Dr. Ed's Blog

Aug 27 (Thursday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Stock market today: S&P 500 and Nasdaq close at records again as Salesforce sparks massive tech rally | C
Investors should be wary of Warren Buffett’s crash warning | MW
European Bond Investors Signal Rising Risk Appetite | W

Central banks
The Fed is expected to use a new pandemic-era tool to fight against low inflation | C
Framework review complete, Fed’s Powell starts hard sell for higher inflation | R
Mission Creep at the Fed | W
The Fed’s Evolution Is Coming to a Computer Screen Near You | N
Fed’s Bowman sees slow, uneven recovery ahead | R

US
U.S. core capital goods orders rise; recovery uneven as COVID-19 shifts spending | R
Durable-Goods Orders Rose 11.2% in July for Third Monthly Gain | W
Opinion: Yes, some people are moving to the suburbs. But cities are far from dead | NN

US politics
Coronavirus stimulus update: GOP to propose smaller relief bill | C

Geopolitics & trade
The Lesson We’re Learning From TikTok? It’s All About Our Data | N
U.S. Firms in China Say Trump’s WeChat Ban Will Hit Them Where It Hurts | W
U.S. Sanctions Chinese Firms and Executives Active in Contested South China Sea | W

Industries & companies
FAANGs: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos worth more than $200 billion | C
FAANGs: Facebook Says Apple’s New iPhone Update Will Disrupt Online Advertising | W
Retail: At-Home Fitness Fuels Sales at Dick’s Sporting Goods | W
Tech: Salesforce’s 30% stock rally this week is a possible ‘nightmare’ scenario for the Dow committee | MW
Tech: Salesforce Notifies Some Staff of Job Cuts | W

Virus
Moderna Says Covid-19 Vaccine Shows Signs of Working in Older Adults | W
Coronavirus vaccine: CDC proposes guidelines for distributing vaccine in U.S. | C
Abbott’s $5 Covid-19 Rapid Antigen Test Gets Emergency-Use Status From FDA | W
Sweden’s herd-immunity ambitions are a pipe dream — just ask the U.K. | MW
NYC restaurant owners ask for clarity on when indoor dining can resume | C

Cybersecurity
U.S. Warns of Global Bank Heist Campaign by North Korean Hackers | W

Mother nature
California reports 50 new wildfires overnight and 1.3 million acres burned so far, Gov. Newsom says | C
Hurricane Laura Stalks Gulf Coast, on Track to Rival Katrina | W
Why Hurricane Laura’s storm surge could devastate Texas and Louisiana | C
Pandemic stresses massive Hurricane Laura evacuations in Texas, Louisiana | R

Offbeat
Ford Rethinks the Office, Betting That Work Will Be Partly Remote Longer-Term | W
Remote Learning Without a Laptop? Thousands Could Be Stuck Without Devices Due to Shortage | W
Are We All Keynesians Again? by Andrés Velasco | Project Syndicate

Aug 26 (Wednesday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Stock market today: S&P 500 rises to another record, even as rally leader Apple snaps 5-day winning streak | C
S&P 500, Nasdaq close at record highs on trade, vaccine developments | R
Why Dow’s shake-up is bad for stocks added to it—and less bad for those booted | MW
A ‘powerful force’ will determine what happens next in the stock market, Wharton professor predicts | MW
Housing, Lumber ETFs Shrug Off Best Data in More Than a Decade | B
The Shakeout in the ETF Industry Is Accelerating | W
U.S. Government-Bond Yields Rise After Trade Progress | W

Central banks
As uncertainty threatens U.S. growth, Fed seeks more firepower | R

US
U.S. consumer confidence at six-year low; underscores concerns about economic recovery | R
U.S. Home-Price Growth Held Steady in June | W
Will the pandemic exacerbate or reduce economic inequality in the US? | The Hill
Before Making Loans, Some Mortgage Lenders Ask, Do You Really Plan to Pay This? | W
Fannie, Freddie to Delay Mortgage Refinance Surcharge Until Dec. 1 | W

