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☆ Average credit card balances jump 10% to a record $6,360 as more consumers fall behind on payments
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Americans now owe $1.13 trillion on their credit cards, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Tuesday. In that case, credit cards are one of the most expensive ways to borrow money. The average credit card charges a record-high 20.74%, according to Bankrate. Millennials increasingly lean on creditStill, consumers often turn to credit cards, in part because they are more accessible than other types of loans. How to tackle credit card debt

Persons: Ted Rossman, Cardholders, Wise, that's Organizations: Federal Reserve Bank of New Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, TransUnion

☆ Hybrid Cars Enjoy a Renaissance as All-Electric Sales Slow
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Lawrence Ulrich | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As Teslas and other electric vehicles dazzled car buyers with futuristic technology and dreams of a gasoline-free future, hybrid cars began to seem like yesterday’s news. Now, a slowdown in the growth of electric car sales has led General Motors, Ford Motor and Volkswagen to walk back ambitious targets for those vehicles. “Consumers want the same experience they’ve had” with a combustion engine car, said Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of industry insights for Cox Automotive. But hybrid sales rose even faster, up 65 percent to more than 1.2 million, lifting their market share to 8 percent from 5.5 percent, according to Edmunds. Throw in plug-in hybrids, and nearly one in 10 new cars pairs a gasoline engine with electric motors to save fuel and boost performance.

Persons: they’re, they’ve, Stephanie Valdez Streaty, Price, Cox, Edmunds Organizations: Toyota Prius, Motors, Ford Motor, Volkswagen, Cox Automotive

☆ Used car prices expected to stabilize in 2024 after two years of decreases from record highs
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-08 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

(Staff photo by Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)DETROIT — Used vehicle prices are expected to stabilize this year, after buyers of pre-owned cars and trucks got more relief in 2023 following a stretch of record prices. However, used vehicle prices are still higher than they were before the pandemic. Retail prices for consumers traditionally follow changes in wholesale prices, but they have not fallen as quickly as wholesale prices in recent years. Used vehicle sales are expected to increase by less than 1% to 36.2 million, according to Cox Automotive. That forecast includes 19.2 million in used vehicle retail sales.

Persons: Brianna Soukup, Cox, we've, Jeremy Robb, Jonathan Smoke Organizations: Lee, Portland Press, Getty, Automotive, Cox Automotive Locations: Manheim, U.S

☆ Average credit card balances top $6,000, a 10-year high, as delinquencies rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Americans now owe $1.08 trillion on their credit cards, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Tuesday. Credit card rates spiked more than 5% with the Federal Reserve's recent string of 11 rate hikes, including four in 2023. As the federal funds rate rose, the prime rate did, as well, and credit card rates followed suit. "Americans are addicted to credit cards, no question," said Howard Dvorkin, a certified public accountant and the chairman of Debt.com. How to tackle costly credit card debt

Persons: TransUnion, Charlie Wise, Wise, Greg McBride, Howard Dvorkin, Debt.com Organizations: Federal Reserve Bank of New, New York Fed, TransUnion, Federal, Finance, Bankrate, Debt.com Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, TransUnion

☆ 50 new EVs are hitting the US soon. It's not clear if there are buyers for them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

More and more electric vehicles are coming even as demand slows. Some of the new models in the pipeline might appeal more to the new demographic of EV shopper. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Reckoning with the new reality for EV shoppersThis year is stacking up to be huge for electric vehicle growth.

Persons: —, We've, Stephanie Valdez, Streaty, Valdez Organizations: Dealers, Service, Industry, Streaty, Cox Automotive, Ford, GM Locations: wean

☆ Every type of used car is getting cheaper except trucks
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The used car market took off during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of last month, used pricing had declined nearly 4% year-over-year, according to Cox Automotive's latest Manheim Used Vehicle Index, with one exception: Trucks. Overall, despite slight improvements in the used car market from 2020 and 2021, supply remains tight for used cars today, according to Cox, and is tighter than this same point both last year and pre-COVID. Used car dynamicsThe pandemic broke the used car market, and there is no "normal" for this market to return to. The ongoing UAW strike could also eventually threaten used car prices.

