18:28 GMT - Violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops in Hebron Hebron, May 18 (EFE / EPA) .- (Camera: Abed Al Hashlamoun) Dozens of Palestinian protesters clashed with Israeli troops on Tuesday, during the protest in Hebron against Israel's airstrikes in Gaza. FOOTAGE OF THE CLASHES IN HEBRON. (c) Agencia EFE

Tuesday, 18 May 2021 - BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Union's executive on Tuesday adopted a plan for a unified corporate tax regime, saying this would add to economic growth and help create a fairer and more sustainable society. European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said the move would "set the foundations for a corporate tax system in Europe that is fit for the 21st century". "Taxation needs to keep up to speed with our evolving economies and priorities. Our tax rules should support an inclusive recovery, be transparent and close the door on tax avoidance", he said in a statement. The Commission proposed that certain large companies operating in the EU publish their effective tax rates to ensure greater transparency, and also proposed new anti-tax avoidance measures to tackle the abusive use of shell companies. Its plan will aim to support the EU's post-pandemic economic recovery by addressing the debt-equity bias in the current corporate taxation, which treats debt financing of companies more favourably than equity financing. It will encourage companies to finance their activities through equity rather than turning to debt. The Commission also proposed that member states allow loss carry-back for businesses to at least the previous fiscal year. This would benefit forms that were profitable in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing them to offset their 2020 and 2021 losses against the taxes they paid before 2020. (Reporting by John Chalmers, editing by Marine Strauss and Raissa Kasolowsky)

Tuesday, 18 May 2021 - In this week’s report by the Wind Energy Foundation Market Research, we take an inside look into the momentum offshore wind is gaining, and it is real this time? For decades now, America’s offshore wind has had little to no progress, and it has been truly perplexing seeing as to how tremendous resource and technological availability has been. Wind energy in the US has had several false dawns, but Europe, on the other hand, has deployed tech and harnessed it on a large scale with minimum cost and disruptions. What is astonishing is the tremendous offshore wind capacity the US has in its waters. But the Wind Energy Foundation report indicates a nationwide initiative that we all want, and big plans to achieve meaningful amounts of offshore wind energy into the national grid are underway, and it is expected to drive the kilowatt charge further down. Oil & Gas Struggles As the mainstay offshore Oil and Gas companies continue to struggle, the clean and renewable offshore wind prospects keep getting better. Phillip Lewis, director of World Energy Research, has acknowledged that 2021 is the year when the offshore wind gets a head start in the US. He says that based on the March targets set by the Biden team, the US is looking to achieve 30 gigawatts of offshore wind projects completed by 2030 and a further 120 gigawatts in 2050. US Offshore Wind Energy Capacity Lewis further asserts that with these targets set in mind, the energy landscape in the US is about to change. He notes that the US offshore, maritime, and cumulative market logistics are gearing up big time for offshore wind energy, which is expected to drive the energy growth trajectory. The offshore wind energy capacity in the US waters, based on this week's World Energy Report, is 30 megawatts. By comparison, Europe – which is far ahead in its exploration efforts – is 25 megawatts. So, it is hugely ironic we have had a lack of progress for too long. But what initiatives can the government put in place to achieve this goal? Infrastructure Already Underway Cumulatively, offshore exploration, ports, marketplace, and the maritime sectors have geared up to the anticipated growth in offshore wind energy. The report has highlighted infrastructure layout that includes Service Operations Vessels (SOVs) that serve two major functions: SOVs can be commissioned to carry out the general repair, maintenance, and wind farm operations, and inspection (for an estimated service period of 20 to 30 years). Commissioning work of turbines in the construction and expansion phase. Philip Lewis added, however, that the SOVs operational capacity is at 70%, and said chatter for more operation-specific vessels would be needed going forward. The other limitation is that SOVs offshore operational estimation would be within 38 miles from the shore, and that’s because preliminary tests have shown that SOVs are competitive over 38 miles offshore. Therefore, support would be needed to guarantee safety while transitioning between shores and windfarm. Notwithstanding the foreseen logistical challenges, offshore wind energy is finally coming to America. (Edited by: The Decision Maker team)

