Once bustling with gold deposits along railroad tracks, the Cloncurry region in outback Queensland was a literal goldmine.

But as the metal’s price crashed in the 1990s, so did the digging and prospecting.

This year, the gold price hit a record high of more than $5,070 per troy ounce.

With the international commodity boom, a new gold rush era is on the rise — and the outback industry might be back in business.

Gold exploration is on the rise in outback Queensland. (ABC News: Rachel Pupazzoni)

Global gold rush

Australia is the third-highest producer of gold in the world, behind China and Russia, and ties with Russia as the top country for gold mine reserves.

University of Queensland Sustainable Minerals Institute director Rick Valenta said the last time gold prices were close to 2025’s numbers was in the 1980s, at $3,400 per troy ounce.

“It’s the highest it’s ever been in history. That’s probably a pretty good definition of a gold boom,” he said.

He said global political uncertainty caused gold prices to skyrocket in the past five years, driving the increase in fossicking, and reopening of historical mines across the country.

Rick Valenta says gold prices are at the highest point in history. (Supplied: Rick Valenta)

“A really common thing to do is to go back and re-look at mines, particularly if the production happened 50 to 100 years ago,” he said.

“Methods for extracting [minerals] weren’t as good as they are now, so people left a lot of gold behind.

“In many cases you can go back and retreat the tailings and waste from those mines to extract [even more gold].”

Cloncurry gold

North West Queensland’s historic mining history puts it at the top of the global resources stage, Professor Valenta said.

“[North West Queensland] is just one of the special places on the planet that has an enormous amount of mineral endowment, and there’s always that potential to take advantage of price cycles on deposits, where that can be done in a relatively short time,” he said.

The Cloncurry Gold Project incorporates multiple mines across more than 400 square kilometres. (Supplied: Paul Williams)

The region is home to one of the most productive gold mines in the country — Ernest Henry Copper-Gold Mine — estimated to hold 2 million ounces of gold.

Two companies are now looking to cash in on the historic, high-grade deposits in the region and soaring prices.

Orion Resources and AuKing Mining Limited plan to re-lease 20 historic gold mines in the region, bringing them back to life under the banner of the Cloncurry Gold Project.

The key cornerstone of the project is the acquisition of the old Mount Freda gold mine — a prominent open pit mine that ceased production during the 1990s gold price crash.

Rick Valenta says gold is a safe investment during geopolitical uncertainty. (ABC Goldfields-Esperance: Jarrod Lucas)

In 2019, mining company Tombola Gold sought to revive production at Mount Freda, setting up production for AuKing and Orion.

AuKing managing director Paul Williams said the project, which covers more than 400 square kilometres, aimed to be producing gold within the next 12 months.

“With the gold price where it is and projecting to still be strong, that’s probably opened up areas that historically were not available for the earlier mining companies, like Tombola,” he said.

The companies signed a preliminary agreement late last year and are set to finalise it at the end of July.

“We’re operating in a great gold price environment at the moment with access to a huge amount of data from the good work that previous groups have done,” Mr Williams said.

The historic Mount Freda gold mine is set to be acquired under the new Cloncurry Gold Project. (Supplied: Paul Williams)

“The previous companies who owned the mines beforehand didn’t have the gold price environment that we do now.

“But we’re looking to get moving with drilling initially and then hopefully probably around the Mount Freda area to start mining.”

The project is not the only one in the North West and Cloncurry regions vying to capitalise on the boom.

Qgold’s Woolgar Gold odyssey, 130 kilometres north of Richmond, is awaiting statutory approvals.

Mayfield Mt Isa Copper-Gold Project is also mining in the mineral-rich Mary Kathleen region, alongside the recently opened Greater Duchess Copper Gold Project.

A Mount Freda gold pour in 1988 at the height of production in the area. (Supplied: Tombola Gold)

So, is this a replica of the famous 19th century gold rush era for Queensland?

Professor Valenta said while it was impossible to tell the future, current prices and increased prospecting showed a positive direction for the industry.

“If you’ve a few gold coins in the bottom drawer, you’ll get more from them now than you ever would have in the past,” he said.

