#global financial advisors

[azukeglobalinvestmentadvisers]

Empower Your Financial Future with Azuke Global Investment Advisory

Are you seeking expert guidance to navigate the complex world of finance? Look no further than Azuke Global Investment Advisory. Our team of seasoned professionals specializes in providing personal finance advisory tailored financial solutions to individuals and businesses worldwide. With a focus on holistic financial planning and investment strategies, we empower our clients to achieve their long-term financial goals with confidence and peace of mind.

[luncheon-aspic]

I may have commented this before but every time I see this post, as a historian outside of the West/Anglosphere, I want to stress that this already is very much a thing. It all depends on what the general public has as their baseline.

Whenever I see someone refer to "Victorian era-" for places outside the UK I'm tempted to start saying shit like "Han Dynasty era Rome", "Soviet era Australia" etc

[roysexton]

From Detroit Legal News: “People often fail to realize the importance of visibility and representation.” INvolve Outstanding 100 LGBTQ+ Executives Role Model List 2024

Thank you, Detroit Legal News’ Sheila Pursglove, Brian Cox, Brad Thompson, Tom Kirvan, and team for all this support you show our professional community. It means a lot. Original article here. Roy Sexton, director of Marketing at Clark Hill and 2024 International Immediate Past President of the Legal Marketing Association, has been named to the INvolve Outstanding 100 LGBTQ+ Executives Role…

[wealthnsociety]

The Evolving Landscape of HNW Wealth Management 

HNW Wealth Management individuals represent a significant and growing segment in the financial world· With assets worth millions, they require specialized investment strategies and tailored services to manage and grow their wealth. This blog explores the intricacies of HNW wealth management and the high net worth investment management strategies that cater to this elite group.   

Understanding HNW Wealth Management 

HNW wealth management is a bespoke service provided to individuals with substantial financial assets. It encompasses a broad spectrum of services, including investment advice, estate planning, tax optimization, and risk management. The primary objective is to preserve and grow the client's wealth while aligning with their financial goals and risk tolerance.   

Key Components of HNW Wealth Management 

1· Personalized High Net Worth Investment Management Strategies 

 High net worth investment management focuses on creating customized investment portfolios. Unlike standard investment plans, these strategies are tailored to meet the specific financial objectives of HNW individuals. This includes diversifying across various asset classes such as equities, bonds, real estate, and alternative investments like private equity and hedge funds. 

2· Comprehensive Financial Planning in HNW Wealth Management 

Comprehensive financial planning is critical in HNW wealth management. This includes estate planning to ensure wealth transfer across generations, tax planning to minimize liabilities, and risk management to protect assets. Financial advisors work closely with clients to develop a holistic plan that encompasses all aspects of their financial life. 

3· Exclusive Investment Opportunities for High Net Worth Individuals 

HNW individuals often have access to exclusive investment opportunities not available to the public. These can include private placements, venture capital investments, and luxury real estate projects. Leveraging these opportunities can significantly enhance portfolio performance and wealth growth. 

The Role of Technology in HNW Wealth Management 

The advent of technology has transformed HNW wealth management. Advanced analytics and artificial intelligence provide deeper insights into market trends and investment performance. Digital platforms offer HNW clients real-time access to their portfolios, enabling informed decision-making. Moreover, robo-advisors and automated investment tools are becoming integral in offering personalized investment management services efficiently and cost-effectively. 

Challenges and Solutions in High Net Worth Investment Management 

1· Market Volatility 

 Managing the investments of HNW individuals involves navigating market volatility. Implementing robust risk management strategies and diversifying investments can mitigate potential losses and ensure wealth preservation. 

2· Regulatory Changes 

Staying abreast of regulatory changes is crucial in high net worth investment management. Advisors must continuously update their knowledge and adapt strategies to comply with new laws and regulations, ensuring their clients' investments remain secure and legally compliant. 

3· Personalized Client Service in HNW Wealth Management 

Providing personalized client service is essential in HNW wealth management. Building strong relationships based on trust and transparency fosters client loyalty and satisfaction. Regular communication and tailored financial advice are key components of exceptional client service. 

Conclusion 

HNW wealth management is a dynamic field requiring specialized knowledge and skills. By offering personalized investment strategies, comprehensive financial planning, and exclusive investment opportunities, wealth managers can effectively cater to the unique needs of high net worth individuals. As technology continues to evolve, it will play an increasingly vital role in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of high net worth investment management, ensuring HNW clients achieve their financial objectives and secure their wealth for future generations. 

[ansitasahu12]

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[beingjellybeans]

Sun Life: Empowering Advisors, Promoting Sustainability, and Making a Difference in Communities

Sun Life, a leading financial services company, has been making significant strides in various areas, from empowering its advisors to promoting sustainability and making a positive impact in communities. Through a series of recent accomplishments, Sun Life has showcased its commitment to excellence, innovation, and social responsibility. Empowering Advisors for Success Over 200 Sun Life…

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Jim Morin, Miami Herald

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

December 17, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Dec 18, 2024

Yesterday, Trump gave his first press conference since the election. It was exactly what Trump’s public performances always are: attention-grabbing threats alongside lies and very little apparent understanding of actual issues. His mix of outrageous and threatening is central to his politics, though: it keeps him central to the media, even though, as Josh Marshall pointed out in Talking Points Memo on December 13, he often claims a right to do something he knows very little about and has no power to accomplish. The uncertainty he creates is key to his power, Marshall notes. It keeps everyone off balance and focused on him in anticipation of trouble to come.

At the same time, it seems increasingly clear that the wealthy leaders who backed Trump’s reelection are not terribly concerned about his threats: they seem to see him as a figurehead rather than a policy leader. They are counting on him to deliver more tax cuts and deregulation but apparently are dismissing his campaign vows to raise tariffs and deport immigrants as mere rhetoric.

