Latest news with #MSS
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Palantir Holds Anti-Fragile Edge Amid a Geopolitical Firestorm
As 2025 emerges as a year marked by heightened global conflict and uncertainty, Palantir Technologies Inc. PLTR is demonstrating how its platforms are increasingly relevant in volatile environments. From the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Iran escalation to rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait, governments are rapidly investing in technologies that support secure, real-time decision-making under pressure. Palantir holds an antifragile edge because rising geopolitical instability amplifies demand for its AI-driven defense platforms, thus deepening integration and long-term relevance. As global conflicts intensify, its systems become more critical, reinforcing the company's strategic value and making it stronger in the face of adversity. Palantir's strength lies in its ability to offer mission-critical infrastructure and not just tools. Its Maven Smart Systems (MSS) platform, integrating AI with real-time intelligence, has seen a rapid increase in adoption, including NATO's recent selection of MSS as its Command and Control (C2) platform for all 32 member states. This underscores a broader institutional shift toward advanced, data-driven defense capabilities. In times of crisis, decision-makers are often inundated with fragmented data and evolving threats. Palantir's platforms, Gotham, Foundry and MetaConstellation, help unify and analyze this data securely, enabling informed and timely responses. Importantly, Palantir delivers sovereign and deployable AI systems, reinforcing the autonomy and operational integrity of its users. While no one welcomes conflict, the unfortunate reality of today's geopolitical landscape has led to renewed focus on resilient digital infrastructure. Palantir's deeply integrated solutions, particularly its Ontology framework, position it as a critical enabler of secure coordination and defense modernization. PLTR has surged a whopping 85% in 2025, with its stock reaching an all-time high near $145. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research With the stock trading above 200x forward P/E and 74x forward P/S ratio, far above industry averages, even optimistic analysts will acknowledge that such multiples are difficult to justify without efficient execution. As ceasefire negotiations and diplomatic resolutions begin, the 'war premium' currently embedded in PLTR's share price could dissipate as swiftly as it had emerged. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research PLTR stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its second-quarter 2025 earnings has been on the rise over the past 60 days. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. As PLTR moves higher, Lockheed Martin LMT and RTX Corporation RTX offer more grounded defense exposure. Lockheed Martin, with its massive defense contracts, provides steady cash flow and less volatility than PLTR. LMT continues to benefit from global rearmament while trading at modest earnings multiples. Similarly, RTX shines through missile systems. RTX's defense backlog, like LMT's, underscores its stability. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report RTX Corporation (RTX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Palantir Holds Anti-Fragile Edge Amid a Geopolitical Firestorm
As 2025 emerges as a year marked by heightened global conflict and uncertainty, Palantir Technologies Inc. PLTR is demonstrating how its platforms are increasingly relevant in volatile environments. From the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Iran escalation to rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait, governments are rapidly investing in technologies that support secure, real-time decision-making under pressure. Palantir holds an antifragile edge because rising geopolitical instability amplifies demand for its AI-driven defense platforms, thus deepening integration and long-term relevance. As global conflicts intensify, its systems become more critical, reinforcing the company's strategic value and making it stronger in the face of adversity. Palantir's strength lies in its ability to offer mission-critical infrastructure and not just tools. Its Maven Smart Systems (MSS) platform, integrating AI with real-time intelligence, has seen a rapid increase in adoption, including NATO's recent selection of MSS as its Command and Control (C2) platform for all 32 member states. This underscores a broader institutional shift toward advanced, data-driven defense capabilities. In times of crisis, decision-makers are often inundated with fragmented data and evolving threats. Palantir's platforms, Gotham, Foundry and MetaConstellation, help unify and analyze this data securely, enabling informed and timely responses. Importantly, Palantir delivers sovereign and deployable AI systems, reinforcing the autonomy and operational integrity of its users. While no one welcomes conflict, the unfortunate reality of today's geopolitical landscape has led to renewed focus on resilient digital infrastructure. Palantir's deeply integrated solutions, particularly its Ontology framework, position it as a critical enabler of secure coordination and defense modernization. PLTR has surged a whopping 85% in 2025, with its stock reaching an all-time high near $145. With the stock trading above 200x forward P/E and 74x forward P/S ratio, far above industry averages, even optimistic analysts will acknowledge that such multiples are difficult to justify without efficient execution. As ceasefire negotiations and diplomatic resolutions begin, the 'war premium' currently embedded in PLTR's share price could dissipate as swiftly as it had emerged. PLTR stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its second-quarter 2025 earnings has been on the rise over the past 60 days. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Stable Defense Alternatives to Palantir As PLTR moves higher, Lockheed Martin LMT and RTX Corporation RTX offer more grounded defense exposure. Lockheed Martin, with its massive defense contracts, provides steady cash flow and less volatility than PLTR. LMT continues to benefit from global rearmament while trading at modest earnings multiples. Similarly, RTX shines through missile systems. RTX's defense backlog, like LMT's, underscores its stability. Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor Stock It's only 1/9,000th the size of NVIDIA which skyrocketed more than +800% since we recommended it. NVIDIA is still strong, but our new top chip stock has much more room to boom. With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $803 billion by 2028. See This Stock Now for Free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT): Free Stock Analysis Report RTX Corporation (RTX): Free Stock Analysis Report Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR): Free Stock Analysis Report
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
How to turn your living space into a sustainable super home
Here are just some things to think about this summer as you prepare to turn your house and even your garden into a renewable power plant in 2025. Sunset on grant It is expected that on January 1, 2028, the SEAI-managed grant aid towards the purchase and installation of a PV system will be withdrawn. It has been steadily reduced in €300 increments, amounting to €1,800 until December 31, 2025. If you don't get your approval for your solar-PV grant settled by that date, going forward into next year, the maximum grant figure will be €1,500. If you are likely to be making a deal closer to Christmas, some suppliers are offering up to a €300 reduction to sop up that grant money loss on the margins of next year and next. It's vital to allow time for this or any grant-aided retrofit project. Ensure you have all necessary paperwork filled out to prevent a delay to the grant being awarded in principle, and the lead-in time for installation. The grant can be a retroactive payment to your bank account, or, as the SEAI states: 'Registered contractors can offer the homeowner the cost of works net of the grant amount. To do this, the contractor can ask the homeowner to nominate the contractor's preferred bank account with bank details on the SEAI request for payment form.' The median cost for solar-PV, according to the SEAI, is currently €6145 to €9850 (before grant aid), depending on the size of the array and the inclusion of a battery. The grant, until December 31, is capped at €1,800 and has a median award of €1400 to €1800. There's a fixed grant for your obligatory BER on completion of €50, Going to ground There has been a noticeable uptick in the number of advertisements by PV suppliers promoting ground arrays using frames or poles as an alternative to mounting an array on the roof. While this is a great option for a larger, un-shaded family back garden, it can only be determined by a physical site visit by your potential installers (get at least two quotes from firms on the SEAI register). You will need around 20 square metres — 30 square metres of available space that does not compromise available recreational room in the garden (generally this cannot be less than 25 square metres after works). Ground-mounted arrays are ideal if you have a good site, and enough outdoor space left after installation. File picture While not exactly popping with aesthetic charm, ground arrays do offer the chance for a superior orientation and pitch to the sun. They can really optimise gain rather than tailoring an array to the existing aspect and tilt of a roof. For a premium spend, dynamic tracking of the sun is even possible with single-axis or dual-axis panels. Cost-wise, expect to pay more for some additional builder's costs (for a concrete pad) and more extensive wiring to reach your inverter/batteries and the house. Maximise microgeneration The reward you get from selling your surplus kWs back to the grid through the Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) depends on the weather, your usage, and obviously the size of your array. MMS payments are a really useful addition for someone with or without a battery who's out all day working. With little or no domestic usage from 8am to 6pm, the array is harvesting light, actively reducing your electricity bill. There are a few interactive things you can do to ensure you get the maximum benefit from this useful credit. If you have a PHEV or a BEV car, don't charge it off the roof; charge it at night on a good EV tariff (they hover in and around 8c/kWh). Otherwise, you're potentially wasting MSS credits back to your bill of 19c/kWh-21c/kWh. Secondly, watch what is drawing power once any battery in the house is charged. For example, don't let a solar water-diverter heat your tank all day long. Set what is termed an export margin, and let that power return to the grid on MSS instead. Going forward, I'm afraid the MSS payments offered for domestic c/kWh are expected to fall as farmers and commercial installers