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SummarySummary Companies Latitude marks worst intraday dropLatitude among latest in slew of corporate cyberattacks in AustraliaMarch 22 (Reuters) - Shares of Latitude Group Holdings (LFS.AX) slumped to their all-time low on Wednesday after the fintech firm unearthed further evidence of large-scale information theft affecting former and current customers across Australia and New Zealand. Latitude said it was attempting to identify the number of customers affected and the type of personal information stolen by the hacker. Latitude had said last week that personal information of around 328,000 customers, including copies of drivers' licences, was stolen. It took its platforms offline on Monday and said the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Cyber Security Centre were looking into the attack. Latitude GroupReporting by Upasana Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-PhillipsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Republican US senator doubles down on call for tighter Fed scrutiny
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"The Federal Reserve, the world's largest and most powerful central bank, does not have a truly independent IG to investigate it. I'm fighting to fix that and will be introducing a bill soon - that I believe will have bipartisan support," Scott wrote. The online column marked the second time in two days that Scott has vowed to push for an independent Fed IG. He also informed Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell of his plans in a letter on Monday. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have pledged tighter oversight of banking regulators following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, which has been followed by billions of dollars in losses for financial stocks.

☆ US Sen. Scott pushes for new Fed inspector general, slams Fed over bank regulation,
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Senator Rick Scott said on Monday he will introduce legislation to create an independent inspector general to oversee the Federal Reserve, as he called the U.S. central bank "unable or unwilling to properly regulate" banks in a letter to Fed Chair Jerome Powell. "I am proposing legislation to establish a presidentially-appointed and Senate-confirmed inspector general for the Federal Reserve," Scott told Powell in the letter. The Federal Reserve is responsible for supervising - monitoring, inspecting and examining - certain financial institutions to ensure that they comply with rules and regulations, and that they operate in a safe and sound manner. Scott's legislation stems from concern in Congress that the Federal Reserve's current inspector general is not independent enough to serve as a check on the central bank. Scott also urged the Fed chief to use the central bank's policy meeting this week to examine the bank failures and identify accountable Fed personnel.

The biggest cryptocurrency rose as far as $28,567, its highest since mid-June, and was last up 0.9%, amid growing expectations that central banks would slow the pace of interest rate hikes. Top central banks, faced with the risk of a fast-moving loss of confidence in the stability of the financial system, moved on Sunday to bolster the flow of cash around the world. Other market players predicted that bitcoin would benefit from central bank efforts to bolster liquidity in the global financial system. It rose to a record of $69,000 in November 2021 after central banks and governments launched unprecedented monetary and fiscal stimulus measures. Reporting by Tom Wilson in London and Georgina Lee in Hong Kong; Editing by Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Gold lackluster as Credit Suisse-UBS deal spurs risk-on mood
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A worker handles an Argor-Heraeus SA one kilogram gold bar at Solar Capital Gold Zrt. Gold prices dropped on Monday, with their safe-haven appeal diminished as risk sentiment improved after Swiss lender UBS sealed a deal to buy peer Credit Suisse in a rescue effort to stabilize global financial markets. Spot gold was down 0.7% at $1,973.44 per ounce, as of 0404 GMT, after sliding 1% earlier in the session. On Sunday, UBS agreed to buy 167-year-old Credit Suisse for $3.23 billion and assume up to $5.4 billion in losses in a deal backed by a massive Swiss guarantee. Bullion is considered a hedge against economic uncertainties, although higher rates increase the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding gold.

☆ Gold lacklustre as Credit Suisse-UBS deal spurs risk-on mood
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Kavya Guduru | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Spot gold was down 0.7% at $1,973.44 per ounce, as of 0404 GMT, after sliding 1% earlier in the session. On Sunday, UBS agreed to buy 167-year-old Credit Suisse for $3.23 billion and assume up to $5.4 billion in losses in a deal backed by a massive Swiss guarantee. Credit Suisse was caught up in a widening crisis triggered by the collapse of U.S.-based Silicon Valley Bank earlier this month, following which gold rallied over 8% or by $160 on safe-haven demand. Therefore, it may take much more for gold to reverse its current bullish trend," IG's Yeap said. Bullion is considered a hedge against economic uncertainties, although higher rates increase the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding gold.

