Whenever a company suffers an unexpected blow, the way its stock recovers says a lot about its fortitude. ( ) stock is showing it can survive the exit of its Chief Executive and founder, Jared Isaacman. The stock sold off more than 12% on Dec. 4, when President-elect Donald Trump named . Isaacman will step down as chairman and CEO as soon as the Senate confirms his nomination, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company so far has made no public disclosures about its plans for a replacement. A few analysts downgraded the stock following the news. Jared Isaacman Friendly With Musk Far from the aerospace business, Shift4 is a payment processing firm that serves hundreds of thousands of companies. It processes digital payments for Elon Musk's satellite internet service, Starlink, and Isaacman is close with Musk. But for all the uncertainty about its leadership, Shift4 stock is making positive moves. The early December tumble took the stock to the 10-week moving average, where buyers have been appearing. So far, Shift4 stock hasn't made much of a rebound. It's still about 10% below its Nov. 29 peak. But the support at the 10-week line offers a buy point around 101. The buy range goes to 106. Despite its tumble, Shift4 stock is still No. 1 by Composite Rating among 36 companies in the credit card and payment processing industry group. Its three-year per-share earnings growth rate is an impressive 129% and the sales growth rate is 36%, according to the . Shift4's EPS Rating of 98 is second best in the industry. Analysts expect 2024 earnings to climb 29% and a further 24% in 2025, according to . Isaacman's Aviation, Business Background On Wednesday, Morgan Stanley raised its price target on Shift4 stock to 109 from 90 and kept an equal weight rating, according to Thefly.com. Morgan Stanley cited improving investor sentiment, a call for accelerated investment in competitive strengths, more acquisitions, and easing regulatory scrutiny. According to a , Isaacman started Shift4 in his parents' basement at the age of 16, back in 1999. In 2011, he founded Draken International, a company that trains air force pilots, and also owns the world's largest private fleet of military aircraft. Isaacman sold a majority stake in Draken to Wall Street investment firm Blackstone in 2019.
NoneShould you buy shares of Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. at the current price? Is Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. a good choice from a long-term perspective? Should you keep holding Oil India Ltd.? Is it the right time to exit Asian Paints Ltd. to book profit? Mahesh Ojha, research and business development head of Hensex Securities, and Aditya Arora, founder and multi-asset research analyst at Adlytick.in, answered these investor queries and more on NDTV Profit's Ask Profit show. Arora: Sell On Rise Lone survivors of brutal correction, with the Nifty IT correcting the most, leaving stocks in bearish pattern. Bounced back to Rs 1,553 from sharp correction to Rs 1,277 from Rs 1,800-odd levels. Better to take chips off the table at higher levels. Downside can open up very soon. Arora: Buy Good stock for the long term. Shown good strength in the last one and a half years. Ojha: Hold Dividend yield is very attractive. Hold from two years horizon, more than Rs 220 levels to be seen. Arora: Sell On Rise As the stock is going down, valuations are becoming attractive. Stock is making lower-high, lower-top pattern on a technical level If stock makes an attempt to go to levels like Rs 2,340 to Rs 2,370, exit on higher levels. Ojha: Hold If the stock can come at a downside of Rs 2,820, Rs 2,830-odd levels in the present perspective, one can buy more of the stock at those levels. One can hold from a long term perspective. Sales demand and low consumption is doing very well. Arora: Hold On Long Term Correcting significantly from high levels of Rs 760. Support is placed at Rs 764. Stock is in no mood to take support at current levels Wait for sometime on long term, little downside left in this counter. Ojha: Hold Downtrend can see Rs 390-420-odd-level zone where one can undertake lower accumulation. For above Rs 490-494 levels closing, one may see upside up until Rs 530. Arora: Sell On Short Term, Hold On Long Term One of the good outperformers in the market, seeing good corrections in small caps and mid caps. Good time to take chips off the table on short term, Hold if one has a view of more than five years. Arora: Hold Consolidating in a time when FMCG counters are beaten down, correcting. Trading above its important moving averages Has a good scope at touching its swing high of Rs 665-680-odd levels if markets remain stable. Trend remains bullish
