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☆ A low-risk options trade that wins if a volatile casino stock surprises the Street next week
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Michael Khouw | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Looking at the earnings calendar for next week, a tale of two types of consumer stocks emerges: the predictable and the volatile. We'll look at an options trade that could win if one of the volatile stocks surprises Wall Street. But also reporting are two of the most well known consumer staples stocks, Procter & Gamble (PG) and Colgate-Palmolive (CL) . There were few areas hit harder by the Covid lockdowns than consumer discretionary stocks in the travel, lodging and dining industries. The trade: LVS call spread The company's revenues have recovered meaningfully, but not completely.

Persons: LVS Organizations: Vegas, Procter, Gamble, Colgate, Palmolive, Procter & Gamble, Colgate Palmolive Locations: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, Macao, Vegas

☆ Jamie Dimon says to be prepared for recession
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon issued a stark warning to Wall Street on Wednesday: Inflation could rise further and recession is not off the table. “A lot of things out there are dangerous and inflationary. Be prepared,” he said at the 2023 New York Times DealBook Summit in New York. “Interest rates may go up and that might lead to recession.”Governments across the globe need more money, he said, to fund the green economy, remilitarize and to address energy crises — and that will all be inflationary. “I think quantitative easing and tightening and these geopolitical issues can bite,” he said.

Persons: Jamie Dimon, ”, Covid, “, Dimon Organizations: New, New York CNN, JPMorgan, New York Times DealBook, Federal Reserve Locations: New York, United States

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Arson was the cause of a massive weekend fire that charred and indefinitely closed a vital section of a Los Angeles freeway, causing major traffic headaches for hundreds of thousands of commuters, California authorities said. Los Angeles residents were urged to avoid travel to the area Monday and to work from home if possible. Ertugrul Taciroglu, chair of the civil and environmental engineering department at the University of California, Los Angeles, said part of the challenge is how expensive real estate has become. The city and county of Los Angeles in 2020 agreed to provide housing for almost 7,000 people living under freeways and near exit and entrance ramps. Associated Press writer Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Persons: Gavin Newsom, “, ” Newsom, Crews shored, Joe Biden, Karen Bass, ” Bass, Newsom, ”, it’s, Shailen Bhatt, we’re, ” Bhatt, Blair Besten, Kristin Crowley, Daniel Berlant, They’ve, Mainak, ” D’Attaray, Ertugrul Taciroglu, ___ Watson, Christopher Weber, McMurray Organizations: ANGELES, Gov, ” LA, Associated Press, Business, Flames, California Fire, Apex Development, Inc, University of California, Transportation Locations: Los Angeles, California, LA, Long Beach, Angelenos, ”, Angeles, Philadelphia, downtown, She’s, —, San Diego, Chicago

☆ Patient Disney shareholders get some good news: The dividend is coming back
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

For the first time since 2020, Disney is planning to resume paying a dividend to shareholders as the media giant continues its turnaround amid historic industry shifts . "To that end, we will be recommending to the board that they declare a dividend by the end of this calendar year." Activist investor Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund Management, with $2.5 billion of Disney shares , has voiced his concerns about the elimination of dividends. Trian hasn't made a public statement since it ended its last activist campaign against Disney in January. Morgan Stanley said it looks forward to such a move, noting that Disney also suggested a return to share repurchases.

Persons: Kevin Lansberry, Nelson Peltz's, Trian hasn't, Lansberry, Bernstein, Morgan Stanley, Disney, Philip Cusick, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Disney, Fund Management, Wall Street, ESPN

☆ Long before rescue talks, Country Garden struggled to build homes, pay bills
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/3] The company logo of Chinese developer Country Garden is pictured at the Shanghai Country Garden Center in Shanghai, China August 9, 2023. "Nobody believed that Country Garden would fail. Country Garden declined to comment. In July, only weeks before it skipped debt payments, Country Garden launched a campaign on its WeChat channel titled “Beautiful Delivery”, showcasing newly built apartments and happy homeowners. Country Garden did not respond to questions about the payment or delivery disputes.

