NatWest: We're Raising Our Fair Value Estimate as We See Bank's Franchise Value Strengthening
Morningstar lifted NatWest Group's fair‑value estimate to GBX 710 per share, up from GBX 550, after a strong fourth‑quarter 2025 showing 18% return on tangible equity and expanding deposit margins. The firm raised its mid‑cycle profitability assumptions, citing a durable structural hedge that should sustain higher net‑interest income through 2030. It also highlighted the Evelyn Partners acquisition as a catalyst for non‑interest‑based earnings, despite execution risk. Consequently, NatWest is now ranked the most attractive UK bank in Morningstar’s coverage, with potential valuation convergence toward Lloyds.
Is It Worth Your Time and Money To Set Up an HSA?
Health savings accounts (HSAs) let users contribute pre‑tax dollars for qualified medical expenses and offer a triple tax advantage—tax‑free contributions, earnings, and withdrawals. Recent legislation expanded eligibility to include ACA bronze and catastrophic plans, increasing the pool of potential users....
Galliford Try: A Building Firm That's Worth a Punt
Galliford Try, a UK‑based construction group, operates across building, infrastructure and specialist services, limiting reliance on any single market. The firm has accelerated growth through targeted acquisitions and a push into affordable housing, driving revenue up 67% and more than...
KCM Trade Launches Copy Trading Service
KCM Trade, a global CFD broker, has introduced KCM Trade Copy, a mobile copy‑trading platform now available on iOS and Android. The app lets clients automatically mirror the trades of vetted Master Traders in real time, with adjustable lot sizes,...
Strengthening Romania’s Competitiveness
Romania has closed much of the gap to OECD income levels over the past twenty years, driven by market integration, capital inflows, and broad reforms. Labor productivity now sits close to the OECD average, though wages have begun outpacing productivity...
Gulf Crisis to Strengthen, Not Weaken, China’s Industrial Edge
The escalating Iran‑Israel‑US crisis threatens to choke the Strait of Hormuz, pushing crude prices above $100 a barrel and adding up to 1.2% to global inflation. At the same time, worldwide electricity demand is surging, driven by AI‑intensive data centers...
Stock Market Today: Dow Jumps, Brent Crude Pulls Back From $105
U.S. equities rallied on Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing 388 points (0.8%) and all 11 S&P 500 sectors posting gains, lifting the broader index 1% and the Nasdaq 1.2%. Oil markets softened as Brent crude slipped back to...
Segro Expands Data Centre Strategy with Slough Project and London Planning Approval
Segro, the UK industrial REIT, announced the next phase of its data centre expansion, adding a new facility in Slough to its existing 2.5GW‑plus programme. The developer also secured planning permission for a London‑based data centre, strengthening its presence in...
The Comparative Influence of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Inflows on Export Performance Between Landlocked and Coastal African Countries
The paper analyzes how foreign direct investment (FDI) influences export performance in African economies from 1996 to 2023, separating landlocked from coastal nations. Using Kao‑Pedroni cointegration and Granger causality with a Pooled Mean Group estimator, it finds a long‑run equilibrium...
Retail-to-Residential Conversions Gain Momentum in Canada
Retail‑to‑residential conversions are emerging as a national strategy to tackle Canada’s housing shortage by repurposing vacant department stores, suburban malls and under‑used parking lots. Developers highlight the advantage of fully serviced land, which slashes infrastructure costs compared with greenfield builds....
What Are the Main Events for Today?
The European session shows little catalyst, keeping markets rangebound while traders monitor the escalating US‑Iran conflict in the Strait of Hormuz. In North America, the spotlight shifts to Canada’s CPI release, with the Trimmed Mean inflation rate projected at 2.3%...
Succession Risk or Smart Move? Why Gen X Is Increasingly Missing Out on the Family Business
Family business owners are increasingly bypassing Generation X, handing leadership directly to grandchildren. The trend is driven by founders staying active longer and treating succession as a decade‑spanning transition, aiming for 30‑40 year stewardship. While younger successors bring technology fluency and a...
