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Category: Latin America

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Calls on Congress to Support Critical Legal Services for Vulnerable Americans

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today joined a bipartisan coalition of 39 other attorneys general in sending letters to leaders in the United States House and Senate urging them to keep in place critical funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) in upcoming appropriations bills. For over 50 years, LSC has provided grants to organizations in every state and territory that ensure those in need can get assistance for civil cases of all types. As Attorney General James and the coalition assert in the letter, LSC funds provide vital legal assistance to people in rural communities, veterans and military families, domestic violence survivors, older adults victimized by scams and fraud, and others who struggle to afford an attorney.

    “Funding for the Legal Services Corporation helps ensure that everyone – no matter where they live or how much money they make – has access to justice,” said Attorney General James. “LSC supports organizations that protect the rights of the most vulnerable in our communities, from tenants facing eviction to families recovering from natural disasters. As New York’s attorney general, I work every day to protect the rights of all New Yorkers, and I urge Congress to support the fight for equal access to justice by investing in LSC.”

    LSC operates a network of 130 independent legal aid organizations in over 900 offices in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. These organizations assist millions of Americans with legal needs such as securing veterans’ benefits, support with natural disasters, and providing access to legal services for people in rural areas. In 2023, LSC funds helped serve over 100,000 New Yorkers, including over 1,800 veterans, and supported over 12,000 cases involving domestic violence.

    LSC is at the front line of protecting access to justice throughout the country. As Attorney General James and the coalition argue in the letter, without investment in LSC, many hardworking rural families would have no access to legal assistance when facing life-altering legal problems. The letter also notes LSC distributes 95 percent of its funding directly to the legal aid organizations providing services to Americans.

    Joining Attorney General James in sending the letters are the attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 25, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James and Governor Hochul Announce Lawsuit Against Trump Administration for Imposing Illegal Tariffs 

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York and a coalition of 11 other states are suing the Trump administration for illegally imposing unprecedented tax hikes on Americans in the form of tariffs issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The Trump administration’s IEEPA tariffs raise taxes on imports from nearly every country on Earth, including America’s closest allies and trading partners, and they have already caused severe economic damage. The lawsuit, filed by Attorney General James and a coalition of attorneys general, argues that Congress has not granted the president the authority to impose these tariffs and therefore the administration violated the law by imposing them through executive orders, social media posts, and agency orders. The coalition seeks a court order halting these IEEPA tariffs, including the worldwide tariffs that were paused on April 9, and preventing the Trump administration from enforcing or implementing them.  

    “The president does not have the power to raise taxes on a whim, but that’s exactly what President Trump has been doing with these tariffs,” said Attorney General James. “Donald Trump promised that he would lower prices and ease the cost of living, but these illegal tariffs will have the exact opposite effect on American families. His tariffs are unlawful and if not stopped, they will lead to more inflation, unemployment, and economic damage.”  

    “President Trump’s reckless tariffs have skyrocketed costs for consumers and unleashed economic chaos across the country. New York is standing up to fight back against the largest federal tax hike in American history,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “Attorney General James and I are partnering on this litigation on behalf of New York consumers, because we can’t let President Trump push our country into a recession.”

    At most, the IEEPA allows the president to impose tariffs in response to extraordinary threats or a specific emergency. However, since February, President Trump has been unilaterally imposing sweeping tariffs against America’s closest trading partners. These tariffs expanded in a series of announcements in April to now cover nearly every country worldwide, including places that are not involved in international trade, such as the Heard and McDonald Islands, which have no known human inhabitants.  

    In addition to the severe economic damage that President Trump’s tariffs have already caused, the coalition warns they could cause even more destruction if allowed to continue. The lawsuit argues the IEEPA tariffs will increase unemployment, raise inflation, and threaten Americans’ wages by slowing economic growth. The president’s tariffs will harm the states and their residents by making important goods ranging from electronics to building materials more expensive and scarce.

    These costs will severely impact New Yorkers. Economists estimate the increased tariffs will cost the average family thousands of dollars per year, and a report from the New York City Comptroller estimated that even a mild recession caused by the tariffs would lead to over 35,000 lost jobs in New York City alone. New York state agencies could end up paying over $100 million in extra costs due to tariffs increasing prices. Retaliatory tariffs imposed by Canada on the hundreds of millions of dollars in electricity that New York imports every year would cause New Yorkers’ energy bills to spike. Across the state, small businesses that rely on imports are already reeling from the threat of higher prices and uncertainty caused by the administration’s policies. In Central New York, the Cortland Standard, one of the oldest family-owned newspapers in the country, announced it would cease publication in part due to an expected tariff on newsprint.

    The lawsuit, filed in the United States Court of International Trade, asserts that President Trump has no authority to impose tariffs as he has. While the president has declared emergencies and invoked IEEPA to justify these tariffs, not once has any other president used IEEPA to impose tariffs like this in the five decades since it became law. As the coalition argues in the lawsuit, the law was not designed to allow the president to unilaterally impose worldwide tariffs indiscriminately. In addition, the coalition argues that the Trump administration has overstepped its authority and violated the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act by imposing these tariffs.  

    With this lawsuit, the coalition is seeking a court order declaring the Trump administration’s IEEPA tariff orders to be in violation of the law and ordering the administration to stop implementing or enforcing these tariffs.  

    Joining Attorney General James in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 25, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Alaska, rich in petroleum, faces an energy shortage

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brett Watson, Assistant Professor of Applied and Natural Resource Economics, University of Alaska Anchorage

    The Trans-Alaska Pipeline crosses underneath the Dalton Highway, carrying crude oil from the North Slope to a port in Valdez. Lance King/Getty Images

    In the state with the fourth-largest proven reserves of oil and gas in the U.S., there is a looming energy shortage.

    Above the Arctic Circle, oil producers on Alaska’s North Slope send an average of 465,000 barrels of crude oil south each day for shipping to refineries and users around the country and the world.

    But in south-central Alaska – Anchorage and the surrounding region, home to 63% of the state’s population – utility companies are warning they may not have enough natural gas from current sources to keep the power and heat on without interruption.

    As a professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage who studies the economics of natural resources, I can see this apparent contradiction has a straightforward cause but no simple solution.

    Oil facilities in Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope, photographed March 28, 2002.
    Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images

    Declining oil production

    The North Slope region once produced nearly 2 million barrels of oil per day at its peak in the 1980s. Every barrel is transported via the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline System to the port of Valdez, where it is loaded onto tanker ships.

    The state government collects significant taxes and royalties on oil production. For decades, oil revenue allowed the state to fund all government spending without imposing broad-based income, sales or property taxes. At the height of the oil boom, there was so much money that Alaska established a wealth fund, now valued at over US$80 billion, and began distributing dividends to every resident.

    But the Trans-Alaska Pipeline is designed to carry oil, not natural gas. A state law prevents producers from burning off excess gas, or flaring, as happens in many fields. With nowhere to send it, gas extracted from Alaska’s oil fields is reinjected into the ground to boost well pressure and push more oil out.

    Significant natural gas potential

    Alaska’s gas reserves are significant. State estimates suggest the North Slope has about 35 trillion cubic feet of proven reserves. That’s almost as much natural gas as the U.S. as a whole produced in 2023.

    But that is just the beginning: The North Slope also has the potential for another 200 trillion cubic feet that remains undiscovered. And improving technologies and techniques may be able to extract another 590 trillion cubic feet, according to the Alaska Gasline Development Corp., a company owned by the state of Alaska that is trying develop a project to extract and sell the state’s natural gas.

    As oil production declines and prices remain uncertain, selling gas could provide a different stream of revenue for the state, potentially providing billions of dollars.

    The 800-mile problem

    For decades, there have been numerous proposals to develop Alaska’s gas. State agencies and the petroleum industry have collectively spent hundreds of millions of dollars on this effort.

    The concept that’s closest to reality is Alaska Gasline Development Corp.’s proposal to build a plant on the North Slope to remove gas impurities, a liquefaction plant near Anchorage that could export 20 million tons of liquefied gas each year – around a trillion cubic feet – and an 807-mile pipeline to connect the two.

    The cost is expected to be significant: The corporation’s own estimate is that it would cost $44 billion. But that number was developed before the construction sector saw significant inflation in 2022. An engineering study due for release in late 2025 will provide a more updated figure. Alaskans remember that the Trans-Alaska Pipeline ended up costing 25% more than projected.

    Since his first day in office, President Donald Trump has touted this pipeline as part of efforts to expand the nation’s production of fossil fuels. He told a joint session of Congress it was a near-ready project, with Japan and South Korea ready to invest “trillions of dollars each.” In February 2025, he stood alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to announce a “joint venture” to develop the pipeline project, but no specific details have been announced.

    Winter in Alaska means deep cold and lots of snow.
    AP Photo/Mark Thiessen

    2 expensive options

    There is a growing need to address Alaska’s domestic energy shortfall.

    South-central Alaska relies on natural gas for more than 70% of its electric and heating needs. But the gas reserves closest to Anchorage, in the Cook Inlet, which have provided energy to the area since the 1960s, are dwindling, and prices are rising. In 2005, wholesale gas prices were $3.75 per 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas. By 2024, the price had more than doubled, to $8.75. By contrast, the rest of the U.S. has seen natural gas prices cut in half over that period, thanks in part to horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking.

    In 2022, Hilcorp, the company responsible for roughly 85% of the Cook Inlet gas production, reported that by 2027 it might not be able to supply enough gas for utilities that serve the region.

    Solutions other than the pipeline are also slow and expensive. Local utilities estimate that improving energy efficiency and developing renewable power could reduce gas demand by around 10% over the next several years and by as much as 15% after a decade. But retrofitting the area’s aging and energy-inefficient homes will not be fast or cheap.

    More than just economics

    What remains for Alaska are two main options: get gas from the North Slope to Anchorage, or import liquefied gas from the global market.

    Building the pipeline could both meet the needs of Alaska’s people and bring in money from global sales – though how much revenue depends on how global gas markets change over time and how competitive Alaska gas prices would be relative to other suppliers.

    Any delays from financial, legal, technical or environmental challenges would balloon costs. But if it succeeded, Anchorage-area customers could see prices drop as low as $2.23 per 1,000 cubic feet – a 75% drop from current prices and 40% lower than in 2005. The savings could significantly bolster the region’s economy.

    Importing is a costly option. A study commissioned by the Alaska Legislature found that imported gas would cost $13.72 per 1,000 cubic feet. That’s 60% more than current prices and especially burdensome for Alaska families and businesses, which already pay far higher energy bills than typical American customers.

    Beyond the economic questions, there’s something symbolic at stake: the state’s identity. Could a state synonymous with energy production become an energy importer? Many Alaskans see the prospect as an embarrassing paradox – akin to Hawaii importing pineapples or New Mexico importing green chiles.

    Independence and globalization

    Alaska is not alone in grappling with the tension between energy self-sufficiency and economic efficiency.

    Across the U.S., states rich in resources have wrestled with the question of whether to prioritize local production or integrate into global markets. Texas produces more oil than any other state, yet it continues to import crude oil due to mismatches between its production and refining capacity.

    Shaped by globalization, few regions can truly isolate themselves from market forces. Energy production and consumption are increasingly interconnected, meaning pursuit of local self-sufficiency comes at a steep economic cost. That’s the question facing Alaska: whether to invest in domestic infrastructure to maintain energy independence, or embrace the flexibility – and potentially lower cost – of global markets.

    Brett Watson receives funding from First National Bank Alaska to conduct research on the Alaska economy, including energy issues. He has previously received funding from Power the Future for work on Alaska mineral issues.

    – ref. Alaska, rich in petroleum, faces an energy shortage – https://theconversation.com/alaska-rich-in-petroleum-faces-an-energy-shortage-254903

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 25, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Global Drone Usage and Adoption Continues to Skyrocket While Largely Benefiting the Agriculture Industry

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – Drones are being utilized in many markets and one of the ones that is expected to continue to rise is the agriculture drones market. The need to boost agricultural productivity and the labor shortage drive the agriculture drones market growth. Traditional farming faces labor shortages, increasing the demand for advanced agriculture technologies that enhance productivity and minimize manual labor. For instance, the USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture revealed a loss of 141,733 farms in the US from 2017 to 2022, highlighting the urgent need for solutions to improve efficiency and promote sustainable farming practices. According to a report from MarketsAndMarkets the global agriculture drones market which grew to from USD 2.01 billion in 2024 is expected to reach a CAGR of 32.0% during the forecast period (2029). The report said: “Partnerships and the introduction of new products will present profitable prospects for industry participants in the coming five years. Favorable government policies, subsidies, and regulations coupled with increasing investments by market players drive the usage of digital agriculture tools like drones. The US FAA’s exemptions for the use of agriculture drones are anticipated to hold several opportunities for the market. Favorable government policies, subsidies, and regulations coupled with increasing investments by market players to drive the usage of digital agriculture tools like drones are acting as drivers for the agriculture drone market. Public-private partnerships create innovation in developing tailored solutions to known problems, especially in agriculture, which receives research and development funding from government initiatives. Extension education and training are also brought about, which educates the farmer concerning the capabilities of the drones thus making the farmer able to utilize the tools appropriately.” Active Companies in the drone industry today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA), Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT), Safe Pro Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAI), AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS).

    MarketsAndMarkets concluded: “Furthermore, governments’ propensity for sustainability in environmental matters helps the cause of drones meant to stretch resources applied in terms of water and fertilizers… Simplified regulatory frameworks facilitate easier adoption, enabling farmers to implement drone technology into their operations without extensive bureaucratic hurdles. Monetary benefits, such as subsidies and tax exemptions, greatly help reduce the input costs of drones, hence enabling more farmers to adopt the technology.”

    ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) ZenaDrone Granted FAA Part 137 Approval for Agricultural Drone Operations Addressing a $6 Billion Global Agricultural Drone Market Growing to $24 Billion by 2032 – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, announces its subsidiary ZenaDrone has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct commercial agricultural operations under the rules and regulations of 14 CFR Part 137 for crop spraying and precision agriculture. This approval allows ZenaDrone to commence final testing and deployment of the ZenaDrone 1000 drone for aerial spraying of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, and seeds for agricultural, environmental and government customers. The company plans to sell these solutions through its Drone as a Service, or DaaS, business model as well as selling the drone hardware and solution directly to larger commercial farms, agribusinesses, and cooperatives.

    “FAA part 137 approval now enables our team to finish final testing and commence sales of our agriculture solutions. Drones offer a more precise, efficient, cost effective and safer alternative to traditional methods while reducing chemical use, crop damage, and manual work, as well as being able to reach hard-to-access areas. We plan, test, then deploy our solutions through our DaaS model in the US first, followed by Ireland where we have a history of pioneering development work in agricultural drones,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

    According to Fortune Business Insights the global agriculture drone market is projected to grow from USD 6.10 billion in 2024 to USD 23.78 billion by 2032, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.5%. This growth reflects a growing demand for precision agriculture, advances in drone technology, cost-effectiveness, government support and incentive programs, and growing awareness and education.

    The ZenaDrone 1000 is an autonomous drone, in a VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) quadcopter design with a total of eight rotors on its two fixed wings; it is considered a medium-sized drone measuring 12X7 feet in size. It is designed for stable flight, maneuverability, heavy lift capabilities up to 40 kilos, incorporating innovative software technology, AI, sensors, and purpose-built attachments like crop spraying, along with rugged and compact hardware featuring foldable wings enabling the drone to fit into the back of a truck.

    ZenaTech’s DaaS business will incorporate the ZenaDrone 1000 and the IQ series of multifunction autonomous drones to provide a variety of service solutions from land surveys to power line inspections or power washing, made accessible and cost effective through an Uber-like business model on a regular subscription or pay-per-use basis. Customers can conveniently access drones for eliminating manual or time-consuming tasks achieving superior results, such as for surveying, inspections, security and law enforcement, or precision farming applications, without having to buy, operate, or maintain the drones themselves. Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

    Other recent developments in the markets include:

    Puna Bio recently announced that it had closed a new round of founding led by Corteva, Inc., Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA) through its Corteva Catalyst platform. The investment from one of the world´s leading agricultural technology companies, and other investors, will support the further development of Puna Bio’s product portfolio based on extremophile organisms.

    Unlike traditional pesticides and fertilizers, Puna Bio’s innovative products are based on natural solutions that enhance nutrient uptake, tolerance to stress and crop quality. Their biological (non-GMO) seed treatments are based on the unique capabilities of extremophiles isolated from the highest and driest desert on Earth, La Puna of Argentina.

    “Our solution, based on ancient bacteria dating back 3.5 billion years, maximizes productivity by 10 to 15 percent in fertile soils and revitalizes degraded soils that would normally be too acidic or salinized to be productive,” explains Franco Martínez Levis, Puna Bio’s CEO and co-founder. “With so much of the world’s agricultural land on the path to degradation and weather patterns becoming more extreme worldwide, our discovery platform ensures that we can continue feeding the global population in a sustainable way.”

    Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT), a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, recently announced that the Company has entered into securities purchase agreements with certain institutional investors for the purchase and sale of 4,724,412 shares of common stock, pursuant to a registered direct offering, expected to result in gross proceeds of approximately $30 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses. The offering is expected to close on or about April 11, 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

    The Company intends to use net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including working capital. Northland Capital Markets is acting as the exclusive placement agent for the transaction.

    The offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-283242), which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on December 11, 2024. A final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the registered direct offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website located at http://www.sec.gov. Additionally, when available, electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained, when available, from Northland Securities, Inc., 150 South Fifth Street, Suite 3300, Minneapolis, MN.

    Safe Pro Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAI) recently announced that its SpotlightAITM OnSite (OnSite) real-time, edge-based, small object threat detection technology, has successfully completed operations in active minefields in Ukraine. This successful deployment highlights the Company’s patented capability to rapidly identify and instantly map live explosive threats including small anti-personnel cluster munitions and landmines scattered over large areas. Building on over two years of real-world battlefield testing, this milestone in the Company’s development roadmap demonstrates the ability to deliver edge-based small object threat detection reducing a soldier’s cognitive load and representing the next generation of force protection. To view a video of SpotlightAITM Onsite please click here.

    “Evolving threats like remote mining where everyday drones are strategically delivering small mines is a new critical threat profile that our edge-based system is uniquely designed to address. Our recent operational success confirmed that our AI models can reduce the cognitive load on soldiers who are already heavily tasked and may not have the time to recognize explosive threats in their path. This a significant step forward on the Edge where drone-based small object threat detection for force protection is responding to the rapidly changing modern battlefield. Building upon our unmatched real-world experience in detecting, identifying and locating small explosive threats in Ukraine, we believe OnSite can deliver a new level of enhanced situational awareness that will allow military, government and humanitarian personnel to safely conduct their critical missions with greatly enhanced safety,” said Dan Erdberg, Chairman and CEO of Safe Pro Group Inc. “The increasing number of countries exiting the Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel landmines will likely lead to an increased proliferation of deadly anti-personnel mines and that is why we are committed to the further development and deployment of our patented technology so that we can help protect our soldiers and our allies.”

    AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS) recently announced the launch of its eBee VISION next generation application software featuring a variety of critical updates. Of particular note, is the capability for manual position updates with map referencing to provide precise navigation even in GNSS-denied areas where satellite signals are unavailable or unreliable due to various factors.

    AgEagle CEO Bill Irby commented, “Of the many new features provided in our latest software update, overcoming GNSS-denied shortfalls marks a significant leap forward in drone operations especially for defense personnel, public safety agencies and industrial teams working in high-stakes, GNSS-denied environments. Whether operating in dense urban centers, near critical installations, or in contested zones with active signal interference, our global eBee VISION customers can now maintain full navigational command of their drone using only the camera and map-based interface. This feature directly addresses a core challenge faced by tactical and industrial drone operators in today’s complex mission environments. Our technical team will continue to work relentlessly on refinements and ongoing advancements to ensure AgEagle remains at the forefront of UAV innovation.”

    About FN Media Group:

    At FN Media Group, via our top-rated online news portal at www.financialnewsmedia.com, we are one of the very few select firms providing top tier one syndicated news distribution, targeted ticker tag press releases and stock market news coverage for today’s emerging companies. #tickertagpressreleases #pressreleases

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    DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels.  FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material.  All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks.  All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM has been compensated fifty one hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by ZenaTech, Inc. by the Company. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

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    SOURCE: FN Media Group

    The MIL Network –

    April 25, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Pope Francis’s death reveals a hidden truth about public grief

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tony Milligan, Research Fellow in the Philosophy of Ethics, King’s College London

    People pay tribute to Pope Francis in the Cathedral of Se, after his death was announced by the Vatican, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, April 21, 2025. Cris Faga/Shutterstock

    When a significant international public figure like Pope Francis dies, the world seems to pause. Tributes pour in, flags lower, candles flicker in city squares. The sadness is palpable. But is this real grief, or something else entirely?

    Widespread mourning can look and feel genuine. And in many ways, it is. Most people aren’t faking their sorrow. But public grief often lacks depth and duration – it fades almost as quickly as it appears.

    For those who knew Francis personally, the loss will be profound and lasting. For the rest of us, we are witnesses to the passing of a beloved figure, not mourners in the intimate sense.

    The world saw this after the deaths of Princess Diana and Pope John Paul II. Both were enormously popular and the global reaction was immense. Yet, weeks after their funerals, the emotional tide began to recede.

    This time, the public response to Pope Francis feels more restrained. Less swept away by the moment. Less inclined toward what some psychologists refer to as false emotion – emotions that appear sincere but don’t reflect deep personal experience.

    Partly, this is due to Pope Francis himself. He was not one for drama. Partly, it’s a quiet recognition: feeling sad about his death is not the same as being grief-stricken.

    Still, the absence of a one-to-one relationship doesn’t necessarily make our feelings inauthentic. Millions may grieve for Francis without having met him. For devout Catholics and others inspired by his leadership, he was a symbol of hope, a voice for justice, humility and reform within an often troubled institution.

    His life carried a transformative power, and for those who pinned their hopes on him – on what he represented – his passing may leave a genuine and lasting void. That looks a lot like real grief.

    Longing and hope

    Every Catholic I’ve ever known has had a “favourite pope.” The new one rarely feels the same. That attachment, though deeply symbolic, is emotionally real.

    My father used to tell a story – likely embellished – about growing up in a Catholic neighbourhood in Bridgeton in the east end of Glasgow. When a neighbour’s home caught fire, she pleaded with firemen: “Save him! Save my darlin’!” They rushed in, expecting a person. All they found was a picture of the pope.

    Even if exaggerated, the point holds: people feel a real longing for these figures. And that’s what grief is, in essence – a yearning for the impossible return of someone we’ve lost. It’s not just sadness. It’s the ache of a love that can no longer be reciprocated.

    Priests who experience crises of faith describe something similar – a desire to return to a state of belief that now feels unreachable. It’s not just about loss; it’s about longing without resolution.

    But when the new pope is announced, the atmosphere in St Peter’s Square is not one of despair. It’s a return to hope, not an immersion in grief. People may mourn Francis, but they’re also swept up in collective emotion – a desire to be part of history, part of the moment. That sense of unity can be powerful and real, even if it isn’t grief.

    Atheists can feel it as much as believers. We sense it at funerals of people we didn’t really know. We cry because everyone else is crying. Then, days later, we carry on as if nothing happened.

    Impossible desire

    So, what makes false grief false? It’s not deception or performance – it’s the absence of impossible desire. In true grief, we yearn for what can never return. Most of us, when mourning a figure like Pope Francis, may want something – meaning, comfort, community. This is at the heart of what makes a false emotion false, rather than the real thing.

    A false emotion lacks the desire that sits at the heart of its genuine counterpart. In the case of false grief, we may desire something. We usually do. The crowds who gather in St Peter’s Square and those of us who watch events unfold on TV clearly want something. But in most cases we do not have the right kind of impossible desire for our feelings to count as grief. Even if we do think of ourselves as grief stricken, we are mistaken.

    Saying this is not at odds with Francis’s own religious tradition. In his biographical Confessions, St Augustine notoriously claimed that we always want unity with God, and we are restless until we achieve it: “Our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

    But Augustine also claimed that this longing comes disguised as a desire for all sorts of other things: fame, alcohol, intoxication and the warm pleasures of the flesh. Augustine was a little on the puritanical side about these matters, but his idea of disguised longing may be close to the truth.

    The point is that an emotion which presents misleadingly as one thing, may be a real instance of something else. In the case of Pope Francis, this may be this may be closer to spiritual longing rather than actual grief.

    And whether or not we believe in a god, and however we want to describe it, longing of this sort is a deep and familiar experience. One that shifts our attention from object to object, or from one public figure to the next, without ever being satisfied.

    In a sense, this is also the point of having a pope, or rather a succession of popes. It is easier to attach our longings onto someone human than it is to come to grips with deeper and often unmanageable desires.

    Tony Milligan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Pope Francis’s death reveals a hidden truth about public grief – https://theconversation.com/pope-franciss-death-reveals-a-hidden-truth-about-public-grief-255157

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 25, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Wallet Launches Major Upgrade to Market Tools and Alpha Interface

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, a leading Web3 non-custodial wallet, has introduced a major upgrade to its market insight features, including advanced K-line charting, real-time token analytics, and dynamic trading overlays. The enhanced interface gives users a professional-grade monitoring experience from a simple, mobile-first wallet.

    The new interface enables users to interact with candlestick (K-line) charts using familiar gestures — drag to view historical price movements, pinch to zoom for detail, and long-press to reveal a floating window with precise data points. Users can also choose to display or hide trade-specific overlays such as buy/sell points, average price, and position size, making it easier to monitor performance without clutter.

    Each token’s detail page now includes a dedicated “Trading Activity” section, surfacing key onchain metrics like address count changes, top 10 address volumes, largest trades, and major inflow/outflow events. A new “Daily Movers” section on the market homepage highlights tokens with unusual price or volume shifts, helping users quickly identify emerging trends. Meanwhile, Bitget Wallet Alpha, previously known as MemeX, has been upgraded with a simplified layout, clearer gain multipliers, and improved stablecoin purchase options.

    While feature-rich, the upgrade remains true to Bitget Wallet’s broader design philosophy — the delivery of powerful tools through an interface that feels intuitive and easy to navigate. “Great design is about making powerful tools simple,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “This upgrade delivers the depth that active users expect, while staying true to our vision of a wallet that anyone can use.“

    The upgraded features are now available for all Bitget Wallet users on iOS and Android, with further usability improvements set to roll out in the coming months. For more details, please visit Bitget Wallet’s official X.

    About Bitget Wallet
    Bitget Wallet is a non-custodial crypto wallet designed to make crypto simple, secure, and accessible for everyone. With over 60 million users, it brings together a full suite of crypto services, including swaps, market insights, staking, rewards, a DApp browser, and crypto payment solutions. Supporting 130+ blockchains, 20,000+ DApps, and a million tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges. Backed by a $300+ million user protection fund, it ensures the highest level of security for users’ assets.

    For more information, visit: X | Telegram | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok | Discord | Facebook
    For media inquiries, contact media.web3@bitget.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b3203f0f-c697-4c68-bf43-d35ce1fe26a7

    The MIL Network –

    April 25, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests, removes Dominican alien charged with drug crimes, assaulting a police officer in Massachusetts

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested an illegally present Dominican national charged with drug trafficking crimes and assaulting a police officer. Officers with ICE Boston arrested Daniel Encarnacion-Sanchez, 20, in Boston Feb. 7.

    “Daniel Encarnacion-Sanchez illegally entered the United States and has been charged with trafficking poison in our Massachusetts community and assaulting an officer of the law,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “He represents a significant threat to our residents that we will not tolerate. ICE Boston remains dedicated to our mission to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing criminal alien threats from New England neighborhoods.”

    U.S. Border Patrol arrested Encarnacion-Sanchez Nov. 21, 2023, after he illegally entered the United States. The Border Patrol served Encarnacion-Sanchez a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge.

    The Malden District Court arraigned Encarnacion-Sanchez Nov. 27, 2024, for trafficking a controlled substance and possession to distribute drugs.

    ICE Boston lodged an immigration detainer against Encarnacion-Sanchez Dec. 3, 2024, with the Middlesex County House of Corrections.

    The Boston Police Department arrested Encarnacion-Sanchez Feb. 6, and charged him with assault and battery on a police officer causing injury and trafficking drugs, heroin and crack. The next day, the Dorchester District Court, released Encarnacion-Sanchez on personal recognizance.

    Officers with ICE Boston arrested Encarnacion-Sanchez, after release from Dorchester District Court in Boston Feb. 7.

    ICE removed Encarnacion-Sanchez to the Dominican Republic March 16.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X: @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 25, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Nasdaq and AWS Unlock New Era of Growth for Global Capital Markets with Next Generation Infrastructure Solutions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nasdaq and AWS announce modernization blueprint to drive the benefits of cloud into local market infrastructures through flexible deployment while maintaining data sovereignty and resilience

    As part of the modernization blueprint, Nasdaq is introducing a new brand for its complete suite of next generation marketplace technology solutions, Nasdaq Eqlipse, delivering cloud-ready capabilities and data intelligence across the full trade lifecycle

    Nasdaq’s Nordic markets first to adopt the blueprint alongside expanded modernization partnerships with Johannesburg Stock Exchange and Mexico’s Grupo BMV

    NEW YORK, SEATTLE, STOCKHOLM, JOHANNESBURG, and MEXICO CITY, April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nasdaq and Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company, today announced an advancement in their shared mission to modernize markets globally. Drawing on their deep experience and expertise in powering capital markets, the companies are introducing a new suite of solutions that empower market operators to enhance liquidity, facilitate capital flows, and drive growth, while upholding the highest level of performance, security and resilience.

    Today, market operators navigate unique complexities, including emerging technology acceleration, highly competitive environments, regulatory standards, and constantly evolving client needs. Yet, their ability to innovate and modernize at pace requires ever greater expertise and advanced technological capabilities. To address these challenges, Nasdaq and AWS are delivering infrastructure, software, data management and services to enable market operators to overcome modernization barriers cost effectively without compromising resiliency or control.

    The new blueprint, proven through Nasdaq’s successful market modernization with AWS, drives industry standards, dynamic and sustainable operations while promoting a more resilient financial ecosystem. In the long term, the blueprint can enhance investor confidence and connect capital, previously confined locally due to technological complexity, to global investment opportunities.

    “Local economies flourish when capital markets are robust, and global investors can confidently channel capital across borders. Conversely, a strong global economy is reliant on local markets that are highly dynamic, where innovators can scale, and capital can seamlessly connect. Powering both creates a virtuous cycle of value creation, driving economic growth and wealth generation,” said Adena Friedman, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Nasdaq. “The unique combination of Nasdaq’s technology expertise and AWS’s advanced infrastructure enables us to solve the industry’s most complex challenges that have hampered the growth and scalability of markets around the world. By reducing complicatedness, friction, and fragmentation we are fortifying the financial system with greater connectivity and resilience and enabling a new era of economic growth and prosperity.”

    “Building on our 15-year partnership, Nasdaq and AWS are furthering our shared vision to develop technology that simplifies and streamlines capital markets,” said Matt Garman, CEO at AWS. “Together, we are helping market operators provide seamless connectivity for markets and investors anywhere in the world, with a blueprint for modernization and innovation, and the ability to unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth in capital markets.”

    A blueprint for the next generation of markets with resilience and optionality

    The blueprint empowers market operators to execute their modernization strategies by optimizing their resource investments while focusing on operational excellence, enhancing competitive differentiation, satisfying their regulatory obligations, and driving innovation within their markets. The first three key components of the blueprint include:

    • Bringing together AWS, exchange, and trading participant infrastructure in close proximity to power global capital markets: Building on AWS’s high-performing, scalable infrastructure, as well as its deep expertise in operating cloud infrastructure, Nasdaq and AWS are offering a new solution for market operators that addresses resilience, security, proximity and latency demands by positioning AWS services, exchange and trading participant systems in a common location. For the first time, global market participants will have access to industry-leading compute services from AWS in close proximity to the core exchange complex and their own co-located trading systems. In addition, AWS will provide connectivity between this infrastructure and AWS’s Global Regions via the AWS Direct Connect service and the AWS global network, to provide low-latency, high bandwidth connectivity for global applications; all while enabling operators to retain overall control of their data.
    • Nasdaq Eqlipse, a next generation marketplace technology platform: Nasdaq Eqlipse seamlessly integrates client community feedback and Nasdaq’s development investments, including platform capabilities, application architecture, APIs and product integration. The solutions feature cloud-ready applications and globally standardized APIs with proven interoperability across the full trade lifecycle. Nasdaq’s marketplace technology solutions are already used by over 135 market infrastructure providers around the world for multi-asset trading, clearing, central securities depository and surveillance. Nasdaq Eqlipse will also include a new solution – Nasdaq Eqlipse Intelligence – designed to unlock the full potential of market operators’ data with modern, cloud-based data management, analytics and reporting capabilities that are specific to market operators’ workflows. These capabilities address the industry-wide opportunity to deploy AI at greater scale, recognizing its potential to transform how marketplaces operate.
    • A services deployment model: The modernization blueprint brings together the expertise and experience of Nasdaq and AWS through a new services deployment model. This provides market operators with access to both companies’ deep capital markets expertise to help reduce operational heavy lifting. Ultimately the services deployment model powered by AWS is designed to help market operators reduce transformation risks, allowing them to focus technology resources toward a growth-driven capital allocation strategy. Market operators will be able to augment and accelerate their path to modernization, while improving time-to-market for new releases and enhancing overall resilience.

    The blueprint delivers key benefits to market operators so that they can drive innovation; specifically:

    • Accelerate and de-risk modernization strategies for market operators by delivering an agile technology stack and globally standardized services and workflows that empower the market operators to focus on attracting liquidity from global investors.
    • Provide greater flexibility for both innovation and monetization for market operators by leveraging modern technology infrastructure to capitalize on the potential of AI, enhance their data and insight-based services, and develop new products and functionality to the benefit of all market participants.
    • Promote transparency, enhance liquidity and protect market integrity by strengthening trading, clearing, and settlement operations and reducing barriers for local, regional and global investors with secure access.

    The blueprint plans to use AWS’s global network and low-latency traffic routing to support frictionless, high-speed connections for markets and investors around the world. This connectivity will allow market participants to interact seamlessly and transparently across global exchanges with minimal latency, fostering globally inter-connected markets built on a common data lake architecture.

    Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Grupo BMV and Nasdaq’s Nordic markets modernize their ecosystems

    Nasdaq has expanded its modernization partnership with both Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and Mexico’s Grupo BMV. Additionally, Nasdaq’s Nordic markets have today announced their intention to modernize their infrastructure in line with the blueprint.

    The JSE is collaborating with Nasdaq around the development of services for colocation, data intelligence and insights, and client interactions. The blueprint service deployment model will support the South African bourse’s technology enablement journey to modernize its technology, leverage edge computing infrastructure, explore AI to deliver innovative market solutions and drive operational efficiencies.

    Leila Fourie, Group CEO of the JSE, said: “This strategic collaboration is an extension of the long-standing relationship the JSE has with Nasdaq. The market infrastructure developed in partnership with Nasdaq and AWS will open the door to greater global market interconnectivity with minimal latency, which will support increased liquidity and capital flows between the US and South African capital markets. We will be setting new standards for the industry through innovation and technology that creates value for market participants.”

    Building on the market modernization efforts with Nasdaq, Grupo BMV is analyzing how it can build on its existing technology partnership across its clearing and central securities depository platforms by leveraging the services deployment model. They are also evaluating the long-term potential for cloud infrastructure in Mexico and its ability to create a robust, high-integrity ecosystem that reduces barriers to market participation, enhances operational efficiency, and accelerates the adoption of emerging technologies across the Mexican financial landscape.

    Jorge Alegría, Chief Executive Officer, Grupo BMV, said: “Our post-trade technology infrastructure is undergoing a transformative evolution, with Nasdaq playing a pivotal role as our enabling partner, as we look toward the next decade. We are committed to driving innovation, enhancing operational efficiency and proactively addressing the evolving needs of our local and international customers.”

