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‘Better consistency, more points, better results’ – Bottas lays out 2023 goals with Alfa Romeo after ‘mental reset’ – Formula 1

  1. ‘Better consistency, more points, better results’ – Bottas lays out 2023 goals with Alfa Romeo after ‘mental reset’ Formula 1
  2. The Red Bull/Ferrari influence on Alfa Romeo’s ‘brave’ 2023 F1 car THE RACE
  3. Alfa Romeo launches C43 featuring “brave” major changes to rear RACER
  4. Alfa Romeo reveal ‘major change’ on new C43 as they target ‘next level of performance’ in 2023 Formula 1
  5. Alfa Romeo Team Representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi sets his ambitions straight for the 2023 season – “We want to continue growing” Sportskeeda
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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European Central Bank raises rates by 50 basis points, pledges further hike in March

Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank speaks at an event.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The European Central Bank on Thursday confirmed expectations of a 50 basis point interest rate increase, taking its key rate to 2.5%.

In a statement, it pledged to “stay the course in raising interest rates significantly at a steady pace” and, in unusually firm language, said it intended to hike by another 50 basis points in March.

It said keeping rates at restrictive levels would control price rises by dampening demand and keeping inflation expectations under constrained. Decisions at future meetings will be data-dependent, it added.

The move follows four hikes in 2022 which brought euro zone rates out of negative territory for the first time since 2014.

Euro zone inflation fell for the third straight month in January, flash figures published Wednesday showed, but headline inflation remained high at 8.5%. Core inflation, which excludes energy and food, was flat at 5.2%.

Attention now turns to Thursday’s speech and press conference by Lagarde, which begins at 2:45 p.m. Frankfurt time, for an indication of the central bank’s latest outlook on the economy and further details of its plans for hiking and quantitative tightening.

In December, it announced that from March it would begin to reduce its 5 trillion euro ($5.49 trillion) balance sheet by 15 billion euros per month on average until the end of June 2023.

On Thursday, it said that in line with current practice it would continue partial reinvestments of its maturing debt.

“The remaining reinvestment amounts will be allocated proportionally to the share of redemptions across each constituent programme of the APP (Asset Purchase Programme) and, under the public sector purchase programme (PSPP), to the share of redemptions of each jurisdiction and across national and supranational issuers,” its statement said.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

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Dow closes more than 350 points higher, S&P 500 caps best January in four years

Stocks close higher in final trading day of January

Stocks added to a strong January rally in the final trading day of the month.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 368.95 points, or 1.09%, to 34,086.04. The S&P 500 gained 1.46% to 4,076.60. The Nasdaq Composite added 1.67% to 11,584.55, in what was its best January since 2001.

— Sarah Min

Market is shifting to “Fed pause” rally too soon, says Lauren Goodwin

The stock market appears to be rallying in anticipation of pause in rate hikes from the Federal Reserve, even as the central bank is expected to hike its benchmark rate again on Wednesday, according to Lauren Goodwin, economist and portfolio strategist at New York Life Investments.

“This ‘Fed pause’ window we believe is likely to prove bullish, with a long duration and growthy tilt. In fact, we see that expectation as playing a large role in the 2023 rally already, and it’s a good reminder why being fully invested is an important component of building long-term wealth,” Goodwin said.

However, the January rally appears to be jumping the gun, Goodwin said, as there will likely be bad news on the economic front before the Fed pauses that could cause a reversal.

“Just remember: when the Fed pauses, it will likely be because the economy is convincingly turning over. That means the related rally is liable to be short-lived. We are fading this rally,” Goodwin said.

Instead of chasing this rally, investors should look at shifting from growth stocks to “more resilient sources of income,” she added.

— Jesse Pound

Stocks are range-bound as Fed meeting kicks off, BTIG says

Stocks are range-bound as investors await the policy outcome from the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting, which kicked off Tuesday, according to BTIG.

“Yesterday morning we said ‘we think there are pretty good odds we stay between ~4,000 and ~4,080 over the next 48 hours.’ While we might increase the upper end of the range to 4,100, we haven’t seen anything since then to materially change that view,” BTIG’s Jonathan Krinsky wrote in a Tuesday note.

Where stocks will go after the meeting will depend on whether the S&P 500 is at the top or lower end of that range, according to the note.

“In other words, if we are at ~4,080 on Wednesday at 2pm, any upside reaction is likely dampened, and downside potential increases. Conversely, if we are closer to 4,000, then the short-term downside reaction is likely less severe,” Krinsky wrote.

“In other words, counterintuitively, whatever your bias is you likely want the opposite move into Wednesday,” he added.

— Sarah Min

Today is historically the best day for stocks in January

January 31 is the best day for the S&P 500 in the month of January, according to data compiled by Carson Investment Research on the average performance per day since 1950.

The S&P 500 was up 0.97% Tuesday. In January, the S&P 500 gained 5.7%, which is the best monthly performance for the index since November.

The Wall Street saying, “so goes January, so goes the year,” has rung true 87% of the time when January was positive, for an average gain of 15.9% for the full year, CFRA chief investment strategist Sam Stovall told CNBC earlier this month. Some investors attribute the January rally to the “January Effect,” a stock market phenomenon that typically refers to an increase in stock prices and the outperformance of small-cap stocks in the first few weeks of a new year.

— Pia Singh

PayPal shares rise on layoff news

PayPal’s stock gained more than 2% Tuesday after the payments company shared plans to cut 2,000 jobs, or roughly 7% of its workforce.

The reductions address a “challenging macro-economic environment,” said Dan Schulman, the company’s president and CEO, in a release posted to the PayPal’s website.

PayPal shares rise on layoff news

Charts suggest a new bull market has already begun, says Evercore ISI’s Ross

The S&P 500 is trading just above 4,000 in the final trading day of January and is on pace to post a monthly gain of more than 5.5%. Rich Ross, charts analyst at Evercore ISI, sees upside to 4,325 in the first half of the year.

