FLASH: President Trump has warned that tariffs of 5% on all Mexican exports to the United States will go into effect Monday if Mexico does not step up efforts to stem an increase in mostly Central American migrants heading for the US border. Bilateral talks in Washington began Wednesday to attempt to strike a deal, […]
$DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $RUTX, $VXX FLASH: S&P 500’s 8-Day Winning Streak Capped in a Fibo Retrace on Volume Tax time is here and the April 15 deadline for individual returns looms, as Americans are facing the full reality of President Trump’s new tax law. The law, better known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, […]
FLASH: The Latest on Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union The British government says trade deals with Japan, Turkey and other countries will not be in place by 29 March, the day Great Britain is due to leave the European Union. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has claimed the UK will be able to continue […]
$DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $RUTX, $BAC, $VXX US are stocks rallying this year on signs of progress in US-S trade talks as managed and sidelined money continues to bet that there is not much upside left when President Trump’s deal is reached. That is wrong Heffx-LTN’s corporate earnings and equity valuations model as of Saturday indicates […]
$DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $RUTX, $VXX President Trump will enjoy the backdrop of a solid economy as he delivers his 2nd State of the Union address Tuesday evening. The President will point to the latest signs of US economic strength: Friday’s jobs report showed that employers added the most jobs in January in nearly a year. […]
Demand for loans softened among US businesses and households in Q-4 of Y 2018, while banks tightened lending standards for commercial real estate, according to a survey of bank officers that gave worrisome signs for the economic outlook. The Fed Monday released its Quarterly survey of senior loan officers. The survey also showed banks had […]
Bone-chilling cold that paralyzed a chunk of the US this week and killed at least 18 people eased Friday as the Arctic air mass retreated ahead of a warmer-than-normal weekend in areas of the Midwest and Northeast. In Chicago, where the temp dipped as low as -22F (-30C) this week, temperatures of 22F (-5.5C) by […]
Medical Marijuana Update A new bill in Guam would allow home cultivation, Oklahoma officials still have issues with the voter-approved medical marijuana initiative, and more. Guam Guam Bill Would Allow Home Cultivation. Five years after the US territory legalized medical marijuana, access issues have prompted Sen. Louis Muna to file a bill that would allow […]
Marijuana Taxes in California a Major Disappointment California’s legal marijuana market is off to a slow start and off of the governments tax targets. Marijuana cultivation and excise tax collections hit $48-M in Q-2, state officials announced Wednesday. That is up from Q-1 but well below the windfall envisioned by the state. Finance officials had […]
Dubai Getting Ahead of “the Cryptocurrency Game” $BTC, $ETH, $CME, $CBOT The Big Qs are: How seriously should we take the rise of cryptocurrency? Is it a serious rival to traditional currency? Should businesses consider using cryptocurrency? What do they need to do to implement it? Is enough being done to educate individuals and businesses […]
Blockchain Key to Making Big Data Really Accessible $UPS, $WMT, $ETH Data analytics is Key for many organizations to develop. Given the amount of data that’s being generated, advocates consider it a major oversight not to use the information. For businesses, the ability to make game-changing decisions is core to survival given today’s environment. Successful […]
Record Numbers of America’s Small Businesses Are Boosting Profits US small businesses increased hiring and profits amid a record-level of optimism in the economy. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) said its Small Business Optimism Index sustained record-high marks increasing to 104.8 in April, driven by reports of improved profits, the highest in the NFIB Small […]
Bitcoin, Using it as Money to Buy Stuff $BTCUSD, $SQ, $MSFT, $EXPE, $DISH, $ETSY Bitcoin is an investment asset, and it is also ‘Money’. And businesses that accepts Bitcoin payments are becoming closer to the mainstream you than you may think. Most people that I talk to look at cryptocurrencies an investment, a tradable asset, a […]
US Businesses Now Open to Hiring More Than 6-M Workers $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX US employers ramped up their demand for workers in January, advertising 6.3-M jobs at the end of the month, the most on records dating back 17 years. The Labor Department says the number of job opening soared 645,000 in January, the largest 1-month […]
On The Crypto Age $BTCUSD At 1st when you heard of cryptocurrency and did an ICO (initial coin offering) then it was not a security and did not need to be registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). That did not last long Regulators and securities lawyers started looking at the ICOs getting […]
