Green Energy Boom Driven by Trade War Supply Shift
Global supply chains have reconfigured since the 2018-19 trade war, leading to a surge in renewable-energy demand in countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia as Nike and Samsung set up operations. This trend, coupled with population growth and the proliferation of AI-driven data centers, is projected to triple the demand for power in the next five years, according to Gavin Adda, CEO of Peak Energy.
The subsidiary of Stonepeak, an infrastructure investment firm which manages more than $70 billion in assets, expects a big chunk of this energy demand will be met with renewable sources. Adda also sees Asian countries deregulating energy markets, opening up avenues for investments in solar and wind. He joins John Lee and Katia Dmitrieva on the Asia Centric podcast.
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Forbes
3 hours ago
- Forbes
Samsung Makes New Free Offer To Galaxy S25 Edge Buyers
Samsung's new Galaxy S25 Edge is the slimmest ever Galaxy phone. One month after its launch and just weeks after the last serious Galaxy S25 discount, the Galaxy S25 Edge has already been included in its first major promotion. Samsung U.K. is running a familiar deal that gives away a free Galaxy Tab A9 Plus, worth £359 ($485), with all Galaxy S25 Edge purchases. This is alongside up to £468 trade-in value (more on this later), 2TB of cloud storage for six months, three months of Samsung Care Plus and 30% off select accessories. The trade-in values, free subscriptions and discounted accessories are commonly used makeweights in Samsung promotions. The headline deal here is the free tablet bundled with the phone. The Korean company has a habit of throwing in an expensive freebie with smartphones. The Galaxy Tab A9 Plus appears to be the most popular, but I have seen Samsung bundle a free Chromebook, free earbuds, a free Galaxy watch and even the Galaxy S25 itself given away for free. Readers of my deals stories will know that the sacrifice for these freebies is historically poor trade-in valuations compared to U.S. pricing. But, in an unexpected move, that appears to have suddenly changed. Samsung U.K. is now offering equivalent prices for used devices compared to Samsung U.S.—even beating American valuations in some cases. For example, U.K. shoppers will get £341 ($461.41) for their Galaxy S22 Ultra compared to the U.S. store's $500 price. Things get better with the S23 Ultra, which is priced at £449 ($607.54), beating the U.S. shop's $580 valuation. I don't know what inspired Samsung to u-turn on U.K. and European trade-in pricing, but there may be a clue in the Galaxy S25 Edge's early sales information. Samsung's new ultra slim Galaxy S25 Edge. According to its industry sources, SamMobile claim's that Samsung's early Galaxy S25 Edge sales are below expectations. The site also theorizes that the company's lack of sales data in Korea and pre-order deals—that improved as the days went on—are signs that the device hasn't sold well. This wouldn't surprise me because it is an entirely new device that doesn't have the history of the main flagship line behind it to inspire confidence in consumers. I'm also not entirely convinced the Edge will be around for the long run. A Samsung representative I spoke with explained that the company had to redesign essential components to fit into the Edge's smaller chassis. I suspect these new design methods will be repurposed into other flagship devices, like the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7. Samsung has done this before with the original Galaxy Note Edge phone back in 2014, which disappeared after one launch, with the curved screen technology being subsumed into the main Galaxy S line. The combination of the Edge potentially not selling widely, the newly enhanced trade-in prices, and the possibility that it is a one-and-done device, alongside this early freebie promotion, could mean more aggressive discounts on the horizon. Stay up to date on Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge deal analysis by hitting the follow button below.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
2 Dividend Stocks to Hold for the Next 2 Years
Dividend stocks can generate reliable passive income. The key is to find companies that have a strong track record of paying and increasing their dividends. Investors also want to be sure that they are picking companies that can generate enough earnings and free cash flow to cover and raise their dividends in the future. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › Since the pandemic began, the stock market has proven to be erratic, plunging at times only to quickly recover and launch into fresh bull markets. Today, with plenty of new uncertainty due to issues including President Donald Trump's trade wars, U.S. fiscal concerns, and the concerning trajectory of the U.S. economy, more volatility is certainly on the docket. That's why investors may want to check out some dividend stocks, which can provide reliable passive income. The returns of dividend stocks can be much more dependable than those of non-payers, especially if you choose ones with good track records and the ability to grow their earnings and free cash flows so they can keep regularly increasing their payouts. Here are two dividend stocks that meet those criteria that investors can feel comfortable buying and holding for the next two