- MarketWatch•3 hours ago
18 small-cap stocks that analysts expect to rise at least 50% in 2018
(This is the third in a three-part series on analysts’ favorite stocks for 2018. The series began with large-cap stocks and continued with mid-cap stocks.) A year ago we listed analysts’ favorite small-cap stocks for 2017. The results are mixed. But for next year, Wall Street is even more enthusiastic about smaller companies than they were during the initial euphoria following President Trump’s election. When we pulled the list of analysts’ favorite small-cap stocks for 2017, we started with the S&P 600 Small-Cap Index SML, -0.05% and identified 24 companies with majority “buy” ratings among at least three analysts. They also had consensus price targets that showed the stocks were expected to
- Puget Sound Business Journal•yesterday
Boeing delivers widebodies to Middle Eastern airlines and wins a 747 order
Boeing delivered two widebody jets to Middle Eastern airlines and won a 747 order this week, generating some cash for the fourth quarter. Chicago-based Boeing (NYSE: BA) delivered a 787-9 Dreamliner to Oman Air and a 777 freighter to Turkish Airlines. Boeing capped off the week by snaring a new order for the $387 million double-decker 747 from an unidentified buyer, according to its orders and deliveries website. The new jumbo jet order means more work for the Everett 747 manufacturing line, which Boeing said last year it might shut down. Airlines pay most of a new jet's price when they receive the aircraft, but also pay deposits when ordering. "The delivery of our first 777 freighter is a milestone
Business Insider•2 days agoBANK OF AMERICA: The dollar is set for a big rebound after a difficult year
"It seems to us that the consensus is that the tax reform will not matter much, which is consistent with what our survey data and the feedback during our recent client meetings suggest," said Athanasios Vamvakidis, the global head of G10 FX Strategy at Bank America Merrill Lynch, in a note on Friday. "In contrast, we have been arguing that the US tax reform is a big deal and will support the USD in early 2018." That the dollar has not gained since the Senate passed its version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act last weekend shows "the market seems to be pricing almost nothing," he added.
Associated Press•36 minutes agoThe Latest: Bitcoin futures soar in first hours of trading
Bitcoin futures are spiking in their first hours of trading. At 9:15 CST, the futures contract that expires in January, which opened at $15,000, was trading at $18,010, according to CBOE Global Markets. The CBOE's competitor exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, will start trading its own futures on Dec. 18.
- MarketWatch•3 hours ago
Why a Roth IRA conversion might be even smarter next year if the tax bill passes
For years, I’ve lectured chapter and verse about the wonderfulness of Roth IRAs, and they may soon be more wonderful than ever. The quickest way to get a relatively large sum into a Roth IRA so you can start taking advantage of the wonderfulness is to convert a traditional IRA with a hefty account balance into a Roth account. Here’s the updated scoop on the conversion strategy, taking into account the possibility of tax reform. Roth conversion basics A Roth conversion is treated as a taxable distribution from your traditional IRA, because you’re deemed to receive a payout from the traditional account with the money then going into the new Roth account. So doing a conversion this year will trigger
- Bloomberg Video•3 hours ago
Bitcoin Futures Start Trading on CBOE
Dec.10 -- Bitcoin reaches another milestone. Futures start trading on the CBOE. Bloomberg's Adam Haigh reports on "Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia."
- TheStreet.com•2 days ago
A Bullish General Electric Holiday Trade -- That's Right, Bullish
Add in the $4 billion in dividend cuts and these start becoming real numbers. GE does need these cuts, though, if it hopes to maintain the reduced dividend, as 85% of its free-cash-flow is still paid out to shareholders. Speaking of dividends, GE is set to pay out $0.12 this month, so this one sets up well for a buy-write (covered call) trade into the New Year.
