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Friedrich Merz, the newly inaugurated German chancellor, will take a seat in the Oval Office on Thursday for his first in-person meeting with US President Donald Trump.

The meeting comes as a series of high-stakes international issues once again come to the fore. Trump has issued another round of warnings to the European Union on tariffs; the war in Ukraine appears no closer to ending; and pressure is mounting on Israel over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Since taking office, Merz has been on a tour of European capitals, meeting with France’s Emmanuel Macron, Britain’s Keir Starmer and Poland’s Donald Tusk – before they all appeared in Kyiv alongside Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in a show of European unity.

The one major omission has been a meeting with Trump. While there have been phone calls between the two, the handshake accompanied by the frantic clicks of camera shutters will mark the start of the new German-US relationship.

Germany’s status as the economic powerhouse of Europe and Merz’s repositioning of the country as a leader in European security – which includes a commitment to beef up its military and fall in line with Trump’s demands for NATO members to increase defense spending – underscore the importance of a successful encounter.

There is also the chance of an explosive diplomatic broadside, as seen with President Zelensky and, more recently, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Both Vice President, JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have recently criticized Germany’s decision to classify the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party, as “certainly right-wing extremists”, and therefore expanding surveillance on the party.

Both took to X, to express their anger at what they called the German “establishment” for the designation. Secretary Rubio said, “that’s not democracy – it’s tyranny in disguise”.

Vance followed up by saying Germany is trying to redivide the country, “the West tore down the Berlin Wall together. And it has been rebuilt — not by the Soviets or the Russians, but by the German establishment.”

The German Foreign Ministry, for its part, said on X, the decision was democratic, “the result of a thorough & independent investigation to protect our Constitution & the rule of law.”

Merz, a few days later, also rejected the statements, saying “Germany was liberated from tyranny by the US; Germany is stable, liberal, and democratic today. We don’t need a remedial lesson in democracy.”

The expectation though, is that this will be a cordial meeting.

“He doesn’t mince his words… That’s not Friedrich Merz’s style. He says what he thinks. He’s transparent. He’s direct. And I would imagine that that is something which Donald Trump will hopefully learn to appreciate.”

That directness, particularly as regards Europe’s relationship with the US, has already raised eyebrows in some quarters.

In the minutes after Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party won the largest share of the vote on February 23, making him the likely next chancellor, he said, “the utmost priority is strengthening Europe as quickly as possible, so that we achieve independence from the US step-by-step.” He added that the Trump administration “doesn’t care much about the fate of Europe.”

Merz also had a few other choice words for the US in the days following the election.

And only last week, he delivered a riposte to comments made earlier this year by Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference in which he accused European allies of backsliding on freedom of expression – a speech which at the time Merz described as having disturbed him.

Vance posed a question to which we “have the strongest and best answer imaginable,” Merz said in Berlin on Thursday, “namely, the conviction that freedom and democracy are worth standing up for resolutely and, if necessary, fighting to preserve them.”

These comments notwithstanding, Claudia Mayor, senior vice president at the German Marshall Fund, a think tank focused on US-German relations, assessed that since the election “the tone has been turned down” by Merz.

She noted that on May 8, Merz held a phone call with Trump in which he said, “the United States remains an indispensable friend and partner of Germany.”

At a business summit a few days later, Merz revealed that he had invited Trump to Germany. As part of that trip, he would accompany the US president to the rural town of Bad Dürkheim, the childhood home of Trump’s paternal grandfather.

And recently there has been Germany’s alignment with the US on NATO defense spending.

Merz and his government have indicated that they are ready to comply with, and push others to agree to, the long-stated Trump demand that members of the alliance increase spending on defense to 5% of GDP.

Building up a positive working relationship, though, is likely to be Germany’s major ambition for the White House meeting. And Merz’s previous roles and experience could play a big part in bringing that about.

Formerly the head of “Atlantik Brucke,” or Atlantic Bridge, a think tank that promotes German-US ties, Merz is known in Germany as being an ardent proponent of the transatlantic relationship.

He was a huge advocate for a US-EU trade agreement while at Atlantic Bridge and has spoken openly about his admiration for former US President Ronald Reagan. He also understands the corporate world, having served on numerous boards, including that of US global investment firm BlackRock.

Ischinger, now the chairman of the board of trustees of the Munich Security Conference, said: “If Donald Trump feels that he can trust Friedrich Merz, that’s very important, and vice versa… because, these are dangerous times, and there must not be any misunderstanding.”

