Britain Once Led The World. What Happened? Authored by Damian Pudner via the Foundation for Economic Education , An unsettling look at the economic settlement that the UK now seems willing to accept can be found in the latest fiscal forecast , published on March 3. By the end of the forecast period, borrowing will have decreased from 5.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024–2025 to abou...
Britain Once Led The World. What Happened? Authored by Damian Pudner via the Foundation for Economic Education , An unsettling look at the economic settlement that the UK now seems willing to accept can be found in the latest fiscal forecast , published on March 3. By the end of the forecast period, borrowing will have decreased from 5.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024–2025 to about 1.6 percent. Public debt stabilizes at roughly 95 percent of national income. At those levels, even small shifts in interest rates matter: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates that a sustained 1-percentage-point move in the Bank Rate changes government borrowing costs by about 15 billion pounds (about $20 billion). In the later years of the forecast, economic growth limps along at about 1.5 percent, while unemployment is expected to peak at 5.33 percent. Meanwhile, the tax burden approaches an unprecedented 38 percent of GDP, the highest sustained level in the postwar era, as public spending remains significantly higher than its pre-COVID-19-pandemic share of the economy. Taken together, these forecasts describe an economy settling into a comfortable equilibrium of high taxation, high debt, and chronically modest growth. Expectations are quietly lowered and economic underperformance is being normalized. There is no ambition here. Nothing is reset. Nothing is reimagined. Nothing really changes. There is something unmistakably Starmerite about the entire outlook. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s political persona is built on reassurance and managerial competence. The chaos will stop. The adults are back. Nothing dramatic will happen on his watch. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is no different. But countries do not restore economic dynamism through managerial composure alone. The UK was once the workshop of the world. Later it became one of the most open and dynamic economies in Europe. When the postwar economic model began to falter in the 1970s, the...
Key Points Alibaba is seeing strong cloud computing growth, but it's a much smaller segment compared to its e-commerce operations. Meanwhile, its e-commerce business continues to deal with a competitive landscape. 10 stocks we like better than Alibaba Group › Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) shares sank after the company reported its fiscal third-quarter results (ending Dec. 31, 2025), as rising expenses ate ...
Key Points Alibaba is seeing strong cloud computing growth, but it's a much smaller segment compared to its e-commerce operations. Meanwhile, its e-commerce business continues to deal with a competitive landscape. 10 stocks we like better than Alibaba Group › Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) shares sank after the company reported its fiscal third-quarter results (ending Dec. 31, 2025), as rising expenses ate into profitability and results fell shy of expectations. The company has been investing heavily in both AI infrastructure and quick commerce. The stock is down nearly 15% on the year, as of this writing. Let's take a close look at its results and prospects to see if the stock is a rebound candidate. 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 » Improved revenue growth, but heavy spending weighs on profits Alibaba's cloud computing business continues to see strong revenue growth, fueled by demand for artificial intelligence (AI) products. Its cloud intelligence revenue jumped by 36% to $6.1 billion. AI product revenue more than doubled for the 10th straight quarter. The segment's adjusted EBITA (earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization), meanwhile, climbed by 25% to $559 million. The company projected that it could reach $100 billion in AI revenue over the next five years. Before its report, the company said it would raise prices on some of its AI services by as much as 34%. Alibaba's largest business remains its e-commerce operations, led by Tmall, which serves established brands, and Taobao, which allows both brands and individuals to sell on its platform. The company has worked hard to turn this business around, but the results were mixed in the quarter. E-commerce revenue rose by 6% to $22.8 billion. The growth was fueled by a 56% jump in quick-commerce revenue to $3 billion. The company's i...
The S & P 500 posted its fourth straight losing week on Friday as the U.S.-Iran war continued, pushing some names deeper into oversold territory. A stock is considered oversold when its 14-day relative strength index falls below 30. Traders sometime see an oversold reading as a buying opportunity, signaling the stock may have fallen too far in too short of a time. To be sure, there are some stocks...