Refresh yourself on 'Squid Game' before Season 2 on NetflixFuturistic central processor unit. Powerful Quantum CPU on PCB motherboard with data transfers. For a while now, there’s been a lot of talk about export controls in the semiconductor industry – but now it seems like the single largest U.S. tech company by market cap, Nvidia, is likely to end up on the Biden administration’s naughty list, just in time for Christmas. This month, the industry is seeing a flurry of reports about enhanced regulatory controls of U.S. chipmakers selling products to China – with Nvidia mentioned by name. Specifically, the Biden administration has asked Nvidia to look into how its chips ended up in China, despite specific laws preventing such sales. In reaction to the U.S. Department of Commerce communications, Nvidia reportedly reaffirmed its commitment to export controls, and criticized a “gray market” (some would call it black) where third-party resellers can get around those rules. The company is also allegedly increasing its lobbying presence in Washington, and hiring people from the federal government, in what some say as an effort to anticipate a new regulatory environment. Forget Chrome—Google Starts Tracking All Your Devices In 8 Weeks Bitcoin Suddenly Surges Back To $100,000 On Huge $20 Trillion Price Prediction FBI Warns Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail Users—Check 3 Things To Stop Attacks Cracking Down on International Chip Sales For a while, it was no secret that companies like Nvidia and AMD had numerous ways to make end runs around these regulations from the U.S. government. “Joe Biden's final move to stop China from racing ahead of the US in AI may be too little too late,” wrote Ashley Belanger at Ars Tecnica Dec. 2 , presumably in reference to the prior inability of the government to rein in thse kinds of sales. One example is where the companies will manufacture slightly different technology so that the chips comply with export controls. Making a lower capacity chip can allow the company to get a greenlight to ship that technology to China. Or they can simply sell to third parties and places like Singapore and Malaysia, who will then resale to the Chinese. A brand-new Biden administration change is attempting to close that particular loophole, according to Wall Street Journal reports – an executive order that is allegedly pending in the White House would limit sales of chips anywhere in the world, to stem efforts to smuggle or resell to China on the gray market. Insiders contend that U.S. chip makers are doing all they can to prevent this executive order from coming out, as explained by articles like this one from the NYT. Other Concerns In addition, the U.S. government is also wondering why American ship technology is ending up in Russian military equipment involved in the war in Ukraine. But back to Nvidia: a new antitrust investigation has chipped away at the company’s stock value, although that ticker rests at a healthy $131 and change as of press time. Meanwhile, the Chinese are announcing banning certain raw material exports to the U.S. of rare earth metals gallium and germanium. In terms of trying to enforce U.S. chip export controls, that sort of activity might be described as the biggest most intense game of Whack-a-Mole ever. Certain types of black markets are almost impossible to control, and it’s unlikely that one country, especially the U.S. where cash is king, is going to be able to gatekeep all of its private sector sales effectively. Take a look at this excerpt from a piece by Barath Harithas and Andreas Schumacher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies , where the entire essay goes over the thorny and Byzantine history of U.S. export controls over the last three years or so: “While a piece of semiconductor manufacturing equipment cannot be exported to China from U.S. factories, the same equipment produced in an overseas facility can legally be sold to an advanced logic fab in China, provided no U.S. persons are involved in its manufacturing, sale, installation, or servicing, even if the customer is on the U.S. entity list. This effectively created a backdoor in the control regime. To address this, the United States introduced a Foreign Direct Product Rule (FDPR) for semiconductor manufacturing equipment (SME). The FDPR subjects products made abroad to U.S. export restrictions if produced using U.S.-origin technology, software, or equipment. This move aims to prevent companies from circumventing restrictions by relocating production or relying on foreign facilities to supply restricted technologies to entity-listed Chinese firms.” But one thing is for sure – people with skin in the game are paying attention. They want to understand how trade control activity between the U.S. and China is going to affect the next generation of data centers and LLM applications that are having a huge impact on our businesses and our lives. In short, the technology race is heating up – and semiconductor technology is in the limelight. Keep an eye out here as I continue to look at the trends shaping the market, the geopolitical forces behind those trends, and what all of the players are doing as we get to the end of a banner year for technology.
