The Index of Oil. Up. PashaIgnatov/iStock via Getty Images Analysis Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. ( ICE ) currently trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 28x on a TTM basis. The return on equity on an unadjusted basis is around 11%, however, the interesting aspect is that this figure comes after taking into account roughly $30 billion of goodwill on the books. When adjusting for that, the retur...
The Index of Oil. Up. PashaIgnatov/iStock via Getty Images Analysis Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. ( ICE ) currently trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 28x on a TTM basis. The return on equity on an unadjusted basis is around 11%, however, the interesting aspect is that this figure comes after taking into account roughly $30 billion of goodwill on the books. When adjusting for that, the return on equity metric would change altogether to a very high number. Nevertheless, on the basis of the current earnings profile—ICE at the current price of $164 with EPS of $5.77 doesn't look attractive as an investment allocation. The current no-growth value amounts to around $60 when discounted at the rate of 10%. (The FY25 diluted per share earning was $5.77 ) The remaining component in the current price is attributable to growth prospects. There are a few developments happening, without a doubt, but I do not see any material significant catalyst that can materially move the needle for ICE, which is at above $9.5 billion in revenues. Also, it is important to note that return on capital metrics are not usually a good way to analyze asset-light businesses such as Intercontinental Exchange. Exchanges like ICE do not necessarily have to deploy capital in order to generate incremental earnings, since the economics of the business are largely driven by network effects and transaction volumes rather than capital employed. Businesses like ICE are therefore better evaluated on their earning power and the durability of those earnings. I recently covered Interactive Brokers ( IBKR ), which is also involved in capital markets and is currently trading at approximately the same earnings multiple, while the price-to-book was nearly twice that of Intercontinental Exchange. Still, I considered that an investment proposition and rated it a soft buy. The case could be made here as well—however, the differentiation lies in the growth prospects of the two companies. ICE is now more of a mature,...
tadamichi/iStock via Getty Images The “fiat is dying” argument has become a catchphrase narrative among digital asset bulls, gold bugs, and cryptocurrency advocates. That narrative’s core is that central banks have printed vast amounts of money. The “money printing” has led to currency debasement and rendered the U.S. dollar obsolete. We discussed this “debasement” narrative previously. The narrat...
tadamichi/iStock via Getty Images The “fiat is dying” argument has become a catchphrase narrative among digital asset bulls, gold bugs, and cryptocurrency advocates. That narrative’s core is that central banks have printed vast amounts of money. The “money printing” has led to currency debasement and rendered the U.S. dollar obsolete. We discussed this “debasement” narrative previously. The narrative is seductive: inflation is out of control, the government is printing money, and the dollar is on its last legs. But while there are real risks to watch, most headlines sell fear rather than fact. It’s striking, and those selling gold, silver, or other doomsday assets often use it to scare individuals into taking action. One of their favorite charts used to make the “debasement” case is the classic graph showing that the U.S. dollar has lost 90% of its purchasing power since 1966.” But here’s the thing: that chart doesn’t show debasement. It only reflects inflation , a well-understood and largely expected outcome in a growing economy. Prices rise over time because demand increases due to population growth, rising incomes, and growing consumption. This is especially true in a post-industrial, service-driven economy that incentivizes credit expansion and capital investment. In other words, it’s not the dollar losing value; it’s the economy expanding. What those promoting the “debasement” argument misunderstand is how economics and modern inflation work. What the chart shows, in today’s economy, is only the loss of purchasing power of idle, or uninvested, dollars. Dollars that sit uninvested lose value relative to inflation over time. That is not a collapse of fiat currency. It is a signal to put capital to work. While the “gold bugs” argue that gold protects against debasement (i.e., inflation) , which is true, so do 3-month T-bills and US Treasury bonds on a real, inflation-adjusted, total return basis. However, that same $1 invested in the S&P 500 index was by far the b...
Key Points XRP has the green light from regulators to operate and build out its ecosystem. Zcash is building privacy technology that's obviously in demand. Either could be a decent choice, but one is probably a lot safer. 10 stocks we like better than XRP › Most investors who buy crypto eventually reach a crossroads where they have to pick between a coin that's aiming to have utility and a coin th...
