• A Navy sailor was disciplined after he tried to access Biden’s medical records 3 times ‘out of curiosity’

    President Joe Biden
    President Joe Biden.

    • A Navy sailor got into trouble for trying to access Joe Biden's medical records.
    • But he ended up accessing the records of another person called "Joseph Biden," officials said.
    • The sailor, who was disciplined after a probe, said he only did it "out of curiosity."

    A Navy sailor was disciplined after he tried to access President Joe Biden's medical records.

    The unnamed sailor was stationed at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, serving in the Navy's hospital corps, CBS News reported.

    On February 23, he looked up "Joseph Biden" on the military's Genesis Medical Health System three times, an official familiar with the situation told CBS News.

    One of the sailor's coworkers reported the breach on February 26, prompting an investigation into the case.

    But the sailor ended up pulling the record of another man with the same name as the president.

    "He did not pull up the right Joe Biden," the official told CBS News.

    "The MHS Genesis system is a secure health system, and at no time was the President's personal information compromised," Navy Commander Tim Hawkins said to CBS News.

    The official told the outlet that the sailor admitted to the act, and said he had tried to access the records "out of curiosity."

    The Associated Press reported that the sailor received administrative discipline but remained in the Navy after the probe.

    Curiosity about the president's health may have peaked recently, particularly after his poor debate performance with former President Donald Trump left many questioning his fitness to run for a second term.

    On Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham said that all presidential candidates should have to take cognitive tests to prove their fitness to run.

    And a Monday White House press briefing turned heated when reporters probed Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre for details of a neurologist's visits to the White House.

    She confirmed that Biden had, in fact, seen a neurologist in January as part of his annual physical examination.

    White House physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor said in a statement on Monday night that the president saw neurologist and Parkinson's expert Kevin Cannard yearly, and the most recent tests showed no sign of Parkinson's.

    For his part, Biden has maintained that he is fit for the job and that he will not step aside.

    Anonymous sources told Politico that during a Zoom call with his staffers on July 3, the president said: "Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can — as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running."

    Biden reiterated this in a letter to House Democrats on Monday, writing: "I wouldn't be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024."

    Representatives for Biden and the Navy didn't immediately respond to requests for comment sent outside regular business hours.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Forget Westpac and buy these ASX dividend stocks

    A woman relaxes on a yellow couch with a book and cuppa, and looks pensively away as she contemplates the joy of earning passive income.

    If you want some income options outside the status quo of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) or Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), then it could be worth looking at the two ASX dividend stocks listed below.

    Here’s why brokers think they could be in the buy zone today:

    South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

    If you don’t mind investing in the mining sector, then South32 could be an ASX dividend stock to buy right now.

    That’s the view of analysts at Goldman Sachs, which believe that the diversified miner is undervalued. This is due largely to the favourable outlook for copper, aluminium, zinc, and met coal prices. It explains:

    GS are bullish copper, aluminium, zinc and met coal (~65% of S32 NTM EBITDA) in CY24. Together with lower capex, working cap unwind and higher production, we forecast ~US$550mn of FCF in the June H. On our forecasts, S32 is trading on a FCF yield of 9% in FY25 (10% at spot). […] Attractive valuation: although trading at ~1xNAV (A$3.77/sh), on near term multiples S32 is trading on an attractive NTM EV/EBITDA multiple of ~4.5x vs. the global sector average of 5.7x.

    Goldman also believes that the South32 dividend is about to jump. It is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 4 US cents in FY 2024, then 12 US cents in FY 2025 and 18 US cents in FY 2026. Based on its latest share price of $3.64 and current exchange rates, this will mean dividend yields of 1.7%, 4.9%, and 7.3%, respectively.

    Goldman has a buy rating and $4.30 price target on South32’s shares.

    SRG Global Ltd (ASX: SRG)

    Bell Potter thinks that SRG Global could be a top ASX dividend stock to buy this month. It has a buy rating and $1.30 price target on its shares.

