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☆ 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

☆ 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

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