Biggest S&P 500 Movers on Friday Advancers Shares of big-data analytics software provider Palantir Technologies (PLTR) popped 6.5% higher, securing the top daily performance in the S&P 500. Positivity around its expanding government business helped lift Palantir to an all-time high on Tuesday, but before Friday’s gains, the stock had been pulling back for a couple of sessions. Palantir and other artificial intelligence companies benefited from upbeat sentiment after earnings results from chipmaker Broadcom (AVGO) revealed strong AI demand.

(PLTR) popped 6.5% higher, securing the top daily performance in the S&P 500. Positivity around its expanding government business helped lift Palantir to an all-time high on Tuesday, but before Friday’s gains, the stock had been pulling back for a couple of sessions. Palantir and other artificial intelligence companies benefited from upbeat sentiment after earnings results from chipmaker Broadcom (AVGO) revealed strong AI demand. Moderna (MRNA) shares wrapped up a volatile week of trading with a gain of 5.1% on Friday. The biotech company announced at the end of last week that it had received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the use of its new COVID-19 vaccine by older and higher-risk patients. On Tuesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Moderna had agreed to a placebo-controlled trial of the vaccine.

(MRNA) shares wrapped up a volatile week of trading with a gain of 5.1% on Friday. The biotech company announced at the end of last week that it had received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the use of its new COVID-19 vaccine by older and higher-risk patients. On Tuesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Moderna had agreed to a placebo-controlled trial of the vaccine. United Airlines (UAL) announced a partnership with Spotify Technology (SPOT) that will allow airborne passengers to access playlists, audiobooks, and video podcasts from the streaming service on their seatback screens. United shares increased 4.8% on Friday, while rival carrier Delta Air Lines (DAL) shares were up 4.3%.

(UAL) announced a partnership with Spotify Technology (SPOT) that will allow airborne passengers to access playlists, audiobooks, and video podcasts from the streaming service on their seatback screens. United shares increased 4.8% on Friday, while rival carrier Delta Air Lines (DAL) shares were up 4.3%. Tesla (TSLA) shares advanced 3.7% on Friday as the feud between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump showed signs of de-escalation heading into the weekend. The spat between the two contributed to a major drop in the electric vehicle (EV) maker’s stock in the prior session. Several analysts reaffirmed their bullishness on Tesla despite the high-profile conflict, but they noted that the tensions with Trump could complicate the regulatory path for the firm’s self-driving technology or risk alienating people with certain political perspectives. Decliners Lululemon Athletica (LULU) issued lower-than-expected sales and profit guidance for the current quarter and trimmed its full-year profit forecast. The maker of yoga attire and other athletic apparel noted that U.S. consumers are taking a cautious approach to spending and discussed plans to increase prices on some products as it aims to mitigate tariff impacts. Lululemon shares plunged 19.8% on Friday, dropping the most of any constituent in the S&P 500. JPMorgan and UBS analysts cut their price targets on Lululemon stock following the underwhelming outlook.

(LULU) issued lower-than-expected sales and profit guidance for the current quarter and trimmed its full-year profit forecast. The maker of yoga attire and other athletic apparel noted that U.S. consumers are taking a cautious approach to spending and discussed plans to increase prices on some products as it aims to mitigate tariff impacts. Lululemon shares plunged 19.8% on Friday, dropping the most of any constituent in the S&P 500. JPMorgan and UBS analysts cut their price targets on Lululemon stock following the underwhelming outlook. Broadcom posted fiscal second-quarter sales and adjusted profit results that were roughly in line with consensus forecasts. A major year-over-year uptick in artificial intelligence semiconductor revenue helped the chipmaker achieve record quarterly revenue of $15 billion. However, Broadcom shares slipped 5% on Friday, receding from a string of record highs notched before the earnings release.

posted fiscal second-quarter sales and adjusted profit results that were roughly in line with consensus forecasts. A major year-over-year uptick in artificial intelligence semiconductor revenue helped the chipmaker achieve record quarterly revenue of $15 billion. However, Broadcom shares slipped 5% on Friday, receding from a string of record highs notched before the earnings release. Mosaic (MOS), a provider of fertilizers and other agricultural products, reduced its 2025 phosphate production guidance, citing operational issues at its U.S. facilities. Shares of Mosaic were down 4.4%. -Michael Bromberg

Major Indexes All Back in Positive Territory for 2025 The S&P 500 had been knocking on the door but hadn’t surpassed the 6,000-point mark since February, until today.

