February 20 (Monday)

Latest Morning Briefing Executive Summary: Industrials, Chinese Spies & MIT’s Picks
Three pieces of recent legislation incentivize manufacturers to produce their goods on US soil, and the amount being spent on the construction of new factories has risen sharply, presumably in response. Jackie examines the projects planned by three such companies—a solar panel maker, a semiconductor manufacturer, and Ford Motor. … Also: We recap the DOJ’s recent efforts to stop Chinese spies intent on stealing US technology and defense secrets. … And: A look at several innovations on MIT’s short list of life-changing new technologies.
(subscribers’ link)

YRI
Daily Markets Overview
Replay of Dr. Ed’s webinar on February 13.

Markets
Why ‘No Landing’ Could Still Mean Trouble for the Stock Market | BR
Stock Buybacks Aren’t Bad. They Aren’t Good, Either. | W

Global
Inflation will be harder to bring down than markets think | E
Workers’ Pay Globally Hasn’t Kept Up With Inflation | W

Commodities
Mexico’s Lopez Obrador orders ministry to step up lithium nationalization | R
Lumber Prices Could Rally as Home Buying Picks Up | BR
Dow and 5 Other Stocks to Play the Future of Plastic | BR

US
Amid high housing costs, how to figure out what you can spend on rent | C

China
At job fairs in China, employers are thrifty and applicants timid | R

Geopolitics & trade
Trade tensions seen hanging over U.S. firms’ caution over China | C
U.S. officials address mounting tensions between U.S. and China during Munich Security Conference | C
Vice President Harris says Russia has committed crimes against humanity in Ukraine | C
U.S. Warns China Against Supplying Arms to Russia in Ukraine War | W
North Korea fires ballistic missiles, warns of turning Pacific into ‘firing range’ | R

Industries & companies
Autos: More Auto Payments Are Late, Exposing Cracks in Consumer Credit | W
Communications Services: Facebook Parent Launching ‘Meta Verified’ Subscription Service | W

Corporate finance
Going Private Again Is All the Rage Among Newly Public Companies | W

Climate
The World’s Plastic Use Is Getting Worse. ‘It’s a Recipe for Disaster.’ | BR

Crypto
Bitcoin’s Bounce Could Be Fleeting as Regulatory Outlook Darkens | BR
How the SEC and Paxos-BUSD fight could impact the stablecoin market | C