Business

With CAT and MCD accounting for over 100 of the 250+ Dow points today, one would think that, as CNBC has repeatedly stated today, these two companies are posting "tremendous earnings growth."

And, in a way they are... a non-GAAP way. Because while CAT reported adjusted EPS of $1.28, up exactly 100% from a year ago  - almost as if it was goalseeked - something far less appetizing emerges when looking at CAT's actual, GAAP EPS, which happen to be exactly one quarter of the non-GAAP number, or $0.32, a 30% drop from a year ago.

After last night's announcement of ~20% tariffs on softwood lumber imported from Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lashed out at the Trump administration saying the U.S. could suffer from a "thickening" border as trade tensions between the two countries escalated, sending the Canadian currency to a 14 month low.

Authored by Zainab Calcuttawala via OilPrice.com,

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley warned U.S. President Donald Trump that he would face the wrath of the northern nation’s many allies if the freshman president begins employing energy trade restrictions with Canada.

Notley is currently in China, negotiating her country’s trade policies with the Asian giant. She told reporters that she did not know what was meant by Trump’s comments about what Canada has done to its American neighbor with the energy, softwood lumber, and dairy industries.

A tidal wave of inflation is rapidly moving through the financial system.

Most investors only pay attention to the Federal Reserve. And they are missing the BIG PICTURE for Central Bank monetary policy.

The Fed is tightening policy by hiking rates. But the rest of the world’s Central Banks are printing a combined $200 BILLION in QE every single month.

Yes, $200 billion. At a time when the financial system is out of crisis and the Fed’s put its own “print” button on “pause.”

David Einhorn may write in his latest quarterly letter to investors that "from a portfolio perspective, this quarter was a quiet one" but based on his activity the famous poker playing hedge fund manager was quite busy.