Market Signal Briefing

U.S. markets closed Friday with mixed signals across major indexes, while crypto-associated stocks—particularly bitcoin miners—largely pushed higher against a backdrop of global economic fragility and shifting geopolitical currents. Wall Street Wobbles While Publicly Traded Bitcoin Miners Outperform in a Jittery Global Market The four major U.S. stock indexes wrapped up Friday, Jan.

The project aims to create a decentralized satellite internet network, with the initial satellites, CTC-0 and CTC-1, already demonstrating blockchain-based communication from space. Jan 24, 2026, 4:47 p.m.

Spacecoin, a decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN), has launched its SPACE token, marking a key step in the company’s plan to create a decentralized satellite internet network, just days after partnering with the Trump family-linked decentralized finance project World Liberty Finance.

The token is now live across centralized exchanges, including Binance, Kraken, and OKX, as well as on decentralized platforms such as PancakeSwap and Uniswap.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

The token’s price is down around 12.2% since its launch, according to CoinMarketCap data, with a fully diluted value of $357 million, at the time of publication.

The move comes after Spacecoin’s recent partnership with World Liberty Financial that included a token swap and collaborative plans to connect WLFI’s $3.2 billion USD1 stablecoin with Spacecoin’s satellite infrastructure.

Together, the projects aim to offer decentralized internet access and financial services to people in regions where traditional infrastructure falls short.

The SPACE token is intended to help fund and coordinate the infrastructure powering its plans to give people with weak or no broadband coverage a way to get online without relying on telecom companies or governments.

Spacecoin’s first satellites, CTC-0 and CTC-1, have already demonstrated blockchain-based communication from space, the company said. The SPACE token adds a financial layer to that network, enabling users to trade, stake, and participate in governance.

The company said it has also started an airdrop claim for early supporters who met eligibility requirements during promotional campaigns.

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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

One of the oldest NFT trading platform which facilitated over $300 million in sales at its peak shuts down

46 minutes ago

The platform, Nifty Gateway, which once facilitated over $300 million in sales, had shifted its focus to building onchain creative projects in 2024, but will now close.

What to know:

Nifty Gateway, an NFT platform, will shut down on February 23, 2026, and has entered withdrawal-only mode, allowing users one month to move their NFTs and funds.The platform, which once facilitated over $300 million in sales, had shifted its focus to building onchain creative projects in 2024, but will now close.The shutdown will allow parent company Gemini to focus on building a "one-stop super app" and will continue to support NFTs through its Gemini Wallet.

Bitcoin remains in a corrective phase after the failure to sustain the breakout above the mid-$90,000s. The recent price action resembles a pullback within a broader range rather than a confirmed trend reversal, but the rejection at key moving averages and supply zones has shifted the short-term balance of risk toward further consolidation and possible downside tests before any renewed advance.

Bitcoin Price Analysis: The Daily Chart On the daily timeframe, the asset has rolled over from the $95,000 resistance band, which aligns with the underside of the 100-day moving average and sits well below the declining 200-day moving average. The prior ascending wedge that developed from the $82,000 demand region has now broken to the downside, and spot is trading around the former breakout and local support near $89,000–$90,000.

As long as the market remains capped below the 100-day moving average and fails to reclaim the broken wedge structure, the broader picture favors a range between the $82,000–$84,000 demand zone and the $95,000–$97,000 supply zone, with risk of a deeper test toward the lower boundary if bounces continue to be sold.

BTC/USDT 4-Hour Chart The 4-hour chart shows the breakdown from the rising channel that carried the asset from approximately $84,000 to the recent $96,000 high. After losing the channel support and the $90,000 intraday pivot, the price has found tentative support just above $88,000–$89,000, coinciding with the origin of the last impulsive leg higher.

Momentum on the 4-hour RSI has rebounded from oversold territory but remains below prior highs, suggesting only a corrective bounce so far within a short-term downtrend. A sustained recovery above $92,000 would open the door to a retest of $95,000, whereas failure to hold $88,000–$89,000 would significantly increase the probability of a move toward the $82,000 daily demand region, or even lower.

On-Chain Analysis The adjusted SOPR (aSOPR) and its 30-day EMA have been trending lower for several months, moving from clearly profitable territory above 1.03–1.04 to below the neutral band around 1.00. This indicates that realized profits on spent outputs have steadily compressed and that an increasing share of coins is being sold near breakeven, with intermittent episodes of realized losses when aSOPR dips below 1.

Structurally, such a decline in realized profitability typically signals a late-cycle or post-euphoric phase in which speculative excess is being unwound and weaker hands gradually exit.

If aSOPR stabilizes around 1 while price holds higher-timeframe support, it would suggest a healthier, more balanced market that is flushing out marginal sellers without broad capitulation; a sustained drop of the 30-day exponential moving average of the aSOPR below 1, by contrast, would point to a deeper profit-taking and loss-realization regime consistent with a more extended corrective phase.

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PPLT carries a higher expense ratio and is much smaller in assets under management than GLD. Over the past year, PPLT's total return more than doubled GLD's, but with a much steeper five-year drawdown.

This fund has been a big moneymaker since its inception.

The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD 0.10%) is one of the largest and most popular exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on dividend stocks. The fund currently has over $75 billion in assets under management, making it the second-largest dividend-focused ETF.

The fund has an excellent history of delivering strong returns for investors. Here's a look at whether investing $2,000 into this top ETF today could make you a future millionaire.

Image source: Getty Images.

An enriching ETF The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF has been enriching investors since its inception in late 2011. It has delivered an average annual total return of 12.3% since that time. At that rate, it would have grown a $10,000 investment into nearly $30,500. While that's a great return, it's a long way from $1 million.

Amassing a $1 million fortune takes time. For example, if you invested $2,000 into a fund that generated a 12.3% average annual return, it would grow into over $1 million in about 54 years. So, unless you are very young, investing only $2,000 into this ETF wouldn't be enough to make you a millionaire before retirement.

Today's Change

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-0.03

Current Price

$

29.14

However, you could speed things up a bit by making additional contributions. For example, investing another $1,000 into the fund each year would trim your time to becoming a millionaire to 42 years. Bump that rate up to $2,000 a year, and you could become a millionaire in 36 years.

That all assumes the fund continues to deliver returns matching its historical rate. While that's no guarantee, the fund's investment strategy puts it in an excellent position to deliver strong returns going forward.

A smart investment strategy The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF has a very straightforward investment strategy. It aims to passively track the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which measures the performance of high-yielding dividend stocks with a consistent record of dividend payments. It screens companies based on several dividend quality characteristics, including yield, five-year dividend growth rate, and strong financial metrics. In essence, it aims to track the 100 best higher-yielding dividend growth stocks.

This focus on dividend growth is worth noting. Ned Davis Research and Hartford Funds have been tracking dividend stocks by policy over the years. They've found that dividend growers deliver superior total returns over the long term:

Dividend policy

Average annual total returns

Dividend growers & initiators

10.2%

Dividend payers

9.2%

No change in dividend policy

6.8%

Dividend cutters & eliminators

-0.9%

Dividend non-payers

4.3%

Equal-weighted S&P 500 index

7.7%

Data source: Ned Davis Research and Hartford Funds.

By focusing on the highest quality dividend growth stocks, the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF should deliver returns at or above the average dividend grower over the long term. That has been the case since its inception (12.3%) and over the last 10 years (11.4%).

The fund is in a strong position to continue delivering robust returns. For example, at its most recent annual reconstitution early last year, the fund's 100 holdings had an average dividend yield of 3.8% and had grown their payouts at an average annual rate of 8.4% over the last five years. Assuming these stocks maintain their current valuation multiples, they would deliver average annual total returns of more than 12% with dividend reinvestment.

