investmentwatchblog--2020-07-17--CDC will no longer control coronavirus data; hospitals to report directly to Washington

( Natural News ) American hospitals will no longer send data related to the Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) .
According to the Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) , the hospitals will now send the data directly to a central database in Washington instead .
The HHS made the announcement in a statement on July 10 .
As part of the statement , HHS said that Vice President Mike Pence sent a letter to hospital administrators across the country asking them to send the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , capacity , utilization , and patient flow.
” “ The objective is to allow states and hospitals either to leverage existing data reporting capabilities or , where those capabilities are insufficient , to provide guidance in how to build upon existing capabilities , ” the HHS said in a statement .
According to HHS officials , the change will streamline data gathering and assist the White House in its efforts to allocate scarce resources such as personal protective equipment and medicines .
“ This data will be used to inform decisions at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of supplies , treatments , and other resources , ” said the HHS .
As part of the change , the federal government will no longer be sending out one-time requests for data to aid in the distribution of treatments and supplies .
The daily reporting will now become the only mechanism to be used for distribution calculations .
The shift apparently grew out of a tense conference call several weeks ago between hospital executives and Dr. Deborah Birx , the coronavirus response coordinator for the White House .
During the call , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting their data .
According to Dr. Janis Orlowski , chief health care officer of the Association of American Medical Colleges , Birx later convened a working group of government and hospital officials who devised the new plan .
The change exposes gaps in the federal government ’ s ability to collect and manage health data , with experts calling the existing systems antiquated at best .
The CDC had been collecting coronavirus data through its National Healthcare Safety Network , which had to be expanded at the outset of the pandemic to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hospital capacity and patient information specific to COVID-19 .
The CDC ’ s data collection has come under criticism throughout the ongoing pandemic .
For example , in May , the agency acknowledged that in tracking the virus ’ s spread , it had been combining tests that detect active coronavirus infections with those that detect recovery from the disease .
This ended up muddying the picture of the pandemic in America , though it did raise the percentage of people tested in the country .
( Related : CDC errors caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 coronavirus . )
With the HHS ’ s new system , managed by Pittsburgh-based health data firm TeleTracking , hospitals will now report their data directly to the centralized database .
The only exception would be hospitals that are already reporting their data to their states .
In the latter case , the states will do the reporting instead .
“ Therefore , hospitals may be relieved from reporting directly to the Federal Government if they receive a written release from the State stating that the State will collect the data from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsibilities , ” said the HHS .
While the move to the new centralized system ostensibly comes with the intention of improving current deficiencies with the government ’ s coronavirus data collection , it has received some criticism .
Unlike the CDC ’ s old system , the HHS ’ s new centralized database is not open to the public .
This is something that could affect the work of scientists , researchers , modelers and health officials who rely on the CDC ’ s data to make projections and crucial decisions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ place where public health data has been sent , and this raises questions about not just access for researchers but access for reporters , access for the public to try to better understand what is happening with the outbreak , ” said the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation ’ s Jen Kates .
“ How will the data be protected ?
” she asked .
“ Will there be transparency , will there be access , and what is the role of the CDC in understanding the data ?
” In addition to transparency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the HHS ’ s new system really solves the issues with the CDC ’ s old one .
Experts have pointed out that , as with the CDC ’ s system , the new system still relies on “ push data.
” It still requires hospital employees to manually enter data , rather than the government tapping into an electronic system to get it .
“ The whole thing needs to be scrapped and started anew , ” said medical and disaster preparedness expert Dr. Dan Hanfling , a vice president at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that this administration can ’ t find the wherewithal to bring 21st-century technologies in data management to the fight.
” Other experts , however , are just frustrated that it took this long for a central system to be put in place .
“ It has been an administrative hassle and confusing to constantly be shifting gears on reporting while hospitals are on the front lines during a pandemic , ” said Texas Hospital Association spokesperson Carrie Williams in an email to the New York Times .
Meanwhile , at Rush University Medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hota explained that they had four full-time employees reporting coronavirus data to four different agencies .
Hopefully , the new system means that such frustrations will be a thing of the past and that the coronavirus data collection process becomes much more efficient .

by: Franz Walker
(Natural News) American hospitals will no longer send data related to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the hospitals will now send the data directly to a central database in Washington instead.
The HHS made the announcement in a statement on July 10. As part of the statement, HHS said that Vice President Mike Pence sent a letter to hospital administrators across the country asking them to send the federal government daily pandemic data on “testing, capacity, utilization, and patient flow.”
“The objective is to allow states and hospitals either to leverage existing data reporting capabilities or, where those capabilities are insufficient, to provide guidance in how to build upon existing capabilities,” the HHS said in a statement.
New system to streamline coronavirus data reporting
According to HHS officials, the change will streamline data gathering and assist the White House in its efforts to allocate scarce resources such as personal protective equipment and medicines.
“This data will be used to inform decisions at the federal level, such as allocation of supplies, treatments, and other resources,” said the HHS.
As part of the change, the federal government will no longer be sending out one-time requests for data to aid in the distribution of treatments and supplies. The daily reporting will now become the only mechanism to be used for distribution calculations.
The shift apparently grew out of a tense conference call several weeks ago between hospital executives and Dr. Deborah Birx, the coronavirus response coordinator for the White House. During the call, Birx said that hospitals were not adequately reporting their data.
According to Dr. Janis Orlowski, chief health care officer of the Association of American Medical Colleges, Birx later convened a working group of government and hospital officials who devised the new plan.
The change exposes gaps in the federal government’s ability to collect and manage health data, with experts calling the existing systems antiquated at best. The CDC had been collecting coronavirus data through its National Healthcare Safety Network, which had to be expanded at the outset of the pandemic to be able to handle the vast amounts of hospital capacity and patient information specific to COVID-19.
The CDC’s data collection has come under criticism throughout the ongoing pandemic. For example, in May, the agency acknowledged that in tracking the virus’s spread, it had been combining tests that detect active coronavirus infections with those that detect recovery from the disease. This ended up muddying the picture of the pandemic in America, though it did raise the percentage of people tested in the country. (Related: CDC errors caused crucial delays in the war on the COVID-19 coronavirus.)
With the HHS’s new system, managed by Pittsburgh-based health data firm TeleTracking, hospitals will now report their data directly to the centralized database. The only exception would be hospitals that are already reporting their data to their states. In the latter case, the states will do the reporting instead.
“Therefore, hospitals may be relieved from reporting directly to the Federal Government if they receive a written release from the State stating that the State will collect the data from the hospitals and take over Federal reporting responsibilities,” said the HHS.
Experts criticize new system
While the move to the new centralized system ostensibly comes with the intention of improving current deficiencies with the government’s coronavirus data collection, it has received some criticism.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Unlike the CDC’s old system, the HHS’s new centralized database is not open to the public. This is something that could affect the work of scientists, researchers, modelers and health officials who rely on the CDC’s data to make projections and crucial decisions.
“Historically, CDC has been the place where public health data has been sent, and this raises questions about not just access for researchers but access for reporters, access for the public to try to better understand what is happening with the outbreak,” said the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation’s Jen Kates.
“How will the data be protected?” she asked. “Will there be transparency, will there be access, and what is the role of the CDC in understanding the data?”
In addition to transparency concerns, some have also questioned whether the HHS’s new system really solves the issues with the CDC’s old one.
Experts have pointed out that, as with the CDC’s system, the new system still relies on “push data.” It still requires hospital employees to manually enter data, rather than the government tapping into an electronic system to get it.
“The whole thing needs to be scrapped and started anew,” said medical and disaster preparedness expert Dr. Dan Hanfling, a vice president at the nonprofit In-Q-Tel. “It is laughable that this administration can’t find the wherewithal to bring 21st-century technologies in data management to the fight.”
Other experts, however, are just frustrated that it took this long for a central system to be put in place.
“It has been an administrative hassle and confusing to constantly be shifting gears on reporting while hospitals are on the front lines during a pandemic,” said Texas Hospital Association spokesperson Carrie Williams in an email to the New York Times.
Meanwhile, at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Dr. Bala N. Hota explained that they had four full-time employees reporting coronavirus data to four different agencies.
Hopefully, the new system means that such frustrations will be a thing of the past and that the coronavirus data collection process becomes much more efficient.
Sources include:
TheEpochTimes.com
NYTimes.com 1
NYTimes.com 2


investmentwatchblog--2020-07-17--Top 10 real stories you’ll NEVER see again in American mainstream media

