Latest News
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Berkshire Hathaway increases new CEO Abel’s salary to $25 Million
Berkshire Hathaway announced on Tuesday that it had raised the salary for?new chief executive Greg Abel, to $25 million. This is a far greater salary than the $100,000 per year salary that his predecessor Warren Buffett received for over four decades. Abel, who is 63 years old, was appointed chief executive of Berkshire on January 1 after eight years in the role of vice chairman, overseeing Berkshire’s non-insurance business. Buffett set his compensation during this period. It included a $21 million salary in 2020, a $ 20 million salary in 2030, and a $15 million salary plus a bonus of $3 million in 2022. Buffett gave Vice Chairman Ajit Jain, who oversees Berkshire Insurance's businesses, the same amounts between?2022 and 2024. The compensation of Abel and Jain for 2025 is not known. Buffett, 95 years old, has been running Omaha-based Berkshire, Berkshire, for over 60 years. He turned it into a conglomerate worth more than $1 trillion, with over?200 companies, including Geico auto insurance, BNSF railroad, and a variety of?insurances, energy, manufacturing, and retail operations. Buffett is still the chairman of Berkshire and one of the richest men in the world. Berkshire said that during his tenure, its executive compensation program was "different" than that of most public companies. Abel owns approximately $171 million in Berkshire stock. In 2022, he sold his 1% share in Berkshire Hathaway Energy to Berkshire Hathaway for $870 millions.
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Dollar edged up slightly as investors awaited economic news
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, European shares and other major stock indexes rose to record highs on the Tuesday while the dollar grew as investors focused their attention on important market data that could gauge Federal Reserve policy. Investors weighed the uncertainty surrounding Venezuelan crude production against expectations of an 'ample global supply' this year. Maria Corina Machado has promised to return to Venezuela as soon as possible, hailing U.S. president Donald Trump for toppling Nicolas Maduro and declaring that her movement is ready to win an election free of corruption. The White House announced on Tuesday that Trump, his team and other officials are discussing the options to acquire Greenland. The use of U.S. forces in achieving this goal is always an option. "The market's response to the geopolitical?situation in Venezuela was well taken. But (reports) that the White House thought about taking Greenland by force... could cause some roadblocks," said Peter Cardillo. The momentum in the market continues to grow. He said it was largely due to a January effect, which is a pattern of early-year stock buying. He added that if the labor data this week are weaker than expected it could increase expectations of U.S. interest rate cuts. Stock Indices Climb Chip stocks on Wall Street rose as artificial intelligence optimism returned. Exxon Mobil shares fell 3.4% on the day. Investors bet that Washington would allow U.S. companies access to Venezuelan oil reserves after the raid in Venezuela on Monday. Trump's administration will meet with executives of oil companies to discuss increasing production in Venezuela later this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 484.90 points or 0.99% to 49,462.08, while the S&P 500 gained 42.77 points or 0.62% to 6,944.82, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 151.35 or 0.65% to 23,547.17. The MSCI index of global stocks was up 7.13 points or 0.69% at 1,035.15, and hit a new high during the session. The pan-European STOXX 600 index finished up 0.58%, and reached a new record high. The indexes of Germany and Spain reached record highs as investors were confident about the economy despite increasing geopolitical tensions. The dollar index (which measures the greenback in relation to a basket?of currencies including the yen, the euro and others) rose by 0.17%, reaching 98.56. U.S. ECONOMIC DATA TO SET MARKET TONE Markets were buoyed by expectations of U.S. rate cuts. The market was focused on the U.S. employment report due Friday. This will affect the monetary policy expectations of the market. According to LSEG, financial markets are pricing two Fed rate reductions this year. Fed Governor Stephen Miran's term as the U.S. Central Bank ends this month. He said that aggressive interest rate reductions are necessary to keep the U.S. economy moving. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10 year notes increased 1.2 basis points from 4.163% at late Monday. U.S. crude oil fell $1.19, settling at $57.13 per barrel. Brent crude dropped $1.06, settling at $60.70. Gold fell slightly in the last session after a sharp rise in the previous session. Spot gold dropped 0.12% to $4491.77 per ounce. Nickel jumped more than 9% and copper jumped to a new all-time peak, as concerns about supply fueled a rally early in the year for industrial metals.
