Why Dubai Visa Process Is The Easiest In The World

Property In Dubai 

Buying property in Dubai for expats becomes easier and easier over the years. A residence visa is a step towards it, so it might be your best bet. 

Why Get A Visa And Real Estate In Dubai 

The United Arab Emirates has become the world leader in ease of obtaining residence visas, according to a survey by online expat platform InterNations. 83% of respondents gave high marks to visa regulation in the UAE, while the global average was 56%. 

The study found that three out of five expats have never experienced red tape. 

1. Foreigners highly appreciated online services with the provision of public services. Entry permit reforms and simplification of the process of obtaining work permits aim to attract thousands of qualified professionals to the UAE. 

2. Another advantage of the UAE, expats called the widespread use of English. Thus, 85% agree that it is easy to live in the Emirates for those who do not speak Arabic. About 87% of expats also praised the availability of high-speed internet at home, while 90% commended the prevalence of digital payments. 

3. Foreigners noted a wide range of recreational opportunities available throughout the country, which certainly affects the overall quality of life. About 86% of respondents notice the gastronomic diversity in the country (the world average is 77%). 

4. The survey showed that the quality of life is also affected by the presence of cultural institutions and nightclubs. All respondents expressed satisfaction with the level of security in the country, 86% were very satisfied with political stability. 78% of respondents called medical services easily accessible, 56% - affordable. 

The labor market in the UAE is considered the third best in the world. Four out of five expats believe that moving to the Emirates has improved their career prospects, while on average only 65% ​​of those surveyed think so. Curiously, 65% of respondents expressed satisfaction with their career achievements. 

Automatic Golden Visas For Nurses 

Medical personnel in the UAE have been automatically upgraded to the category of resident permit. 

In the United Arab Emirates, COVID-19 pandemic fighters, including nurses and paramedics, have their residence visas automatically upgraded. 

It is specified that the government of the country has awarded the so-called advanced workers with "golden" visas, under which they can live in the UAE for 10 years. Health officials have detected a change in the category of entry permit in the system of the Federal Office of Identity and Citizenship. 

Back in 2021, the UAE government promised privileges to medical personnel and their families for exceptional efforts to protect the country's population from the coronavirus. Hospital staff across the country are expected to receive golden visas. Health care workers received the news with delight and gratitude. 

In April 2022, the UAE Cabinet approved one of the largest visa reforms in recent years. In particular, changes were made to the "golden" residency program in order to attract investors and qualified personnel, as well as scientists and talented students and university graduates to the country. 

For holders of a 10-year residence permit, the deadlines for maximum stay outside the UAE have been canceled. They can become sponsors of spouses, children of any age and household staff (unlimited). After the death of the holder of a golden visa, his family can stay in the UAE until its expiration date. 

   • The Golden Visa is issued to scholars, outstanding students and graduates who have scientific achievements, a degree in engineering and technology, and the recommendation of the UAE Council of Scholars. Eligible to receive 10-year-olds are outstanding students of secondary schools in the UAE, graduates of local universities or the top 100 higher education institutions in the world. 

   • In addition, qualified workers with professional experience in various fields, with a valid employment contract, with a scientific or academic degree of at least a bachelor's degree and a salary of at least AED 30,000 per month (USD 8,200) can apply for the "golden" permit. 

   • A 10-year residence permit can be obtained by holders of outstanding achievements in the field of culture, arts, sports and digital technologies, as well as investors in real estate, including under construction, in the amount of at least AED 2 million, which can be purchased in a mortgage (loan can be obtained from a local bank). 

Also, working applications for golden visas can be obtained by entrepreneurs who own a business in the UAE with an annual income of at least AED 1 million (USD 272,000). 

Real Estate Agency In Dubai 

Ax Capital agency can become your assistant in purchasing real estate in Dubai or any other emirate of the country. They will lead you through all the stages of the deal and provide help in obtaining a visa through buying a property in Dubai.

4 Community Resources Making Life Better For Neighborhoods

Have you ever wanted to explore the many community services available in your local area? Surprisingly, many working people are often unaware that cities and towns offer local citizens dozens of ways to enhance their lifestyles. Options include free classes at public libraries, outdoor gyms, no-cost consumer debt counseling, parks, bicycle routes, walking trails, and more. 

In most cases, there's no charge to take advantage of community-based services. If you are the kind of person who enjoys helping others, municipal governments offer you the chance to teach literacy lessons to adults, instruct new immigrants who want to learn basic English, and donate time to help the homeless. Whether you want to give or receive social services, check with local government agencies to see what is available. Here is a short review of the services most communities offer. 

4 Community Resources That Help The Whole Neighborhood

1. Adult Literacy Classes 

Free classes for adults who need help honing their literacy skills are one of the best parts of the entire community service scene. Too often, those who never got the chance to learn basic reading and writing are reluctant to pay for courses or sign up for them at private schools. No-cost courses at community centers help break down those barriers. 

2. Parks And Trails 

One of the main functions of most local governments is keeping local parks safe and clean. Many city parks feature recreation centers, gardens, small zoos, and historical museums. If you haven't used your town's parks, make it a point to get out and take a long walk on the trails, enjoy a picnic lunch on a lazy Sunday afternoon, fly kites with your children, or nap on a blanket under the late-day sun. Adding a bit of outdoor fun and relaxation to your lifestyle is an effective way to exercise on a budget, banish stress, and learn to appreciate the great outdoors. 

3. Outdoor Gyms 

One of the most valuable features of any community is an outdoor gym. Not only are these efficient exercise stations sturdy and weatherproof, but they fit well in just about any public space. You will find them in community gardens, near hospitals, in schoolyards, and workplaces. People of all ages appreciate outdoor fitness equipment that works to help keep them in shape and active any time of the day and anyplace they happen to be. For many, one of the unsung benefits of outdoor gyms is fresh air. Exercising in the open environment is a fun, healthful way to enjoy the great outdoors, sunlight, a cool natural breeze, and the pure joy of simply being in nature. 

