FB | The Leading Business Education Network for Doctors, Financial Advisors and Health Industry Consultants

META: Sells Giphy for Peanuts

Posted on June 7, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

Meta, the Facebook tech giant sold the GIF platform it had recently bought at a steep loss after the UK’s competition regulator demanded it unwind its acquisition over antitrust concerns.

Meta had acquired Giphy in 2020 for $400 million, and just sold the company to Shutterstock for nearly $350 million less than that—$53 million. This was the first instance of British authorities dismantling a Big Tech deal that had already closed

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: Information Technology, Accounting, "Ask-an-Advisor", Breaking News | Tagged: Facebook, FB, Meta, GIF, giphy, Meta Sells Giphy | Leave a comment »

SOCIAL MEDIA: Dr. Vivek Murthy Warns on Children’s Mental Health

Posted on May 24, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

U.S. SURGEON GENERAL ADVISORY REPORT

By Staff Reporters

***

***

May is mental health month in the USA. US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy issued a powerful public advisory yesterday warning of the considerable risks that social media poses to young people’s mental health. “Nearly every teenager in America uses social media, and yet we do not have enough evidence to conclude that it is sufficiently safe for them,” Murthy wrote. He argued that kids have “become unknowing participants in a decades-long experiment.”

The surgeon general’s report focuses on the impacts of social media on teens and kids—both positive and negative—and the attendant health risks. The report outlines two types of dangers associated with social networks: content-related problems, such as negative self-image or bullying, and use-related problems, such as poor sleep and addiction.

What we know about social media and kids’ mental health

By all accounts, America’s youth are currently experiencing a mental health crisis.

The number of teens and young adults with clinical depression doubled between 2011 and 2021, according to San Diego State University psychology professor Dr. Jean Twenge.
In 2021, the CDC found that nearly 25% of teenage girls had made a suicide plan.

Many experts have pointed to social media as a potential cause since the deterioration of kids’ mental health has coincided with the rise of social media platforms over the last decade.

Still, the effect of likes, retweets, and TikTok comments on kids’ brains remains more or less a mystery. We know that social media use affects adolescents and that teens show alarming rates of anxiety and depression. But studies that have attempted to determine whether social media is a direct cause of worsening mental health have been inconclusive. Plus, not all kids are impacted by social media similarly: Some—adolescent girls, for instance—appear to be more at risk than others.

Finally, and according to Morning Brew, while researchers search for answers, some lawmakers are pushing ahead with restrictions on teens’ use of social media. In March, for example, Utah became the first state to establish a curfew for teens on social media apps and mandate that parents have access to their children’s accounts.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: "Doctors Only", Career Development, Ethics, LifeStyle, mental health | Tagged: children's mental health, Facebook, FB, Jean Twenge, mental health, Meta, social media, Vivek Murthy | 2 Comments »

META: Busted and Fined!

Posted on May 22, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

***

LONDON (AP) — The European Union just slapped Meta with a record $1.3 billion privacy fine today and ordered it to stop transferring user data across the Atlantic by October, the latest salvo in a decadelong case sparked by U.S. cybersnooping fears.

The penalty fine of 1.2 billion euros from Ireland’s Data Protection Commission is the biggest since the EU’s strict data privacy regime took effect five years ago, surpassing Amazon’s 746 million euro penalty in 2021 for data protection violations.

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: Breaking News, Ethics, Information Technology, Investing | Tagged: cyber-security, data protection, Data Protection Commission, EU, EU's, European Union, Facebook, FB, Meta, Meta Busted, Meta Fined | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Facebook Not Trusted while Markets Go Down

Posted on May 5, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Happy Cinco de Mayo. The holiday commemorates the defeat of French forces by the Mexican army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, but its popularity jumped in the 1980s when beer companies began to leverage Cinco de Mayo in marketing campaigns.

***

The antitrust watchdogs at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) just tore into Facebook saying the agency has caught the social media giant violating kids’ data privacy for profit — for the third time. Now the FTC has had enough. In a new proposal to protect kids, the agency wants to ban the platform from ever monetizing youth data again. In a ferocious rebuke, the FTC said Facebook defied its direct order to protect kids’ online privacy and broke the promise the company made in a 2019 consent order when it was forced to pay a $5 billion penalty for violating a 2012 order.

