kyoshino/E+ via Getty Images 7:30 AM Challenger Job-Cut Report This monthly report counts and categorizes announcements of corporate layoffs based on mass layoff data from state departments of labor. 8:30 AM Jobless Claims New unemployment claims are compiled weekly to show the number of individuals who filed for unemployment insurance for the first time. Claims seen at 215K, up from 212K last wee...
kyoshino/E+ via Getty Images 7:30 AM Challenger Job-Cut Report This monthly report counts and categorizes announcements of corporate layoffs based on mass layoff data from state departments of labor. 8:30 AM Jobless Claims New unemployment claims are compiled weekly to show the number of individuals who filed for unemployment insurance for the first time. Claims seen at 215K, up from 212K last week. 8:30 AM Productivity and Costs Productivity measures the growth of labor efficiency in producing the economy's goods and services. The delayed first reading for Q4 is expected to show much slower productivity growth at 1.9 percent versus 4.9 percent in Q3 and ULC up 2.1 percent versus a decrease of 1.9 percent in Q3. 8:30 AM Import and Export Prices Import price indexes are compiled for the prices of goods that are bought in the United States but produced abroad, and export price indexes are compiled for the prices of goods sold abroad but produced domestically. Import prices are seen up 0.1 percent and export prices up 0.2 percent in January on the month. 10:30 AM EIA Natural Gas Report The Energy Information Administration (EIA) provides weekly information on natural gas stocks in underground storage for the U.S. and five regions of the country. 1:15 PM Michelle Bowman Speaks Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman speaks before the virtual New York Bankers Association "Navigating What's Next: Perspective on the Economy and Innovation" event. 4:30 PM Fed Balance Sheet The Fed's balance sheet is a weekly report presenting a consolidated balance sheet for all 12 Reserve Banks that lists factors supplying reserves into the banking system and factors absorbing reserves from the system. More on U.S. Markets Macro Insights: Operation Epic Fury, Illegal Tariffs, And The Dumbest Tax Ever Made Rethinking Long-Term Investing 10-Year U.S. Treasury Yield Flipflops, Spikes By 14 Basis Points To 4.07%, After Plunging To 3.93%, Amid Massive Volatility Kevin Warsh’s...
This is the forum for daily political discussion on Seeking Alpha. A new version is published every market day. Please don't leave political comments on other articles or posts on the site. The comments below are not regulated with the same rigor as the rest of the site, and this is an 'enter at your own risk' area as discussion can get very heated. If you can't stand the heat... you know what the...
This is the forum for daily political discussion on Seeking Alpha. A new version is published every market day. Please don't leave political comments on other articles or posts on the site. The comments below are not regulated with the same rigor as the rest of the site, and this is an 'enter at your own risk' area as discussion can get very heated. If you can't stand the heat... you know what they say... More on Today's Markets: Kevin Warsh’s rate-cut plan hits an oil slick The Fed chief-in-waiting is set to take the helm at the central bank at the end of May, assuming the nomination process goes as expected. His first FOMC meeting would come June 16–17. The White House mission has been to get the fed funds rate lower, and Warsh is expected to move in that direction once he replaces Jay Powell. Trump's global 15% tariff rate to start this week, Bessent says: CNBC “It’s my strong belief that the tariff rates will be back to their old rate within five months,” Bessent said in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” President Trump's disclosures show he bought Netflix bonds amid the M&A drama A White House official indicated that the investments are meant to replicate established indexes. Furthermore, it was maintained that neither President Trump nor any member of his family has direct influence on how the portfolio is invested or when investments are bought or sold. White House to meet defense contractors on boosting weapons output The discussions come as U.S. weapons inventories have been strained by several conflicts in recent years. Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s war in Gaza, the United States has supplied billions of dollars in arms to allies, including artillery systems, ammunition and anti-tank missiles. Recent strikes on Iran have also drawn heavily on longer-range munitions. U.S. stocks recover Middle East conflict-led losses with better-than-expected labor report, rising chip stocks “I would urge investors, however, to exercise caution wh...
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) stock saw a big valuation contraction following the publication of the company's fourth-quarter results. Sales for the period actually came in ahead of expectations, but earnings missed the market's forecast. The business posted non-GAAP (adjusted) earnings of $1.95 per share on sales of $213.4 billion, while the average analyst estimate had modeled for per-share earnings of ...
