EschCollection Gary Yeowell Financial stocks were rising in a week that saw the Federal Reserve hold its target range for the federal funds rate but imply an easing bias in the forward guidance. Meanwhile, earnings continued to impact stock prices. State Street Financial Sel Sec SPDR ETF ( XLF ) added 0.97% week-over-week to close at $51.92. Visa ( V ) was the biggest gainer of the week among mega...
EschCollection Gary Yeowell Financial stocks were rising in a week that saw the Federal Reserve hold its target range for the federal funds rate but imply an easing bias in the forward guidance. Meanwhile, earnings continued to impact stock prices. State Street Financial Sel Sec SPDR ETF ( XLF ) added 0.97% week-over-week to close at $51.92. Visa ( V ) was the biggest gainer of the week among megacap stocks, rising 6.01% to close at $328.03. The payment network stock bounced after fiscal second-quarter earnings handily topped Wall Street expectations, as consumers continued to spend, and the company announced a new stock buyback program. The week also saw Visa add five more blockchains to its global stablecoin settlement pilot, expanding its multi-chain settlement capabilities to nine blockchains. HSBC Holdings ( HSBC ) and Royal Bank of Canada ( RY ) followed, adding 2.52% and 2.40% to end at $91.95 and $179.54, respectively. Mastercard ( MA ) topped the losers even as the payment network delivered better-than-expected Q1 earnings and revenue. The stock lost 1.73% of its value to close at $495.46. April trends showed a slowdown in cross-border transaction growth. For largecap stocks, Franklin Resources ( BEN ) (+10.03% W/W to $29.84) topped the weekly gainers. The stock was upgraded at Barclays after the second-quarter earnings release on improving fundamentals. ORIX ( IX ) (+8.72% W/W to $33.05) and Blue Owl Capital ( OWL ) (+8.71% W/W to $9.98) were the next on the list. Blue Owl Capital stock climbed after the asset manager delivered better-than-feared Q1 results, with performance holding up across its credit, real assets, and GP strategic capital strategies. Notably, co-CEO Marc Lipschultz said that the company has sold about half of its stake in SpaceX (SPACE) at a $1.25T valuation, crystallizing roughly a tenfold return. Galaxy Digital ( GLXY ) followed, advancing 8.09% to close at $28.11. The company exceeded the Wall Street estimates in terms of EPS and rev...
A Florida-based Gen Xer with what they describe as a “pretty decent job” says the rising cost of living has left them feeling stuck and overwhelmed. “I feel like I’m drowning,” they wrote in a recent Reddit post, describing the...
A Florida-based Gen Xer with what they describe as a “pretty decent job” says the rising cost of living has left them feeling stuck and overwhelmed. “I feel like I’m drowning,” they wrote in a recent Reddit post, describing the...
The US Democrats have pursued “selective Trumpification” since losing power in 2024, but their strategy of borrowing from the president’s agenda and mimicking his abrasive style risks undermining their branding as guardians of American institutions, according to a Chinese academic. Two years ago, the Democrats lost the presidency to Donald Trump, along with control of the Senate. That shut them ou...
The US Democrats have pursued “selective Trumpification” since losing power in 2024, but their strategy of borrowing from the president’s agenda and mimicking his abrasive style risks undermining their branding as guardians of American institutions, according to a Chinese academic. Two years ago, the Democrats lost the presidency to Donald Trump, along with control of the Senate. That shut them out of power in Washington and left them struggling to regain momentum and political...
Alphabet is ramping capital spending to unprecedented levels, but investors are largely shrugging because earnings and Cloud momentum are strong enough to absorb the hit and still deliver double‑digit growth.
Alphabet is ramping capital spending to unprecedented levels, but investors are largely shrugging because earnings and Cloud momentum are strong enough to absorb the hit and still deliver double‑digit growth.
GordonBellPhotography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Only a few months ago, Roku, Inc. ( ROKU ) finally broke $100 after nearly 4 years and has now zoomed to $125. The streaming platform continues to execute while the market doubted the ability to produce sustainable growth in an increasingly competitive sector. My investment thesis remains Bullish on the stock, though Roku is no longer a massi...
