Archives for September 20, 2019

Alphabet’s Wing drones will soon deliver FedEx and Walgreens packages

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The pilot program is based in Christiansburg, Virginia.

This fall, Alphabet’s drone delivery arm Wing will begin delivering goods for FedEx Express, Walgreens and a small retailer. The pilot program will be based in Christiansburg, Virginia, and it’s meant to prove that Wing’s drones are ready to deliver health care products, fill last-mile delivery needs and give local retailers a boost.

In April, Wing became the first drone delivery company to receive its Air Carrier Certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This pilot program has been months in the making. With Walgreens, Wing will deliver over-the-counter medicines and other health and wellness items on-demand. Wing has designed a customized box that its drones will use to transport eligible FedEx Express deliveries, and Wing will transport small gifts and food items from the local retailer Sweet Magnolia.

Wing has been active in Christiansburg and the New River Valley area for years. In 2016, it delivered Chipotle burritos to the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, and it has an ongoing partnership with Virginia Tech’s Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership. Wing is active in other countries, too. In Australia, it has flown more than 70,000 test flights and made thousands of deliveries. And as part of another pilot program, it’s delivering meatballs, pastries and other gourmet goods in Helsinki.

Wing does face some serious competition. Uber Elevate is committed to delivering fast food via drones. Amazon is busy updating its robotic drone’s design, and larger delivery drones could be put to use by the US Military. Wing does have a head start, and if this Christiansburg pilot goes well, we may soon see Wing delivering goods in other parts of the country.

Apple reschedules iOS 13.1 and iPadOS releases for September 24th

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That’s nearly a week sooner than originally planned.

Apple has barely released iOS 13, but you might be getting another significant revision mere days later. The company has told Engadget it’s moving the releases of iPadOS and iOS 13.1 to September 24th, or nearly a week before the originally scheduled September 30th debut. While there’s no mention of just why Apple is stepping up the pace, it might be due to software stability. Some iPhone 11 reviewers (including Engadget) have noticed buggy behavior in iOS 13.0, and this could iron out the kinks before there’s been too much opportunity to complain.

You will get some new features in return. iPadOS, as you may know, is a major shake-up that introduces more iPad-specific features, such as better multitasking and a widget view on the home screen. The iOS 13.1 update mainly adds features that didn’t make the cut for 13.0, including ETA sharing in Maps, automated Siri Shortcut actions and data separation for enterprise devices. This definitely isn’t a seamless release, then, but you at least shouldn’t have to wait long to see new features and a smoother overall experience.

Airbnb plans to go public in 2020

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Airbnb has put to rest speculation about the timing of its IPO. The vacation rental company today took the rare step of announcing in a press release that it plans to go public next year, in 2020. The startup, which first launched in 2008, has grown to become a $30 billion company, with more listings than the eight largest hotel groups in the world, combined.

The company yesterday published an optimistic update on its future. “As our community has grown, our business has thrived. In the second quarter of 2019, Airbnb recognized substantially more than $1 billion in revenue. The second quarter of 2019 marked the second quarter in our history in which Airbnb revenue exceeded $1 billion.”

The initial plan was for Airbnb to go public as soon as this year, along with Uber and Lyft. But back in March, company co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk cast doubt on such a plan. “We have already said that we are taking the steps to be ready to go public in 2019. That doesn’t mean we will go public in 2019,” said Blecharczyk in an interview with Business Insider.

As a publicly traded company, Airbnb still may have an uncertain trajectory ahead. Lower than expected market debuts for Lyft and Uber may lower the confidence of investors. WeWork, another Silicon Valley startup that aimed to go public this year, postponed plans after being unable to secure enough funding.

But unlike other startups, Airbnb has turned a profit. The company said revenue topped $1 billion in the second quarter of 2019, the second time it has done so. It also acquired both HotelTonight and travel company Urbandoor this year. Still, regulatory pushbacks from cities all over the world and concerns over quality control may lead to future setbacks.

Google to invest record-breaking amount in renewable energy

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The announcement comes in advance of the Global Climate Strike.

Google today announced its intention to spend more than $2 billion in new renewable energy infrastructure across the US, South America and Europe. The 1,600-megawatt package of wind and solar agreements includes 18 new energy deals and will increase the tech giant’s renewable energy portfolio by more than 40 percent. The company said the purchase will amount to the largest in corporate history.

