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The third-quarter estimated tax deadline for 2024 is Sept. 16, and skipping a payment could trigger a penalty, according to the IRS. Some filers also need estimated payments if they haven’t withheld enough taxes from a full-time or part-time job. Estimated payments can help avoid “refund disappointment or balance due shock,” said Mark Steber, chief tax information officer of Jackson Hewitt. For 2024, the quarterly estimated tax deadlines are April 15, June 17, Sept. 16 and Jan. 15, 2025. You can use your online account, IRS Direct Pay or the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, or EFTPS.

Persons: ”, Mark Steber, Jackson Hewitt, there’s, Tricia Rosen, Virgin Organizations: Taxpayers, IRS, U.S . Department Locations: Newburyport , Massachusetts, Puerto Rico

☆ Opinion | The West Clearly Doesn’t Want to Defeat Putin
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Anastasia Edel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

As the West watches on, seemingly impotent, Russia grows ever bolder, like a bully who realizes the teacher isn’t coming. Despite having the resources to end this war on Ukraine’s terms, the West clearly lacks the will to win. But the West is wedded to its too-little-too-late approach, justified by the risk of provoking nuclear escalation from Russia. Nor has the West managed to cut off the sources of Russia’s economic might, despite rounds of sanctions. The economy is growing healthily, and the assets of Russian oligarchs remain safe in the West, even if frozen.

Persons: Vasily Nebenzya, isn’t, Vladimir Putin, ”, can’t Organizations: United Nations Security, United Nations, NATO, West Locations: Kyiv, Russia, New York, ”, Russian, Ukraine, U.S

☆ US announces major bust as efforts to crack down on Chinese money launderers working with drug cartels ratchet up
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

A US-based lawyer who has represented accused Chinese money launderers said the tempo of law enforcement operations against the alleged launderers has increased in recent weeks as federal agents close in on “bigger fish” among Chinese money launderers in the US. None of the federal law enforcement agencies involved in tracking Chinese money launderers agreed to be interviewed on the record. Grassley and Whitehouse have each introduced legislation they say is key to closing loopholes in US law that are actively exploited by the cartels’ money launderers. Elaborate networksRecent court documents illuminate how far-flung and elaborate US-based networks of alleged Chinese money launderers are. Mirror TransactionsExperts say the Chinese money launderers have mastered the art of so-called mirror transactions, which involve a series of deposits at multiple bank accounts to conceal the drug money.

Persons: ”, Anne Milgram, surveil, “, Don Im, Biden, HSI, Ricardo Mayoral, William Kimbell, ” Kimbell, launderers, —, Sen, Sheldon Whitehouse, ” Whitehouse, Treasury Department —, Whitehouse, Christopher Wray, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Republican Sen, Charles Grassley, Enhua Fang, Li Pei Tan, Tan, Joe Habachy, Matthew Rothbeind, Fang, Chaojie Chen, Chen, Greg Hunter, ” David Luckey, JPMorgan Chase Organizations: CNN, Drug, Administration, Sinaloa Cartel, US Court, Central, Central District of, DEA, IRS, “, Centers for Disease Control, Federal, Homeland Security, Treasury, Treasury Department, Treasury’s, Network, Homeland Security Investigations, DHS, Financial Crimes, Rhode Island Democrat, intel, Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Senate, ” CNN, White, Office of National Drug Control, Service, Biden, Republican, Grassley, Rand Corporation, of, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, JPMorgan, Organization Locations: California, Mexican, China, Mexico, Los Angeles, Sinaloa, Central District, Central District of California, Colombia, America, Oregon, Virginia, South Carolina, Washington, DC, North, Central America, —, Iowa, North Carolina, Belize, Chinese, Georgia, Chicago, Tulsa, East Coast, Detroit , Chicago, Ohio, Western, of North Carolina, Wells Fargo

☆ There’s a surprising bit of good news lurking in the stock market
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Traders fear that elevated rates will uphold painfully high borrowing costs for consumers, squeeze corporate profit and weigh down the market. The labor market has stayed strong, consumers have continued spending and stocks have notched repeated record highs. The April jobs report was a welcome sign that the labor market is cooling without cratering. The labor market added just 175,000 positions last month, marking its lowest tally since October 2023 and a sharp cooldown from the upwardly revised 315,000 jobs added in March. First-time applications for unemployment benefits climbed last week to 231,000, the highest level since last August, in another sign that the labor market is cooling.

