Central Banks and Federal Reserve - A group of central banks expressed support for Fed Chair Jerome Powell, emphasizing the importance of central bank independence for economic stability [1] Trade and Tariffs - President Trump announced a 25% tariff on trade with any country doing business with Iran, impacting U.S. trade relations [2] Interest Rates and Economic Outlook - New York Fed President John Williams stated that interest rates are well-positioned to stabilize the labor market and achieve the Fed's 2% inflation target, highlighting the benefits of the Fed's independence [3] - Market expectations indicate a 95% chance of no rate change and a 5% chance of a 25 basis point rate cut at the January FOMC meeting [2] Stock Market Performance - Wall Street's main stock indexes closed higher, with the S&P 500 reaching a new record high, driven by gains in data storage companies like Western Digital and Seagate Technology [4] - Walmart's stock rose 3% after being announced as a new addition to the Nasdaq 100 Index [4] - Credit card companies and bank stocks declined following Trump's proposal for a cap on credit card interest rates [4] Earnings Reports and Market Reactions - JPMorgan Chase reported better-than-expected Q4 results, leading to a 0.5% rise in its stock during pre-market trading [16] - Intel and Advanced Micro Devices saw stock increases after being upgraded by KeyBanc [17] Inflation Data and Economic Indicators - The U.S. consumer inflation report is anticipated to show a December CPI of 2.7% year-over-year, unchanged from November, with core CPI expected to rise slightly to 2.7% [6] - New Home Sales data for October is expected to show sales of 716K, incorporating previously delayed September figures [8] International Market Trends - Asian stock markets showed mixed results, with Japan's Nikkei 225 Index closing sharply higher amid speculation of a snap election [11][13] - China's Shanghai Composite Index retreated from a 10-year high, with significant turnover indicating potential market overheating [12]

Core Viewpoint - Mullen Group Ltd. is set to release its 2025 Year-End and Fourth Quarter earnings results on February 12, 2026, at 6:00 a.m. ET, followed by a conference call at 10:00 a.m. ET [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Mullen Group is a public company with a significant history of acquiring firms in the transportation and logistics sectors [2] - The company boasts one of the largest portfolios of logistics companies in North America, offering a variety of services including less-than-truckload, customs brokerage, truckload, warehousing, logistics, transload, oversized, third-party logistics, and specialized hauling transportation [2] - Mullen Group also provides specialized services related to energy, mining, forestry, and construction industries in western Canada, such as water management, fluid hauling, and environmental reclamation [2] Group 2: Stock Information - Mullen Group is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "MTL" [3] - Additional information can be accessed on the company's website or its issuer profile on SEDAR+ [3] Group 3: Contact Information - Key executives include Mr. Murray K. Mullen (Chair, Senior Executive Officer and President), Mr. Richard J. Maloney (Senior Operating Officer), Mr. Carson P. Urlacher (Senior Financial Officer), and Ms. Joanna K. Scott (Senior Corporate Officer) [4] - The corporate office is located at 121A – 31 Southridge Drive, Okotoks, Alberta, Canada T1S 2N3, with a contact telephone number of 403-995-5200 [4]

Core Viewpoint - Growth investors are attracted to stocks with above-average financial growth, but identifying such stocks can be challenging due to their associated risks and volatility [1] Group 1: Company Overview - GXO Logistics is currently recommended as a cutting-edge growth stock by the Zacks Growth Style Score system, which evaluates a company's real growth prospects beyond traditional metrics [2] Group 2: Earnings Growth - The historical EPS growth rate for GXO Logistics is 1.8%, but projected EPS growth for this year is expected to be 26.6%, significantly higher than the industry average of 5.1% [5] Group 3: Cash Flow Growth - GXO Logistics has a year-over-year cash flow growth of 11.9%, outperforming the industry average of -2.3% [6] - The company's annualized cash flow growth rate over the past 3-5 years is 14.4%, compared to the industry average of 4.5% [7] Group 4: Earnings Estimate Revisions - There have been upward revisions in current-year earnings estimates for GXO Logistics, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate increasing by 0.3% over the past month [9] Group 5: Investment Potential - GXO Logistics holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and a Growth Score of B, indicating it is a potential outperformer and a solid choice for growth investors [11]