There's no guarantee that the dividend stocks it holds will deliver that level of return in the future. However, it's not an overly optimistic view either, given the fund's returns history and the yield and growth records of its current holdings.

A potentially enriching ETF Investing $2,000 into the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF and calling it a day likely won't make you a millionaire in your lifetime. However, investing $2,000 and making additional annual contributions can meaningfully increase your chances of reaching that milestone in the coming decades. The fund has a strong track record of delivering robust returns for investors, which should continue given its investment strategy.

Buzz HPC CEO Craig Tavares talked with Proactive about the company’s strategic launch of a purpose-built AI cloud in Paraguay. The initiative marks Buzz HPC’s third global cloud region, joining existing operations in Sweden and Canada.

Tavares explained that the decision to expand into Paraguay was driven by its compelling position as an emerging hub for next-generation high-performance computing (HPC) data centres.

Buzz HPC, a subsidiary of HIVE Digital Technologies (TSX-V:HIVE, NASDAQ:HIVE, FRA:YO0, BVC:HIVECO), is leveraging its existing Tier 1 infrastructure in Paraguay, originally developed for crypto mining, to transition into AI-focused, Tier 3+ data centre facilities.

Tavares noted that Paraguay’s access to hydroelectric power, particularly from the largest dam in the Western Hemisphere, gives the company a renewable energy advantage.

Proactive: All right. Welcome back inside our Proactive newsroom. And joining me now is Craig Tavares. He is the CEO of Hive Digital Technologies subsidiary Buzz HPC. So Craig, great to see you again. How are you?

Craig Tavares: I'm great. Nice to see you.

Yeah. So the company made a big announcement about getting this high performance computing into Paraguay. And obviously the company has a big footprint in Paraguay already. So why don't you sort of take us back to the beginning and talk us through the reasoning behind the decision?

Absolutely. So, first of all, Buzz is a data center and GPU cloud provider. We own and operate data centers across Sweden and Canada. The entry into Paraguay was based on us building Tier 1 infrastructure through Hive Digital for the purpose of crypto mining. Establishing the power infrastructure and Tier 1 data centers was critical for the bitcoin mining business, which opens up a stepping stone to get into clouds and Tier 3 data centers for AI these days.

Buzz is really focused on building out that AI infrastructure for the new demanding workloads we’re seeing in the market. The Paraguay region is essentially designed to deliver one of the first purpose-built AI clouds in the region, optimized specifically for modern AI workloads. Paraguay was a target market for us because it's emerging as a compelling destination for next generation HPC data center development.

That’s really due to a unique combination of advantages — access to high quality renewable energy. We're connected to the largest dam in the Western Hemisphere. Because of that, we're able to reduce the carbon footprint of AI training and inference while improving long-term power cost predictability. That gives us power headroom for large-scale growth with a clear pathway to utility-scale expansion.

Craig, talk to me a bit about HIVE’s existing relationship in Paraguay. How much easier did it make this move, and how helpful are those contacts in the setup?

Yes, for sure. There’s a strategic partnership with a telecom provider, which gives us an accelerated path to market. We're leveraging enterprise-grade data center capacity that exists today, a national fiber connectivity backbone, and proven carrier operations. This entity has been operating for a long time and is one of the biggest operators in the market.

We’re able to enable low latency access, strong uptime, and rapid scaling for customers across Paraguay. We have deep government relationships that have been developed over time. One of the larger loads in Paraguay has helped us support and collaborate with local communities — local providers, government, and now Buzz is creating an engine to help grow and develop AI, whether through institutions and universities or enterprises and businesses.

Craig, talk to me a little bit about the natural resources available in Paraguay. Obviously, you need to power all of this. Hive has done well securing renewable, green power. Will that be used for the data center too?

Yes. That is our primary power source. Across all our assets in Europe, North America, and now South America, we’ve made deliberate efforts to secure hydroelectric energy as part of our green strategy. With Buzz, we’ll be launching green GPUs for AI training, inference, and tuning.

This is a purpose-built cloud that uses Nvidia chips to support new types of workloads. Behind it all is hydroelectric green energy — harnessing this amazing dam developed over many years between Brazil and Paraguay.

And lastly, I know the timeline is quite quick. Talk to me about the timing and how this is really just the beginning for Buzz in 2026.

Absolutely. This will be the third cloud region we’re launching globally. It complements our cloud regions in Sweden and Canada. With this launch, we’ll bring the Buzz AI cloud online in Q1 this year, making compute capacity available for AI-type workloads.

This also sets a precedent in the market for building capacity behind our data centers in the region today. With our Tier 1 facilities, we’ll look to redevelop those into Tier 3+ facilities that can host larger compute clusters over time.

Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and style

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. Litigation Partner Brandon Walker Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In Alexandria To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you purchased or acquired Alexandria securities between January 27, 2025 to October 27, 2025 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Bragar Eagel & Squire partner Brandon Walker or Melissa Forunato directly at (212) 355-4648.

Click here to participate in the action.

NEW YORK, Jan. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

What’s Happening:

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized stockholder rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (“Alexandria” or the “Company”) (NYSE:ARE) in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of all persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Alexandria securities between January 27, 2025 to October 27, 2025, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”).Investors have until January 26, 2026 to apply to the Court to be appointed as lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. Allegation Details:

The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Defendants provided overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of the Company's Long Island City (LIC) property; (2) The Company's claims and confidence regarding the leasing value of the LIC property as a life-science destination were misleading and lacked a reasonable basis, particularly in connection with ARE's Megacampus™ strategy; and (3) As a result, Defendants' statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
Next Steps:

If you purchased or otherwise acquired Alexandria shares and suffered a loss, are a long-term stockholder, have information, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Brandon Walker or Melissa Fortunato by email at [email protected], telephone at (212) 355-4648, or by filling out this contact form. There is no cost or obligation to you.
About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.:

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, South Carolina, and California. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in securities,
derivative, and commercial litigation as well as individuals in consumer protection and data privacy litigation. The firm has a nationwide practice and routinely handles cases in both federal and state courts. For more information about the firm, please visit www.bespc.com.  Attorney advertising.  Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn and Facebook, and keep up with other news by following Brandon Walker, Esq. on LinkedIn.

Contact Information:

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.
Brandon Walker, Esq.
Melissa Fortunato, Esq.
(212) 355-4648
[email protected]
www.bespc.com

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. Litigation Partner Brandon Walker Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In Charming (MCTA) To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you purchased or acquired Charming Medical common stock between October 10, 2025, and November 12, 2025 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Bragar Eagel & Squire partner Brandon Walker or Melissa Forunato directly at (212) 355-4648.

Click here to participate in the action.

NEW YORK, Jan. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

What’s Happening?

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized stockholder rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Charming Medical Limited (“Charming” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:MCTA) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of all persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Charming Medical common stock between October 10, 2025, and November 12, 2025, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”).Investors have until February 17, 2026, to apply to the Court to be appointed as lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. What are the Allegation Details?

According to the complaint, defendants failed to disclose that: (1) Charming was the subject of a fraudulent stock promotion scheme involving social media based misinformation and impersonated financial professionals; (2) insiders and/or affiliates used offshore or nominee accounts to facilitate the coordinated dumping of shares during a price inflation campaign; and (3) Charming's public statements and risk disclosures omitted any mention of the false rumors and artificial trading activity driving the stock price.
Plaintiff alleges that in the weeks leading up to November 12, 2025, Charming's share price surged from the initial public offering price of $4.00 to an all-time high of $29.36 per share, despite no fundamental news from the Company justifying such a spike. Investigations and public reports have revealed that Charming's stock became the subject of an illicit social-media-based promotion scheme that artificially inflated its price. These reports detail how impersonators claiming to be legitimate financial advisors touted Charming in online forums, chat groups, and through social media posts with sensational, but baseless, claims to create a buying frenzy among retail investors.
On November 12, 2025, the SEC halted trading of Charming's stock. The stock remains halted because the Company has not provided the information regulators required to lift the suspension.
What are the Next Steps?

