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☆ ‘Avengers Assemble:’ Five years after ‘Endgame,’ the box office needs more than just a blip
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

For many it felt like a soothing balm, underscoring the kind of communal experience people were missing as the still-new coronavirus pandemic shuttered theaters. Even allowing for that, the operatic heights achieved by “Endgame,” which grossed nearly $2.8 billion worldwide, would have been difficult to replicate. Such a concept would have sounded particularly foreign in the run-up to “Endgame,” when Marvel and its leader, Kevin Feige, appeared to possess a Midas touch. Venezuelan filmgoers watch the first screening in Venezuela of Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Endgame" at a cinema in Caracas on April 26, 2019. Unlike “Endgame,” the challenges that face the movie business can’t be undone with a snap of the fingers.

Persons: Captain, Thanos, ”, Marvel, Kevin Feige, Federico Parra, Joe, Anthony Russo, America, Russo, Joe Russo, Barbie ”, Captain America Organizations: CNN, Captain America, Marvel Studios, Marvel, DC, Warner Bros, Hollywood, “, Getty, Film, Captain, Disney Locations: Venezuela, Caracas, AFP

☆ Tesla's chaotic layoffs leave employees nervous and wondering when the cuts will end
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Tesla employees say they've been left in limbo after a week of layoffs. AdvertisementIn the wake of Tesla's mass layoffs last week, some workers who are still at the carmaker say they feel as if they've been left in limbo. Tesla workers have been put through the wringer ever since layoffs started on Sunday, April 14. "It was like all at once, people you'd seen every day were just erased from the company," the worker said. On Friday, Tesla's layoffs impacted its recruiting staff in the US.

Persons: they've, Elon Musk, —, Elon, they'd, you'd, we'd Organizations: Elon, Tesla, Service, EV, Business, Bloomberg Locations: China

☆ Beyoncé references a Marvel supervillain on ‘Cowboy Carter’ and other lyrics
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Dan Heching | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —In case you’ve somehow missed the biggest news in music this week, Beyoncé released her latest album on Friday, and “Act II: Cowboy Carter” goes out of its way to point out that music genres are overly confining labels. The 27-track compendium contains country music, to be sure, but also folk, gospel, rap, pop and even some Italian opera – and it celebrates Bey’s desire to span beyond any labels or limits. (She even spelled it out in a rare caption on her Instagram ahead of the album drop, writing that “Carter” “ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.”) The resulting collection is musically rich, lyrically creative and distinctly Beyoncé. Throughout, Beyoncé acknowledges the influence of artists who have come before her, and subverts concepts of country music by connecting past to present.

Persons: you’ve, Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter ”, “ Carter, Linda Martell, ”, ” Thanos, Josh Brolin, Shaboozey, Nancy Sinatra’s, Queen Bey, Jay, Z’s, she’s, ’, Chuck Berry, Willie Nelson ”, Tanner Adell, Reyna Roberts, Tiera Kennedy, Brittney Spencer, Willie Jones, Cowboy Carter Organizations: CNN, Black, Marvel Studios, The Beach Boys, Block Party Locations: “, Louisiana

☆ U.S. economic growth scenario is improving, ABP Invest says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailU.S. economic growth scenario is improving, ABP Invest saysThanos Papasavvas, CIO and founder at ABP Invest, on U.S. economic data, Federal Reserve comments, and what they mean for the interest rate trajectory.

Persons: Thanos Papasavvas Organizations: ABP, ABP Invest, Federal

☆ Marvel drops actor Jonathan Majors after assault conviction, source says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-18 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Jonathan Majors is out at Marvel after his misdemeanor assault and harassment conviction Monday, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC. The Marvel franchise is in a state of flux right now, with audience goodwill dwindling with each new entrant. Following the incident, but prior to his conviction, Majors was dropped from several marketing campaigns as well as by his talent agency. Disney previously pulled his film "Magazine Dreams," once considered an Oscar contender, was also pulled from the calendar. With Majors' conviction, Disney now has to make a choice: recast the role of Kang or completely alter its plans for the MCU.

