Market Signal Briefing

While Lucid and Tesla entered similar markets in different ways, the jury remains out regarding whether Lucid's long-term strategy will pay off.

While Tesla (TSLA 0.04%) and Lucid Motors (LCID 3.58%) may have more in common with one another as electric vehicle (EV) makers, they are substantially different businesses right now. Tesla has branched out to increase the number of customer segments it serves and regions it sells into, and has proven it can do so profitably. Lucid hopes to get there one day. Despite the automotive commonalities, the two competitors are approaching a similar market entry scenario in very different ways, with one seemingly doomed to fail.

What's going on? In terms of perspective, Tesla and Lucid seem to again see market potential in a similar way. Both India and Saudi Arabia have low rates of EV adoption, but both markets have an optimistic consumer base and some community or government support to push electric ambitions. That said, how Tesla entered India and how Lucid is settling into Saudi Arabia show they have very different strategies.

Image source: Lucid Motors.

Lucid opened its manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia in September 2023, as its connection with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) deepened and the latter continued to pour capital into the automaker. It currently owns a near 60% stake. Lucid's plant in the region has yet to reach its full potential and has so far been merely partially assembling vehicles, but that changes this year. Lucid's CEO, Marc Winterhoff, confirmed to Bloomberg that the company is on track to begin full-scale production at the Saudi facility in 2026 with plans to ramp up production over the next few years to an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles in 2029.

It's an opportunity for the company to get its foot in the door of a young market that's being heavily pushed toward electrification. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 economic plan aims to reduce its reliance on oil by boosting non-oil GDP, and the country is establishing an automotive export hub on the Red Sea. Already, automakers such as Lucid, Hyundai, BYD, and Tesla have been tempted with tax exemptions and a 0% custom duties for imports in Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

Lucid is betting that investing in production capacity in Saudi Arabia, establishing a brand early, and avoiding potential tariff setbacks will set it up for success in the future. In another market, Tesla is suffering from the consequences of taking a different approach and importing vehicles to India rather than investing in local manufacturing. With Tesla facing steep import duties of up to 110%, the Model Y starts at nearly $70,000 in India, and the company is reportedly offering costly discounts to help clear unsold imports.

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What it all means for potential Lucid investors Investors hoping this will be a lucrative move for Lucid would be wise to temper their expectations. This strategic move was driven by a long-term vision with the understanding that the market has low EV penetration right now. While the developing market could be of value to Lucid in the distant future, it's also an important move right now to strengthen the connection between the automaker and its largest stakeholder, Saudi Arabia's PIF. The latter has already invested $8 billion in Lucid since 2018 to support its growth, and maintaining that connection will be critical as the young automaker will almost certainly need more capital in the future.

Daniel Miller has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends BYD Company. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Merck logo is seen at a gate to the Merck & Co campus in Rahway, New Jersey, U.S., July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

Jan 25 (Reuters) - Merck (MRK.N), opens new tab is no longer in discussions to buy cancer drug developer Revolution Medicines (RVMD.O), opens new tab, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

The talks cooled after the two could not come to an agreement on price, the Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter. The newspaper said it was possible talks could restart or another suitor for Revolution could emerge.

Sign up here.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Merck and Revolution Medicines did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment outside regular business hours.

The Financial Times reported this month that Merck was in talks to buy Revolution Medicines in a deal valued at $28 billion to $32 billion.

A potential deal with Revolution would have given Merck access to its experimental drug daraxonrasib, which is in late-stage trials and has won a fast-track review voucher from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Revolution has a market capitalization of around $22.7 billion, according to LSEG data.

Reporting by Mihika Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Heavens and David Gregorio

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

, /PRNewswire/ --

Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Bath & Body Works, Inc. (NYSE: BBWI) between June 4, 2024 and November 19, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important March 16, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

So What: If you purchased Bath & Body Works securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

What to do next: To join the Bath & Body Works class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=50622 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than March 16, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, and that defendants failed to disclose that: (1) Bath & Body Works' strategy of pursuing "adjacencies, collaborations and promotions" was not growing the customer base and/or delivering the level of growth in net sales touted; (2) as Bath & Body Works' strategy of "adjacencies, collaborations and promotions" faltered, it relied on brand collaborations "to carry quarters" and obfuscate otherwise weak underlying financial results; (3) as a result, Bath & Body Works was unlikely to meet its own previously issued financial guidance; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about Bath & Body Works' business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Body & Body Works class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=50622 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

      Laurence Rosen, Esq.
      Phillip Kim, Esq.
      The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
      275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
      New York, NY 10016
      Tel: (212) 686-1060
      Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
      Fax: (212) 202-3827
      [email protected]
      www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.

Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), and Meta (META) headline a pivotal earnings week, with AI and cloud growth in sharp focus. MSFT's technicals appear favorable ahead of earnings, with AI-driven Azure and a major Air Force contract underpinning growth.

Microsoft stock is down nearly 14% from its all-time high.

Earnings season is near, and it's time to start looking at what stocks could be primed for a big move following earnings announcements. One stock that has fared poorly since its last announcement is Microsoft (MSFT +3.28%). Since it announced fiscal 2026 first-quarter earnings (ending Sept. 30) on Oct. 29, its stock price has declined nearly 14%.

It's rare to see a big tech company as successful as Microsoft be down so much from its recent highs, but that could open up a buying opportunity for long-term investors. Microsoft announces fiscal 2026 Q2 earnings (ending Dec. 31) on Jan. 28.

Is now the time to buy, or should long-term investors wait until after? Let's find out.

Image source: Getty Images.

Microsoft's stock success boils down to a few key areas Microsoft oversees a lot of different business segments. It has its Office computer products that many utilize on a daily basis, alongside other software tools and hardware products that businesses need to operate on a daily basis. It owns the Xbox video game system and the Activision-Blizzard gaming studio (along with multiple other studios), and also operatesthe online professional business social media site LinkedIn. While these are all components of Microsoft's overall picture, what investors of late really want to know is how Microsoft is doing with artificial intelligence (AI).

While its Copilot product within the Office suite of software products has become popular for its AI capabilities, the star of the show for Microsoft's AI efforts is its cloud computing segment, Azure. Azure has become one of the top cloud computing options to build AI applications on, mainly because it gives users access to multiple generative AI models. While Microsoft has a significant ownership stake in the current generative AI leader, OpenAI (which makes ChatGPT), it also gives users access to other AI models like X's Grok, Meta Platforms' Llama, and Anthropic's Claude. This has led to incredible Azure growth, with revenue rising at a 40% year-over-year pace in Q1.

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If Azure continues to show strength alongside the rest of the business, I think the stock could go higher. However, if this next earnings report implies that it's weak for some reason, don't be surprised to see the stock price decline a few percentage points.

The reality is, Microsoft's stock decline wasn't necessarily a bad thing, as the stock's valuation got a bit overheated.

Microsoft's valuation is at a reasonable level now Prior to its decline starting in late October, Microsoft traded for more than 32 times forward earnings. Most big tech stocks trade around 30 times forward earnings, so this was a bit pricey for the results Microsoft was delivering.

Data by YCharts.

However, 28.5 times forward earnings may be a great entry point for the stock, as it still provides a decent discount from the 31.5 times forward earnings level that Microsoft's stock has averaged over the past five years.

If Microsoft's fiscal 2026 second-quarter results are solid, I won't be surprised to see the stock pop a bit. It looks like a solid deal right now, and I think long-term investors should take advantage of it.

Keithen Drury has positions in Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Meta Platforms and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

, /PRNewswire/ --

Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Klarna Group plc (NYSE: KLAR) pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and related prospectus (collectively, the "Registration Statement") issued in connection with Klarna's September 2025 initial public offering (the "IPO"), of the important February 20, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm.

