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☆ Western Union's stabilization plan is working for them, says Jim Cramer
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Western Union's stabilization plan is working for them, says Jim Cramer'Mad Money' host Jim Cramer looks at Western Union's growth over the last few years.

Persons: Jim Cramer

☆ What to Know About Trump’s High-Flying Stock Debut
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Vivian Giang | Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On its first day on the Nasdaq stock exchange on Tuesday, Trump Media & Technology Group became such a high-flying stock that trading in its shares, under the ticker DJT, had to be briefly halted because of extreme volatility. The huge public debut for the company is especially important for its biggest shareholder, former President Donald J. Trump, whose 60 percent stake is now worth about $4.6 billion on paper. Wait, Trump Media is worth how much? After Tuesday’s trading, Trump Media had a market value of nearly $8 billion. Trump Media’s valuation is disproportionately high compared with other social media companies.

Persons: Donald J, Trump Organizations: Nasdaq, Trump Media & Technology Group, Trump Media, Mattel, Alaska Airlines, Western, Trump Locations: Western Union

☆ Trump’s Media Company Gets Lofty Valuation on First Trading Day
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | Joe Rennison | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

There’s a new high-flying stock on Wall Street that some investors are eagerly piling into. His social media company, Trump Media & Technology Group, began trading on the Nasdaq on Tuesday, under the ticker DJT, and immediately surged in value, gaining 40 percent in early trading. Trump Media — the parent of Truth Social, the online platform that is Mr. Trump’s main megaphone for reaching supporters and going after critics — closed its merger with a cash-rich public shell company on Monday. The shell company’s stock had jumped higher ahead of the deal, in a frenzied trade that has fueled the company since it proposed the merger with Mr. Trump’s firm in 2021. Trump Media has an estimated market value well over $6 billion, more than established corporations like Alaska Airlines, Western Union and American Eagle Outfitters.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, —, Trump’s Organizations: Trump Media & Technology Group, Nasdaq, Trump Media, Truth, Mr, Alaska Airlines, Western Union, American Eagle Outfitters

☆ Lofty Valuation Carries Trump’s Social Media Company Into First Trading Day
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

His social media company, Trump Media & Technology Group, will start trading on the Nasdaq on Tuesday, under the ticker DJT. Trump Media — the parent of Truth Social, the online platform that is Mr. Trump’s main megaphone for reaching supporters and going after critics — closed its merger with a cash-rich public shell company on Monday. The shell company’s stock surged ahead of the deal, in a frenzied trade that has fueled the company since it proposed the merger with Mr. Trump’s firm in 2021. The biggest beneficiary of the market action is Mr. Trump, who owns about 60 percent of Trump Media’s shares. At the close of trading on Monday, his stake was worth nearly $4 billion.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, —, Trump’s Organizations: Trump Media & Technology Group, Nasdaq, Trump Media, Truth, Mr, Alaska Airlines, Western Union, American Eagle Outfitters, Trump Media’s

☆ I've been living abroad since 2021. After dating in places like Spain, France, Scotland, I never want to date in the US again.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Evan Lambert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In any case, lockdowns eventually ended, vaccines were finally released, and I became a digital nomad in the summer of 2021 — and then, I began to date men abroad. Here's what I learned after dating guys in Scotland, France, Spain, and Argentina. Still, the guy was more present during our relationship than any of the men I'd dated back in the US. I had to check my privilege after dating in ArgentinaWhile dating in Argentina, I faced a bit of a reality check. To acknowledge this privilege — and balance it out — I began addressing Americans' "travel privilege" in my writing and engaging more with local communities abroad.

Persons: they'd, I'm, lockdowns, —, bonnie, I'd, Evan Lambert, Michel Organizations: Service, Scotland —, Mont Saint, US, Western Unions Locations: United States, New York, Scotland, France, Spain, Argentina, Edinburgh, Scottish, America, Mont, Central Park

☆ Cyberattack Disrupts Mortgage Payments for Millions of Mr. Cooper Customers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Stacy Cowley | More About Stacy Cowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mr. Cooper, one of America’s largest nonbank mortgage loan servicers, suffered a cyberattack last week that disrupted loan payments and other transactions for millions of customers. The company, based in Coppell, Texas, said in a regulatory filing last week that it was attacked on Oct. 31. A notice on its website said Mr. Cooper “took immediate steps to lock down our systems” — which prevented customers from making online loan payments or gaining access to their account information. The company said Monday afternoon that it had restored its system for accepting online payments. The notice also pointed customers toward options for making payments by phone, mail, Western Union or MoneyGram.

