- S&P 5003,120.46+0.77%
- Dow 3028,004.89+0.80%
- Nasdaq8,540.83+0.73%
- Russell 20001,596.45+0.48%
- Crude Oil57.93+2.04%
- Gold1,468.70-0.32%
- Silver16.93-0.55%
- EUR/USD1.1058-0.0000%
- 10-Yr Bond1.8340+1.05%
- Vix12.05-7.66%
- GBP/USD1.2900-0.0000%
- USD/JPY108.87000.0000%
- BTC-USD8,525.98+0.37%
- CMC Crypto 200176.10-1.35%
- FTSE 1007,302.94+0.14%
- Nikkei 22523,303.32+0.70%
- MarketWatch
It’s great the stock market is setting records, but it’s not because the economy is great
Stocks on Wall Street have soared to fresh record highs, but it's not because the economy is flashing a big thumbs-up sign. The economy is still expanding, to be sure, and sporadic worries about recession have faded again. More evidence of a slowdown emerged in a pair of recent reports on industrial production and retail sales — windows into how businesses and consumers are faring.
- Reuters
EXPLAINER -Why is Alibaba listing in Hong Kong?
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is set to price its first share sale in Hong Kong next week, raising up to $13.4 billion in what will be the largest deal in the city since 2010 and the world's biggest ever cross-border secondary listing. WHY IS ALIBABA LISTING IN HONG KONG? Analysts say establishing a base outside the United States gives the U.S.-listed company options, especially in the light of the U.S.-China trade dispute.
- Barrons.com
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Sold Off More Apple Stock – and Increased Its Stake in Two Companies
This article originally appeared on MarketWatch, a sister publication of Barron's. We publish articles from other sites when we think our readers will enjoy them. BRKA) (ticker: BRKA) revealed new stakes in furniture maker (RH)(RH) and energy company (OXY) (OXY), according to a filing on Thursday.
- MarketWatch
Aurora Cannabis stock suffers worst day in more than five years, analyst says ‘it would be fair for investors not to believe them’
Aurora Cannabis Inc. shares suffered through their worst trading session in more than five years Friday, after an earnings report that included disappointing numbers and plans to cut spending sent analysts racing to cut their forecasts for the Canadian marijuana producer. Aurora's (ACB) revenue declined by 24% sequentially in its fiscal first quarter, and the second largest public weed company by sales cancelled or delayed plans for multiple further facilities expansions and converted C$155 million in debt into shares as it seeks to conserve cash. Investors responded by sending the stock on a 17.2% decline to $2.73, the largest single-day percentage decline for Aurora shares in more than five years and the lowest closing price since October 2017.
- Bloomberg
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Plans Bill to Boost Top Individual Tax Rate to 59%
Democratic Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jan Schakowsky are working on legislation that would nearly double the top individual U.S. tax rate to 59% on the highest incomes. The bill, which is still being drafted, also would increase capital gains rates to equalize them with income taxes and move to a so-called mark-to-market system. That would require individuals to pay taxes annually on the appreciation of their investments, real estate and business holdings.
- U.S.News & World Report
7 Low-Risk Dividend Stocks to Buy for Retirees
By definition, the dividend aristocrats -- a group of S&P 500 companies that have raised their dividend payouts annually for 25 years or more -- should be good candidates for low-risk dividend stocks to buy. Like JNJ, Chevron falls into that category, with 33 straight years of dividend growth. Today Chevron rewards investors with a healthy 3.9% yield, and while share price gains have been pretty pedestrian in recent years, the integrated oil and gas major does have to deal with energy prices that have been depressed since the 2014 oil crash.
- Barrons.com
Nobel Prize-Winning Economist on How to Solve the ‘Nastiest, Hardest Problem’ in Retirement
Nobel Prize–winning economist William Sharpe has spent most of his career thinking about risk. A few decades ago, Sharpe turned his attention to what may be the biggest risk of all for most Americans—running out of money in retirement. The professor of finance, emeritus, at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business created a computer program that eventually covered 100,000 retirement-income scenarios based on different combinations of life spans and investment returns for a retired couple.
