The Iranian women’s football team, whose plight has become embroiled in the Middle East war, have returned to Iran where they were promised a welcome ceremony in Tehran. Seven members of the delegation had sought asylum in Australia last week after their decision not to sing the national anthem before their opening game at the Women’s Asian Cup. With their demands for protection an embarrassment f...
The Iranian women’s football team, whose plight has become embroiled in the Middle East war, have returned to Iran where they were promised a welcome ceremony in Tehran. Seven members of the delegation had sought asylum in Australia last week after their decision not to sing the national anthem before their opening game at the Women’s Asian Cup. With their demands for protection an embarrassment for Iran’s leaders, but lauded by US President Donald Trump, five later changed their minds, including captain Zahra Ghanbari. Activists have accused Iranian authorities of pressuring the women’s families – including summoning parents for interrogations – but Tehran has in turn alleged that Australia sought to force the athletes to defect. Two members have remained in Australia, but the rest of the team completed a long journey back on Wednesday via Malaysia, Oman and then to Istanbul and Turkey’s overland Gurbulak-Bazargan border crossing with Iran. In a post on X, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the players and their support team were “children of the homeland, and the people of Iran embrace them”. By returning, they had “disappointed the enemies [of Iran] and did not surrender to deception and intimidation by anti-Iran elements,” he added. Iranian news agency Mehr published images of a small welcome party waving flags on the Iranian side of the border, as well as the team and staff sat on a stage with a red carpet. “We have all gathered here to say well done and to express our appreciation,” the president of Iran’s Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, was quoted as saying. “Although they are women, they showed manly courage and strength,” he added. In a sign of their symbolic importance to Iranian authorities, a larger welcoming ceremony has been organised on Thursday in Valiasr Square where other pro-government rallies have taken place in recent weeks, Iranian media reported. Rights groups have accused Tehran of systematically pressuring athletes abro...
Earnings Call Insights: Red Cat Holdings (RCAT) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Jeffrey Thompson reported on the company's significant advancements, stating that "last year's extraordinary Q4 results, which annualized would be over $100 million." He described the launch and rapid development of the Blue Ops Maritime USV division, highlighting that a new factory in Georgia "just went operational approx...
Earnings Call Insights: Red Cat Holdings (RCAT) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Jeffrey Thompson reported on the company's significant advancements, stating that "last year's extraordinary Q4 results, which annualized would be over $100 million." He described the launch and rapid development of the Blue Ops Maritime USV division, highlighting that a new factory in Georgia "just went operational approximately 1 month ago," with full rate production tooling expected within the month. Thompson added, "We believe and are confident that they can build over 100-plus USVs in 2026 as we ramp up production capability to thousands." Thompson described recent achievements in counter-drone capabilities: "We demonstrated short-range and long-range counter drone capability...the ACS Bullfrog on the front of the Variant 7...can shoot down FPV drones up to 1,500 yards...For long range, we have the Aeon's Zeus that can travel 20 kilometers and take out Shahed-136 at a very low cost." COO Christian Ericson shared operational highlights from Ukraine, stating, "We have now established an office in Kyiv...We are building the business and relationships to...test our equipment at the front and obtain true feedback...We have tested multiple systems at the front and proven that our tech works and works really well." Ericson also announced a joint development agreement with a Ukrainian state-owned partner to integrate battle-proven technology into USVs, calling it a "huge step forward as we are the first nongovernmental entity to successfully enter into this type of deal." CFO Christian Morrison reported, "For the fourth quarter of 2025, revenue was $26.2 million, up $25.0 million year-over-year and up $15.6 million sequentially as deliveries accelerated. Gross margin was 4.2%, up 85% year-over-year and down 2.4% sequentially." Morrison added, "Our cash increased from $9.2 million at the end of 2024 to $167.9 million at the end of 2025, providing us with substantial financial flexibility." He em...
Stocks @ Night is a daily newsletter delivered after hours, giving you a first look at tomorrow and last look at today. Sign up for free to receive it directly in your inbox. Here's what CNBC TV's producers were watching as the Dow Industrials posted a new closing low for 2026, and what's on the radar for the next session. Big data Thursday Initial jobless claims will come out at 8:30 a.m. ET. The...
