Bond investors are starting to ponder whether the inflation worries sparked by the Iran war will soon tip over into concern about the risk to economic growth from elevated oil prices. For now, with crude around the most expensive since the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — the last time US Treasuries and oil were correlated this closely — the threat of hotter inflation is top of ...
Bond investors are starting to ponder whether the inflation worries sparked by the Iran war will soon tip over into concern about the risk to economic growth from elevated oil prices. For now, with crude around the most expensive since the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — the last time US Treasuries and oil were correlated this closely — the threat of hotter inflation is top of mind for investors. And it will likely be for Federal Reserve officials as well when they meet this week. However, as the war enters its third week, with bets on Fed interest-rate cuts fading, chatter is building around the prospect that soaring energy prices will eventually depress the economy, at a time when the labor market and consumer spending are already showing cracks. Against that backdrop, Priya Misra at JPMorgan Asset Management says 10-year yields at or above 4.25% — up from 3.94% at the end of February — start to look appealing. “You never want to catch a falling knife,” said the portfolio manager. “But when the market has done a lot of that repricing, positions are cleaner, this might be the time when you position for that growth shock that typically follows the inflation shock.” Misra’s stance captures the tension that’s building in the bond market, between reacting to the initial oil jolt and anticipating the extent of any subsequent hit to growth. The debate around which dynamic will prevail is potentially setting up the defining trade in Treasuries over the next few months, as it suggests there’s scope for a bullish shift that forces traders to price in more Fed easing, dragging yields down again. March Turnaround This month’s selloff marks a big turnaround for Treasuries, which rallied in February in part on concerns that artificial intelligence could disrupt some industries. Inflation fears have become paramount since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, and as Iran retaliated. Brent oil , the global benchmark, was around $103 at the end of last we...
Companies Are Starting To Enforce AI Use. Is That A Good Or Bad Thing? Via the AIX Files , Years ago, I was working on the editorial side for what was then a hot new media company , and found myself spending more and more time with Johan, the lead programmer, and his team, asking them a lot of annoying questions as it was all so new – certainly to me. I was standing over Johan’s left shoulder, mes...
Companies Are Starting To Enforce AI Use. Is That A Good Or Bad Thing? Via the AIX Files , Years ago, I was working on the editorial side for what was then a hot new media company , and found myself spending more and more time with Johan, the lead programmer, and his team, asking them a lot of annoying questions as it was all so new – certainly to me. I was standing over Johan’s left shoulder, mesmerized by whatever new video game he was obsessing over that week…when suddenly, out of nowhere, a spreadsheet and a pie chart appeared on his screen. “Whatcha got there, Johan?” asked Jim, Johan’s boss, peering over a sheaf of print-outs as he sharked past the cubicle. “Hey, just looking at some numbers,” Johan replied. Johan had hit the “game key” in the nick of time – in those days, every video game had a game key – ALT-G if memory serves - calling up a slight variation of the same spreadsheet and pie chart. This would never happen today. First, you’re probably not working in a cubicle, and if you are, it’s not the game key you’d hit to give your boss the impression that you’re actually doing productive work…it would be the “ AI key.” “Tech Firms Aren’t Just Encouraging Their Workers to Use AI. They’re Enforcing It.” This article appeared in the February 24 edition of the Wall Street Journal . It includes the subtitle: From startups to giants, including Meta and Google, companies are factoring AI use into performance reviews and trying to track productivity gains Across industries, companies are now enforcing AI use through performance reviews, dashboards that track adoption, and explicit mandates that tie it to compensation and promotion. What began in Silicon Valley has rapidly spread to consulting firms, banks, manufacturers, hospitals, and even government agencies. As you’d expect, Meta, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft were the first to move from encouragement to enforcement. Employees at these firms now see AI usage metrics appear in quarterly reviews. Non-adopters h...
The Fed will announce its rate decision Wednesday, and data on pending home sales will come Thursday. Dollar Tree, Oklo, Alibaba, and a handful of others will also report earnings.
The Fed will announce its rate decision Wednesday, and data on pending home sales will come Thursday. Dollar Tree, Oklo, Alibaba, and a handful of others will also report earnings.
Key Points Despite being the leader in streaming entertainment, Netflix’s expensive valuation can’t be ignored. In addition to soaring streaming profits, Disney’s lower forward price-to-earnings ratio can be a winning combination. 10 stocks we like better than Walt Disney › Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) shares have skyrocketed 25,740% in the past 20 years (as of March 12). Investors looking to score mons...
