Silver price surged by over 2.70% on Thursday, climbing near $60.00 as US Treasury yields retreated and the US Dollar dove by over 0.12%. At the time of writing, the XAG/USD trades at $59.94, after bouncing off daily lows of $57.59.
XAG/USD Price Forecast: Technical outlookThe downtrend remains intact, with the structure of lower highs and lower lows intact, even though the white metal has bounced off weekly lows below $58.00.
In the short term, momentum favours buyers, as indicated by the Relative Strength Index (RSI), but it remains below the 50-neutral level, suggesting a potential resumption of the downtrend.
If XAG/USD decisively clears the $60.00 figure, a move towards the July 6 swing high is on the cards. Once breached, buyers could challenge a downslope resistance trendline at around $64.70, before launching a strong attack on the confluence of the 50- and 200-day Simple Moving Averages (SMAs) at $70.25
On the flip side, and also the path of least resistance, if Silver drops below the current week’s low of 57.22, it paves the way to test the June 24 cycle low of $55.63. Below this level, the next area of interest would be the November 12, 2025, daily high turned support at $54.39.
XAG/USD Price Chart — Daily
Silver daily chart Silver FAQs Silver is a precious metal highly traded among investors. It has been historically used as a store of value and a medium of exchange. Although less popular than Gold, traders may turn to Silver to diversify their investment portfolio, for its intrinsic value or as a potential hedge during high-inflation periods. Investors can buy physical Silver, in coins or in bars, or trade it through vehicles such as Exchange Traded Funds, which track its price on international markets.
Silver prices can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can make Silver price escalate due to its safe-haven status, although to a lesser extent than Gold's. As a yieldless asset, Silver tends to rise with lower interest rates. Its moves also depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAG/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Silver at bay, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to propel prices up. Other factors such as investment demand, mining supply – Silver is much more abundant than Gold – and recycling rates can also affect prices.
Silver is widely used in industry, particularly in sectors such as electronics or solar energy, as it has one of the highest electric conductivity of all metals – more than Copper and Gold. A surge in demand can increase prices, while a decline tends to lower them. Dynamics in the US, Chinese and Indian economies can also contribute to price swings: for the US and particularly China, their big industrial sectors use Silver in various processes; in India, consumers’ demand for the precious metal for jewellery also plays a key role in setting prices.
Silver prices tend to follow Gold's moves. When Gold prices rise, Silver typically follows suit, as their status as safe-haven assets is similar. The Gold/Silver ratio, which shows the number of ounces of Silver needed to equal the value of one ounce of Gold, may help to determine the relative valuation between both metals. Some investors may consider a high ratio as an indicator that Silver is undervalued, or Gold is overvalued. On the contrary, a low ratio might suggest that Gold is undervalued relative to Silver.
Oklo (OKLO +4.42%) stock has fallen below $50 a share, continuing a downward slide that began in mid-October of 2025. Not that long ago, investors were paying four times today's price for a nuclear energy company whose vision hasn't fundamentally changed.
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The sharp sell-off naturally raises an important question: Is this a buying opportunity for long-term investors?
What has changed since Oklo peaked? To get at the question, let's look at what has actually changed for Oklo since it peaked at all-time highs. Frankly, the change has been overwhelmingly positive.
In October 2025, just as the stock was sliding, Oklo entered a strategic partnership with a European reactor developer, newcleo (get it?), to develop fuel fabrication and manufacturing infrastructure in the U.S. Since nuclear fuel could become a huge bottleneck for nuclear energy in the future, this partnership could give Oklo greater control over that most critical part of the nuclear supply chain.
It didn't advance Oklo any closer to commercializing its Aurora powerhouse -- and apparently didn't do anything for the stock -- but I'd still give the move an A- for strategy.
Image source: Oklo.
Then, at the start of 2026, Oklo announced a major deal with Meta (META +4.75%), probably one of its most momentous. In this deal, Oklo agreed to support Meta's 1.2 gigawatt (GW) power campus in Ohio, ultimately to power its data centers in the region. The agreement allows Meta to prepay for power, which could provide Oklo with funding to build Aurora powerhouses there.
Again, it's not guaranteed commercial revenue in the coffers, but it's one of the clearest signs yet that major tech companies are interested in its technology.
Lastly, the Department of Energy (DOE) recently approved the final safety analysis for Oklo's Grove Isotope Test Reactor in Texas. This approval puts the reactor in the last stages before it can begin start-up testing. Oklo is aiming to demonstrate criticality -- that is, achieve a self-sustaining chain reaction -- before the end of July 2026.
Is Oklo the buying opportunity of a lifetime? The three developments mentioned above are positive signs from pre-revenue Oklo that it's moving forward, even as its stock moves in the opposite direction. But do they constitute a big enough change to make Oklo a buy today?
One thing is for certain: None of these changes eliminate Oklo's most pressing challenges. It still needs regulatory approval to commercialize its reactors, and it still needs to prove that its technology works in real-world settings. It could take years before Oklo has successfully put these challenges behind it, if it ever does.
The stock carries a much more favorable valuation than it once did, though its $8 billion market cap is still pricey by traditional standards. I wouldn't call Oklo the buying opportunity of a lifetime, but at today's price, I think it's worthy of a small position for patient investors willing to think a decade ahead.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $FUBO--FuboTV Inc. (NYSE: FUBO) (“Fubo” or the “Company”) today announced that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) has appointed veteran media executive Alisa Bowen as chief executive officer of the Company, effective as of July 10. Bowen succeeds David Gandler. Bowen is a seasoned media executive with decades of experience in leadership roles at several prominent global media organizations in major markets spanning New York, Los Angeles, London and Sydney. She has held lea.
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Healthpeak Properties, Inc. (NYSE: DOC) ("Healthpeak"), a leading owner, operator, and developer of real estate for healthcare discovery and delivery, announced that on July 9, 2026, its Board of Directors declared a monthly common stock cash dividend of $0.10167 per share for the third quarter of 2026, payable on the payment dates set forth in the table below to stockholders of record as of the close of business on the corresponding record date in the table below. The.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of SailPoint, Inc. ("SailPoint" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: SAIL). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.
The investigation concerns whether SailPoint and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.
[Click here for information about joining the class action]
On June 9, 2026, SailPoint reported its financial results for the first quarter of its 2027 fiscal year. Although SailPoint reported adjusted EPS above consensus expectations and strong year-over-year revenue growth, management's outlook for future quarters was more cautious and warned that foreign-exchange headwinds would dampen annual recurring revenue growth.
On this news, SailPoint's stock price fell $2.03 per share, or 11.48%, to close at $15.66 per share on June 9, 2026.
Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / July 9, 2026 / Rio Grande Resources Ltd. (CSE:RGR)(OTCQB:RGRLF) ("Rio Grande" or "RIO" the "Company"), is pleased to announce that it has granted a total of 775,750 stock options (the "Options") and 776,795 restricted share units (the "RSUs"), collectively, (the "Awards"), to certain directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company pursuant to the Company's Long-Term Incentive Plan. The grants were approved by the Board of Directors on July 8, 2026. The Awards are intended to align the interests of management, directors, employees and consultants with those of shareholders while supporting the Company's long-term growth strategy.
The Options are exercisable at $0.235 subject to applicable the Canadian Securities Exchange and a have a term of five years. A portion of the Options and RSUs are subject to vesting provisions. All Awards are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day. All Awards are subject to the terms of the Company's Long-Term Incentive Plan and applicable securities law hold periods.
About Rio Grande Resources
Rio Grande Resources (CSE:RGR)(OTCQB:RGRLF) is a burgeoning mineral exploration company focused on unlocking the high-grade gold and silver potential within its 3,000-acre drill-ready property in the Black Range of Sierra County, New Mexico. The company holds 100% interest in the Winston project group, which includes the 2 patented historic Ivanhoe & Emporia Claims, and Little Granite mines, all known for their past production of high-grade precious metals. Rio Grande Resources is led by a team of experienced professionals with expertise in mineral exploration and development, who are targeting large-scale precious metal discoveries within the property's well-documented low-sulfidation epithermal setting.
To view the company fact sheet and corporate presentation, please visit our website at www.riogranderesources.ca
Contact and Information
Company
Jason Barnard, CEO and Director
(604) 767-6598 [email protected]
Follow us or contact us on social media
X: @RioGrandeRGR
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rio-grande-resources-ltd/
Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572800435230
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company are or may constitute "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws and including, without limitation, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, for which the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, the intended benefits of the equity grants. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect," "is expected," "anticipates" or "does not anticipate," "plans," "estimates" or "intends," or stating that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as forward-looking statements. The Company cautions that the identification of structural features or geophysical anomalies does not necessarily indicate the presence of economic mineralization, and there can be no assurance that the Company's geological interpretation or exploration objectives will result in a discovery. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the availability of capital to fund programs and the resulting dilution caused by the raising of capital through the sale of shares, continuity of agreements with third parties, the satisfaction of the conditions to the Arrangement, risks and uncertainties associated with the environment and delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Many of these factors are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and that could impact the Company and the statements contained in this news release can be found in the Company's filings on SEDAR+. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities. Please refer to the Company's most recent filings under its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca for further information respecting the risks affecting the Company and its business.
The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy hereof.
BICKFORD RANCH, Calif., July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:TOL), the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes, today announced its newest Sacramento-area community, Hillside at Bickford by Toll Brothers, is coming soon to Bickford Ranch in Placer County, California. Site work is underway at 4721 Eagle Ridge Court in Bickford Ranch, and the community is anticipated to open for sale later this summer 2026.
Located within the gated Bickford Ranch master-planned community, Hillside at Bickford by Toll Brothers will offer home shoppers the opportunity to own a luxury home in a serene natural setting with sweeping views from select home sites. This highly anticipated community will feature a collection of single-story and two-story home designs offering 4 to 5 bedrooms, 3.5 to 4.5 bathrooms, and 2- to 3-car garages. Homes will range from 2,543 to over 3,600 square feet and will be priced from the mid-$900,000s.
Alongside its neighboring Toll Brothers community, Ridgeline at Bickford, this exceptional community will offer a thoughtfully curated selection of home designs surrounded by the preserved beauty of native oak woodlands, rolling slopes, and scenic ridges. Residents will enjoy access to walking trails, parks, and open space, all seamlessly integrated into the community's picturesque landscape.
Hillside at Bickford by Toll Brothers is ideally situated in the southwestern portion of Placer County, between the established communities of Loomis, Lincoln, and Rocklin. The community offers convenient proximity to Interstate 80, providing easy access to Sacramento just 24 miles away. Residents will also enjoy nearby restaurants, golf courses, wineries, breweries, and upscale retail destinations such as Westfield Mall and The Fountains. For outdoor enthusiasts, Folsom Lake and Lake Tahoe are within easy reach, offering year-round recreational opportunities including boating, hiking, and skiing.
"Hillside at Bickford by Toll Brothers is designed for home shoppers seeking a blend of luxury, natural beauty, and convenience," said Scott Esping, Division President of Toll Brothers in Sacramento. "With thoughtfully designed homes, stunning views, and access to exceptional amenities, this community offers the best of luxury living in a great location."
