Microsoft has promised to keep buying enough renewable energy to match all its electricity needs after meeting that goal for the first time last year, as tech giants ramp up capital expenditure on an AI-fuelled expansion of power-hungry data centres. The company said on Wednesday that it had reached its 2025 goal by contracting 40 gigawatts of new renewable energy supply, mainly through power p...
Microsoft has promised to keep buying enough renewable energy to match all its electricity needs after meeting that goal for the first time last year, as tech giants ramp up capital expenditure on an AI-fuelled expansion of power-hungry data centres. The company said on Wednesday that it had reached its 2025 goal by contracting 40 gigawatts of new renewable energy supply, mainly through power purchase agreements - long-term contracts that help utility providers to bring new projects forward. Nineteen gigawatts of that renewable energy has already been supplied to the power grid, Microsoft said, with the rest to follow over the next five years and covering 26 countries in total.
The Irish government is considering plans to introduce age restrictions on social media platforms as part of a broader AI strategy at a cabinet meeting Wednesday. “Ireland will strongly advocate for a decision on the ‘digital age of majority’ to be taken at EU level,” the Prime Minister’s office said in a memo seen by Bloomberg, adding it will “take action domestically if necessary.” It also added...
The Irish government is considering plans to introduce age restrictions on social media platforms as part of a broader AI strategy at a cabinet meeting Wednesday. “Ireland will strongly advocate for a decision on the ‘digital age of majority’ to be taken at EU level,” the Prime Minister’s office said in a memo seen by Bloomberg, adding it will “take action domestically if necessary.” It also added it would work actively with like-minded European Union member states to explore options to introduce age restrictions on the use of social media especially for under-16s. The AI strategy also includes objectives to invest in AI infrastructure and cyber security along with strengthening Ireland’s position as a digital regulatory hub. Momentum to ban social media for teens has gained traction in Europe over concerns the platforms are harmful and addictive. At least 10 European nations, including Spain, France, the UK, and Poland are mulling limits, following Australia’s move to block under-16 accounts in January. Ireland previously said it plans to roll out an age verification pilot for social media platforms, using a digital government ID wallet. “We’re hoping to be able to roll out a pilot of that next month, which I think is an important step,” Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris told Virgin Media earlier in February. “I think this is getting very close to a public health emergency. It’s certainly a major public health issue.”
Snap said on Wednesday its direct-revenue business has reached $1 billion in annualized revenue run rate, driven by growth in its Snapchat+ subscription service, as the social media company pushes into new income streams beyond advertising. Squeezed by dominant platforms such as TikTok and Meta-owned Instagram in a crowded social media market, Snap is turning to subscriber growth to boost reve...
Snap said on Wednesday its direct-revenue business has reached $1 billion in annualized revenue run rate, driven by growth in its Snapchat+ subscription service, as the social media company pushes into new income streams beyond advertising. Squeezed by dominant platforms such as TikTok and Meta-owned Instagram in a crowded social media market, Snap is turning to subscriber growth to boost revenue, particularly as some major clients scale back advertising on smaller services. CEO Evan Spiegel had said last year Snap was in a "crucible moment" after its quarterly revenue growth slowed and outlined his ambition to make direct revenue "a durable multi-billion-dollar growth driver for Snap."
Dzmitry Skazau/iStock via Getty Images The Conservative Allocation Fund's Institutional Class returned +1.34% for the fourth quarter compared to +2.05% for the Morningstar Moderately Conservative Target Risk Index. Stocks and bonds grinded out modest gains as the U.S. economy remained resilient despite signs of cooling in the labor market. The Federal Reserve lowered the federal funds rate again i...
