![\"ebook\"](\"https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025-Pub-Graphic-Q1-eBook-DL-Button.jpg\")
The most impactful insights often emerge not from boardrooms or whiteboards but from direct conversations with customers. For today\u2019s financial services, payments and digital economy leaders, these customer exchanges offer a critical compass for strategy, innovation and relationship management. This quarter\u2019s edition of PYMNTS\u2019 eBook, \u201cThe Listening Economy: How Customer Conversations Are Transforming Financial Services,\u201d gathers illuminating accounts from 14 top firms, including Coupa, Worldpay, Marqeta and FIS, highlighting how meaningful dialogue can lead to profound strategic shifts.
\nAcross the collection of entries, a central theme emerges: the potency of genuinely listening to clients. Maria Prados of Worldpay encapsulates this succinctly, stressing the importance of \u201clistening differently\u201d \u2014 shifting from mere data collection to interpreting underlying concerns and market trends. Prados highlights a provocative scenario involving a luxury retailer initially hesitant about adopting QR-based payments like Alipay and WeChat Pay. Worldpay\u2019s data-driven guidance proved transformative, resulting in double-digit conversion increases and enhanced customer engagement.
\nCoupa Chief Customer Officer John Frank extends this idea, emphasizing trust as the cornerstone of strategic partnerships. Frank argues compellingly that technology alone isn\u2019t sufficient for competitive advantage; instead, long-term success springs from co-creating value through transparency and continuous collaboration. Similarly, Maverick Payments\u2019 Maria Mejia underscores the effectiveness of the human touch, advocating for personal interactions that build lasting loyalty and drive growth \u2014 particularly in a world often dominated by automation.
\nThe concept of turning customer conversations into actionable strategies is further explored by Mark Lashmar of ValidiFI. Lashmar describes a challenge faced by a lender grappling with risky accounts, a conversation that ultimately revealed significant blind spots in traditional verification processes. By responding swiftly with innovative behavioral insights, ValidiFI was able to help its client proactively manage risk and in the process transform their underwriting approach from reactive to predictive.
\nMeanwhile, Jon Gaskell from Ingo Payments offers one of the eBook\u2019s most provocative perspectives: flipping payouts from a cost center into a revenue-generating opportunity. Embedded banking solutions, particularly issuing branded debit cards, offer firms a chance not just to mitigate costs but to actively generate interchange revenue. This forward-looking approach reframes a longstanding challenge into a profitable innovation.
\nContributions from Marqeta\u2019s Anat Hoida and Concora Credit\u2019s Kari Lyncha further illustrate that the value of customer interactions lies not just in immediate problem-solving, but in anticipating needs and refining customer experiences. Both emphasize the critical role of frontline feedback and data analytics in shaping service delivery and strategic foresight.
\nCollectively, these insights form a compelling narrative: Successful companies are those that engage deeply, listen thoughtfully and act decisively. By exploring these critical interactions and sharing best practices, industry leaders in this eBook offer actionable advice to help others transform customer dialogues into stronger, more profitable relationships. In a rapidly evolving digital economy, those conversations have never been more valuable or more urgent.
\nDownload the eBook here.
\nThe post Strategic Listening Turns Customer Conversations Into Profitable Growth appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The most impactful insights often emerge not from boardrooms or whiteboards but from direct conversations with customers. For today\u2019s financial services, payments and digital economy leaders, these customer exchanges offer a critical compass for strategy, innovation and relationship management. This quarter\u2019s edition of PYMNTS\u2019 eBook, \u201cThe Listening Economy: How Customer Conversations Are Transforming Financial Services,\u201d gathers illuminating accounts from 14 top firms, including Coupa, Worldpay, Marqeta and FIS, highlighting how meaningful dialogue can lead to profound strategic shifts.\nAcross the collection of entries, a central theme emerges: the potency of genuinely listening to clients. Maria Prados of Worldpay encapsulates this succinctly, stressing the importance of \u201clistening differently\u201d \u2014 shifting from mere data collection to interpreting underlying concerns and market trends. Prados highlights a provocative scenario involving a luxury retailer initially hesitant about adopting QR-based payments like Alipay and WeChat Pay. Worldpay\u2019s data-driven guidance proved transformative, resulting in double-digit conversion increases and enhanced customer engagement.\nCoupa Chief Customer Officer John Frank extends this idea, emphasizing trust as the cornerstone of strategic partnerships. Frank argues compellingly that technology alone isn\u2019t sufficient for competitive advantage; instead, long-term success springs from co-creating value through transparency and continuous collaboration. Similarly, Maverick Payments\u2019 Maria Mejia underscores the effectiveness of the human touch, advocating for personal interactions that build lasting loyalty and drive growth \u2014 particularly in a world often dominated by automation.\nThe concept of turning customer conversations into actionable strategies is further explored by Mark Lashmar of ValidiFI. Lashmar describes a challenge faced by a lender grappling with risky accounts, a conversation that ultimately revealed significant blind spots in traditional verification processes. By responding swiftly with innovative behavioral insights, ValidiFI was able to help its client proactively manage risk and in the process transform their underwriting approach from reactive to predictive.\nMeanwhile, Jon Gaskell from Ingo Payments offers one of the eBook\u2019s most provocative perspectives: flipping payouts from a cost center into a revenue-generating opportunity. Embedded banking solutions, particularly issuing branded debit cards, offer firms a chance not just to mitigate costs but to actively generate interchange revenue. This forward-looking approach reframes a longstanding challenge into a profitable innovation.\nContributions from Marqeta\u2019s Anat Hoida and Concora Credit\u2019s Kari Lyncha further illustrate that the value of customer interactions lies not just in immediate problem-solving, but in anticipating needs and refining customer experiences. Both emphasize the critical role of frontline feedback and data analytics in shaping service delivery and strategic foresight.\nCollectively, these insights form a compelling narrative: Successful companies are those that engage deeply, listen thoughtfully and act decisively. By exploring these critical interactions and sharing best practices, industry leaders in this eBook offer actionable advice to help others transform customer dialogues into stronger, more profitable relationships. In a rapidly evolving digital economy, those conversations have never been more valuable or more urgent.\nDownload the eBook here.\nThe post Strategic Listening Turns Customer Conversations Into Profitable Growth appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-21T04:02:05-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-20T22:03:35-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025-Pub-Graphic-Q1-ebook-Hero-Image-V4-1.jpg", "tags": [ "Connected Economy", "Coupa", "data", "ebook", "Featured News", "FIS", "Marqeta", "News", "partnerships", "PYMNTS News", "ValidiFI", "verification", "Worldpay", "Connected Economy" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2688067", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/connectedeconomy/2025/inside-the-tariff-turbulence-from-the-epicenter-of-american-agriculture/", "title": "Inside the Tariff Turbulence From the Epicenter of American Agriculture", "content_html": "In the fields of the Midwest, the real impact of geopolitical maneuvering plays out in the price of corn, the strain on lending, and the razor-thin margins of America\u2019s farmers.\u00a0But before 2025\u2019s tariffs ever became the flashpoint, American farmers were already steeling themselves for a hard year.
\n\u201cCrop prices have been challenged over the last year, not just in the last few months,\u201d Jake Joraanstad, CEO at\u00a0Bushel, a digital platform serving over 100,000 grain producers across North America, told PYMNTS Karen Webster. \u201cVery late last year and into the beginning of this year, there was no price in which you could sell corn and be profitable.\u201d
\nIn that environment, forward contracting, the act of locking in prices for future delivery, became rare. It simply wasn\u2019t worth the risk. And although some short-term market volatility has nudged prices upward, that\u2019s little more than noise in an otherwise bearish market.
\n\u201cWe have not had great corn prices, have not had great soybean prices \u2026 that\u2019s the driver of farm profitability in some respects here in the U.S.,\u201d Joraanstad said.
\nStill, if agribusinesses admittedly can\u2019t control global policy, they can at least control how they operate. If there\u2019s one message Joraanstad wants the world to hear, it\u2019s this: American farmers are resilient \u2014 but they need tools, transparency and time.
\nBushel itself is banking on that agency, and not just from farmers but from the co-ops, processors and retailers that also make up the broader agri-commerce ecosystem.
\n\u201cWe\u2019ve solved the timing problem,\u201d Joraanstad said. \u201cOver half of the grain offers made through our platform are submitted outside of regular business hours. A farmer hears the market news at 6 a.m., and the office isn\u2019t open. But Bushel is.\u201d
\nWhile headlines often focus on macro trends such as tariffs, trade wars and political sparring, agribusinesses players are more focused on the granular realities. Often, getting granular can be taken quite literally, for farmers and their buyers, as it relates to key grains and kernels.
\n\u201cOur big markets for export are in Asia. Not just China, but other parts \u2026 where we supply feed for animals,\u201d Joraanstad said. \u201cIf tariffs remain on this trajectory \u2026 that\u2019s a challenge.\u201d
\nIn China specifically, the U.S. agriculture system has nurtured a long-standing mutual dependence.
\n\u201cChina cannot buy enough soybeans from anywhere else in the world without also including the United States \u2014 or they will starve. They can delay, but over time there will be a forcing function. They\u2019ll have to buy from us,\u201d Joraanstad added, while at the same time cautioning against overconfidence, noting China\u2019s ongoing investment in Brazil as a strategic alternative.
\nBeyond commodity prices, the real kicker for farmers has been skyrocketing input costs.
\n\u201cInflation has created higher input costs across the board for the farmer. That\u2019s not been corrected with any of this pullback,\u201d Joraanstad said. \u201cThe truth is, the family farm has been the most pressured over the last 20 years. Whether tariffs or not are really the reason for why the family farm is challenged \u2026 it\u2019s just a difficult business if you\u2019re small.\u201d
\nRead also: World\u2019s Newest Innovation Transforms Age-Old Industry of Agriculture
\nIn a sector that still often runs on phone calls, paper checks and legacy systems, adapting in real time to geopolitical chess moves can be challenging. While the White House navigates geopolitics, Bushel is building practical solutions. In March, the company launched a new banking integration through its Bushel Wallet, offering U.S. farmers FDIC-insured accounts with interest rates over 3.4%.
