The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

The government won't announce the official 2025 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) until October. But that hasn't stopped people from speculating about it. We saw checks rise a whopping 8.7% in 2023 -- the largest increase in 40 years. But this year's COLA wasn't nearly as high. With growing concerns about Social Security's declining buying power, many are eager to know what 2025 will bring.

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FinSMEs

MAY 8, 2024

Definely, a London, UK-based legaltech company focused on making legal documents easy to read, edit and understand, raised $7M in Series A funding. The round was led by Octopus Ventures, with participation from Cornerstone VC, Zrosk Investment Ltd., and angerls Claire Hughes Johnson, Comron Sattari, Ajay Patel, and Babatunde Soyoye. Edward Keelan, partner at Octopus […] The post Definely Raises $7M in Series A Funding appeared first on FinSMEs.

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Funds Legal Companies Investing 117

The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

Millions of retired Americans rely on Social Security to make ends meet once they're no longer working and earning a paycheck. Even though the average retiree was only collecting $1,907 a month at the start of 2024, that income is crucial for many older Americans today. But Social Security is facing a major financial shortfall that could put its ability to pay benefits at risk.

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FinSMEs

MAY 8, 2024

Ciba Health, a NYC-based digital health company, raised $10M in Series A funding. The round was led by DigiTx Partners, with participation from E12 Ventures, 3CC Capital, Plug and Play Ventures and angel investors. The company is using the funds to accelerate product development and scale its operations to meet growing market demand. Led by […] The post Ciba Health Raises $10M in Series A Funding appeared first on FinSMEs.

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The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

The automotive industry is typically not a place you'd look to find winning investment ideas. The industry is capital-intensive, cyclical, and produces low margins. That's not a recipe to make outsized long-term returns. But there's one business in particular that has bucked this trend. I'm talking about Ferrari (NYSE: RACE). In the past five years, shares of this luxury car company have soared 216%, crushing the S&P 500 in spectacular fashion.

Portfolios 246

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FinSMEs

MAY 8, 2024

RunPod, a Mount Laurel, NJ-based company that empowers developers to deploy custom full-stack AI applications, raised $20M in Seed funding. The round was led by Intel Capital and Dell Technologies Capital with participation from Julien Chaummond, Nat Friedman, and Adam Lewis. In conjunction with the financing, Mark Rostick, Vice President and Senior Managing Director at […] The post RunPod Raises $20M in Seed Funding appeared first on FinSMEs.

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FinSMEs

MAY 8, 2024

Lucid Bots, a Charlotte, NC-based company which specializes in robotics for labor-intensive tasks, raised $9.1M in Series A funding. The round was led by Cubit Capital, with participation from Idea Fund Partners, Danu Venture Group, and existing investors Y Combinator’s Growth Fund and Gratus Capital. The company intends to use the funds to advance its […] The post Lucid Bots Raises $9.1M in Series A Funding appeared first on FinSMEs.

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The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

Whether you kick off your senior years with a nest egg worth $300,000 or $2 million, there's unfortunately always the worry that your money might run out. That's why financial experts have long advised savers to follow the 4% rule in managing their retirement funds. But while that rule is a decent starting point, it's not one I plan to follow. I'd rather play things a bit safer Under the 4% rule , you start by withdrawing 4% of your savings balance your first year of retirement.

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Assets Portfolios Returns Funds 246

FinSMEs

MAY 8, 2024

Altera, a Los Angeles, CA-based artificial intelligence company creating digital human beings, closed a $9m seed funding round. The round, which brought total funding to $11.1m since inception in December 2023, was led by Patron and First Spark Ventures with participation from a16z SPEEDRUN, Mitch Lasky, Stephen Lim, Greg Harper, Bob Meese, Rich Aldrich, Vamos […] The post Altera Closes $9M Seed Funding Round appeared first on FinSMEs.

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Funds Companies 109

The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) investors can get overly focused on one magnificent number: $3 trillion. That's the software giant's market capitalization right now, which marks a huge increase from the less than $1 trillion market cap the company held just five years ago. Don't forget that this phenomenal success was powered by the solid business wins that Microsoft has achieved in recent years, including establishing itself as an early leader in the artificial intelligence (AI) arms race.

