Dr. Ed's Blog

Sep 23 (Saturday)

Markets
What We Know About Financial Bubbles (W)
Europe’s Foreign Debt Binge Could Push U.S Rates Lower (W)

Oil
OPEC’s ‘Problem Children’ Are Holding Down Oil Prices (W)

Central banks
Fed Officials Show Willingness to Raise Rates Again This Year (W)
Fed Officials Ponder Slow Inflation With December Hike On Table (B)

Europe
Even in Staid Germany, Protest Parties Poised to Gain (W)
Theresa May Calls for Two-Year Brexit Transition Period (W)

Japan
Japan’s Abe to Call Election for Oct. 22 as Support Rises (B)

US politics
McCain to Oppose Obamacare Repeal, Possibly Dooming GOP Effort (B)

Geopolitics
North Korea Stokes International Ire With Bomb Threat (W)
Iran Shows Off New Ballistic Missile in Defiance of U.S. (W)
Wilbur Ross: These NAFTA Rules Are Killing Our Jobs (WP)

Industries & companies
FANGs: Facebook Scraps New Share Class in Rare Win for Investors (B)
FANGs: Apple has worst week in 17 months on muted demand (FT)
FANGs: Why Slow iPhone 8 Sales May Be Good for Apple (W)
Tech: London Won’t Reissue Uber License, Calling It Unfit to Operate (W)
Tech: Hewlett Packard Enterprise to Cut 10% of Workforce (W)

Offbeat
‘Fab Four’ accountancy groups are too few to fail (FT)

Sep 22 (Friday)

Markets
What Passive Buying and Selling Means for Stocks (W)
There’s a New Yield Curve to Predict Recessions (B)
This Hedge Fund Investor Says China Bears Are Missing Something (B)

Oil
Shale Billionaire Hamm Slams ‘Exaggerated’ U.S. Oil Projections (B)

Central banks
$2 Trillion Later, Does the Fed Even Know if Quantitative Easing Works? (W)
The New Fed Team Will Inherit Inflation Miss That’s Mystifying Yellen (B)
Yellen refuses to be thwarted by low-inflation mystery (FT)
Confident Fed Sets Stage for December Rate Increase (N)

US
Fed Says Total U.S. Household Net Worth Rose (W)
Baby Boomers’ New Job: Unpaid Care for the Elderly (W)
CVS Health Moves to Limit Access to Opioid Painkillers (W)

Europe
Le Pen Dumps Chief Euroskeptic, Signaling Shift for National Front (W)

Japan
Japan Is Discovering the Power of Painkillers (B)

China
S&P Lowers China’s Credit Rating (W)
China’s Banking System Won’t Collapse, Former Bank Director Says (B)

US politics
Tax Reform for the Rich: Reduce the Rates but Lose the Breaks (N)
GOP Pushes McCain to Back ‘Last Best Hope’ for Obamacare Repeal (B)

Geopolitics
Trump Boosts North Korea Sanctions, Adding Economic Pressure (B)
Kim says US will ‘pay dearly’ for Trump’s insults (FT)
U.S. Complaints on Iran Nuclear Deal Put EU Under Pressure (W)
Trump Says ‘I’ll Let You Know’ if U.S. Will Stay in Iran Deal (W)
Facebook Says It Will Hand Over Russia-Backed Ads to Congress (W)

Cybersecurity
Top SEC Officials Only Recently Told of 2016 Filings Hack (W)
Singapore Ranks First as Launchpad for Global Cyber Attacks (B)
Someone Made a Fake Equifax Site. Then Equifax Linked to It. (N)

