Upcoming shows
Real News

NOW ON AIR
Now On Air

Real News with David Knight

9:00 am 12:00 pm



Maga First News

Upcoming Shows

Join The MAGA Network on Discord

0 0

Hamas reveals weak spot in Netanyahu re-election campaign

With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu locked in a tight race for re-election, the Hamas militant group has suddenly emerged as a major vulnerability for the Israeli leader.

This week's outbreak of fighting between Israel and Hamas, sparked by a rocket strike on a home in central Israel, was the latest reminder of Netanyahu's inability to find a way to cope with the Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers.

Just two weeks ahead of the vote, Netanyahu finds himself facing questions from residents in southern Israel and tough criticism from opponents across the political spectrum.

Yair Lapid, a leader of the rival Blue and White Party, said Israel has lost its power of deterrence over Hamas on Netanyahu's watch.

"A terrorist organization can't determine our daily routines," he told Israel's Army Radio. "Hamas can't run the show. Hamas can't decide when the fighting starts and ends."

In the latest round of fighting, Israel struck dozens of targets throughout Gaza following Monday's early-morning rocket attack.

Palestinian militants responded by firing dozens of rockets into southern Israel, forcing residents to spend the night in bomb shelters and canceling school for thousands of children. By early Tuesday, the fighting appeared to have subsided.

The violence came less than two weeks after a similar conflagration sparked by a rocket attack on Tel Aviv, Israel's densely populated commercial and cultural capital.

Israel has grappled with the Hamas question since the Islamic militant group, which seeks Israel's destruction, toppled forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and seized control of Gaza in 2007.

Israel has maintained a tight blockade on Gaza, restricting who and what enters the territory, fought three wars against Hamas and engaged in dozens of smaller flare-ups like this week's fighting.

This policy has succeeded in containing Hamas. Yet the weakened group remains firmly in control in the territory. Unable to topple Hamas, Israel has been forced to reach unspoken understandings with its bitter enemy to maintain stability in the impoverished territory of 2 million people, amid repeated outbreaks of fighting.

Hamas' Gaza leader, Yahya Sinwar, has compared the people of Gaza to a "caged animal." With few tools at his disposal, Hamas has tried to heat things up over the past year, staging weekly border demonstrations, allowing protesters to launch flaming kites and explosives-laden balloons into Israel and tolerating the occasional rocket attack, all in hopes of drawing concessions and easing the blockade.

This strategy has had only limited success but repeatedly put Netanyahu in uncomfortable situations.

Netanyahu came under tough criticism several months ago when he allowed Qatar, a key behind the scenes mediator, to deliver millions of dollars of humanitarian aid to Gaza in cash-stuffed suitcases through an Israeli border crossing. The money was badly needed to ease the dire living conditions in Gaza.

And every outbreak of violence draws renewed attention to the flawed policy of an Israeli leader who has made security the hallmark of his election campaign.

The recent rocket attack marred a visit by Netanyahu to Washington, where he was invited to the White House to celebrate the U.S. recognition of Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights. He then planned a campaign-style speech to the pro-Israel AIPAC lobbying group. Instead, the Golan announcement was overshadowed by the fighting in Gaza, and Netanyahu had to cut short the visit and rush back to Israel.

"This rocket was bad for Netanyahu," said Gideon Rahat, professor of political science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. "This conflict right now does not play into his hands."

Speaking to AIPAC by satellite on Tuesday, Netanyahu put on a tough face, saying Israel had pounded Hamas on a scale not seen since a 2014 war. "I can tell you, we are prepared to do a lot more," he said.

But in Israel, such claims are greeted with skepticism after so many rounds of fighting.

"The residents are angry that this has been continuing for a year. They want quiet and a normal life," said Gadi Yarkoni, leader of the Eshkol regional council in southern Israel.

After failing to capitalize on a series of corruption allegations against Netanyahu, his opponents are sure to step up the criticism of his Gaza policy in the final stretch of the campaign.

The centrist Blue and White Party, which is running neck and neck with Netanyahu's Likud, is led by Benny Gantz, a popular former military chief who led the army through wars against Hamas in 2012 and 2014. Two other ex-military chiefs are in the party's top ranks.

