Ceconomy owns the electronics retail chains MediaMarkt and Saturn. Credit: Dutchmen Photography via Shutterstock.com. German electronics retailer Ceconomy plans to propose chief financial officer (CFO) Remko Rijnders as chief executive officer (CEO) after Kai-Ulrich Deissner decided to step down for personal reasons, according to Reuters. Deissner informed the company’s supervisory board that he i...
Ceconomy owns the electronics retail chains MediaMarkt and Saturn. Credit: Dutchmen Photography via Shutterstock.com. German electronics retailer Ceconomy plans to propose chief financial officer (CFO) Remko Rijnders as chief executive officer (CEO) after Kai-Ulrich Deissner decided to step down for personal reasons, according to Reuters. Deissner informed the company’s supervisory board that he intends to hand over the CEO role during the course of this year. He assumed the position in May 2025. Deissner said: “It is time for me to open a new chapter in my life and reset my priorities. This is possible because Ceconomy is excellently positioned. “The vision and mission of transforming MediaMarkt and Saturn from a traditional retailer into an omnichannel service platform has been implemented. “After three years of continuous improvement in results, we are well on track to achieve our strategic goals, and the announced cooperation with JD.com has set the course for the next phase.” Ceconomy said its supervisory board will discuss the leadership transition at a meeting scheduled for 12 March 2026. GlobalData Strategic Intelligence US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate? Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis. By GlobalData Learn more about Strategic Intelligence The planned change comes as the company moves forward with a takeover by Chinese technology group JD.com. Deissner, who has backed the proposed acquisition, said regulatory clearance for the transaction is expected in the first half of the year. In November 2025, the Italian Government granted conditional approval to JD.com’s planned purchase of Ceconomy under Rome’s “golden power” framework, which allows authorities to block or impose conditions on deals involving strategically important assets. However, the following month, Italy imposed strict personal data protection requirements in connection with JD.com’s acquisition of Ceconom...
Saudi Arabia has started reducing oil production, following similar moves by the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq, as the near-blockage of the critical Strait of Hormuz starts filling up storage tanks. Joumanna Bercetche reports on Bloomberg Television. (Source: Bloomberg)
Saudi Arabia has started reducing oil production, following similar moves by the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq, as the near-blockage of the critical Strait of Hormuz starts filling up storage tanks. Joumanna Bercetche reports on Bloomberg Television. (Source: Bloomberg)
imaginima/E+ via Getty Images A Transformational Acquisition in a Slowing Market Cactus, Inc. ( WHD ) is sitting on uncertain ground at this point. The Surface Pressure Control business acquisition is an effective measure to spread its international reach, especially when the US market offers limited opportunities. But the current geopolitical scenario and the policy limbo can suck out investors' ...
imaginima/E+ via Getty Images A Transformational Acquisition in a Slowing Market Cactus, Inc. ( WHD ) is sitting on uncertain ground at this point. The Surface Pressure Control business acquisition is an effective measure to spread its international reach, especially when the US market offers limited opportunities. But the current geopolitical scenario and the policy limbo can suck out investors' enthusiasm. Crude oil prices, drilling activity, and construction cycles—all the key factors—point to a near-term slowdown. On top of that, realizing synergies from the Cactus International acquisition can be delayed due to the long-cycle orders But I am still holding my breath over Cactus' prospects. Why? Because the Baker Hughes deal adds backlog, providing multi-year revenue visibility. One key advantage that Cactus has is its high liquidity and zero debt. Such advantages provide flexibility for growth investments and shareholder returns in situations where the credit market dries up. The stock's 14% fall over the past month has paved the way for solid return potential over the next year. Despite the challenges, I maintain the "Hold" call, unchanged from the previous article . Acquisition Impact In January, Cactus acquired 65% ownership in Baker Hughes' Surface Pressure Control business (Cactus International). The acquisition will expand WMD's geographic footprint and provide access to growth markets. WMD's management views the deal as transformational because it believes the company's expertise in U.S. conventional can enhance customer performance. It targets $10 million of annual synergies. Plus, it has additional supply chain savings expected through 2027. WHD's management estimates that the company's backlog decreased marginally to $550 million in FY2025, but the acquisition improved revenue visibility. Investors may note that Cactus generated $1.08 billion of revenue for the year. In FY2026, it expects backlog growth to decelerate. The acquisition will likely help b...
