Dr. Ed's Blog

Dec 29 (Tuesday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
U.S. stock futures rise slightly after Monday’s record-setting jump | C
Stock market today: Dow jumps 200 points to record as traders cheer stimulus bill signing | C
U.S. Stocks Finish at Records After Stimulus Bill Passage | W

Central banks
Fed’s Rate Promise Could Be Yield of Dreams | W

US
Nashville Bombing Exposes Weak Point for Business Communications | W
Online shopping leads to strain at Port of Los Angeles | C

US politics
Trump Signs Covid-19 Aid Bill Averting Government Shutdown | W
House Votes to Increase Stimulus Checks to $2,000, Override Trump Veto of Defense Bill | W
Biden accuses Trump’s Pentagon and OMB of obstruction, demands cooperation | C

China
Pushback on Xi’s Vision for China Spreads Beyond U.S. | W
China’s Empire of Concrete | W

Geopolitics & trade
Trump administration bolsters order barring U.S. investment in Chinese firms | C

Industries & companies
Media: Imax CEO expects ’embarrassment of riches’ from slate of 2021 movie releases | C
Media: Wonder Woman 1984: Streaming vs theatrical release gets first big test | C
Retail: Instacart Looked Like a Savior. Now Stores Aren’t So Sure. | W

Virus
Biden to invoke Defense Production Act to spur Covid vaccine production | C
US Covid-19 Surge Sidelines Health Workers When They’re Needed Most | B
Novavax Starts Late-Stage Trial of Covid-19 Vaccine in U.S., Mexico | W

Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin: Chart points to crypto ‘peaking out’ in early 2021 | C

Corporate finance
Qualtrics Files for U.S. IPO Two Years After Sale to SAP | B
Qualtrics files S-1, aims for valuation of up to $14.4 billion in IPO | C

Dec 28 (Monday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Market Edges Toward Euphoria, Despite Pandemic’s Toll | N
What Will 2021 Bring for Investors? Less Epidemiology, More Economics. | BR
Do record-low interest rates justify the stock market’s overvaluation? Here’s the answer | MW

Global
One Vaccine Side Effect: Global Economic Inequality | N

Monetary & fiscal policy
Neel Kashkari on Interest Rates, Inequality, and Government Debt | BR
The [MMT led] Boom of 2021

US politics
Covid stimulus: Unemployment benefits run out as Trump refuses to sign | C
Pelosi Sets Up Showdown on Trump’s $2,000 Checks After GOP Balks | B
$300 unemployment benefits: Covid bill revives return to work argument | C

Digital currency
Digital Currencies and US Dollar Dominance | AIER
China Envisions Its Digital-Currency Future, With Lotteries and a Year’s Worth of Laundry | W

China
China Tells Ant Group to Refocus on Its Payments Business | W
Alibaba Shares Tumble on Regulatory Crackdown in China | BR

Industries & companies
Autos: Japan to Phase Out Gasoline-Powered Cars, Bucking Toyota Chief | W
Consumer: Consumer Brands Bet Working From Home Is Here to Stay | W
Energy: 2020 Was One of the Worst-Ever Years for Oil Write-Downs | W
Media: Disney Looks Unstoppable. How to Play the Stock Before Earnings. | BR
Media: Wonder Woman 1984 opening weekend leads to fast-tracked third film | C
Travel: Try These 6 Travel and Leisure Stocks to Play a Vaccine-Driven Rebound in Demand | BR

Virus I
More Than 4.2 Million Shots Given: Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker | B
Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna Covid-19 vaccine: Will the U.S. trust it? | C
EU kicks off Covid-19 vaccine campaign | C
Covid vaccine: NY healthcare provider under investigation after obtaining doses | C

Virus II
Covid-19 in 2020 – The year when everything changed | E
How the Covid-19 pandemic affected our privacy in 2020 | Vox
U.S. to require people flying from the UK to test negative for Covid, CDC says | C

Corporate finance
DoorDash and Airbnb Were Hot in 2020. IPOs Will Remain Robust in 2021. | BR

