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☆ Closing Arguments Delivered in E. Jean Carroll Civil Rape Case Against Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Corinne Ramey | James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Monday marked the end of a two-week trial of a lawsuit that Jean Carroll filed in 2022 against Donald Trump. Photo: JANE ROSENBERG/REUTERSLawyers for E. Jean Carroll and Donald Trump made their final pitches to a Manhattan federal jury Monday, clashing over whether evidence presented during the civil trial supported the writer’s account that the former president raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. Roberta Kaplan, a lawyer for Ms. Carroll, noted that Mr. Trump hadn’t called any witnesses at trial.

☆ Jury in E. Jean Carroll Civil Rape Case Against Trump Hears Closing Arguments
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Corinne Ramey | James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

In an edited deposition video released as a trial exhibit in the civil rape case filed by E. Jean Carroll against former president Donald Trump, he said that looking “over the last million years” it has been largely true that celebrities can grab women by the genitals. Photo: Trial ExhibitLawyers for E. Jean Carroll and Donald Trump made their final pitches to a Manhattan federal jury Monday, clashing over whether evidence presented during the civil trial supported the writer’s account that the former president raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. Roberta Kaplan, a lawyer for Ms. Carroll, noted that Mr. Trump hadn’t called any witnesses at trial.

☆ A fund manager who's outperformed 99% of his peers in 2023 shares exactly how he finds undervalued gems that others overlook — and his 7 favorite stocks to buy now
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Portfolio manager Mark Costa, who runs the Brandes International Small Cap Value Fund (BISAX) alongside three of his colleagues, is among the top investors so far this year. The outstanding run for Costa's fund this year follows a difficult 2022 for international stocks, in which the fund fell by 8.7% but still managed to crush its index, which lost 18.4%. "Over the long run, we can generate very strong risk-adjusted returns because of the quality of the businesses," Costa said. 7 top international stocks to buy nowCosta said that right now he's finding strong opportunities in the aerospace and defense, banking, consumer staples, and healthcare industries. After providing an overview of his investing strategy, Costa shared seven of his favorite stocks to buy and hold right now.

☆ These 21 cheap stocks have strong momentum and can deliver double-digit gains while the market stays stagnant, according to BMO Capital Markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Investors should get used to directionless trading, according to BMO Capital Markets. The S&P 500 has bounced between technical support and resistance levels, especially recently. BMO Capital MarketsBulls or bears hoping for a breakout in one direction or another will both be disappointed, according to BMO Capital Markets. 21 cheap quality stocks to buy nowBut even if US stocks stay stagnant for months, BMO believes investors can outperform by targeting high quality companies that have reasonable valuations and price momentum. Such stocks typically log double-digit returns while the S&P 500 is in a tight range, Belski noted.

☆ Hedge-Fund Manager Louis Bacon Awarded $203 Million in Defamation Case
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Hedge-fund manager Louis Bacon, pictured on left, in 2013; former retail mogul Peter Nygard in 2016. Photo: Charles Eshelman/FilmMagic/Getty Images; Phillip Faraone/Getty ImagesHedge-fund manager Louis Bacon was awarded $203 million in damages and legal fees in a defamation case against former retail mogul Peter Nygard that stems from the two men’s long-running feud over neighboring properties in the Bahamas. A New York state court-appointed referee ordered Mr. Nygard this week to pay the amount, saying he orchestrated a yearslong campaign to destroy Mr. Bacon’s reputation. Mr. Nygard falsely asserted that the financier was a member of the Ku Klux Klan, had been found guilty of insider trading, was involved in the death of an employee and a family friend at his Bahamas home and had been implicated in arson, the referee said in his decision.

☆ E. Jean Carroll and Donald Trump Rest Cases in Civil Rape Trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Corinne Ramey | James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

E. Jean Carroll watches as former President Donald Trump’s video deposition is played in court. Photo: JANE ROSENBERG/REUTERSLawyers for E. Jean Carroll and Donald Trump rested their cases Thursday, clearing the way for a federal jury to deliberate next week whether the former president raped the writer in a Manhattan department-store dressing room in the 1990s. Mr. Trump’s lawyers previously said they wouldn’t call any witnesses in the case, and that the former president wouldn’t testify. On Thursday, after Mr. Trump’s lawyers rested their case, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan said that if the former president changed his mind about testifying, he could make a motion to do so before 5 p.m. Sunday.

