Latest news with #GlobalMarkets
Irish Times
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- Irish Times
Markets climb on back of Japan-US trade deal signing
Global markets climbed higher on Wednesday after the United States signed a trade deal with Japan amid reports a deal with Europe could be close. Dublin Euronext Dublin finished the day up 1.3 per cent, lifted by Cavan-based insulation specialist Kingspan, which surged 3.6 per cent. There was strength across the board on the index, which fed through to the banks as AIB and Bank of Ireland finished the day up 1 per cent and 2 per cent respectively. Elsewhere, Ryanair continued its recent run as it climbed 1.5 per cent. Davy increased its price target for the airline from €24 to €27 and reiterated its 'outperform' prediction on its rating. READ MORE 'The market overall did a little bit better on the day,' noted a trader. 'The tariff deal with Japan set the market up well for the morning and it just carried through into the day.' London The FTSE 100 index closed up 0.4 per cent which was a record closing peak, after earlier hitting an all-time high. The FTSE 250 closed up 0.4 per cent, and the AIM All-Share closed up 0.5 per cent. Car makers such as Toyota climbed 14 per cent, and Honda jumped 11 per cent. Mitsubishi rose a more modest 3.6 per cent. On the FTSE 100, Informa rose 5.3 per cent. It raised its full-year outlook and added to its share buyback after reporting 20 per cent growth in half-year sales and adjusted profit. Europe The pan-European Stoxx 600 index rose 1.01 per cent, while Europe's broad FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 1.01 per cent. The Cac 40 in Paris advanced 1.5 per cent, while the Dax 40 in Frankfurt gained 0.8 per cent. Euro zone government bond yields were mixed, as investors weigh what Japan's trade deal with Washington means for hopes of further agreements. Euro area borrowing costs had fallen over the past two sessions as investor focus shifted to the deflationary fallout from potential U.S. trade duty increases and a strengthening euro. US President Donald Trump struck a deal with Japan that spares Tokyo from punishing levies in exchange for a $550 billion (€468 billion) package of US-bound investment and loans. Germany's 10-year government bond yield, the euro area's benchmark, rose 1.5 basis points to 2.603 per cent, after dropping more than 10 basis points in the last two sessions. Germany's two-year government bond yield – more sensitive to expectations for European Central Bank policy rates – was little changed at 1.798 per cent. The gap between German 10-year and 2-year yields rose 1.5 basis points to 80.5 basis points. New York Wall Street's main indexes moved higher after it was reported that the US and the European Union were closing in on a 15 per cent tariff deal. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.36 per cent; the S&P 500 rose 0.27 per cent; while the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.35 per cent. Tesla and Alphabet are set to report after the bell on Wednesday. With AI optimism running high and valuations stretched, expectations for these tech giants are sky-high, leaving little margin for disappointment. In earnings-focused moves, GE Vernova's shares climbed 13.7 per cent to an all-time high, as the power equipment maker raised its current-year revenue and free cash flow forecasts after beating Wall Street estimates for second-quarter profit. Texas Instruments tumbled 12.7 per cent after its quarterly profit forecast failed to impress investors, as it pointed to weaker-than-expected demand for its analog chips from some customers and underscored tariff-related uncertainty. The earnings also weighed on its peer analog chipmakers, with NXP Semiconductors, Analog Devices and ON Semiconductor falling between 3.5 per cent and 5.6 per cent. Toymaker Hasbro slipped 2.4 per cent even after raising its annual revenue forecast. A 1.7 per cent drop in AT&T kept the communications sector in the red, with all other sectors in positive territory. The company's stock dropped despite beating quarterly profit estimates. – Additional reporting: Agencies
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Seeking Up to 15% Dividend Yield? Piper Sandler Suggests 2 Dividend Stocks to Buy
Stock investing is all about returns, and the markets have delivered just that since hitting their trough in April. The S&P 500 bottomed out at 4,983 and has since rebounded 26%, bringing its year-to-date gain to 7% and pushing it to record levels. But is there room for more gains? Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week. Piper Sandler chief investment strategist Michael Kantrowitz, in a recent interview, explains why he believes that markets haven't hit their ceiling yet, but he acknowledges that all gains have their limits. 'I think it's important to recognize or acknowledge that the last three months' moves were largely pricing out of macro risk. Whether you look at PEs, which have rebounded, or credit spreads, which have compressed, it's been a very macro-led tape where kind of a rising tide has lifted all boats. Going forward, we should not expect this to sustain the same level of returns, of course,' Kantrowitz stated. But investors are still looking for profits, and when the market ceiling is facing limits, high-yield dividend stocks offer a sound choice to maximize portfolio returns. Against this backdrop, Piper Sandler analyst Crispin Love has highlighted two high-yielding dividend stocks to buy – including one with a yield approaching 15%. Let's give them a closer look. AGNC Investment (AGNC) We'll start with AGNC, a real estate investment trust, or REIT, whose activities mainly revolve around agency mortgage-backed securities. These assets are guaranteed against credit losses by Federal entities – Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae – providing a level of protection for investors. AGNC is an internally managed REIT, with a long-term goal of delivering solid returns to its shareholders. That goal is reflected in the company's highly focused investment strategy. AGNC has built a portfolio where 98% of its assets are agency MBS, including pass-through certificates, collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), and 'to-be-announced' securities (TBAs) – all carrying federal guarantees that help mitigate credit risk. As of March 31, the portfolio stood at $78.9 billion in value, with over 95% allocated to 30-year fixed-rate assets, underscoring AGNC's preference for stable, long-duration instruments. AGNC's consistent dividend policy is a key reason it stands out among income investors. In fact, the company pays dividends monthly – a less common but appealing feature for those seeking regular income. This monthly cadence allows investors to better match dividend inflows with ongoing expenses. AGNC's most recent declaration came on July 9 for an August 11 payment, maintaining its 12-cent monthly rate. That equates to 36 cents per quarter and $1.44 annually, translating to a generous forward yield of 15.5%. While its dividend track record is attractive, it's worth examining AGNC's underlying financials to assess the sustainability of those payouts. In its latest quarterly report for Q1 2025, the company posted net interest income of $159 million and a non-GAAP EPS of 44 cents. Although NII fell short of expectations by $284 million, the earnings per share came in 3 cents above the consensus. In setting out the Piper Sandler view here, analyst Crispin Love explains why he believes that this REIT will continue to deliver on the dividend. 'Since AGNC's 1Q25 earnings, agency spreads have tightened slightly following significant volatility around Liberation Day. We believe near-term spread levels and mortgage rates should be somewhat range-bound, but we could see continued rate volatility in 2025 given the macro landscape and uncertainty related to economic growth, inflation, and tariffs. Going forward, we believe AGNC can maintain its current dividend level, with AGNC generating mid-to-high teens returns over the near-term,' Love opined. Love's comments back up his Overweight (i.e., Buy) rating on the stock, and his $10 price target implies a one-year upside potential of 8%. Together with the dividend yield, the total one-year return on this stock may approach 23.5%. (To watch Love's track record, click here) Overall, AGNC shares get a Moderate Buy consensus rating from the Street, based on 12 recent analyst reviews that include 7 Buys and 5 Holds. (See AGNC stock forecast) Rithm Capital (RITM) The second dividend stock we'll look at is Rithm Capital, a REIT that was founded in 2013 and for the past decade-plus has provided a compelling investment option in mortgage servicing rights (MSRs). Early on, Rithm focused on MSR management; today, its portfolio is more varied, holding a diverse set of real estate assets. In addition to mortgage servicing rights, these assets include residential mortgage loans, commercial real estate, single-family rentals, business purpose loans, and even consumer loans. Building on this expanded investment scope, Rithm took a major strategic step in late 2023 by acquiring the asset management firm Sculptor Capital Management. The $719.8 million deal significantly broadened Rithm's operational reach and brought Sculptor's sizable asset base under its umbrella. The impact of this acquisition is evident in the company's numbers. Rithm now boasts $7.8 billion in total equity and a book value of $12.39 per common share. Its total assets stand at $45 billion, while assets under management have grown to $35 billion – a figure reflecting the addition of Sculptor's portfolio. Diving into specific segments, the company holds over $5.5 billion in mortgage origination and servicing and nearly $850 million in residential transitional lending. These robust figures support Rithm's overarching goal: to deliver stable and attractive long-term returns to shareholders. A key part of that strategy is the dividend, which the company has paid consistently for 12 years. The current quarterly dividend stands at 25 cents per common share, declared most recently on June 18 for a July 31 payment. At the annualized rate of $1, this payout translates to a forward yield of 8.4%. That yield appears well-supported by the company's latest financials. In 1Q25, earnings available for distribution (EAD) came in at $275.3 million, or 52 cents per share – 5 cents ahead of expectations and more than enough to cover the dividend. Checking in again with Piper Sandler's Crispin Love, we find that the analyst has a lot to say about Rithm – and it's mostly positive. 'With 30-year mortgage rates keeping the origination outlook still far from a normalized environment, we are focused on names that can perform in this higher for longer backdrop. One name that stands out to us for multiple reasons is RITM. Rithm is a diversified business across mortgage and asset management and is currently trading at just 5x earnings. On the mortgage side, RITM is the #3 mortgage servicer in the US which is an annuity like business that can actually outperform in higher rate backdrops. In addition, management is contemplating a potential spin of its mortgage business (Newrez), which could serve as a catalyst to shares. And lastly, RITM continues to grow in asset management following its acquisition of Sculptor in late 2023 with the potential for more acquisitions or partnerships in the space,' Love noted. The analyst quantifies this stance with an Overweight (i.e., Buy) rating, along with a $14 price target that points toward a one-year gain of 17.25%. Add in the dividend yield, and the return for RITM over the coming year can hit as high as ~26%. All in all, there are 6 recent analyst reviews on record for Rithm Capital and they are all positive – for a unanimous Strong Buy consensus rating. (See RITM stock forecast) To find good ideas for dividend stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks' Best Stocks to Buy, a tool that unites all of TipRanks' equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analyst. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment. Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Sign in to access your portfolio
