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On Animal Spirits Podcast Episode 463, Michael Batnick zeroed in on something more revealing than the doom-laden statistics a hedge fund manager had just rolled out. The manager cited stock market cap to GDP at 252% versus 65% in 1929 and 170% in 2000, and warned that “the 10-year forward return is negative when you ... Hedge Fund Manager Admits, “My Personality Won’t Allow Me” to Invest Like Buffett

High oil prices have increased concerns about a recession, which would likely be accompanied by a market crash.

The 4% withdrawal rule was built for a different rate environment. Today, with the 10-year Treasury yielding about 4.4% and core PCE inflation sitting in the 90th percentile of its 12-month range, retirees are asking a sharper question: can a dividend-income portfolio outlast a 4% drawdown by a full decade? The math says yes, but ... The Dividend Portfolio That Outlasts a 4% Withdrawal Plan by a Decade

Alpha Metallurgical Resources (NYSE:AMR) reported a modest sequential increase in adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter of 2026, while management said lower shipment volumes and inflation tied to the war in Iran pushed costs higher during the period. Chief Executive Officer Andy Eidson said the com

Where there's smoke, there's fire.

RGC Resources Inc (RGCO) reports a 14% increase in net income despite facing operational setbacks and inflationary pressures.

Investing.com -- A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has declined to "rubber-stamp" a $1.5 million settlement between Elon Musk and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), according to a Friday ruling reported by Reuters.

Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) is included among the 10 Best Inflation-Hedge Stocks to Buy for 2026. On May 7, TD Cowen analyst Oliver Chen raised the firm’s price recommendation on Walmart Inc. (NASDAQ:WMT) to $150 from $145. It reiterated a Buy rating on the stock. In a research note, the analyst said Walmart looks set for […]

Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) is included among the 10 Best Inflation-Hedge Stocks to Buy for 2026. On May 8, HSBC initiated coverage of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) with a Buy rating. It also set a $517 price target on the stock. The firm said the company is well-positioned to benefit from growing demand for wafer […]

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) is included among the 10 Best Inflation-Hedge Stocks to Buy for 2026. On May 7, Argus analyst Bill Selesky raised the firm’s price recommendation on Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) to $169 from $166. It reiterated a Buy rating on the shares. The firm pointed to Exxon’s Q1 earnings beat, while noting […]

Nike faces a class action lawsuit alleging it failed to refund tariff-related costs passed to consumers through higher prices on footwear and apparel.

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) is included among the 10 Best Inflation-Hedge Stocks to Buy for 2026. On May 8, Baird lowered its price recommendation on McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) to $305 from $330. It reiterated a Neutral rating on the shares. The firm updated its model following Q1 results, saying optimism around the company’s internal growth drivers […]

Nike is the latest brand to come under fire from consumers seeking payback for the tariffs they say they paid in the form of higher prices at retail.

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) is included among the 10 Best Inflation-Hedge Stocks to Buy for 2026. On May 1, UBS raised its price recommendation on Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) to $76 from $74. It reiterated a Buy rating on the shares. The analyst said Altria issued what the firm described as “conservative” guidance for FY26 […]

Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) is included among the 10 Best Inflation-Hedge Stocks to Buy for 2026. On May 8, RBC Capital analyst Steven Shemesh raised the firm’s price recommendation on Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) to $132 from $130. It reiterated an Outperform rating on the shares ahead of the company’s Q1 results. The analyst said the firm […]

A better-than-expected jobs report and a blistering chip-stock rally powered the S&P 500 to a record on Friday, with the index notching its sixth straight week of gains. The Dow industrials edged up 0.2% for the week, or 110 points.