☆ Morgan Stanley: Buy these 41 highly efficient stocks that are set up for success this year while earnings and the economy continue to weaken
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Morgan Stanley is looking past earnings beats and expects more declines this year. "While the quarter has been stronger than expected thus far, mentions of tougher macroeconomic conditions and overall caution remain prevalent," Wilson wrote. Morgan StanleyIf the economy continues to lose momentum, Morgan Stanley thinks corporations should be concerned about negative operating leverage, which is when sales fall faster than expenses. 41 stocks to buy that will hold up in a weak marketMorgan Stanley thinks an earnings recession is imminent, but it doesn't recommend running from stocks entirely. Below are 41 stocks that have an overweight rating from Morgan Stanley and are in the top quintile of operational efficiency among the 1,000 largest US-based companies.

☆ Inflation’s real benefits beat theoretical costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Felix Martin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Yet economic theory has a remarkably hard time identifying the social costs imposed by a rising price level. A more serious charge is the uncertainty that rising prices introduce into financial planning. If the theoretical costs of inflation are elusive, the potential advantages it has to offer are more concrete. U.S. house prices, meanwhile, peaked last year at a full 45% higher in real terms than when Rogoff made his plea. In the end, the practical benefits of inflation will trump its theoretical costs.

☆ Ed Sheeran Didn’t Steal From Marvin Gaye Song, Jury Finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Photo: Shannon Stapleton /ReutersEd Sheeran didn’t rip off a Marvin Gaye classic when he wrote his chart-topping ballad “Thinking Out Loud,” a New York federal jury found Thursday, deciding the British pop star didn’t commit copyright infringement. The case centered on allegations that Mr. Sheeran’s hit copied from Mr. Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” The plaintiffs, heirs of Ed Townsend, the R&B composer and producer who co-wrote the song with Mr. Gaye, sued Mr. Sheeran in 2017.

☆ Ex-OpenSea Worker Found Guilty in First NFT Insider-Trading Case
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The home page of NFT marketplace OpenSea. Photo: Ariel Zambelich/The Wall Street JournalA former employee of NFT marketplace OpenSea was found guilty Wednesday of what federal prosecutors described as the first insider-trading case involving digital tokens, marking a win for the Justice Department in its push to police the crypto industry. A federal jury in New York convicted Nathaniel Chastain of wire fraud and money laundering for using nonpublic information from his employer to trade on nonfungible tokens in 2021. The Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office charged Mr. Chastain in 2022, accusing him of purchasing the NFTs ahead of OpenSea’s featuring them on its home page. Once the NFTs spiked in value after being featured, Mr. Chastain sold them, pocketing tens of thousands of dollars in profit, prosecutors said.

☆ Bank of America: Hedge funds are most bullish on these 20 stocks right now while they brace for an 'Armageddon'-style recession similar to 2008
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Bank of America noted that hedge funds' bond weighting relative to stocks is at an all-time high. Here are 20 stocks that hedge funds are most optimistic about right now. "Our economists expect an economic recession of half the magnitude of a typical recession," Subramanian wrote in the late April note. Additionally, hedge funds' allocation to bonds relative to stocks is at a record high, according to Bank of America. 20 stocks that hedge funds love mostEven though hedge funds have soured on stocks, they still believe there are companies that will outperform in this challenging economic environment.

☆ Trump Denies E. Jean Carroll Rape Allegation in Video Deposition Played for Jurors
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( James Fanelli | Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Author E. Jean Carroll, who arrived at court in New York City, has accused former President Donald Trump of rape, which he has denied. Photo: Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg NewsDonald Trump testified in a recorded deposition that writer E. Jean Carroll’s rape allegation against him was made up, calling her account “the most ridiculous, disgusting story.”A portion of the video of the deposition was played for jurors Wednesday during a civil trial on Ms. Carroll’s allegations that Mr. Trump raped her in a dressing room of the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan around 1996. The jury watched the video after hearing in person from a former People magazine reporter who said she was assaulted by Mr. Trump in 2005.

