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Shares of Goldman Sachs ticked to an all-time high on Wednesday, gaining 0.5% to $250.67 per share. The session not only marked Goldman's second straight close in record territory but saw shares eclipse the October 2007 all-time high of $250.70 per share. Intraday Goldman shares hit a high of $251.95. 

Goldman, and other US banks, have been the beneficiary of President Donald Trump's plans to roll back Wall Street regulation. During his first month in office, Trump signed an executive order to revise and update the Dodd-Frank regulation that oversees the country's financial institutions. 

Goldman's stock has rallied almost 38% since Election Day and has been a big reason as to why the Dow Jones Industrial average recently crossed the 20,000 mark for its first time ever.

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US equity indexes hit record highs while Treasurys tumbled after data on consumer spending and prices came in well above expectations. The S&P 500 closed higher for a seventh straight session, the longest streak since 2013. 

Here's the scoreboard:

• Dow: 20,607.54, +103.13, (0.50%)
• S&P 500: 2,348.69, +11.11, (0.48%)
• Nasdaq: 5,817.51, +34.94, (0.60%)

1. Andrew Puzder, President Trump's pick for Secretary of Labor, has dropped out of the running for the position. The fast-food executive had been scrutinized for his treatment of workers and views on immigration.

2. Verizon has tentatively reached a revised deal with Yahoo, according to Bloomberg, which cuts Yahoo's price by about $250 million. Verizon reportedly reconsidered the $4.8 billion deal in December after news of Yahoo's security breach. 

3. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Wednesday morning announced new proposed rules for the Affordable Care Act's individual insurance exchanges. They would be the first tweaks to Obamacare under Trump. 

4. Retail sales were much stronger than expected in January, climbing by 0.4%, according to the Commerce Department. A large amount of help came from gasoline sales, as prices continue to increase after the oil crash.
5. Consumer prices rose by the most in four years in January, according to the Department of Labor. The consumer price index (CPI) — comprised of a basket of items ranging from clothes to pills — climbed 0.6% month-on-month.
6. Industrial production, the Federal Reserve's gauge of the manufacturing sector, disappointed at the beginning of 2017. It slipped by 0.3%, while capacity utilization fell to 75.3% from 75.6%. 

Additionally:

The New York Empire State Manufacturing index soared to 18.70 in February — the highest level in over two years

AETNA CEO: The Obamacare exchanges are in a 'death spiral'

One of Wall Street's top equity analysts reveals his biggest fear for 2017

Trump thinks Wall Street regulations are killing America and only Goldman Sachs can save us

FED'S ROSENGREN: I think we could hike rates at least 3 times in 2017

KRUGMAN: If Trump 'were a Democrat, impeachment hearings would already be underway'

Warren Buffett is investing $8 billion in an industry he once called a 'death trap' 

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US equity indexes hit record highs while Treasurys tumbled after data on consumer spending and prices came in well above expectations. Stocks finished at all-time highs for a fifth straight day, the longest streak since 1992. 

Here's the scoreboard:

• Dow: 20,611.86, +107.45, (0.52%)
• S&P 500: 2,349.25, +11.67, (0.50%)
• Nasdaq: 5,819.44, +36.87, (0.64%)

1. Andrew Puzder, President Trump's pick for Secretary of Labor, has dropped out of the running for the position. The fast-food executive had been scrutinized for his treatment of workers.

2. Verizon has tentatively reached a revised deal with Yahoo, according to Bloomberg, which cuts Yahoo's price by about $250 million. Verizon reportedly reconsidered the $4.8 billion deal in December after news of Yahoo's security breach. 

3. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Wednesday morning announced new proposed rules for the Affordable Care Act's individual insurance exchanges. They would be the first tweaks to Obamacare under Trump. 

4. Retail sales were much stronger than expected in January, climbing by 0.4%, according to the Commerce Department. A large amount of help came from gasoline sales, as prices continue to increase after the oil crash.
5. Consumer prices rose by the most in four years in January, according to the Department of Labor. The consumer price index (CPI) — comprised of a basket of items ranging from clothes to pills — climbed 0.6% month-on-month.
6. Industrial production, the Federal Reserve's gauge of the manufacturing sector, disappointed at the beginning of 2017. It slipped by 0.3%, while capacity utilization fell to 75.3% from 75.6%. 

