Four is a magical age. Children are on their way out of the “threenager” stage, growing in confidence and independence but still needing help and support from parents and friends. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Four was the age at which many seasoned parents told me that “things get a little easier”, a...
Four is a magical age. Children are on their way out of the “threenager” stage, growing in confidence and independence but still needing help and support from parents and friends. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Four was the age at which many seasoned parents told me that “things get a little easier”, and I’ve found this is slightly true now that my daughters are almost four and seven. In my experience, it’s also when children start to enjoy activities that adults also enjoy. While I’ve spent many long hours role-playing schools, babies and cooking with my children, I definitely prefer joining them in a puzzle or game. Most children are well out of the naps and nappies stage and are growing in physical confidence too, which may be on a bike, scooter or skates. They can also do a lot more independently or with their friends. The best gifts allow them to do this, such as puzzles, magnet sets or craft kits, along with those that encourage creativity and independence, such as a mud kitchen and electronic pets. How I selected I’ve selected the best gifts for four-year-olds from my own experience with toys that have really lasted, and that my children keep going back to. But I also sourced more opinions, both from other parents and from several parenting experts. My youngest daughter is three and a half, so some of her friends (aged three and four) also came to our house to try some of the toys included below. The best gifts and toys for four-year-olds Colour in the world Packed with puzzles, colouring and stickers, this beautiful book comes from the world of Oliver Jeffers, who also wrote the bestselling book Lost and Found. That was a regular favourite with both my children, and this activity book is perfectly suited to small (and big) minds. A great gift if you’re looking for something a little different. Here We Are Activity Book Suitable for: 3+ Reach for the stars If you ...
bgwalker When Walmart ( WMT ) posts quarterly results on Thursday, investors will keep a close eye on the big-box retailer’s guidance amid an uncertain macro environment. Wall Street expects the retail giant to post EPS of $0.66, implying a rise of 8.2%, while revenue is expected to grow 5.6% to $174.84B during the quarter. Walmart’s earnings report could often be considered a signal on the broade...
bgwalker When Walmart ( WMT ) posts quarterly results on Thursday, investors will keep a close eye on the big-box retailer’s guidance amid an uncertain macro environment. Wall Street expects the retail giant to post EPS of $0.66, implying a rise of 8.2%, while revenue is expected to grow 5.6% to $174.84B during the quarter. Walmart’s earnings report could often be considered a signal on the broader U.S. consumer health at a time when retail companies are facing challenges to attract consumers amid a weak spending environment. Additionally, the industry has also faced the brunt of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump last year. Earlier in February, Walmart’s current fiscal-year earnings outlook that fell short of Wall Street’s expectations disappointed investors. “If Walmart doesn’t lower guidance thanks to gas prices hitting some level of sales, at the very least expect Walmart to be conservative with guidance,” noted Seeking Alpha analyst Brian Gilmartin. Even though Walmart noted pressure on households below the $50K annual earnings level, its hold on upper-income customers opting for speedy deliveries has helped it to maintain its market share. The company’s e-commerce business, along with investment in timely technology and loyalty programs, gave it an edge over rivals. Seeking Alpha analysts and Seeking Alpha’s Quant ratings are cautious and rated the stock a Hold. In contrast, Wall Street analysts consider it a Strong Buy. “We continue to view WMT as well-positioned in the current macro, with a reasonable (and potentially beatable) FY27 outlook as the company continues to build on momentum seen throughout FY26,” said Piper Sandler analyst Peter Keith. Truist said while rising fuel prices may create some margin pressure due to mix shifts and supply chain costs, the brokerage expects these increases to be “manageable” and generally offset by rapid growth from higher-margin revenue streams like advertising and membership. Recently, Morgan Stanley issued a po...
Just_Super/E+ via Getty Images I previously rated Palantir Technologies Inc. ( PLTR ) ( PLTR:CA ) as a Hold in February 2026, attributed to the overly expensive valuations. In this article, I shall discuss why I am cautiously upgrading the PLTR stock as a Buy here, thanks to the improved margin of safety from the prior correction/ongoing consolidation and their AI SaaS beneficiary status. PLTR Pro...
Just_Super/E+ via Getty Images I previously rated Palantir Technologies Inc. ( PLTR ) ( PLTR:CA ) as a Hold in February 2026, attributed to the overly expensive valuations. In this article, I shall discuss why I am cautiously upgrading the PLTR stock as a Buy here, thanks to the improved margin of safety from the prior correction/ongoing consolidation and their AI SaaS beneficiary status. PLTR Proves Why It Is Winning The AI SaaS Race PLTR 1Y Stock Price (Trading View) 1. SaaS Revolution Since my last Hold rating, PLTR has been trading sideways with the stock already consolidating near to the 50 day moving averages, thanks to the yet-to-lift SaaSpocalypse fears. The pessimism is warranted to a certain extent, as Danny Lukus, a PLTR deployment strategist declares that " SaaS is dead ." The latter is attributed to Enterprises moving away from cookie cutter SaaS offerings to seek SaaS platforms "specifically tailored" to their operations, with the aim of filling "the gaps left by their standard software" while driving improved efficiencies. The same has been touted by numerous AI foundries, including OpenAI ( OPENAI ) and Anthropic ( ANTHRO ), with their diversified offerings allowing users to build low-code application platforms with the help of AI agents and code libraries. Here is where PLTR has been able to excel, as they stand out against other typical SaaS platforms as a vertically integrated, AI operating platform across data processing, analytics, decision making, operational workflows, and feedback loops through human and/or AI agents, through: Apollo (autonomous deployment platform) , Foundry (foundational data platform), AIP ( app/agent building platform through AI builders), Ontology (Human+AI teams operating system), and Gotham (AI-driven combat platform). The use cases across different applications have been proven as well, across: the end to end supply chain management for the manufacturing sector, the military defense/strike operations and the analysis ...
