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NEW YORK, May 16 (Reuters) - Silicon Valley Bank's former CEO Greg Becker told senators at a hearing that he was unaware the bank was in trouble when he sold stock in the months leading up to the regional U.S. lender's collapse. Becker, who sold SVB shares through the first quarter - the largest sale of which occurred on Feb 27, less than two weeks before the bank collapsed on March 10, triggering a rout in banking shares globally. Responding to questions from senators, Becker painted a picture of an unprecedented, unpredictable crisis at the bank. He said the bank took risk management seriously and had liquidity of around $80 billion at the end of last year. [1/2] Greg Becker, former president and CEO of SVB, speaks at the 2022 Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., May 3, 2022.

"I believe it was a series of unprecedented events that all came together in the fastest bank run in history," Becker told the Senate Banking Committee. "I was the CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, I take responsibility for what ultimately happened," Becker said. Executives from Signature Bank also testified alongside Becker on Tuesday, pushing back on assertions from lawmakers that the bank had weak corporate governance. "I don't believe that there was mismanagement at the bank," said Eric Howell, the former president of Signature Bank. The bank tried to cover the loss by raising capital, but in announcing the transaction helped fuel a bank run.

☆ Byron Allen sues McDonald's for allegedly lying about commitment to Black media
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Byron Allen, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Entertainment Studios and Allen Media Group, speaks at the 2021 Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., October 19, 2021. REUTERS/David SwansonMay 8 (Reuters) - The media entrepreneur Byron Allen has filed a second lawsuit against McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) over the fast-food chain's alleged refusal to advertise with Black-owned media. Allen said he would know if McDonald's were honoring that pledge because his Allen Media Group represents more than 90% of Black-owned media. The case are: Weather Group LLC et al v. McDonald's USA LLC, California Superior Court, Los Angeles County, No. 23STCV10045; and Entertainment Studios Networks Inc et al v McDonald's Corp, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, No.

☆ Hollywood writers' strike halts production of 'Stranger Things,' 'Severance,' Marvel's ‘Blade’
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

More than 11,000 film and television writers, who say their compensation doesn't match the revenue generated in the streaming era, are on strike for the first time since 2008. Since then, a number of notable films and shows have halted or wrapped production early, including Netflix's "Stanger Things," Disney and Marvel's "Blade," AppleTV+'s "Severance" and Paramount's "Evil." Beyond the delayed production, and likely delayed releases, of these titles, industry experts worry the work pause could have a financial toll greater than that of the previous writers' strike. A number of productions with finished scripts, like Amazon's "The Rings of Power," have decided to continue filming without writers or showrunners on set. "While we're excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike.

☆ Billionaires and CEOs descended on Beverly Hills to talk recession, bank failures, and more. Here's the inside track.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Matt Turner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

On the agenda today:But first: The big takeaways from the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) speaks at the 2023 Milken Institute Global Conference Mike Blake/ReutersThe big-money set jetted into LA last week for the Milken Global Conference. Biggest opportunityCampbell: The pullback in lending by banks is raising the hopes of those in the private credit industry. Read more:'Junk fees'Getty ImagesIt goes by many names: an administrative fee, a transaction fee, even a "regulatory compliance" fee. Akash Nigam, the founder and CEO of Genies, who is spending $2,400 a month on ChatGPT accounts for all his employees.

☆ Here are the 5 key takeaways from this year's Milken Global conference
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Dakin Campbell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The pullback by banks is raising the hopes of those in the private credit industry. Some panelists and others who spoke in the hallways of the event suggested that there was a large-scale handoff from private equity to private credit. Many private-equity firms are scrambling to raise private credit funds to take advantage. "I don't think this is the end of private equity, but the environment certainly favors private credit," he said. And that will show up in lower returns for private credit funds, she said.

☆ How promising are new drugs to treat obesity?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Katia Hetter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly announced last week that a medication developed to treat diabetes, tirzepatide, also had a substantial effect on reducing weight. Another pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk, manufactures the medication semaglutide, which the FDA has already approved to treat diabetes under the brand name Ozempic and to treat obesity under the brand name Wegovy. How promising are they to treat obesity? CNN: How promising are these drugs to treat obesity? It is really important to treat obesity as the disease that it is — and having effective medications to do so is crucial.

☆ 4 of the world's elite investors agree on the biggest risks that will cause the next recession. Here's how they're each protecting clients with over half a trillion in combined assets.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( William Edwards | Akin Oyedele | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Below, we've their quotes on the subjects, along with how they said they're protecting their clients' money. I think it is a good chance, more than a little bit, that there will be a conflict, an invasion of Taiwan. Where to invest now: Roeper said he's bullish on aerospace companies because they're having a "pretty solid recovery" right now. The Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) offers exposure to different areas of the bond market. Where to invest now: Blake said he likes hybrid bonds, investment-grade bonds over a six-12 month duration, and private credit.

