wiar 07-02-19

MFwebsite2020researchWhat I Am Reading

July 02 (Tuesday)

Beach Reading: Forbes Picks Dr. Ed’s Book. It’s summer time and time for backyard barbecues and sitting in beach chairs. It’s also time for summer reading. At the end of June, Forbes picked six of The Best Investing Books. My book is third on the list with the following review: “One way to invest is to look at megatrends. Often these are about technology transformations, such as the internet, cloud computing and social networking. To help analyze trends, Edward Yardeni’s Predicting the Markets is a great resource. Keep in mind that—during the past four decades—he has a solid track record of anticipating waves. Just some include globalization and disinflation. He also has a knack for predicting bull-bear turns in the markets.”

Markets
S&P 500 closes at new record as chipmakers get a boost from US-China trade truce (C)
Here are the biggest stock winners from the US-China trade ceasefire (C)
Bond Exchange-Traded Funds Pass $1 Trillion in Assets (W)
OPEC Agrees to Keep Output-Cut Pact Into 2020 (W)
U.S. Drilling Slowdown Triggers Oil Bankruptcy (W)

Central banks
Fed’s Barkin Warns of Business Investment Chill From Trade Uncertainty (W)

Global
Global Factory Output Contracts for the First Time in 80 Months (B)

US
U.S. Factory Gauge Drops Less Than Forecast But Orders Stall (B)
Companies are warning that earnings results are going to be brutal (C)
Leadership needed in the policy swamp as CBO projects ‘unprecedented’ debt (The Hill)
American Suburbs Swell Again as a New Generation Escapes the City (W)
More than 8 million homeowners are leaving big money on the table by not refinancing (C)

US politics
Democrats Push Left but Need Moderate Swing States (W)

Geopolitics & trade
Hong Kong Police Fire Tear Gas to Disperse Protesters (W)
Russia will only make a few units of a hypersonic weapon Putin bragged about: US intel (C)
U.S. companies tentatively step back into business with Huawei, but a long fight looms (C)

Industries & companies
Biotech: Top market technician says the biotech breakout is just getting started (C)
Consumer: Coca-Cola and Monster Resolve Energy Drink Dispute (W)
Cosmetics: Struggling Beauty Giant Coty to Restructure Operations (W)
Financials: Goldman Sachs Could Be a New Safety Stock (W)
Financials: Empty Desks and Early Beers: Life at Deutsche Bank in New York (B)

Corporate finance
Genesee & Wyoming to Go Private in Roughly $6.5 Billion Deal (W)
Applied Materials to Buy Kokusai Electric From KKR for $2.2 Billion (W)

Offbeat
Japan Resumes Commercial Whaling. But Is There an Appetite for It? (N)

wiar 07-01-19

MFwebsite2020researchWhat I Am Reading

July 01 (Monday)

Markets
Dow futures surge more than 200 points after Trump and Xi agree to not impose more tariffs (C)
These two risks could sneak up on investors in the year’s second half (C)
Bond ETFs are seeing huge inflows—but we’re not at the peak yet, expert says (C)
Oil Prices Caught Between Slower Growth and Mideast Turmoil (W)
Do Wall Street Price Targets Really Matter? What Investors Need to Know. (BR)

Central banks
Fed Officials Are Expected to Find Little to Boost Outlook From Trade Truce (W)
ECB’s Draghi Grows Bolder as His Tenure Nears End (W)
Fed Cut Bets Won’t Vanish Just Because Trump and Xi Played Nice (B)

Global
It’s Time to Fire Up All Engines to Boost World Growth, BIS Says (B)
Gray Wave Gives Slow-Growing World a Boost (W)

Geopolitics & trade
U.S. ‘Winning’ Trade War After Reviving China Talks, Trump Says (B)
‘It’s a temporary timeout’: Trump and Xi agree to negotiations, but offer no clear path to end US-China trade war (C)
Trump’s decision to let Huawei buy US products is ‘not a general amnesty,’ Kudlow says (C)
Trump Steps Into North Korea as Two Sides Agree to Restart Nuclear Talks (W)
Trump becomes first sitting US president in history to cross border into North Korea (C)

