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In early Wednesday trading, the Indian rupee slid 14 paise to hit an all-time low of 84.23 per US dollar, weighed down by continued outflows of foreign funds and a robust US dollar in global markets. Forex analysts highlighted the volatility stemming from the ongoing US elections, suggesting that stability could return once results are clear in this close race. The US Federal Reserve is also on the radar, with an anticipated interest rate cut this week and a projected easing of up to 100 basis points by 2025. At the interbank forex market, the rupee opened at its historic low of 84.23 against the dollar, down from its previous close of 84.09. On Tuesday, the currency had ended slightly stronger, gaining 2 paise. Meanwhile, the dollar index, which tracks the strength of the US dollar against six major currencies, climbed 1.64% to 105.11. According to Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury at Finrex Treasury Advisors, the index rose following initial election results showing former President Trump ahead, with the Republican party also leading in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The global oil market saw movement as Brent crude prices dipped 0.98%, trading at USD 74.79 per barrel. Bhansali noted that the rupee’s trajectory will heavily depend on the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) response, particularly as the currency fluctuates with real-time election outcomes. He estimated an intra-day trading range between 84.00 and 84.35. On the domestic front, Indian stock markets showed positive trends. The Sensex climbed by 390.93 points (0.49%) to reach 79,867.56, while the Nifty rose by 135.60 points (0.56%) to 24,348.90. Despite these gains, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers on Tuesday, pulling out Rs 2,569.41 crore from the capital markets, as per stock exchange data. This withdrawal underscores the challenges facing the Indian currency amid global financial uncertainties. (with PTI inputs)

Rupee hits record low of 84.23 against US dollar amidst US elections 2024

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Starboard Value has taken a $1 billion stake in drugmaker Pfizer.</li><li>The hedge fund, headed by Jeff Smith, has become one of the most feared activist investors.</li></ul>Pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer got a wake up call Sunday evening when one of Wall Street's most feared activist investors revealed a stake in the company.Starboard Value <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starboard-activist-significant-stake-in-drugmaker-pfizer-2024-10">informed the drugmaker</a> it had taken a position in the firm valued at $1 billion.An activist's aims, whether that's pushing for breakup, M&amp;A, or cost reductions, vary depending on the target. Starboard's turnaround strategy is not yet clear, but Pfizer's share price and revenues have tumbled from the record highs achieved during the pandemic's heights, and Starboard, led by its 52-year-old cofounder Jeff Smith, has a long history of wielding minority stakes to extract board seats and profits from name-brand companies.Over the past decade, Smith has more than doubled the hedge fund's assets under management to $8.5 billion by taking on targets including Salesforce, Starbucks, and the owner of Olive Garden. In that time Starboard has gained a reputation for making life uncomfortable for — and sometimes jettisoning — executives and directors who resist his overtures for change.Pfizer, with a market cap north of $160 billion, is among the largest companies Starboard's Smith has ever targeted. Still, investors seemed to applaud news of its investments on Monday, sending Pfizer's stock up about 3% in morning trading, adding nearly $5 billion to the company's market cap.Moreover, Starboard has reportedly secured support from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/health/pharma/activist-starboard-value-takes-1-billion-stake-in-pfizer-89591cb6?mod=hp_lead_pos4">former Pfizer executives</a> Ian Read and Frank D'Amelio for its campaign.Starboard has experience across the spectrum but is especially good at instilling discipline at the board level and "improving margins and cutting costs at companies that are bloated," said Ken Squire, the founder and president of 13D Monitor, a research firm specializing in shareholder activism.Starboard declined to comment.<h2 id="44e54273-f674-45fa-9c95-4d5153293525">Who is Jeff Smith?</h2>Investor activism has exploded in recent years. The 147 new campaigns globally in the first half of 2024 is a record, building on the all-time high 252 campaigns reached in 2023, according to a July report from investment bank Lazard.Starboard has become one of the most formidable names in the business, even if Smith hasn't yet reached the name recognition of activist investors like Paul Singer (Elliott Management), Carl Icahn (Icahn Enterprises), and Dan Loeb (Third Point Capital).Smith launched Starboard in 2011, spinning it out of a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cowen.com/news/ramius-announces-spin-off-of-value-and-opportunity-business/">small unit at Cowen Group</a> along with a couple of partners, including Peter Feld. Early targets included AOL, where Starboard lost a proxy battle but agitated for changes that boosted the company's stock by 250%, and Office Depot, where Starboard won three board seats, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://fortune.com/2014/12/03/starboard-capitals-jeff-smith-activist-investor-darden-restaurants/">a 2014 story in Fortune</a>.Starboard put corporate America on notice with its campaign in 2013 against Darden Restaurants, the owner of Olive Garden and Longhorn Steakhouse, among other dining chains. With less than a 10% stake Smith replaced the entire 12-person board and assumed the role of chairman. By the time Smith stepped down in 2016, Darden <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/activists-reap-olive-garden-bounty-1459902161">stock had gained nearly 50%</a> and Starboard had accrued more than $500 million in profits.One of the hedge fund's greatest claims to fame involved its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/activists-reap-olive-garden-bounty-1459902161">improvements to Olive Garden's breadsticks</a>, which Starboard predicted could save the company up to $5 million a year, according to a Wall Street Journal report from 2015.In 2022, Starboard took a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-profit-margins-starboard-value-turnaround-2023-8">stake in software giant Salesforce</a>, urging the company to cut costs and improve margins. The company's shares have nearly doubled in the two years since.<div type="image" title="Photo of Marc Benioff of Salesforce speaking on stage." height="1333" width="2000" msid="114027436" hostid="261" sizebytes="41886"></div>Starboard's record isn't without blemishes. Its campaign against meat <a target="_blank" href="https://archive.nytimes.com/dealbook.nytimes.com/2015/02/04/a-primer-on-starboard-the-activist-that-pushed-for-a-staples-office-depot-merger/">processor Smithfield Foods</a> in 2013 fizzled. The hedge fund <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/09/09/box-wins-proxy-board-battle-with-activist-">lost a proxy battle</a> with software maker Box in 2021. And in 2019 it dropped a bid to have Bristol-Myers Squibb scrap its merger with Celgene after failing to win over <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/29/starboard-drops-out-of-celgene-fight-as-proxy-firms-back-bristol-myers-bid.html">two major proxy advisory firms</a>.In total, Starboard has initiated 151 activist campaigns, which have generated an average return of 25%, according to data from 13D Monitor.<h2 id="fc0d4b73-d1a3-4a74-a386-7908a74761a7">Ignore at your peril</h2>More recently, the hedge fund has taken positions in dating app owner Match Group, software company Autodesk, and Starbucks.Squire said Smith has a reputation as intense but intelligent and candid. Starboard "can be friendly, but if they're ignored they can also be feared — and they can get tough."In August, Starbucks replaced its CEO amid a campaign from Starboard and Elliott Management.Given Smith's record of winning corporate concessions — or prying them away by force — Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla may be next in the hot seat. Bourla took over in 2019 and guided the drugmaker through the pandemic, boosting annual revenues to $100 billion in 2022 thanks to sales of its COVID-19 vaccine and the antiviral treatment Paxlovid.But missteps ensued. Pfizer misjudged future demand for COVID remedies, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/health/pharma/pfizer-drug-company-cost-cutting-2da7524d?mod=article_inline">according to a WSJ report</a>, and revenues cratered. It has since undertaken multibillion-dollar cost cutting campaigns.For its next act, Pfizer executives wagered heavily on cancer treatments. It shelled out $43 billion last year to acquire Seagen, a Washington-based biotech company focused on developing novel cancer medicines. It expects Seagen's products to yield $3.1 billion in revenue this year and $10 billion in annual revenues by 2030.Still, its share price has fallen more than 50% since reaching an all-time high in December 2021.Starboard's targets cut across industries, including 23 campaigns in the healthcare sector, according to 13D Monitor. Besides Bristol-Myers Squibb, other prior targets include CVS and medical records and technology company Cerner.Pfizer did not respond to a request for comment. <h4 id="cbcdd8ad-013b-426e-8431-6c2b54c6859d">Greatest hits</h4><ul><li>2012: Starboard is credited with spurring AOL CEO Tim Armstrong to sell assets, including the sale of 800 patents to Microsoft for $1.1 billion.</li><li>2013: Starboard secured three seats on the board of Office Depot, which later agreed to merge with Staples before the Federal Trade Commission blocked the merger, citing antitrust reasons.</li><li>2014: Starboard replaced the entire board of Darden Restaurants, owner of Olive Garden. By 2015, Starboard was widely credited with turning Darden Restaurants around in part by rethinking how Olive Garden served its iconic breadsticks.</li><li>2019: Jeff Smith is named chairman of the board of pizza chain Papa John's. He immediately expanded the board by bringing in two new independent directors.</li><li>2022: Starboard urged software giant Salesforce to cut costs and improve its margins. The stock has nearly doubled since Starboard acquired a stake.</li><li>2024: After facing pressure from Elliott Management and Starboard, Starbucks replaced its CEO.</li></ul>