The conundrum, she said, is that Germany “can’t afford the Americans leaving,” because despite European commitments to increase spending on security, building up those capabilities takes years. “At the same time, we don’t want them to leave, because we think we are better off together,” she added.

She points to the German coalition agreement, (essentially a contract between the two coalition parties, the CDU and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), on how they will govern Germany) and a major change in the constitution that could unlock half a trillion dollars of spending on the military, as indicators of the conflicting sentiment.

The revision of Germany’s constitutional debt brake, pushed through by Merz in March before he even formally became chancellor, was a “revolutionary change by German standards,” Mayor said. But it was forced through because “international relations have changed so much” that it appeared essential, she said.

At the same time, she said, the coalition pact reads as if everything about the transatlantic relationship is in fine working order. “If you’re such great partners, why did we need a constitutional change?” Major asked.

The source said Merz sees Germany as “(needing) to grow up and take care of (itself),” adding that the chancellor does not see that as possible “in the next three years,” and thus it is still in Germany’s interest to have a good relationship with the US and find a way to work together.

Ischinger, too, sees pragmatism at play, suggesting that Merz could seek to replicate the personal relationship built by Macron with Trump.

The German chancellor will want to ensure that “Donald Trump understands that if Friedrich Merz is a committed European, that does not mean that Friedrich Merz is going to make the Atlantic wider,” he said.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

First, these parrots learned to open trash cans to forage for food. Now, they’ve taken it a step further – and have figured out how to turn on water fountains for a sip along with their meal.

These are Australia’s iconic sulphur-crested cockatoos – white birds with a yellow tuft on their heads, known for their loud, grating screech. But they’re also incredibly intelligent, with large brains and nimble feet that have allowed them to pick up new habits in urban environments.

The cockatoos in western Sydney, in particular, caught scientists’ attention with their latest trick of drinking from public fountains. After researchers first noticed this phenomenon in 2018, they tagged 24 birds and set up cameras near fountains in the area – then sat back and watched.

Throughout two months in the fall of 2019, they recorded most of the tagged birds attempting to drink from the fountains. Also known as bubblers, these fountains are operated by a twist handle – easy enough for a person to operate, but complex for an animal to figure out.

Yet, the cockatoos did. They used different techniques: some would stand with both feet on the handle, while others would put one foot on the handle and one foot on the rubber spout. Then, they’d lower their body weight to turn the handle clockwise – holding the handle in place while twisting their head to take a drink.

They weren’t always successful – it worked about half the time, and five of the 10 drinking fountains in the area had “chew marks” indicating cockatoos had been there before. But the success rate also meant that the cockatoos had likely been doing this for some time, said the researchers in their study, published Wednesday in the journal Biology Letters.

The team had studied Sydney’s sulphur-crested cockatoos before; in 2021, they published another paper examining the birds’ newly observed ability to lift closed trash bin lids with their beaks and feet to access the food inside.

These innovative behaviors aren’t just animals being amusing or clever – they show the birds’ ability to adapt to urban environments, and the power of social learning among animals, the researchers said.

There are some questions still unanswered. The researchers don’t know why exactly the cockatoos are flocking to drinking fountains, instead of other easily accessible natural water sources in the area. At first they thought the fountains might be a backup option on especially hot days when local creeks run dry – but that wasn’t the case.

Other theories are that the birds feel safer drinking from fountains in public areas where there are fewer predators, or that they simply prefer the taste of fountain water – but that would need further study to determine.

Now, the researchers want to know what else cockatoos can do – and any habits they may have already developed that just haven’t been studied yet.

“We’ve had some really interesting innovations reported to us, and some examples include unzipping school backpacks and stealing school lunches,” Aplin told ABC Radio. “It has become such a problem in some areas that they have to bring the school bags into the classroom rather than leaving them outside!”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

More than one in three men in Australia reported using violence with an intimate partner in a first of its kind study which shows gender-based abuse is rising, despite years of national attention on the issue.

The research was part of a longitudinal study called Ten to Men by Australia’s Institute of Family Studies, which began in 2013 and now involves around 24,000 boys and men. Intimate partner violence is defined as emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

The study found that the number of men using violence with their partners has risen over the past decade. Last time the survey was conducted in 2013-2014, roughly 1 in 4 (24%) men had committed intimate partner violence. That figure rose to 1 in 3 (35%).

