U.S. Economy

Suspected white supremacists from Maryland and Delaware said to have discussed opening fire at pro-gun rally in Virginia Gun-rights advocates have rallied in Richmond, Va., on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for nearly two decadesThree suspected white supremacists arrested in Maryland and Delaware this week had discussed opening fire from different positions at Monday’s planned pro-gun rally in Richmond, Va., in the hopes of causing chaos, law-enforcement officials said.

Where Sanders, Warren, Buttigieg and the leading 2020 Democrats stand on climate change From a Green New Deal and a Blue New Deal to abandoning oil drilling and pricing carbon The field of Democrats looking to beat President Donald Trump this year — including the six on the stage Tuesday night — are aligned in their pledge to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. Most candidates want to end new fossil-fuel leasing on public lands and several are critical of fracking. A few have latched onto the Green New Deal.

Casper Sleep’s IPO expected to test appetite for loss-making unicorns Casper’s closest rival makes money, and that may prove a spoiler for this planned IPOMattress and sleep accessories company is going public on the NYSE, but it needs to convince investors it’s not just another Uber, Lyft or gulp, WeWork.

Stocks hit new highs as Dow, S&P 500 cap a record-setting week Nasdaq Composite heads for sixth consecutive weekly gain as Google-parent Alphabet joins trillion-dollar club U.S. stocks are trading modestly higher Friday, with the major benchmarks reaching new intraday highsy, after data on new U.S. home construction showed it surging to 13-year highs in December, adding to a series of indicators this week suggesting the economy is in good health.

Gold futures gain for the session, but end little changed for the week Palladium futures soar to more record highsGold futures moved higher Friday, but the yellow metal barely budges for the week as stocks rallied to all-time highs, helping to undercut some demand for assets perceived as havens.

Gold futures end higher for the session, barely changed for the weekGold futures , but barely budged for the week. "Gold has struggled to shine this week as positive economic data from the United States and China cooled concerns over the global economy," said Lukman Otunuga, senior research analyst at FXTM. "Appetite towards the metal was also bruised by the 'phase one' [U.S.-China] deal, which offered some light at the end of the long trade war tunnel. With stock markets hitting record highs and the dollar stabilizing, gold is positioned to weaken in the short term," he said. February gold rose $9.80, or 0.6%, to settle at $1,560.30 an ounce. Prices ended 20 cents higher than the week-ago settlement.

Fastenal’s Earnings Offer No Relief for Struggling Industrial Stocks Fastenal warned of weakness into the first half of 2020. Investors should pay attention to the industrial distributors results. They know industrial markets have been weak, but were waiting for a pickup in activity in the new year.

Big banks’ businesses are improving, putting their stocks in a sweet spot The group’s valuations are very cheap relative to the S&P 500 The group’s valuations are very cheap relative to the S&P 500.

These Leaders and CEOs Will Be in Davos Next Week. What They Say May Move Markets. The climate crisis and trade disruption are the key challenges global leaders will be seeking to address at the 50th World Economic Forum in Davos.

Trump’s impeachment: Here’s what happens next as White House receives summons Senate’s impeachment trial looks likely to remain underway on Feb. 4, when State of the Union speech is scheduled to take placeAn impeachment trial in the Senate is expected to start in earnest on Tuesday. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said President Donald Trump gets until 6 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday to respond to a summons.

The U.S.-China Trade Pact Is Less Than Meets the Eye Why Beijing’s promises will be hard to fulfill. The deal’s biggest accomplishment may be stopping imposition of additional tariffs.

U.S. industrial output falls 0.3% in December, third drop in past four months Production down at 0.5% annual rate in Q4, down 1% on a year-on-year basisU.S. industrial output sank 0.3% in December, the third decline in the past four months, the Federal Reserve said Friday.

To Fix Climate, Start by Ditching GDP The premier economic measurement doesn't capture the climate crisis. Bad data leads to all sorts of bad incentives.

Consumer sentiment index slips to 99.1 in January Economists polled by MarketWatch expected a reading of 99.6The University of Michigan said the preliminary reading of its U.S. consumer sentiment index in January was 99.1, down slightly from 99.3 in the prior month.

Housing Starts Surged in December. Don’t Expect It to Last. Housing starts surged 16.9% in December from a month earlier, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.608 million. The result blew out economists’ expectations.

This is the No. 1 country in the world to raise kids — and it’s not the U.S. by a long shot America just made the top 20 America just made the top 20.

This U.S. company will benefit as China tries to catch up in semiconductors In an attempt to reduce dependence on the U.S., China is likely to ramp up its semiconductor manufacturing and design capabilitiesIn an attempt to reduce dependence on the U.S., China is likely to ramp up its semiconductor manufacturing and design capabilities.

Carlos Ghosn’s Travails Are Just Another Reason to Doubt Japan’s Corporate Turnaround Carlos Ghosn’s saga could see few foreigners willing to take up positions in Japanese companies, top-level recruitment executives and analysts say.

