Author: Pritam Barman

Coinbase token launch platform is set to give select investors early access to new cryptocurrencies before listings on the company’s main exchange, aiming to spread ownership, deepen liquidity, and avoid early concentration among large buyers. The largest U.S. crypto exchange outlined the initiative in a Monday blog post, saying an algorithm will determine which participants receive allocations and in what size. The objective is to get tokens into the hands of real users while preparing assets for liquid trading once they list on Coinbase’s core marketplace. The first sale on the platform will feature Monad, a crypto project operating its…

Visa and Mastercard settlement aims to cut swipe fees and reshape checkout rules across the U.S., marking a potential turning point in a two-decade fight with retailers. The card networks agreed to lower certain fees and relax long-criticized rules to help close a 20-year legal battle with merchants. If approved by the court, the pact would trim fees, give stores new choices about which cards to accept, and open the door for surcharges on card usage—changes that could ripple through checkout lanes nationwide. What are the Visa and Mastercard settlement changes Regulatory filings show that the Visa and Mastercard settlement…

Bolivia’s finance minister, José Gabriel Espinoza, took the oath of office on Sunday in La Paz, stepping into a difficult brief as the nation battles high inflation, product shortages, and thinning foreign reserves. The economist and former central bank director enters President Rodrigo Paz’s cabinet with a clear promise: restore confidence, invite investment, and put stable rules back at the center of economic policy. Espinoza’s appointment marks an early statement of intent from the new administration. He has criticized the prior policy mix and is now tasked with steadying the public finances, clarifying the exchange-rate regime, and rebuilding credibility with…

Berkshire Hathaway stock faces a rare crosscurrent: a record $381.6 billion cash pile, five consecutive quarters without buybacks, and a CEO still leaning defensive even after a strong quarter. For investors, the setup is simple but consequential—does the company’s restraint spell patience or a signal to wait? A fresh look at Berkshire’s third-quarter update shows robust operating momentum alongside conspicuous balance-sheet conservatism. The conglomerate again sold more equities than it bought, extended its pause on repurchases, and still inked a sizable deal in the energy patch. The tension between performance and positioning is putting Berkshire Hathaway stock back on center…

Chicago winter storm conditions are set to intensify late Sunday into Monday, threatening whiteout bursts of thundersnow, snowfall rates over 3 inches per hour, and isolated totals approaching 18 inches, forecasters warn. The timing could cripple the Monday morning commute and ripple through an air travel system already facing strain. A winter storm warning covers the southern end of Lake Michigan, including much of the Chicago metro area, according to the U.S. National Weather Service. While snowfall amounts will vary sharply over short distances due to lake-effect banding, forecasters say the heaviest bands could stall long enough to bring double-digit…

Quantum computing stocks have stunned Wall Street, rocketing more than 1,900% over the past year, even as revenues remain small and profitability lies years away. The outsized gains in Rigetti Computing (RGTI) and D‑Wave Quantum (QBTS) have vaulted these names into the top tier of market performers, igniting debates about whether investors are witnessing a genuine technological inflection point—or the makings of a bubble. In Friday trading, Rigetti closed at $33.77 and D‑Wave at $29.50. Both companies now sport market values in the ten‑figure range, outpacing mature consumer brands despite generating a fraction of their sales. The surge has captured…

Elon Musk Tesla pay package is now the most scrutinized compensation plan in corporate America, tying 12 massive tranches of options to aggressive operational goals and escalating market-cap hurdles that peak at $8.5 trillion. Shareholders approved the structure, which could approach $1 trillion in value if every bar is cleared. The plan also includes a long lockup that keeps Musk’s new shares off the market for years. The board argues the package is calibrated to performance. Supporters see a blueprint that aligns pay with outsized execution. Skeptics warn of dilution, governance risk, and goals that may be more aspirational than…

Sandisk stock surge capped a breakout session after the memory-chip maker beat September‑quarter estimates and guided meaningfully higher for December, powered by accelerating AI data center orders. The Milpitas, Calif.-based company reported adjusted earnings of $1.22 a share on revenue of $2.31 billion for the fiscal first quarter ended Oct. 3, topping consensus views of 88 cents and $2.15 billion. Shares jumped 15.3% to close at $239.48, after touching an all‑time intraday high of $239.99. For fiscal Q2, Sandisk projected adjusted EPS of $3.20 on sales of $2.6 billion at the midpoint—well ahead of Wall Street’s $1.79 and $2.23 billion…

Democrats’ shutdown proposal arrived on Capitol Hill with a straightforward trade: reopen the entire government at current funding levels while Congress advances standalone, yearlong budget bills for selected agencies—and launch a bipartisan committee focused on lowering health care costs. The offer turned a grinding standoff into a weekend test of political will. Senators prepared to stay in Washington through Saturday and Sunday, underscoring the urgency after weeks of disruptions, furloughs, and uncertainty for federal workers and the public. “This is a reasonable offer,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D‑N.Y., urging Republicans to engage. GOP leaders immediately denounced the move…

Novo Nordisk acquisition strategy is shifting after a $10 billion bidding war for obesity-drug developer Metsera ended with Pfizer as the winner. CEO Mike Doustdar, who took the helm in August, is signaling that Novo will move quickly but with discipline, widening its hunt for assets across obesity, diabetes, and related conditions while pushing its own pipeline forward. The setback clarified two things for investors: Pfizer secured a costly foothold in the weight-loss race, and Novo won’t overpay to keep pace. People familiar with the matter said Novo viewed Metsera as a bolt-on deal, not a transformational bet. When Pfizer…