America: Land Of The (Not Really) Free

Vaccine Trade Returns? Moderna Working On Hantavirus Shot Sends Shares Higher Moderna is out with timely news that it is working on early-stage research on vaccines targeting hantaviruses. The news comes as a Spanish woman has been hospitalized for a suspected infection, while a hantavirus cluster has ravaged a Dutch-flagged cruise ship, with five confirmed and three suspected cases of hantavirus. Three deaths have been reported so far. Bloomberg reports that Moderna is collaborating with the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases on hantavirus vaccine research and is also...

Futures Jump On Hopes Of War De-escalation, Korea Enters Bear Market On Memory Rout Futures are higher on a WSJ report that Trump is considering exiting the middle east conflict even if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened; but the market is deciding whether this is a genuine intent to leave or another feint given the previous US attacks during negotiations and that Trump has yet to adjust his Apr 6 deadline. As of 8:00am, S&P futures are 1.1% higher, at session after approaching correction territory yesterday. Nasdaq futures rise...

Philippines Declares State Of Emergency As Energy Crisis Looms As we outlined in our recent analysis on Australia's dangerous vulnerability to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, most of Asia is heavily exposed and faces an unprecedented energy crisis should the war in Iran continue to prevent safe passage of oil and natural gas from the Gulf.  As Australia debates the potential for a national emergency, the Philippines has already declared one. This week, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 110, declaring a state of national emergency as...