As the promised tax cuts are already under discussion, interested parties are turning to deregulation. Susanne Rust and Ian James of the Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday that on December 5, more than a hundred industrial trade groups signed a 21-page letter to Trump complaining that “regulations are strangling our economy.” They urged him to gut Biden-era regulations and instead to “partner” with manufacturers to create “workable regulations that achieve important policy goals without imposing overly burdensome and impractical requirements on our sector.”

They single out reductions in air quality, water quality, chemical, vehicle, and power plant environmental regulations as important for their industries. They also call for ending the “regulatory overreach” of the Biden administration on labor rules, saying those rules “threaten the employer-employee relationship and harm manufacturers’ global competitiveness.” They want an end to “right-to-repair” laws, a loosening of the rules for how and when companies need to report cyber incidents, and the replacement of mandated consumer product safety rules with “voluntary standards.”

They also call for cuts to the Biden administration’s antitrust efforts and for looser corporate finance regulations. On December 12, Gina Heeb reported in the Wall Street Journal that Trump’s advisors are exploring ways “to dramatically shrink, consolidate or even eliminate the top bank watchdogs in Washington,” including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

As Catherine Rampell explained in the Washington Post today, Congress created the FDIC in 1933 to protect bank deposits so that a bank’s customers can trust that mismanaged banks won’t lose their money. The FDIC also oversees those banks so that they are less likely to get into trouble in the first place. Congress created the system after people rushing to get their money out before a collapse actually created the very collapse that they feared, with one bank failure creating another in a domino effect that dug the economy even further into the crisis it was in after the Great Crash.

But the insurance money for those banks comes from fees assessed on the banks themselves, so abolishing the FDIC would save the banks money.

When he learned that Trump’s advisors are eyeing cuts to the FDIC, Princeton history professor Kevin Kruse commented: “When I lecture about New Deal banking reforms, I note that some of the key measures—like Glass Steagall—were repealed by the right with disastrous results like the 2008 financial meltdown, but ha ha, no one will ever be stupid enough to kill FDIC and bring back the old bank runs.”

Ben Guggenheim of Politico was the first to report that twenty-nine Republican members of Congress are also quick off the blocks in getting into the act of promoting private industry, calling for the incoming president to end the program of the Internal Revenue Service that lets people file their taxes directly without using a private tax preparer. Other developed countries use a similar public system, but in the U.S., private tax preparers staunchly opposed the public system. When more than 140,000 people used the IRS pilot program this year, they saved an estimated $6.5 million. Republicans called for its end, warning it is “a threat to taxpayers’ freedom from government overreach.”

But for all their faith that Trump will deregulate the economy, economic leaders seem to think his other promises were just rhetoric.

Brian Schwartz of the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that business executives have been lobbying Trump to change his declared plans on tariffs. The president-elect has vowed to place tariffs of 25% on products from Canada and Mexico, and of an additional 10% on products from China. He claims to believe that other countries will pay these tariffs, but in fact U.S. consumers will pay them. That, plus the fact that other countries will almost certainly respond with their own tariffs against U.S. products, makes economists warn that Trump’s plans will hurt the economy with both inflation and trade wars.

Schwartz reported that some companies and some Republicans are hoping that Trump’s tariff threats are simply a bargaining tactic.

Trump supporters say something similar about his vow to deport 11 to 20 million undocumented immigrants, hoping he won’t actually go after long-term, hardworking undocumented people. On December 10, Jack Dolan reported in the Los Angeles Times that the resort town of Mammoth Lakes, California, depends on migrant labor, and on December 15, Eli Saslow and Erin Schaff of the New York Times reported the story of an undocumented worker brought to the U.S. as an infant, who is now trying to figure out his future after his beloved father-in-law voted for Trump. Two days ago, CNN reported on Trump-supporting dairy farmers in South Dakota who depend on undocumented workers, insisting that Trump will not round up undocumented immigrants, no matter what he says.

One person who is not discounting Trump’s threats is Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). McConnell will give up his leadership position in January and has told his colleagues he feels “liberated.”

McConnell appears to be taking a stand against Trump’s expected appointee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy speaks often against vaccines, and after the New York Times reported that the lawyer working with Kennedy to vet potential HHS staff petitioned federal regulators to take the polio vaccine off the market, McConnell—a polio survivor—warned: “Efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed—they’re dangerous. Anyone seeking the Senate’s consent to serve in the incoming administration would do well to steer clear of even the appearance of association with such efforts.”

McConnell has also been vocal about his opposition to Trump’s isolationism. He is a champion of sending military support to Ukraine and, after he steps down from the leadership, will chair the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, the subcommittee that controls military spending. “America’s national security interests face the gravest array of threats since the Second World War,” McConnell says. “At this critical moment, a new Senate Republican majority has a responsibility to secure the future of U.S. leadership and primacy.”

McConnell will also chair the Rules Committee, which gives him a chance to stop MAGA senators from trying to abandon the power of the Senate and permit Trump to get his way. McConnell has said that “[d]efending the Senate as an institution and protecting the right to political speech in our elections remain among my longest-standing priorities.”

That last sentence identifies the current struggle in the Republican Party. McConnell is showing his willingness to prevent Trump and MAGA Republicans from bulldozing their way through the Senate in order to undermine the departments of Justice, Defense, and Health and Human Services, among others. But when he talks about “protecting the right to political speech in our elections,” he is talking about protecting the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision that permits corporations and wealthy individuals to flood our elections, and thus our political system, with money.

It is those corporations and wealthy individuals who are now lining up for tax cuts and deregulation, but who don’t want the tariffs or mass deportations or isolationism Trump’s “America First” MAGA base wants.

Trump and his team have been talking about their election win as a “mandate” and a “landslide,” but it was actually a razor thin victory with more voters choosing someone other than Trump than voting for him. He will need the support of establishment Republicans in the Senate to put his MAGA policies in place.

