Latest news with #Mideast
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cotton Futures Mixed on Friday, with New Crop Cautious
Cotton price action was mixed today. Nearby July was under pressure and posted the lowest close for the contract since April 7. The new crop months were staring at challenging US weather conditions and less inclined to discount prices. They were mostly up 3 to 7 points, with a thinly traded October contract up 94. WTI crude oil settled 14 cents lower at $75.00/barrel in the July futures contract but was 59 cents higher at $74.09 for August delivery amid Mideast concerns. The US dollar index was weaker, factoring in tariff and Middle East concerns. The September DX index futures settled 0.073 lower at 98.395. Weekly Export Sales data showed 83,198 RB of cotton sold in the week ending on June 12 for the 2024/25 marketing year. That was 38.25% above the previous week's USDA figure. Sales for 2025/26 totaled 274,891 RB, which was a marketing year high. Shipments for upland cotton were at 204,694 RB in that week, back down 13.36% from last week. Drought Conditions Are Setting In. How Much Higher Can Wheat Prices Go? Coffee Prices Sharply Lower as Global Supply Concerns Ease Cocoa Prices Plunge as Beneficial Rain in West Africa Boosts Crop Conditions Stop Missing Market Moves: Get the FREE Barchart Brief – your midday dose of stock movers, trending sectors, and actionable trade ideas, delivered right to your inbox. Sign Up Now! The Cotlook A Index was down 75 points on 6/19 at 77.75. ICE cotton stocks were UNCH on June 18, with a certified stocks level of 62,332 bales. USDA's Adjusted World Price (AWP) was up 1 point on Thursday at 54.03 cents/lb. and is effective through next Thursday. Jul 25 Cotton closed at 64.04, down 80 points, Dec 25 Cotton closed at 66.7, up 3 points, Mar 26 Cotton closed at 67.92, up 7 points On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on 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
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Bloomberg Intelligence: Trump Hints He'll Hold Off Iran Strike, Give Diplomacy Time
Watch Alix and Paul LIVE every day on YouTube: Bloomberg Intelligence hosted by Paul Sweeney and Mike Regan Cliff Kupchan, Chairman at Eurasia Group, discusses the latest out of Mideast US President Donald Trump signals he will give diplomacy a chance before deciding whether to strike Iran, saying he will make his decision within the next two weeks. Liz Hart, President of Leasing for North America, joins to discuss the latest in the commercial real estate sector. Ira Jersey, Bloomberg Intelligence Chief US Interest Rate Strategist, discusses the latest Fed Meeting as well as Fed Reserve Governor Wallers recent comments. Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said the central bank can lower interest rates as soon as next month.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
3 Reasons Why Kroger Stock Is a Buy Now
Kroger's first-quarter earnings report shows why it's a safe, defensive play right now. The stock is attractively priced and provides a consistent dividend. 10 stocks we like better than Kroger › These are challenging times. There's conflict here in the U.S., war breaking out in the Mideast, trade wars, and tariffs, as well as rising prices and recession fears. As gold prices soar and investors seek safe havens, how does one stay in the stock market and hedge against uncertainty? Defensive, recession-resistant stocks are the way to go, and in that category, Kroger (NYSE: KR) stock deserves a closer look. Kroger is a grocery giant that walks under the radar. Sure, it's not a flashy artificial intelligence stock, but it's one of the nation's largest grocery store chains and offers reliable earnings, rewards its shareholders, and plays an indispensable role in the communities in which it operates. Kroger reported first-quarter earnings before the opening bell today. So, let's take a look at three reasons why Kroger stock is a buy now. There are few businesses that are more stable than the ones that provide our food. Even when people tighten their budgets, cancel vacations, or delay big-ticket purchases, they're still going to spend money at the grocery store. Kroger currently operates more than 2,700 stores across the United States, including brands like Fred Meyer, Ralphs, King Soopers, Harris Teeter, and, of course, Kroger. It also operates more than 2,000 pharmacies in its stores and 1,500 fuel centers. That helps expand Kroger's reach into several revenue streams. In addition, Kroger has nearly three dozen food production and manufacturing facilities where it produces private-label, low-cost products. These store brands are usually much cheaper than name-brand items and provide Kroger with greater profit margins -- particularly when customers are looking to stretch their grocery dollars. Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett would likely be the first to tell you that the best stocks to hold represent companies that take care of their shareholders. And Kroger is definitely one of those. Kroger stock currently offers a dividend yield of around 2% and the company has increased its dividend payout annually for the last 19 years. In addition, Kroger is providing more value to shareholders through a $7.5 billion share repurchase authorization, which includes a $5 billion accelerated buyback that was announced after its bid to acquire Albertsons failed. Solid dividends and share buyback programs are important for any investor who is looking to build a portfolio with sustainable wealth. And perhaps that's why Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio contains 50 million shares of Kroger stock, valued at about $3.5 billion. One thing that you want to avoid when choosing defensive stocks is picking one that will negatively surprise the market when it gives a quarterly report. That's another reason to like Kroger: It consistently delivers in its quarterly reports, matching or beating analysts' expectations for earnings in each of the last four quarters. That trend continued this week when Kroger issued its first-quarter numbers. Adjusted earnings per share of $1.49 were $0.04 better than expectations, and the company's gross margin increased from 22% a year ago to 23% now. The company just missed the revenue estimate, posting $45.12 billion versus analysts' consensus expectations of $45.16 billion. Investors were pleased, and the stock is up 7% at 10:15 a.m. Kroger also announced it was taking a $100 million impairment charge related to the planned closings of 60 locations in the next 18 months. It increased its full-year identical sales guidance (excluding fuel sales) from an increase of 2% to 3% to an increase of 2.25% to 3.25%. This metric looks at sales in locations open five or more quarters. While the company didn't break down its sales by segment, it said its e-commerce sales were up 15% on a year-over-year basis. "We continue to believe that our strategy focusing on fresh, Our Brands and eCommerce will continue to resonate with customers and our resilient model positions us well to navigate the current environment," Chief Financial Officer David Kennerley was quoted as saying in the company press release. Another thing that stands out is Kroger's valuation. Its forward price-to-earnings ratio of about 15 is attractive, as well as its price-to-sales ratio of around 0.3. It's much cheaper than competitors Walmart, Amazon, and Costco Wholesale. So, Kroger is providing great value and security in a challenging economic environment, and is doing so while being a dominant player in the grocery market. Kroger is a great long-term play that investors should consider right now. As uncertainty rises, it makes sense to gravitate toward stocks that are steady, essential, and take care of their shareholders. While it was a disappointment that the Albertsons deal failed to materialize, I'm comfortable with the moves that Kroger is making now -- shedding unprofitable stores, focusing on e-commerce and its in-house brands. That's the kind of steady performance that I'm looking for when I consider defensive stocks. Before you buy stock in Kroger, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Kroger wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $659,171!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $891,722!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 995% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 Patrick Sanders has no positions in any of the stocks mentioned. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Costco Wholesale, and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends Kroger. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 3 Reasons Why Kroger Stock Is a Buy Now was originally published by The Motley Fool 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
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Trump Weighing Options for Iran as Israeli Airstrikes Continue
Good morning. Markets await more details on the Israel-Iran plan after Donald Trump met with his national security team. London's sky-high rents are pushing even flat-sharers out of the market. And hedge funds are rushing to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Listen to the day's top stories. Donald Trump met with his national security team for more than an hour to discuss the Mideast conflict, people familiar said, fueling speculation the US may join Israel's attack on Iran. The US State Department closed the embassy in Jerusalem through Friday.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Inter Milan's packed schedule shows strains FIFA Club World Cup puts on teams
Inter Milan manager Cristian Chivu instructs his players during a 1-1 draw with Monterrey in the FIFA Club World Cup at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday night. (Gregory Bull / Associated Press) It's been just 18 days since Inter Milan played its last game, losing to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final. But a lot has happened since then. The team parted ways with manager Simone Inzaghi, who led it to two European finals in three seasons, and replaced him with Cristian Chivu. It temporarily lost the services of forward Mehdi Taremi, who had returned to his native Iran earlier this month and became stranded there when Israeli attacks closed the airspace over much of the Mideast. Advertisement Then the rest of the second-best club in Europe traveled 6,000 miles from Milan to Los Angeles, where it opened the Club World Cup on Tuesday in a 1-1 draw with Mexican club Monterrey before an announced crowd of 40,311 at the Rose Bowl. Read more: Commentary: Angel City takes stand against immigration raids as others stay silent 'We're trying to focus. And it's not easy every day, I'm not going to lie,' said forward Marcus Thuram, whose 18 goals in all competition was second on the team this season. 