NYC
Opinion | Jerry Seinfeld: So You Think New York Is ‘Dead’ | N
New York City will rise again | P

China
China’s Economy Is Bouncing Back—And Gaining Ground on the U.S. | W

US politics
Opinion | The Senate Is on Vacation While Americans Starve | N

Europe
How the U.K. Restarted Its Restaurant Industry: Paying Half the Bill | N

Geopolitics & trade
Covid Crisis Drives Historic Drop in Global Trade | W
U.S., China reaffirm commitment to Phase 1 trade deal in phone call | R
Chinese Diplomats Helped Military Scholars Visiting the U.S. Evade FBI Scrutiny, U.S. Says | W
China’s Top Diplomat Begins Europe Tour Aiming to Rekindle Cooling Ties | W

Industries & companies
Airlines: American Airlines to Cut 19,000 Jobs by Oct. 1 When Federal Stimulus Ends | W
Autos: GM uses salaried workers to fill assembly jobs due to coronavirus | C
Energy: Exxon Mobil replaced by a software stock after 92 years in the Dow is a ‘sign of the times’ | C
FAANGs: iPhone sales steady while global smartphone sales tank 20% in Q2 | C
FAANGs: Apple stock at record highs: Two stock alternatives that could benefit | C
Pharma: Teva Poised to Face U.S. Charges in Drug Price-Fixing Probe | B
Retail: Best Buy’s Growth Is Crimped by Product Shortages | W
Trucking: Truck Stops Move Into the Fast Lane During Covid-19 | W

Virus I
New cases of the coronavirus are falling in most of the U.S. | C
Coronavirus update: U.S. death toll tops 177,000 as FDA head acknowledges he misspoke on convalescent plasma | MW
Opinion | A Vaccine That Stops Covid-19 Won’t Be Enough | N
Translate Bio, Sanofi COVID-19 vaccine candidate produces immune response in animal studies | R

Virus II
Covid-19 Live Updates: Colleges Suspend Students Over Virus Safety Breaches | N
School in Mexico During Covid-19 Means Turning on the TV | W
Coronavirus: College students head home a week into classes as campus cases rise | C
Young people fueling recent spike of coronavirus in Americas, U.N. agency says | R

Corporate finance
Inside Ant Group’s Giant Valuation: One Billion Alipay Users and Big Profit Margins | W

Offbeat
Hurricane Laura: Evacuations ordered as storm aims at U.S. coast | C

Aug 25 (Tuesday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Stock market today: S&P 500 hits another record, closes above 3,400 for the first time as Apple and airlines rise | C
S&P, Nasdaq close at new highs as Wall Street rides bull momentum | R
Stop saying ‘stocks are not the economy’ | MW
‘The Big Short 2.0’: How Hedge Funds Profited Off the Pain of Malls | N

Credit & commodities
Money Funds Waive Charges to Keep Yields From Falling Below Zero | W
Oil Companies Brace for Twin Gulf Coast Storms | W

Central banks
Fed Study Finds Virus Is a Powerful Downward Drag on Inflation | B

US
As Evictions Loom, Lawyers Are Gearing Up to Help | N
Thomas Barkin Urges Retraining for Young Workers in Restaurants, Retail | B
Trump says he is authorizing another $1 billion for food for families program | R
U.S. postmaster tells House committee he will resume cost-cutting after election | R

China
China’s Economy Is Bouncing Back—And Gaining Ground on the U.S. | W
Chinese Home Buyers Paid Huge Deposits but Now Worry They’ll Be Left With Nothing | W

Europe
Europe Tried to Limit Mass Layoffs, but the Cuts Are Coming Anyway | N

Industries & companies
FAANGs: ‘Fortnite’ Maker’s Apple Fight Leaves Some Developers Wary | W
Retail: Big-Box Stores, Worried About Amazon, Were Ready for Coronavirus | W
Retail: Coronavirus: As shopping picks up, gap between retail’s haves, have-nots widens | C
Tech: Zoom Restored After Outage Brings Down Virtual Meetings, Classrooms | W

