Latest News
See the latest news and get GPT analysis of articles
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin rejects accusations Israel has committed genocide in Gaza 2024-04-09 16:20:00+00:00 - WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday said the U.S. has seen no evidence that Israel has committed genocide during its military operations against Hamas in Gaza. "We don’t have any evidence of genocide being created," Austin said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing focused on President Joe Biden's latest budget request. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin testifies Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Francis Chung / POLITICO via AP Asked by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., whether that means Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza, Austin said again, “We don’t have evidence of that.” The assertion comes during a critical point in the Israel-Hamas war, in which many countries, including the U.S., have been critical of the way the Israel Defense Forces are conducting military operations in the Gaza Strip. According to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 33,000 people have died during the conflict and more than 75,000 people have been injured. Earlier in the hearing, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., had asked the defense secretary if Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7 should be considered an act of genocide. “What we witnessed on Oct. 7, senator, was a horrific terrorist attack by Hamas,” Austin said, adding it “certainly is a war crime.” Israel has faced accusations for months that it has been committing genocide in Gaza. In January, the Israeli government defended itself against those allegations before the United Nations’ top court, the International Court of Justice, in a case brought by South Africa. Lawyers for that country argued Israel had violated the 1948 Genocide Convention — the first human rights treaty adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in the wake of the Holocaust. The court's judges ruled that there is a case to be heard regarding genocide, and while that legal process unfolds, they ordered Israel to take all measures to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians. The court, however, has no power to enforce its rulings. Austin's testimony Tuesday comes during a potential turning point in the war as the U.S. tries to influence Israel's strategy in Gaza in an effort to further minimize civilian casualties. Last week, Biden warned during a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. policy toward its longtime ally could shift if Israel didn't change course in Gaza. Hours later, Israel agreed to open additional aid routes to allow more humanitarian assistance to enter Gaza. The changes came after Israel killed a convoy of aid workers from World Central Kitchen in a military strike in Gaza early last week. On Sunday, Israel’s military announced it was withdrawing troops from southern Gaza, although it’s unclear whether the move represented a change in its offensive operations. U.S. officials have been pushing for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, but negotiations have not yet been successful. During the hearing Tuesday, Wicker had asked Austin whether Hamas would stop its aggression toward Israel if the country laid down its arms today. "I seriously doubt that," Austin said.
Biden’s Trade Moves Raise Tensions Abroad but Draw Cheers in Swing States 2024-04-09 16:19:16.404000+00:00 - President Biden has intensified efforts to shield American industries from foreign competition in an election year, as he courts blue-collar workers and attempts to avoid being outflanked on trade by his Republican rival, former President Donald J. Trump. The moves have strained Mr. Biden’s relationships with international allies and rivals alike, drawing charges of protectionism from diplomats and some economists, including top Chinese officials during Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen’s recent trip to Beijing. But the measures have cheered labor unions, environmental groups and other key members of Mr. Biden’s political support base, particularly in the swing states of the industrial Midwest. Mr. Biden and his administration have recently signaled they are preparing new tariffs and other measures to block cheap electric vehicles and other clean-energy imports from China. Those efforts, combined with new limits on American investment in China, restrictions on exports of advanced technology and subsidies for the U.S. semiconductor industry, fueled major tensions during Ms. Yellen’s visit.
F.A.A. Investigates Claims by Boeing Whistle-Blower About Flaws in 787 Dreamliner 2024-04-09 16:05:48+00:00 - The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating claims made by a Boeing engineer who says that sections of the fuselage of the 787 Dreamliner are improperly fastened together and could break apart mid-flight after thousands of trips. The engineer, Sam Salehpour, who worked on the plane, detailed his allegations in interviews with The New York Times and in documents sent to the F.A.A. A spokesman for the agency confirmed that it was investigating the allegations but declined to comment on them. Mr. Salehpour, whose résumé says he has worked at Boeing for more than a decade, said the problems stemmed from changes in how the enormous sections were fitted and fastened together in the assembly line. The plane’s fuselage comes in several pieces, all from different manufacturers, and they are not exactly the same shape where they fit together, he said. Boeing conceded those manufacturing changes were made, but a spokesman for the company, Paul Lewis, said there was “no impact on durability or safe longevity of the airframe.”
How realistic is Labour’s aspiration to cut tax gap by £5bn? 2024-04-09 15:55:00+00:00 - Each year His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs know how much tax they would collect if all individuals and companies paid what they owed. They also know how much they have actually collected. The difference between the two figures is known as the tax gap. In the last year for which data is available, 2021-22, the tax gap stood at £35.8bn, up £5bn on the previous year. The amount of tax owing also rose, from £642bn to £739bn, so in percentage terms the tax gap remained unchanged at 4.8%. That figure has fallen over the past two decades. When Tony Blair was prime minister in 2005 it stood at 7.5%, and it was 7% in 2013 when David Cameron was prime minister. The shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is promising a crackdown on the minority of tax dodgers who fail to pay what they owe. On Monday she announced plans to cut the tax gap by £5bn by the end of the next parliament, which Labour says it can achieve by investing £555m so HMRC can employ more staff and modernise its systems. But how realistic is that aspiration? A breakdown of HMRC’s figures suggests that more than half of the tax gap – 56% – is accounted for by small businesses and the self-employed. Criminals, large businesses and medium-sized businesses each account for 11%, wealthy individuals account for just 5% and all other individuals the remaining 6%. The accountant and tax expert Richard Murphy says: “Reeves could raise billions by closing the tax gap, but not by looking offshore to find it. The tax gap is in the cities, towns and villages of the UK where small businesses aren’t paying large amounts of what they owe. “If she wants to collect that money – and support honest business by doing so – then she needs to reopen the UK’s local tax offices and put VAT inspectors back on the road, checking that business really pay. Nothing else can work.” Murphy believes HMRC is under-estimating the size of the tax gap, which he says could be as high as £90bn. He thinks Labour should establish an independent office for tax responsibility to monitor delivery and ensure HMRC doesn’t “mark its own homework”. The FDA union, which represents senior civil servants, supports Labour’s plan, pointing to the success of previous investment in boosting compliance. The fall in the tax gap to under 5% was the result of HMRC’s efforts to recover unpaid tax through direct interventions with customers, it says. “This huge improvement coincided with large investments for HMRC up until the spring budget 2015. Post-2015, investments in HMRC have been significantly smaller. However, this focus on compliance investment has been accompanied by chronic underinvestment in the HMRC systems that help underpin voluntary compliance, the ease of filing a tax and the ability to quickly and easily resolve any queries.” But Nimesh Shah, chief executive of the tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg, says: “Labour’s claims of a tenfold return on investment in additional tax revenue seem incredibly ambitious at a time when HMRC are struggling to answer the phones.” Over the past three years, the government has announced extra money for HMRC to support compliance efforts, tackle the more serious cases of fraud and manage tax debts, Shah says. “The Labour party have said they will bolster HMRC compliance officers by 5,000, invest in digitisation and work with businesses and the tax profession to modernise HMRC, including greater use of AI,” he adds. “This all sounds very sensible, but HMRC’s customer service and standards are at an all-time low, with regular stories of shutting down phone lines and taxpayers not being able to access the right information. There is significant work to do for HMRC before we can start thinking about raising £5bn additional tax revenue.”