Covered Bond Markets at a Glance: Austria
Morningstar DBRS released its latest "Covered Bond Markets at a Glance" report focusing on Austria. The report highlights a €110 billion outstanding covered‑bond portfolio, placing Austria among the world’s top ten markets. Mortgage‑backed programmes dominate, with residential loans outpacing commercial, while...
More Leaf Teas Unsold at Coonoor Auctions on Subdued Export Demand
Export demand slowdown in West Asia caused higher unsold leaf tea at the Coonoor auctions. In Sale 11, about 22% of leaf grades remained unsold, with leaf sales reaching only 75% of the 820,499 kg offered. Dust grades saw stronger domestic buying,...
India’s Wholesale Inflation Hits 11-Month High of 2.13% in February
India’s Wholesale Price Index rose to 2.13 % in February, the highest level in 11 months, up from 1.81 % in January. The increase was driven primarily by higher prices for manufactured goods, basic metals, food articles and textiles. Primary articles saw...
Metal Stocks Defy Market Volatility: Hindalco, JSW Steel, Tata Steel Advance as Nifty Metal Climbs 1%
The Nifty Metal index climbed 1% to 11,415.80, outpacing a volatile broader market as Hindalco, JSW Steel and Tata Steel each posted 2‑3% gains. Analysts attribute the rally to robust domestic steel demand driven by government infrastructure projects and a...
Senegal’s Crisis: Why Debt Restructuring May Be the Least Bad Option
Senegal’s public debt has surged to roughly 132% of GDP, with annual servicing costs of about $9.1 billion. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has dismissed debt restructuring, opting instead to close 19 government agencies to save roughly $98 million over three years. The...
Taiwan's Foxconn Forecasts Strong Revenue Growth Even as Profit Lags Forecasts
Foxconn said it expects strong revenue growth for Q1 and the full year, marking the first full‑year outlook it has issued for 2026. Despite robust AI product demand, the company posted a 2% drop in quarterly profit, missing consensus estimates....
Cboe Options Exchanges Introduce Optional Risk Limit Control Enhancements
Cboe Options Exchanges will let Trading Permit Holders optionally exclude auction volume and set contra‑capacity fractions in post‑trade risk limits, effective April 20, 2026. The new controls, configurable through the Customer Web Portal and Cboe Titanium API, also introduce an optional atomic...
Partner Insight: Are Investors Missing a Trick by Overlooking Global Mid and Small-Caps?
Global mid‑ and small‑cap equities have delivered superior long‑term performance, generating a 107% excess return over large‑caps across the past 25 years. Their Sharpe ratios also surpass those of large‑caps, indicating better risk‑adjusted outcomes. The segment offers diversification benefits, with...
Make It Stop: Unmade Index Loses for 8th Session in Row
The Unmade Index posted its eighth consecutive loss, slipping 0.12% after an after‑hours correction and settling at a new low of 350.4, down 0.79%. Leading decliners were ARN (-2.94%) and Vinyl (-6.25%), with Vinyl’s market capitalisation hovering just above $100 million....
DNO Brings Forward Norway Production Through Multi-Asset Equinor Swap
DNO ASA announced a non‑cash asset swap with Equinor, trading its stakes in four non‑core Norwegian Continental Shelf discoveries for a 19% interest in the Atlantis field and a 10% interest in Afrodite, both adjacent to the Kvitebjørn area. The...
Millions of Rental Homes Are “Missing’ Due to Stamp Duty Surcharge, Claims Hamptons
The UK stamp‑duty surcharge on second homes, introduced in April 2016, has dramatically reshaped the rental market. Hamptons’ research estimates that 2.2 million rental homes would exist today if the levy had not been applied, translating to a 25.4% drop in...
Government Target Suffers Blow as Housebuilding Falls
UK Housing Secretary Steve Reed’s pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes by 2029 has been undermined by a 6.3% drop in private homebuilding in the three months to January, according to ONS data. Despite emergency planning reforms in London and...
Zeal Group (Traze, ZFX) Hires Equiti Alum Ahmed Pasha to Head Risk and Trading
Zeal Group, the London‑based FX and CFD broker behind the Traze brand, has appointed Ahmed Pasha as Global Head of Risk and Trading. Pasha arrives after a seven‑year stint at Equiti Capital, where he most recently led Trading Analytics, and...
