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The Federal Reserve slows inflation by raising the federal funds rate, which can indirectly impact mortgages. The Fed and mortgage rates frequently asked questionsDo mortgage rates go up when the Fed raises rates? Mortgage rates may decrease when the Fed cuts the federal funds rate, but again, this depends on other economic trends. No, mortgage rates aren't tied to the Federal Reserve's federal funds rate. If you have a fixed-rate mortgage, your mortgage rate will stay the same until you sell your home, refinance your mortgage, or pay off the loan in full.

☆ Apollo assures investors deposit flight won't spill over to Athene
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Chibuike Oguh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Reuters GraphicsIn a quarterly update to shareholders published on March 13, Apollo outlined how Athene's funding model is different than a bank's. In the wake of the banking crisis, however, Apollo has been fielding questions from analysts and investors about Athene's funding model. Following a meeting with Apollo executives, Hone wrote in a note last week that he does not anticipate a spike in withdrawals from Athene's annuity holders and that Athene's funding base was stable. Apollo said in its March 13 presentation to investors that it had seen inflows of $8.8 billion to Athene from the start of the year to March 10. Questions from investors and analysts to Apollo have focused on this subset of annuity policies that have a potentially higher flight risk.

☆ EU regulators distance themselves from Credit Suisse bond writedowns
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Switzerland's second largest bank Credit Suisse is seen here next to a Swiss flag in downtown Geneva. BRUSSELS — European regulators distanced themselves from the Swiss decision to wipe out $17 billion of Credit Suisse 's bonds in the wake of the bank's rescue, saying they would write down shareholders' investments first. Dominique Laboureix, chair of the EU's Single Resolution Board, had a clear message for investors in an exclusive interview with CNBC. The Swiss decision has led some Credit Suisse AT1 bondholders to consider legal action, and it sparked uncertainty for bondholders around the world. The Single Resolution Board became operational in 2015 in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis and sovereign debt crisis.

☆ Australia's biggest pension funds cut China exposure, buy fossil fuels
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Lewis Jackson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SYDNEY, March 30 (Reuters) - Two of Australia's largest pension funds pulled money out of Chinese stocks and boosted positions in the country's fossil fuel sector in the final six months of 2022, according to filings published on Thursday. Both funds collectively increased their shareholdings in Woodside Energy Group (WDS.AX), Australia's largest independent natural gas producer, by roughly 14 million shares. The disclosures come just days after activist investors accused the big Australian pension funds of failing to push fossil fuel producers like Woodside hard enough to decarbonise. The figures reveal pension funds pulling back from China during the back half of 2022, a time when investors across the developed world were reconsidering exposure to a country still subject to strict COVID lockdowns. Aware Super said in a statement it had a "relatively small exposure" to China mostly via external managers.

March 24 (Reuters) - Financial sector headwinds are creating fresh openings for private equity investments in aerospace, as suppliers' need for capital to meet soaring demand for planes and parts risks further turbulence, executives said. He said he would not oppose a private equity investment, as long as he maintains control and the combination makes sense by lowering costs. Global private equity deals among companies with aerospace portfolios rose to 216 in 2022, more than double 2019's figure and the highest in over a decade, according to Refinitiv data. Permanent Equity wants to invest in repair stations and suppliers with large inventories of aerospace parts. In Canada, while bank loans remain accessible for small suppliers, rising rates have flattened real estate pricing.

☆ The top 4 sports and sports tech VCs are ready to open their checkbooks. Here's what they're looking for.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Matthew Kish | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Courtside Ventures in January closed a $100 million fund, its biggest yet. KB Partners late last year closed a $127 million fund, also its biggest yet. If you're not in one of those lanes, don't bother reaching out, even though the firm has the new $100 million fund to dole out. Parikh expects fewer investments in media companies out of the new fund, but more investments in gaming. It's doling out the money through two accelerator programs and an investment fund.