Industries & companies
Autos: Daimler to Invest $1 Billion in Alabama Plant (W)
FANGs: Apple’s Latest Products Get Rare Mixed-Bag Reviews (B)
FANGs: Amazon Puts Whole Foods on Fast Track to Supermarket (W)
FANGs: Facebook Plans Big Overhaul of Political Ads After Criticism (B)
Financials: U.S. Considers Dropping Federal Oversight of AIG (W)
Media: Music Industry Recovery Continues, Powered by a Surge in Subscriptions (W)
Retail: How Grocery Giant Aldi Plans to Conquer America: Limit Choice (W)
Tech: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Is Said to Plan About 5,000 Job Cuts (B)
Tech: EU Preps Tax Crackdown on Silicon Valley (W)

Corporate finance
Corporate America Has Amassed a Record Amount of Cash (B)

Offbeat
Lonely Young Man Seeks Woman to Keep in a Tube[: AI Relationships in Japan] (B)
‘Catch Me if You Can’ Scam Artist Has a Warning for Today’s Consumers (W)
Amazon bones up on history with eye on ‘smart glasses’ (FT)

Sep 21 (Thursday)

Markets
We’re officially in the 2nd-largest bull market since World War II (BI)
BLOOMBERG: ‘I cannot for the life of me understand why the market keeps going up’ (BI)
It’s Not Just Toys ‘R’ Us. More Credit Weak Spots Emerge (B)

Central banks
Fed Unveils Plan to Pare Holdings, Hints at Another Rate Rise (W)
Parsing the Fed: How the September Statement Changed From July (W)
The Fed’s New Dot Plot Signals Three Hikes in 2018 (B) | SEP
ECB’s Top Officials on Parade Ahead of Critical October Decision (B)

Global
World Economy Is Set to Grow at Fastest Pace Since 2011 (B)
Interim Economic Outlook release of 20 September 2017 (OECD)

US
U.S. Existing-Home Sales Fall to a One-Year Low After Harvey (B)
U.S. Businesses Plan to Hire More as Tax-Overhaul Prospects Tantalize CEOs (W)
For Holiday Hires, It’s Already Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (W)
The Consequences of the U.S. Baby Bust (B)

Europe
The Secret of Angela Merkel’s Longevity: Strategic Flip-Flops (W)
AfD sets populist course to heart of German politics (FT)
Italy’s 5 Star Movement Looks to Candidate With Mainstream Appeal (W)

Emerging
India Has a Big Jobs Problem, and It Could Be Getting Worse (B)
China Rushes to Surpass U.S. in Decoding Citizens’ Genes (W)

US politics
U.S. Demands Changes to Iran Nuclear Deal, Tillerson Says (W)
This last-ditch effort to repeal Obamacare is really all about tax cuts (BI)
Obama Goes From White House to Wall Street in Less Than One Year (B)

Geopolitics
Trump Threatens to ‘Totally Destroy’ North Korea in the Event of War (B)
Trump Makes Decision on Iran Deal—but Won’t Disclose It Now (W)
Russia rebukes Trump over Iran, North Korea, accuses U.S. of missile treaty breach (R)

Industries & companies
FANGs: Apple Falls After Analyst Report Indicates Weak iPhone 8 Demand (B)
FANGs: Apple Watch Series 3 Review: Untethered… and Unreliable (W)
FANGs: Apple Acknowledges Cellular Connectivity Problem in Watch (W)
FANGs: Why Amazon Needs Some Cities More Than They Need Amazon (W)
FANGs: Alphabet’s Nest Takes on Home Security With Alarm Kit, Doorbell (B)
FANGs: Google Is Set to Buy Part of Taiwanese Phone Maker HTC (W)
Pharma: Pfizer Alleges J&J Thwarted Competition to Remicade (W)
Retail: Best Buy is the latest victim of the retail apocalypse as pressure from Amazon sends shares plunging 10% (BI)
Retail: Heavy Debt Crushed Owners of Toys ‘R’ Us (W)
Retail: Toys ‘R’ Us Will Live Because Mattel and Hasbro Can’t Let It Die (B)
Tech: U.S. Tech Giants in EU Crosshairs as Tax Clampdown Takes Shape (B)

Corporate finance
Merger plan reforges European steel sector (FT)
Toshiba seals $18bn memory chip sale to Bain-led group (FT)