    SRG Global is a diversified industrial services group that provides multidisciplinary construction, maintenance, production drilling and geotechnical services.

    Bell Potter is positive on the company due to its belief that SRG Global will be a big winner from construction activity and accelerating growth in iron ore and gold production volumes. It explains:

    SRG’s short-to-medium term outlook is reinforced by Government-stimulated construction activity in the Infrastructure and Non-Residential sectors and increased development and sustaining capital expenditures in the Resources industry. The resulting expansion in infrastructure bases across these sectors will likely support increased demand for asset care and maintenance in the medium to long-term. We anticipate Mining Services will be a beneficiary of accelerating growth in iron ore and gold production volumes over the next five years.

    In respect to income, Bell Potter is forecasting fully franked dividends of 4.7 cents in FY 2024 and then 6.7 cents in FY 2025. Based on its current share price of 89 cents, this will mean dividend yields of 5.3% and 7.5%, respectively.

    The post Forget Westpac and buy these ASX dividend stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in South32 Limited right now?

    Before you buy South32 Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and South32 Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Srg Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Japan’s next big tourist craze: Disney cruises

    A Disney Magic cruise ship is approching the Royal Walter cruise terminal in George Town port, Grand Cayman, on February 12, 2024.
    Disney cruises will start sailing from Tokyo by 2029.

    • Tokyo Disneyland's owner, Oriental Land, will invest $2 billion to bring Disney cruises to Japan.
    • The cruise will operate year-round from Japan starting in early 2029, serving 4,000 guests per sail.
    • Disney's cruise business, including parks, contributed 37% to its revenue last year.

    Tokyo Disneyland's owner is doubling down on the Disney magic with a new investment in cruises.

    Oriental Land, which owns and operates Disney Resorts in Tokyo, said on Tuesday it will invest $2 billion to launch Disney cruises in Japan.

    The Tokyo theme park, which opened in 1983, operates like a franchise. It's the only park not fully or partly owned by the Walt Disney Company.

    The new agreement with the Mickey Mouse and Toy Story producer will bring year-round cruises to Japan, the company said in a release on Tuesday. The cruise will sail from Tokyo by early 2029.

    The 1,250-room cruise will be designed similarly to the Disney Wish, the largest cruise in the Disney fleet. It is expected to carry 4,000 guests.

    The new cruise comes as international tourism to Japan skyrockets. In the first three months of the year, 8.6 million tourists visited the country and spent over $11 billion, with more foreigners booking longer trips and spending more because of a weak yen.

    The ship marks Disney's second cruise in Asia, after the company announced cruises sailing from Singapore in 2025 last month.

    Experiences, which include cruises and parks, made up 37% of Disney's revenue last year — $32.5 billion.

    "The cruise business, frankly, is one that has an enormous number of opportunities for us over time, and that is why we're leaning more heavily into that business," said Hugh Johnston, Disney's chief financial officer, on a May earnings call.

    Johnston also highlighted "global moderation from peak post-COVID travel" and higher wages as challenges for the company this year.

    Disney has five ships in its fleet, which travel to destinations like the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, Hawaii, the South Pacific, Australia, and New Zealand. A four-night cruise from Florida to the Bahamas starts at about $900 per guest.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Trump is already trialing nicknames for Kamala Harris, who he’ll have to face off against if Biden drops out

    Former President Donald Trump (left) has tried out different nicknames for Vice President Kamala Harris (right), like "Laffin' Kamala Harris" and "Cackling Copilot Kamala Harris."
    Former President Donald Trump (left) has tried out different nicknames for Vice President Kamala Harris (right), like "Laffin' Kamala Harris" and "Cackling Copilot Kamala Harris."

    • Joe Biden insists that he's still running for reelection.
    • But his rival, Donald Trump, seems to be preparing for his running mate, Kamala Harris, to replace him.
    • Trump has started using nicknames like "Laffin' Kamala Harris" and "Cackling Copilot Kamala Harris."

