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Wall Street Layoffs Thousand’s as US Economy Tanks

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Wall Street Layoffs Thousand's

President Joe Biden is facing criticism for his leadership as the economy deteriorates and Wall Street’s Goldman Sachs Group announces layoffs of thousands of employees to navigate a difficult economic environment.

The layoffs are the latest indication that layoffs are spreading across Wall Street as deal making slows. Investment banking revenues had fallen this year due to a slowdown in mergers and stock offerings, a sharp contrast to the blockbuster 2021 when bankers received large pay raises.

Goldman Sachs had 49,100 employees at the end of the third quarter after hiring heavily during the pandemic. According to the source, its headcount will remain above pre-pandemic levels. According to a filing, the workforce stood at 38,300 at the end of 2019.

The number of employees affected by the layoffs is still being discussed, and the details are expected to be finalized early next year, according to the source.

According to a separate source familiar with the situation, the bank is considering a significant reduction in the annual bonus pool this year. According to Reuters, this compares to increases of 40% to 50% for top-performing investment bankers in 2021, citing people with direct knowledge of the situation.

“GS needs to demonstrate that its costs are as volatile as its revenues, especially after a year in which it provided special rewards to top managers during the boom times,” wrote Mike Mayo, a Wells Fargo banking analyst.

“Goldman Sachs must now demonstrate that it can do the same when business is not as good and that they live up to the old Wall Street adage that they ‘eat what they kill,'” he wrote in a note.

In afternoon trading, JPMorgan & Chase Co (JPM.N) fell 1.3%, while shares of Morgan Stanley (MS.N) fell 0.6% and 1.3%, respectively.

This year, Goldman’s stock has dropped nearly 10%. They have, however, outperformed the S&P 500 bank index (.SPXBK), which is down 24% year to date.

According to a source, the latest plan would result in the layoff of hundreds of employees from Goldman’s consumer business.

In October, the bank signaled that it was scaling back its plans for Marcus, its loss-making consumer unit. Goldman also intends to discontinue the origination of unsecured consumer loans, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters earlier this week, indicating yet another exit from the industry.

With Marcus, Chief Executive Officer David Solomon took over in 2018 and attempted to diversify the company’s operations. In October, it was merged with the wealth business as part of a management reshuffle that included trading and investment banking units.

Trading and investment banking accounted for nearly 65% of Goldman’s revenue at the end of the third quarter, compared to 59% in the third quarter of 2018, when Solomon took over as CEO.

According to people familiar with the situation, Semafor reported on Friday that Goldman would lay off up to 4,000 employees as the bank struggles to meet profit targets. Goldman cut about 500 employees in September after pausing the annual practice for two years due to the pandemic, according to a source familiar with the matter at the time.

In July, the investment bank warned it might slow hiring and cut costs.

Global banks, including Morgan Stanley (MS.N) and Citigroup Inc (C.N), have reduced their workforces in recent months as a dealmaking boom on Wall Street has cooled due to high-interest rates, tensions between the US and China, the Russia-Ukraine war, and soaring inflation.

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Wall Street Loses Ground as Fed Raises Rates to Fight Biden Inflation

Wall Street lost more ground on Friday as concerns mounted that the Federal Reserve and other central banks are willing to instigate a recession to combat Biden inflation.

The S&P 500 fell 1.1% for the third time in a row. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.8%, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 1%. The major indices fell for the second week in a row.

The pullback was substantial. More than 80% of the stocks in the S&P 500 index fell. Stocks in technology and health care were among the market’s heavyweights. Microsoft fell 1.7%, while Pfizer fell 4.1%.

The Fed raised its forecast for how high-interest rates will eventually go this week, snuffing out some investors’ hopes for rate cuts next year. In Europe, the central bank came across as even more aggressive in the eyes of many investors.

“Inflation remains the monster in the room,” said Liz Young, SoFi’s head of investment strategy.

Inflation has slowed from the highest levels in decades, but it remains excruciatingly high. As a result, the Fed has maintained its aggressive price-cutting strategy by raising interest rates to slow economic growth. The strategy increasingly risks slamming on the brakes too hard and sending an already slowing economy into a recession.

“It’s still unclear whether we’re in a mild, medium, or deep recession,” Young said.

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Wall Street S&P 500 Down

S&P Global released a mixed report on Friday, emphasizing the recession risk. This month’s business activity slowed more than expected due to rising inflation. It also stated that the drop was the sharpest since May 2020, but inflationary pressures have been easing.

“In short, the survey data suggest that Fed rate hikes are having the desired effect on inflation,” Chris Williamson, a chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said.

The S&P 500 dropped 43.39 points to 3,852.36. This year, it is down about 19%. The Dow finished the day down 281.76 points at 32,920.46. The Nasdaq index fell 105.11 points to 10,705.41.

Small-company stocks suffered less severe losses than the broader market. The Russell 2000 index dropped 11.19 points, or 0.6%, to 1,763.42.

Bond yields were volatile. The 10-year Treasury yield, which influences mortgage rates, increased to 3.49% from 3.45% late Thursday. The two-year Treasury yield, which closely tracks Fed expectations, fell to 4.21% from 4.24% late Thursday.

The Fed ended its final meeting on Wednesday by raising its short-term interest rate by half a percentage point, the seventh increase this year. Wall Street had hoped the Fed would signal a slowing of rate hikes in the run-up to 2023, but the Fed did the opposite.

The federal funds rate is at its highest in 15 years, ranging from 4.25% to 4.5%. Fed policymakers predict that the central bank’s rate will be in the 5% to 5.25% range by the end of 2023. Rate cuts are not expected before 2024, according to their forecast.

Several companies outperformed the market on Friday, reporting strong financial results and forecasts. Adobe rose 3% after exceeding Wall Street’s fiscal fourth-quarter earnings forecast. United States Steel rose 5.8% after providing investors with a positive earnings forecast.

Source: Reuters, VOR News

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PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

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(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

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Qantas Airways Apologizes After R-Rated Film Reportedly Airs On Every Screen During Flight

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

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The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.

water

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.

water

The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SOURCE | AP

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