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The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Labour are no closer to ending rank unfairness of working people paying for the 8million on Universal Credit
Welfare weight That is up by a million since Labour came to power. 1 Worse, around half of claimants — 3.4million, which is more than the population of Wales — don't have to make any effort at all to find a job. Such a massive increase in the jobless and the hopeless only adds to Britain's soaring welfare bill. Labour did have modest plans to cut spending on benefits. They didn't go nearly far enough, but would have been something. But instead the reforms were botched and Keir Starmer gave in to protest from his left-wing MPs. Since then there has been no sign of any new plan. And in the meantime the benefits gravy train continues for some. A chronic lack of assessment means many hundreds of thousands of claims are never properly checked. The Universal Credit figures are yet more dreadful news on the economy for Chancellor Rachel Reeves — much of it self-inflicted. Her National Insurance rise on business has seen companies cut thousands of jobs, adding to the benefits mountain. Keir Starmer 'to BACK DOWN' on benefits cuts as he faces major revolt from MPs And with a £50billion black hole to fill, more tax rises are coming in the autumn. It seems Labour are no closer to ending the rank unfairness of a smaller number of working people paying for millions to sit at home and do nothing. No wonder the anger of hard-grafting families is growing. A grim toll ON a day when Labour reached the 50,000 illegal immigrants toll, you might have expected a bit of contrition. Instead of accepting that shocking failure, minister Jacqui Smith banged on about the Rwanda scheme. That was a deterrent option which may have worked, but we'll never know because Labour foolishly scrapped it on day one. Since then, the Government has served up a string of short-term plans which will either have a limited effect or be doomed to total failure. A little more recognition of voter anger over the issue wouldn't go amiss. Lost treasures ONE pub a day is closing its doors forever in the UK. But punters are desperate to see their locals survive, with polls showing they would back measures in the next Budget aimed at saving the trade. energy costs and crippling business rates.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Take the Zacks Approach to Beat the Markets: StoneCo, Axon, Intuit in Focus
The three most widely followed U.S. indexes ended in the red during the holiday-shortened trading week. The Nasdaq Composite declined by 0.44%, whereas the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.17% each. Renewed trade tensions with the European Union and China have led to a downbeat market sentiment. The Federal Reserve's meeting minutes for May suggest that the implementation of new foreign trade tariff policies could lead to persistent inflation, curb economic growth and reduce global faith in U.S. assets. The second estimate of Q1 2025 Gross Domestic Product shrank at an annual rate of 0.2%, a slight upgrade from the initial estimate of 0.3% decline, but still the first drop in three years. The labor market remains resilient but shows slight signs of weakening. The U.S. jobless aid rose to 240,000 for the week ending May 24th, and Continuing Jobless Claims increased to 1.92 million. Regardless of market conditions, we, here at Zacks, provide investors with unbiased guidance on how to beat the market. As usual, Zacks Research guided investors over the past three months with its time-tested methodologies. Given the prevailing market uncertainty, you may want to look at our feats to prepare better for your next action. Here are some of our key achievements: Banco Comercial Português and PDS Biotechnology Following Zacks Rank Upgrade Shares of Banco Comercial Português, S.A. BPCGY have gained 13.9% (versus the S&P 500's 6.1% increase) since it was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) on March 31. Another stock, PDS Biotechnology Corporation PDSB, which was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #2 on March 31, has returned 9.5% (versus the S&P 500's 6.1% increase) since then. A hypothetical portfolio of Zacks Rank # 1 (Strong Buy) stocks returned -8.32% in 2025 (through May 5) vs. -5.35% for the S&P 500 index. This portfolio returned +22.4% in 2024, vs. +28% for the S&P 500 index and +19.9% for the equal-weight version of the S&P 500 index. This hypothetical portfolio returned +20.65% in 2023 vs. +24.83% for the S&P 500 index and +15% for the equal-weight S&P 500 index. The Zacks Model Portfolio - consisting of Zacks Rank #1 stocks – has outperformed the S&P index by more than 12 percentage points since 1988 (through May 5, 2025, the Zacks # 1 Rank stocks generated an annualized average return of +23.5% vs. +11% for the S&P 500 index). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 stocks here >>> Check Banco Comercial Português' historical EPS and Sales here>>> Check PDS Biotechnology's historical EPS and Sales here>>> Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Zacks Recommendation Upgrades StoneCo and BlackBerry Shares of StoneCo Ltd. STNE and BlackBerry Limited BB have advanced 30.9% (versus the S&P 500's 18.7% increase) and 26.1% (versus the S&P 500's 9.6% increase) since their Zacks Recommendation was upgraded to Outperform on April 9 and March 4, respectively. While the Zacks Rank is our short-term rating system that is most effective over the one- to three-month holding horizon, the Zacks Recommendation aims to predict performance over the next 6 to 12 months. However, just like the Zacks Rank, the foundation for the Zacks Recommendation is trends in earnings estimate revisions. The Zacks Recommendation classifies stocks into three groups — Outperform, Neutral and Underperform. While these recommendations are determined quantitatively, our analysts have the flexibility to override them for the 1100+ stocks they closely follow based on their better judgment of factors such as valuation, industry conditions and management effectiveness than the quantitative model. To access our research reports with Zacks Recommendations for the 1100+ stocks we cover, click here>>> Zacks Focus List Stocks Axon, Quanta Services Shoot Up Shares of Axon Enterprise, Inc. AXON, which belongs to the Zacks Focus List, have gained 42% over the past 12 weeks. The stock was added to the Focus List on June 3, 2020. Another Focus-List holding, Quanta Services, Inc. PWR, which was added to the portfolio on December 23, 2021, has returned 31.9% over the past 12 weeks. The S&P 500 has dipped 0.8% over this period. The Focus List portfolio has returned -3.23% through April 30, 2025, vs. -4.92% for the S&P 500 index and -2.88% for the equal-weight version of the index. The 50-stock Zacks Focus List portfolio returned +18.41% in 2024 vs. +25.04% for the S&P 500 index and +13% for the equal-weight S&P 500 index. The portfolio had returned +29.54% in 2023 vs. +26.28% for the S&P 500 index and +13.61% for the equal-weight S&P 500 index. In 2022, the portfolio returned -15.2% vs. the S&P 500 index's -17.96%. Since 2004, the Focus List portfolio has produced an annualized return of +11.33% (through the end of April 2025). This compares to a +9.95% annualized return for the S&P 500 index and +9.17% for the equal-weight version of the index in the same time period. The portfolio lags the broader market over the preceding year (+10.74% vs. +12.12%), but leads over the preceding 3-year (+47.29% vs. +41.16%), 5-year (+122.94% vs. +106.51%), and 10-year (+225.28% vs. +219.55%) periods. Unlock all of our powerful research, tools and analysis, including the Focus List, Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research Reports, Zacks Earnings ESP Filter, Premium Screener and more, as part of Zacks Premium. Gain full access now >> Zacks ECAP Stocks Intuit & Rollins Make Significant Gains Intuit Inc. INTU, a component of our Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), has jumped 22.8% over the past 12 weeks. Rollins, Inc. ROL has followed Intuit with 9.3% returns. The Zacks Earnings Certain Admiral Portfolio (ECAP), which consists of 30 concentrated, ultra-defensive, long-term Buy-and-Hold stocks, returned +3.20% in the first quarter of 2025 vs. the S&P 500 index's -4.30% decline (SPY ETF). For the year 2024, the portfolio returned +16.26% vs. +24.89% for the S&P 500 index (SPY ETF). In 2023, the portfolio returned +12.17% vs. +26.28% for the S&P 500 index. The portfolio returned -4.7% in 2022 vs. the S&P 500 index's -17.96%. With little to no turnover and annual rebalance periodicity, ECAP seeks to minimize capital loss by holding shares of companies whose earnings streams exhibit a proven 20+ year track record of surviving recessionary periods with minimal impact on aggregate earnings growth relative to the overall S&P 500. The ECAP and many other model portfolios are available as part of Zacks Advisor Tools, a cloud-based solution to access Zacks award-winning stock, mutual fund and ETF research. Click here to schedule a demo. Zacks ECDP Stocks Fastenal and Automatic Data Processing Outperform Peers Fastenal Company FAST, which is part of our Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP), has returned 9.2% over the past 12 weeks. Another ECDP stock, Automatic Data Processing, Inc. ADP, has increased 3.3% over the same time frame. Of course, the inclination of investors toward quality dividend stocks to secure an income stream amid heightened market volatility contributed to this performance. Check Fastenal's dividend history here>>> Check Automatic Data Processing's dividend history here>>> With an extremely low beta and a history of minimum earnings variability over the last 20+ years, this 25-stock portfolio helps to significantly mitigate risk. The Zacks Earnings Certain Dividend Portfolio (ECDP) returned +5.74% in 2025 Q1 vs. the S&P 500 index's -2.41% pullback and the Dividend Aristocrats ETF's (NOBL) +3.11% return. For the full year 2024, the portfolio returned +6.95% vs. +24.89% for the S&P 500 index and +6.72% for NOBL. The portfolio returned -0.9% in 2023 vs. +26.28% for the S&P 500 index and +8.11% for NOBL. The portfolio returned -2.3% in 2022 vs. -17.96% for the S&P 500 index and -8.34% for NOBL. Click here to access this portfolio on Zacks Advisor Tools. Zacks Top 10 Stock MasTec Delivers Solid Returns MasTec, Inc. MTZ, from the Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2025, has jumped 14.5% year to date, compared with the S&P 500 index's 0.6% increase. The Top 10 portfolio returned -7.88% this year (through the end of April 2025) vs. -4.92% for the S&P 500 index and -2.88% for the equal-weight version of the index. The Top 10 portfolio returned +62.98% in 2024, vs. +25.04% for the S&P 500 index and +13% for the equal-weight version of the index. The portfolio had returned +25.15% in 2023 vs. +26.28% for the S&P 500 index. Since 2012, the Top 10 portfolio has produced a cumulative return of +1832.3% through the end of April 2025 vs. +434.2% for the S&P 500 index and +338.6% for the equal-weight version of the index. The portfolio has produced an average return of +24.3% in the period 2012 through April 30, 2025, vs. +11.6% for the S&P 500 index and +9.58% for the equal-weight version of the index. 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 Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Fastenal Company (FAST) : Free Stock Analysis Report Intuit Inc. (INTU) : Free Stock Analysis Report Rollins, Inc. (ROL) : Free Stock Analysis Report MasTec, Inc. (MTZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Axon Enterprise, Inc (AXON) : Free Stock Analysis Report ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL): ETF Research Reports BlackBerry Limited (BB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Banco Comercial Portugues S.A. Unsponsored ADR (BPCGY) : Free Stock Analysis Report StoneCo Ltd. (STNE) : Free Stock Analysis Report PDS Biotechnology Corporation (PDSB) : 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
