Business

Balancing NYC’s Budget | Seeking Alpha

Published

5 hours ago

18 February 2026

Listen on the go! A daily podcast of Wall Street Breakfast will be available by 8:00 a.m. on Seeking Alpha, iTunes, Spotify.

Good morning! Here’s the latest in trending:

AI moves: Meta (META) will deploy millions of Nvidia (NVDA) chips for its AI infrastructure. Meanwhile, Nvidia exited Arm Holdings (ARM).

13F review: Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) reveals new bet on New York Times (NYT) and slashes Amazon (AMZN) stake.

Trade deal: Japan is set to invest up to $36B in oil, gas and critical mineral projects in Texas, Ohio and Georgia. Here are the details.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has pitched hiking property taxes by 9.5% as “a last resort” to help close an estimated $5.4B two-year revenue shortfall, if his proposal to tax the rich falls through. The deadline to finalize the city budget is June 30, following which it would go into effect in July.

Dig deeper: Mamdani initially proposed raising personal income taxes on New Yorkers earning more than $1M annually and hiking taxes on the most profitable corporations. He said this is “the most sustainable and fairest” path to bridge the city’s budget gap, “ending the drain by fixing the imbalance between what the City provides the State and what we receive in return.” But this would require the approval of the governor and state legislature, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul has already opposed this proposal.

Because of this, Mamdani floated the property tax hike and drawing $1.2B from the city’s reserves to plug the budget gap. He said this would be a “more harmful” path that would burden working and middle-class New Yorkers. “We do not want to have to turn to such drastic measures to balance our budget,” the mayor said while announcing his $127B preliminary budget. “But, faced with no other choice, we will be forced to.” If the city’s property taxes were raised, it would be the first such hike in more than two decades. And this would likely lead to higher rents, as landlords pass through the costs to tenants, and may push businesses away from the city.

The pushback: Mamdani’s proposal came a day after Hochul announced that the state will allocate an additional $1.5B over two years to help address New York City’s fiscal challenges. Hochul, who is up for re-election this year, said she is not supportive of a property tax increase, but noted that the decision is up to the City Council and Mamdani. “That’s their prerogative to look at that as an option,” she added. The property tax hike would require approval from the city council, but two of its members rejected the proposal as it would “worsen the affordability crisis.” Mark Levine, the city’s comptroller, said the tax hike would be regressive, and drawing down reserves would leave New York City vulnerable to economic turbulence. (5 comments)

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Today’s Markets

In Asia, Japan +1%. Hong Kong closed. China closed. India +0.3%.
In Europe, at midday, London +1%. Paris +0.5%. Frankfurt +0.8%.
Futures at 7:00, Dow +0.4%. S&P +0.4%. Nasdaq +0.5%. Crude +1.9% to $63.41. Gold +0.6% to $4,932.80. Bitcoin -0.5% to $67,473.
Ten-year Treasury Yield unchanged at 4.07%.

On The Calendar

Companies reporting today include Occidental Petroleum (OXY) and Analog Devices (ADI).

See the full earnings calendar on Seeking Alpha, as well as today’s economic calendar.

Business

Dutch Speed Skating Star Captures Olympic Gold

Published

3 minutes ago

18 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Jutta Leerdam, the 27-year-old Dutch speed skater and social media sensation, delivered a standout performance at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, winning gold in the women’s 1000m with an Olympic record and silver in the 500m — her third career Olympic medal — while embracing her growing global spotlight to inspire young athletes.

Engaged to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul since March 2025, Leerdam has transcended traditional sports stardom with millions of followers, major brand deals and viral moments, including a post-race unzipping of her suit that sparked widespread media attention and potential seven-figure endorsement opportunities.

Here are 10 key things to know about Leerdam, whose achievements and off-ice influence have made her one of the most recognizable figures in winter sports.

