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Thune warns Iran should return to negotiating table ‘if they’re smart’

4 Mins Read

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., doesn’t envision, nor want, the U.S. military becoming directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, but that hinges on whether the Islamic Republic rejoins the negotiating table.

‘Dismantling Iran’s nuclear program is what this is all about,’ Thune told Fox News Digital from his office in the Capitol. ‘And that can happen one of two ways. It can happen diplomatically — voluntarily —or can happen via force.’

Thune’s comments come as questions and concerns swirl on Capitol Hill among lawmakers about whether the U.S. will take a bigger, more direct role in the burgeoning conflict in the Middle East. There are active conversations among senators about what role Congress should play in whether to thrust the U.S. into an armed conflict or if that power should be ceded to the president. 

‘The Israelis may not have the military capability to do everything that’s necessary,’ he continued. ‘If the Iranians are smart, they’ll come to the table and negotiate this in a way in which they choose to end or disavow their nuclear program.’

Israel and Iran traded missile strikes for a fifth day following the Jewish State’s late-night strike last Thursday, where critical infrastructure that would aid Iran in its pursuit of creating a nuclear weapon was damaged or destroyed. Notably, Israel has been unable to damage the heavily fortified Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. 

Bipartisan resolutions requiring that Congress gets to weigh in and take a vote on going to war with Iran and disavowing an armed conflict entirely have circulated this week, while some lawmakers believe that the U.S. should go all in to snuff out Iran’s nuclear capabilities and back up Israel as fighting rages.

President Donald Trump has so far refused to say whether the U.S. would use direct military force to prevent Iran from creating or obtaining a nuclear weapon, and he has continued to urge Iranian leaders to negotiate a nuclear deal.

Still, the president met in the White House’s Situation Room on Tuesday with his National Security Team after leaving the G7 Summit in Canada early.

Ahead of that meeting, he said on his social media platform, Truth Social, ‘We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran.’ In that same post, he noted that the U.S. was aware of where Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was ‘hiding,’ but was not prepared to strike, ‘at least not for now.’

But Thune was more cautious, and contended that ‘we’ll wait and see what they do.’

‘I think right now, they’re definitely on their heels,’ he said. ‘Their command and control has been taken out. Nobody knows who’s really in charge.’

‘We’ll see. If they’re smart, they’ll come to the table.’

However, he hoped to see Iranians begin to rise up against the Ayatollah and believed that’s when the ‘seeds of change’ would begin to appear. He also noted that there are ‘a lot of things here that suggest to me, this may be that moment in time that we haven’t seen since 1979,’ a reference to the Iranian Revolution that saw the overthrow of the monarchy in Iran and the subsequent creation of the Islamic Republic. 

Asked whether lawmakers would put forward a supplemental spending package to further aid Israel, Thune said, ‘We’ll cross that bridge if and when we come to it.’ But he envisioned that if one were necessary, it would be dealt with after the budget reconciliation process, when lawmakers work to fund the government during fiscal 2026 appropriations.

‘I think, for right now, everybody is wishing the Israelis success and, again, hoping that the U.S. doesn’t have to get further involved, but realizing what’s at stake, and not only for Israel but for the region and the world,’ he said. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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European stocks slide lower as Iran-Israel conflict continues to weigh on sentiment

3 Mins Read

European markets opened sharply lower on Tuesday as the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel entered its fifth day, prompting a flight to safety among investors.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 dropped 0.8%, touching its lowest level in over three weeks after gaining 0.4% on Monday.

Germany’s DAX led regional losses, falling 1.6% in early trading. France’s CAC 40 slipped 1.2%, while London’s FTSE 100 was down 0.7%.

Tensions continued to mount after US President Donald Trump urged Iranian civilians to evacuate Tehran, citing the country’s refusal of a proposed nuclear agreement.

Trump left the G7 summit in Canada early, stating the departure was unrelated to ceasefire negotiations, offering little clarity to markets.

Oil prices briefly rose on heightened geopolitical risk before paring gains.

Energy stocks were the only sector in positive territory, up 0.3%, while telecom shares led losses with a 1.4% decline.

The Iran-Israel conflict

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday dismissed suggestions that he was mediating a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, saying his early departure from the Group of Seven summit was due to “much bigger” matters.

