Author: Christopher Lewis

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Why Netflix Stock Isn’t Exciting Investors Right Now | Personal-finance

Why Netflix Stock Isn’t Exciting Investors Right Now | Personal-finance

In this clip from “The Rank” on Motley Fool Reside, recorded on Feb. 7, Motley Fool contributors Taylor Carmichael, Jason Corridor, and Matt Frankel examine why now could possibly not be the time to devote in Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) provided the aggressive landscape, growing curiosity rates, and the expanding force on prospects to pick, and likely remove, particular streaming solutions.

Taylor Carmichael: You know, it is really humorous. I was precisely the similar issue, Matt. I was definitely stunned that you all ranked it as lower as you did. In my situation, I could possibly keep a grudge against Netflix. I bought it 12 decades in the past, which is like leaving a million dollars on a bus. Probably now it can be $500,000 on a bus. I am normally irritable every time I provide up Netflix because I offered it. I feel section of it, why they obtained strike, is they experienced a superior several. Netflix had a incredibly substantial numerous and, this unique crash, there was a ton of several shedding. In this distinct situation, I really don’t essentially believe they are going to get that major a number of once more. I look at it and I am like which is relatively valued for their advancement charge. Their growth amount is not tremendous exciting. I do not have a ton ready. Enable me share the monitor.

Folks are also reading…

Jason Corridor: Right here you go, Taylor, here’s your price-to-revenue ratio?

Corridor: I’ll do a quick proportion on. That’s the earlier a few years, ideal? Earnings about the trailing 12 months.

Carmichael: Yeah, they’re expanding less than 20{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}. Their growth is not tremendous. I will not even know if they are increasing substantially in the U.S., most of its overseas I consider. We all know what Netflix does. They just have, I don’t want to say a monopoly, but they have a seriously powerful posture, a truly solid model in streaming, in how we eat flicks and Television set demonstrates now, and a genuinely large advantage about the traditional cable vendors, or even the network suppliers the place you experienced a established time. If you want to see Cheers, you experienced to present up Thursday at 9. Netflix gives you the energy to look at any show you want, every time you want, any movie you want, every time you want. It truly is a good deal of viewer adaptability that men and women really like. Their significant opponents, I would guess Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) would be the main one. I don’t know that I can demonstrate this, but I feel like a lot of folks are likely irritated at how lots of streaming expert services they have to subscribe to and continue to keep up with to rebuild their viewing. I believe a ton of people subscribe to two or 3 of these. They subscribe to Netflix. They almost certainly have Amazon Prime. They may possibly subscribe to Disney (NYSE: DIS). I will not believe Netflix is going to be that a person that persons cut automatically. But, I’m not particularly excited by this stock. I think it really is a massive corporation presently. It’s a $120 billion, $130 billion enterprise, and it has gotten whacked. It’s not heading to disappear. It truly is a powerful enterprise. I would believe there are additional enjoyable development alternatives in excess of the next five several years, which is why I rated them low. Why did you all rank them so small?

Matt Frankel: First of all, your Netflix is like my Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA). I sold Tesla in 2012 and we all know how that worked out. I come to feel I am a tiny little bit biased towards the draw back on that inventory even if we’re carrying out issues ideal. The purpose I ranked Netflix low is, I experience their pricing electricity is eroding slowly but surely. What I indicate by that is, you described that now everybody has to have two, 3, 4 streaming providers. I frequently contemplate Netflix, Key, and Disney In addition the trio that every person has to have.

Frankel: Then, there is the just one-off types, like [Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA)] Peacock is 1 of the newer ones. There is certainly a bunch of lesser ones that are a tiny far more market. Then, there is the are living Tv set streaming products and services. If you want some live channels, you can get [DISH Network (NASDAQ: DISH)] Sling or [Google (NASDAQ: GOOG)] YouTube Top quality or one particular like that. In advance of you know it, you have changed your full cable bill from being a twine-cutter.

Corridor: I am previous plenty of to keep in mind when we were being promised anything would be more affordable.