☆ Asian markets rebound after First Republic Bank gets rescued by US lenders
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Asian markets rebounded Friday after First Republic Bank was rescued by a group of major US lenders, which eased worries about the current banking turmoil. First Republic Bank (FRC) is set to receive a $30 billion lifeline from a group of America’s largest banks, including JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo (CBEAX), Citigroup (C) and Truist (TFC). “Following the recent global financial instabilities, First Republic Bank was expected to be the next domino to fall,” said Yeap Jun Rong, a market analyst at IG. Worries deepened on Wednesday after shares of Credit Suisse plummeted in Europe. Regulators on both sides of the Atlantic have taken emergency measures to shore up confidence, including protecting deposits at Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank and giving a $54 billion lifeline to Credit Suisse.

☆ London stocks fall as Prudential drops, spring budget in focus
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Prudential at the bottom of FTSE 100Precious metal miners down over 2%Spring budget in sightFTSE 100 down 1.4%, FTSE 250 off 1.3%March 15 (Reuters) - London stocks fell on Wednesday as Prudential touched the bottom of the FTSE 100 index after its annual results, with investors awaiting the UK spring budget due later in the day. The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) was down 1.4% after jumping more than 1% on Tuesday. Prudential (PRU.L) fell 6.3% despite the Asia-focused insurer reporting an 8% jump in full-year year profit. The wider life insurance index (.FTNMX303010) fell 4.2%, hitting a near three-month low. Investors would be keenly awaiting the UK's spring budget, with Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt due to make a budget speech to parliament at around 1230 GMT.

☆ Dow dives over 600 points as Credit Suisse selloff injects fresh unease into markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

US stock futures sank Wednesday as worries about Credit Suisse's financial health revived fears over banks. Dow futures fell as much as 600 points premarket as the worries dented US investor sentiment. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures shed as much as 600 points in premarket trading and were down 530 points at last check. The drop came after a huge selloff in Credit Suisse shares undermined investor sentiment, with fears growing that the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank will spiral into a full-blown banking crisis. The extended tumble in Credit Suisse's share price has fueled unease about the global banking sector after SVB, Signature Bank, and Silvergate Capital all imploded over recent days.

☆ As global stocks fall, Asia-Pacific's benchmark index erases all of its gains for 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

On Tuesday, bank stocks in Japan declined sharply, weighing on the wider Topix, which led the sell-off in Asia-Pacific. Tokyo-listed shares of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group fell 8.59%, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group shed 7.57% and Mizuho Financial Group dropped 7.14%. Yeap also noted indexes such as the Straits Times Index in Singapore has close to 45% of its weightage in bank stocks. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart iconNomura equity strategists including Chetan Seth reiterated their February call and still expect more gains for the index. "We are inclined to believe that these issues will not be systemic to the health of the banking sector," he said.

☆ Gold holds above $1,900 as SVB collapse fuels Fed slowdown hopes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Two Argor-Heraeus SA 250 gram gold bars at Solar Capital Gold Zrt. Spot gold was down 0.3% at $1,906.75 per ounce, as of 0321 GMT, after rising more than 2% on Monday to hit its highest since Feb. 3. Markets are now pricing in a 29.4% chance of a pause in rate hikes at next week's Fed policy meeting. Considered a hedge against economic uncertainties, zero-yield gold also becomes a more attractive bet in a low interest rate environment. Spot silver fell 0.5% to $21.70 per ounce, platinum lost 0.5% at $991.19 and palladium shed 1% at $1,459.20.

☆ Europe’s banking stocks suffer biggest drop in a year
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Europe’s benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 Banks index, which tracks 42 big EU and UK banks, fell 5.6% by mid-afternoon — notching its biggest fall since March last year. The broader Stoxx Europe 600 index dropped 2.1%, while the bank-heavy FTSE 100 (UKX) was 2.2% down. A Brinks armored truck sits parked in front of the shuttered Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) headquarters on March 10, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. It is unclear how many unrealized losses EU and UK banks are carrying on their books. Beauchamp added that the sharper falls in European bank stocks so far seen on Monday might partly reflect their stronger performance relative to US banks this year.

