Monthly Archives: June 2022

Warren Buffett is using these 3 top stocks to generate a fat inflation-fighting income stream of $1.9 billion follow along now for some healthy cash return

Investors may feel a bit battled in this environment. Some experts say that the market will bottom soon, while others argue that theres plenty more downside ahead.

Put simply, while everyone wants to buy low and sell high, the concern is that you might buy low and sell lower.

If you dont feel confident in the markets direction right now, remember: You dont have to trade stocks to make money.

Each year, Warren Buffett collects billions of dollars just from dividends. In fact, the majority of Berkshire Hathaways holdings are now dividend stocks.

Heres a look at three companies in the Oracle of Omahas collection that provide Berkshire with a generous total of $1.9 billion in annual dividend income. Of course, you dont need billions of dollars to ride his coattails.

As the parent company of U.S. Bank, U.S. Bancorp is one of the largest banking institutions in the country.

Last summer, the bank increased its quarterly cash dividend from 42 cents to 46 cents per share thats $1.84 per share annualized. At the current share price, the company yields a generous 3.6%.

Berkshire owns 144,046,330 shares of U.S. Bancorp, meaning its earning over $265 million in annual dividend income just from this one holding.

It also helps that banks are solidly positioned for the rising interest rate environment: they lend money out at higher interest rates than they borrow, pocketing the difference. As interest rates increase, the spread earned by banks widens.

To tame spiking inflation, the Fed raised its benchmark interest rates by 50 basis points on May 4, marking the first half-point increase since 2000. Similar moves are expected to occur at the Feds upcoming meetings in June and July.

A discussion of Buffetts dividend stocks would not be complete without his beloved Coca-Cola.

Buffett started hoarding shares of the beverage giant in the late 80s. Today, Berkshire owns a whopping 400,000,000 shares of the company.

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Coca-Cola went public more than 100 years ago. This February, the board approved the companys 60th consecutive annual dividend increase, raising the annual payout to $1.76 per share.

And that means Berkshire now collects $704 million in dividends a year from Coca-Cola.

Its not hard to see why the payout has been so reliable: The companys iconic products are sold in more than 200 countries and territories, and even in a recession, a simple can of Coke is still affordable to most people.

The stock currently yields 2.8%.

Energy stocks have turned out to be big winners amid the oil price boom, and Buffett expects the fun to continue.

The legendary investor significantly increased his stake in Chevron in Q1. Owning 159,178,117 shares, Berkshires Chevron position has a market value of over $28 billion, making it the third-largest holding in the portfolio.

As an oil and gas supermajor, Chevrons business is firing on all cylinders. For Q1, the company reported earnings of $6.3 billion, which more than quadrupled the $1.4 billion in the same period last year. Revenue totaled $54.4 billion for the quarter, up 70% year-over-year.

In January, Chevrons board approved a 6% increase to the quarterly dividend rate to $1.42 per share.

Holding 159,178,117 shares of Chevron, Berkshire now collects a staggering $904 million a year in dividends from the oil producer.

Chevron shares are already up 50% in 2022 and now offer an annual dividend yield of 3.2%.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

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Warren Buffett is using these 3 top stocks to generate a fat inflation-fighting income stream of $1.9 billion follow along now for some healthy cash...

This article was first featured in Yahoo Finance Tech, a weekly newsletter highlighting our original content on the industry. Get it sent directly to your inbox every Wednesday by 4 p.m. ET. SubscribeThe tech giant is listening to customers a lot more

Apple (APPL) is famous for trying to anticipate its customers desires. And that tactic has obviously paid off. However, during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) Monday, the company rolled out a new strategy: giving users exactly what theyre asking for, too.

WWDC highlights what Apple has cooked up over the last year. And during the event, the company offered a glimpse at technologies landing on users devices in the months ahead. It turns out consumers have been demanding many of these innovations for years.

Were talking about a far more capable iPad operating system, huge customization options for the iOS lock screen, the welcome return of the MagSafe charger for the new MacBook Air, and, most important of all, the ability to retract and edit texts youve sent in Messages.

It all adds up to a major change for Apple and a boon for its customers. The late Steve Jobs, an Apple co-founder and former CEO, famously eschewed market research in favor of anticipating users needs. But Apple is a far more mature business than when Jobs last ran the company in 2011. Customers know Apples products better than they once did, and theyre finally starting to know what they need before Apple does.