Persons: “, ”, Jeff Buchbinder, Jerome Powell, ” Powell, April’s, David Russell, Matt Egan, Wally Adeyemo, Read, Diksha Madhok, Narendra Modi, Modi, Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Ambani, Ji, ” Modi, Rahul Gandhi Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Federal, Traders, CNN, Fed, LPL, ” Treasury, Treasury, Reliance Industries, Adani, Indian National Congress Locations: New York, Thursday’s, ’, India

☆ Treasury launches ‘Project Fortress,’ an alliance with banks against hackers
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The new public-private partnership, dubbed Project Fortress, underscores the real danger US officials and bank executives believe cyberattacks pose to the economy. But Project Fortress is not just about playing defense. Project Fortress has been in the works for several months, with Treasury rolling out various parts of the alliance in pieces, the source said. One of the key elements of Project Fortress is the cyber hygiene tool run by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The federal government has recently flexed its offensive capabilities, including ones that are part of Project Fortress.

Persons: Wally Adeyemo, Janet Yellen, Adeyemo, Jamie Dimon, Brian Moynihan, Jane Fraser, Robin Vince, ” Vince, Vince, Jerome Powell, ” Adeyemo, Sean Lyngaas Organizations: New, New York CNN, Treasury, CNN, Bank Policy, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, BNY, Washington, Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, Infrastructure Security Agency, JPMorgan Locations: New York, Washington

☆ Stocks hate this one weird trick from the calendar
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Leap Day might seem like fun and games — until you consider Wall Street. To account for that gap, Julius Caesar in 45 BC decreed that an extra day be added every four years, leading to the Julian calendar. Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 AD created the Gregorian calendar, coined the term “leap year” and established February 29 as the official leap day. He adds that a leap day can also help marginally raise corporate earnings, since companies get an extra day in a fiscal quarter to operate. History shows that stocks tend to perform worse when an additional day is added to the calendar.

Persons: Julius Caesar, Pope Gregory XIII, Matt Weller, Weller, Dow, ”, “ Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, ’, Samantha Delouya, It’s, Read, Sam’s, Sam, Matt Egan, Banks Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Dow Jones, Bulls, Research, AMC Entertainment, AMC, Treasury Department, CNN, Treasury Locations: New York, FOREX.com

☆ AI is Uncle Sam’s new secret weapon to fight fraud
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Starting around late 2022, the Treasury Department began using enhanced fraud-detection methods powered by AI to spot fraud, CNN has learned. Treasury’s AI-powered fraud detection recovered $375 million in fiscal 2023 alone, Treasury officials tell CNN, marking the first time Treasury is publicly acknowledging it is using AI to detect fraud. Instead, Treasury officials say the type of AI they are using falls more into the bucket of machine learning and Big Data. The goal is to move with such speed that anomalies are flagged and banks are alerted before fraudulent checks are ever cashed, Treasury officials said. Catching fraud in millisecondsAmiram Shachar, co-founder and CEO of cloud security startup Upwind, told CNN the federal government should “absolutely” use AI to detect fraud.

Persons: Sam, Sam’s, Fraudsters, Wally Adeyemo, ”, ” Shachar, Steph Curry Organizations: New, New York CNN, Treasury Department, CNN, Treasury, Data, Washington, Office, Business Administration, Social, Internal Revenue Service, IRS, Google, Facebook, Penny Jar, NBA, Mastercard Locations: New York, Banks, Washington, Hong Kong

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is stepping up efforts to stop dirty money from flowing through the U.S. financial system with a slew of new rules aimed at increasing corporate transparency and regulating occupations that are exploited for money laundering. “We are undertaking a concerted effort to address the systemic deficiencies in the United States’ anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism framework," Nelson said. The international community is expecting the U.S. to improve its corporate transparency rules in order to maintain its status as a safe haven for investment. “We have identified numerous cases involving criminals and U.S. adversaries seeking to operate with anonymity using opaque corporate structures,” Nelson said. Anonymous companies are a favorite tool for bad actors seeking to conceal their activities and their funds,” Nelson said.

