The pre-market for Amazon looks a bit bullish, although I wouldn't call it overly bullish. We are in an area that should be interesting for technical traders, though, as the last earnings call produced a massive gap and we find ourselves at the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level.
We are getting close to an oversold condition in the stochastic oscillator, and the 10-year yield is now at 5% again, so that has its own part to play here.
I do think we have a situation where traders continue to look at this as a potential value play, but it is also going to be heavily influenced by the U.S. consumer and how it is feeling. Interest rates rising and inflation rising are not good things, but so far it looks like we are at least finding some type of support.
Walmart is doing very little in pre-market trading. It is currently finding the 50-day EMA as a potential barrier, and as a result, it might be worth looking at this through the prism of whether or not we can get above there. We are in the overbought condition in the stochastic oscillator, so maybe a little bit more consolidation. That would not be overly surprising because after all, most of the day is going to be waiting around for the Federal Reserve interest rate decision, and perhaps more important than that will be the press conference.
Target looks as if it is going to basically open up where it closed during the previous session, which was pretty ugly for Target. We are sitting just above the 50-day EMA, and it is in a nice uptrend. We are oversold in the stochastic oscillator now, so I'll be looking for some type of bounce.

#looks #overly

The Los Angeles Rams didn't get to see much of Myles Garrett this summer after acquiring him in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. He sat out multiple training camp practices due to lower-body soreness, and as the Rams continued preparing for Week 1, he missed time with knee swelling.
Sean McVay never sounded overly concerned about the injury, saying the goal all along was to get him 100% healthy for Week 1. In the coach's mind, they accomplished that. But in Garrett's opinion, he wasn't fully healthy for the start of the season.
The two gave conflicting reports of Garrett's health after Thursday's 27-7 loss to the 49ers. Each held a press conference after the game, and they don't seem to be on the same page when it comes to the condition of Garrett's knee.
After the game, Garrett was asked if he felt 100% healthy going into the game against San Francisco.
"No. I mean, this was the worst version of myself that I've put out there," he said. "I've got to be better. I've got to find a way to recover and get back to the player I know I can be and I've shown that I've been before."

#i 've #garrett #myles #cleveland

By
Listen
(1 min)
Ford Motor Chief Executive Jim Farley strongly rejected claims from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that the automaker was growing overly reliant on Chinese car companies, including through its business tie-ups overseas and a battery plant in Michigan.

#listen #chief

Selena Gomez wanted her wedding to Benny Blanco to feel personal rather than overly fancy. The couple married in a private ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, in September 2025. Nearly a year later, Blanco has shared more details about the day. He explained how Gomez's childhood dream shaped their wedding plans.
Blanco discussed the wedding during the Sept. 8 episode of his Friends Keep Secrets podcast. He surprised guest Gwyneth Paltrow when he revealed that he and Gomez were married. The couple rented out a palm tree farm and turned it into their wedding venue, according to Blanco. He said they wanted to create something "unconventional" for the celebration.
Blanco explained that Gomez had dreamed about her wedding since she was a child. She also knew how she wanted her walk down the aisle to look. "She's like, 'I want to walk down the aisle, and I want the aisle to be, like, Persian rugs off centered. I don't want normal flowers. I don't want it to feel bougie." The couple worked hard on the celebration, Blanco said.
Blanco said the result felt special without becoming too formal. "So it was, like, incredible and you could tell we put so much effort into it, but also didn't feel, like, stuffy," he said. Paltrow responded to the story by saying, "I love that. That's so cool." The ceremony reflected Gomez's preference for an unusual and intimate celebration.
The wedding was officiated by Lil **** y, who also co-hosts Friends Keep Secrets. Blanco shared the wedding details while speaking with Paltrow. His comments highlighted how much thought Gomez put into making the day her own. The celebration gave her the unconventional wedding she had imagined since childhood.