Apples iOS powers more than 1 billion active iPhones around the world, impacting everyone from heads of state to teens idly swiping through TikTok to pass the time.

Needless to say, even the slightest changes to iOS are noteworthy. And the biggest change this year is a new edit and revoke option for Messages. Yes, youll soon be able to edit your texts if your message has a typo.

Better still, youll now be able to delete sent texts. Everyone has sent a regrettable text. And now you will be able to easily undo that text. Twitter users mostly praised the changes, with the majority pointing out that Twitter still hasn't gotten around to adding an edit option.

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Apple is finally giving users the ability to customize its long-stagnant lock screen. (Image: Apple)

Oh, and lets not forget Apple will, at last, let you mark your read messages as unread. How many times have you read a text, not wanted to reply immediately, and then forgot to respond because you couldnt mark it as unread? Thats going to change with iOS 16.

Messages isnt the only place Apple is giving users what theyve been asking for. IOS 16 will also let iPhone owners customize their lock screen. This is a big shift for Apple, which usually wont let consumers dramatically alter their iPhones interface, for fear of making it unrecognizable as an Apple product.

Thats changing with the new ability to adjust the lock screen. Its not just about moving icons around, either. Youll now be able to change the font, font color, background, add on-screen widgets, and get real-time app updates without having to unlock your phone. Its not the kind of wholesale customization Apple users might want, but its a solid start.

When Apple introduced USB C charging to its MacBooks, it also killed its beloved MagSafe charger that magnetically clipped to the side of a MacBook powering the device without having to be tightly connected to the system. This way, if you happened to walk into your charging cable, it would detach rather than drag your computer off of your desk.

It was a seemingly ridiculous choice to get rid of it. Sure, USB C provides charging and data transferring capabilities, but why not just add USB C ports and keep MagSafe too? Well, after an outcry from consumers, Apple is finally doing just that with its new MacBook Air. Yes, MagSafe returns, and those two USB C ports are sticking around, too.

Apple is, mercifully, bringing back the MacSafe charger. (Image: Apple)

Not only that, Apple has also revised the design of the MacBook Air with a more contemporary look. Its edges are slightly more rounded and its packing a larger 13.6-inch display and a webcam thats fit for our new remote work world.

Apple has been pushing the iPad Pro as a pseudo laptop replacement for some time. But it never quite reached that goal; moving apps and dragging windows around on the iPad felt cumbersome compared to clicking and dragging a window on a MacBook.

But with its latest version of iPadOS, called iPadOS 16, Apple has created a potential laptop replacement, at least in certain circumstances. Thats thanks to a new feature called Stage Manager, which lets you multitask on an iPad Pro while still taking advantage of its touch capabilities.

Apple has introduced the latest version of its iPadOS, complete with improved multitasking features. (Image: Apple)

When using Stage Manager, two resizable app windows will now sit on top of each other, just like they do on a laptop. Theres no more having to arrange them side-by-side if you dont want to. Got more apps open? Up to four of them can sit on the left side of the screen, all running live so you can quickly drag them onto the main viewing area.

Its not exactly the same as opening gobs of windows on a MacBook, but its a heck of an upgrade for people who bought an iPad Pro and wanted it to be more productive.

Consumers who have pined for all of these features will no doubt be happy with these updates. Now if Apple would just show us its rumored AR/VR headset, Ill be completely satisfied, too.

By Daniel Howley, tech editor at Yahoo Finance. Follow him @DanielHowley

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Apple is finally giving the people what theyre asking for - Yahoo Finance

Yahoo today (June 8th 2022) announces its latest offering in Southeast Asia, Yahoo Stories Ad, an innovative solution that enables a dynamic and interactive storytelling experience. A mobile-web-first solution, Yahoo Stories Ad brings one of social medias most popular formats to premium environments on the open web, offering advertisers the ability to deliver a more seamless storytelling experience on a larger scale and with greater reach.

Attention is a precious commodity in our information-rich world. With over 1.88 billion websites offering a wealth of content, people have become increasingly discerning in selecting content they wish to consume and how they spend their most valuable asset. As attention spans narrow, standing out in a crowded digital space and acquiring consumer attention continue to be an ongoing challenge for brands and advertisers.

