• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday

    Smiling man with phone in wheelchair watching stocks and trends on computer

    On Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) fought hard but ended the day slightly lower. The benchmark index fell a fraction to 8,579.4 points.

    Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Thursday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to rise

    The Australian share market looks set to rise on Thursday following a positive night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 40 points or 0.45% higher this morning. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is up 0.9%, the S&P 500 is up 0.5%, and the Nasdaq is 0.1% higher.

    Oil prices climb

    ASX 200 energy shares including Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a good session on Thursday after oil prices edged higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.4% to US$58.49 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 0.45% to US$62.23 a barrel. This was despite the US reporting a smaller than expected reduction in crude stocks.

    Premier Investments goes ex-div

    Premier Investments Ltd (ASX: PMV) shares will be on watch on Thursday when they go ex-dividend for its latest payout. Back in September, the ASX 200 retail giant released its full year results and revealed a 31.1% jump in profit. This allowed the Smiggle and Peter Alexander owner to declare a 50 cents per share fully franked final dividend. This will be paid to eligible shareholders next month on 23 January.

    Gold price rises

    ASX 200 gold shares including Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) will be on watch on Thursday after the gold price edged higher. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 0.2% to US$4,245.1 an ounce. Traders were bidding gold higher after US Federal Reserve cut interest rates.

    Buy GYG shares

    Morgans thinks that investors should be buying Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) shares after they hit a 52-week low. In response to its latest limited time offer for the BBQ Chicken Double Crunch, the broker has reiterated its buy rating. It said: “The product leverages existing ingredients, meaning no incremental complexity or cost for stores, a margin-friendly innovation that aligns with GYG’s operational discipline. Management has repeatedly emphasised that menu innovation is a key lever for same-store sales (SSS) growth, and this launch reinforces that commitment. We reiterate our BUY rating.”

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy Beach Energy 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 Beach Energy 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…

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    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 recommended Premier Investments. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Ord Minnett tips 40% upside for this ASX utilities stock

    A male electricity worker in hard hat and high visibility vest stands underneath large electricity generation towers as he holds a laptop computer and gazes up at the high voltage wires overhead.

    AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL) is an underperforming ASX utilities stock. 

    In 2025, the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities (ASX:XUJ) index is up a healthy 7%. 

    Meanwhile, AGL shares have fallen almost 19%. 

    The company remains one of the top 5 largest utilities stocks by market capitalisation

    After falling significantly this year, the team at Ord Minnett has reiterated a buy recommendation on the ASX utilities stock along with an attractive price target. 

    Here is the latest from the wealth management firm. 

    Increased confidence

    Ord Minnett said after recently attending the AGL Energy investor day, it came away with greater confidence in its already positive view on the company’s investment proposition. 

    Yesterday’s report noted a highlight of the day was seeing how AGL’s investment of more than $800 million in recent years has allowed the development of flexible generation capacity of 3.3 gigawatts (GW) at Bayswater. 

    Ord Minnett said trials in October successfully took coal generation units offline and then put them back online within five minutes, thereby matching the flexibility inherent in gas-powered electricity generation.

    In effect, these developments mean AGL can optimise margins by shutting down and restarting its generation units between demand peaks as required. 

    According to the company, testing during October showed that applying the new operating pattern across four generation units for 100 similar days equated to circa $25 million in annualised earnings. 

    AGL expects Bayswater to remain the lowest-cost generator in NSW given recent spot coal contracts struck by the company, its additional flexible capacity, and high availability rates. This position, and new pricing for supply to the Tomago aluminium smelter from 2028, indicates material upside to earnings forecasts.

    Raised earnings and price target

    Following the investor day, Ord Minnett raised FY26 EPS estimates by 6.1% to incorporate wider electricity margins partially offset by higher growth capital expenditure. 

    Meanwhile, forecasts for FY27 and FY28 have been trimmed 0.5% and 0.2%, respectively. 

    It has upgraded its target price on this ASX utilities stock to $13.00 from $12.00. It reiterated its buy recommendation.

    Based on yesterday’s closing price of $9.26, this indicates an upside of 40.38%. 

    Elsewhere, it seems other analysts and brokers are tipping a similar rebound. 

    Late last month, Macquarie placed a price guide of $11 on the ASX utilities stock. 

