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The dollar index continues to pull back to a new low

On Tuesday, the dollar index managed to climb up to 104.80 level.

Dollar chart analysis

On Tuesday, the dollar index managed to climb up to 104.80 level. After the formation of the weekly high, the index began to lose volume and turn to the bearish side. We saw an attempt to hold above the 104.50 level, but it all ended in failure for the dollar. The decline did not stop there, but we saw a continuation today. During this morning’s Asian trading session, the dollar index initiated a strong bearish consolidation, falling below the EMA 200 and the weekly open price.

That step only strengthened the bearish momentum, which continued to push us lower to a new weekly low at 103.93. Even the potential support at the 104.00 level did not last, but we saw a break below. Based on the current picture, we can expect further retreat and a new lower low formation. Potential lower targets are the 103.90 and 103.80 levels.

 

The Fed decides tonight on the fate of the dollar, will it save it from further decline?

For a bullish option, the dollar index needs to stabilize above the 104.00 level to begin with. If the index succeeds in this, it can hope for a recovery and a move to the bullish side. After that, it should start a bullish consolidation and move to higher levels. Potential higher targets are the 104.10 and 104.20 levels.

We expect very important news from the US market tonight: the Fed will announce the future interest rate. This is a crucial event that could significantly influence the market. Economists forecast that the interest rate could remain at 5.50%. Half an hour later, we have a press conference that could indicate the Fed’s future monetary policy.

 

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Quantum Computing: its Evolution and its Potential Future

 

Quantum computing is a rapidly evolving field of study that promises to revolutionize the way we approach complex computational problems. Unlike traditional computers, which rely on binary bits (0s and 1s) to store and process information, quantum computers harness the principles of quantum mechanics to create quantum bits, or “qubits,” that can exist in superposition. This allows them to perform certain calculations exponentially faster than classical computers.

The evolution and development of quantum computing can be divided into several key milestones: In the 1980s physicists like Richard Feynman and David Deutsch laid the theoretical groundwork for quantum computing by exploring the potential of using quantum mechanics to perform computation. This was followed in the 1990s, when researchers such as Peter Shor and Lov Grover developed groundbreaking quantum algorithms that demonstrated the potential of quantum computers to solve certain problems, such as integer factorization and database searching, much more efficiently than standard computers. In the early 2000s, researchers began to take the next step and built small-scale test quantum computing prototypes, using technologies like superconducting circuits, trapped ions, and photonic systems to create and manipulate qubits.

In 2019, Google’s Sycamore quantum processor was reported to have achieved “quantum supremacy,” performing a specific calculation faster than the world’s most powerful supercomputer. This milestone marked a significant step forward in the development of a practical quantum computing system. Since Google’s advance, major tech companies and research institutions have made significant investments in quantum computing, leading to the development of increasingly powerful and accessible quantum computing hardware and software platforms.

While quantum computing is still in its early stages, researchers and industry leaders have already identified several areas where quantum computers could have a significant impact:

Quantum computers have the potential to break many of the encryption algorithms used in modern communication and data security systems. This has led to the development of quantum-resistant cryptography and the exploration of quantum-based secure communication protocols.

Quantum computers also excel at simulating and modeling complex quantum systems, such as chemical reactions, material properties, and biological processes. It is hoped this will lead to breakthroughs in the fields of materials science, drug discovery, and energy storage. Quantum algorithms have also been shown to be highly effective at solving complex optimization problems, such as logistics and scheduling challenges, financial portfolio management, and traffic routing.

The area of machine learning and artificial intelligence, also offer great hopes. The unique properties of quantum systems could lead to the development of more powerful and efficient machine learning algorithms, potentially revolutionizing fields like natural language processing, computer vision, and decision-making.

Despite quantum computing’s exciting potential, significant challenges and limitations remain. One major challenge is maintaining the delicate state of qubits, known as quantum coherence. Qubits are highly susceptible to interference from the environment, leading to a phenomenon called decoherence, which can cause errors in computation.

