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☆ This investor has returned 50% in 12 months. Here's what she's betting on next
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Not for herself, but for the stocks she scoops up for Thrivent's Large Cap Growth fund — even when growth shows signs of slowing. On a total return basis, investors in the fund have netted 48% in the last 12 months, according to FactSet. Thrivent Large Cap Growth climbed to the 18th percentile among more than 1,200 growth funds in 2023, up from the 73rd percentile in the disastrous 2022, Morningstar data shows. Maybe that's because as an analyst, Brunner's background was in large cap consumer staples and large cap retail and discretionary stocks, after starting out covering specialty apparel retailers. "It's just a really exciting spot to be in," Brunner said of studying growth stocks.

Persons: Lauri Brunner, Wall Street's, Brunner, Brunner doesn't, Thomas, Jensen Huang, Amazon's Organizations: Amazon, Meta, Morningstar, FAF Advisors, RBC Capital, Thrivent, Tech, University of St, Nvidia, Microsoft, Netflix, Walmart Locations: Thrivent, it's

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The more than two-year legal battle over the maps of Ohio Statehouse districts that were crafted in response to the 2020 Census may be over. In a 4-3 ruling late Monday, the Ohio Supreme Court cited unanimous, bipartisan passage in September of a new round of legislative maps in dismissing three long-running lawsuits brought by Democratic and voting-rights groups. Political Cartoons View All 1270 ImagesThe high court side-stepped additional constitutional questions on the maps, rejecting as moot the state’s requests that it vacate earlier rulings that found five straight rounds of Statehouse maps unconstitutional. The proposal would create a 15-member citizen panel of Republicans, Democrats and independents representing a geographic and demographic cross-section of the state, called the Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission, to replace the existing Ohio Redistricting Commission. “Only when Ohio bans politicians and lobbyists from rigging maps will voters have fair representation in Congress and the Ohio Statehouse.”

Persons: ”, Jennifer Brunner, Brunner, Maureen O'Connor, O'Connor, Jen Miller Organizations: Ohio Statehouse, Democratic, GOP, Statehouse, Democrats, Ohio, Commission, League of Women Voters Locations: COLUMBUS , Ohio, Ohio

☆ We moved to Texas from Europe. We're paying much more for our house, but the neighbors are friendly and the weather is great.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

John Brunner and his wife, Manon, moved from Avignon, France, to Kyle, Texas, in 2022. The couple chose the area in part because California and Austin, Texas, were too expensive. The Austin area came up in our search. Kyle, Texas. Center Street, a main drag in Kyle, Texas.

Persons: John Brunner, Manon, Kyle, —, wouldn't, Kyle We, I've, she's, Kyle Kyle Organizations: Service, Google Locations: Avignon, France, Kyle , Texas, California, Austin , Texas, United States, I'm, Chicago, Austin, South, Fredericksburg, Southern, City, Texas, From Illinois, America, Arizona, New Mexico, Woodstock , Illinois

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio Supreme Court justices vigorously questioned the state's lawyer Wednesday about a legal strategy that Ohio is attempting in hopes of reviving its law banning on abortions except in the earliest weeks of pregnancy. The state is also challenging whether Preterm Cleveland and other Ohio clinics have the necessary legal standing to sue. The legal battle over the law comes as a proposed constitutional amendment that would protect abortion access in Ohio will go before voters in November. Preterm's attorney, B. Jessie Hill, argued that the state's decision to appeal the stay at the Ohio Supreme Court defies “long-standing, well-established rules" on such actions. Ohio clinics then brought their challenge to state court, arguing that a similar right to the procedure exists under the Ohio Constitution.

Persons: Benjamin Flowers, peppering, Flowers, Christian Jenkins, Mike DeWine, Jenkins, ” Flowers, Dave Yost's, Jessie Hill, Hill, they’re, Roe, Wade, ”, Jennifer Brunner, “, “ It's, Yost Organizations: —, Republican Gov, Supreme, AP VoteCast, Ohio Locations: COLUMBUS , Ohio, — Ohio, Ohio, Cleveland, Hamilton, U.S

☆ Memorial from broken headstones unveiled for desecrated Jewish cemetery in Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —When a large Jewish cemetery was paved over last century to create a sports ground in Belarus, the headstones were used to make roads and buildings. Brest, also known as Brest-Litovsk, had been a hub of Jewish life before World War II, with Jewish residents first recorded there in the 14th century. Debra Brunner of The Together Plan stands in a warehouse in Brest, surrounded by the broken headstones. The Together PlanThe first stage of the desecration began during the war, when the Nazis tried to destroy the cemetery by selling off the headstones. His whole family other than his nuclear family was murdered.”He added: “In 1997 there were no signs of the cemetery.

