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☆ Two measures of global corporate health flash red
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO) lowered its estimate for global container trade this year as companies reduce inventories and higher interest rates and recession risks in Europe and the United States drag on global economic growth. The company, one of the world's biggest container shippers, said it expects container volumes to fall by as much as 4%. Maersk controls about one-sixth of global container trade, transporting goods for retailers and consumer companies such as Walmart (WMT.N), Nike (NKE.N) and Unilever (ULVR.L). The International Monetary Fund last week said that it expects global economic growth to slow this year, led by advanced economies even as food prices have come down and the March banking turmoil has been contained. It expects the global growth to slow to 3% this year and next, from 3.5% last year.

Persons: Jon Nazca, . Moller, Mark Read, Grey, Sophie Lund, Yates, Hargreaves Lansdown, Swift, David Jackson, Josephine Mason, Catherine Evans, Deepa Babington Organizations: Triple, Majestic, REUTERS, Maersk, WPP, Walmart, Nike, Unilever, Reuters, Ogilvy, Apple, Amazon.com Inc, Companies, Global, Nissan, Caterpillar, Monetary Fund, DHL Group, Thomson Locations: Strait, Gibraltar, Algeciras, Spain, U.S, Europe, United States, Beijing, slowdowns, China

☆ Apple is set to shed nearly $60 billion in value after iPhone sales fell
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Apple shares fell nearly 2% in premarket trading on Friday. It posted a so-so earnings report that showed iPhone and iPad sales falling. The losses could wipe nearly $60 billion off Apple's market capitalization. Sales of iPhone, which account for nearly half of Apple revenues, slipped more than 2%, while iPad sales were down by a fifth. "Apple beat expectations overall, but a 2% fall in iPhone sales has spooked investors and caused a sharp sell-off," said Hargreaves Lansdown lead equity analyst Sophie Lund-Yates.

Persons: Apple, Hargreaves, Sophie Lund, Yates Organizations: Apple, Service, Big Tech Locations: Wall, Silicon, Refinitiv, Cupertino

☆ Two measures of corporate health flash red
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Persons: Jon Nazca, . Moller, Mark Read, Grey, Sophie Lund, Yates, Hargreaves Lansdown, Josephine Mason, Catherine Evans Organizations: Triple, Majestic, REUTERS, Maersk, WPP, Walmart, Nike, Unilever, Reuters, Ogilvy, Apple, Amazon.com Inc, Companies, Global, Nissan, Caterpillar, Monetary Fund, DHL Group, Thomson Locations: Strait, Gibraltar, Algeciras, Spain, U.S, Europe, United States, Beijing, slowdowns, China

☆ Lund-Yates: Alphabet is in a different position compared to Microsoft when it comes to the AI race
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailLund-Yates: Alphabet is in a different position compared to Microsoft when it comes to the AI raceSophie Lund-Yates, Senior Equity Analyst at Hargreaves Landsdown, previews earnings from Microsoft and Alphabet.

Persons: Sophie Lund, Yates, Hargreaves Landsdown Organizations: Lund, Microsoft

Last week, Netflix (NFLX.O) and Tesla (TSLA.O) posted less-than-stellar quarterly reports. The electric-vehicle maker eased 1.3% in premarket trading after UBS downgraded its rating on the stock, while other megacap growth and technology shares edged higher. ET, Dow e-minis were up 44 points, or 0.12%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 8.75 points, or 0.19%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 35.25 points, or 0.23%. AMC Entertainment (AMC.N) jumped 47.5% after a judge blocked the theater chain's stock conversion plan that risked diluting investors' holdings in the company. Reporting by Bansari Mayur Kamdar and Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Barbie, Sophie Lund, Yates, Hargreaves Lansdown, Mattel, AMC's, Bansari Mayur Kamdar, Johann M, Saumyadeb Chakrabarty, Shounak Organizations: UBS, Dow, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Microsoft, Netflix, Reuters, Fed, Dow e, Warner Bros, AMC Entertainment, Global, PMI, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Vladimir Putin's latest economic assault on the West is fueling fears of a global food crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