Industries & companies
Cruise-lines: Carnival Stock Is Headed for Smoother Sailing (BR)
Retail: Walmart Turns to Virtual Reality to Pick Middle Managers (W)
Tech: The Downside of 5G: Overwhelmed Cities, Torn-Up Streets, a Decade Until Completion (W)

Corporate finance
Today’s IPO Market Is Not the Next Dot-Com Bubble (BR)
How the Tide of IPOs Can Lift All Stocks (BR)
AbbVie Buying Allergan Isn’t the Right Remedy for the Stock (BR)

wiar 06-29-19

MFwebsite2020researchWhat I Am Reading

June 29 (Saturday)

Markets
S&P 500 Posts Best First Half of Year Since 1997 (W)
By the numbers: Best June for the Dow since 1938, S&P 500′s best first half in two decades (C)
America’s Greatest Bull Market Rages on Against the Dying Light (B)
Halfway through 2019, tech leads on Wall Street (R)

Central banks
Moderate U.S. consumer spending, inflation support rate cut (R)
Opinion: Investors are nuts to think a July interest-rate cut is a slam dunk (MW)

US
U.S. Inflation Continues Recovery but Remains Below Fed Target (W)

US politics
Joe Biden loses support of top campaign fundraiser in Bay Area after comments on segregationists and Hyde amendment (C)
Trump Supreme Court pick Kavanaugh delivered the goods for conservatives (R)

Geopolitics & trade
Trump Changes His Tone on Trade at G-20 (W)
Trump, Xi set for high-stakes trade war talks in Japan (R)
After Trump threat, Vietnam says it wants free and fair trade with U.S. (R)
What you need to know about Saturday’s highly anticipated Trump-Xi meeting (C)
Here’s what every major Wall Street bank believes will happen at the Trump-Xi trade meeting (C)
Trump offers to meet Kim Jong Un at demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea (C)

Industries & companies
Aerospace: Boeing 737 Max likely grounded until the end of the year after new problem emerges (C)
Autos: Your American Car Is Probably Not as American as You Think (Fortune)
FAANGs: Apple Shifts Mac Pro Production to China (W)
Financials: Deutsche Bank Considers Up to 20,000 Job Cuts (W)
Financials: Goldman Sachs, Ally Financial Beat the Fed to a Rate Cut (W)
Financials: U.S. banks play cat-and-mouse game with Fed on capital returns (R)

Cryptocurrency
Facebook’s Libra Cryptocurrency: How It Stacks Up to Bitcoin and PayPal (W)

wiar 06-28-19

MFwebsite2020researchWhat I Am Reading

June 28 (Friday)

Markets
Stocks Rise as Investors Hope for Trade Progress (W)
Opinion: Shocker: The S&P 500 is underperforming the stock market (MW)

US
Mortgage Rate Dips Again, Pointing to a Rise in Refinancing Risk (B)

US politics
Watch: Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders face off in the first 2020 presidential primary debate (C)
House passes Senate’s $4.6 billion emergency border aid bill amid Democratic divisions (C)
Trump considers bypassing Congress to cut capital gains tax on wealthy, report says (C)

Geopolitics & trade
China to Insist U.S. Lift Huawei Ban as Part of Trade Deal (W)
Huawei Hits Back at Claims It Steals Secrets (W)
How a Big U.S. Chip Maker Gave China the ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ (W)

Industries & companies
Aerospace: Pilots Flagged Software Problems on Boeing Jets Besides the Max (B)
Autos: Ford to Slash Jobs as Part of European Shake-Up (W)
FAANGs: Apple’s chief design officer, Jony Ive, is leaving the company (C)
Financials: Credit Suisse is the sole bank tripped up by Fed stress test as rest get approval to boost payouts (C)
Financials: JP Morgan, Goldman and others boost dividends and buybacks after passing Fed stress test (C)
Retail: Nike Posts Strong Sales, Plays Down Trade Risks (W)

wiar 06-27-19

MFwebsite2020researchWhat I Am Reading

June 27 (Thursday)

