LIVE: NYSE closing bell rings to end the day’s trading as stocks mixed

Trading at the New York Stock Exchange wraps up with the closing bell ending the week. U.S. stocks were mixed on Friday, with investors pressing pause as they headed into the weekend and kept an eye on ongoing Middle East peace negotiations.   #WallStreet #Markets #NYSE #NewYorkStockExchange #Live #Reuters #News Keep up with the latest news from around the world:

https://fllics.com/en/video/live-nyse-closing-bell-rings-to-end-the-days-trading-as-stocks-mixed/

Wall Street advances as Mideast peace talks lift sentiment

US stocks advanced as ongoing negotiations toward a peaceful resolution to the six-week Middle East conflict helped ease worries over the fragile US-Iran truce. #wallstreet #usstocks #shares #markets #nyse #nasdaq #dowjones #s&p500 #News #Reuters #Newsfeed Read the story here: 👉 Subscribe: Keep up with the latest news from around the world: Follow Reuters on Facebook: Follow Reuters on X: Follow Reuters on…

https://fllics.com/en/video/wall-street-advances-as-mideast-peace-talks-lift-sentiment/

yahoo news | Pershing Square Bids €30.40 Per Share to Acquire Universal Music Group in $9.4B ...

Pershing Square Capital Management, the hedge fund run by billionaire Bill Ackman, has lodged a non‑binding offer to acquire Universal Music Group at €30.40 a share – roughly a 78 % premium to the current market price. The proposal would give UMG shareholders €5.05 in cash per share (about €9.4 billion in total) and 0.77 shares in a newly created publicly‑listed entity for every share they own, with the combined company eventually listed on the NYSE under U.S. GAAP and eligible for inclusion in the S&P 500.

Ackman contends that UMG’s share price is chronically depressed, not because of weak fundamentals but due to a mix of structural and market headwinds. He points to the uncertainty surrounding the Bolloré Group’s 18 % stake, the long‑delayed U.S. listing, an under‑leveraged balance sheet, the absence of a clear capital‑allocation plan, and the market’s failure to value UMG’s €2.7 billion holding in Spotify. Despite these challenges, he praised CEO Sir Lucian Grainge and his team for delivering solid operational results while the stock lagged.

The deal is expected to close before year‑end, with full equity financing backed by Pershing Square and its affiliates and debt financing locked in at signing. Approximately 17 % of UMG’s existing shares would be retired, leaving the merged entity with about 1.54 billion shares while preserving its investment‑grade credit rating. Legal and financial advisers on the transaction include Sullivan & Cromwell, White & Case, Stibbe, and Jefferies.

Read more: https://econotimes.com/Pershing-Square-Bids-3040-Per-Share-to-Acquire-Universal-Music-Group-in-94B-Deal-1738302

#pershingsquarecapitalmanagement #billackman #universalmusicgroup #nyse #s&p500

Market Talk: ‘Structurally higher oil prices’ to last

Oil rebounded after its sharpest drop since April 2020, as the Strait of Hormuz remains largely blocked and Israeli strikes on Lebanon threaten the fragile Middle East ceasefire. Find out what’s moving the markets — and why — with Market Talk. #markets #economy #finance #wallstreet #nyse #oil #iranwar #News #Reuters #Newsfeed 👉 Subscribe: Keep up with the latest news from around the world: Follow Reuters on…

https://fllics.com/en/video/market-talk-structurally-higher-oil-prices-to-last/

LIVE: NYSE ahead of Trump’s Iran deadline

Trading at the New York Stock Exchange closes as Wall Street tracks Middle East tensions and investors weigh the latest risks to sentiment. All three major U.S. stock indexes were well off session lows as markets awaited signs of progress in ongoing negotiations.   #nyse #wallstreet #stocks #markets #trump #iran #israel Keep up with the latest news from around the world:

https://fllics.com/en/video/live-nyse-ahead-of-trumps-iran-deadline/

Yahoo Finance | 3 Utility Stocks With Strong Dividends and Room to Run Higher

As the Iran war rages on, investors are seeking safe havens away from market volatility. One popular sector is the utility industry, which is full of low-beta stocks that pay healthy dividends.

Utilities are large and highly regulated, which caps upside potential but offers predictability and stability during volatile periods. That’s why we’ve sought out utilities that offer a little bit of both: income from dividends and potential capital appreciation, not just preservation. The three stocks selected here have strong dividends, consistent earnings growth, and low volatility, which is exactly what everyday investors need to weather a geopolitical shock.

