Events
Don’s Notebook May 3, 2018

Don’s Notebook May 3, 2018

Don’s Notebook May 3, 2018 March looks to have been a very good month for the trade balance, the month when tariffs and trade wars first hit the news. The trade deficit fell in March to $49.0 billion with the Chinese deficit, narrowing to $25.9 billion from February's...

Don’s Notebook May 1, 2018

Don’s Notebook May 1, 2018

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM report) came in lower than Street consensus at 57.3 (vs. estimates of 57.5-60.) This survey asks purchasing managers about the general direction of production, new orders, order backlogs, their own inventories, customer...

IPOs come roaring to life

IPOs come roaring to life

April is shaping up to the best month for initial public offerings in years. Data from ClickIPO shows over $10 billion of new equity entered the market in April. That's the most since September 2014. Combined volume in the first four months of the year also stands at...

Don’s Notebook April 27, 2018

Don’s Notebook April 27, 2018

Don’s Notebook April 27, 2018 Today's GDP report was keyed to consumer spending levels. A sharp rise in service spending helped keep first-quarter GDP in the respectable range, at an annualized 2.3 percent rate and 3 tenths above Street estimates. Service spending...

Could have been worse: Earnings this week

Could have been worse: Earnings this week

It could have been worse. That's the good news for investors sifting through earnings this week. Just look at Facebook (FB). The social media giant got slammed by reports of data breeches last month, but it seemed to have little impact on first-quarter results last...

Don’s Notebook April 26, 2018

Don’s Notebook April 26, 2018

Don’s Notebook April 26, 2018 Durable goods were expected to post another month of strength including for capital goods, results that would confirm acceleration for the factory sector. Excluding transportation equipment, however, durable goods orders came in...

Good, bad and ugly: Earnings this week

Good, bad and ugly: Earnings this week

It's the first big week of first-quarter earnings. Here are some big takeaways so far. Netflix (NFLX) is the flashiest name overall, spiking to new all time highs after adding 7.4 million subscribers in the first quarter. That's like signing up the entire Dallas-Fort...

Don’s Notebook April 19, 2018

Don’s Notebook April 19, 2018

This morning’s pre-market Initial Jobless claim report was favorable, at 232,000 in the April 14 week. This is 5,000 higher than the mid-March reading which offers a sample-week to sample-week comparison for the monthly employment report. A rise in jobless claims may...

Markets seem to be climbing a wall of worry

Markets seem to be climbing a wall of worry

This article is not a recommendation and is intended for educational purposes only. "Stocks climb a wall of worry." Most of us have heard the expression. Now it may be playing out before our eyes. After all, we've had worries. Trade wars with China. Presidential...

Don’s Notebook April 13, 2018

Don’s Notebook April 13, 2018

For today’s trade observers tell us to should watch for labor market stress in the JOLTS report and whether job openings continue to far outpace hirings. The preliminary reading for April of the University of Michigan Consumer sentiment index came in below the low...