Jon A. Fulkerson, Bradford Jordan, Timothy Brandon Riley, CFA, and Qing Yan New research challenges Morningstar’s “Mind the Gap” findings, showing mutual fund investors lose just 0.10% annually from poor timing—not the widely cited 1.2% return gap. source

Swedish popstar Zara Larsson is making a return to Roblox with a new limited-time virtual concert experience to celebrate the deluxe edition of her Grammy-nominated 2025 album, Midnight Sun. Titled “Zara Larsson’s midnight sun world”, the immersive experience was created in partnership with Sommer House, Epic Records and Sony Immersive Music Studios. It is now live on Roblox ahead of the concert premiere, which took place on 15 May. Set in a colourful world inspired by the album, the activation allows fans to explore interactive spaces themed around the sun and moon, play obby-style mini-games, plant hibiscus flowers and take part in a scavenger hunt. Users can also purchase limited-edition avatar bundles and UGC items, including an updated version of the pink pyjamas featured in Larsson’s first Roblox concert in 2021. Don’t miss: Samsung denies using Dua Lipa’s image on TV packaging amid US$15m lawsuit  The concert features performances of three tracks from Midnight Sun, namely Midnight Sun, Crush and Blue Moon, blending music, gaming and social interaction into a single digital experience. Longtime fans who attended Larsson’s earlier Roblox concert tied to her 2021 album may also unlock exclusive in-game rewards through their existing concert badges. Larsson was among Roblox’s earliest music partners, having hosted one of the platform’s first artist-led virtual events in May 2021. Her return underscores how Roblox continues to evolve beyond gaming into a broader entertainment and fan engagement platform.  The activation builds on Roblox’s growing push into music and entertainment experiences. Most recently, Billie Eilish brought her 3D documentary film HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR, co-directed by James Cameron, to Roblox through an immersive takeover of “The Block”, the platform’s always-on music and entertainment space. The experience recreated Eilish’s concert environment within Roblox, allowing fans to explore the virtual venue, watch exclusive performances and unlock limited-edition avatar items. It also featured karaoke functionality and interactive elements designed to deepen engagement with the artist’s catalogue. According to Roblox at the time, these activations reflect its ambition to become a destination where music, identity and digital self-expression converge. “We view these activations as nurturing ongoing fan ecosystems rather than moment-in-time release cycles,” the company said, adding that immersive fan engagement can help turn “a casual listener into a lifelong super fan”. As Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences increasingly gravitate towards participatory formats, the platform is positioning itself as a space where brands and artists can build always-on fan ecosystems rather than one-off promotional moments. Related articles:    How The Salvation Army is taking thrifting to the next level on Roblox  How Monde Nissin is levelling up snacks for Roblox fans  AirAsia brings ASEAN to Roblox with the launch of AirAsia World  source

The Dow Jones Industrial Average and other major indexes ended Friday’s session deep in the red, after a disappointing outcome from the Trump-Xi meeting in China pushed oil prices and Treasury yields higher. Nvidia (NVDA) and other artificial intelligence chipmakers fell on the stock market today. Meanwhile, flash memory names such as Micron Technology (MU) sank while a Japanese competitor… Copyright ©2026 Investor’s Business Daily, LLC. All rights reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8 source

