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☆ Asia’s tech giants lean toward desperate deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Anshuman Daga | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew arrives for a dinner, on the eve of the Paris Peace Forum at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, November 9, 2023. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was feted in Indonesia where it has 125 million monthly active users when he pledged in June to invest billions of dollars in the region. But the global giant failed to anticipate regulatory hurdles in its biggest market for online shopping. TikTok’s viral video app would provide Tokopedia with a powerful new growth avenue for its online shopping and payments business. Yet as tech companies from the People’s Republic to Indonesia pull out all the stops to lift growth amid waning investor support, desperate new alliances are bound to emerge.

Persons: Shou Zi Chew, Gonzalo Fuentes, TikTok, China’s, GoTo, Patrick Walujo, Indonesia’s GoTo, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: Paris Peace, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Companies, Google, Temasek, Bain &, Reuters Graphics Reuters Graphics, Tokopedia, HK, Global Digital, Djarum, Bloomberg, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Rights SINGAPORE, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Reuters Graphics Reuters Graphics Jakarta, Tokopedia, Lazada, Singapore, Indonesian, Thailand, People’s Republic, China

☆ Ford takes $1.7 billion profit hit from UAW strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The automaker now expects adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of $10 billion to $10.5 billion for 2023. In July, it forecast adjusted EBIT of $11 billion to $12 billion. Ford said the new outlook included $1.6 billion in lost profits in the fourth quarter due to interruptions in production of high-margin trucks and SUVs. A month into the strikes, Ford said the company was "at the limit" of what it could spend on higher wages and benefits. The deal UAW leaders finally approved included a pay hike of at least 30% for full-time workers and more than double pay for others.

Persons: David, Dee, Delgado, Ford, Shawn Fain, walkouts, Bill Ford, Tesla, Nathan Gomes, Anil D'Silva Organizations: New York, REUTERS, Ford, GM, UAW, Canadian, Chrysler, EV, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, United States, Michigan, Bengaluru

☆ Defying Pope's calls for climate action, US Catholic bishops cling to fossil fuels
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Richard Valdmanis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

The ongoing investments in the U.S. reflect a long-running rift between U.S. Catholic bishops and the pope on how to address global warming. The pope's Laudato Si encyclical urged immediate action against climate change, declaring that "highly polluting fossil fuels need to be progressively replaced without delay." The Vatican bank, which is separate from APSA, also does not invest in fossil fuels, a bank official said. Notably absent are any dioceses in the U.S.Reuters reviewed the financial reports published by two dozen of the nation's more than 170 Catholic dioceses, including several of its largest, and found that few provide details on specific investments. He called the enormous financial gains by oil companies "immoral profits."

Persons: Pope Francis, Remo Casilli, Dan DiLeo, Peter Marlow, Anne, Marie Welsh, William Lori, Joshtrom Kureethadam, Chieko Noguchi, Noguchi, USCCB, Sabrina Danielsen, Danielson, Richard Valdmanis, Philip Pullella, John Mair, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Catholic, drillers, U.S . Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Church, Reuters, Justice, Peace, Creighton University in, Vatican, Opportunity Fund, Collective Investment, Archdiocese, Development, American Petroleum Institute, Christian Brothers Investment Service, Investment, BP, Shell, Creighton University, U.S, Thomson Locations: United States, Dubai, Creighton University in Nebraska, U.S, APSA, Vatican, Ireland, Germany, Archdiocese, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Erie , Pennsylvania, Texas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth . Erie, Erie, Baltimore, Paris, Saudi Aramco, PetroChina, India, Vatican City, Berlin, Sydney

☆ Modo Energy wants to become the Morningstar of the renewable energy market. It just raised $15 million with this 9-slide pitch deck.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A British company that wants to become the go-to data platform for renewable energy just raised $15 million in a Series A funding round. London-based Modo Energy, which was founded in 2019, has developed a software-as-a-service data platform to help renewable energy owners, operators, and investors navigate the market and ultimately make more money. The startup operates a "freemium" software-as-a-service business model with three tiers, including free access to a paid version for university students. Modo Energy is also working with co-located solar and storage facilities, so that batteries are charged with solar before the energy is sold onto the grid. Check out the pitch deck Modo Energy used to raise the cash injection below.

