Tesla will mark the beginning of the end for this bull market, warns Ralph Nader

Tesla shares — unsafe at any speed? Apparently so, according to the consumer advocate and former presidential candidate, who issued a stark warning this week, not only on the pricey stock, but on the market as a whole.

Chipmaker Intel Smashes Fourth-Quarter Targets, Guides Higher

Chipmaking giant Intel late Thursday smashed Wall Street's sales and earnings targets for the fourth quarter. The Intel earnings report sent INTC stock surging in extended trading.

• StockBeat: STMicro Nudges the Chipmaker Rally Onward

  Investing.com
• RPT-Wall St Week Ahead-With market at record highs, eyes on reports from chipmakers

  Reuters

Tax breaks for college tuition and medical expenses just came back from the dead — read this before filing your taxes

The new legislation retroactively resurrects and/or extends a bunch of individual and business federal income tax breaks, which we will call the extenders. As its name indicates, the Act also includes a bevy of federal tax relief provisions for disaster victims. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) set the threshold for itemized medical expense deductions at 7.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI) for 2017 and 2018.

Mark Cuban: Where the ‘frothy’ market goes from here depends on one thing

“Where else are you going to put your money?” the Dallas Mavericks owner asked, adding that low interest rates are like universal basic income, but for rich people.

• 
  The Latest: Soros unveils $1B university plan, blasts Trump

  Associated Press
• 
  Play it again, Barry: Davos 'Piano Man' gets new gig

  Reuters

FICO scores, the 'most important numbers in your financial life,' are about to change

Consumers who miss credit payments or amass more debt will see falling credit scores under new FICO standards. On-time payers will get a boost.

• 
  What Democrats are doing to get the Social Security vote out

  Yahoo Finance Video
• 
  DC AG sues presidential inaugural cmte, alleging abuse of funds

