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☆ Debt ceiling worries bubble up in US stock options market
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Saqib Iqbal Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NEW YORK, April 26 (Reuters) - Worries over a debt ceiling showdown are creeping into U.S. options markets, as investors grow increasingly concerned that lawmakers will be unable to hammer out a deal in coming weeks, potentially sparking stock volatility as a key deadline nears. In the options market, however, worries are bubbling as some analysts warn the so-called X-date, after which the government is no longer able to pay all its bills, could come in the first half of June. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Tuesday warned that failure by Congress to raise the government's debt ceiling - and the resulting default - would trigger an "economic catastrophe" that would send interest rates higher for years to come. AWKWARD TIMINGLegislative standoffs over debt limits this last decade have largely been resolved before they could ripple out into markets. "You are going to have all these fundamental pressures -- and then our friends in Washington aren't going to be able to agree on what to do with the debt ceiling," he said.

☆ Took a huge hit on taxes this year? How investors can avoid a hefty bill next year
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Last year was a complex one for investors, as the sharp market decline seemingly left traders short of huge capital gains from dumping highly appreciated stocks. "It's counterintuitive to people: Why do I have a large capital gains distribution this year? Meanwhile, investments that you hold for more than a year are subject to long-term capital gains rates, which can be as high as 20%. This means you sell a losing position to offset capital gains elsewhere in the portfolio, thus reducing the tax hit. Meanwhile, in a traditional IRA, taxes are merely deferred, but withdrawals are subject to income taxes.

☆ US subsidies make UK financial reform urgent, business warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - U.S. clean technology subsidies are sucking capital from Europe, making it more urgent to improve London as a global financial centre, business bosses told UK lawmakers on Wednesday. It's the biggest shift in competitive dynamic in my career," GlaxoSmithKline chair Jonathan Symonds told a Treasury Select Committee hearing on why UK companies are listing in New York instead. "The effect of what's happening through the Inflation Reduction Act across the whole of Europe is like a dirty great hoover on full suction mode," said Jonathan Hill, who authored a government-backed report on reforming UK listing rules. Britain has already eased listing rules in line with Hill's recommendations, and plans further changes. UK listed companies disclose whether they follow governance best practice or explain why they do not, but critics say flexibility has been lost.

☆ GOP debt ceiling bill faces its first test as analysts warn U.S. faces default risk as early as June
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., walks out with House Republicans to speak about the passage of H.R. Goldman Sachs analysts wrote that their "base case remains for the debt limit deadline to fall in late July," as long as tax receipts only fall by 30%. This is the projected date the Treasury Department will exhaust the emergency measures it is taking to prevent a federal debt default. Instead, it is intended to serve as McCarthy's opening salvo in his looming negotiation with Biden over the debt limit and federal spending. Over the weekend, Emmer said that while the final bill might not be perfect, the alternative for a Republican House member would be worse.

Hyundai and partner SK On, a battery unit of SK Innovation Co Ltd (096770.KS), will set up a new battery manufacturing plant in the state of Georgia, the companies said, formalising an earlier provisional agreement. Accompanying Yoon on the trip are top executives of some of South Korea's biggest companies, including Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung. Rivals General Motors Co (GM.N) and Samsung SDI (006400.KS) said they would invest over $3 billion to build a joint venture EV battery manufacturing plant in the United States. That compared with a Refinitiv SmartEstimate for first-quarter profit of 2.3 trillion won from 16 analysts. Hyundai and Kia cars are competitive in the U.S., based on their prices and a favourable exchange rate, he added.

☆ The No. 1 mistake this self-made millionaire sees first-time investors make: Your money is in 'financial purgatory’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

However, there's a common mistake she sees many beginners make: not actually investing their money. "If you just put your money into something like a Roth IRA or a 401(k), it's in financial purgatory," she says. After setting up your Roth IRA with an online broker and making contributions to the account, investors need to actually invest that money in something, such as an index fund or a target-date fund. "It's like a gift card," Dunlap explains. "You put money on a gift card and then you have to go buy things."