The Best 4 Retail Stocks to Buy and Hold for Decades
The article highlights four retail giants—Amazon, Walmart, Costco and Home Depot—as the top long‑term holdings for investors. Amazon commands roughly 40% of U.S. e‑commerce sales, while Walmart posted $706 billion in net sales for fiscal 2026. Costco’s membership model generates high‑margin...
Oil Prices Near $100 Are Tempting Investors -- but History Says Panic Buying Energy Stocks Is a Big Mistake
Crude oil is edging toward the $100‑a‑barrel mark, reigniting enthusiasm for energy equities. While the price rally looks attractive, history warns that impulsive, panic‑driven buying often backfires. Investors are urged to scrutinize balance sheets, cash‑flow stability, and each company’s position...
CITADEL FINANCE LLC Section 3(c)(7) Important Notice
Citadel Finance LLC issued $1 billion of 5.9% senior notes due 2030, closing February 10, 2025, underwritten by Goldman Sachs with BNY Mellon as paying agent. The Depository Trust Company issued a Section 3(c)(7) notice requiring all purchases and transfers to occur...
New Participant in the Netting System of the Government Securities Division of FICC: KeyBank National Association – GSD #9405
KeyBank National Association has been added as a new participant (ID 9405) in the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation’s Government Securities Division netting system, effective March 19, 2026. The change applies to Netting (Buy/Sell), Repo Netting, and the Government Central Fund...
Why Use MetalMiner for Metal Price Forecasting?
MetalMiner provides metal price forecasting services tailored to U.S. manufacturers, combining proprietary price indices, market‑signal forecasts, and support/resistance analysis. Its indices aggregate 10‑15 years of data and are normalized to reflect the actual mix of metals bought by U.S. firms....
UNIVERSAL TRADE CAPTURE (UTC) – REPORTING ENHANCEMENTS
DTCC’s National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC) is adding a Universal Trade Capture (UTC) reporting enhancement that delivers direct trade‑capture data tied to a firm’s MPID. The service is optional for full‑service NSCC members that clear or introduce broker‑dealers through another...
The EU’s Energy Dilemma
EU foreign and energy ministers convened in Brussels to address mounting risks to energy security as Iranian tensions disrupt shipping routes and threaten supply chains. Norway positioned itself as a dependable gas supplier, offering a potential lifeline for the bloc....
Surge in Crude Prices Could Raise Global Inflation by 60 Bps, Cut Growth by up to 0.4 Pp in 2026:...
Crude oil prices jumped more than 40% in just 15 days after the U.S.-Israel‑Iran conflict disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, pushing the benchmark to about $103 a barrel. Former IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath warned that if oil averages $85...
Vietnam Ranks 4th Globally in Branded Residences
Vietnam has climbed to fourth place globally in branded residences, with more than 50 projects backed by 34 international brands, according to Savills' 2025‑2026 report. The market, previously dominated by coastal resort units, is now shifting toward high‑end apartments in...
Nigeria Seeks to Unlock Liquidity From Tightly Held Stocks
Nigerian regulators are reassessing free‑float rules for listed firms to increase market liquidity and attract capital. The current framework requires at least 20% public shareholding or 40 billion naira of tradable shares, but many large companies remain tightly held by controlling...
Singapore Bunker Sales Eased in February
Marine fuel sales at Singapore, the world’s largest bunkering hub, slipped 10.6% month‑on‑month in February to 4.67 million tonnes, though they were 12.8% higher than a year earlier. Low‑sulphur VLSFO volumes fell 9.8% and high‑sulphur fuel oil dropped 15.2%, while alternative...
Analysts Optimistic on EcoWorld-JLand JVs in Iskandar Malaysia
EcoWorld Development Group has signed three 50:50 joint‑venture agreements with JLand Group to develop Macquarie Park in Sydney (RM425 million GDV), the mixed‑use Larkin project in Iskandar Malaysia (RM1.02 billion GDV), and the IBTEC South industrial park (RM1 billion GDV). The partnerships give EcoWorld...
