US December retail sales slipped -1.1% to $677.1 billion, the Commerce Department data revealed, well below the Street consensus forecast of a -0.8% decrease. The November figure was revised to a decline of -1% vs. prior estimate of a -0.6% month-on-month dip. The figure is not adjusted for inflation. Sales of gasoline fell -0.8% as prices softened to between $3.20 and $3.50 per gallon over...

The U.S. economy added +223,000 new jobs in December, well ahead of the Street consensus forecast of +200,000. The Bureau for Labor Statistics (BLS) data revealed that the private sector added + 220,000. November's job gain of was revised to +256,00 (vs. prior estimate of +263,000) The BLS data also suggested that unemployment rate in December fell to 3.5%, the lowest since 1969. The labor...

U.S. retail sales fell in the month of May, amidst record high inflation rates dampening consumers’ discretionary spending. Data from Commerce Department indicated that May retail sales slipped -0.3% over the month to a $672.9 billion, below the Street consensus forecast of a +0.2% gain. It also marked a departure from a four-month stretch of consecutive gains. Excluding the auto sector, May...

The U.S. economy added 467,00 new jobs last month, exceeding expectations. The Bureau for Labor Statistics data revealed that the figure was well above the Street consensus forecast of 150,000. The data also showed that headline unemployment rate rose to 4.0 percent in January, little changed from December's new pandemic low but slightly higher than market expectations of 3.9 percent. Hourly...

U.S. retail sales increased the most in nearly two decades during the holiday season, according to a report from Mastercard. This indicates healthy consumer demand notwithstanding historic inflation rates and Covid uncertainty. Retail sales for the period between November 1 and December 24 climbed +8.5% year-over-year—as revealed by Mastercard’s annual SpendingPulse report. This increase is...

The U.S. economy added more than half a million new jobs in October, the Labor Department data revealed. The figure came in higher than expected by analysts. The Bureau for Labor Statistics data showed that 531,000 jobs were added in October, compared to the Street forecast of 450,000. The increase in hiring is almost double the job gains in September. The private sector added 604,000 new...

Trading effectively is a learned skill, and it takes practice. Every trader makes mistakes somewhere along the way, but that doesn’t mean these mistakes are inevitable. In fact, many are easy mistakes to avoid, as long as investors know what they are and can exercise some discipline. Here are eight mistakes to avoid. 1. Using ‘Gut Feelings’ to Time the Market Markets are unpredictable. There...

Payroll processing group ADP released its National Employment Report, which revealed that U.S. private sector added +568,000 jobs in September, well above the Street consensus forecast of +428,000. It is the biggest increase in employment since June. The service sector added +466,000 jobs in September, led by + 226,000 jobs in the leisure and hospitality sector. Goods producers added +102,000...

JPMorgan predicts that the S&P 500 will reach 4,700 by year-end. That would imply a +5% gain from the recent level of 4,481. “We remain positive on the equity outlook, and expect S&P 500 to reach 4,700 by end of this year and surpass 5,000 next year on better-than-expected earnings,” JPMorgan strategist Dubravko Lakos-Bujas wrote in a commentary. Despite concerns about the recent slowing in...

Barclays strategists have boosted their year-end outlook for the S&P 500 to 4,600 from 4,400. The analysts cited strong earnings as a factor that would bolster the market. “Consensus forecasts for future quarters have not been revised up despite the strong earnings surprise for the second quarter, continuing the trend of viewing each beat as a one-off event,” the analysts wrote, according to...

President Joe Biden unveiled a proposal of $6 trillion budget.

The plans include proposals for a $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan and $1.8 billion in spending on education and families.Both of these, however, are facing pushback from Congressional Republicans. 

The plan indicates spending of $6 trillion, $4.2 trillion in revenue, with a $1.8 trillion deficit for fiscal year 2022.

Biden’s proposal mentions  a 39.6% top tax rate on capital gains and dividends for millionaires.

On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury proposed a minimum global corporate tax rate of 15%.

The proposal is part of discussions with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and G20 officials over the past two days.

During the discussions “Treasury expressed its belief that the international tax architecture must be stabilized, that the global playing field must be fair, and that we must create an environment in which countries work together to maintain our tax bases and ensure the global tax system is equitable and equipped to meet the needs of for the 21st century global economy,” the Treasury said in a statement.

Many large U.S. companies are known to avoid higher taxes by setting up headquarters in tax haven countries such as Ireland and the Cayan Islands. 

The number of COVID-19 shots supplied in the U.S. is expected to hit 240 million by next week. According to White House, Pfizer , Moderna , and Johnson & Johnson all on pace to achieve quarterly production guides. 240 million doses would be adequate to fully vaccinate 130 million people. J&J is expected to deliver at least 11 million doses next week – that puts it on target to hit 20 million...

If you buy and sell securities, you may qualify for tax status as a ‘trader,’ which importantly may qualify you for certain business tax breaks.The rules governing this status can be confusing, however, making it difficult to determine whether you qualify as a trader, investor, or dealer.

It means evaluating myriad variables – post-retirement lifestyle, where to retire, cost of living, the rate of inflation, and more – then formulating a plan that considers current earnings and standard of living, in addition to future goals. It is inadvisable to develop a single approach and ride it into the retirement sunset.Young and single people, for example, may look towards riskier types of investments; an important life change, like marriage or starting a family, can shift priorities and require a more measured approach. Research shows that younger investors are less inclined to save the 10-15 percent of annual pretax income advisable to retire by 65 years old, or even save anything at all.

Artificial intelligence has generated considerable press for its ability to improve efficiency, perform certain tasks at a speed and level of accuracy beyond human reach, and potentially save businesses on costs through automation.Can AI not only save businesses money, but create value as well? [[24]7.ai co-founder and CEO PV Kannan and business strategy author Josh Bernoff pose this question in a recent article for Barron’s, arguing that AI is more than a savings tool – its “real value…may well be in generating revenue and growth, not in cutting headcount.” The value add from AI comes in the form of an improved customer experience, due in part to now-ubiquitous tools like chatbots.

It’s easier said than done – after all, short term savings goals offer attractive returns, are somewhat concrete, and seem far more attainable, while long term goals exist as abstractions with limited instant gratification.This sizable monthly expense may be a necessity for many homeowners, but anyone with an eye on retirement can benefit from prioritizing repayment as soon as financially possible, freeing up funds to contribute towards their nest egg.

Planning for retirement means considering multiple variables, but one factor is especially important (if a bit obvious) – age.This makes it vital to bear in mind several age-related milestones when developing a retirement plan. Investing early means more time to enjoy potential benefits.

Effective investment means taking the time to craft a thoughtful plan accounting for personal objectives and external factors, then tailoring a strategy to fit.These four time-honored tips can help any self-directed investor formulate that plan and reach their goals. Tip #1: Plan for Success Markets are dynamic – there is no way to predict their behavior with 100 percent accuracy.

No one can avoid them all, unless you stay in cash all your life (which is still a money-losing strategy, if you consider the impact of inflation). The throes of a market downturn can be emotionally taxing to investors, but a market corrections should not mean an invitation to panic.Experienced investors know how to mitigate emotional decision-making during market sell-offs with a measured, rational approach that rides-out temporary pullbacks. First, creating and sticking with an investment plan can help investors weather the storm of a sell-off.