“The sum of the charts continues to suggest that the bear market is over and a new bull phase began in Q4 of ’22,” he said in a note. “While I made that call in Q3 of ’22, the pillars of that view from both the top down and bottom up have only gotten stronger.”

He noted the dollar, crude, inflation, credit spreads and the oace of policy have all peaked, while breadth in global equities are expanding “in a bi-partisan show of force.”

— Tanaya Macheel

Stocks reach session highs during afternoon trading

Stocks reached session highs in the afternoon on the final trading day of January. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 240 points, or 0.71%. The S&P 500 gained 0.96%, while the Nasdaq Composite was 1.19% higher.

That helped the major averages build on a strong start to 2023.

— Sarah Min

Equity ETFs in an uptrend, but investors appear skeptical

Technical analysis of ETFs shows that the January market rally is broad, but investors still appear to be hesitant, according to a note from Strategas ETF strategist Todd Sohn.

“Using a simple definition to define trend – the 50-day moving average trading above the 200-day moving average – shows over 60% of equity ETFs are now trading in an uptrend vs. just 5% at the end of September 2022,” Sohn said. “It’s a noted improvement, but recent flows have been surprisingly restrained – January is averaging about $1 Bn per day vs. a 2-year average of $2.1 Bn.”

The relatively meager inflows could the result of “unease” that the rally is being led by stocks that were beaten down last year, Sohn added.

— Jesse Pound

Cathie Wood’s Innovation ETF is set for best month ever

Cathie Wood is on pace to notch her best month ever as her beaten-down innovation darlings staged a big comeback in the new year.

Wood’s flagship Ark Innovation ETF (ARKK) jumped over 3% on Tuesday, bringing its January return to more than 27%. The fund is slated for its strongest month ever since its inception in 2014.

Leading the 2023 rally were the largest laggards of last year, including Coinbase, which has skyrocketed about 66% year to date. Shopify, Tesla, Exact Sciences, Roku and Nvidia have all rallied more than 30% this year.

Defiance’s NFT ETF is shutting down

The Defiance Digital Revolution ETF (NFTZ) will begin liquidation next month, according to a press release, making it the latest casualty in last year’s crypto decline.

The fund holds stocks that have exposure to the non fungible token market, or NFTs, which soared in value at the height of the crypto boom before seeing trading volume dry up quickly last year.

The Defiance fund, which launched in December 2021, has a total return of -54% over the past year and has less than $6 million in assets under management.

— Jesse Pound

Homebuilders outperform during midday trading

Homebuilding stocks outperformed on the back of stronger-than-expected earnings results from PulteGroup.

PulteGroup shares jumped more than 8% during midday trading on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Lennar shares added 3%, and D.R. Horton shares were up 2.8%.

— Sarah Min

Most companies are topping fourth-quarter earnings projections

It’s the busiest week of earnings season, with thirty companies representing 6.8% of S&P 500’s market cap reporting fourth-quarter earnings today. 38.9% of the S&P 500’s market cap has already been reported. 

Earnings are beating estimates by 2% and 63% of companies have topped projections, according to a Credit Suisse note sent to clients on Tuesday morning. Earnings per share are on pace to dip by 0.9%, the firm said.

Credit Suisse noted that more domestically-oriented companies in the broader index are delivering faster growth in earnings per share compared to their globally-oriented peers, at 0.1% and -1.6%, respectively.

— Pia Singh

Stocks making the biggest moves in midday trading

These stocks are among those making the biggest moves in midday trading:

  • General Motors — The automaker’s stock surged more than 7% after the company cruised past analyst estimates on the top and bottom lines for its fourth quarter. The company reported an adjusted $2.12 per share on $43.11 billion in revenue.
  • Caterpillar — Shares fell about 3% after Caterpillar reported a 29% earnings decline. The construction machinery and equipment maker said higher manufacturing costs and foreign currency effects weighed on its quarterly results.
  • UPS — Shares of United Parcel Service gained 4% after shipping and transportation giant posted earnings of $3.62 a share, slightly ahead of the $3.59 expected by analysts surveyed by Refinitiv. UPS also raised its dividend and sanctioned a new $5 billion stock repurchase plan.
  • PulteGroup — Shares of the homebuilder soared 9% in midday trading after the company reported better-than-expected fourth quarter earnings. The company reported $3.63 in adjusted earnings per share on $5.17 billion of revenue, and its homebuilding gross margin rose year over year.

Click here to see more stocks making midday moves today.

— Pia Singh

Barclays reiterates equal weight on Apple, expects a miss in latest quarter

Investors can expect lackluster results from Apple when it reports this week, according to Barclays.

Analyst Tim Long reiterated an equal weight rating on Apple, saying the firm dealt with a challenging holiday season, and could issue weaker guidance.

“We see a miss for Dec-Q across hardware and Services. March-Q looks to be at risk due to deteriorating demand trends,” Long wrote in a Monday note.

“What started out as production-driven cuts have moved to demand weakness across product categories. We are also concerned by decelerating Services growth. At a 20% premium to the S&P 500, we see the stock as fairly valued at best,” Long continued.

Apple is expected to report its first year-over-year revenue decline since 2019. The tech giant couldn’t make enough of its high-end iPhone models when its assembly plant in China was shut down because of Covid.

Apple shares are up more than 10% this year amid a broad rally for tech stocks. The iPhone maker was down more than 26% in 2022. The stock ticked up 0.2% in Tuesday morning trading.

Apple reports earnings after the bell Thursday.

— Sarah Min

Lucid could reach all-time lows in next year, Morgan Stanley warns

Lucid‘s recent pop will likely be short-lived, Morgan Stanley said.

The electric vehicle maker rallied 43% Friday on the back of reports indicating Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund was considering buying the more than 30% of shares it does not already own.

But analyst Adam Jonas expects the stock to hit $5 in the next 12 months — meaning it would fall 57.4% from where it closed Monday and reach a new all-time low — due to what he sees as a tough road ahead. The stock previously reached an all-time intraday low of $6.09 and closing low of $6.17 earlier this month.

