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Keurig Dr Pepper to buy Peet’s Coffee owner in $18 billion deal

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Keurig Dr Pepper said Monday it will buy Peet’s Coffee owner JDE Peet’s in a deal worth about $18 billion (15.7 billion euro).

When the acquisition is complete, the company plans to split into two separate companies, one focused on coffee and the other focused on beverages including Dr Pepper, Canada Dry, 7Up and energy drinks.

The coffee business will have about $16 billion in combined sales and the beverage business about $11 billion.

“Through the complementary combination of Keurig and JDE Peet’s, we are seizing an exceptional opportunity to create a global coffee giant,” said Tim Cofer, Keurig Dr Pepper’s CEO.

In addition to Peet’s, Amsterdam-based JDE Peet’s brands include L’OR, Jacobs, Douwe Egberts, Kenco, Pilao, OldTown, Super and Moccona.

Once the two companies are separated, Cofer will become CEO of the beverage business, which will be based in Frisco, Texas, and Keurig Dr Pepper CFO Sudhanshu Priyadarshi will lead the coffee business, which will be located in Burlington, Mass., with its international headquarters in Amsterdam.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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In Politics

Trump opens door to 600,000 Chinese students amid Beijing trade talks

2 Mins Read

Donald Trump said 600,000 Chinese students would be allowed into the U.S. to study at colleges amid ongoing trade talks with China.

Speaking at the White House Monday, the president’s announcement signals a potential thaw in U.S.-China relations after escalating tariffs and restrictions on Chinese students.

‘I hear so many stories that we’re not going to allow their students,’ Trump told reporters.

‘We’re going to allow their students to come in. It’s very important, 600,000 students. It’s very important. But we’re going to get along with China,’ he added.

Trump’s student visa offer comes against the backdrop of trade talks with the Chinese government.

Earlier this year, the administration imposed a 145% tariff on all Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate with a 125% tariff on U.S. exports.

Negotiators in Geneva agreed in May to pause additional levies, but Trump has continued to warn of further penalties.

Last week, he floated a 200% tariff on Chinese-made magnets, citing what he described as Beijing’s ‘monopoly’ over the global market.

‘I don’t think we’re going to have a problem with that,’ Trump told reporters.

‘China, intelligently, went and they sort of took a monopoly on the world’s magnets. It’ll probably take us a year to have them,’ he said.

Currently, about 270,000 Chinese students are enrolled in U.S. universities.

In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced plans to ‘aggressively revoke’ visas for Chinese nationals, particularly those tied to the Communist Party or sensitive research fields.

Trump has since shifted tone, telling reporters in June that he has ‘always been in favor’ of welcoming students from China.

Trump’s remarks on admitting Chinese students came ahead of a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

When he was asked about a possible summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he sounded positive. He said he would like to meet him this year.

‘As you know, we’re, we’re taking a lot of money in from China because of the tariffs and the different things. It’s a very important relationship,’ Trump said. ‘It’s a much better relationship economically than it was before with Biden. But he allowed that. They just took him to the cleaners.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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In Stocks

Top Nifty 50 Index gainers and losers of 2025 revealed

4 Mins Read

The Nifty 50 Index has moved sideways since April as market participants reflect on the worsening trade relations between the United States and India. It was trading at ₹24,870 on Monday, a few points below this month’s high of 25,200. This article looks at the best and worst performing stocks in the Nifty 50 Index this year.

SBI Life Insurance 

The SBI Life Insurance share price has jumped by 33% this year, making it the best-performing stock in the Nifty 50 index.

Its performance happened as its business continued doing well, with its revenue and profitability continuing to rise.

The most recent results showed that its profit after tax rose by 14% in the first quarter as the gross written premiums rose to over 178 billion rupees from 154.7 billion in the same period last year.

It has also benefited from the mix of businesses in its portfolio. It offers solutions like child education, retirement, wealth creation, family protection, and financial security. These businesses have benefited from the ongoing expansion of India’s middle class.

HDFC Life, another top company in the industry, has also done well, with its stock rising by 27% this year.

