Market Signal Briefing

Key Takeaways JPMorgan, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs are set for rising fixed-income trading revenues ahead.Divergent global rate moves are driving portfolio rebalancing and higher trading activity.A rising fiscal deficit and steepening yield curve are boosting bond and derivatives trading.
The interest-rate markets have been witnessing a surge in trading activities since the beginning of this year, with opportunities expected to continue into 2026. Several macro forces like interest-rate adjustments by global central banks, tariff uncertainty, mounting fiscal deficit concerns and a sharp steepening of the yield curve are expected to create more trading opportunities in the near term, thus helping fixed income traders earn more fees.

Wall Street banks like JPMorgan (JPM - Free Report) , Bank of America Corporation (BAC - Free Report) and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS - Free Report) are likely to see a continued rise in fixed-income trading revenues in the quarters ahead.

In the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2025, JPMorgan’s fixed-income markets revenues in the Commercial & Investment Bank (CIB) segment increased 14% year over year to $17.2 billion. Bank of America reported a 9.6% year-over-year increase in its fixed-income, currencies and commodities (FICC) trading revenues within the Global Markets segment.

Likewise, for Goldman Sachs, its FICC revenues increased 8% on a year-over-year basis.

How Will Banks Benefit From Divergent Rate Policies?Global central banks have been moving interest rates in different directions. For instance, while the U.S Federal Reserve and European Central Bank have been cutting rates this year, the Bank of Japan has initiated a move to raise rates.

Because of this divergence, investors are forced to rebalance their portfolios because bonds become more attractive in a country that is reducing interest rates and vice versa. As investors buy and sell rates products, credit instruments and commodities to adjust to the new monetary-policy landscape, this rebalancing creates volatility in the markets, leading to a rise in trading activities.

And, as fixed income trading activities increase, major dealers with rates trading desks, including Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and BofA, will benefit.

How Will Rising Fiscal Deficit & Steepening Yield Curve Aid Trading?In situations of rising fiscal deficits, governments need to borrow more money, which they do by issuing bonds. When more bonds are issued, there are more bonds available to buy and sell. This means that there will be an increase in trading volumes around those bonds.

Similarly, when long-term interest rates increase more quickly than short-term rates, the yield curve steepens, which triggers three types of trading behavior, like hedging, speculation or repositioning. All these activities involve a lot of buying and selling of bonds and derivatives.

Currently, JPM and Goldman Sachs carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) while Bank of America has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Key Takeaways PRIM delivers steady EPS growth and strong project demand, but margin pressures and project delays hurt.MTZ shows sharper growth catalysts, record backlog and a pipeline rebound, though at a premium valuation.EPS trajectories favor MTZ's high-octane recovery, while PRIM appeals to investors seeking moderated growth.
The robust public infrastructure spending environment is benefiting firms operating in the infrastructure and specialty-construction markets focused on utilities, energy, pipeline and heavy civil projects. Companies like Primoris Services Corporation (PRIM - Free Report) and MasTec, Inc. (MTZ - Free Report) are a few names that are leveraging the incremental market trends.

Besides a favorable funding scenario, the two back-to-back Fed rate cuts are acting as a catalyst in boosting prospects further. After a 0.25 percentage point rate cut on Sept. 17, 2025, the Federal Reserve again pulled down the interest rate by another 25 basis points on Oct. 29, moving the targeted benchmark between 3.75% and 4.00%. With another expected rate cut in December 2025 and two more by June 2026 (per Goldman Sachs chief economist Jan Hatzius), the growth optimism surrounding the economy is in favor of the companies mentioned above.

Primoris Services is currently focused on executing cost control initiatives and disciplined capital management amid the favorable market fundamentals. Contrarily, MasTec is considering further boosting the growth prospects witnessed across its Pipeline Infrastructure segment, alongside maintaining meaningful growth in its non-pipeline businesses.

Let’s dive deep and closely compare the fundamentals of the two stocks to determine which one is a better investment now.

The Case for Primoris Services StockThis Texas-based specialty construction and infrastructure company is gaining from solid project execution strategies amid healthy end-market demand, accompanied by its cost control efforts and disciplined capital management. PRIM has been witnessing robust demand trends across the power delivery, gas operations, communications, renewable energy and industrial markets.

Moreover, the passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a cherry on the cake. This act highlights tax incentives like bonus depreciation across infrastructure investments and allocates about $150 billion of mandatory defense spending. This strategic move is in favor of Primoris Services as it has enabled its customers to have a substantial volume of projects lined up for the next few years.

Primoris Services’ internal execution remains encouraging despite a challenging macro environment and supportive public spending. Adjusted EPS for the first nine months of 2025 rose 65.7% year over year to $4.54, driven by revenue growth, lower interest expense and reduced SG&A. Confident in its diversified markets and solid fundamentals, the company raised its 2025 adjusted EPS outlook to $5.35-$5.55, up from $4.90-$5.10 and well above the 2024 figure of $3.87.

However, PRIM continues to face margin pressures across both operating segments, raising concerns about its ability to sustain profitability despite cost controls and efficiency efforts. Third-quarter 2025 margins contracted 120 basis points to 10.8%, reflecting lower higher-margin storm work, fewer favorable impacts from renewables and industrial projects compared with 2024 and increased costs on certain renewables projects due to adverse weather and project delays.

The Case for MasTec StockThis Florida-based infrastructure construction company is benefiting from strong activity across communications, clean energy and power delivery markets. Besides, a record backlog highlighted persistent demand tied to energy transition and infrastructure investment. As of Sept. 30, 2025, the company’s 18-month backlog stood at a record level of $16.78 billion, up 21.1% year over year and 2% sequentially. MasTec offers services for renewables projects through its Clean Energy and Infrastructure segment, whose 18-month backlog grew 21.4% year over year on strong renewables demand, mainly solar.

After going through a rough patch since the start of 2025, MasTec’s Pipeline Infrastructure segment’s revenues grew 20% year over year to $597.8 million, with EBITDA margin showing sequential growth of 390 basis points to 15.4%. Increasing multi-year spending across grid reliability, LNG expansion and energy transition infrastructure is driving the momentum. Also, MTZ’s improved bidding discipline, a more favorable mix of midstream projects, better project execution and healthier backlog conversion are boding well amid favorable government funding initiatives.

Despite thriving in the energy and power markets, MasTec is facing several challenges that are impacting its revenue visibility and margin growth. It has been experiencing performance setbacks due to fluctuations in capital spending, alongside being continuously subject to project delays.

During the third quarter of 2025, MTZ toned down the 2025 revenue guidance for its Power Delivery segment to about $4.075 billion from the prior expected range of $4.225-$4.25 billion. This move was undertaken because of a lower level of activity related to its Greenlink project, as the customer is facing isolated delays due to permitting.

