With Warren Buffet announcing he will relinquish the role of chief executive officer at Berkshire Hathaway by the end of 2025, analysts appear divided over whether the development will have a long-term bearing on the Berkshire Hathaway stock.

While some market observers believe Buffett’s exit could erode Berkshire’s premium valuation over time, others remain confident in the company’s long-term prospects.

Berkshire stock had climbed around 20% this year through Friday, outperforming the broader S&P 500 index, which was down 3% in the same period.

The stock dropped sharply on Monday following the succession news and disappointing quarterly earnings.

Class A shares fell 4.4% to $773,493, while Class B shares declined 4.5% to $516.05.

In after hours trading on Monday, class A stock was up by 2.30%, while class B stock recovered by 0.3%.

The succession

Buffett announced his departure from executive leadership in a surprise declaration at the conclusion of the company’s annual meeting.

The 94-year-old investing legend recommended Greg Abel, the vice chairman overseeing Berkshire’s non-insurance operations, as his successor.

The Berkshire board of directors approved the transition plan on Sunday.

While Buffett will no longer serve as CEO after next year, Berkshire confirmed early Monday that he will remain chairman.

Buffett also said he expects to have an informal role at the company, acting as an advisor to Abel “when needed” starting in 2026.

Abel, who has been at the helm of Berkshire’s sprawling non-insurance businesses since 2018, is widely regarded as a steady hand and close confidant of Buffett.

His elevation had long been speculated, but the formal announcement ends years of uncertainty over the succession at one of America’s most closely watched conglomerates.

Q1 earnings miss, Berkshire’s high cash hoard raises questions

The decline in Berkshire Hathaway’s stock can be attributed, in large part, to Warren Buffett’s deep association with the company’s long-term success since investors have long viewed Buffett as integral to Berkshire’s identity and performance.

However, the company’s first-quarter earnings, coming in below expectations, also added pressure.

Berkshire reported operating profit of $6,073 per Class A share, trailing the consensus forecast of $7,077 and marking a decline of about 14% from the same quarter last year.

Additionally, Berkshire was a net seller of stocks during the quarter, offloading $4.7 billion while purchasing $3.2 billion, resulting in net sales of roughly $1.5 billion.

Its conservative capital deployment disappointed those who had anticipated Buffett would capitalize on recent market volatility.

Berkshire’s cash hoard continued to climb, reaching nearly $335 billion after accounting for the timing of Treasury bill purchases.

The massive war chest reflects Buffett’s continued struggle to find attractive investment opportunities in a market he deems overvalued.

KBW cuts EPS forecasts for on weak projections

This cautious stance, coupled with weaker earnings, led some analysts to temper their near-term expectations for Berkshire.

Meyer Shields of KBW lowered his 2025 and 2026 earnings forecasts by approximately 1.5% each, citing weaker projections across both insurance and non-insurance segments.

Shields wrote in a client note that profits fell short “in Primary and Reinsurance, Manufacturing, and Railroads, Utilities, and Energy, and other income, partly offset by outperformance in GEICO and Service and Retailing.”

He now expects 2025 earnings of $30,865 per Class A share and 2026 earnings of $32,605.

Shields maintained a “Market Perform” rating on the stock but increased his price target slightly from $730,000 to $735,000 per Class A share.

He wrote that the Berkshire valuation “very fully reflects its earnings prospects and balance sheet strength amidst ongoing macro uncertainty and the emerging management succession (which will probably impact investors’ view of Berkshire more than it will actual operations) in Mr. Buffett’s just-announced retirement plans.”

Doug Kass, president of Seabreeze Partners, urged caution, tweeting on Monday that “the company will likely — in the fullness of time — lose its premium valuation” without Buffett at the helm.

“Stated simply, don’t bottom fish in Berkshire Hathaway,” he wrote, adivising against buying the stock.

UBS expects “minimal disruption” from leadership change, stays bullish

In contrast, UBS analyst Brian Meredith maintained a bullish stance, reiterating a “Buy” rating and setting a price target of approximately $909,000 for Class A shares and $606 for Class B shares.

“While it is hard to imagine anyone with the investing talents of Buffett, the structural advantages of “permanent capital” and having the vast array of BRK’s business to gather information to aid investment decisions remains,” Meredith wrote.

