(Illustration by Getty Images) Donors from Big Sky, one of the more affluent communities in Montana, claimed nearly $1.6 million in available public school tax credits in two years to support their local school. That’s more than half of the total $3 million in credits that have been available for the whole state. On the other end of the spectrum, a Chinook Elementary donor received just $500, according to the Montana Department of Revenue. “I believe this creates an inequity of educational opportunity among schools within the state and again, raises the question of fairness,” said Rep. Mark Thane, D-Missoula. Thursday at a House Taxation committee meeting, Thane said he wanted schools across Montana to be able share the wealth more widely, and he presented House Bill 23, which would amend an existing tax credit program. The program offers a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for individual and business donors who want to contribute to either public or private education. Just one proponent testified, and many parents and representatives of private schools spoke out against it. In 2021, the Montana Legislature increased the limit on single donations for the tax credit from $150 to $200,000, a controversial move but one “school […]

Click here to view original web page at dailymontanan.com

One thing Davos is telling us is that world looks up to India as the next growth engine on a dramatically more serious way than we could have thought. As far as stock market is concerned, only one thing that I have learnt is that it has many more variables. It could be global, local,industry sector, sector specific and so on so forth that could define the price. "It is up to us as a country, it is up to us as people how much of international investments, how much of international economy companies we can bring to our country. I think this is an opportunity. Investment or countries both are for us to grab," says Vijay Shekhar Sharma , Paytm & One97 Communications NSE 3.55 % . What is the moot point in Davos this year? When I speak to folks who are at Davos, some are worried about inflation , some are worried about recession , and those who are not worried about are worried about growth in general? One thing Davos is telling us is that world looks up to India as the next growth engine on a dramatically more serious way than we could have […]

Click here to view original web page at economictimes.indiatimes.com

The UK saw high turnover of prime ministers in 2022. (PA Wire/PA Images via Fotoware) A new regime requires a new playbook. Last year ushered in higher levels of inflation, an end to ‘easy money’ policies and a flat-to-negative growth environment, marking a total break from what investors have experienced since the financial crisis. Meanwhile, markets were buffeted by a series of unforeseen events, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the rapid succession of British prime ministers. Rather than patiently waiting for the macroeconomic headwinds to pass, investors need to adapt. Investors will have to zero in on specific countries, themes and asset classes that exhibit resilient characteristics. The answer to this lies in sourcing returns at a more granular level. Gains will still be possible, but not across the board. Instead, investors will have to zero in on specific countries, sectors, themes and asset classes that exhibit resilient characteristics and benefit from tailwinds in the current environment. Below, we outline three areas we have identified as promising. High-quality heroes One of the areas for 2023 we are interested in as a result of events in 2022 is the bond market – especially the high-quality corporate bond market. […]

Click here to view original web page at www.ftadviser.com

kemalbas Brazil’s central bank, like many other central banks around the world, followed in the Fed’s footsteps in 2022 and increased benchmark interest rates aggressively to counter rising inflation. Thanks to falling inflation in recent months, the bank has held Brazil’s benchmark Selic interest rate steady at 13.75% since October 2022. However, the effects of prior increases, which numbered 12 in total , are still reverberating across the country’s banking industry. Brazilian lenders have, for example, taken a more cautious approach to unsecured lending as borrowers in the space are viewed as riskier bets during times of elevated interest rates and weaker economic growth. These headwinds have weighed on the unsecured lending business and led to a negative shift in investor sentiment toward players with high exposure to the lucrative but risky space. This includes Nu Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NU ), known as Nubank, the largest digital bank by customer base in Brazil. Since its founding in 2013, when it started offering credit cards to customers with poor credit histories who had been sidelined by traditional banks, NU has aggressively tightened its grip on Brazil’s unsecured lending market. It today offers a wide range of consumer banking products and […]

Click here to view original web page at seekingalpha.com

Carl Chang, CEO, Kairos Investment Management. Image courtesy of Kairos Investment It’s fitting that Kairos Investment Management gets its name from the Greek word for “opportunity.” Carl Chang, the firm’s co-founder & CEO, has decades of experience creating opportunity and then making the most of it. In his current role he oversees a diversified multibillion-dollar portfolio of commercial and multifamily assets. Yet few commercial real estate executives have achieved such a high level of success in such varied fields. A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, Chang had a distinguished career in professional tennis well before launching his business career. He was named coach of the year by Tennis magazine for, among other contributions, coaching his brother Michael, the tennis Hall of Famer and Grand Slam tournament champion. The rigors of that experience, among other factors, provided a strong foundation for his business success. Alongside his real estate career, Chang has also founded a thriving national restaurant franchise. In this conversation, Chang reveals how these eclectic experiences continue to inform his approach to running his investment company. He discusses key industry issues as what’s ahead for the real estate capital markets, adjusting strategy post-pandemic and the challenge […]

