Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Broadway Longest Running Productions


The former vice president of Alliance Bernstein, Jahanara Nissar, has served as a managing partner at Lynx Equity Strategies in New York City since establishing the boutique equity research firm in 2016. When she is not managing client communications and complex negotiations, Jahanara Nissar enjoys attending Broadway shows.


The longest-running Broadway show of all time is Phantom of the Opera. The production opened on January 26, 1988, and continues to run at the Majestic. As of April 2019, the production had been staged over 13,000 times. The show's initial run earned Andrew Lloyd Webber and the rest of the cast and crew seven Tony Awards, including honors for Best Musical.


Phantom of the Opera has been staged over 3,500 more times than the 1996 revival of Chicago, the second longest-running Broadway production of all time. The Jazz Age musical initially debuted in 1975 and ran for two years. However, the 1996 revival proved even more successful, picking up six Tony Awards, including a nod for Best Revival of a Musical, and later earned a Grammy for Best Musical Show Album.


More than 60 million people have seen The Lion King on stage. The third longest-running Broadway production earned six Tony Awards in 1998. Other long-running shows include Cats, the original run of Les Misérables, and a Chorus Line.

Thursday, July 28, 2022

Marathons in New York State in 2022


 New York City resident Jahanara Nissar is the former vice president of Alliance Bernstein. She currently heads a boutique investment research firm, Meta Equitues.. In her free time, Jahanara Nissar enjoys running and has run a couple of marathons.


Here are four upcoming marathons in New York State in 2022:


- Hamptons Marathon. This marathon will take place on September 17 at the Southampton Intermediate School in Southampton. It will include a marathon and half marathon starting at 8 a.m. and a 5k run starting at 8:15 a.m.


- Great New York State Marathon Weekend. On October 14 and 15, New York State will host two running days in Syracuse. On October 14, runners will participate in 5k and 10k runs. The next day, they will run half and full marathons around Onondaga Lake.


- Niagara Falls International Marathon. Slated for October 23, this marathon will take place in Buffalo and is a Boston Marathon qualifier. It will include 5k, 10k, half marathon (13.1 miles), and marathon (26.2 miles) races.


- New York City Marathon. One of the biggest races in the country, this marathon will take place on November 22. Organized by the New York Road Runners, the marathon attracts tens of thousands of participants from over 90 countries each year, many of who run in support of a charity.

Friday, June 17, 2022

The Largest Internet ETFs in the United States


 Jahanara Nissar is the former vice president and equities desk analyst of Alliance Bernstein in New York City. At the company, Jahanara Nissar collaborated in running the Internet trading book and generated investment ideas for exchange-traded fund (ETF) portfolios.


Internet ETFs are investment vehicles focused exclusively on companies that generate most of their revenues from Internet businesses. Examples include search engines and social media companies.


As of May 2022, more than 20 Internet ETFs are trading on US stock exchanges. KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (Ticker - KWEB) is the largest, with $6.226 billion in assets under management. Issued by CICC, the ETF offers exposure to Chinese IT and software companies.


First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index Fund (Ticker - FDN) is the second largest with $4.279 billion in assets, followed by ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (Ticker - ARKW) with $1.494 billion in assets. FDN, issued by First Trust, includes companies that earn more than 50 percent of their revenue from the Internet and does not exclusively have technology companies. ARKK, issued by ARK Invest, includes next-generation Internet companies, specifically large-cap growth Internet companies in the United States.


Other large Internet ETFs trading on US exchanges are Emerging Markets Internet & Ecommerce ETF (Ticker - EMQQ), Roundhill Ball Metaverse ETF (Ticker - METV), and Invesco NASDAQ Internet ETF (Ticker - PNQI). EMQQ has $589 million in assets, while METV has $529 million and PNQI $513 million.


Friday, May 27, 2022

How Running Impacts the Knee



Finance professional Jahanara Nissar works as a managing partner at Lynx Equity Strategies in New York. In this position, she broadened relationships with prospective institutional institutions. In her free time, Jahanara Nissar enjoys reading and running.

Running is a popular physical activity enjoyed by people around the globe. However, there is a popular misconception that running wrecks the knees. This belief is held because the knees absorb a significant amount of shock during a run, adversely impacting the cartilage. However, various studies have found that this is not the case.

A new study on the effects of running and walking on the knee joint showed that, while running puts more strain on the knees than walking, it can also strengthen and bulk up the cartilage.

