Nvidia Signals Comeback in China After Months of AI Chip Restrictions
Nvidia announced it has obtained several U.S. export licenses, allowing the company to restart production and shipments of AI chips to Chinese customers. CEO Jensen Huang said the supply chain is “getting fired up,” signaling a potential revival of a market worth tens of billions of dollars. The firm will focus on older, compliance‑friendly processors such as the H200 and expand its inference portfolio after acquiring Groq assets. Analysts see the China comeback as a possible boost to Nvidia’s already aggressive growth outlook.
An Insider’s Guide to Gifting Carried Interest and Estate Planning
CPA Anthony Venette advises private‑equity general partners to gift a portion of their carried interest early, allowing any subsequent appreciation to grow outside their taxable estate. By transferring this future‑growth right before it accrues, GPs can significantly reduce estate‑tax exposure...
This Convenience Store Made Josh Brown's Best Stocks List. It's a Rare Winner From Higher Gas Prices
Casey's General Stores (CASY) earned a spot on Josh Brown’s Best Stocks list as higher gasoline prices boost its top‑line revenue. The Midwest‑focused chain reported 4% same‑store sales growth this quarter and an 8% rise over two years, driven largely...
Higher Oil Prices Lead to More USA Production in EIA Forecast
The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s March Short‑Term Energy Outlook raised its 2027 crude oil production forecast by about 0.5 million barrels per day, citing higher West Texas Intermediate prices. The agency now expects average output of 13.61 million bpd in 2026 and...
Jabil Quietly Manufactures an Accelerating Stock Price Rally
Jabil Inc. (NYSE:JBL) posted a 23% year‑over‑year revenue jump to $8.28 billion in Q2 2026, driven by AI‑related demand in intelligent infrastructure and regulated‑industry segments. The company’s aggressive share‑repurchase program trimmed the share count by 4.4% year‑to‑date, supporting a 2.5% stock price...
Tanzania Tax Review Warns of Trust Erosion, Proposes Sweeping Overhaul
A presidential tax reform commission in Tanzania presented a sweeping overhaul after a 17‑month delay, warning that the current tax system is eroding public trust. The nine‑member panel delivered 284 recommendations, including a formal National Tax Policy, a new Tax...
Illinois Will Return to Market with a $1.4 Billion GO Deal
Illinois is set to re‑enter the municipal bond market next week with a $1.4 billion general‑obligation issuance. The proceeds will fund accelerated pension‑benefit payments, the Rebuild Illinois capital program, IT upgrades and other infrastructure projects. The deal includes a $200 million taxable...
Greater Miami Area Housing Market Posts Solid Gains in February
Miami‑Dade’s residential market posted solid February gains, with total closed sales climbing 9.6% year‑over‑year. Single‑family transactions rose 4.3% to 733 units, while condo sales surged 14.7% to 845 units. Median single‑family prices hit $685,000, up 4.6% from last year, and...
Original Bullish Options Trade on LyondellBasell Worked. Now It Deserves Another
In January, a bullish call‑spread risk‑reversal on LyondellBasell (LYB) was recommended, and the trade has now paid off as the stock climbed to $75.20. Management’s cash‑improvement plan delivered $800 million in 2025 and raised the cumulative target to $1.3 billion by 2026....
The Iran War Tests Taiwan’s Energy Resilience
The US‑Israel war with Iran is disrupting Middle‑East oil and LNG shipments, exposing Taiwan’s heavy reliance on imported energy. Taiwan imports 95% of its energy, over 99% of oil and gas, and holds about 150 days of oil reserves but...
Scaled-Down Repairs Can Make Sense as Asphalt Prices Rise
U.S. paving firms warn that asphalt costs are climbing as crude oil prices surge amid the Iran conflict. In the Northeast, the average price per ton has risen 4‑5% over the past year, while some regions like Kansas see modest...
Citigroup Initiates Coverage on This Electric Vehicle Manufacturer with a Rare Buy Rating
Citi has initiated coverage on electric‑vehicle maker Lucid, issuing a rare buy rating and a $17 price target that implies roughly 71% upside from the current price. Analyst Michael Ward cites a "positive inflection point" with projected 2026 revenue of...