Meet Jeff Smith, the hedge-fund investor taking on Pfizer

In recent years, <keyword id="19902194" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anil-Ambani" source="keywords">Anil Ambani</keyword>'s <keyword id="20479923" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Reliance-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Group" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Reliance Group">Reliance Group</keyword> has seen marquee firms being auctioned in insolvency proceedings and piling debt-fold businesses. But the group has, in the week gone by, made announcements that investors believe may mark its transformation. In three days -- from September 18 to September 20 -- the group announced it has turned into nearly zero debt and is implementing long-term fundraising plans that are said to solidify its financial position. <keyword id="20144587" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Infrastructure" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Infrastructure" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Reliance Infrastructure">Reliance Infrastructure</keyword>'s board approved <keyword id="20431799" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fund-raising" source="keywords">fund raising</keyword> of up to Rs 6,000 crore via preferential issue and QIP, while <keyword id="20024191" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Power" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Power" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Reliance Power">Reliance Power</keyword> board is meeting on September 23 to consider and approve the fundraise via multiple routes. The speed at which Anil Ambani moved to clear the debt of his companies, and simultaneously announce and execute the fund raising plans for future expansion of his companies, has surprised the investors. Shares of both firms surged on stock markets. The announcement to invest Rs 1,100 crore by the promoters group in Anil Ambani's flagship company, Reliance Infrastructure, has further boosted the confidence of investors in the group's revival plans and its long-term growth story, investors said. Anil Ambani's twin strategy of <keyword id="21440133" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="debt-reduction" source="keywords">debt reduction</keyword>, coupled with fresh capital raising, has set the stage for a long-term transformation of the Reliance Group, they feel. Reliance Infrastructure's <keyword id="20000950" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="market-capitalisation" source="keywords">market capitalisation</keyword> by the end of this week surged nearly 50%, rising from Rs 8,500 crore to Rs 12,500 crore. Similarly, Reliance Power's market capitalisation increased over 25%, moving from Rs 11,500 crore to Rs 14,600 crore. Reliance Infra announced a significant reduction in standalone external debt, lowering it from Rs 3,831 crore to just Rs 475 crore. This was achieved by clearing outstanding dues to prominent lenders such as Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), Edelweiss ARC, ICICI Bank, and Union Bank, according to company filings. The move signals a robust financial recovery and enhances Reliance Infra's financial flexibility. Also, Reliance Infra board approved a preferential issue to raise Rs 3,014 crore, increasing the stake of Risee Infinity Pvt Ltd, a promoter group entity, along with other investors such as Florintree Innovation LLP and Fortune Financial &amp; Equities Services Pvt Ltd. The board also approved seeking shareholder authorization to raise an additional Rs 3,000 crore via a qualified institutional placement. This will provide further capital to strengthen the balance sheet and invest in new growth opportunities. With these fund infusions, Reliance Infra's net worth is set to rise from over Rs 9,000 crore to more than Rs 12,000 crore, according to the filings. The company is now well-positioned to invest in high-growth sectors, investors said.

Anil Ambani's Reliance Group starts transformation journey, achieves near zero-debt

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Having a comprehensive estate plan is crucial to ensure the preservation of your assets.</li><li>Beware of legal and tax complications for common assets such as houses and retirement funds.</li></ul>Nothing in life is certain except for death and taxes, which is why comprehensive <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-inheritance-can-destroy-family-be-gift-estate-planning-attorney-2024-10">inheritance planning</a> is critical.After spending a lifetime accumulating wealth, investors should also have a long-term plan for their assets. Often, people opt to divide their assets among their children or grandchildren. Some also participate in planned giving by donating assets to a philanthropic cause.In an interview with Business Insider, Vimala Snow, head of wealth strategy at Cresset Capital, shared four popular yet complicated assets to pass down to the next generation. Here are her best tips to make the wealth transfer process as smooth as possible.<h2 id="39ca2c74-f01b-4339-bfcd-ae426607605a">Houses</h2>Snow's clients often plan to divide their assets equally among children, which sounds simple in theory.In practice, this can be quite difficult, especially when it comes to a large asset like a home, which is many times the most valuable asset in an estate. Beneficiaries may disagree over what to do with a house — tensions can arise if one beneficiary wants to sell but another wants to keep the asset.Make sure to discuss any areas of disagreement ahead of time. Especially in the case of a family vacation home, make sure beneficiaries are aware of the costs of maintenance, taxes, and other expenses.A way to get around this is to split the overall estate balance equally instead of divvying up individual assets, Snow recommended."There can be a decision made in the future with respect to who's actually going to get what. "Obviously, owning a third of a home is not the easiest thing to do," Snow said.<h2 id="a421e507-6f98-4698-a287-c4d73e98fa53">Retirement accounts</h2>You can pass down retirement accounts, but beware of tax implications.Your beneficiaries won't be able to make additional contributions to an inherited IRA, and they're on the hook for any taxes on distributions. They'll also have to empty the inherited IRA account within 10 years.There are a few ways to reduce the tax impact. First, the tax rules are less strict for spouse beneficiaries — they can roll over the inherited IRA into their personal account and are exempt from the 10-year rule, meaning that they can spread out tax payments over a longer period of time. Passing down a Roth IRA also has no tax implications.Consider donating your retirement account to charity for additional tax benefits, Snow suggested. If you donate an IRA to charity upon death, neither you nor your beneficiaries will pay income taxes on distributions of the assets, and the charitable tax deduction can be used to offset estate taxes. You can also choose to split your IRA between your beneficiaries and charities of choice.<h2 id="dfe19cf7-d612-4d4b-8598-64e1c71f14cf">Family businesses</h2>Family businesses are especially challenging because owners naturally feel a sense of attachment toward an asset that they devoted much of their lives to.However, their children might not feel the same way, according to Snow.We've certainly seen adult beneficiaries who inherit those assets and who feel really unprepared to handle them," Snow said.If you find yourself in this situation, Snow has the following advice: Make sure your beneficiaries have the skills and desire to be involved early on.If your beneficiaries don't want to take on the business, you have a couple of choices. If you still want to keep the business in the family, you can consider bringing on an outside professional to outsource the business operations. You can also liquidate the business, which will convert business assets into cash quickly.This advice is also applicable to other more complicated assets, such as a family investment vehicle, real estate, or farms."If you have that more complex balance sheet, making sure that your kids understand the complexity of some of these types of assets is really important," Snow said.<h2 id="003978ea-1834-40a4-89f3-9e9de9928686">Collections</h2>Snow often encounters clients who have more unique assets, such as collections of cars, antiques, or artwork.Similar to a family business, these assets might hold a lot of sentimental value but might not be easily passed down.Sometimes beneficiaries will keep an item to commemorate the deceased, but Snow also sees collections being disbanded.If the collection has a high degree of significance to you, consider donating it. Donating collections can be an effective way to circumvent capital gains and estate taxes."Oftentimes that's a really nice way to give to a museum," Snow said. Some people choose to further cement their legacy by attaching their name to their donated collections.<h2 id="8e73448a-3f96-4636-9f1e-e1f59de9f650">Communication is key</h2>At the end of the day, having frequent and clear communication about estate planning is key, according to Snow."A lot of times parents think that their kids understand, but if you were to ask the kids, they would say, 'We have no idea how Mom and Dad think about these things,'" Snow said.Confront potential disagreements over assets like a house early on, and make sure to provide details on complex assets like a family business. Being proactive about inheritance planning can make the wealth transfer process easier for everyone involved.

