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Fed Says Taper Is Coming. Bulls Hear “No Taper Now.”

In this 08-27-21 issue of "’Fed Says Taper Is Coming Bulls Hear ‘No Taper Now.’"

Market Rallies As Bullish Trend Remains
Powell Says Taper Is Coming, Bulls Hear "No Taper Now."
The Problem Of Liquidity
Portfolio Positioning
Sector & Market Analysis

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In this 08-27-21 issue of “‘Fed Says Taper Is Coming Bulls Hear ‘No Taper Now.‘”

  • Market Rallies As Bullish Trend Remains
  • Powell Says Taper Is Coming, Bulls Hear “No Taper Now.”
  • The Problem Of Liquidity
  • Portfolio Positioning
  • Sector & Market Analysis
  • 401k Plan Manager

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Market Rallies As Bullish Trend Remains

As discussed last week, the bullish bias remains as “dip buyers” jumped into the markets. As discussed in our Daily Market Commentary Friday morning:

“While the market continues its bullish advance (why not with $120b in QE), the divergences between price and other internal indicators continue to diverge. Another trip to the 50-dma would be a near 3% crash, and a decline in the 200-dma (which hasn’t happened for one of the longest spans in 40-years) would be a 10% disaster. (While I am sarcastic, the low volatility market experienced this year will make even normal corrections seem much worse than they are.)

For now, the ‘stair-step’ process continues with bounces off the 50-dma to slightly new highs before the next decline. At some point, investors will slip and fall down the stairs.”

The lack of a definite timeline on tapering from the Fed on Friday gave the “bulls” the boost of confidence they needed. As long as monetary policy and accommodative policy remain intact, there is a greater fear of “missing out” than of “losing money.”

Nonetheless, the rally on Friday set the 52nd new high this year and the market is well on pace to set an all-time record of new highs this year. (Charts courtesy of Zerohedge.)

Interestingly though, while the markets are hitting new highs, a large number of stocks are not as volume continues to drop.

Of course, none of that is important as long as the “bullish bias” remains intact.

The only mistake investors make is believing the current trend will extend indefinitely. It can’t.

First Half Of The Full-Market Cycle

When you look at the long-term market cycles, there are oscillations between secular (long-term) bull and bear markets over time. Using long-term trendlines, we can make the case the first half of the current secular bull market began in 1980 following the crash of 1974. If we plot out the first half of the cycle, it currently intersects at 4500 on the S&P index (although 5000 is well within the margin of error.)

Whether or not you agree with cycle theory is mainly irrelevant. What is important is to note several things in the chart above.

  1. Previously weekly 2-standard deviation extensions above the 200-week moving average resulted in signficant corrections.
  2. The current 3-standard deviation above the 200-week moving average is a historical anomaly.
  3. A correction back to the long-term bullish trendline would require a 68% decline.
  4. A 50% correction would take you back to the March 2020 lows.
  5. A 38.2% correction wipes out all the gains back to January 2018.

That information is not meant to be “bearish” or to scare you into selling into cash. However, not acknowledging that such a correction WILL eventually occur leaves you at risk of impairing a large chunk of your investment capital.

Without acknowledging risk, you are essentially driving a car blindfolded. It will work for a while. But, eventually, it won’t.

However, as noted above, as long as the Fed is engaged in QE, investors believe there is “no risk.

But is that about to change?



Taper Is Coming, Bulls Hear “No Taper Now.”

On Thursday, Esther George, Robert Kaplan, and Jim Bullard suggested the Fed start tapering its balance sheet expansion and prepare for hiking rates. To wit:

It would continue to be my view that when we get to the September meeting, we would be well served to announce a plan for adjusting purchases and begin to execute that plan in October or shortly thereafter.” – Robert Kaplan, CNBC

“We did say that we would allow inflation to run above target for some time, but not this much above target. So for that reason, I think we want to get going on tapering and get it finished by the end of the first quarter next year.” – Jim Bullard, CNBC

“When you look at the job gains we saw last month, the month before, you look at the level of inflation right now, I think it would suggest that the level of accommodation we’re providing right now is probably not needed in this scenario. So I would be ready to talk about taper sooner rather than later.” – Esther George, CNBC

While investors fretted the Jackson Hole symposium would result in a firm timetable for an aggressive tightening campaign beginning as early as September, such was not the case. As Powell’s comments show, the message delivered was a perfect combination of ambiguity, vagueness, and misdirection on timing and amounts of an eventual taper.

