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☆ Check out the 18-page pitch deck that Hollywood-focused fintech FilmHedge used to raise tens of millions and help hot new movies and TV series get made
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

FilmHedge lends credit to movies and TV shows with budgetary needs between $1 million and $5 million. The 3-year-old fintech closed on a $5 million round in March and has a $100 million credit facility. FilmHedge, an Atlanta-based fintech launched in February 2020, provides liquidity to productions with budgets ranging from $1 million to $50 million. It follows a $100 million credit facility from Coromandel Capital and Fallbrook Capital in 2022, which helps FilmHedge finance projects. FilmHedge gave Insider a look at the 18-page pitch deck it used while raising its $5 million Series A round and $100 million credit facility — check it out here.

☆ The wild traffic hack that could pave the way for self-driving cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

You might be able to get out of the way of a testosterone-fueled human driver in an SUV, but the self-driving cars will never see him coming. As more self-driving cars enter the market, speed through Hajbabaie's intersections goes up and fuel consumption goes down. The same will be true of proposals like white traffic lights for self-driving cars. If self-driving cars ever move beyond shared services like taxis and deliveries, the first vehicles are going to be owned by wealthy people. The world of tomorrowFor the moment, cities are in no danger of being overrun by self-driving cars.

☆ Everyone needs a work spouse — even if some millennials don't think so
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A portion of millennials "disapprove" of having a work spouse, according to a new survey. My truth, as a Gen Xer, is: Work is often lonely and annoying, and everyone needs a work spouse. Everyone needs a work spouse. "Work spouse" is really just another name for "work best friend." The beauty of 'butt-kicking candor'Millennials might take exception to work spouses because they believe in a firm separation of work and home.

☆ Got a thriving side job? Here's how and when to tell your boss about it — and why you probably should.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Alexandra York | Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Experts say it's important to tell your boss about your side hustle. It's probably time to tell your boss about it. If your side hustle is already a thriving business, you tell your boss right away. Alistair Berg/Getty ImagesBut if your side hustle is already a thriving business, you should mention it right away, she said. "The minute you make a mistake or your performance slips, your boss might think you're not focused," Nahrgang said.

☆ David Einhorn regrets selling his early Apple stake, predicts the Fed will pull back in fighting inflation, and reveals he's betting on AI in a new interview. Here are the elite investor's 8 best quot
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Greenlight Capital boss sees the Fed pulling back in fighting inflation after the banking chaos. Einhorn also discusses where the banks went wrong, and how he's betting on AI, in a new interview. "The first jelly donut tastes great. The second jelly donut is pretty indulgent, but by the 12th jelly donut, you're just making yourself sick, so you really shouldn't do that anymore." "We're not going to figure out who has the next breakthrough in AI that is going to leapfrog everybody else's AI.

☆ Ongoing supply shortages threaten U.S. infrastructure and war efforts
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Lisa Baertlein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"One of the big issues as we're trying to ramp up the military industrial base is having enough electronic components," Miller said. Companies that make war weapons like shoulder-fired Javelin and Stinger missiles are awaiting U.S. funding before starting new production for Ukraine. "Any general shortage in semiconductors will affect defense," said Brad Martin, director of Rand Corp's National Security Supply Chain Institute. On the other hand, ongoing demand for auto and farm equipment has kept stocks of microchips that act as electronic brains in that machinery tight. "As we've moved through the past year or so, we have seen gradual improvement in our supply chain, including semiconductors ... Short-term disruptions will continue to happen," GM spokesman Dan Flores told Reuters in an email.

The supply chain woes that sent costs soaring and spurred shortages of everything from toilet paper to passenger cars are easing for retail-focused industries, but remain stubbornly persistent in important growth sectors like autos, machinery, defense and non-residential construction, experts said. "One of the big issues as we're trying to ramp up the military industrial base is having enough electronic components," Miller said. Companies that make war weapons like shoulder-fired Javelin and Stinger missiles are awaiting U.S. funding before starting new production for Ukraine. "Any general shortage in semiconductors will affect defense," said Brad Martin, director of Rand Corp's National Security Supply Chain Institute. "As we've moved through the past year or so, we have seen gradual improvement in our supply chain, including semiconductors ... Short-term disruptions will continue to happen," GM spokesman Dan Flores told Reuters in an email.

