Monday, August 31, 2015

With Apple And Google Slipping, Big Cap Tech Looks Like Big Time Danger

Forbes - Markets
With Apple And Google Slipping, Big Cap Tech Looks Like Big Time Danger
The combination of size and success inherent in the NASDAQ 100 companies appears to be what investors are looking for; however, that same outperformance may have become a liability for the large technology companies in the current environment.

Why You Should Be Watching This Pattern In the Dollar

Forbes - Markets
Why You Should Be Watching This Pattern In the Dollar
The U.S. Dollar Index's wedge pattern continues to form since the start of the year.

The Real Global Threat Of China's Eroding Economic Credibility Is At Home

Forbes - Markets
The Real Global Threat Of China's Eroding Economic Credibility Is At Home
China’s ‘economic miracle’ over the past 35 years has been the envy of many other emerging market countries; indeed, of some advanced countries too.  Yet in just over a period of a few weeks, global economic officials are deeply concerned about the policy deftness of China’s leaders and the growth prospects of the world’s second largest economy.  With many countries still trying to rebound from the recent financial crisis this couldn’t come at a worse time.

Fed Facing An Uh-Oh Moment -- Again

Forbes - Markets
Fed Facing An Uh-Oh Moment -- Again
The optimism from Fed speakers this past weekend, essentially “recent data show growth, we won’t be dissuaded by market volatility”, is right out of the Central Banker’s playbook. We understand it is a central banker’s job to be upbeat about the economy, even when easing during a recession. The disparity between the statements in Jackson Hole and the slowdown in global growth driving capital market pricing caused us to drift back to early 2007, when the Fed acknowledged issues in the housing market but remained undaunted in their upbeat assessment of the US economy.

J.M. Smucker EPS Expectations Down Over Past Month

Forbes - Markets
J.M. Smucker EPS Expectations Down Over Past Month
Over the past three months, the consensus estimate has sagged from $1.25. For the fiscal year, analysts are expecting earnings of $5.75 per share. A year after being $1.37 billion, analysts expect revenue to fall 1% year-over-year to $1.35 billion for the quarter. For the year, revenue is expected to

The Stock Market Is Fairly Valued

Forbes - Markets
The Stock Market Is Fairly Valued
The market isn't overvalued. Here's why.

Up And Down Wall Street

Forbes - Markets
Up And Down Wall Street
Early morning Wall Street research

A Big Week In Big China

Forbes - Markets
A Big Week In Big China
Week in review

Sunday, August 30, 2015

The Italian Riviera's Garden Paradise: Villa della Pergola

Forbes Real Time
The Italian Riviera's Garden Paradise: Villa della Pergola
Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre—fuggedaboutit. For an Italian hideaway that puts your seaside dreams to shame head to the under-the-radar Riviera town of Alassio, where cypress and palm tree-laden hillsides, dancing blue seas, and some of the best sandy swaths fringe red-roof abodes. And the place to ogle it [...]

Where Is Copper Headed Next?

Forbes - Markets
Where Is Copper Headed Next?
An analysis of copper's charts to determine its next short-term move.

Who Got Cut in the NFL Today?

Forbes Real Time
Who Got Cut in the NFL Today?
As we approach the beginning of the 2015 NFL regular season, teams are making final adjustments to their rosters. And that means releasing players...quite a few of them.

Does China's Stock Market Have Further To Fall?

Forbes - Markets
Does China's Stock Market Have Further To Fall?
A technical analysis of China's stock market after this summer's crash.

Greek General Election Will Not Deliver Firm Government

Forbes - Markets
Greek General Election Will Not Deliver Firm Government
The Greeks will hold a general election on September 20th. The second this year; it will not deliver a strong government.

The Market Downturn: What Our Planners Are Doing

Forbes - Markets
The Market Downturn: What Our Planners Are Doing
Unless you have been hiding in a cave somewhere or have managed to tune out financial media reports in the past few weeks, you probably are aware of the recent stock market downturn. As an unbiased provider of financial wellness services, Financial Finesse has a pretty unique perspective during these types of market events that impact everyday investors. The unique aspect is found in the unbiased approach, meaning we do not sell any financial products or manage investments. This allows us to provide financial guidance to employees of various corporations and organizations without any potential conflict of interest or hidden agenda.

