Good morning. It is difficult to know exactly where to start as I sit to write this morning, as so much is happening. I thought it would be a quiet day … mentioning a slightly lower opening to the market before a rebound … and giving possible reasons why … and I thought I would focus on mentioning the 25% tariff on foreign-made automobiles, allowing me to move on to other things. But things never go according to plan. Especially lately. Imagine you are Canada … or the European Union … and your trade is threatened with tariffs, the degree of which fluctuates on a daily basis. Well, the logical thing to do is to see how you can work together and improve trade between each other … with the attraction being that you each know the rules before the game begins with some certainty that these rules won’t change. The U.S. sees this possible allegiance …doesn’t seem to like it … and now hints that Canada and the EU working together could threaten our national security and we will use our weapon of choice (tariffs) if something like this friendship develops. On top of this, Newsweek just reported the president as saying the U.S. will “go as far as we have to” in order to get control of Greenland. I can’t imagine this sitting well with controlling country Denmark, or … for that matter … the people of Greenland … who might be pretty important in this whole equation. Teddy Roosevelt liked to use the term “speak softly and carry a big stick.” There is no question that we have a very big stick, wildly flinging about right now. But speaking softly? That is for another administration and some other time … for the words coming out of the White House right now are deafening. My other item … and I’ll shift gears … is pretty exciting for me … as the story of the Ronald McDonald House is brought to theaters today with the release of “Audrey’s Children.” I have the role of an “extra” and will certainly be watching to see if I am front-and-center in some parts … or, as happened in the past, cast to the side in some editing room, never to be seen. Gotta run as I need to pick something up at the mall before I go to the movie. I really don’t like one thing about the store I need to go to, as it is on the 4th floor and only accessible either by walking up or using an elevator. I hate elevators so much. I usually take steps to avoid them. Have a great day, Joseph G. Witthohn, CFA Have any questions? Please contact info@teamemerald.com
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