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☆ Intrepid bankers will find Boutique Blvd jam-packed
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Jeffrey Goldfarb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The situation complicates things for rainmakers considering their next steps in a weaker environment for mergers and acquisitions. Making the well-trod move from Wall Street to Boutique Boulevard will be much harder in 2023. The entrepreneurial spirit often hits investment bankers when times get tough, and their mega-bank employers start cutting staff or restricting access to the balance sheet. It's easy to see how the likes of Blair Effron’s Centerview, Robey Warshaw and Ken Moelis’ eponymous firm established themselves. Absent those kinds of industry-specific or geographic relationships, idle investment bankers may find themselves just spending more time with their families.

☆ 'Top Gun' and 'Avatar' nab Golden Globe nominations, pointing the way for the Oscars
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The cliché about award shows is that it’s an honor just to be nominated. Having endeavored to address those issues on both fronts, the Globes are here again, although not everyone has embraced the event or the HFPA with open arms. "Avatar: The Way of Water" debuts Dec. 16. The steep decline in award-show viewing, exacerbated by the pandemic, hasn’t made studios or talent any less enthusiastic about earning such recognition. In that sense, however tarnished the Golden Globes might be, its example could be another factor that helps point the way for the Oscars when those nominations are unveiled in January.

☆ Australia's Big Four banks pass c.bank rate hike to home loan customers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 6 (Reuters) - All of Australia's "big four" banks said on Tuesday they will raise their home loan rates by a quarter-point, passing on the central bank's eighth rate hike in as many months to their customers in full. Earlier on Tuesday, the Reserve Bank of Australia lifted its cash rate by 25 basis points to a 10-year high of 3.1%, and reiterated that further policy tightening would be needed to contain inflation. The top four lenders, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA.AX), National Australia Bank (NAB.AX) and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group's (ANZ.AX) will hike their rates from the end of next week, while Westpac Banking Corp's (WBC.AX) hike will be effective December 20, the banks said in separate statements. However, heightened borrowing costs could impact credit demand, housing market, employment and economic growth, posing as challenges to the lenders. Reporting by Rishav Chatterjee and Echha Jain in Bengaluru Editing by Vinay Dwivedi and Nivedita BhattacharjeeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] A man holds a smartphone with a sign that reads: "I need tickets" ahead of a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match in Doha, Qatar, November 30, 2022. REUTERS/Charlotte BruneauDOHA, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Ashraf Ali arrived at Stadium 974 six hours ahead of the Argentina-Poland World Cup match and, in desperation, raised a hand-written sign: "We need tickets." Other ticketless soccer fans are increasingly gathering at crowded stadium perimeters in Doha during the World Cup to haggle with hawkers, quietly pushing match tickets for popular matches up to 10 times face value. SPECIAL LAWQatar passed a special law for the World Cup that grants FIFA exclusive rights to sell the tickets. "FIFA's ultimate objectives are to prioritise the safety and security of all fans and to enforce a fair pricing scheme for World Cup tickets," a spokesperson told Reuters.

☆ Asia shares pin hopes on China opening, oil rallies
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The news helped oil prices firm as OPEC+ nations reaffirmed their output targets ahead of a European Union ban and price caps on Russian crude, which kick off on Monday. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) added 0.2%, after rallying 3.7% last week to a three-month top. Markets are wagering Fed rates will top out at 5% and the European Central Bank around 2.5%. read moreCentral banks in Australia, Canada and India are all expected to raise their rates at meetings this week. Oil prices bounced after OPEC+ agreed to stick to its oil output targets at a meeting on Sunday.

☆ NHL roundup: Kasperi Kapanen's hat trick sends Pens past Blues
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Oskar Sundqvist scored the only goal of the game for Detroit, which lost its third straight game. Toronto's Mitch Marner scored twice to set a club record with 19th straight games with a point. Bruins 5, Avalanche 1David Pastrnak and Trent Frederic each scored twice as the host Bruins cruised past the Avalanche. Tomas Hertl scored twice for the Sharks, who have lost five of six (1-4-1). Panthers 5, Kraken 1Carter Verhaeghe scored twice and Sam Bennett had three assists as Florida defeated host Seattle, ending the Kraken's franchise-record seven-game winning streak.

