Pelican Press

Buffett may have resumed selling Bank of America shares again Buffett may have resumed selling Bank of America shares again Bank of America has lagged its peers since the lender’s stellar fourth-quarter earnings report, leading some analysts to speculate that Berkshire Hathaway , the biggest investor in the nation’s second-largest bank, has been quietly offloading shares again. Since its latest quarterly report on Jan. 16, Bank of America shares are little changed, compared to a 2% gain for the S & P 500 and a 4% advance for SPDR S & P Bank ETF (KBE) over the same span. The underperformance is even more notable since Bank of America posted results that topped expectations thanks to better-than-expected investment banking and interest income. Fourth-quarter profit more than doubled to $6.67 billion, or 82 cents per share, from a year earlier. Closely-watch net interest income rose 3% to $14.5 billion, topping estimates by about $170 million. BAC KBE 1M mountain Bank of America has lagged a leading bank ETF over the past month Two Wall Street analysts believe that the weak performance is due to continued selling pressure from Warren Buffett’s conglomerate. “Is Warren in the room with us now?” Truist Securities’ John McDonald asked in a note to clients. “Some investors are questioning whether part of the post-4Q underperformance is selling pressure from Berkshire Hathaway,” after large sales in the second half of 2024, he said. Reducing the stake Last year, Omaha-based Berkshire began a selling spree in what had once been its second-biggest stock holding behind Apple . Berkshire ultimately reduced its stake to below 10%, at which point it was no longer required to report what are known as “related transactions” in a timely manner. Wolfe Research’s Steven Chubak said the recent price action in BofA “strongly indicates” that Berkshire has continued to reduce its position. “While it’s still too soon to give the all clear, we sense investors are growing more comfortable handicapping this technical overhang, and would look to lean in gradually as we are confident the stock will inflect [and the ] valuation gap will narrow, but [are] less certain on timing,” Chubak said in a note. Investors will get a clearer picture when Berkshire releases its 13F filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Feb. 14, which will show its stock market holdings as of the end of 2024. Buffett’s widely-read annual letter to shareholders, to be released at the end of this month, might also reveal what the latest thinking is by the “Oracle of Omaha,” on the markets in general and Bank of America in particular. Chubak estimated that Berkshire’s next 13F could show a leaner position of about 7% at the end of 2024, and guesses the holding today might be closer to 5.5% or 6%. Buffett famously bought $5 billion of Bank of America preferred stock and warrants in 2011 to shore up confidence in the embattled lender in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis. He converted the warrants to common stock in 2017, making Berkshire the largest shareholder in the bank. Buffett then added 300 million more shares to his investment in 2018 and 2019. — CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed reporting. Source link #Buffett #resumed #selling #Bank #America #shares Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Emilia Pérez’ Director Jacques Audiard Includes Karla Sofía Gascón As One Of His “Beloved Actresses” In Medallion Speech – DGA Awards – Deadline ‘Emilia Pérez’ Director Jacques Audiard Includes Karla Sofía Gascón As One Of His “Beloved Actresses” In Medallion Speech – DGA Awards – Deadline ‘Emilia Pérez’ Director Jacques Audiard Includes Karla Sofía Gascón As One Of His “Beloved Actresses” In Medallion Speech – DGA Awards DeadlineWhat to Know About the Karla Sofía Gascón and ‘Emilia Pérez’ Controversies The New York TimesZoe Saldaña Is ‘Processing’ the Karla Sofía Gascón Fallout, but ‘I’m Allowing Myself to Still Experience Joy’ Amid ‘Emilia Pérez’ Oscar Campaign VarietyHow Emilia Pérez Is Being Removed from the ‘Emilia Pérez’ Oscar Campaign Hollywood Reporter‘Emilia Pérez’ Wins Best European Film At Spain’s Goya Awards; J.A. Bayona Says Attacks On Karla Sofía Gascón Must Ease Up Deadline Source link #Emilia #Pérez #Director #Jacques #Audiard #Includes #Karla #Sofía #Gascón #Beloved #Actresses #Medallion #Speech #DGA #Awards #Deadline Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The hardest video games of all time The hardest video games of all time We all come to video games for different reasons. Sometimes we want a chill game to relax to, others a fun co-op experience with a friend, but other times we’re looking for a challenge. Early on in the console generations, difficulty was the norm and it took a lot of trial, error, and skill to even see the end of most games. We still face hard bosses in modern games, but it usually isn’t the entire game that is punishing. There’s an expectation that most people will be able to beat most current and upcoming video games, but not all games are so kind. Whether it be due to bad controls, unfair mechanics, or simply because the developers wanted to make things unfair, these are the most difficult video games of all time. Before getting to the list, we are basing this list on the core game itself and not any extra challenges or going for secret endings. We also won’t be including games that are meant to be impossible or that feature user-generated content. Source link #hardest #video #games #time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The homes that run without mains electricity The homes that run without mains electricity Eimear Flanagan BBC News NI PAUL FAITH/AFP via Getty Images Margaret Gallagher, 83, has lived her whole life without electricity or running water The widespread power cuts caused by Storm Éowyn were a reminder of how dependent we have become on our electricity supply for everyday living. But there are a hardy few who already live their lives “off-grid”, getting by just fine without mains electricity or mains water. Among them is 83-year-old Margaret Gallagher, who still lives in the thatched cottage outside Belcoo in County Fermanagh, where she was born in 1942. Her 200-year-old home has no running water, no central heating, no fridge, nor any of the other mod cons most people would consider essential. The pensioner has survived many storms in Mullylusty Cottage, but admitted to being “absolutely petrified” by Éowyn. “I was afraid the roof would come in,” she told BBC News NI. “But when it was over I was the only one that could cope because I had a fire, I had water, I had light. “I had everything because I’m totally off the grid.” PAUL FAITH/AFP via Getty Images Margaret pictured cooking at her fireplace in July 2019 Margaret was 10 years old when her mother died and after that she became a carer for her disabled father until his death in 1980. Money was scarce and their home was never modernised. So since childhood, Margaret’s daily routine has involved fetching buckets of drinking water from a nearby well. The fireplace in her sitting room is her only source of heating, but she also uses that hearth to cook food in cast iron pots. In the evenings, she uses candles and paraffin lamps for light and keeps herself entertained with her battery-powered radio and her library of books. Margaret told BBC News NI she still makes daily trips to her spring well to fetch drinking water ‘I’m as warm as toast’ In the aftermath of Storm Éowyn, Margaret supplied her neighbours with fresh drinking water. She also provided a warm welcome to visitors who had no heat at home. “It’s great to have a fire and the kettle boiling when they come,” she said. “But I prepared well for it – I got in candles and I got in paraffin oil and I got in the all the groceries and I use long-life milk. “And I had logs and turf and firelighters.” Many householders found it difficult to sleep without power on these cold winter nights, but not Margaret. “I have two hot water bottles, I have one at my feet and one at my head,” she explained. She also piles on the layers, sleeping under four duvets. “I’m as warm as toast and I keep on the fire all night.” PAUL FAITH/AFP via Getty Images Margaret’s home, Mullylusty Cottage, was built in the 1820s and bought by her grandparents in 1887 Having never had the basic household services most of