Maruti Suzuki 

Maruti Suzuki is the other top performer in the Nifty 50 index as it jumped by 32% this year, bringing its year returns to 103%.

The company’s business has performed well this year, with some of its brands continuing their robust performance. For example, the FRONX vehicle has achieved a 500,000 production milestone in about 2 years.

Also, the company is focusing on expanding its business, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to visit the company this week to promote an export strategy.

Maruti Suzuki’s stock price has also done well as its revenue growth has grown and the fact that it has little exposure to the US.

The latest results showed that its revenue rose to Rs 152,913 crore in the first quarter, up from Rs 141,848 crore in the same period last year. Its profit also jumped and neared the Rs 20,000 crore mark.

Bajaj Finance 

Bajaj Finance stock price has jumped by 31% this year, making it the third-best-performing company in the Nifty 50 index.

The company, together with Bajaj Finserv, has done well as the revenue and net income rose in the last quarter.

Its revenue jumped to over 144.9 billion rupees, up from 138.2 billion in the same period last year. As a result, its profit soared to 55 billion rupees.

The company has benefited from the strong inflows, with its assets under management rising by 25% to $51.3 billion and its loans rising by 23%.

Bajaj Finance has also benefited from the fairly high interest rates that have pushed its net interest margin higher in the past few months.

The other top performers in the Nifty 50 Index this year are companies like Bharat Electronics, Bajaj Finserv, Eicher Motors, Bharti Airtel, and Hero Motocorp

On the other hand, top technology consulting groups like Tata Consultancy, Infosys, and Wipro are among the top laggards as they fell by over 20% this year. The three companies have struggled because of the fears that IT spending will take a backseat this year as companies focus on cost management.

Their American counterparts, like Accenture and Cognizant, have also plunged after the Trump administration moved to cancel some of their contracts to save costs.

Trent, an apparel retailer owned by Tata Group, has also underperformed the market as it fell by 23% this year. This is a big reversal for a company whose shares have surged by over 4,225% in the last decade. Investors are concerned about its valuation and slowing growth.

IndusInd Bank shares have plunged by 20%, making it a top laggard in the Nifty 50 index as its loan book concerns remained. Other top losers in the index were firms like Sun Pharmaceutical, Tech Mahindra, Power Grid, and Adani Enterprises.

The post Top Nifty 50 Index gainers and losers of 2025 revealed appeared first on Invezz

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In Politics

Russia says Ukrainian drones hit nuclear power plant during Independence Day strikes

2 Mins Read

Russian officials said Ukrainian drones ignited an overnight fire at a nuclear plant in Russia’s Kursk region.

The strikes coincided with Ukraine’s 34th Independence Day, marking its 1991 break from the Soviet Union.

Russia said the strikes hit several power facilities. The plant fire was quickly extinguished. A transformer was damaged, but radiation levels remained normal, and no injuries were reported.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog said it was aware of media reports of a transformer fire ‘due to military activity,’ but had not independently confirmed them.

Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said ‘every nuclear facility must be protected at all times.’

A fire also broke out at the port of Ust-Luga in Russia’s Leningrad region, home to a major fuel export terminal.

The regional governor said about 10 Ukrainian drones were shot down in the area and that debris sparked the blaze.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses intercepted 95 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory Sunday.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 72 drones and decoys and a cruise missile overnight; 48 drones were shot down or jammed.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke in a video from Kyiv’s Independence Square.

‘We are building a Ukraine that will have enough strength and power to live in security and peace,’ he said, calling for a ‘just peace.’

‘What our future will be is up to us alone,’ he said, while acknowledging the U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska earlier this month, which many worried would sideline Ukrainian interests.

‘And the world knows this. And the world respects this. It respects Ukraine. It perceives Ukraine as an equal,’ he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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In Stocks

Hang Seng Index: bubble warnings ahead of Alibaba, ICBC, Byd earnings

3 Mins Read

The Hang Seng Index continued its strong rally last week and was hovering near its highest swing since November 2021. It has jumped to a high of $25,330 on Friday, up sharply from a low of $14,627, its lowest swing in 2022. 

