1) The once high flying German Deutsche Bank has run aground rapidly slashing jobs and losing a ton of money. Stock for Germany’s biggest lender is trading at a near all time low. This is a result of poor management and failing to fully clean up its crisis era balance sheet. The banks restructuring efforts have fell short coupled with countless legal black eyes that have all contributed to the bank’s financial woes.
2) The pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Mylan have announced they are combining to create a global powerhouse in the low price drug market. Pfizer will gain most control of the company with 57% ownership, with Mylan shareholders owning the rest. Both companies lost exclusive manufacture rights from patent expirations, that were big money makers for the companies. Mylan, is the manufacturer of the emergency treatment for allergic reactions, the EpiPen. Mylan has recently been in the news for raising the price of EpiPens by 400%.
3) J.C. Penney, the 117 year old department store chain, is at risk of being de-listed from the New York Stock Exchange. To counter its downward spiral, the company has hired advisers to explore debt restructuring. Penney has $4 billion dollars in debt coming due in the next few years, while its revenues are increasingly being lost to sales on the internet and niche brands. Revenue has fallen over the last three years. The retail giant Sears has suffered similar troubles.
4) Stock market closings for – 29 JUL 19:
Dow 27,221.35 up 28.90
Nasdaq 8,293.33 down 36.88
S&P 500 3,020.97 down 4.89
10 Year Yield: down at 2.06%
Oil: up at $57.13