So What: If you purchased Klarna securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

What to do next: To join the Klarna class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48971 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 20, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, the Registration Statement contained false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Defendants materially understated the risk that Klarna's loss reserves would materially go up within a few months of the IPO, which they either knew of or should have known of given the risk profile of many individuals agreeing to Klarna's buy now, pay later ("BNPL") loans; and (2); as a result, defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times and negligently prepared. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Klarna class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48971 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

      Laurence Rosen, Esq.
      Phillip Kim, Esq.
      The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
      275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
      New York, NY 10016
      Tel: (212) 686-1060
      Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
      Fax: (212) 202-3827
      [email protected]
      www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.

New! Comic speech bubble. Sale, promo, discount, arrival lettering element with sound effect of color phrase. Vector on transparent background

getty

New year, new dividends. And today we’ll review seven brand new payouts.

Why are new divvies potential money makers? Because companies love to deliver big raises out of the gates to reward shareholders.

And to be honest, it doesn’t cost them much. These current yields are often modest, so they have room to grow.

But in percentage terms, these payout pops look impressive. And with gaudy growth numbers comes the “momentum” buyers, who often bid these stocks up, up and away.

Which sophomore dividends are likely to impress soon? Let’s discuss.

Newest Dividend #1: Tutor Perini (TPC)Dividend Initiation Announcement: Nov. 18, 2025
First Dividend Payment: Dec. 23, 2025
Dividend Amount: $0.06 (Quarterly)
Dividend Yield: 0.3%

Tutor Perini (TPC) is one of the nation’s largest general contracting companies, providing general contracting, construction management and design-build services worldwide. It operates across three divisions:

MORE FOR YOU

Civil: Public works and infrastructure; highways, bridges, tunnels, military defense facilities and moreBuilding: Serves building markets such as hospitality and gaming, transportation, health care, commercial offices, government facilities, and moreSpecialty: Electric, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC and other services for civil and building construction projectsWhile many new dividend payers are relatively young companies, Tutor Perini breaks that mold. While the company has only existed in its current form since the 2008 merger of Tutor-Saliba and Perini Corp., its roots go back to 1894. Tutor Perini also stands out as an unlikely dividend starter in that it printed net losses in each of the past three years.

But business has turned up. By the third quarter of 2025, the company was boasting record YTD operating cash flow of $574.4 million, and a record backlog of $21.6 billion. That wave of success helped shares more than triple in 2025, and prompted the company to not only initiate a 6-cent-per-share dividend, but also authorize a $200 million share repurchase program.

For full-year 2025, to be reported later this quarter, Tutor Perini is expected to flip from an adjusted loss of $3.13 per share last year to a $4.10 profit. The dividend represents just 6% of those earnings—plenty of room for further hikes, sure, but also expectedly low given the highly cyclical nature of this business.

Newest Dividend #2: Orla Mining (ORLA)Dividend Initiation Announcement: Dec. 3, 2025
First Dividend Payment: Feb. 10, 2026
Dividend Amount: $0.015 (Quarterly)
Dividend Yield: 0.4%

Vancouver-based Orla Mining (ORLA), once a “junior miner,” is evolving into a mid-tier producer of predominantly gold and silver, but also zinc, lead and copper. Its material projects include a pair of operating mines (Camino Rojo in Mexico’s Zacatecas state and Musselwhite Mine in Ontario) and a development project (South Railroad in Nevada), each of which is 100% owned by the company.

Orla didn’t even churn out revenues for most of its existence, but it finally started to deliver a top line shortly after adding an American listing on the NYSE American exchange in late 2020. Its first profit came in 2022, then after printing red ink in 2023, it roughly doubled its 2022 net income in 2024. It was pacing for a smaller but still substantial profit for 2025.

While Orla’s buildup has come over several years, shareholders enjoyed a Tutor-esque 1-2 punch of rocketing shares and new income in 2025. The stock finished 143% higher last year, and in early December, the company announced it would begin paying an (extremely modest) 1.5-cent-per-share quarterly distribution that will start being paid in February.

Dividend expansion from here might not be that brisk—mining profits are cyclical as is, and Orla is a smaller operator with just a handful of assets. But management felt confident enough in its profits’ stickiness to stick their necks out with a regular dividend.

Newest Dividend #3: ePlus (PLUS)Dividend Initiation Announcement: Aug. 7, 2025
First Dividend Payment: Sept. 17, 2025
Dividend Amount: $0.25 (Quarterly)
Dividend Yield: 1.1%

ePlus (PLUS) provides a wide variety of IT and professional services through its various subsidiaries and technology partners. Like many businesses in the space, ePlus touts its ability to help businesses implement or unlock more potential in artificial intelligence (AI). But its solutions also cover data centers, cloud computing, cybersecurity, networking and far more.

ePlus was founded in the 1990s and had its own little dot-com boom and burst—spiking to a level it wouldn’t touch again for another 13 years. But the company finally started delivering reliable profit growth in 2010, and it has taken off ever since, with PLUS shares soaring by 2,000% over the past 15 years or so.

It’s now sharing some of the wealth in the form of a 25-cent quarterly dividend, announced in August and paid in September. But the new distribution comes not in the midst of an explosion to new levels, but as ePlus navigates more wobbly top- and bottom-line results. More mixed results are expected over the next couple years—high-single-digit revenue growth but a decline in EPS in the current fiscal year, then a rebound in profits but a flat top line next year.

Newest Dividend #4: Visteon (VC)Dividend Initiation Announcement: July 24, 2025
First Dividend Payment: Sept. 5, 2025
Dividend Amount: $0.275 (Quarterly)
Dividend Yield: 1.2%

Visteon (VC) is an automotive technology company that essentially drives all of the cool, flashy parts of our cars: display systems, instrument clusters, telematics, connected services, Android infotainment and more. It also has an “electrification” division that offers power connection, power conversion and electronic control solutions.

Visteon, a spinoff of Ford (F) that first went public in 2000, but it was delisted and forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection during the Great Recession. It re-emerged in 2010 and rejoined the NYSE in 2011.

It has done next to nothing since then.

If there’s any good news, it’s that after volatile and generally declining net income across the 2010s, the bottom line has been rebounding in a much more stable manner during the 2020s. That led Visteon to introduce a 27.5-cent quarterly dividend in July 2025. Sadly, investors have rewarded the company with a four-month selloff that started right around the first distribution payment in September.

Newest Dividend #5: G-III Apparel Group (GIII)Dividend Initiation Announcement: Dec. 9, 2025
First Dividend Payment: Dec. 29, 2025
Dividend Amount: $0.10 (Quarterly)
Dividend Yield: 1.3%

G-III Apparel Group (GIII) is an apparel giant that operates through both wholesale and retail operations. It covers the gamut of apparel, too—outerwear, sportswear, swimwear, jeans, suits, athleisure—and also accessories such as handbags, shoes and luggage. Its owned brands include DKNY, Andrew Marc, Wilsons Leather, G.H. Bass and Jessica Howard, among others. And it also markets apparel under a wide umbrella of licensed brands including Nautica, Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, Levi’s, Calvin Klein, Converse and Dockers, as well as sports gear from the Big Four pro leagues and college programs.

G-III peaked in 2015, but its declines largely stopped by 2020. That sounds great, but it has merely improved to being “dead money,” delivering a 10% cumulative return over the past five years. That said, net income has been relatively steady, with the exception of a loss in fiscal 2023 amid a massive writedown in its brands as well as supply-chain issues—with the upshot that the latter forced G-III and other retailers to get smarter about their inventory management.

