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President Donald Trump this week said he is ‘very’ optimistic that Ukraine and Russia will enter into some sort of deal in the coming days, but security experts are still sounding the alarm that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want peace.

A feeling of geopolitical whiplash is surrounding Washington after the Trump administration last week said it would abandon peace efforts if a ceasefire cannot be secured, though days later Trump said there is a ‘very good chance’ a deal will be reached this week.

The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about what it would mean should the U.S. walk away from one of Trump’s top campaign trail issues: ending the war in Ukraine.

The administration also has not clarified if Washington would take retaliatory measures against Putin, as Trump threatened to do last month.

‘Simply because Trump hasn’t announced any consequences yet does not mean that he doesn’t plan on taking some anti-Russia measures,’ former DIA intelligence officer and Russia expert Rebekah Koffler told Fox News Digital. ‘Trump almost certainly intends for his economic warfare against China to serve as an example to Putin how far Trump is willing to go to compel his adversaries to his will.’

‘But unlike the China case, there’s no similar dependence between the U.S. and Russia. Trump’s decision on Russia is much more complicated, more risky and requires more thought,’ she added. ‘He may or may not take draconian economic steps against Russia, as Putin may take devastating, non-kinetic actions against the U.S.

‘It’s Trump’s risk tolerance vs. Putin’s now,’ Koffler said. ‘And both like to win and both have risk tolerance way above average.’

The White House did not respond to questions by Fox News Digital on whether the U.S. would still aid Ukraine in some capacity, particularly given recent restrictions on military aid Trump has implemented on Kyiv, like refusing to sell Patriot missiles previously used to defend civilian populations from Russian strikes and that cost $1.5 billion a piece.

‘If we want to be a global superpower, and we want to deter aggression, not with U.S. troops on the ground, but in general, to deter aggression because it is good for our national security, then we should continue to support Ukraine,’ former CIA Moscow Station Chief Dan Hoffman told Fox News Digital. ‘It’s a tiny percentage of the Department of Defense budget.’

‘The return on investment is pretty high,’ he added, referring to the $66.5 billion in military assistance Washington has provided Kyiv since Russia’s February 2022 invasion, compared to the $841.4 billion defense budget congressionally approved for 2024 alone, a figure which Trump has pushed to increase.

A Ukrainian delegation was set to meet with Trump administration officials in London on Wednesday alongside other European partners, including representatives from the U.K., France and Germany.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly set to return to Moscow this week to continue negotiations with Russian officials, though the Kremlin has not indicated they are anywhere near agreeing to ceasefire terms, let alone a peace deal.

A spokesperson for Putin, Dmitry Peskov, on Tuesday reportedly said the issue of Russia’s invasion was too ‘complex’ to achieve a quick fix and warned against rushing into a deal.

‘It is not worth setting any rigid time frames and trying to get a settlement, a viable settlement, in a short time frame,’ he said.

The Kremlin’s position has given credence to repeated warnings from security experts that Putin is not interested in securing a peace deal with Ukraine.

‘There’s no indication that Putin wants to stop the war,’ Hoffman said. ‘That isn’t surprising. Because for a war to end, somebody has to win or both sides have to be so tired they can’t continue to fight.

‘Russia is the invader, so you have to stop them in order to have an end of the war,’ he added. ‘The one consistent thing here is Putin is continuing to fight. His objective is to overthrow the government in Ukraine. He’s going to keep fighting until he feels like he has accomplished that goal or he can’t fight anymore.’

Koffler echoed Hoffman’s position: ‘Putin will be pursuing the same strategy regardless of Trump’s actions; that is continuing the war of attrition until Ukraine capitulates or is completely destroyed and the government collapses.’

‘Putin would like to string Trump along and will continue to try doing so,’ she added.

A report by the Moscow Times on Tuesday cited sources close to Putin and said the Kremlin chief is looking to reorder the global ‘spheres of influence’ by negotiating leverage points between the U.S. and adversaries like Iran and North Korea.

The article claimed that Putin would attempt to get Trump to either force a less-than-desirable deal for Ukraine or potentially stop the U.S. from aiding Kyiv by proposing personally enticing deals, like allowing Trump to build a hotel in Moscow, and geopolitical wins, like securing a nuclear agreement with Iran and a ‘peace deal’ in Ukraine.

