings coming up over the next two weeks, I wanted to give an update on what to expect and what I’m looking for, and also give some comments on why I think TSMC is not just a pure-AI play that should be in everyone’s portfolios for the long haul. Sin...
BING-JHEN HONG/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Introduction Taiwan Semiconductor ( TSM ) recently retreated from its all-time highs, and with the earnings coming up over the next two weeks, I wanted to give an update on what to expect and what I’m looking for, and also give some comments on why I think TSMC is not just a pure-AI play that should be in everyone’s portfolios for the long haul. Since the last time I covered the company back in October 2025, the company's share price has continued to perform well, gaining over 17% vs SPY's ( SPY ) 2.5% decline. With the recent decline in share price, I am maintaining my strong buy rating, and will gladly pick up more if the geopolitical landscape due to President Trump's action continues to rock the markets. What to Expect Analysts are expecting TSM to make around $3.30 in EPS on $34.88B in revenues. That is around 5% sequential growth and a whopping 38% y/y growth. The upcoming quarter will continue the trend of expanding demand for advanced nodes and will essentially cap off a full year of over $30B in revenue, setting what looks like a new floor for operating performance. In the last 90 days, there have only been four upward revisions to the EPS. And how do these numbers stack up to what management guided for in its last quarter? Management expects sales to be in the range of $34.6B-$35.8B, or $35.3B at the midpoint, with an impressive gross margin range of 63-65%, as well as 54-56% operating margin. On top of these numbers, management raised its full-year 2026 expectations and said that revenue should grow at around 30% in US dollar terms, with capex reaching $52B-$56B. So, we can see that the analysts are underestimating TSMC’s potential as they believe the company will make less than $35B, while the company itself is guiding for around $35B at the midpoint. How likely is the company to beat analysts’ expectations? If the last ten quarters are any indication, it is very likely, since it has beaten them 100% of th...
Versicherungskammer Bayern flagged millions of euros in losses linked to one of London’s biggest property developments, adding to already painful hits for the German insurer from a foray into US real estate. VKB’s annual report, published last week, shows an annual loss of €125 million ($144 million) for a holding company that invested in the Olympia Hammersmith project in London. VKB invests in a...
Versicherungskammer Bayern flagged millions of euros in losses linked to one of London’s biggest property developments, adding to already painful hits for the German insurer from a foray into US real estate. VKB’s annual report, published last week, shows an annual loss of €125 million ($144 million) for a holding company that invested in the Olympia Hammersmith project in London. VKB invests in a “broad portfolio” of assets to ensure diversification and meet requirements, a spokesperson said in a statement. Its annual reports reflect a “snapshot” on a specific date rather than a long-term outlook for any investments, which “depending on their stage of development,” may produce negative results. VKB is one of several German institutional investors trying to recoup losses after branching out into riskier parts of the real estate market during years of negative interest rates. It recently agreed to contribute additional equity to the Olympia project, alongside pension group Bayerische Versorgungskammer , or BVK. The two Bavarian institutions previously lost money in several US properties where they invested together. German Backers of Olympia to Inject £500M in Latest Financing NYC Real Estate Binge Piles Pressure on Germany’s BVK German Property Investor’s Rating Canceled After Suspension People familiar with the matter said last month that the German investors are set to contribute an additional £500 million ($661 million) of equity as part of a refinancing of Olympia. The equity commitment demonstrates the consortium’s belief in the development, they added. In addition to the losses tied to the London investment, VKB also flagged a combined €17 million hit on two Deutsche Finance-branded vehicles whose investment focus is unclear. Deutsche Finance International and Yoo Capital acquired the Olympia venue for £296 million ($391 million) in 2017, with most of the financial backing coming from the two Bavarian investors, VKB and BVK. The project involved a £1.3 billion...
Readers respond to new government advice to limit screen time to under an hour for under-fives, and restrict it to ‘slow-paced’ media content While I fully support the government’s guidance to parents of under-fives to keep screen time to under an hour a day ( Keep under-fives’ screen time to no more than an hour a day, UK advice says, 27 March ), this does not go far enough. Children do not only ...
Readers respond to new government advice to limit screen time to under an hour for under-fives, and restrict it to ‘slow-paced’ media content While I fully support the government’s guidance to parents of under-fives to keep screen time to under an hour a day ( Keep under-fives’ screen time to no more than an hour a day, UK advice says, 27 March ), this does not go far enough. Children do not only experience screens at home; they also encounter them in early childhood settings and schools. Contrary to the advice given in the new guidance for parents, the government requires all children to complete a screen-based test within their first six weeks at primary school. The Reception Baseline Assessment takes up 20 minutes of their daily screen time. Teachers are not able to interact with the child while doing the test as they must follow a script. This contradicts the advice for parents, which suggests that the best form of screen use involves adults interacting with their children while using screens. Continue reading...
onurdongel/iStock via Getty Images Plug Power ( PLUG ) up 5.3% in Thursday's trading after saying it was awarded the front-end engineering design contract to supply a 275 MW electrolyzer system for Hy2gen Canada's Courant project , in one of the company's largest electrolyzer project awards to date; financial terms were not disclosed. Hy2gen is developing the Courant project as one of North Americ...
onurdongel/iStock via Getty Images Plug Power ( PLUG ) up 5.3% in Thursday's trading after saying it was awarded the front-end engineering design contract to supply a 275 MW electrolyzer system for Hy2gen Canada's Courant project , in one of the company's largest electrolyzer project awards to date; financial terms were not disclosed. Hy2gen is developing the Courant project as one of North America's largest decarbonized ammonium nitrate facilities, supporting the mining industry's goals in Canada; Plug's ( PLUG ) scope of work on the project will include advanced engineering and system design activities to support electrolyzer integration, plant configuration, and performance optimization. The large-scale hydrogen plant will support Hy2gen’s production of low-carbon ammonia, which will then be further processed into renewable ammonium nitrate for the mining industry's explosives needs, the company said. " Being selected as the electrolyzer supplier for Hy2gen's Courant project underscores Plug's ability to support large-scale hydrogen and hydrogen-derived products," Plug Power ( PLUG ) President and CEO Jose Luis Crespo . More on Plug Power Plug Power: Some Progress But Major Headwinds Remain - Sell Plug Power: Improving Operations, Still A Hold For Me Plug Power Has Bought Time, Not Conviction