At yesterday's press conference, he appeared to be nodding to McConnell when he promised: “You’re not going to lose the polio vaccine. That’s not going to happen.” McConnell’s fierce use of power in the past suggests that the Senate’s giving up its constitutional power to bend to Trump’s will isn’t likely to happen, either.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[mariacallous]

I am bad at small talk, so I went in big. “You are probably going to be the social democratic leader with the largest parliamentary majority anywhere on Earth. How does it feel?” I said to Keir Starmer during a private meeting with him and a few advisors in late 2022.

Starmer’s aides looked annoyed, while the likely next prime minister of the United Kingdom paused and tried to deflect: “We can’t take anything for granted,” which has become the unofficial motto for Labour’s general election campaign.

Yet despite Starmer’s hesitancy to bank success—he is genuinely a modest man—it is likely that on the morning of July 5, Starmer will wake up as the world’s social democratic superhero: the only center-left leader of a major economy with a parliamentary supermajority and the great hope for progressives all over the world.

The governing Conservative Party, which is historically arguably the most successful political party on Earth, now faces electoral oblivion. In 2019, Boris Johnson demolished Labour’s heartlands, the so-called red wall. Labour had become detached from its base and collapsed in its postindustrial heartlands after then-leader Jeremy Corbyn embraced the siren sounds of political extremism; he refused to sing the national anthem at a memorial for the Battle of Britain and drove the party toward a position of fiscal incontinence that scared anyone with financial assets.

Five years later, Labour is on track not only to regain the red wall but also to achieve a dream of progressives by taking solid Conservative seats in their blue wall of affluent commuter constituencies surrounding London and rural seats that have voted Conservative since time immemorial. (East Worthing and Shoreham, for example, is part of a constituency that first voted Tory in 1780 and has been reliably Tory since. Polls suggest Labour is on track to take the seat.)

What is happening in the U.K. is unusual for center-left parties, to put it mildly. Labour could gain as many as 70 percent of seats in the House of Commons—a victory that could surpass even the electoral landside of former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1997, offering lessons for progressives everywhere. A politically dominant Starmer will attend the G-7 as a leader in total political control, in stark contrast to his counterparts in France and Germany, Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz, who are facing high disapproval ratings and struggling to pursue their governing agendas.

Labour’s victory in the U.K. will be important in three key regards: It will recast how progressives can win national elections and set a high-water mark for what social democrats can achieve; it will reshape British politics in new and unexpected ways that could be more important than the victory itself; and it will flip external perceptions of the U.K., resetting international views of the country and its future.

Despite the pathological obsession Britain’s political class has with America’s, it is perhaps time for Democrats in the United States to look across the pond and glean some lessons from Labour’s success.

Part of Starmer’s success has been to take an oath of omertà on culture war issues, much as the Australian Labor Party did. These include transgender rights, Britain’s colonial past, and immigration—all issues that the British right has tried to capitalize on. Starmer, a former human rights lawyer, has committed to scrap the Tories’ controversial Rwanda deportation scheme but on the grounds of practicality rather than as a wider moral statement. More broadly on immigration, the party has been treading very carefully. This is certainly not brave, but it has worked. For all the attempts to fire up the culture wars in this election, Labour has remained focused on the prize.

While the Conservatives have attempted to stoke a culture war, what remains more salient for voters in the U.K. is the perceived corruption and rule-breaking of leading Conservatives, culminating in the current scandal involving elected officials using insider information to bet on the election date.

Scandals including preferential contracts for protective equipment for the National Health Service (NHS) during the COVID-19 pandemic, where an astonishing 4 billion pounds ($5 billion) worth of faulty equipment was procured (some allegedly from companies with links to the ruling party). Then came “Partygate,” in which Johnson and current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak were fined by police for breaking COVID-era laws. A lobbying scandal involving another former prime minister, David Cameron, also caused significant public anger. Elite rule-breaking has cut through with voters in a way that the endless culture wars simply haven’t.

In parallel, Labour has pivoted from a form of identity politics under Corbyn to a very proactive position on class. Starmer has put his humble upbringing center stage in the U.K. election campaign and has spoken authentically about the “class ceiling” in British society. This has particular resonance as Starmer is running against Sunak, whose net wealth of $822 million makes him the richest leader of any democracy.

A typical Starmer set-piece homily is as follows:

“My dad was a toolmaker, he worked in a factory, and my mum was a nurse. We didn’t have a lot when we were growing up. Like millions of working-class children now, I grew up in a cost-of-living crisis. I know what it feels like to be embarrassed to bring your mates home because the carpet is threadbare and the windows cracked. … I was actually responsible for that as I put the football through it.”

This focus on class is unusual in modern British politics. Indeed, recent Labour leaders—from Blair to Gordon Brown to Ed Miliband to Corbyn—were all in different ways outsiders to the British working class: Blair and Corbyn for their relatively affluent (and privately educated) upbringings, Brown and Miliband because of their middle-class backgrounds and partly because Miliband’s father was one of the country’s most notable Marxist academics. As for the Conservatives, the days of a prime minister who was a grocer’s daughter are long gone. Cameron and Johnson didn’t just attend the same elite private school (Eton) two years apart; they went to the same university (Oxford) and were members of the same private dining club (for the most privileged).

Starmer is leaning into class politics—and it is working. The promise to impose the same value-added tax on private school fees that is applied to most goods and services (20 percent) has led to an outpouring of anger from the often very wealthy 6 percent of U.K. parents who send their kids to private schools—usefully, those who are privately educated often tend to vote Conservative. Labour’s pledge to use the private school tax revenues to invest in education for the 94 percent of kids in state schools has, on the other hand, drawn support from ordinary voters.

This focus on class has won back a group of voters who in other countries have now been captured by the right and far right. Labour now leads among working-class voters with 38-42 percent of the vote share, in contrast to Conservatives’ 22-24 percent. For those with the fewest educational qualifications, Labour leads in every age category except the over-50s.