Bloomberg
6 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Get Used to a Higher Degree of Volatility, Says BofA's DeMare
Bank of America Head of Global Markets Jim DeMare says, 'betting against volatility is not a good strategy for the near and mid-term,' and doesn't see clients exiting markets on concerns over the independence of the Federal Reserve. (Source: Bloomberg)
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
ManpowerGroup's (NYSE:MAN) Q2 Sales Beat Estimates
Workforce solutions provider ManpowerGroup (NYSE:MAN) reported Q2 CY2025 results exceeding the market's revenue expectations , but sales were flat year on year at $4.52 billion. Its GAAP loss of $1.44 per share was significantly below analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy ManpowerGroup? Find out in our full research report. ManpowerGroup (MAN) Q2 CY2025 Highlights: Revenue: $4.52 billion vs analyst estimates of $4.36 billion (flat year on year, 3.6% beat) EPS (GAAP): -$1.44 vs analyst estimates of $0.70 (significant miss) Adjusted EBITDA: $4.6 million vs analyst estimates of $95.93 million (0.1% margin, 95.2% miss) EPS (GAAP) guidance for Q3 CY2025 is $0.82 at the midpoint, beating analyst estimates by 10.5% Operating Margin: -0.6%, down from 2.2% in the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow was -$207.2 million compared to -$149.8 million in the same quarter last year Organic Revenue fell 1% year on year (-3.3% in the same quarter last year) Market Capitalization: $1.99 billion Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup Chair & CEO, said "During the quarter, we continued to make strong progress in executing our plans to Diversify, Digitize and Innovate – with a focus on expanding our role as the strategic workforce partner of choice for our clients as tech transformation gathers pace. Although demand remains mixed across our global markets as employers adapt to economic and geopolitical volatility, we are beginning to see positive signs of stabilization in the US and parts of Europe. We remain focused on achieving market share gains while we make further adjustments to our cost base. Our ongoing investments in strengthening our digital core to accelerate AI adoption will ensure we are well positioned to accelerate progress and provide even more value to clients and candidates in future quarters." Company Overview Founded during the post-World War II economic boom when businesses needed temporary workers, ManpowerGroup (NYSE:MAN) connects millions of people to employment opportunities through its global network of staffing, recruitment, and workforce management services. Revenue Growth Reviewing a company's long-term sales performance reveals insights into its quality. Any business can put up a good quarter or two, but many enduring ones grow for years. With $17.54 billion in revenue over the past 12 months, ManpowerGroup is a behemoth in the business services sector and benefits from economies of scale, giving it an edge in distribution. This also enables it to gain more leverage on its fixed costs than smaller competitors and the flexibility to offer lower prices. However, its scale is a double-edged sword because finding new avenues for growth becomes difficult when you already have a substantial market presence. For ManpowerGroup to boost its sales, it likely needs to adjust its prices, launch new offerings, or lean into foreign markets. As you can see below, ManpowerGroup struggled to generate demand over the last five years. Its sales dropped by 1.4% annually, a rough starting point for our analysis. Long-term growth is the most important, but within business services, a half-decade historical view may miss new innovations or demand cycles. ManpowerGroup's recent performance shows its demand remained suppressed as its revenue has declined by 4.5% annually over the last two years. We can better understand the company's sales dynamics by analyzing its organic revenue, which strips out one-time events like acquisitions and currency fluctuations that don't accurately reflect its fundamentals. Over the last two years, ManpowerGroup's organic revenue averaged 3.1% year-on-year declines. Because this number aligns with its normal revenue growth, we can see the company's core operations (not acquisitions and divestitures) drove most of its results. This quarter, ManpowerGroup's $4.52 billion of revenue was flat year on year but beat Wall Street's estimates by 3.6%. Looking ahead, sell-side analysts expect revenue to decline by 1.4% over the next 12 months. While this projection is better than its two-year trend, it's hard to get excited about a company that is struggling with demand. Software is eating the world and there is virtually no industry left that has been untouched by it. That drives increasing demand for tools helping software developers do their jobs, whether it be monitoring critical cloud infrastructure, integrating audio and video functionality, or ensuring smooth content streaming. Click here to access a free report on our 3 favorite stocks to play this generational megatrend. Operating Margin Operating margin is a key measure of profitability. Think of it as net income - the bottom line - excluding the impact of taxes and interest on debt, which are less connected to business