Okta Beats Fourth-Quarter Estimates, but Issues Weak Guidance
Okta reported fourth‑quarter 2026 earnings that topped Wall Street forecasts, posting adjusted EPS of $0.90 and revenue of $761 million, an 11% year‑over‑year increase. Despite the beat, the company issued a cautious first‑quarter outlook, projecting revenue of $749‑$753 million and adjusted EPS of $0.84‑$0.86, both below analyst expectations. CEO Todd McKinnon highlighted the surge in agentic AI as a strategic growth opportunity, noting a 15% rise in the subscription backlog to $4.83 billion. The stock rose 3% after hours but remains down 17% year‑to‑date.
Lenders Offer Pricing Promos in Anticipation of a Hot Market
Mortgage lenders are rolling out new pricing promotions as rates hover near 6% and react to recent geopolitical volatility. United Wholesale Mortgage introduced a 75‑basis‑point refinance boost and a $600 appraisal credit for purchases, extending the offer to Pro Elite...
Delayed Publication of China (Brazil), China (US Gulf), Brazil, Argentina and US Soybean Crush Margins
Fastmarkets announced a delayed release of its latest soybean crush margin data for key markets, including China (Brazil and US Gulf), Brazil, Argentina, and the United States. The reported M1 margins show a positive 30.50 yuan/mt for China‑Brazil soy, a...
Trump Says ‘401(k)s Are Way up’ — but Workers Are Tapping Them at Record Rates
President Donald Trump highlighted that 401(k) balances have risen, a claim supported by Fidelity data showing an 11% jump to $146,400 in 2025. However, the same year saw record‑high hardship withdrawals and a rise in 401(k) loans, signaling underlying financial...
Center City's Largest Office Space Slated For Resi Conversion: The Philadelphia Deal Sheet
Centre Square, Philadelphia’s largest office tower, changed hands for roughly $94 million, a steep discount from its 2017 $328 million purchase. The building’s occupancy had slipped to 37.6%, prompting the new owners, PMC Property Group and Dean Adler, to propose a mixed‑use...
Ohio Expensing Conformity Will Boost Innovation and Competitiveness
Ohio’s Senate Bill 9, pending Governor DeWine’s signature, will update the state’s static conformity date to align with federal tax changes enacted after March 7, 2025, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s restoration of immediate first‑year expensing for research and experimentation (R&E) under Section 174. Because...
The Sneaky Social Security Scams Targeting Retirees in 2026 — And the One Rule That Keeps You Safe
In 2026, scammers are increasingly targeting retirees by masquerading as Social Security Administration representatives through phone calls, texts, letters, and social media. They use caller ID spoofing and official‑looking logos to pressure victims into paying fees or revealing personal data....
Mortgage Rates Dipped Below 6% in February Amid Treasury Rally
Mortgage rates slipped further in February, with the 30‑year fixed‑rate mortgage averaging 6.05% and briefly dipping below the 6% mark, while the 15‑year rate fell to 5.43%. The 10‑year Treasury yield held near 4.18% for most of the month before...
Crude Volatile as Hormuz Risks Increase
Oil markets remain volatile as the fifth day of the US‑Iran conflict curtails traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly 20% of global oil. West Texas Intermediate steadied just under $75 a barrel while Brent hovered around...
Drought Relief Could Be Coming Soon for Much of the Midwest
The Midwestern Regional Climate Center warns that more than 70% of the Midwest remains in moderate to extreme drought after a dry winter. New weather models, however, project several inches of rain across the Eastern Corn Belt in March, offering...
Cumulative Broiler Placements 2% Ahead of Last Year
The USDA reports that broiler hatchery activity is 2 percent ahead of 2025, with 254.46 million eggs set and a hatchability rate of 78.5 percent. Placements rose to 193.98 million chicks, up 1.532 million week‑over‑week and 2 percent year‑over‑year. State data show Arkansas leading placements while...
Brazil’s Record Soybean Harvest Adds Pressure to U.S. Prices
Brazil's soybean harvest hit record levels in 2026, with unprecedented acreage, yield, and total production. The surge creates a global surplus that could flatten U.S. soybean price expectations for the upcoming season. Economist Chad Hart notes the bounty mirrors last...
