Latest news with #equity
Telegraph
5 hours ago
- General
- Telegraph
Starmer's enslavement to woke ideology is a gift to the new axis of evil
When wokeness in Britain went from being a loony Left preoccupation to a way of life, hot on the heels of America's wokeward tack in 2020, only fools, villains and villainous fools insisted that nothing much was happening – apart from a bit of long overdue fairness. Of course, they said, the old Right-wing cis white straight men and women were squealing about the embrace by the virtuous of 'social justice' and 'equity,' but that didn't mean there was anything more than a (confected) culture war afoot. It was obvious to me from the start of the woke era, however, that this was not 'just' a culture war but a real one, in a truly modern sense, with real consequences that would be felt far beyond a few workplaces or university seminar rooms. The vaulting from the seminar room into the world of the ideology linking 'white privilege ' to empire to colonialism to the immovable fact of white British guilt has led to poisonous politics on the Left, a troubling reaction on the populist Right, and a ruling class who make decisions with our money, our personal safety and the security of the country based on it. If people have been injured or died already thanks to wokeness – for instance in the failure to confidently and properly police Islamist terror suspects or BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic knife crime), or in the body-destroying treatments handed out by LGBTQ+ allies to kids who said they were trans in the gender movement that followed Black Lives Matter – then much more is set to come. One of the most flagrant case studies in how the woke mindset can be physically dangerous is Starmer's Chagos islands agreement. The 'deal' is to hand the British territory to Mauritius, and lease back the land on the island of Diego Garcia, on which sits a strategically vital Anglo-American military base. The lease costs £30 billion, and will be paid over 99 years. The Government's strange argument for the deal was that it would prevent the security risks that could come from instability due to international lawfare on this last 'colonial' outpost of Britain's. Starmer, somehow, did not think that it was more of a security concern that Chinese influence in Mauritius is malign and growing: China has now announced that Mauritius will be joining its power-grabbing Belt and Road initiative. Indeed, Starmer's comments about the handover in a press conference were very odd. He said with confidence that only Britain's enemies were against it. 'In favour are all of our allies: the US, Nato, Five Eyes, India. Against it: Russia, China, Iran.' Yet days after it went through, China was celebrating. Beijing's ambassador to Mauritius, Huang Shifang, told guests at the Chinese embassy in Mauritius's capital of Port Louis that China sent 'massive congratulations' to Mauritius on the deal, and that China ' fully supports' Mauritius's attempt to 'safeguard national sovereignty '. It's hard to think of a more cynical, almost joyously so, use of this terminology. China, after all, is a country obsessed with taking by force the democratic, independent Taiwan (Mauritius, China has made clear, supports its doctrine that Taiwan is already part of China); repressing free speech in Hong Kong, where it operates a subtle reign of terror, and subjecting its Uyghur Muslim population in Xinjiang to sadistic treatment in internment camps. And now it gets to set about enjoying all manner of devious proximity to our all-important Eastern base. So yes, Britain's Chagos deal makes delicious sense to China, but makes no sense for us. Unless, of course, you are Starmer and his inner circle, and you're enslaved to the twin ideologies of post-colonialism and 'international law' – which lands you in the awkward and unfortunate position, as we have seen, of ending up in agreement with China on core values like self-determination. It's a mess. All this Chinese gloating disguised as proper appreciation for nations' rights to freedom from colonial shackles serves as a useful reminder of just how suspicious such language has become. Yes, it is mass-peddled by august 'international' bodies, NGOs, courts and the UN. But these have all been corrupted by those with sinister anti-Western agendas. Indeed, the bodies charged with pursuing a kinder world order with 'human rights' pursued through law always seem to favour those who care least about those obligations. It was telling when Lord Hermer, Starmer's attorney general, compared those in favour of withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to the Nazi philosopher and jurist Carl Schmitt, when what membership of the ECHR really means, in practice, is having to treat terrorists and foreign mass murderers with the utmost consideration. The greatest, longest-running example of the hijacking of a world organisation is the UN, which has been faking outrage at violations of 'international law' to endanger and ostracise Israel for decades. As Natasha Hausdorff, the international lawyer known for pointing out the legal flaws in the numerous evil smears levelled at Israel, notes : 'Armies of NGOs [have fed] the United Nations system and international bodies like the ICC and ICJ' so that 'pseudo-legal language permeates public discourse about Israel. This has now broken into public consciousness, but it has been building in the NGO world and UN world for a long time.' The once honourable ICJ – the International Court of Justice – was seized by South Africa to bring a case against Benjamin Netanyahu as a war criminal even as Israel sacrificed soldiers fighting Hamas in Gaza, resulting in an arrest warrant for the Israeli PM which Britain refuses to reject. As the famous American lawyer and Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz says of the ICJ: 'It's not international, it's not a court and it doesn't do justice.' The bloc that still