Two of the company’s clients are teaming up in a blockbuster buy-in.
Thanks to an earth-shaking event in the chip industry it serves so faithfully, semiconductor equipment specialist Lam Research(LRCX 3.59%) experienced a pleasant share price rise on Thursday. Bullish investors bid the company’s stock up by almost 4% in price, effortlessly beating the 0.5% gain of the S&P 500(^GSPC 0.48%) that trading session.
A memorable day for chip companies and their suppliers
Lam Research didn’t have any news of its own to report, but we sure can’t say that about two of its chipmaking customers, Nvidia and Intel.
Image source: Getty Images.
That morning, Nvidia announced it is ponying up $5 billion to invest in a meaningful chunk of Intel’s common stock. It’s doing so, in its words, so the two high-profile tech companies can “jointly develop multiple generations of custom data center and PC products that accelerate applications and workloads across hyperscale, enterprise, and consumer markets.”
This is hardly the first big-money investment finding its way into Intel recently. No less an entity than the U.S. government announced near the end of August that it’s taking a stake worth just under $10 billion in the company, and this was preceded shortly beforehand by a similar, $2 billion move made by SoftBank.
Increased business for equipment makers
With that amount of capital gushing into Intel, the tech hardware company is sure to significantly ramp up its manufacturing efforts. This, of course, means more business for specialty manufacturing equipment companies like Lam Research. At this point, it’s hard to make meaningful estimates on this effect on the company’s fundamentals, but there’s little doubt it’ll be positive.
The bullish investor reaction to the news, then, was entirely understandable and rather justifiable.
Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Intel, Lam Research, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: short November 2025 $21 puts on Intel. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
There are plenty of beautiful destinations around the United Kingdom that would make for an ideal autumn holiday, and this place will have you daydreaming
Ettrick Bay Beach is just lovely(Image: Ken Jack/Getty Images)
When it comes to Scottish holidays, summer is the go-to season for most. Yet, autumn has its own charm and advantages that make it an ideal time for a staycation.
If you’re keen on avoiding the hustle and bustle, September and October offer a quieter getaway. The rainy weather also makes autumn perfect for a snug retreat. Scotland boasts numerous stunning destinations for an ideal autumn holiday. However, one often overlooked gem is the Isle of Bute in the Firth of Clyde.
Bute is the most accessible of the western isles from Scotland’s Central Belt, making it a particularly appealing choice for Glaswegians. The island is famed for its verdant landscapes and unique attractions.
Even if you aren’t a history buff, Rothesay Castle is well worth your time(Image: tekinturkdogan / Getty Images)
The capital town of Bute is Rothesay, reachable via ferry from Wemyss Bay on the Scottish mainland. Despite its small population of around 4,300 people, Rothesay offers plenty to explore, reports the Daily Record.
One of the must-see sights in Rothesay is the ruined 13th century Rothesay Castle. Known for its connections to the Stewart kings of Scotland, the castle once served as a defence against Viking invasions.
Additionally, the Bute Museum in Rothesay is a fantastic place to delve into the island’s archaeology and history. With insightful exhibits documenting Bute’s past, the museum’s incredible artefacts are sure to leave you awestruck.
The beautiful island is easily accessible from the Scottish mainland(Image: ekinturkdogan / Getty Images)
Rothesay is a foodie’s paradise, boasting a plethora of restaurants and cafés. Top picks include the charming Kettledrum café and the Black Bull Inn gastropub. Beyond Rothesay, there’s plenty to keep everyone entertained. Ettrick Bay Beach, with its mile-long sandy stretch, is perfect for a picturesque stroll, while Mount Stuart, a grand 19th-century mansion, offers lavish interiors and stunning gardens to wander through.
For those looking to stay on Bute, Wowcher currently has a deal for up to four people at Chandlers Seaview Cottage on the island’s east coast, offering a 30% discount. The cottage features a king-size bed, a sofa bed, a contemporary kitchen, dining area, lounge, and a private garden complete with patio.
Typically, a stay at Chandlers Seaview Cottage would set you back £283.58 approximately. However, with this voucher deal, holidaymakers can snap it up for just £199. The Wowcher offer also includes a spa hamper and a welcome grocery pack. Plus, guests will have exclusive access to a hot tub boasting panoramic sea views.
Alternatively, another accommodation option on the Isle of Bute is Ettrick Cottage, available for hire via Sykes Holiday Cottages at £591 for a three-night stay. Situated approximately five miles from Rothesay, the property sleeps two and boasts one bedroom.
Ettrick Cottage boasts an open-plan living area featuring a kitchen, dining space, and lounge complete with electric fireplace. The property includes outdoor decking and a grass garden equipped with seating plus a babbling brook. According to Sykes Holiday Cottages, the accommodation has received glowing feedback from visitors.