Geopolitics & trade
TikTok reveals U.S., global user growth numbers for first time | C
TikTok Sues U.S. Government Over Trump Ban | N
At Least One Company Is Cheering Renewed Aluminum Tariff on Canada | W

Virus
Sweden has developed herd immunity after refusing to lock down, some health experts claim, with coronavirus infection rate falling | MW
Older Americans Should Be Anti-Lockdown Activists | AIER
Coronavirus: Scientists doubt convalescent plasma touted by Trump is ‘breakthrough’ treatment | C
New Thinking on Covid Lockdowns: They’re Overly Blunt and Costly | W

Corporate finance
Blackstone Makes $2.29 Billion Deal for Japan Drug Business | W
Virgin Atlantic Woos Creditors to Nail Down $1.6 Billion Rescue | B
LVMH and Tiffany push back deal deadline by 3 months, source says | C

Offbeat
Ex-Google employees form virtual tech ‘school’ for gap-year students | C
Tropical Storm Marco collapses, sets stage for Laura to hit U.S. as hurricane | C
Massive Northern California wildfires rage on as death toll reaches 7 | C

Aug 24 (Monday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Markets look to the Fed again to build on S&P 500 record as Congress continues to disappoint | C
This Market Is a Tech Market. If Bond Yields Rise, Watch Out. | W
The Median S&P Stock Has Never Been More Expensive | W
ETF Boom Fuels Gold’s Sharp Rise | W

Central banks
Wall Street Week Ahead: No elk or trout, but Fed’s virtual retreat may stoke market’s ‘animal spirits’ | R

US
Covid-19 Is Dividing the American Worker | W
Furloughed workers trapped in desperate limbo as aid runs out, waiting for jobs that may never return | NBC
Coronavirus Lifts Government Debt to WWII Levels—Cutting It Won’t Be Easy | W
New York City Faces Toughest Fiscal Crisis Since the 1970s | W
Time for a Crash in College Tuition | BR

Europe
Facing a Profitability Crisis, Europe’s Banks Rush to Restructure | W

US politics
Joe Biden’s Economic Plan: Contain the Covid Crisis First | BR
USPS news: House passes postal service funding bill | C

Geopolitics & trade
Trump says could ‘decouple’ and not do business with China | R
TikTok will challenge Trump order banning U.S. transactions, company confirms | C

Industries & companies
Casinos: Buy Wyndham Stock. It’s Well Positioned to Ride Out Covid. | BR
Energy: Coronavirus Further Complicates Shell’s Giant Floating Gas Project | W
FAANGs: Apple Stock Is Unstoppable — and It Lifted the Stock Market to a Record High | BR
Pharma: Trump considering fast tracking AstraZeneca vaccine before election | C
Retail: ‘Back to School’ Is Not the Same. Here Are 4 Stock Picks to Play the Changes. | BR

Virus I
Trump will reportedly announce emergency authorization for coronavirus plasma treatment | C
Antibody Drugs Advancing to Fill Covid-19 Treatment Gap | W
Why pooled testing could be a breakthrough in the fight against COVID-19 | MW

Virus II
Back to School Is the Next Big Test for the U.S. Economy | BR
Many Companies Planned to Reopen Offices After Labor Day. With Coronavirus Still Around, They’re Rethinking That. | W
Spain Caught Off Guard by Resurgent Coronavirus | W
The aliens among us – How viruses shape the world | E

China
Profs and loss – China is killing academic freedom in Hong Kong | E

Offbeat
Louisiana, Cuba residents evacuate as twin storms take aim at U.S. coast | R
Marco becomes hurricane, heads toward U.S. Gulf Coast | C
Why California Keeps Having Blackouts | W
California seeks help as wildfires threaten communities | R
Preserving Trees Becomes Big Business, Driven by Emissions Rules | W
How One CEO Dealt With the TikTok Taunts of Gen Z: He Hired Them | W

Aug 22 (Saturday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Stock market today: Dow jumps 190 points, S&P 500 closes at another record to finish week | C
S&P 500, Nasdaq end at records after upbeat business surveys | R