G-III apparently expects enough bottom-line stability that it’s willing to part with some of its cash, evidenced by its December announcement of a 10-cent quarterly dividend. There’s not much growth to be squeezed out of this business model; G-III may believe a dividend is the best way to attract shareholders going forward.

Newest Dividend #6: California BanCorp (BCAL)Dividend Initiation Announcement: Dec. 8, 2025
First Dividend Payment: Jan. 15, 2026
Dividend Amount: $0.10 (Quarterly)
Dividend Yield: 2.2%

California BanCorp (BCAL) is the bank holding company for California Bank of Commerce, a small San Diego-based bank with just 14 branch offices and four loan production offices in the state of California. There’s nothing out of the ordinary in its offerings either: consumer products like checking, savings, money markets and CDs, and business offerings like accounts, financing and Treasury management.

What does stand out is extremely rapid growth over the past decade or so. The company delivered just $13.6 million in revenues back in 2015; it has grown the top line every year since, and not just in baby steps. It reported $180 million in revenues for 2024. Earnings haven’t grown as unflinchingly, but they too have ballooned over time.

Wall Street hasn’t rewarded that fundamental improvement by driving shares higher, but it might think differently now that management is directly rewarding shareholders. Near the end of 2025, the company announced it would begin paying a 10-cent quarterly dividend, which it distributed in mid-January.

Newest Dividend #7: Carnival Corp. (CCL)Dividend Initiation Announcement: Dec. 19, 2025
First Dividend Payment: Feb. 27, 2026
Dividend Amount: $0.15 (Quarterly)
Dividend Yield: 2.1%

Carnival Corp. (CCL) is one of a handful of blue-chip cruise companies, offering its services not just under the namesake Carnival Cruise brand, but also AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises and Sebourn.

Carnival is as cyclical as cyclical gets, long trading at the whim of the economy. But perhaps the greatest obstacle in the company’s history came in 2020 in the form of COVID. The general wreckage to the global economy would’ve been bad enough, but the ease with which the virus could spread on these cruises prompted Carnival and most other operators to voluntary shut down operations—and made customers loath to return once cruises set sail again.

Indeed, Carnival Corp.’s new 15-cent dividend—announced in mid-December and to be paid starting in February—is a resumption of the dividend program it was forced to suspend in 2020.

The restored dividend is a nod to Carnival’s recovery. Its fiscal 2023 was the last year of losses—it reported a substantial profit in 2024, and its 2025 bottom line was on par with pre-COVID levels. And this was a restart with a “bang,” representing one of the biggest yields among “new” dividend payers.

Brett Owens is Chief Investment Strategist for Contrarian Outlook. For more great income ideas, get your free copy his latest special report: How to Live off Huge Monthly Dividends (up to 8.2%) — Practically Forever.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of ET, EPD, WES, PAA 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.

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.

Parker-Hannifin had a great 2025, and is a high-quality industrial investors can buy on pullbacks.

Shares of industrial giant Parker-Hannifin Corporation (PH 1.20%) rallied 38.2% in 2025, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Parker-Hannafin sells motion control equipment and valves across several general industrial applications and the aerospace industry.

In 2025, its industrial segments were somewhat mixed, but the aerospace segment, the company's largest, "took off," so to speak, leading to margin expansion and a series of earnings beats.

Additionally, Parker-Hannafin made two acquisitions last year, including the $1 billion acquisition of Curtis Instruments and the larger $9.25 billion acquisition of Filtration Group.

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Parker-Hannifin recovers from "Liberation Day" The year started off poorly for Parker Hannifin, as the controversial "Liberation Day" tariffs threatened all industrial businesses worldwide. However, fears over tariffs were soon allayed, as Parker management increased prices during the year and streamlined costs, boosting margins even though revenue was challenged in the general industrial segment.

Parker has been an active acquirer of businesses and a consolidator in the motion control industrial space. The past year's results were driven by the successful integration of aerospace company Meggitt PLC, which Parker bought for approximately $7.3 billion back in September of 2022. In fiscal 2025, which ended on June 30, Parker's aerospace division grew 13% and expanded operating margins by 300 basis points, thanks to continued cost synergies from that deal. That was enough to offset the 3% decline in the general industrial segment, outside of divestitures.

And Parker's good results continued in the first fiscal quarter of 2025, in which Parker accelerated revenue growth to 3.7%, or 5% when factoring in divestitures. Margins continued to expand, with adjusted earnings per share growing at a higher 16% pace. As a result of the strong results, management raised full-year guidance to 6.5% revenue growth, up from a prior guide of 3.5%, while raising the full-year adjusted EPS outlook from $28.90 to $30.00 per share.

Because Parker has experience and past success in integrating acquisitions, the market also applauded the $1 billion acquisition of Curtis Instruments, which makes control and power devices for the electric vehicle motor industry, as well as the $9.25 billion acquisition of Filter Group, which makes industrial filtration systems across a variety of industrial applications. The Filter acquisition also exposes Parker to the food protection and healthcare segments, where it did not previously have a presence.

Image source: Getty Images.

Parker is a high-performing company, but at a price Parker-Hannifin is a high-performing company with the strategy of applying its "Win 3.0" business excellence strategy to new acquisitions. In 2025, the consolidator-rollup strategy proved itself in a difficult macroeconomic environment, further enthusing investors.

Currently, shares trade for 33 times earnings, which is the high end of the valuation range Parker has traded for over the past decade. So while 2025's big gains may make Parker fairly valued to over-valued, it's a high-quality name all investors in industrial stocks should have on their radar, in case of any material pullbacks.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania--(Newsfile Corp. - January 25, 2026) - WHAT IS HAPPENING? Grabar Law Office is investigating claims on behalf of shareholders of Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: MOH). The investigation concerns whether certain officers and directors breached the fiduciary duties they owed to the company.

If you purchased Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: MOH), shares prior to February 5, 2025, and still hold shares today, you can seek corporate reforms, the return of funds back to the company, and a court approved incentive award at no cost to you whatsoever. Please visit https://grabarlaw.com/the-latest/molina-shareholder-investigation/, contact Joshua Grabar at [email protected], or call 267-507-6085 to learn more.

WHY? As alleged in an underlying securities fraud class action complaint, Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: MOH), through certain of its officers, failed to disclose: (1) material, adverse facts concerning Molina Healthcare's "medical cost trend assumptions"; (2) that Molina Healthcare was experiencing a "dislocation between premium rates and medical cost trend"; (3) that Molina Healthcare's near term growth was dependent on a lack of "utilization of behavioral health, pharmacy, and inpatient and outpatient services"; and (4) as a result, Molina Healthcare's financial guidance for fiscal year 2025 was substantially likely to be cut.

WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW? If you purchased Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: MOH), shares prior to February 5, 2025 and still hold shares today, you are encouraged to visit https://grabarlaw.com/the-latest/molina-shareholder-investigation/, contact Joshua Grabar at [email protected], or call 267-507-6085. You can seek corporate reforms, the return of funds back to the company, and a court approved incentive award at no cost to you whatsoever. $MOH #Molina #MOH

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Contact:
Joshua H. Grabar, Esq.
Grabar Law Office
One Liberty Place
1650 Market Street, Suite 3600
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Tel: 267-507-6085
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WHY GRABAR LAW OFFICE?

Grabar Law Office is a nationally recognized firm with extensive experience as counsel in complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts throughout the nation, having an emphasis in securities class action and individual shareholder litigation under federal and state securities laws, antitrust litigation under federal and state antitrust laws, and consumer rights litigation under state consumer protection laws. The firm represents and is trusted by numerous publicly listed corporations, multinational manufacturers and distributors, municipalities, universities, business owners and individuals. The firm's lawyers have been recognized as "AV Preeminent" - peer rated for highest level of professional excellence and ethical standing by Martindale-Hubble, and by Thompson Reuters' Super Lawyers publication.

