No Missiles, No Drones: What Happens When Rare Earths Stop Flowing?
China controls roughly 90‑95% of global rare‑earth processing, creating a strategic vulnerability for U.S. defense and high‑tech sectors. In response, REalloys (NASDAQ: ALOY) is building North America’s first fully integrated, China‑free heavy rare‑earth supply chain, with a production facility in Euclid, Ohio, slated to deliver defense‑grade magnets by early 2027. New U.S. defense procurement rules effective Jan 1 2027 will ban Chinese‑origin rare‑earths, leaving only a handful of compliant suppliers. REalloys’ platform, backed by the Export‑Import Bank and JOGMEC, positions it to fill this imminent gap.
Green Street’s Michael Knott Says REITs Faring Well in 2026 Amid Market Cross Currents
Michael Knott, head of U.S. REIT research at Green Street, said REITs are faring well in 2026 thanks to an AI‑driven market selloff, lower interest rates, and strong debt‑capital access. He described the sector’s performance as a modest comeback despite...
Saba Capital Launches UK Investment Trust ETF: UKIT
Saba Capital Management has launched the UKIT, an actively managed UCITS ETF that invests in UK‑domiciled investment trusts trading at sizable discounts to net asset value. The fund targets a diversified portfolio of 40‑60 trusts across equities, bonds, real estate...
Assessing North Korea’s New Economic Five-Year Plan
North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress unveiled a five‑year plan focused on stabilization, consolidation and modest qualitative development rather than rapid growth. The agenda places the power sector at the core, linking factory construction, hospital building and agricultural mechanisation to reliable...
Courtyard by Marriott Columbus Airport Listed for Sale as Columbus Market Expands
CBRE Hotels has listed the 150‑room Courtyard by Marriott Columbus Airport for sale. The three‑story hotel, built in 1997 and fully renovated within the past four years, sits just one mile from John Glenn International Airport and near key attractions such...
Hyatt House Seattle/Downtown Listed for Sale After $3.2 Million Renovation
Hyatt House Seattle/Downtown, a 172‑room upscale extended‑stay hotel, is now listed for sale following a $3.2 million renovation that cost roughly $19,000 per key. The fee‑simple, debt‑free asset is operated by Hotel Equities and sits in South Lake Union, a tech‑dense...
SEC Is Pushing Back Against New Wave of High-Leverage ETF Plans
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has warned leveraged‑ETF issuers to pause the effective dates of new high‑leverage funds, citing concerns over compliance with Rule 18f‑4. The agency’s Division of Investment Management used a brief group call to signal that proposed...
Middle East War Could Trigger Currency Shock Across Africa - Fitch
Fitch Solutions warns that a broader US‑Iran conflict could trigger a sharp currency shock across sub‑Saharan Africa. In a prolonged escalation, Brent crude is projected to trade between $110 and $130 per barrel, raising energy costs and disrupting shipping routes....
German Defense Firm Renk CEO Says Iran War Could Drive 'Increasing Demand' In the Middle East
German defence specialist Renk expects the ongoing Iran‑UAE conflict to spur regional defence spending. CEO Alexander Sagel said the war could drive demand across air, ammunition and ground systems, citing a recent prototype IFV order from a Gulf state. Renk reported...
French Investor Snaps up Inverness Travelodge for £4.1m
French real estate manager Epsicap REIM, via its SCPI vehicle Epsicap Nano, acquired the 54‑room Travelodge hotel in Inverness for £4.1 million. The property, refurbished in 2017, is under a 20‑year lease with Travelodge, marking the fund’s first hotel investment. The...
Marriott Monterey Hotel Receives $75M Refi
Sunshine‑Eichner arranged a $75 million non‑recourse first‑mortgage loan to refinance the Marriott Monterey hotel in downtown Monterey, California. The five‑year, interest‑only loan carries a fixed rate with an all‑in cost below 6% after securing a low‑200s credit spread among 19 competing...
3 Solar Stocks to Watch Amid Policy and Tariff Headwinds
U.S. solar demand stays robust as utilities, businesses and households adopt solar‑plus‑storage solutions, but the sector now faces near‑term policy and tariff headwinds. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act curtails Inflation Reduction Act tax credits and adds Foreign Entity of Concern rules, creating procurement...
