Wall Street: Banks brace for European blackouts

The latest in finance.
View in browser
INSIDER
Subscribe

10 THINGS ON WALL STREET

Hi. I'm Aaron Weinman. Wall Street banks — both US and European — are quite literally turning off the spigots to preserve energy across their European offices, which are preparing for a chilling winter.

Firms like JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank are shutting off hot water and water fountains to mitigate the impact of the Russian government's decision to stop the flow of gas to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.

Russia — which was hit with sanctions after President Vladimir Putin chose to invade Ukraine — said Nord Stream 1 wouldn't reopen until those sanctions were lifted.

JPMorgan's European offices have carried out power outage simulations, tests which help the bank prepare for a loss of power.

The Russian government's decision to stem the flow of gas to European countries — which are heavily reliant on energy from Russia — is having a knock-on effect to various parts of the global economy from utilities bills to foreign exchange volatility (stock up on your USD!).

Let's dig into it.


If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here.


Office buildings, including the corporate headquarters of Deutsche Bank, stand in the financial district in the city center on March 7, 2019 in Frankfurt, Germany.

1. JPMorgan is mulling the use of diesel generators to stay online as banks' European offices contemplate life without the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline. Deutsche Bank is switching off hot water in bathrooms and changing the temperatures in its offices.

The German lender is also turning off the fountain and the lit-up advertising outside its headquarters in Frankfurt.

Other finance companies, from France's BNP Paribas to insurance firm Zurich, are also taking steps to preserve energy ahead of the coming winter chill. Should things worsen, Zurich may shut off services like its office gym.

Financial services firms are responding to Russian energy giant Gazprom's decision to shut down a pipeline that is crucial to Europe's energy sector.

This is the second time in recent months that Gazprom has turned off Nord Stream 1. The pipeline was shut down on August 31 for three days of maintenance.

Despite going back online on September 2, it was only operating at 20% capacity. Gas flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline under the Baltic Sea to Germany. It has historically supplied about a third of the gas exported by Russia to Europe.

In Germany, natural gas makes up about 27% of the country's overall energy mix. Before Russia crossed the border into Ukraine, more than half of the gas consumed in Germany was imported from Russia.

Since then, it's been a mad scramble by European nations to source gas from other nations like Norway or the Netherlands. Germany has also sought to expand infrastructure to enable it to import more liquefied natural gas from the US and Qatar.

As temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere cool in the coming months, European homes and offices will be hard pressed to diversify their energy mix and conserve their existing energy sources to ensure homes and businesses remain heated.


In other news:

Kim Kardashian attends the New York City KKW Beauty launch at ULTA Beauty in 2019.

2. Kim Kardashian is teaming up with Jay Sammons, a former partner who ran consumer investing at Carlyle, to start a new private-equity firm called SKKY Partners, the Wall Street Journal first reported. SKKY will focus on investing in consumer products, hospitality, luxury goods, digital commerce, media, and entertainment businesses. Reality-television star Kardashian, meanwhile, has built a $1.8 billion empire.

3. Broadcom's $61 billion acquisition of VMWare is poised to expand its efforts in the cloud. But customers and employees say the deal squanders VMWare's success. Insider took a deep dive into the frustrations bubbling up in the company's ecosystem as the buyout progresses.

4. Twitter's legal battle with Elon Musk has offered up a clue about who manages the fortune of the billionaire. Twitter has subpoenaed Jon Neuhaus, a managing director at Musk's preferred investment bank Morgan Stanley. Here is what we know about the wealth advisor. A judge, meanwhile, has called Musk's legal team's efforts "suboptimal" and took a shot at his decision to waive due diligence on his original agreement to buy Twitter.

5. British movie-theater operator Cineworld has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US. The world's second-largest movie chain has $1.94 billion in debt from existing lenders, and it expects to exit Chapter 11 in the first quarter of 2023. PJT Partners is financial advisor to Cineworld, while AlixPartners is restructuring advisor. Kirkland & Ellis and Slaughter & May are legal counsel to the cinema operator.

6. The death of Bed Bath & Beyond's former chief financial officer, Gustavo Arnal, has renewed scrutiny of the struggling retailer. Here is a look at what led up to this critical juncture, and whether the company will sink or swim from here.

7. Goldman Sachs' internships have ended, but the interns don't have job offers (yet), according to efinancialcareers. Interns at the bank's London office will not find out if they get to convert their internships into full-time jobs until a few weeks after the program ends.

8. Bank of America is planning its new return-to-office policies in the next six-to-eight weeks, Bloomberg reported. The plans will be based on feedback the bank received from staff surveys, Chief Executive Brian Moynihan said at a conference on Tuesday.

