Stocks were slightly positive Monday, steadying against a backdrop of protracted protests in some of the nation’s largest cities, many of which had already been struggling to reopen amid the coronavirus outbreak.
<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="Market participants also eyed tensions between the U.S. and China, after Bloomberg and Reuters reported China had ordered some state-run agricultural companies to halt purchases of American farm goods.” data-reactid=”18″>Market participants also eyed tensions between the U.S. and China, after Bloomberg and Reuters reported China had ordered some state-run agricultural companies to halt purchases of American farm goods.
This came after President Donald Trump on Friday said his administration would take action to respond to China’s crackdown on Hong Kong, including removing Hong Kong’s preferential trade status with the U.S. and requesting a working group study Chinese companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges for potential unfair financial practices.
The protests over the past several days centered on constituents’ outrage over the death of George Floyd, who was killed by police in Minneapolis last week in one of the latest public instances of police brutality against an unarmed black man.
<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="Demonstrations since erupted in dozens of cities across the nation, accompanied by looting and destruction of some retail stores and other large and small businesses. The escalation of these protests led governors in two dozen states including Minnesota, California, Illinois and Washington to activate the National Guard, along with mayors in some cities to impose curfews.” data-reactid=”21″>Demonstrations since erupted in dozens of cities across the nation, accompanied by looting and destruction of some retail stores and other large and small businesses. The escalation of these protests led governors in two dozen states including Minnesota, California, Illinois and Washington to activate the National Guard, along with mayors in some cities to impose curfews.
“Mass gatherings could spark concerns about a second wave of the virus. We’ll let the medical experts handle this debate, but will weigh in on why this matters for stocks,” Lori Calvasina, head of U.S. equity strategy for RBC Capital Markets, said in a note Monday. “It bears on how quickly the US economy can get back to something resembling normal. Second wave fears could halt reopening or keep behavior cautious.”
<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="A number of major companies temporarily changed operations as they assessed the violence that ensued in recent days. Target (TGT) which is headquartered in Minneapolis and has 73 stores in Minnesota, closed or adjusted hours at 200 stores this weekend. Meanwhile, tech giant Amazon (AMZN) shifted delivery routes in some cities due to the protests, Amazon confirmed in an email to Yahoo Finance after a Bloomberg report, and Apple (AAPL) reportedly extended store closures of some of its outlets.” data-reactid=”23″>A number of major companies temporarily changed operations as they assessed the violence that ensued in recent days. Target (TGT) which is headquartered in Minneapolis and has 73 stores in Minnesota, closed or adjusted hours at 200 stores this weekend. Meanwhile, tech giant Amazon (AMZN) shifted delivery routes in some cities due to the protests, Amazon confirmed in an email to Yahoo Finance after a Bloomberg report, and Apple (AAPL) reportedly extended store closures of some of its outlets.
<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="These developments coincided with a historic downturn in the U.S. economy, rendering tens of millions of Americans jobless as the coronavirus pandemic and measures to contain it swept the country and world. Though many states and cities across the U.S. have begun to undergo a phased reopening process, many economists expect domestic data to hold at very low levels for now. The Labor Department’s May jobs report set for release later this week is expected to show the unemployment rate jump to a record high of 19.6%, the highest based on monthly Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data spanning back to 1948. ” data-reactid=”25″>These developments coincided with a historic downturn in the U.S. economy, rendering tens of millions of Americans jobless as the coronavirus pandemic and measures to contain it swept the country and world. Though many states and cities across the U.S. have begun to undergo a phased reopening process, many economists expect domestic data to hold at very low levels for now. The Labor Department’s May jobs report set for release later this week is expected to show the unemployment rate jump to a record high of 19.6%, the highest based on monthly Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data spanning back to 1948.
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<h2 class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="4:04 p.m. ET: Stocks rise in first session of June, stabilizing amid protests and US-China tensions” data-reactid=”27″>4:04 p.m. ET: Stocks rise in first session of June, stabilizing amid protests and US-China tensions
Here were the main moves in markets as of 4:04 p.m. ET:
Gold (GC=F): -$1.20 (-0.07%) to $1,750.50 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): +1.4 bps to yield 0.6620%
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2:44 p.m. ET: US crude oil prices tick down 0.1%, or 5 cents, to $35.44 per barrel
Futures for U.S. West Texas intermediate edged down 0.1%, or 5 cents, to $35.44 per barrel Monday. The commodity held onto May’s gains, which sent prices up more than 80% for the month as states’ reopenings stoked hopes of a rebound in energy demand.