Building large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers with a sufficient number of qubits to solve real-world problems also remains a significant technical challenge. Current quantum computers are still relatively small and limited in their capabilities.

Developing efficient algorithms and programming techniques for quantum computers is a complex task that requires a deep understanding of quantum mechanics and computer science. The development of the necessary hardware and infrastructure to support quantum computing, such as cryogenic systems, control electronics, and error correction mechanisms, is a significant engineering challenge.

Notwithstanding the challenges, quantum computing has a promising future. As research and development continue, we can expect to see significant advancements in the coming years. For example, Researchers are working to increase the number of qubits in quantum computers while improving their stability and coherence times, paving the way for more powerful and reliable quantum systems.

Another area of research is the development of effective quantum error correction techniques, which are crucial for building large-scale, fault-free quantum computers that can reliably solve the most complex problems. An additional area of interest is the integration of quantum and traditional computing systems, which is thought to play a key role in unlocking the full potential of quantum technologies, allowing for the power of quantum with the simplicity of traditional computing,

Although practical applications are not yet mainstream, real-world, quantum-based solutions are hoped to emerge soon in the fields of cryptography, drug discovery, and materials science.

In conclusion, as governments and major technology companies continue to invest in quantum computing, the technology will become more accessible and commercially affordable. While most individuals may not see or use the technology directly, its applications could be transformational to us all in areas such as finance and health.`);

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Air Direct Capture – Reducing CO2 from the Atmosphere

 

Air Direct Capture (ADC) is an innovative technology that has gained significant attention in recent years as a means of addressing the pressing issue of climate change. This process involves the direct extraction of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the ambient air, with the goal of reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The development of ADC technology has been driven by the growing urgency to find effective solutions to mitigate the impact of human-induced climate change.

The concept of Air Direct Capture is not entirely new, as it has been studied and experimented with for several decades. However, in recent years, the technology has undergone significant advancements, driven by the increasing awareness of the need for innovative climate change mitigation strategies.

The foundations of ADC technology were laid in the 1930s when scientists began exploring the possibility of directly capturing CO2 from the atmosphere. These early experiments laid the groundwork for the development of more sophisticated techniques and technologies.

Significant progress has been made in the field over the past few decades. Researchers and engineers have developed more efficient and cost-effective methods of capturing and storing CO2, utilizing various techniques such as chemical absorption, physical adsorption, and membrane separation.

The growing urgency to address climate change has led to increased funding and collaborative efforts between governments, research institutions, and private companies to accelerate the development and deployment of ADC technology.

As the technology behind Air Direct Capture has evolved, it has found various applications across different industries and sectors. One of the primary applications of ADC is the sequestration of captured CO2, which can be stored underground or used in various industrial processes, such as the production of synthetic fuels or the enhancement of oil recovery. The captured CO2 can also be used in the production of building materials, such as concrete and cement, reducing the carbon footprint of the construction industry. ADC technology is also being used to produce carbon-neutral fuels, such as synthetic aviation fuel, by combining the captured CO2 with hydrogen derived from renewable energy sources. In addition, ADC technology is directly removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, contributing to the overall efforts to mitigate climate change.

Despite the promising advancements in Air Direct Capture technology, there are still significant challenges and limitations that must be addressed. These challenges include the energy-intensive nature of the ADC process, as the capture and separation of CO2 from the air require large amounts of energy, which impacts the overall sustainability and cost-effectiveness. The high capital and operational costs associated with ADC systems are also a barrier to widespread adoption. Scaling up ADC technology to meet the huge global demand for greenhouse gas removal also remains a significant challenge.

Notwithstanding the challenges, the future of Air Direct Capture technology looks promising. As research and development continue, and as the technology becomes more cost-effective and scalable, the potential for ADC to play a significant role in addressing climate change is expected to grow.