Growing Metal, Printing Humans And Repairing Robots

Forbes - Markets
Growing Metal, Printing Humans And Repairing Robots
In the early part of last week it was like whack-a-mole.  Every time it looked as though stocks might see the light of day and pop higher they were pounded lower yet again as investors worried about the ever-shrinking Chinese economy… The situation got so desperate Tuesday that Apple chief executive Tim Cook even went so far as to email TV stock market personality Jim Cramer to tell him investors have it all wrong: Apple's business in Chinese is strong.  Apparently, the chief's glitchy watch did not tweet him that a selective disclosure like that may not have been legal.  Of course, by the end of the week Chinese markets had reversed amid rumors of more intervention and US indexes actually finished the week with modest gains following better than expected second-quarter GDP… On a somewhat related note, NASA says the world is not going to end in September as had been previously reported on the Internet. Just when it seemed safe to believe the stuff posted on Facebook…  Google’s director of engineering expects within the next 10 years engineers will be able to 3D print human organs using stem cells, program human biology away from diseases like cancer and even retard the aging process.  If that's the case, Google will next need to fix the problem of human over-population. Hope they have an algorithm for that too….  Self driving cars are coming sooner and they are likely to be a bigger business opportunity than most anyone is predicting – if you exclude all of the car companies, Apple, Google, Tesla, Uber and the insurance industry.…  Samsung may be finally getting design right with its new Gear smartwatch.  Is it folly to hope there is no catch, no fatal Samsung flaw? …  Mike Tyson is the official face of a Bitcoin ATM. This is a good time to recall  some past quotes from Mike Tyson, philosopher. ‘I just want to conquer people and their souls.’ … And: ‘Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth.’ … And: ‘My biggest weakness is my sensitivity. I am too sensitive a person.’ … Which leads inevitably to: ‘I try to catch them right on the tip of his nose, because I try to punch the bone into the brain.’ … My free suggestion for an advertising slogan for Mike's new gig: ‘Bitcoin. Pay til it hurts.’ ….  A Chinese chef/inventor wants to replace human noodle makers with a robot and the slowing economy patrons don’t seem to mind.  The red unibrow, twinkling yellow eyes and metallic trim is a nice touch…

The Week In Review: A Blind SEC.

Forbes Real Time
The Week In Review: A Blind SEC.
Will the SEC see what we see?

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Bear Market Gets A Contrarian Confirmation

Forbes - Markets
Bear Market Gets A Contrarian Confirmation
Positive media reports look flawed, supporting contrarian view that bear market risk remains

Revealed: Where Formula One's $900 Million Prize Money Really Goes

Forbes Real Time
Revealed: Where Formula One's $900 Million Prize Money Really Goes
Four Formula One teams earned more than $100 million in prize money last year according to new research which shows that the outfits in the auto racing series are some of the best rewarded in world sport. The four teams are Ferrari, Red Bull Racing, McLaren and last year’s champions Mercedes. [...]

How The Biggest Strip Club In America Grinds

Forbes Real Time
How The Biggest Strip Club In America Grinds
At Tootsie's Cabaret, the action is non-stop and the wings are lemon pepper.

Photographers Keith Calhoun And Chandra McCormick Recount Surviving Hurricane Katrina

Forbes Real Time
Photographers Keith Calhoun And Chandra McCormick Recount Surviving Hurricane Katrina
I traveled to New Orleans last November for Prospect.3, a biennial exhibition dedicated to exhibiting international art in the Big Easy, using the city and its art institutions as its backdrop. There, I met photographers and married couple Keith Calhoun and Chandra McCormick, who had been documenting life in New [...]

Hillary's Emails: How The Russians, The Chinese . . . And The White House, Have Benefited

Forbes Real Time
Hillary's Emails: How The Russians, The Chinese . . . And The White House, Have Benefited
The past couple of weeks have seen a steady drip drip drip of stories about Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server for official business as Secretary of State, and a steady stream of revelations, each of which further undermine her claims that she did not mishandle classified information [...]

Friday Box Office: 'Jurassic World' Returns To IMAX, 'Minions' Tops $1 Billion

Forbes Real Time
Friday Box Office: 'Jurassic World' Returns To IMAX, 'Minions' Tops $1 Billion
Image courtesy of Universal So relatively unremarkable was the crop of older movies this week, with the last week's releases taking massive plunges from low debuts and older films not quite having the same legs as last week's frame (school's back in session) that the closest thing to big news was [...]

How One Millennial Paid Down $90k Grad School Debt In A Year

Forbes Real Time
How One Millennial Paid Down $90k Grad School Debt In A Year
Joe Mihalac was excited to be attending Harvard Business School. Until he realized his student debt would keep him earning the same money as before. Here's how he broke the cycle in seven months.

The Bizarro World Of Jezzbollah: Proof That QE Worked Is Evidence That QE Didn't Work

Forbes Real Time
The Bizarro World Of Jezzbollah: Proof That QE Worked Is Evidence That QE Didn't Work
One of the absurdities of British politics at present is watching the economics of Jeremy Corbyn's campaign to be Labour Party leader. We're still undecided whether his followers should best be described as Corbynistas or Jezzbollah but one of the two will undoubtedly stick soon enough. Either or both manage [...]