Solid Chinese Data Point To Further Records For U.S. Stocks Futures suggested the rally in U.S. stocks wasn’t about to stop soon, as data from China underscored optimism the global economy will continue to expand.

European stocks aim at fresh record on China data and Wall Street’s optimism Richemont, Casino and NMC Health shares among the most activeEuropean stocks were poised to hit fresh records on Friday, inspired by upbeat China economic data and continued optimism over recent U.S. trade deals.

Dismal retail sales data report drives FTSE 100 higher and pound lower as rate-cut fever buildsU.K. stocks were climbing and the pound was falling after weaker-than-expected retail sales data.

European Stocks Aim At Fresh Record After China Data and Wall Street’s Optimism European stocks are rising on Friday, fueled by Wall Street gains and upbeat China data.

China economic growth slows to three-decade lowSHANGHAI-- Chinese economic growth slowed to 6.1% last year, according to figures released Friday, as sagging trade and business confidence pulled the closely watched reading to its lowest level in nearly three decades.

12-time champion forecaster sees U.S. economy easing in 2020 Job growth will slow to 75,000 per month, Jim O’Sullivan predictsAward-winning forecaster Jim O’Sullivan of TD Securities warns that the best days of this 10-year economic expansion are behind us.

Trump plans to nominate Shelton, Waller to Federal ReservePresident Donald Trump said Thursday that he intends to nominate two people to serve on the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors, an institution he has repeatedly attacked for not cutting rates deeply enough.

How fund giant Vanguard is misleading investors about a tax on stock trades Financial-transaction tax would not harm Main Street investors, as Vanguard contendsA financial-transaction tax would not harm Main Street investors, as Vanguard contends, writes Michael Edesess.

The Dow Rose 267 Points Because Trade Deals Are Getting Done U.S. stocks, buoyed by upbeat news, powered ahead again on Thursday, after the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 29,000 for the first time on Wednesday.

Stock-market benchmarks post new records after U.S. seals trade accords with China, Mexico and Canada Healthy U.S. economic data and corporate earnings encourage investorsU.S. stocks close higher again Thursday, with all three benchmark indexes ending at new records, following the signing of a trade truce between the U.S. and China on Wednesday, Senate approval of a new trade deal between the U.S., Mexico and Canada on Thursday, and healthy economic data and corporate earnings reports .

U.S. government bond yields snap 2-day skid after upbeat economic reports ECB minutes say yields haven’t risen because tariffs and Brexit haven’t been resolvedU.S. Treasury yields rise Thursday midday after data painted a relatively healthy picture of the domestic economy, supporting modest selling of government paper that has mostly drawn bids over the past week, despite a rally in stocks, which ordinarily rise in step with bond yields.

Trump administration to bar media from using computers in economic data ‘lockups’ Economic reporters would only be able to use pen and paperNews reporters will no longer be allowed to use computers — just pen and paper — to write articles on U.S. economic reports issued by the Labor Department before they are released to the public.

Why the U.S.-China trade deal failed to support soybeans, wheat and corn Wheat prices have climbed year to date for reasons all their ownThe U.S. grain market didn’t see much of a reaction after Washington and Beijing made phase one of their trade agreement official this week, and it’ll take time before commodities such as soybeans, wheat and corn benefit from China’s pledge to buy more agricultural products.

Martha McSally blasts CNN reporter as a ‘liberal’ hack for ‘simply doing his job’CNN reporter Manu Raju asked Sen. Martha McSally a question and she wasn’t having it.

China Has Committed to Buy $200 Billion More in U.S. Goods. Here’s What’s Included. The additional imports will include $77.7 billion in manufactured goods, $32 billion in agricultural goods, $52.4 billion in energy products, and $37.9 billion in services over the next two years.

Where a Global Bond Fund Finds Yield in a Low-Rate World The Dodge & Cox Global Bond fund offers solid returns even as some developed countries’ bonds have negative yields.

The China trade deal doesn’t protect American workers, or American interests Phase 1 agreement will worsen structural imbalances in U.S.-China bilateral relationshipThe phase one deal reached between the U.S. and China will increase the incentives to outsource U.S. jobs to China.

USMCA heads to Trump’s desk for signature after Senate approves pact President expected to sign deal next weekThe U.S. Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly approved the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, sending the pact to President Donald Trump for signature just a day after he inked a separate high-profile trade deal with China.

After the China Deal, Tech’s Next Fear is the National Security Black Box The administration has been working, often with bipartisan support, to acquire vast powers to regulate businesses like Microsoft under the guise of national security.

The U.S.-China Trade Deal Could Make Winners of These Energy Stocks The trade pact requires that China buy more goods and services from the U.S., including a major increase in energy products, over the next two years.

European stocks claim record on relief over U.S.-China trade pact Pearson struggles after guidance implies profit slideEuropeans stocks were on track to reach a record high, helped by relief that the U.S. and China signed a trade pact.

U.S. Retailers Had a Decent Holiday Season. Sales Climbed 0.3% in December. Sales across American retailers were solid in December, allaying concerns that consumers pulled back spending during the most crucial time of year.