Shortly after President Trump announced a withdrawal from the Paris Accord, markets continued to push higher. The Dow Jones Industrials raced from a low of 21,000 to a high of 21,206. The NASDAQ ran from a low of 6,222 to 6,302, and the S&P 500 rocketed from 2,415 to 2,439. That all happened within the…
DetailsOver the last few years, we’ve watched small-cap stocks explode. ACADIA Pharmaceuticals (ACAD) skyrocketed 4,851% Arena Pharmaceuticals (ARNA) shot up 878% Nautilus (NLS) rocketed 1,523% Pacific Biosciences (PACB) soared 1,020% Horizon Pharmaceuticals (HZNP) flew 1,737% In many cases, Wall Street wrongly ignored those stocks when they were selling at attractive low prices, even though they…
DetailsIn late April 2017, the U.S. GDP fell to just 0.7% from 2.1% quarter over quarter — the lowest quarterly growth we’ve seen in three years. Worse, it came in well below expectations for 1.0%. However, much of that negativity could be attributed to a huge drop in consumer spending — up just 0.23% annualized. …
DetailsThis wasn’t supposed to happen. Oil prices were supposed to run higher on the heels of an OPEC extension. Traders thought we’d see a return to $60 oil on the hope that an extension would help balance supply and demand. Algerian Energy Minister, Noureddine Bouttarfa, forecast that oil prices could move above $55 on the…
DetailsDonald Trump seems to have the Midas touch when it comes to the stock market. On his initial promises to increase infrastructure spending, stocks like H&E Equipment (HEES) soared from $12.38 to a high of nearly $27. On his promise to build a wall along the border of Mexico, related stocks like Martin Marietta (MLM)…
DetailsAfter running from a low of $43.76 to $51.13, the price of oil is coming under pressure just days ahead of the May 25 OPEC meeting. Since OPEC is composed of 13 countries and produces about 40% of the world’s oil production, this meeting is important. However, OPEC doesn’t have the ability to manipulate world…
DetailsIn a decade, the retail industry will look nothing like it does now. That’s what Warren Buffet, the Oracle of Omaha, had to say when asked about retail at the Berkshire Hathaway meeting in early May 2017. “The department store is online now,” he added. “I have no illusion that 10 years from now will…
DetailsThe Federal Reserve predicted that a disappointing first quarter would be “transitory”. And by many accounts, they were correct. After growing by an anemic 79,000 jobs (revised lower from 98,000) in March 2017, payrolls rebounded sharply in April 2017 by more than the expected 190,000. In fact, according to the government, the U.S. added an…
DetailsWe weren’t prepared. And in all likelihood, we won’t be prepared next time either. According to cybersecurity firm, Avast, on May 12, a massive cyberattack targeted computers in 99 countries with more than 75,000 attacks, making it one of the broadest and most damaging cyberattacks in history. In just hours, companies, hospitals, government agencies, and…
DetailsIn early April 2017, several cities went dark. In San Francisco, more than 90,000 residents lost power due to “equipment failure, the catastrophic failure of a circuit breaker,” explained Pacific Gas & Electric. In New York, a power outage in Brooklyn brought several subway lines to a halt when a Con Edison equipment failure knocked…
DetailsIt was only a matter of time. But eventually they saw it our way. In early April 2017, oil prices had just rebounded from a low of $47 to $53.76 on hopes that the OPEC and non-OPEC agreements would be extended, summer driving season would kick in much higher demand, and a knee-jerk reaction to…
DetailsLast Friday, the U.S. GDP tumbled to just 0.7%, down from 2.1% in the previous quarter and well below expectations of 1.0%. That’s the lowest quarterly growth in about three years. While we saw increases in business investment, exports and housing, it was mostly offset by a big slowdown in consumer spending – up just…
Details