“We believe the fundamental outlook facing Lucid is more likely deteriorating than improving,” Jonas said in a note to clients Tuesday.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.

Nearly all sectors in the S&P 500 trading in positive territory

The S&P 500 was up 0.6% during Tuesday morning trading, with nearly all sectors trading in positive territory.

Ten out of 11 sectors were higher on the day. Consumer discretionary, materials and real estate led the gains, up about 1.5%, 1.1% and 1%, respectively.

— Sarah Min

Consumer discretionary is the leading sector in the S&P 500, boosted by General Motors

Consumer discretionary stocks led gains in the S&P 500 on Tuesday, with the sector up about 1% during morning trading.

General Motors was the biggest advancer in the sector. The stock jumped more than 8% after the automaker reported strong earnings.

Meanwhile, utilities underperformed the broader market index, down nearly 0.9%.

— Sarah Min

Copper and aluminum extended base metal rally in January

March copper contracts fell as low as $4.1185 per pound Tuesday, but still left Dr. Copper up about 8.7% in January and on pace for a third straight monthly gain. January is poised to become the best start to the year for the metal since 2017.

Meanwhile, London Metal Exchange aluminum on Tuesday matched Monday’s low of $2,555, still leaving aluminum higher by 8.5% in January and on course for its third gain in four months and the best start to a year since 2012.

Metals traders are awaiting this week’s central bank rate decisions from the Federal Reserve, European Central Bank and Bank of England, while Reuters reported that copper demand in China remains stagnant.

— Scott Schnipper, Gina Francolla

Atlantic Equities downgrades Bank of America as net interest margins struggle

Atlantic Equities moved to the sidelines on Bank of America as the firm sees net interest margins weakening for banks.

Analyst John Heagerty downgraded the stock to neutral from overweight and lowered his price target by $5 to $40. The new target implies a 13.3% upside from where the stock closed Monday.

Heagerty said it will be difficult to have operating leverage as net interest income, which finds the difference between revenue from interest-bearing liabilities and the cost to the bank of servicing them, slows for Bank of America and other financial services names.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read the full story here.

— Alex Harring

Crude oil in January poised to decline for 7th month in 8

March West Texas Intermediate crude oil contracts fell as low as $76.55 per barrel Tuesday, the lowest in about three weeks, and leaving crude on the verge of declining for the seventh month in eight. Moreover, crude is on pace to settle below its 50-day moving average ($77.62), also for the first time in nearly three weeks.

WTI is also on course in January to decline for a third straight month.

The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) is off about 0.3% premarket Tuesday, on course for a third straight decline. Exxon (XOM) (earnings), SLB and Devon (DVN) are all down about 1% in early Tuesday trading.

Energy SPDR ETF in past 12 months

Month-to-date, the Energy ETF is still up about 1%, and on the verge of advancing for the third month in four.

— Scott Schnipper, Gina Francolla

Contrarian indicators in the futures market have Wolfe Research getting bullish

There are contrarian indicators coming from the futures market that have Wolfe Research turning more positive on stocks. Nasdaq 100 futures are down 29% from the peak and now large speculators have flipped to their most aggressive short position in over two years, analyst Rob Ginsberg wrote in a note Monday.

“With the Fed on Wednesday and earnings from AAPL, AMZN and GOOGL on Thursday, the contrarian in me is getting increasingly bullish,” he said.

In other words, given that a lot of bad news has already been priced in, anything positive from earnings or the Federal Reserve could be good for stocks.

On Wednesday, the central bank is set to announce another rate hike, which is expected to be one-quarter of a percentage point. Investors will also be watching to see what the Fed indicates about any future increases.

— Michelle Fox

Employment cost index rose 1% in Q3, slightly less than expected

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased at a slower pace in the fourth quarter, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday.

The employment cost index, an important inflation gauge for the Federal Reserve, showed compensation increased 1% for the October-to-December period. That was a touch below the 1.1% estimate from Dow Jones. It also was lower than the 1.2% increase in the third quarter.

On a 12-month basis, the ECI rose 5.1%, up slightly from the 5% gain in the third quarter.

—Jeff Cox

Names making the biggest premarket moves

Here are some companies making the biggest moves before the bell:

  • McDonald’s — Shares dipped more than 1% after McDonald’s reported its latest quarterly results. The fast food giant topped earnings and revenue estimates, saying customers are increasingly visiting its restaurants. Still, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said he expects “short-term inflationary pressures to continue in 2023.”
  • United Parcel Service – Shares of UPS rose 1.9% after the company reported earnings that beat analyst expectations. The company posted adjusted earnings per share of $3.62 on $27.08 billion in revenue. Analysts had forecast earnings of $3.59 per share and $28.09 billion in revenue, per Refinitiv.
  • Exxon Mobil — The oil giant was under pressure despite reporting upbeat financial results for the latest quarter. The company, whose stock price rallied more than 80% last year, saw a tightening in supplies as economies began recovering, CEO Darren Woods said in a statement. Shares fell more than 1%.

For more stocks making moves in premarket trading, click here.

— Hakyung Kim

Pfizer shares fall after earnings

Pfizer shares dipped more than 2% after the vaccine maker said it expects 2023 sales to fall by as much as 33% compared to a record 2022.

The pharmaceutical company issued sales guidance of $67 billion to $71 billion for 2023. Last year, Pfizer booked $100.3 billion in revenue, which was an all-time high boosted by Covid vaccine and antiviral sales.

— Sarah Min, Spencer Kimball

McDonald’s shares decline after earnings results

McDonald’s shares dipped more than 2% in premarket trading after the fast food company reported its latest quarterly results. The fast food giant topped earnings and revenue estimates, saying customers are increasingly visiting its restaurants.

The company posted earnings per share of $2.59, better than the $2.45 expected by analysts polled by Refinitiv. It reported revenue of $5.93 billion, greater than the forecasted $5.68 billion.

McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said he expects “short-term inflationary pressures to continue in 2023.”

McDonald’s shares decline

— Sarah Min, Amelia Lucas

Exxon Mobil falls despite earnings beating expectations

Shares of Exxon Mobil fell more than 3% despite the oil giant reporting earnings and revenue that beat analyst expectation.

Exxon earned $3.40 per share on Revenue of $95.43 billion. Analysts expected earnings per share of $3.29 per share on revenue of $94.67 billion.

“While our results clearly benefited from a favorable market, the counter-cyclical investments we made before and during the pandemic provided the energy and products people needed as economies began recovering and supplies became tight,” CEO Darren Woods said in a statement.

Exxon shares rallied more than 80% in 2022 thanks in large part to higher oil prices.

XOM under pressure after earnings

Caterpillar shares fall after earnings

Caterpillar shares fell more than 2% after the industrial giant posted a its latest quarterly results. The company reported adjusted earnings of $4.27 per share, above a Refinitiv consensus estimate of $4.02 per share. Caterpillar’s bottom line excludes an “unfavorable ME&T foreign currency impact in other income (expense) of $0.41 per share.”

CAT falls in the premarket

— Fred Imbert

Correction: Caterpillar reported adjusted earnings per share of $4.27, according to Refinitiv. A previous version of this story used the company’s adjusted $3.86 figure, which did not strip out for a “foreign currency impact.”

GM jumps on strong earnings

General Motors reported quarterly earnings that beat analyst expectations, sending the auto stock up more than 3% in the premarket.

GM earned $2.12 per share in the fourth quarter, beating a Refinitiv forecast of $1.69 per share. The company’s revenue of $43.11 billion also beat a consensus estimate of $40.65 billion. Additionally, GM forecast another strong year.

— Fred Imbert, Michael Wayland

IMF hikes global growth forecast as inflation cools and household spending surprises

The International Monetary Fund on Monday revised upward its global growth projections for the year, but warned that higher interest rates and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would likely still weigh on activity.

In its latest economic update, the IMF said the global economy will grow 2.9% this year — which represents a 0.2 percentage point improvement from its previous forecast in October. However, that number would still mean a fall from an expansion of 3.4% in 2022.

It also revised its projection for 2024 down to 3.1%.

Read the full story here.

– Silvia Amaro

Where the major averages stand ahead of January’s last trading day

Stocks have so far posted a strong start to the year after the worst year for stocks since 2008. This is where all the major averages stand ahead of the final trading day of January.

Dow Jones Industrial Average:

  • Up 1.72% for the month and year
  • On pace for third positive month in four

S&P 500:

  • Up 4.64% this month
  • On track for best January since 2019
  • Headed for third positive month in four

Nasdaq Composite:

  • Up 8.86% in January
  • On pace for best monthly performance since July

— Samantha Subin, Chris Hayes

NXP Semiconductors, Whirlpool among stocks moving after the bell

These are some of the stocks moving the most in overnight trading:

NXP Semiconductors — NXP Semiconductors’ stock dropped more than 3% after its revenue outlook for the first quarter fell short of analysts’ expectations, according to FactSet.

Whirlpool — Whirlpool shares gained more than 1.9% in extended trading after the appliance maker shared strong guidance for the year. Fourth-quarter revenue came slightly behind analyst expectations.

Read the full list of stocks moving after the bell here.

— Samantha Subin

Ed Yardeni takes an optimistic view on the global economy, says to ‘look beyond’ U.S.

Ed Yardeni is more bullish on the economy this year — telling investors and analysts to take a comprehensive look at the global economy.

“I think we have to look beyond the US, for starters, and see that there’s more and more evidence that the global economy is better than people had feared last fall. Europe looks like it’s not going to have a recession, and we see China coming out of its Covid funk,” Yardeni said on CNBC’s “Closing Bell: Overtime.”

“Meanwhile, when we come back to the U.S., there’s still a big debate about a soft versus hard landing.”

Yardeni added that he anticipates a soft landing due to falling bond yields and the inverted yield curve. 

The closely followed strategist also noted that while he believes the economy will grow at a slow pace this year, the worst has passed. According to Yardeni, the economy has already experienced a “rolling recession” in the past year, with different industries and sectors having experienced slumps during different times. 

Taking into account that the economy will experience a soft landing, Yardeni said the Fed will not maintain interest rates at the high 5% range for a long time, downplaying fears of an economic downturn resulting from a high federal funds rate. 

“I think inflation is turning out to be very transitory,” he said. “I’m an optimist on inflation.”

— Hakyung Kim

There are two ways to beat the market this year, says Trivariate Research’s Parker

The economy will slow down this year — but there are two ways for investors to gain earnings in the market, according to Adam Parker, Trivariate Research’s founder and CEO.

“I think there are two ways to beat the market this year,” Parker said on CNBC’s “Closing Bell: Overtime.” 

“There are cyclicals that are so cheap, they can improve their balance sheets in this eroding backdrop,” such as pharmaceuticals, metals, consumer finance and energy stocks, said Parker. “Or, I have to get stuff that can earn gross profits well through this eroding economy.”

“It’s too early to make a big bet, but there are a lot of software companies that are doing interesting things with the cloud, that are going to grow their gross profits,” he added.

The market has rallied since the beginning of the year thanks to optimism on falling inflation and the prospect of slower interest rate hikes by the Fed. However, Parker added that he cautions investors from veering too bearish or bullish on the economy this year, saying that both extremes have their drawbacks. 

“I’m not wildly bullish or bearish, but I think people got too negative,” he said. “… I don’t want to get too negative and, you know, get locked in this bear den.”

— Hakyung Kim

Stocks open slightly higher

Stock futures rose slightly in overnight trading Monday.

Futures tied to the S&P 500 added 0.19%, while futures connected to the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched 0.07%, or 25 points, higher. Nasdaq-100 futures gained 0.19%.

