Alluvium ******* et Management, an ******* et management company, released its "Conventum – Alluvium Global Fund" second-quarter 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. The second quarter reflected a sharp shift from geopolitical uncertainty and oil market volatility to a powerful equity rally led by semiconductor companies. Despite the broader market strength, the Fund declined 1.4% in EUR terms, 2.2% in USD terms, and 3.9% in AUD terms. Portfolio results were mixed, with Alphabet benefiting from strong Cloud growth, while Robert Half, H&R Block, and other holdings posted solid gains. However, cable businesses and several healthcare and consumer holdings weighed on performance. Also, check the fund's top five holdings to see its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Conventum – Alluvium Global Fund highlighted LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB). LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) is a multinational chemical and plastic manufacturing company. On September 15, 2026, LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) closed at $65.43 per share. Over the past month, LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) declined 0.95% while its shares gained 22.25% over the past 52 weeks. LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) has a market capitalization of $21.14 billion, and its stock has traded within a 52-week range of $41.58 and $83.94.
Conventum – Alluvium Global Fund stated the following regarding LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB), the plastics producer gave back some of that 88.3% return of last quarter, and fell 34.0%, We are continually amazed by the market's response to the war in Iraq. It seems that this so called "ceasefire" (the one where Iran keeps attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the US keeps bombing) has led to expectations that all is well for the affected commodity markets. Management provided results in early May, and reported expectations that the higher prices will be sustained for some time. That makes sense to us. But since then, Polyethylene and Polypropylene prices, for example, have fallen by around 15%. After we sold around two thirds of our holding during the March quarter, we ceased as the price fell to levels below our valuation. It currently accounts for 2.1% of the Fund and we are comfortable with maintaining this position."
LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 57 hedge fund portfolios held LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) at the end of the second quarter which was 59 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trum

Alluvium ****** et Management, an ****** et management company, released its "Conventum – Alluvium Global Fund" second-quarter 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. The second quarter reflected a sharp shift from geopolitical uncertainty and oil market volatility to a powerful equity rally led by semiconductor companies. Despite the broader market strength, the Fund declined 1.4% in EUR terms, 2.2% in USD terms, and 3.9% in AUD terms. Portfolio results were mixed, with Alphabet benefiting from strong Cloud growth, while Robert Half, H&R Block, and other holdings posted solid gains. However, cable businesses and several healthcare and consumer holdings weighed on performance. Also, check the fund's top five holdings to see its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Conventum – Alluvium Global Fund highlighted LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB). LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) is a multinational chemical and plastic manufacturing company. On September 15, 2026, LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) closed at $65.43 per share. Over the past month, LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) declined 0.95% while its shares gained 22.25% over the past 52 weeks. LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) has a market capitalization of $21.14 billion, and its stock has traded within a 52-week range of $41.58 and $83.94.
Conventum – Alluvium Global Fund stated the following regarding LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB), the plastics producer gave back some of that 88.3% return of last quarter, and fell 34.0%, We are continually amazed by the market's response to the war in Iraq. It seems that this so called "ceasefire" (the one where Iran keeps attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the US keeps bombing) has led to expectations that all is well for the affected commodity markets. Management provided results in early May, and reported expectations that the higher prices will be sustained for some time. That makes sense to us. But since then, Polyethylene and Polypropylene prices, for example, have fallen by around 15%. After we sold around two thirds of our holding during the March quarter, we ceased as the price fell to levels below our valuation. It currently accounts for 2.1% of the Fund and we are comfortable with maintaining this position."
LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 57 hedge fund portfolios held LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) at the end of the second quarter which was 59 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-

