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☆ Mortgage demand from homebuyers drops even as interest rates pull back to April lows
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Mortgage rates last week dropped to the lowest level since April, but buyers are still struggling to afford today's housing market. As a result, mortgage demand flattened at a weak pace. "While the downward move in rates benefits prospective homebuyers, mortgage rates are still much higher than they were a year ago, while for-sale inventory remains tight," Kan added. Another read on inflation will influence the next move from the Federal Reserve on interest rates. "The difference between a result of 0.2 or 0.4 is surprisingly massive when it comes to the world of interest rates.

Persons: Joel Kan, Kan, Matthew Graham Organizations: Mortgage, Treasury, Federal Reserve, Mortgage News

☆ Trump Media Stock Rises Again, Adding Billions to Former President’s Stake
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Shares of former President Donald J. Trump’s social media company have been on a wild ride since making their debut on Wall Street in March: soaring, crashing and then climbing again. The rally has pushed the value of Mr. Trump’s majority stake in the company to some $6 billion, a major windfall as he ramps up his presidential campaign and faces steep legal bills tied to the multiple cases against him. On Wednesday, the share price of Trump Media & Technology Group traded at around $53, approaching where the parent company of Truth Social ended its first day of trading on March 26, at just under $58. Mr. Trump owns nearly two-thirds of the company, but he is not allowed to sell his shares or use them as collateral for a few months. Trump Media’s multibillion-dollar market valuation has put it in the same league as established companies like American Airlines and Hasbro.

Persons: Donald J, Trump Organizations: Trump Media & Technology Group, Truth Social, American Airlines, Hasbro, & $

☆ Can MLB save the starting pitcher? The search for solutions to baseball’s ‘existential crisis’
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Jayson Stark | Ken Rosenthal | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +20 min

Ten active major-league starting pitchers have won a Cy Young Award — and nine of them have spent time on the injured list in 2024. The issue is not only the health of the modern starting pitcher, but the role those starters play in the sport these days. “You’ve got to get the starting pitcher back. But has the starting pitcher crisis risen to that level? If you’re a dominating starting pitcher in this era, it probably means you throw harder than the average pitcher.

Persons: Tom Seaver, Steve Carlton, Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, ’, Cy Young, Baltimore’s Corbin Burnes, Yu Darvish, Justin Steele, ”, Max Scherzer, “ You’ve, Patrick Mahomes, isn’t, that’s, weren’t, here’s, It’s, they’d, you’re, they’re, David Ortiz, Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Adam Wainwright, they’ve, “, North America aren’t, I’ve, you’ve, ” Scherzer, Corbin Burnes, Patrick Smith, Rob Manfred, we’re, “ You’re, wouldn’t, it’s, “ that’s, He’s, Manfred, Eamonn Dalton, Conrad Williams , Jr, Matthew Grimes Jr Organizations: Cy, Wrigley, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Cubs, Padres, Major League Baseball, Texas Rangers, NFL, Athletic, MLB, American League, of Fame, didn’t, Atlantic League, Red Sox, National League, North America, Orioles, Newsday, Getty Images, Atlanta Braves, Getty

☆ In the battle of Telegram vs Signal, Elon Musk casts doubt on the security of the app he once championed
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Elon Musk once championed encrypted messaging app Signal, promoting its user privacy protections. Signal has been sharply criticized recently by a conservative activist and a rival app, Telegram. AdvertisementThe encryption wars brewing between the messaging apps Telegram and Signal have attracted the commentary of a high-profile critic: Elon Musk. In response to Rufo's post, Musk wrote cryptically, "There are known vulnerabilities with Signal that are not being addressed. Green, as well as Musk, Signal, and Telegram representatives, did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, —, Elon, Pavel Durov, Durov, Tucker Carlson, Vladimir Putin, Jeff Bezos, Christopher Rufo —, Katherine Maher, Rufo, Maher, Edward Snowden, Meredith Whittaker, Whittaker, haven’t, IbXREWVaPL — Meredith Whittaker, @mer__edith, Jack Dorsey, — Elon, Johns Hopkins, Matthew Green, Green Organizations: Service, Fox News, NSA, Amazon, Elon, Telegram, Business Locations: Moscow

