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☆ This Sequoia-backed startup bringing a form of buy now, pay later to B2B payments just raised $19.3 million. Check out the 10-slide pitch deck Two used to land the funds.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sequoia-backed payments startup Two just raised $19.3 million in a Series A round. The Oslo-based company plans to bring a version of buy now, pay later to B2B transactions. Check out the 10-slide pitch deck Two used to land the fresh cash below. A Sequoia-backed startup that wants to bring a version of the buy now, pay later model to B2B transactions just raised $19.3 million in fresh funds. Two's solution is to effectively offer a form of buy now, pay later for B2B payments to both small and medium-sized businesses and multinational corporations.

☆ Here’s how payment players have fared post-SVB
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Affirm said SVB was neither a funding partner nor an originating bank partner, and that large banks held the majority of its operating accounts. While it initially paused disbursements to merchants that had SVB accounts, it later resumed those transactions. While it initially paused disbursements to merchants that had SVB accounts, it later resumed those transactions. Issues with payment processing , accessing capital, and cryptocurrency implications emerged in the wake of SVB’s collapse. However, many are still getting the cold shoulder from those large banks, and their account opening times can be longer than startup-focused lenders.

☆ Banks could become a sector of 'haves and have nots.' How the 'Halftime' Traders are preparing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"This is a classic example of a company that's gonna do well when all the other banks are not," Sethi said on CNBC's "Halftime Report." Shares of New York Community Bancorp surged more than 35% Monday, rebounding from losses of 11.3% and 14.6%, respectively, the past two weeks. The announcement made her think, "the game has changed for New York Community Bank." "One bank's loss is going to be another bank's gain, and that's exactly what this is." NYCB FRC,KRE 1M mountain New York Community Bancorp, First Republic and the KRE's past month

☆ JPMorgan advises First Republic on strategic alternatives, including capital raise
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailJPMorgan advises First Republic on strategic alternatives, including capital raiseCNBC's David Faber joins 'The Exchange' to report on the latest with First Republic Bank.

☆ Goldman's strong balance sheet basket is beating the market amid banking crisis. Here's what's in it
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Stocks with strong balance sheets are gaining favor as the broader market whipsaws amid the ongoing bank crisis. Goldman Sachs' basket of 50 S & P 500 companies with strong balance sheets has outperformed its weak balance sheet basket by six percentage points since March 8, the day Silicon Valley Bank's downward spiral began , according to an analysis of performance released Friday by analyst David Kostin. The outperformance of stocks with stronger balance sheets has marked a "sharp rotation," Kostin said. Technology and other growth stocks are considered particularly interest rate sensitive and are expected to do better during periods with lower interest rates. Nvidia , another technology stock in the basket, has also rallied this year in tandem with growing interest in artificial intelligence.

☆ Asia's regulators say banking system is robust and stable after UBS-Credit Suisse takeover deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Last week, Credit Suisse logged their worst weekly decline since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Hong Kong says industry is resilientThe Hong Kong Monetary Authority said the city's banking sector is resilient with strong capital and liquidity positions. "The total assets of Credit Suisse, Hong Kong Branch amounted to about HK$100 billion, representing less than 0.5% of the total assets of the Hong Kong banking sector. Credit Suisse customers will continue to have full access to their accounts and "contracts with counterparties remain in force. Japan banks 'shielded'As for Japan, the country's banking system is unlikely to be affected by the deal, said Cyrus Daruwala, managing director of IDC Financial Services.

☆ For investors looking for solid ground in an uncertain market, balance sheet is king
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Amid ongoing market volatility and renewed fears about the health of the banking sector, investors and analysts are increasingly targeting the stocks of companies with stellar balance sheets. Note: The Altman Z-score is derived from a model initially developed in the 1960s by New York University professor Edward Altman as a way to predict bankruptcies. We used an Altman Z-score of 5 to focus our list on the cream of the crop. Tier 1 Capital ratios are generally a better metric for monitoring the balance sheets of big banks. But the market may give heightened attention to companies with strong balance sheets in times of elevated economic uncertainty.

