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China says zero-Covid policy will protect it against Omicron variant

One of China’s top pandemic advisers has said Beijing’s strict Covid-zero strategy would prevent the new Omicron variant posing a serious threat, vindicating the tough policy at a time when the rest of the world has been trying to ease restrictions.

The comments, reported in Chinese media, came as authorities published a study by local academics warning that any attempt by China to deviate from the elimination strategy by following western herd immunity models would be “disastrous”.

“China’s current rapid response . . . strategy can cope with various types of Covid variants,” Zhang Wenhong, an infectious disease expert and director of the Huashan Hospital’s department of infectious diseases in Shanghai, said on Weibo: “I don’t think it will have a big impact on China at the moment.”

Beijing has adopted a tough Covid-zero strategy that involves subjecting vast numbers of people to compulsory government quarantine, with wide definitions of those considered a close contact.

While effective at preventing deaths, it has left the nation isolated from the rest of the world. Most other countries in the region that had also pursued elimination strategies are moving towards an acceptance of the disease as endemic.

But Zhang said the strategy had won China a “strategic opportunity” as the arrival of the new variant forced other countries to begin reimposing restrictions.

Zhong Nanshan, another top Chinese pandemic expert, said authorities would need to pay attention to visitor arrivals from Africa, but did not suggest any further government measures to tackle the new variant.

“How harmful it is, how fast it will spread, whether it will make the disease more serious . . . it is too early to draw a conclusion,” Zhong said at the weekend, according to Chinese media reports.

In the study, Chinese mathematicians warned that moving away from China’s strict Covid-zero approach to one similar to the US could lead to as many as 637,155 new cases daily, which would have a “devastating impact on the medical system of China and cause a great disaster within the nation”.

“The estimates revealed the real possibility of a colossal outbreak which would almost certainly induce an unaffordable burden to the medical system,” the authors wrote.

The warning was contained in a study by Yuan Zhang, Chong You, Xin Gai and Xiaohua Zhou published on November 24 by China’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Our findings have raised a clear warning that, for the time being, we are not ready to embrace ‘open-up’ strategies resting solely on the hypothesis of herd immunity induced by vaccination advocated by certain western countries,” the authors said.

But they said they did not account for any difference in effectiveness of the vaccines between those offered in the west and China.

China’s population has mostly been inoculated with more traditional “inactivated” vaccines made by the state-owned Sinopharm and domestic pharmaceutical company, Sinovac Biotech. Some experts say there are doubts as to whether these more traditional type of vaccines offer as long-lasting protection as those based on newer mRNA technology.

Zhong said that about 76.8 per cent of the nation’s population was vaccinated, with 80 per cent targeted by year end.

Sinovac, which has developed and delivered millions of its shots worldwide, said it was working to obtain samples of the new variant to test the effectiveness of its shot against the strain. China is also developing its own homegrown mRNA shots.

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Dow Jones Futures Loom As Market Rally Awaits Omicron Covid Variant News; What To Do Now

Dow Jones futures will open Sunday evening, along with S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures, with all eyes on the newly discovered omicron Covid variant following Friday’s sell-off.




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The stock market rally was hit from all directions last week, with the major indexes tumbling below key levels Friday on the new omicron Covid variant, with crude oil prices and Treasury yields plunging. Coronavirus vaccine makers such as Moderna (MRNA), BioNTech (BNTX) and Pfizer (PFE) were big winners.

Is this the start of a significant market slide, the continuation of recent whipsaw action or will stocks quickly rebound? The current uncertainty makes it difficult to navigate the stock market rally. Investors should be playing more defense than offense until conditions clearly improve. More clarity on the new omicron variant is needed.

Li Auto earnings are due before Monday’s open. Later this coming week, Li Auto (LI) and Chinese EV startups Nio (NIO) and Xpeng (XPEV) are likely to release November delivery figures. China EV giant BYD Co. (BYDDF) may come slightly later, with Tesla (TSLA) China sales figures eventually following.

Tesla stock is on IBD Leaderboard and the IBD 50. Pfizer stock was Friday’s IBD Stock Of The Day.

The video embedded in this article analyzed a pivotal market week and discussed PFE stock, Ovintiv (OVV) and Li Auto.

Dow Jones Futures Today

Dow Jones futures will open at 6 p.m. ET, along with S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures.

