Fake News?

7-7 Market Highlights, (February 12-18, 2017)

Fake News? Can you believe, can you trust media? President Donald Trump stumped on the media as "fake news" in his first news conference as the President. Has Donald Trump stolen the mojo from the news media by repeating “Fake News”? Do you trust news media? Do you believe news media’s hatred, personal attack, overshadowing truth reporting? Trump, nevertheless boasted his successful weeks, promised new healthcare plan starting in March, and more to come as DOW continued to set record highs. 

Experts believe China, US conflict is inevitable. And Russia is taunting USA with deployment of missiles in Europe and sending spy ship just 30 miles off US coast in spite of friendly gestures by Trump and Putin. Perhaps, Russia may be diverting attention from its military build up in Ukraine and Middle East. Now North Korea is also seeking attention by provocatively firing medium range missiles into Sea of Japan while Japanese PM Abe and Trump meet in USA. How will President respond?

It's not just missiles and spy ships, Ukraine disaster, Middle East apocalyptic disintegration threatening humanity, pollution is killing millions of people on earth, and destroying the ecosystem of the deepest ocean. Humanity is polluting the deepest sea, every surface of the earth, and highest sky. How soon earthly people will realize that we can not live on this planet by killing it...?

Market closed on Friday the February 17, 2017 at: DOW-20,624.05; S&P-2,351.16; NASDAQ-5,838.58; Gold-$1,236.00; Oil-$53.38; and 10-Year Bond-2.42%...

Here are the highlights of the seventh week of 2017:  

1.    Fake News?             Donald Trump confidently presided over his first solo news conference as the newly elected president.  There is hatred, anger, and personal attacks nothing resembling truth reporting in media according to Donald Trump.  Crazy, exciting, confident Donald Trump stumped over news media as “fake news” on Thursday.  Highlights include: “I inherited a mess, rebuilding military, fake news, returning government to people…" He stated that he is the least anti-Semitic person that 'you’ve ever seen in your entire life. “This administration is running like a fine-tuned machine. Despite the fact that I can't get my cabinet approved. And they're outstanding people…"  Boasted his accomplishments as DOW hits another record high, gaining 1% higher since election day.  Please read the full transcript of President’s first conference at bellow link and decide for yourself. http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/16/click-for-a-full-transcript-of-trumps-first-solo-press-conference.html  

2.   Russia Challenging Trump: Deploys Missile, Spy Ship…         General Michael Flynn’s abrupt ouster from President Donald Trump’s top national security post prompted a flurry of Republicans calling for a deeper look into the administration’s relations with Russia and Moscow’s alleged interference in U.S. politics. A Russian spy ship, Viktor Leonov is patrolling 30 miles off the east coast of the United States. A flagrant challenge to Trump?  The ship, known as an AGI (Auxiliary, General Intelligence), made a port call in Cuba and has been working its way up the east coast. Ominously, Russia has secretly deployed a new cruise missile despite complaints from American officials that it violates a landmark arms control treaty that helped seal the end of the Cold War. The move presents a major challenge for President Trump, who has vowed to improve relations with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Also Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, the heavily sanctioned Revolutionary Guard Quds Force commander, traveled to Russia in July to discuss future weapons deals, including the purchase of the S-300 missile system. General Soleimani who is responsible for killing 500+ American soldiers, who has been sanctioned not to travel is in Moscow… Can we trust Russians?

3.    US, China Confrontation Likely?               Some experts believe US is likely heading toward confrontation with China.   But the United States headed for a stronger relationship with Japan than in the past as President met with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and promised mutual support.  Although Trump states to support One China policy his chief strategist, believes a direct conflict between the U.S. and China is inevitable. If so would you want that conflict to come earlier, when the United States is much more powerful than China, than later on when they have the largest economy in the world?  Meanwhile, Trump's meeting with Japan's prime minister and cozying up with Russia may all be building up coalition for war against China. Japan may be leaning toward USA as more than 110 Japanese companies went bankrupt last year citing the challenges of doing business in China, or “China risk”, a combination of increasing production costs and heightened political tensions.  Political and trade stage building for the inevitable? What do you think?

