Banking & Financial Services

Coping with COVID: Missouri jobless fund to receive $300M from state’s COVID-19 relief fund

On Monday, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson authorized the transfer of $300 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Funds from the State Treasury into the Missouri’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. The transfer, according to Parson, will help prevent tax increases on Missouri small… more

Tax deadline pushed back for second year, extended to May

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) plans to delay this year's tax filing deadline to mid-May, a similar move made in 2020 when the deadline was extended to July. Additional time is being given to allow filers more time to navigate tax… more

In a Nutshell: Cracks in the Economy

At the Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting held recently, committee members announced that they would leave key interest rates and quantitative easing unchanged. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell later said that the economic outlook remained “highly uncertain” and would depend… more

In a Nutshell: With Money Supply Exploding, Is Inflation Looming?

Ed Yardeni (a Wall Street economist) pointed out last week that the USA’s money supply has exploded and “M2 Is Off the Charts”!  M1 (money in circulation) is up $2,943 billion (+74%) and M2 (M1 plus savings deposits in banks)… more

Ferrellgas receives green light on $1.5B restructuring plan

On Friday, a judge in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware confirmed the reorganization plan that allows the Overland Park-based holding company (OTC: FGPR) to refinance more than $1.5 billion in debt, including converting $357 million of… more

In a Nutshell: Time For An Overbought Market To Consolidate?

During this earnings season, many of my colleagues on Wall Street shared their opinions that the market’s momentum had been too good to believe. Many of their stock picks were up over 20 percent in terms of earnings momentum, earnings stability, earnings… more

FCC broadband project to fund expansion in Mo., Kan.

A new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) project is putting forth roughly $9.2 billion in funding help bridge the rural digital divide in 49 states. Grants are being awarded to hundreds of companies, including a few dozen in Kansas and Missouri,… more

Missouri-based Ascension closes on $285M venture capital fund

Ascension Ventures, a Clayton-based venture capital firm that's part of the Ascension hospital system, said Friday that it has raised $285 million for a new fund. The fund is the fifth managed by Ascension Ventures, which began in 2001 as a… more

Broadband expansion initiative to deliver $248M to KC area, Mo.

A state-wide broadband initiative in Missouri will pour $248 million to achieve broadband expansion to communities across the state, including counties that make up the Kansas City, Mo. region. The multiyear initiative to expand broadband availability aims to reach 61,000… more

Beige Book report shows increase in economic activity for Kansas City district during Jan., Feb.

Economic activity in the Kansas City Federal Reserve District expanded slightly over the last two months, according to the latest Beige Book release from the Federal Reserve System. The Beige Book is a Federal Reserve System publication about current economic… more