Core Insights - The Canadian Secure Token Governance Authority (CST-GA) has renewed its partnership with TransUnion to enhance the STIR/SHAKEN call authentication ecosystem for Canadian telecommunications service providers [1][3] - TransUnion will continue to serve as the Secure Telephone Identity Policy Administrator (STI-PA) and provide necessary digital certificates for call authentication [2] Group 1: Partnership and Agreement - The renewed agreement aims to support Canadian telecommunications service providers in participating in the STIR/SHAKEN ecosystem [1] - TransUnion has expanded its support to include additional participants in the STIR/SHAKEN call authentication as per a CRTC decision [2] Group 2: Industry Impact - The partnership is expected to help restore trust in phone calls, especially in light of increasing AI phone fraud [3] - Research indicates that 77% of Canadians value phone communication for urgent matters, yet 72% have ignored legitimate calls due to safety concerns [3] Group 3: Organizational Background - CST-GA is responsible for overseeing the STIR/SHAKEN Policy Administrator and Certification Authorities in Canada, focusing on mitigating spoofing and illegal robocalling [4] - TransUnion operates globally, providing insights and information services, and is recognized as a leading credit bureau in Canada [5]

Core Insights - Fraud is causing significant financial losses for businesses globally, with an average loss of 7.7% of annual revenue, equating to approximately $534 billion across surveyed companies [1][2] - In the U.S., the average revenue loss due to fraud is reported at 9.8%, a 46% increase from the previous year, amounting to an estimated $114 billion among surveyed leaders [2] Fraud Types and Impact - The predominant types of fraud causing business losses globally include scam/authorized fraud (24%), synthetic identity fraud (20%), and account takeover (20%) [3][4] - In the U.S., account takeover fraud is the most damaging, responsible for 31% of reported fraud losses, followed by synthetic identity fraud at 24% and scam/authorized fraud at 23% [4] Trends in Fraud - Account takeover fraud has seen a significant increase, with a 21% rise in volume from H1 2024 to H1 2025 and a staggering 141% increase from H1 2021 to H1 2025 [5] - The sophistication of fraud tactics is evolving, necessitating businesses to adopt proactive security measures rather than solely reactive defenses [6] Consumer Awareness and Exposure - Globally, 48% of consumers reported being targeted by various fraud schemes, with a concerning 52% unaware of such attempts [7] - In the U.S., 51% of consumers reported being targeted, with phishing and smishing being the most common types of fraud [8] Regional Insights - Countries like India, South Africa, and Guatemala reported the highest percentages of respondents falling victim to fraud in H1 2025, with specific fraud schemes varying by region [10]

Core Insights - TransUnion's study indicates that Canadian businesses lost an estimated CAD$111 billion to fraud in the past year, representing 7.2% of their revenues, a significant increase from CAD$78 billion in 2024 [3][6] - Synthetic identity fraud has risen to 26% of total fraud losses, up from 18% in 2024, marking the largest year-over-year increase among fraud types in Canada [7][6] - Despite an overall decline in suspected digital fraud rates, online communities and gambling transactions have seen significant increases in fraud attempts, with online communities experiencing a 68% year-over-year increase [8][9] Fraud Losses and Trends - Scams and authorized fraud account for 29% of reported losses among Canadian businesses, while synthetic identity fraud is becoming increasingly prevalent [5][6] - The rate of suspected digital fraud attempts in Canada decreased from 5.4% in H1 2024 to 4.2% in H1 2025, although this rate remains higher than the global average [3][6] - Online communities had the highest suspected digital fraud attempt rate at 11.4%, followed closely by gambling at 10.9% [10][8] Business Leaders' Concerns - 48% of Canadian business leaders reported that their customers were victims of fraudsters spoofing their business' phone number or name, while 60% cited fake emails impersonating their brand [3][6] - There is a significant concern regarding spoofing scams, indicating a need for enhanced security measures [3][4] Fraud Mitigation Strategies - Canadian businesses are focusing on various technologies to combat fraud, including identity verification (53%), device reputation (46%), and behavioral biometrics (42%) [11][8] - The study emphasizes the importance of a collaborative approach and advanced tools to stay ahead of evolving fraud tactics [8][4] Consumer Awareness and Actions - A separate survey found that 46% of Canadians were targeted by fraud attempts, yet only 6% reported falling victim, indicating high awareness [12][13] - Despite this awareness, 37% of Canadians took no action in the last 60 days due to cybersecurity concerns, with many unsure of what steps to take [12][13]

