The following is a brief roundup of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. A new antibody test is highly accurate at determining whether people have been infected with the novel coronavirus, according to a study published on Friday in The Journal of Clinical Microbiology. Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine found the test, manufactured by Abbott Laboratories, had a specificity rate of 99.9% and a sensitivity rate of 100%, suggesting little chance of incorrectly diagnosing a healthy person as having been infected and virtually no chance of a false negative readout.

Investors in Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ:CLNE) had a good week, as its shares rose 6.3% to close at US$2.11...

It’s no secret, a large number of high-profile companies have taken a serious beating since the pandemic’s onset. Possibly none more well-known than Disney (DIS). COVID-19 has necessitated theme park closures, a halt of live film production, and a delayed movie release schedule – all resulting in last week’s crushing F2Q20 report.Yet, Northland analyst Bernie McTernan argues that there are several reasons to remain positive on the House of Mouse.Glimmers of hope were provided during the earnings call, as Disney announced it will reopen its Shanghai theme park next week on May 11. McTernan assumes that domestically, Disney’s parks will open in September. Nevertheless, the forced enclosures are set to impact the balance sheet for a while, and McTernan forecasts it will take “at least two years for Disney to generate the revenue/segment operating income they could have in FY'20.”Disney has also taken emergency measures to preserve cash flow through the pandemic. The company has suspended the dividend, reduced capex and furloughed employees. Although drastic, in an environment which is likely resulting in negative FCF, McTernan believes the measures should “provide a margin of safety.”“Importantly,” McTernan added, “We believe these levers can be switched back on when the operating environment begins to normalize.”But there is another recent positive development for investors to consider. When Disney announced in April that the launch of its new streaming service Disney+ had exceeded expectations and already boasted 50 million global subscribers, the numbers took the Street by surprise. McTernan believes there’s more to come.“We estimate Disney+ will reach 65M global subscribers by the end of September '20E and attain profitability in FY'23E, a year earlier than originally guided… As cord cutting grows, Disney+ is the reason to own the stock,” McTernan opined.To this end, McTernan keeps a Buy rating on Disney, along with a $130 price target, which implies nearly 20% upside from current levels. (To watch McTernan’s track record, click here)And what abut the rest of the Street? Based on 11 Buy ratings, 10 Holds and 1 Sell, Disney has a Moderate Buy consensus rating. With an average price target of $120.35, the analysts expect upside of nearly 12% over the coming months. (See Disney stock analysis on TipRanks)To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights. More recent articles from Smarter Analyst: * RBC: 2 Strong Value Stocks to Buy Now * Look Beyond 2Q, General Motors Will Outperform the Sector, Says Analyst * Investor James Richman Bets GE Stock Is Set to Experience Almost 100% Rally  * Coronavirus Vaccine Could Add Massive Value to This Small-Cap Stock, Says Analyst

As of Thursday evening, more than 40 percent of the funds remained available in the Paycheck Protection Progam

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR) investors will be delighted, with the company turning in some strong numbers...

The analysts might have been a bit too bullish on Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED), given that the company fell...

Could we see the yellow metal at $5,000 or even higher amid the coronavirus crisis? We invite you thus to read our today’s article and find out how high gold prices can go in this downturn.

Above: A Hydrogen Powered Truck from Nikola Corporation, Which Is Merging with VectoIQ Acquisition Corp. By John Jannarone Since the coronavirus crisis drove the market to multiyear lows, the flow of initial public offerings has ground to a veritable halt. That is, except, for special purpose acquisition companies, or SPACs. Some $2.7 billion has been […]

When tickets for the May 11 reopening of Shanghai Disneyland went on sale, they sold out within minutes. Park officials said they are taking "a deliberate approach”, such as requiring physical distancing and sharply reducing capacity. Jen Rogers, Myles Udland and Akiko Fujita discuss what the reopening of the first major theme park says about consumer demand post-coronavirus.