Offbeat
Investigators Identify Person of Interest in Nashville Explosion | W

Dec 24 (Thursday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Stock futures slightly higher ahead of holiday-shortened session | C
Stocks Close Higher as Data Point to Uneven Economic Rebound | W

US
U.S. core capital goods orders, shipments rise in November | R
U.S. Household Spending Drops for First Time in Seven Months | W
Economic Recovery: What Does a Baa-Shaped Recovery Look Like? | B
Workers have new requirements for pandemic unemployment benefits in 2021 | C
Restaurants Can Require Servers to Share Tips Under New U.S. Rule | W

US politics I
Trump vetoes $740 billion NDAA defense bill | C
Covid stimulus update: Trump threat could force shutdown, unemployment lapse | C
Trump demands bigger stimulus checks in Covid relief bill | C
Stimulus checks: Biden to push for more payments in next Covid plan | C
Dems use Trump push for $2,000 Covid checks to boost Georgia Senate race | C

US politics II
Dominion Voting warns Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani of litigation | C
Martial law, conspiracy theories rattle White House as Trump seeks to undo Biden win | C
Andrew Yang files paperwork to run for New York City mayor | C

China
WeChat Becomes a Powerful Surveillance Tool Everywhere in China | W
Apple’s China App Store Sheds Videogames as Beijing Tightens Internet Control | W

Geopolitics & trade
How the U.S. Misread China’s Xi: Hoping for a Globalist, It Got an Autocrat | W

Industries & companies
Consumer discretionary: Amazon warehouse workers could vote to unionize next month | C
Financials: Goldman Sachs is close to offering wealth management for the masses | C
Pharma: Pfizer Nears Covid-19 Vaccine Deal With U.S. to Boost Supply | W
Retail: Gift Cards Are the Go-To Holiday Gifts of 2020 | W
Retail: U.S. Sues Walmart, Alleging Role in Fueling Opioid Crisis | W
Telecom: 5G Auction Shatters Record as Bidding Tops $69 Billion | W

Virus I
Covid-19 Variant Could Make Herd Immunity More Difficult, Says BioNTech | W
New Coronavirus Strain Splits Scientists, as U.K. and Others Act to Curb Spread | W
CDC says new Covid strain in UK could already be circulating undetected in U.S. | C
Tennessee emerges as new COVID-19 epicenter in U.S. as pandemic rages | R

Virus II
Millions of U.S. vaccine doses sit on ice, putting 2020 goal in doubt | R
Covid vaccine distribution has been slower than U.S. officials thought it would be | C
Why Covid vaccine is ‘more like a tetanus shot,’ says NIH Director | C
Covid vaccine: Biden warns doses won’t stop deaths of ‘tens of thousands’ Americans | C
Covid vaccine: Pfizer nears deal with U.S. government for more doses | C

Cybersecurity
Covid-19 Vaccines Are Coming—So Are Hackers | W

Offbeat
Cheating in Online School? Some Students and Parents Say It’s OK | W

Dec 22 (Tuesday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
S&P 500 closes lower in volatile session after new Covid strain causes U.K. to lock down | C

Central banks
Here’s how a dispute over the Fed’s emergency powers almost sank the stimulus package | MW

US
Rich Americans Who Fear Higher Taxes Hurry to Move Money Now | B

US politics
Congress Gets 5,593-Page Text of Relief Bill Hours Ahead of Vote | B
Covid-19 Aid Package Set for Final Votes in House, Senate | W
‘Better than nothing’- the U.S. $900 billion COVID-19 stimulus helps but underwhelms | R
Stimulus checks will arrive as soon as next week, Mnuchin says | C
Rental assistance in new Covid relief plan is not enough, experts warn | C
Stimulus deal leaves out key provision to help student loan borrowers | C
Adult dependents are once again not eligible for second stimulus checks | C

Europe
Who Takes the Eurostar? Almost No One, as the Pandemic Fuels a Rail Crisis | N

