Fifteen years ago this week, Japan faced the biggest nuclear meltdown since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. While Soviet authorities entombed that plant in concrete, Tokyo decided on a very different approach — the Fukushima Dai-ichi facility would be entirely dismantled. The tsunami-devastated plant is taking a pioneering approach to the critical next phase of the world’s most complex clean-up opera...
Fifteen years ago this week, Japan faced the biggest nuclear meltdown since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. While Soviet authorities entombed that plant in concrete, Tokyo decided on a very different approach — the Fukushima Dai-ichi facility would be entirely dismantled. The tsunami-devastated plant is taking a pioneering approach to the critical next phase of the world’s most complex clean-up operation. If successful, it could become a blueprint for the global industry. Progress has been painfully slow, stalled by gaps in technical knowledge, cost overruns and the extreme caution required to deal with an unprecedented accident of such magnitude. “It’s an unknown world,” said Yuichi Sato, a spokesperson for the unit of Tokyo Electric Power Co. that is responsible for cleaning up the plant. Tepco, however, sees a potential breakthrough in the effort to extract about 880 tons of melted atomic fuel lodged at the bottom of three damaged reactors — thanks to a purpose-built, 22-meter robotic arm that will be deployed as early as this summer to obtain samples of the radioactive material. The results — as well as images captured by drone-mounted cameras — will be an important step toward full-scale extraction, a huge undertaking that isn’t slated to begin until 2037. The entire decommissioning process, costing hundreds of billions of dollars, is expected to last until the middle of this century. The project carries enormous significance for Japan and its nuclear power sector, which has struggled to rebuild public trust and restart reactors that were shuttered after the disaster. But it also matters for a global industry that is expanding rapidly to supply the stable, carbon-free electricity needed by massive projects such as artificial intelligence data centers . Eventually, this will also require safe and efficient ways to retire aging atomic plants. Of more than 200 reactors worldwide that have closed, only 11 with capacity of at least 100 megawatts have been fully decommi...
South Korea’s shorter-maturity bond yields are unlikely to revisit their February highs as the central bank prioritizes steadying markets over delivering near-term interest-rate hikes, strategists say. Korea remains vulnerable to tensions in the Middle East, which supplies the majority of its oil imports. While the spike in crude prices has hightened inflation concerns, analysts see limited upside...
South Korea’s shorter-maturity bond yields are unlikely to revisit their February highs as the central bank prioritizes steadying markets over delivering near-term interest-rate hikes, strategists say. Korea remains vulnerable to tensions in the Middle East, which supplies the majority of its oil imports. While the spike in crude prices has hightened inflation concerns, analysts see limited upside for shorter yields. Citigroup Inc. forecasts little prospect of central-bank tightening and Societe Generale SA is betting three-year yields will end this quarter well below last month’s 3.27% peak. While policymakers are focused on containing volatility, the Bank of Korea’s handling of the oil surge is emerging as a key driver of interest-rate expectations. The central bank must balance the risk of faster inflation against signs of slowing growth, meaning this week’s fourth-quarter data is assuming even greater importance for the monetary-policy outlook. “I see limited upside in Korean bond yields in the near term,” said Kiyong Seong , macro strategist at Societe Generale’s Hong Kong branch. “Higher inflation may weigh on sentiment to some extent, but much depends on the duration and magnitude of oil prices, which remain uncertain. As a result, the market is unlikely to price in a meaningful BOK rate hike.” Supply-demand dynamics are also expected to cap any increase in yields in coming months. The bond market is likely to draw support from anticipated inflows tied to Korea’s inclusion in an FTSE Russell index in April, with roughly $40 billion in net foreign purchases projected through November after accounting for some attrition, said Bumki Son , an economist at Barclays Plc. Still, rising global oil prices may add to cost pressures in March, the Bank of Korea said Friday, after data showed consumer prices rose 2% in February from a year earlier, matching January’s pace. With uncertainty surrounding developments in the Middle East, the inflation outlook will depend larg...
A war‑driven meltdown in Asian shares is spurring global investors’ interest in adding exposure to major chip firms, reflecting confidence that the artificial intelligence boom can withstand the Middle East conflict. Money managers from Aberdeen Investments to Invesco Ltd. and Fidelity International are doubling down on their AI bets, arguing that the latest selloff resulted more from panic sellin...
