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☆ UK economy in growth 'doom loop' as business investment slumps versus G7 peers, think tank says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Decades of underinvestment by government and business have left Britain's economy in a growth "doom loop," according to center-left think tank IPPR. Decades of underinvestment by the government and businesses have left Britain's economy in a growth "doom loop," according to the U.K.'s Institute for Public Policy Research. New research from center-left think tank estimates that the U.K. has contributed $500 billion ($638 billion) less to business investments than did other comparable wealthy countries. The IPPR said that U.K. underinvestment in infrastructure, research and development, skills and training had spanned several decades and successive governments, dating back to 2005. "The U.K. is in an investment and growth doom loop.

Persons: Luke Murphy, —, IPPR, George Dibb, pare Organizations: for Public Policy Research, OECD, IMD, CNBC, Conservative Party, International Monetary, Biden, Labour Party —, Tories Locations: Poland, Luxembourg, Greece, IPPR

☆ Asian stocks pause rally, eyeing China stimulus, Powell testimony
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Both S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures were mostly flat after Wall Street's bullish run met resistance on Friday. Cash U.S. Treasuries were untraded due to the Juneteenth holiday, while futures were largely steady. The People's Bank of China is widely expected to cut its benchmark loan prime interest rates on Tuesday, following a similar reduction in medium-term policy loans last week. Several major banks last week cut their growth forecasts for China after the recent disappointing data. U.S. crude futures fell 1.0% to 71.03 per barrel, and Brent crude was down 1.3% at $75.63 per barrel.

Persons: BOE, Jerome Powell's, bullish, HSI, Morgan Stanley, Robin Xing, Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, POWELL, Powell, Ray Attrill, Brent, Stella Qiu, Christopher Cushing, Tom Hogue Organizations: Nikkei, . Federal, Nasdaq, Cash U.S, Japan's Nikkei, Bank of Japan's, U.S ., People's Bank of, National Australia Bank, The Bank of England, European Central Bank, Thomson Locations: China, SYDNEY, Asia, Pacific, Japan, People's Bank of China, .

☆ Support for Japan PM Kishida's cabinet slumps, Mainichi Shimbun poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, June 19 (Reuters) - Support for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet slid 12 percentage points to 33%, coming off a peak during a Group of Seven leaders summit in Hiroshima, the Mainichi Shimbun reported on Sunday, citing its own poll. The disapproval rate rose to 58% from 46% in the previous survey in late May, after a scandal involving Kishida's eldest son and a series of technical problems with the national identity card system, according to Mainichi, which conducted the poll over the weekend. Approval for the Kishida government had been on the upswing in the run up to the G7, reaching the highest level last month since August 2022, Mainichi said. Some had speculated Kishida would call a snap election in advance of the party leadership race next year. A separate poll conducted by the Kyodo news agency showed on Sunday that support for Kishida's cabinet sank to 40.8% from 47% in May.

Persons: Fumio, Rocky Swift, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Japanese, Seven, Mainichi Shimbun, Mainichi, Kyodo, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Hiroshima

The continent-wide European STOXX 600 (.STOXX) index rose 0.5%. The index gained 1.5% in the policy-packed week, its best performance in over two months. China-focused luxury stocks such as LVMH (LVMH.PA) and Richemont (CFR.S) gained nearly 3% each, boosting the broader STOXX 600. Defensive shares such as healthcare (.SXDP) gained 0.9%, and utilities (.SX6P) climbed 1.3% to a four-week peak. The STOXX 600 broke away from a restrictive 1% trading range that was seen for much of the past two weeks, as investors gradually start putting behind major central bank events.