us take for granted, Margaret does not miss them. “Quality of life is more important than standards of living,” she said. “The house bears the footprints of my forefathers – the house to me is on hallowed ground.” Keeping Mullylusty Cottage in its original state has meant it is now considered a heritage site of “international interest”. A proud custodian of this listed historic building, Margaret said: “The house now is my sanctuary and I just love it.” ‘We could go without the mains completely’Michael Wilkinson The Wilkinson family live in a self-powered home that can be disconnected from the grid But is there an easier way to be self-sufficient? Michael Wilkinson lives with his wife and children in a house overlooking the Suir Valley in County Kilkenny. When they moved in six years ago, they faced rapidly rising energy bills and frequent power cuts which Michael said were “very frustrating”. In response, the 41-year-old mechanic spent the past two years building his own energy system to wean his home off its reliance on Ireland’s national grid. “We just kept adding and adding to it until we had enough that we could go without the mains completely,” Michael explained. His design includes 36 solar panels spread across his roof and around his garden. “We incorporated a wind turbine into the system and, again, I built the mast and everything for that myself,” he said. “The whole thing operates basically with solar as the priority, wind as a backup then, when there’s no sun and no wind, there’s the petrol generator”. Michael Wilkinson Some of the 36 panels in use around the Wilkinsons’ home which overlooks the Suir Valley ‘My bills have fallen by up to 80%’ He bought the generator solely for emergencies because the fuel is more expensive than using mains electricity. For that reason he uses a “change-over switch” which can either isolate or reconnect his home to the grid whenever necessary. His system not only protects their home from power outages – his electricity bills have plummeted. “You’re always going to have your connection charge anyway so you’ll never get a bill of zero, but it’s taken our bills down roughly about 75 to 80 per cent,” he said. “Most of the time we run completely off-grid. “It’s only as I say when you have those prolonged periods of no sun and no wind where we use a change-over switch”. Michael Wilkinson Michael Wilkinson built and installed his own wind turbine in his garden Their home is not connected to a mains water supply so they use self-generated power to pump water in from a well. They also use an open fireplace with a back boiler which heats their radiators and provides hot water for showers. The tech-savvy couple also document their DIY efforts on YouTube. “There’s very little difference between a modern off-grid life and what I suppose you’d call a normal on-grid life. “You’re just simply generating the power yourself,” Michael said. Michael Wilkinson Michael has installed a battery bank to store his self-generated energy for domestic use, rather than letting it all go back into the grid But all this equipment comes at a cost and Michael estimates they have spent about €6,000 (£5,030) over two years installing the system, excluding wiring. “We didn’t get out loans or do it through any line of credit, we basically just saved up a little bit every month, adding a bit more to the system as we go along.” The Wilkinsons also keep costs down by growing their own vegetables and keeping chickens for eggs and meat. But there are still some goods Mother Nature refuses to provide in an Irish climate. “It’s very difficult to grow your own bananas. You’ll always need to go to the supermarket for something,” Michael says. “There is a lot you can do but I don’t think it’s possible to be 100% self-sufficient without making some very hard sacrifices.” Source link #homes #run #mains #electricity Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

PSN is back: Sony apologises with PS Plus gift to players PSN is back: Sony apologises with PS Plus gift to players After nearly 24 hours of downtime, PS5’s PSN online service was restored on Saturday, and Sony has apologised with a free gift to players. “Network services have fully recovered from an operational issue,” the company wrote in a statement. “We apologize for the inconvenience and thank the community for their patience. All PlayStation Plus members will automatically receive an additional 5 days of service.” Reports of PSN going offline started appearing in the early hours of Saturday morning, and Sony reported the issue had been resolved at nearly midnight. There’s still no explanation for the PSN downtime, which left many players unable to access any online services, access their library of digital games, or pair new PS5 disc drives. Online outages are broadly fairly common, but one major issue arising from this PSN outage is the way that game licenses are handled on the platform, and players with digital copies of their games found that they were unable to play their games. While some digital titles will launch without internet access, PlayStation will then warn players that the game will close after 15 minutes due to being unable to verify the license for the game. PlayStation will reportedly hold a State of Play presentation soon. It’s expected to feature Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, due to a release trailer for the game being temporarily uploaded to the PlayStation Network early. Source link #PSN #Sony #apologises #gift #players Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

As Trump steamrolls Washington, courts flex their power to slow him down As Trump steamrolls Washington, courts flex their power to slow him down President Donald Trump’s “shock and awe” assertion of executive power has hit a wall in the courtroom — at least for now. At least nine federal judges — from Washington, D.C., to Washington state — have halted aspects of Trump’s early-term blitz, from his effort to rewrite the Constitution’s birthright citizenship guarantee to his sweeping effort to freeze federal spending to his plans to break and remake the federal workforce. That trend reached a crescendo Friday when U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols — a Trump appointee — blocked a plan by Trump and Elon Musk to put 2,200 USAID employees on leave, part of a rapid-fire effort to dismantle the foreign aid agency. Hours later, a federal judge in New York blocked Musk and his alliesfrom accessing sensitive Treasury records, citing a risk of improper disclosure or hacking. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, an Obama appointee, was the most sweeping of its kind so far. All the rulings so far are temporary: They prevent the policies from taking effect while the courts consider the legal challenges more fully. And looming over them all is the Supreme Court, which is almost certain to have the final say on Trump’s extraordinary assertions of executive power. Trump’s legal strategy revolves around finding a sympathetic audience there: The high court has a six-justice conservative supermajority, including three of Trump’s own appointees. But even if the wins for Trump’s adversaries are short-lived, they’re accomplishing one thing: slowing down Trump’s effort to project his administration as an unstoppable, invincible force able to steamroll any impediments to his assertion of power. As dozens of lawsuits challenging Trump’s early policies are rushing through several strategically chosen federal district courts around the country — and as a Republican-controlled Congress has shown little interest in clashing with the leader of their party — these courts have emerged as the only institutions with the power and the will to check Trump’s onslaught. In some cases, judges are voicing distress and even visceral fury as they stand in Trump’s way. “It has become ever more apparent that to our president, the rule of law is but an impediment to his policy goals,” said U.S. District Judge John Coughenour, a Seattle-based appointee of Ronald Reagan, as he blocked Trump’s birthright citizenship policy. “The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore.” Though Coughenour spoke most forcefully, he hasn’t been alone. He, Nichols, Engelmayer and at least six other federal judges appointed by presidents of both parties have disrupted major portions of Trump’s first-month agenda. U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan, a Joe Biden appointee in Washington, D.C., and U.S. District Judge John McConnell, a Barack Obama appointee in Rhode Island, blocked Trump’s effort to implement a blanket freeze on billions of dollars in federal spending. U.S. District Judge George O’ Toole, a Bill Clinton appointee in Massachusetts, halted a government-wide program encouraging thousands of federal workers to resign. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, a Clinton appointee in Washington, D.C., coaxed an agreement to block Treasury officials from sharing details of the government’s massive payment system — accessed by allies of Musk — with anyone outside the department. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, a Reagan appointee in Washington, D.C., blocked the implementation of Trump’s order to transfer transgender women inmates to men’s prisons. U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman, a Maryland-based Biden appointee, joined Coughenour in blocking Trump’s birthright citizenship order. U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, a Biden appointee in Washington, D.C., barred the Trump administration from disclosing the names of FBI agents who worked on Jan. 6 cases — without at least a two-day warning for the agents to come back to court. Coughenour’s stunning assessment of a sitting president was also a stark contrast to the GOP-led Congress’ gentle compliance with Trump’s efforts to dramatically expand the powers of his office. Moves that have rattled the federal workforce and raised fears of a sweeping retribution campaign against officials deemed disloyal to Trump — particularly in the FBI and Justice Department — have been largely met with shrugs from Republicans on Capitol Hill. Those congressional Republicans appear content to let Trump — backed by Musk, his roving “wood chipper” — steamroll the federal bureaucracy, purge independent watchdogs and dismantle federal agencies without much pushback. Democrats, mired in the ********* for the first time since 2018, have proven largely toothless in response, leaving their base frustrated. That has left the courts, which have been flooded by lawsuits from unions, nonprofits, state governments and other organizations affected by the White House’s torrent of policy moves, as the lone check on Trump. It’s possible that all of these early decisions will be short-lived. Trump is hopeful that the Supreme Court he helped tip sharply to the right will side with him on matters of executive power. In one landmark case, the court has already done just that: Last year, the court announced a sweeping doctrine of presidential immunity that helped Trump stave off federal criminal charges for subverting the 2020 election. None of the cases his orders have triggered has yet reached the appellate courts, let alone the Supreme Court. But as Trump’s Justice Department begins to file appeals challenging the growing list of injunctions, the cases could begin reaching the justices in the coming weeks. For now, the initial decisions to slow down the onslaught are having widespread effects, forcing federal agencies to disclose more details about their opaque plans for the workforce, establishing guidelines for the handling of sensitive government data that Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” has been gobbling up and raising sharp questions about Trump’s effort to impound swaths of government spending authorized by Congress. The legal counterattack doesn’t appear likely to end anytime soon. New lawsuits were filed Thursday and Friday, some taking on DOGE and others taking on Trump’s orders restricting medical care for transgender people and immigration tactics. Source link #Trump #steamrolls #Washington #courts #flex #power #slow Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

1 Unstoppable Cryptocurrency to Buy Before It Soars 3,800%, According to Cathie Wood 1 Unstoppable Cryptocurrency to Buy Before It Soars 3,800%, According to Cathie Wood Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has a market capitalization of about $1.9 trillion as of this writing. It represents more than half of the total value of all cryptocurrencies in circulation, which currently stands at $3.2 trillion. Cathie Wood is the founder of Ark Investment Management, which operates several investment funds focused on innovative technologies like cryptocurrencies, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and more. Ark issued a forecast in 2023 suggesting that Bitcoin could reach a price of $1.48 million by 2030, representing a potential gain of about 1,400%. However, Wood made an even ******* prediction last year, implying that Bitcoin could soar by 3,800% over the longer term. Bitcoin recently reached a record high of more than $109,000, although it has since retreated a bit. So, how realistic is Wood’s prediction? Image source: Getty Images. May 22 is officially known as Bitcoin Pizza Day, because it’s the date a Florida man paid for two pizzas using 10,000 Bitcoin in 2010. Those 10,000 coins were worth about $41 at the time, but today, they would be worth a whopping $1 billion. It was the first known real-world transaction using cryptocurrency, and many enthusiasts believed it could be the start of Bitcoin’s journey to replace fiat money one day. Bitcoin still hasn’t caught on as a currency among consumers, and just 7,040 businesses worldwide accept it as payment for goods and services. Instead, most Bitcoin demand actually comes from the investment community today. Bitcoin has a fixed supply of 21 million coins, which won’t be fully mined, or created, until the year 2140. It also uses a secure system of record called the blockchain, and it’s completely decentralized so it can’t be controlled by any person, company, or government. Those features are the reason investors view Bitcoin as a good store of value, kind of like a digital version of gold. That idea was somewhat legitimized last year, when the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved dozens of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These allow financial advisors and institutional investors to buy the cryptocurrency in a safe, regulated manner. However, it’s important to remember that investors buy Bitcoin in the hope that someone else will pay a higher price in the future, not because it produces anything tangible or worthwhile, so it’s still a highly speculative asset. As a result, people can legitimately make the argument that it has zero true value. But there’s no denying its incredible returns. It has soared by 42,320% during the past decade, crushing every other asset class, whether it be stocks, real estate, or gold. Story Continues Bitcoin Price data by YCharts. Ark points to eight potential reasons for Bitcoin to continue climbing. In my opinion, the following three make the most sense: Digital gold: Ark thinks that between 20% and 50% of the money investors normally allocate to gold could go into Bitcoin instead. Since it’s digital and easy to move compared to physical gold, this is a reasonable prediction. Institutional investment: This ties into the above point. Institutional investors who view Bitcoin as a store of value might be restricted from investing in cryptocurrencies directly, because they can be risky to hold (digital wallets are sometimes hacked). ETFs solve that problem, so they open Bitcoin up to an entirely new pool of investors. Nation state treasury: Most governments store billions of dollars’ worth of physical gold, and Ark thinks they will eventually hold some of their reserves in Bitcoin. President Donald Trump supports this idea for the U.S. government, which could result in a tsunami of new money flowing into the cryptocurrency. The other five catalysts don’t hold as much water, in my view. For example, Ark predicts that high-net-worth individuals will own Bitcoin because it’s harder to seize than cash and other assets, but we know the U.S. government has successfully confiscated billions of dollars’ worth of the cryptocurrency during the past few years. Bitcoin is trading at about $98,000 as of this writing, and Ark’s bull case calls for a price of $1.48 million by 2030. That implies a potential return of about 1,400%. However, during the Bitcoin Investor Day event in March 2024, Cathie Wood said if institutional investors allocate just 5% of their total assets