One of the architects of Labour’s reengagement with the British working class is Angela Rayner, who is on track to become deputy prime minister. Rayner is working-class, was a mother at 16, and a grandmother at 37. Opinionated and unfiltered, an unapologetic smoker who enjoys a strong drink, she worked in a care home before rising quickly through the trade union movement and becoming a Labour candidate. Rayner’s story is a masterclass in how to elevate remarkable people into parliamentary politics. Her success is her own, but the unions cultivated her, and the membership backed her as deputy leader. She has real star power—and there is virtually no one like her in the upper echelons of the Democratic establishment in the United States.

Remarkably, the class dimension has not, it seems, alienated middle England. Disillusioned surbubanites and centrist liberals have been turned off by a Conservative Party that seems increasingly radical and dysfunctional. Starmer’s former career as the country’s chief prosecutor, and his knighthood—he is formally referred to as “Sir Keir”—have given him broad appeal, just as the Conservatives’ unapologetic embrace of the populist right’s pet causes has cratered their support.

Part of Labour’s success is due to the systemic clusterfuck that has been the last few years of the Conservative government. The Tories have foisted five prime ministers on the public since 2010—four of them elected by the party’s mostly white, male membership of about 170,000 rather than the public at large. Economic growth is anemic; there are nearly 8 million people on the NHS waiting list in England alone (in a country where the use of private medical care is uncommon); and essential public services including the prison service and local government are on the edge of systemic failure.

Yet signs exist that there may be more fundamental shifts at play. Labour leads in every age group except the over-65s. If you work, you are more likely to vote Labour; 45 percent of voters under 45 are likely to vote Labour, compared with only 1 in 10 backing the Conservative Party. Millennials will become the largest voting bloc in the U.K. in this election. Their key issues include policies to prevent catastrophic climate change (which poll well across the U.K. political spectrum), the building of homes, better transport links (especially for non-car owners, many urban millennials among them), and pro-family policies. All of these have come into play in this election.

Older homeowners across the Western world have been successful in running what is, potentially, the world’s largest cartel—by opposing construction of new homes for millennials. Labour is committed to ending that in the U.K. with a significant loosening of planning regulations that currently thwart sustainable development.

While the party has ruled out taxes on working people, no such commitment has been made on unearned income, leading to widespread speculation that the tax system may be rebalanced with higher capital gains taxes and fewer loopholes for the megarich, including for the landed gentry whose farming estates pass between generations tax-free. Labour has no love for landlords either. After nearly two decades in which London’s property market has been inflated by speculative investments from the world’s kleptocrats, the public appetite for new restrictions on foreign property ownership or new taxes has grown.

Labour has also surrounded itself with a technocratic positivist elite. This group includes Labour Together, an ambitious intellectual think tank closely aligned with Starmer’s inner circle, and the Tony Blair Institute, which has embraced a techno-futurism aligned with the country’s comparative advantage in the life sciences and artificial intelligence. Public sector reform under a Starmer government could be significant if one imagines the potential, for example, of using the NHS’s treasure trove of data (on 70 million people) to drive innovation in health care.

In stark contrast to Labour’s focus on the future, an aging right-wing voter base is now split between the Conservative Party and Reform, a vehicle that is a mix between a private company, a political party, and a personal platform for Nigel Farage—the pro-Brexit politician Donald Trump has trotted out as a posh Anglo stage prop. Conservatives in Parliament are already moving rightward. Tory MPs give statements to the media condemning the European Convention on Human Rights, a document co-drafted by David Maxwell-Fyfe—a Conservative MP and prosecutor of Nazis at Nuremberg—that was inspired by Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s vision for postwar Europe.

Meanwhile, a wing of Conservative MPs are already attempting to cast the almost certain defeat as evidence that the party did not pivot enough to the populist right. The divided right is making the admission of the controversial Farage into the Conservative Party a real possibility, a prospect that fills Labour with glee. Needless to say, the next Conservative leader is unlikely to be a moderate. With the party tacking to the right, it could soon become a vessel for Faragism and a weak British version of the Trump movement.

Finally, there are the vibes. A progressive recasting of British politics will shift narratives around the U.K. National narratives can flip in an instant: Think of foreigners’ perceptions of the United States from Barack Obama to Trump or the assumption of Chinese economic primacy to a sense of retrenchment and decline under Xi Jinping. The U.K. in recent memory was seen as a fairly stable, politically dull island anchored somewhere in the mid-Atlantic. Brexit, Johnson, and Liz Truss put an end to that. With the shift from perceived and actual chaos and an insurgent right to a progressive supermajority, attitudes will likely shift again.

Vibes are important, especially to the economy of the U.K., which may have ceased to be a traditional superpower but remains a cultural one punching significantly above its weight internationally. Six percent of U.K. GDP comes from the creative industries—from the success of British music to the Premier League, a booming film and TV industry, fashion, and the arts. That’s double the level of Germany and larger than the contribution of the German car industry to the country’s output (4.5 percent). For a country that trades on vibes and is reliant on the export of its creativity, Brexit and isolation have caused real damage.

It’s long forgotten now, but during the last Labour government from 1997 until the 2008 financial crisis, the U.K. was the fastest-growing economy in the G-7, faster than that of the Clinton- and Bush-era United States. Given the country’s currently stagnant economy, the next Parliament will be more challenging, but in a highly open society, the role of consumer confidence and investor confidence cannot be underestimated.

In a previous piece in these pages, after Labour’s historic loss in the 2019 general election, I wrote: “Radical leftism is not a drug you can take as a party and return to normal the next morning.” I was right about the election but wrong about the next morning.

No one expected Labour to turn a historic defeat into a historic victory in just five years. The circumstances the Conservative Party faced were extraordinary, but Starmer has shown that tight party management, a focus on voters and not ideology, and a sprinkling of class-based politics can reinvigorate social democratic politics.

