Author: Daniel Chang

Global Payments announced it will sell its medical software unit, AdvancedMD, to the investment firm Francisco Partners for $1.13 billion. The move aligns with Global Payments’ strategy to concentrate on core financial technology services. Following the announcement, Global Payments’ shares rose by nearly 4%, partly boosted by news of a $600 million accelerated stock buyback plan, funded by proceeds from the sale. Analysts at William Blair view the sale positively, noting that it “sharpens focus, reduces exposure to the challenging healthcare market, and returns capital to shareholders.” This sale follows a broader industry trend in which companies streamline operations to…

Apple announced its fiscal fourth-quarter results, surpassing analyst predictions driven by record-breaking iPhone sales, though its services segment did not meet forecasts. After the release, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares dipped over 1% in after-hours trading. For the quarter, Apple posted adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.64 on a revenue of $94.93 billion, compared to analysts’ expectations of an EPS of $1.60 on $94.4 billion revenue, as per Investing.com. iPhone revenue climbed to $46.22 billion, an increase from $43.81 billion the previous year, exceeding estimates of $45.47 billion. Meanwhile, Apple’s services revenue grew to $24.97 billion from $22.31 billion…

The U.S. dollar remained in a narrow range on Thursday, as investors assessed mixed economic indicators in anticipation of the highly-anticipated payroll report at the end of the week. At 05:35 ET (09:35 GMT), the Dollar Index, which measures the dollar against six major currencies, edged slightly higher to 103.917, after reaching a late-July peak earlier in the week. Dollar Stability Amid Uncertain Economic Indicators The dollar’s recent gains have stalled, as mixed economic data leaves ambiguity around the strength of the U.S. economy. U.S. private payroll data indicated a surge in October, but job openings in September dropped to…

The ongoing S&P 500 bull market is facing a major risk, but contrary to popular belief, it’s not due to a potential US recession. According to strategists from BCA Research, the real concern lies in Japan’s sharply negative real interest rates in comparison to the United States. In a recent report, BCA highlighted that Japan’s real policy interest rate differential with the US has reached an unprecedented -5.4%, a figure deemed unsustainable. Since 2022, Japan’s real interest rate gap with the US has widened by 12 percentage points, a shift BCA views as a key driver behind the inflation seen…

KAZAN, Russia – Although cross border payments within BRICS countries face challenges, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Thursday that there are no plans to establish a separate payment system. Instead, he emphasized that the existing infrastructure can handle these transactions effectively. Trade payments between Russia and key partners like China and Turkey have encountered obstacles, particularly as banks face pressure from Western regulators to carefully examine transactions involving Russia. This scrutiny has caused delays, creating difficulties for Russian businesses and financial institutions. Ahead of the summit, Russia proposed an alternative system for payments in BRICS national currencies, featuring a…

As the U.S. presidential election nears, UBS analysts encourage investors to remain steady, noting that while market volatility may increase, it’s unlikely to disrupt long term positive trends in equities. UBS advises against making drastic portfolio adjustments in response to election results, suggesting such actions could undermine long term growth potential. According to UBS, reducing equity exposure due to an unexpected election outcome may be less effective over time. Historically, U.S. equities have performed well around election periods, with data showing steady gains since 1928. UBS highlights that the S&P 500 recently closed at 5,854, marking a strong performance with…

Oil prices fell sharply, dropping over $3 a barrel on Monday, following Israel’s airstrikes in Iran that avoided key oil and nuclear sites, reducing immediate risks to energy supplies and easing some Middle East tensions. At market opening, both Brent and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude hit their lowest prices since October 1. As of 01:39 GMT, Brent crude was down by $3.35, or 4.4%, to $72.70 a barrel, while WTI fell by $3.27, or 4.6%, to $68.51 per barrel. The benchmarks had seen a 4% gain last week amidst concerns over Israel’s potential military response to an earlier…

The U.S. dollar gained ground on Monday, maintaining its upward trend as confidence in former President Donald Trump’s prospects in the upcoming U.S. election grows. As of 04:30 ET (08:30 GMT), the Dollar Index, which measures the dollar’s performance against six major currencies, climbed 0.2% to 103.462, following a 0.6% increase last week. Dollar Boosted by Trump Election Optimism The dollar has been hovering near its highest levels in over two months, bolstered by expectations that U.S. interest rates will decrease more slowly than previously anticipated. This view is reinforced by recent data showing the U.S. economy remains relatively strong.…

Wells Fargo analysts anticipate a “sell the news” reaction in the stock market following the U.S. presidential election on November 5th, regardless of the outcome. In a recent report, the bank’s strategists highlighted the S&P 500’s recent rally, which they consider unusual compared to past election cycles. They describe the current market as having an “unattractive near-term risk/reward” balance. “The S&P 500 has gained 3% in the last month and 4.4% over the past two months. Historically, we’ve seen stock prices decline leading up to Election Day, with sectors showing more risk averse behavior,” the report noted. They also mentioned…

Wedbush analysts anticipate a robust tech earnings season for the third quarter, citing solid enterprise spending and a resurgence in digital advertising. They believe that the ongoing “AI revolution” will continue to push tech stocks upward through the end of the year. The firm highlights that the central theme for this earnings season will be the next phase of AI innovation. Cloud giants like Microsoft (MSFT), Google (GOOGL), and Amazon (AMZN) are expected to outperform market expectations, as more businesses transition their workloads to the cloud. This shift is setting the stage for widespread deployment of AI-driven enterprise models by…