Market Overview - Stocks initially moved higher at the start of trading on Monday but quickly lost ground, with major averages ending the day modestly lower. The Nasdaq fell by 137.76 points (0.6%) to 23,057.41, the S&P 500 dipped by 10.90 points (0.2%) to 6,816.51, and the Dow decreased by 41.49 points (0.1%) to 48,416.56 [1] Sector Performance - Computer hardware stocks continued their sharp pullback from the previous session, leading to a 2.9% decline in the NYSE Arca Computer Hardware Index [4] - Software stocks also experienced considerable weakness, with the Dow Jones U.S. Software Index losing 1.5%. Other sectors such as telecom, networking, and brokerage stocks showed notable declines, while pharmaceutical and healthcare stocks performed strongly [5] Economic Data Impact - Upcoming economic reports, including the monthly jobs report for November and retail sales data for October, are expected to influence market sentiment. A report on consumer price inflation is also scheduled for release, which could affect interest rate outlooks following the Federal Reserve's recent monetary policy announcement [3][8]

Core Insights - The ASX index saw significant returns in 2025, driven primarily by materials, industrials, and telecommunications sectors, with commodities, infrastructure, and connectivity playing key roles in the rally [1] Materials Sector - The materials sector led the ASX with a remarkable 27% gain, primarily driven by gold and critical minerals rather than traditional iron ore [2][3] - Gold prices surged approximately 60% in 2025, with notable performances from Evolution Mining Ltd, which rose 160%, and Newmont Corporation, which increased by 149% [4] - The strategic importance of rare earths led to a 97% increase in Lynas Rare Earths Ltd, reflecting the sector's role in defense, electrification, and clean energy [5][6] Industrials Sector - The industrials sector achieved a solid 9% return, supported by high-quality businesses such as Transurban Group, which benefited from resilient traffic volumes and inflation-linked tolls [9] - Brambles Limited saw an 18% increase, leveraging its global pallet pool amid steady demand for consumer staples and e-commerce [9] - ALS Ltd rose 44%, driven by demand for testing and inspection services across various markets [10] Telecommunications Sector - The telecommunications sector combined defensive income with growth, achieving an 8% return in 2025 [2][13] - Telstra Corporation Ltd gained 21% as it raised prices across services while maintaining cost control, solidifying its position as a defensive stock [14] - Aussie Broadband Ltd stood out with a 42% increase, expanding its market share and transitioning into a national player [15] - Tuas Ltd experienced an 11% rise, benefiting from offshore growth in Singapore with its low-cost mobile offerings [16] Future Outlook - The performance of these sectors in 2026 will be influenced by commodity prices and interest rates, alongside macroeconomic factors [18] - Long-term success will depend on disciplined investment in high-quality businesses that can grow earnings and maintain strong balance sheets [19]

Company Overview - Rogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest diversified media and telecom companies, offering a broad range of services to consumers and businesses [5] Financial Performance - For the third quarter of 2025, Rogers Communications reported revenue of C$5.34 billion, representing a 4% increase from the previous year [3] - Services revenue also increased by 4% year-over-year, amounting to C$4.7 billion [3] Operational Achievements - The company launched Rogers Satellite, providing Canadians with three times more geographic coverage than any other carrier [4] - 5G service was activated across 4,650 meters of tunnels in the Toronto Transit Commission subway system [4] - Rogers partnered with the federal government to launch the Connected Robotics Living Lab, focusing on research in 5G and AI [4] - The rollout of next-generation WiFi 7 technology continued across the country [4] Market Outlook - Morgan Stanley raised its price target for Rogers Communications to C$50 from C$46 while maintaining an Underweight rating on the shares [2]

Core Viewpoint - IQSTEL Inc. has announced its first-ever dividend distribution, which will be paid in common shares to shareholders of record as of December 15, 2025 [1][2]. Distribution Details - The dividend distribution will amount to $500,000, calculated based on the closing price of $6.62 on August 29, 2025, resulting in 75,529 shares to be distributed on or about December 30, 2025 [3]. - The distribution ratio is set at 0.0173, meaning shareholders can determine their allocation by multiplying their share count by this ratio, with all allocations rounded down to the nearest whole share [4]. Company Performance and Strategy - CEO Leandro Iglesias highlighted significant achievements, including uplisting to Nasdaq, reaching a $400 million revenue run rate ahead of schedule, and achieving a $2.7 million EBITDA run rate [5]. - Fintech now constitutes 20% of the company's revenue, and the addition of Cybersecurity has enhanced its high-margin portfolio [5]. - The company aims for a $15 million EBITDA run rate in 2026 and a $1 billion revenue run rate by 2027 [6]. Financial Results - In the third quarter, IQSTEL reported revenues of $102.8 million, a 90% increase year over year, exceeding estimates [7]. - Gross revenue reached $118.5 million, driven by strong subsidiary synergies, while adjusted EBITDA totaled $0.68 million, primarily from Telecom and supported by Fintech contributions [7]. Stock Performance - IQST stock closed at $3.93, reflecting a decrease of 3.44% on the previous Friday [8].

