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Why AMD Stock Surged Today


Shares of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD +13.85%) popped on Friday, following positive analyst commentary.

Image source: Getty Images.

Like its rival, AMD stands to profit from the rise of AI agents

D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria upgraded AMD’s stock to buy from neutral and lifted his price forecast to $375 per share.

Luria pointed to Intel‘s blowout earnings report released after the market close on Thursday as a reason to be bullish on AMD’s shares. The semiconductor titan’s robust sales of data center chips provided clear evidence of the growing need for high-speed central processing units (CPUs) to power AI agents.

“We view Intel’s results as a precursor for a huge step-up for AMD’s CPU franchise and believe the structural shift toward agentic AI workloads is creating unprecedented demand for server CPUs,” Luria said.

Advanced Micro Devices Stock Quote

Today’s Change

(13.85%) $42.28

Current Price

$347.61

Moreover, with demand likely to outpace supply, AMD can raise prices for its high-performance CPUs, according to Luria. That should help to boost the chip designer’s margins and earnings power.

More details are due out soon

Investors can expect to hear more about AMD’s AI-driven sales and profits from its upcoming first-quarter financial report on May 5. The company will also hold a conference call that same day beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET, during which management will likely discuss the chipmaker’s impressive AI-fueled growth prospects.

Joe Tenebruso has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices and Intel. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Best MBA Student Loans To Pay For Business School


Key Points

  • MBA students can access both Direct Federal Loans and Private loans to pay for school.
  • Starting in 2026, Direct Federal loans will have a lower limit of $20,500 annually for MBA students.
  • Private loans will be a more common option for MBA students looking to supplement their federal student loans.

The best MBA student loans are federal loans, followed by private. But student loans aren’t the only way (or best way) to pay for business school.

The truth is: getting an MBA is expensive. The Masters of Business Administration degree could be a way to bolster your business skills – but it does come at a price. And is it worth it?

According to a recent Investopedia article, the average cost of tuition alone for a 2 year MBA program is $80,000. And that’s just tuition alone.

When you factor in the other expenses like books, room and board, and more, you could start seeing the price climb to between $100,000 and $200,000. And for a full time program, the opportunity cost of lost wages could be huge.

Whether you’re looking at a part-time MBA program or a full-time MBA program, you’re likely going to need student loans as one part of your financial aid pie. Here’s what you need to know about paying for your MBA program, including the best student loan options to pay for your MBA.

Let’s break it down.

>> Skip to the Best MBA Student Loans

How To Pay For Your MBA (Order Of Operations)

There is a smart order of operations to pay for your MBA program – and it doesn’t start with student loans. Before you ever embark on an MBA program, you need to strongly consider the ROI (Return On Investment) of your MBA program.

The goal of an advanced degree, like an MBA, is to help you move your career (and salary) forward. Beyond your current job, an MBA also enables you to build a stronger network that might allow you to get a better job after graduation.

However, you need to align your MBA with your skills and job experience. An MBA loses a lot of it’s value within 1-2 years after graduation. As such, you need to combine your MBA with your skills to maximize it’s value. If you’re over-educated and under-experienced, you won’t see a great ROI. 

When it comes to calculating the ROI, it’s all about how much you’re going to spend, and how much debt you’re going to take on. Follow this list from best to worst to get an idea of how to pay for your MBA program.

  1. Employer Tuition Assistance Programs
  2. Your Own Savings
  3. Scholarships and Grants
  4. Direct PLUS Student Loans
  5. Private Student Loans

Of course, there are variations on a theme – especially when it comes to paying for an MBA. For example, your employer might cover all the costs of tuition, and you just need to pay for the remaining items. This could lead you to change your order of operations, since Direct PLUS loans might be off the table.

It’s always important to analyze what you need for your own situation.

Employer Tuition Assistance Programs

One of the awesome things about an MBA program is that many employers also different tuition assistance programs to help pay for all (or some) of the cost of getting your MBA. These programs might go under the name Tuition Reimbursement Program or Tuition Assistance Program.

For example, in my situation, my employer offered to reimburse me $5,250 per year until my MBA was paid off. This was win-win. It allowed me to get an MBA almost free, and my employer received some assurance that I would stick around – if I left, I didn’t get any of the accrued money that was owed to me.

As such, I had to take out student loans up front to pay for my MBA, but my employer reimbursed me annually until the student loans were paid off. 

There are also student loan repayment programs that some employers are starting to offer. These can be a great asset if you already have student loans.

Your Own Savings

After looking into employer assistance programs, you can potentially consider using your own savings. This is especially true for individuals who are going back to school mid-career. You might have enough in savings to make a strong dent in the cost of your MBA program.

A few rules to keep in mind when using your own savings to pay for an MBA:

  • Never use retirement plan money (i.e. don’t pull or take a loan from your 401k, IRA, etc.)
  • Ensure that you have an emergency fund of at least 6 months

If you follow those rules, it’s safe to use the other money to pay for school. This could significantly reduce or eliminate the amount of student loans you would potentially need to borrow.

Scholarships And Grants

Going back to school for an MBA, you might to even have considered scholarships and grants as something MBA candidates “do”. But there is definitely free money available to graduate students like MBA candidates, and you should take advantage.

Check out this list of MBA scholarships available.

Also, don’t dismiss grants either. There are a lot of different grants that you might qualify for if you put some time and research into it. Check out our guide on using grants to pay for college.

