On September 9, 2026, Reuters reported that Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) rolled out Muse, a long-touted AI agent that can autonomously send emails, sell a car, and book travel on a person's behalf, despite internal concerns among Meta's own employees that the technology mismanages access to sensitive personal data. The agent is modeled on the open-source system OpenClaw and available initially only in the U.S. through a dedicated app or WhatsApp. It is designed to access apps across email, calendar, payments, health, shopping, and smart-home categories as the centerpiece of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's "personal superintelligence" strategy.
Muse could give Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) a new revenue stream beyond advertising by turning its massive user base into paying AI customers. The company launched Muse with a free tier and $20 and $100 monthly subscription options for heavier users. The agent can handle tasks such as sending emails, selling items, and booking travel. It gives Meta a direct way to monetize AI capabilities and diversify its revenue base.
The new AI agent could help Meta generate returns from its enormous AI infrastructure investment. Meta expects AI infrastructure spending to exceed $130 billion this year, increasing the importance of monetizing its AI capabilities. Meta can distribute Muse through WhatsApp and eventually connect it with smart glasses. It gives the company multiple ways to expand usage and build a broader consumer AI ecosystem.
Meta has strengthened Muse's safeguards before launching the product. It could support wider use. Meta delayed the launch from April to improve security and added an autonomous safety agent that monitors Muse's actions. Users can also control which apps Muse can access, while Meta plans an encrypted version. It gives the company a path to address security concerns as it expands the product.
Muse's security failures could damage consumer trust in a product that needs access to sensitive information. Internal testing uncovered an incident in which Muse exposed private iCloud photos. Employees also reported other security concerns. Such failures could discourage users from connecting email, payment, health, and other personal accounts, limiting subscription adoption and Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)'s potential revenue from Muse.

#muse

KYIV, Sept 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation approved an €85 million ($97.5 million) loan to Ukraine's largest private energy company, ‌DTEK, to expand its battery storage, DFC and DTEK said on ‌Wednesday.
It is the DFC's largest loan for Ukraine's energy sector since the start of Russia's invasion in 2022.
"This €85 million loan means we can release more funds to build more battery storage and other projects," said Maxim Timchenko, the chief executive officer of DTEK. "For me, the financial part is very important, but much more ‌significant is this signal that ⁠DFC is ready to support Ukraine and DTEK."
"They have made an ***** sment of the risk, understand how to manage ⁠it, and are saying that private investors should follow," he said.
DFC's chief executive, Ben Black, said in a statement that U.S. President Donald Trump had empowered the DFC to proceed with the investment.

#battery

IBD Composite Rating
Industry Group Ranking
Emerging Pattern

#composite #ranking

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.
French manufacturing giant Vallourec has secured the entire carbon-steel line pipe and external coating scope for Petrobras's Sepia 2 offshore development, covering roughly 130 kilometers of subsea infrastructure.
The contract strengthens its position in Brazil's technically demanding pre-salt market and gives investors another reason to believe the group's offshore order book still has room to grow.
Vallourec shares rose around 6% after the premium pipe manufacturer announced a major contract with Subsea7 for the Sepia 2 project in Brazil's Santos Basin.
The agreement covers roughly 130 kilometers of rigid risers and flowlines, representing more than 15,000 tonnes of carbon-steel seamless line pipe designed for highly corrosive environments.

#pipe #vallourec #roughly

Changing jobs is looking lucrative again.
Base pay for job changers in the private sector increased 4.7% in August, compared to 3% for job stayers, according to the latest report from payroll provider ADP.
When you consider gross pay, which includes tips, commissions, and bonuses, wages for job stayers rose 4.4% year over year, while gross pay for job changers increased substantially more: 7.3%.
In another recent report, the job-jumping news was just as promising.
The median pay increase for workers switching jobs rose to 5% last month from 4.4% in July, according to new data from the Atlanta Fed. For those who stay put, the average pay increase was 3.6%, the same as in July.