The S&P 500 hit 6,000 points for the first time since February 21. TradingView The benchmark index closed the week just 2.4% away from the record closing high it set on Feb. 19. The S&P 500 is now up 2% since the start of 2025, making it the top performer among the three major indexes. The Nasdaq Composite has gained 1.1% so far this year, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 0.5%. Stocks have rallied from their early-April lows as concerns about tariffs have eased, while corporate earnings have been generally strong and various indicators have shown that the economy remains on sound footing. TradingView For the week, the Dow rose 1.2%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq tacked on 1.5% and 2.2%, respectively. It was the second straight week of gains for the major indexes, and the fifth time in seven weeks that they’ve risen.

Broadcom Levels to Watch After Post-Earnings Slide Broadcom (AVGO) shares fell sharply Friday, one day after the chip giant delivered results and an outlook that were largely in line with Wall Street estimates. The company’s shares hit a fresh record high this week ahead of its highly anticipated results, boosted by expectations of robust revenue growth driven by surging demand for chips that power generative AI technology. CEO Hock Tan told analysts on the company’s earnings call that chip demand may accelerate during the second half of 2026 due to strong inference demand, referring to the process that uses a trained AI model to make predictions or decisions. Still, Broadcom shares fell 5% to around $247 on Friday as the results and outlook may have missed the lofty expectations of investors, especially after the blockbuster results delivered by rival Nvidia last week. With today’s decline, Broadcom shares are up about 6% since the start of the year, slightly outpacing the performance of the S&P 500 index over that stretch. Source: TradingView.com. After plumbing a seven-month low in early April, Broadcom shares have trended sharply higher within a rising wedge, with the price testing the pattern’s upper trendline in recent trading sessions. However, profit-taking crept into the stock Thursday on the highest volume in around two months, which set the stage for today’s selling. It’s also worth pointing out that the relative strength index recently climbed above 80, a reading that coincided with major tops in the stock in December and June last year. Investors should watch key support levels on Broadcom’s chart around $235 and $200, while also monitoring an important overhead area near $265. Read the full technical analysis piece here. -Timothy Smith

Analysts Weigh in on Tesla Outlook After Trump-Musk Fracas The public feud between Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump may have rattled shareholders, but several Wall Street analysts said they’re still bullish on the stock. Wedbush analysts led by Dan Ives, with a $500 price target leading Wall Street analysts tracked by Visible Alpha, called the back-and-forth “jaw dropping and a shock to the market,” but said the “feud does not change our bullish view of Tesla and the autonomous view.” However, they said it could “put a fly in the ointment” regarding earlier expectations that Musk and Trump’s relationship could ease the regulatory path for Tesla to get approvals for its self-driving software and other products. Tesla remains a stock that has divided analysts, with 10 of those tracked by Visible Alpha issuing “buy” ratings, while four have “hold,” and four have “sell” ratings. Their price targets range from as low as $120 to Wedbush’s $500 at the higher end. The stock was up 4% at around $297 in late trading, after tumbling 14% on Thursday. Morgan Stanley analysts, with a $410 price target, said the deteriorating relationship between Musk and Trump could further dent Tesla’s sales as it “could potentially (temporarily) alienate multiple sides of the political spectrum.” Still, they added they’re “not convinced the longer-term vectors that drive the stock’s value have changed here,” pointing to Tesla’s leadership in robotics, autonomous driving, and artificial intelligence technology. Oppenheimer analysts were more cautious, saying the “difficult work at TSLA is just beginning as the company starts to repair brand damage while executing on its Physical AI strategy.” Ahead of the EV maker’s expected launch of its robotaxi service next week, the analysts said they “continue to see challenges in TSLA’s autonomy platform,” as issues could arise with its cameras or software. Elon Musk and Donald Trump during friendlier times in March. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Tesla shares were among the biggest gainers on the S&P 500 on Friday, winning back some of Thursday’s losses. They’ve lost about one-quarter of their value since the start of the year, with Thursday’s drop knocking Tesla out of the $1 trillion market cap club. -Aaron McDade