Temnycky in Real Clear Defense on the Impact of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion on US and European Security
Mark Temnycky argues that Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine has shattered the post‑Cold War security paradigm in Europe, forcing the United States and its allies to re‑arm and rethink deterrence strategies. He warns that the policy choices made by Washington,...
House Passes Bill To Speed Up Mortgage Processes on Tribal Lands—And To Extend Leases to 99 Years
The House approved S.728, mandating the Bureau of Indian Affairs to screen tribal mortgage applications within 10 days and decide on leasehold mortgages in 20 days, with a 30‑day window for right‑of‑way loans. It also passed H.R.5910, extending the ability...
Is Myanmar’s Military Government Planning Airstrikes on Rare Earth Mines?
A potential supply shock emerged as Myanmar's junta reportedly plans airstrikes on rare‑earth mines in the Kachin‑controlled Pang War region. Chinese mining firms responded by raising national flags on sites and ordering bomb‑shelter construction to signal locations to aircraft. China...
Brookfield, Queensland Selling 1M SF Southern California Mall
Brookfield Properties and Queensland Investment Corp. have put the 1 million‑square‑foot Victoria Gardens mall in Rancho Cucamonga up for sale. The open‑air center posted $33.6 million cash flow in 2024 and a net operating income of $32 million in 2023, reflecting a 6 %...
Marriott International Achieves Record Growth in Caribbean and Latin America in 2025
Marriott International reported a record‑breaking 2025 in its Caribbean and Latin America (CALA) region, signing 94 deals that added 10,461 rooms. The portfolio grew to 555 open properties and more than 95,000 rooms across 37 countries, a 40% jump in...
Moishe Mana Buys Discounted Downtown Miami Office Tower for $110M
Moishe Mana purchased the 31‑story One Downtown office tower in downtown Miami for $110 million, securing roughly a 14 percent discount from its 2018 price. The 770,195‑square‑foot building houses 450,000 sq ft of office space, a 750‑spot garage, and ground‑level retail, and is currently...
California Trial Set in Rate-Rigging VRDO Case Against Banks
A California judge set a June 8 trial for a False Claims Act case accusing major Wall Street banks of conspiring to rig interest rates on variable‑rate demand bonds (VRDOs). The lawsuit, filed by municipal advisor Johan Rosenberg on behalf of...
Credit Card Transfer Partners: Guide to Transferring Points and Miles to Airlines and Hotels
The Points Guy released a comprehensive guide that maps credit‑card points and miles to their airline and hotel transfer partners, detailing transfer ratios and current valuations. It highlights the top flexible‑points cards from issuers such as American Express, Chase, Capital...
Netflix Co-Founder Reed Hastings, CFO Spencer Neumann Sell $48 Million Worth of Combined Shares
Netflix co‑founder Reed Hastings and CFO Spencer Neumann sold a combined $48.1 million in Netflix shares, according to March 4 regulatory filings. Hastings disposed of $39.8 million worth of 410,550 shares at $96‑$97.50 each and simultaneously bought back the same number at $9.7...
Delayed Publication of US Sustainable Aviation Fuel Prices for March 3
Fastmarkets announced a delay in publishing the United States sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) price data for March 3. The postponed release covers three benchmarks: base cost ex‑works in Houston, delivered price in Los Angeles, and delivered price in Chicago. These prices...
$185 Million Monarch San Antonio, TX Hotel Debuts With 200 Rooms Downtown
Hotel News Resource reports that the $185 million Monarch San Antonio, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, opened in the Hemisfair District with 200 rooms, including 28 suites. The 17‑story property offers upscale amenities such as a full‑service spa, a 550‑sq‑ft fitness...
Qatar LNG Shutdown Sends Global Gas Markets Into Turmoil
Qatar Energy declared force majeure on its LNG exports, halting production at the Ras Laffan plant amid the escalating U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. The shutdown, which affects roughly 20% of global liquefied natural gas, is expected to last at least...