“Sustainability has been one of Google’s core values from our earliest days. Over the years we’ve worked hard to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations, build products with people and planet in mind, and drive change at scale through our supply chains,” said CEO Sundar Pichai in a statement.

The company plans to more than double its global solar portfolio, with investments in solar farms in North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas. It is also investing in a hybrid technology deal in Chile which will combine both solar and wind. Pichai plans on announcing the company’s plans in Europe tomorrow during a visit to Finland.

Hundreds of Google employees have nonetheless criticized the tech giant for not taking the environment seriously enough, pointing out the carbon footprints of its data centers and the company’s funding of lawmakers who vote against climate legislation. More than 1,600 Google employees signed a letter this week laying out a list of cross-tech climate goals for the company. “Tech is not ‘green’. The carbon footprint of the tech industry’s data centers alone is on par with aviation. While Google makes a commitment to sustainability, stating that its global business operations are carbon neutral (its emissions are offset with equivalent renewable energy investments or carbon offset purchases) and aspiring to long-term 24×7 carbon-free energy consumption (but with no set commitment date), this doesn’t tell the whole story,” said the group in the letter.

Google’s announcement comes in advance of Friday’s Global Climate Strike. Hundreds of employees of tech companies such as Google, Microsoft and Amazon are expected to participate in the protest, which will occur in at least 150 countries over the course of a week.

Stocks to Watch: Autozone (AZO)

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Watching the shorter-term MACD oscillator on shares of Autozone (AZO), we have noted that the signal is currently showing Sell. The MACD is typically used to measure bullish or bearish price movements. The MACD signal direction is currently reading Weakest. Shifting to another short-term indicator review, we note that the current 7-day average directional indicator is Buy. This signal may be used to determine the market trend. The 7-day directional strength is Weak. This trend strength indicator measures the signal based on historical performance where minimum would indicate the weakest, and maximum would represent the strongest. The 7-day average directional direction is currently Strongest. This signal indicates whether the Buy or Sell signal is getting stronger or weakening, or whether the Hold is leaning towards a Buy or Sell.

Investors have a few distinct options when approaching the stock market. One option is to follow the crowd and trade with the consensus. Another way is to go against the herd and adopt a contrarian strategy. When it comes down to it, the investor will typically have to make this decision with their best interests in mind. In general, no investor wants to miss out on a winning stock. Far too often, investors will be overcome with the fear of missing out and get into a stock way too late. Just because a stock has been over performing and seeing large gains does not mean that those gains are going to continue into the future. Investors may be too quick to get into a hot stock without putting in the proper time and energy to research whether or not it is still a good stock at current trading levels. Investors who take the time to do their homework for every trade may find themselves a step ahead of the crowd in the long run.

Looking further, we can see that the current 9 day MACD for Autozone (AZO) has been noted at 3.14. This value represents the difference between a short-term and a long-term moving average. A reading above zero may offer a bullish signal, and a value below zero may indicate a bearish signal. Going a little further, we can see that the difference between the most recent close and the close one month ago is presently 64.26. This represents a percent change of 5.89% over that period of time. Taking a look back to the start of the calendar year, we can see that the price change has been noted at 317.66. Investors may be trying to gauge which way company shares will trend in the second half of the calendar year. As companies start reporting quarterly earnings, everyone will be focused on how the actual numbers stack up against analyst estimates. An earnings beat may prod company shares higher, while a miss may stall momentum.

Shares of Autozone (AZO) currently have a standard deviation of 1.52. Standard deviation is defined as a measure of the dispersion from the mean in regards to a data set. When dealing with financial instruments, the standard deviation is applied to the annual rate of return to help gauge the volatility of a specific investment. Tracking the standard deviation may help investors with trying to project if a stock is primed for a major move. The stock’s current pivot is 1149.59. The pivot point is frequently used as a trend indicator. The pivot is the average of the close, low, and high of the prior trading period.

Investors are often watching stock price support and resistance levels. The support is a level where shares may see a rebound after they have fallen. If the stock price manages to break through the first support level, the attention may shift to the second level of support. The resistance is the opposite of support. As a stock rises, it may see a retreat once it touches a certain level of resistance. After a recent look, the stock’s first resistance level is 1168.5. On the other side, investors may be taking note of the first support level which is currently 1137.08.

