Greece insists it has met all of the conditions for another bailout, but only one vote matters, that of the creditors who say Greece hasn’t. One of the stickiest issues is hiking taxes on farmers. But if tax hikes is what the creditors want, that’s what they will get. Greece should realize that by now….
As we enter the heart of second quarter earnings season, all the major indices sold off two percent or more last week, and volatility has increased within the equity markets over the past month even as stocks are almost exactly at the same level. This week started with a significant test as the Chinese market…
Gold’s recent collapse has triggered some questions as to the cause of the weakness more fundamental that the extraordinary dumping of gold last Sunday night just as Shanghai was opening. That selling triggered a rout that has taken gold under $1,100, to six year lows. Six major reasons can be provided, with different time-frames and…
Just two years after Toy’R’Us attempted (and failed) to IPO, Bloomberg reports that insurance companies are cutting back on their coverage of the firm’s suppliers. Without this ‘insurance’, which protects suppliers in case a retailer fails to pay them for merchandise – as in the event of a bankruptcy – the risks of shipping to the retail chain soar….
My “try to be a partial bull” yesterday blew up in my face. Not to be vanquished, I gave it another go today, and it’s working out (so far!) My best winners have been XOP and XME, and I’ve got a smattering of other long positions. In addition, I’ve trimmed back substantially on my shorts. Having…
Cummins Inc.’s (CMI – Analyst Report) earnings per share increased 7.8% to $2.62 in the second quarter of 2015 from $2.43 a year ago. Earnings also surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.55. Meanwhile, net income improved 5.6% to $471 million from $446 million in the second quarter of 2014. The upside was buoyed by better performance…
Last night, during the 4pm daily broadcast, I discussed the markets and stated the market was due for a “reflex bounce” as soon as tomorrow. While the bounce in the market today is being attributed to further interventions by the Chinese government to try and forestall the bursting of the equity bubble in their market, the reality is the…
Commodity prices are now in a freefall. The bearish downtrend will leave few survivors, especially companies heavily indebted from excessive acquisitions from the past. The mechanics around financial strain for firms like Breitburn Energy (NASDAQ:BBEP) and Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE:CLF) are easy to grasp for investors. Revenue is falling and is companies cannot manage their debt levels. Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX), which acquired…
United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS – Analyst Report) reported second-quarter 2015 earnings of $1.35 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 9 cents. Earnings were also up 12% on a year-over-year basis.Strong international growth boosted results. The earnings beat seems to have pleased the company’s investors. Consequently, shares have gained in early trading. United Parcel Service Inc….
