Americans are still swiping, tapping, and clicking through record consumption. Total personal consumption expenditures hit $21.86 trillion in March 2026, up from $20.68 trillion a year earlier, and financial services spending climbed to $1,82 trillion. The rails carrying that money are owned by fintechs, but pure-play leaders trade at a premium. Pure-play leaders sit at ... U.S. Consumer Spending ...
Americans are still swiping, tapping, and clicking through record consumption. Total personal consumption expenditures hit $21.86 trillion in March 2026, up from $20.68 trillion a year earlier, and financial services spending climbed to $1,82 trillion. The rails carrying that money are owned by fintechs, but pure-play leaders trade at a premium. Pure-play leaders sit at ... U.S. Consumer Spending Tops $21.86T: 5 Fintech Stocks Under $75
Lokibaho/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images As a standalone entity separate from its NBCUniversal ( CMCSA ) parent, Versant ( VSNT ) faces a less certain path in obtaining agreements with multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) and sports leagues but is also free to direct cash into opportunities rather than to its parent company's priorities. This dynamic leads the J.P. Morgan analyst...
Lokibaho/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images As a standalone entity separate from its NBCUniversal ( CMCSA ) parent, Versant ( VSNT ) faces a less certain path in obtaining agreements with multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) and sports leagues but is also free to direct cash into opportunities rather than to its parent company's priorities. This dynamic leads the J.P. Morgan analyst team led by David Karnovsky to initiate coverage of Versant ( VSNT ) with a Neutral rating and $43 price target, which assumes 6% upside from Tuesday’s closing price. Versant ( VSNT ) was split off from NBCUniversal ( CMCSA ) early this year, taking with it CNBC, MS NOW, USA Network, Golf Channel, Oxygen, E!, and SYFY, along with digital assets Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, and GolfPass. The company generated ~80% of its revenue last year from linear distribution and advertising, and the high legacy mix ensures that the overall company will operate with declining top-line trends for at least the minimum term, the analyst team note. The analysts also argue that headwinds to distribution and advertising in the pay-TV ecosystem are well known, and Versant ( VSNT ) will have to navigate the declining top-line trends in the near term while maintaining programming quality to remain attractive to audiences. “Our Neutral rating balances declining revenue trends against a valuation that largely captures these pressures, while we think investors will be hesitant to award the company for its growth initiatives until EBITDA stabilizes or upside from the platforms business is more proven out,” Karnovsky and team explain. Wall Street analysts and Seeking Alpha authors are largely neutral on Versant ( VSNT ), viewing the stock as a Hold with a score in the mid-3s out of 5. More on Versant Media Group, Inc. What Versant's StockStory Deal Says About Life Beyond Pay-TV Versant Media: The Jury Is Still Out Here Versant Media Group, Inc. (VSNT) Presents at Deutsche Bank 34th Annual Medi...
Defense contractor Anduril, which is helping build President Trump’s “Golden Dome” antimissile shield, completed a funding round at a $61 billion valuation.
Defense contractor Anduril, which is helping build President Trump’s “Golden Dome” antimissile shield, completed a funding round at a $61 billion valuation.
halbergman/E+ via Getty Images $200 million is a drop in the bucket for Blackstone ( BX ) and Prologis ( PLD ), yet a single $200 million transaction demonstrates a glaring distinction between the behemoths. One is buying cash flows; the other is creating value. What happened? Blackstone subsidiary Link Logistics bought a portfolio of 8 properties from PLD for $195.9 million. I posit that the spec...