#paltrow #like

Not every noteworthy look in Venice Film Festival comes with a photocall or red carpet. Between festival duties and premieres, Matilda De Angelis, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Laura Dern have been giving us another side of their Venice wardrobes.
Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images
Matilda De Angelis, who is at the festival to promote her new film, Balcanica, wore Bottega Veneta, and I love how this feels smart without being overly formal.
The Bottega Veneta sunglasses and silver brooch at the collar are cool. However, I am on the fence about the yellow Baby Veneta bag, only because it feels at odds with the burgundy Sofia pumps. One says spring, the other says autumn. For me, it was a case of either/or, but not both.
Victor Boyko/Getty Images for Finch & Partners and Creative Artists Agency

#venice

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
The U.S. ETF industry is pushing back against the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) broad review of "novel ETFs."
ETF professionals argue an overly wide definition could slow product launches and undermine one of the market's biggest advantages, even as increasingly complex funds test the boundaries of the traditional ETF structure, per a Reuters report.
The SEC opened the review in June after delaying a wave of proposed prediction-market ETFs. Its request covers ETFs that invest in innovative ***** et classes or use unconventional strategies and asks whether existing rules adequately address investor protection, market integrity, and the registration process.
More than 20 industry participants submitted comments around the Aug. 31 deadline, with the docket showing submissions from Charles Schwab, Franklin Templeton, Jane Street, Cboe Global Markets, Grayscale Investments, 21Shares, Andreessen Horowitz and Kalshi.

#industry #finance #securities #june

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
A 62-year-old man planned to lend his daughter $80,000 directly from his self-directed IRA so she could cover a cash shortfall in her small business, with the loan structured to pay interest back to the IRA rather than to a bank. Before signing anything, his accountant warned him that the transaction wasn't merely risky—it would be a prohibited transaction under the federal tax rules governing IRAs.
Backing away isn't being overly cautious. A loan from an IRA to a child is a textbook prohibited transaction, and unlike a bad investment that simply loses money, a prohibited transaction can cause the IRA to lose its tax-advantaged status, potentially treating the account as distributed for tax purposes as of the first day of that year.
Don't Miss:
This Jeff Bezos-backed platform lets eligible investors buy fractional shares of rental properties for as little as $100.

#year #miss

Several of architect David McLay Kidd's most popular courses have focused on extreme and creative playability, with Gamble Sands in Washington and Mammoth Dunes at Sand Valley in Wisconsin as prime examples. Even his first-ever design, the original Bandon Dunes layout at the famed resort of the same name in Oregon, put playability at the forefront.
Kidd had a few deviations from the playability theme in his career, but in recent years he has talked at length about designing courses that are approachable for any level of golfer. The trick, he has said, is to challenge the best players while allowing less-skilled golfers to keep swinging.
Consider that challenge accepted at Bone Valley in Florida, his latest completed creation that will open in late September for preview play at the well-regarded Streamsong Resort. Built with an appreciation of the resort's other courses and with those layouts' DNA in mind, Kidd has constructed a new, full-sized 18 that offers ample width and plenty of opportunities to bounce **** into greens – those are keys to playability for less-skilled players.
But just as megalodon shark teeth can be found in the sand piles left over from the site's history as a phosphate mining operation, Bone Valley can offer a bit of a bite. Stray too far from the best scoring lines, and even the best players will struggle with the angles as they attempt to set up birdie putts.
"My team and I felt like we got to build something really, really fun both visually, strategically, creatively," Kidd said. "I think golfers, when they come here, won't be disappointed. I think they'll have a blast trying to figure out how to navigate their way through. I think every hole has a dozen different attacks you could make, a thousand different ways you could recover from error. It's not overly penal, but she is going to put up a fight against scoring. I think I've been able to refine that over the last dozen years or so."

#think #players #dunes

Symbotic (NASDAQ: SYM), a developer of autonomous warehouse robots, went public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) on June 8, 2022. It started trading at $10.51 per share, closed at a record high of $87.30 on Nov. 26, 2025, but now trades at $38.
Symbotic is still a divisive stock. The bulls are impressed by its robust revenue growth, its expanding margins, and its growing backlog -- which reached $22.5 billion in its latest quarter. But the bears will warn you that it's overly dependent on Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT) and that many investors overlook that customer concentration risk.
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 »
Walmart is Symbotic's largest customer and one of its top investors. The world's largest retailer accounted for 85% of its revenue in fiscal 2025 (which ended last September), driven by a long-term contract to automate all of its U.S. regional distribution centers through 2037.
Symbotic also acquired Walmart's own robotics division in early 2025, and the two companies have been co-developing automated micro-fulfillment systems for its brick-and-mortar stores. In other words, Symbotic wouldn't exist in its current form without Walmart's support.