☆ These 10 funds had over $100 million each in Credit Suisse bonds — which are now worth nothing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A number of funds could be facing over $100 million in losses on their Credit Suisse investments after the lender's forced merger with its rival UBS . The funds face losses on Credit Suisse's additional tier-1 bonds (AT1), according to CNBC Pro analysis, after Swiss regulators deemed them worthless as part of the emergency merger . The Swiss regulator FINMA saw the merger between Credit Suisse and UBS as a trigger event to write down 16 billion Swiss francs ($17 billion) worth of the bonds. The following table shows the funds that held AT1 bonds with a par amount of at least $100 million each as of Mar. About 80 funds run either directly by PIMCO or one of its affiliates, held Credit Suisse AT 1 bonds, according to CNBC's analysis.

☆ Everyone's talking about Credit Suisse's risky bonds. Here's what they are and why they matter
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Fabrice Coffrini | AFP | Getty ImagesAdditional tier-one bonds, AT1s, CoCos? AT1 bonds is short for additional tier-one bonds. In short, they are bank bonds that are considered a relatively risky form of junior debt, therefore coming with a higher yield and are often bought by institutional investors. watch nowHow they work and why they're riskyOne of the key attributes of AT1 bonds is that they are designed to absorb losses. Finally, AT1 bonds are callable rather than maturing at a specific point.

☆ The $17 billion wipeout of Credit Suisse bondholders has not gone down well in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Credit Suisse's additional tier one bonds are set to be wiped out following the struggling bank's takeover by UBS. One section of Credit Suisse's bondholders is set to be wiped out following the struggling bank's takeover by UBS, causing them to see investments worth 16 billion Swiss Francs ($17 billion) become worthless. The move has angered Credit Suisse AT1 bond holders as their investments have seemingly been lost, while shareholders will receive payouts as part of the takeover. Therefore, the decision "can be interpreted as an effective subordination of AT1 bondholders to shareholders," Goldman Sachs' credit strategists said in a research note published Sunday. "It also represents the largest loss ever inflicted to AT1 investors since the birth of the asset class post-global financial crisis," they added.

☆ Fund strategist: We were buying Intuit stock during the stock market sell-off
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailFund strategist: We were buying Intuit stock during the stock market sell-offHannah Gooch-Peters, global equity investment analyst at Sanlam Investments, said her fund is buying shares of tax specialist Intuit amid the stock market sell-off over problems in the banking sector.

☆ Citadel accelerates hiring push in Hong Kong and London
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Summer Zhen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, March 17 (Reuters) - Miami-based Citadel has kicked off 2023 with multiple senior hires in London and Hong Kong to beef up its international equities team, after the firm became the world's most profitable hedge fund in 2022, profile updates on LinkedIn show. He previously worked as head of Asian Research of Florida-based hedge fund giant Lighthouse for more than seven years. After working for UBS investment bank for more than 16 years, Keith Donan also moved to Citadel in Hong Kong this month as a senior trader. Citadel's international equities team is a multi-manager business focusing on opportunities in Europe and Asia. Led by Sean Salji in London, the team has over 80 investment professionals in London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Paris.

☆ The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank foreshadows a bigger reckoning for the tech industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Linette Lopez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

In the days since the stunning collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, I've seen the tech world point a lot of fingers. Silicon Valley Bank imploded in part because it was a repository for the riskiest behaviors of the industry it serviced. In spite of this reality, there has been little self-reflection on the part of the industry that was so closely tied to Silicon Valley Bank. Silicon Valley Bank thrived on these trends. But to grow at the breakneck speed of its clients, Silicon Valley Bank executives had to change things in Washington.

REUTERS/Nathan Frandino//File PhotoNEW YORK/HOUSTON, March 10 (Reuters) - Corporations and investors have been pouring money into renewable energy projects, seeing an opportunity to grasp the Holy Grail of socially conscious investing: do good while doing well. But sharply higher interest rates have further stressed a model strained by soaring prices for steel and silicon, vital for wind turbines and solar panels. Higher costs have buyers and sellers of renewable power projects recalculating potential returns, hampering fundraising and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). A decade of low interest rates meant borrowers could raise cheap debt to build projects and juice returns. Financial investors traditionally took stakes in operating renewables projects to avoid risks of construction delays and ensure stable returns.

