Latest news with #international markets
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
QNB Egypt results support group's strong financial position
QNB Egypt achieved a consolidated net profit growth of EGP15.1bn, a year-on-year increase of 10% and the bank's standalone net profit was EGP14.8bn in the first half (H1) of 2025; demonstrating the QNB Group's strong financial position and the success of its strategy, supporting the sustainable growth its business in the region. QNB Egypt achieved a strong financial performance during H1, reflecting its ability to build on the ongoing success achieved through its international branches and subsidiaries present in more than 28 countries and three continents around the world. "Our continued success is built on solid foundations supported by the strategic diversification of our services across different geographies. This enhances our ability to adapt and grab promising opportunities, in line with QNB Group's strategic goal to grow its market share in international markets," said Heba al-Tamimi, senior executive vice-president, QNB Group Communications. She said its business model has demonstrated strength and resilience against challenges, enhancing the group's financial stability and consistent performance, with a focus on achieving sustainable growth and delivering a long term value to its customers and shareholders. Mohamed Bendier, QNB Egypt chief executive officer, said the financial performance indicators demonstrate a significant leap in growth rates across all business sectors, enabling QNB Egypt to maintain a strong financial position and outstanding performance. "These results are a direct reflection of the strong performance of QNB Group, confirming our leadership in the Egyptian banking sector and contributing to achieving a larger market share," he said. The total loans and advances portfolio increased by EGP42bn, reaching EGP407bn, marking an 11% growth compared to December 2024. Customer deposits reached EGP700bn as at the end of June 2025, an increase of EGP20bn and a 3% growth compared to December 2024, driven by growth across all business lines. Total consolidated assets increased to EGP844bn as at the end of June 2025, an increase of EGP24bn compared to December 2024, a 3% growth. The bank also maintained a capital adequacy ratio of 24.3%, thanks to the implementation of optimal credit policies. The non-performing loan ratio reached 5.23% as at the end of June 2025, while the provision coverage ratio for substandard loans reached 107%. These positive results confirm the efficiency and flexibility of QNB Egypt's executive policies and procedures, which have enabled it to develop its operations and enhance its competitiveness and market share in Egypt through its branch network, which now amounts to 236 branches following the recent opening of its new branch in New Alamein City. The bank's strong financial performance was also reflected in the 11 international awards received this year from prestigious global financial institutions, further affirming its commitment to banking innovation across various sectors and supporting financial inclusion and sustainable economic development. QNB Group currently ranks as the most valuable bank brand in the Middle East and Africa. Through its wide network of subsidiaries and associate companies, the Group provides a comprehensive range of advanced products and services. The total number of employees exceeds 30,000, operating from approximately 900 locations, with an ATM network of more than 4,800 machines. © Gulf Times Newspaper 2025 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Goldman Sachs Raises Philip Morris (PM) Price Target, Maintains Buy Rating
Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM) is one of the most profitable consumer stocks to buy now. Goldman Sachs raised its price target on Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM) to $200 from $190 on July 17, maintaining a Buy rating and signaling confidence in the tobacco giant's earnings trajectory. The new target implies an upside of nearly 12% from the current share price of $178.70. Copyright: jetcityimage / 123RF Stock Photo The upward revision comes ahead of the company's next earnings release, with Goldman pointing to improved operational visibility and strong execution in key international markets. Analysts highlighted the company's ability to navigate shifting regulatory environments while preserving margins through disciplined cost controls and a balanced pricing strategy. Philip Morris has also continued to expand its presence in non-combustible products, though Goldman's update did not place sole emphasis on this segment. Instead, the note referenced broad-based strength in the company's global footprint, where consistent performance in both developed and emerging markets has helped support top-line growth. Investors will be watching closely for commentary on shipment volumes, inventory trends, and guidance updates. With shares hovering near their recent highs, Goldman's call suggests confidence that Philip Morris still has room to move higher as it balances legacy operations with ongoing product innovation. While we acknowledge the potential of PM as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: Top 10 Healthcare AI Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds and 10 Best Industrial Automation Stocks to Buy for the Next Decade Disclosure: None.
