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After three weeks of holding up traffic on the D.C. Beltway,the so-called "truckers' convoy" is moving on from Washington D.C., for now.

One person who will clearly not miss them is Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who oversees the trucking industry and is currently in the middle of an effort to recruit more drivers to the field.

He says the rhetoric from right-wing protest group, which originally formed to protest coronavirus mandates, is not representative of truckers overall.

Asked about incidents like when a speaker said that Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington would be "tarred and feathered," Buttigieg said I don't want a handful of people to be viewed as if they somehow speak for an industry because the good name of the transportation trucking workforce is worth a whole lot more than a few extreme voices, Buttigieg said during a Yahoo Finance Live interview on Monday.

The Secretary spoke after an event with President Biden to tout the administrations accomplishments for truckers. They gathered in front of multiple trucks on the White House South Lawn to highlight progress in the industry and try to recruit more drivers like Maria Rodriguez, an apprentice truck driver and immigrant from Venezuela, who spoke alongside Biden and Buttigieg.

I thought I was going to get to drive one of these suckers today, Biden quipped while surveying the big rigs.

NFI Industries trucking apprentice Maria Rodriguez speaks at the White House during an event on the Biden administration's Trucking Action Plan as President Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg listen in. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

After failing to accomplish its stated demands, the convoy says it is now heading to California to protest Coronavirus bills, but promises to return to D.C. to "finish this job, says co-organizer Mike Landis.

The protest became notable for its wide-ranging incendiary commentary. In addition to the 'tarred and feathered' comment protesters at another point threatened Washingtons mayor and other officials. Members of white nationalist groups like the Proud Boys were reported among the crowds.

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Vehicles, including 18-wheeler trucks, RVs and other cars drive participate in a convoy to protest coronavirus related mandates and a range of other issues. (REUTERS/Stephanie Keith)

The protests are not likely to be helpful in the Biden administration's efforts to broaden the trucking industry to be more inclusive.

This country and this industry frankly needs to do more to include and support women, to include and support drivers and workers of color, and that's one of the things we're working on through this task force, says Buttigieg.

Administration aides say that that expanding opportunities for women includes efforts to create safe and inclusive work environments which, they say, is critical to expand the pool of possible truckers.

The workforce is getting older, Biden said Monday, adding Its getting harder and harder to recruit new drivers, particularly women and people of color, to an industry that this nation and our economy desperately needs at full strength.

The industry is currently overwhelming white and male but has become slightly more inclusive over the last decade. The trucking industry estimates that it is currently short 80,000 truck drivers, while the Transportation Department estimates that 300,000 drivers leave the industry every year to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Not only is it a matter of basic fairness and justice and the right thing to do, but just as a matter of economics, this country cannot afford to leave any talent on the table, says Buttigieg.

This post has been updated.

Ben Werschkul is a writer and producer for Yahoo Finance in Washington, DC.

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Pete Buttigieg: Rhetoric from the truckers' convoy is 'a few extreme voices' who don't speak for the industry - Yahoo Finance

Billionaire investor and financial markets historian Ray Dalio is sending a dire warning on the outlook for inflation.

"Oh, I'm like an eight, an eight to 10 or something like that," the Bridgewater Associates Founder and Co-chief investment officer said in an interview for Yahoo Finance Presents when asked how concerned he was about inflation on a scale of 1 to 10.

Dalio is dead right to have that high level of angst on all things inflation.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 7.9% in February, marking the fastest pace of annual inflation in 40 years amid a push higher in rent, food and used car prices. Meanwhile, the Personal Consumption Expenditures index (PCE) rose 6.4% in February, accelerating from a 6.1% increase in January.

It represented the fastest rate of inflation since 1982.

The number of S&P 500 companies citing "inflation" on earnings calls has hit its highest level in 10 years, says FactSet.

Meanwhile, oil prices have come off their highs of around $140 a barrel seen at the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, but remain uncomfortably high above $100. Gas prices continue to be above $4 a gallon nationwide for regular unleaded, which is beginning to weigh on consumer confidence and retail store visits.

As prices have climbed throughout the economy, the Federal Reserve has begun to hike interest rates to cool things down. The pace of rate hikes may be quicker than most market participants expect, as seen in the harsh reaction to stock prices Tuesday amid hawkish commentary from influential Fed Governor Lael Brainard.

Currently, inflation is much too high and is subject to upside risks, Brainard said at a conference Tuesday. The Committee is prepared to take stronger action if indicators of inflation and inflation expectations indicate that such action is warranted.

As for Bridgewater's Dalio whose new post on YouTube titled "Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order" is nearing an impressive 10 million views (perhaps underscoring the concerns many folks have about the global economy and inflation at this juncture) he thinks we could be entering a period of stagflation given the volatile backdrop.