Technology
Amazon working on wearables to interact with Alexa (FT)

Mother Nature
Death Toll in Mexico Earthquake Reaches 227 (W)
Hurricane Maria Slams Puerto Rico (W)

Sep 20 (Wednesday)

Markets
Bull trend confirmed, S&P 500 reaches uncharted territory ahead of the Fed (MW)
With Stocks Sizzling, Investors Order Up a Side of Protection (B)
Wall Street’s Bond Gurus Have the Fed’s Balance-Sheet Unwind All Wrong (B)

Oil
Unfinished Business: Why Oil Output May Surprise (W)
The North Sea Is Suddenly, Surprisingly, an Oil Hot Spot (W)

Central banks
Markets Brace for Fed’s Big Move: The End of Easy Money (W)
Should central banks issue their own bitcoins? (MW)

US
U.S. Housing Starts Fell, Permits Rose in August (W)
Nobody seems to know why there’s no US inflation (FT)
Houston homeowners ‘begging’ for help as the city has no workers to help fix homes (C)
Teens today are working less

US politics
GOP senators closing in on tax cut plan (C)
A Guide to the Senate’s Three Health-Care Proposals (W)
Here’s why the new GOP Obamacare-replacement bill might actually pass in Congress (C)
Senate GOP Considers Trillion-Dollar-Plus Tax Cut for Budget (W)
How Antifa Violence Has Split the Left (W)

Geopolitics
Trump Warns North Korea’s ‘Rocket Man’ in First UN Speech (B)
Mattis Hints at Secret Military Options for North Korea (W)
North Korea ambassador walks out of UN assembly in boycott of Trump’s speech (C)
Huntsman Says ‘No Question’ Russia Meddled in U.S. Election (B)
Exclusive: Trump using campaign, RNC funds to pay legal bills from Russia probe (R)

Industries & companies
Financials: Jefferies: Investment Banking Had Its Best Quarter Yet (W)
Manufacturing: Toys ‘R’ Us Bankruptcy Poses Challenge for Toy Makers (W)
Retail: Amazon isn’t the only reason Toys ‘R’ Us filed for bankruptcy (MW)
Retail: On Thin Ice, Landlords Try Turning Strip Malls Into Winter Hangouts (W)
Tech: The iPhone 8 Isn’t the Upgrade You’re Looking for (W)

Corporate finance
Walgreens Finally Gains Approval for Rite Aid Deal (W)
Sprint and T-Mobile Are Hashing Out Terms to Bring Deal Closer (B)
Wall Street opens back door to tech IPOs (FT)

Offbeat
Maria Batters Dominica, Heads Toward Puerto Rico (W)
Dozens of Investors Show Interest in Plaza Hotel (W)

Sep 19 (Tuesday)

Markets
U.S. Stocks Are Front-Running Third-Quarter Earnings Beats (B)
Americans Place Highest-Ever Odds Stocks Will Appreciate (B)
Energy stocks power Wall Street’s record-breaking run (FT)

Central banks & BIS
Fed Is About to Embark on the Great Unwinding (W)
As Fed Sets to Unwind, How Far Should It Go? (W)
Debt Limit Deal Gums Up Treasury’s Plan for Handling the Fed Taper (B)
Fed to play it safe in face of inflation jitters (FT)

US
Sorry, You Are Probably Not Getting a Raise Next Year (W)

Europe
Annual inflation up to 1.5% in the euro area (Eurostat)
Boris Johnson Taunts Theresa May by Refusing to Say If He’ll Quit (B)

China
China Increases U.S. Treasury Holdings to Almost One-Year High (B)
China Scrambles to Catch Up With Runaway Boom in Fintech Spending (W)

US politics
McCain Holds Out as GOP Wages Last-Gasp Push to Repeal Obamacare (B)
Trump Needs a Win? Infrastructure Should Be a ‘Gimme’ (B)
Nancy Pelosi Just Got Shouted Down by Activists Over Deal With Trump (B)

