In this edition, US utilities are slowly regaining their luster; Germany's auto industry is slowing down; China is building up home demand; and Elekta, Auckland International Airport, and Yum China.

T. Rowe Price provides asset-management services for individual and institutional investors. It offers a broad range of no-load US and international stock, hybrid, bond, and money market funds. At the end of April 2024, the firm had $1.485 trillion in managed assets, composed of equity (51%), balanced (34%), fixed-income and money market (12%), and alternative (3%) offerings. Approximately two thirds of managed assets are held in retirement-based accounts, which provides T. Rowe Price with a somewhat stickier client base than most of its peers. The firm also manages private accounts, provides retirement planning advice, and offers discount brokerage and trust services. The company is primarily a US-based asset manager, deriving just under 9% of its AUM from overseas.

Dallas-based Texas Instruments generates over 95% of its revenue from semiconductors and the remainder from its well-known calculators. Texas Instruments is the world's largest maker of analog chips, which are used to process real-world signals such as sound and power. Texas Instruments also has a leading market share position in processors and microcontrollers used in a wide variety of electronics applications.

In this edition, our coverage of Great-West gets new life, consumers can get some good buys despite inflation, travel still tops consumer wish lists, and Albertsons, Exact Sciences, and Taiwan Semiconductor.