Can Markets Bring Home Prices Down and Take Care of Our Children?
Welcome to the Wall Street Week newsletter, bringing you stories of capitalism about things you need to know, but even more things you need to think about. I'm David Westin, and this week BlackRock's Rick Rieder explained why markets are so happy despite the tariff disruption, and we looked at what private equity investment could mean for the crisis in child care. If you're not yet a subscriber, sign up here for this newsletter.
President Trump came to office promising sweeping economic changes that brought predictions of trouble ahead. Six months in, tariffs are up, the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' looks to add to an already-troubling national debt, but the predicted troubles are yet to show up in the markets or the economy.
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Newsom Hits Hard At 'Unmoored' Trump Amid Epstein Scandal: 'This Is Not The Same Trump'
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) came full swing at President Donald Trump Saturday, claiming the president is lying to cover up his involvement in convicted sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein's case. 'He's lying to cover up his prior lies and then lying again. Now he doesn't even know truth from fiction, and so look, he's caught it red handed,' Newsom told popular left-wing influencer Brian Tyler Cohen in an interview that aired Saturday. 'He's in the files. We know it, period, full stop.' Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have received major backlash in the past few weeks over their handling of Epstein's files after hyping them up, then failing to release more information. Many of those outraged are the president's own supporters, who are beginning to turn on him over the issue. Meanwhile, news outlets have been resurfacing old videos, photos and documents that suggest a close friendship between the president and Epstein. 'His biggest supporters may have been the difference in the election, and he turned on them. He has zero loyalty,' Newsom said. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Bondi informed Trump in May that his name was in the files related to Epstein's case. 'He's part of this cover up, and he has confused even the most ardent observers here. I mean, you can't — the guy's a pretzel on this issue. Every hour, he contradicts a statement,' Newsom told Cohen. This week, Trump's former criminal defense attorney, now Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, met with Epstein's co-conspirator and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. The president told reporters that pardoning Maxwell is not something he has thought about, but noted that he is 'allowed to do it' 'This is sick stuff. This is sick,' Newsom said. 'I mean, if you're a conspiracy theorist, I mean, they're going to turn me into one. Why the hell are we even talking to her? What, a pardon for what? No, seriously, for what?' He added that Trump has seemed increasingly 'unmoored' as speculation grows about his past relationship with Epstein. 'He's lost a step,' Newsom said. 'This is not the same Trump 1.0. This is, something's off, increasingly off, and he's getting, he's unmoored in ways even by Trump's standards I haven't seen. I don't want to overstate this moment, but you can't understate. This is something, something ain't right, as they say.' Newsom went on to bash Trump over recent actions that some have speculated were intentional distractions from the Epstein scandal, such as threatening to strip Rosie O'Donnell of citizenship, vowing to put cane sugar in Coca-Cola, complaining about the name of the Washington Commanders and sharing a bizarre AI-generated video of Barack Obama being arrested. 'It reminds me of a punch drunk boxer. He's just wildly flailing. He's flailing. He's just zigging and zagging. He's desperate,' Newsom said. 'He's trying anything, trying to chum the waters, and it's not working. And normally it works for him. It's not working right now.' The governor told Cohen that Trump is 'going to have to do a lot more than he's done in the past to be able to dig his way out of this.' Related... Joe Rogan On Trump Administration's Handling Of Epstein Files: 'Do You Think We're Babies?' Trump Claims He 'Never Went' To Epstein's Island, Tells People To Focus On Bill Clinton Instead What To Know About Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's Longtime Collaborator
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
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Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Shell
For Immediate Release Chicago, IL – July 25, 2025 – Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses Exxon Mobil Corp. XOM, Chevron Corp. CVX and Shell plc SHEL. Industry: Integrated Energy Link: The crude oil pricing environment is expected to experience significant volatility this year, which will negatively impact the exploration and production activities of integrated energy companies. A deceleration in oil production growth can create challenges, thereby constraining earnings from upstream operations. At the same time, the accelerating shift toward renewable energy is introducing greater uncertainty to the Zacks Oil and Gas Integrated International industry's prospects. This combination of factors suggests a challenging and softened industry environment that is expected to persist through at least the remainder of 2025. Among the companies in the industry that will probably survive the business challenges are Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp. and Shell plc. About the Industry The Zacks Oil and Gas Integrated International industry covers companies primarily involved in upstream, midstream and downstream operations. These companies have upstream businesses in the United States (including prolific shale plays and the deepwater Gulf of Mexico), Asia, South America, Africa, Australia and Europe. Midstream operations of energy companies entail transporting oil, natural gas liquids and refined petroleum products. In downstream businesses, the firms buy raw crude to produce refined petroleum products. The companies' downstream activities involve chemical businesses that manufacture raw materials for making plastics. The integrated players are now gradually focusing on renewables, leading to the energy transition. The firms aim to lower emissions from operations and cut the carbon intensity of the products sold. 3 Trends Shaping the Future of the Industry The integrated energy sector is currently navigating a highly uncertain and challenging macroeconomic environment. Refining, renewable energy and chemical segments are particularly under pressure due to limited visibility into future market dynamics. Escalating trade tensions are compounding this uncertainty, raising concerns over potential economic slowdowns. Meanwhile, oil prices remain volatile, swayed by geopolitical risks and fluctuating OPEC+ production strategies. As a result, major integrated energy players are grappling with profitability challenges. There has been a slowdown in oil production growth in the upstream businesses of integrated energy companies in the United States due to shareholder demands for a greater focus on returning capital rather than investing in production expansion. As production growth slows, output decreases, which can lead to reduced revenues. Since upstream operations depend heavily on volume to generate income, any stagnation in production growth has a direct and negative impact on their bottom line. Governments, investors and stakeholders are placing growing emphasis on addressing climate change, leading to an increased demand for renewable energy. Consequently, the demand for products reliant on oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids is expected to decline, with solar and wind energy gaining prominence in the energy landscape. The integrated energy firms are adversely impacted by these trends as they are primarily engaged in the production and transportation of fossil fuels, such as oil, and the sale of refined petroleum products. Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bearish Outlook The Zacks Oil and Gas Integrated International industry is part of the broader Zacks Oil - Energy sector. It carries a Zacks Industry Rank #189, which places it in the bottom 23% of the 245 Zacks industries. The group's Zacks Industry Rank, which is the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates bleak near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. Before we present a few stocks that you may want to consider, let us take a look at the industry's recent stock market performance and valuation picture. Industry Lags S&P 500 & Sector The Zacks Oil and Gas Integrated International industry has underperformed the broader Zacks Oil - Energy sector and the Zacks S&P 500 composite over the past year. The industry has plunged 5.4% over this period compared with the S&P 500's growth of 17.3% and the broader sector's decline of 2.6%. Industry's Current Valuation Since oil and gas companies are debt-laden, it makes sense to value them based on the Enterprise Value/Earnings before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortization (EV/EBITDA) ratio. This is because the valuation metric takes not just equity into account but also the level of debt. On the basis of the trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA, the industry is currently trading at 4.27X, lower than the S&P 500's 17.85X. It is also below the sector's trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA of 4.77X. Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 6.54X and as low as 2.75X, with a median of 4.11X. 3 Integrated International Stocks to Watch Chevron: The company completed its $53-billion acquisition of Hess Corporation, thereby strengthening its upstream portfolio and obtaining a 30% interest in the highly valued Stabroek Block offshore Guyana. Chevron gains strategic access to one of the most prolific deepwater discoveries of the past decade, estimated to hold more than 11 billion barrels of recoverable oil. The acquisition also strengthens its position in the U.S. Bakken shale, the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Asia. It currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The move comes as a turning point for Chevron as it is facing mounting pressure to replenish its reserves and strengthen free cash flow amid ongoing volatility in the oil markets. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. ExxonMobil: The company's acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources expanded its production capabilities in the Permian Basin, one of the most profitable regions in the United States due to its inexpensive production costs. XOM boasts a strong portfolio of upstream assets, focused on oil-rich resources in the Permian Basin and offshore Guyana. Production costs in those assets are low. Therefore, the leading integrated energy major can overcome a collapse in oil and gas prices. Similar to its operations in the Permian, ExxonMobil boasts a robust project pipeline in offshore Guyana resources. It presently carries a Zacks Rank #3. Shell: The company's acquisition of Pavilion Energy strengthens its LNG trading capabilities and positions itself for long-term growth in cleaner fuels. Shell's position as a major supplier of LNG should help the company meet the fuel's growing demand and improve its cash flow. Shell, with a Zacks Rank of 3, is targeting a 4-5% annual increase in LNG sales over the next five years and 1% annual production growth. Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks? Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year. Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation. See Stocks Free >> Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@ Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. 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 Chevron Corporation (CVX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Shell PLC Unsponsored ADR (SHEL) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
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Yext, Inc. (YEXT) Launches New Search Initiative, Yext Research
With a share price under $10, strong hedge fund interest, and a low price-to-earnings ratio, Yext, Inc. (NYSE:YEXT) makes it onto our list of the . A data centre room with cloud technology, illustrating the enterprise application software services. On June 13, 2025, Yext, Inc. (NYSE:YEXT) announced the launch of Yext Research, which is a new initiative that provides deeper insights to marketers and SEO professionals into how brands are discovered in today's complex search landscape. Leveraging over 2 billion data points, the new search initiative fills the gap in industry benchmarks and performance signals. Furthermore, the program also introduces Yext Research Partners, a collaborative model that invites experts to publish independent, data-driven insights. This comes ahead of Yext, Inc. (NYSE:YEXT)'s solid performance for Q1 FY25, which ended on April 30, 2025. The earnings result, which was released on June 3, 2025, was marked by a 14% YoY increase in revenue that reached $109.5 million. Strong demand across the company's platform contributed to the sales growth. Meanwhile, a record $24.7 million adjusted EBITDA was achieved, reflecting a 23% margin. A favorable currency impact and the acquisition of Hearsay Systems contributed to the company's performance, boosting its Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) by 15% YoY. Yext, Inc. (NYSE:YEXT) keeps an optimistic future outlook with plans to scale up its innovative product, Yext Scout. The product, in beta, is gaining significant traction, boasting over 1,000 sign-ups and a strong response from enterprise customers. With the Yext platform, a cloud-based solution, Yext, Inc. (NYSE:YEXT) specializes in digital knowledge management and search solutions. It is included in our list of the best cloud stocks. While we acknowledge the potential of YEXT as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 14 Cheap Transportation Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and Top 10 AI Infrastructure Stocks to Buy Now. Disclosure: None. 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
