Merck & Co Inc, which has largely kept to the sidelines of the race for COVID-19 treatments, said it was buying Austrian vaccine maker Themis Bioscience and would collaborate with research nonprofit IAVI to develop two separate vaccines. It also announced a partnership with privately held Ridgeback Biotherapeutics to develop an experimental oral antiviral drug against COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus. It did not disclose the terms of the acquisition of Themis, a privately held company.

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Merck & Co. (MRK) on Tuesday became the latest drugmaker to join the race for the development of a COVID-19 treatment by announcing the purchase of Austrian vaccine maker Themis Bioscience and the collaboration with non-profit research group IAVI.Shares in Merck rose 4% to $79.40 in U.S. pre-market trading. The drugmaker said that the Themis acquisition builds upon an ongoing collaboration between the two companies to develop vaccine candidates using the measles virus vector platform, and is expected to accelerate the development of Themis’ COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The vaccine candidate is in pre-clinical development, and clinical studies are planned to start later in 2020.In addition, Merck announced a new collaboration with IAVI, a non-profit scientific research organization, to advance the development and global clinical evaluation of another vaccine candidate for the prevention of COVID-19.This vaccine candidate will use the recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) technology that is the basis for Merck’s Ebola Zaire virus vaccine, ERVEBO (Ebola Zaire Vaccine, Live), which was the first rVSV vaccine approved for use in humans. The vaccine candidate is in preclinical development, and clinical studies are planned to start later this year. Merck will manage the regulatory filings globally.Furthermore, Merck has also signed an agreement with the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), to provide initial funding support for this effort.“Merck is collaborating with organizations around the globe to develop anti-infectives and vaccines that aim to alleviate suffering caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection,” said Roger M. Perlmutter, President of Merck Research Laboratories. “Merck and IAVI are eager to combine our respective strengths to accelerate development of an rVSV vaccine candidate, with the goal of blunting the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic.”Lastly, Merck and biotech company Ridgeback Bio announced a collaboration to advance the development of EIDD-2801, an oral antiviral candidate for COVID-19. Under terms of the agreement, Merck will get exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize EIDD-2801. Ridgeback Bio will receive an undisclosed upfront payment, specified milestones and a share of EIDD-2801 net proceeds, if approved. Meanwhile, Merck will be in charge of clinical development, regulatory filings and manufacturing.Shares in Merck appreciated some 15% in the past two months after losing about a third of their value this year.Following Merck’s announcements, Mizuho Securities analyst Mara Goldstein reiterated a Buy rating on the stock with a $100 price target.“As a major player in vaccine development (also the first licensed Ebola vaccine), this move makes sense,” Goldstein wrote in a note to investors. “Given the scope of the global viral outbreak, we see room for multiple vaccine and therapeutic options.”Overall, the stock has bullish support from the Street scoring 8 Buy ratings and 2 Hold ratings from analysts which makes the consensus a Strong Buy. The $92.10 average price target suggests 19% upside potential in the shares in the coming 12 months. (See Merck stock analysis on TipRanks).Related News: Novavax Begins Human Testing For Covid-19 Vaccine, Expects Results In July Regeneron and Sanofi’s Dupixent Shows ‘Positive’ Trial Data, Meets Co-Primary Endpoints Regeneron To Repurchase $5 Billion Stake From Sanofi   More recent articles from Smarter Analyst: * Texas Capital CEO Resigns As Independent Bank Merger Terminated; Analyst Downgrades Stock * Aurinia Submits FDA New Drug Admission For Novel Voclosporin Kidney Treatment * China’s Tencent To Pour $70B Into ‘New Infrastructure’ Including AI * Australia’s New Century In Talks To Buy Vale’s Nickel, Cobalt Mine

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Yahoo Finance’s Brian Sozzi and Alexis Christoforous break down the market action with Invesco Chief Global Market Strategist Kristina Hooper.

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Yahoo Finance’s Brian Sozzi, Alexis Christoforous, and Andy Serwer discuss states slowly reopening their economies, and what we can learn from how Maine is handling reopening.