It’s fairly easy for people to learn from other people – we’ve been doing it for around 300,000 years – because we can observe, copy, and modify what they’re doing. It’s less easy for us to learn from other animals that way, because the less our cognition and bodies are alike, the harder it is to copy and modify what they do. Learning about plants, fungi, protozoa, and bacteria is easy enough, but learning from them? Forget it. So, what about robots? Sure, we can program them to do what humans do (and at much faster speeds), and they can learn from observing humans at work, but can we “teach” the same physical skills to robots with different structures, operating systems, and code? Researchers in the Learning Algorithms and Systems Laboratory (LASA) in the School of Engineering at Switzerland’s Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne (EPFL) have created a new way to help robots emulate human activity, so that highly various robots won’t need humans to customize code to suit each robotic type. For researchers and industry, such a system offers enormous cost- and time-savings. In their Science Robotics paper, Sthithpragya Gupta and Aude Billard discuss how kinematic intelligence – a new approach to learning-from-demonstration (LfD) – allows robots that may be shaped as differently from each other as R2D2 and a dishwasher to gain new skills from observing the same demonstration by a human teacher. An assembly line task designed to test the LfD system2026 LASA EPFL CC BY SA While roboticists have already been using LfD for robots of the same model, kinematic intelligence “scans” activity – mathematically converting observed action into a strategy adaptable for each robot’s individual joint and movement limits and other bodily constraints and advantages. After learning from a few or even just one demonstration, the “student” robots – regardless of their body types – use the “globally stable dynamical system” to succeed at their new tasks. “Each robot handled different steps of the task,” says co-first author Sthithpragya Gupta, “and the system performed successfully even when the step allocation was changed. Each robot interprets the same skill in its own way, but always within safe and feasible limits.” As LASA head Aude Billard notes, “This work addresses a long-standing challenge in robotics: how to transfer a learned skill across robots with different mechanical structures, while guaranteeing safe and predictable behavior.” Kinematic intelligence could “significantly reduce the time and expertise needed to deploy robots in real-world settings.” Kinematic intelligence began with EPFL researchers motion-capturing humans setting, shoving, tossing, and otherwise manipulating objects. Then they created a system for classifying varying robotic physical constraints such as balance-limits and joint range-of-motion, and blended that information with the motion-capture data to develop their robotic observational and adaptational learning. During experiments, after observing humans, three completely dissimilar commercial robots could push wooden blocks from a conveyor belt onto a work station, move them onto tables, and toss them into receptacles safely and reliably. If the work proceeds as the researchers hope it will, the results will include allow humans to simply describe novel actions for robots to perform – without robotic observation, and certainly without new coding. “Our goal,” says co-first author Durgesh Haribhau Salunkhe, “is to remove the need for technical expertise while still ensuring safe and reliable operation. The user brings the idea and the desired behavior, and the robot should take care of the rest.” Source: EPFL source

The Dow Jones Industrial Average and other major indexes closed mixed Monday, but improved from the day’s lows after President Donald Trump said he’s called off a plan for the U.S. to attack Iran. Tech stocks pulled back on the stock market today as many have become extended, including Nvidia (NVDA) and Micron Technology (MU). The Dow ended up 0.3%,… Copyright ©2026 Investor’s Business Daily, LLC. All rights reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8 source

Publicis Groupe is acquiring LiveRamp in a US$2.2 billion all-cash deal, deepening its push into data, identity and AI-powered marketing infrastructure as global agency groups race to build more integrated technology-led models. Publicis said the acquisition will strengthen its position in “data co-creation”, a capability it sees as central to building smarter AI agents for clients. LiveRamp enables companies to unify, manage and activate data across the digital ecosystem, connecting more than 25,000 publisher domains and 500 technology and data partners across 14 markets. The company works with brands, retailers, media platforms and data providers to connect fragmented data sources in secure environments, allowing partners to collaborate without exposing sensitive underlying records. For Publicis, the deal builds on its 2019 acquisition of Epsilon, which gave the group a major identity and first-party data platform. LiveRamp adds clean rooms, data connectivity, marketplace capabilities and a wider partner network, creating what Publicis argues will be a stronger foundation for enterprise AI and agentic business transformation. Across APAC, LiveRamp is led by Melanie Hoptman (pictured), managing director, Asia Pacific, who has been with the business for eight years and has held the regional MD role for the past two. “LiveRamp joining Publicis Groupe is the latest demonstration of our commitment to investing in new talent and innovation, ahead of market shifts,” Arthur Sadoun, chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe, said. “After acquiring Epsilon in 2019 in the name of personalization at scale and enabling our clients to take back control of their data from the walled gardens, by shifting from cookies to identity, once again we are looking ahead to what’s next. “By building the future of data co-creation, we’re empowering our clients to generate new, exclusive and proprietary data, to build the smartest, most differentiated AI agents on top of the leading LLMs.” The acquisition lands as agency holding companies attempt to reposition themselves around AI, data and enterprise transformation rather than traditional advertising services alone. Publicis has been one of the most aggressive groups in pushing that model, using Epsilon, Publicis Sapient and its internal platform Marcel to pitch a more connected operating system for clients. LiveRamp gives that model another layer. Publicis said the platform will allow companies to create proprietary data assets by connecting internal customer data with partner data from areas such as merchants, payment networks, retail media, publishers and supply chains. The group said this could help clients build AI agents for use cases such as wealth management, retail journey optimisation and pharmaceutical field-force deployment, moving agentic AI beyond narrow task automation into business growth, customer lifetime value and operational efficiency. The deal also gives Publicis a larger addressable market and prompted the group to lift its 2027 and 2028 financial objectives. Publicis now expects constant currency net revenue growth of 7% to 8%, up from 6% to 7%, and headline EPS growth of 8% to 10%, up from 7% to 9%. LiveRamp has 1,300 employees and operates with a recurring revenue model. Publicis said the business has delivered a trailing five-year compound annual growth rate of 13%. Scott Howe, CEO of LiveRamp, said the transaction would give the company greater resources and flexibility to scale. “Our customers and partners have always been our North Star, and by joining forces with Publicis, we will have greater resources and flexibility to scale our business, continue innovating our platform, and help them unlock even greater value from their data,” Howe said. “This transaction also represents the best path forward for our shareholders, delivering significant and certain cash value at a compelling premium.” Following completion, LiveRamp will continue to be led by Howe, who will report directly to Sadoun. Its numbers will be reported within Publicis Groupe’s Technology segment, alongside Publicis Sapient. Publicis said LiveRamp will continue to operate as a neutral and interoperable platform, with open access across the ecosystem. The group also said no current or prospective customer would be blocked from using its services and that LiveRamp would continue to protect client, partner and publisher data under existing contractual commitments. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the boards of both Publicis Groupe and LiveRamp. It is expected to close before the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, LiveRamp shareholder approval and other closing conditions. source

