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Healthwatch

Safe, Joyful Movement For People Of All Weights

A simple word we all hear often — exercise — makes many people cringe. Unhappy childhood memories of school sports or gym classes, flat-out physical discomfort, guilty reluctance, or trouble finding time or pleasurable activities may help explain this. Additionally, for some people with obesity, fear of falling or injury is a high barrier to activity, recent research suggests.

That finding has important implications for health and well-being. So, how can we make movement safe and joyful for people of all weights?

Why be active?

As you may know, being physically active helps combat anxiety and depression. It prevents bone from thinning and tones muscle, helps you sleep better, lowers your blood pressure and blood sugar, and improves your cholesterol levels. It would take numerous medications to do all that routine physical activity can do for you.

Weight loss programs often incorporate exercise. Research shows that exercise helps with weight maintenance and may help with weight loss. Beyond burning calories, regular exercise also builds muscle mass. This matters because muscles are metabolically active, releasing proteins that play a role in decreasing appetite and food intake.

What does this study tell us?

The study found that many people with obesity fear injury and falling, which interferes with willingness to exercise. It followed 292 participants enrolled in an eight-week medical weight loss program in Sydney, Australia. All met criteria for obesity or severe obesity. The average age was 49; one-third of participants were male and two-thirds were female.

At the beginning of the study, participants filled out a 12-question injury perception survey. The majority reported fear of injury or falling, and believed their weight made injury more likely to occur. One-third said that their fear stopped them from exercising. The researchers also recorded weight, height, and waist circumference, and administered strength tests during the first, fourth, and last sessions.

When the study ended, the researchers found that the participants most concerned about getting injured hadn't lost as much weight as those who did not express this fear. Those who hadn't lost as much weight also tended to have the highest scores of depression, anxiety, and sleepiness.

Fear of injury fuels a dangerous cycle

As noted, exercise is healthy at every weight: it protects your heart, lowers your blood sugar, boosts your mood, and tamps down anxiety. It also builds balance. Weight-bearing exercise such as walking prevents bone thinning.

If worries about injury or falls cause people to avoid exercise, they miss out on the balance-building, muscle-and-bone-strengthening, and mood-enhancing benefits of regular activity. They may be more likely to fall — and possibly more likely to experience fractures if they do.

Find a blend of activities that will work for you

Everyone, at every weight, needs to find ways to exercise safely, confidently, and joyfully.

Start low and go slow. If you're not currently active, start by simply sitting less and standing more. Try walking for two minutes every half hour. If you're afraid of falling, try walking in place or alongside a friend or loved one who can provide security and comfort.

Ask for guidance. Consider joining a YMCA where you can engage in supervised activities, or ask your doctor for a prescription to physical therapy to help you improve your balance and build your confidence.

Try different activities to see what works for you. Walking is a simple, healthful activity, but it's not the only form of activity you can try. You might enjoy swimming or water aerobics. Try pedaling a seated bike or an arm bike (upper body ergometer) that allows you to stay seated while you propel pedals with your arms instead of your feet. Adaptive activities and sports designed for people with physical limitations and disabilities are an option, too. Depending on your fitness level and interests, you might also consider dancing, biking, or anything else that gets you moving more often.

Lastly, keep in mind that many people suffer from anxiety, and a fear of falling is not insurmountable. If you're really struggling, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.

Source: Harvard Health Publishing

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Investopedia

Investors Expect The Best From Nvidia Earnings—What That Could Mean For The Stock

Nvidia (NVDA) shares gained in intraday trading Monday ahead of the chipmaker's highly anticipated first-quarter earnings report due after the bell on Wednesday.

Analysts lifted their estimates ahead of Wednesday's report, though some raised concerns that investors' expectations of the chipmaker could be even higher, potentially leading to a big move in Nvidia's stock price after the company's earnings announcement.

Nvidia shares were up 2.4% to $947.10 around 1:40 p.m. ET Monday, and have nearly doubled in value since the start of the year.

Ahead of Nvidia's earnings announcement Wednesday, analysts lifted their expectations of the chipmaker, according to consensus estimates compiled by Visible Alpha. Analysts indicated they now anticipate Nvidia's revenue to come in at $24.74 billion, while net income is seen at $12.91 billion or $5.19 per share, with all three figures up slightly from last week's projections.

Higher expectations for Nvidia's results have led some analysts to raise their price targets for the stock as well, with Barclays analysts on Monday bumping their price target for the stock to $1,100 from $850, saying their checks suggest an upside of more than $1 billion for the first quarter and a $2 billion upside in the July quarter.

Stifel analysts also increased their price objective to $1,085 from $910, calling the chipmaker a “top pick relative to the AI infrastructure investment theme.”

Bank of America analysts reported that based on talks with investors, "expectations seem well-above consensus estimates as usual."

They said bullish investors expect first-quarter revenue of $26 billion, ahead of analysts' estimates, and for guidance to be close to $28 billion for the July quarter. In comparison, consensus estimates compiled by Visible Alpha show analysts project second-quarter revenue of $26.96 billion.

