Deficit
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Apr 20, 2019; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz (17) handles the puck during the third period in game six of the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Winnipeg Jets at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
April 21, 2019
Jaden Schwartz had a hat trick, and rookie goaltender Jordan Binnington made 18 saves as the host St. Louis Blues eliminated the Winnipeg Jets with a 3-2 victory in Game 6 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series Saturday.
The Blues will face the winner of the Dallas-Nashville series in the next round of the playoffs.
St. Louis became the first home team to win a game in the series, and the first winning team that didn’t need to overcome a deficit.
Dustin Byfuglien and Bryan Little scored for Winnipeg, and goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped 33 of 36 shots. Both of the Jets’ goals came in the second half of the third period, after they were down 3-0.
Stars 5, Predators 3
Alexander Radulov and Jason Dickinson each scored two goals as visiting Dallas won Game 5 of its first-round Stanley Cup playoff series with Nashville.
The win gives the Stars a 3-2 edge in the series, putting them a victory away from advancing to the second round for just the second time in 11 seasons. The Central Division-winning Predators, meanwhile, are in danger of missing the second round for the first time in four seasons.
Jamie Benn had three assists for the Stars, while Tyler Seguin contributed a goal and an assist. The top line of Radulov, Benn, and Seguin combined for 16 of the Stars’ 26 total shots. The trio has 16 total points in the series.
Capitals 6, Hurricanes 0
Nicklas Backstrom finished with two goals and two assists, and Alex Ovechkin added a goal and two assists as Washington pounded Carolina in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.
The Capitals took a 3-2 lead in the series and can close out the Hurricanes in Game 6 on Monday night in Raleigh, N.C. The winner of this series will meet the New York Islanders.
Tom Wilson finished with a goal and an assist as Washington’s top line — Ovechkin, Backstrom and Wilson — delivered in a big way with four goals and five assists. Evgeny Kuznetsov and John Carlson also added two assists apiece. Goalie Braden Holtby finished with 30 saves, 15 of which came in the second period, to earn the win.
–Field Level Media
Source: OANN
Apr 19, 2019; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Enrique Hernandez (14) follows through on a swing for a three-run home run during the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
April 20, 2019
Enrique Hernandez hit a three-run home run with two outs in the eighth inning and the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to six games with a 5-3 victory Friday over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Hernandez connected on an 0-2 pitch against Brewers All-Star closer Josh Hader (0-1) to break a 2-2 tie and score A.J. Pollock and David Freese, both of whom walked. It was Hernandez’s fifth home run of the season.
Christian Yelich hit a home run for the second consecutive game and for the sixth time in five games as the Brewers lost their third consecutive game overall and their third consecutive against the Dodgers since Sunday. Milwaukee’s Eric Thames hit his third home run in the eighth.
Pedro Baez (1-1) recorded two outs in the seventh inning to pick up the victory. Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his seventh save and his third in three days.
Yankees 6, Royals 2
CC Sabathia allowed an unearned run in five innings and Brett Gardner hit a two-run homer as New York beat Kansas City at Yankee Stadium.
After throwing 62 pitches in his return from cardiac surgery and a knee injury in his season debut Saturday against the Chicago White Sox, Sabathia (1-0) was stretched out further this time and delivered an 86-pitch outing. He worked around four walks and held the Royals to three hits while getting five strikeouts for his 247th career win.
Gardner provided the Yankees with a 2-1 lead when he blasted 2-0 fastball from Kansas City starter Jakob Junis (1-2) over the right-center field fence in the third. Mike Tauchman also homered in the fifth as the Yankees won for the third time in four games despite committing three errors.
Rockies 4, Phillies 3 (12 innings)
Charlie Blackmon hit a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 12th inning as Colorado rallied to beat Philadelphia in Denver.
Bryce Harper had five hits and Rhys Hoskins and Maikel Franco had three hits apiece for the Phillies, who saw two players leave with injuries — Andrew McCutchen was hurt on a swing in the second inning and shortstop Scott Kingery suffered a right hamstring injury running to first in his third at-bat.
The Phillies took a 3-2 lead on Harper’s RBI double in the top of the 12th off Chad Bettis (1-2) but Colorado came back against Juan Nicasio (0-1). Tony Wolters drew a one-out walk and after Raimel Tapia popped out, Blackmon hit a 1-2 fastball into the Philadelphia bullpen to end it.
Astros 7, Rangers 2
Justin Verlander worked seven strong innings and was backed by an offense that produced seven extra-base hits as Houston claimed the opener of its three-game series with Texas at Globe Life Park in Arlington.
