Business
(VIDEO) Stephen A. Smith Says Anyone Involved in Luka Doncic Trade Deserves to Be Fired

NEW YORK — ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith declared on “First Take” that anyone involved in the Dallas Mavericks’ trade of Luka Doncic deserves to lose their job, as the organization continues to face fallout from the February 2025 deal.
The Mavericks sent Doncic, along with Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, to the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team deal involving the Utah Jazz for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.
Smith made the comments during a segment discussing the recent firing of Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd. He stated that new team president Masai Ujiri made it clear that involvement in the trade would lead to consequences.
“And if we’re being honest, anybody who had something to do with that should lose their jobs,” Smith said on the May 20, 2026, broadcast.
The Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison earlier in the season following the trade. Harrison had acquired players including Kyrie Irving, Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington in prior moves and helped lead the team to the 2024 NBA Finals.
Kidd was fired on May 20, 2026. Smith noted that Kidd had publicly clarified he was not involved in the trade decision until the final stages, after former owner Mark Cuban accused him of awareness.
Smith acknowledged Harrison’s other contributions but said the executive “will forever be attached to this deal as one of the worst in NBA history.” He expressed skepticism about Harrison receiving strong future opportunities due to the trade’s long-term impact.
Doncic, now with the Lakers, has performed at an MVP-caliber level in the 2025-26 season. He averaged near 40 points over stretches before an injury. The 26-year-old signed a contract extension with Los Angeles through 2028.
Davis played 29 games for the Mavericks before being traded to the Washington Wizards in February 2026 in a multi-player deal. Dallas received Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III and multiple draft picks in that transaction.
The Mavericks selected Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after a lottery win. The team has focused its rebuild around the young forward.
Masai Ujiri joined the Mavericks as president of basketball operations. Reports indicate he sought authority to make personnel changes, including the decision on Kidd.
Smith highlighted the business implications of losing Doncic, describing him as a “global iconic figure” who helps sell franchises domestically and internationally.
The trade occurred on Feb. 1-2, 2025, and shocked the NBA with minimal prior leaks. Fan protests occurred in Dallas, and former Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki reacted with a sad-face emoji.
Mark Cuban, who sold his majority stake, has repeatedly stated he would not have approved the trade of Doncic.
The Mavericks reached the NBA Finals in 2024 with Doncic and Irving but have struggled in subsequent seasons. The team finished the 2025-26 regular season with a sub-.500 record.
Kidd coached the Mavericks since 2021 and helped develop young players, including giving significant responsibility to rookie Cooper Flagg. Smith credited Kidd and his staff for player development but noted broader issues tied to the trade.
Lakers fans and analysts have viewed the acquisition of Doncic as a major success. The team has competed strongly even in periods without LeBron James.
The Mavericks’ front office and ownership changes reflect an attempt to move past the trade. Ujiri’s arrival signals a new direction for the franchise.
Smith emphasized that the trade’s residue will affect reputations for years. He noted that while Harrison and Kidd had positive contributions elsewhere, the Doncic transaction defines their tenures with Dallas.
The 2026 NBA offseason will feature further roster construction for the Mavericks as they build around Flagg and address cap flexibility gained from recent moves.
Discussions around the trade continue to dominate NBA media coverage more than a year later. “First Take” segments have revisited the deal multiple times, including one-year anniversary reflections.
Doncic remains a leading MVP candidate when healthy and has thrived in Los Angeles alongside other stars. His departure from Dallas continues to be cited as one of the most controversial transactions in league history.
The Mavericks have not commented officially on Smith’s remarks. The organization focuses on its current rebuild and upcoming draft assets.
Business
LPP SA (LPPSY) Q1 2027 Earnings Call Transcript
Monika Wszeborowska
Good afternoon, Monika Wszeborowska. I would like to welcome you at the conference — LPP Conference results — on the results of the first quarter. With me here is Marcin Bojko, CFO; and Magdalena Kopaczewska, Investor Relations representative.
We presented the results from the first quarter, how they reflects the reality in our activity. We will talk about to you in a moment. We would like to present to you our plans for this year, but also we would like to refer to our plans for the next three years regarding our development, development of our stationary network.