A war‑driven meltdown in Asian shares is spurring global investors’ interest in adding exposure to major chip firms, reflecting confidence that the artificial intelligence boom can withstand the Middle East conflict. Money managers from Aberdeen Investments to Invesco Ltd. and Fidelity International are doubling down on their AI bets, arguing that the latest selloff resulted more from panic selling than deteriorating business conditions. The plunge of over 6% in a key Asian equity gauge last week stood out against the S&P 500 Index’s 2% decline, underscoring signs of overreaction in the region. Before the Iran war broke out, leading chipmakers from South Korea and Taiwan had been big beneficiaries of Wall Street’s fears of AI’s disruptive impact, thanks to their dominance in the global supply chain. “We see this volatility as an opportunity to add into the correction,” said Pruksa Iamthongthong , head of Asia Pacific equities at Aberdeen Investments. “The recent selloff has been driven less by fundamentals and more by renewed stagflation concerns on higher oil prices.” The US-Israeli strikes on Iran have caused a greater impact on Asia than Wall Street, with the technology-heavy Korean benchmark suffering its biggest-ever selloff last week. As investors unwound positions built with borrowed funds, panic selling took hold and sent chip giants Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc. tumbling. Despite the weekly loss, the Asian share benchmark remains more than 7% higher for the year, versus a loss of 1.5% for the S&P 500. “The macro backdrop for Asia is the evolving semiconductor cycle, which I expect to continue to be robust this year driven by AI capex spending,” said David Chao , global market strategist at Invesco Asset Management. He views “any downdraft as a buying opportunity” given the solid fundamental outlook. Meanwhile, Fidelity International is looking to add exposure to Taiwan, a market dominated by chipmakers including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturin...
Americans have no shortage of concerns around the economy right now. Nearly half of investors are worried about the risk of a recession, according to The Motley Fool's 2026 Investor Outlook and Predictions Report. Forty-five percent admit they're concerned about stubbornly high inflation, while 37% are also worried about a weakening labor market. To be clear, nobody knows how the market will perfo...
Americans have no shortage of concerns around the economy right now. Nearly half of investors are worried about the risk of a recession, according to The Motley Fool's 2026 Investor Outlook and Predictions Report. Forty-five percent admit they're concerned about stubbornly high inflation, while 37% are also worried about a weakening labor market. To be clear, nobody knows how the market will perform for the remainder of 2026. But it never hurts to prepare for potential volatility anyway, and there are three Vanguard exchange-traded funds (ETFs) I'm loading up on to set my portfolio up for long-term success. 1. Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI 1.37%) aims to track the market as a whole, with a whopping 3,511 stocks across all sectors of the market. Broad-market funds like this can provide extra protection against market volatility. With so many stocks, it's less likely that a single company will significantly sway the ETF's performance. Even if an entire industry is hit especially hard, there are thousands of other stocks from more established sectors to help provide stability. Expand NYSEMKT : VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF Today's Change ( -1.37 %) $ -4.59 Current Price $ 331.41 Key Data Points Day's Range $ 330.00 - $ 333.15 52wk Range $ 236.42 - $ 344.42 Volume 8.6M For investors who are worried about an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble, the diversification found in broad-market funds like the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF can help limit the impact of tech industry volatility. 2. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO 1.34%) is similar to the Total Stock Market ETF in that it's a broad fund tracking a major market index. However, while the Total Stock Market ETF contains over 3,000 stocks of all sizes, the S&P 500 ETF holds only large-cap stocks from 500 companies. Investing solely in large-cap stocks can help hedge against risk, as larger companies are more likely to pull through downturns and earn po...
Luke Littler claimed a second straight UK Open title by beating James Wade 11-7 in the final in Minehead. Having thrashed Wade 11-2 in the 2025 decider, Littler again got the better of his fellow Englishman, albeit in a much closer contest. By doing so, Littler became the first player since Michael van Gerwen in 2015 and 2016 to win the 'FA Cup of darts' back-to-back. The 19-year-old world champio...