Verlander (3-0) gave up his first hit with two outs in the fourth inning and carried a shutout into the sixth. He surrendered a leadoff home run to Rangers second baseman Danny Santana in that frame but recovered to complete his outing with flair, getting three successive called strikes against Texas center fielder Delino DeShields.
The Astros got off to a rousing start against Rangers left-hander Drew Smyly (0-2), with George Springer (double), Jose Altuve (home run) and Alex Bregman (home run) reaching in succession to open the game. When Altuve added an RBI single in the second, Houston led 4-0 and cruised from there.
Cubs 5, Diamondbacks 1
Kyle Hendricks pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out 11 as Chicago snapped visiting Arizona’s four-game winning streak on a cold, blustery Friday afternoon.
Hendricks (1-3) gave up three hits and walked two. Steve Cishek pitched the eighth to run the Cubs’ scoreless innings streak to 31 before the Diamondbacks rallied off Brad Brach in the ninth.
Arizona starter Merrill Kelly (1-2) worked around two walks in a 33-pitch first inning and was almost out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the second when Kris Bryant hit what normally would have been a lazy fly behind second base. But the wind took over and second baseman Wilmer Flores stumbled while chasing the ball, which fell into shallow right field for a two-run double.
Pirates 4, Giants 1
Right-hander Jordan Lyles pitched six four-hit, scoreless innings before leaving because of a hand injury, and Pittsburgh earned a fourth consecutive win, beating visiting San Francisco.
Lyles (2-0), Pittsburgh’s fifth starter and part of a rotation that led the National League entering the night with a collective 2.09 ERA, struck out six and walked one. He lowered his ERA to 0.53. Lyles left after an inning-ending double-play comebacker by Joe Panik in the sixth grazed his pitching hand as he instinctively ducked and raised his hands. He was being evaluated for a contusion. The Pirates also lost center fielder Starling Marte and shortstop Erik Gonzalez when they collided while chasing a fly ball in the eighth.
Giants starter Madison Bumgarner (1-3) gave up four first-inning runs before settling down to go another five innings. He allowed six hits and one walk while striking out seven.
Marlins 3, Nationals 2
Miami ended its 24-inning scoreless streak early in the game and went on to defeat Washington at Marlins Park, ending a four-game losing streak and winning for just the third time in its last 16 contests.
Left-hander Caleb Smith (2-0) earned the victory, giving up one run on five hits without walking a batter while striking out eight in six innings. He has 29 strikeouts in 23 innings this year.
Washington’s Anibal Sanchez — who made his major league debut with the Marlins in 2006 and had a no-hitter in six-plus seasons with the franchise — took the loss to fall to 0-2. He allowed five hits, four walks and three runs in 5 1/3 innings. He also struck out six.
Mets 5, Cardinals 4
Wilson Ramos and J.D. Davis had back-to-back RBI hits in the first inning for visiting New York, which never trailed but needed to survive a late comeback by St. Louis to end a two-game losing streak. The Cardinals have lost three of four.
St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright (1-2) retired the first two batters of the game before giving up a double to Robinson Cano, who had a season-high three hits. Michael Conforto walked, after which Ramos singled home Cano before Davis doubled to score Conforto.
Seth Lugo (1-0), the first of five Mets relievers, earned the win despite allowing two runs in two innings. Edwin Diaz allowed a pair of baserunners before retiring Molina on a lineout to close out his seventh save. The two runs Lugo gave up came off the bat of pinch hitter Lane Thomas, who hit a two-run homer in his first big league plate appearance.
Reds 3, Padres 2 (11 innings)
Derek Dietrich hit a two-run homer off Craig Stammen with one out in the 11th inning to lead Cincinnati past host San Diego and hand the Padres their fifth straight loss after an 11-5 start to the season. The Reds scored a second straight win following four consecutive defeats.
Right-handed reliever Jared Hughes (2-0) pitched one scoreless inning for the win, and Michael Lorenzen recorded his first save. Stammen (2-1) took the loss after yielding two runs (one earned) in two innings.
Dietrich’s homer followed a pitching duel between starters Anthony DeSclafani of Cincinnati and Matt Strahm of San Diego, each of whom gave up a solo home run and only two hits.
Red Sox 6, Rays 4
Mookie Betts and Mitch Moreland hit back-to-back home runs to break an eighth-inning tie as Boston beat Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Betts, critical of himself earlier this week for his poor play to begin the season, went deep to dead center to lead off the eighth for a 5-4 lead, and Moreland followed with a blast to right-center as Boston snapped a three-game losing streak, with Brandon Workman (1-1) getting the win in relief.