Persons: Aly, Ping, COVID, Economist Intelligence Unit's Xu Tianchen, EIU’s Xu, it’s, ”, Qiao Jingjing, Qiao, Clare Jim, Liangping Gao, Amy Lv, Laurie Chen, Antoni Slodkowski Organizations: Shanghai Country Garden, REUTERS, Rights, China's, Garden, Ping An, Economist Intelligence, Reuters, Observers, Jujiang, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Rights BEIJING, HONG KONG, Beijing, Chongqing, Xinzheng, Henan Province, Lincoln

☆ Can’t Make the Concert? Livestreamers Are Coming to the Rescue.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Nell Gallogly | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

More artists got back on the road in 2022, yet still hit pandemic-related snags. Bruce Springsteen, Metallica, Drake, Travis Scott, Ed Sheeran, Morgan Wallen, Maluma and Madonna filled arenas and stadiums. Buying concert tickets, however, has become an increasingly complex and expensive endeavor as costs continue to rise and companies like Ticketmaster and SeatGeek battle bots and scalpers. Fans hoping to attend the year’s hottest tours endured a maze of presale registrations, digital waiting rooms and hourslong queues. Those fortunate enough to reach checkout were met with lofty ticket prices — some because of confusing “dynamic pricing” — and additional fees.

Persons: Covid shutdowns, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Drake, Travis Scott, Ed Sheeran, Morgan Wallen, camerapersons Organizations: Ticketmaster

This time, liberal and moderate candidates took control in high-profile races in conservative Iowa, and the swing states of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Pennsylvania saw a number of Democratic victories in school boards, particularly in districts that have recently seen GOP-led school boards adopt policies targeting transgender students, as well as reading materials and curriculum on LGBTQ+ history. Turn PA Blue, a partisan political organization, said Democrats gained control of at least seven school boards and gained ground in a half-dozen others in Pennsylvania, a swing state. In the Central Bucks School District north of Philadelphia, Democrats flipped three seats, ousting the incumbent school board president, and retained two others, giving the party majority control. School board politics have also become contentious in Virginia since 2021, when Republican Gov.

Persons: “, ” Randi Weingarten, Michael Geer, ”, ’, Bonnie Chang, Glenn Youngkin, Toni Morrison, Stephen Chbosky, Kirk Twigg, Mike Pence, Kim Reynolds, Brittania Morey, ___ Mulvihill, Matthew Barakat, John Hanna, Heather Hollingsworth Organizations: —, The American Federation of Teachers, Liberty, Associated Press, Conservative, PA Family Institute, Pennsylvania, Democratic, GOP, Central Bucks School District, Philadelphia Inquirer, Republicans, Turn Bucks, School, Republican Gov, Linn, Mar Community School District, Gov Locations: HARRISBURG, Pa, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Virginia, York County, Philadelphia, Bucks County, Central Bucks, Spotsylvania County, Washington, D.C, Loudoun County, Cedar Rapids, Cherry Hill , New Jersey, Falls Church , Virginia, Topeka , Kansas, Mission , Kansas

☆ Native American populations are ‘invisible’ to banks. That needs to change
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Before the Bell: What do investors need to know about investing in Native American and Alaskan Native communities? Dawson Her Many Horses: Native American and Alaskan Native communities are more than an ethnic group or racial category. The National League Gaming Commission, which is the regulator for Native American casinos, publishes a yearly report on gross gaming revenues for casinos. When you look at some of the research that gets done, Native American and Alaskan Native households are almost always the most underbanked. People like to focus on what I call the ‘poverty porn’ aspects of Native American and Alaskan Native communities.

Persons: Dawson, “, “ I’ve, ”, Bell, Banks, Wells, That’s, we’ve, Wells Fargo, they’re, Danielle Wiener, Bronner, Kit Kat, ” Hershey, Michele Buck, It’s, Dan Sadler, Covid shutdowns Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, CNN, Wells, Rosebud Sioux, The National League Gaming Commission, Bank of America, Federal, American Finance, Silicon Valley Bank, Hershey, Consumers, Dow, Federal Reserve, Apple Locations: New York, Rosebud, South Dakota, Wells Fargo, United States, Federal Government, Silicon, New York City, Alaska, Oklahoma, confections

☆ Sequoia and Andreessen to take a huge hit on their 2021 Instacart investment, after a 75% plunge in valuation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Ari Levy | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

That's more than 75% below where Sequoia and Andreessen invested in early 2021. At that time, Instacart sold shares at $125 a piece for a $39 billion valuation. The 400,000 shares it purchased in 2021 are a small sliver of the 51.2 million shares it owns. Neither Sequoia nor Andreessen participated in that round. Even if Instacart's IPO can't lift its valuation anywhere near its Covid-era peak, it's likely that Sequoia, Andreessen and other venture firms are hoping it helps lift public investor enthusiasm for new tech stocks.

