About 76,000 nationals thought to be in the region as tensions rise after US-Israeli attacks on Iranian regime US-Israeli war on Iran: latest updates The Foreign Office is drawing up plans to evacuate tens of thousands of British citizens if war in the Middle East escalates, with many travellers currently stranded in Dubai . The government does not know how many British nationals are resident, on ...
About 76,000 nationals thought to be in the region as tensions rise after US-Israeli attacks on Iranian regime US-Israeli war on Iran: latest updates The Foreign Office is drawing up plans to evacuate tens of thousands of British citizens if war in the Middle East escalates, with many travellers currently stranded in Dubai . The government does not know how many British nationals are resident, on holiday or otherwise travelling across the Gulf, but it said 76,000 have so far registered their presence in affected areas of the region. Continue reading...
JohnnyGreig/iStock via Getty Images Physical gold shipments through Dubai are expected to slow sharply after airlines suspended flights in the wake of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation, Reuters reported Sunday, citing metals industry sources. Dubai is a key transit hub for bullion bound for major markets such as Switzerland, Hong Kong and India. Because of gold’s high value...
JohnnyGreig/iStock via Getty Images Physical gold shipments through Dubai are expected to slow sharply after airlines suspended flights in the wake of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation, Reuters reported Sunday, citing metals industry sources. Dubai is a key transit hub for bullion bound for major markets such as Switzerland, Hong Kong and India. Because of gold’s high value relative to its weight, it is typically transported by air for security and insurance reasons, making flight disruptions particularly impactful. One industry source said most carriers have halted service, effectively pausing gold movements for at least several days. The broader effect on global supply will depend on how long the aviation disruptions last, the sources added, speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to comment publicly. Spot gold ( XAUUSD:CUR ) on Friday to $5,277 per troy ounce, its highest level since late January. Analysts expect further safe-haven demand when markets reopen, though near-term trading is likely to be driven more by financial flows in centers such as Shanghai, London and New York than by physical shipments. A precious metals trader cited by Reuters noted that major hubs including China, India, New York, London and Zurich continue operating normally for now, even as Dubai’s role as a transit point faces temporary strain. More on SPDR Gold Shares ETF, Gold Spot Price Wall Street Brunch: Oil, Gold Seen Rallying After Attacks On Iran Gold Price And Investment Outlook: 2026 And Beyond The Fallout Of U.S.-Iran Round Two Gold-backed cryptos indicate rally in the yellow metal Iran targets U.S. military bases in Gulf after American-Israeli strikes
Iran’s supreme leader was killed in a military strike on his compound as Israel and the US launched attacks on the country. Patrick Wintour reports He survived imprisonment, assassination attempts, decades of protests and exerted a brutal iron grip on Iran’s 90 million people. Now, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is dead. He was killed by US and Israeli air strikes that levelled the...
Iran’s supreme leader was killed in a military strike on his compound as Israel and the US launched attacks on the country. Patrick Wintour reports He survived imprisonment, assassination attempts, decades of protests and exerted a brutal iron grip on Iran’s 90 million people. Now, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is dead. He was killed by US and Israeli air strikes that levelled the compound where he and some of the most senior regime leaders were sheltering. As news of the ayatollah’s death emerged, there was public mourning on the streets of Iran. There were also ecstatic celebrations, inside Iran and around the world, explains Patrick Wintour . Iran has launched retaliatory strikes and vows vengeance, and it is still unclear whether his assassination will bring about the regime change that Donald Trump so clearly desires. It is also unclear what will happen next for Iran, where the air strikes continue and the death toll is spiralling. Continue reading...
Richard Todd Schwartz, Chief Executive Officer of Rush Street Interactive (NYSE:RSI) , reported the sale of 247,114 shares of Common Stock for a total consideration of ~$4.16 million on Feb. 17, 2026, according to a SEC Form 4 filing . Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 reported price ($16.82); post-transaction value based on Feb. 17, 2026 market close ($16.94). Continue reading
Richard Todd Schwartz, Chief Executive Officer of Rush Street Interactive (NYSE:RSI) , reported the sale of 247,114 shares of Common Stock for a total consideration of ~$4.16 million on Feb. 17, 2026, according to a SEC Form 4 filing . Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 reported price ($16.82); post-transaction value based on Feb. 17, 2026 market close ($16.94). Continue reading
Retaliatory strikes have so far been high in volume but mostly not very effective and are likely to become less so US-Israel war on Iran – latest updates In the grim calculus of war, Iran now has to hope it gets lucky. The first hours of the joint US-Israeli assault were catastrophic for the Iranian regime: the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, killed alongside, it is believed, the minister of defence...