Virus
Trump Covid vaccine czar says ‘extremely low’ chance Pfizer and Moderna shots won’t work against new strain | C
WHO says new Covid strain in U.K. appears more contagious | C
Britain faces isolation as world tightens borders to keep out new coronavirus strain | R
Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine Is Cleared for Use by EU Drug Agency | W
U.S. States With Fastest Covid-19 Vaccine Progress: West Virginia, Dakotas Lead | B
Joe Biden receives Covid vaccine, encourages public to get inoculated | C

Industries & companies
Autos: Tesla Stock Slides on First Day of Trading in S&P 500 | W
Energy: Shell Signals Another Poor Quarter for Oil Majors | W
Homebuilders: Housing stocks may be on brink of sell-off that creates opportunity: Analyst | C
Media: Hollywood changed this year. Some things will never go back to the way they were | NN
Retail: Holiday Shopping 2020: Americans head to malls as Christmas approaches | C
Tech: Exclusive: Apple targets car production by 2024 and eyes ‘next level’ battery technology | R

Cybersecurity
SolarWinds Hack Victims: From Tech Companies to a Hospital and University | W
AG William Barr says Russia behind SolarWinds hack, contradicts Trump | C
Cybersecurity Stocks Extend Advance on Bets for Robust Demand | B

Corporate finance
IPO Euphoria Drives Record $435 Billion in U.S. Stock Sales | B
Thoma Bravo Agrees to Buy RealPage for $9.6 Billion | W

Offbeat
‘Profit’ Is Not A Four-Letter Word

Dec 21 (Monday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Will the Stock Market Continue to Recover in 2021? Expect Gains, Barron’s Experts Say. | BR
What could rattle markets in 2021, even as vaccines are rolling out | MW
The Pandemic Hammered Oil Prices. Vaccines Could Start to Boost Them Again. | BR

Central banks
Fed’s Daly Welcomes More Fiscal Aid as Stimulus Deal Nears | B

US
Worried About Inflation After Covid? Don’t Be | Yahoo
How COVID-19 has reshaped the economy’s balance sheet | FO

US politics
Congress Strikes Long-Sought Stimulus Deal to Provide $900 Billion in Aid | N
Amid Vaccine Rollout and Historic Hack, Trump Remains Focused on Reversing Election | W

China
How China Censored Covid-19 | N
China could restrict bank tie-ups with fintech platforms, official suggests | R

Europe
Locked and loaded – The EU gives itself a weapon to battle against rule-of-law violations | E
Britain, EU tell each other to give way in ‘difficult’ trade talks | R

Geopolitics & trade
U.S. lawmakers to back $1.9 billion to replace telecom equipment from China’s Huawei, ZTE – source | R

Industries & companies
Airlines: Airlines on track to get $15 billion in federal aid | C
Tech: Taming big tech – America and Europe clamp down on big tech | E
Tech: Chip Giants Intel and Nvidia Face New Threats From Amazon to Google to Apple | W

Virus I
Moderna starts shipping its COVID-19 vaccine in U.S. | MW
Covid-19 vaccine shortfalls due to confusion over FDA requirements | C
CDC panel says frontline essential workers, people 75 years and older should get Covid vaccine next | C

Virus II
Experts expect vaccines to protect against the UK’s fast-spreading Covid strain | C
The U.K. has identified a new Covid-19 strain that spreads more quickly. Here’s what they know | C
U.K. orders stricter Covid lockdown in London — ‘We cannot proceed with Christmas as planned’ | C
Belgium, Austria, Italy, Netherlands halt UK flights over new coronavirus strain | C
Hospitals Retreat From Early Covid Treatment and Return to Basics | W

Technology
How jetpacks, flying motorcycles could be next for human flight | C

Cybersecurity
Biden chief of staff says hack response will go beyond ‘just sanctions’ | R
Massive cyber attack that hit government agencies and Microsoft, explained | C

Corporate finance
Wall Street Looks Ready to Service a Pent-Up Demand for Deal Making | BR
Banks Have Begun to Merge. Next Year Could See Even More Deals. | BR
Jack Ma Makes Ant Offer to Placate Chinese Regulators | W

