Israel’s decision to authorise its military to kill any senior Iranian official on its assassination list has raised significant new questions about its so-called decapitation strategy and what it is intended to achieve. Privately, Israeli officials have briefed their US counterparts that in the event of an uprising, Iran’s opposition would be “slaughtered”. That appears to be at odds with Benjami...
Israel’s decision to authorise its military to kill any senior Iranian official on its assassination list has raised significant new questions about its so-called decapitation strategy and what it is intended to achieve. Privately, Israeli officials have briefed their US counterparts that in the event of an uprising, Iran’s opposition would be “slaughtered”. That appears to be at odds with Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategy to pursue regime change by targeting senior figures in Iran’s political and security apparatus. Even before the outbreak of full-scale war, however, Iran experts and analysts – and some former Israeli officials – were sceptical that Iran’s clerical regime could be toppled by such strikes. So far the targeted attacks have killed the supreme leader Ali Khamenei, the security chief Ali Larijani and the intelligence minister Esmail Khatib, among others. At the heart of the issue is the structure and resilience of Iran’s regime – and how both the regime and the Iranian public respond to such attacks. Before the US and Israel launched their attacks three weeks ago, experts had assessed that the regime was stagnating in the face of protests and that some kind of change appeared inevitable. That dynamic has now changed. “This isn’t a personalised regime,” said Sanam Vakil, an Iran expert at Chatham House. “There are institutional layers under every individual and I suspect that the response to decapitation strikes would be to simply [promote] from within – although that risks bringing up unknown and untested individuals. Given the Israeli success rate you could imagine there are perhaps lower-rank individuals not so amenable to moving up the system in what is dangerous work.” Thus far, Vakil does not judge Israel’s decapitation strategy to have been successful. “At the moment it seems to be buying time, and I’m not sure what the US is trying to achieve, but there exists a potential for air to be blown back into the system to rejuvenate a regime that was becom...
Cesar Chavez abused and raped women and girls, NYT investigation says toggle caption George Brich/ AP/AP Cesar Chavez, the famed union leader and champion of farmworker rights, has been accused of sexually abusing two girls in the 1970s as well as Dolores Huerta, with whom he co-founded the United Farm Workers, in the 1960s, according to an investigation published by the New York Times. The newspa...
Cesar Chavez abused and raped women and girls, NYT investigation says toggle caption George Brich/ AP/AP Cesar Chavez, the famed union leader and champion of farmworker rights, has been accused of sexually abusing two girls in the 1970s as well as Dolores Huerta, with whom he co-founded the United Farm Workers, in the 1960s, according to an investigation published by the New York Times. The newspaper spoke with two women who said they were children when Chavez began to groom and sexually abuse them during his time as UFW president. One of the women said Chavez raped her in a motel room in 1975 when she was 15 years old and he was 47. The other woman said Chavez began groping her in his office at the union's headquarters when she was 13. Both women, now in their 60s, were the daughters of organizers within the farmworker movement. Sponsor Message NPR has not independently investigated the allegations against Chavez, who died in 1993. The New York Times spoke with more than 60 people and reviewed documents and other materials bolstering his accuser's stories. Huerta, a labor leader long revered for her work on behalf of farmworkers alongside Chavez, told the newspaper that he raped her in a car in 1966. She told the Times that "Mr. Chavez drove her out to a secluded grape field in Delano, Calif., parked and forced her to have sex inside the vehicle." Huerta told the newspaper that she chose not to tell anyone about the rape because "she feared that no one within the union would believe her." In a statement posted to Medium on Wednesday, Huerta wrote: "I am nearly 96 years old, and for the last 60 years have kept a secret because I believed that exposing the truth would hurt the farmworker movement I have spent my entire life fighting for." She wrote that she had two separate encounters with Chavez in the 1960s. "The first time, I was manipulated and pressured into having sex with him, and I didn't feel I could say no because he was someone that I admired, my boss and ...
Key Points GQRE charges a notably higher expense ratio but sports a higher dividend yield than REET. Both funds delivered nearly identical 1-year returns, yet GQRE saw a deeper five-year drawdown and holds fewer positions. REET offers significantly more assets under management than GQRE. 10 stocks we like better than FlexShares Trust - FlexShares Global Quality Real Estate Index Fund › The iShares...