Persons: Morningstar, Quentin Scrimshire, Banks, Fred Olsen, Scrimshire Organizations: Modo Energy, Business, Reuters, Bloomberg, MMC Ventures, Triple Point Ventures, Fred, Fred Olsen Limited, Catalyst Capital Locations: London, Texas

☆ Insight: Defying Pope's calls for climate action, US Catholic bishops cling to fossil fuels
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Richard Valdmanis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

The ongoing investments in the U.S. reflect a long-running rift between U.S. Catholic bishops and the pope on how to address global warming. The pope's Laudato Si encyclical urged immediate action against climate change, declaring that "highly polluting fossil fuels need to be progressively replaced without delay." The Vatican bank, which is separate from APSA, also does not invest in fossil fuels, a bank official said. A CCF official said energy and fossil fuels stocks make up between 3.5% and 6% of archdiocese investment funds, and that CCF uses its shareholder status to press for corporate environmental improvements. He called the enormous financial gains by oil companies "immoral profits."

Persons: Pope Francis, Dan DiLeo, Peter Marlow, Remo Casilli, Anne, Marie Welsh, William Lori, Bernard Hebda, Saint, Joshtrom Kureethadam, Chieko Noguchi, Noguchi, USCCB, Sabrina Danielsen, Danielson, Richard Valdmanis, Philip Pullella, John Mair, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Catholic, drillers, U.S . Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Church, Reuters, Justice, Peace, Creighton University in, Vatican, Opportunity Fund, Collective Investment, Archdiocese, Minneapolis, Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota, CCF, Development, American Petroleum Institute, Christian Brothers Investment Service, Investment, BP, Shell, Creighton University, U.S, Thomson Locations: United States, Dubai, Creighton University in Nebraska, U.S, APSA, Vatican, Ireland, Germany, Archdiocese, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Erie , Pennsylvania, Texas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth . Erie, Erie, Baltimore, Saint Paul, Paris, Saudi Aramco, PetroChina, India, Vatican City, Berlin, Sydney

☆ Here's some of the best advice offered by late investing legend Charlie Munger
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Jordan Hart | Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewWell-known investor Charlie Munger has died at the age of 99 after a decades-long career. In the last decades of his life, Munger began selling or donating the majority of his Berkshire stock. You're going to crater immediately. If you've got two suitors who are eager to have you, but one is way better than the other, you're going to choose that one rather than the other. If you don't, you're going to need a lot of luck."

Persons: —, Charlie Munger, Munger, Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, Buffett, I'm, Bonnie Schiffman, you've, it's, We're, Warren Organizations: Service, Forbes, CNBC Locations: Berkshire, Omaha, Berkshire Hathaway

☆ Charlie Munger, the 'Oracle of Pasadena' who was Buffett's second-in-command
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chair Charlie Munger arrives to begin the company's annual meeting in Omaha May 4, 2013. EXPANDING BUFFETT'S HORIZONSMunger and Buffett did differ politically, with Munger being a Republican and Buffett a Democrat. Like Buffett, Munger was a fan of the famed economist Benjamin Graham. ORACLE OF PASADENAFans dubbed Buffett the "Oracle of Omaha," but Munger was held in equal esteem by his own followers, who branded him the "Oracle of Pasadena" after his adopted hometown in California. "I was raised by people who thought it was a moral duty to be as rational as you could possibly make yourself," Munger told Daily Journal shareholders in 2020.

Persons: Charlie Munger, Rick Wilking, Charles Munger, Warren Buffett's, Munger's, Buffett, Munger, Berkshire Hathaway, HORIZONS Munger, Santa Barbara, Warren, Benjamin Graham, Charlie, Ben Graham, Charles T, Kathy Kristof, Buffett's, Ernest . Buffett, Olson, Wheeler, Alice Schroeder, Nancy, Graham, Heinz, Todd Combs, Ted Weschler, Nancy Munger, Jonathan Stempel, Diane Craft, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Berkshire Hathaway, REUTERS, Berkshire Hathaway Inc, Munger, CNBC, Buffett, HORIZONS, Republican, University of California, Berkshire, ORACLE, PASADENA, Oracle, Wesco Financial Corp, Daily Journal Corp, Daily, Los Angeles Times, University of Michigan, U.S . Army Air Corps, Harvard Law School, Tolles, Munger &, Omaha Club, BNSF, 3G Capital, Kraft Foods, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Omaha, California, Berkshire, Omaha , Nebraska, Vienna, Santa, Pasadena, Munger, TETE, Los Angeles, New York

