💪 The first massive deal of 2022

Take-Two is taking over FarmVille | Banks were big winners in 2021 | [TOGETHER WITH]( Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for January 11th in 3:09 minutes. 💰 TikTok star Dixie D’Amelio made $10 million last year, and she’s not even the platform’s top earner. But hold off on your existential crisis: if your paycheck isn’t measuring up, come along to [How To Invest In The Creator Economy]( on Tuesday, and find out how to make your millions Gen Z-style. [Get your free ticket]( Today's big stories - Take-Two Interactive announced it'll be buying mobile gaming specialist Zynga - One strategist believes gold could be the surprise of 2022, even if the market hasn’t cottoned on yet – [Read Now]( - Investors are expecting banks to report record profits for 2021 Cute ‘Em Up [Cute ‘Em Up] What’s Going On Here? Gaming giant Take-Two Interactive [announced]( on Monday that it’s buying Farmville-creator Zynga, so get ready to pop a cap in a darling tulip arrangement's ass. What Does This Mean? The pandemic’s spawned a lot of gamers over the past couple of years, but they haven’t called it quits just because lockdowns are behind them: they’ve shifted to mobile gaming instead. And Take-Two wants a piece of the virtual pie: the maker of Grand Theft Auto is buying all of Zynga’s shares for $11 billion – around 64% more than the mobile gaming specialist was worth before the deal was announced. That makes the acquisition one of the biggest-ever in the gaming industry, and will turn Take-Two into one of the world’s most prominent mobile game publishers. Take-Two is feeling confident about the move: the company reckons the deal could save it around $100 million a year and generate over $500 million in revenue. Why Should I Care? The bigger picture: Mobile’s where the money is. Take-Two’s announcement comes just a year after rival Electronic Arts pushed into mobile gaming by buying Glu Mobile for $2 billion. They might be onto something: a recent report [showed]( that revenue from mobile games made up a massive 52% of the gaming market last year. Consider too that mobile gaming revenue grew 7% last year even as revenue from consoles fell, and the sector seems like the place to be. Zooming out: Start as you mean to go on. Take-Two’s deal could be the beginning of another record-breaking year for [mergers and acquisitions]( (M&A). After all, a new survey has [shown]( that nearly two-thirds of CEOs think their companies will pursue M&A this year – up 48% from the start of 2021. That is, providing inflation doesn’t get in the way: 87% of participants also said they’re worried about rising prices, which could end up eating into their spare cash. You might also like: [How video game and esports stocks could 1UP the rest of the market.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Cute ‘Em Up&utm_campaign=daily-global-11-01-2022&utm_source=email) Analyst Take Will Gold Be The Biggest Surprise Of 2022? [Will Gold Be The Biggest Surprise Of 2022?]( [Photo of Stéphane Renevier] Stéphane Renevier, Analyst What’s Going On Here? Gold had a [rough time of it]( last year. Investors [abandoned the metal]( in their droves, partly as the US dollar strengthened and as bitcoin usurped its reputation as go-to inflation hedge. But Blackstone Private Wealth Solutions’ chief investment strategist has just named the metal one of his [“top 10 surprises of 2022”](, arguing that it has the potential to rally 20%. And he might have [a point](. For one thing, the dollar isn’t likely to stay quite so strong – not as the Fed tightens its monetary policy and other regions’ assets become more appealing. Plus, don’t count gold out in [the battle with bitcoin]( just yet. So that’s today’s Insight: [the five reasons gold could outperform in 2022](, and how to capitalize on its significant upside potential. [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY ESTATEGURU Invest in the skylines of the future The world’s property developers have big plans for Europe’s skylines. And that’s good news for you: you could make some serious cash by investing in the [property-backed loans]( used to turn those big plans into reality. [EstateGuru]( has helped over 100,000 investors make more than €36 million by doing just that, and you can [get started with just €50](. What’s more, you can do it all without lifting a finger: set your own criteria for investments, and [EstateGuru]( will automatically invest in carefully selected opportunities tailored to you. Good thing too: the [digital property marketplace]( can move fast, so automating your investments can help you make sure you never miss a moment. EstateGuru has already funded €500 million worth of loans: [get in on the next big opportunity today](. [Tap Into Real Estate]( Cash Injection [Cash Injection] What’s Going On Here? The biggest US investment banks are expected to report record yearly profits later this month, after they topped themselves