If you purchased or otherwise acquired Charming shares and suffered a loss, are a long-term stockholder, have information, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Brandon Walker or Melissa Fortunato by email at [email protected], telephone at (212) 355-4648, or by filling out this contact form. There is no cost or obligation to you.
About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.:

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, South Carolina, and California. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in securities, derivative, and commercial litigation as well as individuals in consumer protection and data privacy litigation. The firm has a nationwide practice and routinely handles cases in both federal and state courts. For more information about the firm, please visit www.bespc.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn and Facebook, and keep up with other news by following Brandon Walker, Esq. on LinkedIn.

Contact Information:

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.
Brandon Walker, Esq.

Melissa Fortunato, Esq.
(212) 355-4648
[email protected]
www.bespc.com

This electric aviation company develops aircraft, propulsion systems, and charging solutions for commercial and defense markets.

On January 23, Liberty Street Advisors, Inc. disclosed a new position in BETA Technologies (BETA 0.12%), acquiring 999,202 shares in a trade estimated at $28.19 million based on quarterly average pricing.

What happenedAccording to a SEC filing dated January 23, Liberty Street Advisors, Inc. reported acquiring 999,202 shares of BETA Technologies (BETA 0.12%), establishing a new position. As a result, the fund's position in BETA stood at $28.19 million at quarter's end, reflecting the full value change from the new holding.

What else to knowThis was a new position for Liberty Street Advisors, Inc, with BETA now representing 47.15% of its 13F reportable assets under management.

Top holdings after the filing:

NYSE:BETA: $28.19 million (47.15% of AUM)NYSE:VOYG: $17.82 million (29.8% of AUM)NYSE:CRCL: $10.31 million (17.2% of AUM)NASDAQ:OMDA: $3.47 million (5.8% of AUM)As of January 22, shares of BETA were priced at $25.18, about 26% below their November IPO price of $34.

Company OverviewMetricValueMarket Capitalization$5.55 billionRevenue (TTM)$28.92 millionNet Income (TTM)($672.35 million)Price (as of January 23)$25.18Company snapshotBETA Technologies offers electric aircraft (ALIA-CTOL, ALIA VTOL, ALIA Defense VTOL), advanced propulsion systems, batteries, charging equipment, and ground support solutions for the aviation sector.The company generates revenue through sales of aircraft to military and commercial customers, replacement batteries to operators, propulsion systems to eVTOL manufacturers, and charging infrastructure to governments and aviation operators.It serves cargo and logistics, medical, defense, and passenger markets, with customers including military agencies, commercial logistics operators, and state governments.BETA Technologies, Inc. is an electric aviation company focused on developing and manufacturing electric aircraft and supporting infrastructure. The company leverages proprietary propulsion and battery technology to address both commercial and defense market needs. Its integrated approach to aircraft, components, and charging solutions positions it as a key innovator in the emerging electric aerospace industry.

What this transaction means for investorsWhen a manager is willing to put nearly half of reported assets into a single name, it’s a sign of conviction in an operating trajectory that perhaps has not yet shown up cleanly in the income statement.

BETA is still burning cash, but the latest quarter shows why some investors are willing to underwrite that risk. Revenue climbed to $8.9 million, nearly triple year over year, driven by defense services and earlier-than-expected motor deliveries. More important is the balance sheet. Cash and equivalents stood at roughly $688 million at quarter-end, before factoring in about $1.1 billion in IPO net proceeds expected to be recognized later.

Meanwhile, the company logged initial customer deliveries, secured FAA certification milestones, and disclosed a civil aircraft backlog of 891 units valued at $3.5 billion. Plus, a $300 million strategic equity investment from GE Aerospace further validates the technology stack and hybrid roadmap.

For long-term investors, this kind of sizing usually reflects the belief that execution, not sentiment, will decide the outcome.

Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Omada Health. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

HomeDividends AnalysisDividend Ideas

SummaryHistorically, a rising unemployment rate is the single best indicator of a recession; we have now seen a 100 bps increase without a corresponding market correction.The S&P 500 remains top-heavy; while large caps are at multi-decade highs, mid caps and small caps offer much more reasonable valuations.Maintaining a healthy allocation to cash-producing investments is the best way to ensure the flexibility needed to adapt.Looking for a helping hand in the market? Members of High Dividend Opportunities get exclusive ideas and guidance to navigate any climate. Learn More » DNY59/E+ via Getty Images

Co-authored with Beyond Saving

One of the more popular soundbites from Warren Buffett is the caution to "Be fearful when others are greedy." Yet like many tidbits of good investing advice, it is widely ignored. It is kind of like "buy low, sell high." Common sense, yet the

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of VZ, RVT 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.

Beyond Saving, Philip Mause, and Hidden Opportunities, all are supporting contributors for High Dividend Opportunities. Any recommendation posted in this article is not indefinite. We closely monitor all of our positions. We issue Buy and Sell alerts on our recommendations, which are exclusive to our members.

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.

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. Litigation Partner Brandon Walker Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In Stride (LRN) To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you are a long-term stockholder in Stride between October 22, 2024 and October 28, 2025 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Bragar Eagel & Squire partner Brandon Walker or Melissa Fortunato directly at (212) 355-4648.

Click here to participate in the action.

NEW YORK, Jan. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

What’s Happening:

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm, is investigating potential claims against Stride, Inc. (NYSE:LRN) on behalf of long-term stockholders following a class action complaint that was filed against Stride on November 11, 2025 with a Class Period between October 22, 2024 and October 28, 2025. Our investigation concerns whether the board of directors of Stride have breached their fiduciary duties to the company.
Details:

According to the complaint, during the class period, Stride told the market that it was "one of the nation's most successful technology-based education companies" and that its "[d]eep educational, regulatory, and policy expertise" across the United States allowed it to "leverage[e] capabilities and assets to address market failures or shortcomings." The complaint continues that the foregoing were false and misleading statements because Stride was: (1) inflating enrollment numbers by retaining "ghost students"; (2) cutting staffing costs by assigning teachers' caseloads far beyond the required statutory limits; (3) ignoring compliance requirements, including background checks and licensure laws for its employees, and ignoring federally mandated special education services to students; (4) suppressing whistleblowers who documented financial directives from Stride's leadership to delay hiring and deny services to preserve profit margins; and (5) losing existing and potential enrollments.Defendants’ materially false and misleading statements during the Class Period resulted in members of the Class purchasing or otherwise acquiring the Company’s securities at artificially inflated prices, thus causing damages when the truth was revealed.
Next Steps:

If you are a long-term stockholder of Stride, have information, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Brandon Walker or Melissa Fortunato by email at [email protected], by telephone at (212) 355-4648, or by filling out this contact form. There is no cost or obligation to you.

About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.:

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, South Carolina, and California. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in securities, derivative, and commercial litigation as well as individuals in consumer protection and data privacy litigation. The firm has a nationwide practice and routinely handles cases in both federal and state courts. For more information about the firm, please visit www.bespc.com.  Attorney advertising.  Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn and Facebook, and keep up with other news by following Brandon Walker, Esq. on LinkedIn.

Contact Information:

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.
Brandon Walker, Esq.
Melissa Fortunato, Esq.
(212) 355-4648
[email protected]
www.bespc.com

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. Litigation Partner Brandon Walker Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In Nutanix (NTNX) To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you purchased or acquired Nutanix stock and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Bragar Eagel & Squire partner Brandon Walker or Melissa Fortunato directly at (212) 355-4648.

Click here to participate in the action.