What to Know Ahead of Apple’s Big Developers Conference Apple’s (AAPL) annual Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off Monday, when CEO Tim Cook will get a chance to shift the narrative for the iPhone maker as worries about tariffs and AI feature delays have weighed on the company’s stock this year. Cook’s keynote is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET Monday and is expected to focus heavily on Apple Intelligence, the company’s hub of AI features. (You can watch the event here.) Apple CEO Tim Cook at last year’s WWDC. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images Apple could announce new partnerships and apps—including a potential deal with Google that would integrate the Gemini large language model into Apple’s AI features, Goldman Sachs analysts said. In April, Alphabet (GOOGL) CEO Sundar Pichai said he hoped Apple and Google could get a deal done by mid-2025, adding that he and Apple’s Cook had multiple discussions about a deal last year, according to reporting from Bloomberg. Apple has previously partnered with OpenAI to utilize ChatGPT for features such as Siri, Goldman noted. Apple is also expected to introduce a new software development kit that would allow third-party developers to build AI apps using the LLMs that power Apple Intelligence, the bank said. During last year’s developers conference, Cook had unveiled an AI-enhanced, more personalized Siri voice assistant, capable of performing multi-step tasks within other iPhone apps, but that feature has since been delayed until 2026. A more specific timeline could come next week, JPMorgan analysts said. This year, Cook is also expected to unveil the latest iOS for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other devices ahead of the anticipated iPhone 17 launch this fall. The update could introduce some design changes like rounded icons and translucent displays, and add features like AI-optimized battery usage, Goldman Sachs said. Numerically, it would be iOS 19, but Citi analysts said Apple could start numbering the updates by the upcoming calendar year, which would make the new version iOS 26. -Andrew Kessel

Microsoft Hits Record High as Analysts See More Room to Rise Microsoft (MSFT) shares are on pace to close at a second record high in as many days Friday, but analysts say there’s still a lot of upside left on the table for the world’s most valuable company. Bernstein this week raised its target to $540 from $520, arguing the company’s partnership with OpenAI “can generate huge potential revenue upside for Azure” by the end of the decade, according to CNBC. Wedbush meanwhile said Microsoft “is currently in the driver’s seat on the AI front,” in a note to clients. Microsoft’s Intelligent Cloud segment, which includes the Azure cloud computing platform, delivered 21% revenue growth year-over-year last quarter, beating analysts expectations. Microsoft called for similar growth in the current quarter, which runs through June. Following the company’s Microsoft Build event last month, Goldman Sachs analysts said the company could reach $300 billion in cloud revenue by 2029, compared to $135 billion in fiscal 2024. The bank raised its price target to $550 from $480. The consensus price target for Microsoft shares among analysts tracked by Visible Alpha is near $525, with all 19 analysts issuing a buy or equivalent rating. Microsoft shares were up 0.8% at around $471 in recent trading. Microsoft has gained about 12% since the start of 2025, making it one of the top performers among the Magnificent Seven group of major technology companies. TradingView Microsoft has jockeyed with Nvidia (NVDA) this week for the title of the most valuable company in the world by market capitalization. Each company currently has a market cap of around $3.5 trillion. -Andrew Kessel

The Staggering Per-Employee Value of Nvidia What would you get in the—unlikely, to be sure—event that your employer was sold and every worker got an equal share of the take? For Nvidia employees, we’re talking millions and millions of dollars. Nvidia (NVDA), the world’s most valuable company, is worth about $3.5 trillion. With just 36,000 employees, its market capitalization per employee stands at above $90 million. That’s nearly three times competitor Broadcom’s (AVGO) per-employee value, and it dwarfs Apple’s (AAPL) $18 million and Microsoft’s (MSFT) $15 million.