Just_Super/E+ via Getty Images I previously rated Palantir Technologies Inc. ( PLTR ) ( PLTR:CA ) as a Hold in February 2026, attributed to the overly expensive valuations. In this article, I shall discuss why I am cautiously upgrading the PLTR stock as a Buy here, thanks to the improved margin of safety from the prior correction/ongoing consolidation and their AI SaaS beneficiary status. PLTR Pro...
Just_Super/E+ via Getty Images I previously rated Palantir Technologies Inc. ( PLTR ) ( PLTR:CA ) as a Hold in February 2026, attributed to the overly expensive valuations. In this article, I shall discuss why I am cautiously upgrading the PLTR stock as a Buy here, thanks to the improved margin of safety from the prior correction/ongoing consolidation and their AI SaaS beneficiary status. PLTR Proves Why It Is Winning The AI SaaS Race PLTR 1Y Stock Price (Trading View) 1. SaaS Revolution Since my last Hold rating, PLTR has been trading sideways with the stock already consolidating near to the 50 day moving averages, thanks to the yet-to-lift SaaSpocalypse fears. The pessimism is warranted to a certain extent, as Danny Lukus, a PLTR deployment strategist declares that " SaaS is dead ." The latter is attributed to Enterprises moving away from cookie cutter SaaS offerings to seek SaaS platforms "specifically tailored" to their operations, with the aim of filling "the gaps left by their standard software" while driving improved efficiencies. The same has been touted by numerous AI foundries, including OpenAI ( OPENAI ) and Anthropic ( ANTHRO ), with their diversified offerings allowing users to build low-code application platforms with the help of AI agents and code libraries. Here is where PLTR has been able to excel, as they stand out against other typical SaaS platforms as a vertically integrated, AI operating platform across data processing, analytics, decision making, operational workflows, and feedback loops through human and/or AI agents, through: Apollo (autonomous deployment platform) , Foundry (foundational data platform), AIP ( app/agent building platform through AI builders), Ontology (Human+AI teams operating system), and Gotham (AI-driven combat platform). The use cases across different applications have been proven as well, across: the end to end supply chain management for the manufacturing sector, the military defense/strike operations and the analysis ...
The administrator of the fire-damaged Wang Fuk Court has reassured residents that the Hong Kong government will assume responsibility for pursuing insurance claims on policies bought by the estate on behalf of owners who sell their flats to authorities under a buy-back plan. But some residents of the Tai Po estate who attended Wednesday’s Zoom briefing by Hop On Management found some of their ques...
The administrator of the fire-damaged Wang Fuk Court has reassured residents that the Hong Kong government will assume responsibility for pursuing insurance claims on policies bought by the estate on behalf of owners who sell their flats to authorities under a buy-back plan. But some residents of the Tai Po estate who attended Wednesday’s Zoom briefing by Hop On Management found some of their questions regarding insurance claims remained unanswered, including how and when they were expected to receive compensation from the insurer. Addressing concerns over whether residents who accept the government’s buy-back offer might lose their rights to claim a variety of insurance benefits from China Taiping Insurance (HK) Company, Hop On said authorities would take full responsibility. Advertisement The government has earmarked HK$6.8 billion (US$870 million) to acquire flats at seven of the eight blocks of the estate damaged by the fire. The plan was later extended to the remaining block at an extra cost of HK$1 billion. “If the owners agree to resell the titles to the government, it will bear the rights to the property all-risks insurance claims,” Frankie Chan, service director at Hop On, said. Advertisement “This means the government will proactively take on all legal responsibilities and procedures, as well as the risks of uncertainty regarding compensation amounts and processing timelines.
bgwalker/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Introduction After dealing with Home Depot ( HD ), it is now Lowe's Companies, Inc.'s ( LOW ) turn. This is a stock I had been at first neutral on, upgrading it to a Buy in late November, when I ran a head-to-head comparison between Home Depot and Lowe's and showed why the latter was better positioned than the former, scoring both stocks across five macr...
bgwalker/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Introduction After dealing with Home Depot ( HD ), it is now Lowe's Companies, Inc.'s ( LOW ) turn. This is a stock I had been at first neutral on, upgrading it to a Buy in late November, when I ran a head-to-head comparison between Home Depot and Lowe's and showed why the latter was better positioned than the former, scoring both stocks across five macro themes (housing turnover, home prices, mortgage rates, home improvement spending, and consumer sentiment). Until mid-February, this call was highly correct, as it returned over 24% in just a few months. But things have capitulated since then, and the stock has not been part of the broader AI-driven April rally. So, while it is true that relative to HD , LOW has done better, the same is not true when we compare it to the market. Data by YCharts The Housing Market It is almost impossible to understand a company such as Lowe's and its reports without being aware of what is happening in the housing market . Over the past year, the macro setup has not truly changed, and existing home sales are near a multi-decade low. Mortgage rates are also above 6.6%, which is a level that acts as a weight on housing turnover since it creates a lock-in effect for all those households that don't really need to move. realtor However, when people start being "stuck" in their existing homes for too long, a favorable tailwind for a company such as Lowe's could materialize. People who are not financially incentivized to move can invest in home renovation and home improvement, keeping maintenance and repair spending at healthy, if not growing, levels. This impacts Pro contractors, whom Lowe's has been targeting as its real customer cohort that it wants to add (the ADG and FBM acquisitions go in this direction). If this will be true, we should see Lowe's report big-ticket volume growth. Lowe's Q1 2026 Earnings Review Lowe's Q1 2026 report shows that the company grew its net sales by 10.5% to $23.1B,...