( Natural News ) Not only has mainstream media been corrupt , dating back to Vietnam and that horrific misinformation campaign , but today ’ s “ MSM ” has gone off the deep end , completely blacklisting any news about anything that doesn ’ t fit their narrative and hasn ’ t fit for the last decade .
Obama made sure of that .
From mass shootings at schools to day-of-birth abortions , the Left loves gore and their demented “ sacrificial lambs , ” but when it comes to Americans defending liberty or children ’ s health , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media outlets , including TV , newspapers , most websites , and of course , all of social media .
They ’ ll plaster mass-propaganda everywhere about wearing covid masks , but they ’ re all still for open borders , where millions of immigrants pour into America with every disease , virus and bacterial infection that terrifies all the crazy leftists .
Mainstream media will plaster close-up video footage of crime scenes that fit their narrative , that usually being gun control , race-baiting , gender fluidity , and social justice warrior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bury video footage that counters their narrative , never to speak of it again .
It ’ s a simple formula .
Just script out want you want Americans to believe , then create news ( think staged events , some real , some not ) that support that agenda .
Think about it .
There ’ s really no race war going on in America .
That ended decades ago .
Everybody has every right to work hard , own a home , eat healthy , use natural medicine , and take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can travel freely and start your own business too , doesn ’ t matter if you ’ re white , black , brown , orange ( orange man bad ) or blue .
And that , my friends , brings us to the… Top 10 stories you ’ ll NEVER see again in American mainstream news # 1 .
Heroic cops – Nope , no more coverage of a police officer saving a kid , or an old lady , or helping someone ward off attackers , just “ All cops bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cops .
Defund all cops .
Defund Ice ” – you get the picture .
# 2 .
Illegal immigrants test positive for Covid-19 ( or any other disease for that matter ) – That ’ s right , there ’ s no such thing as an illegal immigrant ( easy Democrat voter ) who has measles , lice , tuberculosis , Hep B , coronavirus , the flu .
Nope , they ’ re all perfectly healthy so all news about them is glorious .
# 3 .
Black Americans who support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supports our current president is called a “ coon ” or an “ Uncle Tom ” negro by all Leftist Blacks .
Period .
# 4 .
Donald Trump does something good – Even if the POTUS pulled a drowning boy out of the ocean today and saved his life , the CNN headline would be “ Trump may have dislocated boy ’ s shoulder while rough-housing in ocean.
” # 5 .
Donald Trump is winning in the “ polls ” – Even after they all lied through their teeth and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the polls by 20 percent , she lost .
Did we all forget already ?
Now they say Trump is behind Biden .
Way behind , but Biden is senile and it shows more every day .
# 6 .
Negative coverage about Muslim or Islamic terrorists – If a white dude blows something or somebody up , it ’ s all over US news for weeks : “ White supremacist terrorist … ” or “ Race war heats up … ” – but if a Muslim or Islamic person does it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lives Matter rioters burn , loot , rape , murder – this is all called “ peaceful protesting ” ( and block out all video footage of it ) , but when gun rights activist peacefully protest in town square or at the capital , send in the paid Antifa goons and call it “ riots ” and “ white-supremacist Nazi rallies.
” # 8 .
Law-abiding citizen with legal carry prevents mass shooting catastrophe – Any mass shooting happens in America and the media and the Democrat leaders go wild , calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mass shooter psychopath gets gunned down during his tirade by a legally armed citizen or off-duty cop , that coverage is nowhere to be found , at all .
# 9 .
Coverage of small businesses doing well – The new era of involuntary socialism is here .
Wear your mask , social distance , and only purchase goods and services from huge corporations that want to crush America and turn it into a communist nightmare , like Venezuela .
# 10 .
Anything positive about religion – Democrats are demons , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or mention of Him .
God bless America .
In God we Trust .
Tune your internet dial to Trump.news for updates on the psychotic left trying their best to take away our second amendment rights while twisting , modifying and faking the news cycle .
According to the Left now , being patriotic is being racist and terrorist .
Yes , it ’ s come to that .

(Natural News) Not only has mainstream media been corrupt, dating back to Vietnam and that horrific misinformation campaign, but today’s “MSM” has gone off the deep end, completely blacklisting any news about anything that doesn’t fit their narrative and hasn’t fit for the last decade. Obama made sure of that. From mass shootings at schools to day-of-birth abortions, the Left loves gore and their demented “sacrificial lambs,” but when it comes to Americans defending liberty or children’s health, mum’s the word across all media outlets, including TV, newspapers, most websites, and of course, all of social media. They’ll plaster mass-propaganda everywhere about wearing covid masks, but they’re all still for open borders, where millions of immigrants pour into America with every disease, virus and bacterial infection that terrifies all the crazy leftists.
Bad Food, Corrupt Medicine, Gun Control, Gender Fluidity and a Fake Race War
Mainstream media will plaster close-up video footage of crime scenes that fit their narrative, that usually being gun control, race-baiting, gender fluidity, and social justice warrior cry-bully themes, but they’ll bury video footage that counters their narrative, never to speak of it again. It’s a simple formula. Just script out want you want Americans to believe, then create news (think staged events, some real, some not) that support that agenda.
Think about it. There’s really no race war going on in America. That ended decades ago. Everybody has every right to work hard, own a home, eat healthy, use natural medicine, and take care of children — or not. You can travel freely and start your own business too, doesn’t matter if you’re white, black, brown, orange (orange man bad) or blue.
And that, my friends, brings us to the…
Top 10 stories you’ll NEVER see again in American mainstream news
#1. Heroic cops – Nope, no more coverage of a police officer saving a kid, or an old lady, or helping someone ward off attackers, just “All cops bad. All cops racist. No good cops. Defund all cops. Defund Ice” – you get the picture.
#2. Illegal immigrants test positive for Covid-19 (or any other disease for that matter) – That’s right, there’s no such thing as an illegal immigrant (easy Democrat voter) who has measles, lice, tuberculosis, Hep B, coronavirus, the flu. Nope, they’re all perfectly healthy so all news about them is glorious.
#3. Black Americans who support Donald Trump – Any Black American who supports our current president is called a “coon” or an “Uncle Tom” negro by all Leftist Blacks. Period.
#4. Donald Trump does something good – Even if the POTUS pulled a drowning boy out of the ocean today and saved his life, the CNN headline would be “Trump may have dislocated boy’s shoulder while rough-housing in ocean.”
#5. Donald Trump is winning in the “polls” – Even after they all lied through their teeth and said Hillary was a slam dunk and winning in the polls by 20 percent, she lost. Did we all forget already? Now they say Trump is behind Biden. Way behind, but Biden is senile and it shows more every day.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
#6. Negative coverage about Muslim or Islamic terrorists – If a white dude blows something or somebody up, it’s all over US news for weeks: “White supremacist terrorist …” or “Race war heats up …” – but if a Muslim or Islamic person does it — silence.
#7. Black Lives Matter rioters burn, loot, rape, murder – this is all called “peaceful protesting” (and block out all video footage of it), but when gun rights activist peacefully protest in town square or at the capital, send in the paid Antifa goons and call it “riots” and “white-supremacist Nazi rallies.”
#8. Law-abiding citizen with legal carry prevents mass shooting catastrophe – Any mass shooting happens in America and the media and the Democrat leaders go wild, calling for gun control! Yet, if a mass shooter psychopath gets gunned down during his tirade by a legally armed citizen or off-duty cop, that coverage is nowhere to be found, at all.
#9. Coverage of small businesses doing well – The new era of involuntary socialism is here. Wear your mask, social distance, and only purchase goods and services from huge corporations that want to crush America and turn it into a communist nightmare, like Venezuela.
#10. Anything positive about religion – Democrats are demons, so they despise God and any symbol or mention of Him. God bless America. In God we Trust.
Tune your internet dial to Trump.news for updates on the psychotic left trying their best to take away our second amendment rights while twisting, modifying and faking the news cycle. According to the Left now, being patriotic is being racist and terrorist. Yes, it’s come to that.
Sources for this article include:
Trump.news
NaturalNews.com
NaturalNews.com


investmentwatchblog--2020-07-17--Now you can’t even criticize ELECTRIC CARS on YouTube without getting banned

( Natural News ) A former Tesla owner was censored by YouTube after criticizing electric cars and announcing that he reverted back to a traditional gas-powered vehicle .
Rich Benoit made quite the name for himself in the electric vehicle ( EV ) community after getting into the business of refurbishing older models , including a 2013 Tesla S P85 .
EV enthusiasts everywhere were enthralled with his work , which led to him garnering more than 700,000 subscribers and 80 million video views .
But things quickly went south when Benoit launched a recent project called , “ Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going back to Gas.
” Benoit announced that he was abandoning a project he had recently started on a Tesla , and is now planning to go exclusively back to gas .
“ This video is going to be a little bit different , ” he stated at its opening .
“ In this episode I ’ m going to be re-building a Tesla Model S. It ’ s going to be from start to finish in one episode , while I talk over the reasons why I ’ m switching back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t it ?
” Tesla fans were not impressed by this announcement and apparently flagged the video , resulting in it being pulled from the platform after just a few hours .
According to YouTube , Benoit had violated its “ Community Guidelines ” with this video .
“ The Tesla fanboys formed like Voltron and ganged up to flag my video for removal on youtube , ” Benoit tweeted to his followers after learning the news .
“ The video which was flagged for ‘ inappropriate content ’ was about me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car instead .
Ladies and gentlemen , this is what happens when you anger the hive.
” Tesla “ cult ” disliked Benoit ’ s video so many times that YouTube took action In addition to flagging Benoit ’ s video , the Tesla “ cult ” also disliked it so many times that YouTube apparently intervened , believing these dislikes to suggest that the video contained certain unsavory elements worthy of being pulled .
“ People clearly did not like the content even though there was no cursing , ” Benoit added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouTube for several years now and I ’ ve never had a video pulled , so having a video pulled within five hours after announcing that I ’ ll be replacing my Tesla with a gas powered vehicle doesn ’ t seem like a coincidence.
” Benoit appealed YouTube ’ s decision and eventually got his video reinstated , which is similar to what happened back in 2012 when thousands of free speech advocates successfully petitioned YouTube to stop censoring videos about the use of unconstitutional torture tactics by the federal government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that YouTube pulled down Benoit ’ s video at all serves as a chilling reminder that Big Tech is completely out of control and in desperate need of some antitrust intervention .
This fact was further illustrated after YouTube pulled down Benoit ’ s video a second time after its republishing .
“ I have given up , yes , ” Benoit stated , indicating that he is not going to continue trying to appeal to the YouTube “ gods ” to honor his freedom of speech .
“ It ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time.
” While it was previously believed that YouTube only censored political content deemed “ inappropriate , ” we can now see that YouTube is also censoring all sorts of other content , including different opinions on the alleged “ benefits ” of EVs .
Not everyone likes EVs , and not everyone believes that they are really as “ environmentally friendly ” as claimed .
And it used to be that holding different opinions on this was acceptable – but no longer , thanks to the overreaching control arm of Big Tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is available at Censorship.news .