Additionally:

The New York Empire State Manufacturing index soared to 18.70 in February — the highest level in over two years

AETNA CEO: The Obamacare exchanges are in a 'death spiral'

One of Wall Street's top equity analysts reveals his biggest fear for 2017

Trump thinks Wall Street regulations are killing America and only Goldman Sachs can save us

FED'S ROSENGREN: I think we could hike rates at least 3 times in 2017

KRUGMAN: If Trump 'were a Democrat, impeachment hearings would already be underway'

Warren Buffett is investing $8 billion in an industry he once called a 'death trap' 

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Donald Trump appointed an Energy Secretary who once called for the energy department’s abolition, an Education Secretary who lacks faith in public schools, and a head of environmental protection who has repeatedly sued the agency he will now oversee.

It is only fitting then, that Trump’s pick for the key post of Labor Secretary, whose agency “monitors, stimulates and alleviates the quality of life of working individuals,” would be widely seen as anti-labor.

Andrew Puzder, the CEO of CKE Restaurants — the parent company of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's is a vocal opponent of raising the minimum wage and of the Affordable Care Act — arguing that the policies result in lower employment rates.

Puzder, whose confirmation hearing before a Senate committee is set for Feb. 16, is also a big fan of automation. He told Business Insider last year that fast-food workers could be replaced with kiosks and other automated technology to offset the cost of wages.

"I want to try it," Puzder said of automated restaurants. "With government driving up the cost of labor, it's driving down the number of jobs."

The Economic Policy Institute, a liberal think tank in Washington says it is deeply concerned by Puzder’s nomination.

"At his hearing, committee members should demand an explanation for Puzder’s many public statements about labor laws—and his record of violating those laws—that make a mockery of the Department of Labor’s mission to improve the wages and working conditions of working and to defend their rights at work," said EPI economist and former Labor Department official Heidi Shierholz.

It's not just liberals. The conservative National Review has come out against Puzder's nomination. They think he is too pro-immigration.

In 2015, Puzder wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal criticizing the Republican presidential candidates anti-immigration policies. 

"The best way to protect American workers is to generate economic growth. This is not synonymous with aggressively restricting immigration. Most studies conclude that immigration contributes to economic growth as well as innovation, and research and development."

Puzder seems to have changed his views since being nominated by Trump. Trump's transition team reportedly circulated a statement in December in which Puzder said "hire American and buy American is our policy."

But even if that's so, the questions won't stop there. Puzder recently admitted to employing an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper, despite the Trump administration’s strong condemnation of illegal immigration. 

And, Politico has reported that Oprah Winfrey provided a tape to Senators of both parties showing an old episode of her show in which Puzder’s ex-wife discussed alleged abuse by Puzder.

Of course there's also the question of Carl's Jr.'s advertising — featuring bikini-clad models eating its hamburgers, and derided as sexist — which Puzder has defended as "very American."

At least four Republican Senators have concerns about Puzder’s nomination, including because of the Oprah tape, The Washington Post reported this week.  

They'll have a lot to ask about.

SEE ALSO: Trump's plan to make Wall Street unregulated again will not go unchallenged

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A proposal to study bitcoin regulation in North Dakota has reportedly run into some opposition.

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Business Insider asked the Head of US Equities at JP Morgan what keeps him up at night.

His answer was loud and clear: An ongoing trend of US dollar strength.

"The dollar continues to strengthen," said Dubravko Lakos-Bujas in an interview with Business Insider. The dollar on a global trade weighted basis has increased by about 20-25% over the course of the last 2-3 years, he pointed out. And according to Lakos-Bujas, further strengthening in the dollar could come on the back of President Trump's corporate tax reform proposals like a border tax adjustment.

"If that trend persists, you could see the global economy getting further pressurized. Keep in mind that 60% give or take of the global economy directly or indirectly is linked to the dollar. The dollar plays a very important role." 

After the dollar, Lakos-Bujas is worried about higher interest rates and trade. 

"There’s a good amount of leverage in the system, especially if you look at corporates," he said. According to Lakos-Bujas, leverage in US corporates ex-financials is in line with all time highs back to the 2007 levels. "There’s less room for tolerating a significant amount of rate increases," as higher rates will make that corporate debt more expensive to pay back.

