DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ ChatGPT's father Sam Altman was ousted by OpenAI's board then took a top job at Microsoft over the weekend. Here's how investors, analysts, and insiders reacted to the drama.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sam Altman was ousted from OpenAI then accepted a top job at Microsoft over the weekend. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementOver the course of a whirlwind weekend, OpenAI cofounder Sam Altman was ousted from ChatGPT's parent company and promptly accepted a job running a new AI research team at Microsoft. [Microsoft CEO Satya] Nadella says they're still committed to OpenAI. (Ware predicted brain drain as other OpenAI employees follow Altman to Microsoft or join other rivals now he's no longer in charge.)

Persons: Sam Altman, OpenAI, —, Microsoft didn't, Dan Ives, Altman, — that's, Jason Ware, They've, Satya, Nadella, they're, They're, Ware, Ben Laidler, Emmett, Joshua Mahony, Jim, Fan, Satya swoops, I'm, Jason Calacanis, It's Organizations: Microsoft, Wall Street, Service, Nasdaq, Albion Financial, CNBC, Markets, Nvidia Locations: OpenAI

☆ Bitcoin hits two-month high above $30,000 in volatile week
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A bitcoin is seen in an illustration picture taken at La Maison du Bitcoin in Paris, France, June 23, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Bitcoin jumped on Friday above $30,000 for first time since July , taking gains for the week past 10%, against a backdrop of volatile trading across cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by circulation, climbed as high as $30,022, its highest since July 23. There was no immediate news catalyst for the move in bitcoin, said Joseph Edwards, head of research at London crypto firm Enigma Securities. The approval of any such applications, crypto investors have said, could usher in a new wave of capital to the asset class.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Bitcoin, Joseph Edwards, Ben Laidler, Tom Wilson, Elizabeth Howcroft, Amanda Cooper Organizations: La Maison du, REUTERS, Securities, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, BlackRock, Thomson Locations: La, Paris, France, cryptocurrencies, bitcoin, London

But bitcoin fell sharply after a Fox Business reporter said on the social media platform X that BlackRock denied the report. loadingBlackRock later confirmed to Reuters that "the iShares Bitcoin ETP application is still under review by the SEC." "Crypto markets have just shown how sensitive they are to any potential good news, with their premature rally today on rumors of the approval of a spot bitcoin ETF," said Ben Laidler, global markets strategist at eToro. Crypto markets have been awaiting news on several pending spot bitcoin ETF applications, which, if approved, are widely expected to drive investment in the sector. The SEC has denied all spot bitcoin ETF applications on the grounds applicants have not shown they can protect investors from market manipulation.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, bitcoin, Ben Laidler, Joseph Edwards, Lucas Kiely, Tom Wilson, Elizabeth Howcroft, Hannah Lang, Suzanne McGee, Tommy Reggiori Wilkes, Sharon Singleton, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, BlackRock, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Fox Business, Reuters, SEC, Securities, Columbia, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, London, Washington

REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado/ Acquire Licensing RightsOct 3 (Reuters) - The global cryptocurrency market remains badly scarred following the tumultuous collapse of crypto exchange FTX and other big players last year, with crypto prices, volumes and venture capital investment well below their 2021 peaks. BITCOIN BLUESBitcoin, by far the biggest cryptocurrency and the chief barometer for crypto market sentiment, has bounced back about 37% since Nov. 1. Reuters Image Acquire Licensing RightsCRUMBLING MARKET CAPAfter peaking at $3 trillion in November 2021, the value of the overall crypto market plummeted through 2022, hitting a two-year low of $796 billion as FTX imploded. Yet the relative calm in crypto markets is not necessarily a good thing, said some market participants, noting that many investors are attracted to crypto precisely because of its volatility, which offers opportunities to make quick profits. Reuters GraphicsVC CRYPTO BETS TUMBLEVenture capital (VC) investments flooded into crypto during its boom year of 2021, and even through 2022.

Persons: Damian Williams, Samuel Bankman, David, Dee, Delgado, Sam Bankman, FTX, cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, bitcoin, Ben Laidler, Usman Ahmad, Anders Kvamme Jensen, Robert Le, CCData, Noelle Acheson, Hannah Lang, Elizabeth Howcroft, Tom Wilson, Michelle Price, Andrea Ricci Organizations: REUTERS, Capital, Silvergate Bank, BlackRock, Reuters, Zodia, Chartered, Reuters Graphics, U.S, Venture, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, New York, Singapore, London, Washington

U.S. bond investors nonetheless dialled back their bets of a rate hike in November and December following Powell's remarks, though Treasury yields traded near break-even by late morning. The yield on 10-year Treasury notes was steady at 4.2314% and the two-year yield, which reflects interest rate expectations, rose to 5.0735%. "We've seen a back-off in ECB rate hike expectations. Boston Fed President Susan Collins said on Yahoo Finance's video channel that rates may be near or at a peak, "but certainly additional increments are possible." Tokyo consumer price data on Friday, which front-runs nationwide figures, showed inflation remained well above the Bank of Japan's target.

