Articles for author: Ron Finklestien

January 4, 2024

Ron Finklestien

TikTok sets sights on Amazon with goal of growing e-commerce tenfold

TikTok’s Ambitious E-Commerce Expansion TikTok Sets Sights on Amazon Sean Gallup/Getty Images News ByteDance’s (BDNCE) TikTok is aiming to 10x the merchandise volume of its U.S. e-commerce business to as much as $17.5B in 2024, looking to take a piece of a market that is currently dominated by Amazon (AMZN), Bloomberg reports. TikTok’s majority of revenues come from Southeast Asia. The firm is currently looking to increase sales in the US and Latin America, where it intends to start an online store in the upcoming months. TikTok Shop is one of the fastest-growing features for ByteDance (BDNCE). ByteDance revenue climbed

January 4, 2024

Ron Finklestien

Uncertain Start to Rate Cuts Sways Asia-Pacific Stocks Uncertain Start to Rate Cuts Sways Asia-Pacific Stocks

Nikada Investors in Asia-Pacific markets faced a tumultuous day as U.S. Fed minutes delivered a disquieting signal about the initiation of rate cuts. The markets saw a general trend of decline, with Japan (NKY:IND) suffering a 0.53% drop following Japan’s final December manufacturing PMI of 47.9, compared to the previous 48.3. Adding to the region’s woes, Japan was struck by a devastating earthquake, claiming no less than 65 lives, and a collision at Tokyo’s Haneda airport involving Japan Airlines. China (SHCOMP) also endured a dip of 0.43%, compounded by an unexpected rise in the China Caixin Services PMI for December,

January 4, 2024

Ron Finklestien

After An 11% Fall Last Year Is Humana A Better Pick Over UnitedHealth Stock?

Humana’s Attractive Valuation Indicates a Superior Pick Over UnitedHealth Group Stock The Battle of Titans: Humana vs. UnitedHealth Group Investing in stocks is akin to picking a prized racehorse at the Kentucky Derby. It takes a sharp eye to discern the steed with the most potential for a triumphant gallop. Such keen acumen is currently being put to the test as investors scrutinize the prospects of Humana and its counterpart, UnitedHealth Group. Market Performance and Historical Context The stock market, like the unpredictable weather, has demonstrated capricious behavior of late. From the stormy tempests of 2022 to the sunny skies

January 4, 2024

Ron Finklestien

Amerigo Resources: Navigating Stormy Weather in 2024 Amerigo Resources: Navigating Stormy Weather in 2024

The Road Ahead for Amerigo Resources French cabling specialist Nexans (OTCPK:NXPRF) (OTCPK:NEXNY) is currently the largest position in my stock portfolio and I’ve been eyeing copper producers to mitigate some of the risks. Amerigo Resources (OTCQX:ARREF) (TSX:ARG:CA) has piqued my interest, despite facing a challenging autumn in 2023 due to heavy rains in Chile. However, with global copper surplus concerns waning, I anticipate a promising 2024 for Amerigo. Let us delve deeper. The Business and Financial Performance Amerigo is involved in copper production by processing the daily waste material at the El Teniente mine of Chilean state-owned copper giant Codeldo.

January 3, 2024

Ron Finklestien

Microsoft and Cerence Collaboration

An Industry Partnership for Advancing In-Vehicle AI Cerence Inc CRNC has announced a collaboration with Microsoft Corp MSFT to enhance in-vehicle experiences by integrating Cerence’s automotive technology with Microsoft Azure AI Services.  This partnership introduces a new automotive-grade version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT model, accessible via Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service in cars.  This collaboration allows automotive manufacturers and their customers to benefit from Cerence’s expertise in transportation and Microsoft’s cloud capabilities, resulting in a cohesive user experience through vehicle voice and touch interfaces. Integrating Expertise for Enhanced User Experiences Cerence plans to implement these advancements in new vehicles using its Cerence Assistant platform, allowing

January 3, 2024

Ron Finklestien

Longboard Pharmaceuticals Faces Stock Decline A Shaky Offering: Longboard Pharmaceuticals Inc. Falters with Public Offering Announcement

Longboard Pharmaceuticals Inc LBPH shares are trading lower by 11.3% to $22.26 Wednesday afternoon after the company announced that it commenced a $150 million underwritten public offering and expects to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional $22.5 million of shares of voting common stock. Cantor and Citigroup are the lead book-running managers, while Wedbush PacGrow and H.C. Wainwright & Co. are the lead managers for this offering. The company says there can be no assurance as to whether or when the proposed offering may be completed or as to the actual size or terms

January 3, 2024

Ron Finklestien

Airline Stocks Set to Soar in 2024: A Look at Three High-Flyers

As we embark upon a new year, several airline stocks are catching the eye of investors, with a number of them occupying coveted spots on the Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) list. The U.S. Department of Transportation revealed that the recent holiday travel season witnessed remarkable smoothness, with a mere 0.8% cancellation rate, a stark contrast to the 8.2% witnessed at the end of 2022. In fact, the cancellation rate for domestic flights in 2023 was below 1.2%, marking the lowest in a decade. SkyWest: Navigating the Skies with Promise Touting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), SkyWest Airlines, a

January 3, 2024

Ron Finklestien

Red Sea Ship Attacks Plague Ocean Freight Rates Red Sea ship attacks send ocean freight rates soaring

Volodimyr Trofimov/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Ocean freight rates are surging following Houthi rebels’ assault on a Maersk ship over the weekend, prompting carriers to halt plans to resume voyages through the Red Sea en route to the Suez Canal, according to a Wednesday report by Reuters. The attacks have compelled ships to alter their course around the southern tip of Africa, leading to increased costs for vessels embarking on the extended journey, although rates still remain significantly lower than during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Red Sea trade route facilitates up to a third of global container ship cargo, and

January 3, 2024

Ron Finklestien

AMA’s Game-Changing Reimbursement Codes for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies AMA’s Game-Changing Reimbursement Codes for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies

The American Medical Association’s recent activation of the current procedural terminology (CPT) III codes marks a significant milestone for FDA-legalized psychedelic-assisted therapies, presenting an impactful stride for physicians and other qualified healthcare providers. These temporary codes, designed to boost reimbursement and foster accessibility to psychedelic therapies in the U.S., signify a landmark development in medical coverage. The data gathered through the use of the new CPT III codes could prove instrumental in their potential transition to permanent CPT I codes, further fortifying their value for widespread coverage and reimbursement in healthcare. The unveiling of these codes in July 2023, was

January 3, 2024

Ron Finklestien

Major Deal: TotalEnergies Finalizes €3.4B Transaction with Alimentation Couche-Tard TotalEnergies Finalizes €3.4B Transaction with Alimentation Couche-Tard

HJBC/iStock Editorial via Getty Images TotalEnergies (NYSE:TTE) has successfully concluded the sale of specific European retail assets to Alimentation Couche-Tard (OTCPK:ANCTF) for an impressive €3.4B, equivalent to approximately $3.8B. The deal included around $2.4B disbursed in December 2023. Back in March, the two corporate behemoths publicly disclosed an agreement that saw Couche-Tard (OTCPK:ANCTF) acquire TotalEnergies’ (TTE) retail assets in Germany and the Netherlands, totaling 1,198 service stations in Germany and 392 in the Netherlands. They have also set in motion the establishment of a joint venture in Belgium and Luxembourg, which will possess and manage 619 service stations. In this