Category: Financial Markets

SoftBank Said to Be in Talks to Combine OneWeb With Intelsat

SoftBank Group Corp., the technology giant controlled by billionaire Masayoshi Son, is in talks to merge the satellite startup it’s backing, OneWeb Ltd., with satellite provider Intelsat SA, according to people familiar with the matter. A deal is conditioned on setting aside money to purchase Intelsat bonds from investors at a price higher than their trading prices last week, though that would still be below par value, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information.

Asian Stocks Add to Solid February Gains

Asian shares edged up on Tuesday, on track for a winning month and bolstered by gains on Wall Street as investors awaited a speech by U.S. President Donald Trump for signals on tax reform and infrastructure spending. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.2 percent, up 3.6 percent this month nearly 10 percent for the year so far.

Dow, S&P 500 Close at Record as Trump Talks Healthcare, Budget

U.S. stocks ended slightly higher on Monday and the Dow hit a record high close for a 12th straight session as President Donald Trump said he would make a “big” infrastructure statement on Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 16.09 points, or 0.08 percent, to 20,837.85, the S&P 500 gained 2.38 points, or 0.10 percent, to 2,369.72 and the Nasdaq Composite added 16.59 points, or 0.28 percent, to 5,861.90.

No Signs of Skepticism Yet

I don’t know how many times we have seen this pattern recently, but it probably is a reflex, at this point. The indices opens a bit soft and the buyers start nibbling, quickly push the indices to the highs of the day.

Le French Debt Rally Gains Momentum Along With Outsider Macron

French government debt yield dropped for a fourth day on Monday amid growing confidence that the risk of Frexit is receding. French government bond yields hit a one month low Monday as investors took heart from new polls showing growing support for centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron ahead of the spring Presidential election.

Deutsche Boerse-LSE Deal in Danger as EU Demand Rejected

Deutsche Boerse AG’s $13 billion bid for London Stock Exchange Group Plc headed toward collapse after the U.K. market operator rejected demands by European regulators to sell one of its holdings. LSE said it couldn’t commit to sell its stake in MTS, an electronic trading platform for government bonds, and declined to submit a counter proposal after European Union officials made divesting the unit a condition for approval.

Nikkei Falls to 2-1/2 Week Lows on Strong Yen

Japan’s Nikkei share average fell to 2-1/2 week lows on Monday as the yen strengthened and as financial stocks dropped on lower U.S. yields. The Nikkei was down 1.4 percent at 19,012.43 points by midmorning, after falling to as low as 18,995.55, its weakest level since Feb. 9. Exporters lost ground as the dollar dropped to as low as 111.925 yen on Friday, its first foray below the 112 level since Feb. 9. During Asian trade on Monday, the dollar slipped a further 0.2 percent to 112.00 on worries that U.S. President Donald Trump’s first major policy address to Congress on Tuesday will not offer many new details on his tax reform or spending pledges.

Buffett Stings Hedge Funds Anew Over Their `Misbegotten’ Rewards

Warren Buffett’s sweeping endorsement of index investing is sure to sting the hedge-fund industry and encourage the stampede into assets that passively track the market. In his well-read annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. shareholders on Saturday, he estimated that investors wasted more than $100 billion on high-fee Wall Street money managers over the past 10 years.

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Warren Buffett on Saturday mounted a forceful and upbeat defense of the prospects for American business, as his Berkshire Hathaway Inc reported a higher quarterly profit though operating income fell. In his annual letter to Berkshire shareholders, Buffett said investors “will almost certainly do well” by staying with the long term with a “collection of large, conservatively financed American businesses.”

Doubts grow over stock marketa s Trump-inspired surge

President Donald Trump acknowledges the crowd after he addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center February 24, 2017 in National Harbor, Maryland. While American stock markets have enjoyed a good run since Trump’s election, there are beginning to appear some concerns over whether the so-called “Trump Effect” will last.

Stocks Hold Lower as Dow’s Winning Streak Is Threatened

Stocks hold lower on Friday, threatening to snap a 10-day record-breaking streak for the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Stocks held lower on Friday, threatening to snap a 10-day record-breaking streak for the Dow Jones Industrial Average , even as Donald Trump provided more hints as to his promised tax reforms.

European Stocks Slide, Bond Rally as Investors Trim Risky Bets

European stocks retreated Friday as global investors trimmed risk positions amid questions over both the pace of Fed rate hikes and tax and spending plans from President Donald Trump. European stocks traded firmly in the red Friday as global investors trimmed risk positions amid questions over both the pace of rate hikes from the U.S. Federal Reserve and tax and spending plans from President Donald Trump.

China Shares Up For 3rd Week

China stocks were largely unchanged on Friday, reversing earlier losses, as reform hopes underpinned the market, with the main indexes up for the third straight week thanks to improving risk appetite. The blue-chip CSI300 index was unchanged at 3,473.85 points, while the Shanghai Composite Index added 0.1 percent to 3,253.43 points.

European Stocks Called Modestly Higher Amid Cautious Global Trading

European stocks are expected to open modestly higher Friday as investors question both the pace of rate hikes from the Fed and tax and spending plans from President Donald Trump. European stocks are expected to open modestly higher Friday after a pullback for both Asia stocks and the dollar as investors question both the pace of rate hikes from the U.S. Federal Reserve and tax and spending plans from President Donald Trump.

A Noteworthy Change in Character

You wouldn’t know it from the action in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 but there was a shift in the character of the market today. The senior indices covered it up but under the surface there was weakness in a variety sectors.

China Expands Drug Insurance Coverage in Boost to Pharma Stocks

China expanded the list of medicines covered nationwide by government insurance for the first time since 2009, a move that sent the shares of Chinese drugmakers soaring. The central government decided to add 339 drugs to a list of medicines covered by the country’s basic medical insurance, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said in a statement on Thursday.

European Stocks Called Lower After Dovish Fed Minutes Trim U.S. Dollar Gains

European markets are expected to open mixed Thursday after relatively dovish minutes from the last meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve stalled the recent U.S. dollar rally. European markets are expected to open mixed Thursday after relatively dovish minutes from the last meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve stalled the recent U.S. dollar rally and held down equity gains in Asia markets.

Don’t Fear the Past; Fear Our Debt Burden

Analogies to past market surges shouldn’t concern investors as much as the trillions in debt we’ve managed to build. It was inevitable, but I am starting to see comparisons made to the current market environment and other monumental periods of the past.

Four China Regulators Acting as One Shows Shift in Curbing Risk

China’s regulators are putting together a unified front seeking to beat back growing risks to the financial system from $8.7 trillion in asset management products, including investments in bonds and risky off-balance-sheet lending by banks. They’re working to draft sweeping new rules governing the surge in these products, Bloomberg News reported earlier this week and a regulator confirmed Wednesday.

European Benchmarks Rise On M&A and Corporate Earnings

European benchmarks were mixed on Wednesday as continued M&A activity and solid corporate earnings boosted markets in Western Europe The FTSE 100 in London was top of the class for the session, after rising 0.38%, to close at 7,302. The DAX added 0.26% in Frankfurt, to close at 11,998, while the CAC 40 in Paris rose by 0.15% to settle at 4,895.

European Benchmarks Rise On M&A and Corporate Earnings

European benchmarks were mixed on Wednesday as continued M&A activity and solid corporate earnings boosted markets in Western Europe The FTSE 100 in London was top of the class for the session, after rising 0.38%, to close at 7,302. The DAX added 0.26% in Frankfurt, to close at 11,998, while the CAC 40 in Paris rose by 0.15% to settle at 4,895.