<body><p>STORY: U.S. stocks ended the week higher on Friday...</p><p>and although the Dow was little changed, the S&P 500 gained more than eight-tenths of a percent and the Nasdaq climbed 1.7%, catapulting both indexes to more record high closes.</p><p>Credit strong company earnings and a resilient economy, says Ross Mayfield, investment strategist at Baird Private Wealth Management.</p><p>"It's really kind of the soft landing of all soft landings. You're wrapping up one of the best earnings seasons we've seen in some time. One of the best non-recession recovery earnings seasons ever. You've got positive headlines about the war in Iran and the move towards a ceasefire there, particularly ahead of, you know, Trump's meeting with Xi Jinping. You have a great jobs report. So signs that the, you know, the economy outside of the AI sector is still holding in pretty well. [FLASH] Now, that doesn't mean there isn't a big tail risk out there if the war in Iran kind of reverses or escalates for whatever reason. But barring that, it is very hard to see a reason that this market doesn't melt up into the summer and really into year end."</p><p>High-flying chip stocks had another stellar session, with shares of Intel gaining 14% after the Wall Street Journal reported the company reached a preliminary deal to make some chips for Apple devices. Shares of Apple added 2%.</p><p>Shares of Micron Technology and Sandisk spiked more than 15% and 16%, respectively, lifted by strong demand from the rapid buildout of AI data centers.</p><p>:: Cloudflare</p><p>Still, other tech stocks didn't fare as well, with Cloudflare plunging more than 23% after the cloud services company said it would cut about 20% of its workforce, and forecast second-quarter revenue slightly below Wall Street expectations.</p><p>:: CoreWeave</p><p>Shares of CoreWeave tumbled more than 11% after the cloud infrastructure technology company raised the lower end of its annual capital expenditure forecast, citing a rise in component costs.</p><p>Elsewhere in the market, shares of Expedia dropped more than 9% after the online travel platform flagged that the conflict in the Middle East was hurting demand.</p></body>

The unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.3%. Nike will reduce its workforce by roughly 1,400 workers, or about 2%, mostly in its tech department, as it simplifies global operations. Inflation and economic uncertainty linked to the Iran conflict is giving some chief executives and tech leaders reason to pull back or pause their IT hiring, said Janco Chief Executive Victor Janulaitis.

Next week is peppered with potential market-moving events. Headlining are Tuesday’s inflation report, which will offer the latest glimpse of how the Iran war is lifting consumer prices, and President Trump’s long-awaited—and delayed—visit to China, with the war and tariffs likely to be central topics.

Catch up on the stories we’re following today

The U.S. economy added 115,000 jobs in April, the Labor Department said, far exceeding expectations. The unemployment rate stayed unchanged at 4.3%. Intel shares rose 14% after The Wall Street Journal reported that the chip maker struck a preliminary deal to supply chips to Apple.

ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW) used its Knowledge 2026 conference to roll out Project Arc with NVIDIA, targeting secure autonomous AI agents across enterprise workflows. The company expanded its AI Control Tower for stronger AI governance and introduced ServiceNow Otto, a conversational AI spanning the full platform. New partnerships with Lenovo, Microsoft, FedEx and others focus on unified AI workflow automation, device lifecycle, regulated data and supply chain use cases. Following the Armis and...

American families are expected to spend up to $38 billion on Mother's Day this year, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), $3.2 billion of which will go toward buying flowers. UrbanStems CEO &nbsp;Meenakshi Lala discusses broader consumer spending trends, especially for these sentimental holidays, while Americans navigate the K-shaped economy.

The Nasdaq notched its best six-week streak since 2009 as a surge in semiconductor shares continues.

Consumers allege Nike raised prices to offset $1 billion in tariffs but has made no commitment to return the money

<body><p>STORY: :: Lisa Bernhard, Reuters</p><p>:: Ross Mayfield, Investment Strategist, Baird</p><p>The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq rallied to record highs on Friday, boosted by gains in semiconductor stocks, while a stronger-than-expected jobs report pointed to labor market resilience.</p><p>Speaking with Reuters' Lisa Bernhard, Mayfield said that with April's nonfarm payrolls data "building on last month's strong report... you start to feel like maybe the labor market is turning a corner."</p><p>Meanwhile, shares of Intel joined the chip rally late Friday, soaring as high as 19%, after the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that the company had reached a preliminary deal to make some chips for Apple devices.</p><p>"I certainly wouldn't want to stand in front of this momentum-driven sector," Mayfield said of the recent chip rally. "In my mind, it can't be a bubble if earnings are keeping up with price."</p></body>

Innodata (NasdaqGM:INOD) reported record first quarter 2026 results and raised its full year revenue growth guidance. The company secured a new $51 million contract with a leading Big Tech customer, expected to be its second largest customer this year. Management highlighted a new agent observability platform, a $1 million engagement with a hyperscaler, and progress on federal work including the Missile Defense Agency's SHIELD program. A federal court dismissed a securities fraud lawsuit...

A new report out from the Federal Reserve on Friday says risks to the financial system from private credit "appear limited and manageable."