These figures were recently crunched by Deutsche Bank research strategist Jim Reid, who wondered: “Are today’s largest companies structurally employing fewer people than in the past?” To answer that question, Reid looked back at some of America’s most valuable companies since 1950 and their respective headcounts when their value was at its peak. One might assume there’s been a structural shift toward smaller employee rolls as technological advancements improved efficiency, but history suggests “employment density” at America’s biggest companies goes through cycles. General Motors (GM), America’s largest company in the 1950s, employed about 600,000 people at its peak. Just years later, in the late ’60s, Eastman Kodak surpassed GM in market value with just one-sixth of the workforce. In the ’70s, General Electric employed about 400,000 people. These are enormous workforces compared with Nvidia’s, which from a market cap per employee perspective is in a league of its own, Reid says. But a few companies with headcounts comparable with Nvidia’s have become the world’s most valuable. Oil company Amoco’s margins were padded by elevated oil prices in the late 1970s, helping its market cap surge with only about 50,000 workers. Cisco is the historical example that most resembles Nvidia. Like Cisco in the late ’90s, Nvidia is “operationally lean, highly reliant on intellectual property and engineering talent, and outsources the more labour-intensive aspects of production,” wrote Reid. The analysis could offer some relief to those concerned that the proliferation of artificial intelligence will result in mass unemployment as AI agents and robots replace human workers. “What’s clear through history is that while we’ve always found ways to employ people, how they’re distributed across firms and sectors is constantly evolving,” Reid wrote. -Colin Laidley

Docusign Sinks as Firm Cuts Billing Outlook Docusign (DOCU) shares tumbled Friday, a day after the electronic signing software maker’s billings missed estimates and it slashed its full-year billing outlook as the company shifted to an AI model. The company reported fiscal 2026 first-quarter billings of $739.6 million, while the average estimate by analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha was $747.8 million. For the full year, Docusign sees billings in the range of $3.285 billion to $3.339 billion, down from its previous outlook of $3.300 billion to $3.354 billion. CEO Allan Thygesen explained on the earnings call that the company expected a decline in billings this year because of “foundational go-to-market changes” as it employed its AI-driven agreement platform, Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM), according to a transcript provided by AlphaSense. However, Thygesen said that “the impact happened sooner than anticipated,” which caused a drop in first-quarter early renewals, negatively impacting billings growth. The news offset better-than-expected first-quarter results. Docusign reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.90, with revenue rising 8% year-over-year to $763.7 million. Both exceeded Visible Alpha forecasts. In addition, the company announced an increase in the current stock buyback program by up to $1.0 billion. The plan’s current authorization is $1.4 billion. With their steep decline Friday, Docusign shares are down about 16% so far in 2025. TradingView Docusign shares were down 19% in late-morning trading, pushing the stock into negative territory this year. -Bill McColl

Omada Health Set to Debut on Nasdaq Friday Shares of Omada Health are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq on Friday after the virtual chronic care firm priced its initial public offering in the middle of its expected range. San Francisco-based Omada Health on Thursday priced its offering of 7.9 million shares at $19 each. On May 29, the company said in a regulatory filing that it expected the IPO price would be between $18 and $20 each. Omada Health, which calls itself “the virtual between-visit healthcare provider,” added that it had granted underwriters a 30-day option to buy up to an additional 1.185 million shares at the IPO price. Shares are set to begin trading on the Nasdaq today under the ticker symbol “OMDA.”

