Latest news with #McCourt
CNBC
16-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
The bond market is running the show again. The key level to watch
It's the bond market's world, and equity investors just live in it. The 10-year Treasury note yield staged a big reversal this week, giving a boost to stocks. The benchmark rate spiked higher to start the week after the U.S. and China agreed to lower tariffs for 90 days. Midway through the week, though, some trepidation entered investor sentiment, as the 10-year hovered around the key 4.5% level. But the rate quickly fell back below that level on Thursday — helping the S & P 500 post a four-day winning streak. The yield fell again on Friday to around 4.39%. US10Y 1M bar 10-year U.S. yield in past month Investors going forward should keep an eye on the 10-year, especially if it tries to break back above 4.5%. "S & P 500 daily returns have started to meaningfully weaken when the 10-year Treasury yield has increased above 4.5% since 2021 (in this rate cycle)," wrote Tavis McCourt, institutional equity strategist at Raymond James. He pointed out that the S & P 500's annualized returns have dropped to just 1% when the 10-year yield trades above 4.5%. That's compared to 10.4% with a yield below 4.4%. When the 10-year yield trades under 4.3%, the S & P 500 averages a return of 19.6%. Returns for mid- and small-cap stocks are even worse when the 10-year yield tops 4.5%. On an annualized basis, the S & P Midcap 400 loses 16.6% on average under such high yields, while the S & P Small Cap 600 loses 18.4%, McCourt pointed out. Elsewhere Friday morning on Wall Street, Loop Capital raised its price target on Meta Platforms to $888 from $695, implying more than 30% upside. "While our pre-quarter checks had pointed to resilience, our expectation that a drop in spending intensity from China-based advertisers would flatten revenue growth was a misread," analyst Rob Sanderson wrote in a Thursday note. "This large spending cohort has backed off (with some geographic reallocation) but AI-driven performance gains across the platform are more than an offset."
Hamilton Spectator
01-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Spring has sprung at NOTL's new tulip pick farm
Niagara-on-the-Lake is getting a Dutch makeover as TASC Tulip Pick Farm prepares to open doors at its first permanent location. Started five years ago by Frank Boendermaker, TASC's pick farm originated in Fenwick, Ont., and is finally calling NOTL its permanent home. 'It really fits well here — with the wine, the tulips, the downtown area, all the beautiful hotels and restaurants. We're thrilled to be here,' Boendermaker's wife Jill McCourt told The Lake Report. With an official opening date of April 30, the start of tulip season in Ontario, TASC's new farm, located on Line 3 Road, features 135 different varieties of tulip. 'Most people don't realize when they go to a tulip pick farm, they just think of the same ones they see in the grocery store — but we'll have so many more,' McCourt said. TASC wasn't always such a large-scale operation. Before planting roots in NOTL for its fifth year, the flower bulb importing company had smaller farms in Fenwick and Ridgeville for prior tulip seasons. Boendermaker immigrated to the U.S. from the Netherlands when he was 19, bringing his knowledge of tulip-growing with him. In 2020, he and his wife began business in Canada with a five-acre farm as a way of getting people outside during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'We found how important it was for people to connect with nature during that time and how much people enjoyed it,' McCourt said. With the farm's new permanent location, they will be able to run several events for the community — including a second grow season in August. The late summer season will feature sunflowers, gladiolas, dahlias and more. 'We want to show people that there's a lot of other bulbs that they can put in their own gardens to have a burst of colour,' McCourt said. Throughout the upcoming season, the farm plans to host several other special events, including paint nights, jazz evenings and wine tastings with NOTL wineries, McCourt said. Since moving to NOTL, the farm has partnered with companies and people in town, including Juliet Dunn and the TD Niagara Jazz Festival, for Sip, Savour and Sax nights on Wednesdays. TASC is also supporting NOTL businesses with food trucks on site, with vendors including Cheese Secrets, Sweets & Swirls and more. 'We also have someone doing some Dutch food,' McCourt said. McCourt is excited to welcome a new crowd of people to the farm. 'Niagara-on-the-Lake welcomed us with open arms. It's been phenomenal to work with (the town),' she said. TASC's NOTL tulip farm is located at 1173 Line 3 Rd. Tickets for the pick farm are available online at . Parking is free and the farm is accessible by bus. juliasacco@
Edinburgh Live
27-04-2025
- Edinburgh Live
I was victim of Edinburgh killer who went on the run - he should never be released
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A hero police officer who was shot by a killer who went on the run from prison to Edinburgh has said he should never be released. Brian Williams was shot in the hand by Raymond McCourt after he murdered a Scottish newsagent during a botched robbery in May 1993. The PC was left injured after chasing the thug after he killed Khalid Mahmood and shot shopper Moira Rooney. The 59-year-old convicted murderer went on the run from HM Castle Huntly open prison near Dundee last week but was recaptured in Edinburgh city centre after exiting a bus on Friday morning. It is the second time he will be returned to prison after going missing since being jailed for life in 1993. He was released on licence in 2015 to live with his partner in Perthshire but stole from her and was given a 10-month term. The Sunday Mail reports Brian, 66, believes the killer should never be released from prison. He said: "It doesn't surprise me that McCourt escaped. 'He had done it before and he will do it again. He should be kept behind bars for what he did.' McCourt's recent disappearance brought back memories of the day Brian confronted the killer as a young beat cop, having initially been told to investigate reports of an assault at a nearby bakers in Cambuslang, near Glasgow. Brian was unaware of the shopkeeper's murder at the time and that McCourt was armed with a .44 Magnum handgun. Dad-of-one Brian, from Glasgow, said: 'We got a call around 5pm. There was no mention of a gun. I got to the bakers and the staff pointed out the suspect, who was standing in a telephone box. (Image: Police Scotland) 'I was crossing the road and he gets out the phone box and points the gun at me and starts shooting. 'I put my hand up to protect my face and the bullet went into my hand off my wrist watch. He must have shot at me three or four times.' Shopper Moira had screamed: 'Don't shoot!' before McCourt wounded her and then turned the gun on cop Brian. Brian had the bullet removed after he was rushed to hospital. He spent two weeks at the police convalescent home in Harrogate, Yorkshire, but returned t work five months after the incident. He was awarded the Chief Constable's Very High Commendation, the Queens Commendation for Bravery and the Strathclyde Region Medal for Bravery.