    TradingView has a one year price target of $11.41. 

    The post Ord Minnett tips 40% upside for this ASX utilities stock appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy AGL Energy 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 AGL Energy 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…

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell 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.

  • Up 131% since February, why this ASX All Ords gold share is forecast to more than double again

    A man leaps from a stack of gold coins to the next, each one higher than the last.

    ASX All Ords gold share Aurum Resources Ltd (ASX: AUE) just did it again.

    And by ‘it’, I mean racing ahead of the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

    Aurum Resources shares closed up 1.70% on Wednesday, trading for 60 cents apiece, well ahead of the almost flat finish posted by the All Ords yesterday.

    That sees the Aurum share price up a whopping 130.77% since market close on 31 January. Or enough to turn an $8,000 investment into $18,461.6.

    The ASX All Ords gold share has been catching tailwinds on several fronts.

    First, the gold price has surged more than 60% in 2025, with the yellow metal currently fetching US$4,214 per ounce.

    Second, investors have been keeping a close eye on the growing potential of the miner’s Boundiali and Napie Gold Projects, both located in Côte d’Ivoire (formerly Ivory Coast).

    And earlier in December, Aurum caught the attention of Canaccord Genuity, which initiated coverage on the stock with a speculative buy rating.

    Here’s what you need to know.

    ASX All Ords gold share tipped to keep shining bright

    Canaccord sees significant opportunity at the Boundiali project.

    “The flagship Boundiali consists of seven neighbouring exploration tenements stretching 75km north to south for ~1,470km2 with a total combined resource of 2.41Moz @ 1.0g/t Au,” the broker said.

    And the ASX All Ords gold share has a dozen drill rigs aiming to boost that gold resource.

    According to Canaccord:

    AUE believes its competitive advantage is its ability to run a fleet of company owned diamond drill rigs, which can be operated at costs much lower than its peers. AUE and its twelve operating rigs can potentially achieve higher drill advancement rates, delivering more resource updates at lower costs compared to its peers, in our view.

    Commenting on the potential resource growth at Aurum’s two projects, Canaccord said:

    We see potential for the broader Boundiali Gold Project to host ~3.1Moz over time, inclusive of the 2.4Moz defined to date. We see potential for the broader Napie Gold Project to host ~1.1Moz over time, inclusive of the 0.87Moz defined to date.

    And the company looks well-funded for ongoing exploration.

    “AUE reported cash of A$23.7m as at the end of the SepQ’25 with no outstanding debt,” Canaccord noted.

    “It subsequently sold ~A$23m of Montage Gold Corp (TSE: MAU) shares, issued in lieu of cash consideration as part of MAU’s 9.9% strategic investment, for estimated pro forma cash of ~A$40m,” the broker added.

    Canaccord has a price target of $1.50 on the ASX All Ords gold share. That represents a potential upside of 150% from Thursday’s closing price.

    The post Up 131% since February, why this ASX All Ords gold share is forecast to more than double again 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 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.

  • Ukraine’s naval drones are gunning for Russia’s ‘shadow fleet.’ A security source says a tanker just suffered a critical hit.

    A Ukrainian naval drone captures the moment another drone attacks an oil tanker.
    Ukrainian naval drones attacked a tanker belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet" on Wednesday.

    • A Ukrainian security source said naval drones attacked and damaged an oil tanker on Wednesday.
    • The tanker was part of Russia's "shadow fleet," which is used to move oil despite sanctions.
    • Ukraine has attacked three of these ships in a matter of days as it targets Russia's energy sector.

    Ukrainian forces used naval drones packed with explosives to attack an oil tanker identified as part of Russia's "shadow fleet" in the Black Sea on Wednesday, a security source told Business Insider.

    The naval drone strike on the tanker, Dashan, marks the third such attack in less than two weeks as Ukraine ramps up its long-range strike campaign against Russia's energy sector, increasingly gunning for ships at sea in addition to land-based oil facilities.

    Sea Baby naval drones hit the tanker and caused "critical damage" to the vessel, with early indications indicating that the strike completely disabled the vessel, the source in the Security Service of Ukraine, the country's main internal security agency, revealed on Wednesday.