— Samantha Subin



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LeBron James posts 41 points vs. Celtics in pursuit of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s NBA scoring record

LeBron James is only a few games from NBA history. (Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports)

LeBron James keeps moving forward.

James entered Saturday night’s game against the Boston Celtics needing just 158 points to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time scoring leader. He finished the night with 41 points on 15-of-30 shooting (6-of-12 from deep) with nine rebounds and eight assists,

James is now only 117 points away from Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time mark.

That performance was just one part of a wild game against the Eastern Conference-best Boston Celtics, who were saved by a questionable no-call on a would-be James game-winner and pulled out a 125-121 win in overtime.

LeBron James breaking scoring record is just a matter of time

James is rapidly closing in on the scoring record, and he’s still playing incredible basketball while doing it. After Saturday’s game, he is averaging 30.2 points through 40 games this season, which would be the third-best scoring output over his two-decade run in the league.

James averaged 20.9 points per game as a rookie and hasn’t dipped below that pace since. He’s on pace to break Abdul-Jabbar’s record in 100-plus fewer games played than his fellow Lakers great. Abdul-Jabbar reached his tally of 38,387 points in 1,560 games; the Lakers’ game against the Spurs was the 1,405th of James’ career.

The season pace has James on track to pass Abdul-Jabbar on Feb. 4 against the New Orleans Pelicans. Here’s the upcoming slate of Lakers games as James pursues one of the last great milestones of his basketball career.

Monday: at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBA TV)

Tuesday: at New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)

Feb. 2: at Indiana Pacers, 7 p.m. ET

Feb. 4: at New Orleans Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET

Feb. 7: vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 10:30 p.m. ET

Feb. 9: vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)

Feb. 11: at Golden State Warriors, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

Feb. 13: at Portland Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. ET

Feb. 15: vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Read original article here

Dow gains 150 points, heads for winning week as 2023 comeback rally marches on

A trader works on the trading floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, January 26, 2023.

Andrew Kelly | Reuters

Stocks rose Friday, and all the major averages headed for a winning week fueled by better-than-expected economic growth and a pop in market-darling Tesla.

The S&P 500 gained 0.4%, while the Nasdaq Composite added 0.56%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was last up 135 points, or 0.4%.

Earnings season continued, with Intel slumping more than 8% following a dismal earnings report that missed on the top and bottom lines. Strong guidance boosted American Express 9% despite a top-and bottom-line miss.

All the major averages are positive for the week and month. The Dow and the S&P 500 have gained 1.7% and 2% this week, respectively. The Nasdaq is up 3.2% on the week and is set to notch its best monthly performance since July. The Nasdaq has gained the last four weeks. Tesla rose 3% Friday, building on a 24% weekly gain on the back of an earnings beat.

So far this year, markets have bucked 2022’s selloff trend. The Dow is up 2.8%, while the S&P has gained 6.1%. The Nasdaq has surged more 10.6%

“This year’s stock market rally is impressive and shouldn’t be ignored,” Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer for the Independent Advisor Alliance said in a Thursday note. “Unfortunately, the Fed is likely to start talking down the market again, as early as next week, so prepare for volatility again this year; we may be in the eye of the hurricane and not completely out of the woods yet.”

Investors digested more economic data ahead on next week’s Federal Reserve policy meeting. The personal consumption expenditures price index, a preferred inflation measurement for the Fed, showed prices rise 4.4% from a year ago, the Commerce Department said. That was in line with the Dow Jones estimate.

It’s some of the last data ahead of the central bank’s next interest-rate decision. Investors are currently expecting a 25 basis point hike.

Stocks are coming off a positive session. Investors cheered a better-than-expected fourth quarter gross domestic product report that stoked hopes that the U.S. economy can experience a soft landing as the central bank hikes rates to tame inflation.

Read original article here

Dow futures drop 200 points, Microsoft falls after earnings

Traders on the floor of the NYSE, Aug. 4, 2022.

Source: NYSE

Stock futures fell in early trading on Wednesday as traders pored through the latest batch of corporate earnings.

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures declined by 222 points, or 0.66%. Nasdaq-100 futures shed 1.3%, and S&P 500 futures fell 0.8%.

Shares of Microsoft dropped 2%. Initially shares rose after the tech giant posted fiscal second quarter per-share earnings that exceeded analysts’ estimates. However, shares declined after the company offered lackluster guidance on its earnings call.

Investors are bracing for more high-profile corporate earnings amid fears of a recession. So far, more than 70 S&P 500 companies have reported fourth-quarter earnings, and 65% of them posted stronger-than-expected results, according to Refinitiv.

“With the bulk of earnings still in front of the market, the question as to whether the shift towards growth being signaled by recent rallies is warranted could be answered by upside earnings surprises and solid guidance,” said Quincy Krosby, chief global strategist at LPL Financial.

Tesla, Boeing, IBM and AT&T are among the companies slated to post numbers on Wednesday.

The moves followed a three-day winning streak for the blue-chip Dow. All three major averages are up at least 1% week to date.

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Jonathan Isaac scores 10 points in long-awaited return for Magic

ORLANDO, Fla. — Magic forward Jonathan Isaac stood at the scorer’s table, had a brief talk with coach Jamahl Mosley and calmly removed his shooting shirt. He turned to the court, stuck his mouthpiece in and walked onto an NBA floor to play his first game in over 900 days.

The long wait was over. As he checked into the game between a pair of Jayson Tatum free throws, the sellout crowd of 19,196 inside the Amway Center showed its appreciation with a rousing ovation.

Isaac, 25, hadn’t played an official NBA game since Aug. 2, 2020, when he tore the ACL in his left knee during a game in the Orlando bubble. He missed all of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons and half of the 2022-23 campaign before returning Monday night against the Boston Celtics.

On a tight minutes restriction, Isaac finished with 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting in just under 10 minutes of action as the Magic defeated the Celtics 113-98.

Isaac said there was a lot going through his mind when he was checking in. He also admitted there were occasions when he didn’t know if this day would ever come, but leaned on his faith in times of doubt.

