Eoneren/iStock via Getty Images By Bryan Cutsinger April inflation data suggest price pressures are becoming broader and more persistent, reinforcing the Federal Reserve’s cautious stance on interest rates. Headline inflation cooled in April, but not enough to give the Federal Reserve much comfort. The Consumer Price Index rose 0.6 percent last month, down from March’s 0.9 percent increase. Yet th...
Eoneren/iStock via Getty Images By Bryan Cutsinger April inflation data suggest price pressures are becoming broader and more persistent, reinforcing the Federal Reserve’s cautious stance on interest rates. Headline inflation cooled in April, but not enough to give the Federal Reserve much comfort. The Consumer Price Index rose 0.6 percent last month, down from March’s 0.9 percent increase. Yet the year-over-year rate moved in the wrong direction, rising to 3.8 percent from 3.3 percent and extending the reversal of the disinflationary trend that had prevailed earlier this year. Core inflation told a less encouraging story. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, CPI rose 0.4 percent in April, double the 0.2 percent pace recorded in each of the prior two months. The year-over-year core rate also ticked up, rising to 2.8 percent from 2.6 percent. The moderation in headline CPI mainly reflected slower energy price growth. Energy prices rose 3.8 percent in April, well below March’s 10.9 percent surge, while gasoline prices climbed 5.4 percent after jumping 21.2 percent in March. Even so, gasoline prices are up 28.4 percent over the past year, reflecting the cumulative effect of the oil shock tied to the conflict involving Iran and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. But the April report was not simply an energy story. Shelter, which accounts for about one-third of the CPI, rose 0.6 percent after increasing 0.3 percent in March, although the increase is likely due to mismeasurement stemming from last fall’s government shutdown. Food prices rose 0.5 percent, with grocery prices up 0.7 percent. Several core categories also posted sizable increases: household furnishings and operations rose 0.7 percent, airline fares jumped 2.8 percent, personal care rose 0.7 percent, and apparel increased 0.6 percent. New vehicle prices, communication prices, and medical care moved lower, but not by enough to offset the broader firming elsewhere. The three-month trend ...
The higher the mountain, the more treacherous the backside. Thus, investors should be wary of treating a cyclical peak like this one as a permanent plateau.
The higher the mountain, the more treacherous the backside. Thus, investors should be wary of treating a cyclical peak like this one as a permanent plateau.
Health secretary’s move to force race sparks scramble on left of Labour for candidate to oppose him UK politics live – latest updates Wes Streeting is preparing to launch a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer on Thursday if the health secretary can secure the support of enough MPs to trigger a contest. Streeting’s move to force a race has sparked a frantic scramble on the left of Labour to f...
Health secretary’s move to force race sparks scramble on left of Labour for candidate to oppose him UK politics live – latest updates Wes Streeting is preparing to launch a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer on Thursday if the health secretary can secure the support of enough MPs to trigger a contest. Streeting’s move to force a race has sparked a frantic scramble on the left of Labour to find a candidate to oppose him, with Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner both possible contenders. Continue reading...
Sky_Blue/iStock via Getty Images NextDecade ( NEXT ) up 0.3% in Wednesday's trading as Citi launched coverage with a Buy rating and $11 price target, saying the stock offers exposure to one of the last large-scale greenfield U.S. Gulf Coast liquefied natural gas export facilities while U.S. LNG is likely set to become an increasingly coveted commodity. Citi's Spiro Dounis said he expects extended ...
Sky_Blue/iStock via Getty Images NextDecade ( NEXT ) up 0.3% in Wednesday's trading as Citi launched coverage with a Buy rating and $11 price target, saying the stock offers exposure to one of the last large-scale greenfield U.S. Gulf Coast liquefied natural gas export facilities while U.S. LNG is likely set to become an increasingly coveted commodity. Citi's Spiro Dounis said he expects extended outages in the Middle East to result in a demand premium for U.S. LNG over the near- to medium-term, and Rio Grande LNG has the ability to double in size, with five trains under construction and enough space to add five more, making NextDecade ( NEXT ) "a high-torque vehicle to gain exposure to U.S. LNG with an open contract window." Rio Grande’s current backlog puts NextDecade ( NEXT ) on track to become a top four U.S. LNG exporter by the early 2030s, Dounis said; beyond the current backlog, Rio Grande can double in size on its current platform, which the analyst thinks could more than double the stock's current valuation. Dounis sees significant upside if NextDecade ( NEXT ) moves forward with Rio Grande's Train 6, estimating the net present value of the train to be worth $3/share, which equates to 30%-plus accretion from current levels; the analyst estimates Train 6 could drive greater than 50% EBITDA upside net to NextDecade at 100% ownership, adding that it believes the company has at least three funding sources that will allow it to retain full ownership in the train. More on NextDecade NextDecade Q1 2026 Earnings Call Presentation NextDecade: How Do You Like Me Now? (Rating Upgrade) Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on NextDecade
Comparing Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF (NYSEMKT:MGK) and iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT:IVV) involves choosing between high-conviction growth concentration and broad market exposure. Investors often evaluate these funds to determine if a heavy tilt toward mega-cap growth could outperform the total market. While the Vanguard fund focuses on the largest expansion-oriented companies, the iShares f...
Comparing Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF (NYSEMKT:MGK) and iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT:IVV) involves choosing between high-conviction growth concentration and broad market exposure. Investors often evaluate these funds to determine if a heavy tilt toward mega-cap growth could outperform the total market. While the Vanguard fund focuses on the largest expansion-oriented companies, the iShares fund tracks the broader S&P 500 , offering a more balanced approach across all primary sectors of the U.S. economy. Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield. Continue reading
iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXX) offers concentrated, low-cost access to the chip sector, while Roundhill Investments - Generative AI & Technology ETF (NYSEMKT:CHAT) provides actively managed, diversified exposure to artificial intelligence. Investors looking to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom often choose between pure-play hardware exposure and broader software-and-service t...
iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXX) offers concentrated, low-cost access to the chip sector, while Roundhill Investments - Generative AI & Technology ETF (NYSEMKT:CHAT) provides actively managed, diversified exposure to artificial intelligence. Investors looking to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom often choose between pure-play hardware exposure and broader software-and-service themes. These two funds offer distinct paths: one focusing strictly on the components powering the movement and the other targeting the broader generative AI ecosystem. Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield. Continue reading
Emirates’ foreign ministry rejects claims that Netanyahu visited the country describing them as ‘baseless’ Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed he made a secret trip to the United Arab Emirates at the height of the Iran war to meet the president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. “This visit has led to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the UAE,” the Israeli prime minister’s offic...
Emirates’ foreign ministry rejects claims that Netanyahu visited the country describing them as ‘baseless’ Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed he made a secret trip to the United Arab Emirates at the height of the Iran war to meet the president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. “This visit has led to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the UAE,” the Israeli prime minister’s office said on Wednesday night. Continue reading...