Socket, a cybersecurity startup that sells technology to help safeguard open-source code against hackers, has raised a new round of funding that values the company at $1 billion. Josh Kushner’s Thrive Capital led the $60 million financing round in the startup, Socket is set to announce Wednesday. Existing investors Andreessen Horowitz and Abstract Ventures participated alongside new backer Capital...
Socket, a cybersecurity startup that sells technology to help safeguard open-source code against hackers, has raised a new round of funding that values the company at $1 billion. Josh Kushner’s Thrive Capital led the $60 million financing round in the startup, Socket is set to announce Wednesday. Existing investors Andreessen Horowitz and Abstract Ventures participated alongside new backer Capital One Ventures. Founded in 2020, Socket’s services have gained new relevance thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence coding tools from Anthropic PBC, OpenAI and Cursor. These companies developed AI systems to streamline work for software engineers by training models on repositories of open-source code online, increasing the urgency of any security vulnerabilities in that code. Anthropic and Cursor are also Socket customers. “It’s like the perfect storm for Socket,” said founder and Chief Executive Officer Feross Aboukhadijeh. “You couldn’t ask for a better moment in terms of what our product does and what the market needs.” In March, Socket was one of several security companies that warned a malicious actor had replaced a popular open-source software package called Axios npm with dangerous code. Researchers at Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Microsoft Corp. attributed the attack to hackers linked to North Korea — a group Microsoft dubs Sapphire Sleet. Socket flagged the code as malicious in six minutes and kept clients from downloading it, Aboukhadijeh said. Thrive decided to lead the funding round after hearing OpenAI, Anthropic and Cursor discuss Socket. “These companies were very nervous about the risks of coding tools falling into the wrong hands,” said Philip Clark, a partner at Thrive Capital. “They mentioned independently to us that Socket was the tool that they were thinking about as a part of that response.” Socket works by tracking and testing new open-source code put into repositories. Apart from selling its products directly, the company hopes to sign deals...
China and Russia issued strong warnings over the US Golden Dome missile defence system and military deployments in the region in their latest joint statement, just days after a summit between Beijing and Washington aimed at stabilising Sino-American ties. The two countries accused the United States of posing “a clear threat to strategic stability” through its Golden Dome project in a joint stateme...
China and Russia issued strong warnings over the US Golden Dome missile defence system and military deployments in the region in their latest joint statement, just days after a summit between Beijing and Washington aimed at stabilising Sino-American ties. The two countries accused the United States of posing “a clear threat to strategic stability” through its Golden Dome project in a joint statement issued after Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s summit on Wednesday. The implementation of the Golden Dome project – a multilayer missile defence system initiated by US President Donald Trump – would have “serious negative consequences for international security”, according to the joint statement released by the Kremlin. Advertisement The statement is part of broader efforts by Beijing and Moscow to strengthen strategic coordination amid evolving relations between China, the United States and Russia The statement came days after Trump’s visit to Beijing, where he and Xi agreed to establish a “constructive relationship of strategic stability”. In the joint statement, Beijing and Moscow warned against provocations by certain countries with nuclear weapons, without directly naming the US. The two also agreed to maintain communication on nuclear arms control issues.
Immad Akhund, CEO and co-founder of the startup Mercury. Courtesy: Mercury Technologies Mercury, a fintech firm that provides banking services to startups, has raised $200 million in funding at a $5.2 billion valuation, CNBC has learned exclusively. That valuation is 49% higher than the San Francisco-based company's previous funding round just 14 months ago, bucking the downturn facing much of the...
Immad Akhund, CEO and co-founder of the startup Mercury. Courtesy: Mercury Technologies Mercury, a fintech firm that provides banking services to startups, has raised $200 million in funding at a $5.2 billion valuation, CNBC has learned exclusively. That valuation is 49% higher than the San Francisco-based company's previous funding round just 14 months ago, bucking the downturn facing much of the fintech sector. The Series D round was led by venture firm TCV — backer of other well-known fintech firms, including Revolut and Nubank — and included existing investors Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz and Coatue, Mercury CEO Immad Akhund told CNBC. Mercury has emerged in recent years as one of a select group of fintech firms, like the larger payments startups Ramp and Stripe , that have continued to thrive after the collapse of the inflated valuations of the pandemic era. Mercury, with more than 300,000 customers, including a third of early-stage U.S. startups, has been profitable for the past four years and recently hit $650 million in annualized revenue, Akhund said. While generative AI has hurt many startups created before the arrival of OpenAI's ChatGPT in late 2022, it has also fueled the formation of new companies — a trend that Mercury, which opens accounts for businesses at their earliest stage, has directly benefited from, according to Akhund. "We've seen a lot of growth, especially recently, and a lot of that comes down to AI being a big enabler for entrepreneurship," he said. "We're seeing a lot of people doing AI startups, but also non-AI companies where they're using AI to build an app really easily or build products and websites really quickly." The fundraising comes weeks after Mercury disclosed it received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to become a federally regulated bank, part of a wave of fintech and crypto firms seeking entry to the traditional banking system dominated by established lenders. Building Mercu...