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"I think that most likely what we're going to have is a period of stagflation. And then you have to understand how to build a portfolio that's balanced for that kind of an environment," Dalio said.

Stagflation can be defined as a period of slow economic growth, increased joblessness and rising inflation.

Added Dalio, "we are beginning a paradigm shift."

Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large and anchor at Yahoo Finance. Follow Sozzi on Twitter @BrianSozzi and on LinkedIn.

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Here is Ray Dalio's inflation outlook, on a scale of 1 to 10 - Yahoo Finance

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The Washington Commanders continue to make headlines for all the wrong reasons, this time after allegations that the franchise was withholding ticket income from the NFL's revenue sharing program among its 32 clubs. It's just another day in Dan Snyder's Washington.

Charles Robinson welcomes Yahoo's Frank Schwab onto the podcast, kicking off the episode with these latest allegations & why financial improprieties like this could somehow, finally, maybe be the thing that forces Snyder to sell the team.

Next, Charles & Frank talk about some comments New England Patriots owner made about the teams recent postseason performance and successes (or lack thereof) in the draft. Is he firing shots at coach Bill Belichick? And what sort of success should the Patriots realistically expect after the incredible twenty-year run led by Tom Brady? (18:30)

Later, the guys talk about the epic trade between the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints that saw eight total future draft picks get swapped. Why are the Saints stockpiling in 2022 while the Eagles are taking the long-view and looking ahead to the 2023 and 2024 draft? (35:20)

After that, Charles & Frank debate the ballooning salaries for wide receivers, as A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf and Deebo Samuel will all likely land monster contracts in the next year. Should rebuilding teams like the Seattle Seahawks dole out large salaries to skill players while their QB position remains a large question mark? (43:25)

Finally, the guys close out the show on Jim Harbaugh arranging for Colin Kaepernick to throw during last weekend's Michigan Wolverines spring game. Did an appearance like this move the needle towards a Kaepernick return to the NFL? (54:00)

Stay up to date with the latest NFL news and coverage from Yahoo Sports on Twitter @YahooSportsNFL.

Follow Charles @CharlesRobinson

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The Washington Commanders are embroiled in yet another scandal after allegations of financial improprieties in regards to the league's revenue sharing program. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

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Another Washington scandal, Kraft fires shots at Belichick & that wild Eagles-Saints pick swap - Yahoo Sports

Tick off a loss for the modern monetary theorists amid rising inflation, says InfraCap Founder and CEO Jay Hatfield.

Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) is a macroeconomic lens which prescribes that monetarily sovereign countries like the U.S. are unaffected by financial constraints as long as they control their currencies. With roots dating back to the early 20th century, MMT was first popularized in its modern form by Warren Mosler, an American investment fund manager.

Under MMT, the risk of inflation is considered minimal as governments that fully control their fiat currencies are believed to be able to control price levels, provided they can meet consumer demand.

The past few months have seen inflation skyrocket to 40-year highs, with the latest consumer price index report showing an annual price increase of almost 8%.

WASHINGTON DC, USA - MARCH 21: Jerome Powell, Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, speaks during the National Association of Business Economics (NABE) economic policy conference in Washington, D.C, United States on March 21, 2022. (Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The Fed policy has been extraordinarily erratic, really dating back to when Powell took over and almost created a recession in 2018, John Kicklighter, chief strategist at DailyFX, told Yahoo Finance Live. But the 82% increase in the monetary base was an experiment to see if we could get away with, effectively, modern monetary theory. And now the verdict is in. You can't.

The money supply has risen consistently since the dawn of the 21st century, but growth was accelerated amid the $2.3 trillion and $1.9 trillion stimulus bills passed by President Trump and President Biden, respectively. The Fed increased the M2 monetary base from just over $9 trillion in April of 2011, to over $15 trillion in February 2020, to over $21.8 trillion in February 2022, two years after the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The M2 base consists of money in circulation as well as short-term time deposits.

[Increasing the monetary base has created] almost double digit inflation, if you marked rents to market or housing to market, Hatfield added. And so they clearly have a problem. The only issue is how much patience [the Fed will] have. We're optimistic that they'll have that patience.

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Hatfield is part of a camp of economists and economic strategists that view the countrys ongoing struggles as partially caused by MMTs creep into mainstream Federal Reserve policy over the past couple of years. The backlash to the economic theory has long identified high inflation and burgeoning deficits as weights on economic well-being.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 31: Shoppers carry shopping while walking through the Union Square shopping district on March 31, 2022 in San Francisco, California. According to a report by the Commerce Department, inflation is taking its toll on the economy with consumer spending inching up a weak 0.2 percent in February compared with a 2.7 percent jump in January. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Even so, a growing number of economists support MMT and view the recent historical record as proof of its success.

