Author: Lucas

Silver rate today soared to $70 for the first time in history on Tuesday, December 23, tracking positive global cues. Escalating US-Venezuela tensions and a decline in the dollar index fuelled the rally in the precious metals. Also, expectations for further US rate cuts aided the sentiment, making them more attractive to investors.MCX silver surged by 1.7% to its record peak of ₹2,16,596 per kg. Meanwhile, MCX gold February futures jumped 1.1% to its all-time high of ₹1,38,300 per 10 grams.Meanwhile, Spot Silver hit a new high of $70.0055 in intra-day deals today.Silver has outperformed gold this year, rallying 140%…

‘The Santorini of Spain’ and ‘Barrabados’: Lesser known holiday spots that could save you big in 2026 With another cold spell gripping the country, you might be turning your attention to the summer holidays. But where to go that avoids crowds and doesn’t break the bank?Airbnb has crunched the numbers on what it calls the best “destination dupes”. The short-term rental site explains:”Airbnb’s data shows travellers are increasingly seeking destinations that deliver the same dose of culture, scenery, and experiences as the more famous hotspots – but with fewer crowds and more affordable price tags.”So here’s Airbnb’s guide to your 2026…

CME Group, the world’s largest derivatives exchange, has announced plans to launch 24/7 crypto futures and options trading. This comes as institutional demand for crypto increases, and the move is significant because it would end the CME gaps, which typically occur over the weekend when the traditional markets are closed. CME Group To Launch 24/7 Crypto Futures and Options Trading According to a press release, the derivatives exchange will launch regulated 24/7 crypto futures and options markets starting on May 29, pending regulatory review. The exchange stated that its crypto futures and options will trade continuously on the CME Globex…

ATLANTA, Feb. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitcoin Depot Inc. (NASDAQ: BTM) (the “Company”) announced today that it will effect a one-for-seven (1:7) reverse stock split (“Reverse Split”) of its Common Stock (as defined below) that will become effective on February 23, 2026, at 12:01 a.m., Eastern time (the “Effective Time”). The Company’s Class A Common Stock will continue to trade on The Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “BTM” and will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis when the market opens on February 23, 2026. The new CUSIP number for the Class A Common Stock following the Reverse…

The UK’s utilities need work. Poor water provision and sewage leaks are the most obvious issues, but old power and gas infrastructure is also holding back large industry and new electricity-hungry operations such as data centres. That means expectations for utilities have changed, with greater scrutiny of performance and more regulation in the case of the water companies. But the overall direction of travel is higher returns, for both energy and water companies, given prospects are based on regulated asset bases which grow with capital spending.  This dynamic has led to Severn Trent (SVT), United Utilities (UU.), National Grid (NG.) and…

UK government bonds have become something of a contrarian investment story. While headlines focus on political turbulence and fiscal challenges, a closer examination of the economics suggests they may be attractive relative to both domestic growth prospects and international peers.Yield-to-growthOne of the most instructive ways to evaluate government bond value is comparing yields to nominal GDP growth. This relationship matters because it tells us whether fixed income investors are being adequately compensated relative to the economy’s capacity to generate returns.By consensus forecasts, the UK economy is expected to deliver nominal growth of around 3.5 per cent by the end of 2027. Current…

Vertex Energy Inc. has started production of a new high-viscosity Group III re-refined base oil (RRBO) at subsidiary Vertex Refining Alabama LLC’s 75,000-b/d refining and petrochemical complex in Mobile, Ala. Following first commercial production of its VTX-R4 RRBO at the Mobile refinery in November 2025, Vertex is now producing VTX-R6—a higher-viscosity 6 centistoke (cSt) Group III RRBO—to provide lubricant manufacturers an option that supports thicker finished-lubricant formulations for applications requiring greater film thickness and durability, the operator confirmed on Feb. 18. Commonly used in applications including heavy-duty engine oils, passenger car motor oils, and select gear, transmission, compressor, and hydraulic…

Chain and padlock wrapped around stack of 100 dollar bills.Image source: Getty ImagesLast summer, my savings account felt like it was doing real work. Every month, the interest deposit was noticeable.Since then, it’s been shrinking just enough to remind me that high-yield savings rates don’t stay high forever.That’s why I’m starting to move some of that money.High-yield savings rates aren’t what they wereA year ago, many top high-yield savings accounts were paying well north of 4.50%.Now most are sitting closer to 3.50% to 4.00%. Savings accounts are variable, so when the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates, your yield falls with…

TLDR: CME will offer 24/7 crypto futures and options starting May 29, pending approval. Year-to-date 2026 ADV hits 407,200 contracts, up 46% from last year. Futures ADV rises 47% YoY, signaling strong institutional interest in crypto derivatives. CME implements brief weekly maintenance; all holiday trades settle the next business day.   CME Group will begin round-the-clock trading for cryptocurrency futures and options starting May 29. The move awaits regulatory approval. Trading will run continuously on CME Globex, with a brief weekly maintenance window.  The update comes amid record demand for digital asset risk management, according to Walter Bloomberg. In 2025,…

The most magnificent of the Magnificent Seven, NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA | NVDA Price Prediction) isn’t just a king; it’s a kingmaker in the financial markets. As a standout designer of processors powerful enough to handle artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, NVIDIA reigns supreme among recognized U.S. businesses in terms of multi-year share-price performance. That being acknowledged, at least one stock has beaten NVDA on a percentage-gain basis during a specific lookback period. And while some analysts continue to foresee vast returns for NVIDIA stock, another asset may have greater momentum for a follow-through move. In other words,…