☆ Bitcoin is up 60% so far this year as investors rediscover appeal as alternative banking system
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Cryptocurrencies stood out this week as bank shares tumbled and the global liquidity crisis rocked the stock market. Bitcoin versus the banks The price of bitcoin twice rose above the key $25,200 level to more than $26,000, according to Coin Metrics. BTC.CM= 1Y mountain Bitcoin, 1-year Bitcoin's outperformance amid a crisis in the traditional banking system had some wondering if the price rallied on a potential narrative shift. Though bitcoin was initially designed to be digital cash and an alternative financial system, it spent much of last year trading like a speculative asset. "In practice, bitcoin isn't isolated from the traditional banking system.

☆ These stocks are table-pounding buys as bank fears linger, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Wall Street analysts unveiled a slew of must-own stocks this week even as bank and macroeconomic worries permeate the market. While some investors might be distracted by the ongoing financial turmoil, analysts say there are plenty of quality buying opportunities. They include: TrueCar, Apple, Progressive, Academy Sports and Prosperity Bancshares. Apple Morgan Stanley is doubling down on Apple shares. Apple shares are up almost 20% since the start of the year.

☆ Report on Americanas' woes to be presented to Brazil court next week
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Rodrigo Viga Gaier | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 17 (Reuters) - A report detailing Brazilian retailer Americanas SA's (AMER3.SA) bankruptcy is being prepared by the trustee's team of over 100 experts and is expected to be presented to a Rio de Janeiro court next Monday, said a source close to the matter on Friday. "The final report will be closed and read on Monday before being presented to the court," said the source. Americanas, backed by the billionaire trio that founded investment firm 3G Capital, has accumulated debt of more than 40 billion reais. After the document is submitted, the court will set a deadline for Americanas to present its judicial recovery plan. On Thursday, Americanas' former chief executive testified at Brazil's securities watchdog, according to a source.

☆ Read 12 pitch decks that helped media and tech startups nab millions in funding to disrupt entertainment
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Business Insider | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tech is disrupting all parts of media and entertainment, and investors are rushing to cash in. These pitch decks show how their founders sold their vision to raise outside capital from VCs. Technology is upending all facets of media and entertainment. Insider talked with founders about the pitches they used to raise millions and innovate in content creation and distribution. Check out the examples below to learn more about how these and other founders have sold their vision.

☆ Rome hopes to reverse decline and relive La Dolce Vita
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Giselda Vagnoni | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/5] General view of the Colosseum next to a subway's construction sites in Rome, Italy, February 16, 2023. However, flailing public services can make La Dolce Vita seem a remote dream, for both visitors and residents alike. "It is the biggest investment plan Rome has ever had," Gualtieri told Reuters. "Milan was turned around by the EXPO and has become a city capable of attracting capital from all over the world. Rome is an incredible place and second to none," Luca Luciani, head of BAI Communications Italia, told Reuters.

☆ Premarket stocks: The banking meltdown put the Fed in a bind
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

In prior years, the Fed was able to respond “unswervingly” to financial risks by loosening policy without worrying about price stability, he said. The reputation play: The question isn’t about what the Fed should do, it’s about what the Fed will do, said Daco. The central bank has the tools if needed to respond to a liquidity crisis “but this is not what we are seeing,” she told reporters on Thursday. Prior to the current stress in the banking sector, Fed officials were hinting that they would hike rates by half a point. “Every central bank tightening cycle in history has induced some sort of financial strains,” she wrote Thursday.