Central banks & credit
Fed Has Used Only a Fraction of Main Street Lending Facility | B
Corporate America Is Choking on Debt and Imperiling the Recovery | B
Deserted College Dorms Sow Trouble for $14 Billion in Muni Bonds | B

US I
U.S. Economic Recovery Gains Steam While Others Stutter | W
It’s Not the 2008 Global Recession All Over Again | Morningstar
Signs of recovery? U.S. business activity and home sales surge | R
‘The housing market is on a sugar high’: Home sales are soaring, but is it a good time to buy? Here’s what the experts say | MW
U.S. Existing-Home Sales Rose Nearly 25% in July | W

US II
Rise in U.S. weekly jobless claims clouds labor market recovery | R
Coronavirus reshaping how Americans are employed during the pandemic | C
To Pay Rent and Avoid Eviction, Tenants Cash In Their Dreams | N
The National Debt is Surging | N
It’s ‘Mad’ to Worry About Mounting Debt Now, Keynes Scholar Says | B

Europe
Under the Surface of Pristine Job Numbers, Pain Awaits Europe Too | W

US politics I
‘I’ll be an ally of the light, not the darkness’: Joe Biden pledges to rebuild economy as he accepts Democratic nomination | MW
Student Loan Borrowers Would See a Big Chunk of Debt Disappear Under Biden Plan | W
Trump Sows Doubt in 2020 Election With Polls Showing Biden Leading | B
Trump loses bid to delay handover of tax returns to NY prosecutor | R

US politics II
Opinion: One more stimulus check from Congress won’t be enough. This is what will really help | NN
Where states stand on the extra $300 weekly unemployment benefits | C
U.S. postmaster promises timely election mail, ‘dramatic’ changes after | R
USPS chief DeJoy: ‘No intention to’ bring back removed mail-sorting machines | C

Industries & companies
Energy: Natural Gas Prices Are on Fire, but Producers Are Holding Back | W
FAANGs: Facebook Braces Itself for Trump to Cast Doubt on Election Results | N
FAANGs: Jeff Wilke, Early Amazon Executive and Lieutenant to Jeff Bezos, Plans to Retire | W
FAANGs: Apple jumps another 5% to close out a big week for the $2 trillion stock | C
FAANGs: Apple says Epic Games CEO wanted a side deal for Fortnite | C
Industrials: Deere outpaces Caterpillar year to date. Why it may keep rising | C
Pharma: Bayer Settles Essure Birth-Control Litigation for $1.6 Billion | W
Retail: Home-Improvement Stocks Stay the Course Amid Nesting During Covid-19 | W
Retail: Fearing shipping crunch, retailers set earliest-ever holiday sale plans | R
Tech: Twitter Data Case Sparks Dispute, Delay Among EU Privacy Regulators | W

Virus I
WHO warns a coronavirus vaccine alone will not end pandemic | C
Have you ‘herd’? New York might have immunity—but please don’t count on it, the mayor pleads | MW
Billions in Federal Covid-19 Testing Funds Still Unspent | W
FDA’s Authority to Regulate Lab Tests Is Curtailed | W

Virus II
CDC Director Dr. Redfield pointed to Rhode Island’s coronavirus restrictions in daycares as a ‘path’ to reopen schools | C
Covid-19 Crisis in Nursing Homes Requires Aggressive Federal Response, Panel Says | W
Coronavirus: Lawsuit says HCA hospital endangers staff in pandemic | C

Corporate finance
Coronavirus: Struggling retailers rush to file for bankruptcy as fear of a second wave lingers | C
Palantir, Tech’s Next Big I.P.O., Lost $580 Million in 2019 | N

Technology
To Build a Plane That Can Fly Itself, Start With a Pilot in the Cockpit | W

Offbeat
California Wildfires Expand Overnight as Death Toll Climbs | W
Inside Steve Bannon’s mysterious charity at center of wall project fraud | C

Aug 21 (Friday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
Fear fading on Wall Street as investors learn to love the new bull market | R
A strategy to outsmart the S&P 500 ‘bubble’ | MW
The Great Asset Bubble (?) | Morningstar
10 stocks positioned for an ‘abrupt’ rebound when normalcy finally returns — none of them are tech | MW