The Rays lost for just the third time in their past 11 games. Diego Castillo (0-2), who served up both eighth-inning homers to the only two batters he faced, took the loss.
White Sox 7, Tigers 3
Yoan Moncada homered, scored twice and drove in two runs, Carlos Rodon pitched six strong innings, and Chicago topped host Detroit.
Moncada hit his sixth homer this season, a solo shot in the first inning. Leury Garcia and Jose Abreu also drove in two runs apiece, while Ryan Cordell scored twice. Rodon (3-2) held the Tigers to one run on three hits, walking three and striking struck out six.
Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann (0-3) allowed five runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked four against the White Sox, who were without shortstop Tim Anderson and manager Rick Renteria as they served one-game league suspensions for their conduct during a benches-clearing incident against Kansas City on Wednesday.
Mariners 5, Angels 3
Tim Beckham and Omar Narvaez hit back-to-back solo homers in the ninth inning to lift Seattle over host Los Angeles for the second straight night.
As they did on Thursday, the Mariners broke a tie in the ninth off Angels reliever Cody Allen (0-2) and spoiled a late-game comeback by Los Angeles. The Angels rallied from a 10-2 deficit in the seventh inning of the series opener on Thursday, tied the score in the eighth, but lost 11-10.
Mike Trout hit a two-run homer off Mariners starter Marco Gonzales in the eighth on Friday to tie the score at 3-3, ending Gonzales’ bid to become the first 5-0 pitcher in the majors. Zac Rosscup (2-0) got the final two outs of the eighth, and Roenis Elias pitched the ninth for his fourth save.
Blue Jays 5, A’s 1
Danny Jansen highlighted a four-run second inning with a two-RBI double and right-hander Marcus Stroman pitched into the ninth for his first win of the season as Toronto rolled over host Oakland in the opener of a three-game series.
Brandon Drury took A’s starter Aaron Brooks (2-2) deep for his first home run of the season, helping Toronto win for the fourth time in five games on their seven-game trip. Stroman (1-3), who had watched the Blue Jays score a total of six runs in his first four starts, got an early boost from the four-run second.
Stroman was dominant in his eight-plus innings, allowing one run and six hits. He walked two and struck out six.
Twins at Orioles, ppd.
Minnesota’s scheduled game at Baltimore was rained out. The contest will be made up as part of a doubleheader Saturday.
Braves at Indians, ppd.
Atlanta’s scheduled game at Cleveland was rained out. The contest will be made up as part of a doubleheader Saturday.
–Field Level Media
Source: OANN
FILE PHOTO: Apr 18, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) attempts a shot during the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers in game three of the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
April 19, 2019
By Jahmal Corner
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – When Kevin Durant rained down shots on the Los Angeles Clippers with his deadly playoff performance on Thursday, he also provided a glimpse of what life will be like for Golden State and their competition without the injured DeMarcus Cousins.
In short, less Cousins will equal more Durant — more Durant post-ups, more Durant pull-ups and more Durant brilliance.The Clippers learned the hard way as Durant hung 38 points on them in a 132-105 rout that gave the Warriors a 2-1 best-of-seven first-round series lead.
“DeMarcus started playing for us late in the season and we definitely wanted to establish him in the post a lot to start games,” Durant told Reuters, following his dominant night. “Without him in the lineup, coach just used me in his spots.”
When Cousins suffered a quad injury on Monday that sidelined him indefinitely, it was viewed as a potential roadblock to the team’s quest for a third straight title.Instead, the absence may have unlocked a version of Durant that has led to the past two championships and back-to-back Finals MVPs.
Golden State fed their lanky sharpshooter early on Thursday, and Durant repaid them by making his first six attempts on an array of moves.For the game, he finished 14-for-23 from the field and added seven assists. “We said before the game they were going to post (Durant) more,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers told reporters. “Instead of having him at the elbows, they’re going to bring him to the right box and he’s going to score from there most likely.
“They did that, and he made shots.”
EXTRA INCENTIVE
Durant had extra incentive to be aggressive in Game Three after his manufactured feud with Clippers guard Patrick Beverley had dominated headlines.Durant and Beverley were each ejected for jawing at each other in Golden State’s Game One win. The Warriors All Star attempted just eight shots in Game Two where Beverley guarded him closely and the Clippers overcame a 31-point deficit to prevail.All the superfluous talk surrounding Durant, about Beverley, his pending free agency or his technical foul total, seemed to obscure his most defining gift — scoring.“He’s a top-three player in this league,” Clippers guard Lou Williams said. “He plays at a high level, we expected that. He’s capable of making shots.”
