JEPQ: Why Covered Call ETFs Now Look Like A Lose-Lose Trade (Rating Downgrade)
JPMorgan’s Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ) has been downgraded to a sell rating as its covered‑call strategy delivers sub‑optimal risk‑adjusted returns. The fund’s exposure is effectively unhedged, meaning a 20%+ correction in the underlying QQQ could translate into comparable losses for JEPQ. While the ETF offers double‑digit yields, the covered‑call overlay caps upside during market rallies, leaving investors under‑exposed in bullish environments. Analyst Kenio Fontes argues the product fails to protect in downturns or capture gains, making it a lose‑lose trade.
This AI Server Stock Is Set for a 50% Rally, According to Bernstein
Bernstein upgraded Dell Technologies to an outperform rating, lifting its price target to $220 from $180, implying a 53% upside. The firm highlighted Dell's record AI‑server performance in Q4 FY26, with $9 B in revenue, $34.1 B in orders and a $43 B...
2 Warren Buffett Stocks to Buy Hand Over Fist in March
Warren Buffett‑linked Berkshire Hathaway continues to hold Apple as its top equity, now representing 23% of the portfolio after trimming the stake from a peak of 40%. Apple’s recent partnership with Google’s Gemini AI model gives the tech giant a...
Arista Serves Up Steady Profits. Its Stock Offers Two Buy Points.
Arista Networks (ANET) is navigating a 19‑week consolidation pattern, with an official buy point at $164.94 and an earlier entry near $151.80. The company posted Q4 earnings per share of $0.82, a 24% increase, and revenue of $2.49 billion, up 29%...
Cash Dairy Prices Mostly Lower Wednesday
Cash dairy prices on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange were largely lower on Wednesday. Dry whey held steady at $0.64, while 40‑lb cheese blocks fell $0.04 to about $1.51 and cheese barrels slipped to $1.5125 with no trades. Butter declined $0.0425...
War in Iran and Afghanistan Threatens Central Asia’s Gateway to Global Markets
The escalating war between Iran and the Taliban‑Pakistan front is jeopardizing Central Asia’s planned southbound trade routes. Ongoing fighting threatens the Uzbekistan‑Afghanistan‑Pakistan railway, the TAPI gas pipeline, and the CASA‑1000 power line, while U.S.–Israel attacks on Iran disrupt shipping and...
Two ETFs That Solve The Small-Cap Profitability Problem
The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) dominates small‑cap exposure but its market‑cap weighting includes many unprofitable “zombie” firms, especially problematic in today’s inflationary climate. VictoryShares’ SFLO and Invesco’s QVMS address this by screening for profitability—SFLO via high free‑cash‑flow yields and QVMS...
Midday Cash Livestock Markets
Midday cash livestock markets showed modest declines in live and dressed cattle prices, with live cattle at $235 and Nebraska dressed cattle at $372, each down $5‑$8 from the prior week. Calf and heifer prices were mixed, favoring lighter weights...
Midtown Office Landlord Charles Cohen Gets Deadline to Repay $135M Debt or Face Forced Property Sales
Charles Cohen, a Midtown office landlord, was given a 45‑day deadline by a New York state Supreme Court judge to repay $135 million in outstanding debt or face forced sales of his properties. A Fortress Investment Group executive, David Moson, was...
World’s Top Bauxite Producer Considers Export Curbs After Supply Glut Leads to Price Slump
Guinea, now the world’s largest bauxite producer, is weighing export curbs as a glut has driven prices down roughly 50% since January 2025. Export shipments surged 25% to 183 million tonnes last year, far exceeding licence‑based production plans. The government is...
Inflation Has Broken the Steady 60/40 Portfolio. Bank of America Gives Other Ways to Diversify
Bank of America warns that the classic 60/40 portfolio is faltering in 2026 as inflation and stagflation push stocks and bonds into positive correlation, eroding the model’s defensive edge. The iShares Core 60/40 Balanced Allocation ETF has barely moved YTD...
GLW Gains From Strength in Specialty Materials: Will It Sustain?