☆ Warren Buffett’s equity portfolio is focused on just 5 stocks. Here’s what they are
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway revealed that 75% of its equity portfolio was concentrated in just five names. The "Oracle of Omaha" kept his top five holdings unchanged last quarter as the stock market experienced heightened volatility amid rising rates and recession fears. At the end of 2022, Apple remained Berkshire's largest holding by far, with a value of $119 billion. Chevron was the conglomerate's third-biggest holding with a $30 billion value. In August, Berkshire received regulatory approval to purchase up to 50%, spurring speculation that it may eventually buy all of Houston-based Occidental.

☆ Investment banks approach Monzo over potential IPO as $4.5 billion fintech plots investing push, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Investment banks have been in talks with Monzo over a future IPO, sources told Insider. The London-based fintech has also been in discussions to grow its wealth and investment offering. A number of leading investment banks have held initial talks with British fintech unicorn Monzo about a public listing that could take place as early as next year, sources say. Some investment banks have opted to cull teams of staff focused on M&A and stock issuance in recent months, most notably Goldman Sachs. The fintech has also been on the lookout for acquisitions and partnerships in the wealth and trading space, two sources told Insider.

☆ Thoma Bravo and Clearlake have posted negative returns for a major endowment, according to exclusive performance data. Middle-market firms have been much stronger.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Rebecca Ungarino | Ben Bergman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The returns show losses from Thoma Bravo and Clearlake, though the funds are new and PE is a long game. Thoma Bravo and Clearlake Capital Group, two private-equity firms that have emerged as notably active investors in recent years, have posted early losses across some of their funds, according to investment returns from a major US endowment. UTIMCO invested $51.7 million in Clearlake's seventh flagship private equity fund, known as Clearlake Capital Partners VII, which closed with some $14 billion of commitments last May. Thoma Bravo declined to comment. Meanwhile, the data show high returns from CapRock Partners, Renovus Capital Partners, Serve Capital Partners, and LFM Capital, PE firms that target middle-market companies.

If sealed, this would be the second such deal between major LNG exporter Qatar and the world's no.2 LNG buyer, as Beijing looks to beef up gas supply and diversify its sources in a drive to replace coal and cut carbon emissions. CNPC's talks follow a deal announced last November by China's Sinopec, in which QatarEnergy agreed to supply 4 million tonnes of LNG annually for 27 years, the longest duration LNG supply contract ever signed by Qatar. "This is a good move for CNPC, securing additional long term supply from a reliable and well positioned partner. Sinopec said in November the gas purchase agreement was part of an "integrated partnership", which indicated the Chinese firm could be considering acquiring a stake in Qatar's North Field expansion export facility. Chinese customs data showed the country's imports of Qatari LNG surged 75% last year from 2021 to 15.7 million tonnes, making up a quarter of the nation's total imports, while China's total LNG imports shrank nearly 20%.

☆ How to Invest in the S&P 500
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

The S&P 500 index, short for Standard & Poor’s 500 index, is one of the most widely traded and talked about stock indexes in the world. The Largest S&P 500 Index Funds Ticker Symbols Expense Ratio Fund Size Vanguard S&P 500 Index Fund VOO, VFFSX, VFIAX 0.010%-0.040% $792 billion SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY 0.095% $380 billion Fidelity 500 Index Fund FXAIX 0.015% $374 billion iShares Core S&P 500 ETF IVV 0.030% $307 billion Vanguard Institutional Index Fund VINIX, VIIIX 0.020%-0.035% $238 billion Morningstar DirectS&P 500 mutual funds vs. S&P 500 ETFsAnother thing to consider is whether you want to buy a traditional mutual fund or an exchange-traded fund, which trades like a stock. Equal weight, value or ESG S&P 500 fundsMoreover, if you’re concerned about the heavy weighting of certain sectors in the S&P index you can invest instead in an equal weight S&P 500 index fund or add those shares to your portfolio. Alternatively, you can buy an S&P 500 value fund, which represents stocks that are considered undervalued or an S&P 500 growth fund, which represents the fastest-growing companies in the S&P 500. Another variation on the S&P 500 index theme incorporates ESG (environmental, social and governance) values while maintaining similar overall industry group weights as the S&P 500.