    In line with the blueprint, Nasdaq plans to incorporate the managed infrastructure model within its Nordic markets. Starting with the Nordic derivatives market, Nasdaq will be able to provide additional services to clients, powered by AWS infrastructure which allows Nasdaq’s clients to rapidly scale their GPU usage within Nasdaq’s own data center in Väsby, Sweden and harness cloud services to innovate faster.

    Roland Chai, President of European Market Services, Nasdaq, said: “The success of Nasdaq’s Nordic markets has demonstrated the extraordinary power of modern market infrastructure to attract international sources of capital. Incorporating AWS’s advanced cloud infrastructure is expected to elevate our markets on the global stage and help to power the next generation of growth across Europe.”

    These advancements will be made in close consultation with the respective regulatory authorities and are subject to relevant approvals.

    About Nasdaq

    Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a leading global technology company serving corporate clients, investment managers, banks, brokers, and exchange operators as they navigate and interact with the global capital markets and the broader financial system. We aspire to deliver world-leading platforms that improve the liquidity, transparency, and integrity of the global economy. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software, exchange capabilities, and client-centric services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence. To learn more about the company, technology solutions, and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on X @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

    About Amazon Web Services

    Since 2006, Amazon Web Services has been the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud. AWS has been continually expanding its services to support virtually any workload, and it now has more than 240 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, security, hybrid, media, and application development, deployment, and management from 114 Availability Zones within 36 geographic regions, with announced plans for 12 more Availability Zones and four more AWS Regions in New Zealand, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and the AWS European Sovereign Cloud. Millions of customers—including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies—trust AWS to power their infrastructure, become more agile, and lower costs. To learn more about AWS, visit aws.amazon.com.

    About Amazon

    Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

    About the Johannesburg Stock Exchange

    The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) has a well-established history of operating as a marketplace for trading financial products. It is a pioneering, globally connected exchange group that enables inclusive economic growth through trusted, world-class, socially responsible products, and services for the investor of the future. It offers secure and efficient primary and secondary capital markets across a diverse range of securities, spanning equities, derivatives, and debt markets. It prides itself on being the market of choice for local and international investors looking to gain exposure to leading capital markets on the African continent.

    The JSE is currently ranked in the Top 20 largest stock exchanges in the world by market capitalization, and is the largest stock exchange in Africa, having been in operation for 137 years. As a leading global exchange, the JSE co-creates unlocks value & makes real connections happen. www.jse.co.za

    About Grupo BMV

    The Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV: BOLSAA) is a fully integrated group with more than 130 years of experience, enabling Mexico’s securities and derivatives markets. It consists of a network of leading companies providing services in capital markets, derivatives, debt, post-trade solutions, data and analytics, as well as a range of value-added services. For more details, visit www.bmv.com.mx.

    Media Contacts

    Nasdaq: Emily Pan; Emily.Pan@nasdaq.com; +1 646 637 3964
    AWS: Naomi Little; njlittle@amazon.com; +1 771 233 2089
    JSE: Pheliswa Mayekiso; pheliswam@jse.co.za; +27 84 4860502
    Grupo BMV: Alberto Maya; amaya@grupobmv.com.mx; +52-55-5342-9000

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

    Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Nasdaq cautions readers that any forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “will” and “can” and other words and terms of similar meaning. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to the benefits of products and services delivered in line with the modernization blueprint, application and availability of products and services in regulated environments, and Nasdaq’s partnership with AWS. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors beyond Nasdaq’s control. These risks and uncertainties are detailed in Nasdaq’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q which are available on Nasdaq’s investor relations website at http://ir.nasdaq.com and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Nasdaq undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    – NDAQF-

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Nasdaq Reports First Quarter 2025 Results; Diversified Business Model Driving Broad-Based Revenue Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nasdaq, Inc. (Nasdaq: NDAQ) today reported financial results for the first quarter of 2025.

    • First quarter 2025 net revenue1 was $1.2 billion, an increase of 11% over the first quarter of 2024, or up 12.5% on an adjusted2 basis. This included Solutions3 revenue growing 9%, or up 11% on an adjusted basis.
    • Annualized Recurring Revenue (ARR)4 of $2.8 billion increased 8% over the first quarter of 2024, or up 9% on an organic basis. Annualized SaaS revenue increased 14% and represented 37% of ARR.
    • Financial Technology revenue of $432 million increased 10% over the first quarter of 2024 with Financial Crime Management Technology revenue up 21%.
    • Index revenue of $193 million grew 14%, or 26% on an adjusted basis, with $86 billion of net inflows over the trailing twelve months and $27 billion in the first quarter of 2025.
    • GAAP diluted earnings per share grew 69% in the first quarter of 2025. Non-GAAP5 diluted earnings per share grew 24% in the first quarter of 2025.
    • In the first quarter of 2025, the company returned $138 million to shareholders through dividends and $115 million through repurchases of common stock. The company also repurchased $279 million of senior unsecured notes in the quarter.

    First Quarter 2025 Highlights

    (US$ millions, except per share) 1Q25 YoY change % Adjusted YoY
    change %
    Organic6YoY
    change %
    Solutions revenue $947 9% 11% 9%
    Market Services net revenue $281 19% 19% 19%
    Net revenue $1,237 11% 12% 11%
    Non-GAAP operating income $682 15% 17% 14%
    ARR $2,831 8% 9% 9%
    GAAP diluted EPS $0.68 69%    
    Non-GAAP diluted EPS $0.79 24%   24%

    Adena Friedman, Chair and CEO said, “Nasdaq’s first quarter results underscore the resilience of our business model and our ability to deliver growth across our divisions in a rapidly shifting environment.

    As a trusted partner and platform company, we are empowering our clients to address their most pressing risks and challenges and confidently navigate complex macroeconomic conditions. With our portfolio of complementary, mission-critical solutions, we are well-positioned to deliver sustainable growth through 2025 and the medium-term.”

    Sarah Youngwood, Executive Vice President and CFO said, “Nasdaq delivered one of its strongest quarters yet, with all three divisions achieving robust revenue growth and contributing to stellar EPS growth. We demonstrated strong operating leverage and our high level of cash flow enabled us to make meaningful progress on our capital allocation strategy of investing in organic growth, reducing debt, and repurchasing shares.

    We are grateful for our clients’ trust and remain focused on supporting them in these times of uncertainty, executing on our growth opportunities, and continuing to delever while making focused strategic investments to capitalize on our compelling organic growth opportunity.”

    FINANCIAL REVIEW

    • First quarter 2025 net revenue was $1,237 million, reflecting 11% growth versus the prior year period. Adjusted net revenue growth was 12.5%.
    • Solutions revenue was $947 million in the first quarter of 2025, up 9% versus the prior year period, or up 11% on an adjusted basis, reflecting strong growth from Index and Financial Technology.
    • ARR grew 8% year-over-year, or 9% on an organic basis, in the first quarter of 2025 with 11% ARR growth for Financial Technology, or 12% on an organic basis, and 5% ARR growth for Capital Access Platforms.
    • Market Services net revenue was $281 million in the first quarter of 2025, up 19% versus the prior year period.
    • First quarter 2025 GAAP operating expenses were $690 million, a decrease of 3% versus the prior year period. The decrease in the first quarter was primarily due to lower expenses related to general and administrative expenses, lower restructuring costs, and lower compensation and benefits, partially offset by an increase in merger and strategic initiative costs.
    • First quarter 2025 non-GAAP operating expenses were $555 million, reflecting 6% growth versus the prior year period, or 7% growth on an organic basis. The organic increase for the quarter reflected growth driven by increased investments in technology and people to drive innovation and long-term growth, partially offset by the benefit of synergies.
    • Cash flow from operations was $663 million for the first quarter enabling the company to make continued progress on its deleveraging plan. In the first quarter of 2025, the company returned $138 million to shareholders through dividends and $115 million through repurchases of common stock. As of March 31, 2025, there was $1.6 billion remaining under the board authorized share repurchase program. The company also repurchased $279 million of senior unsecured notes for a net purchase price of $257 million in the first quarter of 2025.

    2025 EXPENSE AND TAX GUIDANCE UPDATE7

    • The company is updating its 2025 non-GAAP operating expense guidance to a range of $2,265 million to $2,325 million, and is maintaining its 2025 non-GAAP tax rate guidance in the range of 22.5% to 24.5%.

    STRATEGIC AND BUSINESS UPDATES

    • Financial Technology delivered durable and broad-based ARR growth. The One Nasdaq go to market strategy is elevating client engagement and driving product adoption resulting in robust ARR growth. FinTech ARR grew 12% on an organic basis in the first quarter with 40 new clients, 92 upsells, and 2 cross-sells. First quarter highlights included:
      • Financial Crime Management Technology revenue growth reflects momentum across both enterprise and small-and-medium bank (SMB) clients. Nasdaq Verafin secured several strategic first quarter wins including a cross-sell to a Tier 2 AxiomSL client and an upsell to a Tier 2 bank client, reflecting early progress on its land and expand enterprise client strategy. The business also added 35 new SMB clients in the first quarter, a 25% increase in new client signings over the prior year quarter. Nasdaq Verafin’s ongoing client growth is contributing to the growth and power of its data consortium, which now includes clients holding more than $10 trillion in total assets.
      • Regulatory Technology achieved solid ARR growth as our solutions helped clients navigate elevated market activity. AxiomSL signed a new large digital bank client and continued its momentum with existing clients with 22 upsells in the first quarter, including a strategic deal with a large Tier 1 U.S. financial institution. The Tier 1 client expanded its suite of AxiomSL services by incorporating a broker-dealer solution alongside their existing U.S., European, and Asian reporting modules. Surveillance signed 4 new clients in the quarter, including a European regulator, a crypto marketplace, an energy trading firm, and a broker-dealer.
      • Capital Markets Technology signed multiple strategic deals amid the market modernization megatrend. Strong execution and secular tailwinds are fueling new wins across the subdivision with Calypso completing 25 upsells and Market Technology signing 17 upsells in the first quarter. Market Technology also had a cross-sell to nuam, a consolidated market operator spanning Peru, Chile, and Colombia. In the first quarter, nuam selected Nasdaq’s newly launched trade, clearing, and central securities depositories (CSD) intelligence solution after signing Nasdaq’s Trade Multi Matching Engine in late 2023 and its member countries standardizing on Nasdaq’s CSD platform in December 2024.
    • Investments in Index powered alpha-driven revenue growth. Index had $27 billion in net inflows in the first quarter with average ETP AUM reaching $662 billion, to achieve a sixth consecutive record quarter, despite a more volatile market backdrop. Index’s performance reflects ongoing execution of its growth strategy of new product innovation, international diversification, and institutional client expansion. In the first quarter, Nasdaq launched 30 new Index products, including 10 international products, 7 in the institutional insurance annuity space, and 16 launched in partnership with new Index clients. New product launches have been a strong growth driver for Index and products launched since 2020 have accounted for 33% of net inflows over the last 5 years.
    • Nasdaq maintained listing leadership and passed $3 trillion of market value in cumulative transfers. During the quarter, Nasdaq welcomed 45 operating company listings that raised nearly $5 billion of proceeds, contributing to an 82% win rate of eligible operating companies in the quarter. First quarter wins included 3 of the quarter’s top 5 offerings, CoreWeave, SailPoint, and Smithfield Foods. In the first quarter, the company exceeded $3 trillion in combined market value for total listing transfers since Nasdaq first launched its switch program in 2005. Nasdaq welcomed 7 high-profile transfers in the quarter, including Shopify, Thomson Reuters, and Domino’s Pizza, that added over $230 billion in market value.
    • Market Services delivered record net revenues with record cash equities and derivatives volumes in the U.S. Within the recent market volatility, Nasdaq achieved U.S. record volumes in cash equities and equity options, including index options, in the first quarter. Nasdaq also extended its leadership in on-exchange trading with U.S. cash equities market share increasing year-over-year and sequentially. During the first quarter, Nasdaq’s North American markets experienced extraordinary message traffic, which reached a record of more than 425 billion messages8 in a day.
    • Nasdaq aims to expand U.S. market access to 24/5 trading in the second half of 2026. The planned launch of 24-hour trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market will broaden investor access and wealth-building opportunities globally, including in Asia, where demand for Nasdaq-listed stocks is accelerating. Nasdaq’s timeline is subject to regulatory approval and alignment with the industry participants.
    • Nasdaq and Amazon Web Services signed an enhanced agreement to amplify their prior partnership. The partnership aims to benefit both the Market Services and Financial Technology divisions and advance Nasdaq’s vision to be the trusted fabric of the world’s financial system. Nasdaq plans to offer its financial services clients new cloud-based solutions in phases. The initial phase focuses on providing market operators with public and hybrid cloud infrastructure, software, and services offerings that mitigate transformation risk, retain data sovereignty, and optimize performance, latency, security, and resilience. Nasdaq’s Nordic markets will be among the first markets to leverage the infrastructure powered by the new partnership, subject to regulatory approval. Nasdaq also has expanded its modernization partnerships with both the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and Mexico’s Grupo BMV.
    • Nasdaq is executing on its 2025 strategic priorities — Integrate, Innovate, Accelerate — positioning the company to capitalize on opportunities for sustainable, scalable, and resilient growth.
      • Integrate – Nasdaq is on track to action its $140 million expanded net expense efficiency program by year-end, with over $100 million actioned as of the end of the first quarter. Moody’s upgraded Nasdaq’s senior unsecured debt rating from Baa2 to Baa1 on March 31.
      • Innovate – Nasdaq continued to amplify innovation across the company as the team rolled out new AI-powered features to our solutions and product offerings and launched new Index products. Client usage of Nasdaq Verafin’s Co-Pilot tool grew 20% sequentially in the first quarter, highlighting the value and efficiency the offering provides to clients. Currently, more than 1,200 clients are leveraging the co-pilot to expedite their alert reviews.
      • Accelerate – The company continues to execute on its One Nasdaq strategy securing 19 cross-sell wins since the Adenza acquisition across key solutions including Surveillance, AxiomSL, and Verafin. Nasdaq remains on track to surpass $100 million in run-rate revenue from cross-sells by the end of 2027. At the end of the first quarter, cross-sells accounted for over 15% of Financial Technology’s sales pipeline.

    ____________
    1 Represents revenue less transaction-based expenses.
    2Adjusted period over period change reflects non-GAAP results, adjusted to include revenue for AxiomSL on-premises contracts to reflect adjustment for ratable recognition for 1Q24 and to exclude the impacts of foreign currency and the previously announced one-time revenue benefit in our Index business in 1Q24.
    3 Constitutes revenue from our Capital Access Platforms and Financial Technology segments.
    4 Annualized Recurring Revenue (ARR) for a given period is the current annualized value derived from subscription contracts with a defined contract value. This excludes contracts that are not recurring, are one-time in nature or where the contract value fluctuates based on defined metrics. ARR is currently one of our key performance metrics to assess the health and trajectory of our recurring business. ARR does not have any standardized definition and is therefore unlikely to be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. ARR should be viewed independently of revenue and deferred revenue and is not intended to be combined with or to replace either of those items. For AxiomSL and Calypso recurring revenue contracts, the amount included in ARR is consistent with the amount that we invoice the customer during the current period. Additionally, for AxiomSL and Calypso recurring revenue contracts that include annual values that increase over time, we include in ARR only the annualized value of components of the contract that are considered active as of the date of the ARR calculation. We do not include the future committed increases in the contract value as of the date of the ARR calculation. ARR is not a forecast and the active contracts at the end of a reporting period used in calculating ARR may or may not be extended or renewed by our customers.
    5 Refer to our reconciliations of U.S. GAAP to non-GAAP net income attributable to Nasdaq, diluted earnings per share, operating income, operating expenses and organic impacts included in the attached schedules.
    6 Organic changes (i) reflect adjustments to remove the impact of period-over-period changes in foreign currency exchange rates and (ii) includes revenue for AxiomSL on-premises contracts to reflect adjustment for ratable recognition for 1Q24. As it relates to ARR, organic changes only exclude the impact of period-over-period changes in foreign currency exchange rates as the AxiomSL ratable recognition adjustment had no impact on ARR.
    7 U.S. GAAP operating expense and tax rate guidance are not provided due to the inherent difficulty in quantifying certain amounts due to a variety of factors including the unpredictability in the movement in foreign currency rates, as well as future charges or reversals outside of the normal course of business.
    8 Message count represents the number of records across Nasdaq’s U.S. Options, U.S. and Canadian equities markets, trade reporting facilities, and bond exchange that are recorded into Nasdaq’s data warehouse on a daily basis.

    ABOUT NASDAQ

    Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a global technology company serving corporate clients, investment managers, banks, brokers, and exchange operators as they navigate and interact with the global capital markets and the broader financial system. We aspire to deliver world-leading platforms that improve the liquidity, transparency, and integrity of the global economy. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software, exchange capabilities, and client-centric services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence. To learn more about the company, technology solutions and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on X @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

    NON-GAAP INFORMATION

    In addition to disclosing results determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, Nasdaq also discloses certain non-GAAP results of operations, including, but not limited to, non-GAAP net income attributable to Nasdaq, non-GAAP diluted earnings per share, non-GAAP operating income, and non-GAAP operating expenses, that include certain adjustments or exclude certain charges and gains that are described in the reconciliation table of U.S. GAAP to non-GAAP information provided at the end of this release. Management uses this non-GAAP information internally, along with U.S. GAAP information, in evaluating our performance and in making financial and operational decisions. We believe our presentation of these measures provides investors with greater transparency and supplemental data relating to our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we believe the presentation of these measures is useful to investors for period-to-period comparisons of results as the items described below in the reconciliation tables do not reflect ongoing operating performance.

    These measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative to, U.S. GAAP, and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. In addition, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate such measures differently, which reduces their usefulness as a comparative measure. Investors should not rely on any single financial measure when evaluating our business. This information should be considered as supplemental in nature and is not meant as a substitute for our operating results in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We recommend investors review the U.S. GAAP financial measures included in this earnings release. When viewed in conjunction with our U.S. GAAP results and the accompanying reconciliations, we believe these non-GAAP measures provide greater transparency and a more complete understanding of factors affecting our business than U.S. GAAP measures alone.

    We understand that analysts and investors regularly rely on non-GAAP financial measures, such as those noted above, to assess operating performance. We use these measures because they highlight trends more clearly in our business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on U.S. GAAP financial measures, since these measures eliminate from our results specific financial items that have less bearing on our ongoing operating performance.

    Organic revenue and expense growth, organic change and organic impact are non-GAAP measures that reflect adjustments for: (i) the impact of period-over-period changes in foreign currency exchange rates, and (ii) the revenue, expenses and operating income associated with acquisitions and divestitures for the twelve month period following the date of the acquisition or divestiture. Reconciliations of these measures are described within the body of this release or in the reconciliation tables at the end of this release.

    Foreign exchange impact: In countries with currencies other than the U.S. dollar, revenue and expenses are translated using monthly average exchange rates. Certain discussions in this release isolate the impact of year-over-year foreign currency fluctuations to better measure the comparability of operating results between periods. Operating results excluding the impact of foreign currency fluctuations are calculated by translating the current period’s results by the prior period’s exchange rates.

    Restructuring programs: In the fourth quarter of 2023, following the closing of the Adenza acquisition, our management approved, committed to and initiated a restructuring program to optimize our efficiencies as a combined organization. We further expanded this program in the fourth quarter of 2024 to accelerate our momentum and further optimize our efficiencies (efficiency program). We have incurred costs principally related to employee-related costs, contract terminations, asset impairments and other related costs and expect to incur additional costs in these areas in an effort to accelerate efficiencies through location strategy and enhanced AI capabilities. Actions taken as part of this program will be complete by the end of 2025, while certain costs may be recognized in the first half of 2026. We expect to achieve benefits primarily in the form of expense synergies. In October 2022, following our September announcement to realign our segments and leadership, we initiated a divisional realignment program with a focus on realizing the full potential of this structure. As of September 30, 2024, we completed our divisional realignment program. Costs related to the Adenza restructuring and the divisional realignment programs are recorded as “restructuring charges” in our condensed consolidated statements of income. We exclude charges associated with these programs for purposes of calculating non-GAAP measures as they are not reflective of ongoing operating performance or comparisons in Nasdaq’s performance between periods.

    CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    Information set forth in this communication contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Nasdaq cautions readers that any forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to (i) projections relating to our future financial results, total shareholder returns, growth, dividend program, trading volumes, products and services, ability to transition to new business models or implement our new corporate structure, taxes and achievement of synergy targets, (ii) statements about the closing or implementation dates and benefits of certain acquisitions, divestitures and other strategic, restructuring, technology, environmental, de-leveraging and capital allocation initiatives, (iii) statements about our integrations of our recent acquisitions, (iv) statements relating to any litigation or regulatory or government investigation or action to which we are or could become a party, and (v) other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors beyond Nasdaq’s control. These factors include, but are not limited to, Nasdaq’s ability to implement its strategic initiatives, economic, political and market conditions and fluctuations, geopolitical instability, government and industry regulation, interest rate risk, U.S. and global competition. Further information on these and other factors are detailed in Nasdaq’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, which are available on Nasdaq’s investor relations website at http://ir.nasdaq.com and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Nasdaq undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    WEBSITE DISCLOSURE

    Nasdaq intends to use its website, ir.nasdaq.com, as a means for disclosing material non-public information and for complying with SEC Regulation FD and other disclosure obligations.

    Media Relations Contact
    Nick Jannuzzi
    +1.973.760.1741
    Nicholas.Jannuzzi.@Nasdaq.com

    Investor Relations Contact
    Ato Garrett
    +1.212.401.8737
    Ato.Garrett@Nasdaq.com

    NDAQF

    Nasdaq, Inc.
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
    (in millions, except per share amounts)
    (unaudited)
           
      Three Months Ended
      March 31,   March 31,
        2025       2024  
             
    Revenues:      
    Capital Access Platforms $ 515     $ 479  
    Financial Technology   432       392  
    Market Services   1,134       794  
    Other Revenues   9       9  
      Total revenues   2,090       1,674  
    Transaction-based expenses:      
    Transaction rebates   (579 )     (481 )
    Brokerage, clearance and exchange fees   (274 )     (76 )
    Revenues less transaction-based expenses   1,237       1,117  
           
    Operating Expenses:      
    Compensation and benefits   329       340  
    Professional and contract services   36       34  
    Technology and communication infrastructure   77       67  
    Occupancy   28       28  
    General, administrative and other   6       28  
    Marketing and advertising   14       11  
    Depreciation and amortization   156       155  
    Regulatory   15       9  
    Merger and strategic initiatives   24       9  
    Restructuring charges   5       26  
      Total operating expenses   690       707  
    Operating income   547       410  
    Interest income   11       6  
    Interest expense   (96 )     (108 )
    Other income (loss)   (1 )     1  
    Net income from unconsolidated investees   27       3  
    Income before income taxes   488       312  
    Income tax provision   93       79  
    Net income   395       233  
    Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests   —       1  
    Net income attributable to Nasdaq $ 395     $ 234  
           
    Per share information:      
    Basic earnings per share $ 0.69     $ 0.41  
    Diluted earnings per share $ 0.68     $ 0.40  
    Cash dividends declared per common share $ 0.24     $ 0.22  
           
    Weighted-average common shares outstanding      
    for earnings per share:      
    Basic   575.0       575.4  
    Diluted   580.0       578.9  
             
    Nasdaq, Inc.
    Revenue Detail
    (in millions)
    (unaudited)
                 
            Three Months Ended
            March 31,   March 31,
              2025       2024  
                 
    CAPITAL ACCESS PLATFORMS      
      Data and Listing Services revenues $ 192     $ 186  
      Index revenues   193       168  
      Workflow and Insights revenues   130       125  
        Total Capital Access Platforms revenues   515       479  
                 
    FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY      
      Financial Crime Management Technology revenues   77       64  
      Regulatory Technology revenues   101       90  
      Capital Markets Technology revenues   254       238  
        Total Financial Technology revenues   432       392  
                 
    MARKET SERVICES      
      Market Services revenues   1,134       794  
      Transaction-based expenses:      
          Transaction rebates   (579 )     (481 )
          Brokerage, clearance and exchange fees   (274 )     (76 )
        Total Market Services revenues, net   281       237  
                 
    OTHER REVENUES   9       9  
                 
    REVENUES LESS TRANSACTION-BASED EXPENSES $ 1,237     $ 1,117  
                 
                 
    Nasdaq, Inc.
    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (in millions)
             
        March 31,   December 31,
          2025       2024  
    Assets (unaudited)    
    Current assets:      
      Cash and cash equivalents $ 690     $ 592  
      Restricted cash and cash equivalents   18       31  
      Default funds and margin deposits   5,686       5,664  
      Financial investments   201       184  
      Receivables, net   986       1,022  
      Other current assets   237       293  
    Total current assets   7,818       7,786  
    Property and equipment, net   621       593  
    Goodwill   14,179       13,957  
    Intangible assets, net   6,830       6,905  
    Operating lease assets   381       375  
    Other non-current assets   818       779  
    Total assets $ 30,647     $ 30,395  
             
    Liabilities      
    Current liabilities:      
      Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 255     $ 269  
      Section 31 fees payable to SEC   264       319  
      Accrued personnel costs   198       325  
      Deferred revenue   981       711  
      Other current liabilities   187       215  
      Default funds and margin deposits   5,686       5,664  
      Short-term debt   400       399  
    Total current liabilities   7,971       7,902  
    Long-term debt   8,926       9,081  
    Deferred tax liabilities, net   1,586       1,594  
    Operating lease liabilities   393       388  
    Other non-current liabilities   216       230  
    Total liabilities   19,092       19,195  
           
    Commitments and contingencies      
    Equity      
    Nasdaq stockholders’ equity:      
      Common stock   6       6  
      Additional paid-in capital   5,450       5,530  
      Common stock in treasury, at cost   (672 )     (647 )
      Accumulated other comprehensive loss   (1,896 )     (2,099 )
      Retained earnings   8,658       8,401  
    Total Nasdaq stockholders’ equity   11,546       11,191  
      Noncontrolling interests   9       9  
    Total equity   11,555       11,200  
    Total liabilities and equity $ 30,647     $ 30,395  
             
             
    Nasdaq, Inc.
    Reconciliation of U.S. GAAP to Non-GAAP Net Income Attributable to Nasdaq and Diluted Earnings Per Share
    (in millions, except per share amounts)
    (unaudited)
             
             
         Three Months Ended
        March 31,   March 31,
          2025       2024  
             
    U.S. GAAP net income attributable to Nasdaq $ 395     $ 234  
    Non-GAAP adjustments:      
      Amortization expense of acquired intangible assets (1)   122       123  
      Merger and strategic initiatives expense (2)   24       9  
      Restructuring charges (3)   5       26  
      Net income from unconsolidated investees (4)   (27 )     (3 )
      Gain from extinguishment of debt (5)   (19 )     —  
      Legal and regulatory matters   2       2  
      Pension settlement charge (6)   —       23  
      Other loss   1       —  
      Total non-GAAP adjustments   108       180  
      Non-GAAP adjustment to the income tax provision (7)   (47 )     (47 )
      Total non-GAAP adjustments, net of tax   61       133  
    Non-GAAP net income attributable to Nasdaq $ 456     $ 367  
             
    U.S. GAAP diluted earnings per share $ 0.68     $ 0.40  
      Total adjustments from non-GAAP net income above   0.11       0.23  
    Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share $ 0.79     $ 0.63  
             
    Weighted-average diluted common shares outstanding for earnings per share:   580.0       578.9  
             
             
    (1) We amortize intangible assets acquired in connection with various acquisitions. Intangible asset amortization expense can vary from period to period due to episodic acquisitions completed, rather than from our ongoing business operations.
     
    (2) We have pursued various strategic initiatives and completed acquisitions and divestitures in recent years that have resulted in expenses which would not have otherwise been incurred. These expenses generally include integration costs, as well as legal, due diligence and other third-party transaction costs. The frequency and the amount of such expenses vary significantly based on the size, timing and complexity of the transaction. For the three months ended March 31, 2025, these amounts are primarily driven by the timing of recognition associated with the transfer of open positions in our Nordic power derivatives trading and clearing business, Adenza integration costs and other strategic initiative costs. For the three months ended March 31, 2024, these costs were primarily related to the integration of Adenza.
             
    (3) In the fourth quarter of 2023, following the closing of the Adenza acquisition, our management approved, committed to and initiated a restructuring program, “Adenza Restructuring” to optimize our efficiencies as a combined organization. In connection with this program, we expect to incur pre-tax charges principally related to employee-related costs, contract terminations, asset impairments and other related costs. We expect to achieve benefits primarily in the form of expense and revenue synergies. In addition, in September 2024, we completed our previously disclosed divisional realignment program.
             
    (4) We exclude our share of the earnings and losses of our equity method investments. This provides a more meaningful analysis of Nasdaq’s ongoing operating performance or comparisons in Nasdaq’s performance between periods.
             
    (5) For the three months ended March 31, 2025, we recorded a gain on the extinguishment of debt. This gain is recorded in general, administrative expense in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.
             
    (6) For the three months ended March 31, 2024, we recorded a pre-tax charge as a result of settling our U.S. pension plan. The plan was terminated and partially settled in 2023, with final settlement occurring during the first quarter of 2024. The loss was recorded in compensation and benefits in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.
             
    (7) The non-GAAP adjustment to the income tax provision primarily includes the tax impact of each non-GAAP adjustment. For the three months ended March 31, 2025, we recognized a prior year tax reserve release of $18 million due to a favorable audit settlement.
             
    Nasdaq, Inc.
    Reconciliation of U.S. GAAP to Non-GAAP Operating Income and Operating Margin
    (in millions)
    (unaudited)
             
         Three Months Ended
        March 31,   March 31,
          2025       2024  
             
    U.S. GAAP operating income $ 547     $ 410  
    Non-GAAP adjustments:      
      Amortization expense of acquired intangible assets (1)   122       123  
      Merger and strategic initiatives expense (2)   24       9  
      Restructuring charges (3)   5       26  
      Gain from extinguishment of debt (4)   (19 )     —  
      Legal and regulatory matters   2       2  
      Pension settlement charge (5)   —       23  
      Other loss   1       —  
      Total non-GAAP adjustments   135       183  
    Non-GAAP operating income $ 682     $ 593  
           
    Revenues less transaction-based expenses $ 1,237     $ 1,117  
             
    U.S. GAAP operating margin (6)   44 %     37 %
             
    Non-GAAP operating margin (7)   55 %     53 %
             
    Note: The current period percentages are calculated based on exact dollars, and therefore may not recalculate exactly using rounded numbers as presented in US$ millions.
             
    (1) We amortize intangible assets acquired in connection with various acquisitions. Intangible asset amortization expense can vary from period to period due to episodic acquisitions completed, rather than from our ongoing business operations.
             
    (2) We have pursued various strategic initiatives and completed acquisitions and divestitures in recent years that have resulted in expenses which would not have otherwise been incurred. These expenses generally include integration costs, as well as legal, due diligence and other third-party transaction costs. The frequency and the amount of such expenses vary significantly based on the size, timing and complexity of the transaction. For the three months ended March 31, 2025, these amounts are primarily driven by the timing of recognition associated with the transfer of open positions in our Nordic power derivatives trading and clearing business, Adenza integration costs and other strategic initiative costs. For the three months ended March 31, 2024, these costs were primarily related to the integration of Adenza.
             
    (3) In the fourth quarter of 2023, following the closing of the Adenza acquisition, our management approved, committed to and initiated a restructuring program, “Adenza Restructuring” to optimize our efficiencies as a combined organization. In connection with this program, we expect to incur pre-tax charges principally related to employee-related costs, contract terminations, asset impairments and other related costs. We expect to achieve benefits primarily in the form of expense and revenue synergies. In addition, in September 2024, we completed our previously disclosed divisional realignment program.
             
    (4) For the three months ended March 31, 2025, we recorded a gain on the extinguishment of debt. This gain is recorded in general, administrative expense in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.
             
    (5) For the three months ended March 31, 2024, we recorded a pre-tax charge as a result of settling our U.S. pension plan. The plan was terminated and partially settled in 2023, with final settlement occurring during the first quarter of 2024. The loss was recorded in compensation and benefits in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.
             
    (6) U.S. GAAP operating margin equals U.S. GAAP operating income divided by revenues less transaction-based expenses.
             
    (7) Non-GAAP operating margin equals non-GAAP operating income divided by non-GAAP revenues less transaction-based expenses.
             
    Nasdaq, Inc.
    Reconciliation of U.S. GAAP to Non-GAAP Operating Expenses
    (in millions)
    (unaudited)
             
         Three Months Ended
        March 31,   March 31,
          2025       2024  
             
    U.S. GAAP operating expenses $ 690     $ 707  
    Non-GAAP adjustments:      
      Amortization expense of acquired intangible assets (1)   (122 )     (123 )
      Merger and strategic initiatives expense (2)   (24 )     (9 )
      Restructuring charges (3)   (5 )     (26 )
      Gain from extinguishment of debt (4)   19       —  
      Legal and regulatory matters   (2 )     (2 )
      Pension settlement charge (5)   —       (23 )
      Other loss   (1 )     —  
      Total non-GAAP adjustments   (135 )     (183 )
    Non-GAAP operating expenses $ 555     $ 524  
             
             
    (1) We amortize intangible assets acquired in connection with various acquisitions. Intangible asset amortization expense can vary from period to period due to episodic acquisitions completed, rather than from our ongoing business operations.
     
    (2) We have pursued various strategic initiatives and completed acquisitions and divestitures in recent years that have resulted in expenses which would not have otherwise been incurred. These expenses generally include integration costs, as well as legal, due diligence and other third-party transaction costs. The frequency and the amount of such expenses vary significantly based on the size, timing and complexity of the transaction. For the three months ended March 31, 2025, these amounts are primarily driven by the timing of recognition associated with the transfer of open positions in our Nordic power derivatives trading and clearing business, Adenza integration costs and other strategic initiative costs. For the three months ended March 31, 2024, these costs were primarily related to the integration of Adenza.
             
    (3) In the fourth quarter of 2023, following the closing of the Adenza acquisition, our management approved, committed to and initiated a restructuring program, “Adenza Restructuring” to optimize our efficiencies as a combined organization. In connection with this program, we expect to incur pre-tax charges principally related to employee-related costs, contract terminations, asset impairments and other related costs. We expect to achieve benefits primarily in the form of expense and revenue synergies. In addition, in September 2024, we completed our previously disclosed divisional realignment program.
             
    (4) For the three months ended March 31, 2025, we recorded a gain on the extinguishment of debt. This gain is recorded in general, administrative expense in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.
             
    (5) For the three months ended March 31, 2024, we recorded a pre-tax charge as a result of settling our U.S. pension plan. The plan was terminated and partially settled in 2023, with final settlement occurring during the first quarter of 2024. The loss was recorded in compensation and benefits in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.
             
    Nasdaq, Inc.
    Reconciliation of Adjusted Impacts for Revenues less transaction-based expenses, Non-GAAP Operating Expenses,
    Non-GAAP Operating Income, and Non-GAAP Operating Margin
    (in millions)
    (unaudited)
                                     
      Three Months Ended                  
      As Reported   Adenza   Adjusted (1)   Total Variance   FX & Other (2)   Adjusted YoY
      March 31, 2025   March 31, 2024   March 31, 2024   March 31, 2024   $   %   $   $ %
    CAPITAL ACCESS PLATFORMS                                
    Data and Listing Services revenues $ 192     $ 186     $ —   $ 186     $ 6     3 %   $ (1 )   $ 7   4 %
    Index revenues   193       168       —     168       25     14 %     (16 )     41   26 %
    Workflow and insights revenues   130       125       —     125       5     4 %     —       5   4 %
    Total Capital Access Platforms revenues   515       479       —     479       36     7 %     (17 )     53   11 %
                                     
    FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY                                
    Financial Crime Management Technology revenues   77       64       —     64       13     21 %     —       13   21 %
    Regulatory Technology revenues   101       90       3     93       8     8 %     (1 )     9   10 %
    Capital Markets Technology revenues   254       238       —     238       16     7 %     (1 )     17   7 %
    Total Financial Technology revenues   432       392       3     395       37     9 %     (2 )     39   10 %
                                     
    Solutions revenues (3)   947       871       3     874       73     8 %     (19 )     92   11 %
                                     
    Market Services, net revenues   281       237       —     237       44     19 %     (2 )     46   19 %
    Other revenues   9       9       —     9       —     (6 )%     —       —   (4 )%
    Revenues less transaction-based expenses   1,237       1,117       3     1,120       117     10 %     (21 )     138   12 %
                                     
    Non-GAAP operating expenses   555       524       —     524       31     6 %     (6 )     37   7 %
    Non-GAAP operating income $ 682     $ 593     $ 3   $ 596     $ 86     14 %   $ (15 )   $ 101   17 %
    Non-GAAP operating margin   55%      53%          53%                   
                                     
                                     
    (1) Includes revenue for AxiomSL on-premises contracts to reflect adjustment for ratable recognition for the first quarter of 2024.
    (2) Reflects the impacts from changes in foreign currency exchange rates and excludes the impact of a one-time revenue benefit related to a legal settlement to recoup lost revenue recorded within Index in the first quarter of 2024.
    (3) Represents Capital Access Platforms and Financial Technology Segments.
    Note: The current period percentages are calculated based on exact dollars, and therefore may not recalculate exactly using rounded numbers as presented in US$ millions.
                                     
