Daily Archives

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Blue Chip

Don’t FORGET your credit cards…

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Square, PayPal, and Venmo… that’s how the kids are paying these days, right? Not entirely…or at least not according to the share prices of AmEx, Visa, and Mastercard. AmEx is up 10%, Visa is up 30%, and last but not least, MasterCard is up 45% on the year. And surprisingly, Visa and MasterCard actually rallied after settling their $6.2 billion “mistake.” These guys just can’t lose…

 

The future of money… WILL includes AmEx, Visa, and Mastercard because all three companies are investing in it. For example, Visa is one of the biggest shareholders in Square and AmEx and Mastercard both are investing in other forms of fintech. Also, traditional credit cards are still thriving in Spain, Italy, Poland, and many other countries, for that matter.

 

And all the money Americans are spending… doesn’t hurt either. In fact, Wall Street is forecasting for all three credit card companies to see significant sales growth this year. So don’t forget your credit card at the market and don’t forget to get your credit card stocks on the market!

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Miscellaneous

John Hancock: Save MONEY by getting your @$$ in shape!

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Giving discounts for exercise… and other healthy habits is what John Hancock is giving its life insurance customers. That’s right – all life insurance policies through the company will come with a free version of its wellness program called Vitality. With the program, customers can log their fitness and health data and get discounts at places like Amazon and can receive up to 15% off annual premiums.

 

You see the goal here… is to get people healthier and living longer so that they don’t have to pay up when you drop dead of a heart attack at 30. And while you’re still kickin’, the company gets loads of free data on you and can build better relationships with customers.

 

About 40% of people are doing it… and the other 60% couldn’t be bothered. However, the ones that are doing it check in on Vitality an average of 40 times per month. The new program aims to engage policyholders and attract younger ones who don’t think they need life insurance. We know you, in particular, are invincible – but maybe you should consider life insurance…you know, just for fun.

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Blue Chip

Sony PlayStation: Your childhood is coming BACK!

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This announcement is a blast from the past… because Sony is planning to release a revamped version of the PlayStation and it will be called PlayStation Classic. The system will be released on December 3rd and will cost you $99.99.

 

The differences… first off, the console will be about half the size of the original. Also, there will be no discs; instead the system will come with 20 pre-loaded games which include “Final Fantasy VII” and Tekken 3.” Sony will announce the other games at a later date.

 

It worked for Nintendo… who released the NES Classic, a remake of the original Nintendo system from the 1980s. The system sold over 2 million retro devices in just five months. Nintendo also released the Super Nintendo Classic Edition which sold over 4 million devices. And honestly, the PlayStation may do just as well, if not better, given the 90s kids desire for nostalgia…and their overall childhood back.

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International

China is an independent country and doesn’t need no America

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No more foreign tech… because Alibaba, China’s largest tech company is planning to develop artificial intelligence chips and use them for cloud computing, internet-connect devices, and many other things. According to the company’s chief technology officer, Alibaba’s advantages in algorithms and data give the company an edge in chip-making.

 

Here’s what Jack Ma thinks… America rules the market for chips, and that needs to end. If America stops selling chips to China, then what? This lack of diversification is the reason why Jack Ma is advocating for home-grown technology. You can’t fault the logic because the US Commerce Department just stopped American companies from selling parts to ZTE, a Chinese tech company (although both parties have made up since).

 

Let ZTE be a wake-up call… because relying too heavily on foreign technology, or probably foreign anything, can put you in a vulnerable position. However, that is easier said than done and China has some catching up to do. But hey – just how hard can making super high-tech artificial intelligence chips be….

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