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NCBFG subsidiary TFOB gets green light to target the remittance market

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NCB subsidiary gets license approval to target the remittance market. This subsidiary TFOB (2021) Limited (The Future of Business), is solely focused on new technologies and is basically responsible for pushing NCB into the future of fintech.

One of the latest and most successful projects thus far is Lynk, which is a digital wallet that can be used to transfer money, make bill payments and make other financial transactions within Jamaica at the moment.

TFOB will be offering this service through Lynk and it will also help to push BOJ’s initiative to make digital currencies more adaptable within Jamaica. This remittance market is currently valued at US3.49 billion which has been increasing steadily over the years. Last year’s figure stands at approximately US$2.90 billion, there has definitely been some sort of increase.

The remittance market locally has been going through a digital transformation over the last few years. There have been various challenges such as KYC and poor customer service, but the industry has been steadily improving and has players from other industries vying for a piece of the pie.

Digicel the large telecommunications provider is a notable example of a company that has shown interest in this market. They have been slowly investing in this space. It will be interesting to see how the key players navigate this space going forward.

CPJ saw a 32 percent jump in revenue

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Caribbean Producers Jamaica (CPJ) has seen a 32 percent jump in revenue which comes in at US$33.06 million contrasted with US$25.02 million for a similar period last year.

Simultaneously, the cost of working income rose by 35% to US$22.83 million compared with US$16.88 million in 2021.

There has been an increase in operating costs which stands at US$6.17 million compared to US$4.37 million in the last year.

Depreciation for the period fell by one percent, shutting at US$1.03 million (2021: US$1.04 million)

Net profit added up to US $1.72 million compared with US $1.67 million in 2021. Taxation for the period stands at US$518,740, doubling the figure of  US$219,568 incurred a year earlier.

There was a slight increase in net profit owed to investors, for the period the figure is at US$1.64 million, up from US$1.60 million in 2021. Earning per share for the quarter added up to US$0.15 cents (2021: US$0.15 cents)

Finance costs were US$755,378 versus the $683,223 revealed in 2021, an 11 percent expansion. Total assets added up to US$86.48 million, 20 percent more than its worth of $72.07 million booked a year prior.

FTX declares bankruptcy after a week of drama

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The once-third-biggest crypto platform FTX has tumbled from glory in the previous week and has now reported it petitioned for chapter 11 in the U.S.

FTX President and organizer Sam Bankman-Fried has left his job, and Enron circle back veteran John J. Beam III has been designated as the new President.

Around 130 extra subsidiary organizations — including FTX US and Alameda Exploration — have likewise started the liquidation cycle, FTX said in an explanation. The trade’s Bahamian auxiliary, FTX Computerized Markets, and its U.S. choices stage LedgerX, close by FTX Australia and FTX Express Compensation are excluded from the procedures, it expressed.

“The immediate relief of Chapter 11 is appropriate to provide the FTX Group the opportunity to assess its situation and develop a process to maximize recoveries for stakeholders,” Ray said in a statement.

This news comes following seven days of a lengthy breakdown of the FTX realm as the organization endeavored to keep itself above water, looking for acquisitions and new capital from market players.

On Tuesday, the world’s biggest crypto trader Binance marked a letter of purpose to gain FTX. In any case, somewhat north of 24 hours after the fact, Binance pulled out of the arrangement subsequent to assessing FTX’s construction and books.

“Our hope was to be able to support FTX’s customers to provide liquidity, but the issues are beyond our control or ability to help,” Binance said on Wednesday.

“As a result of corporate due diligence, as well as the latest news reports regarding mishandled customer funds and alleged U.S. agency investigations, we have decided that we will not pursue the potential acquisition of [FTX],” Binance said in a tweet.

On Thursday, Bankman-Fried said in a progression of tweets that FTX Worldwide was hoping to bring liquidity and was in conversation with “various players.” He added that any cash raised and existing guarantee “will go directly to clients.”