Persons: Jonathan Majors, Meagan, Priya Chaudhry, Majors didn't, Bob Iger, Loki, Majors, he's, Kang, Josh Brolin's Thanos, Major's Kang Organizations: Marvel, CNBC, Majors, Disney Locations: New York City, New York

Climate Change Conference (COP 28) that opens on Nov. 30 in Dubai. Neither floods nor fires are new to Greece but with climate change, they are becoming a frequent disruptor to an economy dependent on tourism and farming. "We have to change our prediction methods," Skylakakis said, acknowledging the rapid pace of climate change. Mitsotakis has urged the EU to top up its solidarity fund and help countries tackle the impact of climate change. Adaptation measures worth 67 billion euros could reduce that loss to 510 billion euros, the country's leading economic think tank IOBE said in a February report.

Persons: Louisa Gouliamaki, Dimitris Kouretas, Kouretas, Theodore Skylakakis, Storm Daniel, Kostas Agorastos, Giorgos Stasinos, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Sokratis Famellos, Skylakakis, Thanos Giannakakis, Nikos Papathanasis, Miltiadis Gkouzouris, Mitsotakis, Petros Varelidis, Lefteris Papadimas, Renee Maltezou, Michele Kambas, Daniel Flynn Organizations: Reuters, United Nations Environment Program, Mount Olympus, HVA, Chamber, European, Justice, EU, Water Management, Environment Ministry, Thomson Locations: Vlohos, Greece, Greece's, Thessaly, Europe, Dubai, Los Angeles, Dutch, Athens, Thessaly's, Mouzaki, Netherlands

☆ Greek economy seen growing by 2.9% next year on strong investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Lefteris Papadimas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The government expects economic output to rise 2.9% next year following a 2.4% expansion this year, partly with the help of European Union recovery funds. Investment is seen growing by about 15.1% in 2024 more than double compared with this year. Greece has recently regained investment grade status for its debt attracting investment as its economy strengthens after a decade-long economic crisis. Its strong economic performance is also reflected in higher than expected tax revenues. Athens also expects to raise 5.77 billion euros from state asset sales in 2024, the budget said.

Persons: Costas Baltas, Thanos Petralias, Lefteris Papadimas, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Investment, Thomson Locations: Athens, Greece

☆ How Disney can save the Marvel Cinematic Universe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

CEO Bob Iger suggested as early as March that the company should decrease the number of sequel films Marvel releases in favor of bringing newer characters and stories into the mix. Box office analysts aren't ready to wave the white flag on the MCU, which has left rival DC, owned by Warner Bros. The promise was that the events of the shows would come full circle and influence the content of Marvel's films. Brie Larson stars as Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel in Disney and Marvel's "The Marvels." It is expected that this Deadpool film will follow carry an R rating, which would be a first for a Marvel Cinematic Universe feature.

Persons: Marvel Studios Kevin Feige, Jesse Grant, Captain America, It's, Marvel, Disney, Bob Iger, aren't, Kevin Feige, Paul Dergarabedian, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Wanda Maximoff, Sam Wilson, Loki, Knight, they've, Robert Thompson, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Robbins, Paul Rudd, Scott Lang, Johnathan Majors, Kang the, Kang, Jonathan Majors, Shawn Robbins, Josh Brolin, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Strange, Hugh Jackman, Brie Larson, Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel, James Bond, Marvel hasn't, hasn't, it's, America Chavez, Kate Bishop, Kamala Kahn, Cassie Lang, Riri Williams, Ryan Reynolds, Maya Lopez, Wilson Fisk, Lopez, Agatha Organizations: Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Studios, Disney, Getty, Marvel, DC, Warner Bros, Captain, Syracuse University, Guardians, Rotten, CNBC, Disney Marvel, Sony, Hollywood, Star Wars, Star, Young Avengers, Fox, Hulu Locations: ANAHEIM , CALIFORNIA, Anaheim , Calif, California, Shanghai, Quantumania

