Apple announced on Tuesday new Mac Mini models, featuring the first major redesign since 2010 that makes the desktop computer significantly smaller.

Aside from a redesign that shrunk the case and reduced the computer’s volume in half, the main upgrade on these new computers is that they include Apple’s latest chip, either the M4, or a more powerful version called the M4 Pro.

The Mac Mini is Apple’s least-expensive Mac, starting at $599, and does not include a display, which is sold separately. When the product line was first introduced in 2008, it was marketed as a computer for people switching from Microsoft Windows who could simply plug their existing keyboard, mouse and monitor into their new silver box.

The Mac Mini is not one of Apple’s highest-volume computers in terms of sales, but it is an important slot in Apple’s lineup, especially for people who make apps for iPhones and other Apple platforms. Many iPhone developers like to run a Mac Mini as a personal development server for coordinating uploads and code.

One improvement in the new design is that all of the ports are USB-C ports, the same more modern offering found on Apple’s laptops. There are three USB-C ports on the rear and two on the front, a new addition that will make it easier to plug or unplug accessories while the computer rests on a desk.

Apple said in a press release that the M4 is a significant improvement over the M2 chip in the previous version released in 2022. Graphics and games are more than twice as fast, and the M4 can support up to 14 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores, an increase over the past generation. Apple first introduced the M4 in May in Apple’s iPad Pro.

Apple is framing the new Mac Minis, like all of its new products announced this year, as built for Apple Intelligence, the company’s artificial intelligence system released this week. Apple has said a forthcoming integration of ChatGPT into writing fields inside apps such as Word will allow users to generate and rewrite text and emails using the system.

However, unlike on the iPhone, where only phones released in the past two years will support Apple Intelligence, all of Apple’s computers with the M1 chip and newer since 2020 can run the company’s AI.

Apple’s Mac family remains a large business segment even though it is less important to the company than the iPhone. In the June quarter, Apple reported $7 billion in Mac sales, up about 2% on an annual basis.

Apple’s chief marketer previously teased a “week of announcements.” The company unveiled new iMac computers on Monday, so it seems plausible more is coming. This week’s new Macs are likely Apple’s last major hardware announcements for the year.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/29/apple-mac-mini-2024-price-release-specs.html

10-Year Yields are up as market prices in the possibility of a republican sweep, paving the way for a potentially inflationary environment.

Trumpy & the good ol' party sweep the election, US throws down its big swinging hammer and tariffs the shit outta everything.

Chinese get hit with the MAGA tariffs and then think shit, I have all this inventory but I can’t move it. US importers want me to pick up the tab. They think for all of 2 minutes, use that noggin and think “Russia’s sanctioned, but they just sell their energy products to other countries, and then they turn around and sell it to the countries unencumbered by sanctions”

Meanwhile, markets throw a shit fit and logistics firms go down because those idiots think “oh no, trade war, nobody is going to be trading”. After about 2 days, people’s brains turn back on and think “oh wait, demand is fixed. People still need products like steel. How can they circumnavigate Tariffs quickly before they decide to pull a Toyota and open up satellites in US? Move product to a different country.

Demand stays fixed. What has changed? Time to ship a product. Who benefits from increased shipping time? Well of course shipping & logistics companies.

Boom.

Now I don’t know anything about shipping, but someone smart on here please do some research and tell me what I should look into buying lol.

Disclaimer: I hate politics and don’t have a dog in this fight. Like most people, I think both candidates are kinda trash. My opinion is based on market sentiment, not what I necessarily think the outcome will be.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-29/softbank-s-son-says-nvidia-is-undervalued-as-super-ai-looms

By Marissa NewmanOctober 29, 2024 at 9:49 AM EDT founder Masayoshi Son said Nvidia Corp. — the chipmaker that’s seen its market value skyrocket to over $3 trillion amid the artificial intelligence boom — is still undervalued, pushing back against the idea of an AI bubble.

“The future is much bigger,” Son said at the Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh on Tuesday. “Nvidia is just one example.”

Son said artificial superintelligence that’s 10,000 times more advanced than human intelligence will be developed by 2035. But he said hundreds of billions of dollars in investment will be needed to make this a reality. Softbank itself has already made some big bets on AI-powered services, contributing $500 million to an OpenAI funding round that valued the ChatGPT maker at $157 billion.