Persons: —, Cox, That's, It's, Chris Frey Organizations: Service, Manheim, UAW

An American Airlines Airbus A321-200 plane takes off from Los Angeles International airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California, U.S. March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 25 (Reuters) - American Airlines (AAL.O) on Monday appealed a U.S. court decision requiring it to end an alliance with JetBlue Airways (JBLU.O). U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled in May the airlines' "Northeast Alliance" that allowed the two carriers to coordinate flights and pool revenue violated antitrust law. JetBlue previously said it would not appeal as it seeks to protect a planned $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit Airlines (SAVE.N) that faces a separate legal challenge from the Justice Department. Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mike Blake, Leo Sorokin, David Shepardson, Chris Reese Organizations: American Airlines Airbus, Los Angeles International, REUTERS, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, U.S, District, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Justice Department, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S

"With its missionary zeal for consumers, Amazon has marched toward monopoly by singing the tune of contemporary antitrust," Khan, then 29, wrote in the Yale Law Journal. Six years later, Khan, who became the FTC's chair in 2021, is leading the agency's antitrust charge against the online retailer. The FTC's lawsuit filed on Tuesday asks a court to consider forcing the company to sell assets to stop what it said was ongoing harm to consumers. Amazon has fought back and rejected the antitrust lawsuit filed on Tuesday. "By contrast, the FTC's 2021 budget topped out at only $351 million, or slightly more than 1% of Amazon's earnings."

Persons: Lina M, Khan, Bill Nelson, Graeme Jennings, Lina Khan, Andy Jassy, Jeff Bezos, Bezos, David Shepardson, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Commerce, Science, NASA, Capitol, Rights, Federal Trade, Amazon.com, Amazon, Yale Law, FTC, Apple, Facebook, Google, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States, Washington

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) delivers remarks, after he and his wife Nadine Menendez were indicted on bribery offenses in connection with their corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen, in Union City, New Jersey, U.S., September 25, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Segar Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Sept 26 (Reuters) - A New Jersey businessman pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges of bribing U.S. Senator Bob Menendez. Menendez, 69, his 56-year-old wife, Nadine Menendez, and two other businessmen accused of bribing the senior New Jersey senator are scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday. Prosecutors say Hana, who is originally from Egypt, arranged meetings in 2018 between Menendez and Egyptian officials.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Mike Segar, Bob Menendez, Wael Hana, Judge Ona Wang, Menendez, Hana, Washington, Luc Cohen, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, New, Prosecutors, Senate Foreign Relations, Thomson Locations: Jersey, Union City , New Jersey, U.S, New Jersey, Manhattan, Egypt, United States, New York

☆ Food-truck owners from marginalized communities are cooking up success with cloud-based POS systems and analytics software
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Christine Macintyre | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Today, these dynamic food trucks serve up gourmet delights and cater events, fueled by convenience and social media-driven connection. While the most apparent technology food-truck owners use is front-end POS systems, back-end technology is also essential. Food-truck owners face the challenge of frequent menu updates, often requiring them to recreate signage or hire someone for the task. This helps food-truck owners make informed decisions related to parking and operating hours, which significantly influences their sales performance. In fact, a 2022 study published by Elsevier found that location was a key challenge for food-truck owners, as it affected customer targeting, exposure, and financial sustainability.

Persons: —, IBISWorld, Let's Chow, Olivia, Luis Surla, Joselle's, Jordan Foley, Let's Chow Jordan Foley, Foley, Olivia Surla's, Sofiat, Abdulrazaaq, Lemaire Stewart, Kyle Miller, Goodfynd Organizations: Service, Food, Technology, Entrepreneurs, Joselle's, Pacific Islander, Goodfynd, Elsevier Locations: American, Annapolis , Maryland, San Diego, Pacific, Nigerian, Caribbean, Maryland

People walk by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in the financial district of New York City, U.S., June 14, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Federal Reserve Bank of New York FollowNEW YORK, Sept 25 (Reuters) - A judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit accusing the Federal Reserve Bank of New York of illegally firing two longtime employees who claimed religious objections in refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The New York Fed began requiring COVID-19 vaccines for all employees in August 2021. The New York Fed declined to comment. The case is Gardner-Alfred et al v Federal Reserve Bank of New York, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, District Judge Lewis Liman, Lori Gardner, Alfred, Jeanette Diaz, Gardner, Diaz, Liman, John Balestriere, Alfred et, Jonathan Stempel, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Federal Reserve Bank of New, REUTERS, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, COVID, U.S, District, New York Fed, Catholic, New, Fed, Court, Southern District of, Thomson Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, New York City, U.S, Manhattan, Bronx , New York, Bayonne , New Jersey, New York, COVID, Southern District, Southern District of New York