***

Here’s where the major indexes ended:

The S&P 500 Index was down 29.53 points (0.7%) at 4061.22; the Dow Jones industrial average was down 286.50 (0.9%) at 33,127.74; the NASDAQ Composite was down 58.93 (0.5%) at 11,966.40.
The 10-year Treasury yield was down about 4 basis points at 3.364%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index was up 1.74 at 20.08.

Financial stocks led the market’s declines, with the KBW Regional Banking index sinking nearly 3% to its lowest level since November 2020. Transportation stocks were also under pressure as banking sector troubles exacerbated recession concerns. Crude oil futures initially extended this week’s slump, dropping under $64 a barrel to a 17-month low before rebounding.

***

ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Risk-Management-Liability-Insurance-and-Asset-Protection-Strategies-for/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781498725989

ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-for-Doctors-and-Advisors-Best/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781482240283

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alerts Sign-Up, Financial Planning, Investing | Tagged: banking index, banks, CBOE, cinco, DJIA, DOW, Facebook, FB, FTC, gold, KBW, mayo, Meta, NASDAQ, oil, S&P 500, treasury yeilds | Leave a comment »

Meta, Chipotle, Microsoft, Eggs and Rent

Posted on April 28, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

ECONOMIC OUTPUT

By Staff Reporters

***

***

A government report on U.S. economic output in the first quarter will shed light on how consumers and businesses are faring under high inflation, rising interest rates and the onset of banking problems. Consumer spending, the primary driver of growth, and hiring were surprisingly strong at the start of the year, but more recently slowed as the Federal Reserve continued raising interest rates to cool the economy and curb rapid price increases. TO WIT:

***

Meta’s “Year of Efficiency” is off to a strong start: After three straight quarters of falling revenue last year, the company saw an uptick in ad sales for a 3% revenue jump from Q1 2022. Profits were down, but the company still beat expectations, and Facebook gained users again after losses last year. But not all of Mark Zuckerberg’s dreams are coming true—the company’s Metaverse unit lost almost $4 billion last quarter.

Chipotle—which hit near all-time highs after saying customers kept coming back for burrito bowls despite price increases.

The UK’s competition regulator blocked Microsoft’s bid to acquire the Call of Duty-maker saying it would hurt competition in the cloud gaming sector. The move came as a shock because the regulator had previously said Microsoft had assuaged its concerns about the console gaming market. The decision, which Microsoft plans to appeal, puts a strain on the deal while the companies wait for competition decisions from the EU and the US, where the FTC has already sued to scuttle it.

Finally, while egg prices have fallen dramatically, one sector of the economy remains stubbornly expensive: rents.

In the latest consumer price index report, the shelter category (aka rents) was the largest contributor by far to overall inflation. And despite moderating in recent months, rent growth remains 17% higher than 2021 levels.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Breaking News, Financial Planning, Investing, LifeStyle | Tagged: Chipotle, eggs, Facebook, FB, inflation, Meta, microsoft, MSFT, rent, Zuckerberg | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Meta & Disney Cut More Jobs While the Stock Markets Bobble

Posted on April 20, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Meta Platforms, the billionaire’s social media empire, will reportedly cut thousands more jobs. And the bloodbath is not over, according to the latest reports. Meta plans to eliminate thousands more jobs. According to Bloomberg News, an internal memo has been sent to managers, asking them to prepare for tough new announcements. The job cuts, which total 4,000, are expected to affect Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. They would also affect Reality Labs, the division that houses the group’s Metaverse projects — Quest virtual-reality headsets. In 2021 and 2022, Reality Labs, which is supposed to build the company’s next big thing, recorded a cumulative loss of nearly $24 billion, including $13.7 billion just last year.

And, Walt Disney Company plans to cut thousands of jobs next week, in another lay-off round that includes about 15% of the staff in its entertainment division, according to people familiar with the plans. Disney Entertainment will bear a significant chunk of the job cuts – with approximately 15% of the division’s staffers set to exit next week, according to a report. Disney has more than 200,000 employees across its various businesses.

***

And now, the Markets:

The S&P 500 Index fell 0.35 point to 4154.52; the Dow Jones industrial average was down 79.62 (0.2%) at 33,897.01; the NASDAQ Composite was up 3.81 at 12,157.23.
The 10-year Treasury yield was up about 2 basis points at 3.60%.
CBOE’s Volatility Index was down 0.37 at 16.46.