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving from an experimental capability into a core production input across industries. Public markets have responded accordingly, with firms perceived as AI beneficiaries experiencing significant multiple expansion—often ahead of any observable improvement in cash flows. For financial analysts, the central question is not whether AI will transform business operations, but whether it will support sustainable economic profits. This distinction is critical. Markets tend to reward narratives in the short term, but over the long term, valuation converges toward realized cash flows and return on capital. This blog evaluates AI adoption through a fundamental valuation lens, focusing on its implications for cash flows, risk, and portfolio construction. source

All right, I admit it, I have a thing for affordable off-road electric motorcycles. There’s just something about a battery-powered, inexpensive dual sport that’s quiet, filled with torque, and almost as light as a lawn mower. Heck yeah! And that’s exactly one of the reasons why this space is buzzing with so many motorcycles that it’s hard to keep track of. Add another one to that list. Recently revived Juiced Bikes has just launched its first electric dirt bike, called Nomadix, through its powersports arm. And all for US$2,500. Looks like the company is sticking to the aggressive pricing that got it going in the past. The Nomadix comes powered by 8 kW / 60 mph and 15 kW / 70 mph motorsJuiced Bikes The bike comes in two models – the standard 8 kW trim, rated for a top speed of 60 mph (96 km/h), powered by an 8-kW, 72V, 35-Ah LG battery pack. Then, there’s the more serious 15-kW Nomadix R trim that goes as fast as 70 mph (113 km/h), which comes powered by a 15-kW, 72V, 40-Ah Samsung battery pack. The battery capacity ranges from 2.5 to 2.88 kWh based on the trim you’re opting for, with a range of up to 50 miles (80 km). Take that with a pinch of salt, though, considering these numbers should ideally drop further on serious off-road sessions. Torque, as usual, is plenty, at 280 lb ft (380 Nm), which puts it squarely against the likes of the Sur-Ron Light Bee X, Talaria Komodo, and Segway X260 / Xyber 300 – all while offering incredible value for your money. The Nomadix boasts solid components for its priceJuiced Bikes Next up, the underpinnings, which are actually pretty solid for its class. A typical issue with low-cost e-motos is the use of cheaper e-bike components, which generally aren’t meant for the load and speed of a proper motorcycle. Thus, it’s nice to see Juiced Bikes not having cheaped out on the components. It comes kitted with KKE suspension with 220 mm of travel that comprises a 37-mm front fork. Braking comes in the form of DOT hydraulic brakes with six-piston calipers and large 220-mm rotors. The wheels measure 19 inches at the front and 16 inches at the back, both of which are wrapped in off-road tires. It weighs a total of 160 lb (72.5 kg), which means you can absolutely hooligan around in it – throwing it around trails, dropping it, picking it up without breaking a sweat, and continuing along your merry way. Finishing up the specs are a seat height of 33 inches (838.2 mm) – a tad too tall for most riders under 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm), a payload capacity of 265 lb (120 kg), and a wheelbase of 48.8 inches (1,240 mm). There’s a nifty speed lock feature that allows you to PIN-lock the bike’s top speed Juiced Bikes The bike comes with a speed lock feature that allows you to PIN-lock the bike’s top speed if you don’t want your kids ripping around on it. Keep in mind that the Nomadix is essentially only an off-road e-moto, as it is not yet homologated for street riding. Juiced has stated that the Nomadix will be available in August 2026, and is currently taking $50 refundable deposits. The model’s availability outside of the US is still up in the air as of now. Now that Juiced comes backed by Lectric eBikes, which is America’s biggest and most successful e-bike company, you can at least be assured this won’t be just another botched launch. The Nomadix ticks most boxes buyers in this class usually look out for: impressive performance, affordability, light weight, and what looks like reliable after-sales support. The Nomadix only costs $2,500!Juiced Bikes Most motorcycles in this class cost around twice as much as the Nomadix does. It’s a no-brainer if you ask me. Watch out, Sur-Ron! Source: Juiced Powersports source

