Market Minute: Spotify Announces Layoffs, Feds Seize Millions from FTX Founder & Egg Smuggling
Here is a rundown of Cheddar News' top market stories of the day.
SPOTIFY LAYOFFS
Spotify has announced plans to cut around 6 percent of its workforce, placing the music streaming service among other tech firms that have made layoffs in recent weeks, including Microsoft, Amazon, and Google parent company Alphabet. The number of positions potentially on the chopping block is not yet clear. Many tech firms have cut between 5 and 10 percent.
FED'S FTX SEIZURE
Disgraced crypto executive Sam Bankman-Fried's fortune is rapidly dwindling, as federal regulators seized more than $600 million of his assets this month. The forfeitures are related to the federal government's criminal case against Bankman-Fried, who faces charges of fraud and conspiracy — though he has pleaded not guilty. The most recent seizure was a whopping $95 million from an account held at Silvergate Bank.
CITADEL PROFITS
Hedge fund Citadel reported a record $16 billion in profits for clients in 2021. That is the biggest annual return for a fund manager since John Paulson made $15 billion in 2007 betting against the subprime mortgage market, and perhaps one of the biggest plays in Wall Street's history. The sky-high profits came as hedge funds overall underperformed amid 2022's bear market.
EGG SMUGGLING
Customs and Border Protection officials are reporting a surge in egg smuggling from Mexico — with U.S. egg prices up 60 percent in December from 12 months earlier. Smugglers are risking thousands of dollars in fines just to bring eggs, which cost around $3.40 for a 30-count carton in Mexico, compared to as much as $7.37 for just a dozen in America.
Christine Short, VP of Research at Wall Street Horizon, shares insights on small and big banks earnings, a fresh round of layoffs in the tech world, and what to expect from upcoming rate decisions.
More executives are feeling better about the global economy. But a growing number don’t think their companies will survive the coming decade without a major overhaul because of pressure from climate change and technology like artificial intelligence.
The International Olympic Committee has signed the first beer brand in the 40-year history of a sponsorship program that earns billions of dollars for the organization and international sports.
The latest calculations from several science agencies showing Earth obliterated global heat records last year may seem scary. But scientists worry that what’s behind those numbers could be even worse.
Along with the $122 million from delinquent millionaires in October, nearly half a billion dollars in back taxes from rich tax cheats has been collected.
Greg Moran, CEO of Zoomcar, joined Cheddar to talk about the growth of the car-sharing platform, the company's recent debut on the NASDAQ, and its continued work in emerging markets.