Dow futures could be volatile Sunday night, with investors making best on the market rally’s direction without a clear picture of just how serious, or not, the omicron variant is.

Bitcoin rose modestly, trading above $56,500 and at weekend highs, suggesting a vague “risk on” sentiment after Friday’s sharp sell-off in cryptocurrencies.

After U.S. crude oil prices plunged 13{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} on Friday, OPEC+ is delaying some technical meetings set for Monday-Tuesday to Wednesday-Thursday so the market can digest the impact of the new Covid variant.

Remember that overnight action in Dow futures and elsewhere doesn’t necessarily translate into actual trading in the next regular stock market session.

Join IBD experts as they analyze actionable stocks in the stock market rally on IBD Live

Omicron Coronavirus: Covid Variant Of Concern

A new coronavirus variant with a large number of mutations, first detected in South Africa, is raising concerns. It’s unclear if the B.1.1529 Covid variant, dubbed the omicron variant on Friday, is more deadly or infectious than prior strains, or whether vaccinations or prior Covid infection provide substantial protection.

The World Health Organization noted that the omicron variant appears to have a higher risk of reinfection for people who have already had Covid-19. The WHO declared it a “variant of concern,” the first such designation since the delta variant a year ago.

However, a coronavirus adviser to the South Africa government as well as the Pretoria doctor who sounded the alarm about the Omicron variant said that cases generally seem to be “mild.”

There are reasons to believe that anti-viral pills, such as those made by Pfizer and Merck (MRK), would retain effectiveness vs. the latest Covid strain.

The U.S., U.K., European Union, Australia, Israel and Singapore have suspended flights or entry from southern Africa.

Dutch officials on Sunday reported 13 omicron Covid cases among travelers from South Africa to the Netherlands.

The U.K., Belgium, Australia, Italy, Hong Kong and Israel are among countries that have identified a handful of omicron Covid cases.

Coronavirus Vaccine Stocks

Pfizer partner BioNTech said it will take two weeks to see how effective its vaccine is vs. the omicron Covid variant. Moderna said it could have a Covid vaccine designed for the omicron variant by early 2022. MRNA technology speeds up vaccine development, though FDA approval could take several months.

On Nov. 19, the FDA approved Moderna or Pfizer booster shots for all adults. That came soon after the FDA approved the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for children aged 5-11, after already approving the Covid vaccine for adolescents aged 12-15.

Pfizer and partner BioNTech, along with rival mRNA coronavirus vaccine maker Moderna, jumped Friday on the omicron Covid variant, also called Nu Covid. Pfizer also is benefitting from Merck reporting even-lower efficacy from its antiviral Covid pill. A Pfizer Covid oral drug is much more effective.

PFE stock jumped 6.1{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} on Friday to 54, gapping above a 51.96 buy point, according to MarketSmith analysis. However, Pfizer stock has surged for six straight weeks off the bottom of its cup base. A pullback wouldn’t be a surprise.

MRNA stock gapped above its 50-day line, breaking a trend line with a 21{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} gain. BNTX stock, which cleared its 50-day line earlier in the week, soared 14{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. Both Moderna stock and BioNTech could be deemed early entries. But investors might want to see more strength from Moderna and a post-gap up consolidation from BNTX stock.

Meanwhile, other coronavirus medical plays such as Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and PerkinElmer (PKI) showed positive action as well.

Covid Cases Rising

Coronavirus cases had already been ramping up worldwide for the past several weeks, notably in Europe. Austria began a lockdown in the past week.

Coronavirus cases worldwide reached 261.72 million. Covid-19 deaths topped 5.21 million.

Coronavirus cases in the U.S. have hit 49.09 million, with deaths above 799,000. U.S. cases, after picking up for a couple of weeks, appeared to be leveling off shortly before Thanksgiving. Will the holiday travel spur another upsurge in cases next week? Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. have continued to fall.

These Sectors Lead Sell-Off As New Covid Variant Emerges

Stock Market Rally

The stock market rally had a rough holiday-shortened week, with broad-based losses.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gave up 2{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in last week’s stock market trading, all driven by Friday’s 2.5{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} decline. The S&P 500 index shed 2.2{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. The Nasdaq composite skidded 3.5{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. The small-cap Russell 2000 tumbled 4.6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}.

Crude oil futures plunged 13{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} on Friday. The 10-year Treasury yield lost 4 basis points to 1.49{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} for the week. But the benchmark yield dived 15 basis points Friday after nearly hitting a six-month high Wednesday intraday.