Friday, August 28, 2015

Profit At Investment Company Led By "China's Warren Buffett" Nearly Doubles

Forbes - Markets
Profit At Investment Company Led By "China's Warren Buffett" Nearly Doubles
Fosun International, the China investment firm led by billionaire Guo Guangchang, said Friday net profit in the first six months of the year soared by 97% to 3.6 billion yuan, or $563 mlllion, on the strength of investment gains.

Suspended Hanergy Thin Film's First-Half Profit Reverses To Loss

Forbes - Markets
Suspended Hanergy Thin Film's First-Half Profit Reverses To Loss
Hanergy Thin Film Power, the Hong Kong-listed solar energy business whose shares have been suspended since May 20 when a plunge in their price wiped out $19 billion of market capitalization in minutes, yesterday posted a loss of HK$59.3 million, or $7.7 million, for the six months ended June 30.  That compares with net income of HK$1.7 billion a year earlier.

Woodstock, Coachella, Outside Lands, Kaaboo - How Technology Improves the Music Festival Experience

Forbes Real Time
Woodstock, Coachella, Outside Lands, Kaaboo - How Technology Improves the Music Festival Experience
Over the years, advances in technology have subtly changed the experience at music festivals. When the organizers of Woodstock 46 years ago determined that the fences and ticket booths were not equipped to handle the arriving crowds, there was little more than landline telephones and word of mouth that spread [...]

What The E-T-F Happened On August 24?

Forbes - Markets
What The E-T-F Happened On August 24?
They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  I think this one speaks volumes. In red we have the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).  In blue, we have the Guggenheim S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP). We can see that SPY and RSP are, normally, fairly highly correlated.  And we would expect this, since they invest in the same basket of stocks, just weighted differently. Yet for nearly an hour during the morning on August 24, SPY and RSP diverged in performance by thousands of basis points.

It's Not Time To Push The Panic Button -- This Isn't 2008

Forbes - Markets
It's Not Time To Push The Panic Button -- This Isn't 2008
Historically, one maxim was that the stock market condition was a six month leading indicator of the economy. But that generally accepted truth became a walk down memory lane as the investor class morphed into the trading class over the past generation. In a world where the average stock is held about 1.5 minutes, the stock market is now merely a leading indicator of itself, and mostly disconnected from the real economy.

China's Growing Pains Give The Fed A Reason To Wait On Rate Hikes

Forbes - Markets
China's Growing Pains Give The Fed A Reason To Wait On Rate Hikes
The global investor cannot afford to ignore what's happening in China. The world's second largest economy, or first depending on whom you talk to, has a massive impact on global dynamics and asset prices. This week's market action has been a rude awakening for anyone who, up to this point, has paid scant attention to China. The market had become so accustomed to double-digit growth that 7% is now a major problem.

More Bargain Hunting: Three Places to Find the Fattest Dividends

Forbes - Markets
More Bargain Hunting: Three Places to Find the Fattest Dividends
You often have to look far and wide to find the best dividend payers. Here are three places to look.

The Biggest Changes In iOS 9

Forbes Real Time
The Biggest Changes In iOS 9

Thursday, August 27, 2015

China Retail Billionaire's Metersbonwe Posts Loss As E-Commerce Squeeze Continues

Forbes - Markets
China Retail Billionaire's Metersbonwe Posts Loss As E-Commerce Squeeze Continues
Struggling Shanghai Metersbonwe Fashion and Accessories, one of China’ s biggest home-grown apparel and fashion chains, lost 95 million yuan, or $14.9 million, in the first half of 2015, reversing a profit of 179 million yuan from the first six months of last year, the company said today.   Sales dropped 7% during the period to 2.8 billion yuan.

China Retail Billionaire's Metersbonwe Posts Loss As E-Commerce Squeeze Continues

Forbes Real Time
China Retail Billionaire's Metersbonwe Posts Loss As E-Commerce Squeeze Continues
Struggling Shanghai Metersbonwe Fashion and Accessories, one of China’ s biggest home-grown apparel and fashion chains, lost 95 million yuan, or $14.9 million, in the first half of 2015, reversing a profit of 179 million yuan from the first six months of last year, the company said today.   Sales dropped [...]

Natural Gas Market Turning In Buyers' Favour

Forbes - Markets
Natural Gas Market Turning In Buyers' Favour
Following the Fukushima disaster in Japan came the country’s nuclear switch-off in 2011. Away from the unfolding environmental tragedy, one of Asia's biggest energy consumers had its main utilities providers scrambling for natural gas as a medium term power generation alternative.