under management to Bitcoin, that alone would warrant a price of $3.8 million eventually. She believes ETFs have laid the foundation for that outcome. Bitcoin would have a fully diluted market capitalization of $79.8 trillion at a price of $3.8 million per coin. That means Bitcoin would be almost 23 times ******* than the world’s most valuable company, Apple, which is currently worth about $3.5 trillion. It would also be more than twice as much as the annual output of the entire U.S. economy, which is about $29.7 trillion. Bitcoin ETFs are holding $117 billion worth of assets right now, which is a mere fraction of the cryptocurrency’s current market cap of $1.9 trillion. While that’s an impressive achievement, considering that ETFs have only been around for a year, it could take decades to generate enough inflows (at the current pace) to justify Wood’s forecast. In my opinion, a more achievable long-term price target for Bitcoin is $919,000. That translates to a fully diluted market cap of $19.3 trillion, which matches the current value of all the world’s mined gold reserves. It would still represent an incredible potential upside of about 840% for investors who buy Bitcoin today. Of course, since it’s merely a speculative asset, there is absolutely no guarantee Bitcoin will continue to rise in value at all. That’s something investors should keep in mind before taking a position. Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you’d have $336,677!* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $43,109!* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $546,804!* Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon. Learn more » *Stock Advisor returns as of February 3, 2025 Anthony Di Pizio has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple and Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 1 Unstoppable Cryptocurrency to Buy Before It Soars 3,800%, According to Cathie Wood was originally published by The Motley Fool Source link #Unstoppable #Cryptocurrency #Buy #Soars #Cathie #Wood Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

PlayStation Network is still down after more than 12 hours PlayStation Network is still down after more than 12 hours Last night, PlayStation Network went down across the globe — and it’s still not back online. The number of complaints about the outage peaked around 7 PM, with more than 14,000 users reporting issues at DownDetector. When the service first went offline, many players assumed it was temporary — perhaps overloaded servers on a Friday night — but you still can’t log on, and the outage has revealed more cracks in Sony’s network. Sony posted on X that the company was aware of the outage and suggested players check status.playstation.com for more information. Unfortunately, every single indicator from Account Management to PlayStation Direct is currently offline, and there isn’t an estimated resolution time in sight. We are aware some users might be currently experiencing issues with PSN. For more details: — Ask PlayStation (@AskPlayStation) February 8, 2025 Please enable Javascript to view this content What’s more, players are discovering that it’s impossible to pair a disc drive to the PlayStation 5 if PlayStation Network is down. That means that even offline games aren’t playable, and the console is nothing more than an expensive paperweight at the moment. Even physical games are bricked without PSN access if you need to pair a disc drive. This is why real physical media and disc drive access is vital.Welcome to the future – nobody owns anything, and all art and entertainment is disposable, temporary, and lost forever. — Ryan T. Brown (games industry guy) (@toadsanime.lostincult.co.***) 2025-02-08T11:01:29.298Z And if the drive is already paired, well — DRM protections can’t be bypassed because the console can’t connect to the Internet to verify ownership. The cause of the PlayStation Network outage isn’t known. For now, gamers are left in limbo and waiting on word from Sony about an update. Many players fear the cause is another hack similar to the one that took place in 2011 and took down PlayStation Network for an unprecedented 23 days. Following the breach, Sony offered free games as compensation for the down time and inconvenience. This current outage comes at one of the worst possible times — a Friday night, when millions of players are ready to spend their evenings tearing down the track or battling an alien infestation. It’s one of the longest outages in recent years so far, but with any luck, it will be resolved soon. Source link #PlayStation #Network #hours Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

DeepSeek’s AI breakthrough could get global investors interested in China again DeepSeek’s AI breakthrough could get global investors interested in China again DeepSeek’s rise is the catalyst that will prompt global investors to allocate more toward ******** stocks, even as economic worries persist, analysts predict. “Before the overarching talk was, China is uninvestible. … Now you definitely see people start thinking it probably helps to have China,” said Liqian Ren, leader of quantitative investment at WisdomTree. It’s a realization that “the macro environment can be still cool in China and you still see innovation,” Ren said, adding she expects progress in the next few years in ******** drug development and other areas. “DeepSeek is the tip of what’s likely to come.” The ******** AI startup released an open-source model in January that surprised many U.S. tech investors with the ability to share its thought process and claims to undercut OpenAI drastically on costs — despite U.S. export controls on advanced semiconductors. High-flying U.S. chip giant Nvidia plunged about 17% on Jan. 27 in its worst day since 2020 as global tech stocks dropped . The development “raises questions about the vast sums that are currently being invested in AI and whether it will turn out to be money well spent,” David Chao global market strategist, Asia Pacific, ex-Japan, at Invesco, said in a Feb. 3 note. “I expect the current high concentration in the US stock market to be a temporary phenomenon.” “I would just add that it favors an equally weighted approach to the US market, US small-mid caps over mega caps and ******** equities vs US equities,” he said. “******** equities, and especially ******** technology companies are priced at a steep discount compared to their American counterparts, and similar to the AI development gap narrowing, so too is the valuation gap.” DeepSeek shows how some ******** tech giants can build AI models comparable to U.S. ones, “which can be tactically bullish for MSCI China on the back of subdued valuation, light positioning, and recovering earnings cycle,” Louis Luo, head of multi-asset investment solutions, Greater China, abrdn, said in a Feb. 5 note. The MSCI China index includes Hong Kong and mainland-traded stocks. While DeepSeek is not publicly listed, investment analysts expect several ******** stocks can benefit from local AI development. “Kingdee and Kingsoft Office remain our top names to gain exposure to the AI themes,” Bernstein’s Boris Van and Ting Ming Neo said in a Feb. 5 report. They expect Hong Kong-listed software company Kingdee can benefit due to its large base of small and medium-sized businesses, strong product positioning and subscription model. “The stock is well positioned for a macro recovery should private enterprise budgets resume later in the year, presenting upside to current estimates, with the AI story largely not yet priced in today,” the Bernstein analysts said. They are more cautious in the near term about Shanghai-listed Kingsoft Office, operator of word-processing app WPS, due to uncertainty about how its enterprise AI business can succeed. “Long term AI winner but find the right entry point in 1H,” the analysts said. They rate both stocks outperform. Within China stocks likely to benefit from rising AI adoption, J.P. Morgan China equity strategists also like Kingdee more than Kingsoft Office. “DeepSeek’s low cost and quality AI data infrastructure should help raise the installation and revenue base for AI enabled software applications,” they said in a Feb. 3 note. The firm highlighted Kingdee as a preferred pick. They pointed out that while businesses have not spent much on software due to slow growth, government offices in China have been digitizing