9. Angelina Jolie's former investment company is suing Brad Pitt for $250 million. The firm is alleging that Pitt secretly moved assets and devalued the former couple's joint wine company, Chateau Miraval.

10. Miren, a fintech that helps lenders assess small-business owners, just scored a grant from Google for startups. Here is the 16-slide pitch deck the company used to help founder Gabriela Campoverde become a finalist for the David Prize, a $200,000 grant awarded annually to five New Yorkers.


Done deals and people moves:

  • Private-equity investor Francisco Partners has acquired a controlling interest in Kobalt, a music and technology company.
  • Antelope, a pet-wellness company owned by Alpine Investors, has bought Ark Naturals Company, another pet health and wellness brand. Ark will still operate under its brand name.
  • Bank of America has named JuliAnn Burkhardt as its chief strategy officer for global investment banking, Bloomberg reported. Burkhardt — who joined BofA in 2007 — will succeed Dave Fishman. She was most recently a managing director in the bank's consumer and retail investment-banking division.
  • Truist has hired Hayes Smith to oversee its investment-banking arm's private-equity coverage, Bloomberg reported. He joins from Credit Suisse. The Charlotte-based bank has also hired Chris Cormier to lead its technology, media, and telecommunications equity-capital-markets business. Cormier joins from UBS.

Curated by Aaron Weinman in New York. Tips? Email aweinman@insider.com or tweet @aaronw11

Download on the app store   Get it on google play

Older messages

Trump-linked SPAC falls as the company gives shareholders more time to vote on extending a merger deadline with Truth Social

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Digital World Acquisition Corp. is giving shareholders two more days to vote on extending a merger deadline with Trump's Truth Social company. View in browser Business Insider Business Insider

Wall Street: Inside the most innovative tech

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

The latest in finance. View in browser INSIDER INSIDER Subscribe 10 THINGS ON WALL STREET Hi. I'm Aaron Weinman. The speed at which technology is changing every Wall Streeter's job is dizzying.

The 6 most popular European destinations for Americans to buy homes as the strong dollar boosts US wealth overseas

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Now is the time for Americans to make their dream home purchases abroad as the US dollar is getting stronger and stronger. View in browser Business Insider Business Insider Business Insider Subscribe

Wall Street: Big banks want workers at desks

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

The latest in finance. View in browser INSIDER INSIDER Subscribe 10 THINGS ON WALL STREET Hi. I'm Aaron Weinman. I hope you all had a chance to relax, recharge, and renew that vigor for deal-making

Big Law has a mental health problem

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

His wife had driven him to Skadden's Washington, DC office, where he... Read on Insider.com INSIDER INSIDER Subscribe INSIDER FEATURED ARTICLE LAW Big Law has a mental health problem. Why lawyers

You Might Also Like

After inauguration, it's time to talk taxes

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

plus toad fashion + Post Malone ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

Harry's Take 1-15-25 Stocks Look to Break Lower: Another Sign of a Top on December 16

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Harry's Take January 15, 2025 Stocks Look to Break Lower: Another Sign of a Top on December 16 As we go into the new year, already with signs of a failed Santa Claus Rally and a failed first 5

🇺🇸 America's tariff future

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

A possible go-slow approach to tariffs, a spending worry for China, and the next obesity drugs | Finimize TOGETHER WITH Hi Reader, here's what you need to know for January 15th in 3:14 minutes. The

It’s a new year, get a new savings account

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Earn more with high-yield options! ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

Private Equity Is Coming for Your 401(k)

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

The industry wants in on Americans' $13 trillion in savings ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

This Skateboarding Economist Suggests We Need More Skateparks And Less Capitalism

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

A skateboarder presented an unusual paper at this year's big meeting of American economists. View this email online Planet Money Skateonomics by Greg Rosalsky “The Skateboarding Ethic and the

Elon Musk Dreams, Mode Mobile Delivers

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Join the EarnPhone revolution ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Shaping inflation expectations: the effects of monetary policy

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Natalie Burr In economic theory, expectations of future inflation are an important determinant of inflation, making them a key variable of interest for monetary policy makers. But is there empirical

🌎 Another hottest year

Monday, January 13, 2025

Global temperatures crossed a threshold, oil prices bubbled up, and crypto's AI agents | Finimize Hi Reader, here's what you need to know for January 14th in 3:06 minutes. Oil prices climbed

Have you seen the Best Cars & Trucks of 2025?

Monday, January 13, 2025

Get a quote and protect your new wheels with Amica Insurance ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