NextEra Energy Inc. (NYSE: NEE) combines a stable, income-generating industry with a fast-growing and potentially profitable one. NextEra operates Florida Power and Light, the largest regulated utility in the country, and NextEra Energy Resources, which owns the largest portfolio of wind and solar energy assets on the planet. Florida Power and Light serves more than 5 million customers, providing the company with a steady, state-regulated income stream to complement its renewable energy revenues. NextEra earned more than $27 billion in revenue in the last 12 months. Renewable energy has been a volatile industry to invest in, and NextEra shares have the highest beta of any stock on this list at 0.75. But 0.75 is still 25% less volatile than the S&P 500, and the company’s dividend strength makes it worth the ups and downs. NextEra pays a 2.7% yield with a 75% dividend payout ratio (DPR), which is high but not alarming for a regulated utility. The company has also raised dividend payouts for 31 consecutive years, with 10% annualized growth over the last five years.

Read more: https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/3-utility-stocks-strong-dividends-132400977.html

#nexteraenergyinc. #xcelenergyinc. #wecenergygroupinc. #nyse #nasdaq

Yahoo Finance | The Best-Value Warren Buffett Stock You Can Buy Right Now

Warren Buffett, the former CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is known as one of the greatest value investors of all time. The portfolio he built at Berkshire Hathaway has changed over the past several decades, but it has always included stocks that Buffett targeted as great values. Buffett is no longer running Berkshire, but the portfolio is filled with the stocks that were picked during his tenure as CEO -- and many of them are great values, especially now with the recent market pullback. The absolute cheapest stock in the Buffett portfolio right now is Charter Communications, trading at just 6x earnings and 5x forward earnings. However, the best value stock in the Buffett portfolio right now is Bank of America (NYSE: BAC).

Bank of America is the fifth-largest holding in the Berkshire portfolio, representing a roughly 9% stake. Until two years ago, it had been the second-largest holding, but Buffett and his team have been paring back on shares in recent quarters. Right now, though, it appears to be in the buy zone. The stock is down about 12% year to date and is trading at around 12 times earnings, the lowest it has been in a year. Its forward price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) is only 11, and its five-year price/earnings-to-growth ratio (PEG), based on projected earnings, is 0.93. A PEG below 1.0 means it is undervalued. And its price-to-book value is relatively low at 1.2.

Wall Street analysts have established a median price target of $61 for Bank of America, which would suggest 26% upside for the stock over the next 12 months. And 83% of analysts rate it as a buy. Last year, Bank of America increased its revenue by 7% and lowered its provision for credit losses compared to the previous year. The revenue gains and provisions numbers were even better in the fourth quarter, a source of momentum heading into 2026. The bank also lowered its efficiency ratio by 194 basis points to 61% in the fourth quarter. That means it is making more for every dollar it spends. That shows up in the earnings, which increased 18% in the quarter to $0.98 per share. Its net interest income grew about 7% in 2025 to $60.1 billion. Management expects it to grow by a similar amount in 2026, projecting a range of 5% to 7%. Also, with its net charge-off ratio down in the fourth quarter and lower provisions for credit losses, that suggests its credit quality is improving. Charge-offs are loans that won't be repaid. While the interest rate picture is a bit murky right now, Bank of America, as a premier lender in the United States, is well-positioned in either scenario. If rates come down, it should spur more lending activity, which would likely boost net interest income as deposit rates drop. If rates hold where they are, it will likely maintain its solid increase in net interest income and its current higher spreads. Combine that with its cheap valuation, and this Buffett stock looks like a good buy right now.

Read more: https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/best-value-warren-buffett-stock-115500994.html

#warrenbuffett #berkshirehathaway #chartercommunications #bankofamerica #nyse

Yahoo Finance | LendingClub: A Digital Bank Growing Again Like a Fintech

LendingClub (NYSE: LC) has reinvented itself since acquiring a bank charter in 2021, operating as both a bank and a loan marketplace to earn net interest income and capital-light fees. This hybrid model allows the company to adapt to changing credit cycles by leveraging whichever side of the business is more favorable at any given time. In 2025, LendingClub reported strong growth, with fee-based loan originations increasing 33% for the year and reaching $2.6 billion in the fourth quarter alone—a 40% year-over-year increase. On the banking side, its net interest margin expanded to 5.98% from 5.42%, and total net revenue rose 27% to $999 million, while net income more than doubled to $136 million from $51 million in 2024.