Passing down an inheritance? Here's how to handle these 4 complicated assets — including houses and retirement funds.

Equity <keyword id="19929240" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mutual-funds" source="keywords">mutual funds</keyword> saw inflows worth Rs 40,537 crore during the month. On the other hand, <keyword id="20671790" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="debt-funds" source="keywords">debt funds</keyword> saw outflows to the tune of Rs 1,07,357.62 crores. Out of this, liquid funds saw the maximum outflows of Rs 80,354.03 crores. This is generally attributable to investors withdrawing money to meet their advance tax obligations. Overnight funds also saw outflows to the tune of Rs 25,142.72 crores. <keyword id="20296225" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="thematic-funds" source="keywords">Thematic funds</keyword> saw massive inflows of Rs 22,351.69 crore, the highest in <keyword id="20210668" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity-funds" source="keywords">equity funds</keyword>, and were the investor's favorite during June 2024, as per <keyword id="22344564" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AMFI-data" source="keywords">AMFI data</keyword>. About 50% of the inflows in this category came from 9 new NFOs (new fund offers) in this category, which amassed Rs 12,974 crore. In terms of inflows, multi-cap funds came a distant second, garnering Rs 4,708.57 crore last month. Amidst <keyword id="22344565" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hybrid-schemes" source="keywords">hybrid schemes</keyword>, multi-asset allocation funds, which garnered Rs 3,453.12 crore in June, and Arbitrage funds, which saw inflows worth Rs 3,836.58 crore remained investor favorites. The only hybrid scheme to see net outflows were conservative hybrid funds, which shed Rs 130.57 crore. <h2>Large-cap funds see moderate inflows</h2>Inflows in small cap funds tapered at Rs 2,263.47 crore, slightly below inflows seen by midcap funds, which stood at Rs 2,527.84 crore. However, inflows in large-cap funds sobered significantly to stand at Rs 970.49 crore. Investors clearly took a far greater liking to large and mid-cap funds, which saw inflows worth Rs 2,912.19 crore, which is reflective of investor's growing confidence in the Indian stock market, and their increasing desire to diversify their investments and take risks. As of June 30, 2024, the AUM (<keyword id="20257654" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="asset-under-management" source="keywords">asset under management</keyword>) of the Indian mutual fund industry stood at Rs 61.15 lakh crore. It took the MF industry 6 months to cross the Rs 60 lakh crore threshold, from the Rs 50-lakh crore mark. During the month, the number of new MF folios also stood at an all-time high of 19.04 crore. <h2>SIP Inflows at all-time high, <keyword id="20050894" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-etfs" source="keywords">Gold ETFs</keyword> glitter hard</h2>SIP inflows for June surpassed the Rs 21,000-crore mark, standing at Rs 21,262 crore, as against Rs 20,904.37 crore in May 2024. Passive mutual funds (ETFs, Index funds) also registered a solid growth, with index funds gathering Rs 5,071.82 crores and other ETFs pulling in Rs 9,134.06 crores. Gold ETFs registered the highest month-on-month growth, gathering Rs 726.16 crore in June. Out of the 17 NFOs which were up for subscription last month, 9 belonged to the thematic fund category, while 2 were index funds. Cumulatively, these NFOs amassed Rs 15,227 crores.

AMFI Data: Debt funds see major outflows, thematic cap funds attract Rs 22,351.69 crores in June 2024

