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☆ Universal Music reiterates AI concerns as quarterly profit slumps
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 26 (Reuters) - Universal Music Group (UMG.AS), the label representing Drake and Taylor Swift, on Wednesday posted a slump in first-quarter core profit due to compensation expenses, and reiterated concerns over AI-made music. Core profit, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), slumped 43.4% in constant currency to 261 million euros ($288.04 million), due to non-cash, share-based compensation expenses, part of an equity compensation plan announced last year. Excluding these expenses, adjusted EBITDA was 522 million euros, up 13.0% on the same basis, and beating a consensus cited by Credit Suisse which had expected 513 million euros. UMG's CEO, Lucian Grainge, has come under shareholder pressure over an "excessive" $100 million pay deal, The Financial Times reported on Wednesday. Labels now face challenges like slowing global revenue growth in recorded music, particularly in established markets like the U.S, while the emergence of AI-generated music adds to their concerns, as many laws do not currently deem the replication of artists' voices as strictly illegal.

☆ Universal Music profit slumps due to compensation expenses
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 26 (Reuters) - Universal Music Group (UMG.AS), the label representing Drake and Taylor Swift, on Wednesday posted a significant drop in core profit due to compensation expenses, even as sales edged up in the first quarter. Core profit (EBITDA) for the first quarter fell 43.4% at constant currency to 261 million euros ($288.07 million), with the metric's margin also dropping to 10.6% from 20.6% in the same quarter a year earlier. The drop was due to non-cash, share-based compensation expenses of 261 million euros during the quarter, part of a global equity compensation plan announced in the fourth quarter of last year, UMG said. UMG's CEO Lucian Grainge has come under shareholder pressure over an "excessive" $100 million pay deal, The Financial Times reported on Wednesday. The group nonetheless posted higher first quarter sales, helped by growth in recorded music and music publishing.

☆ High-Ranking Iranian Cleric Gunned Down by Bank Guard
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

A senior Iranian cleric and member of a powerful government committee was shot and killed by a security guard at a bank in the northern province of Mazandaran on Wednesday, according to the Iranian authorities. In CCTV camera footage shown on the Iranian news media, the cleric, Ayatollah Abbas Ali Soleimani, is seen sitting on a chair in the bank when the security guard casually approaches him from behind, points his rifle at his head and fires a shot. Ayatollah Soleimani, 75, slumps in the chair, his white turban knocked to the floor, as the guard calmly wanders to the side. Strangely, nobody comes immediately to the cleric’s aid, and the room remains rather calm. Two men grab the security guard and wrestle away his gun, then seem to let him slip away.

☆ Indian shares set to open higher as strong earnings lift mood
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BENGALURU, April 24 (Reuters) - Indian shares were set to open higher on Monday as improved quarterly results from heavyweights Reliance Industries Ltd (RELI.NS) and ICICI Bank Ltd(ICBK.NS) eased some concerns over a lacklustre start to the earnings season. India's most valuable company, Reliance Industries reported 19% growth in fourth-quarter profit, aided by the strong performance in oil-to-chemicals (O2C) segment, post market hours on Friday. Private lender ICICI Bank posted a 30% jump in net profit in the March quarter, helped by improved net interest income and loan growth. The strong earnings of the two companies, which account for nearly 20% of the total weightage in Nifty 50, could improve the sentiment soured by the weak earnings and outlook of top information technology companies, analysts added. Stocks to Watch:** Yes Bank Ltd (YESB.NS): Lender's net profit slumps 45% in the March quarter on higher provisions.

☆ Freeport-McMoRan signals more pain from labor shortages as profit slumps
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Ankit Kumar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 21 (Reuters) - Freeport-McMoRan Inc's first-quarter profit more than halved as the copper miner struggled with an industry-wide talent crunch and warned that tight labor market conditions would persist in the U.S. through the year. Its shares fell 5.6% to $39 on Friday after the company also cautioned that protests in Peru remain an "ongoing risk". Copper production in the quarter fell to 965 million pounds from 1.01 billion pounds a year earlier. Demand will remain robust due to China's accelerating economic recovery and the ongoing green energy transition, CEO Richard Adkerson said. On an adjusted basis, Freeport earned 52 cents per share, compared with estimate of 45 cents, according to Refinitiv data.

