Watch: Nvidia Unveils "Project GROOT" Robot & New "Grace Blackwell" Superchip
Watch: Nvidia Unveils 'Project GROOT' Robot & New 'Grace Blackwell' Superchip Nvidia announces the highly anticipated Blackwell platform to power a new era of computing, specifically introducing Blackwell B200 AI chip. Among the many organizations expected to adopt Blackwell are Amazon Web Services, Dell Technologies, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI. Oracle. Tesla and xAI. A Massive Superchip "The NVIDIA GB200 Grace Blackwell Superchip connects two NVIDIA B200 Tensor Core GPUs to the NVIDIA Grace CPU over a 900GB/S ultra-low-power NVLink chip-to-chip interconnect." "For the highest AI performance. GB200-powered systems can be connected with the NVIDIA Quantum-X800 InfiniBand and Spectrum™-X800 Ethernet platforms, also announced today, which deliver advanced networking at speeds up to 800Gb/s." "The GB200 is a key component of the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72. a multi-node, liquid- cooled, rack-scale system for the most compute-intensive workloads." "The GB200 NVL72 provides up to a 30x performance increase compared to the same number of NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs for LLM inference workloads, and reduces cost and energy consumption by up to 25x." B200 AI chip features 208bln transistors. Just one thing... B200 recommended power supply pic.twitter.com/AoNGlPcOk1 — zerohedge (@zerohedge) March 18, 2024 All those who spent tens of billions on A100 and H100s capex are now looking at tens of billions in obsolete inventory. Welcome to the AI cadence cycle. But there's more - towards the end of the keynote, Jensen Huang announced Project GROOT, which stands for "Generalist Robot 00 Technology". Huang revealed that robots powered by the platform will be designed to understand natural language and emulate movements by observing human actions, allowing them to quickly learn coordination, dexterity, and other skills to navigate, adapt, and interact with the real world – and absolutely won’t lead to a robot uprising. Huang then showed a number of demos in which Project GROOT-powered robots performed a number of tasks, showing off its capabilities. “Building basic models for general humanoid robots is one of the most exciting problems we can solve in AI today,” says Huang. “The enabling technologies are coming together to allow leading roboticists around the world to make giant leaps toward artificial general purpose robotics.” The initiative includes the unveiling of Jetson Thor, a computer for humanoid robots based on the NVIDIA Thor SoC, and major upgrades to the NVIDIA Isaac robotics platform. * * * As we wrote in our weekly preview note earlier, while this week is chock-full of central bank announcements, including a historic rate hike by the BOJ which will also be ending its YCC and purchases of ETFs, all eyes are on Nvidia which has two key events this week, the first of which may be even more market-moving than the central bank announcements. We are talking about NVIDIA hosting the world's largest and most important conference centered around AI, its GTC (Graphics Technology Conference), where CEO Jensen Huang will talk about the next innovations in the segment and unveil the next generation of GPUs powering the latest cloud and data center markets. For those unfamiliar, NVIDIA is hosting its latest episode of GTC today at 4pm (right at the market close) and what makes 2024's GTC special is the fact that the company has seen huge successes from the AI segment when it comes to its financial performance. Starting with its Volta V100 GPU family up to the latest Ampere A100 and Hopper H100 chips, the company is the official king of AI. But at the same time, the market is heating up with competition hitting back on both the hardware and software sides. Keeping that in mind, this GTC, NVIDIA is not only going to respond to its competition with new hardware innovations but will also certainly showcase how its AI software strategy has helped define its leadership in this segment and how it will evolve over the coming years. According to wccftech, some of the new products that we can expect to see at the keynote will be the Hopper H200 GPUs featuring the fastest HBM3e memory with upgraded capacities, and also the first showcase of the truly next-gen Blackwell B100/B200 GPUs. There are reports that the first generation of Blackwell GPUs will feature HBM3e memory with huge computing and AI-side upgrades while the B200 GPUs will take things to the next level in the coming year with updated HBM4 specs and even more software optimizations. For those who want to tune into the event, the GTC 2024 keynote will be live-streamed on 18th March (Monday) at 1 PM (Pacific Daylight Time) and last 2 hours till 3 PM so one can expect a very jam-packed presentation by NVIDIA CEO, Jensen Huang. In addition to being live-streamed, this will be the first GTC after many years that will have a proper in-person attendance and we can expect lots of key executives of other companies to show up to announce their support and partnership with NVIDIA. * * * In any event we are not the only ones who view today's GTC presentation as the biggest market event of the week: according to Goldman trader Cullen Morgan, the NVDA GTC Conference presentation by CEO Jensen Huang on Monday 4pm ET will be the most important macro event of the week, with NVDA options implying a +/- 9% move over the next 1-week; which suggests investors expect the presentation to be as impactful as a typical earnings event. The chart below shows that 1-week NVDA implied volatility is higher than ahead of two of the past four earnings events. At the index level, NDX 1-week options are pricing an +/- 2.2% move over the next week and a +/- 1.5% move between now and Tuesday’s close. As Morgan concludes "the Tuesday morning reaction to the NVDA presentation and the Wednesday afternoon reaction to the FOMC statement will likely be the two most important hours of the week for the market." Meanwhile, according to UBS trader Robert Ruple, consistent with the feedback from his recent Nvidia meeting, focal points will likely center around: i) the growth of Inference (stated that around 70% of current total Data Center GPU mix) including the adoption of AI across end-markets with an expanding total addressable market (including greater Enterprise adoption), ii) updates on their roadmap (B100/N100), iii) monetization opportunities from their CUDA/software ecosystem, while addressing the competitive backdrop and China. Structurally, Ruple remains bullish on Nvidia, but he does question if this could be a tactical “sell-the-news” event given all the hype with the stock up 77% year to date and 243% over the last year. Still, it’s tough to fight “city hall” nor the overwhelming enthusiasm for Nvidia/other AI stocks these days. Needless to say, traders are on edge, and in a slightly scaled down version of the recent super wipeout in NVDA stock which saw the company lose a quarter trillion in market cap in one day on March 8, today we have seen a gain of as much as 5.2% evaporate as NVDA stock turned from bright green to red, wiping out tens of billions in market cap, as traders prepare for possible downside after Huang's appearance later today. This would be too easy, right? We will be live streaming the speech when it starts at 4pm ET. Tyler Durden Mon, 03/18/2024 - 18:15.....»»
Watch Live: Nvidia Unveils "Grace Blackwell" Superchip
Watch Live: Nvidia Unveils 'Grace Blackwell' Superchip Nvidia announces the highly anticipated Blackwell platform to power a new era of computing, introduces Blackwell B200 AI chip. Among the many organizations expected to adopt Blackwell are Amazon Web Services, Dell Technologies, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI. Oracle. Tesla and xAI. A Massive Superchip "The NVIDIA GB200 Grace Blackwell Superchip connects two NVIDIA B200 Tensor Core GPUs to the NVIDIA Grace CPU over a 900GB/S ultra-low-power NVLink chip-to-chip interconnect." "For the highest AI performance. GB200-powered systems can be connected with the NVIDIA Quantum-X800 InfiniBand and Spectrum™-X800 Ethernet platforms, also announced today, which deliver advanced networking at speeds up to 800Gb/s." "The GB200 is a key component of the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72. a multi-node, liquid- cooled, rack-scale system for the most compute-intensive workloads." "The GB200 NVL72 provides up to a 30x performance increase compared to the same number of NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs for LLM inference workloads, and reduces cost and energy consumption by up to 25x." B200 AI chip features 208bln transistors. Just one thing... B200 recommended power supply pic.twitter.com/AoNGlPcOk1 — zerohedge (@zerohedge) March 18, 2024 All those who spent tens of billions on A100 and H100s capex are now looking at tens of billions in obsolete inventory. Welcome to the AI cadence cycle. * * * As we wrote in our weekly preview note earlier, while this week is chock-full of central bank announcements, including a historic rate hike by the BOJ which will also be ending its YCC and purchases of ETFs, all eyes are on Nvidia which has two key events this week, the first of which may be even more market-moving than the central bank announcements. We are talking about NVIDIA hosting the world's largest and most important conference centered around AI, its GTC (Graphics Technology Conference), where CEO Jensen Huang will talk about the next innovations in the segment and unveil the next generation of GPUs powering the latest cloud and data center markets. For those unfamiliar, NVIDIA is hosting its latest episode of GTC today at 4pm (right at the market close) and what makes 2024's GTC special is the fact that the company has seen huge successes from the AI segment when it comes to its financial performance. Starting with its Volta V100 GPU family up to the latest Ampere A100 and Hopper H100 chips, the company is the official king of AI. But at the same time, the market is heating up with competition hitting back on both the hardware and software sides. Keeping that in mind, this GTC, NVIDIA is not only going to respond to its competition with new hardware innovations but will also certainly showcase how its AI software strategy has helped define its leadership in this segment and how it will evolve over the coming years. According to wccftech, some of the new products that we can expect to see at the keynote will be the Hopper H200 GPUs featuring the fastest HBM3e memory with upgraded capacities, and also the first showcase of the truly next-gen Blackwell B100/B200 GPUs. There are reports that the first generation of Blackwell GPUs will feature HBM3e memory with huge computing and AI-side upgrades while the B200 GPUs will take things to the next level in the coming year with updated HBM4 specs and even more software optimizations. For those who want to tune into the event, the GTC 2024 keynote will be live-streamed on 18th March (Monday) at 1 PM (Pacific Daylight Time) and last 2 hours till 3 PM so one can expect a very jam-packed presentation by NVIDIA CEO, Jensen Huang. In addition to being live-streamed, this will be the first GTC after many years that will have a proper in-person attendance and we can expect lots of key executives of other companies to show up to announce their support and partnership with NVIDIA. * * * In any event we are not the only ones who view today's GTC presentation as the biggest market event of the week: according to Goldman trader Cullen Morgan, the NVDA GTC Conference presentation by CEO Jensen Huang on Monday 4pm ET will be the most important macro event of the week, with NVDA options implying a +/- 9% move over the next 1-week; which suggests investors expect the presentation to be as impactful as a typical earnings event. The chart below shows that 1-week NVDA implied volatility is higher than ahead of two of the past four earnings events. At the index level, NDX 1-week options are pricing an +/- 2.2% move over the next week and a +/- 1.5% move between now and Tuesday’s close. As Morgan concludes "the Tuesday morning reaction to the NVDA presentation and the Wednesday afternoon reaction to the FOMC statement will likely be the two most important hours of the week for the market." Meanwhile, according to UBS trader Robert Ruple, consistent with the feedback from his recent Nvidia meeting, focal points will likely center around: i) the growth of Inference (stated that around 70% of current total Data Center GPU mix) including the adoption of AI across end-markets with an expanding total addressable market (including greater Enterprise adoption), ii) updates on their roadmap (B100/N100), iii) monetization opportunities from their CUDA/software ecosystem, while addressing the competitive backdrop and China. Structurally, Ruple remains bullish on Nvidia, but he does question if this could be a tactical “sell-the-news” event given all the hype with the stock up 77% year to date and 243% over the last year. Still, it’s tough to fight “city hall” nor the overwhelming enthusiasm for Nvidia/other AI stocks these days. Needless to say, traders are on edge, and in a slightly scaled down version of the recent super wipeout in NVDA stock which saw the company lose a quarter trillion in market cap in one day on March 8, today we have seen a gain of as much as 5.2% evaporate as NVDA stock turned from bright green to red, wiping out tens of billions in market cap, as traders prepare for possible downside after Huang's appearance later today. This would be too easy, right? We will be live streaming the speech when it starts at 4pm ET. Tyler Durden Mon, 03/18/2024 - 17:19.....»»