Stories are one of the fastest-growing formats to engage audiences, with over one billion users daily exposed to the format across social media platforms. Among the reasons for the meteoric rise in the appeal of stories is its ability to offer snackable content that favours audiences attention investment. Another factor is the nature of stories which empowers consumers with the option to select the content they would like to see.

Yahoo Stories Ad is a self-contained brand experience formatted for action. With the ability to customise functionality and provide an elegant and highly visual framework within premium environments, Yahoos latest native format will enable brands to not only focus on ad performance but also build brand image and awareness through experiences that consumers know, want and love, said Carol Tay, senior director sales southeast Asia, Yahoo.

Bringing together the popularity of social stories, the seamless browsing experience of native ads, and the power of programmatic advertising, Yahoo Stories Ad delivers rich, full-screen brand narratives in premium, trusted environments. Utilising a range of creative tools, brands and advertisers can now leverage synergistic capabilities to include a combination of static visuals and videos in different panels and allow users to interact and rewatch content with left and right navigation clicks.

Primed to take advantage of smartphone features that appeal to consumers, the solution enables advertisers greater flexibility to tailor audience journeys towards consideration and response. Advertisers can directly integrate CTA buttons into Yahoo Stories Ad that bring users to brand and e-commerce websites, booking engines, maps, coupons, discount codes, or shopping carts for consumer action.

Delivered via native ads on mobile, Yahoo Stories Ad is now available in markets across Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

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Yahoo Transforms Audience Experiences with Immersive Yahoo Stories Ad - ExchangeWire

'The tide has changed': This investing veteran says hot inflation and a tight Fed call for a shift in strategy. He likes 3 specific areas for protection

2022 continues to give growth stocks particularly those in the tech sector a blunt reality check.

The tech-centric Nasdaq index is down 24% year to date, more than double the 10% decline of the Dow over the same period.

MoneyWise recently interviewed investing veteran Claudio Chisani investment advisor and portfolio manager at BlueShore Financial for his advice on how to navigate the current environment.

According to Chisani, the investment climate today is very different compared to years in the past, where stocks welcomed the benefits of accommodating monetary policy and abundant liquidity. And that calls for a shift in strategies.

The tide has changed, he says. Staring at an environment of high inflation and higher interest rates, an investor would be well served to be a bit more conservative.

With that in mind, Chisani suggests several areas where investors can still find attractive opportunities.

Chisani says it would be wise to start focusing on conventional dividend-paying strategies, such as looking at financials and insurance companies.

Those would be beneficiaries of higher rates as long as rates do not get out of control.

Banks lend out money at higher rates than they borrow, pocketing the difference. When interest rates go up, the spread earned by banks widens.

But Chisani also warns investors to pay attention to the default rate at financial institutions. If rates are rising at a pace thats beyond expectations and places pressure on consumers mortgage payments, it could hurt bank earnings.

These days, banks are generous dividend payers. Several large U.S. institutions including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs raised their payouts in 2021.

Investors can gain access to the group through ETFs like the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF).

Chisani says it might also be worthwhile looking at financial names north of the border. Manulife Financial (MFC), he points out, is a Canadian multinational insurance company that offers a generous annual dividend yield of 5.5%.

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When it comes to fighting inflation, few assets work as well as real estate.

So its no surprise that in todays environment where consumers prices are rising at their fastest pace in 40 years real estate is also on Chisanis shortlist.

He suggests taking a serious look at real estate investment trusts, which are publicly-traded companies that own income-producing real estate.

REITs are great cash flow mechanisms, Chisani says.

REITs collect rent from the tenants and pay regular dividends to shareholders. And because rents are going up, investors of high-quality REITs can look forward to collecting a steadily growing stream of dividends.

Additionally, real estate typically appreciates in times of inflation, making the asset class a natural hedge against spiking price levels.

Buying shares in a publicly-traded REIT is just as easy as buying stocks. And if you dont want to pick individual names, ETFs such as the Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ) or the Schwab US REIT ETF (SCHH) provide convenient exposure to large baskets of REITs.

Finally, Chisani points to metals, minerals and energy as proven ways to defend against the threat of rising interest rates. But he also highlights the fact that they have a different set of risks and rewards.

When investing in metals and minerals, the risk associated with being in those sectors will be higher than conventional blue-chip dividend-paying stocks.

The commodities market continues to be a volatile place. And for that reason, Chisani thinks ETFs represent the safest way for beginners to gain exposure to the space.

