MARKET MOVERS

  • Russian escalation in Ukraine raises global economic risks. The price of oil surged, with the global benchmark closing in briefly on $100 a barrel. Other big Russian and Ukrainian exports like natural gas, wheat, aluminum, and nickel also rose. Big businesses with operations in Russia, or dependent on raw materials from the country, have said they are bracing for disruptions. Read more here.

  • Biden signs executive order prohibiting U.S. business with Ukraine’s breakaway regions. The order Prohibits new investments by American citizens in Ukraine’s breakaway regions, Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic. it also prohibits imports of goods, services, or technology from those separatist regions, as well as bans American exports or sales to those areas, and any American financing.

  • Germany halts approval of gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 designed to bring natural gas from Russia directly to Europe after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized breakaway parts of eastern Ukraine and ordered troops into the region. Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said his country would not accept the recognition of the two self-proclaimed, pro-Russian separatist regions in the Donbas area of east Ukraine. Read more here.

  • Home prices rose nearly 20% in 2021, tallying the highest growth in 34 years. Prices rose 18.8% year over year in 2021, the biggest uptick in the 34-year history of the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index. Phoenix led the 20-city composite with a 32.5% increase followed by fellow sun-belt locales Tampa, Florida 29.4% and Miami at 27.3% Driven in part by low mortgage rates over the past two years, along with a push to relocate amid remote work.

  • Rental prices continued their upward surge, jumping 19.8% annually in January in the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas, according to a recent Realtor.com® report. An increase brought by inflation. Price hikes were the steepest in Sun Belt cities such as Miami, where prices shot up 52.4% and other Florida hot spots. Next up was the Tampa market, with rents up 37.5%, reaching a median of $2,070 a month, and Orlando 34.8%, to $1,820.

  • An engineered food shortage is happening, says Jason Hartman. The anti-fossil fuel movement and the liquid natural gas price skyrocketing in Europe and then Asia following suit are causing fertilizer prices to spike up. Natural gas is key to fertilizers. The price of fertilizer has skyrocketed in the US leading to massive price spikes in food. Source(16:50)

WHAT TO WATCH

  • Nvidia announced a partnership with Jaguar Land Rover. The multi-year partnership will enable the companies to jointly develop next-generation automated driving systems. Starting in 2025, all new Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles will be built on the Nvidia Drive software platform. Nvidia's Drive Orin solution is currently used to bring autonomous driving to vehicles.
    Read more here.
  • Some of the world’s biggest oil companies and commodity traders could be hit hard if the west follows through with sanctions against Moscow. Companies with extensive business interests in the Russian energy space could be affected. Now that includes European energy majors like BP and Shell, US energy giant ExxonMobil and the large commodity traders like Glencore, Vitol, Trafigura, and Gunvor. Source(4:03)

  • U.S. Bancorp partners with Microsoft to integrate payments. The multi-year partnership is meant to help business customers more easily generate invoices and handle payments, the Minneapolis-based lender said in a statement. Microsoft’s Azure cloud-computing business will become U.S. Bancorp’s primary cloud provider, though the bank said it will continue to rely on other firms as well. Terms weren’t disclosed.

  • Toyota and Yamaha are developing a hydrogen-fueled V8 engine. Yamaha Motor says the 5.0-liter V8 engine will be developed for automobiles and based on the Lexus RC F coupe. According to Yamaha, the unit is able to deliver as much as 450 horsepower at 6,800 revolutions per minute. Hydrogen engines house the potential to be carbon-neutral while keeping our passion for the internal combustion engine alive at the same time.

  • Volkswagen plans Porsche IPO to ignite EV shift momentum. Volkswagen AG is preparing an initial public offering of Porsche, seeking a listing of its most profitable asset to help boost the parent’s valuation and fund the push into electric vehicles. Under a draft plan named “Phoenix,” about 25% of non-voting preferred shares could be sold to external investors. Porsche and Piech families would retain a blocking minority stake of 25% plus one share. Read more here.
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