investmentwatchblog--2020-05-04--3 Ways To Play The Oil Price Bounce

3 Ways To Play The Oil Price Bounce

With sentiment towards oil and gas companies hitting record lows , trying to pick winners in the energy sector can be an onerous and thankless task at a time when fossil fuels are facing a crisis of perception .
Energy stocks are finding themselves in the penalty box due to heightened concerns about ever-rising carbon emissions and the rapid growth of socially-conscious investing , leading to capital fleeing the sector at an unprecedented rate .
Over the past decade , the energy sector was easily the biggest laggard in the S & P 500 , gaining just 34 % over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In contrast , the next closest sector , materials , gained nearly 5x as much .
And so far , this unfortunate trend is showing no signs of abating .
The underperformance by the energy sector has carried over to the new year , with the sector ’ s favorite benchmark XLE down 9.5 % YTD vs. 3.6 % gain by the broad market benchmark .
With oil and gas prices once again in a bear market ; the coronavirus outbreak severely depressing demand and investors cooling off on highly leveraged energy companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are more in favor at the moment .
The good news : some punters think the energy rout won ’ t last and an oil comeback could be on the cards in the current year , meaning the tide might eventually end up lifting all boats .
But it ’ s going to lift some much more than others .
Here are three stocks for every risk level , large-cap , mid-cap and small-cap that could buck the trend in the oil comeback : As the largest pure upstream company , ConocoPhillips Company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relatively well in this depressed market , generating ample free cash flow and returning a good chunk of it to shareholders .
Unlike many of its peers who continued to expand aggressively during the shale boom , COP has taken several steps to lower costs and fortify its balance sheet leading to one of the best cash positions in the oil patch .
Although the company saw revenue contract 20.3 % Y/Y to of $ 7.71B while adjusted earnings fell 36.5 % to $ 831 million , the oil driller was still able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free cash flow during the quarter and added $ 10B to its stock buyback program to bring the total allocation to $ 25B .
For the full year , COP generated $ 11.7B in FCF of which it returned 43 % to shareholders and still managed to finish the year with a healthy $ 8.4B in cash and short-term investments , a 31.3 % Y/Y increase .
ConocoPhillips has been gradually offloading non-core assets , including the sale of its North Sea oil and gas assets for $ 2.7B and the planned sale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Its asset portfolio , however , remains healthy .
COP has 13 Buy , 2 Hold and 0 Sell recommendations on TipRanks .
In contrast , integrated oil and gas company ExxonMobil ’ s ( NYSE : XOM ) CEO Darren Woods is showing no signs of backing off from the company ’ s aggressive expansion , even as the likes of BlackRock have made it clear that emissions reductions and addressing the climate issue remains the key issue raised by investors .
Blackrock , the world ’ s largest asset manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ management , recently joined the Climate Action 100+ that might see the firm push companies like XOM to set specific science-based emissions reduction targets .
Despite dwindling cash flow and returns , XOM has continued pushing hard to increase overall production with aggressive expansion efforts especially in Guyana .
BofA had a strong Buy recommendation for XOM at the beginning of the year citing , ‘ ‘ The inflection in Permian production is well under way while the first oil from Guyana confirmed for December kick starts what we expect to be 7-8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was recently slapped with a Sell recommendation from Goldman Sachs for “ …lack of free cashflow limiting capital returns , and risk to long-term return on capital employed ( ROCE ) targets.
’ ’ With XOM stock trending downwards for six straight years , some see investing in the company akin to trying to catch a falling knife .
XOM has 1 Buy , 9 Hold and 3 Sell recommendations on TipRanks .
Hess Corp. ( NYSE : HES ) is an E & P company that develops , produces , purchases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas and natural gas liquids ( NGLs ) .
And even if you hadn ’ t paid much attention to Hess before , it ’ s probably already on your radar as the partner in Exxon ’ s wild offshore Guyana discoveries .
For the fourth quarter , Hess reported revenue of $ 1.68B ( +1.8 % Y/Y ) while adjusted net loss widened to $ 180 million , or 60 cents per share from $ 77 million , or 31 cents per share , during last year ’ s comparable period .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ poor earnings on lower energy prices , with lower natural gas prices more than offsetting higher output from its Bakken shale assets .
Investors have not been pleased with the report , with the mid-cap now 20 % from levels printed just three short weeks ago .
The selloff , however , appears overdone .
During its earnings call , the company ’ s management revealed that it has 80 % of 2020 production hedged at $ 55 to $ 60 , or 5.3 % above current Brent prices .
Meanwhile , cash-flow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This large pullback could offer a good entry point as Morgan Stanley has aptly noted .
HES has 6 Buy and 2 Hold recommendations on TipRanks .
If the giant Karoo Basin in South Africa is a shale windfall , the Kavango Basin in Namibia is its likely extension , according to geologists .
The Kavango Basin has the same Karoo geology , and it ’ s also been shown to have the same depositional environment as Shell ’ s Whitehill Permian shale play , part of the Karoo Supergroup in South Africa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Kavango Basin is similar in size to the Eagle Ford basin .
And right now , a 90 % interest in the exploration license for the entire Kavango basin is owned by one small-cap explorer : Recon Energy Africa ( TSX.V : RECO , OTCMKTS : LGDOF ) , with a market cap of only $ 40 million and shares selling for under $ 0.40 .
It ’ s pretty unique for a company this small to have a basin this big , but while few have heard of the company , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the geophysicist who examined the data on this basin .
They ’ ve also heard of Recon ’ s CEO , Jay Park QC—the former director of Caracal Energy , which was acquired by giant Glencore in 2014 for $ 1.3 billion .
Bill Cathey is the geophysicist to some majors .
When Recon brought the magnetic survey data from Namibia ’ s Kavango Basin to Cathey , Cathey said the data showed a 30,000-foot sedimentary basin .
He also said that a basin this deep , everywhere else in the world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped everything , so the story goes , got on a plane , and finalized the deal for an exploration permit for the petroleum and natural gas rights to the giant Kavango Basin .
So , now , tiny Recon ( TSX.V : RECO , OTCMKTS : LGDOF ) is sitting on a basin that ’ s the same size as the Eagle Ford .
Recon has a 4-year exploration license leading to a 25-year production license starting when it has made a commercial discovery .
Sproule–a tier 1 resource assessment company–estimated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of oil or 119 trillion cubic feet of natural gas .
That ’ s for the shale and doesn ’ t count any conventional potential .
The first test wells are slated to be drilled in Q2 2020 .
Namibia is one of the most oil-friendly up-and-coming oil venues in the frontier of Africa .
Ask Shell , or Exxon , both of whom are acquiring assets there .
That ’ s just a few months away .
That ’ s the key reason why Recon stock is up 293 % over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest names in energy , Suncor Energy ( NYSE : SU , TSE : SU ) has adopted a number of high tech solutions for finding , pumping , storing , and delivering its resources .
Not only is it big in the oil sector , however , it is a leader in renewable energy .
Recently , the company invested $ 300 million in a wind farm located in Alberta .
If the next shale boom truly is to be in the oil sands then giants like Suncor is sure to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of the oil majors have given up on oil sands production – those who focus on technological advancements in the area have a great long-term outlook .
Total ( NYSE : TOT ) maintains a ‘ big picture ’ outlook across all of its endeavors .
It is not only aware of the needs that are not being met by a significant portion of the world ’ s growing population , it is also hyper-aware of the looming climate crisis if changes are not made .
In its push to create a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed to contributing to each of the United Nations ’ Sustainable Development Goals .
From workplace safety and diversity to societal progression and reducing its carbon footprint , Total is checking all of the boxes that the next generation of investors hold close to their hearts .
Enbridge , Inc ( TSX : ENB ) , based in Canada ’ s oil sands capital Alberta , is an energy delivery company focusing on transportation , distribution , and generation of energy .
Operating in the United States and Canada , Enbridge owns and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Canada and the longest crude oil transportation system in the world .
Founded in 1949 , investors can feel confident in Enbridge ’ s experience and market know-how .
Though not strictly dealing in commodities , Enbridge ’ s diversified assets and connections to a variety of industries position the company as solidified player in many Canadian investors ’ portfolio .
TransCanada ( TSX : TRP ) is a major oil and energy company based in Calgary , Canada .
The company owns and operates energy infrastructure throughout North America .
TransCanada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest providers of gas storage , and owns and has interests in approximately 11,800 megawatts of power generations .
With TransCanada ’ s massive influence throughout North America , it is no wonder that the company is among one of Canada ’ s highest valued energy companies .
Investors can feel comfortable with the company due to its huge and diverse portfolio , and continuing eye for success .
Franco-Nevada Corporation ( TSX : FNV ) specializes in securing precious-metal streams , but the company also works in the oil and gas industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North America ’ s most desirable oil and gas plays , including Texas , Oklahoma and Alberta , it is clear that the company has amazing potential in the coming years .
FNV ended 2016 with a relative bang .
And as oil and gas prices inch up , investors are watching this diverse company very closely .
Cenovus Energy ( TSX : CVE ) is most known for its oil business , but it is also actively investing in renewable energy .
More importantly , however , is that it has set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aiming to cut emissions by a massive 30 % in just 10 years .
This is one of the most actively traded stocks on the TSX .
The potential is certainly here for this oil company , so for investors who are bullish on the return of the oil markets , this is a perfect pick in the Canadian market .
**IMPORTANT !
BY READING OUR CONTENT YOU EXPLICITLY AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING .
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY** Forward-Looking Statements .
Statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the business of Recon .
All estimates and statements with respect to Recon ’ s operations , its plans and projections , size of potential oil reserves , comparisons to other oil producing fields , oil prices , recoverable oil , production targets , production and other operating costs and likelihood of oil recoverability are forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws and necessarily involve risks and uncertainties including , without limitation : risks associated with oil and gas exploration , development , exploitation and production , geological risks , marketing and transportation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commodity prices , imprecision of reserve and resource estimates , environmental risks , competition from other producers , government regulation , dates of commencement of production and changes in the regulatory and taxation environment .
Actual results may vary materially from the information provided in this document , and there is no representation that the actual results realized in the future will be the same in whole or in part as those presented herein .
Other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its technical analysts have made , We undertake no obligation , except as otherwise required by law , to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law .
Exploration for hydrocarbons is a speculative venture necessarily involving substantial risk .
Recon ’ s future success will depend on its ability to develop its current properties and on its ability to discover resources that are capable of commercial production .
However , there is no assurance that Recon ’ s future exploration and development efforts will result in the discovery or development of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In addition , even if hydrocarbons are discovered , the costs of extracting and delivering the hydrocarbons to market and variations in the market price may render uneconomic any discovered deposit .
Geological conditions are variable and unpredictable .
Even if production is commenced from a well , the quantity of hydrocarbons produced inevitably will decline over time , and production may be adversely affected or may have to be terminated altogether if Recon encounters unforeseen geological conditions .
Adverse climatic conditions at such properties may also hinder Recon ’ s ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuously throughout any given year .
ADVERTISEMENT .
This communication is not a recommendation to buy or sell securities .
Oilprice.com , Advanced Media Solutions Ltd , and their owners , managers , employees , and assigns ( collectively “ the Company ” ) may in the future be paid by Recon to disseminate future communications if this communication proves effective .
In this case the Company has not been paid for this article .
But the potential for future compensation is a major conflict with our ability to be unbiased , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purposes only .
Never invest purely based on our communication .
We have not been compensated but may in the future be compensated to conduct investor awareness advertising and marketing for TSXV : RECO .
Therefore , this communication should be viewed as a commercial advertisement only .
We have not investigated the background of the company .
Frequently companies profiled in our alerts experience a large increase in volume and share price during the course of investor awareness marketing , which often end as soon as the investor awareness marketing ceases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our website has not been independently verified and is not guaranteed to be correct .
SHARE OWNERSHIP .
The owner of Oilprice.com owns shares of this featured company and therefore has an additional incentive to see the featured company ’ s stock perform well .
The owner of Oilprice.com will not notify the market when it decides to buy more or sell shares of this issuer in the market .
The owner of Oilprice.com will be buying and selling shares of this issuer for its own profit .
This is why we stress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as seek the advice of your financial advisor or a registered broker-dealer before investing in any securities .
NOT AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR .
The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation .
ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH and consult with a licensed investment professional before making an investment .
This communication should not be used as a basis for making any investment .
PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS .
Investing is inherently risky .