[1/2] The company logo for Choice Hotels is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., February 17, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 27 (Reuters) - Choice Hotels International (CHH.N) is preparing to nominate directors to the board of rival Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (WH.N), seeking to break a stalemate in an $8 billion takeover battle, people familiar with the matter said. This gives Choice the right to nominate directors to Wyndham's board come January. It is also preparing to launch a tender offer for Wyndham's shares that would show Wyndham's investors that there is a firm offer on the table, according to the sources. Rockville, Maryland-based Choice operates nearly 7,500 hotels in 46 countries, including brands such as Radisson, Country Inn & Suites, and Cambria Hotels.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Wyndham, Parsippany, Pat Pacious, Stephen Holmes, Anirban Sen, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Ramada, Wyndham, Cambria Hotels, Choice, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, United States, Parsippany , New Jersey, Rockville , Maryland, Radisson, Cambria

☆ Goldman Sachs: These are the 50 highest-quality stocks to buy heading into the new year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Mark Reeth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

With their well-entrenched businesses, high sales growth, and strong balance sheets he believes they will continue to outperform next year. Thankfully, Kostin wrote that "equity valuations appear less stretched in absolute and relative terms after adjusting for record high market concentration." "In a recession, we expect the S&P 500 would end 2024 at 3700 (-18%)," Kostin wrote. First, Kostin wrote investors should "own growth stocks with high returns on capital that typically outperform given stable economic growth and interest rates." To that end, Kostin shared Goldman Sachs' basket of 50 stocks the analysts there believe are the highest quality on the market.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, David Kostin, Kostin isn't, Kostin, Altman Organizations: Business

Our experts answer readers' investing questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess investing products). As a financial planner, I've witnessed plenty of big investment mistakes. In my opinion as a financial planner, you need to invest if you want to grow wealth. Avoiding investments altogetherThere's no shortage of investment mistakes you can make. Have a strategic way to determine how much cash you truly need on hand — then consider investing the rest.

Persons: I've, —, Get, they'll, Warren Buffett Organizations: Service, SEC, Invest

As the Nebraska explosion made clear, there can be problems that are hard to spot before potentially disastrous accidents occur. Some details about the explosion might never be known because the shipping container carrying the acid was destroyed. Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena said he understands and welcomes the agency's scrutiny. Vena said Union Pacific and other major railroads have become safer over time. “And that’s what I’m challenging the team with here at Union Pacific is we have to get better ... We’ll invest in it.

Persons: haven’t, ”, Andy Foust, Warren Flatau, Pete Buttigieg, —, Foust, “, hasn’t, Dennis Thompson, Thompson, Jim Vena, Vena, We’ll, Charlie King Organizations: —, Union Pacific, Federal Railroad Administration, . Transportation, Rail, Transportation Workers, Transportation Division, . Railroad, Materials Safety Administration, Norfolk Southern, Platte Fire, Pacific, of Railroad Infrastructure Locations: OMAHA, Neb, Nebraska, North Platte , Nebraska, Omaha, Norfolk, Ohio, railyard, Palestine

☆ COP28: Sultan Al Jaber, UAE’s oil chief, is proving popular in the developing world, despite criticisms from the West
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Elizabeth Wells | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But long-promised finance from rich countries to help it make a green transition simply hasn’t arrived, President Wavel Ramkalawan told CNN in May. But Al Jaber’s decision to focus on increasing finance to help developing countries shift to renewable energy is helping his popularity in the Global South. A 2022 UN-backed report calculated developing countries will need about $2 trillion a year by 2030. “We have seen the West only being extractive and very opportunistic, and actually kept developing countries dependent on fossil fuels,” he said. “It needs to buy more time to diversify its economy further and wants to capitalize on its energy resources for as long as possible,” Vakil told CNN.

Persons: hasn’t, Wavel Ramkalawan, “ We’re, ” Ramkalawan, “, Al Jaber, Al Jaber’s, COP28, ” Al Jaber, Sultan Al Jaber, Abu, Christopher Pike, ADNOC, William Ruto, Masdar, Al Jaber —, ” Ruto, Simone Boccaccio, it’s, Harjeet Singh, Sanim Vakil, ” Vakil, ” Organizations: CNN, UN, Dubai, Abu, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, US, COP28, Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition, Bloomberg, Kenyan, UAE, Climate, North Africa, Chatham House Locations: Seychelles, Canadian, Africa, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, UAE, Kenya, Egypt, Turkana, UN

☆ Euro bounces as investors cling to sliver of positive euro zone data
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Amanda Cooper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - The euro rose on Thursday for the first time this week, after data suggested the downturn in the euro zone economy may be starting to ease, although holidays in the United States and Japan kept trading activity muted. The euro rose broadly, gaining the most against the Swedish crown , after the Swedish central bank left rates unchanged, while also gaining on the yen and the Swiss franc. The survey showed the euro zone economy is on track to contract again in the fourth quarter. Its PMI rose to 43.8 from 43.1, beating the poll expectation for 43.4 but was still below breakeven. Sterling was last up 0.5% on the day at $1.2558, having risen to a high of $1.2575 after the PMI data.