Among the best ETFs, the Innovator IBD 50 ETF (FFTY) plunged 5.9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, while the Innovator IBD Breakout Opportunities ETF (BOUT) gave up 3.5{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV) slumped 5{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) retreated 4.1{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}.

Reflecting more-speculative story stocks, ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) dived 5.3{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and ARK Genomics ETF (ARKG) 5.7{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. Tesla stock remains the No. 1 holding across ARK Invest’s ETFs.

SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF (XME) fell 3.2{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and Global X U.S. Infrastructure Development ETF (PAVE) declined 2.1{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS) tumbled 7{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB) slid 2{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. The Energy Select SPDR ETF (XLE) rose 1.3{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, but tumbled 4.3{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} on Friday with many shale plays faring far worse. The Financial Select SPDR ETF (XLF) lost 1{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, skidding 3.7{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} on Friday.

Five Best Chinese Stocks To Watch Now

Li Auto Stock

Li Auto is expected to narrow its per-share loss with Q3 revenue tripling. Last week Li Auto stock rose 5.9{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} to 32.40. That’s near possible entries, including an official 34.93 handle buy point.

Xpeng stock is holding above a 48.08 buy point and 50.50 alternative entry after surging on earnings in the past week. Tesla and BYD stock could be working on new consolidations, both closing Friday near their 21-day lines. Nio stock has fallen back below its 200-day line.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in a “leaked” email to employees, suggested the EV giant may push some Q4 deliveries from the typical end-of-quarter crush into early 2022, in a bid to lower shipping costs. “Leaked” Musk emails often spur analysts to lower quarterly delivery targets. The upcoming Austin and Berlin plants should eventually ease some of the Tesla delivery crush in the U.S., Europe and China.

Tesla Berlin will begin production in December, Automobilwoche reported Sunday. Regulators are expected to give final approval to the plant with days. Production is seen picking up in January, but it at a relatively slow ramp in early 2022.

Market Rally Analysis

In the past week, the stock market rally started a major sell-off in highly valued growth stocks, especially software, while energy stocks and banks rebounded. The new Covid variant sent stocks sharply lower on Friday, especially oil and financials, as crude prices and Treasury yields tumbled. Travel stocks also were hard hit, while retailers extended a recent retreat. Coronavirus plays bounced, while software names held up relatively well.

The Nasdaq composite and S&P 500 gapped below their 21-day lines after both found support at that key level earlier in the week. The Dow Jones, which was up modestly through Wednesday, gapped below its 50-day line on Friday.

The Russell 2000 tumbled below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. The small-cap index is a decent proxy for market breadth, which has weakened considerably. Losers trounced winners 4-to-1 on the Nasdaq Friday, and by 5-to-1 on the NYSE. The advance/decline lines have deteriorated in the past few weeks.

The CBOE Volatility Index, or VIX, spiked 54{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} to 28.62, hitting a 10-month high. Extreme moves in the so-called market fear gauge could raise the odds of at least a short-term market bottom. But it doesn’t have to happen right away and it doesn’t have to last.

There’s a lot of uncertainty right now regarding the market rally and which sectors will lead and lag. Market action is likely to be headline driven. How dangerous is the omicron Covid variant?. That will inform governments’ decisions on travel bans and restrictions and whether or not people adjust their behavior once again. A major outbreak could trigger new government and business shutdowns, roiling supply chains once again and sending commodity prices on a longer slide.

Perhaps all these fears are overdone. Goldman Sachs, in a Friday night note, said “this mutation is unlikely to be more malicious and that the existing vaccines will most likely continue to be effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths.” Goldman added, “we do not think that the new variant is sufficient reason to make major portfolio changes.”

Time The Market With IBD’s ETF Market Strategy

What To Do Now

The whipsaw, downside action in the major indexes, various sectors and leading stocks is not conducive to new buys. Sure, if the overall stock market rally or specific sectors rebound, buying now will likely turn out well. But with so much uncertainty regarding the new omicron Covid variant, inflation, supply chains and more, the odds are not especially favorable.

It’s quite possible the oil, bank or travel stocks will try to rebound early next week, much as software stocks did on Wednesday. But that doesn’t mean the bounce will continue.

Investors should review their holdings and ditch losers. If you got caught out in Friday’s gap-down losses and didn’t act, don’t continue to freeze.