After Powell’s speech, Fed Governor Harker continued with vagueness around the taper, stating:

The Fed has reached an agreement that tapering will begin this year.”

All the market heard was “No taper now,” which immediately translated into a panic bid to buy stocks.

Powell Emulates Greenspan

During the runup to the Dot.com crash, then-Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan became famous for “Greenspeak.” Such was his unique gift of saying much while saying nothing.

Chairman Powell’s speech, while greeted with market optimism, was his rendition of Greenspeak. While Powell said much, he said very little. As noted by Zerohedge this morning:

“The bottom line, and the reason for the market’s dovish eruption: Powell provided no explicit taper signal, as he likely wants to see more jobs reports for accumulated evidence that ‘substantial further progress’ on the labor market is being made, while dismissing soaring inflation as transitory.”

As we noted for our RIAPro Subscribers this morning:

“In particular, the following line is assuring investors the Fed will not be aggressive with tapering QE. In regards to premature tightening Powell said: ‘Today, with substantial slack remaining in the labor market and the pandemic continuing, such a mistake could be particularly harmful.‘”

Below are two critical segments from his speech:

  • We have said that we would continue our asset purchases at the current pace until we see substantial further progress toward our maximum employment and price stability goals, measured since last December, when we first articulated this guidance. My view is that the “substantial further progress” test has been met for inflation. There has also been clear progress toward maximum employment. At the FOMC’s recent July meeting, I was of the view, as were most participants, that if the economy evolved broadly as anticipated, it could be appropriate to start reducing the pace of asset purchases this year.
  • The timing and pace of the coming reduction in asset purchases will not be intended to carry a direct signal regarding the timing of interest rate liftoff, for which we have articulated a different and substantially more stringent test.

Keeping The Faith

Don’t be mistaken; the Fed is going to start tapering this year. So while the bullish bias remains currently, with liquidity continuing, that will change. As shown last week, asset prices do not do well when balance sheet reductions begin.

Bulls Dip Taper 08-20-21, The Fed Blinks On Taper, Bulls Buy The Dip Again 08-20-21

For now, however, there is still plenty of monetary accommodation combined with “faith in the Fed.”

That “faith” and near-record levels of stock buybacks keep a continuous bid beneath stock prices. But, as we noted in our daily market commentary on Thursday:

“In the years before the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the biggest sources of buying power in the stock market were the companies themselves. As the economy has improved, the stock market has rallied, and corporate buyers returned as a force in the stock market. Via BofA:

‘Buybacks by corporate clients accelerated from the prior week to the highest level since mid-March, driven by Financials. Financials has now overtaken Tech as the sector with the largest dollar amount buybacks so far this year.’” – Yahoo

Fed fade, Will The Fed Fade The Delta Variant?

As discussed previously, the correlation between the Fed’s monetary interventions and the stock market is evident. The increase in the Fed’s balance sheet remains in near lockstep with the stock market’s climb.

To repeat from above, as long as investors “believe” monetary accommodation will remain, there is no reason to reduce speculative “risk-taking” endeavors.

Taper Timeline Announced

Interestingly, while the market surged on news of “no immediate taper,” such was already widely expected by the markets. It was also expected the Fed would “cautiously affirm” a tapering announcement for later this year.

What spurred the bulls was Powell’s affirmation that any tapering would be contingent upon economic outcomes continuing to meet expectations. In other words, any deviation from the baseline data could delay any potential action.

Furthermore, there was a clear distinction between tapering the current balance sheet expansion and hiking rates. Rate hikes will get predicated on inflationary pressures remaining above the 2% target longer than anticipated. This all sounds copasetic until you understand the Fed runs a high risk of getting caught in a stagflationary environment. Such an outcome will greatly reduce policy effectiveness. Via our daily market commentary:

“The graph below from Arbor Research provides a clue for the recent decline in consumer confidence. Based on Google search data, the term stagflation is now the leading the “inflation” search word. Stagflation entails weak economic activity coupled with inflation. Stagflation results in higher unemployment and negative real wage growth.

The most significant risk for the Fed is getting trapped between fighting rising inflation and keeping consumer confidence elevated through higher asset prices in such an environment. If they choose to hike rates, they will crash the stock market. However, a decision to try and support higher asset prices and the economy gets crushed by higher inflation.