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FinSMEs

MAY 8, 2024

Atlan, a San Francisco, CA-based data and AI governance company, raised $105m in Series C funding. The round, which brought total raised to more than $206m, was led by GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, along with co-investor Meritech Capital, and existing investors Salesforce Ventures and PeakXV Partners. Led by Prukalpa Sankar, and Varun Banka, Atlan is a platform for data and […] The post Atlan Raises $105M in Series C Funding appeared first on FinSMEs.

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Funds Capital Investors Companies 108

The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

Semiconductor stocks have been a focal point for investors over the past year, with the likes of Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices winning most of the attention because of their fast-growing presence in artificial intelligence (AI). But the AI opportunity is rapidly expanding, and one under-the-radar chip specialist says it's very excited to play a significant role in the industry, one that could drive its growth for several years.

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FinSMEs

MAY 8, 2024

In the dynamic and highly competitive startup landscape, innovation is the lifeblood that drives success. For startups, the ability to continuously develop and introduce groundbreaking products, services, or processes is crucial for gaining a foothold in the market and staying ahead of the curve. This is where research and development (R&D) tax credits come into […] The post R&D Tax Credits for Startups: Fuel for Innovation and Growth appeared first on FinSMEs.

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Startups Taxes 104

The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

Image source: Getty Images Who hasn't dreamed of meandering from cheese shop to bakery to patisserie as they make their way through the French countryside? Or perhaps you're more interested in the wineries or fashion. Whatever the case, you can have that French vacation of a lifetime without spending a lifetime's worth of earnings on it. Indeed, with the right travel rewards cards , you can easily fly to Paris -- in business class!

Banks 246

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AltAssets

MAY 8, 2024

Former Triton Partners investor services head Amanda Tonsgaard has been hired by AIP Management as its head of investor relations. The post Ex-Triton exec Tonsgaard brought in by AIP as investor relations head first appeared on AltAssets Private Equity News.

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The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

Shares of Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) were sliding today after the U.S. revoked the company's license to sell chips to Huawei, the latest escalation in the ongoing tech cold war between the U.S. and China. As of 12:48 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Intel stock was down 2.9% on the news. Image source: Getty Images. The government giveth to Intel and the government taketh away A big part of the bull case on Intel these days is that the company is set to get billions of dollars from the government to build new sem

Returns 246

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AltAssets

MAY 8, 2024

Charlesbank Capital Partners has launched Kleer-Membersy through the acquisition and merger of its namesake companies – both providers of technology-driven dental membership plans. The combined company will support an aggregate footprint of 20,000 dentists and millions of patients across all 50 states, covering everything from solo practices to the largest DSOs in the country.

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The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

Retirement planning is tough, especially as many Americans are stretched thin financially right now. But it's more important than ever to have a robust nest egg, and the average U.S. adult expects to need around $1.8 million to retire comfortably, according to a 2023 survey from Charles Schwab. Saving for the future is often easier said than done, but the more time you have, the less effort it will take.

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AltAssets

MAY 8, 2024

Veteran private equity house Goldner Hawn has sealed an above-target final close for its eighth flagship fund, pulling $364m. The post PE veteran Goldner Hawn beats goal with $364m Fund VIII final close first appeared on AltAssets Private Equity News.

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The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

Nearly 1.9 million workers claimed spousal Social Security benefits in March 2024, with an average check of $912 per month. That adds up to just under $11,000 in annual benefits. It's not an insignificant sum, but you might be able to do a lot better. Understanding a few key rules could help you maximize your Social Security spousal benefit, so you can enjoy a more comfortable retirement.

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Leveraging Portfolios Returns Investors 246

AltAssets

MAY 8, 2024

The $259bn-managing New York State Common Retirement Fund has revealed $1.1bn of new alternative fund investments. The post New York pension giant makes more than $1.1bn of alternatives fund commitments first appeared on AltAssets Private Equity News.

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Funds Pension Funds Investing Debt 92

The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) recently released its first-quarter earnings, and we learned that the company's cash stockpile has grown to nearly $189 billion, which is by far the most it's ever had. Many investors, including Berkshire CEO Warren Buffett, would love to find an attractive way to invest that capital, but the conglomerate has had no such luck.