Key Points GQRE charges a notably higher expense ratio but sports a higher dividend yield than REET. Both funds delivered nearly identical 1-year returns, yet GQRE saw a deeper five-year drawdown and holds fewer positions. REET offers significantly more assets under management than GQRE. 10 stocks we like better than FlexShares Trust - FlexShares Global Quality Real Estate Index Fund › The iShares Global REIT ETF (NYSEMKT:REET) and FlexShares Global Quality Real Estate Index Fund (NYSEMKT:GQRE) both target global real estate exposure, but differ sharply on cost, yield, and size. Both REET and GQRE aim for broad global real estate diversification, yet their approaches and investor experiences can diverge. This comparison weighs their cost, performance, liquidity, risk, and portfolio specifics to help investors decide which may better suit different priorities in the real estate ETF landscape. Snapshot (cost & size) Metric REET GQRE Issuer IShares FlexShares Expense ratio 0.14% 0.45% 1-yr return (as of 2026-03-16) 12.30% 12.97% Dividend yield 3.5% 4.5% Beta 1.07 1.01 AUM $4.6 billion $357.0 million Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. GQRE charges more than triple REET’s annual fee, which could matter for long-term cost-conscious investors, but it also offers a higher dividend yield that may appeal to those seeking income. Performance & risk comparison Metric REET GQRE Max drawdown (5 y) -32.06% -35.07% Growth of $1,000 over 5 years $1,188 $1,202 What's inside FlexShares Global Quality Real Estate Index Fund holds about 174 securities with a 12.4-year history, focusing exclusively on real estate companies. Its largest positions include American Tower (NYSE:AMT), Prologis (NYSE:PLD), and Welltower (NYSE:WELL), with no significant tilts toward other sectors. The fund’s portfolio design emphasizes global diversification and tracks the...
Alvaro Fernandez Echeverria/iStock Editorial via Getty Images By Ezequiel Gomes The market for XRP ( XRP-USD ) is entering a phase of measured consolidation this Wednesday as digital asset participants move past the finality of federal court proceedings. After years of legal uncertainty, the definitive closure of the case against Ripple Labs has shifted the focus from courtroom headlines to the a...
Alvaro Fernandez Echeverria/iStock Editorial via Getty Images By Ezequiel Gomes The market for XRP ( XRP-USD ) is entering a phase of measured consolidation this Wednesday as digital asset participants move past the finality of federal court proceedings. After years of legal uncertainty, the definitive closure of the case against Ripple Labs has shifted the focus from courtroom headlines to the actual mechanics of institutional adoption within the U.S. financial sector. With the token currently hovering in a narrow band, the focus is now on whether the removal of regulatory overhang can offset a cautious macroeconomic climate and spark a fresh leg up. The immediate price action for the token shows a cooling of the volatile swings witnessed earlier in the month. Following a successful test of the $1.28 floor, the asset has established a base that appears to be attracting longer-term holders looking for stability. This strangulation of the trading range suggests that the aggressive selling pressure tied to settlement uncertainty has largely been absorbed by the market at this point. Chart moves are revealing a narrowing corridor that typically precedes higher volatility. The resistance is near the $1.55 mark - a level that has proven difficult to breach throughout the current quarter. A decisive move above this price region, with high volume, would likely clear the way for a run toward the $1.80 region, while a slip below $1.25 might invite a retest of the psychological $1.00 level. Liquidity profiles on major exchanges indicate a steadying of order books, with bid depth increasing significantly near current prices. The relative strength index is currently positioned in neutral territory, suggesting the market is neither overextended nor exhausted. This technical equilibrium gives the asset room to breathe as it awaits a fresh fundamental catalyst to dictate its next major directional move. XRP price dynamics (February 2026-March 2026) (Source: TradingView) The trans...