- MarketWatch
About 55% of wealthy investors are bracing for a ‘significant drop’ in stocks before the end of 2020, UBS survey shows
Even as the market ascends to new heights, wealthy investors are bracing for a turbulent period that could produce a “significant drop” in equity benchmarks in the near term. That is according to a recent survey produced by UBS Wealth Management that finds that some 55% of deep-pocketed investors are preparing for a drop in the market before the end of the 2020. That is not to say that this cohort, consisting of 3,400 high-net-worth investors with at least $1 million in assets, doesn't hold a mostly upbeat view of the economy and stock market over a longer period, the survey finds.
- Quartz
Two of America’s biggest coal plants closed this month
America's coal plants are turning off the boilers, facing brutal economics and customers fleeing for natural gas and renewable energy. This week, Arizona's 2.25-GW Navajo Generating Station burned its last load of coal after no buyers turned up during a two-year search. Trade publication Utility Dive reports that the fate of the financially ailing plant was sealed after a bid to force an Arizona water agency to buy its electricity failed.
- Bloomberg
Binance CEO: Cryptocurrency Industry to Get Bigger, Prices to Go Higher
Changpeng Zhao, founder and chief executive officer of Malta-based Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, talks about the outlook for the market. He speaks on "Bloomberg Markets: Asia."
- Associated Press
Ailing ex-telecom executive Ebbers seeks release from prison
A former telecommunications executive convicted in one of the largest corporate accounting scandals in U.S. history is asking a judge to shorten his prison sentence so he can be released as his health deteriorates. Bernard Ebbers led WorldCom, once one of the world's largest telecommunications companies. The Mississippi-based WorldCom collapsed and went into bankruptcy in 2002, causing losses to stockholders, including people who had invested through retirement plans.
- MoneyShow
Dividend Detective Uncovers Favorite High Yielders
In our model portfolios, we're adding two speculative stocks for income investors; one is a casino real estate investment trust and the other is an energy sector play, explains Harry Domash, editor of Dividend Detective. First, we're adding a new pick to our property REITs portfolio; it is paying 4.8% and it is in fast growth mode. Over the next 12 months, analysts expect 14% revenue growth, 7% EPS growth, and 12% dividend growth.
- Bloomberg
WeWork Said to Face SEC Probe Into Possible Rule Violations
WeWork is drawing scrutiny from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over whether the co-working company violated financial rules in the run-up to its failed initial public offering, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. Bloomberg's Ellen Huet reports on "Bloomberg Markets."
- Bloomberg
The World’s Only $100 Billion Utility Owes Its Rise To Wind Power
This year, that company -- now named NextEra Energy Inc. -- became the world's first utility with a market capitalization of more than $100 billion, thanks largely to its clean-power business. It's almost twice as valuable as the oil major ConocoPhillips and has developed enough wind and solar farms across the U.S. and Canada to power the entire nation of Greece. “They made a bunch of strategic moves early and aggressively that have paid off very well for them,” said Andrew Weisel, an analyst at Scotia Howard Weil.
- MarketWatch
What is your capital gains tax rate? Good question — it can get confusing
Here's what you need to know about the federal income tax rates on capital gains tax (and dividends) under the current rules, which are scheduled to last through 2025 (political developments permitting). rates and brackets for LTCGs and dividends The TCJA retained the 0%, 15%, and 20% rates on LTCGs from assets that you've owned for more than one year and for qualified dividends. However, these rates now have their own brackets that are no longer tied to ordinary income brackets.
- Investopedia
6 Funds to Maximize Your Income While You're Retired
This is an actively managed fund with a minimum investment of $50,000 and an expense ratio of only 0.18%. Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund Investor Shares If $50,000 is too high for you, DeYoung recommends checking out the Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund Investor Shares (VWINX). It's mostly the same fund but has a minimum investment of only $3,000, with a slightly higher expense ratio of 0.25%.