Thursday Sector Leaders: Energy, Materials

Forbes - Markets
Thursday Sector Leaders: Energy, Materials
The best performing sector as of midday Thursday is the Energy sector, up 5.4%. Within that group, Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) and Halliburton Company (NYSE: HAL) are two large stocks leading the way, showing a gain of 11.0% and 9.3%, respectively. Among energy ETFs, one ETF following the sector is the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (AMEX: XLE), which is up 4.7% on the day, and down 17.72% year-to-date. Transocean Ltd., meanwhile, is down 28.10% year-to-date, and Halliburton Company, is down 3.43% year-to-date. Combined, RIG and HAL make up approximately 3.5% of the underlying holdings of XLE.

JNJ's Splenda Sale Shouldn't Be A Concern For Investors

Forbes - Markets
JNJ's Splenda Sale Shouldn't Be A Concern For Investors
Johnson & Johnson has agreed to sell its iconic sweetener product SPLENDA to Heartland Food Products Group. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed yet, but it is not hard to see why the company may no longer be interested in this business. First, Splenda sweetener is part of Johnson & Johnson’s consumer products segment which has operated on very low margins as compared to pharmaceuticals or medical devices businesses. Second, Splenda’s and other sucralose products’ prices are likely to suffer going forward due to weakness in carbonated drinks market globally. Thus, it makes little sense for the company to continue in this business, especially when there are bigger and more promising opportunities on the pharma side.

Daily Dividend Report: DE, DG, IRM, WR, DRH, TOWN, CTS

Forbes - Markets
Daily Dividend Report: DE, DG, IRM, WR, DRH, TOWN, CTS
Deere & Company (DE) declared a regular quarterly dividend of $.60 per share on common stock, payable November 2, 2015, to stockholders of record on September 30, 2015.

Three Steps To Avoid Squandering Emerging Market M&As

Forbes Real Time
Three Steps To Avoid Squandering Emerging Market M&As
By Kent D. Kedl SHANGHAI – Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) usually fail. For decades, research has shown a failure rate of at least half, and more recent studies suggest the number is upwards of 80 percent. Yet corporate boards and executives continue to pursue acquisitions with almost reckless abandon. Despite years [...]

It's Not Tim Cook But Our Federal Reserve At Fault

Forbes - Markets
It's Not Tim Cook But Our Federal Reserve At Fault
All on the Federal Reserve-Cook, Brin & Company are spectators like we are

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

China Billionaire Wang Jianlin's Real Estate Arm Says Profit, Sales Rose In 1st Half

Forbes - Markets
China Billionaire Wang Jianlin's Real Estate Arm Says Profit, Sales Rose In 1st Half
Dalian Wanda Commercial Prosperities, the flagship listed real estate business of Asia’s richest man Wang Jianlin, said net profit in the first six months of 2015 rose by 4.6% to 21 billion yuan, or $3.3 billion, from a year earlier, amid growing sales and profit in its property business.

PC Gamers: You Might Have The 'Black Ops 3' Beta And Not Even Know It

Forbes Real Time
PC Gamers: You Might Have The 'Black Ops 3' Beta And Not Even Know It
The 'Black Ops 3' beta is open to players who've purchased some previous 'Call Of Duty' games in the past.

Is Johnny Manziel's Future With The Cleveland Browns In Jeopardy After Elbow Injury?

Forbes Real Time
Is Johnny Manziel's Future With The Cleveland Browns In Jeopardy After Elbow Injury?
CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 13: Quarterback Johnny Manziel #2 of the Cleveland Browns brushes off a tackle by outside linebacker Adam Hayward #55 of the Washington Redskins during the first half at FirstEnergy Stadium on August 13, 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) Johnny Manziel is one of [...]

MannKind And Afrezza: Can The Drug Cure The Company?

Forbes - Markets
MannKind And Afrezza: Can The Drug Cure The Company?
I like the drug Afrezza, I am not a MannKind bull and I don’t much like how the company is being run. Maybe that will change when/if Afrezza sales pick up, but predicting that is beyond my area of expertise.

How It Might Be A Lose-Lose Situation For Volkswagen In China

Forbes - Markets
How It Might Be A Lose-Lose Situation For Volkswagen In China
When the tide is high, it takes out everything in sight, even the entities that once seemed formidable. Volkswagen AG has for a few years now depended on its sales in China to fuel overall growth. The group is the highest-selling automaker in the country, where the motorization rate is approximately 100 vehicles per 1000 individuals, compared to nearly 800 vehicles per 1000 individuals in the U.S.? so there is still room for growth in China. However, in China, the slowing economic conditions, precipitous fall in the stock market, slowdown of infrastructure and real estate sectors, has hurt customer sentiment, and the spillover of this can also be seen in the country?s automotive market.