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A Chinese takeover of Taiwan risks investments there and far beyond.</li><li>A hedge fund turned to a tabletop wargame to see how the crisis could play out.</li></ul>As China's fleets and bombers stalk the narrow strait and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-showed-how-easily-no-notice-it-can-surround-taiwan-2024-6">threaten Taiwan's</a> seven decades of de facto self-rule, a British hedge fund commissioned a wargame to answer an increasingly pressing question: What is the optimum strategy for investors if China invades?Taiwan is the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/16/2-charts-show-how-much-the-world-depends-on-taiwan-for-semiconductors.html">world's leading supplier</a> of the semiconductor chips essential to electronics of all kinds, from fighter jets and supercomputers to dishwashers, and a Chinese takeover of Taiwan's industry would immediately buzzcut exposed investors. But the wargame makes clear that would be the first wave in an economic tsunami."The conclusion was that most investing entities would take a huge hit and keep being hit for months to follow, with many likely collapsing," Finley Grimble, president of Knightsbridge Strategic Group, the British consultancy that designed and ran the game, told Business Insider. "Opportunities could follow a bit later though for those who survive."Wargaming is a common technique in government and military circles to explore issues and assess potential responses. But it also is becoming popular in business as a way to prepare for crises like this that would send tremors through the world's economy and short-circuit tech stocks.In the case of the British hedge fund, which Knightsbridge did not identify, the tabletop game began with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-taiwan-china-chip-war-2024-6">China invading Taiwan</a> on May 2, 2025 — two years before a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-missing-how-china-could-seize-taiwan-without-invading-experts-2024-5">reported Chinese mandate</a> to be ready. The hedge fund players (played by actual officials of the hedge fund in question) responded by "liquidating as many of its investments as possible in all adjacent countries to the South China Sea, and rapidly reducing its exposure to investments reliant on South China Sea freedom of navigation," according to KSG's summary report.But this still left the fund with substantial exposure to its global investment, including those in the US and Europe. The next step was to shift investments toward US government bonds, buying US dollars, and investing in South America. "The major short- to medium-term decision taken was to pull out of high-tech companies given semiconductor chip shortages were likely on the horizon, which would harm the share price of tech giants," KSG noted.In the second phase of the game, soon after the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/red-flags-tell-us-when-chinas-ready-to-invade-taiwan-2024-4">Chinese invasion began</a>, US forces were said to have engaged and stopped the Chinese amphibious assault, though China continued to bombard Taiwan.In the economic sphere, the EU, as well as the US, Japan, South Korea and Australia imposed sanctions on China.<div type="image" title="Taiwanese soldiers fired artillery as part of August drills to defend their coast." height="1333" width="2000" msid="113147893" hostid="261" sizebytes="358550"></div>This caught the hedge fund players by surprise: they had assumed EU sanctions were unlikely because of the depth of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/xi-europe-tour-eu-companies-china-economy-investor-confidence-low-2024-5">China-Europe trade</a>, which reached $815 billion annually in 2023. The hedge fund "agreed that any room for avoiding a total divestment from China and the South China Sea was now completely lost, and market re-entry was probably many years away."The final phase of the wargame began a month into the war. Global trade was said to be in crisis, the US had imposed a blockade on goods headed toward China, and there was a global rush to buy gold as a safe haven, along with US Treasury bills and high-quality US dollar assets. There was also stress on the global financial systems, including more and larger stock margin calls, more hedging, stiffer demands for collateral, higher credit spreads and deteriorating credit quality."Experts in finance assessed that this scenario did not look so dissimilar to the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis, the impact of Covid-19, the First Gulf War, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine," KSG noted. To be sure, China's economy is nearly nine times the size of Russia's as estimated by GDP.The hedge fund responded by choosing to invest heavily in semiconductors manufactured in regions not affected by the war. The fund also boosted investments in the defense industry and, on the assumption that the war would drive up energy prices, also invested in oil and alternative energy.A post-game analysis by former British government economists and security experts, as well as a former investment banker, concluded that a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-taiwan-war-us-no-allies-2024-7">Chinese invasion of Taiwan</a> would devastate the world economy far more than even the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/recession-vs-depression">2008 meltdown</a>.Governments would pump liquidity into their economies for years to come, including investing in semiconductor manufacturing. If an invasion of Taiwan resulted in sanctions on China, this might be a boon to Western manufacturers who would no longer have Chinese competition (though consumers might be unhappy as lack of competition drives up prices).An interesting side effect would be that Chinese investment in the so-called Global South — which includes Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia — would probably be slashed, leaving space for other lenders to step in. "This would provide potential opportunities for new players to emerge in the Global South, particularly if loans can be collateralized," Knightsbridge noted. "A major example of this would be mining in Zimbabwe."In the end, the value of business wargames is that they give companies and investors a chance to go beyond theory and explore the consequences of making various choices."It's easy to think about consequences in your own head, or in a regular meeting," Grimble said. "But a wargame allows for consequences to be examined, and that is vital for entities looking to invest enormous sums of money and compare options, or prepare mitigations and alternatives in a time of urgency."Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1">Twitter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mipeck/">LinkedIn</a>.

