Business

Royal Caribbean Cruises is charting a new course to capture the evolving preferences of vacationers. As competition for leisure dollars intensifies, the cruise line is focusing on shorter itineraries packed with diverse activities and unique experiences. The company’s CEO, Jason Liberty, believes shorter cruises better align with the vacation plans of younger travelers, who make up more than half of the cruise line’s clientele. To cater to this demographic, Royal Caribbean has introduced Utopia of the Seas, a massive ship boasting a wide array of amenities, including multiple pools, dining and entertainment options. Despite concerns about a potential economic downturn, Royal Caribbean remains optimistic about the cruise industry’s outlook. The company reported strong passenger spending an...

Key points Retail and transportation stocks shine: Shares of Five Below and JB Hunt rose after the close of trading, reflecting positive developments in the retail and transportation sectors, respectively. Interactive Brokers faces headwinds: Interactive Brokers' stock price fell after the stock market closed, likely due to investor concerns following the release of mixed financial results. Spirit Airlines continues its upward trajectory: Shares of Spirit Airlines maintained their bullish momentum in after-hours trading, demonstrating continued investor optimism. Details Five below (FIVE): Shares of the teen-focused retailer gained 2.07% after the close, likely helped by positive investor sentiment following solid retail sales data. JB Hunt Transportation Servic...

Goldman Sachs is set to report its second-quarter results on Monday, sparking excitement on Wall Street. With the financial sector recovering after a slow 2023, analysts are eager to see how the investment giant will fare. Goldman Sachs Market Forecast Earnings: Analysts polled by LSEG expect earnings per share of $8.34. Income: LSEG estimates revenue will reach $12.46 billion. Trading revenue: StreetAccount expects fixed income revenue of $2.96 billion and equity revenue of $3.17 billion. Banking Investment: StreetAccount forecasts investment banking revenue to reach $1.80 billion. Goldman Sachs: A heavy dependence on volatile markets Goldman Sachs relies heavily on investment banking and trading to generate revenue compared to its major U.S. banking peers. This makes the firm particul...

Citigroup defied analysts' expectations on Friday, reporting a strong second quarter, fueled by a surge in Wall Street activity. The strong performance comes as the bank grapples with ongoing regulatory concerns. Profit and revenue forecasts Citigroup beat analysts' estimates for both profit and revenue. Earnings per share reached $1.52, beating expectations of $1.39. Total revenue rose to $20.14 billion, beating expectations of $20.07 billion. Breakdown of figures The bank's net income jumped 10% year over year to $3.22 billion, or $1.52 a share. Equity trading revenues rose a significant 37%, driven by strong derivatives and growing hedge fund balances. The segment brought in $1.5 billion, beating analysts' estimates of about $300 million. Fixed income revenues, however, fell 3% to $3.6...

JPMorgan Chase beat analysts' estimates for both profit and revenue in the second quarter, fueled by a surge in investment banking business. Here's a breakdown of the key results: Earnings: $4.26 per adjusted share, beating analysts' consensus of $4.19. Income: $50.99 billion, beating the estimate of $49.87 billion. Annual growth: Net income jumped 25% to $18.15 billion, while revenue rose 20% to $50.99 billion. Investment banking boom: Investment banking fees rose 52% year over year to $2.3 billion, beating expectations. Cautious optimism despite geopolitical concerns CEO Jamie Dimon acknowledged potential risks such as inflation and rising interest rates, despite positive valuations for stocks and bonds. He also highlighted the complex geopolitical situation as a potential threat to t...

Delta Airlines Shares fell nearly 9% in premarket trading after the company's third-quarter revenue forecast fell short of analysts' expectations. Despite strong summer travel demand, the airline expects lower fares due to increased capacity. Costco Wholesale Shares rose slightly after the retail giant reported better-than-expected second-quarter earnings and raised its full-year profit forecast. Strong membership growth and robust discretionary sales boosted Costco’s performance. Pfizer Shares rose slightly as the drug company announced positive results from its Phase 3 trial for a new respiratory syncytial virus vaccine candidate. The vaccine showed high efficacy in preventing severe respiratory syncytial virus disease in adults 60 and older. Other notable actors: Unite...

Thursday's highly anticipated June CPI release will likely shape market sentiment regarding potential Federal Reserve rate cuts. Recent economic data, including rising unemployment, suggests both inflation and economic growth are cooling. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell acknowledged a more balanced risk outlook for inflation and recession in his testimony to Congress this week. He hinted at the possibility of rate cuts without waiting for inflation to hit the 2% target. Economists forecast a 0.1% monthly increase and a 3.1% annual increase in the consumer price index. The core consumer price index, excluding volatile food and energy prices, is forecast to rise 0.2% from May and 3.4% year-on-year. Market observers like Matt Brenner of MissionSquare Retirement believe that inflation ...

China's consumer inflation continued its downward trend in June, rising just 0.2% year-on-year, according to data released Wednesday. That was lower than analysts' expectations and adds to concerns about potential deflation in the world's second-largest economy. A Reuters poll had forecast a 0.4% rise in consumer prices in June. Meanwhile, the producer price index, which tracks factory-gate inflation, fell 0.8% from a year earlier, in line with forecasts. This subdued inflation is in stark contrast to the situation in many other countries struggling with rising prices. Weak domestic demand in China appears to be the main culprit. “The risk of deflation has not disappeared,” noted Zhiwei Zhang, chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management, who pointed to sluggish domestic consumption as a ...