Corning Inc. (GLW) posted a strong fourth‑quarter performance in its Specialty Materials segment, generating $544 million in revenue, a 6% year‑over‑year increase, and net income of $99 million, up from $81 million. Growth was fueled by expanding adoption of its Gorilla Glass portfolio across...
Millennium Hires Longtime Citadel Stockpicker
Millennium expanded its equities team, hiring a veteran Citadel stockpicker and two additional equity traders, signaling aggressive talent acquisition amid market turbulence. Meanwhile, Linedata introduced Mosaic to streamline front‑office operations, and a HedgeWeek report highlighted stagnant female partner representation in...
Teck, Korea Zinc Agree Benchmark Zinc Concentrate TCs at $85 per Tonne
Teck and Korea Zinc have set the benchmark zinc concentrate treatment charge (TC) at $85 per tonne, a $5 increase from the previous level. The agreement introduces a payable for germanium and revises the silver payable, though sources disagree on...
UBS Maintains a Hold Rating on Apple (AAPL) As Shipmments Drop in China
UBS analyst David Vogt kept a Hold rating on Apple (AAPL) with a $280 price target, citing a sharp 37% year‑over‑year drop in iPhone shipments in China for January 2026, down to roughly 2.2 million units. The decline follows a 14%...
World Leaders Will Release 400 Million Barrels of Oil to Stabilize Prices
World leaders agreed to release 400 million barrels from strategic reserves, the largest coordinated IEA drawdown ever, to counter a sharp Brent price surge after the Iran war began. Despite the announcement, Brent crude rose to about $91 per barrel, indicating...
BNP, Bradesco, Rabobank Named Among Raízen Top Creditors
Brazilian energy giant Raízen SA is seeking to restructure roughly $12.6 billion of debt out of court. Major European and Latin American banks—BNP Paribas, Banco Bradesco and Rabobank—have been identified as some of the company’s largest creditors. The restructuring plan is expected...
Cherry Picks: Why VXX Underperforms the VIX Contango and the Futures Roll
VXX tracks VIX by holding front‑month and next‑month /VX futures, rolling about 4.5 % daily. Because the futures curve is in contango most of the time, the roll forces VXX to buy higher‑priced contracts, creating a persistent drag that causes the...
Fuel Prices up by as Much as 80 Sen per Litre Amid Global Oil Surge
Malaysia will raise fuel prices from tomorrow, with RON97 climbing to RM3.85 per litre (up 60 sen) and diesel to RM3.92 per litre (up 80 sen). Unsubsidised RON95 will increase to RM3.27 per litre. The new rates apply until 18 March, while the...
Strait of Hormuz Strikes Fuel Fresh Fears over Bond Volatility
Bond market volatility spiked on Wednesday after three cargo vessels were struck near the Strait of Hormuz, pushing 10‑year U.S. Treasury yields from just above 4.14% to near 4.20%. The attacks revive concerns over oil‑supply disruptions, keeping Brent crude roughly...
Italy to Ask for Immediate EU ETS Suspension
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that Italy will request an immediate suspension of the EU Emissions Trading System for fossil‑fuel‑fired power generators, arguing the scheme adds roughly €30/MWh, or about a quarter of household electricity costs. The move is...
Iran Attacks Oil Facilities and Dubai Airport as Concerns Mount over Global Energy Supplies
Iran escalated its campaign against Gulf allies by launching drones that struck Dubai International Airport, wounding four people, and by hitting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian military also announced plans to target banks and financial institutions...
Integrated Digital Connectivity Drives Africa’s Growth
Analysts estimate a $2.9 trillion digital opportunity in Africa over the next five years, positioning the continent as the world’s fastest‑growing bandwidth market. Internet usage has climbed to roughly 40 % of the 1.5 billion population, though it remains well below the 66 %...
World Briefs | Russian Oil Output Dips Slightly in February Despite Sanctions Pressure
Russian crude output slipped 0.6% in February, falling to 9.184 million bpd, as sanctions pressure persisted but a U.S. waiver helped Indian imports rebound. Saudi Arabia simultaneously boosted production to over 10.1 million bpd, citing a contingency plan amid escalating U.S.-Israeli strikes...
