Connect with us

Business

Market could get a boost as states reopen, but new economic data will show just how bad things got during shutdowns

Published

on

The bronze statue “Fearless Girl” on Wall Street wears a respirator mask.

Benno Schwinghammer | Picture Alliance | Getty Images

Advertisement

Stocks are likely to hang on every medical development and the progress of state reopenings, but there will also be some key economic data in the coming week that should provide a glimpse into the depths of the state shutdowns.

The Fed’s beige book of economic activity is released Wednesday afternoon. There is also April manufacturing data in durable goods Thursday and April’s consumer income and spending data Friday. While that should provide an interesting view of how sluggish activity became, the market is expected to focus more on May consumer confidence Tuesday and consumer sentiment Friday.

“The backward looking data is not going to get any attention paid to it,” said Ed Keon, chief investment strategist at QMA. “It’s going to be terrible, and that’s not going to be a surprise. Confidence has held up pretty well, all things considered. It’s the PPP and unemployment benefits. People who get some support for income seem to be pretty confident.” Congress is expected to take up changes to the Paycheck Protection Program for small business when it returns June 1.

Advertisement

April’s economic data is expected to be about the worst of the recession, since most state shutdowns extended through a good part of the month, ahead of May reopenings. First quarter gross domestic product is expected to have declined by 4.8% when a second reading is released Wednesday, but for the second quarter, GDP is expected to decline by a median 33.1%, according to CNBC/Moody’s Analytics Rapid Update, a survey of economists.

Stocks gained in the past week, though rising tensions between the U.S. and China weighed on the market Thursday and Friday and could become a bigger headwind. 

The S&P 500 was heading for a weekly gain of 3%, its second weekly gain in three. A big catalyst came Monday, when Moderna disclosed positive data from a small group of patients in an early trial, but it was a wild week of trading for the company’s stock as doubts arose about its limited results. On Friday, however, White House health advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said the data showed promise and he was cautiously optimistic a vaccine would be developed. 

Advertisement

Astra Zeneca’s vaccine effort got a boost this week when it received $1 billion from the U.S. Health Department’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to develop a coronavirus vaccine from the University of Oxford.

 With investors focused on vaccines and state reopenings, market winners were the more volatile Russell 2000, up 7.8% for the week and the Dow Transports, up nearly 9.1% as airlines and other reopening stocks rallied. Airlines were up nearly 20% on the week. After a batch of earnings reports, retailers were also higher on the week, with the SPDR S&P Retail ETF  up 6% for the week.

Retailers are again among the companies reporting earnings in the week ahead, as the first quarter reporting season winds down. Costco, Nordstrom, Ulta Beauty and Burlington Stores are some of the names reporting.

Advertisement

Keon said he is watching the economic reopenings and says the success really depends on the behavior of individuals, and whether there’s another spike in infections.

“People are still scared,” he said. “It’s the personal behavior that’s going to make a difference to economic behavior. We’ll get back to some semblance of normal. It’s going to take awhile for people to feel more confident.”

He expects to see a rebound of economic activity in the second half of the year, but not a V-shaped recovery.

Advertisement

“By the end of the year, if we don’t get a vaccine, we will have made a lot of progress on a vaccine. I’m still cautiously optimistic that the market can hang in, and maybe end the year a little bit higher,” he said.

One big reopening in the week ahead will be on Tuesday when the iconic NYSE trading floor reopens.

Week ahead calendar

Monday

Advertisement

Memorial Day holiday

Markets closed

Tuesday

Advertisement

Earnings: AutoZone, Booz Allen Hamilton, DouYu

8:30 a.m. Philadelphia Fed survey

9:00 a.m. S&P/Case-Shiller home prices

Advertisement

9:00 a.m. FHFA home prices

10:00 a.m. New home sales

10:00 a.m. Consumer confidence

Advertisement

Wednesday

Earnings: HP, Toll Brothers, Autodesk, Ralph Lauren, Box, Plantronics, NetApp, Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal

12:30 p.m. St. Louis Fed President James Bullard

Advertisement

2:00 p.m. Beige book

Thursday 

Earnings: Costco, Dell, Nordstrom, Salesforce.com, Ulta Beauty, VMWare, Dollar General,  Burlington Stores, Steve Madden, Marvell Tech, Pure Storage

Advertisement

8:30 a.m. Weekly jobless claims

8:30 a.m. Durable goods (April)

8:30 a.m. Q1 GDP (second reading)

Advertisement

10:00 a.m. Pending home sales

11:00 a.m. New York Fed President John Williams

Friday

Advertisement

Earnings: Canopy Growth

8:30 a.m. Personal income and spending

8:30 a.m. Advanced economic indicators

Advertisement

9:45 a.m. Chicago PMI

10:00 a.m. Consumer sentiment

Advertisement

(Note: This is a Article Automatically Generated Through Syndication, Here is The Original Source

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

World

More Trouble For Microsoft, OpenAI: Eight US Newspaper Publishers File Lawsuit For Copyright Infringement

Published

on

More Trouble For Microsoft, OpenAI: Eight US Newspaper Publishers File Lawsuit For Copyright Infringement

Trouble for Microsoft and OpenAI over copyright infringement is not coming to an end, as they face several lawsuits for violating copyrights.

On Tuesday, eight US newspaper publishers sued Microsoft for illegally reusing articles in AI products.

The 98-page long lawsuit further accused the tech companies of attributing erroneous information to the publishers.

Advertisement

The eight newspapers that have filed the lawsuits include the New York Daily News and the Chicago Tribune.

They allege that OpenAI’s ChatGPT used their copyrighted articles to perfect its language models without permission.

The lawsuit was filed in a New York federal court on Tuesday. The publishers claim that OpenAI’s large language models, GPT-2 and GPT-3, were perfected using datasets containing text from their newspapers.

Advertisement

The language models are designed to produce text based on human inputs and reproduce copies of the publishers’ works. Microsoft has been indicted for using newspapers for its Bing search index but seldom provided links to the original articles. Four months ago, The New York Times also filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the tech giant of using data from its past content. It also asked for consent for usage, criticizing the use of full article excerpts in chatbot responses.

The latest lawsuit filed by the eight news outlets also demanded consent and fair value for using their content to perfect the AI language models. The lawsuit alleged that the AI tools literally regurgitate their content without directing users to the content source.

The lawsuit filings stated, “This lawsuit arises from defendants purloining millions of the publishers’ copyrighted articles without permission and without payment to fuel the commercialization of their generative artificial intelligence products, including ChatGPT and (Microsoft’s) Copilot.”

Advertisement

The eight newspapers that instituted the lawsuits are as follows:

  • The New York Daily News and The Chicago Tribune, both owned by Alden Global Capital
  • The Orlando Sentinel
  • The Sun Sentinel
  • The San Jose Mercury News
  • The Denver Post
  • The Orange County Register
  • The St. Paul Pioneer Press

OpenAI’s Response

OpenAI did not directly respond to the accusations but stated that it takes great care to support the news and media outlets. It also stated it is in continuous partnerships and conversations with various news outlets around the world to explore new opportunities, discuss problems, and seek out solutions.

Microsoft also stated that OpenAI has entered into fruitful partnerships with a number of publishers, which includes The Financial Times, The Associated Press, Spanish conglomerate Prisa Media, and Germany’s Axel Springer.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Net Worth

Alan Patricof Net Worth 2024: How Much is the American Investor Worth?

Published

on

Alan Patricof Net Worth 2024: How Much is the American Investor Worth?

Who is Alan Patricof?

Alan Patricof is a prominent figure in the American investment landscape, renowned for his contributions to venture capital. With a career spanning over four decades, Patricof has been instrumental in shaping the growth of numerous global companies, including America Online, Apple Computer, and Audible. His legacy extends beyond business, with involvement in community organizations and government initiatives.

