
GOP Eyes Pharma Tax Hike, Nixing Drug Price Deal for Trump Bill
House Republicans are considering nixing a Medicaid drug pricing plan floated by President Donald Trump and fiercely opposed by the pharmaceutical industry as the party pushes to strike a massive tax and spending deal in the coming days.
But drugmakers may not be totally off the hook.
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22 minutes ago
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Implied Volatility Surging for Allegiant Travel Company Stock Options
Investors in Allegiant Travel Company ALGT need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the July 18, 2025 $120 Call had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today. Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy. Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for Allegiant Travel Company shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, Allegiant Travel Company is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) in the Transportation – Airline industry that ranks in the Top 19% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, no analyst increased the earnings estimates for the current quarter, while five have dropped their estimates. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from $2.28 per share to 84 cents in that period. Given the way analysts feel about Allegiant Travel Company right now, this huge implied volatility could mean there's a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected. Check out the simple yet high-powered approach that Zacks Executive VP Kevin Matras has used to close recent double and triple-digit winners. In addition to impressive profit potential, these trades can actually reduce your risk. Click to see the trades now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Allegiant Travel Company (ALGT) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump booed and cheered at the Kennedy Center while attending 'Les Misérables'
WASHINGTON (AP) — The drama in the audience rivaled the spectacle on stage on Wednesday at the Kennedy Center, where President Donald Trump went to the opening night of 'Les Misérables' as he tightens his grip on the venerable performing arts institution. It was his first time attending a show there since his election, and he was booed and cheered as he took his seat alongside first lady Melania Trump. Near the end of the intermission, someone loudly cursed his name, drawing applause. Several drag queens were in the crowd, their presence a protest against Trump's complaints that the Kennedy Center had hosted too many drag shows in the past. Despite the condemnation, the event had a MAGA-does-Broadway feel. Ric Grenell, the Trump-appointed interim leader of the Kennedy Center, was there, as were Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha. Before the show began, Attorney General Pam Bondi chatted with guests and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took selfies. Laura Loomer, the conspiracy theorist who has advised Trump on personnel decisions, posted a video from a seat near the stage. Trump walked the red carpet with the first lady when they arrived at the Kennedy Center, which he's been remaking in his image while excising what he describes as liberal ideology. 'We want to bring it back, and we want to bring it back better than ever,' Trump said. The Republican president has a particular affection for 'Les Misérables,' the sprawling musical set in 19th-century France, and has occasionally played its songs at his events. One of them, 'Do You Hear the People Sing?,' is a revolutionary rallying cry inspired by the 1832 rebellion against the French king. The three-hour production featured singing and dancing, with the sounds of explosions and gunfire filling the theater as protesters and soldiers clashed on stage. For Trump's critics, it was an unnerving echo of what's unfolding in Los Angeles, where Trump has deployed National Guard troops in response to protests over his deportation policies. 'Someone explain the plot to him," California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, wrote on social media. Terry Gee, a bartender, bought his ticket for the show in November and didn't mind Trump's presence. It's his sixth time seeing 'Les Misérables,' and he said, 'I'm going to enjoy the show regardless." Hannah Watkins, a nurse, only learned that Trump would be there when the Kennedy Center distributed information about extra security and she searched online to see what was happening. 'I've seen a lot of famous people so far, which is exciting,' said Watkins, who had claimed a spot near the VIP entrance with her mother. 'Honestly, we just like 'Les Mis' and are excited to be here.' Before Trump, presidential involvement in the Kennedy Center's affairs had been limited to naming members to the board of trustees and attending the taping of its annual honors program in the fall. But after returning to office in January, Trump stunned the arts world by firing the Kennedy Center's longtime director and board and replacing them with loyalists, who then named him as chairman. Trump promised to overhaul its programming, management and even appearance as part of an effort to put his stamp on the national arts scene. His latest moves have upset some of the center's patrons and performers. In March, the audience booed the Vances after they slipped into upper-level seats to hear the National Symphony Orchestra. Trump appointed Usha Vance to the Kennedy Center board along with Bondi, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and Fox News Channel hosts Maria Bartiromo and Laura Ingraham, among other supporters. Sales of subscription packages are said to have declined since Trump's takeover, and several touring productions, including 'Hamilton,' have canceled planned runs at the center. Actor Issa Rae and musician Rhiannon Giddens scrapped scheduled appearances, and Kennedy Center consultants including musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming resigned. Understudies may have performed in some roles Wednesday night because of boycotts by 'Les Misérables' cast members, but Trump said he wasn't bothered by anyone skipping the performance. 