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.

  • P&G raises full-year outlook in mixed Q3 earnings results

    Procter & Gamble (PG), which produces a variety of cleaning and personal hygiene products, posted mixed fiscal third-quarter earnings on Friday. While topping earnings estimates with gains of $1.52 per share, P&G fell below its revenue estimates for the quarter. Citi Director of Equity Research Filippo Falorni joins Yahoo Finance to discuss the larger consumer sentiment trends influencing Procter & Gamble's sales. "Most of these companies, including Procter... have taken significant prices over the last two years to offset the big commodity inflation of really late 2021 and 2022," Falorni says. "Now, commodities have been more favorable throughout last year and this year, so there's really a lot less room for them to take implemental pricing." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • Netflix earnings and subscribers: What Wall Street is saying

    Netflix (NFLX) shares are falling Friday morning to which Wall Street analysts attribute to the streamer's miss on second-quarter guidance estimates and its decision to omit subscriber figures from future earnings reports next year. Morning Brief Anchors Seana Smith and Brad Smith review how analysts are responding to Netflix's first-quarter earnings, looking back on Citi Managing Director Jason Bazinet's comments to Yahoo Finance. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • Labor market may need to weaken for Fed to cut: Economist

    The Federal Reserve's path on monetary policy remains uncertain, with investors now debating when the central bank will start cutting rates. Santander Chief US Economist Stephen Stanley joins Yahoo Finance to discuss the evolving outlook for Fed rate cuts. Stanley acknowledges that recent inflation data "is much more stubborn" than the Fed had anticipated, and he expects it to take "most of the year" before the Fed gains enough confidence to embark on a rate-easing cycle. However, Stanley points out "the good news" is that the Fed can afford to be patient because the economy continues to demonstrate resilience, outperforming expectations. If the economy were to experience a downturn and head into a recession, Stanley cautions that "all bets are off" regarding the Fed's policy path. However, if economic performance remains robust, he expects the prospect of rate cuts to continue being pushed back, reiterating that the Fed may need to see some labor market deterioration before cutting rates. 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

  • The macro headwinds that geopolitical risks may stir up

    As tensions in the Middle East escalate, investors are reevaluating their portfolio allocations to offset any geopolitical risks. Brandywine Global Portfolio Manager John McClain joins the discussion to provide insights on navigating this environment while crude oil prices (CL=F, BZ=F) are also slowly ticking up Friday. McClain highlights three key factors that investors should consider from a "macro perspective." Firstly, he sees "a lot of upside potential" for oil prices, driven by a supply-demand dynamic. Secondly, McClain emphasizes the importance of interest rates, calling the US Treasury market "a safe haven," although he cautioned that investors "have to be careful" with their positioning along the yield curve. Lastly, he highlights the "US exceptionalism" in the foreign exchange (FX) market with the US dollar benefiting from being "the only place to go for AI." When it comes to portfolio construction, McClain advises investors to focus on "what industries are driving" the particular region they are invested in. He underscores the crucial role played by central banks and their monetary policies, which can significantly impact portfolio performance. 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

  • FAFSA delays worry students waiting on financial aid packages

    The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, recently underwent an overhaul to become more streamlined to open up opportunities for college students to receive financial aid. However, due to a botched rollout, there have been massive delays across the nation causing prospective students to be unsure of their enrollment status and ability to afford a higher education. National College Attainment Network CEO Kim Cook joins Wealth! to break down the issues with FAFSA and what students need to keep in mind as they wait on aid packages. Cook offers this advice to students: "Right now the form is functioning well, the form is ready for most students. So right now if a student has had issues, if a student believes they need to make corrections, now is the time to check in to their portal to find out the status of their form and any actions they need to take. If the student might have seen some of these stories and thought that FAFSA is not for me or FAFSA's not working, we'd ask them to please go give it another try and hope for a smoother experience this time." 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

  • Mortgage rates touch 4-month high as Fed weighs rate options

    Mortgage rates have climbed to a four-month high, surpassing the 7% threshold. As the Federal Reserve maintains a higher-for-longer interest rate stance with inflation data suggesting no imminent easing, Yahoo Finance Fed Reporter Jennifer Schonberger dissects the ramifications for the housing market. 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

  • September Fed cut will help ease mortgage rates: Economist

    Thirty-year mortgage rates have hit above 7% with some experts believing it could hit 8% pretty soon. With US housing pricing and demand remaining high while supply remains low, it seems hopeless for many potential homebuyers. Mortgage Bankers Association Chief Economist Mike Fratantoni joins Wealth! to give insight into the housing market and why home buyers should have a little hope on the horizon as he believes mortgage rates will gradually decline. Fratantoni explains that he feels confident the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this year, which will trickle down into the rest of the economy: "Mortgage rates, which I'll call it 7.25 [percent], in the most recent data, we think will be down to about 6.5 [percent] by the end of the year. It really is going to be reflecting a gradual slowdown in the strength of the economy and we expect the unemployment rate is going to rise not very much. We know they are calling for a recession but we do think there is going to be enough of a slowdown that the Fed should feel comfortable cutting rates by September of this 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

