Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images News "It's too soon to know the scope and duration of potential effects on the economy" from the Middle East conflict, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday at his post-rate decision press conference. With the Federal Open Market Committee keeping its key rate unchanged at 3.50%-3.75%, Powell called the level "within plausible estimates of neutral" — the ...
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images News "It's too soon to know the scope and duration of potential effects on the economy" from the Middle East conflict, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday at his post-rate decision press conference. With the Federal Open Market Committee keeping its key rate unchanged at 3.50%-3.75%, Powell called the level "within plausible estimates of neutral" — the point at which interest rates neither stimulate nor depress the economy. There will be some effects on inflation coming forward, he said. But he expects to see more progress on inflation at about mid-year as tariffs lap from a year ago. "If we don't see inflation progress, you won't see a rate cut," Powell noted. The current inflation overshoot is mainly from tariffs on goods, he added. 2:51 PM ET: "I have no intention of leaving the board until the Department of Justice investigation on him is "well and truly over." He has not yet made a decision on whether he will stay on the board after the investigation has concluded. 2:50 PM ET: Policy is now at the "right place," he said. Powell characterized policy as "on the higher borderline of restrictive vs. not restrictive." The tightness of policy is either at the "high end of neutral or mildly, maybe even moderately neutral." Updated at 2:45 PM ET: "The net of the oil shock" will be downward pressure on spending and upward pressure on inflation, Powell said. Consumer and business spending has remained resilient, while the housing market remains weak, he said. The Federal Open Market Committee members' median projection for GDP growth in 2026 increased to 2.4% Job openings, the unemployment rate, and wage growth have shown little change, he observed. Developing… Check back for updates. More on Rates 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 'S...
Douglas Rissing The Federal Reserve added a fresh note of geopolitical caution to its policy statement on Wednesday, saying the "implications of developments in the Middle East for the U.S. economy are uncertain." In a sign that the Fed officials now see the Iran war as a live risk to both inflation and growth, the new language puts the Middle East conflict directly into the central bank's framewo...
Douglas Rissing The Federal Reserve added a fresh note of geopolitical caution to its policy statement on Wednesday, saying the "implications of developments in the Middle East for the U.S. economy are uncertain." In a sign that the Fed officials now see the Iran war as a live risk to both inflation and growth, the new language puts the Middle East conflict directly into the central bank's framework without committing policymakers to a clear read on the fallout. The monetary authority held its key interest rate at 3.50%-3.75% for a third straight meeting on Wednesday, as widely expected, and said it remained attentive to risks on both sides of its dual mandate against a backdrop of surging energy costs. All but one of the committee members — Stephen Miran — voted to keep its rate unchanged. He preferred to cut the target range by 25 basis points. Oil prices ( CL1:COM ) ( CO1:COM ) have surged since the conflict started, but the Fed statement offered no hint that officials are ready to redraw the policy path on that basis alone. The Fed on Wednesday made no changes to its median interest rate projections, with a quarter-point reduction still penciled in for 2026. "Basically, these projections assume no real impact from the war - presumably because its too early to tell what those effects will be," TS Lombard macro strategist Dario Perkins said of the Fed's Summary of Economic Projections in a post on X. During the post-meeting presser, Powell said "it's too soon to know the scope and duration of potential effects on the economy" from the Middle East conflict." More on S&P 500 Index U.S. Stock Market Outlook And Levels - Dow Jones Back Below 47,000 As Traders Prepare For High-Impact FOMC The Trump Effort Is Finding A Way Everyone Thinks The Bottom Is In: That's Precisely The Problem U.S. stocks sink after the Fed announces no change in interest rates Cyborg cockroaches are headed for pipelines
Shareholders with losses of $50,000 or more are encouraged to contact the firm. LOS ANGELES , March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that investors with losses related to Oracle Corporation ("Oracle" or the "Company") (NYSE: ORCL) have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit. IF YOU ARE AN INVESTOR WHO SUFFERED A LOSS IN ORACLE CORPORATION (...
Shareholders with losses of $50,000 or more are encouraged to contact the firm. LOS ANGELES , March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that investors with losses related to Oracle Corporation ("Oracle" or the "Company") (NYSE: ORCL) have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit. IF YOU ARE AN INVESTOR WHO SUFFERED A LOSS IN ORACLE CORPORATION (ORCL), CLICK HERE BEFORE APRIL 6, 2026 (THE LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE) TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ONGOING SECURITIES FRAUD LAWSUIT. What Is The Lawsuit About? The complaint filed alleges that, between June 12, 2025 and December 16, 2025 , Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Oracle's AI infrastructure strategy would result in massive increases in CapEx without equivalent, near-term growth in revenue; (2) the Company's substantially increased spending created serious risks involving Oracle's debt and credit rating, free cash flow, and ability to fund its projects, among other concerns; and (3) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. Contact Us To Participate or Learn More: If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact us. The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz , Email us at: info@frankcruzlaw.com Call us at: 310-914-5007 Visit our website at: www.frankcruzlaw.com Follow us for updates on Twitter: twitter.com/FRC_LAW. If you inquire by email, please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applica...
