Bloomberg - Evening Briefing - ‘Squeeze contagion’

Evening Briefing
Bloomberg

The Fed had a rate decision Wednesday (they held), but all anyone wants to talk about is the crazy ascent of video game store GameStop. The rise of homebound amateur traders is forcing Wall Street, especially short sellers, to pay attention as established players are squeezed by an army of Reddit bros. Robinhood faced disruptions while TD Ameritrade curbed GameStop trades. Other retail stocks are getting a boost from this effect, like AMC, bankrupt Blockbuster and Tootsie Roll. The White House says it’s monitoring the situation, but there may be bigger, related fish to fry. In a stock market where every day seemed to bring new records, there now  seems to be concern that equities are—wait for it—overvalued. The S&P 500 fell by more than 2.5% while the Dow slid by 2%. Could this be GameStop and fear of a “squeeze contagion?” Here’s your markets wrap. —Margaret Sutherlin

Bloomberg is tracking the progress of coronavirus vaccines while mapping the pandemic globally and across America

Here are today’s top stories  

Apple raked in $100 billion last quarter. So naturally, its shares fell. The reason? A cautious outlook from the iPhone maker’s executives. The stock declined almost 3% in extended trading.

President Joe Biden announced executive actions aimed at curbing drilling (after approving dozens of drilling projects) and reining in fossil-fuel subsidies. The Democrat pitched his climate policies as an employment plan for the decimated U.S. labor market. New climate czar and former Senator John Kerry, just one leader of a sprawling climate team, spoke at the World Economic Forum, calling for “scrutiny and measurement” of global climate pledges to make sure they’re sufficiently robust. He used the opportunity to take a swipe at China.

John Kerry, special presidential envoy for climate, speaks during a news conference at the White House on Jan. 27.

Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg

A new poll shows more Americans want to get a Covid-19 vaccine than did just a few months ago. Biden pledged another 200 million more doses in shortish-order, but to inoculate everyone 16 and older, the U.S. needs 500 million doses. The best chance for a dramatic supply increase may come from Johnson & Johnson. In the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson indicated the strict lockdown to control the variant there may go through at least March. AstraZeneca plans a global trial studying the time between the initial Covid-19 vaccination and the booster shot. But its vaccine has yet to be approved in the U.S., while the European Union failed to resolve its dispute with the drugmaker over its supply. Here’s the latest on the pandemic

Global debt exploded by $19.5 trillion last year. In a world where rock-bottom interest rates have kept debt costs manageable, borrowing isn’t just necessary but affordable. But if rates rise faster or higher than expected, the end of the Covid-19 crisis could mark the beginning of a reckoning. Here’s what could happen when the bill comes due.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts’ refusal to preside over the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump is giving Republicans cover for opposing the proceedings, in which Trump is accused of inciting a deadly insurrection.

U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts presiding over the first impeachment trial of Donald Trump on Jan. 21, 2020.

Photographer: Handout/Getty Images North America

A $1.9 trillion Covid relief package is stalled in Congress as Republican support dwindles, potentially forcing Democrats to push on alone. Biden, who wanted a bipartisan bill, plans to assess “the impact of delay” for further Covid relief. House Democrats plan to activate a budget process next week to fast-track votes on parts of Biden’s plan

Tesla shares slid 4.3% in post-market trading after the electric carmaker reported a lower-than-expected profits (though it was its sixth consecutive quarter of making those profits). 

What you’ll need to know tomorrow 

What you’ll want to read in Bloomberg Investing

Should You Also Be Buying GameStop?

You know hype can be dangerous. You know stock picking is risky, and you’re unlikely to beat the market consistently. So you maxed out your 401(k) contributions, you bought some low-cost index funds. And you’re socking away cash for a rainy day. And yet... hang on. Read this first

Like getting the Evening Briefing? Subscribe to Bloomberg.com for unlimited access to trusted, data-driven journalism and gain expert analysis from exclusive subscriber-only newsletters.

The Road to Net Zero: Many corporations and investors are seeking to align with the Paris Agreement’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Join us Feb. 16 as we examine the major industries taking action, how they will finance the transition and how we can work together to achieve net zero. Sponsored by TD Bank. Register here.

Download the Bloomberg app: It’s available for iOS and Android.

Before it’s here, it’s on the Bloomberg Terminal. Find out more about how the Terminal delivers information and analysis that financial professionals can’t find anywhere else. Learn more.

Older messages

Putin gets an earful

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Bloomberg Follow Us Get the newsletter Vladimir Putin got an earful from President Joe Biden on Tuesday. After years of relative silence from Donald Trump, who was often assailed for his reluctance to

Black steps back

Monday, January 25, 2021

Bloomberg Follow Us Get the newsletter Moderna plans to begin human studies of a booster shot for its vaccine to help protect against a more-transmissible South Africa variant of the coronavirus, one

Biden’s disasters

Saturday, January 23, 2021

Bloomberg Follow Us Get the newsletter The scenes from the first day of Joe Biden's presidency unfolded against the backdrop of a devastated US economy, continuing fallout from a white supremacist

Wall Street’s warning

Friday, January 22, 2021

Bloomberg Follow Us Get the newsletter Wall Street has some thoughts on how New York should handle the Covid vaccination process. Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Citigroup and KKR executives are pressing

A third vaccine

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Bloomberg Follow Us Get the newsletter President Joe Biden unveiled his strategy for combatting the coronavirus, including triggering the Defense Production Act. But he also warned that—while US

You Might Also Like

After inauguration, it's time to talk taxes

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

plus toad fashion + Post Malone ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

Harry's Take 1-15-25 Stocks Look to Break Lower: Another Sign of a Top on December 16

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Harry's Take January 15, 2025 Stocks Look to Break Lower: Another Sign of a Top on December 16 As we go into the new year, already with signs of a failed Santa Claus Rally and a failed first 5

🇺🇸 America's tariff future

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

A possible go-slow approach to tariffs, a spending worry for China, and the next obesity drugs | Finimize TOGETHER WITH Hi Reader, here's what you need to know for January 15th in 3:14 minutes. The

It’s a new year, get a new savings account

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Earn more with high-yield options! ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

Private Equity Is Coming for Your 401(k)

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

The industry wants in on Americans' $13 trillion in savings ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

This Skateboarding Economist Suggests We Need More Skateparks And Less Capitalism

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

A skateboarder presented an unusual paper at this year's big meeting of American economists. View this email online Planet Money Skateonomics by Greg Rosalsky “The Skateboarding Ethic and the

Elon Musk Dreams, Mode Mobile Delivers

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Join the EarnPhone revolution ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Shaping inflation expectations: the effects of monetary policy

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Natalie Burr In economic theory, expectations of future inflation are an important determinant of inflation, making them a key variable of interest for monetary policy makers. But is there empirical

🌎 Another hottest year

Monday, January 13, 2025

Global temperatures crossed a threshold, oil prices bubbled up, and crypto's AI agents | Finimize Hi Reader, here's what you need to know for January 14th in 3:06 minutes. Oil prices climbed

Have you seen the Best Cars & Trucks of 2025?

Monday, January 13, 2025

Get a quote and protect your new wheels with Amica Insurance ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