years. The iconic footwear and apparel company Nike (NYSE: NKE) has been less than iconic as a stock lately. It's now down by about 39% over the last five years (as of June 4). Intensifying competition in the footwear and apparel space, struggles with the brand, and an excessive focus on digital promotions and sales have resulted in the company underperforming in recent years. To change its trajectory, the board hired longtime Nike veteran Elliot Hill out of retirement to take the helm, and Nike is now deeply entrenched in his turnaround plan. Hill is focused on getting the company back to what it does best -- renewing its intense focus on the brand, leading the way on product innovation, and reactivating and improving its sales relationships with wholesalers. Hill also said earlier this year that Nike will be focused on five product areas -- running, basketball, football, training, and sportswear -- and three markets: the U.S., the United Kingdom, and China. But as some analysts have pointed out, Nike's turnaround could take longer than expected, especially if the global trade war continues or if the U.S. economy tips into a recession. A longer turnaround could make it difficult to entice investors to buy and hold the stock, which is why Nike is likely to make paying and raising its dividend a priority. Its yield of about 2.6% at the current share price isn't bad, but it trails most Treasury yields right now and over the past few years. In November, Nike increased its quarterly dividend by 8%, marking the 23rd consecutive year the company has hiked the payout. In a couple more years, Nike is likely to join an exclusive club -- the Dividend Aristocrats®, which are S&P 500 companies that have increased their payouts for a minimum of 25 straight years. (The term Dividend Aristocrats® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC.) Its ascension into that group will give Nike added some credibility among dividend investors. Nike also has a trailing 12-month free cash flow yield of 5.66%, more than double its current dividend yield. Nike has a good dividend track record and clear incentives to keep raising its payouts to reward shareholders for their patience. If its turnaround is successful, that should also enable the company to grow earnings and free cash flow, which will also bolster its capacity to pay higher dividends. If you've followed Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC), then you know that the bank has been on a bumpy ride over the last decade. In 2016, it came to light that large numbers of employees at the bank had been opening banking and credit card accounts in customers' names without those customers' authorization. The scandal evolved into a reputational nightmare for Wells Fargo and cost it billions of dollars in fines and lost profits. Regulators put various restrictions and consent orders on the bank to monitor its actions. In addition, the Federal Reserve in 2018 put an asset cap on it, preventing it from growing its balance sheet above $1.95 trillion -- limiting its ability to expand, pursue acquisitions, and make more money. In 2019, the bank brought on Charlie Scharf to take over as CEO, and he did a tremendous amount of work to overhaul the bank's regulatory infrastructure and leadership team. Scharf also significantly cut expenses, sold off non-core assets, and ramped up higher-returning businesses like investment banking and credit card lending. This year, after Trump returned to the White House, banking regulators under his administration quickly terminated the consent orders that were put in place to monitor its behavior in the wake of the scandal, and just recently lifted the asset cap. That's a massive deal for the bank, which can now begin to grow its balance sheet again and go on the offensive in the financial services market. During the pandemic, Wells Fargo was one of the few banks forced to cut its dividend due to regulations put into place by the Federal Reserve. While the bank has been able to regrow its payout, its yield still sits in the bottom half of its peer group. Furthermore, broader deregulation of the banking sector from Trump and his administrators is likely on the way. I suspect the largest banks will eventually have much lower regulatory capital requirements than they have now, which will allow them to return more capital to shareholders. Furthermore, Wall Street analysts on average currently expect Wells Fargo to grow its diluted earnings per share by about 8% this year and by close to 14% next year, according to data provided by Visible Alpha. Over the last 12 months, Wells Fargo's dividends only consumed about 31% of earnings, so it should have plenty of opportunities to keep growing its payouts in the coming years. Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you'll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a 'Double Down' stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you're worried you've already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it's too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you'd have $363,030!* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you'd have $38,088!* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you'd have $674,395!* Right now, we're issuing 'Double Down' alerts for three incredible companies, available when you join , and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.*Stock Advisor returns as of June 2, 2025 Wells Fargo is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Bram Berkowitz has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nike. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 Dividend Stocks to Hold for the Next 2 Years was originally published by The Motley Fool