That equates to about 120,000 men using intimate partner violence for the first time each year, pointing to a worrying trend in a country which has long grappled with how to combat gender-based violence.

In 2022, the Australian government launched its 10-year National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children with a majority priority of advancing gender equality.

But since January last year, 100 women have been killed in Australia, according to Counting Dead Women. Recent protests have called for the government to do much more to end gender-based violence.

“The fact that one in three men in the study reported using intimate partner violence should shake every Australian,” said Tarang Chawla, a violence against women advocate and co-founder of Not One More Niki.

Chawla’s siter, Nikita, was killed by her ex-partner in 2015.

“She was one of the women these numbers speak to,” Chawla said. “We’ve known this is a crisis, but now we have the data to back what victim-survivors, families and advocates have been saying for years: this is widespread, and it’s preventable.”

Study shows father figures matter

Emotional abuse was the most common form of intimate partner violence reported in the Ten to Men study, with 32% of men reporting they had made an intimate partner “feel frightened or anxious,” up from 21% in 2013-2014.

And around 9% of the men reported they had “hit, slapped, kicked or otherwise physically hurt” an intimate partner.

Men with moderate or severe depressive symptoms were 62% times more likely to use intimate partner violence by 2022 compared to those who had not had these symptoms, while men with suicidal thoughts, plans or attempts were 47% times as likely, the study found.

The findings of the Ten to Men study not only underscore the extent of the problem – they also offer key lessons for policymakers looking to tackle the issue, said Sean Martin, a clinical epidemiologist and program lead for the study.

While much of the existing research in Australia on intimate partner violence has rightly focused on survivors and their stories, Martin said, this study takes a new approach by studying perpetrators to better understand how to prevent violence.

It’s the first Australian study to examine how affection in father-son relationships during childhood relate to later use of intimate partner violence.

The study found men with higher levels of social support in 2013-2014 were 26% less likely to start using intimate partner violence by 2022, compared to men who had less support.

Men with strong father-son relationships were also less likely to become violent. Men who strongly agreed that they had received affection from a father or father figure during childhood were 48% less likely to use intimate partner violence compared to men who strongly disagreed.

These findings lend strong support for initiatives to support men’s mental health in Australia, as well as community supports and programs for young dads, Martin said.

Susan Heward-Belle, a professor at the University of Sydney, said the study shows the importance of fathers modeling respect for women, emotional intelligence, empathy and compassion to their children.

“For a very long time, a lot of that emotional, social, nurturance-type work has been seen as women’s responsibilities within families.”

Heward-Belle, who was not involved in the Ten to Men study, said it is crucial to explore further how feelings of entitlement and anger can develop.

“We also know that there are some men who perpetrate domestic and family violence who arguably have had good relationships with both parents.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

The bodies of two Israeli-American hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 were recovered from southern Gaza during a military operation, according to a statement from Israeli military and the Shin Bet security agency.

Judy Weinstein-Haggai, age 70, and Gadi Haggai, age 72, were killed near their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas attack on southern Israel in 2023.

“Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our deepest condolences to the dear families,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.

The prime minister thanked the soldiers and commanders involved in the operation and vowed to return all remaining hostages held in Gaza.

“We will not rest and we will not be silent until all our hostages — both the living and the fallen — are brought home,” he said.

A spokesperson for Kibbutz Nir Oz said the bodies of the two hostages had been returned to Israel overnight and would be laid to rest.

The couple had four children and seven grandchildren.

In a statement the Kibbutz remembered Gadi as “a sharp-minded man, a gifted wind instrument player since the age of three, deeply connected to the land, a chef and advocate of healthy vegan nutrition and sports.” and Judy as “a poet, entrepreneur, creative spirit, and devoted advocate for peace and coexistence.”

A statement from the family, provided by the Nir Oz spokesperson expressed gratitude for the return of their missing loved ones.

“We are grateful for the closure we have been granted and for the return of our loved ones for burial — they went out for a walk on that Black Saturday morning and never came back. In this emotional moment, we want to thank the IDF and security forces who carried out this complex rescue operation and have been fighting for us for over a year and a half, and to everyone who supported, struggled, prayed, and fought for us and for all the people of Israel,” it said.

The family also thanked the US administration, the Israeli government, and the FBI for their “tireless work and ongoing support.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

New Zealand legislators voted Thursday to enact record suspensions from Parliament for three lawmakers who performed a Māori haka to protest a proposed law.

Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke received a seven-day ban and the leaders of her political party, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi, were barred for 21 days. Three days had been the longest ban for a lawmaker from New Zealand’s Parliament before.

The lawmakers from Te Pāti Māori, the Māori Party, performed the haka, a chanting dance of challenge, last November to oppose a widely unpopular bill, now defeated, that they said would reverse Indigenous rights.

But the protest drew global headlines and provoked months of fraught debate among lawmakers about what the consequences for the lawmakers’ actions should be and whether New Zealand’s Parliament welcomed or valued Māori culture — or felt threatened by it.

A committee of the lawmakers’ peers in April recommended the lengthy punishments in a report that said the lawmakers were not being punished for the haka itself, but for striding across the floor of the debating chamber towards their opponents while they did it. Maipi-Clarke Thursday rejected that, citing other instances where legislators have left their seats and approached their opponents without sanction.

It was expected that the suspensions would be approved, because government parties have more seats in Parliament than the opposition and had the necessary votes to affirm them. But the punishment was so severe that Parliament Speaker Gerry Brownlee in April ordered a free-ranging debate among lawmakers and urged them to attempt to reach a consensus on what repercussions were appropriate.

No such accord was reached Thursday. During hours of at times emotional speeches, government lawmakers rejected opposition proposals for lighter sanctions.

There were suggestions that opposition lawmakers might extend the debate for days or even longer through filibuster-style speeches, but with the outcome already certain and no one’s mind changed, all lawmakers agreed that the debate should end.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

In this market update, Frank breaks down recent developments across the S&P 500, crypto markets, commodities, and international ETFs. He analyzes bullish and bearish chart patterns, identifies key RSI signals, and demonstrates how “Go No Go Charts” can support your technical analysis. You’ll also hear updates on Ethereum, Bitcoin, the Spain ETF, silver miners, USO (oil), and sector ETFs like XLP and XLV.

This video originally premiered on June 3, 2025.

You can view previously recorded videos from Frank and other industry experts at this link.

Despite the uncertainty prevailing in the markets, the Nasdaq 100 Index ($NDX) has proven resilient, perhaps more so than its peer benchmarks. The 90-day trade truce between the U.S. and China, initiated in May, boosted investor confidence. Yet that’s now at risk amid mutual accusations of violations.

Nevertheless, markets rallied on Tuesday morning after news that April job openings, one of a few key reports leading up to Friday’s jobs report, were better than expected. Still, signs of weakening demand, rising deficits, and declining CEO confidence suggest the economy remains fragile.

Why QQQ May Be Worth Watching Right Now

In light of the current environment, is it worth adding positions to Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ), an $NDX proxy?

Shifting over to the StockCharts Market Summary page, you can see just how well $NDX is performing.

$NDX Breadth Metrics Reveal Bullish Participation

FIGURE 1. BREADTH AND BPI PANELS ON THE MARKET SUMMARY PAGE. While other indexes are growing increasingly bullish, you can see how the $NDX stands out.

Examining the Breadth panel on the left and zooming in on the moving averages, the $NDX has the most stocks trading above the 200-day simple moving average (SMA), a bullish signal considering that breadth of participation is critical when gauging the performance of an index. On the right panel, another breadth reading — the Bullish Percent Index (BPI) — tells you that 76% of the stocks in the index are triggering Point & Figure Buy Signals, giving you another angle on breadth, which happens to be in alignment.

Now that you’ve seen how $NDX is outperforming in terms of breadth, you’re probably curious about how many stocks are hitting new highs relative to the other indexes. Also, are there any particular standout subsectors or industries?

The New Highs panel can help answer both questions.

FIGURE 2. MARKET SUMMARY NEW HIGHS PANEL. The $NDX leads across the board, which asks the next question: Are there any standout sectors or industries represented within the index?

The $NDX has the highest percentage of stocks hitting new highs. If you click the Nasdaq 100 link, it will bring up a list of stocks in the index. The ones with a StockCharts Technical Rank (SCTR) score above 90 are listed below.

FIGURE 3. $NDX STOCKS WITH SCTR SCORES ABOVE 90. It’s a mixed bag in terms of industry.

The mix of subsectors and industries indicates there’s no one particular grouping (like all semiconductors or all AI stocks) leading the index. The $NDX’s outperformance is distributed across different areas.

So, back to the original question: is it worth entering or adding positions to QQQ?