Following the events of "John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum" (2019), "Chapter 4" sees Wick take his battle against the criminal High Table organization global. Check out the trailer for 'John Wick: Chapter 4'Keanu Reeves reprises his role as legendary hitman John Wick. "John Wick: Chapter 4" also features Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Shamier Anderson, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, and Ian McShane. In addition to standard showings, "John Wick: Chapter 4" is playing in IMAX and Dolby Cinema for premium prices. Keanu Reeves in "John Wick: Chapter 4."

☆ 'Cannabis in Germany will be a success story': Europe's biggest economy moves closer to weed legalization
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The sale of medical cannabis has been allowed in German pharmacies since 2016 — but several barriers to entry remain, including cost. "Patients, who cannot afford medical cannabis, may self-medicate with adult-use cannabis without medical advice. "An overall de-stigmatization of cannabis as a substance will also lead to a de-stigmatized medical cannabis market," Gallois added. The government is currently undertaking a review of its medical cannabis guidelines, including how it is prescribed and reimbursed under the country's statutory health insurance program. A 'domino effect'The plans come as cannabis legalization has fallen under renewed debate over recent years.

☆ Tencent, NetEase, Bilibili allowed to distribute foreign video games as China reopens market to global titles
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —China has approved 27 foreign video games, including titles to be released by Tencent, NetEase and Bilibili, as it gradually reopens the world’s largest mobile entertainment market to international titles. It was the second batch of foreign games to be allowed to enter the Chinese market since December. Bilibili (BILI) will publish the localized version of “Uma Musume: Pretty Derby,” a hugely popular franchise from Japan’s Cygames. “We believe this implies a more supportive regulatory policy towards foreign titles that further support a healthier and normalized development of online gaming industry going forward,” said Citi analysts on Tuesday. But foreign games were still unable to access the Chinese market until December, when the regulator finally approved 45 foreign titles, including “Pokémon Unite” by Nintendo and “Valorant” by Riot Games.

The latest sequel, "John Wick: Chapter 4," hits theaters on March 24. Since 2014, the first three "John Wick" movies have accumulated a collective worldwide box office gross of over $587 million. If you're looking to catch up on the franchise before seeing "John Wick: Chapter 4" in theaters, you're in luck. The first three "John Wick" movies are all available to stream, rent, or purchase online. Where to watch 'John Wick' moviesThough "John Wick: Chapter 4" will be exclusive to theaters when it premieres on March 24, you can watch the first three "John Wick" movies at home right now on Peacock.

The local unit of Canada's Xebra Brands (XBRA.CD) is the first company to obtain permits to cultivate, process, produce and market cannabis in Mexico, according to a statement from the firm. In its statement, Xebra Brands said it faces no restrictions where it can grow cannabis in Mexico, the size of cultivation facilities or processing volumes. "This represents an important moment for cannabis globally," Xebra Brands CEO Jay Garnett said in the statement. In an interview with Reuters in late 2021, the firm's former president said regulatory authorizations would position Mexico as the industry's most important North American player. Xebra Brands added it is actively looking for farm land and a site to build an extraction facility to produce CBD-rich hemp derivatives.

☆ Retail investors are bailing on the stock market, leaving bearish pros to decide its fate
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( John Melloy | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Retail investors are buying fewer stocks as the market stagnates under the weight of higher interest rates and stubborn inflation — a loss of a key group to keep positive momentum going. Greenlight Capital's David Einhorn told CNBC earlier this month that investors should be bearish on stocks because of rising inflation. Along with the macroeconomic woes, Vanda thinks the dented enthusiasm from the retail audience is in part because interest in Tesla shares is waning. Tesla hosted an investors day to start the month that largely disappointed investors because of a lack of details about its future plans, including a possible cheaper vehicle. TSLA 1M mountain Tesla shares, 1 month Tesla shares are off 12% this month.