Stock Performance & ValuationAs witnessed from the chart below, in the past three months, MasTec’s share price performance has outperformed Primoris Services’ growth and the broader Construction sector.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Considering valuation, over the last five years, MasTec has been trading above Primoris Services on a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio basis.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Overall, from these technical indicators, it can be deduced that MTZ stock offers an incremental growth trend but with a premium valuation, while PRIM stock offers a diminishing growth trend with a discounted valuation.

Comparing EPS Estimate Trends: PRIM vs. MTZThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for PRIM’s 2025 EPS indicates 31.3% year-over-year growth, with the 2026 estimate indicating an improvement of 9.3%. The 2025 and 2026 EPS estimates have remained stable over the past 60 days.

PRIM's EPS Trend

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MTZ’s 2025 earnings implies a year-over-year rise of 60.8%, while the same for 2026 indicates an uptick of 27%. Its 2025 and 2026 EPS estimates have trended upward over the past 30 days by 0.5% and 3.6%, respectively.

MTZ's EPS Trend

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Which Stock to Pick Now: PRIM or MTZ?Primoris Services is executing well across diversified end markets, aided by cost controls and strong demand in power delivery, gas operations, communications and renewables. However, persistent margin pressure remains a key concern, due to reduced high-margin storm work, weaker renewables contributions and rising costs tied to weather-related delays.

On the other hand, MasTec is capitalizing on record backlog strength and broad momentum across communications, power delivery and clean energy. But the company continues to grapple with project delays, fluctuating customer capital spending and trimmed guidance for its Power Delivery segment due to permitting setbacks.

Although MTZ stock is trading at a premium, its growth trajectory appears stronger and consensus estimates are rising compared with PRIM stock, which is at a discounted valuation. Although both stocks are currently carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), MTZ holds a robust near-term edge on execution momentum and backlog strength, making it a comparatively better investment option over PRIM now. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Key Takeaways OPFI posted Q3 revenues of $155.1M with strong originations and sharply lower net charge-offs.OppFi raised its 2025 revenues and adjusted EPS guidance, signaling improving demand and execution.NU added 4.3M customers and delivered higher margins, stronger asset quality and robust loan growth.
Both OppFi Inc. (OPFI - Free Report) and Nu Holdings Ltd. (NU - Free Report) are fintech companies that specialize in consumer lending for the underserved population and emerging credit markets.

We have analyzed both stocks to determine which offers the most upside.

The Case for OppFiOPFI experienced a strong third quarter of 2025, marked by top-line growth and profitable expansion in its core operations. With $155.1 million in revenues, OppFi registered 13.5% year-over-year growth. Multiple factors directed this top-line trajectory, including a 12.5% year-over-year hike in net originations. Increasing customer demand was met with an elevated auto approval rate that increased to 79% from the year-ago quarter. Furthermore, the top-line growth can be partly attributed to the consistent rise in scalability in partnerships and direct response programs.

During the said quarter, adjusted net income improved 41.4% year over year to $40.7 million. A combination of strong revenue growth and disciplined expense management enabled the company to acquire this level of profitability. This lofty growth led the bottom line to surge by 39.1% year over year. OppFi’s Model 6, standing at the apex of its credit mitigation strategy, continued to perform well, as evidenced by the net charge-off as a percentage of total revenues taking a nose dive of 430 bps and the net charge-off as a percentage of average receivables falling 480 bps during the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2025.

Management raising 2025 guidance for the top and bottom line again is a waving green flag. During the first quarter of 2025, revenues for the full year were expected to hover within $563-$594 million, which was revised to $590-$605 million during the recently reported quarter. On a similar note, during the third quarter of 2025, adjusted EPS was expected to $1.54-$1.6, which is a significant jump from the first quarter’s $1.18-$1.26. This highlights an anticipation of high demand and operational enhancement boding well with investors.

The Case for Nu HoldingsNu Holdings displayed a robust third quarter of 2025 performance, with revenues gaining 39% year over year, banking on surging customer demand. The company added 4.3 million new customers during the quarter, increasing the count by 16% year over year. As of September 2025, NU’s customer count in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia stood at 110.1 million, 13.1 million, and 3.8 million, respectively, representing 60%, 14% and 10% of the adult population in these regions. It indicates that the company is a leading digital bank in Latin America and one of the leading fintech platforms globally.

On the profitability front, NU witnessed significant improvement as evidenced by its gross profit of $1.8 billion, increasing 32% year over year. The expansion of its margin to 43.5% highlights consistent revenue growth accompanied by consistent improvement in risk-adjusted performance. The company registered net income of $783 million, up a whopping 41.6% year over year. Management stated that such strong profitability is a result of its business model, which is appealing to the masses and fosters strong engagement that broadens monetization. It is striking how all of this is possible while operating on a low-cost and efficient platform.

Nu Holdings’ strategy to diversify both deposits and credit was successful, with deposits growing 37.1% year over year to $38.8 billion, and the loan portfolio witnessing a 42% year-over-year increase to $30.4 billion. Asset quality improved as evidenced by a 20-basis point decline in the 15 to 90-day Non-Performing Loan ratio from the year-ago quarter, despite sector seasonality. NU’s tech investments are targeted toward AI-backed risk and engagement initiatives to aid long-term productivity. Nu Holdings’ swift scale, geographic leadership, and recurring revenues paint a compelling picture of gains in the long haul.

How Do Estimates Compare for OPFI & NU?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for OPFI’s 2025 sales and EPS shows year-over-year growth of 13.6% and 65.3%, respectively. Two estimates for 2025 have increased over the past 60 days, with no downward revisions.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NU’s 2025 sales and EPS indicates a year-over-year increase of 35.9% and 31.1%, respectively. Two estimates for 2025 have moved north in the past 60 days, with no southward revision.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

OPFI Trades Cheaper Than NUOppFi is trading at a forward earnings multiple of 5.68 times, lower than its 12-month median of 6.91 times. Nu Holdings’ forward earnings multiple stands at 20.76 times, slightly higher than its median of 20.71. OPFI trades significantly cheaper than NU.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

VerdictOPFI managed to cater to the piling customer demand, leveraging its Model 6. The company’s credit risk mitigation tactics presented positive results as evidenced by the fall in the net charge-off as a percentage of total revenues. Furthermore, management’s heightened expectations of the top and bottom line for the full year have a strong appeal among investors.

NU’s ability to draw in more customers positions it well as a leading digital bank in Latin America. Nu Holdings’ business model, which operates a low-cost platform, deepens customer engagement and expands monetization. Furthermore, the company’s improving asset quality, combined with investments in AI, adds to its long-term growth trajectory.