- Barrons.com
What Does Alibaba’s Hong Kong Listing Mean for U.S. Shareholders? 6 Things to Know
The Chinese e-commerce giant (BABA) (ticker: BABA) has been trading on the New York Stock Exchange since it raised $25 billion in a 2014 initial public offering. The price of the American depositary shares has soared 173% from $68 at the IPO to $185.49 as of Friday's close. Now, the company wants to offer another 500 million new ordinary shares in a listing through the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
- Bloomberg
Bill Gates Tops Jeff Bezos as World’s Richest Person With Amazon Slide
Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates overtook Amazon.com Inc.'s Jeff Bezos as the world's richest person on Friday, reclaiming the top ranking for the first time in more than two years. Gates may have been helped in part by the Pentagon's surprise decision announced Oct. 25 to award a $10 billion cloud-computing contract to Microsoft over Amazon. Shares of Microsoft have since climbed 4%, giving Gates a $110 billion fortune, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
- American City Business Journals
The Funded: Former Apple engineers raise $53M to take on Intel and AMD in data centers
Nuvia says it will make data venter processors that are faster, more power efficient and more secure than what currently exists. The world is creating more data than it can process as we become increasingly dependent on high-speed information access, always-on rich media experiences and ubiquitous connectivity,” Williams said in Friday's announcement. A step-function increase in compute performance and power efficiency is needed to feed these growing user needs.
- Yahoo Finance
Why America's legal weed sales could triple in the next 5 years
Leaders in the cannabis space Aurora (ACB) and Canopy Growth (CGC) both reported disappointing quarterly earnings this week. But Roy Bingham, the CEO and founder of cannabis data firm BDS Analytics, tells Yahoo Finance's YFi PM that he still projects the U.S. cannabis market to reach $30 billion in the next five years. You hear these massive numbers like a $150 billion or $200 billion market,” Bingham says.
- Investor's Business Daily
Sina Earnings Top Views, But Weibo Parent Falls
Sina stock plummeted Thursday despite reporting better-than-expected third-quarter results. The Sina earnings report came before the market open. The China internet company reported adjusted earnings of 94 cents per share on adjusted revenue of $558.8 million.
- Yahoo Finance
Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods have a new foe in the plant-based burger wars: the Ultimate Burger
Gardein, acquired in Conagra's 2018 acquisition of Pinnacle Foods, will release the next iteration of the Ultimate Burger in January. Wrapped in sleek brown packaging, the Ultimate Burger scores big on overall value: a six-pack of burgers will go for $11.99. The notorious five pound Impossible Foods “brick” can go for upwards of $250.
- MarketWatch
Chesapeake stock falls to lowest price in 25 years as ‘going concern’ warning weighs
Chesapeake Energy Corp. shares took another dive Tuesday, pushing them well below $1 to hit their lowest price in more than 25 years as the natural-gas producer's going-concern warning continued to reverberate in the equity markets and beyond. Chesapeake Energy (CHK) stock lost 17% to end at 67 cents, its lowest close since May 9, 1994. The natural-gas producer last week rang the alarm in its quarterly filing with regulators and reported a quarterly loss that was wider than Wall Street expected.
- Investor's Business Daily
Are These Marijuana Stocks A Good Buy Now? Look Past The Hype
Marijuana stocks received enormous hype after legal recreational sales took hold in Canada and sales became legal in some form or another across more than half of the U.S. Producers in Canada listed on the big U.S. exchanges, while their U.S. counterparts sought listings in Canada. But are any of the marijuana stocks on major U.S. exchanges a good buy now? Overall, the marijuana industry is showing little profit growth as weed producers burn through money to expand.
- Barrons.com
Retirement Savers Are Turning to Dividend Stocks for Income. Here’s How to Use Them in Your Portfolio.
With their attractive income and yields, dividend stocks not only offer solid returns in an era of ultralow bond yields that doesn't appear to be ending soon, but also hold the promise of price appreciation. The S&P 500 index's yield was recently around 1.9%, about even with that of the 10-year U.S. Treasury note—itself a common source of income for retirement savers. Dividends also offer a number of advantages beyond income, one being that qualified dividend income is taxed as a capital gain and at a lower rate than ordinary income receives.