☆ Financier Found Guilty in Trump Media Insider Trading Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Federal prosecutors had charged Bruce Garelick with five counts of securities fraud and conspiracy. The information helped two brothers — Michael Shvartsman and Gerald Shvartsman — make nearly $23 million in illegal trading profits by buying Digital World securities in advance of the announcement, which sent the stock soaring. Mr. Garelick, who worked for Michael Shvartsman at a small Miami-based venture capital firm, Rocket One, made about $50,000 by trading off what the authorities said was nonpublic information. Last month, the Shvartsman brothers decided to forgo a trial and pleaded guilty to securities fraud charges. In their plea agreements, prosecutors have recommended a sentence of roughly four to five years for Michael Shvartsman and three to four years for his younger brother.

Persons: Donald J, Bruce Garelick, Garelick, — Michael Shvartsman, Gerald Shvartsman —, Michael Shvartsman Organizations: Trump Media & Technology Group, Truth, Acquisition Corporation, Digital Locations: Manhattan, Miami

☆ Jailing Trump on contempt would likely mean locking him up for an hour or two behind the courtroom, experts predict
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Could Trump's next courtroom outburst or gag-violating Truth Social post really be the final straw that gets him locked up on contempt of court? "You get more due process" when you commit an act of contempt outside the courtroom, Levine said. "It's when the judge calls the court officers and tells them to surround the defendant so that he doesn't try to walk out of the courtroom." AdvertisementBut Trump already has at least two court officers standing behind him at all times in Merchan's courtroom, for his own protection. Reality will instead set in when the judge gives what's usually the final instruction to the court officers, "Take charge," Galluzzo said.

Persons: Trump, —, audibly, Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump, misbehaving, Trump's, Juan Merchan, Arthur Aidala, Harvey Weinstein, Weinstein, Aidala, Arnold Levine, Levine, heckles Daniels, Matthew Galluzzo, Galluzzo, Daniel Scott, who's, Scott, Joe Schmoe, Daniels Organizations: Service, , New, Trump, Legal Aid Society of New York, Defense Task Force, Secret Service Locations: ,, Manhattan, Merchan's, Merchan, Trump

☆ Bill Hwang, Whose Firm Archegos Collapsed in 2021, Is About to Go on Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Three years ago, a multibillion-dollar investment firm called Archegos Capital Management blew up with little warning, causing big losses for some Wall Street banks and leading to federal criminal charges against the firm’s founder, Bill Hwang. On Wednesday, Mr. Hwang, 60, who was charged with 11 counts of securities fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, racketeering and market manipulation, is set to go on trial in Manhattan federal court. Federal prosecutors are seeking to secure a conviction in a major stock market manipulation case in which Mr. Hwang, whose legal name is Sung Kook Hwang, was one of the big financial losers. Archegos had managed money mainly for Mr. Hwang, his family and some of his employees, and much of his family’s wealth was wiped out when the firm collapsed in March 2021. Also on trial with Mr. Hwang is Patrick Halligan, the former chief financial officer of Archegos.

Persons: Bill Hwang, Hwang, Sung Kook Hwang, Archegos, Patrick Halligan Organizations: Archegos Capital Management, Authorities Locations: Manhattan, Wall

☆ You could 'miss the opportunity' with company stock, experts say. Here are the key things to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

However, the taxes can be complicated, depending on the type of stock options. But even with an initial discount, there's no guarantee a company's stock price won't decrease after exercising a stock option. Restricted stock units are 'like a cash bonus'Another benefit, restricted stock units, or RSUs, are company shares granted upon hiring, which vest over time. "We like to establish a target of what they like to hold in company stock," said Garasic, who aims to keep allocations of a single stock to 10% or less. Employee stock purchase plans offer ‘free money’Many publicly traded companies may also offer discounted company shares via an employee stock purchase plan, or ESPP.