The comment came shortly after he urged Iranian civilians to “immediately evacuate Tehran.”

The escalating conflict in the Middle East prompted a joint statement from G7 leaders, who reiterated their support for Israel and condemned Iran as the “principal source of regional instability and terror.”

The group also reaffirmed its stance that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon.

“We affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We reiterate our support for the security of Israel,” the G7 leaders said in the joint communique focused on the crisis.

Trump’s remarks followed French President Emmanuel Macron’s claim on Monday that the US president had offered to broker a ceasefire between Tel Aviv and Tehran.

“He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that Trump was cutting short his G7 trip due to “what’s going on in the Middle East.”

Shortly after, Trump posted on his social media platform, calling on Iranian civilians to evacuate the capital and added: “Iran should have signed the deal I told them to sign.”

The G7 statement also called for a broader de-escalation in the region, including an end to hostilities in Gaza and a resolution to what it described as the “Iranian crisis.”

UK-US trade deal

The United States and the United Kingdom signed a trade agreement on the sidelines of the G7 summit on Monday, reducing tariffs on select British exports as both nations move toward a broader trade pact.

The deal, the first formal trade agreement signed by Washington since US President Donald Trump unveiled his full list of reciprocal tariffs, reaffirms preferential tariff treatment for British-made automobiles and eliminates duties on aerospace exports from the UK.

Trump, speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said a specific tariff rate for British steel and aluminum would be set “at a future time.”

Currently, UK steel and aluminum exports to the US are subject to a 25% tariff, half the 50% rate applied to other countries.

“We signed it and it’s done,” Trump told reporters, calling the agreement “a great deal for both,” and emphasizing its potential to generate jobs and boost transatlantic trade.

“The UK is very well protected, you know why? Because I like them, that’s why,” Trump added.

The post European stocks slide lower as Iran-Israel conflict continues to weigh on sentiment appeared first on Invezz

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Mobile Gaming Stocks: 10 Biggest Companies in 2025

8 Mins Read

According to market intelligence firm Newzoo, global gaming revenue came in at US$177.9 billion in 2024, with mobile gaming accounting for more than half of that amount at US$97.6 billion.

The firm states that the mobile gaming market has reached maturity but still achieved higher growth than the console and PC segments, with revenue up by 2.8 percent globally last year. The regions driving that growth are North America and Europe, where markets rebounded due to big releases and diversified revenue streams.

Mobile games are typically accessed through three core operating systems: Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS, Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows and Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Android. Notably, the iOS App Store generated nearly 37 percent of its revenue from mobile gaming apps in 2024, totaling US$3.83 billion. However, figures show that most mobile games on the market today are developed for Android, representing 75 percent of total mobile game downloads.

For investors interested in getting exposure to mobile gaming as the market gains momentum, here’s a look at the top 10 mobile gaming stocks by market cap. All data and figures were accurate as of June 2, 2025.

1. Roblox (NYSE:RBLX)

Market cap: US$60.97 billion

Roblox is the company behind the well-known game platform of the same name. First launched on PC in 2006, in recent years Roblox has become the most popular free-to-play online gaming platform, particularly amongst children and teenagers.

The company draws a majority of its revenues by selling virtual currency known as Robux for in-app purchases.

According to the company’s Q1 2025 report, Roblox garnered over 97.8 million daily active users in the first quarter of 2025, up 26 percent from the same period last year. The platform’s most popular games are role-playing games Brookhaven and Blox Fruits.

2. Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ:TTWO)

Market cap: US$40.15 billion

New York-headquartered Take-Two Interactive Software is a holding company that owns several significant gaming labels that develop and publish video games for Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo consoles as well as PCs and mobile devices. Some of Take-Two’s most popular game series are widely recognized around the world, including Grand Theft Auto (GTA), Red Dead Redemption and Borderlands.

The majority of Take-Two’s mobile games are published by Zynga, a developer of free-to-play games that Take-Two acquired in 2022 for US$12.7 billion. The publisher’s properties include 2009 hits FarmVille and Words with Friends.

Last year, Zynga’s highest grossing game according to Statista was Empires & Puzzles: Dragon Dawn with approximately US$147 million in revenue, and its most-downloaded title was CSR 2 Realistic Drag Racing.

