David A. Johnson is founder and principal of Endurance Capital Management, a New Jersey Limited Liability Company. As an investor entrepreneur, David invests in stocks, bonds, options, ETFs, REITs, real estate, closed end funds and alternative investment funds such as hedge funds and private credit. With over 30 years’ experience in investing, David holds a Master of Science (MS) Degree in Finance, with a concentration in Investment Analysis, from Boston University, a Certificate in Financial Planning, and ...

This article's mission is clear: to alert some investors to something that the masses of investing gurus and salespeople don't put in front of them. It's a mad, mad, mad world of constant information bombardment. We've never had so muchI'm Rob Isbitts, founder of Sungarden Investment Publishing. I run the new investing group Sungarden Investors Club, a community dedicated to navigating the modern investment climate with humility, discipline, and a non-traditional approach to income investing. I've been char ...

Core Insights - Robinhood Markets (HOOD) shares experienced a decline due to a selloff in cryptocurrencies, with Bitcoin briefly reaching $98.4K on November 13, leading to a 10% drop in HOOD stock on the same day [1] - Hedge fund Bridgewater Associates opened a new position in Robinhood worth $115.6 million in Q3, indicating that institutional investors see potential value despite recent volatility [1] - Robinhood has a significant branded user base and is expanding its non-crypto revenue streams, which could support its recovery [1][2] Company Overview - Founded in 2013, Robinhood Markets is a fintech brokerage offering commission-free trading of stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies through a mobile app, and has expanded into prediction markets, digital banking, and a crypto exchange [3] - The company is currently valued at $110 billion, with shares soaring approximately 215% year-to-date in 2025 due to increased trading activity in crypto and equities [4] Financial Performance - Despite strong Q3 results and increased trading activity, Robinhood's stock faced a pullback in November due to profit-taking [4] - The price-to-book (P/B) ratio for Robinhood is 13.67, significantly higher than the sector average of 1.21, suggesting that the stock may be overvalued [5] Market Conditions - A downturn in the crypto market in late Q3 and early Q4 negatively impacted Robinhood, with traders reducing activity as Bitcoin and Ethereum prices fell [6] - Although Robinhood's crypto revenue tripled year-over-year, it fell short of high expectations, affecting market sentiment [6]

Core Insights - David A. Johnson is the founder and principal of Endurance Capital Management, specializing in various investment vehicles including stocks, bonds, options, ETFs, REITs, real estate, closed-end funds, hedge funds, and private credit [1] Group 1 - David A. Johnson has over 30 years of experience in investing and holds a Master of Science (MS) Degree in Finance with a concentration in Investment Analysis from Boston University [1] - He also possesses a Certificate in Financial Planning and an MBA from Fordham University [1]

Financial Performance - CME Group reported revenue of $1.5 billion for Q3 2025, with operating income of $973 million and net income of $908 million, translating to diluted earnings per share of $2.49 [2][10] - On an adjusted basis, net income was $1.0 billion, and diluted earnings per share were $2.68, maintaining strong performance compared to last year's Q3 [2][12] - Clearing and transaction fees revenue reached $1.2 billion, with a total average rate per contract of $0.702, while market data revenue set a record at $203 million [3][10] Market Trends and Client Engagement - Global clients continued to rely on CME Group markets across all asset classes amid ongoing uncertainty, achieving the second-highest third-quarter average daily volume (ADV) [3] - The company is focused on delivering efficiencies, new products, and expanded access for market users, including a partnership with FanDuel and 24/7 trading in cryptocurrency futures and options [3] Shareholder Returns and Financial Position - As of September 30, 2025, CME Group had $2.6 billion in cash and $3.4 billion in debt, having paid approximately $3.5 billion in dividends during the first nine months of the year [4] - Since implementing a variable dividend policy in early 2012, the company has returned over $29.5 billion to shareholders in the form of dividends [4] Quarterly Operating Statistics - The average daily volume for Q3 2025 was 25,322 contracts, with notable declines in interest rates and equity indexes compared to previous quarters [14][15] - The average rate per contract across various product lines showed slight variations, with the overall average at $0.702 for Q3 2025 [15]

Group 1: Company Overview - Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ:HOOD) is identified as a leading large-cap stock to consider for investment [1] - The company offers a technology-driven financial services platform that enables commission-free trading of stocks, options, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies [3] Group 2: Analyst Insights - Devin Ryan from Citizen JMP raised the price target for Robinhood from $130 to $170 while maintaining an Outperform rating [1] - The capital markets and financial technology sectors have seen a surge of over 30% to 50% since the lows in April, driven by increased market activity, robust institutional trading, and strong wealth management flows [2] - Despite stretched valuations in several subsectors, Ryan believes that selectivity is crucial and that some companies in the industry, including Robinhood, present attractive investment opportunities [3]