In answering the question has MMT failed?, The answer is an unequivocal no, according to Stephanie Kelton, professor of economics and public policy at Stony Brook University and one of the leading experts on modern monetary theory.

MMT offers a descriptive frameworka lensthrough which to evaluate fiscal and monetary policy, she wrote on her website back in January. The specific policies taken by certain administrations were made under a framework which does not regard deficits with the same importance as was commonplace even a few years ago.

The point is, you cant blame MMT for stoking inflation any more than you can blame an optometrist if her patient runs off the road while driving without wearing their prescription lenses, she wrote. MMT doesnt tell us that the world is an open road, free of hazards or the need for caution. It doesnt reject fiscal responsibility, it redefines it so that our eyes stay focused on the real limits on spending.

Ihsaan Fanusie is a writer at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @IFanusie.

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'Verdict is in' on modern monetary theory, strategist says - Yahoo Finance

These are not your normal power rankings. Having a good baseball team is one thing. What might be more distinctive in MLB in 2022 is having a franchise geared toward maximizing the present season. Its the mindset that took the Braves out of an injury-instigated malaise and made them champions last year.

Spending more doesnt always mean winning more, as the numbers show. And making exciting moves doesnt guarantee exciting results. Still, the proclivity to improve the team subjective as it may be sets the tone for the summer ahead.

So this is a ranking of the 30 teams by demonstrated want-to, by how much they are Going For It.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers will win the World Series if

That was the prompt for manager Dave Roberts on a radio show last month. And his initial response was gloriously light on conditions. We play a full season and there is a postseason.

The rest of this ranking doesnt reflect how good teams should be, but merely their level of demonstrated will to win this year. The No. 1 slot reflects, well, both. If you dont think the Dodgers are the World Series favorites, youre lying to yourself. And theyll probably prove it again at the trade deadline.

2. Toronto Blue Jays

They lost a Cy Young winner and an MVP candidate and got better. Adding Matt Chapman took their infield to a new level, and Kevin Gausman is perhaps a steadier hand than Robbie Ray would have been if he had returned. Of all the AL East teams, they have their eyes most clearly on the prize.

3. New York Mets

4. Atlanta Braves

The Mets are doing every talk radio callers most basic description of trying SIGN MAX SCHERZER and it might work! Spending money is the fastest way to get players who are definitely good, and Steve Cohen is doing that. It might still go wrong, because shoulders that throw 101 mph are under a lot of strain, but the effort is there.

Meanwhile, in Atlanta, the defending champs surprised just about everyone by snagging Matt Olson instead of re-signing Freddie Freeman. The end result is a team with a new face and the same goal.

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5. Chicago White Sox

The White Sox need health more than anything else, but the cupboard is full, expensive and ready to win. The most glaring hole in their lineup was patched when they traded Craig Kimbrel to the Dodgers for A.J. Pollock.

6. San Diego Padres

Licking wounds from a 2021 season that was supposed to be Their Time, the Padres may belong in the top category, but its a little hard to tell. They chose to add backup for the roster that faltered in the second half last year trading for Sean Manaea and Luke Voit. That may well be enough to get them back to playoff prominence, but it doesnt compare to their previous flexing.

7. Seattle Mariners

I dont think anyone is confusing Robbie Ray with Max Scherzer despite the shiny new Cy Young, but Seattle still signed the Cy Young winner! The Mariners also dealt for two legitimate power threats in Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez and will start top prospect Julio Rodriguez in center field on opening day. Breaking the longest postseason drought in American professional sports is the motivating goal.

8. Minnesota Twins

Will the Twins be better than the New York Yankees? No, almost certainly not. But they took a miserable 2021 and quickly flipped it into excitement with a flurry of moves that allowed them to secure Carlos Correa and morph into wild-card contenders. Thats what trying looks like.

9. New York Yankees

Theyre still likely to win 90 games and make the playoffs. But for an organization that so consistently professes disappointment over any season that doesnt end in a World Series, the front office seems far more interested in litigating past failures than ensuring 2022 doesnt turn out the same. The Carlos Correa contract was tailored to suit their needs it's just that they didn't devise it.

10. Philadelphia Phillies

11. Los Angeles Angels

Trying very hard in very weird ways. The Phillies and Angels have some of the sports most recognizable stars and also the most questionable defense and pitching, respectively, of any supposed contenders.

12. Boston Red Sox

Armed with the glow of recent success and a daunting division, Red Sox executive Chaim Bloom seems to be emulating his former employer, the Rays, in making sure fans wouldnt be too surprised if the team missed the playoffs.