    The SBU source, only authorized to speak anonymously to discuss sensitive military developments, said the Dashan was flying the Comoros flag and moving through Ukraine's exclusive economic zone in the direction of Novorossiysk, a Russian port city and major oil terminal.

    Publicly available ship-tracking data last showed the Dashan in the middle of the Black Sea.

    The tanker was sailing at maximum speed with its transponder turned off, the security source said. They added that the attack was carried out in cooperation with the Ukrainian navy and shared footage captured by the Sea Baby drones showing multiple hits on the ship.

    Several Western countries and the European Union have sanctioned the $30 million tanker, which has been used for Russian oil exports and is known to sail with its transponder switched off, Ukraine's HUR military intelligence agency said.

    Business Insider could not independently verify the extent of the damage. Russia's defense ministry and its embassy in the US did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    The attack on Wednesday appears to mark the third time in the last two weeks that Ukraine has disabled a tanker belonging to the "shadow fleet." In late November, the SBU used naval drones to strike and damage two vessels before they loaded at Novorossiysk.

    The "shadow fleet" is a collection of hundreds of vessels that Moscow uses to transport oil and circumvent sanctions on its energy exports, a major source of revenue. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged Kyiv's international partners to do more to prevent the ships from operating.

    "The SBU continues to take active measures to reduce the receipt of petrodollars to the budget of the Russian Federation," the security source said on Wednesday, according to a translation of their remarks shared with Business Insider.

    Ukraine has been stepping up its attacks against the Russian energy sector, the revenue from which fuels its war efforts, in recent months. Kyiv has used long-range drones to strike oil refineries and other facilities and infrastructure across the country.

    The three tanker attacks appear to reflect a new shift for Ukraine — one that now increasingly attacks ships at sea rather than just land targets.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • The daily schedule of Elon Musk, from his hearty breakfast to a 3 a.m. bedtime

    Elon Musk.
    Elon Musk.

    • Elon Musk has amassed a $491 billion fortune through his work at Tesla, SpaceX, and more.
    • The 54-year-old is also the father of at least 14 children and finds time to post on X almost daily.
    • Here's how the Tesla CEO structures his days.

    Elon Musk is a busy man.

    He's the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, the social media platform, X — and he's also a father of at least 14 children.

    According to Forbes, he's amassed a fortune worth $491 billion, making him the world's richest person. Musk has said he didn't get there by working a typical 40-hour week, and is instead known to have a strenuous schedule that he said has demanded 120-hour workweeks in the past.

    Still, the South African mogul shares similarities with the average person in his typical daily routine. Like many of us, Musk enjoys a sweet treat in the morning and spends time scrolling social media.

    Here's how his days usually go, according to interviews and posts by Musk himself over the years.

    Musk wakes up around 9 a.m. and says he starts every morning with steak and eggs
    The Cheesecake Factory Grilled Steak & Eggs
    Grilled Steak & Eggs.

    Musk told The Wall Street Journal in 2023 that he usually goes to bed around 3 a.m. and sleeps for six hours. So, he's typically waking up around 9 a.m. each day.

    He might've been trolling when he wrote a response to a doctor that same year on X saying he eats "a donut every morning," but a quick search of Musk's posts reveals he's quite a fan of the pastry.

    Speaking on "The Katie Miller Podcast" in December 2025, he gave an updated glimpse into his morning routine, saying his typical breakfast is "steak and eggs and coffee."

    His mornings usually start with his phone in his hand
    Elon Musk mugshot plus X post of Elon Musk announcing Grok
    Elon Musk announces Grok

    Musk said in 2022 that he was trying to break the cycle of checking his phone as soon as he woke up. While on the Full Send Podcast, Musk described it as "a terrible habit" he hoped to escape.

    But, as of 2023, he still wakes up and immediately looks at his phone for emergencies, the Journal reported.

    If his posts on X are any indication, the habit persists. He has been active on the platform since before he acquired it in a $44 billion deal in 2022, often posting at odd hours and in the middle of the night.

    It's unclear if Musk slots in time to post and respond to others each day, but it certainly looks like he rarely takes a day off from the app.

    "Some days I wake up and look at Twitter to see if it's still working," Musk told Walter Isaacson in the "Elon Musk" biography.