NEW YORK, Jan. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

What’s Happening:

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized stockholder rights law firm, is investigating potential claims against Nutanix, Inc. (“Nutanix” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:NTNX) on behalf of Nutanix stockholders. Our investigation concerns whether Nutanix has violated the federal securities laws and/or engaged in other unlawful business practices.
Investigation Details:

On November 25, 2025, after the market closed, Nutanix published first quarter fiscal 2026 revenue results that landed at the bottom end of the Company’s prior guidance. Management attributed the decline to a late quarter “revenue shift from Q1 to future periods” caused by increased customer demand for flexible start dates and the growth of the company’s business through third-party OEM partners. As a result, Nutanix slashed its full-year revenue projection from $2.9B – $2.94B down to $2.82B – $2.86B. On this news, the price of Nutanix shares declined by $10.43 per share, or approximately 17.8%, from $58.77 per share on November 25, 2025 to close at $48.34 on November 26, 2025.
Next Steps:

If you purchased or otherwise acquired Nutanix shares and suffered a loss, are a long-term stockholder, have information, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Brandon Walker or Melissa Fortunato by email at [email protected], by telephone at (212) 355-4648, or by filling out this contact form.  There is no cost or obligation to you.
About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.:

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, South Carolina, and California. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in securities, derivative, and commercial litigation as well as individuals in consumer protection and data privacy litigation. The firm has a nationwide practice and routinely handles cases in both federal and state courts. For more information about the firm, please visit www.bespc.com.  Attorney advertising.  Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn and Facebook, and keep up with other news by following Brandon Walker, Esq. on LinkedIn.

Contact Information:

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.
Brandon Walker, Esq.
Melissa Fortunato, Esq.
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As the market rotates away from tech, you don't need to give up your large-cap exposure altogether. You just need to change the way it's invested.

It's still early in 2026, but so far, one of the market's biggest stories has been improved market breadth. Tech stocks are lagging the S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.03%), while industrials, energy, and defensive sectors are all beating the index by a wide margin. Small caps are already beating large caps by more than 7% through Jan. 20, 2026.

Investors who have been overweighting tech and the "Magnificent Seven" stocks in their portfolios might need to revisit their strategies. Concerns around the slowing labor market and the geopolitical backdrop are creating enough uncertainty that investors appear no longer willing to bid up valuations and focus only on growth.

If pivoting into small caps isn't quite your thing, the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP 0.45%) might be. It does exactly what you'd think -- invests in all S&P 500 components in equal allotments. Charging just 0.20% annually, it's a good way to keep your large-cap exposure but take advantage of other areas of the market beyond tech.

Image source: Getty Images.

The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF addresses the mega-cap concentration problem The obvious advantage of an equal-weight S&P 500 is that it gets you away from the heavy Magnificent Seven stock concentration issue that currently exists with the traditional index. Those seven companies account for roughly 35% of the S&P 500. That's a lot riding on the success of just a handful of companies.

The S&P 500 is expensive enough as it is. It currently trades at around 22 times forward earnings expectations, nearly its highest level since the tech bubble. The Magnificent Seven stocks collectively trade at around 27 times earnings. That's not as high as it's been in the past, and there has been strong earnings growth helping to support that valuation, but it does suggest that these stocks are priced for perfection.

If anything changes in the background or momentum begins to slow, tech stocks could quickly begin underperforming. I think we're seeing that happen right now.

Equal-weight funds benefit from improving market breadth Tech exposure still exists in the equal-weight S&P 500, but it's a much more subdued 13% of the portfolio, making it only the third-largest sector holding. Industrials (16%), financials (15%), healthcare (12%), and consumer discretionary (10%) round out the top 5 sectors. Investors in this fund get much more rounded-out exposure to cyclicals and defensive sectors in addition to the popular growth areas of the market.

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The greater emphasis on some of the more midsize companies within the index can also help. Small-cap outperformance tends to spill over into the mid-cap group, and that can also help lift performance beyond just a rotation out of tech.

If the market rotation that we've seen kick off 2026 has legs, I really like the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF as an option. Its broader large-cap exposure could quickly capture where the market appears to be heading.

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

A U.S. judge recently dismissed a shareholder lawsuit that accused cybersecurity company CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWD) of making false statements about its software testing before the 2024 global outage. Also, it has announced its intent to acquire Seraphic and SGNL, as well as new strategic partnership with Nord Security.

The share price is 6.3% lower than a month ago and down 3.9% from six months ago, underperforming the Nasdaq in both time frames. Since its initial public offering in June of 2019, the share price is over 562.4% higher. It has retreated 14.9% from its all-time high of $566.90.

Investors are concerned with future stock performance over the next one, five, or 10 years. While most Wall Street analysts will calculate 12-month forward projections, it is clear that nobody has a consistent crystal ball, and plenty of unforeseen circumstances can render even near-term projections irrelevant. 24/7 Wall St. aims to present some further-looking insights based on CrowdStrike’s own numbers, along with business and market development information that may be of help with your own research.

A Global Cybersecurity Leader

CrowdStrike has become a leader in global cybersecurity.

With the advent of the digital age, tech-minded thieves, scammers, and hackers found a panoply of new prospective victims. As digital tools became routine within the government and industrial sectors, the inherent security vulnerabilities from skilled antagonists armed simply with a computer created the birth of the cybersecurity industry.

Founded in 2011, the Austin-based CrowdStrike has become a leader in the global cybersecurity industry, thanks to high-profile hacking and cyber-espionage investigations on both the corporate and government levels. Providing endpoint security, threat intelligence, and cyberattack response services, the company’s valuation has exploded, from $1 billion in 2017 to a 2025 market cap of $121 billion.

While CrowdStrike has strong ties to the U.S. government and multibillion-dollar conglomerates, it has built its public reputation on the identification of government-level military and espionage hacker groups.

To date, CrowdStrike’s biggest setback has been from July 2024. The company released an update to its Falcon detection and response software agent. Unfortunately, code flaws caused millions of Microsoft Windows OS-powered computers to crash all around the world. The downtime caused a widespread global impact, grounding commercial airline flights, temporarily taking Sky News and other broadcasters offline, and disrupting banking and healthcare services as well as 911 emergency call centers. Subsequent problems arose requiring multiple boots or other cumbersome software key command fixes.

As a result, CrowdStrike stock dropped from a high of $398.00 per share to a low of $208.10 in only four trading sessions. The stock afterward clawed back from that loss.

CrowdStrike’s Performance Thus Far

Identification of international military cyber threats from China, Russia, and North Korea forged CrowdStrike’s reputation.

CrowdStrike’s identification of highly publicized cybersecurity breach perpetrators is the bedrock of its reputation. The following events were all significant milestones:

Sony Pictures’ data systems were hacked in 2014, compromising confidential business, employee, and communications data. CrowdStrike tracked down the hack to the North Korean government. That same year, CrowdStrike identified Chinese PLA military hackers and a five-member team called Putter Panda (officially PLA Unit 61486) as responsible for a number of cyber espionage hacks that were executed to steal both military and trade secrets from the US government and several prominent billion-dollar corporations. CrowdStrike identified a Russian hacker group called Energetic Bear, which is affiliated with the Russian Federal Security Service, that had conducted hacks of U.S. energy and utility companies and resources. In 2015, CrowdStrike identified and isolated VENOM, a flaw that opened a potential security breach for users of QEMU, Xen, KVM, and VirtualBox, and posted alert warnings for the cyber community. In 2016, CrowdStrike investigated the Democratic National Committee cyberattacks in coordination with the FBI. CrowdStrike also identified Russian cyber-espionage group Fancy Bear as responsible for hacks into Ukrainian military apps as part of its assistance to Russia’s military conflict with Ukraine. Also China-linked Warp Panda and Operator Panda. From 2020 on, CrowdStrike enacted a number of acquisitions that both grew the company’s valuation and expanded its capabilities. These include:

Preempt Security (zero trust and conditional access) in 2020 Humio (log management) in 2021 SecureCircle (zero trust extension for data) also in 2021 Bionic.ai (cybersecurity) in 2023 Flow Security (data security posture management) in 2024 Adaptive Shield (SaaS security posture management) also in 2024 Onum (telemetry pipeline management) in 2025 Pangea (AI security) in 2025 SGNL (identity security) in 2026 Seraphic Security (browser runtime security) in 2026 CrowdStrike went public in 2019. It finally became profitable in 2024, after years of losses as it built its cybersecurity business.

