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[1/2] The U.S. Federal Reserve building is pictured in Washington, March 18, 2008. Among major movers of the day, Applied Materials (AMAT.O) rose 2.5% after the chip equipment maker forecast fourth-quarter profit above analysts' estimates and posted better-than-expected third-quarter earnings. Estee Lauder (EL.N) lost 2.9% after the cosmetics maker forecast its annual net sales and profit below Street estimates. Deere & Co(DE.N) added 0.4% after the construction equipment maker raised its annual profit outlook. With no major economic data due on Friday, focus will now shift to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole economic symposium next week.

Persons: Jason Reed, Estee Lauder, Russ Mould, AJ Bell, EL.N, Jerome Powell's, Amruta Khandekar, Maju Samuel Organizations: U.S . Federal, REUTERS, Dow, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Traders, Alibaba, Materials, Deere, Co, Federal, Nvidia, Dow e, Keysight Technologies, Thomson Locations: Washington, U.S

☆ Stock markets face a 'perfect storm' as high rates and China fears bite, analysts warn
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on August 16, 2023 in New York City. large scale fiscal stimulus) we acknowledge sentiment on China is unlikely to reverse sustainably on its own." Cau suggested this poses a problem for European and U.K. stocks. As such, Barclays is recommending investors should take a "barbell" approach involving allocations to cyclical and defensive stocks and a "value tilt." A value tilt refers to tipping a portfolio towards stocks perceived to be trading at a discount relative to their financial fundamentals.

Persons: Michael M, Russ Mould, bunds, Emmanuel Cau, Cau Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Santiago, Getty, Bell, U.S, U.S . Federal, Treasury, Silicon Valley Bank, Barclays, European Equity Locations: New York City, U.S ., Silicon, China

☆ Retail investors flock to penny stocks WeWork, Amyris, Proterra
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Medha Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The three penny stocks, up in the range of 40% to 120%, were the most actively traded U.S. shares at 10:45 a.m. Amyris (AMRS.O) and WeWork (WE.N) were the second and third most traded stocks by retail investors, respectively, while Proterra (PTRA.O) was twelfth on the list at 10 a.m. Some of the latest speculative bets on the penny stocks were pinned on hopes of a merger and acquisition or a turnaround for the struggling businesses. Another set of retail traders are looking to capitalize on the volatility, especially by squeezing bearish investors on highly shorted stocks. Last week retail traders had piled into shares of Tupperware Brands (TUP.N) and trucking firm Yellow (YELL.O).

Persons: Kate Munsch, Amyris, Proterra, WeWork, Lucas Mantle, AJ Bell, Russ Mould, Matthew Tuttle, Medha Singh, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Biotech, Vanda Research, Hertz, Tuttle Capital Management, Tupperware Brands, Thomson Locations: San Francisco , California, U.S, Bengaluru

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid//File PhotoSummaryCompanies US-listed China stocks fall as stimulus measures disappointFutures mixed: Dow up 0.02%, S&P down 0.06%, Nasdaq down 0.16%Aug 11 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were subdued on Friday as investors awaited producer prices data that could offer more clarity on the Federal Reserve's rate hike path. Investors are now focused on the producer prices data due at 8:30 a.m ET that will offer more insight into inflation in the world's largest economy. U.S. Labor Department's producer price index (PPI) for final demand, is expected to rise 0.2% in July, after growing 0.1% in June. "This (PPI) data set is something of a crystal ball for consumer price inflation; when producers charge more for goods the higher costs are usually passed on to households." "Higher yields incentivize investors to park their cash in the safety of bonds, and therefore decreases demand for risky plays like equities."