Group 1: Berkshire Hathaway Acquisition - Berkshire Hathaway confirmed a nearly $10 billion acquisition of Occidental Petroleum's petrochemical division, marking its largest deal since 2022 [2] - Following the announcement, shares of Occidental Petroleum fell by 7.3%, while Berkshire Hathaway shares experienced fractional losses [2] Group 2: Fair Isaac and Credit Bureaus - Fair Isaac (FICO) shares surged by 18% after announcing it would provide consumer credit scores directly to firms selling consolidated credit reports to mortgage providers, reducing reliance on major credit bureaus [3][7] - Shares of competing credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion, dropped significantly, with Equifax down 8.5% and TransUnion nearly 11% [3] Group 3: Cryptocurrency Market - Major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, saw a revival, contributing to a 7.5% increase in shares of Coinbase Global, the largest U.S. crypto exchange [4] - Robinhood Markets, which also offers crypto trading, saw its shares rise by 4.1% as the CEO predicted significant impacts from the tokenization of real-world assets [4] Group 4: Intel and AMD - Intel shares gained 3.8% amid reports that Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is in early talks to become a customer of Intel's foundry business [5] - Intel's stock has doubled in value since reaching its year-to-date low in April, driven by investments from Nvidia, SoftBank, and the U.S. government [5] Group 5: AES Corp and Market Reactions - Shares of AES Corp, a renewable energy provider, fell by 7% after reports of advanced negotiations for a potential acquisition by Global Infrastructure Partners, owned by BlackRock [8]

Core Insights - Fair Isaac (FICO) announced a new program that allows it to provide credit scores directly to mortgage lenders, bypassing traditional credit bureaus [3][4] - This move is expected to significantly reduce costs for lenders, potentially saving them up to 50% on FICO score fees [3][4] - The announcement led to a decline in shares of major credit bureaus Equifax and TransUnion, which fell by 9% and 12% respectively, while Fair Isaac's shares rose by about 20% [2][4] Company Impact - Fair Isaac's new FICO Direct Mortgage License Program enables tri-merge resellers to access and distribute FICO scores directly, eliminating reliance on Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian [3][7] - The change is described as a "turning point" in the mortgage industry regarding how credit scores are delivered and priced [3] Industry Implications - The decision to bypass major credit bureaus could reshape the mortgage scoring landscape, threatening a critical revenue stream for these bureaus [4] - The move reflects a significant shift in the competitive dynamics of the credit scoring industry, as lenders may prefer direct access to scores to reduce costs [4]

Core Insights - Fair Isaac (FICO) announced a new program that allows it to provide credit scores directly to mortgage lenders, bypassing traditional credit bureaus, which could significantly alter the mortgage industry landscape [2][3][4] Group 1: Fair Isaac's New Program - Fair Isaac's FICO Direct Mortgage License Program enables tri-merge resellers to access and distribute FICO scores directly to customers, reducing reliance on major credit bureaus [3] - The program is expected to save lenders up to 50% on per score FICO fees, marking a significant shift in how credit scores are delivered and priced in the mortgage sector [3][4] Group 2: Market Reactions - Following the announcement, shares of Equifax (EFX) and TransUnion (TRU) fell by 9% and 12% respectively, reflecting concerns over the potential loss of revenue from mortgage scoring [2][4] - In contrast, Fair Isaac's shares surged by approximately 20%, indicating strong market confidence in the new strategy [2][5] Group 3: Industry Implications - The move by Fair Isaac threatens a critical revenue stream for the major credit bureaus, as lenders may opt to bypass them entirely for credit scoring [4] - The third major credit score provider, Experian, also experienced a decline in share value in London, although it does not trade in the U.S. [4]

Market Overview - U.S. stock futures showed mixed results, with Dow futures declining approximately 0.1% [1] Company-Specific Movements - Fidus Investment Corp (NASDAQ:FDUS) experienced a significant drop of 2.6%, trading at $19.80 in pre-market after announcing a $100 million public offering of 6.750% notes due 2030 [1] - Bolt Biotherapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:BOLT) shares fell sharply by 13.4% to $4.90 following an update on BDC-4182 and an extension of its cash runway into 2027 [3] - Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) saw a decline of 10.9%, trading at $226.00, after Seaport Global initiated coverage with a Neutral rating [3] - TransUnion (NYSE:TRU) shares dropped 8.8% to $75.00, also receiving a Neutral rating from Seaport Global [3] - Lithium Americas Corp (NYSE:LAC) fell 5% to $6.69 after a previous increase of 23% on Wednesday [3] - Erasca Inc (NASDAQ:ERAS) shares decreased by 3.2% to $2.14 in pre-market trading [3] - Petco Health and Wellness Company Inc (NASDAQ:WOOF) declined 3.1% to $3.79 [3] - Rocket Companies Inc (NYSE:RKT) slipped 3.1% to $18.99, with Western Union set to replace Mr. Cooper Group Inc. in the S&P SmallCap 600 effective prior to trading on October 6 [3]