Iran picks new leader. And, Trump won't sign bills until Congress overhauls voting Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Today's top stories Iran has selected 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei to be its new supreme leader, according to Iranian state televisio...
Iran picks new leader. And, Trump won't sign bills until Congress overhauls voting Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Today's top stories Iran has selected 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei to be its new supreme leader, according to Iranian state television. He is the son of the country's previous leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by airstrikes at the start of the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran. Yesterday, the American military confirmed the death of a seventh service member in the war. As the conflict enters its second week, President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have pledged to continue hitting Iran hard. toggle caption Rouzbeh Fouladi/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty 🎧 A senior Israeli defense official told NPR's Daniel Estrin this weekend that Israel aims to dismantle Iran's military forces within three weeks. On Up First, Estrin says the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told him the plan is to target Iran's army, navy and military industries to the point that the regime has no fighting force left. However, Israel acknowledges that Trump could end the war at any time, though the U.S. has not provided a timeline for the war. Over the weekend, Israel targeted Iran's oil facilities, which U.S. officials were not happy about. A person who was briefed on the matter told Estrin that U.S. officials were displeased with the extent of the damage. Iran's military forces within three weeks. On Up First, Estrin says the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told him the plan is to target Iran's army, navy and military industries to the point that the regime has no fighting force left. However, Israel acknowledges that Trump could end the war at any time, though the U.S. has not provided a timeline for the war. Over the weekend, Israel targeted Iran's oil facilities, which U...
UK interest rates are not expected to be cut this year and could even rise next summer, according to financial markets, in a dramatic reversal of forecasts before the US-Israel war on Iran. Markets data on Monday showed that investors predict the Bank of England will most likely keep its base rate on hold at 3.75% for the remainder of the year, and would raise them to 4% next June. Before the Iran...
UK interest rates are not expected to be cut this year and could even rise next summer, according to financial markets, in a dramatic reversal of forecasts before the US-Israel war on Iran. Markets data on Monday showed that investors predict the Bank of England will most likely keep its base rate on hold at 3.75% for the remainder of the year, and would raise them to 4% next June. Before the Iran war began, a rate cut at the Bank’s next meeting on 19 March had been an 80% chance, but policymakers are now expected to wait to see how the conflict develops with a 99% probability of a hold at the meeting and no rate cuts for the rest of 2026, markets indicate. Statements from the Iranian leadership and Donald Trump at the weekend showed both sides in the conflict were prepared to fight for several more months, leading financial markets to register sharp falls. UK two-year bond yields rose to 4.129%, which was up from 3.52% in the days before the conflict started and the highest since April 2025. The yield, which is a proxy for the interest rate, on two-year government bonds was on course for the biggest one-day increase since Liz Truss’s mini-budget in 2022, Reuters reported. Truss’s plans for unfunded tax cuts and energy bill support prompted a rise in bond yields and sent the pound down to a record low. The potential interest rate rise raises the prospect of higher mortgage rates for longer for UK homeowners. UK mortgage lenders began to increase the interest rate on home loans in a further blow to the living standards of hard-pressed households. On Monday, data from Moneyfacts showed the average two-year fixed residential mortgage rate was 4.87%, up from 4.84% on Friday, while the average five-year fix was 4.98%, up from 4.96%. European stock markets slumped after opening on Monday. The UK’s FTSE 100 was down 200 points or 1.9% at 10,087 points before recovering to 10,170 at 10am. Germany’s Dax also regained some lost ground after dropping 548 points or 2.3% at 23,0...
Explore the exciting world of Stride (NYSE: LRN) with our contributing expert analysts in this Motley Fool Scoreboard episode. Check out the video below to gain valuable insights into market trends and potential investment opportunities! *Stock prices used were the prices of Jan. 28, 2026. The video was published on March 9, 2026. Should you buy stock in Stride right now? Before you buy stock in S...