FTX has tumbled from being the third biggest crypto platform to 62nd, as per CoinMarketCap information. FTX US division is 54th. The third biggest crypto platform is currently Kraken, behind Coinbase and Binance.

GraceKennedy revenue up 12.2%

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GraceKennedy Limited (GK) over the last three quarters has earned $107.4 billion in accumulated revenue, this is 12.2 percent higher than last year over the same period.

Despite the increase in revenue, profit numbers were average across the business. Overall pre-tax profit declined 9.4 percent compared to last year 2021, this year’s figure was $7.7 billion. Price per share also slightly declined from $5.73 last year to $5.27 this year during the same period. Net profit attributable to shareholders also declined 8.1 percent from $5.658 in 2021 to 5.2 billion in 2022 during the same period.

GK Group CEO Don Wehby commented on the current challenges the company is facing as it tries to eke profits out of the core markets of interest.

“The impact of high inflation on the disposable income of remittance customers in sending markets, for example, has led to lower transaction volumes, and reduced foreign exchange gains across that part of our business.

To tackle these headwinds, we have doubled down our cost containment efforts across the Group, and our team has been proactively implementing strategies to ensure we continue to grow our top-line and bottom-line sustainably going forward.”, he said.

Despite the challenges, Wehby is still confident in the team and the ability to finish the year strong.

“Notwithstanding the challenges, we look forward to closing out 2022 with a strong performance, powered by our amazing GK team, sound strategy, and of course, our world-class products and services which we continue to deliver at the highest standard,” he concluded.

Wisynco had a record-breaking quarter for revenue

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Wisynco, a major distribution company in the Jamaica and Caribbean region recorded its most successful quarter yet in terms of revenue numbers.

For the quarter ending September 30, 2022, revenues came in at $11.9 billion, this is a 29.8 percent increase over the $9.2 billion achieved in 2021 during the same time. The company has experienced increasing demand for its products which is always a positive.

Net profits ascribable by shareholders for the period accumulated to $1.3 billion, which is 34.1 percent greater than the $967 million earned for the prior year.

Pre-tax profit amounted to $1.7 billion, which is 34.7 percent higher than the $1.3 billion in the same period of 2021.

Selling, Distribution & Administrative expenses (SD&A) is up 27.4 percent to J$2.6 billion over the J$2 billion recorded last year. Wisynco’s SD&A expense-to-sales ratio was 21.6 percent for the quarter, compared to 22.0 percent in the prior year.

Overall, it was a solid performance by Wisynco, most of the numbers show that the company is moving in the right direction. Exports have also been good as well, since 2021 it has been up over 10% and that’s a positive, exports represent over 50% of its business so it is a major economical driver for the company.

Meta cuts 11,000 jobs as challenges continue to plague the company

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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 25: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks about the new Facebook News feature at the Paley Center For Media on October 25, 2019 in New York City. Facebook News, which will appear in a new dedicated section on the Facebook app, will offer stories from a mix of publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, as well as other digital-only outlets.(Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Mark Zuckerberg has reported that Meta will lay off 11,000 of its representatives – – an expected 13% of its labor force – – and will likewise be taking “some extra moves toward becoming a less fatty and more proficient company.”

In a message imparted to Meta workers on Wednesday morning, Zuckerberg said he was making the most difficult decision he’s ever had to make in the history of the company.

“We are also taking a number of additional steps to become a leaner and more efficient company by cutting discretionary spending and extending our hiring freeze through Q1,” Zuckerberg said. “I want to take accountability for these decisions and for how we got here. I know this is tough for everyone, and I’m especially sorry for those impacted.”

Zuckerberg said that Meta will now be focusing on key growth areas within the company which include Meta’s AI discovery engine, its advertisements and business platforms, and Zuckerberg’s much-discussed long-term vision for the development of the Metaverse.