☆ Is this solar panel American? Companies eyeing US subsidy await rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Solar panels are set up in the solar farm at the University of California, Merced, in Merced, California, U.S. August 17, 2022. Their main question: will solar panels qualify if they are assembled in the United States using components made overseas? In February, top U.S. solar manufacturer First Solar Inc (FSLR.O) said it would delay further expansion decisions until Treasury releases its guidelines. A manufacturing group, Solar Energy Manufacturers for America (SEMA), said both manufacturers and developers want clear rules that will fuel growth. A potential approach could be to allow the bonus credit to apply to domestically available goods, with that standard changing over a set timeline.

☆ The IRA isn’t good for just U.S. stocks. Here are some emerging markets names that will benefit too
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Inflation Reduction Act does more than buoy U.S. clean energy stocks – it's also an opportunity for emerging markets firms. But the IRA also represents an opportunity for emerging markets firms. "This is a win, win, win," said Paul Desoisa, co-portfolio manager of the Global Emerging Markets strategy at Martin Currie, a specialist investment manager at Franklin Templeton. Here are some places where emerging markets firms stand to benefit. Some possible contenders include Korea's Hanwha Solutions, a multinational with a solar energy business Hanwha Qcells, abrdn's Khwaja said.

☆ The 5 absolute worst ways to earn passive income, according to a 6-figure entrepreneur who's tried dozens of them
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Jen Glantz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Flipping products, making money through ads, and credit-card bonuses were a waste of her time. At first, I was making passive income as the stocks increased in value, and I sold off a few shares to make a profit. Trying to make passive income in the stock market is risky, especially when you're someone who doesn't fully understand it. In the end, this passive income stream proved to be stressful, time-consuming, and risky. After earning those bonus points, I redeemed them for cash or statement credits, and called that passive income.

☆ Morgan Stanley reveals its top picks ahead of earnings, including this movie theater chain
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

He is doubling down on shares of the movie theater chain ahead of earnings in early May. "Films outside the Top 10 in box office revenues saw a ~100% increase YoY and contributed ~28% of 1Q overall box office," Swinburne wrote. Morgan Stanley said it likes stocks that can "deliver above-peer, and above consensus/market expectations long-term organic sales growth," and Church & Dwight fits the bill. … recent weeks, we have fielded concerns around WSC's ability to remain resilient in an environment where investors are increasingly discounting near-term earnings upside. … Films outside the Top 10 in box office revenues saw a ~100% increase YoY and contributed ~28% of 1Q overall box office."

☆ Why it's 'just no question' new investors should start by opening a Roth IRA, expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A Roth IRA allows investors who qualify to set aside after-tax money up to a certain limit each year. Who can invest in a Roth IRAImportantly, you can start contributing to a Roth IRA starting from any age if you have taxable compensation. In 2023, investors may put up to $6,500 in traditional or Roth IRAs (or $7,500 if they're 50 or older). The way you invest the money inside a Roth IRA account can be adjusted to suit your goals. What you choose to put in the Roth IRA can be either savings or investments.

☆ Tesla investors call for 'distracted' Elon Musk to be reined in as they worry he's 'overcommitted'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Grace Kay | Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Tesla investors called for Elon Musk to be reined in an open letter, citing the CEO's many commitments. A group of Tesla investors is calling for Elon Musk to be reined in, saying the CEO has been distracted by commitments to his other companies like Twitter. "The Board allowed the CEO to be overcommitted at a time when the company faces critical challenges," the letter stated. Tesla and Musk didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider ahead of publication. Gerber's name is not listed on the open letter.

☆ Analysis: Bearish fundamentals, buoyant charts complicate outlook for US stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Saqib Iqbal Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Technical indicators such as equity price movement largely show stocks are poised to continue a rally that has seen the S&P 500 climb 8% year-to-date, analysts who track them said. TECHNICALLY SPEAKINGThe S&P 500 (.SPX) has traded in a 9.7 percentage point range year-to-date, its narrowest range for comparable periods since 2017. Johnson, who has a year-end S&P 500 target of 4,625, is encouraged by the reversals in downtrends for many U.S. stock indexes. The S&P 500 has traded higher 83% of the time for the full year, returning an average 13.73%, when it hasn't dropped below the preceding year’s December low in the first quarter, a Piper Sandler analysis showed. The S&P 500 is trading at about 18 times 12-month forward earnings estimates compared to its long-term average P/E of 15.6 times, according to Refinitiv Datastream.