Persons: —, Biden, Brian Nelson, Nelson, ” Nelson, “, ” Organizations: WASHINGTON, Hamas, Force, Atlantic Council, Treasury Locations: Ukraine, Gaza, U.S, Russia, Iran, Paris, United States

☆ US sends top Treasury officials to China to discuss economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —A team of five US Treasury Department officials is traveling to Beijing this week for a series of meetings on the economy with their counterparts in China, a Treasury official told CNN on Monday. The trip by senior officials comes ahead of a planned return to China by Treasury secretary Janet Yellen later in 2024. Specifically, the Treasury delegation plans to raise China’s use of non-market economic practices and industrial overcapacity, the official said. The visit marks the first time that the economic working group is meeting in Beijing since it was launched last September after Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s trip to China. However, there is nothing to suggest the latest US-China meeting is in direct response to the renewed concerns about China’s economy and financial markets.

Persons: New York CNN —, Janet Yellen, Jay Shambaugh, Donald Trump, Yellen, Janet Yellen’s, ” Yellen, “, Jerome Powell, ”, Powell, ” Powell Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Treasury Department, Treasury, CNN, Shanghai, Weibo, The New York Times, China Business Council’s, Federal, United Locations: New York, Beijing, China, Treasury’s, Washington, Hong Kong, Evergrande, United States

☆ Dry January is over, but are ‘sober drinks’ a healthy way to keep it going?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Amanda Musa | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Dry January “was the perfect eye-opener.”Now sober, Montejano has adopted several tactics to keep herself on track: talking to a therapist, journaling and drinking nonalcoholic beverages like mocktails. By comparison, a 12-ounce glass of beer contains about 5% alcohol, according to the CDC. “The nonalcoholic beverages have a lot of the cues that are associated with real alcoholic beverages,” she said. “Are you reaching those goals with nonalcoholic beverages?” she said. Ultimately, going sober can have social ramifications, so it’s important to surround yourself with people who can support you.

Persons: Corrina Montejano, Montejano, “, ”, Ginger Hultin, nonalcoholic, Hilary Sheinbaum, Molson Coors, ” Sheinbaum, Hultin, Dr, Lara Ray, Dana Ellis Hunnes, you’re, Hunnes, Ray, they’re, Sanjay Gupta, I’ve, ’ ”, “ You’ve, Journaling, ” Montejano Organizations: CNN, US Centers for Disease Control, Heineken, Molson, US Department of, Tobacco Tax, Trade Bureau, UCLA, World Health Organization, ” WHO, UCLA Medical Center, US Food and Drug Administration, mocktails, CNN Health Locations: San Francisco, Seattle

Microsoft, Alphabet (Google), Meta, Amazon and Apple are all due to report this week. A few hours after the Treasury announces, the Fed will also conclude its two-day meeting, the first of 2024, and issue a statement on interest rates. “They are determined to avoid making the same mistake twice.”The week ends with Friday’s monthly jobs number for January. Rounding out the week will be a report on consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan. The final reading for January is expected to show consumers feeling happier about the state of the economy and inflation.

Persons: ”, Richard de Chazal, William Blair, Jerome Powell, “, Powell, Bill Adams, ” Adams Organizations: Microsoft, Federal Reserve, Conference Board, Consumers, Labor Department, Treasury, Reserve, Comerica Bank, Fed, University of Michigan

☆ You can now invest in bitcoin ETFs. But should you?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday gave the green light to the listing and trading of 11 bitcoin exchange-traded funds, or ETFs. Understand what bitcoin is … and what it isn’tIt’s important to grasp what kind of asset bitcoin is. Plus, bitcoin ETFs will make it easier for financial advisers to access the cryptocurrency for their clients who can afford to invest in alternative asset classes. Deciding if a bitcoin ETF makes sense for youThe investment firms that have received approval to offer bitcoin ETFs are competing fiercely for investor dollars. And if you normally invest on a platform that automatically rebalances your portfolio for you, make sure the system does not rebalance your holdings based on your bitcoin investment.

Persons: New York CNN —, Bitcoin, bitcoin, Fidelity, Chainanalysis, Sam Bankman, ” Alex Michalka, Wealthfront, ”, Bryan Armour, … It’s, It’s, ” Armour, Alex Lozano, Lozano, “, Trent D, Porter, ” Porter Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York CNN — It’s, The Securities, Exchange Commission, Wednesday, SEC, US, Fidelity, New York Times, Securities Investor Protection Corporation, NASDAQ, NYSE, Morningstar, Better, ” Locations: New York, bitcoin, United States

☆ Treasury’s Hidden Stash of Covid Cash
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Journal Editorial Report: EV dealers ask Biden where they're supposed to put the glut. Images: AP/Shutterstock Composite: Mark KellyIf you thought Washington’s pandemic-cash bonanza was behind us, keep an eye on the Treasury Department. The Biden Administration made a quiet move late last month to let states spend up to $90 billion of leftover “emergency” money. The rule change pushes back the deadline for states to claim cash from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, a pandemic aid giveaway that President Biden set up through the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act. Now Treasury plans to give out unspent cash beyond next year, as long as states say what they’ll spend it on by April.