Don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t afford to lose .
This is neither a solicitation nor an offer to Buy/Sell securities .
No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits similar to those discussed .
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 Joao Peixe
With sentiment towards oil and gas companies hitting record lows, trying to pick winners in the energy sector can be an onerous and thankless task at a time when fossil fuels are facing a crisis of perception.
Energy stocks are finding themselves in the penalty box due to heightened concerns about ever-rising carbon emissions and the rapid growth of socially-conscious investing, leading to capital fleeing the sector at an unprecedented rate. Over the past decade, the energy sector was easily the biggest laggard in the S&P 500, gaining just 34% over the timeframe according to Refinitiv data. In contrast, the next closest sector, materials, gained nearly 5x as much.
And so far, this unfortunate trend is showing no signs of abating.
The underperformance by the energy sector has carried over to the new year, with the sector’s favorite benchmark XLE down 9.5% YTD vs. 3.6% gain by the broad market benchmark.
With oil and gas prices once again in a bear market; the coronavirus outbreak severely depressing demand and investors cooling off on highly leveraged energy companies, more conservative oil and gas plays are more in favor at the moment.
The good news: some punters think the energy rout won’t last and an oil comeback could be on the cards in the current year, meaning the tide might eventually end up lifting all boats. But it’s going to lift some much more than others.
Here are three stocks for every risk level, large-cap, mid-cap and small-cap that could buck the trend in the oil comeback:
Large-Cap: ConocoPhillips
As the largest pure upstream company, ConocoPhillips Company (NYSE:COP) has performed relatively well in this depressed market, generating ample free cash flow and returning a good chunk of it to shareholders.
Unlike many of its peers who continued to expand aggressively during the shale boom, COP has taken several steps to lower costs and fortify its balance sheet leading to one of the best cash positions in the oil patch.
Although the company saw revenue contract 20.3% Y/Y to of $7.71B while adjusted earnings fell 36.5% to $831 million, the oil driller was still able to generate an additional $2.7B in free cash flow during the quarter and added $10B to its stock buyback program to bring the total allocation to $25B.
For the full year, COP generated $11.7B in FCF of which it returned 43% to shareholders and still managed to finish the year with a healthy $8.4B in cash and short-term investments, a 31.3% Y/Y increase.
Source: Company Investor Presentation
ConocoPhillips has been gradually offloading non-core assets, including the sale of its North Sea oil and gas assets for $2.7B and the planned sale of its Australian assets for $1.4B. Its asset portfolio, however, remains healthy.
Source: Y-Charts
COP has 13 Buy, 2 Hold and 0 Sell recommendations on TipRanks.
In contrast, integrated oil and gas company ExxonMobil’s (NYSE:XOM) CEO Darren Woods is showing no signs of backing off from the company’s aggressive expansion, even as the likes of BlackRock have made it clear that emissions reductions and addressing the climate issue remains the key issue raised by investors.
Blackrock, the world’s largest asset manager with $7.4 trillion in assets under management, recently joined the Climate Action 100+ that might see the firm push companies like XOM to set specific science-based emissions reduction targets.
Despite dwindling cash flow and returns, XOM has continued pushing hard to increase overall production with aggressive expansion efforts especially in Guyana.
BofA had a strong Buy recommendation for XOM at the beginning of the year citing, ‘‘The inflection in Permian production is well under way while the first oil from Guyana confirmed for December kick starts what we expect to be 7-8 years of growth…”
However, it was recently slapped with a Sell recommendation from Goldman Sachs for “…lack of free cashflow limiting capital returns, and risk to long-term return on capital employed (ROCE) targets.’’
With XOM stock trending downwards for six straight years, some see investing in the company akin to trying to catch a falling knife. XOM has 1 Buy, 9 Hold and 3 Sell recommendations on TipRanks.
Mid-Cap: Hess Corporation
Hess Corp. (NYSE:HES) is an E&P company that develops, produces, purchases, transports and sells crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). And even if you hadn’t paid much attention to Hess before, it’s probably already on your radar as the partner in Exxon’s wild offshore Guyana discoveries.
For the fourth quarter, Hess reported revenue of $1.68B (+1.8% Y/Y) while adjusted net loss widened to $180 million, or 60 cents per share from $77 million, or 31 cents per share, during last year’s comparable period. The company pinned the blame for the poor earnings on lower energy prices, with lower natural gas prices more than offsetting higher output from its Bakken shale assets.
Investors have not been pleased with the report, with the mid-cap now 20% from levels printed just three short weeks ago.
The selloff, however, appears overdone. During its earnings call, the company’s management revealed that it has 80% of 2020 production hedged at $55 to $60, or 5.3% above current Brent prices. Meanwhile, cash-flow and production have been exceeding expectations.
This large pullback could offer a good entry point as Morgan Stanley has aptly noted. HES has 6 Buy and 2 Hold recommendations on TipRanks.
Small-Cap: Recon Energy Africa
If the giant Karoo Basin in South Africa is a shale windfall, the Kavango Basin in Namibia is its likely extension, according to geologists.
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The Kavango Basin has the same Karoo geology, and it’s also been shown to have the same depositional environment as Shell’s Whitehill Permian shale play, part of the Karoo Supergroup in South Africa.
The 6.3-million-acre (25,000 square kilometers) Kavango Basin is similar in size to the Eagle Ford basin.
And right now, a 90% interest in the exploration license for the entire Kavango basin is owned by one small-cap explorer: Recon Energy Africa (TSX.V: RECO, OTCMKTS:LGDOF), with a market cap of only $40 million and shares selling for under $0.40.
It’s pretty unique for a company this small to have a basin this big, but while few have heard of the company, everyone in the business has heard of the geophysicist who examined the data on this basin. They’ve also heard of Recon’s CEO, Jay Park QC—the former director of Caracal Energy, which was acquired by giant Glencore in 2014 for $1.3 billion.
Bill Cathey is the geophysicist to some majors. When Recon brought the magnetic survey data from Namibia’s Kavango Basin to Cathey, Cathey said the data showed a 30,000-foot sedimentary basin. He also said that a basin this deep, everywhere else in the world, produces commercial hydrocarbons. Management of Recon dropped everything, so the story goes, got on a plane, and finalized the deal for an exploration permit for the petroleum and natural gas rights to the giant Kavango Basin.
So, now, tiny Recon (TSX.V: RECO, OTCMKTS:LGDOF) is sitting on a basin that’s the same size as the Eagle Ford.
Recon has a 4-year exploration license leading to a 25-year production license starting when it has made a commercial discovery.
Sproule–a tier 1 resource assessment company–estimated that Kavango has a potential 12 billion barrels of oil or 119 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. That’s for the shale and doesn’t count any conventional potential.
The first test wells are slated to be drilled in Q2 2020.
Namibia is one of the most oil-friendly up-and-coming oil venues in the frontier of Africa. Ask Shell, or Exxon, both of whom are acquiring assets there.
That’s just a few months away. That’s the key reason why Recon stock is up 293% over the past 12 months.
Bonus: Diversified Oil Companies:
As one of the biggest names in energy, Suncor Energy (NYSE:SU, TSE:SU) has adopted a number of high tech solutions for finding, pumping, storing, and delivering its resources. Not only is it big in the oil sector, however, it is a leader in renewable energy. Recently, the company invested $300 million in a wind farm located in Alberta.
If the next shale boom truly is to be in the oil sands then giants like Suncor is sure to do well out of it. While many of the oil majors have given up on oil sands production – those who focus on technological advancements in the area have a great long-term outlook.
Total (NYSE:TOT) maintains a ‘big picture’ outlook across all of its endeavors. It is not only aware of the needs that are not being met by a significant portion of the world’s growing population, it is also hyper-aware of the looming climate crisis if changes are not made. In its push to create a better world for all, it has committed to contributing to each of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. From workplace safety and diversity to societal progression and reducing its carbon footprint, Total is checking all of the boxes that the next generation of investors hold close to their hearts.
Enbridge, Inc (TSX:ENB), based in Canada’s oil sands capital Alberta, is an energy delivery company focusing on transportation, distribution, and generation of energy. Operating in the United States and Canada, Enbridge owns and operates the largest natural gas distribution network in Canada and the longest crude oil transportation system in the world. Founded in 1949, investors can feel confident in Enbridge’s experience and market know-how.
Though not strictly dealing in commodities, Enbridge’s diversified assets and connections to a variety of industries position the company as solidified player in many Canadian investors’ portfolio.
TransCanada (TSX:TRP) is a major oil and energy company based in Calgary, Canada. The company owns and operates energy infrastructure throughout North America. TransCanada is one of the continent’s largest providers of gas storage, and owns and has interests in approximately 11,800 megawatts of power generations.
With TransCanada’s massive influence throughout North America, it is no wonder that the company is among one of Canada’s highest valued energy companies. Investors can feel comfortable with the company due to its huge and diverse portfolio, and continuing eye for success.
Franco-Nevada Corporation (TSX:FNV) specializes in securing precious-metal streams, but the company also works in the oil and gas industry. With key assets in some of North America’s most desirable oil and gas plays, including Texas, Oklahoma and Alberta, it is clear that the company has amazing potential in the coming years.
FNV ended 2016 with a relative bang. And as oil and gas prices inch up, investors are watching this diverse company very closely.
Cenovus Energy (TSX:CVE) is most known for its oil business, but it is also actively investing in renewable energy. More importantly, however, is that it has set truly ambitious sustainability goals for itself, aiming to cut emissions by a massive 30% in just 10 years.
This is one of the most actively traded stocks on the TSX. The potential is certainly here for this oil company, so for investors who are bullish on the return of the oil markets, this is a perfect pick in the Canadian market.
By. Joao Piexe
**IMPORTANT! BY READING OUR CONTENT YOU EXPLICITLY AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY**
Forward-Looking Statements. Statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainty affecting the business of Recon. All estimates and statements with respect to Recon’s operations, its plans and projections, size of potential oil reserves, comparisons to other oil producing fields, oil prices, recoverable oil, production targets, production and other operating costs and likelihood of oil recoverability are forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws and necessarily involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation: risks associated with oil and gas exploration, development, exploitation and production, geological risks, marketing and transportation, availability of adequate funding, volatility of commodity prices, imprecision of reserve and resource estimates, environmental risks, competition from other producers, government regulation, dates of commencement of production and changes in the regulatory and taxation environment. Actual results may vary materially from the information provided in this document, and there is no representation that the actual results realized in the future will be the same in whole or in part as those presented herein. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements are also set forth in filings that Recon and its technical analysts have made, We undertake no obligation, except as otherwise required by law, to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law.
Exploration for hydrocarbons is a speculative venture necessarily involving substantial risk. Recon’s future success will depend on its ability to develop its current properties and on its ability to discover resources that are capable of commercial production. However, there is no assurance that Recon’s future exploration and development efforts will result in the discovery or development of commercial accumulations of oil and natural gas. In addition, even if hydrocarbons are discovered, the costs of extracting and delivering the hydrocarbons to market and variations in the market price may render uneconomic any discovered deposit. Geological conditions are variable and unpredictable. Even if production is commenced from a well, the quantity of hydrocarbons produced inevitably will decline over time, and production may be adversely affected or may have to be terminated altogether if Recon encounters unforeseen geological conditions. Adverse climatic conditions at such properties may also hinder Recon’s ability to carry on exploration or production activities continuously throughout any given year.
DISCLAIMERS
ADVERTISEMENT. This communication is not a recommendation to buy or sell securities. Oilprice.com, Advanced Media Solutions Ltd, and their owners, managers, employees, and assigns (collectively “the Company”) may in the future be paid by Recon to disseminate future communications if this communication proves effective. In this case the Company has not been paid for this article. But the potential for future compensation is a major conflict with our ability to be unbiased, more specifically:
This communication is for entertainment purposes only. Never invest purely based on our communication. We have not been compensated but may in the future be compensated to conduct investor awareness advertising and marketing for TSXV:RECO. Therefore, this communication should be viewed as a commercial advertisement only. We have not investigated the background of the company. Frequently companies profiled in our alerts experience a large increase in volume and share price during the course of investor awareness marketing, which often end as soon as the investor awareness marketing ceases. The information in our communications and on our website has not been independently verified and is not guaranteed to be correct.
SHARE OWNERSHIP. The owner of Oilprice.com owns shares of this featured company and therefore has an additional incentive to see the featured company’s stock perform well. The owner of Oilprice.com will not notify the market when it decides to buy more or sell shares of this issuer in the market. The owner of Oilprice.com will be buying and selling shares of this issuer for its own profit. This is why we stress that you conduct extensive due diligence as well as seek the advice of your financial advisor or a registered broker-dealer before investing in any securities.
NOT AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH and consult with a licensed investment professional before making an investment. This communication should not be used as a basis for making any investment.
PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS. Investing is inherently risky. Don’t trade with money you can’t afford to lose. This is neither a solicitation nor an offer to Buy/Sell securities. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits similar to those discussed.
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--2020-05-04--Apple pulls in pricing, joins record corporate debt borrowing spree

