Up 12.5% in the Past 5 Days, Should You Keep Buying Oracle Stock?
Oracle stock surged 12.54% over the past five trading days, outpacing the S&P 500’s 3.12% gain as the software sector rebounds from AI‑related concerns. The rally follows Oracle’s aggressive AI‑infrastructure moves, including a 2.8 GW fuel‑cell partnership with Bloom Energy and expanded multicloud connectivity with AWS. In its Q3 2026 earnings, Oracle posted $17.19 billion revenue, with OCI revenue up 84% to $4.9 billion and RPO soaring 325% to $553 billion. Analysts rate the stock Strong Buy, with an average target of $253, implying over 40% upside.
Apple Has Unusual Put Options Activity - Has AAPL Stock Peaked Ahead of Earnings?
Apple’s shares are hovering around $272.83, up roughly 1% and 10% above the March low, while unusually heavy put‑option activity signals investor caution ahead of the April 30 earnings release. Despite the rally, a free‑cash‑flow‑based valuation model projects a fair value...
Soybeans Trading with Fractional Gains on Monday
Soybean futures posted modest gains on Monday, with new‑crop contracts up 3 cents and the cash bean price edging to $11.03 per bushel. Export inspections showed shipments of 748,678 metric tonnes for the week ending April 16, a 33.7% year‑over‑year rise,...
Corn Higher at Monday’s Midday
Corn futures rose 3‑5 cents in the front months on Monday, with the CmdtyView cash corn price climbing to $4.165 per bushel. USDA’s FGIS reported 1.669 MMT of corn exports for the week ending April 16, a 2.89% increase from the prior...
Cotton Continuing Higher at Midday
Cotton futures gained between 35 and 46 cents by midday, extending a broader rally. Managed money flipped its stance, moving from a net short of 18,845 contracts to a net long of 16,825 contracts—the first net long in almost two...
Wheat Posting Monday Gains
Wheat futures posted modest gains on Monday, with Chicago SRW up 10‑12 cents, Kansas City HRW up 6‑7 cents, and Minneapolis spring wheat up 3‑4 cents. Export inspections showed 518,141 metric tons shipped in the week of April 16, a...
LNG Canada Nearing Full Capacity as Iran War Squeezes Global Supply
LNG Canada is set to operate at full capacity in April, loading about 15 cargoes per month. The plant’s 14.6 mtpa output will primarily serve Asian buyers as global LNG supplies tighten due to the Iran conflict. Rising demand for North...
Balancing Executive Incentives with Tax Penalties
Recent FTC action revived non‑compete agreements, giving companies a new lever to offset golden parachute tax exposure. Golden parachutes—cash, stock or benefits paid on a change of control—still trigger a 20% excise tax and loss of corporate deductions when payments...
‘They Have Been Exposed’: The Iran War Upends Gulf States’ Security and Business Model
Iran’s retaliation to the US‑Israeli conflict has reshaped Gulf security, with 83% of its missile and drone strikes aimed at GCC countries and the United Arab Emirates bearing the brunt. The wave of attacks has shattered the long‑held perception of...
One of Warren Buffett’s Final Shareholder Letters Had a Warning Most People Missed
In Berkshire Hathaway’s 2024 shareholder letter, Warren Buffett warned that "fiscal folly"—government policies that weaken currencies—could erode the value of paper money. He emphasized that fixed‑coupon bonds offer little protection against such currency erosion and reiterated Berkshire’s commitment to deploying...
India, South Korea Working to Double Bilateral Trade by 2030: Piyush Goyal
India’s commerce minister Piyush Goyal announced a dedicated South Korean industrial township and a $6 billion steel plant in Odisha as part of 16 new MoUs, aiming to double bilateral trade with South Korea to $54 billion by 2030. The two governments...
How to Navigate All Those Certifications in the Voluntary Carbon Market
The voluntary carbon market now hosts at least 66 distinct certification schemes, a modest decline after a rapid expansion post‑2020. Established bodies such as Verra and Gold Standard share space with newer entrants like Puro, Isometric, and niche players such...