Direct Graduate Student Loans

If you’ve exhausted all the options to pay for your MBA, it’s time to look at Direct Grad Student Loans. Direct Grad loans are the best student loans to take out for your MBA. The reason is simple: Grad Loans allow for income-driven repayment plans, student loan forgiveness, and hardship options like deferment and forbearance.

These loans can be take out to cover the maximum cost of attendance (according to your schools’ financial aid office), minus any other financial aid received. For most MBA candidates taking out student loans, Direct Grad Loans can make up the difference of what’s needed to pay for college. 

Note: Starting in 2026, there will be new caps on Direct loans for graduate school of $20,500 per year, and $100,000 lifetime limit. Given that an MBA is a two year program, keep in mind you’ll likely face more issues with the annual limits versus the lifetime limit.

Direct Grad Loans have some of the highest interest rates for Federal loans, so it’s important to consider that when borrowing. If you have excellent credit, you might want to consider other options now or later.

Private Student Loans

Some MBA candidates cannot solely rely on Federal loans to pay for the cost of getting an MBA.

Either they exhaust Federal loan limits due to their school’s cost, they need more funds to cover living expenses while attending school, or they need more time to complete their education (which increases cost). 

Others may find more value in taking on private loans given their excellent credit and ability to repay. In this case, private student loans may be a cheaper alternative due to low interest rates and excellent borrower programs.

We recommend borrowers shop and compare their private student loan options. It’s essential to get at least 2-3 quotes from lenders and see your options first. Platforms like Credible and Splash make comparison easy, but they don’t have all the lenders available.

Here are two other great private MBA student loan options:

Earnest

Earnest has traditionally been known for student loan refinancing, but they now offer fairly flexible private student loans for business school as well.

They offer top notch rates and terms, and one of the most generous grace periods after graduation – at 9 months. They also don’t charge fees for origination, disbursement, prepayment, or late payment.

The flexible terms continue with the option to skip a payment once every 12 months. And you can even put your loans in forbearance during an unpaid parental leave.

Check our out full Earnest student loans review here.

Get a quote at Earnest here >>

Earnest Student Loans Details

Product Name

Earnest Student Loan

Min Loan Amount

$1,000

Max Loan Amount

Cost of Attendance

Variable APR

4.99% – 15.97% APR

Fixed APR

2.84% – 14.30% APR

Loan Terms

5, 7, 10, 12, or 15 Years

Promotions

None

Earnest Logo

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Sallie Mae MBA Student Loans

Sallie Mae is probably one of the most well-known lenders on this list. They are the nation’s largest private student loan lender by loan volume. As a result, they also offer some of the most competitive private MBA student loans out there.

You can take out Sallie Mae student loans starting at just $1,000 (which is one of the lowest) and can borrow up to the total cost of education². Sallie Mae has a variety of repayment plans to select from, they offer 48 months of deferment during your internship⁴, and 12-months of interest-only payments after your grace period⁵.

Read our full Sallie Mae review here.

Sallie Mae MBA Student Loans Details

Product Name

Sallie Mae MBA Student Loan

Min Loan Amount

$1,000

Max Loan Amount

Up to 100% of the school-certified expenses²

Variable APR

3.75% -13.38% APR¹

Fixed APR

2.89% – 14.99% APR¹

Loan Terms

10 to 15 Years

Promotions

None

Sallie Mae

GET A QUOTE

Ascent MBA Student Loans

Ascent Student Loans is a solid choice as a private lender – as they great graduate student loans for business school. They also offer a solid loan amount range from $2,001 – $400,000*, competitive rates, and easy repayment terms.

They offer loans starting at just $2,001* minimum, and they offer 48 month loan deferment while in school, and a grade period to postpone full principal and interest payments up to 36-months after graduation, up to 9-months after leaving the program, or otherwise dropping to less-than-half-time enrollment.

Read our full Ascent Student Loans review here.

Ascent MBA Student Loans Details

Product Name

Ascent MBA Student Loan

Min Loan Amount

$2,001

Max Loan Amount

$400,000

Variable APR

4.13% – 15.34% APR

Fixed APR

3.24% – 15.86% APR

Loan Terms

5, 7, 10, 12 15, or 20 years

Promotions

None

Best MBA Loan: Ascent Student Loans

GET A QUOTE

International MBA Student Loans

International students cannot get federal student loans and must rely on private student loans. International students make up anywhere from 18% to 20% of the MBA population in the United States.

There are two main options for international student MBA loans. Prodigy allows international students to borrow up to $220,000. They also don’t require a US cosigner, and have various repayment options. Check out Prodigy here >>

Another option is MPower. They have a lower lifetime limit of $100,000, but also may be a good choice for international business school students.

Refinancing Student Loans After Graduation

If you’re finding this article after you’ve already taken out loans for your MBA, you might consider student loan refinancing for your MBA loan.

If you have private loans or high-interest Federal Loans (like the Direct PLUS Loans mentioned above), refinancing might allow you to lower your payment or save on interest on your MBA student loans. Through refinancing, you take out a new student loan from a private lender and use it pay off your other loans. With the new student loan, you may qualify for a lower interest rate, better repayment term, or lower monthly payment.

If you have Federal student loans, refinancing will cost you the ability to apply for an income-driven repayment plan or forbearance. That’s why, for many borrowers, we don’t think you should refinance your Federal student loan for a private student loan.

However, in some cases, MBA candidates are the exception to the rule. After getting your MBA, you might have the potential to see your salary rise by a significant amount of money. For many, this means they would benefit more from getting a student loan with a low interest rate, versus keeping a Federal student loan.