Offbeat
Barry Ritholtz and Josh Brown Won’t Predict The Market, But They’ll Talk About Anything Else. | BR
A Christmas Star? Jupiter and Saturn Alignment Sparks Comparisons | W

Dec 19 (Saturday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Dow falls more than 100 points as lawmakers struggle to seal last-minute stimulus deal | C
Stocks End Day Lower as Stimulus Talks Continue | W
Aluminum Prices Push Toward 2020 High on Sanction Worries, Demand | W
Government Leaders Clash Over Next Step for Trump’s Ban on Chinese Stocks | W

Central banks
Fed to allow big banks to resume share buybacks, with limitations | C
Fed sees ‘strong capital levels’ at banks after stress tests, greenlights share buybacks | R
Fed’s Kaplan says will be time to pull back on bond buying when economic recovery is clear: WSJ | R
Late-breaking dispute over Fed rules risks U.S. COVID-19 relief as deadline nears | R

US
Why Some States Are Seeing Higher Revenue Than Expected Amid Job Losses | N
Average debt held by oldest households jumped 39% over last decade | C
Millions to lose jobless benefits temporarily even with Covid deal | C

US politics
GOP senators fight over need for second $1,200 stimulus checks | C
Government shutdown looms as Congress crafts coronavirus stimulus bill | C
Infrastructure-Investment Binge Is Set to Continue—With or Without Washington | W

Geopolitics & trade
U.S. Blacklists China’s Top Chip Maker, Escalating Tech Fight | W
Opinion | The W.T.O. Is Having a Midlife Crisis | N

Industries & companies
Autos: Buying Tesla stock? Here’s what one analyst says ahead of S&P 500 addition | MW
Autos: General Motors, Ford won’t mandate Covid-19 vaccinations for employees | C
Consumer discretionary: Amazon readies to face union vote at Alabama warehouse | C
Logistics: FedEx Revenue Jumps on Holiday Surge | W
Media: Roku Torments Entertainment Giants in Quest to Dominate Streaming | W
Media: ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ reviews: What critics are saying | C
Retail: Nike (NKE) reports Q2 fiscal 2021 earnings, sales beat | C
Tech: Intel falls on report Microsoft will design own chips for PCs, servers | C

Virus
Moderna’s Covid-19 Vaccine Could Widen Immunization Effort | W
Mike Pence Gets Covid-19 Vaccine Amid National Immunization Campaign | W
China to Vaccinate 50 Million People With Its Covid-19 Shots | W

Cybersecurity
Suspected Russian hack on U.S. is much worse than first feared | C
Hackers’ broad attack sets cyber experts worldwide scrambling to defend networks | R
Cyber technology shares soar as security attacks pile up | R

Corporate finance
Chat Service Discord Doubles Valuation to $7 Billion | W

Dec 18 (Friday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Stock market today: Stocks close at record highs as traders bet that a fiscal stimulus deal is coming | C

US politics
Coronavirus stimulus update: Congress tries for Covid relief bill | C
The Right Answer Is to Throw Money at the Problem | The Nation
Biden Energy secretary pick Jennifer Granholm has past ties to utilities, chemical companies | C

Geopolitics & trade
China a No-Show at Joint Military Safety Meeting With U.S. | W

Industries & companies
Consumer: Coca-Cola to Cut 2,200 Jobs | W
Logistics: FedEx (FDX) earnings Q2 2021 | C
Retail: Home Depot to Pay $21 Million Penalty for Alleged Lead-Safety Violations | W

Virus
Moderna Covid vaccine: FDA panel recommends emergency approval | C
Tracking Viral Misinformation: Latest Updates | N
French President Macron Tests Positive for Covid-19 | W

Cybersecurity
Exclusive: Suspected Russian hacking spree reached into Microsoft – sources | R
Department of Energy says it was hacked in suspected Russian campaign | C
Biden hints at a tougher stance against state sponsors of cyberattacks | C

