24Feb2022 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Wall Street Crashes At The Opening Bell, Then rising To Green By The Closing Bell, DOW Closed Up 0.3% or +92 points, S&P 500 closed up 1.5%, NASDAQ Closed Up 3.3%

Japan Sees Nuclear Energy As A Vital Piece Of Its Net-Zero Plan

As climate change becomes an increasingly pressing issue, governments worldwide have stepped up efforts towards decarbonization. Japan aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 26% from 2013 levels by 2030. Leveraging nuclear energy could help Japan meet this goal, a fact understood by the administration of Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. However, the government faces an uphill battle in the shadow of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. Japans Energy Ambitions Prior to the Fukushima disaster, nuclear power generation accounted for almost

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Japan-Sees-Nuclear-Energy-As-A-Vital-Piece-Of-Its-Net-Zero-Plan.html

Oil Prices Retreat As Biden Leaves Energy Out Of Sanctions Package

Crude oil retreated on Thursday afternoon as U.S. President Joe Biden prepared yet another round of sanctions on Russia in order to punish Russia for its earlier attack on Ukraine. In a White House presser, President Joe Biden recapped existing sanctions and announced new ones. The sanctions are purposefully designed, President Biden said, to maximize the long-term pain inflicted on Russia, while minimizing the pain felt by American consumers. And its not just the United States. President Biden said he met with the G7 leaders earlier

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Oil-Prices/Oil-Prices-Retreat-As-Biden-Leaves-Energy-Out-Of-Sanctions-Package.html

Could The Iran Nuclear Deal Bring Oil Back Down?

On Thursday morning, the 24th of February 2022, Putin gave a short speech in which he ordered a special military operation in the eastern region of Ukraine. This came a day after he delivered an aggressive speech, denying Ukraine its sovereignty and recognizing the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, situated on the eastern side of Ukraine. At the time of writing, there are missiles being fired and reports are coming that troops are nearing Kyiv, the capital. In response to this invasion, oil prices breached $100 for

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Could-The-Iran-Nuclear-Deal-Bring-Oil-Back-Below-100.html

Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund Considers Sale Of $90 Billion Aramco Stake

Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund is reportedly looking into ways to monetise its around $90 billion (66.7 billion) stake in Aramco, the worlds largest oil company. The Public Investment Fund is weighing its options, Bloomberg first reported, as Saudi Aramco seeks funds to pursue its ambitious investment plans. The Fund, which currently owns around a four percent stake in Aramco, has been inviting advisers to pitch options. Avenues currently on the table include a full or partial sale of the holding or raising capital by

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Saudi-Sovereign-Wealth-Fund-Considers-Sale-Of-90-Billion-Aramco-Stake.html

Putin Pushes For Regime Change As Russian Forces Close In On Kyiv

Putins declared intent at this point is to ensure a pro-Russian government in Ukraine, and the only question now is how long the Ukrainians will fight. Speaking on Bloomberg TV, Former CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus said Putins aim now is to topple the Ukrainian government, replace it with a pro-Russian regime, control the capital and control everything east of the Dnieper, as well as the southern portion of the country to cut Ukraine off from the Black Sea and connect up with a Russian unit in the eastern part

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Geopolitics/Europe/Putin-Pushes-For-Regime-Change-As-Russian-Forces-Close-In-On-Kyiv.html

Is Big Oil Overselling Its Energy Transition Efforts?

February has been a month marked by explosive reports revealing sweeping greenwashing campaigns by the fossil fuels industry. As the dust settles from the first waves of the novel coronavirus pandemic, investigative watchdogs are taking stock of which institutions made what promises for curbing their carbon footprints, and how their actual measures and action plans measure up. As the world scrambled to establish a pathway toward a new normal during the first wave of Covid-29 in 2020, hope for a better, greener future blossomed.

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Is-Big-Oil-Overselling-Its-Energy-Transition-Efforts.html

Shares of EV start-up Nikola surge on earnings beat, plans to generate revenue in 2022

Nikola said it expects to generate revenue of between $90 million and $150 million in 2022 on deliveries of between 300 and 500 of EV semitrucks.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/shares-of-ev-start-up-nikola-surge-on-earnings-beat-revenue-in-2022.html

Satellite imagery shows Russian attack on Ukraine from space

Satellite imagery gives another perspective on the developing situation in Ukraine, as Russian troops move in and strikes occur in multiple cities.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/satellite-imagery-shows-russian-attack-on-ukraine-from-space.html

Moderna says Covid is entering an endemic phase, but annual vaccines will be needed

Moderna Chief Medical Officer Paul Burton said Covid is entering an endemic phase in the Northern Hemisphere.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/moderna-says-covid-is-entering-an-endemic-phase-but-annual-vaccines-will-be-needed.html

Walmart kicks off exclusive sales event to try to win and retain Walmart+ members