Both companies are compelling fintech players; however, we consider OPFI to offer a better upside on the grounds that it is trading at a discount compared with NU. OppFi’s underpriced valuation makes it particularly appealing to value investors.

OPFI flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) while NU carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

XOM's integrated strength and low-cost assets contrast with COP's upstream focus as investors weigh stability versus risk.

BTC price remains under the $90K resistance zone — a barrier it just can’t break thanks to ETF outflows and a bearish market backdrop.

With that in mind, traders are asking: what’s the BTC outlook in the short term, and is this bounce real or just temporary?

Summary

Bitcoin is trading near $86.6K, around 30% below its October peak of $126.2K, with recent volatility reflecting broader market trends and $3.5B in November ETF outflows.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $238M in inflows after a month of outflows, potentially helping stabilize the market.
A move above $88K could trigger a retest of the $90K resistance, while continued ETF inflows may support a potential further push.
Downside Risks: Failure to break $90K and a drop below $85K could lead BTC toward $80K, confirming the ongoing bear-cycle correction.
BTC is expected to consolidate between $85K–$90K with high volatility, while holding the $80K–$85K support zone is crucial to avoid prolonged weakness.

Current price scenario
Bitcoin (BTC) is trading near $86.6K, about 31.3% below its $126.2K peak from October. The recent volatility fits the broader market trend, particularly as November saw $3.5B in ETF outflows, signaling that institutional investors are taking a step back.

BTC 1-day chart, November 2025 | Source: crypto.news
But things aren’t entirely negative: spot Bitcoin ETFs just saw $238M in inflows after a month of outflows. If that continues, it could steady the market. 

Zooming out, the drop fits the typical 4-year cycle pattern, placing Bitcoin in its usual post-peak corrective phase.

Upside outlook
Even though the market is weak right now, the upside remains clear. A move above $88,000 would shift short-term momentum toward buyers, possibly triggering a retest of the important $90,000 resistance. That level has repeatedly acted as both a technical and psychological ceiling for BTC.

Continued ETF inflows could provide the fuel needed to sustain an upward move.

Downside risks
Risks to the downside remain high for Bitcoin. The $90,000 resistance has repeatedly blocked upward momentum, and if it continues to hold, BTC may face another corrective leg.

Immediate support comes at $85,000. A breakdown below this level could accelerate selling and push Bitcoin toward the $80,000 support zone. Entering the $80K range would likely confirm that the bear-cycle correction is still in effect, putting near-term sentiment under pressure and delaying any sustained recovery.

Bitcoin price prediction based on current levels
With technical resistance, ETF trends, and the cyclical backdrop in mind, the short-term BTC forecast is neutral but watchful. Bitcoin is likely to trade between $85K and $90K as market participants jockey for control. A clean move above $90K would be a key sign of bullish momentum, while a fall below $85K could trigger more corrective pressure.

All told, the short-term Bitcoin price prediction points to continued consolidation and high volatility. Medium-term developments will hinge on ETF inflows and macro conditions, and holding the $80K–$85K support zone will be key to avoiding an extended period of weakness.

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

Bitcoin (BTC) hovered near $87,000 at the Wednesday Wall Street open as analysts eyed short liquidations.

Key points:

Bitcoin liquidity conditions analysis predicts a return toward $90,000 next.

Range-bound short-term price moves see trader bets pile in either direction.

US macro data gives stocks a modest boost but fails to sway crypto.

Liquidity could see BTC “pulled up” toward $89,000Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed flat BTC price action characterizing the day’s trading.

BTC/USD one-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView
A lack of volatility allowed liquidity to build either side of price, with $88,000 now an area of interest for trading resource TheKingfisher.

“There are a lot of short liquidations for $BTC on Binance around $88,253.90, which means the price could get pulled up towards that level,” it explained in a post on X.

BTC order-book liquidity data. Source: TheKingfisher/X
Crypto investor and entrepreneur Ted Pillows flagged $89,000 as the key reclaim level for shorts to feel the pain.

“If BTC reclaims the $89,000 level, upside liquidity will be swept first. If Bitcoin loses the $85,000 level, the downside liquidity will be taken out before a bounce back,” he told X followers the day prior.

Data from monitoring resource CoinGlass put the major liquidity draws at $84,500 and $88,500 at the time of writing.

BTC liquidation heatmap. Source: CoinGlass
Crypto analyst Lennaert Snyder noted that the long/short ratio among traders was “roughly 50/50” into $89,000 resistance.

“We need Bitcoin to eat some stop losses and grab fuel before the next directional move,” he commented. 

“Two scenario's I like is either we gain $89K, or sweep the $80.6K lows and bounce back.”Bitcoin steady as S&P 500 heads higherThe day’s macroeconomic data prints had little impact on the stubborn BTC price action.

US jobless claims came in below expectations, potentially reflecting strengthening labor-market conditions.

Despite this, stocks climbed after the open, while bets of a Federal Reserve interest-rate cut in December remained favorable to risk assets.

CME Group’s FedWatch Tool put the odds of a 0.25% cut at the Fed’s Dec. 10 meeting at 83% at the time of writing — up considerably from 30% just a week prior.

Fed target rate probability comparison (screenshot). Source: CME Group
While acknowledging rising fear levels, trading resource The Kobeissi Letter stressed that the S&P 500 was now just 2% away from fresh all-time highs.

“Asset owners are winning,” it concluded.

Investor fear levels are rising:

The cost of a 5-year put option protecting against at least a -55% drop in the S&P 500 has risen to 46 basis points, the highest since the April sell-off.

Excluding April, this is the highest level in at least 2 years.

This means investors are… pic.twitter.com/5SEXCSpfjy

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) November 26, 2025This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Zcash’s price has lost momentum and crashed by 32% from its year-to-date high, and technicals point to more downside despite major news from Grayscale.

Summary

Zcash price has dropped by 32% from its highest level this year.
Grayscale has filed to convert the ZEC trust into an exchange-traded fund.
Technical analysis suggests that the token will have more downside.

Zcash (ZEC), a top player in the privacy industry, was trading at $503 on Wednesday, Nov. 26, bringing its market capitalization to $8.29 billion from the year-to-date high of $11.4 billion.

Zcash price dropped even as after Grayscale filed the S-3 form that will enable it to convert its trust to an exchange-traded fund. This is an important step as ZCSH will become the first Zcash ETF in the industry.

We’ve filed the ZCSH Form S-3 – an important step required to launch the first ZEC ETPs.

Zcash launched in 2016. Seeing the potential of the Zcash protocol, we launched Grayscale Zcash Trust (Ticker: ZCSH) as a private placement in 2017.

— Grayscale (@Grayscale) November 26, 2025

The trust, which has an expense ratio of 2.50% has close to $200 million in assets under management.