Durant had been making, and taking, less of them recently, though. His shot attempt average has fallen each month since February, and his latest 38-point game was his highest total in more than two months.The two-time NBA scoring champion bristled at the idea that he was ever passive.
“I don’t run the show on any team I’ve ever been a part of, I’m just a player – one of the guys,” Durant said. “So, whatever the coach asks me to do I have to be prepared for it. I don’t pass up shots, I just play within the offense”Golden State’s new playoff offense is set to look a lot like its old one – with Durant at the forefront. His team mates are prepared to feed off of his potency.“He came out super aggressive and in kill mode (Thursday). That was all the difference for us,” Golden State forward Draymond Green said.
“How many people can stop Kevin if Kevin don’t want to be stopped?”The Warriors and their opponents are about to find out.
(Editing by Ed Osmond)
Source: OANN
Apr 18, 2019; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (5) checks St. Louis Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz (17) in the first period in game five of the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell MTS Place. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports
April 19, 2019
Jaden Schwartz scored with 15 seconds remaining in the third period Thursday as the St. Louis Blues recorded the fifth straight road win in their Western Conference first-round series with a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 5.
Tyler Bozak wired a centering feed from along the right-wing boards to Schwartz, who batted the puck out of the air and past Connor Hellebuyck to stun the crowd in Winnipeg. The Blues will look to close out the best-of-seven series at home on Saturday night.
St. Louis overcame a 2-0, third-period deficit as Brayden Schenn collected a goal and an assist and linemate Ryan O’Reilly scored on the power play. Rookie Jordan Binnington finished with 29 saves for the Blues.
Winnipeg’s Adam Lowry scored 12 seconds into the contest and Kevin Hayes also tallied in the first period.
Hurricanes 2, Capitals 1
Petr Mrazek made 30 saves as Carolina evened the series against Washington with a victory in Raleigh, N.C.
Warren Foegele, who scored on the game’s first shift, and Teuvo Teravainen notched goals for the Hurricanes, who never trailed for the second straight game.
Alex Ovechkin posted the goal for Washington, which lost T.J. Oshie to a possible arm injury after a hit from behind by Foegele. Capitals coach Todd Reirden later said Oshie “won’t be playing any time soon.”
Sharks 5, Golden Knights 2
Tomas Hertl scored two goals, and Martin Jones made 30 saves as San Jose avoided elimination with a victory over visiting Vegas in Game 5 of a Western Conference quarterfinal series.
The Golden Knights, up 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, will try again to clinch in Game 6 on Sunday in Las Vegas.
Joe Pavelski had a goal and an assist, and Logan Couture and Barclay Goodrow also scored goals for San Jose. Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith scored for the Golden Knights.
–Field Level Media
Source: OANN
FILE PHOTO: People shop at Macy’s Department store in New York City, U.S., March 11, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
April 18, 2019
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – U.S. retail sales increased by the most in 1-1/2 years in March as households boosted purchases of motor vehicles and a range of other goods, the latest indication that economic growth picked up in the first quarter after a false start.
The Commerce Department said on Thursday retail sales surged 1.6 percent last month. That was the biggest increase since September 2017 and followed an unrevised 0.2 percent drop in February.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales would accelerate 0.9 percent in March. Retail sales in March advanced 3.6 percent from a year ago.
With March’s rebound, retail sales have now erased December’s plunge, which had put consumer spending and the overall economy on a sharply lower growth trajectory. Retail sales last month were probably lifted by tax refunds, even though they have been smaller than in previous years, following the revamping of the U.S. tax code in January 2018.
Excluding automobiles, gasoline, building materials and food services, retail sales rebounded 1.0 percent in March after a downwardly revised 0.3 percent decline in February. These so-called core retail sales correspond most closely with the consumer spending component of gross domestic product.
They were previously reported to have decreased 0.2 percent in February. Consumer spending accounts for more than two-thirds of economic activity, and strong core retail sales in March could result in the further upgrading of first-quarter GDP estimates.
Growth forecasts for the first quarter were boosted to around a 2.4 percent annualized rate on Wednesday after data showed the U.S. trade deficit narrowed for a second straight month in February.
First-quarter growth forecasts have been raised from as low as a 0.5 percent rate following fairly upbeat reports on trade, inventories and construction spending. The economy grew at a 2.2 percent pace in the fourth quarter.
A report from the Federal Reserve on Wednesday described the economic activity as expanding “at a slight-to-moderate pace in March and early April. The Fed’s “Beige Book” report of anecdotal information on business activity collected from contacts nationwide showed a “few” of the U.S. central bank’s districts reported “some strengthening.”