☆ A $1.1 trillion investment chief shares her 3-part checklist for confirming a recession has started — and details 4 stocks she expects to outperform no matter what
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( James Faris | Akin Oyedele | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Nuveen investment chief Saira Malik is still forecasting a recession in the next year. Malik also shares four top stocks investors can buy to set themselves up for long-term success. "The consumer — which I would have said was holding up very well — I'm worried about tighter banking conditions, tighter banking credit on the consumer," Malik said. Additionally, the labor market is now showing cracks, even though the unemployment rate remains historically low at 3.5%. 4 stocks set to outperform in a downturnDespite her concerns about the economy, Malik doesn't see a massive market sell-off coming.

☆ Families of US detainees urge Biden to do more to deter hostage-taking
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Speaking at an event organized by the "Bring Our Families Home" campaign, an advocacy group set up largely by the families of American citizens detained abroad, relatives called on Biden to do more to bring home their loved ones but also deter "hostage-taking" by foreign governments and groups. Proponents of "Bring Our Families Home" are urging Biden to take steps including more swaps of prisoners and easing of sanctions against countries that are holding U.S. detainees. Most recently, Russia has detained U.S. citizen and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges, which he denies. The Biden administration has carried out two prisoner swaps with Russia and one with Venezuela. Families also repeated a call to meet with Biden, a plea that went unanswered for many of them for over a year.

☆ A billionaire bought Jeffrey Epstein's 2 private islands in the Caribbean for $60 million — less than half the initial asking price
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Jeffrey Epstein's two private islands in the Caribbean have sold for $60 million. That's less than half the $125 million asking price the islands had when they hit the market last March. The islands, called Little St. James and Great St. James, together listed for $125 million in March 2022. Epstein bought the 72-acre Little St. James for $7.95 million in 1998. The FBI reportedly raided Little St. James, where Epstein was believed to have his primary residence, in the days after his death.

☆ An investment chief who manages $1 billion in assets shares 10 investments that will reduce your portfolio's volatility while this bear market lasts longer than expected.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Here are 10 ways to protect against losses and volatility in this long-lasting bear market. "It went beyond dodging a bullet," Steve Sosnick, the chief strategist at Interactive Brokers, said of first quarter earnings results in a late April interview with Insider. Weaker earnings raise valuation concernsBut some investors aren't impressed by Q1 earnings — at least not enough to get bullish. Besides weaker earnings growth and lofty valuations, another risk for stocks is that upcoming quarterly results will miss higher expectations in a shaky economy. "We're still looking at fairly high-single-digit earnings growth for the next couple of quarters overall," Sosnick said.

☆ Friend of E. Jean Carroll Says Writer Called Her Minutes After Alleged Assault by Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Corinne Ramey | James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

E. Jean Carroll arrives at federal court in New York. Photo: Seth Wenig/Associated PressA friend of E. Jean Carroll testified Tuesday that the writer called her about five minutes after she was allegedly raped by Donald Trump, recounting in detail an encounter at the Bergdorf Goodman department store. Lisa Birnbach , a writer and magazine editor, is one of two women whom Ms. Carroll has said she told about the alleged sexual assault shortly after it occurred in the mid-1990s. The two spoke on the phone for about three or four minutes, Ms. Birnbach told the jury.

☆ LeBron James vs. Steph Curry: Old rivalries reignite as LA Lakers face Golden State Warriors
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Thomas Schlachter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers took down the Memphis Grizzlies 4-2 in the opening round of the playoffs. In another battle of the old vs. the young, the Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings in an exhilarating seven-game series. José Luis Villegas/APBattles of old2015 FinalsThe first NBA Finals matchup between LeBron and Steph was in 2015. Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images2017 FinalsThe Golden State Warriors responded to their 2016 Finals loss by recruiting Kevin Durant in the off-season. Following a disappointing end to his second stint with the Cavaliers, LeBron moved across to the West and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

☆ E. Jean Carroll, Trump Lawyer Spar in Civil Rape Case
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Corinne Ramey | James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A courtroom sketch shows Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina cross-examining E. Jean Carroll during a civil trial in New York. Photo: JANE ROSENBERG/REUTERSDonald Trump’s lawyer for a second day sought to discredit columnist E. Jean Carroll’s allegations that she was raped by the former president in a Manhattan department store, after a federal judge rejected Mr. Trump’s request for a mistrial in the civil case. Joe Tacopina, Mr. Trump’s lead attorney, suggested Ms. Carroll in the years since the alleged attack had acted in ways that were inconsistent with being a victim of sexual assault.

