The Street

Amazon is selling $52 blackout curtains for only $24, and shoppers say they keep rooms ‘pitch black during the day’

June 8, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: BUSINESS, The Street

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There are few things worse than being woken up before you’re ready to get out of bed, especially if you’re trying to sleep in. That gentle sunlight shining through the window can be pleasant during the day when you’re up and about. But if you’re trying to sleep, it’s a downright annoyance. Thankfully, all it takes are some blackout curtains to keep that pesky sunshine away.

Right now, the Estelar Textiler Blackout Curtains (originally $52) are as low as $24 at Amazon. These curtains are available in a wide variety of sizes, ranging anywhere from 42 inches wide by 45 inches long to 52 inches wide by 108 inches long). You can find most sizes on sale, but we found the best deal on the 52-inch by 84-inch size at 54% off. Plus, right now, you can apply an additional 10% coupon before checkout.

Estelar Textiler Blackout Curtains, From $24 (was $52) at Amazon

These blackout curtains feature a dual-color ombre design. They’re available in an impressive 31 colors. You’ll find your usual suspects like white, gray, black, and blue. But you can also find some non-traditional colors, like red, yellow, pink, orange, green, and more.

The curtains are made to provide a 100% blackout effect. According to the manufacturer, the curtains completely block out all sunlight and UV rays. This should also help protect your furniture from color fading and grant more privacy in your home. Another thing to note is that these curtains are thermal-insulated, meaning they’ll keep heat indoors during the colder seasons and block out heat from coming through the window during the warmer seasons. Plus, they’re machine washable.

“These curtains are extremely blackout, which is amazing,” one reviewer said. “I live in an apartment, and the sun hits right on my window. These work wonderfully. It’s a great way to keep the sun away and also keep our privacy. They look very expensive, and the size and length are perfect for my high ceiling windows.”

Reviewers say these curtains are even better than they hoped. “These blackout curtains exceeded my expectations! The room is now pitch black during the day,” another said. “The color and design are spot on for my home decor! I will be purchasing more for other bedrooms in the house.”

The right blackout curtains will not only keep unwanted sunshine away, they’ll also help you save on your electricity bill. Although you likely won’t notice a significant difference on your bill, every little bit helps! Grab these Estelar Textiler Blackout Curtains for up to 54% off while you can.

Veteran fund manager reboots Palantir stock price target

June 8, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: BUSINESS, The Street

There’s been a lot of debate surrounding artificial intelligence stocks this year.

A boom in AI spending, particularly by hyperscalers ramping infrastructure to meet surging research and development of chatbots and agentic AI, led to eye-popping returns for companies like Palantir Technologies, which markets data analytics platforms.

However, concern that spending could decelerate has picked up in 2025 because of worry over a tariffs-driven recession, causing many AI stocks like chip-maker Nvidia to stumble.

While the eventual impact of tariffs on recession remains a question mark, there’s been little to suggest demand for Palantir’s services is slipping. Solid first-quarter earnings results and optimism that trade deals could make tariffs manageable have helped Palantir shares rally 63% this year after a 340% surge in 2024.

Palantir’s resiliency isn’t lost on long-time money manager Chris Versace. Versace, who first picked up shares last year, recently updated his price target as Palantir’s stock challenges all-time highs.

Alex Karp, chief executive officer of Palantir Technologies Inc., has seen Palantir’s stock surge over the past year on growing AI research and development.

Bloomberg/Getty Images

Palantir shares soar as AI demand surges

Investors’ interest in Palantir stock swelled after OpenAI’s ChatGPT became the fastest app to reach one million users when it was launched in December 2022.

ChatGPT’s success has spawned the development of rival large language models, including Google’s Gemini, and a wave of interest in agentic AI programs that can augment, and in some cases, replace traditional workers.

The activity is widespread across most industries. Banks are using AI to hedge risks, evaluate loans, and price products. Drugmakers are researching AI’s ability to predict drug targets and improve clinical trial outcomes. Manufacturers are using it to boost production and quality. Retailers are using it to forecast demand, manage inventories, and curb theft. The U.S. military is even seeing if AI can be effective on the battlefield.

The seemingly boundless use cases—and the ability to profit from them—have many companies and governments turning to Palantir’s deep expertise in managing and protecting data to train and run new AI apps.

Palantir got its start helping the U.S. government build counterterrorism systems. Its Gotham platform still assists governments in those efforts today. It also markets its Foundry platform to manage, interpret, and report data to large companies across enterprise and cloud networks. And its AI platform (AIP) is sold as a tool for developing AI chatbots and apps.

Demand for that platform has been big. In the fourth quarter, Palantir closed a “record-setting number of deals,” according to CEO Alex Karp.

The momentum continued into the first quarter. Revenue rose 39% year-over year to $884 million. Meanwhile, Palantir’s profit has continued to improve as sales have grown. In Q1, its net income was $214 million, translating into adjusted earnings per share of 13 cents.