CNET
4 hours ago
- CNET
Why Using Rice to Save Your Wet Phone Is a Horrible Idea
Summer is full of beach vacations and lounging near the pool. But if you drop your phone in some water, it could result in an expensive trip to a phone store. While many smartphones are water-resistant, that doesn't mean they're waterproof so it's still important to dry out your phone. Here are a few ways to get your phone dry after dropping it in water or getting it dirty, and hopefully these tips can help save you from having to buy a new phone. None of these methods are guaranteed to work, however, and while there's a lot of anecdotal evidence, there are very few scientific studies on the subject. The most recent study we could find was from 2014 by Gazelle, a company that buys and sells used and broken phones. According to that study, the make and model of phone were found to influence whether a phone could return to working order, with Android phones typically faring better than iPhones. Phone manufacturers agree that removing your phone from water as quickly as possible helps to minimize how much water comes into contact with your device. That means you have a better chance of saving your phone but don't put your phone in rice after removing it from water because that could damage it. Here's what you should do if you drop your phone in water. If you follow these instructions and your phone won't turn on, or it turns on and has some issues, you should take it to an associated phone shop to see if they can help. What Apple and Samsung recommend The two biggest phone manufacturers have some tips in case you drop your phone in water. Apple says that many iPhones are splash, water and dust resistant when tested in controlled lab environments, but these resistances aren't permanent. If your iPhone gets wet, it might display a warning that there's water in your phone's charging port. If you see this warning, or your iPhone comes into contact with water, lotions, soap or other potentially hazardous material, here's what Apple says to do: 1. After removing your iPhone from the material, turn it off and dry it with a soft, lint-free cloth. 2. Tap your phone gently with the charging port facing down to get excess water out of the port. 3. Place your iPhone in a dry area with good circulation and wait at least five hours. Pointing a fan at your iPhone's charging port might help the process. After five hours, try turning your iPhone back on and plugging it back in. If you're still having issues, you can try the other methods mentioned in this article, or you can take your phone to an Apple store for further assistance. Apple also says don't put your iPhone in rice. "Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone," the company writes online. Drop your smartphone in water? Don't has similar instructions for drying your phone: 1. Remove your phone from the water, turn it off and dry it off with a dry towel or a clean cloth. 2. Place your phone in a well-ventilated area or in the shade with cool air from a fan. Samsung doesn't specify a length of time to wait, though. Samsung says even after you've followed these steps that there might still be water inside your phone so you should bring it to a Samsung Electronics Service Center. Both manufacturers also say if you drop your phone in a liquid other than clean water -- like soda or pool water -- you should quickly rinse your phone using tap water before drying with a towel and then air drying. Apple and Samsung say to never use a heating source, like a blow dryer or oven, to dry off your phone. The heat could damage it. Silica gel beads could help You could also try silica gel. According to Gazelle, silica gel beads are a good option to absorb moisture out of phones. Silica gel beads can be found in those white packs labeled "Do not eat" that many products come packed with. You can save these packs from packages you've received, or buy packs through online stores like Amazon or companies like Dry & Dry. Once you have your silica, here's what to do after dropping your phone in water: 1. Get your phone out of the water and turn it off. 2. Dry the outside of your phone with a lint-free towel. 3. Place your phone in a large container. 4. Fill the container with your silica gel beads and seal the container. 5. Gazelle recommends waiting 72 hours to let your phone dry. 6. Remove your phone from the container and try turning it back on. Other household items might help If you don't have silica gel beads on hand, you could try other household items. Gazelle found couscous and instant rice both work well as drying agents. Follow the steps in the above section, but replace the silica beads with either of these, wait for the same amount of time and then try restarting your device. Gazelle also tested conventional cat litter, oats, chia seeds and uncooked white rice but doesn't recommend these products because they leave behind debris that could damage your phone. For more tips, check out how low-frequency sounds can get rid of water from your phone's speakers, how to get two days out of a single iPhone charge and how to easily manage your Android permissions.