\n\u201cIf a farmer earns 3.4% on parked cash, that\u2019s in the ballpark of what a decent year on the farm looks like. It\u2019s meaningful,\u201d Joraanstad said.
\nAccess to credit and capital is another growing concern. Most farmers rely on operating lines during the first half of the year to cover expenses before harvest income rolls in.
\n\u201cThey live on credit,\u201d Joraanstad said. \u201cNow we\u2019re talking about 7-10% interest rates \u2014 up from 3%. That becomes part of your input costs, and it\u2019s brutal.\u201d
\nLooking forward, Joraanstad is hopeful that policy can align with innovation. He\u2019s particularly bullish on ethanol.
\n\u201cIt would be a smart move for the administration to push E15 \u2014 going from 10% to 15% ethanol in our fuel. That would create massive corn demand and help stabilize the market.\u201d\u00a0
\nJoraanstad is optimistic that officials are listening and understanding the implications of policies like the controversial \u201cSection 301\u201d shipping tariffs that could cripple U.S. ag exports.
\n\u201cMillion dollars per port point would be terrible,\u201d he warned. \u201cIn the ag world, they\u2019ll hit four ports up the coast. That\u2019s $4 million. You have no chance to be able to make that work.\u201d
\nDespite all the uncertainty, one thing is clear: Agribusiness is no longer just about dirt and diesel. It\u2019s about data. And with the bevy of solutions at hand, American farmers are entering a new era of digitized decision-making.
\nThe post Inside the Tariff Turbulence From the Epicenter of American Agriculture appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "In the fields of the Midwest, the real impact of geopolitical maneuvering plays out in the price of corn, the strain on lending, and the razor-thin margins of America\u2019s farmers.\u00a0But before 2025\u2019s tariffs ever became the flashpoint, American farmers were already steeling themselves for a hard year.\n\u201cCrop prices have been challenged over the last year, not just in the last few months,\u201d Jake Joraanstad, CEO at\u00a0Bushel, a digital platform serving over 100,000 grain producers across North America, told PYMNTS Karen Webster. \u201cVery late last year and into the beginning of this year, there was no price in which you could sell corn and be profitable.\u201d\nIn that environment, forward contracting, the act of locking in prices for future delivery, became rare. It simply wasn\u2019t worth the risk. And although some short-term market volatility has nudged prices upward, that\u2019s little more than noise in an otherwise bearish market.\n\u201cWe have not had great corn prices, have not had great soybean prices \u2026 that\u2019s the driver of farm profitability in some respects here in the U.S.,\u201d Joraanstad said.\nStill, if agribusinesses admittedly can\u2019t control global policy, they can at least control how they operate. If there\u2019s one message Joraanstad wants the world to hear, it\u2019s this: American farmers are resilient \u2014 but they need tools, transparency and time.\nBushel itself is banking on that agency, and not just from farmers but from the co-ops, processors and retailers that also make up the broader agri-commerce ecosystem.\n\u201cWe\u2019ve solved the timing problem,\u201d Joraanstad said. \u201cOver half of the grain offers made through our platform are submitted outside of regular business hours. A farmer hears the market news at 6 a.m., and the office isn\u2019t open. But Bushel is.\u201d\nBraced for a Downturn\nWhile headlines often focus on macro trends such as tariffs, trade wars and political sparring, agribusinesses players are more focused on the granular realities. Often, getting granular can be taken quite literally, for farmers and their buyers, as it relates to key grains and kernels.\n\u201cOur big markets for export are in Asia. Not just China, but other parts \u2026 where we supply feed for animals,\u201d Joraanstad said. \u201cIf tariffs remain on this trajectory \u2026 that\u2019s a challenge.\u201d\nIn China specifically, the U.S. agriculture system has nurtured a long-standing mutual dependence.\n\u201cChina cannot buy enough soybeans from anywhere else in the world without also including the United States \u2014 or they will starve. They can delay, but over time there will be a forcing function. They\u2019ll have to buy from us,\u201d Joraanstad added, while at the same time cautioning against overconfidence, noting China\u2019s ongoing investment in Brazil as a strategic alternative.\nBeyond commodity prices, the real kicker for farmers has been skyrocketing input costs.\n\u201cInflation has created higher input costs across the board for the farmer. That\u2019s not been corrected with any of this pullback,\u201d Joraanstad said. \u201cThe truth is, the family farm has been the most pressured over the last 20 years. Whether tariffs or not are really the reason for why the family farm is challenged \u2026 it\u2019s just a difficult business if you\u2019re small.\u201d\nRead also: World\u2019s Newest Innovation Transforms Age-Old Industry of Agriculture\nRewiring Agribusiness\nIn a sector that still often runs on phone calls, paper checks and legacy systems, adapting in real time to geopolitical chess moves can be challenging. While the White House navigates geopolitics, Bushel is building practical solutions. In March, the company launched a new banking integration through its Bushel Wallet, offering U.S. farmers FDIC-insured accounts with interest rates over 3.4%.\n\u201cIf a farmer earns 3.4% on parked cash, that\u2019s in the ballpark of what a decent year on the farm looks like. It\u2019s meaningful,\u201d Joraanstad said.\nAccess to credit and capital is another growing concern. Most farmers rely on operating lines during the first half of the year to cover expenses before harvest income rolls in.\n\u201cThey live on credit,\u201d Joraanstad said. \u201cNow we\u2019re talking about 7-10% interest rates \u2014 up from 3%. That becomes part of your input costs, and it\u2019s brutal.\u201d\nLooking forward, Joraanstad is hopeful that policy can align with innovation. He\u2019s particularly bullish on ethanol.\n\u201cIt would be a smart move for the administration to push E15 \u2014 going from 10% to 15% ethanol in our fuel. That would create massive corn demand and help stabilize the market.\u201d\u00a0\nJoraanstad is optimistic that officials are listening and understanding the implications of policies like the controversial \u201cSection 301\u201d shipping tariffs that could cripple U.S. ag exports.\n\u201cMillion dollars per port point would be terrible,\u201d he warned. \u201cIn the ag world, they\u2019ll hit four ports up the coast. That\u2019s $4 million. You have no chance to be able to make that work.\u201d\nDespite all the uncertainty, one thing is clear: Agribusiness is no longer just about dirt and diesel. It\u2019s about data. And with the bevy of solutions at hand, American farmers are entering a new era of digitized decision-making.\nThe post Inside the Tariff Turbulence From the Epicenter of American Agriculture appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-21T04:01:27-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-20T17:20:52-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Bushel-agriculture.jpg", "tags": [ "Agribusiness", "agriculture", "B2B", "B2B Payments", "Bushel", "commercial payments", "Connected Economy", "digital transformation", "Farming", "Featured News", "Jake Joraanstad", "monday conversation", "News", "PYMNTS News", "pymnts tv", "tariffs", "video", "Connected Economy" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2688085", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/connectedeconomy/2025/ce-100-index-slips-0-2percent-as-united-healthcare-plunges-after-earnings/", "title": "CE 100 Index Slips 0.2% as United Healthcare Plunges After Earnings", "content_html": "The CE 100 Index barely budged in a holiday-shortened trading week, down 0.2%.\u00a0 Earnings continued to dominate the headlines, and six pillars were lower, while five gained marginal ground.
\n![\"ce100\"](\"https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/ce100-0421.jpg\")
United Healthcare Declines on Medicare Advantage Outlook
\nLeading to the downside in the \u201cBe Well\u201d segment of the CE 100 Index, which lost 3.7%, United Healthcare shares plunged 24%. The company reported earnings that CEO Andrew Witty said, showed \u201coverall performance that was frankly unusual and unacceptable,\u201d according to remarks on the conference call with analysts. The company lowered its full-year adjusted earnings guidance to $26-$26.50 per share, down from $29.50-$30.
\nRevised guidance was lower than the Street expected, and the outlook was driven in part by \u201cheightened care activity indications within [its] Medicare Advantage businesses, which became visible as the quarter closed, far above the planned 2025 increase, which was consistent with the elevated levels in 2024,\u201d the release said. \u201cThis activity was most notable within physician and outpatient services.\u201d
\nNvidia shares lost more than 8%, taking the Enablers segment of the CE 100 Index 2.3% lower.
\nNvidia said Monday (April 14) that its artificial intelligence (AI) supercomputers will be built in the U.S. for the first time, starting in the next 12 to 15 months.\u00a0 The company is working with manufacturing partners to build two manufacturing plants in Texas \u2014 one in Houston with Foxconn and one in Dallas with Wistron \u2014 and expects to begin mass production within that timeframe.
\nAlso within the Enablers group, and as reported this week, the antitrust case against Meta Platforms in federal district court began with FTC attorney Daniel Matheson telling the judge Meta \u201cdecided that competition was too hard and it would be easier to buy out their rivals than to compete with them,\u201d according to reports from inside the courtroom.\u00a0 The FTC is seeking to force Meta to unwind its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, which the commission originally had approved in 2012 and 2014, respectively. The tech giant has countered that the case is \u201cweak\u201d and that the case engages in \u201crevisionist history.\u201d
\nPayments-related names countered some of these losses. BNPL stalwart Sezzle was 16% higher. FIS shares were 3.1%.\u00a0 Global Payments sold its issuer solutions business to FIS for $13.5 billion and bought Worldpay for a net price of $22.7 billion. Worldpay is co-owned by FIS and private equity firm GTCR.
\nPayPal shares lost 2.5%. The company announced that it and TerraPay are teaming to promote cross-border payments in the Middle East and Africa. The partnership is designed to speed cross-border money movement, while making payments more accessible by connecting banks, mobile wallets and financial institutions. TerraPay \u2014 via secure PayPal account linking \u2014 will act as an enabler, allowing mobile wallet and bank users across the MENA region to transfer funds to their PayPal accounts.