4. Consumer Counseling 

For working adults who need help with budgeting, financial planning, avoiding the use of high-interest credit, or other money-related tasks, consumer counseling is the answer. Licensed professionals charge hourly fees, but community resource centers offer no-cost consultations to anyone who needs help. Some low-income working people seek guidance about budgeting for family expenses in a tough economy. Others want to learn how to eliminate debt and begin saving money out of every paycheck. Consumer counselors at municipal agencies offer assistance in every category and know how to get families back on the road to self-sufficiency. 

Caring Community Conclusion 

When people invest in the community, they get a very high return on investment. Community planners should keep these tips in mind to make the neighborhood a better place for all.

Free Financial News Notes Now

There is a lot going on in the world of finance and investment. Here are some noteworthy news nuggets you need to know:

Happy belated birthday to the U.S. Social Security program, which turned 86 years old recently. Luckily for many older Americans, it hasn't been gutted or dismantled yet like the previous presidential administration was considering. Stocks overall climbed to a new record last week despite mixed signals from a pessimistic consumer sentiment index and an optimistic jobless claims report. But markets are very volatile in Europe and the Middle East after recent events have caused further instability. The economy and markets may fluctuate due to this transition and future implications.

Fintech garners the most attention from top VCs in Q2 Our Emerging Tech Indicator report provides a quarterly overview of startups receiving seed and early-stage investments from a select group of top-performing VC firms, and is meant to offer perspective on the products and technologies driving growth opportunities. In the second quarter of 2021, our analysts tracked 211 such deals involving the top 15 VC firms. Key takeaways from the report include: The top five areas of technology investment in Q2 included fintech at $920 million, followed by enterprise SaaS, health and wellness tech, decentralized finance, and ecommerce. ETI deal activity reached $5 billion across the 211 deals, compared with the $6 billion raised across 197 deals in Q1. Our analysts recorded eight ETI deals of over $100 million in Q2, compared with 12 in the previous quarter. The largest deal in Q2 was a $185 million Series A for Forte, the developer of a blockchain-based economic platform.

The past year has made the M&A space more exciting and dynamic than ever. Mergers and acquisitions is on the rise and providing a home for businesses amid the uncertainty, volatility and disruption surrounding global markets. Organizations are focusing on stability and growth when looking at their strategic goals. Many business processes can be outsourced, allowing the key players to focus on the core objective of a merger or acquisition. These include customer service, accounting, payroll, human resources management and compliance. Read Elements Global Services' new white paper, BPO in Mergers & Acquisitions, to gain a better understanding of these points: M&A in today's modern market The benefits of business process outsourcing for M&A BPO in global mobility and compliance

Pandemic puppy boom fetches big deals in Silicon Valley. Pet startups have snatched up more than $1.1 billion of venture capital investment so far this year, easily surpassing a high-water mark set a couple years ago. The pandemic added to a banner year for new pets: Approximately 20% of U.S. households took in a dog or cat between March 2020 and May 2021. Pet-crazy Millennials are also driving a long-running trend of more—and more expensive—pet ownership. Pet insurance is a particularly hot category. London-based Bought By Many raised $350 million in the largest pet-related VC deal of 2021. Don't call it a blip: Investors believe that demographic forces and shifting consumer preferences spell robust growth for pet startups.

How farmers are battling sustainability challenges with agtech It's getting hot out there. News this summer has been filled with stories about drought, wildfires and other effects of climate change on our health, safety and livelihoods. The food system, in particular, is gaining attention for its role as both a significant contributor to and recipient of these changes. For example, a recent UN study linked food systems to one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. So, what technologies are being developed to address these challenges? Click for a larger version of our visual agtech overview. In a report last quarter, we introduced sustainability challenges and investment opportunities throughout the food system. Our latest research focuses on the sustainability challenges facing farmers and the emerging technologies transforming the agriculture industry. In the note, we find that global food demand is increasing along with population growth, which is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. At the same time, extreme weather events, water shortages and harsh industrial agriculture practices are threatening productivity and long-term farm fertility. To fight back, farmers and other agriculture stakeholders are turning to diverse agtech solutions that mitigate sustainability challenges or help adapt to shifting conditions. Here are a few highlights: Emerging technologies, including biotech feed additives, field monitoring and analysis tools, and advanced farm equipment are addressing pollution challenges. Innovative irrigation solutions, indoor farming strategies, and ag biotech inputs are helping agricultural operations adapt to drought. Farms are tackling food waste challenges by identifying new ecommerce sales channels, deploying robotics and automation to perform agricultural tasks, and optimizing farm planning and management with new software tools.

Plant-based patties get all the love, but fake fish is growing out the gills and Big Food wants Plenty of fish in the sea. Plant-based foods have become so mainstream that alt-meat patties are regulars at Burger King, Dunkin’, Starbucks, and Walmart. Oat explosion: The global market for plant-based foods could grow to $450B by 2040, which would represent roughly a quarter of the $1.8T meat market. Soy stars: The growth has been driven by alternative milk and meat, which together make up 55% of total plant-based sales. But in the shadow of Oatly, Beyond Meat, and Impossible Foods, another alt is growing fast: fake fish. Friend keeps telling you to watch “Seaspiracy”... as you inhale spicy tuna rolls. Alternative seafood is one of the fastest growing segments of the plant-based market. Think: tuna made from tomatoes, and artichoke crab cakes. Investment in US plant-based seafood hit $70 million in the first half of 2021 — as much as in the past two years combined. But it still makes up only $12 million, or 0.1% of the $15 billion US seafood market. That’s partly because real seafood has a strong health halo. Cry me a freshwater river… Big Food may have missed the fake meat boom, but it’s not about to miss the fake fish fiesta. Tyson invested in plant-based shellfish company New Wave Foods, which launched its seaweed based shrimp this year. Nestle launched Vuna, a plant-based tuna alternative, last year. It cited stats that 90% of global fish stocks are now fully or nearly depleted. Thai Union Group, which owns tuna legend Chicken of the Sea, already makes plant-based fish and crab, and plans to launch plant-based shrimp this year. You can be late to new trends, but early to the overall opportunity… Big Food was late to plant meat and milk — but early to fake fish. There isn’t yet a dominant player in plant-based seafood, like there is for alt-meat and milk. Plus, the faux meat giants aren’t going after seafood yet. If companies can make plant-based seafood as tasty and nutritious as real fish, they could be early to a big opportunity.