Home shoppers will experience one-stop shopping at the Toll Brothers Design Studio. The state-of-the-art Design Studio allows home shoppers to choose from a wide array of selections to personalize their dream home with the assistance of Toll Brothers professional Design Consultants.
For more information on Hillside at Bickford by Toll Brothers and to join the interest list, call (844) 849-5263 or visit TollBrothers.com/CA.
About Toll Brothers
Toll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company, is the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes. The Company was founded in 1967 and became a public company in 1986 with common stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TOL.” Toll Brothers builds new homes and communities in over 60 markets across the United States, serving first-time, move-up, active-adult, and second-home buyers. The Company also operates its own architectural, engineering, mortgage, title, land development, smart home technology, landscape, and building components manufacturing businesses.
Toll Brothers was named the #1 Most Admired Home Builder in Fortune magazine’s 2026 list of the World’s Most Admired Companies®, the ninth year the Company has achieved this honor. Toll Brothers has also been named Builder of the Year by Builder magazine and is the first two-time recipient of Builder of the Year from Professional Builder magazine. For more information visit TollBrothers.com.
Meta publicly launched a new version of Muse Spark on Thursday, a multimodal AI model designed for agentic coding that aims to compete with similar products offered by OpenAI and Anthropic.
Spark 1.1, the first version of which was announced in April, can engage in multistep reasoning and handle complex processes, manage digital workflows, and deploy new features in enterprise systems, the company says.
Meta is a bit behind its competitors here; Anthropic and OpenAI have offered similar models for quite some time. But that doesn’t mean Meta’s entry into the market isn’t a threat.
An ongoing source of competitiveness within the AI industry remains the cost of usage, and Meta appears to be offering a competitive rate. Reuters reports that the company will charge $1.25 per million input tokens and $4.25 per million output tokens. That puts it in line with (albeit slightly above) Anthropic’s Claude Haiku 4.5 and OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 Luna.
Meta’s pitch to users is Spark’s ability to handle large agentic workloads, fix bugs, and help with large code migrations — the kind of automation that enterprises are increasingly turning to AI companies to provide.
“Muse Spark 1.1 delivers exceptional performance in personal agentic tasks that require planning and orchestration across a range of external apps and services,” the company wrote in a blog post.
Meta has released a handful of foundation AI models over the past few years. The Muse Spark release was apparently important enough to compel CEO Mark Zuckerberg to post on X for the first time in three years. Zuckerberg’s last post was in July 2023, around the time the platform rebranded from Twitter to X.
In his post, Zuckerberg called Spark “a strong agentic and coding model at a very low price,” noting that the model was “strongest at agentic performance, tool use, and computer use.”
Zuckerberg also noted that there was “more to come soon” — implying that the company plans to release additional models.
It’s been a big week for AI announcements — particularly for Meta, which also unveiled a new AI image-generation model on Tuesday, dubbed Muse Image. Other releases this week have included a new version of Grok from SpaceXAI and a new family of models from OpenAI, GPT-5.6, that also dropped Thursday. Suffice it to say that the competition within the AI industry is as healthy as ever, and companies that wish to stand out from their peers have their work cut out for them.
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Lucas is a senior writer at TechCrunch, where he covers artificial intelligence, consumer tech, and startups. He previously covered AI and cybersecurity at Gizmodo. You can contact Lucas by emailing [email protected].
HomeInvestingETFsOne expert doubts that new ETFs from Subversive will catch on in a meaningful wayJuly 9, 2026, 3:52 p.m. ET
A pair of new ETFs are betting that investors will ditch typical index funds to avoid having exposure to Elon Musk’s companies.
On Wednesday, Subversive ETFs filed to launch two new “Ex-Elon” actively managed exchange-traded funds. Each would exclude companies determined by fund managers to be “founded, controlled or led by” Musk, or which he is “primarily associated” with as a major shareholder or founder. For now, that’s just SpaceX SPCX and Tesla TSLA.
Amazon (AMZN +1.38%) turned heads when it said it plans to raise at least $25 billion in corporate bonds to scale its AI build-out. It's major news for companies that have integrated themselves into AI infrastructure and can ripple across several parts of the bottleneck.
Investors can position themselves to benefit by gaining more exposure to the AI trade, but some opportunities are better than others.
Image source: Getty Images.
Hyperscaler spending continues to accelerate Amazon is one of several hyperscalers that are committed to accelerating AI spending. Big tech has shown no signs of slowing down, and as their revenue and profits continue to increase each year, they end up with more capital to deploy toward AI infrastructure.
Investors have already seen the effects of this spending in other companies. For instance, Micron Technology more than quadrupled its revenue year over year as its memory chips continue to gain momentum. Those memory chips are just as important as Nvidia's GPU chips, and many investors have spotted the opportunity.
Sandisk is another memory chip beneficiary, and went from trading at $40 to exceeding $2,000 per share earlier in the year. This price movement happened in a single year, showing how much momentum a stock can generate if it finds itself at the center of elevated hyperscaler spending.
Where is the money going? Amazon's $25 billion in corporate bonds is actually a small drop in the budget compared to where AI investments are going. Four of the largest hyperscalers -- Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet -- are projected to have 5.3 trillion in capital expenditures through fiscal 2030. That came from a Goldman Sachs analysis that anticipates a 77% year-over-year increase in capital expenditures this year.
That spending is expected to flow into compute, data centers, and power. While hyperscalers and recent winners like Micron and Sandisk capture headlines, the highest returns may come from smaller companies that most investors do not know about quite yet.
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AI data center constructors, neoclouds, and CPU chips are some of the opportunities that have not received as much widespread attention. Nvidia's AI chips formed the backbone of the AI boom, and the company's 85% year-over-year revenue growth in its fiscal 2027 first quarter shows that demand is still accelerating for its chips.
Hyperscalers like Amazon are also delivering higher revenue and net income growth rates. Net sales increased by 17% year over year in the tech giant's first quarter, while operating income jumped by 30% year over year. Those numbers highlight the sustainability of AI spending and demonstrate tangible returns on those investments.
Competition will continue to heat up The four listed hyperscalers all compete with each other in multiple industries. Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft are all in the cloud computing industry, with Meta Platforms expressing its desire to become a neocloud.
Each of these companies is also using artificial intelligence to enhance its core products and services. All four of these tech leaders use online advertising to generate revenue. Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms also have their own social networks. Alphabet and Microsoft own YouTube and LinkedIn, respectively, while Meta Platforms has a family of apps that includes Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Hyperscalers are also looking at physical AI. Meta Platforms recently launched smart glasses, and other hyperscalers are anticipating their own AI glasses to come out in late 2026 or sometime in 2027. That doesn't even include AI models. All four companies have their own large language models and continue to invest in them.
The competition is intense among the hyperscalers to gain extra percentage points of market share. They're willing to spend this much money because AI can create new industries and accelerate existing ones.
Amazon is happy with the results of AI and was eager to throw another $25 billion on the table. Other hyperscalers may follow suit, and all of that money will flow into companies that produce key components of AI infrastructure.
ToplineMicrosoft on Thursday reported its carbon emissions swelled last year as the software giant built new data centers, marking a setback for its climate goals as booming AI demand is expected to drive a sharp increase in global emissions over the next decade.
Demand for AI is expanding, but sustainability solutions are “not scaling fast enough,” Microsoft reported.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Key FactsMicrosoft emitted 20 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent—a measurement of all greenhouse gases as if they were carbon dioxide—last year, a 25% increase from the 16 million metric tons emitted in 2024, the company said in its annual sustainability report.
Microsoft President Brad Smith and Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nakagawa said in the report that while AI infrastructure is driving demand for energy, water, land and materials, “sustainability solutions are not scaling fast enough to meet demand,” noting, “This tension is real, and it is also productive.”
The company also said its reported emissions were affected by a decision to pause purchases of renewable energy credits, which firms use to offset emissions associated with electricity use.
big number300 million metric tons. That’s the amount of global carbon dioxide emissions from data center electricity use the International Energy Agency expects by 2035, nearly doubling from 180 million tons today.
tangentOfficials in Cheyenne, Wyoming, have reportedly traced the construction of a Wyoming-based data center for Meta to a rare bacterium found in the city’s wastewater treatment center. The bacterium did not enter the city’s drinking supply, and the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities said it would pause accepting industrial water discharge from any data center.
key backgroundMicrosoft pledged in 2020 to pull more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits by 2030, but its goal has seemingly hit a roadblock in recent years as companies sparked a frenzy building AI infrastructure. Microsoft has announced several data center projects over the last year, including a $3 billion site in Wisconsin the company claims will be the most advanced AI data center in the world, the Wall Street Journal reported. Other tech giants have pointed to surging AI demand as driving an increase in carbon emissions: Alphabet reported a 48% increase in emissions from 2019 to 2024, citing an uptick in data center operations and growing demand for AI products. The Google parent acquired the clean energy startup Intersect Power in December as it planned to rely on renewable energy for data center projects.
further readingForbesAlphabet Buys Clean Energy Startup For AI Data Centers In $4.75 Billion DealBy Ty Roush
Microsoft's greenhouse gas emissions jumped 27% in its latest fiscal year, the tech giant disclosed Thursday, adding to a wave of worsening environmental reports from an industry racing to build AI infrastructure.
4:20pm: S&P 500 and Dow also advance Wall Street finished higher on Thursday, with the Nasdaq leading the gains as investors piled back into semiconductor stocks while easing oil prices helped improve risk appetite.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed 336 points, or 1.3%, to 26,207. The S&P 500 added 61 points, or 0.8%, to 7,544, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 139 points, or 0.3%, to 52,487.
Chipmakers bounced back after recent weakness, giving the broader technology sector a lift and helping drive the market higher.
Meanwhile, oil prices retreated, giving back part of Wednesday's sharp gains as traders reassessed the uncertain path toward peace in the Middle East. The pullback eased concerns that higher energy costs could add to inflationary pressures.
On the economic front, weekly initial jobless claims were little changed from the previous week, offering few surprises as investors continue to gauge the strength of the labour market and what it could mean for the Federal Reserve's next move on interest rates.
Attention now turns to the start of earnings season, with Delta Air Lines set to report quarterly results before the opening bell on Friday, providing an early read on consumer travel demand and corporate spending trends.