Take more of a defensive posture with all of your holdings and portfolio. Don’t necessarily be in a rush to sell everything, unless all your stocks are triggering losses.

When market conditions do shore up, whether it’s next week or next year, you want to be ready financially and mentally to take advantage.

Read The Big Picture every day to stay in sync with the market direction and leading stocks and sectors.

Please follow Ed Carson on Twitter at @IBD_ECarson for stock market updates and more.

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Fantasy Football Today: Who’s in, who’s out for Week 12

Whether you got off to a great start in Thursday’s games or you’re looking to make up ground, you’re going to have a lot of questions about your lineups this week, I know. Adam Aizer and Heath Cummings updated you on the latest news and answered some start/sit questions on this morning’s FFT podcast, and Jamey Eisenberg, Dave Richard, and Heath are on CBS Sports HQ until kickoff of the 1 p.m. games to answer your questions and keep you updated on all of the news you need to know on the FFT live show. 

Make sure you check both out, but if you want more direct answers to your questions and other news updates, I have two more ways for you to win: Go to Twitter and use the hashtag “#AskFFT”, where our whole team will be answering questions all morning; and go to the FFT YouTube channel to chat with Adam and I from 11:30 until kickoff. We’ll be there right up until kickoff answering as many questions as we can, so make sure you’re in the chat early to get your questions in. 

Here’s the rest of our preview content to get you ready, and check out my updated position rankings at the bottom of the newsletter to help with any early lineup dilemmas you may have: 

Sep 12, 2021; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Julio Jones (2) and Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Nissan Stadium.
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Quarterbacks

Zach Wilson will make his return to the starting lineup for the Jets after missing four games with a knee sprain, and he has a nice soft landing spot against the Texans. Nobody should be planning on using him for Fantasy, so the biggest question is really whether he’ll play well enough to keep Elijah Moore’s breakout rolling and to get Ty Johnson involved in the passing game. 

Running backs

McNichols is actually the biggest injury here, because it seemingly frees up Dontrell Hilliard to play a big role again. Hillard surprisingly emerged as the most-used running back for the Titans in Week 11, catching eight passes and finishing with 82 yards from scrimmage. The Titans have a tough matchup against the Patriots on the way this week, but given the Titans’ injuries at both running back and wide receiver, it’s going to be hard to go away from Hilliard coming off that kind of usage. He’s in the RB2 discussion for PPR leagues.

The other interesting situation here is the Jets, with Carter placed on IR earlier this week. Johnson and Tevin Coleman figure to split work for the Jets in the backfield in a great matchup against the Texans, but can you actually trust either? Johnson played 20 snaps in Week 12 and had one carry and one target; Coleman rushed for a whopping 16 yards on five carries with one target of his own. Coleman probably needs a touchdown to have much Fantasy value, so you’re hoping Johnson splits carries with him and gets a decent passing game role. He’s more of an RB3, while Coleman is truly just a desperation play — it wouldn’t shock me to see La’Mical Perine out produce him. 

The Seahawks RB absences are also worth noting. Alex Collins figures to be the leading rusher against Washington, but DeeJay Dallas did match him in snaps last week, so he’s an interesting beat-the-waiver-wire add this morning just in case he pushes Collins this week. 

These two are looking like game-time decisions, which isn’t a bad thing for those of you with Patterson, who plays at 1.  If Patterson is active, you’re playing him — he’s been one of the best players in Fantasy this season and has an excellent matchup against the Jaguars on the way. If he doesn’t play, my preference would be to avoid the Atlanta backfield, but that may not be possible, so I would prefer Mike Davis to Wayne Gallman, especially in PPR. He wouldn’t be a top-24 RB, however. 

The problem with Jones is he doesn’t play until 4:25 p.m., so if you have to make a decision early, he’s putting you in a tough spot. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Sunday morning there is “optimism” around Jones, who is pushing to play and will go through pre-game warmups to prove he’s ready. The problem is, the Packers tend to be pretty conservative with injuries, and with a Week 13 bye coming up, they may opt to give him two full weeks to get back to full strength. I can’t see into the future, so I can’t tell you whether to sit an early player for Jones; if you have a viable replacement in the late slate of games, it’s worth the risk, but otherwise, I would probably pass. AJ Dillon figures to see a solid role no matter what and is a decent starter even if Jones plays, so I would probably just keep him active.