While Rockstar is largely focused on console and PC games, several of its older games were ported to mobile, such as the classic GTA III, GTA San Andreas and GTA The Trilogy Definitive Edition.

3. Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA)

Market cap: US$36.6 billion

Electronic Arts (EA) is a leading gaming and esports company with video game offerings across many genres, from sports to action/adventure to role playing to family games. The California-headquartered company owns many well known series, including the Sims, Madden NFL, FIFA, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Dragon Age and Plants vs. Zombies.

EA has increased its focus on the mobile gaming segment in recent years, and in early 2024 announced it would focus on its fully owned mobile games portfolio instead of its licensed games with other brands. Leading up to that, the company merged its mobile and HD franchise teams across EA Sports FC, Madden NFL and The Sims.

In March 2025, EA announced a partnership with games marketing company Flexion, who will help EA publish its mobile games on the Amazon Appstore, Samsung Galaxy Store, Xiaomi’s GetApps and ONE Store.

4. Tencent Holdings (OTC Pink:TCEHY,HKEX:0700)

Market cap: US$25.78 billion

Tencent Holdings is a Chinese conglomerate with significant holdings through a wide array of sectors. Its large gaming segment built through acquisitions and investments has made it the world’s largest gaming company by revenue.

Tencent owns Riot Games, maker of the popular PC game League of Legends, a multiplayer online battle arena game with a monthly active player base of between 117 million to 135 million. The expanding League of Legends franchise also features three mobile games: Wild Rift, Team Fight Tactics and Legends of Runeterra.

The company also released PUBG Mobile based on the PC game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. The multiplayer battle royale game is available on Android and iOS.

Tencent is now focusing on building up its in-house AAA and console gaming business segment in order to better compete with western gaming companies.

5. Unity Software (NYSE:U)

Market cap: US$10.91 billion

San Francisco-based Unity Software develops the core software technology or building video games and interactive experiences. It offers developers a suite of tools for designing and launching 2D and 3D games as well as virtual and augmented reality applications. This includes the ability to create and host large-scale, multi-player games.

Two of the most popular mobile games built on the Unity Software engine are the online multiplayer social deduction game Among Us, developed by game studio Innersloth, and augmented-reality mobile game Pokémon Go, developed and published by Niantic in collaboration with Nintendo Co. (LSE:0K85,TSE:7974) and The Pokémon Company.

Although in its Q1 2025 financials, Unity saw its grow revenue and create revenue drop by 4 percent and 8 percent, respectively, year-over-year, its financial performance still included exceeding the high-end of its revenue guidance by 5 percent, and its adjusted EBITDA by 29 percent.

6. Playtika (NASDAQ:PLTK)

Market cap: US$1.79 billion

Headquartered in Israel, Playtika Holdings claims to be among the first mobile gaming entertainment companies to offer free-to-play social games on social networks and on mobile platforms. Today, Playtika has a diverse portfolio of game titles accessed by more than 29 million monthly active users last year.

Playtika has built its mobile entertainment platform through eleven strategic acquisitions totaling US$337 million aimed at increasing its breadth of entertainment genres and leveraging its Boost platform to enhance game operations. Playtika’s most recent acquisition was mobile gaming company SuperPlay, which it picked up for US$700 million in late 2024.

In its first quarter of 2025, the company reported a record quarterly revenue of more than US$700 million. This is up 8.4 percent over the same period in the previous year.

7. Corsair Gaming (NASDAQ:CRSR)

Market cap: US$951.33 million

Corsair Gaming is a global powerhouse in the development and manufacturer of high-performance gamer gear, including keyboards, mice, game controllers and headsets.

While the company primarily targets PC gamers, Corsair has moved into the mobile games market in recent years with the launch of its SCUF Nomad, a compact Bluetooth controller designed for competitive gamers with iPhones. The controller expands to fit the user’s phone in the center and work with any games that offer controller support.

8. Inspired Entertainment (NASDAQ:INSE)

Market cap: US$208.84 million

Inspired Entertainment is a gaming technology company that offers content, tech, hardware and services both offline and online gaming, betting and social gaming platforms. This includes digital games across more than 170 websites.

Last year, the company launched a number of online and mobile slot games, including Gold Cash Free Spins and Big Piggy Bank. In January 2025, Inspired announced the release of its online and mobile slot games into the regulated Brazilian market.