receive more government supports. Battery for winter Anyone with solar-PV for more than 12 months will have experienced the highly dramatic fall-off in solar-PV gain starting in early October. The level of collapse depends on how good the positioning of your array is, and some householders will still chip 30% off their bill during the short days and low arc of the winter sun. Overall, October to February? That first winter can feel like a betrayal. If you have a battery, you could try load-shifting. First, ensure you have an overnight Smart deal using your Smart Meter or an existing Day/Night meter. Use these light-rich summer weeks to fully understand your solar-PV array, its performance, your usage and hacks that can make your winter experience less painful. Picture: Tesla Powerwall Basically, we charge the domestic battery during these super-cheap hours and deploy this battery power during the course of the day (discharging it). Refer to the instructions with your inverter to set this up to save money and lower your carbon footprint. Batteries are expensive and can double the cost of an array and installation. Ensure they make economic sense for your situation. Keep it clean The rain alone will help to keep your solar panels clean and receptive to every glimpse of sunshine. That said, it's a good idea to wash them off at least once or even twice a year. Everything from road-borne dust to pollen and algae can shroud the array, slightly reducing its performance. Ask your installer for advice on whether your array is best turned off during cleaning. Do not take on this high work or any ladder work unless you are fit and have someone managing the ladder. The only thing we should be using is warm water and a very mild soap like washing-up liquid. The brush, sponge or cloth will be soft, exactly as you would use on the vulnerable paintwork of your car. Don't use any form of abrasive cleaner or harsh chemicals on your solar-PV panels, and choose the early morning or an overcast day when they are not scalding hot. Throwing ice-cold water on them could be damaging. The correct form of brushes comes ready to attach to long, interconnecting or extending poles and can be connected to your hose. There should be no pressure exerted on the surface. Don't bang the brush set down onto the glass, or drag it back on electrical components. If your panels or lightly dusty, you could simply hose them down. Don't use a power washer from a ladder. You could blow yourself into A&E. An experienced window cleaner can clean an array. Ensure they understand its demands. Learning curve If this is your first summer with solar-PV on the roof or on the ground, you are probably really enjoying its passive magic. Even a smaller array without a battery will be contributing to your daily electricity usage from 9am to 6pm in a very meaningful way. It's worth watching the real-time performance of grid/solar-PV gain on your dedicated app or just ticking away on the inverter or water-diverter interface (it will depend on your setup). Using the software readouts on your PC, tablet, or phone, notice when your usage spikes over 24 hours, as this can help you to manage your supply more effectively. I discovered we were charging our car outside the set overnight period on an Energia graph that also records my solar-PV contributions every half hour through the smart meter. If you have an electric shower, you can see that the solar-PV even in high summer at midday cannot handle a draw of 10akW, but it can cut it in half if you shower during daylight hours. The solar-PV will segue in with your battery supply and real-time collection working with the Grid. If you have highly efficient A-rated laundry appliances, it's possible to run a washing machine and a heat-pump dryer simultaneously right off the roof in high summer, but otherwise, try sequential use. Don't be neurotic about the array's performance in winter, but try to understand more fully what it can and cannot do.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Singapore can expect thundery showers in the day, warm and humid nights for rest of June
SINGAPORE — For the rest of June, be prepared for short thundery showers in the late morning and afternoon over parts of Singapore as well as warm and humid nights. The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said on 16 June that there may also be a few fair and occasionally windy days during this period. Daily maximum temperatures are expected to range between 33°C and 34°C on most days while the daily maximum temperature could reach a high of 34°C on a few days. "Most nights may also be warm and humid, and the temperatures may stay above 28°C," said MSS. Southwest Monsoon conditions swept over Singapore in early June leading to short thundery showers over parts of the island on several occasions. MSS noted that on 8 June, the passage of a Sumatra squall brought widespread thundery showers and gusty winds over Singapore. And on 15 June, convergence of winds brought heavy thundery showers over the southwestern part of Singapore. This resulted in the highest rainfall recorded for the first two weeks of June 2025 (131.2 mm). As expected, this period of June was warm, with daily maximum temperatures registering above 34°C on most days. Ang Mo Kio recorded the highest daily maximum temperature of 35.8°C on 1 June. Singapore, located just north of the equator, experiences a tropical rainforest climate characterised by consistent warmth, high humidity, and abundant rainfall throughout the year. The nation's