January 18, 2026 10:43 PM GMT Thematic Alpha | North America Introducing the Americas Thematic Focus List Today we launch the Americas Thematic Focus List, 18 of our high conviction thematic stock ideas across the US and LatAm. Our four Key Themes for 2026 are Tech Diffusion, The Future of Energy, The Multipolar World, and Societal Shifts. Three of our themes are the same as last year, whereas Societal Shifts represents an evolution and expansion of one of our prior themes, Longevity. Today, we launch the A ...

上午9时，万方超市四牌楼店内，蔬菜区早已人头攒动。市民吴阿姨从"2元特价蔬菜包"里挑出几个 西红柿，满意地放进菜篮。"孙子爱吃西红柿炒蛋，这家的番茄新鲜又便宜！"她笑着和店员唠家常。这 样的烟火气，每天都在我市19家挂着"价格调控实体网点"招牌的超市里升腾。 小小菜篮，牵系万家。如何让百姓的"菜篮子"越拎越轻、越拎越稳？市发改委持续多年设置价格调 控网点，并创新实施"民营公助、平急结合"模式，在主城区织密一张惠民稳价网，让"看得见的实惠"直 达百姓餐桌。 织密一张网，平价菜直供社区 节假日期间的优惠力度更大：半数产品价格低于市场均价20%以上，让市民的节日餐桌更丰盛、更 实惠。价格指数波动较大时，网点则会主动加大优惠力度，配合政府做好市场保供稳价工作。值得一提 的是，去年"五一"期间，长申超市"五月嗨购"、万方超市"消费助农专场"等线上线下活动联动，将实惠 推向高潮。 联动两头甜，惠民又助农 价格调控网点，一头守护市民的"菜篮子"，另一头鼓起农户的"钱袋子"，构建起惠民助农同频共振 新格局。 "我的社区365"甄选中心"五一"假期前推出特价时令蔬菜，万方超市设立助农专场……各网点积极 行动，将消费助农融入日常 ...

Core Insights - Walmart has appointed Latrice Watkins as the CEO of Sam's Club, marking a significant step for diversity in leadership within the retail sector [1][6] - Watkins has been with Walmart for 20 years, previously serving as Chief Merchant, where she was responsible for product selection and supporting growing businesses [2][3] - Her new role aims to enhance Sam's Club's competitiveness against Costco by promoting private-label brands, particularly Member's Mark, which currently generates a third of Sam's Club's revenue [4][5] Company Overview - Sam's Club is positioned as a more exclusive shopping option for Walmart customers, catering to families with larger budgets [3] - The membership-based model of Sam's Club is similar to that of Costco, and Walmart aims to increase its market share by enhancing its private-label offerings [5] Leadership and Diversity - Watkins' promotion is significant as it adds representation of Black women in executive roles within the retail industry, where they have historically been underrepresented [6][7] - The retail sector has seen only 1.7% of executive roles filled by Black women, highlighting the importance of Watkins' appointment [6]

Core Insights - Investors are reassessing Google due to new partnerships that enhance its Gemini models, contributing to a rise in stock value [1] - Google has entered a multi-year collaboration with Apple to integrate Gemini models into Apple’s features, including an improved Siri by 2026 [2] - Alphabet's valuation reached $4 trillion, with a 5.3% increase in stock price year-to-date, reflecting strong market performance [3] Partnership Developments - Google and Walmart are launching a shopping experience within the Gemini chatbot, allowing users to discover and purchase products seamlessly [1] - The collaboration with Apple is seen as a significant endorsement of Google's AI capabilities, potentially enhancing Gemini's role in mobile AI [7] Stock Performance and Analyst Insights - Alphabet shares experienced a 65.35% increase in 2025, outperforming other major tech stocks, prompting analysts to revise growth assumptions for Google [4] - Bank of America raised its stock price target for Alphabet from $335 to $370, citing the potential for AI-driven monetization and increased traction for Gemini [6] - Analysts believe that the shift in shopping traffic from traditional search to agent-led experiences could benefit Google, with Gemini expected to drive higher conversion rates [8]

Core Viewpoint - Costco Wholesale Corporation has ended its partnership with PepsiCo and returned to Coca-Cola for its food courts, marking a significant shift after a decade-long relationship [1][2]. Group 1: Partnership Transition - The transition back to Coca-Cola began in late 2025 and was completed in early 2026 [1]. - Costco had been exclusively partnered with Pepsi since 2013, initially switching to Pepsi as a cost-saving measure to maintain the price of its popular hot dog and soda combo at $1.50 [2]. Group 2: Reasons for the Switch - The reasons for the switch back to Coca-Cola have not been officially disclosed, but customer preference and Coca-Cola's renewed commitment to quality and partnership with Costco are suggested factors [2]. Group 3: Market Performance - Costco has outperformed the market over the past 20 years by 7.13% on an annualized basis, achieving an average annual return of 16.0% [3]. - The current market capitalization of Costco Wholesale is $426.19 billion [3].

The company has a lot of financial flexibility as it enters this next chapter.For 60 years, Warren Buffett was the lead man in charge at Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A +0.28%)(BRK.B +0.20%). Now, the Oracle of Omaha has finally stepped down at the age of 95. It's definitely the end of an era, but it was a great ride. Berkshire Hathaway went from a roughly $25 million company to one of only 11 companies with a trillion-dollar valuation (as of Jan. 13).Understandably, some investors may have reservations about the ...

Core Viewpoint - Amazon and Walmart are leading retail stocks, but Amazon is positioned as the stronger long-term growth option due to its faster revenue growth and diversification into multiple industries [1][6][13] Company Overview - Walmart operates over 10,000 retail stores, primarily focusing on physical locations, while Amazon started with e-commerce and has expanded into physical stores, but still relies heavily on online sales [2][5] - Amazon's market cap is approximately $2.6 trillion, while Walmart's market cap is around $954 billion [4][7] Logistics and Operations - Walmart excels in logistics with its extensive network of stores acting as shipping centers, enabling same-day delivery and free shipping for customers [3] - Amazon has over 1,300 shipping facilities, but this is less effective compared to Walmart's logistics capabilities [5] Revenue Growth - Amazon's online store sales grew by 10% year over year, while Walmart's overall revenue growth was 5.8% [6] - Walmart is expected to reach a $1 trillion market cap this year, but Amazon is growing faster in terms of overall revenue [6][8] Diversification and Profit Margins - Amazon's revenue is bolstered by its ventures into cloud computing, online advertising, and AI, contributing to higher profit margins [8][9] - Amazon Web Services revenue increased by 20% year over year, and online ad sales rose by 24% year over year, showcasing its diversified revenue streams [9] - Walmart's advertising segment, while growing at 53% year over year, still represents less than 1% of its total sales, limiting its impact on overall profit margins [10][11] Future Outlook - Although Walmart has performed well in the past five years, Amazon is expected to outperform and provide better returns for investors in 2026 [13]

The observations by Justice Pardiwala wrote a separate but concurring opinion, spelling out broader principles on how India should approach international tax treaties."Tax treaties, international agreements, protocols and safeguards should be very engaging, transparent and capable of periodical reviews with the power to renegotiate with strong exit clauses to avoid unfair outcomes, safeguarding the nation's strategic and security, preventing erosion of tax base and loss or weakening of democratic control a ...

Market Overview - Major European markets closed lower due to geopolitical tensions and uncertainty surrounding French budget negotiations, with investors taking profits from recent gains [1][2] - The pan-European Stoxx 600 edged down 0.03%, with the U.K.'s FTSE 100 down 0.04%, Germany's DAX down 0.22%, and France's CAC 40 down 0.65% [3] Company Performance - In the UK market, BAE Systems, Natwest Group, Smiths Group, Schroders, National Grid, Standard Chartered, British Land Company, and The Sage Group gained between 1.4% to 2.3% [4] - Conversely, Pearson, Metlen Energy & Metals, Entain, Antofagasta, Endeavour Mining, Glencore, Anglo American Plc., and Pershing Square Holdings lost between 2% to 4% [4] - Daimler Truck Holding reported a decline in 2025 sales, contributing to its stock decline [5] - Siemens Energy saw a significant increase of over 5%, while Zalando, RWE, and Fresenius Medical Care gained between 1.5% to 1.7% [6] Notable Transactions - Kloeckner & Co shares soared over 28% following Worthington Steel's announcement of a $2.4 billion acquisition of the German steel processor [6] French Market Insights - In the French market, Kering and Essilor closed down by 4.7% and 4%, respectively, while LVMH, Stellantis, TP, and Renault lost between 2.7% to 3.1% [6][7]

I have been working in the logistics sector for almost two decades. I have been into stock investing and macroeconomic analysis for almost a decade. Currently, I focus on ASEAN and NYSE/NASDAQ Stocks, particularly in banks, telco, logistics, and hotels. Since 2014, I have been trading on the PH stock market. I focus on banking, telco, and retail sectors. A colleague encouraged me to engage in the stock market as part of my portfolio diversification instead of putting all my savings in banks and properties. ...