Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin I am happy that folks are reading some of my musings here. As SEC Commissioner Allison Herren Lee delivered her remarks at the annual The SEC Speaks on Oct. 12—focusing on the rapid growth of private markets in the 21 st century and the implication of this growth on investors and the economy at large—it was a vindicating moment for me as I have written on a number of the issues addressed. As it turns out, I have not been simply flashing my proverbial high beams in vain. As you all know, I frequently examine how legal and regulatory structures influence the shift in U.S. equities from public markets to private markets . I have been—and remain concerned—with the increasing lack of transparency in the private equity markets. Commissioner Lee pointed out that the private market is growing rapidly, and she acknowledged that it may be time for Congress and the Commission to scrutinize the problems and consider action to …
Did You Just Miss 1 of the Stock Market’s 20 Best Days Ever? Don’t Panic
The stock market got off to a strong start in the month of March, standing in stark contrast to the plunging markets that investors faced this time last year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average , S&P 500 , and Nasdaq Composite were all sharply higher as investors celebrated progress toward more stimulus payments to hard-hit Americans. Index Percentage Change Point Change Dow Jones Industrial Average ( DJINDICES:^DJI ) 1.95% 603 S&P 500 ( SNPINDEX:^GSPC ) 2.38% 91 Nasdaq Composite ( NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC ) 3.01% 396 Data source: Yahoo! Finance. Plenty of investors have been waiting on the sidelines lately, hoping that the huge run higher in stocks would give way to a pullback that would let them invest at slightly less lofty price levels. Yet as you can see from today's big move higher, not being in the market comes with consequences. You can count on seeing some old statistics that get …
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These 2 Premarket Winners Could Spur a Big Stock Market Rally
The stock market has been volatile, with a pullback in September reminding investors that stocks don't always move straight up. Nevertheless, some progress in Washington toward potentially reaching a resolution to the current debt crisis spurred enthusiasm among Wall Street's finest. As of 8 a.m. EDT, futures contracts on the Dow Jones Industrial Average ( DJINDICES:^DJI ) were up 288 points to 34,579. S&P 500 ( SNPINDEX:^GSPC ) futures rose 42 points to 4,396, and Nasdaq Composite ( NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC ) futures were higher by 180 points to 14,938. Earnings season doesn't kick off until next week, but a few companies are still reporting their results, and last night's numbers from Levi Strauss ( NYSE:LEVI ) showed a generally positive tone in retail that is encouraging going into the holiday shopping season. Meanwhile, after considerable speculation, Meredith ( NYSE:MDP ) finally received a formal acquisition bid that relieved nervous shareholders …
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These Surprise Stock Winners Are Lighting Up the Markets Friday
There's been considerable volatility on Wall Street in recent trading sessions, so market participants might well appreciate a quiet Friday morning to end the week on a calmer note. A big spike higher in interest rates has many investors watching the Federal Reserve for signs of moving forward on its tapering of quantitative easing-inspired bond purchases. As of 11:45 a.m. EDT, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ( DJINDICES:^DJI ) was down 42 points to 34,723. The S&P 500 ( SNPINDEX:^GSPC ) gave back 7 points to 4,442, and the Nasdaq Composite ( NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC ) fell 71 points to 14,981. On a relatively calm day, some lesser-followed stocks were able to come to the forefront with interesting news. Meredith ( NYSE:MDP ) and Vail Resorts ( NYSE:MTN ) were among the top gainers on the New York Stock Exchange. Below, we'll look more closely at what moved those companies and what could lie ahead for shareholders. A buyout for Meredith? Shares of …
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Why HubSpot Beat the Market on Wednesday
What happened On Wednesday, for the second day in a row, customer relationship-management (CRM) specialist HubSpot 's ( NYSE:HUBS ) stock price notched a fresh all-time high, rising by nearly 4% across the day. On the back of announcements made at the company's latest analyst day , a clutch of analysts raised their price targets on HubSpot shares. So what The big, market-moving announcement was that HubSpot is launching HubSpot Payments. As the name implies, this is a proprietary, digital "end-to-end" payment solution built into the HubSpot ecosystem. At least several of the analysts raising their price targets took pains to mention HubSpot Payments in their latest research notes. Image source: Getty Images. One was Needham & Company prognosticator Ryan McDonald, who kept his buy recommendation while significantly raising his price target on the tech stock to $870 from the previous $680. "While the [business-to-business] commerce/payments ecosystem is …
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Fifth-generation Colorado business tries a new approach based on old values to attract workers in tight labor market