Stock market today: US stocks jump on fresh wave of AI enthusiasm
Apple's potential AI deal with Alphabet and Nvidia's GPU Tech Conference sparked a renewed rally in the AI theme on Monday. AP Photo/Jason DeCrow A renewed wave of AI enthusiasm helped push the stock market higher on Monday. Nvidia is set to unveil new products at its GTC conference, while a report says Apple and Google could strike a deal on AI. Investors are also paying attention to the Federal Reserve's upcoming FOMC meeting on Wednesday. A renewed wave of investor enthusiasm toward artificial intelligence helped push the stock market higher on Monday.Shares of Nvidia jumped just over 1% as the company hosted its annual GPU Technology Conference. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was kicking off a highly anticipated two-hour keynote address as the market headed into the closing bell, with investors expecting details on the company's upcoming launch of next-generation GPU chips, including the B100, which will be the successor to its wildly popular H100.Meanwhile, earlier in the day a report from Bloomberg helped spark a sharp rally in shares of Alphabet during the session. The search giant saw its stock price surge about 5% after Bloomberg said Apple may utilize Alphabet's Gemini AI chatbot in its upcoming iPhone release."We do think that GOOGL is best positioned to win any external deal for AI on AAPL's devices given the strong search partnership the two already have," CFRA analyst Angelo Zino said.Aside from AI developments, investors will turn their attention to the Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting set to begin on Tuesday. While central bankers are expected to leave the benchmark rate unchanged, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell's speech will be closely listened to by investors to gauge when the Fed may begin to cut interest rates.Here's where US indexes stood at the 4:00 p.m. closing bell on Monday: S&P 500: 5,149.42, up 0.63% Dow Jones Industrial Average: 38,790.43, up 0.2% (+75.66 points)Nasdaq Composite: 16,103.45, up 0.82% Here's what else happened today: Millennial women are taking over the economy as female participation in the prime-age workforce surges, according to Ned Davis Research. Wall Street is ramping up its bets that the US economy will experience a soft landing, meaning no recession ahead. A trade war between the US and China is likely regardless of who wins the Presidency in 2024, according to Capital Economics.The housing market is expected to stay exceptionally strong in the South due to strong employment trends and relative affordability. Bitcoin could soar 266% to $250,000 next year if inflows into bitcoin ETFs remain strong, according to Standard Chartered.In commodities, bonds, and crypto: West Texas Intermediate crude oil jumped 2.13% to $82.30 a barrel. Brent crude, the international benchmark, climbed by 1.97% to $87.02 a barrel. Gold rose by 0.12% to $2,164.00 per ounce. The 10-year Treasury yield rose one basis point to 4.33%.Bitcoin dropped by 2.06% to $66,953. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Vanguard raises eyebrows in search for new CEO
Some Vanguard Group-watchers raised their eyebrows when last month Mortimer “Tim” Buckley announced, at 55, that he’s stepping down immediately as president and will retire as CEO and chair at year end. “Surprise exit raises big questions,” wrote financial news publication Barron’s. Early retirement is normal for executives at Malvern-based Vanguard, which is, after all, […] Some Vanguard Group-watchers raised their eyebrows when last month Mortimer “Tim” Buckley announced, at 55, that he’s stepping down immediately as president and will retire as CEO and chair at year end. “Surprise exit raises big questions,” wrote financial news publication Barron’s. Early retirement is normal for executives at Malvern-based Vanguard, which is, after all, in the retirement-savings business. Founder John Bogle was 59 when he stepped aside as president in favor of Jack Brennan, who later retired at 54. The less-usual move was that the company also declared a “comprehensive process to select a new CEO, evaluating both internal and external candidates.” Vanguard chief investment officer Greg Davis was named president, in the past a stepping-stone to the CEO’s position. But the external search raises the question: Will the company hire an outsider as the fifth CEO in its 49-year history? Why might Vanguard look outside for leaders? “Vanguard is an insular place and a tightly run organization,” said Charles Elson, a corporate-governance scholar who teaches a mergers course at University of Pennsylvania’s law school. Vanguard’s board, led by CEO Buckley, seems designed to nurture consensus rather than chart bold new courses, Elson says. It includes academics and retired senior managers from a range of companies, but no current or former public company CEOs. (By contrast, Vanguard’s competitor BlackRock’s board includes Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg, Cisco chief executive Chuck Robbins, and Estee Lauder CEO Fabrizio Freda, among other top corporate bosses.) ”Their board is self-perpetuating and insulated from challenges. Up until now at least, they haven’t thought they needed a change,” Elson said. “If you are happy with the way things are going, you won’t change. Only if they have a radical cultural problem do you go outside for change agents.” Lauren D’Innocenzo, associate professor of management at Drexel University’s LeBow business school, echoed that sentiment. “An internal candidate has a shorter runway to get up to speed and will have more institutional knowledge, compared to an external candidate,” said D’Innocenzo. It is companies seeking change “in culture, innovation or other areas” that seek outside candidates “as a catalyst.” What should Vanguard consider in outside candidates? Vanguard’s next leader should be “someone who can fix their technology,” said Dan Wiener, a New York asset manager and cofounder of the Independent Adviser for Vanguard Investors newsletter. “They need to fix their tech and service,” concurs the newsletter’s publisher and Wiener’s longtime chief of research, Jeff DeMaso, citing investor complaints. John Marshall, a retired banker in Burlington County who has millions invested with Vanguard, plus his children’s accounts, says he’s been with the company since its early years but is bemused by automation complications. After spending many hours getting the company to resolve “glitches” such as balance-transfer failures and funds that vanished from his accounts summary, Marshall received a letter last month threatening “closure of your Vanguard retail account(s)” if he doesn’t stop calling for help so much. “Poor Mr. Bogle must be spinning in his grave,” Marshall said. Vanguard says internal and outside investor surveys show that it has improved response times and user satisfaction, especially in the last couple of years. “A good part of Vanguard’s business can run on autopilot,” says Barry Ritholtz a New York money manager who hosted Buckley’s first public investor talk after he was tapped for the top job in 2017 and interviewed Davis last fall. But the company has also benefited from a “firm hand” at its top, Ritholtz added. Even after he retired from day-to-day management, Bogle was Vanguard’s most visible salesman, with frequent media appearances extolling Vanguard’s menu of low fees and long-term index-fund investments, encouraging advisers like Ritholtz who recommend Vanguard funds to individual investors and retirement plans. Ritholtz noted that Brennan, Bogle’s handpicked successor, was “a leader of men, who got the trains to run on time.” Bill McNabb, Brennan’s successor and Buckley’s immediate predecessor, was similarly “a guy you follow into battle.” Exiting CEO’s legacy Buckley joined Vanguard out of Harvard Business School in 1991, working three years as founder Bogle’s research assistant. Buckley became Vanguard’s info tech chief after Robert A. DiStefano died in 2001. While Buckley served in that post, Vanguard automated many jobs and canceled plans to add a second Chester County office. He headed the retail investor group division, became chief investment officer in 2013 and succeeded McNabb as chief executive in 2018 and chairman of the board the next year. With Buckley in charge, Vanguard roughly doubled its customer base, to more than 50 million. By 2023 the company had boosted assets under management from $5 trillion to $9 trillion. That included $1.3 billion in net new investments, the rest from market value rising. The company added its first private-equity fund, managed by HarbourVest, a PE manager whose clients also include Pennsylvania state pension funds. Under Buckley, Vanguard continued to grow more rapidly than its rivals, adding assets mostly in the U.S. but also Australia, the U.K., Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Canada and Latin America. The company added low-fee automated “robo-advisory” accounts and “hybrid” human adviser-assisted digital accounts totaling $300 billion, employing more than 1,000 human advisers and reports rising customer satisfaction rates. But Buckley resisted calls to add cryptocurrency ETFs and cut some operations in China and Germany. Buckley’s “unwavering commitment” left Vanguard well positioned for growth, Vanguard’s lead independent board director, Mark Loughridge, retired chief operating officer of engine-builder Cummins Inc., said in a statement. Buckley will stay with Vanguard through 2024. Some say Greg Davis has ‘earned it’ Born in Germany to a U.S. military father and a German mother, Davis studied insurance at Pennsylvania State University, worked three years as a State Farm underwriter, then picked up a Wharton MBA and headed to Wall Street. After a stint on Wall Street, Davis joined Vanguard in 1999 and soon attracted the attention of Buckley, who supported his rise in the leadership. He was assigned to Australia, then to the top bond job at Vanguard in Malvern, where 12,000 of the company’s 20,000 employees are based. He was named chief investment officer in 2017. “He was intelligent, he was determined, he was passionate; he was extremely respectful, he wanted to learn, and he was not afraid to be inquisitive,” said Carmine Urciuoli, one of Davis’ bosses at Citibank’s trading, sales and syndication desk in the late 1990s, who Davis credits with steering him away from trading toward asset management. “I am not surprised they would choose him to take the reins. He earned it.” But, Urciuoli added, there’s still big opportunity for “men and women that want to roll up their sleeves and dig in,” as Davis did......»»
20 States with the Cheapest Weed in America
In this article, we are going to discuss the 20 states with the cheapest weed in America. You can skip our detailed analysis of the cannabis industry in America, the effect of legalization on prices, and the budding cannabis-based pharmaceutical industry, and go directly to the 5 States with the Cheapest Weed in America. In […] In this article, we are going to discuss the 20 states with the cheapest weed in America. You can skip our detailed analysis of the cannabis industry in America, the effect of legalization on prices, and the budding cannabis-based pharmaceutical industry, and go directly to the 5 States with the Cheapest Weed in America. In the United States, marijuana wasn’t widely used for recreational purposes until the early 1900s. After the Mexican revolution of 1910, immigrants from the southern neighbor flooded into the U.S., introducing the recreational use of cannabis to American culture. Massive unemployment and social unrest during the Great Depression stoked resentment of Mexican immigrants and public fear of the ‘evil weed’. As a result, and consistent with the Prohibition era’s view of all intoxicants, these political and racial factors led to the criminalization of marijuana in 1937 with the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act. But its legal status is now changing in many places. Cannabis Industry in America: The United States of America is the country that buys the most weed in the world. The American legal cannabis industry took some hits in 2022, but as we mentioned in our article – 35 Cities with the Highest Weed Consumption per Capita – annual revenue of the industry was estimated at $31.8 billion by the end of 2023, growing to $50.7 billion by 2028. The increasing legalization of cannabis and rising acceptance of its use for medical purposes are the key factors driving the growth of the market. Growth is also expected to come from new states. In the first two months of 2023, three states began cannabis sales – two adult-use (Connecticut and Maryland) and one medical (Mississippi). As of March 2024, 24 states have legalized recreational weed in America, in addition to the District of Columbia. Effect of Legalization on Prices: All the diverse effects of legalizing recreational marijuana may not be clear for a number of years, but one consequence has become evident almost immediately – Weed has never been so cheap in America. The retail price of a gram of cannabis dropped 13% to $9.43 in Q3 of 2022 from $10.83 in the same period the previous year – the steepest fall ever seen for marijuana in a 1-year period. In some cases, legalizing cannabis has caused its prices to drop by up to 90%, when compared with prices during prohibition. At the peak in the 90’s, you could get $6,000 a pound for indoor OG Kush in California. Right now, farmers are reportedly getting $600 a pound for that very same strain. Notably, even high taxes on legal marijuana don’t keep the legal price anywhere near what it was when the drug was more broadly illegal. The major reason for this drastic decrease is Econ 101 – Supply and Demand. As the cannabis industry has boomed since legalization started a few years ago, more and more players have popped up to grab their slice of the sweet green ganja pie, which has resulted in an increasing number of growers producing more weed than stores know what to do with. The black market is also forced to drive prices down as the legal market gets more competitive. Competition among cannabis growers is also increasing as more cities allow operations. In 2021, the number of municipalities allowing marijuana businesses jumped to 118 from 87 in Michigan alone, while the number of licensed businesses jumped by nearly 150 to 1,238. Between 2020 and 2022, the number of growers nearly quadrupled to 1,238, and more than a third of those – 458 – are classified as Class C, larger operations that can harvest 2,000 to 10,000 plants. Legalizing the plant also opens doors to more innovation. Cannabis is an annual plant that gets planted in the spring and usually harvested in the fall. But farmers figured out that they could trick the plant into flowering early by depriving it of light and creating ‘longer nights’. This is done by throwing tarps over a greenhouse while the day is still going, making the plant think that it’s actually the fall and the night is really long. Light Deprivation has completely revolutionized cannabis cultivation and consumers will now be able to have the best products year-round and pay very low prices for it. Prohibition imposes huge costs on drug producing industries that are passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. These higher prices are among the principal reasons (the others being stigma and fear of punishment) that illegal drugs are used so much less frequently than legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco. Marijuana is a rare example where we can see the impact of legalizing a drug in real time, which shows that if the production and sale of heroin and cocaine etc. were also legalized, those drugs would also become dramatically cheaper. Cannabis-Based Pharmaceutical Industry: The FDA understands that there is increasing interest in the potential utility of cannabis for a variety of medical conditions. In 2018, the federal watchdog approved the country’s first-ever drug derived from marijuana – Epidiolex. Produced by GW Pharmaceuticals, the drug is used to treat two rare forms of epilepsy. The $7.2 billion acquisition of GW Pharmaceuticals by the global biopharma giant Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ:JAZZ) in 2021 is the latest sign of the growing legitimacy and increased receptivity of cannabis-based drugs in the pharma industry. With the new purchase, Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ:JAZZ) – which has focused primarily on sleep medications and oncology – has augmented its neuroscience portfolio. Net product sales of Epidiolex reached $746.4 million in 2022 – an increase of 12% from the previous year – according to an announcement by Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ:JAZZ). Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) has also entered the medical cannabis industry, betting on a promising cannabinoid-based bowel disease treatment. In December 2021, the industry giant announced the acquisition of the clinical-stage company Arena Pharmaceuticals for a total equity value of around $6.7 billion. By acquiring all shares of Arena for $100 per share in an all-cash transition, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) has joined other big pharma companies in the cannabis space. Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) ranks among the 10 Highest Dividend-Paying Stocks in the S&P 500. With that said, here are the States with the Lowest Prices of Weed in America. Copyright: atomazul / 123RF Stock Photo Methodology: To collect data for this article, we have referred to the Price of Weed – a global user-submitted price index for marijuana – looking for the States with the Cheapest Weed. The following states have been ranked by their average price per ounce of high quality cannabis. By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders. 20. Texas Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $322.93 Recreational use of marijuana is illegal in Texas, though in several cities and counties, small amounts have been decriminalized. As for legal marijuana, it’s still restrictive and requires prescription. One of the factors contributing to the low prices of weed in the Lone Star State is that pot grown in Mexico and sold in Houston and other Texas cities still goes for about the same price as 25 years ago. 19. Georgia Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $317.38 Weed is consumed in Georgia on a wide scale basis despite the illegality of its use. A January 2023 poll conducted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution found that 53% of Georgians polled supported adult-use legalization. 18. Wyoming Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $314.95 Marijuana is fully illegal in Wyoming and the state has some of the strictest cannabis laws in the United States. Wyoming is also the only state to make being ‘under the influence’ of cannabis illegal. There was an effort to decriminalize the herb in Cheyenne in 2023, but it did not come to fruition. Wyoming is counted among the States with the Cheapest Weed in 2024. 17. Hawaii Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $313.78 Lawmakers at a joint legislative hearing in Hawaii’s House of Representatives have advanced a Senate-passed bill that would legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis. The proposal would allow adults aged 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of weed and up to five grams of cannabis concentrates and would establish a framework for licensed, regulated sales. 16. Nebraska Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $308.29 The state of Nebraska has decriminalized possession of small amounts of cannabis, punishing possession of up to one ounce with a $300 citation, but the sale of any amount of marijuana is still a felony. That does not stop in-state residents from crossing into Colorado and other western states, where it is legal, to bring back cannabis products. 15. Rhode Island Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $306.09 Rhode Island became the 19th state to legalize recreational marijuana in 2022, when Gov. Dan McKee signed a bill into law that, in part, set up a framework for retail sales and taxation. That framework included establishing a Cannabis Control Commision to oversee and regulate the industry. Rhode Island sits among the Cheapest Legal Weed States to Live in. 14. Florida Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $298.64 Under Florida law, it’s illegal to consume marijuana for recreational purposes. At present, the Sunshine State’s Supreme Court is mulling a decision on the language of an amendment that would authorize the use of recreational cannabis for people 21 and older while also allowing individuals to possess up to 3 ounces of weed. Cannabis flowers currently available for sale at Florida’s medical dispensaries range between 20% and 30% THC. 13. Alaska Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $298.12 Even though it ranks among the States with the Least Expensive Weed, Alaska’s tax on marijuana is among the highest in the nation. When local taxes are also added to the mix, Alaska taxes marijuana more heavily than any other state. The Last Frontier’s cannabis industry is saying that a change in the state’s tax rates is desperately needed to help legal marijuana businesses compete with the black market. 12. Arizona Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $296.6 Arizona is one of the more progressive states when it comes to cannabis banking. However, It is a restrictive and expensive environment. Once a bank notifies regulators that it is working with cannabis-related businesses, it is designated as a CRB. The CRB banks are subject to more oversight by the FDIC, and hence charge higher fees for their services. Adult-use cannabis sales in 2022 reached $950 million, soaring to 70% of the state’s total marijuana sales for the year. Phoenix is among the Cities with the Highest Weed Consumption in the World. 11. Michigan Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $289.09 According to a 2022 cannabis industry job report, Michigan ranks 3rd in the country by the number of people employed in its cannabis industry. However, as the industry continues to boom, some companies are beginning to fall behind. Skymint – one of the biggest producers in Michigan – entered into receivership in March 2023 after defaulting on a $127 million loan. This is the fifth cannabis company in the Great Lake State to recently enter into receivership. Michigan ranks among the Cheapest Recreational Weed States. 10. Maine Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $285.08 According to data from Maine’s Office of Cannabis Policy, nearly $159 of cannabis products were sold in the state in 2022, almost double of the $82 million in sales recorded a year earlier. Maine also witnessed a 20% increase in the number of dispensaries the same year. 9. New Mexico Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $283.33 The first recreational dispensaries began licensed sales of cannabis in the Land of Enchantment on April 1st 2022. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced in April 2023 that the state of New Mexico saw $300 million in adult-use cannabis sales in its first year. In the first year of legalization, the government issued 2,000 cannabis licenses across New Mexico, including 633 cannabis retailers, 351 producers, 451 micro producers, and 507 manufacturers. 8. Utah Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $280.14 In Utah, medical cannabis is legal, but recreational isn’t, and possession of even one joint can land you six months in prison and a $1,000 fine. However, cannabis is a rapidly growing industry in the Beehive State and an estimated 3,000 people apply for and receive cannabis cards every month. Utah is included among the Top 10 States with the Cheapest Prices of Weed. 7. Idaho Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $273.08 While its neighboring states allow recreational and medical marijuana use, Idaho remains strictly bud-free. Hundreds of consumers travel everyday to Oregon to purchase cannabis products. In 2022, the border town of Ontario in Oregon boasted a total of $104 million in cannabis sales and this is especially impressive given that the town has a small population of only 11,000 people. According to Debbie Folden, the mayor of Ontario, the town’s cannabis market caters almost exclusively to Idaho residents. 6. Nevada Average Price of Weed per Ounce: $270.9 While recreational marijuana has been legalized in Nevada, it is only legal if you are 21+ and smoking in a private residence. No hotel allows guests to smoke weed within its premises and that has pushed consumption onto the Strip, into parking lots, and really pretty much everywhere outside around the city. As a solution, marijuana consumption lounges were approved in September 2022 in Las Vegas and Clark County. The lounges will be a lot like bars – which can’t sell alcohol – where residents and tourists can legally smoke cannabis products. At $8.9 per gram, Las Vegas is placed among the Cheapest Weed Friendly Cities in America. Click to continue reading and see the 5 States with the Cheapest Weed in America. Suggested Articles: 20 Best Weed Strains to Try in 2024 Top 20 Countries With The Highest Weed Consumption 24 States that Legalized Recreational Weed in the US Disclosure: None. 20 States with the Cheapest Weed in America is originally published on Insider Monkey......»»