13. Houston Astros

14. Milwaukee Brewers

Two sides of the same coin, the Astros rested on the laurels of their behemoth lineup and the Brewers did the same on the strength of their starting rotation. Both should hold their divisions at arms length, but they would rank higher here if they had made a point of turning question marks into exclamation points. That meant shortstop for the Astros, where Carlos Correa dangled all winter. And for the Brewers, it meant adding more than aging Andrew McCutchen to a weak offense.

15. San Francisco Giants

16. Tampa Bay Rays

The most significant addition to the Giants tasked with following up a 107-win masterpiece of shock and awe is Carlos Rodon. He could be great if he can stay healthy, but that wont fully lift the on-paper expectations of this group to Dodgers level. Its possible L.A. lieutenant turned Bay Area commander Farhan Zaidi just has this figured out and the Giants are sustainably awesome now. Well need more proof before buying it, though.

Meanwhile, we sort of have to buy the Rays model. They trade guys you think are good for a cornucopia of guys you may or may not have heard of, then the new guys become better than the original guy. They did some of that, and signed a big extension for all-world youngster Wander Franco. They build a baseball team as if they are practicing judo.

17. St. Louis Cardinals

The best pitcher on their opening day roster will be a 40-year-old who pitched a lot of meaningful innings in 2006. Hes 5 years older than their new manager, who replaced Mike Shildt for reasons. Albert Pujols is here again. There will be curtain calls. History says that will somehow add up to a playoff spot.

Bobby Witt Jr. is considered the top prospect in baseball by many scouts. He's heading north with the Royals as the starting third baseman. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

18. Texas Rangers

Remember when the lowly pre-Bryce Harper Nationals signed Jayson Werth to indicate they were serious about getting good soon? The Rangers have taken that tactic and turned it Texas-sized. They now have Corey Seager and Marcus Semien in the middle infield for a cool $500 million. Does it make this team a contender? Absolutely not. But the future ambition is obvious.

19. Detroit Tigers

20. Kansas City Royals

The AL Centrals rebuilding duo are both on the upswing now. And both have extremely exciting top prospects on the opening day roster Bobby Witt Jr. for Kansas City, Spencer Torkelson for Detroit. The Tigers even added Javier Baez and Eduardo Rodriguez over the winter as the idea of winning comes into focus.

21. Miami Marlins

Pitching? Check! Hitting? Check back later.

22. Cleveland Guardians

It is feasible that this team could make the playoffs despite a sub-$50 million payroll and an outfield full of dudes youve never heard of. They would have been even lower on this list had they not finally ponied up to keep Jose Ramirez.

23. Colorado Rockies

The franchise that keeps driving away stars via pure frustration did go out and sign a new one to accentuate a team going absolutely nowhere. Still, we must acknowledge that they think they are trying, even if no one on the outside can decipher how its supposed to work.

Respected slugger Nelson Cruz still seeking a World Series ring is a Washington National ... for now. (Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

24. Washington Nationals

25. Chicago Cubs

These two teams began rebuilds at the trade deadline and are working to make the down periods go quickly. Each made reasonable moves designed to hurry along the process with the Nationals bringing in trade bait in Nelson Cruz and the Cubs adding intriguing slugger Seiya Suzuki.

26. Arizona Diamondbacks

After a horrendous 2021, expect Arizona to be better purely on the merits of better luck. They are not tanking, and indeed signed star Ketel Marte to an extension to prove as much.

27. Cincinnati Reds

A few years of bigger-than-usual budgets didnt go as planned, so the Reds are rapidly spinning off parts. Theres still enough here to envision a valiant spoiler or .500ish team. For now.

28. Pittsburgh Pirates

29. Baltimore Orioles

Amid a wave of top prospects making opening day rosters, the Pirates promptly sent their jaw-dropping talent the 6-foot-7 shortstop Oneil Cruz to Triple-A. Whats worse? He already played in the majors and more than held his own at the end of 2021. The Orioles escaped scrutiny because their top talent, catcher Adley Rutschman, was injured in spring.

If you combined these two teams projected 2022 payrolls into one, it would still rank in the leagues bottom five.

30. Oakland As

Then theres Oakland. This franchise, fresh off a run of contention, decided to campaign for a new stadium by trading away everything that wasnt tied down. That included Matt Chapman and Matt Olson two cornerstone corner infielders who were projected to make a grand total of $21.5 million this season before they were jettisoned. That was apparently too much.

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The Going For It rankings: Which MLB teams want to win most in 2022? - Yahoo Sports

The Golden State Warriors forward spoke with Yahoo Sports senior NBA writer Vincent Goodwill on the team's focus heading into the upcoming playoffs - despite a recent run of injuries.

Draymond joined Yahoo Sports on behalf of Amazon, to promote its new Amazon Glow -- a new device for parents regularly on the road and looking for a way to make meaningful connections with their little ones.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

VINCENT GOODWILL: Vince Goodwill for Yahoo Sports here with three-time NBA champion, Defensive Player of the Year perennial candidate Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors. Draymond, you're joining us here as part of a promotion for Amazon Glow for Parents. Going to get to that in a second.