☆ Elite investors overseeing trillions warned the crowd at Milken about a looming US credit crunch. Here's how 2 of them say they're planning to capitalize.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( James Faris | Akin Oyedele | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Leaders of major asset management firms discussed the prospect of a credit crunch at the 2023 Milken Global Conference. They shared how they're planning to capitalize on the dislocations that arise. The tighter environment was top of mind during an economics panel at the 2023 Milken Global Conference, with multiple participants warning of an impending credit crunch. "The commercial real estate sector in particular, which was 50%-plus from the regional banking system, is definitely going to be limited." Hunt also discussed how PGIM is planning to react to a credit crunch: by continuing as normal and trying to absorb more market share from traditional banks.

☆ UBS: Buy these 40 cheap defensive stocks that will continue to outperform as the economy heads toward a recession
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Here are 40 inexpensive stocks that UBS says will fare well in a recession. As the US economy continues to move closer to a recession, investors would be wise to stick with defensively oriented stocks, according to UBS. UBS40 cheap defensive stocks to buy nowHowever, Simonds cautioned that not all defensive stocks are worth buying. Instead, investors should target inexpensive defensive stocks since they're much more appealing than their pricey peers when the economy weakens. UBS shared the following 40 defensive stocks that are cheap based on valuation metrics like price-to-book (P/B), have positive earnings momentum, and have a minimum market cap of $3 billion.

☆ Rent continues to climb across the nation — but apartments in these 20 cities are actually getting more affordable
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rent growth has been steadily declining since late 2022, according to a new report. Today, median rent growth is three times higher than that at 6%. There's another startling sign that the US rental market isn't yet back to normal: the US currently has more cities with double-digit rent growth than those with negative rent growth. 20 cities where rent is falling right nowFor renters feeling the squeeze of continued rent growth, Insider compiled a list of the 20 US cities where median rent for one-bedroom apartments declined over the last 12 months ending in April. Below are the 20 cities that saw year-over-year median rent declines in April 2022, along with the year-over-year and month-over-month rent changes, average rent prices, and national rent ranking among the largest 100 US cities for each.

☆ Trump Lawyer Challenges E. Jean Carroll’s Rape Account
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( James Fanelli | Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

E. Jean Carroll testifies in federal court at the civil trial in which she has accused Donald Trump of assaulting her. Photo: JANE ROSENBERG/REUTERSA lawyer for Donald Trump sparred with E. Jean Carroll at a civil trial Thursday, questioning the writer over what he said were inconsistencies in her allegations that the former president raped her in a New York City department store in the 1990s. Ms. Carroll testified for a second day in a New York federal court, where a jury is considering a lawsuit the longtime columnist filed last year against Mr. Trump that seeks damages for battery and defamation. She alleged in a 2019 book that Mr. Trump raped her in a dressing room in an unattended lingerie section of Bergdorf Goodman. Mr. Trump has denied the allegations.

☆ Make these 12 investments with strong technical set ups right now while the broader market faces the risk of a 'climactic bear scenario,' according to a longtime chartmaster
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Chartmaster David Keller shared the three biggest risks facing the market right now. The S&P 500 may struggle to break past technical resistance of 4,200 and 4,300. He predicted that if the VIX rises to 20, the S&P 500 would fall to a vital support level of 3,800. The percentage of S&P 500 stocks trading above their 50-day moving average (in green) has fallen below 50% recently. David Keller, StockCharts.comPoor market breadth should be a serious concern for investors, Keller said.

☆ Ed Sheeran Testifies in Trial Over Alleged Copying of Marvin Gaye Song
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( James Fanelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Ed Sheeran, arriving to a federal court in New York City, later sparred from the witness stand with the plaintiffs’ lawyers in his trial over alleged copyright-infringement. Photo: Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg NewsDid British pop star Ed Sheeran rip off Marvin Gaye’s classic song “Let’s Get It On” when he wrote a Grammy-winning love ballad? A federal jury in New York began considering that question Tuesday in a copyright-infringement trial that could have implications for how songwriters arrange chords to make music.

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