Epstein files, Harvard shake-up, national debt soars, Apple bruised

‘Barron’s Roundtable’ panelists give their market outlook and discuss three things investors ought to be thinking about right now.

IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION, THE FIRST WEEK OF 2024

-A fresh Jeffrey Epstein document dump turns up world leaders, a former president, a luxury hotel tycoon and hedge fund titan

-Embattled Harvard CEO Claudine Gay steps down; more exits to come?

-The national debt soars to a new record with no end in sight

-The U.S. jobs market is hot, sort of. An inside look at hiring trends

-Apple stock gets rare downgrades

-Stocks sink as 2024 kicks off

JEFFREY EPSTEIN DOCUMENT DUMP EXPOSES MANY: Hundreds of court documents were released this week offering more lurid details on the sex-crazed life of Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and their victims, many of whom were underage. Former President Bill Clinton, hedge fund titan Glenn Dubin, Limited Brands founder Leslie Wexner and Hyatt Hotel heir Tom Pritzer were among the names mentioned in the filings…continue reading here.

Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein smile in this undated photograph. This photo was one of many unearthed during Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial in the Southern District of New York, where she was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison i (U.S. Department of Justice)

VIDEO: Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz, who is also mentioned in the documents, claimed his innocence.

EMBATTLED HARVARD PRESIDENT CLAUDINE GAY RESIGNS: After failing to denounce antisemitism on campus, Gay, who received immense blowback for weeks, resigned. Leading the crusade to have her ousted, hedge fund billionaire and alum Bill Ackman, who is likely not done with the house cleaning at the Ivy League…continue reading here.

READ IT: HARVARD PRESIDENT CLAUDINE GAY’S RESIGNATION LETTER

Claudine Gay (Haiyun Jiang/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

VIDEO: One Harvard alum weighs in on the Ivy League’s now tarnished reputation.

AMERICA’S DEBT BALLOONS: The national debt slammed into a new record this week, highlighting the government’s freewheeling spending and raising new alarm bells for America…continue reading here.

VIDEO: The U.S. debt crisis is “insanity” according to one noted economist.

Capitol Building, raining money concept: istock (iStock / iStock)

HOT JOB MARKET OR NOT?: The nation added 216,000 jobs in December, much stronger than expected. However, many economists are poking holes in what appears to be a solid report…continue reading here.

A “Now Hiring” sign is displayed on a shopfront in New York City. (Photo by Leonardo Munoz/VIEWpress) ((Photo by Leonardo Munoz/VIEWpress) / Getty Images)

VIDEO: A deep dive into the December jobs report shows some cracks.

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APPLE BRUISED: Shares of the world’s most valuable company were dealt two downgrades this week by Barclays and Piper Jaffray with analysts at both firms sounding the alarm bell over muted demand for the iPhone 15.

APPLE SHARES 1-Week: -6%

The stock lost 6% this week…more Apple coverage here.

VIDEO: One investor sees any pullback in the shares as an opportunity.

iPhones are on display during a press preview of India’s first Apple Store in Mumbai, India, Monday, April 17, 2023. Apple will open its first retail store in India in Mumbai on Tuesday. ((AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) / AP Newsroom)

STOCKS SINK IN FIRST WEEK OF 2024: Investors in U.S. equities kicked off the year with a downbeat note. After 10 weeks of gains, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite registered their first weekly losses…continue reading here.