NEW YORK, NY, May 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Speed is the invisible tax on retail investing. While institutional algorithms execute in milliseconds, individual investors click buttons, refresh charts, and watch prices move against them. New research commissioned by AriseAlpha quantifies the damage: 81% of retail investors believe their lack of execution speed has cost them real money over the pa...
NEW YORK, NY, May 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Speed is the invisible tax on retail investing. While institutional algorithms execute in milliseconds, individual investors click buttons, refresh charts, and watch prices move against them. New research commissioned by AriseAlpha quantifies the damage: 81% of retail investors believe their lack of execution speed has cost them real money over the past 12 months. Today, AriseAlpha launches a platform built to erase that disadvantage. The company's new AI trading bot ecosystem operates across four major asset classes — cryptocurrencies, stocks, funds, and forex — with execution speeds averaging under 200 milliseconds from signal to order. The platform includes a dedicated AI stock trading bot, an AI crypto trading bot, and automated strategies for exchange-traded funds and currency pairs. "We asked retail investors what holds them back," said an AriseAlpha spokesperson. "They didn't say lack of knowledge. They didn't say bad strategies. They said speed. By the time they see an opportunity and click a button, the moment has passed. Our AI trading bot removes that delay entirely. It sees. It decides. It executes. All before a human can blink." Market Data: The Retail Speed Gap AriseAlpha analyzed execution timing across 15,000 manually placed trades by retail investors in Q1 2026. The findings reveal a consistent pattern: From the moment a clear trading signal appears (e.g., a breakout above resistance or a bullish divergence on RSI), the average retail investor takes 47 seconds to act. In that time, markets move. Slippage accumulates. Profits shrink or turn to losses. Institutional algorithms, by contrast, act in under 10 milliseconds. The AriseAlpha AI trading bot bridges this gap by operating at 200 milliseconds — not institutional grade, but faster than any human and fast enough to capture the majority of available alpha. The data also showed that speed disadvantages compound. Investors who missed entries by even five...
Hychko Oleksandr/iStock via Getty Images Enovix Corporation ( ENVX ) is a company that I have continued to watch. I had concerns when I last reviewed the stock and gave it a hold rating. Here we are nearly a year later, and the stock is down 20%. It seems that my concerns still exist within the company. Yet there continues to be a lot of potential. The company has continued to struggle with its ex...
Hychko Oleksandr/iStock via Getty Images Enovix Corporation ( ENVX ) is a company that I have continued to watch. I had concerns when I last reviewed the stock and gave it a hold rating. Here we are nearly a year later, and the stock is down 20%. It seems that my concerns still exist within the company. Yet there continues to be a lot of potential. The company has continued to struggle with its execution. It has continued to miss deadlines and estimates; it has also had issues with its technology and the production side of the business. It seems to be one hiccup after another for the company. It still does not have any products in the market. It has recently had concerns around performance with one of its potential larger partners. It is not hard to see the potential for the company. The battery market for electronic products is a large market. Enovix is trying to establish itself within that market. We are talking about large-scale items, such as phones and, recently, drones. The market opportunity is massive if it can prove its technology and product. This is what gets bulls excited. Due to the strong potential and, on the opposite side, the continued misses, the company trades with a lot of volatility. The chart shows the volatility in the stock price, with a 52-week high of $16.49 and a low of $4.62. Seeking Alpha Execution problems were the largest concern for me previously, and it seems to be the same almost a year later. It sums up investing in Enovix: the company has a contract with a large cell phone OEM, and things look great, but then they fail to execute. Great potential, but questions continue about execution. Despite this continued failure in its execution, there is still a lot of potential for the stock. It has a large contract in place and is looking to expand into other markets, such as drones, that might require less specialization and time. Financial Performance The company reported revenues of $7.6 million, which is up 49% from the prior year. Su...
Cn0ra/iStock via Getty Images Transcript Oscar Pulido: Over the past few decades, the retirement system has undergone a quiet but profound shift. What was once built around pensions and predictable income has increasingly moved toward individual savings and market-based outcomes. At the same time, people are living longer, markets are more complex, and the decisions investors face, from how to inv...
Cn0ra/iStock via Getty Images Transcript Oscar Pulido: Over the past few decades, the retirement system has undergone a quiet but profound shift. What was once built around pensions and predictable income has increasingly moved toward individual savings and market-based outcomes. At the same time, people are living longer, markets are more complex, and the decisions investors face, from how to invest to how to spend, have become more consequential. Today, the conversation is starting to move beyond how much people save to a broader question: how those savings are invested, managed, and ultimately turned into income that can last through retirement. So how is the retirement system evolving, and what should investors understand about this next phase? Welcome to The Bid, where we break down what's happening in the markets and explore the forces changing the economy and finance. I'm Oscar Pulido. Today, I’m joined by Nick Nefouse, Global Head of Retirement Solutions in the multi-asset strategies and solutions group at BlackRock. Together, we'll explore the key trends shaping retirement today, how the system is adapting to meet new challenges, and what it all means for investors planning for the future. Nick, thank you so much for joining us on The Bid. Nick Nefouse: Thanks for having me, Oscar. Oscar Pulido: Nick, this is your first time on the Bid, but it's not the first time that we've talked about retirement, so it's good to hear from a different perspective. Your team actually runs the portfolios that many people saving and investing for retirement use, way they access the capital markets. So, I'm wondering from your perspective, when you look at the retirement landscape today and all the changes that are going on in markets, in demographics, in the way that retirement plans are structured, what are some of the key shifts that you're focused on? Nick Nefouse: Thanks, Oscar. There's a couple of key shifts that we tend to follow. First of all is the decline of the tra...
