February 19 (Saturday)

Latest Morning Briefing: Executive Summary. Insurance, Tech & EVs.
Visions of higher interest rates to come are stoking investors’ optimism about prospects for financial services companies, fueling the S&P 500 Financials sector’s impressive ytd outperformance. Within the sector, the insurance industry has been faring well by both earnings and share-price measures as pricing power and strong investment returns have helped to offset higher costs and losses. … Also: Washington has guns out for Big Tech; we recap recent regulatory and (bipartisan!) legislative initiatives afoot. … And we survey the playing field for electric vehicles after their starring roles in Super Bowl ads.(subscribers’ link)

YRI
Daily Markets Overview
See subscribers’ link below for today’s Morning Briefing.
Replay of Dr. Ed’s webinar on February 14.

Markets
Dow sheds more than 200 points as Russia-Ukraine tensions roil markets | C
Stocks fall, bonds rise on Ukraine tensions | R

Central banks
Fed will hike rates regardless if Biden’s nominees are confirmed, economists say | C
Fed Officials Lean Against Expectations of Half-Point Increase in March | W
Fed chief Powell to give policy update to Congress in early March | R
Fed approves rules banning its officials from trading stocks, bonds and also cryptocurrencies | C

US
U.S. Home Sales Jumped 6.7% in January Amid Record-Low Inventory | W
Biden Shifts Inflation Message to Show He Feels Americans’ Pain | W

Geopolitics & trade
U.S. Warns of Imminent Russian Invasion of Ukraine With Tanks, Jet Fighters, Cyberattacks | W
Biden believes Putin has decided to attack Ukraine in coming days | C
We spoke to 7 ex-CIA and Pentagon experts. Here’s what they say Putin wants in Ukraine. | ampproject.org
 
Virus
Another Potential Covid-19 Lab Leak Clue | W
Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine for Kids Isn’t Working Well Against Omicron So Far, Delaying FDA Review | W

Beyond markets
‘Earthships’: off-the-grid homes made of recycled garbage | C