Analysis by Chris Isidore, CNN New York (CNN) — The Dow Jones Industrial Average is supposed to represent the 30 companies that are cornerstones of the US economy, those whose success makes them stand out from their peers on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. For most of the last five years, that has not described Boeing (BA). And so it’s a legitimate question if the aircraft maker still belongs in the blue-chip index. And it’s a question with only one correct answer: No. “If you want bellwether, strong balance sheet companies, they don’t check those boxes any longer,”…
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The European Central Bank (ECB) yesterday lowered its deposit facility rate by 25bp for the second time this year (and its other two rates by 60bp, but that was just a technical twist that meant to narrow the spread between the deposit facility and the main refinancing rate from 50 to 15bp, so don’t be confused: it was not an additional easing and didn’t see any sharp reaction from the market). But ECB Chief Christine Lagarde kept a poker face for what’s next and said that there is no commitment to a particular rate path. And the updated forecasts didn’t…
(Bloomberg) — China suspended the operations of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for six months and imposed a record fine over lapses in its auditing of China Evergrande Group.Most Read from BloombergThe accounting firm was fined a total of 441 million yuan ($62 million), according to statements by the Ministry of Finance and the China Securities Regulatory Commission released Friday. The regulator also revoked the license of its Guangzhou branch, the main auditor of Evergrande’s inflated financial reports from 2018 to 2020.PwC has been under the spotlight after China launched one of the biggest investigations of financial fraud in history. Authorities said developer…
(Bloomberg) — India’s government is ready to offer the Maldives emergency financial support to help ease the island nation’s financial woes as risks of the first sukuk default loom, people familiar with the matter said.Most Read from BloombergThe Maldives can immediately tap $400 million available under the Reserve Bank of India’s currency swap program that’s open to regional countries, Indian officials said, asking not to be identified before a final decision is made. The country can also seek long-term loans under a $800 million line of credit extended to the government in 2019, the people said.It’s unclear if the Maldives…
As usual, the existential issue of climate change got short shrift during Tuesday’s presidential debate. Kamala Harris retreated to the middle, bragging about record oil production under the Biden administration, while Donald Trump offered his usual word salad. (Slate) A New York Times reporter who’s been covering self-driving cars for a decade explains firsthand why they still need human help. Global banks have helped fossil fuel companies hide almost $7 billion in tax havens, according to a new study. (Reuters) For families that live in urban areas, biking and walking around the city instead of driving is good for your…
For much of the last 60 years, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B) CEO Warren Buffett has been lapping Wall Street’s major stock indexes with ease.The “Oracle of Omaha,” as he’s been affably dubbed by the investing community, has overseen an average annual return in his company’s Class A shares (BRK.A) that nearly doubles up the annualized total return of the benchmark S&P 500, including dividends, since the mid-1960s. More recently, he witnessed Berkshire reaching a trillion-dollar valuation, which is a mark only eight U.S.-listed companies have ever achieved.Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett. Image source: The Motley Fool.Even though Warren Buffett…
Senate Bill 265, known as the “Delaware Energy Solutions Act of 2024,” was enacted into law on Thursday, Sept. 5, after being signed by Gov. John Carney, along with a number of other climate-change related bills.Four bills and one substitution were approved by the governor, who is also the Democratic nominee for mayor of Wilmington. The new legislation relates to offshore wind, electric vehicle infrastructure and updating development processes.Here are the details on the newly signed pieces of legislation.Offshore wind bill is officially lawSB265, which has made its way through various Senate committees and representatives, creates a framework for Delaware…
Investors looking to put money to work in a credit card stock face two challenges: valuations and the risks of worsening consumer credit quality. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to find a credit card stock that can weather the credit cycle and is trading at an attractive price, according to Morningstar analyst Michael Miller.“While we think some of the fears surrounding credit card defaults are overstated, both net charge-offs and delinquencies are now solidly above normal levels,” he says. “Despite this, we still see opportunity in the sector.”Against fears around the resilience of credit card stocks, Miller points to…
TimesSquare Capital Management, an equity investment management company, released its “U.S. Mid Cap Growth Strategy” second-quarter investor letter. A copy of the same can be downloaded here. The equity markets performed well in the second quarter, as long as one held only a small number of the biggest, fastest-growing U.S. stocks. Given the Magnificent Seven’s superior performance, differences in growth and value among large caps were downplayed. There wasn’t much style diversity between mid-caps, small caps, or outside the U.S. In the second quarter, the strategy returned -2.94% (gross) and -3.14% (net) while the Russell Midcap Growth Index returned -3.21%.…
A deep pool of talent and a high level of sophistication in financial and legal services are just two advantages that make Hong Kong an ideal gateway for businesses to expand in Southeast Asia as well as in the Middle East, analysts said at a forum on Thursday.These factors should foster greater cooperation between Hong Kong and these two regions, which are among the world’s fastest-growing, they said during the Belt and Road Summit at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.”Hong Kong has distinctive advantages,” said Winnie Fan, deputy general manager of global corporate banking at Bank of China…