Three recent polls put President Trump on target for a reelection win. But how voters see his handling on the virus crisis will be vital to the November decision.
President trump sits statistically close to or at 50% in the Quinnipiac, Monmouth, and Fox News polls. From the Fox poll, “The president’s bump in approval isn’t huge, and certainly not on par with the rally effect for George W. Bush after 9/11,” says Republican analyst Daron Shaw, who produces the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. “But it could be consequential that he’s closing in on 50%, which is critical for his re-election chances.”
His Fox poll numbers are staggering with Republican voters at 89% approval. On the virus 51% of all voters approve of Trump’s performance. 57% think the nation is on the right course in fighting the virus.
The Democrats and Joe Biden’s campaign message is clearly that Trump waited too long in reacting to the virus. They may also say the economic restrictions and stay in place regulations are lasting too long because Trump waited too long. Seems like a stretch but when the media is involved as an ally, it can be convincing.
The opposite side of that is if the economic recovery is viewed as strong, voters will be so happy to get back to work and to return to their normal lives that they will be in a very good mood.
As for Congress, the GOP has a good chance to hold the Senate and make gains in the House if they attack the Democrats as putting themselves and their special interests first during the pandemic, like including The Kennedy Center funding in the stimulus package, then allowing them to layoff their workers. Expect the GOP to bring that up a lot in the Congressional fights.
Non-Correlated Precious Metal
Despite marking small gains on the day, Gold prices extended the latest recovery moves past $1,700 making new highs for 2020 and closing above $1,700 for the second day in a row. Although receding risks of coronavirus from the earlier hotspots slowed the bullish move, it resumed the last two days. The challenges to the US are likely favoring the market’s rush to risk-safety. Even so, the Easter Monday holiday in major countries seemed to limit the safe-haven moves, but the move is back. Is it flight to safety when the situation is getting better and gold is at new highs?
The myth of gold being an inflation hedge has been dispelled, because there is nothing resembling inflation anywhere in the world and gold is higher. The inverse relationship between gold and the U.S. dollar is real, but the dollar is strong and gold is still rising.
The key has been the Fed’s balance sheet. The one coorelation that has not broken down is the corellation to the Fed’s balamce sheet. Meaning, as the Fed buys assets, gold rises. There are many explanations for this including assets being taken off the open market. All of these purchases being made by the Fed with “printed” money, can eventually devalue the dollar and cause inflation and that future may be what gold is moving on, but the first mover corelation is the balance sheet. If it starts to shrink, gold will likely reprice.
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Printed Solar Cells
Dubai headquartered Ecolog International has announced the inking of an agreement with the University of Newcastle to try and deliver printed solar cells. Printed solar cells have been the next big thing for a while now, but it seems like froever from lab to market.
Printed solar cell technology if useable, is cheap, portable, flexible and lightweight. They can be used in so many ways – everything from clothing to large-scale, “roll-out” solar farms.
The University of Newcastle was among the first to unveil commercial-scale printed solar, with a 200-square-metre rooftop array installed in just one day in 2018. The material used had a production cost of less than $10 per square metre at that point – but admittedly, it was one fifth as efficient as silicon-based panels and the printed solar panels only had an operational lifespan of a few years. Some time has passed, about 2 years which is forever in technology – so efficiency and durability has likely improved dramatically by now.
Professor Paul Dastoor, who is head of the Centre for Organic Electronics at the University of Newcastle, said among the advantages of printed solar compared to conventional solar panels are many. Silicon modules aren’t practical for roofs needing repair or replacing, and some roofs can’t bear the weight or don’t have the space.
We haven’t heard much from the University of Newcastle since then on its progress with printed solar cell technology.
“Our ultimate goal is to see our printed solar cells all over the world, generating renewable energy for all in remarkable new ways.” So, while there’s no commercial market rollout date yet, it’s encouraging that the technology is being pursued.
Audi EV’s
It’s impossible to not discuss Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) when discussing one of the most exciting technologies of the future, electronic vehicles or EVs. One of the issues is not only the head start Tesla has over potential competitors like Volkswagen, Ford, Chevrolet or Porsche, but the beauty of some of Tesla’s vehicles, inside and out. One company that can clearly compete in terms of aesthetics is Audi.
Globally, by 2025, Audi is aiming to have 30 electrified models on sale, with 20 of those vehicles fully electric. It is an ambitious plan showing the brand’s global commitment for a more electrified and sustainable future.
Already in the U.S., Audi has introduced five production models—the Audi Q5 TFSI e, A7 TFSI e and A8 TFSI e plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) as well as the e-tron all-electric SUV and upcoming e-tron Sportback. Next, they’ll introduce the Audi Q4 e-tron SUV and e-tron GT performance sedan, which have already been shown as concept vehicles.
With beauty, speed, and range, Audi seems to be the only automaker currently poised to compete seriously for the high-end market that Tesla dominates. They’ve committed €12 billion in global investment through 2024 and with that kind of financial leverage, they may be able to reach their goal of 800,000 electronic vehicles sold by 2025. Audi has always been the younger crowd’s old-man car. That’s a perfect spot to be in to compete with the younger man’s old-man EV, like the Tesla Model S.
Taiwan’s Baseball Fans are Immune to Covid-19
As I sit here missing sports on TV, I wish I was doing what I always do at this time of year. Watching the players freeze, playing baseball in March and early April and planning to head out as the warm weather approaches, to catch a game at Wrigley Field or Camden Yards or Fenway Park. Well, it looks like I won’t be going to a game soon because of this stupid virus, but at least I’d like to watch it on TV.
Many MLB players have said they could all be tested and those who test negative could play the season with no fans. Others have said the lack of fans might be more distracting than a large crowd, but Taiwan baseball figured this potential problem out.
Taiwan launched its baseball season, with mannequins and cardboard cutouts of fans wearing face masks, after spectators were banned from attending games during the coronavirus pandemic.
While other nations have cancelled sporting events for the foreseeable future due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the country has decided to buck the trend and hold games.
I think it’s a great idea as people could use the distraction during this tough time before the economy reopens. And I could certainly use baseball right now.