Market Valuation Summary - The combined market valuation of eight of the top-10 most valued domestic firms decreased by ₹79,129.21 crore last week, with Bajaj Finance and ICICI Bank experiencing the largest declines [1] - The BSE benchmark index fell by 444.71 points or 0.51 percent during the same period [1] Individual Company Performance - Bajaj Finance's market capitalization dropped by ₹19,289.7 crore to ₹6,33,106.69 crore [2] - ICICI Bank's valuation decreased by ₹18,516.31 crore to ₹9,76,668.15 crore [2] - Bharti Airtel's market capitalization fell by ₹13,884.63 crore to ₹11,87,948.11 crore [3] - State Bank of India's valuation diminished by ₹7,846.02 crore to ₹8,88,816.17 crore [3] - Infosys lost ₹7,145.95 crore, bringing its market valuation to ₹6,64,220.58 crore [3] - Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) saw a decline of ₹6,783.92 crore to ₹11,65,078.45 crore [3] - HDFC Bank's market capitalization dipped by ₹4,460.93 crore to ₹15,38,558.71 crore [3] - Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) experienced a valuation erosion of ₹1,201.75 crore to ₹5,48,820.05 crore [3] Gainers in the Market - Reliance Industries' market capitalization increased by ₹20,434.03 crore to ₹21,05,652.74 crore, maintaining its position as the most valued firm [4] - Larsen & Toubro's valuation rose by ₹4,910.82 crore to ₹5,60,370.38 crore [4]

Core Viewpoint - Verizon Communications is facing challenges despite its 6.6% dividend yield, which has been described as "sacrosanct" by the CEO, Daniel Schulman. The company has a history of increasing dividends for 19 consecutive years, but the growth has been modest compared to inflation [1][2][10]. Financial Performance - Verizon reported $134.8 billion in revenue for 2024 and serves 146.1 million wireless retail connections, covering 99% of Fortune 500 companies and 99% of the U.S. population with its 4G LTE service [5]. - The company has lost 30% of its market share since 2017 and is now ranked No. 3 in the telecom industry, indicating heightened competition [6]. - In the last quarter, Verizon lost 7,000 postpaid phone customers and laid off 13,000 employees, reflecting dissatisfaction with its performance [7]. Dividend Analysis - Verizon's dividend has increased by only 1.8% this year, which is below the annual inflation rate of 3%. Since 2020, the dividend has grown by 12%, also lagging behind inflation [2][12]. - The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.69 per share, amounting to $2.92 billion in dividends next quarter, which is less than half of the $7 billion in cash flow from operating activities [10]. - Verizon has paid off $9.4 billion in debt over the last year, which is nearly equivalent to the $11.2 billion paid in dividends for 2024, allowing for potential flexibility in maintaining dividends [11]. Strategic Outlook - The new CEO aims to reclaim network leadership, with some positive indicators such as 306,000 net adds in the broadband segment, totaling 13.2 million subscribers [8]. - Efficiency gains have led to a record $7 billion in free cash flow for the company, marking a 17% year-over-year increase [9]. - While the dividend is expected to remain stable, future hikes may be minimal, making it less appealing for long-term investors due to inflation concerns [12].

Core Insights - The construction of data centers in the U.S. is expected to grow significantly through 2030, driven by increasing digital workloads, cloud expansion, and investment in high-density computing facilities [1] - Dycom Industries, Inc. is well-positioned to benefit from this trend due to its capabilities in fiber integration and complex electrical systems [1][3] Industry Overview - Global data center infrastructure capital expenditures (CapEx) from 2025 to 2030 are estimated to reach approximately $6.7 trillion, with over 40% of this investment expected in the U.S., translating to about $240 billion in labor spend [2] - The demand for fiber and data center programs is a key contributor to Dycom's backlog growth, which increased by 4.7% year-over-year to $8.22 billion as of October 2025 [3][10] Competitive Landscape - Competitors such as Quanta Services, Inc. and MasTec, Inc. are active in the data center and network construction space, contributing to a competitive environment as project volumes rise [6][8] - Both companies have strong technical resources and workforce capacity, positioning them well for upcoming data center-related work [7][8] Financial Performance - Dycom's stock has increased by 38% over the past three months, outperforming the broader construction sector and the S&P 500 Index [9] - Earnings estimates for fiscal 2026 and 2027 have risen by 5.6% and 36.9%, respectively, indicating strong growth potential [12] Strategic Developments - The acquisition of Power Solutions will enhance Dycom's capabilities in mission-critical electrical infrastructure, which is essential for modern data center developments [3][10] - The Federal Reserve's recent interest rate cuts may provide additional support for long-duration infrastructure commitments, including data center construction [4]

