Brad Smith

    Host

    Brad Smith is an Anchor at Yahoo Finance, covering equity markets and general business news. Formerly he was an anchor at Cheddar, reporting from the New York Stock Exchange. His live reporting has spanned the Opening and Closing Bell, as well as topical shows that focused on: earnings, crypto, healthcare, DEI, and sports. Prior to that, Brad worked in Global Listings Services at Nasdaq. He is a Drexel University alum and during the extended hours, you can find Brad scoping out the latest sneakers, or playing drums, basketball, and/or golf.

  • Meme stocks are 'speculation,' not investing. Here's why.

    As meme stocks gain traction, Todd Walsh, Alpha Cubed Investments CEO and author of Exponential Gains: How to Find and Manage the Next Great Stocks and Transform Your Portfolio, joins Wealth! to shed light on why investors should avoid these speculative investments. Walsh points out that "a generation of investors" are currently drawn to meme stocks, mistakenly believing they are investing when, in reality, these stocks "are just speculation." He emphasizes the importance of investors establishing a "foundation" and an "investment process" that filters out speculative plays. Walsh advises investors to "get away from the idea of making a big score" and instead focus on factors such as a company's earnings and profitability. This approach promotes a more disciplined investment strategy, he adds. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Angel Smith

  • Waiting for mortgage rates to drop? Why you might reconsider

    With mortgage rates holding steady above the 7% threshold, the housing market has witnessed a shift in sentiment, steering some prospective buyers away. Against this backdrop, Serhant Florida Founding Agent Mariana Niro joins Wealth! to provide insights into the key considerations for those looking to purchase a home. Niro emphasizes that homebuyers should define their approach up-front: in particular, whether they plan to make an outright cash purchase or finance the acquisition. She also highlights the significance of obtaining a pre-approval letter, a crucial tool in determining the homebuyer's affordability range. Despite the elevated interest rates, Niro cautions against adopting a wait-and-see approach, saying, "Don't wait for interest rates to start dropping because prices will skyrocket." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Angel Smith

  • Top tips for finding best credit cards for home improvement

    With spring cleaning season comes the energy to start some DIY home improvement projects. But with sticky inflation and high costs for supplies, it's important to budget and spend for those projects accordingly. Yahoo Finance Senior Writer Kendall Little joins Wealth! to break down the top tips on finding the best credit cards to use for home improvement projects. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • Why silver prices have 'two different personalities': Analyst

    Both silver (SI=F) and gold (GC=F) have seen their prices soar amid uncertainty in the Federal Reserve's policy decisions and ongoing geopolitical conflicts. Will silver's run continue or is this just an anomaly? Deutsche Bank Research Analyst Michael Hsueh joins Wealth! to give insight into the silver market and what investors can expect for the future of the commodity. Hsueh explains how Silver works in trading: "It has two different personalities, right? One is as gearing to the global manufacturing cycle, and two, is as a sensitivity to gold, usually with a beta that's above 1. Right now, with the global manufacturing cycle, not really doing a whole lot. I think in the US certainly, we've kind of troughed in the mid-cycle slowdown, in, over the course of '22 and mid 2023, and now we're in a very shallow recovery from that. But I think broad picture on the manufacturing cycle is not a very strong input to the silver price at the moment... Right now, it seems to be the sensitivity to gold that is really dominating silver at the moment." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • For investors, forward guidance now outweighs earnings: Strategist

    As inflation data shows continued stickiness, the likelihood of an imminent Federal Reserve rate cut has diminished, prompting market readjustments. Zacks Investment Management Client Portfolio Manager Brian Mulberry joins Wealth! to discuss how stubborn inflation not only impacts rate cut decisions but also earnings expectations. Mulberry states that markets are undergoing "a repricing event" due to a higher-for-longer interest rate environment. He highlights that with the Fed's target of 2% inflation, there is not "enough information or data to truly determine what interest rates should be today" — forcing a shift in how "future earnings are going to be valued." "In this moment, the earnings in the current quarter aren't as important as the guidance over the next couple of quarters for investors right now," Mulberry told Yahoo Finance. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Angel Smith

  • What Chevron, Exxon Q1 earnings mean for gas prices

    Shares of Exxon Mobil (XOM) and Chevron (CVX) traded lower on Friday as both companies revealed a year-over-year decline in first quarter revenue due to refining margins being lower. Will these reports have an effect at the pump? Yahoo Finance Reporter Ines Ferré joins Wealth! to break down the potential impact on gas prices and what consumers and investors should keep in mind moving forward. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • Alphabet to pay first-ever quarterly dividend, $70B buyback