Key Points Despite being the leader in streaming entertainment, Netflix’s expensive valuation can’t be ignored. In addition to soaring streaming profits, Disney’s lower forward price-to-earnings ratio can be a winning combination. 10 stocks we like better than Walt Disney › Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) shares have skyrocketed 25,740% in the past 20 years (as of March 12). Investors looking to score monster returns might look at this kind of performance and consider buying this streaming stock. However, Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS), whose shares trade 51% below their peak, has a convincing argument for investment as well. Which of these stocks will make you richer going forward? 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 » Netflix dominates, but the valuation reflects this position With its massive subscriber base of 325 million and 2025 revenue of $45 billion, Netflix is a dominant force in the streaming market. Investors who got in years ago have reaped the rewards. Now it's time to be critical of the valuation. Shares trade at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 30, which isn't cheap, especially with the likelihood that growth will decelerate in the future. Disney shares are cheaper, and streaming profits are soaring From a valuation perspective, the House of Mouse wins the battle. Investors can buy Disney stock at a forward P/E multiple of 15, representing a 50% haircut to Netflix. Disney's entertainment streaming segment (including Disney+ and Hulu's streaming operations) has quickly become significantly profitable. Operating income skyrocketed 828% year over year in fiscal 2025 (ended Sept. 27, 2025). The leadership team expects this figure to soar again in fiscal 2026. Moreover, Disney has a robust experiences segment that provides diversification from a financial perspective. Investors buyin...
Two Daggers Buy Pattern EXPLAINED This is a super powerful pattern for a buy. Especially if you are a value investor. What do you want to look for? 1. You must see TWO daggers to the downside. A dagger is an extremely abnormal drop in price with a HUGE volume. You want to see the first dagger, and then pray for the price to continue falling at a normal rate. Normal rate = people are trying to pick...
Two Daggers Buy Pattern EXPLAINED This is a super powerful pattern for a buy. Especially if you are a value investor. What do you want to look for? 1. You must see TWO daggers to the downside. A dagger is an extremely abnormal drop in price with a HUGE volume. You want to see the first dagger, and then pray for the price to continue falling at a normal rate. Normal rate = people are trying to pick the bottom (without success). Then you want to look for (wait = put alerts) for the SECOND DAGGER. Then after the second dagger arrives and you get a second sharp drop in price, then you want to expect a rejection up and a new strong trend up should emerge. 2. Exterme volume on the daggers! Ideally, you want the volume of the second dagger to be bigger than the first one. This means that someone is loading all he can get since he KNOWS KNOWS KNOWS that the price is going to get higher for sure. I bet you would have done the same... if you KNOW KNOW KNOW its going UP! This pattern does not happen all the time, and it is more likely to happen near the end of a bear market. But prices get so unreasonably cheap, that its obviously for fundamental reasons that they are wrong! so someone who KNOWS will take all the money he can get to load into this stock at this price.
Ostrovyi Oleksii/iStock via Getty Images More than 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency will begin entering global markets soon as governments attempt to calm the sharp rise in crude prices following the war involving Iran. In a statement Sunday, the IEA outlined how the release will unfold. Supplies held by member countries in Asia and ...
Ostrovyi Oleksii/iStock via Getty Images More than 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency will begin entering global markets soon as governments attempt to calm the sharp rise in crude prices following the war involving Iran. In a statement Sunday, the IEA outlined how the release will unfold. Supplies held by member countries in Asia and Oceania will be available immediately, while barrels from Europe and the Americas are expected to reach the market by the end of March. IEA member countries have so far committed to making available more oil. (International Energy Agency) Participating governments have pledged a total of about 411.9 million barrels. That includes roughly 271.7 million barrels from government strategic reserves, 116.6 million barrels from industry stockpiles held under government obligations and about 23.6 million barrels from other sources. Countries in the Americas account for the largest share of the release, pledging about 195.8 million barrels, including 172.2 million from state-controlled reserves. Nations in Asia and Oceania have committed around 108.6 million barrels, while European members are providing about 107.5 million barrels. The agency said about 72% of the planned release consists of crude oil, with the remainder made up of refined products such as fuel. The coordinated action marks the sixth time the IEA has organized a collective release of emergency oil supplies since the organization was established in 1974 after the global energy crisis. The move is intended to stabilize markets after disruptions to roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of the conflict on Feb. 28. Iranian forces have attacked commercial vessels in the region, raising fears of prolonged supply interruptions and sharply higher prices. IEA member countries maintain more than 1.2 billion barrels of emergency reserves, in addition to roughly 600 mil...
