Enticed by valuable stores of health records and sometimes porous security, hackers infiltrate a hospital’s IT system and encrypt its data, making it unusable until the provider pays a ransom. … READ MORE >
Blog
As recession looms, U.S. homebuilders show strength
Even as slowing global growth and rising trade tensions have increased the odds that the American economy will enter a recession, one sector – homebuilding – has emerged as a bright spot. … READ MORE >
RSM Brexit Stress Index eases amid progress over Northern Ireland
The RSM Brexit Stress Index moved substantially lower after talks between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar were reported to offer options for the transition of Northern Ireland from the common market into Britain’s single market. Though details were still to be worked out, the positive developments allowed negotiations to resume in Brussels over England’s looming departure from the European Union. … READ MORE >
Is health care recession-proof?
Health care has long been viewed as a defensive sector compared to the broader market when a potential economic downturn is looming. There were sound reasons for this — many health care services had relatively inelastic demand and they were insulated from the effects of any global trade tensions. Today, … … READ MORE >
In the free-for-all among retail brokers, will the middle market be left behind?
Charles Schwab Corp. announced recently that it would eliminate trading commissions for retail investors, making Schwab the latest Wall Street broker to embrace the push to zero commissions.
But with $3.75 trillion in assets, Schwab is in a position to make such an aggressive move. Like other larger retail e-brokers, Schwab is capitalizing on its scale advantage, one that allows it to attract new client assets to its platform and strengthen its market share. … READ MORE >
Start watching initial jobless claims as economy slows
Signals implying the slow demise of the decade-long economic recovery include the rising number of claims for unemployment insurance benefits. While we do not believe there is imminent risk of an explosion in demand for first-time benefits, once the pace of firings rises above 250,000 it likely marks an important turning point late in the business cycle. … READ MORE >
RSM Brexit Stress Index higher as global uncertainty hits home
The RSM Brexit Stress Index rose in a week that included the European Union’s rejection of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s withdrawal proposal and the equity market’s recognition of the adverse effects of disruptions to trade. … READ MORE >
September jobs report: Mixed hiring data with stagnant wages
The U.S. economy is slowing and job creation continues to ease along with overall economic activity. Given the recent readings of the manufacturing sector, which is in recession, and a service sector that has slowed noticeably, forward-looking investors, firm managers and policymakers should anticipate a march down toward 100,000 jobs per month by the end of the year, which is necessary to stabilize the unemployment rate. … READ MORE >
Hiring expected to slow in September jobs report
The labor market is expected to continue to lose steam in September, with the total change in employment likely increasing by 115,000 jobs on the month, and the unemployment rate likely rising to 3.8%. Given the slowdown in domestic manufacturing activity and goods production, we note there is downside risk to our top line forecast when the report is released on Friday. … READ MORE >
US manufacturing activity hits 10-year low point
Contraction in U.S. manufacturing is continuing, with activity reaching a ten-year low in September, as economic and political uncertainty weigh on the industrial sector. … READ MORE >