Persons: Cooper, Cooper “, “ Mr, ” Organizations: Western Locations: Coppell , Texas, Western Union

☆ Can You Pay a Mortgage with a Credit Card?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Michelle Lambright Black | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +10 min

“Eventually something is going to blow up.”That said, paying your mortgage with a credit card can make sense in a few circumstances, such as when you’re trying to earn a credit card sign-up bonus. How to pay your mortgage with a credit cardIn general, mortgage companies and mortgage loan servicers do not accept credit cards as a form of payment. If you plan to buy gift cards with your credit card and use them to pay your mortgage, it’s important to review your credit card issuer’s policies first. Most people consider paying their mortgage with a credit card for one of two reasons—they want extra time to make their mortgage payments or they want to earn credit card rewards. Potentially, yes: You want to earn credit card rewardsThere is one scenario where paying a mortgage with a credit card may make sense.

Persons: Michelle Lambright, ”, Jeff Rose, Plastiq, it’s, LaToya, “, You’re, Cash, Kevin Payne Organizations: Mastercard, Western Unions, Chase, Capital, Federal Reserve Locations: Plastiq, Birmingham, It’s

AdvertisementAdvertisementA money order is a method of sending money that's more secure than a personal check or cash. Plan to cash your money order in a timely fashionThe longer you hold on to the money order, there's a chance it can be lost, damaged, or misplaced. AdvertisementAdvertisementPlus, cashing a money order quickly is a way to protect yourself against possible fraud, since the sender can cancel their money order. Sign the back of your money order to endorse itDon't sign the money order in advance; add a signature to the back of the money order when you are at the counter. Cashing a money order FAQsCan a money order be converted to cash?

Persons: that's, Chane Steiner, It's, You'll, there's, you've, Steiner Organizations: Service, Union, United States Post Office, Walmart, Chevron, U.S . Bank Locations: Wall, Silicon, Western Union, Chevron

☆ How Mexican narcos use remittances to wire U.S. drug profits home
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Reuters Graphic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +28 min

Now the news agency is the first to detail how Mexican drug gangs have harnessed legitimate remittance networks to repatriate their U.S. drug profits, and the factors that make this activity so difficult for authorities to detect and thwart. But authorities say Mexican drug cartels are piggybacking on this legal network to repatriate earnings from U.S. narcotics sales. A Reuters search of Mexican court records dating back to 2012 turned up no cases involving money laundering through remittances. Still, prosecutors in those cases mentioned several of those firms in court documents because they said the defendants had used their platforms to wire drug money. His office did not respond to requests for comment about law enforcement allegations that Mexican cartels are using remittances to launder drug money.

Persons: Money, ”, “, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, ” Jorge Godínez, ” Godínez, John Cornyn of, Chuck Grassley, ” Grassley, pocketing, John Horn, remitters ”, Horn, – Oscar Gustavo Perez, Bernal, Itzayana Guadalupe Perez, Susan Fiorella Ayala, Chavez –, Los, –, Jose Luis Rosales, Ocampo, Josue Gama, Perez, Thania Rosales, Dulce Rosales, – Ana Lilia Leal, Martinez, Ana Paola Banda, Maria de Lourdes Carbajal, Henri Watson, Carbajal, Sigue, Sangita Bricker, Transfast –, ” Sigue, Transfast, fanny, Juan de Dios Gámez, Rubén Rocha, BanCoppel, Banorte, hadn’t, El, López Obrador, ” López Obrador, Signos, Signos Vitales, Oquitoa, Enrique Cardenas, Tim Walz, Keith Ellison Organizations: Sinaloa Cartel, Reuters, Jalisco New, Mexican, WorldRemit, ., National Intelligence, narcos, U.S, Republican U.S, Treasury, U.S . Department of, U.S ., Financial Intelligence Unit, “, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Los Rosales, Kansas City, ”, Leal, IDT Corporation, IDT, Mastercard, Express Cellular, Prosecutors, IRS, Western Union, U.S . Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, ‘, Banco Azteca, Elektra, World Bank, Minnesota, Caborca Locations: CULIACÁN, Mexico, Mexican, Culiacán, Sinaloa, United States, Jalisco, U.S, Colorado, Union, Americas, London, John Cornyn of Texas, Iowa, Ohio, Colorado , Georgia , Ohio , Oklahoma , Texas, Virginia, Washington, Georgia, Atlanta, Columbus, Rosales, Nayarit, Michoacan, Missouri, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Miami, , New Jersey, Ria, Kansas, California, New York, Western, Sinaloan, Costa Rica, BanCoppel, India, China, Mexico City, Minnesota, Arizona , Colorado , Florida , Illinois, New Mexico, Nevada, Oquitoa, Sonora