Tuesday, 18 May 2021 - Today's offshore energy and maritime news highlight how the maritime companies are working to minimize carbon emissions with sights set to net-zero by 2050 globally. Oslo-based Energy analyst, Rystad, has today focused on how offshore contractors are using carbon capture and storage (CCS) to reduce carbon emissions. Firstly, maritime carbon capture and storage (CCS) involves the capture of waste carbon dioxide (CO2), transporting it to offshore storage sites, and depositing it in a way that it doesn’t re-enter the atmosphere. The deposition of carbon deep underground as a means of decarbonization is a relatively new concept, but companies that deal in subsea, offshore wind, shipbuilding, and oil & gas sector have had tremendous pressure to use projects that minimize carbon emissions. And through carbon capture and storage, CO2 (the biggest contributor to global warming) is captured from industrial processes to prevent it from re-entering the atmosphere. Rystad has further added that since governments and industries across the globe introduced CCS in offshore installations to reduce carbon emissions in 2011, the clean energy sector continues to experience a boom, with multinational agencies expected to use as much as $35 billion in capital spending on CCS projects in Europe alone between now 2021 and 2035. Moreover, a significant slice of this investment is expected to go to offshore contractors directly involved in decarbonization efforts. Existing CCS Projects In his report, Rystad said that several offshore companies such as Subsea 7, Technip FMC, Shell, Total, and Saipem are involved in the capture and storage of carbon dioxide in Norway’s heavy industry. And since transportation of CO2 in its form is hazardous, it is compressed into liquid form and shipped from West Norway to the North Sea for storage. The analyst further identified similar CCS projects around Europe, with the majority of those in the UK, Denmark, and the Netherlands, and further projects underway in Italy. The biggest huddle faced so far, however, has been the installation of transport facilities, pipelines, construction, and storage facilities. But Rystad said the next couple of years, probably a timeline of five years, would see the completion and operation of these projects. Call to Action The main challenge with the already existing CCS projects has been the huge investment required for the maintenance of shipping infrastructure such as truck lines. But the analyst has called on the World’s most industrialized states to step up their funding efforts so as to speed up the realization of the net-zero carbon emissions globally by 2050. Health and Safety Concerns While mitigation of fossil fuel use is in line with the global climate conservation accord, lawmakers in scores of Europe (especially in the UK, Italy, and Norway) have had to amend safely laws that govern offshore energy industries. These laws are however particular to the installation that's dedicated to CCS. In the UK, for instance, the Offshore Installation safety case regulation requires that contractors submit structured and systematic approaches that can manage major hazards. (Edited by: The Decision Maker team)

Friday, 14 April 2021 - Official figures from the Office of the National Statistics show that the UK GDP shrank by 1.5% in Q1 of 2021. The UK, for the last few months, has been amid the strict lockdown as a measure to combat the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, that quarterly contraction on the economy is relatively modest given economic forecasters had predicted a 1.6% contraction or worse. Hits from The Second Wave of The Pandemic The second wave hit the UK in mid-November 2020, causing a high prevalence of infections countrywide, taking a high toll on peoples' lives and the country's public health. Preliminary data indicate that the reintroduction of containment measures that included gruesome lockdowns and other public space restrictions took the biggest hit on the economy. The second wave saw a decline in business investment, consumer savings, and household consumption as citizens tried to live with the fresh COVID restrictions. On the other hand, economic damage was slightly offset by increased government expenditure and an improved balance of trade. Vaccination Rollout and An Economic Upsurge in March With sights set on economic resumption, the turn of 2021 saw a mass rollout of vaccinations that peaked at 845,000 doses per day in mid-March, according to the National Health Service (NHS) UK. The subsequent easing of restrictions in March led to an economic growth of 2.1%. The Office of National Statistics attributes this single-monthly expansion to the post-Brexit trade deal, which came into effect early 2021, that prompted the export of goods and services to the European Union, even as businesses and schools reopened across England and Wales. The Free Post-Brexit Trade Deal The December 2020 Brexit trade deal negotiations and its subsequent trade disruptions, coupled with the pandemic, took an unprecedented hit on the GDP, never seen since the recession. But the stark recovery in March has been accelerated by the return of schools and the rejuvenation of the economic sector. Additionally, the manufacturing and construction sectors have adapted well, especially in the face of the pandemic. Where Does the Economy Stand? Despite the 2.1% GDP bounce back reported in March, more light is expected at the end of the tunnel. The Bank of England has even predicted that the economy could completely recoup all its pandemic losses by the end of the fiscal year. However, the UK economy remains 8.6% smaller, which is considerable damage to the economy had the pandemic never struck. But with the successful rollout of vaccines in Q1 OF 2021, forecasters anticipate a sharp economic boom post-pandemic that will see a spike in household consumption and business investment. Lockdown measures have been eased and, pubs and restaurants, for example, have been allowed to operate outdoors. Moreover, the UK prime minister made the much-anticipated announcement; that sporting events can start welcoming fans to stadiums as from 17th May 2021, albeit partially. But with the sharp fall in infection rates, life is expected to regain normalcy more or less. (Editor: Richard Oyamo)