  Yahoo Finance Video

Goldman Sachs: These 3 Stocks Are Poised to Surge by at Least 15%

The stock analysts at Goldman Sachs have been busy. The bank – one of the world’s largest and most influential investment and financial services organizations, with alumni in government positions throughout the major Western nations – maintains a cadre of Wall Street experts, who keep close tabs on the constant shiftings of the stock markets. The result is a wealth of expert opinion, backed by data, on the current go-to investments.All of this is bread and butter for TipRanks, a platform that makes financial recommendations accountable, and expensive institutional datasets available, to all investors. We’ve pulled up three of Goldman’s recent tech sector stock picks, and run them through TipRanks' Stock Screener tool to confirm that Goldman is in the majority on Wall Street in recommending these equities.So, here are the results. Three tech stocks that usually fly under the radar – but Goldman sees them all with more than 15% upside potential in the coming year.GSX Techedu, Inc. (GSX)First on our list is an education-related tech stock from China. GSX is a software company, providing educational packages for after-school tutoring. The company is a leader in the K-12, large-class, after-school market in China, an important segment in a culture that puts a premium on education.A combination of factors worked to push GSX shares sharply upward in December – as much as 24%. While’s China’s overall economic growth has been slowing in recent years, and the trade tensions with the US have put pressures on most sectors of the Chinese economy, Chinese parents still put a premium on giving their kids the best possible education. That cultural imperative helped insulate GSX, and the company showed a tremendous 460% year-over-year revenue gain in Q3, posting 557 million yuan in sales – approximately $80 million in US currency. Total student enrollment rose by 240%, to 820,000.When news broke of the Phase 1 trade agreement between the US and Chinese governments last month, however, Chinese markets experienced a broad rally – and that included GSX. Investors were suddenly bullish after the trade agreement was announced and the signing was scheduled, and more willing to invest – and a company with GSX’s proven recent growth was sure to attract plenty of investor attention.Goldman’s Christine Cho reviewed GSX, and outlined the major advantages of the stock for investors. First, regarding the educational market generally in China, she wrote, “We expect online AST penetration will grow from 15% of the total AST market to 41% over the same period, as we believe online AST courses have a wider reach given their scalability, lack of physical constraints and better affordability…” And, looking at GSX specifically, Cho laid out her firm’s line: “We believe its competitive moat lies in its technology DNA and ROI mindset, scalable business model via well-managed star teachers, and best-in-class operating efficiency…”Cho initiated coverage of this stock for Goldman, giving it a Buy rating and setting an aggressive price target of $45. Her target indicates confidence in an upside potential of 28% for the next 12 months. (To watch Cho’s track record, click here)Overall, investors and analysts are bullish on this stock. The price run-up in December pushed the share price to $35.25, well above the consensus price target. However, Cho’s new coverage, with her higher target, indicate the potential available in GSX shares. (See GSX stock analysis at TipRanks)Avaya Holdings Corporation (AVYA)The next two stock on our list are related, operating in the same sector and, more importantly, having just entered a strategic partnership. First up is Avaya Holdings, a holding company whose main subsidiary, Avaya, Inc., provides software in the business communication and collaboration niche. Avaya’s products offer services to unify communications, contact centers, and real-time video systems.Business communications is an essential niche; no company can do without an efficient system for managing its analog, digital, and online communications. Avaya has ridden that need, and put up strong revenue numbers from filling it. In Q4 of fiscal 2019, reported in November, the company showed $723 million in quarterly revenues, and $2.89 billion in annual revenues. These numbers reflect GAAP figures, and the annual total shows a 1.4% year-over-year gain. The company’s cash on hand has shown steady increases in the past year, and stands at $752 million.During the quarter, Avaya announced a partnership with RingCentral (more below), through which Ring will become Avaya’s sole provider of UCaaS solutions. In addition, Ring committed to paying $500 million to Avaya in return for stock shares and licensing rights. The move brings Avaya’s services and migration capabilities into combination with Ring’s UCaaS platform, for both companies’ benefit.Goldman Sachs sees plenty of reason for optimism in Avaya’s current situation. Writing for the firm, 4-star analyst Rod Hall says, “We believe the economics of the announced RingCentral deal are likely to drive Avaya’s revenue and profitability above consensus expectations… In our central case, we estimate that ACO conversions could add ~$28m in revenue to Avaya in the first full year of its availability…”Hall puts a Buy rating on AVYA shares and his price target of $18 suggests an upside of 28% for stock. (To watch Hall’s track record, click here)Shares in AVYA are priced at $14, and the average target of $16.25 suggests room for 16% growth in the coming year. The Moderate Buy analyst consensus rating is based on 6 reviews, including 4 Buys and 2 Holds. (See Avaya stock analysis at TipRanks)RingCentral, Inc. (RNG)Third on our list is Avaya’s new partner, RingCentral. RNG brings cloud computing to the realm of business communications, with software packages combining two staples of the modern office: telephone and computer systems. RingCentral Office, the company’s flagship product, is sync-compatible with popular business applications like Salesforce, Outlook, Google Docs, and DropBox, plus it provides RNG’s unique features in call forwarding, multiple telephone extensions, video conferencing, and screen sharing.RingCentral’s strong product, solving real problems and improving business efficiencies, has brought the company equally strong profits. Revenues and earnings were both up in Q3 2019, the most recent reported. EPS, at 22 cents, was up 15% year-over-year, and beat the forecast by 15%. Revenues came in at $222 million, showing an impressive 34% year-over-year growth. Strong profits and earnings, in turn, powered RNG’s share appreciation – the stock gained 108% in 2019.Heather Bellini, 5-star analyst with Goldman, was impressed enough by RNG’s performance to upgrade the stock from Neutral to Buy, while setting a $230 price target. Her target suggests a about 15% upside to the stock.In her comments, Bellini noted RNG’s fast-paced growth, and recent AVYA partnership’s potential to drive further growth. She writes, “We see continued runway for outperformance driven by secular growth from UCaaS adoption, enterprise traction, and continued evolution in the companies go-to-market strategy, most notably RingCentral’s recently announced partnership with Avaya.” (To watch Bellini’s track record, click here)RNG holds a Strong Buy rating from the analyst consensus, with 14 Buy ratings and just a single Hold. Shares are priced high, at $197.75, reflecting the stock’s recent gains. The average price target is $201.36, implying a 2% upside for the stock – but as cited above, Goldman analyst sees a 15% upside ahead for RingCentral. (See RingCentral stock analysis at TipRanks)

