Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF Gains 0.7% on AI Rally, Beats Broad Market but Lags Nasdaq-100
Vanguard's Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG) climbed 0.69% amid a wave of AI‑related earnings, beating the broader S&P 500 but still lagging the Nasdaq‑100. The fund’s 59% tech weighting and top‑five holdings accounting for 43% of assets underscore both its upside and diversification concerns.
We Underestimate Others' Retirement Needs, Not Our Own
How much do you need to retire? Whatever number you just thought of, the research suggests you're probably wrong. Kahneman revised his own famous finding before he died. 85% of people underestimate what others need. And trusting your neighbours is worth more...
Iran Ceasefire Tested as Drone Sets Cargo Ship Aflame Off Qatar, Raising Gulf Shipping Risks
A drone strike ignited a cargo ship 23 nautical miles northeast of Doha, prompting the UAE and Kuwait to shoot down additional drones. The incident underscores the fragility of the month‑old Iran‑U.S. ceasefire and threatens oil flow through the Strait...
Emaar Properties Posts 23% Revenue Rise, Hotel Segment Drives Q1 Growth
Emaar Properties PJSC announced a 23% increase in first‑quarter revenue to AED 12.4 billion ($3.4 billion) and a 16% rise in property sales, helped by solid performance in its hospitality portfolio. The results underscore robust demand for hotels and real‑estate in Dubai...
European Space Firms Post 80% Revenue Surge as Defence Funding Swells
Mark Boggett, chief executive of Seraphim Space Investment Trust, said the trust’s ten biggest portfolio firms posted 80% revenue growth over the past year. The boom is tied to a wave of European defence spending aimed at reducing reliance on...
Philippine Data Center Boom Attracts $170-Million IFC Investment
International Finance Corp. (IFC) is set to invest up to $170 million in YCO Global Cloud Centers to expand data center capacity beyond Metro Manila. The package includes a $20 million quasi‑equity stake and $150 million in senior loans for two 50 MW facilities...
‘I’m Not an Extravagant Spender’: I’m in My 70s with a $90,000 Income. Can I Afford My Dream Home with...
A 70‑year‑old retiree earning $90,000 annually wants to buy a dream home with a pool, preferring a cash purchase. The Moneyist advises that the size of the retiree’s investment portfolio, not just income, determines affordability, suggesting a target price of...
Lotte Chemical Posts Q1 Profit as Sales Rise 1.8%
Lotte Chemical Corp. reported a net attributable profit of KRW 49.59 billion in Q1 2026, reversing a KRW 190.83 billion loss from a year earlier. Sales climbed 1.8% to KRW 4.99 trillion and the shares jumped 6.6% on the Korea Stock Exchange.
China's CPI Jumps to 1.2% in April, Fueling Yuan Weakness
China's National Bureau of Statistics reported that consumer price inflation accelerated to 1.2% in April, outpacing expectations and pushing factory‑gate inflation to a 45‑month high. The data has heightened market worries that the People's Bank of China may tighten policy,...
U.S. Dollar Slides Over 0.25% as Safe‑Haven Demand Ebbs Amid Middle East Diplomacy
The U.S. dollar index dropped over 0.25% for the week ended May 8, driven by fading safe‑haven demand as President Trump affirmed a cease‑fire with Iran. The slide came despite a robust jobs report that added 115,000 jobs, well above the...
Saudi Aramco Q1 Profit Jumps 25% to $32.5 Bn as East‑West Pipeline Offsets Hormuz Blockade
Saudi Aramco reported a 25% rise in first‑quarter profit to $32.5 bn, driven by higher oil prices and volumes shipped through its East‑West pipeline. The surge comes as the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed due to the U.S.–Iran conflict, forcing...
Wells Fargo Raises CoreWeave Price Target to $155 on $100B AI Backlog
Wells Fargo analyst Michael Turrin lifted CoreWeave's price target to $155 from $135, citing a $99.4 billion revenue backlog and expanding hyperscale capacity. The move follows the AI‑infrastructure firm’s Q1 revenue beat but a softer Q2 outlook, highlighting the market’s focus...