#Jobs #rose

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Sept. 3, 2026 4:46 pm ET
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Zscaler ZS -4.50%
decrease; down pointing triangle
posted a narrower loss after revenue rose 25% in its fiscal fourth-quarter, as artificial intelligence helps drive demand for its cybersecurity offerings.

#zscaler

Viking Holdings (VIK) had a great run this year, and then it gave a big chunk of it back.
The luxury cruise operator hit an all-time high of about $108 on Aug. 5. By Sept. 1, the stock had slipped to roughly $86, a drop of nearly 20% in under a month.
Jim Cramer says that drop is a buying opportunity, not a warning sign.
On CNBC's "Mad Money," Cramer told viewers to buy Viking into its weakness.
"I think it's crazy that people have been selling this thing," he said. "I'm telling you to buy the stock into its recent weakness."

#Stock #holdings

Image source: The Motley Fool.
Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET
Investor Relations - Mike Cavanaugh
President and Chief Executive Officer - James Cunniff
Chief Financial Officer - Brad Nagel

#president

Camping one weekend on riverfront land held inside a self-directed IRA can trigger a prohibited transaction, deeming the entire account's value as taxable income, even if that value reaches $900,000.
That $900,000 income spike pushes the owner into Medicare's highest IRMAA bracket two years later, raising premiums by $578 a month or $6,936 a year.
IRA owners can avoid disqualification by never personally using or improving the property, and consulting a tax professional before setting foot on it.
Are you ahead, or behind on retirement? SmartAsset's free tool can match you with a financial advisor in minutes to help you answer that today. Each advisor has been carefully vetted, and must act in your best interests. Don't waste another minute; learn more here.
A 63-year-old spots riverfront land in a federal auction and buys it through a self-directed individual retirement account (IRA). The parcel joins several other investments inside the account and sits untouched for a year. Then he spends one summer weekend there. He pitches a tent, cooks over a fire, and drives home Sunday night. No rent changes hands. He makes no improvements. It feels less like using a retirement ****** et than visiting land he already considers his.

#year #weekend #value #income

Loomis Sayles, an investment management company, released its "Global Growth Fund" investor letter for Q2 2026. You can download a copy of the letter here. The fund returned 6.43%, underperforming the MSCI ACWI Index's 14.93% return. The fund employs a long-term private equity investment strategy, focusing on high-quality businesses with sustainable competitive advantages, investing at significant discounts to intrinsic value. At quarter-end, the fund maintained an overweight in communication services, consumer discretionary and healthcare sectors, and an underweight in information technology, financials, industrials, and consumer staples sectors. Also, please check the Fund's top five holdings to see its best picks for 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Loomis Sayles Global Growth Fund highlighted Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX). Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), a leading subscription-based streaming entertainment platform, detracted from performance during the quarter. On August 21, 2026, Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) closed at $79.59 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $331.41 billion. Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) posted a one‑month return of 13.05%, while its shares lost 34.66% over the past 52 weeks.
Loomis Sayles Global Growth Fund stated the following regarding Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Founded in 1997, Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) is one of the world's leading internet entertainment platforms and a pioneer of subscription video on demand (SVOD), which it first launched in 2007. Today the company is a global leader with over 325 million paid subscribers, out of what we estimate is a total addressable market of one billion households outside of China, who access TV series, movies, mobile games, and other entertainment content across a wide variety of genres, languages, and devices. The company has subscribers in over 190 countries, with an estimated global audience approaching one billion, and generates almost 60% of its revenue from outside of North America.
We believe Netflix's strong and sustainable competitive advantages include its focus, scale, brand, and a large installed base of clients that are protected by high barriers to entry. As a pioneer in SVOD, Netflix has amassed a subscriber base that we estimate to represent just under 40% of all SVOD subscribers globally and approximately 50% of the industry revenue share of the leading global providers. We believe the company's strong brand is reflected in both its premium pricing versus peers and mid-single-digit growth in average revenue per user over the past five years. Over the past decade, Netflix has invested over $120 billion in content and amassed an estimated over 14,000 hours of original content, which is estimated to represent just under two times the next five largest streaming competitors combined. Of course, it is not just the quantity, but quality of the content that matters. Over this same period, Netflix received over 1000 E

