Apple is preparing to unveil its first foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at a Sept. 9 event, and mounting leaks suggest the standard Pro models could actually outperform the pricier foldable device, widely expected to be called the iPhone Ultra, in several meaningful ways.

Apple confirmed its fall product event this week with a media invitation carrying the tagline “Surprise and shine,” alongside rumors that the company will unveil three flagship devices this September rather than the usual four-model iPhone lineup: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the company’s long-rumored foldable. Reports suggest the base iPhone 18 and a lower-cost iPhone 18e will instead arrive in spring 2027, a departure from Apple’s traditional September release pattern.

The first advantage centers on the camera. According to a report from 9to5Mac, the iPhone 18 Pro line is expected to gain a variable-aperture main camera, a feature that would let users manually adjust how much light reaches the sensor, potentially improving Portrait mode results and offering greater control over depth of field along with meaningful gains in low-light photography. Multiple outlets, including the technology site Gotechtor, have reported that the foldable iPhone is not expected to receive the same hardware, largely because the components required for variable aperture are believed to be too large to fit inside the device’s notably thin body.

A second advantage involves optical zoom. Current reports indicate the foldable iPhone will ship with only two rear cameras, a main sensor and an ultrawide lens, while the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to retain a dedicated telephoto lens as part of their triple-camera systems. That would leave Apple’s most expensive iPhone without true optical zoom capability, a notable gap for a flagship-priced device that could push buyers who prioritize zoom photography toward the standard Pro models instead.

Battery life represents a third area where the Pro line is expected to have an edge. According to 9to5Mac, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is rumored to receive a physical battery roughly 10% larger than the one in the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and it is expected to benefit further from efficiency improvements tied to Apple’s new A20 Pro chip and its in-house C2 modem. While regulatory filings suggest the foldable iPhone should still offer solid battery performance for its category, most reports agree the Pro Max’s combination of a larger physical battery and chip-level efficiency gains should make it the longest-lasting iPhone Apple has ever released, a benchmark the foldable’s unique thin-and-light form factor makes difficult to match.

A fourth potential advantage involves biometric security. Multiple outlets, including Tom’s Guide, have reported that the foldable iPhone may forgo Face ID entirely in favor of Touch ID built into its power button, a design choice likely driven by the challenge of fitting Face ID’s sensor array into such a thin device. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, by contrast, are expected to retain Face ID, preserving the more familiar unlocking and authentication experience current iPhone Pro owners are accustomed to.

Raw processing performance provides a fifth point of separation. According to Tom’s Guide, the foldable iPhone is rumored to use a standard A20 chip rather than the more powerful A20 Pro variant found in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, even though both chips are expected to be built on the same advanced 2-nanometer manufacturing process, which industry reports suggest could deliver roughly a 15% improvement in processing speed and a 20% boost in efficiency compared with the current generation.

These reported trade-offs come as the foldable iPhone is expected to command a substantially higher price than the Pro lineup, with multiple outlets estimating a starting price near 2,000 dollars, nearly double what the iPhone 17 Pro Max currently costs. Design-wise, the foldable is rumored to open in a book-style format with a titanium frame, an outer display measuring roughly 5.3 to 5.5 inches, and an inner display around 7.6 to 7.8 inches when unfolded, aiming for an iPad-like 4:3 aspect ratio and a display Apple hopes will be nearly free of the visible crease common to other foldable phones on the market.

Apple has not confirmed any of these specifications ahead of its Sept. 9 event, and the company’s official presentation remains the only source that will resolve the current wave of speculation. For consumers weighing whether the novelty of a folding screen justifies the foldable’s expected premium, however, current leaks suggest the more traditional iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could actually deliver stronger cameras, longer battery life, familiar biometric security and faster raw performance, at a considerably lower price than Apple’s most ambitious device to date.

A new randomized clinical trial from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that a ketogenic diet outperformed two other widely recommended eating plans at reversing prediabetes and reducing fat buildup in the liver, even when all three diets produced identical amounts of weight loss.

The study, published Aug. 27 in the journal Cell Metabolism, compared a low-carbohydrate, high-fat ketogenic diet against a high-carbohydrate, low-fat, plant-forward diet and a Mediterranean diet that balanced the two approaches. Researchers randomly assigned 55 adults with what they described as metabolically unhealthy obesity, meaning obesity accompanied by prediabetes and fatty liver disease, to follow one of the three diets for approximately five months. Participants received all of their food throughout the study and met weekly with a study dietitian to support adherence to their assigned plan.