For example, Direct PLUS Graduate loans currently have an interest rate of 8.048%. But you can refinance with Credible and potentially save a lot in interest!

See if Credible makes sense to refinance. You can shop loans in 2 minutes. As a bonus to College Investor readers, you’ll get up to a $1,000 gift card when you refinance with Credible. See terms. Check out Credible today.

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is that getting an MBA can be expensive, but for many, it’s worth it. The trick is to ensure that you’re figuring out how much it’s worth – almost like Step 0 of your MBA education. 

Remember, you can ensure that an MBA is valuable by paying as little as possible out of pocket. Start checking with your employer, and looking to maximize student loan tuition assistance programs. Only borrow in student loans what you absolutely have to.

Remember, what’s the end goal of your MBA degree? Don’t just go get an MBA “just ’cause'”. Have a clear path to getting a return, and be mindful of how you spend and pay for it.

Frequently Asked Questions About Student Loans For Your MBA

Which MBA student loan is best?

The best MBA student loan is going to be a federal Direct Graduate Loan. After that, it’s important that borrowers shop around for private loans and get multiple quotes.

Should students take out student loans for an MBA?

Only if necessary. The should exhaust other options first, especially programs like employer tuition reimbursement. 

What to look for in an MBA student loan?

Borrowers should look at federal student loans first. After that, they can look at private MBA student loans. For these looks, borrowers should look at the interest rate, loan term, and repayment terms to find what works best for them.

How long are MBA loans?

Federal Direct loans can be extended to 25 years of repayment. Private MBA loans range from 5 to 20 years.

Disclosures

Ascent Student Loans

*Ascent’s undergraduate and graduate student loans are funded by Bank of Lake Mills or DR Bank, each Member FDIC. Loan products may not be available in certain jurisdictions. Certain restrictions, limitations, terms and conditions may apply for Ascent’s Terms and Conditions please visit AscentFunding.com/Ts&Cs. 

Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) displayed are effective as of 4/1/2026 and reflect an Automatic Payment Discount (ACH). The ACH discount consists of 0.25% on credit-based college student loans submitted prior to 6/1/2025, a 0.5% discount for on credit-based college student loans submitted on or after 6/1/2025 and a 1.00% discount on outcomes-based loans when you enroll in automatic payments. Loans subject to individual approval, restrictions, and conditions apply. Loan features and information advertised are intended for college student loans and are subject to change at any time.

The final amount approved depends on the borrower’s credit history, verifiable cost of attendance as certified by an eligible school and is subject to credit approval and verification of application information. Lowest interest rates require full principal and interest (Immediate) payments, the shortest loan term, a cosigner, and are only available for our most creditworthy applicants and cosigners with the highest average credit scores. Actual APR offered may be higher or lower than the examples above, based on the amount of time you spend in school and any grace period you have before repayment begins. Variable rates may increase after consummation.1% Cash Back Graduation Reward subject to terms and conditions. For details on Ascent borrower benefits, visit AscentFunding.com/BorrowerBenefits. Ascent applicants and borrowers that agree to the AscentUP Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, as well as students associated with an Ascent parent loan application, have access to the AscentUP platform.

The following examples for a $10,000 loan show a 48-month in-school period plus 9 months of grace prior to a full repayment term for 60-months (variable rate), with examples of (i) Interest Only payments, (ii) $25 Minimum payments, (iii) Deferred repayment, and (iv) Immediate Repayment options.
* Interest Only Repayment: 5.68% APR, with 57 payments of $47.33 while in-school/grace, 60 payments of $191.86 during the repayment term, and a total cost of $14,210.36.
* $25 Minimum Payment: 6.34% APR, with 57 payments of $25.00 while in-school/grace, 60 payments of $230.84 during the repayment term, and a total cost of $15,275.51.
* Deferred Repayment: 6.53% APR, with no payment while in-school/grace, 60 payments of $266.69 during the repayment term, and a total cost of $15,974.38.
* Immediate Repayment: 3.68% APR, with 60 payments of $182.73, and a total cost of $10,963.90.
 The following examples for a $10,000 loan show a 48-month in-school period plus 9 months of grace prior to a full repayment term for 180-months (highest variable rate), with examples of (i) Interest Only payments, (ii) $25 Minimum payments, (iii) Deferred repayment, and (iv) Immediate Repayment options.
* Interest Only Repayment: 15.34% APR, with 57 payments of $127.75 while in-school/grace, 180 payments of $142.26 during the repayment term, and a total cost of $32,891.85.
* $25 Minimum Payment: 13.90% APR, with 57 payments of $25.00 while in-school/grace, 180 payments of $229.01 during the repayment term, and a total cost of $42,647.76.
* Deferred Repayment: 14.31% APR, with no payment while in-school/grace, 180 payments of $271.14 during the repayment term, and a total cost of $45,162.88.
* Immediate Repayment: 15.09% APR, with 180 payments of $140.56, and a total cost of $25,301.47.

Earnest

Earnest Private Student Loans are made by One American Bank, Member FDIC, or FinWise Bank, Member FDIC. One American Bank, 515 S. Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104. Finwise Bank, 756 East Winchester, Suite 100, Murray, UT 84107.

Earnest loans are serviced by Earnest Operations LLC, 300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 340, Oakland 94612. NMLS #1204917, with support from Higher Education Loan Authority of the State of Missouri (MOHELA) (NMLS# 1442770) One American Bank, FinWise Bank, and Earnest LLC and its subsidiaries, including Earnest Operations LLC, are not sponsored by agencies of the United States of America.

Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your financial profile. Fixed annual percentage rates (APR) range from 3.09% to 16.74% (2.84% – 16.49% with Auto Pay discount). Variable annual percentage rates (APR) range from 5.24% to 17.10% (4.99% – 16.85% with Auto Pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent plus a margin and will change on the 1st of each month. The rate will not increase more than once a month, but there is no limit on the amount that the rate could increase at one time. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and requires selection of our shortest term offered, full principal and interest payment while in school, and enrollment in our 0.25% Auto Pay discount from a checking or savings account. Enrolling in Auto Pay is not required as a condition for approval. Interest rates are subject to change.

© 2026 Earnest LLC. All rights reserved.

Sallie Mae

¹Rates displayed are for medical school student loans:

Lowest rates shown include the auto debit discount: Additional information regarding the auto debit discount: Advertised APRs for undergraduate students assume a $10,000 loan to a student who attends school for 4 years and has no prior Sallie Mae-serviced loans. Interest rates for variable rate loans may increase or decrease over the life of the loan based on changes to the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percent. Advertised variable rates are the starting range of rates and may vary outside of that range over the life of the loan. Interest is charged starting when funds are sent to the school. With the Fixed and Deferred Repayment Options, the interest rate is higher than with the Interest Repayment Option and Unpaid Interest is added to the loan’s Current Principal at the end of the grace/separation period. To receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate discount, the borrower or cosigner must enroll in auto debit through Sallie Mae. The discount applies only during active repayment for as long as the Current Amount Due or Designated Amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. It may be suspended during forbearance or deferment. *These rates will be effective 3/02/2026.

Terms:

Examples of typical costs for a $10,000 Smart Option Student Loan with the most common fixed rate, fixed repayment option, 6-month separation period, and two disbursements: For a borrower with no prior loans and a 4-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.28% fixed APR, 51 payments of $25.00, 119 payments of $182.67 and one payment of $121.71, for a Total Loan Cost of $23,134.44. For a borrower with $20,000 in prior loans and a 2-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.78% fixed APR, 27 payments of $25.00, 179 payments of $132.53 and one payment of $40.35 for a total loan cost of $24,438.22. Loans that are subject to a $50 minimum principal and interest payment amount may receive a loan term that is less than 10 years.

² For applications submitted directly to Sallie Mae, loan amount cannot exceed the cost of attendance less financial aid received, as certified by the school. Applications submitted to Sallie Mae through a partner website may be subjected to a lower maximum loan request amount. Miscellaneous personal expenses (such as a laptop) may be included in the cost of attendance for students enrolled at least half-time.

⁴ To apply for this deferment, customers and an official from the internship, clerkship, fellowship, or residency program must complete and submit a deferment form  to us for consideration. If approved, deferment periods are issued in up to 12-month increments. Customers can apply for and receive a maximum of four 12-month deferment periods. Interest is charged during the deferment period and Unpaid Interest may be added to the Current Principal at the end of each deferment period, which will increase the Total Loan Cost.

⁵ GRP allows interest-only payments for the initial 12-month period of repayment when the loan would normally begin requiring full principal and interest payments or during the 12-month period after GRP request is granted, whichever is later. At the time of GRP request, the loan must be current. The borrower may request GRP only during the six billing periods immediately preceding and the twelve billing periods immediately after the loan would normally begin requiring full principal and interest payments. GRP does not extend the loan term. If approved for GRP, the Current Amount Due that is required to be paid each month after the GRP ends will be higher than it otherwise would have been without GRP, and the total loan cost will increase.

Editor: Colin Graves

Reviewed by: Ashley Barnett

The post Best MBA Student Loans To Pay For Business School appeared first on The College Investor.

Netlist director Jun Cho sells $41,600 in company stock




Netlist director Jun Cho sells $41,600 in company stock

Ginnie Mae pauses delinquency rules amid FHA waterfall shift


Government mortgage-backed securities guarantor Ginnie Mae announced that it’s changing how it will be tracking delinquencies in monthly issuer reporting to account for impacts from a rule update.

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To address the uptick in a large number of older loans entering trial payment plans as a result of the Federal Housing Administration’s adjustment to a “waterfall” of procedures for delinquent borrowers, Ginnie is asking issuers to mark these mortgages with a default action code.

“Ginnie Mae will temporarily exclude loans on TPPs when calculating delinquency ratios for compliance purposes,” the government guarantor said in an All Participant Memorandum issued Friday afternoon.

The exclusion is effective for monthly reporting due April 2. Ginnie plans to provide at least 60 days notice before returning to standard delinquency reporting, and may consider changes to its threshold requirements.

FHA Commissioner Frank Cassidy had identified the post-pandemic waterfall change made in October as the driver of a short-term increase in delinquencies earlier this year. FHA mortgages are a major loan type in Ginnie securitizations.

Cassidy has been on leave with Ginnie President Joe Gormley temporarily filling both roles.

Ginnie’s Global Market Analysis report recently examined the impact of the FHA change by examining changes in delinquency rates between October 2024 through September 2025, and comparing them to what’s happened since the new waterfall started.

Delinquency rates between October 2025 and February 2026 were little changed from the previous year for 30 and 60-day arrears inching up by less than 10 basis points while those that ran three months jumped by more than a percentage point.