fundamentals. ManpowerGroup was profitable over the last five years but held back by its large cost base. Its average operating margin of 2% was weak for a business services business. Looking at the trend in its profitability, ManpowerGroup's operating margin decreased by 1.6 percentage points over the last five years. ManpowerGroup's performance was poor no matter how you look at it - it shows that costs were rising and it couldn't pass them onto its customers. This quarter, ManpowerGroup's breakeven margin was down 2.8 percentage points year on year. This contraction shows it was less efficient because its expenses increased relative to its revenue. Earnings Per Share Revenue trends explain a company's historical growth, but the long-term change in earnings per share (EPS) points to the profitability of that growth – for example, a company could inflate its sales through excessive spending on advertising and promotions. Sadly for ManpowerGroup, its EPS declined by 16% annually over the last five years, more than its revenue. This tells us the company struggled because its fixed cost base made it difficult to adjust to shrinking demand. We can take a deeper look into ManpowerGroup's earnings to better understand the drivers of its performance. As we mentioned earlier, ManpowerGroup's operating margin declined by 1.6 percentage points over the last five years. This was the most relevant factor (aside from the revenue impact) behind its lower earnings; interest expenses and taxes can also affect EPS but don't tell us as much about a company's fundamentals. In Q2, ManpowerGroup reported EPS at negative $1.44, down from $1.24 in the same quarter last year. This print missed analysts' estimates. Over the next 12 months, Wall Street is optimistic. Analysts forecast ManpowerGroup's full-year EPS of negative $0.38 will flip to positive $3.09. Key Takeaways from ManpowerGroup's Q2 Results We were impressed by how significantly ManpowerGroup blew past analysts' organic revenue expectations this quarter. We were also excited its EPS guidance for next quarter outperformed Wall Street's estimates by a wide margin. On the other hand, its EPS missed. Overall, we think this was a decent quarter with some key metrics above expectations. The stock traded up 4.3% to $45 immediately after reporting. ManpowerGroup put up rock-solid earnings, but one quarter doesn't necessarily make the stock a buy. Let's see if this is a good investment. What happened in the latest quarter matters, but not as much as longer-term business quality and valuation, when deciding whether to invest in this stock. We cover that in our actionable full research report which you can read here, it's free. 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
Zawya
7 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Bitget loins Ondo's Global Markets Alliance to expand global access to over hundred tokenized RWAs
Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has officially joined the Global Markets Alliance, a collaborative initiative designed to align industry standards and promote interoperability for tokenized securities by Ondo Finance. This alliance brings together top players across the digital asset ecosystem to accelerate the adoption and accessibility of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), including tokenized stocks, ETFs, and more. As part of this partnership, Bitget users will soon be able to access over 100 tokenized U.S. equities, ETFs, and money market funds, expanding their investment universe beyond traditional crypto assets. The new offerings will go live on Bitget later this summer, aligning with the platform's vision of enabling users to trade smarter and build diversified, resilient portfolios across varied markets. Tokenized RWAs are an emerging segment in digital assets, created by the fusion of traditional finance and blockchain technology. By wrapping real-world assets, like equities, into blockchain-based tokens, they allow for 24/7 trading, lower barriers to entry, fractional ownership, and global accessibility. Features that are often limited or entirely unavailable in traditional financial systems are widely utilized. 'Tokenization will be the major driver of the next phase of digital asset adoption; its market is projected to reach trillions of dollars in the coming years. Supporting tokenized stocks is a step closer to our goal to help users trade smarter,' said Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget. 'Through our partnership with Ondo and the Global Markets Alliance, we're contributing to a more global, liquid, accessible, and inclusive financial market.' Ondo's Global Markets Alliance was created to bring together trusted infrastructure partners, exchanges, custodians, and DeFi platforms to unlock borderless access to high-quality financial products. Its mission is to build a more open, inclusive, and interoperable financial system powered by tokenized assets. Founding members of the alliance include industry leaders such as Solana Foundation, LayerZero, Jupiter, Trust Wallet, Rainbow Wallet, BitGo, Fireblocks, 1inch, Alpaca, and now Bitget, among others. 'Bringing Ondo's tokenized stocks and ETFs to Bitget will represent a significant step forward in our mission to make global financial markets accessible onchain. Bitget's expansive user base will become a critical platform for onchain access to US equities as we continue building the infrastructure for institutional-grade onchain capital markets.' — Nathan Allman, CEO & Founder, Ondo Finance With over 700 tokens listed and daily trading volume surpassing 3.5 billion USDT, Bitget ranks as the third-largest spot exchange globally according to CoinGecko. The addition of tokenized stocks and ETFs enable Bitget as an extensive ecosystem of crypto products, helping users navigate both digital and traditional assets.