What lessons does this hold for other center-left parties?

First, culture war issues aren’t a central motivation for most voters. On all the major culture war issues, Labour holds a less popular position than the Conservative Party. Yet when mortgage rates have risen from 2 to 5 percent, “it’s the economy, stupid.” Progressives don’t need to fear the charge of the populist right; they need smarter answers.

Second, rule-breaking or perceived corruption is a powerful motivator for voters, and global polling proves this. Progressives need a stronger line on conflicts of interest, corporate lobbying, the kleptocratic buy-up of the finest properties in the world’s global cities, and tackling emerging monopolies that exist due to political capture. Doing so counters the populist right head-on.

Third, the dominance of identity politics in left-wing online spaces is not matched by public understanding of or interest in this form of politics. Class is understood, whereas intersectionality isn’t. Class may, or may not, be the most relevant dividing line for progressives in different places—but for progressives to win, they need messengers who are from outside the upper middle class and have lived experience that resonates with people who feel disenchanted and left behind. In other words, Democrats in the United States need an Angela Rayner.

Most critically, once in power, social democrats do not have the luxury of time. Crumbling infrastructure, failing public services, falling living standards, and a lack of housing all point to direct state intervention on a scale not seen since the late 1960s Great Society programs in the United States and similar policies during that era in the U.K. Unless progressives can deliver, it will be challenged further by a populist right that is gaining momentum.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act has been the talk of London and Brussels for progressives, and Biden deserves more credit for his boldness. With a supermajority, Starmer has the scope for even bolder programs. A progressive U.K. government will not only reset Europeans’ views of the country, but if successful, it can aid progressive arguments within Europe that austerity and fiscalization do not generate economic growth or social stability.

Starmer’s victory will give global social democrats a high-water mark for electoral success in a wealthy democracy. The challenge for Starmer is the incredible weight of hope in an era of polycrisis. If Labour succeeds in delivering growth, building homes, and raising wages, then it will provide a blueprint that can—and should—be copied elsewhere.

[darkmaga-returns]

The Tides Foundation, a left-wing dark money giant backed by George Soros and other progressive billionaires, bankrolled the fiscal sponsor of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, an anti-Semitic group sanctioned in the United States for providing financial support to terrorists, according to newly released tax forms.

The foundation reported in its latest Form 990 tax return that it granted $286,000 to the Alliance for Global Justice in 2023, a group best known for serving as the fiscal sponsor of Samidoun. The Treasury Department in October sanctioned Samidoun as a "sham charity" that provided material support to a Palestinian terrorist organization that participated in the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist rampage in Israel. Canada levied its own sanctions against Samidoun as well in October, labeling the group a "terrorist entity" under its criminal code.

Founded in 1998, the Alliance for Global Justice let Samidoun borrow its charitable tax privileges to operate and raise funds in the United States without obtaining its own organizational credentials. In other words, the Alliance for Global Justice and Samidoun are legally indistinguishable. It’s unclear if the group continued to serve as Samidoun’s fiscal sponsor after the Treasury Department sanctioned the terrorism financier in October.

The Tides Foundation said the purpose of its grant to the Alliance for Global Justice in 2023 was to support a "sustainable environment." It’s unclear if the Tides grant went to support Samidoun or one of the several dozen other fiscally sponsored organizations operating under the Alliance for Global Justice’s tax ID.

The Treasury Department in October described Samidoun as a "sham charity that serves as an international fundraiser for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorist organization." The PFLP cut its teeth in the late 1960s by hijacking and opening fire on commercial airplanes, and later participated in the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel. It leverages Samidoun as a front organization in both Europe and North America to bankroll its terrorist activities, the Treasury Department said in October. Samidoun is also banned in Germany for its overt support of Hamas terrorism.

Samidoun’s U.S. leaders don’t shy away from their terroristic tendencies. Its leaders, Charlotte Kates and her husband, Khaled Barakat, explicitly endorsed terrorism against Jews during a lecture in March before the anti-Israel student group Columbia University Apartheid Divest, the Washington Free Beacon reported. The Treasury Department sanctioned Barakat in October for his "fundraising and recruitment" efforts for the PFLP’s "terrorist activity against Israel," adding that he has publicly acknowledged Samidoun’s affiliation with the terrorist network.

Tides and the Alliance for Global Justice did not return requests for comment.

Major donors to the Tides network include liberal billionaire financier George Soros, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Ford Foundation. In 2023, the Tides network raked in nearly $800 million, according to its audited financial statements.

The Tides network is hardly the only liberal dark money giant to bankroll the Alliance for Global Justice. In 2021, Tides and the New Venture Fund, the largest branch of the Arabella Advisors dark money behemoth, donated more than $9 million to the Alliance for Global Justice. The Arabella Advisors network donated an additional $1 million to the Alliance for Global Justice in 2022, the Free Beacon reported.

The Arabella Advisors network distanced itself from Samidoun after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, telling the Free Beacon that Samidoun "is not and has never been a client of Arabella Advisors" and that it "unequivocally condemn[s] terrorism and violence against civilians."

The Tides network has offered no such denunciation of the terrorism financier.

[jeanpatrice]

Preparing for Uncertain Times: 5 Key Strategies for Business Leaders

At a recent PwC Canada-hosted CFO roundtable, a chief economist shared that many CFOs are delaying investments, in Canada, the US and globally, until they have clarity on the administration’s direction. For Canadian businesses with cross-border interests, this hesitation is even more pronounced. (Nadia King)

If you're facing economic uncertainty and investment slowdowns, here are five ways to prepare and navigate the situation effectively:

1. Strengthen Financial Resilience

Build a cash reserve to manage potential downturns.

Reduce unnecessary expenses and optimize operational efficiency.

Diversify revenue streams to minimize dependence on a single market.

2. Monitor Market Trends and Policy Changes

Stay informed about economic policies and potential shifts in government direction.

