DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Inflation in U.K. Slows to 3.2%, Lowest in More Than 2 Years
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Gregory Schmidt | More About Gregory Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Consumer prices in Britain rose at the slowest rate in two and a half years, the country’s Office for National Statistics reported on Wednesday. Inflation was 3.2 percent in the year through March, down from 3.4 percent in February but a touch higher than the 3.1 percent economists expected, a sign that the path to cooler inflation could be bumpy. Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, was 4.2 percent, down from 4.5 percent the month before. Economists expect inflation to continue to slow over the next few months, possibly going below the Bank of England’s target of 2 percent, as household energy bills fall. Britain’s unemployment rate rose more than expected in its latest reading, published this week.

Organizations: National Statistics, Bank of Locations: Britain

☆ As Gen X-ers Inch Toward Retirement, They’re Considering Where to Live
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Gregory Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But as the children became adults and moved out, the second floor was deserted and maintaining the lawn and pool became a burden. Like many members of Generation X facing an empty nest, the Shipleys decided to look for a home better suited to their needs where they could eventually live in retirement. They chose a three-bedroom, single-story house in Bridgeland, a planned community about 35 miles away. “We could live here forever.”Mr. Shipley, 54, added that the single story was a draw. Its oldest members are several years away from retirement, but they are already starting to think about where they will live in their 70s, 80s and even 90s.

Persons: Erin Shipley, “, Mrs, Shipley, Mr, “ It’s, ” Locations: Sugar Land , Texas, Bridgeland

☆ The One Part of the Housing Market That’s Growing
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Gregory Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

When Joel Adler decided it was time to downsize from his six-bedroom house in Parkland, Fla., where he had lived for more than 20 years, he was disappointed with the lack options. “There weren’t a lot of homes to look at,” said Mr. Adler, a 76-year-old retired teacher, who had been searching for a year and a half. Eventually, he turned to Valencia Sound, a gated community in Boynton Beach, Fla., that opened in 2019, joining the growing ranks of home buyers who opted for a newly built house instead of an existing one, a rare bright spot in an otherwise gloomy market. The housing market has been mired for much of the past year, bogged down by high prices, soaring mortgage rates and a dearth of inventory, pushing many would-be buyers to the sidelines.

Persons: Joel Adler, downsize, ”, Adler Organizations: Valencia Sound Locations: Parkland, Fla, Valencia, Boynton Beach

☆ Netflix to Stream W.W.E.’s ‘Raw’ in $5 Billion Deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Gregory Schmidt | More About Gregory Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Netflix reached a multibillion-dollar, 10-year deal for exclusive rights to W.W.E.’s flagship weekly wrestling show “Raw,” as the streaming giant broadens its offerings with more live content. The deal will bring “Raw” to Netflix starting in January 2025, Netflix and TKO Group, W.W.E.’s parent company, said in a statement. Netflix will also own the rights to stream W.W.E.’s other shows and specials outside of the United States. The agreement will cost Netflix more than $5 billion and will last for 10 years, with an option to extend an additional 10 years or opt out after five, TKO Group said in a regulatory filing. “By combining our reach, recommendations, and fandom with W.W.E., we’ll be able to deliver more joy and value for their audiences and our members,” Netflix’s chief content officer, Bela Bajaria, said in a statement.

Persons: ”, we’ll, Bela Bajaria Organizations: Netflix Locations: United States

☆ Why Are Mortgage Rates So High, and How Long Will They Stay Up?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Gregory Schmidt | More About Gregory Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“We have a much more complicated economy.”What influences mortgage rates? When inflation is running high, the Fed raises those short-term rates to slow the economy and reduce pressure on prices. That has been going on for over a year, with the Fed’s rate climbing above 5 percent, from near zero, and mortgage rates following suit. A strong economy affects mortgage rates in other ways, too. A robust job market gives households more money to spend, which increases demand for mortgages, sending rates higher.

Persons: ”, “ Organizations: Treasury, U.S .