    President Joe Biden may still be the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, but former President Donald Trump doesn't seem to think he will be for long.

    Trump has been lasering in on Vice President Kamala Harris in the weeks following Biden's stumbling performance at their debate on June 27. Harris is widely seen as the most likely replacement for Biden if he were to step aside — as his second-in-command, who will also have access to his campaign war chest.

    Trump did address the possibility that he might be up against Harris in a video he posted on his Truth Social account on July 3. In that clip, he heaped scorn on Harris' chances of beating him.

    "I got him out the race, and that means we have Kamala," Trump said in the clip.

    "She's so bad. She's so pathetic. She's just so fucking bad," he added.

    But Trump didn't stop there. On Independence Day, he referenced Harris again in another Truth Social post slamming his opponents.

    "Respects to our potentially new Democrat Challenger, Laffin' Kamala Harris," Trump said, using a new nickname for the vice president.

    "She did poorly in the Democrat Nominating process, starting out at Number Two, and ending up defeated and dropping out, even before getting to Iowa, but that doesn't mean she's not a 'highly talented' politician!" Trump continued, referencing Harris' performance in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries.

    In fact, "Laffin' Kamala Harris" isn't the only nickname he's coined for her. Trump's campaign used a different nickname for her in a statement released the day before.

    "Every Democrat who is calling on Crooked Joe Biden to quit was once a supporter of Biden and his failed policies that lead to extreme inflation, an open border, and chaos at home and abroad," Trump campaign advisors Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said on July 3.

    "Every one of them has lied about Joe Biden's cognitive state and supported his disastrous policies over the past four years, especially Cackling Copilot Kamala Harris," the statement continued.

    For what it's worth, Trump has a fondness for giving his political opponents unsavory nicknames. In most cases, the derisive nicknames poke fun at a person's physical traits or quirks.

    In 2016, he ripped his primary opponents, Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, calling them "Little Marco" and "Lyin' Ted" respectively. He also dubbed his former protégé, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, "Ron DeSanctimonious."

    Trump has applied his penchant for name-calling to his Democratic rivals too, dubbing Hillary Clinton "Crooked Hillary" and Joe Biden "Sleepy Joe."

    In Harris' case, Trump appears to be honing in on how she laughs.

    To be sure, Harris has brushed aside calls for her to run for president. The former California senator has instead chosen to double down on her support for Biden and has repeatedly insisted that Biden is fit to lead.

    "We always knew this election would be tough, and the past few days have been a reminder that running for president of the United States is never easy," Harris said at a campaign event on Tuesday, per The Washington Post.

    "But the one thing we know about our president, Joe Biden, is that he is a fighter and he is the first to say, when you get knocked down, you get back up," she continued.

    Representatives for Harris did not immediately respond to requests for comment from BI sent outside regular business hours.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Sharon Stone says she lost $18 million of savings when people took advantage of her after she suffered a stroke in 2001

    Sharon Stone attends the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
    Sharon Stone says people took advantage of her after she suffered a stroke.

    • Sharon Stone, 66, says she lost $18 million in savings after her stroke when people took advantage of her.
    • "My refrigerator, my phone — everything was in other people's names," Stone told The Hollywood Reporter.
    • But even though her health improved, her acting career did not, Stone said at a 2023 event.

    Sharon Stone, 66, is opening up about how she dealt with the aftermath of a stroke in 2001.

    In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, published on Tuesday, the actor spoke about how the health crisis changed her perspective on life.

    "I had a death experience and then they brought me back. I bled into my brain for nine days, so my brain was shoved to the front of my face. It wasn't positioned in my head where it was before. And while that was happening, everything changed. My sense of smell, my sight, my touch. I couldn't read for a couple of years. Things were stretched and I was seeing color patterns," Stone told The Hollywood Reporter.

    The "Basic Instinct" actor said that a lot of people thought she was going to die.

    It took her seven years to recover from the debilitating stroke, and Stone shared that people ended up taking advantage of her during that time.