Yelp (YELP.N) and News/Media Alliance, which are not defendants in the litigation but are targets of Google's subpoenas, argue that law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison should be disqualified. A spokesperson for Paul Weiss said the "firm's representation of Google is appropriate in all respects." Yelp said it hired Paul Weiss in 2016 for counsel on antitrust issues. The Justice Department's antitrust head, Jonathan Kanter, was on the Paul Weiss team representing Yelp. New York-based Paul Weiss, which has about 1,000 lawyers globally, is also representing Amazon.com in various antitrust lawsuits.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, Paul, Weiss, Garrison, Leonie Brinkema, Paul Weiss, Yelp, Jonathan Kanter, Charles Molster III, Brandon Kressin, Brinkema, Kanter, Mike Scarcella, Leigh Jones, Rami Ayyub Organizations: Google, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Media Alliance, Yelp, U.S, Google LLC, Eastern, of, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, U.S, Rifkind, Wharton, New York, States, of Virginia

The creators of the hit crime drama "Better Call Saul" on Monday won the dismissal of a defamation and trademark infringement lawsuit by Liberty Tax Service for depicting a shady fictional tax firm that appeared to resemble its own. Gardephe said Liberty Tax offered no "particularly compelling" allegations that viewers would be confused into thinking Sweet Liberty was one of its more than 2,500 offices. "Better Call Saul" starred Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman, a corrupt lawyer also known as Jimmy McGill. Peter Siachos, a lawyer for Liberty Tax, said his client will explore its legal options, including an appeal or refiling the lawsuit in a state court. Both said their use of Sweet Liberty was protected by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment.

Persons: Bob Odenkirk, Saul, Paul Gardephe, Gardephe, Liberty, Saul Goodman, Jimmy McGill, Goodman, Craig, Betsy Kettleman, Rosa Parks, Parks, Peter Siachos, Jonathan Stempel, Rami Ayyub Organizations: REUTERS, Monday, Liberty Tax Service, U.S, District, AMC Networks, Sony Pictures Television, Liberty Tax Services, Liberty Tax, Liberty, Court, Southern District of, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, Manhattan, New Mexico, Virginia Beach , Virginia, Southern District, Southern District of New York, New York

Signage is seen on a United Parcel Service (UPS) vehicle at a facility in Brooklyn, New York City, U.S., May 9, 2022. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on Friday said it sued United Parcel Service (UPS.N) for disability discrimination, alleging the delivery firm refused to hire deaf or hearing-impaired individuals as drivers. Atlanta-based UPS said it is modifying driver training for those who are deaf and hard of hearing and would start accepting exemptions to the DOT commercial driver hearing standard for operators of its ubiquitous brown delivery trucks in January 2024. EEOC said it sued the world's largest parcel delivery firm under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) after failing to reach a pre-litigation settlement. "Just because someone is deaf does not mean they cannot drive safely," said Gregory Gochanour, EEOC's regional attorney in Chicago.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, EEOC, Gregory Gochanour, Kannaki, Lisa Baertlein, Shounak Dasgupta, Chris Reese Organizations: United Parcel Service, REUTERS, Opportunity Commission, Department of Transportation, UPS, Disabilities, Northern, Northern District of Illinois, Thomson Locations: Brooklyn , New York City, U.S, Atlanta, Chicago, Northern District, Bengaluru, Los Angeles

The Biden administration and environmental groups on Friday said they would appeal a Louisiana federal judge's ruling that ordered an expansion of next week's sale of oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico.

Organizations: Biden Locations: Louisiana, Gulf of Mexico

Charles McGonigal, a former FBI official who has been charged with working for sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, arrives at Federal Court in New York City, U.S., March 8, 2023. Charles McGonigal, who led the FBI’s counterintelligence division in New York before retiring in 2018, is scheduled to appear at a plea hearing in Washington federal court at 2 p.m. (1800 GMT). He pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in federal court in Manhattan last month in a separate case related to his work for Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska while Deripaska was under U.S. sanctions. McGonigal’s lawyer and a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington declined to comment ahead of the hearing. U.S. prosecutors say the former Albanian intelligence officer had business interests in Europe and was a source for an FBI investigation involving foreign lobbying that McGonigal supervised.