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Texas Capital Bancshares (TCBI) and Independent Bank (IBCP) have mutually agreed to terminate their merger agreement, previously announced on December 9, under which the parties had agreed to combine in an all-stock merger of equals.The companies have now entered into a Mutual Termination Agreement which was approved by the board of directors of both companies. Neither party will pay any termination fee. On the news Piper Sandler analyst Brad Milsaps downgraded TCBI from buy to hold, while slashing his price target from $41 to $26 (9% downside potential).David Brooks, CEO of Independent Bank Group (IBTX), said, “While both companies believed in the benefits of the proposed transaction when it was announced, we mutually concluded after careful consideration that, given the significant uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic and market environment, it would not be prudent to continue to pursue the combination and integration of our companies at this time.”He added that the decision will allow each company to dedicate its focus and resources toward ensuring the strength of its business during these unprecedented times.Following the termination of the merger, Texas Capital also announced that C. Keith Cargill has stepped down as President and CEO and a member of the Board of Directors, effective immediately. However Cargill, who became CEO in 2014, will remain as Vice Chairman until the end of 2020.Larry L. Helm, who has served as Chairman of the Texas Capital Bancshares Board since 2012, will serve as Executive Chair, CEO and President until a permanent successor has been named, the company said.In addition, James H. Browning, an independent director and member of the Texas Capital Bancshares Board since 2009, has been appointed Lead Director.Elysia Ragusa, of Texas Capital, commented, “As part of our focus on succession planning, the Board believes that it is the right time for a transition in leadership as the Company executes a strategy to achieve enhanced operational focus and profitable, long-term value creation.”Shares in TCBI have plunged 50% year-to-date. Notably all seven analysts covering the stock rate it Hold, while the average analyst price target of $27 indicates a further 7% downside potential lies ahead. (See TCBI stock analysis on TipRanks).Related News: New HBO Max Streaming Service Will Go Live on Wednesday Alibaba Scores Earnings Beat With Revenue Surging 22% Y/Y Facebook Workplace Hits 5 Million Paid Users As Remote Work Demand Rises More recent articles from Smarter Analyst: * Aurinia Submits FDA New Drug Admission For Novel Voclosporin Kidney Treatment * China’s Tencent To Pour $70B Into ‘New Infrastructure’ Including AI * Australia’s New Century In Talks To Buy Vale’s Nickel, Cobalt Mine * New HBO Max Streaming Service Will Go Live on Wednesday