Hedge fund turned to a wargame to plan for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.</li></ul>Hello! Vice President Kamala Harris has secured the support of enough Democratic delegates to become the party's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-secured-enough-delegates-to-win-democratic-presidential-nomination-2024-7">nominee for president</a>. Harris said she was looking forward to formally accepting the nomination at the Democratic Party Convention next month.But for now, we're examining how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/death-hedge-fund-superstars-wall-street-stock-market-titans-gone-2024-7">the hedge fund superstar has gone extinct</a>.What's on deck:<ul><li>Markets: What Wall Street is expecting <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tesla-q2-earnings-report-preview-expectations-tsla-stock-price-robotaxi-2024-7">ahead of Tesla's earnings</a>.</li><li>Tech: Google u-turns on its plans to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-ditches-plan-to-kill-third-party-cookies-after-pushback-2024-7">kill the third-party cookie</a>.</li><li>Business: Duolingo's trick for teaching you a language? <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/duolingo-meanest-app-nagging-notifications-melting-icon-gen-z-marketing-2024-7">Being mean</a>.</li></ul>But first, the stars aren't shining as bright anymore.If this was forwarded to you, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today">sign up here.</a><h3 id="7f7b11e5-16f3-49fc-92f8-20a90c248b07">The big story</h3><h2 id="a974392f-73c2-4c4e-b1ec-1a6bea702ebf">So long, superstar</h2><div type="image" title="The Wall Street Bull crying over a funeral casket surrounded by white carnations" height="900" width="1200" msid="111965401" hostid="261" sizebytes="100002"></div>Where have all the hedge fund superstars gone?An industry built on big names drawing even bigger money has faced a marked shift. The days of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/death-hedge-fund-superstars-wall-street-stock-market-titans-gone-2024-7">investors trusting a star hedge-fund manager with their cash</a> are in the rearview mirror, writes Business Insider's Linette Lopez.In years past, even rubbing shoulders with a legendary hedge fund manager was enough for aspiring fund managers to raise capital. The late Julian Robertson and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/billionaire-julian-robertsons-tiger-network-spans-hundreds-of-funds-2019-11">his empire of so-called "Tiger Cubs"</a> prove that.But, unlike years ago, hedge funds are no longer the only game in town for institutions or the ultra-wealthy looking to park their cash somewhere. Venture capital, private credit, and private equity have grown considerably over the past decade.Meanwhile, the hedge fund industry has also evolved. The number of quantitative funds, where the stars are the models rather than an individual's mind, has grown.And the big names that remain in the industry are starting to resemble Wall Street banks in their size and complexity. Ken Griffin's Citadel and Izzy Englander's Millennium Management have filled their ranks with Goldman Sachs alumni <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-alumni-being-hired-by-top-hedge-funds-2023-3">to help oversee their ever-growing operations</a>.<div type="image" title="Bobby Jain" height="1500" width="2000" msid="111965403" hostid="261" sizebytes="260932"></div>Megafunds like Citadel and Millennium <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hedge-fund-allocators-due-diligence-multi-strategy-firms-2024-2">sucking up all the oxygen</a> are also making it harder for new funds to raise money.Bobby Jain had two decades of experience at Credit Suisse and was the co-chief investment officer of Millennium when he decided to set up his own shop.His fund, Jain Global, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-bobby-jain-has-hired-jain-capital-hedge-fund-launch-2023-12">went live this month</a> with a reported $5.3 billion in assets. As eye-popping as that number is, it's well short of his initial target of $8 billion to $10 billion.Jain's high hopes were motivated by being the largest hedge fund launch in history, a title held by ExodusPoint, which launched with more than $8 billion in capital. But ExodusPoint, which also counts two Millennium alums as its cofounders, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exoduspoint-2022-performance-vs-millennium-as-assets-headcount-decline-2023-1">has had its own struggles</a> in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exoduspoint-closes-paris-office-following-expansion-effort-2024-2">recent years</a>.But as the old saying goes, it's always darkest before dawn. All Wall Street needs is a couple of breakout stars to flip the script, and the potential is out there.Aaron Weiner, a 31-year-old from Coatue, got a multibillion-dollar check from Millennium <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coatue-star-gets-multibillion-dollar-commitment-from-millennium-2024-6">for his to-be-launched hedge fund</a>. And Jonathan Xiong's Arrowpoint Investment Partners <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/asia-based-arrowpoint-investment-partners-launches-with-1-billion-2024-6">launched with $1 billion</a> thanks to backing from Blackstone and Canada's largest pension fund.<h2 id="58db3aa0-c214-454b-a45c-e67393aaa840">3 things in markets</h2><div type="image" title="Collage featuring Elon Musk, Tesla Motors dealership facade with logo, and a downward trending arrow" height="600" width="1200" msid="111965407" hostid="261" sizebytes="100990"></div><ol><li>Tesla's time to shine. The EV maker reports earnings after the bell today. Wall Street is bullish on Elon Musk's company after a rough start to the year, and is excited for updates on <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tesla-q2-earnings-report-preview-expectations-tsla-stock-price-robotaxi-2024-7">Tesla's plans for Robotaxi and full self-driving</a>.</li><li>Are mega-cap tech stocks' best days behind them? Smaller stocks have been on an incredible run this month. But Big Tech has a chance to remind investors why it's been the market's top pick for years <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-outlook-mega-cap-tech-rally-hinges-q2-earnings-2024-7">with a slew of earnings reports</a>.</li><li>Small-cap stocks may not stay high forever, though. Wall Street is split on whether small-cap stocks will continue their recent winning streak. Bank of America identified <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/small-caps-tech-stock-rotation-russell-sp500-treasury-yields-pmi-2024-7">two key metrics to watch</a> to determine if the wins will continue.</li></ol><h2 id="146bcf05-3865-452c-9d9a-a30b4e904a14">3 things in tech</h2><div type="image" title="An hourglass timer connected to a rocket" height="1500" width="2000" msid="111965404" hostid="261" sizebytes="58762"></div><ol><li>Founders claim a startup incubator left a trail of broken promises. AI Forge promised participants in Miami and London cash up front and help with launching their startups. But several founders told BI they <a target="_blank" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ai-forge-startup-incubator-founders-funding-2024-7">had trouble getting paid and were underwhelmed</a> with what they got. AI Forge's cofounder said participants expected too much.</li><li>Apple aims to slim streaming service. AppleTV+ has a reputation for spending a lot on its movies and shows. The problem is that not a lot of people watch them. Now, Apple wants to cut back, but it's not clear how it plans to do that — or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-tv-plus-streaming-cutbacks-eddy-cue-2024-7/">why it's running a streaming service in the first place</a>.</li><li>Google is scrapping its plan to kill off third-party cookies. After spending years preparing for their demise, Google announced <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-ditches-plan-to-kill-third-party-cookies-after-pushback-2024-7">it won't be killing cookies in Chrome</a>. Instead, it will let users opt into having the trackers in their browser.</li></ol><h2 id="e2544a9f-17ed-428e-801f-0b3a167fa796">3 things in business</h2><div type="image" title="Store clerk handing over a luxury golden shopping bag to a shopper" height="1500" width="2000" msid="111965400" hostid="261" sizebytes="286294"></div><ol><li>E-commerce eats everything, except luxury goods. Though e-commerce has revolutionized retail, we still like to buy the nicest, most expensive items IRL. That's because part of buying luxury is the experience of being pampered, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/luxury-retail-ecommerce-online-sales-stores-wealth-the-realreal-2024-7">we like to feel fancy when we buy fancy</a>.</li><li>Meanness and meme-ness are Duolingo's bread and butter. The bratty green Duolingo owl is something of a social media influencer, with a sassy personality that users can't get enough of. Its online presence and relentless nagging have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/duolingo-meanest-app-nagging-notifications-melting-icon-gen-z-marketing-2024-7">driven the company to record profits and growth</a>.</li><li>The results of Sam Altman's basic-income study are in. For three years, low-income participants received $1,000 a month, no strings attached. They put the bulk of their extra money towards basic needs like rent and food, but researchers found it didn't directly improve their mental or physical health. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-basic-income-study-results-2024-7">Here's everything the study found</a>.</li></ol><h2 id="acda8db7-985b-464a-9752-f9d16b6dd6e3">In other news</h2><ul><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-boosts-elon-musk-x-digital-town-square-2024-7">Joe Biden's bombshell revives Elon Musk's ambitions to make X the world's digital town square</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/secret-service-director-admits-trump-shooting-worst-failure-decades-2024-7">Secret Service director admits Trump shooting was agency's 'most significant failure' in decades</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-jobs-to-become-social-media-influencer-survey-income-brands-2024-7">The appeal of being an influencer is so strong that half of US adults would quit their jobs if they could make a living from social media</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-chatbots-bad-customer-service-botshit-inaccurate-information-airlines-accountability-2024-7">'Botshit' is an example of how AI is making customer service worse</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/andy-beshear-kamala-harris-vice-president-jd-vance-audition-2024-7">The race is already on to be Kamala Harris' VP</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-glasses-photo-2024-7">Mark Zuckerberg posted this pic in February. Someone just spotted an interesting object in the background</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moviepass-cofounder-hamet-watt-share-ventures-studio-longevity-2024-7">The cofounder of MoviePass is raising $20 million from Amazon and Alphabet for a longevity-focused venture studio</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-job-listing-catches-ai-applications-with-prompt-injection-2024-7">I'm a tech startup founder. We weed out job applications written with ChatGPT by hiding a prompt just for AI in our listings</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-coconut-pilled-brat-memes-charli-xcx-cringe-2024-7">The one thing Kamala Harris must not do is embrace the memes</a>.</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-twitter-ezra-klein-elon-musk-2024-7/">Twitter's not back. But it's not going anywhere, either. Ask Ezra Klein</a>.</li></ul><h2 id="b648cd67-11f4-4e57-9f3f-4ab9ae6dd53b">What's happening today</h2><ul><li>Tesla, Alphabet, Capital One, Visa, Coca-Cola, General Motors, and <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/earnings-calendar">other companies</a> are reporting.</li></ul>The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Annie Smith, associate producer, in London. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.