Persons: Yad Vashem, Debra Brunner, ”, matzevot, Artur Livshyts, Brunner, ” Brunner, ” Artur Livshyts, Livshyts, Alexander Lukashenko, Stephen Grynberg’s, Jack, Grynberg, Steven Spielberg, ” Grynberg, Dad’s, Brad Goldberg –, Stephen Grynberg, Stephen Grynberg “ I’m, Goldberg, ” Livshyts Organizations: CNN, Litovsk, The, Religious Jewish, Religious Jewish Union of, Shoah Foundation, Hollywood Locations: Belarus, United Kingdom, Brest, Yad, Israel’s, “, Belarusian, Minsk, Ukraine, Los Angeles, Religious Jewish Union, Religious Jewish Union of Belarus, Texas, United States, ”

☆ At Least 5 Dead in Michigan After Severe Storms
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Jenny Gross | More About Jenny Gross | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

At least five people died in Michigan after severe storms on Thursday night brought heavy rain, strong wind gusts and possible tornadoes. Three people — a woman, 21, and two girls, 3 and 1 — were killed in a car accident on Thursday night in Kent County in Western Michigan, according to Sgt. Eric Brunner, a spokesman for the Kent County Sheriff’s Office. Two more were killed in Ingham County, in the central part of the state, the county’s emergency management department said in a post on Facebook. Additional injuries occurred in vehicles on the interstate, the post said, adding that people should be careful of the many power lines that are still down.

Persons: —, Eric Brunner Organizations: Kent, Sheriff’s, Facebook Locations: Michigan, Kent County, Western Michigan, Ingham County, Lansing

☆ Austrian leader backs far-right idea of enshrining cash in constitution
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer delivers his speech during a session of the Parliament in Vienna, Austria, May 12, 2023. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File PhotoVIENNA, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Austria's conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer wants the right to use cash enshrined in the constitution, he told Austrian media in remarks published on Friday, an idea the far-right Freedom Party has been pushing for years. Most opinion polls show the anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPO) in first place with a clear lead over the opposition Social Democrats and Nehammer's conservatives, who are in a two-party coalition with the left-wing Greens. "The issue of cash is very important to people," Nehammer told Austrian media, including news agency APA. "It is important to me that cash be written into the constitution," APA quoted him as saying.

Persons: Karl Nehammer, Leonhard Foeger, Nehammer, Magnus Brunner, Herbert Kickl, Francois Murphy, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Austrian, Party, Social Democrats, Greens, APA, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria

RBI has not yet outlined its plan to supervisors at the European Central Bank (ECB), two people with knowledge of its dealings with the central bank said, making a spin-off unlikely by September. Furthermore, the approval of Russia's central bank, finance ministry and, in the event of a sale, even Russian President Vladimir Putin, will be needed before RBI acts. The ECB urged RBI not to pay a dividend this year because of its concerns over Russia, one of the people said. Austria's central bank and the ECB declined to comment. Another source said he has urged the U.S. not to pressure RBI.

Persons: Raiffeisen, Vladimir Putin, UniCredit, month's Wagner, Robert Holzmann, Christine Lagarde, Magnus Brunner, Brian Nelson, Francesco Canepa, John O'Donnell, Alexander Smith Organizations: Raiffeisen, Reuters, Austrian, European Central Bank, ECB, Treasury, Foreign Assets, OFAC, U.S, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, Russia, Austria, Moscow, U.S, Ukraine, Europe, Washington, Vienna, Soviet, Austrian, United States, Frankfurt

☆ What Really Happened Inside This Nazi Brothel?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Charlotte Shane | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

THE MADAM AND THE SPYMASTER: The Secret History of the Most Famous Brothel in Wartime Berlin, by Nigel Jones, Urs Brunner and Julia SchrammelThe brothel owner Kitty Schmidt began to sneak portions of her savings out of Nazi Germany sometime in the mid-1930s, often by sending her girls to London with cash sewn in their underwear. By 1938, officials had caught on, but thanks to her police connections, she wasn’t formally charged with currency smuggling. If she wanted to flee the Third Reich, it had to be now. Although Schellenberg’s memoirs describe the existence of such an establishment, where all the staff, “from the maids to the waiter,” were spies for the Nazi regime, most of what we know is likely invented. In “The Madam and the Spymaster,” the journalists Nigel Jones, Urs Brunner and Julia Schrammel try to uncover the facts.

Persons: Nigel Jones, Urs Brunner, Julia Schrammel, Kitty Schmidt, wasn’t, Kitty, Walter Schellenberg, Schellenberg, Albrecht, ” Organizations: Nazi, SS, Prinz Locations: Wartime Berlin, Nazi Germany, London, Italian

☆ Austrian banks unaffected by banking turmoil - finance minister tells NZZ
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

They are very well prepared," Brunner told Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung. He also defended Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) (RBIV.VI) which has come under fire for continuing to operate in Russia despite the war in Ukraine. "As for RBI, the bank complies with all international sanctions," Brunner told NZZ. "Incidentally, there are other European banks that continue to operate legally in Russia. The minister also said Austrian inflation, which fell to an estimated 9.2% in March, was still too high and called on the European Central Bank to do more to contain price increases.

☆ Austrian banks unaffected by banking turmoil, finance minister tells Neue Zuercher Zeitung
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

They are very well prepared," Brunner told Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung. He also defended Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) (RBIV.VI) which has come under fire for continuing to operate in Russia despite the war in Ukraine. "As for RBI, the bank complies with all international sanctions," Brunner told NZZ. "Incidentally, there are other European banks that continue to operate legally in Russia. "The European Central Bank (ECB) in particular can do something about this, as a member of the euro zone we are dependent on the ECB," Brunner said.