- Bloomberg•7 hours ago
Bitcoin Options Are What We Need to Tame This Beast
The seminal financial event of this year, the current decade, and possibly our generation is here: Futures trading in bitcoin has begun. But the derivative that would really damp the current crypto frenzy and make digital tokens a speculator-friendly -- if not investment-worthy -- commodity, currency, tulip, or whatever, isn't futures. It's options. Options could supplement futures contracts in damping irrational exuberance for bitcoin It's hard to see how even existing futures trading rules can deal with something as volatile as bitcoin. Cboe Global Markets Inc. began offering them on Sunday, and soon they'll be available on CME Group Inc. Brokers including E*Trade Financial Corp., TD Ameritrade
- MarketWatch•11 hours ago
Republican tax bill makes big winners of Amgen, Gilead and other drugmakers
The prospect of tax reform has had drugmakers and Wall Street salivating for months. Repatriation of cash held outside the U.S. could be the most important part of the Republican tax bill for the sector, according to a recent Credit Suisse report, which found that American biopharma companies make up one-third of the top 30 U.S. companies with the most offshore cash. The final version of the tax bill, which could be passed by the end of the year, is expected to reduce the tax rate for repatriated offshore cash from 35% to 10% or 14% — a major tax break that could make a slew of dealmaking and share buybacks possible. The biggest potential winners are drugmakers Amgen Inc. AMGN, +0.83% ($39 billion
- MarketWatch•11 hours ago
UnitedHealth is stepping past CVS Health with its latest deal
UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s nearly $5 billion acquisition of physician group operator DaVita Medical Group, announced Wednesday, pales in comparison with CVS Health Corp.’s roughly $69 billion acquisition of health insurer Aetna Inc. earlier this week. But while CVS Health CVS, +2.81% is aiming to emulate UnitedHealth UNH, +1.71% by folding in health insurance with its pharmacy-benefit manager business, UnitedHealth’s acquisition shows it is one step ahead, according to Mizuho analyst Sheryl Skolnick. “So while others may look to build what UNH/Optum had, Optum moves the bar yet again, establishing itself as the leading physician platform for the transformed health care sector of the future,”
- MarketWatch•11 hours ago
Broadcom shares finish flat after strong quarter, analyst price hikes soothe Apple concerns
Broadcom Ltd. shares finished Thursday exactly where they closed on Wednesday, after an initial jump — prompted by a majority of analysts hiking price targets — fizzled out a day after the chipmaker’s strong earnings and outlook softened concerns that iPhone production snags would hamper sales growth of wireless components. Late Wednesday, Broadcom AVGO, -1.51% topped Wall Street estimates for the quarter and issued a revenue outlook well above the consensus. The company also said it was raising its “interim” quarterly dividend by 72% to $1.75 a share. Broadcom shares, which traded up as much as 4.5% earlier in the trading session, closed at $263.89 on Thursday, their same closing price on Wednesday
- CNBC Videos•6 hours ago
Bitcoin is 'definitely not an investment vehicle'
Luis Maizel of LM Capital Management gives his views on bitcoin futures, which started trading on the CBOE Futures Exchange.
- CNBC•15 hours ago
Deutsche Bank warns a 'bitcoin crash’ is among the market's most significant 2018 risks
The bitcoin (Exchange: BTC=) craze could pose a real risk to the broader market next year, Deutsche Bank warned last week, ahead of the cryptocurrency's launch on futures exchanges, scheduled to take place Sunday. Bitcoin has emerged as a financial phenomenon this year as the digital currency sees $1,000-plus swings within hours. At this juncture, as the cryptocurrency has advanced quadruple digits this year, Slok said the markets have not correctly priced in the broader impact bitcoin could potentially have.
- Yahoo Finance•12 hours ago
Bitcoin futures: Everything you need to know
Despite the (well-founded) protests of JPMorgan, Citigroup and other Wall Street brokers, bitcoin futures are set to go live Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. EST on the Cboe Futures Exchange (CFE). Next Sunday, December 17, the CME Group (CME) is expected to launch its own bitcoin futures. Currently, bitcoins are mainly traded on one of the many “cash” exchanges that exist around the world — even the largest of which has been subject to outages. Though bitcoin derivatives already exist (LedgerX just launched in October), bitcoin futures are expected to eventually bring the liquidity and stability demanded by large institutional traders and small retail traders alike. What happens to the price of bitcoin once bitcoin futures begin trading?
- The Street•6 hours ago
3 Things to Know About Bitcoin Futures Trading Before Prices Hit $25,000
It's game time for bitcoin fans. Bitcoin futures will begin trading at 6:00 p.m. EST today on the Cboe. Anticipation for the Cboe debut, followed by one on the CME Dec. 18, has triggered wild swings in bitcoin prices over the last week. Overall, trading bitcoin futures is a positive development for the cryptocurrency says the research team at Fundstrat. Here is a rundown of Fundstrat's thinking in what is yet another big moment for bitcoin. The firm sees bitcoin prices at $25,000 by the end of 2022, supported by the positive factors detailed below. Net Net This Is Great for Bitcoin's Future The introduction of derivatives lays the necessary market structure for institutions to allocate cash
- MarketWatch•3 hours ago
Analysts expect these large-cap U.S. stocks to rise at least 25% in 2018
(This is the first in a three-part series on analysts’ favorite stocks for 2018. The list of large-cap stocks is below and the series continues with mid-cap stocks and small-cap stocks.) About a year ago we listed analysts’ favorite large-cap stocks for 2017. We’re going to do the same for 2018, but first, let’s see how last year’s selections performed. The list reflected data as of the market close on Dec. 5, 2016. There were 18 S&P 500 stocks with majority “buy” ratings that analysts expected to increase at least 30% over the subsequent 12 months, based on consensus price targets: From Dec. 5, 2016, through Nov. 30, 2017, the S&P 500 Index rose 20%. Of analysts’ 18 favorite large-cap stocks
- Business Insider•16 hours ago
Bitcoin futures are about to go live, and they could change the game for cryptocurrencies
Cboe Global Markets, the Chicago-based exchange group, will be the first exchange to launch bitcoin futures on Sunday. CME Group, Cboe's cross-town rival, will launch its market later in December. The new product by Cboe will allow investors to bet on the future price of bitcoin, which skyrocketed to an all-time high above $17,000 on Thursday, according to data from Markets Insider.