Persons: Travis Perkins, DAX, Germany's DAX, Danni Hewson, AJ Bell, Hewson, Shreyashi Sanyal, Siddarth, Sohini Goswami, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: European Central Bank, U.S, U.S . Federal, Bank of Japan, Bank of, Britain's, Rheinmetall, Apollo Global Management, Claure Group, Thomson Locations: China, U.S ., Stockholm, Millicom, Bengaluru

SummarySummary Companies Travis Perkins falls, warns of downbeat profitUK inflation data, BoE rate decision due next weekFTSE 100 up 0.2%, FTSE 250 flatJune 16 (Reuters) - UK's FTSE 100 climbed on Friday, with defensive stocks such as utilities and healthcare leading the charge, while top building materials supplier Travis Perkins slumped after a profit warning. The internationally-focused FTSE 100 (.FTSE) gained 0.2%, posting a weekly gain of 1%, snapping a three-week losing streak underpinned by strength in mining stocks. Investors now look ahead to domestic inflation data and a probable 25-basis-point rate hike from the Bank of England next week. "It looks like, at least at this point, that this is the central bank that's going to remain the most restrictive for the longest period of time." A BoE survey showed the British public's expectations for inflation in the coming 12 months cooled in May.

Persons: Travis Perkins, BoE, Julien Lafargue, Ankika Biswas, Shashwat Chauhan, Khushi Singh, Sherry Jacob, Phillips, Shailesh Organizations: U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of, ECB, Barclays Private Bank, FTSE, Britain's, Thomson Locations: Bank of England, Bengaluru

☆ China’s economy is way more screwed than anyone thought
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Linette Lopez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The bubble in China's property market finally popped. In April, China's economic data came in weak largely across the board. The problem is that while consumers may be picking up, the biggest drivers of the Chinese economy — property and exports — are going to stay dormant. Consumer consumption makes up about 37% of the Chinese economy (in the US that figure is about 70%). Beijing has tried to shift the country toward a consumption model, like the US, but exports still make up 20% of China's economy.

Persons: lockdowns, it's, Xi Jinping, Stanley Druckenmiller, We're, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Wei Yao, Leland Miller, Miller, Yao, Wright, I've, —, Kearney, Linette Lopez Organizations: Trade, JPMorgan, Bloomberg Invest Conference, Bank of America's, China's National Bureau, Statistics, Societe Generale, Analysts, Beijing, China, Chinese Communist Party, China's Locations: China, globalism, Beijing, York, Asia

☆ OPEC Crude Production Slumps as Voluntary Cuts Bite
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Will Horner | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/opec-crude-production-slumps-as-voluntary-cuts-bite-c1d1f4b2

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ China's Nio cuts prices, ends free battery swapping as sales slide
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

That equates to discounts ranging from 6% to 9% on Nio cars. The company also would no longer provide free battery swapping services to buyers who place deposits on Monday and onwards, it said. Nio had been offering the swapping services for free at least four times each month to existing owners. The loss-making company's investments in battery swapping stations, however, have been questioned by investors for dragging on its profitability. With its pure electric cars priced above 300,000 yuan, Nio delivered 43,854 vehicles in the first five months.

Persons: William Li, Nio, Tesla, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Kim Coghill, Tom Hogue Organizations: HK, Volkswagen, Tesla, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, China, BYD, Hong Kong

☆ London stocks inch higher on mining and energy push; Vodafone slumps
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SummarySummary Companies FTSE 100 up 0.1%, FTSE 250 flatJune 8 (Reuters) - UK's main stock indexes edged higher on Thursday, supported by a boost from mining and energy stocks, although a sharp drop in the shares of British mobile operator Vodafone capped gains. The resource-heavy FTSE 100 (.FTSE) was up 0.1% as of 0718 GMT, while the domestically-focused FTSE 250 (.FTMC) midcap index was little changed. Oil and gas (.FTNMX601010) and miners (.FTNMX551020) were the top sector gainers, while precious metals (.FTNMX551030) and chemicals (.FTNMX552010) took the worst hit. Wizz Air (WIZZ.L) gained 1.8% after the European low-cost airline forecast a net profit of 350 million euros to 450 million euros ($374.57 million to $481.59 million) in its current financial year. ($1 = 0.9344 euros)Reporting by Ankika Biswas in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Crest, Ankika Biswas, Rashmi Organizations: British, Vodafone, Reuters, Hutchison, HK, Wizz, Crest Nicholson Holdings, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ European markets open mixed as sentiment slumps
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