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281537

Source: Grabar Law Office

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Shares of United Parcel Service have cratered, but the turnaround effort appears to be working.

United Parcel Service (UPS 1.21%), commonly known as UPS, operates one of the world's dominant package delivery services. It is a vital cog in modern society, as e-commerce continues to grow. Add a huge 6% dividend yield, and dividend investors might be tempted to buy the stock while it languishes below $110 per share. Before you jump aboard, you'll want to understand a few things.

It would be hard to replicate UPS's business Delivering packages sounds simple, but it is actually a capital-intensive, logistically complex effort. UPS owns a large collection of retail stores, sorting and distribution facilities, a massive fleet of local delivery trucks, and long-haul assets, like tractor-trailers and airplanes. And it has to have the technology to track every single package moving through its extensive system.

Image source: Getty Images.

It would be hard, if not impossible, to replace UPS. In fact, even after years of building its own delivery network, e-commerce giant Amazon (AMZN +2.12%) still uses UPS. However, Amazon is also a key part of UPS's current business revamp, with the story dating back to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

During the pandemic, shopping online was the preferred way to buy things because people were stuck at home, socially distancing themselves. Demand for package delivery services skyrocketed, and UPS's stock rose dramatically. When the world reopened, demand normalized, and UPS's stock plunged. It was about this time that this industrial company decided it needed to overhaul its business. Amazon is important here because it is a large-volume customer, but that volume has very low profit margins.

UPS decided it needed to streamline its operations and focus its business on its most profitable customers. This effort included proactively reducing its exposure to Amazon. The business turnaround also involved capital investments in new technology and the closure of less efficient facilities. Essentially, it was spending more money and bringing in less revenue. Wall Street has been avoiding the stock, which is still about 53% below its 2022 high.

Green shoots are showing up It is entirely reasonable that investors were concerned about the income statement trends emerging at UPS. However, turnarounds often look ugly at first since they usually require upfront spending that doesn't provide a return until some time down the road. UPS is starting to see early improvement, which is very encouraging.

For example, in the second quarter of 2025, the company's revenue per piece in the U.S. market rose 5.5% even as the revenue for the division fell roughly 0.8%. However, that's exactly what you would expect based on what UPS was attempting to achieve: handle fewer, but more profitable, packages.

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The second-quarter progress was followed by an even stronger result in the third quarter. Revenue per piece in the U.S. jumped 9.8%, even as the revenue in the U.S. business fell 2.6%. Overall, the company's adjusted operating margin improved 110 basis points year over year. Again, that's more progress toward the big goal and a sign that better business trends may be starting to take shape.

Wall Street is getting excited UPS' share price has bounced off its recent lows and is now up 24% over the past three months. It looks like investors believe the turnaround effort is gaining traction. If you like turnarounds, UPS could be worth buying today.

However, dividend investors might want to tread with caution. The lofty 6% yield is backed by a dividend payout ratio above 100%. Sometimes, big business overhauls are accompanied by a dividend reset. That said, even a 50% dividend cut would still leave the yield at 3%, well above the tiny 1.1% on offer from the average S&P 500 stock today.

These two companies have strong AI tailwinds, but they also have other businesses that provide stability and long-term value.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is still driving market gains, and the eight highest-value stocks on the market are all AI-related companies. All of them are upgrading their platforms and technology to reflect progress in AI, and it looks like there are still massive ongoing opportunities.

So if you're looking for ways to cash in on the trend and buy stocks that have solid, long-term potential, I recommend two in particular: Alphabet (GOOG 0.68%) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM +2.21%). Here's why.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Alphabet Alphabet is the parent company of the better-known Google, but in addition to the world's top search engine, Alphabet owns a portfolio of businesses, including Android and YouTube. It has a near-monopoly in several spaces, giving it a dominant position in areas everyone is using, as well as the diversification to make it a low-risk play.

It's using AI in several ways, starting with the AI summaries you see on top of your Google searches. Investors had been worried at a certain point that Google would lose traffic to AI large-language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, but Google has flipped the script by incorporating summaries from its own LLMs onto its search pages. AI mode now has 75 million active daily users. It also offers the LLMs, under the Gemini name, to its massive advertising base as well as to individuals, and it has 650 million monthly active users.

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Revenue growth accelerated in the 2025 third quarter to 16%, and management said that AI revenue was a key growth driver. Alphabet said that it would up its capital expenditure (capex) spend in 2026 from about $92 billion in 2025. It's also developing its own semiconductors called TPUs, or tensor processing units, which are fielding tremendous demand.

But all of its businesses are thriving, including cloud, which had a $155 billion backlog in the third quarter, up 46% from last year, and advertising revenue, which increased 15%. There's a lot more to expect from Alphabet this year and in the future.

3. Taiwan Semiconductor Taiwan Semiconductor provides key components for AI development as the fabricator of AI chips. It works with companies like Nvidia and Alphabet, and AI is the driving force behind its recent incredible performance. High-performance computing (HPC) revenue, which includes AI, represented 58% of total revenue in 2025, and it increased 48% over the previous year. Total revenue increased 26%, and management is guiding for a compound annual growth rate of at least 25% through 2029.

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Like its clients, the company is investing in growing its business to meet rising demand. Management noted that historically, when it builds out, that has preceded a period of increasing opportunities.

Taiwan Semiconductor also recently opened its first facilities in the U.S., and it said it would open 12 plants in its Arizona location in the coming years. That takes the edge off tariffs and brings the company closer geographically to many of its top clients.

This makes it an ideal buy for 2026, but since it works with technology in many industries, it's less prone to fads or trends and has robust long-term opportunities.

San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - January 25, 2026) - Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers or acquirers of CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWV) securities between March 28, 2025 and December 15, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"), have until March 13, 2026 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the CoreWeave class action lawsuit. Captioned Masaitis v. CoreWeave, Inc., No. 26-cv-00355 (D.N.J.), the CoreWeave class action lawsuit charges CoreWeave as well as certain of CoreWeave's top executives with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the CoreWeave class action lawsuit, please provide your information here:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-coreweave-inc-class-action-lawsuit-crwv.html

You can also contact attorney J.C. Sanchez of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at [email protected].

CASE ALLEGATIONS: CoreWeave purports to be an AI cloud computing company. On March 10, 2025, less than three weeks before CoreWeave conducted its initial public offering ("IPO"), CoreWeave announced a deal worth up to $11.9 billion to deliver AI infrastructure to OpenAI, a leading AI company, the complaint alleges. And on July 7, 2025, CoreWeave allegedly announced a definitive agreement to acquire Core Scientific, Inc., one of the largest owners and operators of digital infrastructure for high performance computing in North America, in an all-stock transaction.

The CoreWeave class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) defendants had overstated CoreWeave's ability to meet customer demand for its service; (ii) defendants materially understated the scope and severity of the risk that CoreWeave's reliance on a single third-party data center supplier presented for CoreWeave's ability to meet customer demand for its services; and (iii) the foregoing was reasonably likely to have a material negative impact on CoreWeave's revenue.

The CoreWeave class action lawsuit alleges that on October 30, 2025 Core Scientific announced it had not received enough shareholder votes to approve its merger agreement with CoreWeave and, as a result, terminated the merger agreement. On this news, the price of CoreWeave shares fell by more than 6%, the complaint alleges.