On the trade side, Lakos-Bujas looks toward the uncertainty around the US adopting significant changes on border taxes and other restrictive trade measures that could end up resulting in "significant" retaliatory effects from big trading partners like China. 

So what can investors do to get a good night's sleep? 

"If you believe that a strong dollar and rising rates are going to continue tightening conditions, don’t be surprised if at some point the Fed turns marginally more dovish," said Lakos-Bujas. "This means that gold and gold miners might be an interesting hedge to an existing portfolio."

SEE ALSO: JPMorgan's head of US equities on the dollar, market volatility, and where investors should put their money in 2017

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Business Insider asked the Head of US Equities at JP Morgan what keeps him up at night.

His answer was loud and clear: An ongoing trend of US dollar strength.

"The dollar continues to strengthen," said Dubravko Lakos-Bujas in an interview with Business Insider. The dollar on a global trade weighted basis has increased by about 20-25% over the course of the last 2-3 years, he pointed out. And according to Lakos-Bujas, further strengthening in the dollar could come on the back of President Trump's corporate tax reform proposals like a border tax adjustment.

"If that trend persists, you could see the global economy getting further pressurized. Keep in mind that 60% give or take of the global economy directly or indirectly is linked to the dollar. The dollar plays a very important role." 

After the dollar, Lakos-Bujas is worried about higher interest rates and trade. 

"There’s a good amount of leverage in the system, especially if you look at corporates," he said. According to Lakos-Bujas, leverage in US corporates ex-financials is in line with all time highs back to the 2007 levels. "There’s less room for tolerating a significant amount of rate increases," as higher rates will make that corporate debt more expensive to pay back.

On the trade side, Lakos-Bujas looks toward the uncertainty around the US adopting significant changes on border taxes and other restrictive trade measures that could end up resulting in "significant" retaliatory effects from big trading partners like China. 

So what can investors do to get a good night's sleep? 

"If you believe that a strong dollar and rising rates are going to continue tightening conditions, don’t be surprised if at some point the Fed turns marginally more dovish," said Lakos-Bujas. "This means that gold and gold miners might be an interesting hedge to an existing portfolio."

SEE ALSO: JPMorgan's head of US equities on the dollar, market volatility, and where investors should put their money in 2017

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Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini is not hopeful for the future of the individual health insurance exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, based on comments he made on Wednesday.

Bertolini, whose company is one of the five large public health insurers, said that the exchanges are in a "death spiral" during a speech at a Wall Street Journal conference.

"It’s not going to get any better, it's getting worse," said Bertolini according to Politico's Paul Demko.

The idea behind Bertolini's comments are that as premiums increase on the exchanges, fewer young and healthy people will sign up for coverage.

This will leave a higher percentage of older, sicker people on the exchanges, making them more expensive for insurers. The losses from this sicker risk pool will cause insurers to pull out of the exchanges, fewer choices on the exchanges will lead to higher prices, and thus even fewer healthy people will sign up to balance the pool.

Bertolini has long expressed doubts about the exchanges. Aetna pulled its offerings from roughly 70% of the places it was doing business last year and the CEO said during a recent earnings call that the company is considering its footprint in 2018.

During the block of a proposed merger between Aetna and Humana, however, a federal judge ruled that Aetna and Bertolini had cut their exposure to Obamacare to induce cooperation from Department of Justice to approve the merger.

In a letter to the DOJ in July, Bertolini said that the company would reduce its footprint in the exchanges if the DOJ blocked the deal. Bertolini claimed this was due to the loss of cost savings from the merger, but the judge said the move showed that "Aetna tried to leverage its participation in the exchange for favorable treatment" for the deal.

During the 2016-2017 open enrollment period, the total number of people signing up for insurance through the federal Heathcare.gov exchange fell by 400,000. Much of this drop was due to a significant slowdown in enrollments after President Donald Trump took office and pulled large amounts of funding for enrollment outreach.

Despite the drop in enrollment, health policy experts said the exchanges were not necessarily in a "death spiral" and their future depended on the repeal and replace process being undertaken by Republicans.

This, however, was not enough to appease Humana —another of the big five insurers — which said it would pull all of its Obamacare plans from the exchanges in 2018.

Additionally, the Trump administration rolled out proposals for new rules that would cut the exchanges' open enrollment period in half and institute other reforms in an attempt to stabilize the individual heath insurance market.