Fox News Digital could not verify the report’s claims, but Koffler agreed it could be a strategy that Putin is looking to employ as the U.S. pushes deals across Europe and the Middle East.

‘He could promise Trump not to share certain sensitive technologies to these two [nations],’ Koffler said. ‘And he could convince Iran not to operationalize and weaponize its nuclear program in exchange for Trump’s promise not to target Iran’s nuclear facilities in a kinetic strike and to lift sanctions from Russia.

‘The important aspect of all of this is to give these adversaries face-saving opportunities, which is not a strong point for the U.S. style of diplomacy,’ Koffler said. ‘But Putin’s ability to convince Trump and Trump’s decision calculus are two different things.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

Vance issues ultimatum to Russia, Ukraine on peace negotiations

Vice President JD Vance told reporters in India that the U.S. had offered Russia and Ukraine ‘a very explicit proposal’ to end the war that has been ongoing for over three years: make a deal or risk the U.S. walking away.

‘We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say yes or for the U.S. to walk away from this process. We’ve engaged in an extraordinary amount of diplomacy, of on-the-ground work,’ Vance told reporters.

The vice president also said that ‘the only way to really stop the killing is for the armies to both put down their weapons, to freeze this thing and to get on with the business of actually building a better Russia and a better Ukraine.’

Vance’s comments come after Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that he would not be attending talks in London aimed at facilitating a ceasefire. On Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters that Rubio would not be attending the talks due to ‘logistical issues.’

The secretary later wrote in a post on X that he was planning on ‘following up after the ongoing discussions in London and rescheduling my trip to the UK in the coming months.’

During Tuesday’s briefing, Bruce also said Gen. Keith Kellogg, special presidential envoy for Ukraine, would represent the U.S. at the talks in London.

On Friday, Rubio suggested that the U.S. might walk away from negotiations to end the war within ‘a matter of days,’ despite President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire deal. Trump later told the press that Rubio was ‘right in saying that we want to see it end.’

‘Think about it, every day a lot of people are being killed as we talk about, you know, as they play games, so we’re not gonna take that,’ Trump told reporters. He also said he thinks the U.S. has a ‘good chance’ of bringing peace to Ukraine and Russia.

Security experts, however, are not as confident that peace is on the horizon, as some warn that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want peace.

Trump seems to be hoping to entice Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop the fighting with talk of how both countries could benefit from doing business with the U.S. after the war ends. He made the remark after Ukraine and Russia’s temporary Easter ceasefire ended. Both Ukraine and Russia accused each other of violating the ceasefire.

Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

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Business

RTX, GE Aerospace expect more than $1 billion tariff impact

RTX and GE Aerospace expect a more than $1 billion impact combined from President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imported goods and materials, the latest sign of higher prices for major U.S. manufacturers that rely on a global supply chain.

Neil Mitchill, chief financial officer of defense contractor and commercial aerospace supplier RTX, said on an earnings call Tuesday that the company will likely take a $850 million hit this year from tariffs, including the sweeping 10% levies that Trump imposed earlier this month alongside higher duties on countries like China and separate taxes on imported steel and aluminum.

That estimate doesn’t include RTX’s own tariff mitigation measures, Mitchill said.

GE Aerospace, which makes engines for popular Boeing and Airbus planes, kept its 2025 earnings outlook in place during its quarterly report Tuesday and said it would seek to save about $500 million by cutting costs and raising prices.

GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp said on Tuesday’s analyst call that he recently met with Trump and discussed the U.S. aerospace sector’s trade surplus. GE has a joint venture with France’s Safran to make popular airplane engines.

The new tariffs are a shift for a global industry that has enjoyed mostly duty-free trade for decades.

“All we have suggested is the administration works through a myriad of issues, is they can consider the position of strength that the country enjoys as a result of this tariff-free regime,” Culp said.

The White House didn’t immediately comment.

Boeing, a major customer of both companies and the top U.S. exporter, is scheduled to report quarterly results before the market opens on Wednesday.