Click here to view original web page at www.commercialsearch.com

BMW is an incredible brand; it’s no secret. Founded in 1917 in Munich , over the years it has increasingly become a style icon and a point of reference for automotive enthusiasts around the world. But in the enthusiastic sea, there’s one very practical Bimmer that we know little of . The BMW 1 Series E87 was produced in Europe and Asia from 2004 to 2012. The characteristic of this company is definitely the reliability of its vehicles, which makes them a durable investment over time, the traditional but always modern design, and in many cases also the power of the engine. And the E87 1 Series was at the peak of the reliability chart. As it often happens, however, the same models are not always available in the various world markets, and that’s why today we want to talk about the 1-Series that never arrived in the United States but has been popular on European and Asian roads. Why The E87 1 Series Was Never Sold In The U.S. Unfortunately, this car never arrived in the United States, and it is very likely that we will never see it, except on very rare occasions. This is not the […]

Click here to view original web page at www.hotcars.com

A trade war between the U.S. and China during the Trump administration added to tensions between the two countries. But China is still the largest foreign market for U.S. farmers, and USDA’s top trade official sees an opportunity to improve ties through agriculture. “We’re reinvesting in that relationship,” Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor told reporters at USDA’s Washington headquarters Thursday. “There is an opportunity coming out of the past several years. There are areas of collaboration to invest in with that Chinese relationship,” Taylor said. Taylor stressed that there will be a “whole host of challenges” in finding common ground with China, a country that often does not live up to “a rules-based system.” But she noted that both countries do have common goals in improving innovation and food security. Groups organizing to get farm bill climate focus A coalition of groups representing small-scale farmers as well as farmworkers and minority producers is organizing a gathering on Capitol Hill in March to call for the next farm bill to put a focus on addressing climate change. Organizers are likening the event to the 1979 Tractorcade, when farmers massed in D.C. to demand federal policy reforms. […]

Click here to view original web page at www.agri-pulse.com

Summary Apple’s stock has lagged the broader market in recent months. The stock is attractively valued based on historical price-EBITDA relationships and analyst estimates. A robust product release schedule for 2023 will provide a boost. Apple has best-in-class returns on capital which supports a premium valuation even in today’s market. Nikada/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images What Goes Down… Over the last few months, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) stock has done something that it doesn’t often do: underperform. Since the company’s last earnings call on October 27th, the stock has broken away from the broader market, returning -4% while the S&P 500 ( SPY ) has delivered 8.5%. AAPL vs SPY Since October 2022 (Koyfin) The reason for this short-term underperformance isn’t exactly obvious. Apple, after all, reported record revenues in its October earnings release, and Tim Cook announced that the company has yet to feel the sting of consumer softness in the economy. Investors, however, don’t seem to have believed him. From worries about production issues in China to softening demand for the iPhone that investors seem certain will materialize at some point, investors just seem plain worried that something will go awry at the world’s largest company. We […]

Click here to view original web page at seekingalpha.com

Investors may be able to lock in higher yield levels notes Doug Drabik, Managing Director, Fixed Income Research and Nick Goetze, Managing Director, Fixed Income Solutions. To read the full article, see the Investment Strategy Quarterly publication linked below. Key takeaways: Income and cash flow investors are presented with an opportunity to lock in higher yield levels. The inverted yield curve is thought to precede a recession but is also an indicator of lower future rates. In our view, value lies in the intermediate part of the curves. Locking in these rates may give investors strong income benefits to work alongside individual bonds’ protective asset qualities. Whether you are an investor seeking total return or just earning income, there appears to be a window of opportunity in fixed income. Persistent volatility accosted the bond market in 2022, creating prevalent investor uncertainty which could be attributed to various economic circumstances, including: inflation, geopolitical events and recessionary fears. The general trend of interest rates throughout the year moved the 10-year Treasury yield in a range from 1.52% to 4.25%. As you may already know, there is an inverse relationship between bond rates and bond prices. The longer the maturity, the greater […]

Click here to view original web page at www.advisorperspectives.com

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it will make available $5.5 million for Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) to establish research Centers of Excellence (COEs) to conduct housing and community development research. This funding opportunity will help strengthen capacity and invest in innovative and actionable research to address issues regarding housing, economic development, and the built environment for underserved communities. “Hispanic institutions of higher learning often serve as leaders within their communities, driving priorities and economic development,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge , “At HUD, we are proud to partner with Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) to continue to develop strong communities, build affordable housing, create job opportunities, revitalize neighborhoods, and promote homeownership. The funding availability we’ve announced today will strengthen efforts for these institutions to expand opportunities for underserved communities and promote equitable community development.” “HSIs across the country already serve as opportunity accelerators for students and anchors for their communities,” said Solomon Greene, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research . “These grants can help build their capacity to research and address some of the most pressing housing and community development issues in the communities surrounding […]

Click here to view original web page at www.hud.gov