The 10 Biggest U.S. M&A Deals Of 2015

Forbes - Markets
The 10 Biggest U.S. M&A Deals Of 2015

Google Frisky In Pre-market Trading After Upgrade

Forbes - Markets
Google Frisky In Pre-market Trading After Upgrade
Google gets an upgrade from the sellside

U.S. Stock Market Update - Word On The Street

Forbes Real Time
U.S. Stock Market Update - Word On The Street
The world's financial markets have been on a downward spiral recently, but is the news all bad? (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) The world watched as global stock markets went haywire on what is now being called “Black Monday.” No major markets around the world went unscathed, with many markets taking [...]

One-Day Bear Trap - This Market Is Beyond Definition

Forbes - Markets
One-Day Bear Trap - This Market Is Beyond Definition
Hyperactive bear market is in a fickle free-fall

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

China's $3.3 Billion Amusement Park Market Attracts New Entrants

Forbes Real Time
China's $3.3 Billion Amusement Park Market Attracts New Entrants
China's amusement park market, including theme parks and water parks, has been expanding at an 11% rate in revenue over the past five years. The sector is expected to see $3.3 billion revenue in 2015 and $4.8 billion in 2020. With late starters such as Disney and China's real estate [...]

What's Missing In The China Story?

Forbes - Markets
What's Missing In The China Story?
Over the past month, there has been a lot of “China drama.” The volatility in the Chinese stock market, the yuan devaluation and now the Tianjin warehouse explosion have all raised China chatter to a new level of anxiety. Some of the anxiety is understandable. These events have real consequences—above all for the Chinese people. At the urging of the Chinese government, tens of millions of Chinese moved to stake their fortunes not on real estate but on the stock market—the most unfortunate used their real estate as leverage to invest in the market and are now desperate for some good news. The Tianjin warehouse explosion has thus far left 121 Chinese dead, more than 700 injured and over 50 still missing. Globally, the yuan devaluation has triggered a rate rethink by central bankers in Europe and the United States, and the stock market slide has contributed to steep drops in Asian and U.S. markets.

Stocks Decline As China's Economy Slows

Forbes - Markets
Stocks Decline As China's Economy Slows
China's economy slows and the global financial markets are in turmoil. What's going on in China? Learn more in this article.

Our Revised Price Estimate of $118 For Wynn Resorts

Forbes - Markets
Our Revised Price Estimate of $118 For Wynn Resorts
Wynn Resorts’ stock has plunged over 20% so far in August. This can primarily be attributed to a combination of its earnings release, uncertainties pertaining to Macau gaming and more recently to the concerns that decelerating Chinese economy may lead to slower global growth. Adding to the woes of the casino operators, the recent decline in Chinese Yuan currency has made bets more expensive in Macau casinos for Chinese gamblers, as they are placed in Hong Kong Dollars and not Yuan.

By-The-Numbers: The Stock Market's Wild Ride

Forbes - Markets
By-The-Numbers: The Stock Market's Wild Ride
Global markets have been rocked in recent days, with plummeting stocks capturing headlines and spooking investors. Here are five takeaways.

How Exposed Is Europe To A Chinese Economic Slowdown?

Forbes - Markets
How Exposed Is Europe To A Chinese Economic Slowdown?
European stock markets posted their worst day since the 2008 crisis yesterday with the FTSE 100 closing down 4.7%, the German DAX 4.7%, France’s CAC 5.4%, Spain’s IBEX 5% and Italy’s FTSE MIB 6% off the back of huge falls in Asian markets. Much of this has been linked back to huge falls in Chinese and emerging market equities. While this link should not be overdone – China was likely a catalyst if not the cause of such a huge market shift (after all how much actually changed over the weekend) – it provides an opportunity to ask the question, just how exposed is Europe to a slowdown in China?

Latest NFL division preview: the AFC North

Forbes Real Time
Latest NFL division preview: the AFC North
In part five of an eight-part series, I check in on the AFC North heading into the 2015 season. Who will come out on top in this ultra-competitive division? Do the Cleveland Browns have a chance to contend?

'Knights Of Sidonia' Manga To Finish Its Run This September

Forbes Real Time
'Knights Of Sidonia' Manga To Finish Its Run This September
The very successful Knights of Sidonia manga penned by Tustomu Nihei will finally come to the end of its Japanese run at the end of this September after a total of six years.

