Unilever shares fell 3.5% on Wednesday with investors concerned that the maker of Hellmann’s sauces would get “distracted” by the potential spin-off of its food business, questioning the benefits so soon after its protracted ice cream unit split. Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday that Unilever is in the early stages of weighing a separation ‌of its food ⁠assets, citing people ⁠familiar with the matter. The news comes just months after Unilever separated from its ice cream brands, which listed as The Magnum Ice Cream Company in December, nearly two years after the spin-off was first announced.

“(CEO Fernando Fernandez) needs another year under his belt before he looks at splitting off food; geopolitical issues consumers are facing also need to calm down,” Barclays analyst Warren Ackerman said. Fernandez took the helm at Unilever just over a year ago after the ouster of his predecessor, Hein Schumacher. Sources told Reuters at the ⁠time that ‌the board hoped Fernandez would quickly streamline Unilever’s sprawling portfolio.

Shares of rival consumer firms, including Reckitt and Nestle, also fell on Wednesday.

Unilever declined to comment.

Unilever’s food business, which also makes ⁠Knorr bouillon cubes and Marmite spreads, reported an operating profit of 2.9 billion euros ($3.34 billion) last year. Barclays values the food business at as much as 10 times EBITDA, or roughly 30 billion euros.

“Demerging food is not straightforward as there are significant tax costs and lower economies of scale in emerging markets,” W1M portfolio manager Tineke Frikkee said. “There is also then the risk Unilever may buy something to replace sales or profits and the debate around over-the-counter healthcare may resurface.”
That said, investors have for years pushed for the company to sell its low-growth food business, where underlying ‌sales rose only 2.5% last year and weighed on business growth. In comparison, Unilever’s beauty and wellbeing unit that makes Dove soap and Vaseline moisturisers grew underlying sales by 4.3%. The food business, though higher-margin than the beauty and ⁠wellbeing business, does not meet Unilever’s short-term goal to grow underlying sales by 4-6% each year. Billionaire activist shareholder Nelson Peltz was revealed to have a stake in Unilever in 2022, and the subsequent restructuring that ripped through the company has prompted the departure of two CEOs and the sale of several smaller food brands like The Vegetarian Butcher, as well as the ice-cream spin-off.

“This is a time of GLP-1, anti-packaged food – the U.S. food industry has been anaemic for years,” Ackerman said, adding that household and personal goods brands also fare better because companies can more easily argue their increasingly expensive products are scientifically better than cheaper private label alternatives.

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. 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.

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.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday that it was “too soon” to assess the economic consequences of the ongoing war in Iran.

“The implications of events in the Middle East for the U.S. economy are uncertain. In the near term, higher energy prices will push up overall inflation, but it is too soon to know the scope and duration of the potential effects on the economy. We will continue to monitor the risks to both sides of our mandate,” Powell said.

He said the broader economic fallout remains uncertain, though rising energy costs are likely to lift inflation in the near term.

“The U.S. economy is doing pretty well. It’s just we don’t know what the effects of this will be. And really, no one does,” Powell said.

TRUMP DEMANDS POWELL CUT RATES AS IRAN CONFLICT DRIVES UP ENERGY PRICES

Powell’s comments came as tit-for-tat strikes in Iran and across the Middle East helped push crude above $100 a barrel for the first time since 2022, rattling global markets and renewing concerns about tighter energy supplies.

That pressure is beginning to reach consumers. As oil prices climb, gasoline and diesel prices are also rising — especially diesel, which often moves faster because of its close ties to freight and industrial demand.

GAS PRICES SURGE, PINCHING AMERICANS AND HANDING THE GOP A NEW MIDTERM HEADACHE

Fed policymakers voted to leave the benchmark federal funds rate unchanged at a range of 3.5% to 3.75%. The decision followed the central bank’s move in January to hold rates steady after three successive quarter-point cuts in September, October and December.

Economic data showing a slowdown in the labor market, inflation still running above the Fed’s 2% target and unrest involving Iran all helped keep policymakers on hold.

CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO

The Federal Open Market Committee voted 11-1 to leave rates unchanged, with Fed Governor Stephen Miran dissenting in favor of a 25-basis-point cut.

For President Donald Trump, the timing is politically difficult.

He campaigned on lowering costs for Americans, but the conflict involving Iran now threatens to do the opposite — driving up energy prices and putting fresh pressure on one of his core economic promises.

TUCSON, Ariz. — Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie, remains missing more than six weeks after authorities say she was taken against her will from her home in the Catalina Foothills outside Tucson in the early morning hours of Feb. 1, 2026.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has described the case as an abduction, citing evidence that the longtime Tucson resident — who lived alone, relied on daily heart medications and had a pacemaker — did not leave voluntarily. Her purse, phone, wallet and vehicle were left behind inside the residence, along with droplets of blood confirmed to be hers near the front entrance and porch. No signs of a major struggle were reported.

Guthrie was last seen by family on the evening of Jan. 31. She took an Uber to daughter Annie Cioni’s nearby home around 5:32 p.m. for dinner and games, then was dropped off by her son-in-law shortly before 10 p.m. She entered through the garage, which closed behind her. A narrow 41-minute window in the predawn hours is believed to be when she vanished, roughly four hours after returning home. She failed to appear for a virtual church service the next morning, prompting family and friends to report her missing that afternoon.

Investigators recovered doorbell camera footage and additional still images from Nest and other security devices at the property. The material shows a masked male suspect — wearing a balaclava, dark clothing, gloves and carrying a backpack — approaching the front door on the night of the disappearance. In one sequence, the individual appears to tamper with the camera. Authorities have described him as the prime person of interest and released the images publicly, urging anyone with information to come forward. A neighbor later reported seeing an unidentified man casing the area weeks earlier who “didn’t fit in the community.”

The high-profile case, fueled by Savannah Guthrie’s national visibility as co-host of the “Today” show, has drawn intense media attention and more than 3,000 tips to law enforcement. The FBI joined the investigation early, establishing a dedicated task force and offering rewards that now total up to $1 million from the family — payable for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s safe recovery or the arrest and conviction of those responsible — alongside federal contributions.

Multiple purported ransom notes surfaced in the days after the disappearance, including emails to local media outlets demanding large sums, some referencing Bitcoin or tight deadlines. At least one led to a federal arrest, though authorities have not publicly linked any suspect directly to the abduction or confirmed the notes’ authenticity in every instance. Speculation about motives — from a targeted home invasion to possible elder-related exploitation — has circulated, but officials have released limited details to protect the active probe.

Searches have been extensive. Hundreds of law enforcement personnel, including FBI agents, have combed the rugged desert terrain around Tucson and beyond. Technology such as BlueFly signal detection was reportedly used in efforts to locate signals from Guthrie’s pacemaker. Specific cell-tower coordinates in neighboring counties prompted ground searches for possible remains, though none linked to Guthrie were found. Unverified reports of bodies discovered elsewhere, including in canals or ponds, were quickly ruled out as unrelated.

As the search entered its seventh week in mid-March 2026, the FBI noted that the volume of tips to its dedicated line had tapered after an initial surge, a common pattern in prolonged missing-persons investigations. However, a full-time task force remains operational, and officials emphasize that the case is far from cold. Retired FBI agents familiar with the probe have called it “red hot” with ongoing actionable leads, forensic analysis of blood patterns, digital evidence and neighborhood canvassing that recently expanded to review surveillance from as early as Jan. 24 — about a week before the disappearance.

Pima County Sheriff Nanos has faced public criticism and a recall effort over the pace of the investigation and perceived transparency issues, including the timing of evidence releases. He has vowed to abide by the outcome of any recall while defending the multi-agency effort and stating the home was likely targeted. Construction or utility workers who had been at the property prior to the incident were questioned and cleared in some reports. The sheriff has repeatedly said the family — including Savannah, Annie and son Camron Guthrie — has been fully cooperative and ruled out as suspects.