On September 10, Tsakos Energy Navigation (NYSE:TEN) reported a first half of 2026 that reads like a fantasy year for a decades-old tanker operator. Net income hit $228 million, more than triple what the company earned over the same six months a year earlier, while diluted EPS climbed to $7.12 from $1.70. Behind those numbers sits a rare combination: a fleet locked into billions in forward earnings, war-driven cargo detours pushing rates higher, and a newbuilding bet that has already paid off before half the ships have even hit the water.
The earnings power came from two directions at once. The average time charter equivalent rate rose 41% to $43,503 a day in the first half, and profit-sharing contracts on nine large vessels brought in $71 million, up from just $10 million a year earlier. Even with six vessels pulled from service for scheduled dry docks, the fleet still ran at 96.5% utilization. Second-quarter results followed the same pattern, with net income of $139.3 million, which included a $38 million gain on ******* et sales, and earnings per share of $4.40 against $0.67 in last year's second quarter.
Tsakos is also sitting on a fleet renewal bet that already worked out. Since the start of 2023, the company has sold 20 tankers averaging 17.3 years old and replaced them with 35 vessels averaging just half a year old. Its 26-ship newbuilding program, contracted for about $3.1 billion, is now valued roughly 30% above that cost, and CEO Nikolas Tsakos said the VLCCs in that order book have nearly doubled in price since they were placed. With $466 million in cash and forward committed earnings of roughly $3.5 billion, management has room to raise its dividend, which already paid out $1.60 per share this year, and is weighing whether to redeem $120 million of 9.25% preferred shares, a move it estimates could add $0.30 to $0.40 to EPS.
That performance came against a backdrop the company would rather not have. President George Saroglou said vessels have been attacked, and seafarers hurt or killed trying to keep global trade moving through the Strait of Hormuz, where a ceasefire unraveled roughly halfway through its planned 60-day run and a US naval presence now tries to manage safe passage. Tsakos has chosen to route around the strait entirely rather than put crews through the toll those attacks take.
The cost side is climbing too. Bunker prices jumped about 25%, pushing first-half voyage expenses to $82 million from $68 million, and operating expenses rose to $111 million from $102 million on higher dry-docking costs and inflation. Total debt reached $2.1 billion at the end of June, up from $1.8 billion a year earlier, as the company finances its newbuilding program. And while profit-sharing revenue jumped, the operating days tied to those market-related contracts actually fell 22%, meaning a smaller slice of the fleet is left exposed to capture further spot-rate gains if the tanker market keeps running hot.

#billion

Our ****** ysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here.
Record quarterly revenue of $87.1 million was driven by vigorous fleet expansion and strong market rates across both tanker and dry bulk segments.
Net income for the first half of 2026 reached $62.8 million, already exceeding the total profitability for the full year of 2025.
Operational utilization decreased to 73.5% due to a strategic decision to manage a concentrated schedule of six dry dockings to ensure future efficiency.
Suezmax rates surged in excess of $200 thousand a day following the end of the ceasefire period and Houthi-led trade disruptions in the Red Sea.

#houthi #analysts

Stewart ***** et Management's flagship portfolio returned 15.97%, net of fees, in the second quarter, and the S&P 500 Index gained 15.20%. YTD, it appreciated 5.37%, net of fees, and the S&P 500 Index gained 10.21%. The letter can be downloaded here. Despite geopolitical uncertainties, share prices surged higher as emerging prospects for a ceasefire in the Middle East restored market composure and investor optimism for continued earnings growth in the second half of the year. Volatility in share prices was noted, particularly tied to industrial trends like AI, with comparisons made to the internet boom and personal computer adoption. Despite concerns about extreme valuations and potential corrections, the conclusion is that strong earnings growth is fundamental to rising share prices, emphasizing the importance of investing in robust businesses. Please check the fund's top five holdings for its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Stewart ***** et Management highlighted Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE). Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE) is a leading technology company that manufactures and sells optical and photonic products. On September 04, 2026, Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE) closed at $881.26 per share. Over the past month, Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE) gained 13.83%, and its shares are up 519.81% over the past year. Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE) has a market capitalization of $79.05 billion, and its stock has traded within a 52-week range of $144.52 to $1,085.68.
Stewart ***** et Management stated the following regarding Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"During the quarter we initiated a small investment in Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE), a leader in optical networking — the hardware that moves data between AI chips, servers, and data centers. We believe AI infrastructure spending is driving an optical upgrade cycle from which Lumentum may benefit. Demand outstrips supply, and customer agreements now extend through 2027 as data centers grow in number and size. Capturing this opportunity requires execution on capacity expansion and continued hyperscaler willingness to invest in AI infrastructure. The primary risks ***** ociated with the company are its concentration of revenue from a small number of customers, product timelines shifting and emerging technologies. However, we believe that the positives noted above outweigh these risks."
Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. According to our database, 111 hedge fund portfolios held Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE) at the end of the second quarter, down from 123 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LITE) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that a

CAIRO, Sept 6 (Reuters) - An Israeli strike killed a man and his teenage daughter ‌in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, ‌health officials said.
Mohamed Abu Selmia, head of Al Shifa Hospital, the enclave's largest medical facility, said the airstrike hit a vehicle in western Gaza City, killing Youssef Akila and his daughter, Wafaa, and wounding ‌six others.
The Israeli ⁠military did not immediately comment on the incident.
An October 2025 U.S.-backed ceasefire ⁠halted major fighting in the territory, but it failed to end strikes by the Israeli military, which it said aimed to thwart attacks by ‌Hamas and other Gaza militants.
Hamas accuses Israel of violating the ceasefire and undermining efforts to implement U.S. President Donald Trump's broader plan to end the Gaza conflict, which also includes Israeli ‌withdrawals and Hamas disarmament.