SERV Robotics Delivers Catalyst for Short-Squeeze
Serve Robotics reported a strong Q4 2025 earnings beat, lifting the stock to $10.66 and sparking a double‑digit rally. The company accelerated its rollout of autonomous delivery robots, adding White Castle and new contracts with Uber Eats and DoorDash. Short interest sits...
How Will This Energy Shock Play Out?
The recent US‑Israeli war against Iran has ignited a fresh energy shock, pushing crude oil prices above $100 per barrel and tightening natural‑gas markets. Jim O’Neill draws parallels with the 1979‑1982 oil crisis, warning that producers cannot rely on sustained...
Japanese Automakers Earned Canada's Trust. Will China Do the Same with EVs?
Ottawa has opened the Canadian market to Chinese electric‑vehicle imports, reviving a debate that first surfaced when Japanese automakers entered in the 1960s. At that time, unions feared job losses, but Japanese firms eventually built plants in Ontario, creating thousands...
Softs Report 03/11/2026
The Softs report shows speculative buying lifting cotton and Florida orange‑juice (FCOJ) futures while global production remains robust. Coffee markets are under pressure as Brazil’s exports fell 23.5% year‑over‑year, pushing the most‑active ICE contract down over 17% YTD. Sugar prices...
‘I’m so Screwed’: How Can I Afford to Care for a Mom with Dementia and Se...
A 50‑year‑old caregiver in California faces mounting costs caring for a mother with dementia while funding a teenager’s college. The column highlights that caregivers are not legally required to pay out‑of‑pocket and urges early engagement with local Area Agencies on...
Options Traders, Analysts Pounce on ORCL After Earnings
Oracle Corp reported fiscal Q3 earnings of $1.79 per share on $17.19 billion revenue, both comfortably beating forecasts. The company lifted its FY2027 revenue guidance to $90 billion and announced a potential $50 billion capital raise to expand cloud infrastructure. Shares surged 12.5%...
Wednesday Wipeout: Investor Mood Sours After Tuesday’s Brief Respite
Indian equities plunged nearly 2% on Wednesday, pushing the Nifty 50 and Sensex to 10‑month lows as fresh West Asia tensions revived market anxiety. The sell‑off erased about ₹5.48 trillion in BSE market capitalisation in a single session, while foreign institutional...
Aven Rewards Visa Card Review: Earn 3% Back on Purchases
The Aven Rewards Visa is a no‑annual‑fee cash‑back card that delivers 3% back on all purchases up to $10,000 of annual spend, then a flat 2% thereafter. Rewards are redeemable as statement credits or through Aven’s travel portal, but the...
Buy the Dip and Hedge Risk on This Energy Services Stock, Using Options
SLB, the world’s largest oilfield services firm, fell nearly 10% as Iran‑related geopolitical tension pushed crude toward $120 per barrel, creating a valuation disconnect. The stock has rebounded to its $45 support level, suggesting buyer interest, and could test the...
Can the IEA Put a Lid on the Price per Barrel by Releasing Oil Stockpiles?
The International Energy Agency announced a historic release of 400 million barrels of emergency crude, the largest drawdown in its history and about one‑third of members’ total reserves. The move aims to temper soaring oil prices triggered by the U.S.–Israel conflict...
Henkel Achieves Higher Margin Despite Declining Sales
Henkel reported a 5.1% drop in sales to roughly €20.5 billion in 2025, largely because of adverse exchange‑rate movements and portfolio divestments. When adjusted for currency effects and acquisitions, sales showed a modest 0.9% increase. The company’s efficiency drive paid off,...
The Big Money Changes Coming in April – Are You Ready?
A wave of fiscal adjustments hits the UK on 1 April, including roughly 5% council‑tax hikes, water‑bill increases of up to 13%, and a modest rise in the TV licence fee. The government‑mandated energy price cap will lower average household bills...
Morgan Stanley Likes These Tech Stocks the Most After Its Big Conference
Morgan Stanley’s recent Technology, Media & Telecom conference left analysts with heightened conviction in a select group of tech names. The bank’s top‑conviction picks—Amazon, Nvidia and Western Digital—each carry more than 40% upside based on 12‑month price targets. Analysts highlighted...