While planting trees is a common option for carbon removal, it has its drawbacks as trees can burn or be cut down, releasing the stored carbon. Leading the pack to operate Air Direct Capture plants is ‘Climeworks’ which has opened the world’s largest operational direct air capture plant to suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere; the facility, known as Orca in Iceland harnesses the country’s geothermal power and is almost ten times larger than the next biggest plant. The plant is due to be fully operational by the end of 2024

The Orca plant offers an alternative solution, using chemical filters to capture CO2 from the air, which is then converted into rock by being pumped into volcanic basalts. The trials have shown that this process can sequester CO2 in solid rock within two years. One issue with this method is its limited capacity, as the Orca plant can only capture 4,000 tonnes of CO2 per year out of the 35bn tonnes produced by fossil fuels globally. However, the company is confident that it can eventually reach millions of tonnes of captured CO2.

The process cost is high, estimated at $600-800 per tonne, although the company says it aims to reduce costs to $400-600 per ton by 2030 and $200-350 per ton by 2040. Despite its high cost, there seems to be no shortage of customers looking to offset their carbon footprint. Swiss Re has signed a 10-year contract worth $10 million. Other clients include Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, Stripe, and Lufthansa.

In Conclusion, the amount of CO2 sequestered is tiny compared to the amount produced. As technology advances, costs are reduced, and more plants come online, it is hoped that ADC can play an important role in the fight against climate change.
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Stock Market News: UK Forecast and Technical Analysis

Today, the UK stock market saw the FTSE 250 increase by 195 points (0.9%) to 21,628, nearly matching the 1.2% increase in the FTSE 100, driven largely by gains in mining stocks. This positive momentum is creating a bullish sentiment in the market.

The two London indices are leading the European market this morning. The DAX is up 0.7% in Germany, followed by the FTSE MIB in Italy, the CAC 40 in France, and the IBEX 35 in Spain, all of which are up 0.4%, reinforcing the optimistic outlook across Europe.

The gain for the Euro Stoxx 600 is just under 1%. Risers include Just Eat Takeaway, rising 17%; TeamViewer, the software company and owner of Kenco, JD Peet.

Among the higher risers, Wickes Group PLC, one of the UK’s listed companies, has seen a 3.3% increase in revenue despite facing difficulties retaining customers for its custom kitchen, home office installation, and bathroom services.

In the first half, this segment’s revenues were destroyed by 17%, offsetting the 1% growth in revenue in its core retail offering.

GSK Shares Decline

GSK PLC, the drugmaker listed on the FTSE 100, raised its annual earnings and sales forecasts due to strong second-quarter performance from HIV and cancer treatments, but the stock is currently down 2.5%.

Core EPS profits are now expected to increase by 10-12% in 2024, up from the previous guidance of 8-10%. Meanwhile, the overall profits are expected to increase by 7-9%, compared to the earlier estimate of 5-7%.

Nonetheless, there were some omissions in the data: vaccination profit fell 9% short of expectations as shingles treatment Shingrix was a 20% disappointment as US sales plummeted 36%.

This is due to decreased demand and inventory reductions. However, it is important to note that international sales make up about 64% of total revenue.

General medicine, oncology, and HIV all performed better than anticipated.

GSK/GBX 5-Day Chart

Growth Expectation For FTSE 250

In the last five years, Greggs’ shares have increased by 40%, outpacing the FTSE 250 London stock. The company’s first-half (H1) results have given them an additional 5% boost.

The most recent data shows a 16% increase in profit before taxes and a 14% increase in sales.

However, despite these gains, projections indicate a minor decline in Greggs’ EPS for the full year 2024. However, the company’s first-half revenue increased by only 15%.

It is a basic diluted estimate that does not account for anomalies. However, it raises the possibility that projections are simply exaggerating the situation.

Thanks to these expenditures and a well-defined expansion plan, Greggs has produced substantial returns for its owners.

For the 2023 fiscal year, Greggs reported record yearly sales of £1.8 billion and a profit before taxes of £188.3 million.