"If you are looking for deterrence, look to the people who brought the deterrence to Israel and led the army in times like this," Lapid said.

Whether this strategy can work remains to be seen. Netanyahu's rivals have offered various alternatives that have no guarantee of success.

Lapid called on Israel to resume its policy of "targeted assassinations" of Hamas leaders, a tactic that in the past unleashed heavy fighting.

Naftali Bennett, leader of the ultranationalist New Right party, called for even tougher action and for Israel to wipe out Hamas' entire leadership and military capabilities.

Speaking on Channel 12 TV, Bennett said Israel must "chase down every Hamas commander, from the chief to the platoon commander and the foot soldier. Just kill, kill these people, destroy their homes on a scale they don't know."

Such an operation, he said, would take months to complete. It also would carry a heavy price for both Hamas and the Israeli military.

Aron Shaviv, a political consultant and former strategist for Netanyahu, said the Israeli leader is "caught between a rock and a hard place."

He said that if Netanyahu responds forcefully in Gaza now, voters will wonder why he took a more cautious approach in the past four years.

"He would have a hard time explaining why he has changed his approach and why an attack on central Israel warrants a harsh response versus an attack on southern Israel," he said.

Fortunately for Netanyahu, he said Blue and White leaders have "failed miserably" to capitalize on their security credentials so far. He said alienated right-wing voters are likely to support other hard-line parties that would end up joining Netanyahu in a coalition in any case.

In Gaza, meanwhile, Hamas is likely to continue to test Netanyahu until election day on April 9.

"Hamas is trying to press Netanyahu ahead of the elections to lift the blockade," said Ibrahim al-Madhoun, a pro-Hamas writer in Gaza. "This equation gives Hamas leverage that it can use against him. So I think escalation or calm will greatly affect the Israeli elections."

Source: Fox News World

0 0

Billionaire Hedge Fund Manager Says There’s About to be an Uprising in America

Super Male Vitality

Limited Advanced Release

69.95

31.47

The all new and advanced Super Male Vitality formula uses the newest extraction technology with even more powerful concentrations of various herbs and extracts designed to be even stronger.

https://www.infowars.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/smv-200.jpg

https://www.infowarsstore.com/super-male-vitality.html?ims=jftqm&utm_campaign=IW+-+SuperMale+-STFA+-+55%25+Off+-+Widget&utm_source=Infowars+Widget&utm_medium=Widget&utm_content=IW-STFA-SuperMale-55%25off-Widget

https://www.infowarsstore.com/super-male-vitality.html?ims=jftqm&utm_campaign=IW+-+SuperMale+-STFA+-+55%25+Off+-+Widget&utm_source=Infowars+Widget&utm_medium=Widget&utm_content=IW-STFA-SuperMale-55%25off-Widget

Super Male Vitality

69.95

31.47

The all new and advanced Super Male Vitality formula uses the newest extraction technology with even more powerful concentrations of various herbs and extracts designed to be even stronger.

https://www.infowars.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/smv-200.jpg

https://www.infowarsstore.com/super-male-vitality.html?ims=jftqm&utm_campaign=IW+-+SuperMale+-STFA+-+55%25+Off+-+Widget&utm_source=Infowars+Widget&utm_medium=Widget&utm_content=IW-STFA-SuperMale-55%25off-Widget

https://www.infowarsstore.com/super-male-vitality.html?ims=jftqm&utm_campaign=IW+-+SuperMale+-STFA+-+55%25+Off+-+Widget&utm_source=Infowars+Widget&utm_medium=Widget&utm_content=IW-STFA-SuperMale-55%25off-Widget

Brain Force Plus

39.95

15.98

Flip the switch and supercharge your state of mind with the all-new Brain Force PLUS: 20% more capsules and a critically enhanced formula featuring a brand new ingredient and increased potency* – all for the same low price.

https://www.infowars.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/bf-300-1.jpg

https://www.infowarsstore.com/brain-force.html?ims=bnlem&utm_campaign=IW+-+Brain+Force+-STFA+-+60%25+Off+-+Widget&utm_source=Infowars+Widget&utm_medium=Widget&utm_content=IW-STFA-BrainForce-60%25off-Widget

https://www.infowarsstore.com/brain-force.html?ims=bnlem&utm_campaign=IW+-+Brain+Force+-STFA+-+60%25+Off+-+Widget&utm_source=Infowars+Widget&utm_medium=Widget&utm_content=IW-STFA-BrainForce-60%25off-Widget