9. PLAYSTUDIOS (NASDAQ:MYPS)

Market cap: US$186.86 million

PLAYSTUDIOS develops free-to-play mobile games for its brand partners in the travel, leisure and entertainment sectors. Through its playAWARDS platform, mobile gamers can earn brand offerings as in-game rewards. The platform has a player network of more than 4.2 million gamers and 737 award partners, including brands such as Royal Caribbean International, MGM Grand and Cirque de Soleil.

The company will be offering its social casino games players an opportunity to win trips to the Atlantis Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas, and seats in the second annual US$1 million myVIP World Tournament of Slots, which will take place at the resort in October 2025.

PLAYSTUDIOS’ full year 2025 guidance for net revenue is US$250 million to US$270 million.

10. MotorSport Games (NASDAQ:MSGM)

Market cap: US$16.24 million

Florida-based Motorsport Games develops and publishes motorsport games, and organizes esports racing competitions and content.

It is officially licensed to develop and publish video games for the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Motorsport Games’ rFactor 2 is an official racing simulation platform of Formula E, and it powers the F1 Arcade venue chain via a partnership with Kindred Concepts.

In April 2025, Motorsport announced a strategic investment of US$2.5 million led by virtual reality hardware company Pimax Innovation. The two companies plan to combine their offerings to create immersive VR racing sims.

Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Trump made millions on guitars, Bibles and watches with his name on them, disclosure reveals

2 Mins Read

President Donald Trump continues to enjoy income streams from scores of luxury properties and business ventures, many of which are worth tens of millions of dollars, according to a financial disclosure form filed late Friday.

Released by the Office of Government Ethics, Trump’s 2025 financial disclosure spans 234 pages in all, including 145 pages of stock and bond investments. It is dated Friday with Trump’s signature.

One of the largest sources of income is the $57,355,532 he received from his ownership stake in World Liberty Financial, the cryptocurrency platform launched last year. The form shows that World Liberty’s sales of digital tokens have been highly lucrative for Trump and his family. Trump’s three sons, Donald Jr., Eric and Barron, are listed on the company’s website as co-founders of the firm.

Separately, Trump’s meme coin, known on crypto markets simply as $TRUMP, was not released until January and is therefore not subject to the disclosure requirements for this form, which covered calendar year 2024.

It was a lucrative year for Trump when it came to royalty payments for the various goods that are sold featuring his name and likeness.

Among the royalty payments:

The filing also includes a listing of liabilities, including at least $15,000 on an American Express credit card and payments due to E. Jean Carroll, the woman who successfully sued Trump over sexual abuse and defamation, though he is still seeking to appeal the decision.

The rest of the document includes dozens of pages of lengthy footnotes about his various assets.

The form was filed to comply with federal requirements for executive branch office holders. By comparison, the form former President Joe Biden filed in 2024 was 11 pages and consisted largely of conventional sources of income like bank and retirement accounts, while Kamala Harris’ was 15 pages.

Many of Trump’s key assets are held in a revocable trust overseen by Donald Trump Jr., his eldest son. They include more than 100,000 shares of Trump Media and Technology Group, the social media company that went public in 2024. Trump is the largest shareholder, and his nearly 53% is worth billions of dollars. Those holdings were still disclosed in the form.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Mike Johnson calls off Israel trip amid Iran conflict

2 Mins Read

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is calling off his planned trip to Jerusalem this coming weekend in light of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.

‘Due to the complex situation currently unfolding in Iran and Israel, Speaker Ohana and I have made the decision to postpone the special session of the Knesset,’ Johnson said in a statement.

‘We look forward to rescheduling the address in the near future and send our prayers to the people of Israel and the Middle East.’

Johnson had planned to address the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, this coming Sunday.

It’s a sign of the worsening situation in the Middle East after Israel, which said Iran was dangerously close to a nuclear weapon, launched preemptive strikes in Tehran that hit nuclear enrichment sites and killed top military officials.

Johnson, like most Republicans, backed Israel’s moves.

‘Israel and the United States have been united, including in our shared insistence that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon. President Trump and his administration have worked tirelessly to ensure that outcome,’ the speaker said in a statement on Friday.

