Users of ephemeral messaging applications may intend that their messages be—as the word “ephemeral” suggests—short lived, but the real-world consequences and legal ramifications from improper use of such apps can be anything...more
With so much uncertainty, many brands are opting for a wait-and-see approach to social media advertising, though the approaches differ considerably from platform to platform. As most Americans were stuck at home during...more
As expected, Theresa May’s Brexit deal was roundly defeated in Parliament yesterday by an overwhelming 230-vote margin, the biggest House of Commons loss for a PM “in recent British history.” Following the vote, Labour Party...more
The G-20 summit in Buenos Aires wrapped this weekend with the nations agreeing to a joint statement that “affirms the importance of the multilateral trading system” while giving ground to both the US and China over language...more
Early reports suggested that although Teresa May’s cabinet wasn’t thrilled, it backed the PM’s Brexit plan, leaving the controversial deal to make its way to Parliament. But the resignation of two Cabinet members—including...more
Markets are joining the American mid-Atlantic and East Coast in bracing for Hurricane Florence and the estimated $27 billion in damages it could bring with it....more
The Chinese government has seized control of Anbang Insurance Group, the formerly staid insurance conglomerate with a murky leadership structure that in recent years has amassed billions in debt through a global acquisition...more
Mr. Dow’s wild ride ended on an upswing yesterday, with the DJIA adding back nearly 600 points and the three primary US indices up between 1.7 and 2.3%....more
AT&T’s chief is weighing in the DOJ’s call to sell CNN in order to make its deal with Time Warner go through, and, as Randall sees it, “selling CNN makes no sense”....more
The recent IPOs of Snap, Inc. and Blue Apron indicate that while the IPO pipeline continues to flow, there may be a cautionary tale for “unicorns” – venture-backed companies with estimated valuations in excess of $1 billion....more
The SEC hasn’t had much luck with its attempts so far to hold MBS traders responsible for allegedly lying to customers about MBS prices. Yet on the Monday’s charges against ex-Nomura traders suggests that the agency’s not...more
Snap Inc., which debuted on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on March 2nd, was the largest tech IPO since Alibaba went public in 2014. Initially priced at $17 per share, the share price jumped to more than $24 by the end of...more
Proskauer’s Global Capital Markets Group has released its fourth annual IPO Study, a comprehensive analysis of U.S.-listed initial public offerings that priced in 2016, including an identification of IPO trends over a...more
We now know what all of that law-enforcement activity around Caterpillar HQ in past weeks. A government report out this week reveals that investigators are targeting CAT for tax and accounting fraud, though no charges have...more
The SEC is set to decide this week whether to okay a new ETF that could provide investors easier access to bitcoin, a potentially transformative move for the virtual currency....more
SNAP Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, went public yesterday with a valuation of approximately $33.4 billion. The Company raised $3.4 billion at $17 per share, and is now trading well above the IPO price. While SNAP has...more
Last week, Snap Inc. (“Snap” or the “Company”) – the parent company of the wildly popular app Snapchat (“Snapchat” or the “App”) – became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange in the biggest tech IPO since...more
After months of anticipation, yesterday was finally official Snap IPO day. And despite losses of more than $500 million last year, the company saw willing investors flock to buy the $17 shares, pushing Snap’s valuation to...more
SoftBank’s been burning up the deal scene in recent months (Fortress, anyone?), and it keeps right on rolling by helping orchestrate the merger of satellite operator and investee OneWeb with Intelsat in a bid to increase...more
We learned about KraftHeinz’s offer to merge with Unilever only after it had been rejected. And now it appears to be off the table completely—all $143 billion of it....more
Private investment funds and advisers are likely to face new regulatory challenges and increased litigation risks in 2017, not only because of a change in the administration, but also because many advisers have not corrected...more
While Wall Street’s been waiting with bated breath for the big Snap IPO, Jose Cuervo (yes, that Jose Cuervo, via parent company Becle) has briefly stolen a bit of its public offering thunder with its plans to sell shares on...more
JPMorgan and other asset managers are pushing hard for a new type of ETF that “mimics active strategies but keeps its investments secret.” The concept hasn’t yet been embraced by the SEC, though the heavy-hitters looking to...more
Instagram now allows users to zoom in on photos in their feeds and at least 11 brands are already capitalizing on the new feature. Pinterest acquired Instapaper, a tool that allows you to cache webpages for reading at a...more
Welcome to Part I of Social Media Week. I recently did a webinar, hosted by The Network, on the use of social media in your Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance program. The response was as great as almost any...more