  • Caitlin Clark's WNBA salary showcases wage gap in pro sports

    The University of Iowa college basketball star Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA draft and was picked up as the number one overall pick by the Indiana Fever. Clark led the Iowa Hawkeyes through the March Madness tournament all the way to the finals, ultimately losing to South Carolina. Clark's rookie contract of $338,056 over the next four years further illustrates the monumental pay disparities between men's and women's professional sports. Yahoo Finance's Seana Smith joins Wealth! to compare Clark's rookie compensation package with that of her male counterparts, including the number one NBA draft pick Victor Wembanyama who will be paid a whopping $12 million for his first year in the league. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • Streaming: Are consumers fed up with subscription costs yet?

    Streaming services have raised subscriptions costs in recent years with a potential for prices to keep increasing down the line. With inflation making its way through consumer goods and services, how are consumers feeling about these price increases? Will they continue to opt in to select services or should streaming companies like Amazon Prime Video (AMZN) be worried? D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University Associate Dean of Research and Professor of Marketing Koen Pauwels joins Wealth! to give insight into how consumers are reacting to rising subscription costs from streaming providers.  "If you're the kind of consumer who is relatively price insensitive and you don't want to be bothered with ads and you want all of your shows to be on one kind of data provider so you don't have to lose the time to figure out which show is where, then you're going to settle [and] select for this ad-free tier," Pauwels points out, "which also means that Netflix (NFLX) can continue raising prices on that one because their pool of consumers choosing for this non-ad service is going to be more restricted, more selective who don't care about prices that much." 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

  • Bitcoin halving will raise our share in mining: CleanSpark CEO

    The bitcoin halving event (BTC-USD) is approaching, likely to occur over this weekend and decrease the reward for bitcoin mining operators. Could the crypto asset stand to face even more pricing pressures from the halving since falling off from its all-time high? How will miners react to steepening profit margins? CleanSpark CEO Zach Bradford (CLSK) joins Yahoo Finance to give insight into the bitcoin halving and what crypto traders can expect from bitcoin prices, crypto mining, and the larger cryptocurrency landscape. Bradford talks on how he envisions CleanSpark's operating margins post-halving: "Although we will go from about 900 new bitcoin a day being produced to 450. What that means is the efficient miners who have good solid margins will continue to have margins that are very healthy, but miners that were maybe smaller, didn't have scale, or were inefficient when it comes to their energy usage therefore their costs are higher, they won't be able to keep running their machines and as a result there will be less participants taking a piece of the pie. And therefore the large miner, our piece of the pie should get bigger after halving. We think to the tune of 10, 15, or even 20%." Want to learn more about the bitcoin halving? Watch this video from Yahoo Finance for a quick explainer: Bitcoin halving: Explained For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode. This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • AI investments will help chip sector to recover: Analyst

    The semiconductor sector is undergoing a correction as interest rate cut expectations dwindle, prompting concerns about the impact on these high-growth, technology-driven stocks. Wedbush Enterprise Hardware Analyst Matt Bryson joins Yahoo Finance to discuss the dynamics shaping the chip industry. Bryson acknowledges that the rise of generative AI has been a significant driving force behind the recent success of chip stocks. While he believes that AI is shifting "the way technology works," he notes it will take time. Due to this, Bryson highlights that "significant investment" will continue to occur in the chip market, fueled by the growth of generative AI applications. However, Bryson cautions that as interest rates remain elevated, it could "weigh on consumer spending." Nevertheless, he expresses confidence that the AI revolution "changing the landscape for tech" will likely insulate the sector from the effect of high interest rates, as investors are unwilling to miss out on the "next technology" breakthrough. 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

  • China orders Apple to remove messaging apps from store: WSJ

    China has ordered Apple (AAPL) to remove popular messaging apps, including WhatsApp, from its app store, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The apps were removed due to supposed national security concerns, without officials specifying which ones. Yahoo Finance Tech Editor Dan Howley breaks down the latest development for Apple and what it could mean for the company's presence in China moving forward. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode. This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • Tech earnings will test the market's strength: Strategist

    Mounting geopolitical pressures and stocks not reacting as positively to earnings results as Wall Street had hoped, concerns over the strength of the market are beginning to creep in. Big names in tech — including Microsoft (MSFT) and Amazon (AMZN) will report their latest quarterly earnings in the coming weeks — have helped lead the recent rally seen in the market. State Street Global Markets Head of Equity Research Marija Veitmane joins Yahoo Finance to discuss what will test the mettle of markets the most, including geopolitical woes and Big Tech earnings. "Next week we have a big tech week which is hopefully one part of the market that consensus is very constructive for and that is part of the market that maybe is less affected by [interest] rate hikes, companies are larger, balance sheets are stronger. So that is potentially something [that] can kind of put floor under stocks," Veitmane explains. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode. This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • Is the Israel-Iran conflict over for now after airstrikes?