☆ Women's stories stand out in Oscars race, but Hollywood lagging in gender parity
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"It's such an extraordinary year for women," "Tar" actress Blanchett said at last month's British Film Academy Awards (BAFTAs). "Every year, there's idiosyncratic, remarkable performances that just break down the myth that women's experience is monolithic." Still, Hollywood remains far from a place of gender parity. "Women are making progress in certain areas on screen," said UCLA sociologist Darnell Hunt, co-author of an annual Hollywood diversity report. "There's a great tradition of strong female characters and strong female leads in movie history, mainly in the 1950s," Field said.

☆ Growth stock vs. value stock? It's all in the eye of the beholder
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Bob Pisani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Most investors would say it's a growth stock, because it has the traditional characteristics of a growth stock: earnings are growing. But Microsoft is now being classified as partly a growth stock by Standard & Poors, and partly a value stock. S&P growth and value criteria: It's not that simpleThe S&P rebalances its growth and value indexes every year at the end of December. Growth ETFs in 2023 (year to date)Vanguard Growth (VUG) up 11.30%iShares S&P Growth ETF (IVW) up 5.6%iShares Russell 1000 Growth (IVW) up 9.2%However, these are unusually large discrepancies, Ullal said. But 30 years ago, issues like what is a value stock and what is a growth stock were largely determined by specialized stock pickers who set up mutual funds and hedge funds to attract investors.

☆ Florida courts could take 'emergency' custody of kids with trans parents or siblings — even if they live in another state
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Florida Senate Bill 254 would grant courts emergency custody of kids who receive gender-affirming care. The bill, introduced Friday, would also allow the courts to modify out-of-state custody agreements. The bill would grant officials authority under the law that protects kids from domestic violence. "The court must vacate, stay, or modify the child custody determination to the extent necessary to protect the child from the provision of such prescriptions or procedures." "The bill goes even further to violate interstate comity by authorizing the courts to vacate child custody determinations of other courts only if the child is trans.

☆ David Einhorn's hedge fund crushed the S&P 500 last year. These are the 3 stocks he's counting on for continued outperformance.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

David Einhorn's hedge fund crushed the stock market last year, returning 37% compared to the S&P 500's loss of almost 20%. These are three stocks Einhorn is bullish on as he seeks to continue his outperformance in 2023. Einhorn's $1.4 billion hedge fund delivered a return of nearly 37% last year, trouncing the S&P 500's loss of just under 20%. These are the three stocks Einhorn owns and pitched as long positions in a recent CNBC interview, as he seeks to continue his trend of outperformance in 2023. AFP/Getty ImagesTicker: CEIXPercentage of portfolio: 8.2%Change in shares last quarter: +99,830 (+5%)Bullish thesis: "Everybody hates coal, so here's the story.

☆ Factbox: Willow oil and gas project in Alaska sparks green opposition
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

March 3 (Reuters) - Environmental and climate activists are rallying online against ConocoPhillips’ proposed Willow oil and gas drilling project in Alaska as the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden weighs whether to greenlight the controversial plan. Here are some details about the project:WHAT IS THE WILLOW PROJECT? The Willow project is a $6 billion proposal from ConocoPhillips' (COP.N) to drill oil and gas in Alaska. The Willow project area holds an estimated 600 million barrels of oil, or more than the amount currently held in the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the country's emergency supply. The Biden administration has also been urging U.S. oil companies to invest in boosting production to help keep consumer energy prices in check.

☆ Ken Griffin’s hedge fund Citadel is up again in 2023 following a record year
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Billionaire investor Ken Griffin's flagship hedge fund matched the broader market's performance in the beginning of 2023 following a record year, according to a person familiar with the returns. Citadel's multi-strategy flagship Wellington fund gained 0.7% last month, bringing its 2023 performance to 2.8% through February, the person said. This year's gain comes after a stellar year for the hedge fund, which soared 38% in 2022, marking the firm's best year ever and outperforming its largest competitor, Millennium, by more than 3 to 1. Hedge funds aim to offer downside protection during market turmoil, and Citadel managed to shine during the worst chaos in the market in years. Citadel's equities fund, which uses a long/short strategy, is up 2.4% this year, while its global fixed income fund is higher by 1.6% so far in 2023, the person said.