Nissan keeps the factory camper vans coming. Its newest is built atop its smallest van, the Clipper kei van, which measures in under 3.4 meters (11.2 feet) long. To make it a micro-camper, Nissan relies on a basic household staple with which everyday DIY handymen have been familiar for ages: pegboard. The van’s integrated peg panels serve as a simple, affordable means of holding up the bed and providing highly versatile storage organization for related (and unrelated) outdoor adventures. If you’re not familiar with the Clipper name but feel like you’ve seen its puggish face before, that’s likely because it’s a rebadged Suzuki Every, another Japanese kei van that pops up occasionally in micro-camper and tiny off-roader guise. The Clipper Van Multi-Rack brings serious versatility to Nissan’s small van lineupNissan The Clipper is the smallest van in Nissan’s domestic commercial vehicle lineup, sitting below the NV200 that’s still on offer in Japan, long after being discontinued in the US and Europe. The Clipper was previously called the NV100 Carry, numbering it neatly as the smallest in a van family that also includes the Caravan (NV350). Nissan shortened it to just Clipper Van in 2024. We’ve seen Nissan offer various camper packages and concepts for the two larger Japanese-market vans, and now it’s advertising one as part of a Clipper refresh it announced this month. The package was developed by Nissan’s Motorsports & Customizing arm NMC and is technically more of a sleeper kit than a full camper van. In fact, the bed isn’t even the most critical part of the package, which NMC calls the “Multi-Rack” after the quartet of custom pegboard panels that line the insides of the D-pillars. Pegboard will always remind us of dad’s garage workshop, but it’s also quite useful for a camper vanNissan Unlike the pegboard that you, your father and his father before him might have used or still use to organize all manners of tools, hardware and accessories in the garage, basement, shed, home workshop or all of the above, the pegboard panels in this case don’t use simple rows of holes but a more proprietary design with cross-shaped cutouts surrounded by round holes. They ultimately function the same, though, serving as a fast, simple attachment interface for various hooks and brackets that can then be used for hanging gear directly or hanging and creating more complex layouts. The available 5-cm-thick (2-in) multi-piece mattress sets up atop longitudinal support beams that secure to the pegboard. Finished with a rugged, water-repellent Cordura exterior shell fabric, that mattress fills out the entirety of the tiny Clipper’s rear cabin behind the front seats, offering a sleeping area of 180 x 117 cm (71 x 46 in). The support bars adjust to four different heights, letting users dial it in exactly what’s most comfortable for them. The mattress measures in at a cozy 71 x 46 in, well on the short side at just under 6 feet but not bad for a 340-cm-long kei van Nissan The Multi-Rack variant also comes with a stain-resistant load area floor and is designed to double as an effective tiny adventurer, DIY transporter, everyday bag carrier and all-around cargo workhorse. The pegboard in this case doubles to hold in place various hanging and storage accessories for carrying fishing rods, tools, camping gear and more. The collapsed mattress can double as a shelf for splitting the storage area into two separate spaces. Below, you see how Nissan transforms the Clipper into a bicycle shuttle and micro-workshop, using the pegboard and its accompanying brackets to hold tools and accessories while carrying two bicycles via a fork mounting system secured directly to the floor. The Nissan Clipper Van Multi-Rack turns tiny bike workshop and transporter Nissan The Clipper commercial cargo van that serves as the basis of the Multi-Rack kit and the Clipper Rio light passenger van have also received tech updates as part of the minor refresh. An improved driver assistance suite now packages standard lane departure prevention, traffic sign recognition, intelligent emergency braking, and pedal misapplication collision prevention. The adorable pint-sized vans also get a modest facelift with redesigned front bumper and black grille and side mirror caps. Nissan isn’t the first to think of creating a pegboard camper conversion, as Austria’s Cargo Clips is another company that’s used it to impressive effect, but we like how it manages to wring loads of versatility out of such a tiny, affordable van. The Multi-Rack package can be ordered for the high-roof Clipper Van in GX or GX Turbo trims, each of which features Suzuki’s 658cc R06A three-cylinder engine with a continuously variable transmission. It’s available in both 2WD and part-time selectable 4WD varieties. Pricing starts at an absolutely delightful ¥2,238,500 (US$14,075). Source: Nissan via Carscoops source