The Hang Seng Index will react to new calls that Chinese stocks were in a bubble and top earnings by companies like Alibaba and BYD.

Analyst warns of a Chinese stock market bubble

The Hang Seng Index has been in a strong bull run in the past few months, mirroring the performance of other Chinese equities. For example, the China A50 Index rose to $14,800, its highest point since 2024.

Similarly, the Shanghai Composite Index has jumpd to a decade high, while the CSI 300 Index is up by 20% from its lowest level in 2025. 

The surge happened even as the Chinese economy remained under pressure as the trade war with the United States continued. The US has placed a 30% tariff on most Chinese goods as the two countries negotiate for a better deal.

At the same time, the country has failed to end the deflationary spiral that has rdd corporate pricing power. The most recent data showed that the consumer price index was flat in July, while another one revealed that the GDP deflator remained negative. 

Most importantly, there are signs that Chinese earnings are slowing down, with the forward earnings estimate falling 2.5% from its highest point this year. 

This performance, coupled with the intense competition in China, has pushed more investors to start warning of a stock market bubble. An analyst told Bloomberg:

“Markets might be expecting, either correctly or incorrectly, that macroeconomic fundamentals will improve. But a bull market will not be sustainable if inflation remains close to 0% and corporate pricing power faces severe headwinds from weak domestic demand.”

The other main reason why the Hang Seng Index is doing well is that analysts anticipate more stimulus from Beijing. Most importantly, following the collapse of the real estate sector, there are signs that wealthy Chinese are now investing in the stock market because of the lack of alternatives. 

Additionally, the rally is part of the ongoing surge in the global stock market. A closer look at top global indices, such as the Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, DAX, and the FTSE 100, reveals that they have all reached record highs.

Top earnings ahead

The next major catalyst for the Hang Seng Index will be earnings by top companies lik Petrochina, Meituan, Ping An Insurance, Trip.com, Byd, Alibaba, CNOOC, ICBC, Bank of China, China Merchants Bank, and Bank of Communications. 

These results, together with those by PDD, will provide more color on the performance of top companies in China. Alibaba’s earnings will provide more information on its business and the impact on AI. 

Hang Seng Index analysis

Hang Seng stock chart | Source: TradingView

The weekly chart shows that the Hang Seng Index has rebounded in the past few years, moving from a low of H$14,627 in 2022 to H$25,340. It has formed a golden cross pattern as the 50-week and 200-week moving averages crossed each other.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the Stochastic Oscillator have all continued rising. Therefore, the stock will likely continue rising as bulls target the next psychological point at H$27,000.

The post Hang Seng Index: bubble warnings ahead of Alibaba, ICBC, Byd earnings appeared first on Invezz

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Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: StrategX Jumps 64 Percent on Fundraising

11 Mins Read

Statistics Canada released July’s consumer price index (CPI) data on Tuesday (August 19). The figures show that inflation decelerated in the month, posting a 1.7 percent year-on-year gain, down from the 1.9 percent recorded in June.

The most significant contributor to the fall was a 16.1 percent decline in gasoline prices from the same period last year.

Excluding the lower costs at the pumps, CPI remained steady at 2.5 percent, the same increase as May and June.

The national reporting agency released June’s mineral production survey on Wednesday (August 20).

The data indicates that production and shipments increased across the board, with copper production rising to 39.17 million kilograms, gold rising to 16,935 kilograms and silver increasing to 29,081 kilograms.

For shipments, copper increased to 45.96 million kilograms from 34.38 million kilograms, gold shipments rose to 18,554 kilograms from 16,725, and silver jumped to 31,391 kilograms from 27,614 kilograms.

On Thursday (August 21), Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had a phone call with US President Donald Trump. Although the prime minister’s office has provided few details, the two leaders reportedly had a “productive and wide-ranging conversation” about the current trade dispute, as well as economic and security relations.

Carney and Trump are expected to speak again soon.

South of the border, US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell gave his speech at the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium on Friday (August 22). In his remarks, he said that the Fed’s dual mandate goal is in balance, with the labor market remaining near maximum employment, while inflation has eased from post-pandemic highs.