How the hedge fund superstar went extinct

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="20241342" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="buck" source="keywords">Buck</keyword> and <keyword id="23582845" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gracie-close" source="keywords">Gracie Close</keyword> are funding a basic income program for victims of unjust policing.</li><li>They view the program as a form of reparations for their family's history as slave owners.</li></ul>Buck and <keyword id="23582843" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gracie" source="keywords">Gracie</keyword> <keyword id="20071130" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="close" source="keywords">Close</keyword> aren't shy about their family history. The siblings, both in their 70s, are the descendants of slave owners who operated lucrative cotton mills in South Carolina. "We were raised with the myth of the Old South and how wonderful everybody was, and kind, and family-like with the slaves that they did hold," Gracie Close, a 72-year-old based in Washington state, told Business Insider. "The role of slavery in creating generational wealth was not something that we discussed or thought about growing up," said Buck Close, who is 74 and now resides in Louisiana. "We were always immersed in the valor of the Old South. At that time we were, anyways." The two siblings are now privately funding a yearlong basic income program in Louisiana focused on transferring wealth to people who were victims of racist policing, an act they view as a form of reparations. The Truth and Reconciliation Project was brought to life by the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, which selected 12 people who were "survivors of police misconduct who did not receive restitution in the courts," the ACLU of Louisiana website says. Program recipients told the ACLU they had spent thousands of dollars on court and legal fees while trying to fight charges and clear their names. Since November 2023, each recipient has received $1,000 a month in no-strings-attached payments. They also get access to free financial coaching, mental health counseling, and legal expungement services. The monthly checks will conclude this month, but the services will continue being offered for at least another year. "Those services were very important," Gracie said. "I think it puts a foundation under them that they've never had access to before." In a progress report after the program's sixth month, recipients of the guaranteed monthly income said they had better access to healthier food and basic necessities (such as transportation, housing, and healthcare). They were also significantly more comfortable withstanding surprise expenses. "I am proud of the GMI program we funded at the ACLU and look forward to the culmination of it in December. We will get to spend a day with the recipients and hear how they feel it has worked for them," Gracie said. <h2>Unraveling generations of hard truths</h2>In 2019, Buck, a donor to the ACLU of Louisiana, met for coffee with <keyword id="23582844" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maggy-baccinelli" source="keywords">Maggy Baccinelli</keyword>, a senior director. They stayed in touch and continued their conversations in the following years. "She started talking about the roots of your generational wealth. She brought the subject up, and that was the spark, really, for me," Buck said. "I was very acquainted with racism and the evils of that. But I never focused on the history of my own family." Buck and Gracie grew up on the property of the White Homestead in Fort Mill, which is the site of the last full meeting of the Confederate Cabinet in 1865, according to the family's archives and The Rock Hill Herald, a local newspaper. While it wasn't a secret to Buck and Gracie that their generational wealth had been earned using slave labor centuries prior, it also wasn't something that they felt they had taken accountability for as a family. "I don't think my mother and father hid anything from us. I think this was just the milieu of the South at that time. Nobody was questioning the methods by which ancestors had become prosperous," Buck said. At the ACLU of Louisiana, Baccinelli and her colleagues started "discussing what it would be like to go deeper into the family history and to study the arc of slavery to mass incarceration and overlay the family history onto that arc," Baccinelli told BI. "We presented to Buck our idea about it, and he agreed, and he said that he wanted to invite his sister, Gracie, to participate," she said. With funding from Buck, the ACLU hired a genealogist to research the Close family history, including records of people their ancestors had purchased and enslaved. "It is time to spread the wealth and admit responsibility for our ancestors' participation in slavery," said Gracie, who noted she acts out of responsibility rather than guilt. "To work for justice today, we have to consider our past." In November, the two siblings <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.newsweek.com/learning-truth-reconciling-past-deep-south-opinion-1847646">published an op-ed</a> urging other descendants of slave owners to take similar action to investigate their pasts. <h2>Basic income as a form of reparations</h2>When considering how to address past wrongs, Buck and Gracie "latched on" to the idea of a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/basic-income-opposition-discriminatory-universal-basic-income-argument-2024-4">guaranteed basic income</a>. Small-scale <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/los-angeles-guaranteed-basic-income-pilot-ubi-partner-violence-employment-2024-7">guaranteed basic income programs</a> have sprouted around the country in recent years, inspired in part by the success of pandemic-era cash handouts. These basic income programs offer unrestricted cash payments to specific groups of vulnerable low-income residents for a limited time period. The programs differ from a universal basic income, which would offer regular cash payments to all residents regardless of their financial status. "Our goal is to try to transfer wealth gained by us through the enslavement of others to descendants of the enslaved," Buck said. "So it fit that marker pretty well." American police systems can trace their <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-police-in-the-us-photos-2020-6">roots back to slave patrols</a>, Baccinelli said. "The reason why it's reparations is because policing started in the 1600s as slave patrols," Baccinelli said. "That's the beginning of the arc to where we are now, and so we see racist and unconstitutional policing as a vestige of slavery. I would venture to bet that every person in the program is a descendant of somebody who was enslaved, but I don't have confirmation on that." To that end, Buck and Gracie hope to establish a similar reparations-based program in South Carolina, the site of their ancestral home, that "transfers wealth from us as descendants of enslavers to other people who were descendants of the enslaved." "We're optimistic," Buck said. October 13, 2024 — A previous version of this story misstated where Buck and Gracie Close are from and what their future plans are. They are from Fort Mill, South Carolina, not North Carolina. In the future, they hope to implement a reparations-based program in South Carolina, not a basic income program.

A basic income program funded by descendants of slave owners provides $1,000 a month as a form of reparations

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Major pro-Trump influencers worked for a company the DOJ alleges was funded by Russia.</li><li>Prosecutors say Tenet Media got nearly $10 million from the Russian state to spread its message in the US.</li></ul>Several conservative influencers scrambled to deny any involvement after a company paying them was accused of being bankrolled by Russia.In an indictment this week, the DOJ said an unnamed Tenessee firm took almost $10 million from the Russian state-media company RT.The aim, per the DOJ, was to "create and distribute content to US audiences with hidden Russian government messaging."Multiple outlets later identified the firm as Tenet Media, a right-wing media company founded by conservative couple Lauren Chen and Liam Donovan.Tenet publishes content from six influencers: Lauren Southern, Tim Pool, Taylor Hansen, Matt Christiansen, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson — all of whom are publicly right-wing and support former President Donald Trump.They are very eager to point out this had nothing to do with them — a claim the DOJ echoed, saying they were never told.<h2 id="88677882-b75f-435b-b823-36f429475a81">'Myself and other influencers were victims'</h2>One, the commentator Benny Johnson, who has upward of 2.3 million subscribers on his personal YouTube channel, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/1831443521603301497">posted a statement on X</a> saying he was a victim."A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor," he wrote."Our lawyers negotiated a standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated."We are disturbed by the allegations in today's indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme. My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise."He later tweeted a clip of Attorney General Merrick Garland saying that Tenet "never disclosed to the influencers" where the money came from.<h2 id="f92d899a-6c46-400c-b727-e917c6f2e4ba">'Knew absolutely nothing'</h2>Dave Rubin, a conservative YouTuber, also distances himself from the indictment.(The document said that an unnamed influencer appearing to match Rubin was paid $400,000 a month by Tenet plus a $100,000 signing bonus.)"I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period," Rubin <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/RubinReport/status/1831478093661245681">wrote on X</a>.He said he'd had no contact with the DOJ, and that he stopped working with Tenet four months ago.<h2 id="ea8f5665-f858-4b34-ae6c-2dcfcc04cb97">'Russia sucks donkey balls'</h2>Tim Pool, a podcaster, also denied any knowledge, and said Tenet's only influence on his work was getting to publish it on its own channel."Should these allegations prove true, I, as well as the other personalities and commentators, were deceived and are victims," he wrote."Putin is a scumbag, Russia sucks donkey balls," he added.<h2 id="6fbcf230-7d46-4790-9c8d-a7b2207a3f46">'Don't know shit about Russia'</h2>Matt Christiansen posted an hourlong broadcast on X talking about the indictment.He said Chen, Tenet's founder, did have links to RT but that he had full editorial control over his work.He said the FBI had contacted him for a voluntary interview as well, but did not say whether he agreed."The idea that we're changing electoral outcomes is laughable," said Christiansen.At another point, he said:"I don't know shit about Russia or Ukraine, and I don't care because they're not my countries"<h2 id="2fb47fb6-2d73-4023-90c6-ebc9fd8d33b9">'Deliberately disingenuous'</h2>Journalist Tayler Hansen posted his initial statement on X, in Russian, describing himself and the other influencers as victims.He added later in the thread that "It's funny that's why I did it", in reply to a commenter saying that posting in Russian was probably not going to help.Lauren Southern had yet to comment on the situation as of Friday, and did not respond immediately to BI's request for comment.YouTube responded to the situation by removing Tenet Media and Southern's channels from the platform.Conservative media platform Blaze TV also fired Tenet Media founder Lauren Chen following the indictment.

