AFN News December 10

 

ABC NEWS  DECEMBER 10, 2020

                        

1)             From ABC News, I am Michelle Franzen.  A COVID vaccine from Pfizer will be reviewed tomorrow by the FDA.  It could be the start of the US turning the corner in this pandemic.  Colorado’s Governor Jared Polis, one of the many state leaders anticipating the first doses once approved; “And we’re ready.  Last week we got confirmation that Colorado’s first allocation should be 46,800 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.” 

 

2)             But heath experts are warning that the initial round will not help the surge of cases and hospitalizations playing out now nationwide.  California has stay-at-home orders.  The state topping 30,000 cases in just the past day.

 

3)             The House approved the one-week funding bill to avert a government shutdown just moments ago.  It moves on now to the Senate.  It will also give lawmakers some time to strike a deal on a new COVID relief package remaining benefits under the CARES Act expired at the end of this year.

 

4)             President-elect Joe Biden formerly named his choice for defense secretary.  “Retired General Lloyd Austin understands he will no longer be in armed forces enlisted member, but a civilian, answering to the president and the voters, ‘with a deep appreciation, and reverence for the prevailing wisdom of civilian control of our military’.  General Austin used to first as an African American, and if confirmed, becoming the nation’s only black defense secretary.  Andy Field, ABC News, Washington.”

 

5)             The federal government and nearly every state hitting Facebook with lawsuits.  “The Federal Trade Commission asked a judge to order Facebook to divest its Instagram and WhatsApp services to restore competition to social networking.  ‘It’s really critically important that again we block this predatory acquisition of companies’; New York Attorney General Tish (Letitia) James and 45 other state attorneys general filed a related lawsuit that accused Facebook of abusing its market power to crash rivals.  ‘By restoring competition of lawsuits, we hope consumers have alternatives to Facebook.’  Facebook said the government cleared its acquisitions years ago, and now wants to do-over.”  You’re listening to ABC News.

 

 

6-1)  I’m Connell McShane.  This is the Fox Business report.

      “Stocks finishing lower as investors away progress on a fresh economic stimulus deal at Washington.  Big tech companies among the biggest laggers, drugging down the tech heavy Nasdaq.  The Dow winners; Home Depot, 3M, Goldman Sachs.  The decliners; Apple, Boeing, Salesforce.  On Wall Street by the numbers, the Dow finishing off 109, the Nasdaq down 244, while the S&P is down 30.

 

6-2)  Shares of DoorDash surging on the first day of trading on Wall Street after the food delivery company completed one of the biggest initial public offerings for the year.  The company closing in 187 bucks, which is over 83% up from the IPO price.

 

6-3)  Facebook stock falling 2%.  The company was hit with lawsuits from (for) Federal Trade Commission in 48 states.  They claim the social media giant is committing anti-competitive acts that put its rivals out of business.

That’s your Fox Business report.  I’m Tom Gram, invested in you.”

AFN News December 3

 

AFN NEWS

Thursday, December 3, 2020

 

1) From ABC News, I’m Chuck Sivertsen. Not a moment too soon, Britain has approved Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine. An American official said the FDA will do so also in the U.S. next week. This as CDC director Robert Redfield says before any large-scale inoculations are available. “We are facing what he calls dark days this month, next month, and in February with lots more deaths.” “We’re potentially looking at, you know, another 150,000 to 200,000 people before we get into February. So, this is really a significant time,” Dr. Redfield at a Chamber of Commerce online event, encouraging everyone to get vaccinated. President Obama, “If Anthony Fauci tells me this vaccine is safe and can vaccinate, immunize you from getting COVID, absolutely I’m gonna take it.”

2) There seems to be some more interests in Washington on passing COVID relief before lawmakers go home for the holidays. President-elect Joe Biden talking online with small business owners about the help they need. “House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer speaking with Senet Majority Leader Mitch McConnell today about next week’s schedule. The two being in agreement that legislative business should conclude by next Thursday to give members enough time to head home in quarantine before the Christmas holidays.” ABC’s Alex Fussey.

3) Last night on Twitter, the President threatened to veto billions in military spending. “If the President vetoes the defense spending bill, it could stop more than a million service members from getting their paycheck, but the President claims he will do that unless Congress removes social-media liability protections that he’s upset about when they censor him. Reporters asking Spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany about it. ‘Yes, the President is serious about it.’ Mr. Trump also threatening the defense veto if congress tries removing military base Confederate war names. Andy Field, ABC News, Washington.