New research helps explain why lesbians report more orgasms than straight women 2024-04-09 15:50:00+00:00 - Research over the last decade has found that lesbians have more orgasms than straight women, but questions remained as to why. A new study published this month in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science found that these differences when it comes to pleasure could be in part due to sexual scripts — or what people expect to happen during sex based on what they’ve seen in movies, television or even pornography. Cisgender women’s expectations for those sexual scripts and for orgasms can vary based on the gender of their partner, the study found. Past research has found that men have more orgasms than women, creating what researchers call the orgasm gap. Previous studies have also found that lesbians have orgasms at rates similar to men, which shows that there’s “nothing inherently biological” about the orgasm gap, according to Grace Wetzel, one of the study’s authors and a psychology doctoral candidate at Rutgers University. Wetzel said she wanted to look into the “sexual context” missing from that research, or the other psychological and social factors affecting differences in orgasm rates. “We wanted to look into why that disparity between lesbian and heterosexual women exists so that we could get a better understanding of why the orgasm gap exists in general,” she said. Partner gender is connected to orgasm pursuit/frequency in that women expect different sexual scripts based on their partner's gender, rather than due to their sexuality. Getty Images Wetzel and two other researchers designed two online studies — one of heterosexual women and lesbians and another of bisexual women. The first study asked a mixed group of 476 heterosexual women and lesbians about the importance of orgasms and their expectations about climaxing during sex. It found that lesbians reported more clitoral stimulation in their sexual encounters, higher orgasm expectations, greater orgasm pursuit and having more orgasms than heterosexual women. However, orgasms were equally important to heterosexual women as they were to lesbians. In the second study of 482 bisexual participants, the researchers asked the women similar questions about their expectations of orgasms and how strongly they would pursue them in a hypothetical sexual encounter with either a man or a woman. That study found that bisexual women had the same orgasm pursuit and importance regardless of partner gender in the hypothetical scenario, but those partnered with women in those cases had higher expectations for clitoral stimulation and orgasms than those hypothetically partnered with men. This means that partner gender, through varying sexual scripts, is indirectly associated with greater orgasm pursuit, the study found. The average sexual script, or what people expect to happen during sex based on TV, culture and more, between a man and a woman, according to the study, includes foreplay, then vaginal intercourse, from which the man orgasms, and then sex ends. “This heterosexual script prioritizes the man’s orgasm, as intercourse alone is associated with the lowest orgasm frequency for women,” the study said. Women who have sex with women are more likely to engage in nonpenetrative acts and don’t adhere as much to any sexual script based on gender, researchers added. “What we should take away from this research is that when women are having sex with men, in general, they’re typically not experiencing enough clitoral stimulation to facilitate an equal opportunity for orgasm,” Wetzel said, adding that the findings should encourage heterosexual couples to improve communication during sex. Wetzel noted that the study shouldn’t lead couples to feel pressure, because other research has shown that such pressure will make orgasms less likely and less enjoyable. Rather, couples, regardless of sexuality and gender, could “work to make their sexual encounters more pleasurable in general by including those sex acts that are most likely to result in orgasm for their partner.” The study is limited in part by its correlational design, Wetzel said. As a result, the researchers don’t know all of the factors that affect the difference in orgasm frequency between lesbians and heterosexual women. Some of the other factors behind that difference could be that women feel more comfortable communicating with other women versus men about what they need to experience orgasm. That’s where the second study is helpful, she said, because the only variation between the hypothetical sexual encounters bisexual women were asked about was the gender of their partner. “That doesn’t mean there still can’t be other factors at play as well, but because of that experiment in the second study, we feel more confident saying that these sexual scripts are differing based on partner gender,” she said. Incia Rashid-Dawdy, a counselor with the Expansive Group, a therapy practice based in New York City and Chicago, said the study shows how people in heteronormative relationships have been socially conditioned to see orgasm through vaginal penetration as a “goal,” while people in queer relationships aren’t going into sex with the same gendered expectations. “When we’re talking about queer relationships, lesbian relationships, we’re talking about how, in order for them to be able to understand how to make each other feel good, they need to talk about it,” she said. “This is a reminder that there’s no one way to have sex.” For more from NBC Out, sign up for our weekly newsletter.
What Happened When a German Car Factory Went All Electric 2024-04-09 15:45:12.731000+00:00 - Zwickau, a city in Germany’s east, may not be as famous as Detroit, but its economy has revolved around internal combustion engines since August Horch established Audi here at the beginning of the 20th century. So when Volkswagen announced in 2018 that it would convert its Zwickau factory, the largest private employer in the area, to manufacture nothing but electric vehicles, it was a big deal. “A lot of people were skeptical,” said Michael Fuchs, who has worked at the factory for more than a quarter century. They wondered, “What’s going to happen?” he said. Volkswagen shut down assembly lines churning out its popular Golf hatchbacks and converted the factory, which has its own exit on the autobahn, to make six electric models. The remodeled plant can produce a car a minute, shipping them out by train.
