Stocks set for steady start ahead of China data
Asian stocks looked set for a steady open Monday as traders await key Chinese economic data and monitor bond-market volatility triggered by high inflation and the prospect of tighter monetary policy.
Australian shares edged up, while futures for Japan and Hong Kong rose. U.S. contracts pushed higher after technology shares bolstered the S&P 500 on Friday, underlining the stock market's resilience to price pressures stoked by supply chain and labor disruptions. The yen slipped.
Morgan Stanley economists see 2023 Fed hike, differ with CEO
$Morgan Stanley (MS.US)$ economists are sticking with their prediction that the Federal Reserve won't raise interest rates until 2023, breaking ranks with their own chief executive officer.
The economists sound more dovish than Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman. He expressed concern last month that "money is a bit too free and available right now," and said the Fed should "start moving" in the first quarter of 2022.
Profit-plumped stock market walks past inflation shock with barely a bruise
It took the hottest inflation print in 3 decades to finally halt the
$S&P 500 Index (.SPX.US)$'s five-week advance. But it was hardly a body blow for a stock market where resilience continues to be the headline story.
Companies across industries have managed to navigate supply chain bottlenecks and climbing input costs by raising prices, which have been readily absorbed by consumers -- so far.
Oil traded at almost $150 the last time $4 gasoline hit 3 states
U.S. retail gasoline prices are poised to average more than $4 a gallon in three states for the first time in 13 years as energy prices surge and fan fears of inflation.
The average price of gasoline is already above $4 a gallon in California and Hawaii and, at $3.97 a gallon, is poised to cross the mark in Nevada as well, according to AAA. The last time that happened in three states at the same time was in 2008, a time when oil surged to an all-time record of more than $147 a barrel.
Musk taunts Bernie Sanders, suggests he'd sell more Tesla stock
Elon Musk, the world's wealthiest person, began his Sunday sparring with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, who tweeted a day earlier that "we must demand that the extremely wealthy pay their fair share." Musk even raised the notion of selling more of his
$Tesla (TSLA.US)$ shares, which would require him to pay taxes on the gains.
"I keep forgetting that you're still alive," Musk, the chief executive officer of Tesla and SpaceX, tweeted in a reply to the 80-year-old senator from Vermont. In a subsequent tweet, Musk asked: "Want me to sell more stock, Bernie? Just say the word…"
Trumps selling prized Washington, D.C., hotel for $375 million
Donald Trump's family hotel company has reached an agreement to sell the rights to its glittering Washington, D.C., hotel for $375 million, according to people familiar with the matter.
The House committee said the hotel lost more than $70 million between its opening in 2016 and last year, leading the Trumps' company to inject at least $24 million in aid. The Trumps have disputed those findings.
Chip shortage has manufacturers turning to lower-tech models
Manufacturers struggling with a shortage of semiconductor chips are finding workarounds, executives said, redesigning products, shipping uncompleted units and focusing on older, lower-tech models.
After pushing for years to add digital features like screens and wireless connectivity, makers of appliances and vehicles are reversing, temporarily, to continue supplying products to dealers and consumers amid a shortfall in semiconductors that industry officials project will last into next year.
Inflation bets give a boost to small-cap stocks
Small-cap stocks have leapt higher in recent days as investors bet on companies they hope can respond quickly to rising inflation.
The
$Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF (VTWO.US)$ of smaller stocks has advanced 5% in November, outpacing the S&P 500 large-cap benchmark's 1.7% gain. On Nov. 2, the Russell 2000 ended a seven-month drought with a record close and has since added three more.
Within the small-cap corner of the stock market, recent strong performers include teen-apparel retailer
$Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF.US)$, up 16% in November;
$Tanger (SKT.US)$, up 20%; burger joint
$Shake Shack (SHAK.US)$, up 22%; and
$Goodyear Tire & Rubber (GT.US)$, up 23%.
Source: Bloomberg, WSJ
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