During this meeting, we would like to present to you our financial goals for 2026 and ’27 and the entire meeting will end with Q&A. You can ask questions via chat that is visible on your screens. It’s already active, and it will be active till the end of today’s conference. After the conference, if you have any additional issues or questions, please contact our Investor Relations Department and lpp.investor.relations@lpp.com or via our media@lpp.com.
So let’s move on to the results from the first quarter. Thank you. Traditionally, the summary of the first quarter, let’s start with most important operational events. In the first quarter of ’26, we opened 121 new stores, 102 in Sinsay brand according to our plans for this time. At the same time, we spent already PLN 600 million (sic) [ PLN 562 million ] for investment within the first quarter. Close to PLN 3 million (sic) [ PLN 300 million ] was allocated for logistics.
This year is not going to be a record-breaking year, but constantly, we’ve been investing
Business
Vale’s top shareholder pushes for meeting on chairman’s removal

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Business
Tesla Shares Fall Nearly 4% to $381.59 as Investors Take Profits After Recent Rally
NEW YORK — Tesla Inc. shares declined sharply on Wednesday, closing down 3.80% at $381.59 as investors engaged in profit-taking following a strong run and amid ongoing caution around electric vehicle demand and execution risks on ambitious growth initiatives.
The move erased some of the recent gains that had pushed the stock higher on optimism about autonomous driving progress and energy storage momentum. In after-hours trading, shares slipped further to $378.78. Volume was elevated as traders reacted to broader market rotation and company-specific developments.
Tesla has been one of the market’s most volatile and closely watched names, with its performance heavily influenced by CEO Elon Musk’s vision for full self-driving technology, robotaxi services and expansion into robotics. While the company maintains leadership in the EV space, increasing competition and margin pressures have kept investors attentive to quarterly execution.
Recent Performance Drivers
Tesla delivered solid first-quarter results earlier in 2026, with energy storage deployments showing particularly strong growth. The Megapack business has become an important diversification pillar, helping offset softness in vehicle deliveries amid a challenging global EV market.
However, automotive margins have faced headwinds from price adjustments and increased competition from both traditional automakers and new entrants in China. Production ramps on newer models, including refreshed versions of existing lineups, remain critical to sustaining growth.
The stock’s recent rally had been fueled by positive sentiment around regulatory approvals for autonomous features and progress on the Optimus humanoid robot project. Wednesday’s pullback reflects typical consolidation after gains, with traders locking in profits ahead of upcoming catalysts.
Broader EV Market Context
The global electric vehicle sector continues expanding, though growth rates have moderated from pandemic-era peaks. Supply chain normalization, incentive phase-outs in some regions and higher interest rates have impacted affordability for many consumers. Tesla’s ability to maintain pricing power while scaling production remains a key focus for analysts.
In the United States, EV adoption faces headwinds from infrastructure gaps and varying state incentives. Internationally, China’s domestic market remains intensely competitive, with local manufacturers challenging Tesla’s position. Europe’s regulatory push toward electrification provides long-term support but has also introduced near-term volatility around tariffs and supply chains.
Autonomy and Robotics Ambitions
Tesla’s long-term valuation hinges heavily on success in full self-driving technology and robotaxi deployment. The company has made incremental progress on regulatory approvals and software improvements, though timelines for widespread commercialization have repeatedly shifted.
Musk has consistently emphasized that autonomy represents the company’s largest opportunity. Investors remain divided on near-term monetization potential versus the substantial research and development costs required to achieve it. The Optimus project adds another layer of speculative upside, with potential applications in manufacturing and service industries.
Energy Business as Growth Driver
The energy generation and storage segment has emerged as a bright spot, with Megapack deployments accelerating. This business benefits from global demand for grid stabilization and renewable integration, offering higher margins than the automotive side in recent periods.
Analysts project continued expansion in energy storage as utilities and commercial customers seek solutions for intermittent renewable power. This diversification helps mitigate risks tied solely to vehicle sales cycles.