The pan-European Stoxx index was up 0.1% at market open before quickly dropping into negative territory, with sectors a mix of minor gains and losses. Banking stocks had a marginal uptick of 0.5%, followed by retail, which was up 0.4%. Health-care stocks, chemicals and telecom each dropped 0.4%. Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed overnight as China's trade data missed forecasts, with exports tumbling 7.5% year on year, sharply lower than the 0.4% fall expected, while imports saw a smaller fall of 4.5% year on year, lower than the 8% that was forecast. U.S. stock futures were flat in overnight trading after the S&P 500 notched its highest closing level of 2023.

Organizations: Banking Locations: Asia, Pacific

SummarySummary Companies For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock markets, click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window. The S&P 500 is up almost 20% from its October 2022 lows, boosted by gains in megacap stocks, a stronger-than-expected earnings season and hopes that the U.S. central bank is nearing the end of its interest rate-hike cycle. Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., May 30, 2023. Financials (.SPSY) led gains among the 11 major S&P 500 sectors, while the KBW regional banking index (.KRX) was firmly in the green. Recent economic data and dovish remarks from Fed officials have raised the odds of the Fed holding interest rates at its June 13-14 meeting.

Persons: Piper Sandler, Jack Ablin, Brendan McDermid, Russell, Coinbase, Sruthi Shankar, Shristi, Vinay Dwivedi, Deepa Babington Organizations: U.S, SEC, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Devices, Thomson Locations: megacap, U.S, New York City, Bengaluru

☆ Elon Musk has displaced Bernard Arnault as the world's richest person, as Tesla stock surges and LVMH slumps
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk has reclaimed the title of world's richest person, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The electric-vehicle pioneer's wealth rose in May thanks to Tesla's stock price surging. Musk surpassed Bernard Arnault on Wednesday after Paris-listed LVMH shares fell nearly 3%. Musk's wealth passed Arnault's on Wednesday after LVMH slipped nearly 3% in Paris trading, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He's still comfortably the world's second-richest person, ahead of Bezos, who's worth $144 billion.

Persons: Elon, Bernard Arnault, —, Elon Musk, LVMH, Tesla, –, Jeff Bezos –, he's, Linda Yaccarino, Arnault's LVMH, He's, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, Steve Ballmer, Warren Buffett, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Mark Zuckerberg, Read, Hermes Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, Privacy, Amazon, Google Locations: Paris, Bezos

☆ U.S. manufacturing slumps further in May; employment picks up
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, June 1 (Reuters) - U.S. manufacturing contracted for a seventh straight month in May as new orders continued to plummet amid higher interest rates, but factories boosted employment to a nine-month high. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said on Thursday that its manufacturing PMI fell to 46.9 last month from 47.1 in April. It was the seventh straight month that the PMI stayed below the 50 threshold, which indicates contraction in manufacturing, the longest such stretch since the Great Recession. The persistent weak readings in the PMI support analysts' expectations that the economy will slip into recession this year. That suggests further gains in manufacturing payrolls in May after they rebounded in April.

Persons: Banks, Lucia Mutikani, Chizu Organizations: Institute for Supply Management, PMI, Reuters, Manufacturing, Federal Reserve, Thomson Locations: U.S

The Labor Department reported that U.S. job openings unexpectedly rose in April, pointing to persistent strength in a labor market that suggests pressure on both wages and inflation. Futures traders raised to 70% the probability of a 25 basis points hike at the Fed's June 13-14 policy meeting. FEDWATCHFed Governor and vice chair nominee Philip Jefferson said skipping a rate hike in two weeks would provide policymakers time to see more data before making a decision. The Labor Department's closely watched May unemployment report, due on Friday, could decide whether a rate hike occurs. Intel was the biggest gainer on the S&P 500 as the chipmaker said it was on track to hit the upper end of its second-quarter revenue forecast.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Joe Biden, it's, Brad Conger, Callaghan, Conger, FEDWATCH, Philip Jefferson, Patrick Harker, Tim Ghriskey, we've, Nvidia Corp's, Herbert Lash, Shreyashi Sanyal, Shashwat Chauhan, Shounak Dasgupta, Maju Samuel, Richard Chang Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Senate, Co, Labor Department, Philadelphia Fed, Inverness, Labor, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Technology, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Parts Inc, Genuine, O'Reily, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co, Nvidia, Intel, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Conshohocken , Pennsylvania, New York, Bengaluru