Shareholders with losses of $50,000 or more are encouraged to contact the firm. LOS ANGELES, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that investors with losses related to Oracle Corporation ("Oracle" or the "Company") (NYSE: ORCL) have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit. IF YOU ARE AN INVESTOR WHO SUFFERED A LOSS IN ORACLE CORPORATION (O...
Shareholders with losses of $50,000 or more are encouraged to contact the firm. LOS ANGELES, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that investors with losses related to Oracle Corporation ("Oracle" or the "Company") (NYSE: ORCL) have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit. IF YOU ARE AN INVESTOR WHO SUFFERED A LOSS IN ORACLE CORPORATION (ORCL), CLICK HERE BEFORE APRIL 6, 2026 (THE LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE) TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ONGOING SECURITIES FRAUD LAWSUIT. What Is The Lawsuit About? The complaint filed alleges that, between June 12, 2025 and December 16, 2025, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Oracle's AI infrastructure strategy would result in massive increases in CapEx without equivalent, near-term growth in revenue; (2) the Company's substantially increased spending created serious risks involving Oracle's debt and credit rating, free cash flow, and ability to fund its projects, among other concerns; and (3) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. Contact Us To Participate or Learn More: If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact us. The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, Email us at: [email protected] Call us at: 310-914-5007 Visit our website at: www.frankcruzlaw.com Follow us for updates on Twitter: twitter.com/FRC_LAW. If you inquire by email, please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law...
Why has this meningitis outbreak spread so fast? There have been 20 cases since the weekend in one small area of Kent - but this isn't the normal pattern, so what could have happened?
Why has this meningitis outbreak spread so fast? There have been 20 cases since the weekend in one small area of Kent - but this isn't the normal pattern, so what could have happened?
Supporters of Scotland’s assisted dying bill have said they are frustrated a significant majority of Labour MSPs voted against the proposals, despite Labour’s substantial support for the measure at Westminster. The Scottish bill was defeated in a late night free vote at Holyrood on Tuesday, five years after it was first proposed and a year after it was first tabled, by a larger than expected 12-vo...
Supporters of Scotland’s assisted dying bill have said they are frustrated a significant majority of Labour MSPs voted against the proposals, despite Labour’s substantial support for the measure at Westminster. The Scottish bill was defeated in a late night free vote at Holyrood on Tuesday, five years after it was first proposed and a year after it was first tabled, by a larger than expected 12-vote margin. Liam McArthur, the Liberal Democrat MSP who tabled and championed the bill, said he was “devastated” by the result and would not bring it back to parliament after the May election. Only three of Scottish Labour’s 20 MSPs supported the bill, with three switching from yes to no. In contrast, a significant majority of Labour MPs backed the assisted dying bill for England and Wales last year. At its final Commons reading in June, 224 Labour MPs voted for Kim Leadbeater’s bill and 160 opposed it. At Holyrood, the bill was supported by 63% of the 59 Scottish National party MSPs who voted and 21% of the 28 Scottish Conservative MSPs, leaving Labour as the most critical of all the parties, with only 15% of its members backing it. A Liberal Democrat source acknowledged that opposition from SNP and Tory backbenchers played a large part in the bill’s defeat but added: “It seems a little bit odd when in the House of Commons Labour MPs overwhelmingly backed this, but they’ve been more conservative here.” McArthur would not comment directly on Labour motives but indicated he suspected its vote was influenced by the fact it faces a very difficult Holyrood election in May and was under intense pressure to shore up its votes. View image in fullscreen Jackie Baillie, deputy leader of Scottish Labour, rejected the suggestion MSPs did not support the bill because of the upcoming Holyrood election. Photograph: Duncan Bryceland/Shutterstock “What troubles me [is] that in this parliament there is a majority of MSPs that recognise the ban on assisted dying is leading to too many bad dea...
Ian Dewar Photography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images The Federal Aviation Administration approved Boeing ( BA ) to move its 777-9 program into the next stage of certification testing, marking progress for the long-delayed aircraft, trade publication Air Current reported, citing people familiar with the matter. With the clearance, Boeing can begin Phase 4A of its Type Inspection Authorization, o...
