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☆ European shares slip after ECB rate hike
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | Bansari Mayur Kamdar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) -European shares slipped on Thursday after the European Central Bank (ECB) raised borrowing costs as expected and signalled more policy tightening in its fight against sticky inflation. FILE PHOTO: The German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, June 13, 2023. REUTERS/Staff/ FILE PHOTOThe continent-wide STOXX 600 index closed 0.1% lower after falling as much as 0.8% earlier in the day. The ECB increased the deposit rate by 25 basis points to 3.5%, the highest level in 22 years. This was the central bank’s eighth successive raise.

Persons: Christine, Lagarde, ”, Stuart Cole, Halma, SoftwareOne Organizations: Reuters, European Central Bank, REUTERS, Staff, ECB, Equiti, U.S . Federal Reserve, ASOS, Bain Capital Private Equity, Informa Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Swedish, British, Swiss

Investment-grade rated companies issued $152 billion in May, making it the busiest May since 2020 when the pandemic crisis prompted record debt issuance volumes, according to data from Informa Global Markets. "I believe we have seen an acceleration of issuance into May," said Richard Wolff, head of US bond syndicate at SG CIB, saying this was a result of debt issuance being pulled forward. This debt issuance spree is on the back of strong demand for what were relatively higher yielding corporate bonds after Treasury yields rose in May from levels touched in late April. New investment-grade bonds in May received orders that were three to four times the offering size on average, according to IGM data. CHANGING TIDEThe debt binge, however, gave a broad hint that the largest companies in the world are not optimistic on borrowing conditions later in the year.

Persons: Richard Wolff, Wolff, Manuel Hayes, Jessica Lehmann, Blair Shwedo, Jiyann Daemi, Shankar Ramakrishnan, Matt Tracy, Laura Matthews, Megan Davies, Matthew Lewis Organizations: YORK, U.S, Investment, Informa Global, Junk, SG CIB, London, Insight Investment, Treasury, HSBC, U.S . Bank, IG, TD Securities, Thomson Locations: New York

☆ Ascential's consumer data unit draws interest from Apax, BC Partners - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Amy-Jo Crowley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Private equity firms including Providence Equity and Carlyle are also evaluating an offer for WGSN, two of the people said. Apax, Ascential, BC Partners, Carlyle, JPMorgan and Providence declined to comment. BC Partners has experience in owning information assets including the financial media and data firm Acuris, which it sold to Irish software firm ION Investment Group in 2019. Ascential generated 121.1 million pounds in adjusted EBITDA last year, up 36% from a year earlier. Revenue rose to 524.4 million pounds from 349.3 million pounds.

☆ London stocks fall ahead of BoE rate decision, banks down
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The FTSE 100 (.FTSE) fell 0.7%, after recording its highest closing level in more than a week on Wednesday. The focus now shifts to the BoE, which is widely expected to also raise its lending rate by 25 bps at 1200 GMT. "It's highly unlikely that the BoE would diverge from other central banks," said Julien Lafargue, chief market strategist at Barclays Private Bank. Ahead of its decision on interest rates, the BoE said in a letter to lawmakers that more sharp moves in asset prices could expose weaknesses in parts of Britain's financial system. Informa (INF.L) dropped 2.7% after Morgan Stanley cut its rating on the events organizer's stock to "equal-weight" from "overweight".

☆ U.S. Federal Home Loan Banks stock up on cash amid 'heightened demand'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

March 13 (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Home Loan Banks beefed up their lending warchests on Monday to provide more liquidity to banks amid continued higher-than-usual demand for funds as the fallout from the collapses of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank reverberates through medium- and smaller-size financial institutions. The FHL Bank system raised $88.73 billion by selling short-term notes with maturities from three months to one year on Monday afternoon, according to Informa Global Markets, a provider of syndicated bond data. "As members react to a volatile market and seek stable funding, the Federal Home Loan Banks collectively continue to see heightened demand for our advances. Credit extended to commercial banks by the FHL banks more than doubled last year to more than $800 billion by year end. "The Federal Home Loan Bank System is strong, stable and stands ready to serve our members," Donovan added.

☆ 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.