#NVIDIA #walmart #flashing #revenue

The dust has settled on what has been an extremely eventful Tottenham Hotspur summer transfer window. You can see how busy Spurs were from the transfer summary article, which isn't even complete despite me doing my best to track it all summer long. (Alasdair Gold counted 54 moves this summer in all squads including reserves and U-squads; clearly I missed some, especially in the youth and reserve teams.) If nothing else, Tottenham Hotspur was certainly not idle.
But how did we do? Well… it's complicated. Spurs spend an obscene amount of money on new signings (£394m by best estimation, not including purchase options), offset a great deal by numerous player sales (£264m including options). The net spend is actually not that bad — £130m all said, which puts it in line with transfer spends in the last few years of the Daniel Levy era.
Spurs have turned over the club in Roberto De Zerbi's image, and whether you think that's a positive or not is very likely going to color your perception of the window as a whole. Matty and I have our takes. Let's see what you think!
Okay, so I'm going to get meta on you all right now. How do you even grade a transfer window? Do you look purely at the players brought in? Or do you look a level deeper, at what those signings imply about leadership and process? In my writing of this blurb, I went back and looked at my summary this time last year (which, by the way I rated as a C+, a rating I would say was pretty apt given the ensuing results, even though many thought we were being overly negative). Here's part of what I said:
There's a few things you need to take into account when looking at this window. There's the actual players signed; there's outgoings; there's the strategic fit; and then there's the timeline by which this happened and the process behind it all. The latter was a resounding, unequivocal failure.

#even #TOTTENHAM #summary

Ares Capital (NASDAQ: ARCC) is a business development company (BDC). Its core business is making loans to smaller businesses. So the ability of its clients to repay their loans on time is very important. In the second quarter of 2026, there was a 60-basis-point year-over-year increase in the number of troubled loans Ares Capital is carrying. That's a move in the wrong direction, but don't get overly concerned just yet. Here's why.
There's no question that investors in a BDC like Ares Capital have to pay close attention to loan quality. The company issues stock and takes on debt to fund the loans it makes to its clients. As long as those loans continue to be paid, Ares Capital earns the spread between its cost of capital and the interest it charges on its loans. In the second quarter, the average interest rate paid by its clients was 10.3%. This can be a very lucrative business.
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 »
However, the loans Ares Capital makes are typically to smaller companies that lack access to lower-cost funding. During periods of economic weakness, such as a recession, smaller companies can find it increasingly difficult to cover the costs of high-interest loans. If too many loans become troubled, Ares Capital could struggle to support its lofty 9.5% yield.
That's why non-accrual loans are so important to watch. If the percentage of non-accrual loans is increasing, your risk as a dividend investor is increasing, too. So the 60-basis-point rise in non-accrual loans shouldn't be ignored. But it also has to be put into perspective.

#ares #smaller

Joe Root has called on England to enjoy their Test series triumph over Pakistan without letting the celebrations spill into unnecessary controversy.

England wrapped up a 2-0 lead in the three-match series with a 194-run victory at Lord's, securing their first multi-match Test series win since 2024. With one game still to play, Root acknowledged the achievement but urged his teammates to celebrate responsibly.

"It's important we're not talking about, absolutely," Root said during the post-match media interaction at Lord's. "But it's hard to win Test matches, it's hard to win Test series, so enjoy it and celebrate it, but in a sensible, grown-up way.

"It's been a really good start to, I don't know what you want to call it, this new team."
Root's comments came as England celebrated another dominant performance against Pakistan. The victory gave them an unassailable advantage in the series, but the former captain was keen to ensure the focus remained on what the team had achieved on the field.