    Nasdaq, Inc.
    Reconciliation of Organic Impacts for Revenues less transaction-based expenses, Non-GAAP Operating Expenses,
    Non-GAAP Operating Income, and Non-GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share
    (in millions, except per share amounts)
    (unaudited)
                                   
                                   
      Three Months Ended   Total Variance   Other Impacts (1)   Organic Impact (2)
      March 31, 2025   March 31, 2024   $   %   $   %   $   %
    CAPITAL ACCESS PLATFORMS                              
    Data and Listing Services revenues $ 192     $ 186     $ 6     3 %   $ (1 )   (1 )%   $ 7     4 %
    Index revenues   193       168       25     14 %     —     — %     25     14 %
    Workflow and Insights revenues   130       125       5     4 %     —     — %     5     4 %
    Total Capital Access Platforms revenues   515       479       36     7 %     (1 )   — %     37     8 %
                                   
    FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY                              
    Financial Crime Management Technology revenues   77       64       13     21 %     —     — %     13     21 %
    Regulatory Technology revenues   101       90       11     12 %     2     2 %     9     10 %
    Capital Markets Technology revenues   254       238       16     7 %     (1 )   — %     17     7 %
    Total Financial Technology revenues   432       392       40     10 %     1     — %     39     10 %
                                   
    Solutions revenues (3)   947       871       76     9 %     —     — %     76     9 %
                                   
    Market Services, net revenues   281       237       44     19 %     (2 )   (1 )%     46     19 %
                                   
    Other revenues   9       9       —     (6 )%     —     (2 )%     —     (4 )%
                                   
    Revenues less transaction-based expenses $ 1,237     $ 1,117     $ 120     11 %   $ (2 )   — %   $ 122     11 %
                                   
    Non-GAAP Operating Expenses $ 555     $ 524     $ 31     6 %   $ (6 )   (1 )%   $ 37     7 %
                                   
    Non-GAAP Operating Income $ 682     $ 593     $ 89     15 %   $ 4     1 %   $ 85     14 %
                                   
    Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share $ 0.79     $ 0.63     $ 0.16     24 %   $ —     — %   $ 0.16     24 %
                                   
                                   
    Note: The current period percentages are calculated based on exact dollars, and therefore may not recalculate exactly using rounded numbers as presented in US$ millions. The sum of the percentage changes may not tie to the percentage change in total variance due to rounding.
    (1) Primarily includes the impacts of changes in FX rates and $3 million of revenue for AxiomSL to reflect adjustment for on-premises contracts ratable recognition for 2024 within Regulatory Technology revenues.
    (2) Organic changes (i) reflect adjustments for the impact of period-over-period changes in foreign currency exchange rates and (ii) includes revenue for AxiomSL on-premises contracts to reflect adjustment for ratable recognition for the first quarter of 2024.
    (3) Represents Capital Access Platforms and Financial Technology Segments.
                                   
    Nasdaq, Inc.
    Key Drivers Detail
    (unaudited)
             
        Three Months Ended
        March 31,   March 31,
          2025       2024  
    Capital Access Platforms      
      Annualized recurring revenues (in millions) (1) $ 1,281     $ 1,220  
      Initial public offerings      
      The Nasdaq Stock Market (2)   63       27  
      Exchanges that comprise Nasdaq Nordic and Nasdaq Baltic   4       1  
      Total new listings      
      The Nasdaq Stock Market (2)   170       79  
      Exchanges that comprise Nasdaq Nordic and Nasdaq Baltic (3)   9       2  
      Number of listed companies      
      The Nasdaq Stock Market (4)   4,139       4,020  
      Exchanges that comprise Nasdaq Nordic and Nasdaq Baltic (5)   1,160       1,203  
      Index      
      Number of licensed exchange traded products (6)   418       362  
      Period end ETP assets under management (AUM) tracking Nasdaq indexes (in billions) $ 622     $ 519  
      Total average ETP AUM tracking Nasdaq indexes (in billions) $ 662     $ 492  
      TTM (7) net inflows ETP AUM tracking Nasdaq indexes (in billions) $ 86     $ 46  
      TTM (7) net appreciation ETP AUM tracking Nasdaq indexes (in billions) $ 17     $ 124  
             
    Financial Technology      
      Annualized recurring revenues (in millions) (1)      
      Financial Crime Management Technology $ 295     $ 243  
      Regulatory Technology   362       328  
      Capital Markets Technology   893       821  
      Total Financial Technology $ 1,550     $ 1,392  
             
    Market Services      
      Equity Derivative Trading and Clearing      
      U.S. equity options      
      Total industry average daily volume (in millions)   53.6       43.3  
      Nasdaq PHLX matched market share   9.1 %     10.3 %
      The Nasdaq Options Market matched market share   5.1 %     5.4 %
      Nasdaq BX Options matched market share   1.7 %     2.2 %
      Nasdaq ISE Options matched market share   6.8 %     6.3 %
      Nasdaq GEMX Options matched market share   3.6 %     2.5 %
      Nasdaq MRX Options matched market share   2.8 %     2.5 %
      Total matched market share executed on Nasdaq’s exchanges   29.1 %     29.2 %
      Nasdaq Nordic and Nasdaq Baltic options and futures      
      Total average daily volume of options and futures contracts   256,009       241,665  
             
      Cash Equity Trading      
      Total U.S.-listed securities      
      Total industry average daily share volume (in billions)   15.7       11.8  
      Matched share volume (in billions)   137.6       116.7  
      The Nasdaq Stock Market matched market share   14.2 %     15.7 %
      Nasdaq BX matched market share   0.3 %     0.4 %
      Nasdaq PSX matched market share   0.1 %     0.2 %
      Total matched market share executed on Nasdaq’s exchanges   14.6 %     16.3 %
      Market share reported to the FINRA/Nasdaq Trade Reporting Facility   48.1 %     41.4 %
      Total market share (8)   62.7 %     57.7 %
      Nasdaq Nordic and Nasdaq Baltic securities      
      Average daily number of equity trades executed on Nasdaq’s exchanges   789,103       666,408  
      Total average daily value of shares traded (in billions) $ 5.4     $ 4.7  
      Total market share executed on Nasdaq’s exchanges   69.9 %     71.7 %
             
      Fixed Income and Commodities Trading and Clearing      
      Fixed Income      
      Total average daily volume of Nasdaq Nordic and Nasdaq Baltic fixed income contracts   83,864       92,070  
             
      (1) Annualized Recurring Revenue (ARR) for a given period is the current annualized value derived from subscription contracts with a defined contract value. This excludes contracts that are not recurring, are one-time in nature, or where the contract value fluctuates based on defined metrics. ARR is currently one of our key performance metrics to assess the health and trajectory of our recurring business. ARR does not have any standardized definition and is therefore unlikely to be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. ARR should be viewed independently of revenue and deferred revenue and is not intended to be combined with or to replace either of those items. For AxiomSL and Calypso recurring revenue contracts, the amount included in ARR is consistent with the amount that we invoice the customer during the current period. Additionally, for AxiomSL and Calypso recurring revenue contracts that include annual values that increase over time, we include in ARR only the annualized value of components of the contract that are considered active as of the date of the ARR calculation. We do not include the future committed increases in the contract value as of the date of the ARR calculation. ARR is not a forecast and the active contracts at the end of a reporting period used in calculating ARR may or may not be extended or renewed by our customers.
      (2) New listings include IPOs, issuers that switched from other listing venues, closed-end funds and separately listed ETPs. For the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, IPOs included 18 and 5 SPACs, respectively.
      (3) New listings include IPOs and represent companies listed on the Nasdaq Nordic and Nasdaq Baltic exchanges and companies on the alternative markets of Nasdaq First North.
      (4) Number of total listings on The Nasdaq Stock Market for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and March 31, 2024 included 833 and 619 ETPs, respectively.
      (5) Represents companies listed on the Nasdaq Nordic and Nasdaq Baltic exchanges and companies on the alternative markets of Nasdaq First North.
      (6) The number of listed ETPs as of March 31, 2024 has been updated to reflect a revised methodology whereby an ETP listed on multiple exchanges is counted as one product, rather than formerly being counted per exchange. This change has no impact on reported AUM.
      (7) Trailing 12-months.
      (8) Includes transactions executed on The Nasdaq Stock Market’s, Nasdaq BX’s and Nasdaq PSX’s systems plus trades reported through the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority/Nasdaq Trade Reporting Facility.

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Donegal Group Inc. Announces First Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MARIETTA, Pa., April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Donegal Group Inc. (NASDAQ: DGICA) and (NASDAQ: DGICB) today reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2025.

    Significant Items for First Quarter of 2025 (all comparisons to first quarter of 2024):

    • Net premiums earned increased 2.2% to $232.7 million
    • Combined ratio of 91.6%, compared to 102.4%
    • Net income of $25.2 million, or $0.71 per diluted Class A share, compared to $6.0 million, or $0.18 per diluted Class A share
    • Net investment losses (after tax) of $0.4 million, or 1 cent per diluted Class A share, compared to net investment gains (after tax) of $1.7 million, or 5 cents per diluted Class A share, are included in net income
    • Annualized return on average equity of 17.8%, compared to 4.9%
    • Book value per share of $16.24 at March 31, 2025, compared to $14.53 at March 31, 2024

    Financial Summary

      Three Months Ended March 31,
        2025       2024     % Change
      (dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
               
    Income Statement Data          
    Net premiums earned $ 232,702     $ 227,749       2.2 %
    Investment income, net   11,984       10,972       9.2  
    Net investment (losses) gains   (471 )     2,113       NM2  
    Total revenues   245,174       241,141       1.7  
    Net income   25,205       5,956       323.2  
    Non-GAAP operating income1   25,577       4,286       496.8  
    Annualized return on average equity   17.8 %     4.9 %     12.9 pts  
                   
    Per Share Data          
    Net income – Class A (diluted) $ 0.71     $ 0.18       294.4 %
    Net income – Class B   0.65       0.16       306.3  
    Non-GAAP operating income – Class A (diluted)   0.72       0.13       453.8  
    Non-GAAP operating income – Class B   0.66       0.12       450.0  
    Book value   16.24       14.53       11.8  
               
     

    1The “Definitions of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” section of this release defines and reconciles data that we prepare on an accounting basis other than U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).
    2Not meaningful.

    Management Commentary

    Kevin G. Burke, President and Chief Executive Officer of Donegal Group Inc., stated, “We are pleased that positive momentum, which began to emerge in the second half of 2024, continued into the first quarter of 2025 with our achievement of record earnings for the second straight quarter. We believe this accomplishment reflects the deliberate actions and strong operational discipline of our team in prioritizing sustained profitability while pursuing targeted premium growth.

    “Net premiums earned rose by 2.2% to $232.7 million, while net premiums written1 declined modestly by 1.7% compared to the prior-year quarter, with that decline primarily due to lower new business volume and planned attrition, offset partially by solid premium rate increases and strong retention of desired risks. We achieved a combined ratio of 91.6% for the first quarter of 2025, marking significant improvement over the 102.4% combined ratio for the prior-year quarter. We attribute the improvement to core loss ratio decreases that resulted from the strategic initiatives and profit improvement plans we implemented over the past several years, coupled with lower-than-average weather-related and large fire losses and a higher level of favorable development of reserves related to prior accident years.

    “In our commercial lines business, we are actively promoting our small commercial products and capabilities while actively seeking to grow our middle market business segment. In our personal lines business, our strategic focus remains on maintaining profitability through rate adequacy. Our personal lines growth in the first quarter of 2025 was constrained by two intentional strategies. We limited new business volume and continued the non-renewal of a legacy Maryland book of business. We are taking proactive steps to stabilize personal lines premium level as the year progresses, and we will continue to emphasize higher levels of profitable growth in commercial lines that we believe will lead to long-term success.”

    Mr. Burke concluded, “We believe we are well positioned to navigate the evolving insurance landscape, as we continue to enhance and refine our systems and operational capabilities. We are confident in our ability to achieve sustainable excellent financial performance and capitalize on future growth opportunities that will further enhance shareholder value over time.”

    Insurance Operations

    Donegal Group is an insurance holding company whose insurance subsidiaries and affiliates offer property and casualty lines of insurance in three Mid-Atlantic states (Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania), five Southern states (Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia), eight Midwestern states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin) and five Southwestern states (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Utah). Donegal Mutual Insurance Company and the insurance subsidiaries of Donegal Group conduct business together as the Donegal Insurance Group.

      Three Months Ended March 31,
        2025       2024     % Change
      (dollars in thousands)
               
    Net Premiums Earned          
    Commercial lines $ 136,216     $ 132,092       3.1 %
    Personal lines   96,486       95,657       0.9  
    Total net premiums earned $ 232,702     $ 227,749       2.2 %
               
    Net Premiums Written          
    Commercial lines:          
    Automobile $ 56,525     $ 53,514       5.6 %
    Workers’ compensation   28,754       31,074       -7.5  
    Commercial multi-peril   60,790       57,503       5.7  
    Other   14,549       13,403       8.6  
    Total commercial lines   160,618       155,494       3.3  
    Personal lines:          
    Automobile   55,192       61,381       -10.1  
    Homeowners   28,788       31,759       -9.4  
    Other   2,494       2,808       -11.2  
    Total personal lines   86,474       95,948       -9.9  
    Total net premiums written $ 247,092     $ 251,442       -1.7 %
               
     

    Net Premiums Written

    The 1.7% decrease in net premiums written for the first quarter of 2025 compared to the first quarter of 2024, as shown in the table above, represents the net combination of a 3.3% increase in commercial lines net premiums written and a 9.9% decrease in personal lines net premiums written. The $4.4 million decrease in net premiums written for the first quarter of 2025 compared to the first quarter of 2024 included:

    • Commercial Lines: $5.1 million increase that we attribute primarily to solid retention and a continuation of renewal premium increases in lines other than workers’ compensation, offset partially by lower new business writings.
    • Personal Lines: $9.5 million decrease that we attribute primarily to planned attrition due to lower new business writings and non-renewal actions, offset partially by a continuation of renewal premium rate increases and solid retention.

    Underwriting Performance

    We evaluate the performance of our commercial lines and personal lines segments primarily based upon the underwriting results of our insurance subsidiaries as determined under statutory accounting practices. The following table presents comparative details with respect to the GAAP and statutory combined ratios1 for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024:

      Three Months Ended
      March 31,
        2025       2024  
           
    GAAP Combined Ratios (Total Lines)      
    Loss ratio – core losses   54.4 %     58.7 %
    Loss ratio – weather-related losses   3.7       4.7  
    Loss ratio – large fire losses   3.1       6.6  
    Loss ratio – net prior-year reserve development   -4.5       -3.7  
    Loss ratio   56.7       66.3  
    Expense ratio   34.6       35.7  
    Dividend ratio   0.3       0.4  
    Combined ratio   91.6 %     102.4 %
           
    Statutory Combined Ratios      
    Commercial lines:      
    Automobile   91.4 %     99.6 %
    Workers’ compensation   117.6       111.2  
    Commercial multi-peril   90.3       102.7  
    Other   80.8       82.2  
    Total commercial lines   94.7       101.6  
    Personal lines:      
    Automobile   85.0       99.8  
    Homeowners   83.8       102.9  
    Other   56.6       85.2  
    Total personal lines   83.6       100.3  
    Total lines   90.3 %     101.2 %
           
     

     

    Loss Ratio

    For the first quarter of 2025, the loss ratio decreased to 56.7%, compared to 66.3% for the first quarter of 2024. The core loss ratio, which excludes weather-related losses, large fire losses and net favorable development of reserves for losses incurred in prior accident years, was 54.2% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 58.7% for the first quarter of 2024. For the commercial lines segment, the core loss ratio of 58.3% for the first quarter of 2025 decreased modestly from 59.0% for the first quarter of 2024, primarily as the result of ongoing premium rate increases in all lines except workers’ compensation and reduced exposures in underperforming states and classes of business. For the personal lines segment, the core loss ratio of 48.7% for the first quarter of 2025 decreased significantly from 58.1% for the first quarter of 2024, due largely to the favorable impact of ongoing premium rate increases on net premiums earned for that segment. While we did not see a material impact in the first quarter of 2025, we are monitoring the impact of tariffs and other inflationary factors, which may result in increases in loss costs in future quarters.

    Weather-related losses were $8.6 million, or 3.7 percentage points of the loss ratio, for the first quarter of 2025, compared to $10.8 million, or 4.7 percentage points of the loss ratio, for the first quarter of 2024. The weather-related loss ratio for the first quarter of 2025 was modestly lower than our previous five-year first-quarter average of 4.6 percentage points of the loss ratio.

    Large fire losses, which we define as individual fire losses in excess of $50,000, for the first quarter of 2025 were $7.7 million, or 3.3 percentage points of the loss ratio. That amount was substantially lower than the large fire losses of $15.0 million, or 6.6 percentage points of the loss ratio, for the first quarter of 2024. We primarily attribute the decrease to lower loss frequency and severity compared to the prior-year quarter. We experienced a $5.3 million decrease in commercial property fire losses and a $2.0 million decrease in homeowner fire losses.

    Net favorable development of reserves for losses incurred in prior accident years of $10.5 million decreased the loss ratio for the first quarter of 2025 by 4.5 percentage points, compared to $8.4 million that decreased the loss ratio for the first quarter of 2024 by 3.7 percentage points. Our insurance subsidiaries experienced favorable development primarily in the personal automobile, commercial automobile and commercial multi-peril lines of business, offset partially by modest unfavorable development in workers’ compensation for the first quarter of 2025.

    Expense Ratio

    The expense ratio was 34.6% for the first quarter of 2025, compared to 35.7% for the first quarter of 2024. The decrease in the expense ratio primarily reflected the favorable impact of ongoing expense management initiatives, offset partially by higher underwriting-based incentive costs for agents and employees. The impact from costs that Donegal Mutual Insurance Company allocated to our insurance subsidiaries related to its ongoing systems modernization project peaked at approximately 1.3 percentage points of the full year 2024 expense ratio, and we expect that impact to subside gradually over the next several years. Allocated costs related to that project represented approximately 1.2 percentage points of the expense ratio for the first quarter of 2025, and we expect the full year 2025 expense ratio impact will be approximately 1.0 percentage point.

    Investment Operations

    Donegal Group’s investment strategy is to generate an appropriate amount of after-tax income on its invested assets while minimizing credit risk through investment in high-quality securities. As a result, we had invested 95.7% of our consolidated investment portfolio in diversified, highly rated and marketable fixed-maturity securities at March 31, 2025.

      March 31, 2025   December 31, 2024
      Amount   %   Amount   %
      (dollars in thousands)
    Fixed maturities, at carrying value:              
    U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S.              
    government corporations and agencies $ 176,090       12.5 %   $ 170,423       12.3 %
    Obligations of states and political subdivisions   412,304       29.3       409,560       29.6  
    Corporate securities   442,275       31.4       440,552       31.8  
    Mortgage-backed securities   317,236       22.5       304,459       22.0  
    Allowance for expected credit losses   (1,351 )     -0.1       (1,388 )     -0.1  
    Total fixed maturities   1,346,554       95.6       1,323,606       95.6  
    Equity securities, at fair value   40,206       2.9       36,808       2.6  
    Short-term investments, at cost   20,622       1.5       24,558       1.8  
    Total investments $ 1,407,382       100.0 %   $ 1,384,972       100.0 %
                   
    Average investment yield   3.4 %         3.3 %    
    Average tax-equivalent investment yield   3.5 %         3.4 %    
    Average fixed-maturity duration (years)   5.2           5.2      
                   
     

    Net investment income of $12.0 million for the first quarter of 2025 increased 9.2% compared to $11.0 million for the first quarter of 2024. The increase in net investment income reflected an increase in average investment yield and higher average invested assets relative to the prior-year first quarter.

    Net investment losses were $0.5 million for the first quarter of 2025, compared to net investment gains of $2.1 million for the first quarter of 2024. We attribute the losses to the decrease in the market value of the equity securities we held at March 31, 2025.

    Our book value per share was $16.24 at March 31, 2025, compared to $15.36 at December 31, 2024, with the increase partially related to net income, as well as $6.7 million of after-tax unrealized gains within our available-for-sale fixed-maturity portfolio during 2025 that increased our book value by $0.19 per share. Consistent with our historical practice, we did not declare any cash dividends in the first quarter of 2025 or 2024.

    Definitions of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    We prepare our consolidated financial statements on the basis of GAAP. Our insurance subsidiaries also prepare financial statements based on statutory accounting principles state insurance regulators prescribe or permit (“SAP”). In addition to using GAAP-based performance measurements, we also utilize certain non-GAAP financial measures that we believe provide value in managing our business and for comparison to the financial results of our peers. These non-GAAP measures are net premiums written, operating income or loss and statutory combined ratio.

    Net premiums written and operating income or loss are non-GAAP financial measures investors in insurance companies commonly use. We define net premiums written as the amount of full-term premiums our insurance subsidiaries record for policies effective within a given period less premiums our insurance subsidiaries cede to reinsurers. We define operating income or loss as net income or loss excluding after-tax net investment gains or losses, after-tax restructuring charges and other significant non-recurring items. Because our calculation of operating income or loss may differ from similar measures other companies use, investors should exercise caution when comparing our measure of operating income or loss to the measure of other companies.

    The following table provides a reconciliation of net premiums earned to net premiums written for the periods indicated:

      Three Months Ended March 31,
        2025       2024     % Change
      (dollars in thousands)
               
    Reconciliation of Net Premiums          
    Earned to Net Premiums Written          
    Net premiums earned $ 232,702     $ 227,749       2.2 %
    Change in net unearned premiums   14,390       23,693       -39.3  
    Net premiums written $ 247,092     $ 251,442       -1.7 %
               
     

    The following table provides a reconciliation of net income to operating income for the periods indicated:

      Three Months Ended March 31,
        2025       2024     % Change
      (dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
               
    Reconciliation of Net Income          
    to Non-GAAP Operating Income              
    Net income $ 25,205     $ 5,956       323.2 %
    Investment losses (gains) (after tax)   372       (1,670 )     NM  
    Non-GAAP operating income $ 25,577     $ 4,286       496.8 %
                   
    Per Share Reconciliation of Net Income              
    to Non-GAAP Operating Income              
    Net income – Class A (diluted) $ 0.71     $ 0.18       294.4 %
    Investment losses (gains) (after tax)   0.01       (0.05 )     NM  
    Non-GAAP operating income – Class A $ 0.72     $ 0.13       453.8 %
                   
    Net income – Class B $ 0.65     $ 0.16       306.3 %
    Investment losses (gains) (after tax)   0.01       (0.04 )     NM  
    Non-GAAP operating income – Class B $ 0.66     $ 0.12       450.0 %
                   
               

    The statutory combined ratio is a non-GAAP standard measurement of underwriting profitability that is based upon amounts determined under SAP. The statutory combined ratio is the sum of:

    • the statutory loss ratio, which is the ratio of calendar-year incurred losses and loss expenses, excluding anticipated salvage and subrogation recoveries, to premiums earned;
    • the statutory expense ratio, which is the ratio of expenses incurred for net commissions, premium taxes and underwriting expenses to premiums written; and
    • the statutory dividend ratio, which is the ratio of dividends to holders of workers’ compensation policies to premiums earned.

    The statutory combined ratio does not reflect investment income, federal income taxes or other non-operating income or expense. A statutory combined ratio of less than 100% generally indicates underwriting profitability.

    Dividend Information

    On April 17, 2025, we declared regular quarterly cash dividends of $0.1825 per share for our Class A common stock and $0.165 per share for our Class B common stock, which are payable on May 15, 2025 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on May 1, 2025.

    Pre-Recorded Webcast

    At approximately 8:30 am EST on Thursday, April 24, 2025, we will make available in the Investors section of our website a pre-recorded audio webcast featuring management commentary on our quarterly results and general business updates. You may listen to the pre-recorded webcast by accessing the link on our website at http://investors.donegalgroup.com. A supplemental investor presentation is also available via our website.

    About the Company

    Donegal Group Inc. is an insurance holding company whose insurance subsidiaries and affiliates offer property and casualty lines of insurance in certain Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern, Southern and Southwestern states. Donegal Mutual Insurance Company and the insurance subsidiaries of Donegal Group Inc. conduct business together as the Donegal Insurance Group. The Donegal Insurance Group has an A.M. Best rating of A (Excellent).

    The Class A common stock and Class B common stock of Donegal Group Inc. trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbols DGICA and DGICB, respectively. We are focused on several primary strategies, including achieving sustained excellent financial performance, strategically modernizing our operations and processes to transform our business, capitalizing on opportunities to grow profitably and providing superior experiences to our agents, policyholders and employees.

    Safe Harbor

    We base all statements contained in this release that are not historic facts on our current expectations. Such statements are forward-looking in nature (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) and necessarily involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements we make may be identified by our use of words such as “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate” and similar expressions. Our actual results could vary materially from our forward-looking statements. The factors that could cause our actual results to vary materially from the forward-looking statements we have previously made include, but are not limited to, adverse litigation and other trends that could increase our loss costs (including social inflation, labor shortages and escalating medical, automobile and property repair costs, including due to tariffs), adverse and catastrophic weather events (including from changing climate conditions), our ability to maintain profitable operations (including our ability to underwrite risks effectively and charge adequate premium rates), the adequacy of the loss and loss expense reserves of our insurance subsidiaries, the availability and successful operation of the information technology systems our insurance subsidiaries utilize, the successful development of new information technology systems to allow our insurance subsidiaries to compete effectively, business and economic conditions in the areas in which we and our insurance subsidiaries operate, interest rates, competition from various insurance and other financial businesses, terrorism, the availability and cost of reinsurance, legal and judicial developments, changes in regulatory requirements, our ability to attract and retain independent insurance agents, changes in our A.M. Best rating and the other risks that we describe from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We disclaim any obligation to update such statements or to announce publicly the results of any revisions that we may make to any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.

    Investor Relations Contacts

    Karin Daly, Vice President, The Equity Group Inc.

    Phone: (212) 836-9623
    E-mail: kdaly@equityny.com

    Jeffrey D. Miller, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
    Phone: (717) 426-1931
    E-mail: investors@donegalgroup.com

    Financial Supplement

    Donegal Group Inc.
    Consolidated Statements of Income
    (unaudited; in thousands, except share data)
           
      Quarter Ended March 31,
        2025       2024  
           
    Net premiums earned $ 232,702     $ 227,749  
    Investment income, net of expenses   11,984       10,972  
    Net investment (losses) gains   (471 )     2,113  
    Lease income   77       82  
    Installment payment fees   882       225  
    Total revenues   245,174       241,141  
           
    Net losses and loss expenses   132,033       150,896  
    Amortization of deferred acquisition costs   39,231       39,602  
    Other underwriting expenses   41,195       41,740  
    Policyholder dividends   760       1,055  
    Interest   333       155  
    Other expenses, net   461       445  
    Total expenses   214,013       233,893  
           
    Income before income tax expense   31,161       7,248  
    Income tax expense   5,956       1,292  
           
    Net income $ 25,205     $ 5,956  
           
    Net income per common share:      
    Class A – basic $ 0.72     $ 0.18  
    Class A – diluted $ 0.71     $ 0.18  
    Class B – basic and diluted $ 0.65     $ 0.16  
           
    Supplementary Financial Analysts’ Data      
           
    Weighted-average number of shares      
    outstanding:      
    Class A – basic   30,120,649       27,811,312  
    Class A – diluted   30,430,042       27,846,313  
    Class B – basic and diluted   5,576,775       5,576,775  
           
    Net premiums written $ 247,092     $ 251,442  
           
    Book value per common share      
    at end of period $ 16.24     $ 14.53  
           
    Annualized operating return on average equity   17.8 %     4.9 %
    Donegal Group Inc.
    Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (in thousands)
           
      March 31,   December 31,
        2025       2024  
      (unaudited)    
           
    ASSETS
    Investments:      
    Fixed maturities:      
    Held to maturity, at amortized cost $ 706,098     $ 705,714  
    Available for sale, at fair value   640,456       617,892  
    Equity securities, at fair value   40,206       36,808  
    Short-term investments, at cost   20,622       24,558  
    Total investments   1,407,382       1,384,972  
        64,315       52,926  
    Premiums receivable   193,975       181,107  
    Reinsurance receivable   403,382       420,742  
    Deferred policy acquisition costs   76,194       73,347  
    Prepaid reinsurance premiums   182,860       176,162  
    Other assets   40,169       46,776  
    Total assets $ 2,368,277     $ 2,336,032  
           
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
    Liabilities:      
    Losses and loss expenses $ 1,092,624     $ 1,120,985  
    Unearned premiums   633,564       612,476  
    Borrowings under lines of credit   35,000       35,000  
    Other liabilities   22,366       21,795  
    Total liabilities   1,783,554       1,790,256  
    Stockholders’ equity:      
    Class A common stock   334       329  
    Class B common stock   56       56  
    Additional paid-in capital   376,864       369,680  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss   (21,472 )     (28,200 )
    Retained earnings   270,167       245,137  
    Treasury stock   (41,226 )     (41,226 )
    Total stockholders’ equity   584,723       545,776  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 2,368,277     $ 2,336,032  

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Apr 24, 2025 0730 UTC Day 3 Severe Thunderstorm Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

     For best viewing experience, please enable browser JavaScript support.

    Apr 24, 2025 0730 UTC Day 3 Severe Thunderstorm Outlook

    Updated: Thu Apr 24 06:58:25 UTC 2025 (Print Version |   |  )

    Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table

     Forecast Discussion

    SPC AC 240658

    Day 3 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    0158 AM CDT Thu Apr 24 2025

    Valid 261200Z – 271200Z

    …THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EASTERN
    NEW MEXICO INTO WESTERN TEXAS…

    …SUMMARY…
    Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible on Saturday
    across portions of eastern New Mexico into western Texas.

    …Southern High Plains…

    An upper ridge will remain centered over the Great Plains on
    Saturday. However, an upper trough will shift east into the
    Southwestern U.S., and southwesterly flow aloft will increase across
    the southern Rockies/High Plains vicinity by late afternoon into the
    overnight hours. At the surface, a stalled front from east-central
    NM into central OK will lift northward through the day and
    south/southeasterly low-level flow will transport upper 50s to low
    60s F dewpoints northward across the High Plains. Midlevel lapse
    rates will steepen through the day, and a corridor of weak to
    moderate instability is expected along a sharpening dryline across
    eastern NM into western TX.

    Some forecast guidance has quite a bit of ongoing convection
    Saturday morning, which lends to uncertainty regarding severe
    potential. Nevertheless, the overall environment will support severe
    thunderstorms capable of producing large hail and damaging gusts.
    While coverage and location is uncertain, highest confidence in a
    few supercells is across eastern NM and perhaps into adjacent west
    TX.

    ..Leitman.. 04/24/2025

    CLICK TO GET WUUS03 PTSDY3 PRODUCT

    NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 3 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1930Z

    Top/Latest Day 1 Outlook/Today’s Outlooks/Forecast Products/Home

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Apr 24, 2025 0600 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

     For best viewing experience, please enable browser JavaScript support.

    Apr 24, 2025 0600 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook

    Updated: Thu Apr 24 05:20:13 UTC 2025 (Print Version |   |  )

    Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table

     Forecast Discussion

    SPC AC 240520

    Day 2 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1220 AM CDT Thu Apr 24 2025

    Valid 251200Z – 261200Z

    …THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EXTREME
    EASTERN NEW MEXICO…NORTHWEST TEXAS AND PORTIONS OF
    SOUTHWEST/CENTRAL OKLAHOMA…

    …SUMMARY…
    Isolated severe thunderstorms are possible across parts of Oklahoma,
    northwest Texas, and extreme eastern New Mexico Friday afternoon and
    evening.

    …Southern Plains…

    An upper ridge will build over the Plains on Friday. Despite the
    building ridge, midlevel temperatures will remain somewhat cool (-10
    to -14 C at 500 mb) and weak shortwave impulse is expected to
    meander through the upper ridge during the afternoon/evening. At the
    surface, a cold front will sag southward across KS into
    northern/central OK and the TX Panhandle by 00-03z. A dryline also
    will extend southward across southwest TX. Some forecast guidance
    suggests remnant convection from the Day 1/Thu period could be
    ongoing across parts of eastern OK/KS Friday morning. This is
    uncertain, but if this occurs, an outflow boundary may also extend
    across portions of OK. Modest boundary layer moisture beneath steep
    midlevel lapse rates will support moderate instability, especially
    where stronger heating occurs. The aforementioned surface boundaries
    will serve as foci for potential thunderstorm development during the
    afternoon/evening. Elongated hodographs and effective shear near 30
    kt suggests any storms that develop could produce large hail. Where
    stronger heating occurs, steep low-level lapse rates also could
    support sporadic strong gusts.

    …OH Valley…

    An upper shortwave trough will develop east across southeast Canada
    and the Great Lakes vicinity on Friday. Stronger westerly flow aloft
    will largely remain over the Great Lakes and Canada and lag behind a
    surface cold front. This surface cold front is forecast to move
    across the Ohio Valley during the afternoon and evening. Modest
    boundary layer moisture ahead of the front will support modest
    destabilization. However, vertical shear is expected to remain
    fairly weak. Scattered thunderstorms are expected, and a few
    stronger cells could produce locally gusty winds or perhaps small
    hail. Overall severe potential is expected to remain limited.

    ..Leitman.. 04/24/2025

    CLICK TO GET WUUS02 PTSDY2 PRODUCT

    NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 2 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1730Z

    Top/Latest Day 1 Outlook/Today’s Outlooks/Forecast Products/Home

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: FirstCash Reports Record First Quarter Operating Results; Earnings per Share Increase 39% in Total and 34% on an Adjusted Basis; Operating Cash Flows Fund Store Additions, $60 Million of First Quarter Share Repurchases and Continued Quarterly Cash Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORT WORTH, Texas, April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FirstCash Holdings, Inc. (“FirstCash” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: FCFS), the leading international operator of more than 3,000 retail pawn stores and a leading provider of retail point-of-sale payment solutions, today announced operating results for the three month period ended March 31, 2025. The Company also announced that the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.38 per share, which will be paid in May 2025.

    Mr. Rick Wessel, chief executive officer, stated, “FirstCash posted record first quarter results, driven by the continued revenue and earnings growth from core pawn operations coupled with strong operating margins in the AFF POS payment solutions segment. Resulting first quarter net income grew 36% on a GAAP basis and 32% on an adjusted basis.

    “Demand for pawn loans was robust during the quarter in both the U.S. and Latin America, with ending same-store pawn receivables increasing 13% in the U.S. and 14% in Latin America (local currency basis) versus last year. This marked seven consecutive quarters of double-digit same-store receivable growth in the U.S. segment which drove a 17% increase in earnings from the Company’s largest operating segment.