Central banks
Fed to cut one-week dollar swap operations with major central banks | R

US
U.S. Jobless Claims Rise to 1.1 Million in Latest Week | W
Rise in U.S. weekly jobless claims clouds labor market recovery | R
Millions of US Jobs to Be Lost for Years After Covid, IRS Projections Show | B
Evictions are expected to skyrocket as protections expire | C
The rise in jobless claims may be a warning to Congress that the economy needs stimulus | C
Second $1,200 stimulus checks: Where the debate in Congress stands | C
Californians face the dual nightmare of wildfires, coronavirus | C

Europe
Battered Eurozone Could See More Economic Stimulus in the Fall | W

US politics
Are Republicans Abandoning a Second Stimulus Check? | NY Mag
Pelosi Pressured by Moderate Democrats, GOP on Stimulus Talks | B
Former Republican CIA, FBI heads and national security officials to back Biden | R
DNC Ratings: 21.4 Million Watch Kamala Harris Speech on Third Night | B
Ballot drop boxes are latest battleground in U.S. election fight | R
White House asks Supreme Court to let Trump block critics on Twitter | C

Geopolitics & trade
China, United States agree to hold trade talks, Chinese commerce ministry says | R
Iran unveils new missiles amid tensions with Washington | C

Industries & companies
Airlines: Coronavirus travel: American Airlines halting service to 15 small cities after federal aid runs out | C
Financials: E-brokers defy odds by recording record trading revenue while dropping commissions to zero | C
Media: Coronavirus: AMC, Regal and Cinemark prepare to reopen in the U.S. after five-month shutdown | C
Restaurants: Taco Bell unveils new design with more drive-thrus as pandemic permanently shifts how we order | C
Tech: Lyft suspends California service after being ordered to classify drivers as employees | C

Virus
Troubled Covid-19 Data System Returning to CDC | W
DeSantis Rekindles His Love for Florida’s Virus Positivity Rate | B
Dr. Fauci tells Americans to be mindful of these important limitations about any future coronavirus vaccine | MW
Australia considers mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for travelers entering the country | MW

Offbeat
Alexei Navalny, Rival to Putin, in Critical Condition After Suspected Poisoning | W
Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon arrested on charges of defrauding donors in fundraising scheme | C
Covid Is No Excuse for Grand Jury Duty When You Can Serve From Your Bedroom | W

Aug 20 (Thursday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets I
Wall Street ends lower after Fed minutes highlight tough recovery | R
U.S. Stocks Slip After S&P 500’s Record Close | W
Pension Giant Says Radical Post-Covid Changes to Hit Investments | B
‘Hot’ Copper Is Attracting Plenty of Deal Buzz, Executive Says | B

Markets II
A New Trial May Help China’s Fickle Investors Stay the Course | B
China’s Brokers Race to Raise Funds to Fuel Nation’s Stock Rally | B

Central banks I
Fed minutes: Officials expect that coronavirus will ‘weigh heavily’ on the economy | C
Fed Officials Said the Economy Needed More Help From Congress | N
Several Fed policymakers see more easing ahead to help brace economy | R
Fed Sees Need for Additional Support but Is Vague on Timing | W

Central banks II
Fed Minutes Show FOMC Backs Away From September Guidance Shift | B
Fed’s Barkin says uncertainty is weighing on U.S. outlook | R
Exclusive: Fed’s Bullard – Wall Street ‘about right’ as U.S. muddles through virus risk | R

US
Virus Alters Where People Open Their Wallets, Hinting at a Halting Recovery | N

China
Flooding Again Pounds China’s Three Gorges Dam | W

US politics I
U.S. economy rebounding strongly; fresh aid coming to unemployed: Kudlow | R
Why you can’t count on that extra $300 weekly unemployment benefit | C
DNC Nominates Joe Biden to Lead Nation Through Pandemic | W
Kamala Harris to Accept Democratic Nomination for Vice President | W
Joe Biden United the Democrats—It’s Not Likely to Last | W