• 
  Goldman Sachs Will No Longer Take Companies Public Unless They Have at Least One ‘Diverse’ Board Member

  National Review
• 
  Goldman Sachs to companies: Hire at least one woman director if you want to go public

  Reuters

Young trader’s epic Beyond Meat stock misfire: ‘Biggest mistake of my life’

For many veteran traders, $12,000 is a rounding error, but for someone just getting his feet wet in the options pits, well, losing that much will leave a mark. That’s what happened this week to an anonymous trader.

I’m 38 with $315,000 saved for retirement, but have $30,000 in debt. Should I lower my 401(k) contributions to get rid of that debt?

Your issue is a common one: The average personal debt load (that’s debt excluding mortgages) of people with debt is about $38,000, according to research from Northwestern Mutual. Why is paying down debt so beneficial to you?

• 
  Why Pay Off Your Student Loans if the Government Will Do It for You?

  National Review
• 
  Paying Off Student Debt — By Shopping at Macy’s?

  WWD

Intel stock jumps as cloud pushes quarterly revenue higher than $20 billion for first time

Intel Corp. shares rallied in the extended session Thursday after the chip maker’s quarterly results and outlook topped Wall Street estimates with a big beat in data-center sales.

• 
  Dow Jones Futures Climb As Stock Market Resists China Virus; 3 Tech Giants Rise Near Buy Points As Tesla Hits Milestone

  Investor's Business Daily
• 
  Stock Market News for Jan 22, 2020

  Zacks

Wells Fargo former CEO John Stumpf fined $17.5 million, banned for life from banking

Wells Fargo former Chairman and CEO John Stumpf agreed to a lifetime ban from the banking industry over the bank's 2016 sales-practices scandal.

• 
  "We're cautiously optimistic on the markets," says Wells Fargo strategist

  Yahoo Finance Video
• 
  US regulator fines ex-Wells Fargo CEO $17.5 mn over fake accounts

  AFP

Surgical Robotics Leader Dives As Sales, Earnings Growth Decelerate

Surgical robotics giant Intuitive Surgical reported decelerating sales and earnings growth Thursday, leading ISRG stock to slide in after-hours trading. Procedure growth remained strong.

• 
  The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Citrix Systems, Southwest Airlines, Comcast, Travelers Companies and Intuitive Surgical

  Zacks
• 
  Intuitive Surgical Earnings, Revenue Beat in Q4

  Investing.com

Dow Jones Futures: Intel, Atlassian Soar On Earnings, Boost 3 Leaderboard Stocks; Broadcom Rises On Apple Deal

Futures: Intel and Atlassian soared late on earnings, lifting AMD, Nvidia and ServiceNow. Broadcom rose on an Apple supply deal.

• 
  Ally Financial (ALLY) Q4 Earnings Meet Estimates, Stock Up

  Zacks
• 
  Atlassian Earnings, Revenue Top Estimates On Cloud Growth; Stock Rises

  Investor's Business Daily

Mnuchin to Greta Thunberg — go study economics first

President Donald Trump has taken a few digs at 17-year-old environmental activist Greta Thunberg, and now Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has as well.

• 
  Business Leaders at Davos Prepare for Potential Trump Re-Election

  Dow Jones
• 
  Turkish Rate Guidance Intact After Five Cuts Went ‘Bit Deep’

  Bloomberg

Mortgage rates fall to the lowest level in three months — but this is a double-edged sword for home buyers

Persistently low mortgage rates have both a positive and a negative influence on the housing market.