Persons: Marcos Brindicci, There's, Michael Brown, Brown, Geert Wilders, Sterling, Jeremy Hunt, Jeff Ng, Changpeng Zhao, Vidya Ranganathan, Lincoln, Emelia Organizations: REUTERS, Swiss, PMI, European Central Bank, Fed, University of Michigan, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Markets, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, United States, Japan, Germany, Swedish, EU, Wednesday's, Netherlands, Asia, Singapore

☆ Holiday thins trading after data slows dollar's decline
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Vidya Ranganathan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

With markets shut in Japan and the United States for the Thanksgiving holiday, currencies barely moved and cash U.S. Treasuries weren't traded in Asia. By 0530 GMT, however, the euro was 0.15% higher at $1.0902 and the dollar index was a tad weaker at 103.71. Adding to investors' confusion, data showed orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods fell more than expected in October, signalling an economy cooling considerably after hot third-quarter growth. The dollar's rebound comes after a three-week long spell of weakness driven by evidence of a slowing economy and disinflation, leading markets to price out any additional Fed rate hikes. The forward-looking flash November purchasing manager indexes (PMIs) are also due out globally on Thursday and should help investors assess recession risks and how quickly rate cuts will begin.

Persons: Marcos Brindicci, Treasuries weren't, Jeff Ng, Treasuries, policymaker Mario Centeno, Joachim Nagel, Sterling, Jeremy Hunt, Changpeng Zhao, Vidya Ranganathan, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Federal, University of Michigan, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Fed, Bank of Japan, European Central Bank, Governing, PMI, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, Rights SINGAPORE, Japan, United States, Asia, Britain, U.S

[1/2] British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during the opening session of the Global Food Security Summit at Lancaster House in London, Britain November 20, 2023. Years of political churn - with five prime ministers and a non-stop ministerial carousel since the 2016 Brexit vote - have shaken Britain's reputation for stability among investors. Some executives say the country, long a magnet for FDI, has simply taken them for granted. But companies and investors say that a focus by regulators on limiting costs for bill-payers in sectors such as water, telecoms and energy has crimped investment. British investment minister Dominic Johnson said the government would be in listening mode at the gathering on Nov. 27 to hear how it can remove hurdles.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Dan Kitwood, Sunak, Emanuel Macron, Jack Paris, Paris, Jeremy Hunt, EY, Alina Osorio, Mikhail Taver, Richard Harrington, Harrington, Dominic Johnson, Johnson, Kate Holton, Sinead Cruise, Andy Bruce, Alexander Smith Organizations: British, Global Food Security, Lancaster House, Hampton Court, Partners, Reuters, European Union, United, Labour Party, India's Tata Group, Britain, AstraZeneca, Ireland, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Hampton, France, Versailles, European, Germany, United States, Europe, Delaware

☆ Holiday thins trading after data nudges dollar higher
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

With markets shut in Japan and the United States for the Thanksgiving holiday, currencies barely moved and cash U.S. Treasuries weren't traded in Asia. The dollar index rose overnight, bouncing from a 2-1/2 month low, after economic data showed the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week. The weakness in the dollar has buoyed the yen , along with expectations the Bank of Japan may shift away from its ultra-loose monetary policy next year. The dollar index was just 0.03% lower at 103.84, with the euro unchanged at $1.0887. The forward-looking flash November purchasing manager indexes, or PMIs, are also due out globally on Thursday and should help investors assess recession risks and how quickly rate cuts will begin.

