Seana Smith

    Host

    Seana Smith hosts Morning Brief an Catalysts from 9-11 a.m. ET. Previously, she anchored ‘The Ticker’ and ‘Midday Movers’ on Yahoo Finance, and spent time reporting from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Before joining Yahoo Finance, Seana worked as a writer and producer at Fox Business. Seana holds a master’s degree in economics and a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in business from Lehigh University.

  • Labor market is 'pretty healthy': Former Atlanta Fed president

    Former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Dennis Lockhart joins Morning Brief to discuss the state of the labor market and whether the election may get in the way of the Federal Reserve's rate cut path ahead. Lockhart calls the labor market "pretty healthy," adding that the unemployment rate is not at an alarming rate. "It's a slowing labor market. I think what's happening is that hiring is slowing, but widespread firing has not developed. And the Fed intends to try to keep the overall growth level and overall health of the economy such that that widespread firing does not happen," he tells Yahoo Finance. He notes that as the US economy came out of the pandemic, there was an "overheated" labor market. Now, the labor market is beginning to slow in what could be seen as normalization. He adds, "It's really hard to look at this labor market and say that it's going haywire in some way." As the 2024 presidential election lies in the middle of the Fed's rate cut path ahead, many fear that the central bank runs the risk of appearing political. However, Lockhart explains, "the committee almost totally ignores the politics around this... I can count on one hand the number of times anyone even raised a political consideration. It is simply not part of the process." He adds, "Chairman Powell has emphasized that over and over again — they just come to the meeting and decide what they think is the best policy stance for the economy, and that's it. It's just about the data and the economy." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Melanie Riehl

  • The election won't impact oil in the short-term, expert argues

    Oil prices (CL=F, BZ=F) are eyeing a record finish for the second straight week following a decline in global stockpiles. Vectis Energy Partners principal Tamar Essner joins Catalysts to discuss the commodity's outlook and how the election may impact prices. "OPEC has about 5.5 million barrels that are offline that we know that they want to monetize. They want to bring that to market. At the same time, there is a big increase in supply that's expected from non-OPEC countries next year. So in the context of a demand picture, that's still strong, but weakening at the margin. That's a very tough situation. And I think that the oil market wants to sort of force OPEC's hand to do something either to change strategy or to deepen cuts even further, which would be very painful for them to do," Essner tells Yahoo Finance. She notes that it will be "very painful" for OPEC to cut production further as they are already currently at a record-high level of production cuts. While demand is also at record highs, she explains that OPEC is in a "very tough situation" as they subsidize production in other countries and lose market share. With the presidential election less than two months away, Essner believes that it will not meaningfully impact oil in the short term. She explains that while many see oil as a black-and-white issue between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, Essner argues that it's not as simple as Trump wanting to drill more: "I think companies in the US will be more disciplined on their production. Even if they did increase a little bit more, some of that would be offset with policies that would encourage more demand use of oil in terms of less vehicle efficiency. It's really difficult to say what he [Trump] would do on a foreign policy perspective. We're most keenly looking to see whether he increases enforcement on sanctions of Iranian oil because that could be bullish in the short term for prices. But there's been so much sanction evasion. And these countries, particularly Iran, has gotten better at that anyway." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Catalysts. This post was written by Melanie Riehl

  • F/X trades while central banks adjust policy: Portfolio manager

    The Japanese yen (JPY=X) weakened against the US dollar on Friday after the Bank of Japan left its interest rates unchanged. The central bank signaled that it can take its time when deciding to hike rates again as its economy remains on track compared to the uncertainty in the US. Lauren van Biljon, Allspring Global Investments portfolio manager and head of rates & FX for the global fixed income team, joins Seana Smith and Madison Mills on Catalysts to dive into how investors can play the currency market in the current environment. "You've really got to control your position sizing and keep your sort of stops both to the upside and the downside," van Biljon says, adding, " I think a good way to play it right now is, is on a more regional basis." Van Biljon recommends the Norwegian krone (NOK=X) as an attractive option given the global divergence in policy decisions. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Catalysts. This post was written by Cheyenne Reid.

  • Great investing debate: Growth or value stocks post-rate cuts?

    It's an age-old question among investors: which is better, growth investing or value investing? After the Federal Reserve's interest rate cut this week kicked off a highly-anticipated easing cycle, Catalysts hosts Seana Smith and Madison Mills spoke with a panel of experts about how the two investment strategies could play out in the months to come. Vontobel portfolio manager Markus Hansen and Greenwich Wealth's CIO Vahan Janjigian join Catalysts to lay out their investment thesis. Vahan favors value over growth — but says he's not a strict value investor. "What I really favor is stocks that are undervalued," he says, "and in many cases, that can be growth stocks." In terms of investments, Vahan notes he's leaning toward traditional value stocks, like IBM (IBM), Verizon (VZ), and Pfizer (PFE). And in the wake of the Fed's latest rate cut, Vahan sees small caps (IWM) as benefitting from changes to the yield curve. "I think as things normalize, we'll get back to what's considered normal. And that means value stocks outperform growth stocks and small cap stocks outperform large cap stocks." Markus and his team at Vontobel are quality growth focused. He says post-rate cut, he expects dividends will get a lot of love from investors. That's why he's favoring "good old fashioned names" like Coca-Cola (KO), Walmart (WMT), Home Depot (HD), and PepsiCo (PEP) for their sustained dividend growth. Luxury is also a sector he finds compelling for its wide economic moat. "It requires time to build that heritage, and to be the top brand," he says, and that longevity makes companies like Hermes (RMS.PA), Ferrari (RACE), and Richemont (CFR.SW) compelling. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Catalysts. This post was written by Kathleen Welch

  • Diversify your tech plays in the 'AI 2.0 bucket': Strategist

    Raymond James Investment Management chief market strategist Matt Orton joins Brad Smith and Seana Smith on Morning Brief’s Strategy Session to discuss how to play artificial intelligence (AI) stocks beyond the Big Tech names. As mega-cap tech stocks gain and September's interest rate cut sends the market higher (^DJI, ^IXIC, ^GSPC), Orton says he still likes the Big Tech sector. “There's plenty of reasons that clients still want to own the mega-cap technology names. Especially the high-quality ones that are generating $50 [billion], $60 [billion], $70 billion of free cash flow per year. But what I've been encouraging clients really for the past three months or so is that we have an opportunity to build better balance in our portfolios.” “Now that we're finally starting to get rate cuts, I think we're starting to see more of a clear path to get to that soft landing. That should support a lot more cyclical parts of the market, too, that maybe haven't done as well as technology," he says about the Federal Reserve's rate cut move. Orton explains that there are stocks and sectors he sees benefiting from the AI boom without being directly tied to developing the tech the way Big Tech companies are, what he calls the “AI 2.0 bucket." “Take the industrial space, for example. You look at electric equipment companies. We know we need more power in this country. We also know we need to cool data centers down as you continue to get more of them. So companies that are producing cooling solutions and liquid cooling, those names look very attractive.” Orton says he tells clients to “play offense with defense” as while there are concerns around geopolitical conflict, defense companies are benefiting from governments' increased spending. “You're finally seeing that translate into increased earnings and free cash flow across a number of defense companies.” “There's an opportunity in that part of the market and in totally non-related to artificial intelligence,” that “aren't just tech or semiconductors,” Orton tells Yahoo Finance. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Naomi Buchanan.

  • BMO raises its S&P 500 year-end price target to 6,100

    BMO Capital Markets boosts its S&P 500 (^GSPC) target to 6,100 as the index notched a new record high above 5,700 in Thursday's session. Catalysts hosts Madison Mills and Seana Smith check out BMO Chief Investment Strategist Brian Belski's new price target, the highest among Wall Street strategists at this time. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Catalysts. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • Constellation Energy stock soars after inking deal with Microsoft

    Shares of Constellation Energy (CEG) are soaring after the company signed a new deal with Microsoft (MSFT) to provide it with clean energy to satisfy the tech giant's electricity needs for its cloud computing and AI data centers. This deal could see the reopening of the Three Mile Island nuclear plant. Catalysts Hosts Seana Smith and Madison Mills report more on the story and discuss how the partnership is expected to add $16 billion to Pennsylvania's economy. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Catalysts. This post was written by Melanie Riehl

  • FedEx: Trade downs to deferred freight could 'drag' on revenue

    FedEx’s (FDX) fiscal first quarter earnings disappointed Wall Street while cutting its full-year guidance, sending its stock plunging in Friday's session. Stephens Equity Research Managing Director for Transportation Daniel Imbro has an Overweight rating on FedEx, believing the stock reaction to be justified while recommending "buying it here at the $250s as the next 12 months offers an attractive risk-reward from these levels." While the postal carrier looks to the holiday season, Imbro anticipates this year “to shape up a little more seasonally normal” and that FedEx is “seeing good leading indicators” with potential risks still lying ahead. Imbro notes the shipping giant sees more trade downs from priority freight to deferred freight: “If that continues, that could be a drag on actual revenue." When asked about the possible effects of future tariffs, Imbro says the impact could be mixed and “some parts of the business might get busier as supply chains get disrupted but ultimately tariffs would be inflationary." Watch the video above to hear what might be next for FedEx after its latest earnings report. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Nour El Hoda Seleem.

  • Palantir wins $100M contract with US military for AI tool

    Palantir (PLTR) has secured a $100 million contract with the US Department of Defense to extend their AI tool, Maven Smart System, to more military personnel. Catalysts Hosts Seana Smith and Madison Mills report more on the story and break down the contract's significance for Palantir. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Catalysts. This post was written by Melanie Riehl

  • ASML stock falls after Morgan Stanley downgrades estimates

    Shares of (ASML) are falling as Morgan Stanley became the latest bank to downgrade earnings estimates for the chip company. Deutsche Bank and UBS both previously downgraded estimates, citing growth concerns for the broader chip market and increased competition from both Intel (INTC) and Chinese manufacturers. Catalysts Hosts Seana Smith and Madison Mills report more on the bearish calls and analyze ASML's stock performance over the last month. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Catalysts. This post was written by Melanie Riehl

  • Fade small caps, turn to midcaps and industrials: Strategist

    As the market (^DJI,^GSPC, ^IXIC) reacts to the Federal Reserve’s first rate cut in four years, John Hancock investment management co-chief investment strategist Emily Roland joins Brad Smith and Seana Smith on Morning Brief to take a closer look at navigating the market amid changing sentiment. “It's six straight days of gains leading markets higher [and] riskier assets are really celebrating this idea that the Fed can stave off a hard landing, prevent a contraction from happening, do it proactively before we see more weakness here in the labor market,” Roland tells Yahoo Finance. The strategist says there are three key signs that a soft landing can be achieved. “The first one is that you need to see no real further cracks in the labor market.” Secondly, Roland is watching credit market conditions. “The final thing is the fed actually has to deliver on what the bond market is pricing in.” Roland indicates the bond market has priced in another 50 basis points cut this year, and another 100 points cut in 2025, which is consistent with the Fed’s dot plot. “You're seeing the riskiest parts of the market, the most cyclical areas, small caps really being a poster child for that really taking off amidst this dovish turn from the Fed, but at the end of the day, there's not a lot of fundamental support for it.” Roland believes a lot of the upside is already priced into small caps. “When you look at the outperformance of small caps, they're up 8% [to] 9% quarter to date. While the S&P 500 is up about 3%. You're seeing some profit taking in large-cap names and a rotation into small caps. We really see that as a sentiment-driven rally.” “Of [small caps’] 8% return this quarter, it's been entirely driven by multiple expansion, not earnings growth. In fact, in the second quarter, the S&P 500 saw double-digit positive earnings growth. Small cap equities saw 15% negative year-over-year earnings growth for the second quarter,” Roland says, adding that analysts expect this “muted earnings growth” to persist in the third quarter. Believing the upside is already priced into small caps, Roland says “we continue to overweight the quality factor. So these are companies with great balance sheets, tons of cash, good free cash flow, the ability to maintain margins in an environment where margins pressure is happening and playing out right now. So the poster child for high quality is going to be megacap tech.” For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Naomi Buchanan.

  • Novo Nordisk stock falls over oral weight-loss drug data

    Novo Nordisk (NVO) stock is falling Friday morning after the pharmaceutical giant shared that additional weight loss tied to higher doses of its oral drug was "limited" in its latest trial results. Morning Brief's Seana Smith and Brad Smith report on what this story means for the company. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • FedEx, Lennar, Trump Media: 3 Stocks In Focus

    Morning Brief Hosts Seana Smith and Brad Smith check in on some of the stocks moving most in Friday morning's extended-hours trading. Shares of FedEx (FDX) are plunging after the shipping company slashed its profit and revenue forecasts and missed on its fiscal first quarter earnings estimates. Following the earnings report, Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock to Underweight, citing the company's structural risks. Similarly, Lennar (LEN) shares are falling after the homebuilder missed expectations for quarterly home orders as higher mortgage rates continue to keep homebuyers on the sidelines. Finally, shares of Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT, DJTWW) are falling as the social media company's lock-up agreement expires. This gives former President Donald Trump the option to sell his $1.7 billion stake in the company despite him announcing he has no plans to do so. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Melanie Riehl

  • New Nike CEO will prioritize wholesale partnerships: Analyst

    Shares of Nike (NKE) are rallying after the company announced that CEO John Donahoe will be stepping down next month after a rocky five years at the company. Nike veteran Elliott Hill will come out of retirement to fill the role of CEO and president effective October 14. Barclays consumer discretionary analyst Adrienne Yih joins Morning Brief to discuss Nike's leadership shakeup and what it means for the company's outlook. As Hill steps up to the challenge, Yih believes he will prioritize relationships with wholesale retail partners: "It's the base for kind of the brand strength going forward. And even though it's margin dilutive, when you're a $50 billion global footprint brand, you need both channels to be working in your favor." She believes that Hill is the right person for the job, explaining that he's well-liked at the company, and before his retirement, his positions at Nike focused on the global marketplace. "We moved away from what was great about Nike, which is the brand innovation, the pipeline, the high-heat product, and the marketing that goes behind all of that. Remember, their demand creation budget used to be 10% of the top line. It had fallen under this management to about 7 to 8%, partly because there wasn't anything to get behind," she says, adding that she "couldn't think of a better person" for the job. Yih explains that Hill will be at the helm of the "critical" Nike Investor Day on November 19 and believes his remarks will "set the tone for kind of going back into their channel partners in terms of the pipeline." She notes that new products are coming to the market in early 2025, and adds that by this time next year, the focus will be on what Nike has in store for the latest back-to-school season. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Melanie Riehl

  • Stock market gains, new Nike CEO, Apple iPhone 16: 3 Things

    Stock futures (ES=F, NQ=F, YM=F) are flat after the S&P 500 (^GSPC) and Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) rallied and closed at new record highs in Thursday's session. Nike (NKE) CEO John Donahoe is stepping down to be replaced as president and chief executive by Elliott Hill. Apple's (AAPL) new iPhone 16 officially goes on sale at retailers and Apple Store locations. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • Fed shouldn't take a 'victory lap' with 50 bps cut: Fmr. Fed president

    The Federal Reserve slashes interest rates by 50 basis points at its September meeting. Former President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and distinguished senior fellow with the Mercatus Center Thomas Hoenig reacts to the Fed's decision and what it means for the US economy going forward. "I thought they would be more cautious," Hoenig tells Yahoo Finance, adding: "I'm somewhat disappointed by it, but, I think they're — based on this, they've taken a little bit of a victory lap." Hoenig goes on to unpack what a 50 basis point cut will do to the the labor market and the inflation. He also weighs in on what he think the Fed's next move will be. Watch the video above to hear Hoenig's take on the Fed's 50 basis point cut. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Market Domination. This post was written by Daniel A. Nelson

  • Existing home sales fall, JetBlue CEO interview: Catalysts

    The first full trading hour of Thursday, September 19, is in full swing with equities (^DJI, ^IXIC, ^GSPC) popping after yesterday's interest rate cut. Catalysts hosts Madison Mills and Seana Smith cover the biggest market stories and talk to top Wall Street experts about their long-term forecasts on the Federal Reserve's rate-cutting cycle. Citi head of US equity strategy Scott Chronert comes on the show to talk about the barbell approach for Magnificent Seven tech stocks and what the Fed's rate easing means for stocks. JetBlue Airways (JBLU) CEO Joanna Geraghty also joins the program to expand upon the airline operator's plans to return to profitability. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi then speaks with T-Mobile (TMUS) CEO Mike Sievert on the wireless carrier's growth momentum amid the mass adoption of artificial intelligence. Other top trending stocks on the Yahoo Finance platform include DoorDash (DASH), Five Below (FIVE), and Coursera (COUR). This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • Stock market is ‘in a transition phase’ after rate cut: Citi

    As the Federal Reserve initiates its first interest rate cutting cycle in four years, Citi head of US equity strategy, Scott Chronert, joins the Catalysts team to discuss how to navigate markets (DJI, GSPC, IXIC) in this transition period. “From a stock market perspective, I think we're in a transition phase,” Chronert says. "We're at the end of a two-year hawkish Fed narrative, and we're going down the path of something different. But this first 50-basis-point cut... we're still in a fairly restrictive monetary mode.” “The transition phase that we're in here is that we have to allow that, historically, when the Fed begins to ease, it's typically in response to some underlying economic concern.” Chronert tells Yahoo Finance, stating Citi has been “referring to it as fraying around the edges.” “We don't think it dramatically impacts the S&P 500 aggregate index earnings performance, but we have to allow that as we go into the Q3 reporting period and then into the end of the year, there's probably a bit more downside risk to those more traditionally economic sensitive sides of parts of the market as to their fundamental trajectories.” For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Catalysts. This post was written by Naomi Buchanan.

  • JetBlue is 'undervalued': CEO explains why

    JetBlue Airways (JBLU) CEO Joanna Geraghty joins Catalysts from the Skift Global Forum to discuss the role of activist investors in the company and the termination of its merger agreement with Spirit Airlines (SAVE). Activist investor Carl Icahn's Icahn Enterprises (IEP) has acquired two board seats at JetBlue, putting pressure on the company as it seeks to return to profitability. "I think it's great when you're aligned with your activist shareholder and board members," Geraghty explains. She continues, "JetBlue is undervalued and we strongly believe that. We've got a number of really important strengths — whether it's the slots, the gates, our network, our people, our product offering — and we want to make sure that we're getting more value out of that." She notes that JetBlue's Jet Forward program, the company's strategy to return to profitability, had full support from the board — including the two seats held by Icahn Enterprises. She adds, "We're focused on transparency and making sure that everybody is on the same page. It's a great company, a great brand, great people, and we need turn things around and everybody's aligned from that perspective." As airliners have had a rocky year navigating various safety issues, Geraghty stresses that "safety is always the number one priority for JetBlue." She explains that the company has a non-retribution culture where employees can feel comfortable to come forward and discuss any issues. "The moment that you have a culture where people feel that they can't come forward and disclose things is where I think things start to take a turn in a direction that's not so great. If you don't have a safe airline, a safe manufacturing facility, then the brand, the experience, none of that really matters," she tells Yahoo Finance. After JetBlue announced it terminated its merger agreement with Spirit Airlines, Geraghty says that there are no other mergers on the horizon as the company focuses on getting back to profitability. "We're focusing on reminding customers about what makes JetBlue special. We need to be profitable. We want to be loved. And we're going to continue to double down on that and focus on our strengths." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Catalysts. This post was written by Melanie Riehl

  • JetBlue CEO lays out airline's path back to profitability

    Airline stocks are poised for upside growth heading into the final months of 2024, according to Bank of America. JetBlue Airways (JBLU) has recently lifted its forward guidance, citing decreased gas prices and increased July bookings after a challenging year involving the sale of $2.75 billion in debt. JetBlue Airways CEO Joanna Geraghty joins Catalysts from the Skift Global Forum to discuss the airline operator's performance and some of its growth opportunities ahead. Geraghty explains that JetBlue has its sights set on getting back to profitability, and points to the launch of its Jet Forward program as a way to work toward that goal. She explains that the strategy focuses on "reliable and caring service, best East Coast leisure network products and perks customers love, and a secure financial future." She notes that many of JetBlue's planes use Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, which are being investigated for potential issues. Geraghty calls Pratt & Whitney an "important business partner and an important part of JetBlue's future," adding that JetBlue is currently working with the company to "ensure that we receive the right level of compensation to reflect the impact that this is having to our forward-looking capacity." As capacity remains a critical issue, she explains that JetBlue is seeing "positive improvements" in Latin America, which is largely a cyclical industry. She explains that the fall season is historically challenging, and highlights that the company has pulled nearly 10% of its capacity out of the fall to boost its performance Overall, she says, "the peaks and troughs post-COVID are definitely much more acute, and we're taking a number of self-help measures to moderate some of that impact." Moving forward, Geraghty tells Yahoo Finance that JetBlue is focused on "flying to the places where our brand is strong and where we make the most money." She points to areas on the East Coast and expansions into Islip, New York, and Manchester, New Hampshire, while continuing to grow its presence in Boston and surrounding areas. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Catalysts. This post was written by Melanie Riehl