    “Driven by a 19% increase in the number of merchant locations and further diversification outside of the furniture vertical, AFF delivered strong results as well, with earnings growth benefiting from solid credit performance and significant cost reductions. Excluding certain furniture retailers that closed last year due to bankruptcies, the number of active doors increased 29%, which should drive future revenue growth with greater merchant vertical diversification.

    “Strong cash flows for the first quarter provided funding for the addition of 12 pawn locations, further purchases of store real estate and $60 million of stock repurchases in addition to the ongoing quarterly cash dividend. These investments are expected to deliver further earnings accretion in 2025 and beyond.”

    This release contains adjusted financial measures, which exclude certain non-operating and/or non-cash income and expenses, that are non-GAAP financial measures. Please refer to the descriptions and reconciliations to GAAP of these and other non-GAAP financial measures at the end of this release.

        Three Months Ended March 31,
        As Reported (GAAP)   Adjusted (Non-GAAP)
    In thousands, except per share amounts     2025       2024       2025       2024  
    Revenue   $ 836,423     $ 836,370     $ 836,423     $ 836,370  
    Net income   $ 83,591     $ 61,368     $ 92,781     $ 70,189  
    Diluted earnings per share   $ 1.87     $ 1.35     $ 2.07     $ 1.55  
    EBITDA (non-GAAP measure)   $ 162,961     $ 132,587     $ 162,880     $ 131,592  
    Weighted-average diluted shares     44,789       45,387       44,789       45,387  


    Consolidated Operating Highlights

    • Diluted earnings per share for the first quarter increased 39% over the prior-year quarter on a GAAP basis while adjusted diluted earnings per share increased 34% compared to the prior-year quarter.
    • Net income for the first quarter increased 36% over the prior-year quarter on a GAAP basis while adjusted net income increased 32% compared to the prior-year quarter.
    • Gross revenues totaled $836 million in the first quarter, flat on a U.S. dollar basis and up 4% on a constant currency basis, compared to the prior-year quarter.
    • For the trailing twelve month period ended March 31, 2025:
      • Revenues totaled a record $3.4 billion
      • Net income totaled $281 million on a GAAP basis while adjusted net income was $325 million
      • Adjusted EBITDA was $590 million
      • Operating cash flows were $544 million and adjusted free cash flows (a non-GAAP measure) were $269 million

    Store Base and Platform Growth

    • Pawn Stores – 12 pawn locations were added in the first quarter through an acquisition and new store openings in three countries.
      • In the U.S., a high profile luxury buy/sell retail store was acquired in Las Vegas, Nevada, and one new location in Texas was opened during the first quarter.
      • There were 10 new store openings in Latin America in the first quarter which included nine locations in Mexico and one location in El Salvador.
      • The Company purchased the underlying real estate of seven U.S. stores during the quarter, bringing the total number of company owned locations to 407 at quarter end.
      • As of March 31, 2025, the Company had 3,023 locations, comprised of 1,197 U.S. locations and 1,826 locations in Latin America.
    • Retail POS Payment Solutions (AFF) Merchant Partnerships – At March 31, 2025, there were approximately 14,500 active retail and e-commerce merchant partner locations, representing a 19% increase in the number of active merchant locations compared to a year ago. Excluding furniture locations that closed in the prior year due to merchant partner bankruptcies, the number of active doors increased 29%.

    U.S. Pawn Segment Operating Results

    • Segment pre-tax operating income in the first quarter of 2025 was a record $113 million, an increase of $17 million, or 17%, compared to the prior-year quarter. The resulting segment pre-tax operating margin increased to a record 27% for the first quarter of 2025 compared to 26% for the prior-year quarter.
    • Pawn receivables increased 16% in total at March 31, 2025 compared to the prior year, driven by a 2% increase in the year-to-date weighted-average store count coupled with an impressive 13% increase in same-store pawn receivables. On a two-year stacked basis, same-store pawn receivables were up 27%.
    • Pawn loan fees increased 12% for the first quarter, while on a same-store basis, they increased 10% compared to the respective prior-year period.
    • Retail merchandise sales increased 6% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the prior-year quarter, while same-store retail sales increased 2% compared to the prior-year quarter.
    • Retail sales margins increased to 42% for the first quarter compared to 41% in the prior-year quarter.
    • Annualized inventory turnover was 2.8 times for the trailing twelve months ended March 31, 2025, which equaled the inventory turnover during the same prior-year period. Inventories aged greater than one year at March 31, 2025 remained low at 2% of total inventories.
    • Operating expenses for the first quarter increased 8% as compared to the prior-year quarter, primarily due to store additions and increased labor and variable compensation expenses. On a same-store basis, expenses increased 6% for the quarter compared to the respective prior-year period.

    Latin America Pawn Segment Operating Results

    Note: Certain growth rates below are calculated on a constant currency basis, a non-GAAP financial measure defined at the end of this release. The average Mexican peso to U.S. dollar exchange rate for the first quarter of 2025 was 20.4 pesos / dollar, an unfavorable change of 20% versus the comparable prior-year period.

    • Given the 20% decrease in the average Mexican peso exchange rate, first quarter segment pre-tax operating income decreased 2% on a U.S. dollar basis compared to last year. Segment earnings increased 13% over last year on a constant currency basis, with resulting segment pre-tax operating margins of 17% under both measures, compared to 16% in the prior year.
    • Pawn receivables at March 31, 2025 decreased 5% on a U.S. dollar basis while increasing 15% on a constant currency basis compared to the prior year. On a same-store basis, pawn receivables decreased 5% on a U.S. dollar basis but increased 14% on a constant currency basis compared to the prior year.
    • While total and same-store pawn loan fees in the first quarter decreased 5% on a U.S. dollar-basis, they increased 13% on a constant currency basis compared to the prior-year quarter.
    • Retail merchandise sales in the first quarter of 2025 decreased 8% on a U.S. dollar-basis compared to the prior-year quarter while increasing 9% on a constant currency basis. On a same-store basis, first quarter retail merchandise sales decreased 9% on a U.S. dollar basis while increasing 9% on a constant currency basis compared to the prior-year quarter.
    • Retail margins were 35% for the first quarter of 2025 compared to 36% in the prior-year quarter. Annualized inventory turnover was 4.2 times for the trailing twelve months ended March 31, 2025 compared to 4.4 times in the prior-year period. Inventories aged greater than one year at March 31, 2025 remained low at 2%.
    • Operating expenses decreased 9% in total and 8% on a same-store basis compared to the prior-year quarter. On a constant currency basis, they increased 8% both in total and on a same-store basis. The increase in constant currency expenses from all stores reflected increased store counts and higher labor costs (due primarily to further increases in the federal minimum wage), along with other inflationary impacts.

    American First Finance (AFF) – Retail POS Payment Solutions Segment Operating Results

    • First quarter segment pre-tax operating income totaled $52 million, an increase of 58% compared to the prior-year quarter. The growth in earnings was driven primarily by gross margin improvement and operating expense reductions.
    • While gross revenues, comprised of lease-to-own (“LTO”) fees and interest and fees on finance receivables, decreased 12% compared to the prior-year quarter, net revenue increased 12%. The improvement in net revenue reflected lower LTO depreciation expense resulting from lower early buyout activity in the current quarter combined with lower lease and loan loss provisioning expense as discussed below.
    • Gross transaction volume of lease and loan originations during the first quarter decreased $21 million, or 8%, compared to the first quarter of last year. Excluding 2024 originations from American Freight and Conn’s Home Plus (both of which ceased operations in the fourth quarter of 2024 due to bankruptcy), first quarter 2025 origination volume increased approximately 24%.
    • Combined gross leased merchandise and finance receivables outstanding at March 31, 2025 decreased 4% compared to the March 31, 2024 balances due to lower first quarter originations.
    • The combined first quarter lease and loan loss provision expense decreased $10 million, or 13%, compared to last year. The decrease reflected reduced up-front provisioning given the $21 million decline in origination activity, coupled with lower than expected charge-offs resulting in reserve releases on older vintages. As a percentage of the total gross transaction volume, the combined lease and loan loss provision expense was 27% for the first quarter of 2025 compared to 29% in the first quarter of 2024. The combined allowance as a percentage of combined leased merchandise and finance receivables at March 31, 2025 was 43% compared to 42% a year ago.
    • Operating expenses decreased 30% compared to the prior-year quarter, primarily due to the elimination of certain expenses associated with supporting the American Freight and Conn’s Home Plus relationships along with continued realization of operating synergies, including greater efficiencies in technology and development infrastructure, coupled with other cost reduction initiatives.

    Cash Flow and Liquidity

    • Consolidated operating cash flows for the twelve month period ended March 31, 2025 grew 27% and totaled $544 million compared to $428 million in the same prior-year period, with significant contributions from each of the Company’s three business segments.
    • Adjusted free cash flows increased 33% to $269 million in the twelve month period ended March 31, 2025 compared to $201 million in the same prior-year period.
    • The operating cash flows helped fund significant growth in earning assets and continued investments in the pawn store platform over the past twelve months with a nominal increase in net debt:
      • Pawn earning assets (pawn receivables and inventories) increased $76 million compared to last year.
      • A total of 38 pawn stores were acquired for a combined purchase price of $103 million.
      • 53 new pawn stores were added with a combined investment of $19 million in fixed assets and working capital.
      • Real estate purchases totaled $82 million as the Company purchased the underlying real estate at 56 of its existing pawn stores, bringing the number of Company-owned properties to 407 locations.
    • Net debt at March 31, 2025 was $1.6 billion, of which $1.5 billion is fixed rate debt with favorable interest rates ranging from 4.625% to 6.875% and maturity dates that do not begin until 2028 and continue into 2032. The outstanding balance under the Company’s $700 million revolving line of credit totaled $175 million at March 31, 2025.
    • Based on trailing twelve month results, the Company’s net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio improved to 2.68x at March 31, 2025.

    Shareholder Returns

    • The Board of Directors declared a $0.38 per share second quarter cash dividend, which will be paid on May 30, 2025 to stockholders of record as of May 15, 2025. This represents an annualized dividend of $1.52 per share. Any future dividends are subject to approval by the Company’s Board of Directors.
    • During the first quarter, the Company repurchased 525,000 shares of common stock at a total cost of $60 million and an average price of $113.54 per share.
    • Over the past twelve months, the Company has repurchased 1,246,000 shares of common stock at a total cost of $145 million and paid out $67 million in cash dividends, representing a payout ratio of approximately 75% of net income over the same period.
    • The Company has $55 million available under the $200 million share repurchase program authorized in July 2023. Future share repurchases are subject to expected liquidity, acquisitions and other investment opportunities, debt covenant restrictions, market conditions and other relevant factors.
    • The Company generated a 14% return on equity and a 6% return on assets for the twelve months ended March 31, 2025. Using adjusted net income for the twelve months ended March 31, 2025, the adjusted return on equity was 16% while the adjusted return on assets was 7%.

    2025 Outlook

    Driven by the strong first quarter results and continued demand for pawn loans, the outlook for 2025 remains highly positive, with expected year-over-year growth in income driven by the continued growth in earning asset balances coupled with store additions. Anticipated conditions and trends for the remainder of 2025 include the following:

    Pawn Operations:

    • Pawn operations are expected to remain the primary earnings driver in 2025 as the Company expects segment income from the combined U.S. and Latin America pawn segments to be over 80% of total segment level pre-tax income for the full year.
    • The Company expects further growth in the pawn store base in 2025 through a combination of new store openings and potential acquisitions. The guidance provided below does not assume any material acquisition activity.

    U.S. Pawn

    • Same-store pawn loans at March 31, 2025 were up 13% compared to a year ago, with April balances to date up similarly. Given the strength of the first quarter same-store results, the increase in pawn fee growth is estimated to be in a range of 9% to 11% for the full year.
    • Retail sales are expected to grow mid-single digits in 2025, with retail sales margins targeted at approximately 41% to 42%.

    Latin America Pawn

    • U.S. dollar-reported results for Latin America in 2025 are expected to be impacted by the lower exchange rate for the Mexican peso, which has most recently been in a range of approximately 20 to 21 pesos per U.S. dollar compared to the average exchange rate of 18.3 to 1 in 2024.
    • Same-store pawn receivables at March 31, 2025 were down 5% on a U.S. dollar basis but up 14% on a constant currency basis, with April balances to date up similarly. Full year pawn fee growth is now expected to increase in a range of 10% to 12% on a local currency basis while it is projected to be flat to down slightly on a U.S. dollar basis, given the current exchange rate.
    • Retail sales in Latin America are also expected to track similarly to pawn fees in 2025 with consistent retail margins.

    Retail POS Payment Solutions (AFF) Operations:

    • Despite an 8% year-over-year decrease in first quarter originations, the forecast for full year origination volume for 2025 is expected to be consistent with or slightly above full year 2024 volume. Excluding 2024 originations from Conn’s Home Plus and American Freight, origination volumes are expected to increase in a range of 20% to 25% over 2024, reflecting continued diversification outside the furniture vertical.
    • While net revenue in the first quarter benefited from lower credit provisioning on reduced originations and older vintage reserve releases, the remainder of the year will see increased loss provisioning consistent with the expected growth in origination activity over the balance of 2025.
    • Given the above origination and provisioning dynamics, second quarter net revenues are expected to decline 14% to 16% over last year, with full year net revenues forecast to decline in a range of 8% to 12% compared to the prior year. Quarterly operating expenses for the balance of 2025 are expected to remain consistent with the first quarter run rate.
    • The Company is raising AFF segment earnings expectations for 2025, with full year segment income now expected to increase over last year in a mid single-digit percentage range given the strong first quarter results coupled with the continued operating expense savings.

    Tax Rates and Currency:

    • The full year 2025 effective income tax rate under current tax codes in the U.S. and Latin America is expected to range from 24.5% to 25.5%.
    • Each full point change in the exchange rate of the Mexican peso is projected to have an annual earnings impact of approximately $0.10 per share.

    Additional Commentary and Analysis

    Mr. Wessel further commented on FirstCash’s strong first quarter results and the outlook for the remainder of 2025, “As reported, our first quarter operating results were outstanding for each business segment and provide tremendous momentum as we begin the second quarter.

    “The operating fundamentals in our core pawn segments remain especially strong given current demand for pawn loans. Total outstanding pawn loans at the end of the quarter were up 16% in the U.S. and 15% in Latin America, on a local currency basis, while the average loan amounts were up 11% in the U.S and 7% in Latin America on a local currency basis. At the same time, retail sales and margins remain solid given the deep-value, treasure-hunt nature of our retail showrooms.

    “FirstCash continued to invest in the long-term growth of its core pawn assets by expanding its presence in existing markets and entering new markets across both segments. Over the last 12 months, we have added a total of 91 locations through new store openings and acquisitions. The Las Vegas location acquired in the first quarter is expected to deliver significantly higher retail revenue than a typical store, and with the addition of pawn products, should drive even greater profitability and further raise our profile in the high-end segment of the pawn market. Most importantly, the pipeline driving pawn store growth remains robust as we continue to open new stores and evaluate additional acquisition opportunities across multiple markets.

    “In addition, we continue to purchase the underlying real estate of high-performing U.S. stores where we now own over 400 locations, representing over a third of our domestic locations. These real estate acquisitions give us not only long-term control of our prime locations, but also reduce future operating costs. At the same time, we continue to reduce current expenses in certain markets in both the U.S. and Latin America, where we often have overlapping locations arising from acquisitions. By consolidating the operations of these overlapping stores into single locations, we can achieve significant cost savings.

    “First quarter results for AFF were also positive in almost every aspect despite the bankruptcies of two of its larger furniture lease-to-own merchant partners in late 2024. While revenues declined slightly as expected, we more than offset the impact with strong collection results on the existing portfolios and reduced operating expenses. Our resulting outlook for 2025 earnings is improved and we continue to see a clear path for long-term growth of the AFF segment.

    “Strong consolidated cash flows again supported the growth and further shareholder returns through year-over-year growth in earning assets, new and acquired stores and further share repurchases and dividends. The 525,000 shares repurchased in the first quarter for $60 million were executed at an average price of less than $114 per share. At the same time, we reduced outstanding debt on our revolving credit facility by $23 million and decreased the leverage ratio during the quarter.

    “In summary, the current market environment remains extremely strong for our pawn-focused business model. Pawn products do well in challenging or uncertain economic cycles and combine well with a deep-value retail sales channel that has limited direct impact from tariffs. With our excellent balance sheet and cash flows, we have a strong platform to continue to drive expected long-term growth in revenues, earnings and shareholder value,” concluded Mr. Wessel.

    About FirstCash

    FirstCash is the leading international operator of pawn stores focused on serving cash and credit-constrained consumers. FirstCash’s more than 3,000 pawn stores in the U.S. and Latin America buy and sell a wide variety of jewelry, electronics, tools, appliances, sporting goods, musical instruments and other merchandise, and make small non-recourse pawn loans secured by pledged personal property. FirstCash’s pawn segments in the U.S. and Latin America currently account for approximately 80% of annualized segment earnings, with the remainder provided by its wholly owned subsidiary, AFF, which provides lease-to-own and retail finance payment solutions for consumer goods and services.

    FirstCash is a component company in both the Standard & Poor’s MidCap 400 Index® and the Russell 2000 Index®. FirstCash’s common stock (ticker symbol “FCFS”) is traded on the Nasdaq, the creator of the world’s first electronic stock market. For additional information regarding FirstCash and the services it provides, visit FirstCash’s websites located at http://www.firstcash.com and http://www.americanfirstfinance.com.

    Forward-Looking Information

    This release contains forward-looking statements about the business, financial condition, outlook and prospects of FirstCash Holdings, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries (together, the “Company”), including the Company’s outlook for 2025. Forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “outlook,” “believes,” “projects,” “expects,” “may,” “estimates,” “should,” “plans,” “targets,” “intends,” “could,” “would,” “anticipates,” “potential,” “confident,” “optimistic,” or the negative thereof, or other variations thereon, or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, objectives, estimates, guidance, expectations, outlook and future plans. Forward-looking statements can also be identified by the fact these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. Rather, forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results. Because forward-looking statements relate to matters that have not yet occurred, these statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties.

    While the Company believes the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurances such expectations will prove to be accurate. Security holders are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Certain factors may cause results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements made in this release. Such factors may include, without limitation, risks related to the extensive regulatory environment in which the Company operates, including uncertainty involving the current regulatory environment under the current presidential administration; risks associated with the legal and regulatory proceedings that the Company is a party to or may become a party to in the future, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”) lawsuit filed against the Company; risks related to the Company’s acquisitions, including the failure of the Company’s acquisitions to deliver the estimated value and benefits expected by the Company and the ability of the Company to continue to identify and consummate acquisitions on favorable terms, if at all; potential changes in consumer behavior and shopping patterns which could impact demand for the Company’s pawn loan, retail, lease-to-own (“LTO”) and retail finance products; labor shortages and increased labor costs; a deterioration in the economic conditions in the United States and Latin America, including as a result of inflation, elevated interest rates and trade policy, which potentially could have an impact on discretionary consumer spending and demand for the Company’s products; currency fluctuations, primarily involving the Mexican peso; competition the Company faces from other retailers and providers of retail payment solutions; the ability of the Company to successfully execute on its business strategies; contraction in sales activity at merchant partners of the Company’s retail point-of-sale (“POS”) payment solutions business; impact of store closures, financial difficulties or even bankruptcies at the merchant partners of the Company’s retail POS payment solutions business; the ability of the Company’s retail POS payment solutions business to continue to grow its base of merchant partners, including those outside of the furniture vertical; and other risks discussed and described in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including the risks described in Part 1, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” thereof, and other reports filed with the SEC. Many of these risks and uncertainties are beyond the ability of the Company to control, nor can the Company predict, in many cases, all of the risks and uncertainties that could cause its actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of the date of this release, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to report any updates or revisions to any such statement to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

     
    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (unaudited, in thousands)
     
        Three Months Ended
        March 31,
          2025       2024  
    Revenue:        
    Retail merchandise sales   $ 371,056     $ 366,821  
    Pawn loan fees     191,871       179,535  
    Leased merchandise income     156,918       205,671  
    Interest and fees on finance receivables     73,413       57,387  
    Wholesale scrap jewelry sales     43,165       26,956  
    Total revenue     836,423       836,370  
             
    Cost of revenue:        
    Cost of retail merchandise sold     224,124       223,529  
    Depreciation of leased merchandise     88,819       120,284  
    Provision for lease losses     27,562       43,010  
    Provision for loan losses     36,360       30,418  
    Cost of wholesale scrap jewelry sold     35,355       23,289  
    Total cost of revenue     412,220       440,530  
             
    Net revenue     424,203       395,840  
             
    Expenses and other income:        
    Operating expenses     214,586       221,136  
    Administrative expenses     48,523       44,018  
    Depreciation and amortization     25,502       26,027  
    Interest expense     27,471       25,418  
    Interest income     (1,229 )     (743 )
    Gain on foreign exchange     (14 )     (186 )
    Merger and acquisition expenses     462       597  
    Other income, net     (2,315 )     (2,312 )
    Total expenses and other income     312,986       313,955  
             
    Income before income taxes     111,217       81,885  
             
    Provision for income taxes     27,626       20,517  
             
    Net income   $ 83,591     $ 61,368  
     
    Certain amounts in the consolidated statement of income for the three months ended March 31, 2024 have been reclassified in order to conform to the 2025 presentation.
    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (unaudited, in thousands)
     
        March 31,   December 31,
          2025       2024       2024  
    ASSETS            
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 146,034     $ 135,070     $ 175,095  
    Accounts receivable, net     71,166       69,703       73,325  
    Pawn loans     499,710       456,079       517,867  
    Finance receivables, net     145,079       105,653       147,501  
    Inventories     334,700       302,385       334,580  
    Leased merchandise, net     103,612       157,785       128,437  
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets     26,033       30,460       26,943  
    Total current assets     1,326,334       1,257,135       1,403,748  
                 
    Property and equipment, net     724,213       658,349       717,916  
    Operating lease right of use asset     329,183       320,515       324,646  
    Goodwill     1,815,139       1,730,353       1,787,172  
    Intangible assets, net     216,736       265,184       228,858  
    Other assets     9,952       10,080       9,934  
    Deferred tax assets, net     4,720       5,836       4,712  
    Total assets   $ 4,426,277     $ 4,247,452     $ 4,476,986  
                 
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY            
    Accounts payable and accrued liabilities   $ 129,137     $ 138,812     $ 171,540  
    Customer deposits and prepayments     76,211       75,423       72,703  
    Lease liability, current     96,539       100,874       95,161  
    Total current liabilities     301,887       315,109       339,404  
                 
    Revolving unsecured credit facilities     175,000       15,000       198,000  
    Senior unsecured notes     1,532,099       1,529,147       1,531,346  
    Deferred tax liabilities, net     129,936       133,606       128,574  
    Lease liability, non-current     228,995       209,208       225,498  
    Total liabilities     2,367,917       2,202,070       2,422,822  
                 
    Stockholders’ equity:            
    Common stock     575       573       575  
    Additional paid-in capital     1,755,591       1,727,564       1,767,569  
    Retained earnings     1,477,730       1,263,564       1,411,083  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (130,540 )     (36,702 )     (129,596 )
    Common stock held in treasury, at cost     (1,044,996 )     (909,617 )     (995,467 )
    Total stockholders’ equity     2,058,360       2,045,382       2,054,164  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 4,426,277     $ 4,247,452     $ 4,476,986  

    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.
    SEGMENT RESULTS
    (UNAUDITED)

    The Company organizes its operations into three reportable segments as follows:

    • U.S. pawn
    • Latin America pawn
    • Retail POS payment solutions (AFF)

    Corporate expenses and income, which include administrative expenses, corporate depreciation and amortization, interest expense, interest income, gain on foreign exchange, merger and acquisition expenses, and other income, net, are presented on a consolidated basis and are not allocated to the segments. Intersegment transactions related to AFF’s LTO payment solution product offered in U.S. pawn stores are eliminated from consolidated totals.

    U.S. Pawn Operating Results and Margins (dollars in thousands)

        Three Months Ended    
        March 31,    
        2025   2024   Increase
    Revenue:                
    Retail merchandise sales   $ 251,225     $ 236,990     6 %
    Pawn loan fees     137,948       122,974     12 %
    Wholesale scrap jewelry sales     33,492       17,726     89 %
    Total revenue     422,665       377,690     12 %
                     
    Cost of revenue:                
    Cost of retail merchandise sold     145,758       139,914     4 %
    Cost of wholesale scrap jewelry sold     27,224       15,266     78 %
    Total cost of revenue     172,982       155,180     11 %
                     
    Net revenue     249,683       222,510     12 %
                     
    Segment expenses:                
    Operating expenses     128,951       118,895     8 %
    Depreciation and amortization     7,600       7,013     8 %
    Total segment expenses     136,551       125,908     8 %
                     
    Segment pre-tax operating income   $ 113,132     $ 96,602     17 %
                     
    Operating metrics:                
    Retail merchandise sales margin   42 %   41 %    
    Net revenue margin   59 %   59 %    
    Segment pre-tax operating margin   27 %   26 %    

    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.
    SEGMENT RESULTS (CONTINUED)
    (UNAUDITED)

    U.S. Pawn Earning Assets and Portfolio Metrics (dollars in thousands, except as otherwise noted)

        As of March 31,    
        2025   2024   Increase
    Earning assets:                
    Pawn loans   $ 365,972     $ 315,792     16 %
    Inventories     246,237       216,762     14 %
        $ 612,209     $ 532,554     15 %
                     
    Average outstanding pawn loan amount (in ones)   $ 289     $ 261     11 %
                     
    Composition of pawn collateral:                
    General merchandise   27 %   29 %    
    Jewelry   73 %   71 %    
        100 %   100 %    
                     
    Composition of inventories:                
    General merchandise   39 %   41 %    
    Jewelry   61 %   59 %    
        100 %   100 %    
                     
    Percentage of inventory aged greater than one year   2 %   1 %    
                     
    Inventory turns (trailing twelve months cost of merchandise sales divided by average inventories)   2.8 times
        2.8 times      


    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.

    SEGMENT RESULTS (CONTINUED)
    (UNAUDITED)

    Constant currency results are non-GAAP financial measures, which exclude the effects of foreign currency translation and are calculated by translating current-year results at prior-year average exchange rates. See the “Constant Currency Results” section below for additional discussion of constant currency operating results.

    Latin America Pawn Operating Results and Margins (dollars in thousands)

                      Constant Currency Basis
                      Three Months      
                  Ended      
        Three Months Ended         March 31,    
        March 31,   Increase /     2025     Increase
          2025       2024     (Decrease)   (Non-GAAP)   (Non-GAAP)
    Revenue:                        
    Retail merchandise sales   $ 120,532     $ 130,849       (8 )%   $ 143,211       9 %
    Pawn loan fees     53,923       56,561       (5 )%     64,091       13 %
    Wholesale scrap jewelry sales     9,673       9,230       5 %     9,673       5 %
    Total revenue     184,128       196,640       (6 )%     216,975       10 %
                             
    Cost of revenue:                        
    Cost of retail merchandise sold     78,739       84,183       (6 )%     93,439       11 %
    Cost of wholesale scrap jewelry sold     8,131       8,023       1 %     9,647       20 %
    Total cost of revenue     86,870       92,206       (6 )%     103,086       12 %
                             
    Net revenue     97,258       104,434       (7 )%     113,889       9 %
                             
    Segment expenses:                        
    Operating expenses     61,417       67,425       (9 )%     72,515       8 %
    Depreciation and amortization     4,436       5,105       (13 )%     5,216       2 %
    Total segment expenses     65,853       72,530       (9 )%     77,731       7 %
                             
    Segment pre-tax operating income   $ 31,405     $ 31,904       (2 )%   $ 36,158       13 %
                             
    Operating metrics:                        
    Retail merchandise sales margin 35 %   36 %       35 %      
    Net revenue margin 53 %   53 %       52 %      
    Segment pre-tax operating margin 17 %   16 %       17 %      


    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.

    SEGMENT RESULTS (CONTINUED)
    (UNAUDITED)

    Latin America Pawn Earning Assets and Portfolio Metrics (dollars in thousands, except as otherwise noted)

                        Constant Currency Basis
                        As of    
                        March 31,    
        As of March 31,   Increase /   2025   Increase
        2025   2024   (Decrease)   (Non-GAAP)   (Non-GAAP)
    Earning assets:                        
    Pawn loans   $ 133,738     $ 140,287     (5 )%   $ 161,065     15 %
    Inventories     88,463       85,623     3 %     106,579     24 %
        $ 222,201     $ 225,910     (2 )%   $ 267,644     18 %
                             
    Average outstanding pawn loan amount (in ones)   $ 86     $ 97     (11 )%   $ 104     7 %
                             
    Composition of pawn collateral:                        
    General merchandise   58 %   63 %            
    Jewelry   42 %   37 %            
        100 %   100 %            
                             
    Composition of inventories:                        
    General merchandise   62 %   66 %            
    Jewelry   38 %   34 %            
        100 %   100 %            
                             
    Percentage of inventory aged greater than one year   2 %   1 %            
                             
    Inventory turns (trailing twelve months cost of merchandise sales divided by average inventories)   4.2 times
        4.4 times              


    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.

    SEGMENT RESULTS (CONTINUED)
    (UNAUDITED)

    Retail POS Payment Solutions Operating Results (dollars in thousands)

        Three Months Ended    
        March 31,   Increase /
          2025       2024     (Decrease)
    Revenue:            
    Leased merchandise income   $ 156,918     $ 205,671     (24 )%
    Interest and fees on finance receivables     73,413       57,387     28 %
    Total revenue     230,331       263,058     (12 )%
                 
    Cost of revenue:            
    Depreciation of leased merchandise     89,143       120,774     (26 )%
    Provision for lease losses     27,604       43,180     (36 )%
    Provision for loan losses     36,360       30,418     20 %
    Total cost of revenue     153,107       194,372     (21 )%
                 
    Net revenue     77,224       68,686     12 %
                 
    Segment expenses:            
    Operating expenses     24,218       34,816     (30 )%
    Depreciation and amortization     705       721     (2 )%
    Total segment expenses     24,923       35,537     (30 )%
                 
    Segment pre-tax operating income   $ 52,301     $ 33,149     58 %


    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.

    SEGMENT RESULTS (CONTINUED)
    (UNAUDITED)

    Retail POS Payment Solutions Gross Transaction Volumes (dollars in thousands)

        Three Months Ended      
        March 31,   Increase /
          2025       2024     (Decrease)
    Leased merchandise   $ 94,305     $ 154,121       (39 )%
    Finance receivables     141,262       102,165       38 %
    Total gross transaction volume   $ 235,567     $ 256,286       (8 )%


    Retail POS Payment Solutions Earning Assets (dollars in thousands)

        As of March 31,   Increase /
          2025       2024     (Decrease)
    Leased merchandise, net:              
    Leased merchandise, before allowance for lease losses   $ 172,886     $ 253,876       (32 )%
    Less allowance for lease losses     (69,077 )     (95,786 )     (28 )%
    Leased merchandise, net   $ 103,809     $ 158,090       (34 )%
                   
    Finance receivables, net:              
    Finance receivables, before allowance for loan losses   $ 263,421     $ 201,673       31 %
    Less allowance for loan losses     (118,342 )     (96,020 )     23 %
    Finance receivables, net   $ 145,079     $ 105,653       37 %


    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.

    SEGMENT RESULTS (CONTINUED)
    (UNAUDITED)

    Allowance for Lease and Loan Losses and Other Portfolio Metrics (dollars in thousands)

        Three Months Ended      
        March 31,   Increase /
          2025       2024     (Decrease)
    Allowance for lease losses:              
    Balance at beginning of period   $ 80,661     $ 95,752       (16 )%
    Provision for lease losses     27,604       43,180       (36 )%
    Charge-offs     (41,528 )     (45,149 )     (8 )%
    Recoveries     2,340       2,003       17 %
    Balance at end of period   $ 69,077     $ 95,786       (28 )%
                   
    Leased merchandise portfolio metrics:              
    Provision rate (1)   29 %   28 %      
    Average monthly net charge-off rate (2)   6.8 %   5.5 %      
    Delinquency rate (3)   22.6 %   20.5 %      
                   
    Allowance for loan losses:              
    Balance at beginning of period   $ 117,005     $ 96,454       21 %
    Provision for loan losses     36,360       30,418       20 %
    Charge-offs     (38,419 )     (33,279 )     15 %
    Recoveries     3,396       2,427       40 %
    Balance at end of period   $ 118,342     $ 96,020       23 %
                   
    Finance receivables portfolio metrics:              
    Provision rate (1)   26 %   30 %      
    Average monthly net charge-off rate (2)   4.4 %   5.0 %      
    Delinquency rate (3)   19.3 %   19.2 %      

    (1) Calculated as provision for lease or loan losses as a percentage of the respective gross transaction volume originated.
    (2) Calculated as charge-offs, net of recoveries, as a percentage of the respective average earning asset balance before allowance for lease or loan losses.
    (3) Calculated as the percentage of the respective contractual earning asset balance owed that is 1 to 89 days past due (the Company charges off leases and finance receivables when they are 90 days or more contractually past due).

    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.
    PAWN STORE LOCATIONS AND MERCHANT PARTNER LOCATIONS

    Pawn Operations

    As of March 31, 2025, the Company operated 3,023 pawn store locations composed of 1,197 stores in 29 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, 1,724 stores in 32 states in Mexico, 72 stores in Guatemala, 18 stores in El Salvador and 12 stores in Colombia.

    The following table details pawn store count activity for the three months ended March 31, 2025:

        Three Months Ended March 31, 2025
        U.S.   Latin America   Total
    Total locations, beginning of period   1,200     1,826     3,026  
    New locations opened   1     10     11  
    Locations acquired   1     —     1  
    Consolidation of existing pawn locations (1)   (5 )   (10 )   (15 )
    Total locations, end of period   1,197     1,826     3,023  

    (1) Store consolidations were primarily acquired locations which have been combined with overlapping stores and for which the Company expects to maintain a significant portion of the acquired customer base in the consolidated location.

    Retail POS Payment Solutions

    As of March 31, 2025, AFF provided LTO and retail POS payment solutions for consumer goods and services through a network of approximately 14,500 active retail merchant partner locations. This compares to the active door count of approximately 12,200 locations at March 31, 2024.

    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.
    RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
    TO GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
    (UNAUDITED)

    The Company uses certain financial calculations such as adjusted net income, adjusted diluted earnings per share, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow, adjusted free cash flow, adjusted return on equity, adjusted return on assets and constant currency results as factors in the measurement and evaluation of the Company’s operating performance and period-over-period growth. The Company derives these financial calculations on the basis of methodologies other than generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), primarily by excluding from a comparable GAAP measure certain items the Company does not consider to be representative of its actual operating performance. These financial calculations are “non-GAAP financial measures” as defined under the SEC rules. The Company uses these non-GAAP financial measures in operating its business because management believes they are less susceptible to variances in actual operating performance that can result from the excluded items, other infrequent charges and currency fluctuations. The Company presents these financial measures to investors because management believes they are useful to investors in evaluating the primary factors that drive the Company’s core operating performance and provide greater transparency into the Company’s results of operations. However, items that are excluded and other adjustments and assumptions that are made in calculating these non-GAAP financial measures are significant components in understanding and assessing the Company’s financial performance. These non-GAAP financial measures should be evaluated in conjunction with, and are not a substitute for, the Company’s GAAP financial measures. Further, because these non-GAAP financial measures are not determined in accordance with GAAP, and are thus susceptible to varying calculations, the non-GAAP financial measures, as presented, may not be comparable to other similarly-titled measures of other companies.

    While acquisitions are an important part of the Company’s overall strategy, the Company has adjusted the applicable financial calculations to exclude merger and acquisition expenses and amortization of acquired AFF intangible assets. The Company does not consider these items to be related to the organic operations of the acquired businesses or its continuing operations and are generally not relevant to assessing or estimating the long-term performance of the acquired businesses. In addition, excluding these items allows for more accurate comparisons of the financial results to prior periods. Merger and acquisition expenses include incremental costs directly associated with merger and acquisition activities, including professional fees, legal expenses, severance, retention and other employee-related costs, contract breakage costs and costs related to the consolidation of technology systems and corporate facilities, among others.