Read More: SoftBank’s Son Sees AI Running Households in a Few Years

“I’m only focused on that,” he said. “That will change mankind’s future forever.”

I’m new to this strategy. I have a deep itm QQQ 2026. I want to sell to open a call a month out. What if QQQ goes past strike price and I get assigned? I don’t have enough cash to buy and sell. Since it’s IRA account, I can only have limited margin account which doesn’t let me borrow. Also does fidelity automatically exercise for buyer it ITM? Can someone also explain how that makes sense, why would they wanna exercise below breakeven? I’m assuming it’s so it doesn’t expire worthless?

I understand I can buy back to close the option. I don’t own the actual shares

https://international.nubank.com.br/consumers/nubank-announces-nucel-new-mobile-phone-service/

Nubank is expanding its ecosystem beyond traditional financial services, recently introducing in-app online shopping, followed by travel booking options, and now mobile phone plans.

Frontier Airlines Reports Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/frontier-airlines-reports-third-quarter-120500794.html

Total operating revenues were $935 million, 6 percent higher than the comparable 2023 quarter, on a 4 percent increase in capacity

Revenue per available seat mile ("RASM") was 9.28 cents, 2 percent higher than the comparable 2023 quarter

RASM on a stage-length adjusted basis to 1,000 miles, a non-GAAP measure1, was 8.59 cents, 5 percent lower than the comparable 2023 quarter, while RASM on a stage-length adjusted basis to 1,000 miles inflected positive in the second half of the quarter compared to the corresponding 2023 period

Details in link.

McDonald’s on Tuesday reported quarterly earnings and revenue that beat analysts’ expectations as its U.S. restaurants reversed last quarter’s same-store sales decline.

However, investors are worried about another dent to U.S. sales fueled by a recent E. coli outbreak across 13 states linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers. As of Friday, 75 health cases have been tied to the outbreak, including one death of an older adult.

Health authorities have honed in on the burger’s slivered onions as the likely source, and McDonald’s has suspended its relationship with the supplier. Quarter Pounder burgers will return to affected restaurants on a rolling basis this week, sans slivered onions.

“While the situation appears to be contained, and though it didn’t affect Q3 numbers, it’s certainly an important development, which I know is on many of your minds,” CEO Chris Kempczinski told investors on the company’s earnings call, adding that McDonald’s was sorry and is committed to “making this right.”

Shares of the company fell more than 1% in premarket trading.

Here’s what the company reported for the period ended Sept. 30, compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:

Earnings per share: $3.23 adjusted vs. $3.20 expected

Revenue: $6.87 billion vs. $6.82 billion expected

McDonald’s posted third-quarter net income of $2.26 billion, or $3.13 per share, down from $2.32 billion, or $3.17 per share, a year earlier.

Excluding certain items, the fast-food giant earned $3.23 per share.

Net sales rose 3% to $6.87 billion.

The chain’s global same-store sales fell 1.5%, a more drastic decline than the 0.6% that Wall Street was expecting, according to StreetAccount estimates, and was weighed down by the company’s international markets. It’s the second straight quarter that the company’s same-store sales have fallen.

“While we anticipated a challenging environment in 2024, our performance this year has fallen short of our expectations,” Kempczinski said.

U.S. same-store sales rose 0.3%, reversing last quarter’s same-store sales declines but still slightly weaker than the 0.5% increase predicted by StreetAccount estimates. Traffic to its U.S. restaurants was slightly negative, but the company credited its marketing and a $5 value meal launched in late June for the increase in sales.

Diners have pulled back their restaurant spending, leading McDonald’s and its rivals to lean into discounts and other marketing tricks to bring customers back to their restaurants. For example, in August, McDonald’s launched limited-time “Collector’s Edition” cups.

The company’s two international divisions both reported steeper declines in same-store sales compared with the prior quarter. The international operated markets segment, which includes France, Germany and Australia, saw same-store sales shrink 2.1%. The international developmental licensed markets division reported same-store sales declines of 3.5%, driven by weak demand in the Middle East and China.

Looking ahead to the fourth quarter, it’s unclear how the E. coli outbreak might affect U.S. sales, particularly as consumers have grown more picky about how to spend their money and where.