Retaliatory strikes have so far been high in volume but mostly not very effective and are likely to become less so US-Israel war on Iran – latest updates In the grim calculus of war, Iran now has to hope it gets lucky. The first hours of the joint US-Israeli assault were catastrophic for the Iranian regime: the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, killed alongside, it is believed, the minister of defence, the head of the armed forces and the head of the powerful Revolutionary Guards. Iran knew its security apparatus had been compromised during the 12-day war of June 2025 when Israel killed a string of senior military commanders. During January’s street protests, Khamenei was moved away to a secure location for his own safety, yet on Saturday he felt safe enough to hold a security meeting in his compound in Tehran. Continue reading...
Oil Soars Over 10% In OTC Trading, Whether That Sticks Depends On How Long The War Lasts With war in the middle east raging, and the world's most important oil transit choke point - the Straits of Hormuz which accounts for 20% of daily global oil transit - "effectively" halted after at least three ships were attacked in the vicinity of the waterway - even as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi ...
Oil Soars Over 10% In OTC Trading, Whether That Sticks Depends On How Long The War Lasts With war in the middle east raging, and the world's most important oil transit choke point - the Straits of Hormuz which accounts for 20% of daily global oil transit - "effectively" halted after at least three ships were attacked in the vicinity of the waterway - even as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera TV his country has no intention to close the Strait of Hormuz and has kept it open so far, markets have just one question: where does oil open when futures resume trading in a few hours. Well, we can tell you: according to the IG Weekend Market , an OTC market that reflects prices across over the counter exchanges, oil is set to open more than 10% higher, with spot WTI trading around $75 and Brent set to rise over $80. Source: IG That's not the question: the question is where does oil trade in a week, a month, a year , and - tied to that - what happens to the oil price curve. The price spike comes despite OPEC+’s announced modest supply hike . But for such gains will sustain, or extend, investors will need to decide that the conflict is going to drag on. Indeed, this new wave of war is bigger, broader and messier than last June’s fighting. The gap between attacks and retaliation has narrowed: In previous waves it took days, but now it’s hours. As Bloomberg's Garfield Reynolds reminds us, during the 2003 invasion of Iraq by US-led forces, crude actually tumbled at the start of hostilities, on speculation the US would achieve a rapid victory. It ended up rebounding from an April trough to enter a long uptrend as it became clearer that there would be no straightforward resolution. The stakes are higher for oil this time. Iran’s output accounts for more than Iraq’s did in 2003, and Iraq had much less capacity to threaten the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has said it doesn’t plan to close the key shipping channel, but there have already been signs that the conflict is h...
Greg Abel's expanded role in managing the company's public stock portfolio provides much-needed clarity as he takes the reins at the conglomerate -- and it continues the company's anti-bureaucratic culture.
Greg Abel's expanded role in managing the company's public stock portfolio provides much-needed clarity as he takes the reins at the conglomerate -- and it continues the company's anti-bureaucratic culture.
According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 17, 2026, Socorro Asset Management LP fully liquidated its stake in Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE:ARE) , selling 62,346 shares. Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. is a leading S&P 500 REIT specializing in urban office and laboratory campuses for the life sciences and technology sectors. The company leverages a...
According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 17, 2026, Socorro Asset Management LP fully liquidated its stake in Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE:ARE) , selling 62,346 shares. Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. is a leading S&P 500 REIT specializing in urban office and laboratory campuses for the life sciences and technology sectors. The company leverages a specialized asset base clustered in top U.S. innovation markets to attract a diverse, high-quality tenant roster. Its focus on Class A properties and strategic capital deployment provides a differentiated platform for long-term value creation in the innovation real estate segment. Socorro’s exposure to Alexandria Real Estate was relatively low before it completely closed its position in the fourth quarter. At the end of September, it was the firm’s 32nd largest holding out of 33 holdings in total. Continue reading
Key PointsJean Franchi sold 11,156 shares of common stock in open-market transactions for a total value of ~$720,000, with an average price around $64.51 per share on Feb. 17 and Feb. 18, 2026.
Key PointsJean Franchi sold 11,156 shares of common stock in open-market transactions for a total value of ~$720,000, with an average price around $64.51 per share on Feb. 17 and Feb. 18, 2026.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment Three decades after the original horror hit theaters, Scream 7 delivered the biggest debut in franchise history, pulling in an estimated $64.1 million domestically over the weekend. The performance exceeded expectations and marked the strongest opening of 2026 so far, The Associated Press reported Sunday. The Paramount ( PSKY ) release, produced for about...