The S & P 500 posted its fourth straight losing week on Friday as the U.S.-Iran war continued, pushing some names deeper into oversold territory. A stock is considered oversold when its 14-day relative strength index falls below 30. Traders sometime see an oversold reading as a buying opportunity, signaling the stock may have fallen too far in too short of a time. To be sure, there are some stocks that may have overextended themselves to the upside despite the broad market decline. Overbought stocks are those with RSI reading above 70. Using LSEG data, CNBC Pro looked for S & P 500 stocks that are oversold based on RSI and fell at least 5% on the week. We also identified overbought stocks that rose at least 5% for the week. Oversold stocks Several consumer staples names were among the most oversold stocks this week as an ongoing conflict in the Middle East led consumers to tighten their purse strings. Among them is McCormick . With an RSI of 21.3, McCormick is the third-most oversold stock in the S & P 500. The stock fell more than 7% for the week and is down more than 20% this month. However, the stock was a relative outperformer on Friday after Unilever said in talks to separate its food business and merge it with McCormick. "We acknowledge the significant strategic merit and likely compelling EPS accretion from this potential transaction but also concede the hefty likely deal value, execution risk and resultant majority ownership of the combined entity by Unilever shareholders could dampen initial investor enthusiasm," wrote analyst Andrew Lazar, who has an equal weight rating on McCormick. Other consumer staples stocks that are oversold are General Mills and Conagra Brands . However, the most oversold name was Automotive and industrial products and solutions firm Genuine Parts . The stock had the lowest RSI at 13.6. Overbought stocks Energy companies dominated the overbought list as the U.S.-Iran war continued, driving oil prices higher. APA had the highest RSI ...
It looks like the next big technological shift is underway. Artificial intelligence (AI) has kicked off a gold rush. And companies looking to be leaders in this area have no intention of slowing down. These are exactly the strategies that Alphabet (GOOGL 2.00%) (GOOG 2.27%) and Meta Platforms (META 2.11%) are deploying. Combined, they plan to spend $305 billion (at the midpoints of their forecasts...
It looks like the next big technological shift is underway. Artificial intelligence (AI) has kicked off a gold rush. And companies looking to be leaders in this area have no intention of slowing down. These are exactly the strategies that Alphabet (GOOGL 2.00%) (GOOG 2.27%) and Meta Platforms (META 2.11%) are deploying. Combined, they plan to spend $305 billion (at the midpoints of their forecasts) on capital expenditures (capex) just in 2026. Both businesses are going all in on AI. But which is the better AI stock to buy and hold with a five-year time horizon? From infrastructure to end users Alphabet isn't new to the AI race. It's been using similar capabilities for decades. In 2001, the company was leveraging machine learning to improve users' spelling in search queries. In 2016, Sundar Pichai shifted Alphabet's focus to becoming an AI-first enterprise. In 2026, this business looks like a true AI juggernaut. Google DeepMind is a leading research lab. Alphabet is a dominant force at the infrastructure layer of AI, developing its own chips called Tensor Processing Units (TPUs). And Google Cloud is a thriving platform that sells AI-related and other IT products and services to enterprise clients. It generated $58.7 billion in revenue and $13.9 billion in operating income in 2025. Google Cloud now has a backlog of $240 billion. Alphabet has one of the most popular AI assistants in Gemini, which had 750 million monthly active users in the fourth quarter last year. The models underpinning Gemini also help to power the company's various platforms, like Search, Maps, Gmail, and YouTube. AI is improving the advertising experience for customers as well. As mentioned, Alphabet's planned spending will be huge. It's targeting capex of $175 billion to $185 billion this year. Management says it will mainly go toward servers, data centers, and networking equipment. It's about building the computing capacity that's needed to fulfill the AI plan. Expand NASDAQ : GOOGL Alphabet Tod...
EXTREME-PHOTOGRAPHER/E+ via Getty Images Shares of Howmet Aerospace ( HWM ) have been on a huge momentum run in recent times, with volatility being on the increase as of late. Shares are down 15% from the highs, but continue to trade at real elevated multiples, following strong growth reported here, with Howmet reporting some interesting M&A deals here. While I like the dealmaking, given the relat...
EXTREME-PHOTOGRAPHER/E+ via Getty Images Shares of Howmet Aerospace ( HWM ) have been on a huge momentum run in recent times, with volatility being on the increase as of late. Shares are down 15% from the highs, but continue to trade at real elevated multiples, following strong growth reported here, with Howmet reporting some interesting M&A deals here. While I like the dealmaking, given the relative valuations and the organic performance, momentum has been too strong to see real appeal. However, I am glad to continue to cover shares here, amidst corporate developments taking place. Other, higher conviction ideas, including secular growth plays in industrial and aerospace segments, can be found at Value In Corporate Events . Taking Advantage Of Stanley's Woes Towards year end, Howmet announced a $1.8 billion cash deal to acquire Consolidated Aerospace Manufacturing, a designer, and manufacturer of precision fasteners, fluid fittings, and other complex and highly-engineered products for aerospace and defense applications. The deal results in some significant, yet unknown, tax benefits. The deal is seen contributing about $490 million in sales in 2026, with EBITDA margins seen exceeding 20%; that is before synergies. That suggests that EBITDA is seen around $100 million on a standalone basis, as the effective purchase price drops to 13 times, factoring in unknown costs and tax synergies. That reveals to me that the deal comes at a price of around 3.6 times sales, about 18 times EBITDA, and about 13 times EBITDA, once tax and cost synergies are accounted for. These are not necessarily dirt-cheap multiples, but in the grand scheme of aerospace valuations, they look relatively compelling. Adding To An Aerospace Empire In February, Howmet reported its 2025 results. Revenues rose by 11% to $8.25 billion that year, with the business being very profitable, posting GAAP operating earnings of $2.05 billion for margins equivalent to a quarter of sales. Net earnings of $1.51 bil...
