1 day ago
Sept 16 (Reuters) - Top U.S. banks raised their prime lending rate on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve lifted its benchmark interest rate, a move that would increase borrowing costs for consumers and businesses with loans.
Following the Fed's first rate hike since 2023, the prime rate of JPMorgan , Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, KeyCorp, Huntington Bancshares, Fifth Third Bancorp and Truist Financial from Thursday will rise to 7% from 6.75%.
The Fed raised rates by a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday and flagged further increases in borrowing costs in the coming months as policymakers focus on addressing persistent inflation.
Shares of big banks ended lower amid broader weakness in U.S. stocks. BofA closed down 2.7%, Citi 2.4%, Wells Fargo 3%, and JPMorgan 1%. Morgan Stanley slipped 1.9% and Goldman Sachs fell 4%.
The prime rate, which follows the federal funds rate, is used by U.S. banks as a reference for setting rates on many financial products such as credit cards and personal loans.
#prime #jpmorgan #raised
Following the Fed's first rate hike since 2023, the prime rate of JPMorgan , Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, KeyCorp, Huntington Bancshares, Fifth Third Bancorp and Truist Financial from Thursday will rise to 7% from 6.75%.
The Fed raised rates by a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday and flagged further increases in borrowing costs in the coming months as policymakers focus on addressing persistent inflation.
Shares of big banks ended lower amid broader weakness in U.S. stocks. BofA closed down 2.7%, Citi 2.4%, Wells Fargo 3%, and JPMorgan 1%. Morgan Stanley slipped 1.9% and Goldman Sachs fell 4%.
The prime rate, which follows the federal funds rate, is used by U.S. banks as a reference for setting rates on many financial products such as credit cards and personal loans.
#prime #jpmorgan #raised
2 days ago
AMD stock surged 127% YTD after Data Center revenue doubled to $6.7B, yet 24/7 Wall St. rates it HOLD at $481 on stretched valuation.
Nvidia trades at a P/E of 44 despite $89B in Data Center revenue, making AMD's triple-digit multiple look dangerously extended by comparison.
Lisa Su sees a $1.4 trillion AI accelerator market by 2030, with Helios delivering 30% more tokens per dollar than rivals.
Read More: Avoid these 13 retirement mistakes before they derail your future (sponsor)
Our AMD (NASDAQ:AMD) call is one of the tougher ones we've made this quarter. The stock has done what few thought possible, doubling in months on the back of an AI accelerator story that is finally landing with hyperscalers.
#revenue #hold #NVIDIA
Nvidia trades at a P/E of 44 despite $89B in Data Center revenue, making AMD's triple-digit multiple look dangerously extended by comparison.
Lisa Su sees a $1.4 trillion AI accelerator market by 2030, with Helios delivering 30% more tokens per dollar than rivals.
Read More: Avoid these 13 retirement mistakes before they derail your future (sponsor)
Our AMD (NASDAQ:AMD) call is one of the tougher ones we've made this quarter. The stock has done what few thought possible, doubling in months on the back of an AI accelerator story that is finally landing with hyperscalers.
#revenue #hold #NVIDIA
4 days ago
In the recent past, Nvidia's (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang has been focused on how Wall Street prices and finances AI infrastructure. As a part of this effort, Nvidia entered into an agreement with six of the world's largest **** et managers for a $500 million AI-financing plan.
Huang pitched for an AI factory platform as an investible **** et "because it's productive, it's revenue generating, it is fungible, it's used by just about every cloud service provider, it runs every AI model." With AI infrastructure buildout requiring significant investments, this pitch is intended to support cloud providers and AI companies to raise funds. In turn, Nvidia stands to benefit from the global AI ecosystem growth.
Dear **** eX Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for September 21
How to Play IBM Stock as It Teams Up with NASA to Launch a New Open-Source Model
GF Securities Says NAND Prices May Stabilize Later This Year. What This Means for Sandisk Stock.
#huang #model #infrastructure #asset
Huang pitched for an AI factory platform as an investible **** et "because it's productive, it's revenue generating, it is fungible, it's used by just about every cloud service provider, it runs every AI model." With AI infrastructure buildout requiring significant investments, this pitch is intended to support cloud providers and AI companies to raise funds. In turn, Nvidia stands to benefit from the global AI ecosystem growth.
