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This week in Bidenomics: Kamalanomics looks better

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This week in Bidenomics: Kamalanomics looks better

After the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by half a point on Sept. 18, President Biden called the move a “declaration of progress.” Inflation isn’t yet whipped, but victory is coming into view.

There’s some other progress that’s important for Democrats. Voters and investors are warming to Vice President Kamala Harris’s economic plan as the Democratic presidential nominee and her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, enter the home stretch of the campaign. Even better for Harris, voters seem to blame her less than Biden for the high inflation of the last three years, which sent Biden’s approval rating into an unrecoverable nose dive.

The Financial Times has now conducted two monthly polls in a row in which voters say they trust Harris more than Trump to handle the economy. When Biden was still in the race, Trump beat him handily on the economy. But Harris inched ahead of Trump in August and expanded that lead slightly in September.

That FT poll looked like an outlier back in August, but other data now shows Harris drawing even with Trump on the economy. The latest Morning Consult poll finds 46% of voters trust both Harris and Trump on the economy. On issues such as the cost of living, housing affordability, and jobs, Harris’s approval rating exceeds Biden’s by 25 percentage points or more. That’s a startling shift, given that Harris’s policies are quite similar to Biden’s and she is, after all, the incumbent.

Read more: What the 2024 campaign means for your wallet: The Yahoo Finance guide to the presidential election

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In a recent Quinnipiac poll of swing states, voters in the crucial state of Pennsylvania rate Harris higher than Trump on the economy by two points. She’s two points behind on the economy in Michigan and four points behind in Wisconsin, yet once again, she’s closing a large gap. In University of Michigan surveys, 41% say Harris would be better for the economy, while 38% say Trump would be better, and 15% think it won’t make any difference.

Finally, in monthly surveys of business executives by Oxford Economics, a Trump presidency ranks as the top geopolitical concern during the next year. Worries about the adverse effects of a Trump presidency have climbed for three months in a row, with 43% of respondents now saying another Trump presidential term would pose a significant risk to the global economy. That’s largely because of Trump’s promise to enact sweeping tariffs and deport millions of working migrants. A Harris presidency doesn’t register as a geopolitical risk, as it would, in many ways, represent a continuation of the status quo.

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris listens as she joins Oprah Winfrey at Oprah's Unite for America Live Streaming event Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024 in Farmington Hills, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris listens as she joins Oprah Winfrey at Oprah’s Unite for America Live Streaming event Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024 in Farmington Hills, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

These improving views of a Harris economy and dimming views of a Trump economy aren’t happening in a vacuum. Forecasting firms such as Goldman Sachs crunched the numbers and concluded that Harris’s policies would be better for economic growth than Trump’s. Those types of analyses typically assume each candidate can get Congress to fully enact favored policies by passing legislation, which isn’t always realistic. Yet Trump’s most concerning economic policies — tariffs and deportation — are things he could do largely without congressional approval. Harris’s most disruptive policies — a higher corporate tax rate and a new wealth tax, for instance — would only be possible under a Democratic sweep of Congress and the White House, which seems unlikely.

Read more: Trump vs. Harris: 4 ways the next president could impact your bank accounts

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Harris, meanwhile, has focused heavily on pocketbook issues such as more affordable housing, healthcare, and childcare. The Morning Consult survey found such policies to be highly popular, and it also found that voters broadly associate those policies with Harris. Trump has few specific ideas for lowering everyday costs.

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None of this means Harris is cruising to victory. The race remains incredibly close, with the final electoral vote tally likely to come down to small pockets of swing voters in six or seven states. In the Michigan surveys, independent voters seem to favor Trump on the economy, which could spell trouble for Harris among the late-breaking swing voters she’ll need to win.

What Harris seems to be doing, however, is neutralizing what was once Trump’s biggest advantage. As ever, the economy is the top issue for voters, and when Biden was the Democratic candidate, Trump’s edge on the economy was beginning to look indomitable. Before Biden withdrew in July, betting markets gave Trump 66% odds of winning and Biden just 18%, with Harris and other potential Biden replacements making up most of the rest.

The same betting markets now give Harris 52% odds of winning, and Trump 47% odds. That says more about momentum than the actual likelihood of winning, but at the moment, you’d rather have Harris’s mojo than Trump’s. It’s too early for Harris to declare victory, but a declaration of progress would be fitting.

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Rick Newman is a senior columnist for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on X at @rickjnewman.