Airlines have recently announced cuts to U.S. domestic capacity plans this year because of softer demand, but executives have emphasized it is hard to predict the direction of the economy or future trade policies. United last week provided two earnings outlooks for 2025, one in the event of a recession, one assuming status quo.

“There is uncertainty,” Culp said Tuesday. “None of us, I think, know for sure how this plays out.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Politics

EPA fires or reassigns hundreds working on ‘environmental justice’

President Donald Trump’s administration is firing or reassigning over 450 employees at the Environmental Protection Agency as part of a larger push to eliminate ‘environmental justice’ programs.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the employee moves on Monday, saying 280 staffers were being fired, and 175 others would be reassigned. The cut roles were in the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, the Office of Inclusive Excellence, and EPA regional offices.

‘EPA is taking the next step to terminate the Biden-Harris Administration’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Environmental Justice arms of the agency,’ a spokesperson told Axios.

Zeldin explained at a Monday press conference that tax dollars put toward environmental justice issues were widely misspent.

‘The problem is that, in the name of environmental justice, a dollar will get secured and not get spent on remediating that environmental issue,’ he said.

The firings come the same week that Zeldin launched talks with Mexico about eliminating sewage contamination that flows over the border from Tijuana to pollute California’s coastlines.

Zeldin visited San Diego to discuss the issue on Tuesday, noting that one of the affected areas is the training grounds for Navy SEALs.

‘The Americans on our side of the border who have been dealing with this… for decades, are out of patience,’ Zeldin said Tuesday. ‘There’s no way that we are going to stand before the people of California and ask them to have more patience and just bear with all of us as we go through the next 10 or 20 or 30 years of being stuck in 12 feet of raw sewage and not getting anywhere.’

‘So we are all out of patience,’ he continued. ‘There’s a very limited opportunity. We’re in good faith, both on the American side and also on the Mexican side, what’s being communicated by the new Mexican president is an intense desire to fully resolve this situation.’

Zeldin said that he met with Mexican officials for about 90 minutes Monday night to discuss the sewage spewing into U.S. waters — and relayed that the Mexican environmental secretary wants to have a ‘strong collaborative relationship’ with the U.S. to end the pollution.

‘I will be speaking with the chief of staff to the Mexican environmental secretary to ensure that over the course of the coming days, over the course of the next couple weeks, that we are able to put together a specific statement from both countries on a mutual understanding of what Mexico is going to do to help resolve this issue,’ he said.

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Business

’60 Minutes’ producer leaves show, citing a loss of journalistic independence

The top producer at CBS’ “60 Minutes” announced Tuesday he would step down from the newsmagazine because he had lost his journalistic independence.

“Over the past months, it has … become clear that I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it,” Bill Owens said in a memo to staff members, which was obtained by NBC News. “To make independent decisions based on what was right for ‘60 Minutes,’ right for the audience.”

“So, having defended this show — and what we stand for — from every angle, over time with everything I could, I am stepping aside so the show can move forward,” Owens added. 

Owens’ departure comes during a tumultuous chapter for “60 Minutes.” President Donald Trump has sued CBS for $10 billion over an October interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris that the president claims was deceptively edited. The network has denied that claim.

Trump amended the lawsuit earlier this year, upping his damages claim to $20 billion.

“Former President Donald Trump’s repeated claims against ‘60 Minutes’ are false,” CBS News said in a statement in October. “The interview was not doctored” and the show “did not hide any part of Vice President Kamala Harris’s answer to the question at issue.”

In a separate statement, “60 Minutes” said it gave an excerpt from its interview with Harris to the Sunday morning program “Face the Nation,” which used a longer section of the former Democratic presidential candidate’s answer to a question.

“Same question. Same answer. But a different portion of the response. When we edit any interview, whether a politician, an athlete, or movie star, we strive to be clear, accurate and on point,” the statement said. “The portion of her answer on 60 Minutes was more succinct, which allows time for other subjects in a wide ranging 21-minute-long segment.”

Bill Owens, Executive Producer of 60 Minutes, CBS News, in Toronto on June 22, 2022.Piaras Ó Mídheach / Sportsfile via Getty Images file

Trump has repeatedly lambasted the venerable newsmagazine over its reporting on him and his administration. 

