"Consumer Sentiment Going Down": EU Auto Heads Begin Blaming Iran Conflict For Industry Woes The first-order effect of the U.S.-Iran conflict was widespread disruption across the Middle East. The second-order effect was an energy price shock that drove gasoline and diesel prices at the pump sharply higher. The third-order effect could be a deterioration in consumer sentiment amid higher energy cos...
"Consumer Sentiment Going Down": EU Auto Heads Begin Blaming Iran Conflict For Industry Woes The first-order effect of the U.S.-Iran conflict was widespread disruption across the Middle East. The second-order effect was an energy price shock that drove gasoline and diesel prices at the pump sharply higher. The third-order effect could be a deterioration in consumer sentiment amid higher energy costs, rising inflation fears, and broader economic/geopolitical uncertainty. The transmission of the energy shock to consumers appears to have materialized just 12 days into Operation Epic Fury, according to executives at Volkswagen and Volvo Car, who report that consumer sentiment has already softened. " We are already seeing customer sentiment decline in many markets ," Volkswagen Head of Sales Martin Sander told an industry event in London earlier on Thursday. " Consumers were already facing a great deal of uncertainty, and this is now, of course, adding another layer of anxiety ." Volvo's UK managing director, Nicole Melillo Shaw, told the audience that economic uncertainty may soon weigh on consumer sentiment enough for households to begin pulling back on big-ticket purchases. " If I don't need to and I've got other considerations around the cost of living going up, then maybe I won't buy another new car, " Shaw said. Both EU car company heads were speaking at an industry event hosted by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Earlier this week, UBS analyst Joseph Spak noted that investor concerns were mounting over a spike in crude prices and the threat it poses to auto demand. However, he noted that oil prices and auto demand in the U.S. show only a weak long-term linkage: Investor concern around higher oil prices pressuring U.S. auto demand is understandable, especially considering affordability is already an issue. But historical data suggests the relationship is modest at best. Looking back to 1970, U.S. light vehicle SAAR exhibits only a slight negative cor...
President Aleksandar Vucic said Serbia bought supersonic, air-to-surface missiles from China as part of $17 billion defense upgrades against what he claimed were hostile intentions of nearby NATO countries. An unspecified number of CM400 rockets that can hit targets as far as 400 kilometers (249 miles) away, have already been mounted on Russian-made MIG29 SM+ jets that the country’s air force curr...
President Aleksandar Vucic said Serbia bought supersonic, air-to-surface missiles from China as part of $17 billion defense upgrades against what he claimed were hostile intentions of nearby NATO countries. An unspecified number of CM400 rockets that can hit targets as far as 400 kilometers (249 miles) away, have already been mounted on Russian-made MIG29 SM+ jets that the country’s air force currently relies on, Vucic told state broadcaster RTS late on Thursday. “We already have a significant number of those rockets and we’ll have even more,” Vucic said. “They’re terribly expensive and terribly efficient.” Serbia got a “small discount” compared to what Pakistan paid for the same type of rockets and used them in a conflict with India last year, the president said without specifying the price. The missiles weigh nearly a tone and could travel at speeds of up to 5 Mach, according to Belgrade-based Tango Six web portal that first reported the acquisition with own photographs showing the aircraft with the missiles. Vucic sought to justify the multi-billion defense buildup through 2035 by what he described as a threat from a recently forged “military alliance” between Croatia, Albania and Kosovo. Tense relations between the three countries and Serbia date back to bloody wars that accompanied the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1990s, though there is no evidence to suggest they would currently be having any hostile intentions toward Belgrade. “We can’t attack NATO countries, nor we want to,” Vucic said. “But I honestly think they’re just waiting for a convenient moment when there’s a chaos in the world.” He provided no evidence to support his claims. The missiles, made by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation , or CASIC, are a strong deterrent against threats, Vucic said. Serbia wants to have good relations with NATO in general while keeping its “military neutrality” that excludes membership in the alliance, according to the president. Belgrade has taken part in peac...
The Iran war may change investors' approach to gold, and these three ETFs are a good place to start for those looking to capitalize on new opportunities.
The Iran war may change investors' approach to gold, and these three ETFs are a good place to start for those looking to capitalize on new opportunities.
In the wake of the war in Iran, oil prices have shot up for everyone. But not all oil is exactly equal. Because Iran's oil is sanctioned, a lot of it winds up at China's so-called "teapot" refineries, which tend to be smaller and owned by independent companies. On the other hand, China has famously been building up its strategic petroleum stockpiles for years, and due to the rise of EVs, they may ...
