China economy slows more than expected in July
The Chinese government reported today that the country’s economy slowed more than expected in July. Retail sales were crimped by tough new virus restrictions introduced toward the end of the month to contain fresh outbreaks. Retail sales rose by 8.5% near over...
Are airlines “the canary in the coal mine” for how much the Delta variant will slow the U.S. economy in the third quarter?
The politics and the science argue that this fall we’re not going to see a repeat of the economic lockdowns put in place in 2020 in an attempt to control the spread of the coronavirus. But it’s also clear that the the current huge surge in infections from...
They’re back! Oil and gas rig count doubles from last year’s record low
For the week ended on August 13, U.S. oil and natural gas companies added 9 oil and natural gas drilling rigs to bring the total rig count to 500. That’s up 256 rigs, or 105%, from a record low of 244 in the summer of 2020, according to Baker Hughes. U.S. oil...
Watch my new YouTube video: QuickPick Johnson Controls
I’m starting up my videos on again–this time using YouTube as a platform. My forty-first YouTube video “QuickPick Johnson Controls”-went up today. (By the way, Johnson Controls is a member of my long-term 50 Stocks Portfolio.) Please watch and...
Stocks decide inflation is in retreat and move higher
The Consumer Price Index climbed 0.5% in July. That was in line with Wall Street expectations. And down from the 0.9% gain in the inflation index reported for June. That was enough to send stock prices higher as investors and traders decided the data supports the...
Watch my new YouTube video: “3 picks for the fall tech rotation”
I’m starting up my videos again–this time using YouTube as a platform. My fortieth YouTube video “3 picks for the fall tech rotation”-went up today. Please watch and subscribe to my YouTube channel. And like my video. You can see it below:...
So when does the Federal Reserve become the Treasury market?
Back in 2018 the Federal Reserve started to run down its valance sheet out of concern that its asset pile had grown so large that the central bank was in danger of becoming the market for things like Treasuries and mortgage-backed assets. (For some of the dangers in...
Senate passes infrastructure bill heavy on traditional road, rail, and water spending–so guess which stocks went up today?
The $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that the Senate passed today–roughly half of that represents new spending–still faces a tough go in the House of Representatives where progressive Democrats have criticized the measure as light on dollars to fight...
July job report says the economy added 943,000 jobs in July: Did it really? What’s it all mean
This morning the Labor Department released its July jobs report. It showed a gain in non-farm payrolls of 943,000 against 938,000 in June and the 865,000 proejcted by economists surveyed by Bloomberg. The headline unemployment rate fell to 5.4% from 5.9% in June and a...
Watch my new YouTube video: Will China sink global stocks?
I’m starting up my videos again–this time using YouTube as a platform. My thirty-ninth YouTube video “Will China sink global stocks?”-went up today. Please watch and subscribe to my YouTube channel. And like my video. You can see it...
Biden adds goals and rules to speed up transition to electric vehicles
Today President Joe Biden unveiled a plan that would speed up the transition to electric vehicles in the United States. Included was an executive order (in this case a goal) calling for half of new passenger car sales to be of electric vehicles powered by batteries...
China imposes wide-ranging travel restrictions to slow Delta variant outbreak
With the report of 94 new local infections marking the broadest outbreak since the first in Wuhan in 2019, China imposed new restrictions on travel in 144 of the worst hit areas. The new rules curtail public transit and taxi service, curb train and subway service, and...
Replacing iShares China Large Cap ETF with IShares MSCI Europe in Perfect 5 ETF Portfolio
It’s the problem that won’t go away if you’re looking to build a diversified portfolio of ETFs (or any other asset) to manage the risk that some one asset class will implode unexpectedly. Given the continued outperformance of U.S. stocks, How do you...
Watch my new YouTube Video: “QuickPick Cummins”
I’m starting up my videos again–this time using YouTube as a platform. My thirty-eighth YouTube video “QuickPick: Cummins”-went up today. (I’d also note that Cummins has been a member of my long-term 50 Stocks Portfolio since May 3, 2013....
