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Shares of PayPal Holdings (PYPL.O) dropped 10.5% and led declines on the benchmark S&P 500 index (.SPX) after the company cut its margin forecast. They were also among the top drags on the Nasdaq Composite index (.IXIC). Shares of other Apple suppliers including Qualcomm (QCOM.O), Broadcom (AVGO.O), Qorvo (QRVO.O) and Corning (GLW.N) fell between 0.9% to 2%. That weighed on shares of high-growth companies, including Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), which fell about 0.3% each. The S&P index recorded six new 52-week highs and 10 new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 20 new highs and 54 new lows.

☆ The US once had a 'mini-default' on some of its debts because of a technical glitch. The minor mistake cost billions.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The incident caused Treasury yields to spike up by 60 basis points or 0.6 percent and cost billions long-term. The US is now flirting with a full default as Republicans in Congress demand spending cuts in exchange for paying America's debt. "Payment delays were chiefly due to back-office technical and organizational problems," according to a report by the Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan public policy research institute of Congress. Congress has raised the debt ceiling multiple times under previous administrations without negotiations — including under President Donald Trump. President Joe Biden has refused to negotiate over the debt ceiling, while Republicans are also holding firm on their demands.

☆ The most important thing Warren Buffett said Saturday, and it isn't good news for the economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Investors always look to Buffett for economic insights as his myriad of businesses are closely tied to broader spending and overall demand. If you couldn't sell them one thing, they would put another thing in their backlog," Buffett said. Still, Buffett thinks Berkshire is positioned well in terms of its investment income as higher interest rates are earning the conglomerate a substantial return. Berkshire has fared well so far despite a challenging macro environment with operating earnings jumping 12.6% in the first quarter. "Nothing is sure tomorrow, nothing is sure next year, and nothing is ever sure, either in markets or in business forecasts, or in anything else," Buffett said.

[1/9] Investors and guests arrive for the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders' meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. May 6, 2023. Speaking at Berkshire's annual shareholder meeting, Buffett criticized how politicians, regulators and the press have handled the recent failures of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and First Republic Bank, saying their "very poor" messaging has unnecessarily frightened depositors. At the meeting, Berkshire shareholders reelected all directors and rejected shareholder proposals concerning climate change, diversity and political activities. LIGHTED MATCHBuffett said regulators were right to guarantee depositors of Silicon Valley Bank, saying that not doing so "would have been catastrophic." He also said bank shareholders and executives should bear the risks of mismanagement, with Munger criticizing executives concerned more with getting rich than with customers.

☆ Warren Buffett says Berkshire is cautious on banking sector
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( John Mccrank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Rachel MummeyNEW YORK, May 6 (Reuters) - Warren Buffett on Saturday said Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N) is cautious around the banking sector, largely because of poor messaging by officials around government-insured deposits, as well as distorted incentives he said were brought on by banking regulation. "The U.S. government and the American public have no interest in having a bank fail and having deposits actually lost by people," he said. Part of the reason for that is that incentives in banking regulation are "so messed up," he said. First Republic Bank, the latest regional U.S. bank to fail, disclosed that it was offering non-guaranteed jumbo-sized mortgages at fixed rates in its annual report. "The incentives in bank regulation are so messed up and so many people have an interest in having them messed up -- it's totally crazy," Buffett said.

Speaking at the annual meeting of his conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N), criticized how politicians, regulators and the press have handled the recent failures of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and First Republic Bank, saying their "very poor" messaging has unnecessarily frightened depositors. The meeting featured Buffett, 92, who is Berkshire's chairman and chief executive, and Vice Chairman Charlie Munger answering five hours of shareholder questions. LIGHTED MATCHBuffett said regulators were right to guarantee depositors of Silicon Valley Bank, saying that not doing so "would have been catastrophic." Buffett defended the size of Berkshire's $151 billion Apple investment, saying consumers are less likely to shed their $1,500 iPhones than, for example, their $35,000 second cars. Many recognized it could be one of their last chances to see Buffett and Munger, given their ages.