How to fill out a money orderTo take advantage of the various benefits of money orders, you'll need to know how to fill out a money order correctly. Where to buy a money orderOne of the most inexpensive places to buy a money order is Walmart. Here's a quick overview of how much it costs to buy a money order:Places to buy a money order Price to buy a money order Walmart maximum fee of $1 USPS $2 for money orders under $500; $2.90 for money orders of $500.01 to $1,000; $0.65 for postal military money ordersMany grocery stores and convenience stores that you already frequent each week also may sell money orders. Filling out money order FAQsDo money orders expire? You'll need the money order number and precise dollar amount to see if a money order was cashed.

Persons: you've, You'll, you'll, refunding, it's, Here's, Price Organizations: Service, Walmart, United States Postal Service, Western Union Locations: Wall, Silicon, Chevron

☆ $5 billion fintech Zepz looks to take on rivals like PayPal with digital wallet, M&A plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

With a $5 billion valuation, Zepz is one of the largest fintech companies in Europe, backed by leading investors including Accel, TCV and Leapfrog. The company enables users to send money from a smartphone or computer to people abroad, who can receive it in their bank account, mobile wallet, or as a mobile airtime top-up. Lenhard didn't identify which companies Zepz was looking to buy, but said the sharp slump in private fintech valuations made it an attractive time to kick off M&A exploration. A particular focus for Zepz product-wise in the near term is digital wallets, Lenhard said, with the company planning to launch its first digital wallet "imminently." He added that he hopes the company's upcoming digital wallet product will convince customers to rely more on Zepz, rather than using competing digital banks and other financial apps which have grown their services to offer a much wider range of products.

Persons: Mark Lenhard, Zepz, It's, Lenhard, Sendwave Organizations: Getty, CNBC, Accel, Bank of England, Sky News, PayPal Locations: Europe, Western Union

☆ Argentine fintech Uala to offer high-yield accounts in Mexico
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MEXICO CITY, June 7 (Reuters) - Argentine fintech unicorn Uala said on Wednesday it launched a high-yield savings account in Mexico after getting approval from regulators to acquire Mexico's ABC Capital Bank and expand operations in the country. Launching the account at an event in Mexico, Uala said the high-yield account will have a fixed annual interest rate and would pay an annual percentage yield of 9%. Uala said a Mexican government survey showed that 54% of people in Mexico save informally, and four out of 10 people do not receive any yield on their savings. Uala received authorization in late May from Mexico's bank regulator CNBV to buy bank ABC Capital, which allowed the Argentine firm to move forward with its banking license in Mexico. The fintech also announced that remittances sent through Western Union (WU.N), Vigo and Orlandi Valuta can now be received through its app.

