Stocks in Europe and Asia slumped after a fresh surge in oil and gas prices intensified concerns that the war in the Middle East will stoke inflation and hit growth. Bonds tumbled amid a second day of major central bank meetings. The selloff comes as Brent extended gains since the start of the conflict to 48%, climbing above $114 a barrel after Israel and Iran traded strikes on energy facilities i...
Stocks in Europe and Asia slumped after a fresh surge in oil and gas prices intensified concerns that the war in the Middle East will stoke inflation and hit growth. Bonds tumbled amid a second day of major central bank meetings. The selloff comes as Brent extended gains since the start of the conflict to 48%, climbing above $114 a barrel after Israel and Iran traded strikes on energy facilities in the Middle East. European natural gas jumped as much as 35% after damage to the world’s largest liquefied natural gas export plant. The Opening Trade has everything you need to know as markets open across Europe. With analysis you won't find anywhere else, we break down the biggest stories of the day and speak to top guests who have skin in the game. Hosted by Anna Edwards, Lizzy Burden and Tom Mackenzie. (Source: Bloomberg)
The U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran are hurting European markets most of all, with interest-rate expectations surging for both the Bank of England and European Central Bank on Thursday.
The U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran are hurting European markets most of all, with interest-rate expectations surging for both the Bank of England and European Central Bank on Thursday.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Wall Street’s regulator, has approved the Nasdaq (NASDAQ: $NDAQ ) exchange’s proposal to allow trading in tokenized stocks. The approval marks a major milestone in the effort to integrate blockchain technology into U.S. stock markets, say analysts. Tokenized stocks are digital assets on a blockchain that represent ownership or economic exposure to...
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Wall Street’s regulator, has approved the Nasdaq (NASDAQ: $NDAQ ) exchange’s proposal to allow trading in tokenized stocks. The approval marks a major milestone in the effort to integrate blockchain technology into U.S. stock markets, say analysts. Tokenized stocks are digital assets on a blockchain that represent ownership or economic exposure to traditional company shares such as Apple (NASDAQ: $AAPL ) or Tesla (NASDAQ: $TSLA ). Nasdaq has said that the Depository Trust Company will handle clearing and settlement of tokenized trades on its exchange. Going forward, investors will be able to choose to have trades settled as blockchain-based tokens rather than standard securities. Tokenized shares will trade alongside traditional shares of stocks such as Nvidia (NASDAQ: $NVDA ) and Amazon (NASDAQ: $AMZN ) on the Nasdaq exchange, and at the same price. Tokenized stocks will also carry the same rights as traditional equities, use the same ticker symbols, and be subject to existing market rules, says Nasdaq. The SEC said it approved the move into tokenized stocks because the structure meets investor protection standards. The move comes as tokenization of traditional assets like stocks, bonds and various funds have become a fast-growing area of the cryptocurrency space. The process will allow for near-instant, around-the-clock trading with tokens tied to real-world assets such as traditional stocks. Nasdaq said earlier in March that it is rushing to develop a framework that will allow publicly listed companies to issue blockchain-based versions of their shares. Nasdaq has partnered with cryptocurrency exchange Kraken to distribute tokenized stocks worldwide. At the same time, Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: $ICE ), the owner of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), has invested in crypto exchange OKX with plans to also launch tokenized stocks. The Nasdaq exchange is heavily concentrated in stocks of technology companies. ...
Key Points Abbott Laboratories' latest financial results were not particularly strong. Some of the company's opportunities could help boost sales growth. The stock has an impressive dividend track record. 10 stocks we like better than Abbott Laboratories › Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT), a medical device specialist, recently fell off a cliff after a disappointing quarterly update that missed cons...
Key Points Abbott Laboratories' latest financial results were not particularly strong. Some of the company's opportunities could help boost sales growth. The stock has an impressive dividend track record. 10 stocks we like better than Abbott Laboratories › Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT), a medical device specialist, recently fell off a cliff after a disappointing quarterly update that missed consensus top-line estimates. The healthcare giant is roughly 22% down from its 52-week high of $139.06 as of writing. However, for investors focused on the long game, this may be a great opportunity to load up on the stock. Read on to find out why. Multiple growth avenues and an attractive dividend Abbott Laboratories' revenue in the fourth quarter increased by just 4.4% year over year to $11.5 billion. Weak performances within the company's diagnostic and nutrition businesses pulled sales growth in the wrong direction. Can Abbott Laboratories jump-start revenue growth? My view is that it can. Let's consider three reasons why. First, the company's most important segment, medical devices, continues to perform well. In the fourth quarter, Abbott's medical device revenue of $5.7 billion increased by 12.3% year over year. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Second, several of the company's medical device products have excellent long-term prospects. That's particularly true of Abbott Laboratories' FreeStyle Libre franchise, a suite of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices that help diabetes patients track their blood sugar levels. There is a vast worldwide opportunity here, since the CGM market remains deeply underpenetrated. As the company noted a few years ago, only 1% of the world's diabetics use CGM. Several things should increase the adoption of CGM devices over the long run, including impr...