His call for "sensible" celebrations also comes with England having been involved in off-field controversies around celebrations in the past.

The immediate challenge for Root, however, is a personal one.
The England batter has endured an unusually difficult summer. He is averaging 29.44 across nine innings, significantly below his career average of 50.38.

His struggles were particularly evident at Lord's, where he was dismissed lbw in both innings. That took his tally of lbw dismissals this summer to seven.

Root, though, insisted he was not overly concerned and believes he can work his way through the problem.

"I've always been quite good at understanding and eventually problem-solving," he said. "I'll continue to keep working hard. I might have been lbw a few times, but lots of those have been umpire's call – if they go the other way it might not be as much of a talking point.

"We've also seen the ball move more than it ever has. So there has to be a sense of calm and realism around things. I know I'm a good player, and I'd like to think there's a big score around the corner."
Root also raised concerns about the behaviour of the Dukes ball being used this summer, suggesting it has felt different from previous batches.

While he admitted he had no evidence of a manufacturing change, Root believes the ******* have appeared harder and may have a different lacquer.

"I think they've been very different this year," Root said. "I think there's a different lacquer to them. I don't know, I've not got evidence on that – you probably need to ask Dukes – but I think there's lacquer on the seam.

"As a batter, when you practise, they're cracking your bats more frequently. And they seem a lot firmer."

The England batter also suggested the harder ******* could be having an impact on the pitches themselves, potentially creating more movement for the seamers.

"I think they're affecting the wickets as well. I think they're denting

Sandra Bullock was back for the Practical Magic 2 London photocall, held inside the Ballroom at Claridge's—a wise decision considering the rain in the capital this morning.
Kate Green/Getty Images
You weren't as sold as I was on her leopard-print Givenchy look. Sandra may have a mild-mannered demeanour, but she has never been afraid to make a bold and big statement. Are we forgetting The Lost City London premiere, its Los Angeles premiere, the 2019 MTV Movie & TV Awards or the Ocean's 8 world premiere?
Those who weren't convinced by the leopard print will probably prefer this Erdem Resort 2027 look. The black blazer, white asymmetric skirt and lace detailing offer a softer route into the film's witchy world, with the dark romanticism coming through the monochrome palette and black lace.
I love how the lace breaks up the monochrome layers, while the white neck scarf adds another point of interest. Smart but not overly formal, this is more subdued than her premiere look.

#look #sandra

Nina Dobrev showed off her newly blonde hair during a picturesque evening out, sharing a carousel of photos and videos from a sunset stroll by the water. The "Vampire Diaries" star summed up the outing in her Instagram caption, simply writing, "glow with the flow." The post quickly attracted attention from famous friends, including Heidi Klum, who commented, "Love this so much on you WOW."
Nina Dobrev's dramatically lighter hair was impossible to miss. During her recent stroll in NYC, the actress wore the blonde locks long and loose, with soft waves and darker roots creating dimension as they caught the golden-hour light. Her outfit was similarly understated.
Dobrev slipped into a fitted black camisole suspended from ultra-thin spaghetti straps, pairing the barely-there top with high-rise, dark-wash jeans. The straight-leg denim kept the look casual, while pointed black heels dressed things up without taking the outfit into overly formal territory. In several photos, Dobrev also carried a black jacket in one hand.
The standout accessory came courtesy of Bottega Veneta. Dobrev carried a white Dustbag Notte over her shoulder, featuring the Italian fashion house's recognizable Intrecciato weave and a gold-tone chain strap. The compact white bag offered a sharp contrast against her black top and dark denim.
Dobrev showed the look from several angles throughout her post. One image captured her posing on a waterfront promenade as the setting sun turned the sky orange behind her. Another offered a closer look at the camisole, jeans, and woven bag.