☆ The president of Nationwide's $175 billion retirement business shares his top tips for saving 'a couple hundred thousand dollars' by 30 — and 3 blunders to avoid
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Laila Maidan | Akin Oyedele | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

One of the biggest blunders people make is racking up credit card debt that rolls over every month. In the fourth quarter of 2022, the average credit card APR was 20.40%, according to data from the Federal Reserve. Saving for retirementOnce you've hit the basics, it's time to look at a longer time horizon: saving for retirement, Stevenson said. And the longer you wait to start saving for retirement, the more you'll need to increase your monthly allocation to catch up. Depending on the type of account you have, it could also be set up for your retirement contributions to automatically increase with a raise.

☆ Pretium CEO: Getting renters into home-ownership communities presents better opportunities
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | 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 EmailPretium CEO: Getting renters into home-ownership communities presents better opportunitiesDon Mullen, Pretium Founder and CEO, sits down with Brian Sullivan at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, CA to discuss his real estate business model and the state of housing in the U.S.

☆ BNP Paribas USA Chairman on the banking crisis: "I've never seen anything like this in my 40 years of banking"
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | 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 EmailBNP Paribas USA Chairman on the banking crisis: "I've never seen anything like this in my 40 years of banking"Jean-Yves Fillion, Vice Chairman of BNP Paribas USA, sits down with Brian Sullivan at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, CA on the challenges facing the banking sector.

☆ LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman takes another dig at Elon Musk for proposing a pause on AI development
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Reid Hoffman took a dig at Elon Musk over his stance on AI in a Milken Institute talk this week. Musk has signed a letter backing an AI development pause, but also wants to make a ChatGPT rival. Hoffman said, "Elon, while signing that letter, is trying to hire a whole team and stand up an AI effort." Elon Musk has some incongruous views on AI development, and LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman pointed that out in a recent talk. On CNBC's "Squawk Box" last month, Hoffman said he disliked the idea of pressing pause on AI and criticized Musk over his stance on AI development.

☆ This is the banking crisis that doesn't end
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

This is the banking crisis that doesn't end. So, about that banking crisis being over. The ink is barely dry on JPMorgan's agreement with regulators and it seems more regional banks are feeling the pain. Customers of regional banks are starting to ask questions about how safe their local lender is, the Financial Times reports. Here's more on how regional banks are still getting slammed despite JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon calling an end to the bank crisis.

☆ Watch CNBC’s Fed panel full interview ahead of the Fed decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | 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 EmailWatch CNBC’s Fed panel full interview ahead of the Fed decisionHarris Financial Group's Jamie Cox, Societe Generale's Subadra Rajappa and Milken Institute's William Lee, join 'The Exchange' to discuss the looming Fed meeting, where another 25bps rate hike is expected.

☆ Qualcomm gives light forecast, phone chip sales fall 17%
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Analysts were expecting current-quarter earnings guidance of $2.16 per share, but Qualcomm said it expected it that to be around $1.80. Qualcomm reported second-quarter earnings on Wednesday that were in line with analyst expectations but saw sales from handset chips, a core business for the company, decline 17% on an annual basis. The biggest part of QCT's sales come from handset chips, which are the processors at the heart of most Android phones. Qualcomm reported $6.11 billion in handset sales, down 17% from last year. Qualcomm said it made $900 million in share repurchases and paid $800 million in dividends during the quarter.

☆ There isn't a banking crisis, the problem is banking supervision, says Milken's William Lee
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | 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 EmailThere isn't a banking crisis, the problem is banking supervision, says Milken's William LeeHarris Financial Group's Jamie Cox, Societe Generale's Subadra Rajappa and Milken Institute's William Lee, join 'The Exchange' to discuss the looming Fed meeting, where another 25bps rate hike is expected.

☆ Senator Manchin introduces new U.S. energy permitting bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Timothy Gardner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) speaks at the 2023 Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., May 1, 2023. Senator Joe Manchin introduced on Tuesday his latest measure to speed permitting of both fossil fuel and renewable energy projects, as he tries to win support from both major parties after similar bills failed several times last year. The legislation, Building American Energy Security Act, sets a two-year limit on environmental reviews of major federal energy projects and one year for smaller ones, reduces court delays over energy projects, and directs the U.S. president to designate at least 25 high level energy projects and prioritize their permitting. And Republicans who were angry with Manchin for supporting President Joe Biden's climate legislation did not support his bill last year. And Manchin could get support from some Republicans in the Senate, currently controlled by Democrats, whose states would benefit from energy projects.

