Inflation is hovering near 3% again, and the Federal Reserve (the Fed) has signaled it could keep cutting interest rates. For most people, that headline raises a bigger question: What should I do with my money? Find Out: Money Influencer Delyanne Barros: Why Boring Could Be Best for Investing Read Next: Mark Cuban Tells Americans To Stock Up on Consumables as Trump's Tariffs Hit -- Here's What To Buy Investing experts translated the Fed-speak into plain steps you can take right now. Understand the Rate C ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Conagra's organic net sales for Q1 2026 were $2.6 billion, reflecting a 0.6% decline compared to the prior year [18] - Adjusted gross margin was 24.4% and adjusted operating margin was 11.8%, both down from the previous year but slightly better than initial expectations [18] - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) were $0.39, down $0.14 from the year-ago period [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Grocery and Snacks segment net sales were $1.1 billion, representing a 1% decline in organic net sales [19] - Refrigerated and Frozen segment also delivered $1.1 billion in net sales, with organic net sales up 0.2% [20] - International segment organic net sales declined 3.5%, while Foodservice segment returned to growth with a 0.2% increase [20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - 44% of Conagra's portfolio held or gained volume share in Q1, an improvement from Q4 fiscal 2025 [7] - Frozen portfolio volumes improved by 3.2 points compared to Q4 fiscal 2025, with significant share gains in frozen vegetables, meals, and prepared chicken [8] - Snacks business saw strong volume in protein snacks, but faced declines in specific products due to promotional timing shifts [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on growing its frozen and snacks segments while investing in supply chain resiliency [16] - Conagra is maintaining a disciplined approach to capital allocation, with $450 million planned for capital expenditures [15] - The company successfully completed divestitures of Chef Boyardee and frozen seafood businesses, using proceeds to reduce net debt by over $400 million [13] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expects inflationary pressures and weak consumer sentiment to persist, reaffirming full-year guidance for fiscal 2026 [5] - Core inflation expectations have increased to the low 7% range, primarily due to rising costs in animal proteins [14] - The company anticipates organic net sales growth for the second half of the year as supply constraints ease [28] Other Important Information - Conagra reduced net debt by nearly $1.1 billion compared to the year-ago period, ending the quarter with net leverage at 3.55 times [25] - The company is on track to complete its supply chain modernization efforts, including the Baked Chicken project [12] - Adjusted SG&A expenses were unfavorable to the prior year due to higher incentive compensation and advertising spend [22] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the expectations for organic net sales growth? - The company continues to expect organic net sales growth in the range of negative 1% to positive 1% for fiscal 2026 [26] Question: How is the company managing inflation and tariff costs? - The company has been able to mitigate a large portion of tariff costs in Q1 but expects higher net tariff costs in Q2 due to inventory utilization [28] Question: What is the outlook for the second quarter? - The company expects organic net sales to decline in low single digits in Q2, driven by recent consumption trends and trade expense shifts [28]

Group 1 - The U.S. government will acquire a 5% stake in Lithium Americas and its Thacker Pass lithium project in Nevada, indicating a strategic interest in domestic lithium production [1] - Lithium Americas experienced a surge in stock price following the announcement by Secretary of Energy Chris Wright [1] - The investment aligns with broader U.S. interests in securing domestic sources of lithium, which is critical for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy technologies [1] Group 2 - The Dow and other indexes saw an increase in stock prices due to inflation data meeting expectations, which may influence Federal Reserve rate cut outlooks [4] - Companies like Ford and General Motors received upgrades in their relative strength ratings, indicating positive market sentiment towards their stock performance [4] - The focus on reshoring chip manufacturing and investments in lithium stocks reflects ongoing trends in the technology and automotive sectors [4]

U.S. consumer confidence declined again in September as Americans' pessimism over inflation and the weakening job market continued to grow. ...

Deposit account rates are on the decline. The good news: You can lock in a competitive return on a certificate of deposit (CD) today and preserve your earning power. In fact, the best CDs still pay rates above 4%. Read on for a snapshot of CD rates today and where to find the best offers. Where are the best CD rates today? CDs today typically offer rates significantly higher than traditional savings accounts. Currently, the best short-term CDs (six to 12 months) generally offer rates around 4% to 4.5% AP ...

Euro-area inflation accelerated in September, cementing the European Central Bank’s plans to keep interest rates steady for now https://t.co/2UydRWU1I5 ...

Euro zone inflation accelerated last month on higher services prices and a smaller decline in energy costs, likely reinforcing bets on the ECB keeping interest rates on hold for some time. ...

"I think rates being on hold is appropriate for the current period"Bank of England policymaker Catherine Mann on the risk inflation poses to the UK economy and what the central bank might do next #BBGWomenMoneyPowerhttps://t.co/D71n0UVSBN https://t.co/WehjSWoGS6 ...

BOE rate-setter Catherine Mann said that UK monetary policy remains loose relative to inflation and economic activity https://t.co/tItYDUkcaP ...

Sanjay Malhotra, governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), during a news conference in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. India's newly-appointed central bank governor Malhotra said he will look to uphold stability and continuity in policy in his role. Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesIndia's central bank kept its policy rate unchanged at 5.5% Wednesday in line with the expectations of economists polled by Reuters.Inflation moderated significantly in the first quarter, but gr ...