    Showering is an important part of his daily routine
    Elon Musk at event

    Musk previously credited showering with having the biggest positive effect on his daily life.

    During an AMA session on Reddit in 2015, a user asked which of his daily habits impacted his life the most.

    "Showering," Musk responded.

    He decides which Tesla to commute to the office in
    Elon Musk onstage with a Cybertruck.
    Elon Musk first revealed the Cybertruck in late 2019.

    As the CEO of one of the leading EV makers in the US, it's no surprise that Musk has more than one option for his daily commute.

    When an X user posted a meme about deciding between driving a Cybertruck without autopilot or a Tesla Model S with self-driving technology, Musk responded that it's a choice he faces "every day."

    The Cybertruck has been in the backdrop of many celebrity paparazzi shots and Instagram posts since its official launch in November.

    It's unclear if Musk is keeping up with the daily lifting routine he spoke about in 2023
    Elon Musk

    Like many, Musk appears to have had ups and downs in his relationship with physical exercise over the years. In 2021, he told Joe Rogan that he'd avoid it altogether if he could.

    "I almost never work out, except for picking up my kids & throwing them in the air," he said on X in June 2023.

    But less than two months later, he said he was "lifting hard almost every day." Around the same time, talk of Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg going head-to-head in a fight swirled online.

    He skips lunch but is a foodie, and often dines out for dinner
    An aerial shot of Hollywood's new Tesla Diner.
    Two Business Insider reporters visited Hollywood's new Tesla Diner within 24 hours of its grand opening.

    Musk told Miller during his December 2025 podcast appearance that he often skips lunch or eats something "small" for his midday meal.

    Dinner, though, can be "anywhere," he told the podcast host, who is married to White House advisor Stephen Miller.

    "I like the wide range of cuisine," Musk said, with "American" food like cheeseburgers and pizza being his favorites.

    He added, "If I had to say, like, there's only one thing you can ever have for the rest of time, which admittedly would be a bit monotonous, but it would probably be a cheeseburger, because cheeseburgers are amazing. It's a genius invention."

    No wonder his Tesla Diner in Hollywood features burgers prominently on the menu.

    Sometimes, his work days can last all night
    SpaceX building in Florida
    A female SpaceX employee is suing the company for discrimination and retaliation.

    Musk has admitted on several occasions that running more than one company isn't easy. He splits time between his companies depending on the "crisis of the moment," the 54-year-old said in 2021.

    One X user pointed out in January 2023 that Musk had testified in a lawsuit in the morning, attended an event at a Nevada Tesla factory in the evening, and worked with Tesla on AI at night — all in one day.

    Musk responded that he'd also spent time at "Twitter HQ past midnight."

    "I go to sleep, I wake up, I work, go to sleep, wake up, work—do that seven days a week," Musk told the Journal in 2023. "I'll have to do that for a while — no choice — but I think once Twitter is set on the right path, I think it is a much easier thing to manage than SpaceX or Tesla."

    On the Tesla earnings call in April 2024, Musk said: "Tesla constitutes the majority of my work time, and I work pretty much every day of the week. It's rare for me to take a Sunday afternoon off."

    Musk goes to bed around 3 a.m. and gets about 6 hours of sleep every night
    Elon Musk holding a microphone
    Elon Musk started buying shares in Twitter in January 2022

    Although he's not getting eight hours a night, Musk has upped his sleeping schedule from being nearly nonexistent in the past.

    In May 2023, Musk told CNBC that he's no longer pulling all-nighters. Instead, he said he tries to get at least six hours of sleep.

    According to Isaacson's biography of Musk, the billionaire has spent many nights awake and pondering the issues his companies face. His former partner Claire Boucher — known by her stage name Grimes — also told Isaacson that Musk once stayed up all night playing the "Elden Ring" video game when it first came out.

    He has a history of sleeping on the floors of his offices and the Tesla factory.

    After purchasing Twitter in 2022, Musk all but moved into its San Francisco headquarters. He said there's a couch in the library that he would crash on from time to time.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • What the Fed’s December interest rate cut means for your wallet

    aerial view of housing
    The federal funds rate will affects mortgages for American homebuyers.

    • The Federal Reserve cut rates for the third time this year at its final 2025 meeting.
    • A rate cut could lower borrowing costs for mortgages and credit cards, bringing relief to consumers.
    • The central bank penciled in one cut for 2026.