The deals event, which runs for three weeks, will include a rotating mix of items from air fryers to exercise bikes.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/walmart-kicks-off-exclusive-sales-event-for-walmart-members.html

Food and drink prices are going up. CEOs say consumers aren’t changing their shopping behavior yet

Food and drink prices are rising, but CEOs say consumers aren’t balking yet at paying more for their Lay’s chips and Tyson chicken nuggets.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/grocery-prices-keep-rising-but-ceos-say-shoppers-are-still-buying.html

Investing Club: We’re buying in health care again, a sector insulated from geopolitical upheaval

We like drug stocks and health care here because these are companies that can continue to grow earnings even if there’s an economic slowdown.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/investing-club-were-buying-in-health-care-again-a-sector-insulated-from-geopolitical-upheaval.html

Russian invasion of Ukraine to further strain U.S. chip supply for auto, tech industries

Russia and Ukraine are critical suppliers of neon gas and palladium that are used to produce semiconductor chips.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/russian-invasion-of-ukraine-to-further-strain-us-chip-supply.html

Biden pauses new oil and gas leases amid legal battle over cost of climate change

The leasing pause comes after a Louisiana federal judge blocked officials from using higher cost estimates of climate change.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/biden-administration-pausing-new-oil-and-gas-leases-amid-legal-battle-.html

Europe installed a record amount of wind power last year. But industry says it’s not enough

WindEurope points to permitting as being a hurdle for the sector’s expansion going forward, describing it as “the main bottleneck.”

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/europe-installed-a-record-amount-of-wind-power-in-2021.html

Planet Fitness CEO says Gen Zers are signing up for gym memberships at higher rates than pre-Covid

Planet Fitness is seeing more pre-teens and teens sign up for their first gym memberships during the coronavirus pandemic.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/planet-fitness-ceo-gen-z-is-fueling-overall-membership-growth.html

Authentic Brands Group takes majority stake in David Beckham’s brand management firm

Authentic Brands Group announced it has entered into a partnership to co-own and manage David Beckham’s global brand management firm, DB Ventures.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/authentic-brands-group-takes-majority-stake-in-david-beckhams-firm.html

5 things to know before the stock market opens Thursday

Global markets plunged Thursday after Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine in the early morning hours.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/5-things-to-know-before-the-stock-market-opens-thursday-february-24.html

Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Live Nation, SeaWorld, Gannett and others

These are the stocks posting the largest moves before the bell.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/24/stocks-making-the-biggest-moves-premarket-live-nation-seaworld-gannett-and-others.html

Massive Roundtrips Across Global Markets As Russia Sanctions Fears Abate

Massive Roundtrips Across Global Markets As Russia Sanctions Fears AbateWell that was a night and a day…

As Goldman’s Chris Hussey summarized today, “the Russia-Ukraine conflict transitioned from a ‘known unknown’ to a ‘known known’ today, in the parlance of Wall Street, and markets may be showing some signs of embracing a bit of the diminishing ‘uncertainty’.”

The most devastating package of sanctions ever in the history of the world, avoided touching any commodity product and did not include SWIFT restrictions and that was all the excuse that was needed for traders to lift hedges, punching stocks higher.

Today’s rebound (from down 4% to up 3.5%) was the biggest intraday jump in NQ futs since 3.13.2020 as The Fed unleashed hell on the bears.

All the US …

Read more at: https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/massive-roundtrips-across-global-markets-russia-sanctions-fears-abate

China Embassy In Ukraine Preparing Flights To Evacuate Citizens

China Embassy In Ukraine Preparing Flights To Evacuate CitizensPrompting questions “why now”, the Chinese Embassy in Kiev issued a notice on Thursday in preparation for the evacuation of Chinese nationals from Ukraine.

As China’s Global Times writes, “Given the rapidly deteriorating situation in Ukraine, Chinese nationals and companies are facing high security risks. For this reason, the embassy is preparing charter flights and is asking all Chinese nationals to voluntarily register their information.”

The charter flights will be dispatched according to the safety situation and will be notified in advance, the embassy said.

In response to the quickly evolving events, the Chinese Embassy in Ukraine issued two security alerts for Chinese citizens and companies in the country in one day. The embassy said that, although activities have been affected, there was no panic.

The embassy also asked all Chinese nationals to monitor the evolution of the situation. If they have to travel long distances, they should make sure gas stations are open along the route to refuel their vehicles. The statement also reminded Chinese nationals to put the Chinese national flag on their cars.

Currently, there are about 6,000 Chinese nationals in Ukraine, mainly in Kiev, Lvov, Kharkov, Odessa and Sumy.

The evacuation notice comes as Beijing is strongly hinting that it is siding with Russia, after foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou denounced the attack on Ukraine’s sove …

Read more at: https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/china-embassy-ukraine-preparing-flights-evacuate-citizens

These Are The Companies Most Exposed To Russia And Ukraine

These Are The Companies Most Exposed To Russia And UkraineNow that military action in Ukraine is reality, a development which has caught much of the market by surprise, investors are digging through the data to uncover which companies are most exposed to the deadly escalation in Ukraine.