Likely in: Saquon Barkley (ankle), Kareem Hunt (calf), Elijah Mitchell (finger), Damien Harris (neck), Rhamondre Stevenson (knee) 

I’m willing to start Barkley and Hunt as top-20 running backs this week and Mitchell is right in that range as well, so you’re probably starting all three of those guys. And I’m probably passing on the Patriots duo, since both are expected to play and it’s not like we have any reason one way or the other to consider one or the other more likely to be limited — injury details don’t tend to leak out for the Patriots. Expect another timeshare there, one that makes them both fringe Fantasy options until something changes to give one of them a real advantage. You’re hoping for a touchdown either way.  

Wide receivers

  • Out: A.J. Brown (chest; IR), Corey Davis (groin), Antonio Brown (ankle), Sterling Shepard (quadriceps), Kadarius Toney (quad), Auden Tate (thigh), Anthony Schwartz (concussion), Ben Skowronek (back)
  • Legitimately questionable: Allen Lazard (shoulder), Donovan Peoples-Jones (groin), Curtis Samuel (groin), Nico Collins (hip), Adam Humphries (hip)
  • Expected to play: Marquise Brown (thigh)

The Titans already have Julio Jones and Marcus Johnson on IR, so they are incredibly short-handed for this one. Dez Fitzpatrick, Chester Rogers, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine led the team in WR snaps last week, and Westbrook is the only one you could even consider starting coming off a 100-yard game, but you’d probably have to be pretty desperate to do so — he turned eight targets into 29 yards in Week 4 against the Jets the last time Brown was out. He’s not a top-40 WR for me. 

I’m starting Marquise Brown in his return against the Browns, and it really doesn’t take much thought. He’d been a bit disappointing prior to the injury, with fewer than 40 yards in two of his previous four games, however he also had 44 targets in those four games, so there’s no way I’m not starting him. He’s a top-15 WR, while Rashod Bateman is in the WR3 discussion as he’s had at least six targets in each of the first five games of his career. 

Tight ends

The hope is that Thomas will be activated from IR prior to Monday’s game, but given the late kickoff there, you can’t take the risk that he won’t play unless you want to add Gerald Everett as a fill in just in case. I like Thomas’ chances of returning to be a viable starting Fantasy option, however, so if he’s available in your league, I would go out and add him unless I’ve got one of the handful of no-doubt-about-it, must-start tight ends. 

Updated rankings

Here are my latest rankings as of Sunday morning: 

Quarterback

  1. Lamar Jackson vs. CLE
  2. Tom Brady @IND
  3. Jalen Hurts @NYG
  4. Justin Herbert @DEN
  5. Aaron Rodgers vs. LAR
  6. Tua Tagovailoa vs. CAR
  7. Cam Newton @MIA
  8. Matthew Stafford @GB
  9. Kirk Cousins @SF
  10. Joe Burrow vs. PIT
  11. Russell Wilson @WAS
  12. Tyrod Taylor vs. NYJ
  13. Teddy Bridgewater vs. LAC
  14. Taylor Heinicke vs. SEA
  15. Ben Roethlisberger @CIN
  16. Carson Wentz vs. TB
  17. Matt Ryan @JAX
  18. Daniel Jones vs. PHI
  19. Mac Jones vs. TEN
  20. Trevor Lawrence vs. ATL
  21. Jimmy Garoppolo vs. MIN

Running back

  1. Christian McCaffrey @MIA
  2. Jonathan Taylor vs. TB
  3. Najee Harris @CIN
  4. Austin Ekeler @DEN
  5. Dalvin Cook @SF
  6. Joe Mixon vs. PIT
  7. Cordarrelle Patterson @JAX
  8. Leonard Fournette @IND
  9. Darrell Henderson @GB
  10. Saquon Barkley vs. PHI
  11. James Robinson vs. ATL
  12. Nick Chubb @BAL
  13. Myles Gaskin vs. CAR
  14. Dontrell Hilliard @NE
  15. Antonio Gibson vs. SEA
  16. Miles Sanders @NYG
  17. Aaron Jones vs. LAR
  18. Kareem Hunt @BAL
  19. Elijah Mitchell vs. MIN
  20. AJ Dillon vs. LAR
  21. Ty Johnson @HOU
  22. Melvin Gordon vs. LAC
  23. Javonte Williams vs. LAC
  24. D’Onta Foreman @NE
  25. Alex Collins @WAS
  26. Damien Harris vs. TEN
  27. Rhamondre Stevenson vs. TEN
  28. Devonta Freeman vs. CLE
  29. David Johnson vs. NYJ
  30. Mike Davis @JAX
  31. Deejay Dallas @WAS
  32. Latavius Murray vs. CLE
  33. J.D. McKissic vs. SEA
  34. Nyheim Hines vs. TB
  35. Boston Scott @NYG
  36. Jeff Wilson vs. MIN
  37. Devontae Booker vs. PHI
  38. Alexander Mattison @SF
  39. Rex Burkhead vs. NYJ
  40. Brandon Bolden vs. TEN