by: Ethan Huff
(Natural News) A former Tesla owner was censored by YouTube after criticizing electric cars and announcing that he reverted back to a traditional gas-powered vehicle.
Rich Benoit made quite the name for himself in the electric vehicle (EV) community after getting into the business of refurbishing older models, including a 2013 Tesla S P85. EV enthusiasts everywhere were enthralled with his work, which led to him garnering more than 700,000 subscribers and 80 million video views.
But things quickly went south when Benoit launched a recent project called, “Why I’m selling my Tesla and going back to Gas.” Benoit announced that he was abandoning a project he had recently started on a Tesla, and is now planning to go exclusively back to gas.
“This video is going to be a little bit different,” he stated at its opening. “In this episode I’m going to be re-building a Tesla Model S. It’s going to be from start to finish in one episode, while I talk over the reasons why I’m switching back to gas. Kind of ironic, isn’t it?”
Tesla fans were not impressed by this announcement and apparently flagged the video, resulting in it being pulled from the platform after just a few hours. According to YouTube, Benoit had violated its “Community Guidelines” with this video.
“The Tesla fanboys formed like Voltron and ganged up to flag my video for removal on youtube,” Benoit tweeted to his followers after learning the news.
“The video which was flagged for ‘inappropriate content’ was about me selling my Tesla and buying a gas car instead. Ladies and gentlemen, this is what happens when you anger the hive.”
Tesla “cult” disliked Benoit’s video so many times that YouTube took action
In addition to flagging Benoit’s video, the Tesla “cult” also disliked it so many times that YouTube apparently intervened, believing these dislikes to suggest that the video contained certain unsavory elements worthy of being pulled.
“People clearly did not like the content even though there was no cursing,” Benoit added.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
“I’ve been on YouTube for several years now and I’ve never had a video pulled, so having a video pulled within five hours after announcing that I’ll be replacing my Tesla with a gas powered vehicle doesn’t seem like a coincidence.”
Benoit appealed YouTube’s decision and eventually got his video reinstated, which is similar to what happened back in 2012 when thousands of free speech advocates successfully petitioned YouTube to stop censoring videos about the use of unconstitutional torture tactics by the federal government.
At the same time, the fact that YouTube pulled down Benoit’s video at all serves as a chilling reminder that Big Tech is completely out of control and in desperate need of some antitrust intervention. This fact was further illustrated after YouTube pulled down Benoit’s video a second time after its republishing.
“I have given up, yes,” Benoit stated, indicating that he is not going to continue trying to appeal to the YouTube “gods” to honor his freedom of speech. “It’s not worth it me trying for a third time.”
While it was previously believed that YouTube only censored political content deemed “inappropriate,” we can now see that YouTube is also censoring all sorts of other content, including different opinions on the alleged “benefits” of EVs.
Not everyone likes EVs, and not everyone believes that they are really as “environmentally friendly” as claimed. And it used to be that holding different opinions on this was acceptable – but no longer, thanks to the overreaching control arm of Big Tech.
More related news about tech censorship is available at Censorship.news.
Sources for this article include:
ZeroHedge.com
NaturalNews.com


investmentwatchblog--2020-07-17--Second Wave PANIC BUYING Is HERE! – Fear Is Leading To Another “Supply Chain BREAKDOWN”

Josh Sigurdson reports on the latest news of panic buying throughout the world as stores lose stock of multiple items @ @ @ @ @ food , pasta and rice .
In places like Hong Kong , we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ panic buying whereas places like Australia are starting to already die down .
But there @ @ @ @ @ story than meets the eye .
As we see a second wave of lockdowns in @ @ @ @ @ , the fear is leading to many people panic buying goods .
One would certainly @ @ @ @ @ learn from the previous catastrophe , but it hasn ’ t .
Or perhaps , @ @ @ @ @ to mark up prices and make more money which is the most logical explanation considering @ @ @ @ @ actual panic buying despite goods and services internationally being more difficult to come upon .

Josh Sigurdson reports on the latest news of panic buying throughout the world as stores lose stock of multiple items including soda drinks, canned food, pasta and rice.
In places like Hong Kong, we’re seeing a second wave of panic buying whereas places like Australia are starting to already die down.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
But there’s more to the story than meets the eye.
As we see a second wave of lockdowns in many places throughout the world, the fear is leading to many people panic buying goods. One would certainly think the supply chain would learn from the previous catastrophe, but it hasn’t. Or perhaps, they’re utilizing fear to mark up prices and make more money which is the most logical explanation considering Mexico had little to no actual panic buying despite goods and services internationally being more difficult to come upon.


investmentwatchblog--2020-07-17--The Housing Crisis Of 2020: Millions Of Americans Missed Their Last Rent Payments, And Tens Of Milli

The Housing Crisis Of 2020: Millions Of Americans Missed Their Last Rent Payments, And Tens Of Millions Could Soon Be Evicted

Week after week we continue to get economic numbers that are absolutely horrific , and it appears that we are heading for a housing crisis that will be even worse than what we witnessed in 2008 .
Back then , millions of Americans lost their homes , but this time around it could be tens of millions .
I know that a statement like that may sound overly dramatic , but I believe that many of you that feel that way may change your minds after reading this entire article .
In order to make rent and mortgage payments , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now people continue to lose jobs at a pace that is hard to believe .
On Thursday , we learned that another 1.3 million Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week .
That was worse than expected , and it represented the 17th week in a row when the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits exceeded one million .
And as I keep reminding my readers each week , the all-time record for a single week prior to this year was just 695,000 .
Overall , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims for unemployment benefits over the last 17 weeks , and that is by far the largest spike in unemployment in all of U.S. history .
In fact , the numbers that we have been seeing should theoretically be close to impossible .
In February , the number of Americans that were employed peaked at an all-time high of 152 million , and the number of people that have filed new claims for unemployment since that time represents more than a third of that total .
I know that some people are hesitant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” , but what else are we supposed to call this ?
Incredibly , one expect quoted by USA Today is telling us that the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits could actually “ increase ” next week… Needless to say , this tsunami of unemployment has resulted in a whole lot of people not being able to make their rent payments .
In fact , the Census Bureau has announced that 11.6 million Americans live in households that did not make their most recent rent payments… Large numbers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payments as well .
The following comes from Wolf Richter… In the months ahead , millions of Americans will fall so far behind on their rent payments that they will be facing eviction .
And millions of other Americans will fall so far behind on their mortgages that they will be in serious danger of losing their homes .
According to Emily Benfer , we could potentially see a total of “ 20 million to 28 million people ” get kicked out of their homes in the months ahead… “ We have never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a truncated amount of time in our history , ” Benfer said when asked about how the current homeless crisis compares to the 2008 housing crisis .
She continued : “ We can expect this to increase dramatically in the coming weeks and months , especially as the limited support and intervention measures that are in place start to expire .
About 10 million people , over a period of years , were displaced from their homes following the foreclosure crisis in 2008 .
We ’ re looking at 20 million to 28 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now and September , facing eviction.
” We have never seen anything like this before .
And of course Benfer is assuming that there won ’ t be another major crisis between now and the end of the year .
So what happens if we get to September , October and November and things in this country start going absolutely haywire once again ?
The closer we get to the election , the higher societal tensions will run , and they are already so high that we could see a major eruption at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also mention that the $ 600 weekly bonus payments that were keeping so many unemployed Americans afloat will be terminated at the end of July .
Once those payments stop , millions upon millions of unemployed workers will have a much , much more difficult time making rent and mortgage payments .
Most Americans believe that “ the worst is behind us ” , but the truth is that we are sleepwalking into an unprecedented economic nightmare .
If you follow my work on The Most Important News , you already know how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year and beyond , and I will be laying out precisely what I believe is coming in my new book which will be released later this month .
The “ perfect storm ” which I have mentioned so many times over the last couple of years is now here , and most Americans are completely and totally unprepared for it .
I would very much encourage you to take the summer months as an opportunity to make the preparations that you need to make for the chaos that is approaching .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are already witnessing nationwide shortages of aluminum cans , soda , flour , canned soup , pasta and rice .
As the problems in our nation intensify , the shortages will only get worse .
Of course in order to store up supplies you must have somewhere to put them , and for tens of millions of Americans it is going to be a real struggle just to keep their homes during the months ahead .
It looks like we are facing a housing crisis that is going to be far worse than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recession , and unless Congress starts making money rain from the sky it doesn ’ t appear that there is any hope of stopping it .