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment Three decades after the original horror hit theaters, Scream 7 delivered the biggest debut in franchise history, pulling in an estimated $64.1 million domestically over the weekend. The performance exceeded expectations and marked the strongest opening of 2026 so far, The Associated Press reported Sunday. The Paramount ( PSKY ) release, produced for about $45 million, benefited from the return of Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, along with original cast members Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Matthew Lillard. The previous high-water mark for the series had been Scream VI , which opened to $44.4 million, according to data compiled by Comscore. Despite weak reviews including a 34% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a “B-” CinemaScore from audiences, the film capitalized on brand recognition and premium large-format screens. Roughly 40% of ticket sales came from IMAX ( IMAX ) and other premium formats, giving the film a pricing boost previous installments didn’t enjoy. Overseas, it added another $33.1 million. The strong showing is a bright spot for Paramount during a relatively soft year at the box office. It also comes as the studio’s parent company moves forward with a planned merger with Warner Bros. Discovery ( WBD ), pending regulatory approval. Last weekend’s leader, Sony’s ( SONY ) animated film GOAT , slipped to second place with $12 million in its third frame, bringing its domestic total to $74 million. Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights adaptation took third with $7 million, lifting its three-week total to $72.3 million. Among new releases, the concert film Twenty One Pilots: More Than We Ever Imagined opened with $3.7 million, while EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert added $3.5 million in its second weekend. Top 10 Domestic (U.S. and Canada) Box Office (Estimated) Scream 7 – $64.1 million GOAT – $12 million Wuthering Heights – $7 million Twenty One Pilots: More Than We Ever Imagined – $3.7 million EPiC: Elvis Presley in ...
narvo vexar/iStock via Getty Images Strategy Overview The portfolio combines two complementary strategies with different responses to volatility: arbitrage seeks alpha and uncorrelated returns, while hedged equity provides income from options writing and upside participation. Market Overview During the quarter, the US convertible and equity markets displayed resilience despite a record-long govern...
narvo vexar/iStock via Getty Images Strategy Overview The portfolio combines two complementary strategies with different responses to volatility: arbitrage seeks alpha and uncorrelated returns, while hedged equity provides income from options writing and upside participation. Market Overview During the quarter, the US convertible and equity markets displayed resilience despite a record-long government shutdown, supported by enthusiasm for Artificial Intelligence, strong quarterly earnings, 2.8% reported GDP growth, declining inflation, and the Federal Reserve's two rate cuts. The US convertible bond market's 2025 performance deserves special attention, as the nearly $119 billion in issuance represents not just a record year but a potential inflection point for the asset class. The previous record was set in 2020 during the Covid-era capital markets boom, while 2025's occurred in a normalized rate environment with a functioning economy. The composition of this issuance remained consistent throughout the year: crypto-related companies represented 25%–30% of the market; core technology another 30%–35%; with consumer discretionary, health care, and other sectors comprising the remainder. Equally important, the secondary convertible market demonstrated remarkable health, easily absorbing this heavy new supply without pressure on existing paper. This ability to digest substantial new issuance while maintaining market stability signals a robust, liquid convertible ecosystem—precisely the conditions that support a core strategy of the portfolio. This favorable market environment provided a welcome backdrop for our dual-strategy approach. Performance and Positioning The portfolio combines two complementary strategies with different responses to volatility: hedged equity generates income through options writing while maintaining equity exposure, whereas arbitrage seeks alpha and uncorrelated returns. The portfolio returned 1.69% (gross of fees) and 1.53% (net of fees) for the...
An operation decades in the making took just 60 seconds to carry out, but some question its wisdom The assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was the culmination of decades of painstaking intelligence gathering by Israeli secret services, with crucial technological resources and manpower provided over the last six months by the CIA and other US intelligence services, that ...
An operation decades in the making took just 60 seconds to carry out, but some question its wisdom The assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was the culmination of decades of painstaking intelligence gathering by Israeli secret services, with crucial technological resources and manpower provided over the last six months by the CIA and other US intelligence services, that culminated in a single concentrated burst of lethal violence to decapitate the Iranian regime, according to experts, veteran spies and officials in Israel and the US. Khamenei was killed along with seven “members of the top Iranian security leadership who had gathered at several locations in Tehran” and around a dozen members of his family and close entourage in near-simultaneous strikes within 60 seconds, military officials in Israel said. Forty other senior Iranian leaders also died in the attack. Continue reading...