Luke Littler claimed a second straight UK Open title by beating James Wade 11-7 in the final in Minehead. Having thrashed Wade 11-2 in the 2025 decider, Littler again got the better of his fellow Englishman, albeit in a much closer contest. By doing so, Littler became the first player since Michael van Gerwen in 2015 and 2016 to win the 'FA Cup of darts' back-to-back. The 19-year-old world champion raced 3-0 ahead in the best-of-21-legs final but was pegged back to 3-3 by Wade. Littler promptly won the next three legs before, remarkably, Wade drew level again at 6-6. Three-time UK Open champion Wade was averaging just 88 at that point while Littler was at a shade over 100 - but some slack finishing by the world number one allowed 'The Machine' to stay in the contest. But while Wade raised his level and Littler never reached anywhere close to his best, the teenager was still able to reel off four straight legs from 7-7 to seal victory. Littler ended with an average of 99.58 and a checkout percentage of 35.48% - numbers which proved enough for him to take home the £120,000 prize money. "It feels amazing [to go back-to-back]," Littler told ITV4. "I don't think it's been the best of tournaments for me average-wise but I've dug deep throughout the tournament and I've come out with a win. "I wasn't happy with myself through the early rounds but, as a player, you've got to dig deep."
prim91/iStock via Getty Images Oil prices surged above $110 a barrel after escalating fighting in the Middle East disrupted production and shipping routes, tightening global energy supplies. Brent crude ( CO1:COM ) jumped as much as 20% to about $111 a barrel at the market open, while U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate ( CL1:COM ) rose as much as 22%. The rally follows output reductions by sev...
prim91/iStock via Getty Images Oil prices surged above $110 a barrel after escalating fighting in the Middle East disrupted production and shipping routes, tightening global energy supplies. Brent crude ( CO1:COM ) jumped as much as 20% to about $111 a barrel at the market open, while U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate ( CL1:COM ) rose as much as 22%. The rally follows output reductions by several producers and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping channel that normally carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil. The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have begun cutting production as storage capacity fills and tankers struggle to load cargoes. Iraq also started shutting in production last week as the regional conflict intensified. The supply shock comes after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran more than a week ago, with the fighting showing little sign of easing. The disruption of shipments through Hormuz, combined with attacks targeting energy infrastructure, has pushed both crude and natural-gas prices sharply higher. Energy analysts say the move above $100 a barrel could mark only the beginning of a larger rally if the war drags on and supply constraints worsen. At the same time, the widening conflict has pulled more countries into the crisis and raised concerns about renewed inflation pressure worldwide. U.S. gasoline prices have climbed to their highest levels since August 2024, potentially complicating the political outlook for President Donald Trump and Republicans ahead of midterm elections later this year. Despite the economic risks, Trump signaled a willingness to escalate further, saying in a social media post that the U.S. may consider striking additional locations and groups in Iran that were not previously targeted. The remarks followed comments from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Tehran would not retreat. Energy infrastructure across the region remains under threat. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted drones headed...
Hong Kong is well served by its two traditional medical schools. A third school taking shape at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology will add an innovative dimension to healthcare as well as a welcome boost to the supply of doctors. An emphasis on biotechnology and research, and the school’s ultimate location in the Northern Metropolis, near the Shenzhen tech hub, will foster partner...
Hong Kong is well served by its two traditional medical schools. A third school taking shape at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology will add an innovative dimension to healthcare as well as a welcome boost to the supply of doctors. An emphasis on biotechnology and research, and the school’s ultimate location in the Northern Metropolis, near the Shenzhen tech hub, will foster partnerships and collaboration with the rest of the Greater Bay Area. The first intake of 50 students at the new graduate medical school will be in 2028-29, but there is no time to lose in preparation and speeding up construction, as we are reminded in an update from HKUST chiefs. About 20 per cent of the 50 places in the HKUST medical school’s inaugural intake may be reserved for non-local students, expected to be mostly from the mainland. The emphasis in student admission to the four-year course will be a background in biotechnology. HKUST president Nancy Ip Yuk-yu said, “This innovative medical school combines artificial intelligence, biotechnology and clinical medicine to cultivate a new generation of doctors who embrace technology.” The university will position the new medical school to complement the existing ones at the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Advertisement Professor Wong Yung-hou, dean of science at HKUST, said the non-local students were most likely to come from mainland China, adding, “I think they will stay in Hong Kong upon graduation.” Ip said the first complex of the new medical school at the university’s Clear Water Bay campus would be completed in the second quarter of 2028. Construction of the future school in Ngau Tam Mei in the Northern Metropolis is expected to finish in 2033 or 2034. Advertisement While hi-tech is globally competitive, biotechnology, life sciences and pharmaceutical development offer scope for Hong Kong, mainland China and the United States to cooperate on public health issues. US and other venture capi...