Persons: Andreessen Horowitz, Instacart, Andreessen, Covid shutdowns, Nick Giovanni, Sequoia's Mike Moritz, Rowe Price, It's, haven't, VCs, DoorDash, hasn't, there's, isn't, Valiant Peregrine Organizations: Sequoia Capital, D1 Capital Partners, Federal Reserve, Consumers, Nasdaq, Sequoia, Valiant, D1 Locations: Sequoia, IPOs, U.S, Instacart, SoftBank

☆ Sequoia and Andreessen get hosed on their 2021 Instacart investment, after a 75% plunge in valuation
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Ari Levy | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Persons: Andreessen Horowitz, Instacart, Andreessen, Covid shutdowns, Nick Giovanni, Sequoia's Mike Moritz, Rowe Price, It's, haven't, VCs, DoorDash, hasn't, there's, isn't, Valiant Peregrine Organizations: Sequoia Capital, D1 Capital Partners, Federal, Consumers, Nasdaq, Sequoia, Valiant, D1 Locations: Sequoia, IPOs, U.S, Instacart, SoftBank

☆ Red carpets without actors have repercussions for ‘glam squads’
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Samantha Tse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Last week, the 80th edition of the Venice Film Festival opened amid the actors’ strike that has Hollywood at a standstill, rendering the usually glitzy red carpet a more muted affair. Neil Mockford/GC Images/Getty ImagesThe impact of these reduced red carpets extends far beyond the movie business. Scheduled to work at the Venice Film Festival this season, her plans changed when the strike was announced. Lady Gaga in Valentino Haute Couture for the "A Star Is Born" screening at the 2018 Venice Film Festival. With many actors in need of new outlets to fulfil any brand commitments during the strike, we can expect the upcoming fashion month (which starts tomorrow in New York) to offer actors a useful alternative to film festival red carpets.

Persons: it’s, Valentino Haute Couture, Writers Guild of America —, —, ”, Issa Rae, Neil Mockford, Rachel Goodwin, Emma Stone, haven’t, “, hairstylist Nai’vasha, Tracee Ellis Ross, Lupita Nyong’o, Nicole Ari Parker —, Lady Gaga, Valentino, Daniele Venturelli, Kerrie Urban, can’t, Urban, “ Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, Ro Morgan, hairstylist, Naomi Campbell, Venus Williams, Ayo Edebiri, he’s, “ I’m, ” Morgan, Morgan, Brad Pitt, Guy Ritchie, Shi Tang, Nai’vasha, It’s, ” Goodwin, Barbie Organizations: CNN, Venice Film, Hollywood, “, Balmain, WGA, Writers Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television, Radio Artists, Wimbledon Tennis, Urban, Warner Bros ., Warner Bros, Wimbledon, Toronto Locations: Venice, London, Valentino Haute, Milan, Paris, New York, America

☆ In Ireland’s ‘Forgotten County,’ a Tiny Inn Does It Right
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Tom Downey | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

During pandemic-induced downtime, Mr. Campbell and Ms. Burke added a fourth room to the hotel, which they believe is the biggest they can become while still staying true to their ideal of a hotel run completely hands-on, by them. They have also added multiday chef-driven experiences to replace the one-night pop-up dinners they previously hosted. Breac House visitors can now meet guest chefs not just for a few words after dinner, but over the course of three days, visiting nearby farms together, eating meals and sharing drinks. (The cost for two nights lodging and breakfast, as well as two dinners and excursions, is 2,950 euros for two.) Breac House’s success, so evident at this meal, presents a perhaps unsolvable dilemma: How to provide this level of engagement and intimacy to the many more guests who want it, without compromising the essence of what a place like Breac House has created.

Persons: Campbell, Ms, Burke, Cuan Greene, “, Covid Organizations: Breac, New York Times, Travel Dispatch Locations: Noma, Dublin

☆ How to Catch Pandemic Fraud? Prosecutors Try Novel Methods.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Madeleine Ngo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Federal prosecutors are scrambling to recoup billions of dollars in pandemic aid from people who falsely obtained funds from government programs that were intended to keep the economy afloat during the Covid shutdowns. In some districts, prosecutors are screening those suspected of a violent crime for potential involvement in pandemic fraud schemes. Other investigators are putting together “strike force teams” to unravel the most sophisticated enterprises or leaning on local officials to steer them toward potential fraudsters in their areas. The moves come as the federal government looks for novel ways to root out what officials say was an enormous number of fraudulent claims that were submitted and approved during the pandemic. Many of the programs that were set up to dole out relief money required minimal proof from those seeking funds and approved applications quickly in order to pump money into the economy.