    On Thursday night, Israel retaliated against Iran in response to the latter's April 13 airstrikes. According to a report from the BBC, explosions were also reported in Iraq and Syria. Crude oil futures (BZ=F, CL=F) remain largely unaffected, to the surprise of some on Wall Street. Yahoo Finance Senior Columnist Rick Newman joins the Morning Brief to break down the conflict between Israel and Iran. 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

  • Oil analyst: Israel-Iran escalations not out of equation yet

    Oil prices (BZ=F, CL=F) have been moving back and forth since Iran's attack on Israel last weekend, with Israel ultimately retaliating Thursday night and raising more concerns of further escalation. With tensions rising in the Middle East and the potential for conflict to spread, concerns over the impacts on global oil production have also been raised. Prosper Trading Academy CEO Scott Bauer joins The Morning Brief to discuss oil prices, the state of shipping in the Middle East, and impacts on consumers and investors alike. Bauer outlines what risks are at stake and what to keep in mind during these tense times: "The real risk of this is that the Strait of Hormuz closes down or consolidates at a point where we can't get crude through there because 20% of the world's supply passes through there, so that is the big risk. It's not a risk of Iran is not going to supply anything or oil is not going to still be pumped — it's the delivery. So that's number one. Number two, where do we go from here? I know people are pegging $100 [per barrel], I think that's just an easy number... and what we have to keep in mind is when the start of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began, we saw oil prices spike all the way to $125, I don't see that happening." 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

  • Investors are steering clear of small cap stocks. Here's why

    The Russell 2000 Index (^RUT) has been underperforming the broader S&P 500 Index (^GSPC) year-to-date. As the prospects of an imminent interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve have diminished, investors have grown increasingly cautious about small cap companies' exposure to debt. Yahoo Finance's Josh Schafer breaks 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

  • Netflix: Breaking down how investors interpret subscriber data

    Netflix (NFLX) stock is falling Friday morning despite reporting breakout growth of 9.3 million new subscribers in its first-quarter earnings report. Going forward, the streaming giant will not be disclosing subscriber figures in future earnings results. Citi Managing Director Jason Bazinet sits down with the Morning Brief to highlight the "anxiety" that could manifest in investors from Netflix withholding this core data. Netflix's ad-supported tiers and password-sharing crackdown have proven to be a boon to revenues and the streamer's subscriber count. "What they [Wall Street] want to see is when we begin to lap some of these password-sharing benefits, what's going to carry the water? How are they going to get these net ads?" Bazinet explains. "So right about the time that the benefit of password sharing fades, people want to see the sub numbers to see how well the ad tier is doing." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • What a Sony, Apollo buyout of Paramount looks like: Analyst

    Sony Pictures Entertainment (SONY) has entered talks with Apollo Global Management (APO), the parent company of Yahoo Finance, to discuss a possible joint buyout bid of Paramount Global (PARA,PARAA). According to the New York Times, both companies, through a joint venture, would offer cash for shares of Paramount, taking the company private. Citi Managing Director Jason Bazinet joins The Morning Brief to discuss the potential joint buyout bid from Sony and Apollo and what it could mean for all companies involved and investors moving forward. In terms of what consumers can expect, should a deal go through, Bazinet says: "I think you'll see fewer apps...If this bid between Apollo and Sony is right, Sony is really sort of an arms dealer, right? So they're going to presumably take the studio and just feed everybody's app. Then I would think that someone on the private equity side would, sort of, not want to absorb the losses from a streaming app like Paramount+ and would just focus on the cash-generative assets and pay down debt to create equity value." 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

  • Tesla issues major Cybertruck recall over faulty pedal

    Tesla (TSLA) has announced a recall of nearly 4,000 units of its highly anticipated Cybertruck electric pickup truck. The recall is due to a potential issue with the accelerator pedal, which could malfunction and pose a safety risk. 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

  • Netflix earnings: The 3 biggest takeaways from the streamer

    Shares of Netflix (NFLX) slide lower in Friday's trading session after the company reported its first-quarter earnings results on Thursday. Yahoo Finance's Alexandra Canal breaks down the biggest takeaways from Netflix's earnings, including positive yields tied to its password-sharing crackdown policy, its ad-supported tier, and what the streaming giant is changing about how it reports earnings in future quarters. 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