climate is influenced by its maritime exposure and equatorial location, leading to minimal temperature variation across months. Singapore's climate is defined by two primary monsoon seasons, each bringing distinct weather patterns: Northeast Monsoon (December to early March) Early Phase (December to January): Characterised by monsoon surges, leading to widespread moderate to heavy rainfall and occasional wind speeds of 25–35 km/h. Late Phase (February to early March): Typically drier and windier, with reduced rainfall. Southwest Monsoon (June to September): Dominated by southeasterly to southerly winds. Frequent "Sumatra squalls" occur during the pre-dawn and morning hours, bringing gusty winds and short-duration thundery showers. Between these monsoons are inter-monsoon periods (April to May and October to November), marked by light and variable winds, intense afternoon thunderstorms, and higher temperatures. Rainfall in Singapore is abundant and well-distributed throughout the year, with no distinct dry season. The average annual rainfall is approximately 2,340 mm. However, rainfall can vary regionally; the western parts often receive more rain than the eastern areas due to the rain shadow effect. Temperatures in Singapore are consistently warm: Daytime highs: Typically range between 31°C and 33°C. Nighttime lows: Generally fall between 24°C and 26°C. Record highs: The highest recorded temperature is 37.0°C, observed in April 1983 and May 2023. Record lows: The lowest recorded temperature is 19.4°C, noted in January 1934. Relative humidity in Singapore is high year-round, often exceeding 90 per cent in the early morning and dropping to around 60 per cent in the mid-afternoon on dry days. During periods of rain, humidity can reach 100 per cent. Singapore receives an average of 1,800 to 2,000 hours of sunshine annually. Despite its tropical location, the country experiences significant cloud cover, especially during the monsoon seasons, which can limit sunshine duration.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Singapore can expect thundery showers in the day, warm and humid nights for rest of June
SINGAPORE — For the rest of June, be prepared for short thundery showers in the late morning and afternoon over parts of Singapore as well as warm and humid nights. The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said on 16 June that there may also be a few fair and occasionally windy days during this period. Daily maximum temperatures are expected to range between 33°C and 34°C on most days while the daily maximum temperature could reach a high of 34°C on a few days. "Most nights may also be warm and humid, and the temperatures may stay above 28°C," said MSS. Southwest Monsoon conditions swept over Singapore in early June leading to short thundery showers over parts of the island on several occasions. MSS noted that on 8 June, the passage of a Sumatra squall brought widespread thundery showers and gusty winds over Singapore. And on 15 June, convergence of winds brought heavy thundery showers over the southwestern part of Singapore. This resulted in the highest rainfall recorded for the first two weeks of June 2025 (131.2 mm). As expected, this period of June was warm, with daily maximum temperatures registering above 34°C on most days. Ang Mo Kio recorded the highest daily temperature of 35.8°C on 1 June. Singapore, located just north of the equator, experiences a tropical rainforest climate characterised by consistent warmth, high humidity, and abundant rainfall throughout the year. The nation's climate is influenced by its maritime exposure and equatorial location, leading to minimal temperature variation across months. Singapore's climate is defined by two primary monsoon seasons, each bringing distinct weather patterns: Northeast Monsoon (December to early March) Early Phase (December to January): Characterised by monsoon surges, leading to widespread moderate to heavy rainfall and occasional wind speeds of 25–35 km/h. Late Phase (February to early March): Typically drier and windier, with reduced rainfall. Southwest Monsoon (June to September): Dominated by southeasterly to southerly winds. Frequent "Sumatra squalls" occur during the pre-dawn and morning hours, bringing gusty winds and short-duration thundery showers. Between these monsoons are inter-monsoon periods (April to May and October to November), marked by light and variable winds, intense afternoon thunderstorms, and higher temperatures. Rainfall in Singapore is abundant and well-distributed throughout the year, with no distinct dry season. The average annual rainfall is approximately 2,340 mm. However, rainfall can vary regionally; the western parts often receive more rain than the eastern areas due to the rain shadow effect. Temperatures in Singapore are consistently warm: Daytime highs: Typically range between 31°C and 33°C. Nighttime lows: Generally fall between 24°C and 26°C. Record highs: The highest recorded temperature is 37.0°C, observed in April 1983 and May 2023. Record lows: The lowest recorded temperature is 19.4°C, noted in January 1934. Relative humidity in Singapore is high year-round, often exceeding 90 per cent in the early morning and dropping to around 60 per cent in the mid-afternoon on dry days. During periods of rain, humidity can reach 100 per cent. Singapore receives an average of 1,800 to 2,000 hours of sunshine annually. Despite its tropical location, the country experiences significant cloud cover, especially during the monsoon seasons, which can limit sunshine duration.