Transportation was one of the top gainers among S&P 500 sectors yesterday, thanks in part to strength in United Airlines (UAL) and other top carriers. Real estate and financials were also higher, while oilfield services stocks were among the weakest performers due to a sharp drop in crude oil prices. WTI futures fell below $80, their lowest level in nearly three weeks.

Oil prices rallied at the start of this month after members of OPEC+ announced a production cut.

***

ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-for-Doctors-and-Advisors-Best/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781482240283

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alerts Sign-Up, Alternative Investments, Career Development, Experts Invited, Health Economics, Information Technology, Investing, LifeStyle | Tagged: Bloomberg, Disney, DJIA, DOW, Facebook, FB, gas, Instagram, Meta, metaverse, NASDQA, oil, Quest, Quest VR, real estate, S&P 500, stock markets, Treasury yields, UAL, VR, walt, WTI | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: The Domestic Markets Blast-Off as Blackstone Defaults

Posted on March 4, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

***

U.S. equities finished higher, with all the major indexes posting solid gains for the week. Q4 earnings season approached the end of the final chapter, as Broadcom topped forecasts and issued upbeat guidance, though Zscaler’s billings outlook appeared to overshadow a stronger-than-expected quarterly report, and Costco Wholesale posted mixed results. The market broke a four-week losing streak as Meta was one of the stocks that climbed after the Facebook parent announced big price cuts for its VR headsets, including the high-end Meta Quest Pro.

The economic front offered services sector reports that showed growth was stronger than expected.

Treasury yields came under pressure, along with the U.S. dollar, while crude oil prices were higher, and gold rallied.

Asia finished out the week in positive fashion, and Europe was mostly higher following some economic data.

***

Backstone (NYSE:BX) has reportedly defaulted on a €531M bond backed by a portfolio of offices and stores owned by Finnish property investment firm Sponda, which it acquired in 2017. The private equity firm earlier sought an extension from holders of the securitized notes so that it could sell the assets and repay the debt, Bloomberg reported citing people aware of the matter. And, Seeking Alpha learned that the asset sale process was impacted by COVID-related disruptions, the Ukraine war (the assets are located in Finland, which shares its border with Russia) and wider market volatility.

***

ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-for-Doctors-and-Advisors-Best/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781482240283

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You!

***

Filed under: Alerts Sign-Up, Ethics, Investing | Tagged: asian markets, Blackstone, Blackstone defaults, Bloomberg, Broadcom, european markets, Facebook, FB, Meta, Seeking Alpha, Sponda, Treasury yields, US equities | Leave a comment »

META Launches LLaMA

Posted on February 26, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

Large Language Model Meta AI

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Meta joins the AI race with LLlaMa

Well, not *a* llama, but LLaMA, which stands for Large Language Model Meta AI, Meta announced yesterday. Large language models are the tech that fuels applications like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Bard.

But LLaMA may be more democratized than its peers in two ways: 1) Any researcher can see its inner workings, which isn’t the case for Google, OpenAI, or Bing and 2) It’s petite compared to its peers, which means it costs less to operate.

***

ChatGPT: A Microsoft Start-Up Venture!

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

ORDER: https://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Health-Information-Technology-Security/dp/0826149952/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254413315&sr=1-5

***

Filed under: Breaking News, Career Development, Ethics, Information Technology, LifeStyle | Tagged: AI, Bing, ChatGPT, FB, google, LLaMa, Meta, openAI | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Meta C-Suite Executives Exit & ARK Reduces Nvidia Holdings as Markets Collapse

Posted on February 22, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Meta confirmed chief business officer Marne Levine is stepping down after 13 years with the company in order to “recharge and prioritize some quality time with family” before beginning her “next professional chapter.” She’s the third female C-suite leader to leave Meta in recent years, following chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg’s exit in 2022 and global ad chief Carolyn Everson’s in 2021.

***

Cathie Wood has steadily reduced ARK Invest’s position in Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) over the last four months. Between November 2022 and January 2023, her flagship ARK Innovation ETF (NYSEMKT: ARKK) completely exited its stake in the microchip stock. So far in February, Wood has also significantly trimmed the positions of Nvidia held by two other ARK Invest ETFs. ARK Fintech Innovation ETF (NYSEMKT: ARKF) still owns 48,272 shares of the stock. ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (NYSEMKT: ARKW) still owns 81,054 shares. After the sales, Nvidia ranks as the 22nd- or 23rd-largest holding in both of these ETFs. Wood’s activity isn’t because Nvidia isn’t performing well. Actually, the stock has soared close to 50% so far in 2023. Several stocks that she has bought this year haven’t delivered comparably impressive gains. So, she is likely just taking gains.