I would use exchange-traded funds as diversified ways to participate in baskets and sectors of commodities, Chisani says. I think those could be quite lucrative down the path, and to a degree a great hedge against inflation in a clients investment portfolio.

Chisani singles out the SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF (XME) as an attractive inflation-fighter. He also says that Barrick Gold (GOLD), which pays regular dividends and raised its payout this year, could be worth a look for income investors.

For energy investors, Chisani suggests taking a look at Freehold Royalties (FRU), an Alberta-based oil and gas royalty company with assets in five provinces in Canada and eight states in the U.S. Freehold currently offers a dividend yield of 5.8%.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

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'The tide has changed': This investing veteran says hot inflation and a tight Fed call for a shift in strategy. He likes 3 specific areas for...

Submitted by YAHOO of Sterling| The Item

STERLING YAHOO(Young Adults Helping Out Others) is proud to highlight the graduating high school seniors who have worked so hard to keep YAHOO going through two especially difficult years.

We are so grateful to these young adults who gave their time, energy, and creativity to this program and to Sterlings older citizens who need help with yard work each fall and spring.

If you would like to learn more about YAHOO, please visit https://sterlingyahoo.org or send an email to Stuartand Karen Ormsbee at stuormsbee@gmail.com

Harrison Graffam attended Wachusett Regional High School and will study aerospace engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Dayton, Fla.

My dream would be to help design and create the most intuitive vehicles of space technology available so they may help humanity advance and grow.

Harrison participated in YAHOO for four years and was a member of the Youth Board for three as equipment manager and clerk. What he liked best about YAHOO washaving the opportunity to connect with a senior of the community on a Saturday morning was really nice. You get to meet such nice folks that I would have otherwise never appreciated despite their close proximity to my daily life. On the other hand, seeing other volunteers out in the mornings doing their best and talking to them is the best way Ive seen kids of different classes connect outside of school.

"Outside of school, I like going out and doing activities with friends. I follow Formula 1 as my favorite sport; a passion to be interested in for mostly no reason. At home I enjoy playing video games, particularly ones that connect to my other interests. Unfortunately, Ill be moving away from Sterling, where I lived all my life thus far. Its been a great home to start my journey towards the adventures of the unknown future.

Hi, my name is Kael McManus. I am 18 years old, I attended Wachusett Regional High School, and will be going to UMass-Boston in the fall, focusing on political science and history. Im not sure exactly what I want to do in this field yet, however, I would explore options to work on campaigns or go into law school.

Ive been doing YAHOO since I was in seventh grade, and have been on the Youth Board since sophomore year, in the positions of recruitment officer, equipment manager, and Scout. I always liked the opportunity that YAHOO provided for getting together on Saturday morning with your friends and to work with them.

The snacks from homeowners were always a plus as well.

This summer, I plan on spending a lot of time with my friends, playing videogames, watching moviesand camping.

Hi, my name is Kyla Ormsbee and I am graduating from Wachusett Regional High School. In the fall I will be attending Endicott College to study elementary education. In the future I hope to become an elementary school teacher.

I have been a YAHOO volunteer for six years and on the Youth Board for five years. Through these years, I have held various positions on the Youth Board, such as a recruitment officer, equipment manager, recording officer, engagement officer and co-chair.

I loved making more friends and being more involved in the community. Outside of YAHOO I like photography, readingand being outside.

Maegan Fitzpatrick attended Bancroft in Worcester and plans to attend Northeastern University this fall as an undeclared major, although she hopes to become a private or federal investigator.

Maegan has participated in YAHOO for five years, serving on the board for four as the engagement officer, social media officer and co-chair. What she liked best about YAHOO is, the people: The kids volunteering, the kids on the Youth Board, the 'drivervisors,'.and the seniors! I've made so, so many lasting friendships through YAHOO and I'm eternally grateful for what it's helped me through."

Maegan enjoys CrossFit, swimming, eating ice cream, and laughing (a lot).

Hey guys, my name is Mitchell Thoday and Im graduating this year from Wachusett Regional High School. I plan on going to Otis College of Art and Design in California,majoring in game and entertainment design. I hope to become a digital artist working for a movie or game entertainment company.

Ive been doing YAHOO for about six years, four of which I have been on the board. YAHOO has been a great way for me to hang out and meet other people in the community. Id like to thank YAHOO for the great opportunities and ways to develop into my town community.