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Plano-Based Finance of America Announces $2.5B Partnership with Funds Managed by Blue Owl to Expand FOA’s Home Equity Lending

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Plano-Based Finance of America Announces .5B Partnership with Funds Managed by Blue Owl to Expand FOA’s Home Equity Lending

Finance of America Companies, a leading provider of home equity-based financing solutions for a modern retirement, and funds managed by Blue Owl Capital, a leading alternative asset manager, announced an enhanced $2.5 billion strategic partnership to accelerate product innovation and distribution for the nation’s fast-growing retirement demographic.

With more than 10,000 Americans entering retirement age every day, the market for home equity access continues to expand. FOA said its collaboration with New York City-based Blue Owl positions it to capture significant share in this rapidly evolving sector.

“This is a pivotal moment not just for Finance of America, but for the senior finance market as a whole,” Graham Fleming, CEO of Finance of America, said in a statement. “By aligning with Blue Owl, we are creating a platform of scale and innovation to better serve one of the fastest-growing demographics in the United States.”

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The enhanced partnership includes, per FOA:

  • $2.5 billion commitment for new product innovation, providing scale and liquidity to support origination growth across multiple asset classes
  • $50 million equity investment in Finance of America, enhancing long-term alignment between the companies and supporting FOA’s continued growth initiatives
  • Joint innovation and product-development initiative focused on the continuous rollout of new, differentiated financial products tailored for people looking to maximize freedom, security, and opportunity throughout their retirement
 

This product expansion will complement FOA’s existing industry-leading reverse mortgage product suite while strengthening the company’s commitment to innovation and its role as a leader in delivering powerful financial solutions for retirees.

FOA said it continues to empower retirees with responsible, flexible access to capital to support aging in place, healthcare expenses, and lifestyle goals.

The partnership reinforces Finance of America’s mission to provide comprehensive, retirement-focused financial solutions, with the goal of expanding beyond reverse mortgages to become the nation’s leading, full-spectrum home equity lending platform, the company said.

“We believe Finance of America is uniquely positioned to redefine how financial products are delivered to retirees,” said David Aidi, senior managing director and co-head of Asset Based Finance at Blue Owl.

“This partnership provides the capital, the strategic alignment, and the innovation engine to build category-defining products at scale,” added Ray Chan, senior managing director and co-head of Asset Based Finance at Blue Owl.

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R E A D   N E X T

  • Little Elm’s Sachchit Balamurugan, an incoming senior at TOPS, flew to Japan Friday to present his ACC cancer detection app at the International Young Researchers’ Conference. He’s also won first place at a BPA national mobile app competition, won an award at the NASA Space App Challenge, started a nonprofit called Youth Opportunities in Tech Innovation—and done lots, lots more.

  • A slide showing Tremedics' award-winning technology for treating narrowed aortas in children (left). Their special dissolving stent (right) opens blocked blood vessels and then disappears as the child grows, eliminating the need for repeated surgeries and potentially helping thousands of the 40,000 U.S. babies born with heart defects annually. [Image source: Tremedics]

    Tre Welch, Tremedics Medical Devices Inc., Leon Jacobson, Ted Price, Nerveli Inc., Sarah Iselin, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, TechFW, MassChallenge, ClearLeaf, Feathery, Algas Organics, Coastal Protection Solutions

  • “We closed the first volume of our story—25 years in the making.” That’s how CEO Tom Spackman described Gigabit Fiber’s majority stake sale to Blue Owl, marking a new phase of growth as AI and cloud drive demand for hyperscale connectivity.

  • Topgolf said the limited-time experience is available at all Topgolf U.S. venues Feb. 1 through April 13. It’s accompanied by a national in-venue sweepstakes and limited-time menu items.

  • The bank’s Support Services team fills a critical role in BOA—acting as an in-house consulting firm for every line of business.

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Bérangère Michel announced as BBC Group Chief Financial Officer

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Bérangère Michel announced as BBC Group Chief Financial Officer

The BBC has announced that Bérangère Michel has been appointed to the role of Group Chief Financial Officer.

Bérangère brings extensive experience from her 16-year career at the John Lewis Partnership, where she held senior roles including Chief Financial Officer, Customer Service Executive Director, Operations Director and Finance & Strategy Director.

Prior to joining the John Lewis Partnership, Bérangère spent 11 years at the Royal Mail Group in a number of finance, change and strategy roles, including as Finance Director of the property division.

