Skip to main content

Featured Post

Southern Water Downgraded to Junk by Moody’s Amid Water Industry Challenges

Key Takeaway: Moody's downgraded Southern Water to junk status , citing financial and operational underperformance, compounding the broader issues facing the UK water sector. Southern Water Ltd’s credit rating was downgraded to junk by Moody’s , with a warning of potential further cuts due to its weak performance history and financial challenges. This downgrade impacts the company’s ability to raise the £4 billion in new debt and £650 million in equity required for its capital plans. The UK water industry is facing heightened scrutiny due to concerns over chronic leaks, sewage spills, and high-interest rates. Southern Water, which supplies over two million people in England, could face severe penalties from the regulator Ofwat , which may limit funds for essential upgrades. Following the downgrade, Southern Water’s 2026 bonds dropped 2.7 pence to around 85 pence on the pound. Despite the rating cut, Southern Water assured customers that services would continue unaffected, hig
Post a Comment

Wall Street Gains Slightly as Inflation Data Fuels December Fed Rate-Cut Hopes

Key Takeaway: Wall Street's major indexes rose modestly after consumer price data met expectations, keeping hopes alive for a Fed rate cut in December.

US stocks edged higher on Wednesday, driven by in-line consumer price index (CPI) data, which showed a 0.2% rise in October and a 2.6% year-over-year increase. This result reassured investors, as expectations for a 25-basis-point rate cut in December surged to 82% following the report, up from 58%.

The Dow Jones rose 0.22% to 44,009.23, the S&P 500 gained 0.14% to 5,992.32, and the Nasdaq climbed 0.09% to 19,298.74. The Russell 2000 index of rate-sensitive small-cap companies jumped 0.9%, while the real estate sector rose by 1.3%. Tesla shares saw a 4% boost after Elon Musk was named as a co-leader of the new Department of Government Efficiency.

Highlights:

  • Inflation Relief: Investors welcomed the stable CPI data, allowing markets to “breathe” amid inflation concerns for 2025.
  • Fed’s Confidence: Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari expressed confidence in inflation’s downward path.
  • Market Movers: Spirit Airlines dropped 56.5% amid bankruptcy reports, while Rivian surged 19% following Volkswagen’s increased investment.

Outlook: The stock market remains upbeat on expectations of Trump’s pro-business policies and potential tax cuts, though some concerns over tariffs and inflation persist.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

INTC Share Watch and News

Stock Info Market Monitor Company Profile Intel Corporation designs, manufactures, and sells integrated circuits for computing and communications industries worldwide. It offers microprocessor products used in notebooks, netbooks, desktops, servers, workstations, storage products, embedded applications, communications products, consumer electronics devices, and handhelds. The company also offers system on chip products that integrate its core processing functionalities with other system components, such as graphics, audio, and video, onto a single chip. It also provides chipset products that send data between the microprocessor and input, display, and storage devices, such as keyboard, mouse, monitor, hard drive, and CD or DVD drives; motherboards that has connectors for attaching devices to the bus, and products designed for desktop, server, and workstation platforms; and wired and wireless connectivity products, including network adapters and embedded wireless cards used to translat
1 comment
Read more

3M Raises Profit Forecast After Beating Quarterly Estimates on Electronics Demand

3M Co raised the lower end of its full-year adjusted profit forecast after strong demand for electronics and industrial products helped the company surpass quarterly profit expectations. Shares of 3M were up 4.2% at $140.5 in pre-market trading. An increase in demand for electronics used in vehicles and mobile phones boosted profits for the company, which had previously faced challenges as high inflation led consumers to delay major purchases. The industrial sector is also expected to benefit from the recent US Federal Reserve decision to cut borrowing costs in September, encouraging more consumer spending. 3M has implemented cost-cutting measures, including job reductions and spinning off its healthcare business, to counter the impact of a demand slowdown . Key highlights from the report: Sales in the transportation and electronics segment grew 1.8% year-on-year. Sales in the safety and industrial segment , which produces adhesives for industrial use, increased by 0.5% . 3M&
Post a Comment
Read more

Key Corporate Updates from Malaysia

Ekovest Bhd : Major shareholder Tan Sri Lim Kang Hoo is considering selling his toll-road business, Konsortium Lebuhraya Utara-Timur (KL) Sdn Bhd (Kesturi), for up to RM5 billion. Ekovest owns 60% of Kesturi, with the remainder held by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF). Eco World Development Group Bhd : Through its subsidiary Mutiara Balau Sdn Bhd, EcoWorld is acquiring 847.25 acres in Semenyih, Selangor for RM742.41 million to develop Eco Forest 2, a project with an estimated RM4.6 billion in gross development value. Mah Sing Group Bhd : Mah Sing has purchased 5.24 acres on Old Klang Road for RM113 million to build M Aurora, a transit-oriented development with an estimated RM660 million gross development value, anticipated for launch in early 2025. Pentamaster Corp Bhd : The company’s third-quarter net profit dropped 49.9% to RM11.77 million, impacted by lower sales in its automated test equipment division and foreign exchange losses. Sentral REIT : The REIT saw a 25
Post a Comment
Read more