The New York Times has reported that Apple may be tipping the scales of search results in the App Store in favor of the company's own apps. Jack Nicas and Keith Collins report: Top spots in App Store search results are some of the most fought over real estate in the online economy. The store generated more than $50 billion in sales last year, and the company said two-thirds of app downloads started with a search. But as Apple has become one of the largest competitors on a platform that it controls, suspicions that the company has been tipping the scales in its own favor are at the heart of … [Read more...]
Archives for September 2019
Here’s How to Explain Negative Interest Rates to Your Spouse
The Fed is pushing on a string. With interest rates so low, the Fed no longer has the pull it once did. It’s shadow banking that controls the money today as Andy Kessler explains in his excellent WSJ piece “The Fed Can’t See Its Own Shadow.” “What’s going on with the bond market, especially what the Journal has called ‘the relentless demand for longer-term debt securities’?” It’s called repurchase agreements, or “repos,” a form of short-term borrowing that today has led to nonbank lenders holding more assets than traditional banks. Today, no thanks to Fed intervention in the markets, … [Read more...]
Will Shopify Democratize the Robo-Logistics Revolution?
E-commerce giant Amazon has changed the landscape of online retail logistics with its investment in robotics at its fulfillment centers. Now, Shopify, a smaller competitor in the e-commerce industry is bringing robots into its logistics offerings. Jennifer Smith reports at The Wall Street Journal: E-commerce technology company Shopify Inc. is buying warehouse robot-maker 6 River Systems Inc. for approximately $450 million as it deepens its move into physical distribution. 6 River Systems makes software and autonomous mobile robots that guide workers through warehouse aisles, lighting up … [Read more...]
Your 401(k) When You Retire
As you know the retirement investment landscape is ever-changing as discussed with the proposed Secure Act. Make sure you know the rules so you don’t unknowingly cross the line and subject your account to penalties. There’s a reason they make this stuff confusing. Here Fidelity explains what you can do with an old 401(k): Key takeaways 4 options for an old 401(k): Keep it with your old employer, roll over the money into an IRA, roll over into a new employer's plan, or cash out. Make an informed decision: Find out your 401(k) rules, compare fees and expenses, and consider any … [Read more...]
Activists Turn Up the Heat on AT&T
Activist investor Elliott Management has amassed a $3.2 billion stake in AT&T and is advocating for the sale of underperforming assets. The investors claim that AT&T is more valuable than its recent share price would suggest and that it should be run more like Verizon. Connor Smith reports at Barron's: AT&T shares shot up after Elliott Management revealed a $3.2 billion stake in the company, as well as a plan the activist investor says could bring a 65% gain in the stock by the end of 2021. Elliott Management’s Jesse Cohn and Marc Steinberg wrote in a letter to AT&T’s … [Read more...]
Immigration Powering Canada’s Economy
High rates of population growth have helped Canada turn in an impressive GDP growth rate of 3.7% in the second quarter. Paul Vieira and Kim Mackrael report for the Wall Street Journal: BMO Capital Markets economist Doug Porter said one of the reasons Canada’s jobs market has been strong is the country’s growing population. The Canadian population expanded by more than 500,000 in 2018, largely because of immigration. Last year’s 1.4% increase was by far the fastest pace among the Group of Seven nations. While that helps explain Canada’s strong jobs data, Mr. Porter says, it “does not … [Read more...]
With This Plan You Can Save More in 8 Years than in 32 Without It
In October of 1999 I explained why there is only one right way to save; early and often. I wrote: Compound Interest: Your Key to Wealth Here’s an example of the power of compound interest that I hope you will pass on to your children and grandchildren. We have two hypothetical investors, Chad and Tad. Chad starts right out of his MBA program investing $1,200 a year starting at age 25 through the time he is 32-years old. He makes eight $1,200 investments. Chad then oddly becomes a monk, ending his savings days. Assume just a modest 9% annual return through age 64, just pre Chad’s 65-year … [Read more...]
Growing Up Must-See TV and the Soul of America
Growing up must-see TV was Thursday nights with The Cosby Show. Next Thursday’s must-see TV will be the Joe Biden show as the Democrats will debate for three hours. “Biden will be on stage, taking incoming missiles for 180 minutes from nine rivals, each of whom is hungry for the Democratic nomination and has a huge investment in seeing him stumble and fall,” writes Pat Buchanan at TAC. It’s hard not to feel bad for Sleepy Joe. And to see the truth in what PB writes. Because it may be a long night for Joe. “If he stumbles that night, misremembers or misspeaks repeatedly in the … [Read more...]
States Prepare for Battle Against Internet Behemoths
A number of states are launching antitrust probes against Google and Facebook over their business practices. John D. McKinnon reports for The Wall Street Journal: State attorneys general are formally launching separate antitrust probes into Facebook Inc. FB -2.10% and Alphabet Inc. GOOG -0.35% ’s Google unit starting next week, according to people familiar with the matter, putting added pressure on tech giants already under federal scrutiny. The Google probe is expected to be announced at a news conference outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, with a bipartisan group of about three … [Read more...]
Another Legendary Investor Sounds the Alarm on Investments that Have Taken Over Nearly Half the Stock Market
I warned investors last year to heed the words of Vanguard founder Jack Bogle when he sounded the alarm on index funds. Now, Michael Burry, whose story was immortalized in The Big Short as one of the first investors to call the subprime mortgage crisis, has echoed Bogle's warning. CNBC's Yun Li reports Burry has said of the bubble in index investing "the longer it goes on, the worse the crash will be." She writes: Low-cost passive vehicles have gained popularity on Main Street. Passive investments have now taken over nearly half of the stock market as more investors shun stock pickers and … [Read more...]