☆ Marvel used to reliably churn out billion-dollar hits. Now Disney has a mess on its hands
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Disney has a mess on its hands to marvel at. The embarrassingly weak debut marked the worst opening for any Marvel Studios film in its history. But, in recent years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has started to show serious signs of trouble. Those films — all of which were released after “Endgame” — are the four worst-reviewed films in Marvel history, according to Rotten Tomatoes averages. And the movies failed to earn an A-rating from CinemaScore, a feat almost all Marvel films easily accomplished, signaling deeper troubles with audience reception and crushing word-of-mouth.

Persons: CNN —, Marvel, “, ”, ” Shawn Robbins, Loki ’, Brie Larson didn’t, Bob Iger, Iger, ” Iger, Kevin Feige, ” Robert Downey Jr, ” Chris Evans ’, America, Scarlett Johansson’s “, Thanos, Chadwick Boseman’s “, Doctor Strange, Iron, ” Robbins Organizations: CNN, CNN — Disney, Marvel Studios, Marvel, Rotten, Box, “ Guardians, Galaxy, DC Studios, Warner Bros ., Disney, Magic, “, Pixar, “ Marvel

☆ 'The Marvels' is probably headed for one of the worst MCU box office openings ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

In this article DIS Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTBrie Larson stars as Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel in Disney and Marvel's "The Marvels." There was hope that "The Marvels," which arrives in theaters Friday, might build on the box office success of "Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. But there's a strong chance it could have one of the lowest opening weekends in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. No MCU film has opened in that range since 2011, according to data from Comscore. Box office analysts have pointed to Marvel's film promotion as another issue for the studio.

Persons: Brie Larson, Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel, Paul Dergarabedian, hasn't, Tom Hiddleston, Loki, Marvel, Johnny Oleksinski, Iman Vellani, aren't, There's, Shawn Robbins, it's, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Captain America, Robbins, Paul Rudd, Scott Lang, Johnathan Majors, Kang the, Disney Organizations: Disney, Marvel Studios, Guardians, Galaxy, Marvel, Rotten, New York, Amazon, it's Marvel Locations: Quantumania

☆ Inflation drop in past 6 months was 'bigger and sharper' than we expected, research firm says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailInflation drop in past 6 months was 'bigger and sharper' than we expected, research firm saysThanos Papasavvas, founder and CIO at ABP Invest, says U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's comments at Jackson Hole were "very measured" and the key message of his speech is that "he did not intend to spook the markets."

Persons: Thanos Papasavvas, Jerome Powell's, Jackson Organizations: ABP Invest, Federal

☆ Dollar’s decline throws spotlight on battered commodity currencies
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Saqib Iqbal Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

While that's driven rallies in risk assets such as stocks, raw materials prices and some commodity currencies have been slower to respond. Reuters GraphicsThe bullish view on commodity currencies gained traction in recent days after leaders in China - the world’s leading commodity consumer - on Monday pledged to step up policy support for the economy. Prices for oil, copper and other raw materials rose on the news, while commodity currencies such as the Australian and New Zealand dollars edged up. Some other commodity currencies have seen similar declines, with the New Zealand dollar down 2% and the South African rand down 3%. Commodity currencies are far from the only way to play further dollar weakness.

Persons: there's, Francesco Pesole, Brent, Thanos Bardas, Neuberger Berman, Bardas, Bipan Rai, Jane Foley, Saqib Iqbal Ahmed, Ira Iosebashvili, Leslie Adler Organizations: YORK, Reserve, ING Bank, Australian, Reuters, New, U.S, New Zealand, Deutsche Bank, International Monetary Fund, Bank of Japan, U.S ., CIBC, Rabobank, Thomson Locations: Norway, Australia, U.S, Norwegian, China, North America, Sweden

☆ Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian shares his daily routine and why true work-life balance doesn't exist: 'I don't think anyone can really accomplish that'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Amanda Breen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian shared his typical work and family routine. Before marriage, he said he was terrible at finding any semblance of balance between work and life. If you're chasing balance, you're implying, like Thanos, [that] you'd be able to create something perfectly balanced. "There are times in your life where you will need to focus on the career, the work," Ohanian says. That's why he's a big advocate for paid family leave; Ohanian wants all American families to have access to it.