DNA Force Plus

149.95

59.80

With one of our most advanced formulas yet, DNA Force Plus is finally here. Focusing on overhauling your body's cellular engines and protecting them from reactive oxygen species, DNA Force Plus has one of the best combinations of antioxidants on the market.

https://www.infowars.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/dna-210.jpg

https://www.infowarsstore.com/dna-force-plus.html?ims=xxqxg&utm_campaign=DNA+Force+Plus+-+STFA+Ending+Soon+-+60%25+Off+&utm_source=Infowars+Widget&utm_medium=Widget&utm_content=IW-DNAFP-Widget-60%25off-STFA

https://www.infowarsstore.com/dna-force-plus.html?ims=xxqxg&utm_campaign=DNA+Force+Plus+-+STFA+Ending+Soon+-+60%25+Off+&utm_source=Infowars+Widget&utm_medium=Widget&utm_content=IW-DNAFP-Widget-60%25off-STFA

DNA Force Plus

149.95

59.80

With one of our most advanced formulas yet, DNA Force Plus is finally here. Focusing on overhauling your body's cellular engines and protecting them from reactive oxygen species, DNA Force Plus has one of the best combinations of antioxidants on the market.

https://www.infowars.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/dna-210.jpg

https://www.infowarsstore.com/dna-force-plus.html?ims=xxqxg&utm_campaign=DNA+Force+Plus+-+STFA+Ending+Soon+-+60%25+Off+&utm_source=Infowars+Widget&utm_medium=Widget&utm_content=IW-DNAFP-Widget-60%25off-STFA

https://www.infowarsstore.com/dna-force-plus.html?ims=xxqxg&utm_campaign=DNA+Force+Plus+-+STFA+Ending+Soon+-+60%25+Off+&utm_source=Infowars+Widget&utm_medium=Widget&utm_content=IW-DNAFP-Widget-60%25off-STFA

DNA Force Plus

149.95

59.80

With one of our most advanced formulas yet, DNA Force Plus is finally here. Focusing on overhauling your body's cellular engines and protecting them from reactive oxygen species, DNA Force Plus has one of the best combinations of antioxidants on the market.

https://www.infowars.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/dna-210.jpg

https://www.infowarsstore.com/dna-force-plus.html?ims=xxqxg&utm_campaign=DNA+Force+Plus+-+STFA+Ending+Soon+-+60%25+Off+&utm_source=Infowars+Widget&utm_medium=Widget&utm_content=IW-DNAFP-Widget-60%25off-STFA

https://www.infowarsstore.com/dna-force-plus.html?ims=xxqxg&utm_campaign=DNA+Force+Plus+-+STFA+Ending+Soon+-+60%25+Off+&utm_source=Infowars+Widget&utm_medium=Widget&utm_content=IW-DNAFP-Widget-60%25off-STFA

Source: InfoWars

0 0

Lebanon PM Hariri has heart procedure in Paris

FILE PHOTO: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-HarirI is seen during the meeting to discuss a draft policy statement at the governmental palace in Beirut
FILE PHOTO: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-HarirI is seen during the meeting to discuss a draft policy statement at the governmental palace in Beirut, Lebanon February 6, 2019. REUTERS/Aziz Taher

March 25, 2019

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri has undergone a “precautionary” heart procedure in Paris, his office said on Monday.

“Hariri this morning underwent a cardiac catheterization and stent insertion procedure at the American Hospital in Paris,” the statement said.

Quoting his doctor, the statement said Hariri, 48, was “in good health” and would be returning to his home in Paris in the evening.

(Writing by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Source: OANN

0 0

Citi in talks to buy Canary Wharf office building: source

FILE PHOTO: Office blocks of Citi, Barclays, and HSBC banks are seen at dusk in the Canary Wharf financial district in London,
FILE PHOTO: Office blocks of Citi, Barclays, and HSBC banks are seen at dusk in the Canary Wharf financial district in London, Britain November 16, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville

February 18, 2019

LONDON (Reuters) – Citigroup is in talks to buy the tower housing its European headquarters in London’s Canary Wharf district, which is on the market with a price tag of around 1.2 billion pounds ($1.55 billion), a source familiar with the matter said.

