Movers & Shakers: Aug. 12, 2019
Wall Street bracing for another wild week amid continued trade tensions with China and protests in Hong Kong. Following a volatile week in trade, U.S. stock futures are all expected to open with losses on Monday as President Trump continues to throw cold water on the likelihood of a near-term trade deal with China. He tweeted on Sunday, however, that “big progress is being made” on trade agreements and the military. Meanwhile, escalating tensions in Hong Kong also weighed on investor sentiment.
Canceled! Hong Kong International Airport scrapped all flights amid four days of protests. On Monday, the airport -- one of the world’s largest -- terminated the remainder of the day’s flights as thousands of protestors “seriously disrupted” operations, according to local officials. More than 100 flights were impacted by the anti-government demonstration that was initially scheduled for three days but extended after police used tear gas on the protestors Sunday.
Epstein's estate in the crosshairs following his apparent suicide amid a web of connections with the rich and powerful. As federal officials probe how the millionaire hedge fund manager who was facing charges of child sex trafficking died on Saturday, alleged victims are vowing to continue to seek justice. Meanwhile, questions continue to swirl around Epstein’s complex web of finances and entanglements with some of the world’s most powerful individuals, including former President Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew and L Brands CEO Leslie Wexner, who also oversees Victoria's Secret.
Amazon bookstore swarmed by Immigration protestors. Self-proclaimed Jewish opponents to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took over one of the e-commerce giant’s New York City brick-and-mortar stores to demand it stop collaborating with the agency. Several protestors were arrested, according to a Twitter account documenting the demonstration. Similar protests occurred at Amazon’s New York headquarters in July over the firm’s work with federal departments including ICE -- as well as data analytics company Palantir, which contracts with the immigration agency.
Billionaire Silicon Valley tycoon Peter Thiel doubled-down against Google. The notable conservative and one-time Trump campaign advisor is calling on the U.S. government to investigate the tech giant to determine if there is any “foreign infiltration” as a result of its work with China. Thiel labeled the sharing of Google’s artificial intelligence systems with the Asian nation as the most pressing concern. China requires that all research done within the country is shared with its military. “I sort of feel like I’m the little kid saying ‘the emperor has no clothes.’ It’s the secret hidden in plain sight,” he told FOX Business' Maria Bartiromo in an exclusive interview.