Lichtwolke/iStock via Getty Images Main Thesis & Background The purpose of this article is to recap the S&P 500's performance since my bullish review in March and plan ahead for what is to come in the summer trading season. Importantly, when we were in the midst of the sell-off a few months ago, I thought the timing was ripe for a rebound. Looking back, this was definitely the right call: Prior Ar...
Lichtwolke/iStock via Getty Images Main Thesis & Background The purpose of this article is to recap the S&P 500's performance since my bullish review in March and plan ahead for what is to come in the summer trading season. Importantly, when we were in the midst of the sell-off a few months ago, I thought the timing was ripe for a rebound. Looking back, this was definitely the right call: Prior Article (March 30th) (Seeking Alpha) A "pat on the back" is certainly warranted here - but after that - we need to decide what to do now. In this vein, I am writing this piece to help justify why I feel staying long this market remains the right course. It would be tempting to view this rebound as fleeting and to see a correction around the corner. That could happen of course. But I see some fundamental reasons for continued strength in this market, especially amongst large-cap US stocks (as measured by the S&P 500). The purpose of this review is to explain what I like about the current backdrop and hopefully give my followers confidence for the months ahead. US Tech Is Actually Not Expensive A primary factor for my outlook right now is valuation. And here is where the story may get surprising. Despite the Mag 7 leading the market, the forward P/E for this cohort is actually quite reasonably priced. I'm not talking about on the surface with its P/E on a stand-alone basis. But rather how it compares to the rest of the market. Its valuation compared against the other 493 stocks in the S&P 500 shows that the Mag 7 generally trades at a higher premium than it currently is now: Mag 7 Valuation Compared To Rest Of The S&P 500 (Yahoo Finance) This probably begs the question - how is this possible? Well, the answer is earnings are rising and rising fast. While corporate America as a whole has had a fairly strong Q1 earnings season (in aggregate), the Mag 7 has been the dominant force by a wide margin. This shows up in the Info Tech sector (which houses most of the Mag 7), as well as ...
TikTok is preparing to roll out a paid, ad-free version of its app in the UK. The new subscription announced today will be available to users over 18 "over the coming months," according to TikTok's announcement, and will cost £3.99 (about $5.40) per month. In exchange for that, TikTok will remove ads from the user's feed, and promises to not use their data for undefined "advertising purposes". Thi...
TikTok is preparing to roll out a paid, ad-free version of its app in the UK. The new subscription announced today will be available to users over 18 "over the coming months," according to TikTok's announcement, and will cost £3.99 (about $5.40) per month. In exchange for that, TikTok will remove ads from the user's feed, and promises to not use their data for undefined "advertising purposes". This "pay or consent" model is likely in response to the UK's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other privacy laws that forbid companies from harvesting personal data for advertising without getting explicit consent from social media users … Read the full story at The Verge.
Security researchers at Alphabet Inc. ’s Google said they believe a cybercrime group used artificial intelligence to create a hacking tool that can bypass defenses in a widely-used tool to administer computer systems. The scheme, which was foiled when Google alerted the tool developer, would mark the first time that Google’s Threat Intelligence Group caught a hacker using an AI-generated “zero-day...
Security researchers at Alphabet Inc. ’s Google said they believe a cybercrime group used artificial intelligence to create a hacking tool that can bypass defenses in a widely-used tool to administer computer systems. The scheme, which was foiled when Google alerted the tool developer, would mark the first time that Google’s Threat Intelligence Group caught a hacker using an AI-generated “zero-day” in such a way, according to a report published Monday. Zero-day vulnerabilities are flaws unknown to the developer, leaving defenders no time to patch before they can be exploited. Google said it has “high confidence” that AI was used to help discover and weaponize the exploit. The company declined to name the cybercrime group, the impacted software or the large language model that was used in the attempted attack. However, a spokesperson said researchers don’t believe the exploit was created using Anthropic PBC ’s Mythos or Google’s own model, Gemini. The company also wouldn’t say when the exploit was discovered other than it was “recent.” Anthropic said in April it wouldn’t widely release its new model, Mythos, because the way it used AI to identify and exploit software flaws posed a national security risk. Since then, the White House has moved to address potential malicious use of large language models, and government officials have held emergency meetings with technology and industry leaders. Read More: Inside Anthropic’s Race to Assess the Dangers of Mythos Google researchers said their findings suggest such threats are already a reality. The hacking group used a AI model to find a previously unknown flaw in the tool, according to the report. That flaw could be used to bypass multifactor authentication, a security protection often added in addition to a password, to gain access to the internal networks of organizations using the software. Google alerted the tool’s developer, who fixed the issue before hackers could deploy it against users, the report said. Businesses...