Iran’s attack on Qatar has damaged facilities that produce about 17% of its liquefied natural gas export capacity and repairs will take three to five years, QatarEnergy Chief Executive Officer Saad al-Kaabi said according to a report from Reuters. The strike has sent natural gas prices soaring, with European futures up as much as 35% earlier on Thursday, threatening a long-term inflationary impact...
Iran’s attack on Qatar has damaged facilities that produce about 17% of its liquefied natural gas export capacity and repairs will take three to five years, QatarEnergy Chief Executive Officer Saad al-Kaabi said according to a report from Reuters. The strike has sent natural gas prices soaring, with European futures up as much as 35% earlier on Thursday, threatening a long-term inflationary impact from the US and Israel’s conflict with Iran.
natatravel Silver slid below $70, extending a sharp downturn that has pushed the metal into bear market territory after a steep reversal from early-March highs. Prices are now down nearly 30% since March 2, with losses accelerating as the iShares Silver Trust (
natatravel Silver slid below $70, extending a sharp downturn that has pushed the metal into bear market territory after a steep reversal from early-March highs. Prices are now down nearly 30% since March 2, with losses accelerating as the iShares Silver Trust (
QUALCOMM (QCOM) has put capital returns in the spotlight, with its board approving a new US$20b share repurchase program along with a quarterly dividend increase to US$0.92 per share, or US$3.68 annually. The new capital return program lands after a tough stretch for the stock, with a 90 day share price return of 25.10% decline and a year to date share price return of 24.58% decline, even though t...
QUALCOMM (QCOM) has put capital returns in the spotlight, with its board approving a new US$20b share repurchase program along with a quarterly dividend increase to US$0.92 per share, or US$3.68 annually. The new capital return program lands after a tough stretch for the stock, with a 90 day share price return of 25.10% decline and a year to date share price return of 24.58% decline, even though the 3 year total shareholder return of 14.54% and 5 year total shareholder return of 14.44% remain positive. This suggests near term momentum has faded while longer term holders have still seen gains. If QUALCOMM’s recent moves around AI, automotive and connectivity have your attention, it can be useful to see what else is shaping the sector through With QUALCOMM shares down about 25% year to date while trading at what some see as a discount to analyst targets and intrinsic value estimates, is the current weakness opening up a buying opportunity, or is the market already pricing in future growth? Most Popular Narrative: 56.5% Undervalued According to the most followed narrative, QUALCOMM’s fair value of $300 sits well above the last close of $130.47, framing the current price as a sizeable gap to that estimate. Qualcomm (QCOM) delivered a strong start to FY2025, posting record revenues of $11.7 billion (+18% YoY) and EPS growth of 24% YoY to $3.41. The company’s handset, automotive (+61% YoY), and IoT (+36% YoY) segments drove top-line expansion, while $2.7 billion was returned to shareholders through buybacks and dividends. Qualcomm’s Edge AI dominance, with on-device AI partnerships alongside Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon, positions it as a leader in next-gen computing. Meanwhile, its Snapdragon Digital Chassis is propelling record-breaking automotive growth, strengthening its long-term outlook across AI, PCs, and connected vehicles. Curious how an earnings profile like that supports a fair value more than double the current price? According to yiannisz, the narrative leans ...
While Alibaba’s cloud and AI units delivered another quarter of triple-digit growth, the company’s costly pivot to rapid e-commerce delivery led to an earnings miss.
While Alibaba’s cloud and AI units delivered another quarter of triple-digit growth, the company’s costly pivot to rapid e-commerce delivery led to an earnings miss.