Grayscale has successfully converted several of its trusts into ETFs, including assets such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ripple (XRP), and Solana (SOL).

Converting such a trust into an ETF makes it available to more investors, as its private placement funds are only available to qualified investors.

Zcash’s price has been one of the best-performing in the crypto industry over the past two months. This rally started after Grayscale announced the launch of its ZEC trust.

Since then, data shows that its growth has accelerated, with the number of shielded supply soaring. Data compiled by Zechub shows that supply has jumped to over 4 million from below 3 million a few months ago.

Zcash price technical analysis points to a retreat 
ZEC price chart | Source: crypto.news
The weekly timeframe chart shows that the ZEC price remained in a tight range between the support at $15 and the resistance at $77 between June 2022 and September this year.

That consolidation is a sign that the coin was in the accumulation phase of the Dow Theory. This phase is characterized by low volume and volatility.

This is followed by the markup phase of the Wyckoff Theory, characterized by soaring demand. It entered the markup phase in late September, when it surged from below $50 to a record high of $742.

Now, there are signs that the Zcash price has moved to the distribution phase of the Dow Theory. This phase is characterized by downward pressure as investors start to book profits. ZEC has also formed a double-top pattern on the daily chart.

Therefore, the most likely scenario is a token crash, potentially to the 50% Fibonacci Retracement level at $380, as investors panic-sell. A move below that level will signal more downside, potentially to the 61.8% retracement at $295.

Bitcoin and ether are heading into a packed expiry window this Friday, with billions in open interest lined up against max pain levels that sit far above spot.

The plan involves raising the gas limit by five times while also increasing gas costs fivefold for operations that are expensive to process on-chain.
These operations include creating new storage slots with SSTORE, certain other SSTORE operations, precompiles (except elliptic-curve ones), CALLs to large contracts, complex arithmetic instructions, and calldata. The goal is to boost overall network throughput while preventing inefficient operations from overloading nodes.

Why Targeted Optimisation Matters
Ethereum’s gas system is a way of pricing computational work on the blockchain. Gas costs ensure that users pay for the resources they consume, and they also protect the network from spam or overly complex operations. By raising the gas limit, Ethereum will allow more transactions per block, effectively increasing throughput. However, increasing the cost of expensive operations ensures that heavy, inefficient tasks do not clog the network.

Just a year after the community started pushing for higher gas limits, Ethereum is now running with a 60M block gas limit.

That’s a 2× increase in a single year — and it’s only the beginning.

H/t to all client teams, the researchers involved, and to @nanexcool and @econoar for… pic.twitter.com/5JB8FoiACP

— Toni Wahrstätter ⟠ (@nero_eth) November 26, 2025

For example, developers creating decentralised applications often interact with storage using SSTORE, a command that writes data to Ethereum’s state. SSTORE operations are resource-intensive, and unchecked usage can slow down the network. By adjusting costs specifically for these operations, Ethereum encourages more efficient coding practices and prevents bottlenecks. This approach reflects a shift from maximising raw transaction capacity toward smarter, more sustainable network management.

Expect continued growth but more targeted / less uniform growth for next year.

eg. one possible future is: 5x gas limit increase together with 5x gas cost increase for operations that are relatively inefficient to process

Potential targets for such increases (my current view):… https://t.co/FkiTxJnEAq

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) November 26, 2025

Targeted optimisation aligns with a broader trend in blockchain design: focusing on quality over quantity. According to data from Etherscan, Ethereum currently handles around 1.2 million transactions per day, and complex smart contracts already contribute significantly to network congestion. Developers and investors are watching closely as Ethereum experiments with ways to improve efficiency without compromising decentralisation.

More About Ethereum
Ethereum just reached a new all-time high in peak throughput, processing 31,083 transactions in a single second, highlighting the network’s rapid scaling progress. This milestone comes as multiple upgrades and innovations are on the horizon, including Fusaka, Peerdas, ZKEthereum, blob scaling, EIP-7928, and ZK proving latency reduction, all designed to enhance transaction efficiency and reduce network bottlenecks.

gmgm ☕️

ethereum just hit a new ALL-TIME HIGH in peak TPS.

31,083 transactions in one SECOND.

(h/t @web3_data)

fusaka, peerdas, ZKethereum, blob scaling, EIP-7928, and ZK proving latency reduction are all coming soon.

ethereum is scaling with an exponential curve. pic.twitter.com/XMuHyCE789

— Joseph Young (@iamjosephyoung) November 26, 2025

With these improvements, Ethereum’s capacity is growing along an exponential curve, demonstrating that the network is not only keeping pace with demand but also laying the groundwork for more complex decentralised applications and broader adoption in the coming years.

Disclaimer
The information provided by Altcoin Buzz is not financial advice. It is intended solely for educational, entertainment, and informational purposes. Any opinions or strategies shared are those of the writer/reviewers, and their risk tolerance may differ from yours. We are not liable for any losses you may incur from investments related to the information given. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are high-risk assets; therefore, conduct thorough due diligence. Copyright Altcoin Buzz Pte Ltd.

TL;DR

A group of 160 wallets linked to the Edel Finance team acquired 30% of the EDEL supply, valued at $11 million, just before the public launch.
The operation aimed to take advantage of low prices through multiple layers of wallets and bots, although the co-founder claims the tokens were locked in vesting contracts.
Since its launch, EDEL has dropped 62% in a week, reflecting market concern over transparency in the initial distribution and potential internal practices.

Edel Finance, the decentralized lending protocol integrating traditional stocks into its on-chain platform, became embroiled in controversy following the launch of its EDEL token.

What Did Bubblemaps Find?
According to blockchain analytics platform Bubblemaps, a cluster of around 160 wallets linked to the team acquired 30% of the total token supply, valued at $11 million, just before public trading began. The operation was reportedly coordinated through multiple layers of wallets and Ethereum transfers, aiming to make the purchase go unnoticed by the general public.

In crypto terminology, this practice is called “sniping,” a method that uses bots to buy tokens immediately at launch at low initial prices. Each wallet reportedly received 50% of what it purchased, while the remainder was dispersed among roughly 100 secondary wallets, allegedly linked to the team through the token contract creation code, according to Bubblemaps.

Tokens Locked for 36 Months, According to Edel Finance
Edel Finance co-founder James Sherborne responded that the acquisition of 60% of the supply was part of the launch plan and that the tokens were locked in 36-month vesting contracts, with releases scheduled every six months. According to the project’s official tokenomics documents, only 12.7% of the total supply was directly allocated to the team, which Sherborne says rules out any irregularities. However, Bubblemaps characterized the defense as an attempt to justify the operation, comparing it to previous controversial cases of tokens with excessive insider supply that crashed after launch.