Financial Position and Capital Allocation
Tesla maintains a strong balance sheet with significant cash reserves, providing flexibility for capital expenditures on new factories, technology development and potential acquisitions. The company has not paid dividends, focusing instead on reinvestment and occasional share buybacks during periods of market weakness.
Free cash flow generation has improved with operational efficiencies, though heavy spending on growth initiatives keeps the balance dynamic. Management has emphasized long-term value creation over short-term metrics, a strategy that has rewarded patient investors but contributed to volatility.
Analyst Perspectives
Wall Street consensus remains mixed but generally constructive on Tesla’s long-term potential. Several firms maintain Buy ratings, citing leadership in EVs, energy storage and autonomy. However, some analysts have expressed caution around valuation multiples and execution risks on ambitious timelines.
Price targets vary widely, reflecting differing views on the probability and timing of robotaxi and robotics revenue streams. Near-term focus centers on delivery numbers, margin trends and updates from the next earnings call.
Market Sentiment and Technical Factors
Tesla shares have shown classic meme-stock characteristics at times, with retail investor enthusiasm driving sharp moves. Institutional ownership remains significant, with many funds viewing it as a core growth holding in technology and clean energy portfolios.
Technically, the stock encountered resistance after recent gains, with Wednesday’s decline testing support levels. Options activity indicated active hedging and speculative positioning around key price points.
Investment Considerations
For investors, Tesla represents a high-risk, high-reward opportunity tied to disruptive innovation. The company’s brand strength, manufacturing scale and technology pipeline provide competitive advantages, but success depends on flawless execution across multiple frontiers simultaneously.
Risks include regulatory hurdles for autonomy, competitive intensity in EVs, supply chain disruptions and macroeconomic impacts on consumer spending. Long-term believers focus on the transformative potential of Musk’s vision, while skeptics highlight historical challenges in meeting ambitious targets.
Looking Ahead
The coming months will bring important updates on production ramps, regulatory progress and energy deployment figures. Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting and next earnings report will likely serve as key catalysts for sentiment.
As the EV transition accelerates globally, Tesla’s ability to maintain leadership while expanding into new areas will determine its trajectory. Wednesday’s decline represents normal market fluctuation in a volatile name rather than a fundamental shift, with the stock retaining appeal for growth-oriented investors comfortable with elevated risk.
The session’s trading activity reflected broader technology sector dynamics and profit-taking after recent strength. Market participants will continue monitoring Tesla closely for signals on demand trends, margin performance and strategic execution in the second half of 2026.
Tesla remains one of the most influential companies in the transition to sustainable energy and autonomous transportation. Its performance continues to shape investor narratives around innovation, execution and long-term disruption potential in the automotive and technology sectors.
Business
Trump Praises Citigroup Bankers in Post: ‘They’ve Worked Really Hard!’
Trump Praises Citigroup Bankers in Post: ‘They’ve Worked Really Hard!’
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Peru reviews contested ballots as Fujimori takes razor-thin lead

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Invesco Limited Term California Municipal Fund Q1 2026 Commentary (OLCAX)
Invesco is an independent investment management firm dedicated to delivering an investment experience that helps people get more out of life.Be the first to know! Sign up for Invesco US Blog and get expert investment views as they post.Disclosure for all Invesco US articles: Before investing, carefully read the prospectus and/or summary prospectus and carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. The information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation of the suitability of any investment strategy for a particular investor. Invesco does not provide tax advice. The tax information contained herein is general and is not exhaustive by nature. Federal and state tax laws are complex and constantly changing. Investors should always consult their own legal or tax professional for information concerning their individual situation. The opinions expressed are those of the authors, are based on current market conditions and are subject to change without notice. These opinions may differ from those of other Invesco investment professionals. NOT FDIC INSURED MAY LOSE VALUE NO BANK GUARANTEE All data provided by Invesco unless otherwise noted. Invesco Distributors, Inc. is the US distributor for Invesco Ltd.’s retail products and collective trust funds. Invesco Advisers, Inc. and other affiliated investment advisers mentioned provide investment advisory services and do not sell securities. Invesco Unit Investment Trusts are distributed by the sponsor, Invesco Capital Markets, Inc., and broker-dealers including Invesco Distributors, Inc. PowerShares® is a registered trademark of Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (Invesco PowerShares). Each entity is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Invesco Ltd. ©2015 Invesco Ltd. All rights reserved.