Persons: Charles McGonigal, Oleg Deripaska, Brendan McDermid, Deripaska, McGonigal, Andrew Goudsward, Scott Malone, Grant McCool Organizations: FBI, Court, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Attorney’s, Thomson Locations: Russian, New York City, U.S, Albanian, New York, Washington, Manhattan, Europe

U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez in San Diego said California's "sweeping ban" went too far by preventing people from using magazines for lawful purposes, including self-defense. The judge had struck down the magazines ban in March 2019, but the 9th Circuit overturned him in Nov. 2021. The Supreme Court vacated the appeals court ruling and ordered new proceedings consistent with the Bruen decision. Chuck Michel, president of the California Rifle & Pistol Association, in a statement, said Friday's decision reflects the "sea change in the way courts must look at these absurdly restrictive laws." The case is Duncan et al v. Bonta, U.S. District Court, Southern District of California, No.

Persons: Roger Benitez, California's, Benitez, Rob Bonta, Bonta, Chuck Michel, Gavin Newsom, Duncan, Jonathan Stempel, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Long Beach Police Department, U.S, District, Supreme, , New York, Circuit, California, Association, Court, Southern District of, Thomson Locations: Long Beach, Long Beach , California, U.S, California, San Diego, ,, San Francisco, Southern District, Southern District of California, New York

Alabama Judicial Building, where the state supreme court meets, is seen in Montgomery, Alabama, U.S. September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Chris Aluka Berry/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 22 (Reuters) - The Supreme Court of Alabama is weighing whether to allow the state to become the first to execute a prisoner with a novel method: asphyxiation using nitrogen gas. Smith's lawyers have said the untested protocol may violate the U.S. Constitution's ban on "cruel and unusual punishments." They are due to file their opposition to the attorney general's death warrant application with the court on Friday. Oklahoma and Mississippi have also approved nitrogen asphyxiation executions, but are yet to try the method.

Persons: Chris Aluka Berry, Steve Marshall, Kenneth Smith, Smith, Alabama's, gurney, Joel Zivot, Zivot, Jonathan Allen, Timothy Gardner Organizations: Alabama Judicial, REUTERS, Alabama, Alabama Department of Corrections, Emory School of Medicine, Thomson Locations: Alabama, Montgomery , Alabama, U.S, Oklahoma, Mississippi, New York

Sept 22 (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Friday extended a temporary block on an order restricting the ability of President Joe Biden's administration to encourage social media companies to remove content it deemed misinformation about COVID-19 and other matters of public concern. The decision to keep the matter on hold until Wednesday gives the court more time to consider the administration's request to block an injunction issued by a lower court that had concluded that federal officials likely had violated the free speech protections of the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment by coercing social media platforms into censoring certain posts. Reporting by Andrew Chung and Nate Raymond Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Samuel Alito, Joe Biden's, Andrew Chung, Nate Raymond, Chris Reese Organizations: Supreme, Thomson

Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan. In her writings, she described feeling "unhappy and overwhelmed" with her job and "hurt/rejected" from a breakup with Bankman-Fried. A lawyer for Bankman-Fried told the appeals court on Sept. 19 that Kaplan failed to credit the defendant for exercising his First Amendment constitutional right to speak with the press and try to restore his reputation. The appeals court appeared skeptical. Bankman-Fried faces seven charges of fraud and conspiracy stemming from the collapse of FTX, the now-bankrupt crypto exchange he founded.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Eduardo Munoz, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Caroline Ellison, Ellison, Fried, Kaplan, Danielle Sassoon, William Nardini, Luc Cohen Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Circuit, District, Alameda Research, New York Times, Bankman, Metropolitan Detention, Prosecutors, Alameda, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Manhattan . U.S, Alameda, Palo Alto , California, FTX

A sign is pictured outside a Google office near the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California, U.S., May 8, 2019. KEY QUOTE:Weinberg testified that he had pressed particular companies - he did not name them - to use DuckDuckGo as the default and found some interest but ultimately no success because of Google's contracts with the companies. "We ultimately decided, this was after three years of trying this, that this was a quixotic exercise because of the contracts." *The clout in search then makes Google a heavy hitter in the lucrative advertising market, boosting its profits. *DuckDuckGo has around 2.5% of the online search engine market because it has not been able to win a default position on devices made by big companies.