3:50pm: Proactive news headlines G Mining Ventures Corp (TSX:GMIN, OTCQX:GMINF) (G Mining Ventures Corp (TSX:GMIN, OTCQX:GMINF), G Mining Ventures Corp (TSX:GMIN, OTCQX:GMINF)) reported a 16% quarter-over-quarter increase in gold production at its Tocantinzinho mine in Brazil, keeping the company on track to achieve its full-year production target. Varon Corp (OTCID:OZSC) announced that its Ballislife joint venture has signed NBA player Coby White as a brand ambassador and equity partner for Ballislife Drink. Trillion Energy International Inc. (CSE:TCF, OTCQB:TRLEF, FRA:Z620) has extended and restructured payment terms under its earn-in agreement for the M47c,d oil block in Türkiye to support increased drilling and development activity. American Resources Corp (NASDAQ:AREC) has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy for award negotiations under a program to expand domestic recovery of rare earth elements and other critical materials from coal-based industrial byproducts. Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd (TSX-V:GMG, OTCQX:GMGMF) announced that its THERMAL-XR ENHANCE coating successfully passed 30,000 hours of salt spray testing at an independent laboratory. Gunnison Copper Corp (TSX:GCU, OTCQB:GCUMF, FRA:3XS0) has submitted certification to the U.S. Department of Energy confirming its Arizona mine qualifies for a $13.9 million Section 48C tax credit supporting domestic critical minerals production. 2:50pm: Market movers SanDisk (NASDAQ:SNDK) could see further upside after Wedbush Securities raised its price target to $2,000 from $1,200 ahead of the company's fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 earnings report. Forte Biosciences (NASDAQ:FBRX) shares surged about 55% after the company reported positive Phase 1b trial results for its investigational vitiligo treatment, FB102. The Simply Good Foods Company (NASDAQ:SMPL) shares rose nearly 5% after the company reported fiscal third-quarter 2026 earnings and revenue that exceeded Wall Street expectations. G Mining Ventures Corp (TSX:GMIN, OTCQX:GMINF, FRA:W97) reported a 16% quarter-over-quarter increase in gold production at its Tocantinzinho mine in Brazil, keeping the company on track to meet its full-year production target. Varon Corp (OTCID:OZSC) announced that its Ballislife joint venture has signed NBA player Coby White as a brand ambassador and equity partner for Ballislife Drink. PepsiCo Inc (NASDAQ:PEP, XETRA:PEP) shares fell about 4% after the company reported fiscal second-quarter adjusted earnings that narrowly missed analyst estimates despite posting stronger-than-expected revenue and reaffirming its full-year guidance. 1:55pm: Micron goes on a run Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MU) (Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MU)) shares rose 7% on Thursday after the company announced plans to invest up to $3 billion to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor supply chain and support future manufacturing capacity.
The investment includes $500 million in strategic financing support for GlobalWafers to advance development of its GlobalWafers America 300mm raw silicon wafer manufacturing facility in Sherman, Texas.
The companies also plan to enter into a 10-year supply agreement that would provide Micron with access to additional raw silicon wafer capacity.
The news also lifted shares across the broader semiconductor sector, with Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD, XETRA:AMD) (Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD, XETRA:AMD), Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD, XETRA:AMD)) gaining 7%, Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ:QCOM, XETRA:QCI) (Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ:QCOM, XETRA:QCI), Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ:QCOM, XETRA:QCI)) rising 4%, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (ADR) (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (ADR) (NYSE:TSM)) advancing 3%, Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:AVGO, XETRA:1YD) (Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:AVGO, XETRA:1YD), Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:AVGO, XETRA:1YD)) up 2% and Applied Materials Inc (NASDAQ:AMAT, XETRA:AP2) (Applied Materials Inc (NASDAQ:AMAT, XETRA:AP2), Applied Materials Inc (NASDAQ:AMAT, XETRA:AP2)) climbing 6%.
12:30pm: Little drama Stocks are bouncing back from yesterday’s losses, though the recovery remains cautious, according to Chris Beauchamp, Chief Market Analyst at online trading and investing platform IG.
“While the attacks in the Middle East appeared to intensify overnight, there has been little dramatic rhetoric today, leading to hopes that any renewed conflict can be avoided," Beauchamp noted.
"But the weekend is not far off, and the US has shown a preference for strikes over a weekend, leading to some caution in markets despite a stronger open for the US."
11:05am: Oil upside may be limited US crude prices have climbed about 13% since last week’s lows, testing the $75-per-barrel level and its 200-day moving average, with the possibility of a move above $80 growing, according to Ipek Ozkardeskaya, Senior Analyst at Swissquote. Brent crude briefly traded above $80 per barrel, though both benchmarks eased slightly on Wednesday as markets continued to weigh geopolitical risks.
Ozkardeskaya said the immediate upside pressure on oil may be less severe than during the early stages of the conflict, as markets have become more accustomed to disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and the initial shock has faded. Several vessels have also continued transiting the key shipping route, while Saudi Arabia has cut oil prices for Asian buyers to support demand.
She noted that the oil market has recently shifted quickly between supply shortages and surpluses, meaning a restoration of Hormuz traffic could quickly bring supply back into balance. China’s significant reserves and cautious approach to replenishment could also limit a sharp price spike.
However, Ozkardeskaya warned that prolonged tensions could create renewed supply concerns. A sustained disruption, attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure, or further depletion of global oil inventories could quickly eliminate the existing supply cushion and push prices significantly higher.
10am: Chipmakers help Nasdaq rally continue Chipmakers and other AI stocks have led Wall Street to a positive open, with another bout of rotation back into the semiconductor sector.
The Nasdaq rolled 0.7% higher in initial trades, with the S&P 500 up 0.4%. After an initial wobble in the red, the Dow edged 0.1% higher, held back by losses in heavyweight technology and consumer names including IBM, Salesforce and Microsoft, as well as consumer giants like Coca-Cola, Disney and Procter & Gamble.
On the Nasdaq and S&P, semis dominated the leaderboard, with Lam Research, Applied Materials and KLA all jumping more than 7%.
Micron buzzed up over 6% after plans mentioned below to invest up to $3 billion in the US semiconductor supply chain, while Arm, AMD, Marvell and Western Digital also posted strong gains as the AI infrastructure trade is in investors' good books again.
8.15am: Mixed session expected as oil volatile after Iran strikes continue US stock futures pointed to another mixed Wall Street session on Thursday, as investors weighed fresh developments in the Middle East against signs that chip stocks could extend their recent rally.
Dow Jones futures were down 0.1%, while S&P 500 futures rose 0.2% and Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.8%.
This comes a day after the Dow fell 577 points or 1.1%, the S&P declined or 0.3% to 7,483, while the Nasdaq gained 0.2% to finish at 25,871.
Asian and European markets traded mostly higher in the early hours, with London's FTSE an exception as it was hit by a large fall for AstraZeneca on the back of a failed drug trial.
Oil prices remained volatile, as more strikes and words were exchanged between the US and Iran.
WTI crude, which topped $75 a barrel on Wednesday, briefly dropped below $72 before recovering to around $74.
The latest moves came as the US said it had struck another 90 Iranian targets, taking the total to 170 over the past 48 hours, while Iran launched retaliatory attacks on US military sites in Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait.
President Trump was reported as saying Iran had been in touch with the US and "want to make a deal", although he questioned whether Tehran would honour any agreement.
The White House was reported by Axios to be preparing for the possibility of fighting around the Strait of Hormuz lasting days or even weeks.
Kathleen Brooks at XTB said markets were "normalizing to the latest flare up of tensions in the Middle East".
"Although the events of recent days are another sign that the path to a long-term peace will have many twists and turns, the market seems well placed to absorb the current tensions," Brooks added.
She noted that despite the angst about the Iran war, there was a rotation out of broader tech stocks and back into chip stocks.
"Ahead today, we could see a continued rally in chip stocks. SanDisk and Nvidia are pointing to further gains today, while the hyperscalers like Microsoft and Alphabet are declining in the pre-market, suggesting that the rotation within the AI trade continues," she said.
In economic data, initial jobless claims and existing home sales are scheduled.
With AI spending in Amazon (AMZN), Alphabet (GOOGL), Microsoft (MSFT), and Meta Platforms (META) not showing any signs of slowdown, Melissa Otto makes the case that there's much more room for the AI trade to run. One of the biggest beneficiaries she sees from the boom: AMD Inc. (AMD).
SK Hynix is set to make its U.S. IPO Friday, and Evan Scholssman expects rampant demand for the debut as AI memory supply constraints remain in focus. He explains how the company fits into the greater AI trade alongside chipmakers like Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD Inc. (AMD).
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz continues its investigation of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (“Alibaba” or the “Company”) (NYSE: BABA) on behalf of investors concerning the Company’s possible violations of federal securities laws.
IF YOU ARE AN INVESTOR WHO LOST MONEY ON ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LTD. (BABA), CLICK HERE TO INQUIRE ABOUT POTENTIALLY PURSUING A CLAIM TO RECOVER YOUR LOSS.
What Is The Investigation About?
On November 14, 2024, Financial Times published an article entitled “White House memo claims Alibaba is helping Chinese military target US.” According to the article, the memo provided declassified intelligence about how Alibaba provides “the People’s Liberation Army with capabilities that the White House believes threaten US security.” Moreover, “Alibaba also provides the Chinese government and PLA with access to customer data that includes IP addresses, WiFi information and payment records, as well as different AI-related service.”
On this news, Alibaba’s shares fell $6.04, or 3.78%, to close at $153.80 per share on November 14, 2025.
Then, on February 13, 2026, the Pentagon added Alibaba to a list of companies aiding the Chinese military before withdrawing the list only minutes later without explanation.
On this news, Alibaba’s stock price fell $3.00, or 1.9%, to close at $155.73 per share on February 13, 2026.
Then, on March 19, 2026, Alibaba reported weaker-than-expected financial results, with revenue missing consensus estimates “primarily due to weaker transaction activities and phase-out of the impact of software service fee implementation.”
On this news, Alibaba’s stock price fell $9.53, or 7.1%, to close at $124.90 per share on March 19, 2026.
Then, on June 11, 2026, Bloomberg News reported that the Beijing branch of State Administration for Market Regulation summoned Alibaba representatives "over what officials said was false advertising during the annual '618' midyear online shopping festival."
On this news, Alibaba’s stock price fell $1.64, or 1.4%, to close at $112.69 per share on June 11, 2026.
Then, on July 1, 2026, the US Department of Justice published a press release stating that Alibaba had “entered a non-prosecution agreement to pay $600 million to resolve the Justice Department’s allegations that they violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) by failing to prevent merchants from selling and importing illegal pharmaceuticals, controlled substances, listed chemicals, and pill presses into the United States” through its e-commerce platforms.
On this news, Alibaba’s stock price fell $1.85 or 1.9%, to close at $96.14 per share on July 2, 2026, thereby injuring investors further.
Contact Us To Participate or Learn More:
If you purchased Alibaba securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact us:
The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz,
2121 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 800,
Century City, California 90067
Call us at: 310-914-5007
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Investors are just a few weeks removed from digesting the SpaceX (SPCX) initial public offering (IPO), but another big IPO is coming on Friday, July 10, in the form of South Korean memory semiconductor giant SK Hynix.
To be clear, that chip stock already trades in its home country. Now it’s reportedly looking to raise $26.5 billion in U.S. share sales that will see the stock trade on the Nasdaq under ticker “SKHY.” The company’s U.S. listing could be an ideal time for tactical short-term traders to consider the Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares (KORU).
The reasoning is simple. KORU attempts to deliver 300% of the daily returns of the MSCI Korea 25/50 Index. That index allocates 19% of its weight to SK Hynix, making the stock the gauge’s second-largest holding, behind only Samsung.
How SK Hynix Could Affect KORU As noted above, KORU is a leveraged ETF that should be treated as short-term instrument. KORU and its brethren are often useful around short-term events, of which Friday’s SK Hynix U.S. listing is certainly one. With those disclaimers out of the way, traders mulling KORU have some important points to consider.
Namely, SK Hynix is up eight-fold in 12 months, but off 25% in less than two weeks. That puts it in a bear market. Still, U.S. demand for the stock is high, with some reports suggesting, as of Thursday, that offering is 7x oversubscribed.