“We’ve cut costs across our business, including scaling back budgets, reducing perks, and shrinking our real estate footprint,” Zuckerberg continued. “We’re restructuring teams to increase our efficiency. But these measures alone won’t bring our expenses in line with our revenue growth, so I’ve also made the hard decision to let people go.”

Portions of Meta Stages, the parent organization of Facebook and Instagram, moved around 4% on the news in pre-market exchanging on Wednesday.

The stock has been battered for the current year, exchanging underneath $100 an offer this week, down over 70% from its January high of $353.83 per share.

Zuckerberg made a move to make sense of what drove Meta to this point and why the choice was made in his vast message.

“At the start of Covid, the world rapidly moved online and the surge of e-commerce led to outsized revenue growth. Many people predicted this would be a permanent acceleration that would continue even after the pandemic ended. I did too, so I made the decision to significantly increase our investments,” said Zuckerberg.

“Unfortunately, this did not play out the way I expected. Not only has online commerce returned to prior trends, but the macroeconomic downturn, increased competition, and ads signal loss have caused our revenue to be much lower than I’d expected. I got this wrong, and I take responsibility for that.”

Meta eliminated admittance to the vast majority of their inner frameworks for individuals who were laid off on Wednesday however will keep email tends to dynamic and working through Wednesday “so everybody can say goodbye.”

“The teammates who will be leaving us are talented and passionate and have made an important impact on our company and community. Each of you have helped make Meta a success, and I’m grateful for it. I’m sure you’ll go on to do great work at other places,” said Zuckerberg.

“This is a sad moment, and there’s no way around that. To those who are leaving, I want to thank you again for everything you’ve put into this place. We would not be where we are today without your hard work, and I’m grateful for your contributions.”

Meta detailed a second back-to-back quarter of declining deals last month, as the organization battles with a boundless drop in web-based promotion spending and rising contest from TikTok.

Moreover, an Apple iOS protection update last year, which restricts the capacity of promoters to target clients, has kept on burdening advertisement deals at the core of Meta’s business.

The cutbacks on Wednesday mark the most recent in a progression of difficulties for Meta this year, remembering the declaration for June that Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg would withdraw from the organization as well as trouble yielding income from its extravagant interest in its metaverse project.

The organization has drawn analysis from certain financial backers over its huge interest in its metaverse project, which presently can’t seem to convey critical returns.

Binance scraps plan to bail out FTX

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Binance is now backtracking on the proposal they had made yesterday to save FTX from financial ruin in a white knight move to save the company.

A spokesperson for the company came out and clear the air as to what is currently happening with Binance and the deal.

“As a result of corporate due diligence, as well as the latest news reports regarding mishandled customer funds and alleged U.S. agency investigations, we have decided that we will not pursue the potential acquisition of FTX.com,” the spokesperson told CoinDesk.

“In the beginning, our hope was to be able to support FTX’s customers to provide liquidity, but the issues are beyond our control or ability to help. Every time a major player in an industry fails, retail consumers will suffer. We have seen over the last several years that the crypto ecosystem is becoming more resilient and we believe in time that outliers that misuse user funds will be weeded out by the free market.

“As regulatory frameworks are developed and as the industry continues to evolve toward greater decentralization, the ecosystem will grow stronger,” the spokesperson added.

FTT, which had already plunged in recent days, was down another 32% to about $2.41 after the news of Binance pulling out of its deal to buy FTX came out.

Let’s see how the story develops for FTX who has been in a downward spiral over the last few days. It’s probably going to get a lot worse for the company.

MFS Capital Partners sees a positive quarter under new management

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MFS Capital Partners Limited (MFS), formerly known as SSL Venture Capital Limited, has achieved a profitable quarter from a series of prior consecutive losses when it was battling to stay afloat due to consecutive quarters of losses. MFS Capital Partners recorded a slim after-tax profit of $5.3 million.

The embattled company was sold to Micro-Financing Solutions in May this year for one-tenth of its value, which amounted to $38 million. A major for such profitability within the quarter is due to the new revenue stream of receivables financing. Due to this, revenues went up to $12.5 million.