☆ Wall St Week Ahead- Tech earnings to test markets' 'most crowded' trade
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( David Randall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NEW YORK, April 21 (Reuters) - A blistering rally in megacap growth and technology shares has buoyed markets this year, and earnings reports in coming weeks could help investors determine if those gains are justified. Technology earnings are seen falling 14.4%. Earnings will show "whether this is really a safe haven if you are worried about recession." Still, gains could fizzle if the Fed does not cut interest rates this year, as widely expected. Growth stocks are especially vulnerable to high borrowing costs, which threaten to erode the value of their longer-term cash flows.

☆ U.S. company comments suggest upbeat demand despite gloomy forecasts
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Caroline Valetkevitch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The credit card company reported quarterly earnings that missed analysts' expectations, however, as it kept aside a large sum to cover potential defaults. That would mark the second straight quarterly fall for corporate earnings, a so-called "earnings recession" that last occurred when COVID-19 hit corporate results in 2020. Moreover, in aggregate, companies are reporting earnings 7.8% above expectations, compared with a 4.2% average for the prior four quarters. Baker Hughes Co. (BKR.O) said in a presentation this week that the energy outlook remained constructive even with elevated recession risks. Both Delta (DAL.N) and United (UAL.O) gave upbeat near-term outlooks on travel demand, with Delta a week ago saying it expects summer travel demand will result in higher-than-expected profit for the quarter through June despite other risks.

[1/9] View shows the site where the gigafactory for electric vehicle battery production by Volkswagen Group's battery company PowerCo SE will be built in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada April 21, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos OsorioCompanies Volkswagen AG FollowStellantis NV FollowBERLIN, April 21 (Reuters) - Canada and Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) on Friday together committed more than C$20 billion ($14.8 billion) for a battery gigafactory in St. Thomas, Ontario, the biggest single investment ever in the country's electric-vehicle supply chain. Europe's largest carmaker is investing up to C$7 billion to build the plant, Volkswagen said in a statement. The battery plant is expected to be Volkswagen's largest and create up to 3,000 jobs. "This secures the future of St. Thomas," the city's mayor, Joe Preston, told Reuters earlier this week.

☆ Column: N America wind power sector needs cost cuts & supply chain revamp
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

However, such an upbeat projection will require North America to rapidly catch up with Greater China and Europe in terms of wind power expertise. But for wind power generation to expand by the degree needed to attain emissions targets, more substantial cost cutting and streamlining is required throughout the entire supply chain. WIND PLAYING CATCH UPSince 2015, cheap components and quick installation times have driven North American utilities to increase solar power generation at more than twice the pace of wind power, data from think tank Ember shows. Since onshore wind sites cost around 4.2 cents per kWh, and fixed offshore wind farms 4.84 cents per kWh, wind power looks like the most attractive option for year-round clean power potential. In China, the top producer of several key wind power parts, the price of key industrial inputs has risen notably since mid-2020, including steel (up 22%), aluminium (up 55%) and copper (up 64%), which are all critical in wind power products.

☆ Canada offering more than C$13 bln for VW battery plant - govt source
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Volkswagen AG FollowOTTAWA, April 20 (Reuters) - Canada has agreed to provide up to C$13 billion ($9.7 billion) in subsidies and a C$700 million grant to lure Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) into building its North American battery plant in the country, a government source said on Thursday. The carmaker declined to comment on the subsidies, which the source said would be disbursed over a decade. The plant will cost about C$7 billion to build, the source told Reuters, confirming an earlier report by Bloomberg News. The new Volkswagen battery plant in Canada will have a maximum capacity of 90 gigawatt hours, enough to provide batteries for more than a million cars annually, Handelsblatt reported, citing a company source familiar with the matter. PowerCo, set up last year, is targeting more than 20 billion euros ($21.94 billion) in annual sales by 2030.