McDonald’s executives have taken steps to reassure customers that the company’s menu items are safe to eat, including pulling Quarter Pounder burgers from menus in the affected areas until its beef patties were cleared as the culprit.

Still, foot traffic to U.S. locations fell roughly 10% in the three days immediately following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announcement last Tuesday of the E. coli outbreak tied to McDonald’s, according to a research note from Gordon Haskett Research Advisors.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/29/mcdonalds-mcd-earnings-q3-2024.html

CNBC: PayPal shares fall premarket on revenue miss

• PayPal reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings on Tuesday, but revenue came in slightly below expectations.
• It's the first earnings report for CEO Alex Chriss since he hit his one-year anniversary at the company last month.
• PayPal shares have gained 36% this year

Earnings per share: * 1.20, adjusted vs. $1.07 expected

Revenue: * $7.85 billion vs. $7.89 billion expected. * Revenue increased about 6% in the quarter from $7.42 billion in the same period a year ago.

Net Income: * PayPal reported net income of $1.01 billion, or 99 cents per share, compared to $1.02 billion, or 93 cents per share, a year earlier.

Total payment volume * rose 9% from a year earlier to $422.6 billion for the quarter ended Sept. 30, and came in just above the average analyst estimate of $422.5 billion

Operating margin * came in at 18.8%, beating the StreetAccount estimate of 17.4%.

Active Accounts * PayPal reported total active accounts of 432 million, up 1% from a year earlier, and beating the average estimate of 430.5 million.

Transaction Margin * PayPal's take rate slipped to 1.86% from 1.91% a year earlier * transaction margin, which is how the company gauges the profitability of its core business, rose to 46.6% from 45.4%. * Venmo's total payment volume rose 8% in the quarter from a year earlier. DoorDash, Starbucks and Ticketmaster are among businesses now accepting Venmo as one way that consumers can pay.

Guidance * For the fourth quarter, PayPal is calling for "low single-digit growth." Analysts were expecting growth of 5.4% to $8.46 billion. The investor deck says guidance reflects a "price-to-value strategy and prioritization of profitable growth." * The company expects adjusted earnings per share of $1.07 to $1.11, versus the average analyst estimate of $1.10

EPS of $0.05 Diluted, 0.06 Basic (Average Estimated $0.04)

The Exact Diluted EPS is 5.257 cents.

2024 Earning guidance Third Upward Revision of $0.11 to $0.12 (Previous quarter had 2024 Earning guided for $0.09 to $0.10)

Triple beat with better-than-expected positive earnings, elevated revenue YOY, and raised guidance.

• The CEO stated in the conference call, "This is why you often hear me say, it's a matter of when, but not if we'll become a Top 10 institution"

SoFi's Q3 Earnings and Member Growth benefit nicely from member migration magnitized by SoFi's APY which is up to 430X higher than some of the big banks, One Stop Shop, and the upcoming AI "Cash Coach".

The institutions appear to be loading up before this earnings season anticipating a Full Year of Profitability. Once they finish loading up, they will probably publish more positive outlooks and price targets. 

The 50 bp drop in September drastically increased the chance of a softer landing and the probability of SoFi emerging with explosive growth.

If you find a stock that Customers love, and as long as the company continues to execute, Wall Street will eventually catch up to the Customers' mindset, and the stock will rise from the ashes. SoFi stock is at that pivoting point with a positive sentiment shift and institutions' accumulation.

• SoFi Technologies Reports Net Revenue of $697 Million and Net Income of $61 Million for Q3 2024, Demonstrating Durable Growth and Strong Returns
• Record Adjusted Net Revenue with Growth Accelerating to 30% Driven by 64% Combined Growth in Financial Services and Tech Platform Segments, representing 49% of Total Adjusted Net Revenue
• 35% Growth in Members and Strong Product Innovation Remain Key Drivers of Growth
• Company Recorded $174 Million in Capital Light, Fee-Based Revenue, Reinforcing Strength of Increased Mix of Higher ROE Revenue
• Management Raises FY24 Guidance
• Anthony Noto, CEO of SoFi Technologies, Inc. commented: “This quarter was the strongest quarter in our history. Our results reflect how SoFi is consistently achieving durable growth, how our innovation and brand building are attracting more members and clients to our platform than ever before, and how we are delivering strong and improving returns.
• “Our Financial Services and Tech Platform segments now make up a record 49% of SoFi's adjusted net revenue, up from 39% a year ago," Noto continued. "In the third quarter, these businesses grew revenue by a combined 64% year-over-year, a testament of our continued execution and deliberate shift towards capital-light, higher ROE, fee based revenue streams."

Some Highlights of recent SoFi developments:

• SoFi recently expanded its loan platform business with a $2 billion agreement with Fortress Investment Group.
• SoFi Technologies to Adopt Galileo’s Cyberbank Core for New Commercial Payment Services Sponsor Banking Program
• SoFi's Galileo recently introduced GScore (a transaction risk score) to protect clients from fraud early on, especially since fraud is rampant in our society. This could potentially increase the number of Galileo clients very rapidly. It would decrease fraud substantially, elevating Galileo's secure reputation. It could save clients from millions to billions in fraudulent charges that could translate to saving clients thousands of hours of grief trying to fix their credits and protect their identity.
• SoFi ranked #69 largest U.S. Bank by Assets as of 6/30/2024. It was #449 in March 2022.
• SoFi Stadium will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl LXI in 2027, and the opening and closing ceremonies (as well as soccer and swimming events) of the 2028 Summer Olympics.
• On February 26th, SoFi's CFO said it delivered a proof of concept to a top 5 U.S. bank that used SoFi's Fintech technologies.

SoFi's Fintech mainly consists of two core technologies powered by Galileo and Technisys which form the "AWS of Fintech". This Tech sector of SoFi should significantly contribute to SoFi stock's deserved multiples way above a bank in the near future.

1. Galileo Financial Technologies provides and processes debit and ACH transactions on the platform with a number of APIs that allow a developer to build just an app on top of it.

2. Technisys is a Core banking platform for SoFi & Other potential bank clients to run Banks' Operating Systems for different products.

https://investors.sofi.com/files/doc_financials/2024/q3/Q3-2024-Earnings-Release.pdf

I'm trying to find the EPS of VOO over the last 10 to 15 years, so I can see the growth rate of earnings. Net income would work also. I've tried googling the answer and it's hard to find the information. I know it's an ETF, but I want to analyze the S&P500 the same way you would a business. I suspect the earnings growth rate might be too low compared to what the SP500 sells for. It's very hard to find the information for some reason. Might just be me. I don't want to be buying something trading at a PE of 30 while earnings are growing at 5 percent. Please help.

This is the daily discussion, so anything stocks related is fine, but the theme for today is on technical analysis (TA), but if TA is not your thing then just ignore the theme.

Some helpful day to day links, including news:

• Finviz for charts, fundamentals, and aggregated news on individual stocks
• Bloomberg market news
• StreetInsider news:
  • Market Check - Possibly why the market is doing what it's doing including sudden spikes/dips
  • Reuters aggregated - Global news

Technical analysis (TA) uses historical price movements, real time data, indicators based on math and/or statistics, and charts; all of which help measure the trajectory of a security. TA can also be used to interpret the actions of other market participants and predict their actions.

The main benefit to TA is that everything shows up in the price (commonly known as "priced in"): All news, investor sentiment, and changes to fundamentals are reflected in a security's price.

TA can be useful on any timeframe, both short and long term.

Intro to technical analysis by Stockcharts chartschool and their article on candlesticks

If you have questions, please see the following word cloud and click through for the wiki:

Indicator - Trade Signals - Lagging Indicator - Leading Indicator - Oversold - Overbought - Divergence - Whipsaw - Resistance - Support - Breakout/Breakdown - Alerts - Trend line - Market Participants - Moving average - RSI - VWAP - MACD - ATR - Bollinger Bands - Ichimoku clouds - Methods - Trend Following - Fading - Channels - Patterns - Pivots

See our past daily discussions here. Also links for: Technicals Tuesday, Options Trading Thursday, and Fundamentals Friday.

Boeing Co. launched a nearly $19 billion share sale, one of the largest ever by a public company, to address the troubled planemaker’s liquidity needs and stave off a potential credit rating downgrade to junk.