Netflix’s global phenomenon Squid Game is gearing up for its third and final season, with anticipation running high among fans. ET Year-end Special Reads Top 10 equity mutual funds of the year. Do you have any? How India flexed its global power muscles in 2024 2024 was the year India became the talk of America While Squid Game Season 2 is set to premiere on December 26, 2024, all eyes are now on what lies ahead for Season 3. The last chapter promises to deliver a gripping conclusion to the story that has captivated audiences worldwide. The announcement of Season 3 came earlier this year, coinciding with the reveal of the second season’s release date. According to writer-director Hwang Dong-hyuk, the final season will bring the series to a climactic end, continuing the tension-filled narrative established in Seasons 1 and 2, as mentioned in a report by TV Insider. Entrepreneurship Building Your Winning Startup Team: Key Strategies for Success By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development Intermediate Java Mastery: Method, Collections, and Beyond By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Office Productivity Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By - Study At Home, Quality Education Anytime, Anywhere View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Entrepreneurship Boosting Startup Revenue with 6 AI-Powered Sales Automation Techniques By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Entrepreneurship Validating Your Startup Idea: Steps to Ensure Market Fit By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Web Development Advanced C++ Mastery: OOPs and Template Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Analysis Animated Visualizations with Flourish Studio: Beginner to Pro By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Design Microsoft Designer Guide: The Ultimate AI Design Tool By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass By - CA Himanshu Jain, Ex McKinsey, Moody's, and PwC, Co - founder, The WallStreet School View Program Data Analysis Learn Power BI with Microsoft Fabric: Complete Course By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Finance Crypto & NFT Mastery: From Basics to Advanced By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Finance A2Z Of Finance: Finance Beginner Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Data Science MySQL for Beginners: Learn Data Science and Analytics Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI for Everyone: Understanding and Applying the Basics on Artificial Intelligence By - Ritesh Vajariya, Generative AI Expert View Program Release Timeline for Season 3 While no specific premiere date has been set, Squid Game Season 3 is expected to debut sometime in 2025, as per the TV Insider report. The creator confirmed that production for Seasons 2 and 3 occurred simultaneously, with post-production now underway for the final installment. Fans can expect the series to maintain its signature intensity, culminating in a conclusion that ties up all loose ends. Returning Characters and Cast Speculation A complete cast list for Season 3 has yet to be unveiled. However, it is highly likely that Lee Jung-jae will reprise his role as Seong Gi-hun, the protagonist who vowed revenge at the end of Season 1. The continuation of Gi-hun’s journey remains central to the narrative, as he takes bold steps to dismantle the sinister game once and for all. Season 2 introduced several new characters and plotlines, and some surviving cast members from the upcoming second season are expected to carry over into Season 3, as per the TV Insider report. However, given the show’s high-stakes nature, not all characters are guaranteed to make it to the finale. Plot Details: Revenge and Resolution The storyline for Squid Game Season 3 will pick up directly from where Season 2 leaves off. Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed that Seasons 2 and 3 were originally conceived as a single narrative, but the depth of the story required a division into two seasons. In interviews, Hwang explained, “I wanted to tell the story of what happens to Gi-hun after the events of Season 1. The actions he takes to stop the games are pivotal to the story. Splitting the narrative allowed us to give proper attention to each part of the journey.” The series finale is expected to reveal the clash between Seong Gi-hun and the mysterious Front Man, a character whose motivations remain shrouded in mystery. FAQs Is Squid Game a true story? In an interview with AFP, Squid Game director and writer Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed that the inspiration for the series' protagonist, Seong Gi-hun, was drawn from the violent labor strikes at Ssangyong Motor Company in 2009. Why is it called the Squid Game? The game is called "Squid Game" because the shape of the playing field drawn on the ground resembles that of a squid. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to ChabadPresident Bola Tinubu has emphasised the need to tackle the root causes of corruption in Nigeria, advocating for systemic solutions that address the socio-economic factors driving the menace. Speaking during his first presidential media chat on Monday night, Tinubu underscored the importance of improving living conditions, ensuring access to social amenities, and providing fair wages to reduce corruption in all its forms. “Corruption in all ramifications is bad, but first of all, pay enough attention to the causes,” the President said. He identified a lack of social amenities and inadequate funding for education as key factors that push people toward corrupt practices. Tinubu highlighted the importance of ensuring that workers receive a living wage as part of his strategy to combat corruption. “Pay them good and living wages. I increased the minimum wage, and to me, that is fighting corruption,” he explained. The President stressed that creating an environment where citizens have access to basic necessities and opportunities will significantly reduce the temptation to engage in corrupt activities. The president also reiterated his belief in the power of free market forces to address economic challenges, emphasizing that price control was not the solution to soaring prices of goods and services. The President highlighted his administration’s approach to managing market dynamics, boosting agricultural productivity, and tackling corruption at its roots. “I don’t believe in price control. It’s a question of supply and demand,” Tinubu stated. He explained that increasing supply was key to stabilising prices, citing the fuel market as an example “We just continue to supply the market. It will come to a stage where you cannot hoard no more. The economic variables will work against you,” he added. Tinubu urged Nigerians to adapt to changing economic realities and to focus on learning how to manage resources more effectively. The President also unveiled plans to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector, emphasising the importance of mechanised farming. “We will give more incentives to the farmer. Mechanized farming is better for us in Nigeria,” he said. Tinubu revealed that over 2,000 tractors were set to arrive in the country as part of efforts to modernise farming and increase productivity. This, he noted, will help ensure food security and reduce the country’s reliance on imports.