☆ Your Credit Score Affects Your Mortgage Rate—Here’s How to Improve It
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

How does your credit score affect your mortgage rate? “There is no single, specific credit score that will automatically qualify you for a mortgage.”What else determines your mortgage rate? How to check your credit scoreTo get your credit score, check your banking or credit card dashboard if you have one. Many come with automatic credit score monitoring, allowing you to check your score at any time. Make on-time paymentsThe best way to improve your credit score is to avoid late payments—particularly on student loans, credit cards and other types of debts that get reported to credit bureaus.

☆ Renewed U.S. junk bond rally ignites hope for more stuck buyout debt
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Matt Tracy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

This exercise now has more impetus on expectations that junk bond prices will continue to rally in the wake of Powell's comments, which raised hopes of slowing rate hikes and a so-called economic soft landing. Junk bond spreads on average tightened 37 basis points on Wednesday, the day of Powell's remarks, from a day earlier, according to ICE BAML data. This is around the level in September when banks sold only about half of the total $15 billion of debt through a U.S. dollar bond, leveraged loan and a Euro-denominated loan. Reuters could not confirm the exact amount sold in these sales and balance of LBO debt still left with banks. Banks could consider selling larger parcels of LBO debt in the primary bond markets where there has been a surge in new issue supply, said the sources.

"Credit spreads have rallied across the board since the beginning of the year despite heavy (new bond) issuance and are at multi-month tights. This puts the credit market at odds with economic forecasts and the rates market," Barclays strategists said in a recent note. They said U.S. investment grade bonds rated BBB implied a 30% chance of recession, and CCC rated bonds implied a 35% chance. In the most bullish scenario, investment-grade bond spreads could tighten another 20 to 30 basis points, but they could widen much more if the economic downturn is deeper than anticipated, he added. Reporting by Davide Barbuscia and Matt Tracy; Editing by Shankar Ramakrishnan and Andrea RicciOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Spreads indicate the premium investors demand to hold corporate bonds rather than safer government debt. However, some investors expect credit spreads may widen again to reflect a recession potentially ahead. Hedge funds and some asset managers short credit, meaning they are betting on a fall in a bond's price, by buying products like credit default swaps (CDS), which rise in value if the risk of a credit default event increases. Primary markets indicate there is no lack of demand for corporate bonds. They expect credit spreads to widen in the first half of this year.

☆ Main Street is buying stocks while Wall Street sells: What gives?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But not all traders are on the same ride — the large, institutional investors on Wall Street have shuffled away from markets while Main Street’s retail investors are still strapped in. But despite this year’s lackluster market, investors bought $800 billion of Exchange Traded Funds which are baskets of stocks typically purchased by retail investors. However, Main Street is holding on to its stocks while Wall Street is running for the hills. One simple explanation is that institutional investors are responsible for vast amounts of money that belong to other people. “Respect, for retail investors, is in short supply,” wrote Azalea Micottis at Informa Financial Intelligence, in a recent note.

☆ FTSE 100 rises on Informa boost; pound weakens
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Media stocks lead sectoral gainsIndivior up on deal to buy Opiant PharmaUK budget, due later in the week, in focusFTSE 100 up 0.4%, FTSE 250 falls 1.2%Nov 14 (Reuters) - UK's export-oriented FTSE 100 climbed on Monday, lifted by events organiser Informa's over 5% jump and a weaker pound. The FTSE 100 (.FTSE) was up 0.4% by 0941 GMT. The company's announcement of raising its full-year earnings outlook pushed the broader FTSE 350 media index (.FTNMX403010) 1.0% higher. Among other stocks, Indivior (INDV.L) gained 0.9% after it said it would acquire Opiant Pharmaceuticals for approximately $145 million in cash. The domestically-focused FTSE 250 midcap index (.FTMC) dropped 1.2% after marking its biggest weekly gain in almost two years on Friday.