Leadership changes and strategic investments signal continued momentum, including the appointment of Timothy J. Mayopoulos—former CEO of Fannie Mae and president of fintech Blend—as chairman, effective April 1. The company has also increased marketing spend, expanded its use of artificial intelligence in lending, and plans to enter the home improvement financing market. Management guidance for 2026 projects loan originations between $11.6 billion and $12.6 billion and earnings per share of $1.65 to $1.80. Despite these positives, LendingClub’s stock dropped roughly 20% after earnings release due to concerns about near-term growth softness and the shift to fair-value accounting, which can increase earnings volatility.

Analysts remain cautiously optimistic, with six of ten rating the stock a Buy and four a Hold, yielding a Moderate Buy consensus and an average 12-month price target of $22—over 50% above current levels. Trading at around $14, the stock is valued at 8 to 9 times 2026 earnings guidance and slightly above tangible book value, multiples more typical of a struggling regional bank than a growing digital lender. However, risks persist, including credit-cycle sensitivity, rising unemployment, and competition from both traditional banks and digital lenders. Still, for investors willing to accept credit risk, LendingClub’s double-digit returns on equity, revenue growth, and rising earnings present a compelling, if uncertain, opportunity in the financial sector.

Read more: https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/lendingclub-digital-bank-growing-again-114300192.html

#lendingclub #nyse #fintech #artificial-intelligence #home-improvement

Yahoo Finance | Bank of America downgrades US chemical stocks following price rally

Bank of America has downgraded its ratings for three major US chemical companies, citing concerns that recent share price gains may not be sustainable. The investment bank lowered Dow Inc (NYSE:DOW) and LyondellBasell Industries NV (NYSE:LYB) to 'Underperform,' while Westlake Chemical (NYSE:WLK) was downgraded to 'Neutral.' The move comes after a significant year-to-date rally, with stock prices for the companies rising 60% to 80%.

Bank of America noted that the recent price gains were partly driven by market factors linked to the ongoing conflict in Iran, which it described as 'unsustainable tailwinds.' The analysts believe that as markets normalize, fundamentals, including oversupply and downward pressure on petrochemical prices, are likely to come back into focus, potentially weighing on shares. Despite the downgrades, the bank has raised earnings forecasts for all three companies to reflect current market conditions and a higher energy price backdrop.

Price targets were also adjusted: LYB’s target increased to $68 from $55, DOW’s to $35 from $31, and WLK’s to $119 from $115. LYB traded hands at $78 on Monday afternoon, while DOW shares were at $41, and WLK was at $118. The bank highlighted that while near-term profits may remain elevated due to ongoing market dislocations, investor attention is expected to shift toward more 'normal' earnings profiles by 2027 and 2028. The analysts added that any resolution of regional conflicts without structural changes in capacity could lead to global oversupply, presenting challenges for sustained earnings growth.

Read more: https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/bank-america-downgrades-us-chemical-174300459.html

#bankofamerica #nyse #underperform #petrochemical #earnings

Yahoo Finance | C3.ai (AI): CEO Stock Sale Adds to Pressure on a Company Already Facing Weak Revenue Trends

C3.ai Inc. (NYSE:AI) is one of the worst-performing agentic AI stocks so far in 2026. As of the April 2, 2026 close, the stock was down about 35.9% year to date, with shares finishing at $8.64. A fresh insider filing added another uncomfortable headline: Chief Executive Officer Stephen Bradley Ehikian sold 52,194 shares of Class A common stock on March 31 at weighted-average prices ranging from $7.97 to $8.41, for proceeds of roughly $429,100. After the sale, his direct holdings were reduced to 721,485 shares.

On its own, the transaction is not enormous. But it lands at a rough time for the stock. In its fiscal third quarter ended January 31, 2026, C3.ai reported revenue of $53.3 million, down 46.1% year over year, while the company continued to post a net loss. That weak top-line comparison has helped keep pressure on sentiment even as management pointed to federal demand and deal activity.

C3.ai, Inc. (NYSE:AI) provides enterprise artificial intelligence software that helps organizations build, deploy, and operate AI applications for uses such as predictive maintenance, fraud detection, supply chain optimization, and government operations. While we acknowledge the potential of AI as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 33 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 15 Stocks That Will Make You Rich in 10 Years. Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.

Read more: https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/c3-ai-ai-ceo-stock-143645480.html

#c3.ai #nyse #ceo #insidermonkey #ai