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Investors await economic news to see if stocks will rise or dollar edge up.
The dollar edged up as investors focused their attention on important market data that will be released later this week to help gauge Federal Reserve policy. Oil ?prices declined. Investors were monitoring developments in Venezuela. Maria Corina Machado has promised to return to Venezuela quickly. She praised U.S. president Donald Trump for toppling Nicolas Maduro and declared her movement prepared to win a fair election. Trump's administration will meet with executives of oil companies this week to discuss increasing production in Venezuela. There's a great deal of retooling needed to prepare these downstream producers for this crude oil. It is possible - and it will probably be. Mark Malek is chief investment officer of Siebert Financial. He said that the biggest questions are how long it will take to invest, how much money, and who will make this investment. Stock Indices Climb Investors were betting that Washington would allow U.S. companies access to Venezuelan oil reserves. The Dow reached a new record, and?chip stocks rose due to renewed optimism about artificial intelligence. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 526.20, or 1.07 percent, to 49.503.38, while the S&P 500 gained 45.15, or 0.65% to 6,947.20, and the Nasdaq Composite increased by 147.73, or 0.63% to 23,543.50. The MSCI index of global stocks rose by 7.36 points or 0.72% to 1,035.38. The STOXX 600 pan-European index finished up by 0.58%. Investors remain confident about the economy despite increasing geopolitical tensions. The dollar index (which measures the greenback in relation to a basket including the yen, the euro and other currencies) rose by 0.17%, reaching 98.56. U.S. ECONOMIC DATA TO SET MARKET TONE Expectations of U.S. rate cuts drove the positive mood on the?markets. The traders were focusing on the U.S. employment report due Friday. This will affect market expectations for monetary policy. According to LSEG, financial markets are pricing two Fed rate reductions this year. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year note rose 1.2 basis point to 4,175% from 4,163% on Monday. U.S. crude oil fell $1.19, settling at $57.13 per barrel. Brent oil declined $1.06, settling at $60.70. Gold prices rose on Tuesday as demand for safe-haven assets boosted the price. After a near 3% rise in the previous session, spot gold increased by 0.86% to $4,486.57 per ounce. Nickel jumped more than 9% and copper soared above its 18-month high as concerns about supply fueled a rally early in the year for industrial metals.
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Brazil's trade surplus will be higher in 2026 than its own projections, after exceeding them last year
The Ministry of Development Industry Trade and Services announced on Tuesday that Brazil is expecting a trade surplus between $70 billion and $90 billion by?2026. Last year's results exceeded government expectations. Latin America's biggest economy posted a $68.3-billion surplus in 2025. This is down from $74.2-billion in 2024, as imports increased faster than exports. This shows the resilience of the economy, despite high borrowing rates to control inflation. The surplus was higher than the most recent estimate of $61 billion by the Ministry. It followed a December surplus of $9.6 Billion. Vice President Geraldo Alckmin said at a press briefing that he was "optimistic" about the growth of foreign trade, even if there were greater geopolitical instabilities. BRAZIL HOPEFUL FOR TRADE DEALS Alckmin who is also the head of the ministry said that the 'government' remains hopeful about concluding a deal between Mercosur, the South American block, and the European Union. He added that he expects Mercosur to seal a free-trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates. Brazil is aiming to extend preferential tariffs with India, Mexico and Canada. Imports increased 6.7% last year while exports rose by 3.5%. This was despite the fact that U.S. tariffs were imposed on several products, which were later partially reversed. Alckmin also said that Brazil expects to progress talks with the U.S., and address non-tariff concerns involving rare Earths, big technology and data centers. He said that Brazil had abundant renewable energy. Alckmin was asked about the impact of Venezuelan oil production following the capture by the U.S. of Venezuela's president. He acknowledged that oil is Brazil's number one export but said any market effects would not be immediately. He said that although Venezuela has large oil deposits, it is not possible to achieve anything overnight. "Investment is required," he added. By the Numbers Brazilian export gains in 2025 were largely driven by increased shipments of beef, soybeans, corn, and coffee, which offset annual declines for crude oil?and iron ore due to falling commodity prices. China remains Brazil's largest trading partner. Exports to China increased by 6%, reaching $100 billion. This represents nearly 30% of Brazil's total sales overseas. Brazilian exports to the United States fell 6.6%, to $37.7billion. (Reporting and editing by Franklin Paul, Matthew Lewis and Rod Nickel in Brasilia)
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As geopolitical risk increases, gold prices are on the verge of a record high.