Persons: Uala, Andres Rodriguez Ledermann, fintech, Carolina Pulice, Anthony Esposito, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: MEXICO CITY, ABC Capital Bank, ABC, Western Union, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Argentine, Mexico, Mexican, Uala, Mexico's, Vigo, Orlandi

☆ Hedge funds piled into these stocks in the first quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Wall Street firm analyzed hundreds of 13F filings last week to find the most popular stocks hedge funds picked up over the volatile quarter. Hedge funds piled into Victoria's Secret in the first quarter, buying the dip in the lingerie retailer, which has seen its shares fall 29% this year. Hedge funds also increased their ownership in financial names Western Alliance and Western Union last quarter. To be sure, it's possible that some of the hedge funds were covering their short bets in this position. A number of biotech names were also high-conviction bets for hedge funds, including Syneos Health , Horizon Therapeutics and Ginkgo Bioworks.

☆ Western Union rival Zepz lays off 26% of employees as fintech cuts continue
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Zepz, which owns the WorldRemit and Sendwave brands, has a total headcount of around 1,600. Money transfer group Zepz is laying off 420 employees, the company told CNBC exclusively, as the fintech sector grapples with a tough macroeconomic environment. The London-headquartered company began informing employees of the redundancies on Monday, with individual staff being told by their managers before larger communications were issued. Zepz, which owns the WorldRemit and Sendwave brands, has a total headcount of around 1,600, meaning the cuts translate to about 26% of its workforce. In June 2022, Zepz implemented redundancies affecting around 5% of its workforce, according to Sky News.

☆ Here are Monday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, JPMorgan, Zillow, General Motors, Exxon, Tesla & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Here are Monday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Morgan Stanley upgrades General Motors to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said the auto giant's stock is oversold. Guggenheim initiates Endeavor as buy Guggenheim initiated the sports and entertainment company and says it's "well positioned." Morgan Stanley reiterates Tesla as overweight Morgan Stanley said Tesla's price cuts are the best measure of electric vehicle demand. Morgan Stanley upgrades Logitech to equal weight from underweight Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock mainly on valuation. Guggenheim upgrades Teradata to buy from neutral Guggenheim upgraded the software company based on positive channel checks.

☆ A solid start to earnings season will be put to the test in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

The biggest week of this earnings season showed us that things aren't as bad as many feared. The week ahead of earnings, including several more Club names, should tell us more. The results are always important, but it's the guidance and management commentary we will really hone in on to better understand the path ahead. In Amazon's case, a solid first quarter for its AWS cloud business was overshadowed by management seeing a material slowdown in April. ET: Nonfarm Payrolls Looking back It was the biggest week of this earnings season for the Club as several of our mega-cap holdings and industry bellwethers reported results.

☆ Morningstar's chief U.S. market strategist shares his outlook for the economy and ways to play the market turbulence ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

But even in a turbulent environment, there are value opportunities for investors who look carefully, according to Dave Sekera, Morningstar's chief U.S. market strategist. "We think the stock market is undervalued," Sekera told CNBC during an interview at the Morningstar Investment Conference in Chicago. "However, I'd say at this point, the easy returns have already been made thus far this year, and I do see a rough road ahead for the next couple of quarters for the stock market in general." For regional bank stocks, Morningstar expects earnings to slowly decline through 2023. Today, Morningstar views many of those names, in areas such as energy, healthcare and consumer defensives, as fully valued.

☆ Bitcoin is poised to blow up Africa's $86 billion banking system
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +16 min

Then there's mobile money, which has been around since the early 2000s. Africa's mobile money transactions rose 39% to more than $700 billion in 2021, according to data from the GSM Association, a non-profit representing mobile network operators worldwide. That cash network was extraordinarily difficult and expensive to build, which is why there aren't a lot of direct competitors. Bitnob is SMS-based and piggybacks on the mobile money system, making it easier for people to send money directly into bank accounts and mobile money wallets in African countries. "We're able to settle into bank accounts or mobile money accounts, without the recipients having to interact with bitcoin themselves," Parah tells CNBC.

☆ How this 26-year-old went from running bitcoin trading desks in Taco Bells to creating the largest crypto exchange in Africa
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +28 min

Yellow Card CEO Chris Maurice just before meeting with the Securities and Exchange Commission in Accra, Ghana. Chris MauriceFrom there, Yellow Card users can send or receive digital cash in eligible markets. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Yellow Card CEO Chris Maurice in Accra, Ghana loading cash onto his Mobile Money account, MoMo. Yellow Card has facilitated $1.75 billion in transactions since launching in 2019 and has about 220 employees – mostly in Africa. A resident checks his phone outside a mobile money kiosk in the Kibera district of Nairobi, Kenya, on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022.