Frankel: Again when you could just have Netflix, they had a great deal a lot more power like when they went from $8.99 to $12.99. All people said, “Oh, I’m however paying out $13 a thirty day period for cable.” I just bought a notification when I logged into Netflix that they are expanding it even further to $19.99 for my prepare. It can be not just escalating it from $15 or whatever it was to $19.99, now, you are expanding my full charge of streaming from $80 to $85, which is a more substantial deal to a great deal of Individuals. Disney Furthermore lately produced an maximize. Amazon just introduced that it’s increasing the value of Primary, which gets you other things but, even so, it is an raise. Before prolonged, folks are heading to have to start off to decide and opt for their favorites. I am going to inform you, in my home, we would get rid of Netflix in advance of we bought rid of Primary or Disney As well as. I have two tiny little ones and we like free of charge shipping and delivery. Netflix would have to go out of the 3 if we experienced to make a sacrifice. I sense the pricing power erodes around time.

Corridor: I assume that is accurate and some other items I think have happened way too. I confirmed previously the a number of and Netflix now trades for about six situations, trailing 12-month income. That places it fundamentally in line with where it traded in 2017, 2016, somewhere in that place. I imagine there was an argument that it was probably a small undervalued since it failed to expand immensely. Very low double-digit growth isn’t really terrible 12{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, 15{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, 18{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} a 12 months is not lousy. But, in a environment in which you have a large funds-circulation beneficial company that just has to take that cash move and place it proper back into the enterprise to acquire new content mainly because of the opposition and simply because it has misplaced pricing electric power to some diploma like Matt was conversing about. I imagine it is heading to be harder to continue to increase prices. Back to Taylor’s point, I feel you can find a million better expense alternatives out there and I imagine the market place is likely to continue on to devalue Netflix as a growth story at a quality valuation, in particular as desire charges start off to rise and we see additional of a revaluing of the market place in mixture. Matt?

Frankel: I feel Netflix is in the same changeover from growth to worth that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) went through five yrs ago.

Frankel: I really feel it is really at that stage of the company cycle.

10 stocks we like greater than Netflix

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They just exposed what they imagine are the 10 very best stocks for traders to invest in correct now… and Netflix wasn’t one of them! Which is ideal — they assume these 10 stocks are even better purchases.

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John Mackey, CEO of Whole Food items Sector, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of administrators. Jason Hall owns Alphabet (C shares) and Walt Disney. Matthew Frankel, CFP® owns Walt Disney. Taylor Carmichael owns Amazon, Apple, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns and suggests Alphabet (A shares), Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Tesla, and Walt Disney. The Motley Idiot recommends Alphabet (C shares) and Comcast and endorses the subsequent solutions: very long January 2024 $145 calls on Walt Disney, long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple, small January 2024 $155 phone calls on Walt Disney, and brief March 2023 $130 phone calls on Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure coverage.

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Reasons why your travel insurance claim might get rejected

Reasons why your travel insurance claim might get rejected

The pandemic and its recurring waves have firmly placed the glorious days of freely travelling in the rearview mirror. With limits coming on and off, that is how the circumstance looks to be like in the in the vicinity of foreseeable future, at the very least. The folks have been by way of three unwelcome Covid waves and as a result, the only silver lining is that they are now better educated and well prepared. With airports bustling at the time yet again, the socially-distanced travellers are now armed with masks, sanitisers, gloves and most importantly, journey insurance policy to defend themselves.

While 2020 noticed a around-complete standstill in mobility, the journey sector step by step commenced selecting up tempo and even inches back again to pre-pandemic amounts depending on the caseload. Even so, the worry of contracting Covid is even now a truth and so are cancelled plans. Though it’s constantly superior to have travel insurance coverage in put, one particular will have to also know what is not included less than the plan. Even as the vacation sector continues to wade via choppy waters, let us glimpse at some exclusions that could possibly direct to a rejection of your vacation insurance claim.

Trip cancellation due to panic of Covid

For the past two a long time, numerous extensive-planned excursions have borne the brunt of Covid-19. Normally, the travellers pre-ebook flights and resorts well in progress and later on, the circumstance improvements owing to Covid. So, if you terminate your trip or holiday getaway thanks to the sheer dread of contracting Covid, prospects are it will not qualify as a valid assert and conclude up acquiring rejected. Having said that, if the insured member essentially tests optimistic for Covid, the claim for trip cancellation will be thought of legitimate.