#israeli #hamas #sept #strip

DUBAI, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Iran said it will step up efforts to tackle problems created by the U.S. sanctions that are crippling its economy, while a senior Iranian official warned of a "painful response" if it comes under further attack.
Six months after U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, the war appears to be at a stalemate. A preliminary ceasefire accord ‌reached in June has unravelled and little progress has been made in diplomatic efforts to get the peace process back on track.
After a pause in military action for much of ‌August, ******* -for-tat strikes have resumed with U.S. Central Command saying it hit three Iranian tankers on Saturday after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles at two U.S. Navy ships.
Following the attacks, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Sunday that the U.S. should understand that the rules of the game in the war against Iran have changed "before it is too late".
"From now on, any attack against Iran's interests and security will receive a faster, heavier and more painful response," he said in a speech published on his Telegram channel.

#Iran #painful

By Maya Gebeily and Rami Ayyub
BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Israel's military has cleared Hezbollah fighters holed up in tunnels under the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Friday, though the Iran-backed group did not immediately comment.
Israel had said Hezbollah fighters were ‌embedded in tunnels under the ridge, which overlooks a wide area and had become one of the most hotly contested areas in the Israel-Hezbollah war, despite ‌a ceasefire announced in June.
Reuters reported on Thursday that Iran had warned the United States last month that it would respond forcefully to an Israeli ****** ault on its Hezbollah allies' positions within the ridge.
"The mission was completed and the tunnels were cleared of terrorists," Katz said on social media, after a statement by the military late on Thursday saying it had operational control of the ridge.

#tunnels #Iran #military

Oil prices surged Tuesday following U.S. military action against Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz, a retaliatory move after Tehran launched overnight attacks on vessels passing through the waterway.
The November Brent crude contract jumped 3.8% to $94.36 a barrel, a level not seen in nearly two weeks. West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, gained 4.3% to $89.46 a barrel for the October delivery contract, a move that would mark its best close in more than a month.
The afternoon rally built on momentum that had already been building since the morning session, with settlement data for both benchmarks sourced from Dow Jones Market Data.
The strikes mark a renewed escalation in the Strait of Hormuz, which has been the site of ongoing conflict. The U.S. and Iran had signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17, but that agreement collapsed almost immediately. Since then, Iran has demanded sanctions relief and an end to the U.S. naval blockade before the waterway can reopen, while Washington has maintained the blockade rather than conducting additional airstrikes — until Tuesday.
The Hormuz disruptions have taken a significant toll on global oil supply. The International Energy Agency cut its 2026 global oil supply forecast to 102 million barrels per day in August, a decline of 4.3 million barrels per day on the year, citing the breakdown of the ceasefire and a renewed closure of the strait. Middle East oil loadings had briefly touched 20 million barrels per day in early July before retreating to roughly 12 million barrels per day as attacks on tankers and energy infrastructure resumed. The IEA projected the global oil market would show a deficit of 1.8 million barrels per day in the third quarter of 2026.

#million #strait #global #market

Oil prices have been all over the place in 2026. Brent crude fell nearly 40% from its year-to-date (YTD) high of $118.35 on March 31 to $71.44 by July 1 after a U.S.-Iran peace deal reopened the Strait of Hormuz. Prices then rebounded more than 16% from that July low after the ceasefire broke down on July 8, helping make energy the best-performing S&P 500 sector ($SPX) during that period.
Shell (SHEL) has used the volatility to reshape its business. The company has sold ****** ets that no longer fit its focus on oil, gas, and LNG, including India's Sprng Energy for $1.8 billion, Gulf of Mexico stakes for $1.7 billion, and Jiffy Lube International and Premium Velocity Auto for $1.3 billion. It also sold its European onshore renewables portfolio to TotalEnergies SE (TTE) and agreed to acquire Canada's ARC Resources Ltd. (ARX) in a deal valued at about $13.6 billion.
Seagate vs. Western Digital: Which One is The Best AI Storage Play for Dividend Investors?
Tired of missing midday reversals? The FREE Barchart Brief newsletter keeps you in the know. Sign up now!
Next could be Shell's U.S. chemicals business. The company has reportedly drawn interest from potential buyers, including ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM) and LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (LYB), in a deal that could fetch up to $8 billion.

