Sky_Blue/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Container shippers A.P. Moller-Maersk ( AMKBY ) ( AMKAF ) and Hapag-Lloyd ( HPGLY ) ( HLAGF ) said Friday they suspended key shipping routes into and out of the Middle East due to escalating conflict in the region. "Following our latest risk assessment and operational review and considering the escalating conflict affecting safe navigation in the Gulf re...
Sky_Blue/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images Container shippers A.P. Moller-Maersk ( AMKBY ) ( AMKAF ) and Hapag-Lloyd ( HPGLY ) ( HLAGF ) said Friday they suspended key shipping routes into and out of the Middle East due to escalating conflict in the region. "Following our latest risk assessment and operational review and considering the escalating conflict affecting safe navigation in the Gulf region, we have made the decision to temporarily suspend the FM1 service (connecting Far East to Middle East) and as well the ME11 service (connecting Middle East to Europe)," Maersk ( AMKBY ) ( AMKAF ) said in a notice to customers. The company also said the ME1 service connecting the Middle East to Northern Europe will drop its call in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates. Maersk ( AMKBY ) ( AMKAF ) has already suspended all vessel crossings in the Strait of Hormuz and stopped taking all bookings for temperature-controlled and dangerous goods cargo to and from the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Hapag-Lloyd ( HPGLY ) ( HLAGF ) said it suspended several services, including its Oman Gulf shuttle, Upper Gulf shuttle, and routes connecting Asia with the Arabian Gulf and India and the Middle East with the Mediterranean. A new service will begin operating to ensure continued reliability and operational stability, the company said. More on A.P. Møller-Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd Maersk: Upside From The Q3'25 Period With A Guidance Increase ZIM Integrated: Hapag-Lloyd $35 Offer Likely To Be Accepted ZIM Integrated Shipping Gets A Huge Buyout Offer From Hapag-Lloyd
Aalia Mahomed, 20, who was in her second year of studying a physics and philosophy degree at King's College London, died at the scene of the collision on the Strand on 18 March 2025.
Aalia Mahomed, 20, who was in her second year of studying a physics and philosophy degree at King's College London, died at the scene of the collision on the Strand on 18 March 2025.
"It's true that children still can't fully manage their own screen time or control themselves when using their phones. But if the government chooses to completely block all platforms considered "risky" for them, I feel there might be a gentler, wiser way to approach it," he said.
"It's true that children still can't fully manage their own screen time or control themselves when using their phones. But if the government chooses to completely block all platforms considered "risky" for them, I feel there might be a gentler, wiser way to approach it," he said.
Getty Images Costco Is Roaring Back Costco ( COST ) keeps surprising investors. It was only a few years ago that we saw Warren Buffett selling his whole position after two decades of ownership because of valuation concerns. People now calculate that he left over $1.5 billion on the table, and he himself admitted that selling Costco was probably a mistake . We have discussed many times how to behav...
Getty Images Costco Is Roaring Back Costco ( COST ) keeps surprising investors. It was only a few years ago that we saw Warren Buffett selling his whole position after two decades of ownership because of valuation concerns. People now calculate that he left over $1.5 billion on the table, and he himself admitted that selling Costco was probably a mistake . We have discussed many times how to behave with this stock, which is held by a cohort of shareholders who are very reluctant to let go of their shares. Even when the stock dips a bit, it still trades at high multiples, and this makes many investors pass on the opportunity to initiate a position. We saw the stock trade more or less sideways for almost two years. Yet, YTD, Costco is back to its ATHs above $1,000. In a turbulent world, where investors haven't fully made up their minds on whether AI is an opportunity or a threat and where conflict outbreaks increase fear and concern, Costco immediately stands out as the go-to, reliable, and safe pick. There are several reasons why Costco's business model is so strong and appreciated by the market. We can summarize it by saying that Costco is not really a retailer that sells goods, but a buyer on behalf of its members, who can sum up their individual bargaining power and, through Costco, obtain the best possible deals on a selected number of goods. Costco's economics, therefore, rely on top-line expansion (as most retailers do), but this is a proxy for its expansion plan and its members' commitment and engagement. This is why its true hidden gem is the membership program . When we understand that its profits come, for the most part, from its membership fees, we understand that we can truly assess the company through one metric: gross membership income, as I explained some time ago in this article . It shows that Costco is actually more similar to a subscription business under the disguise of a retailer. Costco is renowned for its ability to constantly identify good dea...