(Bloomberg) -- Security researchers at Alphabet Inc.’s Google said they believe a cybercrime group used artificial intelligence to create a hacking tool that can bypass defenses in a widely-used tool to administer computer systems.Most Read from BloombergIran Makes New Offer on Uranium in Response to US, WSJ SaysTrump Rejects New Iran Peace Offer as ‘Totally Unacceptable’Inside a Year of Chaos and...
(Bloomberg) -- Security researchers at Alphabet Inc.’s Google said they believe a cybercrime group used artificial intelligence to create a hacking tool that can bypass defenses in a widely-used tool to administer computer systems.Most Read from BloombergIran Makes New Offer on Uranium in Response to US, WSJ SaysTrump Rejects New Iran Peace Offer as ‘Totally Unacceptable’Inside a Year of Chaos and Conflict at Kevin Hart’s Media CompanyModi Asks Indians to Stop Buying Gold, Hitting Jewelry Stocks
Welcome to Next Africa, a daily newsletter on where the continent stands now — and where it’s headed. Sign up here to have it delivered to your email. In today’s edition, we look at the explosion in online gambling across the continent. And: A Chinese solar titan inks two new deals in Nigeria South Africa’s leader reflects on a damning court ruling A restauranteur and a DJ team up on a new spirit ...
Welcome to Next Africa, a daily newsletter on where the continent stands now — and where it’s headed. Sign up here to have it delivered to your email. In today’s edition, we look at the explosion in online gambling across the continent. And: A Chinese solar titan inks two new deals in Nigeria South Africa’s leader reflects on a damning court ruling A restauranteur and a DJ team up on a new spirit label Betting the House Retailers, mobile-phone operators and entertainment companies are losing out as African consumers increasingly try their luck on online gambling platforms. Gross gaming revenue across the continent is set to hit $13.5 billion this year, more than double 2023 levels, data from H2 Gambling Capital shows. Gambling now accounts for more than half of all leisure spending in South Africa alone, with individuals on average staking 2% of their income last year. Some 7% of consumers are wagering all their earnings, Standard Bank researchers found. Betting firms have found a ready audience among young, fast-growing populations, and their marketing efforts are being aided by rising smartphone use and weak regulation. Pieter Engelbrecht, the CEO of retail giant Shoprite, is among a number of executives who’ve raised red flags . He warns that many people are throwing money they can’t afford into a black hole and are having to pare back spending on groceries and other essentials. Telecommunications company MTN and retailer Woolworths have also said their sales have suffered because of the squeeze on consumers’ wallets. “The more clients become indebted, the more they gamble and the bigger the hole becomes,” said Kenny Fihla, the CEO of Absa, one of South Africa’s biggest banks. He notes that gambling trends are a “huge predictor” of loan delinquency. The authorities are also concerned, with South Africa’s National Treasury warning that government intervention in the form of further regulation and taxation may be warranted. “People are blowing their salaries on onl...
Kingsway Financial Services ( KFS ) on Monday announced the sale of Trinity Warranty Solutions for gross proceeds of $8 million, consisting of $5 million cash at closing plus an additional $3 million in seller notes. The seller notes may be paid off early for a discount if certain conditions are met. The transaction closed on Friday, May 8, 2026. Press release More on Kingsway Financial Services K...
Kingsway Financial Services ( KFS ) on Monday announced the sale of Trinity Warranty Solutions for gross proceeds of $8 million, consisting of $5 million cash at closing plus an additional $3 million in seller notes. The seller notes may be paid off early for a discount if certain conditions are met. The transaction closed on Friday, May 8, 2026. Press release More on Kingsway Financial Services Kingsway Financial: Reinflation Risks Complicate NOL Harvesting Kingsway reiterates expectation for double-digit organic growth while targeting 3 to 5 acquisitions in 2026 Kingsway Financial Services reports Q1 results
Verizon Communications Inc. is tapping the US dollar investment-grade debt market as part of a push to refinance debt. The company is marketing two tranches of notes, with maturities of 30 years and 32 years, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Initial price talk on the longest tenor is for a spread of 6.625 percentage points over the benchmark, the person said, asking not to be id...