Lincoln International CEO Rob Brown joins Dani Burger on "Bloomberg Deals." Chicago investment bank Lincoln International does valuations for about a third of all US private credit loans. Brown says the underlying data on private credit does not match the recent wave of negative headlines about the sector. (Source: Bloomberg)
Lincoln International CEO Rob Brown joins Dani Burger on "Bloomberg Deals." Chicago investment bank Lincoln International does valuations for about a third of all US private credit loans. Brown says the underlying data on private credit does not match the recent wave of negative headlines about the sector. (Source: Bloomberg)
It's a brand new day, and yet Nvidia investors are asking themselves the same old question: What's it going to take to get this frustrating stock rolling again? If that sounds familiar, well, that's because it is. Not even 24 hours ago, we explored why Nvidia's stock has been stuck in the mud despite a flurry of good news — both this week during its buzzy AI conference called GTC (short for GPU Te...
It's a brand new day, and yet Nvidia investors are asking themselves the same old question: What's it going to take to get this frustrating stock rolling again? If that sounds familiar, well, that's because it is. Not even 24 hours ago, we explored why Nvidia's stock has been stuck in the mud despite a flurry of good news — both this week during its buzzy AI conference called GTC (short for GPU Technology Conference) and over the past few months. Now, we have yet another positive update about Nvidia's business prospects and an important clarification on the company's demand outlook, all for the stock to once again do next to nothing. After moving lower Wednesday morning, shares are up fractionally in afternoon trading. That advance pales in comparison to what we've learned since we published our last Nvidia story. So, our advice remains the same: Stick with the stock, and if you don't own any, this is a great chance to get in. Late Tuesday, CEO Jensen Huang said at a press conference that t he company had restarted manufacturing of a Hopper-generation AI chip, known as the H200, for the Chinese market. Hopper is the predecessor to Nvidia's current Blackwell family of chips. Jensen later told our CNBC colleague Kristina Partsinevelos that Nvidia had clearance from both governments to restart Hopper sales — with Beijing's stamp of approval being the most notable detail. Then, early Wednesday morning, Reuters reported Nvidia was already working on a modified version of its new Groq-infused AI inference chip for the Chinese market. China represents a major growth opportunity for Nvidia, but the company had become locked out of the market due to geopolitical tensions between the world's two largest economies. Starting under former President Joe Biden, the U.S. banned the sale of Nvidia's most cutting-edge chips to China. The company was initially able to sell throttled-back versions of its chips to Chinese customers, but nearly a year ago, the Trump administration curtai...
Nidwalden canton police said the woman was alone in the Titlis Xpress ski gondola when it detached from the cable. The gondola had just left the Trübsee station and was climbing the middle section of the mountain when the accident appears to have happened.
Nidwalden canton police said the woman was alone in the Titlis Xpress ski gondola when it detached from the cable. The gondola had just left the Trübsee station and was climbing the middle section of the mountain when the accident appears to have happened.
Dilok Klaisataporn The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee held its policy rate steady between 3.5% and 3.7% while revising upward its inflation forecast, as an “evolving oil and energy shock has created an elevated sense of uncertainty,” according to Joseph Brusuelas, principal and chief economist at RSM US. The unemployment rate forecast remains at 4.4%, with projections still indicating one 2...
Dilok Klaisataporn The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee held its policy rate steady between 3.5% and 3.7% while revising upward its inflation forecast, as an “evolving oil and energy shock has created an elevated sense of uncertainty,” according to Joseph Brusuelas, principal and chief economist at RSM US. The unemployment rate forecast remains at 4.4%, with projections still indicating one 25 basis point rate cut, which Brusuelas said is “likely to be pushed back to later this year.” The Fed also revised its PCE and Core PCE inflation forecasts to 2.7% for the year. The current energy crisis cascading through the American economy represents a “central banker’s nightmare,” according to the economist, as it creates tension between a shaky labor market and rising inflation. Brusuelas expressed doubt about the Fed’s optimistic outlook, noting he is “somewhat skeptical that the economy will just charge right through this while inflation increases” and grow at the revised 2.4% pace, up from the previous 2.3% forecast. More on Interest Rates Federal Reserve keeps policy on hold for third straight meeting, as expected ECB seen holding rates as inflation risks re-emerge over energy shock Bank of Canada holds policy rate at 2.25% amid uncertainty over Middle East conflict Fed rate cut odds for June, July meetings dip after hot PPI data Brace For 'Sharply Higher Rates' - The FOMC Meeting Preview
Graphics processing units (GPUs) have been the go-to chips for hyperscalers and artificial intelligence (AI) companies in the past three and a half years. That's not surprising, as GPUs pack massive parallel computing power, making them ideal for carrying out vast calculations simultaneously that are needed for AI model training and inference. However, GPUs have been losing ground to another type ...