data and processes to improve efficiency. The J.P. Morgan China strategists also expect increased availability of AI applications to encourage consumers to buy new smartphones more frequently. Among the publicly-traded ******** players, they like Hong Kong-listed Xiaomi the best as they expect Lenovo will be more affected by tariffs. The team rates Xiaomi overweight. HSBC analysts on Feb. 6 raised their revenue estimates for Xiaomi partly on expectations of better smartphone and connected home appliance sales. They pointed out that Xiaomi has an in-house AI large model team and strategic cooperation with Kingsoft Cloud and AI startup MiniMax. “With the rise of low-cost models such as DeepSeek-R1 and the gradual maturity of AI computing infrastructures, we believe Xiaomi will benefit as one of the top global edge AI players,” the HSBC analysts said, referring to on-device AI. More interest outside the state sector ******** stocks still face U.S. tariff uncertainty, and questions remain about how quickly the world’s second-largest economy can grow this year without sufficient support. WisdomTree’s Ren cautioned that China investors might face “very painful” periods due to the barrage of headline-driven volatility. She added that new buyers are likely increasing their allocation from emerging markets rather than U.S. stocks. But there are other indications that the winds have shifted. Interest in China started to pick up after Beijing’s stimulus announcements in late September, Ren pointed out. What’s different now, she said, is that DeepSeek’s latest artificial intelligence breakthroughs are showing innovation coming out of China’s private, non-state owned sector. The WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund (CXSE) was up nearly 4% for the year as of Thursday’s close. In contrast, a Bosera ETF for tracking high yielding state-owned enterprise stocks was down more than 3.5% over that time. That’s after state-owned enterprises traded in mainland China outperformed non-state-owned ones for three straight years , according to Allianz Global Investors. — CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report. Source link #DeepSeeks #breakthrough #global #investors #interested #China Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WWE 2K25’s bloody new match type is its ‘Final Destination, no items’ mode WWE 2K25’s bloody new match type is its ‘Final Destination, no items’ mode As a professional wrestling simulator, the WWE 2K series is already a complete package. It doesn’t just offer a massive roster of wrestlers and arenas, but a long list of match types too. Ladder matches, TLC, backstage brawls — you name it, and it’s there. What more is there to add in a game that already has it all? WWE 2K25 has a few answers this year, including a new kind of battle: underground matches. During a recent hands-on preview, I gave the option for a spin in a series of hard-hitting matches. While it certainly isn’t a game-changer, it might just be the best new mode for casual players who want to make a complex battle system just a bit easier to pick up and play. The hook of underground matches is simple: The ring has no ropes. Players battle on a flat canvas that only has its corner turnbuckles in place. A few onlookers stand directly at ringside, though the match still happens in a normal arena full of fans. There are no pinfalls or submissions. Players only win by knockout after taking down their opponent’s health, similar to the way backstage brawls work. It makes WWE 2K feel more like a standard fighting game. While that’s just a slight rule change, it does create some fun moments that change the flow of battle. Fights feel more physical since they’re more about staying close to my opponent and slugging it out rather than running the ropes are climbing turnbuckles for high-flying spots. In one match, I pitted Ethan Page and The Rock against one another in a hard-hitting — and bloody — slugfest. It’s not quite a UFC fight, but it’s the closest the 2K series has ever come to reaching that tone. The lack of ropes opens the door for some fun spots. In one match, I controlled ***** Cargill through a Liv Morgan beatdown. The crowning moment of that clash came when I suplexed Liv directly off the apron and onto the crowd, who scattered out of the way. Moments like that make underground matches feel both physical and personal like backstage brawls, but without the cartoon gimmicks. This feels like the best mode for those who just want to experience WWE 2K in a casual setting. No one has to learn how to execute pinfalls, climb turnbuckles, bounce off ropes, or anything like that. It just requires players to understand how basic attacks and holds work. There’s more nuance to it, but one could focus on three buttons and still hold their own fairly well. It’s the series’ own version of “Final Destination, no items,” the Super Smash Bros. Melee ruleset that the pros swear by. That’s not a reason to buy WWE 2K25 on its own, but it’s part of a wider suite of updates that feels substantial. There are Bloodline Rules matches, intergender clashes, a new open-world mode, online play in MyGM, and so much more coming in this year’s entry. I imagine that underground matches will become the most substantial part of my multiplayer rotation, though. It’s the ideal way to beat up your buds. WWE 2K25 launches on March 14 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC if you buy one of its special editions. Those who opt for the standard edition will get access one week later on March 7. Source link #WWE #2K25s #bloody #match #type #Final #Destination #items #mode Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Sean Strickland: Dricus Du Plessis 'broke my nose in like six places' at UFC 312 – MMA Junkie Sean Strickland: Dricus Du Plessis 'broke my nose in like six places' at UFC 312 – MMA Junkie Sean Strickland: Dricus Du Plessis ‘broke my nose in like six places’ at UFC 312 MMA JunkieDu Plessis breaks Strickland’s nose in rematch rout ESPNOfficial Scorecards | UFC 312: Du Plessis vs Strickland 2 UFCUFC 312 Results: Bonus Winners, Highlights And Reactions ForbesUFC 312 results and highlights: Dricus du Plessis, Zhang Weili dominate to defend titles Yahoo Sports Source link #Sean #Strickland #Dricus #Plessis #039broke #nose #places039 #UFC #MMA #Junkie Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Top Wall Street analysts pick these 3 stocks for attractive dividends Top Wall Street analysts pick these 3 stocks for attractive dividends Talk around tariffs, the emergence of China’s DeepSeek and earnings of key companies have put the stock market on a roller-coaster ride. Investors seeking stable returns may consider adding dividend stocks to their portfolios. Given the vast universe of dividend-paying stocks, it can be difficult to select the right one. To this end, investors can benefit from tracking the stock picks of top Wall Street analysts, whose recommendations are based on in-depth analyses of a company’s financials and growth prospects. Here are three dividend-paying stocks, highlighted by Wall Street’s top pros on TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance. International Business Machines (IBM) This week’s first dividend stock is tech giant IBM (IBM). The company impressed investors with its market-beating fourth-quarter earnings. Notably, IBM’s Software segment’s performance reflected solid demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and the Red Hat Linux operating system. The company returned $1.5 billion to shareholders via dividends in the fourth quarter. IBM has a dividend yield of 2.6%. In reaction to the results, Evercore analyst Amit Daryanani raised the price target for IBM stock to $275 from $240 and reiterated a buy rating. The analyst highlighted that the Q4 revenue growth was driven by continued acceleration in IBM’s Software business growth, which helped offset the weakness in the Consulting and Infrastructure segments. “We think the print highlighted IBM’s unique position across both Software and Consulting segments that are starting to inflect higher with AI and potential M&A being incremental upside catalysts,” said Daryanani. The analyst noted that despite flattish trends in the fourth quarter, the company expects the Consulting segment’s performance to improve in 2025, driven by higher IT spending and the conversion of the $5 billion of