It’s a “no-win” outcome and remains the most significant risk to investors betting on monetary policy.


In Case You Missed It


The Problem Of Liquidity

On the “Real Investment Show,” I have spoken a few times about the collapse of liquidity in the market. The problem with the lack of liquidity is that when sellers show up in earnest, there will be a significant gap between the current price and the next buyer.

The chart below shows that the short-term sell-offs to the 50-dma saw sharp spikes in volume over the last several months. However, the subsequent rally of “buying” saw a collapse in volume.

That lack of “buying” volume leads to more significant negative divergences in the advance-decline volume indicator.

The critical thing to understand about liquidity, or lack thereof, is how it will manifest itself during the subsequent correction.

The Next Big One

There are two prevailing myths investors must be aware of concerning chasing markets in the current environment. The first is the “cash on the sidelines” meme, and the second is the “the greater fool” syndrome.

There is no “cash on the sidelines” as there is a buyer for every seller. The only thing that determines the underlying security price is the price at which the transaction occurs. Currently, given the extremely high levels of equity allocations, few investors are willing to “sell” at current prices for “fear of missing out” on further gains. Therefore, “buyers” must pay increasingly higher prices to get the transaction completed.

Such is also where the “greater fool syndrome” resides. The buyers who must pay higher prices to complete a transaction assume there will be someone willing to pay an even higher price in the future. Such may seem to be the case until it isn’t.

Much like an overly crowded theatre, eventually, someone will yell “fire.” It is at the point the few “buyers” that currently exist will disappear entirely. Sellers will be rushing towards a very narrow exit in the market only to find the price where they wished to sell has wholly vanished.

Such is precisely what happened in March of 2020 and why the market was dropping by double-digits between brief reflex rally attempts.

There is a straightforward truth to markets, always.

“Sellers live higher. Buyers live lower.”

Always make sure you are on the right side of the trade.



Portfolio Update

Heading into the Jackson Hole Summit meeting and not knowing how the market would react, we made some adjustments to our portfolios on Thursday. As we discussed with our RIAPRO subscribers, our goal is to reduce the “volatility” of the portfolio, thereby reducing risk without significantly sacrificing performance. So even though we took profits in stocks like WOOF and replaced FANG with XOM, we held equity allocations essentially flat at 50%.

We still hold a slightly higher cash balance in the equity sleeve (~10%) and the fixed income sleeve (~10%). W use the cash as a risk hedge against an equity draw and “shorten duration” in the bond allocation. While we were previously increasing the duration of our bond portfolio to capture the decline in rates, we are holding cash to add longer-duration bonds on upticks in rates.

Why Bonds?

If there is a risk-off event in the market, yields will drop to 1% or less providing a nice bump in appreciation in our bond portfolio. In the meantime, we are collecting a bit of income while holding the hedge.

The distortions in the markets from excess accommodation continue to mount. Nowhere is this more clearly shown than in the spread between the market and CCC-rate junk bond yields.

Add to that, the collapse in consumer confidence will create a feedback look into weaker economic growth and eventually a disappointment of extremely lofty corporate earnings.

Fed's Monetary Policy Experiment, Did The Fed’s Monetary Policy Experiment Just Fail?

Such is highly problematic in a market that has become grossly detached from corporate profitability.

As you will note, we are indeed a tad bit more risk-averse currently, given a historically long market advance without a 5-10% correction.

While we would certainly like to be even more cautious, we still have a mandate to generate returns for clients to meet their financial goals. We realize that when the correction comes will give back some of our outperformance over our benchmark this year. However, given the current level of “irrational exuberance,” we will remain at the “back of theatre” to ensure we can get through the exit door when the time comes.

Have a great weekend.

By Lance Roberts, CIO


Market & Sector Analysis

Analysis & Stock Screens Exclusively For RIAPro Members


S&P 500 Tear Sheet


Performance Analysis


Technical Composite

The technical overbought/sold gauge comprises several price indicators (RSI, Williams %R, etc.), measured using “weekly” closing price data. Readings above “80” are considered overbought, and below “20” are oversold. The current reading is 91.11 out of a possible 100.


Portfolio Positioning “Fear / Greed” Gauge

Our “Fear/Greed” gauge is how individual and professional investors are “positioning” themselves in the market based on their equity exposure. From a contrarian position, the higher the allocation to equities, to more likely the market is closer to a correction than not. The gauge uses weekly closing data.

