For the disciplined investor, the current volatility isn't a signal to flee, but rather a rare opportunity to capture high-quality stocks at a discount.
For the disciplined investor, the current volatility isn't a signal to flee, but rather a rare opportunity to capture high-quality stocks at a discount.
Mapping China's Influence in Latin America Authored by Eva Fu via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The ouster of Peru’s president began with a secret late-night dinner. A series of clandestine encounters followed—dark glasses at one meeting, a hood over his face at another. Then videos leaked. Amid a nationwide uproar, three-quarters of Peru’s lawmakers voted to censure the initially popular José ...
Mapping China's Influence in Latin America Authored by Eva Fu via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The ouster of Peru’s president began with a secret late-night dinner. A series of clandestine encounters followed—dark glasses at one meeting, a hood over his face at another. Then videos leaked. Amid a nationwide uproar, three-quarters of Peru’s lawmakers voted to censure the initially popular José Jerí, just four months into his presidency. He was the country’s seventh leader in 10 years. “We ask to end this agony so we can truly create the transition citizens are hoping for,” said Ruth Luque, one of 75 lawmakers who voted to oust Jerí. “Not a transition with hidden interests, influence-peddling, secret meetings, and hooded figures. We don’t want that sort of transition.” The man meeting with Jerí was Chinese restaurant and wholesale store owner Yang Zhihua , who is behind several major Chinese infrastructure deals in the country. Dubbed “ Chifagate ,” a nod to fusion Peruvian-Chinese cuisine, the scandal has thrown another wrinkle into an already strained relationship between the two countries. Currently, Lima is fighting to regain oversight over a major China-controlled port at Chancay, which has become a symbol of China’s footprint in Latin America. Across the region, a deeply entrenched web of Chinese influence is enabling the communist regime to redefine dynamics in America’s backyard. Starting with near-negligible investment levels in 2000, China has become a dominant force in Latin America and the Caribbean, with trade exceeding $500 billion in 2024. For many individual nations, such as Brazil and Peru, China has overtaken the United States as a key trading partner. View of the Chancay “megaport” in the small town of Chancay, 48 miles north of the Peruvian capital, Lima, on Oct. 29, 2024. Port of Chancay is controlled by a Chinese state-owned company. Cris Bouroncle/AFP via Getty Images Along the way, Beijing has built enormous leverage, said Ding Hung-bin, ...
Esteban Alejandro/iStock via Getty Images It would seem like the buy signals coming out for Exxon Mobil Corporation ( XOM ) are very predictable now that there is a crisis that is shutting down the Strait Of Hormuz. That particular part of the world allows about 15% of the oil and even a greater percentage of the LNG cargos to reach the world from the Middle East. But most of these crises that hap...
Esteban Alejandro/iStock via Getty Images It would seem like the buy signals coming out for Exxon Mobil Corporation ( XOM ) are very predictable now that there is a crisis that is shutting down the Strait Of Hormuz. That particular part of the world allows about 15% of the oil and even a greater percentage of the LNG cargos to reach the world from the Middle East. But most of these crises that happen do not last all that long. This is one very frothy market that is typical of an aging bull market. Therefore, something like this can get blown way out of proportion to its importance. Therefore, I agree with the 'Hold' rating by the Quant System on the Seeking Alpha website. XOM is now downgraded by me to a hold until things settle down. One of the remarks on the article that I referenced is that the future is largely unknowable at the current time with a wide range of possibilities. In the past, when something like this happened, it was best to follow a chart and sell the minute the chart said so for (usually) a significant trading profit. But I usually do not write for traders, and I certainly cannot put out articles as often as would be needed in a situation like this. I generally write for the buy-and-hold investor (and oftentimes forget about it). Many of those investors buy and just hold it. My uncle was typical here in that he bought and never sold. He left my cousin roughly $4 million when he passed on. So, there is something to that strategy. Last Article The last article was about Venezuela and Guyana. Many of the principles in play for that article hold for this one as well. Venezuela seemed like such a momentous event at the time. Yet here we are with another "jaw dropping" event. In this industry, volatility and low visibility are key characteristics. But an investor needs to consider buying here when the stock is clearly undervalued and there is a clear pathway upwards from the current price (without a clear pathway down to the extent possible). But that ...