SEE ALSO: The Trump administration just proposed massive changes to Obamacare

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Verizon has tentatively reached a revised deal with Yahoo, according to Bloomberg. 

The deal cuts Yahoo's price by about $250 million, according to the report. 

Verizon was said to have reconsidered the $4.8 billion deal in December after Yahoo announced that 1 billion account credentials had been stolen as far back as 2013. Both companies will reportedly share legal responsibility for the hack. 

Yahoo had aimed to close the deal by the end of Q1, but the terms of the transaction state that the parties have until April 24 to close the deal. After April 24, either party can terminate the deal or seek a 3-month extension. If it falls through, Yahoo is subject to a $144.8 million termination fee. 

Yahoo shares gained nearly 2% in trading after the news crossed.

SEE ALSO: Verizon launches an 'unlimited' data plan for the first time in more than 5 years

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This week, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a significant commitment to the US airline industry, saying it has raised its stake in Delta and American while taking a new position in Southwest Airlines. 

According to a regulatory filing, Buffett purchased $2.15 billion of Southwest Airlines, raised his stake in Delta to nearly $3 billion, and boosted his position on American Airlines. He also owns a stake in United.

The is a striking about-face for the legendary investor who, at his company's 2013 annual meeting, called the airline industry a "death trap for investors."

So, what's changed?

First, the price of crude oil is 50% cheaper in 2017 than it was in 2013. Cheaper jet fuel, traditionally the most significant cost outlay for an airline, has pushed US airline profitability to unprecedented levels.

Over the past two years, American, Delta, United, and Southwest have all reported all-time record profits. 

Second, US airlines have invested billions of dollars in next-generation aircraft, interiors, and technology. This includes the arrival of state-of-the-art fuel-efficient airliners such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A350, Boeing 737MAX, and the Bombardier C-Series.

In addition, American, Delta, and United have all invested heavily in brand premium cabin seating and amenities aimed at high-spending business travelers. As a result, the overall quality of the big four's product offerings have made significant improvements in terms of luxury, connectivity, and efficiency. 

Finally, the landscape of the US airline industry has changed dramatically. Overall, airlines in the US are in a much better place right now.

In 2013, United was mired in a messy integration process after its 2010 merger with Continental.  Southwest was working through the integration process of AirTran Airways. At the same time, American and US Airways were about to enter into a massive $11 billion merger to form the largest airline in the world.

This means, that in 2013, three of the four largest remaining mainline carriers is the US was either struggling through or about to enter the costly process of a merger— increasing the risk for operational problems resulting from the treacherous process of combing differing corporate culture, labor agreements, and infrastructure.

Four years later, Delta is humming along as one of the most profitable airlines in the world. Southwest's integration of AirTran proved to be relatively drama free, while United's five-year journey through merger hell is finally over, with the airline surging forward under the leadership of CEO Oscar Munoz. Concurrently, the newly-merged American Airlines seems to be working its way through a successful integration process.

With that said, Buffett's new-found faith in the airline industry doesn't mean all things are perfect. US airlines face increasing competition for budget travelers from a flood of low-cost international airlines while facing down competition from Asia and the Middle East for premium cabin customers.

In addition, weakness in the traditionally lucrative trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific routes due to slowing economic growth in China and instability in Europe temper some of this optimism. In addition, profit margins among the big four will face pressure from new labor agreement that clawed many of the concessions made during the dark days post-9/11. 

However, even with these headwinds, American, Delta, United, and Southwest remain the world's four largest and most profitable airlines. Which is why Buffett has good reason to be optimistic.

SEE ALSO: This beautiful new plane has a feature we've never seen before

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Groupon is up after reporting fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday morning.

The company announced revenue of $934.9 million, which was ahead of the $912.8 million that analysts were anticipating.

However, Groupon lost $0.09 per share, missing the $0.02 loss that was expected. On an adjusted basis, Groupon earned $0.07 per share.

The company said it added around 5 million customers in its core US market and now has 31.2 million customers in North America and 52.7 million customers globally. 

Groupon expects to exit 11 countries as part of its streamline and simplify initiative, and the company expects to report these countries as discontinued operations beginning in first quarter 2017.

For the full year 2017, Groupon expects gross profit to be in the range of $1.30 billion and $1.35 billion, an increase of $40 to $90 million compared to full-year 2016 results.