“For investors in SK Hynix and other memory stocks, the tailwind of intense demand for products that led to steep price increases and big profits is turning into a headwind, amid warnings about a coming supply surge in chip production that will alleviate shortages and likely drive prices down,” noted Morningstar’s Tom Lauricella.
KORU could be in focus on Friday due to the sheer size of the SK Hynix IPO. It’s the second-largest behind SpaceX and is the largest U.S. share sale by a foreign company, eclipsing Alibaba’s (BABA) 2014 IPO, according to Lauricella. Speaking of size…
“SK Hynix is the second-largest memory semiconductor manufacturer in the world. Recently, the firm has had particular success with high-bandwidth memory chips used in AI servers. Like other companies specializing in AI hardware, huge demand has created bottlenecks and resulted in surging prices for SK Hynix’s products,” observed the Morningstar analyst.
KORU could be useful on Friday, but memory is a notoriously cyclical, volatile corner of the semiconductor market. That said, it’s best to not make a long-term commitment to this leveraged ETF.
For more news, information, and strategy, visit the Leveraged & Inverse Content Hub.
The Company makes history as the first and only cannabis company to ever receive this recognition
, /PRNewswire/ - Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NASDAQ: ACB) (TSX: ACB) ("Aurora" or the "Company"), the Canadian-based leading global medical cannabis company, has been awarded on TIME Canada's Best Companies 2026 list. This win reflects the Company's differentiated performance and commitment to industry excellence. To view the full award list, visit TIME.com.
Aurora named to TIME Canada's Best Companies 2026 list. This prestigious award is presented by TIME in collaboration with Statista, the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. Canada's Best Companies of 2026 were identified through a multi-step evaluation of Canadian companies with at least US$100 million in revenue (2024 or 2025) and positive revenue growth over three years, with both relative and absolute growth assessed. The ranking was based on employee satisfaction, revenue growth and sustainability transparency - with only 125 companies earning a place on the final list.
"This is a proud milestone for Aurora and a meaningful recognition of our leadership strength in Canada," says Miguel Martin, CEO & Executive Chairman of Aurora. "Above all, this recognition belongs to our people. Every day, our teams bring deep expertise, care and commitment to advancing medical cannabis globally, and being named to TIME's Canada's Best Companies 2026 list is a powerful signal of the progress we've made, the credibility we've earned, and the standard we continue to set."
Being recognized on this list reflects the strength of Aurora's people-first culture and the Company's continued investment in creating a workplace where employees are supported and empowered to contribute. Through unique leadership development programs, wellness initiatives and purposeful opportunities to give back to local communities, Aurora has built a culture grounded in its values and driven by its purpose of Opening the World to Cannabis™. As the first and only cannabis company ever to be named to TIME's Canada's Best Companies list, this recognition underscores Aurora's ongoing commitment to investing in its people and advancing the global medical cannabis industry.
About Aurora
Aurora is a global leader in medical cannabis, dedicated to improving lives through scientific expertise, proven performance, and a deep commitment to patient care. Aurora serves medical markets across Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand with a portfolio of trusted, leading brands including Aurora®, MedReleaf®, Pedanios®, IndiMed™, San Raf®, and Whistler Medical Marijuana Corporation®. With world-class GMP-certified manufacturing facilities in Canada and Germany, and a team of industry-leading professionals, Aurora continues to expand its global footprint and deliver consistent, high-quality cannabis products with the purpose of Opening the World to Cannabis™.
Learn more at www.auroramj.com and follow us on X and LinkedIn.
Aurora's common shares trade on the NASDAQ and TSX under the symbol "ACB".
Forward Looking Information
This news release includes statements containing certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements made in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's ongoing commitment to investing in its people and accelerating the advancement of the global medical cannabis industry.
Forward-looking information or statements contained in this news release have been developed based on the Company and its management's good faith assumptions relating to the financial, market, regulatory and other relevant environments that will exist and affect the Company's business and operations in the future. Forward-looking information and statements are not a guarantee of future performance and are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management at the date the statements are made including, among other things, assumptions about: development costs remaining consistent with budgets; the ability to manage anticipated and unanticipated costs; access to favorable equity and debt capital markets; the ability to raise sufficient capital to advance the business of the Company; favorable operating and economic conditions; political and regulatory stability; obtaining and maintaining all required licenses and permits; receipt of governmental approvals and permits; sustained labour stability; stability in financial and capital goods markets; favorable production levels and costs from the Company's operations; the pricing of various cannabis products; the level of demand for cannabis products; the availability of third-party service providers and other inputs for the Company's operations; and the Company's ability to conduct operations in a safe, efficient, and effective manner. The Company does not give any assurance that the assumptions on which forward-looking information or statements are based will prove to be correct, or that the Company's business or operations will not be affected in any material manner by these or other factors not foreseen or foreseeable by the Company or management or beyond the Company's control. Such forward-looking statements are estimates reflecting the Company's best judgment based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that other factors will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, the ability to retain key personnel, the ability to continue investing in infrastructure to support growth, the ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms, the continued quality of our products, customer experience and retention, the development of third party government and non-government consumer sales channels, management's estimates of consumer demand in Canada and in jurisdictions where the Company exports, expectations of future results and expenses, the availability of additional capital to complete construction projects and facilities improvements, the risk of successful integration of acquired business and operations, management's estimation that SG&A will grow only in proportion to revenue growth, the ability to expand and maintain distribution capabilities, the impact of competition, the general impact of financial market conditions, the yield from cannabis growing operations, product demand, changes in prices of required commodities, competition, and the possibility for changes in laws, rules, and regulations in the industry, epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises, and other risks as set out under "Risk Factors" contained in the Annual Information Form dated June 10, 2026 (the "2026 AIF"). Readers are urged to consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements. The Company cautions that the list of risks, uncertainties and other factors described in the 2026 AIF is not exhaustive and other factors could also adversely affect its results. Although the Company believes that the expectations conveyed by the forward-looking statements are reasonable based on the information available to the Company on the date hereof, no assurance can be given as to future results, approvals or achievements.
Cathie Wood has said Ripple-backed OpenUSD may struggle to challenge USDT and USDC, even with major corporate names behind it, because stablecoin markets depend on liquidity, trust, collateral use, and daily platform integration.
ARK Says Stablecoin Moats Are Built on Use According to the ARK Invest CEO, stablecoins are like the monetary networks that evolve with increasing adoption by user bases, exchanges, wallets, and payment companies. She added that USDT and USDC have already established robust network effects in the crypto trading and payments space and DeFi.
In a research note, ARK Invest Director of Digital Assets Lorenzo Valente suggested that OUSD’s odds of supplanting the two biggest stablecoins are low. In his blog post “Why USDT and USDC are harder to kill than crypto Twitter thinks”, Valente also cautioned that many market participants may be overly optimistic about the power of the OUSD launch.
Open Standard, led by Stripe-owned Bridge co-founder Zach Abrams, introduced OUSD last month. The stablecoin is expected to be released later this year and aims to reduce adoption costs by eliminating issuance and redemption fees, sharing the majority of reserves with participants, and establishing independent governance.
Over 140 companies in the payments, banking, crypto, and tech sectors have been associated with the project, such as Ripple, BlackRock, Visa, Stripe, Google, Coinbase, DBS, and OKX. Some South Korean companies, such as Samsung Electronics and Shinhan Financial Group, have, however, stated they did not have an official agreement to participate in the consortium.
OUSD Faces Questions Over Liquidity and Incentives Valente said stablecoin network effects are “not created by a long list of logos”. He said they are derived from liquidity, habit, collateral acceptance, market depth, settlement flows, integrations, and risk of causing disruption to systems that are working.
His analysis also challenged the notion that OUSD would be able to develop a new yield model for users. He said OUSD is expected to be GENIUS Act compliant, meaning it cannot directly share yield with stablecoin holders. He termed the model “reserve economics” and not paying end-users.
Valente said that Binance serves as a prime case in point that exchanges might choose not to change forks when another stablecoin has a better reserve economics. According to him, Binance has approximately $45 billion in USDT, Bybit has around $4 billion, and OKX has around $9 billion.
He explained that USDT is still connected to the trading operation of Binance because it is used as a quote asset, a collateral asset, and a unit of account by traders. If they have “reserve cash” from another stablecoin, “it would have to be balanced against the risk that it would damage a bigger trading business”, Valente said.
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire, like ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood, has also earlier defended USDC after OUSD was announced. He noted that USDC enjoys global liquidity, developer integrations, and regulatory compliance but doubted the viability of sending the bulk of the profits back to partners at a large scale. Allaire said that such a system could cause “starvation” of the infrastructure.
If you want more information about lending platforms for institutions, check out our page on Institutional Crypto Lending
PANAMA CITY, July 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tilray Medical, a division of Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY; TSX: TLRY) and a leading global medical cannabis company, today announced the commercial launch of its first medical cannabis product in Panama, marking a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing global expansion and commitment to improving patient access to pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid medicines worldwide.
The launch follows the successful shipment of Tilray Oral Solution CBD100 from Tilray Medical’s EU-GMP-certified production facilities in Portugal through its joint venture with Solana Life Group S. de R.L. The product is intended to be distributed through Farmacias Arrocha, one of Panama’s leading pharmacy networks, where patients will be able to access Tilray Oral Solution CBD 100 under medical prescription. This is expected to provide patients and healthcare professionals with access to regulated, pharmaceutical-quality medical cannabis through established healthcare channels.
The milestone reinforces Tilray Medical’s position as one of the most geographically diversified medical cannabis companies globally. Today, Tilray Medical serves patients across more than 20 countries spanning Europe, Australia, Canada, Latin America, and other emerging international markets, helping advance access to safe, high-quality cannabinoid-based medicines through regulated healthcare systems.
Rajnish Ohri, President, International, Tilray Brands, stated, “At Tilray Medical, we believe every patient deserves access to safe, consistent, pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis products. Our commercial launch in Panama reflects our broader vision to expand access to cannabinoid-based medicines through trusted healthcare systems around the world. As medical cannabis frameworks continue to advance, we are committed to working alongside healthcare providers, regulators, pharmacists, and patients to help shape the future of responsible access, advance medical education, and deliver high-quality treatment options that improve lives.”
The launch supports Panama’s emerging medical cannabis framework established under Law 242 of 2021 and follows important regulatory advancements by the Ministry of Health, including Resolution No. 0406 of May 12, 2026, which established key requirements for patient access. The Ministry also recently introduced the Medical Cannabis Users and Authorized Caregivers Identification System (SIUCMAA), creating a structured pathway for physician authorization and patient registration.
Manufactured in Portugal in accordance with rigorous European Union Good Manufacturing Practice (EU-GMP) standards, Tilray Oral Solution CBD100 is intended for use, where authorized, in patients with qualifying medical conditions authorized under Panamanian legislation. The product reflects Tilray Medical’s longstanding commitment to pharmaceutical quality, product consistency, patient safety, and regulatory compliance.