Fiscal Year (Jan 31) Price Revenues Net Income 2015 n/a n/a n/a 2016 n/a n/a n/a 2017 n/a $52.70 M ($91.30 M) 2018 n/a $118.80 M ($135.50 M) 2019 IPO: $334.00 $249.80 M ($140.01 M) 2020 $61.09 $481.40 M ($141.80 M) 2021 $215.80 $874.40 M ($92.60 M) 2022 $198.33 $1.451 B ($234.80 M) 2023 $105.90 $2.241 B ($183.20 M) 2024 $349.31 $3.060 B $53.70 M Key Drivers for CrowdStrike in the Future

CrowdStrike’s comprehensive, cloud-native security platform leverages advanced threat intelligence and AI to protect organizations from evolving cyber threats.

CrowdStrike’s future is driven by its ability to provide a comprehensive, cloud-native security platform that leverages advanced threat intelligence and AI to protect organizations from evolving cyber threats.

Platform Consolidation

Driven by customer demand to simplify security stacks, reduce costs, and improve overall security posture, CrowdStrike is pushing for cybersecurity platform consolidation by offering a broad suite of security services through its Falcon platform, reducing the need for organizations to manage numerous point solutions.

CrowdStrike announced three cybersecurity partnerships to further enhance the efficacy of its Falcon platform:

The Cardinal Ops partnership will allow customers to seamlessly operationalize CrowdStrike threat intelligence into actionable detection content for any security information and event management, ensuring precise threat detection across diverse environments, and improving security efficacy and speed. Partnering with Nagomi will enable customers to proactively assess the impact of threat actor campaigns against their controls and security architecture. Nagomi transforms CrowdStrike threat intelligence into customized, actionable recommendations to optimize the security stack against real-world threats. A partnership with Veriti will give customers the ability to proactively monitor, prioritize and mobilize remediation efforts without business downtime. Veriti can automatically enrich and enforce CrowdStrike’s threat intelligence across all security controls, providing comprehensive protection. Cloud Security Expansion

CrowdStrike is heavily invested in expanding its cloud security capabilities, including securing cloud workloads, applications, and infrastructure. With cloud environments becoming more complex, the need for comprehensive cloud security solutions should continue to grow, providing a significant growth opportunity for the company.

Threat Intelligence and AI

The growing sophistication of cyber threats demands advanced technologies like AI to proactively identify and mitigate risks. CrowdStrike leverages its vast threat intelligence data and artificial intelligence to enhance its detection and response capabilities. Furthermore, the need to protect against AI-driven threats is a significant driver as well.

Charlotte AI is CrowdStrike’s AI platform, which is expected to accelerate threat hunting and triaging up to 52%. Charlotte AI, launched in May 2023, automates and simplifies complex workflows through the use of natural language commands.

Stock Price Prediction for 2026

Mixed expectations for the shares in the near term.

Some Wall Street analysts reiterated Buy ratings on the stock after the two most recent earnings reports. The consensus recommendation from 54 Wall Street analysts is now to buy shares, and nine of them have Strong Buy ratings. Their average price target in 12 months is $554.34, which is 21.9% higher than the current price.

24/7 Wall St.’s projection for CrowdStrike’s 2026 year-end price is $515.12, which would be a gain of over 13% from today’s price. CrowdStrike Horizon cloud security solutions for Microsoft’s Azure will likely be customized and then adopted by Amazon and Google for their platforms. All three already use CrowdStrike Falcon for their conventional web business.

CrowdStrike’s Outlook for the Next Five Years

CrowdStrike’s Charlotte AI is already showing accelerated threat identification, interdiction, and assessment improvements, which should only improve over the next half-decade.

As cyberattacks continue to proliferate and cyber-blackmail schemes using viruses escalate, we think that Falcon improvements and enhancements from Cardinal Ops, Nagomi, and Veriti will drive more subscriptions for premium service packages. We project 2027 will see CrowdStrike’s price hit $605.44.

CrowdStrike’s debt-to-equity ratio was 0.79 as of 2024. Additional cash from operations used to redeem bonds and improve the company’s debt-to-earnings ratio to over 1.0 will broaden its appeal for conservative buy-and-hold institutional investor types, which will boost the stock in 2028 to a projected price of $682.08.

Identity theft continues to attain greater sophistication, being able to now use some digital copies of biometric security protocols to breach security protection measures. Enhanced 2.0 versions of Zero Trust protocols from the SecureCircle and Preempt Security acquisitions should address those issues to better protect systems. The 2029 CrowdStrike price is projected to be $703.08, a big jump that will be led by further Falcon subscription boosts.

Charlotte AI-driven security measures that learn about new threats and immediately update all of the details and successive defensive protocols deployed across the Falcon platform should greatly advance CrowdStrike’s cybersecurity capabilities. The machine learning aspects of Charlotte AI will allow for better anticipation of future threats. This will contribute to a huge jump in 2030 earnings and a commensurate projected price of $825.55.

Year EPS P/E Price Change 2026 $3.76 137 $515.12 13.3% 2027 $4.73 128 $605.44 33.2% 2028 $6.09 112 $682.08 50.0% 2029 $6.51 108 $703.08 54.6% 2030 $8.69 95 $825.55 81.6% Five Software Stocks Prove Profitability Beats Growth in 2026

"The Next NVIDIA" Could Change Your Life NVIDIA has returned 250-fold in the past 10 years as artificial intelligence took off.

But if you missed out on NVIDIA's historic run, your chance to see life-changing profits from AI isn't over.

The 24/7 Wall Street Analyst who first called NVIDIA's AI-fueled rise in 2009 just published a brand-new research report named "The Next NVIDIA".

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VEA charges a much lower expense ratio and holds over twice as many stocks as ACWX. ACWX tilts slightly more toward technology and VEA is heavier in industrials.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media during the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

WASHINGTON, Jan 24 (Reuters) - The United States has taken the oil that was on seized Venezuelan tankers and will process it in U.S. refineries, President Donald Trump said in a New York Post interview that was published on Saturday.

"Let’s put it this way — they don’t have any oil. We take the oil,” Trump told the newspaper.

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The oil is being refined in "various places" including Houston, he said.

The U.S. military has seized seven Venezuela-linked tankers since the start of Trump's month-long campaign to control Venezuela's oil flows.

Trump said on Tuesday that his administration had taken 50 million barrels of oil out of Venezuela, and was selling some of it in the open market.

Reporting by Katharine Jackson; Editing by Sergio Non Editing by Tomasz Janowski

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

Panama-flagged oil tanker Nave Neutrino, chartered by U.S. company Chevron, waits to load heavy crude for export near the port of Bajo Grande in Maracaibo, Venezuela, September 16, 2025.... Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab Read more

CompaniesJan 24 (Reuters) - The United States is in talks with Chevron (CVX.N), opens new tab, other crude producers, and major oilfield service providers about a plan to quickly raise Venezuela's crude production, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday, citing senior administration officials.

Officials have discussed deploying SLB (SLB.N), opens new tab, Halliburton (HAL.N), opens new tab and Baker Hughes (BKR.O), opens new tab to repair and replace outdated equipment, and refresh older drilling sites, the report said.