The waterfall change required borrowers who previously could repeatedly request partial claim relief under pandemic rules without a TPP to now go through a trial payment plan if still distressed. Borrowers now also have limits on how often they can request relief.



‘Spray and Pray’ Is the New Go-To for Job Seekers (and Employers Are to Blame)


Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Monster.

Monster’s latest Job Application Behavior Report found that 48% of job seekers say they frequently or regularly apply to many roles quickly rather than focusing on a smaller number of opportunities that closely match their skills.

But this isn’t just a numbers game driven by impatience. The job application statistics from this report reveal deeper trends shaping how people search for work and what employers might do differently.

Key Findings

  • 48% of job seekers say they apply broadly rather than selectively.
  • 76% would apply more strategically if employers provided feedback.
  • 25% say they now apply to any job that seems remotely possible.
  • 45% say applicant tracking systems (ATS) make them more likely to send out many applications.
  • More than half use Easy Apply/Quick Apply tools for at least some applications.

Why Candidates Spray and Pray

It’s easy to assume that people who apply to dozens of jobs aren’t being strategic, but the data suggests something else is at play.

Many job seekers are reacting to a lack of communication, not laziness. When employers offer little or no feedback, people often feel they need to cast a wider net just to get noticed. In fact, over half (51%) of job seekers say they’ve changed how they apply because they aren’t hearing back.

Without updates, interviews, or clear next steps, job seekers often assume silence means “no,” which pushes them to submit more applications just to stay in the game.

  • 25% now apply to any job that seems even remotely possible.
  • 26% say they apply to more jobs than they used to.

Technology Is Shaping Application Behavior

Applicant tracking systems were built to help employers sort resumes, but they’re also influencing candidate behavior.

Nearly half (45%) of job seekers say ATS technology makes them more likely to apply broadly:

  • 21% assume many resumes are screened out automatically, so they apply to more roles.
  • 22% rely on Quick Apply just to save time.
  • 14% focus on keywords instead of job fit.

When candidates believe their resume might never be seen, they often choose quantity over quality.

What Do Job Seekers Really Want?

Improved communication. According to the data, 76% of job seekers say they’d apply more selectively if employers provided feedback during the hiring process. This suggests that many people aren’t opposed to targeted applications—they just don’t feel like they have enough information to be selective.

Clearer updates, status messages, or even brief feedback could help job seekers focus on roles that truly match their skills and reduce the need to apply everywhere.

The Bottom Line

The “spray and pray” trend isn’t just a buzzword; it reflects real job seeker behavior statistics in 2026, showing how candidates respond when the hiring process feels opaque. When candidates don’t hear back, they apply to more jobs. When systems feel like black boxes, speed and quantity become survival tactics.

For job seekers, the takeaway is simple: Focus on roles that truly fit your skills and experience. And remember that tailored applications often get better results than volume alone.

Methodology

The findings in this report are based on a survey conducted by Monster using the Pollfish platform among 1,006 U.S. job seekers on March 21, 2026.

Respondents answered a series of single-selection and multiple-choice questions about their current job search strategies, application behaviors, and experiences with employer communication during the hiring process.

The sample included job seekers across a range of industries, age groups, genders, and education levels to reflect the diversity of the U.S. workforce.

DoorDash/Stablecoins, Spot Bitcoin ETFs, And DeFi’s Reputation: Web3 Thoughts Of The Week


This week’s Web3 Thoughts of the Week tackles DoorDash and stablecoins, spot Bitcoin ETFs, and DeFi’s tattered image.

DoorDash stablecoin use

“It hasn’t ever been about DoorDash adopting crypto. It’s about the fact that money is finally starting to behave like the Internet.

“Stablecoins are just a better version of dollars. They move instantly, globally, and without all the friction we’ve just gotten used to over time. When companies like DoorDash start using them, it’s less a big announcement and more a signal that the underlying system is already changing.

“Stripe and others are basically turning payments into software. Once that happens, everything gets cheaper and faster by default.

“What’s underappreciated is that stablecoin reserves don’t just sit there. They can be put to work in short-term treasuries or other low-risk strategies, which means companies can earn yield passively on what used to be idle cash. Payments stop being a pure cost center and start looking more like a balance sheet asset.

“The bigger picture is that financial infrastructure is opening up again. Historically, when that happens, the incumbents lose their grip and users get a better deal.”

Sid Sridhar, founder and CEO of BIMA Labs

“DoorDash’s move to integrate stablecoin payouts through Stripe-backed Tempo represents a notable shift in how global marketplaces handle payments. By replacing fragmented regional rails with blockchain-based settlement, DoorDash is effectively bypassing legacy banking infrastructure that has long introduced delays, fees, and currency friction.

“This development also demonstrates how stablecoins are rapidly evolving from niche crypto tools into practical financial infrastructure. For gig workers and cross-border participants, faster and more consistent payouts could materially improve liquidity and earnings visibility. More broadly, it underscores a growing trend: large-scale platforms are beginning to treat blockchain not as an experiment, but as a more efficient alternative to traditional financial systems.”

Joshua Kim, CEO and founder of DonaFi

“DoorDash moving to integrate stablecoin payouts feels like a practical inflection point around real infrastructure replacing inefficient payment rails. For the broader market, this kind of adoption validates stablecoins as a utility layer, not just a trading instrument. When platforms at this scale normalize blockchain-based payouts, it quietly accelerates mainstream adoption without needing a major narrative shift.”