Persons: Treasuries weren't, Jeff Ng, Treasuries, policymaker Mario Centeno, Joachim Nagel, Sterling, Jeremy Hunt, Changpeng Zhao Organizations: U.S ., Federal Reserve, University of Michigan, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Fed, Bank of Japan, European Central Bank, Governing, PMI Locations: Japan, United States, Asia, Britain, U.S

☆ Alphabet wants to invest in British fintech bank Monzo before it goes public
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Monzo, a British fintech bank, is in talks with Alphabet's private investment arm Capital G to raise what is primed to be its last funding round before a public listing. The bank touts around 8.5 million customers in the UK and is best known for its bright coral pink bank cards. Fintech funding in Europe dropped 70% to $5 billion from $17.1 billion in the first half of 2023, compared with 2022, according to Finch Capital. The prospective funding round is set to be the fintech's last private raise before a mooted public debut that would likely take place in late 2024 or 2025. The British bank reported £116.3 million in losses last year despite more than doubling its revenue.

Persons: Monzo, Catalyst, Monzo's, Cash, Conor Walsh, Anil Organizations: Business, Sky News, Abu Dhabi Growth Fund, Silicon, VC, fintech, Finch, London, Starling Bank Locations: British, London, Abu Dhabi, New York, Europe, Monzo, Starling

I asked financial planners where I could invest my money other than the stock market. Early last year, when I finally decided to invest some of the cash sitting idle in my high-yield savings account, I turned to the stock market. I've come a long way since then, optimizing my stock market strategy to include studying earnings reports and being more strategic with my picks. Real estateA good amount of my friends have turned to real estate investing over the past few years. "You can invest in real estate through REITs — Real Estate Investment Trusts — which pool together investor money to purchase, and sometimes operate, different forms of property.

Persons: —, Jason Dall'Acqua, Carolyn Yun, Privately, Yun, Get, Marguerita Cheng, Cheng Organizations: Service, Investment, SEC, Venture Locations: REITs —

☆ VCs didn't care about OpenAI's weird board structure. It was all about investing in Sam Altman and its 'transformative' tech.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | Vishal Persaud | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

OpenAI's venture capital investors weren't thinking about its mission to serve "humanity" by developing artificial intelligence. After Altman's ouster, Vinod Khosla, an early investor in OpenAI, came to his defense despite the criticism. OpenAI's complex and unique corporate governance structure meant that VCs could invest in the capped profit entity, but never earn any influence over the nonprofit board of directors, all of whom were either cofounders or appointed outside AI experts. The board structure and its governance are all likely to change as part of the deal to bring Sam Altman back as CEO of OpenAI. The purpose of the newly formed OpenAI board – consisting of current board member D'Angelo, former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and former Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor – is to vet and potentially appoint an expanded board of up to nine people, and that Microsoft and Altman want board seats, The Verge reported.

Persons: Sam Altman, OpenAI, Altman, VCs, Sam, Altman's, Vinod Khosla, Yunus, Khosla, Wesley Chan, Greg Brockman, Ilya Sutskever, Tasha McCauley, who's, Joseph Gordon, Levitt, Helen Toner, Adam D'Angelo, Karthee Madasamy, it's, David Sacks, D'Angelo, Larry Summers, Bret Taylor – Organizations: Business, Tiger Global Management, Khosla Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Microsoft, FPV Ventures, Rand Corporation, Georgetown's Center for Security, Emerging Technology, MFV Partners, Qualcomm Ventures, Ikea, Bosch, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Bertelsmann Foundation, Carlsberg Foundation, Craft Ventures Locations: OpenAI, Silicon Valley, Hollywood

☆ Big Oil has a place in ESG funds, says Deutsche Bank CIO
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Tommy Wilkes | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Fossil fuel stocks have boomed (.dMIWO0OG00PUS) since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 sent fossil fuel prices soaring, leaving the performance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) funds lagging. Pure-play renewable energy stocks such as Orsted (ORSTED.CO) and First Solar (FSLR.O) have also fallen sharply this year as higher interest rates and inflationary pressures squeeze profitability. European oil and gas companies including BP (BP.L) and Shell (SHEL.L) have increased renewable energy investment, although they are expanding production of dirtier energy too. Sustainability-minded investors, Müller said, needed more disclosures from firms about their plans for shifting to lower-carbon models, and regulatory clarity on labelling transition-focused funds. Morningstar estimates that 45% of funds have exposure to traditional energy, totalling 7 billion euros ($7.6 billion).

