July

Buckle Up 7% on Solid July Sales, Online Business Bodes Well

By Gertrude Aziz 4 days ago

Shares of The Buckle, Inc. BKE have increased 7.4% since the company released robust sales numbers for July on Aug 6. Moreover, the company’s online business, which has been open throughout amid the COVID-19 crisis, is performing outstandingly. Coming to sales data, total net sales for the four-week fiscal month ended Aug 1, 2020 grew 3.8% to $70 million from net sales of $67.5 million recorded in the four-week fiscal month ended Aug 3, 2019. This marks the second-straight sales increase on a monthly basis.

We note that the company had seen an increase of 26.8% for June, following a sales decline of 16.8%, 80.8% and 50.2%, respectively, in the preceding three months. Further, net sales for the 13-week fiscal quarter ended Aug 1, 2020 rose 6% to $216 million compared to net sales of $203.8 million recorded in the year-earlier 13-week fiscal quarter. Moreover, online sales for the same

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Fintech Focus For July 30, 2020

By Gertrude Aziz 2 weeks ago

Daily Perspective: Not all those who wander are lost. – J.R.R. Tolkein

Fintech Movers: Investors and entrepreneurs say that while the COVID-19 pandemic has boosted demand for fintechs in areas such as digital payments and online trading, it has hurt more vulnerable sectors such as online lending. This is likely to hasten the demise of weaker players, lead to more acquisitions and entrench the dominance of older fintechs with deeper pockets. – Reuters

  • Lawmakers scrutinize trade apps.
  • Trading Technologies preps OMS.
  • State Street intros post-trade TCA.
  • Overstock’s tZERO reduces size.
  • eToro has acquired Marq Millions.
  • Crux becomes MSCI data solution.
  • Microsoft licenses Crowe software.
  • Refinitiv acquires Advisor Software.
  • EU eyes rolls back of MiFID II rules.
  • Fintech Remitly raises $85M round.
  • Curve, Onfido streamline onboarding.
  • ICE expands ETF Hub internationally.

Benzinga Global Fintech Awards Spotlight:

Every year Benzinga, a leading news and data platform, holds the Global Fintech Awards, a

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How to file for a tax extension online if you aren’t able to meet the July 15 deadline

By Gertrude Aziz 4 weeks ago

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As the pandemic swept across the nation in March, the Internal Revenue Service moved the original tax filing deadline and tax payment deadline from April 15 to July 15.

That deadline arrived Wednesday. But individual taxpayers who are unable to meet the July 15 deadline can request an automatic extension til October 15.

Here’s what taxpayers should know.

How do I file an automatic extension until October 15?

Taxpayers who’d like an extension until October 15 must fill out an Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return (Form 4858) by July 15.

According to the IRS, this form can be completed electronically through the IRS Free File or a tax software provider.

“To get an extension, taxpayers must estimate their tax liability on the

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Paper or e-file? Some July tax filers won’t have choice due to glitch

By Gertrude Aziz 1 month ago

It’s tax season in July.

Given that the Internal Revenue Service has been dealing with a backlog of unprocessed paper tax returns, it may be even wiser at this point to e-file your 1040 by July 15, especially if you want to collect a tax refund as quickly as possible and use direct deposit to a bank account. 

The tax filing deadline, which was extended because of the coronavirus crisis, is fast approaching for millions of taxpayers who have yet to file their 2019 federal income tax returns.  

Oddly enough, some people may have little choice but to file a paper return for 2019 because of a computer headache triggered by the use of an online IRS stimulus tool for “non-filers.” It’s not a glitch that will hit everyone, but it’s certainly odd enough to worth noting. 

The rollout of the stimulus payments, officially called the Economic Impact Payment, included

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5 options for stay-at-home fun in SF: Monday, July 13

By Gertrude Aziz 1 month ago

Citywide

<p>Photo: Community Living Campaign/<a href="https://www.facebook.com/CommunityLivingCampaign/photos/gm.286628256057197/3043131669065807/?type=3&theater" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Facebook" class="link rapid-noclick-resp">Facebook</a></p>

Photo: Community Living Campaign/Facebook

The Bay Area’s shelter-in-place order has brought countless events usually held as in-person gatherings online. We’re aiming to support local businesses in San Francisco and Oakland by highlighting five of these events each day.

Got a suggestion for an online event based in SF or Oakland? Email our events reporter, Teresa Hammerl. 

Here’s your SF online event calendar for Monday, July 13. Join a support group for parents facing the challenges of COVID-19, learn how to interpret abstract art, brush up your watercolor skills and more.