☆ 'Gnarly term sheets' and a 'terrible deal for founders:' VC heavyweights are raising alarms about the buildup of startup venture debt, warning it could imperil future deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But now some industry heavyweights are raising the alarm about the massive build up of venture debt, warning it could imperil future deals. Why startups raise debtStartups tend to raise venture debt alongside traditional equity. "Venture debt makes sense in an environment in which founders are generally able to raise the next round and then pay back the venture debt." A venture debt reckoningSamir Kaji, a former venture debt lender and host of the Venture Unlocked podcast, recently took to twitter to weigh in on the venture debt reckoning. Venture debt has traditionally seen credit loss rates much lower than other private lenders, but that could soon be changing.

☆ More people will make thousands by selling stakes in their homes to Wall Street firms, according to one company that already sees elevated interest from homeowners
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But high mortgage rates are making it difficult for homeowners to take advantage of this wealth. Home equity investments are a way to raise cash without taking out a new loan. However, higher mortgage rates have made it more difficult for Americans to take advantage of this wealth. He said the company foresees "strong demand" for the home equity investments in the coming months. According to a Redfin analysis of government data, 85% of US homeowners tote a mortgage rate far below today's level of 6%.

☆ Uber beats estimates and the stock is up
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Uber reported fourth-quarter earnings Wednesday that beat analysts' estimates. Revenue: $8.6 billion vs. $8.49 billion expected by analysts, according to Refinitiv. The company reported an adjusted EBITDA of $665 million, more than the $620 million expected by analysts, according to StreetAccount. Here's how Uber's largest business segments performed in the quarter:Mobility (gross bookings): $14.9 billion vs. 14.8 billion expected by analysts, according to StreetAccountDelivery (gross bookings): $14.3 billion vs. $14.3 billion expected by analysts, according to StreetAccount. There were 2.1 billion trips completed on the platform during the period, up 19% year over year.

☆ Harvey Schwartz has his work cut out for him at Carlyle. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But first, a Wall Street firm finally finds its CEO. Harvey Schwartz Goldman Sachs1. In many ways, Carlyle and Harvey Schwartz are perfectly imperfect for each other. Might as well call it "Carefree Carlyle," because that's the vibes I'm getting under the soon-to-be Schwartz era. Click here to read more about what'll be expected of Harvey Schwartz as CEO of Carlyle.

☆ ChatGPT has investors scrambling to get on the AI bandwagon so much that obscure stocks are soaring just like big-name chip companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

That's that for the latest Fed talk — but today, we're taking a closer look at the AI hype train passing through the stock market. And small-cap tech stocks with names that nod to bots like BigBear.ai and SoundHound AI have similarly notched gains so far this year. Tech stocks have come back with a "vengeance," Fundstrat's Mark Newton said. It's a necessary step for policymakers to take, the group said, even if it means declines in stock market returns. Wall Street's biggest firms are warning their clients not to trust the stock market rally.

☆ Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary is in talks with ChatGPT creator OpenAI for an equity investment in the company
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

In an exclusive interview with Insider, Kevin O'Leary shared that he's in talks to invest in OpenAI. "I'm looking at the ChatGPT deal right now from an equity perspective, deciding what allocation I want to put into it," O'Leary said. OpenAI last month secured a $10 billion investment from Microsoft, a move O'Leary cheered as a shareholder in the tech giant. "I like to invest in the first-mover because they have a marketing advantage," O'Leary said in a Tuesday call. "Either it'll have a good outcome or it won't, but I won't take down the ship or sell the farm for it.

☆ Blackstone is stepping up evictions of hundreds of tenants across the US as a top exec vows 'cash-flow growth'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Robert Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

It's back to business as usual: An exec said he had confidence in the firm's "cash-flow growth." About one-fifth of those holdings are tied up in an investment vehicle known as the Blackstone Real Estate Investment Trust, or BREIT. Blackstone's real-estate portfolio is outperforming competitorsThe news of Blackstone's increasing eviction efforts came days after the company announced its fourth-quarter earnings. For example, what Blackstone calls its "opportunistic" real-estate portfolio appreciated by more than 7% during 2022 in one of the most challenging markets in recent memory. The firm's core real-estate portfolio gained more than 10% in value during 2022.

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