Economic Outlook - The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is expected to cut the Fed funds rate by 25 basis points with a nearly 90% probability [1] - Lower short-term interest rates may ease refinancing conditions for businesses, but could signal economic weakness if not managed properly [2] Investment Opportunities - In a soft landing scenario, investors are encouraged to consider dividend stocks for steady income and potential capital appreciation as bond yields decline [3] NNN REIT - NNN REIT offers a 6.01% dividend yield with a quarterly payout of $0.6 per share, benefiting from a stable demand for single-tenant retail properties [4][6] - The REIT has increased its annualized base rent (ABR) by 7.2% year-over-year and has $1.4 billion in available liquidity with no floating rate debt [8] - NNN REIT's stock has a price target of $44.41, above its current price of $40.01 per share [8] Verizon Communications - Verizon has announced layoffs of 13,000 employees, about 13% of its workforce, as part of an AI integration strategy, incurring a severance charge of $1.6-$1.8 billion in Q4 [9][10] - The company reported $33.8 billion in total operating revenue for Q3, a 1.5% year-over-year growth, while reducing unsecured debt by $6.7 billion [10] - Verizon's stock has a price target of $46.55, compared to its current price of $40.89 per share, making it an attractive entry point [11] Amcor - Amcor, a leader in flexible and rigid packaging, is poised for growth due to increasing consumer demand for convenience and e-commerce, with the online food delivery packaging market expected to grow from $4.9 billion in 2024 to $10.2 billion by 2033 [12][13] - For fiscal Q1 2026, Amcor reported a 25% year-over-year increase in net sales of flexible packaging solutions to $3.3 billion, with a 205% increase in rigid packaging sales to $2.48 billion [14] - Amcor's stock has a price target of $10.63, above its current price of $8.22 per share, with analysts maintaining bullish ratings [15]

Core Insights - Amdocs has been selected by e& UAE to integrate generative AI into its business systems, aiming to enhance revenue opportunities, business efficiencies, and customer experiences [1][2][5] Group 1: Amdocs and e& UAE Collaboration - The collaboration will utilize Amdocs' amAIz platform, which includes a library of predefined telco agents and skills to improve business efficiencies and reshape customer interactions [2][3] - Amdocs will provide a telco-specific guardrail control mechanism to ensure safe and secure integration of generative AI, including logging, auditing, and privacy compliance measures [3][5] - The partnership is supported by NVIDIA's AI platform, which includes tools for building and deploying generative AI models [4][5] Group 2: Industry Impact and Future Prospects - e& UAE is positioned as a leader in the telecom industry by being one of the first service providers to integrate generative AI, which is expected to enhance customer care and operational efficiency [5][9] - The integration of AI agents is seen as a transformative step for the telecom industry, enabling measurable improvements in business operations and customer experiences [5][9] - Amdocs reported a revenue of $4.53 billion in fiscal 2025, indicating strong financial performance and potential for growth in AI-driven solutions [9]

Core Insights - ZenaTech, Inc. has acquired Casado Design Ltd., enhancing its Drone as a Service (DaaS) offerings in the UK and expanding into telecom infrastructure [1][2] - The acquisition aligns with the growing demand for advanced drone solutions in the telecom sector, particularly for 5G infrastructure modernization [2][3] - ZenaTech aims to leverage Casado's expertise in 3D modeling and scanning to provide safer, faster, and more cost-effective telecom infrastructure solutions [2][3] Company Overview - ZenaTech specializes in AI-driven drone solutions, DaaS, enterprise SaaS, and Quantum Computing, focusing on mission-critical business applications [5] - The company has been expanding its DaaS network through acquisitions, targeting established service companies ready for drone innovation [4][5] - ZenaTech operates globally with offices in North America, Europe, Taiwan, and the UAE, and serves various sectors including law enforcement, agriculture, and logistics [5] Industry Context - The UK telecom sector is undergoing significant transformation, driven by mergers like Vodafone–Three and substantial investments in 5G infrastructure [3] - There is a growing need for scalable, data-rich inspection and design workflows, making drone technology an attractive solution for telecom companies [3] - The trend of drone-enabled tower design and maintenance is also gaining traction across Europe, creating a favorable environment for drone-based services [3]