AMD is prepared to lead the industry in its agentic AI era with their high-performance CPU strategy. As the industry pivots from simple AI models to agentic AI systems that are capable of independent planning and decision-making, the CPU is reclaiming its role as the critical “head coach” of the data center. This was noted by AMD CEO and Chair Dr. Lisa Su during the AMD Advancing AI event last yea...
AMD is prepared to lead the industry in its agentic AI era with their high-performance CPU strategy. As the industry pivots from simple AI models to agentic AI systems that are capable of independent planning and decision-making, the CPU is reclaiming its role as the critical “head coach” of the data center. This was noted by AMD CEO and Chair Dr. Lisa Su during the AMD Advancing AI event last year. The rise of autonomous agents has transformed inference into a complex and multi-step workflow that demands sophisticated logic and orchestration. And while high-performance GPUs are necessary to generate insights in real time, the surrounding infrastructure is just as important. This is where CPUs enter the picture. Their performance and efficiency are more important than ever in the overall performance of modern AI infrastructure. And AMD delivers an advantage with their offerings. In recently published data, a 5th Gen AMD EPYC CPU-based system is estimated to perform up to 2.1x better per core against an NVIDIA Grace Superchip-based system. The same system AMD-based system also delivers up to 2.26x uplift on SPECpower, measuring operations per watt. The x86 CPU architecture gives customers the advantage of a broad, proven software ecosystem that can run existing workloads natively. This avoids the costly refactoring and code-base duplication often required when switching to Arm-based alternatives. Looking ahead, AMD is doubling down on the balanced system philosophy. Future architectures such as the “Venice” CPUs will power the “Helios” rack-scale AI design. By integrating EPYC CPUs with Instinct GPUs and the ROCm software stack, AMD aims to maximize cluster-level performance and lower the total cost of ownership in the agentic era.
Andrew Harnik A jury in California found that Tesla ( TSLA ) CEO Elon Musk defrauded Twitter investors when he issued certain public claims regarding the company’s user metrics to buy the social media platform for a lower price than his initial bid of $44B. After about three days of deliberations, the eight-member panel in federal court in San Francisco issued its verdict on Friday in a class acti...
Andrew Harnik A jury in California found that Tesla ( TSLA ) CEO Elon Musk defrauded Twitter investors when he issued certain public claims regarding the company’s user metrics to buy the social media platform for a lower price than his initial bid of $44B. After about three days of deliberations, the eight-member panel in federal court in San Francisco issued its verdict on Friday in a class action lawsuit filed against the tech titan in October 2022 following his acquisition of Twitter for $54.20 per share. Total damages could reach up to $2.6B, Mark Molumphy, a lawyer for the Twitter investors, said. In 2023, Musk renamed Twitter as X before merging it with his artificial intelligence company, xAI ( X.AI ), in 2025, and then with his aerospace and technology company, SpaceX ( SPACE ), recently. Musk’s lawyers said they would appeal. “This case is much bigger than Twitter; this case goes right to the heart of Wall Street and what’s been going on in recent years,” added Joseph Cotchett, an attorney for the plaintiffs at Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy LLP. “It’s a great example of what you cannot do to the average investor.” In the class action lawsuit, investors claimed that Musk, in a series of social media posts and public statements following his buyout bid in April 2022, cast doubt on Twitter's claimed level of bots, spam, and fake accounts, thereby attempting to drive down the company’s stock price. The jurors found that Musk’s tweets on May 13 and May 17—including one that said the deal was “temporarily on hold” until Twitter's CEO could confirm the level of bots was around the 5% of actual users mentioned on the company’s SEC filings—were materially false or misleading. “We view today’s verdict, where the jury found both for and against the plaintiffs and found no fraud scheme, as a bump in the road,” said Musk’s attorneys with Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP. “And we look forward to vindication on appeal.” More on SpaceX, xAI SpaceX IPO: What I Learned Fr...