But first, there's this term called respectful fear, where you're supposed to fear your opponent regardless of the situation. If you guys are whole and healthy, is there anybody that you fear? Do you have a respectful fear of Memphis? Do you have a respectful fear of Phoenix? Or is it just a blissful thing because you guys have won championships, and you have to sweat equity?

DRAYMOND GREEN: No, you definitely have to have respectful fear in our organization. Steve Kerr, Coach Kerr called it appropriate fear. And I think you have to have appropriate fear. I don't care who you're playing against. If you don't have the appropriate fear, you're going to lose the game.

This is the NBA. Everybody has NBA talent. Everyone has NBA coaches. Everyone has NBA schemes. And anyone can be beat. And so I think you have to have the appropriate fear for everyone.

Now, in saying that, we don't fear anyone. Regardless of who we match up with, whether that's Memphis, whether that's somewhere down the line, whether that's Phoenix somewhere down the line, whoever we match up with, we don't fear anyone. But if you don't have the appropriate fear, you can forget about it. You will get humbled if you don't have the appropriate fear.

VINCENT GOODWILL: For years, you guys were the team everybody feared at the top, where teams would basically be psyched out of playing you before they even stepped on the floor. And you could probably kind of sense that. Do you feel like that fear of Golden State is gone just because you guys haven't had the continuity on the floor, you're a couple of years removed from a championship? Do you feel that fear is still there, or do you feel like you kind of have to reestablish that?

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DRAYMOND GREEN: No, I definitely don't think it's gone, because I played the first 33, 34 games of the year. Maybe I missed a couple here and there. But for the most part, I played them. And I saw that fear.

I saw it come right back when everybody was like, oh, they're good again. Oh, we got to deal with these guys again. I saw that fear. So I don't necessarily think it's gone. I think teams are able to get by that when you're not healthy.

Klay was coming back into the lineup. I left the lineup. I came back into the lineup. Steph left the lineup.

And so if you keep running up against a team that don't have all their guys, of course you don't have to fear anything. But when we were rolling at the beginning of the season and on top of Klay coming back, then everyone's terrified. I don't doubt, we step on the court whole in the playoffs, guys are going to be terrified. I don't doubt that one bit.

VINCENT GOODWILL: Draymond, you're here as part of a promotion for Amazon Glow. It's very, very helpful for parents. Explain that to us.

DRAYMOND GREEN: As you see the device right here, it is extremely helpful for parents, especially those that travel. In my case, we play 82 games a year. 41 of those games are on the road. It's a seven-month season. You're on the road for 3 and 1/2 months. I mean, you can imagine the changes that happens in a kid's life over 3 and 1/2 months.

With the device Amazon Glow, it helps bridge that gap. It helps lessen those miles in between. You're talking having the opportunity to be face-to-face with your family but interactive. We've seen several situations where you can do that, but you're not interacting. You're not helping your kids learn. You're not participating in these games with your kid and being hands-on.

And I think my appreciation and my want to partner with Amazon on the Amazon Glow product was simply, it's something that brings me closer to my kids. It's something that makes that time away from my children less stressful.

And most importantly, it's a way for me to continue to interact and do those same things that I'm able to do when I'm home when I'm away. And I think that's a beautiful thing.

VINCENT GOODWILL: Hey, like you said, you're away from your kids a lot. And you don't want to put that stress on one parent. So you know firsthand what the Amazon Glow product can do, man. Thanks so much for joining us this afternoon at Yahoo Sports, man. We appreciate it. Good luck in the playoffs, man.

DRAYMOND GREEN: Thanks, Vince, I appreciate it.

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Good Word with Goodwill - Draymond Green on why the Warriors should still be feared - Yahoo Sports

(Bloomberg) -- Whatever hardships are afflicting global stock investors, its worse in other markets, and that alone may be enough to keep the equity rebound going for now.

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Stocks recovered in record time from the initial shock of the war in Ukraine and the havoc its wreaked on global commodity supplies. That followed their resistance to successive waves of the coronavirus pandemic since 2020. Now, theyre refusing to be undone by ominous portents in bond markets that a global recession is on the horizon.

Part of the latest resilience is down to a hard-to-shake buy the dip pattern in trading. But the wall of worry that stocks have to climb right now is getting higher and higher as rampant inflation squeezes demand, economic growth slows and central banks look to finally end the era of excessively loose monetary policy.

While all that means corporate profits are poised to take a hit, stocks may still have a case, not least because the alternative options are scarce.