Wide receivers

  1. Davante Adams vs. LAR
  2. Cooper Kupp @GB
  3. Justin Jefferson @SF
  4. Keenan Allen @DEN
  5. Deebo Samuel vs. MIN
  6. Diontae Johnson @CIN
  7. Chris Godwin @IND
  8. D.J. Moore @MIA
  9. Mike Evans @IND
  10. Ja’Marr Chase vs. PIT
  11. Marquise Brown vs. CLE
  12. Terry McLaurin vs. SEA
  13. D.K. Metcalf @WAS
  14. Tyler Lockett @WAS
  15. Brandin Cooks vs. NYJ
  16. Jaylen Waddle vs. CAR
  17. Michael Pittman vs. TB
  18. Jerry Jeudy vs. LAC
  19. Elijah Moore @HOU
  20. Adam Thielen @SF
  21. Tee Higgins vs. PIT
  22. Chase Claypool @CIN
  23. Jamison Crowder @HOU
  24. Odell Beckham  @GB
  25. DeVonta Smith @NYG
  26. Brandon Aiyuk vs. MIN
  27. Rashod Bateman vs. CLE
  28. Mike Williams @DEN
  29. Kenny Golladay vs. PHI
  30. Jarvis Landry @BAL
  31. Marvin Jones vs. ATL
  32. Jakobi Meyers vs. TEN
  33. Laviska Shenault  vs. ATL
  34. Tyler Boyd vs. PIT
  35. Courtland Sutton vs. LAC
  36. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine @NE
  37. Van Jefferson @GB
  38. T.Y. Hilton vs. TB
  39. Dez Fitzpatrick @NE
  40. Russell Gage @JAX

Tight end

  1. Mark Andrews vs. CLE
  2. George Kittle vs. MIN
  3. Rob Gronkowski @IND
  4. Kyle Pitts @JAX
  5. Mike Gesicki vs. CAR
  6. Dallas Goedert @NYG
  7. Dan Arnold vs. ATL
  8. Evan Engram vs. PHI
  9. Tyler Higbee @GB
  10. Pat Freiermuth @CIN
  11. Noah Fant vs. LAC
  12. Hunter Henry vs. TEN
  13. Jared Cook @DEN
  14. Tyler Conklin @SF
  15. Logan Thomas vs. SEA
  16. Austin Hooper @BAL
  17. O.J. Howard @IND
  18. David Njoku @BAL
  19. Gerald Everett @WAS
  20. C.J. Uzomah vs. PIT

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Michigan Wolverines roll past rival Ohio State Buckeyes, secure spot in Big Ten championship game

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan defeated Ohio State for the first time under Jim Harbaugh with a 42-27 win Saturday.

The Wolverines had lost 15 of the past 16 meetings, but they battered the Buckeyes for the first time since 2011 in an emphatic victory. Michigan took the lead to start the game and, despite briefly losing the lead in the second quarter, came out on top with 28 second-half points and a strong finish in the November snow.

“These guys have been disrespecting us, stepping on our jerseys, talking about hanging 100 on us,” Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson said. “Doing all the rah, rah and all the talk, but we’re about it today.”

The Michigan defense gave up 458 total yards to Ohio State’s potent offense, and quarterback C.J. Stroud had 394 yards and two touchdowns. The Ohio State offense had some self-inflicted mistakes, though, that didn’t help their cause as the offense had a season-high seven offensive penalties.

Michigan’s pass-rushers have been applying pressure to opponents all season, and David Ojabo and Hutchinson were able to wreak havoc in this game as well. Hutchinson had three sacks and set a Michigan single-season sack record with 13.

Hutchinson said he visualized this win in his mind before the game and how the game would be dictated and what it would feel like to finally get a win over Ohio State.