Engage with industry experts, financial advisors, and CFO networks for insights.

Use scenario planning to anticipate different economic outcomes.

3. Focus on Agility and Adaptability

Keep business strategies flexible to respond to changing economic conditions.

Invest in digital transformation to increase efficiency and scalability.

Develop contingency plans for supply chain disruptions and market volatility.

4. Strengthen Cross-Border Strategies

If operating in multiple markets, assess risks and opportunities in each.

Establish strong relationships with partners, suppliers, and regulators.

Consider hedging strategies to mitigate currency fluctuations and trade risks.

5. Invest in Talent and Leadership

Train teams to adapt to uncertain economic conditions.

Encourage innovation and creative problem-solving within the organization.

Retain key talent by fostering a strong workplace culture and offering professional development.

[roysexton]

9Sail’s “Tip of the Law” podcast – “Harnessing Strategic Focus in Legal Marketing” with host Joe Giovannoli and guest yours truly … #lma24 #lmamkt

Thank you, 9Sail and Joe Giovannoli! Appreciate all you do for our profession and our community … Join us on the latest episode of the Tip of the Law podcast, where host Joe Giovannoli sits down with Roy Sexton, Director of Marketing at Clark Hill and past president of the Legal Marketing Association – LMA International board. Discover how Roy’s unique journey from English major, theater…

[head-post]

Trump’s team compiles list of Pentagon officers to sack

Members of US President-elect Donald Trump’s team are compiling a list of military officers who will be fired, according to Reuters.

An unprecedented reshuffle at the Pentagon could change as the Trump administration takes shape. In the past, the Republican leader has actively criticised defence chiefs during a campaign of firing “woke” generals and those responsible for the troubled withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. A second source said the new administration is likely to focus on US officers associated with Mark Milley, Trump’s former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Every single person that was elevated and appointed by Milley will be gone. There’s a very detailed list of everybody that was affiliated with Milley. And they will all be gone.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff is made up of the top officers of the US military, as well as the heads of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, National Guard and Space Force.

Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice as his defence secretary, has also targeted Milley’s successor, Air Force General C.Q. Brown. However, some current and former US officials deny the possibility of such a major change, saying it would be unnecessary and disruptive at a time of global turmoil, with wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Trump visited Biden at White House

Trump and President Joe Biden met at the White House and discussed the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East on Wednesday despite deep differences, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said.

They discussed important national security and domestic policy issues facing the nation and the world. It was indeed very cordial, very gracious, and substantive.

Biden argued that supporting Ukraine was good for US national security because a strong and stable Europe would prevent America from being drawn into a war. Trump, in turn, promised to quickly put an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but did not specify how to do it.

Meanwhile, Edison Research predicted that Republicans would have a majority in the House of Representatives. This means that Trump’s party will control both houses of Congress. Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk also joined Trump in meeting with Republican lawmakers.

The White House said Trump’s team, which announced some of the new president’s cabinet members, has yet to sign agreements that will lead to office space and government equipment.

Trump assembles his team

Trump’s team is led by two billionaires, Howard Lutnick, CEO of financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald, and Linda McMahon, chairman of the board of directors of America First Policy Institute and former head of the Small Business Association. McMahon is working on political strategy, while Lutnick is recruiting people for the future administration.

Robert Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, has an honoured place on the “transition team.” Another Trump ally who has joined his party is former Democratic member of the House of Representatives Tulsi Gabbard. However, a key role in shaping the future administration is likely to be played by Trump’s two eldest sons, Eric and Donald. It was Donald Trump Jr. who convinced his father to choose J.D. Vance as his running mate.

Trump nominated Fox News host Pete Hegseth, a National Guard veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as US defence secretary. Florida Congressman Mike Waltz will become US National Security Advisor. Trump also appointed US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Thomas Homan to be in charge of US immigration policy and border security.

The Republican appointed Elon Musk to reform the administration. The Federal Trade Commission may be headed by Vance adviser Gail Slater or the department’s current commissioner, Mellisa Holyoak. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is likely to become the head of the Department of Energy.

Read more HERE

[beingjellybeans]

Seizing bright opportunities with Sun Life's Sustainability-Driven VUL Fund

In a world where conscious investing is on the rise, Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc. has unveiled an exciting opportunity for socially conscious investors. Introducing the Peso Global Sustainability Growth Fund, Sun Life’s first-ever sustainability-driven VUL (Variable Universal Life) equity fund. This fund aims to generate long-term capital appreciation by investing in global funds that…

[forex-brokers-review]

FxPro Review: Unveiling the World's Leading Online Forex Broker

In the dynamic realm of financial trading, the significance of efficient and reliable online forex brokers cannot be overstated. Among the myriad options available, FxPro stands out as a beacon of excellence, earning its reputation as the world’s number one online forex (FX) broker. This detailed FxPro review aims to explore the unique features, offerings, and overall experience that have established this broker as a preferred choice for traders globally.

Discovering FxPro: A Legacy of Trust and Innovation

Founded in 2006, FxPro has carved a niche for itself in the competitive forex market, showcasing a steadfast commitment to providing an exceptional trading experience. As a Top Forex Brokers review, FxPro has successfully built a reputation for transparency, reliability, and innovation, making it a trusted partner for thousands of traders around the world. With a user-centric approach, the broker continuously evolves to meet the needs of its clients, ensuring they have the tools and resources necessary to thrive in the fast-paced world of forex trading.

The FxPro Trading Platforms: A Gateway to Success

Central to FxPro's appeal is its diverse array of trading platforms, designed to cater to the varied preferences of both novice and experienced traders. Each platform boasts unique features that facilitate seamless trading, empowering users to make informed decisions in real-time.

MetaTrader 4 (MT4): The Industry Standard

The MetaTrader 4 (MT4) platform is a cornerstone of the forex trading experience, and FxPro offers an optimized version that enhances its functionality. Known for its user-friendly interface, MT4 provides traders with powerful charting capabilities, a plethora of technical indicators, and automated trading options through Expert Advisors (EAs). This platform is particularly favored by those who appreciate a straightforward yet effective trading environment.