AI signings to revenues. Daryanani further added that during the December quarter, IBM’s shareholder returns comprised only dividends and no share repurchases. He highlighted that the company is committed to a consistent and growing dividend. He expects IBM to allocate more capital to mergers and acquisitions rather than share repurchases. Daryanani ranks No. 244 among more than 9,300 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 61% of the time, delivering an average return of 14%. See IBM Stock Charts on TipRanks. Verizon The next dividend pick is telecom giant Verizon Communications (VZ). The company posted strong results for the fourth quarter of 2024 and achieved the best quarterly postpaid phone gross additions in five years. On Feb. 3, Verizon paid a quarterly dividend of just over 67 cents per share. VZ stock offers a dividend yield of 6.8%. Recently, Tigress Financial analyst Ivan Feinseth reiterated a buy rating on Verizon stock with a price target of $55. The analyst highlighted that a reacceleration in mobile and broadband subscriber growth is fueling the company’s revenue and cash flow. Feinseth thinks that Verizon will continue to gain from robust 5G adoption and increasing services revenue growth. He also thinks that the company is well-positioned to benefit from AI-led growth in mobile edge computing. The analyst noted that Verizon has a solid track record of developing and integrating AI enhancements across its network and is in the process of integrating several generative AI initiatives. “5G and margin expansion combined with AI-driven network optimization and operating efficiency expansion is driving a re-acceleration in Business Performance trends,” said Feinseth. The analyst also expects Verizon’s expansion into emerging technologies, like autonomous vehicle connectivity, smart city infrastructure and remote health-care solutions, to drive further growth. Moreover, Feinseth thinks that VZ’s above-average dividend yield makes it a compelling pick. He pointed out that the company has hiked its dividend every year for the past 18 years. Feinseth ranks No. 169 among more than 9,300 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been profitable 62% of the time, delivering an average return of 15%. See Verizon Insider Trading Activity on TipRanks. EPR Properties Another attractive dividend stock is EPR Properties (EPR), a real estate investment trust (REIT) that is focused on experiential properties such as movie theaters, amusement parks, eat-and-play centers and ski resorts. EPR offers a dividend yield of 7.2%. After the company hosted a multi-city non-deal road show, RBC Capital analyst Michael Carroll reiterated a buy rating on EPR stock with a price target of $50. The analyst stated that management “highlighted an attractive story supported by a healthy tenant base, recovering box office, and a pragmatic investment approach.” Carroll noted that consumers have been resilient following the Covid-19 pandemic and continue to give importance to experiences, thus benefiting EPR due to its focus on experiential properties. Also, management noted that the mid- to high-end customers, who are its tenants’ major clients, continue to be healthy and are visiting its properties. The analyst added that EPR expects to gain from a rebound in box office in 2025. The company expects 110-115 wide releases by studios in 2025 and more than 120 in 2026, compared to only 95 in 2024. Carroll is also bullish on EPR stock due to its lucrative dividend yield of more than 7%, which it expects to grow at the rate of 3% to 5% per year. At a multiple of an estimated 9.0-times forward adjusted funds from operations, the analyst finds EPR’s valuation attractive. Carroll ranks No. 886 among more than 9,300 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 61% of the time, delivering an average return of 7.5%. See EPR Properties Ownership Structure on TipRanks. Source link #Top #Wall #Street #analysts #pick #stocks #attractive #dividends Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

How Kendrick Lamar can attain Super Bowl halftime show immortality – Andscape How Kendrick Lamar can attain Super Bowl halftime show immortality – Andscape How Kendrick Lamar can attain Super Bowl halftime show immortality Andscape‘Not Like Us’ Reinvented Kendrick Lamar. Is the Super Bowl Ready for It? The New York TimesWho Could Perform with Kendrick Lamar During the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show? Ranking 10 Possible Guests PEOPLE’Not Like Us’ to ‘Humble’: How Kendrick Lamar’s music mirrors the NFL playoffs ESPNWho is performing at the Super Bowl? Here are some surprise guest theories The Providence Journal Source link #Kendrick #Lamar #attain #Super #Bowl #halftime #show #immortality #Andscape Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

DeepSeek’s AI breakthrough could get global investors interested in China again DeepSeek’s AI breakthrough could get global investors interested in China again DeepSeek’s rise is the catalyst that will prompt global investors to allocate more toward ******** stocks, even as economic worries persist, analysts predict. “Before the overarching talk was, China is uninvestible. … Now you definitely see people start thinking it probably helps to have China,” said Liqian Ren, leader of quantitative investment at WisdomTree. It’s a realization that “the macro environment can be still cool in China and you still see innovation,” Ren said, adding she expects progress in the next few years in ******** drug development and other areas. “DeepSeek is the tip of what’s likely to come.” The ******** AI startup released an open-source model in January that surprised many U.S. tech investors with the ability to share its thought process and claims to undercut OpenAI drastically on costs — despite U.S. export controls on advanced semiconductors. High-flying U.S. chip giant Nvidia plunged about 17% on Jan. 27 in its worst day since 2020 as global tech stocks dropped . The development “raises questions about the vast sums that are currently being invested in AI and whether it will turn out to be money well spent,” David Chao global market strategist, Asia Pacific, ex-Japan, at Invesco, said in a Feb. 3 note. “I expect the current high concentration in the US stock market to be a temporary phenomenon.” “I would just add that it favors an equally weighted approach to the US market, US small-mid caps over mega caps and ******** equities vs US equities,” he said. “******** equities, and especially ******** technology companies are priced at a steep discount compared to their American counterparts, and similar to the AI development gap narrowing, so too is the valuation gap.” DeepSeek shows how some ******** tech giants can build AI models comparable to U.S. ones, “which can be tactically bullish for MSCI China on the back of subdued valuation, light positioning, and recovering earnings cycle,” Louis Luo, head of multi-asset investment solutions, Greater China, abrdn, said in a Feb. 5 note. The MSCI China index includes Hong Kong and mainland-traded stocks. While DeepSeek is not publicly listed, investment analysts expect several ******** stocks can benefit from local AI development. “Kingdee and Kingsoft Office remain our top names to gain exposure to the AI themes,” Bernstein’s Boris Van and Ting Ming Neo said in a Feb. 5 report. They expect Hong Kong-listed software company Kingdee can benefit due to its large base of small and medium-sized businesses, strong product positioning and subscription model. “The stock is well positioned for a macro recovery should private enterprise budgets resume later in the year, presenting upside to current estimates, with the AI story largely not yet priced in today,” the Bernstein analysts said. They are more cautious in the near term about Shanghai-listed Kingsoft Office, operator of word-processing app WPS, due to uncertainty about how its enterprise AI business can succeed. “Long term AI winner but find the right entry point in 1H,” the analysts said. They rate both stocks outperform. Within China stocks likely to benefit from rising AI adoption, J.P. Morgan China equity strategists also like Kingdee more than Kingsoft Office. “DeepSeek’s low cost and quality AI data infrastructure should help raise the installation and revenue base for AI enabled software applications,” they said in a Feb. 3 note. The firm highlighted