China set its most modest growth target in more than three decades, a range of 4.5% to 5%, in a tacit acknowledgment that the model powering the country’s rapid rise is showing strains. Bloomberg's Stephen Engle reports. (Source: Bloomberg)
China set its most modest growth target in more than three decades, a range of 4.5% to 5%, in a tacit acknowledgment that the model powering the country’s rapid rise is showing strains. Bloomberg's Stephen Engle reports. (Source: Bloomberg)
Tech groups representing major companies including Alphabet Inc. ’s Google and Apple Inc. are urging President Donald Trump to reconsider designating Anthropic PBC a national security risk, arguing the move would cause detrimental ripple effects for the rest of the industry. The tech industry’s support brings new strength to the push against the Pentagon’s decision to declare Anthropic a “supply-c...
Tech groups representing major companies including Alphabet Inc. ’s Google and Apple Inc. are urging President Donald Trump to reconsider designating Anthropic PBC a national security risk, arguing the move would cause detrimental ripple effects for the rest of the industry. The tech industry’s support brings new strength to the push against the Pentagon’s decision to declare Anthropic a “supply-chain risk,” after the company pushed for restrictions on military use of its AI tools for surveillance and autonomous weaponry. “We are concerned that designating any one American company as a supply-chain risk will inevitably lead to unintended consequences that could very well undermine the Administration’s broader goals to ensure American leadership,” wrote the trade associations, including TechNet and the Computer & Communications Industry Association, in a Wednesday letter to Trump . Read More: Anthropic Made Pitch in Drone Swarm Contest During Pentagon Feud Altogether, the organizations represent hundreds of American tech companies, including AI chipmakers Nvidia Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. Some of the groups include defense contractors and Anthropic customers, who could be affected if Pentagon officials follow through on their plans. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week declared Anthropic a supply-chain risk, a designation typically reserved for US adversaries. Anthropic said it would challenge any supply-chain risk designation in court. After Anthropic refused to agree to the Pentagon’s terms for using its technology, Trump also directed US government agencies to stop using the artificial intelligence giant’s products. In the letter, the tech associations wrote that the industry is ready to provide the Pentagon and other federal agencies “with the world’s most powerful tools for national security and defense.” “Our concern is with the precedent such a designation sets for the entire US technology sector rather than the treatment of any one company,” th...
Among the catalysts for Thursday are earnings from Kroger, Burlington Stores, BJ’s Wholesale, Costco and Marvell Technology. The Wall Street bull stands in the financial district near the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on November 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Cooling oil prices and easing fears of supply disruptions tied to the U.S.-Iran conflict helped stabiliz...
Among the catalysts for Thursday are earnings from Kroger, Burlington Stores, BJ’s Wholesale, Costco and Marvell Technology. The Wall Street bull stands in the financial district near the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on November 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Cooling oil prices and easing fears of supply disruptions tied to the U.S.-Iran conflict helped stabilize investor sentiment. Technology and semiconductor stocks led Wednesday’s rally, with Micron and AMD jumping nearly 6%. ADP reported stronger-than-expected private-sector job growth and U.S. services activity expanded at the fastest pace since mid-2022. U.S. stock futures rose late Wednesday after Wall Street rebounded in the previous session, as easing fears around oil supply disruptions and the U.S.-Iran conflict steadied investor sentiment. As of 7.50 p.m. ET, Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 futures were up 0.3%, while Dow futures were up 0.1%. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment toward the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) and the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) was ‘neutral’ amid ‘high’ message volume, while sentiment toward the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was ‘bearish’ amid ‘high’ message volume. US Market Drivers In the prior session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.5%, while the S&P 500 climbed 0.8% and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.3%. Markets found support from cooling oil prices, signs of resilience in the U.S. economy, and a rally in technology and semiconductor stocks, even as investors continued to monitor developments in the U.S.-Iran conflict and the potential impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed 15% global tariff. Oil prices stabilized after sharp gains earlier in the week. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures settled up about 0.13%, while Brent crude ended the session near flat as traders monitored supply risks tied to Middle East tensions. Separately, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration’s recently announced 15%...
Tony Anderson/DigitalVision via Getty Images Investment action I had a hold rating for Floor & Decor ( FND ) previously, as I was still worried about the macro headwinds and rather limited unit growth, albeit I liked the potential for a V-shaped recovery. I am keeping my neutral view for now. Demand got worse, but margin was a positive surprise (like-for-like gross margin). I do not think the setu...