So far this year , a cumulative of $ 807.1 billion of investment-grade corporate bonds have been issued , making @ @ @ @ @ the year ever , according to B. of A .
Global Research .
Apple , @ @ @ @ @ 190 billion cash hoard as of its first-quarter earnings last week , indicated that the @ @ @ @ @ for a variety of general corporate purposes , including paying dividends , stock repurchases , @ @ @ @ @ .

www.marketwatch.com/story/apple-pulls-in-pricing-joins-record-corporate-debt-borrowing-spree-2020-05-04
So far this year, a cumulative of $807.1 billion of investment-grade corporate bonds have been issued, making it the fastest start to the year ever, according to B. of A. Global Research.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Apple, which had a massive $190 billion cash hoard as of its first-quarter earnings last week, indicated that the new debt will be used for a variety of general corporate purposes, including paying dividends, stock repurchases, debt repayment and working capital.


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-04--NYC SOCIAL DISTANCING BUST

NYC SOCIAL DISTANCING BUST

The NYC is doing a great job of enforcing Social Distancing .
Nothing authoritarian about this.. /S

**NYC SOCIAL DISTANCING BUST** NYPD are now arresting social distancing violators. Halfway in video a cop holding a taser punches a man in the head. This is escalating very rapidly. Where is leadership? @realDonaldTrump@nycmayor pic.twitter.com/lEjzCGWTdc — 𝕞𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕒 🙈🙉🙊 (@my3monkees) May 3, 2020
The NYC is doing a great job of enforcing Social Distancing. Nothing authoritarian about this.. /S
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
h/t kit8642


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-04--Two Arizona County Sheriffs Vow to ‘Not’ Enforce Governor’s Stay-At-Home Order, Say It Would Be a Vi

Those who do not learn from history… .
This is not a weakened population recovering from a war ( Russians @ @ @ @ @ is not a dumbed down population being sold easy lies ( Cuba ) .
The @ @ @ @ @ coming back for round 2 .