The company also disclosed a significant capital investment program aimed at enhancing its manufacturing capacity and expanding its capacity to accommodate approximately 3,500 stores throughout the United Kingdom.

UK Stock Market Today: FTSE Stock Surge

Among the top risers in the FTSE, Antofagasta PLC and Rio Tinto have shown significant gains. Antofagasta PLC saw notable gains despite no specific news being released. Rio Tinto’s positive results, which included a 1.8% increase in first-half profit, contributed to a 1% rise in its shares and may have influenced the broader market.

More significantly, there are rumours that the Anglo-Australian miner Antofagasta is eyeing a major opportunity in the copper industry, further boosting investor confidence.

The Footsie has continued to rise, hitting a two-month peak of nearly 8,374 following a 1.2% increase. This is the highest value for the London standard since May 22nd, topping 8,368.

HSBC Makes a £3 Billion Buyback

Following a largely flat first half of the year, HSBC Holdings PLC announced an additional interim dividend and a £3 billion share buyback.

For the first half of 2024, the £0.10 per share dividend will equate to 20 cents, unchanged from the previous year. The share buyback is anticipated to be finished in three months.

The bank, with a focus on Asia, reported a first-half pre-tax profit of $21.6 billion, which was marginally lower than the same period last year, even though revenue increased 1% to $37.3 billion and certain “strategic transactions” had a net positive revenue impact of $0.2 billion.

The second quarter’s $16.5 billion in revenues exceeded analysts’ expectations, and the quarter’s $8.9 billion profit before taxes was significantly more than the $7.8 billion they had predicted.

Despite being lower than the 1.53% consensus estimate, the net interest margin improved from 1.7% to 1.62% a year ago due to an increase in the finance cost of average profit liabilities. These developments are significant for the stock market news UK, as they may influence investor sentiment and market trends.

FTSE 250 Share Price

Value: 21,572.34
Net Variation: 139.83
High/Low: 21,649.47 / 21,430.07
Previously closed price: 21,432.51
52WK range: 16,783.09 – 21,432.51
Launch date: October 12th 1992
Constituents number: 250
Net MCap: 324,478
Dividend Yield: 3.35%
Average: 1,298
Largest: 4,059
Smallest: 81
Median: 1,085

FTSE 100 Share Price

Value: 8,390.33
Previous Close: 8,292.35
Open Price: 8,292.35
Day low: 8,235.55
Day High: 8,297.92
52-week low: 7,215.76
52-week high: 8,474.41

In summary, today’s gains on the stock market news UK are remarkable, as the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indices both saw an increase. Mining stocks, especially in the FTSE 100, have primarily driven these gains. Major indices have also increased throughout Europe, indicating an optimistic trend in the market.

While GSK continues to face difficulties even after increasing its earnings projections, Greggs has shown remarkable growth in both its stock price as well as profitability. Despite a little fluctuation in its profit margins, HSBC’s announcement of a significant share buyback and dividend demonstrates the strength of its financial position.

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang downplayed the negative impact from President Donald Trump’s tariffs, saying there won’t be any significant damage in the short run.

“We’ve got a lot of AI to build … AI is the foundation, the operating system of every industry going forward. … We are enthusiastic about building in America,” Huang said Wednesday in a CNBC “Squawk on the Street” interview. “Partners are working with us to bring manufacturing here. In the near term, the impact of tariffs won’t be meaningful.”

Trump has launched a new trade war by imposing tariffs against Washington’s three biggest trading partners, drawing immediate responses from Mexico, Canada and China. Recently, Trump said he would not change his mind about enacting sweeping “reciprocal tariffs” on other countries that put up trade barriers to U.S. goods. The White House said those tariffs are set to take effect April 2.

“We’re as enthusiastic about building in America as anybody,” Huang said. “We’ve been working with TSMC to get them ready for manufacturing chips here in the United States. We also have great partners like Foxconn and Wistron, who are working with us to bring manufacturing onshore, so long-term manufacturing onshore is going to be something very, very possible to do, and we’ll do it.”