30 Best Countries to Live in the World
In this article, we will take a look at 30 Best Countries to Live in the World. You can skip our detailed analysis and go directly to the 10 Best Countries to Live in the World. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs, we progress through levels of basic needs (food, shelter, clothing, etc.) to […] In this article, we will take a look at 30 Best Countries to Live in the World. You can skip our detailed analysis and go directly to the 10 Best Countries to Live in the World. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs, we progress through levels of basic needs (food, shelter, clothing, etc.) to loftier aspirations. All of these levels require interaction with the environment and society. Any degradation in them can seriously halt our climb up to higher levels. Considering the significant influence our surroundings wield in meeting not only our basic needs but also in fostering our success, the countries we inhabit can exert a tremendous impact. When assessing the characteristics that make a country the most desirable place to live, factors such as quality of life, safety levels, and residents’ happiness provide a fair basis for analysis. Quality of life Quality of life, a multifaceted concept, is assessed through diverse indicators. Eurostat, for example, evaluates it across 8+1 dimensions, encompassing material living conditions, economic security, physical safety, governance, basic rights, and overall life experience. In 2022, EU residents expressed higher satisfaction with their lives, averaging a rating of 7.1 out of 10. Interestingly, in certain EU states, the younger generation (15-29) reported greater happiness compared to those over 65. The OECD’s 2020 report, “How’s Life,” further highlights positive trends in general well-being. Notably, life expectancy in OECD countries has surpassed 80 years, while homicide rates have decreased by one-third. Moreover, employment rates and average household incomes have risen by 5 percentage points since 2010. These findings underscore advancements in key areas of well-being over time. Safety When considering the ideal country for settlement, safety emerges as a crucial factor. According to William Russell’s report on safety index, 14 out of the top 20 safest countries globally are in Europe, featuring nations such as Sweden, Iceland, Switzerland, and Finland. In the Asian region, Singapore and Japan stand out as exceptionally safe countries. Additionally, Slovenia has been identified as the safest place for women. These findings highlight the importance of safety considerations in the decision-making process for relocation or settlement. Happiness In the decision-making process of selecting the best country to live in, the happiness level of residents holds significant importance for immigrant settlement. The William Russell happiness report assesses various factors such as residents’ perceptions of their environment, friendliness, safety, and inclusion. According to their findings, the top five countries were Denmark, Sweden, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In 2023, global happiness saw a notable increase, rising 6 points from the previous year and 10 points from 2020, with 73% of respondents reporting increased happiness. According to an Ipsos survey across 32 markets, China ranked highest with the highest percentage of happy citizens (91%), followed by Saudi Arabia (86%) and the Netherlands (85%). Interestingly, middle-income markets experienced a more pronounced increase in happiness compared to high-income markets on average. These findings underscore the relevance of happiness levels in evaluating potential destinations for settlement. Major Players with Positive Impact on Best Country to Live Perception While governments undoubtedly play a vital and irreplaceable role in shaping a country’s standing on the global stage, it’s important to acknowledge the significant contributions of both private and public companies in fostering technological and economic growth. Technological innovations have revolutionized various aspects of life, enhancing convenience and promoting better health, ultimately improving overall quality of life. Companies such as Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) stand out as prime examples, having spearheaded numerous innovations that have had far-reaching impacts on the world. Their contributions highlight the critical partnership between the public and private sectors in driving progress and advancing societal well-being. Recently, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) finalized its $43 billion acquisition of Seagen Inc. with the aim of strengthening their endeavors to combat cancer worldwide. Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) sees this acquisition not only as beneficial for their financial health but also as a strategic move in their fight against cancer. Concurrently, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), among other tech giants, continues to drive significant advancements that streamline both professional and daily routines efficiently. Microsoft Corporation’s (NASDAQ: MSFT) Cloud for Sustainability, introduced in 2022, exemplifies the commitment of such companies to spearhead advanced climate solutions, fostering better management and sustainability within societies and nations. 30 Best Countries to Live in the World Methodology To compile the list of the 30 best countries to live in the world, we utilize a refined methodology outlined in our article 30 Countries with the Highest Quality of Life Heading into 2024. This initial selection is then augmented by incorporating data from the World Happiness Report 2022 and the Peace Index ranking from the Global Peace Index 2023. As a final step, we calculate the average of these three rankings. In the event of a tie, we refer to the cost of living index ranking by Numbeo for 2024 as a tie-breaker. Please Note: For Qatar, we derive the Happiness Index value from the ranking provided in the cities section for Doha. Additionally, for Luxembourg and Brunei, we obtain the peace ranking from Numbeo’s Safety Index 2024. Since Brunei lacks a rank in the Happiness Report, we calculate the average based on the two available metrics. By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that uses a consensus approach to identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The website tracks the movement of corporate insiders and hedge funds. Our top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 stock index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). So, if you are looking for the best stock picks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders. Let us now take a look at our list for 30 Best Countries to Live in the World. 30. The United States Quality of Life Ranking: 21 Happiness Index Ranking: 16 Peace Index Ranking: 131 Insider Monkey Average: 56 The United States, often referred to as the “land of opportunity,” has drawn millions of individuals to immigrate and settle over the years. As a developed nation, the US offers the promise of a high quality of life for its citizens, providing opportunities for a well-rounded and satisfying existence. These factors contribute to making it one of the best countries to live in. 29. Cyprus Quality of Life Ranking: 30 Happiness Index Ranking: 41 Peace Index Ranking: 64 Insider Monkey Average: 45 Ranked among the countries known for ensuring a good quality of life for its residents, Cyprus stands out as one of the best options to live. The nation has consistently succeeded in satisfying its inhabitants, portraying an overall positive and happy environment. 28. South Korea Quality of Life Ranking: 17 Happiness Index Ranking: 59 Peace Index Ranking: 43 Insider Monkey Average: 39.67 For people seeking a high quality of life, South Korea emerges as one of the top choices. The country also maintains a respectable position on the peace index, and its overall situation presents a favorable picture, making it an attractive destination for those in pursuit of a better life. 27. United Arab Emirates (UAE) Quality of Life Ranking: 20 Happiness Index Ranking: 24 Peace Index Ranking: 75 Insider Monkey Average: 39.67 In the Gulf region, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stands out as one of the developed nations capable of ensuring a high quality of life for its residents. Generally, people in the country express satisfaction with their lives, contributing to its reputation as one of the best countries to live in worldwide. 26. Qatar Quality of Life Ranking: 26 Happiness Index Ranking: 63 Peace Index Ranking: 21 Insider Monkey Average: 36.67 Qatar has been increasingly recognized as a desirable option for relocation, largely due to its remarkable advancement in recent years. Renowned for providing a high quality of life, Qatar is also known as one of the safest places on earth, further enhancing its appeal as a preferred destination for individuals seeking security and prosperity. 25. Latvia Quality of Life Ranking: 29 Happiness Index Ranking: 42 Peace Index Ranking: 27 Insider Monkey Average: 32.67 With a well-rounded ranking across various dimensions, Latvia offers its residents a host of attractive qualities, solidifying its position as one of the best countries to live in the world. 24. Lithuania Quality of Life Ranking: 25 Happiness Index Ranking: 34 Peace Index Ranking: 36 Insider Monkey Average: 31.67 The combination of a high quality of life, contented populace, and a safe environment, positions the country as one of the best places to live in the world. 23. Portugal Quality of Life Ranking: 27 Happiness Index Ranking: 56 Peace Index Ranking: 7 Insider Monkey Average: 30 Portugal stands out not only as one of the most peaceful countries globally but also as one of the European nations offering a high quality of life. As such, in the multitude of choices for best countries to live in, Portugal emerges as a viable and appealing option. 22. Japan Quality of Life Ranking: 16 Happiness Index Ranking: 54 Peace Index Ranking: 9 Insider Monkey Average: 26.33 Japan is renowned not only for its highly developed economy, which contributes to a high standard of living, but also for being one of the safest and most peaceful nations globally. These factors make choosing Japan as a place for living an attractive option for many individuals. 21. The United Kingdom Quality of Life Ranking: 23 Happiness Index Ranking: 17 Peace Index Ranking: 37 Insider Monkey Average: 25.67 Movement to England has been a longstanding phenomenon, with millions of individuals relocating to the country over the years. This trend is unsurprising, considering England’s reputation for offering a high quality of life. Additionally, residents of England are among the happiest in the world, further enhancing its appeal as a desirable destination. 20. Estonia Quality of Life Ranking: 11 Happiness Index Ranking: 36 Peace Index Ranking: 25 Insider Monkey Average: 24 One of the European countries, Estonia undoubtedly earns its place among the best countries to live in the world. Renowned for its exceptionally high quality of life, widespread satisfaction among its residents, and overall peaceful atmosphere, Estonia offers numerous advantages to its citizens. 19. Brunei Quality of Life Ranking: 22 Peace Index Ranking: 26 Insider Monkey Average: 24 Brunei achieves a high ranking on the Human Development Index (HDI), ensuring its citizens access to a high quality of life. Moreover, its impressive standing on safety indexes further solidifies its position among the best countries to live in worldwide. 18. Taiwan Quality of Life Ranking: 10 Happiness Index Ranking: 26 Peace Index Ranking: 33 Insider Monkey Average: 23 Taiwan fulfills major criteria considered in evaluating a country’s status as a best country for living. It boasts high standards of life, a contented populace, and a safe environment. 17. Belgium Quality of Life Ranking: 24 Happiness Index Ranking: 19 Peace Index Ranking: 20 Insider Monkey Average: 21 Belgium residents generally report high levels of happiness, experiencing less stress, worry, and sadness while overall enjoying life. This outcome is not surprising given the high quality of life available in the country and its peaceful environment. 16. Slovenia Quality of Life Ranking: 28 Happiness Index Ranking: 22 Peace Index Ranking: 8 Insider Monkey Average: 19.33 Slovenia ranks quite high on the peace index, indicating an excellent safety scenario within the country. Additionally, individuals considering a move to this beautiful country can also enjoy the benefits of its well-developed infrastructure and high standard of living, contributing to a satisfied population. 15. Luxembourg Quality of Life Ranking: 4 Happiness Index Ranking: 6 Peace Index Ranking: 41 Insider Monkey Average: 17 Luxembourg is among the European nations experiencing significant immigrant inflow in recent years. With its exceptionally high quality of life and one of the happiest populations globally, Luxembourg unquestionably qualifies as one of the best countries to live in worldwide. 14. Australia Quality of Life Ranking: 14 Happiness Index Ranking: 12 Peace Index Ranking: 22 Insider Monkey Average: 16 Australia has not only emerged as a veritable hub for job opportunities but also maintains high standards of living, fosters a high level of happiness among its residents, and boasts a peaceful and safe environment. These factors add to its appeal as a favorite destination for expatriates as well. 13. Germany Quality of Life Ranking: 19 Happiness Index Ranking: 14 Peace Index Ranking: 15 Insider Monkey Average: 16 As one of the most advanced economies globally, Germany has succeeded in providing its residents with a very comfortable and efficient overall lifestyle. This enables them to lead satisfied lives and feel secure in their country. 12. Sweden Quality of Life Ranking: 9 Happiness Index Ranking: 7 Peace Index Ranking: 28 Insider Monkey Average: 14.67 Like other European nations, Sweden also stands out as one of the best countries for living. People can expect to live a high standard of life, surrounded by a happy and friendly society, and enjoy a peaceful environment. 11. Canada Quality of Life Ranking: 13 Happiness Index Ranking: 15 Peace Index Ranking: 11 Insider Monkey Average: 13 When considering the factors crucial for defining a country’s status as a worthy living place, Canada happens to satisfy most indicators. It offers a high quality of life, a contented populace, and a peaceful environment. Click to continue reading and see our 10 Best Countries to Live in the World. Suggested Articles: 15 States with the Highest Homeless Population in the US 25 Worst Countries for Gender Equality 25 Biggest Countries in Do Not Travel List Disclosure: None. 30 Best Countries to Live in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey......»»