<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="Earlier in the session Monday, multiple mediaoutlets reported that OPEC and Russia were weighing extensions of oil output cuts, which would help ease months-long concerns of a global supply glut.” data-reactid=”39″>Earlier in the session Monday, multiple mediaoutlets reported that OPEC and Russia were weighing extensions of oil output cuts, which would help ease months-long concerns of a global supply glut.
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12:45 p.m. ET: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo considers curfew for NYC amid unrest
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said during his daily coronavirus briefing Monday he is weighing a possible curfew in New York City following unrest, lootings and vandalism of stores over the weekend.
“Something has to get done because last night was not acceptable,” he said during the briefing.
Separately, New York state reported a daily death toll of 54 on May 31 from the coronavirus, or the lowest level so far in the period after the virus’s peak. Overall, new cases of the coronavirus in New York state fell below 1,000 for the first time in 11 weeks.
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10:13 a.m. ET: Stocks turn positive, led by Financials
The three major indices turned positive Monday morning after opening slightly lower. The Financials and Consumer Discretionary sectors led gains in the S&P 500, while Boeing, American Express and Goldman Sachs led advances in the Dow.
Here’s where the three major indices were trading as of 10:13 a.m. ET:
S&P 500 (^GSPC): +5.23 points (+0.17%) to 3,049.54
March’s construction spending was revised to unchanged from a 0.9% gain previously reported.
By category, private construction spending declined 3.0% in April, comprising a 4.5% drop in residential construction spending and a 1.3% drop in nonresidential spending. Government construction spending fell 2.5% in April.
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10:00 a.m. ET: ISM Manufacturing PMI ticks up less than expected in May
Subindices tracking new orders, prices paid and employment each rose marginally from April’s low levels. All of these were still in contractionary territory, or below the neutral level of 50.0.
“The coronavirus pandemic impacted all manufacturing sectors for the third straight month. May appears to be a transition month, as many panelists and their suppliers returned to work late in the month,” Timothy Fiore, Chair of the Institue for Supply Management, said in a statement. “However, demand remains uncertain, likely impacting inventories, customer inventories, employment, imports and backlog of orders.”
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9:45 a.m. ET: Decline in U.S. manufacturing activity suggests ‘any recovery will be frustratingly slow’: IHS Markit
<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="U.S. manufacturing activity held in deeply contractionary territory in May, according to IHS Markit’s final monthly purchasing managers’ index. The manufacturing PMI registered at 39.8 in the final print, matching the advance print. This followed a reading of 36.1 in April.” data-reactid=”69″>U.S. manufacturing activity held in deeply contractionary territory in May, according to IHS Markit’s final monthly purchasing managers’ index. The manufacturing PMI registered at 39.8 in the final print, matching the advance print. This followed a reading of 36.1 in April.
Readings below the neutral level of 50.0 indicate contraction in a sector.
“Manufacturing remained in a deep downturn in May, as measures taken to contain the spread of COVID-19 continued to cause production losses, disrupt supply chains and hit demand,” Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit, said in a statement. “Job losses meanwhile continued to run at one of the highest rates in over a decade, and pricing power has collapsed.”
“There remains a high risk that any recovery will be frustratingly slow as ongoing social distancing measures, high unemployment, job insecurity and damaged balance sheets constrain consumer and business spending,” he added. “The recovery will of course also fade quickly if virus infections start to rise again. For now, however, we focus on the good news that we may be past the worst in terms of the economic decline.”
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9:31 a.m. ET: Stocks open mostly lower
Here were the main moves in markets, as of 9:31 a.m. ET:
Here were the main moves at the start of the overnight session for U.S. equity futures, as of 6:04 p.m. ET:
S&P 500 futures (ES=F): 3,017.75, down 24.25 points (-0.8%)
Dow futures (YM=F): 25,378.00, down 79 points (-0.31%)
Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): 9,476.00, down 84.25 points (-0.88%)
Protesters completely surround a line of police officers during nationwide unrest following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. May 30, 2020. Picture taken May 30, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Drake
Most job search advice is cookie-cutter. The advice you’re following is almost certainly the same advice other job seekers follow, making you just another candidate following the same script.
In today’s hyper-competitive job market, standing out is critical, a challenge most job seekers struggle with. Instead of relying on generic questions recommended by self-proclaimed career coaches, which often lead to a forgettable interview, ask unique, thought-provoking questions that’ll spark engaging conversations and leave a lasting impression.