Buffett spoke hours after Berkshire posted a $35.5 billion quarterly profit and said it bought back $4.4 billion of its own stock, a sign it considered the shares undervalued. The meeting features Buffett, 92, who is Berkshire's chairman and chief executive, and Charlie Munger, 99, a vice chairman, answering five hours of shareholder questions. Many recognized it could be one of their last chances to see Buffett and Munger, given their advanced ages. Yongsheng Zhao, who lives in Shanghai and is a researcher for an asset management firm, said he showed up at midnight to attend his eighth Berkshire meeting. "I am inspired by their passion and normalcy," he said, referring to Buffett and Munger.

OMAHA, Nebraska, May 6 (Reuters) - Warren Buffett on Saturday offered a vote of confidence in the United States, saying he could not imagine the government letting it default on its debt and risk letting the world's financial system "go into turmoil." Buffett, 92, who is Berkshire's chairman and chief executive, and Charlie Munger, 99, a vice chairman, are answering five hours of shareholder questions at the meeting. Many recognized it could be one of their last chances to see Buffett and Munger, given their advanced ages. Yongsheng Zhao, who lives in Shanghai and is a researcher for an asset management firm, said he showed up at midnight to attend his eighth Berkshire meeting. "I am inspired by their passion and normalcy," he said, referring to Buffett and Munger.

☆ 4 of the best places for cash as the Federal Reserve weighs a pause in interest rate hikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Hero Images | Hero Images | Getty ImagesWhether you're building an emergency fund or short-term savings, finding the best place for your cash isn't easy — especially as the Federal Reserve weighs a pause in interest rate hikes. The central bank on Wednesday unveiled another quarter percentage point interest rate increase, with signals that it may be the last. But higher yields are still available for those "willing to shop around," said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate. While the average savings rate is still below 0.5%, some of the top high-yield online savings accounts are paying over 4%, as of May 4. However, CDs are generally less liquid than savings accounts because you may owe a penalty for cashing out before the term ends.

☆ Dollar dominance isn't going anywhere. Here are 5 myths about de-dollarization.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The dollar's dominance isn't at risk, three currency experts told Insider. Vocal observers, like Tesla CEO Elon Musk, have warned that the threat of de-dollarization is real, as countries like China take measures to supplant the dollar. They debunked five myths and misconceptions that are commonly touted by dollar doomsayers:1. The dollar is losing its stance as the top currency in global tradeThis claim also isn't supported by data. Though the percentage of dollar reserves has slipped, he estimates it would take around 24 years for global dollar reserves to drop another 12%.

☆ US debt ceiling: How to trade off it
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

BlackRock says (BLK.N) it's been buying Treasuries in anticipation of an economic slowdown and a protracted debt ceiling fight. 2/ RAINY DAY DEFAULT PROTECTIONCredit default swaps (CDS), which work like insurance against a debt default, are seeing strong demand. "If debt ceiling concerns grow we think markets will price in more Fed rate cut expectations, which means 5-year yields would fall," said Miyairi. 5/ ALL THAT GLITTERSDeutsche Bank strategist Robin Winkler says a good hedge may be buying gold against the dollar, as it has the tightest relationship with newsflow around the debt ceiling. In August 2011, as a debt ceiling crisis prompted a U.S. credit rating downgrade, gold rose 11% that month alone.

☆ Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has been a fortress stock during recessions and bear markets. Here's how
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Since 1980, Berkshire shares have beat the broader market over the course of six recessions by a median of 4.41 percentage points. The iPhone maker has outperformed throughout the bear market, similarly driving outperformance for Berkshire Hathaway as Apple accounts for roughly 45% of the firm's portfolio, according to CNBC's Berkshire Hathaway portfolio tracker. That has helped Berkshire Hathaway Class A shares climb more than 4% this year. That's who's gotten rich from owning Berkshire Hathaway," said Bill Smead, founder and chairman of Smead Capital Management and a Berkshire shareholder. "People held Berkshire Hathaway to a fault and they got that benefit."

