With comic book characters lighting up the big screen, the demand for actual comics has gone up. "The North America Comic Book Market was valued at USD 1.36 Billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 2.39 Billion by 2030, rising at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 9.91%. The North America comic book market is experiencing significant growth, driven by the increasing popularity of graphic novels, digital comics, and superhero-based content," according to data from Research and Markets. And while ...

Market Overview - U.S. stocks closed higher on Friday, with the Dow Jones index gaining over 150 points and reaching a new record high [1] - The S&P 500 increased by 1.2%, while the Dow rose by 1% last week, and the Nasdaq surged by 2.2% during the same period [1] - The Federal Reserve cut rates by 25 basis points last week and indicated potential further easing [1] Analyst Insights - Wall Street analysts frequently update stock picks, but their track records in predicting market movements can vary significantly, leading to investor confusion [2] - Benzinga's Analyst Ratings API compiles high-quality stock ratings through partnerships with major sell-side banks, providing insights that can serve as trading indicators for outperforming the stock market [3] Top Analyst Picks - Benzinga provides access to the latest analyst ratings, allowing traders to sort by analyst accuracy [4] - Notable analysts and their recent ratings include: - John Todaro: 89% accuracy, reiterated a Buy on WhiteFiber, Inc. (WYFI) with a price target of $34, indicating a 29% upside [5] - Jay McCanless: 87% accuracy, downgraded Builders FirstSource, Inc. (BLDR) from Outperform to Neutral with a price target of $145, indicating a 17% upside [5] - Doug Anmuth: 87% accuracy, maintained Neutral on WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. (WBTN) and raised the price target from $14 to $22, expecting a 4% increase [5] - Rohit Kulkarni: 86% accuracy, reiterated a Buy on Rezolve AI PLC (RZLV) and increased the price target from $4.25 to $9, expecting a 34% gain [5] - Christopher Dendrinos: 85% accuracy, initiated coverage on NuScale Power Corporation (SMR) with a Sector Perform rating and a price target of $35, expecting a 23% decline [7]

Market Overview - Wall Street experienced a slight pullback as investors took profits after record gains, with the S&P 500 down 0.13% to 6,606.76, the Nasdaq Composite down 0.07% to 22,333.96, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 125.55 points or 0.27% to 45,757.90 [1][2] Federal Reserve Meeting - The Federal Reserve is holding a two-day policy meeting, with expectations for a quarter-point rate cut, and traders are looking for guidance on potential further cuts by year-end [2][4] - Chair Jerome Powell's post-meeting press conference is anticipated for insights on future rate paths [2] Corporate Movements - Nvidia and Microsoft saw declines of 1.6% and 1.2% respectively, while Alphabet and Palantir also retreated amid the Fed meeting [2] - Eli Lilly's stock rose over 2% following the announcement of a $5 billion manufacturing facility in Virginia [6] - Nio's stock climbed more than 2% after receiving an upgrade from UBS [6] - Webtoon Entertainment surged 31% due to a digital comics partnership with Disney [6] - Hims & Hers fell 7% after an FDA warning [6] Global Trade and Economic Indicators - U.S. Treasury Secretary expressed optimism regarding trade talks with China, indicating a potential deal ahead of upcoming tariffs [5] - Gold prices reached a new record above $3,699 an ounce as investors prepared for a rate cut [6] - Cryptocurrency prices remained stable ahead of the Fed's decision [6] Analyst Predictions - Analysts expect a quarter-point cut with a dovish tone, with predictions of up to 100 basis points of easing over time [7] - Monetary policy adjustments are anticipated to support higher equity prices despite signs of labor market cooling [7] Banking Sector Insights - Wells Fargo's Mike Mayo reaffirmed Citi as a top pick and raised price targets across the banking sector [8] - Barclays increased its target on Taiwan Semiconductor, citing strong AI-driven demand [8]

Core Insights - Webtoon Entertainment and Walt Disney have signed a non-binding agreement to develop a new digital comics platform featuring Disney's comic franchises [1][4] - Shares of Webtoon Entertainment surged 30% in premarket trading following the announcement of the collaboration with Disney [1][4] Company Developments - The new platform will include current comic book runs and decades of past comics from Disney's portfolio, including Marvel and Star Wars [2] - Disney will acquire a 2% equity interest in Webtoon as part of the deal, which is still to be finalized [3] Market Reaction - The announcement has positively impacted Webtoon Entertainment's stock, which had previously spent most of 2025 in negative territory before the recent spike [3] - Walt Disney's shares have also shown an upward trend year-to-date [3]

Group 1: Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico Joint Venture - Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico are required to terminate their joint venture by January 1, 2026, due to anticompetitive concerns in the U.S.–Mexico City air travel market [2][3] - The Department of Transportation's final order cites that the joint venture has provided both airlines with an unfair advantage over competitors, which Delta claims will harm U.S. jobs and consumers [3][4] - The partnership, established nearly a decade ago, allowed the airlines to coordinate schedules and pricing strategies under antitrust immunity [3][4] Group 2: Federal Reserve Board Appointment - Stephen Miran has been confirmed as a Federal Reserve governor, filling a seat previously held by Adriana Kugler [5][6] - His confirmation was narrowly approved by a Senate vote of 48-47, raising concerns about potential political interference in the Fed [6][7] - Miran's appointment comes as the Fed is expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points during its upcoming policy meeting [5][6] Group 3: Disney and Webtoon Partnership - Disney is partnering with Webtoon Entertainment to create a digital platform for its comics, acquiring a 2% equity stake in Webtoon [9][10] - The new platform will feature over 35,000 Disney comics, including titles from Marvel and Star Wars, and will be available to Disney+ subscribers [10][11] - Webtoon will operate the service, which will include both vertical and traditional comic formats [11][12]

Group 1 - The Walt Disney Company and WEBTOON Entertainment have entered into a non-binding term sheet to develop a new digital comics platform [1] - The platform will feature current comic book runs and include over 35,000 past comics from Disney's portfolio, including Marvel and Star Wars [1]

謝東霖，臺灣藝術大學戲劇學系畢業，海軍陸戰隊退伍後，擔任廣告文案，現在則為全職漫畫工作者，作品融合幽默、風趣、諷刺的風格。 在這一路上，他時常產生「蛤？」的念頭，想當畫家卻是色盲、考到理想志願卻休學等，從出版第一本書算起，創作至今已經超過18個年頭，從小說到廣告到漫畫，人生轉了好多次彎，如今以漫畫為業，也剛好趕上台灣漫畫的三度春天。著有多部漫畫，有《妖怪五星好評》《神明便利商店》《誰怕誰》《殺手的戀愛相談》《我在詐騙公司上班》等，作品多次入圍博客來年度暢銷榜。 Graduated from the Department of Theatre and Drama at the National Taiwan University of Arts, he worked as an advertisement copywriter after his discharge from the Marine Corps, and now he is a full-time cartoonist, whose works are a mix of humor, sarcasm, and satire. Along the ...