Cancellation simply because of own inconvenience

If you terminate your vacation for a particular reason that is not stated less than your plan, it will get turned down. It could be owing to a change of ideas or a personalized inconvenience. Except it’s thanks to a purely natural catastrophe, terrorist assault, crisis hospitalisation or demise of a household member, the insurance provider will not settle your declare for cancellation. On the other hand, if the flight will get cancelled, which is a valid rationale for the insurance policy declare.

Pre-planned hospitalisation

If another person has a pre-existing situation like a coronary heart or kidney ailment and would like to get addressed abroad, travel insurance will not pay back for the statements in this case. Only if the policyholder gets into an incident or any other wellbeing crisis, their hospitalisation shall be qualified for protection. Also, just one wants to properly disclose their healthcare issue to the insurance company at the time of acquiring the policy. Absence of transparency can direct to claim rejection.

Quarantine and RT-PCR take a look at charges

Quarantine and RT-PCR checks have to be the two most frequent matters due to the fact the pandemic outbreak. Both of them have basically turn out to be an indispensable part of one’s vacation itinerary too. However, these also occur beneath the exclusion record from your vacation insurance coverage. Quarantine and RT-PCR tests are not lined and the policyholder has to bear these expenditures on their possess. So, no matter whether in the place state or just after coming back again to the indigenous state, quarantine (property or institutional) and RT-PCR checks are generally not protected by the coverage policy.

Very last-moment alterations by tour operators

From time to time, your journey company or tour operator may possibly make previous-moment modifications to your vacation thanks to quite a few causes. This may possibly impact the bills of your trip but you can’t claim them underneath journey insurance coverage. Commonly, the damages occurring out of adjustments completed by tour operator are not accommodated by your insurer. Having said that, there are some exceptions if it qualified prospects to total cancellation. Know the exact conditions of your coverage at the time of buy.

Carrying on with the excursion inspite of Covid limitations

In scenario the authorities has positioned limitations or tips with regard to Covid and immediately after that, if you nevertheless decide to go in advance with the vacation, then your claims could possibly not be entertained. Similarly, if the borders of your desired destination are shut for visitors following you reach, travel insurance policy will not be ready to protect you. It’s essential to program the trip retaining these pandemic rules of equally places in mind. Having said that, if the Covid restrictions appear into effect just prior to your journey begins, your cancellation declare will be honoured.

Even though there may be exclusions, it’s still advisable to decide for journey insurance coverage especially as vacation carries on to be riddled with uncertainties. If you encounter an unexpected emergency in a foreign land, travel insurance plan is your protect. You can customise your coverage as for every your trip length, demographics of the travellers and other wants to make it extra detailed. It is essential to go through through the good print of your coverage and request for guidance from the aggregator or insurance provider to fully grasp this greater.

The author is Head-Well being & Vacation Insurance plan at Policybazaar.com. Views expressed are that of the writer.

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How To Write a Cover Letter That Stands Out

How To Write a Cover Letter That Stands Out

How To Write a Cover Letter That Stands Out

Cover letters are a vital part of any successful job search. This article details several tips job hunters can do to ensure their cover letter stands out and what mistakes to avoid.

A good job offer online can receive hundreds of applications, which is why it’s crucial to find a way to stand out from the crowd when applying for a new role.

A cover letter is your moment to stand out from the crowd. Thankfully, while job competition is fierce, there are a few simple things you can do to help make your cover letter impresses the right people.

Use Keywords From The Job Description

While you may be applying for several positions, you must create a tailored cover letter for each application. Thankfully, there’s no need for you to guess what a company wants from you. They’ve likely made it very clear in the job description.

Look out for crucial skills mentioned in the job description, mention them in your cover letter and provide evidence to show that you have those skills. Employers will appreciate that you’ve taken the time to properly read the job description (many people don’t) and are more likely to interview someone actively seeking to fulfill their specific needs rather than someone sending out generic templates.

Address the Right Person

Addressing the right person in your cover letter is simple, but it makes a huge difference. Most of the time, you can find the name of the company’s hiring manager or HR rep online. However, if you can’t find the correct info online, do some digging and call the company up.

Using the correct name not only personalizes your cover letter but also shows that you are resourceful enough to do your homework and care about getting the position.

Be Efficient

A cover letter is not the place for your life story. Instead, it should be a short introduction to why you want a role and what you can do for a company. Hiring managers are busy people, and a full page of words is a quick way to lose their attention.