Mining Stock Eyes Worst Day Since 2024
Newmont Corp (NEM) slumped 9.4% to $96.70, marking its lowest price since December and its worst trading day since April 2024. The decline mirrors a broader gold‑price sell‑off triggered by persistent inflation fears, steady Federal Reserve rates, and heightened geopolitical...
Cloudflare's Stablecoin: A Real Catalyst or Short-Term Hype?
Cloudflare reported 34% YoY revenue growth and beat forecasts, sparking a 30% stock rally. Management framed the company as the AI‑agent platform of the internet, positioning it for the next wave of autonomous services. This week, rumors of a native...
China’s Central Bank Pledges Stability in Capital Markets Amid Global Sell-Off
China’s central bank has elevated capital‑market stability to a major task for 2026, pledging to safeguard stock, bond and foreign‑exchange markets amid heightened global volatility. The announcement came as the Shanghai Composite slipped 1.39%, reflecting broader sell‑offs triggered by the...
Taiwan’s New Southbound 2.0: Rewiring the Indo-Pacific Beyond China
At the 2026 Yushan Forum, President Lai Ching‑te recast Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy as a broader Indo‑Pacific strategy that blends trade, technology, democratic cooperation, and security. The forum attracted over 70 leaders from 22 nations, underscoring Taiwan’s push to deepen...
Monetary Policy Decisions
The European Central Bank kept its three key policy rates unchanged on 19 March 2026, maintaining the deposit facility at 2.00 %, the main refinancing rate at 2.15 % and the marginal lending facility at 2.40 %. It highlighted that inflation is hovering around the...
Current Price of Oil as of March 19, 2026
On March 19, 2026, Brent crude rose to $113.71 per barrel, up $4.93 (4.5%) from the previous day and more than $42 above its level a year ago. The price has jumped over 60% in the past month, reflecting tightening...
Electricity Prices Have Increased and Vary by Region : The Latest BLS Data and Recent Research
Residential electricity prices in the United States have surged, climbing 44.4% between April 2020 and January 2026, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The Northeast Census Region now pays the highest average rate at $0.265 per kilowatt‑hour, while the South remains...
Bank of England Votes Unanimously to Leave Rates Unchanged at 3.75%
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously to keep the Bank Rate at 3.75%. The decision comes as inflation remains above the 2% target, pressured by higher energy prices and geopolitical uncertainty. By holding rates steady, the MPC...
As War in Iran Roils Energy Markets, Europe Pays Price of ‘Dependency’
Europe’s energy markets were jolted on Thursday as military strikes on Qatar and Iran drove natural‑gas prices above €70/MWh and Brent crude past $114 per barrel, levels not seen since the 2022 Russia‑Ukraine war. French officials highlighted that 90% of...
J.P. Morgan Debuts Equity Premium Yield ETFs ROCY and ROCQ on Nasdaq
J.P. Morgan Asset Management launched two new active ETFs, ROCY and ROCQ, on the Nasdaq, expanding its derivative‑income suite. ROCY focuses on U.S. large‑cap equities while ROCQ targets Nasdaq‑listed stocks, both using a call‑spread options overlay to generate yield. Each...
Allstate’s Pre-Tax Cat Loss for Current Aggregate Year Reaches $3.072bn After February
Allstate reported a $140 million pre‑tax catastrophe loss for February 2026, raising its current aggregate risk‑period losses to $3.072 billion. Year‑to‑date pre‑tax losses now total $315 million, with after‑tax figures at $249 million. Severe convective storms in March could add low‑to‑mid‑single‑digit billions in insured...
If the Iran War Takes Oil Above US$120 a Barrel, How Bad Could the Shock Get?
The escalating US‑Israel‑Iran conflict has pushed crude prices above $120 a barrel as Iranian forces strike Gulf oil and LNG infrastructure and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. Analysts warn that the disruption could evolve into a prolonged supply shock,...
Nashville to Price About $502 Million in Midst of Growth
The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County is set to price about $502 million of general‑obligation refunding bonds on March 19, led by BofA Securities and Morgan Stanley. The Series 2026D issue carries AA‑plus ratings from S&P and KBRA and yields ranging...