NOTE: The Fear/Greed Index measures risk from 0-100. It is a rarity that it reaches levels above 90.  The current reading is 84.37 out of a possible 100.


Sector Model Analysis & Risk Ranges

How To Read This Table

  • The table compares each sector and market to the S&P 500 index on relative performance.
  • “MA XVER” is determined by whether the short-term weekly moving average crosses positively or negatively with the long-term weekly moving average.
  • The risk range is a function of the month-end closing price and the “beta” of the sector or market. (Ranges reset on the 1st of each month)
  • Table shows the price deviation above and below the weekly moving averages.

Weekly Stock Screens

Currently, there are four different stock screens for you to review. The first is S&P 500 based companies with a “Growth” focus, the second is a “Value” screen on the entire universe of stocks, and the last are stocks that are “Technically” strong and breaking above their respective 50-dma.

We have provided the yield of each security and a Piotroski Score ranking to help you find fundamentally strong companies on each screen. (For more on the Piotroski Score – read this report.)

S&P 500 Growth Screen

Low P/B, High-Value Score, High Dividend Screen

Fundamental Growth Screen

Aggressive Growth Strategy


Portfolio / Client Update

Heading into the Jackson Hole Summit meeting and not knowing how the market would react, we made some adjustments to our portfolios on Thursday. The goal is to reduce the “volatility” of the portfolio, thereby reducing risk without significantly sacrificing performance. So even though we took profits in stocks like WOOF and replaced FANG with XOM, we held equity allocations essentially flat at 50%.

We still hold a slightly higher cash balance in the equity sleeve (~10%) and the fixed income sleeve (~10%). We use the cash as a risk hedge against an equity draw and “shorten duration” in the bond allocation. While we were previously increasing the duration of our bond portfolio to capture the decline in rates, we are holding cash to add longer-duration bonds on upticks in rates.

If there is a risk-off event in the market, yields will drop to 1% or less providing a nice bump in appreciation in our bond portfolio. In the meantime, we are collecting a bit of income while holding the hedge.

We continue to manage risk accordingly, but this is a market unlike we have lived through previously. As a result, much of what we are doing portfolio management-wise is as much an experiment as it remains based on experience. Regardless, we assure you we are doing our best to navigate what comes as successfully as possible.

Portfolio Changes

During the past week, we made minor changes to portfolios. In addition, we post all trades in real-time at RIAPRO.NET.

*** Trading Update – Equity and Sector Models ***

In the equity model, we took profits on WOOF, selling the entire position. We may revisit it in the future as we like its fundamentals but currently, price action remains very weak.

We also sold our 1% of FANG and replaced it with 1% of XOM. This change reduces volatility and aligns the beta of our energy holdings with the beta of XLE. FANG was a great buy but much more volatile than the sector and market. Also, XOM carries a 3+% yield which increases our dividend payout for the portfolio.

We remain wary of this market. Internals continue to deteriorate, volume remains weak, and technicals are stretched. Therefore, we continue to keep “tweaking” the portfolio to give us relative but reduce our overall risk exposure as well.” – 08-26-21

Equity Model:

  • Sell 100% of WOOF (Petco Health) for now. 
  • Sell 100% of FANG (Diamond Back Energy)
  • Initiate a 1% position in XOM (Exxon Mobil)

As always, our short-term concern remains the protection of your portfolio. Accordingly, we remain focused on the differentials between underlying fundamentals and market over-valuations.

Lance Roberts, CIO


THE REAL 401k PLAN MANAGER

A Conservative Strategy For Long-Term Investors


If you need help after reading the alert, do not hesitate to contact me.


401k Model Performance Analysis

Model performance is a two-asset model of stocks and bonds relative to the weighting changes made each week in the newsletter. Such is strictly for informational and educational purposes only, and one should not rely on it for any reason. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Use at your own risk and peril.

Have a great week!

The post Fed Says Taper Is Coming. Bulls Hear “No Taper Now.” appeared first on RIA.

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International

Shakira’s net worth

After 12 albums, a tax evasion case, and now a towering bronze idol sculpted in her image, how much is Shakira worth more than 4 decades into her care…

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Shakira’s considerable net worth is no surprise, given her massive popularity in Latin America, the U.S., and elsewhere. 