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"The Pulse With Francine Lacqua" is all about conversations with high profile guests in the beating heart of global business, economics, finance and politics. Based in London, we go wherever the story is, bringing you exclusive interviews and market-moving scoops. Today's guests: Catherine Ashton, Former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs & Security; Peter Oppenheimer, Goldman Sachs, Chief...
"The Pulse With Francine Lacqua" is all about conversations with high profile guests in the beating heart of global business, economics, finance and politics. Based in London, we go wherever the story is, bringing you exclusive interviews and market-moving scoops. Today's guests: Catherine Ashton, Former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs & Security; Peter Oppenheimer, Goldman Sachs, Chief Global Equity Strategist; Susan Langley, City of London Lady Mayor; Philippe Salle, Atos CEO and Chairman. (Source: Bloomberg)
Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Friday: Baird upgrades Union Pacific to outperform from neutral Baird said investors should buy the weakness. "Overall, we remain constructive on the potential synergies associated with the transaction and believe investors should use weakness in the shares of UNP going forward to develop or increase exposure. Our new price targets for UNP and NSC are $...
Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Friday: Baird upgrades Union Pacific to outperform from neutral Baird said investors should buy the weakness. "Overall, we remain constructive on the potential synergies associated with the transaction and believe investors should use weakness in the shares of UNP going forward to develop or increase exposure. Our new price targets for UNP and NSC are $311 and $315, respectively. In addition, we are raising our rating on UNP to OUTPERFORM." CFRA upgrades Netflix to buy from hold The firm said it sees revenue growth. "As the industry leader, we see NFLX driving member growth, ARPU expansion with pricing power, and advertising contribute to incremental revenue growth in 2026, perhaps $1.5B to $3.0B." Read more. Barclays upgrades First Advantage to overweight from equal weight Barclays says the background check company benefits from a resilient job market. "We upgrade FA to an OW, and prefer it as our way to dip into potential 'upside' if employment stays resilient." Wells Fargo reiterates Intel as equal weight Wells says it's adding a "tactical positive call" to the stock. "Continued reassurance in Intel's roadmap execution + PC and server CPU demand could present a more compelling risk / reward." BMO upgrades Okta to outperform from market perform The firm says the company has "revenue growth durability." "We believe identity management is critical for agent adoption, and we think Okta will be one of the companies that nurtures, and benefits from, agent growth." Read more. Piper Sandler upgrades Karman Holdings to overweight from neutral Piper says the company is a beneficiary of the Middle East war. "We are upgrading Karman t o Overweight as we see the company benefitting from a potential munitions super cycle where U.S. and Allies seek to rebuild 'magazine depth' for critical munitions by replenishing stockpiles, expanding production, and refreshing technology across a number of missile programs." JPMorgan upgrades Dow t...
Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, speaks during the WSJ's Future of Everything 2025 at the Glasshouse on May 29, 2025 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images BOSTON — United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the spike in fuel prices since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday will have a "meaningful" impact on the carrier's financial results this quarter, but he added that dema...
Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, speaks during the WSJ's Future of Everything 2025 at the Glasshouse on May 29, 2025 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images BOSTON — United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the spike in fuel prices since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday will have a "meaningful" impact on the carrier's financial results this quarter, but he added that demand has been resilient. Jet fuel, airlines' biggest expense after labor, has surged 58% since last Friday, going for $3.95 a gallon on Thursday, according to the Argus U.S. Jet Fuel Index. "If it continues we'll feel it in Q2 also," Kirby said after an event Thursday afternoon where he discussed the future of air travel at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. United, like most major U.S. carriers, doesn't hedge fuel, a practice where airlines or other companies lock in prices using futures contracts or other products. A Boeing 737-800 can hold 6,875 gallons of fuel, according to a manufacturer guide . "No one hedges anymore and even if you do, hedging the crack spread is really hard to do," Kirby said. The crack spread is the difference between the price of crude oil and products like gasoline. When asked when the higher fuel costs will start affecting airfares, Kirby said it will "probably start quick." He added that travel demand has been resilient over all, with booked revenue up 20% from a year ago. Demand "has not taken even a tiny step back," he said. Read more about the Middle East conflict's travel impact Iran war threatens $11.7 trillion global travel industry as passengers get caught in crossfire I was on an Emirates flight to Dubai that turned around twice because of Iranian missiles As Iran strikes disrupt flights, why travel insurance may fall short Airlines divert, cancel more Middle East flights after Iran attacks U.S. military base Kirby spoke less than two weeks before airlines are set to attend a closely watched JPMorgan indus...