Then, the CoreWeave shareholder class action alleges that on November 10, 2025, CoreWeave announced lowered revenue guidance for 2025, citing "delays related to a third-party data center developer who is behind schedule." Subsequently, on November 11, 2025 during an interview on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street," after host Jim Cramer challenged the initial characterization of the delays at issue, CoreWeave's CEO, defendant Michael Intrator, conceded that the delays implicated not just one data center, but a single data center provider – i.e., that more than one data center owned by the same provider was potentially affected, the complaint alleges. On this news, the price of CoreWeave's shares fell more than 16%.

Finally, on December 15, 2025, the CoreWeave investor class action lawsuit alleges that The Wall Street Journal published an article reporting new information concerning the data center provider delays, revealing that the scope and severity of data center delivery issues were greater than defendants acknowledged. Specifically, the article allegedly revealed that weather-related delays would push back the completion date of a Denton, Texas data center cluster intended for OpenAI by several months, that other data centers would be delayed due to revised design plans, that Core Scientific was CoreWeave's building partner behind the delayed data centers, and that Core Scientific began flagging these delays nine months before CoreWeave announced lowered revenue guidance in November 2025. On this news, the price of CoreWeave shares fell an additional 3.4%, the complaint alleges.

THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased or acquired CoreWeave securities during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the CoreWeave class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the CoreWeave class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the CoreWeave class action lawsuit. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the CoreWeave class action lawsuit.

ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the world's leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud and shareholder litigation. Our Firm has been ranked #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for four out of the last five years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. In 2024, we recovered over $2.5 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases – more than the next five law firms combined, according to ISS. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs' firms in the world, and the Firm's attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest ever – $7.2 billion – in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html

Attorney advertising.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.

Contact:
Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
J.C. Sanchez
655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101
800-449-4900
[email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281417

Source: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP

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Lower fees, broader sector coverage, and higher yield set these two international ETFs apart for investors weighing global exposure.

The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM +0.63%) stands out for its recent outperformance and emerging-markets focus, but the iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA +0.56%) offers lower costs, a higher yield, and broader developed-market diversification.

Both EEM and IEFA are large, liquid exchange-traded funds tracking international stocks, but they target distinct regions: EEM focuses on emerging markets, while IEFA covers developed markets outside the U.S. and Canada. This comparison looks at the cost, performance, risk, and portfolio differences to help investors decide which ETF may better fit their goals.

Snapshot (cost & size)MetricIEFAEEMIssuerISharesISharesExpense ratio0.07%0.72%1-yr return (as of 2026-01-22)31.8%33.3%Dividend yield3.5%2.1%Beta0.730.74AUM$170.4 billion$25.1 billionBeta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year weekly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months.

IEFA is more affordable with a 0.07% expense ratio compared to EEM's 0.72%, and it also offers a higher dividend yield at 3.5% versus EEM's 2.1%—a meaningful difference for income-focused investors.

Performance & risk comparisonMetricIEFAEEMMax drawdown (5 y)-30.41%-39.82%Growth of $1,000 over 5 years$1,307$1,044What's insideEEM holds 1,214 stocks, with a portfolio tilted toward Technology (30%), Financial Services (21%), and Consumer Discretionary (12%). Its top holdings are Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing(TSM +2.21%) at 12.6%, Tencent Holdings(TCEHY +0.54%) at 4.5%, and Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) at 4.5%, signaling a heavy concentration in Asia's largest tech and internet companies.

In contrast, IEFA spans 2,591 developed-market stocks, with its largest sector weightings in Financial Services (23%), Industrials (20%), and Healthcare (11%). Its leading positions — ASML Holding (ASML 0.44%) at 2.1%, Roche Holding (RHHBY +0.80%) at 1.3%, and HSBC (HSBC +0.23%) at 1.2% — highlight a broader mix of European blue chips and global brands. IEFA takes a more diversified approach and does not have significant single-stock or sector concentration.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

What this means for investorsETFs make it easy to build a more diversified portfolio. IEFA and EEM enable you to passively add some exposure to international stocks. However, these funds take quite different approaches.

IEFA is like a low-cost index fund for global stock market exposure. It holds over 2,500 stocks from nearly every developed country except the U.S. and Canada. It charges a minimal fee and has a very low concentration, as its 10 largest holdings account for only about 11% of assets. These features make it an ideal core holding for diversified international exposure.

EEA, on the other hand, focuses on emerging markets. These countries have higher risk profiles, but more growth potential. This fund also charges a much higher fee to gain access to these markets. Additionally, it has much greater portfolio concentration risk, given that its top holding accounts for over 12.5% of its net assets.

Given these differences, investors need to weigh the risks and rewards when deciding which of these two international ETFs to add to their portfolios.

HSBC Holdings is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Matt DiLallo has positions in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends ASML, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and Tencent. The Motley Fool recommends HSBC Holdings and Roche Holding AG. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Fidelity is heavily invested in the bond market, having some of the top bond ETFs. But how will one of its best funds compare against a bond ETF with tax benefits?

This comparison looks at two core bond ETFs on the market: the Fidelity Total Bond ETF (FBND +0.11%), and the iShares National Muni Bond ETF (MUB +0.11%). Both may appeal to income-seeking investors, but each has different risks and tax profiles. MUB is a long-established municipal bond fund, while FBND is a diversified taxable bond ETF with a tilt toward energy and corporate issuers. Here is a side-by-side breakdown of these funds.

Snapshot (cost & size)MetricMUBFBNDIssuerISharesFidelityExpense ratio0.05%0.36%1-yr return (as of Jan. 25, 2026)1.22%2.6%Dividend yield3.13%4.7%Beta0.240.29AUM$41.85 billion$23.91 billionBeta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year weekly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months.

FBND has a notably higher expense ratio, but it also offers a higher dividend yield and 1-year return. However, even though FBND has a higher dividend yield, MUB currently pays more in dividends because its share price is twice that of FBND.

Performance & risk comparisonMetricMUBFBNDMax drawdown (5 y)-11.88%-17.23%Growth of $1,000 over 5 years$922$862What's insideLaunched in 2014, FBND casts a wide net of bond holdings with 4459 assets, and 67% of its bond holdings are rated AAA, the highest rating for a bond, indicating a very low risk of default from the issuer. However, the ETF also invests up to 20% of its assets in lower-quality debt securities, such as BBB-rated debt, which are riskier but can offer a higher yield.

By contrast, MUB tracks a broad mix of investment-grade U.S. municipal bonds, spreading across 6,163 holdings. It holds zero U.S. government-issued bonds, but about 61% of its holdings are AA-rated bonds, the second-highest rating, with the rest of the fund’s weight almost evenly split between AAA and A-rated bonds.

What this means for investorsBond ETFs can move differently from typical stock ETFs, as the bond market is recovering from the 2022 crash, and the recovery has been very slow and gradual. Don’t expect quick gains unless an unforeseeable event occurs, such as a dramatic drop in federal interest rates, which would likely cause prices to rise inversely as bonds with higher rates are already locked in at their current rates.

When it comes to FBND and MUB, FBND may offer a higher yield over time because it holds bonds within the B rating bracket, which are riskier but often yield higher payouts by the time they mature.

Because municipal bonds often have lower interest rates than U.S. government bonds, MUB is more likely to have lower yields. However, the main benefit of MUB is its exemption from federal income taxes and state income taxes, depending on the state. So, for a higher-risk/higher-reward option, FBND is ideal, while MUB is the go-to option for more tax benefits.