In fact, the belly-dancing contralto queen is the second-wealthiest Latin-America-born pop singer of all time after Gloria Estefan. (Interestingly, Estefan actually helped a young Shakira translate her breakout album “Laundry Service” into English, hugely propelling her stateside success.)

Since releasing her first record at age 13, Shakira has spent decades recording albums in both Spanish and English and performing all over the world. Over the course of her 40+ year career, she helped thrust Latin pop music into the American mainstream, paving the way for the subsequent success of massively popular modern acts like Karol G and Bad Bunny.

In late 2023, a 21-foot-tall bronze sculpture of Shakira, the barefoot belly dancer of Barranquilla, was unveiled at the city's waterfront. The statue was commissioned by the city's former mayor and other leadership.

Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images

In December 2023, a 21-foot-tall beachside bronze statue of the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer was unveiled in her Colombian hometown of Barranquilla, making her a permanent fixture in the city’s skyline and cementing her legacy as one of Latin America’s most influential entertainers.

After 12 albums, a plethora of film and television appearances, a highly publicized tax evasion case, and now a towering bronze idol sculpted in her image, how much is Shakira worth? What does her income look like? And how does she spend her money?

Related: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's net worth: How the new TKO Board Member built his wealth from $7

How much is Shakira worth?

In late 2023, Spanish sports and lifestyle publication Marca reported Shakira’s net worth at $400 million, citing Forbes as the figure’s source (although Forbes’ profile page for Shakira does not list a net worth — and didn’t when that article was published).

Most other sources list the singer’s wealth at an estimated $300 million, and almost all of these point to Celebrity Net Worth — a popular but dubious celebrity wealth estimation site — as the source for the figure.

A $300 million net worth would make Shakira the third-richest Latina pop star after Gloria Estefan ($500 million) and Jennifer Lopez ($400 million), and the second-richest Latin-America-born pop singer after Estefan (JLo is Puerto Rican but was born in New York).

Shakira’s income: How much does she make annually?

Entertainers like Shakira don’t have predictable paychecks like ordinary salaried professionals. Instead, annual take-home earnings vary quite a bit depending on each year’s album sales, royalties, film and television appearances, streaming revenue, and other sources of income. As one might expect, Shakira’s earnings have fluctuated quite a bit over the years.

From June 2018 to June 2019, for instance, Shakira was the 10th highest-earning female musician, grossing $35 million, according to Forbes. This wasn’t her first time gracing the top 10, though — back in 2012, she also landed the #10 spot, bringing in $20 million, according to Billboard.

In 2023, Billboard listed Shakira as the 16th-highest-grossing Latin artist of all time.

Shakira performed alongside producer Bizarrap during the 2023 Latin Grammy Awards Gala in Seville.

Photo By Maria Jose Lopez/Europa Press via Getty Images

How much does Shakira make from her concerts and tours?

A large part of Shakira’s wealth comes from her world tours, during which she sometimes sells out massive stadiums and arenas full of passionate fans eager to see her dance and sing live.

According to a 2020 report by Pollstar, she sold over 2.7 million tickets across 190 shows that grossed over $189 million between 2000 and 2020. This landed her the 19th spot on a list of female musicians ranked by touring revenue during that period. In 2023, Billboard reported a more modest touring revenue figure of $108.1 million across 120 shows.

In 2003, Shakira reportedly generated over $4 million from a single show on Valentine’s Day at Foro Sol in Mexico City. 15 years later, in 2018, Shakira grossed around $76.5 million from her El Dorado World Tour, according to Touring Data.

Related: RuPaul's net worth: Everything to know about the cultural icon and force behind 'Drag Race'

How much has Shakira made from her album sales?

According to a 2023 profile in Variety, Shakira has sold over 100 million records throughout her career. “Laundry Service,” the pop icon’s fifth studio album, was her most successful, selling over 13 million copies worldwide, according to TheRichest.

Exactly how much money Shakira has taken home from her album sales is unclear, but in 2008, it was widely reported that she signed a 10-year contract with LiveNation to the tune of between $70 and $100 million to release her subsequent albums and manage her tours.

Shakira and JLo co-headlined the 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Show in Florida.

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

How much did Shakira make from her Super Bowl and World Cup performances?

Shakira co-wrote one of her biggest hits, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” after FIFA selected her to create the official anthem for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. She performed the song, along with several of her existing fan-favorite tracks, during the event’s opening ceremonies. TheThings reported in 2023 that the song generated $1.4 million in revenue, citing Popnable for the figure.