Kingdee as a preferred pick. They pointed out that while businesses have not spent much on software due to slow growth, government offices in China have been digitizing data and processes to improve efficiency. The J.P. Morgan China strategists also expect increased availability of AI applications to encourage consumers to buy new smartphones more frequently. Among the publicly-traded ******** players, they like Hong Kong-listed Xiaomi the best as they expect Lenovo will be more affected by tariffs. The team rates Xiaomi overweight. HSBC analysts on Feb. 6 raised their revenue estimates for Xiaomi partly on expectations of better smartphone and connected home appliance sales. They pointed out that Xiaomi has an in-house AI large model team and strategic cooperation with Kingsoft Cloud and AI startup MiniMax. “With the rise of low-cost models such as DeepSeek-R1 and the gradual maturity of AI computing infrastructures, we believe Xiaomi will benefit as one of the top global edge AI players,” the HSBC analysts said, referring to on-device AI. More interest outside the state sector ******** stocks still face U.S. tariff uncertainty, and questions remain about how quickly the world’s second-largest economy can grow this year without sufficient support. WisdomTree’s Ren cautioned that China investors might face “very painful” periods due to the barrage of headline-driven volatility. She added that new buyers are likely increasing their allocation from emerging markets rather than U.S. stocks. But there are other indications that the winds have shifted. Interest in China started to pick up after Beijing’s stimulus announcements in late September, Ren pointed out. What’s different now, she said, is that DeepSeek’s latest artificial intelligence breakthroughs are showing innovation coming out of China’s private, non-state owned sector. The WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund (CXSE) was up nearly 4% for the year as of Thursday’s close. In contrast, a Bosera ETF for tracking high yielding state-owned enterprise stocks was down more than 3.5% over that time. That’s after state-owned enterprises traded in mainland China outperformed non-state-owned ones for three straight years , according to Allianz Global Investors. — CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report. Source link #DeepSeeks #breakthrough #global #investors #interested #China Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lasers aid river search for debris from plane and helicopter collision near DC – POLITICO Lasers aid river search for debris from plane and helicopter collision near DC – POLITICO Lasers aid river search for debris from plane and helicopter collision near DC POLITICOBlack Hawk involved in collision that killed 67 people recovered from Potomac River YahooFairfax mourns aircraft ****** victims Fairfaxtimes.comAll major pieces of plane and helicopter in mid-air collision in Washington DC have been recovered, say ****** investigators Sky NewsWashington DC plane ****** disaster happened 10 days ago: What to know USA TODAY Source link #Lasers #aid #river #search #debris #plane #helicopter #collision #POLITICO Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sri Lanka hit by nationwide power cut Sri Lanka hit by nationwide power cut Sri Lanka has been hit by a nationwide power cut, with buildings including hospitals having to rely on generators to supply electricity. The outage, which began around 11:30 local time (06:00 GMT), is yet to be fully fixed. The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) said the power cut had been caused by an emergency at a sub-station and it was working to restore supply. Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody has reportedly blamed a monkey for causing the outage, saying the animal came into “contact with our grid transformer causing an imbalance in the system”, according to the AFP news agency. “Engineers are attending to it to try and restore the service as soon as possible,” the minister said. The CEB said “we are making every effort to restore the island-wide power failure as soon as possible”. Hospitals and businesses across the island nation of 22 million people have been using generators or inverters. Sri Lanka experienced widespread blackouts during its economic crisis in 2022. Source link #Sri #Lanka #hit #nationwide #power #cut Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Buffett may have resumed selling Bank of America shares again Buffett may have resumed selling Bank of America shares again Bank of America has lagged its peers since the lender’s stellar fourth-quarter earnings report, leading some analysts to speculate that Berkshire Hathaway , the biggest investor in the nation’s second-largest bank, has been quietly offloading shares again. Since its latest quarterly report on Jan. 16, Bank of America shares are little changed, compared to a 2% gain for the S & P 500 and a 4% advance for SPDR S & P Bank ETF (KBE) over the same span. The underperformance is even more notable since Bank of America posted results that topped expectations thanks to better-than-expected investment banking and interest income. Fourth-quarter profit more than doubled to $6.67 billion, or 82 cents per share, from a year earlier. Closely-watch net interest income rose 3% to $14.5 billion, topping estimates by about $170 million. BAC KBE 1M mountain Bank of America has lagged a leading bank ETF over the past month Two Wall Street analysts believe that the weak performance is due to continued selling pressure from Warren Buffett’s conglomerate. “Is Warren in the room with us now?” Truist Securities’ John McDonald asked in a note to clients. “Some investors are questioning whether part of the post-4Q underperformance is selling pressure from Berkshire Hathaway,” after large sales in the second half of 2024, he said. Reducing the stake Last year, Omaha-based Berkshire began a selling spree in what had once been its second-biggest stock holding behind Apple . Berkshire ultimately reduced its stake to below 10%, at which point it was no longer required to report what are known as “related transactions” in a timely manner. Wolfe Research’s Steven Chubak said the recent price action in BofA “strongly indicates” that Berkshire has continued to reduce its position. “While it’s still too soon to give the all clear, we sense investors are growing more comfortable handicapping this technical overhang, and would look to lean in gradually as we are confident the stock will inflect [and the ] valuation gap will narrow, but [are] less certain on timing,” Chubak said in a note. Investors will get a clearer picture when Berkshire releases its 13F filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Feb. 14, which will show its stock market holdings as of the end of 2024. Buffett’s widely-read annual letter to shareholders, to be released at the end of this month, might also reveal what the latest thinking is by the “Oracle of Omaha,” on the markets in general and Bank of America in particular. Chubak estimated that Berkshire’s next 13F could show a leaner position of about 7% at the end of 2024, and guesses the holding today might be closer to 5.5% or 6%. Buffett famously bought $5 billion of Bank of America preferred stock and warrants in 2011 to shore up confidence in the embattled lender in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis. He converted the warrants to common stock in 2017, making Berkshire the largest shareholder in the bank. Buffett then added 300 million more shares to his investment in 2018 and 2019. — CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed reporting. Source link #Buffett #resumed #selling #Bank #America #shares Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Three things investors are worried about right now Three things investors are worried about right now Between earnings, a new administration in the White House, and the Federal Reserve’s ongoing battle against inflation, there is a lot of news for investors to digest right now. But what are their biggest worries? According to a new survey from Investopedia, they are tariffs, inflation, and China. Investopedia editor in chief Caleb Silver says that the “wall of worry is super high and right at the top of the list is tariffs because of the uncertainty and tariffs mean relations with China are gonna be stretched a little bit.” He also adds that artificial intelligence and the rise of misinformation and deepfakes are also a concern. Investopedia also asked its readers what investments they think will do best under a Trump presidency. Those readers are sticking with stocks, but cryptocurrencies were the second choice. Watch the video above to hear what Investopedia’s readers want to buy now. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Asking for a Trend here. This post was written by Stephanie Mikulich. Source link #investors #worried Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tim Cook Confesses : Apple’s New Flagship Product Isn’t for Everyone – Production Is Over – Glass Almanac Tim Cook Confesses : Apple’s New Flagship Product Isn’t for Everyone – Production Is Over – Glass Almanac Tim Cook Confesses : Apple’s New Flagship Product Isn’t for Everyone – Production Is Over Glass AlmanacApple Vision Pro, One Year In: The Future Needs to Hurry Up CNETVision Pro: Here are three upgrades to expect from Apple this year 9to5MacMetaverse or Metaworse? How the Apple Vision Pro Stacks Up Against Predictions Trend MicroApple Vision Pro Work Feature Could Transform Productivity and Collaboration AppleMagazine Source link #Tim #Cook #Confesses #Apples #Flagship #Product #Isnt #Production #Glass #Almanac Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Horror video shows moment 22yo man allegedly attacked with metal pole Horror video shows moment 22yo man allegedly attacked with metal pole A video has revealed the moment a man allegedly struck a younger man in the head with a metal police after telling him to “stop the f***ing noise”. Source link #Horror #video #shows #moment #22yo #man #allegedly #attacked #metal #pole Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Defense stocks may be caught between Trump’s trade war and military spending plans Defense stocks may be caught between Trump’s trade war and military spending plans The second Donald Trump administration began with some aggressive moves by the U.S. president toward other world powers, but the impact of those actions on American defense companies is still up in the air. Trump’s unorthodox approach to diplomacy and a looming budget fight on Capitol Hill means defense contractors have a high degree of uncertainty around what’s next. The iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) rallied in the immediate aftermath of Trump’s victory, but the fund is little changed since Nov. 11. ITA 3M mountain Aerospace and defense stocks have not been able to build on their postelection rally. American defense contractors typically supply the U.S. armed forces, but they can also send their products to foreign militaries either through the U.S. military or directly with federal approval. Trump’s “America First” approach could theoretically lead to more spending for the U.S. military while lowering foreign military sales. “Right now, people are confused by a number of different crosscurrents. One of which could be a resolution somehow of the war in Ukraine — that has been anywhere from $25 [billion] to $50 billion in additional US spending on weapons to Ukraine,” said Roman Schweizer, a policy analyst at TD Cowen. U.S. government funding is also unclear, with a March 14 deadline for a potential shutdown getting closer. Some military projects could also fall under the scrutiny of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded by Elon Musk, who has been critical of Lockheed Martin ‘s F-35 fighter jet in the past. If the U.S. military budget does suffer some sort of shutdown-related disruption or targeted cuts, not all companies will be effected equally. Bank of America analyst Ronald Epstein highlighted Northrop Grumman in a Feb. 7 note as a relatively insulated company. “The U.S. administration change and DOGE has increased uncertainty across the market on government spending, program certainty, and the nature of government contracting,” Epstein said. “We see NOC insulated from the noise due to the company’s position on some of the most critical defense programs regarding national security, power projection, and next generation technologies.” Missile defense Of course, there could be a long-term spending benefits for the defense companies under a Republican administration. On Jan. 27, Trump issued an executive order titled ” The Iron Dome For America ” to explore upgrades to the U.S. missile defense system. Republican Senators Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota announced a bill to that effect on Thursday, calling for more than $18 billion in spending. While the exact shape of that program remains to be seen, it could be a boost for defense stocks. “I don’t think it’s necessarily going to be a standalone bill to fund the Iron Dome for America program. I think that’s going to sort of come together over a series of years, and it really just depends on how expansive that program is,” TD’s Schweizer said. William Blair analyst Louie DiPalma said in a Jan. 28 note to clients that any Iron Dome plan would likely benefit leading missile defense names, such as Lockheed Martin and RTX . DiPalma also said that Boeing ‘s Millennium Space business and AeroVironment’ s BlueHalo could be in play for contracts. Trade war concerns Trump’s threatened tariffs on allies like Canada and Europe could be another wrinkle for defense companies, even if their products are unaffected. “Trade wars and tariffs may have a negative impact on a country’s appetite to buy US weapons system,” said TD’s Schweizer. The scale and technology of U.S. weapons systems does make it hard for countries to shop elsewhere, outside of small contracts here and there, said Tony Bancroft, a portfolio manager at Gabelli. “When you buy a US weapons system, you get the logistics chain with it. Other countries don’t have the kind of volumes that we deal in,” Bancroft said. Foreign military sales also tend to be higher margin deals for defense contractors than domestic sales, he added. Top defense holdings in the Gabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETF (GCAD) as of Dec. 31 included L3Harris Technologies and Spirit AeroSystems . Source link #Defense #stocks #caught #Trumps #trade #war #military #spending #plans Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Super Bowl: how to watch Chiefs v Eagles – The Guardian Super Bowl: how to watch Chiefs v Eagles – The Guardian Super Bowl: how to watch Chiefs v Eagles The GuardianSuper Bowl picks, odds, scores for Chiefs vs. Eagles: Who do analysts predict will win on Sunday? NFL.comWhere you can watch the 2025 Super Bowl live today Yahoo SportsSuper Bowl LIX: When the game starts, where to watch, and who’s performing WLTX.comSuper Bowl 2025 expert picks, prop bets, odds, best bets, where to watch, live streaming, more CBS Sports Source link #Super #Bowl #watch #Chiefs #Eagles #Guardian Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Economic sovereignty’: PM calls on industry to back economic goals ‘Economic sovereignty’: PM calls on industry to back economic goals Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is attempting to woo decision makers for some of Australia’s biggest employers ahead of the federal election. Source link #Economic #sovereignty #calls #industry #economic #goals Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Latino workers working to overcome a technological divide brought on by automation and AI – The Associated Press Latino workers working to overcome a technological divide brought on by automation and AI – The Associated Press Latino workers working to overcome a technological divide brought on by automation and AI The Associated PressView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #Latino #workers #working #overcome #technological #divide #brought #automation #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Critical mineral tax breaks poised to pass as Anthony Albanese tells business he’s focused on growth Critical mineral tax breaks poised to pass as Anthony Albanese tells business he’s focused on growth The Greens are poised to back the Government’s tax breaks for new projects producing processed critical minerals in a Senate vote, cementing the $17.5 billion support in law before the election. Source link #Critical #mineral #tax #breaks #poised #pass #Anthony #Albanese #tells #business #hes #focused #growth Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]