Gold extended gains on Tuesday, boosted by demand for safe-haven assets after the 'U.S. The?capture' of Venezuela's President fueled global tensions. Investors awaited U.S. Payroll data to gain insight into the Federal Reserve interest rate policy. By 01:40 pm, spot gold had risen 0.8% to $4,485.39 an ounce. ET (1840 GMT), following a nearly 3-percent gain in the previous day, prices are now closer to the record high $4,549.71 set on December 24. U.S. Gold Futures for February Delivery settled?1% higher, at $4496.010. Jim Wyckoff is a senior analyst with Kitco Metals. He said that precious metals traders are more concerned about the future than bond and stock traders. The weekend U.S. attack on Venezuela has also fueled the demand for safe havens like gold and silver. After the U.S. had seized Maduro and taken him to New York at the weekend, the ousted Venezuelan president pleaded 'not guilty' to charges of narcotics. The gold price, which is considered to be a safe haven by many, rose 64.4% in the last year. This was its best performance since 1979. The market participants will also be looking at Friday's U.S. employment report. It is expected to show that 60,000 new jobs were added in December, a slight decrease from the 64,000 created in November. According to LSEG, traders are pricing in at least two Federal Reserve rate reductions this year. Tom Barkin, the Richmond Fed president, said that future rate changes need to be "finely-tuned" in order to balance both unemployment and inflation risks. Low interest rates tend to be beneficial for non-yielding metals. Morgan Stanley predicted that gold prices would surge to $4800 by the fourth quarter of this calendar year. They cited falling interest rates, changes in Federal Reserve leadership, and central bank and funds purchases. Spot silver, whose all-time record high was $83.62 per ounce on December 29, gained 5.4%, to $80.68. Silver's annual gain was 147% in 2025. This was due to a rise in industrial demand and investor interest. Palladium was 5.9% higher, at $1,821.68 an ounce. Spot platinum rose 7.2% to $2,435.20. (Reporting and editing by Joe Bavier, Vijay Kishore, and Anmol Choubey from Bengaluru)
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Futures prices for soybeans and grains are rising as China purchases more US supplies
Chicago Board of Trade Soybean futures rose slightly on Tuesday, as China purchased more U.S. soybeans. The corn and wheat futures both rose slightly as the agricultural markets continued to gain after recovering?on Monday? from recent multi-week?lows. Traders were watching closely the?Chinese?demand for U.S. soybeans after Washington announced in late October Beijing's agreement to purchase supplies as part a truce between the two countries in their trade war. Three traders said that China's stockpiler Sinograin bought 10 U.S. soy cargoes this week, totaling around 600,000 tons. U.S. Department?Agriculture confirmed later that exporters had sold 336,000 metric tonnes of U.S. soya beans to China for delivery in 2025/2026. Traders said China's total U.S. soya purchases have risen to 10 million tons in the time since the trade truce. This is more than 80% of the 12 million metric tonnes that U.S. Treasury secretary Scott Bessent had previously stated China would buy by the end?of February. Jim Gerlach of A/C Trading, Indiana, stated that some traders feared Beijing would stop buying after the U.S. captured Venezuela's president, a Chinese strategic partner. Gerlach stated that "the fact that they purchased beans despite the goings on is supportive." The most active CBOT soybean contracts were up a cent to $10.63 per bushel at 11:30 am CST (1730 GMT). The benchmark contract reached its lowest level in October on Friday. CBOT Corn rose by 2 cents to $4.46-1/2 per bushel. CBOT Wheat gained 1/2 cent to $5.13 per bushel. On Friday, wheat reached its lowest level since October. Corn hit a 2-week low on Monday and then turned higher. Gerlach stated that the fear of dry weather damaging corn crops in Argentina was a factor in driving prices. Analysts kept an eye out for dryness in the U.S. wheat belts. Josh Lawrence, an advisor consultant at IKON Commodities, said that "pockets of dryness" in the U.S. Plains supported wheat. The gains were still limited due to the abundance of supplies from major exporting nations. Grain traders also watched investor flows, which are linked to changes in commodity indexes and were looking forward to the crop data that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is due to release next Monday.