☆ Australian banking system cushioned for imminent climate change-related risks - regulator
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 30 (Reuters) - Potential economic downturns caused by climate change could pose risks to the loan books of Australia's top five banks without resulting in any severe stress to the system and the economy, a risk study conducted by the country's banking regulator showed. With global focus sharply pivoting towards climate change, banks have come under increased scrutiny for their ties with fossil fuel projects, prompting them to set goals to cut emissions and raise investments in clean energy projects. These banks have "predicted they would adjust their risk appetite and lending practices, such as cutting back on high loan-to-valuation lending and reducing exposure to higher risk regions and industries", the regulator said. APRA will now consider how the assessment could be applied to other regulated industries and climate-related challenges, it said. ($1 = 1.4948 Australian dollars)Reporting by Sameer Manekar and Tejaswi Marthi in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.V and Subhranshu SahuOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Dollar holds firm as China's COVID-related worries weigh
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Harish Sridharan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The euro , which surged to a five-month peak of $1.0497 overnight, later reversed those gains following a rebound in the U.S. dollar. Against a basket of currencies, the U.S. dollar index was marginally lower by 0.1% at 106.50, after rising 0.5% overnight. The greenback had extended gains after St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said overnight that the Fed needs to raise interest rates quite a bit further. The U.S. central bank is widely expected to hike rates by an additional 50 basis points when it meets on Dec. 13-14. The offshore yuan reversed some of its losses in the previous session and was about 0.4% higher at 7.2136 per dollar.

But it is spreading across finance, energy, retail and aviation, threatening to push up labour costs in industries facing supply-chain bottlenecks and worker shortages. The turmoil is especially pronounced because union power was curtailed in Australia under laws in place since the 1990s. In the year to June, the average Australian wage rose 2.6%, compared with inflation of 6.1%, according to official data. Despite seven interest-rate hikes since May, inflation is set to climb further before subsiding in 2023, the government says. But in the current climate in Australia, workers are in no mood to back down.

☆ Dollar holds firm as China's Covid-related worries weigh
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

☆ Dollar rises broadly, yuan slumps as China's COVID unrest rattles sentiment
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SINGAPORE, Nov 28 (Reuters) - The dollar gained broadly on Monday as protests against COVID restrictions in China stoked uncertainty and dented sentiment, sending the yuan sliding and pushing nervous investors toward the safe-haven greenback. Against the offshore yuan , the dollar rose 0.76% in early Asia trade to 7.2456. The Aussie , which is often used as a liquid proxy for the yuan, fell 0.61% to $0.6714, while the kiwi slumped 0.5% to $0.6216. "Companies are currently facing weaker retail sales from a higher number of COVID cases and falling home prices from unfinished home projects." Against a basket of currencies, the U.S. dollar index was down 0.08% at 106.25, but off its recent three-month low of 105.30.

☆ Dollar steadies as China COVID fears linger
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

China's capital warned on Monday that it was facing its most severe test of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a surge in COVID cases sparking fresh restriction measures. The offshore yuan traded 0.1% higher at 7.1665 per dollar in early Asia trade on Tuesday, after falling more than 0.7% overnight. The Japanese yen slumped more than 1% to the weaker side of 142 per dollar overnight and last traded 142.01. "It's more like a cork in the ocean, subject to risk aversion as well as movements in 10-year Treasury yields." "Fed comments remained in line with the recent slant of rhetoric," said economists at ING in a note.

☆ Dollar steadies as China Covid fears linger
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The dollar pared some of its strong overnight gains on Tuesday after investors flocked to the safe-haven currency on nerves over China's Covid flare ups, though cautious risk sentiment kept the greenback in demand. China's capital warned on Monday that it was facing its most severe test of the Covid-19 pandemic, with a surge in Covid cases sparking fresh restriction measures. The offshore yuan traded 0.1% higher at 7.1665 per dollar in early Asia trade on Tuesday, after falling more than 0.7% overnight. The Japanese yen slumped more than 1% to the weaker side of 142 per dollar overnight and last traded 142.01. "It's more like a cork in the ocean, subject to risk aversion as well as movements in 10-year Treasury yields ."