Dzmitry Skazau/iStock via Getty Images The Conservative Allocation Fund's Institutional Class returned +1.34% for the fourth quarter compared to +2.05% for the Morningstar Moderately Conservative Target Risk Index. Stocks and bonds grinded out modest gains as the U.S. economy remained resilient despite signs of cooling in the labor market. The Federal Reserve lowered the federal funds rate again in December, reiterating that "downside risks to employment rose in recent months." The Fund's high-quality, short-maturity fixed income portfolio performed as designed and expected, providing ballast with acceptable returns. The Fund's bond holdings posted positive contributions across all fixed income sectors for the quarter, primarily from coupon income with a modest boost from price appreciation. The Fund's stock holdings also delivered positive returns during the quarter, with notable gains in the health care sector. The artificial intelligence ("AI") infrastructure trade took a breather after a red-hot summer, while the broader "risk-on" rally continued at a muted pace. Our overall stock performance was improved during the quarter, producing positive but modest results. 2025 Review and Game Plan Calendar year 2025 was the steepest, least rewarding path to 4% returns that we can recall. Our steady, all-weather approach was more conservative than necessary, as risk-taking was handsomely rewarded in the middle half of the year. We still passionately believe that a stout defense creates opportunities to play more offense, as it has many times in the past 20+ years. Risk control can take a back seat when the guy next door is making "easy" money. Our mantra is to protect and grow capital, in that order. That approach and mindset will not waver for this strategy. Investors can count on us to stay disciplined and focused on all three of our objectives: long-term capital appreciation, capital preservation, and current income. Of course, our execution can always improve, and we ...
Economic uncertainty drives customers to snap up 22-carat gold bars and coins or sell off unworn jewellery “With everything that’s going on in the economy and Donald Trump banging his chest against the world, we’re finding there’s no trust in the banks because we don’t know what’s going to happen,” Sandeep Kanda says. Kanda is the owner of Sunny Jewellers, situated along a stretch of Leicester kno...
Economic uncertainty drives customers to snap up 22-carat gold bars and coins or sell off unworn jewellery “With everything that’s going on in the economy and Donald Trump banging his chest against the world, we’re finding there’s no trust in the banks because we don’t know what’s going to happen,” Sandeep Kanda says. Kanda is the owner of Sunny Jewellers, situated along a stretch of Leicester known as the Golden Mile, and is a beneficiary of consumers seeking alternative investments amid the uncertainty. Continue reading...
Hard disks and magnetic tape have a limited lifespan, but storage developed by Microsoft could last for millennia Some cultures used stone, others used parchment. Some even, for a time, used floppy disks. Now scientists have come up with a new way to keep archived data safe that, they say, could endure for millennia: laser-writing in glass. From personal photos that are kept for a lifetime to busi...
Hard disks and magnetic tape have a limited lifespan, but storage developed by Microsoft could last for millennia Some cultures used stone, others used parchment. Some even, for a time, used floppy disks. Now scientists have come up with a new way to keep archived data safe that, they say, could endure for millennia: laser-writing in glass. From personal photos that are kept for a lifetime to business documents, medical information, data for scientific research, national records and heritage data, there is no shortage of information that needs to be preserved for very long periods of time. Continue reading...
Xalet del Catllaràs contains elements of architect’s naturalistic style, expressed in works such as Park Güell and Sagrada Família An elegant modernist building in the mountains north of Barcelona, originally constructed to house engineers establishing a nearby mine, has been confirmed as a work of Antoni Gaudí, Catalonia’s most celebrated and distinctive architect. The Xalet del Catllaràs, about ...
Xalet del Catllaràs contains elements of architect’s naturalistic style, expressed in works such as Park Güell and Sagrada Família An elegant modernist building in the mountains north of Barcelona, originally constructed to house engineers establishing a nearby mine, has been confirmed as a work of Antoni Gaudí, Catalonia’s most celebrated and distinctive architect. The Xalet del Catllaràs, about 80 miles from Barcelona in the county of Berguedà, was built in 1905 and commissioned by Eusebi Güell, Gaudí’s lifelong patron. Güell was the owner of a cement company with mines in the region and he needed somewhere to house the engineers, many of them British, who would help extract the coal for his factories. Continue reading...
Market Catalysts host Julie Hyman and Yahoo Finance Markets and Data Editor Jared Blikre track several of Wednesday's top trending tickers and stories. Nvidia (NVDA) stock is in focus after the company announced a multiyear partnership with Meta (META), supplying the social media company with GPUs and CPUs. Additionally, Nvidia sold off its stake in Arm Holdings (ARM). Madison Square Garden Sports...
Market Catalysts host Julie Hyman and Yahoo Finance Markets and Data Editor Jared Blikre track several of Wednesday's top trending tickers and stories. Nvidia (NVDA) stock is in focus after the company announced a multiyear partnership with Meta (META), supplying the social media company with GPUs and CPUs. Additionally, Nvidia sold off its stake in Arm Holdings (ARM). Madison Square Garden Sports (MSGS) is exploring a spin-off that would separate the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Catalysts.
Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF ( NASDAQ:VCSH ) and Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF ( NYSEMKT:BSV ) share identical expense ratios, but VCSH pays a higher yield and leans toward corporate bonds, while BSV casts a wider net across government and corporate debt with greater assets under management. Both funds aim for modest price fluctuation and current income through high-quality, short-maturit...
Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF ( NASDAQ:VCSH ) and Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF ( NYSEMKT:BSV ) share identical expense ratios, but VCSH pays a higher yield and leans toward corporate bonds, while BSV casts a wider net across government and corporate debt with greater assets under management. Both funds aim for modest price fluctuation and current income through high-quality, short-maturity bonds, but deploys different strategies. VCSH focuses on investment-grade corporate issues, while BSV diversifies into government, corporate, and select international bonds. This comparison outlines key differences in performance, yield, risk, and portfolio composition to help investors determine which option best meets their needs. Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year weekly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Continue reading
The American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called music "the universal language of mankind." Is that still true when the so-called music is being generated by a probabilistic robot instead of a human? We're about to find out. Google has announced its latest Lyria 3 AI model is being deployed in the Gemini app, vastly expanding access to AI music generation. Google DeepMind has been tinkering wit...
The American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called music "the universal language of mankind." Is that still true when the so-called music is being generated by a probabilistic robot instead of a human? We're about to find out. Google has announced its latest Lyria 3 AI model is being deployed in the Gemini app, vastly expanding access to AI music generation. Google DeepMind has been tinkering with Lyria for a while now, offering limited access in developer-oriented products like Vertex AI. Lyria 3 is more capable than previous versions, and it's also quicker to use. Just select the new "Create music" option in the Gemini app or web UI to get started. You can describe what you want and even upload an image to help the robot get the right vibe. And in a few seconds, you get music (or something like it). In case there was any uncertainty about whether Lyria tracks still counted as a human artistic endeavor, worry not! Unlike past versions of the model, you don't even have to provide lyrics in your prompt. You can be vague with your request, and the model will create suitable lyrics for the 30-second song. Although with that limit, "jingle" might be more accurate. Read full article Comments
Alphabet Inc. ’s Google and Apple Inc. are adding music-focused generative artificial intelligence features to their core consumer apps, underscoring how advanced AI tools are moving into mainstream use. Google’s Gemini AI assistant can now create 30-second music tracks based on text, photos or video uploaded by users using Google DeepMind’s latest Lyria 3 model, the company said in a blog post on...
Alphabet Inc. ’s Google and Apple Inc. are adding music-focused generative artificial intelligence features to their core consumer apps, underscoring how advanced AI tools are moving into mainstream use. Google’s Gemini AI assistant can now create 30-second music tracks based on text, photos or video uploaded by users using Google DeepMind’s latest Lyria 3 model, the company said in a blog post on Wednesday. The feature, which can generate custom lyrics or purely instrumental audio, will be available to users over the age of 18 in multiple languages. It is being rolled out on the desktop version of Gemini and will appear in the mobile app over the next few days, the company said. Its popular image-creation model, Nano Banana, will also generate custom cover art alongside the track, adding a visual element when users share links to the tracks with others, Google said. Adding audio-creation tools to its mobile app can potentially strengthen Google’s consumer offerings as it remains locked in a race with OpenAI’s ChatGPT to win over users. Google won widespread praise from investors and users for its Gemini 3 AI model released in November, prompting OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman to declare a \ to spur faster ChatGPT improvements. Separately this week, Apple said consumers can soon use AI to create playlists in Apple Music. The feature, called Playlist Playground, uses Apple Intelligence to let people turn text prompts into playlists that will include cover art, description and 25 songs. It is included in iOS 26.4, which was released in beta on Monday and will become more widely available this spring. Apple Music’s new feature rivals a similar one offered by Spotify Technology SA . Apple, which has been a laggard in artificial intelligence, is working to add more AI features across its apps and devices, including in its recently launched software bundle Creator Studio . But some highly anticipated updates to its Siri virtual assistant may be delayed after th...
Amazon (AMZN) has entered 2026 with its core fundamentals strengthening even as the stock has undergone a sharp technical reset. After leading the artificial intelligence infrastructure buildout through 2025, AMZN has recently pulled back toward major support levels amid broader growth-stock volatility. This correction has pushed AMZN into oversold conditions, creating a favorable setup for long-t...