Former guests have praised it as “wonderful” and “lovely”, although the property’s compact dimensions might not suit all holiday-makers. Meanwhile, Bute offers several hotels for those seeking more conventional holiday lodgings. These include The Glenburn Hotel which boasts views across Rothesay Bay and The Victoria Hotel situated in Rothesay’s heart.
Sand’s End – Scandinavia’s seas and sights are an easy win for a no-fly cruise, says Nigel Thompson, who boarded Ambassador’s 1,400-passenger cruise ship Ambience
The ship is a “genuine showstopper”
My left foot is in the Baltic Sea, my right foot is in the North Sea and waves are dancing towards me from opposite directions. It’s wild, wonderful and a little weird as I step off what feels like the edge of the known world into the chilly water.
This is Grenen, in Denmark, at the tip of the Jutland peninsula where a 20-mile long sand spit narrows to nothing as it is swallowed up by the famously treacherous seas of the Skagerrak (North) and Kattegat (Baltic), which meet but do not mix due to differences in salinity, density and temperature (or possibly they are just neighbours who fell out over a boundary dispute). Not so much Land’s End, as Sand’s End.
My wife Debbie and I were on a tour from Ambassador’s 1,400-passenger cruise ship Ambience, which is docked in nearby Skagen, Denmark’s most northerly town.
It’s a smart, likeable place of yellow-hued, red-roofed homes, shops, hotels and restaurants, which draws two million visitors a year to see the Grenen spit, a church half-swallowed by the omnipresent sand, a fishing and lifeboat museum and memorial to the many lost sailors – and to paint in what is regarded as glorious light for artists.
The fishing port is one of Europe’s largest, it’s the chief local employer and we were amazed by the vast size of some of the trawlers. We’d joined the ship, built in 1991 and given a major refurbishment in 2022, for a voyage to Scandinavia (or should that be Sandinavia?) from the London International Cruise Terminal in Tilbury, Essex. The Art Deco building dates from 1930 and is Grade II listed.
Handily, it’s just a half-hour drive from home for us – Ambassador also offers many convenient regional sailings from ports such as Bristol, Newcastle, Liverpool and Dundee – and it was an absolute doddle with the car park and luggage drop, then a short stroll to the terminal.
It’s worth taking the time to check the displays on the Empire Windrush immigration ship from 1948 and mail and cargo manifests from more than a century ago when Tilbury served the empire by sea.
So, speedily processed in the terminal and cruise cards picked up, we had gone from car park to cabin in a very impressive 41 minutes. Beat that.
The cabin is the fanciest Nigel has stayed in
And when I say cabin I more mean Manhattan penthouse! I have lived in flats considerably smaller than this and with none of the luxuries such as Occidental amenities, two TVs, a bath and shower, lounge/diner, dressing room, minibar, a vast amount of storage space and a large balcony.
A genuine showstopper and easily the poshest cabin we’ve ever had in a cruise ship. And we’ve had a few. We were still taking it all in (and taking many photos) when the bags arrived, again super-speedy work, and our friendly steward Mario introduced himself and gave us the cabin tour.
Helpfully, all the plugs are three-pin British with USB ports and the tea is Tetley, with a coffee pod machine and daily refilled bottles of filtered water. With a sailaway at 5pm, we had time to explore the 70,285 gross tonnage ship to get our bearings and do musters then watch the journey down the Thames Estuary with a glass of Prosecco on the open deck. Later, we’d be back on deck to look at the vast, mesmerising North Sea wind farms.
After a leisurely sea day (admittedly we’d overslept with the clocks changing and entirely missed breakfast!), day two had us docking in Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest city. We’d booked an excursion to Marstrand island, former royal summer retreat of King Oscar II (an Oscar wild for women, apparently) around an hour up the coast from the port.
Ambience holds 1,600 passengers
The island is reached by just a 200-yard ferry journey to the pretty harbour with cobbled streets, upscale shops, cafes, taverns and restaurants. However, just past the (allegedly) randy king’s summer house is one of the most forbidding castles you’ll ever see.
Carlsten fortress dates from the mid-17th century, looks like it escaped from Game Of Thrones and we were not too surprised to learn it was also a prison. Our guide showed us the cells, the display of torture and execution instruments and the separate cells used for five years in solitary.
These are bleak beyond belief and one features a painting of horse and rider on a wall. What did the prisoner use for paint, you ask? His blood. What was his crime, you ask? He had publicly denounced Holy Communion. Harsh, those 17th-century Swedes.
We cheered ourselves up with a visit to the gallows in the keep then took in the view of the coast from the battlements.