Watch Live: Nvidia CEO"s Keynote Speech, The "Week"s Most Important Event"
Watch Live: Nvidia CEO's Keynote Speech, The "Week's Most Important Event" Watch Jensen Huang's keynote speech live: As we wrote in our weekly preview note earlier, while this week is chock-full of central bank announcements, including a historic rate hike by the BOJ which will also be ending its YCC and purchases of ETFs, all eyes are on Nvidia which has two key events this week, the first of which may be even more market-moving than the central bank announcements. We are talking about NVIDIA hosting the world's largest and most important conference centered around AI, its GTC (Graphics Technology Conference), where CEO Jensen Huang will talk about the next innovations in the segment and unveil the next generation of GPUs powering the latest cloud and data center markets. For those unfamiliar, NVIDIA is hosting its latest episode of GTC today at 4pm (right at the market close) and what makes 2024's GTC special is the fact that the company has seen huge successes from the AI segment when it comes to its financial performance. Starting with its Volta V100 GPU family up to the latest Ampere A100 and Hopper H100 chips, the company is the official king of AI. But at the same time, the market is heating up with competition hitting back on both the hardware and software sides. Keeping that in mind, this GTC, NVIDIA is not only going to respond to its competition with new hardware innovations but will also certainly showcase how its AI software strategy has helped define its leadership in this segment and how it will evolve over the coming years. According to wccftech, some of the new products that we can expect to see at the keynote will be the Hopper H200 GPUs featuring the fastest HBM3e memory with upgraded capacities, and also the first showcase of the truly next-gen Blackwell B100/B200 GPUs. There are reports that the first generation of Blackwell GPUs will feature HBM3e memory with huge computing and AI-side upgrades while the B200 GPUs will take things to the next level in the coming year with updated HBM4 specs and even more software optimizations. For those who want to tune into the event, the GTC 2024 keynote will be live-streamed on 18th March (Monday) at 1 PM (Pacific Daylight Time) and last 2 hours till 3 PM so one can expect a very jam-packed presentation by NVIDIA CEO, Jensen Huang. In addition to being live-streamed, this will be the first GTC after many years that will have a proper in-person attendance and we can expect lots of key executives of other companies to show up to announce their support and partnership with NVIDIA. * * * In any event we are not the only ones who view today's GTC presentation as the biggest market event of the week: according to Goldman trader Cullen Morgan, the NVDA GTC Conference presentation by CEO Jensen Huang on Monday 4pm ET will be the most important macro event of the week, with NVDA options implying a +/- 9% move over the next 1-week; which suggests investors expect the presentation to be as impactful as a typical earnings event. The chart below shows that 1-week NVDA implied volatility is higher than ahead of two of the past four earnings events. At the index level, NDX 1-week options are pricing an +/- 2.2% move over the next week and a +/- 1.5% move between now and Tuesday’s close. As Morgan concludes "the Tuesday morning reaction to the NVDA presentation and the Wednesday afternoon reaction to the FOMC statement will likely be the two most important hours of the week for the market." Meanwhile, according to UBS trader Robert Ruple, consistent with the feedback from his recent Nvidia meeting, focal points will likely center around: i) the growth of Inference (stated that around 70% of current total Data Center GPU mix) including the adoption of AI across end-markets with an expanding total addressable market (including greater Enterprise adoption), ii) updates on their roadmap (B100/N100), iii) monetization opportunities from their CUDA/software ecosystem, while addressing the competitive backdrop and China. Structurally, Ruple remains bullish on Nvidia, but he does question if this could be a tactical “sell-the-news” event given all the hype with the stock up 77% year to date and 243% over the last year. Still, it’s tough to fight “city hall” nor the overwhelming enthusiasm for Nvidia/other AI stocks these days. Needless to say, traders are on edge, and in a slightly scaled down version of the recent super wipeout in NVDA stock which saw the company lose a quarter trillion in market cap in one day on March 8, today we have seen a gain of as much as 5.2% evaporate as NVDA stock turned from bright green to red, wiping out tens of billions in market cap, as traders prepare for possible downside after Huang's appearance later today. This would be too easy, right? We will be live streaming the speech when it starts at 4pm ET. Tyler Durden Mon, 03/18/2024 - 14:25.....»»
Stock market today: US stocks rally ahead of Nvidia"s big AI event and as traders prep for Fed meeting
Nvidia's GTC, the annual conference centered on artificial intelligence, will kick off on Monday with a keynote from CEO Jensen Huang. Traders on the floor react before the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange on March 9, 2020 in New York.Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty ImagesTechnology led the stock market higher on Monday as investors await Nvidia's big AI event.Nvidia is set to unveil its new GPU products like the B100 at its annual conference.The Fed will kick off its two-day policy meeting Tuesday, with markets expecting rates to be unchanged.US stocks jumped on Monday, led by the technology sector, as investors await Nvidia's big AI conference.Nvidia's GTC, the annual conference centered on artificial intelligence, will kick off on Monday with a keynote presentation from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.Huang is expected to give an update on the future of AI technologies, as well as unveil some of the company's new GPU products like the B100, its successor to the wildly popular H100. Shares of Nvidia jumped about 3% in early Monday trades.Following the AI-fueled excitement, investors will be turning their attention to the Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting set to begin on Tuesday. While central bankers are expected to leave the benchmark rate unchanged, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell's speech will be closely listened to by investors to gauge when the Fed may begin to cut interest rates.Recent economic data, including two hotter-than-expected inflation reports last week, have brought the odds of a June rate cutdown to about 55%.Here's where US indexes stood shortly after the 9:30 a.m. opening bell on Monday: S&P 500: 5,165.95, up 0.95% Dow Jones Industrial Average: 38,849.45, up 0.35% (+134.68 points)Nasdaq Composite: 16,202.36, up 1.43% Here's what else is going on today: Millennial women are taking over the economy as female participation in the prime-age workforce surges, according to Ned Davis Research. Wall Street is ramping up its bets that the US economy will experience a soft landing, meaning no recession ahead. A trade war between the US and China is likely regardless of who wins the Presidency in 2024, according to Capital Economics.In commodities, bonds, and crypto: West Texas Intermediate crude oil jumped 1.05% to $81.43 a barrel. Brent crude, the international benchmark, climbed by 0.91% to $86.12 a barrel. Gold declined by 0.02% to $2,161.10 per ounce. The 10-year Treasury yield was flat at 4.32%.Bitcoin dropped by 0.65% to $67,918. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
It"s tax season. Here"s what to do if you get a rebate.
If you do snag a rebate, what should you do with it? It's a question plenty of Americans contemplate every year. And with so much turmoil in the economy currently, it's even more pressing. Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesThis post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.Welcome back! Turns out the dogfighting and flying in the "Top Gun" movies is spot-on, according to an actual TOPGUN instructor.In today's big story, the top habits of financially free people could serve as inspiration for what to do with your tax rebate.What's on deck:Markets: These market experts see a bubble forming as valuations outpace earnings.Tech: What to expect from the "Woodstock of AI" event hosted this week by Nvidia.Business: How to post on LinkedIn and not be ashamed of it.But first, what to do with that money from Uncle Sam.If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.The big storyTax timeljubaphoto/Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/BISpring has nearly sprung. The blooming flowers and warmer weather probably have you thinking of one thing: Filing your taxes.In reality, tax season can be a pain, but at least there's new free software to do it, thanks to the IRS.For many filers, there is a light at the end of the tunnel in the form of a rebate.(Of course, that's not the case for everyone. But as my grandfather used to say, better to owe the government money than ask for some of yours back. To be fair, he was not an accountant, so don't take that as financial advice.)If you do snag a rebate, what should you do with it? It's a question plenty of Americans contemplate every year. And with so much turmoil in the economy currently, it's even more pressing.Business Insider's Kathleen Elkins has interviewed dozens of financially independent people who don't need to work thanks to passive income or their investments.To get inspiration on what to do with your rebate, I asked Kathleen about some of the themes she constantly hears from these financial wizards.Ricardo Tomás for Business InsiderPay off your high-interest debt first. The top priority often cited by the financially independent is tackling debt with high interest rates. The rationale is the longer you wait, the more it will snowball. And with no definitive timeline on when rates will be lowered, that snowball could quickly become an avalanche.Establish an emergency fund. Saving up a safety net is something else those on the path to financial freedom look to do before they even consider investing. Kathleen told me the standard amount was typically three to six months of living expenses.Keep it simple. Investing doesn't have to be complicated, according to these experts. Many often opt for index funds over individual stocks or, dare I say, crypto. They're also not worried about timing the market since they almost always take a long-term approach.The power of an HSA. Health savings accounts are a favorite among this group thanks to their triple tax advantage: contribute pretax dollars that grow tax-free over time until you withdraw your money tax-free to cover qualified medical expenses. The case for HSAs was so compelling Kathleen even opened one up for herself.Don't forget yourself. People looking to achieve financial freedom are known to cut costs wherever possible. But Nischa Shah, an accountant and former investment banker, preached the value of spending money on yourself. That could be building a new skill, attending a conference, or hiring a coach.News briefYour Monday headline catchupA quick recap of the top news from over the weekend:Why the scale of Putin's landslide win matters so much.Ukraine drones attack multiple oil refineries in the campaign against Russia's strategic energy industry.Trump couldn't bring himself to condemn Putin for Alexey Navalny's death.Sacramento will soon give low-income Black and Native American families $725 a month, no strings attached.Dell workers can stay remote — but they're not going to get promoted.The end of the Realtor monopoly.3 things in marketsAlain Grosclaude/Getty ImagesMarket gurus are getting worried about a bubble. Experts like former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers are worried about stocks' lofty valuations. With stocks outpacing earnings, these six market watchers detail how things could turn ugly.What part of the stock market will get the AI lift next? Nvidia, which makes AI-enabling GPU chips, was the initial benefactor of the AI boom. But Goldman Sachs sees three more broad stages of the "AI trade." That includes infrastructure players behind the tech and software and IT services with tools that will help companies utilize AI.Bitcoin's looming halving feels like a big deal. The token's fourth halving, which is expected to take place in April, is unlike others before it, crypto market experts told BI. It's unlikely to be a "sell the news" event as the excitement surrounding spot ETFs continues to build, they said.3 things in techNoah Berger/Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/BIAll eyes are on Nvidia's Jensen Huang. The Nvidia CEO is set to host his GPU Technology Conference (GTC) this week. Nvidia employees are already referring to it as the "Woodstock of AI" and Huang is anticipated to lift the lid on B100, the next-generation version of H100 GPU — which will be a big deal if so.AI's hottest new job. Demand for prompt engineer roles has skyrocketed amid the ChatGPT hype. That's probably because you don't need a formal tech background to do the work, and companies are offering salaries that echo the buzz. But some are warning that the job is merely a fad.Advance could win big from Reddit's upcoming IPO. The Condé Nast owner's stake in Reddit will be worth $1.7 billion if the social news company's listing this week pans out the way bankers are expecting. It's a rare case of a big media company investing in a digital property and not living to regret it, BI's Peter Kafka writes.3 things in businessDora Tsui; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/BIQuince vs. Quince. There's "Quince," the three-Michelin-starred restaurant founded in San Francisco in 2003, and then there's "Quince," the e-commerce startup known for affordable cashmere that launched in 2020. The restaurant is suing the startup, which now sells cookware, for encroaching on its territory. The startup says it's done nothing wrong. Which Quince will come out on top?The shame of LinkedIn. As much as it is a professional platform, something about posting on LinkedIn feels really personal. But that's not a dunk on the platform. It's actually pretty helpful. You just have to get over the cringe part — here's how.Some DINKs want kids — but can't afford them. In the current economic climate, more people are deciding that having children is too expensive. That's the dark side of the "Dual Income, No Kids" lifestyle, BI's Juliana Kaplan writes.In other newsChina says moves to ban TikTok will 'eventually backfire on US.'I'm a junior in high school. Here's the real reason my generation is falling behind.Target is taking a chunk of its ad business in-house to compete with Amazon and Walmart.Anthropic-backer Menlo Ventures is preparing for a 'gold rush' of infrastructure startups. Here's why.Solving the looming retirement crisis means thinking differently about aging, economist says.We asked ChatGPT and Claude to analyze Biden's cognitive abilities based on the Joe Biden-Robert Hur transcript. Their verdict: the president is doing fine.What's happening todayDon Lemon will release his interview with Elon Musk.The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, editor, in London. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. George Glover, reporter, in London. Grace Lett, associate editor, in Chicago.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
The cocoa market is so hot that the commodity has crushed bitcoin"s 150% gain in the last year