Stronger growth in the first quarter will probably not change the view that the economy will slow this year as the stimulus from a $1.5 trillion tax cut package diminishes and the impact of interest rates hikes over the last few years lingers.
In March, sales at auto dealerships jumped 3.1 percent, the most since September 2017. Receipts at service stations increased 3.5 percent, likely reflecting higher gasoline prices. Sales at building materials and garden equipment and supplies dealers rose 0.3 percent.
Receipts at clothing stores shot up 2.0 percent, the largest increase since last May. There were also increases in sales at furniture outlets, electronics and appliances shops, and food and beverage stores.
Online and mail-order retail sales increased 1.2 percent last month. Sales at restaurants and bars rose 0.8 percent, the most since last July. But receipts at hobby, musical instrument and book stores fell 0.3 percent.
(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani Editing by Paul Simao)
Source: OANN
FILE PHOTO: Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., April 9, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
April 18, 2019
(Reuters) – Following are five big themes likely to dominate thinking of investors and traders in the coming week and the Reuters stories related to them.
1/CENTRAL PLANNING
The 100 years since the Fed’s creation in 1913 is said to be the century of central banking. Well, since the 2008-2009 crisis, we’ve certainly lived through a decade of central banking. But with monetary policy taken to the limit to lift growth and inflation, can central banks do any more?
Of late, some of the economic and business confidence data is giving rise to hopes rate-setters might just be able to hold fire on further action for now. German and Japanese PMIs ticked modestly higher from March, and from China to the United States, the hope is that spring will bring some green shoots on the economic front. Central banks in Japan, Canada and Sweden hold meetings in coming days so we may get some clues on what they are thinking.
ECB Vice President Luis de Guindos and Olli Rehn, widely tipped to succeed ECB Governor Mario Draghi, will also be quizzed on the subject at upcoming speeches, especially since sources tell Reuters “a significant minority” of ECB rate-setters doubt any recovery is underway. Central bankers in Australia and New Zealand have sounded similarly gloomy. A decade of central banking and planning is not over yet
(GRAPHIC: ECB balance sheet – https://tmsnrt.rs/2Hz4sUC)
(GRAPHIC: The Federal Reserve’s balance sheet – https://tmsnrt.rs/2ULcay0)
2/GDP NOW!
The working thesis through the early months of 2019 was that U.S. economic growth would continue to tail off as tailwinds faded from last year’s $1.5 trillion tax cut and headwinds picked up from a weaker global economy, partial federal government shutdown and trade wars. Indeed, that looked to be the case as most economic data through the first quarter fell short of forecasts. As a result, Citigroup’s U.S. economic surprise index came to near the most negative in around two years.
But one closely tracked gauge of quarterly gross domestic product, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s GDPNow model, has rebounded sharply in recent weeks and may be signaling that the advance reading of first quarter GDP may not be quite so grim.
A month ago, GDPNow estimated an annualized 0.2 percent growth, which would have been the lowest since a one-off GDP contraction in the first 2014 quarter. Now the model forecasts quarterly growth will come in at 2.4 percent. That would not only top current estimates of 1.8 percent but would mean growth actually accelerated from the fourth quarter’s 2.2 percent.
One factor behind the turnaround was a surprise narrowing in the U.S. trade deficit as Chinese imports plunged in the face of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. By some estimates, trade could now contribute as much as one percentage point to first quarter GDP after being a washout in the fourth quarter.
(GRAPHIC: U.S. GDP – in for a surprise? – https://tmsnrt.rs/2VPQsJN)
3/CORNER KICK
As we said above, central banks don’t have much ammunition left in their arsenal. The toolbox is probably lightest at the Bank of Japan.
At the G20 meeting in Washington, BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said he was ready to expand monetary stimulus if needed. But he also said he had no plans to change the central bank’s forward guidance, or the message it sends to signal policy intentions to financial markets. To many, that sounded like a man backed into a corner.
Kuroda has a chance to prove otherwise at the upcoming BOJ meeting. Expectations are thin though, given the BOJ’s balance sheet is already bigger than the country’s economy and Japanese financial institutions are suffering immense pain from the prolonged monetary easing.
The world’s No. 3 economy may have contracted in the first quarter, and whether it recovers depends much on first, whether China recovers too and second, on whether the trade conflict between the other two powers sharing the podium reaches a resolution.
(GRAPHIC: BOJ’s bloated balance sheet limits further easing – https://tmsnrt.rs/2DjVE16)
3/TAKING A DIP IN EUROPE
The United States is widely seen as heading into an earnings recession (defined as two straight quarters of negative year-on-year earnings growth) but Europe might, at least for now, escape one.