Key Points XRP has the green light from regulators to operate and build out its ecosystem. Zcash is building privacy technology that's obviously in demand. Either could be a decent choice, but one is probably a lot safer. 10 stocks we like better than XRP › Most investors who buy crypto eventually reach a crossroads where they have to pick between a coin that's aiming to have utility and a coin that's aiming to be a store of value. On that note, buying XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) is a bet that becoming financial plumbing for institutions will pay off. Buying Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC), on the other hand, is a bet that financial privacy is a trait that investors want to have from their stores of value in crypto. Both of these propositions are reasonable enough, so which one is the better pick if you're trying to invest $1,000? 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 » XRP has the infrastructure and the institutions At the moment, the biggest thing going for XRP is that its ecosystem is finally starting to gel with its unique combination of on-chain capital, in-demand features, and good relations with regulators. Ripple, the company behind the coin, settled a major lawsuit with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2025, so its main legal overhang is now gone. Soon after, multiple spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) holding XRP launched, going on to pull in more than $1.1 billion in cumulative inflows by March 2026. Now, investors (both institutional and individual) who want XRP exposure through ETFs can easily get it, which paves the way for more capital to flow onto the XRP Ledger (XRPL) and subsequently boost the price of XRP. The XRPL also has $431 million in stablecoins, not to mention $461 million in tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) like tokenized commodities and bonds. All of that capital is n...
It was Alessia Russo who provided the breakthrough for England two minutes into the second half against Ukraine and the Arsenal striker – who plays as a number nine for the Lionesses rather than her more withdrawn role for her club – will likely be the woman tasked with doing the same versus Iceland. Iceland were beaten 3-0 by Spain on Tuesday but frustrated the world champions until the 39th minu...
It was Alessia Russo who provided the breakthrough for England two minutes into the second half against Ukraine and the Arsenal striker – who plays as a number nine for the Lionesses rather than her more withdrawn role for her club – will likely be the woman tasked with doing the same versus Iceland. Iceland were beaten 3-0 by Spain on Tuesday but frustrated the world champions until the 39th minute in Castellon. "We knew we were dominating the ball, we wanted to be ruthless in the final third," Russo told BBC 5 Live, speaking about the first half against Ukraine. "They also defended well, then the spaces opened up. "Scoring early in the second half was important. It allowed us to play with more freedom so we want to use that ruthless edge going forward. "As long as we are doing our job with our counter-pressure and creating the chances, that breeds confidence. If the goal comes in the first 10 minutes or last 10, that doesn't matter. We know we can change games in a matter of moments." "They are a very strong team," Wiegman said of Iceland. "They are very disciplined, very physical and very direct, with a lot of pace. "We have seen some of their earlier performances, specifically against Spain. We think we will have the ball a lot but it will also be very hard to breakdown their defence." Only the winner of Group A3 will qualify directly for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil and it has been widely billed as a battle between European champions England and world champions Spain for that place. But Wiegman flatly refused to underestimate Iceland, who have qualified for the last five European Championships but have never made a Women's World Cup finals. "We aren't talking about Spain at all at the moment - we are only talking about Iceland," she said. "We know it is going to be a very tough game tomorrow. They are tough to beat and we will have to be at our top level."
The International Energy Agency said it sees no need yet to release emergency oil stockpiles amid the Middle East crisis, as global oil supplies are plentiful and the impact appears likely to be temporary. “All options are on the table, but there are no plans for a collective action at this stage,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol told reporters in Brussels on Friday. “There is plenty of oil in ...
The International Energy Agency said it sees no need yet to release emergency oil stockpiles amid the Middle East crisis, as global oil supplies are plentiful and the impact appears likely to be temporary. “All options are on the table, but there are no plans for a collective action at this stage,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol told reporters in Brussels on Friday. “There is plenty of oil in the market,” even amounting to a “huge surplus.” The conflict in the Middle East — sparked with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 — has roiled energy markets and driven up prices for crude, natural gas and oil products, threatening to unleash a wave of global inflation . Brent futures surged above $89 a barrel in London on Friday, the highest in almost two years as shipping through the Persian Gulf’s vital Strait of Hormuz remained essentially halted, while US retail gasoline prices reached the strongest level since 2024. Still, prices are considerably below the levels reached after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Birol acknowledged that some IEA member nations may pursue individual policies dealing with the upheaval. The Japanese government is considering releasing oil reserves in response to the situation in Iran, Kyodo reported , citing unidentified government people familiar with the matter. And there are other levers that consuming nations call pull, besides drawing on their own reserve buffers. The US has cleared the way for India to temporarily increase its purchases of Russian oil, reversing months of pressure on one of the world’s largest crude importers, with a one-month license issued late on Thursday. In recent weeks, a surplus of oil from Russia and Iran has accumulated on tankers at sea as tighter US sanctions deter the countries’ main customers in Asia. Refineries could use this to quickly ramp up purchases and stabilize operations. Trump said on Thursday that there would be further action to reduce pressure on oil prices, having previously pledged...