Amazon Prepares Its First Swiss Franc Bond in Six-Part AI-Capex Push
Amazon is preparing its first Swiss franc bond issuance, a six‑tranche program spanning 3‑ to 25‑year maturities, marking its entry into the CHF market. The move follows a broader multi‑currency funding push, after a $37 bn dollar bond and €14.5 bn euro...
Oil Jumps Over 4% After Trump Rejects Iran Cease‑Fire Proposal, Asian Markets Stumble
President Donald Trump called Iran's cease‑fire response "totally unacceptable," sending Brent crude up more than 4% to over $110 a barrel. The move reignited fears about the Strait of Hormuz, pushed WTI to $95, and rattled Asian stock markets, which...
Bursa Malaysia Slides 0.16% as AI‑fuelled Rally Lifts Regional Peers
Bursa Malaysia's benchmark FBM KLCI slipped 0.16% to 1,745.31 on Monday, bucking a regional surge driven by AI‑related stocks and higher oil prices. Glove makers such as Top Glove helped soften the decline, but overall market breadth was thin, with...
Japan's 9 Million Abandoned Homes Are Turning Into an Economic Crisis
Japan now faces roughly 9 million vacant homes, about 14% of its housing stock, as aging populations and urban migration leave rural neighborhoods hollow. Inherited properties often require costly upgrades to meet earthquake and energy standards, making them financially unattractive to...
The Drive to Deepen China-Africa Clean Tech Cooperation
China’s renewable sector is pivoting toward Africa, where solar panel exports rose 17% last year. The South‑South Cooperation Renewables Centre, launched by the China Renewable Energy Industries Association, facilitates matchmaking, technology showcases and skills transfer across 16 African nations. The...
Manulife Adds Energy Transition Funds, Winding Down Oil and Gas Portfolio
Manulife, the Canadian insurer, announced a strategic pivot toward energy‑transition investments, adding a suite of new funds managed by external general partners. The firm will concurrently wind down its oil and gas portfolio, aiming for a gradual reduction over the...
Joby Aviation Q1 Earnings Boost Shares 17.5% as 2026 eVTOL Launch Nears
Joby Aviation reported first‑quarter earnings that sent its shares up 17.5% and confirmed a FAA‑conforming test flight, signaling that the company is on track for a 2026 commercial eVTOL launch. With $2.5 billion in cash and a scaling manufacturing footprint, the...
Global VC Inflows Slip as Deal Volume Contracts, YourStory Reports
Venture capital funding into Indian startups fell in the first week of May as the number of deals shrank and high‑value transactions vanished. The slowdown comes even as mega‑cap players like Nvidia continue to pour tens of billions into AI...
Wheat Prices Mixed Across Regions and Soybean Markets Relatively Quiet Amid Chinese Holiday
European wheat futures slipped, pulling spot premiums lower while physical premiums held steady across France, Germany and the Baltics. Australian wheat remained firm, with assessments climbing to $277 per tonne amid dry conditions in New South Wales and Queensland. In...
Do Voters Really Want to Pay for Public Schools?
Voters in Michigan approved a school bond while Ohio rejected a similar measure, each with a 64% vote. The Michigan bond will fund capital upgrades for special‑education facilities, underscoring the reliance on local property taxes for school construction. Simultaneously, states...
Daiichi Sankyo Forecasts $1.7B Net Income on Surge in Enhertu, Datroway Sales
Japanese drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo said it expects a net income of about ¥260 billion ($1.7 billion) for the year ending March 2027, driven by higher sales of its oncology drugs Enhertu and Datroway. The outlook reflects a broader shift in cancer‑treatment markets, where...
PowerX Inks $5.5 M Equivalent MOU with Montenegro's EPCG for 500 MWh BESS Rollout
PowerX, the Japanese battery‑energy‑storage specialist, signed a memorandum of understanding with Montenegro’s national utility EPCG to deliver roughly 500 MWh of BESS capacity over three years. The deal gives PowerX a foothold in Europe and adds a strategic enterprise customer as...