On Monday, Russia pulled out of an agreement that allowed Ukraine to export grain. It then started bombing Ukrainian ports and threatened to attack ships. Putin's latest economic assault on the West has sent wheat prices soaring and sparked fears of a global food crisis. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. When international grain prices rise, it becomes more expensive for poorer countries to import those commodities – so Russia's withdrawal from the UN's initiative has fueled policymakers' fears that there could be a worldwide food crisis.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, António Guterres, Josep Borrell, Hargreaves, Sophie Lund, Yates, Jamie Dimon, Putin Organizations: Service, Initiative, United Nations, UN, JPMorgan, NATO Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Europe, European

☆ Netflix tumbles as revenue hit overshadows subscriber jump
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Analysts said while there was some progress in these ventures, it was still too early to dub them a success. Smartphone with Netflix logo is placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken April 19, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Reuters GraphicsThe company reported second-quarter revenue of $8.2 billion, shy of analysts' forecasts of $8.3 billion. Third-quarter revenue is estimated to hit $8.5 billion, falling short of estimates of $8.7 billion. "Revenue growth has not hit double digits since the fourth quarter of 2021 despite price hikes and revenue enhancement initiatives like paid sharing and the introduction of ad-supported tiers," Morningstar analysts wrote in a note.

Persons: Sophie Lund, Yates, Hargreaves Lansdown, Dado Ruvic, Samrhitha, Nivedita Organizations: Netflix, REUTERS, Reuters Graphics, Morningstar, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Lund-Yates: There is a limit to this tech-driven rally that we're seeing
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailLund-Yates: There is a limit to this tech-driven rally that we're seeingSophie Lund-Yates, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, discusses whether the mega-cap tech and AI-driven trade will continue to roll on or hit some speed bumps in the second half of the year.

Persons: Yates, Sophie Lund, Hargreaves Lansdown Organizations: Lund

☆ FTSE 100 edges higher as NatWest, StanChart shares rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Johann M Cherian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Domestic house prices rise in MayUK lowers stake in NatWest, shares climbDechra Pharma down after profit warningUS debt ceiling talks to resume after impasseFTSE 100 0.3%, FTSE 250 flatMay 22 (Reuters) - UK's blue-chip index edged higher on Monday, with NatWest shares rising after it agreed to buy 1.3 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) worth of its shares back from the government, although lingering uncertainty over the U.S. debt ceiling impasse weighed on overall mood. The FTSE 100 (.FTSE) rose 0.3%, with bank stocks in the lead. Standard Chartered (STAN.L) rose 2.4% after Bank of America upgraded the stock to "buy" from "neutral". UK-listed stocks have traded in tight bands since late April as investors digested mixed corporate earnings, weakening outlook for commodity-linked stocks and standoff over the U.S. debt ceiling deal. ($1 = 0.7923 pounds)Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-PhillipsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Evidence of the first recorded romantic kiss dating back 4,500 years has been discovered
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

New research into Ancient Mesopotamia suggests people kissed romantically 4,500 years ago. Ancient Mesopotamia is considered to be roughly the land that is now modern-day Iraq and Syria. It was previously believed the earliest evidence of romantic-sexual lip kissing in humans originated in South Asia 3,500 years ago. The new research challenges these theories and suggests kissing was common across many different regions and cultures, starting much earlier. While the exact origins of romantic kissing remain uncertain, the study said, there is some possible evidence that it may have occurred even before the advent of writing.

May 12 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's appointment of a new Twitter chief may free up the billionaire from a major distraction and allow him to focus more on Tesla Inc (TSLA.O), analysts said on Friday. Tesla shares, which have gained 40% this year, reversed course to trade down about 2% as broader markets fell. The stock had its worst year in 2022, losing 65%, amid Musk's on-again, off-again offer for Twitter. Although Twitter has taken much of Musk's time since its takeover, he still actively manages several other businesses such as SpaceX and Neuralink. Musk recently formed an AI company called TruthGPT to take on OpenAI's ChatGPT and Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Bard.

☆ Markets are relieved by Meta's refocus on traditional business segments, says Sophie Lund-Yates
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMarkets are relieved by Meta's refocus on traditional business segments, says Sophie Lund-YatesSophie Lund-Yates, Senior Equity Analyst at Hargreaves Landsdown, discusses earnings from Meta and Amazon.

