* US Navy challenges Beijing in South China Sea amid show of force near Taiwan
* End of rate-hiking cycle may be near
* US is building new factories at a furious pace
* Is the bond market over-estimating the risk of deep recession?
* Half-empty offices are a risk factor for banks
* Apple’s personal computer shipments fell 41% in the first quarter
* Tesla will open mega-factory in China to produce batteries
* Housing data suggests sector correction may be ending
* Growth in US payrolls slows in March:

S&P 500 earnings on track to report a second consecutive decline in quarterly earnings. “From a corporate earnings perspective, we’re already in a recession,” says Eric Gordon, head of equities at Brown Advisory.