Nathaniel Szerezla, chief growth officer of Naoris Protocol

Spot Bitcoin ETFs

“For us, the headline is not that last week’s inflows were big, it’s what they happened against. Close to $1B into spot BTC ETFs in a week where the US seized an Iranian vessel, oil ripped 6%, and the ceasefire is set to expire Wednesday.
“In prior cycles those events would put BTC down 10-15%; instead it held $75K and closed the week higher. Two things explain why institutions kept buying through that tape.

“The tail bounds are now known. After eight weeks of ceasefire declarations, violations, and naval blockades, the extremes are legible rather than unbounded. Allocators can size against a known distribution, which is different from optimism and more durable, and it has freed up allocation back into risk assets.

“The calendar sets up favorably. Midterm year, fiscal still warm, the Fed under visible pressure on its inflation framework. Risk assets are positioned for performance into year-end, and bitcoin as a reserve-adjacent trade fits cleanly into that setup. 

“We, alike most, are monitoring what happens Wednesday as the ceasefire was slated to expire.”

Jonathan Yark, head of Quant Trading at Acheron Trading

DeFi is running out of time to fix its image

“After a cluster of hacks and $9 billion of outflows, DeFi is facing another existential crisis. But this time, it’s competing directly with major institutions entering this space and it has little to offer in return for the risk. With rates available on stablecoins barely above 5%, there are other ways for investors to eke out such returns without the risk of losing all of their funds.

“The problem is that operators in the DeFi space are still acting as if this is a tech experiment, but it’s not. The technology works and offers genuine benefits. What’s still broken is the security culture.

“Bridges have been notorious for hacks for years, yet they’re still being used as an exploit vector. At this point, it’s less about innovation and more about failure to prioritize basic safeguards.

“Any serious institution looking at DeFi right now sees an amateur operation. This is a major problem for an industry that wants to be taken seriously. The window to fix DeFi’s image is closing quickly, and taking security seriously is where it starts. We’re no longer in testnet, and the traditional financial world doesn’t have the patience for incompetence.”

Nic Puckrin, macro analyst and co-founder of Coin Bureau

National Institute of Standards and Technology and post-quantum security

“The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s draft SP 800-230 indicates that the world of post-quantum security will be dynamic well into the future. It makes clear that the future of cryptography isn’t about selecting a single ‘quantum-safe’ algorithm, but about applying different levels of security based on risk, context, and time horizon.

“More specifically, the NIST SP 800-230 draft proposes six new variants to the FIPS-205 (SPHINCS+) post-quantum algorithm standard; this adds to the 15 variants already standardized as DILITHIUM and SPHINCS+, making a total of 18 algo variants.

“If you add the current FALCON digital signature PQC algo they are reviewing, by next year, we may be looking at 20 digital signature variants in about 24 months’ time. And, that’s just the US PQC standards. 

“Much of the blockchain industry is still approaching the post quantum transition as a one-time upgrade. But quantum security isn’t a one-and-done fix—it’s a logistical challenge that requires flexibility at the transaction level, rather than rigidity at the protocol layer.

“At BOLTS Technologies, we built QFlex as a cryptographic logistics layer—an architecture designed to bring NIST’s multi-level framework into blockchain environments without requiring protocol-level changes. With QFlex, control over security is placed in the hands of asset holders, allowing them to select the level of security appropriate for each transaction.

“A low-risk transfer can use lightweight cryptography, while a high-value institutional settlement can invoke stronger post-quantum protections. In our model, security aligns with risk in real time. Importantly, this approach allows security to evolve independently of the underlying blockchain infrastructure—without relying on coordinated network upgrades.”

Yoon Auh, founder of BOLTS Technologies

 



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Data centers are finding a surprising way to deploy batteries



The scramble to find enough power for artificial intelligence has data center operators looking for any solution. An unexpected one taking root pairs batteries — long seen as a key to adding more renewables — with fossil fuels. 

BloombergNEF has tracked 4.9 gigawatts of energy storage announcements that are co-located with on-site fossil fuel generation at data centers. That’s about 32% of announced global on-site data center battery capacity. The sites include some of the largest AI data center complexes under development, such as Elon Musk’s Colossus supercomputer in Memphis, Tennessee, and the combo has become so popular that companies such as Caterpillar Inc. and GE Vernova Inc. have announced products or partnerships pairing energy storage with gas generation. 

Batteries are a linchpin for unlocking solar and wind energy’s full potential by soaking up excess green energy and then discharging it when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining. However, the steep drop in battery costs is now allowing energy-storage technology to be deployed in conjunction with natural gas to provide more reliable power for data centers. 

While gas can provide round-the-clock power, not all plants work 24/7. For many behind-the-meter facilities, data centers are choosing gas turbines that run for shorter periods and don’t ramp up quickly enough to meet computing needs. That has hyperscalers turning to batteries, which can rapidly discharge power, to fill these gaps. The batteries also help prevent damage to gas turbines that aren’t designed to be used for frequent  ramping cycles. 

“I assumed batteries would be a tool for decarbonization,” said Michael Thomas, founder of clean energy research firm Cleanview who has also been tracking the rise of energy storage paired with gas. “What we are learning in this new AI era is that they can also be used as a tool for fossil fuel power because their technological advantages make it possible to build and operate an off-grid power plant.”

While data centers now face an average of four years to get power from the grid, they are turning to gas generators paired with energy storage as a bridge source of energy, said Allison Weis, Wood Mackenzie’s global head of energy storage. As long interconnection queues delay requests for utility-connected power, data center developers are finding it faster to bring their own generation. 