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Private Equity Wire

MAY 8, 2024

Cap10, a specialist pan-European private equity firm based in London, has appointed Luca Bonanomi as Partner. Bonanomi has spent the last decade at Blackstone, most recently as a Managing Director in the firm’s private equity group. In his new role, Bononami will be responsible for targeting unique investment opportunities and further establishing and scaling the Cap10 business in the mid-market space alongside existing Partners, Founding Partner Fabrice Nottin and CFO and COO Mandar Kulka

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Private Equity Firms Private Equity Firms Investment Banking Investment Banks 89

The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

Image source: Getty Images Many certificates of deposit (CDs) are currently offering rates above 5%. While you can still find tons of options out there if you're looking to earn these competitive yields, you have a smaller selection than you did just a few months ago. In fact, you had a choice of more than 3,900 CDs with rates equal to or above 5% in November of 2023 -- but you were down to only around 3,000 by March of this year.

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Banks Funds Accounting Returns 245

AltAssets

MAY 8, 2024

Alternative assets investment house Ballast Rock is targeting $100m for its third fundraise focused on the multifamily real estate in the southeastern US. The post Ballast Rock ready to ride market uncertainty with $100m-targeting third Sunbelt RE fund first appeared on AltAssets Private Equity News.

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Funds Assets Investing Buyout 89

The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

One of Wall Street's few guarantees investors can always count on is volatility. Over the prior four years, the historic Dow Jones Industrial Average , widely followed S&P 500 , and growth stock-energized Nasdaq Composite traded off bear and bull markets in successive years. If anything, this seesaw action drives home just how unpredictable the stock market can be over short timelines.

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AltAssets

MAY 8, 2024

Tech-focused private equity giant Silver Lake has raised $20.5bn for its biggest fund yet amid the accelerating "promise of the AI era". The post Silver Lake soars to $20.5bn for biggest fund yet, will refocus on big bets first appeared on AltAssets Private Equity News.

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Funds Buyout Investing 87

The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

Advanced Micro Devices ' (NASDAQ: AMD) artificial intelligence (AI)-fueled rally has come to a screeching halt in 2024. Shares of the chipmaker are down 29% since the beginning of March, when they were trading at a 52-week high, and the company's latest results aren't going to help arrest the slide. AMD released first-quarter 2024 results on April 30, and investors pressed the panic button.

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Private Equity Wire

MAY 8, 2024

Law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher has opened a new office in Dallas, which will be supported by a team of seven Partners, three of whom have just joined the business – Tom Tippetts, Brandon McCoy and Chase Proctor. In addition, existing Partners Tony Johnston, Jessica Sheridan, Archie Fallon and Sarah McLean, who have strong private equity experience, will also be based in Dallas.

Law Firms 85

Law Firms 85

The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

Image source: The Motley Fool/Upsplash So you've started a side hustle. Whether it's a graphic design consulting business, a small online craft store, a cupcake bakery, or a home-based meal prep service, a side hustle can be a great way to earn extra cash. But if you want to get serious about your side hustle and make the most money possible, you need to run it like a "real" business -- even if you only work at it a few hours a week.

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Private Equity Wire

MAY 8, 2024

European private equity firm Innova Capital has closed its latest fund, Innova/7, raising €407m, surpassing its €350m target and $400m hard cap. Innova/7 focuses on business and financial services, industrials and consumer & lifestyle, attracting institiutional and commercial support from Polish investors, whose total share in now over 25%, as well as elsewhere in Europe and North America.

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The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

With the major indices knocking on the door of new all-time highs, investors may be wondering if it's a bad time to buy stocks. After all, the Nasdaq Composite has nearly doubled over the last five years, and the S&P 500 is up 73%. It's been a particularly strong hot streak over the last 16 months or so, with the Nasdaq up over 50% since Dec. 31, 2022, and the S&P 500 up 32%.

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Private Equity Wire

MAY 8, 2024

Paramount, the owner of MTV, Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures will open negotiations with a bidding group led by Sony Pictures Entertainment and private equity giant Apollo Global after its exclusivity period with Hollywood studio Skydance ended on Friday, according to a report by The New York Times. The report cites three unnamed people familiar with the matter in revealing that a special committee of Paramount’s board of directors met on Saturday and agreed to open discussion with Sony and A

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Bidding Stakes Companies 81

The Motley Fool

MAY 8, 2024

Shares of Shopify (NYSE: SHOP) were getting torched today after the high-priced e-commerce stock posted solid results in the first quarter, beating estimates, but investors balked at its outlook for the second quarter. As a result, the stock was down 19.8% as of 10:39 a.m. ET on Wednesday. Image source: Getty Images. Shopify comes up short The e-commerce company delivered solid results in the first quarter, but the stock's price tag comes with high expectations from investors.

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