#blonde

In ancient legend, 300 Spartan warriors held the narrow pass at Thermopylae against a vast, overwhelming force, relying on a critical bottleneck to offset impossible odds. Today, America's energy security is facing its own fateful "300" moment, fought thousands of feet beneath the Gulf Coast.
As crude inventories in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve drain toward their operational limits, America is left, armed with just 300 million barrels. This dwindling buffer forces the nation into a high-stakes standoff against the uncompromising laws of fluid dynamics, immense geological forces, strict federal statutes, and relentless geopolitical pressure.
The SPR is a subsurface engineering marvel. Spanning 60 massive underground salt caverns across four storage sites in Texas and Louisiana, the system holds a combined authorized capacity of 714 million barrels. These solution-mined cavities are gigantic, often 300 feet wide and 2,000 feet tall, large enough to stack the Empire State Building inside.
Because these caverns operate entirely on a liquid displacement system, they can never be left empty. If the fluids were removed without replacement, the immense geological weight of the overlying earth would cause the salt domes to collapse inward like a crushed shield. Consequently, the total volume of fluid inside the reserve must be permanently maintained at 714 million barrels. However, the actual crude oil inventory tells a sobering story. The crude oil volume currently stands at approximately 293 million barrels. The remainder is entirely heavy salt brine used to push the oil out. Operating below this 300-million-barrel threshold pushes the aging infrastructure into uncharted and hazardous territory.
According to the Department of Energy, the absolute physical minimum crude oil inventory is approximately 70 million barrels. This cushion is required at the very top of the caverns to keep the extraction pipes safely submerged in oil rather than the underlying water. But while 70 million barrels is the structural floor where the salt rock might physically hold together, the practical operational floor is much higher, around 250 million barrels.

#energy

UFC's Contender Series has now delivered one of the greatest upsets in MMA history — at least in terms of the odds.
In the show's Season 10, Week 4 main event on Tuesday, -6000 betting favorite Bella Mir — the much-ballyhooed daughter of UFC legend Frank Mir — suffered the shocking first loss of her professional MMA career to +1500 underdog Alex Apodaca via a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). With the win, Apodaca earned herself a UFC contract.
Mir, 23, has long been considered a blue-chip combat sports prospect under the tutelage of her former UFC heavyweight champion father. UFC CEO Dana White, who's known Bella since she was a child, spoke openly in the lead-up to Tuesday's Contender Series fight about the possibility of the young phenom competing at the 2028 Olympics while pursue **** les in multiple TKO properties: The UFC, UFC BJJ and Zuffa Boxing.
"Alex, what you had to face tonight [was different]," White said following the result. "Now, I'm very proud of myself that in 10 years of doing [Contender Series], I have never had any bias. I don't know anything about anybody coming in. I was overly biased on this fight. I've known Bella for a long time, four years ago we started mapping out her plan and who she was going to be, and you came in tonight [and changed all of that].
"Unbelievable upset. Congratulations, you're in the UFC."

#alex #white #long #tonight

Falcons receive brutal 'too high' verdict on already bleak win projection originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Atlanta Falcons are going into the 2026 NFL season with uncertainty at the quarterback position between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa.
Given Tagovailoa's struggles in joint practices and so far in the preseason, it's fair for fans to have big concerns about the team heading into the year. But according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic, they have a 7.1 projected win total.
While that's nothing overly impressive, it's not terrible. However, Kendall handed out a harsh verdict, calling that 7.1 projection "too high" for the Falcons.
"Projected wins: 7.1. Verdict: Too high," Kendall writes. "It's been a tough summer for the Falcons."

#sporting

Atlético Madrid star Julián Alvarez has early this week dropped a fresh hint regarding his eagerness to take his talents to La Liga rivals Barcelona before the summer is out.
This of course comes fresh off a harrowing evening for the Argentine on Sunday.
Afforded a place on the bench for Atlético's league meeting with Villarreal, Alvarez found himself the target of a heavy and incessant round of boos, whistles and jeers on the part of the Metropolitano crowd.
After the attacker announced his desire to move on earlier this summer, the Rojiblancos faithful made crystal clear that they have not forgiven Alvarez in any way, shape or form.
Safe to say, then, that the 26-year-old's latest activity on social media is unlikely to go down overly well, either…

#madrid #liga #afforded

Jersey Bulls manager Elliot Powell said his side "got away with it" after they came from behind to beat Sheerwater FC 4-1 in their FA Cup preliminary round tie on Saturday.
The home side went a goal down after 12 minutes in an opening half an hour riddled with errors and miscommunication.
They eventually clicked into gear, with summer signing Sammy Henia-Kamau scoring a hat-trick and Lorne Bickley finishing off a well-worked move.
Powell, whose side will next visit Burgess Hill Town in the competition in September, said he was "not overly pleased with the performance".
"For 25 minutes we were poor, but then we had a bit of individual quality which got us ahead in the game," he told BBC Radio Jersey.