‘Unfortunately, Iran has refused to agree and even declared yesterday its intent to build a new enrichment facility. Israel decided it needed to take action to defend itself. They were clearly within their right to do so.’

Israel’s military said Monday that it has established ‘aerial superiority’ over Iran’s forces as the conflict continues into another day.

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday that Israel and Iran ‘should make a deal, and will make a deal.’ 

‘[W]e will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran! Many calls and meetings now taking place,’ Trump wrote.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Israel-Iran conflict sends Middle East oil shipping costs higher

3 Mins Read

Worries over potential disruptions stemming from the Israel-Iran conflict are impacting the oil shipping industry. 

The costs associated with chartering tankers to transport oil from the Middle East to Asia have risen, leading to a slowdown in ship bookings, according to a Reuters report.

Tensions in the Middle East escalated last week after Israel carried out strikes in Iran. Tehran reportedly retaliated with strikes of its own. 

The TD3 benchmark rate, which governs the cost of chartering a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) for crude oil shipments from the Middle East Gulf (MEG) to Japan, experienced a dramatic surge on Friday. 

Data from LSEG indicates that this global benchmark rate escalated by more than 20% following the emergence of heightened regional tensions. 

The significant increase underscores the immediate and substantial impact geopolitical instability can have on global shipping costs, particularly for critical commodities like oil. 

The rise in TD3 rates suggests that shipowners are factoring in increased risk premiums due to the current climate, potentially leading to higher freight costs for oil importers in key Asian markets such as Japan. 

According to a shipbroker, the MEG-Japan rate for crude remained stable at approximately W55 on the Worldscale industry measure on Monday.

Cautious approach

Traders, shipbrokers, and charterers adopted a wait-and-watch approach, limiting further increases in freight rates. 

The shipping industry’s cautious stance prevailed even though market participants did not anticipate the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade route.

“Fixing on Friday from the region all but came to a standstill. Physical marks may therefore not be indicative. Ships inside the gulf are still looking for outbound charters,” Anoop Singh, global head of shipping research at Oil Brokerage, was quoted as saying in the report.

But the situation remains dynamic, and we expect to hear more on market open today,

Freight rates are subject to escalation and potential Iranian action concerning the Strait of Hormuz, according to Emril Jamil, senior analyst for crude and fuel oil at LSEG Oil Research. 

Approximately 18 million to 19 million barrels of oil and oil products traverse the Strait of Hormuz waterway daily, connecting the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman.

“We have noted a minor increase in freight rates so far, but expect them to rise further as the week progresses,” according to Sentosa Shipbrokers.

War risk premium

Emril Jamil of LSEG added:

The war risk premium is expected to remain high in the near-term given the continued exchange of tensions between the two countries.

This will exponentially rise if other Middle East oil and gas infrastructure are attacked.

Additional attacks could drive cargo insurance premiums up by $3 to $8 per barrel.

Before the conflict, freight rates for shipping approximately 90,000 tons of clean products (gasoline, diesel, or jet fuel) from the Middle East to markets west of the Suez Canal were estimated at $3.3 million to $3.5 million, according to the Reuters report. 

New offer levels are currently unavailable.

According to the report, some brokers are already indicating market levels of $4.5 million. 

Sentosa shipbrokers noted that several shipowners are withholding vessels for Gulf routes pending clarity on the situation.

This could lead to increased opportunities for voyages from the Far East to west of Suez and from northwest India.

The post Israel-Iran conflict sends Middle East oil shipping costs higher appeared first on Invezz

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Howard Schultz says he ‘did a cartwheel’ when Starbucks CEO Niccol coined ‘back to Starbucks’ strategy

3 Mins Read

LAS VEGAS. — Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said Wednesday that he “did a cartwheel” in his living room when current chief executive Brian Niccol first coined his “back to Starbucks” strategy.

The enthusiasm from the 71-year-old Starbucks chairman emeritus is a key stamp of approval for Niccol as he tries to lift the company’s slumping sales and restore the chain’s culture.

Schultz, who grew Starbucks from a small chain into a global coffee giant, made a surprise appearance at the company’s Leadership Experience in Las Vegas and cosigned Niccol’s plans. The three-day event has gathered more than 14,000 North American store leaders to hear from Starbucks management as the company embarks on a turnaround.