In an expanded role as BBC Group Chief Financial Officer, Bérangère will be responsible for the overall BBC Group financial strategy, with a remit across BBC Public Service, BBC Studios and the BBC’s commercial subsidiaries. She will play a leadership role and will sit on both the Executive Committee and, for the first time, the Board.

This position will strengthen the BBC’s financial leadership, support its transformation, and make the best use of the licence fee and commercial opportunities. Bérangère will report to the Director-General and will take up the role in early January.

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Director-General Tim Davie says: “Bérangère brings a wealth of experience from her time at the John Lewis Partnership and will play a critical role in shaping our new financial strategy. I’m pleased to welcome her to the BBC, and to both the Executive Committee and Board.

“Bérangère’s appointment to this expanded role comes at an important time for the BBC, as we look ahead to Charter renewal and continue to accelerate our transformation to deliver outstanding value for our audiences.”

BBC Chair Samir Shah says: “The role of Group Chief Financial Officer will be hugely important as we build a BBC for the future, and I look forward to welcoming Bérangère to the Board.”

Bérangère Michel says: “I am delighted to be joining the BBC, an institution whose purpose and mission I have always admired. It’s a privilege to be part of shaping its exciting future at such a crucial moment and I cannot wait to get started.”

BBC Press Office

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ATI Promotes Longtime Leader to CFO and SVP of Finance

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ATI Promotes Longtime Leader to CFO and SVP of Finance

ATI Inc., a Dallas-based manufacturer of high-performance materials for the aerospace and defense industries, announced that James Robert “Rob” Foster will be promoted to senior vice president of finance and chief financial officer, effective January 1, 2026.

Foster succeeds Don Newman, who will serve as strategic advisor to the CEO beginning January 1. As previously announced, Newman will retire on March 1, 2026, and serve in an advisory capacity in that time to allow for a smooth transition.

“Rob is a proven P&L leader with enterprise-wide experience in the areas that matter most to ATI’s continued growth,” Kim Fields, president and CEO, said in a statement. “He brings deep expertise not only in finance but also as an operational leader. Rob played a pivotal role in the successful Specialty Rolled Products transformation, consistently helping ATI to deliver strong returns and shareholder value. I look forward to partnering with him as we enter our next phase of profitable growth.”

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Foster, a longtime ATI leader, brings both operational expertise and financial discipline to the CFO role, the company said. He most recently served as president of ATI’s specialty alloys & components business, where he improved efficiency, grew capacity, and advanced the company’s role as a global leader in exotic alloys. Foster previously served as vice president of Finance, Supply Chain, and Capital Projects, overseeing ATI’s global finance organization, capital deployment processes, and enterprise supply chain performance. Earlier in his career, he led Finance for both ATI operating segments and the Forged Products business.

“I’m honored to become ATI’s next CFO,” said Foster. “ATI is well-positioned with a strong balance sheet, focused strategy, and significant opportunities ahead. I look forward to working with our team to drive disciplined investment, operational excellence, and long-term value creation for our shareholders.”

Newman added, “Rob is an exceptional leader who understands ATI’s strategy, operations, and financial drivers. He has delivered transformative results across the organization. I look forward to supporting a seamless transition as we pursue this next step in our succession planning.”

Before joining ATI in 2012, Foster held senior finance roles at API Technologies Corp. and Spectrum Control Inc., where he led ERP implementations, acquisition integrations, and internal control enhancements. He began his career as an auditor at Ernst & Young (EY).

ATI produces high-performance materials and solutions for the global aerospace and defense markets, and critical applications in electronics, medical, and specialty energy. 

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R E A D   N E X T

  • The company said Keith Schroeder brings more than 40 years of experience in accounting, corporate control and reporting, finance, operations, and CEO and CFO strategic roles.

  • James Cook announced his retirement after 24 years of service and will officially retire on June 30. James Gilligan will take his new post, effective June 16.

  • Anthony DiSilvestro joins KDP at a pivotal moment as it moves to close its $18 billion acquisition of Netherlands-based JDE Peet’s. His “significant” M&A experience will advance the combined company’s integration and its ultimate split into two “winning companies,” CEO Tim Cofer said.

  • Donna Guy brings more than 25 years of experience in financial leadership across public and private companies to her new position. 

  • Last week, Irving-based Caterpillar marked its 100th anniversary year with celebrations throughout the U.S. commemorating “a monumental moment” in the company’s history. The company officially turns 100 on April 15, marking a century of “customer-centric innovation and industry-leading transformation”

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