Graphics processing units (GPUs) have been the go-to chips for hyperscalers and artificial intelligence (AI) companies in the past three and a half years. That's not surprising, as GPUs pack massive parallel computing power, making them ideal for carrying out vast calculations simultaneously that are needed for AI model training and inference. However, GPUs have been losing ground to another type of chip known as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). These ASICs, popularly known as custom processors, are designed for specific tasks. As a result, they differ from GPUs, which are general-purpose chips. Since ASICs are custom-made to perform a specific task, they are reportedly 30% to 40% more power-efficient than GPUs while offering better performance. Not surprisingly, custom AI chips are better suited for AI inference applications, which don't require the horsepower needed to train AI models. As a result, TrendForce expects sales of ASICs to increase by 45% in 2026, well above the 16% anticipated increase in GPU shipments. Investors can capitalize on this fast-growing AI niche by investing in shares of Broadcom (AVGO 0.99%) and Marvell Technology (MRVL 2.80%), the two leading players in ASICs. But if you were to invest in one of these two semiconductor stocks right now, which one should you be buying? Broadcom and Marvell Technology both growing at a solid pace The latest results from Broadcom and Marvell, released this month, clearly show that both companies are benefiting nicely from the adoption of custom AI chips in data centers. Marvell reported a 22% year-over-year increase in revenue in its fiscal 2026's fourth quarter (which ended on Jan. 31) to $2.22 billion. Its adjusted earnings increased by an even more impressive 33% to $0.80 per share. Marvell's data center business has received a nice shot in the arm thanks to the adoption of its networking components and custom processors. The company points out that its custom processor revenue doubled i...
Key Points Broadcom and Marvell are sitting on a lucrative opportunity in custom AI chips, which are in high demand. Both of these companies have a strong customer base and expect AI revenue to accelerate. However, the valuation suggests that one of them could be a better buy right now. 10 stocks we like better than Broadcom › Graphics processing units (GPUs) have been the go-to chips for hypersca...
Key Points Broadcom and Marvell are sitting on a lucrative opportunity in custom AI chips, which are in high demand. Both of these companies have a strong customer base and expect AI revenue to accelerate. However, the valuation suggests that one of them could be a better buy right now. 10 stocks we like better than Broadcom › Graphics processing units (GPUs) have been the go-to chips for hyperscalers and artificial intelligence (AI) companies in the past three and a half years. That's not surprising, as GPUs pack massive parallel computing power, making them ideal for carrying out vast calculations simultaneously that are needed for AI model training and inference. However, GPUs have been losing ground to another type of chip known as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). These ASICs, popularly known as custom processors, are designed for specific tasks. As a result, they differ from GPUs, which are general-purpose chips. Since ASICs are custom-made to perform a specific task, they are reportedly 30% to 40% more power-efficient than GPUs while offering better performance. 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 » Not surprisingly, custom AI chips are better suited for AI inference applications, which don't require the horsepower needed to train AI models. As a result, TrendForce expects sales of ASICs to increase by 45% in 2026, well above the 16% anticipated increase in GPU shipments. Investors can capitalize on this fast-growing AI niche by investing in shares of Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) and Marvell Technology (NASDAQ: MRVL), the two leading players in ASICs. But if you were to invest in one of these two semiconductor stocks right now, which one should you be buying? Broadcom and Marvell Technology both growing at a solid pace The latest results from Broadcom and Marvell, relea...