US politics II
Next Steps on Coronavirus Stimulus Package Divide Both Parties | W
Post Office Fight May Clear Way to Restart Stimulus Negotiations | B
U.S. postal chaos prompts Democrats to reassess mail-ballot plan | R
JPMorgan Chase held talks with U.S. Postal Service about installing ATMs in post offices | C
Trump tweets ‘Don’t buy Goodyear Tires’ after company bans workers from wearing MAGA attire | MW

Industries & companies
Aerospace: Boeing scores first new 737 Max orders since November | C
Energy: Oil Industry Frets About Recruiting Its Next Generation of Workers | W
FAANGs: Amazon Is Hiring and Expanding Its Offices: Inside the Tech Giant’s Strategy | W
FAANGs: Apple Reaches $2 Trillion, Punctuating Big Tech’s Grip | N
Retail: Retailers See E-Commerce Investments Pay Off Big as Coronavirus Keeps Shoppers Home | W
Retail: Target Sales Jump as Pandemic Speeds E-Commerce Shift | W
Retail: Lowe’s Online Quarterly Sales More Than Doubled | W
Retail: Victoria’s Secret parent L Brands (LB) reports Q2 2020 earnings | C
Tech: Big Tech’s Domination of Business Reaches New Heights | N
Tech: Nvidia Posts Record Sales as Pandemic Sustains Demand for Gaming, Data-Center Chips | W
Tech: Uber and Lyft Threaten California Shutdown: Here’s What’s at Stake | W
Wireless: Verizon offers Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ free for wireless customers | C

Geopolitics & trade I
U.S.-China Trade Talks Delayed, Not Derailed | W
Senators Warn Trump Saudi-Chinese Uranium Plant Risks Spread of Nuclear Weapons | W
Opinion | A TikTok Ban Is Overdue | N
China’s National-Security Law Reaches Into Harvard, Princeton Classrooms | W

Geopolitics & trade II
U.S. imposes sanctions on two UAE-based companies for aiding Mahan air | C
U.S. Risks Diplomatic Isolation With Bid to Reimpose U.N. Sanctions on Iran | W
Russia says it has intercepted U.S. spy planes over Black Sea: Ifax | R
U.S. trade panel launches patent infringement probe into Apple devices | R

Virus
Covid-19 Appeared to Be Under Control in Europe. Now It’s Surging Again. | W
Coronavirus: Scientists warn that students may need to wear masks in schools for years | C
Johns Hopkins scientists examining weird side effects of COVID-19 suggest one way coronavirus ‘gains a foothold in the body’ | MW
Alabama Reopening Universities as Virus Looms | N

Corporate finance
Airbnb Files Confidentially for IPO With SEC | W

Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrencies Tumble Most in Two Months as Dollar Jumps | B

Offbeat
California fires force more evacuations amid record heat and lightning strikes | C
Palantir headquarters moves from Silicon Valley to Colorado | C

Aug 19 (Wednesday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
The S&P 500 finally hit a new record after multiple tries this month. Here’s what could happen next | C
Detached from reality? Why U.S. stocks just hit a new high | R
The ‘Everything Bubble’ Isn’t Everything, and Maybe Not Even a Bubble | S

Central banks
N.Y. MTA Becomes Second to Tap Fed as Banks Demand Higher Yields | B

US
U.S. housing starts surge in July in rare pandemic bright spot | R
7 states approved to offer extra $300 weekly unemployment benefits | C

US politics I
Pelosi: Democrats willing to cut COVID-19 bill in half to get a deal | R
Treasury Secretary Mnuchin: Democrats unwilling to make ‘reasonable’ deal | C
Trump’s postmaster general pauses service cuts after mail-in ballots outcry | R
Opinion | Trump’s Post Office Mess Is Meant to Exhaust You | N
Opinion | I Was a Postal Service Regulator for 18 Years. Don’t Panic. | N

US politics II
Why the DNC Has 17 Keynote Speakers Instead of One | N
Here’s how Joe Biden plans to change Social Security if elected president | C
Miles Taylor, former Trump staffer who backed Biden, takes leave from Google | C

