Description: Two banks announced the industry’s biggest merger in a decade on Thursday, signaling bank executives’ growing confidence that the regulatory constraints imposed after the 2008 financial crisis have begun to loosen. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Feb 08, 2019 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/business/dealbook/bbt-suntrust-bank-mergers.html Questions for discussion: What does the article say about the regulatory environment and this merger?… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Personal Finance
As goes January, so goes the year: Old Wall Street indicator puts odds of 2019 gain at more than 80%
Description: Stocks had their best January gains in more than 30 years, and that should mean 2019 will be a pretty good year for the market. Source: CNBC.com Date: Feb 01, 2019 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/01/as-goes-january-so-goes-the-year-old-wall-street-indicator-puts-odds-of-2019-gain-at-more-than-80percent.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.Mail Questions for discussion: Summarize the various explanations and predictions presented. What do you think has happened in the market over the… Read more »
Facebook shares are skyrocketing after a massive earnings beat, despite a year full of controversy
Description: Facebook skyrocketed 10.8 percent Thursday after beating analyst expectations on revenue and earnings for its fourth quarter of 2018. Its market value jumped about $47 billion. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Jan 31, 2019 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/31/facebook-stock-rises-on-strong-q4-2018-earnings.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.Mail Questions for discussion: Summarize the financial results reported in the article and why they were a surprise? What happened, in… Read more »
For Emerging Markets, China’s Shift to Consumer Goods Is a Blow
Description: Bulls see cheap stocks poised for a rebound. But one big thing has changed since the last boom. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Feb 01, 2019 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-01/for-emerging-markets-china-s-shift-to-consumer-goods-is-a-blow?srnd=businessweek-v2 Questions for discussion: Summarize the analysis presented. Do you agree with the assessment? What would you advise investors?
In Fed aftermath, ‘we’re all data-dependent’ now, say stock-market investors
Description: In Fed aftermath, ‘we’re all data-dependent’ now, say stock-market investors Source: MarketWatch.com Date: Feb 01, 2019 Link: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/dovish-pivot-means-stock-market-investors-will-pay-more-attention-to-data-less-to-fed-talk-2019-01-31 Questions for discussion: What is the Fed’s thinking today, according to the report. What should investors do with this information?
Sackler Scion’s Email Reveals Push for High-Dose OxyContin, New Lawsuit Disclosures Claim
Description: A member of the Sackler family that owns OxyContin’s maker directed the company to put a premium on selling high dosages of its potentially addicting painkillers, according to new disclosures in a lawsuit. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Jan 31, 2019 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/health/opioids-purdue-pharma-sackler.html Questions for discussion: What does the article say to investors about risk? Is… Read more »
Zuckerberg Plans to Integrate WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger
Description: SAN FRANCISCO — Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, plans to integrate the social network’s messaging services — WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger — asserting his control over the company’s sprawling divisions at a time when its business has been battered by scandal. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Jan 26, 2019 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/technology/facebook-instagram-whatsapp-messenger.html Questions for discussion: What… Read more »
Why Airbus and Boeing are the only two companies to dominate 99% of the large plane market
Description: Why Airbus and Boeing are the only two companies to dominate 99% of the large plane market Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Jan 25, 2019 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/01/26/why-airbus-and-boeing-dominate-99-percent-of-the-large-plane-market.html Questions for discussion: What does the report say about the industry, and these two companies in particular, that investors should take away? Is Boeing a good… Read more »
Big Pharma’s Drug Studies Are Getting a NASA-Style Makeover
Description: A third of development costs comes from clinical trials. Novartis wants to make them cheaper and faster. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Jan 25, 2019 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-25/big-pharma-s-drug-studies-are-getting-a-nasa-style-makeover?srnd=businessweek-v2 Questions for discussion: Summarize the approach being developed to reduce and control expenses? Why do you suppose it is only now being considered by these drug companies? Should investors… Read more »
Apple earnings: Where does Apple go from here?
Description: Apple’s coming earnings report could be the first chapter in an increasingly boring story. Source: MarketWatch.com Date: Jan 26, 2019 Link: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/apple-earnings-where-does-apple-go-from-here-2019-01-25 Questions for discussion: Summarize the financial expectations for Apple. Would you be a buyer today?