Travel Weekly
21-07-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Brand USA says interest in travel to U.S. is improving
Intent to visit the U.S., which began to dip earlier this year, is starting to improve, according to Brand USA's consumer sentiment study, fielded each month in 10 key international markets. In 2023 and 2024, the survey found that among those who were likely to travel internationally in the next 12 months, 29% said they would like to go to the U.S. This year, that intent dipped from 28% in January to 23% in April. But more recently, "we're seeing early signs of stabilization," said Chelsea Benitez, Brand USA's director of consumer research. The survey is fielded in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and the U.K. Speaking during the marketing organization's mid-July board meeting, Benitez said intent "ticked up slightly in May and again in June, reaching 25%, a modest but meaningful improvement. 'Positive momentum' "While we're still not back to 2024 average levels, this recent lift suggests positive momentum as we head into the back half of 2025 despite some of that softening in overall intent," she said. In its first board meeting since learning it would lose 80% of its federal funding in the 2026 fiscal budget, Brand USA also reported that inbound visitation projections from Tourism Economics are up slightly. "After a sharp downward revision earlier this year, the forecast has inched upward, with nearly 1 million visitors added back into the forecast between March and June of this year, a positive sign of stabilizing expectations in 2025," Benitez said. Overseas visitation through June was down 1.2% year over year, to 15.9 million overseas visitors, but in the top 20 markets, it fell only 0.3%, "signaling continued resilience," she said. And while Tourism Economics projects 66.5 million international visitors in 2025, an 8% decline from 2024 driven mostly by a 20% dip forecast from Canada, it's a dip that is expected to be short lived, with growth forecast to resume in 2026 and continue in 2027. Photo Credit: Courtesy of BRAND USA Leah Chandler, Brand USA's chief marketing officer, said that the organization's strategy and new campaign, America the Beautiful, acknowledges the challenges of the moment. "So what's our assignment? At this moment, the U.S. travel industry needs a rallying cry," she said. "We know that international audiences still love many things about the U.S. and are connected to the people through our culture and our stories. And while right now might not feel like it's the right time for some, there are others who have the means and desire to visit the United States, and those people will prioritize a visit here. "We are asking a lot from this new campaign. It must drive direct economic impact and entice high value travelers. It needs to transcend the media clutter, and you'll see that we're using Americana and nostalgia as themes to inspire. And of course, it must leverage the world's most iconic events that are going to be taking place across the US in the coming years."
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Helmerich & Payne Holds Ground as Piper Sees 20% Upside Amid Rig Slowdown
Helmerich & Payne (NYSE:HP) is one of the best oil drilling stocks according to hedge funds, especially following a fresh validation from Wall Street. On July 15, Piper Sandler initiated Helmerich & Payne (NYSE:HP)'s coverage with a Neutral rating and set a $20 price target, implying about 20% upside from the ~$16 share price. That call comes amid a challenging land-drilling environment, with U.S. rig counts expected to drop from 522 to 500 and oil prices hovering below $70, yet Piper's analyst believes H&P's advanced rigs and automation tools position it well to weather the storm. Despite the Neutral rating, the deck isn't stacked against H&P. The firm just reported 47% year-over-year revenue growth last quarter, driven partly by its acquisition of KCAD and expansion overseas. Helmerich & Payne, based in Tulsa, is a leading land drilling contractor with a fleet of automated FlexRigs. It services customers across North America, the Gulf, and select international markets, focusing on performance-driven drilling tech and operational reliability. While we acknowledge the potential of HP as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. 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
Khaleej Times
14-07-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Currency FOMO may yet draw US investors to overseas markets