Dear **** eX Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for September 21
How to Play IBM Stock as It Teams Up with NASA to Launch a New Open-Source Model
GF Securities Says NAND Prices May Stabilize Later This Year. What This Means for Sandisk Stock.
#huang #model #infrastructure #asset
15 days ago
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(3 min)
The latest Market Talks covering Basic Materials. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires at 4:20 ET, 12:20 ET and 16:50 ET.
1357 ET – Gold futures snap a three-session losing streak as Treasury yields ease. The market is closely watching for Friday’s employment report, where a strong jobs showing could add to Fed rate-hike expectations. ADP reported a smaller-than-expected 38,000 increase in private-sector jobs in August. “Softer data can ease the downside risk, while stronger figures or more hawkish Fed comments may trigger additional weakness,” Konstantinos Chrysikos of Kudo.com says in a note. Front month gold rises 0.4% to $4,366.30 a troy ounce. Silver edges up 0.2% to $64.723 a troy ounce. (anthony.harrupwsj.com)
#Gold #Jobs #listen #talks
(3 min)
The latest Market Talks covering Basic Materials. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires at 4:20 ET, 12:20 ET and 16:50 ET.
1357 ET – Gold futures snap a three-session losing streak as Treasury yields ease. The market is closely watching for Friday’s employment report, where a strong jobs showing could add to Fed rate-hike expectations. ADP reported a smaller-than-expected 38,000 increase in private-sector jobs in August. “Softer data can ease the downside risk, while stronger figures or more hawkish Fed comments may trigger additional weakness,” Konstantinos Chrysikos of Kudo.com says in a note. Front month gold rises 0.4% to $4,366.30 a troy ounce. Silver edges up 0.2% to $64.723 a troy ounce. (anthony.harrupwsj.com)
#Gold #Jobs #listen #talks
16 days ago
Snowflake (NYSE:SNOW) is all set to report its fiscal second-quarter 2027 earnings on Wednesday, September 2. The stock has a history of exceeding Wall Street expectations, and investors also seem positively hyped around the data and ******* ytics software segment this time around.
On August 31, Cantor Fitzgerald ******* yst Thomas Blakey raised the price target on Snowflake Inc. (NYSE: SNOW) to $405.00 (from $282.00) while maintaining an Overweight rating. The firm believes Snowflake will experience another beat this quarter, and while this may sound bullish, it isn't really so when the beat is likely to be narrower than last quarter.
Image by drobotdean on Freepik
Snowflake had a strong start for fiscal 2027, with product revenue up 34% year-over-year (YoY) to $1.3 billion, while net revenue retention (or NRR) reached 126% as of Q1. Artificial Intelligence was a big part of SNOW's revenue, helping push product revenue up 34% year-over-year.
Snowflake's AI capabilities were being used by more than 13,600 accounts, while Cortex Code was being used by around 7100 accounts. Snowflake's CoCo, or Cortex Code, is the company's AI coding agent for data teams. The tool launched back in November 2025 and has since added more than 4,000 users.
#snowflake
On August 31, Cantor Fitzgerald ******* yst Thomas Blakey raised the price target on Snowflake Inc. (NYSE: SNOW) to $405.00 (from $282.00) while maintaining an Overweight rating. The firm believes Snowflake will experience another beat this quarter, and while this may sound bullish, it isn't really so when the beat is likely to be narrower than last quarter.
Image by drobotdean on Freepik
Snowflake had a strong start for fiscal 2027, with product revenue up 34% year-over-year (YoY) to $1.3 billion, while net revenue retention (or NRR) reached 126% as of Q1. Artificial Intelligence was a big part of SNOW's revenue, helping push product revenue up 34% year-over-year.
Snowflake's AI capabilities were being used by more than 13,600 accounts, while Cortex Code was being used by around 7100 accounts. Snowflake's CoCo, or Cortex Code, is the company's AI coding agent for data teams. The tool launched back in November 2025 and has since added more than 4,000 users.