Correction to Steel Hot-Rolled Coil Index Domestic, Exw Italy
Fastmarkets issued a correction for its domestic ex‑works Italy hot‑rolled coil (HRC) index, adjusting the price from €682.50 to €676.25 per tonne. The error stemmed from a reporter mistake and has been rectified in the pricing database. The revised figure...
MDA Space Reports Record Revenue Again in 2025, Driven by Satellite Manufacturing Progress
MDA Space posted a record C$1.63 billion in 2025 revenue, a 51% year‑over‑year jump, driven largely by its Satellite Systems division. That segment surged 85.5% to C$1.1 billion, fueled by contracts for Low‑Earth‑Orbit constellations with Globalstar and Telesat Lightspeed. Adjusted net income...
The Average 401(k) Balance Grew 11% in 2025: Why This Rally Is Lowering Default Risks for Homeowners
Fidelity’s analysis of nearly 25 million 401(k) accounts shows the average balance jumped 11 percent in 2025 to $146,100, marking a third straight year of double‑digit growth. The median balance stays modest at $34,400, but accounts with $1 million or more rose to...
The Best Playbook for Investing During a War Is Usually Doing Nothing
The New York Times argues that the best response to the Iran‑Israel conflict‑driven market turbulence is to stay the course. While short‑term speculation in energy, defense stocks, gold or Treasuries can appear tempting, academic research shows that most investors achieve better...
Fujairah Oil Facility Catches Fire From Drone Debris
On March 3, 2026, debris from a drone intercepted by UAE air‑defence systems ignited a fire at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone. Authorities quickly contained the blaze, reporting no injuries and resuming normal operations within hours. The incident occurred as...
Gulf Oil and Gas Crisis Sparks Calls for Renewables Investment
The war between the United States, Israel and Iran has disrupted oil and LNG flows through the Strait of Hormuz, halting Qatari LNG production and sharply raising global energy prices. About one‑fifth of world oil and LNG passes the strait,...
California Senator Aims To Ban ‘Predatory’ Investors From Buying Lots After Disasters
Senator Adam Schiff introduced S.3961, a bill that would prohibit institutional investors—defined as companies owning 75 or more homes—from purchasing lots, parcels, or homes in federally declared disaster zones for six months after a catastrophe. The measure targets the surge...
FLKR: South Korean Market Nosedives, Wait For The Right Entry Point
Analyst Komal Sarwar initiates coverage of the Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF (FLKR) with a Hold rating, noting the fund’s recent 130% rally driven by Samsung and SK Hynix. The ETF now trades at a price‑to‑earnings multiple of 19 and...
Retail REITs Benefiting From Strong Market Fundamentals, Tight Supply
Retail REITs are thriving as strong market fundamentals and limited new development tighten supply. Occupancy reached 95.7% in Q4 2025, while rent growth held at 2.1% year‑over‑year. Funds from operations rose 14% YoY, and A‑rated malls posted NOI 10% above pre‑COVID...
Tax Strategies Every High-Net-Worth Advisor Should Know
In a recent LPL Financial and VettaFi webcast, experts urged advisors to adopt a "tax‑first" mindset, shifting from reactive compliance to proactive, multi‑year planning. They highlighted that capital‑gains and income taxes now outweigh estate‑tax concerns for many high‑net‑worth families. The...
Cherry Picks: Why the Equal-Weight S&P 500 Is Beating the Market-Cap Index
The Invesco S&P 500 Equal‑Weight ETF (RSP) has outperformed the market‑cap heavyweight SPY over the last six months as the so‑called “Mag 7” mega‑caps lagged. February recorded a record inflow into RSP, reflecting growing investor interest in a more balanced exposure to...
Ganze Lawmaker Kazungu Dumps PAA for Ruto Party
Kenneth Kazungu, the Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) secretary general and Ganze MP, defected to President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) during a Kilifi event attended by senior government allies. The move reflects President Ruto’s push to consolidate Kenya Kwanza...