Snow and wind batter parts of US, with threat of thunderstorms and tornadoes toggle caption BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images CHICAGO — A broad and erratic patchwork of severe weather rumbled across much of the U.S. on Sunday, dumping heavy snow and making roads impassable in the Upper Midwest while damaging high winds swept across the Plains. Even Hawaii was affected, with parts hit by seve...
Snow and wind batter parts of US, with threat of thunderstorms and tornadoes toggle caption BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images CHICAGO — A broad and erratic patchwork of severe weather rumbled across much of the U.S. on Sunday, dumping heavy snow and making roads impassable in the Upper Midwest while damaging high winds swept across the Plains. Even Hawaii was affected, with parts hit by severe flooding. Portions of the mid-South readied for late-day thunderstorms that forecasters say will spread eastward and by Monday threaten a large swath of the Eastern U.S., with mid-Atlantic states — including Washington, D.C. — most at risk for high winds and tornadoes. Sponsor Message Successive punches of snow, wind and severe weather are "going to impact the eastern half of the United States," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tyler Roys said in an interview. Beyond the threat to lives and property, "whether it's wind gusts from a squall line, blizzard or snow, or just wind because of the storm, you're looking at several major airports being impacted." More than a foot (30.5 centimeters) of snow fell in some portions of the Minnesota and Wisconsin as of Sunday morning, according to National Weather Service reports, with another several inches likely to fall in the Minneapolis area amid blizzard warnings by the weather service. Warnings of hazardous road conditions were issued across Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, where transportation officials warned of worsening conditions Sunday with low visibility and snow-covered roadways. "Roads are becoming impassable in many of Wisconsin's northern counties," the Wisconsin Department of Transportation said on social media. "Please stay off the roads to keep yourself and others safe." The weather conditions created headaches for air travel too with hundreds of cancellations. More than 600 flights flying out of and into the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport were canceled Sunday, according to FlightAware, a website th...
What's going on with Oracle (ORCL 2.60%) this year? The stock has struggled through the first few months of 2026 and is down more than 18% after skyrocketing in the third quarter of 2025. The worst may be over now, according to JPMorgan's latest analysis. Expand NYSE : ORCL Oracle Today's Change ( -2.60 %) $ -4.13 Current Price $ 155.03 Key Data Points Market Cap $446B Day's Range $ 154.15 - $ 160...
What's going on with Oracle (ORCL 2.60%) this year? The stock has struggled through the first few months of 2026 and is down more than 18% after skyrocketing in the third quarter of 2025. The worst may be over now, according to JPMorgan's latest analysis. Expand NYSE : ORCL Oracle Today's Change ( -2.60 %) $ -4.13 Current Price $ 155.03 Key Data Points Market Cap $446B Day's Range $ 154.15 - $ 160.77 52wk Range $ 118.86 - $ 345.72 Volume 1.1M Avg Vol 29M Gross Margin 64.30 % Dividend Yield 1.29 % A record quarter lifts the mood Oracle just delivered a record quarter, with earnings per share and total revenue both up by more than 20% year over year. Management said this was the first time in over 15 years that Oracle experienced 20% growth in both metrics in the same period. JPMorgan quickly upgraded Oracle to Overweight from Neutral following the earnings report. The recent sell-off improved the company's risk-reward profile, according to JPMorgan analyst Mark Murphy. The bank set a $210 price target for Oracle. Barclays also increased its price target for Oracle to $240 following the earnings release. The stock closed still well below targets at $159 on March 12. Analysts are bullish on Oracle because many believe the recent sell-off was overblown and that the company now offers a more attractive entry point and fairer valuation. Oracle also successfully secured $25 billion in debt, which eases concerns about its debt rating and the need to raise incremental funds throughout 2026. There were many concerns about Oracle at the start of the year, which contributed to its stock's decline. From over-concentration in OpenAI to fears about the high cost of AI-related capital expenditures, and more debt financing to meet build-out demand, the extraordinarily high valuation no longer seemed justified. Since September 2025, Oracle has declined by more than 50% from its 52-week high of $345. The massive build-out continues The short-term headwinds don't negate the fact that O...
Key Points Oracle's Remaining Performance Obligations reached $553 billion in its latest quarter. JPMorgan raised its price target for Oracle to $210. 10 stocks we like better than Oracle › What's going on with Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) this year? The stock has struggled through the first few months of 2026 and is down more than 18% after skyrocketing in the third quarter of 2025. The worst may be over ...