Watch Live: Fed Chair Powell's Penultimate Press Conference Fed Chair Powell may be wishing he had quit a month ago as he faces his penultimate press conference (perhaps) amid a dramatically changing global economic and geopolitical environment. Markets anticipate a "hawkish hold," with Powell reinforcing the statement's "hold" that The Fed is prioritizing caution amid heightened uncertainty . On ...
Watch Live: Fed Chair Powell's Penultimate Press Conference Fed Chair Powell may be wishing he had quit a month ago as he faces his penultimate press conference (perhaps) amid a dramatically changing global economic and geopolitical environment. Markets anticipate a "hawkish hold," with Powell reinforcing the statement's "hold" that The Fed is prioritizing caution amid heightened uncertainty . On the bright side, an activist judge rejected the Trump admin's suit against him - so one reporter is bound to ask him about that (and whether he will stay on as a Governor after his term is up). On the darker side - will the reporters ask all the tough questions about whether inflationary pressures from an oil crisis can be 'looked through' as transitory? Powell is expected, as usual, to emphasize patience, a data-dependent "wait-and-see" approach, and no rush for policy shifts. He'll likely downplay any major pivot, highlight dual-mandate risks (employment vs. price stability), and, as always, avoid concrete commitments on future cuts (or hikes) - now potentially delayed to later in 2026 (e.g., October/December) if at all. Sue Hill, senior portfolio manager and head of government liquidity group at Federated Hermes, said the focus will remain on the Fed’s expectations for inflation and growth given the runup in oil prices. “ While Chair Powell may officially convey that it’s too soon to tell what the impact will be , we’ll see hints of the Fed’s thinking in any revisions to the summary of economic projections and the dot plot.” And we did with the SEP showing higher inflation expectations (despite dots being basically unch)... MUFG’s George Goncalves says this is a “neutral” statement from the FOMC. “The statement tweaks are an attempt at trying to avoid sending any signals while conveying they are on guard for any growth shocks and inflation spillover from the Middle East Conflict.” We would expect much usage of the term: ... "monitoring developments" Watch the full press ...
Bob Michele, JPMorgan Asset Management's global head of fixed income, reacts to the decision by the Federal Reserve's policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee to leave interest rates unchanged. (Source: Bloomberg)
Bob Michele, JPMorgan Asset Management's global head of fixed income, reacts to the decision by the Federal Reserve's policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee to leave interest rates unchanged. (Source: Bloomberg)
Oselote/iStock via Getty Images Overview When I previously covered the Duff & Phelps Utility and Infrastructure Fund Inc. ( DPG ), I issued a Hold rating due to the fund's efficiency but underperformance against peers. Since my last coverage, the fund has experienced meaningful upside, resulting in a total return greater than 16% that outpaced the S&P 500 ( SP500 ). However, I wanted to revisit DP...
Oselote/iStock via Getty Images Overview When I previously covered the Duff & Phelps Utility and Infrastructure Fund Inc. ( DPG ), I issued a Hold rating due to the fund's efficiency but underperformance against peers. Since my last coverage, the fund has experienced meaningful upside, resulting in a total return greater than 16% that outpaced the S&P 500 ( SP500 ). However, I wanted to revisit DPG and take a more dedicated look at the fund by itself. I believe that the fund has a renewed growth catalyst that can take its share price higher over the next few years. While it may not appear so on the surface level, I believe that DPG is directly aligned to participate in the expansion of the AI market in some capacity. Looking at the performance over the last twelve months, we can see that the share price has appreciated by more than 21%. Most of this increase happened over the last two months, guided by the market's rotation into energy and utility stocks. When including all distributions that were paid out to shareholders, the total return jumps up to nearly 29.2% over the same time frame. Following the price increase, DPG now offers investors a starting dividend yield of 5.7% while issuing those payouts on a monthly basis. Data by YCharts Despite the recent spike in share price, the fund still trades at a great price to NAV valuation. As interest rates remain elevated, this can provide an opportunity for long-term investors to accumulate. I believe that a lower interest rate environment will stimulate faster earnings growth across the infrastructure sector, as we see a faster deployment of data centers. So let's start with a quick review of DPG's strategy. Fund Strategy DPG is a fund that can provide investors with instant diversification across the many sub-sectors of infrastructure. What I like about this is that the portfolio provides us with a way to get exposure to 'real assets', across the areas of the market that provide the essential services that support a...