Beginner traders have the tendency to make many mistakes when starting out. Although this comes with the territory, continually making the same mistakes will most likely put the trader on the sidelines very quickly. Learning from previous mistakes is what helps transform a mediocre trader into a good one. Successful traders are highly adept at creating detailed plans, managing risk, and reviewing previous trading records. Scooping up profits from the stock market is no easy task. Even with the best intentions and preparation, things may not work out as planned. Taking a look at the market from various angles may help the trader see the bigger picture. Market environments are constantly changing, and traders need to be ready for these changes and adapt accordingly in order to be successful over the long-term.

Stocks to Watch: Lendingtree Inc (TREE)

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Watching the shorter-term MACD oscillator on shares of Lendingtree Inc (TREE), we have noted that the signal is currently showing Sell. The MACD is typically used to measure bullish or bearish price movements. The MACD signal direction is currently reading Weakest. Shifting to another short-term indicator review, we note that the current 7-day average directional indicator is Buy. This signal may be used to determine the market trend. The 7-day directional strength is Soft. This trend strength indicator measures the signal based on historical performance where minimum would indicate the weakest, and maximum would represent the strongest. The 7-day average directional direction is currently Strengthening. This signal indicates whether the Buy or Sell signal is getting stronger or weakening, or whether the Hold is leaning towards a Buy or Sell.

Investors have a few distinct options when approaching the stock market. One option is to follow the crowd and trade with the consensus. Another way is to go against the herd and adopt a contrarian strategy. When it comes down to it, the investor will typically have to make this decision with their best interests in mind. In general, no investor wants to miss out on a winning stock. Far too often, investors will be overcome with the fear of missing out and get into a stock way too late. Just because a stock has been over performing and seeing large gains does not mean that those gains are going to continue into the future. Investors may be too quick to get into a hot stock without putting in the proper time and energy to research whether or not it is still a good stock at current trading levels. Investors who take the time to do their homework for every trade may find themselves a step ahead of the crowd in the long run.

Looking further, we can see that the current 9 day MACD for Lendingtree Inc (TREE) has been noted at 9.78. This value represents the difference between a short-term and a long-term moving average. A reading above zero may offer a bullish signal, and a value below zero may indicate a bearish signal. Going a little further, we can see that the difference between the most recent close and the close one month ago is presently 33.36. This represents a percent change of 11.28% over that period of time. Taking a look back to the start of the calendar year, we can see that the price change has been noted at 109.58. Investors may be trying to gauge which way company shares will trend in the second half of the calendar year. As companies start reporting quarterly earnings, everyone will be focused on how the actual numbers stack up against analyst estimates. An earnings beat may prod company shares higher, while a miss may stall momentum.

Shares of Lendingtree Inc (TREE) currently have a standard deviation of 0.46. Standard deviation is defined as a measure of the dispersion from the mean in regards to a data set. When dealing with financial instruments, the standard deviation is applied to the annual rate of return to help gauge the volatility of a specific investment. Tracking the standard deviation may help investors with trying to project if a stock is primed for a major move. The stock’s current pivot is 327.08. The pivot point is frequently used as a trend indicator. The pivot is the average of the close, low, and high of the prior trading period.

Investors are often watching stock price support and resistance levels. The support is a level where shares may see a rebound after they have fallen. If the stock price manages to break through the first support level, the attention may shift to the second level of support. The resistance is the opposite of support. As a stock rises, it may see a retreat once it touches a certain level of resistance. After a recent look, the stock’s first resistance level is 332.05. On the other side, investors may be taking note of the first support level which is currently 324.19.

Beginner traders have the tendency to make many mistakes when starting out. Although this comes with the territory, continually making the same mistakes will most likely put the trader on the sidelines very quickly. Learning from previous mistakes is what helps transform a mediocre trader into a good one. Successful traders are highly adept at creating detailed plans, managing risk, and reviewing previous trading records. Scooping up profits from the stock market is no easy task. Even with the best intentions and preparation, things may not work out as planned. Taking a look at the market from various angles may help the trader see the bigger picture. Market environments are constantly changing, and traders need to be ready for these changes and adapt accordingly in order to be successful over the long-term.