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Initial Claims More Than Expectations
Pre-market futures are up this morning, though somewhat muted from levels prior to economic reports out this morning on unemployment claims. We also see a full compliment of Q1 earnings reports ahead of today's opening bell, with another couple 'Mag 7' companies due to report after today's close. For months, we've been talking in this space about the steadiness and resiliency of weekly unemployment claims. While other metrics on the economy and employment have begun to show some volatility of late, these Thursday morning releases have for the most part kept a ceiling of 225K on near-term claims and sub-1.9 million on longer-term claims. That changes this morning, on both week, 241K Americans filed for unemployment on Initial Jobless Claims, well north of the 225K analysts were expecting and slightly upwardly revised 223K for the previous week. This level north of 240K was last reached back in the third week of February this year, which stands as an outlier relative to weeks on either side. Perhaps that will be the case here, as well. Future weeks will let us Claims breached 1.9 million for the first time in several weeks: 1.916 million were filed two weeks ago (longer-term claims report a week in arrears from new claims), the highest level (for now) since November 2021. But we have been here before: previous weeks this year have initially sounded the 1.9 million gong, only to revised it back down to the high 1.8 million level the following week. Again, we need to wait to see in future weeks whether this gets taken back below that threshold or start developing signs of labor market weakness. Big Pharma staple Eli Lilly LLY posted mixed results ahead of today's open, missing on earnings — $3.34 per share versus $3.52 expected, for a negative surprise of -5% — while beating on revenues: $12.73 billion, +0.8% from projections and well ahead of last year's $8.77 billion reported. Sales on weight-loss drug Mounjaro surged to $3.84 billion in the quarter. However, while forward revenue guidance was kept intact, LLY shares are down -4.7% on the news this MCD was also mixed in its Q1 report ahead of today's open, with earnings of $2.67 per share advancing past the Zacks consensus by 3 cents on revenues of $5.96 billion, which missed expectations by -2.12%. Same-store sales fell to their lowest levels in 5 years (the dreaded 'Covid era') and shares had been down -2% on the news. This cuts into the company's +10% gains year to Health CVS, which has re-prioritized its business away from expensive brick-and-mortar shops, posted a big Q1 earnings beat this morning: $2.25 per share versus $1.71 anticipated, for a +31.6% quarterly beat. Revenues of $94.59 billion in the period outpaced estimates by +1.76%. CVS is quietly one of the big success stories in 2025: shares are up another +8.7% at this hour, adding to its +48% gains year to no company this morning posted a bigger upside surprise than home goods supply firm Wayfair W, which swung to a positive +$0.10 per share on earnings from -$0.18 expected, for a surprise of +155%. Revenues of $2.73 billion for the quarter was +0.70% ahead of estimates, and exactly in-line with the previous month. Shares are up +6% in early trading; it still has a ways to go before it makes back the -32% in losses, year to date. For more on W's earnings, click here. Once regular trading opens for business this morning, we'll await the final print on S&P Manufacturing PMI and ISM Manufacturing, both for April. The S&P print looks to dial back narrowly to 50.6 — importantly, still above the 50-threshold that determines gain from loss. ISM Manufacturing, however, is expected to recess deeper into that sub-50 mire: 47.8% in the consensus estimate; 49.0% was the headline last time Spending results for March will also be in the offing a little later this morning. These are expected to drop half a percentage point month over month — from +0.7% for February to +0.2% the following month. These data sets look into the past a bit; we expect metrics like these to experience bigger changes as current trade policy in the U.S. comes under heavier today's closing bell, we'll hear from Amazon AMZN and — a half-hour after the normal session ends — Apple AAPL on Q1 earnings results. These are the two 'Mag 7' stocks we referred to earlier. Elsewhere, this afternoon also brings us Mastercard MA, Amgen AMGN and Twilio TWLO earnings after the bell, among many others. 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 Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Mastercard Incorporated (MA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amgen Inc. (AMGN) : Free Stock Analysis Report McDonald's Corporation (MCD) : Free Stock Analysis Report CVS Health Corporation (CVS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Wayfair Inc. (W) : Free Stock Analysis Report Twilio Inc. (TWLO) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
