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)
Russia may be asking China for help with its war in Ukraine, according to several reports citing unnamed U.S. officials. Russia is reportedly calling on its ally for military and economic assistance, in an attempt to avoid punishment from sanctions imposed by the U.S., Europe, and Asia, which have hammered Russia's economy. Chinese and Russian officials denied the reports. Meanwhile, top U.S. and Chinese officials are meeting today, with both countries confirming the conflict in Ukraine will be the meeting's main topic. Edward Wong, diplomatic correspondent for the New York Times, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Ford has released its plans to grow its electric vehicle business to Europe — despite a potential lack of full features due to the ongoing chip shortage. Dan Ives, managing director of equity research at Wedbush, joined Cheddar News to talk about the challenges facing the automaker. "I mean for them, it's really a Catch-22 because they can't lose out on demand," he said. "And they're having to make some tough decisions." He noted that Ford's stock is under pressure even as the electric vehicle play is the right long-term decision.
Damian Mason, farm owner, agricultural economist and author of "Food Fear" joined Cheddar News to talk about how the Russian invasion of Ukraine is putting pressure on commodities, which could lead to a 20 percent price hike according to the United Nations. “Russia and Ukraine are responsible for about 35 percent of exports, 35 percent of grain exports, specifically wheat,” said Mason. He also added, "You've got Russia saying, 'we're going to hoard and hold back our wheat,' which of course crimps global supply, and you've got Ukraine that maybe won't even get harvested."
In order to qualify for one of the coveted first retail licenses in New York's adult-use cannabis program, you'll have to have a conviction on cannabis-related charges or have an immediate family member who does. It's part of the latest effort by New York lawmakers to create a diverse and inclusive industry — but some advocates still have reservations. Amber Littlejohn, the executive director of the Minority Cannabis Business Association, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss. "We definitely applaud the state of new york, but ultimately the devil will be in the details as to whether or not this actually works out to create equity in the cannabis industry," she said.
Ryan Shearman, chief alchemist and co-founder at Aether, and Henry Elkus, founder of Helena, join Cheddar News to talk about the completion of an $18 million Series A funding round led by Helena.
Bobbi Brown, makeup artist and founder of Jones Road Beauty, joined Cheddar News to celebrate Women’s History Month, her new makeup line, and the importance of mentoring future generations of female entrepreneurs. "I'm someone that has always helped other people even as a young kid. It's the way that I was raised, so it's natural for me," she said. "But especially in my new journey of Jones Road makeup, when I mentor the young founders, I get a lot back."
Sketchers is yet another retailer to announce its entrance into the realm of the metaverse. The footwear company will be launching virtual clothing as well as an experiential store in Decentraland.
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine raging on, millions have turned to TikTok to stay up-to-date on the latest developments and get a first-hand look. The social media platform has been so prominent that the war has been dubbed "the first TikTok war" by many publications — and even the White House has taken notice. The Biden administration held a virtual briefing with 30 social media creators to discuss their role in communicating to their followers by countering what it deems as being misinformation. Ellie Zeiler, an 18-year-old TikTok star who attended the briefing, joined Cheddar to talk about the conference and her responsibilities as a social media creator. "How could you not be a little nervous or scared when you're getting your information and media all from this app? But also then you think back to, I guess, when media was changing between newspapers and TV, and I'm sure people were nervous about that too," she said. "So the fact is, is that people do really look to Tiktok and social media for their news."