With cash and bonds offering negative real yields, investors are still inclined to buy the dips in global equities, despite deteriorating fundamentals, Citigroup Inc. strategists led by Robert Buckland wrote in a note on Friday.

The rebound in March backs up that view. While the first quarter was the worst for global stocks since the outbreak of the pandemic, last month actually saw a recovery. In fact, a gauge of volatility in euro-area large caps shows that the war-induced slump is proving so far the shortest market rout this century.

Apple Inc. just had its longest winning steak in almost 20 years, and U.S. stocks gained almost than 10% in the second half of March. Even in Europe, epicenter of the geopolitical crisis, the Stoxx 600 has recouped the initial losses suffered after Russias invasion of Ukraine.

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Bull markets dont go quietly. After all, theyve come back from many other crises over the past few years, said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG Group in London. Old habits die hard too -- buy the dip might be mocked quite a bit, but it is a sound strategy.

Bond Losses

Some of the rebound is down to the recent rout in the worlds other major asset class. The inflation spike, and the tightening push by central banks increasingly anxious to tame it, triggered a run from bonds.

Inflation is also eating away bank deposits, and mortgage rates are rising, leaving fewer places to allocate money.

The first quarter was a challenging quarter for stocks, but more so for bonds, said Marija Veitmane, a senior strategist at State Street Global Markets. If you are an absolute investor, you need to put money somewhere, and stocks to my mind look at lot safer than other asset classes.

Retail traders may also be playing a part in the latest gains. Options markets suggest at-home traders, who helped fuel last years ferocious equity rally, are back and buying. A key measure of call volumes on 23 retail meme story is rising to levels reminiscent of previous speculative bubbles.

Another force is more technical and less influenced by worrying global headlines about Ukraine and commodities. Market players such as so-called risk parity funds or managed futures accounts have poured money into the market as they re-adjust their position amid the price gains and reduction in volatility.

Systematic strategy covering of shorts and re-allocation of longs has meant a powerful buy impulse after the biblical de-leveraging experienced over the past six-month period, said Charlie McElligott, managing director of cross-asset strategy at Nomura.

He estimates such players bought more than $61 billion in equity futures over the past month.

Curve Inversion

When it comes to the negative economic signals, strategists at JPMorgan Chase & Co. are among those reassuring that the recent inversion in the U.S. Treasury yield curve doesnt spell imminent trouble. Even if the portents ultimately prove correct, its usually with a long lag, and Barclays Plc points out equities typically rise in the intervening period.

Among the reasons that investors discount the idea of a near-term slump are strong employment numbers in the U.S. Theres also consumers pandemic savings cushion and solid corporate balance sheets to fund buybacks.

Meanwhile, the energy-price shock after the invasion has eased. Europes reluctance to impose sanctions on Russias energy sector and a planned release from U.S. reserves, have helped alleviate the crunch, lowering prices back to around $100 a barrel.

For those convinced that the rebound has legs, the question is what to buy.

Philippe Jabre, founder of Jabre Captial Partners, says his multi-asset hedge fund is focusing on stocks with exposure to commodities, and financials.

UBS Global Wealth Management sees opportunities in energy, food, data and climate -- sectors set to benefit from a renewed focus on security and stability. For Goldmans team, instead of playing specific styles such as growth versus value, investors must look for individual companies that can innovate, disrupt, enable and adapt and focus on margins.

Still, both say that for the broader market, the upside is limited. Bank of America Corp.s team has even warned the recent rebound is a bear-market trap.

Barry Norris, who runs Argonaut Capital Partners, a hedge fund, agrees, saying the rally is lifting a lot of stocks where fundamentals are deteriorating further and theres no valuation support.

We are at the early stages of this bear market, we will see new lows over the summer, he said.

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In a World Full of Risk, Stocks Look Like the Least-Bad Option - Yahoo Finance

Adrian Grenier is bullish on crypto.

The "Entourage" actor, who previously said he expects Bitcoin (BTC_USD) to replace fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar, told Yahoo Finance that crypto can "fix a lot of the systems that are broken currently, and are quite wasteful across all industries."

Grenier, a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador, defended operations like bitcoin mining, which critics say hurts the environment due to its sizable energy draw.

"[There's] a trade off for all things," Grenier noted, calling himself a "realist" when it comes to potential impact.

But "crypto isn't just a thing that uses energy," he continued. He added that he views cryptocurrencies as useful assets "that will fix many industries to be more efficient, so if you look at the global net benefit, I think it's it's a positive one."

Grenier, who ditched Hollywood and relocated to Texas to start his own communal farm, previously revealed that he plans to grow his own food and use digital currencies as a way to trade locally.

In addition to crypto, Grenier has cast his support behind another growing industry: space tourism.

