1) Bayer AG is facing a fourth jury trial over its Roundup weed killer causing cancer. Plaintiff’s claim glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is a carcinogen. In the three previous trials, Bayer was found liable for causing cancer resulting in damages of tens of millions of dollars, which are being appealed. The number of claimants are more than 75,000 although so far less than 50,000 claims have been formally filed.

2) Banks are raising the limit on people’s credit cards, even when they don’t ask for the raise. This is at a time when Americans are drowning in debt, in a effort to further boost their profits. For years Capital One financial Corp. resisted increasing limits of customers who looked vulnerable to getting over their heads in debt, but now have reversed their policy actively seeking more debt from customers.

3) A second coronavirus case has been confirmed in the U.S., a Chicago resident who had traveled to Wuhan in December. Wuhan is the center of virus outbreak in China, having already killed a couple of dozen or more people. China is now shutting down several very large cities in an attempt to stop the spread of the disease. Fears over the economic damage to the American economy has cause a sharp drop in the U.S. markets from news of a second coronavirus case. Presently, the U.S. government is monitoring passengers flying in from China for early signs of the illness hoping to quarantine the sick and prevent spreading of the virus.

4) Stock market closings for – 24 JAN 20:

Dow               28,989.73    down    170.36
Nasdaq            9,314.91    down      87.57
S&P 500           3,295.47    down       30.07

10 Year Yield:    down   at    1.68%

Oil:    down   at    $54.20

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