Geopolitics
U.S. Sends Warplanes on Korean Peninsula Bombing Exercise (W)
Key Question at the U.N.: What Does North Korea Want? (W)
Trump Takes an Agenda of Change to the U.N. (W)
Iran Accuses U.S. of Sabotaging Nuclear Deal Ahead of Talks (W)

Industries & companies
Autos: Porsche’s stunning Tesla rival will arrive in 2019 and cost $85,000 (BI)
Defense: Northrop Grumman Looks to Get Foothold in Military Space Race (W)
FANGs: US Senate investigators train sights on Facebook (FT)
Retail: Toys ‘R’ Us Plans Bankruptcy Filing as Soon as Today (B)
Retail: Filing ‘Chapter 22’ Becomes Enticing Option for Ailing Retailers (B)

Cybersecurity
States using ‘off the shelf’ hacks, warns Google (FT)

Corporate finance
‘Buyback trade’ fizzles as stock repurchases slow (FT)
Northrop Grumman is buying missile and rocket maker Orbital for $7.8 billion (BI)
Slack has been valued at $5.1 billion after new funding led by SoftBank (BI)
Roku Expects IPO to Raise More Than $200 Million (W)

Technology
Shape-Shifting Car? Patents Point to Autos’ Future (W)
GE Is Working on Robot That It Says Can Save $200 Billion of Power (B)
Biometrics like Face ID are coming to your smartphone whether you like it or not (BI)
Auditing burden to fall as accountants embrace AI (FT)

Bitcoin
Bitcoin’s Wild Ride Shows The Truth: It Is Probably Worth Zero (W)
Biting Back on Bitcoin, Central Banks Chew Over Introducing Cryptocurrencies (W)
China Set to Widen Bitcoin Crackdown (W)

Offbeat
Private K-12 School in NYC Crosses the $50,000-a-Year Mark

Sep 18 (Monday)

Markets
Wall Street’s Real Earnings Surprises (BR)
Political Misfires Mean Good News for Munis (BR)

Central banks
The Fed prepares for its balance-sheet—and its board—to shrink (E)
What if Real People Ran the Fed? (BR)
World’s Central Banks Can’t Ignore the Bitcoin Boom, BIS Says (B)

Europe
Five Star Movement: the unanswered questions (FT)

Japan
Japanese Prime Minister Abe May Call Snap General Election, NHK Reports (B)

Emerging
Ever more Indians are struggling to find work (E)

US politics
House, Senate Tax Proposals Likely to Diverge (W)

Geopolitics
U.S.: North Korea Must Give Up Nuclear Weapons (W)
North Korea Is a ‘Global Problem,’ U.S. Says (W)
Tillerson Vows ‘Peaceful Pressure Campaign’ Against North Korea (B)
Trump Rejection of Chinese Deal Puts U.S. Policy in Focus (W)
U.S. Seeks to Avoid Quitting Paris Deal, Top Officials Say (W)

Industries & companies
Financials: Low ETF Fees: Good for Investors, Bad for Business (BR)
Financials: How Bank of America Ditched 1,597 Branches Across the U.S. (W)

Offbeat
Closing in on cancer (E)
The Changing Landscape for Independent Advisors (BR)
Hurricane Jose Aims for U.S. Northeast as Maria Strengthens (B)

Sep 16 (Saturday)

Markets
Stocks Brush Off North Korea’s New Missile Launch (W)
U.S. Stocks Reach Another Milestone With S&P 500 Rising Past 2,500 (B)

Central banks
Money Is Still Flowing Through China’s Economy (B)
Did QE lead banks to relax their lending standards? [yes] (FRB)

US
U.S. Retail Sales Fall After Weaker Results in Prior Months (B)
Where Have All the Workers Gone? [drugs] (Brookings)
No wonder so many American men feel like they’re falling behind. They earn as much as they did in 1972. (WP)
New Data Shows Retirees Are on the Move, But Young Folks Are a Different Story (W)
As U.S. marriage rate hovers at 50%, education gap in marital status widens (Pew)