As we look toward 2027, the contrast between a high-flying satellite newcomer and a legacy aerospace giant creates a unique dilemma for investors. You must choose between AST ***** eMobile Inc (NASDAQ:ASTS) and Boeing Co (NYSE:BA).
AST ***** eMobile is pioneering a ***** e-based cellular network, while Boeing continues to be a ***** an in commercial aviation and defense. This comparison pits a speculative, rapid-growth technology story against a massive industrial turnaround effort. Deciding which to buy requires balancing the potential for massive disruption against the stability of established manufacturing.
AST ***** eMobile is building the first ***** e-based cellular broadband network designed to connect directly to standard smartphones for commercial and government use. Its strategy, detailed in its latest annual report, relies on partnering with mobile network operators like AT&T Inc (NYSE:T) and Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) to fill coverage gaps for nearly 3 billion subscribers. With definitive agreements with these major carriers and various U.S. government agencies, customer concentration like this adds a layer of risk to the business. That said, it also counts Vodafone Group (NASDAQ:VOD) and Saudi Telecom Co as strategic international partners who help it navigate local regulatory markets.
In FY 2025, revenue reached approximately $70.9 million, a substantial jump from the $4.4 million reported in the prior fiscal year. The company reported a net loss of nearly $342 million for the period. While revenue growth is accelerating as the company begins its commercial rollout, profitability remains a distant goal during this build-out phase.
The current debt-to-equity ratio is roughly 1.2x, showing the company relies more on debt than equity to fund its operations. Free cash flow, which is cash flow from operations minus capital expenditures, was more than negative $1.1 billion for FY 2025, as the firm invested heavily in its proprietary manufacturing and launch capabilities.

#boeing

Freight broker insurance is in a frenzy, and premium hikes are getting ugly. Thom Albrecht helps break down how the CH Robinson verdict, underwriting pullback and cargo theft are driving double-digit to triple-digit cost increases for brokers.He also explains what's changing in excess liability, why some underwriters are exiting the market, and what carriers and brokers should watch into peak season. If you move freight, this is a real cost story—not noise.
Freight broker insurance has entered a full-blown pricing crisis, with excess liability coverage costs rising 50% to triple digits and even primary coverage climbing sharply in the double digits — all since a pair of legal shocks hit the market this spring. The turmoil is forcing brokers to rethink coverage limits, vendor technology relationships, and renewal strategies ahead of what ***** ysts expect will be a prolonged inflationary environment.
The disruption unfolded in three phases, according to Thom Albrecht, who discussed the market dynamics during this SONAR Market Update. The first was "total chaos" following the Montgomery Supreme Court decision on May 14, which exposed brokers to motor-carrier-style liability. A brief calm in June ended abruptly on July 23, when the C.H. Robinson verdict — a $135 million judgment — rattled underwriters again. "We've seen two underwriters exit the market, basically backing the paper over in London," Albrecht said. "So there's gonna be fewer options, a very inflationary environment, and there's gonna be more questions that are asked of freight brokers than ever before as they go through their renewals."
On primary coverage — the first $5 million of freight broker auto liability, or FBAL — Albrecht said increases are running in the "middle" double digits, well above 10% but short of 90%. For excess or surplus coverage above $5 million, the picture is far worse. Smaller brokers with gross revenues of $30 million to $40 million that were paying roughly $10,000 a year for coverage could now face bills of $30,000 to $40,000. Larger brokers seeking excess capacity above $5 million are confronting 50% to 60% increases at the low end and triple-digit hikes at the top.
"The word to use is it's a total frenzy right now," Albrecht said, describing the post-verdict insurance environment for freight brokers.