    In a historic move, Alphabet Inc. (GOOG, GOOGL) has approved a $70 billion share repurchase program and it's first-ever quarterly dividend. The dividend, set at $0.20 per share, will be distributed to eligible shareholders on June 17, 2024. Yahoo Finance's Julie Hyman breaks down the details. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Angel Smith

  • Inflation data could force Fed's hand on rate hikes: Economist

    March's Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data arrived hotter than expected and GDP figures point to an economic slowdown. In this environment, economists and investors alike are revisiting the Federal Reserve's rate cut outlook. Stifel Financial Chief Economist Lindsey Piegza joins Yahoo Finance to discuss the prospects for Fed cuts. Piegza notes that although March's PCE did not show "a material increase" in inflation, the Fed had been "expecting a sizable reversal" supporting the disinflationary trend. She suggests that this report could force another adjustment to the Fed's outlook and further delay any near-term rate cuts, with the possibility of rate hikes even coming back into consideration. Regarding consumer behavior, Piegza acknowledges that the consumer remains "very resilient." However, she observes that consumers are becoming more cost-conscious, carefully weighing their spending decisions and seeking value, leading to a slowdown in "broad-based growth." "Without more of a meaningful decline or improvement in inflation, after that minimal concession, I think the Fed's hands are tied, and we'd likely see the Fed move back to the sidelines for a second, extended pause," Piegza tells Yahoo Finance. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Yahoo Finance. This post was written by Angel Smith

  • Exxon's Guyana 'mega-project' to fuel 'big growth': Strategist

    Shares of Exxon Mobil (XOM) and Chevron (CVX) are trading lower on Friday as both companies revealed a dip in first quarter revenue compared to the same period last year. However, both companies beat Wall Street revenue expectations for the quarter. While some of the forecasts for these companies are mixed, upcoming projects have the potential to turn things around. Truist Managing Director of Energy Research Neal Dingmann joins The Morning Brief to give insight into the energy sector and what investors can expect from Exxon and Chevron moving forward. Dingmann explains that growth will be accelerated by two upcoming projects in particular: "They're going to have big growth...in Guyana and the Permian [Basin]. That's going to keep the remainder of their overall portfolio flat. Guyana is the one worth pointing out. If you look at the projects coming on through 2027 on a gross basis, which Exxon has 45% of this, that could do almost 1.2 billion barrels a day. You think that: the US alone is doing about 13 billion barrels. This is encroaching on over 10% of what the US alone could do with this project by 2027. That's why it's obviously a big deal on this litigation between Chevron and Exxon on the Hess deal. I cannot say enough about this Ghana project...It's a mega project to say the least. " For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • Microsoft, Alphabet: Wall Street bullish on Big Tech, Q1 results

    Wall Street analysts are exhibiting bullish sentiment toward tech giants Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) and Microsoft (MSFT) in the wake of their respective first quarter earnings reports. Prominent firms such as Oppenheimer, Barclays, and Jefferies have increased their price targets for Alphabet's stocks. Similarly, analysts at Wells Fargo and JPMorgan have raised their price targets on Microsoft. This surge of positive analyst commentary has propelled both stocks higher in Friday's trading session. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Angel Smith

  • 'Choppy market' ahead with Fed 'on pause': Strategist

    US Equities (^GSPC, ^DJI, ^IXIC) are moving higher despite the hotter-than-expected Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) reading. Big Tech earnings, however, may serve as a catalyst for the market's continued optimism. BMO Wealth Management US Chief Investment Officer Yung-Yu Ma joins The Morning Brief to give insight into how the market is moving during this earnings season and what investors should expect from recent economic data. Ma is not certain that strong earnings alone can steer the macroeconomic environment: "We definitely think earnings are important here and the growth trajectory is important. But it's also worth noting that since the market is more relying on growth now for both stabilization and the upside gains, I think we have a more inherent push and pull to the market because that growth is somewhat uncertain. We do think it's going to materialize and actually accelerate in the second half, but once you pull away the backing of the Fed and having the Fed more on pause now, inflation being a little bit stickier and the slow path down, we do think that does mean a little more of a choppy market." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • Snap stock pops on Q1 revenue beat, 10% YoY jump in active users

    Snap Inc. (SNAP) shares are surging during Friday's trading session, propelled by first quarter results that surpassed revenue expectations for the company. The social media platform reported a 21% year-over-year increase in revenue for the quarter, fueling the stock's trading activity. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Angel Smith

  • Roku warns of ad-supported streaming competition, stock slides

    Roku (ROKU) stock is trading lower on Friday as the company cautioned that the financial advantages stemming from price hikes are beginning to dissipate. The streamer also warned that heightened competition in the ad-supported streaming space could create a significant headwind. Yahoo Finance's Seana Smith and Brad Smith break down the details. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Angel Smith