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS President and Chief Executive Officer — Stephen Altemus Chief Financial Officer — Peter McGrath Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Q4 Revenue -- $44.8 million, primarily attributed to CLPS, ALMS, and NSNS execution, reflecting contract program timing and government budg...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS President and Chief Executive Officer — Stephen Altemus Chief Financial Officer — Peter McGrath Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Q4 Revenue -- $44.8 million, primarily attributed to CLPS, ALMS, and NSNS execution, reflecting contract program timing and government budget delays. -- $44.8 million, primarily attributed to CLPS, ALMS, and NSNS execution, reflecting contract program timing and government budget delays. Q4 Gross Margin -- $8.5 million, or 19%, driven by higher-margin service revenue from NSNS and continued cost reductions across fixed-price contracts. -- $8.5 million, or 19%, driven by higher-margin service revenue from NSNS and continued cost reductions across fixed-price contracts. SG&A Expense -- $40.2 million, with $10.8 million related to Lantaris acquisition transaction costs. -- $40.2 million, with $10.8 million related to Lantaris acquisition transaction costs. Operating Loss -- $33.1 million, up from a loss of $13.4 million, primarily due to acquisition-related transaction expenses and ongoing investments in program execution and infrastructure. -- $33.1 million, up from a loss of $13.4 million, primarily due to acquisition-related transaction expenses and ongoing investments in program execution and infrastructure. Adjusted EBITDA -- Negative $19.1 million, compared to negative $11.2 million, reflecting increased growth investment. -- Negative $19.1 million, compared to negative $11.2 million, reflecting increased growth investment. Free Cash Flow for the Year -- Negative $56 million, a year-over-year improvement of $11.7 million despite higher capital investment in the NSNS constellation. -- Negative $56 million, a year-over-year improvement of $11.7 million despite higher capital investment in the NSNS constellation. Year-End Cash Balance -- $583 million, inclusive of a $15 million Kinetics acquisition outflow; $4...
By Laila Kearney NEW YORK, March 19 (Reuters) - Google has signed agreements with five U.S. electric utilities in states from Arkansas to Minnesota to curtail its electricity use during periods of peak demand, the company said on Thursday, in its latest effort to secure power for fast‑growing data centers amid slow additions of new supply. Immediate access to large amounts of electricity has be...
By Laila Kearney NEW YORK, March 19 (Reuters) - Google has signed agreements with five U.S. electric utilities in states from Arkansas to Minnesota to curtail its electricity use during periods of peak demand, the company said on Thursday, in its latest effort to secure power for fast‑growing data centers amid slow additions of new supply. Immediate access to large amounts of electricity has become one of the biggest obstacles in Big Tech’s race to expand artificial intelligence technologies, which are developed in energy‑intensive server warehouses known as data centers. With power supplies running short in some regions of the country, and new infrastructure often taking years to build, technology companies have recently taken unusual steps that have included constructing new power plants or bringing shuttered nuclear units back online. Under the “demand response” agreements, Google will reduce electricity consumption at some data centers when demand on the grid is exceptionally high. “This is a really important tool for meeting future demand,” said Michael Terrell, Google’s head of advanced energy. Power demand typically spikes on very hot or cold days, when homes and businesses ramp up cooling or heating, increasing the risk of rolling blackouts. Utilities and grid operators maintain extra reserves and have long contracted with large energy users — including manufacturers and cryptocurrency miners — to scale back consumption during peak periods. Google has now signed contracts with Entergy Arkansas, Minnesota Power and DTE Energy, adding to initial agreements announced last year with Indiana Michigan Power and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Under the contracts, Google is making up to 1 gigawatt of its data‑center electricity demand available for curtailment during peak‑use periods, when blackout risks are highest. One gigawatt can power about 750,000 homes. (Reporting by Laila Kearney in New York; Editing by Mark Porter)
(RTTNews) - Shares of Mobix Labs, Inc. (MOBX) are climbing about 23 percent on Thursday morning trading after the company was selected by a major munitions manufacturer to support a feasibility program focused on next-generation smart munitions technology for anti-drone applications. The company's shares are currently trading at $0.5623 on the Nasdaq, up 23.69 percent. The stock opened at $0.6 and...
(RTTNews) - Shares of Mobix Labs, Inc. (MOBX) are climbing about 23 percent on Thursday morning trading after the company was selected by a major munitions manufacturer to support a feasibility program focused on next-generation smart munitions technology for anti-drone applications. The company's shares are currently trading at $0.5623 on the Nasdaq, up 23.69 percent. The stock opened at $0.6 and has climbed as high as $0.6 so far in today's session. Over the past year, it has traded in a range of $0.1310 to $1.44. The selection reflects Mobix Labs' expanding role in advanced defense technologies and highlights the company's ability to support next-generation systems. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Older Americans count on Medicare to provide coverage for essential health services. While there are some coverage gaps and out-of-pocket expenses that typically make getting a supplementary policy necessary, Medicare forms the backbone of coverage for most older Americans. Close to 70 million people are enrolled in Medicare, almost all of whom are seniors 65 and over. And those who rely on this c...
