Official figures reveal a sharp 26% increase in the annual cost of public sector pensions, now reaching £39bn, with taxpayers covering the bulk of the expense as employer contribution rates rise.
Bitcoin tumbled toward $81,000 as markets reacted to the potential nomination of former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh, whose history of monetary hawkishness is viewed as a headwind for risk assets like cryptocurrency.
President Trump is expected to nominate former Fed governor Kevin Warsh as Jerome Powell's successor, a move markets interpret as a tilt toward more hawkish monetary policy and an end to months of uncertainty over the central bank's leadership.
Microsoft's second-quarter earnings smashed expectations, fueled by a 26% surge in cloud revenue that crossed the $50 billion mark for the first time. The tech giant's aggressive AI investments are now driving significant growth across its enterprise stack.
Once the undisputed leader in connected fitness, Peloton Interactive is navigating a critical business reset. Faced with declining revenue, subscriber churn, and a shifting market, the company is trading rapid expansion for a strategy focused on cost control and stabilization. The core question for investors is whether its brand and ecosystem can sustain a profitable future.
Microsoft posts record cloud and AI-driven revenue for Q2, fueled by new partnerships and its custom AI chip. However, a significant surge in capital expenditures for AI infrastructure and a slight deceleration in Azure growth triggered the stock's worst single-day drop since 2020, testing investor resolve on the long-term payoff.
Amidst broader market volatility, a closer look reveals compelling opportunities in the UK's penny stock arena. We analyze three companies—Accesso Technology, ActiveOps, and Zotefoams—that combine niche market strength with evolving financial narratives for the discerning investor.
Visa's fiscal first-quarter earnings surpassed expectations, driven by robust cross-border transactions and a surge in high-margin digital services. The payments giant signals confidence in sustained consumer resilience despite some moderation in U.S. debit volumes.
Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT) reported robust Q4 2025 results, driven by exceptional commercial HVAC demand and a record $7.8 billion backlog. While proactive inventory adjustments pressured residential margins, executives project 12-14% adjusted EPS growth for 2026, fueled by strategic acquisitions and sustained commercial strength.
Schneider National's Q4 2025 earnings fell short of expectations, pressured by a sharp late-year drop in freight demand and severe weather. While acknowledging near-term challenges, executives pointed to early signs of market normalization and detailed strategic cost actions aimed at positioning the carrier for an eventual upcycle.
Southside Bancshares (SBSI) reported a significant rebound in fourth-quarter earnings, driven by strategic repositioning of its securities portfolio and lower funding costs. While loan growth remained modest, executives outlined a cautious outlook for near-term margin improvement and detailed plans for technology investments and selective M&A in competitive Texas markets.
Freedom Capital Markets has lowered its price target for Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) from $34 to $25, citing a mixed quarterly performance and a challenging outlook as China's electric vehicle sector grapples with a fierce price war and softening demand.
Investment bank Macquarie has raised its rating on NIO Inc. (NYSE:NIO) from Neutral to Outperform, citing better-than-expected fourth-quarter delivery figures and the growing success of its battery subscription model. The firm also increased its price target to $6.10.
While Morgan Stanley maintains an Overweight rating on PDD Holdings, the firm has removed the e-commerce giant from its Top Picks list, citing heightened regulatory scrutiny and a slower-than-expected consumer recovery in China.
Buoyed by record bookings and strong financial performance in 2025, Royal Caribbean Group projects double-digit revenue growth for 2026. The cruise giant announced a major fleet expansion, including a new 'Discovery Class' and ten additional river cruise ships, signaling confidence in sustained consumer appetite for experiential travel.
Oshkosh Corporation reported full-year revenue of $10.4 billion and adjusted EPS of $10.79 for 2025. While projecting sales growth to approximately $11 billion in 2026, the company cautioned about near-term softness in its industrial access equipment segment and a significant $200 million tariff impact.
Fastly's stock has surged on the coattails of broader AI and edge computing optimism, but a closer look reveals a complex picture of short-term gains against longer-term struggles. As the market weighs future growth against persistent losses, investors are left questioning if the recent rally has legs.
Meritage Homes concluded a challenging 2025, citing affordability pressures and waning buyer confidence. While maintaining a cautious stance on incentives, the homebuilder is expanding its community footprint and boosting shareholder returns, betting on long-term demographic demand.
Bank of America leads a wave of analyst upgrades for DigitalOcean, citing the viral success of its AI agent 'Clawdbot' and the company's strategic positioning in the burgeoning agentic AI market for developers.
Despite record iPhone demand, Apple CEO Tim Cook warns that soaring memory chip costs are set to squeeze margins, highlighting a supply crisis gripping the entire tech industry.