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Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The White House, Chevron, SLB, Baker Hughes and Halliburton did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

With limited investment, Venezuela could boost production by several hundred thousand barrels over the short term, the report said, adding that modern U.S. equipment and techniques could revitalise existing wells and bring new production online within months.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that U.S. oil companies will soon start drilling for oil in Venezuela. Trump has been clear about his desire to boost oil production in Venezuela following the capture of the country's leader, Nicolas Maduro.

Reporting by Rajveer Singh Pardesi in Bengaluru Editing by Tomasz Janowski

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These healthcare leaders seem attractive right now.

Some investors believe the market is currently overvalued. Hype and optimistic expectations, especially for artificial intelligence (AI) stocks, are baked into equity prices, or so the argument goes. This might lead some to avoid buying stocks right now.

Another approach is to invest in stocks that look reasonably valued. Two good examples of this are CVS Health (CVS +0.40%) and Merck (MRK 0.98%). If you have $200 available to invest (or any amount, really), you might want to consider buying shares in these dirt-cheap stocks.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. CVS Health After several years of underperformance, CVS Health's stock rebounded in 2025 (jumping 77%), with stronger financial results. However, there could be plenty of upside left for the company, especially when looking at its ongoing efforts to cut costs and focus on profitable growth. CVS Health is guiding for revenue of at least $400 billion in 2026. That may not seem impressive, as it expects revenue to total at least $400 billion for 2025, too, when it reports full-year earnings in mid-February. But it's worth noting that the pharmacy chain giant will be scaling back some of its business, including its Medicare Advantage unit, which brought it plenty of revenue but also soaring costs it was unable to contain.

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That may lead to lower sales overall but to stronger margins and faster bottom-line growth. CVS Health expects its adjusted earnings per share to increase at a compound annual growth rate in the mid-teens through 2028. Meanwhile, even after last year's strong performance, CVS Health looks reasonably valued. The company is trading at 11 times forward earnings, compared to the average of 18.3 for the healthcare sector.

And lastly, CVS Health has excellent long-term prospects, given its vast pharmacy network and diversified healthcare offerings. That's why CVS Health remains a buy. With its shares trading slightly below $81, $200 can afford roughly 2.5 of them.

2. Merck Merck has encountered some issues over the past couple of years. The company's biggest growth drivers, cancer drug Keytruda and its HPV vaccines Gardasil and Gardasil 9, seem to be running into roadblocks. Many pipeline candidates in the industry are now dubbed "Keytruda killers," as they explicitly aim to challenge the medicine in key markets. Meanwhile, Gardasil and Gardasil 9's sales dropped last year due to issues in China.

Even with all those obstacles, Merck continues to execute, with several new approvals and pipeline candidates that could help it bounce back. The company's newer launches include Winrevair for pulmonary arterial hypertension, launched in 2024 and expected to generate over $1 billion in the full fiscal year 2025. Winrevair could also grab important label expansions.

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Meanwhile, thanks to an acquisition, Merck has added promising candidates like CD388 to its pipeline, a product that could help revolutionize the flu vaccine market. Merck should have several other key approvals and label expansions through the next few years, and it will be able to count on a new subcutaneous formulation of Keytruda to help fend off the challengers.

So, the company's prospects are still attractive. And Merck stock trades at just 11.6 times forward earnings, making its shares attractive at current levels. Shares are trading at $109 apiece.

Subtle differences in dividend yield and sector tilt set these two S&P 500 giants apart for investors weighing their options.

The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO +0.09%) and iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV +0.09%) both deliver low-cost exposure to the S&P 500, with matching expense ratios, similar performance, and only minor differences in dividend yield and sector allocation.

For investors considering broad U.S. large-cap coverage, this comparison looks at VOO and IVV — two of the largest, most liquid S&P 500 index ETFs. Both aim to replicate the performance of the S&P 500, but subtle details on yield, sector tilts, and fund size may influence which is a better fit.

Snapshot (cost & size)MetricVOOIVVIssuerVanguardiSharesExpense ratio0.03%0.03%1-yr return (as of 2026-01-23)13.0%13.0%Dividend yield1.1%1.2%Beta1.001.00AUM$1.5 trillion$760.6 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.

Both funds are equally affordable, charging a 0.03% expense ratio, while IVV offers a slightly higher dividend yield that may appeal to income-focused investors.

Performance & risk comparisonMetricVOOIVVMax drawdown (5 y)-24.52%-24.53%Growth of $1,000 over 5 years$1,794$1,794What's insideIVV holds 503 companies and has maintained a 25.7-year track record. Its sector mix tilts slightly more toward technology (43%) compared to VOO, with top holdings including Nvidia (NVDA +1.60%), Apple (AAPL 0.07%), and Microsoft (MSFT +3.45%). The fund mirrors the S&P 500, with no leverage, hedging, or other structural quirks.

VOO, by contrast, holds 505 companies and also tracks the S&P 500, but with a marginally lower technology weighting (35%). Its largest positions are similarly concentrated in Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft, providing nearly identical exposure for large-cap investors.

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

What this means for investorsA great way to grow your stock portfolio is to invest in the S&P 500. Investors looking to do so have a pair of great choices in the Vanguard S&P 500 (VOO) and iShares Core S&P 500 (IVV) ETFs. Both offer virtually identical performance, costs, and beta.

IVV has a slight advantage in dividend yield while VOO is a bit better in terms of liquidity given its larger assets under management. IVV is a more compelling ETF for investors wanting a greater stake in technology stocks, especially given the booming artificial intelligence industry.

Aside from these subtle differences, both IVV and VOO are excellent ETFs for investors looking for a vehicle to buy and hold S&P 500 stocks for the long haul. The choice between these two primarily comes down to whether you prefer to go with Vanguard or iShares as the issuer.

Otherwise, IVV and VOO are top tier ETFs that, regardless of which you select, can deliver solid long-term returns.

Robert Izquierdo has positions in Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. 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.

HomeDividends AnalysisDividend Ideas

SummaryRiverNorth Opportunities Fund is profiled as a high-yield investment vehicle with a focus on dividend income.The article details RIV's portfolio, top 10 holdings, bond ratings and maturities, dividend structure, and tax considerations.Performance, risk factors, and valuation metrics for RIV are discussed to inform portfolio positioning.Looking for a helping hand in the market? Members of Hidden Dividend Stocks Plus get exclusive ideas and guidance to navigate any climate. Learn More » Naturecreator/iStock via Getty Images

We previously covered RiverNorth Opportunities Fund (RIV), a closed-end fund, in an article in early September 2025. At that time, we rated RIV a Hold due to a history of distribution declines and lagging performance.

However, on 1/2/26, RIV raised

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.

Disclaimer: This article was written for informational purposes only, and is not intended as personal investment advice. Please practice due diligence before investing in any investment vehicle 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.

USA Rare Earth is up over 30% in 2026. Can this stock set you up for life?

Right now in your device, whether it's a laptop, smartphone, or tablet, there's a high-performance magnet made of rare-earth metals and critical minerals. Odds are that magnet was manufactured in China: Roughly 94% of sintered permanent magnets were produced there in 2024.

The dominance of China in the rare-earth market, notwithstanding some meaningful Western output of permanent magnets, has made the U.S. government anxious to build up its own production of these nifty magnetic workhorses. Under that larger federal agenda, a handful of metals companies have been diligently positioning themselves to build a domestic supply chain of magnets, from mining to metals to the finished product.

One of those companies is USA Rare Earth (USAR +9.07%). And, if this start-up's plans become a reality, early investors could be set up for life.

Image source: Getty Images.