GlossaryETF: Exchange-traded fund that trades on an exchange and holds a basket of underlying securities.
Expense ratio: Annual fund operating costs expressed as a percentage of the fund’s average assets.
Dividend yield: Annual dividends paid by a fund divided by its current share price, expressed as a percentage.
1-yr return: Total return a fund generated over the past 12 months, including price change and income.
Max drawdown: The largest peak-to-trough decline in a fund’s value over a specified period.
Growth of $1,000: Illustration showing what a $1,000 investment would be worth after a given time period.
Beta: Measure of a fund’s volatility relative to a benchmark, often the S&P 500 index.
AUM (Assets under management): Total market value of all assets managed by a fund.
Municipal bond: Bond issued by state or local governments, often providing tax-exempt interest income.
Investment-grade: Bonds rated relatively high quality, indicating lower default risk compared with high-yield bonds.
Corporate credit risk: Risk that a corporate bond issuer cannot meet interest or principal payments.
Tax-exempt income: Interest or dividends that are not subject to federal income tax, and sometimes state or local taxes.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

The drugmaker had recently been in discussions to acquire RevMed in a deal that could have valued the cancer-drug biotech at around $30 billion.

XRP drops 4% as traders watch whether $1.88 support holdsPrice stabilizes near recent lows after a volatile pullback from above $2. Jan 25, 2026, 6:03 p.m.

XRP sank nearly 4% as bitcoin dropped under the $88,000 mark on Sunday, ahead of a busy week with the Federal Reserve's two-day FOMC meeting starting on Wednesday and major technology players announcing earnings.

News backgroundThe consolidation came as spot XRP ETFs recorded their first meaningful weekly outflows since launch, totaling roughly $40.6 million, signaling near-term institutional profit-taking rather than fresh risk-on positioning.There were no negative developments around Ripple or the XRP Ledger during the period. Ripple’s regulatory standing and payments use case remain intact, leaving price action driven primarily by market structure, positioning, and reduced participation rather than fundamentals.Price action summaryXRP edged lower from about $1.92 to $1.90 over the 24-hour period ending Jan. 25, trading within a tight 1.8% range. Price repeatedly tested support near $1.88–$1.89, a level that has now held multiple times since XRP slipped back below $2.00 earlier in the week.The session’s most notable move occurred around 09:00 UTC, when volume briefly surged to 34.5 million tokens as XRP dipped toward $1.89 before bouncing back above $1.90. That move marked a failed breakdown attempt rather than the start of a trend. After the bounce, trading activity faded sharply, with volume collapsing into the close — a sign that both buyers and sellers stepped back.On an intraday basis, XRP attempted a modest rebound toward $1.92 but was rejected quickly, sending price back toward $1.90. The inability to reclaim higher levels reinforced the broader sideways structure.Technical analysisFrom a technical standpoint, XRP remains stuck in consolidation rather than trending. The market has carved out a clear base near $1.88, forming what technicians would describe as a triple-bottom support zone. Each test has attracted buyers, but rebounds have been shallow.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

Resistance remains layered above price. Near-term selling pressure sits around $1.93–$1.95, while a more significant descending trendline comes in closer to $2.10. As long as XRP stays below these levels, upside attempts are likely to be faded.

Volume behavior supports the consolidation view. Participation spikes have coincided with reversals rather than breakouts, and the sharp drop-off in volume into the close suggests indecision, not aggressive accumulation or distribution.

What traders should knowThe key takeaway is that XRP is compressing, not breaking down.

Support near $1.88 is holding, indicating sellers are losing momentum rather than accelerating.Volume is drying up, which often precedes a larger move once direction is resolved.ETF outflows reflect rotation and profit-taking, not a loss of confidence in the asset.For now:

A move above $1.95 would signal the start of structural repair toward $2.03–$2.06.A break below $1.85 would invalidate the base and reopen downside risk.Until then, XRP is likely to remain range-bound, frustrating trend traders but favoring short-term, mean-reversion setups.In simple terms: XRP isn’t weak enough to break, but not strong enough to run — yet.

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KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

Dec 22, 2025

KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

What to know:

KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.More For You

Bitcoin slips below $88,000 amid government shutdown risk and ahead of Fed's first rate decision of the year

1 hour ago

Bitcoin and major tokens weakened Sunday as markets positioned ahead of the Federal Reserve’s next rate decision and a heavy slate of Magnificent Seven earnings.

What to know:

Bitcoin fell below $88,000 in thin weekend trading, extending a weeklong pullback that has left most major cryptocurrencies sharply lower, amid macro and geopolitical tension.Market sentiment remains fragile after more than $1 billion in leveraged crypto positions were liquidated amid recent volatility in currencies and bond markets.Traders are watching potential Japanese yen intervention, U.S. political brinkmanship over a spending bill and a heavy tech-earnings calendar, as the Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged.

Why Trust CoinGape

CoinGape has covered the cryptocurrency industry since 2017, aiming to provide informative insights to our readers. Our journal analysts bring years of experience in market analysis and blockchain technology to ensure factual accuracy and balanced reporting. By following our Editorial Policy, our writers verify every source, fact-check each story, rely on reputable sources, and attribute quotes and media correctly. We also follow a rigorous Review Methodology when evaluating exchanges and tools. From emerging blockchain projects and coin launches to industry events and technical developments, we cover all facets of the digital asset space with unwavering commitment to timely, relevant information.

The Federal Reserve meets in Washington on January 28, with markets pricing a near-certain pause. Fed Rate Cut expectations dipped as investors reassessed inflation, jobs and political pressure arround Chair Jerome Powell. The meeting involves Powell and the FOMC, as policymakers weigh prior cuts, independence concerns and market stability.

Fed Rate Cut Expectations in January Drops According to Polymarket data, traders see almost no chance of a January move. The no change odds are at 99.3%, 25 bps decrease under 1%, 50+ bps decrease under 1% and at 25+ bps increase also under 1%.

Source: Polymarket, Fed Rate Cut January Odds

The Federal Reserve cut rates at the last three meetings, lowering the target range to 3.5%–3.75%. However, inflation and labor conditions changed little since December. Several officials also described policy as near neutral, limiting expectations for further easing. As a result, most officials show limited appetite for another reduction this month.

Additionally, policymakers plan to hold rates steady for several months. They want to assess how prior cuts affect inflation and employment. The Fed continues pursuing its congressional mandate of 2% inflation and maximum employment. 

Political Pressure and Leadership Questions on Fed Fed independence is in question as political scrutiny intensifies. Powell’s chair term ends in May, though he may remain a governor until early 2028. President Donald Trump will announce a nomination soon as per Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. 

Among the top candidates include BlackRock’s Rick Rieder, Former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh, Christopher Waller and Kevin Hassett. Trump has publicly urged sharp rate cuts. The administration also initiated legal actions involving Powell and Governor Lisa Cook. 

While the White House denies political motives, Powell described the actions as intimidation. The Justice Department has also launched a criminal probe into Powell, creating more uncertainty around leadership stability.

Among the FOMC’s twelve members, only Governor Stephen Miran backed aggressive cuts aligned with presidential demands. Therefore, Powell faces pointed questions about resisting pressure while guiding policy continuity.

Fed Dollar-Yen Intervention Pulls Bitcoin Into Focus Beyond rates, reports indicate the Fed may prepare coordinated dollar-yen intervention. The New York Fed reportedly conducted rate checks, a step used before intervention. Such action would involve selling dollars and buying yen, a rare move not seen this century.

Bitcoin enters this discussion due to its historical currency sensitivity. Bitcoin shows a strong inverse relationship with the U.S. dollar and a positive correlation with the yen. However, yen strength also has risk. A small Bank of Japan hike in August 2024 strengthened the yen, leading to forced unwinds of yen-funded positions. Bitcoin dropped fast during that period.

Japan faces yen weakness, high bond yields and a hawkish Bank of Japan. Solo interventions failed in 2022 and 2024. Previously coordinated U.S. and Japan actions proved more effective.