Digging into the details of why this precious metal is likely to continue climbing, even from hereGold is going to $1,790 (that's from UBS) …Gold is going to $1,900 (from TD Securities) …InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsGold is going to $3,000 (from Bank of America) …Though the price-targets vary, nearly all the big-bank analysts agree on one thing today …Gold is headed higher.Now, a skeptical investor might say "wait, oil prices have plummeted. Consumers have been locked inside not spending money. Even when we re-open the economy, it will be a staged comeback, which means half-speed. All of that is deflationary. And isn't deflation bad for gold prices?"To that, another investor might say, "deflation? The Fed just threw $6 trillion in new dollars at the economy! We're about to suffer hyperinflation so these gold price targets are way too low!"Both investors have a point.Today, let's discuss this and more. But I'll offer you the takeaway ahead of time …It's very likely gold is headed higher -- potentially much higher (though don't expect it to be in a straight line).In today's Digest, we'll look at why this is from three perspectives: 1) what's here now, 2) what's coming tomorrow, and 3) what we hope never comes.Let's jump in … ***What's here nowFriends, let's give a warm welcome to negative real interest rates.To make sure we're all on the same page, there's a difference between a stated (nominal) interest rate and an interest rate after adjusting for inflation.For example, if you're getting 4% interest in a savings account, yet inflation is at 2.5%, then the "real" interest rate is just 1.5%.Real interest rates reflect the actual purchasing power of your dollars -- and at the end of the day, this is really what matters.Take the 1970s …In that decade, we saw nominal interest rates climb to nearly 20%.A saver's dream, right?No.Inflation was so high that real interest rates reflected a much bleaker picture about the average investor's purchasing power.The chart below shows real interest rates in the 1970s mostly remaining below 2%, and even going negative.Source: World Bank ***Today, the combination of near-zero interest rates plus inflation means we're in a negative-real-interest rate environmentBelow, you'll see the 10-Year Treasury, adjusted for inflation. Its real interest rate is -0.43 as I write.Negative real interest rates steal wealth from people who are savers. That's because people with money in a low-yield bank account, or perhaps in a low-yield bond, are actually losing money in terms of their purchasing power after adjusting for inflation.So, why would people invest in these wealth-destroying assets?Well, many wouldn't -- which is why a huge rotation tends to happen in this type of environment … from these wealth-eroding assets … into gold, which pushes up gold's price.See for yourself …Below, you'll find the 10-Year Treasury Inflation-Index (in blue) alongside the price of gold (in orange) over the last decade. You can see a clear, inverse correlation.As real rates drop, gold climbs. As real rates climb, gold falls.On Tuesday, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans said he "doesn't think there will be reason to raise rates anytime soon."From Evans:We just came through a long expansion, although we are in a much different environment right now, I think interest rates will remain low for a quite a long time.Translation -- negative real interest rates are here for the foreseeable future.Advantage, gold. ***Let's now turn to "what's coming tomorrow"So, here's where we get into a discussion about inflation versus deflation.We're officially in a recession.Last week, we learned that the U.S. economy contracted 4.8% in Q1. This was the first negative GDP reading since the 1.1% decline in the first quarter of 2014. It's also the largest decline since the recession in 2008 when GDP dropped 8.4%.So, what's the relationship between a recession and deflation?In a recession people lose jobs. Without jobs, there's far less spending on Main Street.There's also fear of the future. So, even those people with jobs tend to spend less. After all, they're worried they may lose their own jobs, or simply be ill-prepared for whatever economic pain lies beyond the horizon.This decrease in consumer spending pushes down the price of all types of goods. Desperate sellers have to lower prices in an attempt to lure shoppers back into a store.I just saw this with friends here in Los Angeles who own a wine shop. As lockdowns hobbled their business, they responded by offering a "25% off" campaign on wine purchases over $100 to try to bring customers out of the woodwork.This sets up a dynamic wherein you can buy the same products today for fewer dollars than they cost yesterday.This is deflation … and it's likely right around the corner.(For everyone in the inflation camp, hold onto that -- we'll circle back shortly.) ***At face value, this deflationary-dynamic would seem bad for goldAfter all, a dollar that can buy more "stuff" can also buy more gold. That's basically the same thing as gold becoming cheaper.But it's not a black-and-white dynamic.Take our most recent deflationary period around the 2008/2009 financial crisis. Economists suggest we were in a deflationary environment from December 2007 through June 2009.Below, you'll see the S&P 500 and the price of gold during that period. Gold ended 24% higher, while stocks fell 36% (over 50% at their lowest point).But if there was deflation, why didn't gold's price end lower?Because the turmoil in the economy was resulting in fear … and when investors are fearful, they often turn to gold.Remember, gold produces no cash-flows to help us value it. It doesn't generate profits we can measure.So, when it comes time to value gold (put a price on it) what drives its demand turns out to be … emotions.And what we usually find is that deflationary periods coincide with some sort of economic turmoil that produces fear, which pushes investors toward gold. ***Plus, keep in mind, even if gold's nominal price falls during a deflationary period, gold can still make investors wealthierHow? Simple -- gold's purchasing power increases.If I told you that the price of your gold was going to fall $100 an ounce, yet that same gold you own would be able to buy you, say, a much nicer car than before, would you really care about the $100 price drop? I suspect not.What matters is what that gold could get you in terms of other goods or services -- not some face-value number.This suggests an important takeaway -- as long the prices of consumer goods are falling