Shares of Nvidia have fallen more than 20% from their record high reached in January. The stock suffered a massive sell-off earlier this year due to concerns sparked by Chinese artificial intelligence lab DeepSeek that companies could potentially get greater performance in AI on far-lower infrastructure costs. Huang has pushed back on that theory, saying DeepSeek popularized reasoning models that will need more chips.

Nvidia, which designs and manufactures graphics processing units that are essential to the AI boom, has been restricted from doing business in China due to export controls that were increased at the end of the Biden administration.

Huang previously said the company’s percentage of revenue in China has fallen by about half due to the export restrictions, adding that there are other competitive pressures in the country, including from Huawei.

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The Metropolitan Transit Authority will stop selling and refilling those formerly-ubiquitous MetroCards by the end of the year in favor of the OMNY system, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber told Crain’s New York Business Wednesday.

MetroCards have been around since 1994, but now seem destined to go the way of the subway token, which stopped being used in 2003.

MTA officials previously said they planned to say goodbye to MetroCards in 2027, but now have provided an estimated date when they will stop selling and filling the cards, and that’s at the end of 2025.

OMNY’s popular tap-and-go system has been around since 2019 and the service includes the ability to tap your phone to pay to purchase an OMNY tap card that passengers can buy and reload.

Commuters will still be able to use their existing MetroCards with whatever funds they have on them until sometime in 2027.

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The Federal Trade Commission is going after an e-commerce company that allegedly took millions of dollars from consumers as part of a “passive income” scheme, which spun up Amazon storefronts on their behalf and promised “insane returns” that were higher than the stock market.

The FTC said Tuesday it filed a lawsuit against the company, called Click Profit; its co-founders Craig Emslie and Patrick McGeoghean; and two other business associates. It also asked a judge to bar the parties from doing business temporarily.

The case is the latest example of the FTC cracking down on e-commerce “automation” services. These companies launch and manage online storefronts on behalf of clients, who pay money for the services and the promise of earning tens of thousands of dollars in “passive income.” The companies often make extravagant claims about potential earnings and the use of artificial intelligence technology to guarantee profits. Despite their assurances, consumers frequently end up losing money.

Click Profit, which also operated under the names FBALaunch, Automation Industries and PortfolioLaunch, promised investors they would “build you a massively profitable e-commerce store from the ground up” by selling products on Amazon, Walmart and TikTok, according to the FTC.

The company charged consumers between $45,000 to $75,000 for the initial investment, plus an additional $10,000 or more to pay for inventory, the FTC alleged in its complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Click Profit took up to 35% of any profits from their customers’ stores, the complaint states.

The company claimed the business opportunity was “safe, secure and proven to generate wealth,” according to marketing materials referenced in the FTC’s complaint. They posted screenshots of purportedly successful Amazon storefronts, including one they claimed generated product sales of over $540,000 in one month.

Emslie often appeared in TikTok videos and other online ads to pitch prospective consumers. In one ad, he said that “the stock market, real estate or precious metals will never be able to offer you” the level of security offered through investing in Click Profit, according to the FTC’s complaint. Other TikTok videos show him appearing alongside an image of Warren Buffett while “fanning himself” with wads of cash, per the complaint.

Click Profit talked up its expertise by claiming it had product sourcing partnerships with legitimate brands, including Nike, Disney, Dell, Colgate and Marvel, the complaint alleges. It also claimed to have spent $5 million to build a “super computer” and other AI technologies to locate the “most profitable products,” claiming the super computer had generated “around $100 million in sales,” per the complaint.

The company even implied that investors’ online store could be bought out by venture capital firms connected with Click Profit “at a 3-6x multiple,” the FTC alleged.

“In reality, the highly touted AI technology and brand partnerships do not exist, and the promised earnings never materialize,” the FTC said in its complaint.