In the last 12 months, prices for the commodity have surged more than 200%, and it's hovering near record highs. Chocolate bar.Capelle.r/Getty Images Cocoa prices are hovering near historic highs around $8,000 per metric ton. The chocolate commodity has outperformed bitcoin in the last year, gaining more than 200%. A bad harvest and lack of investment have sent cocoa prices higher over recent months. Bitcoin isn't the only asset that's been breaking records with triple-digit gains over recent months — cocoa's 186% gain over the last 12 months has eclipsed bitcoin's roughly 150% climb in the same stretch. At the end of last week, cocoa futures touched a record $8,018 per metric ton. The commodity has pared gains since, but it remains near all-time highs due to weaker crop yields in West Africa, political instability in some of the top-producing countries, lack of investment in new cocoa plants, and imbalanced supply and demand.The S&P GSCI Cocoa index is up 206% over the last 12 months, and up more than 90% year-to-date.Roughly three-fourths of the world's cocoa, per Bloomberg, comes from four countries in West Africa: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, and Nigeria. Processors in the region have had to halt or slash production because beans have become so expensive, Reuters reported. As a result, cocoa markets this season face a supply shortfall of about 374,000 tons, data from the International Cocoa Organization shows. The group estimates global cocoa production could decline by 10.9% to 4.45 million metric tons during this crop season. Commercial chocolate prices have increased in kind. In 2023, US retail stores charged 11.6% more for chocolate products than the prior year, Circana data cited by Reuters shows.Last month, chocolate giants Hershey and Cadbury both warned of potential price hikes for consumers in light of the cocoa supply shortage. The cocoa craze has pushed the commodity to outpace the bull run in the world's biggest crypto, though bitcoin's rally is still impressive.The token has long been touted by some as an inflation hedge similar to gold, making it attractive to some investors who fear the debasement of fiat currencies like the dollar. More importantly for the crypto this year, though, has been the approval of spot ETFs that have unleashed a burst of new demand. That comes at a time when the market is also gearing up for the supply shock delivered by next month's halving. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Why European stocks may soon start to outperform US equities, according to JPMorgan
The firm lays out five reasons why the Eurozone is set to close a return gap that's formed between it and the US. European stocks may soon outperform US equitiesGetty Images There are five reasons why European stocks may soon start to outperform US equities, according to JPMorgan. That includes the fact that the Eurozone is the cheapest compared to any time pre-COVID and that China's economic outlook is improving. But an economic downturn in the US or a possible trade war could cast a shadow over a Eurozone rebound. The tides are turning for the US stock market's dominance over its European counterpart. According to JPMorgan, European equities may soon outperform their American peers."We are now closing the US over Eurozone [overweight]," analysts led by Mislav Matejka wrote in a note on Monday.While they aren't ready to go fully overweight European stocks over US — but rather, pulling back from their US preference — they provide five reasons why the Eurozone is set to close the gap that's formed.First, the Eurozone MSCI index looks quite cheap. After outstripping US gains by over 30% in the year before May 2023, the index has since been underperforming the MSCI US index, measured in US dollars. Its relative performance is down 14% since May last year.MSCI Eurozone vs MSCI USJPMorganOn a forward earnings basis, the Eurozone is trading at a 13.3 times, versus 21 times for US stocks. That makes the Eurozone the cheapest compared to any time pre-COVID, analysts wrote.Eurozone sector neutral P/E relative to USJPMorganSecond, the bull run in US stocks may be close to hitting a wall. While trading growth over value has paid off in the current tech-heavy market, "it is trading stretched and is at risk of a reversal, given the [momentum] concentration," analysts said. Even though European stocks are also susceptible to a hiccup because of increasingly hyped-up trades, the firm says fallout would be much worse in the US stock market.Third, the Citigroup Economic Surprises Indices shows that European economic activity momentum has begun moving above that of the US. The last time that happened, the Eurozone outperformed the US.Eurozone activity momentum is moving upJPMorganThen there's the European Central Bank which may ease monetary policy more aggressively than the Fed. While ECB officials are narrowing in on rate cuts in June, the path of rates in the US is more hazy after a string of hotter-than-expected economic data. Some experts have even forecasted no rate cuts at all this year.Lastly, JPMorgan sees an improving economic picture in China, which is a green flag for export-heavy European markets. The Eurozone is more leveraged to China than the US, analysts wrote, which explains the Eurozone's weaker performance as China's economy has been walloped by a series of financial problems.Still, there are factors that could shake up a Eurozone rebound, analysts noted. The US economy is in a precarious position, with risks of either tipping into a downturn or bubbling up as inflation remains stickier than expected. Either outcome would lead to a broader market drawdown. There's also a possibility of US politics creating turmoil for the Eurozone, given the uncertainty around a potential trade war which would subdue international markets.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»
Dow Jumps Over 100 Points; US Housing Market Index Surges In March
U.S. stocks traded higher midway through trading, with the S&P 500 index gaining around 1% on Monday. The Dow traded up 0.37% to 38,859.32 while the NASDAQ rose 1.61% to 16,231.11. The S&P 500 also rose, gaining, 1.05% to 5,171.00. Check This Out: Top 4 Tech Stocks That May Collapse In March Leading and Lagging Sectors Communication services shares jumped by 3.6% on Monday. In trading on Monday, health care shares rose by just 0.2%. Top Headline The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index rose to 51 in March, notching the highest reading in eight months, versus a reading of 48 in February and beating market estimates of 48. Equities Trading UP Canoo Inc. (NASDAQ: GOEV) shares shot up 53% to $2.98 after the US Department of Commerce has approved its Oklahoma City facility as a Foreign Trade Zone. Shares of Wearable Devices Ltd. (NASDAQ: WLDS) got a boost, surging 29% to $0.5750. Wearable Devices published a report by its XR ...Full story available on Benzinga.com.....»»
7 Stocks I Like on the Nasdaq Market
The index has been hitting new highsRelated Stocks: EWBC, AGCO, LEGH, PLPC, MCFT, GOOGL, AAPL, TMHC, CRUS,.....»»
Key Events This Week: Central Banks Galore Including A Historic Rate Hike By The BOJ
Key Events This Week: Central Banks Galore Including A Historic Rate Hike By The BOJ According to DB's Jim Reid, "this could be a landmark week in markets as the last global holdout on negative rates looks set to be removed as the BoJ likely hikes rates from -0.1% tomorrow." That will likely overshadow the FOMC that concludes on Wednesday that will have its own signalling intrigue given recent strong inflation. We also have the RBA meeting tomorrow and the SNB and BoE meetings on Thursday to close out a big week for global central bankers with many EM countries also deciding on policy. We’ll preview the main meetings in more depth below but outside of this we have the global flash PMIs on Thursday as well as inflation reports in Japan (Thursday) and the UK (Wednesday). US housing data also permeates through the week as you'll see in the full global day-by-day week ahead at the end as usual. Let’s go into detail now, starting with the BoJ tomorrow. We’ve had negative base rates now for 8 years which if is the longest run ever seen for any country in the history of mankind. In fact it is doubtful that pre-historic man was as generous as to charge negative interest rates on lending money prior to this! It also might be one of the longest global runs without any interest rate hikes given the 17 year run that could end tomorrow. So, as Reid puts it, a landmark event. DB's Chief Japan economist expects the central bank to revise its policy and abandon both NIRP and the multi-tiered current account structure and set rates on all excess reserves at 0.1%. He also sees both the yield curve control (YCC) and the inflation-overshooting commitment ending, replaced by a benchmark for the pace of the bank’s JGB purchasing activity. The house view forecast of 50bps of hikes through 2025 is more hawkish than the market but risks are still tilted to the upside. On Friday, the Japan Trade Union Confederation (Rengo) announced the first tally of the results of this year's shunto spring wage negotiation. The wage increase rate, including the seniority-based wage hike, is 5.28%, which was significantly higher than expected. This year will probably see the highest wage settlements since 1991 which given Japan’s recent history is an incredible turnaround. This wage data news has firmed up expectations for tomorrow. With regards to the FOMC which concludes on Wednesday, DB economists expect only minor revisions to the meeting statement that saw an overhaul last meeting. With regards to the SEP, the growth and unemployment forecasts are unlikely to change but the 2024 inflation forecasts potentially could; elsewhere, expect the Fed to revise up their 2024 core PCE inflation forecast by a tenth to 2.5%, although they see meaningful risks that it gets revised up even higher to 2.6%. In our economists' view, a 2.5% core PCE reading would allow just enough wiggle room to keep the 2024 fed funds rate at 4.6% (75bps of cuts). However, if core PCE inflation were revised up to 2.6%, it would likely entail the Fed moving their base case back to 50bps of cuts, as this would essentially reflect the same forecasts as the September 2023 SEP. Beyond 2024, DB expect officials to build in less policy easing due to a higher r-star. If two of the eight officials currently at 2.5% move up by 25bps, then the long-run median forecast would edge up to 2.6%. This could be justified by a one-tenth upgrade to the long-run growth forecast. After all this information is released the presser from Powell will of course be heavily scrutinised, especially on how Powell sees recent inflation data. Powell should also provide an update on discussions around QT but it is unlikely they are ready yet to release updated guidance. One additional global highlight this week might be a big fall in UK inflation on Wednesday, suggesting that headline CPI will slow to 3.4% (vs 4% in January) and core to 4.5% (5.1%). Elsewhere there is plenty of ECB speaker appearances including President Lagarde on Wednesday. They are all highlighted in the day-by-day guide at the end. Courtesy of DB, here is a day-by-day calendar of events Monday March 18 Data: US March New York Fed services business activity, NAHB housing market index, China February retail sales, industrial production, property investment, Eurozone January trade balance, Canada February raw materials, industrial product price index, existing home sales Tuesday March 19 Data: US January total net TIC flows, February housing starts, building permits, Japan January capacity utilization, Germany and Eurozone March Zew survey, Eurozone Q4 labour costs, Canada February CPI Central banks: BoJ decision, ECB's Guindos speaks, RBA decision Auctions: US 20-yr Bond ($13bn, reopening) Wednesday March 20 Data: UK February CPI, PPI, RPI, January house price index, China 1-yr and 5-yr loan prime rates, Japan February trade balance, Italy January industrial production, Germany February PPI, Eurozone March consumer confidence, January construction output Central banks: Fed's decision, ECB's Lagarde, Lane, De Cos, Schnabel, Nagel and Holzmann speak, BoC summary of deliberations Earnings: Tencent, Micron Thursday March 21 Data: US, UK, Japan, Germany, France and Eurozone March PMIs, US March Philadelphia Fed business outlook, February leading index, existing home sales, Q4 current account balance, initial jobless claims, UK February public finances, Japan February national CPI, Italy January current account balance, France March manufacturing confidence, February retail sales, ECB January current account, EU27 February new car registrations Central banks: BoE decision, SNB decision Earnings: Nike, FedEx, Lululemon, BMW, Enel Auctions: US 10-yr TIPS ($16bn, reopening) Other: European Union summit, through March 22 Friday March 22 Data: UK March GfK consumer confidence, February retail sales, Germany March Ifo survey, January import price index, Canada January retail sales * * * Finally, looking at just the US, Goldman notes that the key economic data releases this week are the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index and existing home sales reports on Thursday. The March FOMC meeting is on Wednesday. The post-meeting statement will be released at 2:00 PM ET, followed by Chair Powell’s press conference at 2:30 PM. There are several speaking engagements from Fed officials this week, including Chair Powell, Vice Chair for Supervision Barr, and President Bostic. Monday, March 18 There are no major economic data releases scheduled. Tuesday, March 19 08:30 AM Housing starts, February (GS +9.4%, consensus +7.4%, last -14.8%); Building permits, February (consensus +2.0%, last -0.3%) Wednesday, March 20 02:00 PM FOMC statement, March 19 – March 20 meeting: As discussed in our FOMC preview, we continue to expect the committee to target a first cut in June, but we now expect 3 cuts in 2024 in June, September, and December (vs. 4 previously) given the slightly higher inflation path. We continue to expect 4 cuts in 2025 and now expect 1 final cut in 2026 to an unchanged terminal rate forecast of 3.25-3.5%. The main risk to our expectation is that FOMC participants might be more concerned about the recent inflation data and less convinced that inflation will resume its earlier soft trend. In that case, they might bump up their 2024 core PCE inflation forecast to 2.5% and show a 2-cut median. Thursday, March 21 08:30 AM Current account balance, Q4 (consensus -$209.5bn, last -$200.3bn) 08:30 AM Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index, March (GS 3.2, consensus -1.3, last 5.2): We estimate that the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index fell 2pt to 3.2 in March. While the measure is elevated relative to other surveys, we expect a boost from the rebound in foreign manufacturing activity and the pickup in US production and freight activity. 08:30 AM Initial jobless claims, week ended March 16 (GS 210k, consensus 215k, last 209k): Continuing jobless claims, week ended March 9 (consensus 1,815k, last 1,811k) 09:45 AM S&P Global US manufacturing PMI, March preliminary (consensus 51.8, last 52.2): S&P Global US services PMI, March preliminary (consensus 52.0, last 52.3) 10:00 AM Existing home sales, February (GS +1.2%, consensus -1.6%, last +3.1%) 02:00 PM Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Barr speaks: Federal Reserve Vice Chair Michael for Supervision Barr will participate in a fireside chat in Ann Arbor, MI with students and faculty. A moderated Q&A is expected. On February 14, Barr said the Fed is “confident we are on a path to 2% inflation,” but the recent report showing prices rose faster than anticipated in January “is a reminder that the path back to 2% inflation may be a bumpy one.” Barr also noted that “we need to see continued good data before we can begin the process of reducing the federal funds rate.” Friday, March 22 09:00 AM Fed Reserve Chair Powell speaks: The Federal Reserve Board will host a Fed Listens event in Washington D.C. on “Transitioning to the Post-Pandemic Economy.” Chair Powell will deliver opening remarks. Vice Chair Phillip Jefferson and Fed Governor Michelle Bowman will moderate conversations with leaders from various organizations. On March 6, Chair Powell noted in his congressional testimony that if the economy evolves broadly as expected, it will likely be appropriate to begin dialing back policy restraint at some point this year. 12:00 PM Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Barr speaks: Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr will participate in a virtual event on “International Economic and Monetary Design.” A moderated Q&A is expected. 04:00 PM Atlanta Fed President Bostic (FOMC voter) speaks: Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic will participate in a moderated conversation at the 2024 Household Finance Conference in Atlanta. On March 4, Bostic said, “I need to see more progress to feel fully confident that inflation is on a sure path to averaging 2% over time.” Bostic also noted, “I expect the first interest rate cut, which I have penciled in for the third quarter, will be followed by a pause in the following meeting.” Source: DB, Goldman, BofA Tyler Durden Mon, 03/18/2024 - 09:59.....»»