4 Golden Crosses With Double-Digit Upside Ahead 2024-04-09 15:35:00+00:00 - Key Points Golden Crosses are important technical events that can lead to a significant upside in stock prices. Marketbeat.com tracks price action and lists Golden Crossovers as a service for investors and traders. These 4 stocks fired Golden Crossovers recently and have a double-digit upside ahead. 5 stocks we like better than Allot Communications Marketbeat's numerous tools for investors include screens and analyses of fundamental and technical factors. The tool we're looking at today is a technical screen for golden crosses. A golden cross is when a shorter-term EMA, such as a 30-day or 50-day average, crosses above a longer-term EMA. Longer-term EMAs could run from 100 to 300 days, but the crossover is what matters. Technical analysis assumes the shorter EMA represents activity by short-term oriented traders and the more extended activity by long-term oriented traders; when the short crosses over the long, it signals a convergence of markets that can lead to accelerated share price action. A convergence of markets is when one or more technical factors signal a buy, suggesting a high degree of commitment from the market. The higher the degree of commitment, the higher the price action can move. Get Allot Communications alerts: Sign Up Allot Communications, Ltd Is Pivoting Back to Growth Allot, Ltd NASDAQ: ALLT is a technology company focused on network security for enterprises and ISPs. Its stock price has fallen significantly over the last year as business contracted and analysts cut their price targets. The takeaway today is that a Golden Cross of the 30-day and 150-day EMA signals a bottom, and there is a high probability that the stock will enter a complete reversal within the next 12 months. The bottom and Golden Cross aligned with recent results, which were better than expected and provided favorable guidance. The guidance isn't robust but expects flat revenue and break-even conditions in 2024, and analysts are forecasting a return to growth by year-end. Marketbeat.com tracks three analysts with reports on Allot; they rate the stock as Moderate Buy and view it as undervalued, trading below the low end of their target range. Datasea Inc. is Growing at a Hyper-Pace Datasea NASDAQ: DTSS is a smaller 5G operator in China providing services to mobile operators, smart cities, and enterprise security. Its Golden Cross is driven by two recent news events that support the outlook for quadruple-digit growth and the potential for outperformance. The latest news was released in early March and helped confirm the technical price action. The company is guiding for 1100% revenue growth this year, and the market expects growth to continue in the next fiscal year. No analysts have rated this stock, but the institutional activity is noteworthy. Institutions, including insiders and large shareholders, own more than 80% of the stock and have been buying it recently. GSI Technology: An AI-Powered Golden Crossover GSI Technology NASDAQ: GSIT is a niche semiconductor manufacturer focused on memory solutions and computer vision applications for industrial, enterprise, and government use. The company's offerings are in demand, fueling growth with a chance for hypergrowth over the next few years. A recent announcement drove the Golden Cross. The company is entering a sale-leaseback arrangement for its Sunnyvale property, which will raise $11.85 million in capital. The capital raise will help the company sustain operations as it works to launch its Gemini-II product and maintain a fortress balance sheet. The company has no debt. IAC Is Turning a Corner IAC NASDAQ: IAC is an omnichannel media giant with brands like Ask.com and Angi (formerly Angie's List) in its portfolio. The stock recently fired a Golden Cross in tandem with Q4 results, which were weaker than expected but pointed to a shift in business. The company intends to return to growth and profitability this year and to produce a full year of profits in 2025. Analysts like the stock and have it ranked on Marketbeat's list of Top Rated Stocks. They have it pegged at Moderate Buy and view it as a deep value, trading below the low end of their target range. → He Is Giving Away Bitcoin (From Crypto Swap Profits) (Ad) Before you consider Allot Communications, you'll want to hear this. MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Allot Communications wasn't on the list. While Allot Communications currently has a "Moderate Buy" rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys. View The Five Stocks Here
Panama Papers: trial begins of 27 Mossack Fonseca employees 2024-04-09 15:19:00+00:00 - A criminal trial of 27 employees working for the law firm at the heart of the Panama Papers on money laundering charges has commenced in a Panamanian court. Eight years ago, leaked financial records from the law firm Mossack Fonseca sparked international outrage at the use of offshore companies by wealthy individuals to commit tax fraud and hide assets. In 2016, files from Mossack Fonseca were leaked to reporters at the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and shared with the US-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Reporters from more than 100 media organisations, including the Guardian, collaborated to investigate the 11.5m files. The firm’s founders, Jürgen Mossack and Ramón Fonseca Mora, are among those facing charges. They have previously denied any allegations against them, arguing that they had no control over the offshore companies that the firm set up for its clients. If convicted, they reportedly face up to 12 years in prison. According to the Associated Press, Mossack attended the hearing to declare his innocence, telling reporters outside the courtroom that he was “very optimistic”. A representative for Fonseca told the court that his client was in hospital. Battered by international criticism, Panama adopted new legislation modernising the country’s legal definition of money laundering in 2019. Aspects of the charges against the Mossack Fonseca employees concern activities predating the change in the law, which could complicate prosecutors’ attempts to convict them, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Panama’s supreme court previously ruled that creating shell companies used for tax fraud could not be considered a crime if the companies in question were created prior to 2019. Mossack and Fonseca were both acquitted of separate charges two years ago after a judge directed that the firm did not handle or attempt to hide money stolen from Brazil as part of a major corruption scandal involving the state oil company codenamed Lava Jato or the Car Wash. Offshore companies linked more than 100 politicians from around the world, including 12 national leaders, were discovered by journalists analysing the Panama Papers. They included $2bn in an offshore company belonging to the Russian cellist Sergei Roldugin, the friend of the President Vladimir Putin. Nawaz Sharif, then prime minister of Pakistan, and Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, prime minister of Iceland, were both forced from office amid public fury at hidden offshore wealth connected to their families. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Business Today Free daily newsletter Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning Enter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Sharif was disqualified from office and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by the Pakistani supreme court after reporters discovered undeclared real estate secretly owned by his family through offshore companies. Gunnlaugsson was forced to resign after it was revealed that he had never declared his family’s ownership of an offshore company with a $1m claim against one of Iceland’s failed banks. After publication of the Panama Papers investigation, countries around the world initiated proceedings to recover unpaid taxes that had been hidden using offshore companies. By 2021 more than $1.36bn in fines and penalties for unpaid taxes were said to have been recovered by exchequers around the world, including $253m recovered by HMRC in the UK.
The Sun loses £66m amid costs from phone-hacking scandal 2024-04-09 15:03:00+00:00 - The Sun lost £66m last year and its online audience dropped by 4 million readers as the newspaper continued to grapple with the fallout from the phone-hacking scandal. Total losses at the Murdoch-owned tabloid have now reached £515m over the past five years, amid declining print sales and the high cost of paying damages to victims of illegal information gathering. The Sun is still facing a number of lawsuits including one brought by Prince Harry in a case that is due to go to trial before the high court next year. The filings for the British arm of Murdoch’s News Corp empire also reveal that the group’s radio and television arm lost nearly £54m, mainly driven by the cost of running the rightwing news channel TalkTV, which announced last month it was going online-only amid low ratings. The channel has struggled to match its main rival GB News for ratings and its best-known presenter, Piers Morgan, said in February he would be leaving his nightly show to focus on his YouTube channel. The Sun’s UK online digital audience fell to 23.8 million unique users compared with 27.8 million in 2022 and its total print and digital reach fell to 27.2 million users compared with 30.7m the previous year. Cover price rises in the prior year helped News Group offset inflationary headwinds to combat newsprint rises and a difficult UK advertising market that has hit the sector. Phone-hacking litigation continues to be a drain, with the Sun’s parent company paying £51.6m in costs linked to the scandal, down from £128.3m the previous year. News UK will be reimbursed for the costs by Fox Corp in the US, as part of a deal agreed when News Corp split from Fox in 2013. However, there was more positive news for Times Media Ltd, owner of the Times and Sunday Times, which reported profit of just below £61m amid a rise in online subscribers seeking to read its paywalled articles. News UK has previously settled more than 1,300 phone-hacking claims since the Guardian exposed the phone-hacking scandal, which led to the closure of the News of the World in 2011. It has consistently denied unlawful information gathering took place at the Sun. The UK arm of Murdoch’s news empire has said it hopes to approach the “tail end of litigation” over the phone-hacking scandal, during which hundreds of celebrities brought cases against the company, which has paid out millions of pounds to settle claims from stars such as the actor Sienna Miller and the footballer Paul Gascoigne about the alleged activities of journalists. A high court judge has already ruled that Prince Harry could not bring his claim relating to phone hacking against News Group and has rejected his argument that there was a secret deal between the publisher and senior royals. But the judge ruled that Harry’s claim over other allegations, including use of private investigators, should go to a trial, due to take place in January 2025. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Business Today Free daily newsletter Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning Enter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Times Media reported pre-tax profit of £60.9m for the year, down from £73.2m in 2022 as it faced rising cost of newsprint and a challenging UK advertising market, but turnover rose to £385m from £373m. The two newspapers reported a total of 673,000 subscribers, up from 641,000 the previous year. Digital-only paid subscriptions jumped by 58,000 and represented 83% of the total. News Broadcasting, which includes the rightwing news channel TalkTV, reported losses for the year after taxation of £53.9m compared with £33.9m in 2022.