Tilray Medical’s advanced cultivation and manufacturing facilities in Portugal serve as a strategic global export hub, supplying EU-GMP-certified medical cannabis products to regulated markets around the world. The platform enables Tilray Medical to efficiently support growing international demand while maintaining the highest pharmaceutical manufacturing standards across its global operations.
The Panama launch represents another step in Tilray Medical’s broader strategy to expand access across Latin America, an emerging medical cannabis region. As governments across the region continue to establish regulatory pathways for cannabinoid-based medicines, Tilray Medical is well-positioned to support healthcare systems with trusted products, scientific expertise, and a proven track record of operating in highly regulated international markets.
As global acceptance of medical cannabis continues to accelerate, Tilray Medical remains focused on advancing patient care, supporting clinical education, investing in research, and expanding access to high-quality medical cannabis products that help address unmet patient needs worldwide.
For further information, please visit: www.Solana.pa
About Tilray Medical
Tilray Medical is dedicated to transforming lives and fostering dignity for patients in need through safe and reliable access to a global portfolio of medical cannabis brands, including Tilray Medical, Good Supply, Redecan, ARX, and Broken Coast. Tilray grew from being one of the first companies to become an approved licensed producer of medical cannabis in Canada to building the first GMP-certified cannabis production facilities in Europe, first in Portugal and later in Germany. Today, Tilray Medical is one of the largest suppliers of medical cannabis to patients, physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, researchers, and governments, in 20 countries and across five continents.
For more information on Tilray Medical, visit Tilray Medical Europe, Tilray Medical Canada, Tilray Medical Australia-New Zealand and Solana.pa in Panama.
About Tilray Brands
Tilray Brands, Inc. (“Tilray”) (Nasdaq: TLRY; TSX: TLRY), is a leading global lifestyle and consumer packaged goods company with operations in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and Latin America that is leading as a transformative force at the nexus of cannabis, beverage, wellness, and entertainment, elevating lives through moments of connection. Tilray’s mission is to be a leading premium lifestyle company with a house of brands and innovative products that inspire joy and create memorable experiences. Tilray’s unprecedented platform supports over 40 brands in over 20 countries, including comprehensive cannabis offerings, hemp-based foods, and craft beverages.
For more information on how we are elevating lives through moments of connection, visit Tilray.com and follow @Tilray on all social platforms.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this communication that are not historical facts constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (together, “forward-looking statements”) under Canadian securities laws and within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be subject to the “safe harbor” created by those sections and other applicable laws. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “forecast,” “future,” “should,” “could,” “enable,” “potential,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “project,” “will,” “would” and the negative of these terms or similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Certain material factors, estimates, goals, projections, or assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this communication. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses, or current expectations concerning, among other things, the Company’s ability to commercialize new and innovative products worldwide. Many factors could cause actual results, performance, or achievement to be materially different from any forward-looking statements, and other risks and uncertainties not presently known to the Company or that the Company deems immaterial could also cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained herein. Forward‑looking statements in this communication also include statements regarding the Company’s market positioning, ability to meet evolving medical cannabis demand in regulated pharmaceutical environments, and expectations concerning the effectiveness of strategic partnerships, including the Company’s collaboration with Molteni to support the development of the Italian medical cannabis market. For a more detailed discussion of these risks and other factors, see the most recently filed annual information form of Tilray and the Annual Report on Form 10-K (and other periodic reports filed with the SEC) of Tilray made with the SEC and available on EDGAR. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made as of the date of this communication and the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events, or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws.
Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX, XETRA:NFC) heads into its second quarter earnings report with Jefferies reiterating its ‘Buy’ rating and $110 price target, while writing that it sees limited scope for a sustained near-term re-rating despite maintaining a positive long-term outlook on the streaming company.
The brokerage expects investors to remain focused on subscriber trends, engagement, operating margins and management's outlook, arguing that even stronger-than-expected results may not be enough to shift market sentiment given ongoing concerns around subscription growth, potential merger and acquisition activity and the perceived impact of artificial intelligence.
Jefferies does not expect a meaningful upside surprise in second quarter or full-year revenue guidance, forecasting constant-currency revenue growth of 12% year-over-year for both the second and third quarters, broadly in line with Wall Street expectations. The firm also does not expect Netflix to raise its full-year revenue outlook this quarter, citing soft third-party subscription data.
The analysts are somewhat more constructive on margins, writing that consensus estimates may be underestimating the benefit of Netflix's US price increase introduced in late March while overstating the impact of Brazil-related tax comparisons. Although Jefferies believes the company's full-year operating margin guidance of 31.5% could be increased later this year, it noted that visibility on the timing remains limited.
Engagement will also be a closely watched metric. Jefferies expects first-half 2026 viewing hours to improve from the roughly 2% year-over-year growth recorded in the second half of 2025, with third-party web traffic data suggesting engagement has stabilized rather than weakened further.
However, the brokerage does not believe a modest improvement would materially change the investment debate, pointing to difficult content comparisons in the second half of 2026 and the FIFA World Cup as potential headwinds.
On the earnings call, Jefferies expects investors to seek updates on US subscriber churn following recent price increases, explanations for softer engagement trends, whether second quarter subscriber additions met internal expectations, and management's outlook for content spending beyond fiscal 2026.
Despite its cautious near-term view, Jefferies maintained its ‘Buy’ rating, writing that it continues to view Netflix as "an approximately 20% multi-year EPS compounder" trading below its historical valuation.
Netflix shares traded hands at $75 on Thursday afternoon, down about 20% so far this year. The company will report its Q2 earnings on July 16.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America, N.A. announced today that it will redeem on July 17, 2026 all $2,000,000,000 principal amount outstanding of its 5.526% Senior Bank Notes, due August 2026 (CUSIP No. 06428CAA2) (the "Fixed Rate Notes"), and all $600,000,000 principal amount of its Floating Rate Senior Bank Notes, due August 2026 (CUSIP No. 06428CAB0) (the "Floating Rate Notes" and, together with the Fixed Rate Notes, the "Notes").
The redemption price for each series of the Notes will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of such series, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date of July 17, 2026. Interest on each series of the Notes will cease to accrue on the redemption date.
Payment of the redemption price for the Notes will be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company. Citibank, N.A. is the U.S. registrar and paying agent for the Notes.
Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving nearly 70 million clients with approximately 3,500 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 59 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. As the #1 small business lender in the United States (FDIC), Bank of America offers industry leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Investors may contact
Lee McEntire, Bank of America
Phone: 1.980.388.6780
[email protected]
Jonathan G. Blum, Bank of America (Fixed Income)
Phone: 1.212.449.3112
[email protected]
Reporters may contact
Jocelyn Seidenfeld, Bank of America
Phone: 1.646.743.3356
[email protected]
Retail is getting a first-principles upgrade at the hands, or lack of them, of artificial intelligence.
The shopping transformation looks less like a better eCommerce search bar and more like something out of science fiction. It’s a bot-filled operating layer that autonomously mediates between consumer intent and transaction execution.
Headlines this week from Amazon and Walmart underscore that AI shopping and its next-generation cousin, agentic commerce, are moving retail innovation from customer convenience to discovery programmability.
Amazon, for example, used Alexa for Shopping to help consumers find Prime Day deals, compare products, track prices, set deal alerts and automatically buy items when they hit a target price. Walmart and Google, meanwhile, connected Gemini’s conversational interface to Walmart and Sam’s Club products, store inventory, membership benefits, account history and fulfillment options.
The next retail platform shift may not be about better search, faster delivery or lower prices. It may be about which company can make its inventory, loyalty logic, payments and fulfillment promises readable to AI agents before a shopper ever opens a cart.
See also: Amazon and Walmart’s Summer Sale Wars Deliver a Win (With An Asterisk)
AI Is Shifting Retail Competition to Before the Cart Even Exists For decades, retailers optimized for physical shelves, Google search results, Amazon marketplace ranking, mobile apps and social feeds. AI shopping changes the surface. A consumer may not search “paper towels” or “headphones.” They may ask a question.
“What do I need for a backyard party?”
“How do I cut my weekly grocery bill?”
“What should I buy before a trip with kids?”
Those prompts are not SKUs. They are situations.
The PYMNTS Intelligence report “The Basket Breakaway: How Amazon Is Turning Walmart’s Store Traffic Into a Retail Weakness” put hard numbers around retail’s ongoing shift. As of the first quarter of 2026, Amazon held 9.3% of U.S. consumer retail spending, up from 8.6% a year earlier, while Walmart held 7.8%, unchanged from the prior year. Amazon led in four out of seven major retail categories, including sporting and hobby goods, music and books, electronics and appliances, furniture and home furnishings, and clothing and apparel. Walmart’s strength remained concentrated in food and beverages and auto parts.
Amazon’s AI shopping push is built around a closed-loop advantage. Alexa for Shopping can help consumers discover deals, compare products, track price history, set alerts and automatically buy an item when it reaches a customer’s target price. That last feature is the signal. Auto-buy turns a shopper’s preference into an executable rule.
Walmart’s move with Google points in a different direction. The Walmart-Gemini integration is designed to surface Walmart and Sam’s Club products when relevant inside a conversational AI experience. Customers can encounter items during a back-and-forth conversation, with linked accounts bringing in purchase history, membership benefits, local availability and delivery options.
Amazon wants the assistant to become the cart. Walmart wants its retail network to be visible wherever consumer intent begins. That distinction matters.
Amazon’s model is vertically integrated with assistant, marketplace, Prime, payments credential, fulfillment, reviews, ads and post-purchase service. Walmart’s model is becoming more distributed with stores, clubs, grocery, local inventory, Walmart+, Sam’s Club and third-party AI discovery.
The retail shelf is becoming an API.
Read also: Amazon and Walmart Battle to Become Retail’s Most Powerful Data Broker
Agentic Shopping Makes the Evidence Trail More Important When a purchase starts inside an AI conversation or is agentically handled at one or all legs of the shopper journey, that creates a new kind of retail infrastructure problem. Product data must answer questions, not just populate product pages. Inventory has to be local and current, substitution rules have to be clear, and offers have to be explainable. Loyalty benefits must be portable, while payments have to support transactions that begin in conversation and end in a retailer-controlled checkout.
That is not back-office trivia. It affects disputes, chargebacks, fraud claims, returns, marketplace accountability and regulatory scrutiny.
Amazon’s edge: If consumers let Alexa monitor prices, replenish staples or execute purchases based on pre-set rules, Amazon captures intent before the transaction exists. The cart becomes less important than the instruction. Walmart’s edge: If Gemini can understand Walmart’s store inventory, club pricing, grocery availability, delivery speed and membership benefits, Walmart can win situational commerce, including dinner tonight, household stock-up, event shopping, pharmacy runs and urgent replenishment. The risks: Amazon’s closed loop may be less portable if consumers start more shopping journeys in third-party AI environments. Walmart could become the fulfillment endpoint while Google owns the discovery layer. PYMNTS Intelligence data showed that 47% of eCommerce shoppers used AI during their latest purchase. ChatGPT’s share as a product research tool climbed from 2% to 30% in two years, the same data showed.
For all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.
The second quarter was supposed to be a severe test for airlines but Delta's earnings Friday will likely signal that U.S. carriers passed with flying colors.
Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options: https://bit.ly/2v9tH6D. Tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz hit the energy trade once again, though Kevin Hincks considers United Airlines' (UAL) leadership in travel formidable against the volatility.
Goldman Sachs logo appears in this illustration taken December 1, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic//File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
CompaniesJuly 9 (Reuters) - Wall Street giants Goldman Sachs (GS.N), opens new tab and Morgan Stanley (MS.N), opens new tab have barred employees from trading on prediction-market contracts linked to financial markets and political events, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
A memo was issued some time back for Goldman, in which the policy prohibits staff from participating in event-based contracts that could create real or perceived conflicts of interest with the bank, its clients or the broader financial industry.
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Bloomberg News, which first reported the policy, said repeated violations could result in disciplinary action, including termination, and that employees may be required to forfeit gains from prohibited trades.
The restrictions do not apply to prediction-market contracts related to sports and entertainment, the source said.
For Morgan Stanley, the person familiar with the matter said the bank's code of conduct for employees covers trading and investing topics, including prediction markets.
The person declined to specify the policies related to each market, saying the details are not public.
Prediction-market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket have grown rapidly, raising concerns about regulatory oversight ahead of U.S. midterm elections.
Reporting by Pragyan Kalita in Bengaluru, Saeed Azhar and Tatiana Bautzer in New York; Editing by Maju Samuel
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
Release Date: July 09, 2026For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Positive Points PepsiCo Inc (PEP
PepsiCo’s Dividend Could Turn Patience Into Real ProfitPepsiCo NASDAQ: PEP executives reaffirmed the company’s full-year outlook during its 2026 second-quarter earnings question-and-answer session, pointing to strong international momentum and improving global volumes while acknowledging that North America, particularly impulse channels tied to gasoline purchases, performed below expectations in the quarter.
Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta said PepsiCo’s first-half results showed “almost 7% revenue growth,” with global volumes up 3% in foods and 2% in beverages, which he described as the company’s fastest volume growth since 2022. CFO Steve Schmitt said reported EPS grew 6% in the first half, while constant-currency EPS rose 3%.
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These 5 Companies Just Made a Massive Bet on ThemselvesStill, management repeatedly cited a softer-than-expected North American environment in the second quarter, with higher gasoline prices affecting consumer behavior and convenience-store purchasing. Laguarta said the company continues to see strong international performance and expects North America to gradually improve in the second half, though at “a more moderate pace” than previously anticipated.
North America Focuses on Affordability, Portfolio Changes A key topic on the call was PepsiCo Foods North America, where volume was flat in the quarter despite stepped-up affordability initiatives and innovation. Laguarta said the company had two main goals for its U.S. foods business: get the salty-snacks category back to volume growth and regain volume share. He said PepsiCo has made progress on both.
Campbell's Soup Stock: Deep Value and a 7% Dividend Yield“A category that was negative in volume now is positive in volume,” Laguarta said. “We were losing share in volume. We’re gaining share in volume.”
Management said the turnaround is being driven by two pillars: price and affordability investments, and growth in “permissible” products and portion-control offerings. Laguarta said the permissible foods portfolio is already a $3 billion business and is growing “almost double digit.” He also pointed to portion-control formats and opening price points in multipacks and variety packs as areas that are working well.
At the same time, Laguarta said PepsiCo needs to improve the return on some of its pricing investments in the second half. He described the work as customer-by-customer and channel-by-channel, with different approaches needed for high-low retailers versus everyday-low-price retailers.
“It’s trying to get more volume from the investments,” Laguarta said in response to a question about what optimizing return on investment means.
Gas Prices Weigh on Convenience and Impulse Channels Executives said higher gasoline prices following the Iran war had a meaningful impact on consumers, not just in the U.S. but globally. Laguarta said the U.S. effect has been most visible in impulse channels such as convenience stores and independent outlets, where PepsiCo is seeing slower conversion of store traffic into food and beverage purchases.
To address the issue, PepsiCo is working with retail partners on offers such as bundles, meal-linked promotions and combined food-and-beverage solutions. Laguarta said the company sees benefits when it has “good offers and bundles” in the channel.
He also said PepsiCo is not trying to raise prices in single-serve products to pay for investments in take-home formats.
“That’s not what we’re trying to do,” Laguarta said.
Asked about test-market work that supported the company’s affordability strategy, Laguarta said the consumer is “worse than what we had anticipated,” largely because of gasoline prices, and that some price investments at certain customers experienced execution delays for commercial reasons. He said those issues have been addressed and should support acceleration in the second half.
Guidance Reaffirmed, Tariff Refunds to Offset Cost Pressure Schmitt said PepsiCo reaffirmed its full-year guidance, though he noted results may trend toward the low end of the EPS range the company had previously provided. He said management expects international net revenue to remain strong, North America to gradually improve and commodity pressures to increase.
PepsiCo also expects refund claims for tariffs paid last year to provide about 1 full point of EPS growth for the year. Schmitt said those refunds will help offset commodity pressure and allow the company to continue investing in the business.
“We’re not making decisions that hurt the top line in our assessment,” Schmitt said. He added that North America advertising and marketing expense is projected to increase in the second half compared with the prior year.
Schmitt said third-quarter results are expected to benefit from international strength and approximately 1 point of EPS benefit from tariff refund claims, but also face a higher year-over-year tax rate and timing of certain costs and investments. He said PepsiCo expects more productivity in the fourth quarter than in the third quarter.
International Business Remains a Growth Driver Management emphasized the strength of PepsiCo’s international business throughout the call. Laguarta said the international business is expected to cross $40 billion this year and has become a major contributor to company volume, revenue and profit. He said international beverage volumes represent about two-thirds of PepsiCo’s total company beverage volume, while international foods volumes represent more than half.
Laguarta said markets in Asia and the Middle East remained resilient despite concerns about elevated gasoline prices. He also cited strong performance in Europe, where World Cup sponsorship activity in the food business is helping activate the category, and said Latin America was growing somewhat less than the rest of the business but remained positive.
Schmitt said international operating margin increased by a full point in the second quarter, showing not only top-line growth but improved flow-through on the profit and loss statement. He noted that PepsiCo expects some commodity inflation in the second half, particularly in EMEA, but said teams have been proactive in mitigation efforts.
PBNA Margins, M&A and U.S. Productivity Initiatives In PepsiCo Beverages North America, Schmitt said operating margin declined about 90 basis points in the quarter, driven by gross profit rate. He attributed about half of the gross profit rate decline to the company’s Alani commercial arrangement, with additional pressure from softness in convenience and gas channels and product mix.
Laguarta said PepsiCo continues to see momentum in no-sugar beverages, functional hydration and energy, as well as innovation expected to scale in the second half.
On recent acquisitions, Laguarta said both Siete and poppi are “doing well.” He said poppi experienced some transition impact as it moved from its prior distributor system into PepsiCo’s system, but that issue is “pretty much solved.” Siete had ingredient-related issues in April and May, which he said have also been resolved. He also cited partnerships such as Celsius and Alani Nu as ways PepsiCo is expanding consumer offerings.
Executives also discussed productivity initiatives in the U.S., including automation, digitalization and efforts to combine scale across the company’s North American food and beverage businesses. Laguarta said PepsiCo is testing combined mixing centers, combined delivery and combined fleet concepts in Texoma, with more detail expected later this year or early next year.
Laguarta said the objective is to fund U.S. transformation without reducing investment in international markets, which he described as PepsiCo’s largest long-term growth opportunity.
About PepsiCo NASDAQ: PEPPepsiCo, Inc NASDAQ: PEP is a multinational food and beverage company headquartered in Purchase, New York. The company develops, manufactures, markets and sells a broad portfolio of branded food and beverage products, including carbonated and noncarbonated soft drinks, bottled water, sports drinks, juices, ready-to-drink teas and coffees, salty snacks, cereals, and other convenient foods. Its leading consumer brands include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Tropicana, Quaker, Lay's, Doritos and Cheetos, among others.
Formed through the 1965 merger of Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay, PepsiCo has grown into a global business with integrated manufacturing, distribution and marketing operations.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Should You Invest $1,000 in PepsiCo Right Now?Before you consider PepsiCo, you'll want to hear this.
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PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta discusses efforts to grow the company faster in the U.S. and consumer prices on 'The Claman Countdown.' #fox #media #breakingnews #us #usa #new #news #breaking #foxbusiness #theclamancountdown #pepsico #ramonlaguarta #business #economy #consumer #prices #inflation #growth #market #stocks #investing #retail #food #beverages #company #corporate #finance #manufacturing
American Express today hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its new global headquarters at 2 World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan. To celebrate the milestone,
Luke Lango highlights AI’s toll roads… Brian Hunt flags Brazil’s overlooked AI angle… Louis Navellier’s refiner play amid Mideast turmoil… As I write on Thursday morning, the biggest headline is that President Trump says Iran called “a little while ago” wanting to make a deal “so badly” – just hours after a second night of U.S. strikes.
But there are plenty of other stories…
South Korean memory-chip maker SK Hynix – one of the world’s most recently minted trillion-dollar companies – is preparing for its $28 billion American IPO tomorrow. Demand is running roughly seven times the available shares, a loud signal for the AI memory trade.
Meanwhile, on the economic front, this morning’s initial jobless claims came in at a seasonally adjusted 215,000, beating forecasts and down from the prior week. It’s another sign the labor market is holding steady – and a data point that Fed Chair Kevin Warsh will factor in.
We could spend this Digest chasing any one of those threads. Instead, we’re letting them take a backseat for a different purpose…
Putting some money in your pocket.
Today, let’s look at three investment ideas – straight from three of our sharpest analysts.
The first is a straightforward AI play from Luke Lango – built for when the AI trade’s current multiweek drawdown eventually gives way to its next leg higher.
The second is a more conservative way to ride that same AI wave, courtesy of Brian Hunt – and it comes from a corner of the market most investors aren’t watching.
And the third is for AI-weary investors who just need a break from all-things-tech and its recent volatility. It’s a trade from legendary investor Louis Navellier, built around one of the more overlooked side effects of the conflict in the Middle East.
Let’s get into it.
Luke Lango: “AI just joined the payroll” Luke, our tech and innovation expert and editor of Innovation Investor, is flagging a shift he thinks most investors are underestimating. AI is turning from a tool people use into labor companies deploy.
This is the shift to “agentic” AI that we’ve been tracking here in the Digest for months.
To illustrate, Luke highlights Kalshi, the prediction-market platform. It has an internal AI agent named “Harrison” doing work that looks like analyst labor – tracking news, monitoring competitors, drafting contract language, and helping resolve markets.
Tying into the investment opportunities, here’s Luke to explain why that matters for the compute build-out:
An AI agent is different.
Give it an objective, and it goes to work — planning, executing, checking its own output, calling tools, querying databases, revising, and iterating until the task is complete.
That continuous loop consumes inference compute on a vastly larger scale.
This reference to “inference compute” is where we find opportunity.
Luke points to estimates from Gartner that agentic AI workflows consume 5X to 30X more tokens per task than single-shot generative AI queries. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs projects that monthly token counts for agentic AI could reach roughly 120 quadrillion by 2030.
Luke’s takeaway for investors:
Follow the compute, and you’ll find the trade.
