15Feb2022 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Global markets jump amid hopes that military tensions over Ukraine could be easing. S&P 500 climbs sharply and DOW up 423 points as Russia-Ukraine tensions ease

Oil Refining Industry Can’t Keep Up With Demand

The price of global refined products are soaringeven more so than crude oil itself, as demand for those refined products is proving too much for refiners to keep up with, according to a new analysis by Vortexa. Inventories of refined products are now near historic lowsand given the refining maintenance season that will soon be upon Asia and Europe, it doesn’t look that those historical lows are going to ease substantially. Most refiners in Asia and Europe enter their refining maintenance season in Q2. But so far, Vortexa says, there

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Oil-Refining-Industry-Cant-Keep-Up-With-Demand.html

IEA: Childrens Emissions 10 Times Lower Than Grandparents In Net-Zero 2050

If the world achieves net-zero emissions by 2050, the carbon footprint of todays children will be 10 times lower than the emissions generated by their grandparents, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Tuesday. The Net-Zero Scenario of the agencywhich sparked a lot of controversy over the no new investments in oil and gas, ever stancesays that people will have to fundamentally change the way they consume energy. This goal which offers the world a fighting chance of limiting the rise in

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/IEA-Childrens-Emissions-10-Times-Lower-Than-Grandparents-In-Net-Zero-2050.html

Oil Prices Fall Back But Bullish Sentiment Remains

Oilprice Alert: InnerCircle members will receive the next private placement intelligence letter on Wednesday next week. Tap into a secret world of wealth and receive our 50-page whitepaper on Private Placements for free by signing up today.Chart of the Week- The price spread between spot Brent assessments such as Dated Brent and the exchange-traded ICE Brent rose to an all-time high of $5 per barrel amid ongoing geopolitical concerns.- ICE Brent backwardation, too, is mirroring the unprecedented tightness in oil markets right now, with the

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Even-OPEC-Thinks-Oil-Prices-Are-Too-High.html

Glencores Oil Trade Hasnt Recovered Yet

Mining and trading group Glencore saw its traded oil volumes in 2021 at their lowest level since 2015, according to company data compiled by Reuters. For the first time since 2015, the crude oil and oil product volumes which Glencore traded fell below 4 million barrels per day (bpd), at 3.86 million bpd, partly due to lower volumes lifted from Russia and to a strategic move to trade cleaner fuels. To compare, in 2020, Glencores traded oil volumes were 4.2 million bpd. Glencore had a five-year deal to lift oil from Russian oil giant Rosneft,

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Glencores-Oil-Trade-Hasnt-Recovered-Yet.html

Russias Aggression Towards Ukraine Could Backfire

The state of affairs at the Ukrainian border is now being referred to as a crisis, with prominent news outlets such as the New York Times and CNN providing live updates on the rapidly developing tensions as Russian troops amass on the outskirts of the former soviet republic. According to CNN, US intelligence has indicated that Russia is currently “clearly advancing their ability to invade.” European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson each made statements

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Geopolitics/International/Russias-Aggression-Towards-Ukraine-Could-Backfire.html

Climate Action Faces Reality Check In The Energy Crisis

The climate summit in Glasgow in November coincided with the start of the winter heating season in the northern hemisphere. Just as global leaders were racing to pledge net-zero commitments and decisive action to address the worst impacts of climate change, Europe and Asia were starting to see first-hand what tight traditional energy markets looked like. Despite the record rise in global investments in renewables and clean energy capacity installations in recent years, renewable energy was not enough to meet the rebound in electricity consumption.

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Climate-Action-Faces-Reality-Check-In-The-Energy-Crisis.html

Tim Hortons focuses its next phase of U.S. expansion on snowbirds and retirees

Tim Hortons is slated to open its first location in Houston this summer, signaling the Canadian coffee chain’s next phase of U.S. expansion.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/tim-hortons-focuses-its-next-phase-of-us-expansion-on-snowbirds-and-retirees.html

Main Street restaurant owners growing through the pandemic

Near 90,000 restaurants have shuttered during the pandemic, and sales may not be back to pre-Covid levels for a year. But some owners are growing.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/main-street-restaurant-owners-growing-despite-covid.html

Elon Musk unloaded $22 billion of Tesla stock — and still owns more now than a year ago

Elon Musk currently owns 172.6 million shares, which gives him a 17% stake in the company, making him far and away the single largest individual shareholder.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/elon-musk-unloaded-billions-of-tesla-stockand-still-owns-more-than-last-year.html

Alec Baldwin, ‘Rust’ movie sued for wrongful death by Halyna Hutchins’ family

Alec Baldwin is among several defendants named in a wrongful death suit following the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of “Rust” in October.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/alec-baldwin-rust-movie-sued-by-halyna-hutchins-family.html