by Michael Snyder
Week after week we continue to get economic numbers that are absolutely horrific, and it appears that we are heading for a housing crisis that will be even worse than what we witnessed in 2008. Back then, millions of Americans lost their homes, but this time around it could be tens of millions. I know that a statement like that may sound overly dramatic, but I believe that many of you that feel that way may change your minds after reading this entire article.
In order to make rent and mortgage payments, Americans need paychecks coming in, and right now people continue to lose jobs at a pace that is hard to believe.
On Thursday, we learned that another 1.3 million Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week. That was worse than expected, and it represented the 17th week in a row when the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits exceeded one million.
And as I keep reminding my readers each week, the all-time record for a single week prior to this year was just 695,000.
Overall, more than 51 million Americans have filed new claims for unemployment benefits over the last 17 weeks, and that is by far the largest spike in unemployment in all of U.S. history.
In fact, the numbers that we have been seeing should theoretically be close to impossible. In February, the number of Americans that were employed peaked at an all-time high of 152 million, and the number of people that have filed new claims for unemployment since that time represents more than a third of that total.
I know that some people are hesitant to use the term “economic collapse”, but what else are we supposed to call this?
Incredibly, one expect quoted by USA Today is telling us that the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits could actually “increase” next week…
The rollbacks may spark a new wave of layoffs, especially in hard-hit states like Texas, Florida, Arizona and California, and possibly even push the claims totals higher. “Next week could easily see an increase” in initial claims, economist Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics wrote in a research note.
Needless to say, this tsunami of unemployment has resulted in a whole lot of people not being able to make their rent payments.
In fact, the Census Bureau has announced that 11.6 million Americans live in households that did not make their most recent rent payments…
According to the latest weekly Census Bureau data, 11.6 million people live in households that missed their last rental payments. More than 22 million Americans also have no, or only slight confidence, that they will be able to make next month’s rental payments, the figures show.
Ouch.
Large numbers of Americans are getting behind on their mortgage payments as well. The following comes from Wolf Richter…
In April, the share of all mortgages that were past due, but less than 30 days, soared to 3.4% of all mortgages, the highest in the data going back to 1999 . This was up from 0.7% in April last year. During the Housing Bust, this rate peaked in November 2008 at 2%
In the months ahead, millions of Americans will fall so far behind on their rent payments that they will be facing eviction.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
And millions of other Americans will fall so far behind on their mortgages that they will be in serious danger of losing their homes.
According to Emily Benfer, we could potentially see a total of “20 million to 28 million people” get kicked out of their homes in the months ahead…
“We have never seen this extent of eviction in such a truncated amount of time in our history,” Benfer said when asked about how the current homeless crisis compares to the 2008 housing crisis. She continued: “We can expect this to increase dramatically in the coming weeks and months, especially as the limited support and intervention measures that are in place start to expire. About 10 million people, over a period of years, were displaced from their homes following the foreclosure crisis in 2008. We’re looking at 20 million to 28 million people in this moment, between now and September, facing eviction.”
We have never seen anything like this before.
And of course Benfer is assuming that there won’t be another major crisis between now and the end of the year.
So what happens if we get to September, October and November and things in this country start going absolutely haywire once again?
The closer we get to the election, the higher societal tensions will run, and they are already so high that we could see a major eruption at literally any moment.
And I should also mention that the $600 weekly bonus payments that were keeping so many unemployed Americans afloat will be terminated at the end of July. Once those payments stop, millions upon millions of unemployed workers will have a much, much more difficult time making rent and mortgage payments.
Most Americans believe that “the worst is behind us”, but the truth is that we are sleepwalking into an unprecedented economic nightmare.
If you follow my work on The Most Important News, you already know how concerned I am about the end of this year and beyond, and I will be laying out precisely what I believe is coming in my new book which will be released later this month.
The “perfect storm” which I have mentioned so many times over the last couple of years is now here, and most Americans are completely and totally unprepared for it.
I would very much encourage you to take the summer months as an opportunity to make the preparations that you need to make for the chaos that is approaching. As I detailed two days ago, we are already witnessing nationwide shortages of aluminum cans, soda, flour, canned soup, pasta and rice. As the problems in our nation intensify, the shortages will only get worse.
Of course in order to store up supplies you must have somewhere to put them, and for tens of millions of Americans it is going to be a real struggle just to keep their homes during the months ahead.
It looks like we are facing a housing crisis that is going to be far worse than anything that we experienced during the last recession, and unless Congress starts making money rain from the sky it doesn’t appear that there is any hope of stopping it.


investmentwatchblog--2020-07-17--California Churches Have Been Shut Down Indefinitely, And The NFL Season May Be In Jeopardy

As I have warned many times before , life is not going to be getting back to normal any time soon .
The state of California just instituted a whole bunch of new COVID-19 restrictions , and the California Department of Health has confirmed that as a result of those new restrictions all in-person church gatherings have been banned “ with no definite end date ” .
Of course many churches will continue to have online services , but it just isn ’ t the same .
And with greatly reduced revenues coming in for the foreseeable future , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to survive .
It is one thing to lock down a state for a few weeks so that hospitals do not get completely overwhelmed during a pandemic , but it looks like California may be locked down for months to come , and some are even speculating that the restrictions could stretch into next year .
When the new restrictions were put into place , a lot of people didn ’ t understand that they included church services too .
Sadly , the California Department of Health has made it clear that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be permitted… The California Department of Health clarified Tuesday to the Daily Caller News Foundation that indoor religious services in the state have been suspended with no definite end date .
Over four months after California initially instituted a lockdown on March 19 , the state issued a new coronavirus order Monday that rolled back reopening plans .
The order mandates that restaurants , bars , churches , fitness centers , hair salons , and barber shops must be closed in 30 of the hardest hit counties in California .
Each week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. has continued to rise , and at this point it appears unlikely that the state of California will lift these new restrictions any time soon .
That also means that there won ’ t be any crowds at sporting events in the state for the foreseeable future either .
NFL players are supposed to start reporting to training camps shortly , but it is starting to become clear that the season is in serious jeopardy .
If the season does move forward , the games will almost certainly be played @ @ @ @ @ @ @ definitely be required for the three NFL teams that are located in California , and the rest of the clubs are likely to choose to do so as well for safety reasons .
But even if fans are excluded , that still doesn ’ t keep the players safe from one another .
Football is a contact sport , and so any sort of “ social distancing ” is simply not possible .
In such an environment , a virus can spread like wildfire .
And this week we learned that 72 NFL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is no way that the NFL can guarantee that players will not be exposed to COVID-19 during the games , and so the players association plans to push for opt-out clauses during negotiations with the owners which would give some players the option to decide not to play if they don ’ t feel it is safe to do so… • An opt-out clause for at-risk players to receive salary ( but not bonuses ) if they decide not to play .
• An opt-out clause for players with at-risk families to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they decide not to play .
• An opt-out clause for players who leave the team after reporting ( terms uncertain ) .
• A $ 250,000 stipend guaranteed to all players if they show up to camp and everything is shut down because of COVID-19 concerns .
That amount rises to $ 500,000 if the season starts , only to be shut down .
Of course there are many , many other things that the players and the owners must agree on before the season starts… The money — whether it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the impact on future salary caps — has to be bargained out .
The COVID-19 testing regimens have to be bargained out .
The protocols about how camps can be run on a daily basis have to be bargained out .
The safety protocols beyond testing have to be bargained out .
Equipment changes , such as mandatory face shields , have to be bargained out .
The clock is ticking , and NFL owners have been very slow to make progress on these things .
I think that even the owners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a season , and they have probably been holding off until there was more clarity on the progression of the pandemic .
But at this point the players are starting to run out of patience .
Speaking as a football fan , I am very much looking forward to the 2020 season , and I would be extremely disappointed if it was canceled or if it was stopped before it was fully completed .
Unfortunately , we are being told that either of those scenarios may happen .
For example , NFLPA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the season in a recent blog post… Every decision this year that prioritizes normalcy over innovation , custom over science or even football over health , significantly reduces our chances of completing the full season .
We don ’ t want to merely return to work and have the season shut down before we even get started .
The NFLPA will do its part to advocate for player safety .
We will continue to hold the NFL accountable and demand that the league use data , science and the recommendations of its own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been clear for months that we need to find a way to fit football inside the world of coronavirus .
Making decisions outside that lens is both dangerous and irresponsible .
And Dr. Anthony Fauci recently expressed his opinion that “ it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall ” .
Of course some college football games have already been canceled , and the rest of the college football season is definitely up in the air .
We shall see what happens with college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are not optimistic .
If it turns out that there is no football at all this fall , that is going to be extremely depressing .
But the good news is that as I write this article the NFL is still planning to kickoff the regular season on September 10th , and so let us hope that actually happens .