#prices

KYIV, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Ukraine sees a window of opportunity for U.S. mediation to end Russia's war in Ukraine until the end of next summer and has ‌drafted one page of ideas with U.S. and European officials to be presented to ‌Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
Zelenskiy said that a ceasefire and a previously discussed U.S. proposal for a free economic zone in Ukraine's eastern Donbas area — to be administered by a third party — were among the ideas in the document.
"It contains one of the ideas for a ceasefire — that is the main point. The second part concerns what the Americans proposed regarding a free economic zone," Zelenskiy told reporters in ‌a weekend briefing.
Zelenskiy said that ⁠he saw a window to end the nearly four-and-a-half years of fighting that stretched from the G20 summit in the U.S. in December this year ⁠until the end of summer 2027, given the looming campaign for the 2028 presidential election in the U.S.
Zelenskiy said earlier this month that Ukraine had handed proposals to U.S. negotiators for a plan to end the war, without providing more detail.

#zelenskiy #summer #ceasefire #zone

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza make the difficult choice every day between digging into garbage dumps for combustible materials to help cook their meals or crowding around the territory's scarce charity kitchens.
The Kahlout family has tasked their 12-year-old son, Omar, with walking daily to a nearby dump to collect plastic and other material they can use as fuel. He digs with his bare hands and fills a worn-out sack, then carries it back to the tent where he lives with his family of eight.
They live close to the dump. Rats swarm their tent. This is life for many of Gaza's 2 million Palestinians who still languish in displacement camps and war-ravaged buildings, 10 months after a fragile ceasefire was reached between Israel and the Hamas militant group.
Families expressed doubt on the progress of talks that aim to end the war. "The truce is only in the media," said Omar's father, Adam. He said the family survives on food from humanitarian aid packages and charity kitchens.
And yet Palestinians say the food at the kitchens is not enough. Each family is allowed one piece of fish with rice. May people leave with their pots empty, even as Israel's government has said it is allowing enough food into the territory that remains largely cut off from the world.

#palestinians #dump #enough #deir

By Parisa Hafezi and Katharine Jackson
DUBAI/WASHINGTON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday no talks were taking place with Iran and insisted the Strait of Hormuz was open, contradicting Iran's **** ertion that the critical waterway remained shut to shipping.
The receding prospects of a deal to end the nearly six-month conflict drove up oil prices again on Tuesday, while ‌stock markets sagged and borrowing costs for major economies including the U.S. hit multi-decade highs, amid concerns about the long-term inflationary and fiscal impact of the crisis.
A temporary ceasefire agreement expired on Monday ‌and a senior Iranian official told Reuters that his country was moving to a "fully offensive" military posture due to the diplomatic stalemate, though there were no reports of fresh strikes by either side on Tuesday.
"There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

#talks #parisa #Dubai

U.S. special envoy Jared Kushner delivered a stark ultimatum to Hamas on Monday, warning that the terrorist group must honor its commitments to disarm in Gaza or face an Israeli military operation to "finish the job."
Speaking exclusively to Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst, Kushner also detailed high-stakes diplomatic meetings in Egypt and Israel over the last 48 hours aimed at advancing President Donald Trump's Gaza peace roadmap as fighting and disagreements between Israel and Hamas persists.
Israel has carried out air strikes and seized more territory in Gaza despite an October ceasefire, while Hamas has refused to give up its weapons, Reuters also reported Monday.
Kushner met first with Hamas in Cairo, together with the National Committee, the new technocratic Palestinian government that will take over control.
Hillary Clinton Breaks With Democratic Critics By Backing Trump's Gaza Plan As The 'Only Game In Town'

#trey

SEOUL, Aug 15 (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called on Saturday for talks with North ‌Korea to pursue peaceful coexistence, saying Seoul would seek ‌safeguards to prevent conflict and noting the need to replace the peninsula's armistice with a "peace regime".
In a speech marking the anniversary of Korea's liberation from ******* anese colonial rule, Lee said the two Koreas should hold a sit-down for coexistence.
He urged dialogue between North ‌Korea and concerned parties ⁠to end the 1950-53 Korean War, which was stopped by a ceasefire, not a peace ⁠treaty, and said discussions could also explore effective measures to curb Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities.
Lee said Seoul would take preemptive and sustained steps to ease tensions and build layered safeguards to contain escalation.
Lee's ‌call largely builds on his pledge last year to respect North Korea's system and seek peaceful coexistence with Pyongyang.