On Thursday, shares of USDC stablecoin issuer Circle Internet Group (CRCL) soared 168% in their debut on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). -Aaron Rennie

Circle Shares Continue Soaring After Big Debut The gains just keep on coming for Circle Internet Group (CRCL) after shares of the USDC stablecoin issuer soared on their first day of public trading yesterday. The stock was up 18% at $98 in recent trading, after soaring 168% during their debut on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday. The stock opened Thursday at $69, more than double its IPO price of $31, which was already above the $27 to $28 price at which it had planned to sell shares. Co-founder and CEO Jeremy Allaire told Bloomberg that “the world has already woken up to the fact that stablecoin money is here to stay.” Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire raises his arms during the company’s IPO at the NYSE on Thursday. Michael Nagle / Bloomberg / Getty Images The company already has drawn interest from well-known tech investor Cathie Wood, whose ARK Investment Management has expressed interest in purchasing up to $150 million shares of the Class A stock. Bloomberg reported that investment firm BlackRock (BLK) planned to buy 10% of the IPO shares. -Bill McColl

Lululemon Stock Plunges on Disappointing Outlook Shares of Lululemon Athletica (LULU) sank after the apparel maker’s second-quarter outlook came in below estimates, and the company also cut its full-year profit forecast. Lululemon projects second-quarter revenue of $2.54 billion to $2.56 billion and earnings per share from $2.85 to $2.90, each below the analyst consensus compiled by Visible Alpha of $2.57 billion and $3.28. The company still expects $11.15 billion to $11.30 billion in full-year sales, but lowered its EPS forecast to a range of $14.58 to $14.78, down from $14.95 to $15.15 previously. Responding to the lowered profit expectation, analysts from JPMorgan and UBS each lowered their price targets for the stock to $303 and $290, respectively, from $389 and $330. A Lululemon store in Chongqing, China. Cheng Xin / Getty Images CEO Calvin McDonald said customers have “responded well to the product innovations” the company has introduced, as it looks to fix the “newness problem” it has described previously. However, McDonald said in Lululemon’s earnings call that U.S. consumers “remain cautious right now, and they are being very intentional about their buying decisions,” per an AlphaSense transcript. “We are planning to take strategic price increases, looking item by item across our assortment as we typically do, and it will be price increases on a small portion of our assortment, and they will be modest in nature,” CFO Meghan Frank said regarding Lululemon’s plans for mitigating the impact of tariffs. She added that the company is also planning to make some changes to its supply chain that will have more of an impact on the second half of the year. First-quarter top- and bottom-line results came in as analysts expected at $2.37 billion in sales and $2.60 EPS, but comparable sales growth of 1% fell well short of the 4.56% growth that analysts had expected. Lululemon shares were down 18% in the opening minutes of Friday’s session. Entering the day, the stock had lost about 14% since the start of the year. -Aaron McDade

Our writer examines the sustainability of a rally that’s pushed the FTSE near record highs, questioning if the UK stock market could still crash in 2025.

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It feels like it hasn’t been a great year for the UK stock market, largely due to the tariff-induced fear that wiped millions off the market in early April. However, when looking back, 2025 is actually shaping out quite well. Even with the April losses, the FTSE 100‘s up almost 7% this year — more than it achieved in the first half of 2022 or 2023.

Even in 2024 — a year of notable growth — it was only up 6.7% by the time June rolled around. If the growth continues, we could have our best year since 2021, when Covid stimulus helped deliver 15% growth.

But uncertainty still lurks among the geopolitical corridors of the world, threatening to unravel its success. Let’s have a look at what potential events could send markets spiralling again — and how to prepare.

How did we get here?

To assess where a market — or share price — is heading, first we must understand why it is currently where it is. Right now, the UK market looks good — but its growth may be built on a fragile foundation.

After a tough end to 2024, it’s likely that market participants have already priced in soft landings and rate cuts in 2025. Any unexpected news related to inflation, credit changes or geopolitical events could lead to a sharp correction or crash.

Interest rate surprises are a key concern, along with global debt levels, conflict escalation and the Chinese property market. These are the areas that smart investors will be keeping an eye on as the year progresses.

Prepping for a fall

My outdoorsy friends love the saying: “Failing to plan is planning to fail“. Basically, before wandering off into the mountains, make sure you’ve planned for every possible outcome.

I often think of this phrase when making my stock picks. “Those soaring tech stocks sure look attractive. They’ll keep going up, right?”

Well, some of them will — until they don’t. But some stocks DO maintain steady growth, albeit at a slower pace. These are known as defensive stocks, and they can be life savers when everything else is collapsing.