The tower at 25 Canada Square, which already houses many of the bank’s 6,000 London-based staff, was put up for sale in October by AGC Equity Partners. The source said a deal had yet to be agreed, with Citi unlikely to offer the full asking price.

Should Citi agree the purchase, with a decision likely in the next couple of months, the bank would look to move staff currently based in a second building in the area, 33 Canada Square, to the larger tower, the source said.

News of the talks was earlier reported by the Financial Times.

Such a move would be in line with Citi’s strategy of buying buildings in locations where it has and intends to retain a presence, and follows a deal in 2016 to buy the group’s New York office, the source said.

The deal would be a boost for London’s commercial property market ahead of Brexit. Around 60 percent of Citi’s Europe-based staff already work outside of Britain, which has meant very few – around 60 – were expected to be moved as part of preparations for Britain’s exit from the European Union, the source said.

(Reporting by Simon Jessop; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

Source: OANN

0 0

North Carolina GOP chairman steps down after federal bribery, fraud charges

The chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party is stepping down from his post, after he was charged on federal bribery and wire fraud counts.

The state GOP said Wednesday that Chairman Robin Hayes would cede control to a regional party leader, but would keep the title of chairman until a new election for the post in June.

NORTH CAROLINA GOP CHAIRMAN, OTHERS INDICTED ON BRIBERY AND FRAUD CHARGES

Hayes, who served from 1999 to 2009 in Congress, and Greg Lindberg, the founder and chairman of Eli Global LLC and owner of Global Bankers Insurance Group, were among four people charged in the federal indictments unsealed on Tuesday.

Hayes, Lindberg and his two associates are accused of trying to sway an insurance regulator’s decisions in favor of the donor’s insurance companies. Federal prosecutors said that the four individuals promised or gave Republican Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey millions of campaign dollars to do things Lindberg wanted, including seeking the removal of a deputy insurance commissioner responsible for oversight of one of Lindberg’s businesses.

Hayes also was charged with three counts of making false statements to the FBI.

FBI agents interviewed Hayes in August 2018 about his involvement with and knowledge of the alleged misconduct and alleged improper campaign contributions. During that interview, Hayes allegedly lied to FBI agents about directing funds at Lindberg’s request, among other things.

US FALLS IN GLOBAL CORRUPTION RANKING REPORT

A lawyer for Hayes reportedly said his client "steadfastly" denies the allegations.

“Greg Lindberg is innocent of the charges in the indictment and we look forward to demonstrating this when we get our day in court,” Lindberg's attorney Anne Tompkins also told Fox News.

“The indictment unsealed today outlines a brazen bribery scheme in which Greg Lindberg and his coconspirators allegedly offered hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions in exchange for official action that would benefit Lindberg’s business interests,” Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski said in a statement. “Bribery of public officials at any level of government undermines confidence in our political system.  The Criminal Division will use all the tools at our disposal—including the assistance of law-abiding public officials—to relentlessly investigate and prosecute corruption wherever we find it.”

The indictment amounted to the latest political scandal to rock the state. Earlier this year, an operative allegedly at the center of a ballot fraud scandal was indicted for illegal possession of absentee ballots and obstruction of justice.

This was after the North Carolina State Board of Election decided to call a new election in the 9th congressional district because of questions surrounding the legitimacy of the victory claimed by Republican Mark Harris, who had hired the later-indicted operative.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News Politics

0 0

After Trump again seeks to defund PBS, network's chief insists network provides 'high value'

For the third straight year, President Trump's budget request for the upcoming year calls for effectively defunding the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), National Public Radio (NPR), and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) -- prompting a harsh rebuke from PBS' top executive, even as Congress again appears unwilling to agree to the White House proposal.

The full version of Trump's budget request, released on Monday, called for eliminating $435 million in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the private nonprofit that serves as the government's investment vehicle for public broadcasting, and more than $120 million from the NEA.

