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Pandemic communications star Zoom Communications (ZM 9.98%) stock, um (I’m trying not to say “zoomed”), moved ahead quickly Friday morning, rising 8% through 9:50 a.m. ET after beating soundly on its fiscal Q2 2026 earnings report last night.

Analysts forecast Zoom would earn $1.38 per share, adjusted for one-time items, on sales of $1.2 billion. Zoom earned $1.53 instead, and sales were a bit ahead of $1.2 billion.

Image source: Getty Images.

Zoom Q2 earnings

The report wasn’t quite as good as that makes it sound. Sales grew less than 5% year over year, and Zoom’s earnings as calculated according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) weren’t quite as robust as the “adjusted” figure. GAAP profits were actually only $1.16 per share.

Still — and here I’m going to say it — those earnings zoomed 66% higher in comparison to last year’s Q2.

(For what it’s worth, the rise in adjusted earnings was only 10%).

Is Zoom stock a buy?

Commenting on the results, CEO Eric Yuan said “Zoom is at the forefront [of how] AI is transforming the way we work together,” essentially arguing that Zoom is an artificial intelligence stock — and the numbers back him up.

Zoom generated an incredible $508 million in Q2 free cash flow (FCF), up 39% year over year, and the company’s generated nearly $1 billion ($971.3 million, to be precise) in FCF so far this year. If Zoom can keep going at that rate, the company could conceivably rack up nearly $2 billion in cash profits this year, and at a market cap of only $24 billion, this would value the stock at barely 12 times FCF.

Whether Zoom’s growing at 66%, 39%, or even only 10%, that probably makes it a great growth stock buy.

Near the end of July, storied chemical company Dow (DOW -1.68%) chopped its quarterly dividend in half from $0.70 per share to $0.35. To say investors weren’t happy about this would be understating the case; since then, Dow’s share price has fallen by almost 7% against the incremental rise of the S&P 500 (^GSPC -0.40%).

Dow is a longtime dividend player, and it’s refusing to give up on its payout entirely. Read on to find out the share count required to clock $1,000 worth of those lowered dividends yearly.

Why Dow is down

To cut directly to the chase, the answer is 715 shares. At the stock’s currently reduced price, that would mean a total spend of just under $16,824.

Image source: Getty Images.

A 50% dividend cut is hard to swallow, but this is mitigated by the resulting yield, which now stands at slightly under 6%. That’s extremely high for any stock on the exchange — all the more given Dow’s long history and prominence as a publicly traded company.

Yet this flags a high degree of risk. The chemical industry in general is struggling mightily, with weakening global demand and the lingering effects of oversupply that occurred near the start of the 2020s, among other factors.

Better times sorely needed

Dow’s slump is apparent, with second-quarter sales sliding by 7% year over year and the bottom line flipping to a non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) adjusted loss of $0.42 per share from the year-ago profit of $0.68. With that kind of showing, the company is in batten-down-the-hatches mode. Factories have been shut and capital expenditures lowered to shore up finances.

The question is: When will the industry recover? There’s only so many cost-savings measures a producer can implement; customer demand must bounce back. With so much uncertainty, it’s not clear when that might happen.

So with Dow, if you’re a believer in the chemical business changing course sooner than later, this is an irresistible buying opportunity. For anyone more doubtful, though, the stock might be better off avoided.

Specialty chipmaker Navitas Semiconductor (NVTS -0.88%) was looking anything but special over the past few trading days. The company was the subject of a recommendation downgrade, which pushed the stock well down in price and kept it there. As of Thursday evening, Navitas’s shares were down by over 10% week to date, according to data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Cut down to size

Although the downgrading party wasn’t a large, famous financial institution, the move nevertheless impacted Navitas stock, and not in a pleasant way. It was made on Wednesday by CJS Securities’s Jonathan Tanwanteng, who reset his recommendation on the stock to market perform — hold, in other words — from his previous ranking of market outperform (buy). He did not set a price target.

Image source: Getty Images.

Tanwanteng’s reasoning behind the downgrade wasn’t immediately apparent, but it was likely influenced by the dispiriting second-quarter results Navitas announced near the start of August.

For the period, management reported that the company suffered a year-over-year revenue decline of nearly 30%. In what was hardly more encouraging news, the company’s $0.25 per share net loss was double the deficit in the second quarter of 2024.

Memories of a hot deal fading

The resulting investor sell-off was quite the comedown for the company, which, as recently as May, was riding high on news of a deal with chip giant Nvidia. The two announced they were teaming up to develop hardware solutions for the coming wave of data centers outfitted to service the needs of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Usually, with publicly traded companies, a change in accounting regime doesn’t have much of an effect on investor sentiment. That wasn’t quite the case Thursday with additive manufacturing specialist Nano Dimension (NNDM 2.94%), which saw its share price bump almost 3% higher on news of such a shift. That rise contrasted rather well with the slight (0.4%) decrease of the S&P 500 index.

Four important new initials

The change is from International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) frequently used by companies overseas, to the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) heavily favored in the U.S. This move is pleasing to the many U.S. investors who either hold or track the stock, as from now the company’s financials will be in line with some of the top businesses in this country.

Image source: Getty Images.

For anyone who isn’t an accountant, IFRS and GAAP statements look fairly similar, with few significant disparities.

As part of its shift, Nano Dimension published its 2024 annual results under GAAP standards. Not surprisingly, they matched the IFRS figures for the most part — revenue was the same, at under $57.8 million, as were balance sheet items such as cash and cash equivalents, and inventory.