***

U.S. equities kicked off the holiday-shortened week by posting sharp losses. Uncertainty regarding the Fed’s future rate hike decisions appeared to pressure market sentiment, as investors grapple with recent hot inflation data and Fedspeak. Retail companies headlined the earnings calendar, as Dow member Walmart bested profit projections and raised its annual dividend, while Dow component Home Depot beat estimates and increased its quarterly dividend, but issued some disappointing guidance. And, Amazon corporate employees will be paid up to 50% less in 2023 due to its falling share price, the WSJ reported. Amazon’s pay packets rely heavily on stock awards, making them vulnerable to price fluctuations. The tech giant is laying off 18,000 employees, its largest ever job cuts, amid weakening economic conditions.

The economic calendar showed manufacturing activity increased but continued to contract, while services activity rose more than expected into expansion territory. Additionally, existing home sales declined in January as the median existing home price continued to rise.

Treasury yields were noticeably higher, and the U.S. dollar gained ground, while crude oil prices were slightly lower, and gold fell. Asia finished mixed, and Europe was mostly lower, as international investors digested some mixed global manufacturing and services sector reports.

Finally, SoftBank Group Corp. founder Masayoshi Son increased the amount of stock pledged as collateral to financial institutions to 175.25 million shares, or about 35% of his total stake in the Japanese conglomerate.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/0826102549

***

ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-for-Doctors-and-Advisors-Best/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781482240283

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: Alerts Sign-Up, Experts Invited, Information Technology, Investing | Tagged: Amazon, ARK, Carolyn everson, Cathie Wood, DJIA, DOW, Facebook, FB, Information Technology, IT, Marne Levine, Masayoshi Son, Meta, NASDAQ, Nvidia, S&P 500, Sheryl Sandberg, SoftBank, stock markets, us markets | Leave a comment »

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE “Meta Verified”

Posted on February 20, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

***

According to Alexandra Bruell at alexandra.bruell@wsj.com the aim of Meta Verified is to increase security and authenticity across the company’s services, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said Sunday in social-media posts. It is also meant to “help up-and-coming creators grow their presence and build community faster,” according to a Meta spokesperson.

The service will cost $11.99 a month for Facebook and Instagram accounts that sign up from a web browser, or $14.99 a month for subscriptions through devices running Android and Apple Inc.’s iOS system, according to Meta. Tests of the service will begin in Australia and New Zealand this week.

In the coming months, the company expects it to roll out in the U.S. and eventually other markets, according to the spokesperson.

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

ORDER: https://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Health-Information-Technology-Security/dp/0826149952/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254413315&sr=1-5

***

Filed under: Breaking News, Experts Invited, Information Technology, LifeStyle | Tagged: Alexandra Bruell, Android, Facebook, FB, Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Meta Verified, twitter | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Meta Down, Bing Inundated and a Market Wrap-Up

Posted on February 19, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Meta gave about 10% of its staff performance reviews indicating they were under performing, WSJ reported.The performance reviews signal that Meta could be gearing up for another round of layoffs.Meta let go of about 11,000 workers late last year and dubbed 2023 the “Year of Efficiency.”

MSFT BING: The software giant now limits the number of queries per day a user can make on its artificial-intelligence-powered Bing search engine – Get Free Report. The company has been inundated with requests from users who want to test the Bing Chabot. You have to register in a wait-list to have access to the new Bing. The influx of users has been a very encouraging sign from Microsoft, whose CEO Satya Nadella sees Bing Chatbot as the start of a “paradigm shift,” and a huge growth opportunity.

“These paradigm shifts or platform shifts are a great opportunity for us to innovate,” Nadella said on Feb. 7. “It’s more a priority for us to say what, how can we rethink what search was meant to be in the first place. In fact, Google success in the initial base was by reimagining what can be done in search.”

Wrap-Up on Markets: Stocks offered up a mixed bag last week, as investors continued to fret that the FOMCs rate hike path will just keep on raging. However, John Deere stock had its best day in two years after the tractor company raised its profit forecast for 2023.