☆ Analysis: Banking crisis scars struggling U.S. real estate stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Lewis Krauskopf | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

After slumping 28% last year, the S&P 500 real estate sector (.SPLRCR) has gained about 1% in 2023, lagging an 8% rise for the overall S&P 500 (.SPX). Real estate is the only one of the 11 S&P 500 sectors to underperform the benchmark index in both 2022 and so far in 2023. The real estate sector has slumped 2% since SVB's troubles came to light on March 8, compared to a 4% rise for the S&P 500. “There is nothing about the current banking situation ... that made life easier for real estate companies,” said Peter Tuz, president of Chase Investment Counsel. S&P 500 real estate company earnings are expected to fall 0.3% this year after rising almost 11% in 2022, according to Refinitiv IBES.

☆ House Republicans unveil their plan to raise the debt ceiling for just one year — and it already faces hurdles from its own party
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Kevin McCarthy unveiled his bill to raise the debt ceiling on Wednesday. On Wednesday, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy released his 320-page bill to raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion, or until March 31, 2024, whichever comes first. And some Republicans don't even want to raise the debt ceiling at all. But McCarthy and Republicans have insisted that a hike to the debt ceiling needs to be accompanied by spending cuts. Earlier on Wednesday, the Problem Solvers Caucus — comprised of moderate Democrats and Republicans — unveiled their own plan to raise the debt ceiling, which included suspending the debt ceiling through December 31, 2023, to allow time to complete next year's budget, allowing for an automatic debt ceiling increase through February 28, 2025.

☆ This fintech helps its users increase their future net worth by more than a $1 million through tax optimization. Here's the deck it used to raise its Series A.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Paige Hagy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Playbook used this 13-page pitch deck to raise a $7 million Series A. Playbook users create a personalized profile, and the startup calculates how much they could be saving. On average, the startup helps bump a user's future net worth by about $1.3 million, according to Hegarty. He's also appeared on Shark Tank with his app called Fixed, which helps users fight parking tickets. Read the 13-page pitch deck Playbook used to raise a $7 million Series A.

☆ Want to open your first brokerage account? Follow these 4 easy steps
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

One thing worth considering on this front is where your workplace retirement account is held, if you have one. If you have a short-term goal, such as saving for a down payment on a home, you'll likely want to open a taxable brokerage account. If you're saving for a long-term goal, such as retirement, gravitate toward an individual retirement account. Step 3: Sign up and fund your accountOnce you decide on an account, you'll have to fill out an application. Generally, you can make a deposit by linking a bank account, ordering a wire transfer, cutting a check or transferring funds from another type of brokerage account.

☆ What should you do with your 401(k) when you switch jobs? Experts weigh in
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Holly Johnson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Millions of people switch jobs every single year, and millions of 401(k) plans and other retirement accounts fall by the wayside as a result. We asked experts what most retirement savers should do if they have multiple old retirement accounts scattered around — here’s what they had to say. Keep track of your old 401(k) accountsTry and keep good records of your 401(k) accounts, including account numbers. Roll over your 401(k) accounts earlyRollover your old 401(k) accounts early to avoid confusion and potentially maximize returns. How to roll over an old 401(k) planYou can often roll over your 401(k) to an IRA online.

☆ 6 things to do with your tax refund other than spend it right away
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

That's what many tax filers have been considering this tax season, which ends today, April 18, for most filers. As of April 7, the average 2022 tax refund is $2,878, slightly lower than 2021's $3,175, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Of course, an IRS refund is merely a zero-interest reimbursement for overpayment on taxes throughout the year. To get you started, here are six smart things to do with your tax refund other than spend it right away. "If your tax refund can make a dent to lower the balance or possibly pay off your credit card, do it," says Nycole Freer, a certified financial planner in California.

☆ Some electric vehicles from BMW, Nissan, Hyundai and Volkswagen will no longer get federal tax credits
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Brown | AFP | Getty ImagesFewer electric vehicles now qualify for federal tax credits after the Biden administration this week unveiled stricter rules for battery sources that will prioritize domestically manufactured models. The new list published by the Treasury Department includes 16 U.S. manufactured models from Ford , General Motors , Tesla and Stellantis . Ten of the models on the new list will qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit, with the rest qualifying for half that amount. Vehicles losing credits include those from BMW, Hyundai, Nissan, Rivian , Volkswagen and Volvo Cars. The bill set various manufacturing requirements for new all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to qualify for the $7,500 tax credit.

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