Core Viewpoint - Analysts project JB Hunt (JBHT) will report quarterly earnings of $1.78 per share, reflecting a 16.3% year-over-year increase, while revenues are expected to decline by 1.7% to $3.09 billion [1] Earnings Projections - Changes in earnings projections are crucial for predicting investor reactions, with empirical studies showing a strong link between earnings estimate trends and short-term stock price movements [2] Analyst Estimates - Analysts estimate 'Revenue- Final Mile Services' at $211.26 million, indicating a year-over-year decline of 7.2% [4] - 'Revenue- Truckload' is projected at $185.15 million, suggesting a year-over-year increase of 1.8% [4] - 'Revenue- Dedicated' is expected to reach $858.25 million, reflecting a 2.4% year-over-year increase [4] Revenue Insights - 'Revenue- Intermodal' is forecasted at $1.53 billion, indicating a year-over-year decline of 4.3% [5] - 'Integrated Capacity Solutions - Revenue per load' is projected to be $2051.77, up from $1942.00 in the same quarter last year [5] - 'Intermodal - Revenue per load' is estimated at $2792.84, down from $2850.00 a year ago [6] Load Estimates - 'Dedicated - Average trucks during the period' is expected to be 12,664, slightly down from 12,711 last year [5] - 'Intermodal - Trailing equipment (end of period)' is projected at 125,847, compared to 122,272 last year [6] - 'Integrated Capacity Solutions - Loads' is estimated at 145,093, down from 158,440 last year [7] - 'Intermodal - Loads' is projected at 543,074, down from 560,132 last year [7] - 'Truckload - Loads' is expected to reach 103,179, slightly up from 102,623 last year [8] Stock Performance - Over the past month, JB Hunt shares have returned +4.1%, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.9% change [8]

Core Viewpoint - Ancora Alternatives has successfully engaged in shareholder activism within the transportation sector, focusing on improving shareholder returns through strategic changes in company management and operations [7][17]. Company Engagements - In 2025, Ancora ousted three legacy directors at Forward Air, including the chairman, following a controversial acquisition that negatively impacted equity holders and increased debt [1]. - Ancora has altered five board seats and pushed the CFO to leave Forward Air in 2021 to refocus on its core operations, claiming that the company's valuation decline was linked to its diversifications [2]. - The firm has engaged with several companies, including C.H. Robinson, Forward Air, CSX, and Norfolk Southern, to implement changes aimed at enhancing shareholder value [6][10]. Investment Strategy - Ancora seeks opportunities in "old economy" sectors, focusing on companies with strong fundamentals that have faced challenges, aiming to unlock value through targeted interventions [3][11]. - The firm typically acquires equity stakes ranging from 0.5% to 10%, often preferring to stay below 5% to avoid regulatory filing requirements, allowing for greater flexibility in its operations [15][16]. Activism Approach - Ancora has developed an "information advantage" in the transportation sector, leveraging a network of industry experts and former executives to drive successful outcomes in its campaigns [8][9]. - The firm emphasizes the importance of finding the right individuals to support its analysis and engagement strategies, which increases the likelihood of achieving desired results [10]. Recent Developments - In 2024, Ancora won three seats at Norfolk Southern's annual meeting, leading to significant changes in the board and the removal of the CEO due to service and profitability issues [12]. - A cooperation agreement with Americold in December 2025 resulted in two board seats for Ancora and the establishment of a finance committee to review potential divestitures [17].

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of tracking performance in managing a concentrated stock portfolio, suggesting that understanding the portfolio's composition is crucial for effective management [3][4] - The author shares the performance of their family's retirement savings, which yielded a total return of 16.71% in 2025, slightly below the S&P 500's return of 17.88% and significantly below the S&P/TSX Composite Index's return of 31.68% [5] - The article discusses the long-term performance of the S&P/TSX Composite Index, which has underperformed the S&P 500 over the last two decades, with compound total returns of 10.95% versus 14.81% [6] Portfolio Management - The portfolio has been consistently allocated 100% to common stocks for the past 24 years, with minimal turnover [8] - The asset mix has shifted to include roughly 10% more Canadian stocks compared to U.S. stocks, reversing a previous trend where U.S. stocks made up 66% of the portfolio [13] Performance Metrics - The total compounded return on the family's retirement savings since January 1, 1973, is 13.35%, outperforming the S&P 500's 10.93% over the same period [5] - The average CPI inflation rate in the U.S. over this period was 3.88% [5] Sector Performance - The S&P/TSX Composite Index's strong performance in 2025 was largely attributed to the heavy weighting of gold and precious metals stocks, which contributed approximately 30% to the index's return [5] - The financial sector, which constitutes around 33% of the index, rose by approximately 40% in 2025 [5] Investment Philosophy - The author advocates for a value investing approach, emphasizing that investing should always seek value sufficient to justify the amount paid [12] - The portfolio consists of stocks purchased for long-term growth, with a focus on buying at prices well below intrinsic value, following the principles of Ben Graham and Warren Buffett [12] Company Holdings - The portfolio includes significant U.S. holdings such as Amazon.com Inc (9.93% of total holdings) and Salesforce Inc (9.80%), both of which have been held for over five years [15][19] - Canadian holdings include CCL Industries Inc (4.98%) and Colliers International Group Inc (9.12%), with both companies demonstrating solid growth and strong management [25][26] Conclusion - The portfolio is managed according to the principles discussed in the article, with a focus on self-directed investment strategies and a behavioral edge over professional investors [35]