Key Points Oracle's Remaining Performance Obligations reached $553 billion in its latest quarter. JPMorgan raised its price target for Oracle to $210. 10 stocks we like better than Oracle › What's going on with Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) this year? The stock has struggled through the first few months of 2026 and is down more than 18% after skyrocketing in the third quarter of 2025. The worst may be over now, according to JPMorgan's latest analysis. A record quarter lifts the mood Oracle just delivered a record quarter, with earnings per share and total revenue both up by more than 20% year over year. Management said this was the first time in over 15 years that Oracle experienced 20% growth in both metrics in the same period. 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 » JPMorgan quickly upgraded Oracle to Overweight from Neutral following the earnings report. The recent sell-off improved the company's risk-reward profile, according to JPMorgan analyst Mark Murphy. The bank set a $210 price target for Oracle. Barclays also increased its price target for Oracle to $240 following the earnings release. The stock closed still well below targets at $159 on March 12. Analysts are bullish on Oracle because many believe the recent sell-off was overblown and that the company now offers a more attractive entry point and fairer valuation. Oracle also successfully secured $25 billion in debt, which eases concerns about its debt rating and the need to raise incremental funds throughout 2026. There were many concerns about Oracle at the start of the year, which contributed to its stock's decline. From over-concentration in OpenAI to fears about the high cost of AI-related capital expenditures, and more debt financing to meet build-out demand, the extraordinarily high valuation no longer seemed justified. Since Septe...
A trifecta of uncertainty — from the Iran war to AI disruption to private credit — is crushing financial stocks this year. While shares of Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo have been caught up in the downdraft, their businesses should be largely insulated from these headwinds. Nevertheless, Club stocks Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo have been painted with the same brush as the financial sector at large...
A trifecta of uncertainty — from the Iran war to AI disruption to private credit — is crushing financial stocks this year. While shares of Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo have been caught up in the downdraft, their businesses should be largely insulated from these headwinds. Nevertheless, Club stocks Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo have been painted with the same brush as the financial sector at large. In a major reversal from last year's strength, Goldman has dropped 11% in 2026, while Wells has declined more than 20% year to date. We do not think these stock declines reflect the business fundamentals. It's a tough — but temporary — pill to swallow, and why we believe these titans of Wall Street should come out just fine on the other side of the current challenges. War with Iran The Iran war has led to volatility in bank stocks due to concerns that soaring oil prices could hurt both consumer and business clients and lead to reduced profits. Spiking oil means higher gas and diesel prices paid at the pump and higher fuel prices required to fly airplanes — all of which can create an inflation shock. Against that backdrop, it might be tough for the Federal Reserve — even under the next likely Fed chief Kevin Warsh — to cut interest rates. That could be bad news for consumers looking for borrowing costs to go down, not to mention being squeezed by paying more to drive and fly places. When consumers are feeling pressured, they tend to rein in spending, which can lead to taking out fewer loans or defaulting on the ones they have. On the business side, those higher fuel costs can pressure margins as energy is a major, unavoidable cost for companies, too. Additionally, when business confidence takes a hit, executives may be more hesitant to make acquisitions and do initial public offerings. That means they don't need investment banking services as much. They may also look to borrow less. "All of that essentially means growth outlook [for banks] could be slower. We could see mor...
China and the US ended the first day of trade talks in Paris on Sunday without any major developments. Talks will continue tomorrow when the US delegation is set to leave. The Chinese delegation will stay one more day before leaving on Tuesday. The first day of the sixth round of trade talks between the world’s two biggest economies – led by Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary...
China and the US ended the first day of trade talks in Paris on Sunday without any major developments. Talks will continue tomorrow when the US delegation is set to leave. The Chinese delegation will stay one more day before leaving on Tuesday. The first day of the sixth round of trade talks between the world’s two biggest economies – led by Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – was rather uneventful for journalists waiting outside the venue, the headquarters of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Vice-Premier He was accompanied by Li Chenggang , China’s top international trade negotiator, and Bessent was with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer Advertisement Discussions started at 10.05am local time and lasted for roughly two and a half hours before they took a lunch break. The Chinese delegation left the venue while the US members stayed inside. Staff members from the US side could be seen bringing in takeaway bags from Schwartz’s Deli, a Canadian chain specialising in sandwiches. Preliminary framework agreed ahead of Trump-Xi meeting Preliminary framework agreed ahead of Trump-Xi meeting Talks resumed at around 2.15pm local time and lasted until 6:02 pm local time, when the Chinese delegation left. Talks will resume tomorrow. He and Bessent could be seen leaving the building. Some members of both delegations remained at the venue to continue negotiations after the chiefs left.