\nAmerican Express shares were up a slight 0.1%.
\nPYMNTS\u2019 coverage of first quarter earnings indicated that FX-adjusted basis, revenue rose 8% year over year \u2014 or 9% when factoring out the leap year impact \u2014 to $17 billion. Total Card Member spending also grew at 7% excluding the extra day.\u00a0 The full-year forecast for 8% to 10% revenue growth and earnings per share between $15 and $15.50, the ranges first set in January.
\n\u201cOur millennial and Gen Zs are performing significantly better both from a FICO perspective and from a delinquency perspective than the industry,\u201d CEO Stephen Squeri said on the conference call with analysts.
\nThe post CE 100 Index Slips 0.2% as United Healthcare Plunges After Earnings appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The CE 100 Index barely budged in a holiday-shortened trading week, down 0.2%.\u00a0 Earnings continued to dominate the headlines, and six pillars were lower, while five gained marginal ground.\n\nUnited Healthcare Declines on Medicare Advantage Outlook \nLeading to the downside in the \u201cBe Well\u201d segment of the CE 100 Index, which lost 3.7%, United Healthcare shares plunged 24%. The company reported earnings that CEO Andrew Witty said, showed \u201coverall performance that was frankly unusual and unacceptable,\u201d according to remarks on the conference call with analysts. The company lowered its full-year adjusted earnings guidance to $26-$26.50 per share, down from $29.50-$30.\nRevised guidance was lower than the Street expected, and the outlook was driven in part by \u201cheightened care activity indications within [its] Medicare Advantage businesses, which became visible as the quarter closed, far above the planned 2025 increase, which was consistent with the elevated levels in 2024,\u201d the release said. \u201cThis activity was most notable within physician and outpatient services.\u201d\nNvidia shares lost more than 8%, taking the Enablers segment of the CE 100 Index 2.3% lower.\nNvidia said Monday (April 14) that its artificial intelligence (AI) supercomputers will be built in the U.S. for the first time, starting in the next 12 to 15 months.\u00a0 The company is working with manufacturing partners to build two manufacturing plants in Texas \u2014 one in Houston with Foxconn and one in Dallas with Wistron \u2014 and expects to begin mass production within that timeframe.\nAlso within the Enablers group, and as reported this week, the antitrust case against Meta Platforms in federal district court began with FTC attorney Daniel Matheson telling the judge Meta \u201cdecided that competition was too hard and it would be easier to buy out their rivals than to compete with them,\u201d according to reports from inside the courtroom.\u00a0 The FTC is seeking to force Meta to unwind its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, which the commission originally had approved in 2012 and 2014, respectively. The tech giant has countered that the case is \u201cweak\u201d and that the case engages in \u201crevisionist history.\u201d\nPayments-related names countered some of these losses. BNPL stalwart Sezzle was 16% higher. FIS shares were 3.1%.\u00a0 Global Payments sold its issuer solutions business to FIS for $13.5 billion and bought Worldpay for a net price of $22.7 billion. Worldpay is co-owned by FIS and private equity firm GTCR.\nPayPal shares lost 2.5%. The company announced that it and TerraPay are teaming to promote cross-border payments in the Middle East and Africa. The partnership is designed to speed cross-border money movement, while making payments more accessible by connecting banks, mobile wallets and financial institutions. TerraPay \u2014 via secure PayPal account linking \u2014 will act as an enabler, allowing mobile wallet and bank users across the MENA region to transfer funds to their PayPal accounts.\nAmerican Express shares were up a slight 0.1%.\nPYMNTS\u2019 coverage of first quarter earnings indicated that FX-adjusted basis, revenue rose 8% year over year \u2014 or 9% when factoring out the leap year impact \u2014 to $17 billion. Total Card Member spending also grew at 7% excluding the extra day.\u00a0 The full-year forecast for 8% to 10% revenue growth and earnings per share between $15 and $15.50, the ranges first set in January.\n\u201cOur millennial and Gen Zs are performing significantly better both from a FICO perspective and from a delinquency perspective than the industry,\u201d CEO Stephen Squeri said on the conference call with analysts.\nThe post CE 100 Index Slips 0.2% as United Healthcare Plunges After Earnings appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-21T04:00:43-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-20T22:20:30-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CE100-INDEX-0421.jpg", "tags": [ "American Express", "Connected Economy", "Featured News", "Investments", "Meta", "News", "NVIDIA", "PayPal", "PYMNTS News", "sezzle", "stock market", "United Healthcare", "Connected Economy" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2683550", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/connectedeconomy/2025/ce100-index-shrugs-off-jpmorgan-and-deltas-warnings-and-rallies-5percent/", "title": "CE100 Index Shrugs Off JPMorgan and Delta\u2019s Warnings and Rallies 4.9%", "content_html": "The whipsaw action in stocks \u2014 as tariffs were on, then (largely) off with a 90-day pause, and then focused on China (mostly) \u2014 brought the markets back from the brink of bear territory by the end of last week.
\nBut the volatility, of course, is not over yet.\u00a0
\nAs earnings season got off to its official start, executives sounded the alarm on consumer spending. Beyond earnings, the latest survey by the University of Michigan on consumer sentiment indicated that households are more pessimistic about inflation, the current state of affairs and the future than they have been in years.
\n\u00a0The 90-day pause on tariffs led to a relief rally. Investors snapped up shares at the end of the week, helping drive the CE 100 Index up by 4.9%.\u00a0 All pillars gained ground.\u00a0
\n![\"ce100](\"https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CE100-0413.jpg\")
\n
Banking stocks in the CE 100 index nudged up 5.6% last week compared to the prior week, according to PYMNTS data. The trend reversed some losses that had been hitting the sector for several days after the initial round of tariffs was announced early in the month.
\nThe top earnings newsmaker among financial institutions in the CE 100 index last week was J.P. Morgan, whose stock spiked 12.3% for the week. The bank announced $14.6 billion in first-quarter earnings on Friday (April 11), a 9% boost compared to the year-ago level.
\nIn PYMNTS\u2019 coverage of Friday\u2019s earnings, the bank increased loan loss provisions\u00a0designed to cover possible loan losses amid economic turbulence.\u00a0 Spending on credit and debit cards slowed a bit, to 7% in the first quarter, and down from the 8% pace seen in the final three months of the year.
\nCommentary on the call indicated that consumers were \u201cfront-loading\u201d their spending amid fears of a trade war. \u201cThe economy is facing considerable turbulence (including geopolitics), with the potential positives of tax reform and deregulation and the potential negatives of tariffs and trade wars, ongoing sticky inflation, high fiscal deficits and still rather high asset prices and volatility,\u201d CEO Jamie Dimon said in a Friday press release. \u201cAs always, we hope for the best but prepare the firm for a wide range of scenarios.\u201d The data showed that credit costs were $3.3 billion, with net charge-offs of $2.3 billion and a net reserve build of $973 million.
\nPayments-focused names in the CE 100 index gathered 7.7%. Affirm and Sezzle led advancing stocks in the group, up a respective 34.5% and 13.3%.\u00a0 In company-specific news, Affirm and Shopify have expanded their pay-later offering beyond U.S. borders.\u00a0 Shopify merchants in Canada who have signed up for early access can begin offering the Affirm-powered Shop Pay Installments program, marking its first availability outside the U.S.
\nMastercard and crypto platform Kraken launched a payments-focused partnership. The collaboration will allow Kraken customers in the United Kingdom and Europe to spend crypto assets at more than 150 million merchants that accept Mastercard.\u00a0 The payments network\u2019s shares gained 4.1% through the week.
\nEven companies in the Move segment of the CE 100 index that were explicit about the uncertain state of affairs gained momentum. \u00a0As reported this past week, \u00a0and in its earnings report, Delta Air Lines saw year-over-year revenue growth of 3.3% in the March quarter as it dealt with what management termed \u201cbroad economic uncertainty.\u201d\u00a0
\nRevenues aligned with expectations, but the firm offered no updates on its outlook for the current year.\u00a0 Elsewhere in Delta\u2019s financials, \u00a0revenue was up 7% in premium products, 11% in loyalty travel rewards and mid-single digits in its international business, while revenue was down 1% in the main cabin and 3% in domestic segments.
\nAmong declining names, Zillow shares lost 8%. The real estate platform said this week it would ban certain listings \u2014 namely, those marketed to select buyers.
\n\u201cIf a listing is marketed directly to consumers without being listed on the MLS and made widely available where buyers search for homes, it will not be published on Zillow,\u201d the company said.