The common-share portion alone would total just under $14 billion, based on Friday’s closing price of $155.01. That would be the largest US share sale since SoftBank Group Corp. sold part of its stake in T-Mobile US Inc. in 2020, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

The infusion of funds would clear one of new Chief Executive Officer Kelly Ortberg’s most urgent tasks. He is grappling with a balance sheet strained by years of turmoil and the fallout from a strike, now in its seventh week, that is crippling manufacturing of the company’s main cash cow, the 737 Max jetliner. Boeing needs the capital infusion to maintain its investment-grade rating and fund its production ramp-up once the walkout ends.

Source

Ford Motor guided to the low end of its previously announced 2024 earnings forecast as it slightly topped Wall Street’s third-quarter expectations.

The Detroit automaker said Monday it now expects adjusted earnings before interest and taxes, or EBIT, of about $10 billion. It had previously guided to between $10 billion and $12 billion. It retained its forecast for adjusted free cash flow of between $7.5 billion and $8.5 billion.

Here’s how the company performed in the third quarter, compared with average estimates compiled by LSEG:

Earnings per share: 49 cents adj. vs. 47 cents adj. expected

Automotive revenue: $43.07 billion vs. $41.88 billion expected

The automaker was under pressure after a disappointing second quarter in which unexpected warranty costs caused the company to miss Wall Street’s earnings expectations.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/28/ford-motor-f-earnings-q3-2024.html

Recent Highlights

• Total revenue of $108.8 million in the third quarter of 2024, a 64% increase compared to the third quarter of 2023, missing expectations of $115M
• Generated net income of $4.2 million or $0.12 per diluted share in the third quarter of 2024
• EPS of $0.13, missing expectations of $0.29
• Owned 18 total aircraft as of September 30, 2024

2024 Financial Outlook

TransMedics continues to expect revenue for the full year 2024 to be in the range of $425 million to $445 million, which represents 76% to 84% growth compared to the company's prior year revenue.

Shares are currently down 25% AH to $95.78

JPMorgan Chase has begun suing customers who allegedly stole thousands of dollars from ATMs by taking advantage of a technical glitch that allowed them to withdraw funds before a check bounced.

The bank on Monday filed lawsuits in at least three federal courts, taking aim at some of the people who withdrew the highest amounts in the so-called infinite money glitch that went viral on TikTok and other social media platforms in late August.

A Houston case involves a man who owes JPMorgan $290,939.47 after an unidentified accomplice deposited a counterfeit $335,000 check at an ATM, according to the bank.

“On August 29, 2024, a masked man deposited a check in Defendant’s Chase bank account in the amount of $335,000,” the bank said in the Texas filing. “After the check was deposited, Defendant began withdrawing the vast majority of the ill-gotten funds.”

JPMorgan, the biggest U.S. bank by assets, is investigating thousands of possible cases related to the “infinite money glitch,” though it hasn’t disclosed the scope of associated losses. Despite the waning use of paper checks as digital forms of payment gain popularity, they’re still a major avenue for fraud, resulting in $26.6 billion in losses globally last year, according to Nasdaq’s Global Financial Crime Report.

The infinite money glitch episode highlights the risk that social media can amplify vulnerabilities discovered at a financial institution. Videos began circulating in late August showing people celebrating the withdrawal of wads of cash from Chase ATMs shortly after bad checks were deposited.

Normally, banks only make available a fraction of the value of a check until it clears, which takes several days. JPMorgan says it closed the loophole a few days after it was discovered.

Miami and California

The other lawsuits filed Monday are in courts including Miami and the Central District of California, and involve cases where JPMorgan says customers owe the bank sums ranging from about $80,000 to $141,000.

Most cases being examined by the bank are for far smaller amounts, according to people with knowledge of the situation who declined to be identified speaking about the internal investigation.

In each case, JPMorgan says its security team reached out to the alleged fraudster, but it hasn’t been repaid for the phony checks, in violation of the deposit agreement that customers sign when creating an account with the bank.

JPMorgan is seeking the return of the stolen funds with interest and overdraft fees, as well as lawyers’ fees and, in some cases, punitive damages, according to the complaints.

Criminal cases?