Across all three diet groups, participants lost a comparable amount of weight, shedding roughly 10% of their starting body weight, and saw insulin sensitivity in their muscle cells improve by about 50% from baseline. According to the study’s senior author, Dr. Samuel Klein, the Danforth Professor of Medicine and Nutritional Science at WashU Medicine, that consistency suggests weight loss itself, rather than the specific balance of fat and carbohydrates used to achieve it, was the key driver behind the improvement in muscle insulin sensitivity. “For patients with obesity, prediabetes and fatty liver disease, weight loss induced by a very low-carbohydrate diet provides additional therapeutic effects on glucose and lipid metabolism that should further help prevent the progression to more severe metabolic diseases than weight loss alone,” Klein said. “But all three diets, despite vastly different macronutrient makeups, from very low carbohydrates to very high carbohydrates, successfully improved metabolic health through weight loss alone.”

The results diverged sharply, however, when it came to liver health. The research team found that insulin sensitivity in liver cells, which governs how effectively the liver suppresses glucose production, improved two to three times more among participants on the ketogenic diet compared with those on the other two plans, even though all three groups showed some improvement. The ketogenic diet also reduced fat stored inside the liver by 67% after five months, compared with a 45% reduction on the other two diets.

Study first author Dr. Max C. Petersen, an assistant professor of medicine in WashU Medicine’s John T. Milliken Department of Medicine, said the findings carry significant implications given how widespread fatty liver disease has become. “Fatty liver disease affects about 75% of adults with obesity worldwide and has become the fastest-growing cause of chronic liver disease and liver cirrhosis,” Petersen said. “Our study shows that for people with obesity and fatty liver disease, a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet could help reduce that statistic.”

Blood sugar control also improved more substantially among participants following the ketogenic diet. Researchers measured a 20% reduction in 24-hour blood glucose levels from baseline among the low-carbohydrate group, compared with an 8% reduction among participants on the other two diets. Insulin levels throughout the day fell by 74% on the ketogenic diet, compared with declines of 44% on the Mediterranean diet and 27% on the high-carbohydrate diet, a pattern the researchers said reflects reduced demand on the pancreas to produce insulin when carbohydrate intake is sharply limited.

The difference in outcomes was most striking when it came to reversing prediabetes entirely. Half of the participants assigned to the low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet reversed their prediabetes by the end of the study, compared with 29% of those on the Mediterranean diet and just 7% of those on the high-carbohydrate, plant-forward diet.

Petersen noted that the findings remain relevant even as GLP-1 medications, a class of drugs that includes semaglutide and other treatments widely used for weight loss, have become an increasingly common tool for managing obesity and its associated health risks. “Many metabolically unhealthy patients also are candidates for GLP-1 medicines, which have been very useful tools for helping people lose weight,” Petersen said. “But our results show that choice of diet remains important because it has an impact on specific health outcomes that go beyond weight loss alone.”

Obesity affects roughly four in 10 Americans, according to the study, and frequently coexists with metabolic complications including insulin resistance, prediabetes and fatty liver buildup, conditions that can progress over time to Type 2 diabetes, chronic liver disease and cardiovascular events if left untreated. While weight loss has long been established as the most effective overall strategy for reducing these risks, researchers said it has remained unclear until now which specific dietary approach, in terms of its balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates, produces the greatest improvement in underlying metabolic health markers beyond weight loss alone.

The research team, which also included Dr. Gordon I. Smith, an associate professor of medicine at WashU Medicine, said future studies will examine the underlying biological mechanisms responsible for the metabolic benefits observed with weight loss, including how those mechanisms may interact with the growing use of GLP-1 medications in clinical practice. As with any nutrition research involving significant dietary changes, individuals considering major shifts to their eating patterns, particularly those managing existing health conditions, are generally advised to consult a physician or registered dietitian before beginning a new diet plan.

HARMONY, N.C. — Health officials in North Carolina are asking anyone who touched baby goats from a mobile petting zoo to contact their local health department after laboratory tests confirmed rabies in several of the animals.

The goats belonged to Farm Adventures, based in Iredell County. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said people may have been exposed at the farm’s Harmony site or at off-site events between July 28 and Aug. 27. Three kids tested positive at the State Laboratory of Public Health. A fourth was not tested but is assumed to have been infected. All four were euthanized.