Still deep in the red

There were several differences worth noting, though, mainly in the profit and loss statement’s bottom line. The company’s net loss across 2024 was a touch steeper under the new standard, at just under $99.9 million; the IFRS-compliant deficit was $96.9 million.

No line item experienced such a drastic change as to warrant concern, or shift anyone’s take on Nano Dimension’s performance. So ultimately, the accounting move was taken as a positive by market players.

Data by YCharts.

The S&P 500 (^GSPC -0.40%) slipped 25.6 points, or 0.4%, to 6,370.17 on Thursday, marking its fifth straight daily decline. Losses were broad, with weakness across technology and cyclical sectors, as investors grew cautious ahead of key central bank commentary.

The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC -0.34%) also moved lower, dropping 72 points, or 0.3%, to finish at 21,100.31. Tech stocks continued to face pressure amid uncertainty over how the Federal Reserve will balance slowing labor market signals with still-sticky inflation.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI -0.34%) joined the decline, falling 152.81 points, or 0.3%, to 44,785.50. Financials and industrials slipped alongside technology, leaving all three major benchmarks in negative territory.

Looking ahead, attention is squarely on the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium, where Fed Chair Jerome Powell is set to speak on Friday. Markets are searching for clarity on whether policymakers will move toward easing or maintain a cautious stance given the mixed economic backdrop. Powell’s remarks could prove pivotal in shaping expectations for the September meeting and the broader trajectory of rates.

Market data sourced from Google Finance and Yahoo! Finance on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025.

A negative analyst note published before market open on Thursday was the wet blanket that dampened Strategy (MSTR -1.95%) stock. The company, now transformed into almost a pure-play Bitcoin investor, saw its shares slump to close the day almost 2% lower in price. That compared unfavorably to the S&P 500, which shed a comparatively modest 0.4%.

A bear weighs in

The prognosticator who authored the Strategy update was Gus Galá of Monness, Crespi, Hardt. In the note, Galá reiterated his sell recommendation and $175 price target on the company. That’s far below the stock’s most recent closing price of $337.58.

Image source: Getty Images.

According to reports, Galá zeroed in on several discouraging elements of Strategy’s business in the note. He expressed concern about the premium valuation of the stock versus its total Bitcoin holdings. And he believes that the company might take hits to its financial strength with its growing load of convertible bonds (issued to, of course, raise funds to buy more Bitcoin).

Regarding convertible bonds, they either remain as debt or are converted into equity. The danger for an issuer of such securities is that they could weigh down a balance sheet with excessive debt, or on the other hand be quite dilutive to existing shareholders if many holders convert to equity.

Exposed to potential volatility

Another danger for any company with heavy Bitcoin exposure — and Strategy is Exhibit A for this grouping — is that it’s very exposed to developments with its favorite asset. Lately Bitcoin has been performing well, at times shattering all-time highs. However, even though it’s at the top of its asset class, it’s still a cryptocurrency — and as ever, cryptos can be volatile investments.

Lighting and graphics company LSI Industries (LYTS 5.70%) was shining very brightly on the stock exchange Thursday. Investors were impressed with the company’s latest quarterly earnings report, which prominently featured a pair of convincing beats. In late-afternoon trading, the stock was up by more than 4%, against the S&P 500‘s (^GSPC -0.40%) 0.3% dip.

Solid growth in both business units

LSI’s fiscal fourth quarter of 2025 was topped by a net sales line that grew a robust 20% year over year to slightly over $155 million. Non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) adjusted net income zoomed even higher, racing 27% skyward to just under $10.6 million, for $0.34 earnings per share (EPS).

Image source: Getty Images.

Both figures crushed the consensus analyst estimates, which called for less than $139 million in net sales, and an adjusted EPS of a mere $0.22 per share.

LSI basically concentrates on two activities: its core lighting business and the adjacent display solutions unit. In its earnings release, the company attributed its strong performance to notably higher demand for both. It said that lighting managed to grow its sales by 12% in the quarter, a feat attributed to “improved project order rates.” Display solutions enjoyed 29% growth over the same stretch.

The fundamentals were also helped by a pair of recent acquisitions, EMI Industries and Canada’s Best Holdings. The former was bought in April 2024, and the latter in March 2025.

Onward and upward

LSI quoted CEO James Clark as saying that the good results of both its divisions “reflects the sustained vitality of our key vertical markets and increasing customer recognition of our expanding suite of products and services.”

Few technologies have captured the attention of investors quite like artificial intelligence (AI) has in the past few years. It makes sense given that few technologies have had the potential to transform society as much as AI.

The company at the center of this AI boom, Nvidia (NVDA -0.25%), has seen its stock absolutely skyrocket since AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude took off.

AI demand and big tech spending are powering Nvidia’s surge

A wave of investment from big tech companies like Meta, Alphabet, and Microsoft, racing to stay ahead of the curve, has driven Nvidia’s revenue and earnings through the roof. While it’s no longer growing quite as fast as a few years ago, the company is still delivering 65%+ growth year over year.

Image source: Getty Images.

Before the AI boom, Bitcoin mining drove Nvidia’s stock higher, and before that, gaming. It’s been many years of growth. So if you’d been lucky enough to invest $10,000 in Nvidia 10 years ago, how much would that be worth today?

Your $10,000 would have turned into an incredible $3.05 million. You can see the scale of that growth below.

NVDA data by YCharts

Should you buy Nvidia stock?