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Finding a reliable stock strategy is a key to sanity in this Age of Coronavirus. The pandemic has pushed governments to impost extreme economic shutdown orders, as part of a larger society ‘stay at home’ policy. The result has been a stoppage of business, a decline in earnings, and a sudden sharp turn from steady economic growth to a deep recessionary event, perhaps even a Depression. And so, for investors, a reliable stock strategy is both necessary and hard to find.One strategy is to follow the insiders. Insiders are the corporate officers and board members charged with running and overseeing public companies. Their positions give them access to information that’s not always available to the general public. To keep the playing field honest, Federal regulators require that insiders publish their trades – and that information can be used by the general public for trading purposes.When the insiders make large purchases, laying down large sums for hefty blocs of shares, it can be taken as a clear sign of confidence. So following their purchases is a viable strategy for finding potentially profitable stock plays.TipRanks has the tools to help you do just that. The Insiders’ Hot Stocks page shows which stocks top insiders are most active on, for both purchases and sales. You can sort insider trades by a variety of filters, including trading strategy. We’ve done some of the legwork for you, and pulled up three stocks with recent informative buy-side transactions. Here are the results.Microchip Technology (MCHP)We’ll start in the semiconductor chip industry. Microchip is a major name in the industry, boasting a market cap of $21.5 billion and the sixth largest sales share among its peers. The company’s focus is on microcontroller and microprocessor chips for memory solutions, power managements apps, and wireless connection devices. These are essential components in today’s digital world – Microchip never has a problem finding customers.Two important company officers have bought up large blocs of shares in recent days. First up was Steve Sanghi, CEO and Chairman, who put down $3.1 million to buy 37,000 shares. Also buying shares was Senior VP Richard Simoncic, who bought over 6,000 shares for more than $501K. This is a substantial fraction of his total $4.8 million holding.The calendar Q1 performance shows the company’s quality. MCHP reported strong EPS, of $1.46, beating the forecast by over 6%. Revenues, while missing the estimates, did grow over 3% sequentially, to $1.33 billion. Management attributed the mixed results to the impact of coronavirus on demand – weak demand in the automotive, industrial, and consumer segments meant that those manufacturers in turn had weak demand for Microchip’s products. At the same time, communication and data center demand grew, as a direct result of the move toward remote office work and customer service.Writing on the stock for Piper Sandler, 5-star analyst Harsh Kumar notes that Microchip’s forward guidance was squarely in line with expectations, and that the company is taking a cautious approach to the 2020 sales environment. Kumar writes, “Looking to the mid and long-term, we continue to like Microchip, as it remains one of the best positioned and most profitable semiconductor companies. Even in the current environment, free cash flow and debt pay down were both exceptional.”Kumar places a Buy rating on MCHP shares, and that backs that with a $120 price target suggesting a 36% upside potential for the coming 12 months. (To watch Kumar’s track record, click here)The Strong Buy analyst consensus rating on this stock is based on 16 reviews, including 13 Buys and 3 Holds. Shares are priced at $87.81, while the average target of $102.56 implies a 16% upside potential. (See Microchip stock analysis on TipRanks)Arconic (ARNC)Last on today’s list is Arconic, a name you may not have heard of in its current incarnation. This company is a spin-off from the aluminum giant Alcoa. Arconic became an independent entity, controlling the parent company’s bauxite and aluminum operations, last November. The new company’s focus is lightweight metals engineering and precision manufacturing. Arconic’s products are used in the aerospace, automotive, commercial transport, defense, electronics, and oil and gas fields. Arconic is particularly well-known for turbine blades. ARNC shares started trading this past March. Since it opened trading less than three months ago, ARCN shares are up 46%.In recent days, no fewer than 5 of Arconic’s insiders have bought up blocs of shares. The prices paid ranged from $114,000 to $346,000. The two largest purchases were by directors: William Austen bought 17,620 shares for $202,000, and Frederick Henderson bought 33,200 shares for $346,000. These purchases are a clear indicator for investors that this company’s officers are confident in its future.Also confident is Credit Suisse analyst Curt Woodworth, who writes, “ARNC is a high-quality producer of aluminum alloy rolled products with significant leverage to secular growth in automotive and packaging, and a LT recovery in aerospace. We see 3Q as a major inflection point as Ford and GM truck / SUV production sharply accelerates and OEMs need to restock heat-treat plate, which has limited shelf life.”Woodworth puts a $22 price target on ARNC shares, implying a strong 71% upside as he initiates coverage on this new industrial stock. (To watch Woodworth’s track record, click here)While ARNC has only two recent reviews (it is a new stock, after all), they combine to a Moderate Buy rating. Shares are selling for $12.84, after two months of solid gains, and the average price target of $19.50 suggests the stock has room for a 51% upside this year. (See Arconic stock analysis on TipRanks)Clipper Realty, Inc. (CLPR)Next up is a real estate investment trust (REIT). These companies typically offer investors a solid combination of firm financial and reliable dividends. Clipper Realty owns, manages and operates commercial properties and multi-family residential (that’s apartments) properties, in and around the New York City area.Two insiders have made informative buys here in the past 7 days. The larger purchase was by David Bistricer, a director of the company. He bought up 106,666 shares for $611,000. His Board colleague, Sam Levinson, made a smaller purchase of 14,334 shares, paying over $82,000. CLPR showed $30.9 million in revenue for Q1 2020, up more than 11% from the year before. Net operating income, at $17.1 million, was a company record – but better for investors, was also up 16% year-over-year. The strong income supported a dividend of 9.5 cents per share for the quarter. CLPR’s dividend has been steady for the past three years, and the current payout ratio, of 73%, is a clear attraction for investors interested in an income stock. The yield, at 5.6%, is almost triple the average yield among financial sector peers.The stock has only one recent analyst review, by B. Riley FBR analyst Craig Kucera, but he wears his bullishness on his sleeve. His Buy rating is backed up with a $14 price target – which implies a robust 107% one-year upside potential. (To watch Kucera’s track record, click here)Kucera writes of CLPR, “1Q20 results were ahead of expectations, and April cash rent collections from CLPR's diversified portfolio of residential, office, and retail assets located in the greater NYC metro were at 94%… we believe CLPR's decision to significantly increase its liquidity during a challenging NYC commercial real estate environment related to COVID-19 was prudent.”To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights.

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The New York Stock Exchange trading floor reopens on Tuesday with strict new rules. WSJ’s Mark Garrison explains what’s at stake for traders as they return to work at one of the world’s last remaining trading floors during the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: NYSE

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May.26 — State Street Global Markets Senior Multi-Asset Strategist Daniel Gerard believes another trade war is increasingly likely due to the rhetoric out of the U.S. in an election year and geopolitical maneuvering of China in the region. He speaks with Haslinda Amin and Tom Mackenzie on “Bloomberg Markets: Asia.”

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Some travel insurers are refusing to give policyholders their money back despite trips being canceled because of the coronavirus.

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