Thursday, 13 May 2021 - Redfin, the National Brokerage, reports today that US homebuyers who kept up with mortgage payments for second homes rose to 178% this year. This represents the 12th straight month we have had an 80% plus growth rate. The number of vacationers who kept working in holiday destinations was at an all-time peak in April 2021 for the second year in a row when the US economy was heavily hit by the second wave of the pandemic and all real estate activity virtually ground to none. However, second home mortgage rates are still locked in at more than double what it was before the eve of the pandemic. The situation has partly been exaggerated by the volatility of the pandemic, which has seen demand for both primary homes, second homes, and investment properties spike. However, the record increase in demand for second homes is reported to be double that for primary homes. That’s because the extra motivation to keep up with the payments for primary homes has more or less taken a hit during the pandemic as travel restrictions have been in place for both local and international destinations. As a result, buyers who locked in mortgage rates for second homes was 178% whereas mortgage rate locks for primary homes have risen to 78% year over year in May. Redfin's report uses data obtained from Optimal Blue, which is a real estate analytic firm that monitors mortgage rate locks for homes and investment properties. Further data from Redfin today Thursday indicate a sharp rise in demand for vacation homes, which represents the fourth month in a row the demand has remained elevated. Second-Home Demand Drivers The demand has been driven by both the middle class and the wealthy Americans who have enjoyed a substantial amount of freedom working remotely and making a living from trading stocks as well the rising value of home and investment properties. This is expected to be sustained for the next foreseeable future as most Americans plan to keep working remotely, despite the reopening efforts. Remote work has turned into the new normal. This, coupled with the low mortgage rates is anticipated to create a driving demand for vacation homes from wealthy Americans. This, however, will only be a given as long as the economy continues to grow. The Redfin report is further evidence as to the social inequality in the US. That is, some buyers have shown the capacity to own second homes while other Americans have been unable to own homes at all. Nonetheless, the demand for a second home isn't slowing anytime soon. Residential House Prices Are Up Seasonal towns in the US, which are ideal locations for second homes, have seen home prices rise by 27% in May to $455,000. Home prices are also up in the so-called non-seasonal cities by 28% to $420,000. These increases are however marginally inflated due to the slow price growth witnessed in the recent pandemic-related economic lockdowns.

Thursday, 13 May 2021 - Ireland's latest Rental Report (from Daft.ie) indicates a 2.1% average rise in residential rents nationwide as compiled for the first three months of 2021. This represents a steep rise from what the rent value was in Q4 of 2020. The 2.1% represents an increase that implies today's national average for residential rent in Ireland stands at $1900. This figure is further up by 1.6% from the last three months of December 2020. The Daft report has also highlighted the tremendous change that has seen an increase of 100% from a monthly rental low of $960 as was the case a decade ago, pre-pandemic. The Regional Variation The residential rental average nationwide is denoted by 2.1%, but regionally, rent falls back to a monthly low of over 3% in some areas. The capital, Dublin, had a moderate rental rise of 1% in the last five months. However, this rental increase means prices are still lower compared to regions outside Dublin where increases of 2.9% have been recorded. The growth in rental sales and prices represents the ongoing economic boom in Ireland, which is expected to attract international buyers from Asia and the US who are currently enjoying low interests and favourable exchange rates with the Sterling pound. Between December 2020 and April 2021, for instance, regions such as Galway and Cork City have had a rental increase of 6% compared to a similar time last year. Beyond Ireland’s main cities, rents are 8% higher than a year earlier. However, the upsurge in residential rents isn't indicative of a shortage in the supply of rental homes nationwide. In Dublin, for instance, supply has been down from 90% in Q4 of 2020 to 20% in Q1 of 2021. Outside Dublin, the situation is more or less the same as supply has fallen consistently from Q4 2020 towards Q1 2021. The Slump from The Pandemic As noted by the chief economist of Daft Report, Covid-19 hit Ireland's real estate market at varying degrees based on locations, meaning Dublin and the main cities virtually went in different directions to the rest of the country. In Dublin, Galway, and cork, the rental supply grew temporarily stemming from the pandemic containment measures that restricted movement into the cities. Beyond that, the rest of the country has seen its real estate market nearly coming to a halt, apart from the few listings that have subsequently spurred rental prices further. The Return to Normalcy As expected, with the return to normal life in the upcoming months and beyond, the disparities are likely to disappear, although Irelands rental undersupply problem is anticipated to persist. This is expected to further increase the rental prices that will stem from higher interest pressures and the country's long-standing housing policy that hasn't found a solution yet. That is, the double figures of rental prices as seen in the last decade is proof that the problem isn't going away soon.