And that has the impact of postponing some announcements," said Anu Aiyengar, global head of M&A at JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N). M&A volumes dropped 44% to $282.7 billion in the U.S. and 70% to $81.87 billion in Europe. Reuters Graphics"Having a well-functioning financing market is a critical ingredient for M&A. Global M&A volumes in Q1 2023LACK OF CONFIDENCEThe depressed market valuations also presented an opportunity for prominent activist investors to launch new proxy fights, with dealmakers anticipating a boost to M&A volumes from activist campaigns in the coming quarters. "Inflationary pressures aren't subsiding as fast as people expected; there's still a lot of geopolitical tensions, and in a lot of ways, the disruption in the financing market is intensifying," Langston said.

☆ Europe drought: This once-thriving lake has all but dried up -- a story repeated across Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

While in the United States, the snow and rain that have pummeled California have helped fill reservoirs and ease unrelenting drought, winter has been far from kind to many parts of Europe. A buoy is seen on the banks of the partially dry Lake Montbel as France faces a record winter dry spell. “Lake Montbel remains at an abnormally low level,” Franck Solacroup, the regional director of the Adour-Garonne Water Agency, which covers the area that includes Lake Montbel, told CNN. Farmers like Rouquet, who rely on the lake, are having to make tough decisions on what to grow. “This is the most extreme winter in terms of low snow cover,” she told CNN.

☆ 'Easy to bully': A corporate landlord in Cincinnati is aggressive in trying to evict tenants, critics say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Gretchen Morgenson | Gretchen Morgenson Is The Senior Financial Reporter For The Nbc News Investigative Unit. A Former Stockbroker | She Won The Pulitzer Prize In For Her | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +13 min

“We had the exact same story and the exact same company — VineBrook Homes,” Allen told NBC News. VineBrook Homes Trust Inc., which owns over 3,000 single-family homes in the Cincinnati area, is one of the most aggressive landlords in bringing eviction proceedings against its residents, they say. A big institutional owner of over 24,000 single-family homes in mostly lower-income areas, VineBrook Homes is a real estate investment trust (REIT) with properties in 18 states, including Alabama, Indiana, Missouri and Mississippi. “I left in Dec. 2021,” Jenkins told NBC News. Vinebrook Homes owns over 3,000 single-family homes in the Cincinnati area, including many in suburbs like North College Hill.

☆ Austrian central bank defends compulsory mortgage-lending standards
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VIENNA, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Austria should keep its recently introduced compulsory standards for mortgage lending, the Austrian National Bank (ONB) said on Tuesday, despite a recent call by the conservative finance minister for those standards to be reviewed. Faced with a sustained housing boom and banks' widespread flouting of recommendations on mortgage lending aimed at limiting risk, Austria introduced the compulsory standards in August, though banks are still allowed to deviate from them in up to 20% of cases. With interest rates now rising, however, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner has asked that the decision to introduce the compulsory standards be reviewed to make lending easier. "The newly adopted regulation contributes to safeguarding financial stability by curbing excessive developments in residential real estate lending," the ONB said in a statement on its semi-annual Financial Stability Report, referring to the binding standards. The regulation introducing those standards was issued by the Financial Market Authority (FMA), though the standards were developed by the Financial Market Stability Board, which brings together officials from the Finance Ministry, ONB and FMA.

☆ Austria announces windfall tax on energy companies
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Omv Ag FollowVerbund AG FollowVIENNA, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Austria's government on Friday announced plans to introduce a windfall tax on energy companies that will be of up to 40% for oil and gas firms. The tax will apply retroactively from July 1 of this year until the end of next year, it added. The threshold can be increased to 180 euros if those companies invest in renewables, the statement said. Kogler said the tax rate then would be 90%. That tax will apply from Dec. 1 of this year until the end of 2023, the statement said.

☆ The housing-affordability crisis is sparking startup founders, Wall Streeters, and nonprofit leaders to try to offer new solutions
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Hana R. Alberts | Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Some innovations may help homebuyers, renters, and investors cope with the affordability crisis. 100 People Transforming Business is an annual list highlighting people across industries who are changing the way the world does business. Mortgage rates have topped 7%, the highest rate in 20 years, which means homebuyers can afford less house for their money. That's why many people and companies in the real-estate industry are trying to help homebuyers, renters, and investors cope with an affordability crisis. That's where the Washington, DC, nonprofit Grounded Solutions Network comes in: It says it helps repurpose "vacant space into vibrant space."

☆ Austria plans to bring budget deficit within 3% of GDP next year
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

VIENNA, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Austria plans to bring its budget deficit within the European Union's limit of 3% of gross domestic product in 2023, a finance ministry presentation published shortly before Finance Minister Magnus Brunner's budget speech said on Wednesday. The presentation showed the budget deficit shrinking from 5.9% of GDP last year to 3.5% this year and 2.9% next year. It also showed the debt-to-GDP ratio falling from 82.3% in 2021 to 78.3% this year and 76.7% in 2023. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Francois MurphyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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