Suphanat Khumsap Iran broadened its campaign against Gulf energy infrastructure and shipping lanes during the second week of the war with the United States and Israel, raising the risk of a wider disruption to global oil markets, according to an analysis from the conflict-monitoring group Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. Daily drone swarms have targeted Saudi Aramco’s Shayba oil field...
Suphanat Khumsap Iran broadened its campaign against Gulf energy infrastructure and shipping lanes during the second week of the war with the United States and Israel, raising the risk of a wider disruption to global oil markets, according to an analysis from the conflict-monitoring group Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. Daily drone swarms have targeted Saudi Aramco’s Shayba oil field, while refineries and fuel storage facilities in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman have also been struck (ACLED) In a March 13 report by senior analyst Luca Nevola , the group said hostilities escalated sharply after Israeli strikes on Iranian oil facilities on March 7 pushed the conflict directly into the global energy system. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned it would retaliate by targeting energy assets across the Gulf and disrupting maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz , a chokepoint that carries about one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil. Tehran soon followed through on those threats. Iranian drone strikes hit Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery, while attacks forced Qatar to suspend production of liquefied natural gas, according to the report. Since early March, drone swarms have repeatedly targeted Saudi Aramco’s ( ARMCO ) Shayba oil field, and energy facilities in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman have also been struck. The attacks represent a shift from earlier messaging by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian , who had apologized to Gulf states after initial strikes and pledged not to target them unless provoked. The latest operations instead focus directly on the region’s energy infrastructure and export routes. But the most consequential pressure point may be the Strait of Hormuz itself. The narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to global markets handles roughly 20% of seaborne oil and about 80 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas each year. Much of that supply is destined for Asian economies incl...
Oil prices have spiked since Israel and the U.S. launched military strikes against Iran. Brent oil, the global benchmark price, has risen from less than $80 a barrel before the conflict began to more than $100 a barrel. Fueling the surge in crude prices is the disruption to global oil supplies, as tankers can't safely transit the Strait of Hormuz. The rally in oil prices has driven up most oil sto...
Oil prices have spiked since Israel and the U.S. launched military strikes against Iran. Brent oil, the global benchmark price, has risen from less than $80 a barrel before the conflict began to more than $100 a barrel. Fueling the surge in crude prices is the disruption to global oil supplies, as tankers can't safely transit the Strait of Hormuz. The rally in oil prices has driven up most oil stocks, including Occidental Petroleum (OXY 0.91%), which has gained over 9% since the war began. Here are two things investors need to know before buying the oil stock. Occidental has underperformed the surge in crude prices Oil prices have gone hyperbolic this year. Brent has rocketed nearly 70% since the year began due to the growing conflict with Iran. While that has helped fuel a rally in Occidental's stock, shares are only up about 40% since the beginning of the year, underperforming the rise in crude prices. That's due largely to the market's belief that oil prices won't remain elevated for very long. The U.S. is working to secure the Strait of Hormuz to ensure oil flows freely out of the Persian Gulf. Additionally, the U.S., along with other members of the International Energy Agency, has agreed to release some of its emergency oil stockpiles to help fill the gap. Meanwhile, the U.S. is hopeful the military attacks will drive Iran to the bargaining table. Oil futures contracts reflect this belief. While Brent oil with a May 2026 delivery date trades above $100 a barrel, contracts with deliveries later this fall trade in the mid-to-low $80s. An end to the conflict, or at least the risk of further supply disruptions, could cause oil prices to fall back to their pre-war level, taking Occidental's stock down with them. On the other hand, if Iran continues to impede oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz or damages the oil infrastructure of neighboring Gulf nations, crude prices, especially for later-dated futures contracts, could continue to rise. That could give Occiden...
Key Points Oil prices have surged since the war with Iran began. While Occidental Petroleum's stock is up since the conflict started, it hasn't surged as much as crude prices. The oil futures market suggests that oil prices won't remain high for much longer. 10 stocks we like better than Occidental Petroleum › Oil prices have spiked since Israel and the U.S. launched military strikes against Iran....