In Q2, Blackstone reported record appreciation in the value of its investments. KKR raised $59 billion last quarter alone, having raised $44 billion in all of 2020. Everything, it seems, is getting easier for public PE giants these days—and the performance shows it. One trend: the timeline for everything has been truncated. Whether it's deploying funds, realizing investments, or the fundraising process in general, everything has shortened and many large funds come back to market quicker than ever. There's a lot more covered in our latest research on public PE firms, including a thorough breakdown of their latest financials.

After back-to-back record quarters for VC activity, enterprise healthtech investment dropped in Q2. Cause for concern? Not according to our analysts, as pressure persists to improve patient outcomes while decreasing costs. Those solutions will largely come from technologies that improve treatment discovery and delivery methods. Highlights from our latest research: Health insurance tech companies are racing to market and require large amounts of capital to meet regulations and invest in value-based care technology to decrease long-term costs. Consumer demand for patient engagement software is high, and these tech-enabled tools enable providers to deliver a robust and flexible experience while limiting labor costs. Real-world evidence has the potential across the entire healthcare ecosystem—including for clinical trials, care provision and determining treatment outcomes.

A record pace of exit activity continues to showcase the maturity of the foodtech sector. Indian food delivery company Zomato went public last month at an $8 billion valuation, and companies like Instacart and Eat Just are also primed for multibillion-dollar listings—perhaps by the end of the year. Our latest sector research offers a look into emerging opportunities in the foodtech space: VC investment of $6.2 billion across 280 deals in Q2 was actually down on a quarterly basis but still very strong historically. Activity was driven by ecommerce and delivery companies. Ultrafast delivery, whereby providers promise deliveries of groceries and high-demand convenience items within 20 minutes (and sometimes even 10 minutes!), has seen a massive surge of investment. Another early category gaining traction is microalgae, a segment within the alternative protein industry, as food scientists continue to explore new technologies that offer health and environmental benefits.

Mobility tech analyst Asad Hussain weighs in on recent developments in the carsharing industry, including the news that Turo has confidentially filed for an IPO: "Carsharing apps offer a significant layer of convenience and accessibility and provide an attractive alternative to the typically cumbersome process of renting a car. "Relative to traditional car rental agencies, P2P providers do not own and operate vehicles, eliminating the costs of fleet procurement and management. This creates a more easily scalable business model that has the potential to drive higher margins. "P2P carsharing is typically less expensive than traditional car rentals and creates a low-touch, seamless digital experience. "As a result, P2P carsharing startups Turo and Getaround are taking market share from the traditional car rental industry, which has struggled from its operations-heavy approach and dependence on business travel. "Turo, in particular, has benefited from pandemic conditions as consumers shy away from air travel in favor for road trips and renting local cars. As consumers can rent vehicles for multiple days, Turo is a great option for socially distanced vacations. "Turo's listing would mark the latest of a swathe of EV/mobility companies to go public, mostly through SPAC mergers. The company's decision to forgo a SPAC in favor of a traditional IPO is indicative of a broader cooling of sentiment toward SPACs. "Our EV / Mobility Price Change Index recorded a 9% loss in the first half of 2021, significantly underperforming the S&P 500's gain of 15.3% over the same period—even as several newly public mobility companies such as Nikola, Lordstown, and Canoo have hit snags."

Our insights and data featured in the press: DoorDash continues to expand into new verticals as the world of on-demand evolves. "Amazon can't handle the delivery needs of everyone." [Bloomberg] But…the FTC's scrutiny over Uber's Drizly acquisition and Gopuff partnership indicates concern over power consolidation. "For food delivery companies, there's only so many levers they can pull to make money." [Quartz] What are the factors supercharging M&A activity? "The combination of cheap financing, high stock prices, and highly confident executives is a recipe for dealmaking." [Private Equity Wire] VC investment is growing at the intersection of AI and medical imaging, "but there's still uneven adoption overall and a degree of skepticism from health care providers."

Green is the new black and cannabis is on a tear with sales at the top 10 publicly traded cannabis companies more than doubling over the last year. Scotts Miracle-Gro, the garden company whose cannabis subsidiary boomed last quarter, launched a cannabis investment arm last week. The new division already invested $150 million in a Canadian cannabis company. Also: last week, a $500M ecomm site Leafly announced plans to go public via SPAC later this year. After an infrastructure appetizer… it’s time to discuss the entree. Last week, a bipartisan group of Senators passed a historic $1T infrastructure bill to improve roads and rail, internet access, and EV networks. The tab will be partly funded by crypto taxes and Covid funds. But there’s a hook — House Dems plan to stall unless they can also tack on a $3.5T social and climate package. If the bills pass, they could kick off a new era of big government.

The DIY boom is ending, but someone still needs to fix the faucet. DIY-mania powered strong 2020 sales at Home Depot and Lowe’s. But last quarter, sales of “pro” products for contractors exceeded sales from DIYers at both companies — and helped their sales continue rising year-over-year. We’ll see if their new focus on pros through everything from tool rentals to supply chain improvements has paid off when both companies report earnings this week. Shop until the stimmies stop! After a spring of up-and-down consumer spending, retail sales rose above pre-pandemic levels in June as people spent padded savings and leftover stimulus cash on electronics, cars, and online classes. But inflation, the spread of Delta, and the end of stimulus payments could dampen the buzz. We’ll get a pulse check on America’s shopping spree when the July retail sales report, which tracks retail and restaurant spending, drops on Tuesday to see the results of the stimulus checks so far.

Seeding and anchoring: Options for accelerating the first-time fundraise. Competition to raise new personal equity funds has never been fiercer. Despite the quality of new managers seeking capital, first-time vehicles as a proportion of closed PE funds declined in 2020 and again in H1 2021. Our new data breaks down how seed and anchor commitments can help accelerate fundraising processes for new managers. A few key takeaways include: An anchor is a large LP commitment accompanied by fee-and-carry discounts. In a seed deal, in exchange for a substantial fund commitment and, in some cases, providing operating capital, the seeder receives an economic share in the GP, the management company or both. Most LPs that seed or anchor first-time funds fall into one of five categories: sponsors, large institutional LPs, funds-of-funds, family offices or endowments. The decision to take a seed or anchor is unique to each manager. First-time fund managers need to weigh the economics they'll be giving up against the potential benefits. Seeders must be highly selective in the managers they choose to back in order to avoid adverse selection effects. 