4) Pittsburg Steelers - Baltimore Ravens playing today with COVID-caused absences, four in the Steelers and over dozen players in the Ravens. You’re listening to ABC News.

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I’m Connell McShane. This is the Fox Business Report.

Stocks finishing mixed with the S&P 500 notching a new record close on COVID-19 vaccine optimism. The Dow winners; Boeing, Goldman Sachs and UnitedHealth. The Dow decliners; Salesforce, McDonald’s and Home Depot. The Dow rising 60 points, the Nasdaq down 6, S&P 500 up 7. // And more troubles brewing on the high season: Norwegian cruise Lines said they it will extend suspension of all cruises until at least the beginning of March 2021. // And the U.K. has granted emergency use authorization for Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and could begin distribution to the most vulnerable populations in a matter of days. // And Salesforce, one of the Dow’s biggest losers today, its stocks tumbling 9% after the cloud computing company confirmed that it has agreed to buy work tool software pioneer Slack Technologies for $27.7 billion.

That’s your Fox Business Report. I’m Hilarie Barsky, invested in you.

                                                       

AFN NEWS November 26

 

AFN NEWS

Thursday, November 26, 2020

1) From ABC News, I’m Michelle Franzen. It’s 2020 but 2016 is on the President’s agenda issuing a pardon for his former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. “The President tweeting it’s his honor to grant General Michael Flynn a full pardon. Flynn is the National Security adviser who pledged guilty to lying to the FBI about contact with Russia and discussing sanctions before President Trump took office. General Flynn also admitted to violating foreign lobbying laws on behalf of Turkey. President Trump tweeting, ‘Congratulations to General Flynn and his wonderful family,’ and that he will now have a truly fantastic Thanksgiving.” ABC’s Andy Field.

 

2) The President has not conceded this election year’s race. The Biden transition moving ahead. Joe Biden scheduled to receive his first intelligence briefing next week, and on this Thanksgiving eve, Biden focusing on the challenges for the country in this pandemic and loss. President-elect Joe Biden with a heartfelt Thanksgiving message to Americans who’ve lost a loved one. “For those who’ve lost a loved one, I know that this time of year can be especially difficult. Believe me, I know.” Biden lost his first wife and baby in car crash and his son Beau to cancer. The President-elect also uses his Thanksgiving address to reassure Americans that America would win the war against COVID-19 and urged the public not to give in to COVID fatigue. __ __, ABC News, Washington.

 

3) Coronavirus cases surging nationwide with 88,000 Americans hospitalized yesterday. And 778,000 Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week. Around the country, the number of those facing food insecurity is on the rise. Ryan Michelle and his wife relying on food banks for the first time in their lives. “It’s not bad when you think about, during the depression what all the people got was a bowl of soup, you know. I think, you know, we’re doing much better, you know, today.” You’re listening to ABC News.

 

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I’m Charles Payne and this is the Fox Business Report.

Wall Street closing mostly lower, getting back some gains from Tuesday’s record-setting climb. The Nasdaq now did hit a new record closing high. The Dow Jones Industrials slipping below the 30,000 mark just a day after crossing that milestone for the first time ever. Wall Street by the numbers today. The Dow down 174 points, the S&P 500 slipped 6, but the Nasdaq did manage to climb to a new record high, up 58 points to 12,094. // Economic news; the second of three estimates on U.S. growth for the July-September quarter is unchanged, a record pace of 33.1%. The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose by 30,000 last week, 778,000 second straight weekly rise. Commerce Department reports a sluggish half percent rise in consumer spending last month and it’s the weakest rise since April.

That’s your Fox Business Report. I’m Tom Graham, invested in you.

                                                       

AFN News November 19

 

AFN NEWS

Thursday, November 19, 2020

 

1) From ABC News, I’m Michelle Franzen. On track, Georgia election officials say they are nearly finished with its audit hand count of some 5 million ballots, the deadline tonight. The state’s voting system implementation manager Gabriel Sterling. “So, we are still in good shape on getting to our intention, which was to meet the midnight tonight deadline, now obviously and that backtrack of 21 counties. They are some of the biggest counties.” President-elect Joe Biden retaining the lead in the state.

 

2) The Trump campaign continuing to launch legal challenges, the latest in Wisconsin asking and paying to have recounts in Milwaukee and Dane counties. It comes a day after Republican delegates in Michigan’s Wayne County which includes the city of Detroit tried to hold back on certifying votes for that county, then, backtracked. ABC’s political director Rick Klein tells us the campaign is looking at Democratic strongholds. “If you look at how the Trump campaign and Republicans generally are targeting areas, they are raising questions about. It is overwhelmingly Black communities.” Biden leads in Michigan also by 20,000 votes, Wisconsin by 20,000 votes.