Niccol took the reins in September, joining the company after the board ousted Laxman Narasimhan, Schultz’s handpicked successor.

Schultz had returned in 2022 for his third stint as chief executive, but it was only an interim role. He previously told CNBC that he has no plans to come back again. Schultz no longer holds a formal role within the company, although CNBC has previously reported that he’s forever entitled to attend board meetings unless barred by the company’s directors.

During Niccol’s first week on the job, he outlined plans for the comeback in an open letter, making the commitment to get “back to Starbucks.” More details on how the chain planned to return to its roots followed in the ensuing months, from bringing back seating inside cafes to writing personalized messages on cups. Under Niccol’s leadership, the company’s marketing has shifted to focus on its coffee, rather than discounts and promotions.

When Starbucks announced Narasimhan’s firing and Niccol’s hiring, Schultz issued a statement of support, saying that the then-Chipotle CEO was the leader that the company needs. However, the Leadership Experience marks the first time that Niccol and Schultz have appeared publicly together.

During Narasimhan’s short tenure as CEO, Schultz did not mince words when the company’s performance fell short of his expectations. After a dismal quarterly earnings report, he weighed in publicly on LinkedIn, saying the company needs to improve its mobile order and pay experience and overhaul how it creates new drinks to focus on premium items that set it apart.

But Schultz said Starbucks’ problems went further than just operational issues and lackluster beverages and food.

“The culture was not understood. The culture wasn’t valued. The culture wasn’t being upheld,” he said on Wednesday.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Israeli official rejects Trump’s call for Iran deal: ‘Outrageous’ to negotiate with ‘evil, jihadist regime’

4 Mins Read

Israeli parliament member Ohad Tal told Fox News Digital that striking a deal with Iran should not be the goal without first toppling its ‘evil, jihadist regime,’ as President Donald Trump on Sunday called on both sides to come to the negotiating table. 

Tal, who sits on the Knesset foreign affairs and defense committees, spoke to Fox News Digital from outside of Jerusalem on Sunday as Israel and Iran traded strikes for a third day.  

‘We are now engaging in a war with Iran, a war which I believe is historic, because we are now, finally, hopefully, we will liberate, not just ourselves, not just the Iranian people, but the entire world from the threat of the evil Iranian regime,’ he said. 

Earlier Sunday, Trump said on TRUTH Social that ‘Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal,’ noting how his administration has successfully negotiated other conflict resolutions, including between India and Pakistan, ‘by using TRADE with the United States to bring reason, cohesion, and sanity into the talks with two excellent leaders who were able to quickly make a decision and STOP!’ 

Tal, however, made the distinction that the goal of the Ayatollah and the Muslim Brotherhood is the ‘destruction of Israel’ and the ‘destruction of America.’   

‘I think that our goal should be taking down the Iranian regime, because if you really want to put an end to the ambitions of Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, the only way to do that is by taking down this regime,’ Tal said. ‘This regime has only one purpose, not to destroy Israel … they want to take down America.’ 

He said more deals would only allow Iran to re-arm and re-develop their nuclear program. 

‘I think just the idea of negotiating deals with a jihadist terror supporter regime is outrageous,’ he continued. ‘I mean, the only goal we should have, we should all have, is taking down this evil regime. Again, if we really want to build a better future of stability and prosperity for everybody in the region, in the world, that should be the goal.’ 

Trump has vetoed a plan floated by Israel to the U.S. to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a U.S. official told Fox News, amid concerns doing so would further destabilize the region. 

Tal told Fox News Digital that the West must face the reality that ‘we must take down this evil, jihadistic regime’ not just to save the region, but the ‘entire world from this threat.’ 

Since last Thursday, when the Israel Defense Forces launched a large-scale preemptive strike against Iran, targeting nuclear facilities, key infrastructure and leadership, Tal said he’s received calls from Muslim and Arab leaders across the Middle East who told him, ‘You’re not just saving yourself, you’re saving us as well.’ 

‘That is the reality. Iran and the Ayatollahs are not just a threat to Israel, they are a threat to the entire world, and therefore I believe that by the fact that Israel is not looking the other way,’ Tal said. ‘We’re not burying our head in the sand. We are standing in front of this threat, and we are fighting back. I think we are doing a big favor to the world.’ 

