Group 1 - The second meeting of the China-Europe Financial Working Group was held in Brussels, Belgium, on May 13-14, focusing on global economic uncertainties and macroeconomic conditions [1] - Discussions included financial stability, banking and insurance regulation, and the development of pension funds and leasing companies [1] - Constructive discussions were held on emerging areas such as sustainable finance, cross-border data flow, and the construction of cross-border payment systems [1] Group 2 - A roundtable meeting for China-Europe financial institutions took place concurrently, where financial institutions provided professional advice on digital transformation and fintech innovation [1] - There was extensive communication regarding specific requests to optimize market access and promote business innovation [1] - All parties agreed to establish a regular communication mechanism to jointly promote deeper and broader financial cooperation between China and Europe [1]

Company Overview - Upbound Group (UPBD) shares increased by 8.8% to close at $22.38, following a notable trading volume compared to typical sessions, despite a previous 18.2% loss over the past four weeks [1] - The company operates a virtual lease-to-own (LTO) business, which is a significant growth driver, indicating strong business model performance and rising consumer adoption [2] Financial Performance - Upbound Group is expected to report quarterly earnings of $0.94 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 19% [3] - Revenue projections stand at $1.12 billion, marking a 2.2% increase from the same quarter last year [3] Market Trends - The consensus EPS estimate for Upbound Group has remained stable over the last 30 days, suggesting that stock price movements may not sustain without earnings estimate revisions [5] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating a neutral outlook [5] Industry Context - Upbound Group is part of the Zacks Financial - Leasing Companies industry, where another company, McGrath (MGRC), saw a 5.7% increase in its stock price, closing at $107.22, despite a -8.6% return over the past month [5] - McGrath's consensus EPS estimate has also remained unchanged at $1.02, representing a year-over-year change of +9.7%, with a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) [6]