Medical Marijuana Update Medical marijuana foes in Arizona take aim at prescribing doctors, a Michigan judge strikes down Detroit’s medical marijuana initiative, Ohio’s medical marijuana roll-out hits a bump, and more. Arizona Last Thursday, a House committee advanced a bill to make felons of lax marijuana perscribing docs. The House Health Committee voted 6-3 on party […]
Trump’s Tax Cut a ‘Huge Tailwind’ for Businesses, Rally Resumes $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX Industry Watch Strong: Financials, Industrials, Technology, Telecom Services Weak: Consumer Discretionary, Energy, Materials, Consumer Staples, Utilities, Real Estate Former Hillary Clinton supporter Warren Buffett lauded Republicans’ corporate tax reform as a “huge tailwind for businesses,” and the Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A&B) Boss should […]
US Economy Strong, Growing, as Financial Markets Consolidate Big Gains $VXX The nation’s economy is very strong, and the tax cut bill is energizing business, so the stock markets will be just fine despite the quick correction seen over the past 9 trading days. Savvy participants are cost averaging down and “buying the dip’ “Investment […]
Medical Marijuana Update, Plus California Banking Policy California’s Treasurer wants to create a public bank for the cannabis business. The medical marijuana movement loses a founding father, and the only other action this past week was a pair of CBD bills. California Last Saturday, Dennis Peron, “the Father of Medical Marijuana,” died at age 72. A […]
US Businesses Hiring at a Healthy Pace $AAPL, $FDX, $WMT, $XOM US businesses continued to hire at a healthy pace in January, a sign the economy is off to a solid start for the year. Payroll processor ADP said Wednesday that companies added 234,000 jobs, led by big gains in services firms, such as hotels, […]
President Trump’s Tax Reform is Working $AAPL, $CMCSA, $WMT Republicans are rejoicing in the early reaction to their tax bill becoming law. “Tax reform is working. It really is,” House Speaker Paul Ryan, (R-WI), said at his weekly press conference last Thursday. “It’s working for families. It’s working for businesses. Tax reform is working for […]
American Companies Counting Benefits from President Trump’s Tax Cuts $WFC, $GS, $AAPL, $GOOGL US Craft breweries are raising a glass to the Republicans’ new tax overhaul: It cuts the excise tax on beer. US Retailers, long saddled with heavy tax bills, will get relief. So will some high-profile names in corporate finance, led by Wells […]
Chinese Leaders, “More Imports, Less Financial Risk” Chinese leaders have promised to increase imports and reduce risks in their financial system following an annual planning meeting amid slowing economic growth and pressure from trading partners to open their markets wider. The 3-day meeting that ended Wednesday is a throwback to China’s era of central planning, […]
President Trump’s Tax Reform ‘Is a Game-Changer, a Whopper’ $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX Tuesday, Steve Schwarzman, the Chairman and CEO of Blackstone, said President Donald Trump’s tax-reform quest is a “game changer.” The former adviser to President that the tax bill was “actually a game changer because there has been enormous frustration in terms of […]
US Businesses Thriving Despite the Noisy Political News $SPY Washington’s politicians like to take credit for creating jobs. Washington’s macroeconomic policymakers like to claim that their policies have moderated the business cycle. Notably the US economy performs despite Washington actions. In the US economy, competitive and entrepreneurial, profitable businesses create jobs. Profitable businesses have the […]
Federal Regulations at All-Time Low Under President Trump President Donald Trump has kept to his campaign promise to clear federal regulations, bringing them down to a record low, according to a new study. “The results are substantial,” reads the report. “New regulatory burdens are a fraction of those established under President Obama’s 1st 6 months; […]
THE AMERICAN ECONOMY IS BACK ON TRACK The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) reached an all-time high of over 22,000, up over 4,000 points since the November 2016 Presidential election. Under The Trump Administration, consumer confidence is soaring. Strong job growth and GDP growth have caused the unemployment rate to dwindle to 4.3%, its lowest […]
President Trump, “Buy American and Hire American” On the campaign trial Donald Trump promised to “set the stage for a great revival” for American factories – to “Buy American and Hire American.” In the 1st 5 months of last year under then President Obama, American manufacturers lost 24,000 jobs. Now n the 1st 5 months […]
What to Expect When, Not If, Recreational Marijuana is Legal in California With the perfected idea of California on Recreational Marijuana (RM) is less than a year away, state lawmakers approved legislation that illustrates what that may look like, think: Marijuana samples at the county fair, home delivery, Organic label regulations and an industry a […]
President Trump Tightens Rules on Americans Traveling to Cuba and More Friday, expect US President Donald Trump to tighten rules on Americans traveling to Cuba and significantly restrict US companies from doing business with Cuban enterprises controlled by the military. President Trump will lay out his new Cuba policy in a speech in Miami that […]