Since its November 12 launch, EDEL has a market capitalization of roughly $14.9 million and has lost 62% of its value over the past week. The decline reflects market concern over perceived manipulation and transparency in the initial distribution. Edel Finance is backed by former employees of State Street, JPMorgan, and Airbnb, and its protocol aims to bring stocks and real-world assets into the decentralized lending ecosystem, combining financial incentives with advanced blockchain technology.

The Edel Finance case highlights the importance of clarity in token allocation and effective communication with the community to prevent rumors of insider trading or unfair practices, especially during high-demand token launches

The Solana-focused digital asset treasury firm said proceeds will support its capital strategy as falling crypto markets weigh on corporate token treasuries.

Bitcoin's decline exposes Strategy's liquidity problem. With $54M cash against $120M obligations and potential index removal, MSTR faces critical decisions ahead.

Newton Gitonga2 min read

26 November 2025, 03:42 PM

Edited 26 November 2025, 03:44 PM

Strategy Corporation confronts mounting financial pressure as Bitcoin's recent decline threatens the sustainability of its debt-funded acquisition strategy. The software company turned crypto treasury vehicle must navigate $120 million in preferred stock dividends due by year's end while holding just $54 million in reported Q3 cash reserves.

The timing challenges the Strategy's aggressive capital raising model. The firm has relied on selling equity and convertible debt to purchase Bitcoin during price rallies. This approach worked during Bitcoin's expansion phases, but now faces scrutiny as cryptocurrency markets contract.

Dividend Obligations Strain Cash PositionStrategy's immediate challenge centres on servicing preferred share dividends without disrupting its core strategy. The company may need to tap proceeds from its Euro-denominated STRE preferred shares to meet obligations. This represents a shift from using all raised capital for Bitcoin acquisitions.

The preferred share structure now appears less sustainable than during Bitcoin's bull run. The strategy could delay some dividend payments to preserve liquidity. Another option involves issuing STRC preferred shares with higher promised yields, though this would increase future financial burdens.

Beyond immediate dividend concerns, Strategy faces a potentially larger threat from index rebalancing. The MSCI review scheduled for mid-January could trigger significant selling pressure. Passive funds currently hold over $9 billion worth of Strategy shares. Index removal could force nearly $2.8 billion in immediate sales, with additional pressure continuing for months.

Strategy maintains control of 649,870 Bitcoin, with most holdings identifiable through blockchain wallet addresses. The treasury faces no immediate risk of liquidation. The company will not carry any Bitcoin-backed loans in 2025, thereby eliminating forced selling scenarios if prices decline further.

Debt Maturity Timeline Creates Long-Term UncertaintyStrategy holds approximately $8 billion in convertible debt with maturity dates spanning 2028 to 2032. Most convertible notes already trade out of the money at current stock prices. The company generates minimal free cash flow from its legacy software business, making it dependent on access to capital markets.

Annual dividend obligations total roughly $700 million. Strategy must service this debt load while waiting for potential Bitcoin price recovery. The business model requires either sustained access to capital markets or significant appreciation in cryptocurrency before major debt comes due.

The strategy amplifies Bitcoin returns during upward price movements but magnifies losses during downturns. Strategy stock recovered modestly to $172.19 after touching $166, tracking broader cryptocurrency market sentiment.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $86,941, representing a 0.61% increase over the past 24 hours. 

Bitcoin price chart, Source: CoinMarketCap

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Newton Gitonga

Newton Gitonga covers cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and digital finance. He specializes in breaking down complex trends with clear, data-driven reporting. His work focuses on market analysis, technical insights, and the evolving role of altcoins in shaping global markets.

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Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) slipping below $3,000 this month hasn't stopped skilled traders from locking in major profits — and one of them just cashed out big.

What Happened: Analyst Taiki Maeda closed out his highly profitable Ethereum short, booking roughly $578,000 in gains after riding the market's sharp downturn.

Now, he's moved 100% to cash, warning that altcoins are still deep inside a "wealth destruction phase."

Taiki believes he already captured "the easy part" of the downside and argues Ethereum remains fundamentally overvalued.

He cites weakening growth metrics, falling TVL and stagnant stablecoin supply, as evidence that the bull narratives no longer match on-chain reality.

For now, his strategy is simple: preserve capital, farm low-risk airdrops, and collect stablecoin yields.

In what he calls a "hard-mode" market, he says patience, not overtrading, is the only real edge.

The true altseason, in his view, comes after deeper, cleaner bottoms.

Also Read: BitMine Sees Ethereum ‘Supercycle’ Ahead: What’s Going On With The Stock?

Why It Matters: Taiki didn't mince words about Ethereum's lofty valuation, a $350 billion market cap vs. ~$300 million in annualized revenue, arguing the asset is still priced on hype instead of cash flow.

He also points to the collapse of the "Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) bubble," saying liquidity that once inflated altcoin valuations has evaporated, leaving many tokens drifting back toward fair value, which he believes sits much lower.

In a Nov. 21 post, Taiki reflected on his past six weeks of trading: shorting altcoins around Oct. 10 and doubling down on ETH shorts from $4,150.

With risk now more balanced, he's stepping aside, noting he likely captured the core move without trying to call a final bottom.

Read Next:

Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Stable On Low-Volatility Wednesday Morning
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TLDR:

Reliance Global moved its entire digital treasury into Zcash after a full strategic review.
The company said Zcash’s flexible privacy model aligned with long-term institutional needs.
ZEC’s 90-day surge of more than 1,200 percent supported confidence in its resilience.
The Crypto Advisory Board highlighted Zcash’s zero-knowledge upgrades in its assessment.

Reliance Global Group has moved its full digital asset treasury into Zcash after completing a broad strategic review. 

The company exited all previous positions and reallocated the proceeds into ZEC. The shift follows months of internal analysis on long-term treasury design and digital asset resilience. The decision marks a rare single-asset strategy in a market shaped by diversification.

Reliance Global Selects Zcash For Its Treasury Strategy
The company said the review was led with input from its Crypto Advisory Board, which outlined ZEC’s long-term treasury potential. 

Reliance evaluated various digital assets before settling on a focused Zcash approach. The board assessed privacy, architecture, and institutional suitability as core considerations. The company said ZEC stood out due to its optional privacy and Bitcoin-based structure.

Zcash offered the mix of transparency and confidentiality the company needed for future treasury planning. The asset’s dual-transaction model lets users operate transparently or shift to shielded activity when privacy is required. 

This approach gave the company flexibility while keeping audit processes intact. Its selective disclosure feature supports regulators and auditors without exposing sensitive information publicly.

The company also reviewed Zcash’s track record during the recent market turbulence. ZEC climbed more than 1,200 percent in the past 90 days, according to the company’s update. 

Reliance said that growth signaled rising demand for privacy-enabled assets across enterprise and financial sectors. The surge also reinforced confidence in ZEC’s role in the company’s long-term strategy.