#snowflake
26 days ago
Applied Digital (NASDAQ: APLD) and TeraWulf (NASDAQ: WULF) are two of the top AI stocks riding the data center wave. Both neocloud companies develop and operate facilities that serve hyperscalers, but their stock returns have been a little different this year.
TeraWulf is up by 36%, while Applied Digital has gained just 11%. Is that gap just a fluke, or is it a sign of things to come? Here's what investors should consider.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Gigawatts are the name of the game when it comes to ****** yzing neocloud and colocation providers that offer IT capacity to hyperscalers. The more gigawatts a company has, the more revenue it can make.
Applied Digital has secured 1.4 gigawatts of contracted critical IT load, which comes to roughly $36 billion in total contracted lease revenue. Most of these contracts have 15-year terms, including two deals for 300 megawatts at the company's Delta Forge 1 and Polaris Forge 3 sites.
#applied #digital #NASDAQ #terawulf
TeraWulf is up by 36%, while Applied Digital has gained just 11%. Is that gap just a fluke, or is it a sign of things to come? Here's what investors should consider.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Gigawatts are the name of the game when it comes to ****** yzing neocloud and colocation providers that offer IT capacity to hyperscalers. The more gigawatts a company has, the more revenue it can make.
Applied Digital has secured 1.4 gigawatts of contracted critical IT load, which comes to roughly $36 billion in total contracted lease revenue. Most of these contracts have 15-year terms, including two deals for 300 megawatts at the company's Delta Forge 1 and Polaris Forge 3 sites.
#applied #digital #NASDAQ #terawulf
27 days ago
On August 13, Ascendis Pharma (NASDAQ:ASND) reported second-quarter results that showed how far its rare disease portfolio has come. Total product revenue roughly doubled from a year earlier to €315 million, and for the first time all three of the company's approved TransCon therapies, SKYTROFA, YORVIPATH and YUVIWEL, were contributing meaningful sales in the same quarter. That combination is what management is leaning on to justify its 2030 revenue ambitions.
YORVIPATH, the hypoparathyroidism treatment, generated €252 million in the quarter and crossed blockbuster level on an annualized basis just two years after its U.S. launch, while reaching patients in more than 35 countries through either commercial sales or named patient access programs. Long-term trial data presented during the quarter showed response rates sustained between 82% and 86% on the combined endpoint, with patients still on therapy at a 95% rate five years after starting.
SKYTROFA, the once-weekly growth hormone therapy, crossed 20,000 unique patient enrollments and remains the best-selling long-acting growth hormone in the US as measured by brand value, contributing €55 million for the quarter. YUVIWEL, the newest of the three, launched commercially in the US during the quarter and brought in €8 million in its first quarter on the market. Enrollment kept climbing after the quarter closed, from more than 170 unique patients through June 30 to more than 220 by the end of July, with more than 65% of those patients already approved for reimbursement. Ascendis also ended the quarter with €812 million in cash and carries no bank debt or convertible debt, giving it room to keep funding these launches without outside financing.
The growth came with a steeper cost base. SG&A expenses rose to €173 million in the quarter from €145 million in the prior quarter, and R&D expenses climbed to €76 million from €59 million, a comparison made sharper by the fact that the prior quarter's figure had been reduced by a one-time €11 million reversal of earlier inventory write-downs. Reported operating profit of €220 million also leaned heavily on a one-time item, a €158 million gain tied to the sale of a PRV. Strip that out and non-IFRS operating profit was €92 million, a 27% margin that better reflects the underlying business. Total revenue of €339 million for the quarter also included €24 million of non-product collaboration revenue, including a €17 million milestone payment tied to TransCon CNP, money that will not repeat every quarter. And while YUVIWEL's early numbers are strong, formal regulatory decisions for the drug in the U.S. and European Union are not expected until the fourth quarter of 2026, meaning current sales are happening ahead of full approval.
#patients #time #transcon
YORVIPATH, the hypoparathyroidism treatment, generated €252 million in the quarter and crossed blockbuster level on an annualized basis just two years after its U.S. launch, while reaching patients in more than 35 countries through either commercial sales or named patient access programs. Long-term trial data presented during the quarter showed response rates sustained between 82% and 86% on the combined endpoint, with patients still on therapy at a 95% rate five years after starting.