Persons: Markus Müller, Müller, Tommy Reggiori Wilkes, Susan Fenton Organizations: Deutsche Bank's Private Bank, Reuters, BP, Shell, ISR, Morningstar, Investors, Deutsche, Investment Office, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, France, Europe

☆ The manager of the top-performing small-cap fund this year outlined his 4 criteria for finding strong investments — and revealed his 3 favorite hidden gem stock picks right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Mark Reeth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

With a name like the Needham Aggressive Growth Fund, you'd be forgiven for assuming portfolio manager John Barr hunts for growth at any cost. So yes, it's growth investing informed by value investing." The Needham Aggressive Growth Fund has returned over 25% year-to-date according to Morningstar, making it the best-performing small-cap fund on the market. Barr, a one-time software salesman turned investing pro, told Business Insider what he looks for in his investments, the market themes he's watching, and his favorite stock picks right now. But it's Barr's primary investment criteria that sets him apart from other growth-focused fund managers: finding "hidden-to-quality compounders."

Persons: you'd, John Barr, Barr, that's, Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett, Morningstar, I've, there's, —, they've Organizations: Berkshire Hathaway, Business, Fund, Micro, Google, Vishay, Vishay Group, Parsons Corporation, Missile Defense Agency, Department of Defense

☆ EU fiscal pact ignores green elephant in the room
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

REUTERS/Henry Nicholls Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Nov 21 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The European Union’s troubled fiscal pact, once branded as "stupid" by former European Commission President Romano Prodi, has reached its sell-by date. Average EU debt has been consistently above the 60% target. NEW COURSEThe proposed revamp of the fiscal pact, now under discussion, is an improvement. BRAVE NEW DEBT WORLDFor all of Brussels’ reforming zeal, Europe’s future debt rules ignore a giant elephant in the room: climate change. Another option is to remove green investments from the fiscal rules’ deficit calculations.

Persons: Henry Nicholls, Romano Prodi, Christian Lindner, Giorgia Meloni, Breakingviews, Bruno Le Maire, Olaf Scholz’s, Mario Draghi, Francesco Guerrera, Thomas Shum Organizations: Trust, REUTERS, Reuters, European, Reuters Graphics Reuters, European Commission, French Finance, EU, Intel, European Central Bank, Italian, Union, Thomson Locations: Green Park, London, Britain, Maastricht Treaty, Germany, it's, Italy, Greece, Brussels, EU, United States, Spain, Europe

☆ These bond funds are among the top performers in 2023 – Here’s what investors should do next
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Risk-taking investors also fared well in high-yield bonds, as the fund category generated a 2023 total return of 6.98% through Friday. Big performers in that category include the Pacific Income Advisors High Yield (MACS) Fund (PIAMX) for investors with managed accounts. The BondBloxx CCC Rated USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (XCCC) was also among the strongest performers in the fund category. See below for a list of top performing high yield bond funds, according to Morningstar Direct. "I think these historically high yields have offered attractive entry points for high quality," said Murphy.

Persons: It's, Morningstar, it's, Thomas Murphy, Rowe, Murphy Organizations: Treasury, U.S, Morningstar, Morningstar . Bank, SEC, Pacific Income, PIAMX, Morningstar Direct Locations: U.S

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Crypto firm Tether said on Monday that it had frozen $225 million worth of its cryptocurrency which it said had been linked to a human trafficking group in Southeast Asia. The Secret Service did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Tether and OKX collaborated with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on the investigation, Tether said without elaborating. The crypto tokens were "linked to an international human trafficking syndicate in Southeast Asia responsible for a global “pig butchering” romance scam," Tether said. There are $87.9 billion tether tokens in circulation, making it the third biggest cryptocurrency after bitcoin and ether, according to CoinGecko data.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, OKX, Elizabeth Howcroft, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Secret Service, U.S . Department of Justice, DOJ, United Nations, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Southeast Asia, The

☆ Bridgewater is launching a machine learning-powered macro fund this summer. Here's how it works.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Bianca Chan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But the rest, from idea generation to testing and the models used to make trades, will all be developed through AI and machine learning. Sekhon came to Bridgewater in 2018 after a life in academia, where he taught machine learning at Harvard, UC Berkeley, Yale. Sekhon applies machine learning to analyze Bridgewater's reams of data from the past to predict what will happen in the future. At AIA Labs, much of the work is focused on combining statistical models with language models. And now, AI language models have progressed to the point where humans can interrogate and probe them, much in the same way people talk to each other through language, Sekhon said.

Persons: Bridgewater's, Greg Jensen, It's, Jensen, we've, " Jensen, Bridgewater, Jasjeet Sekhon, Sekhon, Jas Organizations: Artificial Investment, AIA, Bridgewater, AIA Labs, Harvard, UC Berkeley, Yale Locations: Bridgewater, Westport , Connecticut

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