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☆ Bird flu spreads to new countries, threatens non-stop 'war' on poultry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Tom Polansek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Argentina found the virus in wild birds, while dead swans in Uruguay tested positive. The United States, Britain, France and Japan are among countries that have suffered record losses of poultry over the past year, leaving some farmers feeling helpless. Poultry in the Northern Hemisphere were previously considered to be most at risk when wild birds are active during spring migration. Some experts suspect climate change may be contributing to the global spread by altering wild birds' habitats and migratory paths. Farmers are trying unusual tactics to protect poultry, with some using machines that make loud noises to scare off wild birds, experts said.

☆ Brain Chips Like Elon Musk's Neuralink Can Change Your Personality
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Evan Malmgren | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Musk's neurotech startup, Neuralink, has been working toward implanting its skull-embedded brain chip in a human since it was founded in 2016. Other researchers have been looking into using BCIs to restore lost senses and control prosthetic limbs, among other applications. Intervening in the delicate operation of a human brain is a sticky business, and the effects are not always desirable or intended. If a brain chip can change key parts of your personality, companies should not be rushing to put them in people's heads. Wexler told me that while most people in the industry aren't that open to using BCIs as a consumer product, they still think it's likely to happen.

☆ Bird flu spreads to new countries, threatens non-stop "war" on poultry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Tom Polansek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The United States, Britain, France and Japan are among countries that have suffered record losses of poultry over the past year, leaving some farmers feeling helpless. Poultry in the Northern Hemisphere were previously considered to be most at risk when wild birds are active during spring migration. Some experts suspect climate change may be contributing to the global spread by altering wild birds' habitats and migratory paths. Farmers are trying unusual tactics to protect poultry, with some using machines that make loud noises to scare off wild birds, experts said. Berkowitz said he is bracing for March and April when migration season will pose an even greater risk to poultry.

The Fed's policy rate is currently in a 4.50%-4.75% target range. By the Fed's preferred measure, inflation is still running at a 5.0% annual rate. Harker last week flagged the prospect of rate cuts in 2024 should inflation continue to ease. However, following the CPI release on Tuesday, traders of interest rate futures now see the Fed raising borrowing costs three more times, bringing the policy rate to the 5.25%-5.50% range by July, if not June. "My own view is that, given the risks, we shouldn't lock in on a peak interest rate or a precise path of rates," she said.

☆ Factbox: Some potential successors to Brainard at the Fed
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Meanwhile, analysts and Fed observers are already swapping notes on potential replacements for Brainard at the Fed from a bench of economists aligned with Biden's Democrats, who control the U.S. Senate. MARY DALYDaly is president of the San Francisco Fed, ascending to that position in 2018 after 22 years at the regional Fed bank, including a stint as its director of research. Furman has been a prominent, Twitter-savvy commentator on macroeconomic and Fed policy. He has a PhD from the University of Virginia and served as a Fed economist for a little over a year in the mid-1990s. With a PhD from Stanford University, he's held staff positions at the Fed board and the San Francisco Fed, where he also served as president before moving to the New York Fed role in 2018.

☆ Fed's Barkin says inflation risks still outweigh others
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"It's about as expected," Barkin said of the report as he cautioned that it will take a while for inflation to get back down near the Fed's 2% goal. By the Fed's preferred measure, inflation is still running at a 5.0% annual rate. "Inflation is normalizing but it's coming down slowly," Barkin said. "I just think there's gonna be a lot more inertia, a lot more persistence to inflation than maybe we'd all want." "If inflation settles, maybe we don't go quite as far but if inflation persists at levels far above our target then maybe we'll have to do more," he said.

☆ Stock futures are down on Sunday night as Wall Street tries to rebound from a rocky week: Live updates
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Traders work the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) during morning trading on February 10, 2023 in New York City. U.S. stock futures were down on Sunday night after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended their worst week in nearly two months. S&P 500 futures fell by about 0.26%. Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 64 points, or 0.19%, and Nasdaq-100 futures slid 0.31%. The S&P 500 fell 1.11%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq slid 2.41%, marking their biggest weekly losses since December.

☆ More people will make thousands by selling stakes in their homes to Wall Street firms, according to one company that already sees elevated interest from homeowners
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But high mortgage rates are making it difficult for homeowners to take advantage of this wealth. Home equity investments are a way to raise cash without taking out a new loan. However, higher mortgage rates have made it more difficult for Americans to take advantage of this wealth. He said the company foresees "strong demand" for the home equity investments in the coming months. According to a Redfin analysis of government data, 85% of US homeowners tote a mortgage rate far below today's level of 6%.

☆ MSCI’s Adani cut signals fat tail risks for India
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Shritama Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Hindenburg founder Nathan Anderson sees MSCI's move as a validation of his group’s findings of “stock parking” by Adani. The Securities and Exchange Board of India, headed by former banker Madhabi Puri Buch, acknowledged unusual price movements this month, but without naming the Adani group. But the longer the controversy drags on, there will be a fat tail risk for Adani and all his stakeholders. CONTEXT NEWSGlobal index provider MSCI on Feb. 9 cut its determined free floats for four Adani companies. It reduced those of Adani Enterprises, Adani Total Gas, Adani Transmission and ACC, and said any resulting changes will be implemented at the close of Feb. 28.