Wedbush Maintains $350 Apple Target as Product Blitz Reinforces AI Hardware Push
Wedbush Securities reaffirmed its "outperform" rating on Apple and kept a $350 price target, citing a sweeping product launch that bolsters its AI hardware ambitions. The new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, built on a Fusion Architecture, promise more than four‑times...
No Winners in War
The International Day for Disarmament and Non‑Proliferation Awareness coincides with a devastating Middle East conflict, highlighting that war leaves only survivors, not winners. Armed clashes destroy infrastructure, displace populations, and erode social trust, imposing costly reconstruction duties even on victors....
The Price of Impunity
The article argues that impunity—absence of credible consequences—undermines institutions and economic growth, especially in the Philippines. It cites economic theory and cross‑country data showing that weak rule of law depresses investment and fuels inequality. The piece details how political dynasties,...
Ensuring People’s Well-Being Amid Fears of War Escalation
Rising tensions between Iran and Israel have revived concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for nearly one‑fifth of global oil shipments. Analysts outline three scenarios: a contained but prolonged missile exchange, a broader regional war...
What Would Winston Churchill Make of War with Iran?
Donald Trump invoked Winston Churchill to criticize Keir Starmer’s stance on Iran, suggesting the former would back a U.S.-Iran confrontation. The article argues Churchill’s legacy is far more nuanced: he combined hawkish rhetoric with strategic caution, championed the Anglo‑American “special...
Barangay Skilled Workers Registry Act Gets Penultimate House Nod
The Barangay Skilled Workers Registry Act (HB 7719) cleared its second reading in the House, mandating every barangay to maintain a voluntary, free registry of local skilled workers. Championed by Rep. Jolo Revilla, the bill seeks to make community‑level labor...
US Activity Was Surging Ahead of Military Action
U.S. ISM surveys show the economy accelerating in early 2026, with the February services index climbing to 56.1 and overall business activity reaching 59.9, the strongest pace since May 2024. New orders and order backlogs also surged, supporting a projection...
STG Group Launches New Market Maker
STG Group has launched STG Securities, a new broker‑dealer division that will act as an electronic market maker, building on the firm’s systematic and quantitative trading expertise. The launch follows the 2024 acquisition of Automated Volatility Trading, bolstering STG’s options...
#58493
On February 25, 2026 the Board of Trustees of Investment Managers Series Trust II announced the termination and liquidation of the Tradr 2X Long DASH Daily ETF (ticker DASX). Trading on the Cboe BZX Exchange will cease on March 13, 2026, and the fund will liquidate its assets around March 20, 2026, distributing...
North America Drops 11 Rigs WoW
North America’s weekly rig count slipped 11 units to 764, with the United States reporting 550 rigs and Canada 214. The U.S. saw a net loss of one rig, driven by a two‑rig decline in oil rigs while gas rigs...
Stock Market Circuit Breaker: Why Did Korean Shares Pause Trading?
On March 4, South Korean equities plunged 12% as the Korea Exchange triggered a twenty‑minute circuit breaker on both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ after the benchmark fell 8.1% in early trading. The sharp sell‑off was driven by heightened volatility linked...
MCB Signs Costco to Anchor $2.8 Billion Viva White Oak Mixed-Use Development in Metro D.C.
MCB Real Estate has secured Costco as the anchor tenant for the $2.8 billion Viva White Oak mixed‑use project in Montgomery County, Maryland. The 280‑acre development will feature over 12 million square feet of space, including 5,000 residential units, retail, a hotel,...
Kenya Airways Starts Repatriation Flights Amid Middle East Crisis
Kenya Airways announced two repatriation flights on March 4‑5, 2026, to transport Kenyan and United Arab Emirates citizens between Nairobi and Dubai. The flights are classified as emergency repatriations, not regular services, after Dubai International Airport approved the necessary slots. The...
NEW INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY AT SHREVEPORT REGIONAL AIRPORT
Mumford Company is marketing a Residence Inn at Shreveport Regional Airport as a new investment opportunity. The hotel sits directly off Interstate 20, adjacent to the airport exit, and is close to multiple commercial and recreational demand generators. It is currently...