    "I had $18 million saved because of all my success, but when I got back into my bank account, it was all gone. My refrigerator, my phone — everything was in other people's names," Stone said. "I had zero money."

    In July 2019, Stone told Variety about the struggles she experienced while recovering from her stroke, including having to remortgage her house and losing custody of her son during her divorce.

    "I lost everything I had. I lost my place in the business. I was like the hottest movie star, you know?" she said. "It was like Miss Princess Diana and I were so famous — and she died and I had a stroke. And we were forgotten."

    But even though her health improved, her acting career did not, Stone said at The Hollywood Reporter's "Raising Our Voices" event in June 2023, per Page Six.

    "Something went wrong with me — I've been out for 20 years," Stone said, per Page Six. "I haven't had jobs."

    According to her IMDB page, Stone has had acting credits in TV, film, and music videos every year since 2003, but none can compare to her '90s fame.

    Four years after the iconic scene in "Basic Instinct," involving a peek up her skirt, Stone went on to secure an Academy Award nomination for her role in Martin Scorsese's "Casino" in 1996.

    Stone's latest project, "What About Love," was released in February, featuring Andy Garcia. While the film received poor ratings from critics, it implied that Stone isn't ready to take her final bow just yet.

    Like Stone, it's not uncommon for older Americans to continue working even as they age.

    This is especially so if they've been scammed out of their retirement savings or simply just don't have enough money to support themselves when they stop earning a paycheck.

    A 2024 survey of 4,588 adults found that US Gen Xers think they need about $1.56 million to retire comfortably. However, on average, Gen X has $108,600 saved for retirement.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Up 45% in FY 2024, can the Yancoal share price keep burning bright in FY 2025?

    A coal miner smiling and holding a coal rock, symbolising a rising share price.

    The Yancoal Australia Ltd (ASX: YAL) share price just closed out a smashing 2024 financial year.

    Shares in the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) coal stock finished off FY 2023 trading at $4.58. Shares closed on 28 June, the last trading day of FY 2024, changing hands for $6.62 apiece.

    That saw the Yancoal share price up a whopping 44.5% over the 12 months.

    For some context, the All Ords gained 8.3% over this same time.

    And this stellar performance doesn’t even include the outsized dividends the coal miner paid out. In FY 2024 eligible investors will have received a total of 69.5 cents a share in fully franked dividends.

    If we add those back in, the accumulated value of the Yancoal share price leapt 59.7% over the financial year just past.

    Why did the ASX coal stock have such a strong year?

    Yancoal has done a good job keeping a lid on costs while increasing production, even as it focused on its mine recovery plans.

    In fact, Q2 FY 2024 saw the miner achieve its highest rate of quarterly production in three years, offering another boost to the Yancoal share price.

    Over the full calendar year of 2023 (which includes H1 FY 2024), Yancoal reported $7.8 billion in revenue. Operating earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) came in at $3.5 billion. This drove an eye-catching $1.8 billion in after-tax profit.

    As for Q3 FY 2024, the miner continued to generate strong cash flows. Yancoal held $1.66 billion in cash at the end of March. That was before paying out $429 million for the final dividend on 30 April.

    With that picture in mind, what can investors expect from the Yancoal share price in FY 2025?

    What’s ahead for the Yancoal share price in FY 2025?

    Much of the performance of the Yancoal share price will be determined by the price the miner receives for its thermal and coking coal.

    In 2023, the company’s realised price came out to AU$180 per tonne.

    That’s roughly double the cash operating costs of $80 to $97 per tonne that Yancoal is targeting in H1 FY 2025. Cash operating costs were AU$96 per tonne in calendar year 2023.

    Looking to the year ahead, back in April, CEO David Moult said:

    We see Yancoal’s large-scale, low-cost coal production profile as well suited to the current coal market conditions. Having no interest-bearing loans, a large net cash position and robust operating margins provides us with the capacity to act should suitable growth opportunities arise.