☆ SVB collapse will have limited impact on Asia, but one analyst says it could be a warning sign
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

HANGZHOU, CHINA - MARCH 12, 2023 - Photo taken on March 12, 2023 shows the logo of SPD Silicon Valley Bank in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. Future Publishing | Future Publishing | Getty ImagesAnalysts say the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank is not likely to have a major contagion effect in Asia, but one person says it could be seen as a "warning" — especially for economies that haven't hiked interest rates aggressively. It came after U.S. regulators announced measures to further stem systemic risks from Silicon Valley Bank's collapse. While a number of companies within Asia's venture capital and tech start-up sector do have exposure to Silicon Valley Bank, not many have openly admitted to seeing major losses from SVB's bankruptcy. SPD Silicon Valley Bank, a joint venture between Shanghai Pudong Bank and Silicon Valley Bank sought to reassure investors over the weekend and said its operations have been "independent and stable."

☆ A micro influencer who posts TikToks in Spanish and English shares the exact 2-page media kit that has helped her land brand deals with Skims and Pottery Barn
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

She shares the media kit that's landed her paid deals with brands like Sephora, Mejuri, and Olay. The creator had seen TikTokers talk about the importance of using a media kit to land brand deals, so she designed one for herself through Canva. Here is the exact-media kit that Perez has used to land brand deals:Page one of Paulina Perez's media kit. Paulina Perez. Paulina Perez.

☆ Jeffrey Epstein's victims demand answers about the investigation into his death, Gloria Allred wrote in a new letter to the DOJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Justice Department hasn't released its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's death. Gloria Allred, who represents 20 Epstein victims, asked the DOJ inspector general for answers. "Many of Mr. Epstein's victims question how and why the system failed to prevent the death of Jeffrey Epstein," Allred wrote in the letter. Horowitz launched an investigation into the circumstances of Epstein's death soon after he was found dead in his jail cell. "It is unfair that the victims of Jeffrey Epstein continue to be denied the knowledge of the conditions which existed at MCC that led to Mr. Epstein's death," Allred wrote.

Higher rates benefit the dollar by improving its yield and as traders look for safety while global stockmarkets drop. The dollar hit a two-month high against the euro of $1.0524 , extending Tuesday's 1.2% jump. The Australian dollar has weakened for a similar reason as the Reserve Bank of Australia has softened its tone. Having dropped over 2% on Tuesday, the Australian dollar weakened a bit more to hit a four-month low of $0.6568 on Wednesday. China's yuan finished the domestic session at 6.9706 per dollar, the weakest such close since Dec. 29, 2022.

☆ Powell's warning on higher U.S. rates pushes dollar to 3-mth high
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Higher rates benefit the dollar by improving its yield and as traders look for safety while global stockmarkets drop. The dollar hit a two-month high of $1.0528 to the euro , extending Tuesday's 1.2% jump. The Australian dollar has weakened for a similar reason as the Reserve Bank of Australia has softened its tone. Futures imply U.S. rates peaking above 5.6% and holding higher than 5.5% through 2023. The U.S. dollar index rose 0.2% in Asia trade to a more than three-month high of 105.86.

☆ Powell pushes dollar to three-month high
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SINGAPORE, March 8 (Reuters) - The dollar was riding high on Wednesday, flung to three-month peaks when Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell surprised investors by warning that interest rates might need to go up faster and higher than expected to rein in inflation. Overnight it had shot more than 1.2% higher on the euro, its biggest one-day move in five months. The U.S. dollar index , which measures the dollar against a basket of six major currencies, jumped 1.3% overnight to a three-month peak of 105.65. The blockbuster week of central bank meetings and speakers rolls on later in the day, with the Bank of Canada setting policy and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde speaking. "If they don't hike, the Canadian dollar will likely fall into a bucket of currencies where the central bank is unwilling to keep up with the Fed."

