My Writings. My Thoughts.

Wednesday April 24, 2019

// April 24th, 2019 // Comments Off on Wednesday April 24, 2019 // Daily News

soldiers ‘probably’ used armed confrontation with US troops as a diversion for drug smugglers
President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Mexican soldiers “recently pulled guns” on American troops near the southern border, and accused the soldiers of “probably” doing so as a diversionary tactic for drug smugglers.
“Better not happen again! We are now sending ARMED SOLDIERS to the Border,” the president wrote in a post on Twitter. “Mexico is not doing nearly enough in apprehending & returning!”
The confrontation between Mexican soldiers and U.S. troops happened April 13 on American territory.
It was first made public by Newsweek, which reported that Mexican soldiers detained and searched the Americans briefly at gunpoint, thinking they were still in Mexico after they mistakenly crossed into the United States.

Hannah McKay | Reuters
President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Mexican soldiers “recently pulled guns” on American troops near the southern border, and accused the soldiers of “probably” doing so as a diversionary tactic for drug smugglers.

“Better not happen again! We are now sending ARMED SOLDIERS to the Border,” the president wrote in a post on Twitter. “Mexico is not doing nearly enough in apprehending & returning!”

The confrontation between Mexican soldiers and U.S. troops happened April 13 on American territory. It was first made public by Newsweek, which reported that Mexican soldiers detained and searched the Americans briefly at gunpoint, thinking they were still in Mexico after mistakenly crossing into the United States.

Donald J. Trump

Mexico’s Soldiers recently pulled guns on our National Guard Soldiers, probably as a diversionary tactic for drug smugglers on the Border. Better not happen again! We are now sending ARMED SOLDIERS to the Border. Mexico is not doing nearly enough in apprehending & returning!
“After a brief discussion between the soldiers from the two nations, the Mexican military members departed the area,” a spokesperson for the Pentagon told the outlet. “The U.S. soldiers immediately contacted CBP, who responded quickly. Throughout the incident, the U.S. soldiers followed all established procedures and protocols.”
Neither the White House nor a spokesperson for the Mexican Embassy in Washington immediately responded to a request for comment from CNBC.
Trump last year deployed several thousand American troops to the border to assist in putting up razor wire as part of his administration’s push to reduce immigration into the United States. The Pentagon recently extended that deployment, which Trump has said could involve as many as 15,000 troops, through September.
It was not immediately clear whether the president’s tweet meant that more troops will be deployed or if their mission will change.

Today’s Inspiration

APRIL 24, 2019

God Will Brighten Your Day
Adapted from the resource Starting Your Day Right Devotional – by Joyce Meyer

Jesus got up early in the morning, long before daylight, and went out to a deserted place and prayed—He got alone (see Mark 1:35). There were so many people who followed Jesus everywhere He went that He probably wouldn’t have had any time alone if He hadn’t gotten up really early.

If you aren’t a morning person, the thought of getting up early may make you nervous. But you can decipher for yourself what “early” means for you. Nine o’clock is early if you are used to staying in bed until noon. Even if you only get up 15 minutes earlier than usual to have some time alone with God, you will still honor Him, and that time with Him will make your whole day brighter.

Prayer Starter: Father, I need Your strength to have success today. Help me to make a habit of spending time with You and keeping You first in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Monday April 1, 2019

// April 1st, 2019 // Comments Off on Monday April 1, 2019 // Daily News

Goldman: Earnings outlook is getting grimmer by the day, so hide out in companies with big margins

Headed into the first-quarter reporting season, investors are bracing for the first earnings decline for S&P 500 firms in more than two years.
In such a slowdown, investors should focus on companies with high and stable gross margins, also known as high pricing power, according to Goldman Sachs.
“As margin pressures mount, investors should focus on companies that have demonstrated the ability to maintain margins through pricing power,” says Goldman chief U.S. equity strategist David Kostin.

CNBC.com

Things are about to get dicey after the stock market’s record quarter.
Investors are bracing for a drastic earnings slowdown headed into the first-quarter reporting season — Wall Street analysts are projecting a 3.9 percent earnings decline for S&P 500 firms in the first quarter, the first year-over-year decline since the second quarter of 2016, according to FactSet. That is a 7.2 percent drop from the previous quarter, the largest cut in three years.
In such a slowdown, investors should focus on companies with high and stable gross margins, also known as high pricing power, according to Goldman Sachs.
“All 11 sectors have experienced negative 2019 EPS revisions since the start of the year,” Goldman chief U.S. equity strategist David Kostin said in a note on Saturday. “As margin pressures mount, investors should focus on companies that have demonstrated the ability to maintain margins through pricing power.”
As slowing demand and rising costs put pressure on companies, it becomes harder for them to generate additional sales growth. In fact, net margins for the S&P 500 companies are expected to fall to levels unseen since the financial crisis, Goldman said. This is why investors should be hiding out in stocks of companies that tend to be less affected by rising costs.
“Executives cautioned investors on margins as they reported 4Q 2018 earnings, citing both trade tensions with China and the continued tightening of the labor market as factors contributing to margin uncertainty in 2019,” Kostin said.
Companies with big margins have a track record of outperformance in periods of profit margin pressure. They have beaten the market since at least 1985 whenever there was an expected margin decline, the bank said.
Goldman screened stocks for high pricing power by examining the level, variability, and recent momentum or company gross margins relative to sector peers. It identified Nike, Home Depot, Coty and Adobe as companies with high pricing power.

Today’s Inspiration

The Fast Pace of Life

We really do live in a time-crunched world; just about everything we do seems to be urgent. We live under incredible pressure and run from one thing to the next—to the point that we may neglect the things that are really important in life: family, our health, God, and building up our spiritual lives.

The truth is, we cannot handle life apart from God. We cannot handle the pressure, the confusion, and the stress without Him. Our marriages will suffer, we will experience financial pressure, and our relationships won’t thrive if we do not study God’s Word and take time to pray.

But there is good news to be thankful for—God will strengthen us and enable us to handle life peacefully and wisely if we start praying about things instead of merely trying to get through the day. God will renew our strength and enable us to handle life and not be weary (see Isaiah 40:31).

Prayer Starter: Father, I am so thankful that You give me peace and rest even in the midst of a busy life. Help me to lean on You today and use wisdom in setting my schedule. You are the strength of my life, and I totally depend on You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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