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Russ Mould, AJ Bell, Marios Hadjikyriacos, Bansari Mayur Kamdar, Johann M, Vinay Dwivedi Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Dow, Nasdaq, Benchmark, Labor, PPI, Dow e, Nvidia, Treasury, XM, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, China, JD.com, Bengaluru

☆ Falling prices in China could be a blessing in disguise for the world economy's ongoing fight against inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But falling prices there could end up being good news for the rest of the world. However, falling prices there aren't necessarily bad news for everyone else. In China, prices are falling rather than risingData from the National Bureau of Statistics published Wednesday showed China's factory-gate prices, as measured by the producer price index, plunging 4.4% year-on-year in July for a tenth straight month of declines. Falling prices in the world's second-biggest economy could "give central bankers in the US, UK and Europe pause for thought when they weigh up their next steps," according to AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould. So deflation in China might end up being bad news for Beijing – but a blessing in disguise for the rest of the world.

Persons: it's, China's, Hargreaves Lansdow n's, Steve Lansdown, AJ Bell, Russ Mould Organizations: Service, Privacy, Apple, Nike, Federal Reserve, National Bureau, Statistics, Beijing, Bank of England Locations: China, Wall, Silicon, Beijing, West, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Ukrainian

☆ How interest rates impact your money — from savings to mortgages
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The world of central banks and their policies, which include interest rates, may seem abstract — but they affect everyone. Interest rates — the rate at which you are charged or rewarded — are set by central banks, like the Fed or Bank of England. Pros and consHow consumers are affected by interest rates varies according to whether rates are higher or lower. On the flip side, higher interest rates can boost your savings, Mould added. Interest rates versus inflationInterest rates often go hand in hand with inflation (rising prices).

Persons: James McManus, —, Sarah Coles, Hargreaves Lansdown, Russ Mould, AJ Bell, Mould, McManus Organizations: CNBC, . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of England, Fed

☆ Airline stocks set for best month in two years on summer rush, lower fuel prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Medha Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 30 (Reuters) - U.S. airline stocks on Friday were set to record their strongest monthly performance since 2021, helped by easing fuel prices and signs of robust travel demand during the summer season. The outlook for the rest of summer months is also bright. The S&P 1500 airlines (.SPCOMAIR) has jumped 21.3% so far in June, the highest since February 2021 and far ahead of the S&P 500's (.SPX) 5.2% rise. However, Raymond James analyst Savanthi Syth expects air travel demand to moderate in the second half, given the high level of uncertainty and limited visibility into the fall. Shares of United Airlines and Delta trade 5.2 and 7.0 times forward profit estimates, respectively, well below S&P 500's (.SPX) multiple at 19.1.

Persons: Russ Mould, Raymond James and, Raymond James, Savanthi Syth, Matthew Tuttle, Joby, Morgan, Medha Singh, Arun Koyyur Organizations: U.S, Airlines, America, Bell, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Raymond James and Bank of America, Delta, Tuttle Capital Management, Joby Aviation, Thomson Locations: United States, Bengaluru

☆ S&P 500, Nasdaq futures down as chip stocks fall, focus on Powell
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Semiconductor stocks including Intel (INTC.O), Marvell Technology (MRVL.O) and Qualcomm (QCOM.O) fell more than 1% each. Investors are focused on a panel discussion of key central bank policymakers including Powell and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde at the ECB annual forum in Sintra, Portugal. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit more than one-year highs last week while the Dow scaled a six-month peak before hawkish comments from Powell sparked a selloff. Investors will also keep an eye on bank stocks, with the Fed scheduled to release 2023 results of its annual stress test of large banks after markets close on Wednesday. ET, Dow e-minis were up 20 points, or 0.06%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 4 points, or 0.09%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 36 points, or 0.24%.