Core Insights - The U.S. dollar has weakened significantly over the past year, contributing to a rally in emerging market equities, with the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) increasing by over 34% [3][6] - Alibaba Group Holding is highlighted as a key player in the emerging markets, with a market capitalization of approximately $368 billion and a strong presence in online retail, cloud computing, logistics, and digital payments [6] Emerging Markets Overview - The weakening dollar and potential rate cuts are expected to continue driving capital rotation into emerging markets, as U.S. investors seek diversification beyond domestic equities [3] - EEM serves as a widely used vehicle for accessing emerging markets, tracking large- and mid-cap equities across various countries, and offering a dividend yield of 2.1% [4] Alibaba's Positioning - Alibaba is noted for its technical setup, having held key support near $150 and potentially breaking out above $160, indicating a bullish outlook [6] - The company is positioned favorably with reasonable valuations, optimistic analyst targets, and increasing investments in AI and cloud technology, suggesting it could regain leadership in the emerging markets [6]

Corporate Developments - Meta Platforms Inc. has agreed to a series of electricity deals to power its data centers, positioning itself as the largest buyer of nuclear power among its hyperscaler peers [8] - US-listed shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. have increased following the company's strong sales report for December [8] - Qualcomm Inc. shares have declined after Mizuho Securities downgraded the chipmaker from outperform to neutral [8] Market Reactions - Mortgage stocks surged after the president announced a directive for the purchase of $200 billion in mortgage bonds, benefiting companies like LoanDepot Inc., Rocket Cos Inc., and Opendoor Technologies Inc. [7] - Tariff-exposed stocks experienced declines after the Supreme Court did not issue a decision on the legality of President Trump's tariffs, with Deere & Co. dropping 2.54% and Mattel Inc. sliding 3.07% [5][6]

Group 1 - The "Talent Night Market" initiative in Jiangsu aims to provide job opportunities in a relaxed environment, attracting young job seekers during nighttime events [1][2] - Over 2,300 job positions were offered by more than 50 employers, covering sectors such as software, intelligent manufacturing, cultural tourism, and hospitality [1] - The event is part of a broader strategy to extend public employment services beyond traditional hours, addressing the mismatch in availability between job seekers and employers [1][3] Group 2 - Job positions at the event included high-end roles in technology, such as AI algorithm engineers with salaries exceeding 10,000 yuan per month, and positions in manufacturing and service sectors aimed at ensuring stable operations during peak seasons [3] - The initiative is expected to be a regular occurrence, with plans to hold monthly events across various public employment service locations, enhancing accessibility for job seekers [3][4] - The program will also include skill training sessions, known as "Skill Night Schools," focusing on digital professions and other relevant fields, with a target of training over 60,000 individuals throughout the year [4][5]

Group 1 - Target Hospitality Corp. (TH) has remained flat and slow-moving after a decrease of 9.9% over the past four months, which contradicts the bullish view on the stock [1] - The cautious market stance is acknowledged, indicating a potential hesitance among investors regarding the stock's performance [1] - The analyst has nearly two decades of experience in the logistics sector and focuses on ASEAN and NYSE/NASDAQ stocks, particularly in banks, telecommunications, logistics, and hotels [1] Group 2 - The analyst has been trading in the Philippine stock market since 2014, initially investing in blue-chip companies and now diversifying across various industries and market cap sizes [1] - The entry into the US market occurred in 2020, with the analyst gaining awareness of the market through a relative's trading account before opening their own [1] - The analyst has holdings in US banks, hotels, shipping, and logistics companies, using analyses from Seeking Alpha to compare with the Philippine market [1]