The Crypto Advisory Board highlighted Zcash’s leadership in zero-knowledge cryptography as a key factor. Upgrades such as Sapling and Halo 2 improved transaction performance and reinforced private activity. 

Reliance said those design choices strengthened the case for a treasury anchored in ZEC. The company viewed them as aligned with its broader governance objectives.

Company Leadership Outlines Direction After The Transition
Reliance said the strategic reset followed new insights from its advisory leadership. 

The company credited its board for bringing clarity to long-term asset selection. Its review centered on building a treasury that meets institutional expectations while supporting advanced cryptography. That process shaped the final recommendation to move entirely into Zcash.

Company leadership described ZEC as more closely aligned with its digital asset objectives than a diversified portfolio. The focus on a single asset gives the treasury a defined direction during a period of rapid market change. 

Reliance said the transition positions it to operate with greater internal consistency. It also gives the company a framework for adapting to evolving digital finance models.

The company said the Zcash architecture strengthens confidentiality for enterprise operations and cross-border flows. It also supports competitive information management without compromising regulatory expectations. 

That combination made ZEC a strategic match for the company’s long-term view. Reliance expects the approach to guide future treasury decisions as market conditions shift.

Key Takeaways MasTec's Communications segment posted Q3 revenues of $915M, up 33% year over year.The company sees strong wireless and wireline demand amid nationwide broadband expansion.A growing $5.1B backlog and a ramping Lumen contract support visibility into 2026.
MasTec, Inc. (MTZ - Free Report) is strengthening its presence in the rapidly evolving U.S. telecom infrastructure landscape, supported by broad-based demand for wireless and wireline services, expanding fiber deployment and rising capital investments tied to artificial intelligence and data-center connectivity. As broadband expansion accelerates nationwide, the company is increasingly positioned to participate in large-scale programs that require both execution depth and geographic reach.

In the third quarter of 2025, the company’s Communications segment delivered significant momentum, underscoring the scale and durability of current demand trends. Segment revenues reached $915 million, reflecting 33% year-over-year growth and surpassing internal expectations. The company highlighted that the telecom infrastructure market remains highly active, with customers investing heavily to modernize broadband delivery, replace legacy cable systems and enable higher data throughput to support advanced AI applications. Communications backlog totaled $5.1 billion, rising 14.5% year over year and reinforcing strong industry visibility.

MasTec continues to benefit from solid wireless growth driven by geographic expansion and enhanced service offerings for existing customers. On the wireline side, demand remains supported by extensive broadband initiatives from legacy telecom operators, cable companies and new fiber overbuilders. This nationwide race to deliver fiber connectivity also includes meaningful middle-mile opportunities, while hyperscaler capital spending tied to data-center build-outs is contributing to incremental fiber deployment needs. The company’s contract with Lumen, now ramping steadily, is expected to provide additional growth visibility into 2026.

Going forward, the company sees a supportive backdrop for continued expansion as wireless and wireline demand remains elevated, fiber deployment accelerates and data-center connectivity needs intensify. With broad customer activity, a ramping Lumen program and a growing backlog underpinning visibility, the company believes its Communications segment is well-positioned to build on this momentum across the evolving telecom infrastructure market.

Rising Telecom Infrastructure Investment Boosts Key PlayersThe accelerating expansion of telecom and digital infrastructure is opening new avenues across the construction and services industry. Primoris Services Corporation (PRIM - Free Report) and Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR - Free Report) are two companies benefiting from rising demand for broadband, network upgrades and data-center connectivity.

Primoris continues to strengthen its position as large data centers and broadband developers require higher electrical capacity and more advanced communication links. In the third quarter of 2025, Primoris delivered revenues of $2.2 billion, a 32.1% year-over-year increase, supported by strong activity in its Utilities and Energy segments. Power Delivery work accelerated as customers invested in grid enhancements, lifting Utility backlog to nearly $6.6 billion. Communications operations also expanded through major broadband programs, EPC network projects and rising middle-mile and data-loop fiber work that supports growing digital infrastructure requirements.

Quanta is also seeing strong demand tied to expanding telecom and data-center construction, supported by its capabilities in electric power, communications and grid connectivity. The company continues to secure large contracts that improve network reliability and energy delivery for high-load facilities. With a record backlog and steady bookings across transmission and communications projects, Quanta is positioned to benefit further from sustained investment in digital and broadband infrastructure.

MTZ Stock’s Price Performance & Valuation TrendShares of this Florida-based infrastructure construction company have gained 14.3% in the past three months, outperforming the Zacks Building Products - Heavy Construction industry, the broader Zacks Construction sector and the S&P 500 index.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

MTZ stock is currently trading at a premium compared with its industry peers, with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 26.06, as shown in the chart below.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

EPS Trend Favors MTZFor 2025 and 2025, MTZ’s earnings estimates have trended upward to $6.35 and $8.06 per share, respectively, in the past 30 days. The revised estimated figures for 2025 and 2026 imply 60.8% and 27% year-over-year growth, respectively.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

MasTec currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Lynas Rare Earths Limited (OTCPK:LYSDY) Shareholder/Analyst Call November 25, 2025 6:00 PM EST

Company Participants

John Humphrey
Amanda Lacaze - MD, CEO & Director
Sarah Leonard - General Counsel & Company Secretary
Vanessa Guthrie
Kathleen Bozanic

Conference Call Participants

Helen Manning
Bob Richardson

Presentation

John Humphrey

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is John Humphrey, and I'm the Chair of the Board of Lynas Rare Earths. I'm pleased to welcome so many of you here today to this Annual General Meeting of the company. I'd like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet today, the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, as well as the traditional owners of the lands on which we work, live and meet in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. We pay our respects to elders past and present and extend that respect to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people attending the meeting today. I'd like to extend a warm welcome to all shareholders joining us today, both in person and online.

Ladies and gentlemen, today's AGM is being filmed and it is being live streamed via the Internet. Details are available on the Lynas website. When we come to the Q&A section of the AGM we will take written and audio questions from shareholders joining us online as well as questions from shareholders in the room. Online attendees can submit questions via the Lumi platform at any time. Voting today will be conducted by way of a poll on all items of business. Online voting will shortly open for all resolutions. At that time, if you are eligible to vote at this meeting, a new vote tab will appear. Selecting this tab will bring up a list of resolutions and present you with voting options to cast your vote, simply select one of the options. You do not need to hit a

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GURUGRAM, India & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $YTRA #B2BSaaS--Yatra Online, Inc. today announced a strategic leadership transition to power its next phase of growth.

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK / ACCESS Newswire / November 26, 2025 / The room at DMCC yesterday was not a casual audience. It was the gravitational center of the modern gold economy.