Further, researchers discovered that running could reduce an individual's chances of developing arthritis later. This is because the compression of the knees while running supplies more fluid to the joints, keeping them lubricated. A study was conducted for over 18 years involving a group of long-distance runners and a non-runner control group.

During this time, the researchers took a series of X-rays to check for osteoarthritis in the knees. The study revealed no connection between running in healthy older persons and a prevalence of osteoarthritis. The study further revealed that only 20 percent of runners have indications of osteoarthritis compared to 32 percent of non-runners.

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

ER Use and Advantages in Investments


A New York resident, Jahanara Nissar graduated from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where she obtained a master of business administration in finance and strategic management. She currently serves as a managing partner at Lynx Equity Strategies. At the firm, Jahanara Nissar provides clients with equity research.

Equity research is a report or analysis that reveals the investment opportunities a particular investment has. For example, equity research professionals can help companies and banks decide whether or not a particular investment is worth it or not and if it can bring profits. They are highly important and beneficial for a firm as they can alert the firm about anything going on with potential investments and provide news about the industry in which the company activates. For example, if a company invests in stocks, equity research services could alert it about certain events that may affect the stock's returns.

Technically, equity research is responsible for business forecasts and predicting the amount of earnings a company will receive after making a specific investment. After the investment is made and the company releases its quarterly figures, equity research professionals update their research and models to see if their predictions were good and that the investment was beneficial for the company.

Friday, February 18, 2022

Running - Tips for Avoiding Injury

Jahanara Nissar is a New York City-based investment strategist with over 18 years of experience as a financial executive. In her free time, Jahanara Nissar enjoys running for exercise and pleasure in the urban sprawl of New York City.

Running in big cities can be a lot of fun, with varied terrains to traverse and sights to see. However, whether you are cutting through a public park or jogging down the road, it is vital to keep your health and safety in mind to avoid serious injury. Running seems straightforward, but you could do more harm than good to your body without proper preparation.

Wearing proper running shoes is as essential as getting them adequately fitted. You have a good pair if it is a bit snug in the heel and somewhat looser in the toes. Even if they seem fine at first, shoes that do not fit or are not designed for running will fail you in the long run by either wearing out or damaging your ligaments slowly over time. To keep the rest of your body in its best shape, make sure to vary your exercise by stretching before and after every run and heading to the gym regularly.

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Analysts Raise Applied Materials’ Price


Jahanara Nissar is a New York City technology specialist who serves as the managing partner of Lynx Equity Strategies. A leading voice in her field, Jahanara Nissar, in tandem with KC Rajkumar, raised the Applied Materials, Inc., price target in late November 2021 from $140 to $200.

This price change reemphasized a “buy” rating and reflected a potential 35-percent upside of a company whose shares have remained relatively constant, at the $140 level, since April’s investor day. With Applied Materials’ reported Q4 FY21 revenue at $6.12 billion, the year-on-year increase of 31 percent. With supply chain issues cited, the company notably failed to hit the $6.34 billion consensus.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Applied Materials ranks among the top companies worldwide in materials engineering, spanning semiconductor, solar photovoltaic, and flat panel displays. Its capability to transform materials at atomic levels for industrial-scale use positions the company positively in several technology verticals.

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Revamped Harry Potter and the Cursed



Technology strategist Jahanara Nissar is the managing partner at Lynx Equity Strategies in New York City. A theater enthusiast, Jahanara Nissar enjoys seeing Broadway productions.

One high-profile play that started previews in November 2021 is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. J.K. Rowling, director John Tiffany, and playwright Jack Thorne coauthored the two-part production for its opening in 2018. However, the original two-part play ran five hours and required the purchase of two tickets. The reopened production has been condensed into one evening. It follows Harry Potter and his friends Hermione and Ron on a new adventure nearly two decades after they rescued the wizarding world from certain doom.

With Harry now a father seeing his youngest son off to school at Hogwarts Academy, the “epic epilogue” features intricate dance-like ensemble pieces with capes, wands, spells, and flying demons. The play also traverses a science fiction-meets-fantasy plot that involves an alternative universe and time loops. With reviews characterizing the play as dazzling and immersive but long and convoluted, the new production may hit a streamlined, winning formula.

Saturday, January 15, 2022

To become a Stock Analyst



An alumnus of Mount Union College, Jahanara Nissar was the Vice President Equities Desk Analyst of Alliance Bernstein in New York between 2012 and 2015. As a technology specialist and desk analyst, Jahanara Nissar has been quoted for his analytical comments and views on the StreetInsider, Business Standard, and Bloomberg.