“This was it right here; visualized storming the field, I wanted the goal posts to go down but I don’t think they’re down,” Hutchinson said. “All that, just crying, we did it and it’s something that I’ve been thinking about for years now.”

The Buckeyes were coming off of a game against Michigan State in which the offense scored 56 points with 655 total yards of offense. It was a completely different outcome Saturday, and despite racking up some big yardage, Ohio State never gained enough momentum.

“We kept fighting, but we weren’t able to turn the tides and like you said, that’s always a big part of the game. I felt like even getting three points at the end of the half, then getting the ball back, if we would’ve come down and scored with that first possession we would’ve gotten so momentum going,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “But we didn’t, and they came right down and scored. Then you just felt like you could never get the ball back on offense and that’s a bad feeling, as well. You start to force it a little too much and don’t establish the run when you’re in that situation, so this one hurts.”

Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud was visibly upset in the postgame press conference, hanging his head saying he put his heart and soul into this game and he vows to correct the loss. Safety Bryson Shaw called the defense’s performance embarrassing and ridiculous. He gives Michigan credit for winning the game. The Buckeyes didn’t give their best shot.

The Michigan players had spoken throughout the season about how this team is different and said the players aren’t flinching in big games and big situations as they have in the past.

“I told you guys at the Big Ten media day that we were emphasizing this game more,” Hutchinson said. “Everyone seemed to have a lot of questions about that in terms of how we we’re doing it and I told you to trust me, we were doing it. You go out there, you see how we played in that dominant fashion. There you go.”

That was evident during the third quarter when the entire Michigan sideline was jumping and dancing to the music in the stadium, a sight that hasn’t been seen — Michigan with some confidence — in this rivalry for quite some time.

“This is everything I’ve dreamed of,” Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara said in the postgame TV interview. “This is everything that any guy who’s committed to Michigan over the last five years — this is why they come.”

The Michigan offense was able to capitalize on its opportunities to help put the game away for the Wolverines. Running back Hassan Haskins had 169 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the game. He became the first Michigan running back to rush for at least three touchdowns against Ohio State since Mike Hart did it in 2006.

The Wolverines had 299 yards rushing as a team, which was the most rushing yards a Ryan Day-led Ohio State team has ever allowed, and it was the first time Michigan has gone over 200 yards rushing against the Buckeyes since 2011, in Michigan’s last victory over the Buckeyes. It was the run game that kept pounding and kept pushing the offense ahead in this match.

The game was never in question for Michigan, and it was a stark contrast to the past two meetings between the two teams, in which Ohio State outscored Michigan 118-66. After a loss to Michigan State, questions arose about whether Harbaugh could get his first win in six tries against the Buckeyes.

Harbaugh got that win, and his players emphasized that they knew how much this meant to their coach because of the criticism he has received in the past and the importance of this rivalry.

“You guys should have seen him in the locker room after the game, I’ve never seen him more happy, more excited. Not just for himself, but his excitement for the players, how much he knows it means, not only to the players, but the coaches and everyone involved,” Offensive lineman Andrew Stueber said. “He’s gone through some tough times, he’s faced a lot of adversity since he’s been coach here. To see him finally beat Ohio State, as a team, as a unit, we knew what this team was capable of and it all starts with him.”

This is a turnaround season for the Wolverines after winning only two games last season, and this win puts Michigan in the Big Ten championship game, representing the Big Ten East, and gives it a shot at a spot in the College Football Playoff.

“We’ve been saying all year that this team is different,” McNamara said. “And I think today we proved that.”

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New Covid variant triggers urgent moment for Biden health team

There is plenty still unknown about Omicron, including where and when it first emerged and whether it causes severe illness. But the variant already has the potential to upend the global pandemic response and undo progress that’s been made containing Covid-19.

While no cases have been found in the U.S., Biden health officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House held a series of meetings over the past two days to plan for U.S. cases of the variant and possible spikes in disease spread across the country. Officials have debated how long to shut down travel from southern Africa, whether to allow for U.S. citizens to return and whether to change domestic public health guidelines to safeguard Americans from potential infection, the three senior Biden officials said. The administration is set to impose restrictions on Monday but isn’t applying them to U.S. citizens.