The actor recently partnered with World View, the stratospheric ballooning and space tourism company, to serve as its Chief Earth Advocate. In the role, Grenier will "support World Views mission to rediscover Earth, inspiring new perspectives on the planet and encouraging deeper respect for it as a living organism," the company said in a press release.

Grenier told Yahoo Finance that the role was "perfectly aligned with my heart, my spirit and the work that I've been doing for a long time."

He added, "World View's mission isn't to leave the planet and escape...it's actually to peer back down and reflect upon our interconnectedness."

Adrian Grenier named Chief Earth Advocate for World View (Courtesy: World View)

World View recently announced an expansion of its services that includes entry into the space tourism and exploration market at an affordable price point.

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"It's all about creating attainable access. We believe that the benefits of space tourism are something that should be shared with as many people as possible," Ryan Hartman, World View President & CEO, said during the interview.

He explained that the company will be conducting stratospheric flights at several key wonders of the world, including the Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef, Giza Pyramids, among others.

Tickets will cost $50,000 with available financing a significantly cheaper option compared to competitors like Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, which plans to charge a whopping $250,000 per ticket, or Virgin Galactic's (SPCE) $450,000 voyages.

"It's most important to understand that the experience itself is 6 to 8 hours long, so it's going to give our customers an opportunity to truly take in the beauty of the Earth, the fragility of the earth and see it as a living organism and as something bigger than themselves," Hartman revealed.

Grenier agreed that the business model will be successful due to the fact that "more people will be able to take the ride." He went on to say that the experience will also create "a critical mass of perspective change and a cognitive shift in awareness to our interconnectedness."

Commercial operations are set to begin in 2024 with the first human flight happening in late 2023.

Alexandra is a Senior Entertainment and Food Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alliecanal8193

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Adrian Grenier: Crypto can 'fix a lot of the systems that are broken' - Yahoo Finance

All eyes are on AT&T's (T) WarnerMedia spinoff with Discovery (DISCA).

"This is going to be the most exciting story in the sector for the next few years," Jessica Reif, research analyst at Bank of America, confidently told Yahoo Finance.

The telecom giant revealed it will issue a special dividend to shareholders on April 5 when they can decide whether to own just AT&T, the soon-to-be Warner Bros. Discovery, or both.

AT&T's WarnerMedia will represent 71% of Warner Bros. Discover, and its shareholders will receive an estimated 0.24 shares of the new joint venture for each share of AT&T that they own once the transaction closes.

WarnerBros. Discovery, which is set to trade on the Nasdaq (^IXIC) under the ticker symbol "WBD," will be run by Discovery CEO David Zaslav, with Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels serving as the new company's CFO.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar will depart once the merger closes, according to an internal memo. Kilar, who co-founded Hulu, was appointed by AT&T to run WarnerMedia in April 2020.

"With the pending transaction with Discovery nearing close, now is the right time to share with each of you that I will be departing this amazing company," Kilar wrote.

"There are many feelings one could have in a moment like this, but for me there are none bigger, or more lasting, than the feelings of gratitude and love that I have for this team, this company, and this mission. Ive never been more fulfilled professionally. Ive never been happier professionally," he continued.

This is probably going to be the broadest offering the market has yet to see...Jessica Reif, Bank of America Research Analyst

Bank of America's Reif, who previously wrote that "the combination of these highly complementary assets, has the potential to create a global media powerhouse," further explained how the new entity will disrupt the market.

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"If you step back, this is probably going to be the broadest offering the market has yet to see," Reif stated, emphasizing the immense advertising potential that could result, in addition to the company's ability to optimize content spend, increase marketing efficiency and reduce churn.

'Mare of Easttown' (Courtesy: HBO MAX)

The analyst referenced the elevated scripted content of WarnerMedia's HBO from cultural success Game of Thrones to the more recent phenomenon Mare of Easttown along with Discovery's quirky, cult-favorite programs, such as Dr. Pimple Popper and 90 Day Fianc.

"[HBO Max] is at the very beginning of its growth curve," Reif continued, noting the streaming service has been "on fire," despite increased competition in the space.

HBO Max (along with ESPN+ and Paramount+) attracted the highest year-over-year increases in downloads last month, according to a new Bank of America note, citing Sensor Tower data.

The platform, which registered 9 million downloads in March (+142% Y/Y), likely benefitted "from its generally strong content offering, additional markets vs. the year ago period as well as new/recent releases including: West Side Story, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, The Tourist, and Minx," Bank of America said.

Streaming wars intensify amid WarnerMedia, Discovery merger

As investors begin to shift focus away from subscriber growth, Reif predicted that business operations and profitability will be key variables for shareholders moving forward.

"'Is this a real business?' 'Can you make money?' Can you offset the declines in the legacy business?'" the analyst said, reiterating her belief that Warner Bros. Discovery has "the best set of assets" to not only help offset declines in the secular business but also expand "into the next growth curves of streaming."

