Good morning . AI “scare trade” cools. Europe rethinks its nuclear policy. And the CIA sees an opportunity in China’s military purge. Listen to the day’s top stories . S&P 500 Index Futures 6,834.25 -0.24% Nasdaq 100 Index Futures 24,715.25 -0.21% Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index 1,183.78 +0.14% Stocks continued to churn as Thursday’s selloff, fueled by AI concerns, lost steam and traders pivoted to ke...
Good morning . AI “scare trade” cools. Europe rethinks its nuclear policy. And the CIA sees an opportunity in China’s military purge. Listen to the day’s top stories . S&P 500 Index Futures 6,834.25 -0.24% Nasdaq 100 Index Futures 24,715.25 -0.21% Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index 1,183.78 +0.14% Stocks continued to churn as Thursday’s selloff, fueled by AI concerns, lost steam and traders pivoted to key US inflation data due this morning. Cryptocurrencies got over their latest wobble , sparked by Standard Chartered’s warning of further Bitcoin weakness, though Coinbase’s revenue slump and quarterly loss underscored how quickly a cooling crypto market can squeeze even the most diversified exchanges. CPI probably ran lower than a typical January, according to Bloomberg Economics. A subdued reading would leave room for as much as 100 basis points of interest rate cuts this year, an outcome much desired by Donald Trump . OpenAI is back on the offensive against DeepSeek, telling lawmakers its Chinese rival is siphoning off US models to train its next-gen chatbot. At the same time, the San Francisco company is hedging its bets on hardware—rolling out its first model to run on Cerebras chips as it looks to reduce its reliance on Nvidia . Co-founder Greg Brockman and other AI heavyweights are working on Capitol Hill, pushing for lighter-touch regulations even as voters fret about rising energy costs and job losses. DeepSeek’s ascent challenges the assumption that AI’s future demands even more computing power and energy, and that’s why it’s freaking everyone out . A Saturday shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security is all but inevitable after the Senate failed to advance a funding bill and headed out on a week-long recess without a deal regarding new limits on immigration enforcement. Many employees, including TSA workers, will be expected to work without pay. Who’s next? The Jeffrey Epstein scandal claimed another high-profile figure. Goldman Sachs’ top lawyer Kathy Ruemm...
A French tourist who went missing in northeastern Chad after heading off to visit an oasis in the desert has been found dead “after a fall”, Chad’s tourism minister said on Friday. The 70-year-old man – from the city of Dijon, according to a French newspaper report – had been missing since Wednesday. He was part of a group visiting Chad for the International Festival of Saharan Cultures in the cit...
A French tourist who went missing in northeastern Chad after heading off to visit an oasis in the desert has been found dead “after a fall”, Chad’s tourism minister said on Friday. The 70-year-old man – from the city of Dijon, according to a French newspaper report – had been missing since Wednesday. He was part of a group visiting Chad for the International Festival of Saharan Cultures in the city of Amdjarass, about 100km (60 miles) from the Sudan border. “We found the body in the Bachekele...
clovercity/iStock via Getty Images Introduction In my last article on Crocs ( CROX ), I recommended buying the stock while it was still cheap. After today's strong earnings report, CROX is up 19% to $98.46 per share. The good news, however, is that the stock remains cheap. (If you're interested in a deep dive into Crocs' business, check out my prior article here ). In this article I will cover wha...
clovercity/iStock via Getty Images Introduction In my last article on Crocs ( CROX ), I recommended buying the stock while it was still cheap. After today's strong earnings report, CROX is up 19% to $98.46 per share. The good news, however, is that the stock remains cheap. (If you're interested in a deep dive into Crocs' business, check out my prior article here ). In this article I will cover what we learned from the latest earnings announcement and update my forecast and price target for the stock. I reiterate my strong buy rating and upgrade the price target to $173 per share. Q4 Earnings Main Takeaways First, the company beat expectations on both the top and bottom lines (source: Q4 Earnings Call ). Adjusted EPS was $2.29 vs. $1.91 expected, and revenues were $958 million vs. $916.1 million expected. Guidance was also stronger than expected, at $12.88-$13.35 EPS for the year ahead vs. Wall Street's estimate of $12.10. In my prior article I said the following: I believe Crocs' shareholders would be well-served by the company continuing to pay down debts. Interest expenses are currently about $100 million per year, which at the moment is eating up about 13% of free cash flow... With share prices as depressed as they are, I think it also makes sense for the company to continue with the authorized share repurchases. Crocs jumped the gun in my view, repurchasing shares near all-time highs in the last two years, but now (if my analysis is correct) the shares are truly undervalued, which makes share repurchases a smart way for the company to use its cash. I was pleased to see both significant debt repayments and share repurchases in Q4. In this quarter alone, Crocs repaid $90 million of debt and repurchased 2.2 million shares for $180 million. Interest expense for the year decreased by 19.2%, or a little over $20 million. The company still has significant runway in both of these areas with remaining share repurchase authorization of $746.8 million and debt obligations ...