Two Arizona County Sheriffs Vow to ‘Not’ Enforce Governor’s Stay-At-Home Order, Say It Would Be a Violation of Their Oath 👏👏🇺🇸🇺🇸 t.co/ogfYfEJhkU — David Waddell (@DavidWaddell5) May 4, 2020
Those who do not learn from history….
This is not a weakened population recovering from a war (Russians, Chinese), this is not a dumbed down population being sold easy lies (Cuba).
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The City on the Hill is coming back for round 2.
h/t Venus230


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-04--Three Russian Doctors Treating The Coronavirus Have Fallen Out Of Windows In Just Over A Week

Dr. Alexander Shulepov is in serious condition after falling from a building .
Two other doctors treating coronavirus patients have died in similar circumstances .
Alexander Shulepov , a doctor at an ambulance unit in Russia ’ s western Voronezh region , complained in an April 22 post on social media about shortages of medical supplies and being forced to work despite testing positive for COVID-19 .
Ten days later , he fell from a hospital window under mysterious circumstances , local media reported , making him the third Russian doctor treating coronavirus patients to suffer a similar fate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 37 , survived the fall from a second-floor window , but he suffered a fractured skull and is now in serious condition .
The two other doctors are reported to have died .
The falls are being viewed suspiciously by many in Russia , which has a history of targeting and eliminating critics , including several who have mysteriously fallen to their deaths in recent years .
Shulepov ’ s colleague , ambulance paramedic Alexander Kosyakin , and representatives of the regional coronavirus task force , confirmed over the weekend that Shulepov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to news outlets Meduza and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty .
The incident happened at the Novousmansky district hospital where Shulepov worked and was being treated for COVID-19 in the town of Novaya Usman .
Shulepov had reportedly been hospitalized on April 22 after testing positive for COVID-19 but was set to be released soon after his latest test came back negative .
On the day he was admitted , Shulepov and Kosyakin published a video in which they complained about their boss forcing Shulepov and his colleagues to continue working together even after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief doctor is forcing us to work .
What do we do in this situation ?
” Shulepov said in the video .
But Shulepov retracted his statement three days later , amid suspicions that he was threatened to do so , saying in another video that he was in “ an emotional state ” when he made his initial claim .
Shulepov is the third physician in Russia to fall out of a window under mysterious circumstances during the coronavirus outbreak .

www.buzzfeednews.com/amphtml/christopherm51/russia-doctors-coronavirus?
Dr. Alexander Shulepov is in serious condition after falling from a building. Two other doctors treating coronavirus patients have died in similar circumstances.
Alexander Shulepov, a doctor at an ambulance unit in Russia’s western Voronezh region, complained in an April 22 post on social media about shortages of medical supplies and being forced to work despite testing positive for COVID-19.
Ten days later, he fell from a hospital window under mysterious circumstances, local media reported, making him the third Russian doctor treating coronavirus patients to suffer a similar fate in just the past 10 days.
Shulepov, 37, survived the fall from a second-floor window, but he suffered a fractured skull and is now in serious condition. The two other doctors are reported to have died.
The falls are being viewed suspiciously by many in Russia, which has a history of targeting and eliminating critics, including several who have mysteriously fallen to their deaths in recent years.
Shulepov’s colleague, ambulance paramedic Alexander Kosyakin, and representatives of the regional coronavirus task force, confirmed over the weekend that Shulepov fell out of a window, according to news outlets Meduza and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The incident happened at the Novousmansky district hospital where Shulepov worked and was being treated for COVID-19 in the town of Novaya Usman.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Shulepov had reportedly been hospitalized on April 22 after testing positive for COVID-19 but was set to be released soon after his latest test came back negative.
On the day he was admitted, Shulepov and Kosyakin published a video in which they complained about their boss forcing Shulepov and his colleagues to continue working together even after his positive test result.
“The chief doctor is forcing us to work. What do we do in this situation?” Shulepov said in the video.
But Shulepov retracted his statement three days later, amid suspicions that he was threatened to do so, saying in another video that he was in “an emotional state” when he made his initial claim.
Shulepov is the third physician in Russia to fall out of a window under mysterious circumstances during the coronavirus outbreak.


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-04--Lockdowns Ending but Their Politics Still Rule

While it looks like the worm is turning against the draconian economic shutdowns decreed by governments , so much damage has already been done it likely won ’ t matter now .
I began the week hopeful that my home state of Florida would lead the way towards challenging the anti-human and thoroughly intolerable lock down mentality imposed on us by officials at the WHO , NAIAD , Johns Hopkins and the IHME .
That hope continued earlier this week while watching Governor Ron DeSantis give a half-hour presentation of why Florida not only outperformed all of the grossly negligent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the union in nearly every metric relevant to COVID-19 .
It , however , vanished completely when he finally unveiled his new plan , which was to graciously allow the private economy to get back to 25 % capacity , following the same tyrannical guidelines of those now discredited members of President Trump ’ s Task Force .
I guess I need to remind myself of why hope is the most negative of all emotions .
But this is typical political double-speak .
Because the political pressure on DeSantis , Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not open things back up has been enormous .
If it wasn ’ t he would have shown more spine .
But , the numbers don ’ t support DeSantis ’ decsion at all .
Here ’ s the data from today .
We have an 8.8 % infection rate in Florida .
383,592 tests done , 33,690 positives .
1187 deaths .
Having tested 1.78 % of the population of the state that ’ s is more than enough to extrapolate a death rate from this disease .
Sure , some areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse than others , but even then , does it truly matter ?
It ’ s higher there and none existent where I live .
DeSantis painted a picture of 65 to 70 % medical over-capacity this week .
I think we can handle any surge in cases due to us daring to shake hands in public .
I know the hospitals would sure like the business .
So would the restaurants , printing shops , hobby stores , dry cleaners , coffee shops and mattress stores , but screw them , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government workers are ?
Tax producers losing their jobs by the millions , tax consumers still getting checks .
But I digress .
Back to the numbers .
How many of those deaths are in excess of what is normal for the State of Florida in a given year ?
Because that , in the end , is the only thing that really matters .
That ’ s your best proxy for medical services breakdown .
From the CDC ’ s statistics , which admittedly , are a couple of days behind the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on the predicted models , based on the last full week of data .
The actual , observed , unweighted data from the CDC is zero excess deaths .
But , let ’ s be generous and go with the CDC ’ s model data , 134 deaths .
Because that ’ s the worst case scenario .
This is the data DeSantis had when he made his decision .
By the way his Red State compatriot , Greg Abbott , opened up Texas with similar restrictions and double-speak .
Were these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut down the economy of Florida in 2018 when excess flu deaths were 1142 between the week of January 3rd and February 17th ?
Was there even much , if any , media coverage ?
Did we declare a state of medical emergency ?
Did we all run around screaming with our hair on fire about how Orange Man Bad wants us all to die from the Wu Flu ?
No we didn ’ t .
In fact , I don ’ t remember anything like that , but feel free to call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some other such epithet in your copious spare time since you no longer have a job thanks to the recommendations of Dr. “ Death Dealer ” Fauci who should be the one sent the bill for this tragedy , not China .
These were decisions made as a consequence of having to walk back their insane over-reaction to this disease as promulgated by all of these incredibly smart people who are supposed to be the top men in their field .
Thousands of businesses destroyed , economic demand destruction of an unprecedented nature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from not receiving medical care as the fear of going to the hospital kept them at home.
?
I guess that doesn ’ t matter since the excess deaths were so small , they were offset by the people who died of COVID-19 .
This political decision is emblematic of what is functionally wrong with our society today .
To quote then Senator Palpatine , “ There is no civility , there is only politics.
” Decisions aren ’ t made by even the best and well-intentioned of our leaders for any other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backlash from one voting block or another .
It is truly not their job to coddle our fears and expectations .
It is their job to lead and show competence .
And if some people can ’ t handle the responsibility of living a fruitful , productive life in psychological balance with the risks of a hostile Universe then so be it .
DeSantis was better than most governors , I give him credit for this , certainly .
But this was his opportunity to command the heights , truly lead and call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mafiosi surrounding the President , dominating the conversation surrounding COVID-19 .
He and Abbott , taking their cues from Trump , have failed as leaders .
These were the states with the most to gain from separating themselves from the rest of the herd immune to the facts , caring only about gaining an edge in the polls .
This approach to politics is no different than the approach to medicine of a doctor ordering unnecessary tests or not recommending a change in diet precisely because he fears a malpractice suit .
Judgment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose lives are most affected by this policy and the people closest to the problem itself .
We have effective treatments .
We have more than enough excess medical capacity .
What we need now is leadership willing to trust us to make good decisions .
This , more than their measured and careful steps , will disempower the busybodies and the fearful .
This will reverse the insanity .
Courage , Ron .
You had the chance to show some .
And because of it we are still held captive by Karen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t really begun to feel the effects of what this lock down has done to the fabric of our society .
We ’ re still in the halo effect of all the Fed ’ s monetary easing and Washington ’ s ridiculous stimulus spending .
As I ’ ve said before these people are just pathetic Boomer grandparents trying to buy our love one last time before the whole system collapses in on itself .
But we can ’ t blame them , they tried to do something !
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t need them to do anything other than get the hell out of our way .
Our markets here in the U.S. levitate because of the centrality of the U.S. dollar but with each new data point that comes out , with each new bailout , round of sanctions and tariffs to deflect from our leadership ’ s lack of strategic vision the day when that is no longer the case draws nearer .
The guys like Trump , DeSantis and Abbott are supposed to understand this .
They are supposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civilization is here at home not against China , Iran , Russia or Venezuela .
And that ’ s a fight we can not win locked in our homes cowering in fear of a bug that is slightly more dangerous than the annual flu .
It ’ s pathetic .