Persons: Paresh Dave, DuckDuckGo, Gabriel Weinberg, Weinberg, Diane Bartz, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Google, Apple, Thomson Locations: Mountain View , California, U.S, Washington

[1/2] A sign for the Royal Bank of Canada in Toronto, Ontario, Canada December 13, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge on Thursday said American cities may pursue class-action claims accusing eight large banks of driving up interest rates they paid on a popular municipal bond. Cities led by Baltimore, Philadelphia and San Diego accused the banks of colluding to raise rates on more than 12,000 variable-rate demand obligations (VRDOs) from 2008 to 2016. Cities accused the eight banks of conspiring not to compete for remarketing services, and artificially inflating rates by sharing information about bond inventories and planned rate changes. The case is Philadelphia et al v Bank of America Corp et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.

Persons: Carlos Osorio, Jesse Furman, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Wells, San Diego, Banks, Furman, Dan Brockett, Jonathan Stempel, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Royal Bank of Canada, REUTERS, U.S, Bank of America, Barclays, Citigroup, JPMorgan, Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, al, Bank of America Corp, Court, Southern District of, Thomson Locations: Toronto , Ontario, Canada, Manhattan, Baltimore, Philadelphia, San, colluding, U.S, Southern District, Southern District of New York, New York

Richard Alexander Murdaugh is seen in a mugshot taken after his arrest, at Kirkland Reception and Evaluation Center in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. in this handout obtained March 4, 2023. South Carolina Department of Corrections/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 21 (Reuters) - Disbarred South Carolina attorney Richard "Alex" Murdaugh, who was convicted of murdering his wife and son, pleaded guilty in federal court on Thursday to nearly two dozen bank fraud and other financial crimes in which he stole millions of dollars. Murdaugh has appealed his murder convictions, maintains his innocence and is seeking a new trial. Federal Judge Richard Gergel is expected to sentence Murdaugh on the financial crimes at a later date. Murdaugh faces similar financial crime charges in state court and a state trial is scheduled for late November.

Persons: Richard Alexander Murdaugh, Richard, Alex, Murdaugh, Margaret, Paul, Dick Harpootlian, Maggie, Emily Evans Limehouse, he's, Richard Gergel, Rich McKay, Timothy Gardner Organizations: Kirkland, Center, South Carolina Department of Corrections, Handout, REUTERS, South, Prosecutors, United, Thomson Locations: Columbia , South Carolina, U.S, South Carolina, Charleston, Charleston , South Carolina, Atlanta

Effective Oct. 1, Amazon was planning to impose a new 2% fee on every sale by third-party sellers that ship their products themselves, according to media reports in August. "After careful consideration, we've made the decision not to implement this program fee to ensure seller sentiment related to the fee does not impact program participation," an Amazon spokesperson told Reuters. The reversal in Amazon's plans comes when the company is facing a potential lawsuit from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. The FTC is expected to file a lawsuit against Amazon later this month after the company did not offer concessions to settle antitrust claims, the Wall Street Journal reported. Amazon has been criticized for allegedly favoring its own products over those from outside sellers on its platform.

Persons: we've, Trump, Deborah Sophia, Pooja Desai Organizations: Amazon, Reuters, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Bloomberg, FTC, Wall Street Journal, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

The move suggests the company is taking a more cautious approach to how much money it can charge online sellers, the Bloomberg report said. Effective Oct. 1, Amazon was planning to impose a new 2% fee on every sale by third-party sellers that ship their products themselves, according to media reports in August. The FTC is expected to file a lawsuit against Amazon later this month after the company did not offer concessions to settle antitrust claims, the Wall Street Journal reported. The FTC began probing the company during the Trump administration, when it also launched investigations into other tech majors. Amazon has been criticized for allegedly favoring its own products over those from outside sellers on its platform.

Persons: Pascal Rossignol, Trump, Deborah Sophia, Pooja Desai Organizations: REUTERS, Bloomberg, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Amazon, Wall Street Journal, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

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