State the Position Clearly

Many companies often recruit for several positions at once, so don’t confuse matters by not stating the right job title. The person reading your cover letter will appreciate it, and you’ll certainly enjoy it if you land an interview.

Avoid Cliché And Include Stats And Accomplishments

Saying that you’re a “team player” isn’t going to do much to impress hiring managers. Instead, focus on descriptive statements and evidence.

If you think you’re a great communicator, explain why and, more to the point, how has this benefited previous employers? Remember, employers are interested in what you can do for them, and tangible evidence will go further than generic statements.

Don’t Regurgitate Your Resume

The last thing employers want to do is read the same thing over again, so don’t just use snippets of your resume to create your cover letter. Instead, your cover letter should expand upon your resume or CV and help tailor it to a more specific role.

Edit Before You send

Nothing can lose you a job quicker than a spelling or grammar mistake. So, check and recheck your letter before sending it to ensure it’s easy to read and there are no mistakes. Also, the second pair of eyes or a grammar checker like Grammarly will help if you’re unsure.

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Why Tesla and GM want to be big in the car insurance business

Why Tesla and GM want to be big in the car insurance business

A Tesla dealership in Colma, California, on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022.

David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Pictures

For shoppers who have found that costlier insurance plan is just a person of the charges that make electric powered autos trickier to really like, this is the year when relief may possibly be coming.

Tesla states its company-backed coverage, now on the market in just five states, may perhaps reach 45 by the end of the year. GM, which revived its previous GMAC insurance policies unit as OnStar Insurance plan in 2020, suggests it hopes to strike $6 billion in annually insurance revenue by decade’s finish.

Car insurance is not likely to ever be the most significant company at both company, or even shut. But insurance policy is shaping up as a way that the finance facet of automakers’ company can enable generate innovation and make adoption less complicated – as the data produced by the autos on their own is captured to provide reduce insurance policy price ranges and, automakers hope, cement purchaser loyalty.

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives says Tesla could insure 300,000 automobiles by 2025  “This is a 2024-25 initiative, but they are laying the foundation,” Ives mentioned. 

EVs are highly-priced to insure mainly because their off-the-line speed tends to make classic insurers cautious, according to CFRA Study analyst Garrett Nelson. And partly due to the fact somewhat handful of mechanics know how to deal with them, they can be high priced to repair immediately after an incident.

“Tesla is additional snug with its have cars,” Nelson explained. “And they’ve developed a pattern. GM and others are on the lookout at the similar point.”

EV makers say they are currently being motivating by the prospect to close the insurance policies gap with far more details. The notion is that so a great deal additional about the cars is calculated – specifically as automakers use EVs as take a look at beds for units that are constructing toward entirely self-driving autos – that insurers have a great deal better data about the danger just about every driver poses, and can use it to have expenses. 

At Tesla, the insurance policy is now offered in Florida, Texas, Illinois, Ohio and California. The business hopes to have its coverage obtainable to 80{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} of U.S. customers by the end of the 12 months, chief financial officer Zach Kirkhorn said for the duration of the firm’s most recent earnings convention contact last thirty day period, while point out coverage laws are a factor. 

The business boasted about its early achievements in Texas, wherever it released last fall. Kirkhorn reported the autos mail Tesla so substantially information and facts about how they are staying pushed – letting the corporation ship advice back again to motorists – that the authentic-time feedback success in “rather a little bit decrease” accident fees. 

“If they travel safe and sound, their insurance coverage cost is considerably less, so they generate safer,” main govt Elon Musk explained. “It encourages Tesla Insurance plan with informatics and real-time feedback encourages safer driving and rewards it monetarily. It really is excellent.”

Reducing $10 billion in vehicle insurance policy ads

GM is shifting quickly, far too, and constructing on its historical past of featuring coverage. Right now, the vehicle enterprise has a traditional insurance policy giving in 46 states and Washington, D.C., but it is doing the job on a secure driving habits algorithm designed jointly with American Relatives Insurance coverage with the expectation that it can be extra to choices in the insurance market, beginning in Arizona, Illinois and Michigan.

Introductions in all those three states will be the begin of what a GM spokeswoman explained in an e mail is the firm’s “vision to give a extra fair/personalized insurance plan merchandise to our shoppers.”