by Tom Luongo
While it looks like the worm is turning against the draconian economic shutdowns decreed by governments, so much damage has already been done it likely won’t matter now.
I began the week hopeful that my home state of Florida would lead the way towards challenging the anti-human and thoroughly intolerable lock down mentality imposed on us by officials at the WHO, NAIAD, Johns Hopkins and the IHME.
That hope continued earlier this week while watching Governor Ron DeSantis give a half-hour presentation of why Florida not only outperformed all of the grossly negligent predictive models but nearly every other state in the union in nearly every metric relevant to COVID-19.
It, however, vanished completely when he finally unveiled his new plan, which was to graciously allow the private economy to get back to 25% capacity, following the same tyrannical guidelines of those now discredited members of President Trump’s Task Force.
I guess I need to remind myself of why hope is the most negative of all emotions.
“Phase One is a baby step,” DeSantis said during a news conference at Tampa General Hospital. “We are deliberately going to be very methodical, slow and data-driven on this because I think people want to have confidence things are going in a good direction.” He said a slow approach would also give the state an opportunity to step in to handle any spikes in the disease that might occur.
But this is typical political double-speak. Because the political pressure on DeSantis, Trump and other ‘Red State’ Governors to not open things back up has been enormous. If it wasn’t he would have shown more spine.
But, the numbers don’t support DeSantis’ decsion at all.
Here’s the data from today. We have an 8.8% infection rate in Florida. 383,592 tests done, 33,690 positives. 1187 deaths. Having tested 1.78% of the population of the state that’s is more than enough to extrapolate a death rate from this disease.
5.52 per 100,000.
Sure, some areas, like Broward and Dade counties are worse than others, but even then, does it truly matter? It’s higher there and none existent where I live.
DeSantis painted a picture of 65 to 70% medical over-capacity this week. I think we can handle any surge in cases due to us daring to shake hands in public.
I know the hospitals would sure like the business. So would the restaurants, printing shops, hobby stores, dry cleaners, coffee shops and mattress stores, but screw them, they aren’t essential.
And yet government workers are? Tax producers losing their jobs by the millions, tax consumers still getting checks.
But I digress. Back to the numbers.
How many of those deaths are in excess of what is normal for the State of Florida in a given year? Because that, in the end, is the only thing that really matters. That’s your best proxy for medical services breakdown.
From the CDC’s statistics, which admittedly, are a couple of days behind the latest data, that number is 134 based on the predicted models, based on the last full week of data.
The actual, observed, unweighted data from the CDC is zero excess deaths.
Zero.
But, let’s be generous and go with the CDC’s model data, 134 deaths. Because that’s the worst case scenario.
This is the data DeSantis had when he made his decision. By the way his Red State compatriot, Greg Abbott, opened up Texas with similar restrictions and double-speak.
Were these 134 deaths worth this? Did we shut down the economy of Florida in 2018 when excess flu deaths were 1142 between the week of January 3rd and February 17th?
Was there even much, if any, media coverage? Did we declare a state of medical emergency? Did we all run around screaming with our hair on fire about how Orange Man Bad wants us all to die from the Wu Flu?
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No we didn’t. In fact, I don’t remember anything like that, but feel free to call me a “Virus Denialist” or some other such epithet in your copious spare time since you no longer have a job thanks to the recommendations of Dr. “Death Dealer” Fauci who should be the one sent the bill for this tragedy, not China.
These were decisions made as a consequence of having to walk back their insane over-reaction to this disease as promulgated by all of these incredibly smart people who are supposed to be the top men in their field.
134 deaths in Florida.
Thousands of businesses destroyed, economic demand destruction of an unprecedented nature. Meanwhile, how many people died from not receiving medical care as the fear of going to the hospital kept them at home.?
I guess that doesn’t matter since the excess deaths were so small, they were offset by the people who died of COVID-19.
This political decision is emblematic of what is functionally wrong with our society today. To quote then Senator Palpatine, “There is no civility, there is only politics.”
Decisions aren’t made by even the best and well-intentioned of our leaders for any other reason then trying to minimize the political backlash from one voting block or another.
It is truly not their job to coddle our fears and expectations. It is their job to lead and show competence. And if some people can’t handle the responsibility of living a fruitful, productive life in psychological balance with the risks of a hostile Universe then so be it.
DeSantis was better than most governors, I give him credit for this, certainly. But this was his opportunity to command the heights, truly lead and call the bluff of the death-dealers and medical-industrial mafiosi surrounding the President, dominating the conversation surrounding COVID-19.
He and Abbott, taking their cues from Trump, have failed as leaders. These were the states with the most to gain from separating themselves from the rest of the herd immune to the facts, caring only about gaining an edge in the polls.
This approach to politics is no different than the approach to medicine of a doctor ordering unnecessary tests or not recommending a change in diet precisely because he fears a malpractice suit.
Judgment has been taken away from the people whose lives are most affected by this policy and the people closest to the problem itself.
We have effective treatments. We have more than enough excess medical capacity. What we need now is leadership willing to trust us to make good decisions. This, more than their measured and careful steps, will disempower the busybodies and the fearful.
This will reverse the insanity. Courage, Ron. You had the chance to show some.
You cucked out.
And because of it we are still held captive by Karen Nation. Remember:
A Karen is a person, usually a woman, who is never satisfied with the service she’s receiving and demands to talk to the manager. It doesn’t matter if Karen’s complaints are valid or not. This is because Karen has been incentivized by cowardly corporate officers and government officials (but, I repeat myself) to get something she doesn’t deserve simply because they want her to shut up and not disturb everyone else. It was one thing to indulge Karen her entitled behavior when she was getting a free order of fries or month of cable. It’s quite another when Karens become the State’s target audience for public policy.
And we haven’t really begun to feel the effects of what this lock down has done to the fabric of our society. We’re still in the halo effect of all the Fed’s monetary easing and Washington’s ridiculous stimulus spending.
As I’ve said before these people are just pathetic Boomer grandparents trying to buy our love one last time before the whole system collapses in on itself.
But we can’t blame them, they tried to do something! That’s the problem, though, we don’t need them to do anything other than get the hell out of our way.
Our markets here in the U.S. levitate because of the centrality of the U.S. dollar but with each new data point that comes out, with each new bailout, round of sanctions and tariffs to deflect from our leadership’s lack of strategic vision the day when that is no longer the case draws nearer.
The guys like Trump, DeSantis and Abbott are supposed to understand this. They are supposed to understand that the real fight for our civilization is here at home not against China,Iran, Russia or Venezuela.
And that’s a fight we cannot win locked in our homes cowering in fear of a bug that is slightly more dangerous than the annual flu. It’s pathetic.


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-04--This new unemployment payout is Federal money, not State or Employer.

If your State denies payments , sue the sh*t out of them for holding your Federal money .
The States unemployment offices are just the administrators for handing out the Federal money so they can not change the guidelines at all .
There are 3 sections to it .
The Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act ( CARES Act ) was signed into law by the President on Friday , March 27 , 2020 .
The Division has received guidance from the Department of Labor ( DOL ) and is now working on the implementation of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completed .
Start date for PUA intake is expected for mid-May .
Last updated 05/02/20 Status : Federal guidance received 04/10/20 .
Researching system programming changes that may be necessary .
Last updated 04/10/20 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation ( FPUC ) : An additional $ 600 added to each week of unemployment insurance or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance .
Status : As of April 12 , 2020 .
The Division has started paying the additional $ 600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation ( FPUC ) payments to eligible claimants for the period starting with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and payable thru the week ending July 25 , 2020 .
Last updated 04/15/20 Backdating of Claims up to effective date 03/15/20 : As instructed by the Governor , DETR ’ s Employment Security Division is programming the system to backdate claims up to the effective date of 03/15/20 , once requested by the claimant .
Claims that are eligible for the backdate will be paid retroactively .
This functionality is currently being developed and specific instructions to utilize this feature will be made available once these changes are implemented .
Last updated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DETR ’ s Employment Security Division , as instructed by the Governor , has waived work search requirements beginning 03/15/20 through week ending 05/16/20 for all claimants .
This is due to suitable work not currently available for unemployment insurance claimants as the unprecedented public health crisis has temporarily shut down non-essential businesses across the state .
In addition , claimants will not be required to register in-person for employment services at Nevada JobConnect Offices or any other local employment offices within their area until these offices have reopened .
Online registration and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on ui.nv.gov .
Out of state claimants will not be required to register for employment services in their state until further notice .
( NRS 612.375 , NAC 612.170 ) .
Last updated 05/02/20 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , DETR ’ s Employment Security Division , as instructed by the Governor , has waived the 7-day waiting period currently in place .
This waiting period is the time between applying for and receiving unemployment insurance benefits .
This directive ensures claimants will receive their benefits as quickly as possible .
Last updated @