\n\u00a0Nike\u2019s stock lost 5% as the tariff-related tumult weighed on the name.\u00a0 Nike has particular exposure to Vietnam for its supply chain; China is also a key market for its top line.\u00a0
\nThe post CE100 Index Shrugs Off JPMorgan and Delta\u2019s Warnings and Rallies 4.9% appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The whipsaw action in stocks \u2014 as tariffs were on, then (largely) off with a 90-day pause, and then focused on China (mostly) \u2014 brought the markets back from the brink of bear territory by the end of last week.\nBut the volatility, of course, is not over yet.\u00a0 \nAs earnings season got off to its official start, executives sounded the alarm on consumer spending. Beyond earnings, the latest survey by the University of Michigan on consumer sentiment indicated that households are more pessimistic about inflation, the current state of affairs and the future than they have been in years.\n\u00a0The 90-day pause on tariffs led to a relief rally. Investors snapped up shares at the end of the week, helping drive the CE 100 Index up by 4.9%.\u00a0 All pillars gained ground.\u00a0 \n\n \nBanking stocks in the CE 100 index nudged up 5.6% last week compared to the prior week, according to PYMNTS data. The trend reversed some losses that had been hitting the sector for several days after the initial round of tariffs was announced early in the month.\nJPMorgan Weighs In\nThe top earnings newsmaker among financial institutions in the CE 100 index last week was J.P. Morgan, whose stock spiked 12.3% for the week. The bank announced $14.6 billion in first-quarter earnings on Friday (April 11), a 9% boost compared to the year-ago level.\nIn PYMNTS\u2019 coverage of Friday\u2019s earnings, the bank increased loan loss provisions\u00a0designed to cover possible loan losses amid economic turbulence.\u00a0 Spending on credit and debit cards slowed a bit, to 7% in the first quarter, and down from the 8% pace seen in the final three months of the year.\nCommentary on the call indicated that consumers were \u201cfront-loading\u201d their spending amid fears of a trade war. \u201cThe economy is facing considerable turbulence (including geopolitics), with the potential positives of tax reform and deregulation and the potential negatives of tariffs and trade wars, ongoing sticky inflation, high fiscal deficits and still rather high asset prices and volatility,\u201d CEO Jamie Dimon said in a Friday press release. \u201cAs always, we hope for the best but prepare the firm for a wide range of scenarios.\u201d The data showed that credit costs were $3.3 billion, with net charge-offs of $2.3 billion and a net reserve build of $973 million.\nPayments Name Gain Ground\nPayments-focused names in the CE 100 index gathered 7.7%. Affirm and Sezzle led advancing stocks in the group, up a respective 34.5% and 13.3%.\u00a0 In company-specific news, Affirm and Shopify have expanded their pay-later offering beyond U.S. borders.\u00a0 Shopify merchants in Canada who have signed up for early access can begin offering the Affirm-powered Shop Pay Installments program, marking its first availability outside the U.S. \nMastercard and crypto platform Kraken launched a payments-focused partnership. The collaboration will allow Kraken customers in the United Kingdom and Europe to spend crypto assets at more than 150 million merchants that accept Mastercard.\u00a0 The payments network\u2019s shares gained 4.1% through the week.\nEven companies in the Move segment of the CE 100 index that were explicit about the uncertain state of affairs gained momentum. \u00a0As reported this past week, \u00a0and in its earnings report, Delta Air Lines saw year-over-year revenue growth of 3.3% in the March quarter as it dealt with what management termed \u201cbroad economic uncertainty.\u201d\u00a0 \nRevenues aligned with expectations, but the firm offered no updates on its outlook for the current year.\u00a0 Elsewhere in Delta\u2019s financials, \u00a0revenue was up 7% in premium products, 11% in loyalty travel rewards and mid-single digits in its international business, while revenue was down 1% in the main cabin and 3% in domestic segments. \nAmong declining names, Zillow shares lost 8%. The real estate platform said this week it would ban certain listings \u2014 namely, those marketed to select buyers.\n\u201cIf a listing is marketed directly to consumers without being listed on the MLS and made widely available where buyers search for homes, it will not be published on Zillow,\u201d the company said.\n\u00a0Nike\u2019s stock lost 5% as the tariff-related tumult weighed on the name.\u00a0 Nike has particular exposure to Vietnam for its supply chain; China is also a key market for its top line.\u00a0 \nThe post CE100 Index Shrugs Off JPMorgan and Delta\u2019s Warnings and Rallies 4.9% appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-14T04:00:20-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-13T23:49:22-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CE100-Index-0414.jpg", "tags": [ "Affirm", "Connected Economy", "Featured News", "Investments", "J.P. Morgan Chase", "MasterCard", "News", "Nike", "PYMNTS News", "sezzle", "stock market", "Zillow", "Connected Economy" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2557097", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/connectedeconomy/2025/ce-100-index-sinks-10percent-on-tariff-worries-and-payment-names-plunge/", "title": "CE 100 Index Sinks 9.9% on Tariff Worries and Payment Names Plunge", "content_html": "In a week of historic stock trading, where we haven\u2019t seen plunges of this magnitude in five years, it\u2019s easy to count the number of CE 100 Index names that finished in the green.\u00a0Because they could be counted on one hand.
\nHealthcare stocks like McKesson and United Healthcare were up 2.3% and 1.8% respectively. Ahold Delhaize gathered 0.8%, followed by Bharti Airtel, which was up by a similar amount.
\nEveryone else? They slipped or plunged, as the overall CE 100 Index was down 9.9%, keeping pace with the dismal 9.9% dive of the Nasdaq.\u00a0Tariffs, of course, were to blame, as the impact of the Trump administration\u2019s actions and the trade war taking shape has yet to be calculated, and investors fled common stocks.
\nEvery single pillar in the CE 100 was down, and in fact, the \u201cbest\u201d performing segment was the Eat group, which gave up \u201conly\u201d 4%. Banking names lost nearly 16% for the week, as credit risks seem to be deepening; payments-focused names lost 11% as consumer spending is now at risk of being impacted by sticker shock on everything from cars to avocados.
\nMcKesson\u2019s shares rose after the company said that it had completed its previously announced acquisition of a controlling interest in PRISM Vision Holdings, LLC, which provides general ophthalmology and retina management services. McKesson acquired an approximate 80% controlling interest in PRISM Vision Holdings, paying $850 million for the stake.
\nWithin the payments space Affirm sank 22.6%, followed by Sezzle, which gave up 18.4%. The buy now, pay later names shed value as Klarna pulled its IPO at the end of the week.\u00a0
\nIn Affirm-specific news, Stride Bank will become a new card issuing partner for the Affirm Card, supporting the growing demand for this debit card that enables consumers to pay in full or convert eligible purchases into pay-over-time loans in the Affirm app. The collaboration enables Stride Bank to continue expanding its payments programs with FinTech companies and helps Affirm extend its reach to more consumers and merchants, the firms announced. The Affirm Card had 1.7 million active cardholders as of Dec. 31.\u00a0\u00a0
\nIn other news fashion retailer Revolve Group will soon enable its customers in the U.S. to use Affirm to pay over time. The retailer will add this payment method in the U.S. in the coming days, both online and in its mobile app, and plans to then expand it to its customers in Canada and the U.K.
\nPayPal\u2019s shares skidded 10.4%. PayPal and Venmo users can now buy, hold, sell and transfer two more cryptocurrencies \u2014 Chainlink (LINK) and Solana (SOL) \u2014 directly in their accounts. Users of the digital wallets will start to see LINK and SOL available for purchase over the next few weeks, according to the release.
\nElsewhere, Visa shares lost 8.7%. Visa has unveiled three new value-added services designed to make accepting payments easier and more secure. The services are meant for acquirers, payment facilitators, retailers, marketplaces and shops, the company said.
\nWith Authorize.net 2.0, Visa has reimagined its Authorize.net by adding a streamlined user interface, artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Unified Checkout is a new experience that can be launched in a few hours and will orchestrate more than 25 card and alternative payment options, \u00a0The ARIC Risk Hub uses adaptive AI to help protect acquirers and their merchants against fraud and financial crime by identifying risky transactions.
\nIn addition, \u00a0Visa reportedly offered Apple about $100 million to get the tech giant\u2019s credit card business, which Mastercard holds.
\nGoldman shares, in the banking segment, lost 13%.\u00a0Also within the banking names, JPMorgan shares dipped by more than 13%.
\nAs reported last week, India\u2019s Axis, a private sector bank, will offer near real-time 24/7 programmable U.S. dollar clearing for commercial clients. Kinexys Digital Payments will power this development, leveraging its blockchain deposit accounts launched in 2019, per the announcement.
\nThe Enablers segment, which includes the \u201cMag 7\u201d names like Microsoft, Alphabet, Apple and others, lost 11% as supply chain issues and tariffs \u2014 which would hit hardware such as cellphones \u2014\u00a0came into sharp focus. Apple\u2019s stock, for example, was lower by more than 13%.
\nThe post CE 100 Index Sinks 9.9% on Tariff Worries and Payment Names Plunge appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "In a week of historic stock trading, where we haven\u2019t seen plunges of this magnitude in five years, it\u2019s easy to count the number of CE 100 Index names that finished in the green.\u00a0Because they could be counted on one hand.\nHealthcare stocks like McKesson and United Healthcare were up 2.3% and 1.8% respectively. Ahold Delhaize gathered 0.8%, followed by Bharti Airtel, which was up by a similar amount.\nEveryone else? They slipped or plunged, as the overall CE 100 Index was down 9.9%, keeping pace with the dismal 9.9% dive of the Nasdaq.\u00a0Tariffs, of course, were to blame, as the impact of the Trump administration\u2019s actions and the trade war taking shape has yet to be calculated, and investors fled common stocks. \nAll Pillars Lose Ground\nEvery single pillar in the CE 100 was down, and in fact, the \u201cbest\u201d performing segment was the Eat group, which gave up \u201conly\u201d 4%. Banking names lost nearly 16% for the week, as credit risks seem to be deepening; payments-focused names lost 11% as consumer spending is now at risk of being impacted by sticker shock on everything from cars to avocados.\nMcKesson\u2019s shares rose after the company said that it had completed its previously announced acquisition of a controlling interest in PRISM Vision Holdings, LLC, which provides general ophthalmology and retina management services. McKesson acquired an approximate 80% controlling interest in PRISM Vision Holdings, paying $850 million for the stake. \nPayments Names Post Declines\nWithin the payments space Affirm sank 22.6%, followed by Sezzle, which gave up 18.4%. The buy now, pay later names shed value as Klarna pulled its IPO at the end of the week.\u00a0 \nIn Affirm-specific news, Stride Bank will become a new card issuing partner for the Affirm Card, supporting the growing demand for this debit card that enables consumers to pay in full or convert eligible purchases into pay-over-time loans in the Affirm app. The collaboration enables Stride Bank to continue expanding its payments programs with FinTech companies and helps Affirm extend its reach to more consumers and merchants, the firms announced. The Affirm Card had 1.7 million active cardholders as of Dec. 31.\u00a0\u00a0 \nIn other news fashion retailer Revolve Group will soon enable its customers in the U.S. to use Affirm to pay over time. The retailer will add this payment method in the U.S. in the coming days, both online and in its mobile app, and plans to then expand it to its customers in Canada and the U.K.\nPayPal\u2019s shares skidded 10.4%. PayPal and Venmo users can now buy, hold, sell and transfer two more cryptocurrencies \u2014 Chainlink (LINK) and Solana (SOL) \u2014 directly in their accounts. Users of the digital wallets will start to see LINK and SOL available for purchase over the next few weeks, according to the release.\nElsewhere, Visa shares lost 8.7%. Visa has unveiled three new value-added services designed to make accepting payments easier and more secure. The services are meant for acquirers, payment facilitators, retailers, marketplaces and shops, the company said.\nWith Authorize.net 2.0, Visa has reimagined its Authorize.net by adding a streamlined user interface, artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Unified Checkout is a new experience that can be launched in a few hours and will orchestrate more than 25 card and alternative payment options, \u00a0The ARIC Risk Hub uses adaptive AI to help protect acquirers and their merchants against fraud and financial crime by identifying risky transactions. \nIn addition, \u00a0Visa reportedly offered Apple about $100 million to get the tech giant\u2019s credit card business, which Mastercard holds. \nGoldman shares, in the banking segment, lost 13%.\u00a0Also within the banking names, JPMorgan shares dipped by more than 13%. \nAs reported last week, India\u2019s Axis, a private sector bank, will offer near real-time 24/7 programmable U.S. dollar clearing for commercial clients. Kinexys Digital Payments will power this development, leveraging its blockchain deposit accounts launched in 2019, per the announcement.\nThe Enablers segment, which includes the \u201cMag 7\u201d names like Microsoft, Alphabet, Apple and others, lost 11% as supply chain issues and tariffs \u2014 which would hit hardware such as cellphones \u2014\u00a0came into sharp focus. Apple\u2019s stock, for example, was lower by more than 13%.\nThe post CE 100 Index Sinks 9.9% on Tariff Worries and Payment Names Plunge appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-07T04:00:12-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-06T21:10:34-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CE100-index-0407.jpg", "tags": [ "Affirm", "Ahold Delhaize", "Axis", "Bharti Airtel", "CE 100 Index", "Connected Economy", "Featured News", "Klarna", "mckesson", "News", "PayPal", "PYMNTS News", "sezzle", "tariffs", "United Healthcare", "Connected Economy" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2524397", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/connectedeconomy/2025/ce-100-index-slips-2-5percent-as-chip-and-payment-names-lose-ground/", "title": "CE 100 Index Slips 2.5% as Chip and Payment Names Lose Ground", "content_html": "The end of March and the first quarter proved rough sledding for the CE 100 Index, as all pillars slipped through the last full trading week of the month.
\nThe overall Index was off 2.5%, almost in lockstep with the tech-heavy NASDAQ Index, and now stands 4.2% lower for the year-to-date performance.
\n![\"\"](\"https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CE100-performance-0331.jpg\")
The Enablers segment of the CE 100 Index dipped most visibly among the segments, down 4.1%.\u00a0 Meta\u2019s stock lost 6.1%. As reported here, Meta Platforms is seeking a ruling from a U.S. federal court, asserting that its use of copyrighted books by authors such as Ta-Nehisi Coates and comedian Sarah Silverman to train its artificial intelligence system did not violate copyright law. Meta is claiming the practice falls under \u201cfair use,\u201d a legal doctrine that allows for limited use of copyrighted material without permission under certain conditions.
\nNvidia shares lost a similar amount\u00a0on the heels of news earlier in the month that it will procure \u201cseveral hundred billion\u201d dollars\u2019 worth of chips and other electronics manufactured in the U.S. over the next four years, per comments from CEO Jensen Huang.
\nPayments related to names, as a group in\u00a0the CE 100 Index, were 3.4% lower through the week.
\nVisa shares were among the few players in the green, up 2.1%.\u00a0 The payment network said that it has inked a referral agreement with virtual care and spend management platform Extend.\u00a0 Through the joint effort, firms defined by Visa as emerging middle-market companies can use virtual cards to manage spending, fight fraud and close their books more quickly.
\nPayPal\u2019s stock lost nearly 8%.\u00a0 The company said\u00a0it passed $30 billion in global loan originations for small businesses since launching its first merchant lending solution in 2013. That volume was tied to 1.4 million loans to more than 420,000 business accounts globally, the company said.
\nAffirm\u2019s 7.5% decline came after the BNPL provider said it has struck a new agreement with J.P. Morgan Payments.\u00a0 The partnership will mean that Affirm\u2019s solutions become available to merchants on the J.P. Morgan Payments network in the U.S., letting them offer BNPL plans at checkout. The partnership comes nearly a week after Affirm announced it would begin furnishing information about all of its payment plans to Experian starting April 1.
\nAlso within the payments segment, as tracked by the CE 100 Index, Block shares gave up just under 10%. Citing \u201cperformance issues\u201d and strategy, the company said that it would lay off 8% of it staff.\u00a0 Block will also lay off 80 managers as it tries to \u201cflatten\u201d its organization, he added.
\n\u201cNone of the above points are trying to hit a specific financial target, replacing folks with AI or changing our headcount cap,\u201d the company said in a statement. \u201cThey are specific to our needs around strategy, raising the bar and acting faster on performance, and flattening our org so we can move faster and with less abstraction.\u201d
\nTesla was another one of the (relatively few) companies in the CE 100 Index to gain momentum, up 6%. \u00a0
\nIn an announcement this past week, Tesla said it is entering the dining business, preparing to open a drive-in restaurant in Los Angeles.\u00a0 This new location would allow diners to eat and watch movies on an outdoor screen while they charged their electric vehicles.
\nElsewhere, Ocado\u2019s 13.7% surge came after a Wall Street upgrade, as noted by sites such as Investing.com.\u00a0 J.P. Morgan upgraded the name from neutral to overweight as performance and EBITDA (a rough calculation of cash flow) improved.
\nThe post CE 100 Index Slips 2.5% as Chip and Payment Names Lose Ground appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The end of March and the first quarter proved rough sledding for the CE 100 Index, as all pillars slipped through the last full trading week of the month.\nThe overall Index was off 2.5%, almost in lockstep with the tech-heavy NASDAQ Index, and now stands 4.2% lower for the year-to-date performance. \n\nThe Enablers segment of the CE 100 Index dipped most visibly among the segments, down 4.1%.\u00a0 Meta\u2019s stock lost 6.1%. As reported here, Meta Platforms is seeking a ruling from a U.S. federal court, asserting that its use of copyrighted books by authors such as Ta-Nehisi Coates and comedian Sarah Silverman to train its artificial intelligence system did not violate copyright law. Meta is claiming the practice falls under \u201cfair use,\u201d a legal doctrine that allows for limited use of copyrighted material without permission under certain conditions.\nNvidia shares lost a similar amount\u00a0on the heels of news earlier in the month that it will procure \u201cseveral hundred billion\u201d dollars\u2019 worth of chips and other electronics manufactured in the U.S. over the next four years, per comments from CEO Jensen Huang. \nPayment Names Give Up Ground as Block Sheds Staff\nPayments related to names, as a group in\u00a0the CE 100 Index, were 3.4% lower through the week.\nVisa shares were among the few players in the green, up 2.1%.\u00a0 The payment network said that it has inked a referral agreement with virtual care and spend management platform Extend.\u00a0 Through the joint effort, firms defined by Visa as emerging middle-market companies can use virtual cards to manage spending, fight fraud and close their books more quickly.\nPayPal\u2019s stock lost nearly 8%.\u00a0 The company said\u00a0it passed $30 billion in global loan originations for small businesses since launching its first merchant lending solution in 2013. That volume was tied to 1.4 million loans to more than 420,000 business accounts globally, the company said.\nAffirm\u2019s 7.5% decline came after the BNPL provider said it has struck a new agreement with J.P. Morgan Payments.\u00a0 The partnership will mean that Affirm\u2019s solutions become available to merchants on the J.P. Morgan Payments network in the U.S., letting them offer BNPL plans at checkout. The partnership comes nearly a week after Affirm announced it would begin furnishing information about all of its payment plans to Experian starting April 1.\nAlso within the payments segment, as tracked by the CE 100 Index, Block shares gave up just under 10%. Citing \u201cperformance issues\u201d and strategy, the company said that it would lay off 8% of it staff.\u00a0 Block will also lay off 80 managers as it tries to \u201cflatten\u201d its organization, he added.\n\u201cNone of the above points are trying to hit a specific financial target, replacing folks with AI or changing our headcount cap,\u201d the company said in a statement. \u201cThey are specific to our needs around strategy, raising the bar and acting faster on performance, and flattening our org so we can move faster and with less abstraction.\u201d \nA Few Gains\nTesla was another one of the (relatively few) companies in the CE 100 Index to gain momentum, up 6%. \u00a0\nIn an announcement this past week, Tesla said it is entering the dining business, preparing to open a drive-in restaurant in Los Angeles.\u00a0 This new location would allow diners to eat and watch movies on an outdoor screen while they charged their electric vehicles. \nElsewhere, Ocado\u2019s 13.7% surge came after a Wall Street upgrade, as noted by sites such as Investing.com.\u00a0 J.P. Morgan upgraded the name from neutral to overweight as performance and EBITDA (a rough calculation of cash flow) improved.\nThe post CE 100 Index Slips 2.5% as Chip and Payment Names Lose Ground appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-03-31T04:00:22-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-03-30T23:18:01-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CE100-INDEX-0331.jpg", "tags": [ "Affirm", "Block", "CE 100 Index", "Connected Economy", "Featured News", "Investments", "Meta", "News", "NVIDIA", "Ocado", "PayPal", "PYMNTS News", "stock market", "Tesla", "Visa", "Connected Economy" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2516560", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/connectedeconomy/2025/ce-100-index-adds-2-1-as-porch-group-rallies-and-tencent-surges-on-earnings/", "title": "CE 100 Index Adds 2.1% as Porch Group Rallies and Tencent Surges on Earnings", "content_html": "Over the past week, the CE 100 Index\u2019s 2.1% rally outpaced its benchmarks, driven by gains across all pillars.
\n![\"\"](\"https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CE100-0324.jpg\")
Porch Group led advancing names in the Index, surging more than 14.4%. Investing sites such as Tipranks reported that sell-side Wall Street firm Stephens boosted its price target on the company to $10 from $8 while keeping its \u201coverweight\u201d rating on the make (which is equivalent to a \u201cbuy\u201d rating).\u00a0 Analysts maintained that Porch\u2019s operational execution and strategic focus should help the company navigate any further macro pressures.
\nTencent\u2019s 11.6% rally led the Pay and Be Paid segment of the CE 100 Index to nearly 3% higher. \u00a0Fourth quarter earnings detailed that revenues in the quarter were up 11% year on year to about $23.9 billion, as the games segment in China showed a 23% revenue surge. The company also noted that it is seeing growth in its AI-related drive to improve and enhance operations. In a statement that accompanied the results, management stated that \u201cthese stepped-up investments will generate ongoing returns via uplifting productivity in our advertising business and longevity of our games, as well as longer term value from accelerated consumer usage of our AI applications and enterprise adoption of our AI services.\u201d
\nVisa\u2019s stock was 1.1% higher.\u00a0 The company announced that, in connection with Worldpay, the payments network has launched a new Click to Pay with Visa checkout feature for online merchants in the U.K.\u00a0\u00a0 The joint efforts allow customers to complete a transaction with a single click, eliminating the need to manually enter card details.
\nAnd Block, which helped lead the Pay and Be Paid segment of the CE 100 Index 2.9% higher, saw its shares gain 6.8%. The company had said earlier in the month that As had been reported last week, Block said that its Square Financial Services industrial bank has been approved by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to make consumers loans directly to borrowers, using Cash App Borrow. The announcement represents a shift, as the firm had previously made the loans through its external banking partner. By bringing the loan originating and servicing functions in house, Block retains the revenue streams associated with that lending, PYMNTS noted.
\nAffirm shares slipped 0.4%.
\nAffirm said Wednesday (March 19) that it plans to begin furnishing information about all of its payment plans to Experian on April 1.\u00a0 The expanded data will include biweekly payment plans, Pay in 30 (single installment), Pay-in-2 and Pay-in-6 offerings.\u00a0 Affirm has maintained that expanded credit reporting will help consumers build their credit histories and enable both consumers and lenders to make more informed decisions. That data may be included in new credit scoring models developed in the future, according to the announcement.
\nNike shares led to the downside among the few names that declined in the CE 100 Index, off 5.2%
\nThe company posted results this past week that\u00a0saw declines across most metrics, and management commentary projected that tariffs will have a near term, negative impact on margins. Revenues were down 9% year over year to $11.3 billion, while the Street had expected a double digit-drop to the $11 billion level. CFO Matthew Friend said tariffs on imports from China and Mexico will hit margins by 4% to 5%. And revenues will decline in the midteens range, per guidance.\u00a0 Nike Direct revenues were $4.7 billion, down 12%, and driven by a 15% decline in Nike digital sales, and a 2% dip at the companies stores.\u00a0 Digital traffic is slated to be down by double digit percentage points in the current fiscal year.
\nOverall, CFO Matthew Friend said, \u201cWe are also navigating through several external factors that create uncertainty in the current operating environment, including geopolitical dynamics, new tariffs, volatile foreign exchange rates and tax regulations, as well as the impact of this uncertainty and other macro factors on consumer confidence.\u201d
\nFedEx\u2019s quarterly results spurred investors to send the shares 4.9% lower.
\nIn the company\u2019s earnings report,\u00a0and as PYMNTS reported, for a third consecutive quarter, FedEx cut its full-year and revenue outlook.
\n\u201cOur revised earnings outlook reflects continued weakness and uncertainty in the U.S. industrial economy, which is constraining demand for our business-to-business services,\u201d said John Dietrich, FedEx Corp. executive vice president and chief financial officer.\u00a0\u00a0 The latest revenues of $22.7 billion were down 3.8% year on year.\u00a0 FedEx Express, the company\u2019s largest revenue driver, experienced a 4% decline, settling at $10.5 billion. FedEx Ground saw a 3% dip to $7.8 billion tied to an eCommerce deceleration.
\nThe post CE 100 Index Adds 2.1% as Porch Group Rallies and Tencent Surges on Earnings appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Over the past week, the CE 100 Index\u2019s 2.1% rally outpaced its benchmarks, driven by gains across all pillars.\n\nPorch Group led advancing names in the Index, surging more than 14.4%. Investing sites such as Tipranks reported that sell-side Wall Street firm Stephens boosted its price target on the company to $10 from $8 while keeping its \u201coverweight\u201d rating on the make (which is equivalent to a \u201cbuy\u201d rating).\u00a0 Analysts maintained that Porch\u2019s operational execution and strategic focus should help the company navigate any further macro pressures.\nTencent Surges on Earnings\nTencent\u2019s 11.6% rally led the Pay and Be Paid segment of the CE 100 Index to nearly 3% higher. \u00a0Fourth quarter earnings detailed that revenues in the quarter were up 11% year on year to about $23.9 billion, as the games segment in China showed a 23% revenue surge. The company also noted that it is seeing growth in its AI-related drive to improve and enhance operations. In a statement that accompanied the results, management stated that \u201cthese stepped-up investments will generate ongoing returns via uplifting productivity in our advertising business and longevity of our games, as well as longer term value from accelerated consumer usage of our AI applications and enterprise adoption of our AI services.\u201d\nVisa\u2019s stock was 1.1% higher.\u00a0 The company announced that, in connection with Worldpay, the payments network has launched a new Click to Pay with Visa checkout feature for online merchants in the U.K.\u00a0\u00a0 The joint efforts allow customers to complete a transaction with a single click, eliminating the need to manually enter card details. \nAnd Block, which helped lead the Pay and Be Paid segment of the CE 100 Index 2.9% higher, saw its shares gain 6.8%. The company had said earlier in the month that As had been reported last week, Block said that its Square Financial Services industrial bank has been approved by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to make consumers loans directly to borrowers, using Cash App Borrow. The announcement represents a shift, as the firm had previously made the loans through its external banking partner. By bringing the loan originating and servicing functions in house, Block retains the revenue streams associated with that lending, PYMNTS noted.\nAffirm shares slipped 0.4%.\nAffirm said Wednesday (March 19) that it plans to begin furnishing information about all of its payment plans to Experian on April 1.\u00a0 The expanded data will include biweekly payment plans, Pay in 30 (single installment), Pay-in-2 and Pay-in-6 offerings.\u00a0 Affirm has maintained that expanded credit reporting will help consumers build their credit histories and enable both consumers and lenders to make more informed decisions. That data may be included in new credit scoring models developed in the future, according to the announcement.\nNike shares led to the downside among the few names that declined in the CE 100 Index, off 5.2%\nThe company posted results this past week that\u00a0saw declines across most metrics, and management commentary projected that tariffs will have a near term, negative impact on margins. Revenues were down 9% year over year to $11.3 billion, while the Street had expected a double digit-drop to the $11 billion level. CFO Matthew Friend said tariffs on imports from China and Mexico will hit margins by 4% to 5%. And revenues will decline in the midteens range, per guidance.\u00a0 Nike Direct revenues were $4.7 billion, down 12%, and driven by a 15% decline in Nike digital sales, and a 2% dip at the companies stores.\u00a0 Digital traffic is slated to be down by double digit percentage points in the current fiscal year.\nOverall, CFO Matthew Friend said, \u201cWe are also navigating through several external factors that create uncertainty in the current operating environment, including geopolitical dynamics, new tariffs, volatile foreign exchange rates and tax regulations, as well as the impact of this uncertainty and other macro factors on consumer confidence.\u201d\nFedEx\u2019s quarterly results spurred investors to send the shares 4.9% lower.\nIn the company\u2019s earnings report,\u00a0and as PYMNTS reported, for a third consecutive quarter, FedEx cut its full-year and revenue outlook.\n\u201cOur revised earnings outlook reflects continued weakness and uncertainty in the U.S. industrial economy, which is constraining demand for our business-to-business services,\u201d said John Dietrich, FedEx Corp. executive vice president and chief financial officer.\u00a0\u00a0 The latest revenues of $22.7 billion were down 3.8% year on year.\u00a0 FedEx Express, the company\u2019s largest revenue driver, experienced a 4% decline, settling at $10.5 billion. FedEx Ground saw a 3% dip to $7.8 billion tied to an eCommerce deceleration. \nThe post CE 100 Index Adds 2.1% as Porch Group Rallies and Tencent Surges on Earnings appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-03-24T04:00:12-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-03-23T18:09:00-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CE100-0324-index.jpg", "tags": [ "Affirm", "Block", "CE 100 Index", "Connected Economy", "Featured News", "FedEx", "News", "Nike", "Porch Group", "PYMNTS News", "stock market", "tencent", "Visa", "Connected Economy" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2516608", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/connectedeconomy/2025/76percent-of-consumers-own-4-or-more-connected-devices/", "title": "76% of Consumers Own 4 or More Connected Devices", "content_html": "The digital landscape is dictating how consumers choose to pay, with a clear divergence emerging between tech-embracing early adopters and those content with more basic connectivity, according to a new report.
\nThe February 2025 eBook, \u201cHow People Pay: Consumer Preference for Connected Technology,\u201d delves into the relationship between consumers and their connected devices, identifying distinct \u201cTech Savvy Personas\u201d based on their affinity for and ownership of such technology.
\nThe report buckets respondents into Basic Tech, Mainstream Tech, and Connected Tech segments, revealing differences in their technology portfolios and, consequently, their payment behaviors. A key finding is the gradual expansion of consumers\u2019 technology ownership over time, with more individuals moving into the category of owning four or more connected devices. This shift is attributed to the increasing ease of access to connected devices and the growing prevalence of connectivity in everyday products.
\n![\"\"](\"https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ebook-graph.jpg\")
However, the study highlights that while technology adoption is growing, most consumers appear satisfied with remaining in the basic or mainstream tech categories, suggesting that the preferences of the approximately 10% of consumers identified as Connected Tech are markedly distinct.
These tech enthusiasts, who consider being connected a top priority, own a wide array of devices beyond the traditional smartphone, laptop, and smart TV, including voice-activated devices, security systems and connected cars.
\nThis divergence in device ownership directly correlates with payment preferences, with Connected Tech consumers exhibiting a greater inclination towards digital payment methods and online shopping. The report underscores a clear trend of these advanced users moving away from physical forms of payment, embracing the convenience and seamlessness offered by mobile and contactless payment options.
\nKey data points from the report include:
\nBeyond these key findings, the report reveals other dynamics shaping consumer payment preferences. Millennials and bridge millennials are at the forefront of technology ownership, being three times more likely to be advanced users compared to baby boomers, reflecting the influence of generational exposure and purchasing power.
\nConversely, low-income consumers are more inclined to stick with essential devices like smartphones and laptops, as these provide sufficient access to the digital economy, even if income constraints limit the adoption of a wider array of connected experiences.
\nFurthermore, while ownership of device types has remained relatively stable over the past two years for most consumers, suggesting contentment with their current range of devices, Mainstream Tech consumers are relying more on mobile devices for making purchases, indicating a growing reliance on mobile shopping across broader consumer segments.
\n\n
The post 76% of Consumers Own 4 or More Connected Devices appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The digital landscape is dictating how consumers choose to pay, with a clear divergence emerging between tech-embracing early adopters and those content with more basic connectivity, according to a new report.\nThe February 2025 eBook, \u201cHow People Pay: Consumer Preference for Connected Technology,\u201d delves into the relationship between consumers and their connected devices, identifying distinct \u201cTech Savvy Personas\u201d based on their affinity for and ownership of such technology.\nThe report buckets respondents into Basic Tech, Mainstream Tech, and Connected Tech segments, revealing differences in their technology portfolios and, consequently, their payment behaviors. A key finding is the gradual expansion of consumers\u2019 technology ownership over time, with more individuals moving into the category of owning four or more connected devices. This shift is attributed to the increasing ease of access to connected devices and the growing prevalence of connectivity in everyday products.\nHowever, the study highlights that while technology adoption is growing, most consumers appear satisfied with remaining in the basic or mainstream tech categories, suggesting that the preferences of the approximately 10% of consumers identified as Connected Tech are markedly distinct.\nThese tech enthusiasts, who consider being connected a top priority, own a wide array of devices beyond the traditional smartphone, laptop, and smart TV, including voice-activated devices, security systems and connected cars.\nThis divergence in device ownership directly correlates with payment preferences, with Connected Tech consumers exhibiting a greater inclination towards digital payment methods and online shopping. The report underscores a clear trend of these advanced users moving away from physical forms of payment, embracing the convenience and seamlessness offered by mobile and contactless payment options.\nKey data points from the report include:\n\n76% of consumers now possess four or more connected devices, indicating a broad trend towards greater technological integration in daily life. This growth suggests that the definition of essential technology is expanding beyond traditional devices.\nOnly 10% of consumers are classified as Connected Tech consumers, highlighting the gap between early adopters who embrace a wide range of connected devices and the majority who remain in the Basic or Mainstream Tech categories. This distinct segment drives much of the innovation in digital payment adoption.\n48% of Connected Tech users used a digital wallet in the last 30 days, making them 50% more likely to do so compared to owners of basic devices. This demonstrates a strong preference for digital payment methods among those with a higher ownership of connected technology.\n\nBeyond these key findings, the report reveals other dynamics shaping consumer payment preferences. Millennials and bridge millennials are at the forefront of technology ownership, being three times more likely to be advanced users compared to baby boomers, reflecting the influence of generational exposure and purchasing power.\nConversely, low-income consumers are more inclined to stick with essential devices like smartphones and laptops, as these provide sufficient access to the digital economy, even if income constraints limit the adoption of a wider array of connected experiences.\nFurthermore, while ownership of device types has remained relatively stable over the past two years for most consumers, suggesting contentment with their current range of devices, Mainstream Tech consumers are relying more on mobile devices for making purchases, indicating a growing reliance on mobile shopping across broader consumer segments.\n \nThe post 76% of Consumers Own 4 or More Connected Devices appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-03-24T04:00:01-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-03-23T21:34:38-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/connected-devices.jpg", "tags": [ "connected devices", "Connected Economy", "data point", "Digital Payments", "Featured News", "Mobile Payments", "Mobile shopping", "new", "PYMNTS Intelligence", "PYMNTS News", "The Data Point", "Connected Economy" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2512628", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/connectedeconomy/2025/ce-100-index-dips-3-3-led-by-irobots-plunge-on-doubts-about-its-future/", "title": "CE 100 Index Dips 3.3%, Led by iRobot\u2019s Plunge on Doubts About Its Future", "content_html": "It was another week of volatility on Wall Street \u2013\u2014and another week that saw our CE 100 Index subsets marching in lockstep. \u00a0
\nAll components of the Index were lower as trade wars and tariffs roiled markets, and overall, the CE 100 names were 3.3% lower, which was worse than had been seen in the overall markets.\u00a0 There have been notable headlines surrounding the impact of macro concerns on end-market demand.
\n![\"\"](\"https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CE100-0317.jpg\")
iRobot shares plummeted 47%, as the Live segment of the CE 100 Index was the pillar to post the steepest drop, declining by 9.1%
\nThe company said in its most recent earnings report that it had \u201csubstantial doubt\u201d about its ability to continue as a going concern \u2014 which, we note, is Wall Street language that raises the specter that the firm faces an uncertain future. The company cited uncertainty tied to consumer demand, competition, macroeconomic conditions and tariff policies.
\nThe company\u2019s board of directors has initiated a formal strategic review to consider a potential sale or strategic transaction, refinancing the company\u2019s debt and other alternatives, iRobot said.
\nThe company also said that since implementing its operational restructuring plan in January 2024, it has reduced its headcount by more than 50%, lowered its sales and marketing expenses, decreased inventory and cash outflows, and significantly reduced the cost of its products. The company launched its restructuring in January 2024 when a planned acquisition by Amazon fell through.\u00a0 In the most recent quarter, revenues declined to $172 million from $307.5 million in the year-ago December period.
\nDelta shares dipped by more than 12%. \u00a0The airline\u2019s shares sank in the Move segment of the CE 100 Index, which declined by about 6%. Due to softer domestic demand, Delta revised its March quarter outlook downward compared to the guidance it provided on Jan. 10. The airline now expects its total revenue to grow 3% to 4% year over year during the March quarter, down from its earlier guidance of 7% to 9% \u2014 its operating margin to be 4% to 5%, down from its previous guidance of 6% to 8%.\u00a0 Consumer and corporate confidence has waned on increased macro uncertainty, according to commentary from Delta.
\nAdobe\u2019s 12.6% loss for the week came as the Work segment was off by 2%. The company reported earnings this past week, where fiscal first quarter revenues were up 11% in constant currency to $5.7 billion.\u00a0 However, revenue guidance that topped out at $5.82 billion for the current quarter fell short of Street estimates.
\nDespite the overall slide, there were a few bright spots.
\nPeloton shares gained 13.5% even though the Be Well segment of the CE 100 Index was 0.8% lower.
\nInvesting sites such as Investopedia noted the positive momentum as Canaccord Genuity upgraded the company\u2019s stock to \u201cbuy\u201d from \u201chold.\u201d\u00a0 In the note announcing the upgrade, analysts pointed to the contention that the firm is a \u201cclear leader in the connected fitness industry,\u201d\u00a0 with a \u201cloyal member base\u201d of 6 million members.\u00a0
\nNvidia surged nearly 8% on the week.
\nPYMNTS noted that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is reportedly working to make sure the chip maker has a secure foundation in case the demand driven by artificial intelligence (AI) systems slows down.\u00a0 Bloomberg reported that with Nvidia\u2019s annual conference set to be held next week, it is expected that Huang will highlight the company\u2019s wide-ranging efforts to find \u201cthe next frontier in AI.\u201d
\nThe post CE 100 Index Dips 3.3%, Led by iRobot\u2019s Plunge on Doubts About Its Future appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "It was another week of volatility on Wall Street \u2013\u2014and another week that saw our CE 100 Index subsets marching in lockstep. \u00a0\nAll components of the Index were lower as trade wars and tariffs roiled markets, and overall, the CE 100 names were 3.3% lower, which was worse than had been seen in the overall markets.\u00a0 There have been notable headlines surrounding the impact of macro concerns on end-market demand.\n\niRobot shares plummeted 47%, as the Live segment of the CE 100 Index was the pillar to post the steepest drop, declining by 9.1%\nThe company said in its most recent earnings report that it had \u201csubstantial doubt\u201d about its ability to continue as a going concern \u2014 which, we note, is Wall Street language that raises the specter that the firm faces an uncertain future. The company cited uncertainty tied to consumer demand, competition, macroeconomic conditions and tariff policies.\nThe company\u2019s board of directors has initiated a formal strategic review to consider a potential sale or strategic transaction, refinancing the company\u2019s debt and other alternatives, iRobot said.\nThe company also said that since implementing its operational restructuring plan in January 2024, it has reduced its headcount by more than 50%, lowered its sales and marketing expenses, decreased inventory and cash outflows, and significantly reduced the cost of its products. The company launched its restructuring in January 2024 when a planned acquisition by Amazon fell through.\u00a0 In the most recent quarter, revenues declined to $172 million from $307.5 million in the year-ago December period.\nDelta Notes Waning Consumer and Corporate Confidence \nDelta shares dipped by more than 12%. \u00a0The airline\u2019s shares sank in the Move segment of the CE 100 Index, which declined by about 6%. Due to softer domestic demand, Delta revised its March quarter outlook downward compared to the guidance it provided on Jan. 10. The airline now expects its total revenue to grow 3% to 4% year over year during the March quarter, down from its earlier guidance of 7% to 9% \u2014 its operating margin to be 4% to 5%, down from its previous guidance of 6% to 8%.\u00a0 Consumer and corporate confidence has waned on increased macro uncertainty, according to commentary from Delta.\nAdobe\u2019s 12.6% loss for the week came as the Work segment was off by 2%. The company reported earnings this past week, where fiscal first quarter revenues were up 11% in constant currency to $5.7 billion.\u00a0 However, revenue guidance that topped out at $5.82 billion for the current quarter fell short of Street estimates.\nDespite the overall slide, there were a few bright spots. \nPeloton shares gained 13.5% even though the Be Well segment of the CE 100 Index was 0.8% lower.\nInvesting sites such as Investopedia noted the positive momentum as Canaccord Genuity upgraded the company\u2019s stock to \u201cbuy\u201d from \u201chold.\u201d\u00a0 In the note announcing the upgrade, analysts pointed to the contention that the firm is a \u201cclear leader in the connected fitness industry,\u201d\u00a0 with a \u201cloyal member base\u201d of 6 million members.\u00a0 \nNvidia surged nearly 8% on the week.\nPYMNTS noted that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is reportedly working to make sure the chip maker has a secure foundation in case the demand driven by artificial intelligence (AI) systems slows down.\u00a0 Bloomberg reported that with Nvidia\u2019s annual conference set to be held next week, it is expected that Huang will highlight the company\u2019s wide-ranging efforts to find \u201cthe next frontier in AI.\u201d\nThe post CE 100 Index Dips 3.3%, Led by iRobot\u2019s Plunge on Doubts About Its Future appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-03-17T04:00:36-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-03-17T01:10:52-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CE100-Index-031725.jpg", "tags": [ "Adobe", "CE 100 Index", "Connected Economy", "Delta", "Featured News", "Investments", "Investopedia", "iRobot", "News", "NVIDIA", "Peloton", "PYMNTS News", "stock market", "Connected Economy" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2510778", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/connectedeconomy/2025/3-connected-consumer-segments-will-define-commerce-next-decade/", "title": "These 3 Connected Consumer Segments Will Define Commerce\u2019s Next Decade", "content_html": "Once relegated to simple card-present transactions, digital payments today are deeply embedded into and across a web of connected devices, ultimately driving more personalized experiences and frictionless commerce.
\nThe PYMNTS Intelligence report \u201cHow People Pay: Consumer Preference for Connected Technology\u201d found that 76% of now own four or more connected devices, a testament to the increasing ubiquity of smart technology.
\nAs emerging technologies integrate with consumers\u2019 daily lives, the evolution of digital payments is becoming more than just a matter of convenience. It\u2019s defining the future of economic transactions.
\nThe PYMNTS Intelligence findings illustrated a clear correlation between device ownership and payment behavior. The more connected a consumer is, the more likely they are to engage in digital transactions, adopt alternative payment methods, and move away from traditional cash-based purchases.
\nBut consumers aren\u2019t one-size-fits-all, and the study categorizes consumers into three distinct technology personas. Understanding what defines their individual payments behavior could be crucial to anticipating what\u2019s coming next.
\nRead also: Decoding the Connected Consumer: Personas, Preferences and Payment Strategies
\nThe demographic breakdown of payment trends revealed that millennials and bridge millennials (ages 30-45) are three times more likely to be advanced tech users than baby boomers. Having come of age in the digital era, these generations prioritize convenience and innovation in payments.
\nTheir growing purchasing power makes them a focal point for businesses seeking to adapt. Unlike Generation Z, which is still building financial independence, millennials are in their peak earning years. They expect payments to be embedded within their lifestyle. For retailers and financial institutions, this means a pressing need to optimize payment experiences for mobile-first interactions.
\nAcross all generations, three consumer segments emerged.
\nThe data showed that Connected Tech Users are 50% more likely to use a digital wallet than those in the Basic Tech category. Consumers are increasingly relying on Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal for frictionless transactions, whether shopping online or in-store.
\nThe near-elimination of cash in everyday purchases further supports the notion that physical currency is on the decline, especially among tech-savvy consumers. According to the report, 60% of Connected Tech Users have not used physical money in the last 30 days, a 34% increase from three years ago.
\nRetailers and the food industry are feeling the ripple effects of payments innovation. The study highlighted that 35% of Connected Tech Users made their most recent retail purchase online, compared to 24% of Basic Tech Users. This suggests that the proliferation of smart devices is making digital commerce the norm, rather than the exception.
\nIn the restaurant sector, similar trends emerged. Mobile ordering, QR code payments and contactless transactions are becoming integral to the dining experience. While 15.8% of Basic Tech Users made a restaurant purchase online, that number jumped to 20.6% among Connected Tech Users.
\nThe implications for businesses are clear. If retailers and restaurants want to stay competitive, they must optimize their digital ordering and payment processes. Seamless checkout experiences, loyalty program integration and artificial intelligence-driven personalization will be the differentiators.
\nUltimately, for businesses, the challenge isn\u2019t just keeping up; it\u2019s anticipating what\u2019s next. Payment innovation isn\u2019t just a matter of financial transactions \u2014 it\u2019s a fundamental shift in how we experience commerce.
\nThe post These 3 Connected Consumer Segments Will Define Commerce\u2019s Next Decade appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Once relegated to simple card-present transactions, digital payments today are deeply embedded into and across a web of connected devices, ultimately driving more personalized experiences and frictionless commerce.\nThe PYMNTS Intelligence report \u201cHow People Pay: Consumer Preference for Connected Technology\u201d found that 76% of now own four or more connected devices, a testament to the increasing ubiquity of smart technology.\nAs emerging technologies integrate with consumers\u2019 daily lives, the evolution of digital payments is becoming more than just a matter of convenience. It\u2019s defining the future of economic transactions.\nThe PYMNTS Intelligence findings illustrated a clear correlation between device ownership and payment behavior. The more connected a consumer is, the more likely they are to engage in digital transactions, adopt alternative payment methods, and move away from traditional cash-based purchases.\nBut consumers aren\u2019t one-size-fits-all, and the study categorizes consumers into three distinct technology personas. Understanding what defines their individual payments behavior could be crucial to anticipating what\u2019s coming next.\nRead also: Decoding the Connected Consumer: Personas, Preferences and Payment Strategies\nKey Consumer Segments to Target in the Connected Economy\nThe demographic breakdown of payment trends revealed that millennials and bridge millennials (ages 30-45) are three times more likely to be advanced tech users than baby boomers. Having come of age in the digital era, these generations prioritize convenience and innovation in payments.\nTheir growing purchasing power makes them a focal point for businesses seeking to adapt. Unlike Generation Z, which is still building financial independence, millennials are in their peak earning years. They expect payments to be embedded within their lifestyle. For retailers and financial institutions, this means a pressing need to optimize payment experiences for mobile-first interactions.\nAcross all generations, three consumer segments emerged.\n\nBasic Tech Users: Individuals with minimal connected devices, often limited to a smartphone, laptop or television.\nMainstream Tech Users: A step ahead, owning a wider range of connected devices including tablets, game consoles and smartwatches.\nConnected Tech Users: The most advanced segment, embracing an ecosystem of devices such as voice-activated speakers, smart security systems and augmented reality headsets.\n\nThe data showed that Connected Tech Users are 50% more likely to use a digital wallet than those in the Basic Tech category. Consumers are increasingly relying on Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal for frictionless transactions, whether shopping online or in-store.\nThe near-elimination of cash in everyday purchases further supports the notion that physical currency is on the decline, especially among tech-savvy consumers. According to the report, 60% of Connected Tech Users have not used physical money in the last 30 days, a 34% increase from three years ago.\nHow Payments Innovation Is Reshaping the Connected Economy\nRetailers and the food industry are feeling the ripple effects of payments innovation. The study highlighted that 35% of Connected Tech Users made their most recent retail purchase online, compared to 24% of Basic Tech Users. This suggests that the proliferation of smart devices is making digital commerce the norm, rather than the exception.\nIn the restaurant sector, similar trends emerged. Mobile ordering, QR code payments and contactless transactions are becoming integral to the dining experience. While 15.8% of Basic Tech Users made a restaurant purchase online, that number jumped to 20.6% among Connected Tech Users.\nThe implications for businesses are clear. If retailers and restaurants want to stay competitive, they must optimize their digital ordering and payment processes. Seamless checkout experiences, loyalty program integration and artificial intelligence-driven personalization will be the differentiators.\nUltimately, for businesses, the challenge isn\u2019t just keeping up; it\u2019s anticipating what\u2019s next. Payment innovation isn\u2019t just a matter of financial transactions \u2014 it\u2019s a fundamental shift in how we experience commerce.\nThe post These 3 Connected Consumer Segments Will Define Commerce\u2019s Next Decade appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-03-13T04:00:40-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-03-12T12:59:29-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/connected-commerce-digital-transformation.jpg", "tags": [ "connected commerce", "Connected Economy", "Contactless", "Digital Ordering", "Digital Payments", "digital transformation", "digital wallets", "ecommerce", "Embedded Payments", "Featured News", "food and beverage", "How People Pay: Consumer Preference for Connected Technology", "Millennials", "Mobile Wallets", "News", "PYMNTS Intelligence", "PYMNTS News", "PYMNTS Study", "Restaurants", "Retail", "Technology", "Connected Economy" ] } ] }