more than the price of gold, then gold's purchasing power is actually increasing … even though, at face value, the dollar-price of gold may be falling too.But we're getting a little theoretical here, so let's move on. The broader point is that "deflation tomorrow" doesn't automatically mean bad news for gold. In fact, the fear surrounding deflationary events is usually great for gold.Now, let's turn toward our last perspective on this, which is something none of us want to see … ***"What we hope never comes"Let's start by discussing why this $6 trillion of new dollars from the Fed doesn't mean inflation tomorrow.A question for anyone reading this who believes hyperinflation is at our doorstep …Back around 2008/2009, due to the financial crisis, the U.S. printed trillions of new dollars, as you can see below …Yet, this avalanche of new money didn't result in significant, sustained inflation as many feared.Why?Short answer -- because the Fed's new dollars boosted the monetary base but not the money supply.To put it simply, even though the Fed created trillions of new dollars (the monetary base), most of it remained parked in the banks, shoring up destroyed balance sheets (which meant it didn't increase the money supply).In fact, only a fraction of it actually made its way into the U.S. economy. This prevented inflation. ***Even though the Fed just fired a "bazooka of liquidity" at the Coronavirus, these dollars aren't going to flood the economy with excess currency eitherWhy?Because the "velocity of money" is dropping precipitously.The velocity of money is basically a measure of how many times a dollar is used to purchase goods or services within a stated time period.So, why is it dropping?It's complicated, but in large part, the answer is massive debt plus fear.In a recession, or a deflationary environment, people either hold onto their money out of fear (which prevents it from circulating in the economy), or they pay down debts (which means those dollars aren't being used in a productive way that grows the economy).So, today, money -- even trillions in newly created money -- is not flying around our economy. Instead, it's being saved or used to shore up the destroyed personal balance sheets of millions of Americans.Plus, even if someone wanted to put money to work, the banks are tightening their lending. Two days ago, Bloomberg reported on how lenders have been tightening standards and terms on commercial and industrial loans of all sizes. Meanwhile, banks have been tightening standards on loans to households.Basically, money is not flowing smoothly around our economy. There's weak velocity of money.Unfortunately, you can't have significant inflation unless there's at least stable velocity of money.And that brings us to this chart from the St. Louis Fed showing today's velocity of money.Does the below look stable to you?This is why inflation isn't our immediate concern.But that doesn't mean it's not a concern… ***Why gold is mandatory to own in preparation for a "worst case" situationThe debt on the U.S. balance sheet just exploded.Now, our government has run up egregious debts for a long time. Why is today any different?Because it's coming at the same time that our economy has been crippled. So, when we compare our nation's productivity to our debts, it paints a frightening picture.As of last month, the U.S. debt-to-GDP number passed 100% (104% as of April). In other words, we owe more than we produce.So, we have the Fed bailing out everything (increasing our national debt) at the same time our economy is shrinking (decreasing our GDP).Put them together, and it means our debt-to-GDP ratio is going to keep climbing. I've read some experts suggest we'll hit 120%, even 130%.In related bad news, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget recently forecasted that public debt load will likely remain well above 100% until at least 2025.Okay, so what?Well, again, this is why we won't face inflation tomorrow. All these new dollars that are being created will simply be swallowed up by massive, unproductive debt payments … as opposed to being used in productive assets that would build out our economy, while speeding up the velocity of money.In other words, there's a huge difference between massive government debt that goes to putting food on citizens' tables and keeping the lights on, versus massive government debt that supports a thriving economic buildout. ***But let's jump to the scariest response to "so what?" -- it's what we must avoidIf our economic situation gets worse … if Coronavirus keeps coming back, depressing economic activity … if people continue to require bailout money … basically, when we've borrowed so much relative to our national productivity that other nations question our good faith and we have trouble funding the needs of the nation … we could see pressure to change the Federal Reserve Act to allow the Fed to fund the Treasury directly.In other words, that truly would be our government paying down its debts with phantom dollars.And that's when we'd set ourselves on the path of the Germany in the 1920s or Zimbabwe in the late 2000s … which would mean God-help-you if you don't own some gold.Now, while I don't believe that's going to happen, we'd be foolish to believe it couldn't happen. Case in point, just weeks ago, The Bank of England agreed to temporarily lend its government money directly.From Reuters:Thursday's announcement allows the government to borrow billions of pounds direct from its overdraft with the BoE rather than always immediately needing to go to financial markets which could face further coronavirus-related disruption …From EPB Macro Research:Given the relatively small scale of this facility, the GBP (the British Pound) did not collapse … Still, it does start an uncomfortable precedent of direct money printing, an action not currently permitted by the Federal Reserve.To be clear -- I am not predicting we'll see this in the U.S. anytime in the near future.I believe we'll claw our way out of this hardship without resorting to such measures. But today's discussion wouldn't be complete unless we mentioned it.Bottom line, "what's here now" is good for gold … "what's coming tomorrow" is most likely good for gold … and "what we hope never comes" would be monumental for gold.Please go buy some.Have a good evening,Jeff RemsburgThe post Go Buy Gold appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Bitcoin is growing against the entire crypto market, adding 3% in the last 24 hours. The first cryptocurrency is not only above $9K but is close to reaching $10K.