The dollar's drop this year has supercharged the outperformance of global equities over Wall Street, yet U.S. investors remain heavily underweight foreign stocks. Americans playing catch-up could well magnify the gulf in returns through the rest of 2025. Investment strategists have spent much of the past three disruptive months poring over blizzards of data on cross-border fund flows, largely to support the narrative that foreign capital is fleeing U.S. assets due to President Donald Trump's policy upheavals. As is often the case, the reality is more prosaic than the fearful hand-wringing. Morgan Stanley's recent dive, for example, showed ongoing foreign demand for U.S. equities, just at a slower pace following the April 2 tariff shock. If anything, they found U.S. investors were marginal net sellers of domestic equities. "The sheer size of the U.S. stock market means it should still receive inflows, just less of them," Morgan Stanley's team concluded. And now that U.S. stock benchmarks are back at record highs after a 20% round trip, the mood has turned somewhat. The thinking in some quarters at least is that - tariff fears notwithstanding - the storm has passed and Wall Street can rely on tax cuts, renewed tech enthusiasm and deregulation. But the stark outperformance by many non-U.S. markets so far this year could yet mean 'FOMO' - or fear of missing out - may now come into play for U.S. savers looking abroad - mirroring the global scramble to load up on Wall Street in recent years. At the very least, more significant and overdue rebalancing of U.S. investment portfolios may be in store. The dollar's 10% decline against major developed market currencies in the first half of 2025, and its 13% swoon against the euro in particular, is a key catalyst - potentially both driving and feeding off the investment switch. The MSCI all-country index that excludes U.S. stocks has climbed almost 17% this year, almost three times the 6% gain in the SP500, flattered by currency gain on that index of more than 8%. In dollar terms, euro zone stocks have zoomed 27% higher so far this year, while Germany's DAX boomed by 37% and Hong Kong's index is up 20%. Overseas FOMO David Kelly, Chief Global Strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management, makes the point that after years of exceptional U.S. stock gains, most investors are still heavily underweight non-U.S. assets. The prospect of further dollar weakness from here could well draw them out. "Even if it were an even bet whether the dollar and the exceptionalism premium would rise or fall going forward, investors are not positioned as if it were an even bet," Kelly wrote this week. "Prudence suggests they should spread their bets." Morningstar strategist Amy Arnott noted how imbalanced a U.S. investors' portfolio holdings could now be simply as a result of inertia during years of massive U.S. gains. An investor who started out five years ago with a portfolio mix of about two-thirds U.S. stocks and one-third international, and never rebalanced, would now hold about 71% of their portfolio in U.S. stocks, she reckoned. The most recent fund flow data showed assets in international funds totalled about $4.6 trillion, about 26% of the total in all U.S. active and exchange traded funds. Arnott points out that a more balanced market cap-based weighting would put 37.7% in international stocks. The argument for rebalancing is compounded by the much cheaper valuations available outside the U.S. and risk of exposure to the dollar. "It's impossible to know if international stocks will lead or lag over any given period, but a healthy dose of international exposure can help insure you're not overly exposed to trends in the U.S. market," the Morningstar strategist wrote. Of course, any move to rebalance now comes with numerous warnings about chasing overseas returns based on recent performance. How will the relative economies perform, and how will interest rates shift? How will the trade war pan out? What about sectoral biases and tech? What's more, there's also some debate about whether the fraught global policy environment will just result in the return of home bias, much as Trump's economic team would seem to favor. If that were the case, this trend may benefit Europe if the trillions the continent's savers have currently parked in the U.S. were repatriated - although it would also see U.S. investors just hunker down at home. The decider may well be further dollar weakness - also assumed to be a welcome development by the Trump administration. Global fund managers are already registering their most underweight position in dollars in 20 years, according to the most recent Bank of America survey, so perhaps the flight from the greenback is partly played out. But if dollar weakness resumes and snowballs - which could be the case as U.S. interest rates tumble and trade and fiscal deficits yawn wider - U.S. investors may find it impossible to ignore the lure of foreign shores.