I hope the program can continue to give a helping hand to those in need.

Hey guys, my name is Oliver Hoang and Im graduating this year from Wachusett Regional High School. I plan on going to UMass-Amherst,majoring in accounting. I hope to become an accountant, but the likelihood of that changing is pretty high.

Ive been doing YAHOO for about five years, and Ive been on the board for three. YAHOO has been a great way for me to hang out with friends and meet other people in the community. Most notably, I loved the snacks the homeowners gave. They were always such a nice treat after working hard on their yard.

Id like to thank YAHOO for all the great opportunities it has given me. I hope the program can continue to thrive for years to come.

Hi everyone. My name is Thomas Foley and I have lived in Sterlingmy entire life.

During my first two years of high school, I attended Saint Peter-Marian in Worcester. For the last two years, I have attended Saint Paul Diocesan High School, which is also in Worcester. This fall, I will be attending Assumption University, where I plan to study business management with the hopes of owning and operating my own business.

I have been involved in the YAHOO program for six years and have been a member of the Youth Board for four. While on the Youth Board, I have held various roles including being press secretary and equipment manager.

My favorite part of YAHOO has been being able to make a true difference in my community and being able to work with my friends. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and camping.

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From snack to friendships, graduating seniors talk about the benefits of serving with YAHOO - Worcester Telegram

The World Bank warned Tuesday that the global economy faces the risk of dreaded "stagflation," with this combination of high inflation and low growth tipping some countries into recession.

The war in Ukraine, lockdowns in China, supply-chain disruptions, and the risk of stagflation are hammering growth. For many countries, recession will be hard to avoid, said World Bank President David Malpass.

In its updated Global Economic Prospects report, the World Bank slashed its forecast for global growth this year to 2.9%, down from the 4.1% forecast it published in January.

The World Bank said most of the downgrade is attributed to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which it had not accounted for in its previous forecast. The international body said it expects essentially no rebound next year, projecting only 3% growth for the world in 2023.

The report pointed to the persistence of high energy and food prices combined with higher interest rates from central banks around the world for the gloomier outlook.

World Bank President David Malpass speaks during a news conference at the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and IMF in Washington, U.S., April 11, 2019. REUTERS/James Lawler Duggan

The global outlook faces significant downside risks, including intensifying geopolitical tensions, an extended period of stagflation reminiscent of the 1970s, widespread financial stress caused by rising borrowing costs, and worsening food insecurity, the report reads.

In the United States, the World Bank downgraded growth prospects for 2022 to 2.6% from the 3.8% it expected in its January forecast.

Although the downgrade does not imply a recession, Wall Street firms have already taken note of recessionary warnings from markets. And rapid price increases are already driving conversations about recession at American dinner tables.

But the World Bank report highlights the fact that recessionary concerns are not a uniquely American phenomenon.

The World Bank called on governments around the world to avert the worst consequences of this economic slowdown.

The World Bank urged governments to cushion the blow from rising energy and food prices, ease financial burdens by expanding debt relief, and dampen the impact of the ongoing pandemic by increasing vaccinations in low-income countries.

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The report specifically discouraged governments from imposing price controls, subsidies, or export bans amid high inflation.

The World Bank also said central banks like the Federal Reserve have a role to play as well.

The Fed, the Bank of England, and the Bank of Canada are among major central banks raising short-term borrowing costs to dampen demand that may be empowering businesses to lift prices.

Communicating monetary policy decisions clearly, leveraging credible monetary policy frameworks, and protecting central bank independence can effectively anchor inflation expectations and reduce the amount of policy tightening required to achieve the desired effects on inflation and activity, said Ayhan Kose, Director of the World Banks Prospects Group.

The challenge: governments and central banks can only do so much to address supply chain disruptions.

With Chinas zero-COVID policy and a war happening in Eastern Europe, the inability of trade to flow freely around the world risks keeping prices elevated as growth slows.

The World Bank report warned that if geopolitical conditions do not lighten up, global growth could be substantially weaker.

Brian Cheung is a reporter covering the Fed, economics, and banking for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on Twitter @bcheungz.

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Recession will be 'hard to avoid' as stagflation risks rise: World Bank - Yahoo Finance

The NBAs independent investigation into allegations of misogyny, racism and toxic culture by Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Robert Sarver is getting close to the end, league commissioner Adam Silver told Yahoo Sports this week.