GordonBellPhotography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Only a few months ago, Roku, Inc. ( ROKU ) finally broke $100 after nearly 4 years and has now zoomed to $125. The streaming platform continues to execute while the market doubted the ability to produce sustainable growth in an increasingly competitive sector. My investment thesis remains Bullish on the stock, though Roku is no longer a massive bargain. Source: Finviz Platform Growth Roku has entered the next level of growth with the streaming platform growing at a 20% clip. The company reported Q1'26 revenues grew 22.5% YoY to $1.25 billion with a $50 million beat. In fact, the company grew Platform revenue at a 28% clip during the March quarter with Advertising and Subscriptions contributing equally to the growth. The total revenue growth is held back by the Devices revenue line where Roku isn't trying to grow sales and isn't attempting to make a profit. Source: Roku Q1'26 shareholder letter Roku uses devices as a loss leader to get subscribers on the streaming platform where the company collects revenues from recurring subscriptions and advertising from the 38.7 billion hours streamed on the platform. The streaming hours only grew 8% YoY, a slight negative in the growth story. Investors find the stock far more appealing now due to Roku flipping the switch from where devices revenues aren't a meaningful contribution anymore. Platform revenue reached $1.13 billion in Q1'26 and hit 90% of total revenues in the quarter, up from under 87% last March quarter. The business is highly profitable now after some rough patches in the early days due to the Devices business being a far larger portion in the initial ramp phase. The market was concerned Roku couldn't sustain these strong growth rates long enough to start generating profits and cash flows. Roku reported Q1'26 adjusted EBITDA jumped to $148 million, up 165% YoY. The streaming media company still only produced EBITDA margins of 11.9%, suggesting plenty of upsi...
So you're about five years away from retiring. It makes a lot of sense to start assembling a list of things to do before your last day at your job. Doing so might make the difference between having a comfortable retirement and one full of stress. Here, then, are some pre-retirement moves to consider. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
So you're about five years away from retiring. It makes a lot of sense to start assembling a list of things to do before your last day at your job. Doing so might make the difference between having a comfortable retirement and one full of stress. Here, then, are some pre-retirement moves to consider. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
Abel called on Buffett, who is sitting with other directors. Buffett then noted two anniversaries: the one-year anniversary of his decision to step down as CEO and the 10-year anniversary of Berkshire's investment in Apple stock. Buffett said Abel is "doing everything that I did and then some."
Abel called on Buffett, who is sitting with other directors. Buffett then noted two anniversaries: the one-year anniversary of his decision to step down as CEO and the 10-year anniversary of Berkshire's investment in Apple stock. Buffett said Abel is "doing everything that I did and then some."
halbergman/iStock via Getty Images Chevron ( CVX ) reported its Q1 results and the market seems rather disappointed as the stock fell by almost 2% on the day following the release. The reaction to Exxon Mobil's ( XOM ) earnings was identical, and there are some similarities between the two stocks that should be kept in mind. Both CVX and XOM are up significantly since the beginning of the year, an...
halbergman/iStock via Getty Images Chevron ( CVX ) reported its Q1 results and the market seems rather disappointed as the stock fell by almost 2% on the day following the release. The reaction to Exxon Mobil's ( XOM ) earnings was identical, and there are some similarities between the two stocks that should be kept in mind. Both CVX and XOM are up significantly since the beginning of the year, and it seems that the market had already fully priced-in the recent movements in commodity prices, thus leaving little room for positive surprises during the earnings calls. Data by YCharts More importantly, however, going into these events Chevron's stock was attractively priced, and its valuation was based on assumptions that seemed misaligned with the long-term equilibriums within the industry. That's why I upgraded the stock to a Strong Buy in early December of last year, and the decision has paid off. Having said that, my thesis did not rely on the specific geopolitical events that have transpired in recent weeks but rather was focused on the marked underestimating of the risks for the global energy sector and putting a price on Chevron that did not correspond with long-term equilibriums in the sector. During the Q1 report, the CEO of Chevron, Michael Wirth, began his statement by briefly touching upon recent events and what he called the anticipation of a "new equilibrium". I think that new equilibrium will look different than what we've known before, but I'm not sure I could argue with a lot of confidence that I could describe exactly what that looks like. Source: Chevron Q1 2026 Earnings Transcript This statement could have many interpretations, but going forward, a few things are certain: The importance of the energy sector within the economy would only grow as AI workloads require significant increases in power consumption and some industries are onshoring in the U.S. The world is gradually moving from a US-led unipolar to a bi- or multi-polar system that would inev...