☆ This one-of-a-kind suite of ETFs may help investors during economic slumps
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Sean Conlon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Investors may have a new way to generate income during economic declines. Innovator launched a one-of-a-kind suite of barrier ETFs this month that provides protection by purchasing U.S. Treasurys and selling equity options. "If you can pair [a barrier ETF] with the fixed income, it offers a tremendous amount of diversification benefits." Innovator, an outcome-based ETF issuer, launched these products last week: Premium Income 10 Barrier ETF, Premium Income 20 Barrier ETF, Premium Income 30 Barrier ETF and Premium Income 40 Barrier ETF. Protecting against losses up to 10%, 20%, 30% and 40%, the funds provide income distribution rates at around 9%, 8%, 6% and 5%, respectively, according to the company's website.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) rose 0.5%, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 (.FTMC) lost 0.1% as of 0807 GMT. Oil and gas (.FTNMX601010) added 0.8% as crude prices gained against the dollar, lifting oil giants BP Plc (BP.L) and Shell Plc (SHEL.L) 0.6% and 1.0%, respectively. "The FTSE 100 is falling in line with the positive sentiment we saw at the start of the week, overlooking the China-Taiwan tensions," said Giles Coghlan, chief market analyst at HYCM. While concerns over a potential recession in the U.S. amid persistent inflation have weighed on sentiment recently, the FTSE 100 has been on a positive streak, helped by commodity stocks and defensives including pharmaceuticals. Shares of West Africa-focused oil producer Tullow Oil (TLW.L) slid 2.9% on Jefferies' downgrade to "underperform" from "hold."

☆ Cirrus Logic slumps as analyst says Apple to abandon button design change
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 12 (Reuters) - Shares of Apple Inc (AAPL.O) supplier Cirrus Logic Inc (CRUS.O) tumbled about 12% after a renowned analyst said the iPhone maker will abandon the solid-state button design for premium variants of its iPhone 15 series of smartphones. Amid speculation Apple would use a button format that remains static, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, known for his accurate predictions related to Apple's product launches, said in a blog post the company decided to abandon the design shift. "Investors had anticipated that the new solid-state button design would increase suppliers' revenues and profits," Kuo said. Shares of integrated circuit maker Cirrus Logic have hit their lowest in over two months and are set for their worst day in about two years. Cirrus Logic declined to comment.

☆ Why sympathy for the Palestinians among Americans is shifting and at an all-time high
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Sympathy toward the Palestinians among US adults is at a new high of 31%, according to Gallup data. Social media is changing the way Americans perceive the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The police used tear gas and fired stun grenades as young Palestinians threw firecrackers back, according to multiple reports. But while the cycles of violence in the long-running conflict between Israelis and Palestinians remain unchanged, the way Americans perceive the conflict is altering. Gallup Poll conducted between conducting the poll between Feb 1-23, 2023.

Of the 11 S&P 500 sector indexes, seven declined, led lower by industrials (.SPLRCI), down 2.25%, followed by a 1.72% loss in energy (.SPNY). The S&P 500 declined 0.58% to end the session at 4,100.68 points, closing lower for the first time in a week. The Nasdaq declined 0.52% to 12,126.33 points, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.59% to 33,403.04 points. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidHealthcare (.SPXHC) and utilities (.SPLRCU), which many investors expect to hold up better during an economic slowdown, were among the few S&P 500 sector indexes gaining on Tuesday. The S&P 500 posted 14 new highs and one new lows; the Nasdaq recorded 64 new highs and 238 new lows.

☆ FTSE 100 up as oil stocks rise; Cineworld slumps
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SummarySummary Companies FTSE 100 up 0.5%, FTSE 250 flatApril 3 (Reuters) - UK's FTSE 100 hit a three-week high on Monday, lifted by oil giants as crude prices rallied following a surprise output cut by OPEC+, while theatre chain Cineworld neared record lows as it failed to find a buyer for its U.S., UK and Ireland businesses. Energy heavyweights Shell Plc (SHEL.L) and BP Plc (BP.L) advanced over 4% each as crude oil prices jumped more than 5% following an unexpected output cut over the weekend by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC) and its allies. The broader energy sector (.FTNMX601010) was up 4.3%, on course for its biggest daily gain in more than four months. The export-oriented FTSE 100 (.FTSE) rose 0.5%, kicking off the new quarter with gains, as the pound slipped. Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia CheemaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ AMC stock slumps, 'APEs' jump after litigation deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 3 (Reuters) - AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (AMC.N) shares tumbled 24% in extended trade on Monday, while its preferred shares jumped 21% after the movie theater chain said it agreed to settle litigation and proceed with converting its preferred stock into common shares. The preferred shares have lost over 70% since they were issued in August as part of a plan to pay down the company's debt. AMC said that as part of the settlement, it has agreed to pay the plaintiffs one share for every 7.5 shares they own. Shareholders voted last month in favor of increasing the total number of authorized shares and carrying out a one-for-10 reverse stock split as part of a plan to convert its preferred shares into common shares. AMC listed the preferred shares under the symbol "APE" in a nod to Reddit's wallstreetbets stock trading forum, where participants often describe themselves as apes.