Meredith expects minimal disruption from the leadership change, citing Berkshire’s stable mix of businesses and strong liquidity of around $347 billion in cash and short-term investments.

Meredith acknowledged the Q1 miss, driven by lower insurance investment income and softer manufacturing and retail results, but emphasized the strength of Berkshire’s insurance underwriting and operational resilience.

“Buffett leaves a company that is less reliant on his investing capabilities, with an array of leading businesses with strong cash flows,” Meredith wrote.

“Operationally, we expect little change at Berkshire.”

As Buffett prepares to pass the torch after nearly 60 years at the helm, investors will closely watch how the company navigates this historic transition—and whether Abel can command the same confidence in markets that Buffett has long inspired.

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European stock markets are poised for a subdued opening on Tuesday, signaling investor caution as focus shifts squarely onto a packed week of corporate earnings reports and upcoming central bank decisions.

After a mixed start to the week, market participants appear to be bracing for potentially impactful results from some of the continent’s largest companies.

Early indicators suggest a negative bias across major European bourses.

According to data from IG, the UK’s FTSE 100 is expected to open slightly lower by 3 points at 8,620.

More pronounced declines are anticipated elsewhere, with Germany’s DAX projected to fall 47 points to 23,284, France’s CAC 40 seen dipping 24 points to 7,708, and Italy’s FTSE MIB expected to start 32 points lower at 37,836.

This hesitant outlook follows a mixed session on Monday, where European bourses navigated the start of the week with UK markets closed for a public holiday.

Now, attention turns decisively to corporate performance.

A significant roster of companies is set to unveil quarterly results today (Tuesday), including Vestas Wind, AXA, Uniper, Ferrari, Hugo Boss, Covestro, Zalando, Telenor, Geberit, Philips, Intesa Sanpaolo, Continental, and Electronic Arts.

Later in the week, reports from giants like Novo Nordisk, BMW, Maersk, and Commerzbank will further shape the narrative.

Central banks and trade talks also in focus

Beyond corporate earnings, central bank activity commands significant attention this week.

Monetary policy decisions are due from Sweden’s Riksbank, Norway’s Norges Bank, and crucially, the Bank of England.

These announcements will be closely watched for insights into how policymakers are balancing inflation concerns against economic growth prospects.

Adding another layer is the ongoing assessment of global trade dynamics. Recent comments from US officials have hinted at progress, potentially injecting some optimism.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC Monday that the US was “very close to some deals,” echoing earlier remarks from President Donald Trump suggesting agreements could emerge soon.

Investors continue to monitor these developments closely for signs of de-escalation in tariff tensions.

Global cues and market indicators

The cautious European outlook follows mixed overnight activity in other regions.

Asia-Pacific markets saw mostly modest gains as investors digested the trade talk developments.

However, S&P 500 futures edged slightly lower early Tuesday, suggesting some hesitation on Wall Street ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s first policy meeting since President Trump announced sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs in early April.

While Fed funds futures indicate a very low probability (around 3.1%) of an actual interest rate cut at the conclusion of the meeting on Wednesday, investors will scrutinize Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s accompanying statement and press conference for any shifts in the central bank’s economic outlook and assessment of risks, including those potentially stemming from trade policy.

Reflecting the underlying uncertainty, spot gold prices edged higher again on Tuesday morning.

The precious metal, often sought as a hedge against instability, gained 0.83% to $3,361.90 per ounce by 9:32 a.m. Singapore time, supported by recent US dollar weakness and the persistent trade concerns.

As European traders settle in, the heavy flow of earnings reports will likely dominate direction, tested against the backdrop of central bank anticipation and the ever-present hum of global trade uncertainty.

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The FTSE 100 Index has rebounded in the past few weeks as investors bought the dip and as global stocks surged. It has risen in the last 15 consecutive days, its longest winning streak in years. This article lists some of the top FTSE Index shares that are leading the charge this year.

Top FTSE 100 shares of 2025

Most companies in the FTSE 100 Index have rallied this year even as concerns surrounding tariffs remain. 

Babcock International, a top player in the defense industry, is the best-performing company in the FTSE Index this year as it jumped by 67%.

Similarly, BAE Systems, another top player in the defense industry, has jumped by 54% this year. These firms have done well as investors focus on the rising defence spending in Europe and the United States.