Amazon (AMZN) has entered 2026 with its core fundamentals strengthening even as the stock has undergone a sharp technical reset. After leading the artificial intelligence infrastructure buildout through 2025, AMZN has recently pulled back toward major support levels amid broader growth-stock volatility. This correction has pushed AMZN into oversold conditions, creating a favorable setup for long-term investors aligned with the AI infrastructure thesis. With Amazon Web Services (AWS), advertising and logistics automation continuing to scale, Amazon's recent weakness appears to reflect sentiment fatigue rather than a deterioration in business quality. Trade Timing & Outlook AMZN has sharply retraced from recent highs and is now stabilizing near long-term support around the $195–$200 zone. Support retest: The stock has successfully tested prior breakout support near $195, an area that previously marked multi-month resistance. Oversold conditions: Relative Strength Index has fallen into oversold territory, historically associated with intermediate-term rebounds. Mean reversion setup: Price has deviated meaningfully from key moving averages, increasing the probability of technical reversion toward $220–$230. Fundamentals Amazon continues to exhibit superior growth and profitability metrics relative to its peer group: Forward P/E: ~25x vs. industry ~24x Expected EPS growth: ~25% vs. industry ~7% Expected revenue growth: ~12% vs. industry ~6% Net margins: ~10.8% vs. industry ~7.0% AWS remains the company's primary profit engine, generating the majority of operating income while re-accelerating growth through AI workloads. Advertising, now approaching a $60 billion annual run-rate, adds a second high-margin growth vector. Combined with improving retail efficiency, Amazon's earnings power continues to compound faster than headline revenue. Bullish Thesis AI leadership: Amazon is a core beneficiary of the "AI Infrastructure Inversion," with AWS, custom silicon (Trainium), and...
Let Gemini be your, uh, Bard? | Image: Google Google has given Gemini the ability to spit out AI-generated music, courtesy of DeepMind's latest audio model. Beta access to Lyria 3 is rolling out in the Gemini app, enabling users to generate 30-second tracks based on text, images, and videos, without having to leave the chatbot window. The new music-making tool is available globally starting today ...
Let Gemini be your, uh, Bard? | Image: Google Google has given Gemini the ability to spit out AI-generated music, courtesy of DeepMind's latest audio model. Beta access to Lyria 3 is rolling out in the Gemini app, enabling users to generate 30-second tracks based on text, images, and videos, without having to leave the chatbot window. The new music-making tool is available globally starting today in English, German, Spanish, French, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese, with plans to expand in the future. Access is limited to Gemini app users who are 18 years or older. Lyria 3's text-to-music capabilities allow Gemini app users to make songs by describing specific genres, moods, or … Read the full story at The Verge.
SAN FRANCISCO, February 18, 2026--Today, Kana has announced $15 million in seed funding to help marketing teams harness agentic AI with their own data to ignite growth and unlock new efficiencies across their entire operation. Kana’s suite of agents gives marketers and media companies highly configurable, non-disruptive tools to automate workflows, improve decision-making, and adapt to AI-era co...
SAN FRANCISCO, February 18, 2026--Today, Kana has announced $15 million in seed funding to help marketing teams harness agentic AI with their own data to ignite growth and unlock new efficiencies across their entire operation. Kana’s suite of agents gives marketers and media companies highly configurable, non-disruptive tools to automate workflows, improve decision-making, and adapt to AI-era consumer behavior. Furthermore, Kana’s focus on augmented intelligence enables users to approve output
In South Africa, as taps run dry in Johannesburg, Africa's richest city, a tone deaf remark by a senior politician there unleashes fury. (Image credit: Emmanuel Croset)
In South Africa, as taps run dry in Johannesburg, Africa's richest city, a tone deaf remark by a senior politician there unleashes fury. (Image credit: Emmanuel Croset)
Merydolla/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Investment Thesis At times when many companies exhibit higher Valuations and uncertain growth outlooks, focusing on companies with strong competitive advantages, excellent positioning within their respective industry, and an ability to pay consistently increasing dividend payments can offer significant benefits for investors. One of the principal advanta...