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As geopolitical risk increases, gold prices are on the verge of a record high.
Gold extended gains on Tuesday due to the demand for safe-haven assets after 'the U.S. The capture of Venezuelan president fuelled global tensions. Investors awaited U.S. employment data to gain insight into Federal Reserve interest rate policy. By 11:50 am, spot gold had risen 0.9% to $4,488.10 an ounce. After a near 3% increase in the previous session at 1650 GMT, prices are now closer to the record high price of $4,497.11 set on December 24. U.S. Gold Futures for February Delivery advanced by?1% to $4496. Jim Wyckoff is a senior analyst with Kitco Metals. He said that precious metals traders are more concerned about the future than bond and stock traders. The weekend U.S. attack on Venezuela fueled the demand for safe havens like gold and silver. After the U.S. had seized Maduro and taken him to New York at the weekend, the ousted Venezuelan president pleaded not guilt?on Monday? to narcotics? charges. The gold price, which is considered to be a safe haven by many, rose 64.4% in the last year. This was its best performance since 1979. The market participants will also be watching Friday's U.S. employment report. It is expected to show that 60,000 new jobs were added in December. This is a slight decrease from the 64,000 jobs added the previous month. According to LSEG, traders are pricing in at least two Federal Reserve rate reductions this year. Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin said that future rate changes need to be "finely-tuned" in order to balance both unemployment and inflation risks. Low interest rates tend to be beneficial for non-yielding metals. Morgan Stanley predicted that gold prices would surge to $4800 by the fourth quarter of this calendar year. They cited falling interest rates, changes in Federal Reserve leadership, and central bank and funds purchases. Spot silver, whose all-time record high was $83.62 per ounce on December 29, gained 5.3% to $80.57. Silver's annual gain was 147% in 2025. This was due to a rise in industrial demand and investor interest. Palladium was 6.3% higher, at $1,815 an ounce. Spot platinum rose 6.5% to $2,417.70. (Reporting and editing by Joe Bavier, Vijay Kishore and Anmol Choubey from Bengaluru)
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Investors await economic data to see if stocks will rise and the dollar inch up.
Investors focused on the key data that will be released later this week to help gauge the outlook of the Federal Reserve policy. Prices of oil are falling. Investors were monitoring developments in . Maria Corina Machado has promised to return to her country as soon as possible, hailing U.S. president Donald Trump for overthrowing her opponent, Nicolas Maduro. She also declared that her movement was ready to win an election free of corruption. Trump's administration will meet with executives of oil companies this week to discuss increasing production in Venezuela. There's a lot of retooling needed to prepare these downstream producers for this crude oil. It is possible - and will probably be. Mark Malek is chief investment officer of Siebert Financial. He said that the biggest questions are how long it will take to invest, how much, and by whom. Stock Indices Climb Investors?bet Washington that it would allow U.S. companies access to Venezuelan oil reserves. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by?173.14 or 0.35% to 49,150.32. The?S&P 500 rose by 27.19 or 0.39% to 6,929.24. And the Nasdaq Composite grew 110.14 or 0.47% to 23,505.95. The MSCI index of global stocks rose 5.53 points or 0.54% to 1,033.55. The pan-European STOXX 600 rose by 0.66%. Investors remain confident in economic prospects despite the escalating tensions on geopolitical fronts. The dollar index (which measures the greenback in relation to a basket?of currencies including the yen, the euro and others) rose by 0.18%, reaching 98.56. U.S. ECONOMIC DATA TO SET MARKET TONE Markets were buoyed by the expectation of interest rate reductions in the United States. Traders focused on the U.S. employment report due Friday. This will affect market expectations on monetary policy. According to LSEG, financial markets are pricing two Fed rate reductions this year. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10 year notes increased 2 basis points to 4.185% from 4.163% on Monday. U.S. crude dropped 0.27%, to $58.16 per barrel. Brent fell to $61.65 a barrel, down by 0.18%. Gold prices rose on Tuesday as demand for safe-haven assets boosted the price. Gold spot was up 0.9% to $4,486.12 an ounce at 11:54 am?ET (1654 GMT) after nearly 3% gains in the previous session. Nickel soared more than 9% and copper jumped to a new all-time peak, as concerns about supply fueled a rally early in the year for industrial metals.