However, he also said that “a shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance,” hinting at a near-term cut to the Fed’s benchmark interest rate. Expectations are high for a 25 basis point cut in September.

Markets and commodities react

Canadian equity markets were positive this week. The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) was in record territory, closing the week up 1.44 percent to set at another all-time high of 28,333.13. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) did even better, climbing 2.45 percent to finish Friday at 803.61. The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) slumped mid-week but recovered on Friday to post a slight gain of 0.48 percent to 158.82.

US equity markets were mixed this week, but strong gains on Friday following Powell’s comments kept them in record high territory. The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) was up 1.52 percent on Friday, but down by 0.16 percent over the past five days to 6,466.92, while the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) rose 1.51 percent on Friday, but sank 1.33 percent on the week to 23,497.83 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) was the sole weekly gainer, rising 1.89 percent on Friday and 1.04 percent on the week to post a new record high of 45,631.73.

The gold price was largely flat this week, but also surged on Friday after Powell hinted at a near-term rate cut, rising 1.11 percent on the week to US$3,373.21 per ounce by 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday.

Silver saw similar movements, but ended the week with a more significant gain of 2.62 percent US$38.90 per ounce.

Copper saw little change again this week, posting a 0.22 percent decrease to US$4.52 per pound. The S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) commodities index posted an increase of 1.92 percent by close on Friday, finishing at 545.11.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stock data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market caps greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. StrategX Elements (CSE:STGX)

Weekly gain: 63.64 percent
Market cap: C$11.57 million
Share price: C$0.18

StrategX Elements is advancing a portfolio of projects in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, Canada.

Its most recent focus has been its Nagvaak project in Nunavut, which hosts a 6 kilometer mineralized zone with deposits of nickel, vanadium, cobalt, copper, silver and platinum-group metals.

On March 3, the company discovered a wide zone of high-grade graphite mineralization at Nagvaak, with one assay returning an average of 15 percent graphitic carbon over 32 meters, including an intersection of 22 percent graphitic carbon over 17 meters. StrategX said the hole also returned encouraging concentrations of other minerals, including nickel, copper and silver, supporting potential for a multi-mineral system.

The most recent news from the project came on July 30, when the company announced it was in the process of mobilizing for a 2025 drill program intended to delineate and validate the discoveries.

On Tuesday, the company completed a non-brokered private placement for 3.71 million shares, raising gross proceeds of C$296,960. It announced the placement on August 7 and said funds would be used for general working capital.

2. Max Resource (TSXV:MAX)

Weekly gain: 62.5 percent
Market cap: C$12.59 million
Share price: C$0.065

Max Resource is an explorer working to advance a portfolio of projects in Colombia.

Its Sierra Azul property is a district-scale copper and silver project consisting of 20 mining concessions covering an area of 188 square kilometers in northeastern Colombia.

The asset is covered by a May 2024 earn-in agreement with Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX), in which Freeport can receive up to an 80 percent stake by funding of C$50 million over 10 years. The site hosts multiple target areas with high-grade copper and silver mineralization, including a 20 kilometer red-bed style copper system at the AM district.

Max also owns the Florália hematite direct-shipping ore iron project located in the Minas Gerais region. The company completed the acquisition of the property in October 2024 from Jaguar Mining (TSX:JAG,OTCQX:JAGGF) for total cash considerations of US$1 million and 4 million performance share units, contingent upon reaching certain milestones. The site hosts hematite deposits with grades over 60 percent iron. Max intends to use a direct-shipping ore process to mine, crush and screen the ore before exporting the material directly to steel mills.

The company’s most recent announcement came this past Tuesday, when it secured the right to acquire Mora title, which lies adjacent to Aris Mining’s (TSX:ARIS,NYSEAMERICAN:ARMN) Marmato mine. The property hosts 40 historic workings with five active mines, with reserves with grades of 3.2 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold from 31.3 million metric tons and a resource of 9 million ounces of gold grading 3 g/t from 61.5 million metric tons.