WeWork is partnering with Saks Fifth Avenue to launch in-store working spaces – this time it doesn't own the leases. Can this help rescue the ravaged company and its downtrodden investors? Disney shares jumped last week after its theme parks returned to profit – but its real focus is Disney+ and its Great Media Experiment. #Benefits: Walmart and Target offer to pay 100% of college tuition for workers as companies amp up benefits to lure workers. Focus: Charles Darwin, Virgina Woolf, and Thomas Jefferson all used this three-or-four hour rule to fuel their best creative work. Make the most of your well-earned time off by planning ahead. The Ford F-150 is the best-selling car in the US — but the rest of the world has different tastes for trucks. Royal Dutch Shell finally paid an $111 million fine last week for an oil spill that happened 54 years ago in the country of Nigeria. Better late than never? Upwork CEO Hayden Brown shares her thoughts on how freelancing is changing the world of work. How can we protect outdoor workers facing heat, smoke and humidity? Technology might have the answer. How following the venture capital dollars provides insight on the next big real estate booms.

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VC, Startup, IPO, And Stock Market Investing News

A lot of people have predicted how the VC market would fare in 2021. Six months in, the crystal ball is clearing, and our latest analyst note updates the scorecard. Some of our hits and misses include: Biotech and pharma didn't disappoint. The sector has already met our prediction that it would notch $20 billion in deal value for the second year in a row. And it did it two quarters ahead of schedule. We expected SPAC IPO activity to decline this year, and it did—but only after exploding in Q1 with 281 blank-check listings. Nontraditional investors are on pace to lead almost 2,000 early- and late-stage deals this year, which would surpass our prediction of a record 1,600. 

It appears that mega-funds are the hot private equity investing topic of 2021. This year is looking to be a banner one for private equity's mega-funds, with the likes of Hellman & Friedman closing its 10th namesake vehicle at $24.4 billion and The Carlyle Group reportedly eyeing $27 billion for its next flagship fund—in what would be the largest private equity vehicle of all time. In all, 12 buyout and growth mega-funds—defined as any fund that has raised over $5 billion—have already closed this year. For context, 18 mega-funds were closed in 2019, and 16 in 2020. According to Frugal Finance source data, at least seven of those 12 funds have raised over $10 billion each.

Venture Capital News

Shares in UK private equity firm Bridgepoint Advisers jumped by as much as 30% in its first day of trading on the London Stock Exchange, underscoring investor appetite for an asset class in the middle of a post-pandemic rebound. Bridgepoint, which priced its IPO at 350 pence per share (around $4.76 per share), saw its share price climb to just over 454 pence before closing at 420 pence. The firm joins a small cadre of publicly traded European private equity firms that includes Eurazeo, Partners Group, Tikehau Capital and EQT. The IPO comes at a time when European PE firms are driving a surge in deal activity. Earlier this week, a European PE Breakdown showed that the region has seen nearly €170 billion (around $200 billion) invested across some 1,800 deals during the second quarter, representing year-over-year increases of 137% and 161%, respectively.

Capital flows into life sciences at a record pace Well over $25 billion has been invested in US life sciences companies in 2021 already, a sum that exceeds annual totals for most of the 2010s. In addition, a slew of IPOs has contributed to a mammoth $36.4 billion in aggregate exit value. Orrick's latest edition of Life Sciences Snapshot breaks down these remarkable trends in depth—key data points and findings include: Additional drivers of meteoric rises in valuations Transactional volume by series and size A roundtable with industry experts focused on spinouts and how they can unlock value.

Clayton, Dubilier & Rice has elevated Andrew Campelli to partner. Campelli joined CD&R in 2015 and has served as an executive on the firm's industrials investment team. Operating out of London and New York, CD&R invests in sectors such as healthcare, retail and tech services.

Ethos, a life insurance startup, has raised $100 million from SoftBank's Vision Fund 2 at a valuation of $2.7 billion. This investment comes just two months after the San Francisco-based company closed a $200 million Series D, and brings Ethos' total capital raised to $400 million. Other backers of the company include Sequoia, Accel, GV and General Catalyst. 

VC Market

VC Dealmaking indicator quantifies the relationship between startups and investors Using our wealth of data on VC deal terms, valuations and fundraising, we have constructed an indicator that captures how startup- or investor-friendly the deal environment is in the early- and late-stage markets. To cut to the chase, we found that Q2's early- and late-stage deal terms have grown 2.7x and 3.3x more startup-friendly, respectively, since Q1 2010. To construct the indicator, we encoded five different deal terms as well as the time between rounds, valuation step-ups, and percent of ownership acquired. We've also included a new metric that seeks to estimate the supply and demand of capital in the VC market. Currently, both the early and late stages are quite startup-friendly, with the amount of capital in the market driving a large portion of that trend. Historically, we see that early-stage deals tend to be more startup-friendly when compared to late-stage deals.

Microsoft Making Major Moves 

What CEO Satya Nadella has done for Microsoft is INCREDIBLE - he's taken what was an arrogant SINKING SHIP and turned it around into a soaring ROCKETSHIP, and for that he deserves FULL credit for this turnaround. However, you have to understand that while is seems that EMPATHY helped generate a $ 2T company, EMPATHY was merely the FACE of that transition. What actually helped make Microsoft a $2T company was the brilliantly (borderline Machiavellian) way in which Microsoft first changed Windows 10, then almost forced the entire world to upgrade to it, then forced the requirement of a Microsoft account to use Microsoft Office, and then USED that requirement to leave 1000s of organizations worldwide with NO choice other than to somehow sign-up for its Cloud, not to mention changing most of its products in a way that you couldn't really do much without its Cloud. One more thing. They sheer amount of data it is now collecting from every Windows 10 PC (and you CANNOT turn that off i.e. you do NOT have a choice) is touted by them to the investment community as though they're a powerhouse in the security space. If you don't give people a choice, then use ALL of the above to make it appear to investors that they are experiencing substantial growth. 