Pro-Trump influencers are rushing to explain after the DOJ said their work was funded by Russia

<keyword id="19945815" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="startups" source="keywords">Startups</keyword> in <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> have high expectations from this year's upcoming <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword>. Early-age startups hope for the removal of angel taxes, while <keyword id="20677283" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-tech-startups" source="keywords">health tech startups</keyword> expect increased <keyword id="19913964" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="funding" source="keywords">funding</keyword> for the sector. Startups function as engines of economic growth, playing a crucial role in generating new jobs, ideas, products, and services. As of December 2023, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) had recognised 1,17,254 startups. These startups have reportedly created over 12.42 lakh direct jobs, significantly impacting the economy. Eklavya Gupta, CEO and Co-founder of Recur Club, stated, "We are confident that India's business credit landscape is on the brink of a major digital overhaul. FinTechs are at the forefront of this change, deploying innovative technologies and utilising in-depth data analytics to streamline and expand <keyword id="20974354" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit-access" source="keywords">credit access</keyword>." He added, "While the current allocation of Rs 10,000 crore is an excellent initial step, realising the full capabilities of India's SME and startup ecosystem will necessitate greater investment, especially in credit guarantee schemes." Vinod K Singh, Co-Founder and CTO of Concirrus, expressed his expectations from the budget: "As the Union Budget 2024-25 approaches, we hope the government will address the pressing issue of the 'angel tax.' Eliminating this tax will enhance capital formation and attract vital <keyword id="19895633" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="investments" source="keywords">investments</keyword>. Streamlining the duty structure and reducing high tariffs on electronic inputs are also crucial to bolstering the startup ecosystem and driving innovation. Expanding the Fund of Funds and introducing low-interest loans would be beneficial." Rajiv Lamba, co-founder and CEO of AI-enabled customer feedback platform Surveysensum, added, "Just as the government has prioritised financial inclusion, it should now focus on <keyword id="22405441" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technological-inclusion" source="keywords">technological inclusion</keyword> to propel India to the next stage of growth. By training youth in AI, the government can make a strategic investment in the nation's technological future. Given the rapidly evolving job market, a substantial increase of 20 to 25 percent in budget allocation should be considered for AI-based skill development and entrepreneurship." He further emphasised, "Incentivizing investment in <keyword id="20328842" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-startups" source="keywords">AI startups</keyword> and R&amp;D initiatives can boost local innovation in the AI space. The last budget introduced a deep tech fund of Rs 1 lakh crore with a 50-year interest-free loan period; the government should now establish a clear and transparent mechanism for access to this fund." Raja S, founder and MD of Hearzap, highlighted the expectations of health tech startups: "Health tech startups are eagerly anticipating increased funding that could usher in transformative advancements. This crucial investment holds the promise of extending cutting-edge healthcare solutions to rural and underserved areas, effectively bridging existing gaps in care. The upcoming budget ensures that every individual in our diverse population, from the youngest to the oldest, can access essential health services, including specialised care." Discussing taxation for startups in India, Vvihan Gulati, Director of Mediagraphics PR, commented, "Removing the angel tax is a highly anticipated move that would benefit early-stage startups and their investors. It would foster a more favourable environment for innovation and growth, allowing startups to attract much-needed capital without the burden of excessive taxation. This change could significantly enhance the ease of doing business and contribute to the overall growth of the startup ecosystem in India." The Union Budget 2024 will be tabled on July 23 by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. With this, she will become the first Finance Minister to deliver seven consecutive budgets, surpassing Morarji Desai. She presented the interim budget on February 1 of this year.

Startups demand angel tax elimination, incentives on investments in upcoming budget

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Amber Atherton launched her startup in London but moved to the US in 2017.</li><li>While building her business, she lived in the UK, San Francisco, and New York.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Amber Atherton, 33, about living in San Francisco, London, and New York as a startup founder. The following has been edited for length and clarity.I launched my company, Zyper, in 2016 in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hedge-fund-rich-taxes-labour-london-uk-relocation-milan-dubai-2024-7">London</a>. I moved from London to Palo Alto in December 2017 after getting into <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-aragon-ai-founder-chose-startup-accelerator-neo-over-ycombinator">Y Combinator</a>, a prestigious accelerator program for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/founders-putting-startup-dreams-on-hold-in-the-tech-downturn-2024-7">startup founders</a>.Before the move, I spent a year raising a seed round and acquiring customers in London. We were building software designed to help brands connect with their top fans.I've lived in the Bay Area, New York, and the UK while building and scaling Zyper.In 2020, Zyper was acquired by Discord. I joined Discord for two years and lived in San Francisco. Then, in 2023, I joined a venture capital firm called Patron as a partner. We invest pre-seed stage across the gaming and consumer internet space.I feel truly at home in California. While I've loved living in London and NYC, the Bay Area has something special. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/return-office-work-from-home-battle-silicon-valley-schmidt-musk-2024-8">The Valley</a> is unparalleled as a place to focus, build, and invest in the future.<h2 id="a13656c9-3f43-4d93-b22b-bf264c13e29c">Y Combinator helped me make connections in the US, but after the program, I decided to move my business to New York</h2>I first moved to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/married-couple-combine-finances-improve-marriage-money-2024-3">Palo Alto</a> in 2017 with two engineers and a product manager from Zyper. It was close to Y Combinator's office in Mountain View.I'd grown up between Hong Kong and England, and didn't know anyone in California, so I was lucky to land in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-apply-y-combinator-application-down-market-successful-2022-8">Y Combinator</a>. It gave me a community of founders and friends.I was struck by how suburban Palo Alto was. You might think it's a modern metropolis of glass and steel, but it's actually an American suburb with lawns and one-story houses.During the program, we had regular coaching, office hours with partners, social events with batch mates, and inspiring guest speakers. It was a supportive and competitive environment.I remember Y Combinator's Michael Seibel giving us a talk about why we should stay in the Bay Area after the program, highlighting the ecosystem and talent here. Lots of YC companies are still headquartered in the Bay Area.In January 2018, we began working with lawyers on a "Delaware flip," which meant moving our domicile to Delaware to make Zyper more attractive to US investors.I realized that if we wanted to grow, we needed to be in the US full-time, as there's a bigger market.I considered taking Seibel's advice and staying in the Bay Area, but in the end, we decided to move to New York, which was closer in time zone to the UK.We still had a team in London but didn't have anyone living in the Bay Area.<h2 id="d5e493b8-2c46-4249-b0d0-fb970f6f981a">New York was diverse but full of distractions</h2>I moved to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vintage-photos-1920s-new-york-2024-8">New York</a> in June 2018. It was tough going from Palo Alto, a hyper-focused environment, to a 24/7 city with a hundred million things to do.There's so much stimulation in the city — theatre, art, museums. I remember being distracted by the endless opportunities to attend parties and dinners.Meanwhile, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sf-hot-spots-where-founders-vc-tech-workers-hang-out-2024-7">San Francisco</a>, where I moved later on, is a tech town. Everyone's always talking about building businesses, and it's easier to meet investors and potential hires.New York has a great founder talent pool and ecosystem, particularly in crypto and AI. As an investor, I know fantastic founders in New York who have no problem dealing with the pace and distractions. After the Bay Area, New York is the next-best market to invest in.But if you want to be laser-focused without distractions, you can't beat the Bay Area. About a year into my time in New York, I realized we should probably move back.We closed our New York and London offices at the end of 2019 and moved our business to San Francisco.<h2 id="10e49e1c-dec7-4a1b-81e5-15bbffbdba54">London's where Zyper started, but the market isn't as big</h2>Within Europe, the UK is highly regarded as a place for technical talent, and there are many success stories in the fintech space.A big advantage of the UK is that it has some of the best universities in the world, so there is a lot of great academic talent.I still visit the UK twice a year, which helps me stay connected with the scene and observe trends in the market. The UK is a tough place to scale a company that isn't fintech or rooted in academia.Market size is the most obvious reason. The VC and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/venture-capital-funding-crunch-will-continue-2024-2023-12">funding ecosystem</a> is bigger in the US, particularly in Silicon Valley, plus there's a large exceptional talent pool, so there's a quicker trajectory from raising a pre-seed round to hiring the people you need to reach milestones.There's also a cultural appetite for risk in the US that isn't as strong in the UK. The very DNA of America is the American dream. Particularly in the Valley, there's a propensity for very quickly backing "zero-to-one ideas" and creating something entirely new.When I lived in the UK, I felt the pace was slower, but I think the tech ecosystem has improved. There are more angel investors and VC funds now, but the talent pool in the UK is still smaller than in the US.I think <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/brexit-is-a-disaster-britain-trade-european-union-boris-johnson-2021-3">Brexit</a> was a shame because it used to be easier to bring European tech employees over to work in UK.I can't see myself making a full-time return to the UK, but you never know what the future holds.<h2 id="e4e89588-d908-4512-9bb3-4ab53b9228a3">Silicon Valley is special, and I plan to stay</h2>I moved Zyper to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-san-francisco-worth-it-cost-of-living-negativity-2024-2">San Francisco</a> right before the pandemic hit.During the pandemic, there was a time when some people <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moves-from-san-francisco-to-texas-florida-soared-during-pandemic-2021-4">left the city for Miami and Austin</a>, but I've since seen positive signs of recovery and an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/san-francisco-some-tech-leaders-returning-ai-boom-talent-2024-2">influx of founders back to the Bay</a>. AI companies like Nvidia are based here and driving innovation in the next computing wave.The next Silicon Valley is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dating-silicon-valley-big-tech-hard-want-marriage-kids-2024-7">Silicon Valley</a>.There are other emerging markets, like Korea, Brazil, and China, but I think there's something very special about the ecosystem and history of Silicon Valley. The largest software companies were built here.The only red flag for me would be politics getting in the way. It's good to have an independent body regulating AI for consumer protection, but if politicians overregulate or overtax the way AI is working, it might slow down technological advancement and potentially hinder economic growth.I think I'll live here for the rest of my life. If you are obsessed with building, investing, and the future of consumer behavior, Silicon Valley is irresistible.