SKYTROFA, the once-weekly growth hormone therapy, crossed 20,000 unique patient enrollments and remains the best-selling long-acting growth hormone in the US as measured by brand value, contributing €55 million for the quarter. YUVIWEL, the newest of the three, launched commercially in the US during the quarter and brought in €8 million in its first quarter on the market. Enrollment kept climbing after the quarter closed, from more than 170 unique patients through June 30 to more than 220 by the end of July, with more than 65% of those patients already approved for reimbursement. Ascendis also ended the quarter with €812 million in cash and carries no bank debt or convertible debt, giving it room to keep funding these launches without outside financing.
The growth came with a steeper cost base. SG&A expenses rose to €173 million in the quarter from €145 million in the prior quarter, and R&D expenses climbed to €76 million from €59 million, a comparison made sharper by the fact that the prior quarter's figure had been reduced by a one-time €11 million reversal of earlier inventory write-downs. Reported operating profit of €220 million also leaned heavily on a one-time item, a €158 million gain tied to the sale of a PRV. Strip that out and non-IFRS operating profit was €92 million, a 27% margin that better reflects the underlying business. Total revenue of €339 million for the quarter also included €24 million of non-product collaboration revenue, including a €17 million milestone payment tied to TransCon CNP, money that will not repeat every quarter. And while YUVIWEL's early numbers are strong, formal regulatory decisions for the drug in the U.S. and European Union are not expected until the fourth quarter of 2026, meaning current sales are happening ahead of full approval.
#patients #time #transcon
29 days ago
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(3 min)
1520 ET – Oil futures rise for a fourth straight session as transit remains restricted through the Strait of Hormuz, keeping supply concerns alive. EIA data showed U.S. commercial crude stocks up by 4.4 million barrels last week at 428.8 million, bringing inventories in line with their five-year average for the time of year. The elimination of the longstanding crude deficit “would appear price-neutral if not for the continued sizable deficits in the product markets,” Ritterbusch & ***** ociates says in a note. “WTI can be pulled higher by a strong distillate market since key refiners beyond the East and West coasts that represent about 80% of U.S. capacity are still running virtually full-out.” WTI settles up 1% at $85.83 a barrel, and Brent rises 0.7% to $91.62—both well off intraday highs.(anthony.harrupwsj.com)
1155 ET – Oil futures add to earlier gains with the market seemingly taking little comfort from a third weekly build in U.S. commercial crude stocks that put inventories in line with their five-year average. The 4.4 million barrel rise in stocks to 428.8 million barrels follows last week’s unexpectedly large 17.4 million barrel increase. “The supply shock is easing with production up and demand weakening a bit,” says David Russell of TradeStation. “While the energy situation is tight and difficult, worst-case scenarios aren’t playing out.” WTI is up 1.9% at $86.54 a barrel and Brent is 1.5% higher at $92.37 a barrel. (anthony.harrupwsj.com)
#barrel #stocks
(3 min)
1520 ET – Oil futures rise for a fourth straight session as transit remains restricted through the Strait of Hormuz, keeping supply concerns alive. EIA data showed U.S. commercial crude stocks up by 4.4 million barrels last week at 428.8 million, bringing inventories in line with their five-year average for the time of year. The elimination of the longstanding crude deficit “would appear price-neutral if not for the continued sizable deficits in the product markets,” Ritterbusch & ***** ociates says in a note. “WTI can be pulled higher by a strong distillate market since key refiners beyond the East and West coasts that represent about 80% of U.S. capacity are still running virtually full-out.” WTI settles up 1% at $85.83 a barrel, and Brent rises 0.7% to $91.62—both well off intraday highs.(anthony.harrupwsj.com)
1155 ET – Oil futures add to earlier gains with the market seemingly taking little comfort from a third weekly build in U.S. commercial crude stocks that put inventories in line with their five-year average. The 4.4 million barrel rise in stocks to 428.8 million barrels follows last week’s unexpectedly large 17.4 million barrel increase. “The supply shock is easing with production up and demand weakening a bit,” says David Russell of TradeStation. “While the energy situation is tight and difficult, worst-case scenarios aren’t playing out.” WTI is up 1.9% at $86.54 a barrel and Brent is 1.5% higher at $92.37 a barrel. (anthony.harrupwsj.com)
#barrel #stocks
1 month ago
Walmart (WMT), the retail giant, is heading into the second quarter of fiscal 2027 with more than just a strong quarter hanging in the balance. Walmart has a reputation as one of the market's most established dividend stocks. The company has raised its dividend for 53 consecutive years, placing it among the elite group of Dividend Kings. But a long dividend record is ultimately backed by the company's ability to keep generating enough cash and profits to support it.