BMO Upgrades This Plastics Manufacturer as Middle East Conflict Disrupts Global Supply
BMO Capital Markets upgraded Westlake Corp., a U.S. plastics and construction‑materials maker, to Outperform and raised its price target to $127, implying roughly a 20% upside. The upgrade follows the Middle East conflict that has shut down the Strait of...
Wipro Appoints Laura Miller to Its Board
Wipro announced that Laura Miller will join its Board of Directors for a five‑year term starting April 1, 2026, pending shareholder approval. Miller brings more than two decades of executive leadership across retail, hospitality, payments and global technology operations, most...
D2C Channels Growing Faster Than E-Commerce Marketplaces in India: Report
McKinsey’s latest report finds India’s direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) market, now worth $10‑11 billion, is set to explode to $55‑60 billion by 2030, growing at a 38% CAGR. This outpaces traditional e‑commerce marketplaces, whose sales are expected to reach only $100 billion with a 10‑12%...
Earnings Live: Broadcom Stock Pops on Earnings Beat, China's JD.com Sinks, Okta Rises
Broadcom delivered a strong first‑quarter beat, posting $19.31 billion revenue and $2.05 earnings per share, while AI‑related sales surged 106% year‑over‑year and the company projected $22 billion revenue for the second quarter along with a $10 billion share‑buyback. In contrast, China’s JD.com fell...
What Makes America Strong?
In 2025 the United States recorded a negative net migration rate as legal immigration was sharply curtailed, a trend that economists warn will dampen economic growth. President Donald Trump has framed this demographic shift as part of a broader “Golden...
Loop Capital Thinks This Chip Manufacturer Could More than Double on an AI ‘Super Cycle’
Loop Capital has initiated Astera Labs (ALAB) with a buy rating and a $250 price target, implying roughly 120% upside from its recent close. The analyst positions Astera as the most diversified AI‑silicon pure‑play outside Nvidia, poised to benefit from...
Prop Firm JoinX Capital Selects Leverate Trading Infrastructure
Leverate announced a partnership with Swiss‑backed prop‑trading firm JoinX Capital, designating Leverate’s end‑to‑end infrastructure as the technology backbone of JoinX’s global platform. The collaboration supports a community of over 47,500 traders in 184 countries, offering multi‑asset access to Forex, crypto...
Meeting of 4-5 February 2026
The ECB Governing Council met on 4‑5 February 2026 and kept its three key rates unchanged, signalling a data‑dependent stance through 2027. Market reactions to recent geopolitical and tariff shocks were muted, with the euro gaining about 1 % against the dollar...
Abercrombie & Fitch Profit Drops Despite ‘Record’ Q4 Sales
Abercrombie & Fitch reported a 6% decline in operating income to £524 million for the year, even as net sales rose 6% to £3.95 billion. The fourth quarter delivered a record £1.25 billion in sales, up 5%, but operating income fell 8% to...
Is India Torpedoing Its Claims to Being a Net Security Provider in the IOR?
A U.S. nuclear submarine torpedoed the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in international waters off Sri Lanka, killing dozens of sailors. The vessel had been a guest of the Indian Navy after participating in a fleet review in Visakhapatnam, yet New Delhi issued...
50 Million a Year Need Electricity Access to Reach Mission 300 Goal
Mission 300, a partnership led by the World Bank and African Development Bank, targets 300 million electricity connections in Africa by 2030. Since July 2023 the initiative has added about 44 million new connections, leaving a shortfall that requires roughly 50 million people to...
The Worst-Performing Investment Trusts in February 2026
In February 2026 a cluster of UK‑listed investment trusts posted sharp share‑price declines, with private‑equity vehicles dominating the ten worst performers. Chrysalis Investments slumped 12.86%, HgCapital Trust fell 11.95%, and CT Private Equity lost 10.53%, all trading at deep discounts...
Middle East Oil Supply Disruption Spurs Thailand to Zero in on Domestic Production
Amid heightened Middle East oil supply disruptions, Thailand’s Ministry of Energy has asked oil producers to postpone planned downtime and temporarily suspend crude exports, emphasizing domestic production for energy security. Canadian‑based Valeura Energy is seeking clarification from the ministry to...