In November, ESPNs Baxter Holmes published a bombshell report that included more than 70 current and former team employees claims against Sarver. Among them was Sarver allegedly using the N-word repeatedly, discussing sexually explicit topics in the office and verbal tirades. Additional allegations have come out since the initial report.

Sarver has denied the allegations, including releasing a statement before the story was published.

The NBA launched an independent investigation by the Wachtell Lipton law firm into the claims. There have been no status updates about the investigation or timeline for its conclusion from the league or Suns.

No, no update other than were getting close to the end, Silver told Yahoo Sports. Theres no question about it. Its a complex investigation. There are hundreds of people who are involved and need to be interviewed. And we also want to make sure we protect the rights of everyone involved.

So these things by nature, I know what frustrates people, do seem to take a lot of time, but were certainly getting very close to the end.

Sarver reportedly was set to be interviewed by investigators in March. At that time, more than 300 people had been interviewed as part of the investigation.

After the investigation began in November, Sarvers wife, Penny, reportedly sent intimidating messages to several former Suns employees. She confirmed to ESPN that she sent the messages.

Former Suns employees were partially released from nondisclosure agreements in order to speak to investigators. However, the NDAs were still upheld outside of the investigation.

Sarver has continued to run the team as normal, attending NBA board of governors meeting in April. Silver said at that time the investigation was certainly closer to the end than the beginning, according to ESPN.

The investigation into Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Robert Sarver is "getting close to the end," NBA commissioner Adam Silver told Yahoo Sports. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Adam Silver: Suns owner Robert Sarver investigation 'getting close to the end' - Yahoo Sports

Don't miss CoinDesk's Consensus 2022, the must-attend crypto & blockchain festival experience of the year in Austin, TX this June 9-12.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong took to Twitter on Friday to respond to an online petition purportedly coming from one or a group of Coinbase (COIN) workers calling out the management team for numerous mistakes and demanding the exits of Chief Operating Officer Emilie Choi, Chief Product Officer Surojit Chatterjee and Chief People Officer L.J. Brock.

"If you have no confidence in the execs of CEO of a company then why are you working at that company," asked Armstrong. "Quit and find a company to work at that you believe in!" Further down the tweet thread, Armstrong said airing company dirty laundry publicly is unethical and dumb. "If you get caught you will be fired," he added.

While it has not been confirmed that the petition came from within Coinbase, Armstrong's response suggests so. "We don't have anything to add beyond Brian's tweets," said Coinbase, responding to a query from CoinDesk.

Among the issues noted in the petition were the failure of the Coinbase non-fungible token (NFT) platform, initiatives like the Dot Collector and performance review system leading to a toxic workplace culture, and the recent rescinding of job offers to new employees after just two weeks earlier promising all offers would be honored.

The final word goes to Armstrong: "In any down market, people want to start pointing fingers and find someone to blame. ... Recognize this mental trap and don't fall into it teams have to pull together and act as one company during difficult periods, not turn on each other."

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'You Will Be Fired': Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong Lambastes Anonymous 'Operation Revive COIN' Petitioner - Yahoo Finance

It may not seem intuitive for someone like Jeffrey Katzenberg whose storied entertainment resume includes co-founding DreamWorks after a decade-long tenure as chairman of Disney (DIS) to leap into the life of a Silicon Valley VC. But, if you ask him, there's absolutely a throughline: Katzenberg has always loved ambitious dreamers and big ideas.

Im attracted to entrepreneurs, he told Yahoo Finance. Ive been one my whole life and though my ventures have mostly been in the entertainment business, the qualities of those people dreamers who have ideas, passion, ambition, commitment, drive its there. They have similar characteristics. Theyre similar people, and Im drawn to them.

In 2017, Katzenberg co-founded VC firm WndrCo with Silicon Valley veteran Sujay Jaswa, who was Dropbox's (DBX) first-ever chief financial officer. As Dropbox's CFO, Jaswa was deeply involved in building the company's valuation from $18 million to $10 billion. He'd joined Dropbox from time as a VC at New Enterprise Associates, where he'd invested in Cloudflare (NET) and Workday (WDAY).

"In terms of hyper-growth, there are so many different things that are being thrown at you, so you can always get distracted," said Jaswa. "So, my view is that there are really just two things that matter. One is building great products for customers, and two is hiring amazing people. If you do those two things, and you get everything else wrong, you're going to be just fine."