☆ Gap has quietly dissolved its advertising business. It shows the challenges companies have competing for the $45 billion retail media industry.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Gap was hoping to tap into a lucrative new revenue stream called retail media, projected to be worth $45 billion in 2023, according to Insider Intelligence, Insider's sister company. Instead of GPS Media, Gap is devoting resources to support GPS Platform, which handles logistics and fulfillment services for other retailers including next-day and two-day shipping. Gap has also started GPS Apparel, which customizes apparel for companies. Lipsman said that Gap also had a disadvantage in retail media because it only sold its own brands. Are you a Gap employee or do you have insight about retail media to share?

☆ I just traveled to Argentina — and doubled my money with a 'black market' exchange rate
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +15 min

A legal exchange rate influenced by the black marketA worker lays out 500 Argentine peso note sheets on Aug. 14, 2020 in Buenos Aires. Greg IacurciPut another way: Your money goes almost twice as far with the "blue dollar" exchange rate. The exchange rate for the transaction was 366 Argentine pesos per U.S. dollar, almost double the official exchange rate (190 pesos per dollar) at the time. Anyone who wants to save more cash in U.S. dollars must turn to the black market, which sets the "blue dollar" exchange rate. The exchange rate offered by Western Union has been similar to that of the "blue dollar" rate on the black market.

☆ U.S. Exempts Earthquake Aid to Syria From Sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Mengqi Sun | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

Funds sent to Syria for earthquake relief that might otherwise be barred by U.S. sanctions are exempted for about six months, the U.S. Treasury Department said. The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which implements and enforces U.S. sanctions, issued a general license Thursday night allowing U.S. banks and money transmitters to process transactions to and from Syria if they are intended for earthquake aid. The language is seen as providing more protection to financial institutions processing the transactions, sanctions experts said. Paul Carroll, director of the Charity & Security Network, a resource and advocacy center for nonprofit organizations, said delivering aid to Syria also faces logistical challenges. “The obstacles to getting aid to Syria [for earthquake relief] is more about parties, the bad and good guys, than about the sanctions themselves,” Mr. Carroll said.

☆ A flurry of earnings reports, Fed rate hike, signs of a bull market
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Earnings season continues next week, with Club holdings Linde (LIN), Emerson Electric (EMR) and Walt Disney (DIS) all set to report. Similarly, shares of Meta Platforms (META) have surged over 20% since CEO Mark Zuckerberg reassured investors Wednesday evening that 2023 would be the technology giant's "year of efficiency." The bull case is further supported by continued signs inflation is easing, a still-robust job market and the breadth of market-buying activity since the start of the year. Lastly on Wednesday, the Fed's Federal Open Market Committee raised the federal funds rate by 25 basis points, in line with expectations. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ Earnings and Fed Chair Powell will again drive markets in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

With few economic releases and the earnings season starting to wind down, an appearance by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell Tuesday could be among the newsiest events for markets in the week ahead. The Fed chair is speaking at the Economic Club of Washington D.C. at midday Tuesday. If he wanted to walk back anything, he could have done it then," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley. Economists said Friday's surprisingly strong jobs report should encourage the Fed to push forward with planned rate hikes. Earnings, earnings, earnings But there continues to be earnings news.

[1/2] A logo of Meta Platforms Inc. is seen at its booth, at the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups, at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France June 17, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit TessierJan 25 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump's potential return to Meta Platform's (META.O) Facebook and Instagram is unlikely to change how advertisers spend money with the world's second-largest digital ad company, ad agency executives said. In a blog post on Wednesday announcing Trump's reinstatement, Meta said he will face "heightened penalties for repeat offenses." Trump's reinstatement, however, reinforces long-standing concerns about how social media platforms can ensure that ads don't appear next to content that marketers consider unsuitable, D'Altorio said. Ad spending on Twitter slumped in the last two months of 2022, according to Standard Media Index, which measures ad spending based on data from ad agencies.

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