Roundhill Launches Pure-Play Space ETF
Roundhill Investments announced the launch of the Roundhill Space & Technology ETF (ticker MARS) on March 5, 2026, offering active exposure to pure‑play space companies. McKinsey projects the global space economy to swell to $1.8 trillion by 2035, up from $630 billion...
This Airline Stock Is the Most at Risk From Higher Jet Fuel Prices as U.S.-Iran War Continues, Says Rothschild
Rothschild & Co Redburn downgraded American Airlines to neutral and cut its price target to $12.5 from $17, citing heightened exposure to jet‑fuel price spikes amid the ongoing U.S.–Iran conflict. The analyst highlighted that a 10‑cent per‑gallon increase in fuel...
Aerie, OFFLINE Drive Record Quarter for AEO’s Growth
American Eagle Outfitters reported a record fourth quarter for FY25, posting $1.8 bn in net revenue, a 10% year‑over‑year increase. Comparable sales rose 8%, driven by a 23% surge at Aerie and double‑digit gains at the OFFLINE brand, while the core...
BMO Market+ ETF Strategies Combine Broad Market Exposure with Active Management Expertise
BMO Asset Management has launched the BMO Market+ suite, a set of five exchange‑traded funds that provide core equity exposure across Canadian, U.S., global, low‑volatility, and all‑country world markets. Each fund combines broad market coverage with a systematic, fundamental‑analysis model,...
Nomura Appoints Sustainable Equities Head
Nomura Asset Management has named Nick Henderson as head of global sustainable equities and lead portfolio manager of its Global Sustainable Equity Strategy, including the Ireland‑domiciled fund. The London‑based appointment reports to Richard Kruse and adds to a team that...
Inside EIB’s Critical Meetings, and USAID’s Controversial Shutdown
The European Investment Bank (EIB) held its annual meetings in Luxembourg, where President Nadia Calviño announced a $1 billion pledge for electrification projects across Africa and introduced a third Gender Action Plan, underscoring a renewed focus on health and gender equity....
India Mulls Mandate to Raise Imported Coal Generation
India is weighing an emergency directive under Section 11 of its Electricity Act to compel imported‑coal‑fired power plants to increase output ahead of the summer peak. The move comes as seaborne coal prices surge due to the US‑Iran conflict and LNG...
Garry Marr: Why Your House Is Still Costing You, Even if You've Paid It Off
Garry Marr argues that a paid‑off Canadian home still costs money because the equity tied up could earn a risk‑free return, while owners also face maintenance, taxes and opportunity costs. The Greater Toronto Area saw average resale prices fall 4.7%...
How Is the Estate Taxed when the Last Spouse Dies?
When a Canadian spouse dies, most assets transfer to the surviving partner through a spousal rollover, deferring capital‑gain tax until the survivor either sells the assets or dies. The deceased’s original cost base carries over, so no gain is realized...
After Warner Bros. Merger, Changes Are Coming to the Historic Paramount Lot. Here's What to Expect
Paramount Global, now merged with Warner Bros. Discovery, faces roughly $79 billion of debt and is streamlining operations by moving most film and TV production to Warner Bros.’ Burbank lot. The historic 65‑acre Paramount lot on Melrose Avenue will remain active...
India Demand and Panama Pipeline Positive for VLGCs, Says Dorian LPG
U.S. LPG exports are hitting record levels while a 76‑km Panama pipeline, slated for post‑2031 operation, promises 2 million barrels per day capacity. Dorian LPG’s chief information officer says the pipeline will likely add loading and discharge points rather than divert cargoes,...
HBD Sells Warminster Supermarket and Retail Units for £8.6m
HBD, the property arm of Henry Boot, sold a purpose‑built Waitrose supermarket and three adjoining retail units in Warminster for £8.6 million to an unnamed UK REIT. The 29,350 sq ft development, completed in 2012 on a two‑acre site, is fully let with...
Global Economy Faces Inflation and Growth Test Amid Escalating Conflict in Iran - Goldman
Goldman Sachs warns that a temporary spike in crude to $100 a barrel could shave 0.4 percentage points off global GDP growth and lift headline inflation by up to 0.7 points. The firm’s baseline scenario still sees oil easing to...