Markets
In a rare occurrence, both stock and bonds are having a great year (C)
There’s something wrong with this rally in the stock market, JP Morgan says (C)

Central banks
Trump Slams Fed’s Powell, Saying ‘We Should Have Draghi Instead’ (W)
Trump Redoubles Attacks on Fed Chair, Saying ‘I Made Him’ (N)
Trump says he can fire Fed’s Powell; it’s not that simple (R)
Fed’s Barkin Takes Wait-and-See Approach to Rate Setting (W)
Key Chinese Lending Rate Hits Lowest Since 2009 (W)

US
U.S. companies fear falling profit margins as trade tensions, deflationary forces persist (MW)
There’s a huge gap between what home buyers want and what’s for sale (MW)
Jamie Dimon sounds off on student debt crisis: ‘What we’ve done is a disgrace’ (C)

US politics
Here’s everything you need to know about the first 2020 Democratic presidential debate in Miami (C)
Democrats Look to Separate From 2020 Pack in First Debates (W)
Senate Passes $4.6 Billion Aid Package for Migrants at Border (W)
The Dangerous Folly of Lafferism (N)

Geopolitics & trade
‘My Plan B Is Maybe My Plan A’: Trump Threatens New Tariffs on China (N)
Companies Dodge U.S. Tariffs on China By Rerouting Goods (W)
Supreme Leader Says Iran Won’t Back Down From U.S. (W)

Industries & companies
Aerospace: Boeing Just One Factor Behind Drop in Durable-Goods Orders (W)
Autos: Tesla has a secret lab trying to build its own battery cells to reduce dependence on Panasonic (C)
Industrials: Industrials Continue Strong Run Despite Pullback in Goods Orders (W)

Cybersecurity
Hackers Strike Another Small Florida City, Demanding Hefty Ransom (W)

Offbeat
Giant Investors Are Coming After One of Wall Street’s Cash Cows (W)

wiar 06-26-19

MFwebsite2020researchWhat I Am Reading

June 26 (Wednesday)

Markets
Asia stocks set to slide as Fed’s Powell tempers rate cut expectations (C)
Energy Stocks Diverge From Oil Prices (W)
Gold Rally Picks Up Steam as Investors Pile In (W)
Gold’s Rally Spurs People to Sell Their Old Tiffanys and Rolexes (B)
Trump Drags Dollar to Center Stage at G-20 as Trade War Heats Up (B)

Central banks
Fed Chief Jerome Powell warns against policy bending to ‘short-term political interests’ (C)
Powell Reiterates Stronger Case for Cut Amid Economic Risks (B)
Dallas Fed President: Too Early to Tell Whether Rate Cut Will Be Warranted (W)
Fed’s Bullard Says Quarter-Point Cut Is Enough for ‘Insurance’ (B)
Here’s Why Betting on a BOJ Rate Cut May Be Doomed to Fail (B)

US
Major companies are ringing alarm bells, trying to warn Washington about more tariffs (C)
Consumer Confidence Slid in June on Trade Tensions (W)
Home Prices Decelerated in April (W)

China
China’s Consumers Turn Cautious, Weakening President Xi’s Hand (W)

US politics
Melania Trump’s chief of communications Stephanie Grisham picked as next White House press secretary and communications director (C)

Geopolitics & trade
U.S., Iran Step Up Rhetoric After Washington’s Sanctions Threat (W)
Trump and Xi meet Saturday — If it goes poorly, the global economy could teeter into recession (C)
The trade war is weighing on Chinese home buying in the US (C)
FedEx CEO says US lawsuit is ‘separate and distinct’ from Huawei package mishaps (C)
FedEx Sues Commerce Department Over Restrictions on Huawei (W)

Industries & companies
FAANGs: Facebook’s Pricey Ad Spend May Not Impress (W)
FAANGs: Regulators Have Doubts About Facebook Cryptocurrency. So Do Its Partners. (N)
Logistics: FedEx Sees `Transition Year’ as Trade Woes Damp E-Commerce Gains (B)
Media: YouTube Content for Children Should Be Barred, Advocacy Groups Tell FTC (W)
Media: Netflix to Lose No. 1 Show ‘The Office’ to Comcast in 2021 (W)
Tech: Micron pops on earnings and revenue beat (C)