Internet Traffic Dipped as Viewers Took in the Eclipse 2024-04-09 14:42:25.890000+00:00 - As the moon blocked the view of the sun across parts of Mexico, the United States and Canada on Monday, the celestial event managed another magnificent feat: It got people offline. According to Cloudflare, a cloud-computing service used by about 20 percent of websites globally, internet traffic dipped along the path of totality as spellbound viewers took a break from their phones and computers to catch a glimpse of the real-life spectacle. The places with the most dramatic views saw the biggest dips in traffic compared with the previous week. In Vermont, Arkansas, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire and Ohio — states that were in the path of totality, meaning the moon completely blocked out the sun — internet traffic dropped by 40 percent to 60 percent around the time of the eclipse, Cloudflare said. States that had partial views also saw drops in internet activity, but to a much lesser extent. At 3:25 p.m. Eastern time, internet traffic in New York dropped by 29 percent compared with the previous week, Cloudflare found.
All-Aboard! Greenbrier Companies Breaks Out, New Highs Ahead 2024-04-09 14:30:00+00:00 - Key Points Greenbrier Companies' business is solid following the 2021-2022 supply chain log jams, and a return to growth is coming. Cash flow and capital returns are solid and will help sustain the rally in 2024. Analysts liked the Q2 results and are raising their price targets, leading the market. 5 stocks we like better than Greenbrier Companies It is an exciting time for Greenbrier Companies NYSE: GBX investors, although it isn't exactly an exciting company. The business manufactures, markets, services and leases railroad cars. The takeaway from the FQ2 results is that business is solid, and the outlook is firming: an outlook for sustained operational quality, a pivot back to growth and widening margins. What this means for investors is that the lightly-valued, 2.25% yielding stock is on track to continue rallying higher in 2024 and will likely set new long-term highs by year end. Get Greenbrier Companies alerts: Sign Up Greenbrier Companies Exceeds Expectations and Guides Higher Greenbrier Companies had a decent quarter in Q2 despite the YOY decline in business. The decline is primarily due to transportation market normalization following the supply chain hiccups of 2021 and 2023, and a revenue trough is forming. The $863 million in net revenue is 250bps better than expected, and the margin details are also solid. All operating segments were strong, with sequential growth in the primary manufacturing segment approaching 10%. The margin is good. The company experienced some contraction sequentially, but the margin expanded compared to last year, providing a slight earnings growth on the bottom line. The GAAP $1.03 is 13 cents better than the consensus reported by Marketbeat and two cents better than last year. New Orders, Backlog and guidance all support the outlook for continued sequential improvement and a pivot back to growth. New orders grew by 5,900 units and outpaced deliveries. The net increase in new orders increased the backlog, which stands at 29,200 units and is rising. The backlog is enough to sustain operations at current levels for nearly 18 months and plays into the guidance. The company raised its guidance for FY revenue and earnings to a range with a midpoint above the consensus, and guidance may be cautious due to underlying business momentum and the FOMC. The timing of FOMC rate cuts is questionable, but cuts are coming and will accelerate economic activity when they do. Until then, economic activity is resilient. Greenbrier's Capital Returns Are Safe for 2024 and 2025 Greenbrier offers a value-yield opportunity that income investors will like. The stock yields about 2.25%, trading at only 12.7x its earnings outlook, which is favorable. The yield is only 30% of earnings, with earnings forecast to grow this year and next. The balance sheet is healthy, bordering on fortress quality, with net debt running at 1x equity and 0.25x assets. The company's cash flow also allows for share repurchases, which have the average diluted count down by 3.7% at the end of the quarter. Because the company's balance sheet and cash flow are unencumbered and it increased the distribution last year, there is a chance GBX stock will raise the distribution again this year. If so, it will likely happen at the end of the current quarter when Q3 results are released. Analysts Lead GBX Stock to New Highs Analysts' sentiment in GBX stock is shifting for the better and leading the market higher. The post-release activity has the sentiment up to Hold from Reduce and the price target rising. The consensus lags behind the market but is up 25% in 30 days, with the freshest targets ranging from $60 to $65. A move to $60 is worth more than 1000bps and puts the stock at a five-year high, on track for a fresh decade high. The insiders are a risk, as they own about 2.55% of the company and are selling into the rally. They are unlikely to cap gains indefinitely but may cause volatility as the market advances. Institutional activity offsets the insiders' buying and has their ownership on the rise. Institutions own nearly 96% of the stock and are unlikely sellers because of the outlook for operations, cash flow and capital returns. Before you consider Greenbrier Companies, you'll want to hear this. MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Greenbrier Companies wasn't on the list. While Greenbrier Companies currently has a "Hold" rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys. View The Five Stocks Here
3 High Dividend Socks to Replace Lower Savings Yields Ahead 2024-04-09 13:15:00+00:00 - Key Points Lower interest rates ahead could cause savings yields to fall as a result, making dividend stocks more attractive. Three names stand out as they operate in financially stable industries, making their high yields affordable. Each counting with different fundamental tailwinds, analysts think that they could be a potential addition to income portfolios. 5 stocks we like better than D.R. Horton Most people have not—and likely will not—realize one of the biggest side effects of the potential interest rate cuts being proposed by the Federal Reserve (the Fed). A cut in interest rates could help stimulate consumer activity, as U.S. consumer sentiment recently reached a 2021 high. However, it can also hurt those who choose not to consume. The average savings yield has lowered for the first time since 2021. As bank stocks, particularly commercial ones like Bank of America Co. NYSE: BAC and Citigroup Inc. NYSE: C, get ready for the increasing chance of lower rates ahead, yields on savings accounts have begun to reflect this expectation. Get D.R. Horton alerts: Sign Up Now more than ever, average portfolios could use a bump in their dividend income components. For this reason, stocks like Medical Properties Trust Inc. NYSE: MPW, NextEra Energy Partners NYSE: NEP, and even Whirlpool Co. NYSE: WHR may come to be the top picks for those who are already seeing warnings in their mail from their banks. Are Dividends Safe to Start With? The main risk of buying dividend stocks comes from the dividends themselves. Some companies may artificially (through creative accounting) make it look like the dividends are as safe as can be when, in reality, they are hanging by a thread. Investors can understand this reality with enough common sense, starting with something as simple as analyzing the industries behind each stock. If the underlying industry is facing potential slowdowns or there is a specific problem at the company, then dividends sort of defeat the purpose. Payments Are Likely to Keep Coming for Medical Properties Trust Operating in the medical sector, Medical Properties Trust is part of a real estate investment trust (REIT) network. These structures are required, by law, to pay investors up to 90% of all rental income collected on the properties held, passing the first safety check. Whether the economy is booming or busting, the healthcare sector will always be there to pump out profits. This fundamental reality made Wall Street analysts assign a consensus price target of $5.6 a share, calling for up to 37% upside from where the stock trades today. Over the past quarter, real estate stocks in the Vanguard Real Estate ETF NYSEARCA: VNQ underperformed both the Healthcare Select Sector SPDR Fund NYSEARCA: XLV and the broader S&P 500 by as much as 13%. Because this REIT is exposed to both the real estate and healthcare sectors, it gives investors a potentially double opportunity to catch up to the overall market’s return. Medical Properties Trust trades at only 38% of its 52-week high, and its valuations are ridiculous. On a price-to-book (P/B) basis, the stock’s 0.3x valuation reflects an 87% discount to the REIT industry’s 2.3x valuation. At these valuations, and counting with both real estate and healthcare stability, the stock’s 14.7% dividend yield becomes an unmissable consideration for investors of all kinds. NextEra’s Clean Energy for Rising Oil Oil prices broke to $90 a barrel last week, a level not seen since October 2023. Analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. NYSE: GS think that prices could go as high as $100 a barrel this year, and tightening supply could make this a reality. More expensive oil always makes investors look for alternative energy sources, often found in the classic renewable places like wind and solar. With oil rising and savings yields dwindling, more money could be after NextEra’s proposal. Paying a 12% dividend is only the start because this stock calls for up to 58% upside from where it trades today. Wall Street analysts think this one could go as high as $46.4 a share, and at 46% of its 52-week high, the dip becomes irresistible for others. Those at Goldman Sachs saw it fit to boost their position in the stock by 61.1% in the past quarter. Considering Goldman’s net position of $13.3 million, this boost shows a net purchase of roughly $8.1 million. Spread against the energy sector, NextEra’s P/B valuation of only 0.2x shows a discount of 94% to the industry’s 3.6x valuation today. Whirlpool’s Construction Front With Warren Buffett betting on construction stocks like D.R. Horton Inc. NYSE: DHI and others, the expectations for a construction boom are set. U.S. building permits started to rise again, and with the prospect of lower rates making mortgages more affordable, a bunch of new homes could be hitting the market in the next quarter. Every home typically comes with essential appliances, most of which are provided by Whirlpool and similar names. This is why the Vanguard Group chose to be the largest shareholder in the stock, controlling nearly 12% of the company. Based on these real estate trends, management feels comfortable paying investors a 6% annual dividend yield, adding Whirlpool to the list of stocks that beat inflation and government bonds. Analysts at Loop Capital think the stock could go as high as $140 a share, an objective for almost 21% upside from today’s price. Before you consider D.R. Horton, you'll want to hear this. MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and D.R. Horton wasn't on the list. While D.R. Horton currently has a "Moderate Buy" rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys. View The Five Stocks Here
2 Furniture Stock Stocks to Sit on for Interest Rate Cuts 2024-04-09 12:00:00+00:00 - Key Points If the Fed cuts interest rates in 2024, as forecasted, the impact could trigger a bump in furniture sales, and two furniture companies are poised to benefit. Hagerty Furniture's sales have returned to pre-COVID levels, and its CEO believes the bottom for the housing market and furniture sales is in. La-Z-Boy remains optimistic about housing demand recovering with interest rate cuts, which would drive a rebound in furniture sales. 5 stocks we like better than Haverty Furniture Companies The housing market is in a quandary due to a shortage of supply, which keeps prices elevated, and high interest rates, which soften demand. Many homeowners are simply opting to keep their homes as selling them would still expose them to high mortgage rates on their next home purchase. This has put homeownership out of reach for many, driving up rental costs. Furniture sales often increase during a slowdown in home buying as homeowners seek to enhance their properties' value through remodeling and home improvement projects, but high interest rates make it more expensive to finance purchases, thereby dampening consumer demand. But if interest rates are cut in 2024, as forecasted, the impact could trigger a bump up for furniture purchases. Here are two furniture stocks in the consumer discretionary sector to consider in advance of interest rate cuts. Get HVT alerts: Sign Up Haverty Furniture Founded in 1885, Haverty Furniture Cos. NYSE: HVT offers a wide range of high-quality and stylishly crafted furniture catering to the middle and upper classes. The company has been conservative with its brick-and-mortar stores -- after opening four stores and shuddering two in 2023, it has currently only 124 stores and plans to open 4 new stores in 2024-2025. Its stores range in size from 15,000 to 60,000 square feet, averaging around 35,000 squeeze feet. In an effort to simplify the decision-making process for its customers, Haverty curates collections to provide a cohesive and visually appealing selection of furniture and accessories that complement each other. Haverty also offers a 3D room planner tool and free design services with its in-house design experts. Treading Water Haverty reported Q4 2023 EPS of 90 cents, missing consensus estimates by 12 cents. Revenues slipped 23.9% YOY to $210.74 million missing consensus estimates by $24.86 million. CEO Insights Haverty CEO Clarence Smith reviewed yearly sales figures reflecting a 17.7% drop in annual sales from 2022 of $862 million, down $132 million. Current sales have returned to pre-COVID levels. The company exhibited solid expense control in Q4 2023,. generating higher gross margins and excellent inventory management. Average ticket-designed sale improvement and high-quality service drove pre-tax margins of 8.7%. Full-year pre-tax earnings were $72.7 million, down from $119.5 million in 2022. Furniture Sales Anchored in Home Sales While 2021 was a record-setting year, the industry was one-two punched -- first by consumer spending shifting to services like travel and entertainment, second by higher mortgage and interest rates, which impacted housing sales significantly. Historically, in the South, home sales have correlated to furniture sales, and low home sales have negatively impacted consumers' interest in buying furniture. The Bottom is In? Smith believes the bottom is in. “It is evident now that we've experienced a two-year pull forward of furniture and accessory sales due to COVID and now have experienced a two-year falloff in sales. Our teams have done a fine job in reducing our cost and reaction to weakening sales trends and adjusting across all areas of our business,” Smith said. Marketbeat tracks Haverty Furniture analyst recommendations and price targets, as well as the company's peer and competitors. HVT shares trade at 12.9X forward earnings. Daily Descending Triangle Pattern The daily candlestick chart on HVT illustrates a descending triangle pattern. The descending trendline formed at the $36.72 swing high on Feb. 15, 2024. The flat-bottom lower trendline tested multiple times at $31.04. HVT is getting close to the apex point where a breakout through the falling upper trendline or breakdown through the flat lower trendline will occur. The daily relative strength index (RSI) is flat at the 43-band. Pullback support levels are at $31.04, $29.34, $27.31 and $25.74. La-Z-Boy Founded in 1927, La-Z-Boy Inc. NYSE: LZB is an upholstered furniture company best known worldwide for its iconic and patented super comfortable recliners. They also manufacture sofas, chairs and sleeper sofas. The company has grown its supply chain to include 12 distribution centers in the United States and four in Mexico. The company has 349 La-Z-Boy furniture galleries, half of which are franchised, as well as 522 independently-owned Comfort Studio stores. Challenged Retail Consumer Environment It's no surprise that the slowdown in home sales also impacted La-Z-Boy. It reported fiscal Q3 2024 EPS of 67 cents, missing analyst estimates