Back on board, the avuncular and chatty Captain Egil, from Norway, was on the Tannoy that evening to tell us that the second stop in Sweden, Helsingborg, was now off-limits for cruise ships of a certain size (not that Ambience is particularly large by modern standards) so we would be staying in the Danish capital Copenhagen overnight and an extra day. Not the worst news we’d ever had.
The ship docks in the southern part of Copenhagen port and means a 30-minute stroll to the city centre, via the ‘‘The Most Photographed Woman in Denmark’’. Yes, of course the Little Mermaid statue, which is slightly underwhelming but draws huge crowds of tourists for that essential Copenhagen photo opp.
It’s a grand-looking city of canals, redbrick older buildings, some modern development around the port mostly, but overall such a handsome, clean place and a pleasure to walk around – not least as the numerous local cyclists actually stop at red lights and pedestrian crossings.
We’d been a couple of times before, but not to the world-renowned Tivoli Gardens, a jolly city centre oasis of ponds, gardens, bars and restaurants and 30-plus theme park rides.
That was first on the list and we sauntered around, whizzed on roller coasters, flying carpets and swings and wound down in the serene aquarium. Next day, another must-see beckoned – pretty Nyhavn, a canal flanked by colourful buildings which are home to numerous bars and restaurants. Here, you can join a canals and harbour boat tour and we enjoyed the hour pootling around with a guide telling us about the historic and modern architecture and those fascinating snippets you only get from alocal.
He recommended the Broens street food market across the harbour (there is a pedestrian/cycle bridge from Nyhavn) where we narrowed down an overwhelming choice to fish and chips, as that seemed to be what the locals were mostly having!
Our Copenhagen sailaway that night took us past Helsingborg and, across the strait in Denmark, Kronborg Castle, which was the setting (as Elsinore) for Hamlet.
Skagen and Sand’s End seen (we noted how the captain gave it a very wide berth), a sea day with a spa treatment and another night took us back to the Thames Estuary, where we docked at Tilbury at 8am, were off the ship to the car park via bag collection at 8.30am and home by 9.15am.
We had such an easy, enjoyable week away and did not have to go to the ends of the Earth to find it. Well, actually…
We visited the top-notch, main included, Buckingham restaurant on five nights and were superbly looked after by servers Adie and Noor with standout dishes including a roast beet tartare with goat’s cheese, walnuts and rocket, a beef Wellington and a roast pork belly.
Our only quibbles were a couple of the grilled fish dishes we had contained some small bones and we sometimes felt a bit rushed. The drinks package allowed us to have the premium Spanish wines, with the zingy rosé proving perilously good. Also included is the Borough Market buffet, which can be very busy at breakfast and lunch but we always found a seat and something we liked.
Ambience has two extra-charge speciality restaurants and our seven-course tasting menu at Sea & Grass was fabulous. As the name suggests, it showcases seafood and meat and the smoked salmon, mushroom soup and pulled lamb were especially memorable with superb presentation and service.
Curry house Saffron also impressed, with excellent kebab starters and Thali veggie dishes and tamarind prawn mains. Our cleared plates said it all. The Coffee House is the go-to for that caffeine fix (extra charge), while The Grill by the pool rustles up included hotdogs, burgers and pizzas.
Our favourite bar was the swish and popular Botanical, perfect for anaperitif accompanied by the delightful sounds of classical violin and piano pair Mystic Duo.Version:1.0 StartHTML:000000096 EndHTML:000003119 StartFragment:000000186
We had plenty of variety, including a shocking performance in the interactive pop quiz (at least the winner was on our table!) in the Purple Turtle pub, but better efforts in the natural world and decades quizzes.
In the main theatre, we loved a wryly amusing stage play based on infidelity and a video doorbell and a murder-mystery matinee set in 1963 Cold War Berlin with more smiles via witty audience participation.
Late-night action saw us at the Observatory lounge’s lively Abba night and the brilliant mash-up of all four house bands, which filled the dance floor.
When heading out and about, it is important to be vigilant and keep yourself and your belongings safe. One woman has come up with a hack to keep bags protected
15:21, 25 Jun 2025Updated 15:21, 25 Jun 2025
A woman has come up with an easy hack to prevent pickpockets getting into your bag (stock)(Image: PatriciaEnciso via Getty Images)
Exploring bustling city centres or jetting off around the globe can be thrilling, but beware the pitfalls of tourist hotspots. These areas are magnets for petty crime, with purse snatching, pickpocketing, and phone theft all too common, potentially ruining your day out.
To dodge these crafty criminals, always zip up your bags in crowded spots. Many modern bags feature inner pockets that offer extra protection for your valuables. But here’s a nifty £1 trick to boost your bag’s security even further.