Royal Mail has been criticised for announcing another hike in the cost of first- and second-class stamps while providing what Citizens Advice described as a “failing service”. From 7 April, the price of a first-class stamp will increase by 10p, or 6%, to £1.80. The cost of the second-class service is going up by 4p, or 5%, to 91p. Royal Mail blamed the need for price increases on the “continued ri...
Royal Mail has been criticised for announcing another hike in the cost of first- and second-class stamps while providing what Citizens Advice described as a “failing service”. From 7 April, the price of a first-class stamp will increase by 10p, or 6%, to £1.80. The cost of the second-class service is going up by 4p, or 5%, to 91p. Royal Mail blamed the need for price increases on the “continued rise in the cost of delivery for every letter”. “We always consider price changes very carefully, balancing affordability with the rising cost of delivering mail,” said Richard Travers, its managing director of letters. “There are 70% fewer letters sent than 20 years ago,” added Travers. “In the meantime, the number of addresses we deliver to has increased by 4 million to 32 million across the UK.” But Anne Pardoe, the head of policy at Citizens Advice, said the price of stamps “can’t be treated as a dial that is turned up without a clear justification for consumers, forcing people to dig deeper into their pockets for a failing service”. In the autumn Ofcom fined Royal Mail £21m for missing its annual delivery targets. It was the third time the 509-year-old postal service had been fined by the watchdog. “More than half a decade has gone by since the company met its delivery targets and people still face a gamble, with many uncertain if their important documents or letters, like medical appointments, will arrive on time,” said Pardoe. Taking into account the new increases, the charity said that – at £1.80 – the price of a first-class stamp had risen 137% since 2020. Over the same period, a second-class stamp increased by 40%. After last year’s £3.6bn takeover of Royal Mail’s owner by the Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský, the communications regulator Ofcom gave it permission to loosen its universal service obligation (USO). As a result it is only required to deliver second-class post on alternate weekdays instead of six days a week. Ofcom also lowered Royal Mail’s headline de...
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images News Anthropic's ( ANTHRO ) CEO Dario Amodei is considering legal action against a Pentagon decision designating the AI company as a supply chain risk to U.S. national security. "We do not believe this action is legally sound, and we see no choice but to challenge it in court," said Amodei in a blog post on Thursday. Anthropic said the company received a letter fro...
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images News Anthropic's ( ANTHRO ) CEO Dario Amodei is considering legal action against a Pentagon decision designating the AI company as a supply chain risk to U.S. national security. "We do not believe this action is legally sound, and we see no choice but to challenge it in court," said Amodei in a blog post on Thursday. Anthropic said the company received a letter from the Department of War confirming that it has been designated as a supply chain risk to America’s national security. Amodei said that the language used by the Department of War in the letter matches the company's statement on Feb. 27 that the majority of its customers are unaffected by a supply chain risk designation. "With respect to our customers, it plainly applies only to the use of Claude by customers as a direct part of contracts with the Department of War, not all use of Claude by customers who have such contracts," said Amodei. The CEO noted that the Department’s letter has a narrow scope, and this is because the relevant statute (10 USC 3252) is narrow too. He added that it exists to protect the government rather than to punish a supplier. Amodei said the company has been having productive conversations with the Department of War over the last several days, both about ways it could serve the Department that adhere to its two exceptions and ways for it to ensure a smooth transition if that is not possible. However, Emil Michael, the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, who had been negotiating over the past several weeks with the company, said in a post on X on Thursday that there were no further discussions. "I want to end all speculation: there is no active @DeptofWar negotiation with @AnthropicAI," said Michael in the post. On Thursday, Amodei also apologized for comments in an internal memo that surfaced on Wednesday. In the memo, reported by The Information, Amodei accused competitor OpenAI ( OPENAI ) of acting opportunistically and sacrific...