by Michael Snyder
As I have warned many times before, life is not going to be getting back to normal any time soon. The state of California just instituted a whole bunch of new COVID-19 restrictions, and the California Department of Health has confirmed that as a result of those new restrictions all in-person church gatherings have been banned “with no definite end date”. Of course many churches will continue to have online services, but it just isn’t the same. And with greatly reduced revenues coming in for the foreseeable future, a lot of smaller churches may not be able to survive. It is one thing to lock down a state for a few weeks so that hospitals do not get completely overwhelmed during a pandemic, but it looks like California may be locked down for months to come, and some are even speculating that the restrictions could stretch into next year.
When the new restrictions were put into place, a lot of people didn’t understand that they included church services too. Sadly, the California Department of Health has made it clear that no “indoor religious services” will be permitted…
The California Department of Health clarified Tuesday to the Daily Caller News Foundation that indoor religious services in the state have been suspended with no definite end date. Over four months after California initially instituted a lockdown on March 19, the state issued a new coronavirus order Monday that rolled back reopening plans. The order mandates that restaurants, bars, churches, fitness centers, hair salons, and barber shops must be closed in 30 of the hardest hit counties in California.
Each week, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. has continued to rise, and at this point it appears unlikely that the state of California will lift these new restrictions any time soon.
That also means that there won’t be any crowds at sporting events in the state for the foreseeable future either.
NFL players are supposed to start reporting to training camps shortly, but it is starting to become clear that the season is in serious jeopardy.
If the season does move forward, the games will almost certainly be played in stadiums without fans. That would definitely be required for the three NFL teams that are located in California, and the rest of the clubs are likely to choose to do so as well for safety reasons.
But even if fans are excluded, that still doesn’t keep the players safe from one another.
Football is a contact sport, and so any sort of “social distancing” is simply not possible. In such an environment, a virus can spread like wildfire.
And this week we learned that 72 NFL players have already tested positive for COVID-19…
With training camps set to open in less than two weeks, 72 National Football League players had tested positive for COVID-19 as of July 10, according to the players’ association. It was not immediately clear who the players were or which teams they play for.
There is no way that the NFL can guarantee that players will not be exposed to COVID-19 during the games, and so the players association plans to push for opt-out clauses during negotiations with the owners which would give some players the option to decide not to play if they don’t feel it is safe to do so…
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
An opt-out clause for at-risk players to receive salary (but not bonuses) if they decide not to play.
An opt-out clause for players with at-risk families to earn an accrued season and benefits if they decide not to play.
An opt-out clause for players who leave the team after reporting (terms uncertain).
A $250,000 stipend guaranteed to all players if they show up to camp and everything is shut down because of COVID-19 concerns. That amount rises to $500,000 if the season starts, only to be shut down.
Of course there are many, many other things that the players and the owners must agree on before the season starts…
The money — whether it’s the pay of players in 2020 or the impact on future salary caps — has to be bargained out. The COVID-19 testing regimens have to be bargained out. The protocols about how camps can be run on a daily basis have to be bargained out. The safety protocols beyond testing have to be bargained out. Equipment changes, such as mandatory face shields, have to be bargained out.
The clock is ticking, and NFL owners have been very slow to make progress on these things.
I think that even the owners aren’t sure if there will be a season, and they have probably been holding off until there was more clarity on the progression of the pandemic. But at this point the players are starting to run out of patience.
In the interest of having everyone on the same page in terms of what we know and don’t know at this time, here are a few things I’ve learned being on four NFLPA calls in the last two weeks with hundreds of other players. Keep in mind our rookies are scheduled to report in 48 hrs pic.twitter.com/wAH1XyQenf — JJ Watt (@JJWatt) July 16, 2020
Speaking as a football fan, I am very much looking forward to the 2020 season, and I would be extremely disappointed if it was canceled or if it was stopped before it was fully completed.
Unfortunately, we are being told that either of those scenarios may happen. For example, NFLPA President J.C. Tretter sounded quite pessimistic about the season in a recent blog post…
Every decision this year that prioritizes normalcy over innovation, custom over science or even football over health, significantly reduces our chances of completing the full season. We don’t want to merely return to work and have the season shut down before we even get started. The NFLPA will do its part to advocate for player safety. We will continue to hold the NFL accountable and demand that the league use data, science and the recommendations of its own medical experts to make decisions. It has been clear for months that we need to find a way to fit football inside the world of coronavirus. Making decisions outside that lens is both dangerous and irresponsible.
And Dr. Anthony Fauci recently expressed his opinion that “it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall”.
Of course some college football games have already been canceled, and the rest of the college football season is definitely up in the air.
We shall see what happens with college football, but at this point many people are not optimistic.
If it turns out that there is no football at all this fall, that is going to be extremely depressing.
But the good news is that as I write this article the NFL is still planning to kickoff the regular season on September 10th, and so let us hope that actually happens.


investmentwatchblog--2020-07-17--Stock Donations: The Most Tax-Efficient Way To Donate Money

No one likes to pay taxes , especially in these turbulent economic times .
With millions of Americans laid off due to the COVID-19 crisis , and millions more hurting due to slowdowns in their business , the economy is in deep trouble .
This affects everyone , and it ’ s never too early to start end-of-year planning to make sure that next year ’ s taxes don ’ t create yet another personal crisis for your family .
Charitable donations are a great way to deduct more from your taxes – and of course , an excellent way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or cause you care deeply about .
But as more and more Americans are coming to realize , cash donations are not the most tax-efficient way to donate to charity .
By donating appreciated stock instead of cash , you increase your write-off , and increase the amount of money in the organization ’ s pocket .
Everybody wins .
The biggest benefit of donating stock is that you avoid paying capital gains tax .
Let ’ s say you have a healthy stock portfolio , including stocks that you have held for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the amount of $ 10,000 .
Looking at your income and deductions for the year , you decide that this $ 10,000 is best used as a year-end gift to a charitable organization .
If you sell the stock , you will have to pay capital gains tax up to 37 % , in this case $ 3,700 .
That leaves you with $ 6,300 to donate to the organization of your choice and take as a deduction on your taxes .
Instead , if you donate the stock directly to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The organization keeps the full $ 10,000 , and that ’ s the amount you write off on your taxes .
That ’ s a huge difference for an organization – potentially funding increased programming , hiring of new staff , building maintenance , and more .
And at the same time , it ’ s saving you money .
Win-win !
It ’ s best to donate appreciated stock that you have held for a year or more .
This will save you the most on your taxes .
You ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are taking an itemized deduction to see the full value of your contribution .
If you take a standard donation , this contribution won ’ t be counted .
It is better not to donate losing stock .
If you ’ d like to unload some of your losing stock , it ’ s best to sell it , take the capital loss , and donate the cash value to charity directly .
This will help you balance your portfolio against potential gains .
You may be happy with your stock portfolio as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portfolios that they love , and wouldn ’ t want to change .
Donating stock as a year-end gift can provide a great opportunity to review the balance of your portfolio .
You can buy up additional stock to replace the donated shares , and offloading some of your appreciated stock will void gains in the future .
If you ’ re planning to manage your stock donation yourself , make sure you allow plenty of time before the end of the year .
You ’ ll want to reach out to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set up to accept stock donations , and have an expert on staff who can guide you through the process .
There ’ s nothing worse than having your donation processed on January 2 instead of December 30 , so make sure you are proactive about your major year-end contribution .
However , you can also use a stock donation service to streamline the process , making your donation much easier for you and for the organization .
For example , Cocatalyst is a tool to make donations from your broker to charity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donate stock through Cocatalyst , all you have to do is visit their donor page , fill out their form , and complete the signature .
The organization you ’ re donating to can set up a profile as well ( if they haven ’ t already ) , so that Cocatalyst can handle all of their stock donations for them .
It ’ s completely free to use – and eliminates any hassle you might worry about in the stock donation process .
Donating stock to a church is a similar process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than cash donations , and you ’ ll be glad you went this route come tax season .
Many organizations already accept stock donations – but even if you want to donate to one that doesn ’ t , they ’ ll be thrilled to learn about the ways they can take home a bigger piece of the pie .
The process can be simple through streamlining services , and it ’ s a win for both you and the organization .
Take advantage of this if you possibly can !
Disclaimer : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ views of IWB .

No one likes to pay taxes, especially in these turbulent economic times. With millions of Americans laid off due to the COVID-19 crisis, and millions more hurting due to slowdowns in their business, the economy is in deep trouble.
This affects everyone, and it’s never too early to start end-of-year planning to make sure that next year’s taxes don’t create yet another personal crisis for your family. Charitable donations are a great way to deduct more from your taxes – and of course, an excellent way to put your funds behind an institution or cause you care deeply about.
But as more and more Americans are coming to realize, cash donations are not the most tax-efficient way to donate to charity. By donating appreciated stock instead of cash, you increase your write-off, and increase the amount of money in the organization’s pocket. Everybody wins.
The Benefits Of Donating Stock
The biggest benefit of donating stock is that you avoid paying capital gains tax.
Let’s say you have a healthy stock portfolio, including stocks that you have held for at least a year and have appreciated in the amount of $10,000. Looking at your income and deductions for the year, you decide that this $10,000 is best used as a year-end gift to a charitable organization.
If you sell the stock, you will have to pay capital gains tax up to 37%, in this case $3,700. That leaves you with $6,300 to donate to the organization of your choice and take as a deduction on your taxes.
Instead, if you donate the stock directly to the organization, you bypass capital gains tax. The organization keeps the full $10,000, and that’s the amount you write off on your taxes.
That’s a huge difference for an organization – potentially funding increased programming, hiring of new staff, building maintenance, and more. And at the same time, it’s saving you money. Win-win!
Things To Consider
It’s best to donate appreciated stock that you have held for a year or more. This will save you the most on your taxes.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
You’ll also want to make sure you are taking an itemized deduction to see the full value of your contribution. If you take a standard donation, this contribution won’t be counted.
It is better not to donate losing stock. If you’d like to unload some of your losing stock, it’s best to sell it, take the capital loss, and donate the cash value to charity directly. This will help you balance your portfolio against potential gains.
You may be happy with your stock portfolio as it is – many people have stock portfolios that they love, and wouldn’t want to change. Donating stock as a year-end gift can provide a great opportunity to review the balance of your portfolio. You can buy up additional stock to replace the donated shares, and offloading some of your appreciated stock will void gains in the future.
How To Donate Stock
If you’re planning to manage your stock donation yourself, make sure you allow plenty of time before the end of the year. You’ll want to reach out to the charitable organization and make sure they are set up to accept stock donations, and have an expert on staff who can guide you through the process. There’s nothing worse than having your donation processed on January 2 instead of December 30, so make sure you are proactive about your major year-end contribution.
However, you can also use a stock donation service to streamline the process, making your donation much easier for you and for the organization. For example, Cocatalyst is a tool to make donations from your broker to charity.
If you’d like to donate stock through Cocatalyst, all you have to do is visit their donor page, fill out their form, and complete the signature. The organization you’re donating to can set up a profile as well (if they haven’t already), so that Cocatalyst can handle all of their stock donations for them.
It’s completely free to use – and eliminates any hassle you might worry about in the stock donation process. Donating stock to a church is a similar process.
In Conclusion…
Stock donations are far more tax-efficient than cash donations, and you’ll be glad you went this route come tax season. Many organizations already accept stock donations – but even if you want to donate to one that doesn’t, they’ll be thrilled to learn about the ways they can take home a bigger piece of the pie. The process can be simple through streamlining services, and it’s a win for both you and the organization. Take advantage of this if you possibly can!
Disclaimer: This content does not necessarily represent the views of IWB.