This is why the upcoming quarter is worth watching.
This Dividend Safety Stock Is Outperforming the S&P 500 in 2026
Target Stock Is Near a 52-Week High and Wall Street Is Raising the Bar
This Safe Dividend Stock Is Beating the S&P 500 in 2026. How to Play It for the Next Year and Beyond.
#week
This is why the upcoming quarter is worth watching.
This Dividend Safety Stock Is Outperforming the S&P 500 in 2026
Target Stock Is Near a 52-Week High and Wall Street Is Raising the Bar
This Safe Dividend Stock Is Beating the S&P 500 in 2026. How to Play It for the Next Year and Beyond.
#week
1 month ago
Applied Materials (AMAT) stock tumbled on Aug. 14 after the semiconductor equipment maker reported lower-than-expected revenue for its third financial quarter.
AMAT posted better-than-expected earnings of $3.50 on a per-share basis for its fiscal Q2, but a 25% year-over-year increase in revenue to $9.12 billion came in shy of the $9.18 billion that ****** ysts had forecast.
Analysts Keep Hiking Micron's Revenue and Price Forecasts - Shorting MU Puts Works Here
GOOGL Stock Alert: Google Unleashes Its Biggest Weapon Against Apple
Sandisk Stock Jumps on Its Investor Day Success. Why Wedbush ****** ysts Aren't 100% Buying the Story.
#analysts
AMAT posted better-than-expected earnings of $3.50 on a per-share basis for its fiscal Q2, but a 25% year-over-year increase in revenue to $9.12 billion came in shy of the $9.18 billion that ****** ysts had forecast.
Analysts Keep Hiking Micron's Revenue and Price Forecasts - Shorting MU Puts Works Here
GOOGL Stock Alert: Google Unleashes Its Biggest Weapon Against Apple
Sandisk Stock Jumps on Its Investor Day Success. Why Wedbush ****** ysts Aren't 100% Buying the Story.
#analysts
1 month ago
The HSA is the only account delivering all three tax advantages: deductible contributions (including FICA savings), tax-free growth, and tax-free qualified withdrawals.
Invest HSA funds in equity index funds, pay current medical bills from cash, and save receipts to reimburse yourself tax-free decades later.
After 65, HSA medical withdrawals don't count toward MAGI, helping retirees dodge IRMAA surcharges that add hundreds per month to Medicare premiums.
Are you ahead, or behind on retirement? SmartAsset's free tool can match you with a financial advisor in minutes to help you answer that today. Each advisor has been carefully vetted, and must act in your best interests. Don't waste another minute; learn more here.
Walk into any physician lounge and you'll hear the same advice from the partners closing in on 60: fund the match in your 401(k), then send the next dollar to your Health Savings Account before you finish the deferral. The HSA is the only account in the federal code that escapes tax three separate times, and the people who do tax math for a living treat it accordingly.
#free #don 't #only #three
Invest HSA funds in equity index funds, pay current medical bills from cash, and save receipts to reimburse yourself tax-free decades later.
After 65, HSA medical withdrawals don't count toward MAGI, helping retirees dodge IRMAA surcharges that add hundreds per month to Medicare premiums.
Are you ahead, or behind on retirement? SmartAsset's free tool can match you with a financial advisor in minutes to help you answer that today. Each advisor has been carefully vetted, and must act in your best interests. Don't waste another minute; learn more here.