#seoul #coexistence #korea

By Parisa Hafezi
DUBAI, Aug 12 (Reuters) - There have been no talks on extending a ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. under an interim deal, with Iran saying that Washington ‌must return to the pact and define a timeframe to implement its commitments, a senior ‌Iranian source told Reuters on Wednesday.
The source's comments came after Turkey's Anadolu news agency, citing Pakistani government sources, reported that Tehran and Washington had agreed to extend a 60-day ceasefire under their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
"One of the issues that is being discussed via mediators is the U.S. returning to the interim agreement and defining a timeframe for implementing its commitments. There has been absolutely no progress on this issue," the source said.
The interim deal ‌signed in June between Tehran and ⁠Washington declared an "immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts", but quickly unravelled, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying on July 7 that the ⁠pact was "over". Tehran has repeatedly accused Washington of consistently violating its commitments.

#interim #Iran #ceasefire #deal

Ryanair (NASDAQ:RYAAY) reported a difficult start to its fiscal year, with PAT for the quarter falling 34% to €593 million (£503 million) as the price of its 20% unhedged jet fuel spiked and fares fell 6%. Although revenue edged 1% higher to €4.4 billion, the airline was forced to lower ticket prices to stimulate demand amid geopolitical uncertainty. The company also anticipates summer fares to be slightly lower compared to last year, mainly due to "consumer hesitancy" surrounding air travel. The question for investors now is whether Ryanair's (NASDAQ:RYAAY) cost advantages are enough to offset weaker pricing if that trend continues.
At first glance, the quarter looks disappointing. However, the underlying demand picture was stronger than the headline profit decline suggests. Passenger numbers increased 6% during the quarter, allowing revenue to rise 1% to €4.4 billion despite a 6% decline in fares. That suggests consumers are still willing to travel, even if airlines have had to compete more aggressively on price.
The company's biggest advantage, however, may not be demand but costs. Management said Ryanair (NASDAQ:RYAAY) remains better positioned than many of its competitors because approximately 80% of its fuel requirements through the end of March 2027 have already been hedged at $67 per barrel. It also hedged another 15% of next year's fuel needs at $85 per barrel during the recent interim ceasefire. By locking in a significant portion of its future fuel costs, Ryanair (NASDAQ:RYAAY) has reduced its exposure to one of the airline industry's biggest sources of earnings volatility.
Management also declined to provide a full-year profit forecast, arguing that it is still too early given the importance of close-in bookings over the remainder of the summer. While that creates uncertainty, it also suggests the company believes the rest of the summer season will play a much larger role in determining full-year performance than the first quarter alone.
The biggest concern for Ryanair (NASDAQ:RYAAY) following the recent earnings is that stronger passenger demand has not translated into stronger profitability. Despite carrying more passengers, Ryanair reported a 34% decline in profit after reducing fares to stimulate demand. If pricing remains under pressure, volume growth alone may not be enough to drive a meaningful earnings recovery.

#fuel

It's time for a cost-of-living checkup.
Assessments of U.S. consumer prices, spending and sentiment are due this week—and they could shed light on whether improvements in June were significant enough to withstand geopolitical shocks.
The July Consumer Price Index reading will land Wednesday. The cost-of-living measure ticked down in June—before the U.S.-Iran ceasefire fell apart and fighting in the Middle East escalated. The conflict has curtailed oil shipments in the Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb Straits, sending energy prices higher and putting upward pressure on other prices.
The CPI remains high by historic standards, as does the Producer Price Index, which tracks wholesale inflation. The July PPI reading is due Thursday; The index dipped in June after surging in May. Rising wholesale costs can be a sign that consumer prices will climb as businesses pass rising expenses along.
Retail and consumer sentiment data comes out Friday. Consumer spending increased slightly in June, and the public mood recently brightened a bit, according to the University of Michigan's Survey of Consumer Sentiment. Savings rates, however, hit a four-year low, and developments including chatter about an AI bubble and new tariffs may have shifted consumers' outlook.

#sentiment #rising

CAIRO (AP) — A volley of fire between the Iranian-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia has threatened to upend a 2022 truce in Yemen and open another front in the already expanding war in the Middle East after the collapse of the ceasefire deal between the U.S. and Iran.
"Yemen today faces a greater risk of renewed large-scale conflict than at any point since the U.N.-brokered truce of April 2022, " U.N. envoy Hans Grundberg warned.
The escalation, he said, risks "jeopardizing the gains of the 2022 truce ... while also drawing the country into a broader regional confrontation, with devastating consequences for its people."
Grundberg said he has engaged in intensive talks with Yemeni parties and regional governments to avert further escalation.
The ***** -for-tat attacks started July 13 with a Saudi airstrike that hit the runway of the airport in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, preventing the landing of an Iranian flight carrying a high-ranking Houthi delegation.