    The Federal Reserve made its final decision of 2025, cutting interest rates for the third meeting in a row — and it set the tone for where interest rates will go in the new year.

    The call will have ripple effects across consumer prices, the job market, and Corporate America through 2026 and beyond. Here's how the decision will affect you.

    Thirty-year fixed mortgages, two-year auto loans, and credit card rates tend to fluctuate alongside the federal funds rate. And, while inflation remains above the Fed's 2% goal, mortgage rates have largely cooled in recent months in anticipation of rate reductions.

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    A quarter-point cut could mean lower returns on investment for savers using high-yield savings accounts or certificates of deposit, though it would become cheaper to pay off credit cards. Lower rates would also make home equity lines and small business loans more accessible to Americans.

    Elizabeth Renter, senior economist at NerdWallet, told Business Insider the cut could be a positive sign for people applying to roles in the sluggish labor market: If job seekers "hear that the Fed is responding to an unfavorable labor market, that's going to feel good to them; they may feel like relief is on the horizon," she said.

    The labor market has shown signs of weakness in recent months. Job seekers of all ages have told Business Insider that they've been through grueling application cycles without an offer, while recruiters are drowning in resumés. Over the summer, the number of Americans looking for work eclipsed the number of available jobs and labor force participation has been trending downward. The unemployment rate, however, is still relatively low, hovering a little above 4% for most of this year.

    Sustained rate cuts would bolster the job market by making it easier for businesses to borrow and invest money. This would free up more funds for companies to hire and pay employees, which could lead to higher consumer spending — all factors needed for a healthy economy.

    And lower interest rates are historically good news for the stock market. When it's cheaper to borrow money and approve loans, both companies and individuals are more likely to invest. With more funds in the market, Wall Street could see a boost in 2026.

    Madison Hoff contributed reporting.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • The Navy says AI cut a 160-hour submarine-planning job down to just 10 minutes — now it’s investing $448 million to go bigger

    A black submarine is docked in dark water surrounded by concrete walls. There are cranes in the background.
    After an initial focus on submarine shipbuilders and shipyards, the AI program will expand to surface ship programs.

    • The Navy's investing almost half a billion dollars on a new, Palatir-powered AI system for shipbuilding.
    • Ship OS sped up the workflow for submarine jobs.
    • This capability is starting with private and public yards and will steadily expand into other shipbuilding programs.

    The Navy is pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into an artificial intelligence system that it says has sped up key shipbuilding processes.

    In one case, the AI cut painstaking processes of submarine schedule planning — mapping out how the many pieces of construction fit together and making sure people, parts, and yard space are available at the right time — from many hours to only minutes.

    The Navy is launching the new Shipbuilding Operating System, or Ship OS, as it tries to break out of decades-old shipbuilding problems rooted in outdated technologies and work practices. The service announced a $448 million investment Thursday, saying it will accelerate the adoption of AI and autonomy across the industrial base.

    The Ship OS technology is powered by Palantir's Foundry and Artificial Intelligence Platform and began in pilot programs at submarine shipyards.

    At General Dynamics Electric Boat, a long-time submarine yard located in Connecticut, submarine schedule planning saw a dramatic reduction from 160 manual hours down to under 10 minutes. And at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine, material review times for submarines went from taking weeks to under an hour.

    The $448 million investment will go toward the submarine industrial base and then expand. It'll be deployed across two major shipbuilders, three public yards, and 100 suppliers, Palantir said in a press release.

    A black submarine sits in dark blue water. People stand on top of the submarine. A boat sits in the water nearby. There is a line of barren trees in the background and a blue, cloudy sky.
    General Dynamics Electric Boat, a shipbuilder who tested the AI pilot, saw major decreases in time for submarine scheduling.

    "This investment provides the resources our shipbuilders, shipyards, and suppliers need to modernize their operations and succeed in meeting our nation's defense requirements," said Navy Secretary John Phelan in a statement.

    "By enabling industry to adopt AI and autonomy tools at scale, we're helping the shipbuilding industry improve schedules, increase capacity, and reduce costs," he added, explaining "this is about doing business smarter and building the industrial capability our Navy and nation require."