It is doing work on state regulatory acceptance for information methods made by GM and American Relatives, and the organization expects the approvals to be granted in the initially 50 {1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} of 2022. It is launching more swiftly in these states mainly because of its do the job with American Household, but the latest item is identical to what you see in-current market from other insurers currently. GM is the agent, with American Household Coverage underwriting the policies.

One significant option is to get coverage customers without having incorporating to the $10 billion yearly invested on U.S. car or truck coverage advertising, reported Andrew Rose, president of GM’s OnStar Insurance plan unit and vice president for insurance innovation. That is more than automobile firms spend advertising autos, he stated.

Dealing with their personal insurance policy, making use of facts created by the automobile, will also aid GM method claims a lot quicker than has been typical in car insurance. As an alternative of 18 to 25 days to settle claims, GM thinks it at times will know the extent of injury almost promptly and settle up rapidly.

“In promises, cycle time is dollars,” he said. “We can know at times in seconds. But it might not be time to explain to you while the airbag is nevertheless deployed.”

Though Rose says devices like what GM is creating produce much additional knowledge, classic insurers have been going toward telematics for various yrs employing wireless mobile phone apps, in accordance to CFRA insurance policies analyst Cathy Seifert explained, adding that Progressive and Allstate are among the the swiftest adopters.

At Allstate, far more than two million shoppers are enrolled in telematics systems these types of as Drivewise and Milewise. In states where the options are permitted,  21{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} of our auto buyers are presently enrolled and 35{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} of new Allstate car clients decide on the plans, said David MacInnis, vice president, telematics & usage based insurance policy.

The technologies uses cellular phone-primarily based systems like GPS trails to monitor braking, rushing over 80 mph and driving as well quickly for street circumstances, MacInnis mentioned, as effectively as the time of day purchasers push and quantity of driving a consumer does. 

Usage-dependent vehicle insurer Root went public in late 2020. Coverage upstart Lemonade also commenced presenting use-centered insurance coverage previous 12 months. Both of those businesses have fared badly as as publicly traded stocks immediately after debuting in the purple-warm IPO sector of the earlier handful of years.

GM suggests automobile-primarily based techniques will be much more accurate mainly because the info will come from the motor vehicle alone, and due to the fact the auto alone can observe components like seat belt usage that cell telephones are unable to.

At Tesla, the insurance policies business will be “ancillary” in the limited and medium term, Ives said, and much more critical for encouraging the order of EVs than as an impartial profit centre. Its genuine great importance will count on how quick actually autonomous autos are designed, presenting a safer risk profile that will let the enterprise provide coverage as section of a broader fusion of hardware and computer software that resembles Apple’s famous ecosystem strategy, he said.

“The goal is to be 30 to 40{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} more cost-effective for insurance policy,” Ives mentioned. “That is the endgame.”

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Survivor Found in Burning Ferry off Greek Island; 11 Missing | Business News

Survivor Found in Burning Ferry off Greek Island; 11 Missing | Business News

By DEMETRIS NELLAS, Associated Push

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A survivor has been rescued Sunday morning from the stern of a nevertheless burning passenger ferry, Greece’s coast guard mentioned. There are 11 people today nonetheless lacking.

A coast guard spokesman instructed The Affiliated Press the man, a Belarussian, was observed on the still left rear aspect of the Euroferry Olympia in apparently excellent affliction.

“The fact that this man succeeded, in spite of adverse conditions, to exit into the deck and notify the coastline guard … offers us hope that there could be other (survivors),” coastline guard spokesman Nikos Alexiou explained to point out broadcaster ERT.

The rescued survivor, a male in his 20s, is a driver of a truck with Lithuanian license plates. Other details about him weren’t out there at this time.

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The survivor informed his rescuers he experienced listened to other voices underneath deck. Alexiou claimed his comprehending was that he hadn’t read any just right before making his way onto the deck, but added that “the problem is evolving.” The survivor has been taken to a hospital to be examined as a precaution.

The Italian-owned ferry, which was carrying a lot more than 290 travellers and crew, as nicely as 153 trucks and 32 automobiles, caught fire on Friday, 3 several hours soon after it still left the northwestern Greek port of Igoumenitsa, on the mainland, sure for Brindisi, Italy. The Greek coast guard and other boats evacuated about 280 people to the close by island of Corfu. 1 of two travellers rescued Saturday was not on the ship’s manifest and is, presumably, a migrant. The other particular person rescued Saturday, a 65-12 months-outdated Bulgarian truck driver, had respiratory difficulties and has been hooked to a ventilator in a Corfu healthcare facility intense treatment unit.