MFS Capital’s Management seems upbeat over the results, “MFS is strategically positioning itself in the market to attain more profits. We are on target in achieving certain milestones outlined in our June quarter results as well as our annual report”.

Administrative and operational expenses came out at $5.8 million for the quarter under review. Digging deeper into the financials, the expenses accumulated relate to the operating costs for the SSL Venture Capital head office and obligations of its closed subsidiary, Bar Central Limited.

Total assets stood at $72.6 million and shareholder’s equity at a negative $43.2 million. The price per share remains at $0.014.

Binance is on the verge of bailing out FTX from collapse with a potential takeover

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Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange is on the verge of acquiring FTX potentially saving the company and the crypto industry from a collapse on levels we have not seen. FTX has been experiencing challenges in the market over the last year. A lot of economic factors such as a looming recession, and declining demand for cryptocurrency along with others have led to this.

Due to the increasing uncertainty within the crypto market customers have been on a “bank run” over the last week and increasing over the last few days. As a result, customers have been withdrawing money from FTX and it has led the company into a liquidity crisis.

FTX founded by Sam Brank-Fried has been a “poster boy” for the crypto industry, it has been regarded as a well-run company backed by savvy investors. This puts a lot of trust in other investors to join the crypto market. It seems that this was all a front and FTX had a lot of skeletons in the closet which have slowly begun to unravel as the market slows and everyone starts to pull their money.

Many of its customers, who use FTX to buy and store their digital currencies, rushed to take their money out. On Monday night, the crypto research firm Nansen reported that more than half a billion dollars had flowed off the platform over the previous 24 hours.

At one point on Tuesday, FTX stopped processing withdrawals altogether, according to the Block, a crypto research firm. The exchange appeared to have entered a “liquidity crunch,” meaning it lacked the funds to fulfill the demand for withdrawals.

If the deal goes through, it will unite two of the largest crypto companies and cement the status of Binance’s founder, Changpeng Zhao, as one of the most powerful figures shaping the future of the loosely regulated crypto industry. It is reported that the deal stands at $32 billion.

In an activity to save face, Sam Bank-Freid apologized for not being upfront with the recent incidents with the company. He apologized for not being communicative recently and said the company experienced roughly $6 billion of net withdrawals over the past 72 hours, compared with the relative number of inflows and outflows on a typical day.

Let’s see how this deal develops over time, it looks like it’s already in the works and the parties are serious. It goes to show us how volatile the crypto industry is, FTX collapse would be akin to Goldman Sachs collapsing on Wall Street. This now puts Changpeng Zhao as the most powerful man in the crypto industry at the moment.

Lasco Financial Services saw a 17% jump in half year profits

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Lasco Financial Services (LASF) has managed to eke out a 17% rise in profit during the half-year period for the company.

The company recorded a net profit of $156.8 million which is $23.2 million more than what it had earned a year ago during the same period when it saw 133.59 million.

Net profit for the quarter ending in September amounted to $73.97 million, which rose from $58.61 million during the same period in 2021. Accumulated transactions during the half-year period rose 3.7 percent compared to the same period in 2021. The 2022 figure stands at $1.18 billion.

Despite the current challenges that are affecting the financial market locally Managing Director Jacinth Hall-Tracey seems optimistic about the current business strategy.

“We continue to see the resilience in our business lines in spite of the challenging and competitive market conditions”, She said.

Lasco Financials Services saw a slim increase in total assets which rose by 1.4 percent which would put it at $4.43 billion.

This was mainly attributed to a 9 percent increase in ‘Receivables’ which closed at $1.53 billion which is approximately $130 million more than what they had received in 2021 during the same period. Other factors such as a 19 percent decline in cash and cash equivalents come into play.

Overall, the numbers recorded show the level of resiliency the company is showing in the current market. Let’s see what the next half will look like for the company.