NanoCo, the company behind security-focused OpenClaw alternative NanoClaw, has raised an oversubscribed $12 million seed round following a viral launch, its founders tell TechCrunch. The funding was led by Valley Capital Partners, and saw participation from Docker, Vercel, Monday.com, Slow Ventures and angels like Clem Delangue, CEO of Hugging Face. In a matter of weeks, NanoClaw creator Gavriel C...
NanoCo, the company behind security-focused OpenClaw alternative NanoClaw, has raised an oversubscribed $12 million seed round following a viral launch, its founders tell TechCrunch. The funding was led by Valley Capital Partners, and saw participation from Docker, Vercel, Monday.com, Slow Ventures and angels like Clem Delangue, CEO of Hugging Face. In a matter of weeks, NanoClaw creator Gavriel Cohen (pictured above, left) said he went from coding the project on his couch to receiving viral endorsements from Andrej Karpathy and Singapore’s foreign minister, fielding inbound interest from dozens of investors, and even a roughly $20 million acquisition offer that he and his brother and co-founder, Lazer Cohen (pictured above, right), declined. “It was under six weeks from committing the first lines of code to a term sheet,” Gavriel told TechCrunch. “There was a lot of inbound and interest,” he added. “People reaching out in DMs on X and sending emails.” He estimated that about 50 or more founders and tech executives sent DMs asking to invest. One of them was Delangue, who dropped a note: “I like what you’re doing with NanoClaw.” Gavriel then responded in kind, telling the Hugging Face CEO that he liked the company’s tiny robot, Reachy Mini, and hoped to run NanoClaw on it one day. The two programmers then started talking shop, and Cohen eventually asked Delangue if he was interested in angel investing and secured a yes. As it turns out, an active member of NanoClaw’s open source community is already working on running it on Reachy Mini, Gavriel says. As we previously reported, interest in NanoClaw skyrocketed after AI researcher Andrej Karpathy tweeted his praise for it. But the project really began to snowball after the Foreign Minister of Singapore called NanoClaw his “second brain” in a Facebook post that went viral. NanoClaw was created as a secure alternative to OpenClaw to assist the Cohen brothers with their previous startup, an AI marketing firm that used age...
Your shot at VC access, global visibility, TechCrunch coverage, and $100,000 in equity-free funding is gone in a week. Startup Battlefield 200 applications close May 27. If you’re building a breakout startup — or know a founder who is — this is the moment to act. Apply today for the opportunity to take the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, October 13-15, alongside 200 of the world’s most promising...
Your shot at VC access, global visibility, TechCrunch coverage, and $100,000 in equity-free funding is gone in a week. Startup Battlefield 200 applications close May 27. If you’re building a breakout startup — or know a founder who is — this is the moment to act. Apply today for the opportunity to take the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, October 13-15, alongside 200 of the world’s most promising early-stage startups. Image Credits:Kimberly White / Getty Images The clock is ticking for early-stage founders Pre-Series A founders, consider this your final countdown reminder: the strongest startups are already entering the arena, and the application window is closing fast. If your startup has already been nominated, don’t wait to complete your application. This final week moves quickly, and last-minute submissions risk getting buried as applications surge ahead of the deadline. Know a startup that deserves the spotlight? Nominate them now so they still have time to apply before May 27. The companies that define categories rarely start polished Some of the most consequential companies in tech history didn’t launch with splashy fundraising announcements. They started with a pitch. Dropbox demoed to a room full of skeptics. Cloudflare took the stage before most people understood what edge networking meant. Discord was still a scrappy gaming startup called Hammer & Chisel. Image Credits:TechCrunch They all passed through the same crucible: Startup Battlefield 200. That’s not a coincidence — it’s a pattern. And it starts with an application. Startup Battlefield 200 has never been a competition for the most polished companies. It’s a competition for the most promising ones. Pre-launch is fine. No revenue is fine. What matters is whether what you’re building genuinely changes something — not incrementally, but meaningfully. If you or a founder you know is building something impactful, then the application itself becomes the first pitch. Apply before May 27. More than a pitch...
How one Oregon city has raised a billion dollars for climate change toggle caption Monica Samayoa/Oregon Public Broadcasting NPR is dedicating a week to stories and conversations about how communities are moving forward on climate solutions despite significant political headwinds. As the federal government halts plans to address climate change, states, cities, regions, and even neighborhoods are t...