Key Points Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Secretary Jennifer Simons sold 10,284 shares directly on Feb. 25, yielding a transaction value of ~$401,000 based on a weighted average price of $38.96 per share. 22.52% of Simons' total holdings were sold in this trade. Following the transaction, direct holdings were reduced to 35,387 shares, reflecting continued but diminished exposure t...
Key Points Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Secretary Jennifer Simons sold 10,284 shares directly on Feb. 25, yielding a transaction value of ~$401,000 based on a weighted average price of $38.96 per share. 22.52% of Simons' total holdings were sold in this trade. Following the transaction, direct holdings were reduced to 35,387 shares, reflecting continued but diminished exposure to Oceaneering International. 10 stocks we like better than Oceaneering International › On Feb. 25, 2026, Jennifer Simons, Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Secretary at Oceaneering International (NYSE:OII), reported the sale of 10,284 shares of common stock for a transaction value of approximately $401,000, as disclosed in the SEC Form 4 filing. Transaction summary Metric Value Shares sold 10,284 Shares withheld 6,673 Transaction value $400,665 Post-transaction shares 35,387 Post-transaction value $1.34 million Key questions How does the scale of this transaction compare to Simons’ prior activity? This sale involved 22.5% of her total holdings, a smaller proportion than the 39% sold in her previous January 2026 transaction, aligning with the declining available share base. This sale involved 22.5% of her total holdings, a smaller proportion than the 39% sold in her previous January 2026 transaction, aligning with the declining available share base. Did the transaction impact indirect or derivative holdings? No, the transaction solely affected directly held common stock; Simons retains no indirect or derivative positions in the company post-trade. No, the transaction solely affected directly held common stock; Simons retains no indirect or derivative positions in the company post-trade. How has Simons' ownership profile changed following this transaction? Direct common stock holdings declined to 35,387 shares (down from 74,826 prior to January 2026), maintaining continued insider exposure but at a reduced level in line with recent administrative sales cadence. ...
From its humble beginnings as a refinancing solution for student loan borrowers, SoFi Technologies (SOFI 0.85%) has become a budding player in the financial services industry. It now offers a wide variety of products and services to customers. This digital bank stock has been extremely volatile. And in the past five years, shares are down 6% (as of March 17), even though the momentum has been posi...
From its humble beginnings as a refinancing solution for student loan borrowers, SoFi Technologies (SOFI 0.85%) has become a budding player in the financial services industry. It now offers a wide variety of products and services to customers. This digital bank stock has been extremely volatile. And in the past five years, shares are down 6% (as of March 17), even though the momentum has been positive in the past 36 months. The stock is currently trading 46% below its peak. Where will SoFi be in five years? More members and revenue SoFi has been on an incredible trajectory, as demonstrated by its fantastic growth. Adjusted net revenue soared from $621 million in 2020 to $3.6 billion in 2025. And during that time, the business expanded its customer base more than sevenfold, as it now has 13.7 million of these so-called members on the platform. Key to SoFi's success has been an expanding set of offerings. The company provides many different financial services and products, from checking and savings accounts to brokerage accounts, personal loans, mortgages, and credit cards. The common theme, though, is that customers have an exceptional user experience. This helps SoFi stand out in a crowded industry that isn't known for being very tech-forward. Investors should be optimistic about SoFi being a much bigger business in five years than it is today. The leadership team expects the top line to surge at a compound annual rate of "at least 30%" between 2025 and 2028. The company's intense focus on product innovation and doing right by its members will help propel it. And given the massive size of the total banking industry, there is clearly room for SoFi to capture a bigger share of the pie. Expand NASDAQ : SOFI SoFi Technologies Today's Change ( -0.85 %) $ -0.14 Current Price $ 16.93 Key Data Points Market Cap $22B Day's Range $ 16.68 - $ 17.40 52wk Range $ 8.60 - $ 32.73 Volume 1.8M Avg Vol 61M Gross Margin 61.06 % SoFi is set up to be a winning investment Strong revenue ...
When looking for huge long-term winners in the stock market, one of the simplest things to seek is a product or service solving a crucial issue -- or many issues. Driverless vehicles have the potential to greatly improve transportation safety -- when working properly at scale, which isn't the status quo -- and reduce traffic congestion. For consumers, they can improve mobility, productivity, and c...