☆ Morning Bid: A holiday kickoff to the second quarter, and a US jobs report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Alden Bentley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

April 3 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Alden Bentley. Asia's data calendar across the rest of the week otherwise looks fairly tame and the main economic event for global markets will be U.S. payrolls data on Friday. So given the number of markets that are closed on, or before, Friday, the week could bring surprises of a pleasant, or not pleasant, variety. But any surprise headlines, be they OPEC or bank related, will have to be digested by thinned markets, which can bring excessive market swings. This week will bring CPI releases from Indonesia on Monday, South Korea on Tuesday and Thailand and the Philippines on Wednesday.

☆ China's Meizu unveils first smartphones since deal with Geely founder
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A company run by Geely Chairman Eric Li took a majority stake in Meizu last year, making the Volvo owner the first established carmaker to enter the premium smartphone sector. He later named the company Xingji Meizu, with the brand as its smartphone arm. Other tech-auto partnerships in China include Huawei Technologies (HWT.UL), whose Harmony operating system powers Seres cars. Meizu, a two-decade-old Chinese consumer electronics company, rose to prominence early in the 1ast decade as an up-and-coming Chinese Android. ($1 = 6.8766 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Josh Horwitz, Zhang Yan and Brenda GohOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Profit at UK supermarket Asda slumps on inflation hit
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, March 29 (Reuters) - British supermarket group Asda on Wednesday reported a 24% fall in annual earnings after it decided not to pass the full impact of cost inflation onto consumers, taking a hit to profits instead. Asda, owned by brothers Zuber and Mohsin Issa and private equity firm TDR Capital, said core earnings, or adjusted EBITDA, were 886 million pounds ($1.1 billion) in 2022, down from 1.17 billion pounds in 2021, on flat sales of 20.45 billion pounds. Grocery inflation in March hit a record high of 17.5%, according to market researcher Kantar. The group said it was making progress towards achieving its long-term goal of becoming the number two supermarket in UK grocery. In January, the Times reported that the Issas and TDR were exploring a merger of EG and Asda.

☆ Foundation of China's economic recovery not solid enough, party official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The foundation of China's economic recovery is not solid enough, a senior Communist Party official said on Saturday, warning of possible spillover effects from global economic problems. "The foundation of China's economic recovery is not yet solid enough," Han said. Recent economic data has shown that China's economy picked up from COVID-19 slumps after the government abandoned its zero-COVID strategy late last year. China is confident of reaching its annual economic growth target of around 5%, Han said. Han also said China would continue to expand market access and welcome foreign investment into the world's second largest economy.

☆ Dollar slumps as banking crisis chips away at its haven status and makes further Fed rate hikes a coin flip
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The US dollar has slipped 2% over five trading days as the banking crisis rattles investors. The collapse of SVB and Signature Bank may threaten the greenback's haven status, one analyst said. The buck's run of losses follows the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank earlier this month. The Fed shying away from hikes could also weigh on the dollar. Read more: The Fed's latest move confirms it's trying to thread the needle between cooling inflation and helping banks in turmoil

☆ TSX gains as commodity-linked stocks rise, Bombardier soars
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Johann M Cherian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SummarySummary Companies Capstone copper slumps on secondary offeringBombardier rises to TSX top on upbeat 2025 targetsTSX rises 0.5%March 23 (Reuters) - Canada's key stock index edged higher on Thursday as mining and energy stocks advanced, with gains in Bombardier after its upbeat targets for 2025 also supporting the benchmark. ET (14:31 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index (.GSPTSE) was up 105.09 points, or 0.54%, at 19,637.87. The collapse of two mid-sized U.S. lenders in March had triggered a selloff in the financials-heavy TSX as investors lost confidence in the global banking system. Still, on a quarterly basis, TSX is up 1.4%, clinging to early gains from January when investors returned to battered markets from 2022. Capstone copper corp (CS.TO) was the top loser on the index after the copper miner announced a bought secondary deal offering of C$285 million.