determines the balance of power and the fate of countries – just – is the Western one. And we are now in great peril, due to being gullible and ill-informed, anti-Semitic, terror-appeasing and morally confused. Our cultures have swallowed whole the Leftist cultural theories that were meant to never leave academia – those of post-structuralism and post-colonialism – and under their influence we turn our faces towards the lies pouring from the Eastern axis of 'resistance' – with lethal consequences. The international human rights community in all its respectable clout gives this evil nonsense the stamp of approval. Older people just about remember when international law meant something. Some saw first-hand the real genocide of the mid-20th century, others spectacular bloodshed under monsters and in the course of war. Some of us just remember hearing about those times and events, from parents and grandparents. To us, the souring of organisations like the ECHR, ICC, ICJ, UN – the whole concept of 'international law' itself – is bitter and clear. The rising generation, though, those who have taken up en masse the garbage of third-rate academic theories about coloniser and oppressor, who misuse terms including racism, apartheid, genocide, settler-colonialism, fascism and even capitalism, seem to genuinely think these corrupted organisations are the end of the moral and geopolitical rainbow. That reference to their motions and cases and objections and votes must end all arguments; that the old animating force behind international courts for human rights and justice was just a relic of a racist age, and now we know better. In some ways we do. But those who still chase after international legitimacy are barking up the wrong tree – either accidentally or, like China, on purpose.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How Target lost its sparkle
For many shoppers, Target runs became more than just an errand; they're a beloved treat. Something changed this year: Sales and foot traffic are down, and the discourse has shifted. Four former Target superfans told BI why they're disillusioned — and where they're shopping instead. Rachelle Biennestin decided to break a habit this year. The 31-year-old used to regularly visit Target to buy clothes, cat stuff, video games, and groceries, including her beloved snack: chocolate-covered pretzels. Last year, she said, she started noticing a change at her happy place, including messy shelves, fewer workers, and a shift to self-checkout. "Target used to get this rep that it was the fancier, nicer Walmart," she told BI. Suddenly, she said, "it wasn't this nice, magical place anymore." In January, the company said it was rolling back some of its commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion. That's when she decided to ditch Target. She got a Costco membership instead and has been frequenting local grocery stores and small businesses. "I have not been back at all, and I'm happy about it," Biennestin said, adding, "It was easier than I thought it would be." Target has long been a shopper's darling. The elevated alternative to other big-box retailers inspired many social media posts about cruising the aisles for fun, grabbing some treats, and accidentally spending too much money. Its splurge-worthy cachet earned it the nickname "Tarzhay." Target is still a big-box behemoth, raking in $106.6 billion in 2024 and the 11th most popular department store in the country, per market research firm YouGov. Something has shifted in recent months. Target's customers have been turning away from the brand, driven by a confluence of anger at the DEI rollback, complaints about the in-store experience, and overall economic stress. Their displeasure is showing up in scores of critical videos posted to TikTok and Instagram, and in companywide metrics: comparable-store sales, transactions, and money spent per visit were all down in the most recent quarter. "Target used to be a treat like, 'yep, I'm going to go to this exclusive club-type place and spend my money here and maybe get a little Starbucks drink afterward," Biennestin said. "That's how it felt before 2025." A number of former customers told BI that they felt the in-store experience they used to treasure at Target had begun to degrade. They cited messy displays and a lack of workers, particularly at checkout. Starting in 2024, "I noticed that there would not be a lot of staff," Biennestin said. "We would be forced to do self-checkout." A Target spokesperson said that self-checkout has sped up the customer experience and that the average staff per store has not declined over the last three years. Michael Kocher, a 26-year-old in New York and former avid Target shopper, said his local store became less convenient because it locked so many items in cases, and he'd often have to wait for help to get what he needed. Andra North, a 36-year-old director of operations and mother in California, said she used to visit Target more than any other store. Her kids used to get excited when they pulled into the store with red carts. North said she is now boycotting Target over its DEI pullback. She said her disenchantment began earlier. She wanted less clutter in her life, and strolling the aisles, it was easy to get caught up in wanting things that she didn't plan to buy. "Especially around Christmas, it's festive and you want to make everything cozy — but then you just look around and it's just all this stuff that no one needs," she said. "And I remember having this, I don't know, sense of frustration with it." Target isn't alone in turning away from DEI. A national pullback stretches from Big Tech to the Ivy League as part of a larger cultural shift championed by the White House. For the former Target fans BI spoke with, it was the last straw. CEO Brian Cornell addressed the backlash as one reason for the company's sales dip in the first quarter of 2025, alongside declining consumer confidence and tariff uncertainty — headwinds that other retailers are also contending with. Boycotts rarely move the needle, but in this case, Target "attracted a very different type of demographic — more educated, younger, more self-aware, and aware of the issues that are taking place within their community," said Peggy Stover, a marketing professor at the University of Iowa. Brayden King, a Northwestern University professor of management, said the store's ability to attract avid fans may be exactly what has set it up for a punishing backlash. Target's January policy change cited the planned end of external diversity surveys and three-year DEI goals. In a statement, a spokesperson said, "Target is absolutely dedicated to fostering inclusivity for everyone — our team members, our guests and our supply partners," and cited continued support of Black-led businesses and organizations, HBCUs, and employee scholarships. "Going forward, we're committed to expanding opportunity by supporting small businesses, increasing access to education, and creating the best team to serve the more than 2,000 communities where Target operates," the spokesperson said. Kocher said the reversal seemed like a betrayal because the company had a reputation for being pro-diversity and employee-friendly. "People saw themselves in Target — in the products, in the workforce, in the advertisements, these things that people thought that they belonged here and they thought that Target wanted them there," Kocher said. Target's political stances have drawn ire from both sides of the political aisle; not too long ago, conservative-leaning activists were targeting the brand for its Pride collection. Costco, another brand with a similar knack for building a loyal customer base, has naabbed market share and foot traffic from Target. Foot traffic data from shows visits to Target are down 4.1% year-over-year. Comparatively, wholesale clubs like BJ's, Sam's, and Costco saw their visits increase. YouGov found that Target's popularity plunged, dropping from roughly 70% as of January 1 to about 54% on April 2. Costco was the most popular big-box store among those surveyed. This embedded content is not available in your region. The changing fortunes of Target, where splurges abound, to Costco, where shoppers economize by buying in bulk, could represent changing habits due to heightened economic uncertainty around fears that tariffs could reignite inflation and a downturn. "When the economy gets tough, people just stop shopping as much as they did in the past, and they're more likely to cut things that they see as luxuries, and that probably is affecting Target right now," King said. Cornell said on Target's latest earnings call that the company has "many levers to use in mitigating the impact of tariffs, and price is the very last resort." Kandace Montgomery, 38, used to go to Target four to five times a week. If she was bored after work, she'd go to Target. If she needed food, she'd go to Target. If she needed anything for her house, she'd go to Target. Montgomery hasn't been back since January. She said saving money is one of the perks, even though she misses things like their seasonally themed toy birds or the Chip and Joanna Gaines collection. "I'm not just going to the store on a random Tuesday afternoon and spending $300 because the Target gods told me I needed to," she said. She's trying to shop less and go to smaller businesses or local grocery stores when she needs to. Many of the once-avid Target shoppers said that they're not sure if anything could ever fully win them back; at the very least, their views on their favorite shopping mecca have irrevocably shifted. "I think there would have to be a lot of change for me to go back," Montgomery said; for her, that would ideally come in the form of turning around and going full force back into DEI. "I really don't know. That would be hard," Montgomery said. "They put a bad taste in my mouth, and now I don't know if I can trust them." Do you have a story to share about Target? Contact this reporter at jkaplan@ Read the original article on Business Insider 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
17 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Estimating The Fair Value Of CWG Holdings Berhad (KLSE:CWG)
CWG Holdings Berhad's estimated fair value is RM0.17 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity With RM0.17 share price, CWG Holdings Berhad appears to be trading close to its estimated fair value Industry average of 209% suggests CWG Holdings Berhad's peers are currently trading at a higher premium to fair value In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of CWG Holdings Berhad (KLSE:CWG) by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model is the tool we will apply to do this. Before you think you won't be able to understand it, just read on! It's actually much less complex than you'd imagine. Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model. This technology could replace computers: discover the 20 stocks are working to make quantum computing a reality. We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Seeing as no analyst estimates of free cash flow are available to us, we have extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the company's last reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value: 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 Levered FCF (MYR, Millions) RM4.16m RM3.66m RM3.39m RM3.25m RM3.19m RM3.19m RM3.22m RM3.27m RM3.35m RM3.44m Growth Rate Estimate Source Est @ -18.92% Est @ -12.15% Est @ -7.41% Est @ -4.10% Est @ -1.78% Est @ -0.15% Est @ 0.99% Est @ 1.78% Est @ 2.34% Est @ 2.73% Present Value (MYR, Millions) Discounted @ 9.8% RM3.8 RM3.0 RM2.6 RM2.2 RM2.0 RM1.8 RM1.7 RM1.5 RM1.4 RM1.4 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = RM21m The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (3.6%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 9.8%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF2034 × (1 + g) ÷ (r – g) = RM3.4m× (1 + 3.6%) ÷ (9.8%– 3.6%) = RM58m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= RM58m÷ ( 1 + 9.8%)10= RM23m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is RM44m. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of RM0.2, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at CWG Holdings Berhad as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 9.8%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.041. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Check out our latest analysis for CWG Holdings Berhad Whilst important, the DCF calculation ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. For CWG Holdings Berhad, there are three important elements you should further examine: Risks: For example, we've discovered 4 warning signs for CWG Holdings Berhad (2 are a bit concerning!) that you should be aware of before investing here. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! Other Top Analyst Picks: Interested to see what the analysts are thinking? Take a look at our interactive list of analysts' top stock picks to find out what they feel might have an attractive future outlook! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Malaysian stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Equities Fall Intraday After Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Pact
US benchmark equity indexes were lower intraday after President Donald Trump accused China of violat 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
Associated Press
a day ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Rosenman Symposium 2025 Brings National Healthcare Innovation to UCSF
A signature UCSF event, the symposium convenes top minds to address cost, equity, and the future of care 'Our theme this year was Healthcare in Harmony. Not because harmony is impossible, but because it's essential. When innovation, cost, and care are in sync, everyone benefits.'— Christine Winoto, Executive Director of the UCSF Rosenman Institute SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, May 30, 2025 / / -- On May 20–21, the UCSF Rosenman Institute hosted the 9th Annual Rosenman Symposium at UCSF Mission Bay—two days of raw, candid, and solution-driven conversations on the future of healthcare. The Rosenman Institute at UCSF, one of the world's leading health sciences institutions, exists to convene, connect, and catalyze—bringing national voices together to inspire breakthrough solutions and foster lasting partnerships. UCSF faculty and leaders played central roles in helping shape the dialogue on cost, equity, and innovation. 'UCSF is a place where innovation, research, and care come together every day,' said Christine Winoto, Executive Director of the UCSF Rosenman Institute. 'This symposium reflects that spirit, connecting leaders from across the healthcare ecosystem so we can shape what's next together. Our theme this year was Healthcare in Harmony. Not because harmony is impossible, but because it's essential. When innovation, cost, and care are in sync, everyone benefits.' Discussions spanned a wide range of intersecting issues, including the $9 trillion forecast for U.S. healthcare spending, equity gaps, women's heart health, the future of cancer therapy and the cost, and behavioral health. Throughout, participants explored how to design healthcare that is not only innovative and cost-effective, but also inclusive, measurable, and accountable. The Rosenman Institute brought forward impactful topics and created space for participants to think differently. By challenging assumptions and surfacing new perspectives, the symposium encouraged everyone, from entrepreneurs and UCSF Health leaders to broader healthcare industry decision makers and stakeholders, to approach problems in new ways. The goal: to spark solutions that reshape how we address the most pressing issues in healthcare. The Rosenman Institute, together with Blue Shield of California and Kaiser Permanente, also honored Dr. Sandra Hernández, President and CEO of the California Health Care Foundation, with the 2025 UCSF Healthcare Impact Award, recognizing her decades-long leadership in advancing equity, public accountability, and access across the state. The symposium offered a unique opportunity to connect with healthcare stakeholders from payers and providers to investors, clinician-researchers, and innovators. As always, the Rosenman Symposium had no press, creating a rare space for honesty and breakthrough thinking. How Leaders Described the Symposium: 'The Rosenman Symposium is an outstanding opportunity to focus on the triangle of healthcare: quality, access, and affordability. Must we pick two, or is there a world where we can have all three? At Rosenman, the conversation is all about building a healthcare system that delivers on all three.' — Tom Insel, MD, Co-Founder Vanna Health and Benchmark Health, Former NIMH Director 'Each presentation was deeply empowering. I left the event better informed and more motivated to advocate for change.' — Karin Bartley, Blue Shield of California 'This is a symposium of ideas and innovation that brings together a diverse group of individuals who are at the forefront of what healthcare can be. It is the perfect place to be inspired, wowed, encouraged, and come out on the other end knowing that we have a lot of work to do and that with this community and this level of engagement there is a path forward.' — Fumi Mitsuishi, MD, Chief of Service, Psychiatry, ZSFG & Vice Chair for ZSFG, Professor of Medicine, UCSF 'The Rosenman Symposium is truly unique – it seamlessly balances deep policy insight with cutting-edge digital health innovation. The invite-only mix of top healthcare leaders sparked candid, strategic conversations I haven't experienced anywhere else.' — Lindsay Aspegren, Co-founder, North Coast Technology Investors Herminio Neto UCSF Rosenman Institute [email protected] Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