Persons: Toby Melville, Jerome Powell, Powell, David Sadkin, Dow Jones, Christine, Lagarde, Ben Laidler, Patrick Harker, Susan Collins, Shaun Osborne, Joseph Capurso, Kazuo Ueda, Jackson, Brent, Samuel Indyk, Kevin Buckland, Jacqueline Wong, Mark Potter, Chizu Nomiyama, Susan Fenton, Diane Craft, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: London Stock Exchange Group, City of, REUTERS, Federal Reserve, Bel Air Investment Advisors, Nasdaq, European Central Bank, ECB, Reuters, Philadelphia Fed, CNBC, Boston, Yahoo, U.S, Scotiabank, Bank of, Bank of Japan, CBA, West Texas, Thomson Locations: City, City of London, Britain, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, U.S, Asia, Tokyo

☆ Shares whipsaw as Fed weighs inflation risks, yields steady
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Samuel Indyk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

If you're a bear, you heard him say we're going to be restrictive, and we might hike rates," said David Sadkin, president at Bel Air Investment Advisors. U.S. rates investors nonetheless dialled back their bets of a rate hike in November and December following Powell's remarks, though Treasury yields traded near break-even by late morning. "We've seen a back off in ECB rate hike expectations. Boston Fed President Susan Collins said on Yahoo Finance's video channel that rates may be near or at a peak, "but certainly additional increments are possible." Tokyo consumer price data on Friday, which front-runs nationwide figures, showed inflation remained well above the Bank of Japan's target.

Persons: Toby Melville, Jerome Powell, Powell, David Sadkin, Dow Jones, Christine, Lagarde, Ben Laidler, Patrick Harker, Susan Collins, Shaun Osborne, Joseph Capurso, Kazuo Ueda, Jackson, Brent, Samuel Indyk, Kevin Buckland, Jacqueline Wong, Mark Potter, Chizu Nomiyama, Susan Fenton Organizations: London Stock Exchange Group, City of, REUTERS, Federal Reserve, Bel Air Investment Advisors, Nasdaq, European Central Bank, Reuters, ECB, Philadelphia Fed, CNBC, Boston, Yahoo, U.S, Scotiabank, Bank of, Bank of Japan, CBA, West Texas, Thomson Locations: City, City of London, Britain, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, U.S, Asia, Tokyo

Asian stocks fell to a one-month low and European indexes were in the red, with the STOXX 600 down 0.8% at 1125 GMT (.STOXX). "We’re still getting a mixed message from the inflation numbers," said Ben Laidler, global markets strategist at eToro. The pound was up 0.4% at $1.2725 , after GDP data showed Britain eked out some unexpected growth in the second quarter, helped by a strong June performance. But it remains the only large advanced economy that has not yet regained its pre-COVID late-2019 level, data showed on Friday. Investors will be watching for UK inflation data next Wednesday.

Persons: DAX, Mary Daly, We’re, Ben Laidler, eToro's Laidler, Brent, Elizabeth Howcroft, John Stonestreet, Susan Fenton Organizations: Credit Suisse, Wall, San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, Investors, Nasdaq, HK, Britain, West Texas, International Energy Agency, Thomson Locations: Silicon, China, Australia, Japan

"We're going to see our first rise in headline inflation after 12 consecutive months of falling prices," said Ben Laidler, global markets strategist at eToro. The pan-European benchmark STOXX 600 (.STOXX) rose 0.5%, supported by gains in the luxury sector (.STXLUXP) after China lifted a ban on group tours in the United States and other key markets. In currency markets, the dollar index , which measures the U.S. currency against six peers, eased 0.4%. "We've got $1 trillion coming down the pipe over the next three months," eToro's Laidler said. "Any sign that markets are absorbing that well, which we got the first signs of yesterday, will be very well taken."

Persons: Ben Laidler, Laidler, Germany's DAX, Rodrigo Catril, We've, eToro's Laidler, Bond, Brent, Samuel Indyk, Ankur Banerjee, Edwina Gibbs, Sam Holmes, Susan Fenton, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Silicon Valley Bank, Credit Suisse, Reuters, CAC, FTSE, Wall, National Australia Bank, U.S, Treasury, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Silicon, China, United States, Europe's, Europe, CHINA, U.S, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Beijing, Saudi Arabia, Russia

LONDON, June 16 (Reuters) - The pound was set for its biggest weekly rise in six months on Friday after days of economic data and central bank rate decisions, and ahead of the Bank of England's monetary policy meeting next week. It was up 1.72% since Monday, the biggest weekly increase since early December. "Tuesday's labour market data led Bank rate expectations to spend much of that evening flirting with a terminal (peak) rate closer to 6%," said Nicholas Rees, FX market analyst at Monex Europe. Reuters GraphicsHe said U.S. economic data released on Thursday, which showed weekly jobless claims were higher than expected last week, also helped boost sterling by weighing on the dollar. Sterling rose to its highest level against the yen in eight years following the BoJ's announcement, at 180.83 yen to the pound.