America’s Small Businesses Need Tax, Healthcare, Banking Reforms Our country’s small businesses are hopeful that President Donald Trump’s plans for rolling back regulations and tax reform happen, as they feel both will stimulate the economy. “When small business owners put more money in their pockets, they hire new people and grow the economy,” Small Business Administration […]
President Trump Dumps Dodd-Frank with Executive Order Friday afternoon, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order and 2 memoranda on Friday relating to the Y 2010 Dodd-Frank law, which he described as “damaging … regulations that failed to hold Wall Street firms accountable,” the Washington Examiner reported. The Dodd-Frank law, signed under former President […]
President Trump’s Business Revolution Begins by “Slashing” Regulations $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX The US business community, large and small, has suffered through 8 years of President Barack Hussein-Obama’s hobbling regulations, but now businesses are starting to see some relief from President Donald Trump. “By every measure, the United States has been sinking into economic mediocrity […]
It is Time to Be Optimistic Again $SPY Donald Trump’s plans for the economy will boost deficits, interest rates and growth but also will create opportunities for ordinary investors, it is time for Americans to be optimistic again. Both Trump and Hillary Clinton promised sorely needed additional spending on roads and public structures, schools, railway […]
US Long Dated Treasuries Up Signaling Rising Inflation $SPY Donald Trump’s victory in the US Presidential race is driving mutual fund managers out of dividend stocks and into the shares of financial, industrial and materials companies that benefit from rising inflation. Although inflation remains subdued by most measures, US longer-dated Treasury yields rose Thursday to […]
Obama’s Jobs Legacy: Near-Record 94.6-M Americans Not in Workforce A near record high of 94,609,000 Americans are not in the labor force, 425,000 more than last month’s 94,184,000, and the 2nd highest number on record. When US President Barack Hussein Obama took office in January 2009, 80,529,000 Americans were not in the labor force, and […]
Raise Rates, Don’t Raise Rates, Who’s Right? $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX There are those economists that argue that the US Fed should take an unconventional approach to ending a long period of below-target inflation: that being that instead of keeping interest rates low to drive economic activity and push up prices, it should raise interest […]
Marijuana Is Creating ‘Headaches’ for People in Legal US Businesses The legalization of marijuana in the US is creating headaches not just for new marijuana businesses. Such businesses have trouble paying taxes and getting bank accounts, and there are also problems for people who work in the growing industry, as well as for those who […]
The 10 Countries with the Lowest Business Taxes All of the GCC countries but Oman are on the list When looking at where to locate or expand their businesses, international firms pay special attention to the tax rate of different countries. This is why governments often compete to maintain low business taxes and offer attractive […]
Donald Trump’s Campaign Comments Have Not Hurt His Businesses Lawyers for Donald Trump say the controversial comments he has been and continues to make while running for the GOP’s US Presidential nomination have caused business to increase at his hotels and their restaurants to grow, not shrink, just as Washington celebrity chef Jose Andres has […]
Heavy Storms and Heavy Flooding Across Houston Texas Heavy storms roared across the Houston area Friday evening causing multiple roads closing and evacuations because of the floodwaters. In Galveston, torrential rain came down on the area as the swirling winds as severe weather moved through the area. The waters continue to rise in and around […]
Wildfires’ Fueled by Weather, Wind & Dry Underbrush Uncontrolled blazes fueled by weather, wind, and dry underbrush, wildfires can burn acres of land consuming everything in their paths in minutes. On average, more than 100,000 wildfires, aka wildland fires or forest fires, clear 4 to 5-M acres of land in the US every year. In […]
The Latest on the Ft. McMurray Wildfire In Alberta, Canada there is a Province wide ban on open fires, including campfires and the use of charcoal briquettes. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went to Fort McMurray Friday to survey the damage firsthand and meet with emergency responders. He was also meeting Alberta Premier Rachel Notley in Edmonton. As crews […]
Succession Plans Key to Family Businesses Family firms advised to separate family assets from business assets Just 30% of the world’s family businesses are passing the reins onto the next generation and the problem is endemic in the Middle East, according to financial services provider UBS AG (NYSE:UBS). The Swiss company has found that only […]
Government Regulations Cost US Companies $4-T+ $DIA, $SPY, $QQQ, $VXX The cost of US regulations is larger than Germany’s economy, amounting to a $4-T loss to the American economy, according to a report Thursday. The study by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University found that regulations over the past several decades amount to a […]