Persons: Biden, they're, Mark Kelly Organizations: Treasury Department, The Biden Administration, State, Treasury

☆ Biden administration announces new financial strike force to curb deadly fentanyl trade
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Sam Fossum | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“The Treasury Department’s Counter-Fentanyl Strike Force will allow us to bring the Department’s unrivaled expertise in fighting financial crime to bear against this deadly epidemic. The strike force will be led by the department’s top sanctions official, Brian Nelson, and the chief of the Internal Revenue Service’s criminal investigations unit, James Lee. It will “redouble Treasury’s existing work streams, including using financial intelligence to understand risks and map transnational criminal organization (TCO) financial networks,” according to a news release. Several key units within the Treasury Department that specialize in financial crimes, sanctions, and tracking terrorist and illicit financing will be part of the new strike force. The new strike force will also help streamline the Treasury Department’s efforts to coordinate with local and federal law enforcement bodies on potential financial leads.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Brian Nelson, James Lee, ” Nelson, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Biden, Yellen, Nelson, “ Organizations: Washington CNN, Monday, Treasury Department, Treasury, Network, Foreign Assets Control, of Intelligence, US Treasury Department, Strike Force, Department, Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, US Centers for Disease Control, CNN, Mexican, Biden Locations: United States, China, Ukraine, Mexico

☆ North Korea says any US interference with its ‘space assets’ will be deemed ‘declaration of war’
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Akanksha Sharma | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —North Korea has warned any potential interference or attack on its “space assets” by the United States will be “deemed a declaration of war,” the state media outlet KCNA reported on Saturday. DPRK stands for Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the official name of North Korea. Neither South Korea, the United States nor Japan, all of which are experiencing increasing military tensions with North Korea, could confirm “Malligyong-1,” had made it into orbit. The November launch was condemned by North Korea’s neighbors Japan and South Korea, with Seoul calling it a “clear violation” of a UN Security Council resolution that prohibits North Korea from using ballistic missile technology. North Korea subsequently vowed to deploy new military hardware along the military demarcation line.

Persons: “, ”, KCNA Organizations: CNN, DPRK, KCNA, Democratic People’s, South, SpaceX, Space Command, American, US Department of Treasury’s, Foreign Assets, Treasury, UN Locations: Korea, United States, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea, Pyongyang, Japan, South Korea, Seoul

☆ Beijing is ready to improve ties with US, says Chinese vice-president
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —Beijing is ready to improve ties with Washington, a senior Chinese official said Wednesday, days before a highly anticipated potential meeting between leaders Xi Jinping and Joe Biden in San Francisco. Ahead of that potential meeting, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has invited Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, known as the country’s “economic tsar,” for a two-day meeting starting Thursday. Washington has sent four cabinet officials to Beijing since June, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Climate Envoy John Kerry and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. “The foundation of Sino-US relations lies in the people, and the source of strength lies in people-to-people friendship,” Xi added. Biden and Xi last met face-to-face in November 2022 for a three-hour talk in Bali, Indonesia, at a G20 summit.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, ”, Han Zheng, ” Han, Biden, Xi, Janet Yellen, Antony Blinken, John Kerry, Gina Raimondo, Wang Yi, Jake Sullivan, Xi Han’s, ” Xi, Yellen Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Washington, Bloomberg, Economy, Economic Cooperation, US National, Getty, Sister Cities Conference, Relations, China, Treasury Department Locations: China, Hong Kong, Hong Kong CNN — Beijing, San Francisco, Singapore, United States, Asia, . Washington, Beijing, Washington, Bali , Indonesia, Ukraine, Israel

☆ Treasury set to borrow $776 billion next quarter, the most ever borrowed in the fourth quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —The US Treasury Department said it expects to borrow $776 billion in the final quarter of this year, the most the government has ever borrowed during a fourth quarter. The forecast is $76 billion less than the estimate Treasury made in August due to higher-than-anticipated tax collections in October. The updated estimate likely means Treasury will issue fewer bonds this quarter than investors were bracing for. The Treasury also said it expects to borrow $816 billion in the first quarter of next year. Meanwhile, last quarter the government borrowed $1.01 trillion, or $277 billion more than the Treasury initially estimated in May.