Persons: Nicholas Rees, Rees, Sterling, BoE, they're, Ben Laidler, Farouq Suleiman, Harry Robertson, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Bank, Analysts, Bank of England, FX, Monex, European Central Bank, Bank of Japan, ECB, U.S . Federal, Nationwide Building Society, Thomson Locations: Monex Europe, lockstep, Britain

☆ World shares muted, lira plunges to record low
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Samuel Indyk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Meanwhile, Turkey's lira plunged to a record low against the greenback as authorities appeared to loosen stabilising measures after the government signalled a pivot to more orthodox policies. Spanish stocks (.IBEX) outperformed after shares in the world's biggest fast fashion company Inditex (ITX.MC) jumped almost 7% following first quarter results. That left the MSCI's broadest index of world shares (.MIWD00000PUS) up just under 0.1% but close to its highest level in 13 months reached on Monday. The dollar fell 0.1% against a basket of currencies, while the Turkish lira weakened over 7% to a record low of 23.17 per dollar, its biggest one-day sell-off since the 2021 crash. Bitcoin was trading at about $26,900, consolidating after a sharp rebound on Tuesday from as low as $25,350.

Persons: Ben Laidler, Ipek Ozkardeskaya, eToro's Laidler, Laidler, Solana, Samuel Indyk, Kevin Buckland, Xie Yu, Robert Birsel, Louise Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Staff LONDON, U.S, Federal Reserve, greenback, Nikkei, Fed, Wall, ICE, Treasury, Swissquote Bank, Data, Saudi, Brent, Texas, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, U.S, London, Turkish, China, Cardano, Polygon

LONDON/SINGAPORE, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The dollar ticked higher on Tuesday ahead of a raft of central bank decisions but remained on track for its fourth consecutive monthly loss. The Federal Reserve will set interest rates on Wednesday, followed by the European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of England (BoE) on Thursday. That meant it was set for its fourth monthly drop, having fallen around 11% since hitting a 20-year peak in late September. Investors then expect the ECB and BoE to raise their main interest rates by 50 bps each on Thursday. Sterling was last 0.29% lower at $1.231, but was on track for its fourth monthly increase.

☆ Markets Wobble in First Session of the Year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Isabella Simonetti | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Stocks wavered on Tuesday, the first trading day of 2023, after a tumultuous year of high inflation and interest-rate increases upended financial markets. The S&P 500 fell slightly in early trading, giving up initial gains. The Federal Reserve’s commitment to fighting high inflation has moved the market over the past year. Ben Laidler, an analyst at eToro, a trading company, called inflation the “fundamental key” to market moves this year. “A sharp fall opens up relief from the Fed interest rate shock and slow-building economic recession and supports our positive view,” he wrote in a note.

LONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Paris' luxury-laden stock exchange is now worth more than London's. France's CAC All Shares index (.PAX) is now worth almost $3 trillion, making it Europe's largest stock market by value thanks to demand for its luxury-retailer blue chips. Reuters GraphicsFUND FLOWSSo far in 2022, funds investing in UK stocks have seen record outflows of 23 billion euros, according to Refinitiv Lipper, up from almost 18 billion euros last year and the 14.6 billion euros shed in 2016, when Britain voted to leave the European Union. Annual outflows from French equity funds are much smaller - at 2 billion euros this year. FX MATTERSIt's also worth noting that currency comes into play when measuring the size of London's market against Paris' in dollar terms.

☆ British government performs major U-turn on tax cuts. But markets are far from convinced
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

British Prime Minister Liz Truss attends a news conference in London, Britain, October 14, 2022. Daniel Leal | ReutersLONDON — A major reshuffle and the scrapping of a key tax-cutting pledge by U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss on Friday wasn't enough to placate markets with the pound and government bonds continuing to sell off. It seems that Truss's speech did little to reassure markets, or to convince analysts that Britain's financial storm has passed. Rather than settling the waters, Truss's U-turn on tax decisions will leave investors cautious of future political upheaval, according to Mike Owens, a U.K. sales trader at Saxo. "The costs of the mini-budget horror show have already been high and it's not clear that the expected corporation tax U-turn will sustainably calm markets," he said.

Search resuls for: "Ben Laidler"

14 mentions found