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) stock saw a big valuation contraction following the publication of the company's fourth-quarter results. Sales for the period actually came in ahead of expectations, but earnings missed the market's forecast. The business posted non-GAAP (adjusted) earnings of $1.95 per share on sales of $213.4 billion, while the average analyst estimate had modeled for per-share earnings of $1.97 on sales of $211.3 billion. Despite better-than-anticipated sales performance last quarter, investors bristled at higher-than-anticipated costs and the tech giant's guidance for massive capital expenditures (capex) this year. In order to continue building out its AI infrastructure and pursue other growth bets, Amazon anticipates spending roughly $200 billion this year. While the company's massive capital expenditure outlays will put a substantial damper on the company's near-term earnings, there are good reasons to continue liking Amazon as an artificial intelligence ( AI ) stock for the long term. Continue reading
Advanced Micro Devices stock dipped under $200 on March 4, 2026, trading around $202.07 amid market jitters, but fresh AI partnerships with Meta and OpenAI make it a steal for savvy investors. Partnership Power Surge AMD sealed blockbuster deals fueling its AI ascent. In February 2026, Meta committed to 6 gigawatts of AMD Instinct GPUs starting with 1GW of MI450 chips in late 2026, paired with EPY...
Advanced Micro Devices stock dipped under $200 on March 4, 2026, trading around $202.07 amid market jitters, but fresh AI partnerships with Meta and OpenAI make it a steal for savvy investors. Partnership Power Surge AMD sealed blockbuster deals fueling its AI ascent. In February 2026, Meta committed to 6 gigawatts of AMD Instinct GPUs starting with 1GW of MI450 chips in late 2026, paired with EPYC “Venice” CPUs on the Helios rack architecture. This follows OpenAI’s multi-year pact for 6GW of Instinct GPUs from MI450 onward, building on MI300X and MI350X tech. AMD chair and CEO, Dr. Lisa Su, said: “We are proud to expand our strategic partnership with Meta as they push the boundaries of AI at unprecedented scale. This multi-year, multi-generation collaboration across Instinct GPUs, EPYC CPUs and rack-scale AI systems aligns our roadmaps to deliver high-performance, energy-efficient infrastructure optimised for Meta’s workloads, accelerating one of the industry’s largest AI deployments and placing AMD at the centre of the global AI buildout.” Stellar Financials AMD crushed 2025 with record full-year revenue of $34.6 billion, up 34% year-over-year, and non-GAAP EPS of $4.17. Q4 hit $10.3 billion in sales, 34.6 % higher, with data center revenue soaring 39% to $5.4 billion on EPYC and Instinct demand. 34 analysts have evaluated AMD, and they have all given it a buy rating. 41% of analysts advise a Strong Buy, 38% advise Buying, 21% advise Holding, 0% advise Selling, and 0% predict a Strong Sell. Outlook AMD appears well positioned as AI infrastructure demand accelerates, supported by deepening hyperscaler partnerships and expanding data-center momentum. Continued execution on next-generation Instinct GPUs and EPYC platforms could strengthen competitive standing against rivals. While valuation and competitive intensity warrant monitoring, long-term AI build out trends favor sustained growth potential.
Broadcom’s software business, built around its $69 billion acquisition of VMware, is slowing down. An illustrative stock graph is seen behind the Broadcom logo displayed on a phone screen. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Broadcom reported a mere 1% growth in its infrastructure software segment, sharply lower than recent quarters. Broadcom posted strong overall results and issue...
Broadcom’s software business, built around its $69 billion acquisition of VMware, is slowing down. An illustrative stock graph is seen behind the Broadcom logo displayed on a phone screen. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Broadcom reported a mere 1% growth in its infrastructure software segment, sharply lower than recent quarters. Broadcom posted strong overall results and issued an upbeat forecast, which lifted its shares in the after-market session. Management argued that AI demand would, in fact, boost demand for software required to tie up and run components in modern data centers. Chipmaker Broadcom, Inc. delivered stellar quarterly results and guidance on Wednesday, driven by strong performance in its AI semiconductor business and progress on key chip partnerships with top customers, including Google and Anthropic. However, results also show that returns from its biggest acquisition to date, which powers the company’s software business, are diminishing. Broadcom stunned the industry by buying VMware for $6.9 billion in late 2023, and VMware now forms the bulk of Broadcom’s infrastructure software segment. In the last quarter, Q1 2026, revenue growth from the unit fell to 1%, down from 19.2% in Q4 2025 and 46.7% in Q1 2025. Note: Read Q4 ‘25 as Q1 ‘26, Q3 ‘25 as Q4 ‘25 and so on. Software services’ share of Broadcom’s total revenue fell to 35.2% from 45% a year ago. To be sure, Broadcom’s software segment is a mix of technologies acquired over time. It includes enterprise virtualization and cloud infrastructure software (via VMware), mainframe and DevOps software (from CA Technologies), and enterprise cybersecurity solutions (from Symantec’s enterprise business). Not Seeing AI Disruption, Software Growth To Bounce Back The company expects growth to revive, forecasting Q2 sales from the segment to rise 9% to $7.2 billion. Broadcom gave few details on why that is the case and sought to allay fears of a slowdown amid market concerns that new AI ...
