Jul 22, 2021
The Daily Chase: Stocks near record highs; Inside look at Saudi Prince's oil strategy
By Noah Zivitz
Varun Anand's Market Outlook
Futures are pointing to a modestly higher open (at least as of 7 a.m. ET), making Monday feel more and more like a blip as COVID Delta variant fears fade while earnings season ramps up. The S&P 500 closed less than one per cent shy of its record yesterday; it’s the same situation for the S&P/TSX Composite Index. As usual, we have plenty of insight on lined up on the outlook for stocks, starting with Invesco Chief Global Market Strategist Kristina Hooper at 8:30 a.m.
THE MOST POWERFUL PERSON IN GLOBAL OIL MARKET
Our Bloomberg News partners have an outstanding feature today on Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman that takes us behind the scenes of his muscle-flexing with OPEC+ partners. As RBC Capital Markets Global Head of Commodity Strategy (and BNN Bloomberg regular) Helima Croft says, “He understands power better than anyone else.” Yet, as the piece underscores, he may ultimately prove “to be on the wrong side of history.” Check it out here.
OUSTED BRIDGING CEO VS OSC
David Sharpe, who was fired from his role as chief executive of Bridging Finance after the lender was pushed into receivership, will take his arguments against Ontario Securities Commission staff to the regulator today. In short, he's claiming abuse of process in how staff handled some early steps in their probe into alleged infractions; specifically, Sharpe's lawyers are crying foul over the transcript of his testimony to OSC staff being released publicly and want the investigation quashed. We'll monitor developments.
OTHER NOTABLE STORIES
- From late yesterday afternoon, but in case you missed it: U.S. President Joe Biden finally has a nominee for his ambassador to Canada: veteran Comcast official David L. Cohen.
- We’ll keep an eye on shares of Didi Global today as Bloomberg reports China is considering “perhaps unprecedented” measures against the ride-hailing company over its decision to go public.
- Unifor said last night that it served Rio Tinto with 72-hour strike notice after what it described as seven weeks of “unproductive negotiations” with the miner. The union said it has 100% support from the 900 workers who could walk off the job in British Columbia.
- Iamgold shares tumbled 15 per cent in early trading after the miner spooked investors with a warning that production will be lower, and costs will be higher, than previously expected this year.
\NOTABLE RELEASES/EVENTS
- Notable data: U.S. initial jobless claims, U.S. existing home sales
- Notable earnings: Precision Drilling, MEG Energy, Aecon Group, Newmont, Freeport-McMoran, Intel, AT&T, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Snap, Twitter
- 7:45: European Central Bank releases interest rate decision
- 9:00: Hearing on David Sharpe application re. abuse of process claim against Ontario Securities Commission
- 10:30: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland makes announcement in Charlottetown (plus avail)
- 12:30: Alberta Premier Jason Kenney leads announcement in Camrose, Alta. on broadband for rural and Indigenous communities