Both Palantir Technologies (PLTR +1.17%) and Alphabet (GOOG +1.00%)(GOOGL +1.11%) are great technology companies with impressive business momentum. But they have some key differences, especially when it comes to growth rates and valuation. On one side, you have Palantir -- an artificial intelligence (AI) data and analytics software provider that is putting up staggering revenue growth rates, but i...
Both Palantir Technologies (PLTR +1.17%) and Alphabet (GOOG +1.00%)(GOOGL +1.11%) are great technology companies with impressive business momentum. But they have some key differences, especially when it comes to growth rates and valuation. On one side, you have Palantir -- an artificial intelligence (AI) data and analytics software provider that is putting up staggering revenue growth rates, but its stock is trading at a valuation that is simply difficult for many investors to wrap their heads around. Then you have Alphabet (GOOG +1.00%) (GOOGL +1.11%) -- a foundational tech giant growing at a more measured (but still impressive) pace, backed by a highly diversified business and a deeply entrenched operating history. And Alphabet stock's valuation? Far more conservative. Both companies are proving that there are real AI tailwinds helping drive their growth. But just one of the two stocks looks like a buy today -- and the comparison arguably isn't even close. So, when looking out over the next five years, which stock is the better buy today? The price of perfection There is no denying that Palantir is executing flawlessly right now. The data analytics company recently reported fourth-quarter 2025 revenue of roughly $1.41 billion -- a blistering 70% year-over-year increase. And that growth is not just coming from its legacy government contracts. U.S. commercial revenue surged 137% in Q4 to $507 million, underscoring the rapid acceleration of enterprise demand for its platforms. And Palantir's underlying financial health is equally impressive. The company reported $609 million in net income under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in the fourth quarter. Showing how big this profit is, this puts net income at about 43% of the quarter's revenue. Additionally, management's forward-looking commentary was upbeat. Management guided 2026 full-year revenue of roughly $7.19 billion at the midpoint, implying a 61% year-over-year increase. Expand NASDAQ : PLTR Palant...
China Directly Mediating Between Pakistan & Afghanistan After Weeks Of War There's actually another hot war in the Middle East which has been raging, quite apart from the Iran-US-Israel war. Pakistan and Afghanistan have been engaged in a tense border conflict for weeks at this point . The Associated Press on Monday described the latest developments in the following : Afghanistan's Taliban governm...
China Directly Mediating Between Pakistan & Afghanistan After Weeks Of War There's actually another hot war in the Middle East which has been raging, quite apart from the Iran-US-Israel war. Pakistan and Afghanistan have been engaged in a tense border conflict for weeks at this point . The Associated Press on Monday described the latest developments in the following : Afghanistan's Taliban government on Monday accused Pakistan's military of targeting a Kabul hospital that treats drug addicts in airstrikes that killed four people and wounded several others. The attack came hours after Afghan officials said the two sides exchanged fire along their common border, killing four people in Afghanistan , as the deadliest fighting between the neighbors in years entered a third week. Image via Associated Press It was on Feb. 27 that Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declared an "all-out war" on Afghanistan, and began bombing border regions as well as the capital of Kabul. Pakistan's army has total force domination; however, the Taliban can still inflict pain through acts of terrorism , which Pakistani cities have suffered immensely under. Acts of terror by Islamist groups have become almost a regular occurrence in Pakistan - with many suspected of having support through Afghanistan, which is precisely what Islamabad has cited as a key rationale for the war. But now, China is seeking to directly coordinate de-escalation, reportedly attempting to broker a ceasefire between the two neighbors. Beijing confirmed Monday that Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held phone calls with both Pakistani and Afghan counterparts in recent days as the situation continues to deteriorate. "The MFA Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs has been shuttling between Afghanistan and Pakistan," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in a statement on X. "China’s embassies have been in close communication with both sides as well." "China hopes Afghanistan and Pakistan will remain calm and exercise rest...
A view of the Ant Group buildings in Chongqing, China, on March 23, 2025. Cfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images Shares of Bright Smart Securities surged as much as 82% on Tuesday after an Ant Group unit completed the required steps to acquire the Hong Kong-listed brokerage. The stock later pared gains to trade 70% higher as of 10.45p.m. ET, the highest since July 2025. The rally came after Ant ...
A view of the Ant Group buildings in Chongqing, China, on March 23, 2025. Cfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images Shares of Bright Smart Securities surged as much as 82% on Tuesday after an Ant Group unit completed the required steps to acquire the Hong Kong-listed brokerage. The stock later pared gains to trade 70% higher as of 10.45p.m. ET, the highest since July 2025. The rally came after Ant Group subsidiary Wealthiness and Prosperity Holding said it had completed the required reporting procedures with Chinese regulators for high-value overseas investment projects, clearing the way for the deal to close. The reporting procedures were completed on Sunday, the companies said in a joint filing published after trading hours on Monday . The transaction is expected to be completed around March 30. Once completed, the deal will trigger a possible unconditional mandatory cash offer for all remaining shares of Bright Smart not already owned by the Ant Group subsidiary. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Last April, Ant Group, which is partially owned by billionaire Jack Ma's Alibaba Group, agreed to acquire a 50.55% stake in Bright Smart Securities for HK$ 2.81 billion ($358 million), or HK$3.28 per share, marking its entry into the brokerage business. Back last August, Ant Group said procedures related to its acquisition of Bright Smart Securities were "moving forward as planned" in response to reports that the deal could face heightened regulatory scrutiny and potential delays . Bright Smart Securities has a market cap of around $15.74 billion Hong Kong dollars, according to LSEG data. Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.
The strait of Hormuz, a narrow stretch of water at the mouth of the Gulf, is the world’s petrol pump, a geographical bottleneck through which 20% of the world’s oil normally flows. Since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran, however, Tehran has threatened to close the strait and cause mayhem. “They’ve not formally, officially shut it down, but they have said that they will set ablaze any t...
The strait of Hormuz, a narrow stretch of water at the mouth of the Gulf, is the world’s petrol pump, a geographical bottleneck through which 20% of the world’s oil normally flows. Since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran, however, Tehran has threatened to close the strait and cause mayhem. “They’ve not formally, officially shut it down, but they have said that they will set ablaze any tanker that tries to move through. For any shipping owner, for any insurer, that is as good as closed,” explains the Guardian’s energy correspondent, Jillian Ambrose. Nosheen Iqbal hears about the knock-on effect on the global economy and everyday lives. “If you think about your day-to-day life, the goods that you consume, the services that you use, they all rely on energy at some point. So when the cost goes up, everything that you consume or use will become more costly too,” Jillian says. Will the economic turbulence make the US president think again about the war? And how long can Iran keep it up? “Donald Trump wouldn’t want to admit defeat,” says Jillian, but “I see Iran as holding a lot of the cards in this conflict.”