I’ll never stop gushing about 2-in-1 USB-C cables. They’re really nice to have because, at this point, I’ve amassed so many devices that charge via USB-C. It’s also common for more than one to need to be recharged at a time, which is where they come in handy. I can charge my Nintendo Switch 2 and work-issued MacBook Air, or my Google Pixel 9 Pro and Kindle, without taking up more than one port on ...
I’ll never stop gushing about 2-in-1 USB-C cables. They’re really nice to have because, at this point, I’ve amassed so many devices that charge via USB-C. It’s also common for more than one to need to be recharged at a time, which is where they come in handy. I can charge my Nintendo Switch 2 and work-issued MacBook Air, or my Google Pixel 9 Pro and Kindle, without taking up more than one port on the power adapter. A couple of models that offer up to 140W passthrough charging speeds are currently matching their lowest price to date — including Anker’s braided option, which is available from Amazon and Anker in black or white starting at $14.99 ($3 off). If you don’t mind paying a bit more for a slightly longer cable, Native Union’s recycled 6.5-foot Belt Cable, which features an animal-free leather strap, is down to $23.99 ($6 off) in black or a zebra-like pattern directly from the manufacturer . Anker 140W 2-in-1 USB-C to USB-C Cable Where to Buy: $17.99 $14.99 at Amazon (four-foot) $19.99 $17.99 at Amazon (six-foot) $17.99 $14.99 at Anker (four-foot) While the two cables are slightly different lengths, functionality is identical. Both cables support USB 2.0 speeds topping out at 480 Mbps when connected to a data source, and only the first device connected to the two-headed cable can transfer data. They can also automatically allocate power across devices, depending on the speed of your wall adapter, sending more wattage to the higher-powered of the two devices you have plugged in. Native Union 140W 2-in-1-USB-C cable Where to Buy: $29.99 $23.99 at Native Union $29.99 at Amazon There are plenty of wall adapters that pair well with these cables, too, the kind that deliver zippy charging speeds to your connected devices. One example is Anker’s own four-port 140W charger, which offers three USB-C ports and a USB-A port. Normally $99.99, it’s currently down to $79.99 at Amazon for Prime members.
Russian Black Sea Town Plunged Into Environmental Catastrophe After 4th Drone Strike On Oil Complex Russia's Tuapse on the Black Sea can't catch a break as it has been hit by Ukrainian drones for the fourth time within only a month , after a series of devastating attacks in April which unleashed large fires. On Friday another fire broke out at a marine terminal in Tuapse after this latest Ukrainia...
Russian Black Sea Town Plunged Into Environmental Catastrophe After 4th Drone Strike On Oil Complex Russia's Tuapse on the Black Sea can't catch a break as it has been hit by Ukrainian drones for the fourth time within only a month , after a series of devastating attacks in April which unleashed large fires. On Friday another fire broke out at a marine terminal in Tuapse after this latest Ukrainian drone strike, regional emergency officials have confirmed. Over 100 fire-fighting personnel are battling the blaze. Tuapse has already been under a state of emergency for several days , when a Ukrainian drone strike triggered a massive refinery fire, forcing evacuations and spilling oil into coastal waters . 2026 Vantor/NBC via Getty Images That prior fire was only extinguished Thursday, and only 24 hours later the next drone strike hit . The town there has already been facing environmental disaster, with even black rain reported due to the constant thick black smoke hanging high above. Russia's consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor warned residents to limit time outdoors, keep windows closed, and wear masks due to elevated benzene levels - a highly toxic carcinogen - following repeated drone attacks. Local authorities have canceled all public events through at least the first ten days of May, covering Labor Day and Victory Day celebrations. President Putin said earlier in the week after a briefing from Kondratyev that there did not "seem to be any dangers and people are handling the challenges they face" amid the attacks. However, frustrated locals are desperately asking: what about Russian defensive measures and why have these failed so spectacularly? First, it should be noted that small drones have become efficient and their size advantage is seen in evading conventional radar and anti-air missiles, by and large. TASS only has this to offer by way of official statement : "Intensive efforts are underway" to prevent Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory . All details...