“Our revenue soared 55% year-over-year, while our U.S. commercial revenue expanded 71% year-over-year in the first quarter to surpass a one-billion-dollar annual run rate,” said Karp in Palantir’s first-quarter earnings release. “We are delivering the operating system for the modern enterprise in the era of AI.”

Fund manager resets his Palantir stock forecast

AI’s rapid rise has opened Palantir’s products to an increasingly new range of industries, allowing it to diversify its customer base.

For example, Bolt Financial, an online checkout platform, recently partnered with Palantir to use AI tools to analyze customer behavior better.

More Palantir

The potential to ink more deals like this has caught portfolio manager Chris Versace’s attention.

“The result [of the Bolt deal] will be technology that can offer shoppers a customized checkout experience, embedded within retailers’ sites and apps, and it is one that will extend to agentic checkout as well,” wrote Versace on TheStreet Pro. “We see this as the latest expansion by Palantir into the commercial space, and we are likely to see more of this as AI flows through payment processing and digital shopping applications.”

Alongside Palantir’s deeply embedded government contracts, growing relationships with enterprises should provide Palantir with cross-selling opportunities, further driving sales and profit growth, allowing for increased financial guidance.

Palantir is guiding for full-year sales growth of 36%, and U.S. commercial revenue growth of 68%.

The chances for Palantir growth to continue accelerating has Versace increasingly optimistic about its shares.

As a result, he’s increased his price target to $140 per share from $130.

Secretary Bessent sends message on Walmart price increases due to tariffs

May 19, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: BUSINESS, The Street

Consumers have been pinching pennies since skyrocketing inflation in 2022 took a toll on their wallets, and worries that prices may rise further in the wake of newly instituted tariffs have sparked considerable debate.

The Trump administration has rolled out a slate of tariffs in 2025, including 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico in February, and a 10% baseline import tax in April. It also announced reciprocal tariffs on April 2, only to pause them for 90 days on April 9 following a steep sell-off in the stock and bond market.

The pause gives the White House a window to negotiate trade deals that may lower the brunt of tariffs. However, it’s unlikely that those deals will eliminate tariffs, creating a problem for consumers.

Since China joined the WTO in 2001, most U.S. retailers, including Walmart (WMT) , have come to rely heavily upon Chinese imports for everything from clothing to electronics.

Doug McMillon, chief executive officer of Walmart Inc., recently warned that prices would increase on some products due to tariffs.

Bloomberg/Getty Images

Walmart CEO warns on prices; Trump delivers rebuke

Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, will likely squeeze suppliers and absorb some of the tariff cost increase. Still, the retail chain’s CEO recently said on its quarterly conference call with investors that it will pass along some of the increase.

Given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels announced this week, we aren’t able to absorb all the pressure given the reality of narrow retail margins,” said Walmart CEO Doug McMillon on May 15. “The higher tariffs will result in higher prices.”

The disclosure drew a stiff rebuke from the President.

“Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain,” wrote Trump in a post on Truth Social. “Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, ‘EAT THE TARIFFS,’ and not charge valued customers ANYTHING.”

Initially, the U.S. set reciprocal tariffs on Chinese imports at 34% on top of a 20% ‘fentanyl tariff’ placed in February.

The move sparked a retaliation from China, kicking off a tariff war that lifted tariffs on Chinese goods to 145% and China’s tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%—levels that effectively cut off trade between the two major economies.

On May 13, after a meeting between key officials, including China’s Vice Premier and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the U.S. agreed to reduce its China tariffs to 30%.

Treasury Secretary Bessent confirms Walmart price increases are likely

Bessent, a long-time stock market veteran trained under legendary hedge fund manager Stanley Druckenmiller, has emerged as the voice of the Trump Administration’s tariff negotiations.

Following Walmart’s comments on prices and Trump’s social media post, Bessent said on Sunday that he had spoken with Walmart’s CEO Doug McMillon on May 17.

“Walmart will be absorbing some of the tariffs, some may get passed on to consumers,” Bessent conceded on CNN.

Bessent tried to soften the message on inflation to consumers by pointing out that gasoline prices have fallen this year, potentially offsetting retail price increases.

He also suggested that Walmart’s comments on prices represent the worst scenario.

Still, that may not be enough to assuage consumers, many of whom have grown increasingly nervous about inflation since the tariff announcements.

The University of Michigan’s consumer confidence survey index fell 27% year-over-year to 50.8 in May. Nearly three-quarters of survey respondents mentioned tariffs, and their inflation expectations for the year ahead surged to 7.5% from 6.5% last month.

“Sentiment is now down almost 30% since January 2025,” said Surveys of Consumers Director Joanne Hsu. “Many survey measures showed some signs of improvement following the temporary reduction of China tariffs, but these initial upticks were too small to alter the overall picture.”