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.

SummaryXiaomi is a diversified Chinese tech giant with strong positions in smartphones, IoT, Internet services, and a new push into electric vehicles.XIACY growth drivers include premium smartphone upgrades, global expansion of IoT/home appliances, and ecosystem integration via HyperOS and the 'Human × Car × Home' strategy.The EV segment is projected to grow rapidly, leveraging the company's brand, pricing, and ecosystem, though market share remains modest vs. global leaders. Sundry Photography/iStock Editorial via Getty Images

By Khaveen Jey, CFA, FMVA, Portfolio Manager @ Khaveen Investments & Anthony Goh, Senior Investment Research Analyst @ Khaveen Investments.

Xiaomi Corporation (OTCPK:XIACY) is one of the largest Tech companies in

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of XIACY, XIACF either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. 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.

No information in this publication is intended as investment, tax, accounting, or legal advice, or as an offer/solicitation to sell or buy. Material provided in this publication is for educational purposes only and was prepared from sources and data believed to be reliable, but we do not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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.

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NetApp Inc (NASDAQ:NTAP) reported largely in-line financial results for the fiscal second quarter 2026, with an earnings beat and margin outperformance bright spots for the data infrastructure company.

For the quarter ending October 24, the company posted net revenues of $1.71 billion, up 3% from the same period a year earlier and slightly surpassing Wall Street estimates of approximately $1.69 billion.

Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) were $2.05, exceeding analyst expectations of roughly $1.89 per share.

NetApp highlighted growth across several business segments. All-flash array revenue increased 9% year-over-year to $1 billion, representing an annualized net revenue run rate of $4.1 billion.

Public cloud revenue reached $171 million, up 32% from the prior year, driven by first-party and marketplace storage services.

Billings totaled $1.65 billion, marking the eighth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth at 4%.

NetApp CEO George Kurian said the results reflect strong execution and operational discipline, with demand supported by AI solutions, cloud storage services, and all-flash offerings. “Our close alignment with customers' key data initiatives has positioned us to capitalize on our significant competitive advantages,” Kurian said.

Wedbush analysts repeated their ‘Neutral’ rating on NetApp following the report, but upped their price target to $115 from $110 to reflect the EPS beat and gross margin strength.

Shares of NetApp traded down 1.6% at about $109 post-earnings.

“NTAP's product gross margins lifted 550 basis points sequentially,” they highlighted. “In turn, this unexpected momentum flowed through the model, helping NTAP meaningfully exceed prior margin and EPS guidance.”

They added that management expects this improvement to hold through fiscal 2026, with modest like-for-like gross margin gains projected for the remainder of the year.

The analysts highlighted that product gross margins came in at 59.5%, above their model of 55.9% and prior quarter results of 54%, driven largely by improved product mix and all-flash array contributions.

Public cloud gross margins also increased to 83%, up from 80.1% year-over-year, though the impact on overall margins was smaller due to the segment’s smaller revenue share.

On sales, Wedbush said the quarter was “roughly in-line with prior guidance,” and revenue guidance for the full year remained steady.

They noted that while the gross margin performance was encouraging, uncertainties remain around sustainability, including potential component cost headwinds and limited near-term sales growth outside existing enterprise accounts.

“As such, we are retaining our ‘Neutral’ view, with our out year estimates only shifting minimally,” Wedbush concluded.

Quarterly financial reports play a vital role on Wall Street, as they help investors see how a company has performed and what might be coming down the road in the near-term. And out of all of the metrics and results to consider, earnings is one of the most important.

We know earnings results are vital, but how a company performs compared to bottom line expectations can be even more important when it comes to stock prices, especially in the near-term. This means that investors might want to take advantage of these earnings surprises.

Hunting for 'earnings whispers' or companies poised to beat their quarterly earnings estimates is a somewhat common practice. But that doesn't make it easy. One way that has been proven to work is by using the Zacks Earnings ESP tool.

The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe Zacks Earnings ESP is more formally known as the Expected Surprise Prediction, and it aims to grab the inside track on the latest analyst estimate revisions ahead of a company's report. The idea is relatively intuitive as a newer projection might be based on more complete information.

Now that we understand the basic idea, let's look at how the Expected Surprise Prediction works. The ESP is calculated by comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with the percentage difference between the two giving us the Zacks ESP figure.

Bringing together a positive earnings ESP alongside a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better has helped stocks report a positive earnings surprise 70% of the time. Furthermore, by using these parameters, investors have seen 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.

Stocks with a #3 (Hold) ranking, which is most stocks covered at 60%, are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. But stocks that fall into the #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy) ranking, or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market. Strong Buy stocks should outperform more than any other rank.

Should You Consider Ollie's Bargain Outlet?Now that we understand what the ESP is and how beneficial it can be, let's dive into a stock that currently fits the bill. Ollie's Bargain Outlet (OLLI - Free Report) earns a #2 (Buy) right now and its Most Accurate Estimate sits at $0.76 a share, just 13 days from its upcoming earnings release on December 9, 2025.

OLLI has an Earnings ESP figure of +6.54%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $0.76 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.71. Ollie's Bargain Outlet is one of a large database of stocks with positive ESPs. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

OLLI is just one of a large group of Consumer Staples stocks with a positive ESP figure. Estee Lauder (EL - Free Report) is another qualifying stock you may want to consider.

Estee Lauder, which is readying to report earnings on February 3, 2026, sits at a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) right now. Its Most Accurate Estimate is currently $0.82 a share, and EL is 69 days out from its next earnings report.

Estee Lauder's Earnings ESP figure currently stands at +1.09% after taking the percentage difference between its Most Accurate Estimate and its Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.81.

OLLI and EL's positive ESP metrics may signal that a positive earnings surprise for both stocks is on the horizon.

Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're ReportedUse the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>

When it comes to short-term investing or trading, they say "the trend is your friend." And there's no denying that this is the most profitable strategy. But making sure of the sustainability of a trend to profit from it is easier said than done.

Often, the direction of a stock's price movement reverses quickly after taking a position in it, making investors incur a short-term capital loss. So, it's important to ensure that there are enough factors -- such as sound fundamentals, positive earnings estimate revisions, etc. -- that could keep the momentum in the stock going.

Our "Recent Price Strength" screen, which is created on a unique short-term trading strategy, could be pretty useful in this regard. This predefined screen makes it really easy to shortlist the stocks that have enough fundamental strength to maintain their recent uptrend. Also, the screen passes only the stocks that are trading in the upper portion of their 52-week high-low range, which is usually an indicator of bullishness.

Investar (ISTR - Free Report) is one of the several suitable candidates that passed through the screen. Here are the key reasons why it could be a profitable bet for "trend" investors.