When looking for huge long-term winners in the stock market, one of the simplest things to seek is a product or service solving a crucial issue -- or many issues. Driverless vehicles have the potential to greatly improve transportation safety -- when working properly at scale, which isn't the status quo -- and reduce traffic congestion. For consumers, they can improve mobility, productivity, and convenience for non-drivers, and there are economic advantages for robotaxis and for transporting goods and services. There is a long list of companies developing driverless vehicles, but Uber Technologies (UBER 1.95%) might be the most brilliant. Here's why. A plethora of partnerships Uber has taken an interesting approach to tackling the challenges presented by driverless vehicles. Some automakers -- Tesla and Rivian among others -- have developed their own advanced vehicles and driverless technology alongside it. But Uber doesn't want to own the vehicle portion of the equation. Its driverless-vehicle strategy is brilliant in a way because it avoids a capital-intensive and higher-risk development in-house, using a platform-as-a-service model instead. The company is focusing on being a leading aggregator of driverless vehicles, rather than the manufacturer, so that it can leverage its existing global network, consumer base, and data to develop and commercialize major partnerships. As of March, Uber has over 20 active driverless-vehicle partnerships. You read that correctly: 20 active partnerships. The list includes huge companies in the manufacturing sector, such as Stellantis; the technology field (Nvidia); or a combination of the two, with Amazon's Zoox and Alphabet's Waymo. Expand NYSE : UBER Uber Technologies Today's Change ( -1.95 %) $ -1.47 Current Price $ 73.88 Key Data Points Market Cap $152B Day's Range $ 73.04 - $ 75.35 52wk Range $ 60.63 - $ 101.99 Volume 525K Avg Vol 20M Gross Margin 32.89 % Not only does this strategy avoid the manufacturing of vehicles, it als...
Key Points SoFi’s management team continues to expand the company’s offerings, which has brought in new customers. Earnings continue to impress, with adjusted net income forecast to rise 63% in 2025. The stock’s valuation has climbed, but SoFi could still beat the market between now and 2030. 10 stocks we like better than SoFi Technologies › SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) hasn't had a long run i...
Key Points SoFi’s management team continues to expand the company’s offerings, which has brought in new customers. Earnings continue to impress, with adjusted net income forecast to rise 63% in 2025. The stock’s valuation has climbed, but SoFi could still beat the market between now and 2030. 10 stocks we like better than SoFi Technologies › SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) hasn't had a long run in the public markets. But it's definitely getting the attention of the market. While shares have been extremely volatile at certain times, they have boosted portfolio returns. In the past year, they have skyrocketed an astonishing 235% (as of Aug. 28). This fintech stock trades near its all-time high these days. Investors can no longer ignore this booming business, as it deserves consideration. But a long-term mindset is still required. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Where will SoFi be five years from now, in 2030? SoFi's momentum is hard to ignore You wouldn't be able to tell from SoFi's latest financial results that the U.S. is dealing with general economic uncertainty. This digital bank is growing quickly, with momentum picking up. Revenue increased 43% in Q2 (ended June 30), accelerating from the pace in the first quarter. In fact, SoFi's revenue of $855 million last quarter was 136% higher than in the same period three years ago. SoFi now has 11.7 million customers. Exactly three years ago, it had 4.3 million. That monster gain demonstrates just how popular SoFi's products and services are. The company offers checking and savings accounts, brokerage services, insurance, and various loans, among other things. By building its business with technology, data, and a digital-only model in mind, SoFi has been able to scale up quickly, as it prioritizes giving its customers an exceptional user experience. Innovation is part of management's strategy to keep focusing on what i...
The Woman’s Hour host, who has died aged 75, could talk about hydrangeas, campaign against domestic abuse, then tear a strip off a politician – all within a few minutes Before she took over Woman’s Hour in 1987, Jenni Murray was a presenter on the Today programme. She had joined the BBC in Bristol in 1973, and became a TV reporter and presenter for South Today, so arrived with solid news credentia...
The Woman’s Hour host, who has died aged 75, could talk about hydrangeas, campaign against domestic abuse, then tear a strip off a politician – all within a few minutes Before she took over Woman’s Hour in 1987, Jenni Murray was a presenter on the Today programme. She had joined the BBC in Bristol in 1973, and became a TV reporter and presenter for South Today, so arrived with solid news credentials. But Today in the 80s was inveterately sexist – the guys took the politics, the women mopped up the rest – that the format was just too small for her. Woman’s Hour, on the other hand, was absolutely reshaped in her image: there was no preconception of tone, and nothing was too serious or too light for it. Murray, who has died at the age of 75, could tear a strip off a politician, talk about hydrangeas, then campaign against domestic abuse, all within a few minutes. She was instinctively open and generous about her personal experience, but never solipsistic – an incredibly fine balance. Continue reading...