Data centers also have sharp demand spikes driven by computing-intensive tasks, such as training models. Batteries paired with gas can help provide power rapidly enough to ensure smooth operations. Energy storage is projected to support 9.8 gigawatt-hours of gas generation at data centers through 2030, according to BNEF.

Some of the largest US data center projects are deploying batteries alongside gas generators.  At xAI’s Colossus facility, rows of Tesla Inc. Megapacks are being installed next to gas turbines as part of a 1.2 gigawatt off-grid power plant that will supply the massive data center. In West Texas, Pacifico Energy’s GW Ranch off-grid data center will have 1.8 gigawatts of battery storage installed next to 7.65 gigawatts of gas-fired power generation. 

Williams Cos., a natural gas pipeline operator, plans to install Tesla batteries along with natural gas-fueled power plants its building for several data center projects. “Batteries really help support the turbines and give us the 99.999% reliability,” said Executive Vice President Rob Wingo at the S&P Global Power Markets Conference in Las Vegas last week. 

Using natural gas will add more planet-warming emissions into the atmosphere while also contributing to local air pollution. The West Texas project recently received the largest air pollution permit ever granted in the US, while Musk’s Memphis project has faced multiple lawsuits arguing the gas turbines are worsening air quality in historically Black communities.

Pacifico Energy and xAI didn’t respond to requests for comment on the environmental impact of their projects. A Williams spokesperson touted the use of “modern, high‑efficiency natural‑gas turbines with advanced emissions controls and continuous monitoring” at its off-grid sites. “Pairing gas generation with batteries improves how those generators operate — smoothing load swings and reducing start‑ups and ramping, which are the most emissions‑intensive conditions,” the spokesperson wrote.

Utilities are also building more energy storage facilities on the grid next to power plants “to help maximize the megawatts” and support data center load growth, said Noah Roberts, executive director of the US Energy Storage Coalition. Large batteries help utilities make the most of power that would otherwise be wasted and also help meet power demand while also lowering costs, he said. 

Roberts pointed to the example of NIPSCO Generation, a utility in northern Indiana that is building two 1.3 gigawatt gas-fired power plants and an energy storage system with 400 megawatts of capacity to serve planned Amazon data centers. 

And in Michigan, utility DTE Electric Co. has plans to build six energy storage systems to complement a 1.4 gigawatt data center for Oracle Corp. Doing so will help the utility boost the capacity of all generating resources by 25%, he said. Roberts called that project “a great example of where energy storage is completely agnostic to the type of energy that is providing electrons to the grid.”  

Michigan regulators recently approved that project despite a challenge from the state’s attorney general over customer cost concerns.

Fluence Energy Inc., a global energy storage provider, is in talks with large natural gas companies to supply batteries that can help get data centers up and running before turbines arrive, said Chief Growth Officer Jeff Monday.

“We are seeing massive demand coming out of the hyperscalers and data center operators,” Monday said, noting that projects pairing batteries with gas generation are part of the fastest-growing part of the company’s energy storage pipeline.

Coupling batteries with natural gas also promises to extend the life and usefulness of fossil fuel plants. That is setting batteries up for a dual role as an enabler to putting more green energy on the grid and delaying the phase-out of fossil fuels.

“There is nothing about batteries that are inherently clean,” said Thomas. “Batteries are just a technology.”

From 75,000 AI tracks hitting Deezer daily to UMG’s copyright lawsuit against Quince… it’s MBW’s weekly round-up


Welcome to Music Business Worldwide’s Weekly Round-up – where we make sure you caught the five biggest stories to hit our headlines over the past seven days. MBW’s Round-up is exclusively supported by BMI, a global leader in performing rights management, dedicated to supporting songwriters, composers and publishers and championing the value of music.


This week, Deezer revealed that 75,000 AI-generated tracks are now flooding the platform every day – representing 44% of all new music uploaded to the streamer daily.

Meanwhile, MBW examined a pair of UMG-linked patent filings that lay out a blueprint for AI-powered copyright enforcement – including a bot that could send its own cease-and-desist letters.

Elsewhere, a Chord Music Partners-linked ABS vehicle is planning a $500 million deal, backed by an $830 million catalog featuring rights from Suicideboys, Morgan Wallen, and Ryan Tedder.

Also this week, Universal Music Group and Concord Music Group sued $10 billion-valued fashion startup Quince over alleged “rampant and brazen” copyright infringement in TikTok posts featuring music from Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, and more.

Plus, UK-based Bella Figura Music acquired the publishing catalog of Grammy and Academy Award-winning producer Paul Epworth, including his work with Adele, Florence + The Machine, and more.

Here are some of the biggest headlines from the past few days…


1. 75,000 AI-GENERATED TRACKS NOW FLOOD DEEZER DAILY, REPRESENTING 44% OF ALL NEW MUSIC UPLOADED TO THE PLATFORM, SAYS STREAMER

The volume of fully AI-generated music being uploaded to Deezer has surged again – with the Paris-headquartered streaming service now receiving nearly 75,000 synthetic tracks every day.

That’s more than 2 million AI-generated tracks hitting the platform each month, according to the company, and it means AI-made music now accounts for 44% of all new tracks delivered to Deezer daily.

The new figures, revealed by Deezer on Monday (April 20), mark a sharp escalation from the 60,000 tracks per day the company reported in January, when synthetic content represented 39% of daily deliveries.