☆ Russia is expected to launch a new Ukraine offensive, but it faces a familiar obstacle: Mud
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Global Images Ukraine | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesUkraine and many Western analysts believe Russia is on the precipice of launching a new, large-scale offensive but it's likely to encounter a familiar obstacle: mud. Ukrainian servicemen push a car stuck in mud on a field road on the frontline in Donetsk region, on December 17, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Global Images Ukraine | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesUkraine has urgent, pressing problems to contend with before the mud arrives with its forces observing Russian forces slowly but surely approaching and encircling the Donetsk city of Bakhmut. Ukrainian tankers near an undisclosed front line position in eastern Ukraine on Nov. 28, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Yevhen Titov | Afp | Getty Images

☆ A Marine who got a highly sensitive intelligence job after participating in the Jan. 6 attack was charged after admitting to his role in the riot during a security clearance interview
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Three active-duty Marines were arrested and charged on Jan. 6 charges last month. All three held intelligence roles even after their alleged participation in the deadly Capitol attack. Abate ultimately confessed to participating in the riot in June 2022 while he was undergoing a security clearance process, according to prosecutors. The Intercept reported that both Abate and Hellonen received promotions in ranks in the aftermath of the riot. Lawyers for Abate and Hellonen did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, and Coomer did not have an attorney listed.

☆ ECB's Knot sees big May rate hike if core inflation doesn't fall: MNI
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FRANKFURT, Feb 8 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank may extend its streak of large interest hikes into May if core inflation doesn't ease by then, ECB policymaker Klaas Knot said on Wednesday. "Once we see a clear and decisive turn in underlying inflation dynamics, I...expect us to move to smaller steps." He expected inflation in core goods to start falling too, also thanks to easing supply constraints. But he warned that inflation in core services may prove sticker and may get a further boost from rising wages. He expected workers to gain more bargaining power in salary negotiations as the economy holds up better than the ECB expected only a few weeks ago.

☆ ChatGPT has investors scrambling to get on the AI bandwagon so much that obscure stocks are soaring just like big-name chip companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

That's that for the latest Fed talk — but today, we're taking a closer look at the AI hype train passing through the stock market. And small-cap tech stocks with names that nod to bots like BigBear.ai and SoundHound AI have similarly notched gains so far this year. Tech stocks have come back with a "vengeance," Fundstrat's Mark Newton said. It's a necessary step for policymakers to take, the group said, even if it means declines in stock market returns. Wall Street's biggest firms are warning their clients not to trust the stock market rally.

☆ James Abate's stock fund has nearly doubled its benchmark over 3 tumultuous years. Here's how he says investors should get ready for potential black swan events that could shape 2023.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Marley Jay | Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Kiplinger rates the fund as the best US large-company stock fund from 2020 to 2022. That's not the most encouraging backdrop for stocks, especially since Abate said investors will be less comfortable taking big risks. He added that while the beginning of 2023 has been the opposite of 2022, that's not going to last. For the first black swan, Abate pointed towards the escalation of the Russian-Ukraine crisis, including the recent increase in air defense activity, ground troops, and the shipment of armored vehicles, tanks, and fighter aircraft. As for the second black swan, Abate also highlighted the Japanese government's "unprecedented" and "unsustainable" buying of the yen to boost the currency against others like the dollar.

☆ Wall Street rewards Linde for a quarter that exemplifies why we own the stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The stock popped nearly 4% as Wall Street showed appreciation for what we've been saying all along about the durability of the company's businesses even in tough times. Excluding foreign exchange (forex) fluctuations, this marks the ninth quarter in a row of 20% or better annual earnings growth —especially remarkable during multi-decade high inflation. Linde's stock is about 5.7% from its intraday all-time high of $352.18 on Jan. 5, 2022. Although about two-thirds of Linde's sales are in more cyclical end markets, Linde's business model is very defensive. The table above is a look at Q4 sales growth numbers for each category.

"We're going to see in 2023, there is still going to be volatility around chips," Ford Chief Financial Officer John Lawler said on Thursday. By the end of 2023, almost 18 million vehicles will have been removed from production plans since the chip shortage started, according to Auto Forecast Solutions. Japan's Denso Corp (6902.T), a leading supplier to Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T), on Friday slashed its annual profit forecast and warned the chip shortage could cause auto production cuts. Toyota in November cut its vehicle production projection for the current financial year through March due to the chip shortage. The head of another auto supplier, Aptiv Plc (APTV.N), which makes advanced driver assistance systems, vehicle computers and high-voltage cabling, said the impact of the chip shortage is not evenly felt.

[1/2] A man is reflected in an electronic board showing Britain's FTSE 100 outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan, June 27, 2016. REUTERS/Toru HanaiLONDON, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Britain's blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) index hit a record high on Friday, in what could mark a potential turning point for UK assets, which have been dogged by a floundering economy. The FTSE 100 rose to 7,906.58 at 1545 GMT, surpassing a previous record high of 7,903.50 hit on May 22 2018. "Is it realistic that the FTSE being at an all-time high when we consider the state of the UK economy? The FTSE 100 closed Friday up 1.04% higher and has rallied 4.9% so far this year.

