Hedge fund titan Ray Dalio says the world is counting on stocks going up and that will mean trouble in a bear market

Posted by & filed under Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Market Analysis, Personal Finance.

Description: Hedge fund magnate Ray Dalio warned investors on Thursday the next bear market could be very painful since most are not prepared for it. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Nov 15, 2018 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/15/hedge-fund-king-ray-dalio-says-the-world-is-long-stocks-and-that-will-mean-trouble-in-a-bear-market.html Questions for discussion: Explain the concerns expressed by Ray Dalio in the interview. Do you think he is overly concerned about… Read more »

Banks are ready to tighten lending if the yield curve inverts

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Description: The banking industry is telling the Federal Reserve that a flattening yield curve could squeeze their businesses. Source: Yahoo.Finance.com Date: Nov 13, 2018 Link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/banks-ready-tighten-lending-yield-curve-inverts-210834687.html Questions for discussion: What are the banks’ concerns in terms of the spread? What should investors do, given this situation?

Buffett’s big bank bet explained using a simple measure of stock market value

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Market Analysis, Personal Finance.

Description: Everyone is concerned about an overvalued stock market. And they should be. You don’t reach a full decade of a bull run without asking the reasonable question about stock values. A simple explanation that Warren Buffett once gave for knowing when the market is overvalued doesn’t present a full-throated endorsement of market bargains being… Read more »

Walmart’s focus on lower prices, e-commerce pays off as costs rise and tariffs loom

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Description:  Walmart reported 43% e-commerce growth and U.S. same-store sales growth of 3.4% in the third quarter Source: MarketWatch.com Date: Nov 15, 2018 Link: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/walmarts-focus-on-lower-prices-e-commerce-pays-off-as-costs-rise-and-tariffs-loom-2018-11-15 Questions for discussion: Summarize and interpret the reported financial results at Walmart. What explains these results? How should investors treat this information?

Dell Offers More Money to Investors to Ease Its Return to the Stock Market

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Management Issues, Personal Finance.

Description: Dell agreed on Thursday to improve a takeover offer for owners of a special class of shares to about $23.9 billion, hoping to quell a shareholder rebellion against a deal meant to return the computer maker to the public markets. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Nov 15, 2018 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/15/business/dealbook/dell-takeover-deal.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the highlights… Read more »

Stocks surge to best post-midterm rally in more than 30 years

Posted by & filed under Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Market Analysis, Personal Finance.

Description: Stocks soared as the results of the US midterm elections panned out as anticipated, with Democrats winning back control of the House of Representatives and Republicans retaining the Senate. Source: Yahoo.Finance.com – video report Date: Nov 07, 2018 Link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-jump-election-results-meet-expectations-143701038.html Questions for discussion: Explain the dramatic jump in stocks after the elections. Do you… Read more »

Why Roku’s founder isn’t fazed by $1 billion of its market value being wiped out

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Personal Finance.

Description: Staying focused on the longer-term prize has worked well for Anthony Wood since he founded Roku in 2002. Source: Yahoo.Finance.com – video report Date: Nov 07, 2018 Link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rokus-founder-isnt-fazed-1-billion-market-value-wiped-145936189.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the positive and negative reported news about Roku. Do you think the sell-off is over-done? Does this present a buying opportunity to investors,… Read more »

Groupon CEO talks life after vouchers as stock heads for worst day in 18 months

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Personal Finance.

Description: CEO Rich Williams is seeing momentum with card-linked offers that move beyond traditional coupons Source: MarketWatch.com Date: Nov 07, 2018 Link: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/groupon-ceo-talks-life-after-vouchers-as-stock-heads-for-worst-day-in-18-months-2018-11-07?siteid=yhoof2&yptr=yahoo Questions for discussion: Is there a future for this firm? How should investors deal with this stock?

Now, the Markets Can Worry About Other Things. Here’s a List.

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Personal Finance.

Description: So much for the midterms. Now the markets can start obsessing about gridlock, impeachment and the 2020 election. And they can resume worrying about bread-and-butter issues like corporate earnings, interest rates and the threat of rising tariffs and recession. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Nov 09, 2018 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/09/business/stock-market-midterms-congress.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fbusiness&action=click&contentCollection=business&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=9&pgtype=sectionfront Questions for discussion: Summarize the concerns investors… Read more »

Ed Yardeni is feeling déjà vu about this market sell-off — here’s what he…

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Financial analysis, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Personal Finance.

Description: Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, makes sense of the market’s volatility, discusses rates and much more in this one-on-one interview with Mike Santoli. Ed Yardeni is feeling déjà vu about this market sell-off — here’s what he sees next from CNBC. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Oct 26, 2018 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/10/26/ed-yardeni-feeling-deja-vu-about-market-sell-off.html Questions… Read more »