Amazon suspended or terminated about 95% of Click Profit’s stores after they violated Amazon’s seller policies, the FTC alleged. After accounting for Amazon’s fees, more than one-fifth of Click Profit’s stores on the platform earned no money at all, while another third earned less than $2,500 in gross lifetime sales, the FTC stated.

As a result, most consumers were unable to recoup their investments and “some are saddled with burdensome credit card debt and unsold products,” according to the FTC, which also said that Click Profit often refused to refund victims their investments and threatened them with legal action if they posted publicly about their experience.

One unnamed consumer mentioned in the lawsuit invested “his life’s savings” in Click Profit and was later terminated as a client “with nothing to show for his payments,” the complaint states. He posted a negative review online and was allegedly approached by Emslie’s attorney, who threatened to sue the consumer and “take everything he and his wife owned,” per the complaint.

The consumer took the reviews down, then asked Emslie whether he could receive a partial refund, according to the FTC.

“The attorney told the consumer that Emslie had responded, ‘F*** off,’” the FTC alleged.

Representatives for Emslie and Click Profit didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The FTC alleges Click Profit violated the FTC Act, the Consumer Review Fairness Act and the Business Opportunity Rule. It seeks to permanently prohibit Click Profit from doing business, as well as monetary relief for the victims.

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LONDON — Artificial intelligence that can match humans at any task is still some way off — but it’s only a matter of time before it becomes a reality, according to the CEO of Google DeepMind.

Speaking at a briefing in DeepMind’s London offices on Monday, Demis Hassabis said that he thinks artificial general intelligence (AGI) — which is as smart or smarter than humans — will start to emerge in the next five or 10 years.

“I think today’s systems, they’re very passive, but there’s still a lot of things they can’t do. But I think over the next five to 10 years, a lot of those capabilities will start coming to the fore and we’ll start moving towards what we call artificial general intelligence,” Hassabis said.

Hassabis defined AGI as “a system that’s able to exhibit all the complicated capabilities that humans can.”

“We’re not quite there yet. These systems are very impressive at certain things. But there are other things they can’t do yet, and we’ve still got quite a lot of research work to go before that,” Hassabis said.

Hassabis isn’t alone in suggesting that it’ll take a while for AGI to appear. Last year, the CEO of Chinese tech giant Baidu Robin Li said he sees AGI is “more than 10 years away,” pushing back on excitable predictions from some of his peers about this breakthrough taking place in a much shorter timeframe.

Hassabis’ forecast pushes the timeline to reach AGI some way back compared to what his industry peers have been sketching out.

Dario Amodei, CEO of AI startup Anthropic, told CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January that he sees a form of AI that’s “better than almost all humans at almost all tasks” emerging in the “next two or three years.”

Other tech leaders see AGI arriving even sooner. Cisco’s Chief Product Officer Jeetu Patel thinks there’s a chance we could see an example of AGI emerge as soon as this year. “There’s three major phases” to AI, Patel told CNBC in an interview at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona earlier this month.

“There’s the basic AI that we’re all experience right now. Then there is artificial general intelligence, where the cognitive capabilities meet those of humans. Then there’s what they call superintelligence,” Patel said.

“I think you will see meaningful evidence of AGI being in play in 2025. We’re not talking about years away,” he added. “I think superintelligence is, at best, a few years out.”

Artificial super intelligence, or ASI, is expected to arrive after AGI and surpass human intelligence. However, “no one really knows” when such a breakthrough will happen, Hassabis said Monday.

Last year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk predicted that AGI would likely be available by 2026, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said such a system could be developed in the “reasonably close-ish future.”

Hassabis said that the main challenge with achieving artificial general intelligence is getting today’s AI systems to a point of understanding context from the real world.

While it’s been possible to develop systems that can break down problems and complete tasks autonomously in the realm of games — such as the complex strategy board game Go — bringing such a technology into the real world is proving harder.

“The question is, how fast can we generalize the planning ideas and agentic kind of behaviors, planning and reasoning, and then generalize that over to working in the real world, on top of things like world models — models that are able to understand the world around us,” Hassabis said.”