Signs of labor shortages are everywhere. Restaurants have cut their hours, warehouses pile up with products that wait for truck drivers to deliver them and construction projects stretch out for weeks and months longer than expected. And if it were only about finding help. An estimated 4.3 million U.S. workers quit their jobs in August, or about nearly 3 out of 100 workers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The game for employers has shifted from not only recruiting candidates but retaining the workers they have and keeping new hires for the long haul. “We have been in business a long time, 110 years. Hiring for these positions is nothing new for us. What is new is the approach we are taking to the labor challenges that everyone is experiencing right now,” said Irma Lockridge, chief people and systems officer at CoorsTek in Golden, which has developed a program called CoorsTek Academy. CoorsTek saw demand for its ceramic products surge as the economy rebounded, …
Hong Kong’s IPO market withers as billion-dollar listings lapse
- A + A (Oct 17): Hong Kong’s primary-listing market is going through a dry patch in what is normally the busiest time of the year. Several potential billion-dollar initial public offerings ranging from supermarket owner WM Tech Corp to health-care startup We Doctor Holdings Ltd have let their applications lapse in recent weeks as regulatory scrutiny and stock market weakness crimps listings. Large IPOs falling by the wayside are a further sign of how China’s regulatory onslaught is causing a downturn in the financial hub’s market for first-time share sales. President Xi Jinping’s push to align companies with his vision of “common prosperity” has caused a roadblock and Hong Kong equity benchmarks are the world’s worst this year. “Where the wind blows largely depends on the industry of the IPO-aspirant,” said Justin Tang, head of Asian research at United First Partners in Singapore. “Companies in the consumer tech and real estate related sectors will continue …
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2 Innovative Semiconductor Stocks Set to Crush the Market in 2022
The benchmark S&P 500 market index has risen roughly 19% in 2021 (so far). But we're a few short months away from 2022, and some challenges on the horizon could garner uncertainty in the new year. Higher interest rates and less government stimulus are in the forecasts of many stock market pundits, and the explosive economic growth triggered by a reopening society trying to get past a (still present) pandemic will also likely have run its course in 2022. Image source: Getty Images. While that combination of factors could dampen market performance, it doesn't mean all returns will be negative. Investors might have to be more selective about the stocks they own, though, to generate comparable performance. Two semiconductor stocks are currently benefitting from industrywide supply shortages, and their products and services are likely to still be in high demand next year (and beyond). That could mean market-crushing returns for investors. Let's find out a bit more about …
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3 Stocks to Consider if the October Stock Market Sell-Off Worsens
Some investors view October as a terrible month for stocks. That take seemed to gain credence earlier this month as the stock market pulled back, although stocks have largely recovered since. In this Motley Fool Live video recorded on Oct. 6 , Motley Fool contributors Keith Speights and Brian Orelli discuss three stocks to consider buying if the stock market sell-off worsens. Keith Speights: We're talking and we're nearly a full week into October right now, the stock market is off to a rocky start so far this month, quite a few biotech stocks and other healthcare stocks as well are down quite a bit already. Are there any, Brian, that you think stand out as especially good picks to buy if this sell-off worsens going forward? Brian Orelli: I'd look for companies that have near-term catalysts, so that should help them revert to their true value if the catalysts are positive and that's an if but assuming that's the case, that should helped them substantially. One is …
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3 Dividend Stocks to Buy If the Stock Market Crashes
Most stocks sink when the stock market itself plunges. But there's a silver lining for investors when it happens. You get an opportunity to buy quality stocks a much lower prices. There's an even better scenario with well-run companies that pay dividends. Not only are their stocks available at a discount, but the lower share prices also allow you to lock in higher dividend yields . No one knows for sure whether the stock market will crash anytime soon. However, here are three dividend stocks to buy if it does. Image source: Getty Images. 1. Brookfield Renewable It's likely that Brookfield Renewable ( NYSE:BEP ) ( NYSE:BEPC ) stock would be pulled down if the overall stock market tanks. That's what happened last year during the pandemic-fueled sell-off. However, a stock market crash won't change the company's excellent growth prospects one bit. Brookfield Renewable ranks as a leading provider of renewable energy. It operates hydroelectric, solar, and wind …
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