- TheStreet.com•13 hours ago
Deciphering Wall Street's Differing Views of Amgen
Wall Street research is a confusing animal. The same stock often carries very different opinions, from various sources at exactly the same moment. That is why there are always buyers and sellers at the very same price, creating a "market price." How
- The Street•2 days ago
Video: Here Is How Alternative Investing Can Boost Your Portfolio
With the stock market near record highs, strategists agree it's time to consider alternative investing strategies. Walter Davis, an alternatives investment strategist at Invesco pints to a long/short strategy, a common type of alternative strategy. Meanwhile, Doug Evans, head of asset management at Abbot Downing, sees more opportunities overseas than in the U.S. Watch More with TheStreet: Southwest Airlines CEO on Tax Reform, Hawaii Routes and Bitcoin Is Mining Bitcoin Worth Destroying Your Electric Bill? Former Humana Executive Supports the CVS-Aetna Deal Here Is One Major Factor to Watch in the Markets in 2018
Business Insider•yesterdayThe fintech ecosystem explained
This is a preview of a research report from BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about BI Intelligence, click here. No firm is immune from the coming disruption and every company must have a strategy to harness the powerful advantages of the new fintech revolution.
Associated Press•53 minutes agoBitcoin futures rise as virtual currency hits major exchange
The first-ever bitcoin future jumped after it began trading Sunday as the increasingly popular virtual currency made its debut on a major U.S. exchange. The futures contract that expires in January surged more than $3,000 to $18,010 four hours after trading launched on the Chicago Board Options Exchange. The CBOE futures don't involve actual bitcoin.
- Bloomberg•2 days ago
Bitcoin Futures Trading Brings Crypto Into Mainstream
The intersection of digital money and traditional finance is at 400 South LaSalle Street in Chicago this weekend. That’s where trading in bitcoin futures opens Sunday evening, as the first major U.S. exchange offers a product pegged to the wildly fluctuating cryptocurrency. The currency has risen more than 1,500 percent this year, and about 85 percent just in the past two weeks, driven largely by demand from individual investors. But even as bitcoin -- launched in 2009 as an alternative to banks -- divides Wall Street executives and central bankers worldwide, those kinds of gains are a powerful magnet. The futures offered by Cboe Global Markets Inc., and similar contracts that start trading in
Reuters•13 hours agoAfter bitcoin’s wild week, traders brace for futures launch
By Saqib Iqbal Ahmed NEW YORK (Reuters) - The newest way to bet on bitcoin will arrive on Sunday, when futures of the cryptocurrency that has taken Wall Street by a storm begin trading. The first bitcoin future trades are set to kick off at 6 p.m. EST (2300 GMT) on CBOE Global Markets Inc's CBOE Futures Exchange. This has given an extra kick to the cryptocurrency's scorching run this year.
- Fox Business•6 hours ago
Bitcoin futures trade on Cboe for first time
One day after a major price plunge and following a volatile week, the Cboe Global Markets kicked off the highly-anticipated bitcoin futures trading on Sunday evening on the Cboe Futures Exchange (CFE). After bitcoin futures started trading, the cryptocurrency spiked more than $1,200, while the Cboe website became inaccessible. “Due to heavy traffic on our website, visitors to www.cboe.com may find that it is performing slower than usual and may at times be temporarily unavailable. All trading systems are operating normally,” a Cboe spokesperson told FOX Business in a statement.
Business Insider•2 days agoA Wall Street bank just made the most bullish call on stocks yet
Denis Doyle/Getty Images John Stolzfus of Oppenheimer has the most bullish S&P 500 forecast for 2018, with a year-end price target of 3,000. He sees many of the positive drivers from 2017 continuing, such as slow-and-steady economic expansion, strong