☆ Factbox: Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway at a glance
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

[1/2] Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett walks through the exhibit hall as shareholders gather to hear from the billionaire investor at Berkshire Hathaway Inc's annual shareholder meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S., May 4, 2019. REUTERS/Scott Morgan/File PhotoMay 4 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people are descending on Omaha, Nebraska to attend the annual shareholder weekend for billionaire investor Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N). Susan Buffett and Howard Buffett are Berkshire directors. His Berkshire stock will go to philanthropy after he dies. (Interview with CNBC, April 12, 2023)Abel on Berkshire managers' relationship with him: "It's not the same as working for Warren.

☆ Where to get the best returns on your savings when rates are high
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The average bank savings rate as of April 26 was a paltry 0.24%, according to Bankrate. At some of the biggest banks, savings rates are as low as 0.01%. For the rest of your emergency fund and other savings, you can get a healthy return just by opening an online high-yield savings account at an FDIC insured online bank. As with most bank rates, high-yield rates are variable so can change at any point. Don’t chase yieldAs attractive as many savings rates are today, they are no substitute for the long-term returns you can earn in a diversified investment portfolio of stocks, bonds and other assets.

☆ Stocks ease; Aussie dollar soars after surprise hike
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Amanda Cooper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"No one is going to want to do too much before we get to that FOMC decision. "One of the things that sticks out to me is that they're still saying they might need to increase interest rates," said Commonwealth Bank of Australia strategist Joe Capurso. "So as well as the increase today, that's supporting the Aussie dollar," he said. The U.S. dollar was steady against a basket of major currencies , while the euro eased 0.1% to $1.097. But markets are still anxious about what may be the next crisis, even if the initial response has been positive.

☆ A CFA says you could cost yourself six figures by investing in the wrong type of retirement fund — and explains how to maximize your returns
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

While most investors focus on finding the right asset allocation for their retirement fund, Baker believes that asset location, or the type of fund you're using, is just as important. Fund fees can eat into your retirement savingsAnother key detail many investors miss is the fees associated with certain retirement funds. "Unless you want to read a 60-page prospectus, it's very difficult to find out what all of these mutual funds cost," Baker said. While you're still too young to adjust how you're allocating to your retirement fund, you may need to consider where you're allocating. If you needed to withdraw your income from your retirement fund last year, you took a loss on those withdrawals, Baker noted.

[1/2] Mourners hold a poster during the state funeral of Zimbabwe's longtime ruler Robert Mugabe at a national sports stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe, September 14, 2019. Still, some farmers say they will reject the government's $3.5 billion compensation package for being inadequate financially and for paying scant regard to land restitution or restoring property rights. Farmers say the plan was agreed by the Commercial Farmers Union in July 2020 and subsequently revised without adequate consultation. "The offer of bonds represents a very significant reduction in value with a prolonged redemption period," Gilpin, 67, told Reuters. The government was continuing discussions with farmers over appropriate payment methods and time frames, Ncube said.

☆ Debt crisis is a scary white swan for US economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Ben Winck | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

If Democrats and Republicans can’t agree to lift the government’s borrowing limit, the country could suffer an unprecedented and catastrophic default on its debt. The standoff over the debt ceiling is a white swan, or an entirely predictable, very frequent event that has the potential to be as catastrophic as its darker sibling. That is why, in all past scuffles over government borrowing, Congress ended up raising or suspending the debt ceiling. Uncertainty over the timing of the agreement led to the most volatile week for financial markets since the 2008 financial crisis. Failure to lift the debt ceiling soon can spark a vicious cycle of market anxiety, rising borrowing costs and bank stress.