A stock analyst is a financial analyst who studies the stock market and makes performance predictions. Here are three considerations if you want to become an analyst.

1. Educational requirements
To become a stock analyst has no formal minimum educational requirements. However, most employers will want a degree in a relevant field such as finance, economics, or statistics.

2. Licensing and certifications
Some financial and stock analyst positions involve selling and buying financial products, and some states may require licensing. You stand a better chance with employers if you pursue the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification from an accredited CFA Institute.

3. Join professional associations
You enhance your credentials when you join professional associations such as the Association for Financial Professionals or the Society of Financial Service Professionals. This allows networking with other analysts.

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Thematic Investment Strategies


The New Yok-based Jahanara Nissar graduated with honors in mathematics from Mount Union College, New York. Among other responsibilities, the Alliance Bernstein vice president and analyst conducted channel checks. As a technology specialist and stocks analyst, Jahanara Nissar was voted second-highest in identifying investment themes and strategies among sector specialists.

In the challenging economic environment of today, institutional investors are reimagining their investment strategies. Many had long-held traditional views of “relative investment” investment frameworks, which were founded on either pursuing certain indexes or benchmarks or deviating from them. Institutional investors are now adopting strategic “thematic” investment themes.

The goal of thematic investment approaches is to leverage the many opportunities presented by long-term global structural trends in different asset classes. Thematic investing also takes advantage of the predictable medium-term cyclicality associated with these long-term global trends.

This type of investment strategy allows investors to act with precision in asset class trends that matter most. Many thematic strategies have sustainability at the core, with themes such as the transition to greener energy, climate change, and healthcare innovation being key players.

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Benefits of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)

Jahanara Nissar earned his BS in mathematics and computer science from Mount Union College in Alliance, New York. He was also initiated in Alpha Lambda Delta. As a vice president and technology specialist at Alliance Bernstein, Jahanara Nissar collaborated with portfolio management to create exchange traded fund (ETF) portfolios.

An ETF is a basket of financial assets such as securities or investments rolled into one share. ETFs allow an investor access to a broad range of investment markets. Here are three additional benefits associated with ETFs.

Transparency
The investment objectives of ETFs are clearly spelled out. Issuers of ETFs publicly disclose their portfolio holdings daily, thus enabling participants to know when to create shares or redeem them. Most ETF providers maintain updated websites.

Versatility
ETFs are very versatile as they allow easy movement of money between asset classes such as bonds, stocks, or commodities. In addition, because ETFs are traded on the public exchange like stocks, trading can occur anytime during market trading hours.

Less overhead
Exchange traded funds track against a predetermined benchmark index; they don’t require active management by financial managers who often try to outsmart the market. Being passive investments, ETFs are more cost-effective, with less fees and overhead.

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Beginner Tips for Marathon Running

Jahanara Nissar has a BS from Mount Union College and was initiated in Pi Mu Epsilon. He is the vice president with Alliance Bernstein, an equities analytic and trading firm in New York. In 2014, Jahanara Nissar and Alliance Bernstein were recognized on Bernstein’s trading desk. When not dealing with and analyzing stocks, he enjoys running and participated in the 2006 Marine Corps Marathon.

Running a marathon is a huge undertaking and should not be taken lightly. Here are three tips for the beginner marathon runner.

Know the route in advance
Familiarizing yourself with the route will pay dividends on the event day. Know where to walk and the location of steep climbs as well as other physical features; that can help plan your race to avoid burnout.

Find a running mate or mutual support group
The decision to participate in a marathon alone takes courage. The joy and satisfaction on completing the grueling run will be worth the effort, but you need to ensure you make it to the finishing line. Look for a running partner or a group to run with. That person or group will not only motivate you but can also help you in a time of need.

While running, keep your head up
As the marathon progresses and you begin to tire, you are likely to find yourself spending most of the running time looking at your feet instead of the road ahead. Stooping is not only unhealthy for your spine alignment, but it can also dampen your spirit. Try as much as possible to look ahead, making eye contact with other runners or the crowd.

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Semiconductor Supply Chain in Taiwan


Based in New York, Jahanara Nissar serves as managing partner at Lynx Equity Strategies. Jahanara Nissar has extensive knowledge of hardware, information technology, and semiconductor stocks and touched on Taiwanese chip production bottlenecks in a piece published in Street Insider.

