In the land of sushi and ramen, Wall Street is betting millions on American burgers and fried chicken. Carlyle and Goldman Sachs see chains like KFC and Burger King having a larger presence in Japan. What's fueling these big bets? Lisa Du explains. (Source: Bloomberg)
In the land of sushi and ramen, Wall Street is betting millions on American burgers and fried chicken. Carlyle and Goldman Sachs see chains like KFC and Burger King having a larger presence in Japan. What's fueling these big bets? Lisa Du explains. (Source: Bloomberg)
peshkov/iStock via Getty Images Investment Approach Fidelity Freedom® Funds (the Funds) are designed so that the target date referenced in the Fund name is the approximate year when investors expect to retire. Except for Fidelity Freedom® Retirement Fund, each of the Funds seeks high total return until reaching its respective target retirement date; thereafter, each Fund's objective will be to see...
peshkov/iStock via Getty Images Investment Approach Fidelity Freedom® Funds (the Funds) are designed so that the target date referenced in the Fund name is the approximate year when investors expect to retire. Except for Fidelity Freedom® Retirement Fund, each of the Funds seeks high total return until reaching its respective target retirement date; thereafter, each Fund's objective will be to seek high current income and, as a secondary objective, capital appreciation. Except for Fidelity Freedom® Retirement Fund, each Fund's asset allocation strategy becomes increasingly diversified as it approaches its target date – and beyond. Ultimately, the Funds are expected to merge with Fidelity Freedom Retirement Fund. The Funds employ a disciplined and time-tested investment process focused on helping investors achieve successful retirement outcomes by leveraging the depth and strength of Fidelity's investment research and resources. Market Update and Portfolio Review Global equities advanced in Q4 amid economic expansion and strong corporate fundamentals. Non-U.S. equities led the broad-based rally amid improved manufacturing conditions and policies to support domestic growth and consumption. The U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates twice in Q4, given signs of softer employment conditions. Inflation remained above target. Nominal 10-year U.S. Treasury bond yields finished Q4 effectively unchanged at around 4.2%. Credit spreads remained low relative to history. Total Return of Strategic Asset Classes Period Ending December 31, 2025 You cannot invest directly in an index. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. U.S. Equities - Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Index, Non-U.S. Equities - MSCI All Country World ex USA Index (Net Mass), U.S. Short-Term Inflation- Protected Bond - Bloomberg U.S. TIPS 0-5 Years Index, U.S. Long-Term Inflation-Protected Bond - Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Inflation Notes: 5+ Years Index, U.S. Investment- Grade Bond - Bloomberg U.S. Agg...
An indicator tied to Walmart's ( WMT ) stock, tracked by veteran strategist Jim Paulsen, is signaling a sharp economic downturn ahead. The Walmart Recession Signal (WRS) measures the retail giant's share price [+10.9% YTD] against the S&P Global Luxury Index ( SPGLGUN ) [-14.8% YTD]. Paulsen believes a sharp rise in the WRS could warn of a potential recession or economic slowdown, as was the case ...
An indicator tied to Walmart's ( WMT ) stock, tracked by veteran strategist Jim Paulsen, is signaling a sharp economic downturn ahead. The Walmart Recession Signal (WRS) measures the retail giant's share price [+10.9% YTD] against the S&P Global Luxury Index ( SPGLGUN ) [-14.8% YTD]. Paulsen believes a sharp rise in the WRS could warn of a potential recession or economic slowdown, as was the case leading up to the past four U.S. downturns. The WRS is now close to the highest recorded level, which was during the 2008-09 financial crisis. "The WRS is increasingly advising caution about the U.S. economy since retail purchasing is trending toward discounters, suggesting pressures may be building among lower- and middle-income consumers," Paulsen wrote in his latest newsletter on Substack. "My guess is the economy avoids a recession this year, but I am becoming more convinced that a significant U.S. economic slowdown is unfolding that will ultimately require additional economic policy accommodation and lower interest rates to arrest," he warned. The recent increase in the WRS indicates that economic stress "is growing from the bottom part of the income distribution" and may be "signaling growing trouble in the private credit markets." As for the labor market, Paulsen highlighted how the WRS "rose substantially long before the unemployment rate finally surged" during the late 1990s. This suggests that the recent rise in the WRS may not be reflected in unemployment figures yet. More on Walmart Walmart: Mounting Headwinds And High Valuation Warrant A Downgrade As A Stock, Walmart Offers Poor Value While Kroger Is Priced At A Discount Walmart: All-Weather Status Ironically Creates Risk For Investors Walmart's second act: From the superstore era to a $100B online powerhouse
Starlink satellites being deployed. | Image: SpaceX SpaceX says it lost contact with a Starlink satellite after suffering an "anomaly." SpaceX isn't saying exactly what happened, but space-tracking company Leo Labs says it "immediately detected tens of objects in the vicinity" of Starlink 34343 after the event. "Latest analysis shows the event poses no new risk to the @Space_Station, its crew, or ...