Filipino Jeepney Drivers Struggle as Oil Prices Surge: ‘What We Earn Goes to Diesel’
The war in the Middle East has driven global oil prices higher, pushing Philippine diesel costs up more than double. Jeepney drivers like Toni Prado now earn as little as 200 pesos a day, down from roughly 1,000 pesos, prompting...
All That Glitters: Gold’s Exceptional Performance in 2025 and Portfolio Implications
Gold delivered the strongest return among major asset classes in 2025, climbing roughly 64% and breaching $5,000 per ounce in early 2026 with an 18% January surge. The rally was fueled by heightened geopolitical risk, a weaker U.S. dollar, aggressive...
Expanded April Monetary Policy Review and Change to Focus of Business NZ Speech
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand will release its April Monetary Policy Review at 2 pm on its website, followed by an online media conference at 3 pm, marking a shift toward greater transparency for future reviews. Governor Adrian Breman will engage with...
China Cutting Back Fertiliser Exports
China has imposed strict limits on fertilizer exports, banning nitrogen‑potassium blends and many phosphate varieties while allowing only a few products such as ammonium sulphate. The curbs affect up to 40 million tonnes, roughly half to three‑quarters of last year’s shipments,...
Shanghai Certifies 30 Overseas Offices Amid China’s Investment Sales Pitch
Shanghai certified 30 new regional headquarters and 15 overseas‑funded R&D centres, including eight Fortune 500 firms. The certifications highlight continued foreign interest despite a three‑year decline in China’s realised FDI. Shanghai now hosts over 1,000 HQs and 647 R&D sites, reinforcing...
Amundi Lists Global Ex-US Government Bond ETF on London Stock Exchange
Amundi has listed its Global ex‑US Government Bond UCITS ETF (ticker GXUS) on the London Stock Exchange. The physical, sampling‑based ETF tracks the Bloomberg Global Treasury Large Markets DM ex US Index, providing exposure to investment‑grade sovereign debt from developed...
How to Seize the $50bn China Opportunity
Western mobile game makers see China as a $50 bn opportunity with roughly 700 m players. Regulatory approval, limited ISBN licenses and a fragmented Android ecosystem raise entry costs. Success stories such as Nexon’s Dungeon & Fighter Mobile illustrate upside, yet discoverability...
We Can Tell You Who Will Really Get Rich From This Oil Crisis – and How We Can Stop Them...
Oil prices have surged above $100 a barrel, up from $60 earlier this year, as the Hormuz Strait bottleneck intensifies amid the US‑Israeli conflict with Iran. The spike mirrors the 2022 oil‑gas crisis, prompting governments to adopt emergency measures like...
Promise of AI-Driven Efficiencies Draws Investors to Hotels, C&W Reports
European hotel investors remain bullish for 2026, driven by AI‑enabled cost efficiencies, according to Cushman & Wakefield. 58% plan to allocate more capital than in 2025, and 54% intend to be net buyers, while only 7% expect to sell. AI is...
State Street Investment Management Expands LSE Offering: New Distributing ETF on European CLOs with Blackstone
State Street Investment Management launched a distributing version of its Blackstone Euro AAA CLO GBP Hedged UCITS ETF, allowing investors to receive regular coupon payments. The GBP‑denominated fund is fully hedged to sterling and carries a 0.30% total expense ratio....
Can Interactive Brokers Repeat Another Big Year?
Interactive Brokers posted a stellar 2025, with net income up 30% to $984 million and revenue climbing 20% to $6.21 billion. Commission revenue surged 27% to $2.15 billion as daily average revenue trades rose 30% year‑over‑year, while client assets hit $820 billion, a 40%...
This Tax Season, There's a New Deduction for Interest on Car Loans
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduces a tax deduction for interest paid on auto loans tied to new cars bought in 2025. To qualify, the vehicle must be newly purchased, assembled in the United States, and used for personal purposes, with a maximum...
2 Top Stock Recommendations From Rahul Sharma
Indian equities slipped after a three‑day rally, but analyst Rahul Sharma sees the pullback as a buying window. He urges investors to accumulate Nifty ETFs amid stable volatility and cites a resilient Bank Nifty. Sharma’s high‑conviction stock picks are ONGC,...