Top 15 English Speaking Schengen Countries in Europe
In this article, we will take a look at the top 15 English speaking Schengen countries in Europe. If you would like to skip our discussion on English proficiency in Europe, you can go to the Top 5 English Speaking Schengen Countries In Europe. English is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the […] In this article, we will take a look at the top 15 English speaking Schengen countries in Europe. If you would like to skip our discussion on English proficiency in Europe, you can go to the Top 5 English Speaking Schengen Countries In Europe. English is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world, and this trend extends to Europe as well. In countries such as Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands, English holds a prominent position alongside their official languages. Europe plays an active role in offering educational and career prospects to individuals worldwide, which further promotes the use of English. The EF English Proficiency Index (EPI) recently released a ranking of 113 countries globally, with a significant presence of European nations dominating the top positions. You can also check out the 20 Most Fluent English Speaking Countries In The World here. In fact, more than 370 million of the 450 million people living in the European Union (EU) can speak English. Residents of European countries typically acquire English skills during childhood, contributing to their high level of proficiency. In Switzerland, over 60% of the population is fluent in English, while in Denmark, this figure rises to 86%. Many Europeans are multilingual, with some even capable of speaking four languages, as observed in Luxembourg by the language learning app Babbel. Babbel is a language learning platform that has experienced gradual yet consistent growth in popularity. It now ranks among the top-grossing apps in the language learning industry worldwide. It was initially introduced as a web application in 2008 in Mitte, Berlin. In 2022, Babbel recorded €247 million in revenue, reflecting a 31% increase compared to the previous year. This growth in revenue indicates Babbel’s ability to attract a larger subscriber base while also retaining existing users. Some of the best English speaking countries in Europe are Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. These countries have a significant number of individuals fluent in English as either a first or second language. According to EF EPI, the Netherlands is the top country out of 113 when it comes to English proficiency. Language barriers pose a significant consideration for individuals planning to live or work in Europe, impacting travel decisions as well. Recognizing this challenge, many businesses have introduced online language learning programs aimed at reducing language barriers across these countries. Notable companies in this sector include Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST), Duolingo Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL), and Coursera, Inc. (NYSE:COUR). The English language learning (ELL) market is projected to grow to $70.7 billion by 2030 from a value of $21.3 billion in 2022. The expansion reflects a compound annual growth rate of 16.2%. The industry’s growth is being driven by factors such as globalization, the expansion of the e-learning market, and the demand for a multilingual workforce capable of cross-border communication. Companies in the ELL industry are increasingly making use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve their services further. For instance, during its 11th annual conference in 2023, Coursera, Inc. (NYSE:COUR) shared its plans to integrate interactive educational technology tools powered by ChatGPT into its learning platform. These innovations include a generative AI coach for students and an AI course-building tool catered to instructors. Coursera’s CEO, Jeff Maggioncalda, explained that these changes are happening because of the incredible progress in generative AI, which offers new ways to customize and make learning more interactive. He pointed out that there will be a high need for upskilling, with potentially up to 49% of workers needing to learn new skills. This is likely to lead to an increase in demand for services from companies like Duolingo Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL) and Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST) as well. With this context in mind, let’s take a look at the top 15 English speaking Schengen countries in Europe. SK Design/Shutterstock.com Our Methodology To shortlist the top 15 English speaking Schengen countries in Europe, we gathered information on the percentage of English-Speaking people across countries located in the Schengen Zone. Moreover, we used the 2023 English Proficiency Index to gain insights into English proficiency levels across countries, wherever possible. The countries have been ranked in ascending order of the percentage of English speaking population as of 2024. By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders. Top 15 English Speaking Schengen Countries In Europe 15. Germany Percentage of English-Speaking Population: 56% Over 50% of people in Germany speak English, making it one of the most English-speaking nations in Europe. According to the English Proficiency Index, Germans have a “Very High Proficiency” in English. In Germany, English is widely used in business, and there are plenty of English-speaking jobs available. Berlin is the city with the largest English-speaking population in the country. 14. Hungary Percentage of English-Speaking Population: 57% Although Hungarian is the official language in Hungary, English has gained popularity among the country’s population in recent years. English is becoming more and more common among Hungarians, especially in larger cities like Budapest, the country’s capital, and among the younger population. A large number of Hungarians have learned English at school and are fluent in the language. Also, Hungarians have “High Proficiency” in English as per the English proficiency index. 13. France Percentage of English-Speaking Population: 57.25% The greater Paris Île-de-France region, together with the Pays-de-la-Loire and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions, has the highest concentration of English speakers in the country. Approximately 57.25% of the French population speaks English with “reasonable proficiency,” with this figure climbing to 60.28% in Paris. France is at the thirteenth position on our list of the top 15 English speaking Schengen countries in Europe. 12. Slovenia Percentage of English-Speaking Population: 59% For the majority of people in the country, Slovenian is their mother tongue. The Slovenian educational system incorporates foreign language instruction, and students are typically offered the chance to study Italian, German, and English in addition to other elective foreign languages. 11. Croatia Percentage of English-Speaking Population: 60% The official language of Croatia is Standard Croatian. According to recent Eurostat data, Croatia is among the top EU nations for foreign language learning, with 99.9% of students studying foreign languages at school. According to the English Proficiency Index, the nation is ranked 11th out of 113 countries in terms of English proficiency. English-speaking people are widely found in the capital city of Zagreb and the coastal districts. 10. Belgium Percentage of English-Speaking Population: 60% German, Dutch, and French are Belgium’s official languages. Belgium ranks seventh in Europe for English proficiency according to the EF EPI. The country places emphasis on English language education and has a range of universities offering courses in English. Belgium is among the top ten English speaking Schengen countries in Europe. 9. Switzerland Percentage of English-Speaking Population: 61.28% While English is widely used and has gained popularity in Switzerland in recent years, particularly due to globalization and the flourishing tourism industry, it is not the official language of the nation. The official languages of the nation are Romansh, German, French, and Italian, reflecting diversity in the linguistic landscape of the country. Switzerland typically exhibits a high level of English proficiency, particularly in urban areas that host multinational corporations. According to the English Proficiency Index, the country’s citizens generally demonstrate high proficiency in English. 8. Austria Percentage of English-Speaking Population: 73% While Austrians are known to speak a diverse range of languages, English holds significant importance in the country. German is the official language of Austria, while English stands as the second most spoken language. According to the EF English Proficiency Index, Austria ranks as the second-most proficient English-speaking country in the European Union. 7. Finland Percentage of English-Speaking Population: 75% Approximately three-fourths of Finland’s population have some degree of English proficiency. Despite Swedish and Finnish serving as the nation’s official languages, a significant portion of Finnish citizens are fluent in English. Finland offers a wide range of English-language study programs, reflecting its commitment to bilingual education. Additionally, Finns readily communicate in English with visitors. The country’s high English proficiency is also recognized by the EF EPI. 6. Denmark Percentage of English-Speaking Population: 86% Danish people showcase widespread proficiency in English, with almost all Danes speaking it fluently. Hence, even tourists lacking proficiency in the native language can navigate Denmark without difficulty. Children in Denmark are introduced to English culture and language at an early age through English instruction, leading to continual improvement in English proficiency as they grow older. According to the Danish Ministry of Higher Education, students seeking admission in English-taught programs must provide evidence of their English language proficiency equivalent to ‘English B’ in the Danish upper secondary school system at a minimum. Click to continue reading and see the Top 5 English Speaking Schengen Countries in Europe. Suggested Articles: 15 US Bucket List Trips In 2024 For Adventure Lovers 15 Biggest Bilingual Cities in the US 20 Countries that Spend the Most on Welfare Disclosure: None. Top 15 English Speaking Schengen Countries in Europe is published on Insider Monkey......»»
Nasdaq Surges Over 1%; XPeng Shares Spike Higher
U.S. stocks traded higher this morning, with the Dow Jones index gaining over 100 points on Monday. Following the market opening Monday, the Dow traded up 0.36% to 38,855.72 while the NASDAQ rose 1.43% to 16,200.95. The S&P 500 also rose, gaining, 1.02% to 5,169.49. Check This Out: Top 4 Tech Stocks That May Collapse In March Leading and Lagging Sectors Communication services shares jumped by 3.1% on Monday. In trading on Monday, utilities shares fell by 0.1%. Top Headline Shares of XPeng Inc. (NYSE: XPEV) gained over 5% on Monday on reports the company plans to launch cheaper EV models. Equities Trading UP Solidion Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: STI) shares shot up 80% to $3.13 after surging around 34% on Friday. The company, last week, announced the pricing of a $3.85 million private placement. Shares of Wearable Devices Ltd. (NASDAQ: WLDS) got a boost, surging ...Full story available on Benzinga.com.....»»
15 Best Places in Georgia For A Couple To Live On Only Social Security
This article looks at the best places in Georgia for a couple to live on only social security. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis on senior housing in the US and Georgia’s retirement-friendly economic outlook, you may skip to the 5 Best Places in Georgia For A Couple To Live On Only Social […] This article looks at the best places in Georgia for a couple to live on only social security. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis on senior housing in the US and Georgia’s retirement-friendly economic outlook, you may skip to the 5 Best Places in Georgia For A Couple To Live On Only Social Security. If you’ve reached the tail end of your career, it’s natural to evaluate your post-retirement life. In such a case, realizing that the money you’ve saved up maybe inadequate to set you up for a comfortable retirement shouldn’t come out as a shock. Surveys show that 56% of Americans feel they have inadequate funds to sustain themselves after retirement. Even those with 401Ks have their dreams shattered when they realize that their hard-earned income is liable to tax deductions and withdrawal penalties. Senior Housing in the US As of November 2023, the typical retired worker receives approximately $1,845 per month in retirement benefits, while the average spouse of a retired worker is entitled to around $886 per month in spousal benefits. This sets an extremely Orwellian backdrop to post-retirement life for the average couple. Furthermore, with interest rates at an all-time high, housing being ridiculously expensive, and continuous inflationary pressures, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the average household to sustain their living standards, even before retirement. This is an important reason that many Americans look towards the possibility of retiring in a different state. In 2023, 338,000 Americans retired to a new home, with a quarter of those moving across state lines. Even when moving to a new state, the likelihood of being able to purchase a retirement house is becoming increasingly grim for most people. According to JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM), home prices in the US are less affordable today than at the height of the 2006 housing bubble. It is worth noting that JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) was one of the institutions severely impacted by the housing crisis at that time and undertook a $13 Billion settlement with the government for its role in the crisis. Senior Living Communities In response to the ongoing housing crisis, senior living communities have emerged as a viable solution to financial insecurity among retiring couples. Companies such as Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE:BKD) offer both independent and assisted living facilities to seniors. Furthermore, with assisted and independent living rents starting from $800 and $870 respectively (as of August 2023), communities like Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE:BKD) are conveniently placed to cater to seniors receiving social security income. Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL) recently announced that it is entering into partnership with Affinity Living Communities to develop 25 new senior housing communities across America. Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL) is a real estate investment trust that invests in healthcare infrastructure Shankh Mitra, CEO of Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL), commented on this project by stating, “Our Wellness Housing portfolio helps address the significant and growing unmet demand for wellness focused rental housing for seniors.” Georgia’s Retirement Friendly Outlook While Florida continues to be the most popular retirement location in the US, the state of Georgia is a very feasible alternative for those wondering where is the most affordable place to live for seniors. Apart from favorable weather conditions and a vibrant retirement community, it’s also one of the best places for couples to live on only social security. Georgia hosts a vast range of retirement communities, including communities by Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE:BKD). The state also offers a very retirement friendly tax structure with a retirement exclusion on all social security income. In case you’ve managed to stow away some savings in a retirement account, the state partially taxes withdrawals from these retirement accounts. This is in important factor why Georgia ranked highly in our list of Best States to Retire on Social Security. With more and more retirees diverting towards retirement communities, Georgia is expected to receive attention from investors who are looking to bank on relocating seniors. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) recently predicted that the housing crisis in the domestic US market would improve in 3.5 years, however, this would be entirely contingent on a reduction in mortgage rates and an increase in the average income. For those who cannot afford to wait this long, our list of best places in Georgia for a couple to live on only social security offers some food for thought. 