(RTTNews) - Notably lower futures and lingering concerns about the impact of the Middle East war point to a weak start for stocks on Wall Street on Friday. Rising crude oil futures may weigh as well on sentiment. The Middle East war unleashed by U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran swelled outwards to Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Azerbaijan, has raised concerns about the outlook for trade, prices and inv...
(RTTNews) - Notably lower futures and lingering concerns about the impact of the Middle East war point to a weak start for stocks on Wall Street on Friday. Rising crude oil futures may weigh as well on sentiment. The Middle East war unleashed by U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran swelled outwards to Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Azerbaijan, has raised concerns about the outlook for trade, prices and investment. The United States has given India a waiver to buy Russian oil for 30 days as the Middle East conflict impacts global energy supply. The Trump administration is considering emergency measures, including state insurance guarantees for tankers and naval escort to counter rising energy prices. Also, the White House is reportedly discussing the possibility of a large-scale release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in coordination with IEA partners. The Dow futures are down 0.6%, the S&P futures are lower by 0.66% and the Nasdaq futures are drifting down 0.89%. The focus will be on U.S. non-farm payroll data for the month of February. The data from the Labor Department is due at 8:30 AM ET. Stocks closed weak on Thursday, with the Dow slumping to its lowest closing level over two months. The Dow tumbled 784.67 points or 1.6% to 47,954.74, the S&P 500 slid 38.79 points or 0.6% to 6,830.71 and the Nasdaq fell 58.50 points or 0.3% to 22,748.99. In overseas trading, Asian markets ended mixed on Friday after Beijing's strategic commitment to deepen tech investment. After announcing a conservative 2026 GDP growth target of 4.5-5%, China pledged substantial investment in high-tech sectors, benefiting artificial intelligence, chipmakers, and biotech firms. The major European markets are down after a positive start. The U.K.'s FTSE, Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 are down 0.7%, 0.8% and 0.9%, respectively. The pan European Stoxx 600 is down nearly 1%. In commodities trading, West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures are up $5.49 or 6.78% at $86.50 a barrel. Gol...
TLDR Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives raised his Apple price target to a Street-high $350, implying ~34% upside from current levels, reiterating an Outperform rating Apple’s new Mac lineup — including M5-powered MacBook Air/Pro and the $599 MacBook Neo — is seen as a potential catalyst for an AI-driven upgrade cycle Apple beat Q1 estimates with EPS of $2.84 (vs. $2.67 expected) and revenue of $143.76 b...
TLDR Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives raised his Apple price target to a Street-high $350, implying ~34% upside from current levels, reiterating an Outperform rating Apple’s new Mac lineup — including M5-powered MacBook Air/Pro and the $599 MacBook Neo — is seen as a potential catalyst for an AI-driven upgrade cycle Apple beat Q1 estimates with EPS of $2.84 (vs. $2.67 expected) and revenue of $143.76 billion, up 15.7% year-over-year Oppenheimer Asset Management raised its AAPL stake by 9% in Q3, while major holders like Vanguard and State Street also added to their positions Wall Street holds a Moderate Buy consensus on AAPL with an average price target of $306.12; the stock opened Friday at $260.29 💥 Find the Next KnockoutStock! Get live prices, charts, and KO Scores from KnockoutStocks.com , the data-driven platform ranking every stock by quality and breakout potential. Apple (AAPL) stock is drawing fresh attention after Wedbush raised its price target to $350 — the highest on Wall Street — while institutional investors quietly added to their positions and the company posted a strong earnings quarter. Apple Inc., AAPL Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives set the new Street-high target on March 6, reiterating his Outperform rating. At current prices around $260, the target implies roughly 34% upside. Ives pointed to Apple’s expanding Mac lineup, built around its new M5 chips, as a key driver for what he sees as a coming AI-powered hardware upgrade cycle. The new lineup includes updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models with M5 chips that offer better AI performance, faster memory, and longer battery life. Apple also introduced the MacBook Neo, a 13-inch laptop starting at $599, aimed squarely at price-conscious buyers and the education market. Apple just won the AI war They announced the MacBook Pro M5 Max What would have cost $40,000 to do with Nvidia chips, now costs $3,000 with a laptop • 4x faster AI speeds • Up to 128gb of unified memory • Frontier intelligence on the go T...