Stock Market Today: Oil Soars Past $115, Dow Futures Inch Lower
Oil prices jumped to roughly $115 a barrel after fresh attacks on Middle Eastern energy infrastructure, while European natural‑gas futures surged more than 20% following reports of extensive damage at Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG plant. The price spikes triggered broad equity...
Risk Aversion Deepens as Fed Highlights Inflation Risks, Downplays Growth Impact
Risk aversion deepened as the Fed highlighted heightened inflation risks while downplaying growth concerns. The central bank left rates unchanged but lifted its 2026 PCE inflation forecast to 2.7%, signalling a longer‑lasting price pressure outlook. Simultaneously, Iran’s attacks on key...
JPMorgan’s First Taiwan ETF in over Decade Faces Crowded Market
JPMorgan Asset Management is launching its first Taiwan‑focused ETF since 2010, entering a market valued at about US$260 billion. The fund will employ an active strategy that combines cash equities with covered‑call options to boost cash distributions. Taiwan’s ETF sector is...
Stopping Gas Dictating UK Energy Price Could Cut Bills by £200, Thinktank Says
A Common Wealth think‑tank report proposes decoupling fossil‑gas prices from UK electricity pricing, estimating household bill reductions of up to £203 per year. In 2024 gas set the wholesale electricity price 85% of the time despite supplying only about 25% of...
Explainer | Why India Is Pushing to Cut Remittance Costs at WTO
India is spearheading a WTO proposal to slash cross‑border remittance fees that currently eat 5‑6% of transaction values. The initiative targets regulatory and technical barriers, aiming to bring costs below the UN Sustainable Development Goal of 3% by 2030. Backed...
Is Coffee the New Cocoa? Some Expect Coffee Prices to Also Crash After Tariff-Driven Rally
Coffee prices, which surged to record highs in early 2025 due to adverse weather and U.S. tariffs, are now sliding toward $2 per pound as production forecasts improve. Analysts at the National Coffee Association convention warned that the commodity could...
DBS Lifts China Aviation Oil Target Price to S$2.50 on Arbitrage Opportunities
DBS lifted China Aviation Oil's target price to S$2.50 from S$1.75 after the jet‑fuel trader posted FY2025 net profit of US$110.6 million, beating forecasts by 14%. Gross profit per tonne surged 77% to US$4.70, driven by heightened market volatility and backwardated...
UOB Prices Rmb5bn Panda Bond; DB and BNP Paribas Also Issue Bonds in March
Singapore’s United Overseas Bank (UOB) priced a three‑year panda bond worth RMB 5 billion at a 1.83% yield on March 18, marking a notable entry into China’s offshore yuan market. In the same month, Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas each issued panda bonds exceeding RMB 5 billion,...
Indonesia’s Closing Window for a Demographic Dividend
Indonesia’s once‑large demographic dividend is nearing its end as the youth population peaks around 2030 and begins to shrink. While the working‑age cohort will still grow to over 200 million by 2045, manufacturing’s contribution to GDP has stalled, exposing a mismatch...
Fertiliser Shortages Could Hit Australia in Late May, June: Collins
Minister Julie Collins warned that fertiliser shortages could hit Australian growers by late May or June if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked. While current stocks cover the early cropping season, 95% of Australia’s urea—65% shipped through the Persian Gulf...
Wall Street Just Gave Devon Energy Investors a Big Surprise
Devon Energy (DVN) received bullish upgrades from Raymond James, raising its price target to $62, and TD Cowen to $50, reflecting optimism amid soaring oil prices. The company posted Q4 revenue of $4.12 billion, beating forecasts, and delivered a 9% free‑cash‑flow beat while...
GLJ Research Lowers First Solar, Inc. (FSLR) From Buy to Hold
GLJ Research downgraded First Solar (FSLR) to Hold on March 4, 2026, citing heightened policy uncertainty and tariff pressures. The company now projects 2026 net sales of $4.9‑$5.2 billion, falling short of the $6 billion consensus. Executives warned of $125‑$135 million in anticipated tariffs and...