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Oil's path to $120 accelerates as Iran chokepoints tighten
Edgen Stock·Jul 24 2026, 10:09Share to
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[1] Here's what each additional month of Iran-conflict disruption means for oil prices (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/heres-what- ...)[2] A dangerous new phase of war is breaking all the oil market’s constraints (https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/24/business/oil-p ...)[3] Alphabet Inc. GOOGL Stock Forecast & Price Target (https://finance.yahoo.com/research/stock-fore ...)[4] Instant View: ECB leaves rates on hold, but keeps door open to further rate hikes (https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/instant ...)
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Jul 24 2026, 11:23
Bank of America boosts dividend 14% to $0.32, continues $40B buyback
Bank of America raised its quarterly dividend 14% to $0.32 per share, the lender said Thursday. "The increase in our dividend reflects the strength of our earnings, the power of our franchise and our confidence in Bank of America's ability to drive long-term growth and create value for shareholders," Chair and Chief Executive Officer Brian Moynihan said. The dividend is payable Sept. 25 to shareholders of record as of Sept. 4. The $0.04 increase from the prior quarter brings the annualized payout to $1.28 per share. Bank of America also continues to repurchase stock under a $40 billion authorization from the board that has been in effect since Aug. 1, 2025. In the first half of 2026, the company repurchased $13.2 billion of common stock and paid $4 billion in dividends, leaving approximately $17 billion remaining under the program as of June 30. The capital return plan signals confidence in the bank's earnings power despite an uncertain interest rate environment. Bank of America's ability to make distributions depends on maintaining regulatory capital above minimum requirements, and the board may suspend or adjust the buyback at any time based on market conditions, the company said. The board also declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.75 per share on the 7% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, Series B, payable Oct. 23 to shareholders of record as of Oct. 9. For shareholders, the 14% dividend increase and ongoing buyback represent a combined $17.2 billion in capital returned in the first half of 2026. Investors will watch the bank's third-quarter earnings in October for updates on net interest income and loan growth, which will determine whether the pace of buybacks accelerates or slows. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
Jul 24 2026, 11:19
Merck licenses experimental HIV pill to 7 generic makers in 129 countries
Merck signed seven voluntary licensing agreements with generic drug manufacturers to produce lower-cost versions of its experimental once-monthly oral HIV pill in 129 low- and lower-middle-income countries. "This is the first time that sub-Saharan African manufacturers have been included in licenses from the very beginning," Gregg Szabo, head of Merck's global vaccines and infectious diseases unit, said. The royalty-free agreements cover both the public and private sectors and include three sub-Saharan Africa manufacturers — Aspen Pharmacare Holdings, Quality Chemical Industries and UCL — and four Indian companies: Aurobindo, Cipla, Emcure and Viatris. The 129 countries covered account for a substantial majority of new HIV diagnoses globally, Merck said. The drug, alimatravir, is still in late-stage development and is expected to provide one month of protection from HIV-1 starting within one hour after dosing. Trial results are not expected until the second half of 2027, giving generic licensees time to scale up production, Paul Schaper, head of global pharmaceutical public policy at Merck, said. The agreements follow a similar move by Gilead Sciences in 2024, which granted royalty-free licenses to six generic drug manufacturers to make cheaper versions of its HIV prevention medicine lenacapavir in 120 low- and lower-middle-income countries. The World Health Organization has urged governments and drugmakers to improve access to affordable HIV medicines, including through voluntary licensing and greater generic competition. The licensing deal signals Merck's confidence in alimatravir's regulatory prospects while preempting access criticism that has dogged the industry. Investors will watch for Phase 3 data in the second half of 2027, which will determine the drug's commercial potential in developed markets. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
Jul 24 2026, 11:17
CS PowerTech opens $1B solar cell plant in Indiana, adding 1,200 jobs
CS PowerTech Inc., the largest silicon PV solar manufacturer in the U.S. and a subsidiary of Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ), opened the first phase of its flagship photovoltaic cell plant at the River Ridge Commerce Center in Jeffersonville, Indiana, the company said Thursday. The facility, representing nearly $1 billion in local investment, will produce heterojunction bifacial N-type solar cells and is expected to reach more than 6 GWp of annual capacity at full build-out, supporting over 1,200 skilled jobs in Southern Indiana. "This facility will produce next-generation HJT solar cells, support domestic manufacturing, and ultimately strengthen grid reliability as our customers deploy the products," Rusty Schmit, President of CS PowerTech, said. The Jeffersonville plant is the first U.S. cell facility designed for HJT technology, which combines higher efficiency with bifacial energy capture from both sides of the panel. The plant complements CS PowerTech's existing module assembly facility in Mesquite, Texas, creating a vertically integrated domestic supply chain that spans cell production through module assembly. Canadian Solar Chief Executive Officer Colin Parkin said the HJT technology gives the company "the ability to deliver leading technology, improved energy yield, and long-term value for customers while strengthening domestic advanced manufacturing." CS PowerTech expects to ramp phase one to full capacity over the coming months and begin work on phase two before year-end. The company now employs more than 3,000 Americans across its U.S. manufacturing operations. **Why HJT matters for the solar market** Heterojunction cells combine a crystalline silicon layer with thin amorphous silicon layers on both sides, achieving higher conversion efficiencies than mainstream PERC or TOPCon technologies. The Jeffersonville plant's HJT cells will feed CS PowerTech's Texas module line, giving the company control over both the most technically demanding and the most capital-intensive steps of solar manufacturing. The U.S. push into HJT manufacturing is accelerating. SEG Solar announced plans for a U.S. HJT module plant this year, and Toyo Solar has moved toward building an HJT cell facility after facing antidumping duties on its TOPCon cells from Ethiopia. In China, Dinto Solar recently won a 1 GW HJT module supply contract with state-owned China Datang Corp., signaling sustained demand for the technology. **Investment implications** Canadian Solar shares trade at a discount to U.S. solar peers as the company navigates tariff uncertainty and the shift from Chinese manufacturing to domestic production. The Jeffersonville plant, backed by the Inflation Reduction Act's domestic manufacturing credits, could improve margins by reducing exposure to import duties and shipping costs. Phase two expansion, expected before year-end, would add further capacity and potentially lift the company's U.S. market share above its current position as the largest domestic silicon PV manufacturer. Indiana Governor Mike Braun called the investment "good-paying jobs for Hoosiers" that reinforces the state's role in advanced manufacturing. The plant received support from state and local economic development agencies, though specific incentive terms were not disclosed. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.