15 Best Places in Georgia For A Couple To Live On Only Social Security Methodology To develop the most insightful list of best places in Georgia for a couple to live on only social security, we selected 10+ sources including, but not limited to NASDAQ News, Middle Georgia CEO, and Movoto. Using a consensus approach, we identified the most frequently recommended places as the best places in Georgia for a couple to live on only social security. We obtained additional data on these shortlisted places. This included metrics like cost of living, obtained from salary.com, and the livability index, obtained from the Area Vibes repository. Other metrics included figures for housing costs and the health index, each obtained from the AARP database. After converting each category on a 1-5 scale we developed a scorecard. Since all the places are within a single state, we did not introduce any metrics for taxation laws and other retirement benefits. Finally, we sorted our places in order of their cumulative scores and selected the top 15 places as the best places in Georgia for a couple to live on only social security. While some places in our list have higher living costs than the national average, Georgia’s taxation laws and the presence of retirement communities in these locations meant that they were some of the best places in Georgia for a couple to live on only social security. By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders. Here are 15 Best Places in Georgia For A Couple To Live On Only Social Security 15. Gainesville IM Score: 10 Livability Index: 66 Cost of Living Index: 103.1 Population: 47,999 Positioned at the base of the Blue Ridge mountains, Gainesville is the first city on our list of best places in Georgia for a couple to live on only social security. It has gained a lot of traction for its beautiful parks and welcoming small-town community. Although the cost of living is 3.1% higher than the national average, the housing costs are relatively affordable, and the town features a number of retirement communities that any outsider can easily settle into. 14. Twin City IM Score: 14 Livability Index: 66 Cost of Living Index: 89.3 Population: 1,664 A town in Emanuel County, Twin City is the perfect place to enjoy a reclusive retirement. With a population of just 1,664 people, it offers some of the most affordable housing in the entire state of Georgia. The town is famous for is amicable residents and peaceful streets, with the town slogan being “Twice as friendly, twice as nice”. It is home to various different senior living communities, meaning that both assisted living and independent living opportunities are available. Moreover, it is just 10 miles from the Emmanuel Medical Center in Swainsboro, allowing convenient access to medical help. Furthermore, due to its small population, the town hosts a very close-knit community. There are plenty of activities for sightseeing as the town houses cabins and cottages from the Victorian architecture. The George L. Smith State Park, spread over 1600 acres of land, is a place where locals can visit for a picnic, bike rides, or fishing. 13. Rome IM Score: 13 Livability Index: 64 Cost of Living Index: 98.4 Population: 38,139 Located in Floyd County, Rome is surrounded by natural beauty including rivers, forests, and parks. It is a convenient location to retire because of its warm climate and favorable cost of living, making it one of the best places in Georgia for a couple to live on social security only. The town has several retirement communities including Brookdale Rome, a project of Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE:BKD). 12. Athens IM Score: 14 Livability Index: 80 Cost of Living Index: 103.1 Population: 129,879 In comparison to most of the areas in our list, Athens is a more urban retirement destination with plenty of recreation in the form of sports, music, and architecture. It is home to the University of Georgia, because of which the town has managed to develop a more vibrant and liberal culture. Although cost of living in the city is a bit higher than the national average and home prices have hiked in the last few years, the rental market is still a favorable prospect. The town also has a fare-free public transport system by the name of Athens Transit, which operates on over 20 different routes. 11. Marietta IM Score: 14 Livability Index: 82 Cost of Living Index: 103.5 Population: 64,178 Located in the suburbs of Atlanta, Marietta has one of the highest scores on our livability index. As with most places in Georgia, the town offers plenty of historical recreation and cultural events. Even though its not the most affordable place to buy a house, you’ll have your choice of picking among retirement communities with approximately 40 different communities in the area. The cost of living is a tad bit higher than the national average, but expenses are significantly curtailed if you find the right community for you and your partner. 10. Albany IM Score: 14 Livability Index: 64 Cost of Living Index: 90.5 Population: 65,282 Albany is one of the cheapest places to live in Georgia. The town’s cost of living is 9.5% shy of the national average, mainly due to availability of cheap housing options. Thus, if you and your partner feel that a senior living community may not be a viable option for you, this is one of the few areas in Georgia where you might still be able to purchase your dream retirement home at a reasonable price. Conversely, there are also plenty of cheap options inside retirement communities as well. 9. Thomasville IM Score: 14 Livability Index: 73 Cost of Living Index: 96.9 Population: 18,052 A few years ago, Thomasville might have made the top 5 in our list. However, over the last few years retirees have flocked to this town rapidly, resulting in an upward tick in housing rates. However, despite this, the town offers a very feasible proposition to retirees, especially when compared to similar towns across the border in Florida. It has a cost of living 3.1% below the national average. Thomasville is located in the South of Georgia, just 30 miles north of Tallahassee, Florida with a population of 18,052. Its strategic location allows it to be a popular destination amongst people looking to revel in Georgia’s friendly taxation laws whilst also getting a pinch of the Florida experience. 8. Fayetteville IM Score: 14 Livability Index: 71 Cost of Living Index: 103.2 Population: 20,377 Fayetteville is a suburban town, a short distance from Atlanta. The town is host to a vibrant suburban community, making it extremely easy for retirees to settle in. Although the average cost of living is higher than the national average, taking into account the state’s taxation benefits means that it is still a very feasible proposition for retirees. Moreover, if you and your partner are not interested in having a reclusive lifestyle but cannot afford a suburban community that has the vibrancy of an urban city, Fayetteville might be the sweet spot for you. The town has plenty of recreational opportunities, one of Georgia’s largest theme parks, and access to great healthcare (through its close proximity to Atlanta). 7. Cumming IM Score: 14 Livability Index: 74 Cost of Living Index: 103.1 Population: 7,828 Part of the Forsyth County, Cumming is a small town with a population of just 7,828. Cumming is one of the best places in Georgia for a couple to live on only social security. Average housing costs are cheaper in comparison to the rest of Forsyth County, which is one of the most popular destinations to retire in Georgia among wealthy retirees. It has the highest rating on our livability index of all the places in our list and that is partly because it is considered as being a very safe place to live. The area offers access to almost all of the amenities as the rest of Forsyth County, whilst also having housing options that would suit those living on social security alone. 6. St. Simons Island IM Score: 15 Livability Index: 70 Cost of Living Index: 97.9 Population: 16,675 If you’re shaking your head at the sight of St Simons being on a list of best places in Georgia for a couple to live on only social security, you won’t be alone. Housing costs in this southern coastal town are higher than most of Georgia, and the cost of living isn’t economical enough to make up for it. However, the town houses some of the best senior living communities in the state. If you and your partner have a combined social security upwards of $3,500 it is very likely that you can find an affordable home in one of these communities. Thus, even though you’ll have to forego the luxury of renting an independent home, you’ll be getting plenty of recreational opportunities on this island all year round. Click to continue reading and see the 5 Best Places in Georgia For A Couple To Live On Only Social Security. Suggested Articles: 12 Biggest Canadian Mining Companies 10 Countries That Produce The Best Boxers In The World 11 Dry Shampoo Alternatives for Every Hair Color and Type Disclosure: none. 15 Best Places in Georgia For A Couple To Live On Only Social Security is originally published on Insider Monkey......»»
20 Most Overweight States in the US
In this article, we will be taking a look at the 20 most overweight states in the US. If you do not wish to learn about the global obesity market, head straight to the 5 Most Overweight States in the US. In the United States, the issue of obesity remains a significant public health concern, […] In this article, we will be taking a look at the 20 most overweight states in the US. If you do not wish to learn about the global obesity market, head straight to the 5 Most Overweight States in the US. In the United States, the issue of obesity remains a significant public health concern, with certain states grappling more prominently with this challenge than others. Examining the prevalence of overweight individuals across the nation sheds light on regional disparities and factors influencing lifestyle choices, diet, and access to healthcare. Through statistical analysis and sociodemographic insights, we can gain a deeper understanding of the most overweight states in the U.S. like Kentucky, Alabama, West Virginia, and Texas, among others, highlighting the complex interplay of environmental, economic, and cultural factors shaping this pressing issue. Overview of the Obesity Market and Statistics in the US In the United States, the market for obesity drugs is anticipated to soar to $77 billion by 2030, driven by a rising demand for innovative treatments and favorable reimbursement policies. J.P. Morgan Research forecasts the GLP-1 market to surpass $100 billion by 2030, primarily fueled by its usage in managing diabetes and obesity. Within this global growth trajectory, the US obesity market holds a significant share. This surge in demand can be attributed to heightened awareness among physicians about the benefits of obesity treatment in averting associated health complications such as heart disease. Moreover, approximately 110 million adults in the US are estimated to grapple with obesity, with around 40 million individuals having access to obesity medications through insurance plans. While the US grapples with its obesity epidemic, regional differences and high-risk areas within the country underscore the need for targeted interventions. In the Asia-Pacific region, significant potential exists for businesses operating in the obesity treatment market, owing to factors such as rising disposable incomes and enhanced healthcare infrastructure. Identifying high-risk areas for overweight populations becomes imperative for tailoring effective public health strategies and interventions. Addressing the Obesity Epidemic: Rethinking Urban Design for Healthier Communities In the ongoing issue surrounding urban development and public health, there’s a growing recognition of the pressing need to tackle the surging rates of obesity in the United States. With a staggering one-third of American adults falling into the overweight category and over 40% classified as obese, it’s clear that our cities’ layouts demand a thorough reassessment. A troubling revelation emerges when we consider that twelve of the 30 cities globally recognized for their high rates of overweight and obesity are located within the United States, with one American city even ranking in the top five. These statistics underscore a critical imperative to examine how the built environment impacts physical well-being. Defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 25, obesity presents significant health risks linked to excessive fat accumulation. These risks extend far beyond physical ailments such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and type 2 diabetes, also encompassing mental health struggles like depression and anxiety. The fundamental cause of obesity frequently stems from an imbalance between caloric intake and expenditure. Fast food consumption notably contributes to this disparity, driving up calorie consumption on a global scale. In the United States, the economic toll of obesity is staggering, ranging from $147 billion to $210 billion annually in medical costs alone, with additional losses in productivity weighing heavily on the economy. Looking ahead, projections paint a bleak picture if current obesity trends persist. The National Institute of Health cautions that by 2050, the obesity rate in America could reach an unprecedented 100%, posing unprecedented challenges to public health and economic stability. However, within these challenges lies an opportunity for intervention. The burgeoning weight-loss drug industry, projected to reach a value of $200 billion within the next decade, presents a substantial market for pharmaceutical giants like Novo Nordisk A/S and Eli Lilly and Company. Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) is a global healthcare leader pioneering innovative treatments for obesity. Their semaglutide-based medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus have shown significant efficacy in weight loss and managing obesity-related complications. Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO)’s oral semaglutide pill, with a 15% weight loss in trials, offers a convenient alternative to injections. With a focus on developing accessible obesity treatments, Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO)’s research into GLP-1 hormone for weight loss holds promise. Financially, in Q4 2023, the company saw a 31% sales growth in Danish kroner and a revenue of $9,584 million, marking a 37.0% year-over-year increase. Notable achievements include the SELECT cardiovascular outcomes trial, where semaglutide 2.4 mg demonstrated a 20% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events for adults with overweight or obesity. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) is a leading player in the fight against obesity, with innovative drugs like Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Zepbound. Tirzepatide achieved up to 15.7% weight loss in trials, demonstrating its effectiveness. In Q4 2023, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) saw a 28% revenue increase to $9.35 billion, driven by anti-obesity drugs, with “New Products” revenue soaring by 219% to $2.49 billion. Mounjaro’s revenue surged to $2.21 billion, and Zepbound generated $175.8 million in its initial quarter. Looking ahead, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) forecasts revenue of $40.4 billion to $41.6 billion for 2024, reflecting confidence in the anti-obesity market. Ongoing clinical trials like SYNERGY-NASH underscore the company’s commitment to addressing various health challenges beyond obesity. Copyright: ximagination / 123RF Stock Photo Our Methodology For our methodology, we have ranked the most overweight states in the US based on their obesity rates as of 2022. For the accuracy of data, we relied on the State of Childhood Obesity. Here is our list of the 20 most overweight states in the US. 20. Michigan Obesity Rate: 34.4% Michigan, one of the most overweight states in the US, faces significant challenges with obesity, with 35.0% of adults classified as overweight and an additional 32.5% as obese. Obesity is linked to various health issues such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and mental health disorders. While both genders are affected, women tend to have slightly higher obesity rates. The economic burden is substantial, with obesity-related medical expenses estimated at $147 billion in the US in 2008. Efforts to combat obesity include initiatives like the Michigan Health and Wellness 4 x 4 Plan, aiming to promote healthier behaviors and improve overall health outcomes across communities. 19. New Mexico Obesity Rate: 34.6% New Mexico has witnessed a concerning increase in adult obesity rates, rising from 26% to 31% over the past decade, exceeding the national average. Certain groups, including American Indians, Hispanics, and those with lower education levels or experiencing poverty, are disproportionately affected. Factors contributing to obesity include smoking, alcohol use, and inadequate physical activity. Gender disparities show higher obesity rates among adults aged 35 to 49 and 50 to 64. 18. Tennessee Obesity Rate: 35% Tennessee faces a significant challenge with obesity, making Tennessee stand among the top obese states in America. Factors contributing to this include excessive calorie intake, inadequate physical activity, parent obesity, genetics, and socioeconomic factors. Boys have higher obesity rates compared to girls, and white children have higher rates compared to Black children and children of other races. The economic burden is substantial, with estimated medical expenditures attributed to adult obesity in Tennessee reaching $1,840 million between 1998-2000. 17. North Dakota Obesity Rate: 35.2% North Dakota’s obesity rate stands at 35.2% in 2021, slightly above the national average. Factors contributing to this include dietary habits, sedentary lifestyles, and genetic predisposition. Adults aged 65 and older have higher obesity rates, with healthcare costs approximately $2,000 higher per year for individuals with obesity. 16. Nebraska Obesity Rate: 35.9% Nebraska ranks 16th in overall obesity prevalence with 31.5% of children and 1 in 3 adults considered obese. Nearly 30% of youth aged 10-17 are overweight or obese. Common reasons include poor dietary habits, with low fruit and vegetable consumption, and lack of physical activity, as evidenced by 24.2% of adults reporting no recent physical activity. Obesity is linked to chronic diseases like coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer, as well as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. 15. North Carolina Obesity Rate: 36% North Carolina stands among the top obese states in America. Among adolescents, 15.2% are overweight and 12.5% have obesity. Additionally, 33.5% of children in the state are overweight or obese, ranking 15th in prevalence. 