Unsurprisingly, under-pressure people tend to be less interested in artificial intelligence (AI) or quantum computing during tough times. Yet food and medicine remain in high demand. That’s one reason the leading consumer staples giant Unilever (LSE: ULVR) didn’t suffer huge losses during Covid.

A strong defensive pick

Unilever’s often hailed as one of the best UK defensive stocks due to its portfolio of popular brands like Dove, Persil and Hellmann’s. These everyday essentials tend to enjoy consistent demand through even the worst of times, providing a buffer against market dips.

With operations spanning over 190 countries, Unilever benefits from geographic diversification and exposure to emerging market growth. Plus, its strong cash flow supports reliable dividends, making it attractive to income-focused investors.

However, there are risks, including input cost inflation, currency fluctuations and slower growth in some developed markets. Competitive pressures and shifting consumer preferences also require constant innovation. That may be part of the reason why management recently renewed its focus on efficiency and brand strength in an aim to improve performance.

For investors seeking a stable, income-generating stock with global reach and resilience through economic cycles, Unilever’s a solid stock to consider.

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The report delivers detailed analysis across screen size, screen type, connectivity, distribution channels, end-users, battery life, memory storage, and regional segmentation. It offers insights into competitive landscapes, featuring SWOT analysis and company profiles for strategic decision-making.

E-Reader

E-Reader

Dublin, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The “E-Reader Market Industry Trends and Global Market Forecasts to 2035: Distribution by Type of Screen Size, Type of Screen, Type of Connectivity, Type of Distribution Channel, End-User, Type of Battery Life, Type of Memory Storage and Geographical Regions” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

The global e-reader market size is estimated to grow from USD 8.46 billion in 2025 to USD 16.93 billion by 2035, at a CAGR of 6.51% during the forecast period to 2035.

E-reader Market Growth and Trends

E-readers have transformed the way we engage with literature and educational content, meeting the increasing demand for convenient reading options in the digital age. These devices play a crucial role in digital education, enabling users to download and store thousands of books, magazines, and documents with just a click. E-readers also offer features such as adjustable font sizes, built-in dictionaries, and options to highlight and annotate text, which enhance accessibility and improve the overall reading experience.

Some key benefits of e-readers include cost savings, as e-book subscriptions are typically cheaper than physical copies, instant access to extensive digital libraries, and portability. They are popular among a wide range of users, including children, students, professionals, and seniors. With ongoing technological advancements and the e-reader’s contribution to sustainable reading practices, the demand for these devices is anticipated to rise significantly in the near future. For instance, in August 2024, Onyx Boox introduced the Boox Nova Air C, an e-reader featuring a 7.8-inch color E-Ink display and a sleek, lightweight design.

The e-reader market is constantly evolving due to innovation and technological progress. This evolution has led to the development of e-readers with improved e-ink displays that provide higher resolution, better grayscale performance, and longer battery life, making them more comparable to traditional print in terms of clarity and comfort.

Another notable advancement is the emergence of interactive e-books that include multimedia elements, offering a more engaging reading experience through videos and audio. Additionally, the integration of cloud storage for e-books and artificial intelligence is creating opportunities for personalized reading experiences that adapt to individual preferences and reading habits.

A trader works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., April 9, 2025. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

Summary Tariff uncertainty makes economic forecasting hardest since COVID -investors say

Rollercoaster asset trading makes asset managers wary of placing bets

Herding into leveraged funds, short-dated options heighten volatility risk

Abrupt government debt rout, stocks selloff latest signs of market stress

LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) – Global investors admit to flying blind in markets roiled by erratic U.S. trade rhetoric and chaotic economic forecasting, stressing that placing long-term bets was harder now than at any time since the 2020 COVID-19 crisis

Anxieties over whether a 90-day White House-China tariff truce will hold , plus U.S. budget gaps and whipsawing currencies have made investors extremely cautious about where to put their money.

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Markets have been on a rollercoaster ride for weeks, with world stocks rallying 20% (.MIWD00000PU) , opens new tab from more than one-year lows hit after U.S. President Donald Trump’s April 2 tariff bombshell, after slumping 15% in three sessions.