Persons: Bruce Brumberg, Ransom, Cooper, Matthew Garasic, vesting, Garasic, there's, Kristin McKenna Organizations: LanaStock, Getty, Zenith Wealth Partners, National Association of Stock Plan, Management, Darrow Wealth, Darrow Wealth Management, CNBC Locations: Pittsburgh, Boston

☆ The portfolio manager whisperers
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Alex Morrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +24 min

AdvertisementHistorically, a hedge fund's chief investment office or senior portfolio manager was responsible for vetting and wooing key investment hires. They can also help hedge funds save on outside recruiting costs, which can add up to tens of millions a year. Hedge funds targeted institutional salespeople at investment banks with exposure to hedge funds, as well as asset allocators with chops in portfolio-manager selection and due diligence. Assets at multimanager hedge funds have boomed since 2018. The principle may work for fictional baseball diamonds, but the reality at hedge funds is more complicated.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Goldman Sachs, —, That's, headhunter who's, liken, Nick Saban's, Midlevel, headhunter, Ken Griffin, Michael Kovac, execs, Jennifer Blake, BD Thomas DeAngelis, Walleye Capital Paritosh Singh, Americas Michael Grad, BlueCrest Lindsay Previdi, Point72, Freestone Grove Matthew Giannini, Ken Griffin's, ExodusPoint, Brevan Howard, breakneck buildout, Michael Gelband —, Jonathan Hoffman, Alexander Phillips, ExodusPoint's, Millennium's Izzy Englander, noncompetes, Millennium Management Amanda Gordon, multimanagers, who've, Goldman, Schonfeld, Brevan Howard —, Neil Chriss, Harry Schwefel, Jonathan Brenner, Walleye's, Thomas DeAngelis, DeAngelis, Brenner, DeAngelis hasn't, Kansas City Chiefs Travis Kelce, Erick W, Rasco, Donald Trump's, America couldn't, Citadel execs Todd Barker, Daniel Morillo —, Jeff Runnfeldt, Bobby Jain, allocator Organizations: NFL, Business, Citadel, BD, University of Alabama, execs, Balyasny, Walleye Capital, Millennium, Americas, Freestone Grove, — Citadel, Walleye, BI, Costco, Millennium Management, Bloomberg, Getty, Investor, Barclays, Barclays Capital Solutions, Brookfield, Paloma Partners, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Allegiant, Getty Images, Black, Investors, ex, Fortress Locations: America, multimanagers, —, Hudson Bay, Schonfeld, Israel, multimanager, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Vegas, Balyasny

☆ Auditor That Works for Trump Media Is Charged With Fraud
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | More About Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An accounting firm that audits the financial statements of hundreds of public companies including former President Donald J. Trump’s social media company can no longer do so, U.S. securities regulators said on Friday. The Securities and Exchange Commission charged the firm, BF Borgers, with fraud, saying that it had failed to comply with accounting rules. The regulator held BF Borgers and its owner, Benjamin F. Borger, responsible for “deliberate and systemic failures” to comply with accounting rules. Many companies that used BF Borgers must now find new auditors. Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of the Truth Social platform, has been a client of BF Borgers since 2022, according to regulatory filings.

Persons: Donald J, BF, Benjamin F, Borgers Organizations: Securities, Exchange Commission, Trump Media & Technology Group, Trump Media Locations: U.S, Borger

☆ Truth Social Co-Founder Says Trump Nearly Derailed Deal That Led to Market Windfall
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | More About Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Former President Donald J. Trump’s social media company is currently worth over $6 billion. But the agreement that set the stage for its stock market debut in March was nearly derailed years earlier by Mr. Trump, who is now the biggest beneficiary of its richly valued stock, one of the firm’s co-founders said on Wednesday. Andy Litinsky, who helped start Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social, testified in federal court that he had doubts about whether Mr. Trump would agree to take the firm public by merging it with a cash-rich shell company, even as the deal-signing ceremony was set to take place at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago residence in late 2021. Mr. Litinsky, a former contestant on Mr. Trump’s reality television show “The Apprentice,” said that before the ceremony, Mr. Trump had asked him whether he should go ahead with the merger of Trump Media and the shell company, Digital World Acquisition Corporation. Mr. Litinsky was in court in Manhattan testifying as a witness in an insider trading trial that arose from an investigation of traders who made millions of dollars with well-timed purchases of Digital World’s stock before the merger announcement on Oct. 20, 2021.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Andy Litinsky, Litinsky, ” Organizations: Trump Media & Technology Group, Truth, Trump Media, Acquisition, Mr, Digital Locations: Manhattan

☆ Opinion: Student protests are what created the university as we know it
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Opinion David M. Perry | Matthew Gabriele | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Editor’s Note: David M. Perry is a journalist, historian and senior academic adviser in the history department of the University of Minnesota. CNN —In recent days, protests by college students against Israel’s actions in the ongoing war in Gaza have popped up across the country. Concerned faculty at the University of Texas-Austin called a strike to protest police actions against peaceful protestors. But then, in the year 1200 CE, a group of students in Paris got swindled by a shopkeeper. They are a reminder that institutions of higher learning are a union between teachers and students dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.

