WILL STOCK MARKET MOMENTUM CONTINUE INTO 2020?

Although stocks on Friday took a breather, off 233.92 to 28,634.88 stemming from a U.S. air strike in Iraq, just-ended 2019 marked one of the best years of the past decade, notes Grumpy Editor.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average reached 28,538.44 on the final trading day of 2019, then added 330.36. points on Thursday.

 

A year ago, forecasts were glum over concern about threats from the U.S.-China trade fight, a slowdown in growth, and worries that the Federal Reserve’s interest rate increases would result in an economic slowdown, leading to a downturn.

 

Some investors continue to see uncertainties, pointing to no U.S.-China trade deal yet and the presidential election in November.

 

But others see cooler trade tensions and low interest rates helping to sustain stock gains.

 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

FOX NEWS LEADS CHANNEL VIEWERS.  Fox News averages 2.5 million viewers per night in 2019, the most in its 23-year history, making the network the most-watched channel on basic cable. Nielsen Media Research reports Fox News beat ESPN with 1.78 million viewers and third-place MSNBC, which draws an average of 1.75 million viewers in prime time. Fox tops its cable competitors for a fourth straight year, adds Nielsen.  CNN finishes 22nd , with an average of 972,000 viewers per night.

AMERICANS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT 2020.  Rasmussen Reports finds Americans are more optimistic about the year ahead than they have been in a long time, adding with a presidential election coming in November, it’s interesting to note that Republicans are a lot more enthusiastic about 2020 than Democrats.  The latest Rasmussen telephone and online survey finds 72 percent of American adults think 2020 will be at a minimum a good year. That’s up dramatically from 54 percent a year ago and includes 22 percent who say it will be an excellent year and 20 percent who predict it will be one of the best years ever.

161 YEAR OLD NEWSPAPER LEAVES PRINT.  One of California’s longest-running newspapers ends its print edition after 161 years with a final Sunday paper.  Fate of the Martinez (Calif.) News-Gazette and its staff remain in limbo as the newspaper’s editor Rick Jones says he’s not sure if they will continue to publish online. He says he is waiting to hear from Gibson Publishing, which owns the paper, on what happens with the staff. 

341 JOURNALISTS KILLED IN DECADE.  Over the past decade, at least 341 journalists are killed around the world, according to data collected by the Committee to Protect Journalists.  Suicide bombs, shooting by gangs, caught in crossfire and targeted on live TV are the means.

LARGE SPONGE LEFT IN AFTER OPERATION.  A Louisville, Ky. jury awards $10.5 million to a woman whose leg was amputated after University of Louisville Hospital personnel left an 18-by-18-inch sponge inside her during bypass heart surgery in 2011.

AKC RECOGNIZES TWO NEW DOG BREEDS.  American Kennel Club adds two dog breeds to its list of 195 that are recognized:  barbet, a French water dog, and dogo Argentino, a big-game hunter.