The Trump administration called the move a plan to generate "major savings," including $48.8 billion in cuts for discretionary programs, and to reduce deficits by $2.7 trillion within the budget window. The proposal said arts funding was not among the "core Federal responsibilities," and argued that the federal government's money was not needed to keep PBS and NPR on the air.

BEHIND THE BUDGET GIMMICK THAT COULD FINALLY GET TRUMP'S BORDER WALL FUNDED

PBS and NPR "primarily rely on private donations to fund their operations," according to the proposal. To conduct an "orderly transition away from Federal funding," the budget requested $30 million in 2020 and $30 million in 2021, which would include funding for personnel costs of $20 million; rental costs of $30 million; and other costs totaling $10 million.

"CPB provides grants to qualified public television and radio stations to be used at their discretion for purposes related to program production or acquisition, as well as for general operations. CPB also supports the production and acquisition of radio and television programs for national distribution," the budget proposal read.

PBS' long-running programs include "Sesame Street," with characters including Big Bird, seen here.

PBS' long-running programs include "Sesame Street," with characters including Big Bird, seen here. (Getty Images, File)

It continued: "CPB funding comprises about 15 percent of the total amount spent on public broadcasting, with the remainder coming from non-Federal sources, with many large stations raising an even greater share. This private fundraising has proven durable, negating the need for continued Federal subsidies. Services such as PBS and NPR, which receive funding from CPB, could make up the shortfall by increasing revenues from corporate sponsors, foundations, and members. In addition, alternatives to PBS and NPR programming have grown substantially."

FLASHBACK: ELMO FROM 'SESAME STREET' LAMENTS POTENTIAL FIRING AFTER TRUMP'S 2017 BUDGET REQUEST

However, Congress seemed unlikely to respond to Trump's request. His similar efforts to defund NPR and PBS were ignored in 2017 and 2018, when Republicans controlled both the House and Senate.

PBS executives pointed to the longstanding support for the network from both Democrats and Republicans and said the federal funds helped ensure that rural areas would have access to broadcasts.

"Federal funding is critical for public television to do this essential work."

— PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger

"PBS and our 350 member stations across the country have earned bipartisan Congressional support over the years due to the high value the American people place on the services we provide their communities," PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger said in a statement. "For a modest investment of about $1.35 per citizen per year, public television provides school readiness for children, support for teachers and caregivers, public safety communications and lifelong learning through high-quality content."

Kerger continued. "For the 16th year in a row, Americans named PBS and member stations #1 in public trust among nationally known institutions. The same survey revealed that Americans rank PBS and our member stations second only to the country’s military defense in terms of value for taxpayer dollars. PBS and its supporters across every region of the country will continue to remind legislators that federal funding is critical for public television to do this essential work."

In 2017, when Trump first moved to eliminate funding for public broadcasting, a viral video showed the lovable character Elmo from the PBS show "Sesame Street" reacting to his apparently imminent firing.

"Just like that? Elmo has been working at Sesame Street for 32 years!" Elmo said, before wondering what would happen to his health coverage due to a pre-existing condition.

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel, meanwhile, aired a video showing Trump on "Celebrity Apprentice" firing Big Bird, another prominent "Sesame Street" character.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Separately, Trump's 2020 budgets called for the elimination of several other programs and offices.

"The savings and reform proposals described in this volume continue, and expand on, the Administration’s efforts to put the taxpayers first," the proposal asserted.

Source: Fox News Politics

0 0

More Biden gaffes? Former VP claims he's 'most progressive' Dem 'running' — despite in-party critics, not declaring candidacy

Former Vice President Joe Biden told a Delaware audience Saturday he has the "most progressive" record of any Democrat "running" -- or at least considering a run, as Biden isn't yet officially in the race.

The apparent slip-up came during a speech to members of the state's Democratic Party, where he argued that recent criticism he'd received from progressives was unfounded.

"I'm told I get criticized by the 'New Left,' " Biden told the audience. "I have the most progressive record of anybody running for the ... anybody who would run."

Biden, known for past gaffes, quickly corrected himself, clarifying that he meant to say "anybody who would run," then adding "I didn't mean it" while a cheering crowd in his home state nearly drowned him out.