German Asset Manager Kauri Acquires 55,000 Sqm Parcel in Hochheim for Data Center
German asset manager Kauri has purchased a 55,000 sqm (592,000 sq ft) parcel in Hochheim for $28.2 million to build a new data centre. The facility is slated to provide roughly 40 MW of capacity and will be constructed by Kauri’s subsidiary Kauri CAB Digital...
Zambia’s Major Copper Smelters Face Extended Shutdowns, Raising Supply Concerns
Zambia’s two largest copper smelters, Mopani and Chambishi, will undergo unusually long maintenance periods later this year, with Mopani slated for a 40‑45‑day shutdown and Chambishi for roughly two months. The extended outages will sharply curtail domestic sulphuric acid production,...
Interest Rates, Inflation, and Growth
U.S. fixed‑income markets in 2026 have been defined by sticky inflation, a modest slowdown in real GDP, and a patient Federal Reserve. The 10‑year Treasury hovered around 4.3% while the 2‑year nudged up to 3.7%, reflecting a range‑bound curve rather...
The Geopolitics of Infrastructure
A new geopolitical contest is emerging around infrastructure blocs—bundles of finance, contractors, standards, and data platforms that create lasting dependencies. The authors argue that ports, power grids, rail corridors, data centers, and critical‑mineral supply chains have become the operating system...
Excluding NVIDIA, “Mag 7” Companies Expected to Report Lower Earnings Growth Than Other 493
The FactSet analysis shows the Magnificent 7 tech giants are projected to post a 22.8% year‑over‑year earnings surge in Q1 2026, far outpacing the 10.1% growth of the remaining 493 S&P 500 constituents. That advantage evaporates without Nvidia, whose contribution drops the Mag 7’s...
UK’s BII Defies Risks, Stays All-In on Philippines
British International Investment (BII) reaffirmed its commitment to the Philippines despite global oil shocks and a high‑profile corruption scandal. Managing director Rohit Anand emphasized the firm’s counter‑cyclical approach, arguing that energy security and renewable development remain strategic priorities. BII has...
Inflation Jumps to 2.4% in March Driven by Iran War Oil Shock, StatCan Says
Canada’s annual inflation rose to 2.4% in March, driven by a record 21.2% monthly jump in gasoline prices after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. Without fuel, inflation would have been 2.2%, marking a second consecutive decline. The federal government’s...
USA Rare Earth Boosts Western Supply with $2.8B Brazil Deal
USA Rare Earth (USAR) announced a $2.8 billion acquisition of Brazil’s Serra Verde Group, paying $300 million in cash and issuing 126.85 million shares. The deal brings the Pela Ema heavy‑rare‑earth mine—Latin America’s only producing operation—into a vertically integrated Western supply chain that also...
4 Film & Television Production Stocks to Watch Amid Dull Industry Trends
The Zacks Film & Television Production industry is seeing heightened digital demand but grappling with soaring content costs, pushing its Zacks Industry Rank to 149—bottom 40% of sectors. While the industry outperformed the broader Consumer Discretionary sector with a 24.4%...
Govt Doubles Down on Wheat Exports, Clears Extra 2.5 Million Tonnes
The Indian government approved an additional 2.5 million metric tonnes of wheat for export, raising the total wheat export quota to 5 million tonnes and wheat‑product quota to 1 million tonnes. The move follows a robust production outlook—120 million tonnes projected for 2025‑26 and...
Stock Market Concentration: Is It Dangerous and Should Investors Be Worried?
A new peer‑reviewed study of every UK‑listed security from 1975‑2024 finds that just 3.1% of companies created all real equity wealth, with the top ten firms accounting for nearly one‑third of the total. The pattern mirrors US data, where only...
Short Seller Targets AQR Backer over Tax-Loss Harvesting
Orso Partners has taken a short position against Affiliated Managers Group (AMG) after identifying more than $1 trillion invested in tax‑aware long‑short strategies managed by AQR Capital. AQR’s tax‑optimizing products have surged tenfold since 2024, now holding about $57 billion, and are...