Inflation Increases

A penny for your thoughts, but empathy is free. Inflation has us suffering from sticker stock, but are we ready to be shocked some more? With rising production costs, companies have been passing along higher costs to consumers with more on the way. For the most part, consumers have patiently put up with price hikes, but that patience won't last long especially if companies continue with their tactics. Higher material costs, supply chain disruptions and rising worker wages have all contributed to inflation. Some are controllable, while others aren't. While the test for companies over the next few months may be about the willingness of consumers to pay more, the real test may be on a company's brand reputation. Establishing loyalty is big deal in marketing, and companies preach about delivering value to consumers like it's going out of style. Unfortunately, that doesn't always come through in practice. Even before the pandemic, we've been paying more through sneaky price hikes (aka shrinkflation) where companies reduce the size or quantity of their products while charging the same price or even more. Price hikes are likely inevitable, and consumers will face the economic and financial implications that come with that. One would hope that empathy and transparency will play bigger roles as we go through these inflationary times. Ultimately, companies would be wise to remind themselves that while they hold leverage over supply and prices, consumers hold the leverage to buy something else.

Job Vacancies

There's ghosting in the job world, and then there's ghosting and inviting someone for an interview years later. That's the theme of a recent Wall Street Journal report, which highlighted a number of people who were contacted by places like McDonald's and Cheesecake Factory two to four years after applying for jobs. Laugh all you want at this tactic, but White Castle said it reached out to over half a million applicants dating as far back as 2017 with current job leads and 32,000 responded with interest. We're company-wide at White Castle and statewide with McDonald's in several states. Yes, as you'll read in this article published at WSJ, we're clearing out companies' backlogs of former applicants due to large job vacancies. The article doesn't mention that we're also recruiting and targeting former employees of these companies because we're finally acknowledging hourly workers as knowledge workers. It's long overdue for this change in tactics and perspective, but it could be too little too late for 2021.

Robinhood Initial Public Offering

Robinhood is having an IPO very soon and they are having a livestream event will feature a presentation by CEO Vlad Tenev and other leaders of Robinhood in the lead-up to taking the company public. It’s a chance for everyday investors to join for a presentation that would usually only be offered to institutional investors. They will also have a Q&A where these leaders will answer some of the top questions submitted over the last several days. The roadshow won’t be available for playback later, so Robinhood.com hopes you can join them live! The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the preliminary prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from: Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. No offer to buy the securities can be accepted and no part of the purchase price can be received until the registration statement has become effective, and any such offer may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time prior to notice of its acceptance given after the effective date. This announcement shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. All investments involve risk and loss of principal is possible. Robinhood Financial LLC is a registered broker dealer (member SIPC).  Robinhood Securities, LLC provides brokerage clearing services (member SIPC). Robinhood Crypto, LLC provides cryptocurrency trading. All are subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc. (Robinhood).

PE, VC, & IPO Updates

At the midpoint of 2021, European PE activity is surging toward annual records in dealmaking, exits and fundraising, highlighting PE as one of the most in-demand asset classes right now. The great lockdown crisis toppled many industry forecasts and trends while reinforcing and accelerating others, including PE, which arguably has never seen a more favorable environment for dealmaking. Other key takeaways from our new report: PE exit activity in Europe has returned with gusto after 2020's pandemic-induced slowdown, driven by €2.5 billion+ deals. Fundraising has been exceptionally strong, as robust secular trends continue to fuel LP confidence and boost PE allocations. Despite inflationary pressures and COVID-19 spikes with the delta variant, we expect to see much of the same from the European PE industry in the second half of the year.

AI & machine learning analyst Brendan Burke weighs in on the recent IPO of Blend, which went public at a valuation of just under $4 billion: "Blend's IPO continues a trend of VC exits for AI-integrated fintech startups. "Along with Blend, companies like Upstart, Bill.com, Lemonade and nCino have recently achieved outstanding IPO outcomes by applying AI to distinct categories of financial services. "Blend delivers cloud-based SaaS to consumer financial services firms, focusing on mortgage lending along with other consumer products. "The company incorporates AI in its mortgage lending workflow automation product, not explicitly as part of loan decisioning. "Upstart has demonstrated that AI can be successfully and ethically applied to loan decisioning, which may present an opportunity for Blend as it collects more data. "Blend's S-1 is not explicit about the role of AI in its software nor its data inputs, creating uncertainty about the company's approach to AI ethics. The company's internally developed patents do not involve AI. "Blend was recently assigned a patent for a novel neural network architecture by Carnegie Mellon researchers that may lead to more extensive AI integration. "Financial services dependent on costly manual processes remain susceptible to disruption by AI-integrated startups."

Space tech is having a moment. But just how much VC money is going to those startups? And what does the future of the industry look like? PE's more growth-oriented investment approach is leading to new opportunities in cybersecurity, and our analysts say that might also be a boon for VC-backed startups. The PE dealmaking environment in Europe has never been better, and the findings from our latest report on the region were picked up by several outlets. 

Stocks soared to record highs last week, rebounding from last Monday's plunge as investors reacted to strong corporate earnings. The techy Nasdaq index rallied nearly 3% ahead of Big Tech earnings this week.

Facebook Finger Pointing

Facebook's Biden drama: misinformation has hurt the social giant's rep — but not its biz Drama in the feed. This month, President Joe Biden said social platforms like Facebook are "killing people" with Covid misinformation. Facebook's response: a blog post called "Moving Past Finger Pointing." In short, Facebook says it's not its fault that Biden failed to get 70% of American adults vaccinated by July 4th. Biden walked back his comments, but said social platforms should do more to tackle misinfo. As the Delta variant spreads, Covid cases have been surging among the unvaccinated. Biden believes anti-vax content is a key reason some remain unvaxed. A recent study found that 95% of Covid misinfo reported across social platforms wasn't removed. Facebook says it has removed 18M instances of Covid misinfo, and that 85% of its US users have been, or want to be, vaccinated. Déjà vu vibes... This public spat is part of a much broader issue of content moderation on Facebook, spanning from election interference, to hate speech, to the Capitol riots. Last year, 1K+ advertisers, including big shots like Verizon, paused spending on FB ads to protest its moderation policies. That didn't make a dent in FB's sales. Despite the criticism, FB's biz is thriving, and its stock is at a record high: For the quarter ended in March, FB's ad sales soared 48% from last year to $25B, and profit nearly doubled to $9.5B. When FB reports this Wednesday, analysts expect $28B in quarterly sales, or 60% growth from last year — even faster than the previous quarter. THE TAKEAWAY FB's biggest threats are external... For now, Facebook's 3.5B monthly users across FB, Insta, and WhatsApp mean advertisers are hooked. Misinformation doesn't seem to be hurting its biz — but intensifying antitrust scrutiny and competition from Gen Z-loved apps could. Last year, FB lost users in North America as TikTok blew up. Meanwhile, Biden has tapped Big Tech critics to lead on antitrust regulation. Potential breakups or blocked acquisitions could become existential threats.