4.   North Korea ballistic missile fire.              The latest North Korean missile test comes a day after Trump held a summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and also follows Trump's phone call last week with Chinese President Xi Jinping. A direct taunting, challenge to Trump?  The medium-range missile that landed in the Sea of Japan, not an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), which the North has said it could test at any time. A response to the new U.S. hardline position against the North?  Sunday's launch comes at an awkward time for South Korea, where President Park Geun-hye has been stripped of her powers after a December parliamentary vote to impeach her. Her fate will be decided by the Constitutional Court, which is hearing arguments on whether to uphold or overturn the impeachment. And, Kim Jong Nam, 46, estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was assaulted at the Kuala Lumpur airport on Monday with a fast-acting poison on a flight to Macau. He sought help, collapsed and died on his way to hospital. Kim Jong Nam had spoken out publicly against his family's dynastic control, and he had also expressed fears for his life. North Korean agents have killed rivals abroad before. Show of force, or madness? So how will Donald Trump respond to North Korea?

5.    Trump Health Care Plan Coming?         President Donald Trump said Thursday that he hopes to submit health care reform as soon as early March, giving a timeline to a key promise that has hit some stumbles in the first weeks of his administration.  "We're doing Obamacare, we're in the final stages," Trump told reporters at the White House. "So, we will be submitting sometime in early March, mid-March." Trump maintained that Republicans will address efforts to repeal and replace predecessor President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare, before they get to tax reform. Earlier Thursday, House Speaker Paul Ryan gave a more optimistic timeline, telling reporters the GOP will introduce a repeal and replacement bill sometime after Congress returns from a recess next week.  Interesting note from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel: The tax code will be easier for Trump to reform than Obamacare. At age 57, Rahm Emanuel boasts a remarkably broad set of experiences for evaluating the young administration of President. He served in Bill Clinton’s White House and ran Barack Obama’s as chief of staff. 

6.   Air Pollution Kills Around 2.2 Million in India and China.        Air pollution is the leading environmental cause of death on the planet and 92% of the global population is living in areas where the air is unhealthy, according to a new report. The State of Global Air 2017 report states that extensive, long term exposure to fine particulate matter contributed to more than four million premature deaths in 2015. The report is a joint effort between the Health Effects Institute and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evalution's Global Burden of Disease Project. The report's analysis showed that India with extra exposure and its aging population, now competes with China in terms of air pollution health burdens. Both countries saw around 1.1 million early deaths due to air pollution in 2015. It is not just in countries such as China and India that air pollution is proving to be a problem. Last year, a report from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Royal College of Physicians stated that exposure to outdoor air pollution is linked to roughly 40,000 deaths every year in the U.K. Is the air you breathe going to kill you before your time? 

7.    Experts Reveal the Best Investments They Ever Made.     Should you follow the proven success of the investors? Take a look:  1) Spend Time with your Children, the most important people in our lives. 2) Follow Your Passion: So, look to turn your hobby into a business or side hustle. Do what you love most. 3) Investing in Time Instead of Spending It.  4) Not Putting Off a Goal. Start now. 5) Choosing the Right Real Estate. The best investment decision over lifetime is the homes you buy and live in.  6) Investing With an Index Fund. 7) Plan Early for Retirement. 8) Buying a Home Instead of Renting One. 9) Attending a Seminar (continue learning). 10) Selling a Company. (Ex. The owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, boasts a $2.7 billion fortune and a serious amount of investment expertise. Timing! Foreseeing the dot-com crash, Cuban sold 100% of his shares for a cut of $2.5 billion. Shortly after, Yahoo's stock crashed 95%.) 11) Not Listening to the Naysayers. If you dream and can visualize success, you drive on. These are new investing recommendations by recent successful investor. Use them if any of these suits your personal preference and or suitability.  

Again, these are my researched and analytical thoughts on the highlights of the week. Perhaps you should take a closer look at them, do additional research and analysis, if these are interest to you. This “7–7 Market Highlights” is presented for your general knowledge, resource for management, and perhaps as a tool for career development, and building wealth. As always you decide with your own final analysis and position. 

Mahalo. I welcome your thoughtful comments, “like” notes, and share.

~ S. Vincent Shin

  www.linkedin.com/in/vshin

Image credits to:  vShin, Bloomberg News, Getty image, AP Photo, Reuters, CNBC, and special thanks to Image & Visual Consultant @U.Y.