Notes From All Over, Part 1 -- February 20, 2020

The coronavirus story update:

• link here;
• Chinese "change" way of reporting numbers (again)
• despite that, interesting update

Fact check: Maria keeps saying the Morgan Stanley-E*Trade deal is the biggest banking deal since the banking crisis back in 2007 - 2008. You decide:

• Schwab - TD Ameritrade deal: $26 billion
• Morgan Stanley -  E*Trade: $13 billion
• the reason she can say that this is the biggest bank deal since 2008: three of the four are not banks; Morgan Stanley is the only bank
• my thoughts: splitting hairs / quibbling / headline

Disclaimer: this is not an investment site.  Do not make any investment, financial, career, travel, job, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here.

Boom: I missed a couple of opportunities. Bought early (good) but sold too soon (bad): ABBV, PLUG. This one I did not miss (hallelujah!): MPC. Up 2.16% yesterday; up 4.61% in pre-market trading today. And pays 4%. And I bought is specifically as a momentum stock not too long ago; as a rule I don't invest in refineries.

Good luck to all: off the net for awhile. Granddaughter-Uber driving.