Garry Marr: Will Falling House Prices Delay Your Retirement?
Canadian home prices are slipping, with Toronto’s average selling price dropping 4.9% YoY to about $780,000 USD and Vancouver down nearly 7% in April. Nationwide, residential real estate value fell 0.2% to roughly $6.3 trillion USD, while total household net worth...
Meet the LP: Schroders Capital
Schroders Capital, the UK‑based institutional investor, is ramping up its use of artificial intelligence to evaluate venture‑capital managers, according to head of global venture investments Steven Yang. The LP is especially bullish on opportunities in China and India, citing strong...
How to Position Your Portfolio in a K-Shaped Economy Where an AI-Fuelled Stock Market Masks Main Street Struggles
The article warns that the U.S. economy is increasingly K‑shaped, with AI‑driven corporate earnings and a $700‑$725 billion capital‑spending plan for 2026 propelling Wall Street, while Main Street faces mounting affordability pressures, declining consumer sentiment and weaker small‑business optimism. First‑quarter S&P 500...
GSEs Clarify New Appraisal Format Adoption Timeline
The secondary‑market agencies clarified that the Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) 3.6 format becomes mandatory for new appraisals entered into the Uniform Data Collection Portal (UDCP) on November 2, 2024. The wording change removes references to loan‑submission timing, confirming that only the...
Panic Sell‑Off Makes $GMS.L a 100% Upside Play
Panic sell-off creating a perfect entry point on $GMS.L - London listed, 15 support vessel operators - Trading at 4x EBITDA with 20% FCF yield - Improving BS + massive backlog visibility - Capital dist. set to resume in '26 - 100% upside if catalyst...
As Trump Heads to China, Here’s How Much the Dollar Is Overvalued, According to Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs says the Chinese renminbi is about 20% undervalued versus the dollar. The firm expects the upcoming Trump‑Xi summit and China’s expanding trade surplus to push the yuan toward 6.50 per dollar within 12 months, implying roughly 4.5% appreciation...
Bordeaux Launches €20m Fund to Tackle Vineyard Crisis
French authorities have launched a €20 million (≈$22 million) public‑private land fund to purchase abandoned or uprooted vineyards in Bordeaux. Backed by regional banks (€14 million), the national government (€3.5 million) and a matching regional contribution, the scheme invites up to 5,400 growers to...
Andrew Bridgen on NZ-India FTA, Migration and COVID-Era Policies
In this episode, Andrew Bridgen warns that a pending New Zealand‑India free‑trade agreement will hand over immigration control and key technologies to India, undermining national sovereignty and sparking unchecked migration. He links the deal to broader globalist agendas, including digital ID...
Nio to Report Q1 Earnings on May 21 After Deliveries Beat Guidance
Chinese EV maker Nio Inc. will release its unaudited Q1 2026 results on May 21, ahead of the US market open. The company delivered 83,465 vehicles in the quarter, a 98.3% year‑on‑year increase that exceeded the top of its 80,000‑83,000...
Why You Need to Start Your Social Security Claim 4 Months Early: 7 Steps to Prevent a Delay at the...
The article urges retirees to start their Social Security claim at least four months before benefits begin, treating the process as a logistical project rather than a simple decision. It outlines seven steps: set up and test online account access,...
3 Things That the Ultra-Rich Do to Protect Their Wealth That You Can Do, Too
The article argues that a simple estate plan isn’t enough to preserve wealth across generations. It outlines three practices used by ultra‑rich families—drafting a living family constitution, focusing on defensive tax strategies, and consolidating assets in shared structures—that can be...
Agritech Attracts Strongest African Angel Investor Interest Despite Funding Decline
A new African Business Angel Network (ABAN) report shows agriculture and agritech startups captured the strongest interest from African angel networks in 2025, even as sector funding fell to $168.1 million, down 18% from 2024. The survey of over 60 angels...