Thursday, 13 May 2021 - Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, has today suspended vehicle purchases using bitcoin, that’s after he raised concerns over the rapidly increasing application of fossil fuels (especially coal) in bitcoin mining and related transactions, which is detrimental to the global objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement (2015). This turnaround comes a little over a month after the automaker's CEO authorized the purchase of Tesla vehicles in the U.S using Bitcoin, the world’s most popular form of cryptocurrency. And hours after Musk posted the announcement via his official Twitter account, Bitcoin prices plunged 16% early Thursday morning. The knock-on effect has seen the Bitcoin price slump by $3100 and more, whereas shares on Tesla stock declined by 1.3%. The automaker sites the upsurge in the use of coal, which has the worst emissions of all fossil fuels, as a factor in this swift turnaround. Many customers had hailed the acceptance of cryptocurrency as a great idea on multiple fronts, but Musk – Tesla’s wealthy founder, said the promise of a bright future shouldn’t come at the expense of the environment. The Bitcoin Slumps Tesla, on February 8, made public through official accounts that it had bought $1.5 million worth of Bitcoins. Moments later, Musk tweeted that the automaker would start accepting it as payment in the U.S. But after his tweet today, Bitcoin price immediately took a hit from $55,000 to 45,500, which represents the lowest price since March across the U.S and Asian markets. Though, after-hours trading, Bitcoin has recouped some losses already. Musk further added that the automaker wouldn't put up any of its Bitcoin for sale, but would be open to using it once Bitcoin mining transactions transition to other forms of sustainable energy. Meanwhile, he opened the door to other forms of crypto that use sustainable energy to mine. Although it is not definitive as to how much of the $1.5 million cryptos the automaker has sold since, executive reports from last month indicate the disposal of 10% of its Bitcoin holdings, resulting in a profit of over $100 million. Musk later revealed that the sale represented a market liquidity test, and indicated he had no plans to sell more stock. Why the Turnaround? Days after Tesla's purchase of Bitcoin stock, the Center for Alternative Finance at the University of Cambridge reported that the announcement had caused a spike in the electricity required to mine Bitcoin. The report further indicated that Bitcoin mining and related transactions were using tremendous energy (122.1 terawatt-hours), similar to an annualized amount of energy required by countries such as Holland and Argentina. Moreover, Xinjiang – the Chinese company that represents the world’s main center for Bitcoin mining, is reported to largely use coal as fuel. What Now? Despite the Bitcoin crypto suspension – which comes into place in the interest of environmental conservation – Elon Musk has opened the door to other forms of cryptocurrencies that use fewer fossil fuels in mining. Bitcoin has somewhat recovered its losses, but it remains to be seen where we go from here in the coming days.