    The Company has certain leases in Mexico which are denominated in U.S. dollars. The lease liability of these U.S. dollar-denominated leases, which is considered a monetary liability, is remeasured into Mexican pesos using current period exchange rates, resulting in the recognition of foreign currency exchange gains or losses. The Company has adjusted the applicable financial measures to exclude these remeasurement gains or losses (1) because they are non-cash, non-operating items that could create volatility in the Company’s consolidated results of operations due to the magnitude of the end of period lease liability being remeasured and (2) to improve comparability of current periods presented with prior periods.

    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.
    RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
    TO GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (CONTINUED)
    (UNAUDITED)

    Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share

    Management believes the presentation of adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share provides investors with greater transparency and provides a more complete understanding of the Company’s financial performance and prospects for the future by excluding items that management believes are non-operating in nature and are not representative of the Company’s core operating performance. In addition, management believes the adjustments shown below are useful to investors in order to allow them to compare the Company’s financial results for the current periods presented with the prior periods presented.

    The following tables provide a reconciliation between net income and diluted earnings per share calculated in accordance with GAAP to adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share, which are shown net of tax (in thousands, except per share amounts):

                Trailing Twelve
        Three Months Ended   Months Ended
        March 31,   March 31,
          2025       2024       2025       2024  
        In Thousands   In Thousands   In Thousands   In Thousands
    Net income, as reported   $ 83,591     $ 61,368     $ 281,038     $ 233,281  
    Adjustments, net of tax:                
    Merger and acquisition expenses     354       457       1,603       6,524  
    Non-cash foreign currency loss (gain) related to lease liability     40       (169 )     2,836       (1,100 )
    AFF purchase accounting and other adjustments     9,258       9,573       37,974       52,812  
    Other expenses (income), net     (462 )     (1,040 )     1,821       (2,154 )
    Adjusted net income   $ 92,781     $ 70,189     $ 325,272     $ 289,363  
        Three Months Ended
        March 31,
          2025       2024  
        Per Share   Per Share
    Diluted earnings per share, as reported   $ 1.87     $ 1.35  
    Adjustments, net of tax:        
    Merger and acquisition expenses     —       0.01  
    AFF purchase accounting and other adjustments     0.21       0.21  
    Other expenses (income), net     (0.01 )     (0.02 )
    Adjusted diluted earnings per share   $ 2.07     $ 1.55  


    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.

    RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
    TO GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (CONTINUED)
    (UNAUDITED)

    Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) and Adjusted EBITDA

    The Company defines EBITDA as net income before income taxes, depreciation and amortization, interest expense and interest income and adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA adjusted for certain items, as listed below, that management considers to be non-operating in nature and not representative of its actual operating performance. The Company believes EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are commonly used by investors to assess a company’s financial performance, and adjusted EBITDA is used as a starting point in the calculation of the consolidated total debt ratio as defined in the Company’s senior unsecured notes. The following table provides a reconciliation of net income to EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA (in thousands):        

                    Trailing Twelve
        Three Months Ended   Months Ended
        March 31,   March 31,
        2025     2024     2025     2024  
    Net income   $ 83,591     $ 61,368     $ 281,038     $ 233,281  
    Income taxes     27,626       20,517       91,070       78,240  
    Depreciation and amortization     25,502       26,027       104,416       108,077  
    Interest expense     27,471       25,418       107,279       97,764  
    Interest income     (1,229 )     (743 )     (2,421 )     (1,695 )
    EBITDA     162,961       132,587       581,382       515,667  
    Adjustments:                        
    Merger and acquisition expenses     462       597       2,093       8,488  
    Non-cash foreign currency loss (gain) related to lease liability     57       (241 )     4,053       (1,571 )
    AFF purchase accounting and other adjustments (1)     —       —       —       13,968  
    Other expenses (income), net     (600 )     (1,351 )     2,197       (2,798 )
    Adjusted EBITDA   $ 162,880     $ 131,592     $ 589,725     $ 533,754  

    (1) For the twelve months ended March 31, 2024, amount represents other non-recurring costs included in administrative expenses related to a discontinued finance product.

    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.
    RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
    TO GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (CONTINUED)
    (UNAUDITED)

    Free Cash Flow and Adjusted Free Cash Flow

    For purposes of its internal liquidity assessments, the Company considers free cash flow and adjusted free cash flow. The Company defines free cash flow as cash flow from operating activities less purchases of furniture, fixtures, equipment and improvements and net fundings/repayments of pawn loan and finance receivables, which are considered to be operating in nature by the Company but are included in cash flow from investing activities. Adjusted free cash flow is defined as free cash flow adjusted for merger and acquisition expenses paid that management considers to be non-operating in nature.

    Free cash flow and adjusted free cash flow are commonly used by investors as additional measures of cash generated by business operations that may be used to repay scheduled debt maturities and debt service or, following payment of such debt obligations and other non-discretionary items, that may be available to invest in future growth through new business development activities or acquisitions, repurchase stock, pay cash dividends or repay debt obligations prior to their maturities. These metrics can also be used to evaluate the Company’s ability to generate cash flow from business operations and the impact that this cash flow has on the Company’s liquidity. However, free cash flow and adjusted free cash flow have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for cash flow from operating activities or other income statement data prepared in accordance with GAAP. The following table reconciles cash flow from operating activities to free cash flow and adjusted free cash flow (in thousands):

                Trailing Twelve
        Three Months Ended   Months Ended
        March 31,   March 31,
          2025       2024       2025       2024  
    Cash flow from operating activities   $ 126,640     $ 122,532     $ 544,066     $ 428,080  
    Cash flow from certain investing activities:                
    Pawn loans, net (1)     19,440       25,149       (77,708 )     (54,187 )
    Finance receivables, net     (20,566 )     (15,311 )     (144,569 )     (106,213 )
    Purchases of furniture, fixtures, equipment and improvements     (12,914 )     (26,427 )     (54,732 )     (72,747 )
    Free cash flow     112,600       105,943       267,057       194,933  
    Merger and acquisition expenses paid, net of tax benefit     354       457       1,603       6,524  
    Adjusted free cash flow   $ 112,954     $ 106,400     $ 268,660     $ 201,457  

    (1) Includes the funding of new loans net of cash repayments and recovery of principal through the sale of inventories acquired from forfeiture of pawn collateral.

    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.
    RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
    TO GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (CONTINUED)
    (UNAUDITED)

    Adjusted Return on Equity and Adjusted Return on Assets

    Management believes the presentation of adjusted return on equity and adjusted return on assets provides investors with greater transparency and provides a more complete understanding of the Company’s financial performance by excluding items that management believes are non-operating in nature and not representative of the Company’s core operating performance.

    Annualized adjusted return on equity and adjusted return on assets is calculated as follows (dollars in thousands):

        Trailing Twelve
        Months Ended
        March 31, 2025
    Adjusted net income(1)   $ 325,272  
           
    Average stockholders’ equity (average of five most recent quarter-end balances)   $ 2,027,110  
    Adjusted return on equity (trailing twelve months adjusted net income divided by average equity)   16 %
           
    Average total assets (average of five most recent quarter-end balances)   $ 4,373,194  
    Adjusted return on assets (trailing twelve months adjusted net income divided by average total assets)   7 %

    (1) See detail of adjustments to net income in the “Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share” section above.

    Constant Currency Results

    The Company’s reporting currency is the U.S. dollar, however, certain performance metrics discussed in this release are presented on a “constant currency” basis, which is considered a non-GAAP financial measure. The Company’s management uses constant currency results to evaluate operating results of business operations in Latin America, which are transacted in local currencies in Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia. The Company also has operations in El Salvador, where the reporting and functional currency is the U.S. dollar.

    The Company believes constant currency results provide valuable supplemental information regarding the underlying performance of its business operations in Latin America, consistent with how the Company’s management evaluates such performance and operating results. Constant currency results reported herein are calculated by translating certain balance sheet and income statement items denominated in local currencies using the exchange rate from the prior-year comparable period, as opposed to the current comparable period, in order to exclude the effects of foreign currency rate fluctuations for purposes of evaluating period-over-period comparisons. See the Latin America pawn segment tables elsewhere in this release for additional reconciliation of certain constant currency amounts to as reported GAAP amounts.

    FIRSTCASH HOLDINGS, INC.
    RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
    TO GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (CONTINUED)
    (UNAUDITED)

    Exchange Rates for the Mexican Peso, Guatemalan Quetzal and Colombian Peso

        March 31,   Favorable /
        2025
      2024   (Unfavorable)
    Mexican peso / U.S. dollar exchange rate:                
    End-of-period   20.3     16.7     (22 )%
    Three months ended   20.4     17.0     (20 )%
                     
    Guatemalan quetzal / U.S. dollar exchange rate:                
    End-of-period   7.7     7.8     1 %
    Three months ended   7.7     7.8     1 %
                     
    Colombian peso / U.S. dollar exchange rate:                
    End-of-period   4,193     3,842     (9 )%
    Three months ended   4,191     3,915     (7 )%

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Fake cures and vaccine passports for sale: the conspiracy communities in Brazil monetising the anti-vax movement – podcast

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gemma Ware, Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation

    A protest in Brazil against mandatory COVID vaccinations and vaccine passports. Isaac Fontana / Shutterstock.com

    Few places on earth are immune to the explosion of anti-vaccination conspiracy theories and health disinformation fuelled by the COVID pandemic. But in countries like Brazil, where the disinformation flowed from the very top of government, the problem is even more acute and some people are exploiting the fear of others to make money.

    In this episode of The Conversation Weekly, we hear about new research out of Brazil into how peddlers of disinformation on social media also sell fake cures and vaccine detoxes. And we ask why some people are looking for solutions to their health problems in these dangerous chemicals and unproven protocols.

    Brazil used to be a country with a strong culture of vaccination. “It was like a ritual”, remembers Igor Sacramento, a researcher in public health at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil. As a child, he would go to public squares where people would be dressed in costumes, parading, alongside the vaccination drives.

    Now, anti-vax disinformation has surged in the country. Sacramento believes the big change was the election of Jair Bolsonaro in 2018, a president who publicly questioned vaccinations. “It was terrible for public health”, he says. Research showed that during the pandemic there was a persistent “Bolsonaro effect” with higher death rates from COVID in pro-Bolsonaro municipalities.

    Vaccination rates for a number of different diseases have fallen in Brazil in recent years, although they are beginning to climb again since the election of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for a third term as president in 2023.

    Promoting fake cures

    New research led by Ergon Cugler, a researcher at  the Brazilian Institute of Information on Science and Technology who is mapping the spread of disinformation on social media in Latin America and the Caribbean, is showing that the same people sowing fear with health disinformation are also selling fake cures.

    Cugler scraped data from more than 1,000 Telegram groups linked to disinformation and conspiracy theories topics over the last decade. Of the 5 million users in these groups, half are in Brazil. His dataset of 61 million pieces of content showed a 290% increase in anti-vaccination conspiracy narratives during the pandemic in Brazil, as well as a 15,000% increase in autism-related disinformation in Latin America and the Caribbean since the pandemic.

    Admins on these conspiracy theory communities on Telegram often post adverts, testimonials and videos promoting fake cures, vaccine detoxes and falsified vaccination passports. Cugler says:

     They spread the feeling of fear suggesting that parasites, for example, could cause diseases like diabetes. And then they offer so-called miracle cures, like deworming protocols or chlorine dioxide, and other substances, and they monetise all of those products.

    Cugler is also tracking how conspiracy theory groups discussing seemingly quite unconnected topics can be used as a way to funnel people into anti-vax groups and sell them fake cures.

    Listen to the full episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast to hear interviews with Ergon Cugler and Igor Sacramento, plus a conversation with Daniel Stycer, editor of The Conversation Brazil.


    This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Gemma Ware with assistance from Mend Mariwany. Mixing and sound design by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl.

    Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here.

    Ergon Cugler has previously received a research grant from the Brazilian Institute of Information in Science and Technology (IBICT) and is currently part of a research project funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development through the Observatory of Informational Disorder and Public Policy (DesinfoPop) at the Getulio Vargas Foundation. Igor Sacramento is a researcher in residence between December 2024 and July 2025 at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in France.

    – ref. Fake cures and vaccine passports for sale: the conspiracy communities in Brazil monetising the anti-vax movement – podcast – https://theconversation.com/fake-cures-and-vaccine-passports-for-sale-the-conspiracy-communities-in-brazil-monetising-the-anti-vax-movement-podcast-255142

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Zscaler ThreatLabz Uncovers Surge in AI-Driven Cyberattacks Targeting Critical Business Operations

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Key Findings:

    • Global phishing is down 20%, but attackers are striking deeper, not wider—targeting IT, HR, finance, and payroll teams with high-impact campaigns.
    • Telegram, Steam, and Facebook are top platforms for phishing – used for both impersonation and malware delivery.
    • Tech support and job scams increase with 159M+ hits in 2024, preying on users across social platforms.

    SAN JOSE, Calif., April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zscaler, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZS), the leader in cloud security, today published its Zscaler ThreatLabz 2025 Phishing Report, analyzing over two billion blocked phishing attempts between January and December 2024 captured by the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™, the world’s largest cloud security platform. The annual report exposes how cybercriminals are using Generative AI to launch surgical, targeted attacks against high-impact business functions – and why a Zero Trust + AI defense strategy is mission critical. The report uncovers a shift from high-volume email blasts to targeted, AI-fueled attacks designed to evade defenses and exploit human behavior. It also offers actionable insight to help organizations defend against this evolving threat landscape.

    “The phishing game has changed. Attackers are using GenAI to create near-flawless lures and even outsmart AI-based defenses,” said Deepen Desai, CSO and Head of Security Research, Zscaler. “Cybercriminals are weaponizing AI to evade detection and manipulate victims, which means organizations must leverage equally advanced AI-powered defenses to outpace these emerging threats. Our research reinforces the importance of adopting a proactive, multi-layered approach—combining robust zero trust architecture with advanced AI-driven phishing prevention—to effectively combat the rapidly evolving threat landscape.”

    Emerging markets see a surge in phishing activity
    While phishing dropped overall by 20% globally and by nearly 32% in the U.S., due in part to rising email authentication standards, attackers transitioned just as fast, launching more attacks on emerging markets like Brazil, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands, often where digital adoption outpaces security investment. Established targets like India, Germany, and the UK remain under sustained pressure, as threat actors adapt to local patterns and seasonal trends.

    Community platforms fuel phishing growth
    Phishing campaigns are increasingly abusing community-based platforms like Facebook, Telegram, Steam, and Instagram – not only spoofing their brands, but using them to distribute malware, mask C2 communications, gather target intel, and carry out social engineering attacks. Meanwhile, tech support scams, where attackers pose as IT support teams to exploit urgency and safety concerns of victims, remain widespread with 159,148,766 hits in 2024.

    Threat actors capitalize on AI: Phishing-as-a-Service and AI deception on the rise
    Cybercriminals are using GenAI to scale attacks, generate fake websites, and craft deepfake voice, video, and text for social engineering. New scams mimic AI tools – such as resume generators and design platforms – tricking users into handing over credentials or payment data. Critical departments like payroll, finance, and HR are prime targets, along with executives – as they hold the keys to sensitive systems, information, and processes, and can more easily approve fraudulent payments.

    Cybercriminals are also creating fake “AI assistant” or “AI agent” websites, falsely offering services such as resume generation, graphic design, workflow automation, and more. As AI tools become increasingly integrated into daily life, attackers are capitalizing on the ease of use and trust around AI to drive unsuspecting users to fraudulent sites.

    Zscaler can help: Defending against AI threats with Zero Trust everywhere + AI
    As cybercriminals continue to use GenAI to develop new tactics and deliver more sophisticated attacks, enterprises need to strengthen their defenses against every type of compromise.

    The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange protects users, applications, and data across all phases of the attack chain by:

    • Minimizing the attack surface
    • Preventing initial compromise
    • Eliminating lateral movement
    • Shutting down insider threats
    • Stopping data loss

    Zscaler AI-powered offerings add advanced protection by securing public AI use, shielding private AI models, and detecting AI-generated threats.

    Download the Report
    Get the full ThreatLabz 2025 Phishing Report to explore emerging trends and attack vectors. Learn why a Zero Trust + AI approach is critical to staying ahead of today’s phishing threats. Download today.

    Research Methodology
    Zscaler ThreatLabz analyzed 2 billion blocked phishing transactions between January–December 2024, exploring various aspects including the top phishing attacks, targeted countries, hosting countries for phishing content, distribution of company types based on server IP addresses, and the top referrers linked to these phishing attacks. Additionally, ThreatLabz tracked and examined notable phishing trends and use cases observed throughout 2024.

    About ThreatLabz
    ThreatLabz is the security research arm of Zscaler. This world-class team is responsible for hunting new threats and ensuring that the thousands of organizations using the global Zscaler platform are always protected. In addition to malware research and behavioral analysis, team members are involved in the research and development of new prototype modules for advanced threat protection on the Zscaler platform, and regularly conduct internal security audits to ensure that Zscaler products and infrastructure meet security compliance standards. ThreatLabz regularly publishes in-depth analyses of new and emerging threats on its portal, research.zscaler.com.

    About Zscaler
    Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) accelerates digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Distributed across more than 150 data centers globally, the SASE-based Zero Trust Exchange is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform.

    Media Contacts
    Nick Gonzalez
    Sr. Manager, Media Relations
    press@zscaler.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6b96dd38-9f87-4353-85b3-13a0086fc129

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty, Kaine Urge Mexican Government to Cease Unfair Treatment of U.S.-Based Vulcan Materials Company

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
    NEW YORK CITY—Today, United States Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter urging Mexican Minister of Economy Ebrard Casaubon to address the country’s unfair treatment of the U.S.-based Vulcan Materials Company, which has operated in Mexico for decades and supports thousands of jobs in both countries.
    The Mexican government has made efforts to expropriate property from Vulcan, which would both interfere with its ability to do business and undermine the crucial economic ties between the U.S. and Mexico.
    “As you know, Vulcan Materials Company, a global leader in construction materials based in Alabama, has been operating in Mexico for over three decades…supporting thousands of jobs in Mexico and across Virginia and Tennessee,” the Senators wrote. “However, recent efforts by the Mexican government to expropriate Vulcan property undermine efforts to strengthen these ties, as they create a perception of unpredictability toward foreign investments. The Mexican government’s actions against Vulcan are a critical blow to investor confidence under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).”
    “We strongly urge the Mexican government to reconsider its actions against Vulcan and to work with the company toward a resolution that respects the rights of foreign investors and Mexico’s commitments under international agreements,” the Senators continued. “By doing so, Mexico would demonstrate its commitment to honoring the principles of respect, transparency, and legal certainty that foster a stable and welcoming environment for all businesses. We understand Vulcan remains ready and willing to negotiate with you to reach an amicable solution. In the interest of reaching such a solution, we would encourage your Government to cease unfounded public accusations against the company as you work to resolve the issue. A balanced and fair approach to foreign investment will help ensure that both the U.S. and Mexico can continue to prosper.”
    Background:
    In May 2022, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) abruptly shut down Vulcan’s operations with false claims that the firm was violating its contract, and since then the Mexican Government, under AMLO’s direction, has waged an unceasing pressure campaign against Vulcan, including multiple lawsuits and at times sending military and law enforcement to its facilities. Last month, AMLO announced that he is pushing to designate the port and mine a “Protected Natural Area”.
    In May 2022, Hagerty urged President Joe Biden to take action against the Mexican government’s moves to expropriate the property of U.S. companies with investments and operations in Mexico.
    In March 2023, Hagerty pressed Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the seizure by Mexican military troops and civilian authorities of U.S.-based Vulcan Materials Company’s assets in Mexico.
    In December 2023, Hagerty and Kaine spoke on the Senate floor imploring President López Obrador to halt harmful actions against American companies’ lawfully owned assets in Mexico, noting that these unlawful actions violate agreements made between the two countries under the USMCA and jeopardize a key U.S. trade relationship.
    In September 2024, Hagerty and Kaine introduced legislation to impose retaliatory prohibitions that deter and punish any Western Hemisphere nation that unlawfully seizes American assets, responding to ongoing efforts by the Government of Mexico to seize a deep-water port owned by U.S.-based Vulcan Materials Company, which is a flagrant violation of the United Sates-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) governing trade between our two nations.
    In December 2024, Hagerty and Kaine condemned ongoing efforts by U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai to weaken protections for American companies under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which makes American companies vulnerable to Mexico seizing their property and assets.
    A copy of the letter can be found here and below.
    Dear Secretary Ebrard Casaubon:
    We are contacting your government to address the unfair treatment of Vulcan Materials Company (Vulcan) by the Government of Mexico.
    The United States and Mexico enjoy a strong economic partnership and benefit from deep economic integration. U.S. companies support growth and job creation throughout Mexico. We are committed to helping maintain and build this relationship.
    As you know, Vulcan Materials Company, a global leader in construction materials based in Alabama, has been operating in Mexico for over three decades. The firm has employed hundreds of people in Mexico and contributes to local economic development. Vulcan’s investment in Mexico highlights the mutual benefits of cross-border economic relations and plays a vital role in its broader business operations, supporting thousands of jobs in Mexico and across Virginia and Tennessee. However, recent efforts by the Mexican government to expropriate Vulcan property undermine efforts to strengthen these ties, as they create a perception of unpredictability toward foreign investments. The Mexican government’s actions against Vulcan are a critical blow to investor confidence under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
    We strongly urge the Mexican government to reconsider its actions against Vulcan and to work with the company toward a resolution that respects the rights of foreign investors and Mexico’s commitments under international agreements. By doing so, Mexico would demonstrate its commitment to honoring the principles of respect, transparency, and legal certainty that foster a stable and welcoming environment for all businesses.
    We are ready to work with you to strengthen the bonds between our countries and sincerely hope that the Mexican government will take the necessary steps to address our bipartisan concerns. We understand Vulcan remains ready and willing to negotiate with you to reach an amicable solution. In the interest of reaching such a solution, we would encourage your government to cease unfounded public accusations against the company as you work to resolve the issue. A balanced and fair approach to foreign investment will help ensure that both the U.S. and Mexico can continue to prosper.
    We appreciate your time and attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on how we can work together to resolve these concerns in a mutually beneficial manner.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: China to launch Chang’e-8 lunar mission around 2029, collaborating with int’l partners

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China to launch Chang’e-8 lunar mission around 2029, collaborating with int’l partners

    SHANGHAI, April 24 — The China National Space Administration (CNSA) revealed Thursday that the Chang’e-8 lunar probe is scheduled for launch around 2029, and will carry payloads from 11 countries and regions and one international organization as part of international cooperation.

    The announcement was made at the opening ceremony for 2025 Space Day of China, which is celebrated annually on April 24.

    The Chang’e-8 mission will target the Leibnitz-Beta Plateau near the lunar south pole region, working with the earlier Chang’e-7 mission to conduct scientific exploration and in-situ resource utilization experiments. These efforts will lay the groundwork for the future International Lunar Research Station.

    According to CNSA, the 10 selected collaborative projects include a multi-functional robot designed by researchers in Hong Kong, a lunar rover developed by Pakistan and the International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems (ISTVS), an exploration rover made by Türkiye, and radio astronomical instruments by South Africa and Peru.

    The projects also include Italy’s laser retroreflector arrays, Russia’s plasma and dust analyzer and high-energy particle detector, Thailand’s neutron analyzer, Bahrain and Egypt’s lunar surface imaging system, and Iran’s lunar potential monitor.

    Shan Zhongde, head of CNSA, said China will work closely with international partners to achieve new scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs that will ultimately benefit all of humanity.

    CNSA announced in October 2023 international cooperation opportunities for Chang’e-8 lunar mission, which offered 200 kilograms of payload resources for global partners. A total of 41 cooperation proposals were received.

    MIL OSI China News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine & Hagerty Urge Mexican Government to Cease Unfair Treatment of U.S.-Based Vulcan Materials Company

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, (D-VA) and U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) pressed Mexican Secretary of Economy Ebrard Casaubon to address the country’s unfair treatment of the U.S.-based Vulcan Materials Company, which has operated in Mexico for decades and supports thousands of jobs in both countries. The Mexican government has made efforts to expropriate property from Vulcan, which would both interfere with its ability to do business and undermine the crucial economic ties between the U.S. and Mexico.
    “As you know, Vulcan Materials Company, a global leader in construction materials based in Alabama, has been operating in Mexico for over three decades … supporting thousands of jobs in Mexico and across Virginia and Tennessee,” wrote the senators in a letter to Secretary Casaubon. “However, recent efforts by the Mexican government to expropriate Vulcan property undermine efforts to strengthen these ties, as they create a perception of unpredictability toward foreign investments. The Mexican government’s actions against Vulcan are a critical blow to investor confidence under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).”
    “We strongly urge the Mexican government to reconsider its actions against Vulcan and to work with the company toward a resolution that respects the rights of foreign investors and Mexico’s commitments under international agreements. By doing so, Mexico would demonstrate its commitment to honoring the principles of respect, transparency, and legal certainty that foster a stable and welcoming environment for all businesses,” the senators continued. “We understand Vulcan remains ready and willing to negotiate with you to reach an amicable solution. In the interest of reaching such a solution, we would encourage your Government to cease unfounded public accusations against the company as you work to resolve the issue. A balanced and fair approach to foreign investment will help ensure that both the U.S. and Mexico can continue to prosper.”
    Kaine and Hagerty have long advocated for protecting American businesses abroad from having their lawful activity encroached upon by foreign governments. In May 2024, Kaine and Hagerty, alongside Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt (both R-AL), penned a letter to Mexico’s then-foreign minister Alicia Bárcena to first raise their concerns over the Mexican government’s attempts to forcibly take over Vulcan’s port and limestone quarry. In September 2024, Kaine, Hagerty, and several of their Senate colleagues introduced the Defending American Property Abroad Act to impose penalties on countries within the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that seize American companies’ property, ignore lawful contracts, or engage in other behavior that interferes with land owned by U.S. companies. In December 2024, Kaine and Hagerty participated in a colloquy on the Senate floor to discuss the importance of preventing the Mexican government from expropriating Vulcan’s lawful assets.
    Full text of the letter can be found here and below.
    Dear Secretary Ebrard Casaubon,
    We are contacting your government to address the unfair treatment of Vulcan Materials Company (Vulcan) by the Government of Mexico.
    The United States and Mexico enjoy a strong economic partnership and benefit from deep economic integration. U.S. companies support growth and job creation throughout Mexico. We are committed to helping maintain and build this relationship.
    As you know, Vulcan Materials Company, a global leader in construction materials based in Alabama, has been operating in Mexico for over three decades. The firm has employed hundreds of people in Mexico and contributes to local economic development. Vulcan’s investment in Mexico highlights the mutual benefits of cross-border economic relations and plays a vital role in its broader business operations, supporting thousands of jobs in Mexico and across Virginia and Tennessee. However, recent efforts by the Mexican government to expropriate Vulcan property undermine efforts to strengthen these ties, as they create a perception of unpredictability toward foreign investments. The Mexican government’s actions against Vulcan are a critical blow to investor confidence under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
    We strongly urge the Mexican government to reconsider its actions against Vulcan and to work with the company toward a resolution that respects the rights of foreign investors and Mexico’s commitments under international agreements. By doing so, Mexico would demonstrate its commitment to honoring the principles of respect, transparency, and legal certainty that foster a stable and welcoming environment for all businesses.
    We are ready to work with you to strengthen the bonds between our countries and sincerely hope that the Mexican government will take the necessary steps to address our bipartisan concerns. We understand Vulcan remains ready and willing to negotiate with you to reach an amicable solution. In the interest of reaching such a solution, we would encourage your government to cease unfounded public accusations against the company as you work to resolve the issue. A balanced and fair approach to foreign investment will help ensure that both the U.S. and Mexico can continue to prosper.
    We appreciate your time and attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on how we can work together to resolve these concerns in a mutually beneficial manner.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Australia: Guyana

    Source:

    We’ve reviewed our advice for Guyana and continue to advise exercise a high degree of caution due to the threat of violent crime. There’s continuing tension between Guyana and Venezuela. The security situation may deteriorate near the Venezuelan border. If you choose to travel in this area, monitor local media and follow the advice of local authorities. Guyana has introduced a digital Immigration and Customs form for entry and exit.

    MIL OSI News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Euronet Worldwide Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial Results – Highlighted by 18% Operating Income Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Record first quarter results – revenue, operating income and adjusted EBITDA
    • Operating margin expansion of 80 basis points
    • Continued expansion of its leading cross-border payments network

    LEAWOOD, Kan., April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Euronet Worldwide, Inc. (“Euronet” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: EEFT), a leading global financial technology solutions and payments provider, reports first quarter 2025 financial results.

    Euronet reports the following consolidated results for the first quarter 2025 compared with the same period of 2024:

    • Revenues of $915.5 million, a 7% increase from $857.0 million (9% increase on a constant currency1 basis).
    • Operating income of $75.2 million, an 18% increase from $64.0 million (22% increase on a constant currency basis).
    • Adjusted operating income2 of $75.2 million, an 18% increase from $63.6 million (23% increase on a constant currency basis).
    • Adjusted EBITDA3 of $118.7 million, a 9% increase from $108.8 million (12% increase on a constant currency basis).
    • Net income attributable to Euronet of $38.4 million, or $0.85 diluted earnings per share, compared with $26.2 million, or $0.55 diluted earnings per share.
    • Adjusted earnings per share4 of $1.13 ($1.33 excluding a one-time operating tax charge of $0.20 per share) compared to $1.28 ($1.13 excluding a one-time operating tax benefit of $0.15 per share).

    See the reconciliation of non-GAAP items in the attached financial schedules.  

    “I am pleased that we achieved double-digit constant currency growth in adjusted operating income and adjusted EBITDA, highlighted by an 18% increase in adjusted operating income over the prior year. All segments contributed to the strong earnings.  Moreover, the contribution of double-digit earnings growth reflects the strength of our strategic focus on our global payment network which concentrates on high value, digital payments complemented by cross-border transactions.  On an apples-to-apples basis our adjusted EPS of $1.33 increased 18% from $1.13 in the first quarter of 2024,” stated Michael J. Brown, Euronet’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. 

    “I would offer that we do not see any direct impacts on our business as a result of the recent United States’ tariff actions.  With a good start to the year together with our diversified global business, we are reaffirming our expectation to produce 12% to 16% earnings growth for the year,” continued Mr. Brown.

    Segment and Other Results

    The EFT Processing Segment reports the following results for the first quarter 2025 compared with the same period or date in 2024:

    • Revenues of $232.5 million, a 7% increase from $217.2 million (10% increase on a constant currency basis).
    • Operating income of $23.3 million, an 8% increase from $21.5 million (13% increase on a constant currency basis).
    • Adjusted Operating income of $23.3 million, a 10% increase from $21.1 million (15% increase on a constant currency basis).
    • Adjusted EBITDA of $47.6 million, a 6% increase from $44.7 million (10% increase on a constant currency basis).
    • Transactions of 3,463 million, a 38% increase from 2,502 million.
    • Total of 55,512 installed ATMs as of March 31, 2025, a 5% increase from 53,029. We operated 51,875 active ATMs as of March 31, 2025, a 5% increase from 49,290 as of March 31, 2024.

    Constant currency revenue, operating income, and adjusted EBITDA growth in the first quarter 2025 was driven by market expansion, growth across most existing markets and the addition of access fees and interchange fees in certain markets. 

    Moreover, the EFT Processing Segment launched operations in two additional countries — Dominican Republic and Peru.

    Transaction growth outpaced revenue growth due to continued growth in high-volume low-value transactions in India. 

    The epay Segment reports the following results for the first quarter 2025 compared with the same period or date in 2024:

    • Revenues of $267.4 million, a 4% increase from $257.1 million (8% increase on a constant currency basis).
    • Operating income of $26.8 million, a 1% increase from $26.6 million (5% increase on a constant currency basis).
    • Adjusted EBITDA of $28.4 million, consistent with prior year (5% increase on a constant currency basis).
    • Transactions of 1,134 million, a 19% increase from 953 million.
    • POS terminals of approximately 735,000 as of March 31, 2025, consistent with prior year.
    • Retailer locations of approximately 358,000 as of March 31, 2025, a 4% from 345,000.

    Constant currency revenue growth was driven by continued payments, digital media and mobile growth. Operating income and adjusted EBITDA growth did not keep pace with revenue growth due to the payment of $4.5 million to resolve a non-recurring, multi-year operating tax matter during the quarter. Excluding this item, adjusted operating income would have grown 22% over the first quarter 2024 – reflecting the benefit of revenue growth and effective expense management.

    epay’s transactions benefited as well from the continuation of strong growth in high-volume low-value transactions in India. 

    The Money Transfer Segment reports the following results for the first quarter 2025 compared with the same period or date in 2024:

    • Revenues of $417.7 million, a 9% increase from $384.6 million (10% increase on a constant currency basis).
    • Operating income of $45.1 million, a 21% increase from $37.2 million (23% increase on a constant currency basis).
    • Adjusted EBITDA of $51.3 million, a 15% increase from $44.5 million (17% increase on a constant currency basis).
    • Total transactions of 44.6 million, a 10% increase from 40.6 million.
    • Network locations of approximately 624,000 as of March 31, 2025, a 7% increase from approximately 583,000.

    Constant currency revenue growth was primarily driven by double-digit growth in cross-border transactions, partially offset by a decrease in intra-US transactions. Direct-to-consumer digital transactions grew by 31%, reflecting strong consumer demand for digital products. Operating income and Adjusted EBITDA growth outpaced revenue growth due to gross margin expansion, leverage of scale and effective expense management.

    Additionally, the Money Transfer segment continued to expand its industry leading global payments network to now reach 4.0 billion bank accounts, 3.2 billion wallet accounts and 624,000 payment locations.

    Corporate and Other reports $20.0 million of expense for the first quarter 2025 compared with $21.3 million for the first quarter 2024. The decrease in corporate expenses is largely from the decrease in long-term share-based compensation.

    Balance Sheet and Financial Position
    Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents on hand was $1,393.6 million as of March 31, 2025, compared to $1,278.8 million as of December 31, 2024. Total indebtedness was $2,202.5 million as of March 31, 2025, compared to $1,949.8 million as of December 31, 2024. Availability under the Company’s revolving credit facilities was approximately $623.1 million as of March 31, 2025. The change in net debt is the result of share repurchases, the repurchase of the convertible notes, and working capital fluctuations, partially offset by cash generated from operations.

    The Company repurchased 0.6 million shares for $59.6 million during the First quarter, which will improve earnings per share by 1% for future periods.

    During the quarter, Euronet repurchased $492 million of convertible notes.

    Non-GAAP Measures
    In addition to the results presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, the Company presents non-GAAP financial measures, such as constant currency financial measures, operating income, adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted earnings per share. These measures should be used in addition to, and not a substitute for, revenues, operating income, net income and earnings per share computed in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We believe that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors regarding the Company’s performance and overall results of operations. These non-GAAP measures are also an integral part of the Company’s internal reporting and performance assessment for executives and senior management. The non-GAAP measures used by the Company may not be comparable to similarly titled non-GAAP measures used by other companies. The attached schedules provide a full reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure.

    The Company does not provide a reconciliation of its forward-looking non-GAAP measures to GAAP due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting and quantifying certain amounts that are necessary for GAAP and the related GAAP and non-GAAP reconciliation, including adjustments that would be necessary for foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations and other charges reflected in the Company’s reconciliation of historic numbers, the amount of which, based on historical experience, could be significant.  

    (1) Constant currency financial measures are computed as if foreign currency exchange rates did not change from the prior period. This information is provided to illustrate the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates on the Company’s results when compared to the prior period.

    (2) Adjusted operating income is defined as operating income excluding non-cash purchase accounting adjustments.  Adjusted operating income represents a performance measure and is not intended to represent a liquidity measure. 

    (3) Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income excluding, to the extent incurred in the period, interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation, amortization, share-based compensation and other non-cash purchase accounting adjustment, non-operating or non-recurring items that are considered expenses or income under U.S. GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA represents a performance measure and is not intended to represent a liquidity measure.