☆ Banks plan to sell Tenneco buyout debt next week -sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Matt Tracy | Shankar Ramakrishnan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Banks led by Citigroup Inc (C.N) and Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) aim to begin marketing a portion of the Tenneco debt package's secured portion as early as next week, said one of the sources. The package consists of a $2.4 billion leveraged loan, a $2 billion secured bond, and a $1 billion unsecured bond. This activity is rekindling hope among banks that they may not have to suffer big loses to shed junk-rated debt from their balance sheet. If the Tenneco syndication goes well, banks are sitting on plenty of junk-rated debt they may seek to offload. This includes $11 billion in debt backing the takeover of media analytics company Nielsen and $13 billion of debt for Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter.

☆ Analysis: Catalonia's economic muscle weakened five years after separatist bid
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Joan Faus | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The fallout serves as a cautionary tale for the independence movement in Scotland, which is pushing to hold another referendum next year on breaking away from the United Kingdom. Junqueras was Catalonia's deputy government head when the region held an independence referendum banned by a Spanish court. Junqueras insisted the Catalan separatist movement is still strong, pointing out the increase in pro-independence lawmakers in the past decade. Like Scotland, Catalonia's independence movement is now pushing for another referendum, this time with the approval of the Spanish government. But as with the UK government and Scotland´s bid, Spain has so far rejected the proposal.

☆ Analysis: U.S. junk bond investors face tough choice as yields spike
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Matt Tracy | Shankar Ramakrishnan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON, Oct 27 (Reuters) - A sell-off in the U.S junk bond market is presenting investors with a buying opportunity but some are holding back, worried that a looming recession could spark widespread credit defaults. That level is the highest for yields since April 2020, while the index is down some 13% this year. That level is a critical zone of credit stress where credit markets become vulnerable to dysfunction, said Oleg Melentyev, credit strategist at the bank. DEARTH OF OFFERINGSAt the same time, risk aversion has slowed new bond issuance in the primary high-yield market to a trickle. That could change in 2023, however, if a recession further dampens activity in primary markets and borrowing costs remain high, spurring potential defaults in the lowest rungs of junk-rated bonds.

☆ I’ve been following a woman around the internet. Turns out she was created by artificial intelligence.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Evan Ratliff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +31 min

Even in their first efforts, the GAN images were quickly on par with those made by any other, less intelligent software. You can find the results on the Generated Photos site, where you can filter by ethnicity, age, sex, eye color, and other attributes. Generated Photos' GANs tend to match conventional beauty standards, a product of the models that have been fed to the software. I'm not sure anyone would be surprised to find fake images accompanying testimonials on an Estonian bitcoin exchange or an online CBD seller. Are they real people deploying fake images, or fake people deploying fake images?

☆ That company's 'About Us' page may be full of fake pictures of 'people' who don't actually exist
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Ryan Hogg | Evan Ratliff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Some companies are using AI technology to put fake "staff" on their "about us" pages. Ratliff spoke to Lukas, the man behind an Austrian test-prep company called takeIELTS, who confirmed he had used several fake images on its "about us" page. Ratliff said when he checked in on takeIELTS months later, Lukas had removed all the fake images and changed the company's name. The website of another company, Informa Systems, which sold law enforcement training materials to the City of Austin Police Department, was covered with fake images. Ratliff said there are now companies developing software aimed at detecting fake images on company websites and elsewhere on the internet.

While loans can be cheaper than issuing bonds, shorter-term debt is currently more expensive than longer tenors. Typically companies take a bridge loan to fund mergers but then pay it down with a long-dated bond issue before closing. The tech giant also doubled the size of its commercial paper program to $6 billion and said that it could expand the size of the term loan to $6 billion. "If a term loan is necessary due to timing of the deal closing, we expect to pay it back quickly," the company said. In the market for junk bonds, for example, some companies are paying higher rates to raise funds.