    The miner’s 2024 calendar year guidance is for 35 million to 39 million tonnes of attributable saleable production.

    On 30 May, at the annual general meeting, the miner reported:

    Output will vary quarter-to-quarter due to mine plan sequences, longwall moves and planned maintenance, and there will be a second half weighting to the production profile.

    We aim to bring the cash operating costs per tonne down from the full-year 2023 level and are focused on output given the direct relationship between the volumes we produce and the per tonne cash operating costs we report.

    Halfway through week two of FY 2025, the Yancoal share price stands at $7.27. That’s up 9.8% so far in the new financial year.

    The post Up 45% in FY 2024, can the Yancoal share price keep burning bright in FY 2025? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Yancoal Australia Ltd right now?

    Before you buy Yancoal Australia Ltd shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Yancoal Australia Ltd wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

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    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • This Warren Buffett metric is at a never-before-seen high! What does it mean?

    Woman and man calculating a dividend yield.

    The S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) and Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) reached new all-time highs on Wall Street last night. It should be a cause for celebration. If only the record weren’t accompanied by a more sinister number cracking into uncharted territory, too.

    Warren Buffett and I both know investing is for the long term, and history has shown that more record highs follow record highs (eventually). And yet, the greatest of all time (GOAT) investor still takes heed of a market consumed by greed.

    As it turns out, Warren’s own indicator of an overvalued market also reached an all-time high overnight.

    Warren Buffett’s valuation ratio

    Roughly 23 years ago, Warren Buffett explained what he considered to be “the best single measure” of valuations, whether overvalued or undervalued. While the world’s tenth richest person has since walked back the importance of the measure, it remains a popular tool among investors.

    The metric, aptly known as the ‘Buffett Indicator’, measures the total market capitalisation of US stocks divided by the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Essentially, it’s a ratio of the valuation investors are willing to ascribe to public companies versus the actual size of the country’s economy.

    Source: The Buffett Indicator: Market Cap to GDP, Longtermtrends

    As shown in the chart above, the Warren Buffett Indicator is at a historical high of 195%. Before this rally, the previous high was 194.8%, set in November 2021. The S&P 500 began falling a month later, resulting in a 25% crash over the following nine months.

    Why is it at the highest point in its history?

    There is a dichotomy between the economy and the stock market, especially in the United States.

    On the one hand, the United States economy is softening as interest rates eat into spending. At the same time, there’s a seemingly insatiable demand for all things artificial intelligence (AI).

    Source: S&P 500 year-to-date performance map, Finviz

    As a result, stock market indices are being pushed higher by a small handful of beneficiaries of the AI appetite — Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA), Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT), etc. These same companies constitute a large portion of the entire US stock market, as shown above.

    The narrow concentration of growth could explain the record disconnect between the overall stock market and the United States economy.

    What does it mean for investors?

    As a strong critic of ‘timing the market,’ Warren Buffett doesn’t dump his portfolio when the overall market looks frothy. Rather, he usually moves incoming cash from his investments in Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK) into U.S. Treasury Bills until he discovers an opportunity.

    An ‘overvalued’ market hasn’t stopped the Oracle from Omaha from finding stocks to buy. Filings show Buffett bought more shares in oil and gas giant Occidental Petroleum Corp (NYSE: OXY) last month. A company whose shares are only up 1.6% year-to-date.

    It shows that the ‘market’ can be ‘expensive’, but a good investor can keep hunting. Instead of falling victim to FOMO (fear of missing out), Warren Buffett is zigging when others are zagging.

    The post This Warren Buffett metric is at a never-before-seen high! What does it mean? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Microsoft and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Occidental Petroleum and has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Microsoft and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Days after his big Biden interview, George Stephanopoulos says the man won’t make it through 4 more years in office

    George Stephanopoulos and Joe Biden.
    George Stephanopoulos and President Joe Biden.

    • Days after his big Biden interview, George Stephanopoulos doesn't think the man's up for the top job.
    • In a video obtained by TMZ, he said to a passerby: "I don't think he can serve four more years."
    • Stephanopoulos is the latest critic to cast doubt on Biden's fitness to run for reelection.