Geopolitics & trade
China’s Xi Jinping Tightens Grip on Domestic Security Forces in First Broad Purge | W
Former CIA officer accused of selling state secrets to China | P
U.S. Tightens Restrictions on Huawei’s Access to Chips | W

Industries & companies
Aerospace: Boeing to Offer More Staff Buyouts | W
Autos: Wall Street pushes for GM to spin off its electric vehicle business
FAANGs: Amazon Bets on Office-Based Work With Expansion in Major Cities | W
FAANGs: California’s landmark privacy law is Facebook’s next ‘nightmare’ | MW
Pharma: States Seek $26.4 Billion From Drug Companies in Opioid Litigation | W
Retail: Strong Home Depot Results Show Pandemic’s Consumer Spending Shift | W
Retail: Walmart Flexes Its Scale to Power Through Pandemic | W
Retail: Walmart says consumer spending dropped as stimulus checks ran out | C
Retail: Kohl’s sees billions in market share free as retailers go bankrupt | C
Tech: 5G Smartphones Could Crush Your Home Wi-Fi. So Where’s the 5G? | W

Virus
Coronavirus vaccine with 50% efficacy would be ‘game changer’ | C
Opinion | A Warning for the United States From the Author of ‘The Great Influenza’ | N
What Derailed America’s Covid Testing: Three Lost Weeks | W

Offbeat
SpaceX reuses and lands Falcon 9 rocket booster for record 6th time | C
The death of the office has been greatly exaggerated | MW

Aug 18 (Tuesday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets

Markets
S&P 500 Finishes Just Shy of Record | W
Nasdaq hits record high close due to tech rally | R
Goldman Boosts S&P 500 Target By 20% As Strategists Catch Up | FA
Investor whose winning stock-market bet amid coronavirus returned over 4,100% says ‘we are in an epic, monumental boom-bust cycle’ | MW
ETFs pace for record year — these funds see highest inflows | C

US
As U.S. homebuilder confidence matches record high, mortgage delinquencies rise | R
$300 unemployment boost may last for only for 3 weeks | C

Japan
Japan’s Economy Contracts 7.8 Percent, Worst Decline on Record | N
Japan’s Economic Backslide Likely to Take Years to Reverse | W

India
Daimler Says India Truck Demand to Take Three Years to Return | B

US politics
As Democrats prepare to nominate Joe Biden, widespread fears about unfair election | R
House Democrats Set Vote on Bill to Bolster USPS | W
USPS: Senate Democrats demand reversal of new postal chief’s changes | C
Trump-appointed Postal Service chief to testify amid fears about U.S. election | R
Hillary Clinton slams Trump response to coronavirus, withdrawal from WHO | C

Geopolitics & trade
U.S. Tightens Restrictions on Huawei’s Access to Chips | W

Industries & companies
Energy: Chevron Pursues Exploration Deal in Iraq | W
Energy: Trump administration finalizes oil drilling plan in Alaska wildlife refuge | R
FAANGs: Justice Department Disagreement Arises Over Possible Google Antitrust Suit | W
FAANGs: ‘Fortnite’ maker accuses Apple, Google of illegal monopolistic practices in tech Battle Royale | MW
FAANGs: ‘Fortnite’ Creator Says Apple Is Threatening to Curb Access to Software Tools | W
Financials: American Express acquiring small business lender Kabbage | C
Tech: 5G Smartphones Could Crush Your Home Wi-Fi. So Where’s the 5G? | W
Utilities: California Gov. Gavin Newsom demands probe of power blackouts | C

Virus
China’s CDC, Built to Stop Pandemics Like Covid, Stumbled When It Mattered Most | W
Reports of COVID cases are growing on college campuses as schools bring students back for in-person classes | MW
University of North Carolina Retreats to Remote Learning for Undergrads After Coronavirus Outbreaks | W

Corporate finance
Why Hertz landed in bankruptcy court when its rivals didn’t | C
Robinhood announces another mega round, valuation soars to $11.2B | C

Aug 17 (Monday)