☆ După 6 ani, Vladimir Putin ridică interdicţia zborurilor charter spre Egipt
▼ + stars: | 2021-07-09 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: 1 min

Zborurile au fost stopate după ce un avion Metrojet cu turişti ruşi la bord, care reveneau de la Sharm el-Sheikh la Sankt-Petersburg, s-a prăbuşit în peninsula Sinai în octombrie 2015. Rusia a concluzionat că avionul a fost distrus de o bombă plasată la bordul aeronavei. O grupare afiliată organizaţiei jihadiste Stat Islamic a revendicat atentatul, scrie Agerpres.ro. Decretul lui Putin de ridicare a interdicţiei va fi o 'gură de oxigen' pentru staţiunile egiptene Sharm el-Sheikh şi Hurghada, care în trecut atrăgeau un mare număr de turişti ruşi. Reluarea tuturor zborurilor între cele două ţări a fost convenită în aprilie, într-o discuţie telefonică între preşedintele rus Vladimir Putin şi omologul său egiptean Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, informa la acea vreme preşedinţia de la Cairo.

Persons: Sheikh, Putin, Vladimir Putin, Abdel Fattah, Sisi Organizations: Sharm Locations: Sankt - Petersburg, Sinai, Rusia, Cairo

☆ VIDEO/ Candidații cu probleme de integritate care vor în Parlament. MAI refuză repetat să ofere informații despre dosarele penale ale candidaților
▼ + stars: | 2021-07-09 | by ( Daniela Calmis | ) www.zdg.md time to read: +19 min

Într-un dosar penal gestionat de procurorii de la Chișinău, Usatîi este cercetat pentru deposedarea controversatului bancher rus Gherman Gorbunțov de pachetul majoritar de la banca Universalbank. Ilan ȘorAlți doi pretendenți la funcția de deputat, aflați în primii cinci pe lista Partidului Șor, figurează în dosare penale. Grigore RepeșciucGrigore Repeșciuc este un alt candidat din lista Partidului Șor cu probleme de integritate demonstrate. Fiodor GheliciMAI a refuzat să ne ofere informații despre dosarele penale ale candidaților la funcția de deputatÎn lista electorală a partidelor există și alte persoane numele cărora figurează în dosare penale. ZdG însă a scris și a analizat doar dosarele primelor persoane din listele electorale, cele care au cele mai mari șanse de a ajunge în viitorul Parlament.

Persons: Gheorghe, Cavcaliuc, Victoria, Renato Usatîi, Gherman, Usatîi, Filat, Plahotniuc ., Plahotniuc, Ilan, Ilan Șor, Șor, Denis Ulanov, Petru Jardan, Denis, Grigore, Galina Dodon, Igor Dodon, Corneliu Furculiță, Petru Burduja, Corneliu, Radu, Mudreac, Grigore Novac, Alexandr Nesterovschi, Partidului Democrat Alexandru Jizdan, Jizdan, Pavel Filip, Chirtoacă, Dorin Chirtoacă, Dodon, Voronin, Dorin Chirtoacă Svetlana Chesari, Fiodor Ghelici, ZdG, Cristina, Cristina Durnea, Sergiu Bozianu Organizations: Autorității Naționale de, Partidului Acasă, Partidului, Blocului, Apel, Autoritatea Națională, Partidului Socialiștilor, Comuniștilor, Socialiștilor, Compania, Electoral, Partidul Socialiștilor, Partidului Democrat, Alianței, Unirea, Partidului Oamenilor Muncii, Interne, Jurnalism Independent, Asociației Locations: Europa, Sângerei, Chișinău, Usatîi, Moscova, Rusia, Moldova, Lyon, Federația Rusă, Anticorupție, Apel Cahul, Repeșciuc, Integritate, Căușeni, Comuniștilor

☆ VIDEO/ Precizările CEC în legătură cu organizarea alegerilor parlamentare anticipate din 11 iulie. Cimil: „Buletinele de vot au ajuns în diaspora”
▼ + stars: | 2021-07-09 | by ( Buzdugan Loredana | ) www.zdg.md time to read: +1 min

Membrii Comisiei Electorale Centrale (CEC) au susținut vineri, 9 iulie, o conferință de presă pe subiectul organizării alegerilor parlamentare anticipate din 11 iulie curent. În context, președintele CEC, Dorin Cimil, a declarat că până acum Comisia nu a primit de la Guvern cele 22,4 milioane de lei pentru organizarea alegerilor parlamentare anticipate. În pofida acestor provocări, CEC a creat condiții pentru toți participanții la alegeri. (…) Buletinele de vot au fost tipărite și ajuns în diasporă și urmează a fi repartizate și în țară. Noi vom informa despre numărul buletinelor de vot consumate în diaspora”, a declarat președintele CEC, Dorin Cimil.