☆ Bank of England takes interest rates to highest level since 2008
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Olesya Dmitracova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

London CNN —The Bank of England raised UK interest rates by half a percentage point on Thursday, moving more aggressively than its US counterpart to fight inflation. The central bank took rates to 4% — the highest level since the depths of the global financial crisis. The Bank of England had to weigh up that runaway price growth against the risk of recession. The UK rate hike followed a quarter-point interest rate rise by the Federal Reserve on Wednesday. The European Central Bank is also expected to hike rates for the 20 countries that use the euro by half a percentage point later on Thursday.

☆ Honeywell reported a challenging Q4, but the industrial giant's fundamentals remain strong
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Industrial conglomerate Honeywell International (HON) on Thursday reported suboptimal fourth-quarter results, sending shares lower in midday trading. However, we remain confident in the Club holding's management team and would see any further weakness as a potential buying opportunity. Supportive of this outlook is strong demand in Honeywell's aerospace division, where growth has been held back on the supply side. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. An aircraft engine is being tested at Honeywell Aerospace in Phoenix.

☆ Professor who predicted the 'great resignation' says quits will plateau in 2023—here's why
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The "great resignation" will soon grind to a halt. Klotz coined the "great resignation" in May 2021 to describe the sudden wave of people quitting their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which led many to re-think where, how and why we work. Companies are improving employee retentionTo attract talent in a perennially tight labor market, many employers have introduced flexible work arrangements, increased wages or revamped their benefits. The ripple effects of the "great resignation" prompted more companies to prioritize existing employees' well-being, whether it's through enhanced mental health resources or transitioning to a permanent hybrid model. In 2023, Klotz says he expects employers to double down on their efforts to attract and retain talent.

☆ Premarket stocks: Will the Fed end the 2023 market rally?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

So will Fed Chair Jerome Powell dampen expectations and reiterate that the fight against inflation still has a way to go, or will the Fed show signs that they’re ready to ease up on rate hikes? Wall Street analysts also expect the Fed will stop hiking altogether by the spring. This will leave the market hanging on the future of how many rate hikes we will see.”He’s preparing for a volatile market reaction. But now, investors may be a bit too eager to end treatment, even as Fed officials warn that doing so would be premature. Stocks close out a jubilant JanuaryThe greatest comebacks of all time: Rocky Balboa, JNCO jeans, Apple and now… the US stock market.

☆ Important wage inflation measure for the Fed rose less than expected in Q4
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Employment costs increased at a slower than expected pace in the fourth quarter, indicating that inflation pressures on business owners are at least leveling off. The employment cost index, a barometer the Federal Reserve watches closely for inflation signs, increased 1% in the October-to-December period, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. That was a bit below the 1.1% Dow Jones estimate and less the 1.2% reading in the third quarter. The Q4 reading comes the same day the interest rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee begins its two-day policy meeting. Fed officials have pushed back on the notion of any policy easing in 2023, though they could change their minds if inflation readings continue to abate.

☆ Stocks sizzled in January as rate hike and inflation fears ebbed
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Paul R. La Monica | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —New year, new attitude on Wall Street. Wall Street is also eagerly awaiting earnings from four key Nasdaq-listed giants later this week: Facebook owner Meta Platforms, Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN) and Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL). Stocks have rallied this month due to hopes that inflation pressures are starting to abate. That should allow the Fed to issue smaller rate increases – and possibly even pause them later this year. Others argue that the Fed is likely to keep raising rates until it is certain inflation is no longer a problem.

☆ Asia shares brace for rate hikes, earnings rush
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Asia has been no slouch either as China's swift reopening bolsters the economic outlook, with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) up 11% in January at a nine-month high. "We also look for him to continue to push back against market pricing of rate cuts later this year." "Based on our recent Asia supply chain checks we believe iPhone 14 Pro demand is holding up firmer than expected," they added. Market pricing of early Fed easing has been a burden for the dollar, which has lost 1.5% so far this month against a basket of major currencies. read moreEarly Monday, Brent was up 79 cents at $87.45 a barrel, while U.S. crude rose 66 cents to $80.34.

☆ Adani's $2.5 billion share sale faces crucial day after Indian rout
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Adani Group has called the report baseless and said it was considering taking action against Hindenburg. 'FREE FALL'Some Adani Group stocks have surged more than 1,500% in the last three years amid aggressive expansion in businesses that include ports, power generation, airports and mining. Adani Enterprises has set a floor price of 3,112 rupees per share and a cap of 3,276 rupees for the secondary share sale - well above their close of 2,761.45 rupees on Friday. Arun Kejriwal, founder of Kejriwal Research & Investment, said investors were likely to wait until the last day of the share sale to see if the price band is tweaked. There are at least six Adani Group companies in the MSCI India Index, with a cumulative weight of 4.31%.

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