“There were days where I was like I don’t know if I want to keep going,” he said. “But then again, I have to thank Christ. Being able to go back to my faith and say God has me on this journey for a purpose. I know that I was made to play basketball. I was made to give glory to God on this stage.”

Isaac was the first sub of the night for Orlando, and he checked in alone — something that was done intentionally by Mosley so the crowd could acknowledge the moment.

Isaac’s first touch of the night didn’t come too long after he checked in. As Orlando came down the court for the first time, Isaac found himself with the ball in his hands.

He caught it along the baseline and tried to drive on Boston’s Jaylen Brown. Isaac said he thought Brown was going to take a charge, but as he didn’t, it caused Isaac to misstep as he tried to get a layup that failed to go in.

On the ensuing offensive possession for the Magic, Isaac was able to get the shot to go down — a 13-footer right over Brown.

“Shout out to Coach Mose for drawing one up for me,” Isaac said. “It was supposed to really be a catch and a jumper but they played it well and it was just me and Jaylen. So I just said get something and I was able to get to my turnaround. I really like that shot. When it dropped I was just like, ‘Thank you.’ Just get that out the way.”

Isaac’s first stint lasted just under 4½ minutes. Aside from the jumper over Brown, he added a layup, but was just 2-of-5 from the floor.

He admitted that fatigue was an issue early.

“That kind of first wind got to me. That last minute I could barely talk I was breathing so hard,” Isaac said. “But the second rotation in the second half, that four minutes, I started to just relax and just feel good.”

There was a notable difference in the second half when Isaac returned. He made a pair of 3-pointers and picked up two steals, including one on which he dished it off to Paolo Banchero for a slam on his final play of the night. He checked out for good with 2:08 remaining in the third quarter.

“I thought he was great,” Mosley said. “I thought he did a great job playing with a level of poise. I think that was the importance of him getting the G League time. Obviously, there was a ton of emotions and rightfully so. I thought it was great the way he handled himself.”

Mosley and Isaac shared a moment prior to the game. Mosley took a seat at the end of the Magic’s bench and called Isaac over as he was walking off the court. The two had a quick conversation, during which Mosley expressed how happy he was to see Isaac back.

Prior to his playing two games in the Orlando bubble, Isaac hadn’t played since Jan. 1, 2020, when he sprained the same left knee. His last game at the Amway Center was Dec. 30, 2019, when he contributed 13 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

The only Magic teammates still on the team who played in that game were Markelle Fultz, Terrence Ross and Mo Bamba. Neither Ross nor Bamba saw minutes Monday against Boston.

“This night could have gone so many ways and for it to go the way it did, I appreciate Him for it. So there’s a peace, a relief to it, so let’s keep going.”

Jonathan Isaac

Cole Anthony, who spent some time on the floor with Isaac on Monday, said he was extremely happy to see Isaac back on the floor after watching him have to observe from the sidelines during his first 2½ seasons with the team.

“Being out that long, it can definitely be frustrating, and I know he probably felt like he could’ve come back sooner,” Anthony said. “But he’s been super supportive of just the team as a whole. He watches all our games, just hits us when we’re playing well. He’s hit me when I’ve played bad trying to cheer me up. Just an overall great locker room guy and a pleasure to have as a teammate.”

Anthony said he’d played some pickup with Isaac before, so it was nice to actually share an NBA court with him.

Magic second-year forward Franz Wagner has his locker next to Isaac’s, and knows how much Monday night meant to his teammate. He also was excited for what a healthy Isaac could do for the young Magic team moving forward.

“I think even without some of the guys, I think we found some of our identity,” Wagner told ESPN. “I think our goal for the season should be to keep working at that. We have new rotations, we gotta figure all that stuff out. But we have so much talent and so much size at each position.

“But most importantly, we just have great dudes. Everybody cares about the right things. You saw that today when [Isaac] subbed in. We all want to see the next guy succeed.”

When Isaac checked out of the game for good in the third quarter, he briefly disappeared from the bench. When he returned, he took a seat on the bench and continued to cheer on his teammates.

When the night was over, his teammates doused him with water.

“Relief and peace,” Isaac said when asked what he felt like after his time on the court was done. “Peace like, ‘God, you got me.’ I appreciate it. He truly is faithful. I just want to thank Him. Because this night could have gone so many ways and for it to go the way it did, I appreciate Him for it. So there’s a peace, a relief to it, so let’s keep going.”

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Dow jumps 300 points to start the week as investors weigh next Fed rate move

Stocks rallied Monday as investors contemplated a potential slowdown in rate hikes from the Federal Reserve and braced for a busy week of earnings.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 318 points, or 0.9%, while the S&P 500 added 1.4%. The Nasdaq Composite surged 2.1%.

Semiconductor stocks and shares of Tesla and Apple gained on hopes that a reopening in China would boost their businesses. Both big tech names recently grappled with temporary shutdowns and blows to production as the country dealt with surging Covid-19 cases.

Investors have begun weighing the possibility that the Fed is preparing to slow the pace of its inflation-fighting rate hikes after months of aggressive tightening. Economic data released last week showed a decline in wholesale prices and retail sales, along with commentary from central bank officials, seemed to signal a slowdown.

Remarks from Fed Governor Christopher Waller Friday seeming to favor a quarter percentage point rate increase at the next meeting lifted investors’ hopes for a downshift. A Wall Street Journal report Sunday raised the possibility of a spring pause to rate increases — a sign that the Fed could be nearing the end of its rate hiking campaign.

“Bulls are running with the near-term momentum, the ‘soft landing’ narrative, and it’s hard to argue with recent price action,” wrote Jonathan Krinsky, BTIG’s chief market technician in a note Monday. “On the other hand, long term trends are still somewhat bearish, and we are always skeptical of such a widely watched ‘breakout’, especially after big run.”

Markets have priced in a nearly 100% chance of a 25-basis point hike, according to CME Group data, which would bring the interest rate to a targeted range of 4.5%-4.75%.