Donald Trump said Monday his war with Iran could last weeks—and he didn’t rule out the use of American ground troops . The jarring prospect of further escalation cuts against majority domestic opposition to the war, Trump’s repeated statements against foreign entanglements and US intelligence contradicting his justifications for initiating hostilities in the first place. The president and his aide...
Donald Trump said Monday his war with Iran could last weeks—and he didn’t rule out the use of American ground troops . The jarring prospect of further escalation cuts against majority domestic opposition to the war, Trump’s repeated statements against foreign entanglements and US intelligence contradicting his justifications for initiating hostilities in the first place. The president and his aides have continued to give shifting explanations for not only starting the war—which has reportedly killed more than 500 Iranians —but what must happen for it to end. Iranian retaliation for US and Israeli attacks have included strikes on US allies and bases across the region, claiming more than a dozen lives in Gulf states and Israel. At least six US soldiers have been killed while a US embassy was hit and a friendly fire incident shockingly downed three American fighter jets . Israel responded to a missile volley from Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah by attacking Lebanon, killing 52 people , authorities there said. Both the New York Times and Washington Post have reported that Trump’s decision to start the war was spurred in part by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . The Post similarly asserted Saudi Arabia had urged Trump to attack. Trump spoke today about how long the war might last during a ceremony in which he awarded the highest US military decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor, to three men—two of them posthumously. Trump joked last month at a Georgia rally that he should award the Medal of Honor to himself . Trump never served in the military, having received several Vietnam War deferments . In a video posted yesterday on his social media site, he addressed how many more US casualties might result from the Iran conflict. “There will likely be more before it ends,” Trump said. “That’s the way it is.” What You Need to Know Today The war with Iran risks delivering another shock to a US economy where high prices, a difficult job market and general vot...
The Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ) and the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT:IVV) are both giants in the U.S. equity ETF space, but they serve different purposes. QQQ tracks the NASDAQ-100, concentrating on the largest non-financial stocks — mostly in tech. IVV, on the other hand, tracks the S&P 500 and covers the full spectrum of large-cap U.S. companies. This comparison highlights ...
The Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ) and the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT:IVV) are both giants in the U.S. equity ETF space, but they serve different purposes. QQQ tracks the NASDAQ-100, concentrating on the largest non-financial stocks — mostly in tech. IVV, on the other hand, tracks the S&P 500 and covers the full spectrum of large-cap U.S. companies. This comparison highlights where their costs, returns, risk, and sector focus diverge, helping investors determine which is the best fit for their portfolio. Continue reading
In just over 48 hours since the US and Israel began striking Iran, the conflict has widened fast. Countries that say they aren’t part of it are already being pulled in as their bases, infrastructure and citizens are exposed to retaliation. At some point, America’s allies will have to choose. How much US activity do they host? How far do they stretch “defensive” support? What do they do when their ...
In just over 48 hours since the US and Israel began striking Iran, the conflict has widened fast. Countries that say they aren’t part of it are already being pulled in as their bases, infrastructure and citizens are exposed to retaliation. At some point, America’s allies will have to choose. How much US activity do they host? How far do they stretch “defensive” support? What do they do when their own territory is struck? The longer the fighting drags on, the harder it becomes to stay on the sidelines. The United Arab Emirates and Qatar have already begun lobbying allies to help them persuade President Donald Trump to keep military operations against Iran short, according to people familiar with the matter. CSIS Middle East Program Director and Senior Adviser Mona Yacoubian joins Bloomberg Businessweek Daily to discuss. She speaks with Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. (Source: Bloomberg)
SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI), a digital banking and lending platform, closed Monday at $18.39, up 3.55%. The stock is rebounding after a recent decline, with investors watching insider buying by CEO Anthony Noto and ongoing trends in member growth and profitability. Trading vo
SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI), a digital banking and lending platform, closed Monday at $18.39, up 3.55%. The stock is rebounding after a recent decline, with investors watching insider buying by CEO Anthony Noto and ongoing trends in member growth and profitability. Trading vo