Persons: Powell, Jerome Powell, Christine Lagarde, Russ Mould, AJ Bell, Dow, General Mills, Sruthi Shankar, Johann M, Vinay Dwivedi Organizations: Nasdaq, Dow, Federal, Nvidia, Devices, Wall Street Journal, Commerce Department, Semiconductor, Intel, Marvell Technology, Qualcomm, European Central Bank, ECB, Traders, Dow e, Boeing, Thomson Locations: China, U.S, Sintra , Portugal, Bengaluru

The Senate passed a bill late on Thursday to lift the government's $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, avoiding a catastrophic, first-ever default. The Labor Department's closely watched employment report, due 0830 ET, is expected to still show a tight labor market. Fed funds futures trading showed an over 70% probability that the Fed will hold interest rates steady at its June 13-14 policy meeting. ET, Dow e-minis were up 185 points, or 0.56%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 21.25 points, or 0.5%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 63 points, or 0.44%. Reporting by Shreyashi Sanyal in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Maju SamuelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: FEDWATCH, Russ Mould, AJ Bell, Germany's, Shreyashi Sanyal, Nivedita Bhattacharjee, Maju Samuel Organizations: Nike, Broadcom, Dow, Nasdaq, Federal, Fed, Labor, FEDWATCH Reuters, Dow e, Microsoft Corp, Apple Inc, Tesla Inc, Athletica, Dow Jones, Nike Inc, Germany's Adidas, Puma, Broadcom Inc, Nvidia Corp, Nvidia, Thomson Locations: Washington, United States, Europe, Bengaluru

Within weeks, Della Valle gave them a stark assessment of the problems Vodafone faces. Complicating matters is an investor base with conflicting demands, concerns about Vodafone's dividend outlook and a workforce reeling from the deep job cuts. While many observers in and outside the company had expected a fresh face, Della Valle won over the board. Vodafone's shares are trading at lows last seen in 2002, largely due to a cut to free cash flow forecasts. That may not sit well with Vodafone's other key investors - French telecoms billionaire Xavier Niel, who competes with it in Italy, and Liberty Global, its partner in the Netherlands.

☆ US regional lenders eke out gains after brutal sell-off
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 5 (Reuters) - Shares of U.S. regional lenders rose in premarket trading on Friday following a brutal sell-off during the week that saw First Republic Bank collapse and peer PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) explore strategic options. The KBW Regional Banking Index (.KRX) has plunged about 31% this year as the sector grapples with deepening investor concerns with billions in market value wiped in recent weeks. PacWest, whose shares have plummeted 86% this year, said late on Wednesday it was in talks with potential partners and investors as it weighs strategic options. Shares of the bank plunged to close down 33%. Reporting by Manya Saini in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Amruta Khandekar Editing by Vinay DwivediOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ PacWest, Western Alliance hit as US banking concerns widen
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Medha Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

PacWest (PACW.O) slumped 37% in premarket trade, after having lost 29% since Monday. Reuters had reported on Wednesday that PacWest was exploring strategic options including a potential sale or capital raising, which the lender confirmed late in the day. Zion Bancorporation (ZION.O), KeyCorp (KEY.N), Valley National Bancorp (VLY.O), Comerica (CMA.N) and First Horizon (FHN.N) dropped between 2% and 6%. The SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE.P) shed 2.8%. PacWest Bancorp reported a loss of $1.1 billion attributed to shareholders for the first quarter of the year.

☆ European shares fall as banking sector jitters eclipse upbeat earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Shubham Batra | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) fell 0.7%, as regional banking stocks (.SX7E) dropped 1.2%. Earnings from Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) and Google's parent Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) beat expectations, but recessionary worries in the world's largest economy kept investor sentiment fragile. Shares of Swiss banking software company Temenos AG (TEMN.S) jumped 10.2% after it reported first-quarter earnings above consensus. Meanwhile, ASM International NV (ASMI.AS) fell 10.0% after the Dutch semiconductor equipment maker reported a drop in first-quarter orders, citing softening market conditions, despite an estimate-beating revenue. Dassault Systemes SE (DAST.PA) slid 7.4% after the French software maker reported first-quarter numbers broadly in line with estimates but with a miss on software licenses.

☆ Cheaper Teslas are hurting profits, but Elon Musk plans to keep slashing prices. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Tesla's profit margins plunged last quarter after the EV maker made aggressive price cuts. Musk could sacrifice short-term profits to grow Tesla's market share. Tesla disappointed its shareholders on April 19 when it revealed how its aggressive price cuts have affected its business. But these cuts have eaten into Tesla's profit margins. While price competition isn't uncommon in the auto industry, car companies might struggle to match the size of Tesla's cuts without hurting their own profit margins.