    (4) Adjusted earnings per share is defined as diluted U.S. GAAP earnings per share excluding, to the extent incurred in the period, the tax-effected impacts of: a) foreign currency exchange gains or losses, b) share-based compensation, c) acquired intangible asset amortization, d) non-cash income tax expense, e) non-cash purchase accounting adjustment f) non-cash investment gain g) other non-operating or non-recurring items and h) dilutive shares relate to the Company’s convertible bonds. Adjusted earnings per share represents a performance measure and is not intended to represent a liquidity measure. 

    Conference Call and Slide Presentation
    Euronet Worldwide will host an analyst conference call on April 24, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss these results. The call may also include discussion of Company developments on the Company’s operations, forward-looking information, and other material information about business and financial matters. To listen to the call via telephone please register at Euronet Worldwide First Quarter 2025 Earnings Call. The conference call will also be available via webcast at http://ir.euronetworldwide.com. Participants should register at least five minutes prior to the scheduled start time of the event. A slideshow will be included in the webcast. A webcast replay will be available beginning approximately one hour after the event at  http://ir.euronetworldwide.com and will remain available for one year.

    About Euronet Worldwide, Inc.
    Starting in Central Europe in 1994 and growing to a global real-time digital and cash payments network with millions of touchpoints today, Euronet now moves money in all the ways consumers and businesses depend upon. This includes money transfers, credit/debit card processing, ATMs, POS services, branded payments, foreign currency exchange and more. With products and services in more than 200 countries and territories provided through its own brand and branded business segments, Euronet and its financial technologies and networks make participation in the global economy easier, faster and more secure for everyone. 

    A leading global financial technology solutions and payments provider, Euronet has developed an extensive global payments network that includes 55,512 installed ATMs, approximately 1,214,000 EFT POS terminals and a growing portfolio of outsourced debit and credit card services which are under management in 69 countries; card software solutions; a prepaid processing network of approximately 735,000 POS terminals at approximately 358,000 retailer locations in 64 countries; and a global money transfer network of approximately 624,000 locations serving – countries and territories. Euronet serves clients from its corporate headquarters in Leawood, Kansas, USA, and 67 worldwide offices. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.euronetworldwide.com.

    Statements contained in this news release that concern Euronet’s or its management’s intentions, expectations, or predictions of future performance, are forward-looking statements. Euronet’s actual results may vary materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including: conditions in world financial markets and general economic conditions, including impacts from pandemics; inflation; the war in the Ukraine and the related economic sanctions and tariffs; military conflicts in the Middle East; our ability to successfully integrate any acquired operations; economic conditions in specific countries and regions; technological developments affecting the market for our products and services; our ability to successfully introduce new products and services; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; the effects of any breach of our computer systems or those of our customers or vendors, including our financial processing networks or those of other third parties; interruptions in any of our systems or those of our vendors or other third parties; our ability to renew existing contracts at profitable rates; changes in fees payable for transactions performed for cards bearing international logos or over switching networks such as card transactions on ATMs; our ability to comply with increasingly stringent regulatory requirements, including anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism, anti-bribery, consumer and data protection and privacy; changes in laws and regulations affecting our business, including tax and immigration laws and any laws regulating payments, including dynamic currency conversion transactions; changes in our relationships with, or in fees charged by, our business partners; competition; the outcome of claims and other loss contingencies affecting Euronet; the cost of borrowing (including fluctuations in interest rates), availability of credit and terms of and compliance with debt covenants; and renewal of sources of funding as they expire and the availability of replacement funding. These risks and other risks are described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Copies of these filings may be obtained via the SEC’s Edgar website or by contacting the Company. Any forward-looking statements made in this release speak only as of the date of this release. Except as may be required by law, Euronet does not intend to update these forward-looking statements and undertakes no duty to any person to provide any such update under any circumstances. The Company regularly posts important information to the investor relations section of its website.  

     
     EURONET WORLDWIDE, INC.
     Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
     (in millions)
           
      As of    
      March 31,   As of
      2025   December 31,
      (unaudited)   2024
    ASSETS      
    Current assets:      
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,393.6   $ 1,278.8
    ATM cash 700.3   643.8
    Restricted cash 10.8   9.2
    Settlement assets 1,418.6   1,522.7
    Trade accounts receivable, net 330.5   284.9
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets 319.9   297.1
    Total current assets 4,173.7   4,036.5
           
    Property and equipment, net 337.4   329.7
    Right of use lease asset, net 146.1   132.1
    Goodwill and acquired intangible assets, net 1,070.9   1,048.1
    Other assets, net 325.4   288.1
    Total assets $ 6,053.5   $ 5,834.5
           
    LIABILITIES AND EQUITY      
    Current liabilities:      
    Settlement obligations $ 1,418.6   $ 1,522.7
    Accounts payable and other current liabilities 843.6   841.0
    Current portion of operating lease liabilities 50.8   48.3
    Short-term debt obligations 295.4   814.0
    Total current liabilities 2,608.4   3,226.0
           
    Debt obligations, net of current portion 1,906.0   1,134.4
    Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion 97.8   87.4
    Capital lease obligations, net of current portion 1.1   1.4
    Deferred income taxes 57.3   71.8
    Other long-term liabilities 81.2   84.3
    Total liabilities 4,751.8   4,605.3
    Equity 1,301.7   1,229.2
    Total liabilities and equity $ 6,053.5   $ 5,834.5
     EURONET WORLDWIDE, INC.
     Consolidated Statements of Operations
     (unaudited – in millions, except share and per share data)
           
       Three Months Ended
      March 31,
      2025   2024
           
    Revenues $ 915.5     $ 857.0  
           
    Operating expenses:      
    Direct operating costs 561.0     533.7  
    Salaries and benefits 164.1     154.7  
    Selling, general and administrative 83.0     71.9  
    Depreciation and amortization 32.2     32.7  
    Total operating expenses 840.3     793.0  
    Operating income 75.2     64.0  
           
    Other income (expense):      
    Interest income 5.3     5.7  
    Interest expense (19.4 )   (14.9 )
    Foreign currency exchange (loss) (18.1 )   (12.5 )
    Other income (expense) 2.5     (0.1 )
    Total other income (expense), net (29.7 )   (21.8 )
    Income before income taxes 45.5     42.2  
           
    Income tax expense (7.1 )   (16.0 )
           
    Net income 38.4     26.2  
    Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests —     —  
    Net income attributable to Euronet Worldwide, Inc. $ 38.4     $ 26.2  
    Add: Interest expense from assumed conversion of convertible notes, net of tax   1.0       0.9  
    Net income for diluted earnings per share calculation $ 39.4     $ 27.1  
    Earnings per share attributable to Euronet      
    Worldwide, Inc. stockholders – diluted $ 0.85     $ 0.55  
           
    Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 46,239,523     48,962,583  
           
     EURONET WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Reconciliation of Net Income to Operating Income (Expense) to Adjusted Operating Income (Expense) and Adjusted EBITDA
     (unaudited – in millions)
                       
      Three months ended March 31, 2025
                       
      EFT Processing   epay   Money Transfer   Corporate Services   Consolidated
                       
    Net income                 $ 38.4  
                       
    Add: Income tax expense                 7.1  
    Add: Total other expense, net                  29.7  
                       
    Operating income (expense)  $ 23.3     $ 26.8     $ 45.1     $ (20.0 )   $ 75.2  
    Add: Depreciation and amortization 24.3     1.6     6.1     0.2     32.2  
    Add: Share-based compensation  —     —     0.1     11.2     11.3  
    Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and share-based compensation (Adjusted EBITDA) $ 47.6     $ 28.4     $ 51.3     $ (8.6 )   $ 118.7  
                       
      Three months ended March 31, 2024
                       
      EFT Processing   epay   Money Transfer   Corporate Services   Consolidated
                       
    Net income                 $ 26.2  
                       
    Add: Income tax expense                  16.0  
    Add: Total other expense, net                 21.8  
                       
    Operating income (expense) $ 21.5     $ 26.6     $ 37.2     $ (21.3 )   $ 64.0  
    Less: Non-cash purchase accounting adjustment (0.4 )   —     —     —     (0.4 )
    Adjusted operating income (1) 21.1     26.6     37.2     (21.3 )   63.6  
    Add: Depreciation and amortization 23.6     1.7     7.3     0.1     32.7  
    Add: Share-based compensation —     —     —     12.5     12.5  
    Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and share-based compensation, non-cash purchase accounting adjustment (Adjusted EBITDA) $ 44.7     $ 28.3     $ 44.5     $ (8.7 )   $ 108.8  

    (1) Adjusted operating income and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP measures that should be considered in addition to, and not a substitute for, net income computed in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

     
     EURONET WORLDWIDE, INC.
     Reconciliation of Adjusted Earnings per Share
     (unaudited – in millions, except share and per share data)
           
       Three Months Ended
      March 31,
      2025   2024
           
    Net income attributable to Euronet Worldwide, Inc. $ 38.4     $ 26.2  
           
     Foreign currency exchange loss 18.1     12.5  
     Intangible asset amortization(1) 4.5     5.5  
     Non-cash purchase accounting adjustment(2) —     (0.4 )
     Share-based compensation(3) 11.3     12.5  
     Income tax effect of above adjustments(4) —     0.6  
     Non-cash investment gain(5) (3.0 )   —  
     Non-cash GAAP tax expense (benefit)(6) (19.3 )   2.5  
           
     Adjusted earnings(7) $ 50.0     $ 59.4  
           
     Adjusted earnings per share – diluted(7) $ 1.13     $ 1.28  
           
    Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (GAAP)   46,239,523     48,962,583  
    Effect of adjusted EPS dilution of convertible notes   (2,347,536 )     (2,781,818 )
    Effect of unrecognized share-based compensation on diluted shares outstanding    371,757     355,219  
    Adjusted diluted weighted average shares outstanding   44,263,744     46,535,984  

    (1) Intangible asset amortization of $4.5 million and $5.5 million are included in depreciation and amortization expense of $32.2 million and $32.7 million for both the three months ended March 31, 2025 and March 31, 2024, in the consolidated statements of operations.

    (2) Non-cash purchase accounting expense adjustment of $0.4 million is included in operating income for the three months ended March 31, 2024, in the consolidated statement of operations.

    (3) Share-based compensation of $11.3 million and $12.5 million are included in salaries and benefits expense of $164.1 million and $154.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and March 31, 2024, respectively, in the consolidated statements of operations.

    (4) Adjustment is the aggregate U.S. GAAP income tax effect on the preceding adjustments determined by applying the applicable statutory U.S. federal, state and/or foreign income tax rates. 

    (5) Non-cash investment gain of $3.0 million is included in other income in the consolidated statement of operations.

    (6) Adjustment is the non-cash GAAP tax impact recognized on certain items such as the utilization of certain material net deferred tax assets and amortization of indefinite-lived intangible assets.

    (7) Adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per share are non-GAAP measures that should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, net income and earnings per share computed in accordance with U.S. GAAP. 

    The MIL Network –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai delivers remarks at International Holocaust Remembrance Day event

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai pays respects to Pope Francis  
    On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te visited the Taipei Archdiocesan Curia to pay respects in a memorial ceremony for His Holiness Pope Francis. As officiant of the ceremony, President Lai burned incense and presented flowers, fruits, and wine to pay his respects to Pope Francis. At the direction of the master of ceremonies, the president then bowed three times in front of Pope Francis’s memorial portrait, conveying his grief and deep respect for the late pope. After hearing of Pope Francis’s passing on April 21, President Lai promptly requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express sincere condolences from the people and government of Taiwan to the Vatican. The president also instructed Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) to convey condolences to the Holy See’s Apostolic Nunciature in Taiwan.  

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai meets US CNAS NextGen fellows
    On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te met with fellows from the Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Program (NextGen) run by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of the United States for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The president pointed out that we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US, and form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment and bring about even closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, allowing us to reduce the trade deficit and generate development that benefits both sides. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Ms. Michèle Flournoy, chair of the CNAS Board of Directors, is a good friend of Taiwan, and she has made major contributions to Taiwan-US relations through her long-time efforts on various aspects of our cooperation. I am happy to welcome Chair Flournoy, who is once again leading a NextGen Fellowship delegation to Taiwan. CNAS is a prominent think tank focusing on US national security and defense policy based in Washington, DC. Its NextGen Fellowship has fostered talented individuals in the fields of national security and foreign affairs. This year’s delegation is significantly larger than those of the past, demonstrating the increased importance that the next generation of US leaders attach to Taiwan. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincerest welcome to you all. The Taiwan Strait, an issue of importance for our guests, has become a global issue. There is a high degree of international consensus that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable elements in global security and prosperity. Facing military threats from China, Taiwan proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we are actively implementing military reforms, enhancing whole-of-society defense resilience, and working to increase our defense budget to more than 3 percent of GDP. Second, we are strengthening our economic resilience. As Taiwan’s economy must keep advancing, we can no longer put all our eggs in one basket. We are taking action to remain firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence and marketing worldwide. In these efforts, we are already seeing results. Third, we are standing side-by-side with other democratic countries to demonstrate the strength of deterrence and achieve our goal of peace through strength. And fourth, Taiwan is willing, under the principles of parity and dignity, to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China towards achieving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. This April 10 marked the 46th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act. We thank the US government for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to Taiwan and the US continuing to strengthen collaboration on the development of both our defense industries as well as the building of non-red supply chains. This will yield even more results and further deepen our economic and trade partnership. The US is now the main destination for outbound investment from Taiwan. Moving forward, we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US. And our government will form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment. We hope this will bring Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation even closer and, through mutually beneficial assistance, allow us to generate development that benefits both our sides while reducing our trade deficit. In closing, thank you once again for visiting Taiwan. We hope your trip is fruitful and leaves you with a deep impression of Taiwan. We also hope that going forward you continue supporting Taiwan and advancing even greater development for Taiwan-US ties.  Chair Flournoy then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for making time to receive their delegation. Referring to President Lai’s earlier remarks, she said that it is quite an impressive group, as past members of this program have gone on to become members of the US Congress, leading government experts, and leaders in the think-tank world and in the private sector. She remarked that investing in this group is a wonderful privilege for her and that they appreciate President Lai’s agreeing to take the time to engage in exchange with them. Chair Flournoy emphasized that they are visiting Taiwan at a critical moment, when there is so much change and volatility in the geostrategic environment, a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of unpredictability. She stated that given our shared values, our shared passion for democracy and human rights, and our shared interests in peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, this is an important time for dialogue, collaboration, and looking for additional opportunities where we can work together towards regional peace and stability.

    Details
    2025-04-18
    President Lai meets US delegation from Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific
    On the afternoon of April 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Senator Pete Ricketts, chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy. In remarks, President Lai said we hope to promote our Taiwan plus one policy, that is, new industrial arrangements for Taiwan plus the US, to leverage the strengths of both sides and reinforce our links in such areas as the economy, trade, and technological innovation. The president said that by deepening cooperation, Taiwan and the US will be better positioned to work together on building non-red supply chains. He said a more secure and sustainable economic and trade partnership will allow us to address the challenges posed by geopolitics, climate change, and the restructuring of global supply chains. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome you all to Taiwan. I want to take this opportunity to especially thank Chairman Pete Ricketts and Ranking Member Chris Coons for their high regard and support for Taiwan. Chairman Ricketts has elected to visit Taiwan on his first overseas trip since taking up his new position in January. Ranking Member Coons made a dedicated trip to Taiwan in 2021 to announce a donation of COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of the US government. He also visited last May, soon after my inauguration, continuing to deepen Taiwan-US exchanges. Thanks to support from Chairman Ricketts and Ranking Member Coons, the US Congress has continued to introduce many concrete initiatives and resources to assist Taiwan through the National Defense Authorization Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, bringing the Taiwan-US partnership even closer. For this, I want to again express my gratitude. There has long been bipartisan support in the US Congress for maintaining security in the Taiwan Strait. Faced with China’s persistent political and military intimidation, Taiwan will endeavor to reform national defense and enhance whole-of-society defense resilience. We will also make special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP, up from the current 2.5 percent, so as to enhance Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. We look forward to Taiwan and the US continuing to work together to maintain peace and stability in the region. We will also promote our Taiwan plus one policy, that is, new industrial arrangements for Taiwan plus the US. We hope to leverage the strengths of both sides and reinforce our links in such areas as the economy, trade, and technological innovation, jointly promoting prosperity and development. We believe that by deepening cooperation through the Taiwan plus one policy, Taiwan and the US will be better positioned to work together on building non-red supply chains. A more secure and sustainable economic and trade partnership will allow us to address the challenges posed by geopolitics, climate change, and the restructuring of global supply chains. In closing, I wish Chairman Ricketts and Ranking Member Coons a smooth and successful visit. Chairman Ricketts then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for his hospitality. He said that he and his delegation have had a wonderful time meeting with government officials, industry representatives, and the team at the American Institute in Taiwan. Highlighting that Taiwan has long been a friend and partner of the US, he said their bipartisan delegation to Taiwan emphasizes long-time bipartisan support in the US Congress for Taiwan, and though administrations change, that bipartisan support remains. Chairman Ricketts stated that the US is committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and that they want to see peace across the Taiwan Strait. He also stated that the US opposes any unilateral change in the status of Taiwan and that they expect any differences between Taiwan and China to be resolved peacefully without coercion or the threat of force. To that end, he said, the US will continue to assist Taiwan in its self-defense and will also step up by bolstering its own defense capabilities, noting that there is broad consensus on this in the US Congress. Chairman Ricketts stated that they want to see Taiwan participate in international organizations and memberships where appropriate, and encourage Taiwan to reach out to current and past diplomatic allies to strengthen those bilateral relationships. He pointed out that the long economic relationship between the US and Taiwan is important for our as well as the entire world’s security and prosperity. He also noted that there are many opportunities for us to continue to grow the economic relationship that will help create more prosperity for our respective peoples and ensure that we are more secure in the world. Chairman Ricketts emphasized that they made this trip early on in the new US administration to work with Taiwan to develop three points: security, diplomatic relations, and the economy. He stated that in the face of rising aggression from communist China, the US will provide commensurate help to Taiwan in self-defense and that they will continue to provide the services and tools needed. In closing, Chairman Ricketts once again thanked President Lai for the hospitality and said he looks forward to dialogue on how we can continue these relationships. Ranking Member Coons then delivered remarks. Mentioning that their delegation also visited the Philippines on this trip, he said that there and in Taiwan, they have been focused on peace, stability, and security, and the ways for deepening and strengthening economic and security relations. He noted that 46 years ago, the US Senate passed the Taiwan Relations Act, adding that it was strongly bipartisan when enacted and that support for it is still strongly bipartisan today. Its core commitment, he said, is that the US will be engaged and will be a partner in ensuring that any dispute or challenge across the strait will be resolved peacefully, and that Taiwan will have the resources it needs for its self-defense. Ranking Member Coons said that between people, friendships are deepest and most enduring when they are based not just on interests but on values, and that the same is true between the US and Taiwan. Free press, free enterprise, free societies, democracy – these core shared values, he said, anchor our friendship and partnership, making them deeper. He remarked that they are grateful for the significant investment in the US being made by companies from Taiwan, but what anchors our partnership, in addition to these important investments and investments being made by Taiwan in its own security, are the values that mobilize our free-enterprise spirit and our commitment to free societies. In Europe in recent years, Ranking Member Coons said, an aggressive nation has tried to change boundaries and change history by force. He said that the US and dozens of countries committed to freedom have come to the aid of Ukraine to defend it, help it stabilize, and secure its future. So too in this region of the world, he added, the US and a bipartisan group in the US Senate are committed to stable, secure, peaceful relations and to deterring any unilateral effort to change the status quo by force. In closing, he said he is grateful for a chance to return to Taiwan after the pandemic and that he looks forward to our conversation, our partnership, and the important work we have in front of us. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

    Details
    2025-04-17
    President Lai meets New Zealand delegation from All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan  
    On the morning of April 17, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from New Zealand’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan. In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of New Zealand for reiterating the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait on multiple occasions since last year. He also stated that this year, the Taiwan-New Zealand economic cooperation agreement (ANZTEC) is being implemented in its complete form. The president expressed hope that deeper collaboration in such fields as smart agriculture, food manufacturing, biomedicine, the digital economy, and clean energy, as well as exchanges among our indigenous peoples, will allow our economies and industries to continue evolving as they adapt to the challenges arising from global changes. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I extend a warm welcome to all of our guests. New Zealand’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan was established in 2023, marking a significant milestone in the deepening of Taiwan-New Zealand relations. I would like to thank Members of Parliament Stuart Smith and Tangi Utikere for leading this delegation, and thank all our guests for demonstrating support for Taiwan through action. We currently face a rapidly changing international landscape. Authoritarian regimes continue to converge and expand. Democracies must actively cooperate and jointly safeguard peace, stability, and the prosperous development of the Indo-Pacific region. Since last year, the government of New Zealand has on multiple occasions reiterated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for these statements and demonstrations of support. This year, ANZTEC is being implemented in its complete form. We look forward to exploring even more diverse markets with New Zealand. Deeper collaboration in such fields as smart agriculture, food manufacturing, biomedicine, the digital economy, and clean energy, as well as exchanges among indigenous peoples, will allow our economies and industries to continue evolving as they adapt to the challenges arising from global changes. Taiwan and New Zealand share the universal values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights, and parliamentary diplomacy is a tradition practiced by democracies around the world. Looking ahead, our parliamentary exchanges and mutual visits are bound to become more frequent. This will enable us to explore even more opportunities for cooperation and further deepen and solidify the democratic partnership between Taiwan and New Zealand. Thank you once again for making the long journey to visit us. I wish you a fruitful and successful trip. I also hope that everyone can take time to see more of Taiwan, try our local cuisine, and learn more about our culture. I hope our guests will fall in love with Taiwan. MP Smith then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great pleasure and an honor to be received by President Lai. The MP, noting that President Lai already covered many of the points he planned to make, went on to say that New Zealand and Taiwan share many values. He indicated that both are trading nations that rely on easy access for imports and exports, and that is why freedom of navigation is so important. That is why New Zealand had a naval vessel sail through the Taiwan Strait, he said, to underline the importance of freedom of navigation and our mutual security. MP Smith said that they look forward to building stronger relationships and enhancing the trade between our two nations. He added that New Zealand has much to offer in the field of geothermal energy to assist Taiwan, and mentioned that New Zealand is third largest in terms of the number of rocket launchers for satellites, which could assist Taiwan with communications in the future. New Zealand has other products as well, he said, but looks for assistance from Taiwan’s technology and technological sector. Lastly, MP Smith stated that he looks forward to a long and prosperous relationship between Taiwan and New Zealand. MP Utikere then delivered remarks, indicating that like Taiwan, New Zealand is a nation that is surrounded by ocean, which means that they rely on strong partnerships with communities of interest all around the globe. He said that the all-party parliamentary friendship group that was established and that they are a part of goes a long way in ensuring that a secure relationship between our two parliaments can continue to prosper. The MP also thanked Taiwan’s Representative to New Zealand Joanne Ou (歐江安) and her team for their work, which has ensured the success of the delegation’s visit. He said that the delegation experienced meetings with ministers in Taiwan’s government, members of the legislature, and those from the non-government organization sector as well. He also said that they enjoyed the opportunity to visit Wulai, and that the strength of the connections between the indigenous peoples of Taiwan and the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand is something that certainly landed with members of the delegation. MP Utikere noted that he will take up President Lai’s offer on experiencing more of Taiwan, and will spend a few extra days in Tainan, which he understands has a very special place in the president’s heart, adding that he looks forward to his time and experiences there. The MP concluded his remarks by saying that this will be a relationship that continues to go from strength to strength. After their remarks, the New Zealand delegation sang the Māori song “Tutira Mai Nga Iwi” to extend best wishes to Taiwan. Also in attendance at the meeting were New Zealand Members of Parliament Jamie Arbuckle, Greg Fleming, Hamish Campbell, Cameron Luxton, and Helen White.  

    Details
    2025-04-15
    President Lai meets delegation led by Tuvalu Deputy Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone 
    On the afternoon of April 15, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Tuvalu Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development Panapasi Nelesone and his wife. In remarks, President Lai thanked Tuvalu for its staunch and long-term backing of Taiwan’s international participation. The president said he looks forward to our nations deepening bilateral ties in such areas as agriculture, medicine, education, and information and communications technology and working together toward greater peace, prosperity, and development in the Pacific region. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I extend a very warm welcome to Deputy Prime Minister Nelesone and Madame Corinna Ituaso Laafai as they lead this delegation to Taiwan. Our distinguished guests are the first delegation from Tuvalu that I have received at the Presidential Office this year. During my visit to Tuvalu last year, I met and exchanged views with Deputy Prime Minister Nelesone and the ministers present. I am delighted to meet you again today and thank you once again for the hospitality you accorded my delegation. The culture of Tuvalu and the warmth of its people are not easily forgotten. Tuvalu’s support for Taiwan has also touched us deeply. I want to take this opportunity to thank Tuvalu for staunchly backing Taiwan’s international participation over the past several decades. Our two countries have supported each other like family and have together made contributions in the international arena. Last Tuesday, I received the credentials of Ambassador Lily Tangisia Faavae and expressed my hope for Taiwan and Tuvalu continuing to deepen bilateral relations. This visit by Deputy Prime Minister Nelesone is an important step in that regard. Our two countries will be signing a labor cooperation agreement and an agreement concerning the recognition of training and certification of seafarers. This will expand bilateral cooperation at multiple levels and bring our relations even closer. Taiwan and Tuvalu are maritime nations and share the values of democracy and freedom. Our two countries have stood shoulder to shoulder to protect marine resources and address the challenges posed by climate change and authoritarianism, and we aspire to work toward greater peace, prosperity, and development in the Pacific region. Our nations have produced fruitful results in such areas as agriculture, medicine, education, and information and communications technology. I anticipate that, with the support of Deputy Prime Minister Nelesone and our distinguished guests, we can continue to employ a more diverse range of strategies to begin a new chapter in our diplomatic partnership. Together, we can make even greater and more concrete contributions to regional development. Deputy Prime Minister Nelesone then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for his kind words of welcome and the warm hospitality extended to his delegation. On behalf of the government and people of Tuvalu, he conveyed their gratitude to the president and the people of Taiwan for the generous support, as well as for the enduring friendship we share. He said that Taiwan’s steadfast commitment to our bilateral relationship has been instrumental in advancing our shared values of democracy, resilience, and sustainable development. From vital development assistance to cooperation in health, education, and climate change resilience, he added, Taiwan’s contributions have made a significant impact on the lives of the people of Tuvalu.  For Taiwan’s recent generous donation of shoes for Tuvaluan primary school students, Deputy Prime Minister Nelesone expressed thanks to President Lai. He commented that these gifts, which underscore a deep commitment to the welfare of their youth, transcend mere material support; they are symbols of care, friendship, and hope for the future generations. Noting that our bilateral relationship is built on mutual respect, shared values, and a common vision for sustainable development in the Pacific, he expressed confidence that this partnership will continue to flourish and will serve as a beacon of cooperation and solidarity within our region.  The delegation also included Tuvalu Minister of Foreign Affairs, Labour, and Trade Paulson Panapa; Minister of Public Works, Infrastructure Development and Water Ampelosa Tehulu, and was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Tuvalu Ambassador Faavae.

    Details
    2025-04-06
    President Lai delivers remarks on US tariff policy response
    On April 6, President Lai Ching-te delivered recorded remarks regarding the impact of the 32 percent tariff that the United States government recently imposed on imports from Taiwan in the name of reciprocity. In his remarks, President Lai explained that the government will adopt five response strategies, including making every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations, adopting a support plan for affected domestic industries, adopting medium- and long-term economic development plans, forming new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements, and launching industry listening tours. The president emphasized that as we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and expressed hope that all parties, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: My fellow citizens, good evening. The US government recently announced higher tariffs on countries around the world in the name of reciprocity, including imposing a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan. This is bound to have a major impact on our nation. Various countries have already responded, and some have even adopted retaliatory measures. Tremendous changes in the global economy are expected. Taiwan is an export-led economy, and in facing future challenges there will inevitably be difficulties, so we must proceed carefully to turn danger into safety. During this time, I want to express gratitude to all sectors of society for providing valuable opinions, which the government regards highly, and will use as a reference to make policy decisions.  However, if we calmly and carefully analyze Taiwan’s trade with the US, we find that last year Taiwan’s exports to the US were valued at US$111.4 billion, accounting for 23.4 percent of total export value, with the other 75-plus percent of products sold worldwide to countries other than the US. Of products sold to the US, competitive ICT products and electronic components accounted for 65.4 percent. This shows that Taiwan’s economy does still have considerable resilience. As long as our response strategies are appropriate, and the public and private sectors join forces, we can reduce impacts. Please do not panic. To address the reciprocal tariffs by the US, Taiwan has no plans to adopt retaliatory tariffs. There will be no change in corporate investment commitments to the US, as long as they are consistent with national interests. But we must ensure the US clearly understands Taiwan’s contributions to US economic development. More importantly, we must actively seek to understand changes in the global economic situation, strengthen Taiwan-US industry cooperation, elevate the status of Taiwan industries in global supply chains, and with safeguarding the continued development of Taiwan’s economy as our goal, adopt the following five strategies to respond. Strategy one: Make every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations using the following five methods:  1. Taiwan has already formed a negotiation team led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君). The team includes members from the National Security Council, the Office of Trade Negotiations, and relevant Executive Yuan ministries and agencies, as well as academia and industry. Like the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, negotiations on tariffs can start from Taiwan-US bilateral zero-tariff treatment. 2. To expand purchases from the US and thereby reduce the trade deficit, the Executive Yuan has already completed an inventory regarding large-scale procurement plans for agricultural, industrial, petroleum, and natural gas products, and the Ministry of National Defense has also proposed a military procurement list. All procurement plans will be actively pursued. 3. Expand investments in the US. Taiwan’s cumulative investment in the US already exceeds US$100 billion, creating approximately 400,000 jobs. In the future, in addition to increased investment in the US by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, other industries such as electronics, ICT, petrochemicals, and natural gas can all increase their US investments, deepening Taiwan-US industry cooperation. Taiwan’s government has helped form a “Taiwan investment in the US” team, and hopes that the US will reciprocate by forming a “US investment in Taiwan” team to bring about closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, jointly creating a future economic golden age.  4. We must eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade. Non-tariff barriers are an indicator by which the US assesses whether a trading partner is trading fairly with the US. Therefore, we will proactively resolve longstanding non-tariff barriers so that negotiations can proceed more smoothly. 5. We must resolve two issues that have been matters of longstanding concern to the US. One regards high-tech export controls, and the other regards illegal transshipment of dumped goods, otherwise referred to as “origin washing.” Strategy two: We must adopt a plan for supporting our industries. For industries that will be affected by the tariffs, and especially traditional industries as well as micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, we will provide timely and needed support and assistance. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and his administrative team recently announced a package of 20 specific measures designed to address nine areas. Moving forward, the support we provide to different industries will depend on how they are affected by the tariffs, will take into account the particular features of each industry, and will help each industry innovate, upgrade, and transform. Strategy three: We must adopt medium- and long-term economic development plans. At this point in time, our government must simultaneously adopt new strategies for economic and industrial development. This is also the fundamental path to solutions for future economic challenges. The government will proactively cooperate with friends and allies, develop a diverse range of markets, and achieve closer integration of entities in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of industrial supply chains. This course of action will make Taiwan’s industrial ecosystem more complete, and will help Taiwanese industries upgrade and transform. We must also make good use of the competitive advantages we possess in such areas as semiconductor manufacturing, integrated chip design, ICT, and smart manufacturing to build Taiwan into an AI island, and promote relevant applications for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as military, security and surveillance, next-generation communications, and the medical and health and wellness industries as we advance toward a smarter, more sustainable, and more prosperous new Taiwan. Strategy four: “Taiwan plus one,” i.e., new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements: While staying firmly rooted in Taiwan, our enterprises are expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. This has been our national economic development strategy, and the most important aspect is maintaining a solid base here in Taiwan. We absolutely must maintain a solid footing, and cannot allow the present strife to cause us to waver. Therefore, our government will incentivize investments, carry out deregulation, and continue to improve Taiwan’s investment climate by actively resolving problems involving access to water, electricity, land, human resources, and professional talent. This will enable corporations to stay in Taiwan and continue investing here. In addition, we must also help the overseas manufacturing facilities of offshore Taiwanese businesses to make necessary adjustments to support our “Taiwan plus one” policy, in that our national economic development strategy will be adjusted as follows: to stay firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence, strengthening US ties, and marketing worldwide. We intend to make use of the new state of supply chains to strengthen cooperation between Taiwanese and US industries, and gain further access to US markets. Strategy five: Launch industry listening tours: All industrial firms, regardless of sector or size, will be affected to some degree once the US reciprocal tariffs go into effect. The administrative teams led by myself and Premier Cho will hear out industry concerns so that we can quickly resolve problems and make sure policies meet actual needs. My fellow citizens, over the past half-century and more, Taiwan has been through two energy crises, the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis, and pandemics. We have been able to not only withstand one test after another, but even turn crises into opportunities. The Taiwanese economy has emerged from these crises stronger and more resilient than ever. As we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and I hope that all parties in the legislature, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. Let us join together and give it our all. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese FM to attend bilateral, multilateral meetings in Kazakhstan, Brazil

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, April 23 — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the political bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will attend the Sixth China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and hold the Second China-Kazakhstan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue in Kazakhstan, and attend the Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International Relations and the 15th Meeting of BRICS National Security Advisers and High Representatives on National Security in Brazil from April 25 to 30, a foreign ministry spokesperson announced here Wednesday.

    MIL OSI China News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin, Senators Demand President Trump Rescind Harmful Claims That He Will Transfer Incarcerated U.S. Citizens to a Foreign Prison

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    April 22, 2025

    [CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) led 24 of their Democratic colleagues in a letter to President Donald Trump calling for him to immediately rescind the dangerous and offensive claim that he may transfer incarcerated U.S. citizens to El Salvador.

    In the letter, the Senators also urge the President to follow the law and adhere to all applicable court orders and immediately facilitate the return to the United States of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whom this Administration illegally deported to El Salvador in direct contravention of a court order specifically prohibiting such removal. In the letter, the Senators explain how these unprecedented actions threaten the constitutional protections of all Americans and violate the fundamental principles on which this nation was founded. 

    The Senators wrote, “With regard to your shocking assertion about transferring Americans to El Salvador, you cannot deport Americans to a foreign country for any reason. This nation’s founding fathers declared independence based on ‘repeated injuries and usurpations’ by the then-King of Great Britain, including ‘transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences’ and ‘depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury.’ Accordingly, Congress has passed no provision into law that would permit exiling United States citizens to a foreign country for any reason.  One conservative legal scholar called your threats to deport U.S. citizens ‘obviously illegal and unconstitutional.’”

    The Senators continued, “Our laws also do not allow you to send individuals from U.S. soil to El Salvador without due process. Further, the Executive Branch must comply with longstanding domestic and international law that prohibits the United States from transferring any person from our jurisdiction or effective control to a place where the person would face certain serious human rights violations. Your Administration’s actions in sending individuals to a Salvadoran prison notorious for inhumane conditions underscore the urgency and applicability of these requirements. The bedrock principles of the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause protect individuals from being “deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.’”

    Even under extraordinary wartime authorities such as the Alien Enemies Act, the Supreme Court of the United States has held that noncitizens should, at a minimum, have an opportunity to prove whether or not the Act should apply to them. The Supreme Court recently ordered the federal government to facilitate the return of Mr. Abrego Garcia and “ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador.” 

    The Senators continued, “You must immediately facilitate the return of Mr. Abrego Garcia, which is unquestionably within your power to do since your Administration is paying the government of El Salvador to detain him… You must also end your unlawful attempts to deport noncitizens without due process under the Alien Enemies Act, as the Supreme Court ordered this weekend. You have no authority to openly defy court orders requiring you: (1)  to return someone who has been  wrongfully deported, or (2) to grant individuals the due process they are owed under our laws… You must immediately facilitate the return to the United States of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, follow all court orders, and withdraw your dangerous and offensive claims that you may transfer U.S. citizens to a foreign prison.  The Constitution demands it.”