That letter from the IRS could be a fake. Watch out for this tax scam and others in 2020

Crooks want your Social Security number and other personal information to file fake returns so they can to steal tax refunds.

• 
  Don’t Fall For One of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ Tax Scams

  GOBankingRates
• When Is Tax Day in 2020?

  TheStreet.com

GE Stock Rebounds From Recent Slump As 'The Story Has Shifted'

General Electric is in a "budding turnaround" and should see minimal disruption from the Boeing 737 Max crisis, Morgan Stanley said.

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  Morgan Stanley upgrades GE on ‘budding turnaround’

  Yahoo Finance Video
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  GE’s stock jumps after Morgan Stanley gets bullish ahead of earnings

  MarketWatch

Want to Retire in Five Years? What You Must Know

Here's how to do a retirement-needs analysis to know if you will have enough money to retire when you want to.

Analysts: These 3 “Strong Buy” Penny Stocks Could Gain Over 50%

Penny stocks are controversial, to say the least. When it comes to these under $1 per share investment opportunities, Wall Street observers usually either love them or hate them. The penny stock-averse point out that while the bargain price tag is tempting, there could be a reason shares are trading at such low levels like poor fundamentals or insurmountable headwinds.However, the other side of the coin has merit as well. Naturally, with these cheap tickers, you get more bang for your buck in terms of the amount of shares. On top of this, other more expensive and well-known names aren’t as likely to produce the colossal gains that penny stocks are capable of.Given the nature of these investments, Wall Street analysts recommend doing some due diligence before pulling the trigger, noting that not all penny stocks are bound for greatness.With this in mind, we set out on own search for compelling investments that look like a steal. Using TipRanks’ Stock Screener tool, we filtered the results by current share price, analyst consensus and price target upside to track down 3 penny stocks that have amassed enough analyst support to earn a “Strong Buy” consensus rating. Adding to the good news, each pick boasts over 50% upside potential. Let’s dive in.Lineage Cell Therapeutics (LCTX)Like the name implies, this biotech uses its proprietary cell-based therapy platform to develop specialized, terminally-differentiated human cells. These cells can potentially replace or support cells that are dysfunctional or absent as a result of a degenerative disease or traumatic injury, or even help the body defend itself against cancer. On the heels of its recent data readout, one analyst argues that the $0.81 price tag is a steal.The company just released data from the Phase 1/2a study for OpRegen, its retinal pigment epithelium cell transplant for advanced dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD). According to the results, the therapy produced significant improvements in vision, with no unexpected complications or serious adverse events reported. Not to mention for some patients, structural improvements in the retina and decreases in drusen density have been maintained, and there is evidence of the continued presence of transplanted OpRegen cells three years after the therapy was administered.Based on this outcome, Dawson James analyst Jason Kolbert stated, “The data continues to demonstrate improvements in visual acuity, pointing to what may be a robust new therapy for Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration.” On top of this, he believes the fact that the Orbit Subretinal Delivery System (Orbit SDS) and a new Thawand-Inject (TAI) formulation of OpRegen have already demonstrated signs of success “continues to support the use of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells.”With the analyst estimating that macular degeneration is a multi-billion dollar market opportunity, he thinks OpRegen is the lead product and the performance driver for LCTX. In line with his optimistic take, Kolbert maintained a Buy rating as well as the $6 price target. This brings the potential twelve-month gain to a whopping 641%. (To watch Kolbert’s track record, click here)It turns out that the rest of the Street wholeheartedly agrees with the Dawson James analyst. With 4 Buys and no Holds or Sells, the message is clear: LCTX is a Strong Buy. The $4.25 average price target puts the upside