Meanwhile, rate certainty, political pressure, currency intervention signals, and Bitcoin’s exposure frame the January meeting. The Fed enters the meeting with markets expecting stability, leadership questions unresolved and global currency pressures firmly in view.

TLDR: Table of Contents

TLDR:MicroStrategy’s Growing Bitcoin PositionInstitutional Demand for Bitcoin Custody MicroStrategy now owns over 700,000 BTC, equaling more than 3% of total supply. Average cost basis of $71,000 per BTC, current value shows $13B unrealized gain. US custody wallets added 577,000 BTC in the past year, worth $53B. Corporate and institutional accumulation intensifies competition for available Bitcoin supply. Bitcoin corporate accumulation continues to reshape the market as major companies secure significant positions. MicroStrategy (MSTR) has emerged as a leading corporate holder, now owning over 3% of the total Bitcoin supply.

Since late 2020, MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor has executed 95 separate purchases, bringing the company’s holdings to 709,715 BTC.

With an average cost basis around $71,000 per coin, the current market price of $89,000 reflects a $13 billion unrealized gain.

MicroStrategy’s Growing Bitcoin Position MicroStrategy’s persistent accumulation strategy demonstrates the challenge for new corporate entrants seeking meaningful Bitcoin exposure.

In January alone, the company added 22,305 BTC, though there have been no confirmed purchases since January 20.

Observers note Saylor’s recent chart postings may signal renewed activity, following a consistent historical pattern.

Corporate adoption of Bitcoin is no longer in its early stages, as one company now holds a substantial portion of the fixed supply.

Everyone thinks corporate $BTC adoption is "just getting started."

One company already owns 3% of all Bitcoin that will ever exist.

That's not early adoption. That's market dominance.$MSTR now holds 709,715 Bitcoin.

Worth roughly $63B at current prices.

Let that sit &… pic.twitter.com/vmic2lxcvl

— Milk Road (@MilkRoad) January 25, 2026

The scale of MicroStrategy’s holdings emphasizes the competitive environment for other companies considering a Bitcoin treasury.

Every major organization now evaluating Bitcoin must contend with the market presence of an entity that has been actively purchasing for four years.

The concentration of Bitcoin in corporate balance sheets has altered market dynamics, making accumulation increasingly difficult for latecomers.

Such accumulation also highlights the effects of fixed supply on market access. With 21 million total Bitcoins, controlling more than 700,000 represents a significant share that could influence liquidity and market behavior.

This situation draws attention to the strategic planning required for companies entering Bitcoin, especially given high volatility and demand.

MicroStrategy’s position also illustrates the long-term commitment some corporations are making toward digital assets. Holding a substantial portion without selling reflects a strategy focused on preservation and gradual exposure to market trends. This approach has set a benchmark for other institutional actors in the crypto space.

Institutional Demand for Bitcoin Custody Institutional demand for Bitcoin continues beyond corporate purchases. According to CryptoQuant CEO, U.S. custody wallets added 577,000 BTC over the past year, valued at roughly $53 billion. This reflects a growing interest from financial institutions seeking secure storage solutions and direct market exposure.

The increase in custody wallet holdings signals a broader acceptance of Bitcoin as an asset class. Institutions are now engaging with digital assets at scales previously reserved for major corporations. Custody solutions provide transparency and regulatory compliance, fostering confidence in large-scale holdings.

Market observers note that institutional accumulation often coincides with corporate strategies, as firms manage treasury allocations alongside investment funds.

The synergy between custody wallets and corporate portfolios suggests a maturing ecosystem, where significant Bitcoin reserves are held responsibly.

Demand from both corporations and institutions is reshaping Bitcoin market dynamics. As more entities secure positions, competition for available supply intensifies, influencing pricing and trading patterns.

The trend demonstrates the increasing integration of Bitcoin into traditional financial structures.

The price of bitcoin slid on Sunday, dipping below the $88,000 range and tagging a low of $87,471 per unit. Around noon (EST), the top crypto settled into a clean intraday slide, defined by a tidy staircase of lower highs and lower lows.

Robert Kiyosaki, the author of “Rich Dad Poor Dad” and investment guru, is not bothered by the price volatility of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH). He maintains his stance of purchasing both cryptocurrencies irrespective of their price movements.

Kiyosaki recently displayed interest in Ethereum, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency. He holds the conviction that Bitcoin is set to reach a valuation of $1 million within the next few years or decade.

In a post on X, Kiyosaki revealed that he does not fret over the price trends of Bitcoin or Ethereum. He clarified that his investment strategy is influenced by the escalating national debt of the US and the diminishing purchasing power of the US dollar.

Kiyosaki also voiced his distrust in major financial institutions like the Federal Reserve and the US Treasury. He argued that these institutions are run by individuals who lack profound knowledge of the economy and money management.

Despite the instability of cryptocurrency prices, Kiyosaki persists in investing in physical gold, silver, Bitcoin, and Ethereum. He often underscores the historical significance of gold and silver as a medium of exchange and views Bitcoin as “digital gold”.

Why It Matters: Kiyosaki’s indifference to the price volatility of Bitcoin and Ethereum underscores his belief in the long-term value of these cryptocurrencies.

His investment strategy, driven by concerns over the US national debt and the declining purchasing power of the dollar, reflects a broader trend among investors who are turning to cryptocurrencies as a hedge against inflation and economic instability.

His lack of faith in key financial institutions, coupled with his continued investment in cryptocurrencies, gold, and silver, suggests a shift in investment strategies towards assets that are not tied to traditional financial systems. This could potentially influence other investors to diversify their portfolios in a similar manner.

Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Iran’s central bank has quietly built a large position in the US dollar stablecoin USDT, according to new findings from blockchain analytics firm Elliptic. Elliptic says it identified a network of crypto wallets linked to the Central Bank of Iran. These wallets were used to acquire at least $507 million worth of USDT. The purchases took place mainly in April and May 2025 and were paid for using Emirati dirhams.

Researchers believe the true total could be higher. The estimate only includes wallets that Elliptic could link to the central bank with high confidence.

🚨 New Elliptic research: We have identified wallets used by Iran’s Central Bank to acquire at least $507 million worth of cryptoassets.

The findings suggest that the Iranian regime used these cryptoassets to evade sanctions and support the plummeting value of Iran’s currency,… pic.twitter.com/I7NHGO0wtP

— Elliptic (@elliptic) January 21, 2026

How the USDT Was Moved

At first, most of the USDT was sent to Nobitex, Iran’s largest crypto exchange. Nobitex allows users to hold USDT, trade it for other crypto assets, or convert it into Iranian rials.

This flow changed in mid 2025. After June, users sent large amounts of USDT through a cross-chain bridge. The funds moved from the Tron blockchain to Ethereum, then into other assets using decentralized exchanges. From there, the assets spread across several blockchains and centralized exchanges.

Elliptic says this shift happened around the same time Nobitex suffered a major hack. In June 2025, attackers stole about $90 million from the exchange and later destroyed the funds. After that event, the central bank appears to have changed how it handled its crypto holdings.

#CertiKInsight 🚨

Thus far in 2025, on-chain incidents have led to ~$2.1B in losses.

The majority of losses have come from wallet compromises and phishing, with an increase in data leaks its important to remain vigilant. pic.twitter.com/Cjm6QFHWqX

— CertiK Alert (@CertiKAlert) May 23, 2025

Why Iran Is Using Stablecoins?  Elliptic believes the central bank turned to USDT to manage two major problems. The first was a sharp fall in the value of the rial. The second was Iran’s limited access to global banking systems.