  • Microsoft, Alphabet earnings show AI is more than just hype

    Both Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) and Microsoft (MSFT) posted quarterly results that topped Wall Street estimates. The big takeaway from both reports? That generative artificial intelligence is here and companies are spending on it, says both Baird Technology Desk Sector Strategist Ted Mortonson and RBC Capital Markets Software Equity Analyst Rishi Jaluria. "The commentary out of both Google and Microsoft, I think, tells us that there is real demand for AI... there's actual money being put behind this. It's not just hype. It's not just people talking about it. There's actual capital being put to work," Jaluria tells Yahoo Finance's Morning Brief. Mortonson agrees. "We are going through, really, a generational infrastructure build," Mortonson says, adding that both Microsoft and Alphabet have an "advantage" because their "data center footprint already exists." Jaluria notes that investors "will be patient" with Microsoft's big spending on infrastructure as long as the company's AI-related businesses continue to show growth. As to why investors were less happy about Meta's (META) AI spending, Mortonson thinks it may come down to "a game of positioning." "Meta was extremely crowded going into the print. There's some people that, quite frankly, didn't like some of the unprofitable spend," Mortonson says. He believes that Meta is "very attractive" given how hard the stock was hit by its results, but the Microsoft does have a "huge advantage" due to its enterprise business. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Stephanie Mikulich.

  • Intel stock slides on lower Q2 forecast

    Shares of Intel (INTC) are moving lower Friday morning as the company posted its first quarter report, revealing a better-than-expected profit. However, the company posted a lower-than-expected forecast for second-quarter revenue. Yahoo Finance Anchors Brad Smith and Seana Smith discuss how Intel is competing in the chip space and whether Q1 is the bottom of its near-term supply constraints. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • Core services are a 'big problem' for the Fed: UBS Economist

    March's Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data was consistent with expectations, reporting a 0.3% month-over-month rise. However, it slightly exceeded projections on a year-over-year basis, coming in at 2.7%. UBS Global Wealth Management Senior US Economist Brian Rose joins The Morning Brief to analyze how these figures could influence the Federal Reserve's rate cut outlook. Rose acknowledges that the current inflation data "has been too high" for the Fed to embark on monetary easing. He identifies "the big problem for the Fed" as core services, factors tied to robust demand and wage growth: "This is where they need to see disinflation," he says. In March, the core PCE inflation figure stood at 2.8%. While Rose predicts the Fed could initiate rate cuts in September, he cautioned that if inflation data persists at elevated levels, "it could get pushed back even further." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Angel Smith

  • Chevron, Exxon face energy headwinds, lower profits in Q1

    Exxon Mobil (XOM) and Chevron (CVX) reported their first quarter earnings, with both companies revealing a fall in revenue for the quarter compared to the same period last year. However, both companies beat Wall Street expectations for revenue for the quarter. Chevron claims the revenue drop is partly due to lower margins on refined product sales. Yahoo Finance Reporter Ines Ferre joins The Morning Brief to analyze the latest developments for these companies and what they mean for the stocks moving forward. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief.

  • March PCE data shows 2.7% annual increase, stubborn inflation

    The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data for March aligned with forecasts, registering a 0.3% increase on a month-over-month basis and a 2.7% rise year-over-year. Yahoo Finance's Fed Reporter Jennifer Schonberger sheds light on how this figure could impact Federal Reserve rate cut expectations. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Angel Smith

  • Meta is spending more on AI: Where the money is going

    According to company filings, Meta (META) will boost its full-year capital expenditures to a range of $35 to 40 billion, which was more than what some analysts expected. In a statement from the company, Meta plans to "invest aggressively to support our ambitious AI research and product development efforts.” Yahoo Finance Tech Editor Dan Howley joins Wealth! to break down Meta's capital expenditures into AI and more. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • Toy industry is currently stuck in 'a weird spot': Expert

    Toy giants Hasbro (HAS) and Mattel (MAT) reported their first-quarter earnings revealing declines in year-over-year sales. As consumers get hit with higher prices for food and gas, more pressing economic concerns may be interfering with toy sales. The Toy Book Editor-in-Chief and The Toy Insider Senior Editor James Zahn joins Wealth! to talk about the retail picture rising toy prices are painting for the broader US consumer. "The toy industry is in a weird spot right now because we're coming off of a couple of years with the pandemic. We had all of those sales booms that no one planned for, and then they started to dive down," Zahn explains. "That softness at the end of 2022 rolled into '23, and now we're seeing it again coming out of the first quarter of '24. The big things right now are that families are dealing with economic concerns. They're paying more for groceries. More for gas. The excitement at retail really isn't there because all of the newness hasn't come in yet. So we're still in kind of a wait-and-see until some of these new, exciting products start hitting towards the middle of the year. " For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino