Insider Finance - Business - Wall Street: Milken vs. Davos

The latest in finance.
View in browser
INSIDER
Subscribe

10 THINGS ON WALL STREET

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Dan DeFrancesco in NYC, and my ego has been shattered after getting a hotness rating of 4.9 from this AI. If you're feeling bold, or vain, get yourself rated here.

Fun Fact Friday: King Charles got $500 million in assets after the Queen's death, and he didn't have to pay a dime in inheritance tax! Click here for more on where the monarchy gets its wealth.

Today, we've got stories on a billionaire investor taking a leave of absence, how all the big hedge funds did in April, and fun ways to get trained up on ChatGPT.

But first, Beverly Hills, that's where I want to be.


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


beverly hills

1. Milken it for all it's worth.

Arguably the biggest financial conference of the year just wrapped in Beverly Hills.

The Milken Global Conference might be held nearly 3,000 miles from Wall Street, but it still serves as the epicenter of the financial world for a few days.

Lucky for us, the conference coincided with some massive market events, giving the financial bigwigs plenty to talk about (both publicly and behind closed doors). Insider's Dakin Campbell, who was on the ground at Milken, has a report on the five biggest topics discussed this year. 

Dakin's report got me thinking about how Milken stacks up against another high-profile conference: Davos. 

Having never attended either — the closest I've gotten to Switzerland is treating myself to a Toblerone from a hotel minibar — I decided to ask those who have gone.

When I asked Matt Turner, the editor in chief of Insider's business division, he summed it up nicely: Davos is about trying to save the world; Milken is about getting business done.  

Davos has a wider breadth of people, from politics to healthcare to technology. But Milken, from the attendees and panel discussions to the wider discourse at the event, is unabashedly about finance.

"It's just more concrete," Matt said of Milken. "It's dollars and cents."

For Dakin, Milken held an advantage over Davos from a pure logistics perspective. As bad as LA traffic is, navigating Beverly Hills is a lot easier than schlepping around the Swiss Alps in the middle of winter.

Milken is also designed, thanks to its namesake, with a keen eye on what the finance industry wants, he added.

"Milken does a good job of curating an environment that makes his colleagues feel cool and important," Dakin said.  

Click here to read more about the biggest topics being discussed at the Milken Conference.


In other news:

Beers being

2. Billionaire investor Howard Marks is taking a leave of absence. The Oaktree cofounder was recently diagnosed with a form of throat cancer, but told clients he expects to be "back in action around mid-summer." More on his leave here.

3. We've got hedge fund returns. The performance numbers are in for multi-strategy hedge funds in April, and it's two familiar names at the top. Here's a rundown on how all the biggest funds performed last month.

4. Finally! An IPO! Johnson & Johnson's Kenvue went public on Thursday in what was the biggest US IPO since 2021, CNBC reports. JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America were all lead underwriters. For more on how corporate carve-outs are providing a brief solace from the IPO drought, check the Financial Times.

5. "Sober" living in Silicon Valley. Investors and founders say they're holding off on the booze these days, as the alcohol-free trend hits the tech industry. 

6. Goldman's getting called into the principal's office. Regulators are reviewing the bank's involvement in the Silicon Valley Bank crisis, including its failed attempt to help the bank raise cash, Bloomberg reports. For a refresher on the role Goldman played in the lead up to the crisis, click here.

7. Conflicting reports about Western Alliance's future has its share price swinging back and forth. The regional bank saw its share price tank after a report from the Financial Times about it considering a potential sale. But the stock recovered after the bank released a statement denying the claims in the story. More on the madness among regional banks.

8. Let's call the whole thing off! The $13.4 billion deal between Toronto-Dominion Bank and First Horizon has been scrapped, The Wall Street Journal reports. Here's why both sides decided to walk away from the deal.

9. ChatGPT for dummies. The AI revolution is coming, whether you are ready or not. So if you're looking for a way to get up to speed on how to use the buzzy chatbot, we've got you covered. Here are six fun ways to learn the AI skills companies want. 

10. From life in the big city to easy living on a small island. This family of four moved from the Chicago suburbs to a mostly car-free community off the coast of South Carolina. Here's how they navigate life on the island (and how much it costs in taxes and HOA fees).


Curated by Dan DeFrancesco in New York. Feedback or tips? Email ddefrancesco@insider.com, tweet @dandefrancesco, or connect on LinkedIn. Edited by Jeffrey Cane (tweet @jeffrey_cane) in New York and Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London. 

 

Older messages

Tucker Carlson’s GOP deal

Thursday, May 4, 2023

Plus: Avoiding a population disaster, and a $1 trillion platinum coin. View in browser Subscribe May 4, 2023 May the Fourth be with you, Insiders! This is Josée Rose, executive editor in Insider's

Wall Street: Not-too-rich for Wells Fargo

Thursday, May 4, 2023

The latest in finance. View in browser INSIDER INSIDER Subscribe 10 THINGS ON WALL STREET Hiya! Dan DeFrancesco in NYC. The Fed bumped rates again — surprise, surprise — but could this finally be the

Debt ceiling showdown

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Plus: Real-estate junk fee explosion, and Amazon's Alexa plans. View in browser Subscribe May 3, 2023 Hello, Insiders. This is Joe Ciolli, a deputy executive editor in Insider's business

Wall Street: The crisis that doesn’t end

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

The latest in finance. View in browser INSIDER INSIDER Subscribe 10 THINGS ON WALL STREET Hi! Dan DeFrancesco in NYC, and it's time for one of my favorite annual traditions: the wildest outfits

Why everything costs so much

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Plus: Airbnb 'bait and switch' scam, and JPMorgan's First Republic win. View in browser Subscribe May 2, 2023 Hello, Insiders. Josée Rose, executive editor for business, here. Price hikes

You Might Also Like

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 ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

The Economics of Logos

Monday, January 13, 2025

Plus! Elsewhere in Reputation Markets; Knocking Down Data Walls; Closing the Arbitrage; Cost Avoidance; State AI Investment The Economics of Logos By Byrne Hobart • 13 Jan 2025 View in browser View in