Larry McMillan Stock Market Update Video 4/20/2026
Larry McMillan released a market update on April 20, 2026, outlining a volatile equity landscape driven by mixed earnings and a cautious Federal Reserve. He noted that inflation is easing, prompting the Fed to likely pause rate hikes, while the technology sector...
Estate Planning Lessons From Tony Hsieh's Contested $500M Will
Tony Hsieh, the Zappos founder, died in 2020 leaving an estimated $500 million estate with no documented will. In early 2025 a seven‑page document allegedly signed by Hsieh in Pakistan and witnessed by non‑existent individuals surfaced and is now before a...
Why Foreign Policy Is the Central Question of Brazil’s Next Election
Brazil’s October presidential race pits incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, turning the contest into a battle over foreign‑policy direction rather than a simple left‑right showdown. The outcome will determine whether Brazil controls the terms of access to...
The Advantages of Investment Trusts
Investment trusts have demonstrated strong long‑term wealth creation, with a 1999‑era portfolio turning a £1 stake into £7.42 (≈$9.5) today, equating to a 7.8% compound annual return. The article contrasts this success with the collapse of split‑capital trusts after the...
JSE SME Programme Drives Growth as BoTong Civils Reports 418% Revenue Jump
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange launched the fifth cohort of its SME Rise Enterprise Accelerator Programme, enrolling 12 high‑potential firms mainly in ICT and technology. BoTong Civils, a graduate of a previous cohort, reported a 418% revenue surge after the programme,...
Hormuz Traffic at Standstill After Iran Abruptly Ends Reopening
Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has stalled after a brief, confused reopening over the weekend collapsed when the U.S. Navy seized an Iranian cargo vessel near Jask. The seizure, the first of its kind during the U.S. blockade,...
#58800
The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) announced a consolidation of MARA Holdings, Inc. flex options, moving the 1MARA series to the standard MARA ticker. The change applies to the put series expiring on May 15, 2026 with a $7.5 strike and...
Military Wealth-Building Levers Financial Planners Should Know
Military households enjoy a suite of under‑used benefits—tax breaks, subsidized health care, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), VA‑backed mortgages, deployment savings programs, and education credits—that can accelerate wealth when applied deliberately. Financial planners who capture recurring discounts, use advance pay...
I Will Retire in My Early 50s. I Have $3.2 Million — only $200,000 Is in a Traditional IRA. Have...
A 45‑year‑old investor with $3.2 million in assets plans to retire by age 52. Their portfolio includes $506,000 in a Roth IRA, $197,000 in a rollover IRA, $36,000 in a Roth 401(k), and only $200,000 in a traditional IRA, with the...
Zephyr's Adjusted for Risk: Mike Khouw on Options for Income and Risk Management
In a Zephyr Adjusted for Risk podcast recorded from Lake Tahoe, market strategist Ryan Nauman interviews YieldMax ETFs strategist and CNBC contributor Mike Khouw about the surge in options‑based exchange‑traded funds. Khouw outlines YieldMax’s single‑stock call‑write approach, which aims to generate...
The World Wants Chinese Tech. China Is Determined to Keep It
Global companies are increasingly alarmed that China is tightening control over its most advanced technologies, shifting the narrative from fears of technology transfer to concerns about technology denial. A former Chinese trade official acknowledged the paradox, noting that while China...
Energy Chief Says Gas May Not Dip Below $3 Until Next Year
Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNN that U.S. gasoline prices are likely to stay at $3 per gallon or higher until next year, contradicting Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s forecast of sub‑$3 fuel by the summer. Wright said prices have probably...
The Hidden Factors that Shape Your Retirement Decades Before It Begins
The article emphasizes that retirement security is forged in a person’s 20s and 30s, when decisions about when to start investing and how to prioritize life milestones have lasting effects. Early contributions harness compounding interest, while directing funds away from...