European firms are expected to deliver their first quarter of negative earnings growth since 2016 – the latest I/B/E/S Refinitiv analysis predicts Q1 earnings to fall 3.4 percent year-on-year. But it expects results to pick up again in Q2.
So despite this quarter’s poor outcome, hopes for a bounce-back could keep equities buoyant. After all, sentiment is already rock bottom – investors surveyed by Bank of America Merrill Lynch named “short European equities” the most crowded trade for the second month running.
The auto sector will be in focus in coming days with a flurry of earnings from Michelin, Continental, Daimler, Peugeot, and Renault. These stocks are particularly sensitive to growth in China and will be watched as the stirrings of a recovery were felt in recent Chinese GDP data .
(GRAPHIC: Earnings chart latest April 17 – https://tmsnrt.rs/2Ip8LCj)
5/ RUSSIAN ROULETTE
The past two years have seen an increasingly bitter rift open up between President Donald Trump’s Republican supporters and his Democrat critics over the alleged collusion between Russia and Trump’s campaign in the 2016 U.S. election.
That may not be defused even after Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s 400-page report on the subject is unveiled by Atttorney General William Barr. He has already told lawmakers the investigation “did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.”
But that is unlikely to stop U.S. politicians from continuing their clamor for sanctions against Russia. As for investors, their appetite for Russian assets has not so far been dented. After plummeting last year, foreign buying of rouble-denominated government bonds has recovered sharply so it remains to be seen whether that bullishness continues.
Meanwhile, Ukraine — the reason behind the original 2014 sanctions on Russia — looks set to elect comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy as president. Could the election of a new leader bring about some rapprochement between Kiev and Moscow? Watch this space.
(GRAPHIC: Foreign investors dipping their toes back in OFZs – https://tmsnrt.rs/2XiDZyC)
(Reporting by Dan Burns in New York, Marius Zaharia in Hong Kong; Sujata Rao, Helen Reid and Tom Arnold in London; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Source: OANN
FILE PHOTO: Japan’s Minister of Economic Revitalization Toshimitsu Motegi speaks during the signing agreement ceremony for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, in Santiago, Chile March 8, 2018. REUTERS/Rodrigo Garrido
April 18, 2019
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Thursday he might travel to the United States next week to meet U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
If a meeting does take place, it would happen before a summit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump, Motegi added.
Motegi and Lighthizer are negotiating for a trade pact the U.S. government hopes will lower its trade deficit.
(Reporting by Stanley White; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Source: OANN
Apr 11, 2019; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund (11) chases after Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) during the third period in game one of the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome. Flames won 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
April 18, 2019
Mikko Rantanen’s second goal of the game was the overtime winner as the Colorado Avalanche erased a two-goal deficit and beat the Calgary Flames 3-2 Wednesday night in Denver.
The result put the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed, Calgary, on the brink of elimination in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Avalanche lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. Game 5 will be Friday in Calgary.
Shortly after the Flames failed to convert on a power play, the Avalanche raced up the ice, and Carl Soderberg fed Rantanen a cross-ice pass that he one-timed for the winner. Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer made 35 saves, while Calgary netminder Mike Smith stopped 49 shots.
After a scoreless first period, Calgary’s Elias Lindholm broke the deadlock with a power-play goal 3:25 into the second. Derek Ryan doubled the Calgary lead at 6:58 of the third period. The Avalanche’s J.T. Compher scored 72 seconds later on a rebound, then Rantanen tied the game with a power-play goal with 2:50 remaining in regulation.
Bruins 6, Maple Leafs 4
David Pastrnak scored twice, Brad Marchand added a goal and two assists, and visiting Boston held on to defeat Toronto to even the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series at two games apiece.
Charlie McAvoy had a goal and an assist, and Zdeno Chara and Joakim Nordstrom each scored once for the Bruins, who will host Game 5 in the best-of-seven series on Friday.
Auston Matthews scored twice for Toronto, and Zach Hyman and Travis Dermott each scored once. Morgan Rielly added two assists for Toronto. Tuukka Rask made 38 saves for Boston while Toronto’s Frederik Andersen stopped 25 shots.
Stars 5, Predators 1
Rookie Roope Hintz scored his first two career postseason goals as host Dallas cruised to victory over Nashville in Game 4 to even their Western Conference first-round series.
Alexander Radulov and Mats Zuccarello joined Hintz in scoring on the power play, and Andrew Cogliano also tallied for the Stars, whose four goals in the first period were one shy of the franchise record for a single period in the playoffs.