Savannah Guthrie has made emotional public appeals, including video messages posted to social media pleading for her mother’s return and offering the substantial reward. In one, she said, “Someone knows how to find our mom and bring her home.” She briefly returned to the “Today” show set in early March after weeks away. The family has described Nancy Guthrie as a devoted mother and grandmother who was active in her church community despite mobility limitations.

Experts have noted the case’s rarity. Abductions of women in their 80s represent a tiny fraction of kidnapping statistics, making the circumstances particularly puzzling. The combination of an elderly victim, apparent home invasion in an affluent, secluded area, blood evidence, camera tampering and ransom demands has set it apart from typical missing-persons reports and amplified national interest.

Nancy Guthrie, née Long, was widowed since the death of her husband Charles in 1988. She had three children and lived independently in the Catalina Foothills, a suburban enclave north of Tucson known for its desert views and privacy. Her health required consistent medication, raising urgent concerns among investigators that time is critical.

As of March 18, 2026, her whereabouts and condition remain unknown. Law enforcement continues to process forensic evidence, analyze newly recovered camera images from the neighborhood and property, and pursue leads door-to-door. Officials stress that anyone with information — even seemingly minor details about suspicious activity in the weeks before Feb. 1 — should contact authorities immediately.

The FBI tip line is 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Tips can also be submitted online or to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900. Anonymous reports are accepted via 88-CRIME (520-882-7463). The family has encouraged digital media such as doorbell or dashcam footage from the area.

The investigation remains active, with no arrests announced in connection with the abduction itself. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that the suspect could strike again and continue to ask the public for help solving what Sheriff Nanos has called a targeted crime that has upended a family and captivated the nation.

(Word count: approximately 1,050. This article incorporates the most recent publicly reported developments as of mid-March 2026, including expanded camera reviews, ongoing tip analysis, reward offers and the status of the multi-agency probe.)

Operator

Good morning. My name is Ina, and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to the High Tide First Fiscal Quarter 2026 Unaudited Financial and Operational Results Conference Call.

[Operator Instructions]

Mr. Brownlee, you may begin your conference.

Carter Brownlee
Communications & Public Affairs Advisor

Thank you, operator. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to High Tide Inc.’s quarterly earnings call. Joining me on the call today are Mr. Raj Grover, President and Chief Executive Officer; and Mr. Mayank Mahajan, Chief Financial Officer.

On March 17, 2026, the company released financial and operational results for the fiscal quarter that ended January 31, 2026. Before we begin, please let me remind you that during the course of this conference call, High Tide’s management may make statements, including with respect to management’s expectations or estimates of future performance. All such statements other than statements of historical facts constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of the applicable securities laws and are based on assumptions, expectations, estimates and projections as of the date hereof.

Specific forward-looking statements include, without limitation, all disclosures regarding future results of operations, economic conditions and anticipated courses of action. For more information on the company’s risks and uncertainties related to forward-looking statements, please refer

This article was written by

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. 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.

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.

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — Skywatchers across much of the northern United States and Canada have a prime opportunity to witness the northern lights, or aurora borealis, tonight into early Friday morning as a powerful geomagnetic storm impacts Earth, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

The SWPC issued a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm watch for March 19 (UTC), which corresponds to late March 18 and early March 19 local time in North America. Forecasters note a chance of conditions escalating to G3 (strong), potentially pushing visible aurora displays farther south than usual. Multiple coronal mass ejections from the sun, detected earlier this week, are expected to arrive, triggering enhanced geomagnetic activity.

The storm’s effects could begin as early as 11 p.m. EDT on March 18 (0300 GMT March 19), with peak moderate G2 conditions most likely between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. EDT (0600-1200 GMT). The Kp index, a measure of global geomagnetic activity on a scale of 0 to 9, is forecasted to reach around 6 or higher during the peak, expanding the auroral oval southward.

Under these conditions, the aurora viewline — the southernmost boundary for visibility — stretches across states including Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. If G3 levels materialize, sightings become possible low on the northern horizon from northern parts of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island — a rare treat for mid-latitude observers.

In stronger displays, the lights may appear as faint green glows or low horizon bands, sometimes more vivid through long-exposure cameras than to the naked eye. Overhead or colorful pillars are more likely in higher-latitude regions like Alaska or northern Canada.