To be sure, Katzenberg's tech ventures haven't all been successes so far. Famously, Katzenberg's much-hyped media startup Quibi dissolved in December 2020, less than a year after its official launch. The company, which produced content in 10-minute episodes, originally raised $1.75 billion from investors, but ultimately sold its content library to Roku (ROKU) for under $100 million.

However, in the years that have followed, Katzenberg and WndrCo have bounced back, finding new mojo by focusing on areas in tech that have been growing in importance, particularly as the pandemic has re-made our world. For instance, one of the firm's key investments is in Aura, a digital safety startup founded by entrepreneur Hari Ravichandran in 2017.

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"From a consumer standpoint, [Aura] had such a clear vision of bringing together the very best features and functions that would actually give somebody a really robust, full menu of security around their personal devices," said Katzenberg. "I thought, wow, I need that and I think all of us need that."

SUN VALLEY, IDAHO - JULY 07: Producer Jeffrey Katzenberg speaks to the media at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 07, 2021 in Sun Valley, Idaho. After a year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the worlds most wealthy and powerful businesspeople from the media, finance, and technology worlds will converge at the Sun Valley Resort for the exclusive weeklong conference. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The firm's recent investments have been diverse, ranging from internet infrastructure provider Meter to Web3-focused Tally Labs. However, as they look at deals these days, WndrCo is primarily focused on the future of work and cybersecurity, the pair told Yahoo Finance.

"Those are really the two lanes in which probably 80% of our interests, our investments, and our efforts are being made," said Katzenberg.

A headshot of WndrCo co-founder Sujay Jaswa, provided by the firm.

The investments that WndrCo makes fall into a few different categories; the firm has a seed-specific fund, and also invests in growth-stage startups that have already pinned down a "product-market fit," according to Jaswa. There's also a category that Katzenberg and Jaswa call "build investments."

"This is where we're really rolling up our sleeves, and we're sort of behaving like the founders behind the founders," said Jaswa. "In many cases, we'll dive in operationally if the founder wants us to, or we'll do a bunch of other things. Honestly, those are the most rewarding in a sense."

Allie Garfinkle is a senior tech reporter at Yahoo Finance. Find her on twitter @agarfinks.

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Why Hollywood heavyweight Jeffrey Katzenberg jumped to tech - Yahoo Finance

(Bloomberg) -- US stocks could drop another 30% if spiking energy costs spark an economic contraction, according to Evercore ISI strategist Julian Emanuel.

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Emanuel revised his 2022 target for the S&P 500 index to 4,300 from 4,800 but also outlined a more bearish scenario where the gauge falls to 2,900 -- a level last seen in 2020 in the early part of recovery from the pandemic rout. The US stock gauge closed near 4,115 Wednesday.

What we havent seen is that fundamental catalyst, and we all know that the biggest fundamental catalyst is falling energy prices, Evercores chief equity and quantitative strategist told Bloomberg Television Thursday. We look for it everyday and it is not happening.

Higher oil prices have a history of increasing the probability of a recession, he wrote in a note Wednesday, adding the average recession bear market in the past century is a slide of about 41%.

Stock market prognostication has rarely been so fraught, encompassing the highest inflation in a generation, sharp interest-rate hikes, war in Europe and Chinas embrace of Covid lockdowns at great economic cost.

The S&P 500 is down almost 14% so far this year and a bounce that began in mid-May has fizzled as warnings about the economic outlook and shrinking corporate profit margins become ever more shrill.

People are starting to worry about whether we are going to see some more lowering of guidance before the earnings season starts in July and then maybe even further once it starts, Matt Maley, chief market strategist at Miller Tabak + Co., said on Bloomberg Television. People are definitely getting more defensive again.

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Emanuel has a bullish scenario of 4,800 if investors get some relief from price pressures -- a big if given that US inflation is expected to stay above 8% in a report due Friday. If you get that break in inflation and you get consumer spending to hold in there, thats where we get the upside, he said.

Technical indicators, meanwhile, show a bearish bias, according to Katie Stockton of Fairlead Strategies. The relief rally has done nothing to improve long-term downside momentum behind the major indices, she wrote in a note.

(Updates with Emanuel comments from Bloomberg Television interview)

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