Senate confirms Biden FDA pick Califf, despite objections to drug industry ties

The Senate narrowly confirmed Dr. Robert Califf, a prominent cardiologist, as FDA commissioner, over objections to his pharmaceutical industry ties.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/robert-califf-fda-senate-confirmation.html

Black-led VC fund aims to even the playing field for minority health-tech startups

The Jumpstart Nova fund has raised $55 million from investors including Eli Lilly, HCA Healthcare and Bank of America to invest in Black health-tech firms.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/black-led-vc-fund-aims-to-even-the-playing-field-for-minority-health-tech-start-ups-.html

Super Bowl 2022 attracted more than 112 million viewers, but failed to top record

Ratings rebound after last year’s game, which had the worst audience score since 2007.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/super-bowl-2022-ratings-.html

Walmart tests ways to ditch single-use plastics, as climate advocates urge the retailer to go faster

The pilot project is part of a broader effort by the nation’s largest grocer to move toward reusable, recyclable or industrially compostable packaging.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/walmarts-inhome-hunts-for-ways-to-ditch-single-use-plastics.html

Virgin Galactic stock jumps 32% as spaceflight ticket sales open with $150,000 deposit

Space tourism company Virgin Galactic announced Tuesday that it will open ticket sales to the public on Wednesday, requiring a $150,000 deposit.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/virgin-galactic-stock-rises-as-ticket-sales-reopen-150000-deposit.html

5 things to know before the stock market opens Tuesday

U.S. stock futures rose Tuesday following Russia’s announcement that some of its troops at the border with Ukraine were pulling back.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/5-things-to-know-before-the-stock-market-opens-tuesday-february-15.html

Taco Bell accelerates international growth as chain aims for $20 billion in annual sales

About 25% of Taco Bell’s international footprint is stores that have opened in the last two years.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/taco-bell-accelerates-international-growth-aims-for-20-billion-in-annual-sales.html

Hasbro and Mattel have very different visions for the future of the toy industry

Hasbro and Mattel reported fourth-quarter earnings this week, showcasing continued strength in the toy industry — with diverging views on its future.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/hasbro-and-mattel-have-very-different-visions-of-the-future.html

Burger King parent’s earnings top estimates, fueled by digital sales growth

Restaurant Brands International on Tuesday reported quarterly earnings and revenue that topped analysts’ expectations.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/15/restaurant-brands-international-qsr-q4-2021-earnings.html

The Official Story

The Official StoryAuthored by Caitlin Johnstone via Medium.com,

The official story is that we live in a free democracy where our teachers tell us the truth about our nation, our government and our world when we are children, and then the free press continue telling us the truth about our nation, government and world when we are grown, and then every few years we have free and fair elections in which we use this truthful information to make decisions about which politicians and policies to vote for, and it is only by pure coincidence that what we vote for just so happens to benefit the most wealthy and powerful people on the planet.

In the official story, the democratic process consistently fails to let us progress beyond a status quo of profound inequality, injustice, oppression, exploitation, war and ecocide because that’s simply how people are voting in their free and fair elections. The official story maintains that this occurs because the populations of all free democra …

Read more at: https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/official-story

Crude Crushed, Stocks Surge, Bitcoin Bid As US-Russia Tensions ‘Ease’

Crude Crushed, Stocks Surge, Bitcoin Bid As US-Russia Tensions ‘Ease’Putin folds and the stock market rejoices, crude sees its geopolitical risk premium cut, safe-haven bonds and bullion are sold, but bitcoin gets a strong bid… then Biden steals the jam out of the market’s donut.

The White House issued this graphic representation of what happened this morning on the Ukraine-Russia border…

It seems everyone forgot about the hotter than expected PPI print which left rate-hike odds up near cycle highs with a 60% chance of a 50bps hike in March holding steady…

Source: Bloomberg

As Europe opened and reports came out that Putin was withdrawing some troops, futures exploded higher. Then the record PPI print hit and stocks stalled into the cash open, where they were …

Read more at: https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/crude-crushed-stocks-surge-bitcoin-bid-us-russia-tensions-ease

Biden: Attack On Ukraine “Still Very Much A Possibility” – Russian Draw Down “Not Verified”

Biden: Attack On Ukraine “Still Very Much A Possibility” – Russian Draw Down “Not Verified”update(3:58pmET): “If Russia targets Americans in Ukraine, we will respond forcefully.” That’s the closest President Biden got to threatening a US military response. He also by the close of the relatively brief speech asserted that a Russian attack on Ukraine is “still very much a possibility”. This despite the widespread reports of a Russian troop and tank reduction from near Ukraine’s border.