Still, execution remains a top challenge amid new management and restructuring woes, although Reif said she expects that the company will "thoughtfully" answer and respond to potential problems in due time.

Overall, Reif believes that Zaslav "will be the industry leader," replacing the void left by former Disney CEO (DIS) Bob Iger's departure.

"[Zaslav] has a proven track record," she continued, noting that the executive will be able to handle increased competition as other services begin to ramp up content production and build their individual brands and libraries.

"Warner Bros. Discovery is just getting started," the analyst concluded.

Alexandra is a Senior Entertainment and Food Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alliecanal8193

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Why Warner Bros. Discovery merger is the 'most exciting story' in streaming: Analyst - Yahoo Finance

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says a lot without saying anything at all. Sometimes he says things are one way like teams' hiring practices being "unacceptable" when our eyes tell us the opposite.

One has to wonder, if there were a way to get Goodell to be candid for once, and find out if he regrets how he handled the investigation into the Washington Commanders' toxic workplace culture. Because it seems like there's a whole lot of people looking at the league and some of its teams these days, and it's not to applaud its increased television ratings.

We mean Wednesday's news from The New York Times that New York state Attorney General Letitia James and the attorneys general of Massachusetts, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington wrote a letter to the NFL threatening to investigate the league's offices after an investigation the Times published in February detailed a workplace that demeaned and demoralized women and minorities.

"The NFL must do better pink jerseys are not a replacement for equal treatment and full inclusion of women in the workplace," the attorneys generals wrote. "Our offices will use the full weight of our authority to investigate and prosecute allegations of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation by employers throughout our states, including at the National Football League."

We mean last week's report from Front Office Sports that a former Washington employee told members of Congress that the team essentially kept two accounting books and withheld ticket revenue, which it is supposed to share with the league's 31 other teams. The Commanders have denied the accusation.

Dan Snyder departs after attending an event to unveil Washington's new nickname, the Commanders, on Feb. 2 in Landover, Maryland. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

The House Oversight Committee began looking beyond the allegations of an office rife with abuse and harassment of female employees, allegations that include team owner Daniel Snyder, and into the team's business practices as well. And there was also a Capitol Hill roundtable in February, during which several former employees recounted years of uncomfortable at best, nightmarish at worst misconduct they endured or saw in team offices.

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It's easy for the NFL to pay lip service to the idea that it is trying to do better as the league trots out public service announcements to give the illusion that it is. But Congress and state AGs digging around might be enough to make Goodell and his employers, the franchise owners, squirm.

Which brings us back to the initial investigation in Washington, and Goodell's (mis)handling of it that may have started this domino effect of negative headlines and closer looks.

After bungling the Ray Rice suspension in 2014, the commissioner pledged to do better. There was too much justified public outcry against Goodell to sweep aside after he initially gave Rice two games despite video evidence of Rice punching his then-fiance unconscious and dragging her off the elevator where the assault happened before the league changed it to an indefinite suspension.

The NFL's offices have added more women and non-white employees and executives, but women who spoke to The New York Times for its February story say it remains a place where women are generally excluded, and that the league is still highly invested in maintaining its "overall whiteness."

And for his claim that the NFL would be more transparent, the findings of the investigation into Washington's workplace culture have been as fiercely protected as the nuclear football. Not only was a report not released, Beth Wilkinson's firm was instructed not to produce a written report, ostensibly because anything in writing could be leaked (just ask Jon Gruden).

Washington, not Snyder, received a fine that amounts to pocket change, and Snyder was told to stay out of the day-to-day happenings of the team. And that was after he was allowed to buy out the franchise's minority owners.

The sad fact is that for most hardcore NFL fans, none of these off-field stories matter. They don't care how female employees were abused and harassed, they don't care if Snyder was truly sharing revenue with the other franchise owners as he's supposed to do (though based on Washington's attendance in recent years they weren't missing out on much).

There are a lot of Commanders fans who care about the team's performance, and know that under Snyder's ownership there have been precious few playoff appearances, a parade of starting quarterbacks, and a litany of missteps and embarrassing moments for a once-proud franchise.

This hasn't stopped the ownership class from protecting him, as if there isn't another billionaire who is slightly more likable who'd pony up for Washington and bring some respectability to one of the league's oldest clubs.

But for those of us who look beyond the standings and have been paying attention to some of the terrible stories swirling around the league in recent months, it's worth wondering if Goodell regrets not telling the public at least some of what the women in Washington team offices endured and taking a harder stance with Snyder.

Because things have seemingly gone from bad to worse since.

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The NFL's Daniel Snyder problem won't stop ballooning to the chagrin of Roger Goodell and league - Yahoo Sports