Groupon also expects Adjusted EBITDA to be in the range of $200 million and $240 million, an increase of $16 to $56 million compared to full-year 2016 results.

SEE ALSO: Groupon Q4 Loss Widens; But Results Top Estimates, Stock Up

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Groupon is up after reporting fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday morning.

The company announced revenue of $934.9 million, which was ahead of the $912.8 million that analysts were anticipating.

However, Groupon lost $0.09 per share, missing the $0.02 loss that was expected. On an adjusted basis, Groupon earned $0.07 per share.

The company said it added around 5 million customers in its core US market and now has 31.2 million customers in North America and 52.7 million customers globally. 

Groupon expects to exit 11 countries as part of its streamline and simplify initiative, and the company expects to report these countries as discontinued operations beginning in first quarter 2017.

For the full year 2017, Groupon expects gross profit to be in the range of $1.30 billion and $1.35 billion, an increase of $40 to $90 million compared to full-year 2016 results.

Groupon also expects Adjusted EBITDA to be in the range of $200 million and $240 million, an increase of $16 to $56 million compared to full-year 2016 results.

SEE ALSO: Groupon Q4 Loss Widens; But Results Top Estimates, Stock Up

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Airline stocks are outperforming the broader market on Wednesday after a 13-F filing showed investing legend Warren Buffett plowed more money into the sector. 

The filing, released after Tuesday's closing bell showed Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway spent $2.15 billion on 43.2 million shares of Southwest Airlines. Additionally, Berkshire upped its stake in Delta Air Lines by 60 million shares, or 848% while also increasing its position in American Airlines.

Southwest and Delta both trade higher by about 2.2% while American lags with a 1.5% gain. The broader S&P 500 is little changed.

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Airline stocks are outperforming the broader market on Wednesday after a 13-F filing showed investing legend Warren Buffett plowed more money into the sector. 

The filing, released after Tuesday's closing bell showed Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway spent $2.15 billion on 43.2 million shares of Southwest Airlines. Additionally, Berkshire upped its stake in Delta Air Lines by 60 million shares, or 848% while also increasing its position in American Airlines.

Southwest and Delta both trade higher by about 2.2% while American lags with a 1.5% gain. The broader S&P 500 is little changed.

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The latest reading for industrial production, the Federal Reserve's measure of the US manfacturing sector, will be out at 9:15 a.m. ET.

Economists forecast that industrial production rose by 0.1% month-over-month in January, according to estimates at Investing.com.

Last month, it rose by 0.8%.

Additionally,  the capacity utilization rate is expected to come in at 75.5%, flat from the prior month's reading.

Refresh this page for updates at 9:15 a.m. ET.

SEE ALSO: What 25 major world leaders and dictators looked like when they were young

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The US Treasury market is under pressure on Wednesday following a bunch of better than expected data. CPI, retail sales, and Empire manufacturing all topped estimates, causing sellers to continue their recent attack on the complex. The post-data selling is having the biggest impact on the belly of the curve where yields are up more than 5 basis points apiece. Here's a look at the scoreboard as of 8:49 a.m. ET:

• 2-year +2.5 bps @ 1.259%
• 3-year +4.0 bps @ 1.571%
• 5-year +5.2 bps @ 2.015%
• 7-year +5.1 bps @ 2.338%
• 10-year +4.9 bps @ 2.518%
• 30-year +4.5 bps @ 3.103%

Wednesday's selling has run the 2-year yield to its highest point of 2017 as traders price in the possibility of further Fed rate hikes. Currently, the market sees a 42% chance the Fed will hike 25 basis points at its March meeting, according to Bloomberg's World Interest Rate Probability data. 

Yields have been climbing for much of the past two weeks amid more hope of reflation in the US economy. The benchmark 10-year yield is up almost 20 bps since February 8. 

On Tuesday, in her Humphrey-Hawkins testimony, Fed Chair Janet Yellen warned waiting too long to raise interest rates is 'unwise' and could cause a recession. Yellen takes her testimony to the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday. 

SEE ALSO: Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is investing billions in airline stocks

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The dollar just spiked after a bunch of strong data.

The US dollar index is up by 0.4% at 101.69 as of 8:43 a.m. ET.