☆ U.S. Mortgage Rate Jumps to Highest Level Since 2002
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Gregory Schmidt | More About Gregory Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Mortgage rates jumped to a 21-year high this week, climbing back above 7 percent and making it even harder for buyers to afford homes in an already difficult market. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage — the most popular home loan in the United States — was 7.09 percent, up from 6.96 percent last week, Freddie Mac said on Thursday. A year earlier, the 30-year rate was 5.13 percent. The current rate is the highest since April 2002. In the intervening period, home buyers enjoyed years of falling rates, which even dipped below 3 percent at the beginning of the pandemic.

Persons: United States —, Freddie Mac Locations: United States

☆ How Do You Personalize Your Cubicle? We Want to See It.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Gregory Schmidt | More About Gregory Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Now the lowly cubicle is making a comeback, as workers head back to the office and find they have lost the privacy and quiet they have working at home. Seeking quiet areas for focused work, workers are turning once again to cubicles and the isolation they offer. The New York Times team that covers business is planning an upcoming story on the return of the cubicle as part of our Square Feet series on live/play/work spaces. We want to feature photos of office cubicles. Send us your photos; we’ll pick the best and send a photographer to your workplace.

Persons: Cubicles, John Malkovich, ” Organizations: New York Times

☆ For Many Small-Business Owners, a Necessary Shift to Digital Payments
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Gregory Schmidt | More About Gregory Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The pressure to adapt is growing. But in the United States, some small-business owners do not understand the complexities of digital payments. “Smaller merchants, they don’t always have the knowledge and resources to know what to do,” said Ginger Siegel, who leads the North America small-business segment at Mastercard, which offers training to business owners like Ms. Otis of Comma Bookstore. Ms. Otis said she noticed an increase in sales when she began offering mobile payments, which made the checkout process faster. “As a retailer, you want to make the experience as efficient as possible,” she said.

Persons: ”, Ginger Siegel, Otis Organizations: Boku, Merchant Machine, North, Mastercard, Comma Locations: United States, Britain, London, North America

☆ The ‘Whisper Listing’ Gets Louder
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Gregory Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Often associated with the world of well-connected brokers and their affluent clients, the whisper listing is commonly used for deals in which the seller wishes to remain private. “They don’t want their neighbors to know they are selling,” said Peggy Olin, chief executive of OneWorld Properties, a South Florida-based brokerage that caters to wealthy homeowners. Keeping a potential sale hush-hush allows owners to test the waters without the glare of the spotlight, she added. Lately, the term has been popping up across the broader housing market, which has been stumbling, partly because of a slide in sales and an uptick in mortgage rates.

Persons: ”, Peggy Olin Organizations: OneWorld Properties Locations: South Florida

☆ Timeline: CNN’s 18 Months of Tumult
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Gregory Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

CNN has endured nearly two years of turmoil as the cable news network has struggled to overcome national scandals, abrupt departures, plummeting ratings and declining profits. The tumult culminated this week with the sudden exit of CNN’s top boss, Chris Licht, whose rocky 13-month run as the leader of CNN came to an end after a string of controversies. He was appointed chief executive and chairman of CNN in February 2022, succeeding Jeff Zucker, who had resigned weeks earlier. Here’s a timeline of 18 months of turmoil at CNN that led up to his ouster. CNN fired Chris Cuomo, a star anchor, on Dec. 4, 2021, over his involvement in the political affairs of his brother, former Gov.

Persons: Chris Licht, Jeff Zucker, . Licht, Licht, Chris Cuomo, Andrew M, Cuomo Organizations: CNN Locations: New York

☆ Home Buyers Are Eager but Sellers Are Scarce, Creating ‘Real Gridlock’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Gregory Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The housing market typically comes to life in spring, when buyers emerge in the warmer weather. This year, the market appears stuck in a deep freeze, and the biggest culprit is a lack of sellers, housing experts say. The mismatch is caused in part by homeowners who are inclined to sell but are sitting on the sidelines, scared off by the steep prices and mortgage rates that they would face as buyers. More than three-quarters of sellers in a recent survey by Realtor.com said they felt “locked in” to their home by their own low mortgage rate, according to a recent survey by Realtor.com. More than half said they planned to wait until rates fell before putting their homes on the market.

Search resuls for: "Gregory Schmidt"

11 mentions found