As part of its ongoing efforts to drive diversity and inclusion (D+I), Nasdaq has joined four other technology companies – Dell, Intel, NTT DATA and Snap – in a new industry coalition, the Alliance for Global Inclusion, to develop shared D+I metrics to accelerate the adoption and measurement of inclusive business practices.

The coalition’s D+I metrics are based on a global survey that Intel launched in 2020 to determine D+I advancement at 12 major companies. The data covers not only company and global D+I practices, such as educational outreach and access to technology, but also tracking and measurement practices, including hiring bias mitigation training and detailed supplier diversity reporting, among others.

The survey data was then leveraged to form the group’s inclusion index, which offers companies a benchmark to track D+I improvements and to highlight opportunities to enhance outcomes across industries. More...

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Today’s Big Picture

The major equity indices in Asia-Pacific closed mostly higher today with China’s Shanghai Composite up 0.5% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng up 1.0%. Equity markets in Japan were closed today and South Korea’s Kospi closed 0.25 lower. By midday trading, the major European equity indices were predominantly higher and U.S. equity futures point to a strong market open later this morning. Helping lift futures are expected Fed comments that taper talk is off the table at least for now, President Biden’s speech calling for greater government investment to boost the economy, and blowout earnings from Apple (AAPL), Facebook (FB), and Qualcomm (QCOM).

With the Fed meeting now behind us, the day’s focus will be on the blizzard of quarterly earnings reports and the initial reading of March quarter GDP. Roughly 11% of the S&P 500 will report their quarterly results today, making it the busiest day of March quarter...

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” – Oprah Winfrey

Mentorship matters.

With data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor showing that about 20% of small businesses collapse within the first year, mentorship can mean the difference between startups scaling or failing.

Research supports this. A survey of tech firms in New York City between 2003-2013 found that one-third of founders who were mentored by successful entrepreneurs became leading performers in significant acquisitions, investor traction and internal scale – outperforming their peers at other New York City-based tech companies by more than three to one.

But the benefits of mentorship aren’t limited to impressive figures in a startup pitch deck. Founders also enjoy intangible benefits such as gaining valuable information and advice, improving problem-solving skills and expanding their professional network.

Today’s Investor Relations Officer is a leader required to have expertise in multiple areas – shareholder relations, strategy, finance, sustainability, communications, capital markets, ESG, and competitive intelligence. Nasdaq’s IntroToAnIRO feature highlights the IROs who perform this beyond the traditional role. In our first feature of the year, Bill Choi, Senior Vice President of Investor Relations & Strategic Finance at Zscaler, brings us along his IR journey.

Bill joined Zscaler in 2017 to prepare the company for its initial public offering and to establish its IR program. Prior to making the transition to investor relations, Bill spent over 20 years leading and building technology sector research practices at various investment banks, including Jefferies, Janney, Merrill Lynch, and PaineWebber. Bill specialized in thought-leadership research across high-growth companies in networking, hardware, infrastructure software...

When you think about how to manage your investments, there are a few things you need to keep in mind as investors have different needs based on age and individual situation. Some may rely on their investments for income. Others may simply want their savings to grow over time. Some may want or need exposure to a specific industry or sector that offers to help grow their asset base.

 Regardless of your age or circumstance, there are some rules of thumb to consider when designing your investment strategy:

Imagine an ecosystem where entrepreneurship is open and accessible to everyone.

Then picture a space founded on the belief that entrepreneurship can level the playing field by giving all entrepreneurs an equal opportunity to start and run a business – irrespective of gender, race, and so on.

Sexism, racism, and other forms of systemic inequality have long meant that conventional entrepreneurship was ill-equipped to unlock the full potential of women and people of color, who often lack access to critical resources for business growth. That is, until now. 

Enter inclusive entrepreneurship.

Since becoming Nasdaq's CEO, Adena Friedman has set her sights on what's become one of the biggest tech projects on Wall Street: a complete transition of Nasdaq's operations to the cloud. 

Friedman spent more than 11 years at Nasdaq before leaving to join the private-equity giant Carlyle Group as its CFO in 2011. She returned to Nasdaq in 2014, and spent time as president and COO before ultimately becoming CEO in 2017.

Since taking the reins, Nasdaq has announced a wave of cloud developments, outpacing most Wall Street players that, bit by bit, are themselves starting to embrace cloud technology. Brad Peterson, Nasdaq's chief information and technology officer, told the Wall Street Journal last September that all of Nasdaq's markets would move to the cloud over the next ten years. 

Nasdaq's adoption of the cloud is emblematic of a concerted effort led by Friedman to tap into what she called the "infinite scalability" of cloud technology at a February...

From unconscious biases to chronic underfunding, there are deep societal disparities that undermine the growth and potential of entrepreneurs of color. At Nasdaq, we recognize that we are uniquely positioned to help build an inclusive economy that advances growth and prosperity for all. Through our Purpose Initiative and the world-class resources and mentorship available through the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, we are providing entrepreneurs of all backgrounds with the tools they need to succeed and thrive. 

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As long as financial markets have existed, there have been attempts to manipulate them. Cryptocurrency markets are no exception and the regulations governing this new asset class are sparse, leaving them vulnerable to hacking, fraud, money laundering and other criminal activity. We explore how market manipulation is impacting cryptocurrency exchanges as well as preventative measures to stop abusive behavior before it happens. 

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You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more

Once again, the major equity indices in Asia ended the day mixed, but mostly higher, amidst robust retail sales data out of Japan. The Nikkei 225 rose 0.2%, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.4%, and China’s Shanghai Composite added 0.4% while the Shenzhen Component added 0.9%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng also closed higher on the day, up 0.5%, but South Korea’s Kospi fell 1.1%.

By mid-day trading equity indices in Europe were also mixed but mostly higher and U.S. futures were mixed. Given the volume of quarterly earnings reports before U.S. markets open, readers will want to revisit futures closer to the opening bell for a better gauge of how those markets are likely to open.

While the premarket attention will be on those earnings reports, the big event for the day comes this afternoon when the Federal Reserve concludes its latest monetary policy meeting, and Fed Chair Powell once again takes the stage with prepared comments and volleys with reporters during the Q&A...