In a post on Truth Social on April 13, for example, Trump wrote: “Almost every week, 60 Minutes … mentions the name ‘TRUMP’ in a derogatory and defamatory way, but this Weekend’s ‘BROADCAST’ tops them all.” He appeared to take issue with segments about the war in Ukraine and his interest in acquiring Greenland.

Trump added that he believed CBS should lose its broadcast license and “pay a big price.” He said he hoped Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr would “impose the maximum fines and punishment.” 

Owens’ exit, first reported by The New York Times, also comes at a pivotal moment for CBS’ parent company, Paramount. Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder, reportedly needs the Trump administration to approve her media conglomerate’s sale to Skydance Media, a production and finance company run by David Ellison, the son of tech mogul Larry Ellison.

The New York Times reported in late January that Paramount was in settlement talks with Trump. The Times later reported that Owens told staff members he would not apologize for the Harris interview as part of any prospective settlement. NBC News has not independently verified either report.

In his memo to staff, Owens said “60 Minutes” would “continue to cover the new administration, as we will report on future administrations. We will report from war zones, investigate injustices and educate our audience. In short, ‘60 Minutes’ will do what it has done for 57 years.”

“Thank you all, remain focused on the moment, our audience deserves it,” Owens said in closing.

Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News, notified company employees by email that Owens would be leaving and touted his work at the company.

“Tom and I are committed to 60 Minutes and to ensuring that the mission and the work remain our priority,” McMahon said, referring to CBS News president and executive editor Tom Cibrowski.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

World

Swiss franc, gold, and Bitcoin emerge as safe havens amid Trump turmoil

Donald Trump’s policies have led to turmoil in Wall Street as investors rotate from risky assets to safe havens. The Fear and Greed Index has moved into the extreme fear zone, at 22, while US indices like the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq 100 have all plummeted.

Investors have rushed to popular assets like Swiss franc, gold, and Bitcoin amid this turmoil that has affected stocks and bonds. Indeed, there are signs that Japan has started to offload its US Treasuries as these worries mounted.

Swiss franc surge has continued

USD/CHF price chart | Source: TradingView

The Swiss franc (CHF) has become one of the safest assets as the fear and greed index has plummeted. The USD/CHF pair has plunged to a low of 0.8075, its lowest level since 2011.

It has dropped for six consecutive weeks and is down by 12.3% from its highest level this month. This performance happened as investors started to doubt on the reliability of the US dollar after Trump imposed tariffs on most goods entering the United States.

The USD/CHF pair has also crashed after Trump has continued to criticize the Federal Reserve. Some officials have also hinted that he was studying whether it will be possible for him to fire Jerome Powell.

Fortunately, the US has a system of checks and balances, meaning that the Supreme Court would stop such a move. If it were allowed to stand, it would likely lead to more US dollar sell-off.

The Swiss franc is seen as a safe haven because Switzerland is seen as a safe haven. Switzerland is also neutral on many issues, and its economy is doing well, with the government having low debt levels.

The challenge, however, is that the Swiss National Bank may attempt to intervene and devalue the franc. A stronger franc hurts Swiss manufacturers by making their products more expensive. This explains why the Swiss Market Index (SMI) has plunged to CHF 11,660, down from CHF 13,185 earlier this year.

Gold price has soared to a record high

Gold price chart

Gold price has gone vertical this year as demand from investors and central banks surged. It soared to a high of $3,480 this week, and is slowly nearing the $3,500 milestone.

Gold ETFs like the GLD and IAU have also had robust inflows this year, a trend that may continue rising.

Investors view gold as the best store of value due to its historical significance and supply-demand dynamics. Gold supply growth has continued slowing this year as the volume extracted from mines has fallen. This performance will continue as mines get deep.

Analysts are optimistic that gold price will continue rising. Goldman Sachs analysts have boosted their gold price forecast to $3,700.

Bitcoin is slowly becoming a safe haven

BTC vs stocks price chart | Source: TradingView

Meanwhile, there are signs that investors are turning to Bitcoin as a safe haven. Data shows that all spot Bitcoin ETFs added over $381 million in inflows on Monday. They also added over $107 million on Friday.