Oil Prices Rise on Worries About Iran War
Oil prices jumped 3.8% on April 20, with Brent crude reaching $93.84 per barrel as U.S.-Iran tensions escalated following a U.S. seizure of an Iranian-flagged vessel. The rise pressured fuel‑intensive companies, sending cruise lines and airlines lower, while the broader...
FMC Chief: Ocean Carriers Knew War Could Increase Fuel Prices
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) rejected Maersk’s third request to waive the mandatory 30‑day waiting period for emergency fuel surcharges, citing insufficient justification. Maersk argued that the Iran‑Hormuz conflict drove VLSFO prices from $509 to $929 per metric ton between...
Softs Report 04/20/2026
The latest Price Futures Group morning softs report shows divergent moves across key soft commodities. Cotton futures climbed as dry, hot conditions persist across the U.S. cotton belt, while frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) slipped on speculative selling after the...
Do I Earn Too Much to Have an IRA?
The article explains that a single taxpayer earning $120,000 in 2025 exceeds the traditional IRA deduction phase‑out range of $79,000‑$89,000 if covered by an employer plan. If the taxpayer is not covered, there is no income limit and the contribution...
One Company Is Responsible for Half of S&P 500 Earnings Revisions Since Iran War’s Start
Micron Technology accounts for 51% of all earnings‑per‑share revisions in the S&P 500 since the Iran war began, according to Goldman Sachs. The semiconductor maker’s strong performance has driven half of the index’s earnings expectation growth. Analysts attribute the surge to...
Treasurys Hold Gains as Oil, Stocks Flash Mixed Signals
Oil prices jumped to their strongest level in four years as the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, sending crude markets into turmoil. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury yields edged higher, with the 5‑year, 10‑year and 30‑year benchmarks posting...
‘Hormuz Moment’ Could Herald Decline of US Dominance: Citic Securities Analysts
Citic Securities analysts argue that the ongoing Iranian blockades in the Strait of Hormuz signal a "Hormuz moment" that could erode U.S. strategic dominance, drawing a parallel to the United Kingdom’s 1950s "Suez moment." They note that the United States...
‘Some Stocks Have Risen, but Others Have Flopped’: I Will Soon Inherit My Parents’ $1.5 Million Estate. Do I Fire...
Quentin faces a $450,000 brokerage account that costs a 3% annual fee, eroding nearly half of its projected growth. The advice is to fire the broker, move the assets into low‑cost index funds, and adopt a balanced 60/30/10 stock‑bond‑cash allocation....
Africa’s Geopolitical Hand Is Stronger than Ever
Africa stands at a crossroads as the global order shifts from U.S. hegemony to a multipolar system. Its abundant natural resources, youthful population, and expanding markets give the continent unprecedented geopolitical clout. However, realizing this leverage depends on savvy leadership,...
BofA Raises Its Price Target on Hartford Insurance (HIG) to $138
Bank of America raised its price target for The Hartford Insurance Group (HIG) to $138, up from $136, while keeping a neutral rating. The adjustment reflects updated peer multiples and stronger Q4 insurance results. On the same day, Hartford announced...
RBC Capital Maintains Outperform Rating on Adobe (ADBE)
RBC Capital lowered its price target for Adobe Inc. to $350 from $400 while maintaining an Outperform rating ahead of the Adobe Summit. The firm highlighted the company’s focus on its ecosystem and the need for a re‑acceleration in annual...
Mizuho Downgrades PayPal (PYPL) to Neutral
Mizuho downgraded PayPal (PYPL) to Neutral on April 15, cutting its price target to $50 from $60, citing rising competition and fundamental headwinds. The broker highlighted substitution risk from X in peer‑to‑peer payments and digital‑wallet entry points, as well as long‑term...
Should You Buy Meta Platforms (META) Before Earnings?
Meta Platforms is leveraging AI through its Advantage+ ad platform and custom MTIA silicon to drive higher advertiser returns and lower compute costs. The company projects 2026 revenue of $53.5‑$56.5 billion, topping analyst forecasts, while advertising revenue hit $196 billion in 2025,...