Director of Fiscal Policy at the American Action Forum Gordon Gray joins Yahoo Finance’s Seana Smith to break down the April jobs report and how some workers are making more on unemployment compared to their wages before the coronavirus pandemic.

Biopharma shares have outperformed the broader market year-to-date, giving rise to apprehension over whether a pullback is in the offing. An analyst at BofA Securities said Friday that now is the time to go from defensive to offensive in the sector, as quarantines are winding down in several parts of the globe.The Biopharma Analyst Analyst Geoff Meacham shortlisted Eli Lilly And Co (NYSE: LLY), Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ: VRTX), Bristol-Myers Squibb Co (NYSE: BMY), BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: BMRN) and Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) as biopharma stocks where he would put his money to work.The analyst has the following ratings and price targets for the shares: * Lilly: Buy/$165 * Vertex: Buy/$300 * Bristol-Myers Squibb: Buy/raised the price target from $75 to $80 * BioMarin: Buy/lifted price target from $110 to $120 * Amgen: Buy/price target increased from $265 to $2755 Reasons For BofA's Bullish Disposition BofA is increasingly bullish on the biopharma group due to the following factors, Meacham said: * Expectations for robust revenue growth of 6% in the second half of 2020 compared to the first-half, which is double that of the S&P 500's revenue growth. * Reasonable price-earnings for the stocks in the sector. * Many value-creating events lined up for the second half. * Lower policy risk stemming from goodwill earned from the COVID-19 pipeline. * A consistently positive FDA backdrop.Q1 Earnings Get 'A' Grade All of the big biotechs and major pharma companies reported both revenue and adjusted EPS beats in the first quarter, with Lilly and Vertex even raising some parts of their 2020 guidance, Meacham said.Citing slower new starts and forex headwinds, Bristol-Myers Squibb and BioMarin lowered their 2020 revenue guidance, but maintained their EPS guidance, the analyst said. Meacham expressed surprise at Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) and Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALXN) lowering their 2020 revenue and adjusted EPS guidance, given his belief that oncology or orphan diseases wouldn't be as sensitive to COVID-19 disruption.See also: Attention Biotech Investors: Mark Your Calendar For These May PDUFA Dates Lilly One of The Higher Quality Stocks In BofA's Coverage Lilly is a source of differentiated growth given its early product cycle and diversified base business, including diabetes, immunology and immunotoxicology and migraine, and an advancing late-stage pipeline of potentially best-in-class or first-in-class therapies, Meacham said.The analyst said he likes Lily's potential for additional earnings growth in 2020-2021 and views Lilly as one of the higher quality stocks in his coverage despite its higher valuation. The prospects for 2021 look attractive, with selpercatinib potentially launching in non-small cell lung cancer and thyroid cancer by year's end, and tirzepatide approval in 2021 representing a "step change" for the diabetes franchise, he said. Consensus For Vertex To Move Higher? Vertex has a richer -- though well-deserved -- valuation, due to its differentiated growth profile, Meacham said.Given that Vertex's commercial execution is largely unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the analyst said investors will begin to look forward to 2021 sooner than for other companies with more commercial risk.BofA expects consensus estimates to continue to move higher, making Vertex's valuation even more attractive.Bristol-Myers Has Highly Differentiated Growth With an estimated 8% revenue growth and 19% EPS growth in 2021 compared to 5-6% and 12%, respectively, for peers, and with six new launches expected this year, 2020 is shaping up to be a very robust period for Bristol-Myers despite the ongoing COVID-19 headwinds, Meacham said. The analyst said the company's growth looks highly differentiated.An increasingly diversified product mix and beatable launch expectations position the company for meaningful upside to consolidated P&L, with improving synergies, he said. BioMarin's 'Game-Changing' Late-Stage Pipeline BioMarin's late-stage pipeline in valrox and vosoritide have improved its growth outlook, Meacham said.The analyst termed the company's late-stage pipeline as "game-changing." The second-half launch of Roctavian is the most important catalyst for the company this year, with the product likely to accelerate the company's already above-average growth profile, he said. "We see BioMarin as one of the higher quality names in our coverage universe given its clean growth story and it remains our SMid cap top pick." Amgen Looks To New Product Growth To Compensate For Legacy Product Erosion The long-term outlook for Amgen's Otezla is improving given the recently announced Phase 3 data for mild-to-moderate psoriasis, Meacham said.The company rapidly refocused its story from legacy product erosion to new product growth with the acquisition of Otezla from the Bristol/Celgene deal, the analyst said. "Since then Amgen's growth profile has only improved, led by an expanded addressable market for Otezla, outperforming Amgen Biosimilars and Evenity franchises, aggressive formulary negotiation for Aimovig, and an exciting pipeline in AMG 510 and tezepelumab looking to contribute as soon as 2021." The Price Action The iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (NASDAQ: IBB) was last seen trading up 1.25% to 128.76, adding to its 5.6% year-to-date gain. Related Link: The Week Ahead In Biotech: Smid-Cap Earnings News Flow Picks Up Pace See more from Benzinga * The Daily Biotech Pulse: Ayala IPO, Pluristem Starts Phase 2 Trial Of COVID Treatment, European Nod For Takeda * The Daily Biotech Pulse: FDA Approves Novartis Lung Cancer Drug, 2-Way Contest Emerging For Tetraphase Pharma, Dexcom To Join S&P 500 * The Daily Biotech Pulse: FDA Nod For AstraZeneca, AbbVie-Allergan Deal Clears Antitrust Hurdle(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Moody’s Analytics analyzed U.S. metro areas capabilities for a strong recovery post-coronavirus using two primary factors: population density and educational attainment.

What happened to my stimulus money? Many who receive government benefits and others continue to wonder in early May.

Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel stated that the company’s new coronavirus vaccine, which was clear for a phase 2 trial on Thursday by the FDA, would not be ready for immediate release to the public and that the distribution of the potential vaccine would need to be handled carefully between Moderna and the White House. Yahoo Finance’s Anjalee Khemlani joins The Final Round panel to break down the latest news about the coronavirus.

Stocks that trade under $5 per share are often referred to as penny stocks. Many penny stocks trade for literal pennies (or less) on the OTC market, but there are plenty of penny stocks that trade on major exchanges as well.The Nasdaq and NYSE require all stocks listed on their exchanges to maintain a minimum share price of $1 or risk being delisted. Most companies do not want their shares trading under , so there's a good chance the large majority of penny stocks have been through some tough times. But that doesn't mean there are no penny stock buying opportunities as well.Here are eight penny stocks to buy, hold and sell, according to Bank of America.Lloyds Banking Group PLC (NYSE: LYG) - Sell Lloyds Banking Group has a market cap of more than $100 billion and is one of the largest banks in the UK, but you wouldn't know it by its $1.50 stock price. Lloyds shares are down another 53% in the past year as the bank struggles to deal with historically low interest rates.Analyst Rohith Chandra-Rajan recently said Lloyds' first quarter numbers were bad across the board, but given income and credit quality pressures, things could get even worse in the second quarter. For now, Lloyds has adequate capital, but the company's revenue outlook will have to significantly improve before the stock is investable, Chandra-Rajan said.Bank of America has an Underperform rating and $1.28 price target for LYG stock.See Also: 11 Reasons Billionaire Investor Leon Cooperman Is Worried About Long-Term Impacts Of COVID-19Nokia Oyj (NYSE: NOK) - Buy Nokia is a telecom network infrastructure equipment supplier. The stock is down 29.3% in the past year, but analyst Tal Liani recently said the company's first-quarter numbers were solid.Looking ahead, Liani said 5G demand should ramp up in the second half of the year, and Nokia has significant opportunities to improve its margins and turn around its slumping business. In the first quarter, Networks gross margins were up 3.5% from a year ago to above 30%. Liani said Nokia is far from a growth story given sales will likely be down 3.4% in 2020, but the stock has self-help upside potential.Bank of America has a Buy rating and $4.80 price target for NOK stock.Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) - Buy Ford shares have spent most of the last six weeks trading right around $5. The global auto industry has been decimated by the coronavirus outbreak.Ford reported a $2 billion first-quarter loss and guided for another $5 billion loss in the second quarter. However, analyst John Murphy said Ford has done a good job in shoring up its balance sheet by drawing $15.4 billion on its revolving credit facility and raising $8 billion via an unsecured senior notes offering. Murphy said Ford will likely emerge from the economic downturn a stronger company, and the economic pressures have likely hastened Ford's restructuring and cost-cutting efforts.Bank of America has a Buy rating and $7 price target for F stock.Nio Inc - ADR (NYSE: NIO) - Buy After a brutal 2019, shares of Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio have gained 81.6% so far in 2020 but remain priced under $4. Analyst Ming Hsun Lee recently upgraded Nio.In the midst of a brutal global auto market, Nio reported 3,155 deliveries in April, up 181% from a year ago and 106% from March. Lee said Nios recent fundraising has reduced cash burn fears and sales growth should help boost margins over time. Lee also said the recently announced EV purchase subsidy scheme demonstrates that the Chinese government intends to help support the company.Bank of America has a Buy rating and $5 price target for Nio stock.Southwestern Energy Company (NYSE: SWN) - Sell Southwestern Energy is one of the largest natural gas producers in the U.S. The oil market has been devastated by the economic shutdown, but natural gas prices have actually been relatively stable year-to-date. Still, analyst Doug Leggate recently said core Marcellus inventory depth is a concern for the company.Southwestern could also be at risk of exceeding its net leverage requirements under its 2018 debt covenants. Shares are up 80% in the past three months on the expectation that less U.S. oil production will limit associated gas supply, but Leggate said the impact may be smaller than investors realize.Bank of America has an Underperform rating and $1.85 price target for SWN stock.Transocean LTD (NYSE: RIG) - Sell Transocean is one of the world's largest offshore oil drilling contractors. Transocean has been one of the