3. Maple Gold Mines (TSXV:MGM)

Weekly gain: 50 percent
Market cap: C$45.6 million
Share price: C$0.105

Maple Gold Mines is a gold exploration company focused on the advancement of its Douay and Joutel projects located in the Abitibi greenstone belt in Québec, Canada.

The Douay project covers an area of 357 square kilometers. In a 2022 technical report, the company said the site hosts an indicated resource of 511,000 ounces of gold from 10 million metric tons with an average grade of 1.59 g/t gold, with an additional inferred resource of 2.53 million ounces from 76.7 million metric tons at 1.02 g/t.

Joutel is located directly south of Douay. The company announced on May 5 that it had staked an additional 128 mining claims, bringing the total land area at the property to 111 square kilometers from the original 39. The site hosts Agnico Eagle Mines’ (TSX:AEM,NYSE:AEM) past-producing Eagle-Telbel gold mine, which operated from 1974 to 1993. To date, the company has used 250,000 meters of historic drill results to create 3D models to aid in current exploration efforts.

The most recent news from Maple came on Wednesday when it announced a C$5 million non-brokered private placement led by strategic investor Michael Gentile. Additionally, the company reported that Agnico Eagle has indicated it intends to participate in the offering to maintain its pro rata ownership interest in Maple Gold.

The release also said that it has appointed Marc Legault and Chris Adams to the board of directors.

4. Capitan Silver (TSXV:CAPT)

Weekly gain: 40.45 percent
Market cap: C$113.2 million
Share price: C$1.25

Capitan Silver is an explorer focused on advancing silver and gold projects in Durango, Mexico.

The company’s flagship asset is the 100 percent owned Cruz de Plata project, in the heart of Mexico’s historic Penoles Mining District. The district is known for hosting significant silver mineralization and historic mining.

The Cruz de Plata project encompasses two historic silver mines — Jesus Maria and San Rafael — and the El Capitan oxide gold prospect, all within a 22.9 square kilometer land package.

To date, the company has completed 86 diamond drill holes totaling over 11,550 meters.

A 2020 technical report demonstratesd an inferred resource of 16.99 million ounces of contained silver and 331,000 ounces of contained gold from 28.3 million metric tons of ore with grades of 18.7 g/t silver and 0.36 g/t gold.

The most recent news from Capitan came on Friday, when it announced it executed a definitive agreement to acquire a strategic land package at its Cruz de Plata property from Fresnillo (LSE:FRES,OTC Pink:FNLPF) for total cash considerations of US$4 million. The transaction was initially announced in June.

The new parcel consists of seven mineral concessions covering an area of 2,171.4 hectares and increases its total holdings in the area by 85 percent and the surface expression of the silver and gold trend by 1.2 kilometers to the east.

5. District Metals (TSXV:DMX)

Weekly gain: 36.9 percent
Market cap: C$163.98 million
Share price: C$1.15

District Metals is a uranium exploration company focused on advancing a portfolio of assets in Sweden.

Its flagship Viken property covers an area of 38,657 hectares in Jämtland County and in addition to uranium hosts mineral deposits of vanadium, molybdenum, nickel, copper and zinc.

On June 13, District filed a technical report for the project’s updated mineral resource estimate. It shows an indicated resource of 176 million pounds of U3O8 from 456 million metric tons of ore with a grade of 175 parts per million (ppm) U3O8 and an inferred resource of 1.54 billion pounds of U3O8 from 4.3 billion metric tons with a grade of 161 ppm.

The company has also been advancing its Tomtebo-Stollberg zinc project in South-Central Sweden. The project is part of an October 2023 definitive agreement in which Boliden (STO:BOL) can earn an 85 percent interest in the property by spending C$10 million over four years and District can earn a 15 percent stake in Boliden’s Stollberg property.

Tomtebo covers an area of 5,144 hectares and hosts the historic Tomtebo and Lovas mines, while Stollberg covers an area of 5,180 hectares and is located near Boliden’s Garpengerg mine.

