MarketWatch rounds up 10 of its most interesting topics over the past week.
1. Facebook shows ‘em
Shares of Facebook FB, +0.19% soared 27% in January, following a 26% decline amid a continual flow of negative headlines during 2018. The company put up impressive numbers for the fourth quarter. Here’s a sampling of MarketWatch coverage:
• Facebook reports record profit, stock surges 12% after earnings
• Facebook worth $45 billion more after earnings set it up to be potential ‘comeback story of 2019’
• Facebook had a bad year? Not judging by its bottom line
• Facebook faces more privacy questions, even as it announces record profit
• Tim Mullaney says buy Facebook and Tesla stock for the long haul
2. Kevin O’Leary says get out of debt by 45
Thought-provoking financial advice from “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary.
Related: This guy spends more than $9,000 a month after fixed costs — here’s how he’ll start to cut back
3. Another reversal: AMD
Advanced Micro Devices AMD, +0.31% jumped 32% in January, following a 40% fourth-quarter decline. Investors showed their confidence in the chip maker’s enthusiastic outlook for 2019.
Read on: AMD has won Wall Street’s trust, and its stock is showing the results
4. The Federal Reserve changes direction
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said the economic case for higher interest rates had “weakened,” a message that helped stocks rally on Jan. 30.
Read this opinion: This is the year when the Federal Reserve’s credibility finally died
5. January jobs party
The U.S. economy added 304,000 in January, which was much higher than economists expected.
More on economic and employment trends:
• ‘Blowout’ jobs report further evidence of strong growth, economists say
• Here’s the No. 1 state for jobs in the U.S. — and it isn’t California or New York
Market reaction:
• Jobs report fails to lift U.S. dollar after ‘patient’ Powell
• 30-year Treasury yield back above 3% after robust December jobs report
6. Boeing’s CEO is thrilled about China
Boeing BA, +0.71% also had a good fourth quarter, but what may have surprised investors was how upbeat CEO Dennis Muilenburg is about U.S. trade with China.
Also see: Boeing stock finds its wings as Tesla revs its engine
7. A retirement planner retires
Here are 10 lessons about retirement from someone who spent their career helping others plan for it.
Something else to consider: The big thing everyone should think about before retiring — but almost no one does
8. Consumer stock picks for 2019
Jeff Reeves lists five consumer stocks he expects to defy expectations this year.
9. What AOC’s tax plan would mean
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) has proposed a 70% top income-tax bracket. Billionaire investor Howard Marks responds with this zinger. (The counterpoint comes in this viral video.)
10. A better estimate of your home’s value
Zillow ZG, -1.47% crowdsources a more accurate way to calculate your home’s selling price.
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