investmentwatchblog--2020-07-18--Warren Buffet: “If I had never sold a stock, I would be much wealthier”

One of the biggest obstacles to active stock picking ( as opposed to indexing ) seems to be with all the problems with timing the market .
We tend to want to buy when others want to buy , and less when others are fearful ( i.e .
the worst timing ) .
But this strategy seems attractive .
You pick high quality companies that you think will surge over the next 20 years ( Amazon , Tesla , Disney , whatever you think ) and NEVER SELL .
This takes out some of the issues with active investing where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the market at all the wrong times .
What do you think ?
Would this solve any of the problems with active investing ?
edit : lots of awesome comments but I think some people aren ’ t being as charitable to the proposal as they should .
Using examples of companies that rose and fall after 30 years isn ’ t very fair to the main idea behind this proposal .
Let ’ s say buy and hold for 10 years minimum .
The basic idea is that you are NOT thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stock at the right times .
Buy and hold even on the down years .
Disclaimer : This information is only for educational purposes .
Do not make any investment decisions based on the information in this article .
Do you own due diligence .

by look_wide
One of the biggest obstacles to active stock picking (as opposed to indexing) seems to be with all the problems with timing the market. We tend to want to buy when others want to buy, and less when others are fearful (i.e. the worst timing).
But this strategy seems attractive. You pick high quality companies that you think will surge over the next 20 years (Amazon, Tesla, Disney, whatever you think) and NEVER SELL.
This takes out some of the issues with active investing where people are getting in and out of the market at all the wrong times.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
What do you think? Would this solve any of the problems with active investing?
edit: lots of awesome comments but I think some people aren’t being as charitable to the proposal as they should. Using examples of companies that rose and fall after 30 years isn’t very fair to the main idea behind this proposal. Let’s say buy and hold for 10 years minimum. The basic idea is that you are NOT thinking about getting in and out of the stock at the right times. Buy and hold even on the down years.
Disclaimer: This information is only for educational purposes. Do not make any investment decisions based on the information in this article. Do you own due diligence.


investmentwatchblog--2020-07-18--What’s left to justify stocks at these absurd valuations? We just had the largest liquidity withdraw

What’s left to justify stocks at these absurd valuations? We just had the largest liquidity withdrawal ever!

Corporate America has been piling on debt at a record speed .
The size of the US investment-grade bond market @ @ @ @ @ trillion in the past 4 months , to $ 6.7 trillion , while the US @ @ @ @ @ about $ 400 billion , to $ 1.4 trillion pic.twitter.com/c2IRiOp0Df

Corporate America has been piling on debt at a record speed. The size of the US investment-grade bond market has ballooned by $1.5 trillion in the past 4 months, to $6.7 trillion, while the US junk-bond market has expanded by about $400 billion, to $1.4 trillion pic.twitter.com/c2IRiOp0Df
— Lisa Abramowicz (@lisaabramowicz1) July 17, 2020


investmentwatchblog--2020-07-18--Corporate Defaults, Mortgage Delinquencies Are Skyrocketing, % Of Countries In A Recession Worse Tha

Corporate Defaults, Mortgage Delinquencies Are Skyrocketing, % Of Countries In A Recession Worse Than Ever

Hertz , JC Penney and 20 More Major Companies Going Bankrupt in 2020

Looks very similar to the two distinct employment trajectories we see here. t.co/xgzsr8NibD — Joe Weisenthal (@TheStalwart) July 16, 2020
BREAKING: I just saw the headlines showing initial and continuing jobless claims were down. They weren't. It's all because of seasonal adjustments. Claims are now rising, both initial and continuing. pic.twitter.com/VDPA1M7QyY — Edward Harrison (@edwardnh) July 16, 2020
Hertz, JC Penney and 20 More Major Companies Going Bankrupt in 2020
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
On eve of bankruptcy, U.S. firms shower execs with bonuses t.co/1fKU4p6ecG — Stare Decisis (@MsResJudicata) July 17, 2020
Today in the Financial Crisis: 17 JUL 2007
Two days before @benbernanke predicted there would be no more than $100-billion in mortgage losses, Greg Eisman (S. Carrell in the movie) correctly identifies the scale of the mortgage disaster. pic.twitter.com/VhnbpxKqj0 — Peter Schmidt (The 92ers) (@The92ers) July 17, 2020
The Nasdaq on track for a 2% weekly loss.
S&P for a 1% weekly gain. Both within 5% of their highs. Last time this happened … March 17, 2000 🤔@DiMartinoBooth @GaryKaltbaum @TheDomino $qqq — Reminiscences of an American Capitalist (@4Awesometweet) July 17, 2020
% OF COUNTRIES IN A RECESSION WORSE THAN
EVER pic.twitter.com/mYUUjQxFpg — Win Smart, CFA (@WinfieldSmart) July 15, 2020


investmentwatchblog--2020-07-18--The ‘Most Crowded’ Trade Ever

The ‘Most Crowded’ Trade Ever

Usually , there isn ’ t unanimity in the Bank of America fund manager poll which asks which is the most crowded trade , but there was in July because of how well tech stocks have done .
As you can see from the chart below , 74 % of fund managers said long U.S. tech stocks was the most crowded trade .
That ’ s the highest reading ever for any trade .
Gold hit $ 1,800 which put it close to a new record high , but that didn ’ t stand a chance compared to the tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big internet names are huge .
Apple , Microsoft , Amazon , Facebook , and Alphabet combined are 20.4 % of the Wilshire 5,000 which includes all the publicly traded U.S. stocks .
Apple , Amazon , and Microsoft each have market caps between $ 1.6 and $ 1.7 trillion .
The entire Russell 2000 only has a market cap of $ 2.03 trillion .
The tech and FANG stocks have exploded for a few reasons .
First , the market has momentum following the March bottom .
FANG has led markets for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as leaders in the past few weeks .
FANG+ is up 82.5 % since the bottom .
2/3rds of the S & P 500 ’ s rally in the past 5 years has come from the FAAMNG stocks .
It has been incredibly tough for funds to outperform without owning these large cap stocks .
We aren ’ t advising you to avoid them , but recognize that you have a huge advantage by not having to own them .
Smaller companies can drive your account because you aren ’ t investing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have investors who would think you are bad at your job because you don ’ t own Amazon .
That ’ s called career risk .
You can buy whatever stocks you want and it doesn ’ t matter if you underperform for a few quarters .
You should be focused on growing your wealth for the long-term , not over a few months .
These stocks have gotten help from retail traders who are piling into the winners .
Tesla is the most prominent example .
It ’ s not part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is considered to be a tech stock by the bulls .
According to Robintrack 37,600 retail traders piled into Tesla stock in 4 hours on Monday .
Investors like the cloud and online retail stocks because they do well during the shutdown ; they are seen as safety stocks even though they have high valuations .
The final aspect contributing to this rally is low inflation and low interest rates .
These aren ’ t new phenomena , but the rally in growth stocks also isn ’ t new , so it works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FANG index getting 50 % above its 200 day moving average as you can see from the chart above .
That ’ s the highest distance ever , but we only have 5 years of data .
If you look at the Nasdaq which has more history , the highest distance ever was 55 % above the 200 day moving average at the peak of the tech bubble .
In other words , this FANG dislocation is near the dislocation at the peak of the tech bubble .
According to the 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nasdaq 100 Optimism index , confidence is only a couple points below the 2000 peak .
This index is based on price action , the difference from the net asset value of the Nasdaq 100 ETF , the put to call ratio , and future volatility expectations .
The VIX is unusually high for such a rally .
The only other time the VIX closed above 27 with the S & P 500 within 5 % of its record was April 2000 .
Is It Time For Equal Weight ?
The weighting of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & P 500 is at a multidecade high , but this percentage wasn ’ t unusual in the first half of the 20th century which makes it a perplexing problem to solve .
Obviously , growth and tech stocks are overbought , but the trend correction isn ’ t obvious .
Growth and the big internet stocks could underperform for a few weeks like they have intermittently in the past few years or this could be the end of the trend .
Growth could underperform value for years and the FANG trade could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t solve this puzzle , but it does show that when the top 5 S & P 500 firms get a high weighting , the odds of the equal weight portfolio outperforming the normal market weight portfolio increase .
This is a very tame way to look at potential crashes in major stocks , but it is valuable to review because some people who don ’ t want to make big bets might just want to go with an equal weight index .
Even if you aren ’ t bearish on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t want to be overweight them in your passive investments .
Global Sentiment All In On Tech The curious aspect of these surveys is usually fund managers are long the most crowded trade .
You ’ d think they wouldn ’ t want to follow everyone over the cliff each month , but they do .
As you can see from the chart below , despite almost everyone saying U.S. tech is the most crowded trade , a net low 40s percent were overweight tech .
It was in the high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the telemedicine and biotech stocks .
Telemedicine companies help people get treatment from home and the biotech companies are working on a cure for COVID-19 .
Consumer discretionary is positive mostly because of Amazon ( Amazon is 50 % of the sector ) .
On the other hand , investors are the most underweight utilities despite low interest rates .
Investors are not interested in this boring sector as they are betting on momentum .
The big internet names are far above their 200 day moving averages as fund managers and retail investors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you don ’ t need to feel pressured to join in .
As an example , you can invest in cash for 2 years if you want because it ’ s your money ( not a recommendation ) .
Sometimes cash is a good idea because it gives you optionality .
Managers think tech is crowded , but they can ’ t help themselves .
Not owning the FANG stocks has been a recipe for underperformance for years .
However , you don ’ t need to worry about underperformance .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goals .