Germany, a country that has always been conservative on spending, made headlines earlier this year when it voted to approve deficit spending worth billions of euros.

Other European countries like Italy, the UK, and France are all working to boost their defense spending, citing the unreliability of the United States under President Donald Trump.

Fresnillo stock has surged by 62% this year, making it the second-best-performing company in the FTSE 100 Index. This surge happened because of its industry since it is one of the biggest silver mining companies in the world. As such, its business is benefiting from the rising silver price, which has jumped to $33 from the year-to-date low of $28.

Silver has rallied because it is widely seen as gold’s small cousin. With the gold price rising, many people have moved to silver to benefit from its strong momentum.

Endeavor Mining share price has jumped by 45% this year, bringing the 12-month gains to 22%. Like Fresnillo, the Endeavor stock price is doing well because of its exposure to the commodity industry. The company is a top gold producer with mining operations in Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso. Its stock has soared because of the rising gold prices.

Other top FTSE Index top gainers

Coca-Cola share price has soared by 40% this year because the company is often seen as an all-weather player that does well in all market conditions. It is less exposed to Trump’s tariffs because most of its manufacturing is local and consumers always take its products.

Rolls-Royce’s share price has jumped by 37% this year as demand for its products and services has remained high. In its results last week, the management hinted that it will hit its annual profit and cash flow targets despite Trump’s tariffs.

Lloyds share price has soared by 30% this year, making it the best-performing bank stocks in the FTSE 100 index. This rally continued last week after it published strong earnings, helped by increased mortgage lending business. It has also largely settled the motor insurance claims that cost it over £1 billion last year.

The other top companies in the FTSE 100 Index are Prudential, Next PLC, Admiral Group, Aviva, NatWest Group, and BT Group.

Top laggard in the Footsie Index

Not all companies in the blue-chip Footsie Index have rallied this year. The top laggards in the index are WPP, Bunzl, Ashtead Group, Melrose Industries, JD Sports, Intercontinental Hotels, and Anglo American.

WPP, the biggest advertising agency in the world, has plunged by 30% this year as demand for advertising business waned. This demand may continue to wane as companies focus on cost savings because of Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Ashtead Group stock price has dropped by 18% this year as recession risks in the UK and the United States remain. Historically, equipment rental demand tends to wane when there is a downturn.

Looking ahead, the next important catalyst for the FTSE 100 Index will be the upcoming Bank of England interest rate decision. Analysts expect that the tariff issue will push the bank to cut interest rates by at least 0.25%.

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Warner Bros. Discovery stock price has crashed and is hovering near its all-time low of $6.68 after plunging to a high of $16.14 in 2023. 

The WBD share price continued its sell-off this week after Donald Trump announced new tariffs on all foreign-made movies that could affect some of its titles like Dune, A Minecraft Movie, Supergirl, and JJ Abrams’ Next Feature.

This article explores what to expect ahead of Warner Bros. Discovery earnings scheduled for later this week.

Warner Bro. Discovery is facing challenges 

The WBD stock price has retreated in the past few years as the company has started facing many challenges. Like other Hollywood studio company, it went through a prolonged strike that affected its slated productions and caused substantial losses.

It is also one of the most indebted companies in the media industry with over $36 billion in long-term debt, $6.9 billion in deferred tax liability, and $3 billion in capital leases. On top of this, the company has over $6.5 billion in other non-current liabilities.

Most importantly, Warner Bros. Discovery is one of the top companies in the television industry, where it owns companies like CNN, Discovery Channel, and OWN. All these brands are struggling to gain market share as demand for television content wanes and cable cutting continues.

WBD earnings ahead 

The next important catalyst for the WDD stock price will be the upcoming quarterly earnings, which will provide more color about the state of its business.

The most recent financial results showed that most of its business continued struggling in the last quarter.

Its total revenue dropped by 2% in the quarter to $10.0 billion as its advertising business plunged by 12%. This segment may continue struggling as companies lower their marketing budget because of Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The distribution business was flat, with its revenue remaining at $4.91 billion, while the content revenue fell by 2% to $2.90 billion.

Warner Bros. Discovery also reported a net loss of $200 million, which happened because of a $1.9 billion acquisition-related amortization and restructuring costs.