Your level of interest in the company and the role.
Contributing to your employer’s success is essential.
You desire a cultural fit.
Here are the top four questions experts recommend candidates ask; hence, they’ve become cliché questions you should avoid asking:
“What are the key responsibilities of this position?”
Most likely, the job description answers this question. Therefore, asking this question indicates you didn’t read the job description. If you require clarification, ask, “How many outbound calls will I be required to make daily?” “What will be my monthly revenue target?”
“What does a typical day look like?”
Although it’s important to understand day-to-day expectations, this question tends to elicit vague responses and rarely leads to a deeper conversation. Don’t focus on what your day will look like; instead, focus on being clear on the results you need to deliver. Nobody I know has ever been fired for not following a “typical day.” However, I know several people who were fired for failing to meet expectations. Before accepting a job offer, ensure you’re capable of meeting the employer’s expectations.
“How would you describe the company culture?”
Asking this question screams, “I read somewhere to ask this question.” There are much better ways to research a company’s culture, such as speaking to current and former employees, reading online reviews and news articles. Furthermore, since your interviewer works for the company, they’re presumably comfortable with the culture. Do you expect your interviewer to give you the brutal truth? “Be careful of Craig; get on his bad side, and he’ll make your life miserable.” “Bob is close to retirement. I give him lots of slack, which the rest of the team needs to pick up.”
Truism: No matter how much due diligence you do, only when you start working for the employer will you experience and, therefore, know their culture firsthand.
“What opportunities are there for professional development?”
When asked this question, I immediately think the candidate cares more about gaining than contributing, a showstopper. Managing your career is your responsibility, not your employer’s.
Cliché questions don’t impress hiring managers, nor will they differentiate you from your competition. To transform your interaction with your interviewer from a Q&A session into a dynamic discussion, ask unique, insightful questions.
Here are my four go-to questions—I have many more—to accomplish this:
“Describe your management style. How will you manage me?”
This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to talk about themselves, which we all love doing. As well, being in sync with my boss is extremely important to me. The management style of who’ll be my boss is a determining factor in whether or not I’ll accept the job.
“What is the one thing I should never do that’ll piss you off and possibly damage our working relationship beyond repair?”
This question also allows me to determine whether I and my to-be boss would be in sync. Sometimes I ask, “What are your pet peeves?”
“When I join the team, what would be the most important contribution you’d want to see from me in the first six months?”
Setting myself up for failure is the last thing I want. As I mentioned, focus on the results you need to produce and timelines. How realistic are the expectations? It’s never about the question; it’s about what you want to know. It’s important to know whether you’ll be able to meet or even exceed your new boss’s expectations.
“If I wanted to sell you on an idea or suggestion, what do you need to know?”
Years ago, a candidate asked me this question. I was impressed he wasn’t looking just to put in time; he was looking for how he could be a contributing employee. Every time I ask this question, it leads to an in-depth discussion.
Other questions I’ve asked:
“What keeps you up at night?”
“If you were to leave this company, who would follow?”
“How do you handle an employee making a mistake?”
“If you were to give a Ted Talk, what topic would you talk about?”
“What are three highly valued skills at [company] that I should master to advance?”
“What are the informal expectations of the role?”
“What is one misconception people have about you [or the company]?”
Your questions reveal a great deal about your motivations, drive to make a meaningful impact on the business, and a chance to morph the questioning into a conversation. Cliché questions don’t lead to meaningful discussions, whereas unique, thought-provoking questions do and, in turn, make you memorable.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. reported a third-quarter profit of $2.27 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the same quarter last year.
The company says the profit amounted to $1.06 per diluted share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.06 per diluted share a year earlier.
Product sales totalled $10.40 billion, down from $11.76 billion in the same quarter last year.
Daily production for the quarter averaged 1,363,086 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1,393,614 a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, Canadian Natural says it earned 97 cents per diluted share for the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 90 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
CALGARY – Cenovus Energy Inc. reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year as its revenue edged lower.
The company says it earned $820 million or 42 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $1.86 billion or 97 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.25 billion, down from $14.58 billion in the same quarter last year.
Total upstream production in the quarter amounted to 771,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 797,000 a year earlier.
Total downstream throughput was 642,900 barrels per day compared with 664,300 in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Cenovus says its funds flow amounted to $1.05 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from adjusted funds flow of $1.81 per diluted share a year earlier.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
