Record number of COVID-hit Australians in hospital as Omicron surges

Record number of COVID-hit Australians in hospital as Omicron surges

SYDNEY, July 16 (Reuters) – Australia will reinstate support payments for casual workers who have to quarantine due to COVID-19, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday, as a fresh wave of Omicron-driven infections sweeps the country. Australia is battling a major virus outbreak driven by the highly transmissible new Omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, …

Ukraine says Russia increased gas pipeline pressure without prior notice

Ukraine says Russia increased gas pipeline pressure without prior notice

July 26 (Reuters) – Russian gas giant Gazprom (GAZP.MM) has sharply increased pressure in the pipeline that delivers Russian gas to Europe without prior notice, the Ukrainian state pipeline operator company said on Tuesday. Such pressure spikes could lead to emergencies including pipeline ruptures, and pipeline operators are obliged to inform each other about them …

Morgan Stanley Warns Stock Bulls Deluded by ‘Wishful Thinking’

Morgan Stanley Warns Stock Bulls Deluded by ‘Wishful Thinking’

Fed funds rate well below inflation weakens odds of a pause Bank has doubts that profit forecasts are realistic, too The July stock-market rebound has emboldened bulls hoping prices will defy the gravity of the Federal Reserve’s escalating fight against inflation.  Don’t be fooled, though, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s Lisa Shalett said: It’s just another …

Walmart cuts profit outlook for fiscal year 2023

Walmart Inc. announced on Monday that it revised down its profit projections for the second quarter of fiscal 2023, as well as for the full fiscal year 2023. “The increasing levels of food and fuel inflation are affecting how customers spend, and while we’ve made good progress clearing hardline categories, apparel in Walmart U.S. is …

Fed will cause ‘acute damage to growth’ in its inflation battle before pivoting, warns BlackRock

Fed will cause ‘acute damage to growth’ in its inflation battle before pivoting, warns BlackRock

‘We see more volatility ahead until central banks take sides in the stark trade-off between growth and inflation they are facing,’ says BlackRock The market’s view of interest rate hikes faces more volatility as long as central banks think they can tame high inflation without “crushing growth,” according to BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager.  …

Fed to Inflict More Pain on Economy as It Readies Big Rate Hike

Fed to Inflict More Pain on Economy as It Readies Big Rate Hike

Recession seen as increasingly likely as Fed fights inflation US inflation ‘entrenched and spreading,’ ex-Fed official says The Federal Reserve will probably have to inflict much more pain on the economy to get inflation under control. Growth is already slowing in response to the Fed’s repeated interest rate increases, with the housing market softening, technology …

Public Pensions Face Worst Funding Decline Since Great Recession

Public Pensions Face Worst Funding Decline Since Great Recession

  (Bloomberg) — US public pension funds are on pace for their deepest financial setback since the Great Recession as turmoil in global markets this year threaten to leave taxpayers and government workers on the hook. Steep stock and bond losses are set to leave state and local pensions this year with enough to coveronly  …

Markets face most important week of summer

Markets face most important week of summer

https://youtu.be/-7yarE5BMws There’s a head-spinning amount of news for markets to navigate in the week ahead, the biggest of which will be the Federal Reserve’s midweek meeting. The two largest U.S. companies — Microsoft and Apple — report Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. Google parent Alphabet releases results Tuesday, and Amazon reports Thursday. Meta Platforms, formerly Facebook, …