The most recent update from Tomtebo came on July 29, when District released assays from a five hole, 2,485 meter drill program conducted between February and April. One highlighted drill hole recorded multiple zones of silver and base metals mineralization, including 88 g/t silver, 3 percent zinc and 1.9 percent lead over 7.85 meters.

The company has not released any news since.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many mining companies are listed on the TSX and TSXV?

As of February 2025, there were 1,572 companies listed on the TSXV, 905 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,859 companies, with 181 of those being mining companies.

Together the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Cracker Barrel shares plummet after pushback on new logo, brand refresh

3 Mins Read

Shares of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store plummeted roughly 10% on Thursday after the restaurant unveiled its new logo earlier this week as part of a larger brand refresh.

The new logo removes the image of a man leaning against a barrel that was prominently featured in the original, leaving behind just the words Cracker Barrel against a yellow background. The phrase “old country store” has also been removed.

The company said the colors in the logo were inspired by the chain’s scrambled eggs and biscuits.

Cracker Barrel’s new logo.Cracker Barrel

The change is part of a “strategic transformation” to revitalize the brand that started back in May 2024. Under that mission, Cracker Barrel’s brand refresh includes updates to visual elements, restaurant spaces and food and retail offerings.

Cracker Barrel said in March that the refresh will still maintain the brand’s “rich history of country hospitality” and “authentic charm that has made the brand a beloved destination for generations of families.”

“We believe in the goodness of country hospitality, a spirit that has always defined us. Our story hasn’t changed. Our values haven’t changed,” Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Moore said in a media release.

However, many social media users have criticized the new logo, especially those in conservative circles. The president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., amplified a post on Wednesday suggesting that the logo change was led by CEO Julie Felss Masino to erase the American tradition aspect of the branding and make it more general, as a way of leaning into diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Conservative activist Robby Starbuck added his commentary on Thursday, writing in a post on X, “Good morning @CrackerBarrel! You’re about to learn that wokeness really doesn’t pay.”

The company has a relatively small market cap of about $1.2 billion compared with other restaurant chains.

Customers have also complained on social media about the interior redesign of many Cracker Barrel restaurants, saying that the new decor favors a more sterile and modern style over its tried-and-true country feel.

On the restaurant’s latest earnings call in June, Masino said Cracker Barrel had completed 20 remodels and 20 refreshes. She said the company will be sharing more information about the remodeling initiative in September.

“Employees had given us great feedback about working in those newly remodeled and refreshed stores and guests continue to tell us that they’re lighter, brighter, more welcoming and they’re enjoying them,” Masino said on the call.

Cracker Barrel is not the only stock to see large swings based on political social media posts.

Earlier this month, shares of American Eagle soared after Trump posted that an ad featuring Sydney Sweeney, which faced significant social media pushback from the left, was “the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there.”

Back in 2023, Anheuser-Busch InBev faced heavy criticism from conservatives after a collaboration between Bud Light and social influencer Dylan Mulvaney, who is transgender.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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FBI raid of John Bolton’s home reportedly linked to classified documents probe

3 Mins Read

FBI agents raided the Bethesda, Md., home of former national security adviser John Bolton on Friday morning, marking a new tension point in his difficult relationship with President Donald Trump. Agents also raided Bolton’s D.C. office.

The reason behind the raids was reportedly linked to a probe of allegations that Bolton sent classified documents to his family from a private email server while working at the White House, according to the New York Post. The Post cited a Trump administration official who said FBI Director Kash Patel ordered the raid.

The outlet also reported that yet-to-be-unsealed search warrants reference a controversy over his memoir to establish a pattern of behavior. However, a senior U.S. official told the Post the probe was a ‘clean break’ from the investigation regarding Bolton’s book.

Shortly after the raid began, Patel wrote on X that ‘no one is above the law… [FBI] agents on a mission.’

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino shared the post and wrote, ‘Public corruption will not be tolerated.’

Bolton, who served in Trump’s first administration, has not been arrested or taken into custody. Trump revoked his security clearance and Secret Service detail in January 2025.

Trump was asked about the raid on Friday and said he did not know about it ahead of time, claiming he saw it on television. The president then made clear his disdain for his former national security adviser.