by UPFINA
Usually, there isn’t unanimity in the Bank of America fund manager poll which asks which is the most crowded trade, but there was in July because of how well tech stocks have done. As you can see from the chart below, 74% of fund managers said long U.S. tech stocks was the most crowded trade. That’s the highest reading ever for any trade. Gold hit $1,800 which put it close to a new record high, but that didn’t stand a chance compared to the tech sector. That’s because the big internet names are huge. Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, and Alphabet combined are 20.4% of the Wilshire 5,000 which includes all the publicly traded U.S. stocks. Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft each have market caps between $1.6 and $1.7 trillion. The entire Russell 2000 only has a market cap of $2.03 trillion.
FANG Index Explodes
The tech and FANG stocks have exploded for a few reasons. First, the market has momentum following the March bottom. FANG has led markets for 6 years. They regained their place as leaders in the past few weeks. FANG+ is up 82.5% since the bottom. 2/3rds of the S&P 500’s rally in the past 5 years has come from the FAAMNG stocks. It has been incredibly tough for funds to outperform without owning these large cap stocks.
We aren’t advising you to avoid them, but recognize that you have a huge advantage by not having to own them. Smaller companies can drive your account because you aren’t investing a multibillion-dollar portfolio. You also don’t have investors who would think you are bad at your job because you don’t own Amazon. That’s called career risk. You can buy whatever stocks you want and it doesn’t matter if you underperform for a few quarters. You should be focused on growing your wealth for the long-term, not over a few months.
These stocks have gotten help from retail traders who are piling into the winners. Tesla is the most prominent example. It’s not part of the FAANG index, but it is considered to be a tech stock by the bulls. According to Robintrack 37,600 retail traders piled into Tesla stock in 4 hours on Monday. Investors like the cloud and online retail stocks because they do well during the shutdown; they are seen as safety stocks even though they have high valuations. The final aspect contributing to this rally is low inflation and low interest rates. These aren’t new phenomena, but the rally in growth stocks also isn’t new, so it works.
This rally all adds up to the FANG index getting 50% above its 200 day moving average as you can see from the chart above. That’s the highest distance ever, but we only have 5 years of data. If you look at the Nasdaq which has more history, the highest distance ever was 55% above the 200 day moving average at the peak of the tech bubble. In other words, this FANG dislocation is near the dislocation at the peak of the tech bubble.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
According to the 3 month average of Sentiment Trader’s Nasdaq 100 Optimism index, confidence is only a couple points below the 2000 peak. This index is based on price action, the difference from the net asset value of the Nasdaq 100 ETF, the put to call ratio, and future volatility expectations. The VIX is unusually high for such a rally. The only other time the VIX closed above 27 with the S&P 500 within 5% of its record was April 2000.
Is It Time For Equal Weight?
The weighting of the top 5 stocks in the S&P 500 is at a multidecade high, but this percentage wasn’t unusual in the first half of the 20th century which makes it a perplexing problem to solve. Obviously, growth and tech stocks are overbought, but the trend correction isn’t obvious. Growth and the big internet stocks could underperform for a few weeks like they have intermittently in the past few years or this could be the end of the trend. Growth could underperform value for years and the FANG trade could be over.
The chart below doesn’t solve this puzzle, but it does show that when the top 5 S&P 500 firms get a high weighting, the odds of the equal weight portfolio outperforming the normal market weight portfolio increase. This is a very tame way to look at potential crashes in major stocks, but it is valuable to review because some people who don’t want to make big bets might just want to go with an equal weight index. Even if you aren’t bearish on the big tech stocks, maybe you just don’t want to be overweight them in your passive investments.
Here's the chart I was looking to make, and @ChrisBennettCFA pulled it off. In the past, equal weight has tended to do better after prior periods of market concentration pic.twitter.com/i5Vq25Dp0v — Lawrence Hamtil (@lhamtil) July 13, 2020
Global Sentiment All In On Tech
The curious aspect of these surveys is usually fund managers are long the most crowded trade. You’d think they wouldn’t want to follow everyone over the cliff each month, but they do. As you can see from the chart below, despite almost everyone saying U.S. tech is the most crowded trade, a net low 40s percent were overweight tech. It was in the high 30s for pharma because of speculation in the telemedicine and biotech stocks. Telemedicine companies help people get treatment from home and the biotech companies are working on a cure for COVID-19. Consumer discretionary is positive mostly because of Amazon (Amazon is 50% of the sector). On the other hand, investors are the most underweight utilities despite low interest rates. Investors are not interested in this boring sector as they are betting on momentum.
Conclusion
The big internet names are far above their 200 day moving averages as fund managers and retail investors pile into them. As an individual, you don’t need to feel pressured to join in. As an example, you can invest in cash for 2 years if you want because it’s your money (not a recommendation). Sometimes cash is a good idea because it gives you optionality. Managers think tech is crowded, but they can’t help themselves. Not owning the FANG stocks has been a recipe for underperformance for years. However, you don’t need to worry about underperformance. You just need to meet your personal financial goals.


investmentwatchblog--2020-07-18--Optimism On Stock Dividends Increases

Optimism On Stock Dividends Increases

In Q2 , most stock buybacks were suspended and there were share issuances to shore up balance sheets .
That doesn ’ t support the thesis that stocks have only risen in the past decade because of stock buybacks .
This spring , some were saying that the rally might end because of the lack of buybacks , but it didn ’ t slowdown .
Because stocks recovered so quickly , the buyback critics didn ’ t get the opportunity to criticize the previous high prices paid for the shares like they did after the financial crisis .
The crux @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hide high executive pay packages .
However , that ’ s more of an issue with executive compensation than buybacks .
Dividends also fell sharply in Q2 .
They fell a net $ 42.5 billion which was the worst drop since the $ 43.8 billion decline in Q1 2009 .
Most of the dividend cuts were from smaller companies as the S & P 500 ’ s dividend payouts only fell from $ 127 billion to $ 119 billion .
We have catalogued the major vacillations in dividend expectations in the past few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investors were expecting the greatest decline in dividends paid out ever and for them to not recover to pre-crisis levels for many years .
That was a sign of peak pessimism .
The pendulum has now swung in the opposite direction .
As you can see from the chart above , the dividend futures show a much shallower decline in dividends paid than was expected in April .
It ’ s odd to see this expectation still show dividends not getting to the prior peak until the late 2020s .
Obviously , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stocks are already closing in on their prior peak , you ’ d think we ’ d see a quicker recovery in profits and dividends .
Q2 earnings season is the trough of this recession .
The current blended EPS estimate is for -44.11 % growth .
Clearly , markets expect a quick recovery .
These expectations are being supported by future estimates as the firms that have reported Q2 results so far are having their best change in EPS estimates on an absolute and rate of change basis for any quarter in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is from @ EarningsScout on Twitter ) .
The US economic surprise index is at a record high even though the economy has started to slow in the past 4 weeks .
That ’ s likely because the official economic data is delayed .
We haven ’ t gotten much data from July yet .
Much of the June data has been strong because the economy hadn ’ t weakened by the survey periods .
This hasn ’ t exactly been a double dip recession either , so including the 2nd half of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knell for reports .
We ’ re explaining this thoroughly because you wouldn ’ t expect economic reports to be beating estimates at the highest rate ever in a slowdown .
Survey timing is likely why the June NFIB small business sentiment index was strong and beat estimates sharply .
The updated data showed more small businesses were closed in the 2nd half of June than the first half .
There are some weakening trends not shown in this NFIB survey .
Specifically , the NFIB index increased from 94.4 to 100.6 which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimate which was 99 .
This looks like a V shaped recovery if you ’ re just going with this survey .
According to the July BAML survey , only 14 % of fund managers see a V shaped recovery .
That ’ s compared to 44 % who see a U shaped recovery and 30 % who see a W shaped recovery .
The good news is 72 % expect stronger global growth which is the highest since 2014 .
Judging by the economy ’ s current standing , it seems like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peak than it was in 2014 when there was global synchronized growth ( 2015-2016 was a slowdown ) .
As you can see from the chart above , there was a massive 37 point jump to 13 % in the net expectation for real sales to be higher .
On the other hand , the net expectation for earnings trends fell 9 points to -35 % .
Sales outperforming earnings is in tune with S & P 500 earnings season as margins have plummeted .
On the positive side , there was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a good time to expand as it rose to 13 % .
Furthermore , the net reading of plans to increase employment rose 8 points to 16 % .
The spike in COVID-19 cases in the west and the south catalyzed a slowdown starting in mid June .
As you can see from the chart on the left , as of July 10th , consumer spending growth still hasn ’ t improved since the slowdown started 4 weeks prior .
The bad news is consumers are about to be dealt a blow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal unemployment checks is ending on July 25th .
Either consumers are lowering their spending in anticipation of this hit to their incomes or the stagnation is just because of COVID-19 .
If it ’ s only because of COVID-19 , that ’ s bad news because the consumer has further to fall .
The COVID-19 situation should improve as proper precautions are being taken .
That won ’ t get consumers help from the government though .
As you can see from the chart on the right above , the alternative data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calculation of the hardest hit areas from mid-February to mid-June .
The tracker has weakened in the past 4 weeks which spells bad news for the July BLS report .
We keep saying that the market will probably price in a weak report before it happens , but the S & P 500 hasn ’ t reacted .
The retail stocks have fallen though .
On the other hand , the positive vaccine news headlines might cause the market to ignore all of the weak data this summer .
If there is any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely become much more optimistic ahead of any vaccine , if they believe the virus will go away .
Stock buybacks fell in Q2 , but stocks rose .
The expectations for future dividends have improved as sentiment on corporate earnings has swung from pessimistic to optimistic .
The US economic surprise index is at a record high because of old data like the small business survey which showed optimism increased in June .
Consumer spending growth hasn ’ t improved in the past 4 weeks .
Stocks have risen , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , showing us that the market hasn ’ t ignored this bad data .
The labor market looks to have fallen back in the past 4 weeks which is bad news for the July BLS report .
Stocks will ignore bad economic data if positive vaccine news comes out .