Rory McIlroy will use one of his mother's favourite dishes among appetisers, that also include elk, when he hosts the traditional champion's dinner before his defence of the Masters next month. The most recent winner at Augusta selects the menu for other past champions at an occasion which takes place in the clubhouse on the Tuesday evening of Masters week. McIlroy's choices include some of his fa...
Rory McIlroy will use one of his mother's favourite dishes among appetisers, that also include elk, when he hosts the traditional champion's dinner before his defence of the Masters next month. The most recent winner at Augusta selects the menu for other past champions at an occasion which takes place in the clubhouse on the Tuesday evening of Masters week. McIlroy's choices include some of his favourite dishes, as well as a reminder from his dramatic 2025 victory, which ended an 11-year wait to complete the career Grand Slam of major titles. "I think it would be pretty presumptuous to have a menu in your head before you actually win the tournament," said the Northern Irishman. "But I always thought about, if I win the Masters one day, what would I want it to look like? What would I like to serve? "I felt this time around, I wanted to do something that I would enjoy, but I wanted to do something that all other champions would enjoy, as well." Before McIlroy and former champions such as Scottie Scheffler, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson sit down, they will have a choice of four appetisers. "My Mum does these really, really nice dates stuffed with goat cheese wrapped in bacon, so I put those on the appetisers list. So thanks to Rosie for that one. "In the build-up to the Masters last year, I got this big shipment of elk and I was eating a lot of that, and I didn't want elk to be the main course because I didn't know if everyone would like that. "I incorporated that into the appetisers so I'm doing grilled elk sliders, which I think is fun." There will also be shrimp tempura and Georgia peach and ricotta flatbread with hot honey. The starter is a nod to McIlroy's favourite New York restaurant, Le Bernardin, where the 36-year-old always orders yellowfin tuna carpaccio. "That's a fun one that the club worked with me on," he added. "They went up to the restaurant and worked with the chefs, and made sure. They obviously wanted to get it right for the night."
Getty Images Shares of SL Green ( SLG ) have seen a positive reaction in response to a small divestment, albeit this recovery comes after a tough time recently. Shares of the New York office landlord and developer business peaked in the $100s in the 2000s and 2010s, plummeted to the $20 mark in 2023, recovered to the $80 mark in 2024, and are now cut in half again. While I'm usually attracted to s...
Getty Images Shares of SL Green ( SLG ) have seen a positive reaction in response to a small divestment, albeit this recovery comes after a tough time recently. Shares of the New York office landlord and developer business peaked in the $100s in the 2000s and 2010s, plummeted to the $20 mark in 2023, recovered to the $80 mark in 2024, and are now cut in half again. While I'm usually attracted to setbacks, it's both a very opaque business model and a lack of a real track record that prevent me from getting involved, even as the company is slimming down the balance sheet. While I'm usually attracted to setbacks (something we cover in Value In Corporate Events) , it's both a very opaque business model and a lack of a real track record that prevent me from getting involved. A Small Sale Halfway through March, SL Green announced it would sell the residential and retail component of its 7 Dey Street property in a $222 million deal. The building totals about 260,000 square feet of space, most of which is residential space, complemented by retail space and offices, the latter (at 26,000 square feet) being retained by SL Green. This is a relatively smaller deal in the grand scheme of things, with SL Green reporting interests held in over 31 million square feet of buildings, with the footprint shrinking by less than a percent as a result of the transaction. This deal actually follows another smaller sale earlier this month. At the start of March, SL Green announced a $54 million deal to sell 690 Madison Avenue, a nearly 8,000-square-foot commercial building that is leased out to luxury firm Richemond. A Tough Read These asset deals follow the release of 2025 results in January, as the results remain hard to read. This comes as the business acts both as an investor and developer of buildings. Moreover, investments range from standalone developments, joint ventures, and cooperative vehicles, as well as loans being apparent on the asset side of the balance sheet. As of 2025, the...