☆ Brazil central bank greenlights Meta's WhatsApp merchant payment system
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A smartphone with a displayed Meta logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken February 23, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoSAO PAULO, March 2 (Reuters) - Brazil's central bank on Thursday approved Meta Platforms' (META.O) payments launch for small and medium-sized business in Brazil via its messaging application WhatsApp, building on the app's existing local peer-to-peer payment system. WhatsApp users in Brazil have been able to make payments between users through the application since 2021, but the new development clears the way for merchants to receive payments. "Soon, WhatsApp users will be able to pay for products and services directly in a conversation with Mastercard and Visa debit and credit cards," Guilherme Horn, head of WhatsApp Latin America, said in a Linkedin post. Shortly after the central bank's greenlight, Meta's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said on his Instagram broadcast channel that "people will be able to pay small businesses right on WhatsApp".

☆ Want Better Customer Service? Join the (Membership) Club
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Katie Deighton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

Others such as online travel agent Booking.com and Sony Group Corp.’s PlayStation provide priority customer service for high-ranking members of their loyalty programs. Other companies that offer premium customer support also say the perk is often a small part of more comprehensive packages, and that its introduction doesn’t mean their standard customer service is lacking. “We’ve always provided fantastic customer service, but what we added was another layer on top of that,” said Genaro Perez, senior vice president of marketing for P.F. Other companies offer priority customer service to customers who have ascended to the upper tiers of loyalty programs that do not cost extra to join. The strategy may help profits, but could create the perception that “free” customer service is low-quality and amplify inequality by deprioritizing lower-income customers, she said.

☆ Investor David Einhorn, whose hedge fund was up nearly 37% last year, gives his favorite longs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Greenlight Capital's David Einhorn is continuing to bet on some of the long stocks that helped his hedge fund outperform in last year's market rout. That includes CONSOL Energy , a coal stock that was among the hedge fund's biggest long positions and winners in 2022. The comments from Einhorn come after the star hedge fund manager posted a solid end to 2022 by betting on inflation and against growth bubble names. His hedge fund surged nearly 37% due in part to long positions in names like Atlas Air Worldwide , Teck Resources and Twitter, before its acquisition. Green Brick Partners and Danimer Scientific marked the hedge fund's only two significant losing long positions 2022, he wrote in his January letter.

☆ I think we should be bearish on stocks and bullish on inflation, says Greenlight Capital's David Einhorn
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | 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 EmailI think we should be bearish on stocks and bullish on inflation, says Greenlight Capital's David EinhornDavid Einhorn, Greenlight Capital, joins CNBC's 'Halftime Report' to discuss his outlook for stocks, the market and the economy. With CNBC's Scott Wapner and the 'Halftime Report' investment committee, Requisite Capital's Bryn Talkington, Virtus Investment Partners' Joe Terranova and Odyssey Capital Advisors' Jason Snipe.

☆ Greenlight's David Einhorn says there are two types of buybacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | 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 EmailGreenlight's David Einhorn says there are two types of buybacksDavid Einhorn, Greenlight Capital, joins CNBC's 'Halftime Report' to discuss the recent controversy over stock buybacks.

☆ Billionaire investor David Einhorn says the Fed wants stock prices to go down and will hike rates higher than markets expect
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Greenlight Capital's David Einhorn said the Fed wants to knock stocks lower and will keep hiking rates. He sees today's inflationary era as potentially caused by government spending and interest rates that have not gone high enough. "The Fed does want stock prices lower. "I think it would be better if they cared less about the stock market in either direction." While a higher-for-longer interest regime has become the general expectation on Wall Street, Einhorn thinks estimates for how far the Fed will hike rates are still too low.

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