DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Oil prices fall as rally takes a pause while traders watch Middle East tensions, summer demand
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-25 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Crude oil futures fell Tuesday as the recent rally took a breather, with traders watching tensions on the Israel-Lebanon border and summer fuel demand. U.S. crude oil and global benchmark Brent are ahead 5.5% and 4.9%, respectively, for the month as prices have bounced back from May doldrums on a more optimistic outlook for summer fuel demand. Here are today's energy prices:Geopolitical tensions are also back in focus amid fears that Israel and the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah could go to war. Oil prices hit annual highs in April as Israel and Iran teetered on the brink of war, stoking fears that a wider conflict could engulf the Middle East and disrupt crude supplies. But McKay also said the oil rally could fade with funds likely to start liquidating long positions if WTI prices fall below $81 per barrel.

Persons: doldrums, Israel, CQ Brown, John Evans, Evans, Ryan McKay, McKay Organizations: Brent, Hezbollah, Air Force, Sunday, Israel, TD Securities Locations: McKittrick, Kern County , California, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Gaza

☆ Our contributors rewatched the 2020 Biden-Trump debates for clues. Here’s what they predict will happen Thursday
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-24 | by ( Cnn Opinion | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +27 min

Kate Bedingfield served as White House communications director in the Biden administration and was the deputy campaign manager on Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. That contentious exchange during the 2020 debate put Biden on the defensive. A President Trump might make their decisions about retirement that much easier. David Urban, a CNN political commentator, served as an adviser to then-President Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign. On Thursday, President Biden needs to do it again.

Persons: isn’t, Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump’s, —, Stephanie Griffith, Scott Jennings, Trump, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, counterpunched Biden, CNN Trump masterfully, ” Scott Jennings Trump, mightily, George W, Bush, Sen, Mitch McConnell, Sophia A, Nelson Stephanie Honikel, Chris Wallace, Wallace, Trump’s, it’s, Nelson, It’s, Kate Bedingfield, Donald Trump Kate Bedingfield, Shermichael Singleton, Bill Clinton’s, James Carville, “, Democratic Barack Obama, they're, aren’t, “ It’s, David Axelrod, people’s, ” Biden, jibing Trump, ”, Barack Obama, Obama, David Urban, Amy Coney Barrett, Amy Coney Barrett's, Roe, Wade, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Reagan, Clinton, ” David Urban, Dobbs, Lady Jill Biden, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Bakari Sellers, Abraham Lincoln, chokeholds, Emmett Till, HBCUs ? Biden, Hilary Krieger Organizations: CNN, White, Biden, Scott Jennings CNN, Trump, Democratic, Republican, RunSwitch Public Relations, Capitol, GOP, Republican Government Reform, White House, NBC, Marist, Fox News, Global, Senate, United, Appeals, Federalist Society, American, United State Supreme Court, National Guard, South Carolina House of, Strom Law, CNN Opinion’s Locations: Cleveland , Ohio, Nashville , Tennessee, New York, Louisville , Kentucky, Charlottesville , Virginia, “, White, Charlottesville, Michigan, Scranton, Claymont, America, United States, Pennsylvania, HBCUs

☆ China growth worries have hit a big alcohol stock. Why some analysts see a buy opportunity
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-23 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"Flying Fairy," a 53% alcohol from Shanghai-listed Kweichow Moutai , saw wholesale prices drop by more than 5% in a week. He agreed the drop in wholesale prices won't have a big impact on Moutai's immediate earnings. What's also different about Moutai's stock decline is that investors aren't rushing in to bottom fish as they have in the past, Ye said. "The recent wholesale price drop we think is mostly triggered by the arbitragers in the market," Morningstar's Song said. She expects wholesale prices to increase in coming months given major Chinese holidays in the fall.

