Rewards Updates: MariBank Savings Account: Interest rate cut to 2.5% p.a. from Jan 2025

URL: https://growbeansprout.com/maribank-savings-account-review

Gemini Summarized: 

This article summarizes the recent interest rate cut for the MariBank Savings Account from 2.70% to 2.50% per annum, effective January 1, 2025.

Key takeaways:

• MariBank: A digital bank offering savings accounts, business accounts, and loans.

• Interest Rate: 2.50% p.a. for up to S$100,000 of deposits. No minimum deposit, salary credit, or spending requirements.

• Benefits:
• Competitive interest rate for a basic savings account.
• Convenient for PayNow transactions.
• Increased deposit limit aligns with higher deposit insurance coverage.

• Mari Invest: Offers higher potential returns through investment products like the Lion-MariBank SavePlus fund, but with associated risks and management fees.

• Limitations:
  • Limited product offerings (no physical branches, ATMs, or debit cards).
  • Lower interest rate compared to some competitors like GXS Bank.

Recommendations:

• Compare MariBank with other savings accounts, especially those offering higher interest rates, to find the best option for your needs.
• Consider Mari Invest for potentially higher returns, but carefully evaluate the risks and fees.

Investing Updates: ETFs could face obstacles in 2025 after bumper year

URL: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/etfs-could-face-obstacles-2025-110511236.html

Gemini Summarized:

Key Takeaways:

• Record Inflows: US ETFs experienced a record $1.1 trillion in inflows in 2024, nearly doubling the previous year's figures.

• Driving Factors:
• Bull market in the US.
• Innovation in cryptocurrency and options-based ETFs.
• Growing investor preference for ETFs over mutual funds.

• 2025 Challenges:
• Increased Competition: A crowded ETF market may lead to increased competition and closures of underperforming funds.
• Navigating Innovation: Determining which new products will resonate with investors.

• Continued Growth: Despite challenges, the ETF industry is expected to continue growing significantly in 2025.
  • New product launches, including spot bitcoin ETFs, are expected to continue.
  • Options-based strategies like buffered and defined outcome ETFs are gaining popularity.

In essence: While 2024 was a record year for US ETFs, the industry faces new challenges in 2025, including increased competition and the need to identify successful innovations. However, strong growth is still anticipated.

Investing Updates: January's Must-see Financial Events: CES 2025, Q4 Earnings Season, and Trump's Inauguration Day

URL: https://www.moomoo.com/community/feed/january-s-must-see-financial-events-ces-2025-q4-earnings-113744999284741

OpenAI Summarized:

January 2025 is set to be an exciting month for investors and observers. Key financial events include:

• CES 2025 (Jan 7-10): The premier tech event begins with NVIDIA’s keynote on Jan 6, showcasing cutting-edge innovations from companies like Intel, AMD, and Samsung.

• FOMC Minutes (Jan 8): Insights into the Fed’s December monetary policy decisions will be released.

• Q4 Earnings Season (Jan 15): Major banks, including JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs, will report their earnings.

• Trump’s Inauguration Day (Jan 20): Donald Trump will begin his second term, signing executive orders on border security and energy.

Happy New Year 2025! 😀

Image generated by Gemini

Investing Updates: New Year's Market Hours, Tesla Deliveries, Manufacturing and Housing Data: What to Watch This Week

URL: https://ttm.financial/news/2495364675?lang=en_US&edition=fundamental

Gemini Summarized:

This week is a holiday-shortened trading week with markets closed on Wednesday for New Year's Day.

Key Economic Data:

• Housing Market:
• Monday: Pending Home Sales Index for November (expected to increase year-over-year)
• Tuesday: Case-Shiller Home Price Index for October (expected to show continued deceleration in growth)
• Thursday: Construction Spending for November (expected to increase slightly)

• Manufacturing:
  • Monday: Chicago Business Barometer (expected to increase)
  • Friday: Manufacturing PMI (expected to remain below 50, indicating contraction)

Other Important Events:

• Tesla Deliveries: Expected on Thursday, with analysts forecasting around 511,000 units for the fourth quarter.
• No major company earnings reports this week.

Entertainment Updates: Upload Season 3

URL: https://trakt.tv/shows/upload

Gemini Summarized:

The third season of the Amazon Prime show "Upload" has received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. It has been praised for its humor, heart, and thought-provoking exploration of technology and the afterlife. The show has also been noted for its strong performances and its ability to balance comedy and drama.

The ratings for "Upload" season 3 have been generally positive. On IMDb, the season has an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a 92% approval rating from critics and a 90% approval rating from audiences.

Here are some of the top 5 best show quotes from "Upload" season 3:

1. "I'm not a ghost. I'm a digital person." - Nathan Brown
2. "The afterlife is what you make it." - Nora Antony
3. "We're all just pixels in the end." - Luke
4. "Love is the only thing that's real." - Ingrid
5. "Life is too short to waste time on the past." - Aleesha

These quotes highlight some of the key themes of the show, such as the nature of consciousness, the meaning of life, and the power of love.