Europe
Eurozone Wage Growth Hits Two-Year High (W)
EU Seeks a Digital Tax to Stem the ‘Bags of Money’ Lost to Loopholes (B)

US politics
The strange case of Trump and infrastructure (FT)
Tech Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny From Washington (W)
California Poised to Become ‘Sanctuary State’ (W)

Geopolitics
North Korea fires another missile, less than 2 weeks after nuclear bomb test (BI)
China Points Its Korea Rage South, Not North (W)
On Trump’s Agenda at UN: North Korea, Iran and Other ‘Grave Dangers’ (B)
Russia is about to kick off a war game that is freaking out NATO (BI)

Terrorism
Bomb exploded on the London Underground and injured 22 people (BI)

Industries & companies
Biotech: Biotech’s Cancer-Vaccine Insanity (B)
Cruises: Carnival falls on hazy outlook for big cruise markets (FT)
FANGs: Everything we know about Google’s upcoming smartphone, the Pixel 2 (BI)
FANGs: Facebook to Open New Artificial Intelligence Lab in Montreal (B)
FANGs: For Amazon, Can Two Headquarters Still Equal One Culture? (W)
FANGs: New York City Wants Amazon’s New Headquarters (B)
FANGS: Netflix’s Sarandos Aims to Build the Next Great Hollywood Studio (B)
Health Care: Anthem Expands Obamacare Options in Virginia to Fill Gaps (B)
Tech: Oracle’s profit, cloud growth forecasts drag down shares (R)

Corporate finance
Alphabet is reportedly considering investing $1 billion in Lyft (BI)
Microsoft in vanguard as cash piles blur lines with Wall St (FT)
Down $20 Billion, Boeing Stuffs Pension Fund With Its Own Shares (B)

Technology
12 jobs robots are already taking over (BI)
Technology and innovation in the insurance sector[: “Insurtech”] (OECD)

Offbeat
The 27 scariest moments of the financial crisis (BI)
Morgan Stanley is using Snapchat to recruit the next generation of bankers (BI)
Cassini Signs Off, Plunges in Flames Into Saturn (W)

Sep 15 (Friday)

Markets
Welcome to the ‘Seinfeld market’ — a bull market about nothing (C)
Obama-Trump bull market is now up 268% (NN)
Inflation’s Low. That’s Not Enough To Justify Expensive Stock Markets (W)
‘Davos for ETFs’ to convene in San Sebastián (FT)

Central banks
Fed to take historic leap into the unknown (MW)
US inflation at seven-month high before Fed meeting (FT)
BOE Signals Rate Rise as Banks Edge Away From Easy Money (W)

US
August Consumer Prices Rose 0.4% (W)
One Reason to Discount U.S. Inflation Bounce: Hurricane Harvey (B)
The Life of a Contract Worker Is a Grind of Snubs, Anxiety and Stagnation (W)
Shortage of Insurance Adjusters Could Stall Florida’s Recovery (W)

Emerging
Why is China suddenly issuing $2 billion of dollar debt? (MW)
Saudi Arabia Clamps Down as Prince Consolidates Power (W)

US politics
Trump Makes Deal Priority Over Party (W)
GOP to Release Tax Overhaul as Trump Says Rich Won’t Benefit (W)
What Trump Has Said About Taxing the Wealthy (W)
Orrin Hatch says corporate-tax rate could go as low as 20%, favors retroactive cuts (MW)
Bernie Sanders Is Changing the Democratic Party (B)

Geopolitics
North Korea Threatens to Use Nuclear Weapon to ‘Sink’ Japan (B)
North Korea conflict could cripple these oil and chemical facilities (C)
YouTube Pulls North Korean Videos (W)
Tillerson Says Iran ‘Clearly in Default’ of Nuclear Deal’s Terms (B)
U.S. Expected to Renew Waiver of Sanctions on Iran (W)

