1) Analyst say Netflix, the video streaming service, must lower its prices in 2020 to avoid lost of millions of its U.S. customers because of the rising competition. It is suggested that Netflix must add a second lower priced service to compete with Disney+, Apple+, Hulu, CBS All Access and Peacock, otherwise they risk losing four million U.S. subscribers. Since Netflix’s balance sheet cannot withstand lower revenues, the company must create a pricing tier that has lower monthly cost, but still support advertising revenue.
2) Mortgage lenders are warned to brace for a downturn, with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pulling back on some mortgages meant to make home ownership more affordable. They are reducing the proportion of loans they back to borrowers with small down payments. This tamping down on risk is to limit their defaults thereby producing greater profits.
3) Morgan Stanley, the investment bank giant, is cutting about 1,500 jobs globally in a year end push for efficiency. The cuts are more in the technology and operations divisions, but include executives in sales, trading and research operations including several managing directors. These reductions amount to about 2% of the firm’s workforce with a charge between $150 to $200 million dollars in its fourth quarter.
4) Stock market closings for – 10 DEC 19:
Dow 27,881.72 down 27.88
Nasdaq 8,616.18 down 5.64
S&P 500 3,132.52 down 3.44
10 Year Yield: unchanged at 1.83%
Oil: up at $59.09