Q: What appears to be some of the largest dangers to the U.S. economy?
A: Global geopolitical risk of conflict, U.S. Treasury debt, Expiration of tax cuts, New Tax Proposals and Aggressive regulation that could stifle innovation and corporate profits just to name a few.
Q: What are some of the current positives for the U.S. economy?
A: The Atlanta Federal Reserves’ Real GDPNow growth number for the second quarter has spiked to 3.9% as of April 26, 2024. The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Supercycle potentially delivers efficiencies and productivity that enhance corporate profits along with economic growth. Lastly, Ed Yardeni, of Yardeni Research, forecasts that the S&P 500 Index could reach 5,400 by year end.
Headline Round Up
*Investors Love Rising Dividends: Energy Transfer Hits 52-Week High!
*Eureka! Wyoming Hits the Rare-Earth Elements Motherload!
*Ford’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Division Reported Losses of $1.3 Billion in Q1 which amount to $132,000 Per Car of the 10,000 Vehicles Sold in the First Quarter. Ford projects its EV unit will have EBIT losses of $5 billion for the year. in Q1.
*Why China Keeps Making More Cars Than It Needs.
*Uh Oh! Philadelphia Based Republic First Collapses in First Bank Failure of 2024.
*26 Year Old Etsy Candle Seller Works 20 Minutes a Day & Generated $462,000 in Revenue Last Year?
*Wharton’s Professor of Finance, Jeremy Siegel, Still Sees Gains Ahead This Summer.
*Elon’s Trip to China: Tesla Stock Spikes 16% After Passing Significant Hurdle for Self-Driving Cars in China.
*Morgan Stanley Flips from Bear to Bull on EBay over EBay’s Use of Generative AI.
*Microsoft “Really in the Driver’s Seat When It Comes to AI”, Says Dan Morgan Senior Portfolio Manager at Synovus Trust Co.
*AbbVie Raises 2024 Forecast on Newer Drugs Replacing Humira Losses.
Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (12/29/2023 – 05/02/2024)
– Courtesy of Bloomberg LP
Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund, Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 & SPDR Standard & Poor’s 500 Exchange Traded Fund Trust (12/29/2023 – 05/02/2024)
– Courtesy of Bloomberg LP
Standard & Poor’s 500 Index – Quarterly Earnings Analysis by Sector (02/16/2024 – 05/15/2024)
– Courtesy of Bloomberg LP
SPDR S&P 500 Exchanged Traded Fund (ETF) (01/01/1993 – 12/31/1999)
– Courtesy of Bloomberg LP
Bitcoin Currency Spot Price (05/04/2019 – 05/02/2024)
– Courtesy of Bloomberg LP
Peloton Interactive, Inc. (09/27/2019 – 05/02/2024)
– Courtesy of Bloomberg LP
Profit Report
Billionaire Morning Routines: Mark Cuban vs. Jeff Bezos.
Are Investors Confused Yet? The IRS’s Required Minimum Distribution Rules.