up with a couple of boosters of their own. What Does This Mean? There are two main reasons investors are going into banks’ full-year updates with such high hopes. For one thing, America’s banks collect fees for every mergers and acquisition (M&A) they advise on, and 2021 was a [record year]( for dealmaking. For another, America’s banks – which prepared for the worst when the pandemic first broke out – set aside plenty of cash in case pandemic-stricken borrowers couldn’t pay off their debts. And when it became clear that their customers were back on more stable footing last year, they gradually started to release the money back into their businesses – and their bottom lines crept up as a result. Why Should I Care? For markets: Come for the deals, stay for the stability. There are no guarantees that the dealmaking boom will keep going this year, but banks are in a strong position regardless: the US Federal Reserve has promised to raise interest rates, which will allow them to earn more on the loans they offer. That’ll come as welcome news to investors: loans are a much more stable source of revenue than M&A, which tends to ebb and flow with the economic tide. Put simply, banking stocks – which already rose 35% in 2021, versus the wider market’s 27% – could be in for another good year. For you personally: Buy banks, ditch tech. A very good year if the rate-hike speculation is to be believed: Goldman Sachs said on Monday it [reckons]( the Federal Reserve could raise rates four times this year ([tweet this](). So if you’re looking to make room for bank stocks in your portfolio, here’s an idea: scale back your investments in fast-growing tech companies, whose future profits become worth less discounted back to today when rates are on the rise. You might also like: [Why rising interest rates are also a risk to your portfolio.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Cash Injection&utm_campaign=daily-global-11-01-2022&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day “Beware, for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.” – Mary Shelley (an English novelist) [Tweet this]( SPONSORED BY LIGHTYEAR This year, invest in yourself It’s true: we can’t help you stick to all your New Year’s resolutions. But if you’re looking to be better with money, we reckon [Lightyear]( could help. Here’s how: Invest without limits: [Lightyear’s multi-currency accounts]( give you access to global markets, so you can invest in some of the world’s [most exciting companies]( the easy way. Invest with confidence: There are absolutely no hidden fees to pay, and you can use Lightyear to [invest in your favorite companies]( from as little as $1. Invest with the experts: Lightyear’s app comes from the makers of TransferWise, Revolut, and Robinhood, who have filled it with [pro-level data and cutting-edge features](. Better yet, you’ll [get $10 free credit to invest]( in any stock you fancy today. [Claim Your Free Stock Today]( Your capital is at risk when you invest. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🌎 Finimize Live 🎭 Don’t get stage fright The stage is set for a year of investing ups and downs, and the audience is waiting with bated breath. Last year’s run was a rousing success, so there’s a lot to live up to this time round. The critics have their own predictions, and you’ll hear all about them at [How Will The Stock Market Perform In 2022?]( on Thursday. Come along to see if this year will be the performance of a lifetime – or a total flop. 🎉 [How To Invest In The Creator Economy](: 5pm UK time, January 11th ✅ [How Will The Stock Market Perform In 2022?](: 6pm UK time, January 13th 🇨🇳 [Three Reasons To Invest In Chinese Stocks](: 5pm UK time, January 18th 🏡 [An Alternative Way To Invest In Real Estate](: 5pm UK time, January 19th 📲 [Investing In DAOs](: 5pm UK time, January 25th ⚡️ [How To Invest In The Energy Transition](: 6pm UK time, January 26th 🎟 [How NFTs Will Transform The Future Of Events](: 5pm UK time, January 27th 🔥 [Your Guide To New Investing Opportunities](: 6pm UK time, January 28th 🚀 [Will The Future Be Tokenized?](: 6pm UK time, January 31st 💸 [How To Earn A Passive Income From Franchise Investing](: 6pm UK time, February 1st 🎯 On Our Radar - Tilda Swinton or library? [Twitter’s]( onto something. - Prepare for the next riot. You just need access to some [AI](. - The denim revival. Don’t throw out [millennial fashion]( just yet. - The perfect tech for stalkers. Thanks for this one, [Apple](. - This learner driver’s a bit fishy. [Driving tanks]( isn’t that hard after all. ❤️ Share with a friend Your Referrals: 0 Thanks for reading {NAME}. If you liked today's brief, we'd love for you to share it with a friend. If they sign up on your unique link, you’ll earn some sweet swag. Share your unique link: [ You stay classy, {NAME} 😉 We’d love to hear your thoughts. [Give feedback]( Want to advertise with us too? 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