The good news is that for the most part, corporate exposure to Russia/Ukraine is limited and focused in a handful of sectors (mostly commodities and energy). Despite the relatively low exposure however, energy costs are at the heart of the Fed’s anti-inflation crusade, and as JPMorgan writes, the Russia/Ukraine crisis could force a reassessment of the Fed tightening path resulting in central banks turning less hawkish, while policymakers may consider additional fiscal stimulus (e.g. US gas tax reduction).

That said, Russia is a major producers of PGMs, nickel, aluminium and diamonds In 2021, Russia accounted for: ~35% of global palladium mine supply, ~10% of platinum, ~6% of primary aluminium, 7% of nickel, 4% of copper and ~30% of rough diamonds. Metal prices have already reacted to the risk of supply disruptions, but sanctions on exports on any of these  metals/commodities could send prices even higher; global visible inventories are already depleted meaning metal prices will respond quickly to any supply shocks. Russia’s importance to the global autos industry is particularly high (platinum and palladium) and the recent experience of sanctions on major aluminium producer Rusal in 2018 show the potential disruption effects on global supply chains.

Given the importance of Russian gas to Europe, Deutsche Bank warns that power prices could remain elevated or mov …

Read more at: https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/these-are-companies-most-exposed-russia-and-ukraine

SEC Is Probing Both Kimbal And Elon Musk’s Stock Sales From November 2021

SEC Is Probing Both Kimbal And Elon Musk’s Stock Sales From November 2021We now know why Elon Musk has been so cranky when it comes to regulators lately: the SEC is investigating whether or not Musk or his brother violated insider trading rules, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Shares of Tesla briefly dipped on the news before recovering.

The investigation began one day after Kimbal Musk sold $108 million in stock – which occurred one day before the Tesla CEO polled his Twitter users, on November 7 – just as the Russell and cryptos peaked – asking whether or not he should sell 10% of his stake in the company.

That vote then set Musk in motion to sell far in excess of $10 billion in stock, representing about 10% of his stake in Tesla. The Tesla CEO claimed the sale was a way to cover taxes for potential new capital gains laws.

After Elon started selling stock, Tesla’s stock price fell 33%.

Regulators are reportedly probi …

Read more at: https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/sec-probing-both-kimbal-and-elon-musks-stock-sales-november-2021

Ukraine crisis: Warning UK energy bills could top £3,000 a year

The conflict in Ukraine could push the energy price cap to £3,238 a year from October, a report warns.

Read more at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60506940?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Ukraine conflict: UK sanctions target Russian banks and oligarchs

Russia’s major banks will have their assets frozen following the invasion of Ukraine, Boris Johnson says.

Read more at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60515626?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Oil hits seven-year high and shares sink as Russia invades Ukraine

Petrol hits another record as crude prices reach their highest level for more than seven years.

Read more at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60502451?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Day Trading Guide: 2 stock recommendations for Friday

If bulls manage to maintain the Nifty50 index above this key support of 16,200 a short covering rally may play out taking the Index higher to levels of 16,400-16,700.

Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/day-trading-guide-2-stock-recommendations-for-friday/articleshow/89803335.cms

Trade setup: Creating fresh shorts at current levels won’t offer safe risk-reward proposition

The pattern analysis shows that while Nifty has violated a couple of extended trend line supports, it has also violated the all-important 200-DMA on a closing basis.

Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/trade-setup-creating-fresh-shorts-at-current-levels-wont-offer-safe-risk-reward-proposition/articleshow/89805595.cms

Oil producers set to benefit from soaring crude prices

Crude oil price has returned to triple digits for the first time since 2014 which was unimaginable a year ago when the oil market was recovering from the pandemic.

Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/commodities/oil-producers-set-to-benefit-from-soaring-crude-prices/articleshow/89804090.cms

The Margin: CNN slammed for awkward Applebee’s ad that aired during its live Russia-Ukraine coverage

The juxtaposition of a twerking cowboy next to live footage of Kyiv under attack went viral

Read more at: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B20C05575-04D4-B545-79B8-5BD6D72F17AF%7D&siteid=rss&rss=1

: Biden’s new sanctions against Russia: Blocking more banks and cutting off tech imports, but no SWIFT move

President Joe Biden talks Thursday about the additional U.S. sanctions against Russia in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Read more at: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B20C05575-04D4-B545-79AF-FEE2464E1220%7D&siteid=rss&rss=1

Bond Report: 2-year Treasury yield sees biggest drop in month after Russia mounts attack on Ukraine and Biden unveils fresh sanctions

Treasury rates are mostly lower Thursday as President Joe Biden unveils new sanctions on Russia.

Read more at: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B20C05575-04D4-B545-79A8-56F91722BD8A%7D&siteid=rss&rss=1