特朗普称，美国和伊朗“正在进行严肃的谈判”，并强调“这项协议将包含一项至关重要的条款：伊朗不得拥有核武器” 当地时间2026年5月18日，美国华盛顿特区，美国总统特朗普出席活动。图：视觉中国 【财新网】 当地时间5月18日，美国总统特朗普表示，应卡塔尔、沙特、阿联酋等海湾国家的要求，他决定“推迟”原定于5月19日对伊朗实施的军事打击。他还表示，当前美国和伊朗“正在进行严肃的谈判”。 特朗普在社交媒体“真实社交”上写道，推迟打击的决定是应卡塔尔埃米尔塔米姆（Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani）、沙特王储本·萨勒曼（Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud）、阿联酋总统穆罕默德（Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahya）等领导人的要求而做出的。
Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation will largely complete the main structure of a new station on the Tung Chung line by the first half of 2027, using “community-friendly” construction measures to reduce noise. The rail giant said on Tuesday that it would finish boring a 1.3km (0.8-mile) tunnel in the next three months and complete most of the main structure of Tung Chung West station by the first half of ...
Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation will largely complete the main structure of a new station on the Tung Chung line by the first half of 2027, using “community-friendly” construction measures to reduce noise. The rail giant said on Tuesday that it would finish boring a 1.3km (0.8-mile) tunnel in the next three months and complete most of the main structure of Tung Chung West station by the first half of next year. The new station is located west of Yat Tung Estate, a public housing estate in western...
Enthusiasm for artificial intelligence is no longer just rosy predictions about the future, with the technology now making significant real-world impacts, according to Kevin Brunner , JPMorgan Chase & Co. ’s global chair of investment banking and mergers and acquisitions. “We’ve actually gone from hype to real execution and scaling,” Brunner said Tuesday in an interview on Bloomberg TV at the bank...
Enthusiasm for artificial intelligence is no longer just rosy predictions about the future, with the technology now making significant real-world impacts, according to Kevin Brunner , JPMorgan Chase & Co. ’s global chair of investment banking and mergers and acquisitions. “We’ve actually gone from hype to real execution and scaling,” Brunner said Tuesday in an interview on Bloomberg TV at the bank’s global technology, media and communications conference in Boston. “Every company here is very focused on what’s their long-term strategic narrative, and are in the early stages of doing so.” Job cuts are an obvious outcome of AI-driven automation, with the latest example coming from Standard Chartered Plc . The London-based bank said Tuesday it would cut close to 8,000 support roles over the next four years partly by using AI to streamline operations. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Chief Operating Officer John Waldron earlier this month described his firm’s operations as a “human assembly line” ripe for automation. As winners and losers emerge, the impact of AI on mergers and acquisitions will be significant, Brunner said. “It’s impacting every client that we have,” he said. “There’s not a client that we talk to that’s not actually thinking through where they are in the landscape, what’s their long strategic narrative, and how they’re going to adapt to a changing environment.” Brunner added that access to capital hasn’t been a barrier to M&A so far. “We’re seeing people push forward, do deals of size, and making sure they’re actually repositioning themselves on the chessboard for the path forward,” he said, adding that consolidation will inevitably result. Read More: StanChart Joins AI Push With Plan to Cut Around 8,000 Jobs
Driven Brands press release ( DRVN ): Q4 Non-GAAP EPS of $0.34 beats by $0.10 . Revenue of $460.1M (+7.7% Y/Y) beats by $4.63M . Adjusted EBITDA 1 was $111.9 million, an increase of 7% versus the prior year. System-wide sales were $1.5 billion, an increase of 2% versus the prior year primarily driven by 0.5% same store sales growth and 175 net new units. FY25 revenue consensus of $2.02B, EPS conse...
Driven Brands press release ( DRVN ): Q4 Non-GAAP EPS of $0.34 beats by $0.10 . Revenue of $460.1M (+7.7% Y/Y) beats by $4.63M . Adjusted EBITDA 1 was $111.9 million, an increase of 7% versus the prior year. System-wide sales were $1.5 billion, an increase of 2% versus the prior year primarily driven by 0.5% same store sales growth and 175 net new units. FY25 revenue consensus of $2.02B, EPS consensus of $1.23. Fiscal Year 2026 Outlook Inclusive of the first quarter 2026 preliminary results provided above, the Company is providing its financial outlook for the fiscal year ending December 26, 2026, as follows: 2026 Outlook Revenue ~$1.95 - $2.05 billion Adjusted EBITDA 1 ~$430 - $460 million Adjusted Diluted EPS 1 ~$1.15 - $1.25 Click to enlarge Adjusted EBITDA 1 and Adjusted Diluted EPS 1 2026 outlook include approximately $35 million to $45 million of restatement-related, non-recurring costs for fiscal year 2026. The Company expects fiscal year 2026 same store sales growth in the range of flat to 2%; and expects net store growth of approximately 160 to 190. The Company also expects to generate between $125 million and $145 million of free cash flow 2 in fiscal year 2026. Note: 2026 outlook excludes the impact of any potential M&A and divestitures other than the completed divestiture of the international car wash business. More on Driven Brands Driven Brands rallies after receiving a PE buyout offer Driven Brands expects Q4 revenue between $450M and $460M, receives Nasdaq non-compliance notice Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Driven Brands Historical earnings data for Driven Brands Financial information for Driven Brands
genekrebs/E+ via Getty Images Introduction In my view, the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation seems cheap, but the rising credit risk limits a more aggressive share price re-rating. Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation ( AGM ), in the market known as Farmer Mac, operates as a secondary US agricultural and rural infrastructure loan market, ensuring liquidity to lenders through loan acqu...