Pinterest (NYSE: PINS) has plunged by 20% -- not once, but after both of its last two quarterly reports. In this video, I'll discuss the reasons for investor pessimism, as well as some of the reasons why it could be a smart move to hold on. *Stock prices used were the morning prices of March 4, 2026. The video was published on March 5, 2026. Continue reading
Pinterest (NYSE: PINS) has plunged by 20% -- not once, but after both of its last two quarterly reports. In this video, I'll discuss the reasons for investor pessimism, as well as some of the reasons why it could be a smart move to hold on. *Stock prices used were the morning prices of March 4, 2026. The video was published on March 5, 2026. Continue reading
The United Nations on Friday demanded swift investigations into fatal Israeli strikes across Lebanon to decide if they followed international law. “The devastating impact of this renewed conflict is already before our eyes, with civilians paying a painfully heavy price,” UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva. “We urge the parties to step back from the brink of a m...
The United Nations on Friday demanded swift investigations into fatal Israeli strikes across Lebanon to decide if they followed international law. “The devastating impact of this renewed conflict is already before our eyes, with civilians paying a painfully heavy price,” UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva. “We urge the parties to step back from the brink of a major escalation of this conflict in Lebanon.” Advertisement Her comments came as fresh Israeli strikes battered Lebanon, where Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned “a humanitarian disaster is looming” due to mass displacement. Lebanon on front line of Israeli strikes as Iran war threatens to spread beyond the region Lebanon on front line of Israeli strikes as Iran war threatens to spread beyond the region Shamdasani warned that “Israel’s military ground incursions into southern Lebanon, blanket displacement orders for the population in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the Bekaa region and the full area to the south of the Litani river, and its continued air strikes on different parts of the country, are bringing more misery and suffering to an already weary civilian population”.
FTAI Aviation ( FTAI ), a U.S.-based aerospace company, appoints Nicholas McAleese as its new chief financial officer and Michael Hazan as chief accounting officer, both effective immediately. McAleese and Hazan succeeded Eun Angela Nam as CFO and CAO, respectively. FTAI Aviation ( FTAI ) shares are trading lower at $272 in the after-hours session. More on FTAI Aviation FTAI Aviation Ltd. 2025 Q4 ...
FTAI Aviation ( FTAI ), a U.S.-based aerospace company, appoints Nicholas McAleese as its new chief financial officer and Michael Hazan as chief accounting officer, both effective immediately. McAleese and Hazan succeeded Eun Angela Nam as CFO and CAO, respectively. FTAI Aviation ( FTAI ) shares are trading lower at $272 in the after-hours session. More on FTAI Aviation FTAI Aviation Ltd. 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation FTAI Aviation Ltd. (FTAI) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Chris DeMuth Jr. Shares Some Stock Picks FTAI Aviation targets $1.625B 2026 EBITDA and launches FTAI Power amid demand surge FTAI Aviation Q4 2025 Earnings Preview
Rising adoption of AI agents will boost demand for identity security product providers such as Okta , according to BMO Capital Markets. The bank upgraded the cloud stock to outperform from market perform. Analyst Keith Bachman also hiked his price target to $97 from $83, which signals upside of 22%. Shares of Okta have slipped 8% this year and are down 28% over the past 12 months. But the stock ju...
Rising adoption of AI agents will boost demand for identity security product providers such as Okta , according to BMO Capital Markets. The bank upgraded the cloud stock to outperform from market perform. Analyst Keith Bachman also hiked his price target to $97 from $83, which signals upside of 22%. Shares of Okta have slipped 8% this year and are down 28% over the past 12 months. But the stock jumped 11% on Thursday , following its fourth-quarter earnings report Wednesday evening that exceeded Wall Street's estimates. OKTA YTD mountain OKTA YTD chart Bachman cited increased confidence in revenue growth durability for his upgrade. He thinks Okta could generate flat to modestly higher subscription revenue growth year-over-year in 2027. Bachman said Okta could be a beneficiary or agentic artificial intelligence swelling in popularity as identity management becomes increasingly important to enterprise security. "We believe that identity and access management (IAM) and identity security will become key enablers of agent adoption over the next several years," he wrote. "We believe that Okta, as an established and leading IAM provider with improving governance capabilities, can become one of several identity vendors to benefit from this growth vector." Bachman added that many smaller, next-generation identity security vendors lack Okta's scale, context, integrations and user trust. "We think that increasing rates of agent use and agent abuse can help drive more comprehensive identity investments among enterprises, as well as agent specific identity management purchases. We believe that Okta can benefit from both trends over the next several years," the analyst added. Bachman applauded the two solutions Okta has recently launched to help its clients build and secure AI agents: Okta for AI Agents and Auth0 for AI agents. Already, early feedback appears to be positive, and he expects reception to continue to improve. "Broadly, we believe that IAM and identity security are ga...
China has outlined a basket of measures to support its technology sector, from creating a more flexible and inclusive fundraising ecosystem to boosting demand for hi-tech products. During a high-profile press conference in Beijing , the country’s top economic officials laid out plans to deepen reforms to ChiNext – China’s board for start-ups – and make it easier and quicker for companies to refina...
China has outlined a basket of measures to support its technology sector, from creating a more flexible and inclusive fundraising ecosystem to boosting demand for hi-tech products. During a high-profile press conference in Beijing , the country’s top economic officials laid out plans to deepen reforms to ChiNext – China’s board for start-ups – and make it easier and quicker for companies to refinance. “Technological innovation requires high investment, long cycles, and carries significant risks,” said Wu Qing, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission. Advertisement “We hope all market participants will show greater understanding and tolerance, and work together to create an environment that encourages innovation, rewards success and tolerates failure.” The reforms to the ChiNext market are designed to further strengthen the board’s ability to support the “high-quality development” of China’s real economy, including emerging industries and future industries , according to Wu. Advertisement The plans – which Wu said had already been largely finalised – involve broadening listing standards on ChiNext to make them more inclusive, with the aim of supporting companies in emerging industries, firms with new business models and technologies, as well as innovative enterprises in consumption and modern service industries. Authorities will also extend key reforms from the Star Market – another Nasdaq-style technology board – to ChiNext, including introducing a pre-initial public offering review mechanism for qualified innovative companies, particularly those making breakthroughs in core technologies, according to Wu.
Military investigators believe it is likely that US forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls’ school that killed scores of children on Saturday but have not yet reached a final conclusion, according to two US officials. Reuters was unable to determine further details about the investigation, including what evidence contributed to the tentative assessment, what type of mun...
Military investigators believe it is likely that US forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls’ school that killed scores of children on Saturday but have not yet reached a final conclusion, according to two US officials. Reuters was unable to determine further details about the investigation, including what evidence contributed to the tentative assessment, what type of munition was used, who was responsible or why the US might have struck the school. The Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, on Wednesday acknowledged the US military was investigating the incident. Two US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters, did not rule out the possibility that new evidence could emerge that points to another responsible party. The girls’ school in Minab, in southern Iran, was hit on Saturday during the first day of US and Israeli attacks on the country. Iran’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, said the strike killed 150 students. Reuters could not independently confirm the death toll. The Pentagon referred questions to Central Command, whose spokesperson, Capt Timothy Hawkins, said: “It would be inappropriate to comment given the incident is under investigation.” The White House did not directly comment on the investigation, but its press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said in a statement: “While the Department of War is currently investigating this matter, the Iranian regime targets civilians and children, not the United States of America.” Asked during a news briefing on Wednesday about the incident, Hegseth said: “We’re investigating that. We, of course, never target civilian targets. But we’re taking a look and investigating that.” The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, told reporters on Monday that the US would not deliberately target a school. “The Department of War would be investigating that if that was our strike, and I would refer your question to them,” Rubio said. Israeli and US forces have, until...
Key Points Plug Power was able to reverse its long history of negative gross margins by producing a gross profit in Q4. Plug Power management projects that the company will turn EBITDA positive in Q4 2026. 10 stocks we like better than Plug Power › Plug Power's (NASDAQ: PLUG) share price climbed this week after the company reported it was able to turn a gross profit in the first quarter. The hydro...
