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Monday April 2, 2018

// January 16th, 2018 // Comments Off on Monday April 2, 2018 // Daily News

Citigroup earnings top expectations, excluding $19 billion charge for tax law changes

Citigroup reported quarterly earnings on Tuesday that beat expectations. The big bank also reported a charge of roughly $19 billion following a revamp to the U.S. tax code.
The bank reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.28 for the fourth quarter of 2017. Analysts polled by Reuters expected earnings to come in at $1.19. Revenue came in roughly in line with expectations at $17.255 billion.
Citigroup also took at one-time, non-cash charge of about $22 billion for the quarter. The company said that approximately $19 billion are due to “re-measurement of DTA arising from reduction in the U.S. corporate tax rate and shift to territorial tax regime.”
Last month, President Trump signed a bill that slashed the corporate tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent. While the new law is expected to be a long-term positive for most companies, several announced they would have to take one-time charges stemming from the changes.

Today’s Inspiration

But God, being [so very] rich in mercy, because of His great and wonderful love with which He loved us, even when we were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His grace–His undeserved favor and mercy–you have been saved from God’s judgment).

— Ephesians 2:4-5

Sometimes, when life gets discouraging, the best thing we can do is remind ourselves of the nature of God’s love.

One of the most beautiful things the Bible says is that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (see Romans 5:8). He did not wait for us to deserve His love. He loves us unconditionally. To be honest, that’s hard for many of us to comprehend because we are so accustomed to having to earn everything in life.

Because of His great, wonderful and intense love for us, God poured His life out for us freely. That is revolutionary love—real, revolutionary love that gives itself away because it can never be satisfied doing anything less.

It is God’s unconditional love that draws us to Him, His amazing grace that erases our sin, and His powerful sacrifice that makes a way for us to enter His presence. His love will never quit, never give up, and never leave you. Whenever you feel down or depressed, remember the great love that God has for you.

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Thursday January 11 ,2018

// January 11th, 2018 // Comments Off on Thursday January 11 ,2018 // Daily News

China just reminded the United States that Beijing is its banker
Bond markets took a hit following a report that China could trim its U.S. Treasury holdings
China delivered a statement soothing those worries on Thursday
China is the biggest holder of U.S. Treasurys
The U.S. government uses Treasurys to help finance itself

CNBC.com

Markets took a hit following a Bloomberg News report that cited unnamed sources as saying that officials in Beijing have recommended China, the largest holder of U.S. Treasurys, to slow or even halt its purchases of that debt.
U.S. stocks on Wednesday snapped a six-day winning streak, and Treasury yields, already in an upswing, moved higher with the 10-year reaching 2.597 percent, their highest level since March 15. Bond yields rise when bond prices fall.
China’s foreign exchange regulator publicly refuted the Bloomberg report on Thursday, saying it cited “false information.” But the jolt to markets may have been designed as a warning to Washington, which is clashing with China over trade and other issues.
Political message?
China holds $1.2 trillion of U.S. debt — more than any country. When it buys U.S. bonds, it is effectively lending money to the United States. Washington uses bond sales to China and others to help finance itself.
The curve thrown into markets this week comes as President Donald Trump appears poised to counter China on its huge trade surplus with the United States, and as Washington loses patience with Beijing over its handling of the North Korea nuclear crisis.
On Thursday, the Chinese regulator soothed market worries when it said it was already diversifying its foreign exchange reserves, and its Treasury holdings are “market driven.”
But China is sending another message as well, Rajeev de Mello, head of Asian fixed income at Schroders Investment Management, told CNBC on Thursday.
China “will not just lay passive if the U.S. administration imposes tariffs,” he said. “I think that’s the position they want to be in, that they are a major player and not a small country on the receiving end of the U.S. big stick.”
Beijing’s indication that it’s not “tied to U.S. bond-buying” indicates more “hardball’ between the world’s two biggest economies, said Vishnu Varathan, Mizuho Bank economist.
“It has to be seen as a prelude to possible trade tension, without being a very explicit threat,” added Jens Nordvig of Exante Data.
Making ‘the Treasury’s job harder’
In a note Wednesday, brokerage firm Jefferies said that “If China stops buying Treasuries, the market could suffer.”
U.S. spending is seen rising this year, and most independent analysts expect U.S. tax revenue to fall under the GOP’s new tax plan.

Today’s Inspiration

So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him.
— Romans 8:8 (AMPC)

JANUARY 11, 2018

Are You Following the Holy Spirit or Your Emotions?
– by Joyce Meyer
I talk a lot about how we need to follow the Spirit, not our emotions. However, I find that a lot of people don’t even understand how our emotions operate in the first place.

Emotions are in the realm of the soul. Our soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions—it tells us what we think, what we want and how we feel. Of these three areas of the soul, it’s our feelings that get stirred up the fastest.

In other words, the wisdom and discernment of the Holy Spirit in our spirit become easily drowned out by the cries of our emotions.

The Bible says that this “life of the flesh” doesn’t please God. This doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love us. What it does mean is that He is not satisfied with nor will He accept fleshly behavior.

However, once you understand how negative emotions work, you can overcome them. Our souls may be strong, but our spirits can be stronger if we strengthen them by spending time in God’s presence. Get in the Word today, and give your spirit the strength to overcome your emotio