#coverage #market #liability #insurance

Costco stock reclaimed a key technical level on Tuesday as the warehouse club climbed amid news of a partnership to offer Medicare Advantage plans to members. Costco Wholesale (COST) will offer co-branded plans in partnership with nonprofit health insurer Scan Group. Scan, based in Long Beach, Calif., has about 560,000 Medicare Advantage members in Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico…

#costco #scan #offer #plans

When it comes to electric vehicle (EV) stocks, Tesla (TSLA) is probably the first name that comes to mind. But the EV race is getting much more crowded, especially as ambitious Chinese automakers continue to expand their presence worldwide. One name worth keeping on the radar is XPeng (XPEV). XPeng has come a long way from being just another Chinese EV maker. The company has already delivered more than one million EVs in China and sold over 60,000 vehicles in Europe since entering the market in 2024.
Today, XPeng has expanded its presence to 65 countries, underscoring its ambitions to become a truly global EV player. Nevertheless, 2026 hasn't exactly been a smooth ride for XPEV investors. The stock has fallen sharply so far this year, weighed down by a sequential drop in July deliveries, an aggressive price war in China's EV market, rising spending on artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous-driving technology, and a broader sell-off across the EV sector that has also dragged down major players like Tesla. But there could be a potential turning point on the horizon.
Don't ***** ume Micron Will Share SanDisk's Fate. Here's Why.
The Nvidia-SpaceX Deal Is Sending a Clear Signal on AI Dominance
Rocket Lab Investors Have Plenty to Cheer Ahead of Q2 Earnings Today

#chinese #name

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.
Completed the multi-step separation of residential and food processing businesses, positioning Middleby as a pure-play commercial foodservice solutions provider.
Organic revenue growth of 8.3% in Q2 was driven by broad-based strength across global channels, particularly within the QSR segment and dealer partners.
Performance was bolstered by strategic investments in the ice and beverage platform, which is seeing rapid adoption as customers seek to expand menus and dayparts.
Management attributed the second consecutive quarter of organic growth to a go-to-market strategy that emphasizes strategic partnerships and next-generation innovation.

#middleby

Throughout 2026, tariffs, inflation, and shifting geopolitical dynamics have added additional pressure to medtech supply chains, with the diabetes technology supply chain being no exception.
For diabetes technology, these factors are reshaping where devices are made, how they're priced, and ultimately, which products reach patients. On 18 August, GlobalData Healthcare ***** ysts Dr Andrew Thompson, director of therapy research and ***** ysis, medical devices, and Charlie Whelan, senior director of consulting, medical devices, will host a webinar ***** sing the impact these challenges.
During the "Lifting the Lid on the Diabetes Tech Supply Chain" webinar, Thompson and Whelan will draw on revenue and volume data across the diabetes device market to show how macroeconomic forces translate into real commercial and patient-level outcomes.
Topics under ***** sment will include how globalised manufacturing across the diabetes device market creates exposure to tariff and inflation risk, where revenue and volume flows sit today, and the relationship between gate pricing and macroeconomics, with Thompson and Whelan ***** sing what these factors mean for manufacturers, payers, and patients as geopolitical uncertainty continues.
Keen to learn more about how market challenges are impacting pricing and production dynamics in the diabetes technology supply chain?

#diabetes #supply #technology

Every IPO arrives with a promise. The market's job is to decide whether that promise deserves a premium or a reality check. That was the story on July 30, when Jersey Mike's Subs (JMKE) made its long-awaited debut on the New York Stock Exchange. Backed by Blackstone (BX) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the sandwich chain came to Wall Street with plenty of excitement, pricing its IPO at $23 per share.
The offering raised roughly $913 million, valuing the company at about $7.3 billion, with proceeds earmarked primarily to reduce debt and support general corporate needs. But instead of taking a victory lap, the stock stumbled out of the gate. Shares opened at $21 and ended their first trading session down about 5.7%, a reminder that even the hottest IPOs don't always get an "instant" standing ovation.
CoreWeave Just Scored a Leidos Partnership. What That Means for CRWV Stock Here.
Palantir Is Set to Deliver Strong Q2. ******* ysts See 60% Upside Potential for PLTR Stock.
Earnings, PMI and Other Key Things to Watch this Week

#jmke #backed