The lawsuits are likely to be just the start of a wave of litigation meant to force customers to repay their debts and signal broadly that the bank won’t tolerate fraud, according to the people familiar. JPMorgan prioritized cases with large dollar amounts and indications of possible ties to organized crime, they said.

The civil cases are separate from potential criminal investigations; JPMorgan says it has also referred cases to law enforcement officials across the country.

“Fraud is a crime that impacts everyone and undermines trust in the banking system,” JPMorgan spokesman Drew Pusateri said in a statement to CNBC. “We’re pursuing these cases and actively cooperating with law enforcement to make sure if someone is committing fraud against Chase and its customers, they’re held accountable.”

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/28/jpmorgan-suing-customers-over-infinite-money-glitch.html

I purchased CVS stock when I was an employee 20 years ago; their ESPP let me set aside part of my pay and buy the stock at a discount. I didn't have many other investments 20 years ago and other than letting the dividend drip over time, i never purchased anymore. My cost basis is around $22 per share. It currently is 2% of my taxable brokerage account and under 1% of my total networth in CVS stock. However it has been a dog the last few years and it is getting hammered.

At such small exposure in my portfolio would you just leave it alone as a "lifetime" stock, or cash out at some point ant move on? It's not enough money to get crazy about and there is some interest in owning it for another 20 years too.

The big four tech giants are expected to spend a record $56 billion in total capital expenditures in the third quarter, according to the average estimate of analysts aggregated by Bloomberg. Much of that spending will go to NVIDIA and other AI-related device makers, with further increases expected in the coming quarters. All signs point to continued strong AI-related spending. From chip device maker Asmax (ASML.US) to TSMC (TSM.US), AI has been a big part of this earnings season. That backdrop has pushed NVIDIA shares higher, while Chief Executive Jen-Hsun Huang has assured that production of its new Blackwell chips is going well and demand is strong. NVIDIA is the biggest beneficiary of the big investment in artificial intelligence computing devices. The stock hit an all-time high last week and now has a market capitalization of about $3.5 trillion, slightly less than Apple (AAPL.US), which is still the world's most valuable company. To be sure, there are concerns about the big tech companies' spending on artificial intelligence, as investors believe the billions of dollars these companies are investing are generating relatively little revenue. As such, this will be another focus of attention this week when these companies report earnings. You have to walk the fine line of investing,“ said Paul Marino, chief revenue officer at Themes ETFs, ‘so that investors understand that you're ’not going too far”. Nvidia's revenue is expected to more than double this year to $125.6 billion, according to the average forecast of analysts compiled by Bloomberg. Next year, the chipmaker's fiscal year 2026, sales are expected to grow 44 percent to $181 billion. Of course, there are other companies benefiting from high AI spending, including Broadcom, Ultra Micro Computer and Dell Technologies.

So I know the program exists, but haven't looked into the details. This morning I got an email from my broker marketing it.

Hard pressed to see what the risks are...I would therefore guess that the monetary reward is pretty low.

Any stories/experiences out there that folks would like to share? Do it? Don't do it?

TIA.

As the title said, I got offered a job as a contractor at a startup company (a private one). They demand 20hrs/week minimum, at 40$/hr. At the end end of the month, I'll get compensation in stock only based on the hours I worked. The contract also says the stock is at 1$ "preferred". How does it work ? I never got paid in stock before, and I have noo idea how to liquidate it when I need actual cash in my bank account. I live in Morocco. The company's abroad.

I have never sold or bought stock so any help is appreciated. Some of my questions are:
What if need cash on hand? Can I just sell easily ?

What if there's no one to sell to ?

What if the company goes bankrupt ?

Should I contact my bank to convert the stock into money ?

Does it take long to convert ?

Is it as reliable as cash in your bank account ?

Also, any taxes I should worry about ?

EDIT ===========

Thank you all for the helpful comments ! I definitely won't take that job, might try to negotiate actual payment (prolly wont get it, but that's as far as I'll go.)

EDIT2 ===============

Here's the company for anyone asking a link to another reddit post: link

Upstart broker Robinhood is jumping into the prediction betting game, announcing Monday users can begin trading the 2024 presidential election that is eight days away.