    Days after sitting down for an interview with President Joe Biden, George Stephanopoulos has expressed doubts about the man's ability to serve another term.

    TMZ obtained a video of the ABC host walking on a street in New York City, where a person asked him about Biden.

    In the video, the person filmed Stephanopoulos walking toward him in workout clothes. They panned away from the host as they asked: "Do you think Biden should step down? You've talked to him more than anybody else has lately. You can be honest."

    Stephanopoulos responded: "I don't think he can serve four more years."

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    The anchor confirmed that he'd made that comment but told TMZ: "Earlier today, I responded to a question from a passerby. I shouldn't have."

    An ABC News spokesperson told TMZ: "George expressed his own point of view and not ABC News' position."

    During Stephanopoulos' ABC News interview on Friday with Biden, the president gave no indication that he plans to step aside after his disastrous June 27 presidential debate.

    He told Stephanopoulos he was just having a "bad night" during the debate. He also repeatedly said in the interview that only the "Lord Almighty" could make him quit the race.

    Stephanopoulos isn't the only political commentator who's recently interacted with Biden who's expressed doubts about his ability to run for another term.

    CNN's Jake Tapper, who moderated the presidential debate, read a quote from Biden's appearance on Morning Joe" interview with MSNBC.

    "That sound bite is supposed to be reassuring," Tapper said.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Top Democrats, donors, and former Biden loyalists have questioned his fitness to run.

    But Biden has been defiant in the face of dissent, saying he will not step aside.

    Anonymous sources told Politico that during a Zoom call with his staffers on July 3, he said: "Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can — as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running."

    He reiterated this in a letter to House Democrats on Monday: "I wouldn't be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024."

    "The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now," Biden wrote. "And it's time for it to end."

    Representatives for Stephanopoulos and Biden didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Have you heard of this ASX robotics stock? It’s up 75% in 3 days!

    A white and black robot in the form of a human being stands in front of a green graphic holding a laptop and discussing robotics and automation ASX shares

    The market is having a bit of a subdued session on Wednesday, but that isn’t stopping one ASX robotics stock from storming higher again.

    At the time of writing, the FBR Ltd (ASX: FBR) share price is up 19% to 5.6 cents.

    This means that its shares are now up 75% since the end of last week.

    What is this ASX robotics stock?

    FBR, which was previously known as Fastbrick Robotics, designs, develops, and builds dynamically stabilised robots to address global needs in a safer, more efficient and more sustainable way.

    It notes that these robots are designed to work outdoors using the company’s core Dynamic Stabilisation Technology (DST).

    The first application of DST for FBR is the Hadrian X robot. It is a bricklaying robot that “builds structural walls faster, safer, more accurately and with less wastage than traditional manual methods.”

    The company is now attempting to follow in Chris Hemsworth’s steps by cracking America.

    In May, FBR revealed that a Hadrian X robot had departed the port of Fremantle, Western Australia, on a ship bound for Florida. This is to conduct FBR’s first international demonstration program

    What’s the latest?

    On Monday, the ASX robotics stock revealed that its Hadrian X robot has now arrived on American shores.

    Once unloaded from the ship and cleared of customs, the robot will be transported to a facility in Fort Myers, Florida.

    After which, it will undertake Site Acceptance Testing at the facility. This consists of a test build outdoors with the same requirements as its previously completed Factory Acceptance Testing, plus the inclusion of some bond beam blocks and an inspection from an independent structural engineer to confirm that the constructed walls of the test build are consistent with the design and meet applicable building standards.

    Completion of the Site Acceptance Testing will trigger a US$600,000 payment by CRH Ventures to FBR. It will also trigger the commencement of the Demonstration Program.

    Demonstration Program

    This Demonstration Program requires FBR to construct the external walls of between five and ten single-storey houses utilising Hadrian X.