Verizon Communications Inc. is tapping the US dollar investment-grade debt market as part of a push to refinance debt. The company is marketing two tranches of notes, with maturities of 30 years and 32 years, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Initial price talk on the longest tenor is for a spread of 6.625 percentage points over the benchmark, the person said, asking not to be identified disclosing private details. Proceeds from the sale will be used for general corporate purposes, which may include repayment of outstanding debt, the person added. The telecommunication firm on Monday announced a cash tender offer to repurchase a series of notes maturing between 2027 and 2033. The bond offering comes as about 14 firms look to raise fresh capital in the US high-grade primary market on Monday, with many moving forward ahead of Tuesday’s inflation data, according to an informal poll of syndicate underwriters. Borrowing costs remain enticing for potential borrowers, with the average spread on high-grade corporate bonds just six basis points above a multi-decade low. Dealers expect about $50 billion in new bond sales this week as most companies exit their earnings blackout periods. Issuer Profile Debt distribution: VZ US Equity DDIS Capital structure: VZ US Equity CAST Related securities: VZ US Equity RELS Ratings history: VZ US Equity CRPR This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation
ASHBURN, Va., May 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Telos Corporation (NASDAQ: TLS), a leading provider of cyber, cloud and enterprise security solutions for the world’s most security-conscious organizations, has posted its 2026 first quarter financial results on its investor relations website at https://investors.telos.com .
ASHBURN, Va., May 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Telos Corporation (NASDAQ: TLS), a leading provider of cyber, cloud and enterprise security solutions for the world’s most security-conscious organizations, has posted its 2026 first quarter financial results on its investor relations website at https://investors.telos.com .
UEA Drama Studio, Norwich A scientist sees the climate crisis in action when she returns to her mother’s flooded home, while the mum just fancies a trip to see the penguins In these days of ever-encroaching climate crisis, we desperately want scientists to be the heroes. Alice, a glaciologist just back from Antarctica, knows that. After all, she wants it too: “To find the answer. Invent something....
UEA Drama Studio, Norwich A scientist sees the climate crisis in action when she returns to her mother’s flooded home, while the mum just fancies a trip to see the penguins In these days of ever-encroaching climate crisis, we desperately want scientists to be the heroes. Alice, a glaciologist just back from Antarctica, knows that. After all, she wants it too: “To find the answer. Invent something. Discover something. Flick a switch and solve it all.” Playwright Martha Loader, who won last year’s George Devine award for The Town, has spent two years interviewing Antarctic researchers not just on their work, but the impact it has had on their personal lives. In Albatross, the home Alice returns to is one where her mother Eve has been caring for her five-year-old daughter. And their tense middle-of-the-night reunion – made comically awkward by the presence of Eve’s new boyfriend, Martin – allows Loader to explore the moral dilemma of what each generation owes to the next, and whether the greater good outweighs personal, even maternal, obligations. Continue reading...
England forward has played key role in several title wins ‘Beth is such a special person and will always be welcome’ Beth Mead will leave Arsenal after nine years when her contract expires this summer. The England forward has made 265 appearances and scored 86 goals since joining from Sunderland, winning a WSL title, three League Cups, the Champions League and the Champions Cup while at the club. ...
England forward has played key role in several title wins ‘Beth is such a special person and will always be welcome’ Beth Mead will leave Arsenal after nine years when her contract expires this summer. The England forward has made 265 appearances and scored 86 goals since joining from Sunderland, winning a WSL title, three League Cups, the Champions League and the Champions Cup while at the club. Mead, a fan favourite, played an important role in Arsenal’s second European title last May . Her clever pass created the only goal for fellow substitute, Stina Blackstenius, against Barcelona in the Lisbon final. Continue reading...
The next round of US-China trade talks appears to be a rushed precursor intended to set the stage for President Donald Trump’s state visit to Beijing, according to analysts who expect only modest deliverables from the negotiations. Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng will meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in South Korea this week, both sides have confirmed, marking the latest in a series of dipl...
The next round of US-China trade talks appears to be a rushed precursor intended to set the stage for President Donald Trump’s state visit to Beijing, according to analysts who expect only modest deliverables from the negotiations. Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng will meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in South Korea this week, both sides have confirmed, marking the latest in a series of diplomatic sprints intended to stabilise the world’s most consequential economic relationship. The...