Looking at the underlying holdings of the ETFs in our coverage universe at ETF Channel, we have compared the trading price of each holding against the average analyst 12-month forward target price, and computed the weighted average implied analyst target price for the ETF itself.
Looking at the underlying holdings of the ETFs in our coverage universe at ETF Channel, we have compared the trading price of each holding against the average analyst 12-month forward target price, and computed the weighted average implied analyst target price for the ETF itself.
To become a "Dividend Aristocrat," a dividend paying company must accomplish an incredible feat: consistently increase shareholder dividends every year for at least 20 consecutive years. Companies with this kind of track record tend to attract a lot of investor attention —
To become a "Dividend Aristocrat," a dividend paying company must accomplish an incredible feat: consistently increase shareholder dividends every year for at least 20 consecutive years. Companies with this kind of track record tend to attract a lot of investor attention —
China’s anti-corruption watchdogs have again put cadres on notice, ordering tighter discipline and greater scrutiny of Communist Party officials in the countdown to next year’s leadership reshuffle. Among the fresh warnings on Thursday was a caution against associating with “political swindlers”, people who fraudulently claim to have links to senior officials so they can peddle promotions for cash...
China’s anti-corruption watchdogs have again put cadres on notice, ordering tighter discipline and greater scrutiny of Communist Party officials in the countdown to next year’s leadership reshuffle. Among the fresh warnings on Thursday was a caution against associating with “political swindlers”, people who fraudulently claim to have links to senior officials so they can peddle promotions for cash. The orders were issued jointly by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the...
Shares in Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG plummeted after it gave a muted profit outlook for 2026, pointing to the high costs of a significant risk transfer as a key reason. PBB expects to achieve a full-year profit before taxes of between €30 million ($36 million) and €40 million, it said in a statement on Friday. Analysts had forecast substantially more than €100 million. The stock dropped as much 10...
Shares in Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG plummeted after it gave a muted profit outlook for 2026, pointing to the high costs of a significant risk transfer as a key reason. PBB expects to achieve a full-year profit before taxes of between €30 million ($36 million) and €40 million, it said in a statement on Friday. Analysts had forecast substantially more than €100 million. The stock dropped as much 10.8%, hitting an all-time intraday low. It was trading 9.4% lower at 2:58 p.m. in Frankfurt trading. PBB, an embattled German lender seeking to offload its interests in US commercial real estate debt, tapped the SRT market in December, with Brookfield -owned Oaktree Capital Management writing protection against a $320 million mezzanine tranche linked to a portfolio of $2 billion in loans. The deal was priced at a spread of more than 15 percentage points over a borrowing benchmark, people familiar with the matter said at the time. The majority of SRT transactions in the prior 12 months had been priced at spreads of less than 10 percentage points, according to data from Seer Capital Management LP. Read More: SRT Boom Offers Costly Lifeline to Banks Shedding Risky CRE Debt PBB on Friday also pointed to a “sluggish recovery in the real estate markets.” The loss of income from the US business will likely only be “gradually compensated for by new business in Europe.” The lender reported a pretax loss of €250 million for 2025, which was within the forecast range. It doesn’t see scope for dividend payments for last year, it added. However, the conditions for servicing the AT1 instrument are currently in place, and a decision will be made in April, it added. Chief Executive Officer Kay Wolf is overseeing a strategic overhaul as the firm pulls out of the US to focus on European markets and expand into asset management. The exit from the US happens about a decade after PBB had embarked on an expansion into the world’s largest economy that ultimately proved damaging to its balance sheet...
Both ProShares - Ultra QQQ (NYSEMKT:QLD) and ProShares - Ultra S&P500 (NYSEMKT:SSO) aim to double the daily moves of their respective large-cap indexes, but QLD leans harder into technology, tracking the Nasdaq-100 while SSO follows the broader S&P 500 . This comparison unpacks how their performance, risk, and sector exposures may appeal to different types of investors seeking leveraged ETF strate...
Both ProShares - Ultra QQQ (NYSEMKT:QLD) and ProShares - Ultra S&P500 (NYSEMKT:SSO) aim to double the daily moves of their respective large-cap indexes, but QLD leans harder into technology, tracking the Nasdaq-100 while SSO follows the broader S&P 500 . This comparison unpacks how their performance, risk, and sector exposures may appeal to different types of investors seeking leveraged ETF strategies. Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The one-year return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Continue reading
Colin Temple/iStock via Getty Images It's not easy being an American automaker nowadays, or for much of the past two decades. Besides increasing competition from China, massive legacy costs, chip shortages, and the Great Recession, carmakers have had to navigate ever-changing rules and regulations, particularly surrounding electric vehicles and emissions standards. Another wrench has now been thro...