Stocks @ Night is a daily newsletter delivered after hours, giving you a first look at tomorrow and last look at today. Sign up for free to receive it directly in your inbox. Here's what CNBC TV's producers were watching as the Dow Industrials posted a new closing low for 2026, and what's on the radar for the next session. Big data Thursday Initial jobless claims will come out at 8:30 a.m. ET. The results will be covered live on " Squawk Box " with Becky Quick, Andrew Ross Sorkin and Joe Kernen. The consensus calls for 215,000 new unemployment claims. We'll have the numbers and immediate stock reaction. FedEx reports Thursday The shipping giant will post quarterly results Thursday afternoon on " Closing Bell: Overtime " with Melissa Lee and Mike Santoli. FedEx has surged about 22% over the past three months. The stock hit a high on Feb. 27, but it's down 10% from that level. That's partly due to higher energy prices that have spiked since the war with Iran began on Feb. 28. FDX 3M mountain FedEx shares in the past three months BOAT The SonicShares Global Shipping ETF (BOAT) , which includes big ocean shipping stocks as its components, is up 6% in three days. So far in 2026, it is up nearly 30%. Since the start of the war with Iran, BOAT has lost 3%. RBOB RBOB , the ticker that tracks unleaded gasoline prices before it is mixed with ethanol, is giving us a glimpse into what's coming for prices at the pump. We are back at highs not seen since July 2022. RBOB has gained more than 50% since the war started on Feb. 28. @RB.1 1M mountain RBOB futures in the past month Gold The commodity settled below the 50-day moving average of $4,963.90 for the first time since Aug. 19. Year to date, gold futures are up 12.8%. Since the war started, they have fallen nearly 8% The VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX) has lost about 24% since the war started. It is down 6% in three days. Food-related stocks hit 52-week lows Everything in the list here is down double-digits since the Iran war star...
Investors face a psychological issue when considering Carvana (CVNA 7.49%). It has obliterated the market over the past three years soaring right around 4,300%, compared to the S&P 500's respectable 70% gain. Which raises the question: Have investors missed the boat on riding the stock higher? Let's look at two graphs that emphasize how much more room Carvana has to run, and where it's heading in ...
Investors face a psychological issue when considering Carvana (CVNA 7.49%). It has obliterated the market over the past three years soaring right around 4,300%, compared to the S&P 500's respectable 70% gain. Which raises the question: Have investors missed the boat on riding the stock higher? Let's look at two graphs that emphasize how much more room Carvana has to run, and where it's heading in the near term. Carvana's margins on the rise Carvana has mostly completed its pretty impressive transformation. Three years ago, the used-car retailer was on the brink of bankruptcy, as you can see in the plunge in net income below, and had to reverse its growth-at-all-costs strategy to double down on more profitable sales and growth. Rather than vaguely say Carvana can improve operations to further boost margins, let's look at one of many examples. Its reconditioning costs came in higher than expected during the fourth quarter of 2025, and management often found higher reconditioning costs linked to locations with the lowest management tenure. This is an opportunity to use data-driven software, perhaps with an artificial intelligence (AI) buzzword or two, to help streamline workflows and decisions. If the company can use such software to improve performance, investors will see margins rise. Expand NYSE : CVNA Carvana Today's Change ( -7.49 %) $ -23.57 Current Price $ 291.17 Key Data Points Market Cap $45B Day's Range $ 290.01 - $ 314.62 52wk Range $ 148.25 - $ 486.89 Volume 2.4M Avg Vol 4.3M Gross Margin 19.80 % For context, if all its production locations had per-unit costs in line with the top quartile of locations, the fourth-quarter reconditioning cost per unit would have been $220 lower during the quarter. Those costs can add up, especially considering fourth-quarter total gross profit per unit (GPU) was $6,427, a decline of $244 per unit compared to the prior year. Consolidation is coming The automotive industry is many things, but it is certainly a massive chunk of ...
