Bloomberg
MarketWatch rounds up 10 of its most interesting topics over the past week.
1. A big reduction in card debt
Americans reduced their credit-card debt by more than $40 billion during the first quarter. But there’s more to this story, and some if it isn’t pretty.
2. Court decision sets up media merger mania
Telecom companies and other pay-TV providers need to diversify or face a long, slow decline as consumers find cheaper alternatives. This week’s court approval of AT&T’s $85 billion deal to acquire Time Warner was followed by Comcast’s bid for assets that 21st Century Fox had previously agreed to sell to Disney Here are the numbers behind the media industry consolidation.
3. An anti-FAANG portfolio
You likely own some if not all of the FAANG stocks (Facebook Amazon.com Apple Netflix and Google holding company Alphabet ), either directly or through a fund. But broaden your horizons. Brian Milligan of the Ave Maria Growth Fund offers up six companies that can escape the “Amazon effect” and perform well over the long term.
4. Fact-checking on trade policy
It appears U.S. tariffs on China and reciprocal ones from Beijing are about to become reality, unless President Trump announces a negotiating breakthrough. But some of the tariff discussions aren’t backed by facts or are oversimplified. Michael J. Hicks compares misinformation tied to tariff talk to the misinformed fear of vaccines.
5. Maybe Italy never should have adopted the euro
6. You don’t have to wait for the Federal Reserve to earn yields of 5% or more
7. Netflix and Minecraft
Minecraft is one of the most popular videogames, although “Fortnite” may have taken over in your home recently. Now Netflix is jumping into the fray with a streaming Minecraft product that it says isn’t really a game.
8. An overpriced cloud IPO
Shares of Avalara a maker of cloud-based tax software, rocketed on their debut. But this analysis concludes this sizzling IPO is overpriced.
More on cloud services: 10 cloud stocks suitable for long-term stock investors.
9. Do this now or pay someone to do it for you
10. World Cup party
Soccer fans have plenty of World Cup action to enjoy this weekend. When you’re not watching, read this:
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Philip van Doorn covers various investment and industry topics. He has previously worked as a senior analyst at TheStreet.com. He also has experience in community banking and as a credit analyst at the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York.
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