I lived in Silicon Valley, New York, and London as a founder. If you're looking for a place to build a business, there's one clear winner. 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Spot ether ETFs could launch as soon as July 22, reports say.</li><li>Wall Street analysts are divided over what the impact will be for ether.</li></ul>Spot <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/eth-usd">ether</a> exchange-traded funds are on the horizon, and the historic debut should mark another major win for the crypto industry.But what it could mean for the token itself is less clear.Wall Street has issued a range of outlooks on how the world's second-largest cryptocurrency will move once the ETFs launch. According to Reuters, trading could <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/spot-ether-etfs-likely-begin-trading-july-23-industry-sources-say-2024-07-15/#:~:text=Spot%20ether%20ETFs%20likely%20to,Reuters">commence as soon as Tuesday, July 22</a>.Even before the Securities and Exchange Commission approved the funds in May, optimism in their creation drove bullishness.Since March, Standard Chartered has projected that ether will hit <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/ethereum-etf-approval-odds-bitcoin-price-rally-record-this-week-2024-5?_gl=1*opw45p*_ga*MTMxNDIwNDI1Ni4xNjc1Njg3OTU4*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcxNjQ3MjcxOS4yNTMuMS4xNzE2NDc0MzA3LjYwLjAuMA..&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">$8,000 by the year's end</a>. The bank expects these funds to drive $15 billion to $45 billion worth of ether inflows in a 12-month window.With ether trading at just under $3,500 as of Friday, that indicates upside of over 130%.Bulls <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/ether-price-outlook-upside-spot-etf-approval-impact-crypto-rally-2024-5">derived their confidence</a> from how bitcoin behaved after its spot ETFs launch in January. With <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bitcoin-price-outlook-250000-etf-inflows-fx-reserves-crypto-gold-2024-3">money pouring into these funds</a> through early 2024, the apex token climbed over 73%, <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/bitcoin-price-outlook-explained-cryptocurrency-record-high-interest-rates-fed-2024-3">reaching an all-time high</a> of $73,780 in March.However, opinions split over whether that momentum will materialize for ether.Ether ETFs will likely only see a fraction of bitcoin's inflows, JPMorgan noted Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou wrote in late May.Citi made a similar forecast this month, anticipating that ETF inflows will make up 30%-35% of what bitcoin notched. That amounts to $4.7 billion to $5.4 billion through the next six months, the report said, cited by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2024/07/16/ether-spot-etfs-could-see-up-to-54b-of-net-inflows-in-first-6-months-citi/">CoinDesk</a>.To back this, both banks outlined some of the same factors. They noted bitcoin's first-mover advantage and stressed that the ether token offers functionality that wouldn't be accessible through the ETFs, thus limiting demand.For instance, ETF investors won't be able to access ether staking, a function where the token is locked up in return for a yield.However, others find these predictions too bearish. In late June, <a target="_blank" href="https://stenoresearch.com/crypto-moves/the-us-ethereum-spot-etfs-are-not-priced-in/">Steno Research</a> projected ether to reach $6,500 this year on strong inflows:"The market's outlook on the upcoming Ethereum spot ETFs is overly pessimistic. We anticipate a net inflow of $15 to $20 billion within the first year, as Ethereum possesses qualities that appeal to Wall Street," the firm said. "This should drive its value significantly higher, not only in dollar terms but also relative to Bitcoin."<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/cryptoverse-traders-hold-breath-ether-etf-fever-2024-07-09/">Sources who spoke with Reuters</a> also noted that ether's liquidity is much more constrained than bitcoin, partly due to yielding restrictions.According to Galaxy Digital, this makes ether more <a target="_blank" href="https://www.galaxy.com/insights/research/sizing-the-market-for-the-ethereum-etf/?utm_campaign=Galaxy%20Research%20Newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ojw_95jP92Gl1xn77DSxNVAg3DCg8c2AsQiherqpV9fSH0v1Y0UQM-1V_yu1GPTX_4LSlWh-BEb6fC5t06VcPP3LQK_szCWvSEhpTv2Hwbkdcr0c&amp;_hsmi=316477341&amp;utm_content=316477341&amp;utm_source=hs_email">price-sensitive to inflows</a>. In other words, the token might still achieve sizable gains without matching the flows into spot bitcoin funds."Despite uncertainty around the reception of the ETH ETF, capturing 10-20% of Bitcoin ETF flows could propel ETH above 4,000, nearing its peak of 4,800," <a target="_blank" href="https://t.me/s/QCPbroadcast">QCP Capital posted on Telegram</a> in mid-June.Supply considerations are one of the leading reasons SynFutures CEO Rachel Lin predicted ether could rocket to <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/ether-ethereum-crypto-price-outlook-forecast-etf-approval-regulation-supply-2024-5">$22,500 this cycle</a>. In a May note, she outlined that ether's supply has remained at 120 million since 2022, while bitcoin's trove has kept growing.But whatever impact net inflows and supply may have on ether's price in the coming months, the ETFs' immediate impact may disappoint investors, some say."Price movement will be limited in the first few days, as there will be a slow rotation into ETFs from crypto exchanges instead of rapid inflows." FxPro senior market analyst Alex Kuptsikevich told Business Insider.He added: "But look at it more broadly - it's only the second cryptocurrency that can easily be added to investors' portfolios. In the first couple of months after the launch of the ETF, Ethereum's relative weighting may rise."

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