It might feel like Nvidia’s rise is over. The truth is, the growth can continue. Granted, it probably will never see quite such a dramatic arc again, but it can continue to outpace the market. For the time being, the demand signals from the rest of big tech are strong, and its growth is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

Now, the stock does carry a hefty premium with significant growth already baked in, and it will be more sensitive to slowdowns in the company’s growth, but I still think Nvidia has a long way to go and remains a buy.

Giving back all of its 5.7% gain from last week, shares of USA Rare Earth (USAR 2.24%) have been in free fall this week. Several news events out of the rare-earth-mining industry have investors feeling less than bullish on the stock’s prospects.

According to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, shares of the metals stock have plunged 18% from the end of last Friday’s trading session through 12:25 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Image source: Getty Images.

News from around the world has investors feeling woeful

The week began on an inauspicious note when investors learned that rare-earth exports out of China have ramped up this summer. According to Bloomberg, the export volume of Chinese rare-earth products rose 69% from June to July. With rare earth products at the core of trade tensions between the U.S. and China, investors are hyperfocused on news that the world’s leading rare-earth producer has escalated its exports of the prized critical minerals.

Tuesday didn’t provide much relief. Reuters reported that Vulcan Elements, a producer of rare-earth magnets, recently signed a supply deal with ReElement for rare-earth oxides. USA Rare Earth recognizes the commencement of operations next year at its rare-earth-magnet production facility as a major catalyst. Investors are likely fretful about the company’s prospects if peers are inking rare-earth-magnet deals while USA Rare Earth isn’t enjoying the same interest.

Yet another factor behind the stock’s tumble this week is news from rare-earth peer Critical Metals (CRML -3.28%), which reported favorable drilling results from a project in Greenland. Besides magnet production, USA Rare Earth is also focused on mining at its resource in Texas. With the promising results that Critical Metals reported for its Greenland asset, investors may be finding USA Rare Earth less appealing.

What’s an investor to do now?

Because USA Rare Earth is a highly speculative investment, the volatility this week is unsurprising. Current shareholders should simply sit tight at this point, since nothing materially has changed for the company.

Published on
12/08/2025 – 19:03 GMT+2

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Evergrande, once China’s second-largest property developer and now the world’s most indebted company, said on Tuesday it will be delisted from the Hong Kong stock exchange on 25 August.

The company, founded in 1996, grew on a wave of debt-fuelled expansion by aggressively borrowing to buy land and build projects. It later diversified into wealth management, electric vehicles, theme parks, bottled water and even a soccer club.

Delisting in Hong Kong

Evergrande was the world’s most heavily indebted real estate developer, with over $300 billion (€257.1bn) owed to banks and bondholders, when the court handed down a liquidation order in January 2024.

The court had ruled that the company had failed to provide a viable restructuring plan for its debts, which fuelled fears about China’s rising debt burden, and trading of its shares has been halted since the ruling.

The Hong Kong stock exchange stipulates that the listing of companies may be cancelled if trading in their securities has remained suspended for 18 months consecutively.

China Evergrande Group received a letter on 8 August from the city’s stock exchange notifying the firm of its decision to cancel the listing as trading had not resumed by 28 July. The last day of the listing will be 22 August and Evergrande will not apply for a review of the decision, the company said in a statement.

“All shareholders, investors and potential investors of the company should note that after the last listing date, whilst the share certificates of the shares will remain valid, the shares will not be listed on, and will not be tradeable on the Stock Exchange,” the statement said.

A trouble-ridden sector

Evergrande is among scores of developers that defaulted on debts after Chinese regulators cracked down on excessive borrowing in the property industry in 2020. Unable to obtain financing, their vast obligations to creditors and customers became unsustainable.

The crackdown also tipped the property industry into crisis, dragging down the world’s second-largest economy and rattling financial systems in and outside China.

Once among the nation’s strongest growth engines, the industry is struggling to exit a prolonged downturn. House prices in China have continued to fall even after the introduction of supportive measures by policymakers.

The Hong Kong court system has been dealing with liquidation petitions against several Chinese property developers, including one of the largest Chinese real estate companies, Country Garden, which is expected to have another hearing in January.

China South City Holdings, a smaller property developer, was also ordered to liquidate on Monday.

Evergrande, founded in the mid-1990s by Hui Ka Yan, also known as Xu Jiayin, had over 90% of its assets on the Chinese mainland, according to the 2024 ruling. The firm was listed in Hong Kong in 2009 as “Evergrande Real Estate Group” and suspended its share trading on 29 January 2024, at 0.16 Hong Kong dollars (€0.017).

The liquidators said they have assumed control of over 100 companies within the group and entities under their direct management control with collective assets valued at $3.5 billion (€2.99bn) as of 29 January 2024. They said an estimate of the amounts that may ultimately be realised from these entities wasn’t available yet.

About $255 million (€218.5m) worth of assets have been sold, the liquidators said, calling the realisation “modest.”

“The liquidators believe that a holistic restructuring will prove out of reach, but they will, of course, explore any credible possibilities in this regard that may present themselves,” they said.

Hui, Evergrande’s founder, was detained in China in September 2023 on suspicion of committing crimes, adding to the company’s woes.

Aug. 9 (UPI) — President Donald Trump reportedly wants the U.S. government to sell Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac stock in a quest to move the mortgage finance companies from full federal control.

The initial public offering, which would be possible the largest in history, was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and later confirmed by CNN and The New York Times.