Persons: David M, Perry, Matthew Gabriele, “, ”, Noëlle McAfee, Caroline Fohlin, Elijah Nouvelage, King Philip II Augustus of France, Paris didn’t, doesn’t, Ibn Rushd Organizations: University of Minnesota, of Religion, Virginia Tech, CNN, University of Texas, CUNY, Emory University, Notre Dame, universitas, Twitter Locations: Europe, Gaza, Emory, Austin, Paris, ”

☆ How a Pirate-Clad Pastor Helped Ignite Trump Media’s Market Frenzy
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( David Yaffe-Bellany | Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

One afternoon last month, Chad Nedohin, a part-time pastor and die-hard supporter of Donald J. Trump, put on a pirate costume, set up his microphone and recited a prayer. Mr. Nedohin was opening his latest livestream on the right-wing video site Rumble, where he has about 1,400 followers who share a devotion to Trump Media & Technology Group, the former president’s social media company. “Faith comes from hearing — that is, hearing the good news about Christ,” said Mr. Nedohin, 40, his face framed by fake dreadlocks under a pirate-style hat. Mr. Nedohin and his viewers were waiting for the results of a merger vote that would determine whether Mr. Trump’s company could start selling stock on Wall Street. Soon the news about Trump Media arrived via an audio feed: It was going public.

Persons: Chad Nedohin, Donald J, Trump, Nedohin, Faith, ” Organizations: Trump Media & Technology Group, Trump Media

☆ Russia and China's 'unfriendly' space behavior is 'concerning' and could threaten US satellites, defense analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Ella Sherman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia and China are investigating ways to disable US satellites, raising defense concerns. China is testing satellite grappling technology that can move objects in space without debris. AdvertisementRussia and China appear to be actively looking into ways to watch and potentially incapacitate US satellites in space, and defense analysts are concerned. AdvertisementThe potential grappler satellites China could be testing have an "unfriendly" connotation as they are capable of hijacking and moving objects like satellites in space "without generating any debris." In a February hearing, US Space Command leader Gen. Stephen Whiting described the pace of China's space expansion as "breathtaking."

Persons: —, Gen, Stephen Whiting, Whiting, Matthew Glavy Organizations: Service, Washington -, Strategic, International Studies, CSIS, Space Command, US, Marine Corps Locations: Russia, China, Washington, Beijing

☆ Bitcoin just completed its fourth-ever 'halving,' here’s what investors need to watch now
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Dado Ruvic | ReutersThe Bitcoin network on Friday night slashed the incentives rewarded to miners in half for the fourth time in its history. JPMorgan said it expects to see some downside in bitcoin post-halving and Deutsche Bank said it "does not expect prices to increase significantly." However, the impact may be bigger months from now, even if bitcoin continues its trend of diminishing returns from its halving day to its cycle top. "This process, known as mining, rewards miners with newly minted bitcoins. But with each halving, the reward to mining is decreased to maintain scarcity and control the cryptocurrency's inflation rate over time."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, bitcoin, Mark Palmer, Matthew Galinko, Marion Laboure Organizations: JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank, Miners

☆ Fact check: Biden makes false and misleading claims during Pennsylvania campaign swing
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden spent three days this week campaigning in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania. (The White House corrected the official transcript of Biden’s speech to make clear Biden should have said 2025 instead of 2024.) In other words, there will clearly still be some big and profitable corporations paying no federal income tax despite the existence of the new Biden tax. The center found that the top 0.1% of households paid an average effective federal tax rate of about 30.3% in 2020, including an average income tax rate of 24.3%. “The deficit is a trillion dollars lower, roughly, than when President Biden took office.