What USA Rare Earth does -- and why it matters USA Rare Earth is a mining company focused on building a domestic supply chain for rare-earth magnets and critical minerals. Its flagship project is the Texas Round Top Deposit, a huge polymetallic body that contains 15 of 17 rare earth elements, plus lithium and other minerals.

The company's plan long-term is to extract rare-earth ore from its Round Top site and process it at a magnet facility in Oklahoma, where it will be manufactured into high-performance magnets for electric vehicles (EVs), wind turbines, defense systems, electronics, and other high-tech applications.

USA Rare Earth is also pioneering its own processing techniques at its research and development (R&D) facility in Colorado with the purpose of lowering extraction costs and reducing environmental impact.

The company's "mine-to-magnet" strategy would make it one of the few fully integrated rare-earth companies outside of China. Its Round Top deposit also contains one of the most balanced suites of viable rare-earth metals in the U.S., with some metals, like dysprosium (DY) and terbium (Tb), currently lacking domestic capacity for production at scale. In other words, if USA Rare Earth can make Round Top operational, it could become one of the only -- if not the only -- domestic suppliers of certain rare-earth metals.

How USA Rare Earth could still disappoint Despite its promising position, USA Rare Earth is not immune to risk. Indeed, the most glaring weakness right now is the company's lack of meaningful revenue. No revenue means this company is dependent on financing to fund research and early-stage activities, which, given the capital intensity of mining, can only last so long.

All of its big plans -- the mining, the processing, the manufacturing -- are just that: plans. The company has no track record of success, no producing facilities, no magnet output. And until its magnet plant, which remains under construction, is operational, USA Rare Earth will likely continue to burn cash and report losses.

A fully integrated mine-to-magnet business sounds excellent on paper, but in reality, that's three primary businesses we're talking about (mining, processing, manufacturing), which compounds executional risks and makes coordination a lot more complex.

For example, USA Rare Earth plans to finish its Oklahoma magnet facility in the first quarter of 2026, but Round Top isn't expected for production until late 2028. In the meantime, where's USA Rare Earth going to get the rare-earth feed to make its magnets? Not from Round Top.

Can USA Rare Earth set you up for life? Right now, USA Rare Earth has a market cap of about $2.7 billion, despite having no meaningful revenue. The stock is trading on the expectation that its mine-to-magnet strategy works and that demand for its product -- high-performance magnets -- will deliver blockbuster earnings for the effort required to manufacture them.

If that narrative becomes a description of its success story, then buying the stock at today's price could certainly set you up for a sizable gain. But just know the risks: This is a start-up in a capital-intense industry with no track record of successfully mining the rare-earth materials it's aiming to extract. There will likely be hiccups -- maybe some disappointing quarters -- and it could be several years before meaningful revenue is generated.

It's also not the only player in this field. MP Materials (MP +1.77%) has a viable mine in Mountain Pass, California, is already producing rare-earth concentrates, and has already built a magnet factory. MP Materials, too, faces its own execution risks, but it's further along in manufacturing magnets at scale than USA Rare Earth.

USA Rare Earth stock, then, is a speculative play on the future of rare-earth mining in the U.S. Aggressive investors who understand the risks may want to start a small position, while more conservative investors may want to wait for more tangible results.

2 Marijuana Stocks To Buy Early In 2026 For Future Gains

2 minute read These Marijuana Stocks Are The Volatile Picks You May Need Investing in the cannabis industry today is unlike any other sector in the stock market. In 2026, it blends pioneering regulatory shifts and volatile stock behavior. Along with the promise of long-term growth tied to broader acceptance of marijuana for medical and adult-use purposes. As you consider which marijuana stocks belong in your portfolio, it helps to understand how the cannabis market has evolved.

You would want to know what the current investing landscape looks like. In addition to what steps and risks are involved for someone looking to find the best marijuana stocks to buy. Learning about how companies trade both in good and bad times will give you a big insight into what could take place in such events. Some companies can perform better in the market under intense situations. But for investors, the marijuana stock narrative in 2026 is dominated by regulatory and reform headlines.

This will be the fuel for how investors will be taking profits. Speculation is a big part of trading and investing, and with all that has taken place, 2026 is showing to be another pivotal moment for legal cannabis. With more to be done, this new year has just started, and anything can happen. Hopes are high as these marijuana stocks to watch below could be the investment to make.

Top Marijuana Stocks For Investors Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (OTC:TCNNF) Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (OTC:CURLF) Trulieve Cannabis Corp. Trulieve Cannabis Corp. operates as a cannabis retailer. The company cultivates, processes, and manufactures cannabis products and distributes its products to its dispensaries, as well as through home delivery.

On December 18th, the company applauded Trump’s administration for the decision to reschedule cannabis to Schedule 3.

Words From The Company “This bold and historic direction from President Trump represents long overdue change and a major milestone in cannabis reform,” said Trulieve Chief Executive Officer Kim Rivers.

[Read More] 3 Marijuana Stocks That Could Make You Money In 2026

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. produces and distributes cannabis products in the United States and internationally.

On January 21st, 2026, the company celebrated the launch of Adult Use sales in Maine at the Bangor dispensary. With this opening, Curaleaf expands to five retail locations in Maine and 161 nationwide.

[Read More] Top Ancillary Cannabis Plays Investors Are Watching in January 2026

Words From The CEO “Each new milestone in our retail footprint reflects Curaleaf’s mission to expand access to high-quality, tested, legal cannabis,” said Boris Jordan, Curaleaf Chairman and CEO.

MAPH Enterprises, LLC | (305) 414-0128 | 1501 Venera Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33146 | [email protected]

NEW YORK, Jan. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces that it has filed a class action lawsuit against Ardent Health, Inc. (NYSE:ARDT) and certain of the Company’s senior executives for securities fraud after a significant stock drop resulting from potential violations of the federal securities laws.

If you invested in Ardent Health, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/ardent-health-inc-class-action-lawsuit.

Investors have until March 9, 2026, to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in Ardent Health securities. The class action is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. It is captioned Postiwala v. Ardent Health, Inc., et al., No. 3:26-cv-00022.

Why is Ardent Health Being Sued for Securities Fraud?

Ardent Health and its affiliates operate acute care hospitals and other healthcare facilities. A critical aspect of Ardent Health’s operations is the collection of accounts receivable and the framework by which Ardent Health determines the collectability of such accounts. According to the lawsuit, Ardent Health stated that it employed an active monitoring process to determine the collectability of its accounts receivable, and that this process included “detailed reviews of historical collections” as a “primary source of information.”

As alleged, in truth, Ardent Health did not primarily rely on “detailed reviews of historical collections” in determining collectability of accounts receivable, but instead “utilized a 180-day cliff at which time an account became fully reserved.” This allowed Ardent Health to report higher amounts of accounts receivable during the Class Period, and delay recognizing losses on uncollectable accounts. The lawsuit alleges that Ardent Health’s purported misrepresentations are a violation of the federal securities laws.

Why did Ardent Health’s Stock Drop?

On November 12, 2025, after market hours, Ardent Health revealed it had completed “hindsight evaluations of historical collection trends” that resulted in a $43 million decrease in revenue for the quarter. Ardent Health also revealed that it increased its professional liability reserves by $54 million because of “adverse prior period claim developments” resulting from a set of claims between 2019 and 2022 “as well as consideration of broader industry trends.”

This news caused the price of Ardent Health stock to drop $4.75 per share, or more than 33%, from a closing price of $14.05 per share on November 12, 2025, to $9.30 per share on November 13, 2025.

Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/ardent-health-inc-class-action-lawsuit.

What Can You Do?

If you invested in Ardent Health, you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.

All representation is on a contingency fee basis; there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.

Submit your information by visiting:

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/ardent-health-inc-class-action-lawsuit

Or contact:
Adam McCall
[email protected]
212.789.3619

Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?

BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named “Elite Trial Lawyers” by the National Law Journal, among the top “500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers” by Lawdragon, “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” by Law360 and “SuperLawyers” by Thomson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.’s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.

For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com.

https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/ardent-health-inc-class-action-lawsuit

Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Foundation investments will help meet community needs ahead of inclement weather expected across the Carolinas Download the Duke Energy and American Red Cross Emergency apps to get real‑time alerts, outage updates and safety information , /PRNewswire/ -- As Winter Storm Fern is forecast to bring severe winter weather across parts of Duke Energy's service territory, the Duke Energy Foundation is awarding $100,000 in a rapid response grant to the American Red Cross to help Carolinas communities prepare for and withstand storm impacts and sustained cold temperatures this weekend and into early next week.

"Duke Energy's storm response goes beyond restoring power," said Loree Elswick, Duke Energy Foundation president. "While our crews prepare to respond safely and quickly to winter weather impacts, the Foundation is working in parallel to help ensure customers and communities have access to safe, warm places and essential resources."

Funding will be distributed across North Carolina and South Carolina to help strengthen local efforts to address cold-weather needs, including warming shelters, emergency supplies, blankets and support for community-run shelters.

"Severe winter weather can put added strain on families and individuals, particularly those already facing financial hardship," said Alison Taylor, regional executive for the American Red Cross. "Support from the Duke Energy Foundation helps us work hand in hand with local partners to open shelters, provide critical supplies and ensure communities have the resources they need to stay safe and warm."

Duke Energy continues to monitor weather impacts and will adjust operational and community storm efforts as needed.

Duke Energy Foundation
The Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.   

Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,100 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.  

Contact: Gina DiPietro
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Date: January 24, 2026

SOURCE Duke Energy

After more than a decade building infrastructure for exchanges, financial institutions and central banks, R3 saw the market starting to bend in a new direction. About a year ago, the firm initiated a strategic reset, asking a simple but fundamental question: what is the best way for customers to move assets fully onchain?

Todd MacDonald, R3’s co-founder, said that process coincided with a deep review of the blockchain landscape.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

“We spoke to essentially all the layer ones and layer twos,” he explained in an interview with CoinDesk, as R3 evaluated where institutional capital markets were most likely to migrate. That work culminated in a strategic partnership with the Solana Foundation, announced last May at the blockchain's Accelerate conference, he said.

A layer 1 network is the base layer, or the underlying infrastructure of a blockchain. Layer 2 refers to a set of offchain systems or separate blockchains built on top of layer 1s.

The decision, MacDonald said, was grounded in a long-term conviction that all markets will ultimately become onchain markets.

“We think Solana is the best network for that future,” he said, pointing to its structure, throughput and trading-first design. R3 came to see Solana as “the Nasdaq of blockchains,” a venue purpose-built for high-performance capital markets rather than general experimentation.

Through its Corda blockchain platform, R3 supports more than $10 billion in assets and works with participants including HSBC, Bank of America, the Bank of Italy, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the Swiss National Bank, Euroclear, SDX and SBI, he said.

Tokenization, the process of representing real-world assets such as stocks and bonds as digital tokens tradable on blockchain networks, has emerged as one of the key use cases drawing growing interest and investment from traditional financial institutions.

Activity in decentralized finance (DeFi) remains concentrated on a handful of chains, with Ethereum still the largest by total value locked (TVL), reflecting its deep liquidity, broad developer ecosystem and institutional adoption. However, Solana has emerged as one of the fastest-growing DeFi platforms, benefitting from high throughput, ultra-low fees and rapidly expanding user engagement.

Recent data shows Solana’s DeFi ecosystem holding more than $9 billion in TVL, making it one of the top networks outside Ethereum and its Layer 2s, and in some periods rivaling the combined DeFi activity of major Ethereum L2s.

Solana’s model has driven significantly higher onchain transaction volume and active wallets, especially for trading and high-frequency applications, even as Ethereum retains overall TVL dominance and the largest share of institutional assets.

Since that pivot last May, R3 has spent the past eight to nine months almost entirely focused on one problem: how to tokenize the next trillion dollars of assets and bring them onchain in a way that actually works for investors. That means not just issuing tokens, but designing products that existing onchain allocators want to use, and that traditional investors can grow into over time.

MacDonald said R3 is already seeing a shift in focus on Solana toward capital formation and capital allocation, rather than pure speculation.

Liquidity, MacDonald argued, is the real bottleneck for tokenized real-world assets.

“The beating heart of DeFi is borrow and lend,” he said. The breakthrough moment will come when a tokenized real-world asset can be treated as credible collateral on equal footing with native crypto assets. Today, limited liquidity, and in some cases rigid permissioning, discourages DeFi investors from engaging meaningfully with these products.

Rather than forcing demand, R3 is starting from where onchain appetite already exists. MacDonald pointed to boom-and-bust cycles and notes that many sophisticated investors are now looking for yield that is more stable and less correlated to crypto markets.

“We’re trying to bring these assets onchain and package them in a DeFi-native way,” he said, while working closely with existing allocators to improve access.

The firm’s asset focus reflects that strategy. R3 is prioritizing higher-yielding products, with private credit as a core pillar.

“You need a headline yield to get attention,” MacDonald said, noting that returns around 10% tend to resonate strongly with onchain investors. At the same time, these products must balance return, liquidity and composability; a challenge given that private credit liquidity is often quarterly or “by appointment” in traditional markets.

Beyond private credit, R3 sees significant opportunity in trade finance, where MacDonald said demand and supply are highly elastic.

“If DeFi allocators really leaned into trade finance, the supply from the traditional world is enormous,” he explains, pointing to the sheer scale of the market and the potential for sustainable returns.

Trade finance is notoriously opaque, spanning fragmented jurisdictions, bespoke contracts and uneven data standards, which makes risk difficult to price, assets hard to standardize and liquidity slow to scale despite the market’s enormous size.

On the issuer side, R3 is already working with household-name investment managers, alongside a longer tail of asset owners, from factories to shipping firms, who see tokenization as a new distribution channel and a new model for capital formation. The aim is not just to mirror off chain products, but to redesign them so they are investable, tradable and composable onchain.

Improving liquidity will also require more risk capital deployed directly onchain. MacDonald said that while there are large native DeFi players today, participation remains narrow.

“We need more diversity of balance sheets willing to put capital to work,” he said, alongside more flexible redemption mechanisms that give investors genuine choice.

That vision underpins R3’s newly announced Corda Protocol. Built natively on Solana, the protocol introduces professionally curated, real-world-asset-backed yield vaults that issue liquid, redeemable vault tokens. Launching in the first half of 2026, the vaults are designed to give stablecoin holders access to tokenized debt instruments, funds and reinsurance-linked securities, without sacrificing DeFi-style liquidity or composability.

"Assets available through Corda will be supported by protocol-native liquidity layer, enabling instant swaps out of otherwise illiquid or liquidity-constrained assets for onchain investors. This unlocks the use of the assets as collateral at scale. The protocol will be integrated with top curators and lending protocols to power borrowing and levered position building," MacDonald said.

In a sign of strong early demand, Corda has received more than 30,000 pre-registrations to date.

He framed the effort as a direct response to a growing gap in the market. As DeFi investors move away from purely speculative strategies, demand is rising for stable, diversified yield that is uncorrelated with crypto markets. While hundreds of billions of dollars in real-world assets are now represented onchain, most institutional-grade yield still forces capital to move off chain.

“Our goal is to close that gap,” MacDonald said. “To bring Wall Street-quality assets onchain in a way that finally makes sense for DeFi, and to bring off chain capital into onchain markets at scale.”

Read more: ‘DeFi is dead’: Maple Finance’s CEO says onchain markets will swallow Wall Street

AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.

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