Chevron Corporation CVX has reaffirmed its commitment to responsible offshore development through its participation in the latest lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico. The auction, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, attracted several major industry players, including BP p.l.c. BP, Shell plc SHEL, Woodside Energy, LLOG Exploration and Anadarko, which placed high bids totaling $46....
Chevron Corporation CVX has reaffirmed its commitment to responsible offshore development through its participation in the latest lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico. The auction, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, attracted several major industry players, including BP p.l.c. BP, Shell plc SHEL, Woodside Energy, LLOG Exploration and Anadarko, which placed high bids totaling $46.98 million in the Gulf of Mexico drilling rights sale held on Wednesday. Chevron submitted successful bids for three offshore blocks, with total high bids nearing $11.5 million. The company’s participation highlights its continued focus on high-quality deepwater opportunities that support long-term energy supply and value creation. A Strategic Basin for Chevron For Chevron, the Gulf of Mexico remains one of the most important regions in its global portfolio. The basin offers large-scale resources along with some of the lowest carbon-intensity barrels in the company’s upstream operations. Technological advances, improved project execution and strong safety performance have strengthened the competitiveness of deepwater development. These factors allow Chevron to efficiently bring new resources online while maintaining disciplined capital investment. The region also benefits from a more predictable offshore leasing framework and competitive royalty structures, providing the regulatory clarity needed for long-term offshore investments. Deepwater Resources Remain Essential Although onshore shale production has grown rapidly in recent years, deepwater resources continue to play a critical role in supporting U.S. energy supply. Large offshore discoveries typically deliver long-life production, helping stabilize output and strengthen domestic energy security. Chevron sees the Gulf of Mexico as a key contributor to meeting future energy demand while maintaining operational efficiency and environmental performance. Investments in the basin align with the company’s strategy to develop...
Salesforce, Inc. CRM has initiated a landmark $25 billion bond sale, earmarking the proceeds primarily for aggressive share buybacks. CRM is part of the Zacks Internet - Software industry and has a Zacks #3 (Hold). The offering is slated to close on March 13, pending standard closing conditions. The transaction marks one of the largest debt offerings in the company’s history and reflects a growing...
Salesforce, Inc. CRM has initiated a landmark $25 billion bond sale, earmarking the proceeds primarily for aggressive share buybacks. CRM is part of the Zacks Internet - Software industry and has a Zacks #3 (Hold). The offering is slated to close on March 13, pending standard closing conditions. The transaction marks one of the largest debt offerings in the company’s history and reflects a growing trend of corporations tapping the bond market to fund shareholder returns. However, investor demand appeared weaker than expected, with buyers seeking higher yields than in the company’s previous debt offerings. The 10-year tranche was priced roughly 1.35 percentage points above U.S. Treasurys, a noticeably wider spread than what the firm achieved in 2021. The cautious reception reflects investor concerns about the company increasing leverage primarily to fund share buybacks, as well as broader uncertainty surrounding the long-term impact of artificial intelligence on enterprise software growth and spending. However, the issuance highlights a maturing corporate playbook, i.e, leverage cheap debt for equity enhancement. It reflects reopening and depth of the investment-grade corporate bond market rather than exceptional enthusiasm for the specific deal. Companies like Salesforce may still be able to raise very large amounts of capital because institutional investors such as pension funds, insurers and asset managers continue to need high-quality yield. Banking giants like JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM and Bank of America Corporation BAC, via their respective securities arms, served as joint book-running managers, helping structure the offering, market the bonds to institutional investors and coordinate pricing for the multi-tranche deal. BAC carries a Rank #3, and JPM sports a #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor Stock This under-the-radar company specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NV...
1. For many years, China maintained a low-profile approach to developing its semiconductor industry, with policymakers choosing to advance the sector quietly due to geopolitical sensitivities. This longstanding silence was decisively broken during this year’s national legislative meetings, known as the “Two Sessions.”[para. 1] 2. At a press conference on March 6, Zheng Shanjie, chairman of the Nat...
1. For many years, China maintained a low-profile approach to developing its semiconductor industry, with policymakers choosing to advance the sector quietly due to geopolitical sensitivities. This longstanding silence was decisively broken during this year’s national legislative meetings, known as the “Two Sessions.”[para. 1] 2. At a press conference on March 6, Zheng Shanjie, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), made an unprecedented public commitment to inject hundreds of billions—potentially up to one trillion yuan—into key technology sectors such as integrated circuits, commercial satellites, and computing power. Importantly, Zheng declared that semiconductors (chips) are now the state’s top priority industry.[para. 2] 3. Despite rising interests in areas like generative AI and commercial space exploration, the government’s renewed focus on semiconductors as foundational to next-generation technology underscores their profound strategic significance. This move signals that, in Beijing’s eyes, chips remain essential to all technologies underpinning modern economic and military might.[para. 3] 4. Since 2014, the Chinese government has provided substantial capital support to the integrated circuit sector, following the publication of targeted industry guidelines. However, the emergence of newer, flashier industries led some investors to view traditional chip manufacturing as outdated.[para. 4] 5. By officially naming semiconductors as the primary strategic industry, the government has clarified its unwavering focus. Ongoing state-led investments reaffirm that building a robust chip sector is not just a business goal but a permanent, national-level mandate requiring long-term strategic patience.[para. 5] 6. The prioritization of semiconductors is rooted in both their technical indispensability and their significant economic multiplier effect. Chips enable developments in AI, satellite networks, national computing grids, and advanced av...
(RTTNews) - Freightos Ltd. (CRGO), the vendor-neutral digital pricing, booking and procurement platform for the international freight industry, announced Thursday that its Board of Directors has appointed Pablo Pinillos as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors, effective March 16, 2026. Pinillos, who joined the company in March 2025 as Chief Financial Officer and as Interi...
(RTTNews) - Freightos Ltd. (CRGO), the vendor-neutral digital pricing, booking and procurement platform for the international freight industry, announced Thursday that its Board of Directors has appointed Pablo Pinillos as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors, effective March 16, 2026. Pinillos, who joined the company in March 2025 as Chief Financial Officer and as Interim CEO since January 2026, was selected following a search process that evaluated both internal and external candidates. With Pablo's appointment, the company is initiating a search for a Chief Financial Officer. Pinillos brings more than 20 years of global leadership experience across finance, strategy, and operations to his role as CEO. Prior to Freightos, Pinillos served as CFO of Coincover, a blockchain software company, and CFO at Bitrise, a DevOps software company. His professional background is highlighted by a near 14-year tenure at Qlik, where he held several senior leadership roles, including VP of Strategic Growth and Business Transformation. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.