Private Markets Investors Increasingly Favour India over Peers in APAC
India has become the leading private‑markets destination in APAC, with 31% of surveyed limited partners (LPs) ranking it first and 76% placing it among their top three choices. Over half of the LPs plan to increase allocations, and private‑market funds...
Move Over, Tech
U.S. equity markets are moving beyond a technology‑centric rally as the S&P 500 Equal‑Weight index posts its best year‑to‑date start since 1992, beating the cap‑weighted S&P 500 by 4.2 %. Strong earnings growth is spreading across materials, consumer staples, and energy, while GDP...
Africa Needs 50 Million New Homes, but Building Is Bad for the Environment: How to Finance ‘Green’ Solutions
Africa must build 50 million homes by 2050, yet construction generates roughly 39% of global carbon emissions, with concrete alone accounting for 8%. Green housing—using energy‑efficient designs, recycled resources, and low‑water fixtures—offers a climate‑friendly alternative, but financing options are scarce across...
Agentic AI 'Cyber Hunting Machines' Coming to Global Real Estate
World Property Markets announced development of three AI-driven platforms aimed at fixing deep structural inefficiencies in the $600 trillion global real estate market. The dual‑platform "Matching Engine" will combine World Property Search, a planetary‑scale listing and buyer‑intent engine, with Global Listings,...
Government to Review Planned Fuel Duty Rise as Iran War Causes Price Surge at Pumps
The UK government will review its planned September removal of the fuel‑duty freeze after the Iran war drove crude oil prices to about $90 a barrel, pushing petrol up 6p and diesel up 12p in a week. Prime Minister Keir...
Single-Family Permits End 2025 on a Soft Note
Single-family housing permits slipped to 909,280 units in 2025, a 7.4% year‑over‑year decline, while multifamily permits rose to 516,886 units, up 5.6%. The downturn was most pronounced in the South and West, where single‑family activity fell 8.5% and 10.4% respectively,...
Where It’s Cheaper to Buy a Home than Rent – or Almost the Same Price
Research from Cotality shows that in several Australian metros, especially Melbourne’s city core, buying a unit can be cheaper than renting, with savings of up to $322 per fortnight. In Sydney’s western suburbs, the mortgage premium over rent is as...
Foe or Friend? US-Turkey Bilateral Relations Seem Set to Improve as Interests Align
U.S.–Turkey relations are moving toward greater cooperation as shared strategic interests outweigh public rhetoric. An analysis of sixteen regional and global issues finds eleven areas of full alignment, four with friction and one mixed, yielding a net positive score. The...
Opec Keeps Forecasts Unchanged Despite Supply Outages
OPEC’s latest Monthly Oil Market Report leaves its global supply, demand and economic forecasts unchanged despite major supply disruptions in the Middle East Gulf following the US‑Iran conflict. The organization notes that geopolitical developments warrant close monitoring, but any impact...
Germany, Japan to Unblock Oil Reserves as G-7 Stands ‘Ready’ to Act
Japan and Germany announced they will tap strategic petroleum reserves to curb soaring crude prices amid the Iran‑Israel war, following an International Energy Agency request for a 400 million‑barrel release. Japan plans to act as early as March 16, while Germany will...
Mortgage Rates Climb to 6.19% in Biggest Gain Since September
U.S. 30‑year mortgage rates jumped 10 basis points to 6.19% in the week ending March 6, marking the steepest rise since September. The increase mirrors a sharp climb in the 10‑year Treasury yield, spurred by geopolitical tension after Iran’s conflict disrupted...
StoneX Slashes Global 2025/26 Sugar Surplus Forecast by 70%
Broker StoneX dramatically reduced its global sugar surplus forecast for the 2025/26 marketing year to 870,000 metric tonnes, down from the 2.9 million tonnes projected in January. The revision stems from a downward revision of Indian sugar production to 29.7 million tonnes,...
Barclays Upgrades Nike to Overweight, Says ‘Worst May Be Behind’
Barclays upgraded Nike (NKE) to an overweight rating, raising its 12‑month price target to $73 from $64. The analyst sees roughly 30% upside, despite the stock being down 12% YTD and 24% over the past year. Barclays cites recent operational...