Merydolla/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Investment Thesis At times when many companies exhibit higher Valuations and uncertain growth outlooks, focusing on companies with strong competitive advantages, excellent positioning within their respective industry, and an ability to pay consistently increasing dividend payments can offer significant benefits for investors. One of the principal advantages of investing in companies that pay sustainable dividends is that investors will get paid regardless of whether the market goes up or down. In today's article, I will focus on my top 3 dividend-paying buy-and-hold stocks that I believe are particularly attractive for 2026 due to their attractive Valuation, financial health, positive growth outlook, and their capacity to pay sustainable dividends. Additionally, they help investors reduce the downside risk of their portfolio. Those who have been reading my analysis on Seeking Alpha know that I am following a buy-and-hold investment approach that blends dividend income and dividend growth while focusing on companies with attractive risk-reward profiles. The companies I have selected as my top 3 dividend-paying buy-and-hold picks meet the below criteria: they offer investors a solid dividend yield above 3%. they provide investors with dividend growth potential (the companies' 5-Year Dividend Growth Rate [CAGR] stands above 3%). they have significant competitive advantages and an excellent position within their respective industry. they have an attractive Valuation (their P/E [FWD] Ratio or P/FFO [FWD] Ratio stands below 25). They have relatively strong growth potential (their 3-Year EBIT CAGR stands above 5%). PepsiCo Both in my personal investment portfolio and in The Dividend Income Accelerator Portfolio, which I am managing, PepsiCo ( PEP ) is an important core position to help reduce portfolio volatility and to constantly generate dividend income. At this moment, PepsiCo represents 2.43% within the Dividend Income Accele...
Torsten Asmus/iStock via Getty Images Returns in floating rate notes are driven by two main components: short-term interest rates and credit spreads. What Drives Returns in Floating Rate Notes? Corporate floating rate notes (FRNs) are often used to help manage interest rate risk. Unlike fixed-rate bonds, FRNs are structured so that income adjusts with changes in short-term interest rates. As a res...
Torsten Asmus/iStock via Getty Images Returns in floating rate notes are driven by two main components: short-term interest rates and credit spreads. What Drives Returns in Floating Rate Notes? Corporate floating rate notes (FRNs) are often used to help manage interest rate risk. Unlike fixed-rate bonds, FRNs are structured so that income adjusts with changes in short-term interest rates. As a result, their returns are driven primarily by income rather than price movements, making them potentially attractive when rates are rising or expected to remain elevated. What Are Floating Rate Notes (FRNs)? Corporate floating rate notes are bonds that pay a coupon linked to a short-term reference rate (usually SOFR), plus a fixed credit spread. The coupon resets periodically, allowing income to rise when short-term rates increase and decline when rates fall. Because coupons adjust regularly, FRN prices exhibit minimal sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Investors therefore avoid the duration-related price declines associated with traditional fixed-rate bonds, although they also do not benefit from falling rates through price appreciation. Key Drivers of FRN Returns Returns in corporate FRNs are driven by two main components: short-term interest rates and credit spreads. Short-Term Interest Rates and Coupon Income The primary source of FRN returns is coupons. As reference rates such as SOFR move in response to monetary policy, FRN coupons reset accordingly. When short-term rates rise, income increases; when rates fall, income declines. Given the low interest rate duration of FRNs, price volatility from rate movements is minimal, leaving income as the dominant driver of performance. Credit Spreads and Spread Duration While interest rates drive the level of income, credit spreads determine how much additional yield investors earn for taking on issuer credit risk. Higher credit spreads generally result in higher income but also introduce sensitivity to changes in market cre...
The revenue milestone comes as Snap has added additional paid offerings outside of its core Snapchat+ subscription over the past year to diversify its revenue streams.
The revenue milestone comes as Snap has added additional paid offerings outside of its core Snapchat+ subscription over the past year to diversify its revenue streams.
It has been a difficult start to 2026 for the software industry. New artificial intelligence (AI) product releases from the likes of Anthropic have investors questioning whether AI agents will replace or merely buy fewer software licenses. What's interesting is that two of the most bullish technology analysts on Wall Street, Tom Lee and Dan Ives, appear to have opposite takes on the sell-off: one ...
It has been a difficult start to 2026 for the software industry. New artificial intelligence (AI) product releases from the likes of Anthropic have investors questioning whether AI agents will replace or merely buy fewer software licenses. What's interesting is that two of the most bullish technology analysts on Wall Street, Tom Lee and Dan Ives, appear to have opposite takes on the sell-off: one thinks the software disruption is real, and the other calls the software meltdown a "golden buying opportunity." So who is right? Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading