Just when everyone thought there may be a glimmer of hope in the trade negotiations between the U.S. and China, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow stepped in with a reality check concerning the impending Dec. 15 tariffs on $160 billion in Chinese imports, and more in Tuesday’s Closing Bell on Money and Markets.
“The reality is those tariffs are still on the table, the Dec. 15 tariffs, and the president has indicated if the short strokes remaining in negotiations do not pan out to his liking, that those tariffs could go back into place,” Kudlow said, according to CNBC.
Uncertainty has surrounded those tariffs, and Kudlow didn’t help to clear anything up. Especially after reports this morning that those tariffs would be postponed.
Money and Markets: Closing Bell
S&P 500: 3,132 (-3 points, -0.1%)
DOW: 27,881 (-27 points, -0.1%)
NASDAQ: 8,616 (-5 points, -0.07%)
GOLD: $1,464.30 (+3.10, +0.2%)
BITCOIN: $7,223.71 (-1.4%)
U.S. 10-YEAR YIELD: 1.84%
Golden Nuggets
As markets remained uncertain Tuesday, precious metals sectors continued to climb.
February gold futures jumped to as high as $1,467.80 while March Comex silver prices went as high as $16.69 an ounce.
Both Platinum and Palladium continued to make strong gains. Platinum jumped as high as $918.00 an ounce — a $25 gain — while Palladium jumped to as high as $1,878 an ounce — a gain of $15.
Cannabis Corner
Canopy Growth (NYSE: CGC) took a big hit to its share price on Tuesday after monster gains on Monday.
Following a massive 14% gain after announcing a new CEO, the stock traded more than 6% lower Tuesday as analysts cited a need for “fiscal discipline” to the company and its new CEO.
“We have harped on some of Canopy’s spending items that seem excessive: 1) equity comp greater than revenue; 2) G&A greater than revenue; and 3) inventory levels which likely don’t match the demand curve,” MKM analyst Bill Kirk said in a note, according to MarketWatch.
But not all cannabis-related companies suffered Tuesday.
Innovative Industrial Properties (NYSE: IIPR), an exchange-traded fund specializing in real estate used for medical cannabis facilities, saw its stock price jump more than 2%.
One of the big reasons for the gain is the company announced a $1 dividend per share for shareholders — a 28.2% increase.
On midday trading Tuesday IIPR was trading at $74.36. The stock climbed to a high of $75.40 after the dividend was announced.
Stock Market Update
U.S. markets were mixed most of the day Tuesday on yet more confusing news regarding the U.S.-China trade war.
Stock futures started down before trading opened, but picked up during the day, despite news from the White House that Dec. 15 U.S. tariffs of Chinese goods “were still on the table.”
The S&P 500 index was virtually flat for most of the day while the Dow rose 48 points, less than 0.1%, to 27,918, before tailing off, and the Nasdaq was up most of the day before sinking about 0.2% underwater just before the closing bell.
TODAY’S BIGGEST WINNERS:
(as of 3:30 p.m. EST)
Autozone Inc. (NYSE: AZO) +7.15%
Expedia Group Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE) +3.34%
Nortonlifelock Inc. (Nasdaq: NLOK) +3.26%
TODAY’S BIGGEST LOSERS:
(as of 3:30 p.m. EST)
Franklin Resources (NYSE: BEN) -4.15%
Mohawk Industries (NYSE: MHK) -3.88%
Netflix Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) -2.89%
Check back for the most important news and numbers each day after the Closing Bell, only on Money and Markets.