***

ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-for-Doctors-and-Advisors-Best/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781482240283

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alerts Sign-Up, Events-Planner, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Information Technology, Investing | Tagged: Bing, chatbot, DJIA, Facebook, FB, FOMCs, John Deere, Meta, MSFT, NASDAQ, S&P 500, Satya Nadella | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Cathie Wood, META and Index Futures

Posted on January 17, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Cathie Wood and Ark’s flagship exchange-traded fund Ark Innovation ETF (NYSE: ARKK) bought 168,989 shares of Tesla on Friday, valued at $20.68 million at the session’s closing price. The stock ended Friday’s session down 0.94% at $122.40, according to Benzinga Pro data. At one point in the session, the loss was as much as 6.4%. For the week, the stock gained 8.26%.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/0826102549

Investing $1,000 in META Stock: Shares of Meta Platforms traded at $332.46 on June 4, 2021. A $1,000 investment could have purchased 3 shares of META stock. The $1,000 investment would be worth $410.94 today, based on a current price of $136.98 for Meta Platforms. This represents a loss of 58.9% in 19 months.

***

European equities and US stock-index futures fell amid signs central banks will turn more hawkish and as investors focused on earnings reports from Wall Street banks.

***

ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-for-Doctors-and-Advisors-Best/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781482240283

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: Alternative Investments, Breaking News, Experts Invited, Investing | Tagged: ARK, Ark Innovation, Benzinga Pro data, Cathie Wood, ETF, exchange-traded funds, Facebook, FB, futures, index, index futures, Meta, Tesla | Leave a comment »

UPDATE: The Markets, Inflation and Meta

Posted on July 28, 2022 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Markets: Stocks soared yesterday after the Fed said it was hiking interest rates by 75 basis points (its fourth rate hike this year) in order to stamp out inflation. Another rate increase could be on its way this fall, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said, depending on the economic data. Powell also rejected claims that the US was currently in a recession.

The DJIA rallied 400 points as Powell hinted the Fed could slow the pace of rate hikes, and the NASDAQ jumped 4%.

Prices for goods in the U.S. are expected to continue rising through 2023. The Federal Reserve [FOMC] waited too long to respond to early signals of inflation. The central bank is correcting the course by raising its interest rate targets at the fastest pace in more than two decades.

Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, reported a 1 percent decline in quarterly revenue from the previous year. It was the first time the social media giant’s revenue had fallen since it went public a decade ago, as it confronts increased regulatory scrutiny and a turbulent economy while trying to build a new frontier of digital communication.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/08261

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

****

Filed under: Alerts Sign-Up, Glossary Terms, iMBA, Inc., Investing | Tagged: DJIA, Facebook, FB, Meta, NASDAQ, S&P 500 | Leave a comment »

UPDATE: Gas Prices, Meta Platforms, CPI the SEC and Luxury Home Sales

Posted on June 12, 2022 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

***

The price of gas rose to $5.01, according to AAA. Gas hit the $5 mark for the first time ever as part of a record setting run. The average price jumped 18 cents in the previous week, and was $1.92 higher than this time last year.

Development of a smartwatch that was going to feature dual cameras was stopped by Meta Platforms (META) – Get Meta Platforms Inc. Report, the parent company of Facebook, a source told Bloomberg. But, the social media company is working on the development of other devices that will be worn on the wrist.

In May, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 1.0 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 8.6 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.6 percent in May (SA); up 6.0 percent over the year (NSA).

The Securities and Exchange Commission is aiming to shake up the mechanics of US stock trading in the wake of last year’s meme-stock frenzy, and some experts in the markets say changes could lead to a shift back to retail investors paying commissions to make trades. Proposed changes to market-structure rules could lead to retail investors paying commissions on trades again. SEC Chairman Gensler is proposing the agency consider sending retail stock orders to auctions.

Finally, sales of luxury homes in the U.S. fell by 17.8% as compared to the year before, according to Redfin, for the three months ending April 30th. In contrast, non-luxury homes fell by 5.4% over the same period.

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: Alerts Sign-Up, Insurance Matters, Investing, LifeStyle | Tagged: CPI, Facebook, FB, gas, gas prices, Gensler, home sales, home values, inflation, luxury home sales, Meta, SEC | Leave a comment »

UPDATE: Oracle, Gas Prices, META & Monkeypox

Posted on June 2, 2022 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Oracle Corp. said it has received all regulatory clearances needed to complete its $28.3 billion purchase of digital medical-records provider Cerner Corp., paving a further expansion into health care for the software giant.