Market Overview - U.S. stock futures showed mixed results, with Dow futures declining approximately 0.1% on Thursday [1] Company-Specific Movements - Fidus Investment Corp (NASDAQ:FDUS) experienced a significant drop of 2.6%, trading at $19.80 in pre-market after announcing a $100 million public offering of 6.750% notes due 2030 [1] - Bolt Biotherapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:BOLT) shares plummeted 13.4% to $4.90 following an update on BDC-4182 and an extension of its cash runway into 2027 [3] - Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) fell 10.9% to $226.00 after Seaport Global analyst John Mazzoni initiated coverage with a Neutral rating [3] - TransUnion (NYSE:TRU) saw a decline of 8.8%, trading at $75.00, also receiving a Neutral rating from Seaport Global [3] - Lithium Americas Corp (NYSE:LAC) dropped 5% to $6.69 after a notable increase of 23% on the previous day [3] - Erasca Inc (NASDAQ:ERAS) fell 3.2% to $2.14 in pre-market trading [3] - Petco Health and Wellness Company Inc (NASDAQ:WOOF) decreased by 3.1%, trading at $3.79 [3] - Rocket Companies Inc (NYSE:RKT) slipped 3.1% to $18.99, with the announcement that Western Union will replace Mr. Cooper Group Inc. in the S&P SmallCap 600 effective prior to the opening of trading on October 6 [3]

Core Viewpoint - Premarket trading is showing notable activity with significant price movements indicating potential investment opportunities before the market opens [1] Premarket Gainers - Concorde International Group Ltd. (CIGL) increased by 53% to $3.94 [3] - Fermi Inc. Common Stock (FRMI) rose by 13% to $36.99 [3] - Kodiak AI, Inc. (KDK) also saw a 13% increase, reaching $6.76 [3] - AngioDynamics, Inc. (ANGO) gained 12%, trading at $12.45 [3] - Angel Studios, Inc. (ANGX) was up 11% at $8.51 [3] - Spruce Biosciences, Inc. (SPRB) increased by 9% to $9.75 [3] - K Wave Media Ltd. (KWM) rose by 9% to $2.66 [3] - Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. (SHLS) saw an 8% increase, trading at $8.59 [3] - StableX Technologies, Inc. (SBLX) was up 7% at $5.65 [3] Premarket Losers - Uni-Fuels Holdings Limited (UFG) decreased by 51% to $2.42 [4] - Akanda Corp. (AKAN) fell by 13% to $2.91 [4] - Equifax Inc. (EFX) dropped 11%, trading at $224.57 [4] - TransUnion (TRU) also saw an 11% decline, reaching $73.24 [4] - Bolt Biotherapeutics, Inc. (BOLT) decreased by 11% to $4.99 [4] - Dogwood Therapeutics, Inc. (DWTX) fell by 8% to $6.50 [4] - Galaxy Payroll Group Limited (GLXG) decreased by 8% to $4.52 [4] - Old Market Capital Corporation (OMCC) dropped 7% to $5.08 [4] - Entero Therapeutics, Inc. (ENTO) fell by 7% to $3.96 [4] - Flux Power Holdings, Inc. (FLUX) decreased by 7% to $3.74 [4]

Core Insights - The whitepaper "Giving Marketing the Credit it Deserves" reveals that traditional measurement methods have undervalued the impact of brand marketing on sales by as much as 83% [1][8] - The Brand as Performance (BaP) framework demonstrates how brand-building translates directly to customer acquisition, retention, and sales, providing a new approach for CMOs to justify brand investments [2][3] Group 1: Brand Marketing Impact - Properly measured brand campaigns not only build sentiment but also drive performance by acquiring new customers and fostering long-term revenue growth [1] - The BaP framework has been validated across multiple industries, providing marketers with the evidence needed to link brand investment to measurable outcomes [2][3] Group 2: Case Studies and Evidence - The whitepaper includes case studies from major U.S. brands such as Ally, Kroger, and The Campbell's Company, showcasing the effectiveness of brand-first strategies [3][5][6] - Ally reported a 16% increase in customers and a 29% increase in accounts, demonstrating the tangible business results of a brand-first approach [8] Group 3: Research Methodology - The analysis was conducted using large-scale identity backbones, consumer surveys, and long-term measurement techniques, ensuring robust and reliable findings [6] - The studies involved tracking periods of 9–10 months and utilized causal lift experiments and advanced attribution methods [6]