14. Kansas Obesity Rate: 36% Kansas faces significant challenges with obesity, ranking 14th in adult obesity prevalence at 36%. Socioeconomic factors, limited access to healthy food, and lack of nutrition education contribute to high obesity rates. Kansas also has elevated rates of diabetes, particularly impacting healthcare costs. Women in Kansas have a higher prevalence of obesity compared to men. 13. Texas Obesity Rate: 36.1% Texas has one of the highest obesity rates. Obesity prevalence is notably high among adults of various racial backgrounds. Over 30% of adults reported inadequate sleep, while nearly 90% did not meet fruit and vegetable intake recommendations. Obesity is associated with rising diabetes cases and anticipated increases in hypertension, heart disease, and obesity-related cancers by 2030, emphasizing the urgent need for interventions. 12. South Carolina Obesity Rate: 36.1% South Carolina stands among twelfth among the most overweight states in the US, driven by poor nutrition and lack of physical activity. Many adults and adolescents consume inadequate levels of fruits and vegetables, while a concerning number of adults lead sedentary lifestyles. The economic burden of adult obesity in South Carolina exceeds $7 billion annually in medical care costs. Additionally, obesity rates vary among racial and ethnic groups, with disparities observed particularly among Blacks compared to Latinos and Whites. 11. Indiana Obesity Rate: 36.3% Indiana struggles with high obesity rates among both adults and children. About 27.2% of adults report no recent physical activity, with 29.6% classified as obese. Additionally, 29.9% of children are overweight or obese. Contributing factors include environmental influences, genetics, and unhealthy behaviors like poor diet and physical inactivity Gender disparities exist, with significant increases in obesity rates among both males and females, particularly among Hispanics. 10. Iowa Obesity Rate: 36.4% Iowa ranks among the top 20 states in the nation for high obesity rates. In 2012, 65.4% of adults were overweight, with 28.4% classified as obese. Obesity prevalence is higher among adults aged 45-64 compared to those aged 65 and older. Unhealthy dietary behaviors and limited physical activity options contribute to Iowa’s obesity issue, exacerbated by a lack of access to healthy food choices and opportunities for exercise. 9. Ohio Obesity Rate: 37.7% Ohio has high obesity rates, with 65.0% classified as overweight (BMI of 25 or greater) and 29.2% classified as obese (BMI of 30 or greater). Factors contributing to obesity include age-dependent trends, policy-relevant factors such as gender, race, and income, and community characteristics. Individuals with obesity face increased complications, including from conditions like COVID-19. Alarmingly, chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes are on the rise. 8. South Dakota Obesity Rate: 38.4% South Dakota stands eighth among the most overweight states in the US, affecting both adults and children. Among adults, 35.4% were overweight, while children in various age groups also showed concerning rates of overweight and obesity. Excess calorie intake and insufficient physical activity play roles in the state’s obesity issue. Addressing these factors is crucial to combating obesity in South Dakota. 7. Louisiana Obesity Rate: 38.6% Louisiana ranks among the most obese states in the US with nearly half of its population classified as obese. Factors contributing to this include limited access to healthy food options, sedentary lifestyles, and socioeconomic barriers to health resources. The prevalence of obesity is concerning due to its association with chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer, posing significant public health and economic burdens. 6. Arkansas Obesity Rate: 38.7% Arkansas ranks sixth among the most overweight states in the US with adult obesity rates ranging from 37.4% to 38.7%. Obesity is linked to various health issues in Arkansas, including type II diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and stroke. While both genders are affected, women tend to experience slightly higher rates of obesity compared to men in the state. Click to see and continue reading the 5 Most Overweight States in the US. 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If You Invested $1,000 In WalMart 20 Years Ago, Here’s How Much You’d Have Today
Everything about Walmart is gigantic. By revenue, it’s the largest retailer on earth. Bigger than Costco (Nasdaq: COST), Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN), and Target (NYSE:TGT). The company operates more than 10,000 stores, employs over 2,300,000 people, and over the long run has been one of the greatest investments of all time. Recently, we looked at how […] The post If You Invested $1,000 In WalMart 20 Years Ago, Here’s How Much You’d Have Today appeared first on 24/7 Wall St.. Everything about Walmart is gigantic. By revenue, it’s the largest retailer on earth. Bigger than Costco (Nasdaq: COST), Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN), and Target (NYSE:TGT). The company operates more than 10,000 stores, employs over 2,300,000 people, and over the long run has been one of the greatest investments of all time. Recently, we looked at how much $1,000 invested in Walmart 30 years ago was worth today. For those lucky investors who purchased three decades ago, they’d have turned $1,000 into nearly $13,000 today. But the path was bumpy, filled with volatility, big gains, losses, and over a decade with 0% returns. With ten fewer years to smooth out the performance, let’s see how investors would have done had they invested $1,000 in Walmart 20 years ago. $1,000 Invested in Walmart 20 Years ago… Shockingly, if you’d invested $1,000 in Walmart 20 years ago you’d have $3,112 today. This compares to $4,550 if you’d invested in the S&P 500 instead. The first thing that jumps out is the difference between Walmart’s 20 and 30 year performance. Over two decades the company has lost handily to the S&P 500, but over 30 years it’s crushed it. While this doesn’t include dividends, or dividend reinvestments for either investment, one thing is clear: a decade can make a huge difference! Let’s take a closer look. Why Did Walmart Underperform So Badly? What explains Walmart’s 20 year performance, and why it differs so much from it’s 30 year? A few things jump out. Starting 20 years ago, shares in Walmart languished and couldn’t find a consistently positive return until the very end of 2011 That seven year stretch included the great financial crisis, recession, and a challenging environment for consumers The market, due to the volatility above, heavily repriced the multiple it was willing to pay for Walmart In 2004 investors were willing to pay paying roughly 18x enterprise value to EBIT, in 2011 that has shrunk to only 9x This last point is the most important. While Walmart the investment may have been a poor performer for roughly 7 years, Walmart the company was continuing to grow. In 2004 the company’s net income was $9 billion. By the end of 2011 it was $16.4 billion, and yet investors lost money because their appetite for the multiple they were willing to pay for those earnings changed. Even a fantastic company can underperform if you buy when shares are expensive. Knowing exactly when shares are overpriced is tricky though. Fellow retailer Amazon looked expensive for decades, but the company was able to grow enough to justify the multiple, and investors ended up doing just fine. What Next? So what are the lessons for investors today? First, patience. Even an investment that loses to the market for 20 years can end up trouncing it over 30. Whatever your time horizon is on your positions, try and extend it. Second, valuation matters. Be mindful of the multiple you’re willing to pay for shares in a company, even a world class one, because if things don’t go as planned (or better) it can take awhile to catch up. Third, buying an index fund like the S&P 500 can still work out just fine. ALERT: Today Could Be Your Best Shot At Early Retirement (Sponsored) If you want to retire before 65, pay attention. Study after study has shown that the longer you stay invested, the better your chances at an early retirement. Every day that goes by without saving and investing for tomorrow means more to earn and save later. Don’t waste any more time and get started with Robinhood today. The app makes it easy to buy and sell stocks, mutual funds, trade options, and even cryptocurrencies. Sign up today — click here to start your journey. The post If You Invested $1,000 In WalMart 20 Years Ago, Here’s How Much You’d Have Today appeared first on 24/7 Wall St.......»»
Take the Zacks Approach to Beat the Market: NVIDIA, Fastenal, HORIBA in Focus
Last week, our time-tested methodologies served investors well in navigating the market. Check out some of our achievements from the past three months. Last week, two of the three widely followed indexes closed in the red, while one remained virtually unchanged. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.1% and 0.7%, respectively, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid less than 0.1%.Producer-side inflation numbers came in much higher than anticipated and weighed on the tech sector. Semiconductor stocks, in particular, were heavily affected and closed their worst week since early January. Even as market participants remain confident that there will be interest cuts made by the Fed this year, the possibility of it being in June has taken a hit. In manufacturing, numbers from January were severely revised down, with the sector reeling under yet-high interest rates.Investors will be keenly watching the developments from the GTC developer conference early this week to get an insight into the outlook for artificial intelligence.Regardless of market conditions, we, here at Zacks, provide investors with unbiased guidance on how to beat the market. As usual, Zacks Research guided investors over the past three months with its time-tested methodologies. Given the prevailing market uncertainty, you may want to look at our feats to prepare better for your next action.Here are some of our key achievements:Powell Industries and Bellway Surge Following Zacks Rank Upgrade Shares of Powell Industries, Inc. POWL have gained 97% (versus the S&P 500’s 6.7% increase) since it was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) on January 19.Another stock, Bellway p.l.c. BLWYY was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) on January 18 and has returned 55.9% (versus the S&P 500’s 7.6% increase) since then.Zacks Rank, our short-term rating system, has earnings estimate revisions at its core. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements. A hypothetical portfolio of Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks returned +20.63% in 2023 vs. +24.83% for the S&P 500 index and +15% for the equal-weight S&P 500 index. The portfolio of Zacks Rank #1 stocks is an equal-weight portfolio, while the S&P 500 index is a market-cap-weighted index that has been notably distorted by the concentrated performance of mega-cap stocks in 2023.We are not trying to cherry-pick here. But since this Zacks Model portfolio, consisting of Zacks Rank #1 stocks, is an equal-weight portfolio, the equal-weight S&P 500 index is the appropriate benchmark for comparison. Looked at this way, this portfolio has handily outperformed the index.The Zacks Model Portfolio - consisting of Zacks Rank #1 stocks – has outperformed the S&P index by more than 13 percentage points since 1988 (Through January 1st, 2024, the Zacks # 1 Rank stocks generated an annualized return of +24.18% since 1988 vs. +10.88% for the S&P 500 index).You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 stocks here >>>Check Powell’s historical EPS and Sales here>>>Check Bellway’s historical EPS and Sales here>>>Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchZacks Recommendation Upgrades HORIBA and Universal Technical Institute Higher Shares of HORIBA, Ltd. HRIBF and Universal Technical Institute, Inc. UTI have advanced 39.2% (versus the S&P 500’s 6.7% rise) and 11.3% (versus the S&P 500’s 6.6% rise) since their Zacks Recommendation was upgraded to Outperform on January 19 and January 15, respectively.While the Zacks Rank is our short-term rating system that is most effective over the one- to three-month holding horizon, the Zacks Recommendation aims to predict performance over the next 6 to 12 months. However, just like the Zacks Rank, the foundation for the Zacks Recommendation is trends in earnings estimate revisions.The Zacks Recommendation classifies stocks into three groups — Outperform, Neutral and Underperform. While these recommendations are determined quantitatively, our analysts have the flexibility to override them for the 1100+ stocks they closely follow based on their better judgment of factors such as valuation, industry conditions and management effectiveness than the quantitative model.To access our research reports with Zacks Recommendations for the 1100+ stocks we cover, click here>>>Zacks Focus List Stocks NVIDIA, Uber Shoot UpShares of NVIDIA Corporation NVDA, which belongs to the Zacks Focus List, have gained 79.9% over the past 12 weeks. The stock was added to the Focus List on May 20, 2019. Another Focus-List holding, Uber Technologies, Inc. UBER, which was added to the portfolio on August 16, 2019, has returned 23.3% over the past 12 weeks. The S&P 500 has advanced 8.8% over this period. The 50-stock Zacks Focus List model portfolio returned +21.72% in 2023 (through November 30) vs. +20.79% for the S&P 500 index and +6.32% for the equal-weight S&P 500 index. In 2022, the portfolio produced -15.2% vs. the S&P 500 index’s -17.96%.Since 2004, the Focus List portfolio has produced an annualized return of +11.07% through November 30, 2023. This compares to a +9.49% annualized return for the S&P 500 index in the same time period.On a rolling one-, three- and five-year annualized basis, the Zacks Focus List returned +13.49%, +9.21%, and +14.05% vs. +13.82%, +9.74% and +12.51% for the S&P 500 index, respectively.Unlock all of our powerful research, tools and analysis, including the Focus List, Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research Reports, Zacks Earnings ESP Filter, Premium Screener and more, as part of Zacks Premium. Gain full access now >>Zacks ECAP Stocks Novo Nordisk and Tractor Supply Make Significant GainsNovo Nordisk A/S NVO, a component of our Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), has jumped 28.9% over the past 12 weeks. Tractor Supply Company TSCO has followed Novo Nordisk with 21.3% returns.The Zacks Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), which consists of 30 concentrated, ultra-defensive, long-term Buy and Hold stocks, returned +12.17% in 2023 vs. +26.28% for the S&P 500 index. The portfolio returned -4.7% in 2022 vs. the S&P 500 index’s -17.96%.With little to no turnover and annual rebalance periodicity, the ECAP seeks to minimize capital loss by holding shares of companies whose earnings streams exhibit a proven 20+ year track record of surviving recessionary periods with minimal impact on aggregate earnings growth relative to the overall S&P 500.The ECAP and many other model portfolios are available as part of Zacks Advisor Tools, a cloud-based solution to access Zacks award-winning stock, mutual fund and ETF research. Click here to schedule a demo.Zacks ECDP Stocks Fastenal and Hormel Foods Outshine PeersFastenal Company FAST, which is part of our Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP), has returned 14.8% over the past 12 weeks. Another ECDP stock, Hormel Foods Corporation HRL, has climbed 7.5% over the same time frame. Of course, the inclination of investors toward quality dividend stocks to secure an income stream amid heightened market volatility contributed to this performance.Check Fastenal’s dividend history here>>>Check Hormel Foods’ dividend history here>>>With an extremely low Beta and a history of minimum earnings variability over the last 20+ years, this 25-stock portfolio helps significantly mitigate risk.The Zacks Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP) returned -0.9% in 2023 vs. +26.28% for the S&P 500 index) and +8.11% for the Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL). The portfolio returned -2.3% in 2022 vs. -17.96% for the S&P 500 index and -8.34% for NOBL.Click here to access this portfolio on Zacks Advisor Tools. Zacks Top 10 Stocks — Eaton Corporation Delivers Solid ReturnsEaton Corporation plc ETN, from the Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2024, has jumped 23.7% year to date compared to a 7.5% increase for the S&P 500 Index.The Top 10 portfolio returned +25.15% in 2023 vs. +26.28% for the S&P 500 index. Since 2012, the Top 10 portfolio has produced a cumulative return of +1060.9% through the end of 2023 vs. +360.1% for the S&P 500 index.On a rolling one-, three- and five-year annualized basis, the Zacks Top 10 portfolio returned +25.15%, +14.13%, and +29.3% vs. +26.28%, +10.23% and +15.61% for the S&P 500 index, respectively.Since 2012, the Zacks Top 10 portfolio has returned an annualized return of +22.67% through the end of 2023 vs. +13.56% for the S&P 500 index. 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Click to get this free report Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO): Free Stock Analysis Report Fastenal Company (FAST): Free Stock Analysis Report Eaton Corporation, PLC (ETN): Free Stock Analysis Report NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA): Free Stock Analysis Report Tractor Supply Company (TSCO): Free Stock Analysis Report Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL): Free Stock Analysis Report Universal Technical Institute Inc (UTI): Free Stock Analysis Report Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL): Free Stock Analysis Report Horiba Ltd. (HRIBF): Free Stock Analysis Report Bellway (BLWYY): Free Stock Analysis Report Uber Technologies, Inc. (UBER): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research.....»»