JOE BIDEN SAYS HE'S THE 'MOST QUALIFIED PERSON IN THE COUNTRY TO BE PRESIDENT'

There has been much speculation on whether Biden will launch a presidential run and enter the already crowded field of Democrats looking to unseat President Trump.

“We have to bring this country back together again," Biden continued. "The world's worst dictators are using [the president's] own words to justify their own abuses of power," he added.

In recent weeks, Biden has taken heat from his own party, most recently for his kind words for current Vice President Mike Pence. In February, while speaking in Omaha. Neb., he commented on the icy reception Pence received at the Munich Security Conference where Pence's praise for Trump was met with silence.

"The fact of the matter is, it was followed on by a guy who's a decent guy, our vice president, who stood before this group of allies and leaders and said, 'I'm here on behalf of President Trump,’ and there was dead silence. Dead silence,” Biden told the audience.

LGBT-rights activist and former New York gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon slammed Biden for praising Pence.

“You’ve just called America’s most anti-LGBT elected leader ‘a decent guy.’ Please consider how this falls on the ears of our community,” she wrote on Twitter.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Biden later walked back his comments about Pence.

In January, Biden faced criticism when the New York Times reported that he praised Republican U.S. Rep. Fred Upton during a visit to Upton’s home state of Michigan three weeks before the November midterm elections.

Upton went on to defeat his Democratic opponent by less than 5 percentage points. Some Democrats blamed Biden for the party failing to pick up the seat.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News Politics

NOW ON AIR
Now On Air

Real News with David Knight

9:00 am 12:00 pm



FILE PHOTO: An aerial photo looking north shows shipping containers at the Port of Seattle and the Elliott Bay waterfront in Seattle
FILE PHOTO: An aerial photo looking north shows shipping containers at the Port of Seattle and the Elliott Bay waterfront in Seattle, Washington, U.S. March 21, 2019. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson/File Photo

April 26, 2019

NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. economic growth is running at a 1.1% pace in the second quarter as the gains in exports and inventories recorded in the first quarter are expected to reverse, Morgan Stanley economists said on Friday.

“Our preliminary expectations for growth in the second quarter sees large drags from net exports and inventories after their contributions in 1Q,” they wrote in a research note.

Gross domestic product increased at a 3.2% annualized rate in the first three months of the year, driven by a smaller trade deficit and the largest accumulation of unsold merchandise since 2015, the Commerce Department said earlier Friday.

(Reporting by Richard Leong)

Source: OANN

Listen to https://magaoneradio.net and Listen Daily! Don't Forget to Share Click a Link Below!
FILE PHOTO: The Deutsche Bank headquarters are pictured in Frankfurt
FILE PHOTO: The Deutsche Bank headquarters are pictured in Frankfurt, Germany, April 25, 2019. REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski/File Photo

April 26, 2019

By Tom Sims

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Within hours of the collapse of merger talks with Commerzbank, Christian Sewing scrambled to convince investors and employees that Deutsche Bank can stand on its own two feet.

The Deutsche Bank chief executive told staff, many of whom opposed a merger because of significant job losses, that while he had not been “skeptical” about the Commerzbank talks, he was cautious about the chances of success from the start.

And another top Deutsche Bank executive said on Friday that it had been Commerzbank that initiated the talks, suggesting there was no desperation on their part for a deal.

Commerzbank denied that version of events, ending the apparent truce between the normally highly competitive cross-town Frankfurt rivals over the past six weeks.

German hopes of creating a national banking champion able to challenge global competitors were finally dashed on Thursday when Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank ended their talks due to the risks of doing a deal, restructuring costs and capital demands.

For Sewing, the failure to clinch a deal has left the 49-year-old chief executive of Germany’s largest bank, who took over just over a year ago, with his back to the wall.

Credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s, which downgraded Deutsche Bank last year, said on Friday that Deutsche Bank “will remain under strain”, adding that it “seems to have acknowledged the need to adjust its strategy”.

Under Sewing, a new leadership has tried to revive Deutsche Bank’s fortunes, but it has faced money laundering allegations and failed stress tests, as well as ratings downgrades.

At the heart of the debate over its future is whether it should focus its business on Germany and draw a line under its costly global ambitions to take on Wall Street’s big guns.

“MARKET PLAY”

Without a deal, Deutsche Bank now finds itself back at the mercy of equity and debt markets, with UBS analysts warning that in a “stress scenario” it could again “be forced into a ‘debt-driven capital increase’ even with solid capital ratios”.

“Deutsche remains a levered market play vulnerable to external events,” the UBS analysts said in a note.

Sewing, along with many analysts, believes Deutsche Bank can go it alone in the short-term, but will be counting on a turnaround in market conditions to do so in the long-run given its dependence on volatile investment bank earnings.

“To reach our return objective, we also need to see a revenue recovery in our more market-sensitive business,” Sewing said on Friday after reporting results.

“These revenues are available to us in better market conditions given our leading positions in many of these businesses, but we need to capture them,” he added.

Revenue at Deutsche Bank’s bond trading division fell 19 percent in the first quarter, it said on Friday, underscoring weakness at its investment bank.

If those earnings do not improve, Berlin’s desire to keep its biggest bank out of foreign hands may start to wane.

“Germany’s globally active companies need competitive financial institutions that can support them around the world,” German finance minister Olaf Scholz said on Thursday.

(Writing by Alexander Smith; Editing by Keith Weir)

Source: OANN

Listen to https://magaoneradio.net and Listen Daily! Don't Forget to Share Click a Link Below!
Panama's former president Ricardo Martinelli yells to the media while arriving to the Electoral Court in Panama City
Panama’s former president Ricardo Martinelli reacts to the media while arriving to the Electoral Court in Panama City, Panama April 26, 2019. REUTERS/Erick Marciscano

April 26, 2019

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) – Panama’s electoral tribunal has ruled that former President Ricardo Martinelli, who is awaiting trial on wiretapping charges, cannot take part in elections on May 5 in which he was running for mayor of Panama City and a seat in Congress, a spokesman for Martinelli said on Friday.

“The ruling of the electoral tribunal has disqualified him as candidate,” said the spokesman, Eduardo Camacho, calling the court’s ruling a “political decision.”

Officials at the tribunal did not immediately confirm the ruling, which also was reported in local media in Panama.

Martinelli, a supermarket tycoon who ran the Central American country from 2009 to 2014, was extradited to Panama last June from the United States and charged with spying on 150 people, including politicians, union leaders and journalists.

A judge had previously cleared Martinelli to run for mayor of the capital. His critics vowed to appeal that decision.

(Reporting by Elida Moreno and Stefanie Eschenbacher; Editing by Bill Trott)

Source: OANN

Listen to https://magaoneradio.net and Listen Daily! Don't Forget to Share Click a Link Below!
FILE PHOTO: Amazon boxes are seen stacked for delivery in the Manhattan borough of New York City
FILE PHOTO: Amazon boxes are seen stacked for delivery in the Manhattan borough of New York City, January 29, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo

April 26, 2019

(Reuters) – Shares of Walmart, Target and other U.S. retailers fell on Friday as Amazon.com Inc unveiled a one-day delivery plan for its Prime members in a move to further disrupt the fiercely competitive retail landscape.

The e-commerce giant’s announcement on Thursday could cause other brands, manufacturers, retailers, and logistics companies to have to invest more aggressively to compete with Amazon and its delivery, analysts said.

Retailers in recent years have poured billions into ecommerce and faster shipping options and are trying to close the gap with Amazon.

“This is about making it more expensive to catch up and affirms our world view that only the largest and smartest will survive,” Bernstein analyst Brandon Fletcher said.

The move is expected to heighten consumer expectations on e-commerce delivery just like Amazon did with its two-day shipping option for members of its loyalty club Prime, noted analysts.

“The faster you ship, the more people buy,” RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Mahaney said.

The challenge for non-Amazon players was that very few of the existing logistics and parcel delivery players now have the ability to do nationwide one-day delivery, Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Nowak said.

“And even fewer can do it at the vast scale and reasonable cost that AMZN would need for Prime delivery,” Nowak said in a note.

Walmart Inc’s shares fell about 3 percent, while Target Corp dropped about 5 percent in morning trade.