MetaTrader 5 (MT5): The Next Generation

For traders seeking a more advanced experience, FxPro also provides access to the MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platform. MT5 is a comprehensive trading environment that includes advanced order management, a greater array of analytical tools, and an integrated economic calendar. Its multi-asset capabilities extend beyond forex, allowing traders to delve into commodities, stocks, and futures, making it an excellent choice for those looking to diversify their trading portfolio.

cTrader: Innovative and Intuitive

In addition to MT4 and MT5, FxPro offers the cTrader platform, which is designed for traders who prefer a more innovative and user-friendly experience. cTrader features a clean interface, advanced charting tools, and customizable workspaces, catering to both manual traders and algorithmic trading enthusiasts. The platform also includes a community-driven marketplace where traders can share and access trading tools, fostering collaboration and innovation.

Competitive Spreads and Pricing Structure

When it comes to trading costs, FxPro excels in providing competitive spreads and transparent pricing. The broker’s commitment to low trading costs is evident across its various account types, allowing traders to choose an option that best fits their trading style and budget.

FxPro offers several account types—each tailored to different trading needs—ensuring that clients can find a suitable option. For instance, the FxPro MT4 account is popular for its tight spreads and no commission trading, while the FxPro cTrader account provides a commission-based structure with slightly tighter spreads. This flexibility allows traders to optimize their trading strategies while minimizing costs.

Moreover, the broker’s commitment to transparency ensures that traders are always aware of the costs associated with their trades, allowing for effective financial planning and decision-making.

A Diverse Selection of Trading Instruments

One of the standout features of FxPro is its extensive range of trading instruments. While the broker is predominantly known for its forex offerings, it also provides access to a wide array of asset classes, including commodities, indices, and cryptocurrencies.

Forex Trading

FxPro covers a vast selection of currency pairs, encompassing major, minor, and exotic pairs. This diversity enables traders to capitalize on global economic trends and currency fluctuations, providing ample trading opportunities.

Commodity Trading

For those interested in commodities, FxPro offers trading in popular assets such as gold, silver, oil, and agricultural products. This allows traders to hedge against inflation or geopolitical risks while diversifying their investment portfolios.

Indices and Cryptocurrencies

In addition to traditional forex and commodities, FxPro provides access to global indices and a selection of cryptocurrencies. Traders can engage with major indices like the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, or explore the burgeoning cryptocurrency market, including popular coins such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. This extensive range of instruments empowers traders to explore various market dynamics and seize opportunities across different sectors.

Robust Security and Regulatory Oversight

In an industry where security is paramount, FxPro stands out for its commitment to safeguarding client funds and personal information. The broker is regulated by multiple reputable financial authorities, including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), and the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in South Africa. This multi-tiered regulatory framework offers clients peace of mind, knowing that their investments are protected by stringent regulations.

FxPro also employs advanced security measures to ensure the safety of its clients’ funds. These measures include SSL encryption for data protection and two-factor authentication for account security. The broker’s proactive approach to security and regulatory compliance underscores its dedication to maintaining a trustworthy trading environment.

Enhanced Customer Support

Exceptional customer support is a hallmark of a reputable broker, and FxPro does not disappoint in this regard. The broker offers a robust support system designed to assist traders at any stage of their trading journey.

FxPro’s customer support team is available 24/7, providing multilingual assistance to cater to its diverse global clientele. Whether you require help with account management, technical inquiries, or trading strategies, the knowledgeable support staff is always ready to assist.

Additionally, FxPro offers a wealth of educational resources, including webinars, trading tutorials, and market analysis, empowering clients to enhance their trading skills and knowledge. This commitment to client education is a testament to FxPro’s dedication to fostering a supportive trading community.

Educational Resources and Trading Tools

FxPro goes beyond offering trading platforms and customer support by providing a comprehensive suite of educational resources and trading tools. The broker recognizes that informed traders are successful traders, and it strives to equip its clients with the knowledge they need to navigate the complexities of the forex market.

Webinars and Tutorials

FxPro hosts regular webinars led by industry experts, covering a variety of topics ranging from trading strategies to market analysis. These interactive sessions provide valuable insights and allow traders to ask questions in real time, fostering a collaborative learning environment. Additionally, the broker offers a library of tutorials and articles, catering to traders of all experience levels.

Market Analysis

To help traders make informed decisions, FxPro provides daily market analysis and insights. This analysis includes technical and fundamental reports, helping traders understand market trends and identify potential trading opportunities. By staying informed about market developments, traders can enhance their strategies and improve their overall performance.

Trading Tools

FxPro also offers a range of trading tools to enhance the trading experience. These tools include economic calendars, calculators, and trading signals, all designed to assist traders in making informed and timely decisions. Such resources are invaluable for both novice and experienced traders, facilitating a more strategic approach to trading.

Conclusion: The Ultimate Choice for Forex Traders

In this comprehensive FxPro review, we have explored the myriad features and advantages that make this broker a top choice for forex traders worldwide. From its cutting-edge trading platforms and competitive pricing structure to its diverse selection of trading instruments and robust security measures, FxPro has established itself as a leader in the online forex brokerage space.

Through its unwavering commitment to customer support and education, FxPro empowers traders to hone their skills and navigate the complexities of the financial markets with confidence. Whether you are a seasoned trader or just starting your journey in forex trading, FxPro offers the tools, resources, and support to help you succeed.

In conclusion, FxPro stands as a testament to what a premier forex broker should aspire to be. With its extensive offerings and client-focused approach, FxPro is not just a broker; it is a partner in your trading journey, ready to elevate your forex trading experience to new heights.

[sageglobalresponse]

Top 10 richest black people in the world

In a world where success is often measured by wealth, the richest Black people stand out as remarkable figures.