The outlets reported that the plans have not been finalized for Fannie Mae, which is short for Federal National Mortgage Association, and was created in 1938 as part of President Frank Roosevelt’s New Deal. Freddie Mac, which stands for Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., began in 1970 to further expand the secondary mortgage market.

An IPO of up to 15% of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could raise $30 billion, according to the media outlets.

The New York Times reported that Trump met with executives from the nation’s largest banks — Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan, David Solomon of Goldman Sachs, Brian Moynihan of Bank of America and Jane Fraser of Citigroup. He asked them to come up with a way to sell shares on the stock market. The companies represent a big portion of the $12 trillion mortgage market.

Wall Street investors also met with Treasury officials, the New York Times reported.

Trump has wanted to privatize the companies since his first term in the White House.

“I am giving very serious consideration to bringing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public. …. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are doing very well, throwing off a lot of CASH, and the time would seem to be right,” he posted on Truth Social on May 22.

Federal Housing Finance Agency, which currently controls the two companies, has been headed since March by Bill Pulte, the grandson of the founder of PulteGroup, a residential and home construction company. He, too, has favored selling stock in the companies, but has said they should remain under the federal conservatorship.

With interest rates relatively high, CNN reported that some analysts fear the privatization would hurt the mortgage market. This could make it even more expensive to borrow money to buy a new home with high sale prices.

In 2024, Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, estimated privatization would boost the average mortgage by an extra $1,800 to $2,800 each year.

Before the 2008 Great Recession, the companies were private and only backed by the U.S. Treasury, but were placed under what was planned as a temporary government conservatorship.

The market crash was caused as relaxed lending standards fueled banks giving subprime loans to people with poor credit who should not have qualified, and required a $187 billion government bailout to prevent lenders from filing for bankruptcy and a potential crash of the economy.

Fannie and Freddie buy mortgages from lenders and repackage them for investors in a way to keep mortgages more affordable, in addition to guaranteeing bond investors that they will help out if too many borrowers default.

The role has kept mortgage rates relatively low and stabilized the 30-year fixed mortgage, the national rate for which currently stands at around 6.58%.

Jaret Seiberg, a financial services and housing policy analyst at TD Cowen Financial, told CNN in May that the spinoff might not happen until late 2026 or early 2027.

The Treasury Department holds about 80% of the common stock and also has senior preferred shares. Investors Bill Ackman and John Paulson, who endorsed Trump for president, bought shares several years ago with the hope the government would sell stock, according to the Journal and the Times.

By&nbspAP with Eleanor Butler

Published on
08/08/2025 – 9:20 GMT+2

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Intel shares slumped on Thursday after President Donald Trump said in a social media post that the chipmaker’s CEO needed to resign.

“The CEO of Intel is highly conflicted and must resign, immediately,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “There is no other solution to this problem. Thank you for your attention to this problem!”

Trump made the post after Senator Tom Cotton sent a letter to Intel Chairman Frank Yeary, expressing concern over CEO Lip-Bu Tan’s investments and ties to semiconductor firms that are reportedly linked to the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army. Cotton asked the board whether Tan had divested his interests in these companies to eliminate any conflicts of interest.

It’s not immediately clear if Tan, who took over as Intel’s CEO in March, has done so.

In a statement, Intel said it was “deeply committed to advancing US national and economic security interests”. The firm said it was making “significant investments aligned with the President’s America First agenda”.

Cotton’s allegations

“In March 2025, Intel appointed Lip-Bu Tan as its new CEO,” Cotton wrote in the letter. “Mr. Tan reportedly controls dozens of Chinese companies and has a stake in hundreds of Chinese advanced-manufacturing and chip firms. At least eight of these companies reportedly have ties to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.”

Cotton specifically called out Tan’s recent leadership of Cadence Design Systems in the letter. According to the US Department of Justice, Cadence, agreed in July to plead guilty to resolve charges that it violated export controls rules to sell hardware and software to China’s National University of Defense Technology, which is linked to the Chinese military.

Tan was the CEO of Cadence when the company violated the rules between 2015 and 2021.

The US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security also fined Cadence $95 million for the same breaches, saying Cadence admitted that “employees of its Chinese subsidiary knowingly transferred sensitive US technology to entities that develop supercomputers in support of China’s military modernisation and nuclear weapons programs.”

Cadence did not immediately respond to AP requests.

The digital race

Tan previously launched the venture capital firm Walden International in 1987 to focus on funding tech start-ups, including chip makers.

China’s state media has described Tan as “actively” devoted to Chinese and Asian markets, having invested not only in the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, but also China’s state-owned enterprise SMIC, which seeks to advance China’s chipmaking capabilities.

The demands made by Trump and Cotton come as economic and political rivalries between the US and China increasingly focus on the competition over chips, AI and other digital technologies that experts say will shape future economies and military conflicts.

Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has raised concerns that Chinese spies could be working at tech companies and defence contractors, using their positions to steal secrets or plant digital backdoors that give China access to classified systems and networks.

On Thursday the Arkansas Republican wrote to the Department of Defense, urging Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to ban all non-US citizens from jobs allowing them to access DoD networks. He has also demanded an investigation into Chinese citizens working for defence contractors.

“The US government recognises that China’s cyber capabilities pose one of the most aggressive and dangerous threats to the United States, as evidenced by infiltration of our critical infrastructure, telecommunications networks, and supply chains,” Cotton wrote in an earlier letter, calling on the Pentagon to conduct the investigation.

National security officials have linked China’s government to hacking campaigns targeting prominent Americans and critical US systems.