A decade later, 2020’s Superbowl halftime show featured Shakira and Jennifer Lopez as co-headliners with guest performances by Bad Bunny and J Balvin. The 14-minute performance was widely praised as a high-energy celebration of Latin music and dance, but as is typical for Super Bowl shows, neither Shakira nor JLo was compensated beyond expenses and production costs.

The exposure value that comes with performing in the Super Bowl Halftime Show, though, is significant. It is typically the most-watched television event in the U.S. each year, and in 2020, a 30-second Super Bowl ad spot cost between $5 and $6 million.

How much did Shakira make as a coach on “The Voice?”

Shakira served as a team coach on the popular singing competition program “The Voice” during the show’s fourth and sixth seasons. On the show, celebrity musicians coach up-and-coming amateurs in a team-based competition that eventually results in a single winner. In 2012, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Shakira’s salary as a coach on “The Voice” was $12 million.

Related: John Cena's net worth: The wrestler-turned-actor's investments, businesses, and more

How does Shakira spend her money?

Shakira doesn’t just make a lot of money — she spends it, too. Like many wealthy entertainers, she’s purchased her share of luxuries, but Barranquilla’s barefoot belly dancer is also a prolific philanthropist, having donated tens of millions to charitable causes throughout her career.

Private island

Back in 2006, she teamed up with Roger Waters of Pink Floyd fame and Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz to purchase Bonds Cay, a 550-acre island in the Bahamas, which was listed for $16 million at the time.

Along with her two partners in the purchase, Shakira planned to develop the island to feature housing, hotels, and an artists’ retreat designed to host a revolving cast of artists-in-residence. This plan didn’t come to fruition, though, and as of this article’s last update, the island was once again for sale on Vladi Private Islands.

Real estate and vehicles

Like most wealthy celebs, Shakira’s portfolio of high-end playthings also features an array of luxury properties and vehicles, including a home in Barcelona, a villa in Cyprus, a Miami mansion, and a rotating cast of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Philanthropy and charity

Shakira doesn’t just spend her massive wealth on herself; the “Queen of Latin Music” is also a dedicated philanthropist and regularly donates portions of her earnings to the Fundación Pies Descalzos, or “Barefoot Foundation,” a charity she founded in 1997 to “improve the education and social development of children in Colombia, which has suffered decades of conflict.” The foundation focuses on providing meals for children and building and improving educational infrastructure in Shakira’s hometown of Barranquilla as well as four other Colombian communities.

In addition to her efforts with the Fundación Pies Descalzos, Shakira has made a number of other notable donations over the years. In 2007, she diverted a whopping $40 million of her wealth to help rebuild community infrastructure in Peru and Nicaragua in the wake of a devastating 8.0 magnitude earthquake. Later, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Shakira donated a large supply of N95 masks for healthcare workers and ventilators for hospital patients to her hometown of Barranquilla.

Back in 2010, the UN honored Shakira with a medal to recognize her dedication to social justice, at which time the Director General of the International Labour Organization described her as a “true ambassador for children and young people.”

On November 20, 2023 (which was supposed to be her first day of trial), Shakira reached a deal with the prosecution that resulted in a three-year suspended sentence and around $8 million in fines.

Photo by Adria Puig/Anadolu via Getty Images

Shakira’s tax fraud scandal: How much did she pay?

In 2018, prosecutors in Spain initiated a tax evasion case against Shakira, alleging she lived primarily in Spain from 2012 to 2014 and therefore failed to pay around $14.4 million in taxes to the Spanish government. Spanish law requires anyone who is “domiciled” (i.e., living primarily) in Spain for more than half of the year to pay income taxes.

During the period in question, Shakira listed the Bahamas as her primary residence but did spend some time in Spain, as she was dating Gerard Piqué, a professional footballer and Spanish citizen. The couple’s first son, Milan, was also born in Barcelona during this period. 

Shakira maintained that she spent far fewer than 183 days per year in Spain during each of the years in question. In an interview with Elle Magazine, the pop star opined that “Spanish tax authorities saw that I was dating a Spanish citizen and started to salivate. It's clear they wanted to go after that money no matter what."

