Oil markets could see deficit in 2019
The oil supply surplus is “starting to reverse,” according to a new report from Bank of America Merrill Lynch.The investment bank noted that oil prices had collapsed in late 2018 not only because of an oversupply problem, but also because of other “non-fundamental factors,” including the selloff of long positions by hedge funds and other market managers, as well as by fear and uncertainty in broader financial markets. Still, the bottom line was that the oil market saw a glut once again emerge in the fourth quarter.However, “now the 1.3mn b/d surplus in 4Q18 is starting to reverse,” Bank of America Merrill Lynch analysts wrote in a January 10 note. In fact, the bank says that the OPEC+ cuts could translate into a “slight deficit” for 2019. “With investor positioning reflecting a bearish … [READ MORE...]
YouTube Bans Risky Prank Videos Amid Spate of ‘Bird Box’ Challenge Stunts
When the Tide pod challenge went viral last year, Procter Gamble, the detergent’s maker, urged parents to keep their children from taking part. “The possible life-altering consequences of this act, seeking internet fame, can derail young people’s hopes and dreams and ultimately their health,” David Taylor, the company’s chief executive, said in a statement at the time.Another of the challenges cited in YouTube’s revised guidelines, the so-called fire challenge, has resulted in children who attempted it being hospitalized.Other popular pranks and challenges have been innocuous, humorous and even virtuous. The talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel has gotten laughs by challenging parents to give their children unimpressive presents and then record their reactions. Other examples have involved people … [READ MORE...]
domains: The Squishiest, Sweetest Sleep
The water bed evolved nonetheless, shaking off its sleazy associations as a lame sexual prop and sight gag. By 1984, Waterbed Magazine fretted that its customers were aging, “edging toward the 40-year old category.” In 1986, according to the Waterbed Manufacturers Association, water bed sales reached nearly $2 billion — between 12 and 15 percent of the American mattress market — and retailers like Waterbed City, based in South Florida, were making millions of dollars. While Mr. Hall was always touted as the father of the industry, he did not share in those riches, though he continued to advise a number of companies, and to design improvements to the original product, as did others. Gone were the shin-nicking wooden frames, and the early sloshings, as water beds went waveless and … [READ MORE...]
Latest News
Executive Shuffle at NBC Hints at C.E.O. Succession
“Mark and Jeff, I think, are two of the most capable people in the entertainment business,” Mr. Burke said in an interview in his offices at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan. “Everyone has been very supportive of each other. It was just time.”As for what the moves mean for Mr. Burke’s future, he added, “I’m not going anywhere.”Mr. Burke was appointed the head of NBCUniversal in 2011 after Comcast completed its acquisition of the media giant. At the time, over 20 executives reported directly to … [Read More...]
Consider Firing Your Male Broker
Clare Francis, a director at Barclays Smart Investor, agreed with the researchers, who attributed the difference in performance to women’s judiciousness. “The stock market is often portrayed as a high-energy, risky environment,” she said. “But this analysis shows that taking a more long-term view about what to invest in, rather than picking eye-catching and potentially more volatile shares, is actually likely to provide a better return on your money.”In one of my favorite papers, “Boys Will Be … [Read More...]
Female Economists Push Their Field Toward a #MeToo Reckoning
Stories of harassment and discrimination, long shared in private conversations and email chains, began to be aired more publicly last year with allegations that Roland G. Fryer, a prominent Harvard economist, had harassed and bullied women in his university-affiliated research lab. The New York Times reported last month that a Harvard investigation had substantiated some of those claims while other investigations are continuing.The economics association last year approved its first code of … [Read More...]
Fed Ready to Pause on Interest Rate Increases
The minutes did not mention that investors also fear that the Fed will make a mistake by raising interest rates too quickly, snuffing out the economic expansion.The recent downturn in financial markets is both a symptom of these worries and a potential problem in its own right. Declines in invested wealth, or reductions in lending, can infect the broader economy.The message from Fed officials is that the Fed will wait to see who is correct.“If the pessimism evident in financial markets … [Read More...]
Previous news
- China Offers Trump a Trade Peace Deal. It May Not Be Enough.
- Who Wants a Market Downturn? These Investors Actually Do.
- As Big Retailers Seek to Cut Their Tax Bills, Towns Bear the Brunt
- Strong Hiring and Fed Chief’s Reassurance on Rates Delight Investors
- Powell Says a ‘Patient’ Fed Is Watching for Signs of Economic Weakness
Small Business
domains: The Squishiest, Sweetest Sleep
The water bed evolved nonetheless, shaking off its sleazy associations as a lame sexual prop and sight gag. By 1984, Waterbed Magazine fretted that its customers were aging, “edging toward the 40-year old category.” In 1986, according to the Waterbed Manufacturers Association, water bed sales reached nearly $2 billion — between 12 and 15 percent of the American mattress market — and retailers like … [Read More...]
Robert Plotnik, ‘Bleecker Bob’ of Record-Store Fame, Dies at 75
For nearly 50 years, until it closed in 2013, the business that Mr. Plotnik began with a fellow record collector, Al Trommers, drew rock fans and performers to its quirky selection. And although it originally specialized in oldies, it soon switched its focus to the cutting edge, helping to popularize emerging musicians by sales and by word of mouth.“Without him it’s unlikely there would be the … [Read More...]
Your Money
How to Handle a Painfully Unpredictable Market
What’s an investor to do? Our quarterly survey contains some lessons and suggestions. After a Market Swoon, Investors Want SafetyRecession fears have emerged despite strong job growth, making some investors wary of stocks and looking for havens. But many strategists urge caution, saying it isn’t wise to pile on risk until the status of the market and the economy are clearer. Read more » Real … [Read More...]
Your Money Adviser: Year of Free Credit Report Monitoring Is Ending. Here’s What to Do Now.
Perplexed? You’re not alone. Several people contacted The New York Times about the change. Notices emailed to Equifax subscribers do explain the lock issue, if readers click through to a question-and-answer page. But some subscribers and consumer advocates worry that people may not absorb the details and remain unaware that they have to relock their Equifax credit report. Credit locks are marketed … [Read More...]