“US companies who receive government grants should be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars and adhere to strict security regulations,” Cotton wrote on the social platform X.

Playing catch-up

Intel had been a beneficiary of the Biden administration’s CHIPS Act, receiving more than $8 billion (€6.9bn) in federal funding to build computer chip plants around the country.

Shares of the California company slid 3.5%, while markets, particularly the tech-heavy Nasdaq, gained ground.

Founded in 1968 at the start of the PC revolution, Intel missed the technological shift to mobile computing triggered by Apple’s 2007 release of the iPhone, and it has lagged behind more nimble chipmakers. Intel’s troubles have been magnified since the advent of artificial intelligence — a booming field where the chips made by once-smaller rival Nvidia have become tech’s hottest commodity.

Intel is shedding thousands of workers and cutting expenses, including some domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, as Tan tries to revive the fortunes of the struggling chipmaker.

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Greek Minister of National Economy and Finance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, described the acquisition of the Athens Stock Exchange by the European stock market group Euronext as “one of the largest foreign investments in recent years”.

“For the Greek economy as a whole, this is a decisive step forward,” Pierrakakis said from the floor of the Parliament.

The announcement of the all-share deal came on Thursday, with the offer worth €412.8 million. The deal will exchange 20 Athens Exchange ordinary shares, valued at €7.14 each, for one new Euronext share, worth €142.70 based on a 30 July closing price.

“[This investment] strengthens our credibility and upgrades the country’s position on the European and international economic map,” continued Pierrakakis.

“We will examine the details of the agreement and follow the progress of its implementation. Overall, this is a highly positive development, and undoubtedly a major opportunity for the country as a whole.”

And the acquisition of the Athens Stock Exchange was not only welcomed with satisfaction by Greece’s Minister of Finance.

Euronext CEO Stéphane Boujnah commented that “Euronext aims to expand its geographical footprint in Greece and to create a financial centre of Southeast Europe through the Athens Stock Exchange”.

Boujnah added: “Greece has experienced strong economic growth in recent years, supported by increasing investment, the cultivation of international confidence and strong economic indicators. This is the right time, the proper moment to invest in Greece.”

What it means for Greek businesses

The integration of the Greek stock exchange into Euronext’s European family opens a new gateway to financing for Greek companies, at a critical time when international competition is increasing and global trade is being redefined.

Euronext is the largest liquidity pool in Europe, managing around 25% of total cash equity trading activity. It operates capital markets in major financial centres such as Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, Milan, Oslo and Paris.

It brings the following to Greece:

Access to a wider investment base

Membership of a pan-European group offers Greek businesses direct exposure to a much larger network of international investors, both institutional and private. This translates into increased liquidity for their shares and greater chances of success in future capital raises or bond issuances.

Know-how and digital tools

Euronext has well-developed digital platforms, trading tools and compliance infrastructure that will support the technological modernisation of the Greek stock exchange. This will help more firms and investors to participate in the ecosystem.

Enhancing credibility and prestige

Participation in a network with a strong European presence could act as a “seal of credibility” for listed Greek companies, making them more attractive to foreign investors.

Easier access for SMEs

Euronext’s focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), through initiatives such as the ‘Euronext Growth’ programme, could lead to the development of simpler and less expensive listing procedures for Greek SMEs.

Interconnection with other capital ecosystems

Through Euronext, Greek companies will gain access to alternative financing tools such as green bonds, ESG ratings, dividend reinvestment programmes.

What it means for the Greek economy

The acquisition of the Greek stock exchange comes at an important juncture for the Greek economy, which continues to record significant GDP growth (2.3% in 2024), yet faces serious challenges.

The main challenges include the completion of the Resilience and Recovery Fund, the looming recession threatening the European economy, and the need to change the country’s production model, with less reliance on services such as tourism.

Greek businesses need sources of funding in order to develop beyond the Greek market, which is small and showing signs of fatigue in terms of domestic consumption.

Furthermore, despite the impressive increase in foreign direct investment over the last five years, the country still suffers from a large investment gap, hindering the modernisation of the Greek economy.

Beauty Pie’s in-demand LED face mask is finally back in stock after selling out three times, and shoppers have praised it for softening wrinkles, plumping and evening out skin tone

LED mask fans will be pleased to hear that Beauty Pie’s professional-grade C-Wave LED Treatment Mask is finally back in stock after selling out three times.

These high-tech beauty gadgets have been rising in popularity over the past few years, with major celebs like Victoria Beckham and Kate Hudson using them as part of their skincare routines.

And they’re not just a fad; they’re scientifically supported pieces of tech that can help reduce inflammation, stimulate collagen production, and combat fine lines by using light therapy to penetrate deep into your skin.

So why is the Beauty Pie mask so in demand? Well, it’s a clinically proven skincare device that tackles everything from fine lines to redness to dullness. Using the power of dual-wavelength tech, it boosts collagen, firms up skin, fades pigmentation, and gives you that fresh, even-toned glow.

The best part? It delivers pro-level results at a fraction of the price of luxury LED masks. If you’re a Beauty Pie member already, you can nab it for £120, and if you’re not a member, the mask is priced at £200.

READ MORE: ‘Remington’s new 2-in-1 styler gave me long-lasting smoothness for £350 less than a Dyson’

READ MORE: River Island’s Chanel-inspired cardigan in trending colour of the season is set to fly off shelves

Beauty Pie shoppers have been raving about this LED mask for plumping the skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and balancing out skin tone.