It doesn’t matter which app wins, which enterprise deploys the most agents, or which model — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Llama — powers them.
What matters is that every agent is sending traffic through the same physical infrastructure stack. And that stack is finite, expensive to build, and currently being stretched to its limits.
Each layer collects a different kind of toll.
Luke breaks the “toll roads” into several categories – accelerators like Nvidia (NVDA), networking and custom silicon such as Credo (CRDO), memory like SanDisk (SNDK), servers and power such as Dell (DELL), optical connectivity like Coherent (COHR), and storage.
For our purpose today, I’ll highlight one of Luke’s “storage” stocks: Everpure (P).
AI agents need fast retrieval from massive datasets, and Luke says storage is where that need shows up first. Here he is with more:
Everpure in particular has been gaining strength beneath the surface.
In Q1 of FY2027, product revenue surged 55%, while subscription services accounted for 45% of total revenue.
Operating profit jumped over 90% year-over-year to $159 million.
His broader point is that as agentic workloads scale, storage isn’t a side character in the AI story; it’s a structural beneficiary. It quietly compounds while the market’s attention stays fixed on chips.
Luke’s closing thought is interesting. While we’ve written many Digests about the economic incentive for companies to shift from a human workforce to an agentic workforce to benefit from lower labor costs, Luke spots a parallel:
Once AI joins the payroll, compute becomes the new labor cost.
The companies supplying the accelerators, networking, memory, servers, storage, power, cooling, and connectivity behind that shift are not side bets on AI. They are the trade.
It’ll be interesting to watch how pricy this new compute “labor cost” becomes – and how that shapes the agentic AI trade.
In the meantime, for the specific AI stocks that Luke officially recommends in Innovation Investor, click here to learn more.
Brian Hunt: Brazil is the AI trade nobody’s talking about Following Luke’s look at the infrastructure layer behind AI agents, our next opportunity comes from Brian, editor of the free daily newsletter Money & Megatrends – and it takes the AI infrastructure story somewhere unexpected…
Brazil.
In Tuesday’s issue of Money & Megatrends, Brian argues the iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (EWZ) is set up to keep climbing, and that AI’s global infrastructure boom is part of the reason why.
Brazil, he notes, is a commodity superpower – and commodities are the backbone of the AI buildout that most investors overlook.
Here he is to explain:
Brazil is a beneficiary of the historic AI infrastructure spending boom…
Brazil’s huge network of rivers also makes it a giant producer of hydroelectric power. This makes it an attractive destination for power-hungry AI data centers.
Brazil also has large reserves of rare earth elements. Demand for these raw materials is soaring thanks to growing demand in AI infrastructure, robotics, and defense tech.
Brian’s been tracking the price action for months. He first flagged Brazilian stocks back in September, and here’s how that call played out:
Soon after my September note, Brazilian stocks – in the form of the iShares Brazil ETF (EWZ) – surged 38% in less than seven months.
It then experienced a natural, healthy bull market correction from mid-April to mid-June.
Now, he says, that correction is over as EWZ looks poised to continue its uptrend.
It’s a reminder that the AI trade isn’t confined to chips and data centers. Somewhere down the supply chain, it runs through rare earths, hydropower, and the raw materials that make the whole buildout physically possible – and Brian thinks Brazil sits right in the middle of that chain.
If you like EWZ, Brian writes Money & Megatrends every day the market is open, highlighting these kinds of opportunities before they become front-page news – and it’s 100% free.
His issues are loaded with trend analysis, actionable advice, and loads of specific tickers. You can sign up right here.
Louis Navellier: A trade that has nothing to do with AI To round out today’s lineup, let’s turn to Louis, editor of Growth Investor. Two weeks ago, he recommended a trade that’s aging quite well – U.S. oil refiners.
Louis made this call while the ceasefire was still holding. Now that it’s collapsing, the shortages and refining-margin tailwind he flagged look even more likely to persist.
Backing up, volatile crude prices usually squeeze energy companies from both directions…
Rising crude hits refiners’ feedstock costs – the price they pay for the crude oil they’re about to turn into diesel and jet fuel – before they can pass the increase along. Falling crude does the opposite damage – it marks down the value of the crude oil they’re already holding in storage and pipelines.
But right now, refiners are catching a powerful offset: some of the strongest refining margins in years.
Here’s Louis to explain why:
The conflict in the Middle East has created shortages and increased demand for U.S. energy products.
That has pushed refiners to ramp up production of diesel, jet fuel and other petroleum products – and helped drive some of the strongest refining margins in years.
The numbers back him up. In the first quarter, the industry benchmark 3-2-1 crack spread – essentially a snapshot of refiner profitability – jumped 73% on average.
One of the companies riding that tailwind – Louis’ pick – is Phillips 66 (PSX), a diversified energy giant that touches nearly every part of the fuel supply chain. It boasts 12 U.S. refineries, more than 70,000 miles of pipeline, thousands of branded and joint-venture fuel outlets, and a growing renewable fuels business.
That diversification showed up directly in the company’s first-quarter results. Louis highlights how Phillips 66 posted adjusted earnings of $200 million, or $0.49 per share – crushing Wall Street’s estimate for a loss of $0.39 per share.
Analysts have since revised their consensus estimate 60% higher over the past three months, and they now expect second-quarter earnings to soar 179% year-over-year, to $6.64 per share, compared with $2.38 per share in the same quarter a year ago.
Now, Louis made this recommendation on June 26, and his Growth Investor subscribers are already up 11%. That’s pushed PSX above his buy-up-to price of $180 – the stock trades around $189 as I write.
But keep watching here. Any genuine de-escalation in the Middle East would likely ease the shortages driving refining margins higher, which could pull PSX back down – potentially back into Louis’ buy range.
Either way, PSX is a reminder that AI isn’t the only game in town right now. Sometimes the more interesting opportunity is old-fashioned energy infrastructure, catching a tailwind from an entirely different story.
If you want more from Louis, he’s got his eyes on July 23 – exactly two weeks from today – when Q2 earnings kick in.
In his latest presentation, he dives into what his Precursor Intelligence system – or P.I. for short – is digging up right now. Louis designed it to help him identify where institutional money moves next, before the rest of Wall Street catches on. That’s the lens through which he’ll be positioning himself for Q2 earnings.
You can get more details right here – as well as several stocks his system says could be next in line as institutional money makes its next move.
Wrapping up No big headline analysis today – just three ideas to consider from some of our sharpest analysts…
An AI infrastructure trade built for the rebound, A conservative AI angle running through Brazil, And an energy play riding a tailwind that has nothing to do with AI at all. Given our analysts’ respective track records, each is worth a good look if you’re thinking about putting money to work today.
Spot gold weekly chart shows larger trend structure. Source: TradingView Resistance Levels Define the Next Breakout Test Another sign of strength would be indicated by a rise above Tuesday’s high of $4,181. That would put gold more clearly above both the 20-day average and the long-term trendline, which is currently positioned nearby. A close above Tuesday’s high would confirm strength by reclaiming both trend indicators. Next, a decisive breakout above $4,203 would be needed to trigger a bullish continuation, with the first primary target anchored by the falling 50-day moving average, currently at $4,362. Both the 50% retracement at $4,358 and the 127.2% Fibonacci projection for a small rising ABCD pattern near $4,354 provide additional confluence.
Bullish Setup Faces a Critical Support Test Conversely, if dynamic trend resistance continues to hold, the recent bullish reversal attempt could fail. A drop below Thursday’s low of $4,054 and Wednesday’s low of $4,021 would weaken the developing higher swing low structure. That could lead to another test of support near the corrective low of $3,942 or a decline toward the next lower support target zone of $3,886. Therefore, the ability of gold to reclaim nearby resistance levels will likely determine whether the recent bounce evolves into a broader recovery or another leg lower within the correction.
If you’d like to know more about how to trade gold and silver, please visit our educational area.
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fastly, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLY), a leader in global edge cloud platforms, will release financial results for the second quarter of 2026 after market close on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. Fastly will host an investor conference call that day to discuss its results at 1:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. ET. To access the conference call, please pre-register and dial-in using this link at least 15 minutes prior to the 1:30 p.m. PT start time. Registrants will receive an email confir.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) will release its second quarter 2026 financial results on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, after the market closes. The earnings news release, financial supplement and related materials will be posted on MetLife's Investor Relations webpage at investor.metlife.com. MetLife will hold its second quarter 2026 earnings conference call on Thursday, August 6, 2026, from 9-10 a.m. (ET) via a live webcast. Please click on the following link to register: ht.
Resources Investor Relations Journalists Agencies Client Login Send a Release News Products Contact , /PRNewswire/ -- BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, today announced that BD management will host an audio webcast at 8 a.m. ET on Thursday, August 6, 2026 to discuss the Company's financial results for its third quarter of fiscal year 2026, which ended on June 30, 2026, and to provide an update on its operations and strategy. The audio webcast can be accessed at BD's investor relations website at www.bd.com/investors, and a replay will be made available shortly after the call at the same website. Prior to the call, the Company will issue a news release and related presentation materials that will include summary financial information for the quarter. The news release and related presentation materials will be made available at www.bd.com/investors.
About BD
BD is one of the world's largest pure-play medical technology companies with a Purpose of advancing the world of health™ by driving innovation across medical essentials, connected care, biopharma systems and interventional. The company supports those on the frontlines of healthcare by developing transformative technologies, services and solutions that optimize clinical operations and improve care for patients. Operating across the globe, with more than 60,000 employees, BD delivers billions of products annually that have a positive impact on global healthcare. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase clinical efficiency, improve safety and expand access to healthcare. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com or connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bd1/, X @BDandCo or Instagram @becton_dickinson.
Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST, XETRA:CTO) shares fell about 4% to $913 on Wednesday after the warehouse retailer reported a moderation in June comparable sales growth, though Bank of America analysts maintained their ‘Buy’ rating, arguing the company's value-focused strategy and affluent customer base should continue to support market share gains.
For the five weeks ended July 5, total sales rose 10.6%, while US comparable sales excluding gasoline increased 7.6%. Bank of America noted the result represented a slowdown on both a one-year and two-year stacked basis following a stronger May.
The analysts wrote that Costco's "philosophy of leading with value and its weighting towards a higher income consumer gives us confidence share gains across categories will continue."
Non-food comparable sales increased by a mid- to high-single-digit percentage, driven by jewelry, home furnishings and major appliances. Management also highlighted higher prices in consumer electronics and appliances due to inflation in memory chip prices.
Fresh food comparable sales rose by a mid-single-digit percentage, supported by bakery and meat, while food and sundries posted low- to mid-single-digit growth led by food, candy and frozen products.
Overall inflation remained in the low- to mid-single-digit range, with food inflation at the lower end due to egg price deflation and non-food inflation at the higher end because of rising memory prices.
Customer traffic increased 3.2% during the month, easing from 3.9% in May, while average ticket growth excluding gasoline and foreign exchange was 3.7%, compared with 4% in the prior month.
Bank of America also noted Costco is now lapping the rollout of extended shopping hours introduced last July for executive members and later for all members. Management previously estimated the additional hours contributed roughly one percentage point to weekly US sales following their introduction.