NXC Acquires ₩1.2 Trillion in Treasury Shares; Government Calls It a "Successful Sale"
NXC, the holding company of gaming giant Nexon, announced a $787 million share buyback that will cancel roughly 6.7% of its outstanding shares in June. The Korea Asset Management Corporation (KAMCO), a government‑linked investor, sold part of its stake, marking the...
The New Retirement Math: Is $465K Really ‘Rich’ Enough To Keep You in Your Home in Retirement?
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 30, 2026 to broaden access to individual retirement accounts for workers without a 401(k). The administration highlighted a $465,000 retirement target, based on a 25‑year‑old saving $165 a month, receiving a...
S&P 500 Hits Fresh All‑Time High, Bull Market Confirmed
🟢 8 of 8 Bullish 🟢 Regime: Confirmed Bull Market The S&P 500 just closed at another fresh all-time high. Momentum is strengthening again. Risk appetite pushed back toward the highs. Internals and global participation both improved again this week. New weekly update is live. No...
Crude Realities
The S&P 500 logged its 15th all‑time high of 2024, underscoring a strong technical rally despite lingering macro concerns. Meanwhile, WTI crude slipped briefly below $90 as the Trump administration’s tentative Iran peace proposal failed to produce concrete progress. Shell’s...
Burberry Bets on British Heritage and Gen Z as Turnaround to Be Scrutinised
Burberry is leaning into its British heritage and Gen Z shoppers through the "Burberry Forward" plan, which includes up to 1,700 job cuts and a target of £100 million ($127 million) in annual savings by 2027. The luxury label expects FY revenue...
Deutsche Bank Flags Dual Inflation Risks From ‘Super’ El Niño, Middle East War
Deutsche Bank Research now sees a "super" El Niño persisting through July, adding to inflation pressure in the Philippines already heightened by the Middle East war. The bank lifted its 2024 inflation forecast to 6.5%, above the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas'...
High Earners Who Choose Direct Energy Investing Can Reap Tax Advantages and Other Wins: Here's How
Direct oil and gas investing lets accredited high‑income investors tap tax incentives such as intangible drilling cost (IDC) deductions, 100% bonus depreciation on tangible assets, and depletion allowances. These deductions can be taken in the current year, reducing taxable income...
Buffett Lauds Medallion Fund’s 39% Decades‑long Returns
Warren Buffett acknowledging the success of the Medallion Fund: "Jim Simons' Medallion Fund has done 39% net of fees for three decades, which proves that it works". "They were very, very smart". "We are not trying to make money trading stocks. We don't...
Central Banks Face Repeated Inflation Amid Supply Shocks
NEW ODD LOTS Monetary Policy in the Age of Supply Side Shocks @tracyalloway and I talk to the great Megan Greene —- always @economistmeg to us — about how central banks are dealing with one inflationary episode after another https://t.co/y1tj2H3kJm
‘I Nearly Made a Major Misstep’: I Claimed My Social Security Benefits at 64 Instead of 70. Here’s Why.
A retiree chose to claim Social Security at age 64 rather than waiting until 70 after realizing his teenage daughter would receive two‑thirds of his benefit for five years. Incorporating that dependent benefit shifted his break‑even point from the low...
Moats Require Years of Losses Before Returns
On Nvidia & CUDA: “building a real moat means absorbing real financial costs for years before any payoff arrives” https://t.co/hm6977yQDo
Fairness Demands Ending Retiree Tax Breaks, Taxing Super Like Wages
If we want intergenerational fairness (something I've long advocated) why don't we preserve tax concessions for working age people and totally remove them for superannuants, plus charge tax on super earnings/withdrawals commensurate with marginal rates on wage earners?
Oil Traders Adding Back Supply Risk Premium
Oil prices jumped over 3% on May 10, with Brent climbing to about $104.50 a barrel as traders re‑added a supply‑risk premium following President Donald Trump’s dismissal of Iran’s peace overture. The comment revived concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, a...
China Pushes Global Expansion While Guarding Domestic Production
Rhodium: "Chinese firms are emerging as major global competitors, but Beijing is intent on ensuring that this overseas expansion does not lead to a hollowing out of production or capabilities in China or a loss of control over key supply...