A solid price increase over a period of 12 weeks reflects investors' continued willingness to pay more for the potential upside in a stock. ISTR is quite a good fit in this regard, gaining 7.1% over this period.

However, it's not enough to look at the price change for around three months, as it doesn't reflect any trend reversal that might have happened in a shorter time frame. It's important for a potential winner to maintain the price trend. A price increase of 1.4% over the past four weeks ensures that the trend is still in place for the stock of this holding company for Investar Bank.

Moreover, ISTR is currently trading at 91.5% of its 52-week High-Low Range, hinting that it can be on the verge of a breakout.

Looking at the fundamentals, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), which means it is in the top 5% of more than the 4,000 stocks that we rank based on trends in earnings estimate revisions and EPS surprises -- the key factors that impact a stock's near-term price movements.

The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

Another factor that confirms the company's fundamental strength is its Average Broker Recommendation of #1 (Strong Buy). This indicates that the brokerage community is highly optimistic about the stock's near-term price performance.

So, the price trend in ISTR may not reverse anytime soon.

In addition to ISTR, there are several other stocks that currently pass through our "Recent Price Strength" screen. You may consider investing in them and start looking for the newest stocks that fit these criteria.

This is not the only screen that could help you find your next winning stock pick. Based on your personal investing style, you may choose from over 45 Zacks Premium Screens that are strategically created to beat the market.

However, keep in mind that the key to a successful stock-picking strategy is to ensure that it produced profitable results in the past. You could easily do that with the help of the Zacks Research Wizard. In addition to allowing you to backtest the effectiveness of your strategy, the program comes loaded with some of our most successful stock-picking strategies.

Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.

Momentum investing is essentially an exception to the idea of "buying low and selling high." Investors following this style of investing are usually not interested in betting on cheap stocks and waiting long for them to recover. Instead, they believe that "buying high and selling higher" is the way to make far more money in lesser time.

Who doesn't like betting on fast-moving trending stocks? But determining the right entry point isn't easy. Often, these stocks lose momentum once their valuation moves ahead of their future growth potential. In such a situation, investors find themselves loaded up on expensive shares with limited to no upside or even a downside. So, going all-in on momentum could be risky at times.

It could be safer to invest in bargain stocks that have been witnessing price momentum recently. While the Zacks Momentum Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to trends in a stock's price or earnings, is pretty useful in identifying great momentum stocks, our 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen comes handy in spotting fast-moving stocks that are still attractively priced.

Norsk Hydro ASA (NHYDY - Free Report) is one of the several great candidates that made it through the screen. While there are numerous reasons why this stock is a great choice, here are the most vital ones:

A dash of recent price momentum reflects growing interest of investors in a stock. With a four-week price change of 2%, the stock of this company is certainly well-positioned in this regard.

While any stock can see a spike in price for a short period, it takes a real momentum player to deliver positive returns for a longer time frame. NHYDY meets this criterion too, as the stock gained 10.1% over the past 12 weeks.

Moreover, the momentum for NHYDY is fast paced, as the stock currently has a beta of 1.46. This indicates that the stock moves 46% higher than the market in either direction.

Given this price performance, it is no surprise that NHYDY has a Momentum Score of A, which indicates that this is the right time to enter the stock to take advantage of the momentum with the highest probability of success.

In addition to a favorable Momentum Score, an upward trend in earnings estimate revisions has helped NHYDY earn a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Our research shows that the momentum-effect is quite strong among Zacks Rank #1 and #2 stocks. That's because as covering analysts raise their earnings estimates for a stock, more and more investors take an interest in it, helping its price race to keep up. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

Most importantly, despite possessing fast-paced momentum features, NHYDY is trading at a reasonable valuation. In terms of Price-to-Sales ratio, which is considered as one of the best valuation metrics, the stock looks quite cheap now. NHYDY is currently trading at 0.68 times its sales. In other words, investors need to pay only 68 cents for each dollar of sales.

So, NHYDY appears to have plenty of room to run, and that too at a fast pace.

In addition to NHYDY, there are several other stocks that currently pass through our 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen. You may consider investing in them and start looking for the newest stocks that fit these criteria.

This is not the only screen that could help you find your next winning stock pick. Based on your personal investing style, you may choose from over 45 Zacks Premium Screens that are strategically created to beat the market.

However, keep in mind that the key to a successful stock-picking strategy is to ensure that it produced profitable results in the past. You could easily do that with the help of the Zacks Research Wizard. In addition to allowing you to backtest the effectiveness of your strategy, the program comes loaded with some of our most successful stock-picking strategies.

Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.

Earnings are arguably the most important single number on a company's quarterly financial report. Wall Street clearly dives into all of the other metrics and management's input, but the EPS figure helps cut through all the noise.

We know earnings results are vital, but how a company performs compared to bottom line expectations can be even more important when it comes to stock prices, especially in the near-term. This means that investors might want to take advantage of these earnings surprises.

The ability to identify stocks that are likely to top quarterly earnings expectations can be profitable, but it's no simple task. Here at Zacks, our Earnings ESP filter helps make things easier.

The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe Zacks Expected Surprise Prediction, or ESP, works by locking in on the most up-to-date analyst earnings revisions because they can be more accurate than estimates from weeks or even months before the actual release date. The thinking is pretty straightforward: analysts who provide earnings estimates closer to the report are likely to have more information.

Now that we understand the basic idea, let's look at how the Expected Surprise Prediction works. The ESP is calculated by comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with the percentage difference between the two giving us the Zacks ESP figure.

Bringing together a positive earnings ESP alongside a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better has helped stocks report a positive earnings surprise 70% of the time. Furthermore, by using these parameters, investors have seen 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.

Stocks with a #3 (Hold) ranking, which is most stocks covered at 60%, are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. But stocks that fall into the #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy) ranking, or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market. Strong Buy stocks should outperform more than any other rank.

Should You Consider Macy's?The final step today is to look at a stock that meets our ESP qualifications. Macy's (M - Free Report) earns a #2 (Buy) seven days from its next quarterly earnings release on December 3, 2025, and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at -$0.12 a share.

M has an Earnings ESP figure of +14.82%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the -$0.12 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of -$0.14. Macy's is one of a large database of stocks with positive ESPs. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

M is one of just a large database of Retail and Wholesale stocks with positive ESPs. Another solid-looking stock is Kohl's (KSS - Free Report) .

Kohl's is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock, and is getting ready to report earnings on March 10, 2026. KSS' Most Accurate Estimate sits at $0.50 a share 104 days from its next earnings release.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Kohl's is $0.42, and when you take the percentage difference between that number and its Most Accurate Estimate, you get the Earnings ESP figure of +18.34%.

M and KSS' positive ESP figures tell us that both stocks have a good chance at beating analyst expectations in their next earnings report.

Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're ReportedUse the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>