Tariffs, surprise downgrade will weigh on market

May 19, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: BUSINESS, The Street

Walmart (WMT) gave its fellow retailers a gift last week.

In the midst of saying Walmart had a solid first quarter, CEO Doug McMillon and Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey minced no words about what’s coming.

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Tariffs will force the retail giant to raise many of its prices in the coming quarters. How much? Neither man would say during the company’s earnings call on Thursday. But Rainey said prices could head higher at the end of May and certainly by June.

Walmart sources much of its non-grocery merchandise from China, and those products still may be subject to 30% tariffs.

That comes after the Trump Administration agreed to trim its tariffs on Chinese goods from 145%. China dropped its tariffs on U.S. imports to 10%.

Walmart’s first-quarter operating profit margin in its first quarter was 4.3% on revenue of $165.6 billion. But that revenue number includes grocery sales, which are now about 60% of sales.

If you go to general merchandise, about 25% of revenue, maybe 70% comes from China. With 30% tariffs, that might add around $8.7 billion to Walmart’s quarterly cost of goods sold.

Walmart’s first-quarter operating profit was $7.1 billion.

In other words, the quarterly tariff bill might be larger than the operating profit.

That’s the gift Walmart handed to its retail competitors who report earnings this week: You can talk about the tariff hit.

And that’s just one of the issues markets will face on Monday and for the rest of the week.

Another emotional problem erupted Friday’s when Moody’s Ratings downgraded U.S. debt from Aaa, its highest rating, to Aa1, the next level down. Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings had stripped the U.S, of its top ratings in 2011 and August 2023, respectively.

The reason: failure to get control of federal deficits, and the tax bill now pending in Congress may make the issue worse, Moody’s said.

Bond yields rose slightly in response, but stock futures trading on Sunday sold down with the S&P 500 futures moving down roughly 1% from Friday. Futures trading on the Dow Jones Industrial Average suggests the blue-chip average will open down 300 points.

A trader works on the New York Stock Exchange Floor last week. Futures trading sees lower stocks at the open on Monday.

Bloomberg/Getty Images

The weakness will come after a solidly bullish week for stocks.

That assumes the weakness holds. Lately, futures trading might signal a weak open, but retail investors have then aggressively bought market dips.

So, the S&P 500 ended the week up 5.3%. The Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 7.2%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 3.4%.

Among the week’s winners: Tesla (TSLA) , up 17%. Nvidia (NVDA) jumped 16.1%, and CoreWeave (CRWV) , up a whopping 56.3%.

President Trump and tariffs

The Administration wasn’t happy with Moody’s or with Walmart.

Over the weekend, President Trump complained about the downgrade while also demanding that Walmart eat the tariff costs, which, as noted, could wipe out Walmart’s profits.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on CNN’s State of the Nation program Sunday Walmart has to offer draconian view of the situation for SEC disclosure reasons.

While Bessent said he was confident Walmart would absorb some of the tariffs costs, he did concede some costs will be passed on.

That said, remember that McMillon, Brian Cornell CEO of Target (TGT) and Home Depot (HD) CEO Ted Decker visited President Trump at the White House on April 21. They warned the Administration that store shelves would be empty if its original sky-high tariffs were allowed to persist.

A Bessent-led team was sent to meet with Chinese trade officials. And soon the tariffs came down.

A big week for retail earnings

The week ahead is one of the biggest for results from big retailers, all of whom source inventory all over the world, including China, and are thus subject to import tariffs.

They have mostly been warning about the tariff threat since Trump’s inauguration.

Among retailers reporting are:

Tuesday

Home Depot (HD) before the open.

Wednesday

Target (TGT) , before the open.
TJX (TJX) , parent of TJ Maxx, before the open.

Thursday

Ross Stores (ROST) , after the close.
Williams Sonoma (WSM) , before the open.
Footwear company Deckers Outdoor (DECK) , after the close.
BJ’s Wholesale Club (BJ) , before the open.

Friday: The Buckle Inc. (BKE) , before the open. The Kearney, Neb., company is a retailer of denim wear and operates more than 440 stores.

More Economic Analysis:

It’s not a small list. And it’s a surprisingly busy week that ends after Friday with the Memorial Day weekend. Which means markets won’t be open on Monday May 26.

As important as the retail earnings will be, investors will also study results from:

Cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks (PANW) , due after Tuesday’s close.
Homebuilder Hovnanian Enterprises (HOV) before Tuesday’s open and luxury builder Toll Builders (TOL) after Tuesday’s close.
Medical technology company Medtronic (MDT) , due before Wednesday’s open.
Data storage and analysis company Snowflake (SNOW) , due after Wednesday’s close.
Financial software company Intuit (INTU) after Thursday’s close, and Analog Devices (ADI) before Thursday’s open.

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