Prosecutors in the case sought a fine of almost $26 million and a possible eight-year prison stint, but in November of 2023, Shakira took a deal to close the case, accepting a fine of around $8 million and a three-year suspended sentence to avoid going to trial. In reference to her decision to take the deal, Shakira stated, "While I was determined to defend my innocence in a trial that my lawyers were confident would have ruled in my favour [had the trial proceeded], I have made the decision to finally resolve this matter with the best interest of my kids at heart who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight."

How much did the Shakira statue in Barranquilla cost?

In late 2023, a 21-foot-tall bronze likeness of Shakira was unveiled on a waterfront promenade in Barranquilla. The city’s then-mayor, Jaime Pumarejo, commissioned Colombian sculptor Yino Márquez to create the statue of the city’s treasured pop icon, along with a sculpture of the city’s coat of arms.

According to the New York Times, the two sculptures cost the city the equivalent of around $180,000. A plaque at the statue’s base reads, “A heart that composes, hips that don’t lie, an unmatched talent, a voice that moves the masses and bare feet that march for the good of children and humanity.” 

Related: Taylor Swift net worth: The most successful entertainer joins the billionaire's club

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International

Delta Air Lines adds a new route travelers have been asking for

The new Delta seasonal flight to the popular destination will run daily on a Boeing 767-300.

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Those who have tried to book a flight from North America to Europe in the summer of 2023 know just how high travel demand to the continent has spiked.

At 2.93 billion, visitors to the countries making up the European Union had finally reached pre-pandemic levels last year while North Americans in particular were booking trips to both large metropolises such as Paris and Milan as well as smaller cities growing increasingly popular among tourists.

Related: A popular European city is introducing the highest 'tourist tax' yet

As a result, U.S.-based airlines have been re-evaluating their networks to add more direct routes to smaller European destinations that most travelers would have previously needed to reach by train or transfer flight with a local airline.

The new flight will take place on a Boeing 767-300.

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Delta Air Lines: ‘Glad to offer customers increased choice…’

By the end of March, Delta Air Lines  (DAL)  will be restarting its route between New York’s JFK and Marco Polo International Airport in Venice as well as launching two new flights to Venice from Atlanta. One will start running this month while the other will be added during peak demand in the summer.

More Travel:

“As one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Venice is hugely popular with U.S. travelers, and our flights bring valuable tourism and trade opportunities to the city and the region as well as unrivalled opportunities for Venetians looking to explore destinations across the Americas,” Delta’s SVP for Europe Matteo Curcio said in a statement. “We’re glad to offer customers increased choice this summer with flights from New York and additional service from Atlanta.”

The JFK-Venice flight will run on a Boeing 767-300  (BA)  and have 216 seats including higher classes such as Delta One, Delta Premium Select and Delta Comfort Plus.

Delta offers these features on the new flight

Both the New York and Atlanta flights are seasonal routes that will be pulled out of service in October. Both will run daily while the first route will depart New York at 8:55 p.m. and arrive in Venice at 10:15 a.m. local time on the way there, while leaving Venice at 12:15 p.m. to arrive at JFK at 5:05 p.m. on the way back.

According to Delta, this will bring its service to 17 flights from different U.S. cities to Venice during the peak summer period. As with most Delta flights at this point, passengers in all fare classes will have access to free Wi-Fi during the flight.

Those flying in Delta’s highest class or with access through airline status or a credit card will also be able to use the new Delta lounge that is part of the airline’s $12 billion terminal renovation and is slated to open to travelers in the coming months. The space will take up more than 40,000 square feet and have an outdoor terrace.

“Delta One customers can stretch out in a lie-flat seat and enjoy premium amenities like plush bedding made from recycled plastic bottles, more beverage options, and a seasonal chef-curated four-course meal,” Delta said of the new route. “[…] All customers can enjoy a wide selection of in-flight entertainment options and stay connected with Wi-Fi and enjoy free mobile messaging.”

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Stock Market Today: Stocks turn lower as factory inflation spikes, retail sales miss target

Stocks will navigate the last major data releases prior to next week’s Fed rate meeting in Washington.

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Check back for updates throughout the trading day

U.S. stocks edged lower Thursday following a trio of key economic releases that have added to the current inflation puzzle as investors shift focus to the Federal Reserve's March policy meeting next week in Washington.

Updated at 9:59 AM EDT

Red start

Stocks are now falling sharply following the PPI inflation data and retail sales miss, with the S&P 500 marked 18 points lower, or 0.36%, in the opening half hour of trading.