One happy reviewer wrote: “I am pleased to say I have seen results, lots of comments on how I am looking younger! Which at 61 I will take. I can see a softening of lines and wrinkles and look a little plumper. I use it every morning as soon as the first snooze button has been pressed. I recommend this LED Mask, but like anything you need to be consistent. Its a great price too.”

A second added: “I love this mask. I work within the Beauty industry and have seen lots of LED masks including medical grade ones. I have combination skin and want to prevent early aging. This mask is the best value for money and I really like how it fits directly to the face. It’s great that you can have the eye guards off or on. The adjustable strap is really helpful too.

I have been using this daily since March. The instant result I saw was my skin was smoother. After that it was more radiant.”

Not all were as impressed, however, with a few noting that the eye protectors sit awkwardly on the face. A shopper said: “Too early to tell tbh – I have high hopes. Negatives are that the eye protectors are very uncomfortable – I have tried wearing them back to front to give some eye protection with less discomfort. That seems to work ok.”

For alternative LED masks, our beauty team tested and reviewed a selection of the very best masks to shop in 2025. Among the list, the standout masks to try included the Shark CryoGlow LED Anti-Ageing and Blemish Repair Mask, priced at £299.99, and the BeautyPro Photon LED Light Therapy Facial Mask, priced at £195.

The vaccine is expected to be out of stock for a number of weeks, Foreign Office website Travel Health Pro today reported

Holidaymakers have been alerted to a disruption in the supply of a crucial vaccine, which is expected to be ‘unavailable’ for the next 2-3 weeks. Sanofi has informed NaTHNaC that there will be a shortage of the yellow fever vaccine Stamaril in the UK.

The Foreign Office’s Travel Health Pro website reported today that the vaccine is anticipated to be out of stock for 2-3 weeks. NaTHNaC (National Travel Health Network and Centre) is a UK organisation dedicated to safeguarding the health of British travellers.

This means individuals travelling to certain regions globally will not be able to receive vaccination against this potentially deadly disease. The NHS warns: “Yellow fever is a serious infection spread by mosquitoes. It’s found in certain areas of Africa and South and Central America. You should have a yellow fever vaccination if you’re travelling to an area where there’s a risk of getting it.

Yellow Fever is a potentially fatal disease transmitted by mosqjuitos and turns wee dark, causes serious stomach pain, yellows the skin and eyes and bleeding from the eyes, nose, mouth or stomach – serious cases can be fatal.The Foreign Office site said: “.

Countries in Africa with Risk of Yellow fever Transmission:

Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, Benin, Ethiopia, Niger, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Nigeria, Burundi, Gambia, the Senegal, Cameroon, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Guinea, South Sudan, Chad, Guinea-Bissau, Sudan, Congo, Republic of Kenya, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mal

Countries in Central and South America with Risk of Yellow Fever Transmission:

Argentina, French Guiana, Suriname, Bolivia, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago (Trinidad only), Brazil, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Paraguay, Ecuador, Peru

The Foreign Office site said: “Where a Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre (YFVC) is unable to provide Yellow Fever vaccine during this vaccine shortage, the YFVC is expected to proactively research alternative supplies in their locality and direct travellers accordingly (this should be done for travellers who ring for advice and for travellers who attend for face to face consultation if vaccination is required promptly).

“YFVCs will help travellers seeking YF vaccine at this time of vaccine shortage by:

• Ensuring an individual risk assessment is undertaken, and that YF vaccination is appropriate
• Signposting the traveller to possible alternative YFVC which are listed on the NaTHNaC YFVC locator database
• Contacting vaccine “distributors on behalf of the traveller. Some vaccine distributors may hold information on YFVC with vaccine availability”

Check if you’re at risk of yellow fever

You can get yellow fever if you’re bitten by an infected mosquito. The mosquitoes that carry the yellow fever virus bite during the day.

Yellow fever is very common in certain parts of the world, including:

• parts of sub-Saharan Africa (the area below the Sahara desert)
• parts of South America, including Trinidad and Tobago
• parts of Central America

Yellow fever is not found in the UK, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand or the Pacific Islands.

How to lower your risk of yellow fever

If you’re travelling to an area where yellow fever is found, there are some things you can do to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

• wear long-sleeved clothing and trousers to cover your arms and legs, particularly during early morning and early evening
• use insect repellent on your skin (ideally one that contains the ingredient DEET)
• close windows and doors whenever possible, or use blinds or screens
• sleep under a mosquito net treated with insecticide, including during the day

Symptoms of yellow fever

Yellow fever symptoms usually start 3 to 6 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito, but sometimes they can take longer to appear.

Some yellow fever symptoms are similar to flu, such as:

• high temperature
• headache
• feeling or being sick
• aches and pains
• loss of appetite
• feeling generally unwell

These symptoms often last 3 or 4 days. But a small number of people get more serious symptoms within 24 hours of feeling better.

More serious symptoms include:

• yellowing of your skin and eyes (jaundice)
• dark pee
• stomach pain
• bleeding from your eyes, nose, mouth or stomach – you may have blood in your vomit or poo

These more serious symptoms can be fatal.

For more information from the NHS on yellow fever click here.

June 23 (UPI) — The parent company behind the Truth Social social media platform announced Monday it will buy back millions of dollars’ worth of its own stock.

The Trump Media and Technology Group Corp., or DJT, of which President Donald Trump indirectly owns more than 114 million shares via a revocable trust and is the largest shareholder, stated in a press release that its board of directors has approved the repurchase of up to $400 million of the company’s common stock.