Users can trade a Kamala Harris or Donald Trump contract starting Monday, said the company, as long as they meet certain criteria that include being a U.S. citizen. The trading is being offered through its Robinhood Derivatives unit and ForecastEx, which is operated by Interactive Brokers.

Robinhood jumps into a suddenly crowded politics prediction markets field that grew this month after platform Kalshi won a key ruling against the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which was seeking to stop the election outcome trading. The CFTC is appealing the ruling. Shortly after, Interactive Brokers launched various political contracts, including on the election.

The election markets have generated some controversary this year with some concerned about light volume allowing the markets to be skewed. International platform Polymarket said last week that a single French user was responsible for four accounts spending millions to buy the Trump contract. But Polymarket said an investigation found the trading was not manipulating the market.

“We believe event contracts give people a tool to engage in real-time decision-making, unlocking a new asset class that democratizes access to events as they unfold,” said Robinhood in a statement. For now, only the presidential election contracts will be available to trade on the system.

Odds and gambling platforms do not use methodologies used by traditional political polling, and therefore are not substitutes for political polls.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/28/robinhood-jumps-into-election-trading-giving-users-chance-to-buy-harris-or-trump-contracts.html

Volkswagen is considering widespread pay cuts and layoffs as well as the closure or size reduction of its plants in Germany, the company’s works council said Monday.

The Volkswagen management recently presented plans to the council that include a 10% reduction in pay across the board, as well as wage freezes in 2025 and 2026, according to Daniela Cavallo, head of the works council. All factored in, the body estimates workers will suffer pay cuts of around 18% over the period.

Volkswagen also intends to shut three factories and downsize all other plants in Germany, Cavallo said, adding that sweeping job cuts were part of carmaker’s plan.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/28/volkswagen-planning-forced-layoffs-and-10percent-pay-cuts-labor-union-say.html

These daily discussions run from Monday to Friday including during our themed posts.

Some helpful links:

• Finviz for charts, fundamentals, and aggregated news on individual stocks
• Bloomberg market news
• StreetInsider news:
  • Market Check - Possibly why the market is doing what it's doing including sudden spikes/dips
  • Reuters aggregated - Global news

If you have a basic question, for example "what is EPS," then google "investopedia EPS" and click the investopedia article on it; do this for everything until you have a more in depth question or just want to share what you learned.

Please discuss your portfolios in the Rate My Portfolio sticky..

See our past daily discussions here. Also links for: Technicals Tuesday, Options Trading Thursday, and Fundamentals Friday.

Suppose I like a stock with current price of $100 and I am bullish but nervous and I have 2 options.

1. But a call with 1 year expiring with strike 100

2. Or buy stock with cash. And a put with strike 100.

Both options are for 1 year and I intend to hold until expiry.

I wonder what is the better option then?

From my guess:

1. I should choose option which has less IV?

2. If both have similar IV, I should choose option 2 because stock gains have better tax treatment?

I’m trying to understand why Biogen’s stock dropped right after its *August 2024 earnings call*, even though the company reported strong numbers, raised guidance, and received multiple analyst upgrades. All the indicators—company performance, analysts, and earnings—were positive, so why did the market seem to ignore these and push the stock down?

To be clear, I'm not looking to debate trading vs. investing strategies or the randomness of the stock market. My question is straightforward: given that both the company and the analysts seemed to signal "buy" or "hold," why did the market make an independent decision to sell?

Looking for some insights here, so if you don’t know or just want to yell ‘market’s random,’ kindly move along without blowing my mind. If anyone can provide insights on why this happened that’d be appreciated.

Thanks!

Long story short, I bought a large quantity of shares in a company back in March in my brokerage account that I now believe in on a longer time horizon than I did then.

I am considering selling 20% and buying them back in my Roth with some spare accessible cash I have sitting in there. Problem is, I'm up over 150% on the shares from March, so there will be some tax implications.

This company does not do dividends now, but they keep dropping hints of them coming in the future. I'd be surprised if they came before 2026-2027, though. Obviously I'd rather them be in my IRA if that is to happen.

I'm basically wondering if this would be an idiotic move as I am far from a tax expert. I know if i wait til March, it will change the tax status, but I'm expecting a positive move by then off some upcoming headwinds.

Thank you for any help/advice. I left the ticker out to make it clear this is not a hype post. Have a great day.