The ferry has been towed to the port of Kassiopi, in northeastern Corfu, by three tugboats, authorities said. Firefighters ended up nevertheless battling the blaze, which, even though confined in specified spaces, reignites from time to time, and thick smoke is hanging more than the ship.

The serious temperatures in some components of the ship have impeded the rescuers, designed up of the Greek fireplace service’s Catastrophe Management Device and a staff of rescuers from non-public operators, from exploring the entire ship. The ferry is a bit listing from the tons of h2o poured into it, but authorities say it truly is not in threat of capsizing.

A Greek prosecutor on the island of Corfu has purchased an investigation into the result in of the hearth. The Italy-centered organization that operates the ferry stated the hearth started out in a hold in which motor vehicles have been parked.

The ship’s captain and two engineers ended up arrested Friday, but were introduced the same working day, authorities reported.

Passengers explained a spectacular rescue situation.

“We listened to the alarm. We imagined it was some form of drill. But we noticed by way of the portholes that individuals were being functioning,” truck driver Dimitris Karaolanidis explained to the AP Saturday. “You cannot believe some thing at the time (other than) your family members … When I hit the deck, I observed smoke and little ones. The good thing is, they (the crew) acted promptly.”

Officials reported the people today rescued incorporated citizens of Albania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Italy, and Lithuania.

Petros Giannakouris and Lefteris Pitarakis contributed to this report from Corfu.

Copyright 2022 The Linked Press. All legal rights reserved. This content may not be printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Stocks renew declines as Russia-Ukraine tensions ramp

Stocks renew declines as Russia-Ukraine tensions ramp

Stocks extended declines Friday to close a second straight week in negative territory with geopolitical tensions intensifying to contribute to a further risk-off tone in markets.

The S&P 500 fell 0.71{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} to 4,348.97, building on a 2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} loss in the previous session, while the Dow Jones index closed down 0.68{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} to 34,079.12 after erasing 1.8{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} Thursday for its worst day in nearly three months. The Dow also closed at its lowest level since September. The Nasdaq Composite shed 1.23{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} to 13,548.07 — its lowest level since January. Meanwhile, the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), or “fear gauge,” spiked back to hover near 28 Friday.

The souring in sentiment came after U.S. officials said they estimated Russia had built up around 190,000 military personnel near Ukraine, raising the specter of a near-term attack. And this came a day after President Joe Biden told reporters on Thursday that the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine was “very high” in the coming days. Crude oil prices fell Friday morning to pause a recent run-up even as Russia-Ukraine tensions resurged.

“The two things we’re most concerned about right now in terms of headwinds for the market and causes for volatility, are clearly tensions with Russia-Ukraine … and then clearly, our concern over not just inflation but what the monetary policy response to that inflation is going to be,” Art Hogan, National chief market strategist, told Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday. “And those headlines have changed quite a bit too.”

“We’ve gone from thinking the Fed would be very, very deliberate in their actions starting in March and telegraph everything … to having some outliers on the committee talking about being very aggressive, a lot more aggressive than what’s priced into the market,” he added. “Every day the story changes a bit.”

Treasury yields fell further after dropping across the curve on Thursday, with the 10-year yield holding back below 2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}. This came as markets priced in a lower probability of a front-loaded 50 basis-point interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve in March, with investors looking past hawkish commentary from St. Louis Fed President James Bullard calling for a more aggressive path on interest rates.

Other strategists also underscored the dual concerns around Russia and Ukraine and on the Fed for markets in the near-term.

“Really, it’s about Russia and Ukraine, and it’s about the Fed. And on the geopolitical side, I think the challenge for investors is that geopolitical risk is just really hard to weigh,” James Liu, Clearnomics founder and CEO, told Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday. “Our view is that we’re not yet in a situation where it makes sense to make any real portfolio moves based on this. I mean, first of all, diplomatic channels are still open, so the situation is still evolving on a regular basis.”

“The challenge is that even if the worst case scenario were to happen, it’s hard to gauge exactly what the impact long-term would be on the markets,” he added.