John Klingberg notched three assists, fellow defenseman Esa Lindell had two, and Ben Bishop made 34 saves for Dallas, which travels to Nashville for Game 5 on Saturday afternoon. Pekka Rinne, who made 40 saves in a 3-2 win over the Stars in Game 3 on Monday, yielded four goals on eight shots before being relieved by Juuse Saros (20 saves).
–Field Level Media
Source: OANN
NFL Football – Super Bowl LIII – New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. – February 3, 2019. New England Patriots’ Tom Brady before the match. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
April 18, 2019
The NFL’s schedule release is like Christmas morning — that is, if after unwrapping all of your gifts, you sat and stared at them for 4 1/2 months before unboxing the goods.
With Wednesday night’s unveiling, we can finally start circling the calendar, counting the days and drooling over the best 2019 battles to come.
You don’t need me to tell you to watch the rematches of last season’s conference championships — Saints at Rams in Week 2, Chiefs at Patriots in Week 14 — but here are a few others you absolutely should not miss.
1. Patriots at Eagles — Week 11, Sunday, Nov. 17
Not only is this a rematch of Super Bowl LII, a battle of the last two Super Bowl winners and the first meeting between Tom Brady and Carson Wentz, but it’s also the next installment of a very strange head-to-head history.
These teams have faced each other just 14 times total, with two of those coming in the Super Bowl. The five meetings since 2003 have pitted Brady against five different quarterbacks, with very odd results.
Brady outlasted Donovan McNabb in Super Bowl XXXIX but needed a fourth-quarter rally to keep 2007’s perfect season alive against A.J. Feeley, of all people. The Patriots rallied from a 10-0 deficit to beat Vince Young (!) and the “Dream Team” Eagles in 2011, then blew a 14-0 lead at home to Sam Bradford, Chip Kelly & Co. in 2015, as Philadelphia scored three non-offensive touchdowns.
Of course, Nick Foles & Co. won Super Bowl LII — which featured the most combined yards (1,151) in a game in NFL history — despite Brady throwing for 505 yards and the Patriots never punting.
The star power at quarterback is reason enough to watch. The possibility of something strange happening only makes it more fascinating.
2. Colts at Chiefs — Week 5, Sunday night, Oct. 6
This game is a rematch from January’s divisional playoffs. Let’s also hope it’s the second of many installments in a Patrick Mahomes vs. Andrew Luck rivalry.
When Father Time eventually ousts Brady in a 12-round split decision, not only will there be a superstar vacuum to fill, but the battle for AFC supremacy will be more open than it’s been in two decades. These two quarterbacks (ahem … Baker Mayfield and Deshaun Watson also would like a word) are the most likely future rulers of the conference. We can only hope Mahomes vs. Luck becomes a rivalry half as historic as Manning vs. Brady.
As for meeting No. 2, the Colts should be awfully dangerous. Luck is further removed from his lost 2017 season, and a coaching staff that was duct-taped together on the fly last January (thanks, Josh McDaniels) has had another year to jell after an outstanding debut season. With former Chiefs pass rusher Justin Houston aboard and Chris Ballard’s war chest of draft picks, Indy’s defense should make major strides under rising coordinator Matt Eberflus.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, have a ton to prove despite an excellent 2018 campaign. Almost no offense that reached the level they did last season has been able to sustain it year after year, while the defense lost Dee Ford and Eric Berry in addition to Houston.
3. Rams at Browns — Week 3, Sunday night, Sept. 22
This will be the Browns’ first time hosting a non-Thursday night prime-time game since 2015, and their first time hosting a Sunday night game since — amazingly — 2008.
It’s easy to forget because they’ve had so little to cheer for in ages, but Cleveland fans are among the most devoted in football. With the Browns’ expectations suddenly pointing skyward, FirstEnergy Stadium will be electric when the reigning NFC champions come to town.
Freddie Kitchens and Mayfield will try to break down Wade Phillips’ scheme while hoping Joel Bitonio & Co. can hold up long enough against reigning two-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald. On the back end, the team that tried to trade for Odell Beckham Jr. last offseason will be tasked with slowing him down, likely with heavy doses of Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters.
Meanwhile, Steve Wilks’ defense faces one of its toughest tests of the season against Sean McVay, as freakish young star Myles Garrett battles crafty veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth to get to Jared Goff.
4. Cowboys at Saints — Week 4, Sunday night, Sept. 29
This might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but last year’s Thursday night meeting in Week 13 at Dallas was like a bar-room brawl you couldn’t turn away from. The Cowboys’ defense, led by blossoming star linebackers Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch, battered the previously red-hot Saints offense and delivered the first major blow to Drew Brees’ MVP candidacy.