genekrebs/E+ via Getty Images Introduction In my view, the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation seems cheap, but the rising credit risk limits a more aggressive share price re-rating. Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation ( AGM ), in the market known as Farmer Mac, operates as a secondary US agricultural and rural infrastructure loan market, ensuring liquidity to lenders through loan acquisitions and the provision of guarantees. At the current moment, the company‘s business volumes have reached a record level of $34.8 billion, which is a 17% annual growth, showing a strong demand for all the company‘s segments. 2026 Q1 results showed revenues of $109.9 million, and the net interest revenue level grew 11% to $101.4 million. Even though the net interest margin slightly shrank to 1.16% compared to 1.22% at the end of last year, the operating efficiency ratio remains low at 29.6%, which allows for a high 17% ROE. Shares are traded with around 10x P/E, which is close to the five-year average of this company and shows that the market values AGM as a stable company that manages to generate revenue without speculative markup. Dividend yield is around 3.7%, and payout ratio remains conservative at 35.8%, ensuring dividend safety even in a possible credit loss situation. Portfolio‘s diversification is also expanding: Farm & Ranch segment makes up 58%, though quickly growing renewable energy and broadband infrastructure financing lowers the dependency on cyclical agricultural commodity prices. 13% Tier 1 capital adequacy ratio gives a $663 million buffer above regulatory requirements, and that, with a $7.9 billion liquidity portfolio, confirms the company‘s financial resilience to possible market shocks. Credit risk remains under control, though provisions for losses increased to $40.1 million due to the portfolio‘s growth and specific migration in the agricultural segment. Business overview Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation's business model is based on interm...
Retired NHS worker Nicholas Stone died after becoming unwell at protest against far-right Bristol Patriots The police watchdog is investigating the use of force against a retired NHS worker who attended a counter-demonstration against the far right and died shortly after contact with officers there. Nicholas Stone, 65, who lived in Bristol, died on 10 January after becoming unwell at a protest opp...
Retired NHS worker Nicholas Stone died after becoming unwell at protest against far-right Bristol Patriots The police watchdog is investigating the use of force against a retired NHS worker who attended a counter-demonstration against the far right and died shortly after contact with officers there. Nicholas Stone, 65, who lived in Bristol, died on 10 January after becoming unwell at a protest opposing the rightwing group Bristol Patriots, who were demonstrating in the city centre. Continue reading...
eZeePics Studio/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Fueled by strong demand for its Arc’teryx apparel and outdoor sports merchandise, Amer Sports ( AS ) realized double-digit revenue growth across all segments, beating Wall Street’s expectations and driving shares higher in early Tuesday trading. However, despite the impressive first-quarter results—which include 32% revenue growth and a 41% increas...
eZeePics Studio/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Fueled by strong demand for its Arc’teryx apparel and outdoor sports merchandise, Amer Sports ( AS ) realized double-digit revenue growth across all segments, beating Wall Street’s expectations and driving shares higher in early Tuesday trading. However, despite the impressive first-quarter results—which include 32% revenue growth and a 41% increase in adjusted earnings—and improved outlook for the year, gains in the company’s stock are being muted by compressed operating margin for its Ball & Racquet Sports business and underwhelming full-year profit guidance. For the full year, Amer Sports ( AS ) now expects to earn a profit between $1.18 and $1.23 per share, up from the prior outlook of $1.10 and $1.15 per share, with a midpoint of the new range that is in line with estimates. Revenue is expected to increase by 20% to 22% versus the prior range of 16% to 18%, which now translates to a range of $7.88B and $8.01B versus the consensus estimate of $7.74B. For the current quarter, Amer Sports ( AS ) expects to earn a profit of $0.08 to $0.10 per share on revenue growth of 22% to 24%, or $1.51B to $1.54B, beating $1.48B estimates. For the first quarter of the year, Amer Sports ( AS ) generated $1.945B in sales, an increase of 32% from the same quarter last year and $120M above expectations. This was a result of a 33% increase in Technical Apparel sales, 42% increase in Outdoor Performance sales, and a 13% increase in sales in its Ball & Racquet segment. This contributed to a profit of $0.38 per share, 7 cents above expectations. Adjusted gross margin increased 200 basis points to 60.0% year-over-year, while adjusted operating margin was up 160 basis points to 17.4% as Technical Apparel widened 250 basis points and Outdoor Performance by 480 basis points, but Ball & Racquet was down 370 basis points. Shares are up 3% premarket. More on Amer Sports Amer Sports, Inc. (AS) Shareholder/Analyst Call Prepared Remarks Transcrip...