Cybersecurity
Equifax Blames Data Breach on Exploited Server Software (W)
Thank You for Calling Equifax. Your Business Isn’t Important to Us (B)

Industries & companies
FANGs: Amazon Sees Snack Sales Surge as Part of Its Grocery Push (B)
FANGs: Kroger Won’t Beat Amazon With a Restaurant (B)
FANGs: Google set to change free access to news sites (FT)
Financials: Big Banks Are Still Bullish on Big Banks (B)
Financials: Fannie, Freddie Shares Jump on Hopes Companies Can Build Capital (B)
Financials: Munich Re warning on hurricanes set to be first of many (FT)
Tech: Oracle Delivers Revenue and Profit Increases (W)
Tech: Don’t Expect Your Carrier to Help Pay for Your $1,000 iPhone (W)

Corporate finance
Amazon’s Grocery Threat Could Ramp Up Food M&A (B)
Nestlé buys US hipster coffee business Blue Bottle (FT)
Dole Food Exploring a Sale (W)
United Tech-Rockwell Deal Faces Potential Antitrust Obstacle (W)
SoftBank Wants Big Chunk of Uber, But at Steep Discount (W)

Technology
Tesla’s electric semi truck is a ‘beast,’ Elon Musk says (MW)

Bitcoin
Coincidence or Not? North Korea, China and the Bitcoin Bears (B)
Bitcoin Crashes After Chinese Exchange Says It Will Halt Trading (B)
Who Needs Venture Capitalists When You Have Initial Coin Offers? (W)

Offbeat
Investment consultants move into regulatory spotlight (FT)
Why One Cardiologist Has Drunk His Last Diet Soda (W)
Truckers Are in No Hurry to Have Their Hours Tracked (W)

Sep 14 (Thursday)

Markets
Leon Cooperman Says Market Correction Could Start ‘Very Soon’ (B)
China Prepares Sale of $2 Billion in U.S.-Dollar Bonds (W)
Dollar’s Fall from Grace Fuels Emerging-Markets Boom (W)
Return of the stockpicker bolsters hedge fund performance (FT)

Central banks
Fed’s Bad Options for Addressing Too-Low Inflation (W)
Act or Wait? Fed Debate Heats Up After Inflation Misses Target (B)

Global
Global Corporate Tax Cuts Widen Gap With U.S. (W)

US
Storms unlikely to knock US economy off growth path (FT)
U.S. Producer Prices Rose 0.2% in August (W)
Rich Americans Are Changing What It Means to Be Average (B)

Europe
EU to Champion Free Trade in Wake of ‘America First’ (W)
Europe Steps Up Bid to Boost Taxes on Internet Giants (W)
Merkel’s Rivals Target Her Russia Policy (W)

US politics
GOP Finalizes Plans for Tax Overhaul (W)
Trump says tax hike on rich possible as he steps up talks with Democrats (R)
Paul Ryan vows outlines of tax plan this month (FT)
Senate Health Bills Struggle to Convince the White House (W)
Bernie Sanders Unveils Single-Payer Health Legislation (W)

Geopolitics & terrorism
U.S. Orders Federal Agencies to Remove Kaspersky Software Over Security Concerns (W)
45,000 Evacuated Across Russia After Wave of Bomb Threats (B)

Cybersecurity
Hackers’ Latest Weapon: Cyber Extortion (W)
After Equifax: A Hot Time to Freeze Your Credit (W)

Industries & companies
Airlines: Boeing to Boost Dreamliner Production (W)
Retail: Target to Hire 100,000 Holiday Workers (W)
Retail: Traditional retailers outperform Amazon this month (FT)
Tech: iPhone 8: Apple’s Middle Child (W)
Tech: Don’t Laugh. $1,000 iPhones Could Be a Genius Move for Apple (MW)