☆ Pepsi once offered a fighter jet as a joke prize in a promotion. A student tried to claim it anyway.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Pepsi launched a "points" promotion in 1996 that included a "joke" prize of a $23M fighter jet. College student John Leonard took this challenge seriously, and launched a plan to nab the prize. Pepsi launched a rewards scheme called Pepsi Points, with customers able to redeem items using points accrued from buying its drinks. The company released a TV commercial for the promotion that ended with the claim that 7 million points would allow a Harrier fighter jet worth about $23 million to be redeemed. However, he saw a loophole: buy Pepsi Points for 10 cents each, meaning the seven million points needed for the jet would cost $700,000.

☆ A young banker sounds off on why a boutique shop is better than the bulge bracket
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Boutique investment banks might lack the name-brand recognition of their larger peers, but they also get their fair share of business. While it's true smaller banks typically pay more than their larger counterparts, that's not this banker's main motivating factor. Click here to read this first-person perspective on what it's like to be a first-year investment-banking analyst at a boutique bank. Wall Street bonuses are set to be really bad. The bank avoided lending to many of the buyout deals that are shaping up to be big losers for lenders, The Wall Street Journal reports.

☆ Shares and bonds chastened as Fed, ECB urge care
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Lawrence White | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Meanwhile dovish comments from European Central Bank policymaker Fabio Panetta saw European bond yields ease, but short-dated rates remained within striking distance of multi-year highs. Panetta said the ECB needs to avoid overtightening as that could destroy productive capacity and deepen a recession. The benchmark European STOXX index rose 0.26% (.STOXX), and MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) added 0.6%, after jumping 7.7% last week. The dollar index was last seen on Monday at 106.86, still well short of last week's 111.280 top , while the euro eased a touch to $1.032 , after climbing 3.9% last week. The firming dollar also dragged down oil prices, despite the hopes of a demand boost from China's hints at reopening.

☆ Shares and bonds chastened as Fed urges caution
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Lawrence White | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The benchmark European STOXX index rose 0.15% (.STOXX), and MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) added 0.5%, after jumping 7.7% last week. EYES ON CHINAChinese stocks gained on reports that regulators have asked financial institutions to extend more support to stressed property developers. The support for China's property sector, which consumes a vast amount of metals, boosted copper towards a five-month high. The dollar index was last seen on Monday at 107.15, still well short of last week's 111.280 top , while the euro eased a touch to $1.02875 , after climbing 3.9% last week. The firming dollar also dragged down oil prices, despite the hopes of a demand boost from China's hints at reopening.

☆ Shares mixed on Fed warning, China acts on property
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

read moreWaller added the markets were well ahead of themselves on just one inflation print, though he did concede the Fed could now start thinking about hiking at a slower pace. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) added 1.1%, after jumping 7.7% last week. read moreThe news on COVID rules had stoked a short-covering bounce in the yuan, which added to broad pressure on the dollar as yields dived. The dollar index was up a fraction on Monday at 106.920 , but still well short of last week's 111.280 top. Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Kenneth MaxwellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Asia shares pause as Fed warns against exuberance
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

read moreWaller added the markets were well ahead of themselves on just one inflation print, though he did concede the Fed could now start thinking about hiking at a slower pace. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) added 0.2%, after jumping 7.7% last week. read moreThe news on COVID rules had stoked a short-covering bounce in the yuan last week, which added to broad pressure on the dollar as yields dived. The dollar's recent retreat provided a much-needed fillip to commodities, with gold up at $1,768 an ounce after jumping over $100 last week. Oil futures extended their gains with Brent up 86 cents at $96.85, while U.S. crude rose 80 cents to $89.76 per barrel.