Olympic Breakthrough at Milano Cortina 2026 Leerdam claimed her first Olympic gold in the women’s 1000m on Feb. 9, clocking an Olympic-record 1:12.31 to edge teammate Femke Kok (silver) and break the previous mark. She followed with silver in the 500m on Feb. 15 behind Kok, competing while battling illness — a feat she called “unbelievable” on Instagram.
From Beijing Silver to Triple Medalist Leerdam earned silver in the 1000m at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, her debut Games. The 2026 haul — gold and silver — brings her career Olympic tally to one gold and two silvers, establishing her as a dominant force in sprint distances.
World and European Champion Pedigree A two-time world single-distance champion in the 1000m (2020, 2023), Leerdam boasts 12 world championship medals, including six golds overall. She has also secured multiple European titles and consistent World Cup podiums, cementing her status in the Netherlands’ powerhouse speed skating program.
Late Start in Speed Skating Born Dec. 30, 1998, in ‘s-Gravenzande, Netherlands, Leerdam began speed skating at age 11 after playing field hockey. She quickly rose through junior ranks, debuting internationally at the 2017 World Junior Championships and turning pro in 2019.
Social Media Powerhouse With over 6.5 million Instagram followers and millions more on TikTok, Leerdam uses her platform to promote speed skating and inspire young girls. She has described social media as a tool to “show little girls they can do it too,” blending athletic content with personal life glimpses.
High-Profile Engagement to Jake Paul Leerdam became engaged to Jake Paul in March 2025. Paul has been a visible supporter at her races, including emotional reactions to her 2026 gold. The couple’s relationship has amplified her visibility, drawing crossover attention from boxing and influencer circles.
Viral Post-Race Moment Sparks Endorsement Buzz After her 1000m gold, Leerdam unzipped her FILA racing suit to reveal a Nike sports bra, a move that went viral and drew praise from the brand. Advertising experts estimate the exposure could net her up to $1 million in bonuses or future deals, highlighting her marketability.
Overcoming Challenges On and Off Ice Leerdam has navigated injuries, high expectations and public scrutiny, including a 2022 controversy over private jet use. Her resilience shone in 2026 when she raced the 500m while sick, posting, “I woke up sick yesterday. I don’t know how I pulled this off, but so happy I did!!!”
Redefining the Modern Female Athlete Leerdam balances elite performance with bold off-ice pursuits, including sportswear campaigns featuring lingerie-inspired pieces. Media outlets like Hola! praise her for redefining strength and femininity, merging athletic prowess with confident self-expression.
Inspiring the Next Generation Post-Olympics, Leerdam reflected on using her platform for positive impact. With her record-setting performances and massive following, she continues to grow the sport’s appeal, particularly among young women, as the Netherlands dominates speed skating on the world stage.

As Leerdam celebrates her 2026 triumphs and looks ahead, her blend of on-ice excellence and off-ice influence positions her as a defining figure in winter sports for years to come.

Business

Veradigm Inc. (MDRX) Discusses Strategic Reset, Product Portfolio Decisions and Growth Initiatives Transcript

Published

9 minutes ago

18 February 2026

NewsAdmin

OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Veradigm Inc. (MDRX) Discusses Strategic Reset, Product Portfolio Decisions and Growth Initiatives February 18, 2026 8:00 AM EST

Company Participants

Jenny Gelinas – Vice President of Investor Relations
Donald Trigg – Chief Executive Officer & Director
Leland Westerfield – Interim Chief Financial Officer

Conference Call Participants

Jeffrey Garro – Stephens Inc., Research Division
George Hill – Deutsche Bank AG, Research Division
Charles Rhyee – TD Cowen, Research Division
Eric Percher – Nephron Research LLC

Presentation

Operator

Greetings, and welcome to the Veradigm Update Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. I would now like to turn the call over to Jenny Gelinas, Vice President of Investor Relations. Thank you. You may begin.

Jenny Gelinas
Vice President of Investor Relations

Thank you very much. Good morning, and welcome to the Veradigm Update Conference Call. Our speakers today are Don Trigg, Veradigm’s Chief Executive Officer; and Lee Westerfield, our Interim Chief Officer.

We will be making a number of forward-looking statements during the presentation and Q&A part of the call. These statements are based on current expectations, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to vary materially of those reflected in the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to revise these forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events. Please refer to our releases and SEC filings for more information regarding the risk factors that may affect our results. All information presented today is estimated and unaudited.

We will start today’s meeting with remarks from Don, followed by a financial update from Lee. And with that, I’m going to hand the call over to Don.