Strategically, the outlook is murky. Geopolitical tensions and policy reversals can shift the market landscape overnight. But tactically, technical signals may offer potential entry points if you know where to look.

QQQ Weekly Chart: A Technical Rebound With Caveats

Let’s start with a broader view of QQQ, which is the likely investment vehicle for those who want to go long the $NDX. Here’s a weekly chart.

FIGURE 4. WEEKLY CHART OF QQQ. The ETF sharply recovered from a steep drop, but is there enough investor conviction to break above, or even test, its all-time high?

You can see how QQQ recovered sharply from its drop over the last quarter. While it’s trading above its 40-week SMA (equivalent to the 200-day SMA), you can also see how the 10-week SMA (or 50-day SMA equivalent) has fallen below it. Is it a false Death Cross signal, or is it indicating that the QQQ may not have enough momentum or investor conviction to test and break above its all-time high?

Zooming In: Key Support and Resistance Levels

To get a clearer picture, let’s zoom in on a daily chart.

This chart shows QQQ’s recovery in detail. There are several technical features converging to suggest critical support and resistance areas.

FIGURE 5. DAILY CHART OF QQQ. The key zones are highlighted. Now it’s a matter of seeing what QQQ does next.

Here’s a breakdown of the key things to watch:

  • Note the long Volume-by-Price levels (on the left) and how they correspond to the green- and yellow-shaded areas, indicating a high concentration of trading activity which can serve (or has served) as support and resistance.
  • The green range is where QQQ’s price is currently hovering, and the question is whether the ETF can break above it, opening up a path to test its all-time highs, or whether it will fall further.
  • The space between the 200-day SMA and the yellow-shaded area marks a critical support range. QQQ has respected the 200-day SMA before, bouncing off it as price tested the level (blue arrows).
  • The yellow-shaded area, another support range, marks a convergence of historical swing highs and lows (see blue arrows), serving as both resistance and support. It’s also another area of concentrated trading activity.

If QQQ falls below the green area, failing to advance higher, then you can expect support at the 200-day SMA (near $495) or the yellow-shaded range ($465 – $470). Below that, there’s another support range (shaded in red) near $430, but a decline to this level might also suggest weakness in investor conviction.

So far, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is just below the 70-line, indicating room to run should there be enough momentum to advance it. However, the Chaikin Money Flow (CMF), though well above the zero line, shows that buying pressure may be dwindling a bit, enough to watch closely, since volume often precedes price direction.

At the Close

The Nasdaq 100 may be navigating a messy macro backdrop, but its breadth, momentum, and leadership show promise. Strategically, the terrain is uncertain. Tactically? The charts suggest a practical setup for those who are looking to lean into strength.


Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

In this video, Joe walks through a comprehensive lesson on using the ADX (Average Directional Index) as part of a technical analysis strategy. Joe explains the key components of the ADX indicator, how to interpret DI+ and DI- lines, and how to identify strong or weak trends in the market. He also covers how to combine ADX with price action and volatility to improve timing and trading decisions.

In addition, Joe analyzes SPY, QQQ, IWM, and individual stocks like AMPX, UNH, and more, focusing on trend conditions, MACD, price structure, and key moving averages.

The video premiered on June 4, 2025. Click this link to watch on Joe’s dedicated page.

Archived videos from Joe are available at this link. Send symbol requests to stocktalk@stockcharts.com; you can also submit a request in the comments section below the video on YouTube. Symbol Requests can be sent in throughout the week prior to the next show.

A lot has happened in the stock market since Liberation Day, keeping us on our toes. Volatility has declined significantly, stocks have bounced back from their April 7 low, and the economy has remained resilient.

If you’re still feeling uncertain, though, you’re not alone. The stock market’s in a bit of a “wait and see” mode, going through a period of consolidation as it figures out its next move. 

The S&P 500 ($SPX) is hesitating to hit 6000 despite reclaiming its 200-day simple moving average (SMA). This indecision can leave investors feeling stuck in “no man’s land.” And it’s not just the S&P 500, either; most major indexes are in a similar scenario, except for small caps, which have been left behind. This could be because the market has priced in a delay in interest rate cut expectations.

Tech Is Taking the Lead

If you drill down into the major indexes, there is some action you shouldn’t ignore. Tech stocks have started to take the lead again, although momentum has been lacking. Over the past month, the Technology sector has been up over 4%.