Starlink satellites being deployed. | Image: SpaceX SpaceX says it lost contact with a Starlink satellite after suffering an "anomaly." SpaceX isn't saying exactly what happened, but space-tracking company Leo Labs says it "immediately detected tens of objects in the vicinity" of Starlink 34343 after the event. "Latest analysis shows the event poses no new risk to the @Space_Station, its crew, or to the upcoming launch of NASA's Artemis II mission," says SpaceX in a message posted to X. The satellite and fragments are expected to burn up in the atmosphere within a few weeks. SpaceX says it is working to determine the root cause. SpaceX suffered a similar episode in December when it suddenl … Read the full story at The Verge.
Inquiry will directly look at whether factors influenced offending and institutional response in England and Wales The grooming gangs inquiry will directly examine whether ethnicity, culture or religion influenced offending and whether they shaped the institutional response. The statutory independent inquiry has published its terms of reference, which will be laid before parliament when it returns...
Inquiry will directly look at whether factors influenced offending and institutional response in England and Wales The grooming gangs inquiry will directly examine whether ethnicity, culture or religion influenced offending and whether they shaped the institutional response. The statutory independent inquiry has published its terms of reference, which will be laid before parliament when it returns from recess on 13 April. The inquiry will then begin its full investigation into the group-based sexual exploitation of children in England and Wales. Continue reading...
Chinese appliance maker Midea Group Co. is considering a potential convertible bond offering that could raise as much as about $2 billion, people familiar with the matter said, as sales of such notes surge. The company, listed in both Hong Kong and Shenzhen, has held discussions with advisers about the possible sale, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. ...
Chinese appliance maker Midea Group Co. is considering a potential convertible bond offering that could raise as much as about $2 billion, people familiar with the matter said, as sales of such notes surge. The company, listed in both Hong Kong and Shenzhen, has held discussions with advisers about the possible sale, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. No decision has been taken and details could change, they added. Borrowers gauge market conditions in timing such financings. A representative for the company said it was not considering a convertible bond offering, without elaborating. If the offering goes ahead, Midea would join a growing cohort of Chinese companies selling bonds that can convert into stock to take advantage of lower borrowing costs and equity prices generally still near the highest in several years. Convertible and exchangeable note sales by Chinese firms hit a record $70.7 billion last year as juggernauts including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. , China Pacific Insurance Group Co. and Ping An Insurance Group Co of China Ltd. issued billions of dollars worth, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The frenzy has continued into 2026, with $10.5 billion raised by Chinese companies so far, putting sales on track for their strongest first quarter in four years. Read More: Ripping Start for Asia’s Equity-Linked Bankers: Bloomberg Deals Bonds that convert into stock have their sweet spot when interest rates and volatility are high. The lower, or even zero, coupons are attractive to companies, while investors value the embedded equity option in choppy markets. Higher equity markets also make them appealing, given that any dilution that occurs as a result of the bonds converting into stock is done so at a premium. Mergermarket reported earlier on Midea’s potential convertible bond. Midea, which raised $4.6 billion in a Hong Kong listing in September 2024, has seen its shares in the city climb about 53% since then.
The reforms announced by the Reserve Bank on Tuesday will have ripple effects across the whole payments system, experts say Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Credit card rewards are likely to fall and businesses could hike their prices when Australia ends debit and credit card surcharges in October. The reforms announced by the Reserve Bank on Tuesday will have ripple ef...
The reforms announced by the Reserve Bank on Tuesday will have ripple effects across the whole payments system, experts say Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Credit card rewards are likely to fall and businesses could hike their prices when Australia ends debit and credit card surcharges in October. The reforms announced by the Reserve Bank on Tuesday will have ripple effects across the whole payments system. Here’s what you need to know. Continue reading...
Maximusnd/iStock via Getty Images Markets that had previously moved in lockstep began to diverge in March, creating new opportunities for short sellers to generate profits. Short sellers began 2026 facing a tough market backdrop. Equity markets were broadly rising, liquidity remained supportive, and optimism around AI continued to push valuations higher. By mid‑March, however, conditions began to ...
This week, NASA is scheduled to launch Artemis II, a mission that will send astronauts around the moon for the first time in more than 50 years. But this comes at a time when the space agency is facing some pretty big funding challenges, as well as growing competition with private players like SpaceX. In this episode, we speak with Alexander MacDonald, who served as NASA's first chief economist an...
This week, NASA is scheduled to launch Artemis II, a mission that will send astronauts around the moon for the first time in more than 50 years. But this comes at a time when the space agency is facing some pretty big funding challenges, as well as growing competition with private players like SpaceX. In this episode, we speak with Alexander MacDonald, who served as NASA's first chief economist and is now a senior associate at the Aerospace Security Project at CSIS. We talk about why the space agency had economists, how space exploration is funded, and how NASA measures its own economic impact. Please note, this episode was recorded March 10. (Source: Bloomberg)