    Along with Duckworth and Durbin, the letter was co-signed by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).

    The letter is endorsed by the following organizations: Center for Victims of Torture, American Immigration Council, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, FWD.us, People for the American Way, National Immigrant Justice Center, SMART Union, and Human Rights First.

    A copy of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:

    Dear President Trump:

    We call on you to immediately rescind the dangerous and offensive claim that you may transfer incarcerated U.S. citizens to El Salvador. We further urge you to follow the law and adhere to all applicable court orders and immediately facilitate the return to the United States of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whom your Administration illegally deported to El Salvador in direct contravention of a court order specifically prohibiting such removal. Your unprecedented actions threaten the constitutional protections of all Americans and violate the fundamental principles on which this nation was founded. 

    With regard to your shocking assertion about transferring Americans to El Salvador, you cannot deport Americans to a foreign country for any reason. This nation’s founding fathers declared independence based on “repeated injuries and usurpations” by the then-King of Great Britain, including “transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences” and “depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury.” Accordingly, Congress has passed no provision into law that would permit exiling United States citizens to a foreign country for any reason. One conservative legal scholar called your threats to deport U.S. citizens “obviously illegal and unconstitutional.”

    Our laws also do not allow you to send individuals from U.S. soil to El Salvador without due process. Further, the Executive Branch must comply with longstanding domestic and international law that prohibits the United States from transferring any person from our jurisdiction or effective control to a place where the person would face certain serious human rights violations. Your Administration’s actions in sending individuals to a Salvadoran prison notorious for inhumane conditions underscore the urgency and applicability of these requirements. The bedrock principles of the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause protect individuals from being “deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” Throughout our nation’s history, the Supreme Court has long read the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of due process to require that the government provide persons with certain procedural due process protections, including notice and an opportunity to be heard before any such deprivation of liberty.

    Even under extraordinary wartime authorities such as the Alien Enemies Act, the Supreme Court of the United States has held that noncitizens should, at a minimum, have an opportunity to prove whether or not the Act should apply to them. In a statement accompanying the Supreme Court’s recent order for the federal government to facilitate the return of Mr. Abrego Garcia and “ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador,” Justice Sotomayor noted that your Administration’s argument suggesting that the government is permitted to leave Mr. Abrego Garcia in the Salvadoran prison after wrongfully sending him there “implies that it could deport and incarcerate any person, including U.S. citizens, without legal consequence, so long as it does so before a court can intervene.” She went on to note that this is a “view [that] refutes itself.”

    You must immediately facilitate the return of Mr. Abrego Garcia, which is unquestionably within your power to do since your Administration is paying the government of El Salvador to detain him. As Judge Harvie Wilkinson, a conservative appointee of President Reagan, wrote in a unanimous Fourth Circuit opinion rejecting your Administration’s efforts to delay taking steps to bring Mr. Abrego Garcia back to the United States: 

    The government is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process that is the foundation of our constitutional order. Further, it claims in essence that because it has rid itself of custody that there is nothing that can be done. This should be shocking not only to judges, but to the intuitive sense of liberty that Americans far removed from courthouses still hold dear.

    You must also end your unlawful attempts to deport noncitizens without due process under the Alien Enemies Act, as the Supreme Court ordered this weekend. You have no authority to openly defy court orders requiring you: (1) to return someone who has been  wrongfully deported, or (2) to grant individuals the due process they are owed under our laws.  As Judge Boasberg wrote in his order last week concluding that probable cause exists to find the government in criminal contempt:

    The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders—especially by officials of a coordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it. To permit such officials to freely “annul the judgments of the courts of the United States” would not just “destroy the rights acquired under those judgments”; it would make “a solemn mockery” of “the constitution itself.” …“So fatal a result must be deprecated by all.”

    You must immediately facilitate the return to the United States of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, follow all court orders, and withdraw your dangerous and offensive claims that you may transfer U.S. citizens to a foreign prison. The Constitution demands it.

    Sincerely,

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Transcript of April 2025 Fiscal Monitor Press Briefing

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    April 23, 2025

    Speakers:

    Vitor Gaspar, Director, Fiscal Affairs Department
    Era Dabla‑Norris, Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department
    Davide Furceri, Division Chief, Fiscal Affairs Department

    Moderator: Tatiana Mossot, Moderator, Senior Communications Officer

    The Moderator: Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening for our viewers around the world. I am Tatiana Mossot with the IMF Communications Department, and I will be your host for today’s press briefing on the Spring Meetings 2025 Fiscal Monitor named “Fiscal Policy Under Uncertainty.” I am pleased to introduce the Director of the IMF Fiscal Affairs Department, Vitor Gaspar. He is joined by Era Dabla‑Norris, Deputy Director of the Fiscal Affairs Department, and Davide Furceri, Division Chief of the Fiscal Affairs Department. Good morning, Vitor, Era, and Davide.

    Before taking your questions, let me start our briefing by turning to Vitor for his opening remarks. Vitor, the floor is yours.

    Mr. Vitor Gaspar: Good morning. Many thanks for your kind introduction. Thank you all for your interest in the Fiscal Monitor, covering fiscal policies around the world. Since the last Fiscal Monitor in October 2024, global economic prospects have significantly deteriorated and risks to the economic outlook are elevated and tilted to the downside. Uncertainty is very high, and confidence has been weakening. Financial markets have partially corrected, and financing conditions have tightened.

    Global public debt is very high and rising. According to the WEO reference projection in 2025, it will rise above 95 percent of GDP. It is higher and growing faster than pre‑pandemic. It will be approaching 100 percent of GDP by the end of the decade, surpassing the pandemic peak, but global numbers hide a wide diversity across countries. In the figure, every bubble represents a country. The larger the bubble, the larger the country’s GDP. The figure shows debt levels on the vertical axis and debt growth on the horizontal axis compared to pre‑pandemic. The higher the bubble in the figure, the more debt has increased compared to 2019.

    119 countries are above the horizontal axis. For these countries, public debt is higher than pre‑pandemic. The further to the right in the figure, the faster debt grows compared to pre‑pandemic trends. Bubbles as you can see are all over the chart. That illustrates a wide diversity across countries. Therefore, fiscal policies must vary in line with country‑specific factors and circumstances, but in the face of turbulent and threatening times ahead, resilience is needed everywhere. Countries should redouble efforts to keep their own fiscal house in order.

    Let us zoom in on the top, the right top quadrant. Countries in the quadrant have public debt higher and rising faster. This group includes 59 countries. That is about one third of the 175 countries in the chart. But their economies represent 80 percent of world GDP. Their economic weight makes them the main drivers of global trends. You can see many large bubbles in this quadrant. No surprise. Most large economies, including the largest, are there.

    Now, let us focus on the remaining two thirds of countries in the world. There are 116 countries in the group that represent about 20 percent of world GDP. In the chart that you are looking at, the blue line represents all countries except for the 59 that I have mentioned before. The two lines in the chart representing the world and representing the remaining 116 countries evolve similarly up to the year of the pandemic. After 2020, as you can see, the trends diverge. The two lines actually cross in 2023. For these 116 countries, aggregate public debt is now well below pandemic levels, but going forward, it is very flat, indicating a stabilization of public debt at high levels. But the distinctive feature of the current conjuncture is uncertainty. One must go beyond referenced projections.

    In the words of the Managing Director, trade policy uncertainty is off the charts. Upside risk to public debt projections dominates the outlook. The October 2024 Fiscal Monitor introduced a novel tool to quantify the distribution of debt risks around the referenced projection. We call it public debt at risk. According to this tool, global public debt three years ahead would come at 117 percent of GDP in a severe adverse scenario.

    Recent developments with sharpening, increasing, and persistent uncertainty, tightening financing conditions push public debt at risk even higher. In a fast-changing and perilous world, Ministers of Finance must act urgently and decisively. They face stark tradeoffs and painful choices. Policymakers should invest their political capital in building confidence and trust. That starts with keeping their own houses in order. That is especially important in a situation that tested the resilience of individual economies, not to mention the entire system. Putting the house in order involves three policy priorities.

    First, fiscal policy should be part of overall stability‑oriented macroeconomic policies. Second, fiscal policy should in most countries aim at reducing public debt and rebuilding buffers to create space to respond to spending pressures and other economic shocks through a credible medium‑term framework. Third, fiscal policy should, together with other threshold policies, aim at improving potential growth, thereby easing policy tradeoffs. In these times of high uncertainty, fiscal policy must be an anchor for confidence and stability that can contribute to a competitive economy, delivering growth and prosperity for all.

    Ministers of Finance must build trust, tax fairly, spend wisely and take the long view. My colleagues and I are ready to answer any questions that you may have.

    The Moderator: Thank you, Vitor. We will now open the floor to your questions, but before we do that, a couple of ground rules, please. If you want to ask a question, please raise your hand first, wait until I call you and a colleague will give you the microphone. When you ask your questions, please identify yourself and the network you are working for. And for colleagues online, please ask your questions on Webex, and we will come to you.

    QUESTION: According to the report, tariffs and trade tensions have increased uncertainty and risks to economic growth. How can affected countries manage the negative impact on public confidence and growth, especially considering the high level of public debt and financial challenges they are already facing?

    Mr. Vitor Gaspar: Thank you very much for your question. That allows me to summarize again the top‑level message from the Fiscal Monitor. Global public debt, as you said, is high, rising, and we always emphasize it is also risky. It rose above $100 trillion in 2024, and that was a headline six months ago. In the IMF referenced projections, that will continue rising, approaching 100 percent of GDP by the end of the decade.

    But what we emphasize most at this point in time is the unusually elevated degree of uncertainty. To repeat the quote from the Managing Director, “Trade policy uncertainty is literally off the charts.” There is, therefore, a sense of urgency in policymaking. According to our public‑debt‑at‑risk tool, our estimates for three years ahead point to debt at risk at 117 percent of GDP for the world, which is a level that has not been seen in many decades.

    But even that extreme adverse scenario may be under‑estimating tail risks because trade and geoeconomic uncertainty has escalated, financing conditions tightened, financial market volatility is visible from headlines, and spending pressures have intensified further. So, in those conditions, the point about countries keeping their own houses in order is crucial, and that is instrumental to deliver resilience and sustained growth from a long‑term perspective.

    The Moderator: Thank you, Vitor. As you may have seen, there are two chapters, the second one is on emerging markets. And I think Era and Davide; we have some questions for you too.

    QUESTION: Given the current global economic slow‑down, what are the specific challenges and impacts faced by emerging and developing countries and what policy measures can be implemented to mitigate these effects?

    Ms. Era Dabla‑Norris: Let me start with what we see as some of the key sources of uncertainty that emerging market and developing economies are facing. Vitor had laid out some of the broader issues but let me highlight three. So, in addition to the fact that we see growth prospects being marked down across the board, and we see that emerging markets and developing economies could be impacted through trade, financial and commodity channels, let me highlight three specific risks. The first is escalating uncertainty about tariffs and associated policies. In the Fiscal Monitor, we find that geoeconomic uncertainty, in particular, an escalation of geoeconomic uncertainty actually can push up debt over the medium term by about 4.5 percentage points. For emerging market economies in particular, it could be as high as 6 percent of GDP.

    Why is this the case? Because essentially, with higher geoeconomic uncertainty, that can dampen growth prospects, it lowers revenues because consumption production tends to fall. It also leads to higher spending, so as a result, fiscal positions deteriorate and debt increases. That is one important source of risks.

    A second source of risks is more volatile financial conditions. In the U.S., for instance, or other systemically important economies can spillover into emerging market and developing economies. And it can do so by raising sovereign borrowing costs. So, our analysis in the Fiscal Monitor shows that at 100 basis point increase in U.S. nominal Treasury yields translates into 100 basis point increase in emerging market economies’ borrowing costs. And this lasts for several months.

    A third source of risk is that we have seen that debt levels are high in many emerging markets and developing economies, so interest expenses are commensurately very high, and they are eating up a larger share of the budget. So, our analysis shows that 1 percentage point of GDP increase in interest expenses results in crowding out of other essential items within the budget, such as social spending and infrastructure investment. So, as Vitor pointed out, in this environment, it is very, very important for countries to put their own fiscal house in order.

    What does that mean? Country specifics will vary, but what it really means is that countries need to think about putting in place a gradual fiscal adjustment within a credible medium‑term fiscal framework. For EMDEs, where tax revenues are low, they can mobilize additional revenues by expanding the tax base. They can eliminate energy subsidies and other types of subsidies that can be distortionary. They can find ways to reprioritize spending. And most importantly, they can think about the policies that are needed to boost growth because that really can help ease these fiscal tradeoffs.

    QUESTION: My question is about energy subsidies and perhaps pension reforms, which are not related to emerging markets but pretty much the same problem. It is when the margin exists in many countries when you want to have some fiscal space. But in those many countries you have already social tensions that are quite high, so what are the possibilities for countries to make those reforms that are highly unpopular most of the time if they want to have this margin created?

    Ms. Dabla‑Norris: Let me talk about energy subsidies and my colleague Davide can speak a little bit about pension reforms. As you correctly pointed out, countries need to reduce debt. They need to create fiscal space. And energy subsidies and pension reforms can be important reforms that countries can undertake to generate fiscal savings. So, when we look at energy subsidy reforms in particular, energy, they account for about 1.5 percent of GDP on average in emerging markets and developing economies. And reforming them can have tremendous benefits for the economy. So let me enumerate some of them.

    First, it increases energy efficiency in the economy. Secondly, it generates fiscal savings that can then be used to increase other types of social spending and needed priority infrastructure investments. And finally, many of these subsidies tend to be highly regressive, so they do not necessarily benefit the poorest segment or the most vulnerable segments of society.

    In our Fiscal Monitor Chapter 2, what we did is we developed a novel real‑time measure of public sentiment. This is the sentiment of households, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to gauge how governments can leverage strategies in order to make these kinds of reforms acceptable. There are a number of things that we found that are specific to energy subsidy reforms that I would like to talk about.

    The first is that we found that reforms that are—or changes that take place gradually have greater success of being implemented. To give you an example, Colombia very recently had an energy subsidy reform. They implemented it over a two‑year period, that was preannounced, so that people had time to adjust.

    A second strategy that we found successful—to be successful in shaping the acceptability of these reforms is that there was timely implementation of accompanying measures. And countries that put in place accompanying measures to really protect and support the most vulnerable, countries that put in place measures up‑front and invested in social programs and social infrastructure that was very visible to the public had a greater chance of succeeding.

    We also found that policies that were well‑communicated, that built consensus, that explained the tradeoffs to people had a much higher success of being accepted by the general public. For example, Morocco made it very clear that there was going to be a comprehensive communication strategy at the very beginning, at the very outset, and the message that was conveyed was that subsidies were a poor instrument for providing social support. A host of these strategies can be used by countries to implement these politically challenging reforms.

    Mr. Davide Furceri: The chapter also deals with pension reforms. We know that in many countries, spending on pensions is quite high. Just to give you a couple of numbers, in the case of advanced economies, it is 8 percent of GDP; in emerging market, about four. This spending is projected to increase due to increasing life expectancy and retirement. Reforming the pension system is important to generate fiscal savings but also to sustain labor‑force participation, as well as employment.

    Some of the key messages that we find in the chapter on reforms touch upon some of the issues that Era mentioned, gradual and timly of the reform. But for pension, what we find is that strategic communication and stakeholder engagement has been especially important. Indeed, there are cases of countries that have succeeded in implementing significant reform, for example, presenting an increasing retirement age as part of the reform that was trying to sustain adequate benefit levels. Or in some cases they were creating bipartisan commissions where they were engaging with stakeholders to hear their concerns and think about implementing the reform in the best way.

    An important issue when we think about pension reform is strengthening financial literacy and making sure that various stakeholders will talk about the potential benefits and cost of various pension schemes. Thank you.

    The Moderator: Very last one before we move to the U.S. and the other countries and regional and then we will move to other topics.

    QUESTION: I still want to focus on Chapter 2 because we are talking about developing economies and public sentiment. Era, when you were talking, you talked about subsidies being discretionary, not making the budgets, you know, complete and all of that, but we also know for many developing countries and even frontier economies, they are under pressure to cut back energy subsidies to ease debt burdens, yet these same subsidies often help keep the lights on for millions of families, low‑income families and businesses. You talked about growth earlier on. So, without these low‑income businesses, how would you also get growth? How does the IMF suggest governments manage this delicate balance and enable these countries to rationalize subsidies while safeguarding energy subsidies and cushioning the most vulnerable without leaving them behind because we are torn between having to think that subsidies are really 100 percent bad, so I really wanted to comment on that.

    Then on Nigeria, energy subsidy reforms that were seen have sparked protests and public frustrations, reflecting a top balance between fiscal responsibility and social equity. How do you think that Nigeria can navigate this difficult path and what specific measures can the IMF suggest ensuring that these reforms are fair, inclusive and accepted by the public. Thank you.

    Ms. Era Dabla‑Norris: Let me talk in more detail about subsidies. Thank you for your question. These are challenging reforms to undertake. Why? Because they impact people’s, small firms’ pocketbooks immediately. An increase in energy prices as the government is moving towards cost recovery, pricing impacts pocketbooks immediately. This is a very tangible impact. Whereas the benefits that I spoke of, which are energy efficiency, the ability to reallocate fiscal savings take time to materialize. They are much more diffuse. Everyone benefits from those, but the pocket impact is felt immediately. This is why it is important as we note in our chapter, this is why it is important to have—for governments to think about a comprehensive strategy on how to implement these reforms. When you look at public sentiment across different sort of steps of these reforms, what we find that is really important is that countries that put in place compensatory mechanisms — whether this is cash transfers or more targeted transfers — really for those people who need it most have an easier time in carrying out these types of reforms. So in environments where the public does not trust the government, where there is weak accountability, doing these things up‑front in a very visible way, increasing support for social programs makes it very tangible to the public that the government is going to be doing this, and it is going to be accountable, if you will, for the fiscal savings that will be generated.

    QUESTION: Good morning. As risks for the fiscal outlook have intensified and debt levels may rise even further, as stated in the Fiscal Monitor, how worried are you about any sort of global debt crisis or regional crises that can appear, considering slower growth and new spending pressures on countries?

    Mr. Vitor Gaspar: As you heard yesterday, recession and crisis more than an individual nature are not in our reference projections, although, of course, part of the role of the Fiscal Monitor is precisely to systemically look at risks and vulnerabilities, and our public‑debt‑at‑risk tool is one of the instruments to do exactly that.

    Now, one point which I believe is very important is that precisely because risks and uncertainty are so elevated right now, there is a sense of urgency in policy action. Why? Because there is still time to adopt policies that improve resilience, and there is still time to think through what are the most relevant vulnerability scenarios that apply to individual countries, to regions, or even to broader systems. And it is very important to do that result systemically so that one is ready if and when a crisis comes. Our experience during the pandemic showed that countries that had easy access to financial markets and ample fiscal space did substantially better than others at managing the shocks associated with the pandemic.

    The Moderator: Thank you. We will get back to this part of the room.

    QUESTION: My question is that you just mentioned the public debt remains very elevated and also this would cause fiscal space to continue to narrow down in many countries, including some major economies. So, what consequence will this bring to the world global economy if this kind of situation continues to develop?

    Mr. Vitor Gaspar: So I think that the answer that I gave to the question just now applies, given these elevated risks and uncertainties, it is crucial that countries focus on keeping their own house in order since situations around the world are so diverse, as Era emphasized, that will imply different policies in different countries. But the crucial thing is that in a situation that is as fast changing as the one we are facing now and where risks and uncertainties are so elevated, there is an urgency in acting to improve fiscal space, build buffers, and, therefore, be in a position to ensure resilience and sustain growth.

    The Moderator: Thank you. We will get back to this part of the room. The gentleman with the red shirt, please.

    QUESTION: Thank you very much. Allow me to back‑pedal to the EMDEs. The Fiscal Monitor speaks about the need to widen the tax base. A number of frontier market economies have been rolling out significant economic present stacks and minimum top‑up tax in line with the Pillar 1 and Pillar 2. But now this puts them in the cross‑hairs with the Trump administration, and many are now wondering whether they should be rolling back. So which pathway does the Fund see sustainable, considering many are looking at preferential access to the American market?

    Mr. Davide Furceri: Regarding the tax, I think it is important to make three important points. The first is that in the current situation where many emerging market and developing countries are characterized by three factors, one, foreign aid is declining; second, we have seen that increasing financial volatility can increase interest rates in these countries. This is in a situation where interest rates over revenue for many countries is about 10 percent of GDP. Third, [volatile] financial conditions also implies that less flows will go to these countries. The point that we make in the Fiscal Monitor is that revenue and revenue mobilization can be a stable source for financing significant spending for social benefit or public investment. How we should strengthen revenue mobilization, typically there are three sorts of arrows that you can go. One is expanding the tax base. Second, eliminate tax exemptions. Third, which is also important, and that the IMF does a lot of work in terms of capacity development is strengthening tax administrations. When we think about the tax strategy, we have to consider all of these three elements, and for many emerging markets and developing countries, there are significant potential tax gains that can be achieved.

    The Moderator: Yes, please.

    Mr. Vitor Gaspar: Just one word of addition. Davide correctly pointed out these three very important elements, broadening the tax base, dealing with tax expenditures and strengthening revenue administration. Yesterday I participated in a high‑level panel precisely on the mobilization of resources, and these three elements were repeated by the Ministers of Pakistan, Paraguay and Rwanda, and they found this frame relevant in their own experience of trying to improve the capacity of their countries to mobilize revenues.

    The Moderator: We have two questions online. I think this one will be for you, Era, about Spain. Yesterday they revised upwards the growth of Spain and have already highlighted the good performance of the Spanish economy. What should this country do with these good growth results regarding its fiscal policies in the short and medium term? And we will have another one for South Africa online.

    Ms. Era Dabla‑Norris: Thank you for the question. Given Spain’s relatively strong fiscal position as well as economic position, there is scope now to front‑load some of the adjustment that they were thinking about because public debt levels in Spain still remain very high, although they have come down from the pandemic peaks. They still remain very high. This would be really important to put debt firmly down on a downward trajectory.

    Accumulative adjustment of about 3 percent of GDP over the next three years, say 2025 to 2029, similar to the one that was envisaged in terms of magnitude by the authorities but more frontloaded, would help achieve the goal. Now, as Vitor has pointed out, we are encouraging countries to bring debt down for a number of reasons. This is important because you want to reduce debt risks. This is important because countries should either expand or replenish the buffers that were diminished in the wake of the pandemic and also because of ongoing uncertainties. Finally, because countries will need—countries like Spain will need to spend on other areas, population aging, climate, defense and such.

    The Moderator: Just before we go to South Africa, any other European question? One time, two time, no European question in the room. OK.

    QUESTION: Thank you. The question on South Africa but also on the broader region: On South Africa, the IMF is quite significantly more pessimistic on the fiscal trajectory than our own government, which sees debt stabilizing, whereas the IMF sees it rising close to 90 percent of GDP at the end of the decade. Why are you so much more pessimistic of the authorities’ promised consolidation? But also on the region, sub‑Saharan Africa more broadly, how do you see the impact of what is happening globally on the region’s ability to borrow and particularly to borrow in international markets, and given a lot of the countries in the region are in debt distress or close to debt distress, what impact will that have on the economies of the sub‑Saharan Africa? Thank you.

    The Moderator: Thank you very much.

    Ms. Era Dabla‑Norris: Thank you very much. Briefly on South Africa, the general government deficit in South Africa was about 6 percent of GDP in 2024. We project the fiscal deficit in 2025, although this is subject to considerable—all projections are subject to considerable uncertainties at this juncture to be around 6.6 percent of GDP. This is mainly driven by higher spending. Some of the differences stem from the fact that our projections are based on much more conservative assumptions regarding the buoyancy of the tax system, as well as the extent of primary spending compression that can be undertaken. So that really accounts for differences in projections between the two countries and also the path of debt going forward. Let me turn it over to Davide.

    Mr. Davide Furceri: Yes, more broadly and on financing costs for sub‑Saharan African regions, let me point out two factors. The first is that, of course, we have seen interest rates rising. So, this increasing interest rate in many countries, including South Africa, is basically driven by two factors. You have sort of an interest rate in main advanced economies that has been on a rising trend. On the positive side, in many countries, especially those with better fiscal positions, you actually have seen spreads, so the difference between the domestic interest rate and the foreign interest rate declines. However, and this is something that we point out in the Fiscal Monitor, that increased risk, increase of risk of uncertainty, financial market volatility, can turn things around. In other words, we see that increasing financial market volatility globally can lead to an increase in spreads.

    The second point is that one part we have seen for many low‑income countries since the pandemic is they are relying much more on domestic issuance of debt rather than on the foreign market. This is on one hand sort of offset some of the challenges like to the global environment but also increase some sort of domestic vulnerability, because sometimes the interest rates rise. There are things that are important to think about this strategy. But definitely, as we mentioned, interest rate is a source of rising in terms of revenue is a source of concern. Let me make the point again that we made, I think strengthening fiscal buffers, revenue mobilization are important elements to reduce — to have this trend to decline.

    The Moderator: Thank you. I believe we received some questions for Latin America and, yes, there are some reporters in the room. Yes, please, the lady in the third row here.

    QUESTION: Thank you. You already talked about emerging markets, but focusing on Latin America, I want to know which one—you already have talked about it too, but which one is the biggest fiscal risk and what should economies in Latin America should be thinking about doing in terms of growing and accepting new investment, for example, to confront the situation abroad? Thank you.

    Ms. Era Dabla‑Norris: Thank you for your question. Many of the risks that other emerging market economies face, countries in Latin America obviously also face, we have already talked at length about that. But I am going to talk about a few things that are specific to many of the countries in Latin America. So, there is two challenges that limit fiscal flexibility in Latin America. The first is that there are spending rigidities. What I mean by that is there is a lot of amounts of spending that is mandatory, on pensions, on wages, on transfers. This leaves very little room for fiscal flexibility.

    At the same time, like many other emerging markets and developing economies, spending pressures are on the rise. There are growing demands for social services, for infrastructure, for adopting to climate change, and all of these are putting pressures on the budget. Now, when you look at what has happened since the pandemic, countries have made ambitious plans to consolidate their budget. There have been ambitious announcements of fiscal consolidation plans, but at the same time expenditure increases have outpaced revenue gains. So, for many countries in the region, we see debt levels continuing to rise. And the challenge here is that we are in a world with greater uncertainty than we were even six months ago. So, it is really important for countries in the region to implement at a minimum the announced fiscal consolidation plan and to do this within credible medium‑term frameworks. Many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean region have fiscal rules. So to implement these rules, to spend efficiently, to think about the types of fiscal reforms that are needed, whether it is revenue mobilization in countries where revenue‑to‑GDP ratios are low, whether it is spending prioritization or reprioritization, to create the room that is needed for priority investments and social spending and infrastructure and such.

    The Moderator: Thank you. One last question.

    QUESTION: I am from Thailand. I want to ask about the overall trend of the public debt, especially for the ASEAN 5. It would be great if you could mention specifically on Thailand.

    The Moderator: I think we had the Nigeria question to answer too, and we will close there. Thank you.

    Mr. Davide Furceri: Let me start with Nigeria. So, Nigeria managed to do a very difficult reform that was important to deliver fiscal savings. The authorities also scaled up transfers, technical transfers. What we think there is, what is important to act on two pillars. One is to generate additional fiscal savings. We mentioned revenue mobilization. To really scale up spending on social protection, spending on investment, in a way as was mentioned, many countries, they need to spend, and there I want to go back to Vitor’s first remarks. We encourage countries to spend very wisely. Strengthening prioritization in terms of spending, strengthening the efficiency of spending is important. Final important message we would like to give for Nigeria but also for other countries is that fiscal institutions are very important. Having a medium‑term fiscal framework, Public Financial Management are key important because on the one hand they try to help the fiscal anchor, so they set apart for the fiscal adjustment, but also reduce the fiscal uncertainty per se. So as Vitor mentioned, we want the fiscal to be a source of stability and not a source of uncertainty, and that is where fiscal institutions have an important role to play.

    The Moderator: Thank you. Very quickly, Era.

    Ms. Era Dabla‑Norris: On ASEAN, there is a huge variation in fiscal positions across the region. On average, the ASEAN region debt‑to‑GDP ratios are lower than they are in other emerging market and developing economies. That said, in Thailand, relative to the other countries in ASEAN, debt levels are slightly more elevated, over 60 percent of GDP. Our advice has been that fiscal policy should be prudent and parsimonious, given all the reasons we have discussed over the course of this morning. So, measures that are needed to smooth adjustment in light of higher tariffs should be thought of in a wise way, temporary, targeted measures in the context of tariff uncertainty, and ongoing consolidation plans implemented to bring debt down in a sustainable manner.

    The Moderator: Thank you very much

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Tatiana Mossot

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/04/24/tr-042325-fm-press-briefing

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: Transcript of April 2025 Fiscal Monitor Press Briefing

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    April 23, 2025

    Speakers:

    Vitor Gaspar, Director, Fiscal Affairs Department
    Era Dabla‑Norris, Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department
    Davide Furceri, Division Chief, Fiscal Affairs Department

    Moderator: Tatiana Mossot, Moderator, Senior Communications Officer

    The Moderator: Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening for our viewers around the world. I am Tatiana Mossot with the IMF Communications Department, and I will be your host for today’s press briefing on the Spring Meetings 2025 Fiscal Monitor named “Fiscal Policy Under Uncertainty.” I am pleased to introduce the Director of the IMF Fiscal Affairs Department, Vitor Gaspar. He is joined by Era Dabla‑Norris, Deputy Director of the Fiscal Affairs Department, and Davide Furceri, Division Chief of the Fiscal Affairs Department. Good morning, Vitor, Era, and Davide.

    Before taking your questions, let me start our briefing by turning to Vitor for his opening remarks. Vitor, the floor is yours.

    Mr. Vitor Gaspar: Good morning. Many thanks for your kind introduction. Thank you all for your interest in the Fiscal Monitor, covering fiscal policies around the world. Since the last Fiscal Monitor in October 2024, global economic prospects have significantly deteriorated and risks to the economic outlook are elevated and tilted to the downside. Uncertainty is very high, and confidence has been weakening. Financial markets have partially corrected, and financing conditions have tightened.

    Global public debt is very high and rising. According to the WEO reference projection in 2025, it will rise above 95 percent of GDP. It is higher and growing faster than pre‑pandemic. It will be approaching 100 percent of GDP by the end of the decade, surpassing the pandemic peak, but global numbers hide a wide diversity across countries. In the figure, every bubble represents a country. The larger the bubble, the larger the country’s GDP. The figure shows debt levels on the vertical axis and debt growth on the horizontal axis compared to pre‑pandemic. The higher the bubble in the figure, the more debt has increased compared to 2019.

    119 countries are above the horizontal axis. For these countries, public debt is higher than pre‑pandemic. The further to the right in the figure, the faster debt grows compared to pre‑pandemic trends. Bubbles as you can see are all over the chart. That illustrates a wide diversity across countries. Therefore, fiscal policies must vary in line with country‑specific factors and circumstances, but in the face of turbulent and threatening times ahead, resilience is needed everywhere. Countries should redouble efforts to keep their own fiscal house in order.

    Let us zoom in on the top, the right top quadrant. Countries in the quadrant have public debt higher and rising faster. This group includes 59 countries. That is about one third of the 175 countries in the chart. But their economies represent 80 percent of world GDP. Their economic weight makes them the main drivers of global trends. You can see many large bubbles in this quadrant. No surprise. Most large economies, including the largest, are there.

    Now, let us focus on the remaining two thirds of countries in the world. There are 116 countries in the group that represent about 20 percent of world GDP. In the chart that you are looking at, the blue line represents all countries except for the 59 that I have mentioned before. The two lines in the chart representing the world and representing the remaining 116 countries evolve similarly up to the year of the pandemic. After 2020, as you can see, the trends diverge. The two lines actually cross in 2023. For these 116 countries, aggregate public debt is now well below pandemic levels, but going forward, it is very flat, indicating a stabilization of public debt at high levels. But the distinctive feature of the current conjuncture is uncertainty. One must go beyond referenced projections.

    In the words of the Managing Director, trade policy uncertainty is off the charts. Upside risk to public debt projections dominates the outlook. The October 2024 Fiscal Monitor introduced a novel tool to quantify the distribution of debt risks around the referenced projection. We call it public debt at risk. According to this tool, global public debt three years ahead would come at 117 percent of GDP in a severe adverse scenario.

    Recent developments with sharpening, increasing, and persistent uncertainty, tightening financing conditions push public debt at risk even higher. In a fast-changing and perilous world, Ministers of Finance must act urgently and decisively. They face stark tradeoffs and painful choices. Policymakers should invest their political capital in building confidence and trust. That starts with keeping their own houses in order. That is especially important in a situation that tested the resilience of individual economies, not to mention the entire system. Putting the house in order involves three policy priorities.

    First, fiscal policy should be part of overall stability‑oriented macroeconomic policies. Second, fiscal policy should in most countries aim at reducing public debt and rebuilding buffers to create space to respond to spending pressures and other economic shocks through a credible medium‑term framework. Third, fiscal policy should, together with other threshold policies, aim at improving potential growth, thereby easing policy tradeoffs. In these times of high uncertainty, fiscal policy must be an anchor for confidence and stability that can contribute to a competitive economy, delivering growth and prosperity for all.

    Ministers of Finance must build trust, tax fairly, spend wisely and take the long view. My colleagues and I are ready to answer any questions that you may have.

    The Moderator: Thank you, Vitor. We will now open the floor to your questions, but before we do that, a couple of ground rules, please. If you want to ask a question, please raise your hand first, wait until I call you and a colleague will give you the microphone. When you ask your questions, please identify yourself and the network you are working for. And for colleagues online, please ask your questions on Webex, and we will come to you.

    QUESTION: According to the report, tariffs and trade tensions have increased uncertainty and risks to economic growth. How can affected countries manage the negative impact on public confidence and growth, especially considering the high level of public debt and financial challenges they are already facing?

    Mr. Vitor Gaspar: Thank you very much for your question. That allows me to summarize again the top‑level message from the Fiscal Monitor. Global public debt, as you said, is high, rising, and we always emphasize it is also risky. It rose above $100 trillion in 2024, and that was a headline six months ago. In the IMF referenced projections, that will continue rising, approaching 100 percent of GDP by the end of the decade.

    But what we emphasize most at this point in time is the unusually elevated degree of uncertainty. To repeat the quote from the Managing Director, “Trade policy uncertainty is literally off the charts.” There is, therefore, a sense of urgency in policymaking. According to our public‑debt‑at‑risk tool, our estimates for three years ahead point to debt at risk at 117 percent of GDP for the world, which is a level that has not been seen in many decades.

    But even that extreme adverse scenario may be under‑estimating tail risks because trade and geoeconomic uncertainty has escalated, financing conditions tightened, financial market volatility is visible from headlines, and spending pressures have intensified further. So, in those conditions, the point about countries keeping their own houses in order is crucial, and that is instrumental to deliver resilience and sustained growth from a long‑term perspective.

    The Moderator: Thank you, Vitor. As you may have seen, there are two chapters, the second one is on emerging markets. And I think Era and Davide; we have some questions for you too.

    QUESTION: Given the current global economic slow‑down, what are the specific challenges and impacts faced by emerging and developing countries and what policy measures can be implemented to mitigate these effects?

    Ms. Era Dabla‑Norris: Let me start with what we see as some of the key sources of uncertainty that emerging market and developing economies are facing. Vitor had laid out some of the broader issues but let me highlight three. So, in addition to the fact that we see growth prospects being marked down across the board, and we see that emerging markets and developing economies could be impacted through trade, financial and commodity channels, let me highlight three specific risks. The first is escalating uncertainty about tariffs and associated policies. In the Fiscal Monitor, we find that geoeconomic uncertainty, in particular, an escalation of geoeconomic uncertainty actually can push up debt over the medium term by about 4.5 percentage points. For emerging market economies in particular, it could be as high as 6 percent of GDP.