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD 1.42%) stock sank in February amid a widespread pullback for valuations in the technology sector. The company's share price declined 15.4% across the stretch. Meanwhile, the S&P 500's level moved 0.9% lower, and the even more tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite saw its level fall 3.4%. Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks faced selling pressures last month, and AMD's valuation t...
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD 1.42%) stock sank in February amid a widespread pullback for valuations in the technology sector. The company's share price declined 15.4% across the stretch. Meanwhile, the S&P 500's level moved 0.9% lower, and the even more tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite saw its level fall 3.4%. Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks faced selling pressures last month, and AMD's valuation took a significant hit in conjunction with the trend. On the other hand, the company actually delivered some very encouraging news for shareholders. AMD lost ground amid AI valuation concerns and macroeconomic news AMD kicked off last month with the publication of its fourth-quarter results on Feb. 3 and posted sales and earnings that came in above Wall Street's targets. The business made a non-GAAP (adjusted) profit of $1.53 per share on revenue of $10.27 billion, which was much better than the average analyst estimate for earnings per share of $1.32 on revenue of $9.67 billion. Despite big sales and earnings beats in Q4, the stock plummeted following the release of the quarterly report due to forward guidance that fell short of some investors' expectations. While the average analyst estimate had called for the company to post sales of $9.38 billion this quarter, AMD actually guided for sales to be between $9.5 billion and $10.1 billion. The midpoint of the company's guidance range came in significantly ahead of the average analyst estimate, but some investors were modeling for the business to post much stronger sales in conjunction with AI-related demand. Expand NASDAQ : AMD Advanced Micro Devices Today's Change ( -1.42 %) $ -2.87 Current Price $ 199.20 Key Data Points Market Cap $325B Day's Range $ 194.90 - $ 203.70 52wk Range $ 76.48 - $ 267.08 Volume 11K Avg Vol 36M Gross Margin 45.99 % On the other hand, AMD shareholders got some very good news on Feb. 24 with the publication of a press release announcing the expansion of the company's partnership with Meta Platforms. ...
In just over three years, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) transformed from a “battered retailer” into a “high-margin AI powerhouse.” While revenue growth provided the floor, multiple expansion provided the ceiling. We deconstruct the 158% gain into two core mechanics: Revenue Per Share (RPS) Growth: Increased by 33% ($50 to $67) Price-to-Sales (P/S) Expansion: Increased by 88% (1.7x to 3.2x) Our “Why Amazon...
In just over three years, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) transformed from a “battered retailer” into a “high-margin AI powerhouse.” While revenue growth provided the floor, multiple expansion provided the ceiling. We deconstruct the 158% gain into two core mechanics: Revenue Per Share (RPS) Growth: Increased by 33% ($50 to $67) Price-to-Sales (P/S) Expansion: Increased by 88% (1.7x to 3.2x) Our “Why Amazon Stock Moved” dashboard provides more details. Revenue Fundamentals: The Three-Engine Growth Phase Amazon’s revenue didn’t just recover; it scaled from $514B (2022) to $717B (2025). With a stable share count of 10.6B, RPS grew in lockstep with net sales. The Multiplier Effect: Why the P/S Ratio Exploded The true story of the 158% gain is the market’s willingness to pay more for every dollar Amazon earns. In 2022, the P/S ratio hit a decade-low of 1.7x due to a “perfect storm”: record-fast rate hikes, a post-pandemic retail hangover, and a $12B Rivian-related net loss. The Narrative Shift (2023–2026): The P/S ratio rebounded to a peak of 3.8x before settling at the current 3.2x. This re-rating was driven by: The AI Premium: AWS transitioned from a storage provider to an AI platform layer (chips, LLMs, and Bedrock), attracting a higher valuation multiple. AWS transitioned from a storage provider to an AI platform layer (chips, LLMs, and Bedrock), attracting a higher valuation multiple. Margin Transformation: As high-margin Ads and AWS grew faster than low-margin Retail, the “blended” value of every dollar of revenue increased. As high-margin Ads and AWS grew faster than low-margin Retail, the “blended” value of every dollar of revenue increased. Operational Efficiency: Amazon slashed 57,000+ roles and optimized its fulfillment network, proving it could grow profits faster than sales. EPS: The Confirmation Signal While revenue multiples move with sentiment and expectations, Earnings Per Share (EPS) reflects reality. Amazon’s swing from a $0.27 loss in 2022 to a $7.17 profit in...