Colin Temple/iStock via Getty Images It's not easy being an American automaker nowadays, or for much of the past two decades. Besides increasing competition from China, massive legacy costs, chip shortages, and the Great Recession, carmakers have had to navigate ever-changing rules and regulations, particularly surrounding electric vehicles and emissions standards. Another wrench has now been thrown in the works, following what the Trump administration called the "single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history." Quote: "Under the process just completed by the EPA, we are officially terminating the so-called 'endangerment finding,' a disastrous Obama-era policy that severely damaged the American auto industry and drove up prices for American consumers," President Trump declared. "This action will eliminate over $1.3T in regulatory costs and help bring car prices tumbling down dramatically. They had computers all over the place trying to save half an ounce of fuel [while] we have fuel for the next 500 to 1,000 years under our feet." "Financial bloodbath" are the words to describe the current state of the auto industry. Since late 2025, General Motors ( GM ), Ford ( F ), and Stellantis ( STLA ), the owner of Jeep and Ram, have taken a combined $53B in write-offs related to their EV strategies, next-generation electric platforms, and pivots toward other models like hybrids. It has led to restructurings and layoffs, while the addition of tariffs and supply chain uncertainty due to trade tensions with Canada and Mexico haven't helped the situation. Legalities: While greenhouse gas standards for CO2 will be canceled, that does not mean carmakers can make the dirtiest engine on the market. Remaining in place are federal laws against smog, soot, and nitrogen oxides, while fuel economy rules that surround efficiency will still be governed by the Department of Transportation. However, the big dilemma that remains for carmakers is how to move forward in the increasingly bif...
Seeking Alpha More on Moderna Moderna: FDA RTF Derails mRNA-1010 And Reignites The Sell Case Moderna: Analyzing The January Rally And The Road Ahead (Rating Upgrade) Moderna Vs. Novavax: 2 Pandemic Vaccine Pioneers - Which Offers Better Value Today? Moderna GAAP EPS of -$2.11 beats by $0.49, revenue of $678M beats by $54.07M Moderna Q4 2025 Earnings Preview
Seeking Alpha More on Moderna Moderna: FDA RTF Derails mRNA-1010 And Reignites The Sell Case Moderna: Analyzing The January Rally And The Road Ahead (Rating Upgrade) Moderna Vs. Novavax: 2 Pandemic Vaccine Pioneers - Which Offers Better Value Today? Moderna GAAP EPS of -$2.11 beats by $0.49, revenue of $678M beats by $54.07M Moderna Q4 2025 Earnings Preview
Rai uses altered image with genitals removed in opening credits, prompting backlash from media and politicians Italy’s state broadcaster, Rai, has been accused of censorship after removing the genitals from the image of Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man in the opening credit for its Winter Olympics coverage. The image of the 500-year-old drawing appears at the start of the clip before transforming...
Rai uses altered image with genitals removed in opening credits, prompting backlash from media and politicians Italy’s state broadcaster, Rai, has been accused of censorship after removing the genitals from the image of Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man in the opening credit for its Winter Olympics coverage. The image of the 500-year-old drawing appears at the start of the clip before transforming into the bodies of ice-skaters, skiers and other winter sports athletes. Continue reading...
Bloomberg's Tom Mackenzie speaks with IQM Quantum Computing CEO and co-founder Jan Goetz about the growing battle between the US and China to dominate quantum computing. With $600 million raised and partnerships including Nvidia, the Finland-based firm is pushing for Europe to secure its place in the global tech race or risk being left behind.
Bloomberg's Tom Mackenzie speaks with IQM Quantum Computing CEO and co-founder Jan Goetz about the growing battle between the US and China to dominate quantum computing. With $600 million raised and partnerships including Nvidia, the Finland-based firm is pushing for Europe to secure its place in the global tech race or risk being left behind.
Beijing has urged Tokyo to protect its crew members’ rights after Japan said it had seized a Chinese fishing boat and arrested its captain in an incident that will potentially heighten tensions. Japanese authorities said the incident occurred on Thursday inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off its southwestern Nagasaki prefecture after the Chinese vessel allegedly tried to flee an inspect...
Beijing has urged Tokyo to protect its crew members’ rights after Japan said it had seized a Chinese fishing boat and arrested its captain in an incident that will potentially heighten tensions. Japanese authorities said the incident occurred on Thursday inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off its southwestern Nagasaki prefecture after the Chinese vessel allegedly tried to flee an inspection. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Friday that the Chinese government had...
Colliers International press release ( CIGI ): Q4 Non-GAAP EPS of $2.34 misses by $0.11 . Revenue of $1.61B (+7.3% Y/Y) in-line. More on Colliers International Group Inc. Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Colliers International Group Inc. Historical earnings data for Colliers International Group Inc. Dividend scorecard for Colliers International Group Inc. Financial information for Colliers Internat...
Colliers International press release ( CIGI ): Q4 Non-GAAP EPS of $2.34 misses by $0.11 . Revenue of $1.61B (+7.3% Y/Y) in-line. More on Colliers International Group Inc. Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Colliers International Group Inc. Historical earnings data for Colliers International Group Inc. Dividend scorecard for Colliers International Group Inc. Financial information for Colliers International Group Inc.