Tal said Iran has suffered ‘an unbelievable amount of damage’ and the IDF ‘basically has total control over the Iranian airspace.’ Israeli forces, he argued, are targeting military bases, nuclear facilities and officials, while Iran is targeting civilian populations. Some Iranian missiles have made it past Israel’s aerial defense systems. 

‘That’s a culture that glorifies death, doesn’t care about civilian casualties, and we’re a culture that sanctifies life,’ he said. 

Tal said he has received support from U.S. officials, including members of Congress. 

He believes that Israel’s actions are in line with Trump’s ‘America First’ policy, in that the ongoing operation will prevent the United States from being pulled into a broader conflict. 

‘We’re getting the support from the Trump administration 100 percent,’ Tal said. ‘Trump is supporting America First Policy. We are also supporting America First Policy because fighting this evil regime will help to prevent much, much bigger war.’

‘If the Iranians would have managed to get their desire and acquire a weapon, that would not have just been a threat to America,’ he continued. ‘We’re not asking [for] American boots on the ground, we’re not asking America to fight for us. We’re just asking them to support us in taking away the threat coming from Iran.’ 

Fox News’ Peter Doocy contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Groupon stock price has become overbought: is it a buy?

4 Mins Read

Groupon stock price has staged a strong comeback since 2023 as the e-commerce company’s turnaround efforts started to show results. It has soared in the last six consecutive weeks, moving to a high of $33.90, its highest point since August 2021. 

GRPN stock has jumped by over 967% from its lowest level in 2023, bringing its market capitalization to over $1.46 billion. This article explores why the GRPN share price has jumped and whether it has more room left. 

Why Groupon stock price has surged

Groupon is an e-commerce company that focuses on local deals. Launched in 2008, it became a well-known brand, and it rejected a $6 billion offer from Google, which it believed undervalued its business.

Google believed that Groupon would evolve into a large e-commerce player like Amazon and eBay. This, however, did not happen, as Groupon’s business and market capitalization deteriorated.

Groupon’s annual revenue has been in a free fall as customers shifted to other companies like Walmart and Amazon that offer exciting subscription services. It has moved from $1.416 billion in 2020 to $492 million last year. 

The decline was also because the company reduced its sales and marketing budget in the past few years. 

Recently, however, the Groupon stock price has rebounded as the company has continued its turnaround efforts under Dusan Senkypl, who became the Chief Executive Officer three years ago. 

Senkypl has focused on changing managing the company’s costs, including through layoffs. It laid off 500 employees in 2023 in a bid to lower costs and reduce its losses 

He has also shifted how the company spends its marketing budget. For example, the company recently increased content on a social media platform and is seeing a high return on investment. Specifically, the company is moving from customer acquisition to customer lifeline value. 

Further, the company streamlined its business by moving most of its operations to the cloud. This, in turn, led to higher operational efficiency and scalability. He has also increased the focus to hyperlocal transactions.

Long road to recovery

Groupon has a long road to recovery as its sales are still falling. The most recent results showed that its revenue dropped by 5% to $117.2 million in the first quarter, with its local revenue falling by 3% to $108.4 million. 

Groupon’s gross billings dropped by 1%, while its unit sales dropped by 17% to 8.5 million. 

The stock rose mainly because the company’s active customers grew a bit, reaching 15.5 million. It also rose as analysts predicted that the company would resume its growth in the next few years.

The annual revenue is expected to come in at $500 million this year, a 1.45% increase from a year earlier. Analysts also anticipate the revenue to rise by 7.3% next year to $536 million. 

They also expect that its business will become profitable, with the earnings per share (EPS) coming in at 25 $0.04 and $0.22 in 2025 and 2026.

Groupon share price analysis

GRPN stock chart | Source: TradingView

The weekly chart shows that the GRPN share price has bounced back in the past few years. It rose from a low of $3.17 in 2023 to the current $33.89, as we predicted here.

Groupon stock has flipped the important resistance at $19.32 into a support level. It also formed a golden cross pattern as the 50-week and 200-week moving averages crossed each other. 

However, there are signs that the GRPN stock price has become highly overbought as the Relative Strength Index (RSI) has moved to 80. Therefore, the Groupon stock price will likely pull back and retest the support at $20.

The post Groupon stock price has become overbought: is it a buy? appeared first on Invezz

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