    Maritime Industrial Base Program, a Navy initiative to revitalize US shipbuilding and repair capabilities, and Naval Sea Systems Command are overseeing the implementation of Ship OS. Both are gathering data from multiple sources to identify where the hiccups are in submarine shipbuilding, how the processes, including engineering, can be sped up, and what specific risks can be mitigated through technology.

    Problems in the Navy’s submarine industrial base — from shipbuilders to the repair yards — have been building for decades. Submarines are central to any Pacific fight and a top Pentagon priority, yet major programs like the upgraded Virginia-class submarines and new Columbia-class ballistic missile subs have repeatedly run into delays and cost overruns.

    The Government Accountability Office, a government watchdog agency, has documented long-standing problems in the Navy's plans for purchasing and constructing submarines, as well as shipyard deficiencies such as worker inexperience, aging facilities and equipment, and inadequate construction space.

    The introduction of the new Ship OS capability aims to address some of these problems facing US submarine shipbuilding. And once the technology has been used for the submarine programs, the Navy said, it'll apply lessons and adapt them to surface ship programs.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Instead of downsizing, I moved into a bigger home at 74. My grandkids love the extra space, and family visits are finally fun.

    A selfie of Laurence Gerowitz and his wife Dottie Lipski.
    Laurence Gerowitz and his wife Dottie Lipski.

    • While many people downsize as they age, 75-year-old New Yorker Laurence Gerowitz did the opposite.
    • In 2024, he and his wife swapped their small apartment for a larger condo on the Upper East Side.
    • Now they have more living space and fun for their grandkids, who love the building's many playrooms.

    This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with 75-year-old Laurence Gerowitz, a real estate litigator, about his move into a larger condo in New York City. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

    I lived on the Upper East Side for most of my adult life: about 48 years, starting in the late 1970s. My wife and I bought into a co-op on 85th Street in 1999 for $265,000 and lived on the third floor of the five-story walk-up.

    Our apartment was 1,200 square feet and had a very nice layout, as well as a working fireplace. The building had no amenities whatsoever, but we were still very happy to be there. We lived there for 25 years and essentially raised our son in that apartment.

    In 2008, he moved to Villanova, Pennsylvania — near Philadelphia — for college, and over the years it became clear he was never moving back to New York. He's now married and they live there with their two young children.

    New York suits me just fine, but not so much for my son — between the impossible parking and our three-story walk-up, he wasn't interested.

    I understand why. When he used to visit, I'd have to go downstairs to help him haul everything up. We did have two bedrooms, which is a luxury in Manhattan, but there still wasn't a comfortable place for him and his family to sleep, and I'd end up on a blow-up mattress.

    It was just untenable; they didn't enjoy visiting.

    It was time for something new

    About two years ago, my wife noticed that a new complex was being built around the corner from us called the Harper. She's a painter and interior decorator, so she wanted to take a look.

    We toured a two-bedroom apartment, which we thought was very nice, but it was also small. Still, we thought the building's amenities were fantastic. They have a gym, music room, game room, playroom, and creative studio — which we thought would be great for our grandkids.

    We sat with the idea for a while. A couple of months later, we went back to see a larger unit — a model of about 1,853 square feet with an 80-square-foot terrace and three bedrooms, one of which could be used as an office.

    After that tour, it didn't take us long to decide to move to the Harper. In the end, it took a couple of months to stage our old co-op, and then a few more months to sell.

    We have more space and activities for the kids here

    The best things I've ever done in my life are being a good father and grandfather. My son texts or calls me at least once a day, and that's my proudest accomplishment — even more than being admitted to the bar at 48 after going to night school for four years while supporting a family.

    A big reason we decided to upsize and buy the condo was that my wife and I love being around my son and his family, and we really wanted to create a place where the kids would want to come visit.

    Side by side images of Laurence Gerowitz Upper East side apartment.
    Gerowitz's wife, interior designer Dottie Lipski, styled the condo.

    We moved into the Harper in March 2024. It's just around the corner from our old place. It wasn't a far move, but we've spent decades living on the Upper East Side for a reason — we love the neighborhood.

    Our new condo has a really well-thought-out layout. We have three bedrooms, including a home office, and two-and-a-half bathrooms. When you walk in, you can turn left into one wing, down that hall are the primary closet, the primary bedroom and bathroom, and the terrace.