Key Points The West offers some of the nation’s best outdoor activities -- without draining your retirement savings. Some areas have warm weather year round; others get multiple feet of snow each year. These top spots offer some of the best qualities of the Western U.S. without exorbitant housing prices. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › The West has some of the...
Key Points The West offers some of the nation’s best outdoor activities -- without draining your retirement savings. Some areas have warm weather year round; others get multiple feet of snow each year. These top spots offer some of the best qualities of the Western U.S. without exorbitant housing prices. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › The West has some of the most expensive cities in the country. San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle are some of the priciest areas, but it is possible to live here without spending a fortune on housing. These are some of the best places to retire in the West for people who are looking to save money, especially as retirement looms. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Tucson, Arizona Tucson is a little less than two hours away from Phoenix by car, but there's a lot to do in this affordable city. Hikers will be delighted to walk through the Saguaro National Park and the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area. Tucson Mountain Park is a 20,000-acre haven for hikers seeking complete immersion in nature. It also has several museums and historical sites that give the city some charm beyond its hiking trails. The Tucson Botanical Gardens and Reid Park Zoo are two popular options. Tucson has a median home price of $275,000, which is slightly down year over year, according to Realtor.com. Affordability was a key factor for retirees in The Motley Fool's Best Places to Retire Index, which bodes well for anyone considering Tucson. Spokane, Washington It takes about four hours to drive down from Spokane to Seattle. But thanks to the many amenities Spokane already offers, it isn't necessary to drive down to Seattle. Spokane has a median housing price of $420,000, which is down by roughly 1% year over year. The median rent is $1,650 per mo...
Ukrainian ministers launched a protest at plans to reopen the Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale, in a statement published in Kyiv on Sunday. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Culture Minister Tetyana Berezhna called the admission of Russian artists to international events unacceptable and asked the organisers to reconsider their decision. After all, they had condemned Moscow’s aggression so...
Ukrainian ministers launched a protest at plans to reopen the Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale, in a statement published in Kyiv on Sunday. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Culture Minister Tetyana Berezhna called the admission of Russian artists to international events unacceptable and asked the organisers to reconsider their decision. After all, they had condemned Moscow’s aggression soon after the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine more than four years ago, they noted. Advertisement “It is incomprehensible to us why this position is changing now, when Russia refuses to stop the war, rejects peace efforts and dialogue, and instead continues to rely on terror and atrocities,” they said. “Under such conditions, any policy changes or softening of restrictions have no real basis and can only send a dangerous signal of support for aggression, tolerance of Russian war crimes and the normalisation of the Russian occupiers’ genocidal policy,” the joint statement said. Advertisement They said the cultural sector must be protected from war propaganda, meaning there was no reason to lift restrictions; rather, doing so could send a dangerous signal of support for the aggression.
Key Points The pullback in U.S. equities resulting from the conflict in Iran is creating buy-the-dip opportunities for savvy investors. There may be the temptation to choose individual sectors or themes, but I don't think that's the best way to go. Buying the entire equity market limits some downside risk and works better with the overall economic growth narrative. 10 stocks we like better than Va...
Key Points The pullback in U.S. equities resulting from the conflict in Iran is creating buy-the-dip opportunities for savvy investors. There may be the temptation to choose individual sectors or themes, but I don't think that's the best way to go. Buying the entire equity market limits some downside risk and works better with the overall economic growth narrative. 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF › For the first time in 2026, the market is facing a real jolt of worry. The conflict in Iran has pushed equity volatility to its highest levels of the year. The 10-year Treasury yield briefly hit its lowest point since April 2025. Investors genuinely seem spooked. Long-term investors could view this as an opportunity. If you believe that geopolitical events tend to be more short-term in nature, this could be a temporary dip that can be taken advantage of. At a high level, the U.S. economy is still expanding and corporate earnings growth remains robust. Those are the factors that support the long-term growth of equity prices even in the face of short-term volatility. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » I generally keep some cash on the sidelines in my portfolio for times just like this. Short-term disruptions can be a chance to buy successful companies at discounted prices. But I don't try to buy individual winners or even specific sectors. I like to buy the whole market on the dip and simply take advantage of lower prices. For that, I buy the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT: VTI). Buying the whole market on the dips Investors tend to use recent performance as a guide for where to put their money. Last year, tech ETFs saw some of the biggest net inflows as a result of the artificial intelligence (AI) rally. This year, however, has been a different story. ...