 

2) Coronavirus cases raging across states. The Florida Health Department reports cases now topped 900,000. A course of health experts and state leaders urging Americans to scale back or postpone large gatherings for the holidays even with word that two vaccines are on the horizon. “HHS says they expect to begin distributing a vaccine within 24 hours of approval as it’s been preparing stockpiles of vaccine candidate in anticipation. HHS Secretary Alex Azar says the federal government has also been working with states, territories and major cities to make the vaccine accessible. ‘The ultimate goal here is to make getting a COVID-19 vaccine as convenient as getting a flu shot.’ He says they are also partnering with nationwide pharmacy chains and networks as well as nursing homes to allow them to administer the vaccine.” ABC’s Mark Remillard reporting. You’re listening to ABC News.

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I’m Connell McShane. This is the Fox Business Report.  

Stocks reversing course from earlier gains, and losing steams in the final-hour of trading on worries about rising coronavirus cases and lockdown restriction, which overshadowed positive developments on the coronavirus vaccine front. Healthcare, energy, utilities among the biggest laggers. The Dow winners; Caterpillar, Goldman Sachs and Salesforce. The Dow decliners; UnitedHealth and Boeing. Take a look at Wall Street by the numbers. The Dow finishing off 346 points, the Nasdaq down 98, while the S&P was down 42. Lowe’s sales surging in the third quarter. People took on projects at home during the pandemic. Relevant stocks fell 8% today. Some encouraging news on the housing front; home building increasing nearly 5% in October, more than expected as the housing market continues to be driven by record low mortgage rates.

That’s your Fox Business Report. I’m Tom Graham, invested in you.

AFN News November 12

 

AFN NEWS

Thursday, November 12, 2020

1) From ABC News, I’m Michelle Franzen. The nation at a turning point and in limbo; the vote continuing in undecided states with Joe Biden leading and the electoral votes showing him the apparent president-elect. President Trump and his campaign moving forward with more lawsuits. Courts so far dismissed previous lawsuits and decided there was no evidence of voter fraud. “What is happening right now is unprecedented. President Trump not conceding, his administration not helping the Biden team transition into the White House. Experts say this is a very dangerous time for the country. Sources close to President Trump say he knows this race is over. He knows he will not be able to overturn the results in court, but it’s unclear how long it will take for him to concede. Karen Travers, ABC News, Washington.” In Georgia, election officials announcing they will conduct a full audit and hand count of the election results there.

 

2) The coronavirus crisis out of control on the cast of the holiday. Cases surging nationwide, states like North Dakota reporting hospitals are full or nearly full. “As of today, new COVID-19 cases are rising in every state, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam, according to the COVID tracking project. Positivity rates are increasing in 36 states, hospitalizations are up in 43 states and deaths are increasing in 27. Infectious disease specialist Dr. John Brownstein, ‘One of the worst periods of this pandemic ever since is surging in the Northeast,’ Alex Stone, ABC News.”

 

3) Challenges in this pandemic for those who served and sacrificed during peace and war time, Veterans Day parade and ceremonies curtailed are held virtually today. President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at Arlington National honoring military members there. The President participating in a wreath ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. President-elect Joe Biden, meantime, in Philadelphia at a ceremony, laid a wreath at the Korean War Memorial. You’re listening to ABC News.

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I’m M_ S__ and this is the Fox Business Report.

Stocks finishing mixed with technology stocks are rising after lagging earlier this week on signs that a COVID-19 vaccine raised hopes for a faster-than-expected-economic rebound and many of us getting out of our homes. With the Dow winners; McDonald’s, Salesforce, Microsoft. The decliners; American Express, Honeywell and Disney. Delta Airlines, Royal Caribbean along with several other travel stocks jumped sharply earlier in the week, pulling back some today. Take a look at Wall Street by the numbers. The Dow down 21 points, Nasdaq up 233, the S&P also declined 77. Lyft shares rising up 1%. The ride-hailing company’s quarterly revenue with a number of active riders are also climbing as lockdowns eased in several major cities. Alibaba’s stocks closing slightly lower. Chinese market regulators drafted anti-monopoly guidelines targeted digital platforms.

That’s your Fox Business Report. I’m Tom Graham, invested in you.