☆ Nasdaq futures fall 1% as Tesla earnings disappoint
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SummarySummary Companies Futures down: Dow 0.43%, S&P 0.72%, Nasdaq 1.04%April 20 (Reuters) - Nasdaq futures slid 1% on Thursday as Tesla shares tumbled after the electric-vehicle maker posted its lowest quarterly gross margin in two years, while investors grew nervous about the outlook for U.S. interest rates. Shares of other megacap stocks such as Apple Inc (AAPL.O), Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) and Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) fell between 0.7% and 1.2%. Comments from Fed policymakers this week have also supported bets of further tightening by the U.S. central bank. Fed funds futures traders are pricing in an 83% probability of a 25 bps rate hike next month, according to CME Group's Fedwatch tool. ET, Dow e-minis were down 146 points, or 0.43%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 30.25 points, or 0.72%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 137 points, or 1.04%.

☆ Tesla stock slides 8% as Elon Musk's price cuts eat into quarterly profits
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla stock fell 8% Thursday after its earnings disappointed Wall Street. Elon Musk has slashed the prices of Tesla's flagship vehicles in a bid to gain market share. Shares fell 8% to trade at just under $167 at the opening bell, after Tesla's first-quarter earnings fell short of Wall Street's expectations. Musk's price war could boost Tesla's long-term market share – but it's unlikely to play well on Wall Street if the cuts eat further into its profits, analysts say. "Market share or margins, that seems to be the conundrum facing electric vehicle powerhouse Tesla," AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould said Thursday.

☆ Angry Birds creator Rovio: Sega makes takeover bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Japan’s Sega, the company behind Sonic the Hedgehog, is buying Rovio Entertainment in a cash deal that values the creator of Angry Birds at €706 million ($774 million). The company’s prime asset, Angry Birds, which launched in 2009, became the first mobile game series to reach 1 billion downloads, according to Guinness World Records. People tour an Angry Birds theme park at its opening on July 9, 2016 in Tianjin, China. Feature China/Future Publishing/Getty ImagesThe story-based puzzle video game has players launching “Angry Birds” from a slingshot at a fortress containing pigs who stole their eggs. The company’s share price closed 4.2% down in Tokyo on Monday.

SummarySummary Companies Futures down: Dow 0.10%, S&P 0.17%, Nasdaq 0.22%March 28 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures slipped on Tuesday as Treasury yields rose amid easing worries about a banking crisis following First Citizens BancShares' U.S. regulator-backed deal for failed Silicon Valley Bank. Shares of First Citizens BancShares Inc (FCNCA.O) fell 1% in premarket trading after surging more than 50% on Monday following its deal to acquire the deposits and loans of failed Silicon Valley Bank. Regional banks also rose, led by First Republic Bank's (FRC.N) 2.2% gain after a 12% rally on Monday. Later in the day, Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr will testify before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on "bank oversight" in the first of several hearings on the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. ET, Dow e-minis were down 31 points, or 0.1%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 6.75 points, or 0.17%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 27.75 points, or 0.22%.

☆ First Citizens just bought Silicon Valley Bank – here's everything you need to know about the latest twist in the banking turmoil
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

First Citizens Bank agreed to buy most of Silicon Valley Bank on Sunday. The Raleigh, NC-based bank has taken over 17 branches of SVB, $119 billion of its deposits and $72 billion worth of loans. Here's everything you need to know about the latest twist in the US's regional banking turmoil. First Citizens Bank has agreed to buy SVB, according to a statement released on Sunday by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. It'll also receive benefits tied to First Citizens' share price, which it estimated could be worth around $500 million.