[1/2] Fearless Girl is seen outside the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., May 30, 2023. The S&P 500 was set to end the month flat, while the Dow shed 3.8%. The S&P 500 financial sector index (.SPSY) fell 1.7%, while banks (.SPXBK) dropped 2.7%. Advance Auto Parts Inc (AAP.N) plunged 33.9%, falling the most on the S&P 500, after the auto parts retailer cut its full-year forecasts. Declining issues outnumbered advancers for a 2.21-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and for a 2.02-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Joe Saluzzi, Phil Blancato, Nvidia Corp's, advancers, Shreyashi Sanyal, Shashwat Chauhan, Shounak Dasgupta, Maju Samuel Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Dow, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Senate, Themis, Labor, Survey, Traders, Asset Management, Dow Jones, Technology, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Advance, Parts Inc, Genuine, O'Reily, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co, Nvidia, NYSE, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, New York, Bengaluru

☆ Wall St slips on debt ceiling uncertainty
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Chuck Mikolajczak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Stocks had rallied over the past two sessions on growing confidence a deal to raise the $31.4 trillion debt limit could be reached in coming days, with the benchmark S&P 500 (.SPX) climbing more than 2%. For the week, the Dow gained 0.38%, the S&P 500 climbed 1.65% and the Nasdaq advanced 3.04%. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq notched their biggest weekly percentage gains since the final week of March. [1/2] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., April 14, 2023. The S&P 500 posted 28 new 52-week highs and three new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 79 new highs and 87 new lows.

☆ Foot Locker slumps as weak demand, heavy discounts drive annual outlook cut
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Deborah Mary Sophia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 19 (Reuters) - Foot Locker Inc's (FL.N) shares closed down 27% on Friday as the footwear retailer cut its annual sales and profit forecasts amid a sharp drop in demand and a hit from heavy discounts aimed at clearing excess inventories. The company also missed analysts' estimates for first-quarter results and named former Kohl's Corp (KSS.N) executive Mike Baughn as its new finance chief, effective June 12. Foot Locker doubled down on discounts to drive demand, which coupled with an increase in theft-related inventory losses led to a 400-basis point hit to the company's quarterly gross margins. Foot Locker now expects full-year comparable sales to fall between 7.5% and 9.0%. The company also forecast annual adjusted per-share earnings between $2.00 and $2.25, compared with its previous outlook of $3.35 to $3.65.

☆ Wall St retreats on debt ceiling jitters
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Chuck Mikolajczak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., April 14, 2023. Stocks had rallied over the past two sessions on growing confidence a deal to raise the $31.4 trillion debt limit could be reached in coming days, with the benchmark S&P 500 (.SPX) climbing more than 2%. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq were poised for their biggest weekly percentage gains since the final week of March. The warning weighed on Dow component Nike Inc (NKE.N), which lost 4.11%, while Under Armour Inc (UAA.N) fell 4.53%. The S&P 500 posted 28 new 52-week highs and three new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 72 new highs and 69 new lows.

Deere & Co (DE.N) rose 4.4% after the heavy machinery company raised its annual net income forecast buoyed by robust farm incomes. The benchmark S&P 500 index (.SPX) and the Nasdaq (.IXIC) were set for their best weekly performance since late March amid positive debt ceiling talks, less-than-feared earnings and economic data. The S&P 500 banks index (.SPXBK) is on course to end the week 5.4% higher, snapping a three-week losing streak. Over 90% of S&P 500 companies have reported, of which around 77% beat earnings expectations, according to Refinitiv data. The S&P index recorded 27 new 52-week highs and one new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 58 new highs and 28 new lows.