    If that is successful, it could be good news for the ASX robotics stock. The company has an agreement in place with CRH Ventures

    It has granted CRH Ventures an exclusive option to trigger the commencement of a joint venture for the supply of Wall as a Service using Hadrian X construction robots in the United States. After which, the joint venture will issue a binding but conditional purchase order for 20 Hadrian X units at US$2 million each plus applicable sales tax. It then has a pathway in place to take the total to 300 units eventually.

    But there’s a lot of work to be done until that happens. So, investors may want to be patient and wait for further news before considering an investment in this speculative stock.

    The post Have you heard of this ASX robotics stock? It’s up 75% in 3 days! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Fbr Limited right now?

    Before you buy Fbr Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Fbr Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • 2 ASX All Ords shares (and one ETF) smashing new highs while the market sinks

    Three hikers lift their arms in jubilation as they reach a rocky peak overlooking a sensational view of water and mountains with a blue sky surrounding them.

    It’s been a fairly horrible day for the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) and most ASX All Ords shares so far this Wednesday. At the time of writing, the All Ordinaries has lost a hefty 0.34% of its value, and is back down to around 8,050 points.

    However, despite the broader market’s bad mood today, a few ASX All Ords shares are still breaking away to record gains.

    In fact, three have just smashed new 52-week highs. Well, two All Ords shares and one exchange-traded fund (ETF). Let’s check them out.

    2 ASX All Ords shares (and one ETF) clocking new highs this Wednesday

    Steadfast Group Ltd (ASX: SDF)

    First up, we have insurance stock Steadfast. Steadfast shares have gained a healthy 1.91% so far today and are up to $6.41 a share at the time of writing. Not only is that a new 52-week high for this insurance stock, but a new all-time record high. And there’s still plenty of time left today for the price to go even higher.

    This push is just the latest uptick for Steadfast, which has been on a tear for a few weeks now. Back on 21 June, the company gave investors an update regarding its expectations for the 2024 financial year. Steadfast upgraded its guidance for the 23 months ended 30 June 2024.

    It previously told ASX All Ords investors to expect an underlying net profit after tax of between $290 million and $300 million. But last month, it increased this expected range to between $298 million and $303 million.

    Investors have been flocking to Steadfast shares ever since, with the company now up a healthy 16.7% over the past month.

    Emeco Holdings Ltd (ASX: EHL)

    Next up, we have mining equipment company Emeco. Emeco shares are currently flat at 79 cents apiece. However, earlier today, they rose to 80 cents, a new 52-week high for this ASX All Ords stock.

    Again, there hasn’t been any fresh news out of Emeco this Wednesday. In fact, we haven’t heard from this company with any price-sensitive news for a while now. But Emeco has been rising steadily ever since its last earnings report back in February.

    Back then, this ASX All Ords stock reported a 21% rise in operating earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the six months to 31 December to $137 million. Operating net profits after tax also rose by 69% over the prior corresponding period to $51 million.

    Emeco shares have risen 19.7% over the past six months, so today’s new 52-week high may be a byproduct of this increased optimism.

    iShares Asia 50 ETF (ASX: IAA)

    Finally, let’s talk about the Shares Asia 50 ETF. IAA units are currently enjoying a 0.23% lift to $103.82 each. That comes after this ASX All Ords ETF clocked a new 52-week high of $105 soon after the market opened this morning.

    This ASX ETF holds a portfolio of underlying shares representing 50 of the largest companies listed on Asian markets, including China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore. Its holdings include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Samsung, and Tencent.

    When an ETF rises in value, it’s normally due to the share prices of its underlying holdings appreciating. Indeed, we see that many of its top holdings have had a stellar month. Taiwan Semiconductor shares alone have gained more than 17% over the past month. Samsung has also done well, up 15.5% since this time last month.

    So, it’s no surprise that this ASX All Ords ETF is also succeeding.

    The post 2 ASX All Ords shares (and one ETF) smashing new highs while the market sinks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and Tencent. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Steadfast Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.