In Brief Meta is now allowing rival AI companies to provide their chatbots on WhatsApp to Brazilian users for a fee, a day after the company confirmed a similar decision for users in Europe. Earlier this week, Brazil’s antitrust regulator CADE ruled against Meta and rejected its appeal to block an earlier order to suspend its policy change that seeks to bar third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp. “Up...
In Brief Meta is now allowing rival AI companies to provide their chatbots on WhatsApp to Brazilian users for a fee, a day after the company confirmed a similar decision for users in Europe. Earlier this week, Brazil’s antitrust regulator CADE ruled against Meta and rejected its appeal to block an earlier order to suspend its policy change that seeks to bar third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp. “Upon reviewing the case, the CADE Tribunal determined that the necessary requirements for maintaining the preventive measure were present. According to the case rapporteur, Councilor Carlos Jacques, there is evidence of legal plausibility, considering the relevance of WhatsApp in the Brazilian instant messaging services market,” CADE’s ruling reads. The regulator added that banning third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp “would not be proportionate” and could result in competitive harm. Meta said in response that it would let third-party AI chatbot providers use its WhatsApp Business API to offer their services on the app for a fee, wherever it is legally required to do so. The company will charge $0.0625 per “non-template message” in Brazil from March 11. “Where we are legally required to provide AI chatbots through the WhatsApp business API, we are introducing pricing for the companies that choose to use our platform to provide those services,” a Meta spokesperson said. Meta announced the policy change last October, which spurred several antitrust investigations, particularly because the company offers its own AI chatbot, Meta AI, inside WhatsApp. The company has maintained that its WhatsApp Business API was not designed to cater to AI chatbots, and that they put a strain on the company’s system. Techcrunch event Disrupt 2026: The tech ecosystem, all in one room Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introduc...
Meta is now allowing rival AI companies to provide their chatbots on WhatsApp to Brazilian users for a fee, a day after the company confirmed a similar decision for users in Europe. Earlier this week, Brazil’s antitrust regulator CADE ruled against Meta and rejected its appeal to block an earlier order to suspend its policy change that seeks to bar third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp. “Upon review...
Meta is now allowing rival AI companies to provide their chatbots on WhatsApp to Brazilian users for a fee, a day after the company confirmed a similar decision for users in Europe. Earlier this week, Brazil’s antitrust regulator CADE ruled against Meta and rejected its appeal to block an earlier order to suspend its policy change that seeks to bar third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp. “Upon reviewing the case, the CADE Tribunal determined that the necessary requirements for maintaining the preventive measure were present. According to the case rapporteur, Councilor Carlos Jacques, there is evidence of legal plausibility, considering the relevance of WhatsApp in the Brazilian instant messaging services market,” CADE’s ruling reads. The regulator added that banning third-party AI chatbots on WhatsApp “would not be proportionate” and could result in competitive harm. Meta said in response that it would let third-party AI chatbot providers use its WhatsApp Business API to offer their services on the app for a fee, wherever it is legally required to do so. The company will charge $0.0625 per “non-template message” in Brazil from March 11. “Where we are legally required to provide AI chatbots through the WhatsApp business API, we are introducing pricing for the companies that choose to use our platform to provide those services,” a Meta spokesperson said. Meta announced the policy change last October, which spurred several antitrust investigations, particularly because the company offers its own AI chatbot, Meta AI, inside WhatsApp. The company has maintained that its WhatsApp Business API was not designed to cater to AI chatbots, and that they put a strain on the company’s system. While Meta is now allowing third-party chatbots in some regions because of regulations, developers tell TechCrunch that they are hesitant to resume services, saying the pricing set by Meta is high and could result in high costs.