FIGURE 1. S&P SECTOR ETF PERFORMANCE OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS. Technology is the clear leader with a gain of over 4%.Image source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes. It’s encouraging to see tech stocks regain their leadership position. Tech is a major force behind the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite ($COMPQ). The daily chart of the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) shows the ETF has been trying to break above a consolidation range it has been stuck in since mid-May.

FIGURE 2. DAILY CHART OF XLK. Although the ETF has barely broken above its consolidation range, we need to see greater momentum to confirm a follow through to the upside.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.Nothing is standing in the way of XLK reaching its all-time high, but the momentum isn’t quite there yet. The 14-period relative strength index (RSI) is below 70 and looks to be stalling, pretty much in line with the overall stock market’s price action.

So, what’s the market waiting for? Maybe a catalyst, like Friday’s non-farm payrolls report. This week’s JOLTS, ADP, and ISM Services data didn’t move the needle much, but the NFP report could be the game changer.

S&P 500 Technical Forecast

Where could the S&P 500 go from here? Let’s dive into the weekly chart.

FIGURE 3. WEEKLY CHART OF THE S&P 500. The index is spitting distance to its all-time high. A break above the November high would clear the path to new highs.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

The S&P 500 broke above its 40-week SMA on the week of May 12 and has held above it. However, it has been in a consolidation for the last month, similar to that of XLK.

The S&P 500 is approaching its November high of 6017. A break above it could push it toward new highs. On the flip side, if it slides below the 40-week SMA, it would be a cause for concern and could mean the May 12 gap-up could get filled. Keep an eye on the 5688 level. If the S&P 500 pulls back close to that level and turns around, it would be a healthy correction — an opportunity to buy the dip. A further downside move would mean exercising patience or unloading some of your positions.

What’s Going On With Gold and Bonds?

While stocks are grinding sideways, gold prices are rising, and bond prices are showing green shoots. This price action tells us that investors could be bracing for slower growth ahead. It’s not something to panic about — just something to watch.

You can get a quick look at what gold, bonds, and all the major indexes are doing by checking out the StockCharts Market Summary page and Your Dashboard.

So, what should you do?

Hold, add, or fold? That’s the big question. The market needs time to digest a lot, from economic data to geopolitical risks and policy headlines. Keep checking in and monitor the sectors, observe index performance, and note how other areas of the market, such as precious metals and bonds, are reacting.


 Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

Snacktime is nigh at the Golden Arches.

On June 3, McDonald’s announced exactly when the Snack Wrap will return to partipating restaurants nationwide: July 10. And, thankfully, it’s not a limited-time offer, either — it’s here for good.

The Snack Wrap, which has been off menus for almost a decade, features one of the chain’s new McCrispy Strips — a chicken strip made with all-white meat — and is topped with shredded lettuce and shredded cheese, wrapped in a flour tortilla.

This go-round, the Snack Wrap comes in two flavors: Spicy, which McDonald’s says “brings the heat with a habanero kick” reminiscent of its Spicy McCrispy sandwich; and Ranch, which “delivers a satisfying burst of cool ranch goodness,” according to the brand, along with hints of garlic and onion.

Customers can get the Snack Wrap on its own or as a combo meal, which will come with two wraps, a medium fries and your drink of choice.

It’s been a long journey for Mickey D’s devotees: On Dec. 5, Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, first revealed that the Snack Wrap was on its way back while discussing the new McValue menu.

“The Snack Wrap will be back in 2025,” Erlinger said at the time, declining to reveal the exact date. “It has a cult following, I get so many emails into my inbox about this product.”

Then, on April 15, the chain teased the official release date: “snack wraps 0x.14.2025,” it posted on X, without specifying the month.

Now, for the official rollout, McDonald’s is leaning into the fact that for years, fans have inundated the chain with pleas to reinstate the item after it was kicked off menus in 2016. A Change.org petition started in 2021 in its honor garnered over 17,000 signatures, and fans resorted to posting TikToks and making dedicated Instagram accounts devoted to bringing it back.

While the chicken-craving masses waited for the Snack Wrap’s return, other fast-food chains have dropped their own versions: In March 2023, Wendy’s introduced its Grilled Chicken Ranch Wrap; in July 2023, Taco Bell reintroduced its Crispy Chicken Taco for a limited time; and in August 2023, Burger King launched BK Royal Crispy Wraps for a limited time, too.

Most recently, a single day before McDonald’s announcement, Popeyes dropped its own Chicken Wraps as a limited-time offer. Let the wrap battle commence.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS