Why the Dow Jones Today Will Thrive on U.S.-China Trade Deal Progress

The Dow Jones today could jump by triple digits as the United States inches closer to a trade agreement with China.

Investors cheered after U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin reported a "constructive" dinner with Chinese trade officials. Read more on the terms of their discussion below.

Plus: what the preliminary results of the Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) investigation revealed about its planes.

Here are the numbers from Thursday for the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq:

Now, here's a closer look at today's Money Morning insight, the most important market events, and stocks to watch.

The Top Stock Market Stories for Friday

• This morning, the Dow pressed higher after U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he had a "productive working dinner" with Chinese trade officials last night. Mnuchin is visiting China with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to restart trade talks between the two countries. According to various reports, China has offered several proposals to end the standoff – including concessions on issues like forced technology transfers. Chinese stocks popped this morning on continued optimism for a deal.

• Marijuana stocks just received one of the biggest "buy signals" yet, and it came from one of the most unlikely sources. The 2018 Farm Bill is a major factor for the future of the American cannabis business. But until now, it was difficult to gauge where the profit opportunities would come from in the future. Now, it's like turning on a faucet and watching money pour out. Money Morning Director of Cannabis Investing Research Greg Miller offers you insight into how to make serious profits from the booming cannabis sector.

SIT THIS ONE OUT and you could miss an American economic revolution that could send three little pot stocks soaring up to 1,000%. Click here to see why…

• The Lyft IPO has valued the company at a whopping $24.3 billion, as the firm becomes the first public ride-sharing player. The company will unveil shares at $72 each. This is the highest valuation for a company to go public since Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE: BABA) in 2014. Here's what you need to know about the Lyft IPO.

Three Stocks to Watch Today: LYFT, WFC, BA

• Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) is back in focus after the release of preliminary results from the investigation into the Ethiopian Airlines crash earlier this month. Investigators suggested that the 737 Max plane's anti-stall system activated before the plane nose-dived into the ground. These are the first findings based on the data obtained from the black boxes. The news came shortly after the first lawsuit tied to the Ethiopian Airlines crash was filed in Chicago by the family of a crash victim from Rwanda.
• Shares of Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC) added 2.2% in pre-market hours after the company announced its CEO Tim Sloan will soon retire. According to a press release, Sloan will step down after 31 years with the company. The bank will immediately begin a corporate search for a new successor. Sloan has faced a lot of pressure as the bank continued to face new pressures due to a fake account scandal and the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to cap the firm's asset growth.
• On the earnings front, BlackBerry Ltd. (NASDAQ: BB) leads a quiet day. Shares of the Canadian tech company popped more than 8.6% after the firm reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.11 in the previous quarter. That figure topped expectations of $0.05 per share. The company also reported record revenue for the fourth quarter and the full year.
• Look for an additional earnings report today from and CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX).

These 3 Stocks Are the Key to 2019's Greatest Profits

The 2018 midterm election was a turning point for the cannabis industry.

We expect nothing short of historic profits by the end of the year.

But not all pot stocks will hand you life-changing wins. In fact, often the companies making headlines are least likely to see the biggest gains.

These three stocks, on the other hand, are flying under the radar… for now. Each of them could see exponential stock price acceleration at any moment, and if you get in before that happens, you could turn a token stake into a lifetime of wealth.

I don't know of any other sector providing anywhere near this level of growth now.

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Garrett Baldwin

About the Author

Browse Garrett's articles | View Garrett's research services

Garrett Baldwin is a globally recognized research economist, financial writer, and consultant with degrees from Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Purdue, and Indiana University. He is a seasoned financial and political risk analyst, with a focus on stocks, hedge funds, private equity, blockchain, and housing policy. He has conducted risk assessment projects for clients in 27 countries, and consulted on policy and financial operations for some of the nation's largest financial institutions, including a $1.5 trillion credit fund, a $43 billion credit and auto loan giant, as well as two of the largest Wall Street banks by assets under management.

Garrett joined Money Map Press as an economist and researcher in 2011, specializing in alternative strategies with an emphasis on fundamental and technical analysis.

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