Earnings reports could keep the market on edge, with about 40% of the Dow scheduled to release their latest financial results and offer more insight into how companies are weathering inflation and interest rates. Some big names on deck include Microsoft, IBM, Tesla, Visa and Mastercard.

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An acupuncturist and pain expert shares the 2 pressure points she uses to ‘quickly relieve headaches’

Tension headaches are no joke. They typically feel like a tight band around the head, and can stem from muscle contractions in the head and neck, stress or even poor posture.

Many people take pain medications like acetaminophen and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to relieve symptoms. But overusing them without medical guidance can lead to harmful side effects.

As an acupuncturist with 10 years of clinical experience, I’ve had thousands of patients come to me for help with tension headaches.

In acupuncture treatment, pressure is placed on certain points of the body to relax muscles and improve blood flow. Here are some methods I use to quickly relieve headaches — without the needles!

1. Pressing at the base of your skull and neck

These acupuncture points are on the bony base of the skull, on the left and right sides. Placing pressure on them is not just helpful for relieving headaches, but also for neck pain and sinus congestion.

The two points are on the bony base of the skull. Each point is about one finger-width from the midline of the head, on the left and right sides.

Photo: Eileen Li

Directions:

  1. Clasp your hands together behind your head, with your thumbs facing down.
  2. Position your hands so that each thumb presses into the ditch at the base of the skill (one on the left, one on the right).
  3. Apply light-to-moderate pressure and rub in small circles. You may feel some tenderness or tension in this spot, which is normal. 
  4. Do this until you start to feel some relief.

Position your hands so that your thumbs press into the ditch at the base of the skull (one thumb on the left side, and the other on the right).

Photo: Eileen Li

2. Pressing the space between your thumb and index finger

I call this the “painkiller button” because it relieves headaches while also delivering an “it hurts so good” feeling. (If you are pregnant, I recommend avoiding this method because it can be overstimulating.)

This pressure point can help relieve general body aches, headaches, facial pain, neck pain, and abdominal pain.

Photo: Eileen Li

Directions:

  1. Turn your palm to face down and find the fleshy web space between the thumb and index finger.
  2. Press down on this point with the thumb of your opposite hand.
  3. As you press, gently push towards the bone of the index finger, or pinch it down like you’re grabbing a card from a slot.
  4. Hold with mild to moderate pressure for 60 seconds and adjust the pressure intensity as needed.
  5. Repeat two or three times on each hand.

Press into the space between your thumb and index finger.

Photo: Eileen Li

Other ways to relax tension headaches

Walking outside at a brisk pace for 30 minutes can decrease your stress and provide fresh oxygen, helping to treat tension headaches.

If you find it difficult to leave your desk completely, schedule short breaks every 30 to 60 minutes. Get up and walk around or stretch for five to 10 minutes to encourage more blood flow to the body and brain.

Drinking water can also help relax head and body aches. Fatigue is often caused by a lack of hydration, and studies have found that people who experience headaches and migraines often don’t drink enough water. I like to have my water warm with a slice of ginger or lemon.

Eileen Li is a licensed acupuncturist, Chinese medicine doctor and physical therapist. She received her clinical doctorate at Simmons University. From there, she worked in the physical rehabilitation field specializing in chronic pain research, pediatrics and geriatrics, inpatient psychiatry, and schools. Her research on chronic pain has been published in several journal publications. Follow Eileen on TikTok and Instagram.

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Dow Jones Falls 225 Points After Jobless Claims; Netflix Earnings Due

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 225 points Thursday morning after the Labor Department’s first-time jobless claims. Meanwhile, Netflix (NFLX) earnings are due out after the market close, kicking off fourth-quarter tech earnings.




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Initial unemployment claims dropped to 190,000 vs. 205,000 in the previous week. Claims were expected to rise to 215,000, per Econoday estimates.

Elsewhere on the economic front, housing starts and permits — along with the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index — were released. Housing starts and permits for December fell to 1.382 million and 1.330 million, respectively, vs. expectations for 1.362 million and 1.380 million.

Also, the Philly Fed index came in at -8.9 in January, better than the expected -10.3 reading and higher compared with a -13.8 reading in December.

Alcoa (AA) and Discover Financial Services (DFS) reported earnings late Wednesday, while Fastenal (FAST) and Procter & Gamble (PG) earnings came out ahead of Thursday’s open.

Alcoa shares slid more than 3%, while Discover stock sold off more than 6%. Fastenal was up 1% after beating top-and bottom-line estimates. And P&G stock declined nearly 2% after earnings matched estimates and sales beat targets.

Stock Market Today

Charles Schwab (SCHW) dropped almost 5% after a rare double downgrade at Bank of America. Roblox (RBLX) skidded more than 7% after Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock from equal weight to underweight.

Electric-vehicle leader Tesla (TSLA) fell nearly 1% Thursday. Dow Jones tech giants Apple (AAPL) and Microsoft (MSFT) were both squarely lower after today’s stock market open.

IBD Leaderboard stock Fluor (FLR), recent IBD Stock Of The Day Medpace (MEDP), Monster Beverage (MNST) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) — as well as Dow Jones names Amgen (AMGN), Chevron (CVX) and Walmart (WMT) — are among the top stocks to buy and watch with the market testing the strength of a new rally.

Fluor and Medpace are IBD Leaderboard stocks.


IBD’s latest newsletter MarketDiem gives you actionable ideas for stocks, options and crypto right in your inbox


Dow Jones Today: Oil Prices, Treasury Yields

After Thursday’s opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average moved down 0.7%, and the S&P 500 lost 0.75%. And the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite fell 1% with Nvidia (NVDA) leading the declines.

Among U.S. exchange-traded funds, the Nasdaq 100 tracker Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) fell 1% and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) traded down 0.7% early Thursday.

The 10-year Treasury yield rose to 3.39% Thursday morning, retaking a small portion of Wednesday’s tumble to 3.37%.