“And I think we’ve made good progress with the world models over the last couple of years,” he added. “So now the question is, what’s the best way to combine that with these planning algorithms?”

Hassabis and Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google’s cloud computing division, said that so-called “multi-agent” AI systems are a technological advancement that’s gaining a lot of traction behind the scenes.

Hassabis said lots of work is being done to get to this stage. One example he referred to is DeepMind’s work getting AI agents to figure out how to play the popular strategy game “Starcraft.”

“We’ve done a lot of work on that with things like Starcraft game in the past, where you have a society of agents, or a league of agents, and they could be competing, they could be cooperating,” DeepMind’s chief said.

“When you think about agent to agent communication, that’s what we’re also doing to allow an agent to express itself … What are your skills? What kind of tools do you use?” Kurian said.

“Those are all elements that you need to be able to ask an agent a question, and then once you have that interface, then other agents can communicate with it,” he added.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Swedish fintech firm Klarna will be the exclusive provider of buy now, pay later loans for Walmart, taking a coveted partnership away from rival Affirm, CNBC has learned.

Klarna, which just disclosed its intention to go public in the U.S., will provide loans to Walmart customers in stores and online through the retailer’s majority-owned fintech startup OnePay, according to people with knowledge of the situation who declined to be identified speaking about the partnership.

OnePay, which updated its brand name from One this month, will handle the user experience via its app, while Klarna will make underwriting decisions for loans ranging from three months to 36 months in length, and with annual interest rates from 10% to 36%, said the people.

The new product will be launched in the coming weeks and will be scaled to all Walmart channels by the holiday season, likely leaving it the retailer’s only buy now, pay later option by year-end.

The move heightens the rivalry between Affirm and Klarna, two of the world’s biggest BNPL players, just as Klarna is set to go public. Although both companies claim to offer a better alternative for borrowers than credit cards, Affirm is more U.S.-centric and has been public since 2021, while Klarna’s network is more global.

Shares of Affirm fell 13% in morning trading Monday.

The deal comes at an opportune time for Klarna as it readies one of the year’s most highly anticipated initial public offerings. After a dearth of big tech listings in the U.S. since 2021, the Klarna IPO will be a key test for the industry. The firm’s private market valuation has been a roller coaster: It soared to $46 billion in 2021, then crashed by 85% the next year amid the broader decline of high-flying fintech firms.

CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski has worked to improve Klarna’s prospects, including touting its use of generative artificial intelligence to slash expenses and headcount. The company returned to profitability in 2023, and its valuation is now roughly $15 billion, according to analysts, nearly matching the public market value of Affirm.

The OnePay deal is a “game changer” for Klarna, Siemiatkowski said in a release confirming the pact.

“Millions of people in the U.S. shop at Walmart every day — and now they can shop smarter with OnePay installment loans powered by Klarna,” he said. “We look forward to helping redefine checkout at the world’s largest retailer — both online and in stores.”

As part of the deal, OnePay can take a position in Klarna. In its F-1 filing, Klarna said it entered into a “commercial agreement with a global partner” in which it is giving warrants to purchase more than 15 million shares for an average price of $34 each. OnePay is the partner, people with knowledge of the deal confirmed.

For Affirm, the move is likely to be seen as a blow at a time when tech stocks are particularly vulnerable. Run by CEO Max Levchin, a PayPal co-founder, the company’s stock has surged and fallen since its 2021 IPO. The lender’s shares have dipped 18% this year before Monday.

Affirm executives frequently mention their partnerships with big merchants as a key driver of purchase volumes and customer acquisition. In November, Affirm’s chief revenue officer, Wayne Pommen, referred to Walmart and other tie-ups including those with Amazon, Shopify and Target as its “crown jewel partnerships.”

An Affirm spokesman had this statement: “We win business when merchants want superior performance and maximum value, given our underwriting and capital markets advantages. We will continue our long-term strategy of competing on our products and entering into sustainable partnerships.”