YRI
Morning Briefing PDF
Daily Markets
Stocks could be melting up like they did in the Roaring ’20s, strategist says — we all know what happened next | MW

Markets
The 2020 comeback to record highs resembles storied market revivals of the past | C
Stock market looks like ‘Wile E. Coyote,’ running off ‘a cliff,’ says expert | MW
Super Tiny Stocks Staging Bigger Rebound Rally Than Megacap Tech | B

Commodities
Gold Is Flying High, but Getting Harder to Mine | W
Palladium Prices Hit Bump in the Road With Lower Car Sales | BR

Central banks
China’s Banking Watchdog Warns Fed Easing Risks Financial Crisis | B

US
When furloughs become layoffs during pandemic | C
The Coronavirus Recession Has Been Worse For Families With Kids, N.Y. Fed Finds | F
Opinion | Is Your Child’s School Ready to Reopen? | N
More Americans Go Hungry Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Census Shows | W
A Century-Old Moving Company Says the Summer of Covid Is ‘Insane’ | N

China
The Chinese economic model – Xi Jinping is reinventing state capitalism. Don’t underestimate it | E
Economy News: First Into the Coronavirus Slump, China Is Proving the Fastest Out | B
What the Potential Crisis on the Yangtze Means for China and the World | Heritage

US politics
Kamala Harris Eligibility Is ‘Case Closed,’ Trump Adviser Says | B
Democrats to highlight 17 ‘rising stars’ in convention keynote | R
Top Democrats in U.S. Congress call for hearings on mail delays ahead of election | R
Postal Service chief, under fire, admits ‘unintended consequences’ of his policy overhaul | C
What Is the Safest Voting Method? Paper, Says Leading Cyber Expert | B
Opinion | Military Families Have Been Voting by Mail for Decades | N

Geopolitics & trade
The nuclear option – How America might wield its ultimate weapon of mass disruption | E
The great decoupling – The Trump administration wants a US-China commercial split | E
World’s Biggest Free-Trade Pact Targets First Deal in 2021 | B
How to Profit From the U.S.-China Cold War | BR
WeChat Links Many Americans to Family Abroad. That’s Now in Jeopardy. | W
Twitter Tries to Tackle a TikTok Tie-Up | BR

Industries & companies
Airlines: Coronavirus: More job losses loom as airlines industry struggles | C
Aerospace: Superjumbo problems – What’s an A380 worth? | E
Aerospace: U.S. Criminal Probe Looks at Former NASA Official’s Contacts With Boeing Executive | W
FAANGs: How Apple’s 30% App Store Cut Became a Boon and a Headache | N
Financials: Goldman Sachs Wants to Manage Your Money. It’s Not as Crazy as It Sounds. | BR
Health Care: How the 2020 Presidential Election Could Affect Health-Care Stocks | BR
Pharma: Merck Is Barron’s Stock Pick This Week’s. Here’s Why | BR
Retail: Home Depot Braced for Covid Pain—Then Americans Remodeled | W
Utilities: Utilities Cash In on Green Energy Subsidy for Bigger Wind Farms | W
Wireless: Bots kept winning T-Mobile’s promotional contests | C

Virus I
The Plan That Could Give Us Our Lives Back: Test Every American for Covid-19 Daily | Atlantic
Forty percent of U.S. Covid-19 tests come back too late to be clinically meaningful, data show | C
Hospitalization Data Reported by the HHS vs. the States: Unexplained Phenomena | CTP Blog
Something Is Wrong with Testing Data in the Great State of Texas | CTP Blog
Coronavirus: Should you get tested before seeing friends and family? | C

Virus II
Russia’s New Sputnik Launch Raises Risks in Dash for Vaccine | B
Fearing a ‘Twindemic,’ Health Experts Push Urgently for Flu Shots | N
Covid-19 Deaths Skew Younger Among Minorities | W

Corporate finance
Apple, Tesla Stock Splits Could Encourage Others | BR

Offbeat
American Passports Are Useless Now | Atlantic
How Covid-19 Changed Americans’ Internet Habits | W