Given investors' high expectations, analysts raised concerns that an earnings beat alone might not be enough to impress investors. "Even if NVDA were to potentially deliver on these bullish expectations, the stock could still react unfavorably," Bank of America analysts wrote.

Susquehanna analysts indicated that while they expect "another strong report" from the chipmaker, they noted due to "elevated expectations as the sell-side has ratcheted July/2024 estimates," Nvidia could need "at least a $1.5B beat" for a muted reaction.

Pricing in the options market suggests traders are expecting shares could move around 10% in either direction.

Significant movement before and after an earnings report has been the norm for Nvidia in recent quarters. Nvidia shares had dropped ahead of the company's earnings report in February, and gained more than 9% in extended trading after results beat estimates. The earnings announcement sent Nvidia's market capitalization above $2 trillion in the following days.

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Investopedia

What You Need To Know Ahead Of Big Canadian Bank Earnings Reports

Several of Canada's largest banks report earnings over the rest of the month, with Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) opening the cycle Thursday, followed by others including Bank of Montreal (BMO), Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS), Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM), and Royal Bank of Canada (RY).

In a note last Friday, Bank of America Securities analysts maintained "buy" ratings on the stocks of Bank of Montreal and Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), with "neutral" ratings on TD, Bank of Nova Scotia, and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.

The analysts wrote that macroeconomic conditions are leading many investors to remain cautious toward bank stocks, given an uncertain inflationary and interest rate environment in the U.S. and elsewhere.

As with the earnings of a number of the biggest U.S. banks last month, the Federal Reserve's decision to postpone rate cuts until inflation reaches the central bank's preferred level could cause some uncertainty for this month's Canadian earnings reports, as well as projections for the rest of 2024.

"The market’s expectations for interest rate cuts have evolved significantly," Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) analysts wrote in a note last Thursday. "A higher-for-longer scenario has become a higher-probability scenario, particularly in the U.S."

"On April 30, the market was pricing in 0-1 rate cuts in the U.S. by the September meeting, while expectations in Canada still hovered around 1-2 rate cuts. We have revised our NIM (net interest margin) assumptions, particularly for F2025, to assume fewer rate cuts," the CIBC analysts said.

Another hurdle the CIBC and Bank of America analysts wrote about is the rise in credit card balances, which has been accompanied by higher delinquency rates. Recent data revealed that a growing number of people are carrying more credit card debt than any time since 2011.

In Canada, CIBC analysts noted that recent research shows renters hold 60% of all outstanding non-mortgage debt, but represent "close to 85% of serious delinquencies," suggesting that those who own a home are more likely to be in a relatively secure financial position.

The Bank of America analysts noted multiple acquisitions that some of the Canadian banks have made recently will be a focus for investors, as the institutions could provide updates along with their earnings reports on the integration process along with other timing details for when systems will be merged.

The analysts noted that RBC is likely to provide new information on its acquisition of HSBC Bank Canada, which was completed March 28, in terms of an overall timeline for when the combination of the banks' systems will be complete, and when HSBC will start adding to RBC's financial performance.

At least one bank in the group, TD, also has another layer of regulatory concern that investors will be watching for more detail.

Earlier this month, reported that a U.S. Justice Department probe into whether the anti-money laundering (AML) practices of multiple banks, including TD, may have failed to prevent laundering in multiple instances, including with money related to illegal drug sales in the U.S.

TD previously disclosed that it was a subject of probes into its anti-money laundering policies, but not that any of the probes involved drug money. Investors likely will be seeking more information on how long the investigations will take to resolve, as well as what impact they could have on TD's business.

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Investopedia

Video Game Maker Keywords Studios Soars After EQT Takeover Talks

London-listed Keywords Studios surged 60% in intraday trading Monday after the video game maker said it was "in advanced discussions" to be acquired by private equity firm EQT for 25.50 British pounds per share.

The potential takeover would value the company at GBP2.03 billion ($2.58 billion), according to , and would mark the latest loss to the London Stock Exchange of a key company. British chip designer Arm Holdings (ARM) left the London bourse and began trading on the Nasdaq last September, and its American depositary receipts (ADRs) have nearly doubled since.

This follows "four previous unsolicited proposals from EQT in recent months, which the Board rejected, and represents a significant increase from the initial proposal," Keywords Studios said.

The possible offer translates to a premium of 73% over Keywords' closing share price of GBP14.70 on Friday.

Keywords said its board would recommend the EQT bid if a firm offer is announced. Under British law, EQT has until June 15 to either make a firm offer or walk away, the statement said.

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Investopedia

5 Things To Know Before The Stock Market Opens

Metals prices are soaring, with gold and copper hitting records and silver breaching multi-year highs; U.S. stock futures are rising after the Dow closed over the 40,000 threshold Friday; Palo Alto Networks (PANW) is expected to post gains in fiscal third-quarter results after the closing bell; Li Auto (LI) shares are slumping in premarket trading after the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer posted a 36% drop in first-quarter profit; and Johnson Controls (JCI) is on the rise on a report that Elliott Investment Management has taken a stake in the company. Here’s what investors need to know today.