"At this point, we are no longer behind in building out our AI infrastructure," Zuckerberg said on a conference call. AI recommendations increased time spent on Instagram by 24% in the January-March quarter, Meta said. Reuters GraphicsCOST CONTROLSpending on the AI retooling has spiked the company's capital expenditures, which came in slightly under expectations at $7.1 billion for the quarter. "We've been focusing on both AI and the metaverse for years now, and we will continue to focus on both." Revenue for the first quarter rose 3% to $28.65 billion, beating an average estimate of $27.66 billion.

☆ Cineworld shareholders: Shares in Regal Cinemas' owner hit all-time low
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Cineworld’s stock plummeted 36% Tuesday afternoon to an all-time low after the company said it had filed a plan to reorganize its business and shareholders would not recover any of their funds. The embattled owner of Regal Cinemas said it had submitted a final version of the plan to a US bankruptcy court in Texas. Under the plan, Cineworld’s lenders will cut its debt by $4.5 billion in exchange for equity in the reorganized company. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States in September. Cineworld shares have lost 98% of their value since the company listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2007.

☆ Tesla shares slip as margin worries overshadow record deliveries
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 3 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) shares fell 5% on Monday, dragged down by growing worries about the electric-vehicle maker's profit margins after aggressive price cuts led to only a modest increase in quarterly deliveries. After slashing prices on its vehicles by as much as 20% in January, Tesla posted record deliveries of 422,875 vehicles in the first quarter but they were up just 4% on the prior quarter. Bernstein analysts said Tesla "will need to further lower prices this year and/or next year to achieve its volume targets, incrementally pressuring margins." "We maintain that price cuts have and will undermine industry profitability (including Tesla's), but that incumbents are deep pocketed and not likely to back down," they added. Tesla shares were trading at $197, having gained 9% last week in the run-up to the deliveries report.

Hong Kong/Atlanta/London CNN —Oil prices spiked Monday after OPEC+ producers unexpectedly announced that they would cut output. Brent crude, the global benchmark, jumped 5.31% to $84.13 a barrel, while WTI, the US benchmark, rose 5.48% to $79.83. With oil prices now rising, inflation could remain higher for longer, adding pressure to a hot-button issue for consumers around the world. Saudi Arabia now says it will cut oil production by another half a million barrels a day. “We’re focused on prices for American consumers, not barrels.”In October, OPEC+’s decision to cut production had already rankled the White House.

☆ Lund-Yates: Weakness in bond yields is pushing investors toward tech and other growth avenues
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailLund-Yates: Weakness in bond yields is pushing investors toward tech and other growth avenuesSophie Lund-Yates, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, discusses how mega-cap tech and growth stocks have managed to stay resilient amid the recent turmoil in the banking and global financial system.

☆ London stocks fall as Prudential drops, spring budget in focus
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Prudential at the bottom of FTSE 100Precious metal miners down over 2%Spring budget in sightFTSE 100 down 1.4%, FTSE 250 off 1.3%March 15 (Reuters) - London stocks fell on Wednesday as Prudential touched the bottom of the FTSE 100 index after its annual results, with investors awaiting the UK spring budget due later in the day. The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) was down 1.4% after jumping more than 1% on Tuesday. Prudential (PRU.L) fell 6.3% despite the Asia-focused insurer reporting an 8% jump in full-year year profit. The wider life insurance index (.FTNMX303010) fell 4.2%, hitting a near three-month low. Investors would be keenly awaiting the UK's spring budget, with Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt due to make a budget speech to parliament at around 1230 GMT.

☆ Theater chain AMC falls 8% on worries of slower box-office recovery
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

In the United States and Canada, box office collection was above $11 billion in 2019, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, the numbers have fallen drastically, with 2022 box office numbers coming in at $7.4 billion, the company said. "It will take years to see box office revenues return to 2019 levels, which they may not ever do at all," said Jamie Lumley, analyst at Third Bridge. Wedbush Securities analysts expect 2023 box office to be down 24% from 2019 levels. AMC, however, said it expects box office will not return to pre-pandemic norms before 2024 or 2025 at the earliest. Still, AMC said it would pay down its debt of about $4.95 billion as it continued to raise cash.

