JPMorgan: GDP Growth 'Is Like Running on Red Bull'
*By Michael Teich*
President Trump's top economic advisor Larry Kudlow said this week that economic growth could top [4 percent](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/18/trump-advisor-kudlow-says-economic-growth-could-top-4percent-for-a-quarter-.html).
And while JPMorgan ETFs global market strategist Samantha Azzarello agrees, she does doubt its sustainability.
"It’s like running on Red Bull, which you can not do forever," she told Cheddar in an interview Thursday.
The economy is getting a jolt from tax cuts, government spending, and high consumption. But trade tensions have weighed on the markets recently, and as Azzarello explained, we're late in the cycleーthe bull market turned 9 years old in March, its longest ever run.
"There's fatigue with this bull market, which is bizarre. We should feel good that the earnings growth is so good," she said.
"If you contrast the earnings data, which is so positive and so strong, with how much the market is up, it literally doesn't make any sense."
For the full segment, [click here.](https://cheddar.com/videos/u-s-economy-running-on-red-bull-but-wont-last-says-market-strategist)
Walmart beat earnings estimates for the fourth quarter, and despite losses stemming from supply chain costs and COVID-19 employee sick leave, the big box chain was still able to fight inflation as costs rose across the board. What's next for Walmart and other retail giants as inflation continues to run hot?
Arun Sundaram, Senior Equity Analyst at CFRA Research, joins Closing Bell to discuss.
Bamboo-based toilet paper company Cloud Paper raised $5 million in a recent funding round. Its product is a bamboo-based alternative to traditional toilet paper made from trees, and its mission is to end the deforestation caused by traditional paper products. Cloud Paper says the raise will allow it to make significant investments in its supply chain, product development, and hiring. Ryan Fritsch, a co-founder of Cloud Paper, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Space tourism company World View plans to launch its first commercial flights in early 2024, with voyages to take off from iconic locations around the world like the Grand Canyon — but seemingly at a flexible price point. Dale Hipsh, president of tourism and exploration at World View, joined Cheddar to discuss what a trip to the stratosphere would look like with his company and its much less expensive take on space travel. "Our technology allows us to be more democratic, to offer more opportunities for people to experience near space, and that overview effect," he said. "So we're really thrilled to be bringing it to market."