☆ European stocks rebound as banking jitters ease
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Sruthi Shankar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

European banks (.SX7P) rose 0.9% after shedding 3.8% on Friday, when Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) sparked a rout in the sector. "Many investors still don't want to touch the banking sector for fears there is more distress to come," said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell. "Yet for every bleak situation, there is always someone who sees an opportunity to make money, hence why we're seeing a rise in the share price of many European banks today." European stocks are looking to end the first quarter of the year with gains, buoyed by signs of economic resilience and hopes that central banks are near the end of their tightening cycles. However, European banks are set to end the quarter nearly flat amid the banking sector turmoil.

☆ GameStop's surprise profit triggers short squeeze, meme stocks rally
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Medha Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

AMC and GameStop were at the heart of a meme-stock frenzy in 2021 driven by small investors coordinating on social media. Among other highly shorted meme stocks, Koss Corp (KOSS.O) climbed 9.5%, Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY.O) reversed course to slip 1.3%, while the Roundhill MEME ETF (MEME.P) rose 4.2%. "Luckily, this go around is not due to meme investors, but an actual tangible fundamental event," said David Wagner, portfolio manager at Aptus Capital Advisors. SOURING SHORT BETSWhen there is a rush of demand from short sellers looking to exit their bearish bets amid a rise in a stock's price, it pushes prices even higher, resulting in a short squeeze. Another favorite among retail investors - Carvana Co (CVNA.N) - jumped 22% after the used-car retailer said it expects a smaller core loss in the current quarter.

☆ How bad is the banking crisis?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Spriha Srivastava | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Fed along with five other central banks announced coordinated action to reassure global banks. To make sense of those acronyms, GFC refers to the global financial crisis of 2007 to 2009, EZ crisis is the Eurozone crisis of 2009 onwards, temper tantrum likely refers to the taper tantrum of 2013, and the Covid 3/20 shock is when global markets went haywire in the early stages of the pandemic. So, you might be wondering: Just how bad is the banking crisis? "It means the banking crisis we've seen over the past few weeks has started a new chapter rather than reaching its ending." After the 2008 financial crisis, the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) made it necessary for all European banks to issue CoCo bonds.

LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) - European bank bonds slumped on Monday following the state-backed rescue of Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) by UBS (UBSG.S) as a wipeout of some bondholders raised concerns around broader bank capital and also hammered bank shares. "The takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS was done fast and should have provided reassurance to the market that we haven’t had another bank collapse. However, what it has done is exposed the issues around AT1 bonds,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell. In the bond market, Credit Suisse's Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds were bid as low as 1 cent on the dollar on Monday as investors braced for the wipeout. Shares in Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) fell as much as 64.5% while UBS Group (UBSG.S) shares dropped as much as 16%.

☆ FTSE 100 gains as British banks bounce back; Rentokil rises
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

UK's blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) gained 0.4%, rebounding from its steepest fall in over a year on Wednesday. British banks (.FTNMX301010) gained 1.8%, after falling 5.6% in the previous session. Rentokil Initial (RTO.L) jumped 6.1% to the top of the FTSE 100 after the pest control services provider lifted its medium-term outlook after posting a better-than-expected annual profit. The more domestically-focussed FTSE 250 midcap index (.FTMC) were subdued, though asset manager Bridgepoint Group (BPTB.L) rose 2.9% after reporting a higher revenue for 2022. Reporting by Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza and Uttaresh VenkateshwaranOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ European shares sink as banks resume selloff, Credit Suisse hits new low
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) fell 2.5% by 1118 GMT, languishing at 10-week lows, as was the banks sector index (.SX7P) after plunging nearly 6%. The bank index is set to lose more than 120 billion euros ($127.26 billion) in market value since the close of March 8. Shares of Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) fell below 2 Swiss francs ($2.18) after the lender's biggest shareholder said it could not raise its 10% stake, citing regulatory issues. There was also a cooling of optimism that the U.S. Federal Reserve will tone down its rate-hiking spree next week in the aftermath of Silicon Valley Bank's (SVB) collapse. Retailers (.SXRP) shed 5.0% after shares of Zara-owner Inditex (ITX.MC), the world's biggest fashion retailer, fell 5.2% as it flagged higher investment spending.

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