Monday, August 24, 2015

China's Black Monday Signals The End Of Its Growth Cycle

Forbes - Markets
China's Black Monday Signals The End Of Its Growth Cycle
On Monday August 24th China’s Xinhua TV announced “Black Monday” on Twitter. “China stocks join global panic selloff, dive 8.5%, worst since Asian financial crisis at midday”, it said.

China Stocks Plunge Again In U.S. Overnight; Baidu Nears Two-Year Low

Forbes - Markets
China Stocks Plunge Again In U.S. Overnight; Baidu Nears Two-Year Low
China stocks traded in the U.S. were battered anew overnight by investors worried about the mainland’s growth prospects and international capital and currency market trends.

Blair Hull Beat Black Monday, Now His ETF Is Staying Ahead Of The Market Correction

Forbes - Markets
Blair Hull Beat Black Monday, Now His ETF Is Staying Ahead Of The Market Correction
When the Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 8% at the open of trading on Monday, financial pundits wondered aloud if the selling would be another Black Monday. But one investor, who earned an enduring place in Wall Street trading lore after profiting from the panic of October 1987 was more than prepared for a second act.

Billionaire Investors Make Massive Bets On Gold And Airlines

Forbes - Markets
Billionaire Investors Make Massive Bets On Gold And Airlines
I always advise investors to follow the smart money, and two people high on the list are Stanley Druckenmiller and Warren Buffett.

3 Small Cap Growth Stocks With Unrecognized Growth Potential

Forbes - Markets
3 Small Cap Growth Stocks With Unrecognized Growth Potential
Andrew Morey: Let me begin by providing an overview of our philosophy on investing in Small Cap Growth companies, and then a little bit about our stock selection process.

China's Richest Suffered In Today's Stock Rout, Too

Forbes - Markets
China's Richest Suffered In Today's Stock Rout, Too
China’s worst stock plunge in eight years today – a 9% drop on Shanghai’s main index -- wiped out plenty of wealth among small investors smarting badly from what has turned into a 38% drop since mid–June on worries about economic growth and high valuations.

Black Monday Redux?

Forbes - Markets
Black Monday Redux?
China equity markets collapse

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Uber Goes All Out In Vital India Market, Doubles Footprint In Two Months

Forbes Real Time
Uber Goes All Out In Vital India Market, Doubles Footprint In Two Months
Is cab-hailing app startup Uber preparing to make India its second-largest market after China, overtaking home territory the United States? Uber is on a massive expansion drive in India, a market critical for its growth, launching in four more cities and taking its total coverage to 22 cities in [...]

Is Your Investment Capital Hiding In Plain Sight?

Forbes Real Time
Is Your Investment Capital Hiding In Plain Sight?
Not everyone lives in Silicon Valley or New York, but growth entrepreneurs everywhere need capital. You can find capital too if you commit to looking in the right places. Here are 3 places you might not be looking for capital.

GM Helps China Auto Glass Billionaire's 1st Half; Son Becomes Vice Chairman

Forbes - Markets
GM Helps China Auto Glass Billionaire's 1st Half; Son Becomes Vice Chairman
China’s car sales may be stagnating on the whole this year amid a rough stretch for the country’s economy, but Fuyao Glass Industry, one of Asia’s largest automobile glass, said on Sunday its first-half profit increased by 16% as it won new business from BMW, Land Rover, Volkswagen and GM, improved its profit margins, and paid less tax compared with a year ago.

Last Week's Decline In U.S. Equities Mostly On Our Fed

Forbes - Markets
Last Week's Decline In U.S. Equities Mostly On Our Fed
Last week's beatdown was on the Federal Reserve again

How To Buy A House With $10,000

Forbes Real Time
How To Buy A House With $10,000
Just to be clear, this is not about buying a house for $10,000, this is about buying a house with $10,000. Two different things. For starters, you will need to have $10,000, which you will use for your down payment and to cover the cost of your home inspection, the [...]

Is Walmart Really Fixing Its Out Of Stock Problems?

Forbes - Markets
Is Walmart Really Fixing Its Out Of Stock Problems?
Walmart officials said the chain is shifting more inventory to its distribution centers rather than in store back rooms in efforts to improve flexibility across its supply chain and correct nagging out-of-stock problems in stores.

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Bon Jovi Leaves Label After 32 Years; Here's What Jon Bon Jovi Should Do Next

Forbes Real Time
Bon Jovi Leaves Label After 32 Years; Here's What Jon Bon Jovi Should Do Next
Bon Jovi and Mercury Records have divorced after a 32-year marriage. Here's what the multi-platinum rock band should do next.

World's Biggest Oil Companies - 2015

Forbes Real Time
World's Biggest Oil Companies - 2015

Market Correction, Or Another Step Towards The End Of Capitalism?