Key Points Carvana has surged back with a thriving business after being on the brink of bankruptcy. It has reversed unprofitable growth and has drastically improved margins. With industry consolidation on the way, the used-car seller is positioned for further increases. 10 stocks we like better than Carvana › Investors face a psychological issue when considering Carvana (NYSE: CVNA). It has oblite...
Key Points Carvana has surged back with a thriving business after being on the brink of bankruptcy. It has reversed unprofitable growth and has drastically improved margins. With industry consolidation on the way, the used-car seller is positioned for further increases. 10 stocks we like better than Carvana › Investors face a psychological issue when considering Carvana (NYSE: CVNA). It has obliterated the market over the past three years soaring right around 4,300%, compared to the S&P 500's respectable 70% gain. Which raises the question: Have investors missed the boat on riding the stock higher? Let's look at two graphs that emphasize how much more room Carvana has to run, and where it's heading in the near term. 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 » Carvana's margins on the rise Carvana has mostly completed its pretty impressive transformation. Three years ago, the used-car retailer was on the brink of bankruptcy, as you can see in the plunge in net income below, and had to reverse its growth-at-all-costs strategy to double down on more profitable sales and growth. Rather than vaguely say Carvana can improve operations to further boost margins, let's look at one of many examples. Its reconditioning costs came in higher than expected during the fourth quarter of 2025, and management often found higher reconditioning costs linked to locations with the lowest management tenure. This is an opportunity to use data-driven software, perhaps with an artificial intelligence (AI) buzzword or two, to help streamline workflows and decisions. If the company can use such software to improve performance, investors will see margins rise. For context, if all its production locations had per-unit costs in line with the top quartile of locations, the fourth-quarter reconditioning cost per unit would ha...
Futures dipped as U.S. oil prices hit $100 while Micron fell despite blowout earnings. The Dow Jones and S&P 500 undercut recent lows on cautious Powell comments.
Futures dipped as U.S. oil prices hit $100 while Micron fell despite blowout earnings. The Dow Jones and S&P 500 undercut recent lows on cautious Powell comments.
Hong Kong’s medical insurance sector is walking something of a tightrope of late, buffeted by an ageing population and increasing demands from international markets. Finding a healthy balance will be vital for the city’s growth as a global financial hub. It is good that the Insurance Authority has pledged to undertake an in-depth analysis this year of medical insurance costs and available products...
Hong Kong’s medical insurance sector is walking something of a tightrope of late, buffeted by an ageing population and increasing demands from international markets. Finding a healthy balance will be vital for the city’s growth as a global financial hub. It is good that the Insurance Authority has pledged to undertake an in-depth analysis this year of medical insurance costs and available products, as well as review regulations to draw more international life insurance buyers. Clement Lau Chung-kin, the authority’s executive director of policy and legislation, said the goal was increased transparency so insurance products become “more accessible and affordable”. Insurance premiums have soared sharply as medical costs rise at a rate of about 9 per cent a year. High-end coverage has jumped nearly 30 per cent. The projected overall average premium per person was expected to surpass HK$11,000 (US$1,400) this year, nearly 15 per cent more than in the second quarter of 2025. Lau said data from a comprehensive assessment could help consumers make better choices. Insurance companies might also introduce more products as competition increases and prices decrease. Advertisement By 2047, more than a third of the city’s population will be over age 65 , a demographic shift expected to pile pressure on the city’s healthcare system and demand for medical insurance. A transparent, competitive and affordable insurance market will be needed to supplement public care. The planned review could also help open markets to international buyers, including those from Southeast Asia and the Middle East. While mainland Chinese visitors to the city are a core demographic, the share of policies sold to them has dipped. Proposed regulatory reforms, including those allowing overseas Chinese to purchase policies without in-person visits, are ways to remove obstacles to achieving regional pre-eminence in the sector. Advertisement The authority’s review is timely. Hopefully, it will open doors to a t...
