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Wall Street Breakfast Podcast: Saudi Aramco Poised To Bet On Lithium​

Summary​

  • Saudi Aramco plans to invest in lithium production to develop its supply chain for EV batteries, aligning with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.
  • The SEC is suing Elon Musk for delayed disclosures of Twitter stock purchases, alleging he underpaid by millions of dollars.
  • IonQ and Maryland announced a $1B investment to make the state a quantum computing hub, expanding IonQ's headquarters and workforce.
  • Key earnings reports due include JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, BlackRock, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Kinder Morgan, and Bank of New York Mellon.
More:

 

Why Walmart Is Making Its Own Premium Products Now | WSJ​

Jan 15, 2025
Walmart launched a new store brand Bettergoods in an effort to attract new customers to more premium grocery products. And it’s not alone – private labels have exploded in sales. Investing in higher quality store brands is a rising trend among companies including Target, who brings in $30 billion in revenue annually on what they call their “owned brands.”
WSJ’s Sarah Nassauer visits Walmart and Target to explore the retail giants’ private label strategies.


7:54
 

Why U.S. Mills Are Scrambling for Scrap – Copper Holds Steady, But For How Long?​

📈 Check Scrap Prices: https://iScrapApp.com/ - Join us live as we break down the latest movements in the scrap metal market! From copper’s steady climb to the unexpected rise in steel prices, we’ll cover the key trends and give you the insights you need to stay ahead in the scrapping game. Plus, find out how winter storms and international supply cuts are shaping the future of non-ferrous and ferrous metals.
👉 Read more: https://iscrapapp.com/blog/weekly-scr...


23:36
 

S&P 500 futures rise after benchmark posts best day since November: Live updates​

S&P 500 futures rose Thursday after the 500-stock benchmark posted its best day since November, on the back of a tame inflation report and blowout bank results. Traders are also looking ahead to more big bank earnings.

S&P 500 futures were 0.2% higher, while Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.3%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipped 94 points, or about 0.2%.

More:

 

Wall Street Breakfast Podcast: Costco Stands Firm On DEI​

Summary​

  • Costco emphasizes the positive impact of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts on financial performance, urging shareholders to reject a proposal to evaluate DEI risks.
  • Hindenburg Research is closing, with founder Nate Anderson citing no specific reason for the decision, following notable short reports on companies like Nikola and Carvana.
  • Marco Rubio criticizes Chevron's operations in Venezuela, suggesting the Biden administration was misled in negotiations, and calls for a reevaluation of oil licenses.
  • Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company shares surged over 4% premarket after posting strong Q4 results, driven by robust demand for AI hardware.
More:

 
CLS WMR Week 2 (registration is free)

Bancosta Week 2

Compass Maritime Week 2

Feranleys Week 3

www.drewry.co.uk

World Container Index - 04 Dec

04 Dec 2025: Drewry’s World Container Index increased 7% to $1,927 per 40ft container this week.
www.drewry.co.uk www.drewry.co.uk

Baltic Exchange Dry Index - Price - Chart - Historical Data - News

Baltic Dry fell to 2,815 Index Points on December 4, 2025, down 1.05% from the previous day. Over the past month, Baltic Dry's price has risen 40.54%, and is up 142.67% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market...
tradingeconomics.com tradingeconomics.com
 

Does A Ceasefire in Gaza Mean that the Red Sea Is Reopening? | Houthi Halt Attacks? | Ships Return?​

Jan 16, 2025 #supplychain #redsea #shipping

In this episode, Sal Mercogliano—a maritime historian at Campbell University (@campbelledu) and former merchant mariner — discusses what impact the proposed ceasefire may have on the return of shipping to the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, and the Suez Canal.


10:54

- Gaza Ceasefire Deal Sparks Hope for Red Sea Shipping Security, But Houthis Maintain Hard Line https://gcaptain.com/gaza-ceasefire-d...
- Marine Traffic marinetraffic.com
- Portwatch https://portwatch.imf.org/
- Red Sea Diversions Cost Egypt $7 Billion in Lost Canal Revenue https://gcaptain.com/red-sea-diversio...
- Containership Transits of Suez Canal Hit 2024 High, But Big Ships Avoid the Route https://gcaptain.com/containership-tr...
- Alphaliner Charts https://x.com/Alphaliner/status/18614...
- Red Sea Roulette: Yemen’s Houthis to Monitor Ceasefire, But Ships Remain at Risk https://gcaptain.com/red-sea-roulette...
- Oil Tankers Back Up Near Yemeni Port After Israel Hits Tugs https://gcaptain.com/oil-tankers-back...
- Shipping Giants Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd See no Immediate Return to Red Sea https://gcaptain.com/shipping-giants-...
 

Stock futures gain as S&P 500 heads for best week since November election week: Live updates​

Stock futures ticked higher early Friday, as Wall Street looks complete its first weekly gain of the new year.

Futures tied to the 30-stock Dow added 177 points, or 0.4%. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.4% and 0.5%, respectively.

For the week, the Dow and S&P 500 are up 2.9% and 1.9%, respectively. That puts them on pace for their biggest weekly advance since the week of the U.S. presidential election in November. The Nasdaq Composite, up 0.9% week to date, is headed for its best one-week performance since early December.

More:

 

Dow surges more than 300 points, S&P 500 posts best week since period following Trump’s election: Live updates​

Stocks climbed Friday, as the three major averages posted their first weekly gain of the new year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 334.70 points, or 0.78%, to end at 43,487.83. The S&P 500 gained 1% to 5,996.66, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.51% to 19,630.20.

Big tech stocks were higher on the day, with shares of Tesla popping 3%. Chipmaking giant Nvidia jumped 3.1%, while Alphabet shares added more than 1%.

More:

 

Markets Now Closing Markets 1-17 -25 Grains Rally Friday Despite Uncertainty of SA Weather and New A​

Jan 17, 2025


10:11
 
en.wikipedia.org

Palmer Luckey - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

en.wikipedia.org

Anduril Industries - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Anduril Founder Luckey on Building a New Ohio Plant, an IPO, Working With Trump​

Jan 16, 2025

Palmer Luckey, Anduril Industries Inc. founder, talks about why he is going to build a sprawling new manufacturing facility in Columbus, Ohio. It will make autonomous systems and weapons and be a key provider for the US military. He also talks about the possibility of going public and working with the incoming administration of Donald Trump. He speaks to Bloomberg's Ed Ludlow on "Bloomberg Technology." (Corrects title of guest in headline.)


14:07
 

U.S. Farm Report Round Table 2 1/18/25 | Will Trump's Tariffs Take The Wind Out Of Markets?​

Jan 18, 2025


4:55
 

How businesses are preparing for the tariffs Trump has promised to impose​

Jan 17, 2025
Countries and businesses around the world will be watching to see just how quickly President-elect Donald Trump imposes new tariffs and just how steep they may be. News Hour special correspondent and Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell reports on how some companies are already preparing.


9:22
 

Sean Duffy as Secretary of Transportation | LNG Ports | Infrastructure | US Merchant Marine Academy​

Jan 19, 2025 #supplychain #transportation #maritime

The Real World - Maritime Edition
In this episode, Sal Mercogliano—a maritime historian at Campbell University (@campbelledu) and former merchant mariner — discusses the confirmation hearing of Sean Duffy as the next Secretary of Transportation.


25:47

00:00 Background on Sean Duffy
03:59 Senator Cruz questions on LNG Port Authorization
07:50 Senator Cantwell asks about the Jones Act
09:54 Senator Blunt Rochester discussed Port Expansion
12:46 Senator Rosen highlights the importance of Inland Ports
15:58 Senator Wicker shines a light on the US Merchant Marine Academy
23:13 Sean Duffy will be the next Secretary of Transportation

Nomination Hearing - U.S. Secretary of Transportationhttps://www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/...
Maritime TV https://www.maritimetv.com/About-US
 
In this episode of The Loadstar’s News in Brief Podcast, host and news reporter Charlotte Goldstone recaps last week’s supply chain news, including which ports are facing or experiencing backlogs, and offers a preview of stories that might appear on The Loadstar this week.

She is helped by The Loadstar managing editor Gavin van Marle, who touches on the possible implication of an Israel-Palestine ceasefire and the latest developments in a heating trade war ahead of Trump’s inauguration today.
theloadstar.com

News in Brief Podcast | Week 3 | Ceasefire talks, ecommerce and Expeditors - The Loadstar

In this episode of The Loadstar’s News in Brief Podcast, host and news reporter Charlotte Goldstone recaps last week’s supply chain news.
theloadstar.com theloadstar.com
 
www.marctomarket.com

Tariff Tuesday

Breaking Down and Making Sense of the Global Capital Markets with Political Economist Marc Chandler
www.marctomarket.com www.marctomarket.com
 

Wall Street Breakfast Podcast: Trump Mulls Tariffs On Neighbors​

Summary​

  • President Trump threatens tariffs on Mexico and Canada, impacting major trading partners and potentially escalating trade tensions.
  • Belgium investigates DRC's allegations of Apple using "blood minerals," raising ethical concerns in Apple's supply chain.
  • Costco union workers vote to strike if no agreement is reached by January 31, signaling potential labor disruptions.
Listen here:

 

Stocks rise as investors feel Trump’s tone on tariffs is softer than feared: Live updates​

Stocks advanced on Tuesday as Wall Street viewed President Trump’s comments and first-day actions around international trade as a bit softer than initially feared.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 345 points, or 0.5%. The S&P 500 gained 0.7%, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.3%.

3M climbed more than 4% after earnings came in better than analysts expected. Several big technology stocks also took a leg up, with Amazon and Nvidia each gaining more than 1%. Tuesday’s rally also included small-cap names, driving the Russell 2000 about 1% higher.

More:

 

Here are the products and companies most at risk from Trump’s tariff plans​

  • Tariff proposals put the complex global supply chain front and center as President-elect Donald Trump was inaugurated on Monday.
  • On the campaign trail, Trump said he would add tariffs for goods made in other countries, especially China.
  • Those higher costs on sneakers, cars, furniture and more could force many consumers to change their buying habits.
More:

 
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