How one Oregon city has raised a billion dollars for climate change toggle caption Monica Samayoa/Oregon Public Broadcasting NPR is dedicating a week to stories and conversations about how communities are moving forward on climate solutions despite significant political headwinds. As the federal government halts plans to address climate change, states, cities, regions, and even neighborhoods are trying to fill the gap, by cutting climate pollution and adapting to extreme weather. PORTLAND, Ore. — In the last seven years, the city of Portland, Ore., has built a community solar project to reduce emissions and lower energy bills for 150 low-income families. The city has distributed more than 20,000 free air conditioning units to help vulnerable households prepare for heat waves. It has funded energy efficiency retrofits for 3,100 homes. And 2,000 people have been trained in the renewable energy and construction fields. Sponsor Message These projects have all been made possible due to an innovative billion-dollar climate fund. The Portland Clean Energy Fund is a first-of-its-kind racial, social and climate justice fund aimed at helping the city's most vulnerable residents adapt to climate change while also reducing carbon emissions. A 65% majority of voters passed the measure in 2018, and in 2019, the city began levying a 1% retail sales tax on large corporations within Portland city limits — think Target, Walmart, REI. Unlike a sales tax, which is paid by the consumer, the companies pay the city a small percentage of each sale; for example, a $100 purchase means the city earns $1. Since the fund began, it has garnered about $1 billion and is projected to reach $1.6 billion by mid-2029. "It's a fund that's intended to scale up local, community-based climate solutions that address our very real climate realities, community resilience and economic resiliency," said Sam Baraso, the Portland Clean Energy Fund program manager. Portland's climate fund continues to grow, even ...
Major earnings expected after the bell on Wednesday include: NVIDIA Corporation ( NVDA ) Intuit ( INTU ) Star Bulk Carriers Corp. ( SBLK ) Urban Outfitters ( URBN ) e.l.f. Beauty ( ELF ) Other Earnings slated for release after Wednesday's close include: AVEX , BORR , CLIR , ENS , NDSN For Seeking Alpha's full earnings season calendar, click here .
Major earnings expected after the bell on Wednesday include: NVIDIA Corporation ( NVDA ) Intuit ( INTU ) Star Bulk Carriers Corp. ( SBLK ) Urban Outfitters ( URBN ) e.l.f. Beauty ( ELF ) Other Earnings slated for release after Wednesday's close include: AVEX , BORR , CLIR , ENS , NDSN For Seeking Alpha's full earnings season calendar, click here .
Newsweek Mercedes-Benz, NVIDIA, and Slate named among top companies shaping the industry NEW YORK, May 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Newsweek , the global news and media platform, today announced the honorees of its fifth annual World’s Greatest Auto Disruptors awards. The 2026 list includes the most influential innovators, executives, and organizations driving transformation across the global auto...
Newsweek Mercedes-Benz, NVIDIA, and Slate named among top companies shaping the industry NEW YORK, May 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Newsweek , the global news and media platform, today announced the honorees of its fifth annual World’s Greatest Auto Disruptors awards. The 2026 list includes the most influential innovators, executives, and organizations driving transformation across the global automotive industry. Now in its fifth year, Newsweek’s World’s Greatest Auto Disruptors highlights the individuals and companies pushing the boundaries of mobility through advancements in electrification, artificial intelligence, sustainability, safety, and next-generation engineering. As the automotive sector evolves, this year’s winners exemplify leadership across both legacy manufacturers and emerging disruptors. 2026 World’s Greatest Auto Disruptors Honorees: Visionary Disruptor of the Year - Chris Barman, President of Vehicles, Slate Executive Disruptor of the Year - Antonio Filosa, CEO, Stellantis Design Disruptor of the Year - Tisha Johnson, Head of Design, Slate Marketing Disruptor of the Year - Slate Technology Disruptor of the Year - Rivian Powertrain Disruptor of the Year - BMW Research & Development Disruptor of the Year - NVIDIA Sustainability Disruptor of the Year - Mercedes-Benz Community Disruptor of the Year - Volvo Legacy of Disruption - Marcus Breitschwerdt, CEO, Mercedes-Benz Heritage “The automotive industry is undergoing one of the most transformative periods in its history,” said Dev Pragad, Owner and CEO of Newsweek. “Featuring AI-driven engineering and next-generation safety breakthroughs, this year’s honorees are adapting and defining what comes next. We are proud to recognize their achievements and their impact on the future of mobility.” “For five years, the World’s Greatest Auto Disruptors program has spotlighted the innovators pushing this industry forward,” said Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, Senior Editor, Autos, Travel and Lifestyle at Newsweek. “This ...
When the member states of the United Nations reviewed their Global Compact on Migration earlier this month, one country was conspicuously absent from the discussions: the United States. In a post on X explaining its reasoning, the State Department said it objects to global “efforts to facilitate replacement migration to the United States and our Western allies.” A subsequent post clarified that Pr...
When the member states of the United Nations reviewed their Global Compact on Migration earlier this month, one country was conspicuously absent from the discussions: the United States. In a post on X explaining its reasoning, the State Department said it objects to global “efforts to facilitate replacement migration to the United States and our Western allies.” A subsequent post clarified that President Donald Trump’s administration supports “remigration — but not replacement migration.” If “replacement migration” sounds like a dogwhistle, that’s because it’s one the administration’s loudest ones yet. Such allusions to the “great replacement” — a far-right conspiracy theory that a cabal of global elites is importing people of color to the US as a means of demographic warfare — and support of remigration, the notion that immigrants and their descendants should be returned to their countries of origin regardless of citizenship voluntarily or otherwise, were once limited to the fringes of the far right. Now they are coming from the government itself. (Elon Musk, a longtime proponent of the great replacement theory, applauded the State Department’s “banger thread.”) Eliminating “replacement migration” and pushing “remigration” are hallmarks of Trump’s second-term immigration policy, which has focused on deporting as many people as possible while preventing new immigrants from arriving here. It’d be easier to ignore if it was just a post on X. But since returning to office, Trump has drastically slashed legal immigration and has worked to strip immigrants of their legal status in pursuit of his mass deportation policy. Where Trump once promised to go after the so-called “bad hombres” coming to the US illegally, Trump’s aggressive second-term immigration policies suggest that all noncitizens are fair game. For years, proponents of hardline immigration policies have said that the problem isn’t immigration itself, just the fact that some people come to America the “wrong” ...
