Financial Review

…Deficit grows. Retail sales stagnant. Saudis threaten to weaponize oil. Sears BK. Earnings ramp up. Financial Review by Sinclair Noe for 10-15-2018   DOW – 89 = 25,250 SPX – 16 = 2750 NAS – 66 = 7430 RUT + 6 = 1553 10 Y + .02 = 3.16% OIL + .38 = 71.72 GOLD + 9.20 = 1227.70   The major averages gyrated between positive and negative territory throughout the session. At its high of the day, the Dow rose as much as 142 points; it also fell as much as 96 points.   The U.S. recorded a $779 billion deficit in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, an increase of $113 billion, as spending climbed while revenue remained nearly flat. Outlays grew by $127 billion, or 3.2%, while government receipts rose 0.4%, or $14 billion. Compared to GDP, the deficit rose to 3.9%, up by 0.4 percentage points. Interest on the public debt shot up by $65 billion, or 14%, in part because the Treasury had to increase the principal on its inflation-protected securities. Rising interest rates and a bigger debt also played a role.   Retail sales