Oil prices rebounded Thursday, taking West Texas Intermediate futures back above $80 a barrel. On Wednesday, WTI futures ended an eight-day runup, reversing after reaching their highest level since early December.

Stock Market Rally

On Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average sold off 1.8%, and the S&P 500 lost 1.6%. The Nasdaq Composite moved down 1.2%, snapping a seven-day win streak.

Wednesday’s The Big Picture column cautioned, “On a practical level, it’s time to throttle back on stocks. Exposure should remain 20% to 40%, although much depends on the success of breakouts. While dozens of quality stocks have made it out of bases, MarketSmith’s list of recent breakouts shows fewer than 10 still up more than 5% from buy points.”

Now is an important time to read IBD’s The Big Picture column amid the ongoing stock market rally.


Five Dow Jones Stocks To Buy And Watch Now


Dow Jones Stocks To Buy And Watch: Amgen, Chevron, Walmart

Drug giant Amgen is shaping a flat base that has a 296.77 buy point, according to IBD MarketSmith pattern recognition. First, Amgen shares must retake their 50-day line, which is a key resistance level to watch. AMGN shares fell 1% early Thursday.

Energy giant Chevron fell back below its 50-day line during Wednesday’s 1.8% tumble, as it remains below a flat base’s 189.78 buy point. Chevron’s fourth-quarter earnings are due Jan 27. CVX shares lost 0.4%, despite the rise in oil prices.

CVX stock shows a solid 93 out of a perfect 99 IBD Composite Rating, per the IBD Stock Checkup. The Composite Rating is designed to help investors easily find top growth stocks.

Discount retailer Walmart fell further below its 50-day line after Wednesday’s 2.5% loss. Shares are building a cup-with-handle base that has a 154.74 buy point. Walmart shares edged 0.2% higher Thursday morning.


4 Top Growth Stocks To Buy And Watch In The Stock Market Rally


Top Stocks To Buy And Watch: Fluor, Medpace

IBD Leaderboard stock Fluor is trying to break out past a flat base’s 36.16 buy point, but shares gave up their buy point during Tuesday’s 3.4% drop. If shares retake that entry, the 5% buy area tops out at 37.97. FLR stock fell 0.65% early Thursday.

Back story: Fluor manages big infrastructure projects in the oil and gas, chemical, mining and transport industries. This is an earnings turnaround play. A poor EPS Rating reflects net losses in 2019 and 2020 and a dip in profit expected in 2022 to 86 cents a share. Analysts, however, see earnings vaulting 95% next year to $1.68 a share.

Medpace inched higher Wednesday, edging closer to a consolidation’s 235.82 buy point. Last week, shares moved above an early entry at 220.09. The company’s earnings results are expected on Feb. 13. Medpace shares dropped 0.6% early Thursday.

Back story: Medpace is a clinical contract resource organization, or CRO. It helps drugmakers run the clinical studies needed to gain approval for new medicines. In the third quarter, the company issued a bullish outlook for 2023, calling for 18% sales growth at the midpoint of its guidance.

Monster, Vertex Trace Flat Bases

Monster Beverage is fighting for support around its 50-day line amid Wednesday’s 1.4% decline. Shares are tracing a flat base with a 104.75 buy point. MNST stock was down 0.3% Thursday.

Back story: Monster Beverage leads an energy-drink duopoly with privately held competitor Red Bull. The company’s portfolio of energy drink brands include Monster Energy, Reign and NOS Energy.

Monster dominates energy drinks in the U.S. and claimed a 39% market share last year, according to Jefferies data, resulting in a record $5.5 billion in revenue for the company. Red Bull accounted for 37% of the American energy drink market in 2021. Rising challenger Celsius (CELH), which is on an impressive growth streak, claimed 4.9% of the market.

Wednesday’s IBD Stock Of The Day, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, is approaching a 324.85 buy point in a flat base after bullishly retaking its 50-day line this week. VRTX stock was down 0.8% Thursday.

Back story: The company is well-known for its cystic fibrosis treatments — a market that Vertex estimates at 88,000 patients. Of those, there are still 20,000 patients who could receive its old-school oral treatments. But analysts are watching for what’s new from Vertex, including an updated regimen of three drugs that could strengthen Vertex’s position against rival AbbVie (ABBV).

Stocks To Buy And Watch In Stock Market Rally

These are seven top stocks to buy and watch in today’s stock market, including three Dow Jones leaders.

Company Name Symbol Correct Buy Point Type Of Base
Monster (MNST) 104.75 Flat base
Fluor (FLR) 36.16 Flat base
Vertex (VRTX) 324.85 Flat base
Medpace (MEDP) 235.82 Consolidation
Amgen (AMGN) 296.77 Flat base
Chevron (CVX) 189.78 Cup base
Walmart (WMT) 154.74 Cup with handle
Source: IBD Data As Of Jan. 19, 2023

Join IBD experts as they analyze leading stocks in the current stock market rally on IBD Live


Tesla Stock

Tesla stock skidded 2.1% Wednesday, giving up a part of Tuesday’s 7.4% surge. Despite their recent rebound, shares remain sharply below their 50- and 200-day lines. In early January, shares hit a 52-week low at 101.81. Tesla stock closed Wednesday about 66% off its 52-week high. Tesla earnings are due out Jan. 25.

Shares of the EV giant looked to bounce back from Wednesday’s losses, but fell around 1% Thursday morning.

Dow Jones Leaders: Apple, Microsoft

Among Dow Jones stocks, Apple shares dropped 0.5% Wednesday, closing at their highest level since Dec. 15. The stock remains around 24% off its 52-week high. Apple will report its quarterly earnings on Feb. 2. AAPL stock traded down 0.7% Thursday.

Microsoft stock slipped 1.9% Wednesday, snapping a seven-day win streak. The software giant is about 25% off its 52-week high. MSFT earnings are due out Jan. 24. Shares traded 1.3% lower early Thursday.

Be sure to follow Scott Lehtonen on Twitter at @IBD_SLehtonen for more on growth stocks and the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

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