Ian Dewar Photography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images The Federal Aviation Administration approved Boeing ( BA ) to move its 777-9 program into the next stage of certification testing, marking progress for the long-delayed aircraft, trade publication Air Current reported, citing people familiar with the matter. With the clearance, Boeing can begin Phase 4A of its Type Inspection Authorization, one of five major stages required for certification. The phase involves a new round of air and ground tests aimed at verifying that additional systems meet U.S. regulatory standards. Boeing Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave had indicated earlier in the day at an investor event that approval to proceed with this stage was expected soon. The 777-9 is central to Boeing’s ( BA ) future cash generation because it anchors the company’s widebody backlog, where margins and per-unit revenue are significantly higher than on narrowbody jets. Deliveries of the aircraft are expected to unlock billions in deferred revenue tied to long-standing customer orders, while also improving cash flow through milestone payments and final delivery balances. After years of delays, getting the 777-9 certified and into service is critical for Boeing ( BA ) to convert its order book into actual cash, support debt reduction and stabilize its widebody production line. Testing program expands The fourth phase of testing is divided into two parts, known as 4A and 4B, which together represent a workload comparable to the previous phase. Phase 3 testing began in November 2025. Certification phases can overlap, meaning Boeing ( BA ) isn’t required to fully complete earlier stages before beginning new ones, and multiple aircraft can be used simultaneously during the process. Final steps still ahead After completing Phase 4, the program will move into a more limited fifth phase of testing. That will be followed by additional evaluations, including extended operations certification and system reliability checks, ...
Vasil Dimitrov/iStock via Getty Images What's not to love about easy-to-understand businesses that are highly cash generative and distribute monthly dividends? Pizza Pizza Royalty ( PZA:CA )( PZRIF ), to which I'll refer as Pizza Pizza, is such a business. The company mostly operates in Canada and collects royalties from its 712 Pizza Pizza stores and 102 Pizza 73 locations. It's primarily a franc...
Vasil Dimitrov/iStock via Getty Images What's not to love about easy-to-understand businesses that are highly cash generative and distribute monthly dividends? Pizza Pizza Royalty ( PZA:CA )( PZRIF ), to which I'll refer as Pizza Pizza, is such a business. The company mostly operates in Canada and collects royalties from its 712 Pizza Pizza stores and 102 Pizza 73 locations. It's primarily a franchisor and not an operator of restaurants. It's an important fact that makes all the difference when it comes to investing in the restaurant sector. Operating a restaurant is hard work. It's an industry with low barriers to entry and cutthroat competition. Net margins, if a store is profitable at all, tend to be in the single digits. So, if you're in the restaurant business, you are better off collecting royalties rather than operating the stores yourself. As a franchisor, Pizza Pizza collects ~6% of the franchisees' revenues. Even if a restaurant has a bad year, it needs to pay those fees. It leads to quite predictable income, low volatility, and exceptionally high net margins. With this in mind, Pizza Pizza should be a smashing buy, shouldn't it? Well, not quite. A stock can be a great buy at a low price and a bad pick at a higher price. Pizza Pizza is trading at a near record-low dividend yield and, subsequently, at a near-record high P/FCF ratio. Historically, the business hasn't been growing. The dividend was pretty much the same two decades ago. For a stagnant business, the current 5.90% dividend yield and 16.75x P/FCF appear unattractive. I rate Pizza Pizza a "Sell."` As a long-only investor, this rating doesn't mean that we should short the stock. It also doesn't imply that long-term investors should sell out tomorrow morning and pay capital gains taxes. It simply means the risk/reward profile isn't favorable at current valuations for initiating new long positions. And since I feel strongly about it, I rate it a "Sell" instead of a "Hold." As a long-term investor, I ...
In this article AMZN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT An amazon worker unloads packages on November 29, 2024 in New York City. David Dee Delgado | Getty Images Amazon on Wednesday addressed its business relationship with the U.S. Postal Service, saying in a blog post that recent contract renewal negotiations with the carrier fell apart in December when it "abruptly walked away at th...
In this article AMZN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT An amazon worker unloads packages on November 29, 2024 in New York City. David Dee Delgado | Getty Images Amazon on Wednesday addressed its business relationship with the U.S. Postal Service, saying in a blog post that recent contract renewal negotiations with the carrier fell apart in December when it "abruptly walked away at the eleventh hour." The comments came after several outlets reported on Tuesday that Amazon plans to sharply reduce the number of packages it sends through the Postal Service after failing to come to an agreement. The company, which has long been the mail service's largest customer , reportedly aimed to cut USPS volumes by at least two-thirds when its contract expires at the end of September. "Our goal was to increase our volumes with USPS, not reduce them — until USPS abruptly walked away at the eleventh hour in December," Amazon said. Amazon said it had been negotiating with the Postal Service for more than a year to reach a new, long term agreement before talks fell apart. It said it has since submitted a bid as part of the carrier's new auction process with the "hope to continue our partnership, even at a reduced level." Read more CNBC tech news Micron rides memory price spike into earnings with stock up 62%, drubbing peers Meta is shutting down VR social platform Horizon Worlds in further pivot away from the metaverse Jensen Huang says Nvidia has received orders from China and is 'restarting our manufacturing' Tesla to buy $4.3 billion of LG Energy battery cells from disbanded GM plant "We've repeatedly requested engagement with Postmaster General Steiner to work toward a solution," Amazon said. "We want to find a path forward, but that window is rapidly closing." Representatives from the USPS didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The mail service announced a new last-mile "bid solicitation platform" last December, which it said could generate billions of ...
Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr is waging what he calls a crackdown on "fake news," as the Trump administration leans more heavily on regulators to challenge media coverage. Bloomberg's Kelcee Griffis discusses the questions this is raising about the FCC's role and reach with Caroline Hyde on “Bloomberg Tech.” (Source: Bloomberg)
Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr is waging what he calls a crackdown on "fake news," as the Trump administration leans more heavily on regulators to challenge media coverage. Bloomberg's Kelcee Griffis discusses the questions this is raising about the FCC's role and reach with Caroline Hyde on “Bloomberg Tech.” (Source: Bloomberg)
A £1.3bn worldwide asset freezing order has been granted against the tycoon accused of fraud after his UK mortgage lending business collapsed. Paresh Raja, the founder and chief executive of Market Financial Solutions (MFS), is now barred from dissipating assets worth up to the suspected value of funds allegedly missing from his mortgage and buy-to-let lending company, after orders from courts in ...
A £1.3bn worldwide asset freezing order has been granted against the tycoon accused of fraud after his UK mortgage lending business collapsed. Paresh Raja, the founder and chief executive of Market Financial Solutions (MFS), is now barred from dissipating assets worth up to the suspected value of funds allegedly missing from his mortgage and buy-to-let lending company, after orders from courts in London and Dubai. The orders, which follow an application from insolvency practitioners at Alix Partners, also impose a travel ban on Raja, who is now thought to be in the Emirates. A spokesperson for Alix Partners said: “We welcome the granting of these applications which follow two weeks of intense analysis and investigation into the operations and affairs of MFS and Paresh Raja. This is an important and significant step in this very complex situation, and the support of the courts is critical as we continue our pursuit of the best possible outcome for all creditors of both MFS and its associated companies.” Raja did not comment. What is the MFS scandal? MFS collapsed in February. The group supplied bridging – or short-term – loans and was owned by entrepreneur Paresh Raja and his wife. It filed for administration last month amid allegations of fraud leaving a string of financial firms owed in excess of an estimated £1.3bn. So what happened? Companies owned by Raja borrowed from a series of financial institutions – including banks and hedge funds – before loaning that cash to MFS, which extended mortgages to customers. Two of the intermediary companies owned by Raja – Zircon Bridging Ltd and Amber Bridging Ltd – were placed into administration, triggering MFS’s own insolvency. Administrators for Zircon and Amber then filed an urgent court application arguing that the directors and owners of some companies that ultimately received mortgages from MFS were actually individuals connected to Raja. The borrowers under suspicion – all of which appear to share the same registered...
Canada is pushing for a collective G7 and Middle East approach to de-escalating the Iran war, including off ramps that could bring an end to the conflict, the Canadian foreign minister, Anita Anand, has said. In London to meet the UK foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, after talks with the her Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, Anand told the Guardian she hoped a G7 meeting chaired by France, this ye...
Canada is pushing for a collective G7 and Middle East approach to de-escalating the Iran war, including off ramps that could bring an end to the conflict, the Canadian foreign minister, Anita Anand, has said. In London to meet the UK foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, after talks with the her Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, Anand told the Guardian she hoped a G7 meeting chaired by France, this year’s president of the group, might start to build a broader collective approach to the crisis. Europe and Canada have been largely left as bystanders in the US-Israeli bombing campaign, which Iran has retaliated against with missile and drone strikes on its Gulf neighbours and threats to shipping in the strait of Hormuz. They are only now starting to coordinate their position. Anand said she had drafted a “document of principles” to share with others “to reduce the risk of regional spillover, to minimise the collateral impacts on non-belligerent states and civilian populations and finally to mitigate local economic shocks”. “It’s a document I am working with a number of countries on. I am speaking with every G7 country and every partner impacted by the war in the Middle East to stress the principle of de-escalation,” she said. “It’s important for us to have a conversation about the off ramps. I want to engage with the countries being directly impacted by the retaliatory strikes in particular, so this is a collective and coordinated discussion about off ramps.” Diplomats recognise the extreme difficulty of ending the war because Iran is seeking some kind of guarantee that it will not be attacked again, but that is not likely to be forthcoming in a format Tehran would accept. Levels of trust between the US and Iran are at an all-time low and Donald Trump may now have set the reopening of the strait of Hormuz as one of his war objectives. View image in fullscreen Tankers anchored near the strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed. Photograph: Reuters Anand stressed C...