Corporate finance
Google Must Silo Fitbit Data, EU Says, Clearing $2.1 Billion Deal | W
Poshmark releases S-1 for IPO and shows profits | C

Offbeat
10 money moves to make before the year ends | MW

Dec 17 (Thursday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Stock market today: S&P 500 inches higher amid stimulus hopes, Fed commitment to keep supporting economy | C

Central banks
Fed raises its economic outlook slightly, sees 4.2% growth next year and 5% unemployment rate | C
Fed decision December 2020: Buying bonds until economy hits full employment | C
Fed vows to buy bonds until it sees ‘substantial progress’ in economic recovery | R
Fed Joins Climate Network, to Applause From the Left | N

US politics
U.S. Congress could vote on $900 billion COVID-19 aid bill by Thursday | R
Second Round of Stimulus Checks Discussed By Congressional Leaders  | W
‘We want them infected,’ Trump HHS appointee said in email pushing to expose infants, kids and teens to Covid | C
White House National Security Adviser O’Brien Cuts Trip Short to Address SolarWinds Hack | W

Geopolitics & trade
Huawei Gets Conditional Green Light in Germany as Government Approves Security Bill | W

Industries & companies
Consumer discretionary: Amazon Has Stopped Guaranteeing Some Holiday Shipping Options | B
Communication services: Texas antitrust lawsuit against Google alleges unlawful agreement with Facebook | C
Communication services: Facebook Wades Into ‘Fortnite’ Maker’s Dispute With Apple | W
Retail: Holiday shoppers pull back on impulse buys amid coronavirus pandemic | C

Virus I
New York Gov. Cuomo warns a January economic shutdown is possible as Covid cases soar to springtime records | C
Covid vaccine: U.S. quarantines Pfizer shipments in California, Alabama after transit ‘anomaly’ | C
Vaccination Campaign at Nursing Homes Faces Obstacles and Confusion | N
Ellume’s at-home Covid test may be for sale at drugstores in February: CEO | C
FDA authorizes Abbott’s rapid $25 Covid test for at-home use | C

Virus II
Covid-19 antibody drug used to treat President Trump isn’t getting to Americans | C
Cold Storage, Key to Coronavirus Vaccine, Lures Investors | N
Covid-19 Vaccine Trial Volunteers Note Occasional Harsh Side Effects | W

Corporate finance
StockX Snags $2.8 Billion Valuation in Latest Funding Round | W

Technology
Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellite internet tests prototype antenna | C

Dec 16 (Wednesday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Stock market today: Dow jumps more than 300 points on renewed stimulus hope | C
U.S. Stocks Rise as Investors Track Stimulus Talks | W
Short-Term Oil-Demand Outlook in Rich Countries Is Bleak | W
High-Frequency Traders Push Closer to Light Speed With Cutting-Edge Cables | W

Central banks
Fed joins global club of peers in climate change fight | R
European Bank Dividend Ban Lifted, but Restrictions Remain | W

US
U.S. manufacturing production solid; imported inflation muted | R
Unemployment benefits: How the Covid relief bill would help workers | C
What Happens to the Unemployed When the Checks Run Out | N
Majority of small U.S. businesses see worst coronavirus impact still ahead -poll | R
Use It or Lose It: Tenant Aid Effort Nears a Federal Cutoff | N
Digital Markets Act: EU’s new rules on Big Tech | C
Fleeing New Yorkers resulted in an estimated $34 billion in lost income -study | R

US politics
Bipartisan coronavirus aid bill includes $300 a week for jobless and extensions on student loan, eviction help | MW
Senate GOP leader McConnell congratulates Joe Biden following Electoral College vote | C
Biden has call with McConnell after top Senate Republican acknowledges win | R
Manufacturing, Mining Drive November Increase in Industrial Production | W
Fannie, Freddie Privatization Decisions Likely to Be Left to Biden Administration | W
Joe Biden selects Pete Buttigieg as Transportation secretary | C

China
China’s Economy Continues Broad Recovery Despite Covid-19 Surge Elsewhere | W
Chinese Stimulus Won’t Do Heavy Lifting in 2021 | W