    Why is this the case? Because essentially, with higher geoeconomic uncertainty, that can dampen growth prospects, it lowers revenues because consumption production tends to fall. It also leads to higher spending, so as a result, fiscal positions deteriorate and debt increases. That is one important source of risks.

    A second source of risks is more volatile financial conditions. In the U.S., for instance, or other systemically important economies can spillover into emerging market and developing economies. And it can do so by raising sovereign borrowing costs. So, our analysis in the Fiscal Monitor shows that at 100 basis point increase in U.S. nominal Treasury yields translates into 100 basis point increase in emerging market economies’ borrowing costs. And this lasts for several months.

    A third source of risk is that we have seen that debt levels are high in many emerging markets and developing economies, so interest expenses are commensurately very high, and they are eating up a larger share of the budget. So, our analysis shows that 1 percentage point of GDP increase in interest expenses results in crowding out of other essential items within the budget, such as social spending and infrastructure investment. So, as Vitor pointed out, in this environment, it is very, very important for countries to put their own fiscal house in order.

    What does that mean? Country specifics will vary, but what it really means is that countries need to think about putting in place a gradual fiscal adjustment within a credible medium‑term fiscal framework. For EMDEs, where tax revenues are low, they can mobilize additional revenues by expanding the tax base. They can eliminate energy subsidies and other types of subsidies that can be distortionary. They can find ways to reprioritize spending. And most importantly, they can think about the policies that are needed to boost growth because that really can help ease these fiscal tradeoffs.

    QUESTION: My question is about energy subsidies and perhaps pension reforms, which are not related to emerging markets but pretty much the same problem. It is when the margin exists in many countries when you want to have some fiscal space. But in those many countries you have already social tensions that are quite high, so what are the possibilities for countries to make those reforms that are highly unpopular most of the time if they want to have this margin created?

    Ms. Dabla‑Norris: Let me talk about energy subsidies and my colleague Davide can speak a little bit about pension reforms. As you correctly pointed out, countries need to reduce debt. They need to create fiscal space. And energy subsidies and pension reforms can be important reforms that countries can undertake to generate fiscal savings. So, when we look at energy subsidy reforms in particular, energy, they account for about 1.5 percent of GDP on average in emerging markets and developing economies. And reforming them can have tremendous benefits for the economy. So let me enumerate some of them.

    First, it increases energy efficiency in the economy. Secondly, it generates fiscal savings that can then be used to increase other types of social spending and needed priority infrastructure investments. And finally, many of these subsidies tend to be highly regressive, so they do not necessarily benefit the poorest segment or the most vulnerable segments of society.

    In our Fiscal Monitor Chapter 2, what we did is we developed a novel real‑time measure of public sentiment. This is the sentiment of households, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to gauge how governments can leverage strategies in order to make these kinds of reforms acceptable. There are a number of things that we found that are specific to energy subsidy reforms that I would like to talk about.

    The first is that we found that reforms that are—or changes that take place gradually have greater success of being implemented. To give you an example, Colombia very recently had an energy subsidy reform. They implemented it over a two‑year period, that was preannounced, so that people had time to adjust.

    A second strategy that we found successful—to be successful in shaping the acceptability of these reforms is that there was timely implementation of accompanying measures. And countries that put in place accompanying measures to really protect and support the most vulnerable, countries that put in place measures up‑front and invested in social programs and social infrastructure that was very visible to the public had a greater chance of succeeding.

    We also found that policies that were well‑communicated, that built consensus, that explained the tradeoffs to people had a much higher success of being accepted by the general public. For example, Morocco made it very clear that there was going to be a comprehensive communication strategy at the very beginning, at the very outset, and the message that was conveyed was that subsidies were a poor instrument for providing social support. A host of these strategies can be used by countries to implement these politically challenging reforms.

    Mr. Davide Furceri: The chapter also deals with pension reforms. We know that in many countries, spending on pensions is quite high. Just to give you a couple of numbers, in the case of advanced economies, it is 8 percent of GDP; in emerging market, about four. This spending is projected to increase due to increasing life expectancy and retirement. Reforming the pension system is important to generate fiscal savings but also to sustain labor‑force participation, as well as employment.

    Some of the key messages that we find in the chapter on reforms touch upon some of the issues that Era mentioned, gradual and timly of the reform. But for pension, what we find is that strategic communication and stakeholder engagement has been especially important. Indeed, there are cases of countries that have succeeded in implementing significant reform, for example, presenting an increasing retirement age as part of the reform that was trying to sustain adequate benefit levels. Or in some cases they were creating bipartisan commissions where they were engaging with stakeholders to hear their concerns and think about implementing the reform in the best way.

    An important issue when we think about pension reform is strengthening financial literacy and making sure that various stakeholders will talk about the potential benefits and cost of various pension schemes. Thank you.

    The Moderator: Very last one before we move to the U.S. and the other countries and regional and then we will move to other topics.

    QUESTION: I still want to focus on Chapter 2 because we are talking about developing economies and public sentiment. Era, when you were talking, you talked about subsidies being discretionary, not making the budgets, you know, complete and all of that, but we also know for many developing countries and even frontier economies, they are under pressure to cut back energy subsidies to ease debt burdens, yet these same subsidies often help keep the lights on for millions of families, low‑income families and businesses. You talked about growth earlier on. So, without these low‑income businesses, how would you also get growth? How does the IMF suggest governments manage this delicate balance and enable these countries to rationalize subsidies while safeguarding energy subsidies and cushioning the most vulnerable without leaving them behind because we are torn between having to think that subsidies are really 100 percent bad, so I really wanted to comment on that.

    Then on Nigeria, energy subsidy reforms that were seen have sparked protests and public frustrations, reflecting a top balance between fiscal responsibility and social equity. How do you think that Nigeria can navigate this difficult path and what specific measures can the IMF suggest ensuring that these reforms are fair, inclusive and accepted by the public. Thank you.

    Ms. Era Dabla‑Norris: Let me talk in more detail about subsidies. Thank you for your question. These are challenging reforms to undertake. Why? Because they impact people’s, small firms’ pocketbooks immediately. An increase in energy prices as the government is moving towards cost recovery, pricing impacts pocketbooks immediately. This is a very tangible impact. Whereas the benefits that I spoke of, which are energy efficiency, the ability to reallocate fiscal savings take time to materialize. They are much more diffuse. Everyone benefits from those, but the pocket impact is felt immediately. This is why it is important as we note in our chapter, this is why it is important to have—for governments to think about a comprehensive strategy on how to implement these reforms. When you look at public sentiment across different sort of steps of these reforms, what we find that is really important is that countries that put in place compensatory mechanisms — whether this is cash transfers or more targeted transfers — really for those people who need it most have an easier time in carrying out these types of reforms. So in environments where the public does not trust the government, where there is weak accountability, doing these things up‑front in a very visible way, increasing support for social programs makes it very tangible to the public that the government is going to be doing this, and it is going to be accountable, if you will, for the fiscal savings that will be generated.

    QUESTION: Good morning. As risks for the fiscal outlook have intensified and debt levels may rise even further, as stated in the Fiscal Monitor, how worried are you about any sort of global debt crisis or regional crises that can appear, considering slower growth and new spending pressures on countries?

    Mr. Vitor Gaspar: As you heard yesterday, recession and crisis more than an individual nature are not in our reference projections, although, of course, part of the role of the Fiscal Monitor is precisely to systemically look at risks and vulnerabilities, and our public‑debt‑at‑risk tool is one of the instruments to do exactly that.

    Now, one point which I believe is very important is that precisely because risks and uncertainty are so elevated right now, there is a sense of urgency in policy action. Why? Because there is still time to adopt policies that improve resilience, and there is still time to think through what are the most relevant vulnerability scenarios that apply to individual countries, to regions, or even to broader systems. And it is very important to do that result systemically so that one is ready if and when a crisis comes. Our experience during the pandemic showed that countries that had easy access to financial markets and ample fiscal space did substantially better than others at managing the shocks associated with the pandemic.

    The Moderator: Thank you. We will get back to this part of the room.

    QUESTION: My question is that you just mentioned the public debt remains very elevated and also this would cause fiscal space to continue to narrow down in many countries, including some major economies. So, what consequence will this bring to the world global economy if this kind of situation continues to develop?

    Mr. Vitor Gaspar: So I think that the answer that I gave to the question just now applies, given these elevated risks and uncertainties, it is crucial that countries focus on keeping their own house in order since situations around the world are so diverse, as Era emphasized, that will imply different policies in different countries. But the crucial thing is that in a situation that is as fast changing as the one we are facing now and where risks and uncertainties are so elevated, there is an urgency in acting to improve fiscal space, build buffers, and, therefore, be in a position to ensure resilience and sustain growth.

    The Moderator: Thank you. We will get back to this part of the room. The gentleman with the red shirt, please.

    QUESTION: Thank you very much. Allow me to back‑pedal to the EMDEs. The Fiscal Monitor speaks about the need to widen the tax base. A number of frontier market economies have been rolling out significant economic present stacks and minimum top‑up tax in line with the Pillar 1 and Pillar 2. But now this puts them in the cross‑hairs with the Trump administration, and many are now wondering whether they should be rolling back. So which pathway does the Fund see sustainable, considering many are looking at preferential access to the American market?

    Mr. Davide Furceri: Regarding the tax, I think it is important to make three important points. The first is that in the current situation where many emerging market and developing countries are characterized by three factors, one, foreign aid is declining; second, we have seen that increasing financial volatility can increase interest rates in these countries. This is in a situation where interest rates over revenue for many countries is about 10 percent of GDP. Third, [volatile] financial conditions also implies that less flows will go to these countries. The point that we make in the Fiscal Monitor is that revenue and revenue mobilization can be a stable source for financing significant spending for social benefit or public investment. How we should strengthen revenue mobilization, typically there are three sorts of arrows that you can go. One is expanding the tax base. Second, eliminate tax exemptions. Third, which is also important, and that the IMF does a lot of work in terms of capacity development is strengthening tax administrations. When we think about the tax strategy, we have to consider all of these three elements, and for many emerging markets and developing countries, there are significant potential tax gains that can be achieved.

    The Moderator: Yes, please.

    Mr. Vitor Gaspar: Just one word of addition. Davide correctly pointed out these three very important elements, broadening the tax base, dealing with tax expenditures and strengthening revenue administration. Yesterday I participated in a high‑level panel precisely on the mobilization of resources, and these three elements were repeated by the Ministers of Pakistan, Paraguay and Rwanda, and they found this frame relevant in their own experience of trying to improve the capacity of their countries to mobilize revenues.

    The Moderator: We have two questions online. I think this one will be for you, Era, about Spain. Yesterday they revised upwards the growth of Spain and have already highlighted the good performance of the Spanish economy. What should this country do with these good growth results regarding its fiscal policies in the short and medium term? And we will have another one for South Africa online.

    Ms. Era Dabla‑Norris: Thank you for the question. Given Spain’s relatively strong fiscal position as well as economic position, there is scope now to front‑load some of the adjustment that they were thinking about because public debt levels in Spain still remain very high, although they have come down from the pandemic peaks. They still remain very high. This would be really important to put debt firmly down on a downward trajectory.

    Accumulative adjustment of about 3 percent of GDP over the next three years, say 2025 to 2029, similar to the one that was envisaged in terms of magnitude by the authorities but more frontloaded, would help achieve the goal. Now, as Vitor has pointed out, we are encouraging countries to bring debt down for a number of reasons. This is important because you want to reduce debt risks. This is important because countries should either expand or replenish the buffers that were diminished in the wake of the pandemic and also because of ongoing uncertainties. Finally, because countries will need—countries like Spain will need to spend on other areas, population aging, climate, defense and such.

    The Moderator: Just before we go to South Africa, any other European question? One time, two time, no European question in the room. OK.

    QUESTION: Thank you. The question on South Africa but also on the broader region: On South Africa, the IMF is quite significantly more pessimistic on the fiscal trajectory than our own government, which sees debt stabilizing, whereas the IMF sees it rising close to 90 percent of GDP at the end of the decade. Why are you so much more pessimistic of the authorities’ promised consolidation? But also on the region, sub‑Saharan Africa more broadly, how do you see the impact of what is happening globally on the region’s ability to borrow and particularly to borrow in international markets, and given a lot of the countries in the region are in debt distress or close to debt distress, what impact will that have on the economies of the sub‑Saharan Africa? Thank you.

    The Moderator: Thank you very much.

    Ms. Era Dabla‑Norris: Thank you very much. Briefly on South Africa, the general government deficit in South Africa was about 6 percent of GDP in 2024. We project the fiscal deficit in 2025, although this is subject to considerable—all projections are subject to considerable uncertainties at this juncture to be around 6.6 percent of GDP. This is mainly driven by higher spending. Some of the differences stem from the fact that our projections are based on much more conservative assumptions regarding the buoyancy of the tax system, as well as the extent of primary spending compression that can be undertaken. So that really accounts for differences in projections between the two countries and also the path of debt going forward. Let me turn it over to Davide.

    Mr. Davide Furceri: Yes, more broadly and on financing costs for sub‑Saharan African regions, let me point out two factors. The first is that, of course, we have seen interest rates rising. So, this increasing interest rate in many countries, including South Africa, is basically driven by two factors. You have sort of an interest rate in main advanced economies that has been on a rising trend. On the positive side, in many countries, especially those with better fiscal positions, you actually have seen spreads, so the difference between the domestic interest rate and the foreign interest rate declines. However, and this is something that we point out in the Fiscal Monitor, that increased risk, increase of risk of uncertainty, financial market volatility, can turn things around. In other words, we see that increasing financial market volatility globally can lead to an increase in spreads.

    The second point is that one part we have seen for many low‑income countries since the pandemic is they are relying much more on domestic issuance of debt rather than on the foreign market. This is on one hand sort of offset some of the challenges like to the global environment but also increase some sort of domestic vulnerability, because sometimes the interest rates rise. There are things that are important to think about this strategy. But definitely, as we mentioned, interest rate is a source of rising in terms of revenue is a source of concern. Let me make the point again that we made, I think strengthening fiscal buffers, revenue mobilization are important elements to reduce — to have this trend to decline.

    The Moderator: Thank you. I believe we received some questions for Latin America and, yes, there are some reporters in the room. Yes, please, the lady in the third row here.

    QUESTION: Thank you. You already talked about emerging markets, but focusing on Latin America, I want to know which one—you already have talked about it too, but which one is the biggest fiscal risk and what should economies in Latin America should be thinking about doing in terms of growing and accepting new investment, for example, to confront the situation abroad? Thank you.

    Ms. Era Dabla‑Norris: Thank you for your question. Many of the risks that other emerging market economies face, countries in Latin America obviously also face, we have already talked at length about that. But I am going to talk about a few things that are specific to many of the countries in Latin America. So, there is two challenges that limit fiscal flexibility in Latin America. The first is that there are spending rigidities. What I mean by that is there is a lot of amounts of spending that is mandatory, on pensions, on wages, on transfers. This leaves very little room for fiscal flexibility.

    At the same time, like many other emerging markets and developing economies, spending pressures are on the rise. There are growing demands for social services, for infrastructure, for adopting to climate change, and all of these are putting pressures on the budget. Now, when you look at what has happened since the pandemic, countries have made ambitious plans to consolidate their budget. There have been ambitious announcements of fiscal consolidation plans, but at the same time expenditure increases have outpaced revenue gains. So, for many countries in the region, we see debt levels continuing to rise. And the challenge here is that we are in a world with greater uncertainty than we were even six months ago. So, it is really important for countries in the region to implement at a minimum the announced fiscal consolidation plan and to do this within credible medium‑term frameworks. Many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean region have fiscal rules. So to implement these rules, to spend efficiently, to think about the types of fiscal reforms that are needed, whether it is revenue mobilization in countries where revenue‑to‑GDP ratios are low, whether it is spending prioritization or reprioritization, to create the room that is needed for priority investments and social spending and infrastructure and such.

    The Moderator: Thank you. One last question.

    QUESTION: I am from Thailand. I want to ask about the overall trend of the public debt, especially for the ASEAN 5. It would be great if you could mention specifically on Thailand.

    The Moderator: I think we had the Nigeria question to answer too, and we will close there. Thank you.

    Mr. Davide Furceri: Let me start with Nigeria. So, Nigeria managed to do a very difficult reform that was important to deliver fiscal savings. The authorities also scaled up transfers, technical transfers. What we think there is, what is important to act on two pillars. One is to generate additional fiscal savings. We mentioned revenue mobilization. To really scale up spending on social protection, spending on investment, in a way as was mentioned, many countries, they need to spend, and there I want to go back to Vitor’s first remarks. We encourage countries to spend very wisely. Strengthening prioritization in terms of spending, strengthening the efficiency of spending is important. Final important message we would like to give for Nigeria but also for other countries is that fiscal institutions are very important. Having a medium‑term fiscal framework, Public Financial Management are key important because on the one hand they try to help the fiscal anchor, so they set apart for the fiscal adjustment, but also reduce the fiscal uncertainty per se. So as Vitor mentioned, we want the fiscal to be a source of stability and not a source of uncertainty, and that is where fiscal institutions have an important role to play.

    The Moderator: Thank you. Very quickly, Era.

    Ms. Era Dabla‑Norris: On ASEAN, there is a huge variation in fiscal positions across the region. On average, the ASEAN region debt‑to‑GDP ratios are lower than they are in other emerging market and developing economies. That said, in Thailand, relative to the other countries in ASEAN, debt levels are slightly more elevated, over 60 percent of GDP. Our advice has been that fiscal policy should be prudent and parsimonious, given all the reasons we have discussed over the course of this morning. So, measures that are needed to smooth adjustment in light of higher tariffs should be thought of in a wise way, temporary, targeted measures in the context of tariff uncertainty, and ongoing consolidation plans implemented to bring debt down in a sustainable manner.

    The Moderator: Thank you very much

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Tatiana Mossot

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    MIL OSI Economics –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Xi addresses Leaders Meeting on Climate and the Just Transition, urging jointly advancing global climate governance

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Xi addresses Leaders Meeting on Climate and the Just Transition, urging jointly advancing global climate governance

    Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech via video link at the Leaders Meeting on Climate and the Just Transition, April 23, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, April 23 — Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech via video link at the Leaders Meeting on Climate and the Just Transition on Wednesday.

    Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (UN), Xi said as unprecedented global changes unfold at a faster pace, humanity has come to a new crossroads.

    Although some major country’s persistent pursuit of unilateralism and protectionism has seriously impacted international rules and the international order, history will, as always, move forward through twists and turns, Xi said.

    “As long as we enhance confidence, solidarity and cooperation, we will overcome the headwinds and steadily move forward global climate governance and all progressive endeavors of the world,” he said.

    Xi shared four points in this regard.

    “First, we must adhere to multilateralism,” he said, adding that all countries should firmly safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and firmly safeguard international fairness and justice.

    “It is important for all countries to champion the rule of law, honor commitments, prioritize green and low-carbon development, and jointly respond to the climate crisis through multilateral governance,” said Xi.

    Second, the international cooperation must be deepened, he said. “We should rise above estrangement and conflict with openness and inclusiveness, boost technological innovation and industrial transformation through cooperation, and facilitate the free flow of quality green technologies and products, so that they can be accessible, affordable and beneficial for all countries, especially the developing ones.”

    China will vigorously deepen South-South cooperation and continue to provide help for fellow developing countries to the best of its capability, added Xi.

    “Third, we must accelerate the just transition,” Xi said, adding that green transformation must be people-centered and pursued in a way that advances the well-being of people and climate governance in tandem, and strike a balance between multiple goals including environmental protection, economic growth, job creation, and poverty alleviation.

    “Developed countries are obliged to extend assistance and support to developing countries, help drive the global shift toward green and low-carbon development, and contribute to the common and long-term well-being of people of all countries,” said Xi.

    Fourth, results-oriented actions must be strengthened, according to Xi.

    “All parties should do their utmost to formulate and implement their program of action for nationally determined contributions (NDCs) while coordinating economic development and energy transition,” he said.

    China will announce its 2035 NDCs covering all economic sectors and all greenhouse gases before the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belem, Brazil, added Xi.

    Xi highlighted that harmony between man and nature is a defining feature of Chinese modernization, and China is a steadfast actor and major contributor in promoting global green development.

    “Since I announced China’s goals for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality five years ago, we have built the world’s largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system as well as the largest and most complete new energy industrial chain,” he said, adding that China also leads the world in the speed and scale of “greening,” contributing a quarter of the world’s newly-added area of afforestation.

    “However the world may change, China will not slow down its climate actions, will not reduce its support for international cooperation, and will not cease its efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind,” said Xi.

    China is willing to work with all parties to earnestly honor the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, do the utmost respectively and collectively, and build a clean, beautiful, and sustainable world together, he added.

    MIL OSI China News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Hickenlooper Highlights Trump Admin Chaos at Town Halls in Grand Junction, Colorado Springs, Events Across Western Slope

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
    In case you missed it, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper recently held town halls in Grand Junction and Colorado Springs, and made stops in Breckenridge, Eagle, and Glenwood Springs to discuss how the Trump administration’s policies are raising costs and harming communities across Colorado. 
    In Grand Junction, Hickenlooper hosted a town hall at Colorado Mesa University where he answered constituent concerns about Trump administration policies including tariffs and cuts to the Department of Education.
    The next day Hickenlooper stopped in Glenwood Springs to discuss drought on the Colorado River, as well as the current Trump administration’s freeze on federal funding for water conservation across the West.  
    Hickenlooper also stopped in Eagle to meet with local leaders impacted by Trump administration’s funding and workforce cuts to public lands, and in Breckenridge at the Vista Verde workforce housing complex, where he discussed food insecurity and the cost-of-living crisis in Colorado’s mountain communities. 
    Later in the week, Hickenlooper held a second town hall In Colorado Springs where he answered questions on his response to Trump administration ICE detentions and cuts to funding for medical research.
    Check out the coverage below:
    KKCO Grand Junction:  Senator Hickenlooper addresses tariffs, immigration, and federal layoffs at Grand Junction Town Hall
    “I know that there is a lot of frustration, anger, concern about what’s going on in Washington,” said Hickenlooper.
    …KKCO had the opportunity to listen to Hickenlooper’s response to key issues before the Town Hall.
    Hickenlooper was asked about Colorado Public Lands if he will fight to keep State and National Parks and Forests untouched: “I have gone up to every Republican I know and say that’s off the table. Just so you know, I will fight tooth and nail. You’ll never get anything done. And I have been assured that at least through the Senate, that’s not going to happen,” he said.
    Hickenlooper was asked about current immigration laws and Kilmar Garcia: “I think that is the single most egregious act that I’ve seen our government condone, that I can remember,” he said. “This is a level of corruption that I don’t think any American expected when they voted for Donald Trump. I can tell you that at least two or three dozen people I know who are devout supporters of President Trump are outraged.”
    CPR News: US Senator Hickenlooper talks Trump resistance during Grand Junction town hal
    U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper invoked Valley Forge at an event in Grand Junction Monday night while encouraging disaffected voters to stay engaged in politics. But he also invoked collegiality to defend his approach to navigating Trump politics.
    While Hickenlooper drew questions about some of his concessions, he spent much of the evening outlining policies and actions by the Trump administration he could not abide by. He told reporters that the wrongful deportation of a man to an El Salvadorian prison was “the single most egregious act that I’ve seen our government condone,” and that feared cuts to Medicaid were “unfathomable.
    Daily Sentinel Editorial: Hickenlooper shows up — that’s enough for now
    Monday’s town hall reflected Hickenlooper’s even-keeled personality. The advice he imparted to those concerned with the direction of the country mirrored his own political posture: Stay engaged, show kindness and work to find real solutions to the nation’s problems.
    “In a funny way, we’re at war,” he added. “You’ve got to be pragmatic as well as ruthless.
    Hickenlooper provided examples of Trump administration controversies he can’t tolerate — including the “tariff tax” putting a “chokehold” on economic growth and the wrongful deportation of a man lawfully in the United States to an El Salvadoran prison.
    Calling the latter “the single most egregious act that I’ve seen our government condone,” Hickenlooper told reporters that if the administration defies court orders, “then we really have to go to the streets.”
    WATCH: NBC Grand Junction: Hickenlooper hosts Grand Junction town hall
    Grand Junction Daily Sentinel: Sen. Hickenlooper hosts town hall in Grand Junction
    Colorado Sun: John Hickenlooper’s Western Slope tour reveals growing frustration over Trump’s public lands policy
    Colorado U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper is hearing a lot of frustration and anger as he tours the state this week. He’s telling people to organize and gather stories that reflect how public lands are suffering under drastic cuts at land agencies.
    “It’s going to be a battle. It’s going to be a war. And the only real leverage that we have … in a constitutional democracy is to have people rise up,” he said, standing on the banks of the Eagle River on Tuesday at a small gathering of local officials worried about their forests.
    Vail Daily: Colorado’s John Hickenlooper says ‘some things just shouldn’t be for sale’ as he stumps for public lands on Western Slope
    Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper didn’t mince words Tuesday on the threat to public lands in the West during a tour of the Western Slope that included stops in Breckenridge, Eagle and Glenwood Springs. 
    “There are a lot of people out there that have never been to the West,” Hickenlooper said during a stop at the Eagle River Park. “They don’t give a crap. They think government’s too big and they’re just going to cut. Elections have consequences. The way to fight back on that is to bring them lessons from the West in graphic detail. Information is power.”
    Colorado Newsline: Hickenlooper calls on Supreme Court to hold Trump officials in contempt
    U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper on Tuesday urged the U.S. Supreme Court to start holding Trump administration officials in contempt of court and “lock them up” if they refuse to comply with the court’s unanimous order to “facilitate” the return of a Maryland man wrongly deported to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador.
    “The Supreme Court’s got to step up and say, ‘All right, we’re going to start holding people in contempt of court.’ They have the ability to sanction,” Hickenlooper said in an interview with Colorado Newsline. “They can take the people, the officials who deny any culpability or any responsibility, they can bring them in and force them to testify, to come to the court. And if they don’t come, they’re in contempt, and then you lock them up.”
    Summit Daily: ‘I don’t see the demand decreasing’: Summit officials get candid with Sen. Hickenlooper about workforce’s struggles with affordability
    U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper hit stops in Colorado’s High Country on Tuesday, April 15, for what he said was an effort to collect stories from his constituents to help refine his understanding of the area he represents.
    His Breckenridge stop was paired with a tour of an upcoming nonprofit hub, and the story he got from local officials lifted the veil covering the historic mountain town with an affluent appearance to show the local workforce’s struggles with affordability.
    Hickenlooper said the United States is currently in a place where even those living in areas with a low cost of living are having to work multiple jobs to stay afloat.
    “Society has gotten wealthier and wealthier, again, the greatest wealth in the history of the world, and yet we still have to fight like crazy to keep rent within peoples’ grasp,” he said.
    Colorado Springs Gazette: Hickenlooper fields questions on Space Command, immigration, more at Colorado Springs town hall
    “I think the threat on our democracy is real,” Hickenlooper said. “This notion that we can take someone off the street, lock him up, not charge him, no hearing and send him down to a hellhole of a prison in El Salvador, and then admit that we made a mistake, but we’re not going to do anything about it.”
    The president’s tariffs, meanwhile, are going to have a negative impact on the local economy, Hickenlooper said.
    “The tariffs are going to slow down everything, and the fact that he’s going to have these gigantic reciprocal tariffs, and now we paused for 90 days, well, that means no large company can make an investment, right?”
    WATCH: NBC Colorado Springs: Sen. Hickenlooper hosts town hall in Colorado Springs

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: National roadshow kicks off to get businesses exporting and grow the economy

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    National roadshow kicks off to get businesses exporting and grow the economy

    SMEs from across the UK will benefit from new government support to match them up with international buyers and markets.

    • Export Roadshows, created to get more small businesses exporting and grow the economy, kick off today in the North East 
    • Taking place across all nations and regions of the UK, events will bring together small firms, industry experts, trade bodies and government  
    • Part of the modern Industrial Strategy, the roadshow aims to channel government support to growth-driving sectors, as part of the Plan for Change 

    SMEs from across the UK will benefit from new government support to match them up with international buyers and markets, to turbocharge UK exports and grow the economy as part of the Plan for Change. 

    The ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ roadshows, kicking off today [24 April] in Blyth and taking place across all nations and regions of the UK, have been designed to directly connect international buyers with SME exporters ready to seize the opportunity to grow their businesses. Through these events, the Government is working to maximise international opportunities for UK businesses by highlighting tangible opportunities that exist in new markets.   

    Each event will be aligned to one of the eight key growth driving sectors outlined in Britain’s modern Industrial Strategy, channelling government support to sectors with the highest potential to create jobs, boost productivity and grow the economy. All of which will help deliver the Plan for Change to put more money in more working people’s pockets.   

    Highlighted sectors include clean energy, advanced manufacturing, technology, life sciences, digital and technology, and financial services.  

    Gareth Thomas, Minister for Services, Small Businesses and Exports, said: 

    Maximising the UK’s export potential is crucial to achieving our Plan for Change, by creating good jobs with high wages, raising productivity, and boosting the economy. 

    Through these roadshows, the government is focussing on supporting key growth sectors, making it quicker and easier for smaller businesses to connect with markets, grasp export opportunities and expand. 

    The focus of the first roadshow, taking place today, is exporting in the clean energy sector.  

    There will be 100 attendees at the event – made up of small businesses, trade bodies, and government representatives, as well as 30 Commercial Officers from UK embassies and consulates from around the world, and 97 buyers, all of whom will join the event virtually through pre-planned meetings. 

    The 97 buyers span 19 markets worldwide, from Argentina to Austria, Thailand, Turkey, Mexico, India, and the UAE.  

    All roadshow events will provide opportunities for delegates to meet with domestic and international Commercial Officers, who will be on hand to offer expert support and advice on specific products, markets, and export opportunities.  

    There will also be a designated advice zone for SMEs to learn about wider export support services offered by the Department for Business and Trade, as well as those provided by other public sectors partners like regional Growth Hubs, and trusted private sector providers like the Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Small Business, UKEF and MAKE UK.  

    A range of workshops and seminars on topical issues such as ‘conducting market research’ and ‘routes to market’ will take place throughout the day, led by the UK Export Academy. Several of these will feature DBT Export Champions who will speak of their own experiences in target markets.   

    Alex Marshall, Group Business Development Director at Clarke Energy, said:  

    From the Americas, Africa, Asia to Australasia, clean technologies are now established as one of the most important pillars of the global economy.  

    So as an Export Champion and a UK business developing innovative clean technology solutions across the world, this Made in the UK, Sold to the World roadshow event is an excellent place to discuss the latest international trends and export opportunities for UK businesses in the clean energy sector. 

    We know that when SMEs trade around the world, the whole economy benefits, which is why this government is so committed to supporting smaller businesses grow and export.   

    Just last month, the Department of Business and Trade relaunched the Board of Trade, to help businesses, and in particular the UK’s 5.5 million SMEs, boost their exports.  

    And later this year, we will be launching a small business strategy to raise growth and productivity across the UK’s SME population and boost the number of scale-ups.   

    UK businesses can access DBT’s wealth of export support via Great.gov.uk. This comprises an online support offer and a wider network of support including the Export Academy, UK Export Finance, the International Markets network, and one-to-one support from International Trade Advisers. 

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    Updates to this page

    Published 24 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister announces Canadian delegation to the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    The Prime Minister, Mark Carney, today announced that Their Excellencies the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, and Mr. Whit Fraser will travel to Vatican City on April 25, 2025, to attend the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis, which will take place at St. Peter’s Basilica on April 26, 2025. They will lead a Canadian delegation that will also include the Speaker of the Senate, the Honourable Raymonde Gagné.

    As Catholics in Canada and around the world mourn the late Pope Francis through tributes, memorial masses, vigils, and individual prayers, the funeral for His Holiness will be broadcast live from the heart of Rome, allowing everyone the opportunity to witness the official service.

    Quote

    “I join Canadians and Catholics around the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome – a shepherd of deep moral clarity, spiritual courage, and boundless compassion. From every corner of the globe, the prayers of the faithful go with Pope Francis as he journeys to his eternal rest. Pope Francis leaves a spiritual and ethical legacy that will shape our collective conscience for generations to come. May we honour his memory by continuing to work for a world that reflects the solidarity, justice, and sustainability that he so powerfully embodied. Requiescat in pace.”

    Quick Facts

    • His Holiness Pope Francis served as the head of the Catholic Church from March 13, 2013, until his death on April 21, 2025.
    • The first Jesuit and Latin American pope, His Holiness was born in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He chose Francis as his papal name in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi.
    • Pope Francis visited Canada in 2022. During his visit, he delivered a historic apology to Survivors of the residential school system, marking an important step on the shared path of reconciliation.
    • Pope Francis’s papacy was notable for his advocacy of the poor and marginalized, his commitment to environmental stewardship, and his efforts to foster greater inclusion within the Catholic Church.
    • The flags on all Government of Canada buildings and establishments across Canada, including the Peace Tower in Ottawa and at Canadian embassies to the Holy See and to Italy, have been half-masted until sunset on April 26, 2025.

    Related Product

    Associated Link

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    April 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: High-Ranking Tren de Aragua Member in Custody on Terrorism and International Drug Distribution Charges

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A five-count superseding indictment has been unsealed today charging a Venezuelan national and alleged high-ranking member of the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TdA).  

    Jose Enrique Martinez Flores also known as “Chuqui,” 24, is charged in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) with conspiring to provide and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization as well as conspiracy and distribution of cocaine in Colombia intended for distribution in the United States.

    “TdA is not a street gang – it is a highly structured terrorist organization that put down roots in our country during the prior administration,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s charges represent an inflection point in how this Department of Justice will prosecute and ultimately dismantle this evil organization, which has destroyed American families and poisoned our communities.”

    “For the past few years, foreign gangs like TdA have more or less been able to enter the country with impunity, coming here to distribute deadly drugs and terrorize American citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the SDTX. “That ends now. This Department of Justice is committed to uprooting this terrorist gang, dismantling its criminal operations, and either imprisoning its members or removing them from the country. SDTX is proud to lead this fight.”

    “TdA is a direct threat to our national security, to our communities, and to Americans,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI continues in our pursuit to eliminate this violent terrorist organization from our streets, and today’s announcement makes it clear that these criminals, especially the leaders of these cartels, have no place in our country.”

    “This joint Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-FBI operation — alongside partners in the United States and Colombia — is further evidence that we must continue to focus our efforts on members of TdA who continue to pump poison into our communities,” said DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz. “This is another example of DEA’s tenacity to hunt these networks down, wherever they operate, and crush their evil grip on American lives.”

    Colombian authorities arrested Flores in Colombia March 31 pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant the United States had requested. He remains in custody in Colombia pending further proceedings. 

    A federal grand jury in Houston returned the superseding indictment April 8. 

    According to the allegations, Flores is charged with one count of conspiring to provide material support to TdA in the form of personnel (including himself) and services and one count of providing material support to TdA. The indictment also alleges one count of international drug distribution conspiracy based on his involvement in the distribution of five kilograms of cocaine or more, and two substantive counts of international drug distribution.

    The Department of State designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist Feb. 20. 

    According to information presented to the court, Flores is a high-ranking TdA leader in Bogota, Colombia, and is part of the inner circle of senior TdA leadership.

    Flores also allegedly caused the delivery of approximately five kilograms or more of cocaine for international distribution, proceeds that were used to further TdA’s criminal goals. 

    If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. 

    The FBI Houston Field Office and DEA conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Colombian National Police and the Colombian Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía General de la Nación). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz of the SDTX are prosecuting the case along with Deputy Director David C. Smith from the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV). 

    JTFV was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target TdA and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include SDTX; Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Northern District of Ohio; Districts of New Jersey, Utah, Massachusetts, Nevada and Alaska; Eastern District of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Virginia; Southern District of California; and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI; DEA; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Forearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and the Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.

    This case is also a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 24, 2025
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