☆ Scholz to seek reforms to boost EU competitiveness at Brussels summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, March 16 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday he will seek to boost European competitiveness through reforms at an EU summit in Brussels next week, including making state aid more flexible and completing capital markets and banking unions. In a speech to the German Bundestag, Scholz urged the European Union to pull together to face a raft of challenges, including in response to a massive U.S. subsidy programme for clean technologies known as the Inflation Reduction Act. The EU is unveiling a Critical Raw Materials Act aimed at keeping pace with the United States and China in access to raw materials. Scholz said raw material security will also top the agenda when he visits Japan for talks this week. Turning to the war in Ukraine, Scholz said that EU member states will agree further measures to improve the continued supply of arms and ammunition to Kyiv, without going into specifics.

☆ European Central Bank hikes rates despite market mayhem, pledges support if needed
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In February, preliminary data showed headline inflation of 8.5%, well above the central bank's target of 2%. Some market players questioned whether President Christine Lagarde would still go ahead with the move, given recent shocks in the banking sector. Credit Suisse shares tumbled by as much as 30% in Wednesday intraday trade, and the whole banking sector ended Wednesday's session down by about 7%. The euro area banking sector is resilient, with strong capital and liquidity positions," the central bank said in the same statement. The event threw international subsidiaries of the bank into collapse and raised concerns about whether central banks are increasing rates at a very aggressive pace.

☆ Real-estate investors said eliminating a popular tax-avoidance tool would damage the economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Aj Latrace | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

President Biden has renewed his commitment to ending the 1031 exchange, a popular tax-deferral tool. Real-estate investors said the negative consequences of doing so could outweigh any gains. They said one impact of ending it could be pushing investors to take their money out of real estate. Of course, real-estate investors — from small-time mom-and-pop landlords to big corporate firms — will want to protect their wealth, and will meet any move to end the 1031 exchange with friction. If they take away the 1031 exchange, there's no incentive not to eat the goose.

☆ U.S. bank deposits have started moving to money market funds - Goldman Sachs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 16 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs said deposits have started to move out of U.S. banks and towards money markets funds, as investors seek the safety in Treasury securities amid worries about stresses in the banking sector. Retail money market funds have seen large and accelerating inflows over the last week, Goldman said in a note on Thursday, likely suggesting some migration away from deposits. Following the collapse of SVB Financial Group and Signature Bank, U.S. regional bank stocks have had a bruising last few days, as investors worried about possible deposit outflows causing capital issues at other regional banks. Money markets appear to have continued functioning fairly well in recent days, and facilities such as the Federal Home Loan Banks lending channel and the Bank Term Funding Program should help maintain "healthy" market functioning even if financing needs spike, Goldman notes. Reporting by Susan Mathew in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Blackface, booze, and blurred lines at the $2 billion tech firm Rokt
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Jack Newsham | Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +25 min

A cropped version of an image shared with Rokt employees at the 2020 meeting. Buchanan told Insider. "We think it's important that we stand up and fight it," he told Insider when asked about that message. In an email, Viles told Insider that he hasn't had any day-to-day involvement with Rokt since 2020, when he did some contract work. Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesOne employee told Insider they were encouraged to post the photos and proclaim 2023 to be Rokt's "best year yet."

☆ First Republic just got a $30 billion lifeline from JPMorgan and other Wall Street giants. Here's why its problems aren't over.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Hayley Cuccinello | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

JPMorgan and 10 other banks are depositing $30 billion in First Republic Bank. A white knight has arrived to First Republic Bank's rescue. A consortium of America's biggest banks including JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs are depositing a collective $30 billion in First Republic. This $30 billion lifeline may not be enough to reassure investors and depositors, and it may be a stopgap measure before a sale. The $70 billion lifeline from JPMorgan announced on Sunday did little to quell investors' concerns, Dahiya noted.

☆ SVB got greedy and bought long-duration, low-interest-rate mortgages: Raging Capital Venture's Martin
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | 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 EmailSVB got greedy and bought long-duration, low-interest-rate mortgages: Raging Capital Venture's MartinBill Martin, founder of Raging Capital Ventures, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss what concerns he saw ahead of the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, the venture capital bubble and why SVB didn't take action on their losses sooner.