Europe
Brexit: Long Lines of Trucks at the U.K.-EU Border as Deadline Looms | W

Technology
Amazon-Owned Self-Driving Taxi Zoox Reveals Its Secret Vehicle | FO

Virus I
Moderna nears U.S. authorization for COVID-19 shot with FDA staff endorsement | R
FDA staff recommends watching for Bell’s palsy in Moderna and Pfizer vaccine recipients | C
More Americans now say they’ll get a COVID-19 vaccine once it’s available | MW
Vaccines will boost confidence dramatically, lift yields: Wells Fargo | C
What We Saw on Day 1 of the Vaccine Rollout | N

Virus II
New coronavirus strain spreading in UK has key mutations, scientists say | R
Cold Storage, Key to Coronavirus Vaccine, Lures Investors | N
Teacher Shortage Compounds Covid Crisis in Schools | W

Industries & companies
Airlines: United Airlines starts flying Pfizer vaccine on U.S. passenger flights | C
Autos: Auto industry wants more government support for electric vehicles | C
FAANGs: Facebook will lift temporary political ad ban in Georgia | C
Technology: Apple’s seismic change to the mobile ad industry draws near | C

Cybersecurity
Suspected Russian Cyberattack Began With Ubiquitous Software Company | W
Russian hacks weigh on private equity’s software investments | R
Twitter Fined for Breaking EU Privacy Law in First for U.S. Tech Firm | W

Offbeat
Schools Work to Speed Up Internet in Rural Homes for Remote Learning | W

Dec 15 (Tuesday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Dow stages 325-point U-turn as COVID lockdowns seen intensifying amid U.S. vaccine rollout | MW
Tech Stocks Extend Rally | W
China Set to Plug Liquidity Gap as $92 Billion of Funds Mature | B

Central banks
‘Dissonance’ confronts Fed, with vaccine weighed against joblessness | R
Federal Reserve emergency-lending program deserved to die | P

US
U.S. consumers uncertain about labor market, finances -New York Fed survey | R

US politics
U.S. Congress in sprint to fund government, approve COVID-19 emergency aid | R
Coronavirus stimulus updates: Bipartisan relief bill will be released | C
Election results: Electoral College votes to cement Joe Biden’s victory over Trump | C

Geopolitics & trade
Trade With China Roars Back As Americans Are Stuck At Home | N
US companies riddled with members of Chinese Communist Party | P

Industries  & companies
Airlines: Boeing Widens 787 Dreamliner Inspections After Finding More Assembly-Line Defects | W
Communication services: Is Google Down? Gmail, YouTube Suffer Outages | W
Energy: Exxon Promises to Cut Greenhouse-Gas Emissions, End Flaring by 2030 | W
Financials: ‘The Best Year Ever’: 2020 Was Surprisingly Good to Small Banks | W
Pharma: Where Do Covid-19 Vaccine Stocks Go From Here? | W
Tech: Apple Fitness Plus review: A strong Peloton competitor for less money | C
Tech: Semiconductor Analysts Bullish on 2021, But Valuation a Concern | B

Virus
U.S. administers first shots of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine, launching a historic rollout | C
Covid vaccine: U.S. plans to ship 6 million Moderna doses once FDA gives OK | C
Kentucky doesn’t need more lockdowns | WashingtonExaminer
Gov. Cuomo destroys restaurants and jobs — for no reason | P
Covid vaccine: Pfizer negotiating with U.S. to provide an additional 100 million doses, CEO says | C

Corporate finance
Blackstone Raises Wager on Life Sciences With $3.5 Billion Property Deal | W
Adidas Explores Sale of Reebok | W

Cybersecurity & data privacy
U.S. Homeland Security, thousands of businesses scramble after suspected Russian hack | R
Suspected Russian Hack Said to Have Gone Undetected for Months | W
FTC orders Amazon, Facebook and others to explain how they use personal data | C
Apple adds privacy labels in App Store listings | C

Offbeat
Google CEO email delays return to Sept 2021, no permanent remote work | C