#Bulls #henia

A survey of financial professionals at the nation's second-largest bank has revealed that the people handling your money may be overly confident in the stock market right now, even in the face of clear warning signs from the systems meant to alert them of imminent risk.
Each month, Bank of America polls its institutional investors to see where they're directing ****** ets and where they anticipate the market heading in the coming months, among other things.
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake. Here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028. Here are 4 moves to make before the window closes

#bank #market #America #dave

A distinct operational evolution has arrived for the Pittsburgh Steelers under head coach Mike McCarthy. Beyond installing his West Coast offensive framework, McCarthy is systematically restoring veteran command, empowering his quarterback with pre-snap freedom that recent Pittsburgh offenses largely lacked.
On a recent episode of "The Snap Count" podcast, former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch and offensive lineman Trai Essex examined how this philosophical shift directly elevates signal-callers on gameday.
"When you look at Mike McCarthy's history, he's always given his veteran quarterbacks the keys to the drive," Batch explained. "In Pittsburgh, we've seen periods where the pre-snap process was overly rigid. Giving an experienced quarterback full autonomy to audit protection, check out of bad looks, and manage the clock changes the entire defense's approach."
Rather than forcing the offense to execute fixed calls regardless of defensive alignments, McCarthy's system relies on dynamic line-of-scrimmage reads. The quarterback retains full authority to flip plays, adjust protection schemes, or call audibles based on safety rotations and front-seven looks.
Essex highlighted how this veteran command instills confidence across the entire offensive line.

#snap #steelers #mccarthy #essex

I like doing statistical ****** ysis for two primary reasons. There are two main biases that it combats and we are all prey to those biases at one time or another. The first form of bias is what I would call immediacy bias. A great example of that is the string of short starts that the Astros are currently going through. The temptation is to ****** ume that this has been constant throughout the season when that is almost never the case. There are ebbs and flows to these things, so looking at overall numbers can help us combat that bias.
The second bias is a local bias. We watch the Astros. Some of us watch them religiously. So, when we are watching one team 162 times a season and the other teams maybe a handful of times, it is easy to look at what your local group is doing and ****** ume that it is either really good or really bad. We simply don't have anything to compare it to. This becomes important when we are looking at relative strengths and weaknesses of a team. This can come into play in terms of game to game strategy or long-term questions about how the team should be structured.
We call this the lab because I like to start with observations that can be formed into a testable hypothesis. In this case, the hypothesis is that the Astros overly rely on their bullpen for innings because their starters do not go deep enough into games. We can test that simply by comparing them with the rest of the American League to see if that is true comparatively. We will start with the starting pitchers only in terms of innings pitched and ERA.
Innings
ERA

#bias #biases #season

Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.
Depending on who you ask, indexed universal life (IUL) insurance is either a powerful wealth-building strategy or an overly complicated insurance product that promises more than it delivers. However, the truth could lie somewhere in the middle.
An IUL is first and foremost a life insurance policy. Like other permanent life insurance products, it can provide lifelong coverage and build cash value over time. But what makes it different is how that cash value grows. Instead of earning a fixed interest rate, it's tied to the performance of a stock market index, such as the S&P 500.
Here's how indexed universal life insurance works, who it may be a good fit for, and what to know before buying a policy.
Indexed universal life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance that combines a death benefit with a cash value account. As long as the policy stays in force, your beneficiaries receive a death benefit when you die, and part of the premiums you pay has the potential to grow inside the policy over time.