During the period of USDT accumulation, the rial lost about half its value in less than a year. Sending USDT to local exchanges may have helped inject dollar liquidity into the market and slow the decline.

Beyond domestic support, Elliptic suggests Iran is building a financial system that works outside traditional banks. By holding USDT, the central bank can store and move dollar value without relying on SWIFT or correspondent banks.

Blockchain Leaves a Trail Despite efforts to avoid sanctions, Elliptic notes that stablecoin activity is not hidden. Public blockchains make transactions visible and traceable.

Tether has already frozen some wallets linked to the network. In June 2025, the system blacklisted about $37 million in USDT tied to these wallets.

Why This Matters The findings show how governments under pressure are turning to stablecoins. At the same time, they highlight a key tension in crypto. Blockchains offer new tools, but they also leave permanent records.

Disclaimer The information discussed by Altcoin Buzz is not financial advice. This is for educational, entertainment, and informational purposes only. Any information or strategies are thoughts and opinions relevant to the accepted risk tolerance levels of the writer/reviewers, and their risk tolerance may differ from yours. We are not responsible for any losses you may incur due to any investments directly or indirectly related to the information provided. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are high-risk investments, so please do your due diligence. Copyright Altcoin Buzz Pte Ltd.

XRP sank to session lows as intensifying macro uncertainty and rising trade tensions crushed risk appetite, driving a decisive breakdown from consolidation and reinforcing a bearish trend across crypto markets. XRP Slides to Session Lows as Macro Uncertainty Crushes Risk Appetite At 1:21 p.m., XRP is trading at $1.

TLDR: Ethereum enables art that exists fully on the blockchain, requiring network participation to function. CryptoPunks and Autoglyphs showcase protocol-first design, making the network itself the medium. Ownership and value are determined by consensus, not museums or centralized institutions. The ∞ETH NODE sculpture visualizes Ethereum’s real-time activity as both art and data experience. Ethereum is reshaping the way digital art is created and preserved by using the network itself as the medium. Unlike traditional digital art, networked art requires the blockchain for its function, storage, and execution. 

As Natalie Stone, Executive Producer & Arts Strategist, explains, “What does it mean to make art with a network? Not on it. Not about it. With it.” 

Projects like CryptoPunks and Autoglyphs show that Ethereum allows art to persist indefinitely, maintained by global participation rather than institutional control.

Networked Art as a Living System Networked art differs from art about or hosted on a network. Stone notes, “Art about a network is thematic; art on a network is hosted; art with a network cannot function without it.” 

While net.art of the 1990s relied on centralized servers, Ethereum allows works to exist fully within a decentralized ecosystem. 

JODI’s browser-based art depended on manual archiving, whereas Ethereum-based projects embed the art in smart contracts, creating permanence and interactivity.

Artists like Matt Hall and John Watkinson of Larva Labs illustrate this through Autoglyphs, where the algorithm “ran inside the transaction itself, performance happening on Ethereum, not a server.” 

Each piece becomes a self-contained execution on the blockchain, consuming network resources while remaining immutable. 

Their 2025 project Quine further explores onchain replication, producing works where the computation itself is the artistic output. 

The Ethereum network transforms each transaction into part of the artwork, reinforcing a collective experience.

CryptoPunks exemplify networked art as both technical and social protocols. As Stone writes, “Every bid, offer, sale is executed and reaffirmed on the smart contract within the Ethereum blockchain, validating ownership and signifying status.” 

The project’s smart contract enforces scarcity and transfer automatically, creating a decentralized marketplace. 

Value is determined by thousands of participants worldwide, not by the artists or institutions, illustrating the network’s power in defining cultural significance.

Participation drives the art’s meaning and value. Without collectors and active transactions, the artwork cannot exist. Larva Labs ensured that control over pricing and ownership rests with the network, reinforcing Stone’s observation: 

“If participation is the medium, decentralization is not just an ideology; it is a material constraint.” This approach allows Ethereum-based projects to maintain authenticity and function independent of central authority.

Ethereum as Medium and Marketplace Ethereum enables artworks inseparable from the network itself, integrating technology and cultural expression. 

The ∞ETH NODE sculpture demonstrates this by visualizing every block, transaction, and heartbeat in real time. 

Stone remarks, “The world’s computer, presented unapologetically, as the art itself.” Larva Labs’ installation converts the network’s invisible processes into light and audio, showing Ethereum’s properties as material that artists must shape.

Ownership and value are confirmed by network consensus rather than museums or curators. Stone observes that institutional acquisitions, including MoMA’s purchase of CryptoPunks, “acknowledge cultural significance but do not control the artwork.” 

Smart contracts preserve creation, transfer, and ownership on Ethereum, ensuring longevity. Larva Labs’ methodology emphasizes “logic before image, system before object, protocol first,” storing image data and hashes directly onchain.

Ethereum’s network consensus determines value and meaning. Transactions, interactions, and replication collectively reinforce the artwork, confirming Stone’s point: 

“Without participants – there is no consensus, there is no art.” Ethereum transforms cultural production into a decentralized system, where global participation sustains art’s existence and guarantees permanence.

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“Bitcoin is the digital gold” is one of the most popular narratives in the cryptocurrency industry, reiterating BTC’s growing status as a formidable store of value. However, while the premier cryptocurrency has floundered over the past months, gold and the metals market have largely witnessed explosive growth.

These contrasting performances have led to conversations about capital rotation between Bitcoin and gold, as the crowd expects one to always outperform the other at any given time. Recent data, however, suggests that the relationship between the BTC and gold price action is overrated.

Capital Flow Link Between BTC And Gold Overestimated  In a January 24 post on the X platform, on-chain analyst with the pseudonym Darkfost weighed in on the discourse surrounding capital rotation between gold and Bitcoin. According to the market pundit, the idea that investor funds flow from gold to Bitcoin is somewhat overblown.

To highlight this overestimation, Darkfost shared a chart showing periods where BTC outperforms or underperforms depending on gold’s trend. This chart typically provides two signals: positive (BTC above the 180-day moving average [MA] and gold below the 180-day MA) and negative (BTC below the 180-day moving average and gold below the 180-day MA).

Source: @Darkfost_Coc on X As observed in the chart above and stated by Darkfost, the relationship between Bitcoin and gold does not appear to be fully substantiated. The on-chain analyst revealed that there have been as many positive periods as the negative ones, suggesting that the flagship cryptocurrency moves independently of gold.

Darkfost wrote:

This suggests that BTC continues to evolve independently, without clear evidence of a sustained capital rotation from gold.

Furthermore, Darkfost noted that a positive signal does not necessarily mean that capital is flowing out of gold into Bitcoin. According to the on-chain analyst, it is simply not possible to determine whether there is a capital flow relationship between the world’s largest cryptocurrency and gold.

Bitcoin & Gold Price Overview While Bitcoin started the new year on a pretty strong note, the bullish momentum has pretty much waned over the past two weeks. Meanwhile, the gold price has continued to flourish this year, recently reaching a new all-time high above $4,900 per ounce.

As of this writing, the price of BTC stands at around $89,230, reflecting no significant movement in the past 24 hours. According to data from CoinGecko, the flagship cryptocurrency is nearly 30% adrift its all-time high above the $126,000 level.

The price of BTC on the daily timeframe | Source: BTCUSD chart on TradingView Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView

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Opeyemi Sule is a passionate crypto enthusiast, a proficient content writer, and a journalist at Bitcoinist. Opeyemi creates unique pieces unraveling the complexities of blockchain technology and sharing insights on the latest trends in the world of cryptocurrencies. Opeyemi enjoys reading poetry, chatting about politics, and listening to music, in addition to his strong interest in cryptocurrency.