“That would be good, but we have not yet verified that yet,” he said of Russia’s military announcing earlier in the day that it had withdrawn forces. Biden said, citing US intelligence, that “Our analysts indicate they remain very much in a threatening position” – he further claimed that “150,000 Russian troops” now encircle Ukraine, including from inside Belarus.

“If Russia attacks Ukraine, it’ll be met with overwhelming international condemnation. He said such action will prove to be “a self-inflicted wound” – but importantly, the president underscored, “I will not send American servicemen to fight in Ukraine.”

However, he added to this that if NATO soil comes under attack, this would trigger Article 5, and the US military would respond forcefully. “We will defend every inch of NATO territory…,” Biden said. He called the West “united and galvanized” in the face of the threat, further vowing hard-hitting sanctions, including “export controls…methods we did not pursue when Russia took Crimea in 2014.” He also vowed the US would ensure the Nord …

Read more at: https://www.zerohedge.com/political/watch-live-president-biden-delivers-remarks-russia-ukraine

Prince Andrew Settles Pedo Trial, Will Pay Accuser $10 Million

Prince Andrew Settles Pedo Trial, Will Pay Accuser $10 MillionUpdate (1745ET): A senior palace source told the Daily Mail that the settlement is for US$10 million (£7.5million) – and that the deal may only be a “settlement in principle” at this point because he’s still waiting on the sale of his Swiss chalet.

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Prince Andrew and accuser Virginia Giuffre have reached an out of court settlement for an undisclosed sum of money in a lawsuit which accused the disgraced UK royal of “rape in the first degree” after she was trafficked by Andrew pals Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

“The parties anticipate filing a stipulation of dismissal of the case within thirty (30) days,” reads a note to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.

“In the interim, the parties request that the Court suspend all deadlines and hold the action in abe …

Read more at: https://www.zerohedge.com/political/prince-andrew-settles-pedo-trial-pays-accuser-undisclosed-sum

Markets rally on hopes of Ukraine de-escalation

Global markets jump amid hopes that military tensions over Ukraine could be easing.

Read more at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60393985?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Postmistress: Post Office scandal ‘ruined my life’

Former sub-postmasters describe how being wrongly accused of theft affected them.

Read more at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60390376?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

UK wage growth lags rising cost of living

Real pay fell by 0.8% between October and December as inflation soared, official figures show.

Read more at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60373405?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Collateral Damage! IPO-bound companies tumble up to 50% in unlisted market

Sunil Chandak, Equity Strategist at Gennext Investrade said expensive pricing triggered the meltdown in the new-age companies, particularly fintech players. Easy money in the unlisted market is not possible now, he added.

Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/ipos/fpos/collateral-damage-ipo-bound-companies-tumble-up-to-50-in-unlisted-market/articleshow/89589865.cms

Biggest gainers & losers of the day: Tanla Platforms zooms 10%, NDTV hits lower circuit

Among the gainers, Tanla Platforms and Anant Raj hit an upper circuit each, whereas GMDC and TCPL were high in demand. On the contrary, NDTV saw some profit-booking, Jindal Poly Films was close to a lower circuit despite growth in the net profit

Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/biggest-gainers-losers-of-the-day-tanla-platforms-zooms-10-ndtv-hits-lower-circuit/articleshow/89592774.cms

Energy markets are jittery as Russia-Ukraine tensions drag on

Oil markets rose about 2% on Monday. They eased early in the day as traders took note of reports that Russian officials remained willing to negotiate a potential settlement before climbing again in the afternoon. European natural gas prices rose about 6%.

Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/commodities/energy-markets-are-jittery-as-russia-ukraine-tensions-drag-on/articleshow/89587391.cms

Earnings Results: Roblox stock drops as bottom-line results, bookings fall short of Street expectations

Roblox Corp. shares dropped after hours Tuesday, following a healthy gain in the regular session, as the social-gaming platform reported quarterly results that fell short of Wall Street expectations.

Read more at: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B20C05575-04D4-B545-7942-9FFD729B55B9%7D&siteid=rss&rss=1

: Biden urges Russia to ‘choose diplomacy’ over Ukraine as he calls invasion still possible

President Joe Biden on Tuesday urged Russia to choose diplomacy with the U.S. and its allies over the standoff with Ukraine, but said Washington and its partners “will not hesitate to respond” if Moscow invades its neighbor.

Read more at: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B20C05575-04D4-B545-7942-A81905534C08%7D&siteid=rss&rss=1

The Moneyist: ‘They have an uneasy truce’: How do I keep my girlfriend’s abusive estranged husband from getting his hands on any inheritance I leave her?

‘She plans to divorce him eventually, but she is not ready to take that step for fear of what will happen at that time.’

Read more at: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B20C05575-04D4-B545-7942-F4EC667BE458%7D&siteid=rss&rss=1