“The board took a vote of confidence in our company, our stock and our strategic plans,” said Trump Media’s CEO and Chairman Devin Nunes. “Since Trump Media now has approximately $3 billion on its balance sheet, we have the flexibility to take actions like this which support strong shareholder returns, as we continue exploring further strategic opportunities.”

DJT is the operator of Truth Social, the streaming platform Truth+ and the FinTech brand Truth.Fi.

The buybacks, comprised of either stocks or warrants, would be achieved through open-market transactions, with repurchased shares to then be retired by the company. According to the release, the “timing and amount of the repurchases would be at Trump Media’s discretion, in compliance with relevant Securities and Exchange Commission rules and regulations.”

The share repurchases would be funded separately from Trump Media’s previously announced Bitcoin treasury strategy, which featured a private placement offering of approximately $2.3 billion and won’t be changed by the buyback.

The announcement also notes that DJT might also consider repurchasing its outstanding convertible notes in either open-market or privately negotiated transactions and will maintain its discretion in regard of any related prices, terms and factors which would apply to such repurchases.

The move follows Trump Media’s $2.5 billion raise last month from institutional investors, which it says would be used to buy bitcoin with custody provided by Anchorage Digital and Crypto.com.

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Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear and military targets caused the price of oil to surge more than 7% on Friday since Tehran is one of the world’s major producers of oil, despite sanctions by Western countries limiting its sales.

A wider war could slow the flow of Iranian oil to its customers and keep prices of crude and gasoline higher for everyone worldwide. But early Monday, those concerns appeared to abate slightly.

Oil prices were still volatile on the fourth day of the Israeli-Iran crisis, before giving back a bit of their gains. On Monday morning, the US benchmark crude oil was traded at $73.71 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, cost $74 per barrel, down from Friday but still 7% higher than the price before the missile fire started. 

Military strikes between Israel and Iran are fuelling concerns that oil exports from the Middle East could be significantly disrupted. However, there is currently no indication that the oil flow is impacted, and concerns are running high.

Meanwhile, major oil companies are being rewarded on the stock market: BP and Shell both gained more than 1% in the Monday morning trade in Europe. 

“Gains in oil majors and defence contractors have helped to push the FTSE 100 onto a positive footing in early trade,” said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown financial services company.

Shares in the FTSE 100’s top banks were also rising on inflation fears that could result in higher key interest rates. Standard Chartered rose nearly 3%, Barclays and Natwest were up by more than 1% by 11 am CEST. 

Also strengthening the banking sector’s gains in London, Metro Bank shares soared by more than 14% following speculation that investment firm Pollen Street Capital would take over the lender, Sky News first reported over the weekend.

Investors in London also gained confidence after data for May showed a 6.1% year-on-year jump in retail sales in China, the world’s second biggest economy. However, it was coupled with lower-than-expected growth in industrial output, which still rose 5.8% from the previous year.

After 11 am in Europe, Britain’s FTSE 100 inched up 0.3% to 8,876.26. Germany’s DAX gained 0.2% to 23,572.39 and the CAC 40 in Paris edged 0.6% higher to 7,728.66. 

The futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 0.5%.

During Asian trading, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 added 1.3% to 38,311.33, while the Kospi in Seoul gained 1.8% to 2,946.66.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng surged 0.7% to 24,060.99 and the Shanghai Composite Index added 0.4% to 3,388.73.

The price of gold has climbed as it remains a safe haven asset. An ounce of gold added 1.4% on Friday, but gave back some of its gains on Monday morning, and was traded at around $3,437 an ounce.

Prices for US Treasury bonds are also on the rise when investors are feeling nervous, but Treasury prices fell Friday, which in turn pushed up their yields, in part because of worries that a spike in oil prices could drive inflation higher.

Inflation in the US has remained relatively tame recently, and it’s near the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%. However, concerns remain high that it could accelerate due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

A better-than-expected report Friday on sentiment among US consumers also helped drive yields higher. The preliminary report from the University of Michigan stated that sentiment improved for the first time in six months after Trump put many of his tariffs on pause, while US consumers’ expectations for future inflation eased.

In currency trading early Monday, the US dollar gained to 144.18 Japanese yen from 144.03 yen. The euro rose to $1.1582 from $1.1533.

What is expected for the week?

The Middle East conflict is set to be the focus of the G7 meeting of leaders of wealthy nations in Canada this week.

There are also hopes that Trump will sign more trade deals, which keeps trade optimism a bit higher.

“It’s a big week in terms of decisions on interest rates and the direction of monetary policy,” Streeter said.

“The Federal Reserve is expected to keep rates on hold this week but comments from chair Jerome Powell will be closely watched for future direction of policy.”

Meanwhile, there is a monetary policy meeting of the Bank of England this week, where “policymakers are expected to press pause on rate cuts,” Streeter explained, citing the potential impact of higher energy costs. 

Meanwhile, the UK government’s infrastructure plans are going to be revealed in more detail this week. “The 10-year strategy, worth £725 billion (€850.8 bn), is the backbone of the Starmer administration’s plan to kickstart growth,” Streeter said.

WHEN you are a parent it can be expensive buying clothes for your ever-growing kids.

Thankfully shoppers have been raving about spotting George at Asda currently has a bumper sale on with numerous items down to just £1.50.

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One mum took to the Facebook group Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK and showed how she filled her basket on the George app with discount clothes.

She wrote: “Lots of clothes reduced on the George app.”

Including in her shopping haul were some gamer-themed boys pjs for £1.50, which were for aged seven to eight.