MBSB Optimistic on REIT Sector in Short-Term
MBSB Investment Bank has shifted to a positive outlook on Malaysia's REIT sector, citing defensive attributes and earnings stability that appeal to investors in volatile markets. The bank expects the retail segment to remain resilient through 2026, driven by strong...
Japan Stocks Face Earnings Risk as Iran Conflict Lifts Oil Costs
Japan’s equity rally, driven by robust corporate earnings, is now under pressure as the Iran‑Israel conflict lifts crude prices. Brent crude sits around $104 a barrel, roughly 50 % above last year’s average, and a 10 % jump in Brent could shave...
Currency Hedging and the Nasdaq 100: When to Consider BMO’s ZQQ versus ZNQ
The Nasdaq 100, now a $28 trillion index, offers Canadian advisors exposure to leading U.S. innovators. A critical decision is whether to hedge the CAD‑USD exposure, which can materially affect client returns. BMO provides two ETFs—ZQQ, which hedges to CAD, and ZNQ,...
How Takaichi Can Triumph
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi leveraged her landslide snap‑election win to double down on a U.S.-centric security strategy, positioning Japan as the linchpin of a broader Indo‑Pacific coalition against China. Her approach directly counters Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s call...
Sunway Healthcare Set to Join FBM KLCI, Replacing QL Resources
Sunway Healthcare Holdings Bhd is slated to debut on Bursa Malaysia’s Main Market on March 18 and become the newest constituent of the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI, replacing QL Resources. The demerger from Sunway Bhd positions Sunway Healthcare with an estimated...
JPMorgan's Das on Opportunities for Investors Amid Market Volatility
JPMorgan strategist Das warned that heightened market volatility is forcing investors to map multiple scenarios, from rising commodity prices to aggressive central‑bank tightening. He highlighted a sector rotation away from semiconductors toward staples, energy, materials and industrials, while noting JPMorgan’s...
Palantir Vs. Amazon: Which AI Stock Is a Better Buy Now?
Palantir posted a 70% year‑over‑year revenue surge in Q4 and a 250% jump in net income, but its market cap of over $360 billion translates to a sky‑high 240× trailing‑12‑month earnings multiple. The company’s total contract value growth is decelerating, hinting...
Oil Prices Trade Mixed as IEA Says Crude From Reserves Will Start Flowing in Soon
The International Energy Agency announced that member countries will release 400 million barrels from emergency reserves to calm markets disrupted by the West Asia conflict. Brent crude rose to $103.95 a barrel while WTI slipped to $98.62, reflecting mixed reactions. The...
Indonesia’s Nickel Pig Iron Spigot Reopens
Indonesia’s high‑pressure acid leach (HPAL) plants that produce nickel pig iron (NPI) saw output plunge more than 67% in mid‑February after a processing‑waste landslide disrupted operations near the Morowali Industrial Park. Satellite‑based monitoring by Navigate Commodities shows ore flows rebounding...
Tantalite Prices Jump to over Two-Decade High on Congo Supply Fears
Tantalite prices have surged to $200‑$210 per pound, the highest level in over twenty years, after a landslide shut the Rubaya mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The DRC, which supplied more than half of global tantalum output in...
Harbor Osmosis Emerging Markets Resource Efficient ETF Q4 2025 Commentary
Harbor Osmosis Emerging Markets Resource Efficient ETF (EFFE) posted a 1.40% NAV return in Q4 2025, lagging the MSCI Emerging Markets Index’s 4.73% gain. The underweight positions in high‑momentum chip makers TSMC and Samsung, combined with weaker stock‑selection in IT and...
China’s 30-Year Yields Set for Highest Close Since 2024 on Oil
China’s 30‑year government bond yields climbed to 2.4%, the highest closing level since September 2024, as oil prices surged amid the Iran‑Israel conflict. The 10‑year benchmark also edged higher to 1.83%, reflecting broader inflation concerns. Futures on the 30‑year bond fell...
Growth Stocks Are Getting Riskier. This ETF Historically Holds Up Better
Growth stocks have lost momentum in 2026, with the Vanguard Growth ETF slipping 7% year‑to‑date, lagging both the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF’s 3% loss and the Invesco S&P 500 Equal‑Weight ETF’s 1% gain. Persistent inflation near 3% and a stalled labor market...