Seven states are now at an average of $5 or higher per gallon, according to AAA data, with Illinois becoming the latest to join California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, and Alaska. The national average for a gallon of gas sits at $4.671 for regular unleaded gas as of June 1st while diesel gas prices are at $5.54 per gallon on average nationally, down from the record high of $5.58 per gallon set on on May 18th.

As part of Facebook’s rebranding to Meta Platforms, the company’s stock ticker will officially change from “FB” to “META” effective before the market opens on June 9th. The social media giant has utilized the “FB” ticker since its initial public offering in 2012. And, Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Meta just announced that she is stepping down from her position with the company. She held the role since 2008. She’ll be replaced by chief growth officer Javier Olivan who’s been with Meta for 15 years. Olivan said he won’t be as “public-facing” as Sandberg and will focus more on working with multiple teams.

Finally, Georgia Department of Public Health officials have confirmed the first potential case of monkeypox in the state. It comes less than a month after the first confirmed U.S. case of monkeypox in 2022 was reported out of Massachusetts. The Georgia patient is a male resident from Metro Atlanta and has a history of international travel. Monkeypox, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus, typically begins with a flu-like illness and swelling of the lymph nodes, followed by a rash on the face and body.

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: Alerts Sign-Up, Health Economics, Information Technology, Investing, LifeStyle | Tagged: Facebook, FB, gas prices, Javier Olivan, Meta, monkeypox, Sheryl Sandberg | Leave a comment »

The ME-P is Seeking Healthcare “Metaverse” Input

Posted on March 31, 2022 by Dr. Marcinko

By Ann Miller RN MHA

***

***

Facebook’s latest release, Meta, is said to be the next evolution of social connection. A virtual, 3D network that allows connection and collaboration in ways many of us have never even considered! And while many are buzzing over how Meta will shape everything from education to healthcare – we are eager to get your opinion on our own ME-P ecosystem.

Can patients trust Facebook and others again?

Are you interested in exploring a new platform for connection?

Have you subscribed to the ME-P?

We want to hear all about it! We’re actively collaborating to bring your perspectives to the discussion around the Metaverse and the patient, economics, finance and healthcare community.

If you have insights or experiences to share – just comment and/or let us know.

***

THANK YOU

***

Filed under: Career Development, Ethics, Financial Planning, iMBA, Information Technology, LifeStyle, Practice Management | Tagged: Facebook, FB, ME-P, medical executive post, Meta, metaverse, Seeking Healthcare 'Metaverse" Input | Leave a comment »

UPDATE: Okta, Snowflake, Intel, Stocks Indexes, Buy-Backs and Bonds

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

Stocks fell and oil prices eased back after another bumpy day of trading on Wall Street as markets remained anxious about the broader impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Okta shares were down 8.06% while Snowflake plummeted 15.37%.

***

INTEL: Intel stock (NASDAQ: INTC) fell 2.5% after Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Securities cut their targets to $47, according to StreetInsider. The stock fell to a low of $47.62, not far from its 52-week low of $43.63. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) analyst Joseph Moore also downgraded the stock to underweight from equal weight while BofA’s Vivek Arya maintained his under perform rating.

INDEXES: Major indexes veered up and down for much of the day before a late-day slide pushed them into the red. The S&P 500 shed a 0.7% gain to close 0.5% lower, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%. The NASDAQ composite fell 1.6%, weighed down by technology stocks, which accounted for a big share of the market’s decline.

The Dow is down 0.9% for the week, on track for its fourth negative week in a row. The S&P 500 is down about 0.5% for the week, while the NASDAQ Composite is down more than 1%.

BUYBACKS: In the third quarter of 2021, Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) led all S&P 500 companies with $20.4 billion in buybacks. Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) was a distant second with $15 billion in buybacks, followed by Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: FB) with $12.6 billion.

Over the last decade, no company has come close to Apple in the buyback department. Apple has bought back $487.6 billion in stock since 2012. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) is a very distant second with $147.1 billion in buybacks, followed by JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE: JPM) with $146.2 billion.

Why Buybacks Matter: It should come as no surprise to investors that all three of the stocks that have been most aggressive in buying back shares over the last 10 years have outperformed the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (NYSE: SPY) total return by a wide margin in that period.

BONDS: Bond yields were mostly steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 1.85% from 1.86% late Wednesday.