Oselote/iStock via Getty Images VZ vs. CMCSA Stock: Previous Thesis and New Catalysts Our last analysis for Verizon Communications Inc. ( VZ ) was published on Dec 2, 2025. The article reviewed its FQ3 earnings report and rated it as a hold. As for Comcast Corporation ( CMCSA ), our last analysis dates back more than 1 year ago. That article was published on Feb 21, 2025, and also rated the stock ...
Oselote/iStock via Getty Images VZ vs. CMCSA Stock: Previous Thesis and New Catalysts Our last analysis for Verizon Communications Inc. ( VZ ) was published on Dec 2, 2025. The article reviewed its FQ3 earnings report and rated it as a hold. As for Comcast Corporation ( CMCSA ), our last analysis dates back more than 1 year ago. That article was published on Feb 21, 2025, and also rated the stock as a hold. Since then, there have been a few new catalysts surrounding both stocks and also the overall telecommunication sector. The remainder sections of this article will focus on the top 3 developments as I see them: the earnings reports (ER) both companies filed for their fourth fiscal quarter of 2025, their latest dividend declarations, and also the intensification of competitive pressure in the sector. These developments have led me to reevaluate the risk/reward profiles of both VZ and CMCSA, and the assessment has resulted in a rating upgrade for CMCSA to buy. Given the pronounced role of dividend yield for both companies (and also for telecom stocks in general), I will start with the latest dividend payouts announced by VZ and CMCSA. As seen in the first table below, CMCSA has recently announced its regular quarterly dividend for Q2 2026 in the amount of $0.33 per share with an Ex-Div Date of 4/1/2026. This is unchanged from its payout a year ago and thus unfortunately interrupted the company's dividend growth streak. In the meantime, VZ has also declared its latest payout, also with an Ex-Div Date in early April of 2026. As seen in the next table, VZ declared another quarterly increase at the payout set at $0.7075 per share. This translates into a YOY growth rate of +4.42% from the previous $0.6775 made in April 2025. Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha 1. CMCSA vs. VZ Stock: Dividend Record Following the wisdom of "dividends don't lie", the rest of this article will examine CMCSA and VZ's Q4 ERs through the window of their last dividend announcements made above. The exam...
当地时间3月4日，谷歌（GOOG）宣布，将把应用商店内购佣金降至20%，若开发者选择使用谷歌（GOOG）支付系统则额外加收5%。同时，谷歌（GOOG）表示，通过名为“注册应用商店计划”(Registered App Store program)的新选项，用户可更便捷地安装第三方应用商店。此外，谷歌（GOOG）在公司博客声明中表示：“随着这些更新，我们已与Epic Games达成全球范围的和解。”E...
当地时间3月4日，谷歌（GOOG）宣布，将把应用商店内购佣金降至20%，若开发者选择使用谷歌（GOOG）支付系统则额外加收5%。同时，谷歌（GOOG）表示，通过名为“注册应用商店计划”(Registered App Store program)的新选项，用户可更便捷地安装第三方应用商店。此外，谷歌（GOOG）在公司博客声明中表示：“随着这些更新，我们已与Epic Games达成全球范围的和解。”Epic Games也将在全球范围内将《堡垒之夜》重新上架谷歌（GOOG）应用商店。(界面新闻)
The Trump administration and Venezuela’s state mining company finalized a deal that would see the South American country selling as much as 1,000 kilograms of gold to US markets, the news website Axios reported on Wednesday. The deal would require the Venezuelan-owned Minerven to sell between 650 to 1,000 kilos of gold dore bars to the commodities trader Trafigura, Axios said, citing anonymous peo...
The Trump administration and Venezuela’s state mining company finalized a deal that would see the South American country selling as much as 1,000 kilograms of gold to US markets, the news website Axios reported on Wednesday. The deal would require the Venezuelan-owned Minerven to sell between 650 to 1,000 kilos of gold dore bars to the commodities trader Trafigura, Axios said, citing anonymous people familiar with the matter. Trafigura, according to the report, would then distribute the gold to US refineries under a separate arrangement. The report of the commodities deal comes after a meeting between US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez on Wednesday to discuss mining reforms and mineral extraction. The Interior Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the deal sent outside of regular business hours. Rodriguez told Burgum, along with mining executives and metals traders gathered, that her country would move “Trump speed” to help them unlock Venezuela’s mineral wealth. Earlier: Venezuela Says It Will Move Quickly to Unlock Mineral Wealth “Delcy Rodríguez, who is the President of Venezuela, is doing a great job, and working with U.S. Representatives very well. The Oil is beginning to flow, and the professionalism and dedication between both Countries is a very nice thing to see! Trump posted Wednesday on Truth Social, Gold has gained about a fifth this year, underpinned by heightened geopolitical and trade tensions as well as concerns about the Federal Reserve’s independence. The metal hit an all-time high above $5,595 an ounce in late January.
Alvin Man/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Nearly two years ago, I researched and wrote an article on International Consolidated Airlines Group ( ICAGY ), the parent company of British Airways, Vueling, and others—and what I saw puzzled me. How could such a robust European-based airline group that had done a wonderful job recovering from the depths of the COVID-19 crisis be trading at such low mu...
Alvin Man/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Nearly two years ago, I researched and wrote an article on International Consolidated Airlines Group ( ICAGY ), the parent company of British Airways, Vueling, and others—and what I saw puzzled me. How could such a robust European-based airline group that had done a wonderful job recovering from the depths of the COVID-19 crisis be trading at such low multiples (trailing P/E of only 4.8x)? Meanwhile, the stock price remained in an eye-popping 71% drawdown from the January 2020 peak levels (see line chart below), which was substantially worse than what the rest of the global airline sector ( JETS ) had been experiencing. Data by YCharts Because almost nothing in equity investing is as straightforward as it may seem, I was torn between concluding that (1) ICAGY was a no-brainer "buy the dip" opportunity and (2) I must have been missing something that the market had not. While the latter tends to happen much more often, the former proved to be true in this case. Since that article, ICAGY climbed 165% (dividends included), more than quintupling the returns of the S&P 500 ( SPY ) (see my previous article linked above, top right corner table). Today, with the stock valued higher than it was back then, I revisit this fascinating and rare story of astounding alpha generation in the airline space. Is it too late to own ICAGY today? ICAGY: From Fundamentals to Valuation Since 2024, International Consolidated Airlines Group (which I will simply refer to as "ICAGY" from now on) has further strengthened its balance sheet while producing still-solid operating metrics—despite geopolitical headwinds outside Europe that have put a bit of a dent in them. On the former, as the chart below suggests, ICAGY has reduced debt as a percentage of total assets noticeably, at 33% now compared to above 50% at the end of 2022 and as much as 58% today (lease liabilities included) for US legacy peers. Debt retirement has been made possible due to strong ...
Getty Images By Zain Vawda Markets are gearing up for the March NFP release, and yet, focus ahead of the meeting is largely focused on the situation in the Middle East. Despite this, the upcoming Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) report remains the fundamental "north star" for the Federal Reserve. Here is your preview for the March 6 jobs report and its expected impact on the markets. The Macro Backdrop: Wa...
Getty Images By Zain Vawda Markets are gearing up for the March NFP release, and yet, focus ahead of the meeting is largely focused on the situation in the Middle East. Despite this, the upcoming Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) report remains the fundamental "north star" for the Federal Reserve. Here is your preview for the March 6 jobs report and its expected impact on the markets. The Macro Backdrop: War and AI reality checks The market narrative has shifted violently this week. The "AI honeymoon" period of early 2026 met a jarring reality as President Trump signaled that "Operation Epic Fury", the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, could be a protracted engagement. With the Strait of Hormuz facing potential blockades and Brent crude surging into the $80s, the "low-hire, low-fire" labor regime is being tested by a new inflation shock channel: energy. The immediate focus for Friday is whether the cooling labor market will provide the Fed enough cover to cut rates despite these rising inflationary risks. NFP Consensus and Key Data Points Market expectations for the data (to be released March 6) suggest a significant deceleration from the previous month’s surprise strength: NFP Headline Forecast: 58k-65k (down from January’s 130k). Unemployment Rate: Expected to hold steady or edge up to 4.4%. Average Hourly Earnings: Forecasted at +0.4% m/m. This is the "danger zone" for the Fed; sticky wage growth combined with high oil prices creates a stagflationary headache. The "ADP Bellwether": Wednesday's ADP private payrolls came in at 63k, slightly beating the 50k estimate. However, a downward revision to the previous month’s figures dampened any bullish dollar sentiment, setting a cautious stage for Friday. Economic data releases scheduled for March 6, 2026 (Source: MarketPulse Economic Calendar) Implications for the US Dollar Index ( DXY ) The DXY has been oscillating near the 99.50 resistance level, buoyed by safe haven flows due to the Iran conflict. Bullish Scena...