Author: Lucas

This time next year, extended trading hours could be normal.Stock markets have come a long way from the stereotypical trading floors we may know from the movies and TV. Most trading is electronic these days. And, while the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq still ring an opening and closing bell, it’s largely symbolic. After-hours trading in various forms is increasingly common and could soon become the norm. Several established brokers already offer after-hours trading. Key exchanges and infrastructure providers are looking for regulatory approval to extend their hours of operation. And Sept. 29 will see the launch of the…

1. Which company is more profitable in 2026?Costco reported net income of about $8.10 billion in fiscal 2025, while Walmart generates much larger total revenue due to its global size, though margins differ by segment.2. Why does Costco stock trade at a higher valuation?The premium price reflects its stable membership model, high renewal rates, and predictable earnings growth.3. How fast is Walmart growing in online sales?Walmart reported roughly 24% global e-commerce growth in fiscal 2026, showing strong digital momentum.4. Does Walmart return more cash to shareholders?Walmart announced a $30 billion share repurchase program and increased its dividend, highlighting active capital…

Who’s doing this, exactly? A few utilities include Alliant Energy, American Electric Power, Xcel Energy, and DTE Energy.  DTE Energy, for example, is increasing its investment plan for 2026-2030 by $6.5 billion to accommodate the increase in new data center customers. This spending represents a strategic overhaul of the nation’s energy infrastructure. Utilities are aggressively future-proofing their networks to accommodate not just data centers, but also the broader energy transition. This involves modernizing transmission infrastructure, integrating smart grid technologies, and expanding capacity for renewable energy sources. This proactive investment is a core component of the positive utilities sector outlook for 2026, creating a more resilient and dynamic grid. Source link

A significant development has occurred in the investigation into the deaths of two workers in the disaster at the Ashdod oil refinery. The police arrested the supplier of equipment for the factory and decided to upgrade the allegation against him to ‘murder with indifference’.The victims of the disaster were Irina Radchuk (52), who left behind a husband and daughter, and Nitzan Goykhman (39), who left behind a husband and three children. Both were residents of Ashdod and worked at the refinery as chemical engineers.The suspect denied any connection to the incident during his investigation. According to him, the containers he…

Current estimates of land-use change may be capturing only one-quarter of its true extent across the world, new research shows. The paper, published in Nature Communications, revises previous estimates of how much humans change the Earth’s land surface – such as via the destruction of tropical rainforests. It finds that, when accounting for multiple instances of change in the same place, 720,000 square kilometres of land surface has changed annually since 1960 – an area, the authors note, “about twice the size of Germany”. These new estimates are a synthesis of high-resolution satellite imagery and long-term inventories of land use.…

Live Updates 2 hours ago Live Analysts at JPMorgan just reiterated an overweight rating on Apple, noting that the tech giant has the advantage in the personal AI companion space. “In our view, launch of personalized Siri to enable services to maintain conversational context on the AI Companions will play a major role in determining the likelihood of success for Apple in relation to planned AI Companions, including integration with applications relative to its multimodal inputs across voice, text, and images,” said the firm, as quoted by CNBC. JPMorgan also reiterated an overweight rating on Salesforce, with a price target…

A judge has rubber-stamped the transfer, meaning Virgin Money’s operations will legally become part of Nationwide from April 2 2026. The deal, first announced in 2024, creates a “mutual” powerhouse on the UK high street. While Nationwide and Virgin Money have operated under the same group until now, the April transfer marks the start of full integration into a single, member-owned organisation. What this means for Virgin Money and Nationwide customers For now, customers may not notice immediate changes to day-to-day banking: Sort codes and account numbers remain the same. Virgin Money and Clydesdale Bank cards and PINs continue to…

Nestlé’s study of 2,000 young people aged 16-24 years-old, found that just 4% would consider a career in the manufacturing industry.According to the Swiss giant, this is due to the perception that it doesn’t offer the same opportunities as other sectors; with industries such as healthcare (20%), the creative industries (16%), education (15%), retail (12%), and technology (11%) dominating Gen Z’s current career ambitions.Despite the fact that the food and drink industry is the UK’s largest manufacturing sector, just 28% believe it still happens in the UK – but most people rarely see or hear about it. Meanwhile, three in…

MUMBAI, India, Feb. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ION, a global leader in trading and workflow automation software, high-value analytics and insights, and strategic consulting to financial institutions, central banks, governments, and corporates, announces that it is now registered as an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) with BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) for the equity derivatives segment through the Fidessa trading platform. ION Corporates (PRNewsfoto/ION) This milestone follows approval by BSE, which certified Fidessa’s functionality as fully compliant with all relevant exchange rules and regulatory standards. Exchange members can now use Fidessa for futures and options (F&O) trading on BSE, including Direct Market…

Anglo American (AAL) chose a good year to spin of its platinum mining subsidiary. A good year for shareholders, that is. Valterra Platinum (VALT), the renamed Anglo American Platinum, has reported a rebound in profits for 2025 thanks to surging platinum and palladium prices. The South African company’s shares responded in kind, climbing from under 3,000p in June when it joined the London Stock Exchange, to over 8,000p on the day of the results. Anglo was also selling into the rising market, although offloaded its shares in September before the real run-up in the price. For the year, Valterra reported…