of 72 cents by five cents. Revenues slipped 12.6% YOY to $500.4 million, falling shy of the $523.09 million consensus estimates. Gross margin expanded on GAAP and non-GAAP basis across all segments. The company acquired six independent La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries, with two more store acquisitions planned in fiscal Q4 2024. Written same-store sales for La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries fell 6% YOY with company-owned stores down 8% in a challenged consumer environment, partly due to winter weather events. Lowered Guidance La-Z-Boy issued lowered guidance with fiscal Q4 2024 revenues of $505 million to $535 million versus $544.39 million consensus estimates. Non-GAAP operating margins are expected to be in the range of 7% to 8%. La-Z-Boy CEO Melinda Whittington said that despite the sustained industry slowdown, La-Z-Boy is doing well. “We remain optimistic about the mid-to-long-term growth potential for our industry, given structural housing shortages and the expectation of improvements in interest rates and housing affordability, and our ability to disproportionately grow with the consumer," Whittington said. Daily Symmetrical Triangle LZB illustrates a daily symmetrical triangle pattern on its candlestick chart. The descending trendline formed at $39.66 on Feb. 12, 2024. The ascending lower trendline formed at $33.71 on Jan. 18, 2024. LZB has fallen under the lower trendline but is still hovering around the $35.75 support level as the daily RSI stalled around the 44-band. Pullback price support levels are at $33.71, $31.98, $30.00 and $27.62. Before you consider Haverty Furniture Companies, you'll want to hear this. MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Haverty Furniture Companies wasn't on the list. While Haverty Furniture Companies currently has a "Buy" rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys. View The Five Stocks Here
Wendy’s Stock Could Be Your Best Passive Income Stock 2024-04-09 11:45:00+00:00 - Key Points Wendy's stock could give investors precisely what their portfolios need this coming cycle. The stock offers a double-digit upside and bond-beating dividend yield. Set to grow its EPS above peers, Wendy's stock still sells at a discount to the industry. 5 stocks we like better than Wendy's After trading down to 78% of its 52-week high, a price not seen since 2022, Wendy's Co. NASDAQ: WEN has become one of the best passive income strategies for retail investors today. Favored by analysts and backed by bullish projections, this stock offers the potential upside found in consumer discretionary stocks. At the same time, Wendy's business model, which focuses on affordability and convenience, also gives it some of the characteristics found in consumer staples stocks. Get Wendy's alerts: Sign Up Part of the low-beta stocks group, Wendy's low volatility gives shareholders another leg of stability. As long as the timing and magnitude of the interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve remain a speculative bet, investors looking to combat stubborn inflation while still growing their investments at above-market rates may find a home in Wendy's stock. Why Wendy's Range Matters Over the past five years, Wendy's stock has struggled to trade outside its roughly $18 to $22 band, not giving traders more than a 22% range. The lack of big swings may give traders a headache, but this is the source of long-term investor interest. Low volatility in this stock could make for a predictable road ahead for shareholders. Some may even choose to sell short options, both puts and calls. Essentially, that strategy seeks to collect premium income on stocks like Wendy's, which aren't expected to move much. While the strategy behind making an income off of options premiums is more complicated, Wendy's potential for a passive income strategy doesn't stop there. Those who like to dollar-cost-average into a stable stock like Wendy's may find a slice of paradise. Buying a certain amount of stock at a defined interval (bi-weekly or monthly) allows dividend investors to create a snowball effect in Wendy's, as the company pays shareholders an annualized dividend yield of 5.4%. This yield addresses the stubborn inflation affecting the United States and comes above the "risk-free" one-year government bond yields. In other words, passive investors could buy — and keep buying — Wendy's stock and expect to collect a reliable paycheck without the swings of traditional stocks. Don't Be Fooled by Wendy's Size Having a $3.8 billion market capitalization has its perks. Wendy's is a direct competitor to more extensive – and more established – companies like McDonald's Co. NYSE: MCD, a stock that has grown to be a $203 billion behemoth. However, size doesn't always matter. The Wendy's brand is almost synonymous with McDonald's, one of the only differences being how easily investors can see their investment compound. Often, it can be easier to grow investment capital through a smaller company, as earnings per share (EPS) advances are more easily amplified, as is the case with Wendy's financials. Analysts think McDonald's EPS will grow by 9% this year, whereas Wendy’s projections push for a rate of 12%. Despite having better growth prospects, Wendy's still trades at a 40% discount to the eating & drinking places industry, as measured by its 18.8x P/E ratio versus its 31.5x average valuation. Wendy's is still 13% cheaper than McDonald's 21.5x P/E multiple. Investors who prefer the size and global presence found in McDonald's would see increases in both EPS and income. But McDonald's dividend yields less than half of Wendy's at 2.5%. McDonald's stock trades at 88% of its 52-week high, providing less upside room than Wendy's 77%. Moreover, Wendy's gives investors an underperformance gap of 18% against the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund NYSEARCA: XLY over the past 6 months. Wall Street Likes Wendy's Analyst price targets are set at a consensus of $22.6, reflecting a 22.3% upside from where Wendy's stock trades today. Seeing a double-digit upside could only be the beginning, as one of the biggest names on Wall Street, The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. NYSE: GS, saw some potential in the stock. As of March 2024, the investment bank added 21.5% to its stake in Wendy's over the past quarter. This boost reflects an allocation of roughly $2.3 million, right on time for the company's quarterly earnings announcement. In the last quarter, Wendy's reported 18.3% growth in its EPS, making the current 12% projection a potential understatement. Free cash flow (operating cash flow minus capital expenditures) grew by 28.7% over the year, allowing for more predictable dividend payouts for investors. One last reference for investors comes through share buybacks. Management stated that there is still $310 million available to repurchase shares this year, roughly 8% of the company's size. A buyback program this big could imply that management believes the stock to be cheap at these levels. → He Is Giving Away Bitcoin (From Crypto Swap Profits) (Ad) Before you consider Wendy's, you'll want to hear this. MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Wendy's wasn't on the list. While Wendy's currently has a "Hold" rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys. View The Five Stocks Here
