Author: Jack Mulligan

The number of families opting for private schools is increasing, even as tuition costs hit record highs, according to a recent report from S&P Global Ratings (SPGI). This trend underscores the resilience of private education demand despite rising expenses. Enrollment on the Rise Amid Higher Costs More than half of all private schools reported a year-over-year increase in enrollment, with 8% experiencing a growth of 3% or more, according to Bloomberg’s analysis of the SPGI report. This rise comes alongside a significant surge in tuition fees. Boarding school costs increased by 5.3% to an average of $73,080, while tuition for…

Buffett’s Apple Stock Sell-Off Warren Buffett, the legendary investor overseeing Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B), has significantly reduced his firm’s position in Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) over the past year. Once accounting for 50% of Berkshire’s massive portfolio, Apple now represents just 26% after Buffett sold 605 million shares in 2024. The breakdown of Apple sales by quarter: Apple remains a strong company, but Buffett’s move raises questions about its future growth potential. Despite the company’s reputation, challenges such as declining market share in China and regulatory scrutiny over its $20 billion annual revenue from Google search agreements could weigh on…

Apple (AAPL.O) has partnered with Alibaba (9988.HK) to develop artificial intelligence (AI) features for iPhone users in China, according to a report from The Information on Tuesday. The move aims to strengthen Apple’s AI strategy in China, where it has been losing market share to domestic competitors like Huawei, whose smartphones have integrated AI tools since last year. Key Highlights Why It Matters Apple’s AI strategy in China has been under scrutiny, especially as iPhone sales dipped in the holiday quarter. AI features were meant to be a key selling point of the latest iPhone models, but the company struggled…

U.S. Treasury yields edged lower on Monday as investors awaited key economic reports and prepared for new tariff announcements from President Donald Trump. The 10-year Treasury yield slipped to 4.477%, while the 2-year yield declined to 4.256%. Key Treasury Yield Movements Yields move inversely to prices, and one basis point equals 0.01%. Economic Data in Focus Investors are closely watching upcoming reports that could influence Federal Reserve policy: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is also set to testify before Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday, which could provide further guidance on future interest rate decisions. Tariff Uncertainty Weighs on Markets Concerns…

OpenAI is considering building AI data center campuses in 16 U.S. states as part of President Donald Trump’s Stargate initiative, the company announced Thursday. The move aims to strengthen U.S. artificial intelligence infrastructure and compete with China’s rapid AI advancements. Massive AI Investment Underway OpenAI executives confirmed they sent out a request for proposals (RFP) to the selected states less than a week ago. The initial Stargate partnership includes Oracle, SoftBank, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Arm, with an investment of $100 billion to start and up to $500 billion over the next four years. “A project of this size represents an…

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq ticked up on Thursday, buoyed by strong earnings reports from major companies, while investors awaited President Donald Trump’s next policy moves and a key jobs report on Friday. Strong Earnings Fuel Market Gains Several companies posted upbeat results, providing relief to markets: Meanwhile, Honeywell (HON) fell 6.3% after announcing plans to split into three companies and issuing a disappointing 2025 forecast, dragging down the Dow. Market Performance At 11:26 a.m. ET, major indexes were mixed: Seven of the 11 S&P 500 sectors traded higher, led by consumer staples and financials. Trade Tariffs and Market Uncertainty…

Emerging-market stocks and currencies surged Tuesday as fears of a full-blown trade war eased. President Donald Trump agreed to postpone 25% trade levies on Canada and Mexico in exchange for tighter border security, while China delivered a measured response to newly imposed U.S. tariffs. The news fueled a strong rebound in riskier assets, with developing-world stocks posting their biggest gain since September. Emerging-Market Currencies Surge, Except the Mexican Peso The rally was most evident in emerging-market currencies, which climbed as the U.S. dollar weakened. However, the Mexican peso, despite an initial outsize rally following the tariff pause, lagged behind its…

UPS (UPS) announced on Thursday that it will slash its Amazon (AMZN) delivery volume by more than 50% by the second half of 2026, a move that sent its stock plummeting as much as 15%. However, the company emphasized that the strategy is aimed at improving long-term profitability. “The portion of the business that we’re transitioning out of just doesn’t make sense for us to do,” said UPS CFO Brian Dykes in an interview with Yahoo Finance. “We want to manage our assets and resources in areas of the market where we can drive higher yields and returns.” Lower Volumes,…

Fox Corp. has hit the jackpot with Super Bowl 59, selling out all ad spots well ahead of the big game on February 9. According to a source familiar with the matter, more than 10 commercials were sold for a staggering $8 million each, a significant jump from previous years. Fox originally announced during its November 2024 earnings call that Super Bowl ad slots had already sold out in the fall, with average prices exceeding $7 million per spot. CEO Lachlan Murdoch confirmed that the network had achieved record pricing for the event. Demand Drives Super Bowl Ad Prices Higher…

UK shop price deflation slowed to 0.7% in January 2025, improving from the 1% deflation recorded in December 2024, according to the latest British Retail Consortium (BRC) – NielsenIQ Shop Price Index. The figure is also slightly better than the three-month average deflation rate of -0.8%. Non-Food Deflation Improves Deflation in the non-food sector stood at -1.8% in January, improving from -2.4% in December and slightly better than the three-month average of -2%. The change suggests that January sales and post-holiday discounts helped retailers move excess inventory. Food Inflation Slows Down Food prices remained inflationary but showed signs of slowing:…