    If you go to the right instead, a quick left takes you into the kitchen and great room. Further to the right are the guest bedroom and bathroom, a third bedroom that I use as my office, and a small laundry area.

    Side by side images of the primary and guest bedrooms at Gerowitz's apartment.
    The bedrooms at Gerowitz's aparrment.

    Besides having a larger apartment and living in a building that actually has an elevator, we're especially happy about the amenities. It's such a contrast to our old place, where the only extra space was the boiler room.

    Our grandkids especially love the building's music room. They can bang on the drums, sing into the microphone, and strum a guitar. There's also a playroom with a ball pit.

    In the beginning, whenever the grandkids would come over, they would go down to the ball pit three times a day. In the mornings, I'd have to plead with them to finish their breakfast before heading down to play.

    Side by side images of the playroom at the Harper, includes toy cars, desk and ball pit.
    The game room at The Harper.

    It's obvious they love visiting our new home. The grandkids talk about it all the time, and it's cute to see them arrive, dragging their little suitcases, already excited to play.

    Our family enjoys visiting, it's not an obligation

    I have very fond memories of our old place — it was the first home I ever bought. But over time, living there became stressful.

    I was on the board, constantly worrying about the building — especially whether the boiler would work. It was an older property with no central air, just radiators, so there were always issues with the heat.

    Here at the Harper, it's a completely different experience. Everything works, we have three separate HVAC zones that you can set to the exact degree, and the staff is great. My biggest dilemma now is whether to go to my gym on 91st Street or just head downstairs.

    The office in  Gerowitz's aparrment.
    The condo's office.

    I think upsizing later in life is a good thing if you're in a position where it makes sense for you.

    If it's within your means to make that choice, do it. You're not just gaining more physical space; you're also giving yourself and your family more options.

    When my son and his family visit, they have their own rooms and are well taken care of. I think they genuinely enjoy coming now; it no longer feels like an obligation.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Is the Qantas share price a buy today?

    Man sitting in a plane seat works on his laptop.

    The Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) share price has dropped close to 20% since its 2025 peak, as the chart below shows. When a large business has fallen that far, I think it’s a great time to consider an investment as a buy-the-dip opportunity.

    As the last five years have demonstrated, there can be significant volatility in the valuation of a business like this. Travel demand is not a certain thing year to year, and fuel prices can change significantly, so it’s no wonder that investors’ thoughts on the business can change quite significantly over 12 months.

    In August, the business delivered a strong set of results. Underlying profit before tax increased 15% to $2.39 billion, and statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) jumped 28%. It also revealed an improvement in both Qantas and Jetstar on-time performance and customer satisfaction scores.

    Pleasingly, this strong level of profit helped the business pay total dividends of $800 million to shareholders for FY25. Let’s take a look at whether the Qantas share price is an attractive buy today or not.

    What’s the outlook for earnings?

    The broker UBS recently said in a note that the Australian international market is expected to grow FY26 capacity by 9% year over year, with consistent growth across both peak Australian summer months and off-peak.

    Qantas and Jetstar reportedly represent only 26% of the Australian international market, but are also growing capacity strongly. UBS suggested that unless there’s strong growth of passenger demand, this may have an impact on market fares or (plane) load factors.

    Qantas is adding capacity to mainland US, New Zealand, Singapore, and Hawaii routes. Jetstar is adding capacity to Bali, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea, and Singapore routes. Jetstar is also entering the Philippines.

    UBS suggests the Australia-US market is “heavily underserved”, but New Zealand and Bali look like more competitive routes. The bulk of new foreign capacity is being added from the Middle East, Turkey, China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, suggesting UK and Europe routes may be becoming more competitive for Qantas.

    But, UBS expects that Qantas’ core customers (corporate and premium leisure) will be “relatively loyal”, though price-sensitive travellers “pose more risk”.

    The broker is forecasting that Qantas’ group international revenue per available seat kilometre (RASK) can grow 3% in the FY26 second half, with the airline guiding RASK for between 2% to 3% growth in the FY26 first half.

    Is the Qantas share price a buy?