Penny Stock Quantum-Si Incorporated Readies For Lift-Off 2024-04-09 11:14:00+00:00 - Key Points Quantum-Si is entering hyper-growth and is expected to sustain triple-digit growth through 2025. Analysts see substantial upside for the market, and the chart reflects the potential. The next visible catalyst is in May when the FQ1 results are released. 5 stocks we like better than Quantum-Si Penny stocks are a dime a dozen and come with as much risk because their businesses are unproven; Quantum-Si Incorporated NASDAQ: QSI is not a run-of-the-mill penny stock. Quantum-Si Incorporated manufactures, markets, and supports the Platinum protein sequencer. It doesn’t sound like much, but Platinum is a revolutionary new protein sequencer important for its size and cost. The device fits on a tabletop, costs less than traditional methods, and is expected to experience widespread demand. Get Quantum-Si alerts: Sign Up Quantum-Si logged $400,000 in revenue in Q4 2023 following the controlled launch of the product. The company is expected to enter full-launch mode by the end of the fiscal first quarter, which is underway now. In addition to the sequencing unit, the company provides software and materials that provide a recurring revenue stream from units in place. The company plans to drive a continuous upgrade cycle with new product launches and version updates that have already begun. The V2 sequencing kit is already being shipped to existing customers, and a V3 is expected soon. Analysts Lead This Market Higher; Catalysts are in Sight Marketbeat.com tracks three analysts with ratings on Quantu-Si. The consensus is a Hold, but the price targets suggest a deep-value opportunity. The lowest target on record is 7% above the current price action, and the consensus implies a 45% upside and is rising. The consensus target reported by Marketbeat.com is up 13% compared to last year and may continue to increase as the year progresses. Three international partners support the company’s global launch, which may lead to better-than-expected results. The company is projecting about $4 million in FY revenue for sequential growth of 300%, and analysts forecast hyper-growth will continue in 2025. The margin news is mixed and may hinder price action. The company produces an above-average 45% gross margin, but R&D, scaling, and operating costs result in losses. Losses are expected to continue in the foreseeable future, but that outlook may change. Revenue growth is expected to accelerate quickly for this healthcare devices company and could outpace guidance by a wide margin, providing unforeseen leverage for earnings. Insiders and Institutions are Buying Quantum-Si Quantum-Si insider activity is noteworthy for several reasons, including its history and recent volume. Marketbeat’s data shows no selling for many quarters, only buying, and the buying ramped up to a peak in Q1 2024 that is best described as a spike. Buyers include the CEO, CFO, and General Counsel, who purchased $142,000 in shares. Their activity has the insider holding up to 29%, a significant sign of confidence. Institutional activity is bullish. The institutions bought on balance for four consecutive quarters, including the to-date portion of Q2. They own about 40% of the stock, and ARK Investment Management is the largest holder. Ark owns about 12.5% of the stock, mostly held by the Genomic Revolution ETF. The Technical Outlook for Quantum-Si is Favorable to Higher Prices The price action in Quantum-Si is range-bound but shows solid support and upward bias. The market is trying to launch along with the Platinum device but has met resistance at the $2.00 and $2.25 levels. Those levels should be tested again soon and may be broken. The next visible catalyst is the earnings report due in May, but there may be news before then. $2.00 is an important pivot for the market. If the price moves above it, it will likely advance above $2.25 before peaking. $2.25 is the critical level; a move above there that is sustained and shows support could lead this market to double again quickly. Before you consider Quantum-Si, you'll want to hear this. MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Quantum-Si wasn't on the list. While Quantum-Si currently has a "Hold" rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys. View The Five Stocks Here
'They're Just Awful,' Dave Ramsey Snaps At Millennials And Gen Z Living With Their Parents — 'Can't Buy A House Because They Don't Work' 2024-04-09 06:00:00+00:00 - In an interview with Fox Business on April 3, personal finance icon Dave Ramsey addressed criticisms from millennials and Gen Z amid discussions on social media and recent coverage by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The WSJ piece highlighted a trend among people younger than 40, suggesting a significant portion believes Ramsey's financial advice does not align with their economic realities. This sentiment is echoed on platforms like TikTok, where the hashtag #daveramseywouldn'tapprove is being used to showcase decisions that deliberately counter his financial guidance. Don't Miss: The average American couple has saved this much money for retirement — How do you compare ? Can you guess how many Americans successfully retire with $1,000,000 saved? The percentage may shock you. During the conversation, co-host Dagen McDowell pointed to the growing trend of public dissent among younger generations toward Ramsey's teachings. Despite this, Ramsey emphasized the positive attributes of these generations, calling them "excellent generations." He lauded many millennials and Gen Zers for their diligence, financial savvy and adherence to principles of saving, investing and supporting the free enterprise system. Ramsey mentioned the young employees at Ramsey Solutions, describing them as hardworking people who exemplify the virtues of financial responsibility and independence. Ramsey also offered a critique of a segment of these younger cohorts. He expressed his frustration, saying, "Then there's a segment of them that just sucks. They're just awful. I mean, their participation trophy, they live in their mother's basement, and they can't figure out why they can't buy a house because they don't work, you know, stuff like that." These are the attitudes and work ethic he perceives as problematic among the younger generations. Trending: Breaking records, mortgage loans generated $12.25 trillion of household debt nationwide – What are the other major categories of debt? Story continues Despite facing backlash and skepticism on social media and in articles, Ramsey defended his 35-year record of providing financial advice. He acknowledged the role of social media in amplifying dissent but also recognized its capacity to spark meaningful conversations about personal finance. "I'm really good clickbait," he said. According to Bank of America Corp.'s annual Better Money Habits survey, 85% of Gen Zers identify at least one obstacle on their path to financial success, with the rising cost of living being the primary concern for 53% of these respondents. The data offers a window into the strategies that young people employ to navigate the financial challenges of today's economy. The financial challenges faced today span across generations — they're not confined to Gen Z and millennials. Rising living costs, inflation and job security concerns are universal issues affecting many people's ability to maintain financial stability. Recognizing that these struggles are widespread is the first step toward addressing them constructively. Seeking guidance from a financial adviser can be an essential move for anyone striving to improve their financial situation. These professionals offer personalized advice to help people navigate financial planning, budgeting, saving and investing. Read Next: Americans got swindled out of $24.6 billion in the last 3 years – here’s how millionaires protect their assets. For many first-time buyers, a house is about 3 to 5 times your household annual income – Are you making enough? "ACTIVE INVESTORS' SECRET WEAPON" Supercharge Your Stock Market Game with the #1 "news & everything else" trading tool: Benzinga Pro - Click here to start Your 14-Day Trial Now! Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article 'They're Just Awful,' Dave Ramsey Snaps At Millennials And Gen Z Living With Their Parents — 'Can't Buy A House Because They Don't Work' originally appeared on Benzinga.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
David Ellison's $2B Paramount Deal 2024-04-09 05:28:00+00:00 - Reuters Andi, the joint venture between DiDi Autonomous Driving and GAC Aion, will roll out a crossover electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) as its inaugural model and will produce the first batch in 2025, the company said in a statement on Sunday. "The joint venture has positioned us as a pioneer in the autonomous driving industry, enabling us to lead the creation of an early L4 commercial route and the world's initial closed-loop business model for L4 development that encompasses technology, smart manufacturing and operations," said Zhang Xiong, deputy general manager of GAC Aion.