potential below Kolbert’s forecast at 431%. (See Lineage Cell price targets and analyst ratings on TipRanks)Great Panther Mining (GPL)Intermediate gold and silver mining and exploration company Great Panther operates three mines including the Tucano Gold Mine in Amapá State, Brazil and two primary silver mines in Mexico: the Guanajuato Mine Complex and the Topia Mine as well as owns the Coricancha Mine in Peru. At only $0.60 per share, some members of the Street see an attractive entry point.Part of the excitement surrounding the company is related to its recent production beat. On January 13, GPL announced that fourth quarter 2019 consolidated production reached 146,853 gold equivalent ounces, blowing expectations out of the water. Management stated that this strong result was driven primarily by a better-than-expected quarter in Tucano, with production landing at 34,181 ounces. While Roth Capital’s Jake Sekelsky acknowledges that the company beat his conservative estimate at Tucano thanks to additional tonnage from the Urucum North and Urucum South pits, he sees the geotechnical review at the UCS pit as an inflection point for shares.Also encouraging is management’s decision to raise non-dilutive cash at the end of Q4 and early Q1 2020 via two separate transactions. “Given the company's increased cash balance, we believe the company possesses the necessary working capital to move forward with the technical review at Tucano aimed at bringing the UCS pit back into production in 2021,” Sekelsky explained. He adds that this approach also de-risks GPL.To this end, the analyst stays on the bulls’ side. Along with his bullish call, Sekelsky bumped up the price target from $0.80 to $1, implying shares could be in for a 67% gain in the next twelve months. (To watch Sekelsky’s track record, click here)What does Wall Street have to say? It has been relatively quiet when it comes to analyst activity. That being said, the two other analysts that published a review in the last three months were also bullish, making the consensus rating a unanimous Strong Buy. To top it all off, the $1.38 average price target suggests that 128% upside could be in the cards. (See Great Panther price targets and analyst ratings on TipRanks)Auryn Resources, Inc. (AUG) The last penny stock on our list is another player in the metal mining and exploration space. Auryn currently has seven projects including two flagships: the Committee Bay high-grade gold project in Nunavut and the Sombrero copper-gold project in southern Peru. With the price per share landing at $1.27, Heiko Ihle of H.C. Wainwright tells investors to get on board before it takes off.After the company broke the news that the intrusives related to mineralization at its Sombrero project in Peru are from the same metallogenic event that previously created many of the top deposits in the Andahuaylas-Yauri belt, Ihle likes what he’s seeing. “We believe that the Sombrero project could host a world-class deposit within its 130,000-hectare land package,” he commented.Additionally, the analyst sees the Curibaya site as particularly promising. The asset’s initial sampling program delivered solid results, including 7,990 grams per tonne (gpt) silver, 17.65 gpt gold and 6.97% copper. According to Ihle, this outcome demonstrates the magnitude of precious and base metal grades at Curibaya.“As Auryn’s surficial data at Curibaya continues to line up, the firm intends on further refining its drill targets through geophysical surveys to provide the necessary resolution for subsurface drilling. Auryn plans to apply for drill permitting at the end of 1Q20 with the ultimate goal of drilling the project in 4Q20,” the analyst noted.Given that 2020 could see some important discoveries for AUG, it makes sense, then, that the analyst takes a bullish approach, leaving both a Buy rating and the $2 price target as is. Should the target be met, shares could be in for a 57% twelve-month climb. (To watch Ihle’s track record, click here)All in all, the rest of the Street has been impressed by AUG. Out of 3 total analysts, 102% see the stock as a Buy, making the Street consensus a Strong Buy. At $2.49, the average price target suggests 96% upside potential, surpassing Ihle’s estimate. (See Auryn price targets and analyst ratings on TipRanks)

• 
  Parker-Hannifin (PH) Expected to Beat Earnings Estimates: What to Know Ahead of Q2 Release

  Zacks
• 
  First Merchants (FRME) Reports Next Week: Wall Street Expects Earnings Growth

  Zacks