In early June 2021, chip testing services leader King Yuan Electronics (KYEC) was forced to suspend production for two days because of a COVID-19 outbreak among foreign workers at the company. This impacted the semiconductor backend supply chain, which provides product testing, wafer probing, and assembly solutions to major companies such as Nvidia, Qualcomm, Intel, and Mediatek.

KYEC boasts the backend supply chain industry’s second-largest testing revenue for semiconductors. It supplies wafer probing, product testing, and assembly services to the likes of Qualcomm, Intel, Nvidia, MediaTek, and Novatek.

The broader global semiconductor shortage continues to be a high-profile issue. America’s top diplomat went so far as to raise the issue with Taiwan in formal meetings, as it has impacted several United States auto manufacturers.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd., a leader in contract chipmaking, describes a situation of gradually easing supply stress but notes that semiconductor capacity tightness is a persistent issue that will likely extend to 2023. At the same time, Apple iPhone assembler Foxconn stated that the COVID-19 resurgence in Asia could further impact its technology supply chain.

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

AMD and Xilinx Merger Hinges



Based in New York, Jahanara Nissar serves as managing partner at Lynx Equity Strategies and delivers research focused on technology stocks spanning hardware, semiconductors, and the Internet. Drawing on leadership experience with Alliance Bernstein, Jahanara Nissar regularly provides opinions on financial sites such as Bloomberg and Street Insider.

In early August 2021, she described a widening spread related to the proposed merger between Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) and Xilinx, as having reached "extreme irrationality.” The discount market close of 40 percent seemed to reflect an investor's belief that the deal closure probability was nearly zero. With Chinese antitrust approval the major obstacle, AMD stock rose nearly six percent, while Xilinx fell 3.7 percent.

The AMD stock price surge, 24 percent total from late July to early August, reflected strong reported corporate results. Regulatory approvals for the Xilinx acquisition were attained in markets such as the UK and EU. From AMD’s perspective, the firm was still on track to achieve approval from Chinese authorities, with a 50 percent chance of ultimate success forecast.

According to Ms. Nissar, despite China’s increasingly harsh stance on technology mergers, this moderately positive potential for the merger is closer to reality than the “near-zero probability scenario” envisioned by some investors.

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Broadway Theaters Open to Full Capacity



As a managing partner at Lynx Equity Strategies, Jahanara Nissar is a Technology Strategist who focuses on tech stocks spanning semiconductors and the Internet. An avid theatergoer, Jahanara Nissar enjoys going to Broadway shows when she has the opportunity.

The first half of 2021 has been quiet on Broadway, with shows such as Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theatre closed due to pandemic restrictions. This has had a profound economic impact. The theater industry is large, with financial benefits rippling throughout the community, from stagehand and actors to local hotels.

For this reason, three of the most profitable mega-musicals, “Wicked,” “The Lion King,” and “Hamilton,” are returning to full capacity from mid-September 2021. To ensure safe reopening, the Broadway League announced strict protocols, such as vaccination and mask requirements, at every theater on Broadway.

A larger factor than the ability to sell the maximum number of tickets is whether tourism will recover quickly enough to generate the sold-out halls envisioned. Tourists make up more than two-thirds of Broadway ticket sales, and their numbers are still drastically reduced. With 66.6 million visitors having visited New York City in 2019, the forecast for 2021 is 36.1 million visitors.

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Strategy Behind Intel’s Potential Global

As managing partner at Lynx Equity Strategies in New York, Jahanara Nissar draws on executive experience with Alliance Bernstein in delivering analytically informed financial services. Regularly quoted in publications such as Bloomberg and the Economic Times, Jahanara Nissar gave her opinion to StreetInsider regarding Intel’s potential acquisition of Global Foundries, Inc. in July 2021.

Intel is seeking to reestablish its dominance in the competitive microprocessor chip production arena. In March 2021, CEO Pat Gelsinger announced that the company would funnel $20 billion into a pair of Arizona chip foundries developed from the ground up as the Intel Foundry Services (IFS) division. It is forecasted that this division will enable Intel to produce CPUs in-house with ARM cores.

Intel’s semiconductor strategy with IFS focuses on creating the higher-speed processors required in leading-edge laptops, desktops, and servers. At the heart of this is a next-generation Extreme Ultraviolet fabrication process already in use by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Acquiring Global Foundries would allow Intel to cover all bases and also compete in the nonhigh performance category, which is dominated by Chinese companies.

Ms. Nissar noted that such an acquisition, valued at approximately $30 billion, would positively impact, as it would be a necessary component of Intel’s competing effectively in all areas of the foundry business.