To lure Juan Soto, Mets created a video of his statue outside Citi Field next to Tom Seaver's NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets wanted Juan Soto to know his future with them could be set in stone. When the free agent outfielder traveled to owner Steve Cohen’s house in Beverly Hills, California, for a presentation last month, the team showed a video that included an image of a future Soto statue outside Citi Field, next to the one erected of franchise great Tom Seaver. Soto put on a New York Mets jersey and cap for the first time Thursday after his record $765 million, 15-year contract was finalized and talked about what made the difference in his decision. Bill Belichick 'always wanted' to give college coaching a try. Now he will at North Carolina New North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick said he had long been interested in coaching in the college ranks. But it had never worked out until now, as he takes over the Tar Heels program. Belichick led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles during a 24-year run there that ended last year. Belichick's five-year deal pays him $10 million in base and supplemental salary per year. It is guaranteed only for the first three years, including for buyout purposes. There is also up to $3.5 million in annual bonuses. Wander Franco's sex abuse trial has been postponed 5 months PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic (AP) — The trial against Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who has been charged with sexually abusing a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor, and human trafficking, has been postponed until June 2, 2025. Dominican judge Yacaira Veras postponed the hearing Thursday at the request of prosecutors because of the absence of several key witnesses in the case. Franco’s lawyers asked the court to reconsider the postponement, arguing Franco must report to spring training in mid-February. The judge replied that Franco is obligated to continue with the trial schedule and his conditional release from detainment. LeBron James ruled out of Lakers' game at Minnesota on Friday with foot soreness LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James has been ruled out of the Los Angeles Lakers’ game at Minnesota on Friday night due to soreness in his left foot. James will miss his second straight game when the Lakers return from a four-day break to face the Timberwolves. The top scorer in NBA history was away from the team this week with an excused absence attributed to “personal reasons,” coach JJ Redick said Wednesday. It’s unclear whether James will even make the quick round trip to Minnesota before the Lakers’ next game at home against Memphis on Sunday. Rape investigation that Swedish media say focused on Kylian Mbappé has been closed STOCKHOLM (AP) — Swedish prosecutors say they have dropped a rape investigation that was launched in connection with soccer star Kylian Mbappé’s visit to Stockholm in October. In a statement, lead investigator Marina Chirakova says there is not enough evidence to continue the investigation into the allegation at a hotel. Prosecutors never publicly named the suspect in the investigation but some Swedish media reported it was Mbappé. The Real Madrid striker visited Stockholm in October during a break in the Spanish league. At the time, Mbappé’s legal team dismissed those reports as false. Travis Hunter, the 2-way standout for Colorado, is the AP college football player of the year BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado two-way standout Travis Hunter is The Associated Press college football player of the year. Hunter received 26 of the 43 votes from a panel of AP Top 25 voters. Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty finished second with 16 votes, and Arizona State running back Cameron Skattebo received one vote. A throwback player who rarely left the field, Hunter had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver. He had four interceptions and 11 passes defensed as a shutdown corner. Hunter helped the the 20th-ranked Buffaloes to a 9-3 record and an appearance in the Alamo Bowl against BYU. 2034 World Cup visitors will live in 'a bubble' and not see real life, Saudi rights activist says LONDON (AP) — A Saudi human rights activist says soccer fans visiting Saudi Arabia for the 2034 World Cup will live in a “bubble” that doesn't reflect real life there. Lina al-Hathloul is a London-based activist whose sister was jailed in Saudi Arabia then banned from travel after campaigning to end a ban on women driving. When FIFA confirmed the kingdom as the 2034 tournament host on Wednesday its president Gianni Infantino acknowledged “the world will be watching” for positive social change. Al-Hathloul says western people “will be very safe” at the World Cup but "will see a bubble of what Saudi Arabia is.” Team claims NASCAR rescinded approval to buy new charter unless federal antitrust suit is dropped CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A new court filing says NASCAR rejected Front Row Motorsports’ agreement to purchase a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing unless the team and 23XI Racing dropped their federal antitrust lawsuit against the stock car series. Front Row and 23XI rejected NASCAR's new revenue sharing agreement and have gone to court. NASCAR now says it will move forward in 2025 with 32 chartered teams and eight open spots, with offers on charters for Front Row and 23XI rescinded and the SHR charters in limbo. Indian teen Gukesh Dommaraju becomes the youngest chess world champion after beating Chinese rival NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju has become the youngest chess world champion after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China. Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in Thursday's game which was played in Singapore. He has surpassed the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22. Dommaraju is now also the second Indian to win the title after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand. The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year. Hojlund scores twice for Man United to beat Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in Europa League, Tottenham held 1-1 Rasmus Hojlund scored twice after coming off the bench and Manchester United rallied to beat Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in the Europa League. The Denmark striker netted in the 88th minute after collecting Bruno Fernandes’ pass off a free kick to seal the victory. Hojlund came on in the 56th and scored an equalizer six minutes later. Totenham was held 1-1 at Rangers and Lazio tops the standings after a 3-1 win at Ajax. In the Conference League a youthful Chelsea lineup made the most of a long trip to Kazakhstan by beating Astana 3-1 to stay perfect in the third-tier competition.