Bitcoin price has risen for three consecutive weeks, moving from a low of $74,320 earlier this month to $88,100. It has dropped by less than 6% this year, while US indices like the Russell 2000, Dow Jones, and S&P 500 have moved into a correction. The Nasdaq 100 index is nearing moving into a correction.

Bitcoin is viewed as a safe-haven asset due to its limited supply and increasing demand from investors. It has a supply cap of 21 million, while most of them have been mined, and some of them have been lost.

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World

‘Clear and present danger’ – Morgan Stanley warning may hit ETH, Jasmy, Cardano, Kaspa, PEPE

A Morgan Stanley analyst has issued a major warning that may impact risky assets, including stocks and cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum, Jasmy, Cardano, Kaspa, and PEPE.

His statement came as these tokens attempted to bounce back. The Ethereum (ETH) price has risen to $1,575, a slight increase from the year-to-date low of $1,385.

JasmyCoin (JASMY) price surged to $0.015 on Tuesday, representing a 70% increase from its lowest level this month. Cardano (ADA) soared by 20% from its lowest point this year.

Other tokens like Kaspa (KAS) and Pepe (PEPE) have also bounced back by double digits from their YTD lows.

Kaspa vs Cardano vs Pepe vs Jasmy | Source: TradingView

Morgan Stanley warning on interest rates

Bitcoin and top altcoins like Cardano, Ethereum, Jasmy, Kaspa, and PEPE could suffer a substantial reversal if a statement by a Morgan Stanley analyst happens.

In an interview with CNBC, Seth Carpenter, a top analyst at the investment bank, said that the Fed may not cut interest rates this year after all.

He believes that inflation was the main risk facing the US economy this year. He said:

“Inflation has not come down to the Fed’s target of 2.0% and is still too high, and we have tariffs that are coming in. We know from history that tariffs lead to inflation first and a hit on economic growth. With inflation as high as it is, we don’t expect the Fed to cut this year because it will be a clear and present danger.”

His statement comes at a time when concerns are being raised about the Fed. Jerome Powell and top officials like Austan Goolsbee and Patrick Harker have insisted that the bank will be patient when it comes to cutting rates. Their goal is to have evidence that inflation is moving closer to the 2% target.

The statement also comes at a time when Donald Trump is ratcheting pressure on the Fed to start cutting interest rates. He believes that the bank lowered rates before the election to help Joe Biden win. Trump is also looking for a scapegoat as the economy slows and the stock market plunges.

Why the warning matters for ETH, Cardano, Jasmy, Kaspa, and PEPE

Morgan Stanley’s warning has a major implication for all assets, including stocks and cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, Cardano, Jasmy, Kaspa, and PEPE. It also has an implication on assets like stocks and the bond market.

First, if the Fed hints that it will not cut interest rates, it will raise concerns that Donald Trump may try to fire Jay Powell, the Fed Chair, and install another official, such as Kevin Warsh, who would be ready to cut interest rates.

A US president firing the Fed Chair would lead to substantial volatility that would affect all assets, including altcoins. On the positive side, there is a likelihood that the Supreme Court will not allow him to do that.

Second, a highly hawkish Fed would likely lead to a rotation away from riskier assets, such as cryptocurrencies and stocks. Historically, these assets have underperformed the market when the Fed is highly hawkish and have performed well when it is cutting rates. On the positive side, there are signs that the US economy will slow down, with recession odds rising. As such, there is a likelihood that the Fed will intervene as it has always done in the past. Such a move would likely boost crypto and stock prices.

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World

Here’s why I’d sell SCHD and JEPI ETFs and buy UTF instead

Income-focused exchange-traded funds have retreated this year, mirroring the performance of mainstream Wall Street indices like the Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500.

The popular Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) has dropped by over 12% from its highest point this year. It has also formed a death cross pattern, pointing to further declines in the near term.

Similarly, the JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPI) has dropped to $ 52.70, down 10.6% from its highest level this year. It has dropped, as have most companies in the S&P 500 index, especially those in the tech industry.

This article explores why the Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund (UTF) closed-end fund is a better investment at the current conditions.

Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund is less exposed to tariffs and tech

The first reason why I’d consider investing in the CEF fund in these market conditions is that its portfolio companies have no exposure to tariffs and technology stocks.

Instead, it is comprised of companies in the utility industry, which are not exposed to tariffs. Additionally, customers will continue to pay their water and electricity bills, regardless of whether there is a recession or not. Also, these companies have not been tariffed.

The top companies in the UTF fund are NiSource, a gas distribution company, NextEra Energy, Duke Energy, TC Energy, American Tower, National Grid, Southern Company, and Dominion Resources.

NextEra and Duke Energy are large utility companies that supply energy to millions of customers in the United States. American Tower is a REIT that offers cell towers to all companies in the telecommunications industry.

These companies are also not exposed to the artificial intelligence industry, which is showing signs of slowing down.

UTF Fund is beating the SCHD and JEPI funds

UTF vs SCHD vs JEPI

Furthermore, the Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund is outperforming the SCHD and JEPI ETFs. Its total return this year is 4.35%, higher than SCHD’s minus 7.5% and JEPI’s minus 6.70%.

The same performance has happened in the last twelve months as the UTF fund has had a total return of 18%. SCHD has remained unchanged during this period, while JEPI has increased by 1.56%.

This means that an investment in UTF would have generated a higher return than the two popular dividend funds. UTF’s total returns in the last 3 years was 6.48%, while SCHD rose by 5.38%. JEPI has jumped by 11.3% in this period.

UTF trades at a discount

Further, like other closed-end funds, Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund trades at a discount to its net asset value (NAV). Its NAV stands at $26.22, while its market price is $24.4. This results to a discount of 6.76%.

Its discount has widened due to the ongoing market volatility. This means that investors buying the UTF fund are paying a discount, giving them a margin of safety. In contrast, the SCHD ETF has a discount to NAV of 0.12%, while JEPI has 0,09%.

UTF Fund has better technicals

UTF stock by TradingView

The SCHD ETF has formed a death cross, indicating that it may continue to decline in the near term. JEPI may also exhibit this pattern due to its exposure to technology companies.

UTF, on the other hand, has rebounded from its year-to-date low of $22 to $24.5. It has moved above the 100-day and 50-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA), a sign that bulls are in control.

Therefore, the fund is likely to continue rising as bulls target the year-to-date high of $25.75, which is 5.3% above the current level.

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World

ZIM stock price forms a death cross as dividend risks rise

The ZIM stock price has remained in a technical bear market, declining by over 37% from its peak in December. It was trading at $12.95 on Monday, dragging its market cap from $3.26 billion to the current $1.56 billion. So, is ZIM a good buy as the World Container Index drops?

Container shipping prices are falling

ZIM Integrated is a top shipping company listed in the United States. It is the tenth biggest player in the industry, and is known for focusing on niche routes the Pacific, Latin America, and the Cross-Suez areas.

The company is also known for its business model. Unlike other companies that contract and own ships, ZIM focuses on charters, making it an asset-light business. This model also ensures that it has newer and more energy-efficient ships.

ZIM Integrated and other shipping companies are currently experiencing a challenging period. This started during the pandemic when demand for Chinese goods rose in countries like the United States and Europe.

Shipping demand then slowed after the pandemic as the world dealt with soaring inflation and high interest rates. These events led to ZIM Integrated’s annual revenue falling from $12.5 billion in 2022 to $5.16 billion.

It also affected its profitability, which in turn impacted its dividend payments to investors. It reported a net loss of $2.6 billion in 2023.

The company’s business began to improve in late 2023, as shipping rates increased due to the war in Ukraine. It has also been affected by the crisis in the Middle East and the Panama Canal.

At the same time, there are rising concerns about the ongoing trade war that may impact the volume of goods traded globally. Trump has implemented a 145% tariff on all goods from China, and a universal levy on all goods brought to the country.

Analysts believe that some large customers may decide to reduce their orders as they address their supply chain issues. This explains why container shipping costs have plunged in the past few months.

The Drewry World Container Index (WCI) plunged to $2,192 last week, down from a high of $5,806 last year. As shown below, the trend is going downwards, a sign that it will continue falling in the near term.