☆ Jonathan Hirtle launched his $18 billion firm in the wake of the 1987 market crash. He told us what he's holding for the long haul, and what's different about the current bank crisis.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Marley Jay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Hirtle also discussed how he's investing clients' money and his long-term market views. Hirtle told Insider that the bank failures of 2023 are very different from what he saw in 1987, or in 2008. So Hirtle says he is concentrating on the long term, and that he prefers the US to other regions. Still, he says that global diversification, and diversification across stocks, bonds, and private equity is important for the long term. In the 2010s bull market, stocks rose about 400% in a little under 11 years.

☆ First Republic slumps after report of potential government backing in deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

March 21 (Reuters) - Shares of First Republic Bank (FRC.N) tumbled 14% in extended trade on Tuesday following a report that a potential deal for the troubled bank could rely on government backing to encourage buyers. Potential government backing in a deal to save First National could involve conditions at the expense of the bank's shareholders, said Dennis Dick, a trader at Triple D Trading in Ontario, Canada. While a sale of the entire bank remains possible, First Republic is currently focused on raising capital, the third source said. First Republic's shares had surged as much as 60% on Tuesday before closing up 30%, but even so First Republic's stock has lost over 80% in value in the past two weeks. JPMorgan is advising First Republic on its options to raise capital from investors, a source familiar with the situation previously said.

☆ Traders, buying the dip in Schwab, are finding value in the beaten-up financial sector
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Some traders are using the recent pullback in financial stocks to scoop up shares of what they call quality names at bargain prices. That includes Charles Schwab , down 23% this month, as turmoil rocks the broader financial sector, especially hitting regional banks. She views the slump in Schwab shares, up 7% Tuesday but still trading at 14 times earnings, as an opportunity to add to her list of quality financial stocks. Traders like Cerity Partners' Jim Lebenthal recommend playing the banking sector through regionals, or the SPDR S & P Regional Banking ETF . KRE 1M mountain Regional bank ETF slumps 25% in March After a short time in First Republic , Lebenthal said he sold the San Francisco-based regional bank given stepped-up bearish sentiment, taking a 10% loss.

☆ Oil slumps $5/bbl to lowest in more than a year as banking fears mount
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Nobody wants to go home with a big position on anything today ... you have nowhere to hide really." Both crude benchmarks hit their lowest since December 2021 and have fallen for three straight days. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) was down $4.51, or 6.3%, at $66.84, breaking through technical levels of $70 and $68 and extending the sell off. Wednesday's monthly report from the International Energy Agency provided support by flagging an expected boost to oil demand from China, a day after OPEC increased its Chinese demand forecast for 2023. "We definitely have seen the oil market separate themselves from oil inventories and we’re more focused on a larger meltdown of the global economy," said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group.

☆ Wednesday, March 15, 2023: Cramer buys more of this retailer as the market slumps
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Joshua Natoli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWednesday, March 15, 2023: Cramer buys more of this retailer as the market slumpsJim Cramer and Jeff Marks discuss February's Producer Price Index coming in below expectations. Jim says Wednesday's market action is 'a little ridiculous' and reaction to what's going on with banks in Europe is overblown. Despite the turmoil, Jim is adding more shares of a retailer to the portfolio, and may be looking to also buy more of the Club's newest holding.

☆ First Republic slumps as additional financing fails to soothe deposit outflow fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A person walks past the Park Avenue location of the First Republic Bank, in New York City, U.S., March 10, 2023. First Republic on Sunday said it had secured additional financing through JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), giving it access to a total of $70 billion in funds through various sources. The bank's stock was last down 74% at $21.11 on Monday. "While the bank (SVB) is better positioned for potential deposit outflows on Sunday evening than it may have been earlier in the weekend, if there are net deposit outflows, it will shrink the EPS power of the bank," Raymond James analyst David Long wrote in the note. U.S. authorities launched emergency measures on Sunday to shore up confidence in the banking system after the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB.O) threatened to trigger a broader financial crisis.

☆ Morning Bid: Bond blows batter banks as SVB cracks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

SVB may be an unusual case in point - given its exposure to both last year's attrition in the tech sector, related startups and bond markets. Major U.S. banks were also hit, with Wells Fargo (WFC.N) down 6%, JPMorgan (JPM.N) down 5.4%, Bank of America (BAC.N) 6% lower and Citigroup (C.N) 4% lower. In currency markets, the dollar held the line on Friday in its lonely easy monetary policy stance. The BOJ held off making changes to its controversial bond yield cap policy, leaving all options open ahead of a leadership transition in April. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

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