Equities stock watch

Representative image Shares slipped and the dollar hung off recent highs on Tuesday as investors eyed U.S. inflation data due a day later that will likely yield clues to any further aggressive Federal Reserve rate hikes. The stakes are high for the July U.S. consumer prices report on Wednesday after an unexpectedly strong U.S. jobs data last week boosted expectations of a sharp interest rate increase to tackle soaring inflation. The broader Euro STOXX 600 fell 0.6%, after logging its best session in nearly two weeks on Monday, with German stocks down 0.7%. Miners and autos, among top gainers a day earlier, led declines on Tuesday. Wall Street futures pointed to slim gains. "The focus is on tomorrow's U.S. inflation numbers and whether or not they are likely to show any indication of a softening of inflationary pressures," said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets. Close "Are we near the peak, and will tomorrow's CPI numbers reflect that?" … [Read more...] about Stocks stumble as caution reigns ahead of U.S. inflation data

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) edged higher on Tuesday despite the latest gross domestic product numbers showing the economy expanded slower than expected to 7.4 percent in the second quarter of the year. The PSEi rose 0.54 percent, or 34.73 points, to 6,468.97 while the broader All Shares index added 0.22 percent, or 7.71 points, to 3,456.44. The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) said growth in the second quarter might have been higher if oil prices were stable. Economists polled by Reuters expected the economy to grow by 8.6 percent in the second quarter. “Nonetheless, the economy has shown its resilience despite this headwind. The impact on mobility has been minimal so far despite the increase in transport costs,” BPI said. The lender added that slower growth was expected in the second half of the year due to “fading base effects and the impact of inflation.” “Pent up demand may still be present but most likely it’s as strong as before. … [Read more...] about PH equities cheer strong Q2 economic growth

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Signet Jewelers, one of the world's largest fine jewelry retailers, said Tuesday that it has signed an agreement to acquire online fine jewelry retailer, Blue Nile, Inc., for $360 million in an all-cash transaction. Signet, in a statement, says Blue Nile delivered revenue of more than $500 million in calendar year 2021. Signet Jewelers , based in Akron, Ohio, currently owns the jewelry brands, Kay Jewelers, Zales, Jared, Banter by Piercing Pagoda, Diamonds Direct, JamesAllen.com, in the U.S.; Peoples, H. Samuel, Ernest Jones in the U.K.; and the jewelry subscription service, Rocksbox Calling it a “strategic acquisition,” Signet in its statement says that adding Blue Nile to its portfolio “accelerates Signet's efforts to expand its bridal offerings and grow its ‘Accessible Luxury’ portfolio while extending its digital leadership in the jewelry category.” The company adds that Blue Nile’s customer base is younger, more … [Read more...] about Signet Jewelers To Acquire Blue Nile For $360 Million In Cash

Representative image Impostor syndrome seems to be more common than actually thought, though at a collective level. People may often feel that the groups they are affiliated with may be underperforming in comparison to other groups. Although this self-critical approach may work in certain cases, it may also overlook the positives, and decrease the morale of those affiliated with the group. Many in India seem to have a collective/national-level impostor syndrome. While the Indian economy is much better placed than its peers in the emerging markets, and other economies, the government is being criticised on the economic front. The criticism comes when the fundamentals of the Indian economy are robust, despite the exogenous shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, monetary policy tightening by the US Federal Reserve, the Ukraine-Russia conflict, and inflated crude oil prices. India's macroeconomic health remains robust despite external pressures, and ongoing … [Read more...] about Bibek Debroy writes: India’s economy is better placed than its peers, other economies around the world

U.S. stocks continued to claw their way back last week, especially growth stocks . For the week, the Nasdaq posted a gain of 2.2% and the S&P 500 rose 0.4%. The Dow? Not so much, sliding just 0.1%. A blowout jobs report for July offered up another dose of good news for the economy and not-so-good news for the stock market, but equity investors hung in there. U.S. employers added 528,000 jobs to their payrolls last month , which was more than twice what was expected, and that added credence to the Federal Reserve 's stance that the U.S. economy is not in a recession given the continued strength of the labor market. So, the thinking goes, the Fed will continue to be aggressive in raising interest rates to cool down inflation, because it's not impacting companies' willingness to hire. That led to a steep selloff in U.S. Treasurys, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury note ending the week at 2.83%. Oil prices continue to tumble, hitting their lowest level since early … [Read more...] about Live from InvestFest with Downtown Josh Brown, BitBoy Crypto, and Lamar Wilson