Minutes earlier, the US saw a bunch of strong data including:

• Consumer prices surged by the most in four years in January. The consumer price index (CPI) — comprised of a basket of items ranging from clothes to pills — rose 0.6% month-on-month (+0.3%  expected.) Year-on-year, CPI increased by 2.5% (+2.4% forecast.) 
• Retail sales came in well ahead of expectations for January. Retail sales registered a 0.4% gain, above the 0.1% jump for the month expected by economists. Additionally, December retail sales were revised up significantly, to 1% growth from the original estimate of 0.6% growth.
• The New York Empire State Manufacturing index soared to 18.70 in February — the highest level in over two years. "Indexes for the six month outlook suggested that respondents remained highly optimistic about future conditions," the New York Fed's report noted.

Below, the jump in the dollar:

SEE ALSO: Treasurys are tumbling after data beats across the board

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The dollar just spiked after a bunch of strong data.

The US dollar index is up by 0.4% at 101.69 as of 8:43 a.m. ET.

Minutes earlier, the US saw a bunch of strong data including:

• Consumer prices surged by the most in four years in January. The consumer price index (CPI) — comprised of a basket of items ranging from clothes to pills — rose 0.6% month-on-month (+0.3%  expected.) Year-on-year, CPI increased by 2.5% (+2.4% forecast.) 
• Retail sales came in well ahead of expectations for January. Retail sales registered a 0.4% gain, above the 0.1% jump for the month expected by economists. Additionally, December retail sales were revised up significantly, to 1% growth from the original estimate of 0.6% growth.
• The New York Empire State Manufacturing index soared to 18.70 in February — the highest level in over two years. "Indexes for the six month outlook suggested that respondents remained highly optimistic about future conditions," the New York Fed's report noted.

Below, the jump in the dollar:

SEE ALSO: Treasurys are tumbling after data beats across the board

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The latest reading on Empire Fed manufacturing will be out at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Economists forecast that the New York Empire State Manufacturing index came in at 7.00 in February.

The index came in at 6.50 in the prior month.

Refresh this page for updates at 8:30 a.m. ET.

SEE ALSO: What 25 major world leaders and dictators looked like when they were young

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The Department of Labor will release its monthly report on consumer-price changes at 8:30 a.m. ET. 

For January, the consumer price index (CPI) — comprised of a basket of items ranging from clothes to pills — is estimated to have increased by 0.3% month-on-month, according to Bloomberg. Economists forecast that it increased by 2.4% year-on-year. 

Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called core CPI is estimated at 0.2% month-on-month and 2.1% year-on-year. 

The year-on-year change in core CPI is considered the benchmark print of this report. It could come in above the Federal Reserve's 2% target of inflation, although the central bank prefers to use the more comprehensive personal consumption expenditures index.

"Given the relatively soft inflation backdrop over the last several years, there is little reason for the Fed to rush ahead with rate hikes, especially in the first quarter, which has tended to be seasonably weak over the last several years," said Joseph LaVorgna, Deutsche Bank's chief US economist, in a note on Tuesday. 

More to come ...

SEE ALSO: YELLEN: Waiting too long to raise interest rates is 'unwise' and could cause a recession

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The latest reading of US retail sales is expected out of the Commerce Department at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Retail sales are expected are expected to grow by 0.1% from the months before according to a survey of economists.

Additionally, core retail sales — which do not include auto sales — are expected to grow by 0.4% in the month of January from December.

Headline retail sales missed slightly in December, growing by 0.6% from the month before, lower than the 0.7% forecast by economists.

We'll have the number as it crosses, so refresh the page for updates.

SEE ALSO: Markets are starting to get nervous about Trump

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The Russian ruble extended its earlier losses after US President Donald Trump tweeted about President Barack Obama's stance on Russia with respect to Crimea.

The petro-currency is down by 1.2% at $57.8170 per dollar as of 7:55 a.m. ET.

"Crimea was TAKEN by Russia during the Obama Administration. Was Obama too soft on Russia?" Trump tweeted around 7:42 a.m. ET.

The ruble was down by about 0.8% earlier in the morning amid weaker Brent crude oil prices, which are down by about 0.6% at $55.63. 

SEE ALSO: Legendary physicist Freeman Dyson talks about math, nuclear rockets, and astounding things about the universe

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Luis Buenaventura looks at new rules aimed at bitcoin firms in the Philippines, arguing that, cost burden aside, there's reason to be optimistic.

Source

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