Alan Patricof Career

Alan Patricof’s career in venture capital began in the industry’s early days. He founded Patricof & Co. Ventures Inc., a precursor to Apax Partners, one of the world’s leading private equity firms. Later, he established Greycroft Partners, focusing on early and expansion-stage investments in digital media. Throughout his career, Patricof’s vision and leadership have played a pivotal role in advancing the venture capital field.

Alan Patricof’s Net Worth

As of May 3, 2024, Alan Patricof’s estimated net worth stands at over $1 million. His wealth is derived from various investments, including holdings in Boston Properties Inc. and successful ventures in digital media. Despite humble beginnings, Patricof’s entrepreneurial spirit and strategic acumen have propelled him to financial success.

Advertisement

Alan Patricof Age

Born in 1934, Alan Patricof is currently in his late eighties. Despite his advanced age, he remains active in the business world, leveraging his wealth of experience to mentor emerging entrepreneurs and drive innovation.

Alan Patricof Family: Wife and Children

Alan Patricof has been married to his wife Susan for over 48 years. Together, they have three children and seven grandchildren. Family holds great importance to Patricof, and he credits his upbringing and heritage for shaping his values and work ethic.

Alan Patricof Height and Weight

While specific details about Alan Patricof’s height and weight are not readily available, his stature in the investment community is undeniable. Patricof’s impact transcends physical measurements, as he continues to leave a lasting legacy in venture capital and philanthropy.

Advertisement

Also Read: Mike Markkula Net Worth 2024: How Much is the Former CEO of Apple Worth?

Continue Reading

Net Worth

Stephen M. Ross Net Worth 2024: How Much is the Chairperson of The Related Companies Worth?

Published

on

Stephen M. Ross Net Worth 2024: How Much is the Chairperson of The Related Companies Worth?

Who is Stephen M. Ross?

Stephen M. Ross, the Chairperson of The Related Companies, is a distinguished figure in the real estate sector, renowned for his significant contributions and profound impact. Born on May 10th, 1940, in Detroit, Michigan, Ross embarked on his journey into real estate at a young age, demonstrating remarkable diligence and entrepreneurial spirit. Despite initially pursuing a career as a tax attorney, Ross soon discovered his genuine passion for real estate investment, laying the foundation for his illustrious career.

Stephen M. Ross Career

Ross’s career trajectory is marked by pioneering ventures and transformative projects. In 1972, he founded The Related Companies, which initially focused on subsidized low and moderate-income apartments. Over the years, Ross transitioned to higher-profile projects, including the iconic Hudson Yards development, valued at over $7 billion. His visionary approach and strategic partnerships have cemented his reputation as a prominent figure within the real estate industry.

Stephen M. Ross Net Worth

As of 2024, according to Celebrity Net Worth, Stephen M. Ross’s net worth stands at an impressive $10 billion, solidifying his status as one of the wealthiest individuals globally. Ross’s wealth accumulation is attributed to his unparalleled success as a real estate mogul, with an estimated annual income of nearly $700 million derived from royalties on his diverse property holdings. His continued involvement in the real estate sector, with ongoing projects in New Jersey and Florida, further contributes to his substantial net worth.

Advertisement

Stephen M. Ross Age

Currently, Stephen M. Ross is 83 years old, born on May 10th, 1940. Despite his age, Ross remains actively engaged in his professional pursuits, demonstrating resilience and dedication to his craft.

Stephen M. Ross Family: Wife and Children

Ross’s personal life is characterized by familial bonds and enduring relationships. He is happily married to Kara Ross and is the proud father of four children. Ross’s commitment to family values underscores his holistic approach to life and business.

Stephen M. Ross Height and Weight

Physically, Stephen M. Ross stands at a height of 6 feet 2 inches (1.88m) and maintains a healthy body weight of around 72 kg. Despite his busy schedule, Ross prioritizes his health and well-being, engaging in activities such as volleyball and tennis.

Advertisement

Also Read: Dave Ramsey Net Worth 2024: How Much is American Radio Personality Worth?

Continue Reading

Trending

This will close in 5 seconds