Just one week after Andy Puzder withdrew from his nomination for Labor Secretary after GOP Senators refused to back the Hardee’s CEO, Donald Trump has nominated a new pick for Labor Secretary – Alexander Acosta. And while Democrats are working hard to block all Trump’s cabinet picks, Acosta looks to be a candidate the Dems will sign off on. What’s the difference between Acosta and Puzder? Is Trump closing the rift between the parties?

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TRUMP NAMES H.R. MCMASTER AS NEW NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER

President Donald Trump announced Monday he has selected Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, who is currently director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center at Fort Eustis, Va., as his next national security adviser. Mr. Trump called Gen. McMaster “a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience.”

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KRAFT HEINZ RESCINDS $143 BILLION OFFER TO PURCHASE UNILEVER

Kraft Heinz is dropping its $143 billion cash and stock offer for Anglo/Dutch consumer products giant Unilever just two days after revealing plans for what would have been one of the largest corporate takeovers in history. “Unilever and Kraft Heinz hereby announce that Kraft Heinz has amicably agreed to withdraw its proposal for a combination of the two companies,” the companies said in a joint statement. “Unilever and Kraft Heinz hold each other in high regard. Kraft Heinz has the utmost respect for the culture, strategy and leadership of Unilever,” they added…

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Closing Bell

– Friday, February 17th

Markets Continue to Close at Record Highs as Investors Prepare for Tax Reform

Big Insider Trades

– Stamps.com, Inc. (STML) CFO Kyle Huebner Sells $1.25m

– Coty, Inc. (COTY) CEO Camillo Pane Buys $1.5m