Big Tech Earnings Report

Top big tech earnings and share prices drop together recently. Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Facebook report quarterly numbers this week. Last quarter, the "Big Tech 5" demolished earnings. Amazon and Apple had their best first quarters ever, Google's profit more than doubled, and Microsoft posted its strongest growth since 2018. The Nasdaq index, which is dominated by the Big Tech 5, is up 17% this year. Despite reopenings, some online pandemic habits seem to have stuck, and even intensified. But tougher antitrust regulation could spell trouble for the "Tech 5" down the line. Oil or caviar?... You're feeling it at the pump: US gas prices are up 45% from last year. After oil prices plunged in March 2020, OPEC cut oil production to stop the free fall. Now, the powerhouse org of 14 oil-exporting countries has agreed to boost production, as oil prices hit their highest levels in more than two years. We'll see if higher prices helped Shell, Exxon, and Chevron when they report earnings this week so dust off your old stock certificates. The oil giants are also facing pressure to embrace renewable energy.

Coronavirus Comeback

A surge in Covid cases driven by the highly-contagious Delta variant is pouring cold water on recovery optimism and even the stock market at times. Delta now accounts for an estimated 83% of all new Covid-19 cases in the US. The CDC is calling it "a pandemic of the unvaccinated," and a few big counties, including LA, have brought back indoor mask mandates. Last Monday, the Dow stock index had its biggest one-day drop since October. Stocks have since recovered, but we could see more volatility ahead. The "House Hype" is real and it's not a TikTok creator mansion. The housing market boom pushed the median US home price to a record high of $363K last month. Homeowners have benefited, gaining $1.5T last year as home values soared. But after more than a year of extreme home shopping, the tight housing supply is increasing, and is expected to grow through the rest of this year. 

Learn More About Investing

There are always a lot of moving parts in the venture capital and investment world, so stay tuned right here on Frugal Finance for further updates. Also visit the Investing, Crypto, Bitcoin, and Frugal Finances sections of our blog to learn more today!

The Latest On The TikTok US Ban Saga

A federal judge postponed an order from the administration of Donald Trump last Sunday, where Trump ordered the download of the TikTok app. A more comprehensive ruling is expected by November once the presidential election is over. 

The judge who issued a postponement is Carl Nichols from the US District Court of District of Columbia. This ruling came about after a hearing where TikTok lawyers said that the order, which banned TikTok from app stores in the US, infringes the First Amendment rights. They also argued that the ban would cause business harm that is beyond repair. 

If you remember, Donald Trump was resolute in making TikTok go away from the US through a total ban. This comes after issues surfaced that kids allegedly used the app to sabotage President Trumps Tulsa Rally. President Trump said that TikTok is a cause of concern as it poses a national security issue. 

While TikTok is not a gambling app like Canadian online casino apps that use cookies to improve the efficiency of the navigation and perform analytics, the President firmly believes that the app may be used by the Chinese government to gather data from US citizens. 

Deal Between TikTok And Oracle 

Along the way, one solution that executives looked into was to sell TikTok shares to Microsoft. However, this plan did not materialize, and TikTok was then sold to different companies like Oracle. 

As of this time, the deal between TikTok and Oracle is not yet final. Oracle is a huge software company, and it is one of the companies vying for stakes at TikTok, along with Walmart. While discussions are on the way, TikTok is still in a battle against the US government to make the app stay afloat in the United States. 

Battle: TikTok Vs. US Government 

TikTok executives issued a statement and said that they were happy about this court ruling. They further said that they are actively seeking a win-win situation about the sale of its shares to US stakeholders. Because of this ruling, the Commerce Department is not going to put a ban on TikTok just yet. 

The Commerce Department is the one responsible for the banning, and they are actively seeking to advance the interests of the Trump administration. 

The judge who countered the ban order did not publicly explain why he ruled in favour of TikTok. The judge, however, provided an opinion through sealed filing. The US government’s briefing about it and the judge’s ruling are both sealed from the public. 

TikTok lawyers said that TikTok is not just an app. They argued that it is like a modern-day town square. They also said that if the ban happens, the consequences are grave, which is akin to the government closing the doors to a public forum, which essentially is a violation of the First Amendment. 

In addition to this, the lawyers also said that the ban would have an adverse impact on the capabilities of thousands of content creators and that the ban would prevent the TikTok developers from launching security updates over the air. 

One lawyer from the Justice Department claimed that Chinese companies are not exactly private, that they are expected to comply with intrusive Chinese laws. The lawyer Daniel Schwei also said that this ban is not a violation of the First Amendment. 

He also argued that the lawyers of TikTok could not prove the damage that the ban would cause. Furthermore, he said that the actual threat to national security was TikTok, knowing that the Chinese government, by law, can access its files. 

The Trump administration has set the TikTok ban in motion, and we can recall that this has started as early as August of 2020. What many people do not realize is that TikTok is not the only app that was on the list, but also another one called WeChat, which is also a Chinese app. the concern of the Trump administration is that these apps have the personal information of millions of US citizens, which can be handed over to Chinese authorities. 

US-Based TikTok Entity: TikTok Global 

Microsoft attempted to get majority shares of the TikTok business, but Trump gave it to Oracle and Walmart, both of which will bet 20% of the shares in the new US-based TikTok entity, which will be called TikTok global. Despite this. Trump can still retract this approval for the deal, which can happen if Oracle has no total control over the company. 

Until now, the deal is not yet finished. Both TikTok and the US parties are still ironing out the kinks of the deal, but we can expect this saga to end after the November elections.