Key Points Plug Power was able to reverse its long history of negative gross margins by producing a gross profit in Q4. Plug Power management projects that the company will turn EBITDA positive in Q4 2026. 10 stocks we like better than Plug Power › Plug Power's (NASDAQ: PLUG) share price climbed this week after the company reported it was able to turn a gross profit in the first quarter. The hydrogen company has struggled with negative gross margins throughout its history, so this was a huge step in the right direction. Let's take a closer look at the company's results and prospects to see if the stock could be a buy. 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 » Transformation taking hold Plug Power started out making hydrogen fuel cells used in forklifts and other material-handling equipment deployed in high-volume warehouses and distribution centers. However, the deals typically include the company providing hydrogen fuel, which it has historically acquired from third parties and subsequently sold at a loss. To address this problematic business model, the company has started building its own network of hydrogen plants. While it still isn't selling fuel at a profit, it improved its fourth-quarter fuel gross margins enough to eke out a 2.4% overall gross margin, as it turned in a $5.5 million gross profit. That was a huge improvement from the negative 122.5% gross margin it reported a year ago. Overall, Q4 revenue climbed nearly 18% year over year, helped by higher equipment sales. Meanwhile, the company's adjusted earnings per share (EPS) loss improved from $0.29 a year ago to $0.06. The company had operating cash flow outflows of $535.8 million for the year, while its free cash flow was negative $661.5 million. It ended 2025 with $368.5 million in unrestricted cash, and it has recently struck...
Senate Democrats Introduce Bill To Break Up Major Meatpacking Companies Authored by Chase Smith via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and 12 other senators introduced legislation on March 5 that would force the nation’s largest meatpackers to break up their operations across beef, pork, and poultry, in the latest push in the Democratic affordability a...
Senate Democrats Introduce Bill To Break Up Major Meatpacking Companies Authored by Chase Smith via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and 12 other senators introduced legislation on March 5 that would force the nation’s largest meatpackers to break up their operations across beef, pork, and poultry, in the latest push in the Democratic affordability agenda heading into the 2026 midterm elections. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 14, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times The Family Grocery and Farmer Relief Act would make it illegal for a major meatpacking company to control more than one type of meat, impose concentration caps on beef markets, and give the Federal Trade Commission authority to order divestitures of plants and facilities. The bill would also bar foreign-controlled meatpacking companies, including Brazil-based JBS, from operating in the United States. Schumer framed the legislation as a direct response to rising grocery costs, citing federal data showing a 16 percent increase in beef prices over the past year. “ The pernicious stranglehold of the meatpacking monopoly has weakened our supply chains and price gouged consumers at the grocery store, ” Schumer said in a statement. “Democrats are going to do what [President] Donald Trump refuses to do: put the affordability crisis front and center, every day, all year long.” The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rubén Gallego (D-Ariz.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). No Republican senators have signed on. The Epoch Times reached out to the Senate Agriculture Committee to ask whether there is Republican support for the legislation but did not receive a response b...
Velishchuk/iStock via Getty Images Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) fell below the $70,000 mark yet again on Friday after trading in a tight range for most of the session, as investors remained cautious amid ongoing developments in the Middle East and upcoming U.S. economic data. The world’s largest cryptocurrency was down -1.4% at $ 69,843.57 at press time. Ether ( ETH-USD ) was down -1.2% to $ 2,046.32. Bitc...
Velishchuk/iStock via Getty Images Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) fell below the $70,000 mark yet again on Friday after trading in a tight range for most of the session, as investors remained cautious amid ongoing developments in the Middle East and upcoming U.S. economic data. The world’s largest cryptocurrency was down -1.4% at $ 69,843.57 at press time. Ether ( ETH-USD ) was down -1.2% to $ 2,046.32. Bitcoin has been volatile this week, swinging about 14%, with prices ranging from roughly $65,000 on Monday to above $74,000 on Wednesday. The pullback reflects a broader risk-off sentiment across markets as traders await the U.S. jobs report due later today. Ongoing conflict involving Iran has also added to market caution, lifting oil prices. Global benchmark Brent crude futures ( CO1:COM ) rose 4% to $89.1 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate ( CL1:COM ) climbed about 6% to $86.1 at press time. At the same time, the U.S. Dollar Index ( DXY ) strengthened above 99, the yield on the U.S. 10-Year Treasury ( US10Y ) rose to around 4.18%, and the Invesco QQQ Trust ( QQQ ), which tracks the Nasdaq 100, slipped about 0.3% in premarket trading. Crypto-linked stocks like MicroStrategy ( MSTR ) -1.5%, Marathon Digital ( MARA ) -2.3%, Coinbase ( COIN ) -1.8%, and more fell in premarket trade. More on Bitcoin USD, Ethereum USD, etc. Whale's Insight: From Conflict Shock To Liquidity Return - Is Crypto Forming A Base? Every Metric Screams Buy - So Why Is Bitcoin Still Falling? I Was Wrong: Bitcoin Didn't Become A Currency Of Exchange Crypto bill hits new impasse, as banks reject White House compromise - report Bitcoin tops $73K and hits a fresh one-month high as momentum builds