Persons: That’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Treasury Department, Treasury Locations: New York, California

☆ Janet Yellen to deliver major speech detailing US economic strategy toward Indo-Pacific
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —At a moment of elevated geopolitical danger, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen plans to deliver a major speech on Thursday mapping out the Biden administration’s economic gameplan toward the increasingly volatile Indo-Pacific region, CNN has learned. The speech will mark the first time the Biden administration has outlined its economic approach toward the region in such detail. Recently, China and the Philippines accused each other of causing collisions in a disputed area of the South China Sea. Beyond the high-profile trip to China, Yellen has visited the Indo-Pacific multiple times during the Biden administration, including four trips to India, two trips each to Japan and Indonesia and visits to Vietnam and Korea. On Friday, the White House announced Biden will travel to San Francisco on November 14 to host representatives from the 21 APEC member economies for APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Biden, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Yellen, “ That’s, ” Biden, Antony Blinken, Xi Organizations: New, New York CNN, Biden, CNN, Economic Cooperation, Treasury, Asia Society, APEC, Investors, Democratic, White House Locations: New York, Asia, San Francisco, Beijing, China, Philippines, South China, Japan, South Korea, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Korea, Washington, United States, Bali .

☆ Premarket stocks: Big Tech earnings can make or break this market
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —In an unstable economic climate marked by geopolitical unrest, concerns about the Federal Reserve and soaring Treasury yields, investors are closely watching this week’s Big Tech earnings for clues about where the volatile stock market may head next. That means investors are watching their earnings particularly closely for prognostications about where the market is headed next. Big tech controls the market: Excluding Big Tech, the average earnings for S&P 500 companies would drop by 5% this quarter, according to Bloomberg Intelligence data. “Big Tech valuations pose risks for the broader markets, as Big Tech has contributed to almost all of the stock market’s year-to-date gains,” said David Bahnsen, chief investment officer of the Bahnsen Group. “This lack of market breadth suggests that investors are still highly prone to chasing momentum and getting overly excited about different market themes and stories, such as artificial intelligence.”It also suggests that there’s not a lot of room for any Big Tech earnings missteps.

Persons: —, ”, David Bahnsen, there’s, Louis Navellier, Matt Egan, ” Brian Nelson, Samantha Murphy Kelly Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Big Tech, Microsoft, Google, Nvidia, Apple, Bloomberg Intelligence, Bahnsen, Navellier, Associates, Treasury Department, Gulf Cooperation, United, United Arab Emirates, Saudi, GCC, Treasury, Hamas, United Arab, Mac, IDC Locations: New York, States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, United Arab, Israel, US, Riyadh, United States, Sudan, Algeria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Treasury’s

☆ US teams with Middle Eastern nations to target 'secret' Hamas investment portfolio as Israeli forces prepare for operation in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —The United States along with some Middle Eastern nations are stepping up efforts to target a “secret” Hamas investment portfolio government officials believe to be worth up to $1 billion. To target the Hamas investment portfolio, a US official said Tuesday the Treasury Department is working with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The official added that the portfolio is generating significant amounts of revenue for Hamas. Hamas' armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades destroy an Israeli forces' tank near Gaza City, Gaza on October 07. Hani Alshaer/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesNelson urged the Gulf nations to share more information on the parts of the Hamas financial ecosystem “vulnerable to disruption” and called on member countries to take action.

Persons: ” Brian Nelson, Hani Alshaer, Nelson, ” Nelson, ”, Wally Adeyemo, Adeyemo, FinCEN Organizations: New, New York CNN, Treasury Department, Gulf Cooperation, United, United Arab Emirates, Saudi, GCC, Treasury, Hamas, United Arab, Anadolu Agency, Getty, ”, Network Locations: New York, United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, United Arab, Israel, US, Riyadh, Sudan, Algeria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Treasury’s, Gaza City, Gaza, Europe

☆ U.S. Cites Hamas in Designating Foreign Crypto Mixers as Money-Laundering Hubs
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The Biden administration is set Thursday to designate international “mixers,” cryptocurrency exchanges that provide customers anonymity, as money-laundering hubs that threaten national security. The designation, a form of sanction, will require special reporting for any financial transactions. The Treasury Department’s action, using one its most powerful weapons to combat illicit finance, represents a significant regulatory step meant to shape the future of the global financial system. “Today’s action underscores Treasury’s commitment to combating the exploitation of Convertible Virtual Currency mixing by a broad range of illicit actors, including state-affiliated cyber actors, cyber criminals, and terrorist groups,” said Wally Adeyemo, deputy Treasury secretary. “More broadly, the Treasury Department is aggressively combating illicit use of all aspects of the CVC ecosystem by terrorist groups, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.”