The woman also bought a five-pack of cotton socks for £2 and some Pokemon-themed socks for £2.50.

Other shoppers commented saying they had also stocked up for their kids’ summer wardrobes.

One mum got a £1.50 girls T-shirt, a two-pack of long-sleeve tops for £3 and some £4 swim shorts.

She also got a £2 tennis-themed pink sweatshirt, and a £2 mint green sweatshirt which said ‘Happy Moments.’

Meanwhile, a third Asda fan wrote: “Just got grandkids some bits too.”

One bargain hunter also pointed out that you can save on delivery by getting it sent to an Asda store, which waivers the usual £4 shipping fee.

George store launch

We recently shared how Asda has launched its first-ever stand-alone George store, and it could be rolled out across the UK if it’s a hit.

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The debut site opened on Saturday, May 10 in Leeds, taking over the old Asda Living at Crown Point Retail Park.

The slick new store is packed with head-turning fashion, stylish homeware, must-have toys and baby bits – plus a fresh café to fuel your spree.

There are 30 Asda Living stores across the UK, and bosses will decide later this year whether to roll out more George stores after another trial run.

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Fashionistas can bag the Spring/Summer 2025 collection fronted by supermodel Yasmin Le Bon, plus new celeb collabs – including a chic kidswear range by Erica Davies and a sunshine-filled drop from Billie Faiers.

And it’s not just the clothes getting a makeover – the whole experience is sleeker, quicker and easier, with speedy self-checkouts, faster queues and slick Click & Collect.

Shoppers will also be able to pop into the brand-new Kitchen café, where staffers are dishing up hot meals, cold bites and stone-baked pizzas.

Liz Evans, Asda’s Chief Commercial Officer for George and Retail, said: “Our Asda Living stores have been a huge success – but as shopping habits change, we want to make it even easier for customers to enjoy quality, style and value with George at the heart of it.”

The George label launched in 1989 when fashion guru George Davies teamed up with Asda to make the UK’s first-ever supermarket clothing brand.

By 2004, it was the nation’s biggest clothing retailer, and Asda launched its first Living store to expand into homeware.

Today, George is still going strong in 560 stores and pulling in 260 million visits a year to George.com.

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Nvidia’s shares surged 5.6% on Tuesday, boosted by a tens-of-billions-of-dollars artificial intelligence (AI) investment plan agreed between the US and Saudi Arabia. However, the AI powerhouse’s stock remains down 4.5% year-to-date as of market close on 13 May, facing challenges stemming from US-China trade tensions and the launch of China’s DeepSeek, a lower-cost AI model.

CEO Jensen Huang was among the US tech leaders—alongside Tesla’s Elon Musk, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, AMD’s Lisa Su, Palantir’s Alex Karp, and other executives—who accompanied President Trump on his visit to Saudi Arabia. At the investment conference, the White House announced a $600 billion investment pledge by the Middle Eastern kingdom into the US, including a nearly $142 billion defence sales deal, an $80 billion commitment into “cutting-edge transformative technologies” in both countries, and other agreements across energy, aerospace, and sports sectors.

Trump also vowed to lift all sanctions against Syria during his visit, a political gesture to warm the relationship with key Middle East countries. He is also going to meet leaders of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) later this week.

The Middle East AI deals

Nvidia announced it will partner with HUMAIN, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund focused on AI, to transform the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) into “a global powerhouse in AI, cloud and enterprise computing, digital twins and robotics.” Nvidia will supply its most advanced AI chips over the next five years, including 18,000 units of the GB200 Grace Blackwell AI supercomputer with its InfiniBand networking in the initial phase. The purchase forms part of a broader project for HUMAIN to build AI factories in the kingdom, with a projected capacity of up to 500 megawatts.

The announcement also includes a deal with the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA), which will “deploy up to 5,000 Blackwell GPUs for a sovereign AI factory and enable smart city solutions.” Aramco Digital, the technology arm of oil giant Saudi Aramco, will also collaborate with Nvidia to develop AI infrastructure in the country.

Saudi Arabia, an oil-rich nation, is seeking to diversify its economy, which still relies heavily on crude exports. The kingdom aims to attract $100 billion in foreign direct investment annually, as outlined under its Vision 2030 strategy.

According to a Bloomberg report, the Trump administration is also considering a deal with the UAE, which would permit the import of over one million advanced Nvidia chips—well above the export limits imposed under the Biden administration.

Other major US tech firms, including AMD, Global AI, Amazon, Cisco, and OpenAI, also announced AI investment plans in Saudi Arabia during the event.

The US scraps Biden’s AI diffusion rule

Trump’s Middle East trip is shaping up to be a major win for US AI chipmakers, as the president looks to ease export curbs to China. On the same day, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) announced that it is rescinding the AI diffusion rule imposed during former President Joe Biden’s administration, which had been due to take effect on 15 May.

Biden’s administration had implemented fresh restrictions on AI chip exports to China in January, its final month in office, expanding controls to much of the world, amid concerns that China was accessing US AI chips via third countries. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE had also been subject to those restrictions.

“The Trump administration will pursue a bold, inclusive strategy to advance American AI technology with trusted foreign partners, while keeping the technology out of the hands of our adversaries. At the same time, we reject the Biden administration’s attempt to impose its own ill-conceived and counterproductive AI policies on the American people,” stated the DOC.

The department added that the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued new guidance to strengthen controls over overseas exports of AI chips to limit China’s access to advanced US technologies.