These individuals are pioneers in diverse fields, from business to entertainment, and their achievements not only shatter barriers but also pave the way for others to follow.

Take a look at the top 10 richest Black people in the world:

David Steward $11.4 billion USA

David Lloyd Steward, born in 1951, is an American billionaire entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of World Wide Technology (WWT), which is among the largest African-American-owned companies in the United States. In 2024, Steward was ranked 344th on Forbes’ list of billionaires globally, with an estimated net worth of $11.4 billion.

Aliko Dangote ($11.3 billion)

Aliko Dangote, born on April 10, 1957, is one of the richest Black people in the world. A prominent Nigerian businessman and industrialist, he is notably the first person to build a private oil refinery in Nigeria. As of October 2024, Forbes ranks him as the 211th richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $11.2 billion. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, his wealth is estimated at $27.7 billion.

Robert F. Smith ($10.8 billion)

Robert Frederick Smith, born on December 1, 1962, is an American billionaire businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm. Smith earned a chemical engineering degree from Cornell University and later an MBA from Columbia Business School. Before founding his company, he worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. In 2019, during a commencement speech at Morehouse College, Smith made headlines when he pledged to cover the entire $34 million in student loan debt for the graduating class of 2019.

Mike Adenuga ($6.6 billion)

Mike Adenuga, Nigeria’s second wealthiest person, amassed his fortune through telecommunications and oil ventures. His mobile network company, Globacom, is the second-largest in Nigeria, boasting over 60 million subscribers. In addition to telecommunications, Adenuga’s oil company, Conoil Producing, operates six oil blocks in the Niger Delta.

Globacom also established Glo-1, a 6,100-mile submarine internet cable linking the U.K. with Ghana and Portugal. Adenuga holds a 74% stake in publicly traded Conoil and owns just under 6% of Nigerian bank Sterling Financial Holding.

Abdulsamad Rabiu ($ 4.7 billion)

One of the richest Black people in the world, Abdul Samad Isyaku Rabiu is a prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist. As of 2024, he ranks as Nigeria’s third richest man. His father, Khalifah Isyaku Rabiu, was one of Nigeria’s leading industrialists in the 1970s and 1980s. Abdul Samad is the founder and chairman of BUA Group, a Nigerian conglomerate focused on manufacturing, infrastructure, and agriculture, generating over $2.5 billion in revenue. He also serves as the chairman of Nigeria’s Bank of Industry (BOI).

In July 2020, Forbes valued his net worth at $3.2 billion, placing him 716th among the world’s billionaires. By January 2022, he was recognised as Nigeria’s second richest person. In April 2022, he ranked as the fifth-richest person in Africa with a fortune of $6.7 billion, and by January 2023, he climbed to fourth on the continent’s wealthiest list.

Michael Jordan ($3.5 billion)

Widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan won six championships with the Chicago Bulls. Throughout his career, his total salary amounted to $90 million, but his earnings from partnerships with brands like Nike, Hanes, and Gatorade have reached an astounding $2.4 billion (before taxes). In 2020, Jordan became a special advisor and investor for the sports-betting company DraftKings and also co-owned a NASCAR team. In 2023, he sold his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets in a deal that valued the NBA team at $3 billion.

Oprah Winfrey ($3 billion)

Oprah Winfrey turned her 25-year-long talk show into a powerful media and business empire. The profits from her show, combined with earnings from films like ‘The Color Purple’, ‘Beloved’, and ‘Selma’—which were co-produced by her company, Harpo Productions—have brought her wealth to an estimated $2.5 billion.

In 2011, she launched the OWN cable channel and later sold most of her shares in it to Warner Bros. Discovery in 2020, receiving company stock in return.

In 2015, Winfrey purchased a 10% stake in WeightWatchers, and in 2024, she generously donated her shares to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Winfrey also owns an extensive real estate portfolio, including homes in California and more than a dozen properties, along with 2,100 acres of land in Hawaii.

Patrice Motsepe ($3 billion)

Patrice Motsepe, founder and chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, became a billionaire in 2008, making history as the first Black African to appear on the Forbes billionaire list. In 2016, he established African Rainbow Capital, a private equity firm focused on investments across Africa. Motsepe also holds a stake in Sanlam, a publicly traded financial services company, and is the owner and president of the Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club.

In March 2021, he was elected president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the governing body for soccer on the continent. His business journey began in 1994 when he became the first Black partner at Johannesburg law firm Bowman Gilfillan, later launching a mining services company. In 1997, Motsepe acquired underperforming gold mine shafts, which he successfully turned around

Jay-Z ($2.5 billion)

Since becoming hip-hop’s first billionaire in 2019, Jay-Z has significantly increased his wealth, largely due to his successful liquor ventures. In 2021, luxury conglomerate LVMH acquired a 50% stake in his champagne brand, Armand de Brignac, also known as Ace of Spades. In February 2023, he sold a majority of his ownership in his cognac brand, D’Usse, to Bacardi.

Beyond liquor, Jay-Z’s wealth includes assets like an art collection featuring works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, his extensive music catalog, and stakes in companies such as Block and Uber. In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2022, he won an Emmy for producing the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Strive Masiyiwa ($1.8 billion)

Strive Masiyiwa faced huge government resistance when he launched the mobile phone network Econet Wireless Zimbabwe in his home country in 1998. He holds a 38% stake in the publicly traded Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, which is part of his larger Econet Group, as well as about 33% of EcoCash, a mobile money transfer company.

Masiyiwa also has an investment in Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a private firm that offers fiber optic and cloud services to telecom companies throughout Africa. His portfolio includes investments in fintech and power distribution companies across the continent, along with stock options in Netflix, where he has been a board member since December 2020. He and his wife, Tsitsi, founded the Higherlife Foundation, which assists orphaned and underprivileged children in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Burundi, and Lesotho.