Debby puts more than a foot of rain on coastal Georgia, South Carolina
Tropical Storm Debby inundated coastal Georgia and South Carolina with a deluge of rain that could flood Charleston, Savannah and other cities on Tuesday, a day after it slammed into Florida's Gulf Coast as a. typhoon.
At least six individuals have actually passed away in Florida and Georgia in the. wake of the storm, which is expected to stick around over the. southeastern and mid-Atlantic coasts for days.
Between 10 inches (25 cm) and 20 inches (51 cm) of rain was. expected to fall along parts of Georgia, South Carolina and. North Carolina through Friday and cause disastrous flooding,. the National Typhoon Center said. The governors of those. states have stated states of emergency situation.
The storm featured 45 mile-per-hour (72 km per hour) winds. as it moved gradually simply south of Savannah, Georgia, early on. Tuesday early morning. Heavy rains might trigger flooding in parts of. the mid-Atlantic through Sunday, the center said.
More than 8 inches (20 cm) of rain have actually already fallen on. Savannah and Valdosta, Georgia, the National Weather Service. said. Charleston and Hilton Head, South Carolina, have received. in between 10 and 12 inches (25 and 30 cm) of rain up until now, the. weather service said, with more en route.
In Savannah, it was boiling down hard outside the landmark. Bellwether House, a 16-room bed-and-breakfast in the city's. historic district, but general supervisor Victoria Hill was not too. worried.
This location was built in 1876, she said. It's built. rock-solid, and you can picture how many storms have actually struck over. the last century.
Hill said a lot of tourists canceled their bookings. since of the storm, however a handful of guests were remaining on.
We here, we're open and we're holding up. We'll all ride. this out together.
Charleston Mayor William Cogswell said more than 2 feet (61. cm) of rain is anticipated in his city before the storm passes. Even at low tide, storm rises of in between 4 and 6 feet (1.2 and. 1.8 meters) will prevent floodwaters from draining into the sea,. he said.
There are insufficient pumps on the planet to deal with that. much rain, Cogswell said late on Monday. He has actually considering that extended a. citywide curfew until Wednesday morning.
No one ought to be out on the streets in these conditions. unless it is an absolute emergency, the mayor said.
About 50 miles (80 km) west of Charleston, worries of a breach. at the McGrady Dam in Colleton County, part of the state's. Lowcountry, triggered the county sheriff's office to warn. locals to leave instantly on Tuesday morning.
Debby made landfall as a Category 1 typhoon in the Big. Bend region of Florida's Gulf Coast on Monday early morning, dumping 8. to 16 inches (20 to 41 cm) of rain in parts of central Florida,. according to regional reports. The storm has actually been blamed for 5. deaths in Florida and one near Valdosta, Georgia.
Nearly 110,000 clients were without power in Florida as of. Tuesday morning, according to poweroutage.us, down from a peak. of 350,000 on Monday. And more than 17,000 lacked power in. Georgia. Hundreds of flights to and from the state were. canceled.
Weather might spawn twisters too, according. to the National Hurricane Center. A thought twister flipped. over cars and harmed dining establishments in Moncks Corner, South. Carolina, about 30 miles (48 km) north of Charleston, early. Tuesday early morning. Mayor Thomas Hamilton Jr. stated there were minor. injuries.
The cyclone center stated Debby would slow down and move. east and off Georgia's shore on Tuesday before turning north and. drifting inland over South Carolina near Charleston on Thursday.
Vice President Kamala Harris delayed a presidential. project stop arranged this week in Savannah, the Savannah. Morning News reported.
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson stated the city might expect a. once in a thousand year rain event.
This will literally produce islands in the city, Johnson. said.
Cedrick King, a business person from coastal Brunswick,. Georgia, stated he and his family had left their personal belongings. on Tuesday and were all set to make the five-hour drive to. Atlanta.
We're headed north, far from this storm, he stated.
(source: Reuters)