☆ Asia shares mixed on Fed warning, China hopes
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

read moreWaller added the markets were well ahead of themselves on just one inflation print, though he did concede the Fed could now start thinking about hiking at a slower pace. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) added 0.8%, after jumping 7.7% last week. read moreThe news on COVID rules had stoked a short-covering bounce in the yuan last week, which added to broad pressure on the dollar as yields dived. The euro eased a touch to $1.0324 , after climbing 3.9% last week, while the dollar firmed to 139.27 yen following last week's 5.4% drubbing. The dollar's recent retreat provided a much-needed fillip to commodities, with gold holding at $1,763 an ounce after jumping over $100 last week.

The banks are now less conservative in counting expected rental income when assessing loan applications, said the four sources. In September, about a third of new bank mortgage lending was for investment. On Nov. 12, NAB will also halve its discount on rental income to 10%, including for Airbnb-like short-term rentals, the sources said. NAB, Westpac and ANZ trail market leader Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA.AX), which has a quarter of the mortgage market. Commonwealth continues to apply a rental income discount of 20% on mortgage applications, a sixth source said.

☆ Dollar advances ahead of inflation data; cryptos crumble
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Rae Wee | Rocky Swift | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SINGAPORE, Nov 10 (Reuters) - The dollar regained its footing on Thursday ahead of key U.S. inflation data due later in the day, while cryptocurrencies were fragile after a bailout deal for exchange FTX by its bigger rival Binance collapsed. The euro hobbled just above parity at $1.0016, some distance from its near-two-month high hit earlier in the week. Against a basket of currencies, the U.S. dollar index was firm at 110.30, after rising nearly 0.8% overnight. Just a day earlier, crypto giant Binance had signed a nonbinding agreement to buy FTX's non-U.S. unit to help cover a "liquidity crunch". "I do think there's been a bit of contagion from what's been going on in crypto to the broader markets ....

☆ Australia's NAB flags slowing lending growth from rising rates, shares fall
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Sameer Manekar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A National Australia Bank (NAB) logo is pictured on an automated teller machine (ATM) in central Sydney September 12, 2014. The country's second-largest lender also warned that economic uncertainty created by rising interest rates owing to soaring inflation could challenge some customers, however, said it expects strong employment conditions and substantial home and business savings helping it weather the impact. NAB forecasts a steep decline in business and housing lending volumes in fiscal 2023 in Australia, with business credit growth seen decelerating to 3.6% from 14.7% in fiscal 2022. NAB, the country's biggest business lender, recorded strong growth in its business and home lending during the year ended September, with windfall benefit from rising interest rates boosting its cash earnings to A$7.10 billion ($4.62 billion). That compares with A$6.56 billion reported a year earlier and analysts' estimate of A$7.08 billion, according to Refinitiv Eikon.

☆ Australia's NAB beats cash profit estimates on lending growth, rising rates
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Sameer Manekar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies FY cash earnings A$7.10 bln, up 8.3%Full-year total dividend of A$1.51/shareRise in home, business lending boost earningsNov 9 (Reuters) - National Australia Bank (NAB.AX), the country's second-largest lender, on Wednesday logged a better-than-expected annual cash profit helped by robust home and business lending growth and margins that were supported by rising interest rates. The lender warned that ongoing economic uncertainty, stemming from rising interest rates owing to soaring inflation, could challenge some customers, but was confident of standing strong on the back of strong employment and substantial home and business savings. However, rapidly rising interest rates and inflation could impact household budgets, dampening consumption and overall growth, Chief Executive Officer Ross McEwan said. "This outcome reflects continued execution of our strategy including targeted volume growth and a disciplined approach to managing costs while investing for growth," McEwan said. The Melbourne-based bank declared a final dividend of 78 Australian cents per share, compared with 67 Australian cents apiece last year.

☆ U.S. stocks slip as China sticks to pandemic policy
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"With China going into winter, most analysts think a change in zero-COVID is unlikely until at least March." A little of that reversed on Monday, with the Aussie down 0.4% at $0.6440 after jumping 3% on Friday. The dollar was just a shade former on the yen at 146.77 yen , while the euro eased a fraction to $0.9944 . Markets are now waiting on Chinese trade data due later in the session for a guide on global demand. Oil futures lost some of their gains with Brent off $1.66 at $96.91, while U.S. crude dropped $1.85 to $90.76 per barrel.

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