Corporate finance
AbbVie Strikes Deal to Acquire Allergan for About $63 Billion (W)
Justice Department Investigates Collusion Claims in Chicken Industry (W)

Cryptocurrency
Is There a Big Short in Bitcoin? (W)

wiar 06-25-19

MFwebsite2020researchWhat I Am Reading

June 25 (Tuesday)

Markets
U.S. Stocks Meander Around Flat Line (W)
Bigger Is Better in U.S. Stock Market (W)
Tweets, Trade and the Fed Now Have Markets Moving in Packs (W)
China’s Money-Markets Strains Show Risk of Shocks (W)

Central banks
Trump Says Federal Reserve ‘Doesn’t Know What It Is Doing’ (W)
Dallas Fed President: Too Early to Tell Whether Rate Cut Will Be Warranted (W)
Opinion: The Federal Reserve is about to create a lot more zombies (MW)
Federal Reserve Is Low on Ammunition (W)

US
Company earnings look like they will keep sliding through the third quarter (C)
Wait, Where Did Our New Hire Go? (W)

US politics
Bernie Sanders proposes forgiving the student debt of 45 million Americans (C)
Biden May See Sharp Knives on Crowded Debate Stage (W)
SALT Cap Repeal Would Be $40 Billion Windfall for Millionaires (B)
‘We Are Part of the Problem.’ Billionaires and Heirs Demand Wealth Tax (B)
Trump Administration Proposes New Type of Apprenticeship (W)

Geopolitics & trade
Trump signs executive order slapping ‘hard-hitting’ sanctions on Iran over drone shootdown (C)
U.S. Launched Cyberattacks on Iran (W)

Industries & companies
Airlines: U.S. Airlines, After Rebuilding Home Networks, Look to Expand Overseas (W)
Energy: Energy is one of June’s best-performing sectors, but the rally may be running out of steam (C)
FAANGs: Google’s Enemies Gear Up to Make Antitrust Case (W)
Tech: Bill Gates says letting Android win mobile was his ‘biggest mistake’ at Microsoft (C)

Corporate finance
Monday was a terrible day for 2019 tech IPOs, with Zoom and Beyond Meat plummeting (C)
UnitedHealth buys PatientsLikeMe, which faced Trump administration scrutiny over Chinese investor (C)
McDonald’s First Major Acquisition In Years Could Be A Game Changer (FR)

Technology
Why we can’t possibly switch everyone to electric cars (P)

Offbeat
Italy Selected as Host for 2026 Winter Olympics (W)

wiar 06-24-19

MFwebsite2020researchWhat I Am Reading

June 24 (Monday)

Stocks
The S&P 500 Hit a New High. Start Worrying. (BR)
Dow 30,000 Could Come Sooner Than You Think (BR)

Credit & currencies
Bond-Yield Plunge Confounds the World’s Economy (W)
Muni Bonds Are in High Demand and Short Supply (BR)
Global Central Bank Shift Eases Drag on Chinese Currency (W)

Central banks
Trump says he never threatened to demote Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, but has the ‘right’ to do so (C)
The Federal Reserve has another option besides rate cuts to battle a slowdown (C)

US
When the Next Recession Hits, 4 Good Things Could Happen (Fortune)

Europe
Eurozone Job Market Cools, Putting Economic Recovery in Peril (W)

US politics
‘Medicare for All’ and Big Tech breakup: Here are the business issues to watch in the first 2020 Democratic primary debates this week (C)
Biden Controversy Leaves Little Mark With South Carolina Voters (B)

Geopolitics & trade
Secretary of State Pompeo says US is prepared to negotiate with Iran without preconditions (C)
Trump Bucked National-Security Aides on Iran Attack (W)
Trump administration mulls requiring 5G equipment for domestic use to be manufactured outside of China: WSJ (C)
Trump sends letter to North Korea’s Kim Jong Un ahead of Asia trip (C)