halbergman/E+ via Getty Images $200 million is a drop in the bucket for Blackstone ( BX ) and Prologis ( PLD ), yet a single $200 million transaction demonstrates a glaring distinction between the behemoths. One is buying cash flows; the other is creating value. What happened? Blackstone subsidiary Link Logistics bought a portfolio of 8 properties from PLD for $195.9 million. I posit that the specifics of this transaction point to Prologis being a higher return investment than BX industrial funds. Why this shows PLD is a higher return vehicle than a BX fund There are various ways in which a buyer can create value through property acquisition. Value creation mechanisms that we have frequently seen in REITs are: Buying property at a discount to fair value Buyer can operate asset better Buyer can operate asset cheaper Superior knowledge to seller Lease origination (sale-leaseback) The odd part of this transaction is that none of these value creation mechanisms are present. Without a value creation component, this transaction tells me that Blackstone is simply willing to accept a lower rate of return than Prologis. In other words, Prologis is willing to sell at the transacted price because they believe they can generate higher returns elsewhere. In contrast, the Blackstone fund appears satisfied with the somewhat low return implied by the transaction price. Not purchased at a discount to fair value Blackstone’s purchase price of $195.9 million is for properties that Prologis bought in 2010 for $58.48 million. High-quality industrial real estate has indeed appreciated since 2010, but triple the previous purchase price is clearly not discounted. The buyer is unlikely to operate assets better than the seller I think it is entirely plausible that Link Logistics, the Blackstone subsidiary, is a strong operator. They have the capital to hire highly professional asset management teams. However, the seller is equally or perhaps even more competent. Prologis is the largest indus...
Shareholders of Xerox Holdings Corp (Symbol: XRX) looking to boost their income beyond the stock's 3.9% annualized dividend yield can sell the December 2027 covered call at the $7 strike and collect the premium based on the 50 cents bid, which annualizes to an additional 12.2% r
Shareholders of Xerox Holdings Corp (Symbol: XRX) looking to boost their income beyond the stock's 3.9% annualized dividend yield can sell the December 2027 covered call at the $7 strike and collect the premium based on the 50 cents bid, which annualizes to an additional 12.2% r
MARA continues to shift its focus from Bitcoin mining to the unprecedented energy demand needed to fuel AI. MARA CEO Fred Thiel discusses the company’s big pivot on "Bloomberg Open Interest." (Source: Bloomberg)
MARA continues to shift its focus from Bitcoin mining to the unprecedented energy demand needed to fuel AI. MARA CEO Fred Thiel discusses the company’s big pivot on "Bloomberg Open Interest." (Source: Bloomberg)
Fiona O’Farrell , Sarah Mulholland and Jennifer Evans on the ongoing circus surrounding potential challengers to Keir Starmer’s leadership As an active and loyal Labour member, I am infuriated by what is happening within the party ( Burnham allies warn against quick ‘coronation’ of Streeting if Starmer quits, 12 May ). The ongoing circus about the leadership is a terrible distraction from the nume...
Fiona O’Farrell , Sarah Mulholland and Jennifer Evans on the ongoing circus surrounding potential challengers to Keir Starmer’s leadership As an active and loyal Labour member, I am infuriated by what is happening within the party ( Burnham allies warn against quick ‘coronation’ of Streeting if Starmer quits, 12 May ). The ongoing circus about the leadership is a terrible distraction from the numerous global and national issues that the government and the prime minister should be focused on. But the most infuriating aspect of the entire shambles is the relentless speculation and briefings from so-called “allies” of Andy Burham. No Labour member has an innate right to be selected as a parliamentary candidate. The assertion that a sitting Labour MP should give up the seat voters elected them to, necessitating a byelection so that Burnham can run, then assuming that he would automatically retain the seat, is arrogance beyond belief. And it makes the party look ridiculous. Continue reading...
Ian Williamson and Susan Gregory respond to an article by Sam Wollaston on pub closures and share experiences in their own communities For campaigners like us, who are fighting to rescue their village pub, Sam Wollaston’s article about the The Hare and Hounds in Bowland Bridge, Cumbria, could hardly be more depressing ( ‘Now the village is dead. It’s awful’: why was one of Britain’s best pubs forc...
Ian Williamson and Susan Gregory respond to an article by Sam Wollaston on pub closures and share experiences in their own communities For campaigners like us, who are fighting to rescue their village pub, Sam Wollaston’s article about the The Hare and Hounds in Bowland Bridge, Cumbria, could hardly be more depressing ( ‘Now the village is dead. It’s awful’: why was one of Britain’s best pubs forced to close?, 7 May ). Wollaston is, of course, quite right about the long list of challenges that are putting pubs out of business. Yet despite the odds being stacked against us, there are groups like ours all over the country that are refusing to give up – and a good many are succeeding. We are trying to buy the Somerset Arms, which closed three years ago, leaving the Wiltshire village of Semington without a pub. We have tremendous support from the community and we take great encouragement from pubs like the Hop Pole Inn in nearby Limpley Stoke. It also stood empty for many months but has recently been named Camra’s pub of the year . I have seen for myself what a huge impact it has had on the life of the village. The Somerset Arms will rise again. We hope that the Hare and Hounds will too. Ian Williamson Chair, Semington Community Benefit Society, Wiltshire Continue reading...
A ‘case study in hope’ is not how Fernando Quintana Marrero would describe life for Londoners who feel exploited and unheard In your interview with Sadiq Khan to mark his 10 years as mayor ( 11 May ), he describes London as a “case study in hope”. This will feel deeply disconnected from reality for many Londoners. Yes, there have been improvements in areas such as air quality. But ordinary people ...
A ‘case study in hope’ is not how Fernando Quintana Marrero would describe life for Londoners who feel exploited and unheard In your interview with Sadiq Khan to mark his 10 years as mayor ( 11 May ), he describes London as a “case study in hope”. This will feel deeply disconnected from reality for many Londoners. Yes, there have been improvements in areas such as air quality. But ordinary people do not experience London through political narratives or carefully selected statistics. They experience it through soaring rents, housing insecurity, overcrowded transport, rising living costs and the growing sense that this city is becoming unaffordable for anyone on a normal salary. Continue reading...
Restaurant owner Nicola Powell says the government’s tax burden has made her poorer even as she works harder Your report ( Reform wins across northern England overturn decades of Labour control, 8 May ) touched on Labour losing support among small business owners. I wanted to offer the perspective of a small independent business owner who has traditionally supported Labour. Labour’s poor local ele...
Restaurant owner Nicola Powell says the government’s tax burden has made her poorer even as she works harder Your report ( Reform wins across northern England overturn decades of Labour control, 8 May ) touched on Labour losing support among small business owners. I wanted to offer the perspective of a small independent business owner who has traditionally supported Labour. Labour’s poor local election results may reflect a growing frustration among small business owners who no longer feel recognised as “working people”. In hospitality, hair and beauty, retail and trades, there are thousands upon thousands of us keeping local economies alive while taking home increasingly modest incomes ourselves. Continue reading...
Michael Hecht responds to a study calling for New Orleans residents to be relocated due to rising sea levels Here in New Orleans, we are not climate deniers. For more than 300 years, New Orleans has defended its unique position, most recently with a $15bn storm wall system that kept the city bone-dry during a category five storm. That is why it was frustrating to read the Guardian’s unquestioning ...
Michael Hecht responds to a study calling for New Orleans residents to be relocated due to rising sea levels Here in New Orleans, we are not climate deniers. For more than 300 years, New Orleans has defended its unique position, most recently with a $15bn storm wall system that kept the city bone-dry during a category five storm. That is why it was frustrating to read the Guardian’s unquestioning coverage of a recent Nature Sustainability perspectives paper by Torbjörn Törnqvist and colleagues ( ‘Point of no return’: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds, 4 May ). Rather than science, the study is an ideologically driven policy argument dressed in the guise of geological inevitability. Continue reading...
England director of cricket Rob Key said Ollie Robinson is "one of the best bowlers in the world" after ending the Sussex seamer's two-year international exile.
England director of cricket Rob Key said Ollie Robinson is "one of the best bowlers in the world" after ending the Sussex seamer's two-year international exile.
(RTTNews) - Beer giant Anheuser-Busch (BUD, ABI.BR, 1NBA.DE, 1ABI.MI, ANH.JO) on Wednesday announced a $5 million investment in its Columbus, Ohio, brewery to expand production capacity for Michelob ULTRA and non-alcoholic beer offerings, while also launching a new manufacturing
(RTTNews) - Beer giant Anheuser-Busch (BUD, ABI.BR, 1NBA.DE, 1ABI.MI, ANH.JO) on Wednesday announced a $5 million investment in its Columbus, Ohio, brewery to expand production capacity for Michelob ULTRA and non-alcoholic beer offerings, while also launching a new manufacturing
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says its new Incognito Chat is "the first major AI product where there is no log of your conversations stored on servers." Messages in Incognito Chat aren't saved or stored in users' chat history, similar to incognito modes on other AI chatbots, but Meta says its version is different because it also uses end-to-end encryption, which Meta recently removed from Instagram DMs...