Stock market today: Stocks go nowhere as Wall Street waits for inflation print 2024-04-09 04:13:00+00:00 - US stocks ended Monday's session little changed as investors kicked off a big week that will see a fresh inflation data test for rate-cut views and the start of first quarter earnings season. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI), the S&P 500 (^GSPC), and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) all closed near the flatline. A strong jobs report helped lift stocks on Friday but couldn't fend off weekly losses as doubts about the Federal Reserve's resolve for interest rate cuts preyed on minds. The yield on the 10-year Treasury (^TNX) stood at 4.42% following a bond sell-off last week. While the benchmark has pared gains, it is still within reach of the key 4.5% level seen by some as a potential tipping point for a run-up toward last year's highs. Other concerns added to the unsettled mood: divided views on policy from Fed speakers, growing noise around the coming US presidential election, and a spike in oil prices from escalating Middle East tensions that could fan inflation pressures. All that is sharpening focus on the release of the Consumer Price Index on Wednesday, a key input in the Fed's decision making and a clue to continuing resilience in the US economy. Investors will watch for signs that inflation returned to its downward trend in March after signs of stickiness in readings earlier this year. At the same time, the market is bracing for the new earnings season, with Delta Air Lines (DAL) setting the stage on Wednesday for big banks' results on Friday. Broadly, Wall Street expects the first quarter to set the tone for a robust year of earnings growth among S&P 500 companies, hopes boosted by the blowout March labor figures. Against that backdrop, gold rose above $2,350 an ounce to touch a fresh record. Meanwhile, oil reached for recent multi-month highs as the market assessed easing tensions in the Middle East. Brent crude futures (BZ=F) settled at $90.48 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate futures (CL=F) closed the session at $86.43.
Energy Transfer Files for Regulator Review in Pipeline Spat 2024-04-09 02:32:00+00:00 - (Bloomberg) -- Energy Transfer LP is asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to take a closer look at a Williams Cos Inc. pipeline project as a legal battle rages between the two companies. Most Read from Bloomberg Energy Transfer said in a FERC filing that Williams is constructing interstate transmission pipeline facilities in Texas and Louisiana without first seeking necessary approval. The filing also asks FERC to clarify how it applies tests to determine whether a facility needs a public-interest period and a review under the National Environmental Policy Act. Multiple developers are sparring with Energy Transfer, saying the pipeline heavyweight is blocking them from building new projects by not allowing them to cross over its existing conduits. Energy Transfer has said that the companies are asking for an unreasonable number of crossings and failing to go through proper regulatory review. “Every gas infrastructure developer should play by the same rules — whether that developer is Williams, Energy Transfer or anyone else,” Energy Transfer said in the filing. Read More: Energy Transfer Pipeline Spat Delays Louisiana Gas Project Energy Transfer owns a key stretch of lines across East Texas and Louisiana and is seeking to expand its Gulf Run system amid booming demand for gas along Louisiana’s coast, where the fuel is chilled to a liquid for export. Williams is investing resources in Louisiana to support increasing demand for low-cost, reliable and clean natural gas and liquefied natural gas, a spokesperson at Williams said in an emailed statement. The company’s Louisiana Energy Gateway project would add 1.8 billion cubic feet per day of capacity and is expected to be in service by the second half of 2025. Story continues “Energy Transfer’s FERC complaint is another step by Energy Transfer to stifle competition in Louisiana,” the statement read. “Williams looks forward to working with FERC on this matter.” (Adds Williams comment in final two paragraphs.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek ©2024 Bloomberg L.P.
These REITs Yield Up to 7.1% and Have Long Track Records of Dividend Growth 2024-04-09 02:13:00+00:00 - Real estate investment trusts (REITs) own, operate, or finance income-generating real estate. REITs allow individuals to invest in various types of real estate without having to directly own or manage the properties. REITs typically focus on a specific type of real estate, such as residential, commercial, or industrial, and they are required to distribute a large percentage of their taxable income to shareholders in the form of dividends, making them attractive for income-seeking investors. Let's take a look at two REITs with yields up to 7.1% that you could buy today. UDR UDR (NYSE:UDR) owns or has ownership interests in 60,336 apartment homes, including 359 homes under development, located across some of the most desirable markets in the United States, including Boston, Dallas, Denver, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. UDR currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.425 per share, equating to an annualized rate of $1.70, which gives its stock a yield of about 4.5% at the time of this writing. On top of being a high yielder, UDR is a dividend-growth superstar. It has raised its annual dividend payment for 14 consecutive years, and its 1.2% hike in February has it on track for 2024 to mark the 15th consecutive year with an increase. Don't Miss: Innovative Industrial Properties Innovative Industrial Properties Inc. (NYSE:IIPR) acquires, owns, and manages specialized properties leased to cannabis companies. Its portfolio currently consists of 108 properties across 19 U.S. states, including both industrial and retail properties, containing approximately 8.9 million square feet. Innovative Industrial Properties currently pays a quarterly dividend of $1.82 per share, equating to an annualized dividend of $7.28 per share, which gives its stock a yield of about 7.1% at the time of this writing. Story continues Like UDR, Innovative Industrial Properties is a dividend-growth star. It has raised its annual dividend payment each year since its initial public offering in 2016, putting it on track for 2024 to mark the 8th consecutive year with an increase. Read Next: Image Credit: Shutterstock "ACTIVE INVESTORS' SECRET WEAPON" Supercharge Your Stock Market Game with the #1 "news & everything else" trading tool: Benzinga Pro - Click here to start Your 14-Day Trial Now! Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article These REITs Yield Up to 7.1% and Have Long Track Records of Dividend Growth originally appeared on Benzinga.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.