Former Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Randal Quarles says that the uncertainty from war could hit the economy sooner than we think. He cautions that business investment is liable to fall because of a volatile and uncertain environment. (Source: Bloomberg)
Former Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Randal Quarles says that the uncertainty from war could hit the economy sooner than we think. He cautions that business investment is liable to fall because of a volatile and uncertain environment. (Source: Bloomberg)
There's a host of stocks that are too attractive to ignore, Bank of America says. The investment bank says companies such as Meta Platforms have plenty more room to run, even in the face of macroeconomic uncertainty. Other buy-rated names screened by CNBC Pro from Bank of America include: Bob's Discount Furniture , Coca-Cola Andina , Blackrock and Boot Barn Holdings . Coca-Cola Andina The Latin Am...
There's a host of stocks that are too attractive to ignore, Bank of America says. The investment bank says companies such as Meta Platforms have plenty more room to run, even in the face of macroeconomic uncertainty. Other buy-rated names screened by CNBC Pro from Bank of America include: Bob's Discount Furniture , Coca-Cola Andina , Blackrock and Boot Barn Holdings . Coca-Cola Andina The Latin American Coca-Cola bottling and packaging company is firing on all cylinders, according to the bank. Analyst Fernando Olvera recently upgraded the stock to buy from neutral and said Coca-Cola Andina is too compelling to ignore. "We see this as an attractive entry point with an improved risk-reward profile," he wrote, advising clients to buy the dip. In particular, Bank of America likes the company's robust free-cash flow and its exposure to emerging markets. "We are positive on Andina. Its operating strength should be supported by volume improvements across markets, price/mix gains and stable costs, supporting strong free cash flow to fund dividends," he said. The Class A sponsored ADRs are up 41% over the past 12 months and yield 3.4%, FactSet data shows. Boot Barn Buy the dip in the western-themed footwear company, analyst Christopher Nardone says. "Structural drivers including exclusive brand mix, buying economies of scale and higher full price selling remain intact," he said. The bank did lower its price target to $224 per share from $240, but said the stock remains too compelling to ignore. In addition, Nardone doesn't see the Middle East war interfering with the stock's upside. "Yes, there is increased macro uncertainty with the war and higher gas prices, but oil/gas worker unemployment rates remain low, and we believe this is the more important data point given BOOT's exposure to the 'Work' segment," he said. The stock is up almost 50% over the past 12 months. Bob's Discount Furniture Bob's is also firing on all cylinders, as evidenced by the company's earnings report ...
US military to adopt Palantir AI as core system US military to adopt Palantir AI as core system + ↺ − 16 px The Pentagon is preparing to make artificial intelligence a permanent pillar of its military strategy—by formally adopting a system developed by Palantir Technologies. According to an internal memo, Palantir’s Maven Smart System is set to become an official “program of record,” a designation...
US military to adopt Palantir AI as core system US military to adopt Palantir AI as core system + ↺ − 16 px The Pentagon is preparing to make artificial intelligence a permanent pillar of its military strategy—by formally adopting a system developed by Palantir Technologies. According to an internal memo, Palantir’s Maven Smart System is set to become an official “program of record,” a designation that ensures long-term funding and widespread use across all branches of the U.S. military, News.Az reports, citing Reuters. The move signals a major shift toward AI-driven warfare, with defense leaders emphasizing the need to integrate advanced technology into decision-making on the battlefield. Maven is designed to process vast amounts of battlefield data—from satellites and drones to radar systems and intelligence reports. Using AI, it can quickly identify potential threats, including vehicles, infrastructure, and weapons stockpiles. Officials say what once took hours can now be completed in seconds. In a letter to senior leaders, Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg described AI-enabled decision-making as a “cornerstone” of future military strategy, highlighting the urgency of staying ahead in modern conflict. Originally launched in 2017 as part of Project Maven, the system began as a tool for labeling drone imagery. It has since evolved into a full-scale command-and-control platform used in real-world operations. Formalizing it as a program of record will: Expand its use across the entire military Provide stable, long-term funding Centralize oversight under the Pentagon’s AI office The transition is expected to be completed by the end of the current fiscal year. For Palantir, the decision marks another significant milestone in its growing relationship with the U.S. government. The company has secured a series of major defense contracts in recent years, including deals worth billions of dollars. Its rising role in military AI has helped boost investor confidence and...
Retail investors talked up five hot stocks this week (March 9 to March 13) on X and Reddit's r/WallStreetBets, driven by retail hype, earnings, AI buzz, and corporate news flow. Super Micro Computer Some retail investors were questioning multiple fallacies at SMCI, with its issues in earnings reporting in 2024 and 2025 to the current issue of chip smuggling. The stock had a 52-week range of $27.60...