☆ The investor who famously shorted Silicon Valley Bank in January on what's to come in the crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

William Martin has emerged as the "big short" in the latest banking crisis brought on by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. The Rocky Hill, New Jersey-based short seller from Raging Capital Ventures singled out Silicon Valley Bank and announced a short position in a Twitter thread on January 18, the day before the bank's quarterly earnings. Martin warned of SVB's large held-to-maturity securities portfolio and accelerating deposit outflows, the exact culprit that brought down the venture capital-focused bank. "There are a lot of banks that have these type of loans and mortgages, but not in the significant position that Silicon Valley Bank had," Martin said. The investor said he covered some of his large short position last Thursday, but was still short SVB into the collapse.

☆ Tech stocks emerge as haven in sell-off fueled by bank worries
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Lewis Krauskopf | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Among the big tech stocks, Apple Inc (AAPL.O) has fallen 1.5% over that time, while Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) climbed 3.4% and Intel Corp (INTC.O) rose over 7%. Large tech stocks generally screen well on "quality" metrics, such as balance sheet strength and profit margins, heightening their allure when economic uncertainty arises, said Matthew Miskin, co-chief investment strategist at John Hancock Investment Management. Reuters GraphicsA swift tumble in Treasury yields is also helping boost tech stocks. Tech shares were pummeled in 2022 as the Federal Reserve's aggressive rate hikes drove up Treasury yields, hurting "long duration" assets such as tech stocks. The utilities sector (.SPLRCU) has climbed 1% since last Wednesday, consumer staples (.SPLRCS) has slipped 0.5%, while healthcare (.SPXHC) has dipped 1%.

March 15 (Reuters) - European bank stocks fell sharply on Wednesday, with embattled Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) tumbling to a new low, on renewed investor concerns about stresses within the sector triggered by Silicon Valley Bank's sudden collapse. A more than 20% drop in Credit Suisse shares led a 6% plus fall in the European banking index (.SX7P), while five-year credit default swaps (CDS) for the flagship Swiss bank hit a new record high, highlighting increasing investor concerns. We move from the problems of American banks to those of European banks, first of all Credit Suisse," said Carlo Franchini, head of institutional clients at Banca Ifigest in Milan. BlackRock (BLK.N) Chief Executive Laurence Fink warned on Wednesday that the U.S. regional banking sector remains at risk, and predicted further high inflation and rate increases. And in an attempt to avert a similar crisis down the line, the U.S. Federal Reserve is considering tougher rules and oversight for midsize banks similar in size to SVB.

However, regional banks pared early gains in premarket trading on Wednesday, with First Republic Bank (FRC.N) down 0.7%. Big U.S. banks such as JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), Citigroup (C.N) and Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) fell between 1.2% and 2.3%. ET, which is expected to show a moderation in producer price growth in February both on a monthly and annual basis. ET, Dow e-minis were down 517 points, or 1.61%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 63 points, or 1.61%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 162 points, or 1.33%. Reporting by Amruta Khandekar and Shubham Batra in Bengaluru; Editing by Dhanya Ann Thoppil and Vinay DwivediOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Zara owner Inditex invests in tech to speed future sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Corina Pons | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Inditex has extended its lead over Swedish rival H&M (HMb.ST), in part because of a less price-sensitive customer base. As the cost of making garments increased, H&M took a profit hit while Inditex was able to pass on costs to shoppers. In-store and online sales rose 18% to 32.6 billion euros ($34.99 billion) from 2021 and were 15% higher than in 2019, before the pandemic hit. Excluding Russia, where Inditex stores have been closed since the Ukraine conflict started just over a year ago, sales in that period were up 17.5% in constant currency terms. Inditex also delivered a surprise, but by hiking capital expenditure to 1.6 billion euros from 1.1 billion euros previously.

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