#value #permanent

Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.
Depending on who you ask, indexed universal life (IUL) insurance is either a powerful wealth-building strategy or an overly complicated insurance product that promises more than it delivers. However, the truth could lie somewhere in the middle.
An IUL is first and foremost a life insurance policy. Like other permanent life insurance products, it can provide lifelong coverage and build cash value over time. But what makes it different is how that cash value grows. Instead of earning a fixed interest rate, it's tied to the performance of a stock market index, such as the S&P 500.
Here's how indexed universal life insurance works, who it may be a good fit for, and what to know before buying a policy.
Indexed universal life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance that combines a death benefit with a cash value account. As long as the policy stays in force, your beneficiaries receive a death benefit when you die, and part of the premiums you pay has the potential to grow inside the policy over time.

#life #universal #products #permanent

DALLAS — By Thursday afternoon, the get-in ticket price at the American Airlines Center hovered around $80. The cost to view the fourth-ever WNBA matchup between Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark from the upper deck — less than a week after the scintillating third meeting in Indianapolis — was not overly prohibitive.
The show had different stars and a different result this time. The Dallas Wings notched maybe their most-needed win of the season with a 91-85 victory over the Indiana Fever, at last finding some equilibrium after losing Azzi Fudd to season-ending knee surgery and sliding into eighth place in the WNBA standings. It also ended the Fever's five-game winning streak and prevented them from clinching a playoff spot on their first try.
Those among the 20,297 seeking another Bueckers-Clark duel, after each scored 29 points in last Friday's meeting?
They instead got Arike Ogunbowale scoring 32 points and Jessica Shepard adding 26 for Dallas in her return to the lineup, while Indiana's Kelsey Mitchell carried a too-heavy load with 37 points — though she made history in doing so. Bueckers and Clark, meanwhile, missed a combined 22 of 31 shots from the field.
Still, even without those two playing captivating basketball, it appears the Wings and Fever under the same roof is becoming a must-attend rivalry. Among the notables on hand Thursday night: Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg and NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady. Even WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert made an appearance, chatting up Cuban between the third and fourth quarters.

#bueckers #clark

Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.
Depending on who you ask, indexed universal life (IUL) insurance is either a powerful wealth-building strategy or an overly complicated insurance product that promises more than it delivers. However, the truth could lie somewhere in the middle.
An IUL is first and foremost a life insurance policy. Like other permanent life insurance products, it can provide lifelong coverage and build cash value over time. But what makes it different is how that cash value grows. Instead of earning a fixed interest rate, it's tied to the performance of a stock market index, such as the S&P 500.
Here's how indexed universal life insurance works, who it may be a good fit for, and what to know before buying a policy.
Indexed universal life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance that combines a death benefit with a cash value account. As long as the policy stays in force, your beneficiaries receive a death benefit when you die, and part of the premiums you pay has the potential to grow inside the policy over time.

#indexed

The S&P 500 Index (SPX) is trading near all-time highs, which is nothing new over the past several years. But there has been a sudden interest in hedging against a volatility spike. That's evident in the 10-day buy-to-open (BTO) call/put ratio for Cboe Market Volatility Index (VIX) options. A spike in VIX call buying has pushed the ratio above 6.0, which has been reached just a handful of times since 2025.
The VIX measures the expected volatility of the SPX over the next 30 days. Since the VIX tends to rise when the SPX falls, portfolio managers often use VIX calls to hedge against a sharp market downturn.
There's a contrarian argument, however, that if investors are hedged against a selloff, they may be less likely to panic sell, minimizing the likelihood of a sharp pullback. An alternative theory is that VIX option buyers are more sophisticated traders, and the unusual spike in call buying could be smart money. If so, SPX underperformance over the short- to medium-term wouldn't be surprising. Instead of taking a side, I'm examining the historical data to see which theory holds up.
The table below shows how the SPX performed after the VIX 10-Day BTO Call/Put Ratio spiked above 6.0. I only counted the first spike in at least a month. The second table shows typical index returns for comparison, while the overall results show a clear theory winner. VIX option traders have historically appeared as smart money investors rather than overly cautious investors. The SPX significantly underperformed after previous spikes in the ratio.
Since 2014, there have been 31 instances when the VIX BTO call/put ratio spiked above 6.0. Over the following two weeks, the SPX averaged a loss of 0.60%, with only 45% of returns positive. For comparison, the index typically gained 0.50% over two-week periods with 64% of returns positive. In the three months following a spike, the SPX lost 0.65% on average with 60% of returns positive, versus a typical three-month gain of 3.11% and 75% positive.