Forbes - Markets
Market Correction, Or Another Step Towards The End Of Capitalism?
Are the latest market gyrations in response to the slowdown in China more than a stock market “correction?” Could we be edging closer to the end of Capitalism?

Netflix's Nattering Nabobs Of Negativity

Forbes - Markets
Netflix's Nattering Nabobs Of Negativity
Netflix negativity picks up steam as markets go lower.

The Dow Dropped 500 Points, But You Didn't Lose A Dime If You Didn't Hit 'Sell'

Forbes - Markets
The Dow Dropped 500 Points, But You Didn't Lose A Dime If You Didn't Hit 'Sell'
The Dow dropped more than 500 points in Friday trading, leading many Wall Street observers to say that the long-awaited correction is finally here. But don't let the headlines scare you: if you didn't sell your holdings, you didn't actually lose a cent.

Beijing Billioniare Power Couple's Wealth Falls As Soho China Shares Hit 5-Year Low

Forbes - Markets
Beijing Billioniare Power Couple's Wealth Falls As Soho China Shares Hit 5-Year Low
Soho China, the real estate developer led by Beijing billionaire power couple Pan Shiyi and Zhang Xin, dropped 5% at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Friday, bringing the two-day loss in the company’ shares to 17% after it reported a big fall in first-half profit on Thursday.

Friday, August 21, 2015

The Truth About Social Security's Long Term Finances

Forbes - Markets
The Truth About Social Security's Long Term Finances
In a recent NY Times column, political economist, Paul Krugman, writes, "Social Security does not face a financial crisis; its long-term funding shortfall could easily be closed with modest increases in revenue."

Dow Jones Industrial Average Plunges By 500 Points

Forbes - Markets
Dow Jones Industrial Average Plunges By 500 Points
The U.S. market's Dow Jones index entered into correction territory on Friday, but it should be seen in context. The stock market has been climbing for years and is still up 85% in the last five years, an historic bull market run.

Friday Sector Laggards: Services, Consumer Products

Forbes - Markets
Friday Sector Laggards: Services, Consumer Products
Looking at the sectors faring worst as of midday Friday, shares of Services companies are underperforming other sectors, showing a 1.7% loss. Within the sector, Ross Stores, Inc. (NASD: ROST) and Netflix Inc. (NASD: NFLX) are two large stocks that are lagging, showing a loss of 8.3% and 5.3%, respectively. Among the largest ETFs, one ETF closely following services stocks is the iShares U.S. Consumer Services ETF (AMEX: IYC), which is down 1.8% on the day, and up 3.12% year-to-date. Ross Stores, Inc., meanwhile, is up 8.01% year-to-date, and Netflix Inc. is up 118.34% year-to-date. Combined, ROST and NFLX make up approximately 2.2% of the underlying holdings of IYC.

Salesforce Comes Flying Through On Earnings

Forbes - Markets
Salesforce Comes Flying Through On Earnings
Salesforce is still a Buy.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

The Car Company Hip Enough To Take On Tesla

Forbes.com: Most popular stories
The Car Company Hip Enough To Take On Tesla
Next month at the Frankfurt auto show in Germany, Audi, the surging premium-car division of Volkswagen, will show an battery-powered “concept” crossover SUV that’s a direct shot across the bow of electric-car innovator Tesla. In fact, if Tesla (TSLA) doesn’t find a way to damage-control the almost inevitable off-the-charts reaction to [...]

Introducing A Blog To Help You Survive And Thrive In The Data Economy

Forbes.com: Most popular stories
Introducing A Blog To Help You Survive And Thrive In The Data Economy
In order to succeed in this increasingly data-driven and data-dependent world, entrepreneurs will need to adapt and embrace all the benefits it has to offer.
more info...