The deal is no less consequential to Walmart’s OnePay, which has surged to a $2.5 billion pre-money valuation just two years after rolling out a suite of products to its customers.

The startup now has more than 3 million active customers and is generating revenue at an annual run rate of more than $200 million.

As part of its push to penetrate areas adjacent to its core business, Walmart executives have touted OnePay’s potential to become a one-stop shop for Americans underserved by traditional banks.

Walmart is the world’s largest retailer and says it has 255 million weekly customers, giving the startup — which is a separate company backed by Walmart and Ribbit Capital — a key advantage in acquiring new customers.

Last year, the Walmart-backed fintech began offering BNPL loans in the aisles and on checkout pages of Walmart, CNBC reported at the time. That led to speculation that it would ultimately displace Affirm, which had been the exclusive provider for BNPL loans for Walmart since 2019.

OnePay’s move to partner with Klarna rather than going it alone shows the company saw an advantage in going with a seasoned, at-scale provider versus using its own solution.

OnePay’s push into consumer lending is expected to accelerate its conversion of Walmart customers into fintech app users. Cash-strapped consumers are increasingly relying on loans to meet their needs, and the installment loan is seen as a wedge to also offer users the banking, savings and payments features that OnePay has already built.

Americans held a record $1.21 trillion in credit card debt in the fourth quarter of last year, about $441 billion higher than balances in 2021, according to Federal Reserve Bank of New York data.

“It’s never been more important to give consumers simple and convenient ways to access fair credit at the point of sale,” said OnePay CEO Omer Ismail. “That’s especially true for the millions of people who turn to Walmart every week for everything.”

Next up is likely a OnePay-branded credit card offered with the help of a new banking partner after Walmart successfully exited its partnership with Capital One.

“We’re looking forward to going down this new path where not only can they provide installment credit … but also revolving credit,” Walmart CFO John David Rainey told investors in June.

— CNBC’s MacKenzie Sigalos and Melissa Repko contributed to this report.

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Flagging global sales and Elon Musk’s increasingly outspoken political activities are combining to rock the value of Tesla.

Shares in the once-trillion-dollar company saw their worst day in five years this week. Year to date, Tesla’s stock has plunged 41% — though it is still up by about 36% over the past 12 months.

On Monday, the stock was down another 5%.

For Musk, Tesla’s shares remain his primary source of paper wealth, though he has also turned his stake in SpaceX into a personal lending tool. But it was proceeds from selling Tesla shares that helped Musk complete his acquisition of Twitter, now known as X.

Musk’s wealth also allowed him to help vault Donald Trump into a second presidential term. Even as Musk’s net worth has diminished as a result of Tesla’s recent share-price declines, data suggests he is in no danger of losing his title as the world’s wealthiest person.

Musk has said on X that he is not concerned about Tesla’s recent drop in value. Still, evidence suggests the company is entering a period of transition.

A spokesperson for Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.

Musk’s wealth has propelled him to a global presence that lacks precedent — and has polarized world opinion about the tech entrepreneur in the process. Any weakening of his financial position, therefore, could undercut his influence in the political and tech spaces where he now commands outsize attention.According to Bank of America, Tesla’s European sales plummeted by about 50% in January compared with the same month a year prior.

Some say this is attributable to a growing distaste for Musk, who has begun dabbling in the continent’s politics in the wake of his successful support of Trump’s candidacy last year.

Others note Tesla’s European market is facing increased competition from the Chinese electric-vehicle maker BYD, which has telegraphed ambitious plans for expansion on the continent.  

A more decisive blow to Tesla’s near-term fortunes may be emanating from China itself. There, Tesla’s shipments plunged 49% in February from a year earlier, to just 30,688 vehicles, according to official data cited by Bloomberg News. That’s the lowest monthly figure registered since July 2022 — amid the throes of Covid-19 — when it shipped just 28,217 EVs, Bloomberg said.

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