West Asia Conflict Poses Near-Term Challenges to Indian Economy: RBI MPC Member
RBI monetary‑policy committee member Nagesh Kumar warned that the West Asia conflict creates near‑term headwinds for India, notably higher oil prices, export disruptions and reduced remittances. He stressed that inflation remains benign, with headline CPI at 1.3% in December 2025...
Taiwan Shares Surge 844 Points, Post Fifth-Largest Daily Gain
Taiwan's benchmark Taiex index closed up 844.06 points, marking the fifth‑largest single‑day gain on record. The rally was sparked by reports that the United States and Iran might enter negotiations, easing geopolitical tension. Electronics led the advance, rising 3.01%, while...
Saba Capital and HANetf Launch Active ETF Targeting UK Investment Trust Discounts
Today Saba Capital and HANetf launched the UKIT/UK1T actively managed ETF, which seeks to capture returns by buying UK investment trusts trading at discounts to net asset value. The fund, managed by Boaz Weinstein and Paul Kazarian, will hold 40‑60...
Taylor Wimpey Launches £52m Share Buyback as Profits Plummet 54%
Taylor Wimpey announced a £52 million share‑buyback programme even as full‑year 2025 pre‑tax profit plunged 54.3% to £146.5 million, while revenue rose 13% to £3.84 billion. The profit decline was driven by a £222.2 million increase in cladding remediation costs and an £18 million CMA...
Active ETF Research Reveals Transatlantic Market Is Splitting in Two: Broadridge
Broadridge’s latest research shows the active‑ETF market is diverging sharply across the Atlantic. Global assets under management are nearing $1.8 trillion, growing over 50 % annually, yet U.S. funds exhibit roughly two percentage points higher tracking error and charge 70‑90 bps fees compared...
Vodafone Idea Share Price Gains 3.5% on Reports that DoT Review May Slash Its Licence Fee by 60–65%
Vodafone Idea’s shares jumped over 3.5% to around ₹10.35 after media reports indicated the Department of Telecommunications could slash the company’s licence fee liability by 60‑65%. The DoT has completed the licence‑fee reassessment, with spectrum usage charges to be reviewed...
QFEX Launches with $9.5m Seed Round to Disrupt Global Trading
QFEX, a Cambridge‑backed trading exchange, launched after closing a $9.5 million seed round that values the startup at $95 million. The platform offers 24/7 direct trading of traditional assets, perpetual futures with no expiry, and up to 50× leverage, eliminating brokers and...
Bear of the Day: Autohome (ATHM)
Autohome (ATHM) is confronting structural headwinds as its revenue has slipped roughly 30% from the 2020 peak and analyst earnings forecasts continue to be trimmed. The slowdown in China’s automotive market and heightened competition among online auto platforms have eroded...
Squarepoint Affiliate Launches Market-Making Unit
STG Group, an affiliate of Squarepoint Capital, announced the launch of STG Securities, an independent electronic market‑making broker‑dealer. The new unit will trade securities using its own capital and is headed by Kirill Gelman, who previously led automated options trading...
DoubleLine Highlights Emerging Market Opportunities Despite Middle East Tensions
DoubleLine Capital sees a "virtuous feedback loop" in emerging markets as a weakening U.S. dollar and ongoing central‑bank rate cuts create attractive local‑currency fixed‑income opportunities. While recent U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran sparked a sharp sell‑off in EM currencies and equities,...
ASM Earnings: Multiple Bullish Signals Across the Board, but Shares Look Fully Valued Now
ASM International reported a bullish fourth‑quarter earnings beat, prompting Morningstar to lift its fair‑value estimate to €740 from €635. Management signaled stronger market‑share ambitions at the 1.4‑nm gate‑all‑around node and highlighted a turnaround in China demand for 2026. The guidance...
Buy These 3 Top-Ranked Putnam Mutual Funds for Steady Gains
Putnam Investments, now owned by Franklin Resources after a 2024 acquisition, manages roughly $162.3 billion in assets. The firm’s three Zacks‑ranked mutual funds—Putnam U.S. Research (PLJMX), Strategic Intermediate Municipal Fund (PPNAX) and Core Bond Fund (PTREX)—have posted strong three‑year returns of...