Thursday, 13 May 2021 - The Eurozone economy is set to rebound more strongly from the coronavirus pandemic slump for the next two years than previously projected. That’s according to a Wednesday 12th, 2021 report by the EU economic commissioner, Gentiloni, (Brussels). Based on previous projections in February by economic forecasters, the average EU growth rate (including the 19 nations that use the Euro currency) was anticipated at 3.8% for the remainder of this year and next year. However, the success of vaccinations in the Euro area has surpassed expectations, which has subsequently seen the European Commission revise the GDP projections upwards from 3.8% to 4.3% this year and 4.4% for 2022. While the Commission acknowledged that the recovery rate would differ from one country to another, they pointed to an anticipated swift economic upturn that would be driven by an increase in business investment, private consumption, and the increasing demand for Eurozone exports from the equally strengthening world economy, even as vaccination rates soar and infections rates drop. Further, the commission reiterated that the EU’s borrowing limits from International Monetary Fund should be suspended for the projected period to avoid jeopardizing the path to economic recovery. Regaining The Status Quo The World's largest lender of last resort, IMF, had earlier predicted the Eurozone to rebound the fastest than Asia, the US, and Africa, but the US looks to be ahead in the path to recovery. Nevertheless, this forecast by the EU economic commissioner harmonizes with the 4.4% expected GDP growth announced in April by the IMF. Further, this forecast implies that the economies of Eurozone member states should return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the 2022 fiscal year. In the report, the commission projected that the UK would recover much slower than say, Germany (Q4 2021), Spain (Q4 2022), Italy (Q4 2022), and France (Q1 2022). Germany is expected to gain full economic recovery the fastest, seeing as to how it was arguably the least impacted by the pandemic of all the Eurozone’s most industrialized economies. Inflation and Other Projected Bounce Back Indicators The EU government's borrowing during the pandemic has negatively impacted their finances, which has increased the region's aggregate public debt from 100% of the GDP in 2020 to 103% of GDP in 2021. But the suspension of borrowing limits for the 2022 fiscal year is anticipated to help Eurozone economies rebound faster. Moreover, the market expectation, which has been at all-time lows since the eve of the pandemic, is expected to surpass estimates. The knock-on effect on the GDP growth will be driven by inflation that should accelerate to 1.7% this year and further be constrained closer to equilibrium at 1.3% in 2022. This, coupled with the anticipated increase in household consumption and private investment, would boost the Eurozone GDP via higher interest rates. What’s Next? Overall, the economic spillovers, as analysed by the European Commission and the European Central Bank, are expected to boost the Eurozone GDP by 0.3% in 2021 and 0.2% in 2022. However, the damage on the GDP had the pandemic never struck cannot be quashed entirely. (Editor: Richard Oyamo)

Monday, 21 April 2021 Balearia, one of the largest ferry operators in Spain, has officially unveiled its pioneering, fast, Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)-powered vessel Eleanor Roosevelt. The maiden presentation was done today in the ports of Ibiza, Denia, and Palma. This comes a fortnight after the vessel’s official unveiling was put on hold May 1 due to logistical concerns. The event officially threw down with voyages to three ports and included jubilant group visits to the new ferry. According to executive reports, the shipping company used $106.2 million in capital spending towards the construction of this vessel – said to be the longest, fastest, and fast-LNG powered ferry in the world. The ferry measures 124 meters long, 29 meters wide, has 500 meters of car and truck lines and can carry over 1100 passengers on board. Eleanor Roosevelt isn’t the first LNG-powered vessel to be constructed by the shipping company. It is the seventh in line, but the project began in 2018 and was co-financed by the European Commission to create the world’s largest LNG-powered ferry. LNG-New Dawn for Clean Maritime Energy It is not long ago that LNG was termed as fuel for the future. Fast forward to today, it has outgrown expectations and has grown popular as a marine fuel. Research shows that Liquified Natural Gas reduces emissions of Nitrogen Oxides by 89%. Additionally, LNG reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 30% compared to diesel-powered vessels. And in recognition of the viability of LNG as a marine fuel, most shipping companies have projects underway to construct LNG-powered maritime vessels. Curbing Emissions As already stated, LNG reduces emissions of nitrogenous components to the atmosphere to a larger extent. A recent research note has underlined its viability as a maritime fuel. And each year, Eleanor Roosevelt is estimated to minimize carbon dioxide emissions that’s equivalent to planting 30,000 trees or emissions from 9000 mid-size cars. Considering its viability, LNG is also an attractive proposition and could be offered competitively with regards to the prices of other heavy fuels. What is more compelling though is its commercial viability especially in Europe and the United States. And compared to other low Sulphur fuels, its Sulphur oxide (OX) emissions are almost negligible. What’s Next for Balearia? The shipping company further reports that Eleanor Roosevelt will boast speed, minimal emissions, a particularly flexible cargo-carrying capacity, cars, and other hazardous cargo that is otherwise not permitted on conventional ferries. Moreover, the ferry’s cargo system consists of fully automated loading and unloading systems that are also powered by LNG. Beyond Balearia, major shipping companies have also taken up the construction of LNG-powered vessels, while others are still in planning and development stages. It is further anticipated that with the commercial viability of LNG as a maritime fuel, its competitive prices, and the huge environmental offset, maritime regulations will be amended to speed up the achievement of net-zero emissions. And LNG is favored as an efficient maritime fuel to power vessels towards the achievement of this goal come 2050.