Today’s trading doesn’t answer big questions posed by Amazon and Caterpillar earnings last week
I’m looking for answers to two big questions that earnings from Amazon (AMZN) and Caterpillar (CAT) left us with last week. In the case of Amazon, where the company reported a slide in revenue growth after a big bump in sales due to everybody ordering everything...
Watch my new YouTube video “Quick Pick: Shimano”
I’m starting up my videos again–this time using YouTube as a platform. My thirty-seventh YouTube video “QuickPick: Shimano”-went up today. Please watch and subscribe to my YouTube channel. And like my video. You can see it...
Q2 GDP grew by an annualized 6.5%, which gets the economy back to where it was before the pandemic–now for the tough part
U.S. gross domestic product grew 1.6% in the second quarter of the year, the Commerce Department said today, July 29. That’s up from 1.5% growth in the first quarter of 2021. On an annualized basis, second-quarter growth was 6.5 percent. It is, however, well...
Dems and Reps agree on $1 trillion infrastructure deal–now for the vote
Senate Democrats and Republicans on Wednesday appeared to clinch a deal that would invest roughly $1 trillion into the nation’s infrastructure. The new agreement — announced separately by two of its lead negotiators, Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Kyrsten Sinema...
Watch my new YouTube video: Is China un-investable?
I’m starting up my videos again–this time using YouTube as a platform. My thirty-sixth YouTube video “Is China un-investable?”-went up today. Please watch and subscribe to my YouTube channel. And like my video. You can see it...
Federal Reserve says it is staying the course, for now
No change. But change coming someday. (Not soon, though.) That was the message from today’s meeting of the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee. The central bank held interest rates steady at 0% to 0.25% and maintained its schedule for purchases of...
A tried and true earnings game boosts Microsoft another 1.23% today
After picking up; 1.3% yesterday, shares of Microsoft added 1.23% today, Friday, July 23, as Wall Street analysts raised earnings estimates ahead of the company’s July 27 earnings report. It’s a tried and true earnings season game: No analyst wants to be...
New claims for unemployment tick up again this week
For the third time in six weeks, initial claims for unemployment in regular state programs rose. The number of new claims grew to 419,000 from 368,000, according to data from the Department of Labor. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected a slight drop to...
Watch my new YouTube video: QuickPick–For bank disruptors, buy Square
I’m starting up my videos on JubakAM.com again–this time using YouTube as a platform. My thirty-fifth YouTube video “QuickPick–For bank disruptors, buy Square” went up today. Please watch and subscribe to my YouTube channel. And like my...
Market looks to be setting up for next week’s tech earnings parade
The Standard & Poor’s 500 closed up 0.20% today, July 22. The Dow Jones Industrial Average squeezed out a 0.07% gain. But if you were looking for bigger upside moves, turn your eyes to the technology sector. The NASDAQ Composite was up 0.36% and the NASDAQ...
Nvidia finally trades at post-split price and gains 4.29% today
Nvidia (NVDA) finally began trading at a price adjusted for the stock’s announced 4 for 1 split. At the close the shares traded at $194.10, a gain of $7.98 a share (or a pre-split $31.92 gain), up 4.29% on the day. The solid move higher bodes well for...
Investors buy the dip; Delta variant is forgotten for a day
Today investors and traders ran to buy all the re-opening, post-vaccine recovery, cyclical stocks that they dumped yesterday. Macy’s (M) is up 4.29% as of 3:30 p.m. New York time after plunging 4.90% yesterday. Amusement park operator Cedar Fair (FUN) is up...
Stocks extend growth fears, selling today–how far does this go?
Today, Monday, July 19, stocks accelerated their retreat from the end of last week on fears that a fourth wave of the pandemic, fueled by the Delta variant, will crush hopes that the economy is headed back to normal. As of the close New York the Standard &...
Taiwan Semiconductor earnings on Thursday upended chip stocks–here’s why
On Thursday, July 15, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM), the world’s leading chip foundry, reported earnings of 93 cents a share for the second quarter, up 18% year over year. That was inline with analyst estimates. Sales rose 28%. The company raised its...
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