Leena Muazin

Beyond the Viral Myth: Independent Review Debunks Social Media’s Role in Silicon Valley Bank’s Collapse and Exposes Internal Fed Failures

WASHINGTON — Three years after the historic collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) sent seismic shocks through the global financial system, a newly released independent review is upending the conventional narrative of how the bank fell. For years, the prevailing postmortem blamed a modern digital phenomenon: a panicked, hyper-accelerated bank run fueled in real-time by…

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Mortgage Rates Hold Steady at 7.05%: Analyzing the Federal Reserve’s Latest Moves and What They Mean for Homebuyers

As the workweek draws to a close, the financial markets are taking a breather, and mortgage rates are following suit. Following a week dominated by pivotal economic announcements and shifting bond yields, borrowing costs for prospective homeowners are holding remarkably steady, giving buyers and refinancers a brief moment of stability to evaluate their next steps….

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Citi and Mastercard Team Up to Launch "Smart Subscriptions" in the UAE, Marking a Global First for Both Giants

By PYMNTS September 17, 2026 Main Facts In a landmark development for digital banking and payment ecosystems, American multinational financial services corporation Citi has officially launched Mastercard’s advanced subscription management platform, Smart Subscriptions, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Announced via a joint press release on Thursday, September 17, 2026, this rollout marks two significant…

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Washington Weighs the Future of Central Bank Access as Federal Reserve Faces High-Stakes FinTech Decision

WASHINGTON — A quiet yet fiercely contested debate over the plumbing of the American financial system has reached a critical juncture. At the heart of the controversy is a foundational question: Who should be allowed to plug directly into the Federal Reserve’s payment rails, bypassing commercial bank intermediaries entirely? For years, nonbank financial firms, digital…

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The Great Coverage Gap: Why Your Homeowners Insurance Might Fail You When Disaster Strikes

For millions of homeowners, the most devastating part of a natural disaster doesn’t arrive with the roaring winds, rushing floodwaters, or crackling flames. It arrives weeks later, dropped into a mailbox in the form of an explanation of benefits or a brief adjuster’s report. As extreme weather events grow increasingly frequent and ferocious, a harsh…

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Revolutionizing Healthcare Operations: How St. Luke’s Hospital Harnessed Agentic AI to Overhaul Patient Care and Cut Millions in Costs

By PYMNTS September 17, 2026 Main Facts In an era where healthcare systems face mounting financial pressures, rising administrative bloat, and persistent staffing shortages, St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, has pioneered a transformative approach to patient engagement. Facing a staggering volume of roughly 400,000 monthly patient interactions—ranging from routine prescription requests to appointment…

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Federal Reserve Resumes Rate Hikes, Elevating Benchmark to 3.75%-4% Under New Chair Kevin Warsh

WASHINGTON — In a unanimous decision that marks a definitive pivot in U.S. monetary policy, the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday, lifting the federal funds target range to 3.75%–4%. The move signals a renewed aggressive stance against persistent inflation and represents the first rate…

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Affirm Revolutionizes Buy Now, Pay Later With Transformer-Based Underwriting Model

By PYMNTS September 17, 2026 Main Facts Fintech giant Affirm has officially launched a next-generation, real-time underwriting model at digital checkouts across the United States. Driven by cutting-edge transformer neural network architecture—the same foundational technology driving modern generative artificial intelligence—this proprietary system is designed to evaluate consumer creditworthiness with unprecedented precision. Rather than relying on…

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Navigating the Resurgence of Preferred Lender Lists: What Students and Families Need to Know in 2026

Main Facts The landscape of higher education financing is undergoing a profound structural shift. For students and families entering the private student loan market, the process can feel overwhelming, characterized by a dizzying array of interest rates, repayment terms, and qualification criteria. To help mitigate this confusion, many colleges and universities are pointing students toward…

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