Persons: Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams —, he's, Williams, he'd, It's, Thanos, You'll, Ohanian, you'll, —, He's, Ohanian's, Covid, Serena, Amanda Breen Organizations: Service, Technology, Seven, Olympia, YouTube, Olympia ., Barnard College, Columbia University, School of, Arts Locations: Wall, Silicon, South Florida

☆ Why this strategist is still backing Japanese and Chinese stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhy this strategist is still backing Japanese and Chinese stocksThanos Papasavvas, founder of ABP Invest, shares his current asset allocation across global equities and bonds.

Persons: Thanos Papasavvas Organizations: ABP Invest

☆ Inflation blame game: UK economic woes set government and central bank on a collision course
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Sunak has reiterated his "total support" for the Bank of England and under fire Governor Andrew Bailey. Meanwhile, economic growth has all but stagnated and public debt has surpassed 100% of gross domestic product for the first time since March 1961. "What is perhaps surprising is that the energy shock in the U.K. was larger than in most of mainland Europe." In a recent CNBC-moderated panel at a monetary policy forum in Sintra, Portugal, Bailey noted that the U.K. labor force is unique in remaining below its pre-Covid levels. Thanos Papasavvas, founder of ABP Invest, also alluded to the unique susceptibility of the U.K. to high inflation, but said the Bank of England should have been alive to this far earlier.

Persons: Sunak, Andrew Bailey, STEFAN ROUSSEAU, Rishi Sunak, Shaan Raithatha, CNBC's, We've, they've, Raithatha, we've, Richard Flax, Panmure Gordon, Simon French, Bailey, it's, Brexit, Catherine Mann, It's, Panmure Gordon's, French, Thanos Papasavvas Organizations: Bank of England, Getty, Sunak's Conservative, The Bank of, Vanguard, CPI, CNBC, Bank, Monetary, Committee, Panmure, ABP Invest Locations: The Bank of England, U.S, Ukraine, Europe, Moscow, Sintra , Portugal, U.K, British

☆ Bank of England has no choice but to continue hiking rates, strategist says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBank of England has no choice but to continue hiking rates, strategist saysThanos Vamvakidis of BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research says that's because of inflation pressures and a tight labor market.

Persons: Thanos, BofA Merrill Lynch Organizations: Email Bank of England, BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research

☆ Temu accused of data risks after sister app was suspended for malware
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Stefani Reynolds | Afp | Getty ImagesThe U.S. has accused discount shopping site Temu of possible data risks after its Chinese sister app was pulled from Google's app store over "malware" — but analysts say they're not that worried. Google called it an "identified malicious app" and urged users to uninstall the Pinduoduo app, but the Chinese online retailer denied those claims. Kevin Reed chief information security officer, Acronis"There should be no need for biometric data to be stored on an e-commerce website or app. Data risksIn a report on Chinese "fast fashion" platforms published in April, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission accused Temu and Shein of posing possible data risks. Shein and Temu "primarily rely on U.S. consumers downloading and using Chinese apps to curate and deliver products," said the report.

☆ Inside Wells Fargo's 'chaotic' journey to transform its services for the ultrarich
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Hayley Cuccinello | Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +23 min

In late 2020, some 300 Wells Fargo employees were summoned to a conference call. "I actually welcomed that, although I did like Abbot Downing," he said of folding Abbot Downing into the private bank. One team of legacy Abbot Downing employees with $3.5 billion in assets left for Hirtle Callaghan in June 2021. Today, Ginter runs a registered investment advisor called Callan Family Office, which some former Abbot Downing employees refer to as "the new Abbot Downing." Are you a current or former client of Wells Fargo Private Bank or Abbot Downing?