Shares of Kohl’s Corp, Macy’s Inc and Nordstrom Inc fell about 1 percent. Grocer Kroger Co was nearly 3 percent lower, while consumer electronics retailer Best Buy Inc dropped 2.1 percent.

(Reporting by Soundarya J and Akanksha Rana in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)

Source: OANN

Listen to https://magaoneradio.net and Listen Daily! Don't Forget to Share Click a Link Below!
A Chinese woman adjusts a Chinese national flag next to U.S. national flags before a Strategic Dialogue expanded meeting, part of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) in Beijing
A Chinese woman adjusts a Chinese national flag next to U.S. national flags before a Strategic Dialogue expanded meeting, part of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) held at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, July 10, 2014. REUTERS/Ng Han Guan/Pool (CHINA – Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS)

April 26, 2019

By April Joyner

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Even as the lift from optimism over prospects for U.S.-China trade detente shows signs of wearing off for the wider U.S. stock market, upbeat sentiment around China’s economy could bolster shares of materials companies.

Shares of S&P 500 industrial and technology companies, which were buffeted by last year’s tit-for-tat tariffs as well as slowing global demand, have been very responsive to progress in U.S.-China trade relations and a strengthening Chinese economy. This year, those sectors have outpaced the ascent in the S&P 500, which reached a record closing high on Tuesday.

Materials stocks have not been as sensitive, however, even though they also stand to benefit as a stronger Chinese economy lifts global consumption and industrial output. As China has taken measures to stimulate its economy, its economic data have turned more upbeat. That in turn could aid global growth, which has flagged as a result of China’s cooldown.

“What we’re seeing is China spending more on stimulus: fiscal stimulus and monetary stimulus,” said Kristina Hooper, chief global market strategist at Invesco in New York. “That’s likely to be a positive for materials.”

The People’s Bank of China has cut banks’ reserve requirement ratio five times over the past year and is widely expected to ease policy further to spur lending and reduce borrowing costs. The stimulus appears to have boosted Chinese economic data, with factory activity growing in March for the first time in four months.

Yet so far in 2019, the S&P 500 materials index has underperformed the S&P 500 at large, rising just 11.9% compared with 16.7% for the benchmark index. Moreover, it is among the biggest decliners in the period since the S&P’s previous record closing level on Sept. 20. The materials index has fallen 7% over those seven months, versus a 5.2% gain for technology and a 3% loss for industrials. Only the energy index has dropped more over that period.

A trade agreement could serve as a catalyst for a bump in materials shares as a drag on China’s economy is lifted, some market strategists say. Some commodity prices, including those for copper and oil, have ascended this year as the prospects for the global economy have somewhat brightened.

“It all goes back to the global growth outlook,” said Andrea DiCenso, portfolio manager for alpha strategies at Loomis Sayles in Boston. “With the front run in hard data, we’re beginning to see a pretty significant rally.”

Additionally, a trade agreement is expected to include commitments from China to purchase higher quantities of U.S. products such as soybeans, which could benefit companies that make agricultural chemicals, including DowDuPont Inc and CF Industries Holdings Inc.

CF Industries is scheduled to report quarterly results after the bell on Wednesday, and DowDuPont is scheduled to report before the market open on Thursday.

To be sure, even with a trade agreement, some materials companies could face price pressures. Shares of Freeport-McMoRan Inc fell 10.1% on Thursday after the copper mining company posted a lower-than-expected profit as its production slipped and its costs rose.

A rollback of tariffs on Chinese imports, particularly aluminum and steel, would likely prompt a fall in some commodity prices, which could hurt prospects for certain materials companies, said Gene Goldman, chief investment officer at Cetera Investment Management in El Segundo, California.

Even so, those drawbacks may be outweighed by the support for global demand fostered by a U.S.-China trade agreement.

“You could see a number of companies with lowered expectations bring them back up as they talk favorably about the impact that a trade deal would have on them,” said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment strategist at Inverness Counsel in New York.

(Reporting by April Joyner; additional reporting by Sinéad Carew; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

Source: OANN

Listen to https://magaoneradio.net and Listen Daily! Don't Forget to Share Click a Link Below!

Listen to https://magaoneradio.net and Listen Daily! Don't Forget to Share Click a Link Below!
Current track

Title

Artist