An international tribunal has ruled against Shell and partner Eni in a cost-recovery dispute at Kazakhstan's Karachaganak field, potentially exposing the energy giants to a multi-billion dollar payout and forcing contract renegotiations that could reshape future cash flows from the strategic asset.
Amidst a complex backdrop of economic crosscurrents and geopolitical tensions, a select group of small-cap companies across Asia are demonstrating remarkable resilience and growth potential. We analyze three standout names from Singapore and China that are navigating the volatility with strong fundamentals.
Buoyed by a banner 2025 and surging consumer appetite for ocean voyages, Royal Caribbean Group forecasts double-digit profit growth for 2026, signaling a full-throttle recovery for the cruise industry.
Kirby Corporation (NYSE: KEX) reported record annual earnings for 2025, fueled by robust free cash flow and strategic capital returns. While Q4 faced seasonal pressures, management highlighted a late-quarter rebound in inland marine and surging demand in power generation, setting the stage for what they project as a year of steady financial performance in 2026.
Shares of Meta Platforms soared Thursday, fueled by a significant price target upgrade from BofA Securities. The rally comes despite the company reporting a slight dip in full-year profit, as investors focus on strong revenue growth and the company's positioning in the artificial intelligence race.
Bitcoin plunged to a nine-month low as a confluence of political uncertainty and geopolitical tensions sparked a broad market sell-off, forcing over $1.6 billion in leveraged positions to close.
Blackstone Inc. is weighing a sale of Interplex's information and communications technology business, with early-stage talks suggesting a valuation exceeding $1 billion, sources familiar with the matter said.
Vizsla Silver Corp. (VZLA) shares tumbled sharply Thursday after reports that 10 of its employees were abducted from company housing in Mexico, forcing a temporary halt to operations and rattling investor confidence amid broader weakness in silver prices.
Despite reporting a near-doubling of annual net income and raising its 2026 outlook, electronics manufacturer Celestica saw its shares drop sharply Thursday as the market judged its stellar results to be already reflected in the price.
Meta Platforms' staggering capital expenditure forecast for 2026, heavily weighted toward AI infrastructure, underscores the intensifying tech investment cycle. Specialized cloud provider CoreWeave emerges as a likely key beneficiary, its fortunes tied to the hyperscaler spending spree.
Shares of Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) retreated sharply Thursday, shedding 12.5% as a wave of profit-taking followed the stock's surge to its highest level in nearly eight years. The pullback comes despite analyst optimism around the company's role in powering AI data centers.
Microsoft's stock faced its steepest single-day drop in months, closing down 10% despite posting strong quarterly earnings. The sell-off was driven by investor concerns over surging capital expenditures and the company's significant financial ties to OpenAI.
Despite posting year-over-year revenue growth, MarineMax's first-quarter earnings reveal the persistent headwinds buffeting the recreational boating industry, from aggressive promotions to cautious consumers. Management points to early spring signals and a fortified balance sheet as reasons for cautious optimism.
Despite a challenging housing market, Five Point Holdings (NYSE:FPH) reported record annual net income for 2025, driven by strategic land sales and the integration of its Hearthstone platform. The company navigated economic uncertainty with disciplined pricing and secured major entitlement approvals to fuel its long-term pipeline.
Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) reported solid 2025 results with NOI and FFO growth, driven by its core manufactured housing communities. While forecasting further growth for 2026, management acknowledged ongoing fluctuations in its seasonal RV business and provided detailed guidance.
Microsoft's commercial contracted backlog more than doubled year-over-year to $625 billion, fueled by AI demand. However, a closer look reveals customer concentration risks, slower near-term revenue conversion, and soaring capital expenditures that temper the bullish narrative.
Activist investment firm Tsai Capital has taken a stake in QXO, spotlighting the distributor's ambitious plan to consolidate the fragmented building products industry. The move comes as QXO's stock shows strong recent momentum despite longer-term headwinds.
President Donald Trump is set to announce his nominee for Federal Reserve Chair on Friday, with multiple reports indicating former Fed governor Kevin Warsh is the leading candidate to succeed Jerome Powell, a move already rippling through currency markets.
Asian equities broadly declined on Friday, taking cues from a volatile U.S. session marked by a historic plunge in Microsoft shares. The sell-off extended to commodities, with oil and precious metals also losing ground.
Caterpillar Inc. capped off a historic 2025 with record sales and a soaring backlog, but executives signaled a cautious outlook for 2026 as escalating trade tariffs threaten to squeeze margins. The industrial giant's performance was buoyed by robust demand across construction, mining, and a surging data center power market.