☆ Most Asian equities see outflows in Feb as rate-hike jitters weigh
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Gaurav Dogra | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Foreigners sold equities worth a net $2.1 billion in Thai, Indian, the Philippine and Vietnam markets, data from stock exchanges showed. The trend of money flowing from South Asia into North Asian equities continued in February due to China's plans to reopen borders. Thai equities suffered $1.28 billion worth of foreign outflows, the biggest monthly net selling by outsiders since April 2020. Meanwhile, Indian and Philippine equities also recorded $647 million and $155 million worth of foreign outflows. On the other hand, Indonesian equities received $378 million in February after seeing outflows worth $1.55 billion in the previous two months.

☆ Gold eases as traders fret about interest rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Gold prices ticked lower on Monday as central banks indicated further interest rate hikes to tame stubbornly high inflation, diminishing bullion's appeal as a hedge against price increases. Spot gold was down 0.1% at $1,853.99 per ounce, as of 0305 GMT, after climbing to its highest since Feb. 15 on Friday. Interest rate hikes to contain high inflation discourage investors from placing money in non-yielding assets such as gold. Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin said on Friday he could see U.S. rates in the 5.5%-5.75% range. Spot silver firmed 0.1% to $21.27 per ounce, platinum slipped 0.3% to $974.36 and palladium was down 0.2% at $1,449.82.

☆ Stocks gain as yields cool from earlier highs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Chuck Mikolajczak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., March 2, 2023. The two-year U.S. Treasury yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations, was up 1.5 basis points at 4.904% after touching a fresh 15-year high at 4.91% earlier in the day. The S&P 500 was trading just above its 200-day moving average, seen as a key support level by traders, after briefly falling below it for the first time since Jan. 25 earlier in the session. Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by a 1.12-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.09-to-1 ratio favored decliners. The S&P 500 posted 8 new 52-week highs and 13 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 64 new highs and 139 new lows.

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☆ Oil settled up as rising supplies face Chinese demand hopes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Permian Basin rigs in 2020, when U.S. crude oil production dropped by 3 million a day as Wall Street pressure forced cuts. Oil prices settled up slightly on Wednesday as signs of ample supply, including growing U.S. crude inventories, offset growing hopes for higher demand after a jump in manufacturing in top crude importer China. Brent crude futures settled up 86 cents, or 1%, to $84.31 a barrel. In other signs of ample supply, Russia's oil production reached the pre-sanctions level for the first time in February, the Kommersant business daily reported. An official index showed China's manufacturing activity expanded in February at the fastest pace in more than a decade, feeding hopes for a boost in oil demand.

REUTERS/Wolfgang RattaySummarySummary Companies Volkswagen China chief toured Xinjiang plant on Feb 16-17Carmaker contractually bound to plant until 2030Company notes 'more repressive approach' in region since 2015No indication of forced labour on visit - China chiefPlant no longer assembling cars, 65% staff cutBERLIN, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) is contractually committed to its plant in Xinjiang until 2030, it said on Tuesday, after its China chief made the first visit by senior management to the plant in mid-February and said he saw no signs of forced labour. Ralf Brandstaetter, who has headed the carmaker's China operations since the middle of last year, spent 1-1/2 days on Feb. 16-17 touring the facility with Volkswagen's compliance and external relations chief in China. I can try and verify the facts [from joint venture partner SAIC], and that's what I did. China has strenuously denied any abuses in Xinjiang. Around 190 workers had also undertaken retraining and qualification programmes at other SAIC plants across China.

☆ US companies rush to issue corporate debt, busiest February ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Matt Tracy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies have been rushing to issue bonds as yields spiked to touch new highs with the Federal Reserve looking to keep interest rates higher for longer. The average yield on U.S. investment grade bonds rose to 5.55% on Monday from just 4.94% on Feb. 1. "There's much more yield now to be had in corporates," said David del Vecchio, co-head of the U.S. investment grade corporate bond team at PGIM Fixed Income. Investors still had plenty of cash, despite the flurry of issuance, said Blair Shwedo, head of IG corporate bond trading at U.S. Bank. "With more volatility, you may see some short term negative returns but overall, we’re well positioned to have a very nice positive total return in investment grade credit in 2023," said Natalie Trevithick, head of investment grade credit strategy at investment management firm Payden & Rygel.

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