Netflix (NFLX 1.03%) is gradually embracing live events as part of its larger growth and engagement strategy. From high-profile boxing matches to famous climbers scaling skyscrapers, some Netflix events have landed flawlessly, while others have left viewers groaning over a lackluster experience. Expand NASDAQ : NFLX Netflix Today's Change ( -1.03 %) $ -0.92 Current Price $ 88.41 Key Data Points Ma...
Netflix (NFLX 1.03%) is gradually embracing live events as part of its larger growth and engagement strategy. From high-profile boxing matches to famous climbers scaling skyscrapers, some Netflix events have landed flawlessly, while others have left viewers groaning over a lackluster experience. Expand NASDAQ : NFLX Netflix Today's Change ( -1.03 %) $ -0.92 Current Price $ 88.41 Key Data Points Market Cap $376B Day's Range $ 87.50 - $ 88.53 52wk Range $ 75.01 - $ 134.12 Volume 278K Avg Vol 44M Gross Margin 49.44 % The streaming service recently announced it will host five NFL games in this upcoming season, marking a bold step into the live entertainment space. The crown jewels of the sporting events industry in the U.S. are, without a doubt, NFL games. The NFL is consistently the most-watched league among Americans. NFL fans are loyal and eager to watch their favorite teams, which means this partnership could boost subscriber numbers, ad revenue, and Netflix's opportunities in the sports industry. One game is a gimmick, but five NFL games mean new subscribers will stay for the long haul. The risk lies in viewers' happiness. Any technical difficulties, latency, or outages will prompt NFL viewers on Netflix to make their complaints heard. This is an opportunity and a challenge for Netflix, which needs to prove it is ready for the bright lights of professional football. For investors, buying Netflix now before football season begins could be the right move. The stock is down more than 26% in the past year as of this writing. Netflix's trailing P/E ratio is also below 30, so the stock is reasonably priced at the moment. If the five-game deal is a success, the Netflix and NFL partnership could be a substantial step forward in Netflix's quest to remain the most dominant streaming platform and a major new growth engine.
Your shot at VC access, global visibility, TechCrunch coverage, and $100,000 in equity-free funding is gone in a week. Startup Battlefield 200 applications close May 27. If you’re building a breakout startup — or know a founder who is — this is the moment to act. Apply today for the opportunity to take the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, taking place October 13-15, alongside 200 of the world’s m...
Your shot at VC access, global visibility, TechCrunch coverage, and $100,000 in equity-free funding is gone in a week. Startup Battlefield 200 applications close May 27. If you’re building a breakout startup — or know a founder who is — this is the moment to act. Apply today for the opportunity to take the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, taking place October 13-15, alongside 200 of the world’s most promising early-stage startups. Image Credits:Kimberly White / Getty Images The clock is ticking for early-stage founders Pre-Series A founders, consider this your final countdown reminder: The strongest startups are already entering the arena, and the application window is closing fast. If your startup has already been nominated, don’t wait to complete your application. This final week moves quickly, and last-minute submissions risk getting buried as applications surge ahead of the deadline. Know a startup that deserves the spotlight? Nominate them now so they still have time to apply before May 27. The companies that define categories rarely start polished Some of the most consequential companies in tech history didn’t launch with splashy fundraising announcements. They started with a pitch. Dropbox demoed to a room full of skeptics. Cloudflare took the stage before most people understood what edge networking meant. Discord was still a scrappy gaming startup called Hammer & Chisel. Image Credits:TechCrunch They all passed through the same crucible: Startup Battlefield 200. That’s not a coincidence — it’s a pattern. And it starts with an application. Startup Battlefield 200 has never been a competition for the most polished companies. It’s a competition for the most promising ones. Pre-launch is fine. No revenue is fine. What matters is whether what you’re building genuinely changes something — not incrementally, but meaningfully. If you or a founder you know is building something impactful, then the application itself becomes the first pitch. Apply before May 27. More...
Andy Andrews/DigitalVision via Getty Images Thesis Summary ServiceNow ( NOW ) has been dragged down with software stocks over the last two months. But fears of software commoditization are overblown, and to anyone looking closely, it’s evident that AI is actually a tailwind for the company. This view is supported by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who mentioned the company specifically in a recent interv...
Andy Andrews/DigitalVision via Getty Images Thesis Summary ServiceNow ( NOW ) has been dragged down with software stocks over the last two months. But fears of software commoditization are overblown, and to anyone looking closely, it’s evident that AI is actually a tailwind for the company. This view is supported by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who mentioned the company specifically in a recent interview. We now also know that President Donald Trump himself recently bought shares in the company. Ultimately, ServiceNow has a very bright future and an even more attractive valuation. This is easily one of the most asymmetric bets in the market right now. Insights From Analyst Day Let’s begin by breaking down some of the key insights from NOW’s earnings day to get a good sense of where the company is at right now. Perhaps one of the most compelling headlines from the analyst day was the idea of the company as an “AI Control Tower” for AI, something which fellow SA contributor Julian Lin talked about recently. AI Control Tower (Investor slides) To summarize, the company believes enterprises ultimately need a centralized layer capable of governing AI agents, workflows, security, and data. The orchestration layer, as it is commonly referred to. This idea sits at the center of the ambitious path management has laid out. NOW TAM (Investor slides) Management sees a TAM of $600 billion and has guided toward over $30 billion in subscription revenue by 2030 while targeting a “Rule of 60+”. This means 30%+ free cash flow margins and 30% revenue growth. NOW Orchestration Layer (Investor slides) Overall, the event strengthened the thesis that ServiceNow is evolving into a core enterprise AI infrastructure, not merely a workflow software vendor. The key idea here is that not every business task should be fully autonomous. Companies need different levels of AI involvement depending on the situation, and that’s where NOW can provide value. While some tasks can be fully AI automated, there...
