JPMorgan Turns Positive on US Stocks, Sees S&P 500 Advancing in 2025…
What Does It Mean – JPMorgan forecasts a modest upside for the S&P 500 through mid-2025, driven by sector-specific opportunities amid expected market volatility. Key areas of focus include high-quality software and industrials benefiting from secular tailwinds like reshoring and industrial policy support. The firm anticipates a shift from semiconductor-led gains to broader tech sector growth, emphasizing cash flow generation and capital discipline. Despite potential election-related uncertainties, JPMorgan remains optimistic about the U.S. economy’s resilience, projecting continued earnings growth and a favorable environment for value stocks as interest rates decline.
Black Friday Sales Accelerate With Online a Bright Spot…
What Does It Mean – Black Friday 2024 saw a significant increase in online spending, reaching a record $9.8 billion in the U.S., driven by consumer preference for online deals over in-store shopping. Despite high inflation, discounts averaging 35% attracted buyers, although foot traffic in physical stores remained low. Retailers faced challenges with lackluster sales forecasts, but the shift to e-commerce provided a positive outlook. Adobe Analytics reported a 7.5% year-over-year growth in online sales, indicating resilience in consumer spending despite economic pressures. The trend suggests a continued emphasis on digital retail strategies for future holiday seasons.
Charting the Global Economy: Sticky Inflation Backs Fed Caution…
What Does It Mean – Persistent inflation is prompting the Federal Reserve to maintain a cautious stance on interest rate cuts. Despite some progress, inflation remains above the Fed’s 2% target, leading to a consensus among policymakers to delay rate reductions. The U.S. economy’s strength, with low unemployment and robust job availability, supports this cautious approach. The Fed’s focus has shifted to year-over-year inflation rates, which remain elevated. This strategy aims to ensure sustained progress towards price stability before easing monetary policy. The Fed’s patience is bolstered by the economy’s resilience, reducing the urgency for immediate rate cuts.
The Wrong Oil Price Is Truthfully a Problem for OPEC+…
What Does It Mean – OPEC faces challenges in stabilizing oil prices due to fluctuating global demand and geopolitical tensions. The cartel’s strategy of production cuts to maintain price levels is undermined by non-OPEC producers and internal disagreements1. Additionally, the rise of alternative energy sources and economic uncertainties complicate efforts to predict and control market dynamics. OPEC’s influence is further weakened by the need to balance member countries’ economic needs with global market stability. Without cohesive action and adaptation to new market realities, OPEC’s ability to manage oil prices effectively will continue to diminish.
Bah, humbug! Vandal smashes Ebenezer Scrooge’s tombstone used in ‘A Christmas Carol’ movie…
If life imitates art, a vandal in the English countryside may be haunted by The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.
Police in the town of Shrewsbury are investigating how a tombstone that marked the fictional grave of Ebenezer Scrooge was destroyed. The movie prop used in the 1984 adaption of “A Christmas Carol” was kept in place and became a tourist attraction.
Town Clerk Helen Ball said the town is discussing what should be done to fix or replace the stone that is “hugely popular” with residents and visitors. This time of year, organized tours of locations used in the movie visit the grounds of St. Chad’s Church to see the marker.
“There’s not much to see other than broken bits of the gravestone,” Ball told The Associated Press. “You can’t see that it says Ebenezer Scrooge at the moment because it’s so damaged. It’s hugely disrespectful.”
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Relative strength measures the price performance of a stock against a market average, a selected universe of stocks or a single alternative holding. Relative strength improves if it rises faster in an uptrend, or falls less in a downtrend. It is easily applied to individual positions in your portfolio and to sectors and asset classes.
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