Officials said there is no wide public threat. “There is not a broad risk to the public — only those who attended events at the mobile petting zoo and were in close contact with the goats are at risk,” the department said.

The animals were most likely infected by a skunk that entered their pen in late July. State health and agriculture agencies were notified Aug. 27. Testing results came back Aug. 28. Investigators later concluded that no other animals on the farm pose a rabies risk to people.

Baby goats are often bottle-fed, held and cuddled, which raises the chance of saliva contact. “Because baby goats are frequently bottle-fed, handled closely, or cuddled, public health officials are working proactively to ensure anyone who had direct contact with the affected animals is evaluated,” the state health department said.

The zoo took the animals to events that included children and older adults. Known sites include Jurney’s Assisted Living in Statesville on July 28; a private event in Mecklenburg County on July 30; the Community Connections Back-to-School Bash at Breeden Amphitheater in Lexington on Aug. 1; a private event near Boone in Watauga County on Aug. 8; a private event on Miller Mills Road in Hickory, Burke County, on Aug. 9; the Masonic Picnic in Mocksville; and additional private gatherings in Iredell and Durham counties later in August. Organizers are being notified as lists are completed.

Mecklenburg County Health Director Kimberly Scott said residents should not wait to feel sick. “Residents should not wait for symptoms before calling,” she said. “What’s important is that we don’t wait for the onset of symptoms when it is more difficult to treat and often most fatal.”

Scott told reporters that county teams are still compiling how many people may have been reached and that hospitals appear to have enough postexposure prophylaxis on hand, with plans to obtain more if needed.

Farm Adventures identified the goats as Molly, Maggie, Cow and Uno. In a social media post the owners wrote that their “4 precious baby goats have been euthanized to prevent further spread” and that staff would monitor remaining animals under official guidance. The kids had been kept apart because they were too young to vaccinate.

Owner Misty Love told CNN she is cooperating. “I care about my community, and I care about my customers,” she said. “If my customers that saw my animals have questions, I’m going to be there for them.”

Love said a wild skunk was found in the enclosure on July 29 and was shot and burned. She said the goats did not appear bitten and showed no signs of illness at first. One died Aug. 19. Another became sick the next day and was euthanized. A necropsy confirmed infection. A farm post also said that during removal of the skunk, “the skunk was able to bite the goats,” and that owners had “no clue” at the time.

North Carolina has not reported a human rabies case since 2011. Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says fewer than 10 human deaths are reported in a typical year. The virus spreads mainly through saliva, usually from a bite, though scratches or contact with mucous membranes can also transmit it. Incubation can last weeks to months. Once symptoms appear — often flu-like illness, then neurological decline — the disease is almost always fatal. Treatment given before symptoms, known as postexposure prophylaxis, is highly effective.

Livestock present a lower risk than wild carnivores or bats, officials said, but close handling changes the calculation. Skunks, raccoons, bats and foxes account for most animal rabies in the state. In 2025, about 6 percent of more than 4,000 animals submitted for testing were positive.

County health departments have opened extra phone lines. Davidson County directed Lexington event-goers to a call center. Rowan County asked anyone who touched, held or fed the kids to call even if no event has been confirmed inside that county. Catawba County noted the Hickory-area date and asked residents who may have crossed the county line to check in.

The investigation remains open. Officials are matching booking calendars with attendance lists and advising people to call their health department before walking into an emergency room, so staff can assess risk and direct them if shots are needed.

For families who stood in line at a back-to-school bash or an assisted-living visit, the message is narrow and urgent: if you handled those four goats in that one-month window, pick up the phone. Rabies is rare. Waiting for a fever is not the plan.

This article was written by

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of RIET, HOMZ, IRET, ALL HOLDINGS IN THE IREIT+HOYA PORTFOLIOS either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Hoya Capital Research & Index Innovations (“Hoya Capital”) is an affiliate of Hoya Capital Real Estate, a registered investment advisory firm based in Rowayton, Connecticut, that provides investment advisory services to ETFs, individuals, and institutions. Hoya Capital Research & Index Innovations provides non-advisory services, including market commentary, research, and index administration focused on publicly traded securities in the real estate industry. This published commentary is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing on this site nor any commentary published by Hoya Capital is intended to be investment, tax, or legal advice or an offer to buy or sell securities. This commentary is impersonal and should not be considered a recommendation that any particular security, portfolio of securities, or investment strategy is suitable for any specific individual, nor should it be viewed as a solicitation or offer for any advisory service offered by Hoya Capital Real Estate. Please consult with your investment, tax, or legal adviser regarding your individual circumstances before investing. The views and opinions in all published commentary are as of the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy, and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Any market data quoted represents past performance, which is no guarantee of future results. There is no guarantee that any historical trend illustrated herein will be repeated in the future, and there is no way to predict precisely when such a trend will begin. There is no guarantee that any outlook made in this commentary will be realized. Readers should understand that investing involves risk, and loss of principal is possible. Investments in real estate companies and/or housing industry companies involve unique risks, as do investments in ETFs. The information presented does not reflect the performance of any fund or other account managed or serviced by Hoya Capital Real Estate. An investor cannot invest directly in an index, and index performance does not reflect the deduction of any fees, expenses, or taxes. Hoya Capital Real Estate and Hoya Capital Research & Index Innovations have no business relationship with any company discussed or mentioned and never receive compensation from any company discussed or mentioned. Hoya Capital Real Estate, its affiliates, and/or its clients and/or its employees may hold positions in securities or funds discussed on this website and in our published commentary. A complete list of holdings and additional important disclosures is available at www.HoyaCapital.com.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

After a bruising week that wiped out more than Rs 6,000 from gold prices, commodity markets are heading into September with traders bracing for another bout of volatility as US jobs data and geopolitical tensions take centrestage, analysts said.

Investors will focus on manufacturing and services PMI data from major economies, including India. Inflation figures from Eurozone and Germany, and US non-farm payroll data due towards the end of the week will also be closely tracked, they added.

“The coming week is likely to remain highly volatile, with market participants attempting to price in the probability of a September Federal Reserve policy change,” Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst – Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities, said.

Gold futures for October delivery on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) tumbled Rs 6,157, or 3.8 per cent, last week to Rs 1.56 lakh per 10 grams, while silver futures for September contract plunged Rs 9,893, or 4 per cent, to Rs 2.36 lakh per kilogram.

“MCX Gold witnessed a sharp correction last week, falling from around Rs 1.63 lakh to Rs 1.56 lakh per 10 grams, resulting in a decline of nearly over Rs 6,000 from the weekly peak and a negative weekly closing of more than 3 per cent,” Trivedi said.

Pranav Mer, Senior Vice President, EBG – Commodity & Currency Research, JM Financial Services Ltd, said selling pressure intensified on Friday following Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s speech, with his commentary on inflation and monetary policy triggering profit booking across bullion markets.
In international markets, Comex gold futures for December delivery declined USD 150.7, or 3.2 per cent, to settle the week at USD 4,680.6 per ounce. Silver futures fell USD 2.56, or 3.64 per cent, to USD 67.78 per ounce.Going into the new month, markets will closely track US labour-market indicators, including non-farm payrolls, unemployment data, and ADP non-farm employment change, which could influence the Federal Reserve’s decision-making ahead of its September meeting, Mer said.

Geopolitical developments could add another layer of uncertainty. Traders will continue to monitor the US-Iran conflict, while developments around the Strait of Hormuz remain important for oil prices and inflation expectations.

Despite the correction, silver outperformed gold in August, gaining around 21 per cent against yellow metal’s 15.7 per cent, Gaurav Garg, Head of Research at Lemonn Markets Desk, said.

Trivedi said, “The combination of dollar movement, labour-market data, Fed expectations and geopolitical headlines is likely to determine whether gold stabilises after the recent correction or enters another phase of profit booking.”

After slipping around 1% in August and failing to reclaim its 200-day moving average, Nifty may be undergoing accumulation rather than entering a deeper correction, as long as the crucial 24,000 support holds, according to Anand James, Chief Market Strategist at Geojit Investments.

James sees a breakout above 24,500 opening the door to 24,900–25,100 and eventually 25,500, while a breach of 24,000 could drag the index towards 23,700. For the week ahead, he has picked Ather Energy and Nazara Technologies as his top buy ideas. Edited excerpts from a chat:

Nifty has fallen around 1% in August and retreated from its early-month high of 24,774. Does the chart indicate routine consolidation, accumulation or the beginning of a deeper correction?

After a clean breakdown below the 200-day SMA in late February, Nifty took multiple months to get back to and retest this key long-term moving average. The attempt in early August was unsuccessful, but after a nearly 3% pullback from the 200-day SMA, the downside stalled. We prefer to mark this as an accumulation phase unless a breakdown below 24,000 unfolds.