Older Americans count on Medicare to provide coverage for essential health services. While there are some coverage gaps and out-of-pocket expenses that typically make getting a supplementary policy necessary, Medicare forms the backbone of coverage for most older Americans. Close to 70 million people are enrolled in Medicare, almost all of whom are seniors 65 and over. And those who rely on this coverage received good news recently, as Congress quietly changed the rules in early February to offer important health resources for a common senior health issue. Medicare rule change makes coverage accessible for millions In early February, lawmakers signed a large budget package that ended a government shutdown and funded the government for the fiscal year. The budget package contained many provisions, including one that directly impacts Medicare beneficiaries. Specifically, as part of the budget package, Congress passed a law called the PREVENT Diabetes Act. This little-known healthcare law reauthorized a program that allows digital health companies to participate in the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) until the end of 2029. Virtual suppliers have been able to offer services within this program since the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have had only temporary authorization to provide virtual classes on diabetes prevention. This created uncertainty and limited the availability of digital options. With the rule change, virtual providers now have confidence they'll be treated as covered suppliers, at least until 2029. The legislation also lifted a requirement that providers must have the ability to deliver educational services in person before they'd be allowed to offer remote service, and permitted patients to be able to record their weight remotely. This should lead to more virtual offerings becoming and remaining available to enable retirees to attend synchronous virtual classes on diabetes prevention, as well as to watch recorded educational sessions on their ow...
Trump Eyes Boots On The Ground Along Hormuz Shoreline Several reports this week into Thursday say the Trump administration is quietly weighing a major escalation - potentially deploying thousands of additional troops to the Middle East as the White House struggles to map out an end game in Iran, according to Reuters . Interestingly, the Reuters report doesn't include the phrase that Trump strongly...
Trump Eyes Boots On The Ground Along Hormuz Shoreline Several reports this week into Thursday say the Trump administration is quietly weighing a major escalation - potentially deploying thousands of additional troops to the Middle East as the White House struggles to map out an end game in Iran, according to Reuters . Interestingly, the Reuters report doesn't include the phrase that Trump strongly campaigned against : 'boots on the ground'. Instead the report framed things more simply as " US weighs military reinforcements as Iran war enters possible new phase." Are the American people being slowly prepped for ground action? Officials say the buildup would give Trump "additional options" with the war having dragged far past the initial pledges of 'days' or some kind of brief in and out Venezuela-style op. One section showing how jagged & mountainous some areas around the Strait of Hormuz can be, via Shutterstock Driving all of this is of course control of the Strait of Hormuz, given there are few options for guarantee tanker traffic through the chokepoint. After the Pentagon bombed some 90 military sites on Iran's oil export hub Kharg Island last weekend, the US is running up against the obvious limitations of a purely air and naval campaign . In a scenario that screams escalation, discussions now include deploying US troops directly to Iran's coastline to secure the passage . The even more aggressive option is potential ground operations targeting Kharg - again given it is the nerve center handling roughly 90% of Iran’s oil exports. There's also been talk of some kind of special forces raid to secure Iran's enriched uranium and key nuclear infrastructure, which some military analysts consider to be essentially a 'suicidal' mission . One US official admitted to Reuters that putting troops around the Hormuz or on Kharg Island would be "very risky" - given Iran’s ability to hammer the island with missiles and drones. There's also the reality of Iran's shoreline itself...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, Mar. 19, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS President and Chief Executive Officer — Bryan J. Knutson Chief Financial Officer — Bo Larsen Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Total Revenue -- $641.8 million, down 14.6% in same-store sales, reflecting weaker demand in domestic agriculture, construction, and Europe, pa...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Thursday, Mar. 19, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS President and Chief Executive Officer — Bryan J. Knutson Chief Financial Officer — Bo Larsen Need a quote from a Motley Fool analyst? Email [email protected] TAKEAWAYS Total Revenue -- $641.8 million, down 14.6% in same-store sales, reflecting weaker demand in domestic agriculture, construction, and Europe, partially offset by Australia segment growth. -- $641.8 million, down 14.6% in same-store sales, reflecting weaker demand in domestic agriculture, construction, and Europe, partially offset by Australia segment growth. Gross Profit -- $87 million, up from $51 million; gross margin expanded to 13.5%, about double the prior-year rate, primarily due to lapsing inventory impairments and inventory reduction efforts. -- $87 million, up from $51 million; gross margin expanded to 13.5%, about double the prior-year rate, primarily due to lapsing inventory impairments and inventory reduction efforts. Net Loss -- $36.2 million, including a $0.78 non-cash valuation allowance increasing income tax expense; adjusted net loss was $32.5 million, or a $1.43 loss per diluted share, compared to a $44.9 million adjusted net loss last year. -- $36.2 million, including a $0.78 non-cash valuation allowance increasing income tax expense; adjusted net loss was $32.5 million, or a $1.43 loss per diluted share, compared to a $44.9 million adjusted net loss last year. Operating Expenses -- $95.7 million, slightly lower than prior year, with headcount and discretionary spending reduced through cost controls. -- $95.7 million, slightly lower than prior year, with headcount and discretionary spending reduced through cost controls. Floorplan and Interest Expense -- $9.6 million, down 27% YOY and 13% sequentially due to significant inventory reductions. -- $9.6 million, down 27% YOY and 13% sequentially due to significant inventory reductions. Inventory Reduction -- $201 million decrease in equipment invento...