Understanding the 7 Main Rules of FSMA

When we buy groceries, we are always looking for safe, high-quality food products from farms and distributors.

This is the reason the FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) exists.

There are seven FSMA rules that help implement safety prevention food practices by people that grow it, process it, transport, and store it. Here are the main food safety rules.


1. Safe Standards for Fruits and Veggies

This rule applies to covered farms to make sure that all fruits and vegetables are following the FSMA plan to at least the minimum standards to grow and harvest produce.

The rule also monitors requirements for hygiene, clean equipment, tools, and buildings.


2. Mitigation Strategies Against Intentional Adulteration

This requires facilities that have to register with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to write a food defense plan.

The food defense plan has to have an analysis of any vulnerabilities and the procedures followed to monitor the food, along with the actions taken to fix any vulnerabilities.


3. Preventative Controls

This is where a food facility has to have a food safety plan that includes an analysis of hazards and preventative controls to minimize any hazards that are identified.

Another part of this rule is for these food facilities to have a recall plan in place. 


4. Sanitary Transportation

This is to help keep food safe from any contamination during transportation. It was put in place to make sure that the proper cleaning is done in between loads and that food is refrigerated properly. 

The carriers have to be trained properly to carry out sanitary transportation practices.


5. Third-Party Certifications

This is the requirement for recognition by the FDA. It is also the requirement for third-party companies seeking accreditation.

Those that are accredited can conduct food safety audits and can certify that food facilities are meeting the FDA food safety requirements.


6. FSVP (Foreign Supplier Verification Program)

This is a rule that applies to importers of food into the United States. The purpose of the FSVP rule is to make sure the food being imported meets the safety standards set by the United States. 

An importer is the U.S. owner or consignee of the food, the U.S. agency or representative of the foreign owner, or consignee when the food is entering the U.S.


7. VQIP (Voluntary Qualified Importer Program) 

This is a voluntary program to receive expedited review and import entry into the United States.

Importers that meet the eligibility criteria pay a fee and can import their products into the United States faster.


What Are Your Thoughts on the FSMA Rules?

Now that you are aware of the FSMA rules, you can have a little more peace of mind that the FSMA is helping the global food chain.

If you are part of the food industry, make sure you are aware of the Food Safety Modernization Act requirements that apply to your business to ensure that you follow the FDA requirements.

Did you find our article on food safety helpful? Please bookmark our business section to never miss our latest articles on food service tips and restaurant business insights.

How Businesses And Bettors Are Viewing An Impeachment

At a quick glance, the impeachment hearings might not appear to have much of a direct impact on American business, whether that’s the small business sector or large corporations. What’s clear, however, is the weight of influence elected officials carry. The policies they inevitably choose, or reverse have the power to steer the general economy, for better or for worse. Oddsmakers on the other hand, may be getting a favorably known outcome from the start. 

Small Business Sector 

For small businesses, new policies and legislative policies that have been put in place to support their sector could be derailed with an impending impeachment. 

As reported on the National Federation of Independence index, small-business optimism reached a five- month low in August. A sharp fall in economy and low-sales expectations were cited as the main indicators. 

A strong economy, it appears, outweighs political disruptions when policies prove inconsequential to the economy or the small business sector. 

Big Business, Tariffs, And Investors 

The economic fallout experienced from tariffs that President Trump imposed have largely been a reason behind the recent anxieties U.S. businesses face. The financial consequences have been felt by farmers, manufacturers, and overseas investors alike. 

Republican Senators, such as Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas and Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, are designing solutions that would reassert the role of Congress. Their hopes are that Congress is assigned with the task of regulating commerce offshores and setting tariffs, rather than leaving it solely in the hands of the President. 

Business groups are supporting this possible solution, including U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Foreign Trade Council. 

An impeachment could mean the imposed tariffs are reversed. 

An impending impeachment could leverage a rebalancing of power to Senate republicans who can find the President “not guilty.” Senators may use this as an opportunity to have the favor returned, citing “quid pro quo.” 

“Likely, the “quid” would be a rebalancing of power, with the Senate regaining its traditional and constitutional roles, particularly regarding trade, tariffs and foreign agreements.” – John S. Tobey for Forbes 

Bettors 

The uncertainty surrounding the Trump candidacy and subsequent administration has made it an easy target for oddsmakers looking to capitalize their gains. 

While the impact an impeachment could cause to businesses remains unknown, oddsmakers seem to be confident when it comes to predicting the probability of impeachment. 

Impeachment is an altogether rare event throughout presidential history. Although there may be a lack of traditional forecasting strategies to predict this particular outcome, political betting sites are saying that impeachment is likely. 

Some bookmakers are even putting the odds of impeachment at around 20%. 

According to PredicIt users: 

• There was a 40% chance of impeachment in 2019. 
• There was a 78% chance of impeachment in his first term. 
• There was a 21% implied chance Trump resigns in his first term. 
• There was a 22% implied chance Trump is convicted in a trial in the Senate. 

How do you think the proceedings will turn out for the king of quotes Donald Trump? Do you think that an impeachment will have much of an impact on US businesses? What will the impact be beyond the United States? 

Will it impact presidential candidates like Mike Bloomberg or Tom Steyer? Only time will answer all of these questions!

EMP Safety: How to Prepare for a Nuclear Attack

When most people think of surviving a nuclear attack, they envision a massive explosion, physical devastation, and the inevitable radiation issues. While these are all important factors, people also need to worry about an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) created the explosion.

The EMP could do just as much if not more long-term devastation than the nuclear explosion, but few people understand what it is and how it works. We’ll examine the facets of an EMP and what you can do to protect your family and yourself from its aftereffects.

If there is a attack on American soil or in the atmosphere, you need to know how to prepare for a nuclear attack.


What Happens During a Nuclear Explosion?

There are two ways a nuclear attack can happen. It can be detonated on the ground or in the upper atmosphere. A ground attack would create a devastating explosion that would obliterate almost everything within a few miles of the explosion.

There would be shockwave created by the explosion that would knock down buildings and almost everything else in it’s past. Once the explosion is over, there is radiation exposure based on wind directions and proximity to the blast site.