Business
US stocks | SpaceX IPO draws over $70 billion from retail investors ahead of record stock market debut
The strong retail participation comes ahead of what is set to become the largest IPO in history. SpaceX is scheduled to begin trading on Nasdaq on Friday under the ticker symbol SPCX after pricing its shares at $135 each.
The company is raising about $75 billion through the offering, which values the rocket and satellite communications company at roughly $1.77 trillion. At that valuation, SpaceX would rank among the ten most valuable listed companies in the United States.
Investor appetite for the offering has been strong. Reuters reported earlier this week that total demand for the IPO had crossed $250 billion, more than three times the shares available.
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One of the unusual features of the offering has been the large allocation earmarked for retail investors. Reuters had previously reported that SpaceX was considering setting aside as much as 30% of the issue for individual investors, a rare move for a mega IPO that is typically dominated by institutional buyers.
The offering consists entirely of newly issued shares, meaning all proceeds will go to the company rather than existing shareholders. Current investors are not selling stock in the IPO and will remain subject to lock-up restrictions after listing.The listing is being closely watched not only because of its size but also because it offers public investors their first opportunity to invest directly in what many consider the crown jewel of Musk’s business empire.
SpaceX has evolved far beyond its rocket-launch business. Its operations now span satellite broadband through Starlink, commercial space transportation, defence contracts and artificial intelligence infrastructure through xAI.
Despite the excitement surrounding the offering, the company remains loss-making. SpaceX reported revenue of $18.67 billion in 2025 while posting a net loss of $4.94 billion. Investors are betting that future growth from Starlink, launch services, AI infrastructure and defence-related businesses will justify the company’s lofty valuation.
Catch the latest US Stocks Live Updates
The IPO is also expected to benefit from recent changes to US index rules. Nasdaq now allows large-cap IPOs to enter the Nasdaq-100 index after just 15 trading days, potentially creating additional demand from passive funds that track the benchmark.
For Indian investors, direct participation in the IPO was largely unavailable because the US book-building process does not offer a mechanism similar to India’s ASBA system. However, they will be able to buy SpaceX shares after listing through international investing platforms and GIFT City’s NSE IX platform.
Business
Sebi proposes common price-band mechanism for stocks listed on multiple exchanges
In a consultation paper released on Thursday, the market regulator said it has observed instances where illiquid stocks develop significantly different prices across exchanges because circuit limits continue to be calculated using stale closing prices on exchanges where no trading occurs.
Currently, stock exchanges independently apply price bands based on their own previous closing prices. While this works smoothly for actively traded stocks, SEBI noted that it can create distortions in stocks that do not trade on one exchange for several days.
The regulator illustrated a scenario where a stock continues to hit upper circuits and gain value on one exchange, while remaining stuck within an outdated price band on another exchange due to lack of trading. Over time, this can lead to substantial price divergence between the same stock across exchanges and may even result in non-trading on one platform.
To address the issue, Sebi has proposed a harmonised framework for determining both the base price used in the pre-open call auction session and the applicable price bands.
Under the proposal, if a stock trades on all exchanges or remains untraded on all exchanges on a particular day, each exchange will continue using its own latest closing price for calculating the next day’s price band.
However, if a stock trades on only one exchange, all other exchanges where the stock did not trade will be required to adopt the closing price from the exchange where trading occurred for setting the next day’s price bands and pre-open session base price.In cases where a stock trades on two or more exchanges but remains untraded on one or more others, the exchanges without trading activity will use the closing price from the exchange that recorded the highest trading volume in that stock.
The proposals stem from recommendations made by Sebi’s Secondary Market Advisory Committee (SMAC), which discussed the issue during its April 2026 meeting.