☆ FTSE 100 falls as Ocado sinks; still set for best Feb in six years
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) lost 0.6% with shares of Ocado (OCDO.L) plunging 10.5% on the online supermarket and technology group's worse-than-expected full-year loss. "Ocado is in the eye of the cost-of-living storm because its offering isn't synonymous with being the best value," said Sophie Lund-Yates, lead equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. Lund-Yates said Ocado is a higher-end option, without the same benefits of enticing people with tangible, physical goods like peer Marks & Spencer (MKS.L). Despite recent volatility, the exporter-heavy FTSE 100 is on track to record its best February performance since 2017 as higher earnings and weakness in the pound earlier in the month made equities more attractive. On the flipside, hedge fund firm Man Group (EMG.L) gained 7.9% after posting a higher full-year core pretax profit and beating expectations on assets under management.

☆ London's FTSE 100 muted as bank stocks fall; weaker pound limits losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) fell 0.1%, hovering near a record high. British lender Barclays (BARC.L) slid 8.3% to the bottom of the FTSE 100 and was set to post its biggest drop in nearly a year after reporting a 14% slump in full-year profit. The FTSE 350 banking index (.FTNMX301010) fell 1.9%, on track for its biggest one-day drop in more than two months. The pound edged lower after data showed British consumer price inflation fell more than expected in January and there were also drops in underlying measures of inflation that are being closely watched by the Bank of England. The FTSE 100 has had a stellar start to the year boosted by upbeat corporate earnings, rising more than 6% so far this year.

☆ Barclays shares plunge 10% as profit falls
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Shares of Barclays tumbled nearly 10% Wednesday after the British bank reported a sharp drop in profit, driven by increased provisions for bad debts and huge fines for wrongly sold securities in the United States. Barclays (BCS) reported a net profit of £5.97 billion ($7.2 billion) for 2022, a 15% decline on the previous year. Meanwhile fee income at Barclays International, which houses its investment bank, slid 22% to £5.2 billion ($6.3 billion). Investors may also have been disappointed by the announcement of a £500 million ($600.7 million) share buyback, adding to pressure on the stock. Barclays said total share buybacks amounted to £1 billion ($1.2 billion) in 2022.

☆ European shares up as travel stocks shine, Thyssenkrupp slides
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The continent-wide STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) rose 0.4%, while European travel & leisure stocks (.SXTP) advanced 0.8%. TUI's German-listed shares (TUIGn.DE) rose 2.5%, with its shares listed in London adding 2.5% after the company reported more bookings and higher first-quarter revenue. In Europe, a flash reading of fourth quarter GDP is also on the radar on growing hopes that the euro zone economy most likely avoided a recession. The STOXX 600 has risen over 9% so far this year led by better-than-expected earnings and a brighter outlook for the euro zone economy. Reporting by Shreyashi Sanyal in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza and Dhanya Ann ThoppilOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Jan 25 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc's (TSLA.O) aggressive price cuts have ignited demand for its electric vehicles, Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Wednesday, playing down concerns that a weak economy would throttle buyers' interest. However, Musk, who has missed his own ambitious sales targets for Tesla in recent years, said 2023 deliveries could hit 2 million vehicles, absent external disruption. He said he expected a "pretty difficult recession this year," but demand for Tesla vehicles "will be good despite probably a contraction in the automotive market as a whole." CYBERTRUCKThe company is relying on older products and Musk said its Cybertruck, its next new electric pickup truck, would not begin volume production until next year. Musk dismissed surveys that suggest his political comments on Twitter are damaging the Tesla brand.

Jan 25 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc's (TSLA.O) aggressive price cuts have ignited demand for its electric vehicles, Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Wednesday, playing down concerns that a weak economy would throttle buyers' interest. Deep price cuts this month have positioned Tesla as the initiator of a price war, but its forecast of a 37% rise in car volume for the year, to 1.8 million vehicles, was down from 2022's pace. Musk, who has missed his own ambitious sales targets for Tesla in recent years, said that deliveries in 2023 could hit 2 million vehicles, absent external disruption. The company is relying on older products and Musk said its Cybertruck, its next new electric pickup truck, would not begin volume production until next year. Net profit for the quarter was $3.69 billion, or $1.07 per share, compared with $2.32 billion, or 68 cents per share, a year earlier.

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