☆ TV and film writers are fighting to save their jobs from AI. They won’t be the last
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

A powerful new crop of AI tools, trained on vast troves of data online, can now generate essays, song lyrics and other written work in response to user prompts. While there are clearly limits for how well AI tools can produce compelling creative stories, these tools are only getting more advanced, putting writers like August on guard. But as part of their demands, the WGA is also fighting to protect their livelihoods from AI. Stephanie Elam/CNNWhile film and TV writers in Hollywood may currently be leading the charge, professionals in other industries will almost certainly be paying attention. “Watch this #WGA strike carefully,” Justine Bateman, a writer, director and former actress, wrote in a tweet shortly after the strike kicked off.

☆ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Review: Raccoon Tears and a Final Mixtape
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Maya Phillips | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

A powerful god-figure, the High Evolutionary has genetically altered Rocket, other animals and even children to create a perfect race to inhabit his imagined utopia. But the shift also feels belabored and emotionally manipulative; scenes upon scenes of shot, blown up, tortured and incinerated C.G.I. It seems “Guardians” needs this much gratuitous trauma bait to establish its stakes and prove that the bad guy is, in fact, bad. Something like Thanos Lite or a knockoff Dr. Frankenstein, the High Evolutionary represents one of the central problems the franchise is facing in a post-“Endgame” M.C.U. “There is no god — that’s why I stepped in,” the High Evolutionary says at one point.

☆ I use ChatGPT to write stories for my 5-year-old. It's fun, innovative, and makes bedtime less stressful.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Spriha Srivastava | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The challenge is coming up with new stories, so I used ChatGPT to come up with bespoke, fun tales. With the help of our son, we write prompts for ChatGPT and then read that story before sleep time. And so, I tapped my new friend for help – ChatGPT. They have pros and cons, but when ChatGPT can write a bedtime story for your kid and he loves it, it's a win-win. Spriha SrivastavaThe challenge now is to limit our bedtime creative exercise to one story a day.

☆ We're not heading toward a global financial crisis: CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWe're not heading toward a global financial crisis: CEOPolicymakers were right to shoot first and ask questions later amid recent banking volatility, Thanos Papasavvas, founder and CEO at ABP Invest, tells CNBC.

☆ Greek station master detained pending trial over train crash -lawyer
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Lawyer Stefanos Pantzartzidis, who represents the station master being investigated over the fatal collision of two trains, speaks to journalists outside the courthouse, after his client was detained pending trial, in the city of Larissa, Greece, March 5, 2023. REUTERS/Thanos FloulisATHENS, March 5 (Reuters) - The station master at Greece's Larissa railway station was detained pending trial on Sunday, his lawyer said, on charges related to the country's deadliest train crash on record. On Thursday, he said that his client had assumed responsibility "proportionate to him", but other factors were also at play, without elaborating. Greek railway unions have long complained of slipping safety standards, which place both passengers and workers at risk. Reporting by Renee Maltezou and Michele Kambas; Editing by Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 'Ant-Man and the Wasp in Quantumania' reviews: The villain is good, but the movie is bad
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

DisneyAre the pint-sized heroes of Disney's "Ant-Man and the Wasp in Quantumania" enough to take on the newest — and baddest — villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Marvel Studios' "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania." "Ant-Man and the Wasp in Quantumania" held a 53% "rotten" rating from 148 reviews, as of Wednesday afternoon. "Sometimes the weight of all this responsibility causes 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' ... to buckle at the knees," O'Sullivan wrote. Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) in "Ant-Man and The Wasp in Quantumania."

☆ Likelihood of a 'hard recession' is about 10%, ABP Invest CIO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailLikelihood of a 'hard recession' is about 10%, ABP Invest CIO saysThanos Papasavvas, founder and CIO at ABP Invest, discusses the outlook for the U.S. economy and shares his expectations about inflationary developments and a looming recession.

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