Persons: Cimil Organizations: CEC, Centrală Locations: Moldova, Republicii Moldova

☆ Șefii de la CEC spun cum vor acționa în cazul epuizării buletinelor de vot la secțiile de peste hotare
▼ + stars: | 2021-07-09 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +1 min

Sursa foto: Nadejda RoșcovanuȘefii de la CEC spun cum vor acționa în cazul epuizării buletinelor de vot la secțiile de peste hotareComisia Electorală Centrală susține că a elaborat mecanisme de informare pentru a preveni epuizarea buletinelor de vot la secțiile de votare peste hotare. Vom informa și noi, începând cu o anumită oră, despre numărul de buletine care s-au consumat și cele care au mai rămas. Rămâne doar să fie informați toți acei care vor gestiona rândul și vor informa alegătorii cum, unde și când să vină la secția de vot”, a declarat președintele CEC, Dorin Cimil. De asemenea, CEC contează și pe măsurile în acest sens luate de unele ambasade. Pentru acest scop au fost identificate sedii mai încăpătoare și numărul secțiilor de vot în zonele sensibile unde s-au epuizat buletinele de vot a fost suplinit în așa fel ca să asigurăm condiții normale de participare la vot”, a adăugat vicepreședintele CEC, Vladimir Șarban.

Persons: Nadejda, Cimil, Vladimir Șarban Organizations: CEC, Centrală, Externe, Integrării Europene Locations: Irlanda ambsada

☆ 700.000 de pliante și 4.000 de postere despre beneficiile vaccinării împotriva COVID-19, distribuite secțiilor de votare
▼ + stars: | 2021-07-09 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: 1 min

Sursa foto: gov.md700.000 de pliante și 4.000 de postere despre beneficiile vaccinării împotriva COVID-19, distribuite secțiilor de votare700.000 de pliante informative și 4.000 de postere despre beneficiile vaccinării împotriva COVID-19 și demitizarea miturilor despre vaccinare au fost distribuite astăzi tuturor secțiilor de votare din țară. Acestea au fost distribuite cu scopul de a informa și sensibiliza populația că vaccinarea este șansa noastră de a reveni la o viață normală. „Pe 11 iulie, după votare, mergi la vaccinare”, îndeamnă Ministerul Sănătății Muncii și Protecției Sociale.

Organizations: Sănătății Muncii, Sociale

☆ Duminică fiți cu ochii pe Jurnal TV! Alegerile, reflectate la minut
▼ + stars: | 2021-07-09 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +3 min

Alegerile, reflectate la minutPentru ziua de duminică, 11 iulie, Jurnal TV a pregătit un program special. VASILE LUCHIANU, prezentator Jurnal TV: "În ziua de duminică, Jurnal TV va avea echipe de filmare peste tot unde se vor produce sau ar putea să se întâmple evenimente de filmare. EUGENIA APOSTU, prezentator Jurnal TV: "De la prima oră a dimineții, de la 07:00 întreaga echipă Jurnal TV va munci pentru a vă informa minut de minut. ADRIAN PRODAN, prezentator Jurnal TV: "Ziua de duminică va fi fierbinte la propriu pentru că noi, cei de la Jurnal TV, vrem să le aducem telespectatorilor cele mai de actualitate știri. Edițiile speciale vor începe, la Jurnal TV, la miezul zilei:VITALIE CĂLUGĂREANU, prezentator Jurnal TV: "Duminică, începând cu ora 12.00, începem un maraton al discuțiilor despre ziua alegerilor parlamentare anticipate din Republica Moldova la Jurnal TV.

Persons: EUGENIA APOSTU, ADRIAN PRODAN, Bogdan, Sergiu Beznițchi, Alex Marcoci, BOGDAN, SERGIU BEZNIȚCHI, ALEX MARCOCI, CĂLUGĂREANU Organizations: Corn Locations: Chișinău, Cahul, Bălți, Republicii Moldova, Republica Moldova, transnistreană

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