Tiny remote Sweden, partially sitting in the polar region, is home to only a little over 10 million souls. China, meanwhile, is a massive country, home to nearly 1.4 billion. You may not think Sweden would have the wherewithal to defeat China in any theater of competition, but in one growing industry, Sweden is prepared to dominate its Chinese rival. In the race for 5G technology leadership, Sweden’s Ericsson may be about to best China’s Huawei. Or, more accurately, Huawei’s ties to China’s Communist Party government are about to blow the technology company’s chances of a worldwide 5G … [Read more...]
Archives for June 2020
Another Reason I don’t Like Municipal Bonds
The Federal Reserve has now become the lender of last resort to the nation's most mismanaged states and cities. This is just one more reason I don't like municipal bonds. Heather Gillers and Nick Timiraos report in The Wall Street Journal: The Federal Reserve said it would again broaden the number of local governments eligible for a new lending program as Illinois announced it would be the first borrower to access the facility. The central bank said Wednesday it would allow all 50 states to designate two cities or counties to sell debts directly to the central bank’s program, creating an … [Read more...]
Multi-Channel is the Only Way Forward for Retailers
In retail, companies with strong e-commerce platforms fared much better than those lacking a strong online presence. Dick’s Sporting goods was one of the relative winners in brick and mortar retail. Dick’s made investments in its online platform pre-COVID that allowed the firm to roll out a curbside pick up a few days after the company closed all of its stores. Sales were still down 30% year-over-year in the quarter, but it could have been worse. Kohl’s reported sales down 45% for the quarter. The Coronavirus crisis should be a wakeup call to all brick and mortar retailers. Being able to … [Read more...]
Your Retirement Life: Bankrupt in Two Weeks
When an investment sounds "too good to be true” we immediately know the refrain. Why then do investors get stuck in this trap time after time? Because it’s those who can’t afford to lose money who take the biggest hits. Which reminds me, by the way, who can afford to lose money? No one. When investors look for the market to do something for them, they are immediately placed on a slippery slope. When investors sell out of the market they now need Mr. Market to help them make up for their losses. Then, along comes an investment product with a fancy gimmick that appears to be fail-proof. And … [Read more...]
Dudley: Moral Hazard Unleashed by Fed’s Emergency Programs
The Federal Reserve's emergency coronavirus programs have unleashed the possible dangers of moral hazard in financial markets once again. Former NY Fed President William Dudley explained the situation to Bloomberg. Alister Bull reports: Federal Reserve support for U.S. corporate debt, designed to preserve market functioning during the coronavirus pandemic, could have the unintended consequence of encouraging more risky behavior, said former New York Federal Reserve Bank President William Dudley. “People who have high-yield debt that’s outstanding, a lot of times that’s happened by choice,” … [Read more...]
America’s Bravest Protect Our Cities, Blue State Politicians Let ‘em Burn
While America’s bravest protect our cities, blue state politicians let ‘em burn. Last night on his primetime Fox News show, Tucker Carlson called out blue state politicians for abandoning their constituents as rioters, looters, and murderers took to the streets. Watch the latest video at foxnews.com In Philadelphia, looters tried to rob the wrong store. A band of looters attempted to rob a gun shop, but the owner was ready for them. Corey Davis reports for ABC 6: Police said one person is dead following a shooting during a burglary attempt inside a South Philadelphia gun store early … [Read more...]
Mortgage Delinquencies Soar
Shockingly, but unsurprisingly, mortgage delinquencies soared last month. Worst hit were lodging and retail loans. Joe Rennison writes for the Financial Times: The percentage of commercial property loans left unpaid by borrowers in the US more than trebled last month, in a sign of a deepening crisis in the $1.3tn market for bonds backed by the mortgages. The delinquency rate on loans underpinning commercial mortgage-backed securities rose from 2.3 per cent in April to 7.4 per cent in May, according to the data service Trepp. Borrowers are considered delinquent when they fail to make a … [Read more...]
Harley-Davidson in Transition, Probably a Takeover Target
Debbie and I have put over 100,000 miles on our Harleys riding across the United States and Canada. My riding days are behind me, but as a devotee, I keep an eye on Harley’s business, as I have for years. If you’re one of my long-time readers, you know Harley was Young Research’s stock of the decade in the 1990s. In June 1998, I and millions of Harley-Davidson fans celebrated the company’s 95tht anniversary. I wrote then: For about $18,000, you can be astride a classic American cruiser, the Harley-Davidson Road King—if you can get one. This summer Debbie and I will ride our Harleys … [Read more...]
You Need to Seek Some Shelter for When Things Get Ugly
Coronavirus Infects Stock Market: Part LVI “Requests for driving directions on Apple Inc.’s Maps app are back around mid January levels, while data from Dutch location technology firm TomTom International BV show traffic congestion gradually climbing in some late U.S. cities, though it is still down substantially from March levels in many,” reports the WSJ. But after this weekend’s riots, who is in a rush to visit a city? The future of the city is on the rocks. Blue state governors and mayors have gone wild. They’re a fiscal mess. Consider the self-inflicted wreckage of mismanaged … [Read more...]
Is Remote Working About to Set Off a Flight to the Suburbs?
Laura Forman reports in The Wall Street Journal: The rise of remote working could empower renters in places like New York City and San Francisco to finally buy homes—just not necessarily in those cities. That could be good news for major online real-estate companies such as Zillow ZG +0.47% and Redfin RDFN -0.47% once the market thaws out. Transactions have plummeted globally as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Global real-estate tech strategist Mike DelPrete says short-lived transaction declines of as much as 90% have been observed in cities in China, South Korea and Italy at the … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 3
- 4
- 5