S&P 500 futures hit a 15-week high in early trading, while Nasdaq e-minis breached levels not seen in nine months. The positive momentum carried through for much of the week as investors tracked progress in talks between top U.S. lawmakers for an agreement on increasing the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling. ET, Dow e-minis were up 101 points, or 0.3%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 12.25 points, or 0.29%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 6 points, or 0.04%. The benchmark S&P 500 index (.SPX) and the Nasdaq (.IXIC) were set for their best weekly performance since late March amid positive debt ceiling talks, less-than-feared earnings and economic data. The S&P 500 banks index (.SPXBK) is on course to end the week 5.3% higher, snapping a three-week losing streak.

☆ US stocks climb as Wall Street hopes debt ceiling deal is in sight
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

US stocks advanced Friday as investors see the potential for a deal that raises the $31 trillion debt ceiling. Stocks were on course for a weekly win with the S&P 500 hitting a nine-month high. Gains on Friday would add to this week's advance that lifted the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite to nine-month highs. Elsewhere in Washington, negotiators representing President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy were set to continue talks this weekend over lifting the $31 trillion debt ceiling that's needed to avoid a debt default. Bank of America warned on mega-cap tech stocks, saying a "big asset bubble" in growth shares is building.

☆ US stocks close lower after Republicans and the White House hit an impasse in debt-ceiling talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

US stocks fell Friday after talks in Washington over raising the debt ceiling were paused. "We've got to get movement by the White House and we don't have any movement yet," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said. Stocks earlier this week hit a nine-month high on hopes a debt-limit deal was in reach soon. Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said talks with the Biden administration had reached a standstill. "We've got to get movement by the White House and we don't have any movement yet," McCarthy said at the Capitol, according to the Associated Press.

☆ The S&P 500 will crash 30% by December as spending slumps, profits shrink, and banking problems mount, markets guru Larry McDonald warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The S&P 500 will plunge by almost 30% to around 3,000 points by December, Larry McDonald has warned. He sees less government spending, slimmer corporate profits, and banking pressures as key drivers. McDonald made a similar call in early March, when he declared the stock market could tank 30% within the next 60 days. The prospect of less spending and investment, stricter lending, steeper debt payments, and greater unemployment bodes poorly for corporate profits and stock prices. Instead, he recommended beaten-down, cyclical stocks in sectors such as energy, and hard assets such as gold, silver, and platinum.

☆ Foot Locker slumps as weak demand, heavy discounts drive annual forecast cut
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 19 (Reuters) - Shares of Foot Locker Inc (FL.N) plunged 25% premarket on Friday, after the footwear retailer cut its annual sales and profit forecasts reeling under a sharp drop in demand and a hit from heavy discounts aimed at clearing excess inventories. This dented sales at a wide range of companies, including big-box retailer Target Corp (TGT.N) and home improvement chain Home Depot (HD.N). Foot Locker doubled down on promotions and markdowns to drive demand at its stores, which, coupled with a rise in theft-related inventory "shrink", dealt a 400-basis-point hit to its quarterly gross margin. It also expects adjusted earnings of between $2.00 to $2.25 per share, much lower than the $3.35-$3.65 range estimated previously. Excluding items, Foot Locker earned 70 cents per share, which was also below estimates of 81 cents per share.

☆ New York factory activity slumps in May - NY Fed
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, May 15 (Reuters) - The New York Federal Reserve said on Monday its barometer of manufacturing activity in New York State plunged in May, but the survey is extremely volatile, making it harder to interpret. A reading below zero signals the New York manufacturing sector is contracting. Nevertheless, higher interest rates and the rotation of spending back to services from goods is hurting national manufacturing activity. Tighter credit conditions are also seen as a drag. The New York Fed will on Tuesday publish a survey focusing on credit access and credit conditions.

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