Corporate finance
Facebook’s Libra Is a License to Print Money (W)

Offbeat
Indexing Giant Vanguard Examining a Push Into Private Equity (W)

wiar 06-22-19

MFwebsite2020researchWhat I Am Reading

June 22 (Saturday)

Markets
S&P 500, Dow Head Toward Their Best June In Decades (W)
It was a monumental week for markets with major milestones in stocks, bonds, gold and oil (C)
Fed Loses Its Patience and Almost Everything You Can Trade Goes Nuts (B)
Traders this week bet on a Fed rate cut in record-setting numbers (C)

Central banks
Fed’s Clarida: ‘We’ll Act as Appropriate to Sustain Expansion’ (W)
Kashkari Says He Wanted Half-Point Rate Cut at Fed Meeting (B)
Hating the Fed Is as American as Apple Pie (W)

US
U.S. Existing Home Sales Top Estimates as All Four Regions Gain (B)
The National Debt Is Still a Problem (N)

Europe
European Auto Makers Are Under Pressure to Sell More Electric Cars (W)

Global
Faltering Factories Cast a Dark Cloud Over Global Economy (W)

Geopolitics & trade
Trump says ‘we were cocked & loaded’ but ‘in no hurry’ to attack Iran after abruptly calling off strike’ (C)
Trump says he aborted strike to spare Iranian lives (R)
U.S. Targets China’s Supercomputing Push With New Export Restrictions (W)

Industries & companies
FAANGs: Inside Apple’s team that greenlights iPhone apps for the App Store (C)
FAANGs: Amazon gets U.S. patent to use delivery drones for surveillance service (R)
Financials: Big Banks Ace First Round of Federal Reserve’s ‘Stress Tests’ (W)

Technology
McDonald’s Tests Robot Fryers and Voice-Activated Drive-Throughs (W)
Home Is Where They Know Your Name (And Face, Hands and Fingerprints) (W)
The Next Big Privacy Concern Is Up in the Air (W)
Alexa Gone Bad: When A.I. Assistants Turn On Us (W)

wiar 06-21-19

MFwebsite2020researchWhat I Am Reading

June 21 (Friday)

Markets
S&P 500 Hits Record Close After Fed Hints of Interest-Rate Cut (W)
These stocks — including Home Depot and Verizon — are big winners when rates drop (C)
10-Year Yield Falls Below 2%, Defying Expectations (W)
US oil surges 5.4% to settle at $56.65 after Trump says Iran made a ‘very big mistake’ (C)

Central banks
Powell May Have Outed Himself on the Dot Plot as Seeing Lower Rates (B)
Trump on Fed Decision: ‘You Can’t Win ‘Em All’ (W)

US
The Trump economy is starting to look more and more like the Obama economy (C)
U.S. Companies Repatriated More Profits in 2018 Than Estimated (W)
Investors Are Buying More of the Housing Market Than Ever Before (W)
Everything American Hits All-Time High (B)

Europe
French Economy Hit by Euro-Area Slowdown as Insee Cuts Outlook (B)

Japan
House-Flipper Sees Big Profits in Japan’s 8 Million Empty Homes (B)

US politics
Here’s why Jeffrey Gundlach thinks Trump might drop out of 2020 presidential race (MW)

Geopolitics & trade
Trump Again Downplays Iranian Attack After Navy Drone Shot Down (B)
Trump says Iranian downing of US drone may have been unintentional (C)
China’s Xi Meets North Korea’s Kim, Both Seeking Leverage With U.S. (W)

Industries & companies
Autos: Nissan, Renault to Partner With Waymo on Driverless Cars (W)
FAANGs: Apple Explores Moving Some Production Out of China (W)
FAANGs: Millions of Business Listings on Google Maps Are Fake—and Google Profits (W)
Financials: One major bank is holding the line, saying the Fed won’t cut rates this year (C)
Retail: Walmart to Pay $282 Million to Settle Claims of Corrupt Payments Abroad, SEC Says (W)
Retail: Kroger Seeks Patience As It Works to Reshape Business (W)

Corporate finance
Slack shares surge more than 50% over reference price in market debut (C)