The Dow, meanwhile, was marked 92 points lower while the Nasdaq slipped 67 points.

Treasury yields are also on the move, with 2-year notes rising 5 basis points on the session to 4.679% and 10-year notes pegged 7 basis points higher at 4.271%.

Updated at 9:44 AM EDT

Under Water

Under Armour  (UAA)  shares slumped firmly lower in early trading following the sportswear group's decision to bring back founder Kevin Plank as CEO, replacing the outgoing Stephanie Linnartz.

Plank, who founded Under Armour in 1996, left the group in May of 2021 just weeks before the group revealed that it was co-operating with investigations from both the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice into the company's revenue recognition accounting.

Under Armour shares were marked 10.6% lower in early trading to change hands at $7.21 each.

Source: Under Armour Investor Relations

Updated at 9:22 AM EDT

Steely resolve

U.S. Steel  (X)  shares extended their two-day decline Thursday, falling 5.75% in pre-market trading following multiple reports that suggest President Joe Biden will push to prevent Japan's Nippon Steel from buying the Pittsburgh-based group.

Both Reuters and the Associated Press have said Biden will express his views to Prime Minister Kishida Yuko ahead of a planned State Visit next month at the White House. 

Related: US Steel soars on $15 billion Nippon Steel takeover; United Steelworkers slams deal

Updated at 8:52 AM EDT

Clear as mud

Retail sales rebounded last month, but the overall tally of $700.7 billion missed Street forecasts and suggests the recent uptick in inflation could be holding back discretionary spending.

A separate reading of factory inflation, meanwhile, showed prices spiking by 1.6%, on the year, and 0.6% on the month, amid a jump in goods prices.

U.S. stocks held earlier gains following the data release, with futures tied to the S&P 500 indicating an opening bell gain of 10 points, while the Dow was called 140 points higher. The Nasdaq, meanwhile, is looking at a more modest 40 point gain.

Benchmark 10-year Treasury note yields edged 3 basis points lower to 4.213% while two-year notes were little-changed at 4.626%.

Stock Market Today

Stocks finished lower last night, with the S&P 500 ending modestly in the red and the Nasdaq falling around 0.5%. The declines came amid an uptick in Treasury yields tied to concern that inflation pressures have failed to ease over the opening months of the year.

A better-than-expected auction of $22 billion in 30-year bonds, drawing the strongest overall demand since last June, steadied the overall market, but stocks still slipped into the close with an eye towards today's dataset.

The Commerce Department will publish its February reading of factory-gate inflation at 8:30 am Eastern Time. Analysts are expecting a slowdown in the key core reading, which feeds into the Fed's favored PCE price index.

Retail sales figures for the month are also set for an 8:30 am release as investors search for clues on consumer strength, tied to a resilient job market. Those factors could give the Fed more justification to wait until the summer months to begin the first of its three projected rate cuts.

"The case for a gradual but sustained slowdown in growth in consumers’ spending from 2023’s robust pace is persuasive," said Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics. 

"Most households have run down the excess savings accumulated during the pandemic, while the cost of credit has jumped and last year’s plunge in home sales has depressed demand housing-related retail items like furniture and appliances," he added.

Benchmark 10-year Treasury yields are holding steady at 4.196% heading into the start of the New York trading session, while 2-year notes were pegged at 4.628%.

With Fed officials in a quiet period, requiring no public comments ahead of next week's meeting in Washington, the U.S. dollar index is trading in a narrow range against its global peers and was last marked 0.06% higher at 102.852.

On Wall Street, futures tied to the S&P 500 are indicating an opening bell gain of around 19 points, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average indicating a 140-point advance.

The tech-focused Nasdaq, which is up 7.77% for the year, is priced for a gain of around 95 points, with Tesla  (TSLA)  once again sliding into the red after ending the Wednesday session at a 10-month low.

In Europe, the regionwide Stoxx 600 was marked 0.35% higher in early Frankfurt trading, while Britain's FTSE 100 slipped 0.09% in London.

Overnight in Asia, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.29% as investors looked to a key series of wage negotiation figures from key unions that are likely to see the biggest year-on-year pay increases in three decades.

The broader MSCI ex-Japan benchmark, meanwhile, rose 0.18% into the close of trading. 

Related: Veteran fund manager picks favorite stocks for 2024

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