Supporting Young Children During COVID-19

<b>Image: Child Life Mommy/<a href="https://www.facebook.com/childlifemommy/photos/gm.295643921681725/4187997411273616/?type=3&theater" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Facebook" class="link rapid-noclick-resp">Facebook</a></b>
Image: Child Life Mommy/Facebook

The COVID-19 pandemic has created trauma, loss, and a rise in anxiety for many. Our Family Coalition recognizes the need to support families navigating this new norm, and invites parents to meet online with certified child life specialist Shani Thornton to help cope. Thornton will provide practical tools and resources

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Fintech Focus For July 10, 2020

By Gertrude Aziz 1 month ago

Daily Perspective: The market is not the economy. – Mike Loewengart

Fintech Movers: The digital lending platform market was estimated at $4 billion in 2018. This number is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of over 20% in the next 5 years, putting it at an estimated $17 billion by 2025. – Benzinga

  • LSEG assigns crypto bar code.
  • Coinbase considers public offer.
  • Railsbank expands into the US.
  • One7 acquires fintech Rapidoo.
  • Upgrade garners $1B valuation.
  • Lightspeed backs market maker.
  • Sberbank intros payment tech.
  • Ping An and JPM finance Taulia.
  • FXCM strengthens trade tech.
  • CFTC schedules a fintech event.
  • Ant plans a huge Hong Kong IPO.
  • SoFi applies for US bank charter.
  • Cloud9, SteelEye tackle trading.

Benzinga Global Fintech Awards Spotlight:

Every year Benzinga, a leading news and data platform, holds the Global Fintech Awards, a day of dealmaking, networking, and recognition in the financial technology space.

Ahead

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Everything you need to know about filing taxes before the July 15 deadline

By Gertrude Aziz 1 month ago

Tax day for 2019 is finally around the corner.

Taxpayers must file their returns and pay any outstanding liabilities by July 15 this year, three months later than the typical tax deadline due to the coronavirus. In March, the Internal Revenue Service gave Americans extra time to get their tax business together as they weathered the pandemic and ensuing lockdowns.

Read more: How to file taxes: The full breakdown

But the extended deadline applies to more than just the returns and tax payments.

Self-employed workers face multiple due dates on July 15, while those with unclaimed refunds from 2016 have until that date to finally get them. You have until July 15 also to lower your taxable income, or pay penalties on early retirement withdrawals.

Here’s what the extended deadline affects.

The tax day was extended to July 15th because of Covid-19. (Photo: Getty)

If you’re a freelancer

Self-employed

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Major coronavirus developments on 7 July

By Gertrude Aziz 1 month ago

Here’s what you need to know on 7 July. This article was updated at 5.15pm.

Deaths: The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said 44,391 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5pm on Monday – up by 155 from 44,236 the previous day. Read more here.

The UK coronavirus death toll has surpassed 50,000 according to figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Read more here.

Politics: Downing Street has refused to apologise after Boris Johnson claimed “too many care homes” did not follow the correct procedures during the coronavirus pandemic. Care home managers have reacted angrily to the prime minister’s comments, saying they followed government advice on protecting their patients and staff. Read more here.

The Conservative Party has moved its annual conference online, in the latest event to be hit by

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Truck Showing Trump ‘Death Clock’ For Coronavirus Circles White House On July 4th

By Gertrude Aziz 1 month ago

A billboard truck showing the “Trump Death Clock” did laps around Washington, D.C., on Saturday, bearing a stark reminder of the number of deaths that might’ve been prevented had President Donald Trump taken earlier action to mitigate the coronavirus crisis.

As Trump pushed ahead with July 4th celebrations that brought crowds to the National Mall and White House South Lawn ― despite concerns that doing so would further the spread of coronavirus ― the truck circled through the capital. On the side of the truck was a running estimate of over 77,000 deaths that could have been avoided had social distancing measures been implemented on March 9, a week earlier than the White House acted.

The names of COVID-19 victims were also read over a loudspeaker, according to a press release from Death Clock co-sponsor Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group.

The Death Clock uses models from two leading

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Trump Trolled for Fourth of July Event Performer as Internet Recalls Obama’s Star Power

By Gertrude Aziz 1 month ago

President Donald Trump is being trolled on Twitter after footage of a man singing a Bruno Mars song at his Fourth of July event at the White House was shared online.

Many of the president’s critics were quick to point out that former President Barack Obama had the real Bruno Mars perform at his Fourth of July party in 2015, calling it “a tale of two presidents.”

“Perfect anology [sic] for the deterioration at the White House: 5 years ago the real Bruno Mars performed at the White House,” one user wrote on Twitter while retweeting the video of Trump’s celebration. 

RELATED: Trump Claims ‘Left-Wing Cultural Revolution’ Wants to ‘End America’ in Divisive Mt. Rushmore Speech

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In the footage, the

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