Persons: —

☆ Your employer may be quiet quitting on you
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Aki Ito | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Some bemoaned it as quiet quitting; others celebrated it as a much-needed correction to the toxic demands of hustle culture. But employees, it turns out, aren't the only ones distancing themselves from the office: Employers are quiet quitting on the whole idea of traditional full-time employment. If workers are going to be remote, the thinking seems to go, why not get the cheapest remote workers available? That ruled out contractors, because contractors work remotely. And that could be a huge problem for everyone, given America's insistence on tying basic benefits to full-time employment.

Persons: Nicholas Bloom, Slack, they're, —, Gen Zers, It's, Bloom, they'll, Jessica Schultz, she's, Schultz, They're, it's, Liz Wilke, Aki Ito Organizations: Atlanta Fed, Stanford University, McKinsey Locations: American

☆ Biden administration details plans for $42 bln investment in US internet access
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Jarrett Renshaw | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The $42 billion in federal funding under the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program is based on a newly released Federal Communications Commission coverage map that details gaps in access. Texas and California - the two most populous U.S. states - top the funding list at $3.1 billion and $1.9 billion, respectively. But other less populous states like Virginia, Alabama and Louisiana cracked the top 10 list for funding due to lack of broadband access. The administration estimates there are some 8.5 million locations in the U.S. that lack access to broadband connections. The lack of broadband access drew attention during COVID shutdowns that forced students into online schooling.

Persons: Joe Biden, Read, Joe Biden's, Jeff Zients, Zients, Franklin Roosevelt's, COVID, Biden, Anita Dunn, Mike Donilon, Jarrett Renshaw, Scott Malone, Chris Reese, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Infrastructure Law, White, Broadband, Federal Communications, Congress, Verizon, Comcast, Charter Communications, Thomson Locations: Texas, California, U.S, Virginia , Alabama, Louisiana, America, Chicago

☆ Biden to detail plans for $42 billion investment in US internet access
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Jarrett Renshaw | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Zients compared the broadband effort to President Franklin Roosevelt's efforts in 1936 to bring electricity to rural America. The administration estimates there are some 8.5 million locations in the U.S. that lack access to broadband connections. The lack of broadband access drew attention during COVID shutdowns that forced students into online schooling. The Biden administration will say how much of the $42 billion in funding each state will receive under the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program, based on a newly-released Federal Communications Commission coverage map that details access gaps. The advisers noted the economy has added more than 13 million jobs since Biden took office, including nearly 800,000 manufacturing jobs.

Persons: Joe Biden, Read, Jeff Zients, Zients, Franklin Roosevelt's, COVID, Biden, Anita Dunn, Mike Donilon, Jarrett Renshaw, Scott Malone, Chris Reese Organizations: Infrastructure Law, White, Congress, Verizon, Comcast, Charter Communications, Broadband, Federal Communications, Congressional, Thomson Locations: America, U.S, Chicago

☆ The Fed likely won't cut rates this year. Why that's good news for markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Although a pause in interest rate hikes appears likely, cuts may be farther off than some believe. Still, investors have remained hyper-alert for signs that the central bank could let up its brisk clip of interest rate increases. The central bank also opened the door to a pause, accelerating bets that the Fed will hold rates steady at its next meeting in June and cut rates as soon as July. The Fed is unlikely to cut rates in JulyExperts say that the Fed won’t cut rates anytime soon for two key reasons: Inflation remains sticky, and the economy has stayed strong. that’s not to say that a Fed rate cut this year is completely out of the cards, says Nicole Webb, senior vice president at Wealth Enhancement Group.

☆ Melinda Gates' venture fund just bet on hot women's health startup Tia. Here's the presentation it used to raise $100 million in 2021 to rebuild after COVID shutdowns.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Megan Hernbroth | Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The women's healthcare startup Tia just landed funding from Melinda Gates' Pivotal Ventures. See the 30-slide presentation Tia used to raise $100 million in just three weeks in 2021. As gaps in reproductive healthcare worsen in the US post-Roe v. Wade, women's healthcare startup Tia wants to elevate the standards for women's physical, mental, and reproductive care. Before the pandemic, Tia was building in-person healthcare clinics for women without the virtual component. Here is the 30-slide presentation Witte used to raise Tia's $100 million Series B funding in just three weeks in 2021.