Daily Record
27-04-2025
- Daily Record
Hero cop shot by killer who went on the run wants him jailed for life
A hero police officer shot by a killer who went on the run from prison has said he should never be released. Brian Williams was shot in the hand by Raymond McCourt after McCourt had murdered a Glasgow newsagent during a botched robbery in May 1993. The brave PC was injured as he chased the thug after he killed Khalid Mahmood and shot shopper Moira Rooney. The convicted murderer, now 59, went on the run from HM Castle Huntly open prison near Dundee last week but was recaptured in Edinburgh city centre after exiting a bus on Friday morning. It is the second time he will be returned to prison after going missing since being jailed for life in 1993. He was released on licence in 2015 to live with his partner in Perthshire but stole from her and was given a 10-month term. Brian, 66, thinks the killer should never be released. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Mail, he said: 'It doesn't surprise me that McCourt escaped. 'He had done it before and he will do it again. He should be kept behind bars for what he did.' McCourt's recent disappearance brought back memories of the day Brian confronted the killer as a young beat cop, having initially been told to investigate reports of an assault at a nearby bakers in Cambuslang, near Glasgow. Brian was unaware of the shopkeeper's murder at the time and that McCourt was armed with a .44 Magnum handgun. Dad-of-one Brian, from Glasgow, said: 'We got a call around 5pm. There was no mention of a gun . I got to the bakers and the staff pointed out the suspect, who was standing in a telephone box. 'I was crossing the road and he gets out the phone box and points the gun at me and starts shooting . 'I put my hand up to protect my face and the bullet went into my hand off my wrist watch. He must have shot at me three or four times.' Shopper Moira had screamed: 'Don't shoot !' before McCourt wounded her and then turned the gun on cop Brian. Brian was rushed to hospital to have the bullet removed. He spent two weeks at the police convalescent home in Harrogate, Yorkshire, but returned to work five months after the incident. He was awarded the Chief Constable's Very High Commendation, the Queens Commendation for Bravery and the Strathclyde Region Medal for Bravery .
.jpeg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26auto%3Dwebp%26quality%3D75%26crop%3D3%3A2%2Csmart%26trim%3D&w=3840&q=100)
Scotsman
25-04-2025
- Scotsman
Escaped prisoner caught getting off bus on busy Edinburgh road
The prisoner was arrested getting off a Lothian Buses service in Edinburgh Sign up to the daily Crime UK newsletter. All the latest crime news and trials from across the UK. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A convicted murderer who went missing from an open prison has been found on an Edinburgh bus. Raymond McCourt, 59, was reported missing at 5.30pm on Tuesday after he failed to return to HMP Castle Huntly near Dundee. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Raymond McCourt has absconded from prison | Police Scotland Police said officers located McCourt on London Road in Edinburgh on Friday morning. The prisoner was travelling on a No. 5 bus. An eyewitness reported him being detained by six plain-clothes police officers when he got off the Lothian Buses service close to the junction with Leith Walk. McCourt had reportedly boarded the bus minutes earlier in the Abbeyhill area. McCourt was detained and will be returned to prison. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Police had warned people not to approach McCourt if they saw him. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Officers in Edinburgh have located convicted prisoner, Raymond McCourt. He will be returned to prison. "Thank you to everyone who assisted us and to those members of the public who contacted us with information." McCourt was jailed for life in 1993 for the murder of shopkeeper Khalid Mahmood in Cambuslang and for shooting a woman and a police officer, and was ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years behind bars. He was released in 2015, but returned to prison after being convicted of theft.