Persons: Biden, ”, Wally Adeyemo, “ Organizations: Treasury, Convertible, Treasury Department

A bronze seal for the Department of the Treasury is shown at the U.S. Treasury building in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2023. If finalized, the rule would require financial firms to report information about transactions that they suspect involve crypto mixers, which are anonymized software tools that allow users to conceal the source or owner of digital assets. * On Wednesday, the Biden administration issued sanctions to disrupt Hamas' funding, which included a Gaza-based crypto exchange. * The U.S. last year imposed sanctions on crypto mixers Tornado Cash and Blender. Reporting by Hannah Lang in Washington; editing by Michelle Price and Deepa BabingtonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kevin Lamarque, Biden, ”, Wally Adeyemo, Hannah Lang, Michelle Price, Deepa Babington Organizations: Department of, U.S . Treasury, REUTERS, U.S . Treasury Department’s, Hamas, U.S ., Reuters, U.S, Convertible, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Israel, Gaza, Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. announced sanctions on Wednesday against a group of 10 Hamas members and the Palestinian militant organization's financial network across Gaza, Sudan, Turkey, Algeria and Qatar as it responds to the surprise attack on Israel that left more than 1,000 people dead or kidnapped. President Joe Biden, who arrived in the Middle East late Tuesday to show support for Israel, has tried to tamp down tensions in the escalating war between Israel and Hamas, but those efforts have faced massive setbacks, including a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital that killed about 500 people. Targeted for Wednesday's sanctions action by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control are members who manage a Hamas investment portfolio, a Qatar-based financial facilitator with close ties to the Iranian regime, a key Hamas commander and a Gaza-based virtual currency exchange. “Enough is enough,” Deif, who does not appear in public, said in the recorded message. He said the attack was only the start of what he called Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, and he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight.

Persons: Joe Biden, Janet Yellen, ”, Brian Nelson, ” Nelson, “, Mohammed Deif, ” Deif Organizations: WASHINGTON, East, Israel, Treasury, Foreign, U.S . Treasury, Deloitte, Hamas Locations: U.S, Gaza, Sudan, Turkey, Algeria, Qatar, Israel, West Bank, Aqsa, Jerusalem

The 10-year yield on Thursday afternoon stood at about 4.7%, some 18 basis points from the 16-year highs touched last week. “Every time the Fed pauses, yields come down, but the market is not convinced they’re quite there yet." There's plenty of evidence that financial conditions, which reflect the availability of credit in the economy, have tightened in recent months. Credit market spreads have widened as investors demand a higher yield on riskier assets, such as corporate bonds. Fed funds futures show investors pricing in a roughly 15% chance of the central bank's raising rates next month, from around 27% last week.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, ”, Leslie Falconio, they’re, Philip Jefferson, Lorie Logan, Mark Dowding, Goldman Sachs, Edward Al, Hussainy, Neuberger Berman, Jonathan Cohn, Davide Barbuscia, Ira Iosebashvili, Megan Davies, Leslie Adler Organizations: REUTERS, Federal, . Treasury, UBS Global Wealth Management, Reuters Graphics, Dallas Fed, RBC Global Asset Management, Reuters, Treasury, Columbia, Nasdaq, Nomura Securities International, Thomson

☆ Car buyers can get their EV tax credits up front at the dealership starting in January
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —People shopping for electric vehicles starting next year will be able to get a $7,500 federal tax credit off the sticker price while at the dealership, rather than having to wait months to receive their tax returns. The changes to how car buyers can get the federal tax break on EVs — part of the Inflation Reduction Act — were announced by the Biden administration on Friday, and are being rolled out to car dealerships before they take effect starting January 1. More foreign companies are building EV factories in the US in order to take advantage of the tax credits in the future. The Biden administration is currently contacting dealers with information on how they register with a new federal website to eventually offer consumers up-front tax credits. Car dealers will then be reimbursed by the government within 72 hours of selling the car, according to a Treasury news release.

Persons: Biden, ”, Laurel Blatchford, Ford Organizations: CNN, Treasury, “, IRS, General Motors, Volkswagen, George Washington University

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