The best viewing windows fall between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, though activity can persist or shift. Clear, dark skies away from light pollution are essential. NOAA recommends checking real-time updates on its Aurora Dashboard for the latest OVATION model predictions, which map the aurora’s intensity and location over North America.

Prime locations for tonight include:

– **Alaska**: Fairbanks and Utqiaġvik offer overhead displays under moderate activity. The Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks provides live all-sky cameras for remote monitoring.

– **Northern U.S. states**: Head to rural areas or state parks with northern views. In Wisconsin, spots like Newport State Park in Ellison Bay, Harrington Beach State Park near Belgium, or Kettle Moraine State Forest provide minimal light pollution. Similar dark-sky sites in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, or Maine’s Acadia National Park (away from town lights) boost chances.

– **Pacific Northwest**: Northern Washington and Idaho, such as areas near the Canadian border or high-elevation spots in the Cascades or Rockies, could see low northern horizon glows.

– **Northeast**: Vermont, New Hampshire and upstate New York offer potential, especially from elevated viewpoints facing north.

Viewers should dress warmly, allow eyes to adjust to darkness for 20-30 minutes, and face north. Apps like Aurora Forecast or spaceweatherlive.com provide alerts, while NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast offers short-term predictions.

This event stems from heightened solar activity during Solar Cycle 25’s peak years (2024-2026), when coronal mass ejections occur more frequently. March often ranks among the best months for aurora due to equinox-aligned geomagnetic responsiveness.

The moon, in a waning gibbous phase, rises later, leaving early evening skies darker for optimal viewing if clouds cooperate. Forecasters warn of potential power grid stress or communication disruptions from the storm, though impacts remain minor at G2-G3 levels.

If tonight’s skies are overcast, activity may linger into March 20, with G1 conditions possible. Aurora enthusiasts are advised to monitor NOAA’s 3-day forecast and local weather for cloud cover.

The northern lights, caused by charged solar particles exciting atmospheric gases, create shimmering curtains of green, purple and red. Tonight’s storm offers one of the season’s strongest chances for widespread sightings in the lower 48 states, a reminder of the sun’s influence on Earth’s skies.

Advertising technology firm Trade Desk’s shares tumbled on Wednesday as Wall Street analysts downgraded the stock after French ad giant Publicis Groupe advised its clients against using the company’s platform.

The stock slid over 5%, adding to Tuesday’s 7.4% drop following Ad Age’s report on a recent Publicis-commissioned audit ‌that found ⁠Trade Desk ⁠had violated multiple clauses of their agreement, prompting the recommendation.

Trade Desk charged multiple fees that exceeded the limits of the agreement and opted clients into extra features without consent, the report said, citing the audit.

Publicis, in an emailed statement on Wednesday, confirmed the report, saying that “an experienced independent auditor concluded that Trade Desk did not pass the audit. As a result, we will no longer be recommending Trade ⁠Desk … for ‌our clients.”

Unlike the closed ad ecosystems of Alphabet’s Google and Meta-owned Facebook, Trade Desk is an independent intermediary that lets companies buy ads ⁠and run campaigns on any website or app they pick.

Trade Desk said it is “aware of questions related to a Publicis audit process.” But it added that “any notion that TTD failed an audit is not true.”
Publicis’ request “included asks for data that would violate customer and partner confidentiality agreements,” Trade Desk said, but added that it would work with the company to provide workable alternatives and other detailed information. Publicis, however, said that none of ‌the options proposed by Trade Desk resolved the issues raised by the audit.

At least two brokerages downgraded Trade Desk following the news, while three lowered their price targets. ⁠The stock has fallen nearly 34.7% this year, following a 68% decline in 2025.

“We’re not quite sure how conservative current 2026 estimates might be if the company does, in fact, lose some of its client base as a result of this audit,” brokerage Stifel said.

The company faces stiff competition from so-called “walled gardens” that integrate content, commerce and user data to attract advertisers. Amazon’s ad-buying platform, in particular, with its vast trove of shopper data, has become a formidable rival.