by AC
If your State denies payments, sue the sh*t out of them for holding your Federal money. The States unemployment offices are just the administrators for handing out the Federal money so they cannot change the guidelines at all.
There are 3 sections to it.
The CARES Act.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed into law by the President on Friday, March 27, 2020. The Division has received guidance from the Department of Labor (DOL) and is now working on the implementation of the various programs.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA): Unemployment support for otherwise ineligible workers, including self-employed.
Status: Vendor selection completed. Start date for PUA intake is expected for mid-May. Last updated 05/02/20
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC): 13 additional weeks of benefits for unemployment insurance exhaustees.
Status: Federal guidance received 04/10/20. Researching system programming changes that may be necessary. Last updated 04/10/20
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC): An additional $600 added to each week of unemployment insurance or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.
Status: As of April 12, 2020. The Division has started paying the additional $600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) payments to eligible claimants for the period starting with the week ending April 4, 2020, and payable thru the week ending July 25, 2020. Last updated 04/15/20
Backdating of Claims up to effective date 03/15/20:
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
As instructed by the Governor, DETR’s Employment Security Division is programming the system to backdate claims up to the effective date of 03/15/20, once requested by the claimant. Claims that are eligible for the backdate will be paid retroactively. This functionality is currently being developed and specific instructions to utilize this feature will be made available once these changes are implemented. Last updated 05/02/20
Suspend Work Search Waiver:
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DETR’s Employment Security Division, as instructed by the Governor, has waived work search requirements beginning 03/15/20 through week ending 05/16/20 for all claimants. This is due to suitable work not currently available for unemployment insurance claimants as the unprecedented public health crisis has temporarily shut down non-essential businesses across the state. In addition, claimants will not be required to register in-person for employment services at Nevada JobConnect Offices or any other local employment offices within their area until these offices have reopened. Online registration and instructions for Nevada JobConnect can be found on ui.nv.gov. Out of state claimants will not be required to register for employment services in their state until further notice. (NRS 612.375, NAC 612.170). Last updated 05/02/20
Suspend Waiting Period:
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DETR’s Employment Security Division, as instructed by the Governor, has waived the 7-day waiting period currently in place. This waiting period is the time between applying for and receiving unemployment insurance benefits. This directive ensures claimants will receive their benefits as quickly as possible. Last updated 05/02/20
Federal CARES Act Law.
www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/748
www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/748
www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/748
www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/748
www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/748


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-04--Family Dollar security guard shot and killed after asking a shopper to wear a mask

The Genessee County Prosecutor ’ s office said Monday afternoon that a Flint Family Dollar security guard who was killed @ @ @ @ @ a dispute with a customer who would not put on a mask in the store @ @ @ @ @ was shot Friday afternoon at the Family Dollar on Fifth Ave in Flint .
He @ @ @ @ @ hospital .
Police have not released his name but MLive has identified him as Calvin @ @ @ @ @ .
According to family members MLive spoke with , including Calvin ’ s wife , @ @ @ @ @ told the shooting was over Calvin ’ s instructions to a customer to wear a @ @ @ @ @ Lt. Davi Kaiser said Sunday that law enforcement was looking into the possibility that an @ @ @ @ @ to the shooting .

The Genessee County Prosecutor’s office said Monday afternoon that a Flint Family Dollar security guard who was killed on Friday was shot following a dispute with a customer who would not put on a mask in the store.
The 43-year-old security guard was shot Friday afternoon at the Family Dollar on Fifth Ave in Flint. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Police have not released his name but MLive has identified him as Calvin “Duper” James Munerlyn. According to family members MLive spoke with, including Calvin’s wife, Latryna Sims-Munerlyn, she was told the shooting was over Calvin’s instructions to a customer to wear a mask.
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Prosecutors confirmed that to FOX 2 Monday afternoon.
Michigan State Police Lt. Davi Kaiser said Sunday that law enforcement was looking into the possibility that an argument over a mask led to the shooting.
www.fox2detroit.com/news/michigan-security-guard-shot-and-killed-after-asking-family-dollar-shopper-to-wear-a-mask


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-04--Uber To Require Both Drivers, Riders To Wear Face Coverings

PHILADELPHIA ( CBS/CNN ) — Whether you ’ re an Uber driver or rider in the Philadelphia region or elsewhere , soon you ’ ll need to start wearing a face mask .
As the ride-sharing company anticipates a restart to its core business amid the coronavirus pandemic , Uber plans to require drivers and riders to wear face masks or face coverings when using the platform in certain countries , including the United States , CNN Business has learned .
Executives approved the new policy in a meeting this past week , according to a person familiar with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be rolled out in the coming weeks .
As part of the policy , Uber is in the process of developing technology to detect if drivers are wearing masks or face coverings before they go online and start accepting trips , said the person , who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the policy decision was just made recently and has not yet been introduced .
The company already has face verification capabilities as part of its “ Real Time ID-check ” feature used to verify the identity of drivers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold riders accountable , the person said .

PHILADELPHIA (CBS/CNN) — Whether you’re an Uber driver or rider in the Philadelphia region or elsewhere, soon you’ll need to start wearing a face mask. As the ride-sharing company anticipates a restart to its core business amid the coronavirus pandemic, Uber plans to require drivers and riders to wear face masks or face coverings when using the platform in certain countries, including the United States, CNN Business has learned.
Executives approved the new policy in a meeting this past week, according to a person familiar with the matter, and the requirement is expected to be rolled out in the coming weeks.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
As part of the policy, Uber is in the process of developing technology to detect if drivers are wearing masks or face coverings before they go online and start accepting trips, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the policy decision was just made recently and has not yet been introduced. The company already has face verification capabilities as part of its “Real Time ID-check” feature used to verify the identity of drivers. Uber is also looking into ways to hold riders accountable, the person said.
philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2020/05/03/coronavirus-uber-drivers-riders-face-masks/


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-04--Trump calls for Florida cold case file about Joe Scarborough’s female intern who was found dead to b

Trump calls for Florida cold case file about Joe Scarborough’s female intern who was found dead to be looked into.

This is the second Tweet about this incident in a week .
It ’ s a pretty serious allegation , @ @ @ @ @ Joe murdered his intern/girlfriend .
My guess is something will end up coming out about @ @

“Concast” should open up a long overdue Florida Cold Case against Psycho Joe Scarborough. I know him and Crazy Mika well, used them beautifully in the last Election, dumped them nicely, and will state on the record that he is “nuts”. Besides, bad ratings! #OPENJOECOLDCASE — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2020
This is the second Tweet about this incident in a week. It’s a pretty serious allegation, he’s basically saying Joe murdered his intern/girlfriend. My guess is something will end up coming out about this.
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h/t freq-ee


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-04--Oil Majors Take On More Debt To Fund Dividends

Exxon posted its first quarterly loss in more than 30 years .
But even as debt mounts and questions arise about peak oil demand , the oil supermajor nevertheless vowed to protect its dividend while also aiming to grow indefinitely into the future .
Exxon lost $ 610 million in the first quarter , down from a profit of $ 2.4 billion a year earlier .
Worse , the period only included a few weeks of oil prices at catastrophically low levels .
As a result , the second quarter is bound to lead dramatically worse numbers .
On an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Exxon ’ s CEO noted the extreme uncertainty in the oil market , but aside from spending cuts and a slowdown on operations , the company ’ s long-term plans remain mostly unaltered .
An excellent profile of ExxonMobil in Bloomberg Businessweek pointed out all the missteps that the company has made over the past decade , such as vastly overpaying for XTO Energy to get into shale gas late ; a costly bet on Canadian oil sands that didn ’ t pan out ; gambling big on Arctic Russia , only to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again , getting into the Permian relatively late .
One of the familiar refrains from multiple Exxon executives during each downturn or each poor quarterly performance is to reassure skittish investors not to worry , and to reiterate the bright prospects over the long-term – an inexorable increase in population , GDP , and thus , oil demand .
The Bloomberg Businessweek article even pointed out the absurdity of making such a claim in early April , just as the market was falling apart .
“ You could almost feel Woods gritting his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that day , ” the Bloomberg Businessweek reporters wrote , referring to Exxon ’ s CEO waiving away concerns about the company ’ s trajectory as he pointed to steady long-term demand growth .
Announcing first quarter results on May 1 , Woods did it again .
Ever the optimist , he looked to the future .
“ The long-term fundamentals that drive our business have not changed .
Despite the current uncertainty and volatility , the fundamentals that underpin our business remains strong , ” Woods said on an earnings call .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most uncertain time in the history of the oil market .
Any claims to knowing the future are not worth much .
It could take years for oil demand to rebound – or , demand may have already hit a peak .
In the short run , the oil majors are shutting in production , in part because they have operations that are located in multiple OPEC+ countries that agreed to reducing output .
Chevron and ExxonMobil together are shutting in around 800,000 barrels per day .
ConocoPhillips also said it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cuts are concentrated in the Permian .
Still , Exxon and Chevron , which have tried to outdo each other in the Permian , both reiterated that the current downturn is temporary .
“ We would intend to bring activity back to the Permian when we see prices recover , ” Chevron ’ s CFO Pierre Breber told Reuters .
Both also refused to touch their dividends .
“ The dividend is secure , ” Wirth said , according to the FT. “ I don ’ t look to what Shell is doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Exxon ’ s Darren Woods defensively told investors , referring to Shell ’ s decision to cut shareholder payouts .
However , such an approach is costly .
ExxonMobil needs oil prices to average around $ 75 per barrel in order for it to break even and fund its dividend .
Its rivals need roughly $ 50 per barrel , according to RBC Europe Limited and Reuters .
To fund the payouts , Exxon needs to sell assets and take on debt .
But the asset sale strategy will prove difficult because few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assets that the majors do not want .
“ It ’ s going to be harder to do that in an environment like this , where people are strapped of cash , so I would expect to see that divestment program slow , ” Woods said .
Exxon will delay its attempts to sell off some $ 2 billion in North Sea assets .
That leaves debt as a source of fundraising .
Exxon has taken on billions of dollars of debt in the past two months alone .
Meanwhile , the European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Equinor – are beginning to change their strategy , eyeing long-term uncertainty .
Shell and Equinor just slashed their dividends by roughly two-thirds , each .
BP ’ s debt rose to a record high as it chose to defend its dividend , but even the British oil giant warned of an energy transition coming .
“ The pandemic only adds to the challenge of oil in the future… therefore the question has to be : Will consumers consume less ?
And I think there ’ s a real possibility of that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an earnings call last week .
Shell ’ s CEO Ben van Beurden made headlines talking about the uncertainty of peak demand .
The European majors are pressing forward with their plans to transition into lower-carbon companies , at least on paper .
The moves are still relatively minor , but they are at least rhetorically committing themselves to strategies of becoming net-zero carbon emitters by 2050 or earlier .
ExxonMobil and Chevron are resisting such a transformation .
Both companies have slashed spending by 30 percent , but described the downturn as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like we ’ re finding the bottom right now , ” Chevron ’ s chief executive , Mike Wirth , said .