#above

Aristotle Capital Boston, LLC, an investment advisor, released its "Small Cap Equity Fund" Q2 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Fund returned 13.69% in the second quarter of 2026, trailing the Russell 2000 Index's 21.49% gain as security selection in information technology and industrials weighed on performance despite positive allocation effects. Top contributors included MACOM Technology Solutions and Mercury Systems, which benefited from strong demand in semiconductor, aerospace, and defense markets, while Alamos Gold and Huron Consulting Group detracted due to operational challenges, weaker gold prices, and investor concerns surrounding artificial intelligence disruption. During the quarter, the fund initiated positions in IPG Photonics and UMB Financial, citing opportunities tied to advanced manufacturing, automation, reshoring trends, and diversified financial services, while exiting Americold Realty Trust, Byline Bancorp, and Verra Mobility. Looking ahead, management remains constructive on U.S. small-cap equities, noting that valuations remain attractive relative to large caps and that earnings growth is expected to accelerate into late 2026 and 2027. Factors such as increased merger and acquisition activity, improving domestic manufacturing due to reshoring and infrastructure investments, and a favorable regulatory environment are expected to support this ******* et class in the long term. In addition, please check the Fund's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Aristotle Small Cap Equity Fund highlighted stocks like Huron Consulting Group Inc. (NASDAQ:HURN). Huron Consulting Group Inc. (NASDAQ:HURN) provides consulting and managed services focused on healthcare, education, technology, and business transformation. The one-month return of Huron Consulting Group Inc. (NASDAQ:HURN) was 47.82% while its shares traded between $84.88 and $186.78 over the last 52 weeks. On August 19, 2026, Huron Consulting Group Inc. (NASDAQ:HURN) stock closed at approximately $158.98 per share, with a market capitalization of about $2.57 billion.
Aristotle Small Cap Equity Fund stated the following regarding Huron Consulting Group Inc. (NASDAQ:HURN) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
Huron Consulting Group Inc. (NASDAQ:HURN) is a provider of technology, data and ******* ytics solutions to healthcare, education and corporate clients. The stock reported strong results and handily beat ******* yst expectations. Despite that, shares sold off amid market sentiment around artificial intelligence potentially cannibalizing their business model, which we believe is overly pessimistic. We maintain a position, as we believe the company may continue to benefit from durable demand, expanding margins and secular growth tied to digital and regulatory complexity in their end markets over the long term.

#huron #fund #aristotle

Enes Kanter and Royce White have both recently confirmed they are declaring for the 2027 WNBA draft.
Kanter and White's declarations came after the debate around whether transgender women should be allowed to compete was sparked by comments made by Sophie Cunningham.
At present, the WNBA rules say that 'Only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,' but they do not specifically define what a woman is.
This is the loophole Kanter and White are seemingly trying to exploit, but Patrick Beverley is not overly happy with what the duo are doing.
Photo by Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

#WNBA #patrick #enes #cunningham

The Cleveland Browns have been a team to watch so far this offseason. All eyes are on what they plan to do at quarterback, as the competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders approaches the endgame.
Few seem fully confident about which way the competition is leaning. While Watson did start the first preseason game and performed relatively well, completing 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards, he did lose a fumble. As for Sanders, he went 6/11 with 79 yards and an interception.
The Browns have been in QB purgatory for a long time, and a former NFL player believes it's time they start looking towards the future.
It is difficult to be overly excited about either of the Browns' quarterback options.
Both quarterbacks took different paths to the 2026 season. Watson was once seen as the next great quarterback while with the Houston Texans, but once he got traded to the Browns, things fell apart both on and off the field.

#sanders