#saudi

Shares of QXO, Inc. (NYSE: QXO) fell 23% in July, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
QXO didn't report earnings during the month, but it did close on the acquisition of TopBuild on July 1.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
QXO is executing a roll-up strategy to consolidate the building-products distribution business under CEO Brad Jacobs and his team, so acquisitions are a core part of QXO's game plan. Yet while TopBuild could very well build value for QXO, it appears investors may have had some trepidation about the purchase, which is QXO's biggest acquisition to date.
In addition, oil prices rebounded in July as the fragile "ceasefire" deal with Iran seemed to unravel. That pushed interest rates higher, and higher rates tend to weigh on cyclical stocks, such as those in housing and construction.

#NVIDIA #acquisition #higher #shares

Emerald Wealth Partners, an independent ******* et and wealth management firm based in Zurich, released its Q2 2026 investor letter for the "Focused Equity Strategy." A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Strategy reported a 0.8% gross return for the second quarter of 2026. Equity markets rallied after the first quarter's Iran shock faded and oil prices reversed their spike, but the advance remained narrow and concentrated in cyclical semiconductor and memory stocks benefiting from supply constraints. The letter warned that investors were treating peak-cycle earnings as durable, while FOMO, IPO demand, and a US cyclically adjusted P/E ratio near 40 pointed to late-cycle market behavior. Long-term fundamentals are currently undervalued by the market, leading to underperformance in the strategy, notably due to the portfolio's avoidance of low-quality momentum-driven semiconductor stocks, which boosted the benchmark this quarter. It remains focused on enterprise infrastructure, digital platforms, custom silicon, and networking businesses that hold customer relationships, workflow data, distribution, and efficiency advantages, which could allow them to monetize AI rather than be displaced by it. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for its key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy highlighted Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL). Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) operates as an energy and petrochemical company. On August 4, 2026, Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) closed at $89.84 per share. One-month return of Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) was 9.24% and its shares gained 24.36% over the past 52 weeks. Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) has a market capitalization of $247.4 billion.
Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy stated the following regarding Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) was the largest detractor from quarterly performance, reducing returns by 59 bps. The stock fell 15.9% during Q2 as the ceasefire between the US and Iran pared back geopolitical risks and the Strait of Hormuz gradually reopened. This followed a strong first quarter, when Shell's shares rose 28% thanks to sharp oil and gas price rises. Following that move, Shell had become our largest position in the portfolio. We therefore sold approximately half our holding: the sharp appreciation had compressed the margin of safety and left the position larger than we were comfortable with."

#shell #strategy #letter

Emerald Wealth Partners, an independent ***** et and wealth management firm based in Zurich, released its Q2 2026 investor letter for the "Focused Equity Strategy." A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Strategy reported a 0.8% gross return for the second quarter of 2026. Equity markets rallied after the first quarter's Iran shock faded and oil prices reversed their spike, but the advance remained narrow and concentrated in cyclical semiconductor and memory stocks benefiting from supply constraints. The letter warned that investors were treating peak-cycle earnings as durable, while FOMO, IPO demand, and a US cyclically adjusted P/E ratio near 40 pointed to late-cycle market behavior. Long-term fundamentals are currently undervalued by the market, leading to underperformance in the strategy, notably due to the portfolio's avoidance of low-quality momentum-driven semiconductor stocks, which boosted the benchmark this quarter. It remains focused on enterprise infrastructure, digital platforms, custom silicon, and networking businesses that hold customer relationships, workflow data, distribution, and efficiency advantages, which could allow them to monetize AI rather than be displaced by it. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for its key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy highlighted Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT). Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) is an aerospace and defense company that engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of technology systems, products, and services. On August 04, 2026, Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) closed at $589.33 per share. The one-month return of Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) was 11.62%, and its shares gained 35.52% over the past 52 weeks. Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) has a market capitalization of $13.01 billion.
Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy stated the following regarding Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"The ceasefire also weighed on Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT), which gave back part of a strong first quarter and detracted 55 bps. Our fundamental ***** sment is unchanged: conflict on European soil and Washington's pressure on NATO allies continue to drive demand for the company's systems sharply higher. But that demand comes with a twist — a business model that now requires heavier investment and carries more risk than Lockheed used to. Having trimmed the position close to its peak in the first quarter, we are comfortable with what we hold today."