Explore the exciting world of Stride (NYSE: LRN) with our contributing expert analysts in this Motley Fool Scoreboard episode. Check out the video below to gain valuable insights into market trends and potential investment opportunities! *Stock prices used were the prices of Jan. 28, 2026. The video was published on March 9, 2026. Should you buy stock in Stride right now? Before you buy stock in Stride, consider this: 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 » The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Stride wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $534,008!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,090,073!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 949% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 190% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of March 9, 2026. Anand Chokkavelu has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Rick Munarriz has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Toby Bordelon has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Stride. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
If you're paying money for healthcare or dependent care and your employer offers a flexible spending account (FSA), you should be taking advantage of it. An FSA allows you to pay for these expenses with pre-tax dollars. Unfortunately, there are strict limits on how much you can contribute to a flexible spending account, and those limits are far below the amount most people need. However, the good ...
If you're paying money for healthcare or dependent care and your employer offers a flexible spending account (FSA), you should be taking advantage of it. An FSA allows you to pay for these expenses with pre-tax dollars. Unfortunately, there are strict limits on how much you can contribute to a flexible spending account, and those limits are far below the amount most people need. However, the good news is that the rules for FSAs are changing this year -- and it's a change that Americans have been awaiting for 40 years. Coming to FSA accounts in 2026 The big change coming in 2026 will affect those who participate in dependent care flexible spending accounts (DC-FSAs). Specifically, the contribution limit is permanently increasing for the first time in 40 years. The contribution limit was set at $5,000 in 1986, or $2,500 for those who file their taxes as married filing separately. The limit was not indexed to inflation, which means it doesn't automatically increase as costs rise, unlike with certain other tax-advantaged retirement plans like a 401(k) and IRA. Lawmakers haven't increased it, which is a pretty big problem, given that the cost of child care today is a lot higher than the fees that parents paid in the 1980s. There was a temporary increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, but this didn't provide long-term relief for parents struggling to pay for care. Now, finally, after 40 years, lawmakers have authorized a permanent increase in the contribution limit, and workers will now be able to put $7,500 per year into their accounts. Employers don't have to make this change, but they can do so, and any parent who has an eligible dependent and pays for covered child care services should check to see if their employer is allowing larger contributions. Being able to pay for child care with pre-tax money by making FSA contributions can effectively make this care cheaper. Should you take advantage of the new contribution limits? If you're paying more than $5,000 for covered...
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Temporary Protected Status For Over 300,000 Haitians Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court’s ruling that the Department of Homeland Security had unlawfully terminated the Temporary Protected Status designation for several hundred thousand Haitians living in the United States. The U.S. Department of...
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Temporary Protected Status For Over 300,000 Haitians Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court’s ruling that the Department of Homeland Security had unlawfully terminated the Temporary Protected Status designation for several hundred thousand Haitians living in the United States. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Washington on Feb. 17, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times In a 2–1 split decision issued on March 6, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit denied the Trump administration’s emergency request to suspend a lower court order that had blocked the termination of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The decision leaves in place protections for about 330,000 Haitian nationals while the underlying legal challenge proceeds. The majority argued that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) failed to prove that it would suffer irreparable harm if the lower court’s order were allowed to stand. The plaintiffs, Haitian TPS recipients who sued to prevent the revocation of the humanitarian immigration status, would face “substantial and well documented harms,” the majority wrote. “As the district court detailed at length, the termination of TPS would have ‘devastating’ consequences for the plaintiffs , including risk of detention and deportation, separation from family members, and loss of work authorization,” reads the majority opinion, from which one judge dissented. In dissent, Judge Justin Walker argued that TPS was never meant to be permanent and that the government should not be blocked from revoking the special protections, first granted 16 years ago. “The Government is irreparably harmed by ‘an improper intrusion by a federal court into the workings of a coordinate branch of the Government,’” Walker wrote, adding that the Trump administration is likely to prevail in the underlying lawsuit as the government’s foreign policy decisions are gener...