Casella Waste Systems (CWST) is raising $450 million through a public offering to fund its recent acquisitions of Royal Carting and Welsh Sanitation. The company plans to use the proceeds to finance the acquisitions, repay debt, and for general corporate purposes.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised concerns about Pakistan’s ability to repay its debt, highlighting the country’s high fiscal shortfall and external account deficit. The IMF’s assessment comes as Islamabad seeks a fresh bailout package under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The global lender has warned that Pakistan faces significant risks in repaying the fund, including delayed reforms, high public debt, and low gross reserves.
Martin Lewis, a renowned money expert, has warned Barclaycard customers that they could face significantly longer debt repayment periods due to a reduction in minimum monthly payments. From July 22, Barclaycard will implement a new payment scheme, potentially impacting 80% of its customers. This move has sparked concerns that individuals who only make minimum payments could prolong their debt, leading to increased interest charges. Lewis urges customers to be vigilant and consider making fixed monthly payments based on their affordability, even if it exceeds the new minimums. Barclaycard, on the other hand, maintains that the changes aim to provide greater flexibility and support for customers with persistent debt.
Barclaycard, the UK’s largest bank, is making a potentially risky change to minimum debt repayments, setting them at just £5 for all customers. Financial expert Martin Lewis warns that this seemingly harmless move could significantly increase the total cost of debt for customers struggling to repay their balances. By paying only the minimum, borrowers may end up extending their debt repayment period by a decade, accumulating thousands of pounds in additional interest charges.
Australian student loan debts are poised to rise by a substantial 4.8% in 2023, translating to an average increase of $1,272 for those holding Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debts. This annual increase is driven by indexation, which adjusts debts based on inflation. The latest calculation, conducted by the Parliamentary Library for the Greens, projects that HELP debts will rise significantly as the March quarter inflation data indicates.