#focused

Emerald Wealth Partners, an independent ***** et and wealth management firm based in Zurich, released its Q2 2026 investor letter for the "Focused Equity Strategy." A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Strategy reported a 0.8% gross return for the second quarter of 2026. Equity markets rallied after the first quarter's Iran shock faded and oil prices reversed their spike, but the advance remained narrow and concentrated in cyclical semiconductor and memory stocks benefiting from supply constraints. The letter warned that investors were treating peak-cycle earnings as durable, while FOMO, IPO demand, and a US cyclically adjusted P/E ratio near 40 pointed to late-cycle market behavior. Long-term fundamentals are currently undervalued by the market, leading to underperformance in the strategy, notably due to the portfolio's avoidance of low-quality momentum-driven semiconductor stocks, which boosted the benchmark this quarter. It remains focused on enterprise infrastructure, digital platforms, custom silicon, and networking businesses that hold customer relationships, workflow data, distribution, and efficiency advantages, which could allow them to monetize AI rather than be displaced by it. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for its key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy highlighted Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL). Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) operates as an energy and petrochemical company. On August 4, 2026, Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) closed at $89.84 per share. One-month return of Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) was 9.24% and its shares gained 24.36% over the past 52 weeks. Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) has a market capitalization of $247.4 billion.
Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy stated the following regarding Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) was the largest detractor from quarterly performance, reducing returns by 59 bps. The stock fell 15.9% during Q2 as the ceasefire between the US and Iran pared back geopolitical risks and the Strait of Hormuz gradually reopened. This followed a strong first quarter, when Shell's shares rose 28% thanks to sharp oil and gas price rises. Following that move, Shell had become our largest position in the portfolio. We therefore sold approximately half our holding: the sharp appreciation had compressed the margin of safety and left the position larger than we were comfortable with."

#partners

Emerald Wealth Partners, an independent ******* et and wealth management firm based in Zurich, released its Q2 2026 investor letter for the "Focused Equity Strategy." A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Strategy reported a 0.8% gross return for the second quarter of 2026. Equity markets rallied after the first quarter's Iran shock faded and oil prices reversed their spike, but the advance remained narrow and concentrated in cyclical semiconductor and memory stocks benefiting from supply constraints. The letter warned that investors were treating peak-cycle earnings as durable, while FOMO, IPO demand, and a US cyclically adjusted P/E ratio near 40 pointed to late-cycle market behavior. Long-term fundamentals are currently undervalued by the market, leading to underperformance in the strategy, notably due to the portfolio's avoidance of low-quality momentum-driven semiconductor stocks, which boosted the benchmark this quarter. It remains focused on enterprise infrastructure, digital platforms, custom silicon, and networking businesses that hold customer relationships, workflow data, distribution, and efficiency advantages, which could allow them to monetize AI rather than be displaced by it. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for its key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy highlighted Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT). Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) is an aerospace and defense company that engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of technology systems, products, and services. On August 04, 2026, Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) closed at $589.33 per share. The one-month return of Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) was 11.62%, and its shares gained 35.52% over the past 52 weeks. Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) has a market capitalization of $13.01 billion.
Emerald Wealth Partners Focused Equity Strategy stated the following regarding Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"The ceasefire also weighed on Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT), which gave back part of a strong first quarter and detracted 55 bps. Our fundamental ******* sment is unchanged: conflict on European soil and Washington's pressure on NATO allies continue to drive demand for the company's systems sharply higher. But that demand comes with a twist — a business model that now requires heavier investment and carries more risk than Lockheed used to. Having trimmed the position close to its peak in the first quarter, we are comfortable with what we hold today."

#Equity #focused #quarter

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza City (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel will not withdraw from its current lines in Gaza until Hamas has completely disarmed and pushed back on a recent deal announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Netanyahu's remarks cast more doubt on the deal to disarm Hamas, which was seen as a potential breakthrough for ending the war. It also marked a rare public display of friction with the Trump administration.
The agreement called for Hamas to begin disarming and for Israel to halt its strikes and begin withdrawing from the roughly 60% of Gaza it currently controls. It was based on an October ceasefire agreement that ended major military operations and brought about the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza but has stalled on other fronts.
Netanyahu, who faces a tough battle for reelection in October, reiterated his stance that disarmament should come first. He said Israeli forces would continue to "do whatever is necessary to protect themselves, our territory, and our citizens."
The Trump administration "sent us a draft. We did not agree. It is not our draft. We sent our comments. … This is our position," Netanyahu said in a video posted on social media.

