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  • Finance 0

    Retail Sales Have Been Weak Lately, But The Trend Is Still Positive

    Consumer spending has been soft in recent months, prompting some analysts to forecast trouble for the economy later this year. Perhaps, but looking through the monthly noise continues to paint an upbeat profile for retail sales. The growth rate has decelerated lately, but the year-over-year comparisons remain upbeat. The stakes are high, of course. Consumer spending represents about three-quarters of economic activity in the US and focusing on the monthly reports looks worrisome. Sales slumped in February, marking the third straight monthly decline – the first trio of negative comparisons in three years, the US Census Bureau reported yest...
    On March 15, 2018 / By
  • Finance 0

    WTI Crude Oil And Natural Gas Forecast – Thursday, March 15

    WTI Crude Oil The WTI Crude Oil market went back and forth during trading on Wednesday, as we continue to bounce from the uptrend line that you see on the chart. The market tends to be very sensitive to this area, and I think that the $60 level is now essentially the most important level to pay attention to. If we can break down below that level, and more importantly the uptrend line, the market probably roles over to the $58 level, and then perhaps even lower than that. Ultimately, I think that if we rally from here, then the $62 level would be the first major barrier to get beyond. I anticipate that this market will continue to be very nois...
    On March 15, 2018 / By
  • Finance 0

    Alexion Jumps After Blood Disorder Drug Succeeds In Head-To-Head Trial

    Shares of Alexion (ALXN ) jumped in pre-market trading after the company said its rare blood disorder drug was successful in a late-stage study. WHAT’S NEW: The drug, ALXN1210, was being tested against another drug, Soliris, in a Phase 3 study in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, or PNH. ALXN1210 was shown to be non-inferior to Soliris, achieving the co-primary endpoints of transfusion avoidance and normalization of lactate dehydrogenase, or LDH, levels, a direct marker of complement-mediated hemolysis in PNH. ALXN1210 also demonstrated non-inferiority to Soliris on all four key secondary endpoints. Detailed results wil...
    On March 15, 2018 / By
  • Finance 0

    The Impact Of Fed Rate Hikes On Core Fixed Income

    While fixed income strategists have called for rising rates in nearly every year since the financial crisis, 2018 has marked one of the worst starts for bond investors since 1996.1 With 10-year rates up more than 45 basis points (bps), many investors are questioning what if any changes they should be making to their portfolios. Central to this decision is their view on inflation and Federal Reserve (Fed) policy. In this piece, we examine the impact on U.S. interest rates and fixed income returns since the Fed started tightening in December 2015. Rising Rates Where? Despite hiking the Federal Funds Rate five times, U.S. 10-year bond ...
    On March 15, 2018 / By
  • Finance 0

    Largest US Radio Company Files For Bankruptcy

    On Thursday, iHeartMedia – the largest radio conglomerate in the US – finally succumbed to its enormous debt burden and filed for a long-anticipated Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection (iHeartMedia Inc., 18-31274, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Texas) after the company and a majority of its creditors reached an agreement for a pre-pack deal to eliminate tens of billions in debt while the company continues to operate. After trying to negotiate a deal with creditors since last March, the company said in a statement that it had reached an agreement in principle with investors holding more than $10 billion of its debt, along...
    On March 15, 2018 / By
  • Finance 0

    EUR/USD, GBP/USD Bounce At Previous Tops Within Wave 4 Patterns

    GBP/USD 4 hour The GBP/USD made a break and pullback above the long-term resistance trend line (dotted red) and is now testing a lower time frame resistance level. The next break could be a bullish continuation within wave 5 (blue). Price will need to stay above the support trend lines (green) otherwise the uptrend is in danger. 1 hour The GBP/USD bounced at the previous tops (green lines), which could be explained by a potential wave 4 (orange) pattern. A bullish breakout could confirm the continuation of the wave 3 (grey). EUR/USD 4 hour The EUR/USD is still in a triangle pattern and will need to break above the resistance trend line before...
    On March 15, 2018 / By
  • Finance 0

    Locating Distress In California’s Economy

    California’s economy struggled in 2017, to the point where it was quite reasonable to ask if the state was experiencing a recession. In answering that question, we found that economic and employment data from multiple sources were consistent with recessionary conditions being present within the state, which is to say that some sectors of California’s economy were indeed experiencing elevated levels of distress during 2017, where one or more sectors would almost certainly have to be going through at least some degree of significant economic contraction. Further, since much of the negative impact that was clearly evident in the d...
    On March 15, 2018 / By
  • Finance 0

    Sensex Finishes 150 Points Lower; Metal & Energy Stocks Fall

    Indian share markets witnessed selling pressure in the afternoon session amid mixed Asian markets. At the closing bell, the BSE Sensex closed lower by 150 points and the NSE Nifty finished lower by 60 points. The S&P BSE Mid Cap finished up by 0.5% while S&P BSE Small Cap finished up by 0.8%. Losses were largely seen in FMCG stocks, oil & gas stocks and metal stocks. We generally refer to PE or price to earnings ratio to gauge whether the market is undervalued or overvalued. If we go by this ratio, the Indian market is clearly in overvaluation territory. There is still another ratio, which is frequently used to e...
    On March 15, 2018 / By
  • Finance 0

    Manhattan Bridge Capital Aims For Improvements

    The Financial Services sector includes twenty industries ranging from Asset Management to 8 kinds of Banks, Credit, Exchanges, 6 kinds of Insurances, Savings, and all such financial concerns. Today I’m reviewing a credit services company. It’s a small cap stock, Manhattan Bridge Capital Inc. It’s trading ticker symbol is LOAN.  Manhattan Bridge Capital Inc originates, services, and manages a portfolio of first mortgage loans. It offers short-term, secured, non-banking loans to real estate investors to fund their acquisition and construction of properties in the New York metropolitan area. The company’s loans are princ...
    On March 15, 2018 / By
  • Finance 0

    Stocks To Trade: CLR, EA, WTW

    Thursday’s stock picks Take a look at three trading ideas to prep you for the next trading session. Long Continental Resources (CLR)   Long Electronic Arts (EA) Short Weight Watchers (WTW)...
    On March 15, 2018 / By