Financial Markets and Economy
Global stocks are falling again (Business Insider)
Global stocks are under pressure once again and US futures point to extended losses for the stock market from Tuesday.
These 4 things could rattle the global economy (Business Insider)
After the darkness at the start to 2016, the world economy actually looks pretty good right now.
Oil rises above $45 after slide, Canada wildfire supports (Reuters)
Oil rose above $45 a barrel on Wednesday as reduced production in Canada's oil sands region due to a wildfire pushed aside concern about excess global supplies and expectations of rising U.S. crude inventories.
U.S. trade deficit shrinks as goods imports hit five-year low (Business Insider)
The U.S. trade deficit fell more than expected in March as imports of goods tumbled to their lowest level since 2010, a potential boost to first-quarter economic growth estimates that also hints at sluggish domestic demand.
The Commerce Department said on Tuesday the trade gap fell 13.9 percent to $40.4 billion, the smallest since February 2015, also as exports fell.
U.S. stocks tumble following weak economic data (Market Watch)
U.S. stocks opened lower on Wednesday, as investors grappled with a number of weaker-than-expected economic reports that suggested the economy continues to grow at a slow pace.
Oil Price Upheaval Finally Hits Refiners (Wall Street Journal)
U.S. refiners, which posted robust profits the last 18 months even as other parts of the oil business were racked by low crude prices, finally saw their roll come to a halt in the first quarter.
Euro-Area Economy Starts Quarter in a ‘Low Gear,’ Markit Says (Bloomberg)
European Central Bank policy is helping to sustain growth in the euro area economy, though the pace is “tepid” and inflation remains too low, according to Markit Economics.
The dollar is creeping up — here's what's happening in FX (Business Insider)
It's pretty quiet out there on Wednesday.
Despite Shale Glut, U.S. Imports More Foreign Oil (Wall Street Journal)
The U.S. is importing more foreign crude than it has in years, becoming one of the last ports of call for many oil-producing nations despite a glut of crude from domestic companies.
Shell’s First-Quarter Profit Fell 89% Amid Weak Energy Prices (NY Times)
Weak energy prices continue to take their toll, as profit dropped sharply at Europe’s largest oil company, Royal Dutch Shell.
ECB Urges Rigorous Debt-Reduction Rules as Low Rates Ease Burden (Bloomberg)
Low interest rates are helping to reduce euro-area public debt, but rigorous enforcement of European Union fiscal rules is also needed to bring the burden down by a “sizable” amount, the European Central Bank said.
Why we should all sell in May (Market Watch)
Most summers produce a great buying opportunity in stocks.
Low-Vol Investors: Beware of Rising Rates (Chief Investment Officer)
Low-volatility investing is “just a bet on falling interest rates,” according to Greenline Partners.
Hollande Plots Return From the Dead as French Economy Heals (Bloomberg)
The most unpopular leader in French history has a new mantra and he’s repeating it to everyone he meets: “Things are getting better.”
Portugal Says No to Pessimism When It Comes to Economic Forecasts (Bloomberg)
In Portugal, where pessimism has become a national characteristic, the Socialist government may be too optimistic about the economic outlook.
Billions Are Being Invested in a Robot That Americans Don't Want (Bloomberg)
Brian Lesko and Dan Sherman hate the idea of driverless cars, but for very different reasons.
Malaysia dissolves 1MDB advisory board headed by PM Najib (Reuters)
Malaysia's finance ministry said on Wednesday it would dissolve the board of advisers at 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and take over its remaining assets, in an apparent move to scale down a state fund whose scandals have rocked the government.
Apple to Revamp Streaming Music Service After Mixed Reviews, Departures (Bloomberg)
Apple Inc. is planning sweeping changes to its year-old music streaming service after the first iteration of the product was met with tepid reviews and several executives brought in to revive the company's music strategy departed.
Target gets tough with vendors to speed up supply chain (Reuters)
Discount retailer Target Corp is cracking down on suppliers as part of a multi-billion dollar overhaul to speed up its supply chain and better compete with rivals including Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Amazon.com Inc.
Politics
How 'Stop Trump' failed to halt the Republican front-runner (Reuters)
Republican John Hammond III had made no secret of his distaste for Donald Trump and his desire to halt his march to the party's presidential nomination, telling the Indianapolis Star newspaper in March that the mogul was "unfit" to lead the country.
Trump Becomes Presumptive Republican Nominee as Cruz Exits Race (Bloomberg)
Donald Trump, the billionaire real-estate developer who has upended the rules of modern campaigning, became the presumptive Republican presidential nominee on Tuesday after driving his top challenger, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, from the race with a crushing Indiana primary win.
Technology
Futuristic musical instrument startup ROLI has bagged $27 million to make far-out keyboards (Business Insider)
London music startup ROLI has bagged $27 million (£18.6 million) in VC money to fund its development and expansion.
ROLI is known for its high-tech keyboard-esque instruments that let users press, stroke, and gesture in novel ways to create a range of sounds. (You can watch a video of it in action below.)
Health and Life Sciences
Overprescribing Antibiotics (Science-Based Medicine)
Phial of penicillin from 1946, marking the advent of the now-closing “antibiotic era”. Image from the Wellcome Trust via the Wikimedia Commons.
Recently I had a cutaneous abscess which was treated (quite painfully) with incision and drainage. My doctor told me that antibiotics were not strictly necessary, but I could have them if I wanted.
Medical Error Could Be 'Third Leading Cause of Death in the US' (Gizmodo)
You’ll never see a death certificate with the words ‘medical error’ as the cause of death. But a new study suggests that it could be considered the third biggest cause in the US.
An analysis of causes of death by researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine suggests that medical errors—whether a surgical slip, poor prescription or dodgy diagnosis—account for as many as 250,000 deaths that occurred in 2013.
Life on the Home Planet
Abseiling into an Antarctic chasm (BBC)
Thirty-six years after he first went there as a young meteorologist, BBC Weather's Peter Gibbs returned to the current, sixth incarnation of the British Antarctic Survey's Halley Research Station. There, on "a day with no horizon", he explored the chasm threatening to cast it adrift.
The Brunt Ice Shelf feels like another planet even on the sunniest of days, but when the cloud closes in it turns downright eerie as sky, snow and ice blend into one diffuse white light.
Could a Lack of Water Cause Wars? (Scientific American)
Water scarcity is expected to increase globally as populations boom and climate change sharpens uncertainty around the resource's availability, according to a report by the World Bank.
The conclusion adds to a growing body of research, and it comes days before this year's Climate Action 2016 summit in Washington, D.C. The report, titled “High and Dry: Climate Change, Water, and the Economy,” highlights the importance of water to human health, agriculture and geopolitical stability.
U.S. says it, allies to do more to combat Islamic State (Reuters)
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday that Washington and its allies had agreed to do more in their campaign to defeat Islamic State, but that more risks lay ahead.
He made the comment following talks in Germany with defense ministers and representatives from 11 other nations participating in the alliance.
