1) The demise of the big box and department stores in malls, has spawned a move to trendy local shops. These are standalone small format stores designed to experiment with new retail strategies and increased foot traffic. These stores tend to be positioned closer to neighborhoods away from the malls. The department stores and big box retailers grew rapidly and over saturated the market, while the small format stores have less investments and lower lease costs.
2) Boeing Aircraft company reported zero new orders for this January, while Airbus tallied 274 orders for commercial airplanes in the same month. The company did deliver 13 new airplanes in January, six were 787 Dreamliners, two 777s, two 767 and three 737NG. Boeing is anticipating re-certification of its 737MAX by the middle of 2020.
3) California is now estimated to have 150,000 homeless people, reaching record numbers, of which two-thirds are living on the streets. There are more than 100 homeless camps across Oakland, in which authorities are in the process of dismantling. The homeless scratch out a living doing odd jobs, focus groups or medial trials. The rising cost of housing is the prime force driving people to homelessness, the number increasing each day despite the soaring stock market and record low unemployment rate.
4) Stock market closings for – 11 FEB 20:
Dow 29,276.34 down 0.48
Nasdaq 9,638.94 up 10.55
S&P 500 3,357.75 up 5.66
10 Year Yield: up at 1.59%
Oil: up at $50.07