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4:00 p.m. ET: US stocks mark second straight losing week amid Russia-Ukraine turmoil

Here were the main moves in markets at the end of Friday’s session:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -31.29 (-0.71{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,348.97

  • Dow (^DJI): -232.91 (-0.68{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 34,079.12

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -168.65 (-1.23{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 13,548.07

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.18 (-0.20{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $91.58 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$4.70 (-0.25{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,897.30 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -4 bps to yield 1.9320{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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10:52 a.m. ET: ‘Underlying inflation appears to be well-anchored’: Evans

Chicago Fed President Charles Evans suggested on Friday that absent pandemic and supply chain disruptions, underlying price pressures were still consistent with the Federal Reserve’s targets and did not warrant an extreme policy response.

“By my reading underlying inflation appears to still be well anchored at levels consistent with the Fed’s average 2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} objective,” Evans said during a University of Chicago Booth School of Business conference on Friday.

“I see our current policy situation as likely requiring less ultimate financial restrictiveness compared with past episodes and posing a smaller risk” to economic activity, he added.

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10:02 a.m. ET: Existing home sales post surprise jump in January, inventory sinks to record low

Sales of previously owned homes in the U.S. posted an unexpected jump at the beginning of 2022, reversing declines from the prior month.

Existing home sales rose at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 6.5 million in January, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This represented a 6.7{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} month-on-month increase, following a 3.8{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} drop in December. Still, sales were down 2.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} from the same month last year, when low interest rates stoked demand for purchases.

Housing inventory slid by 16.5{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} over last year to 860,000, marking a record low since NAR began tracking the data in 1999. Tight supplies pushed prices higher, and the median existing-home price rose 15.4{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} over last year to $350,300.

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10:46 a.m. ET: ‘Underlying inflation appears to still be well-anchored: Evans

Chicago Federal Reserve President Charles Evans suggested Friday that the Federal Reserve’s current monetary policy setting was “wrong-footed against the current, sharp increases in inflation,” and suggested price pressures would subside without extreme moves by the Fed.

“I see our current policy situation as likely requiring less ultimate financial restrictiveness compared with past episodes and posing a smaller risk” to economic growth, Evans said during a University of Chicago Booth School of Business conference. He noted that in absence of pandemic and supply chain impacts, “underlying inflation appears to still be well-anchored at levels consistent with the Fed’s average 2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} objective.”

Evans’. —

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9:30 a.m. ET: Stocks mixed amid mounting Russia-Ukraine concerns

Here’s where markets were trading shortly after the opening bell:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): +4.64 (+0.11{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,384.90

  • Dow (^DJI): -43.35 (-0.16{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 34,258.30

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): +23.65 (+0.17{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 13,740.37

  • Crude (CL=F): -$2.53 (-2.76{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $89.23 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$3.20 (-0.17{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,898.80 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -3.2 bps to yield 1.942{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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8:50 a.m. ET: Stocks turn negative as officials signal Russian military build near Ukraine

Stock futures erased earlier gains to trade in negative territory with just over 30 minutes until the opening bell.

Contracts on each of the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq turned lower. Investors turned into safe haven assets, and Treasury yields fell as prices were bid higher. The Vix spiked back above 28 after falling below 27 earlier Friday morning.

News that Russia had amassed some 190,000 military personnel near Ukraine contributed to the decline, erasing earlier optimism that diplomatic talks would lead to a deescalation of the tensions in the region. Earlier, the U.S. State Department had said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken would meet next week.

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7:24 a.m. ET Friday: Stock futures point to a higher open

Here’s where markets were trading Friday morning:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +21 points (+0.48{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,395.50

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +124.00 points (+0.36{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 34,355.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +91 points (+0.64{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 14,255.75

  • Crude (CL=F): -$1.92 (-2.09{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $89.84 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$9.10 (-0.48{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,892.90 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -0.2 bps to yield 1.972{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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6:10 p.m. ET Thursday: Stock futures extend declines after rout

Here were the main moves in markets Thursday evening:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -5.25 points (-0.12{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,369.25

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -24 points (-0.07{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 34,207.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -24.75 points (-0.17{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 14,140.00

Photo by: NDZ/STAR MAX/IPx 2022 2/11/22 People walk past the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Wall Street on February 11, 2022 in New York.

Photo by: NDZ/STAR MAX/IPx 2022 2/11/22 People walk past the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Wall Street on February 11, 2022 in New York.

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Emily McCormick is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter

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