Nifty has repeatedly struggled to sustain recoveries despite receiving support near 24,000. What are the decisive breakout and breakdown levels that could determine its September trajectory?

Nifty remains stuck in a broad consolidation range, with buying interest emerging near 24,000 but lacking the strength to sustain a meaningful recovery. The daily chart shows the index holding above a rising trendline support around 24,000-24,050, while repeated failures near 24,450-24,500 highlight strong overhead resistance.
A decisive breakout above 24,500 would signal renewed bullish momentum and could pave the way for an advance towards 24,900-25,100, followed by 25,500. However, momentum indicators remain cautious, with the RSI hovering near the neutral zone and the MACD staying in negative territory. On the downside, 24,000 remains a critical support level. A sustained break below this zone and the rising trendline would indicate a weakening market structure, potentially triggering a decline towards 23,700, with further downside risk extending to 23,400-23,200.Therefore, 24,500 on the upside and 24,000 on the downside are the key levels that could determine Nifty’s directional bias and trajectory in September.

What do rollover data, open-interest shifts, implied volatility and the put-call ratio after monthly expiry indicate about positioning in the September series?

The weekly options data for the September series suggests a cautiously positive undertone, though traders remain wary of strong resistance levels ahead.

The key takeaway is the sharp build-up in put open interest at the 24,000, 24,050 and 24,100 strikes. The 24,100 Put holds the highest open interest, followed by the 24,000 Put, highlighting these levels as an important support zone. Notably, the rise in both put open interest and premiums points to fresh put accumulation and hedging activity, reflecting caution among participants rather than outright bullishness.

On the call side, the largest open interest is concentrated at the 24,200, 24,300 and 24,500 strikes. Fresh call additions across these strikes indicate that traders expect rallies to face resistance unless Nifty stages a decisive breakout.

Implied volatility has firmed up after expiry, suggesting expectations of higher market swings in the new series. The put-call open interest structure shows strong support around 24,000–24,100 and resistance in the 24,200–24,500 zone.

Overall, the September series begins with positioning suggesting a likely range between 24,000 and 24,300 in the near term. A decisive move above 24,300–24,500 could trigger short covering, paving the way for a rally towards 24,900–25,100. Conversely, a break below 24,000 would weaken the bullish setup and could invite fresh downside pressure towards 23,800–23,700 levels, where traders have added shorts in puts.

Welspun Corp and Ather Energy were among the biggest winners in August. What are the odds of the uptrend continuing?

Both are poised for further upside, but volume oscillators suggest that Ather has momentum in its favour at the moment, while Welspun needs a period of consolidation to mature before the next breakout unfolds.

Give us your top ideas of the week

ATHERNERG (LTP: 1,616)

View: Buy

Target: 1,700

SL: 1,560

Ather Energy continues to exhibit a strong bullish structure, maintaining a steady uptrend since March. The stock has recently witnessed a break of structure on the daily chart, indicating a resumption of upward momentum following a brief consolidation phase. Friday’s strong bullish Marubozu candle reflects aggressive buying interest and reinforces the positive price action.

Momentum indicators are also turning supportive. The MACD is on the verge of a bullish signal crossover, which could further strengthen the ongoing upmove. Meanwhile, the RSI remains elevated around 70, highlighting strong momentum and sustained demand. Despite the sharp rise, the stock has managed to maintain its higher-high and higher-low formation, suggesting that the prevailing trend remains intact.

As long as ATHERNERG sustains above 1,560, the bullish setup is likely to remain valid. The recent breakout and improving momentum indicators support the possibility of an advance towards 1,700 in the near term.

NAZARA (LTP: 374)

View: Buy

Target: 405

SL: 364

Nazara Technologies continues to maintain a positive trend after being in a sustained uptrend since March. The stock witnessed a fresh break of structure on Friday after being in a narrow range for most of this month, indicating a continuation of the prevailing bullish momentum and signalling the potential for further upside. The move is backed by a notable multi-week volume breakout, highlighting strong market participation and adding credibility to the breakout.

Momentum indicators are also turning supportive. The daily MACD has delivered a bullish signal crossover, suggesting strengthening momentum after a period of consolidation. Additionally, the RSI has moved above its moving average, reflecting improving buying strength and a positive shift in sentiment. The stock is currently trading above key support levels and sustaining its higher-high, higher-low structure.

As long as NAZARA holds above 364, the bullish setup remains intact. The combination of a structural breakout, improving momentum indicators and strong volume participation favours a move towards 405 in the near term.