U.S. stocks are higher at midday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and S&P 500 Index (SPX) soaring to fresh record highs. The Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) isn't far behind, with tech stocks in rally mode. Traders are cheering reports that the House and Senate reached a tentative deal on tax reform, and continue to digest Alabama Democrat Doug Jones'Senate seat win. Wall Street is also anti...Read More

Options volume has exploded on Finisar Corporation (NASDAQ:FNSR), with more than 45,000 contracts traded. This is 15 times what's typically seen at this point in the day, and a new 12-month high. At last check, FNSR stock was up 29.2% to trade at $24.93 on news Apple (AAPL) has invested $390 million into the fiber optics name -- which makes chips for the iPhone X, including those for facial recogn...Read More

When the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announces its latest policy ruling this Wednesday afternoon, Wall Street is pricing in a roughly 100% chance of a rate hike (per CME Group's FedWatch Tool). And likewise, bank stock bulls appear to have priced in plenty of enthusiasm over this widely anticipated tightening move, judging by recent option activity on the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund...Read More

Bank stocks have rallied in recent weeks, as traders expect tax reform and rate hikes from the Fed to boost the sector. With the central bank ready to announce its next policy decision this afternoon, brokerage firm KBW this morning revised its outlook on a number of financial names, including Dow components JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS). Below we'll take a...Read More

With the holidays right around the corner and retail sales due out tomorrow morning, retail stocks are ready to take center stage once again. This morning, retailers TJX Companies Inc (NYSE:TJX) and Ralph Lauren Corp (NYSE:RL) are recipients of distinctly different analyst attention this morning. Below, we will take a closer look at these brokerage notes, and see how the shares of TJX and RL are...Read More

Athletic apparel stock Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) is moving higher this morning, after Susquehanna upped its price target to $57 from $50. The brokerage firm also backed its lukewarm "neutral" rating on NKE shares, which is the majority opinion among analysts following the blue chip. Currently, the sports giant carries 15 "holds," compared to 11 "buy" or better ratings and just one "sell."Separately, U.K...Read More

Shares of Western Digital Corp (NASDAQ:WDC) are up 4% in electronic trading, after the chipmaker last night said it is dropping domestic arbitration claims against Toshiba over the sale of the latter's chip business to a group led by Bain Capital. Toshiba is abandoning its lawsuit against Western Digital, ending a months-long dispute between the two tech names -- which could have WDC stock recoupi...Read More

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) futures are trading above fair value this morning, as investors await this afternoon's Fed decision. With the central bank expected to raise interest rates, outgoing Fed Chair Janet Yellen will hold a press conference after the announcement, and is expected to touch on the economy and tax reform. Also in focus is the Senate election results out of Alabama, where...Read More

Today started off quiet, until I climbed into the backseat of an Uber.Lately, it seems no matter who the driver is - young, old, male, female - the conversation inevitably steers toward one topic: Bitcoin.Naturally, when it comes to digital currency, everyone's an expert.Now, there are only two times I really love a potential investment.It's when either the market can't stand it or the herd simply...Read More

The comments above & below is an edited and abridged synopsis of an article by Phoenix CapitalAfter the financial crisis of 2008, central banks began cornering the sovereign bond market via zero or negative interest rates and QE programs. They wanted to reflate the financial system by pushing the risk-free rate to extraordinary lows; they wanted capital to flee cash and move into risk assets, ther...Read More

The comments above & below is an edited and abridged synopsis of an article by Tyler DurdenOnce, Wall Street analysts had just two things to worry about: interest rate risk and corporate profits. Virtually everything else was derived from these. Now central banks step in every time there is a hint of a market correction, so no one knows what is and what isn't priced into the market any more, simpl...Read More

The comments above & below is an edited and abridged synopsis of an article by Derek ThompsonTo call Bitcoin the biggest and most obvious bubble in modern history may be a disservice to its surreality. It might make sense for a new public company with accelerating profits, but Bitcoin is not a company and has no profits. It is a digital encrypted currency running on a decentralized network of comp...Read More

The comments above & below is an edited and abridged synopsis of an article by Mike ShedlockCrescat Capital claims US large cap stocks are the most overvalued in history, higher than prior speculative mania market peaks in 1929 and 2000. There are six ways stocks are the most overvalued in history: price to sales; price to book; enterprise value to sales; enterprise value to EBITDA; price to earni...Read More

The comments above & below is an edited and abridged synopsis of an article by Axel Merk With the stock market and Bitcoin reaching all-time highs, what can possibly go wrong? In offering his thoughts on 2018, Merk reminds investors to stress test their portfolios. Some things to ponder:Equities: Merk doesn't like where equities are, and he will seek returns elsewhere.Treasuries: Many think that...Read More

The comments above & below is an edited and abridged synopsis of an article by Gary ChristensonThe Dow is at an all-time high. Interest rates in the US are yielding multi-decade lows. Trillions of dollars in global sovereign debt have negative yield, and European junk bonds yield less than 10-year US Treasuries. Official unemployment is low. Borrowing is inexpensive. Some say the times are good.Ye...Read More

Ounces of gold required to 'buy' one unit of the Dow JonesSource: MeasuringWorth.com; Thomson Reuters Datastream; BMG Group Inc.Read More

The real story of online deception isn’t about the Russians. Sure, the Russians certainly have their own programs to disrupt and steer online discourse. But how quickly the public has forgotten about the U.S. government’s own internet troll program.Edward Snowden leaked documents used by the “Five Eyes” alliance of governments. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom,...Read More

Calgary, Alberta (December 13, 2017) - PRIZE MINING CORPORATION ("Prize" or the "Company") (TSXV:PRZ) (OTCQB: PRZFF) (MQSP:GR:FRANKFURT) is pleased to announce that it has closed a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of an aggregate of 2,300,000 flow-through units (the "Units") at a price of $0.50 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $1,150,000. Each Unit was comprised of one c...Read More

It's not reported in the mainstream media. The nails in the coffin of the US dollar reserve status has begun. The BRICS are leading an anti-hegemony to shift to a new global reserve currency or basket of currencies. Many other countries are joining in such as Iran, Turkey and Venezuela. This video is some of the headlines.Read More

The real story of online deception isn’t about the Russians. Sure, the Russians certainly have their own programs to disrupt and steer online discourse. But how quickly the public has forgotten about the U.S. government’s own internet troll program.Edward Snowden leaked documents used by the “Five Eyes” alliance of governments. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom,...Read More