Key Points Oil prices have surged since the war with Iran began. While Occidental Petroleum's stock is up since the conflict started, it hasn't surged as much as crude prices. The oil futures market suggests that oil prices won't remain high for much longer. 10 stocks we like better than Occidental Petroleum › Oil prices have spiked since Israel and the U.S. launched military strikes against Iran. Brent oil, the global benchmark price, has risen from less than $80 a barrel before the conflict began to more than $100 a barrel. Fueling the surge in crude prices is the disruption to global oil supplies, as tankers can't safely transit the Strait of Hormuz. The rally in oil prices has driven up most oil stocks, including Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY), which has gained over 9% since the war began. Here are two things investors need to know before buying the oil stock. 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 » Occidental has underperformed the surge in crude prices Oil prices have gone hyperbolic this year. Brent has rocketed nearly 70% since the year began due to the growing conflict with Iran. While that has helped fuel a rally in Occidental's stock, shares are only up about 40% since the beginning of the year, underperforming the rise in crude prices. That's due largely to the market's belief that oil prices won't remain elevated for very long. The U.S. is working to secure the Strait of Hormuz to ensure oil flows freely out of the Persian Gulf. Additionally, the U.S., along with other members of the International Energy Agency, has agreed to release some of its emergency oil stockpiles to help fill the gap. Meanwhile, the U.S. is hopeful the military attacks will drive Iran to the bargaining table. Oil futures contracts reflect this belief. While Brent oil with a May 2026 delivery date trad...
Pausing the scrapping of existing qualifications was the right decision. But the wider battle over further education continues The government’s granting of a stay of execution to popular courses including health and business studies BTecs, while alternatives are developed, is a victory for common sense. It should not have taken a years‑long campaign by the college sector to prevent the over‑hasty ...
Pausing the scrapping of existing qualifications was the right decision. But the wider battle over further education continues The government’s granting of a stay of execution to popular courses including health and business studies BTecs, while alternatives are developed, is a victory for common sense. It should not have taken a years‑long campaign by the college sector to prevent the over‑hasty defunding of qualifications that are taken by more than 200,000 students each year in England and Wales. Belatedly, the government has admitted as much. Jacqui Smith, the skills minister, said that the previous timetable was “too aggressive” . Welcome though this admission is, the problems with this package of reforms to 16-19 education go beyond the timetable. Other questionable decisions remain to be either justified or unpicked. The most important of these is the replacement of numerous existing diplomas with brand-new V-levels, which are being designed as A-level-size equivalents, with a view to enabling students to mix and match (for example, studying an education V-level alongside sociology and drama A-levels). Education is one of the first three V-levels due to be launched, along with finance and digital, next year. Continue reading...
Netflix (NFLX +1.06%) shares have skyrocketed 25,740% in the past 20 years (as of March 12). Investors looking to score monster returns might look at this kind of performance and consider buying this streaming stock. However, Walt Disney (DIS 0.15%), whose shares trade 51% below their peak, has a convincing argument for investment as well. Which of these stocks will make you richer going forward? ...
Netflix (NFLX +1.06%) shares have skyrocketed 25,740% in the past 20 years (as of March 12). Investors looking to score monster returns might look at this kind of performance and consider buying this streaming stock. However, Walt Disney (DIS 0.15%), whose shares trade 51% below their peak, has a convincing argument for investment as well. Which of these stocks will make you richer going forward? Netflix dominates, but the valuation reflects this position With its massive subscriber base of 325 million and 2025 revenue of $45 billion, Netflix is a dominant force in the streaming market. Investors who got in years ago have reaped the rewards. Now it's time to be critical of the valuation. Shares trade at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 30, which isn't cheap, especially with the likelihood that growth will decelerate in the future. Expand NYSE : DIS Walt Disney Today's Change ( -0.15 %) $ -0.15 Current Price $ 99.28 Key Data Points Market Cap $176B Day's Range $ 99.18 - $ 100.76 52wk Range $ 80.10 - $ 124.69 Volume 449K Avg Vol 11M Gross Margin 31.61 % Dividend Yield 1.26 % Disney shares are cheaper, and streaming profits are soaring From a valuation perspective, the House of Mouse wins the battle. Investors can buy Disney stock at a forward P/E multiple of 15, representing a 50% haircut to Netflix. Disney's entertainment streaming segment (including Disney+ and Hulu's streaming operations) has quickly become significantly profitable. Operating income skyrocketed 828% year over year in fiscal 2025 (ended Sept. 27, 2025). The leadership team expects this figure to soar again in fiscal 2026. Moreover, Disney has a robust experiences segment that provides diversification from a financial perspective. Investors buying in now who choose Disney shares, instead of Netflix, are positioned to produce a better return over the next five years.