‘I’m not a fan of John Bolton. He’s a real lowlife,’ Trump told reporters. He went on to call Bolton ‘not a smart guy’ and said ‘he could be very unpatriotic.’

The president also said Bolton was ‘a very quiet person except on television if he can say something bad about Trump.’

Vice President JD Vance told ‘Meet the Press’ on Friday that ‘we’re in the very early stages of an ongoing investigation into John Bolton.’ Vance denied Bolton was being targeted for criticizing Trump.

A source familiar with the Bolton raid and the evidence used to justify it told Fox News Digital that ‘Bolton really had some nerve to attack Trump over his handling of classified information,’ but would not give more details.

Bolton criticized Trump’s handling of classified documents after the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago in 2022. Trump was later indicted on 37 felony counts, which expanded to 40 before the case was dropped in July 2024.

During Trump’s first administration, a probe into classified documents was launched but later shut down by the Biden administration. The Justice Department argued that Bolton’s 2020 memoir, ‘The Room Where it Happened,’ contained classified material and attempted to block it from being published. 

The FBI and Bolton’s office declined to comment on the matter.

Reporting contributed by Axios and Fox News’ Michael Dorgan, David Spunt, Breanne Deppisch, Emma Woodhead and Brooke Singman.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Tom Lee explains how to play tech stocks and ETH after Jackson Hole symposium

3 Mins Read

Fed chair Jerome Powell struck a dovish tone at the Jackson Hole symposium Friday, signalling a shift in policy focus toward supporting a softening labour market, rather than preemptively tightening to curb inflation.

While he did not explicitly commit to a rate cut, his remarks were seen as opening the door to a potential reduction in interest rates as soon as the September meeting.

The shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting the policy stance.

The remarks sent a wave of optimism through Wall Street, with the benchmark S&P 500 index and Dow Jones Industrial Average both hitting record highs on Friday.

According to Fundstrat’s chief investment officer, Tom Lee, Powell’s speech is essentially a green light for risk assets, particularly small caps and cyclical sectors, which have lagged in recent weeks amid defensive positioning.

Why Powell’s remarks bode well for US stocks

Speaking with CNBC today, Tom Lee said Powell’s pivot marks the return of “dovish Fed”, which could unlock significant upside for US stocks.

He noted that mortgage spreads remain historically wide, suggesting room for rates to decline and stimulate housing and financials.

According to the globally renowned strategist, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) index, which has been under 50 for some 30 months, may also rebound – signalling industrial recovery.

Lee now expects a broadening rally across sectors to see the benchmark S&P 500 index hit as much as the 7,000 level by the end of this year, indicating potential upside of another 8.0% from here.

What to expect from tech stocks after Jackson Hole

Despite the shift toward cyclicals, Tom Lee remains bullish on technology – particularly artificial intelligence (AI) stocks and blockchain-related plays.

“You want to be long AI and the crypto trade because those have been the market leaders,” he said.

The so-called “Magnificent Seven” names – Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Tesla – continue to anchor investor sentiment.

Lee emphasized that while defensives may lag, tech remains a core holding. “It’s kind of cyclicals, AI, and crypto but not the defensives,” he added.

With improving growth expectations and a dovish Fed, tech stocks could see renewed momentum, especially those tied to innovation and digital infrastructure, Lee told CNBC today.

What to expect from Ethereum after Jackson Hole

On Friday, Tom Lee also made a strong case for Ethereum, likening its current moment to the US dollar’s departure from the gold standard in 1971.

“Wall Street moving on to the blockchain is a bigger moment,” he said, pointing to the GENIUS Act’s support for stablecoins and Project Crypto’s push to integrate blockchain into financial systems.

Lee believes Ethereum (ETH) will be central to future smart contract infrastructure – especially in verifying human commands in agentic AI systems. “A lot of it will be Ethereum,” he said.

While some dismiss crypto as speculative, Lee argues its foundational role in the next wave of financial innovation makes it a long-term winner.

The post Tom Lee explains how to play tech stocks and ETH after Jackson Hole symposium appeared first on Invezz

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