    UBS wrote:

    We think QAN’s challenge is not so much competitor pressure, but whether the core Australian customers will grow with it. So far, FY26 has been tracking well.

    It has a buy rating on the business, with a price target of $11.50. That implies a possible rise of more than 17% in the next year from where it is today. For FY26, UBS predicts that Qantas could deliver $1.79 billion in net profit and a dividend per share of 35 cents.

    The post Is the Qantas share price a buy today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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.

  • Beyoncé and Jeff Bezos are among the big names involved in the 2026 Met Gala. Here’s everything we know so far.

    Beyoncé attends the 2016 Met Gala.
    Beyoncé is among the co-chairs of the 2026 Met Gala.

    • The 2026 Met Gala will be here before you know it.
    • The event's theme is "Costume Art," though a dress code hasn't been announced yet.
    • Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams will co-chair the gala with Anna Wintour.

    The 2026 Met Gala will be here before you know it.

    Fondly known as fashion's biggest night, the Met Gala is an annual fundraiser that supports the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute and is hosted by the museum, Anna Wintour, and Vogue.

    It's always held on the first Monday in May, which will be May 4, 2026. Celebrities descend on New York City in droves for the event, showcasing their most high-fashion looks of the year on the iconic steps of the Met.

    The 2026 event will support the museum's "Costume Art" exhibition, and a slew of A-list stars will serve as co-chairs for the gala.

    Here's everything we know about the 2026 Met Gala so far.

    Celebrating 'Costume Art'

    The Met Gala has a different theme each year, centered on the exhibition the Costume Institute displays in conjunction with the gala.

    For 2026, the museum will host the "Costume Art" exhibition, curated by Andrew Bolton, as announced in November 2025.

    "Celebrate fashion as an art form this spring at The Met," an Instagram post about the exhibit from the museum read. "Focusing primarily on Western art from prehistory to the present, the show will explore artistic representations of the dressed body, pairing fashions and artworks from the Museum's vast collection to highlight the inherent relationship between clothing and the body."

    In a press release shared on Wednesday, Bolton said of the exhibit, "I wanted to focus on the centrality of the dressed body within the museum, connecting artistic representations of the body with fashion as an embodied art form."

    The exhibition will also be the first to be held in the museum's new, almost 12,000-square-foot Condé M. Nast Galleries.

    Beyoncé makes her return to the Met Gala

    The exhibit and its adjacent gala have been funded this year by Saint Laurent, Condé Nast, and Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos.

    The couple made their first appearance together at the 2024 event, during which Sánchez Bezos walked the carpet solo in an Oscar de la Renta gown and later met up with the Amazon founder inside.

    But they're not the only stars who will be influential to the 2026 gala.

    Each year, a different set of co-chairs partners with Wintour on the event, and for 2026, she turned to some of the most famous women on the planet to bring the event to life.

    Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman, and Beyoncé — who last attended the Met Gala in 2016 — will serve as co-chairs for 2026, as Vogue announced on Wednesday. Kidman and Williams have been frequent attendees of the event in recent years.

    In addition, Zoë Kravitz and Anthony Vaccarello, the creative director of YSL, are heading up the Host Committee, where they will work with a slew of stars.

    Sabrina Carpenter at the 2024 Met Gala.
    Sabrina Carpenter at the 2024 Met Gala.

    They include musicians such as Doja Cat, Sabrina Carpenter, Sam Smith, Teyana Taylor, and Lisa, as well as actors like Gwendoline Christie, Lena Dunham, and Elizabeth Debicki.

    Models Alex Consani, Paloma Elsesser, Lauren Wasser, and Yseult are also included, as are athletes Misty Copeland and A'ja Wilson.

    Chloe Malle, the new top editor of Vogue, and artist Anna Weyant will also join the committee.

    Vogue has never shared many details regarding the group's duties, but they're confirmed to attend a special dinner before the gala.

    There's no dress code — yet

    Vogue, nor the Metropolitan Museum, has yet to announce a dress code for the 2026 Met Gala. However, it will likely be connected to the themes of the exhibition itself.

    In past years, for example, attendees have worn costume-like pieces for the "Camp: Notes on Fashion" event, Chanel designs for the gala that honored designer Karl Lagerfeld, and pieces with religious nods for the "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" gala.

    Read the original article on Business Insider