One of the key challenges that business owners have repeatedly faced over the years is how to measure company performance and understand the return on their investments. You may have heard the famous statement, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted. The trouble is I don’t know which half.” This quote has been attributed to several famous entrepreneurs from the nineteenth or early twentieth century, including John Wanamaker, Henry Ford, William Wrigley, Jr., and Lord Leverhulme. Regardless of who actually said it, I bet many people still share this same sentiment today.
Unlike our predecessors from the Industrial Age, we can’t use the same excuse. In the current Digital Age, we’re afforded far more options when it comes to measuring the effectiveness of different business activities than they were. By its very nature, digital exudes or radiates data. For the past 20 years, we’ve had the luxury of monitoring website traffic and online campaigns. More recently we’ve added social media and mobile apps to our list of possible data sources. As more “things” become Internet-enabled, the data we collect will begin to be only limited by our imaginations. When we hear experts predict by 2020 nearly $20 trillion will be created in economic value by more than 40 billion Internet-connected devices, we know we’re on verge of entering the Data Economy.
In order to succeed in this increasingly data-driven and data-dependent world, entrepreneurs will need to adapt and embrace all the benefits it has to offer. I would anticipate that John Wanamaker and other departed industrialists would be jealous of what data we have at our fingertips today. As the business guru, Peter F. Drucker, once noted, “What gets measured, gets managed.” As your ability to measure different aspects of your business is enhanced through analytics so is your capacity to better manage them. We can see how this same philosophy is a key component of Eric Ries’ popular lean startup methodology. Data plays a central, underlying role in the hypothesis testing, iterative product releases, validated learning, and feedback loops that Ries emphasizes. Clearly, today’s business owner needs to be both digital- and data-savvy to survive and thrive in this new economy.
My main goal with this series of articles is to cover topics that will help entrepreneurs, business managers, and marketers to succeed in the emerging Data Economy. During my 11 years as a digital analytics consultant and evangelist atAdobe (previously Omniture), I’ve interacted with hundreds of organizations—large and small—across different industries and continents. From this experience, I will focus on widely-shared issues that I’ve encountered at these organizations:
  • How should you build out your analytics capabilities?
  • How can you help empower more employees with relevant data?
  • How can you become a better data storyteller?
  • How do you know if your digital content is engaging visitors?
  • What ways can you better segment or bucket your customers?
You need to know I’m not a data scientist. I don’t have a PhD in statistics or mathematics. I’ve never coded in Python or R. My background is actually in marketing, and I became interested in digital analytics after graduating with my MBA degree. My passion for digital data led me to publish two analytics books,Web Analytics Action Hero and Web Analytics Kick Start Guide (Adobe Press). While many blogs cover the technical aspects, I will focus on the softer side of analytics that is essential to business owners who want to create a data-driven culture, turn more insights into action, and generate a higher return from their analytics investments. I look forward to helping you in your data-driven journey and hearing of your future success.
Follow me on Twitter TWTR -5.74% @analyticshero.

The FDA Is Basically Approving Everything. Here's The Data To Prove It

Forbes.com: Most popular stories
The FDA Is Basically Approving Everything. Here's The Data To Prove It
Remember when the FDA rejected drugs? We just got treated to a whole lot of drama this week as to whether Addyi, a drug to boost women’s libidos, would be approved. But based on the data, that approval was probably a foregone conclusion. As recently as 2008, companies filing applications to sell [...]

Americans Feel Guilty On Vacation -- For Relaxing

Forbes.com: Most popular stories
Americans Feel Guilty On Vacation -- For Relaxing
More than four in 10 Americans feel guilty for relaxing on vacation, according to a recent survey. Here are some strategies for leaving work behind and making the most of your time away.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Forbes Latest News

Alibaba Group Holding, China’s largest e-commerce company, has named Nestle executive Wan Ling Martello as an independent member of its board of directors in a move that underscores its aim to expand globally. “As Alibaba grows globally, we need business leaders like Ms. Martello to be part of the internationalization process [...] 
While social media and marketing can definitely help boost a brand's online presence, there are a few other things companies should do before investing resources to these areas.
       
 4 Strategies That Must Be Part of Your Marketing to Customers
If you refuse to play by their rules, they have the power to easily find alternatives, and actively pull other potential customers away.
       
 
There are a few topics that online readers have seen time and time again-and at this point, they're just becoming noise.
       


With so many ways to connect, even introverts and very busy people can successfully network. 
In April, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff made a bold promise: to eliminate the gender pay gap among his 16,000 employees. The two female executives behind the plan say making that promise a reality will take several years of hard, complicated work. 
Elisa Stephens and her family built an $800 million fortune converting student loans into questionably valuable art degrees and pouring the profits into San Francisco real estate. Now, after two decades of blistering growth, her empire of false hopes is finally facing regulatory glare
In the public-relations game, the brand that comes out first often makes the biggest splash.
       
 
For the fourth year running, California and Rhode Island earned an “F” in a massive survey of small business owners rating state and local governments’ friendliness to small business. At the other end of the spectrum, also for the fourth year in a row, Texas and Utah earned an “A+” from entrepreneurs. 
Mobile devices open the possibility of marketing to customers when and where they are likeliest to buy, but only if you can win their attention.
       
 
Here are three tips to optimize your online PR content for greater reach, readership and results.
       
 
Getting the press to cover your business is great, but pestering journalists is not an effective strategy.
       
 
When crafting that message, understanding what not to say is every bit as important as what you do say.
       
 
These fundamental principles of design and strategy will help your business stand the test of time.