What we’re reading (2/20)
“Data Show The Economy Is Booming. Wall Street Thinks Otherwise.” (Wall Street Journal). “A handful of high-profile economic reports, covering the big topics of inflation, economic growth and the labor market, have leaned decidedly on the too-warm side. But many economists have minimized these surprises, pointing to other data that are less alarming and measurement challenges that are unique to the start of the year.”
“Steep Rate Cuts Are Coming As The Job Market Looks Poised To Weaken, Wells Fargo Strategist Says” (Insider). “Steep rate cuts from the Federal Reserve could be coming later this year thanks to weakening in the job market, which likely isn't as robust as some of the latest data has made it out to be, according to Wells Fargo strategist Erik Nelson.”
“January Was Awesome For Stock Pickers, But Can They Keep It Going?” (New York Times). “Over the last 20 years, stock pickers have had a dismal record. Most haven’t come close to beating the overall stock market. But occasionally, there are exceptions. In some periods, stock pickers rule, and the start of this year was one of those times. In fact, it was the best January for actively managed stock mutual funds since Bank of America began compiling data in 1991. It wasn’t just that they turned in handsome returns for investors. The entire stock market did that. The S&P 500 and other stock indexes set records during the month.”
“Nvidia Faces Stiff Test On Wall Street This Week After ‘Parabolic’ Stock Rally” (CNBC). “When Nvidia reports fiscal fourth-quarter earnings after the market close Wednesday, it will do so as the world’s third most valuable public company. Investors are giving the company little margin for error. Nvidia’s stock price has soared fivefold since the end of 2022, as demand has skyrocketed for its graphics processing units that sit at the heart of the artificial intelligence boom. Nvidia’s chips, such as the H100, are used by AI developers to create cutting-edge models like the ones OpenAI used to develop ChatGPT.”
“Unpacking The Washington Math For A Big Payment Deal” (DealBook). “Capital One’s $35.3 billion takeover to buy Discover Financial Services will create a colossus in the fast-growing credit card industry and a more powerful force in the payment networks that underpin the consumer economy. That will almost surely invite tough scrutiny from a Washington that is increasingly skeptical of big financial mergers. But continuing scrutiny of the two biggest payment networks in the U.S., Visa and Mastercard, may complicate the regulatory math.”