The Ferrero Group has partnered exclusively with Netflix to bring Wonka’s world to stores and the screen with new chocolate treats and animated stories featuring Willy Wonka and a new generation of children, delighting the young at heart and Wonka fans alike. Following its 2018 acquisition of Wonka’s confectionery rights, Ferrero has brought its own vision to the beloved world of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, adding fresh energy to seasonal treats as part of its commitment to product development and category expansion across its iconic brands. Meanwhile, the collaboration builds on Netflix’s partnerships, including ONE PIECE and naming Moose Toys as the master toy partner for Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory and Young MacDonald. The move is part of Netflix’s expansion into confectionery. The partnership between Ferrero and Netflix marks the start of a long-term collaboration to bring the wonder of Wonka to consumers worldwide, leveraging marketing, media, and trade synergies to unlock opportunities for storytelling and consumer engagement. As part of the collaboration, Ferrero Group will launch 10 seasonal and limited edition Wonka products across chocolate, sugar confectionery, ice cream, and cereals. Coming this fall, Wonka products will be available in the US and select European markets, including the UK, France, Italy, and Germany. The new product line reflects the same creativity, curiosity, and wonder that have fueled the beloved books and films for generations. Meanwhile, Netflix will expand the on-screen Wonka universe with a 2026 reality competition series The Golden Ticket, and a 2027 animated film Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factory. Coming in 2026 exclusively on Netflix, the storyline follows Willy Wonka, who after years in prison for turning a child into a blueberry, returns to his factory to add sweetness to a bitter world, but teenager Charlie Paley and his friends, facing eviction, plot to break in and steal a priceless Wonka Bar to save their homes, only to find themselves in for more than they can chew. The golden ticket is a reality competition series set in the imaginative world of Wonka. Contestants can enter the chocolate factory, but only those who find a golden ticket get inside. Once in, the challenge is not over. Players must adapt, strategise, and survive tests of both mind and body to make it through. Alessandro Rapali, premium chocolate president at Ferrero Group, said: “We’re excited to be introducing a new Wonka family of products, starting with chocolate, sugar confectionery, ice cream and cereals. For generations, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory has been part of popular culture; our ambition is to apply the Ferrero lens to the Wonka universe and to bring fresh new energy to the seasonal aisle.” “Behind the scenes, our research, development and innovation teams have been carefully leveraging decades of experience in real chocolate factories, applying Ferrero’s signature quality and craftsmanship, and bringing to life a new Wonka world – one that we can’t wait to offer to Wonka fans,” he added.  Filippo Zuffada, senior director of consumer products, international at Netflix, added: “Netflix is reimagining the Wonka universe built on extraordinary imagination and whimsical creations, and Ferrero, with its outstanding heritage of product innovation and brand-building, could not be a better home for this partnership. Together, with the magic of our upcoming entertainment and Ferrero’s world-class portfolio, we’re giving fans a delectable new way to experience the wonder of Wonka on screen and on shelves around the world.” MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Ferrero and Netflix for more information.  Don’t miss: Netflix ramps up global ad push with AI tools and 250M monthly viewers In fact, Netflix’s toy business has grown over the past year. At the beginning of 2025, Jazwares was named the master toy partner for Stranger Things, and in the fall of 2025, a co-master toy partnership with Mattel and Hasbro was announced for KPop Demon Hunters. Mark your calendars for 24 June! #Content360 Hong Kong returns with a dynamic, one-day event dedicated to pivotal trends—from the silver economies to breakthrough IP collaborations, sports, and beyond. Let’s dive into the art of curating content with creativity, critical thinking and confidence! Related articles: Netflix ramps up global ad push with AI tools and 250M monthly viewersNetflix joins the attention war with new ‘Clips’ featureMediacorp takes local drama regional with Netflix deal source