Walk into any physician lounge and you'll hear the same advice from the partners closing in on 60: fund the match in your 401(k), then send the next dollar to your Health Savings Account before you finish the deferral. The HSA is the only account in the federal code that escapes tax three separate times, and the people who do tax math for a living treat it accordingly.
#free #don 't #only #three
1 month ago
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For millions of Americans, the weekly grocery trip has become an exercise in sticker shock.
Beef prices have climbed sharply in recent years, forcing many families to swap steaks for cheaper cuts, or abandon beef altogether. Now Rep. Thomas Massie, R-KY., says one of the bills he's spent the most time championing could help bring those prices back down.
"Groceries are too high!" Massie wrote on X (1) on Aug. 4, responding to right-wing commentator Matt Walsh. "The bill I've spent the most effort on since I've been in office is the PRIME Act… to lower beef & pork prices while giving farmers more opportunity."
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
#spent #thomas #groceries
For millions of Americans, the weekly grocery trip has become an exercise in sticker shock.
Beef prices have climbed sharply in recent years, forcing many families to swap steaks for cheaper cuts, or abandon beef altogether. Now Rep. Thomas Massie, R-KY., says one of the bills he's spent the most time championing could help bring those prices back down.
"Groceries are too high!" Massie wrote on X (1) on Aug. 4, responding to right-wing commentator Matt Walsh. "The bill I've spent the most effort on since I've been in office is the PRIME Act… to lower beef & pork prices while giving farmers more opportunity."
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
#spent #thomas #groceries
1 month ago
Our ***** ysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here.
Management emphasized the validation of their fair value marks through the sale of over $64 million in portfolio ***** ets at approximately 99% of par to independent third parties.
Net investment income increased to $0.29 per share, driven by a stable core first lien book and the successful avoidance of minimum utilization penalties on credit facilities.
The company is pivoting its capital allocation strategy to prioritize share repurchases over new deal originations, citing a significant undervaluation of the stock relative to NAV.
Credit quality improved as non-accruals declined on both a fair value and amortized cost basis, with no new names added to non-accrual status during the quarter.
#Stock #value #Share #management
Management emphasized the validation of their fair value marks through the sale of over $64 million in portfolio ***** ets at approximately 99% of par to independent third parties.
Net investment income increased to $0.29 per share, driven by a stable core first lien book and the successful avoidance of minimum utilization penalties on credit facilities.
The company is pivoting its capital allocation strategy to prioritize share repurchases over new deal originations, citing a significant undervaluation of the stock relative to NAV.
Credit quality improved as non-accruals declined on both a fair value and amortized cost basis, with no new names added to non-accrual status during the quarter.
#Stock #value #Share #management
1 month ago
BlackRock has launched tokenized share classes for a range of European money market funds holding a combined $311 billion, its first on-chain fund access in Europe.
The 12 new share classes sit across six funds in the BlackRock Institutional Cash Series, covering euro, sterling and U.S. dollar strategies in both distributing and accumulating form. Tokens are minted on Ethereum using Kinexys, J.P. Morgan's blockchain unit, which handles minting and burning and acts as the layer between on-chain activity and the traditional share register.
Each token represents a share in the underlying fund, and the official shareholder register continues to be maintained by the fund's transfer agent. Smart contracts move holdings between approved investor wallets, which BlackRock said delivers round-the-clock peer-to-peer transferability and near real-time visibility.
"Today's launches represent an important evolution in how investors access and manage cash, while helping modernise capital markets infrastructure," Beccy Milchem, Global Head of Cash Distribution and Head of the International Cash Management business at BlackRock, said in a press release shared with Decrypt.
Kara Kennedy, global head of market development at Kinexys, noted that, "Tokenization has moved from concept to execution," while BlackRock pointed to corporate treasury management, digital collateral and bank and wealth distribution channels as the use cases it expects the structure to open up.
#blackrock
The 12 new share classes sit across six funds in the BlackRock Institutional Cash Series, covering euro, sterling and U.S. dollar strategies in both distributing and accumulating form. Tokens are minted on Ethereum using Kinexys, J.P. Morgan's blockchain unit, which handles minting and burning and acts as the layer between on-chain activity and the traditional share register.