A savvy woman has revealed a simple yet effective method to thwart thieves from silently unzipping your bag. All it takes is a basic hair clip. The brains behind Lulu Gigi accessories took to Instagram to demonstrate this anti-theft tactic.
The post declared: “Point of view: you found a way to protect yourself from pickpockets.” In a brief video, she displays how to secure a belt bag – a favourite for festival-goers, holidaymakers, and party animals – using a charming blue flower claw clip.
For added safety, she threads one of the clip’s ‘claws’ through the zipper’s metal loop. This small act could buy you precious time to catch a thief in the act, as they struggle to undo the clip.
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This clever method could be the difference between safeguarding your belongings and falling victim to theft. And if the comments are anything to go by, the public is loving this ingenious idea.
One admirer exclaimed: “So smart”, while another hailed the trick as “very clever”. Another said this trick is “when aesthetics meets security”.
In the meantime, other users chimed in with their own suggestions in the comments. One advised: “Better yet, use a metal claw clip because it won’t break.”
Another shared: “I always do that. Helps a lot. Also put some plushies or those Kpop keyrings that are heavy and you’ll notice if someone is trying to open your bag.”
Yet, not everyone was sold on the idea. A user grumbled about the difficulty of accessing the bag themselves, remarking: “But it’s a pain when you want to use it! ?” Another concurred, commenting: “It will only irritate me.”
Furthermore, some expressed concern that it might provoke thieves to take more extreme actions. One individual pointed out: “People always cut the bags and put their hands inside.”
Another voiced similar apprehensions, questioning: “Do you know they use blades to cut the purse?”.
Regardless of whether you opt to try this technique or not, it’s crucial to remain alert and keep a watchful eye on your possessions at all times.
June 11 (UPI) — The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly advanced legislation for a regulatory method for payment with stablecoins.
The cloture, which ended debate, was approved 68-30, including 18 Democrats. It clears the way for final approval for the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act, or GENIUS. Two Republicans, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Josh Hawley of Missouri, voted no.
A stablecoin, which supporters say is a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value, is typically pegged to another asset such as a currency such as a U.S. dollar or a commodity, including gold. Other digital cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, can experience significant price fluctuations and are not part of the Senate legislation.
For passage in the Senate, there needs to be at least 60 votes. On Tuesday, two House committees easily approved a bill that establishes a regulatory framework for digital assets, not just stablecoin, called the CLARITY Act.
“We want to bring cryptocurrency into the mainstream, and the GENIUS Act will help us do that,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, adding there was “more work to be done” for Congress in regard to digital assets, referring to the House’s bill.
The bill would require stablecoins to be fully backed by U.S. dollars or similar liquid assets, mandate annual audits for issuers with more than $50 billion in market capitalization and add language around foreign issuance.
The cloture ended an open amendments process. Democrats had sought to add a provision that would prevent President Donald Trump and other elected officials from profiting off stablecoins.
“Let me be clear, this did not happen by accident,” Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, R-S.C., said on the Senate floor before the vote. “It happened because we led. To those who said Washington could not act, to those who said Washington could not act, to those who doubted bipartisanship — let’s prove them wrong.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York voted against the bill along with other prominent Democrats.
“The GENIUS act attempts to set up some guardrails for buying and selling a type of cryptocurrency, one type called a stablecoin,” Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said on the Senate floor before his no vote.
“Well, we need guardrails that ensure that government officials aren’t openly asking people to buy their coins in order to increase their personal profit or their family’s profit,” he added. “Where are those guardrails in this bill? They’re completely, totally absent.”
Some Democrats were concerned about foreign issuers, anti-money laundering standards, potential corporate issuance of stablecoins and Trump’s deepening ties to crypto ventures.
Trump and his wife, Melania, launched meme coins days before his inauguration on Jan. 20. His affiliated venture, World Liberty Financial, recently launched its stablecoin. Trump Media is planning to build a multi-billion dollar Bitcoin treasury. And American Bitcoin,a mining firm backed by his sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., is planning to go public via a Gryphon merger.
“It’s extremely unhelpful that we have a president who’s involved in this industry, and I would love to ban this activity, but that does not diminish the excellent work of this legislation,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., who approved the measure, said.
“It does not diminish the hard work that bipartisan group of senators put into this to make a difference and to write a law that can protect consumers, that can protect our financial services industry, that can protect the strength of the dollar, and that can protect people who would like access to capital.”
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who voted against cloture, said: “Through his crypto business, Trump has created an efficient means to trade presidential favors like tariff exemptions, pardons and government appointments for hundreds of millions, perhaps billions of dollars from foreign governments, from billionaires and from large corporations. By passing the GENIUS Act, the Senate is not only about to bless this corruption, but to actively facilitate its expansion.”
