Kudlow vows fresh U.S. action if China trade deal isn’t enforced

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Wednesday the U.S. is prepared to take "proportionate actions" if China doesn’t live up to its commitments in a trade deal to be signed by President Donald Trump. Speaking on CNBC, Kudlow said the deal would boost China’s purchases of U.S. agricultural, manufacturing and energy products, but keep in place many tariffs on Chinese goods. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He is scheduled to join Trump at the White House at 11:30 a.m. Eastern for the signing of the phase-one deal. Kudlow asserted the agreement would boost not just U.S. economic growth but also improve growth around the world. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.60% rose more than 120 points as investors awaited the deal signing, and the S&P 500 SPX, +0.39% and Nasdaq COMP, +0.46% also climbed in early trading.

Charting a trade-fueled breakout, S&P 500 tags record high amid market rotation

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U.S. stocks are firmly higher early Wednesday, rising amid optimism over the signing of a partial China-U.S. trade agreement.

Against this backdrop, each big three U.S. benchmark has tagged its latest record high, while perhaps more notably, the small- and mid-cap benchmarks have also surged to new highs.

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Openpay sets sights on retail for UK expansion

Managing director Andy Harding said that the company wants to establish itself as the leading player in the growing “buy now, pay later” finance market. Openpay entered the UK last summer and its competitors include Klarna, Clearpay and Payl8r.

“Our competitors have first-mover advantage, but we can overhaul them, we have the better product,” Harding said.

Openpay makes its money by charging retailers, such as TV shopping channel Ideal World, to use its platform. Shoppers spread the cost of their purchases over two to three months and there are no interest payments or fees.

Former Pure Flix Execs Launch Cloudburst Entertainment

EXCLUSIVE: Steve Fedyski and Ken Rather, former COO and Chief Distribution Officer, respectively, at faith-based Pure Flix Entertainment, have formed Cloudburst Entertainment. The new, privately financed production and distribution company will focus on producing and releasing films that provide wholesome entertainment and capture the imagination to transform and inspire mainstream audiences around the world.

Currently in negotiations with filmmakers, Cloudburst’s plan is to distribute 2-3 films theatrically in 2020 with an increase to 5-6 films per year thereafter.

“We’re excited to bring transformational films to the market that not only entertain but also infuse hope into the audiences who experience them. We are passionate about bringing authentic stories that are powerful, uplifting, and catalysts for positive change,” said Fedyski.

“As we examine the theatrical marketplace today, we see a huge opportunity to provide full-service production distribution services to filmmakers who want to tell great stories that are commercially viable and appeal to mainstream audiences which are neither several hundred million dollars superhero movies nor small niche art films” added Rather, who also previously served an executive of Regal Entertainment.

Lebanon will not do Eurobond swaps before government decision: central bank governor

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon’s central bank will not move forward with a proposed swap of Eurobonds maturing in 2020 before the government takes a decision on it, central bank governor Riad Salameh told Reuters on Wednesday.

The central bank has proposed that Lebanese holders of Eurobonds due in 2020 including a $1.2 billion bond set to mature in March swap their holdings for longer-dated notes.

Lebanon house speaker says work underway to protect bank deposits: MP

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese MP Ali Bazzi, citing the country’s parliament speaker, said on Wednesday that work was underway to protect bank deposits amid a financial crisis that has shaken confidence in the country’s banks.

Bazzi said parliament was ready to “secure the preservation of people’s rights” and that small depositors and the deposits of expatriates would be protected.

Stock Alert: Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) Shares Touch New-high

Shares of Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) touched a new high of $62.47 today. Beginning the New Year with programs to expand its Insulin affordability offering is how the Danish drug maker is dealing with political criticism of Insulin prices.

Diabetes treatments are the company’s mainstay. Insulin constitutes about half of the company’s sales, and together with other diabetes therapies, accounted for nearly 80% of sales for the first nine months of last year. Substantiating with actual numbers, the company reported total sales of DKK 89.6 billion for the first nine months of 2019, while Insulin sales totaled DKK 44.79 billion and other Diabetes treatments contributed DKK 26.61 billion.

During the first three quarters of 2019, the company strengthened its global Insulin market leadership by 0.8% to 28.4% and Insulin volume market share by 0.4%to 46.5%.

The stock had a strong run last year, and in the past 52 weeks has traded between a low of $46.1 and today’s high of $62.47.