'But it's part of what we do, we love what we do and we'll continue doing what we do.' Only doing what they do has become far more complicated and exhausting in recent years as the competition schedule for both club and country has expanded. Advertisement Thuram's father, Lilian, was widely regarded as one of the best defenders of his era during an 18-year career that saw him win two Serie A titles, a European championship and play in two World Cup finals, winning one. But he appeared in 46 or more club matches in a season just four times before retiring in 2008. His 27-year-old son has done that in each of the past two seasons. And if Inter makes it to the final of the Club World Cup, he'll wind up playing 55 games in 11 months. That doesn't count his 10 appearances for the French national team since last June. 'We were prepared for that at the beginning of the season. It's not like they announced that at the end of the season,' Thuram, who came off the bench early in the second half Tuesday, said of the Club World Cup. 'We knew it was going to be a long season.' But how long is too long? In their ravenous quest for revenue, soccer clubs, leagues and governing bodies have crowded the calendar with invented competitions that have drained both fans' bank accounts and players' energy levels. Advertisement The Club World Cup is a perfect example. Although the tournament has been around since 2000, before this summer it never had more than eight teams and was held at one site during a 10-day break in the European season. This year it's expanded into a 32-team, monthlong competition that will be played in 11 cities spread across a continent. If Inter Milan makes it to next month's final, its players will have just a couple of weeks off before reporting to training camp for the next Serie A season, which opens Aug. 23. With the World Cup also expanding next summer, national team players such as Thuram could play more than 70 games in 44 weeks and more than 120 games over two seasons. That's clearly unsustainable. Read more: LAFC's 10-match unbeaten streak ends in loss to Chelsea at FIFA Club World Cup Advertisement 'A serious dialogue is needed between FIFA, UEFA, leagues, clubs and players to redesign an international calendar that protects the health of players and maintains the quality of games,' said Giuseppe Marotta, chairman and chief executive officer of Inter Milan. 'With the introduction of the new Champions League format and the new Club World Cup, the workload on teams and players has clearly increased significantly.' Yet clubs such as Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain (which played 58 games this season) and Manchester City (57 games) are drawn to the extra competitions for the same reason as the organizers who put them on: the money. The Club World Cup, now the largest and most ambitious global club tournament in history, is also the most lucrative, with a prize-money purse of $1 billion. The winner could take home $125 million, more than PSG got for winning the Champions League. But it was forced into a gap in the schedule that really didn't exist before. 'It's undeniable that this event, positioned between two different seasons, is forcing us to do extra work and rethink what the traditional summer periods looks like for a football club,' Marotta said. 'However these competitions also represent a huge opportunity in terms of visibility and revenue, often exceeding that of traditional competitions.' Advertisement The Club World Cup allows teams to face rivals from other continents, expanding their international following and generating additional revenue streams by planting the team's flag in new markets and introducing its players to new fans. 'The goal is to tell the American public who we are and what values have always guided us,' Marotta said. 'It's not about proving how good we are,' he added of the tournament. 'It's about contributing to the development of global football.' To accommodate it, Marotta said, changes will have to be made. For example Italy's Serie A could compact from 20 to 18 teams, the same as in the German Bundesliga and France's Ligue 1. That would mean four fewer league games per year; not a dramatic reduction, but a start. Advertisement Until that happens, Thuram said the players will continue doing what they do for as long as they can do it. 'It's about doing everything every day to prepare your body for these extreme games and extreme competition. Because soccer at the highest level is extreme for the body. It's tough,' he said. 'But we have a lot of coaches, we have chefs, we have everything that is set up for us perfectly.' As for the game, Milan dominated statistically, controlling the ball for more than 55 of the 90 minutes and outshooting Monterrey 15-9. But it couldn't make that advantage count. All the scoring came in a 20-minute span of the first half with the ageless Sergio Ramos putting Monterrey in front with a header in the 25th minute and Lautaro Martinez pulling that back for Milan three minutes before the intermission. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