Erman Gunes/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Despite suffering a modest pullback since the outbreak of the war in Iran, Canadian stocks held in the Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap Index ETF ( VCN:CA ) are still outperforming the S&P 500 in 2026, benefiting from low valuations and a broad-based rally in commodity and energy prices. While oil futures point to a quick reversal in recent price gains,...
Erman Gunes/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Despite suffering a modest pullback since the outbreak of the war in Iran, Canadian stocks held in the Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap Index ETF ( VCN:CA ) are still outperforming the S&P 500 in 2026, benefiting from low valuations and a broad-based rally in commodity and energy prices. While oil futures point to a quick reversal in recent price gains, the desire to diversify energy sources may provide a lasting tailwind for Canadian energy companies. Coupled with lower valuations and a long-term growth outlook comparable to that of the United States, I rate VCN a Buy. In numbers, the investment case can be summarized as: A 2.12% dividend yield achieved with a modest 0.42x payout ratio, notwithstanding VCN's outsized allocation to cyclical sectors. A total return of about 8.73% over the long term, benefiting from Canadian GDP growth marginally below 2% in real terms. A very low 0.06% expense ratio, making VCN an ideal pick for long-term buy-and-hold investors. Strategy and Key Characteristics VCN is a passive ETF investing exclusively in Canadian equities (the benchmark is the FTSE Canada All Cap domestic index ). Since the benchmark index selects Canadian stocks based on their market capitalization, VCN naturally exhibits a tilt toward larger-capitalization Canadian stocks ( median market capitalization of about $80 billion ). VCN currently invests in 204 individual companies, with allocation to the ten largest positions standing at roughly 36%, exhibiting a concentration comparable to that of the S&P 500. Ten largest VCN holdings (Vanguard website (accessed March 2026)) VCN:CA is traded in Canadian dollars, and as such (all figures here will be presented in Canadian dollars), indicating that currency risk is a factor to consider for U.S.-based investors. The silver lining is that the lack of currency hedging and the ETF's passive strategy allow VCN:CA to maintain a very low 0.06% expense ratio, making the ETF ideal for...
gorodenkoff/iStock via Getty Images Thesis Abeona Therapeutics Inc. ( ABEO ) has just reported FY25 earnings. They posted a very impressive GAAP EPS of $1.01, missing expectations by $0.17. But the reality here is that they benefited from a one-time gain via the sale of a Priority Review Voucher, which boosted profitability. Revenue, on the other hand, managed to reach $5.82 million, a figure whic...
gorodenkoff/iStock via Getty Images Thesis Abeona Therapeutics Inc. ( ABEO ) has just reported FY25 earnings. They posted a very impressive GAAP EPS of $1.01, missing expectations by $0.17. But the reality here is that they benefited from a one-time gain via the sale of a Priority Review Voucher, which boosted profitability. Revenue, on the other hand, managed to reach $5.82 million, a figure which actually beat estimates by about $0.6 million. The good news is that we saw some early sales of Zevaskyn show up on the income statement, even though overall revenue remains pretty small as commercialisation is still in its early stages. FY25 results Abeona delivered a pretty transformational FY25. The stock closed about 4% higher on the day of earnings. The momentum for the year was mainly driven by the FDA approval of its gene therapy Zevaskyn. Total revenue was still pretty modest at $5.8 million, but I think we should be looking at this as an inflection point, since it included the company’s first-ever product revenue from a commercial patient. So this should really be viewed as the beginning of recurring revenue potential, even though the near-term figures are quite constrained from the early-stage rollout. There’s also limited treatment capacity, as you would expect with the complexity of individualised cell therapies. Abeona Therapeutics Inc. As for spending, operating expenses rose a lot, especially SG&A, which more than doubled to $65.0 million. We know the company is investing rather heavily in commercialisation infrastructure, staffing, and launch readiness. But despite the operating loss of $89.4 million, we did see some positive signs elsewhere in earnings. The biggest driver of profitability was non-recurring, with the $152.4 million net gain from the sale of a Priority Review Voucher. So that big one-time transaction pushed net income to $71.2 million, which was a dramatic swing from a $63.7 million loss back in FY24. Now, if we exclude this, the company wo...