worst investments in the market over the past decade, and shares are down 98% overall during that period. Unfortunately, analyst Mike Sabella recently said there seems to be no end in sight for Transocean's troubles.Sabella said there is essentially no demand for offshore drilling, and a severe lack of capital will likely force cold stacking and scrapping of existing rigs. Leverage and free cash flow problems will likely continue to plague the company for years to come.Bank of America has an Underperform rating and $1 price target for RIG stock.See Also: 7 Best-Performing Stocks Of 2020: Buy, Sell Or Hold?J C Penney Company Inc (NYSE: JCP) - Sell Twenty years ago, it would have seemed inconceivable that JC Penney shares would be trading at 18 cents. Yet here we are. Less than two years after Sears was delisted, JC Penney is a true penney stock and appears to be headed down the same path.Even prior to the coronavirus outbreak, same-store sales dropped 7% in the fourth quarter and the company guided for up to a 4.5% drop in 2020. Analyst Lorraine Hutchinson recently said JC Penney simply can't seem to stop the bleeding, and the stock is untouchable unless the company somehow finds a way for its business to make a 180-degree turn fast.Bank of America has an Underperform rating and 20-cent price target for JCP stock.Photo credit: Miosotis Jade, via Wikimedia CommonsLatest Ratings for F DateFirmActionFromTo Apr 2020Goldman SachsInitiates Coverage OnNeutral Mar 2020Morgan StanleyMaintainsOverweight Mar 2020CitigroupMaintainsNeutral View More Analyst Ratings for F View the Latest Analyst Ratings See more from Benzinga * How Trading In Ford, GE And Other Volatile Stocks Could Be Linked To Casino Closures * Hedge Fund Manager Makes Bold Tesla Prediction Ahead Of Earnings * Ford Analysts React To Earnings: 'Potential Liquidity Crunch Looming'(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Does history repeat? Many of us, no doubt, remember the crash of the doc.com bubble back in 2000, and at least one analyst sees that pattern repeating before our eyes. Will Meade, who built his reputation in stock analysis with Goldman Sachs, believes that the current rally is only temporary, and that the markets are likely to fall again in 2H20 – by as much as 40%.Meade points that, like in 2000, we have the risk and uncertainty of a Presidential election coming up, and then adds, “The NASDAQ in 2000 did a similar bear market bounce as stocks this year — dropped 40%, then bounced 42% off the bottom retracing 61.8% of its drop. It stalled then fell 43%, making a new low four months later.” If Meade is right, then the true market bottom is due to hit us in late July or early September.The analyst is not all doom and gloom, however. While he is predicting bad news and tough times for the stock markets, he also points out that investors can act now to buffer their personal positions. His advice: move to liquid assets and build a cash savings buffer.Shoring up the savings account is only part of a strong defensive strategy. Investors can also shift their portfolio toward dividend stocks, relying on the steady income from the dividend payments to compensate for lower share price appreciation.We’ve used TipRanks database to find three high-yielding stocks that offer reliable payments – and all three have gotten the thumbs up from Maxim analyst Michael Diana.Ellington Financial, Inc. (EFC)We’ll start in the financial sector, with a small-cap company in the mortgage finance niche. Ellington operates as an investor, putting money into consumer loans, equity investments, mortgage backed securities, and both residential and commercial mortgages. It’s a standard portfolio for a mortgage-focused real estate investment trust.As an REIT, Ellington naturally offers a high dividend. REITs are required to a return a high percentage of profits to investors, and dividends are a sure way to comply with that regulatory provision. In response to the COVID-19 epidemic, and consequent economic damage, Ellington had to reduce its monthly payment starting with the April 29 payout. However, the company is maintaining a 54% payout ratio – returning more than half of earnings to investors. The 8-cent per share payment annualized to 96 cents, and offers investors a yield of 10%.Right now, the Fed’s key interest rate is down to the 0 to 25 basis point range, and Treasury bonds are yielding less than 1%. Even among dividend stocks, the average yield is just 2%. So, EFC’s 10% dividend yield is a fantastic return. Looking ahead, the company is expected to show 40 cents per share in earnings for Q1, more than enough to maintain the new monthly dividend.Maxim’s Michael Diana has tagged EFC as a ‘top pick,’ particularly noting the company’s strong management team: "Managing an mREIT even in 'normal' times is a difficult task, as the manager must balance leverage, prepayment protection, interest income, hedging, and diversity of financing sources to position the investment portfolio to withstand unexpected shocks without giving up too much income. When an unexpected shock does occur, crisis