by UPFINA
In Q2, most stock buybacks were suspended and there were share issuances to shore up balance sheets. That doesn’t support the thesis that stocks have only risen in the past decade because of stock buybacks. This spring, some were saying that the rally might end because of the lack of buybacks, but it didn’t slowdown. Because stocks recovered so quickly, the buyback critics didn’t get the opportunity to criticize the previous high prices paid for the shares like they did after the financial crisis. The crux of the criticism of buybacks is they hide high executive pay packages. However, that’s more of an issue with executive compensation than buybacks.
Dividends also fell sharply in Q2. They fell a net $42.5 billion which was the worst drop since the $43.8 billion decline in Q1 2009. Most of the dividend cuts were from smaller companies as the S&P 500’s dividend payouts only fell from $127 billion to $119 billion. We have catalogued the major vacillations in dividend expectations in the past few months. There was a point where investors were expecting the greatest decline in dividends paid out ever and for them to not recover to pre-crisis levels for many years. That was a sign of peak pessimism. The pendulum has now swung in the opposite direction.
The CME Group published a clever valuation analysis on the S&P 500 using their Dividend Index Futures product. US stocks are overvalued vs market-based expectations of future dividend payouts & stocks will be more volatile ahead. Read our take here: t.co/ASbeAoDZk0 $SPY pic.twitter.com/A0SKgrmpfp — DataTrek Research (@DataTrekMB) July 14, 2020
As you can see from the chart above, the dividend futures show a much shallower decline in dividends paid than was expected in April. It’s odd to see this expectation still show dividends not getting to the prior peak until the late 2020s. Obviously, this depends on corporate profits, but if stocks are already closing in on their prior peak, you’d think we’d see a quicker recovery in profits and dividends. Q2 earnings season is the trough of this recession. The current blended EPS estimate is for -44.11% growth. Clearly, markets expect a quick recovery. These expectations are being supported by future estimates as the firms that have reported Q2 results so far are having their best change in EPS estimates on an absolute and rate of change basis for any quarter in over 10 years. (This data is from @EarningsScout on Twitter).
Small Businesses Get More Confident
The US economic surprise index is at a record high even though the economy has started to slow in the past 4 weeks. That’s likely because the official economic data is delayed. We haven’t gotten much data from July yet. Much of the June data has been strong because the economy hadn’t weakened by the survey periods. This hasn’t exactly been a double dip recession either, so including the 2nd half of June won’t be a death knell for reports. We’re explaining this thoroughly because you wouldn’t expect economic reports to be beating estimates at the highest rate ever in a slowdown.
Survey timing is likely why the June NFIB small business sentiment index was strong and beat estimates sharply. The updated data showed more small businesses were closed in the 2nd half of June than the first half. There are some weakening trends not shown in this NFIB survey. Specifically, the NFIB index increased from 94.4 to 100.6 which beat estimates for 96.7 and the highest estimate which was 99. This looks like a V shaped recovery if you’re just going with this survey.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
According to the July BAML survey, only 14% of fund managers see a V shaped recovery. That’s compared to 44% who see a U shaped recovery and 30% who see a W shaped recovery. The good news is 72% expect stronger global growth which is the highest since 2014. Judging by the economy’s current standing, it seems like it is further away from a cyclical peak than it was in 2014 when there was global synchronized growth (2015-2016 was a slowdown).
The @NFIB #smallbusiness optimism index rose 6.2pts to 100.6 in June — retracing 70% of its #Covid_19 plunge. Importantly the rebound is driven by record high expectations — a double-edged sword in a world of rising infections and looming fiscal cliffs. via @OxfordEconomics pic.twitter.com/XQxZI0CD6O — Gregory Daco (@GregDaco) July 14, 2020
As you can see from the chart above, there was a massive 37 point jump to 13% in the net expectation for real sales to be higher. On the other hand, the net expectation for earnings trends fell 9 points to -35%. Sales outperforming earnings is in tune with S&P 500 earnings season as margins have plummeted. On the positive side, there was an 8 point improvement in those saying now is a good time to expand as it rose to 13%. Furthermore, the net reading of plans to increase employment rose 8 points to 16%.
Consumer & Labor Market Stagnate
The spike in COVID-19 cases in the west and the south catalyzed a slowdown starting in mid June. As you can see from the chart on the left, as of July 10th, consumer spending growth still hasn’t improved since the slowdown started 4 weeks prior.
A real-time update from JPMorgan on the state of the economy through mid-month: no improvement in spending & a setback in hiring pic.twitter.com/mjFPfy54KA — Steven Rattner (@SteveRattner) July 14, 2020
The bad news is consumers are about to be dealt a blow as the extra $600 in weekly federal unemployment checks is ending on July 25th. Either consumers are lowering their spending in anticipation of this hit to their incomes or the stagnation is just because of COVID-19. If it’s only because of COVID-19, that’s bad news because the consumer has further to fall. The COVID-19 situation should improve as proper precautions are being taken. That won’t get consumers help from the government though.
As you can see from the chart on the right above, the alternative data tracker was correlated with the BLS employment calculation of the hardest hit areas from mid-February to mid-June. The tracker has weakened in the past 4 weeks which spells bad news for the July BLS report. We keep saying that the market will probably price in a weak report before it happens, but the S&P 500 hasn’t reacted. The retail stocks have fallen though. On the other hand, the positive vaccine news headlines might cause the market to ignore all of the weak data this summer. If there is any accuracy to these headlines, consumers will likely become much more optimistic ahead of any vaccine, if they believe the virus will go away.
Conclusion
Stock buybacks fell in Q2, but stocks rose. The expectations for future dividends have improved as sentiment on corporate earnings has swung from pessimistic to optimistic. The US economic surprise index is at a record high because of old data like the small business survey which showed optimism increased in June. Consumer spending growth hasn’t improved in the past 4 weeks. Stocks have risen, but the retailers like TJX and Burlington have fallen, showing us that the market hasn’t ignored this bad data. The labor market looks to have fallen back in the past 4 weeks which is bad news for the July BLS report. Stocks will ignore bad economic data if positive vaccine news comes out.


investmentwatchblog--2020-07-18--Nepal’s Home Minister accuses India of causing floods in Nepal

Tensions between India and Nepal are rising day by day .
Nepal ’ s Home Minister accuses India of causing @ @ @ @ @ up.. religious violence !

Wow… What is this?…
Nepal’s Home Minister accuses India of causing floods in Nepal
Tensions between India and Nepal are rising day by day. Nepal’s Home Minister accuses India of causing floods.
Now they stirred up.. religious violence!
Gravitas: Massive protests against Nepal govt
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-massive-protests-against-nepal-govt-306943/amp
Wait.. video?
Who?… Whay?… Huh?…
Massive Protests now continued…according to indian mouthpiece WION news…
h/t Goneviral


investmentwatchblog--2020-07-18--Great conversation about the manipulated COVID narrative with James Corbett

Great conversation about the manipulated covid narrative with james Corbett and Gary Null .
Discussions on non-pharmaceutical preventative cures for @ @ @ @ @ , inflated death figures ( apparently over half of the extra reported deaths during lockdown @ @ @ @ @ MSS not to be COVID related – would love to see this backed up ) @ @ @ @ @ Neil Furgerson and Imperial College who advised the lockdown in the UK .

Great conversation about the manipulated covid narrative with james Corbett and Gary Null. Discussions on non-pharmaceutical preventative cures for COVID vs heavily pushed vaccines, inflated death figures (apparently over half of the extra reported deaths during lockdown months are admited by the MSS not to be COVID related – would love to see this backed up). Also good conversation about Neil Furgerson and Imperial College who advised the lockdown in the UK.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
h/t dontbuyanylogos