'I couldn't care less,' he said. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has adopted a more aggressive posture toward the arts. The White House has taken steps to cancel millions of dollars in previously awarded federal humanities grants to arts and culture groups, and Trump's budget blueprint proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Trump has also targeted Smithsonian museums by signing executive orders to restrict their funding and by attempting to fire the director of the National Portrait Gallery. The president characterized previous programming at the Kennedy Center as 'out of control with rampant political propaganda' and said it featured 'some very inappropriate shows,' including a 'Marxist anti-police performance' and 'lesbian-only Shakespeare.' The Kennedy Center, which is supported by government money and private donations, opened in 1971 and for decades has been seen as an apolitical celebration of the arts. It was first conceived in the late 1950s during the administration of Republican President Dwight Eisenhower, who backed a bill from the Democratic-led Congress calling for a National Culture Center. In the early 1960s, Democratic President John F. Kennedy launched a fundraising initiative, and his successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson, signed into law a 1964 bill renaming the project the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Kennedy had been assassinated the year before. ___ Associated Press writer Mark Kennedy in New York contributed to this report. Darlene Superville And Chris Megerian, The Associated Press
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Let her walk': After public outcry, Cumberland exchange student walks at graduation
CUMBERLAND, R.I. (WPRI) — A Cumberland High School exchange student was allowed to walk at graduation Wednesday night following a last-minute reversal sparked by community backlash. Clara, a foreign exchange student from France, was blindsided and confused after school leaders pulled her aside after rehearsal wrapped Tuesday, telling her she would not be able to participate in the ceremony. According to Jason Dean, a Cumberland School Committee member, Clara's host family emailed the entire committee expressing that she was devastated and had never been told she couldn't walk. Not only was it never communicated to Clara or her host family, but the school allowed her to go through the full graduation preparation process—including paying dues, ordering a cap and gown, and submitting the proper pronunciation of her name. Dean clarified that Clara was not seeking a diploma, but simply wanted recognition for completing her senior year abroad. 'Since November, she had assumed she was going to be allowed to walk across the stage,' Dean explained. 'She never thought she was going to get a diploma.' While certain policies prevent students from walking if they do not meet graduation requirements, Dean said that wasn't the case here. 'The policy that the superintendent quoted didn't mention foreign exchange students or people that weren't matriculating for the diploma from other countries,' he said. This decision prompted swift backlash from parents and community members, who criticized the school for poor communication and a lack of transparency. Word spread quickly on social media, with several people saying Clara had been 'led on' and raising concerns about the 'fairness and inclusivity' of the district's policies. In response, two emergency meetings were called—the first an executive session behind closed doors, which Dean said he strongly opposed. 'Whatever can be done in the public eye, in the spirit of transparency, should be done in the public eye,' Dean said. 'Unfortunately, they didn't invite the student or the host parents to that meeting, so when we did go from executive to the public session, they weren't there to explain themselves.' In the interim, the superintendent reportedly said Clara's previous host family was notified in July 2024 that she wouldn't be able to walk. However, Dean said that was not clearly communication to her current host when she transferred. He said Clara was so confident she'd be participating that she moved her return flight to France ahead of the ceremony. On Wednesday morning, the principal issued a statement saying he stood by his decision, a position backed by the superintendent, leaving it up to the School Committee to make the final call. Ultimately, the committee voted 6-0 to let Clara walk, and after a stressful 48 hours, she crossed the stage Wednesday night alongside her classmates. 'It really was the political uproar that caused the special meeting,' Dean said, adding that the justification for the reversal was the short notice of the situation. Dean said that the committee plans to revisit the district's policy to prevent similar confusion in the future, such as students who may receive diplomas after summer school. NEXT: Warwick twins graduating high school as valedictorian and salutatorian Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.