Core Insights - CME Group has expanded its operations into the Middle East by opening a new office in Dubai, located in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) [1] - The expansion is driven by increasing institutional and retail participation in financial markets, leading to a demand for broader trading access in the region [1] - The Dubai office will serve as CME Group's Middle East hub, enhancing service levels for clients in the UAE and surrounding markets [1] Company Operations - CME Group provides a wide range of listed futures, options, and cash markets across major asset classes, including interest rates, equities, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural products, metals, and cryptocurrency [2] - The company plans to list the spot U.S. Dollar / United Arab Emirates Dirham (USD/AED) currency pair on June 30, 2025, in response to client demand in the region [2] - CME Group operates various trading platforms, including CME Globex for futures and options, BrokerTec for fixed income, and EBS for foreign exchange [2] Leadership and Strategic Goals - The Dubai office will be led by Sharif Jaghman, who has nearly 20 years of experience in financial services and has held senior positions at CME Group and other major exchanges [1] - The establishment of the Dubai office is seen as a significant step in enhancing CME Group's presence in the EMEA region and capturing new growth opportunities [1][2] - The collaboration with DIFC Authority highlights the strategic role of Dubai as a global financial hub and the growing opportunities in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia [1]

Core Insights - S&P Global and CME Group have completed the sale of OSTTRA to KKR for a total enterprise value of $3.1 billion, with both companies sharing the proceeds equally due to their 50/50 joint venture [1][2]. Group 1: Company Overview - OSTTRA was established in 2021 as a joint venture between CME Group and S&P Global, providing a comprehensive suite of post-trade offerings across various asset classes including interest rates, FX, credit, and equity [2]. - The services offered by OSTTRA include end-to-end connectivity and workflow solutions for banks, broker-dealers, asset managers, and other market participants, focusing on trade processing, lifecycle management, and optimization [2]. Group 2: Advisory Roles - Barclays and Davis Polk acted as financial and legal advisors to S&P Global during the transaction, while Citi and Skadden served in similar capacities for CME Group [3].

Company Overview - Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ:HOOD) is recognized as a significant player in the financial services sector, particularly noted for its appeal to younger investors [2]. Performance Insights - Jim Cramer highlighted Robinhood as a "relentless performer" in 2025, indicating its strong market presence and growth trajectory [1]. - The company has distinguished itself by becoming the preferred brokerage for younger individuals, capitalizing on the ongoing wealth transfer from older generations [1]. Service Offerings - Robinhood provides a comprehensive financial services platform that includes trading in stocks, ETFs, options, gold, and cryptocurrencies. It also offers features such as fractional shares, margin investing, cash management, and retirement accounts [2].

Core Insights - Singapore has solidified its position as the world's third-largest foreign exchange trading hub, with average daily turnover increasing by 60% to $1.485 trillion in April 2025 compared to April 2022 [1] - The market share of Singapore in global FX volumes rose to 11.8% in April 2025, up from 9.5% three years prior, trailing only the United Kingdom and the United States [2] - The growth in trading activity is attributed to deeper liquidity during Asian trading hours and broad-based growth across various currencies and instruments [2] Trading Activity - Major currency pairs such as the U.S. dollar, Japanese yen, and euro experienced volume increases ranging from 36% to 65% from 2022 to 2025 [2] - Volumes for the Chinese renminbi and Australian dollar also saw significant growth, with spot, forwards, and FX swaps, which account for 90% of Singapore's turnover, growing by 42% to 61% during the same period [3] - Over-the-counter interest rate derivatives averaged $208 billion per day in April 2025, marking a 33% increase from April 2022, with U.S. dollar, Japanese yen, and Australian dollar contracts being the most actively traded [3] Market Dynamics - The strong growth in Singapore's FX volumes is driven by deeper liquidity in the Asian time zone, supporting economic and hedging needs in the region [4] - The diverse growth across currencies and instruments highlights Singapore's role as a trusted price-discovery hub and gateway for global investors into Asia's evolving economies [4] Survey and Data Collection - The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) coordinated a survey conducted every three years to enhance transparency in over-the-counter markets, covering various FX instruments [5] - The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) collected data from 82 financial institutions in Singapore for the April 2025 reporting period as part of a global exercise involving central banks and authorities in 53 jurisdictions [5]