World Container Index | Source: Drewry

Is the ZIM dividend yield safe?

Investors allocate money to ZIM Integrated for its high dividends. According to SeekingAlpha, it has a dividend yield of 91%, while Google places the yield at 55.15%.

The most recent results published in March showed that ZIM had a net income of $563 million in the fourth quarter, a big turnaround for a company that lost over $147 million in the same period a year earlier.

Its fourth-quarter revenue of $2.8 billion was 80% higher than a year earlier. The annual revenue rose by 63% to over $8.43 billion.

Analysts are pessimistic about ZIM’s business this year as shipping rates fall. The average estimate is that the first quarter revenue will be $1.84 billion, a 17.8% increase from the same period last year. However, its annual revenue is expected to drop to $6.53 billion this year and $5.94 billion next year, respectively.

Therefore, with shipping costs and profits expected to fall, there is a risk that the company will cut its dividend this year.

ZIM Integrated stock price analysis

ZIM stock by TradingView

The daily chart shows that the ZIM share price has plunged in the past few months. It has dropped from a high of $20.7 in November last year to $13 today.

The stock formed a death cross pattern as the 50-day and 200-day moving averages crossed each other. It has also moved close to the 50% Fibonacci Retracement level.

Therefore, there is a risk that the stock will keep falling this year, with the main target being the psychological point at $10.

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World

Best gold stocks and ETFs to buy as its price surges

Gold price has continued to surge this year, becoming the best-performing major asset. It has soared by almost 30% and is nearing the important resistance point at $3,500. Analysts have boosted their gold forecasts, with Goldman Sachs estimating that it will hit $3,700. Some pros anticipate that gold will hit as high as $4,000 this year.

Gold’s performance is a boon to companies and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the industry. This article looks at some of the best gold stocks and ETFs to buy and hold as the rally intensifies.

Wheaton Precious Metals Corp (WPM)

Wheaton Precious Metals is the best gold stock to buy because of its business model. This explains why the stock has jumped by 51% this year and 145% in the last five years, outperforming gold itself.

WPM is a leading player in the gold industry, despite not engaging in mining itself. Instead, it owns rights to gold mines and earns revenue from the rights holders. This ensures that it is a high-margin company since it does not need many employees.

For example, Wheaton made over $1.28 billion in annual revenue last year and a net profit of over $552 million. It then uses these profits to pay its shareholders and acquire more rights to gold mines.

This business model explains why Wheaton Precious Metals always trades at a premium compared to other companies. It has a forward P/E ratio of 41, higher than popular growth companies like NVIDIA and Microsoft.

Franco-Nevada (FNV)

Franco Nevada is another good quality gold stock to uy and hold. Like Wheaton, the company does not do the heavy lifting. Instead, it finances gold mining companies in exchange of royalties. This is a good business model as it ensures that it does not spend a lot of money in wages and other operating expenses.

Franco-Nevada is also a high-margin company. It generated over $1.1 billion in annual revenue last year and a net income of $552 million. This revenue will likely keep going up because of the soaring gold prices.

Franco-Nevada also trades at a premium, with its forward P/E ratio standing at over 40. This valuation is justified by its strong business performance and its history of returning funds to shareholders.

Royal Gold (RGLD)

Royal Gold is also one of the top gold stocks to invest in today. Like the other two, it is in the streaming and royalty industry, where it offers exposure to gold without operating the mines.

Royal Gold is a bit smaller than Wheaton and Franco-Nevada. It generated $712 million in revenue last year and a net profit of nearly $350 million, resulting in a margin of nearly 50%.

Royal Gold’s stock price has surged by over 56% in the last 12 months. It is also cheaper than the other two as it has a P/E multiple of 28, lower than the other’s 40%.

Top gold ETFs to buy

ETFs are also a good approach for investing in gold and capitalizing on its strong rally. The two most popular gold ETFs are the SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU).

Since these ETFs are the same, it makes sense to buy IAU because of its cheaper expense ratio of 0.25%, which is cheaper than GLD’s 0.40%. That 0.15% spread can add up over time.

Some analysts recommend investing in gold mining ETFs like the VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX), Sprott Gold Miners ETF (SGDM), and iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING).

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