Tony Anderson/DigitalVision via Getty Images Investment action I had a hold rating for Floor & Decor ( FND ) previously, as I was still worried about the macro headwinds and rather limited unit growth, albeit I liked the potential for a V-shaped recovery. I am keeping my neutral view for now. Demand got worse, but margin was a positive surprise (like-for-like gross margin). I do not think the setup is weak enough to turn bearish (especially with rates coming down), but I also do not think there is enough evidence yet to justify a bullish upgrade. 4Q25 earnings review This was a soft Q4 for FND. Revenue was up a mere 2% y/y, which was really helped by new stores while the core store base weakened. Comparable store sales fell 4.8%, implying that underlying demand remains weak. But margins and profits were weaker. Gross margin was flat y/y at 43.5%, while selling, general, and administrative expenses as a percentage of sales went up to 38.9% from 38.1% last year. This offset the 2% topline growth, resulting in operating income falling by 12.3% to $51.9 million, and the operating margin declined to 4.6%. Ultimately, net income fell 17.2% to $39.3 million, while diluted EPS fell 18.2% to $0.36. Reasons for my neutral view I think it's obvious that the biggest negative for FND this quarter is the core sales trend. Back in Q3, comparable store sales were down 1.2%, and that has worsened to -4.8%, which is a huge step down. That wasn’t even the worst. The monthly cadence worsened through the quarter, from down 1.5% in October to down 6.1% in November and down 6.7% in December. The right number to anchor against for Q1 2026 is really 6.7%, and not 4.8%. Of that 4.8% decline this quarter, transactions declined 4.2%, and the average ticket fell 0.6%. All these numbers are not noise. They show FND is still struggling with demand. Bloomberg Management did mention January improved to positive comparable sales, but I caution investors not to extrapolate that because Winter Storm F...
兩會｜「十五五」規劃綱要草案提堅持完善「一國兩制」 要加快北都建設 To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 【有線新聞】「十五五」規劃綱要草案，提出要堅持及完善「一國兩制」，又提到要加快北部都會區建設。 新華社發布「十...
兩會｜「十五五」規劃綱要草案提堅持完善「一國兩制」 要加快北都建設 To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 【有線新聞】「十五五」規劃綱要草案，提出要堅持及完善「一國兩制」，又提到要加快北部都會區建設。 新華社發布「十五五」規劃綱要草案摘要，港澳專章重申要堅定不移維護和促進港澳長期繁榮穩定，堅定不移貫徹一國兩制、港人治港、高度自治，並提到支持香港鞏固和提升國際金融、航運、貿易中心和國際航空樞紐地位，建設國際創新科技中心，加快北部都會區建設，支持港澳融入和服務國家發展大局，加強港澳與內地經貿、科技、人文等合作。
What happened According to an SEC filing dated February 17, 2026, Nokomis Capital, L.L.C. initiated a new position in Apple Hospitality REIT (APLE +2.05%), reporting ownership of 479,576 shares. The quarter-end reported value for the position also stood at $5.68 million, capturing both the share acquisition and changes in market pricing during the period. What else to know This was a new position,...
What happened According to an SEC filing dated February 17, 2026, Nokomis Capital, L.L.C. initiated a new position in Apple Hospitality REIT (APLE +2.05%), reporting ownership of 479,576 shares. The quarter-end reported value for the position also stood at $5.68 million, capturing both the share acquisition and changes in market pricing during the period. What else to know This was a new position, making up 1.35% of Nokomis Capital, L.L.C.’s 13F reportable assets under management as of December 31, 2025 Top holdings after the filing: NYSEMKT:IAUX: $33.39 million (9.3% of AUM) NYSEMKT:DIA: $25.09 million (7.0% of AUM) NYSE:MGM: $23.66 million (6.6% of AUM) NYSE:HBM: $17.23 million (4.8% of AUM) NYSEMKT:GDX: $17.12 million (4.8% of AUM) As of February 17, 2026, shares were priced at $12.29, down 13.6% over the past year and underperformed the S&P 500 by 24.6 percentage points. Company overview Metric Value Market Capitalization $2.94 billion Revenue (TTM) $1.42 billion Net Income (TTM) 175.36 million Dividend Yield 7.88% Company snapshot Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. is a leading U.S. hotel real estate investment trust with a diversified portfolio of over 30,000 guest rooms in 87 markets. The company’s strategy centers on upscale, branded hotels that offer operational efficiency and broad customer appeal. Apple Hospitality REIT targets business and leisure travelers in major metropolitan and regional markets, with a focus on stable, high-traffic locations. It owns and operates a portfolio of 235 upscale, rooms-focused hotels across 34 U.S. states, primarily branded under Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt. Apple Hospitality REIT generates revenue through hotel room rentals and related hospitality services, leveraging brand partnerships and geographic diversification to drive occupancy and rate optimization. What this transaction means for investors Hotel real estate differs from other property types because pricing is reset each night. Unlike apartments or office buildings, w...
(Bloomberg) – Billionaire Leo KoGuan, who emerged a few years ago as one of the biggest individual shareholders of Tesla Inc., said he bought 1 million shares of Nvidia Corp. on Tuesday. “I am convinced AI is NOT a bubble, it is only the beginning,” KoGuan posted on X on Wednesday. “Plan to buy 1 million more NVDA soon. To show support to nervous market,” he followed up in a message to Bloomberg N...