☆ Premarket stocks: What you need to know about this earnings season
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —About 99% of all S&P 500 companies have reported fourth quarter earnings and the results aren’t great. Companies listed in the S&P 500 index beat analysts’ earnings estimates by an average of just 1.3% last quarter. The market is “rewarding positive earnings surprises more than average and punishing negative earnings surprises much less than average for the fourth quarter,” reports FactSet. Inflation is (still) a big dealMore than 325 S&P 500 companies have cited the term “inflation” during their earnings calls for the fourth quarter. This marks the lowest number of S&P 500 companies using the “I”-word on their calls since the third quarter of 2021.

☆ The US, China spy balloon tensions are drifting into politics of the supply chain
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The suspected Chinese spy balloon drifts to the ocean after being shot down off the coast in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, U.S. February 4, 2023. The tensions between the U.S. and China over alleged spy balloons shot down over North America have some of the top trade associations representing companies reliant on Chinese manufacturing to urge their members to diversify their supply chains. "The ongoing tensions with the U.S.-China trade relationship continue to highlight the need for supply chain diversification," said Jon Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy of the National Retail Federation. Mark Baxa, president and CEO of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, told CNBC that the trade group's members have been pursuing redundancies in their supply chain since the start of tariffs as a way to offset the risk of ongoing trade policy tensions. "Supply chain leaders are seeking lower risk and a better means to serve the U.S. by looking and moving to Canada and Mexico.

☆ Car buyers frustrated with inventory shortages should head to a Ford or GM dealer
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In January, dealers were sitting on 37 days' supply, with about 21 days for cars and 41 days for trucks, according to a Deutsche Bank note Thursday. The domestic automakers had higher days' supply than others, with Ford at 60 days, GM at 52 days, and Stellantis (the merger of Fiat Chrysler and the French PSA Group) at 68 days, per Deutsche Bank. Even with inventory improvements, car-buyers need to look out for high interest rates and loan payments. Kekyalyaynen / Shutterstock.comBeware high interest rates and loan paymentsJust because there are available vehicles, that doesn't mean demand for cars is waning. Some automakers' loan payments are much higher than others, pricing buyers out of the market.

The central bank lifted its main funds rate by 25 bps to its highest since 2007 as it continued its fight against inflation. Yet the S&P 500 (.SPX) hit a five-month high, as traders focused resolutely on the idea that the world's most influential central bank would change course soon. Government bond markets meanwhile continued to price in rate cuts by year-end as the economic cycle turns. Over in Europe, the European Central Bank delivered a hefty 50 bps hike on Thursday and promised more of the same for March and beyond. "In terms of the impact of (central bank) hawkishness on markets," he added, "this has significantly softened."

☆ Qualcomm revenue falls 12%, guidance implies more pain this quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Here's how the company did:Earnings: $2.37 per share, adjusted, vs. $2.34 per share as expected by analysts, according to Refinitiv. $2.37 per share, adjusted, vs. $2.34 per share as expected by analysts, according to Refinitiv. Revenue: $9.46 billion, vs. $9.60 billion as expected by analysts, according to Refinitiv. Qualcomm's overall revenue decreased 12% year over year in the quarter, which ended Dec. 25, according to a statement. In the quarter Qualcomm and Renault Group announced an extension of their collaboration and said Qualcomm would invest in Ampere, the automaker's electric and software company.

☆ Do Overweight Kids Need Pills?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Allysia Finley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Childhood obesity rates have been climbing since the 1970s, but kids have never packed on as many pounds as quickly as they did during Covid shutdowns. According to one study, the share of 5- to 11-year-olds classified as obese ballooned by nearly 40% between March 2020 and January 2021. About 1 in every 4 kids by the end of the study was considered obese. The AAP last week recommended weight-loss drugs and bariatric surgery for obese adolescents and teens. Such interventions are supposed to be a last resort, but medicating children has become the go-to solution for common problems like anxiety and impulse control.

☆ Take profits on Starbucks after its huge run, and check out these 3 other stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Our answer is yes, we would make a very small trim — 50 shares of our 750 share position in Starbucks (SBUX) — if we were not restricted from trading. This speculation hit the stock hard that day because China is a huge growth opportunity for the coffee retailer. SBUX 1Y mountain Starbucks (SBUX) 1-year performance There is a lot to be bullish about in Starbucks' future, but a lot of that good news is starting to get priced in. Following Thursday's positive session for stocks, the market pushed even deeper into overbought territory, according to the S & P Oscillator . As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

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