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.
After a brutal 2025, fast-casual restaurant stocks are rallying sharply in early 2026. Analysts debate whether this marks a genuine recovery or a temporary bounce, as consumers pivot towards grocery and convenience store meals, forcing a reckoning on value and quality.
With hyperscalers projected to pour $500 billion into AI infrastructure by 2026, investors are looking beyond headline chipmakers to the essential, yet often overlooked, backbone providers of the AI revolution.
Amidst market volatility, Coca-Cola (KO) stands out with its formidable brand moat and a 63-year dividend growth streak, offering investors a blend of stability and reliable income.
Corebridge Financial (CRBG) has launched a novel index annuity linked to the Invesco New Economy Index, offering exposure to tech themes and Bitcoin. The move comes as analysts debate whether the company's current share price fully reflects its growth potential amid mixed recent performance.
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.
Cisco Systems has inked a major 15-year virtual power purchase agreement for solar energy in Poland, a move that extends its environmental commitments into one of Europe's more fossil-fuel-dependent grids and underscores its long-term capital allocation strategy beyond core tech.
AMD and GIGABYTE have significantly expanded their partnership to co-develop a new generation of AI-accelerated gaming laptops, motherboards, and monitors. This strategic move aims to bring powerful, on-device AI capabilities directly to consumers, potentially reshaping competitive dynamics in the PC gaming hardware market.
The utility giant Southern Company has declared its latest quarterly dividend, preserving one of corporate America's most remarkable records of shareholder returns. As markets fluctuate, the company's steady income stream and undervalued stock price are drawing renewed attention from long-term investors.
Unity Software's new in-app web store integration with Coda could empower developers to bypass traditional marketplace fees, potentially altering the company's revenue streams and addressing its persistent valuation gap amid volatile stock performance.
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.
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.
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 lowered its price target for Chinese EV maker XPeng, pointing to reduced government subsidies and a complex path to profitability as the company expands its model lineup.
Brokerage firm CLSA initiates coverage on Atour Lifestyle Holdings with an 'Outperform' rating and a $49 price target, highlighting its unique brand ecosystem and asset-light model as key differentiators in a competitive market.
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.
H.C. Wainwright has trimmed its price target on Genmab following mixed Phase 3 results for its lymphoma drug EPKINLY, though maintains a Buy rating, citing precedent and ongoing trials.
Goldman Sachs has upgraded BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX) from Neutral to Buy, raising its price target to $142. The firm highlights the company's pivotal role in next-generation cancer treatments, including immuno-oncology and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), as a major catalyst for future growth.
UBS has increased its price target for digital transformation leader Globant to $75, forecasting a period of stabilized, if modest, growth for the IT services sector next year despite near-term revenue headwinds.