Metals prices are soaring as investors pile into safe-haven commodities following the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash. Gold is surging beyond its April record, while silver also is gaining after it climbed to an 11-year high above the closely watched psychological $30 mark. Copper, meanwhile, continues to rise after hitting record highs last week. Also boosting the metals is the softness in the U.S. dollar, which makes these dollar-denominated metals cheaper for foreign buyers, as well as their utilities in industrial applications. Silver is highly conductive, for instance, which gives it many industrial uses, while gold’s durability also has utility in areas like dentistry. Copper, meanwhile, has gained from rising demand for artificial intelligence (AI), which feeds on power from increasingly large data centers that commonly use copper wiring.

U.S. stock futures are rising in premarket trading, with the Dow—which notched its first close in history above 40,000 points on Friday—set for more gains as investors increasingly expect the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. Recent data has shown that inflation is cooling, which may prompt sooner-rather-than later policy easing by the Fed, which has said it wants to see price pressures decrease before lowering interest rates. Remarks due by Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic and Fed Vice Chair Michael S. Barr today could offer insights into how officials are looking at inflation.

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) is expected to post year-over-year gains in fiscal third-quarter results after the closing bell today, although investors’ sights will be on its sales after the cybersecurity company earlier lowered its outlook amid consumer “spending fatigue.”  The cybersecurity company could also provide updates on its "platformization" strategy in its efforts to become a "one-stop shop" for cybersecurity. Analysts project Palo Alto Networks' third-quarter revenue to rise to $1.97 billion from $1.72 billion in the same period in 2023, and diluted earnings per share (EPS) of 40 cents, up from 31 cents last year.

American depositary receipts (ADRs) of Li Auto (LI) are down more than 4% in premarket trading after the Chinese EV manufacturer posted a 36% year-over-year drop in first-quarter net income as it lowered car prices. The company said its profit attributed to shareholders was 592.6 million yuan ($82.0 million), versus CNY929.7 million in the same period last year, and well below analysts’ forecasts of CNY1.63 billion. Revenue was up, however, by 36% at CNY25.63 billion, including a 32% jump in vehicle sales to CNY24.3 billion. “The increase in revenue from vehicle sales over the first quarter of 2023 was mainly attributable to the increase in vehicle deliveries, partially offset by the lower average selling price due to different product mix and pricing strategy changes between two quarters,” Li Auto said.

Shares in Johnson Controls International (JCI) rose 5% in premarket trading after  reported late Sunday that activist investor Elliott Investment Management has taken a significant stake in the industrial conglomerate. The New York-based hedge fund has built a position in the company valued at over $1 billion, though the intentions for taking the stake couldn’t be immediately learned, the report said. Elliott’s investment in Johnson Controls comes several months after reports surfaced that the industrial conglomerate was considering divesting several non-core businesses.

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Investopedia

Price Of Silver Has Climbed To 11-Year High Above $30—Watch This Key Chart Level

Silver (SILVER) remains in focus on Monday after the metal climbed to an 11-year high above the closely watched psychological $30 mark, benefiting from its safe-haven characteristics, softness in the U.S. dollar, and utility as an industrial application.

With no end in sight to the conflict in the Middle East and Russia’s war on Ukraine, investors continue to bid up silver prices, along with the value of other precious metals, as they seek assets to hedge against ongoing geopolitical uncertainty. This narrative will likely carry into this week on news that a helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi crashed in mountains on Sunday.

A softening Greenback over the past week has also provided tailwinds for silver prices. Weaker-than-expected April readings released this month on employment and inflation have put downward pressure on the U.S. dollar as investors bring forward their expectations of interest rate cuts, making dollar-dominated commodities, such as silver and gold (GOLD), cheaper for foreign buyers.

Longer, term, the metal stands to benefit from growing industrial demand. Last month, the Silver Institute’s World Silver Survey report projected a 9% jump in the commodity's industrial demand this year, driven by renewable energy applications. It forecasts silver used in solar panel manufacturing increasing 20% in 2024 to 232 million ounces, while expecting jewelry demand to improve by around 4%.

Zooming out to the weekly chart to gain a longer-term perspective, the silver price broke out from an ascending triangle in early April, retested the initial breakout level and has continued its move higher over the past two weeks. Moreover, the 50-day moving average (MA) sits above the 200-day MA, indicating that the metal remains in a strong uptrend. 

Given silver now trades above pandemic-era peaks around $30, investors should look for a potential move to the $35 area, a region where the price may run into overhead resistance from a key multi-year horizontal line stretching back to three prominent swing highs in 2011 and 2012. A convincing breakout through this level could see the price make another attempt at its record high set at $47.71 in April 2011.

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