DSCimage Investors Should Know: Beyond the near-term impact of higher fuel prices and the closure of a major shipping lane, freight and logistics networks could be navigating a new cost environment. Regulatory change, capacity discipline, and technology investment have the potential to reshape how carriers, brokers, and freight-tech platforms compete. Background The U.S. freight industry spans tru...
DSCimage Investors Should Know: Beyond the near-term impact of higher fuel prices and the closure of a major shipping lane, freight and logistics networks could be navigating a new cost environment. Regulatory change, capacity discipline, and technology investment have the potential to reshape how carriers, brokers, and freight-tech platforms compete. Background The U.S. freight industry spans trucking, intermodal, air freight, marine shipping, and third-party logistics. These networks move goods across the economy and are sensitive to fuel costs, regulatory shifts, and broader industrial activity. Lately, the industry has faced the consequences of the conflict in Iran. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has increased fuel prices and disrupted established shipping routines. However, the cost pressures might not be purely short-term or cyclical. According to a recent industry forum, compounding factors could be pointing to a new cost reality. These forces include the regulatory enforcement, long-term diesel costs, and capacity dynamics. Publicly traded names across freight transportation sub-sectors include FedEx Corporation ( FDX ) in air freight and logistics, XPO, Inc. ( XPO ) and Saia, Inc. ( SAIA ) in cargo ground transportation, Kirby Corporation ( KEX ) and Diana Shipping Inc. ( DSX ) in marine transportation, Covenant Logistics Group ( CVLG ) in trucking, and Triumph Financial ( TFIN ) in freight payments and transportation finance. C.H. Robinson Worldwide ( CHRW ), J.B. Hunt Transport Services ( JBHT ), Radiant Logistics ( RLGT ), ArcBest Corporation ( ARCB ), and Schneider National ( SNDR ) round out the broader ground and logistics landscape. Key Takeaways Some industry experts have described freight cost pressures as structural rather than cyclical, driven by regulatory enforcement, fuel, and capacity constraints — not just a temporary market downturn. A Supreme Court ruling on broker liability is prompting freight brokers to lean harder on compliance in...
Shares of Target (NYSE:TGT) are down 7% to $118 in early trading on Wednesday, May 20, after the retailer delivered a clean beat-and-raise quarter that investors are nonetheless selling. The reversal comes after a sharp rally into the report, with the stock entering the session up 33% year to date (YTD). The headline numbers were ... Target Is Melting Down Today. Should Walmart and Costco Stockhol...
Shares of Target (NYSE:TGT) are down 7% to $118 in early trading on Wednesday, May 20, after the retailer delivered a clean beat-and-raise quarter that investors are nonetheless selling. The reversal comes after a sharp rally into the report, with the stock entering the session up 33% year to date (YTD). The headline numbers were ... Target Is Melting Down Today. Should Walmart and Costco Stockholders Worry?
irina88w/iStock via Getty Images In the months that followed my previous coverage , Trex Company ( TREX ) weakened further, lost nearly 10% of its value, and justified my hold rating. This should not be surprising in line with the intense macroeconomic volatility and softer housing market conditions. So even if it's fundamentally solid and fortified, market headwinds may hamper its growth potentia...
irina88w/iStock via Getty Images In the months that followed my previous coverage , Trex Company ( TREX ) weakened further, lost nearly 10% of its value, and justified my hold rating. This should not be surprising in line with the intense macroeconomic volatility and softer housing market conditions. So even if it's fundamentally solid and fortified, market headwinds may hamper its growth potential. Valuation also still suggests even after the huge value reduction as upside remains limited. Technicals adhere to them as the trend remains flattish amid its recovery attempts. TREX Q1 2026: Some Recovery Amid Market Headwinds The macroeconomic situation in the US has remained intense in the past five months amid accelerating inflation, fueled by tariffs and skyrocketing oil prices. Meanwhile, the housing market remained soft with decreasing sales and increasing homebuyer caution. Yet, some players saw more opportunities and capitalized on the changing consumer perception on product durability and longevity. Trex Company is a perfect example with its notable recovery. This was evident in its most recent performance. In Q1 2026, its sales amounted to $343.4M , up by 1.0% from $340.0M. This was an improvement and recovery from its weak sales trend in Q4 2025 . It is also worth noting that sales dropped from Q1 2024 to Q1 2025. So, its improvement last quarter demonstrated its resilience. One aspect to consider was its resilient demand. After all, home renovations are continuous, although there may be delays due to the rising prices. The increasing preference for composite decking over wood also drove its demand. This helped TREX maintain its pricing power. Meanwhile, the operating costs increased in line with the rising prices of materials but remained manageable at also 1.0%. This showed its well-maintained efficiency, which we can attribute to its product standardization and logistics optimization. In addition, it was able to lower its SG&A expenses, which we can attribu...