MARKET RECAP → Stocks fell Wednesday, with the Dow (DIA) notching its third losing day in a row, as bond yields continued to inch higher. A few disappointing Q4 2023 earnings reports coupled with stronger-than-expected December retail sales data (adding to uncertainty around aggressive rate cuts this year) likely contributed to the move lower.
DIMON’S DIRE WARNING → ? Economic Rollercoaster Alert: JPMorgan’s (JPM) Jamie Dimon plays economic weatherman, forecasting stormy conditions for 2024-2025 with a mix of geopolitical turbulence, financial tightening, and inflation – all while riding the highs of record profits and a resilient U.S. economy. Buckle up!
AI TAKES DAVOS STAGE → ? At Davos, tech titans like Salesforce (CRM) and Microsoft (MSFT) put generative AI center stage, focusing on accuracy for high-stakes use, while Nasdaq (NDAQ) eyes AI for a financial facelift, marking a shift from AI exploration to real-world execution.
BANKS’ OVERDRAFT SHAKE-UP → ? In a bold move reminiscent of a financial David vs. Goliath, the Biden administration, targeting the $280 billion overdraft fee behemoth, proposes new rules to make big banks treat overdrafts either as credit (with full consumer protections) or as low-cost courtesies, potentially flipping the script on how banks profit from our ‘oops’ moments. |
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| Sean Horgan Head of Investor Relations @ MoneyLion
$shorgan |
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?️ Uncertain Economic Forecast: Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase (JPM), voiced concerns about various “powerful forces” affecting the U.S. economy in 2024 and 2025. These include geopolitical risks like the Ukraine conflict, financial shifts like quantitative tightening by the Federal Reserve, and persistent inflation despite good employment levels and pandemic-era savings. Dimon’s cautious stance remains despite JPMorgan’s record profits and an economy that has surpassed expectations.
? Recurring Economic Warnings: Known for his forthright economic predictions, Dimon reiterated concerns he had raised as early as 2022. He compared the task of predicting economic conditions to weather forecasting: simple in the short term, but complex and uncertain long-term. He highlighted the risk of recession, emphasizing the continued depletion of pandemic-era savings by consumers, the effects of interest rate hikes, and the reverberations of recent bank failures.
?️ Storm Clouds on the Horizon: Dimon emphasized that while the U.S. economy is currently robust, there are “threatening clouds” ahead. He pointed to factors like tightening financial conditions, rising energy and investment costs, ballooning government debt, and geopolitical tensions, particularly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These elements could lead to more inflation and higher interest rates, impacting the economy’s stability and increasing the likelihood of a recession.
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? Generative AI Spotlight: At the World Economic Forum, generative AI was a hot topic, with tech giants like Salesforce (CRM), Microsoft (MSFT), and Google (GOOG) showcasing their prowess. Intel (INTC) CEO Pat Gelsinger emphasized the need for increased accuracy in AI applications, crucial for high-stakes industries like healthcare and manufacturing, to build trust and comfort in using the technology.
? Salesforce’s Three-Phase AI Adoption: Clara Shih, CEO of Salesforce AI, outlined a three-phase approach for adopting artificial general intelligence (AGI): starting with AI as an assistive tool, moving to an autopilot mode under human supervision, and finally, full trust in the technology. This method aims to gradually increase user confidence in AI’s reliability, especially in critical scenarios.
? Nasdaq’s AI Integration Plans: Nasdaq (NDAQ) CEO Adena Friedman described the past year as a period of discovery for AI, with the financial industry, including Nasdaq, planning to use AI for modernizing old systems and automating workflows. This year is seen as a pivotal moment for activating AI’s potential across various sectors. |
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BANKS’ OVERDRAFT SHAKE-UP |
? The Overdraft Overhaul: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has thrown a regulatory curveball, aiming to revamp how major banks handle overdraft protection plans. This move targets a loophole in the 1968 Truth in Lending Act, which has let overdraft loans slip through consumer protection nets for decades. Americans have coughed up a staggering $280 billion in overdraft fees since 2000, with big banks reaping a windfall, especially from vulnerable consumers.
? Biden’s Blunt Take: President Joe Biden minced no words, slamming some banks for charging “exorbitant” overdraft fees, often over $30, which disproportionately burden the most vulnerable. He labeled these practices as exploitation rather than service. The proposed changes, affecting banks with assets over $10 billion, aim to curb this trend, potentially reshaping the landscape of banking fees and consumer protection.
? A Timeline of Change: The CFPB’s proposed regulations, expected to be finalized within the year and effective by October 2025, offer two paths for big banks. They can either treat overdrafts as credit line loans under strict regulations or continue them as courtesy services with fees aligned to actual costs or benchmarks. Banking trade groups, predictably, are gearing up for a tussle over these changes, which form part of a broader crackdown on “junk fees.” |
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JPMorgan to Hire This Year on Wealth, Dealmaking Revival (Bloomberg – paywall)
Coinbase, SEC set to face off in federal court over regulator’s crypto authority (Reuters)
Homebuilder sentiment improves for second straight month, following drop in mortgage rates (CNBC)
Winklevoss’ crypto exchange Gemini gets nod to launch in France amid clash with U.S. regulators (CNBC)
MrBeast uploads first video to X to test out ad revenue (Mashable) 2024 NFL coach hiring predictions, candidates for open jobs (ESPN) Sam Altman admits being pushed out of OpenAI was ‘wild’ and caught him ‘off guard’—but he’s done talking about it (Fortune)
FDA Approves New CRISPR Gene-Editing Treatment (Forbes)
‘Truly sorry.’ Fujitsu says it will compensate UK postal workers who were ruined by its software (CNN)
Snapchat to let parents decide whether their teens can use the app’s AI chatbot (CNN)
Alphabet’s Wing unveils larger drones for heavier packages (The Verge) |
And if you want more, be sure to check out the MoneyLion blog for tips, hacks and all things money. (MoneyLife) |
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