☆ Banks ‘aren’t out of the woods’ after the collapse of SVB and Signature
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —A month ago, code blue sirens went off at banks across the globe after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. For now, looking at banks’ deposits may lead you to believe that banks are in better shape than they are, but they “are not out of the woods just yet,” said Ana Arsov, managing director at Moody’s. After the collapse of SVB and Signature Bank, record levels of deposits poured into Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Citibank from mid-size and regional banks. A sign is posted on the exterior of a First Republic Bank office on March 16, 2023 in San Francisco. And the Fed’s likely rate hikes at its upcoming meetings will lead to more deposit outflows, said Wolfe.

☆ Debt-Ceiling Standoff Warps Treasury Trading
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Eric Wallerstein | Matt Grossman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Investors who own maturing Treasury debt might have to wait for their money. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg NewsInvestors are piling into ultrashort-term Treasury bills to avoid getting caught up in the debt-ceiling drama. Surging demand has driven one-month T-bill prices higher, sending the yield down to 3.313% from 4.675% at the end of March. Bills maturing in three months yield 5.105%—a record incentive for lending to the government for a couple months more, according to Tradeweb data going back to 2001.

A showdown over U.S. government efforts to raise the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling for the world's largest economy have sent jitters through global financial markets. JPMorgan said in a note published late Wednesday it expected the debt ceiling to become an issue as early as May, and that the debate over both the ceiling and the federal funding bill would run "dangerously close" to final deadlines. Yields on U.S. T-bills, the most sensitive to the debt ceiling debate, were again pushing higher as the deadline draws nearer. The debt ceiling is the maximum amount the U.S. government can borrow to meet its financial obligations. It can only pay Treasury bills (T-bills) through tax revenue.

☆ JPMorgan sees "non-trivial risk" of a technical default on U.S. Treasuries as debt ceiling looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) - JPMorgan expects the U.S. debt ceiling to become an issue as early as next month with the Wall Street bank ascribing a "non-trivial risk" of a technical default on U.S. Treasuries. The bank said its U.S. rates strategy team expects the Treasury could run out of available resources by the middle of August. The debt ceiling is the maximum amount the U.S. government can borrow to meet its financial obligations. It can only pay Treasury bills (T-bills) through tax revenues. U.S. credit default swaps, market-based gauges of the risk of a default, this month hit their highest level since 2012 .

REUTERS/Brendan McDermidNEW YORK, April 20 (Reuters) - A debt ceiling fight is looming in the U.S. yet again, giving investors another worry for markets this year. Here is a Q&A about the implications for markets:WHAT IS THE DEBT CEILING? The debt ceiling is the maximum amount the U.S. government can borrow to meet its financial obligations. Outstanding government debt, nominal gross domestic product and federal limit to borrowWHEN WILL THE U.S. HIT THE DEBT CEILING? Some Treasury bills (T-bills) are featuring a premium in their yields that may be tied to an elevated default risk, according to some analysts.

☆ Morning Bid: Sterling's inflation test
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Tom WestbrookTraders are scaling back bets on U.S. rate cuts, but dialling up expectations for British hikes. On Tuesday, it was bigger-than-expected pay rises that strengthened expectations for the Bank of England to lift rates next month and to continue doing so thereafter. On Wednesday, British inflation data is in focus. On balance, the sheer size of the Bank of England's task of reining in inflation has been supportive for sterling, which hit a 10-month high last week. Implied volatility in the options market suggests traders don't expect sudden changes in the currency's slow grind higher.

☆ The Treasury market is starting to price in the possibility of a US debt default in July
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Treasury market is starting to price in the possibility of a US debt default later this summer. The difference in yields between US Treasury bills maturing in May and July hit a record 1.49%. "Investors are likely demanding more to hold those securities at risk of delayed payment," LPL Research said. The one-month Treasury bill currently yields about 3.71%, compared to 5.14% for a 3-month Treasury bill. A similar scenario could play out this time as Republicans show no signs of working with Democrats to pass a debt limit increase, despite continued remarks from both sides of the aisle that a US debt default "is not an option."

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