management skills are required to dynamically hedge and reposition the portfolio. We have followed EFC longer than any other analyst and, in our view, EFC management possesses all of these skills."Diana puts an $18 price target on EFC shares, implying a whooping 82% upside potential that fully supports his Buy rating. (To watch Diana’s track record, click here)Wall Street agrees with Diana’s assessment here. The analyst consensus on this stock is a Strong Buy, and it is unanimous, based on 4 Buy reviews set in recent weeks. Shares are selling at a comfortable entry point, just $9.87, and the average price target of $14.38 suggests room for a robust 46% upside growth this year. (See Ellington stock analysis on TipRanks)AGNC Investment (AGNC)Based in the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC, AGNC is another REIT. The company’s portfolio is centered on residential mortgage-backed securities, but with a twist. Most of AGNC’s portfolio investments are guaranteed by the US government. The company’s portfolio includes $70.7 billion in such agency-supported securities, out of a total value of $93 billion.AGNC reported fiscal Q1 earnings at the end of April, and beat the forecast on EPS. Per-share earnings came in at 57 cents, based on $65 million in net interest income. The income interest figure is down significantly from the previous quarter, reflecting the economic troubles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. On a positive note, AGNC’s cash holdings increased 55% in the first quarter, reaching $1.29 billion by March 31.A solid cash position and safe guarantees on the portfolio make AGNC an attractive investment, and the reliable monthly dividend adds icing to that cake. Like EFC above, AGNC lowered its monthly payment in Q1. The new payment is 12 cents per share per month, which annualized to $1.44 and gives a strong yield of 11.5%. At 63.2%, the payout ratio shows that the dividend is easily sustainable at current income levels – and has room to raised back to previous rates when conditions warrant.Diana is bullish on this stock and upgrades his rating from Hold to Buy. The analyst noted, "While turmoil in the mortgage markets at the end of March resulted in losses and lower book values for all mREITs, AGNC was able to meet all of its margin calls and, importantly, take relatively fewer realized losses, and therefore retain more earnings power post-turmoil. This is why we believe the dividend, currently yielding 11.7% (vs. ~5% for peers) is safe."Along with the Buy rating, Diana gives AGNC a $15 price target, indicating a potential for 20% upside appreciation in the coming 12 months.The analysts are somewhat cautious on AGNC, a sentiment caught by the 8 to 3 split between Buy and Hold reviews. The consensus rating on the stock remains a Moderate Buy, while the $14.53 average price target implies a 14% upside potential. (See AGNC stock analysis on TipRanks)Manhattan Bridge Capital (LOAN)Last on our list is a NYC-based micro-cap lending company, Manhattan Bridge Capital. The company offers short-term financing and collateralized loans. Typical collateral includes real estate and tradeable stock, and the loans are usually used as first mortgages. LOAN originates, services, and manages its loan portfolio, and most of its customers are professional real estate investors and developers.The coronavirus epidemic has hurt real estate development and construction – exactly the type of projects that LOAN finances – in general, but that hit has been especially hard in New York City. At both the State and City levels, lockdown restrictions have been severe, and the mortgage loan environment is described by Diana as ‘challenging.’On a positive note, LOAN has covered its quarterly dividend payment, despite lower Q1 earnings. At 11 cents per share, the quarterly dividend annualized to 44 cents and offers investors a yield of 10.8%. Again, this compares favorably to most investment return yields out there.The high dividend yield alone makes this an attractive investment opportunity, but Diana also points out the stability of Manhattan Bridge’s portfolio, writing, “LOAN has never had to foreclose on a property and has never experienced a loan default.”With the stable portfolio in mind, Diana goes on to say, “We believe LOAN deserves to trade at a P/E premium to [peers] because of its: 1) lower leverage; 2) higher profitability; 3) better credit quality; 4) lower earnings volatility; and 5) dividend growth (which is possible in 2021, in our view, if the environment improves and stabilizes).”Diana’s $6 price target on the stock implies a healthy 46% one-year upside potential, and fully backs his Buy rating on the stock. Diana’s is the only recent Wall Street review of this stock – but should his thesis prove correct, expect LOAN to attract both stock analysts and investors in the near future. It offers a low cost of entry with a high potential return – an unbeatable combination. (See LOAN stock analysis on TipRanks)To find good ideas for dividend stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights.

General Electric (GE) shares have been on the decline as of late. As a result, many investors have been understandably worried. Such sentiments have placed the American manufacturing giant on the market spotlight, and begs the question: is it still worth investing in at current levels? Traversing turbulent market conditions, the outlook seems bleak for the 128-year-old conglomerate. Is there no way up for the aviation unit of General Electric? What about its other subsidiaries? Investor James Richman bets GE is likely to touch down $5-level. From there, the tech investor is bullish that the price will double in value and hit $10 again.Source: Flickr GE: a legacy of over 120 yearsAmid the impact of coronavirus specifically in both travel and hospitality industries, GE's esteemed aviation unit has been feeling the most pressure. The demand for airplanes has shrunk tremendously forcing the company's management to schedule a 25% workforce reduction globally. This is in consonance to the 10% layoff in its US workforce which was announced in March. These difficult cost-cutting measures are deemed necessary by David Joyce, CEO of the GE Aviation Unit that employs a workforce of around 52,000 people.Significant drops since coronavirusGE Aviation supplies jet engines to giant aircraft makers like Airbus and Boeing. The projection of Boeing, a 10% workforce drop amidst its $641m loss, certainly adds up to GE's current woes.  Investor betting on the company bouncing backHowever, one investor who is known to take a different outlook is Latvian-born investor James Richman. With investments in both public and private companies, and his most notable investments including tech giants such as Uber, Tesla, and Facebook, his approach is understood to be contrarian. Yahoo! Finance reports he is taking the opposite approach when compared to Warren Buffet as Richman bets GE's price to temporarily touch upon $5-level. From that level, it is projected to climb its way back to $10, making the 100% rally. The Monaco-based investor has also made headlines when he reportedly pledged $18m in the fight against coronavirus as he mobilizes his biomedical investments in the said efforts. Richman has been historically known to take the contrarian approach in investing. With investments that seemed unorthodox at one point, he has earned respect in the finance field because of his firm's outstanding performance during the 2008 financial crisis. Not open to the general public and mainly dealing with ultra high net worth individuals (UHNWI) and institutional investors, his clients have reported impressive annual earnings for over a decade.Comparison to the last financial crisisIt is not the first time GE had felt the backlash of market recessions. In 2008, the company's shares dropped by 78% tracing the period of the global recession. In 2 years, GE's shares dropped from $27 to $6. The broader S&P also fell that time, but with a conservative 51%.Still worth buying at current levels?GE recovered from the 2008 recession with tremendous momentum. After being bailed out by the federal government to the tune of $139 billion, it experienced an 82% uptick between March 2009 and January 2010. This is more than the 48% bounce back the S&P managed over the same period. Generally, the performance of its stock will still hinge on the developments in the handling of coronavirus pandemic, considering that the aviation division of the company is being hammered as a result. Efforts of which have been showing positive signs of recovery. Meanwhile, the demand for healthcare, government interventions, and the continuous development of treatments and vaccines is seen to help push the shares towards upwards direction in the long run: provided that its wings can weather the storm like it did in 2008.  More recent articles from Smarter Analyst: * RBC: 2 Strong Value Stocks to Buy Now * Look Beyond 2Q, General Motors Will Outperform the Sector, Says Analyst * Coronavirus Vaccine Could Add Massive Value to This Small-Cap Stock, Says Analyst * Can Seanergy Maritime Stock Add 150% Over the Next Year? This Analyst Says 'Yes'

A large-scale attack campaign has targeted over 900,000 WordPress websites through vulnerabilities in plugins and themes, WordPress security company Defiant revealed this week.

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The Czech Republic and the United States have signed a joint declaration Wednesday for cooperating on security of 5G technology.

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Researchers have found another vulnerability in software made by Schneider Electric that is similar to the one exploited by the notorious Stuxnet malware.

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Samsung this week released its May 2020 set of security updates for Android smartphones, which includes a patch for a critical vulnerability impacting all of its devices since 2014. 

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New York state's top prosecutor on Thursday announced that the company Zoom would improve security measures, after flaws were detected as the video conferencing platform soared in popularity amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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More than 30 technology and telecom companies announced this week that they have formed a new alliance, the Open RAN Policy Coalition, that calls for open and interoperable 5G systems.

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Cloud security company Ermetic emerged from stealth mode this week with a platform that automates detection and remediation of identity and access-based risks.

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Motorcycle Rally Grows