Persons: Joe Biden, Ambrose Finnegan, Biden, Jill Biden, PolitiFact, they’ll, it’s, “, Tami Luhby, —, ’ They’ve, Fuxian Yi, Yi, “ It’s, Derek Scissors, Trump, ” Biden, Biden’s “, Matthew Gardner, ” Howard Gleckman, Gleckman, Emmanuel Saez, Gabriel Zucman “, ”, I’ve, Donald Trump, ” Marc Goldwein, Goldwein, he’s, Afghanistan Biden, Biden’s, Finnegan, Finnegan “, Donald Judd, spokespeople, Andrew Bates Organizations: Washington CNN, Defense, Medicare, China, University of Wisconsin, Madison, American Enterprise Institute, CNN, Taxation, Economic, US, Biden, White, Urban, Brookings Tax, Urban Institute, University of California, Tax, Center, Trump, Federal Budget, Washington Post, Defense Department, Defense POW Locations: Pennsylvania, China, Iraq, Afghanistan, Scranton, Pittsburgh, America, Berkeley, “, New Guinea, ” New Guinea

☆ Legal Fight Over Trump Media’s Ownership Adds to Its Woes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | David Yaffe-Bellany | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In February, they sued the company, claiming that Trump Media — which made its trading debut last month at an $8 billion valuation — was trying to deprive them of the full value of their shares. Now they also claim the company is trying to prevent them from selling those shares. In a separate lawsuit that followed, Trump Media claimed that Mr. Moss and Mr. Litinsky should forfeit their shares because their poor decision-making had contributed to a yearslong delay in its merger with Digital World Acquisition Corporation. Trump Media agreed to merge with Digital World, a cash-rich shell company, in 2021 as a way to go public, but the deal closed only in March. The pair’s stake is worth more than $220 million based on the current $26 share price of Trump Media, compared with $2 billion for Mr. Trump.

Persons: Wes Moss, Andy Litinsky, Donald J, Trump, Moss, Litinsky Organizations: Trump Media & Technology Group, Truth, Trump Media, Acquisition Corporation

☆ Truth Social Has an Edge as Rival Right-Wing Apps Falter
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( David Yaffe-Bellany | Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

After former President Donald J. Trump was kicked off Twitter in 2021, conservative entrepreneurs rushed to promote social media alternatives tailored to him and his supporters. There were Parler and Gab, Twitter-like sites popular among the people who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Then came Gettr, a social media app created by one of Mr. Trump’s former advisers. That crowded field has now narrowed, giving an edge to Truth Social, the platform that Mr. Trump’s company owns and where he is the main attraction.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Trump’s Organizations: Twitter, U.S, Capitol

☆ Why mortgage applications have jumped despite rising interest rates
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhy mortgage applications have jumped despite rising interest ratesMatthew Graham, chief operating officer at Mortgage News Daily, joins CNBC's 'The Exchange to break down his outlook for home mortgages, real estate prices, and more.

Persons: Matthew Graham Organizations: Mortgage News

☆ Lawmakers Question Bank of America About Leon Black’s Payments to Epstein
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A U.S. Senate committee investigating the tax avoidance work that Jeffrey Epstein, the registered sex offender, did for the private equity mogul Leon Black has questioned Bank of America over Mr. Black’s hefty payments to Mr. Epstein, according to a letter viewed by The New York Times. They included fees paid to Mr. Epstein for advising on a sophisticated trust that saved Mr. Black more than $1 billion in taxes. Mr. Black’s decades-long business dealings and personal relationship with Mr. Epstein have dogged him ever since Mr. Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges in July 2019. (Mr. Epstein hanged himself in a federal jail a month after his arrest.) Mr. Black, a co-founder of Apollo Global Management, with a net worth of $13 billion, ultimately stepped down from all leadership posts because of the controversy.

Persons: Jeffrey Epstein, Leon Black, Epstein, Ron Wyden, Black, Banks Organizations: U.S, of America, Mr, The New York Times, Senate Finance Committee, Apollo Global Management Locations: Oregon

☆ Trump Media Stock Plunges, Extending Recent Losses
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | Joe Rennison | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Shares of former President Donald J. Trump’s social media company plunged on Monday after the company filed to register the potential sale of tens of millions of additional shares. Trump Media & Technology’s stock fell 18 percent, erasing hundreds of millions of dollars from the company’s market value — and putting a dent in Mr. Trump’s majority stake, worth more than $3 billion. Since a surge in its first days of trading as Trump Media, which lifted the value of the company to about $8 billion at one point last month, the company’s shares have dropped by more than 50 percent. Trump Media was expected to register the potential sale of new shares after the completion of its merger last month with Digital World Acquisition Corp., a cash-rich shell company known as a SPAC. When a SPAC goes public, it issues warrants to investors that can later be converted into shares.