The turbulence continued on Friday with a sudden selloff in stocks after Trump said he was recommending a straight 50% tariff on goods from the European Union. A day earlier, government debt saw a sudden slump, spooking long-term investors out of markets that they fear have lost the anchoring force of consensus forecasts.

“There is no macroeconomic visibility,” said Francesco Sandrini, Italy CIO at Europe’s biggest asset manager Amundi.

He said he was following short-term speculative market trends instead of taking a stance on the global outlook.

“You may be right on the end-game for economics and valuations in the long term but the risk is that it is going to be very painful in the short term.”

Other money managers said they had shifted global portfolios onto neutral settings, which ensure the balance of investments is not tilted towards any particular scenario, because even if their views were right, assets were not trading reliably.

“There is no reward for taking any risk at the moment,” Lombard Odier Investment Managers head of macro Florian Ielpo said.

CTA hedge funds, which mirror prevailing market trends, are also not taking strong directional bets on stocks or bonds right now, J.P. Morgan data on Tuesday showed.

US and European stocks have rallied since their initial slump following Trump tariff shock on April 2, in contrast to what many asset managers expected.

UNPREDICTABLE

This week, yields on 30-year U.S. Treasuries , rocketed to 5.013% from just 4.84% two weeks ago and equivalent Japanese yields hit record highs, in abrupt moves that analysts have struggled to define exact reasons for.

Earlier this month, trade war tremors also sparked a speculative buying frenzy of Taiwan’s dollar which rose 8% against the U.S. dollar in two days.

John Roe, head of multi-asset funds at Britain’s biggest investor L&G, said 2020’s pandemic-induced market was “the last time things were so totally unpredictable.”

He said he had briefly bought Wall Street stocks in early April, then reverted to a neutral stance on global equities and government bonds earlier this month.

Cumulative percent change year-to-date in foreign currency value against the US dollar

Economists back in early April were inputting U.S.-China trade war scenarios into their models which produced global recession forecasts, Columbia Threadneedle Investments senior economist Anthony Willis said.

Then, the White House and Beijing agreed to suspend reciprocal levies cheering markets. But the nervousness resurfaced this week after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened unspecified trading partners with maximum tariffs.

“We’ve got all these scenarios and then it turns out a week later you might as well just chuck them into the bin,” Willis said.

Barclays, for example, last week scrapped its forecast for the U.S. to enter recession this year.

Economic modeling following the COVID-19 was in some ways easier, said Willis, because events such as the arrival of vaccines provided “clear signals” for the economic outlook.

Analysts are struggling to explain this week’s sudden sell-off in long-dated government debt as tariff uncertainty muddles inflation forecasts.

WHIPSAWED

HSBC Asset Management global chief strategist Joe Little expected further bursts of unusual price action in “whipsawed” markets.

“This makes it very difficult (for long-term investors) in terms of running positions and maintaining conviction,” he said.

Amundi’s Sandrini said he saw the risk of markets moving in “very harmful swings,” because of debt-fuelled speculation.

Flows into leveraged equity index trackers, which deploy borrowed capital in a manner that amplifies market gains and losses, hit a record high in late April as U.S. stocks surged, LSEG Lipper data showed.

Citi strategists said trading in risky U.S. derivatives dubbed zero-day options, which offer cheap exposure to stock market moves and can exacerbate market routs, has also hit a record high.

“The most dangerous thing that could have happened in markets was the (equity) rebound,” said Pictet Wealth Management CIO César Pérez Ruiz, arguing this had lured in amateur traders who might panic sell at the first sign of a U.S. downturn.

The Bank for International Settlements warned , opens new tab in March that macro-economic U.S. surprises were “inducing larger market responses abroad.”

But bearish long-term investors also faced stampedes of retail investors and trend-following hedge funds moving against them each time markets turned briefly positive, Lombard Odier’s Ielpo argued.

“We need to acknowledge that what we know about investing does not apply at the moment,” he said.

Reporting by Naomi Rovnick; Additional reporting by Nell Mackenzie; Editing by Dhara Ranasinghe and Jane Merriman

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