Analysts will be watching the upcoming financial results, which will come out on May 8. The expectation is that its revenue dropped by 3.65% in the first quarter to $9.59 billion.

Its loss-per-share are expected to come in at 13 cents, an improvement from the 40 cents it lost last year. Still, there is a likelihood that the earnings will be lower than expected since it has missed in two of the last two earning.

The 25 analysts tracked by Yahoo Finance expect that its annual revenue will be $38 billion, down by 1.47% from last year.

Analysts are largely bullish on WBD stock, pointing to its cheap valuation, potential for spinning off its television business, and its debt reduction measures. Some of the most bullish analysts are from companies like Wells Fargo, Keybanc, Barclays and Raymond James.

The average WBD stock price forecast by analysts is $13, up from the current $8.37.

Warner Bros stock price analysis 

The weekly chart shows that the WBD share price has remained under pressure in the past few years as it became one of the worst-performing companies in the media industry.

It has formed a descending triangle pattern whose lower side is at $6.97. This triangle is one of the most bearish patterns in the market.

WBD stock has formed below all moving averages. Therefore, the most likely scenario is where it crashes to the psychological point at $5, down by about 40% below the current level. A move above the upper side of the descending trendline will invalidate the bullish outlook.

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Bitcoin Pepe has surged past $7.5 million in its presale as of early May 2025, gaining traction amid a broader meme coin revival.

The Bitcoin-based project is positioning itself as a new player in the meme token sector, offering an alternative to Ethereum-based rivals like Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and PEPE.

With multiple presale stages completed, upcoming exchange listings, and a growing online community, Bitcoin Pepe is gathering momentum as it eyes the next phase of its roadmap.

Backed by a playful brand identity and layered technical plans, it aims to bridge meme culture with Bitcoin’s decentralised network.

Presale growth and price performance

The $BPEP token has increased in value over the course of nine presale stages, moving from an initial price of $0.021 to approximately $0.031—a nearly 47% rise.

This outpaced the percentage gains seen by major meme coins in April, with Bitcoin Pepe’s growth exceeding that of Shiba Inu and PEPE during the same period.

Bitcoin Pepe’s presale structure has drawn attention for its steady pricing strategy and high investor uptake. The project raised more than $1 million within the first few weeks and continued to attract capital throughout April.

While its token is not yet publicly traded, this presale momentum signals strong demand ahead of its upcoming exchange debut.

To expand its user base, Bitcoin Pepe has launched weekly giveaways of 1,000,000 $BPEP tokens, attracting new followers across social platforms.

Since its Twitter launch in January 2025, the project has amassed a following in the tens of thousands. It has also appointed a dedicated Head of Community to maintain engagement and host Telegram Q&A sessions.

Upcoming listing and technical roadmap

According to its roadmap, Bitcoin Pepe plans to list $BPEP on decentralised and centralised exchanges soon after the presale ends.

This will mark the first opportunity for public trading of the token and is expected to play a critical role in establishing its market presence.

Beyond listings, the project intends to launch a Bitcoin layer-2 bridge that enables low-fee transactions on its network.

A dedicated decentralised exchange will follow, aimed at supporting PEP-20 tokens—Bitcoin Pepe’s native standard for meme tokens on its ecosystem. These developments are intended to bring utility to the $BPEP token beyond its meme origins.

Comparing Bitcoin Pepe with rivals

Bitcoin Pepe’s rising popularity places it alongside other meme coins that have captured investor attention in recent years.

Dogecoin remains the largest meme token by market capitalisation, at around $26 billion, with consistent daily trading volume above $1 billion.

Shiba Inu holds a market cap near $8 billion and remains within the top 15 cryptocurrencies, while PEPE fluctuates around the $3 billion mark.

By contrast, Bitcoin Pepe is still in its infancy. Its current valuation, even on a fully diluted basis, remains significantly smaller. The project also lacks the large-scale trading volume of its competitors, although its presale growth hints at strong short-term interest.

While it has yet to establish a robust post-listing presence, Bitcoin Pepe’s unique positioning as a meme token on the Bitcoin network offers a point of differentiation.

As the crypto market continues to favour community-driven assets and meme culture coins, Bitcoin Pepe could emerge as a notable contender if it delivers on its promised features.

With a successful presale behind it and key milestones approaching, the project’s next phase will determine whether it can sustain its early momentum.

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