Donald Trigg
Chief Executive Officer & Director

Thank you, Jenny. Good morning. On my first investor call in October, I committed to advance 3 strategic objectives in my first 100

Business

Mark Zuckerberg arrives to testify in social media addiction trial

Published

16 minutes ago

18 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Mark Zuckerberg arrives to testify in social media addiction trial

In one such case, 29 state attorney generals are pushing a California federal court to demand that the platforms make a number of changes immediately, before any trial, including forcing Meta to remove all accounts known to belong to users under 13 years of age.

Business

Hotel plans for Blackpool’s landmark former Post Office are still being considered

Published

23 minutes ago

18 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Blackpool Council bought the Grade II listed building in September

Richard Hunt and Local Democracy Reporter

17:00, 18 Feb 2026

Red telephone boxes outside the former Post Office in Abingdon street in Blackpool(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)

Proposals to transform part of Blackpool’s former Abingdon Street Post Office into a hotel are still being considered, it has been confirmed.

Owners Blackpool Council, who bought the Grade II listed building in September after previous hotel plans fell through, have given an update on current plans for it.

They include the possibilities of a 90-bedroom hotel which looks onto Edward Street, to the rear of the building, after sub-dividing the building.

Previously, ambitious £26m plans were being considered to develop the site as a high end 148-room Indigo Hotel , after exploration work undertaken by Ashall Hospitality (Blackpool) LLP, but that scheme was scrapped due to cost projections.

Now the council says alternative options are being actively explored to repurpose the long-vacant building in a way that both respects the heritage of the site and boost the town centre economy.

The scheme continues to be supported by £8million from the UK Government’s Capital Regeneration Funding (CRF) grant. In addition to the purchase of the iconic building, investment has been made through the Phase 1 viability stage, including detailed site condition information that will be vital in shaping future plans.

The authority is also taking into account way to step up security after youths managed to get onto the roof on a number of occasions, and also to carry out repairs after it became clear the building was deteriorating.

A Blackpool Council spokesperson said:”Blackpool Council acquired the former Post Office building in September 2025 using part of the £8m secured through the UK Government’s Capital Regeneration Fund, now known as the Local Regeneration Fund.

“Following an extended period of vacancy and deterioration, the acquisition represents a significant opportunity to unlock the redevelopment potential of this key town centre asset.

“Since completing the purchase, the Council has delivered a programme of initial improvement works.

“This has included clearing the courtyard and removing extensive internal debris, commissioning further surveys to inform future proposals, and undertaking a range of external improvements such as removing broken glazing, carrying out repairs, repainting doors and installing window vinyl wraps.

“Enhanced security measures have also been put in place to prevent trespass and safeguard the public.

“The council is now advancing plans for the site’s long-term redevelopment. Proposals include subdividing the property to accommodate a 90-bedroom hotel fronting Edward Street, alongside re-purposing the Abingdon Street building.

“The opportunity will be formally brought to the investment market in 2026, inviting partners to play a key role in the regeneration of this strategically important town centre asset.”

The former Post office was built in 1910 and designed in Renaissance style by architect Walter Pott.

But after the Post Office closed in 2007, this once busy hub of activity fell into disrepair. It is hoped that it can eventually be given a new lease of life.

Business

Coca-Cola to adapt via three principles

Published

30 minutes ago

18 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Growth strategy remains grounded in five pillars.

Business

Camtek Ltd. (CAMT) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript

Published

36 minutes ago

18 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Kenny Green
Investor Relations

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by. I would like to welcome all of you to Camtek’s Results Zoom Webinar. My name is Kenny Green, and I’m part of the Investor Relations team at Camtek. [Operator Instructions] I would like to remind everyone that this conference call is being recorded, and the recording will be available from the link in the earnings press release and on Camtek’s website from tomorrow. You should have all received by now the company’s press release. If not, please view it on the company’s website.

With me today on the call, we have Mr. Rafi Amit, CEO; Mr. Moshe Eisenberg, CFO; and Mr. Ramy Langer, COO. Rafi has a cold and has lost his voice. So Ramy will be providing the opening remarks followed by Moshe, who will then summarize the financial results of the quarter. Following that, we will open the call for the question-and-answer session.

Before we begin, I’d like to remind you that the statements made by management on this call will contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Those statements are subject to a range of changes, risks and uncertainties that