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says its new Incognito Chat is "the first major AI product where there is no log of your conversations stored on servers." Messages in Incognito Chat aren't saved or stored in users' chat history, similar to incognito modes on other AI chatbots, but Meta says its version is different because it also uses end-to-end encryption, which Meta recently removed from Instagram DMs : "Other apps have introduced incognito-style modes, but they can still see the questions coming in and the answers going out. Incognito Chat with Meta AI is truly private, meaning no one - not even Meta - can read your conversations." Google … Read the full story at The Verge.
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Susan Collins says interest rates should remain on hold for “some time,” arguing she is particularly concerned about elevated inflation. She speaks during an event organized by the Boston Economic Club. (Source: Bloomberg)
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Susan Collins says interest rates should remain on hold for “some time,” arguing she is particularly concerned about elevated inflation. She speaks during an event organized by the Boston Economic Club. (Source: Bloomberg)
B200s Or B-2s? By Bas van Geffen, senior macro strategist of Rabobank Concerns about the Middle East continued to dictate markets yesterday. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and there were no signs that this will change soon. Oil prices rose further. Dated Brent jumped 5% on the day to top $111. Alongside the rise in benchmark energy prices, yields increased too. 10y US Treasury yields closed ...
B200s Or B-2s? By Bas van Geffen, senior macro strategist of Rabobank Concerns about the Middle East continued to dictate markets yesterday. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and there were no signs that this will change soon. Oil prices rose further. Dated Brent jumped 5% on the day to top $111. Alongside the rise in benchmark energy prices, yields increased too. 10y US Treasury yields closed around 5bp higher, and 10y German Bund yields rose 6bp to 3.1%, dragging broader EUR yields up. Equities struggled. European bourses closed around 1.5% lower, but the S&P pared most of its losses after the European close, so the Euro Stoxx index may catch up to its US counterpart today. This reversal happened after oil prices came off their intraday highs, and as news broke that Nvidia CEO Huang will join the US delegation to China. President Trump indicated that he wants to focus on economic issues during his summit with President Xi, more so than on geopolitical issues in the Middle East. Markets certainly seem hopeful that Trump and Xi will discuss B200 chips rather than B-2 bombers. Of course, the Iran war complicates negotiations between the two leaders. China agrees to oppose any toll scheme for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the US State Department. Meanwhile, Iraq and Pakistan have reportedly made deals with Iran to safeguard oil and LNG shipments from the Gulf – underscoring that Iran is able to effectively control the flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz . China has also further diversified its oil imports . This may make China more resilient to prolonged disruptions in Hormuz, while it also cuts off more potential income for Iran. But China will probably want something in return. President Trump will reportedly discuss US weapons sales to Taiwan with Xi, breaking with a decades-long US tradition. US allies in Asia are alarmed that Trump may agree to Xi’s request to delay or stop deliveries. That’s a longer-term geopolitical risk, b...
Carrick has accrued 33 points from 15 league matches United hierarchy not concerned by relative inexperience Manchester United are to open formal discussions with Michael Carrick with a view to appointing him as permanent head coach . The 44-year-old’s success since taking the role on an interim basis in early January has impressed Jason Wilcox, the director of football, and the chief executive, O...
Carrick has accrued 33 points from 15 league matches United hierarchy not concerned by relative inexperience Manchester United are to open formal discussions with Michael Carrick with a view to appointing him as permanent head coach . The 44-year-old’s success since taking the role on an interim basis in early January has impressed Jason Wilcox, the director of football, and the chief executive, Omar Berrada. After replacing Ruben Amorim, who was sacked on 5 January , Carrick has returned 33 points from 15 Premier League matches, the most accrued during that span. Continue reading...
Key PointsInvestidor Profissional initiated a new position in MercadoLibre last quarter, buying up 5,881 shares; the estimated trade size was $11.34 million (based on quarterly average prices).
Key PointsInvestidor Profissional initiated a new position in MercadoLibre last quarter, buying up 5,881 shares; the estimated trade size was $11.34 million (based on quarterly average prices).