By Nick Cunningham
Exxon posted its first quarterly loss in more than 30 years. But even as debt mounts and questions arise about peak oil demand, the oil supermajor nevertheless vowed to protect its dividend while also aiming to grow indefinitely into the future. Exxon lost $610 million in the first quarter, down from a profit of $2.4 billion a year earlier. Worse, the period only included a few weeks of oil prices at catastrophically low levels. As a result, the second quarter is bound to lead dramatically worse numbers.
On an earnings call with investors and analysts, Exxon’s CEO noted the extreme uncertainty in the oil market, but aside from spending cuts and a slowdown on operations, the company’s long-term plans remain mostly unaltered.
An excellent profile of ExxonMobil in Bloomberg Businessweek pointed out all the missteps that the company has made over the past decade, such as vastly overpaying for XTO Energy to get into shale gas late; a costly bet on Canadian oil sands that didn’t pan out; gambling big on Arctic Russia, only to be forced out by sanctions; and again, getting into the Permian relatively late.
One of the familiar refrains from multiple Exxon executives during each downturn or each poor quarterly performance is to reassure skittish investors not to worry, and to reiterate the bright prospects over the long-term – an inexorable increase in population, GDP, and thus, oil demand. The Bloomberg Businessweek article even pointed out the absurdity of making such a claim in early April, just as the market was falling apart. “You could almost feel Woods gritting his teeth in the company’s statement that day,” the Bloomberg Businessweek reporters wrote, referring to Exxon’s CEO waiving away concerns about the company’s trajectory as he pointed to steady long-term demand growth.
Announcing first quarter results on May 1, Woods did it again. Ever the optimist, he looked to the future. “The long-term fundamentals that drive our business have not changed. Despite the current uncertainty and volatility, the fundamentals that underpin our business remains strong,” Woods said on an earnings call.
However, the current crisis is arguably the most uncertain time in the history of the oil market. Any claims to knowing the future are not worth much. It could take years for oil demand to rebound – or, demand may have already hit a peak.
In the short run, the oil majors are shutting in production, in part because they have operations that are located in multiple OPEC+ countries that agreed to reducing output. Chevron and ExxonMobil together are shutting in around 800,000 barrels per day. ConocoPhillips also said it would cut over 400,000 bpd.
Steep spending cuts are concentrated in the Permian. Still, Exxon and Chevron, which have tried to outdo each other in the Permian, both reiterated that the current downturn is temporary. “We would intend to bring activity back to the Permian when we see prices recover,” Chevron’s CFO Pierre Breber told Reuters.
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Both also refused to touch their dividends. “The dividend is secure,” Wirth said, according to the FT. “I don’t look to what Shell is doing to decide our dividend policy,” Exxon’s Darren Woods defensively told investors, referring to Shell’s decision to cut shareholder payouts.
However, such an approach is costly. ExxonMobil needs oil prices to average around $75 per barrel in order for it to break even and fund its dividend. Its rivals need roughly $50 per barrel, according to RBC Europe Limited and Reuters. To fund the payouts, Exxon needs to sell assets and take on debt.
But the asset sale strategy will prove difficult because few companies are in a position to buy assets that the majors do not want. “It’s going to be harder to do that in an environment like this, where people are strapped of cash, so I would expect to see that divestment program slow,” Woods said. Exxon will delay its attempts to sell off some $2 billion in North Sea assets.
That leaves debt as a source of fundraising. Exxon has taken on billions of dollars of debt in the past two months alone.
Meanwhile, the European majors – namely Shell, BP and Equinor – are beginning to change their strategy, eyeing long-term uncertainty. Shell and Equinor just slashed their dividends by roughly two-thirds, each. BP’s debt rose to a record high as it chose to defend its dividend, but even the British oil giant warned of an energy transition coming.
“The pandemic only adds to the challenge of oil in the future… therefore the question has to be: Will consumers consume less? And I think there’s a real possibility of that,” BP CEO Bernard Looney said on an earnings call last week. Shell’s CEO Ben van Beurden made headlines talking about the uncertainty of peak demand.
The European majors are pressing forward with their plans to transition into lower-carbon companies, at least on paper. The moves are still relatively minor, but they are at least rhetorically committing themselves to strategies of becoming net-zero carbon emitters by 2050 or earlier.
ExxonMobil and Chevron are resisting such a transformation. Both companies have slashed spending by 30 percent, but described the downturn as a temporary obstacle. “It feels like we’re finding the bottom right now,” Chevron’s chief executive, Mike Wirth, said.
By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-04--The idea that YouTube can decide what is “coronavirus disinformation” when experts still don’t have

The idea that YouTube can decide what is “coronavirus disinformation” when experts still don’t have all the answers is obviously nonsense. More and more people are questioning authority and thinking for themselves and the “elites” are hitting the panic button.

I ’ ve said it a million times but this cancel culture and banning situation is really about fear and control .
The internet is mostly out of their control and it scares the shit out of them .
Not bcuz they can ’ t control it but bcuz ideas and information spread like wildfire now .
20-30 years ago you ’ d have to get access to a physical video archive and watch hundreds of hours of CSPAN to prove Biden gropes kids .
It ’ s a two second search now .
To find alternative explanations to COVID19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coast to coast am to come on or wait for a random guy to write a book .
You can watch corporate news and within seconds search up alternative explanations .
Imagine knowing that when your job is to push a single narrative .
That ’ s why they are in full panic .
Cancelling or banning people outside of the mainstream narratives is the only non violent tool they have left .
Update : To clarify my position .
I don ’ t agree with everything Icke believes but I respect his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremist ideology videos on YouTube .
Everything from pro gang videos to extreme religion .
These are people ’ s opinions and beliefs .
Some of these call for or praise violence .
I like rap music but 99 % of it is trash and only serves to praise ignorance and violence .
How is that shit still up ?
If you ’ re not going to delete accounts with extreme ideas for their misinfo then why target Icke ?
Because it has nothing to do with what ’ s right it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

by FringeCenterPodcast
I’ve said it a million times but this cancel culture and banning situation is really about fear and control.
The internet is mostly out of their control and it scares the shit out of them. Not bcuz they can’t control it but bcuz ideas and information spread like wildfire now.
20-30 years ago you’d have to get access to a physical video archive and watch hundreds of hours of CSPAN to prove Biden gropes kids. It’s a two second search now.
To find alternative explanations to COVID19 you’d have to wait for coast to coast am to come on or wait for a random guy to write a book.
You can watch corporate news and within seconds search up alternative explanations.
Imagine knowing that when your job is to push a single narrative.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
That’s why they are in full panic. Cancelling or banning people outside of the mainstream narratives is the only non violent tool they have left.
Update: To clarify my position. I don’t agree with everything Icke believes but I respect his ability to say it.
There are extremist ideology videos on YouTube. Everything from pro gang videos to extreme religion. These are people’s opinions and beliefs.
Some of these call for or praise violence. I like rap music but 99% of it is trash and only serves to praise ignorance and violence. How is that shit still up?
If you’re not going to delete accounts with extreme ideas for their misinfo then why target Icke?
Because it has nothing to do with what’s right it has to do with pushing the covid19 narrative.
Disclaimer: This is a guest post.