In the wake of the war in Iran, oil prices have shot up for everyone. But not all oil is exactly equal. Because Iran's oil is sanctioned, a lot of it winds up at China's so-called "teapot" refineries, which tend to be smaller and owned by independent companies. On the other hand, China has famously been building up its strategic petroleum stockpiles for years, and due to the rise of EVs, they may have less economic sensitivity to the price of crude directly. On this episode, we speak with Eric Downs, senior research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. Erica has a long background in studying Chinese energy policy and she talks to us about the potential cost that the war is imposing on China's economy, why the country has built up such a big buffer stock in the first place, and how this global oil shock could ultimately play to its advantage. (Source: Bloomberg)
Metasphere Labs ( LABZF ) said it will issue about 2.27M–9.09M common shares at $0.11 each through a listed issuer financing exemption life offering. The company aims to raise $250K–$1M in gross proceeds to support working capital and business development. This offering will be made to investors across Canadian provinces except Québec under the listed issuer financing exemption in National Instrum...
Metasphere Labs ( LABZF ) said it will issue about 2.27M–9.09M common shares at $0.11 each through a listed issuer financing exemption life offering. The company aims to raise $250K–$1M in gross proceeds to support working capital and business development. This offering will be made to investors across Canadian provinces except Québec under the listed issuer financing exemption in National Instrument 45-106—Prospectus Exemptions. Securities sold to Canadian purchasers are expected to be immediately freely tradeable, though the CSE may impose a hold period in certain cases. The offering is expected to close on or about April 24, 2026, possibly in multiple tranches, unless the company sets different dates. Metasphere Labs ( LABZF ) shares traded lower to C$0.14 on Thursday. More on METASPHERE LABS Metasphere Labs announces private placement Financial information for METASPHERE LABS
On February 17, 2026, Covalis (Gibraltar) Ltd disclosed a new position in Core Scientific (NASDAQ:CORZ) , acquiring 2,080,550 shares worth $30.29 million in the fourth quarter. According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 17, 2026, Covalis (Gibraltar) Ltd established a new position in Core Scientific by acquiring 2,080,550 shares. The fund's quarter-end stake refle...
On February 17, 2026, Covalis (Gibraltar) Ltd disclosed a new position in Core Scientific (NASDAQ:CORZ) , acquiring 2,080,550 shares worth $30.29 million in the fourth quarter. According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 17, 2026, Covalis (Gibraltar) Ltd established a new position in Core Scientific by acquiring 2,080,550 shares. The fund's quarter-end stake reflected a $30.29 million increase in position value as a result. Core Scientific is a leading provider of digital asset mining and blockchain infrastructure services, operating large-scale data centers across North America. The company leverages proprietary technology and operational expertise to support both self-mining and third-party hosting, positioning itself as a critical enabler in the digital asset ecosystem. Its scale and integrated approach offer competitive advantages in operational efficiency and service breadth. Continue reading
RayaHristova/iStock via Getty Images By Peter von Lehe & Jocelyn Lehman The rise of AI has sown doubt within public equity markets about the software industry’s long-term viability. What might that mean for software equity investors and credit investors and lenders? In recent years, AI has been seen as a potential catalyst for software companies—a way to reinvigorate growth rates while also expand...
RayaHristova/iStock via Getty Images By Peter von Lehe & Jocelyn Lehman The rise of AI has sown doubt within public equity markets about the software industry’s long-term viability. What might that mean for software equity investors and credit investors and lenders? In recent years, AI has been seen as a potential catalyst for software companies—a way to reinvigorate growth rates while also expanding margins. But public markets have recently begun to question that thesis: Even where competitive moats exist, can software companies realistically return to stronger growth? And if not, how should investors think about the terminal value of those companies? Recent product releases from OpenAI and Anthropic have sharpened these concerns and continue to rattle broader investor confidence in the sector. The questions are legitimate: Is AI weakening the moats that made software so attractive in the first place? Are private valuations next to fall? And what does this mean for software equity investors and credit investors and lenders? Not All Software Is Created Equal AI is unquestionably disruptive, but disruption is rarely uniform. While we believe software companies that provide single-function, point solutions may be vulnerable to replacement by a capable AI model, we feel those that offer embedded, mission-critical platforms—systems with deep workflow integration, strong retention and proprietary data advantages—may prove more resilient. This distinction matters for investors: In our view, a portfolio built on differentiated, high-retention software businesses with genuine data moats could differ meaningfully from one weighted toward generic tools, and should be evaluated accordingly. Private Markets Are Not the Public Market Public market volatility is real: It directly influences sentiment and public comparables used in quarterly valuation frameworks, particularly when it continues over longer periods, and may well affect future quarterly valuations of private equity-o...
Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) has wowed investors in recent quarters with its earnings performance and its stock performance. The company, offering software powered by artificial intelligence (AI), has been at the forefront of the AI boom. But one thing has weighed on the stock during its exciting journey higher, and that's valuation. At its most expensive, Palantir reached more than 250x f...
Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) has wowed investors in recent quarters with its earnings performance and its stock performance. The company, offering software powered by artificial intelligence (AI), has been at the forefront of the AI boom. But one thing has weighed on the stock during its exciting journey higher, and that's valuation. At its most expensive, Palantir reached more than 250x forward earnings estimates. Since that time, valuation has come down quite a bit, but the stock is far from cheap. Still, it may be a bargain... Let's find out more. Continue reading