Elsewhere, ancillary sales growth slowed as gasoline prices eased, while comparable sales growth moderated in Canada and other international markets. Digital comparable sales remained strong, rising 21.5% in June and improving sequentially from the previous month.
The analysts also noted Costco shifted its member appreciation days to coincide with Amazon's Prime Day and other competing promotional events.
Resources Investor Relations Journalists Agencies Client Login Send a Release News Products Contact , /PRNewswire/ -- Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABNB) today announced that the company's second quarter 2026 financial results will be released after market close on August 6, 2026. The company's shareholder letter will be made available on the Airbnb Investor Relations website at https://investors.airbnb.com.
Airbnb will host an audio webcast to discuss its results at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET the same day. The link to the webcast will be made available on the Investor Relations website at https://investors.airbnb.com.
Interested parties can register for the call in advance by visiting https://registrations.events/direct/Q4I66365784. After registering, instructions will be shared on how to join the call.
About Airbnb
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5.5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2.5 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays, experiences, and services that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.
Palantir Technologies (PLTR 2.47%) was a retail investor darling in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The stock soared 2,670% during that period, despite Wall Street analysts suggesting the price was already too high for most of it. But the stock has taken a tumble since the end of 2025, dropping roughly 37% from its November 2025 all-time high amid the broader software-as-a-service (SaaS) stock sell-off.
Meanwhile, analysts have begun to take a fresh look at the company as it continues to deliver phenomenal revenue growth and earnings. In fact, despite a recent rally in the stock, the average Wall Street price target is significantly above the current price.
Image source: Getty Images.
How high can Palantir climb? Palantir continues to defy expectations with its revenue growth and improving profitability. Revenue accelerated once again in the first quarter, with its top-line climbing 85% year over year in the first quarter. It's showing particular strength in its U.S. business, and its backlog of remaining deal value shows strong momentum and a long runway for continue revenue growth. Overall, adjusted operating margin expanded to 60%. Management also raised its full-year guidance along with those earnings results.
The software business should continue to produce very strong operating leverage. Its research and development expenses fell to less than 10% of revenue in the first quarter. Meanwhile, the company has taken a strategic approach to sales, letting the software speak for itself for the most part. It has recently turned to boot camps to show companies and their employees how to use Palantir's software to improve operations, a move that has been extremely effective in driving customer acquisition.
Palantir seemingly has no equal to compare its software against. The threat of AI labs supplanting existing enterprise software at a lower cost seems even less likely for Palantir than for more basic software solutions. The core of Palantir is its ontology framework, which enables users to find meaningful connections between disparate data sets. The artificial intelligence built into Palantir's platform isn't easily replicated. As a result, Palantir should see high revenue retention rates.
Today's Change
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-2.47
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-3.27
Current Price
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128.95
Execution and growth have never been a problem for Palantir. The biggest concern with the stock has always been its valuation. After the sell-off, the stock trades at 43 times next year's sales expectations and 93 times forward earnings. That's a huge premium over the market. Nonetheless, analysts think it's too cheap.
The median price target for Palantir stock on Wall Street is $200 per share. That price is roughly 54% above the stock's current price as of this writing. And if it reaches that price within 12 months, the stock would trade at roughly the same forward P/E as today, based on analysts' estimates. That suggests Wall Street sees a lot more growth to come for the business.
While management has produced excellent results over the last few years, there's only so long revenue and earnings can accelerate. When the slowdown arrives, the stock could take a hit. Whether you should buy Palantir today depends on whether you think the company can continue to efficiently attract new customers and expand its market at scale.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Micron (MU +4.55%) has lost more than 20% of its value in less than two weeks amid a broader correction among AI stocks. Most investors have been conditioned to expect these sorts of stocks to keep rising steadily, especially as tech giants continue to ramp up their AI infrastructure spending.
The fundamentals of its business suggest Micron's stock rally should continue, so when its price movements defy expectations, it creates buying opportunities for long-term investors.
Image source: Getty Images.
Micron's combination of valuation and revenue growth is rare Micron may be in a class of its own when it comes to valuation and revenue growth.
In its fiscal 2026 third quarter, which ended May 28, the company more than quadrupled its revenue year over year, blowing past its previous guidance. Even its fiscal fourth-quarter guidance was solid, with more than 20% sequential growth expected.
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43.22
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992.02
Yet the stock trades at a P/E ratio of 22, which is lower than the S&P 500's (^GSPC +0.81%) valuation. Meanwhile, few companies in the benchmark index came anywhere close to that kind of revenue growth. The valuation appears even more absurd when looking at Micron's 6.4 forward P/E ratio. That metric reflects expected future growth, making the current dip all the more jarring.
The company even hinted in its earnings release a few weeks ago that it is breaking free from the cyclical nature of the memory chip business. "Multiyear Strategic Customer Agreements will significantly enhance the durability and predictability of Micron's strong financial performance," said CEO Sanjay Mehrotra.
The fundamentals are strong and strengthening, which makes the recent stock price slide more difficult to justify. It also comes as fellow memory product provider Samsung reported a higher quarterly profit than Apple or Nvidia. Micron is riding that same tailwind and looks poised to expand its market share.
Micron's top customers are rushing to spend more on AI infrastructure The string of strong quarters that Micron has put up lately has not been a fluke. They are the result of the company's largest customers ramping up their AI expenditures and competing with each other to gain market share in lucrative opportunities.
Amazon recently said it would issue at least $25 billion in corporate bonds to raise funds for its AI infrastructure build-out. Meanwhile, Alphabet completed an $84.75 billion equity raise a little earlier.
This spending comes from highly profitable companies that are scaling up their products and services thanks to AI. A meaningful portion of the money raised by their financial moves should flow rapidly into Micron's coffers since AI servers require copious amounts of memory chips.
Micron is even well positioned for the expected push into physical AI. Humanoid robots and self-driving vehicles will also need Micron's memory chips. While hyperscalers' big deals get the most attention, Micron also struck a multiyear agreement with Ford Motor Company to supply the memory products for its next-gen vehicles. Deals can branch well beyond tech giants as more industries embrace AI. It all bodes well for Micron despite the recent stock price action.
Marc Guberti has positions in Apple. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Micron Technology, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
SummaryMicron remains a 2026 winner despite a sharp post-earnings plunge, with a bullish outlook on the Direxion Daily MU Bull 2X ETF.MUU targets 200% of MU’s daily performance; I see upside to $950–$1,000 if MU rebounds toward $1,150, contingent on technical momentum.MU’s Q3 delivered 346% YoY revenue growth and record EPS, but technical profit-taking — not fundamentals — drove the recent 30% drawdown.I rate MUU a buy for a short-term rally; leveraged ETF risks and volatility demand small position sizing and active management. JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Micron (MU) plunged after a solid fiscal Q3 report issued in June. I outlined a bullish long-term outlook on MU right after the numbers hit the tape, but that idea is not looking good right now. Indeed, the stock plunged nearly 30% peak to
9.46K Followers
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
, /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that investors with losses related to Zillow Group, Inc. ("Zillow" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: Z, ZG) have opportunity to lead the securities fraud class action lawsuit.
IF YOU ARE AN INVESTOR WHO SUFFERED A LOSS IN ZILLOW GROUP, INC. (Z, ZG), CLICK HERE BEFORE AUGUST 10, 2026 (THE LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE) TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ONGOING SECURITIES FRAUD LAWSUIT.
What Is The Lawsuit About?
The complaint filed alleges that, between February 11, 2025 and May 7, 2026, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) Zillow's agreement with Redfin was not a "partnership," but rather an acquisition of Redfin's business; (2) as a result of the Redfin Agreement, Zillow faced a materially heightened risk of regulatory scrutiny and liability under federal antitrust laws; (3) upon the filing of an antitrust lawsuit, Zillow continued to downplay its legal exposure; and (4) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
Contact Us To Participate or Learn More:
If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact us.
The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz,
Email us at: [email protected]
Call us at: 310-914-5007
Visit our website at: www.frankcruzlaw.com
Follow us for updates on Twitter: twitter.com/FRC_LAW.
If you inquire by email, please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.
To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
SOURCE The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, Los Angeles
Wall Street investors are reportedly flooding back into tobacco stocks, erasing years of ethical boycotts as the industry’s aggressive pivot toward smoke-free products blurs old moral lines.
For nearly a decade, pension funds and major endowments blacklisted cigarette makers under strict mandates.
But that taboo is quickly going up in smoke. Tobacco companies generating massive sales from non-combustible alternatives are “rejoining polite society” and earning premium stock market valuations from returning institutional capital, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Alternative tobacco products have sparked a rethink among investors after nearly a decade of ESG-related concerns. Christopher Sadowski The shift gained fresh momentum when the Food and Drug Administration gave the green light for Philip Morris to market 20 variants of its Zyn nicotine pouches as a less harmful alternative to traditional smoking. The June 30 decision noted a reduced risk of lung cancer, stroke and heart disease for people who use the pouches, which go between one’s gums and cheek but don’t contain tobacco.
The move came just weeks after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a new 75% wholesale tax into law on alternative tobacco products — the so-called “Bro Tax.”
Still, crossing the FDA’s regulatory moat prompted immediate action from major investment banks. Morgan Stanley recently raised its price target on Philip Morris to $200, highlighting the upcoming rollout of Zyn Ultra.
“The developments increase our confidence,” Morgan Stanley analysts wrote in a briefing to clients, adding that they see an increased probability for their $250 bull-case scenario as smoke-free alternatives dominate Philip Morris’ revenue.
Bank of America similarly backed the stock, pushing its target to $209 on high-margin smokeless execution.
British American Toboacco has also been embarking upon a share buyback program in recent months. REUTERS Philip Morris generates about 41% of its sales from non-combustible products, the Journal noted, adding it now trades at a massive 70% premium over rivals still heavily dependent on sales of old-fashioned smokes.
While Philip Morris has captured the premium valuations, rival British American Tobacco, or BATm is executing a sweeping, tech-driven transformation to reclaim market share.
The maker of Lucky Strike and Vuse vapes reportedly plans to eliminate 9,000 global jobs — nearly 19% of its workforce — by outsourcing 3,500 roles to Accenture and deploying artificial intelligence to automate back-office operations.
The workforce cuts aim to harvest $800 million in annual savings by 2028, freeing up capital to aggressively fund BAT’s smokeless product expansion.
Wall Street experts are bullish on tobacco stocks, seeing huge growth potential in alternatives to regular cigarettes and AI-related cost savings. LightRocket via Getty Images Barclays analyst Pallav Mittal noted that the “scale of this workforce reduction is unexpected.”
Nevertheless, the strategic shift keeps analysts bullish.
Experts at Jefferies and UBS recently reiterated buy ratings on BAT, joining a solid majority of Wall Street analysts who rate the stock a strong buy as the firm pushes to double its share of the US oral nicotine market.
As combustible cigarette volumes maintain their decades-long decline, the industry’s rapid evolution appears to be permanently redrawing the boundaries of institutional investing.
“The FDA authorization for Zyn … is a significant positive,” Morgan Stanley analysts concluded in their recent note upgrading the sector. “It provides a clear regulatory pathway and validates the harm reduction potential increasing our confidence in the company’s ability to drive accelerated smoke-free growth.”