The blast also creates an EMP that could knock out all electrical equipment within a certain radius of the blast.

If the detonation happens in the atmosphere, then the primary danger would be radiation fallout and the EMP, which could impact a far greater number of devices.

The EMP could knock out power, cars, telecommunications, the Internet and any other electronic devices within its range.


What is an EMP?

An EMP is an energy burst that can impact turned on electrical devices and power stations. It causes a large pulse of electricity to flow through wiring such as power lines or even cell phones.

They can occur naturally through solar storms or through nuclear explosions. The exact impact the EMP would have on society is unknown as there has not been much testing on the situation.

An EMP attack could cause major short-term and long-term chaos by disrupting power and telecommunications systems throughout the nation.

Due to American’s reliance on electronics, the Internet and automated systems, the impact could include a complete shutdown of the electrical grid and infrastructure leading to years of problems.

How an EMP caused by a nuclear attack would impact the United States depends on where it was detonated and the power of the bomb. There are three distinct pulses created during a nuclear explosion.

The first is a blast of electromagnetic radiation created soon after the explosion. This EMP impacts only a small area. The second emp comes soon after the first and is like electromagnetic lightning, which causes little damage.

When the nuclear explosion pushes against the earth’s magnetic field, it creates an EMP that impacts a large area and is the one commonly associated with causing widespread devastation.


How to Prepare for a Nuclear Attack

Like any major doomsday scenario, survival depends on your preparation. We’ll discuss what can be done about two main concerns: the blast and radiation.

As with any emergency, you must be prepared to survive for several days or even weeks on your own. This includes a supply of food and water, blankets, flashlights and medication and first-aid supplies, etc. This is simply a disaster preparedness kit that you need for all situations.

If you have enough warning to get into your basement or fallout shelter before the explosion, then be prepared for a large boom followed by the shockwave. Depending on your proximity, your home and anything else above ground could be destroyed.

If you can’t get to the basement, then get under a desk or other surface.

Radiation fallout will be considerable near the blast site and decrease the further out it goes. There is still nuclear fallout in the air and will follow the path of winds in the area. This could extend the range of the fallout for many miles and last for many days or weeks.

It’s best to not go outside unless given the all-clear that the radiation has passed. It’s possible to protect yourself from some radiation by taking iodine pills. If you have or are building a fallout shelter, then you’ll need at least 5 inches of steel, two feet of packed earth, three feet of water or 16 inches of brick to protect from radiation.

You’ll also need an air filtration system or oxygen system independent from outside air as it can bring the radiation into the shelter.


How to Prepare for the EMP

Since the EMP impacts electrical equipment, turn off all necessary equipment prior to the blast. It will keep them from shorting out.

The only thing to protect electronics active during the blast is a Faraday cage. It’s a cage constructed of conductive material that blocks electromagnetic fields. It’s the only thing that can protect electronics from an EMP blast.

You can build one yourself or purchase them pre-made. Once the EMP hits, it could be a martial law situation. It could be weeks or months before some semblance of normality appears and not everyone will be as prepared as you.

When the radiation clears and you exit your shelter, you could run into mobs of people seeking food and shelter or sick and injured people suffering from radiation burns. There could be starving animals that attack on-site and other dangers.

It’s important to be able to protect yourself and your family until law and order can be restored.


You Can Survive a Nuclear Attack

Whether the attack is caused by a foreign nation, terrorists or natural events, preppers can survive a nuclear attack and EMP blast. Follow these prepper tips and you’ll be able to protect your family from one of the deadliest threats to mankind.

You'll know how to prepare for a nuclear attack and save the day. If you would like to no more about preparing for disasters frugally, then please explore the rest of our site.

How Political Elections Impact The Market And Economy

ETX Capital has carried out new market research looking at how the markets reacted to United States presidential elections, as well as how other global political events have affected the volatility index and the value of gold vs other investments. Political campaigns and campaign results impact the economy greatly, especially in 2023 and 2024.

In the 2008 recession, gold increased in value significantly by 21%, but fell 16% after Obama’s 1st election. 2016 saw a huge drop in the value of gold, with Donald Trump’s presidential election. This election saw the biggest drop in the price of gold, falling 11%. As changes in markets regularly occur through everyday events, it raises the question, how do ‘global’ events impact them? ETX Capital studied the market, to see how it has differed throughout the years. 

The in-depth study focuses on the fluctuation of the Dow Jones, the price of Gold and the Volatility Index. The volatility index helps to determine when there is too much optimism or fear in the market. When sentiment reaches one extreme or the other, the market typically reverses course. This impacts everyone from long-term investors to day-traders in the stock market due to erratic elections.

The study looks at how volatile the stock markets became in the immediate aftermath of elections, looking at both the Dow Jones and the Volatility Index (VIX). Some of the key findings of the study were as follows: 

In 1996, the presidential election between Bill Clinton and Bob Dole saw the Dow Jones increase 26% following Clint 2008 bore witness to the recession, as Barack Obama and John McCain went head to head. The Dow Jones dropped 34% over the course of the election, in a hugely tumultuous period of financial history 2016’s election saw the battle of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The Dow Jones increased 13% following Donald Trump’s election to office. Politics often impact the stock market and economy so it is to be expected each year.

Looking ahead to 2020, averages from previous years suggest that the Dow Jones will sit at an increase of around 3%. Global Events The 21st century has seen some remarkable global events, making a huge impact on the world both politically and economically. But how much sway do certain events have on the markets? 

In 2015, the Swiss Franc crash happened in tandem with an increase in gold value of 9.5%. Donald Trump’s 2016 October election saw the value of gold dramatically drop 11.9%, with the volatility rating down to 15.1. Following from Donald Trump’s election, Theresa May’s election increased the value of gold 2.1%, but saw a decrease in the volatility index. Elections and political powers can impact economic volatility.

Only time will tell how the 2020 presidential election will go if a progressive like Bernie Sanders gets the win or if a moderate like Michael Bloomberg or Tom Steyer wins, or if the incumbent Trumps them all.

The Volatility Index (VIX) helps to determine when there is too much optimism or fear in the market. When sentiment reaches one extreme or the other, the market typically reverses course. This helps to improve investor expectations regardless of the bear or bull markets taking place in the global economy.