It also marks a significant jump from the 50,000 AI tracks Deezer was receiving per day in November, 30,000 in September, and just 10,000 when it launched its patent-pending AI detection tool in January 2025… (MBW)


2. HOW WILL THE MAJOR LABELS OVERCOME THE COPYRIGHT THREAT FROM AI MUSIC? BY TURNING TO THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON AVAILABLE: AI ITSELF.

Allow us to make a prediction.

In five years, the major music companies will not only be scouring the web for AI infringement, they will also be issuing legal letters directly to the perpetrators…

Sound far-fetched? It isn’t. It’s sitting inside a pair of patent applications published by the US Patent and Trademark Office on February 12, 2026.

MBW unearthed the filings while researching our recent story on the patent portfolio being built by Music IP Holdings, the entity formed last year through Universal Music Group‘s partnership with IP asset management firm Liquidax Capital… (MBW)


3. CHORD MUSIC-LINKED ABS VEHICLE PLANS $500M DEAL, BACKED BY $830M CATALOG LED BY SUICIDEBOYS, MORGAN WALLEN, AND RYAN TEDDER RIGHTS

A new issuing vehicle linked to Universal Music Group-backed investment platform Chord Music Partners is set to raise $500 million in debt through an Asset-Backed Securitization (ABS) transaction.

That’s according to a pre-sale report published by Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA) on April 16, which assigns a preliminary A (sf) rating to the $500 million Series 2026-1 Notes to be issued by Canon Music Issuer Trust.

Canon is a newly established vehicle that sits beneath the broader Chord platform, with its collateral pool representing a specific portion of Chord’s assets.

The notes are collateralized by royalties from a catalog of more than 3,750 works from artists and songwriters, including Suicideboys, Morgan Wallen, Ryan Tedder, Diplo, and Twenty One Pilots… (MBW)


4. UMG SUES $10B-VALUED FASHION BRAND QUINCE FOR ‘RAMPANT AND BRAZEN INFRINGEMENT’ IN TIKTOK POSTS

Universal Music Group and Concord Music Group have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Quince, the direct-to-consumer fashion startup that, according to the complaint, has “found its success by eliminating ‘middlemen’ usually used by traditional retailers.”

Starting in fashion, the company has since expanded into luggage, bedding, and other product categories. From its inception, “social media has been Quince’s key advertising and promotional tool,” the complaint states, noting that the company’s growth has been attributed specifically to its presence on platforms including TikTok and Instagram. Quince’s Instagram account alone has 1 million followers.

The company raised a $500 million Series E in March at a $10.1 billion valuation — more than double the $4.5 billion valuation it achieved in its Series D less than a year earlier… (MBW)


5. BELLA FIGURA MUSIC ACQUIRES PAUL EPWORTH PUBLISHING CATALOG, INCLUDING WORK WITH ADELE, FLORENCE + THE MACHINE AND MORE

UK-based music rights company Bella Figura Music has acquired the publishing catalog of Grammy, Academy Award, and Golden Globe-winning producer and songwriter Paul Epworth.

Founded by former BMG UK President Alexi Cory-Smith in 2022, Bella Figura Music says it has more than $200 million in music rights under ownership and management.

The company’s latest acquisition covers Epworth’s publishing catalog and producer income, including some of his co-writes and productions on Adele‘s 21 album, such as Rolling in the Deep, and the Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning Skyfall, which he co-wrote with Adele.

The deal also covers Epworth’s work with Florence + The Machine across Lungs and Ceremonials, and collaborations with Rihanna, Arlo Parks, Glass Animals, Paul McCartney, and many more… (MBW)


Partner message: MBW’s Weekly Round-up is supported by BMI, the global leader in performing rights management, dedicated to supporting songwriters, composers and publishers and championing the value of music. Find out more about BMI hereMusic Business Worldwide

Geopolitical Risk and Portfolio Oversight


We used LCTD for this illustration because it offers:

  • A diversified, developed market equity portfolio
  • Sector weights broadly similar to global ex US benchmarks
  • A modest tilt towards lower carbon and transition ready companies

The five largest weights are HSBC at 1.9% (Banks), AML at 1.7% (Semiconductors), AstraZeneca at 1.7% (Pharma), Iberdrola at 1.4% (Utilities) and Allianz at 1.3% (Insurance). All issuer-level references that follow use these real names and weights, drawn directly from the public holdings file.

Industry Breakdown and Vulnerability

Each security is mapped to one of 12 Fed industries (e.g., machinery, computers, depository institutions). For each industry we compute:

  • Portfolio weight (%)
  • Estimated GPR beta (sensitivity to the GPR factor)
  • Impact score for the June 23 spike, translated into basis points of expected effect on the portfolio’s return for that event

Based on the sign of the impact score and economic reasoning, industries are classified as:

  • Vulnerable (expected to be hurt by the shock), or
  • Resilient (expected to benefit or provide ballast).

For the June 23 spike and the LCTD portfolio, the overlay estimates:

  • Total negative impact: ≈ 33.8 bps
  • Total positive impact: ≈ +15.3 bps
  • Net GPR impact: ≈ 18.4 bps

In other words, conditional on a shock of this severity, the portfolio is tilted modestly toward GPR-sensitive industries, with an expected drag of roughly 18 basis points compared with a GPR-neutral configuration.

The vulnerability composition is summarized as:

  • 39% of portfolio weight in vulnerable industries
  • 61% in non-vulnerable or resilient industries
  • five of 12 industries classified as vulnerable by the model

Exhibit 3: Industry-Level GPR Impact for the June 23, 2025, Spike