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin In a surprise announcement, online jeweler Blue Nile said Monday that it has entered into an agreement to be acquired by an investor group comprised of funds managed by Bain Capital Private Equity and Bow Street LLC . The all-cash deal is valued at $500 million. The announcement came at the same time the Seattle-based company released its third quarter earnings report that disclosed a 4.3 percent drop in net sales. The report was issued without comment and a conference call scheduled for Monday was abruptly canceled. Bain Capital and Bow Street will acquire 100 percent of the outstanding shares of Blue Nile common stock. Blue Nile stockholders will receive $40.75 in cash per share, representing a premium of approximately 34 percent over Blue Nile's closing price on November 4. The deal, which requires customary closing conditions, including the approval of Blue Nile's stockholders and regulatory approvals, is expected … [Read more...] about Blue Nile To Be Acquired By Bain Capital and Bow Street, Goes Private, Q3 Sales Down 4.3%

Quek's Hong Leong Bank stake seen as attractive despite premium valuation - A + A Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan (Photo by Bloomberg) KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 10): Hong Leong Bank Bhd chairman Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan's reported attempt to pare down his controlling stake in the bank may not be an easy task, given the size of his shareholding and the premium valuation, whose share price is hovering near the historic high of RM21.20 it reached in May. Hong Leong Bank, with a market capitalisation of RM45.26 billion, is a screaming buy among analysts tracking the banking stock because of its attractive return-on-equity (ROE) and asset quality. There is not a single sell call on Hong Leong Bank. Nonetheless, this raises the question whether its rivals will pay a premium for it? Quek controls 62% of Hong Leong Bank via Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd (HLFG), which is way above the 10% limit that any individual is allowed to hold in a financial institution, according to the … [Read more...] about Hong Leong Bank seen as attractive but are there any buyers?

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin An investor group comprised of Bain Capital Private Equity, Bow Street and Adama Partners completed the acquisition of online diamond and jewelry retailer, Blue Nile, Friday for $40.75 per share in cash, the Seattle-based company said in a statement. A Securities and Exchange Commission 8-K document said the “total amount of funds used to complete the merger and related transactions and pay related fees and expenses was approximately $520 million.” The transaction was first announced on Nov. 7, 2016 , and was approved by Blue Nile's shareholders on February 2. Trading in Blue Nile’s common stock on NASDAQ will end February 21. “Blue Nile has disrupted and transformed the way consumers shop for and purchase diamonds and fine jewelry by creating price transparency while simultaneously providing value to suppliers,” said Blue Nile chairman, CEO and president Harvey Kanter. “As we enter the next phase of growth, Blue Nile will … [Read more...] about Blue Nile Acquisition Completed, Company To Go Private

- A + A (Aug 9): China’s top auditor is conducting a review of the US$3 trillion trust industry, paving the way for a potential overhaul of a key shadow banking sector where losses on property loans are mounting. In an unscheduled move, the National Audit Office — which previously led an examination of bank exposures to Jack Ma’s Ant Group Co — has for the past month been inspecting the books of at least 20 trust firms, including the top five, to gauge the risks they pose to financial stability, according to people familiar with the matter. The firms are being asked to report on their risky loans to developers and any plans to dispose of them, the people said, asking not to be named as they’re not authorised to speak publicly. The audit office is expected to submit its conclusions to policy makers in Beijing, who may decide on the future reforms of the sector, the people said. While it is unclear what regulatory action the scrutiny will spur, the move illustrates … [Read more...] about China orders surprise audit of US$3 trillion trust industry

Key Takeaways Analysts estimate adjusted EPS of 95 cents vs. 80 cents in Q3 FY 2021. Disney+ subscribers are expected to rise YOY, but at the slowest pace in at least seven quarters. Revenue is expected to grow at a solid rate, but to slow compared with the past several quarters. The Walt Disney Co. ( DIS ) business has recovered strongly in recent quarters as the company has emerged from the extreme impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its theme parks and live experiences. And while most of the company's parks have reopened, business growth is also being fueled by Disney's popular streaming platforms. Both Disney+ and Disney-owned Hulu have experienced sharp increases in subscriptions in recent quarters. But the prospect of ads being sold on the service and other business concerns for the streaming industry more broadly continue to loom. Investors will be watching to see how Disney navigates this environment when it reports earnings on Aug. 10, 2022, for Q3 FY … [Read more...] about Disney Q3 FY 2022 Earnings Report Preview: What to Look For