BBC's Former News Director Says Trans-Bias & 'Progressive Madness' Drove Her Out Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news, The BBC’s grip on impartiality continues to slip as one of its former top news executives publicly confirmed what critics have long argued: activist capture from within has turned the state broadcaster into a vehicle for narrow ideological agendas. Fran Unsworth, director o...
BBC's Former News Director Says Trans-Bias & 'Progressive Madness' Drove Her Out Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news, The BBC’s grip on impartiality continues to slip as one of its former top news executives publicly confirmed what critics have long argued: activist capture from within has turned the state broadcaster into a vehicle for narrow ideological agendas. Fran Unsworth, director of BBC News from 2018 to 2022, has broken her silence, claiming she was effectively driven out by trans activists and the “progressive madness” dominating the corporation. In a candid interview, she described an environment of bullying where editors avoided critical reporting on trans issues for fear of attacks from their own colleagues. 'For the news department to be following some airy fairy ideology instead of fact is pretty wild!' Comedian Leo Kearse reacts to a former BBC news boss claiming she was bullied out of her role by 'gender ideologues'. pic.twitter.com/n6QNpZn1HM — GB News (@GBNEWS) May 16, 2026 “Just dealing with the progressive editorial issues and the bullying around them all. It was incredibly difficult,” Unsworth said. She added that the atmosphere extended beyond trans topics, with staff no-platforming dissenting views and pushing “safe spaces” over open debate. Unsworth’s remarks paint a picture of a newsroom where challenging the prevailing narrative on ‘culture war’ issues carried professional risks. Programme editors reportedly steered clear of stories that questioned aspects of the trans agenda, wary of backlash from activist-aligned staff. This self-censorship contributed to what a leaked internal memo later described as “effective censorship” on the topic. Ex-BBC news boss Fran Unsworth says she was driven out of her job by 'progressive madness' of trans activists https://t.co/Fk0cmm51N1 — Daily Mail (@DailyMail) May 16, 2026 Her departure was hastened by the constant pressure. “I would actually say it drove me out,” she stated, highlighting how th...
The Department of Defense is aggressively reallocating capital away from legacy manned platforms in favor of autonomous artificial intelligence-driven tactical networks and high-altitude hypersonic tracking systems. Multi-hundred-million-dollar contract awards for next-generation uncrewed assets, combined with immediate software and hardware integration between legacy defense contractors and disru...
The Department of Defense is aggressively reallocating capital away from legacy manned platforms in favor of autonomous artificial intelligence-driven tactical networks and high-altitude hypersonic tracking systems. Multi-hundred-million-dollar contract awards for next-generation uncrewed assets, combined with immediate software and hardware integration between legacy defense contractors and disruptive venture-backed defense technology firms, signal the onset of a structural procurement supercycle. Integrated aerospace sector contractors executing this modernization strategy currently provide unparalleled margin visibility and near total insulation against macroeconomic headwinds. Warfare is undergoing a permanent structural shift. Escaping the constraints of human-operated hardware requires a massive influx of government spending directed squarely at integrated sensor networks, uncrewed payload architectures, and the localized edge computing required to run them. Traditional defense contractors are rapidly adapting to this reality, positioning select aerospace operators to capture multi-decade revenue streams. Get Northrop Grumman alerts: Sign Up Coding Combat With Zero-Trust Architecture The traditional barrier between Silicon Valley software agility and heavy industrial defense manufacturing is collapsing. On May 18, 2026, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp NYSE: BAH and Anduril Industries finalized a comprehensive integration partnership that natively embeds mission software directly onto tactical edge hardware. Booz Allen Hamilton Today BAH Booz Allen Hamilton $76.93 +2.02 (+2.70%) 52-Week Range $68.83 ▼ $130.91 Dividend Yield 3.07% P/E Ratio 11.44 Price Target $93.33 Add to Watchlist By integrating Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp's situational awareness and dynamic effects tasking systems onto Anduril Industries' edge hardware and operations software, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp establishes a fully accredited, zero-trust, deployable system at the tactical ...
US equity futures slide and 30-year Treasury yield flirts with levels last seen in 2007. President Trump calls off scheduled strikes on Iran after Persian Gulf allies sought more time to work out a deal. Standard Chartered plans to eliminate nearly 8,000 jobs as the firm shift to AI, while Meta reassigns workers to AI roles ahead of planned job cuts. Christopher Hodge of Natixis discusses the chal...
US equity futures slide and 30-year Treasury yield flirts with levels last seen in 2007. President Trump calls off scheduled strikes on Iran after Persian Gulf allies sought more time to work out a deal. Standard Chartered plans to eliminate nearly 8,000 jobs as the firm shift to AI, while Meta reassigns workers to AI roles ahead of planned job cuts. Christopher Hodge of Natixis discusses the challenges ahead for the Federal Reserve amid price pressure. (Source: Bloomberg)