#Gaza #Trump #Israel

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — President Donald Trump said late Saturday that he would halt new planned attacks on Iran pending renewed talks to wind down the war and revive stalled cargo traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
It was the latest in a pattern of announcements the U.S. president has made to first threaten massive strikes and then later call them off. The abrupt shifts have been a defining feature of the five-month conflict that has sent prices of oil and basic goods soaring — and the announcements to date have been upended by renewed attacks days or even hours afterward.
Here is a look at some of Trump's past major announcements about pausing strikes against Iran:
The United States and Iran agree to a two-week ceasefire to end the intense fighting that began on Feb. 28 with Israeli and U.S. attacks. Trump makes the announcement less than two hours before a deadline he had set for Tehran to capitulate or face attacks on bridges and power plants — strikes he said would mean "a whole civilization will die."
Trump announces that the U.S. is indefinitely extending its ceasefire with Iran a day before it was to expire. He adds that he has been asked by mediators to hold off on attacks to give Iranian leaders time to come up with additional proposals. The fragile ceasefire lasts until May 8, when the U.S. carried out strikes on Iranian tankers.

#Iran #ceasefire

The FBI is investigating a cyberattack launched on more than 30 municipal water systems across Minnesota, with a senior law enforcement official telling NBC News it bears all the hallmarks of Iranian-backed hackers. It comes as the war between the United States and Iran dramatically escalated following the collapse of a brief ceasefire. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports for TODAY.

#minnesota #states #today #investigating

ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) is one of the top energy names in President Donald Trump's financial disclosures from earlier this year. The stock is up about 27% so far this year. But does a presidential trade make it a buy today? Let's break down what's actually driving the stock.
Exxon benefits directly from rising oil prices amid the Iran war. Its upstream segment was projected to see a multibillion-dollar earnings lift for the second quarter compared to the first, driven almost entirely by higher realized prices rather than any change in production. That's the logic behind buying an oil major right as a Middle East conflict escalates.
Exxon's balance sheet gives it room to lean into higher prices. Net debt relative to EBITDA sits under 1x, among the lowest in the industry, and the company is on pace to repurchase roughly $20 billion of stock this year. Guyana production just hit a quarterly record above 900,000 barrels a day, and the company has applied to drill dozens more wells there.
In the Permian Basin, Exxon is now the largest operator following its Pioneer acquisition and expects to roughly double output there by 2030. Longer term, natural gas tied to data center power demand is another growth lever bulls point to, with McKinsey estimating data centers could eventually account for more than a tenth of total U.S. power demand.
There's a demand question sitting underneath the price spike. The IEA sees global oil demand softening this year, and even OPEC, which tends to run more optimistic, trimmed its own demand growth forecast. If the Iran-driven premium in oil prices fades if another ceasefire takes place, some of Exxon's near-term earnings boost fades with it.

#Iran #earnings

By Lucia Mutikani
WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. trade deficit in goods narrowed in June amid a broad decline in imports, but the improvement was probably insufficient to prevent trade from again subtracting from economic growth in the second quarter.
The report from the Commerce Department on Tuesday also showed exports dropping to a five-month low, pulled down by a sharp decline in ‌shipments of industrial supplies, which include petroleum. The decrease likely reflected a pullback in crude oil prices amid a fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.
With businesses ramping up investment in artificial ‌intelligence and consumer spending resilient, last month's drop in imports could be temporary. The AI build-out is reliant on imports. The government on Monday reported a strong increase in orders and shipments for non-defense capital goods in June.
"Our model mapping the trade data onto the national accounts now points to net trade subtracting around one percentage point from second-quarter GDP growth," said Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.

#goods

Wall Street woke up in a good mood on Monday. Oil prices were tumbling on news of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire, and all three major indexes opened solidly higher. By midday, that optimism had largely evaporated.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) was clinging to a 0.2% gain at 12:06 p.m. ET, down from an early peak of 1.3%. The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) had slipped 0.2% into the red after starting the day up 0.9%. The Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) was off 0.5%, having completely erased its 1.1% opening pop.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
^DJI data by YCharts
Brent crude dropped approximately 6% to around $86.40 per barrel after the U.S. and Iran agreed to pause military strikes while diplomatic talks resume. Lower oil means less inflation pressure, which means the Fed might ease up on rate hikes. Treasury yields dipped accordingly.

#NVIDIA #Iran #means