Persons: Donald J Organizations: Trump Media, Companies, Truth

☆ Some of Trump’s Biggest Political Backers Also Threw Trump Media a Lifeline
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | Sharon Lafraniere | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Marty Davis, the wealthy Minnesota head of a kitchen countertop manufacturing company, is a steadfast supporter of former President Donald J. Trump. He contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to help elect Mr. Trump in 2020, and encouraged him to fight to overturn the 2020 election results. Mr. Davis gave Trump Media & Technology Group a $5 million loan, according to documents reviewed by The New York Times. His loan was part of $40 million Trump Media raised from more than a dozen private investors, some of whom have helped finance efforts to elect Mr. Trump and are now likely shareholders of his social media company. It’s not uncommon for start-ups to seek out wealthy investors for financing, but the stock holdings raise questions about the potential for conflicts of interest and undue influence over Mr. Trump should he return to the White House.

Persons: Marty Davis, Donald J, Trump, Davis Organizations: Trump Media & Technology, The New York Times, Trump Media Locations: Minnesota

☆ Weekly mortgage demand remains stalled, as interest rates stay stubbornly high
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Mortgage rates didn't move much last week, and for the second week in a row, neither did mortgage demand. Total mortgage application volume last week was essentially flat, dropping 0.6% from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's seasonally adjusted index. "Elevated mortgage rates continued to weigh down on homebuying. Purchase applications were unchanged overall, although FHA purchases did pick up slightly over the week," noted Joel Kan, an MBA economist. Mortgage rates bounced higher to start this week, after new economic data on manufacturing came in higher than expected and noted higher prices.

Persons: Joel Kan, Matthew Graham Organizations: Mortgage, Federal Reserve, Mortgage News Locations: homebuying

☆ 2 Brothers in Trump Media Insider-Trading Scheme Plead Guilty
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Two brothers from Miami pleaded guilty on Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan for their role in a nearly $23 million insider-trading scheme surrounding the 2021 announcement that former President Donald J. Trump’s social media company planned to merge with a cash-rich shell company. Michael and Gerald Shvartsman, who had pleaded not guilty to securities fraud charges last summer, were set to go on trial later this month. But the brothers decided this week to forgo a trial, instead entering their guilty pleas before Judge Lewis J. Liman of U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Each man pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud. Michael Shvartsman, who ran a venture investment firm called Rocket One, used some of the proceeds from the scheme to buy a $14 million luxury yacht that he named Provocateur.

Persons: Donald J, Michael, Gerald Shvartsman, Judge Lewis J, Liman, Michael Shvartsman Organizations: Southern, of, Trump Media & Technology Group, Acquisition Corporation Locations: Miami, Manhattan, U.S, of New York

☆ The AI Apocalypse: Computer Algorithms Are Already in Control
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Ed Zitron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

But increasingly, the algorithms that undergird our digital lives are making questionable decisions that enrich the powerful and wreck the lives of average people. There's no reason to be scared of AI making decisions for you in the future — computers have already been doing so for quite some time. As human control diminished, the real-world consequences of these algorithms have piled up: Instagram's algorithm has been linked to a mental-health crisis in teenage girls. AdvertisementAcross the public and private sectors, we've handed the keys to a spiderweb of algorithms built with little public insight into how they make their decisions. While generative AI is just the newest extension of the algorithm, it poses a unique threat.

Persons: who's, They've, Matthew Gray, Sergey Brin, Larry Page, It's, Elon Musk, Cambridge Analytica, algorithmically, ProPublica, Quora, OpenAI's ChatGPT, you've, they'll, superintelligence, — simulacrums Organizations: Knight Capital, Companies, Yahoo, Stanford, Google, Spotify, Netflix, Revenue, Facebook, Twitter, Elon, European Union, Associated Press, Black, Microsoft, Eating Disorders Association Locations: Cambridge

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