Each token represents a share in the underlying fund, and the official shareholder register continues to be maintained by the fund's transfer agent. Smart contracts move holdings between approved investor wallets, which BlackRock said delivers round-the-clock peer-to-peer transferability and near real-time visibility.
"Today's launches represent an important evolution in how investors access and manage cash, while helping modernise capital markets infrastructure," Beccy Milchem, Global Head of Cash Distribution and Head of the International Cash Management business at BlackRock, said in a press release shared with Decrypt.
Kara Kennedy, global head of market development at Kinexys, noted that, "Tokenization has moved from concept to execution," while BlackRock pointed to corporate treasury management, digital collateral and bank and wealth distribution channels as the use cases it expects the structure to open up.
#blackrock
2 months ago
Fundsmith, an investment management firm based in London, has released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter for its "Fundsmith Equity Fund." A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Fund returned -2.9% in the first half of 2026, underperforming the MSCI World Index by 14.1 percentage points, driven by challenges from a momentum-driven market dominated by passive index funds and AI-related exuberance. The letter discusses the rise of passive investing, noting that index funds now resemble active funds, concentrating heavily in a few sectors and stocks. Due to increased market volatility and a 51% portfolio turnover in the first half of the year, the firm plans to adopt a more active approach, incorporating momentum while maintaining its core mantra: buy good companies, don't overpay, and do little. In addition, please check the Firm's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Fundsmith Equity Fund highlighted Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) as a newly added position. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is a leading global payment technology company that provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services. On July 31, 2026, Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) closed at $573.10 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $502.04 billion. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) posted a one-month return of 7.50%, while its shares gained 0.58% over the past 52 weeks.
Fundsmith Equity Fund stated the following regarding Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) – Mastercard operates a digital payment network connecting consumers, merchants, and banks worldwide. It benefits from a classic network effect: the more consumers use the card, the more merchants are forced to accept it, making it difficult for a new entrant to replicate. A new entrant would need to negotiate agreements and integrate its technology with the majority of global financial institutions. While digital payments feel ubiquitous in developed nations, roughly 1.4bn adults globally remain entirely unbanked. Future growth depends on bringing this unbanked population into the financial system, shifting remaining cash transactions to digital payments, and expanding into business-to business payments, a far bigger market than C2C or C2B payments. We now own both Visa and Mastercard in the portfolio as payments is one of the few sectors that we expect to grow no matter what happens with AI, and Mastercard and Visa are equally good businesses. This gives us a way to achieve >6% exposure to payments without excessive stock-specific risk or breaching UCITS concentration rules. Also, with 46% of all global transactions still done in cash and B2B payments 85% of the value of total global payments, there is plenty of room for two companies to grow and compound. ROIC: >75%, FCF yield: 4.5%."
#payments #letter #Equity #global
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Fundsmith Equity Fund highlighted Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) as a newly added position. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is a leading global payment technology company that provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services. On July 31, 2026, Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) closed at $573.10 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $502.04 billion. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) posted a one-month return of 7.50%, while its shares gained 0.58% over the past 52 weeks.
Fundsmith Equity Fund stated the following regarding Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) – Mastercard operates a digital payment network connecting consumers, merchants, and banks worldwide. It benefits from a classic network effect: the more consumers use the card, the more merchants are forced to accept it, making it difficult for a new entrant to replicate. A new entrant would need to negotiate agreements and integrate its technology with the majority of global financial institutions. While digital payments feel ubiquitous in developed nations, roughly 1.4bn adults globally remain entirely unbanked. Future growth depends on bringing this unbanked population into the financial system, shifting remaining cash transactions to digital payments, and expanding into business-to business payments, a far bigger market than C2C or C2B payments. We now own both Visa and Mastercard in the portfolio as payments is one of the few sectors that we expect to grow no matter what happens with AI, and Mastercard and Visa are equally good businesses. This gives us a way to achieve >6% exposure to payments without excessive stock-specific risk or breaching UCITS concentration rules. Also, with 46% of all global transactions still done in cash and B2B payments 85% of the value of total global payments, there is plenty of room for two companies to grow and compound. ROIC: >75%, FCF yield: 4.5%."
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