Corporate finance
Trump Blocks China-Backed Fund From Buying U.S. Chip Maker (W)
Bain Signs Letter of Intent to Buy Toshiba’s Chip Business (W)
Tenet Healthcare Exploring Options Including Possible Sale (W)
Saudis Prepare for Possible Aramco IPO Delay to 2019 (B)

Technology
Can Apple Unlock Promise of Facial Recognition? (W)
Leaf-Recognition Technology: Agriculture Digs Into Artificial Intelligence (W)
IBM’s Rometty Sees AI Changing, Not Eliminating, Future Jobs (B)

Offbeat
Crews Face Herculean Task Restoring Power in Florida (W)

Sep 13 (Wednesday)

Markets
Julian Robertson Says FANG Stocks Aren’t Too Rich, the Market Is (B)
Does the Weaker Dollar Push Up Commodities Prices? (W)

Central banks
Janet Yellen and Ivanka Trump Met Over Breakfast as the Fed Race Heated Up (B)

US
U.S. Household Incomes Rose in 2016 to New Record (W)
Hurricanes Irma and Harvey cause Goldman Sachs to slash its outlook for the US economy (BI)
Record Level of Job Openings Doesn’t Mean the Labor Market is Tight (W)
Move Over, Millennials: Generation Z Enters the Workforce (W)
US seeks a fix for its opioid addiction (FT)

Europe
Italian banks’ bad loans drop as economy rebounds (FT)
French Protests Take Aim at Macron’s Labor Reforms (W)
Britain Pledges to Lend Military Might to Europe After Brexit (W)

China
Some Alternative Methods for Tracking Chinese GDP (FRB-SL)
Beijing Forces Markets to Cooperate as Party Congress Nears (W)
Living in China Takes 3½ Years Off Your Life (W)

Emerging
President Moon’s tricky mission to tame Korea Inc (FT)

US politics
Trump Plans Aggressive Road Show to Sell Tax Overhaul (B)
Trump Officials Temper Expectation of 15% Corporate Tax Rate (B)
Mnuchin: Some Services Companies Won’t Get ‘Pass-Through’ Tax Rate (W)
The US government just passed $20 trillion in debt for the first time ever (BI)
Hicks Named Permanent White House Communications Director (W)

Geopolitics
U.S. Threatens China Over North Korea Sanctions (W)
US threatens Chinese banks over North Korea (FT)

Industries & companies
FANGs: Apple’s iPhone X to Cost $999, Include Facial Recognition (W)
FANGs: The Future of the IPhone Is Boring (W)
FANGs: Amazon’s Rapid Rise Put Online Giant on EU’s Tax Hit List (B)
FANGs: Amazon is ramping up its China-based hiring as part of Asian expansion strategy (BI)
Financials: J.P. Morgan’s Dimon Says Trading Revenue Likely to Fall (W)
Financials: Goldman’s New Obsession: Adding $5 Billion in Revenue (W)
Financials: Goldman Sachs sees a $1 billion opportunity in a business aimed at Main Street (BI)
Financials: Goldman Sachs has a plan for its misfiring bond business (BI)
Pharma: Opioid Painkiller Makers Seek to Dismiss State Lawsuit (W)
Retail: Wal-Mart Is Simplifying Its Sprawling U.S. Store Operations (B)
Tech: Samsung Note 8 pre-orders outstrip expectations (FT)

Technology
Robots Are an ETF’s New Best Friend (B)
An artificially intelligent baby could unlock the secrets of human nature (BI)

Mother Nature
A $150 Billion Misfire: How Disaster Models Got Irma Wrong (B)
Irma Destroyed 25% of Homes in Florida Keys (W)
Houston Rethinks Development After Harvey (W)
Hurricane Irma Traumatizes St. Martin (W)

Offbeat
Jamie Dimon Slams Bitcoin as a ‘Fraud’ (B)
There’s a Speeding Mass of Space Junk Orbiting Earth, Smashing Into Things (W)