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-04--How Gold Has “Outed” the Recent Stock Market Turnaround

This week , Your News to Know rounds up the latest top stories involving gold and the overall economy .
Stories include : Gold is highlighting the shakiness of the recovery in stocks , $ 2,700 could be an easy target for gold prices , and what ’ s behind the persistent spread between the New York and London gold prices .
Gold ’ s price movement shows that investors don ’ t believe in a stock recovery From a brief glance , the recent rise in the stock market comes off as markedly positive .
After the Federal Reserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the market has rebounded by about 30 % from its March lows .
Yet , as CCN ’ s Joseph Young notes , a closer look shows that a recovery is not only questionable , but that many investors are fully bracing for a downturn .
The latter was made clear as gold soared above $ 1,700 last week , sticking to seven-year highs as investors poured into the metal .
A broad move into safe havens , especially ones that have looked as bad as bonds have , would not occur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the global economy can indeed recover from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic .
Besides warnings that the coronavirus could be a recurring issue , there are plenty of other signs that point to a massive bubble in the stock market .
Commenting on the state of equities , Dave Portnoy , founder of Barstool Sports and host of the Davey Day Trader stock show , noted that the Norwegian Cruise Line ’ s stock has gone up 20 % right as the company came to a halt .
Having already been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is little reason to believe that the stock market isn ’ t primed for a correction .
The Relative Strength Index ( RSI ) of the Dow is nearing 70 % , and a 70 % -75 % range has traditionally signaled that the market is highly overbought .
Young not only thinks that a correction could be nearing , but that it could also be particularly damaging given the underlying state of the global economy .
Having surpassed numerous bullish forecasts by breaching the $ 1,700 level , some are wondering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gold .
While certain experts are calling for $ 2,000 in the near future , veteran analyst and CEO of U.S .
Global Investors believes that $ 2,700 is a more realistic target .
In an interview with Kitco , Frank Holmes criticized the underlying drivers behind the rising valuations of the stock market .
As Holmes points out , there is no arguing that the economy is at its weakest point in a while , yet stocks are surging due to an unprecedented amount of monetary stimulus .
This money printing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies that people are investing in are doing very poorly , should continue pushing gold higher and higher .
To bolster his case , Holmes used the example of palladium , which had a massive jump last year despite ostensibly less reasons for it .
“ Last year , as I ’ ve mentioned , everyone was surprised that palladium could go from $ 1,000 to $ 2,700 , and I said short-term , why can ’ t gold do that ?
” he said .
“ We ’ re going to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for me to see that.
” Holmes also advised investors to keep an eye on pervasive issues with gold supply , some existing and some triggered by the pandemic , that are bound to act as powerful price drivers moving forward .
Despite various efforts , gold is continuing to hold a premium among New York investors The difference between the New York and London gold price is usually minimal and tends to average at around $ 1.50 .
As the pandemic began gripping the supply chain , the spread jumped to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March , pointing to a very clear concern over the ability to cover New York contracts .
Yet despite various efforts to resupply New York with bullion , the spread remained conspicuously high , having stuck to double-digit levels throughout April .
In a recent analysis , FXEmpire ’ s Jan Nieuwenhuijs went over some of the reasons why the spread continues to linger around such rare heights .
Initially , the cause seemed straightforward , as travel restrictions from Europe to the U.S. were imposed .
These restrictions encompassed Switzerland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s largest bullion refineries , three of which have had to temporarily shut down operations due to pandemic concerns .
Even though these refineries reopened and arbitragers can hire private jets to transport gold , the spread persists .
According to John Reade , Chief Market Strategist of the World Gold Council , and Ole Hansen , Head of Commodity Strategy at Saxo Bank , the cause of this most likely has to do with risk management .
As Reade and Hansen explained , banks have come under major losses and are wary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either unwilling or unable to cover their positions in gold , placing into question the certainty of delivery and making traders cautious over the spread widening .
Nieuwenhuijs also believes that the increase in long contracts by New York traders played an important role in creating the price disparity , as it coincided with a lack of funds necessary to cover the contracts with bullion .
Although it ’ s anyone ’ s guess as to how the situation will resolve , it certainly served to highlight that gold derivatives aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bullion as they are claimed to be .

From Birch Gold Group
This week, Your News to Know rounds up the latest top stories involving gold and the overall economy. Stories include: Gold is highlighting the shakiness of the recovery in stocks, $2,700 could be an easy target for gold prices, and what’s behind the persistent spread between the New York and London gold prices.
Gold’s price movement shows that investors don’t believe in a stock recovery
From a brief glance, the recent rise in the stock market comes off as markedly positive. After the Federal Reserve pumped trillions of dollars into the economy, the market has rebounded by about 30% from its March lows. Yet, as CCN’s Joseph Young notes, a closer look shows that a recovery is not only questionable, but that many investors are fully bracing for a downturn.
The latter was made clear as gold soared above $1,700 last week, sticking to seven-year highs as investors poured into the metal. A broad move into safe havens, especially ones that have looked as bad as bonds have, would not occur unless there was a deep-rooted doubt that the global economy can indeed recover from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Besides warnings that the coronavirus could be a recurring issue, there are plenty of other signs that point to a massive bubble in the stock market. Commenting on the state of equities, Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports and host of the Davey Day Trader stock show, noted that the Norwegian Cruise Line’s stock has gone up 20% right as the company came to a halt.
Having already been in its longest bullish stretch in history, there is little reason to believe that the stock market isn’t primed for a correction. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) of the Dow is nearing 70%, and a 70%-75% range has traditionally signaled that the market is highly overbought. Young not only thinks that a correction could be nearing, but that it could also be particularly damaging given the underlying state of the global economy.
$2,700 is a realistic target for gold prices
Having surpassed numerous bullish forecasts by breaching the $1,700 level, some are wondering what’s next in store for gold. While certain experts are calling for $2,000 in the near future, veteran analyst and CEO of U.S. Global Investors believes that $2,700 is a more realistic target.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
In an interview with Kitco, Frank Holmes criticized the underlying drivers behind the rising valuations of the stock market. As Holmes points out, there is no arguing that the economy is at its weakest point in a while, yet stocks are surging due to an unprecedented amount of monetary stimulus. This money printing, combined with the wake-up call that the companies that people are investing in are doing very poorly, should continue pushing gold higher and higher. To bolster his case, Holmes used the example of palladium, which had a massive jump last year despite ostensibly less reasons for it.
“Last year, as I’ve mentioned, everyone was surprised that palladium could go from $1,000 to $2,700, and I said short-term, why can’t gold do that?” he said. “We’re going to see gold pop. $2,700 is easy for me to see that.”
Holmes also advised investors to keep an eye on pervasive issues with gold supply, some existing and some triggered by the pandemic, that are bound to act as powerful price drivers moving forward.
Despite various efforts, gold is continuing to hold a premium among New York investors
The difference between the New York and London gold price is usually minimal and tends to average at around $1.50. As the pandemic began gripping the supply chain, the spread jumped to a massive range of $60-$80 in March, pointing to a very clear concern over the ability to cover New York contracts. Yet despite various efforts to resupply New York with bullion, the spread remained conspicuously high, having stuck to double-digit levels throughout April.
In a recent analysis, FXEmpire’s Jan Nieuwenhuijs went over some of the reasons why the spread continues to linger around such rare heights. Initially, the cause seemed straightforward, as travel restrictions from Europe to the U.S. were imposed. These restrictions encompassed Switzerland, home of four of the world’s largest bullion refineries, three of which have had to temporarily shut down operations due to pandemic concerns.
Even though these refineries reopened and arbitragers can hire private jets to transport gold, the spread persists. According to John Reade, Chief Market Strategist of the World Gold Council, and Ole Hansen, Head of Commodity Strategy at Saxo Bank, the cause of this most likely has to do with risk management.
As Reade and Hansen explained, banks have come under major losses and are wary of losing more. These banks are either unwilling or unable to cover their positions in gold, placing into question the certainty of delivery and making traders cautious over the spread widening. Nieuwenhuijs also believes that the increase in long contracts by New York traders played an important role in creating the price disparity, as it coincided with a lack of funds necessary to cover the contracts with bullion. Although it’s anyone’s guess as to how the situation will resolve, it certainly served to highlight that gold derivatives aren’t nearly as guaranteed to be covered by bullion as they are claimed to be.


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-04--BEZOS ON COURSE TO BE WORLD’S FIRST TRILLIONAIRE AS VIRUS HELPS AMAZON!  VP Quits, Blasts Company fo

BEZOS ON COURSE TO BE WORLD’S FIRST TRILLIONAIRE AS VIRUS HELPS AMAZON!  VP Quits, Blasts Company for ‘Chickensh*t’ Firing of Whistleblowers…

The coronavirus pandemic has already cost over three million lives worldwide , and its economic cost can not even begin @ @ @ @ @ that cost won ’ t fall on all of us equally .
Some will actually @ @ @ @ @ crisis even better off than they were before .
Amazon boss Jeff Bezos , already @ @ @ @ @ man with personal wealth somewhere in the region of $ 145 billion , is enjoying @ @ @ @ @ fortunes as more of us are shopping from home than ever .
Bezos , 56 @ @ @ @ @ garage in 1994 and still owns 11 % of the company ’ s shares .
@ @ @ @ @ trading at $ 1,689 .
Last week they were changing hands for well over $ @ @ @ @ @ $ 75.5 billion in revenue for the first quarter of 2020 .

Jeff Bezos ‘could see wealth surge’ as coronavirus drives Amazon fortune
The coronavirus pandemic has already cost over three million lives worldwide, and its economic cost cannot even begin to be measured.
But that cost won’t fall on all of us equally. Some will actually come out of this unprecedented crisis even better off than they were before.
Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, already the world’s richest man with personal wealth somewhere in the region of $145 billion, is enjoying a sudden surge in his fortunes as more of us are shopping from home than ever.
Bezos, 56, started Amazon in his garage in 1994 and still owns 11% of the company’s shares. In February those shares were trading at $1,689. Last week they were changing hands for well over $2,000.
Amazon has reported $75.5 billion in revenue for the first quarter of 2020.