Retail investors talked up five hot stocks this week (March 9 to March 13) on X and Reddit's r/WallStreetBets, driven by retail hype, earnings, AI buzz, and corporate news flow. Super Micro Computer Some retail investors were questioning multiple fallacies at SMCI, with its issues in earnings reporting in 2024 and 2025 to the current issue of chip smuggling. The stock had a 52-week range of $27.60 to $62.36, trading around $23 to $30 per share, as of the publication of this article. It fell 23.22% over the year and fell 32.79% over the last six months. SMCI had a weaker price trend in the short, medium, and long term, with a solid value ranking, as per Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings. Micron Technology Some retail investors were mocking others by calling them “chuds” or unintelligent, as MU calls were mentioned with Friday’s triple witching session multiple times on Reddit. The stock had a 52-week range of $61.54 to $471.34, trading around $439 to $445 per share, as of the publication of this article. It advanced by 335.30% over the year and 173.01% in the last six months. MU had a strong price trend in the medium, long, and short terms, with a good growth ranking as per Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings. Ulta Beauty Some retail investors were making fun of their own stock purchase, linking it to the Iran-U.S. war. The stock had a 52-week range of $323.37 to $714.97, trading around $532 to $536 per share, as of the publication of this article. It advanced 55.39% over the year and 2.42% in the last six months. Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings showed that ULTA had a weak price trend in the short and medium terms but a strong trend in the long term, with a moderate value ranking. CF Industries Holdings Some retail investors were bullish on CF as compared to its peer, Mosaic Co. (NYSE:MOS) . The stock had a 52-week range of $67.34 to $137.44, trading around $123 to $126 per share, as of the publication of this article. It was down 62.29% over the year and 47.56% over the last...
By the 1980s, Detroit’s once titanic carmakers were being upended by rivals from Japan. Ford, General Motors and Chrysler had grown rich selling gas guzzlers, but when oil prices rose and suddenly cheap, fuel-efficient Japanese models looked attractive, they were unprepared. The collapse in sales led to hundreds of thousands of job losses in the automotive heartland of the US. Now western car manu...
By the 1980s, Detroit’s once titanic carmakers were being upended by rivals from Japan. Ford, General Motors and Chrysler had grown rich selling gas guzzlers, but when oil prices rose and suddenly cheap, fuel-efficient Japanese models looked attractive, they were unprepared. The collapse in sales led to hundreds of thousands of job losses in the automotive heartland of the US. Now western car manufacturers are making what one former boss calls a similar “profound strategic mistake” as they pull back from electric vehicles (EVs) and refocus on the combustion engine just as oil prices are soaring once again. Experts say the industry’s future – and that of tens of millions of jobs – could be on the line. This time, however, the threat is from China. Cheap, well-made electric cars from brands such as BYD and Leapmotor are finding buyers across Europe. BYD overtook Tesla as the world’s biggest EV seller this year. Chinese marques are fast seizing the market share once dominated by the likes of Volkswagen, Ford, Peugeot and Renault. In the US, the pullback has been even more severe. Donald Trump has in effect wiped out the country’s electrification push by cancelling tax credits for consumers and dismantling exhaust emissions rules, which he calls a scam. Andy Palmer, a former chief executive of Aston Martin, said: “The worst possible response [from the Europeans] is to blink, slow investment and hope the market somehow resets in their favour. It won’t.” The Iran war makes the west’s EV retreat look even more shortsighted. Soaring oil prices have already prompted fresh interest in electric cars after petrol station prices surged across Europe. The German car dealer MeinAuto said EV-related online traffic had jumped by 40% since the war broke out. View image in fullscreen Smoke rises after a strike on the Bapco oil refinery in March. Photograph: Reuters Palmer, who also developed the world’s first mass-market EV in the Nissan Leaf and now chairs a battery technology firm, ...
When it comes to politics in Appalachian Kentucky, one of the first things anyone will tell you is that people defy easy categorization. There are fervent church goers who say that Jesus’ message of helping others is basically socialism, and that’s a good thing. There are gun owners who pine for universal healthcare. Home to shuttered coal mines and steel plants, Appalachian Kentucky remains one o...
