Financial Markets and Economy
Dollar's Fall Shows Market's Reaction to Inflation Miss: Chart (Bloomberg)
The dollar declined to the lowest level in five months versus the yen, also crossing the 200-day moving average, after U.S. inflation unexpectedly fell in March for the first time since February 2016, raising doubts about the global reflation trade and the prospect of accelerated Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes.
Retail Sales in U.S. Declined for a Second Month in March (Bloomberg)
Sales at U.S. retailers declined in March for a second month, hurt by fewer purchases of automobiles, Commerce Department data showed Friday.
Falling Inflation, Retail Sales Bolster Fed's Go-Slow Approach (Bloomberg)
The economic case for a Federal Reserve interest-rate increase in June just became a little less solid.
Dollar falls after data, on track for weekly decline (Market Watch)
The U.S. dollar fell against its major rivals on Friday, dropping to its lows of the session after a pair of weak datapoints raised new questions about the strength of the economy.
U.S. Urges China to Open Trade After Sparing It Manipulator Tag (Bloomberg)
The U.S. stopped short of branding China a currency manipulator, but urged the world’s second-largest economy to let the yuan rise with market forces and embrace more trade.
China Fund Management Penalized by Exchange for Ping An Trades (Bloomberg)
The Shanghai Stock Exchange imposed restrictions on some of China Fund Management’s accounts after the brokerage’s block trades caused Ping An Insurance and Industrial Bank shares to briefly tumble two days earlier.
This dividend stock ETF can help you make money by avoiding losses (Market Watch)
With U.S. stocks near record highs, some investors may be thinking the eight-year bull market can continue for longer, especially under a new administration with a pro-business agenda.
Trump pulls his punches on China and Germany (CNN)
The Trump administration stopped short of branding China and Germany currency manipulators, despite having accused both countries of keeping their currencies artificially low to gain unfair advantage in trade with the U.S.
Trump's tax returns are the target of nationwide protests on Saturday (CNN)
On Saturday, protesters across the U.S. plan to demand that Trump make his most recent tax returns public. It's something every president and presidential nominee has done for the past 40 years.
‘Trump trade’ reversal is afoot as money flows to bonds (Market Watch)
As doubts about the timing and scope of President Donald Trump’s plans for corporate tax cuts, infrastructure spending and other policies grow, disillusioned investors have departed U.S. stock funds in favor of bonds, emerging markets and even European equities, according to weekly data compiled by analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Confidence Is High but Economic Gains Are Elusive (The Wall Street Journal)
Households, businesses and investors started the year riding a wave of rising expectations for growth with a new, business-friendly president in the White House, but the euphoria hasn’t translated quickly into broad economic gains.
U.S. Treasury Stops Short of Calling China a Currency Manipulator (The Wall Street Journal)
The U.S. Treasury sharply criticized China’s exchange-rate policies on Friday, though it stopped short of labeling the Asian trade giant a currency manipulator, as President Donald Trump said he would do while running for office.
U.S. Treasury declines to label China a currency manipulator (Market Watch)
The U.S. Treasury Department sharply criticized China’s exchange-rate policy on Friday, though it stopped short of labeling the Asian trade giant a currency manipulator.
Companies
Aramco CEO Sees Oil Market Closer to Balance Despite U.S. Boom (Bloomberg)
The global oil market is moving closer to balance even as increases in U.S. oil production push prices down in the short-term, Saudi Arabian Oil Co. Chief Executive Officer Amin Nasser said.
Delta Giving Vouchers, 'SkyMiles' as Apology for Flight Troubles (Bloomberg)
Delta Air Lines Inc. increased the payouts its airport agents can offer passengers on overbooked flights, moving to prevent a public relations nightmare similar to the one plaguing United Continental Holdings Inc.
Uber lost $2.8 billion last year (CNN)
After a string of corporate crises, Uber is taking the unusual step of releasing financials to highlight its business growth.
Walmart is reportedly about to buy the hottest men's clothing brand (Business Insider)
Walmart is in talks to buy Bonobos, one of the hottest men's clothing brands in the US, according to Recode.
Bonobos generates between $100 million to $150 million in annual revenue and attracts young, urban customers with its slim-fitting pants, shirts, jackets, and suits.
Avaya Files Plan to Slash Debt Load By More Than $4 Billion (The Wall Street Journal)
Bankrupt telecommunications firm Avaya Inc. has filed a restructuring plan that, if approved by a judge, would cut more than $4 billion in debt from the company’s books.
Technology
Apple gets permit to test self-driving cars in California (CNN)
Apple's interest in self-driving cars is becoming more transparent.
The tech giant received a permit from the California DMV Friday morning to test three Lexus SUVs on public roads. Apple is now the 30th company to have such a permit in California.
Sally the Salad Robot, which debuted at San Francisco coding academy Galvanize on April 13, is more glorified vending machine than automated chef.
Start-up uses biometrics to tailor music for good night’s sleep (New Scientist)
A baby falling back to sleep at 2 am to a gentle lullaby may convince its parents that music can induce sleep, but new compositions designed to help listeners relax sound rather different to Rock-a-bye Baby.
Google is using AI to help humans and computers communicate through art (Popular Science)
Google went big on art this week. The company launched a platform to help people who are terrible at art communicate visually. It also published research about teaching art to another terrible stick-figure drawer: a neural network.
Politics
Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said Friday that Russia might respond to the US strike in Syria by escalating fighting in war-torn eastern Ukraine.
Trump sends mixed signals on Obamacare (CNN)
Though Trump has long vowed to repeal the health care law, he and his administration vacillate between stabilizing the individual market and undermining it.
Lobbying By Trump Associates Highlights Foreign Agent Law (Associated Press)
Paul Manafort says he's registering with the Justice Department as a foreign agent. Michael Flynn already has. In both cases, the decisions to register by these associates of President Donald Trump came late – after the lobbying has already taken place – and accompanied by an admission that they violated federal law.
Trump reportedly 'very upset' that Amanda Knox supported Hillary Clinton (Business Insider)
President Donald Trump is "very upset" that Amanda Knox, the American college student who sparked an international firestorm after being accused of murder in Italy, supported Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, according to a Friday report in The New York Times.
White House Decides To Keep Visitor Records Secret (Associated Press)
The White House said Friday that lists of visitors to the building will be kept secret, breaking with the practice of President Donald Trump's predecessor.
South China Sea Disputes: Duterte Has Good Advisors, In Beijing (Forbes)
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte continued his flip-flops in recent weeks, easing geopolitical risks in the region, and helping Philippines’ equities rebound sharply from last year’s losses.
Life on the Home Planet
How being ridiculous made the 'Fast and Furious' franchise great (CNN)
Imagine that one day your friends were in trouble — in a car, fleeing an armed drone that was firing at them. You spot them, and you want to help, but your arm is freshly injured and in a cast. What do you do?
Meet the Scientists Trying to Find Jesus's DNA (Science Alert)
It was the first stop on an extraordinary journey. On a bright but bitterly cold January afternoon earlier this year, I found myself on a small island in the Black Sea, just off Sozopol on the east coast of Bulgaria.
On Good Friday, Pope speaks of shame for Church and humanity (Reuters)
Pope Francis, presiding at a Good Friday service, asked God for forgiveness for scandals in the Catholic Church and for the "shame" of humanity becoming inured to daily scenes of bombed cities and drowning migrants.