[1/2] David Hunt President and CEO, PGIM, speaks at the 2023 Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., May 1, 2023. As Wall Street money managers, banking executives and pension fund managers gathered at the Milken Institute Global Conference, the main topic over cocktails on Sunday night and in conference rooms the following morning was JPMorgan Chase & Co's (JPM.N) purchase of First Republic Bank. Policymakers, executives and investors at the conference said constrained lending as a result of banking sector regulation could choke off credit to the economy. Nevertheless, betting against bank stocks has been a profitable endeavor this year, which has seen the high-profile failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, in addition to First Republic and a state-engineered rescue of Credit Suisse by the Swiss government. The KBW Regional Banking Index, which fell 2.7% on Monday, is down almost 23.6% year-to-date, while First Republic’s shares are off 97% since January.

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | 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 EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with Scale AI CEO Alexandr WangScale AI CEO Alexandr Wang joins David Faber from the Milken Institute Global Conference to talk the rise of artificial intelligence and which industries are benefitting from the technology.

☆ Michael Milken says recent crisis is the same mistake banks have been making for decades
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Michael Milken, Chairman of the Milken Institute, speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, on May 2, 2022. "You shouldn't have borrowed short and lent long... Finance 101," Milken said on CNBC's "Last Call." "Again here, the banks have enough credit, they had enough equity, they had enough ability to absorb credit losses that are coming. The founder of the Milken Institute believes that there will be a decrease in the percentage of loans that are owned by the banking system in the aftermath of the crisis. "People are so focused on credit risk, etc., but one of the great risks is interest rate risk."

☆ 5 executives at an elite investing conference shared their views on the Fed's master plan for interest rates — and the consensus was that markets are unprepared for the pain in store
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( William Edwards | Akin Oyedele | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But executives at this week's Milken Institute Global Conference warn that may not be the case, and that markets are ill-prepared for rates to stay higher for longer. Here's the Fed's March meeting dot-plot, which shows where members of the Federal Open Market Committee see rates at the end of 2023. While markets are pricing in a pause in June at 5-5.25%, here's where they believe rates will most likely be in December: 4.25-4.5%. Below, we've compiled what five of them said on Monday about their expectations for Fed policy and financial markets. And as our chief economist likes to say, at higher rates, bodies will continue to float to the top over the course of the summer."

☆ Ashton Kutcher says your company will probably be 'out of business' if you're 'sleeping' on AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

During a panel, Ashton Kutcher said that companies not using AI tools like ChatGPT will shutter. In fact, actor-turned-investor Ashton Kutcher is so impressed that he thinks businesses that aren't using AI tools will suffer. "If you're a company, and you're sleeping on this, you're probably going to be out of business," he said about ChatGPT during a panel at the Milken Institute's Global Conference on Monday. Education, for instance, will be revolutionized by AI, Kutcher said. Kutcher's thoughts on AI come in response to the meteoric rise of generative AI tools.

Instead, fixed income, which was unpopular when rates were low, is back in favor and seeing strong capital flows into products like bond funds, said fund managers at the Milken Institute Global Conference this week. Attendees also discussed whether federal regulators should raise FDIC deposit insurance after First Republic Bank was seized and sold to JPMorgan, and how markets will react to even higher interest rates and potentially more market volatility. Others warned that companies will soon have to refinance their debt at higher rates, making them less attractive. Instead, thanks to higher interest rates, fixed income is once again playing a bigger role in portfolios. "The Fed has helped us put the income back in fixed income," said Anne Walsh, Chief Investment Officer for Guggenheim Partners Investment Management.

Wall Street is still on edgeAfter JPMorgan Chase secured a deal to buy the embattled First Republic, the banking giant’s chief, Jamie Dimon, asserted that the market turmoil set off by Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse was at an end. “This part of the crisis is over,” he told analysts on Monday. But Wall Street isn’t convinced yet, as investors worry that potential new regulations and constrained lending could endanger the fragile economy. They account for about 80 percent of commercial real estate mortgages and 45 percent of consumer lending, according to Goldman Sachs. That leaves them exposed to further drops in office property values and consumer spending — which could lead to a wider credit crunch.

☆ Milken Institute Founder Michael Milken says regional banks should have followed 'finance 101'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | 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 EmailMilken Institute Founder Michael Milken says regional banks should have followed 'finance 101'Michael Milken, Milken Institute founder, joins 'Last Call' to discuss the regional banking crisis and his advice to Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

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