“There’s no evidence that it is here but I would be surprised if it doesn’t ultimately land here,” Anthony Fauci, the president’s chief medical officer, told POLITICO. For the time being, health officials are pushing Americans to adhere to existing public health guidelines issued by the CDC and to sign up for Covid-19 booster shots in the coming weeks. There are currently no other plans to implement other safeguards.

Fauci and other top Biden health officials have reviewed a limited set of data on Omicron in coordination with international officials in South Africa and Israel, focusing on the degree to which the variant can spread. Fauci, along with top officials from the CDC briefed President Joe Biden Friday morning, advocating that he shut down travel from seven countries in southern Africa, including South Africa.

“One thing is clear is that [Omicron] is very transmissible,” Fauci said. “The reason you close the borders is to buy you time so you can better prepare and learn more about the variant, its transmissibility, its potential evasion of immune responses, and its seriousness of disease it causes.”

Scientists in South Africa have said it could take up to two weeks to study the variant and learn how well it evades immunity from vaccines. Omicron’s many mutations already are prompting increased surveillance and genetic testing but it is unclear exactly how well it adapts or what kind of threat it poses to the global population.

“It is conceivable that it is just a very highly transmissible virus that might not have a major impact on the seriousness of infection,” Fauci said, suggesting that even if individuals contracted the variant, they may not require hospitalization.

The emergence of Omicron has also raised new concerns among international officials and health representatives about the need to get shots in arms quickly in low-income countries, such as those in Africa, in the next several weeks.

“This is a worst fear coming true,” said Lily Caprani, head of advocacy for health and pandemic response at UNICEF.

“The stakes are super high because [southern Africa] has many countries with really fragile health systems,” she said. “Not only do they have really low access to vaccines … the consequences for their health systems if a surge takes a hold are going to be really catastrophic. And that means children and families are at really high risk.”

To date, the world has only administered about 7.89 billion shots, according to data collected by Bloomberg. Health experts have said 11 billion doses are needed to crush the Covid-19 pandemic.

Advocates argue that more transmissible variants like Omicron will continue to develop as long as the majority of the world’s population remains unvaccinated. But COVAX, the world’s vaccine distributor, is still trying to overcome lingering roadblocks with procuring supply. And many developing nations lack the infrastructure on the ground to administer doses. Others cite increasingly high levels of vaccine hesitancy.

South Africa recently delayed a shipment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, saying the country had too many doses in stock.

Biden officials have pushed back on the idea that the U.S. needs to do more to help the low-income countries, pointing to the nearly 250 million doses it has delivered to the world — more than all other countries combined, according to data compiled by UNICEF.

Biden noted that metric in a statement on Friday, adding,”It is time for other countries to match America’s speed and generosity,” he said.

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What GMP reflects ahead of share listing date

Go Fashion IPO listing date: Shares of Go Fashion is going to list on 30th November 2021 and lucky bidders are buy guessing about the listing gain from the public issue worth ₹1,013.61 crore. For such bidders, there is a piece of good news from the grey market. Shares of Go Fashion are available at a premium of ₹500 in the grey market today. Market observers believe that such grey market premium (GMP) reflects strong listing gain from the public issue, which is priced at ₹655 to ₹690 per equity share.

Go Fashion IPO GMP

According to market observers, Go Fashion IPO GMP today is ₹500, which is unchanged from its yesterday’s GMP. So, despite negative sentiment in the primary market, Go Fashion IPO GMP has remained steady that reflects strong listing of the public issue. Market observers went on to add that despite stock market crash on Friday, Go Fashion shares have remained steady in grey market that means lucky bidders can expect high return from their investment on the listing date.

What this GMP mean?

Market observers went on to add that GMP is nothing but expected listing gain from the public issue by the grey market. As Go Fashion IPO GMP today is ₹500, it means grey market is expecting Go Fashion share listing at around ₹1190 ( ₹690 + ₹500), which is around 70 per cent higher from its price band of ₹655 to ₹690 per equity share.

However, stock market experts are of the opinion that grey market gives an unofficial data that has nothing to do with the fundamentals of the company. They advised bidders to stick with the balance sheet of the company and find out the exact financial condition of the company.

Expecting good response on Go Fashion share listing date; Ravi Singh, Head of Research & Vice President at ShareIndia said, “In the current market scenario, most of the IPO’s are expected to perform well. We expect Go Fashion IPO to also receive a good response during listing. The boost in textile sector will also help Go Fashion in longer term. However, we advise the investors to book the premium at the time of listing.”

Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint.

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