Investing Updates: Wall Street’s Forecasts for 2025: S&P 500 May Jump Above 7,000 Points

URL: https://ttm.financial/news/1175058181?lang=en_US&edition=fundamental

Gemini Summarized:

Summary:

• Consensus Bullish Outlook: Most major banks predict another strong year for the S&P 500 in 2025, with target prices ranging from 6,500 to 7,007.

• Key Drivers:
• Easing Monetary Policy: Lower interest rates are expected to boost stock valuations.
• Strong Earnings Growth: Projections for double-digit earnings growth across sectors.
• AI-Driven Growth: Increased investment in AI is seen as a significant driver.
• Economic Recovery: Continued economic expansion and improving market breadth.
• Political Factors: A more business-friendly environment under the new administration.

• Investment Strategies:
• Diversification: Banks recommend diversifying portfolios beyond Big Tech, focusing on sectors like financials, communications, and consumer staples.
• Mid-Cap Growth: Favorable outlook for mid-sized growth companies.
• Value Stocks: Some banks anticipate a resurgence of value stocks.
• AI-Related Companies: Investing in companies that are leveraging AI technology.

Investing Updates: SGX Weekly Review｜Seatrium Jumps 7%; NIO and YZJ Shipbldg Gain 3%; SingPost Plunges 7%

URL: https://ttm.financial/news/1160317070?lang=en_US&edition=fundamental

Gemini Summarized:

The Singapore stock market rose this week, with the Straits Times Index (STI) up 1.4%.

• Seatrium rose 7.3%
• NIO rose 3.1%
• YZJ Shipbldg rose 2.8%
• Keppel rose 2.1%
• Genting Singapore rose 2%
• DBS rose 1.7%
• SIA rose 1.3%

On the flip side, SingPost fell 7.1% and Singtel fell 0.6%.

Here are some other news from Singapore this week:

• Singapore's core inflation eased more than expected in November, while headline inflation rose at a faster pace than the month prior.
• Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong will deliver Singapore’s Budget 2025 statement in Parliament on Feb 18.
• Singapore Post fired CEO over mishandling whistleblower report.
• Seatrium repurchased 1.0 million shares in the open market on Tuesday.
• OCBC Plans S$7.5 Million Living-Cost Payout to Junior Staff.
• Nio’s Onvo L60 Delivered 20,000 Units Three Months After the Launch.
• Gojek, Tada, ComfortDelGro Zig Raising Platform Fees from Jan 1 to Cover Costs Arising from Upcoming Platform Workers Act.

Investing Updates: Which S-REITs "yielded" the best results in 2024?

URL: https://www.moomoo.com/community/feed/113722459553798?global_content=%7B%22promote_content%22%3A%22mm%3Afeed%3A113722459553798%22%2C%22invite%22%3A103096561%7D&is_recommendation=0&is_recommend_pos=1&futusource=news_headline_list

Gemini Summarized:

The performance of S-REITs in 2024 was mixed. Large-cap, Singapore-focused REITs did well, while small and mid-cap REITs, especially those with overseas assets, underperformed.

Here are the top 10 S-REITs that achieved positive year-to-date gains in 2024:

• Cromwell Reit EUR (CWBU.SG) with a 24% increase
• Keppel DC Reit (AJBU.SG) at 19%
• EliteUKREIT GBP (MXNU.SG) at 15%

Here are the top 10 S-REITs with the highest dividend yields in 2024:

• Prime US ReitUSD (OXMU.SG) with a 14.37% yield
• KepPacOakReitUSD (CMOU.SG) with a 12.38% yield
• EliteUKREIT GBP (MXNU.SG) with a 10.34% yield

Investors looking for stable income may be interested in high dividend-yielding REITs, even if their share prices haven't grown much. However, it's important to stay alert to global economic changes and policy shifts, as they can increase market volatility.

Investing Updates: Singapore Market 2024 Recap | Which Dividend Monsters Witness the Biggest Surge?

URL: https://www.moomoo.com/community/feed/113724405841926?global_content=%7B%22promote_content%22%3A%22mm%3Afeed%3A113724405841926%22%2C%22invite%22%3A103096561%7D&is_recommendation=0&is_recommend_pos=1&futusource=news_headline_list

Gemini Summarized:

Singapore's stock market performed well in 2024, despite global economic uncertainty. The Straits Times Index (STI) reached new highs, and dividend stocks were particularly attractive to investors seeking stable returns.

The three largest banks in Singapore - DBS, OCBC Bank, and UOB - all saw impressive stock price gains in 2024. DBS was the strongest performer, with a gain of over 52%. The bank also raised its dividend by 22%.

Singapore Airlines was another strong performer in 2024. The company's stock price increased significantly, and it became the highest dividend-yielding stock on the list. The airline's passenger volumes and cargo capacity both grew in 2024.