Sebi has also proposed that stock exchanges enter into agreements or other arrangements to facilitate the sharing of closing-price data and ensure smooth implementation of the framework.
The regulator said the move is intended to improve price discovery and prevent unnecessary price distortions in stocks listed on multiple trading venues.
Public comments on the consultation paper have been invited until July 2.
Business
LARRY KUDLOW: Trump’s Secret Sauce
FOX Business host Larry Kudlow discusses the commander-in-chief’s handling of the Middle East conflict on ‘Kudlow.’
High drama today as President Trump called off the Iranian bombing and announced that a deal with Iran is imminent from his Truth Social posting that “Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved.” That’s America, Israel, Iran and all of the Gulf states involved in the war.
The president spoke about this today at the White House: “The Strait will officially open as soon as we sign, which could be soon. Very soon, maybe over the weekend in Europe.”
Stock markets soared; oil prices fell. Mr. Trump also noted on his Truth Social that “the Naval Blockade will remain in full force and effect until this Transaction is finalized.”
And my great hope is that no money is given to Iran for a long time, until they prove that their behavior is changing. And frankly, while I applaud President Trump’s diplomatic endeavors — such as negotiating with bombs — I have nothing but skepticism about Iran following through on their promises.
Just yesterday, the United Nation’s nuclear watchdog blasted Iran for failing to allow inspection and verification of their weapons and their weapons-grade uranium. That’s an old story.
And Mr. Trump, in whatever the deal turns out to be, is surely going to want complete denuclearization, some kind of end to their enriched uranium, as well as reopening the strait toll free and an end to Iran’s state sponsorship of terrorism in Israel and throughout the Middle East.
Fox News contributor Liz Peek and Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., speak on President Trump’s push for the third reconciliation bill on ‘Kudlow.’
As President Reagan always said, trust but verify. And as both Reagan and Mr. Trump believe, peace through strength.
Meanwhile, one of the really neat developing stories, regardless of any Iranian deal, is Mr. Trump’s secret supply of oil tankers going through presumably the Oman Channel of the Hormuz Strait.
As Mr. Trump said yesterday and has corroborated by a number of oil watchdogs, some 200 ships transited the strait for a total of about 100 million barrels of oil over the past month.
That comes to about 3 million barrels per day. Recall that world oil supply and demand intersect at about 100 million barrels per day.
And the prior closing of the Strait took about 20 percent, or about 20 million barrels per day, off the market. So the supply shortages drove oil prices way up.
Yet this story is surreptitiously changing. Mr. Trump riffed about it earlier today: “Over the last month, we’ve been, taking our ships, big ships, quietly at night. You guys didn’t know that? Pretty cool. Right? As a captain, he knows about more about ships than I do. But it’s pretty cool. He turned off the lights.”
Mr. Trump added: “We bombed their radar and everything so they couldn’t see what was going on. And we took out, some nights, 25 ships, some nights, 15 days. Last 4 or 5 nights we did 25, 22, 21, 26, 18 and 14. Who else would remember those numbers? Nobody.” It’s “a lot of ships,” he concluded.
Podcast host Ben Ferguson discusses President Donald Trump nomination of Jay Clayton, former SEC chairman and current U.S. Attorney, as director of national intelligence on ‘Kudlow.’
It’s a great story. Now administration sources tell me about a dozen ships per night are being moved through the strait. I’m doing some arithmetic now — that’s 360 a month.
Using the same ratio of the first month’s secret passage, that will get us about 180 million additional barrels of oil which would come to roughly 6 million barrels a day. That’s big stuff. Remember we’re 20 million barrels short because of the closing of the Strait.
Now last month’s 3 million barrel, perhaps this month’s 6 million barrels, that’s 9 million additional barrels per day to reduce the 20 million barrel shortfall.
These extra oil supplies are bringing oil prices down in the market place and will continue on a steady basis if it keeps up. Gasoline prices will be following in tow.
It’s a silver lining for the temporary inflation bulge. And it’s gonna make stocks strong and over time, interest rates softer.
Mr. Trump’s secret sauce. Think of it.
Business
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