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

Subscribe to the Medical Executive-Post

***

Filed under: Alerts Sign-Up, iMBA, Inc., Investing | Tagged: Apple, Bank of America Securities, bonds, DJIA, Facebook, FB, INTC, Intel, Investing, Joseph Moore, Meta, microsoft, MSFT, NASDAQ, oil, oil prices, Okta, Russia, S&P 500, Snowflake, stock buybacks, stock markets, stocks, stocks indexes, StreetInsider, Ukrains, Vivek Arya, Wall Street | Leave a comment »

UPDATE: The Markets, Oil, CPI, Meta and Moderna Stock

Posted on February 16, 2022 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

Bull Market - Meaning, Indicators, Examples of Stocks/Crypto, How it Works?

***

MARKETS: The Dow jumped 422 points, or 1.2%. The S&P 500 surged 1.5% and the NASDAQ was 2.5% higher.

OIL: US oil futures tumbled 3.7% to just under $92 a barrel. That’s despite the fact that Russia stressed that major military exercises would continue.

CPI: The Producer Price Index rose 1% last month, marking a significant acceleration from December’s 0.2% jump.

Meta: As Varietyreports, the company has agreed to pay $90 million to settle a 2012 class action lawsuit accusing it of violating users’ privacy. Facebook allegedly overstepped its bounds in 2010 and 2011 by using tracking cookies that monitored browsing after users signed out despite promises to the contrary.

MODERNA: Moderna Inc (NASDAQ: MRNA) shares were down more than 40% since the start of the year and continues to trend lower. Vaccine stocks are facing selling pressure as the COVID-19 omicron variant fades, but Moderna investors have been expressing concerns about recent stock sales from CEO Stéphane Bancel, as well as the presumed deletion of his Twitter account.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/082610254

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

Subscribe to the Medical Executive-Post

***

Filed under: Alerts Sign-Up, Alternative Investments, Drugs and Pharma, Glossary Terms, Health Economics, iMBA, Inc., Investing | Tagged: bull market, DJIA, Facebook, FB, Meta, Moderna, NASDAQ, oil, S&P, stock markets | Leave a comment »

A Look at Some Famous IPOs [Including WebMD]

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Dr. Marcinko

Where Are They Now?

Assessment

With all the FB hoopla recently, we thought it would be fun to look at some other famous IPOs.

Link: http://marketday.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/23/11830823-facebooks-dream-ipo-is-starting-to-look-like-a-nightmare?lite

Channel Surfing the ME-P

Have you visited our other topic channels? Established to facilitate idea exchange and link our community together, the value of these topics is dependent upon your input. Please take a minute to visit. And, to prevent that annoying spam, we ask that you register. It is fast, free and secure.

Conclusion

Your thoughts and comments on this ME-P are appreciated. Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.

Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

OUR OTHER PRINT BOOKS AND RELATED INFORMATION SOURCES:

PRACTICES: www.BusinessofMedicalPractice.com
HOSPITALS: http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781466558731
CLINICS: http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781439879900
ADVISORS: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org
FINANCE: Financial Planning for Physicians and Advisors
INSURANCE: Risk Management and Insurance Strategies for Physicians and Advisors
Dictionary of Health Economics and Finance
Dictionary of Health Information Technology and Security
Dictionary of Health Insurance and Managed Care

Filed under: Breaking News, Investing, Portfolio Management | Tagged: Facebook, Famous IPOs [Including WebMD], FB, initial public offerings, IPOs, WebMD | 1 Comment »

Subscribe MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST?

Member Statistics

ME-P Information & Content Channels

Ann Miller RN MHA [Managing Editor]

CERTIFIED MEDICAL PLANNER® program

Most Recent ME-Ps

PodiatryPrep.org

ME-P Free Advertising Consultation

Medical & Surgical e-Consent Forms

iMBA Inc., OFFICES

ME-P Publishing

SEEKING INDUSTRY INFO PARTNERS?

Reader Comments, Quips, Opinions, News & Updates

Start-Up Advice for Businesses, DRs and Entrepreneurs

Up-Trending ME-Ps

Capitalism and Free Enterprise Advocacy

OIG Fraud Warnings

Share this:

Like this:

What we know about social media and kids’ mental health

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Calendar

Advertising Info:

Book Offerings:

Dictionary Offerings:

Dr. David Marcinko [Publication List]

Education Online:

Health Dictionary Series Wiki Project

Lower Extremity Medicine & Surgery

Pending NIHCM Grant Applications:

Practice Lists:

Professor Marcinko

Related Blogs:

Speaker's Bureau:

Thought-Leaders:

White Papers: