Markets
The Bond-Market Comeback Of 2023 Is Heading To First Big Test
Investors have been plowing back into bonds, drawn by elevated yields amid expectations that an economic slowdown will drive the Fed to stop its hikes. .
China’s Big Comeback Is Just Getting Started. How to Play It.
Talk about a comeback. As China abandons policies that stifled economic growth for three years, its stocks have staged an extraordinary rally—up more than 50% since October. This could be just the beginning. Money managers say a broad range of stocks could keep climbing throughout this year. The catalyst is clear: Policy makers in the … Read more
Chevron, Comcast, and 10 More Companies That Raised Their Stock Dividends
Text size Kimberly-Clark raised its dividend this week. Pavel Sytsko/Dreamstime.com Chevron , Kimberly Clark , Archer-Daniels Midland , spirit Comcast were among the large US companies that announced dividend increases this week. It was a busy week for these announcements, with the fourth-quarter earnings season in full swing. Chevron (ticker: CVX) declared a quarterly dividend … Read more
An Unstoppable Stock Market Is About to Meet the Immovable Fed
Text size The central bank can’t be happy with the easing of financial conditions that occurs anytime the stock market rallies. Michael Nagle/Bloomberg The stock market has acted as if the Federal Reserve doesn’t exist as it jumps out to a quick start to the year. Expect Fed Chairman Jerome Powell to remind it when … Read more
2 Natural-Gas Stocks to Play the Coming Rebound
The collapse in natural-gas prices in recent months has generated a fraction of the attention of the run-up of the first half of 2022. But it could dent 2023 profits industrywide—and dampen inflation by reducing heating and electricity costs this year. Natural gas traded on Friday at $2.90 per million British thermal units, down 8% … Read more
Americans Fall Behind on Car Payments at Higher Rate Than in 2009
For Hatch, the total monthly bill for his car reached about $1,000, including the cost of insurance, thanks to a whopping 26% interest rate. Even if he can manage to save up enough to get the car back — about $1,100 for the repossession fee — there’s a strong chance he won’t be able to … Read more
Lucid Stock Soars. Here’s What’s Happening.
Text size Lucid shares roughly doubled at points on Friday. Courtesy of Lucid Group Lucid soared Friday, a move that is being attributed to unconfirmed rumors that the company could be acquired. Lucid (LCID) stock started moving just after noon Friday, and had nearly doubled, to $17.80, before being halted just before 1 pm It … Read more
Further market rally likened to ‘bathing in lava’ for bears, BofA says
Investors betting against the stock market have taken their lumps in 2023 and could be in for more trouble ahead, according to Bank of America. The S & P 500 has risen about 5.5% in just the first four weeks of the new year as investors have grown more confident that the Federal Reserve’s efforts … Read more
PCE Data Show Another Drop in Fed’s Preferred Inflation Gauge
Text size The Fed is closely watching tightness in the labor market as a barometer for the health of the US economy. Above, a Chick-fil-A worker in Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images The Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation rose 4.4% annually in December, down from 4.7% in November, the latest sign that the era of … Read more