New Orleans getting robbed of a Super Bowl LIII appearance overshadowed a suspect finishing stretch from Brees, who averaged just 6.7 yards per attempt with seven touchdowns and five interceptions from Week 13 through the postseason. No one is arguing he’s washed up, but when the end arrives for quarterbacks, it does so swiftly and with little warning.
Jared Cook gives Brees his most dynamic tight end since Jimmy Graham was traded in 2015, but trusted center Max Unger retired, and Mark Ingram is also gone. The Week 4 rematch with Dallas’ defense should be an excellent barometer for where Brees stands early in his 19th NFL season.
5. Vikings at Chiefs — Week 9, Sunday, Nov. 3
It’s easy to overlook Minnesota after 2018 went sideways, but the Vikings still have one of the NFL’s best rosters. If they can piece together a respectable offensive line, they could be a juggernaut.
Most fascinating in this battle is the clash of Andy Reid’s offense and Mike Zimmer’s defense. Zimmer’s unit dictates terms to opposing offenses more than any other NFL defense, using a terrifying front four, finely tuned coverage rotations and a litany of blitzes to punish opposing quarterbacks.
But trying to dictate to the Chiefs’ offense is dangerous because Reid has so many answers. He routinely creates six- and even five-man boxes to run against through spread formations and packaged plays. He also feasts on zone coverage by getting Tyreek Hill inside against linebackers and safeties.
There should be fireworks against Zimmer’s aggressive, flat-footed zones, but Harrison Smith & Co. should also force Mahomes into a few turnovers.
–David DeChant, Field Level Media
Source: OANN
FILE PHOTO: A man looks at an electronic board showing the Nikkei stock index outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan, January 7, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
April 18, 2019
By Daniel Leussink
TOKYO (Reuters) – Asian shares were subdued on Thursday after a negative performance on Wall Street, with caution ahead of business surveys in Europe and Japan, and the Good Friday and Easter holidays keeping investors on the sidelines.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan inched up 0.08 percent, trading just below its highest since late July 2018 brushed on Wednesday.
Australian shares advanced a quarter of a percent while Japan’s Nikkei was a shade lower.
“We’re in this kind of hiatus in the global economy,” said Chris Weston, head of research at foreign exchange brokerage Pepperstone in Melbourne.
“People are starting to believe that we’re going to see better times in the second quarter and probably into the third quarter as well, and that perhaps the first quarter has been that trough.”
Wall Street shares ended in the red on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 falling 0.2 percent as a drop in healthcare equities outweighed upbeat economic data from the United States and China.
The U.S. trade deficit fell to an eight-month low in February as imports from China plunged, data on Wednesday showed.
Separate figures from China earlier in the day showed the world’s second-largest economy grew at a steady 6.4 percent pace in the first quarter, defying forecasts for a slowdown. Attention is now turning to how much more stimulus Beijing will apply without triggering more financial risks.
Investors’ immediate focus turned to the release of Purchasing Managers Indexes (PMIs) for the manufacturing and service sectors in Europe later on Thursday to provide more clues on the strength of the euro zone economy.
“It’s going to be interesting to see if we see some stabilization there in line with what we’ve been seeing in the stabilization in the Chinese data flow,” said Pepperstone’s Weston.
A flash manufacturing reading will also be released for Japan.
YEN NEAR 2019 LOW
Market participants are also eyeing signs of progress in U.S.-China trade negotiations.
Washington and Beijing set a tentative timeline for a fresh round of face-to-face meetings ahead of a possible signing ceremony in late May or early June, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Attorney General William Barr is set to hold a news conference at 1330 GMT to discuss the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential race.
“The lack of love for the yen, I suppose, is just telling us that people aren’t seeing this as a general risk event,” said Pepperstone’s Weston.
“It’s probably worth keeping a beady eye in case something really does come out that shocks market into life.”
In the currency market, the safe-haven yen was slightly up at 112.00 yen per dollar, sitting just above a near four-month low of 112.17 brushed overnight.
The euro ticked up to $1.1297, while the Australian dollar was 0.1 percent lower at $0.7173 ahead of job data (0130 GMT).
The dollar index held steady at 97.019 after ending the previous session basically unchanged.
In commodity markets, oil prices were slightly lower as U.S. government data overnight showed inventories drew down less than an industry report had suggested on Tuesday.
U.S. crude was last down 8 cents at $63.68 a barrel, while global benchmark Brent crude futures dipped 7 cents to $71.55.
Spot gold held steady at $1,274.60 per ounce, hovering near its lowest for the year.
(Editing by Kim Coghill)
Source: OANN
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