When it comes to politics in Appalachian Kentucky, one of the first things anyone will tell you is that people defy easy categorization. There are fervent church goers who say that Jesus’ message of helping others is basically socialism, and that’s a good thing. There are gun owners who pine for universal healthcare. Home to shuttered coal mines and steel plants, Appalachian Kentucky remains one of the most disadvantaged regions in America. Unlike many other Republican-leaning parts of the country, there are few military-adjacent companies or industries in its hollers and hills. With two of the 13 American military members killed in the Iran war so far from Kentucky, the decisions being made in Washington on what many are calling a needless conflict are hitting home hard. And while Donald Trump won 65% of the vote in Kentucky in the 2024 election, there are growing signs that the conflict is fueling mounting discontent here. Early estimates suggest the first 12 days of the war on Iran cost the US taxpayer around $16.5bn. An estimated 40% of children in eastern Kentucky are growing up in households where income is below the federal poverty level. In July 2022, flooding from heavy rain led to the deaths of 38 people in eastern Kentucky. All the while, thousands of eastern Kentucky residents have seen Snap and Medicare support cut by the Trump administration, and rising utility prices drive them back into poverty. “This war, with no congressional approval, is a slap in the face of rural Kentuckians and my neighbors. There are so many things that that money could be better allocated for … especially after all the cuts that have been made, it’s really difficult to kind of swallow that pill,” says McKenna Brashear, the acting president of the Perry County Young Democrats, who’s from the tiny community of Viper. “Our schools rely heavily on government assistance. Any portion [of the Iran war spending] could greatly increase an educator’s ability to get school supplies. Hig...
In one corner, clean energy champion Ed Miliband. In the other, residents – and Reform politicians – outraged at plans for more large-scale solar farms in Lincolnshire than anywhere else in the UK As night descends on the grand offices of Lincolnshire county council, everything appears orderly and calm. Paintings of long-forgotten councillors and dignitaries stare out into an empty drawing room. T...
In one corner, clean energy champion Ed Miliband. In the other, residents – and Reform politicians – outraged at plans for more large-scale solar farms in Lincolnshire than anywhere else in the UK As night descends on the grand offices of Lincolnshire county council, everything appears orderly and calm. Paintings of long-forgotten councillors and dignitaries stare out into an empty drawing room. The council chamber is silent and dark. Bored receptionists glance at their phones while a handful of admin staff hunch over glowing screens. But a rebellion is brewing in the office of the council leader, Sean Matthews, who took charge last May, when Reform replaced the Conservative old guard. The affable former royal protection officer is plotting an apparently radical campaign of civil disobedience against a series of giant solar farms planned for Lincolnshire. Despite a quarter of a century in the Metropolitan police, Matthews is willing to break the law to stop solar developers. He is planning to lie down in front of the bulldozers. “They can arrest me – I’ve arrested plenty of people,” he says, leaning forward on a sofa. “It’s much bigger than me and my criminal record. For goodness sake, it’s the future of the county, it’s the future of our land. I am passionate about that and I will do what I can.” Continue reading...
When the UK government signed a memorandum of understanding with OpenAI, the tech firm behind ChatGPT, the partnership was hailed as one that could harness artificial intelligence to “address society’s greatest challenges”. But eight months on from the fanfare of that announcement, the government has yet to hold any trials involving the firm’s tech. A freedom of information (FoI) request asked the...
When the UK government signed a memorandum of understanding with OpenAI, the tech firm behind ChatGPT, the partnership was hailed as one that could harness artificial intelligence to “address society’s greatest challenges”. But eight months on from the fanfare of that announcement, the government has yet to hold any trials involving the firm’s tech. A freedom of information (FoI) request asked the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) for information about trials conducted under the memorandum, which said the company would work with civil servants to “identify opportunities for how advanced AI models can be deployed throughout government and the private sector”. The department replied that it held none of this information and had “not undertaken any trials under the memorandum of understanding with OpenAI”. In response to a query from the Guardian, DSIT pointed to an agreement under which the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) last October enabled civil servants to use ChatGPT “with an option for UK-based data storage for customers”. Tarek Nseir, the CEO of Valliance, the AI consultancy that filed the FoI, said: “Either there’s been a huge failure in execution, or it was a failure of intent in my view. “There are unquestionably pockets of government that are engaging with these frontier models and these providers … We just have so little to show for it. “Rolling out ChatGPT in a department hardly reflects the ambition of the MoU.” He added: “We use PowerPoint – that doesn’t mean we have a strategic relationship with Microsoft. If this was the intent of the MoU then our government is not taking the impact of AI on our economy seriously.” The agreement for the MoJ to use ChatGPT appeared to be part of a larger “AI Action Plan for Justice” rolled out separately last July. DSIT also pointed to continuing work with the UK AI Safety Institute to test AI models and develop safeguards in collaboration with OpenAI. It said: “We are pleased with the progress we are ...