Japan’s corporate debt, which is the debt level to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is at its peak since 1990. On the backdrop of this report from Capital Economics May 16, it is projected that defaults could surge, impacting heavily on small banks and regional financial institutions. The Pandemic Effects The corporate debt in Japan has been rising over the years, with highs of over 200% being sustained, but the swift downturn as a result of the coronavirus pandemic has contributed to negative consequences to multiple sectors of the economy, which are struggling. The latest financial stability report of the Bank of Japan suggested that companies in sectors such as food, service, accommodation, and transport are at high risk of defaulting. Worse still, the probability is expected to rise sharply over the coming years. The Covid-19 pandemic single-handedly contributed to a 9% annualized rise on debt securities and loans from non-financial institutions in Q4 of 2020. Sources at Capital Economics further indicate that loans from banks incurred 0.3% losses on existing assets in the same period. And what economic analysts are worried about most is, to what extent are the firms in struggling sectors of the economy going to be able to repay the borrowed money? Profit Margins for Japanese Banks in Focus A comparative analysis on an international scale shows that Japanese banks have one of the lowest profit margins, as stipulated by the country’s lending regulations. This consequently implies that, by international standards, they have quite a limited ability to deal with the rising defaults on loans. Marcel at Capital Economics notes that during the peak of the pandemic, most companies obtained loans that were government or publicly backed by lenders as credit guarantors. The concern going forward is what will befall such companies when such government-backed public transfers come to an end this fiscal year. In context, the public transfers to struggling companies accumulated to Y14 trillion (about $123.5 billion) in the fiscal year that ended in March. And based on records from the Bank of Japan, this figure amounts to 3% of the Gross Domestic Product. What Sectors Are Hit Most? According to Capital Economics, Q4 of 2020 saw food and, transport and accommodation sectors slump by an annualized 15%. This represented a steeper drop compared to 5% as was recorded in other sectors. This means that despite the reprieve of the anticipated post-pandemic boom, the aforementioned sectors would remain in trouble, seeing as to how far the country (and the globe) is from achieving normalcy. The overall implication is that struggling firms will resort to piling up more debt to survive the effects of the worst recession in decades. But with alarm bells being sounded on the increased probability of corporate defaulting, chances are firms will struggle to obtain funding and some will eventually fail to cope with the situation. However, Marcel points to this hypothetical scenario as long as businesses remain shut and sales stay low. In which case, firms might be able to paper over the cracks, but not for much longer.

U.S. stocks closed lower on Tuesday as rising commodity prices and labor shortages fed fears that near-term price spikes could translate into longer-term inflation ahead of two inflation updates this week. Conway G. Gittens has more on the market action. Inflation jitters ahead of consumer price and producer price data later in the week knocked Wall Street off its feet on Tuesday. The Dow tumbled 473 points. The S&P 500 was down 36 points. The Nasdaq lost 12 points. Inflation fears, particularly wage inflation, were set off by a record number of job openings in March. Employers sought to fill more than 8.1 million jobs at a time when there are still millions of Americans who are unemployed. The data added fuel to a debate as to whether high unemployment benefits are preventing millions of Americans from returning to work - resulting in a labor shortage. Investors fear employers are going to have to offer bigger paychecks to fill open positions. And that's not the only inflation risk out there to spook investors, says O'Neil Global Advisors Chief Investment Officer Randy Watts. "In addition, commodities are up a great deal. And then finally this week, what with the cyber attack in the pipeline shutdown, you look at gasoline, that's up 50 percent in some areas year to date. And so I think there's a lot of things that are percolating right now that are leading to higher inflation. All of this results in pressure on price-earnings multiples for stocks." Shares of Boeing finished lower. Boeing continues to struggle with the revival of the 737 MAX. Last month it only delivered four of its best-selling aircraft. It's had to halt deliveries due to an electrical problem that re-grounded part of the fleet. It was only a few months ago that it even got the green light to fly again after two deadly crashes caused a worldwide safety ban. And...A shake-up is coming to L Brands. The retail company will split into two publicly-traded entities: Bath & Body Works and Victoria's Secret. The split is expected to be finalized in August.