Persons: stoking, That's, Jennifer Song, Song, Kweichou Moutai, Ye Yuhua, What's, Ye, Moutai, Huatai, Moutai's, Goldman Sachs Organizations: Nomura, Morningstar, Stock, Capital, Financial Holdings, JPMorgan, Macquarie Locations: Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hainan

☆ Trump floats ‘migrant league of fighters’ in latest dehumanizing rhetoric against migrants
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-22 | by ( Kate Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“I said, ‘Dana, I have an idea: Why don’t you set up a migrant league of fighters and have your regular league of fighters. And then you have the champion of your league — these are the greatest fighters in the world — fight the champion of the migrants. At his campaign rallies, he spotlights violent crimes committed by undocumented immigrants as he bashes Biden’s handling of security at the border. As president, Trump took steps to curb both illegal and legal immigration, targeting visa programs and seeking to restrict refugee resettlements. During his 2024 campaign, Trump has vowed to carry out the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history” to combat what he claims is an “invasion of our country.”

Persons: Donald Trump, ”, Dana White, “, ‘ Dana, Trump, it’s, I’ve, Joe Biden’s, Sarafina Chitika, ” Trump, White supremacists, Biden, Adolf Hitler, Mein Organizations: CNN, UFC Locations: Washington, Mexico, Ohio

☆ How China could take Taiwan without even needing to invade
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-21 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

“China has significantly increased pressure on Taiwan in recent years, stoking fears that tensions could erupt into outright conflict. China’s escalating gray zone tactics were on stark display this week as China Coast Guard vessels clashed with Philippine Navy boats in the South China Sea. In the 24 hours ending at 6 a.m. Friday, 36 Chinese military aircraft crossed into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry says. Meanwhile, a quarantine, rather than a blockade, would not require China to close or restrict access to the Taiwan Strait, the CSIS report notes. Under its claims that Taiwan is Chinese territory, Beijing could require customs declarations to be filed before vessels can call in Taiwan.

Persons: CNN —, Beijing’s, Xi Jinping’s, Bonny Lin, Brian Hart, Matthew Funaiole, Samantha Lu, Tinsley, stoking, Adm, Dong Jun, ”, Dong, China’s, “, Joe Biden, Rong Xu, Carl Schuster, ” Schuster, Alessio Patalano, Sidharth Kaushal, Patalano Organizations: CNN, Communist Party, Center for Strategic, International Studies, China Coast Guard, CSIS, TAIWAN, GUARD, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Chinese Defense, Philippine Navy, Taiwan Relations, White, PLA Navy, Maritime Safety Agency, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, Bloomberg, Getty, “, Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center, Taipei, King’s College, Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, Imports, Royal United Services Institute Locations: Taiwan, Ukraine, China, Washington, United States, Pengjia, Beijing, Singapore, South China, Manila, Second, Philippines, Taiwan’s, Taiwan Strait, Port, Taichung, Kaohsiung, London, Covid

☆ Oil prices on track for weekly gain on solid demand outlook
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Oil prices fell on Friday but were on track for their first weekly gain in four weeks as markets assessed the impact of higher-for-longer U.S. interest rates versus solid outlooks for crude and fuel demand this year. Brent crude futures were down 72 cents, or 0.87%, to $82.04 a barrel at 0100 GMT. In a see-saw week, oil prices rallied after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries stuck to a forecast for relatively strong growth in global oil demand for 2024 and Goldman Sachs projected solid U.S. fuel demand this summer. Further buoying the market, Russia pledged to meet its output obligations under the OPEC+ pact, after saying it exceeded its quota in May. This should see the crude oil market remain well supported over the next 18 months," ANZ analysts said in a client note.

Persons: Goldman Sachs Organizations: Brent, West Texas, Organization of Petroleum, OPEC, ANZ, U.S . Federal Reserve, Fed Locations: Russia, OPEC, China

☆ GameStop: Why this meme stock frenzy is different from 2021
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Meme stock mania is back. Meme stocks saw a resurgence last month after Keith Gill, an investor who helped stoke the meme stock frenzy in 2021, made his first post on X in three years. For many traders who experienced the original meme stock craze, the phenomenon has prompted a wave of deja vu. Still, there are key differences between the reignited 2024 meme stock craze and the original in 2021. While GameStop shares have surged in recent weeks, it is still down 65% from its record high closing price in 2021.

Persons: Keith Gill, ” Gill, Gill, —, that’s, Craig Sarembock, ”, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, Biden, Samantha Delouya, That’s, Elon Musk, OpenAI, Hanna Ziady, ” Musk, Apple Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, stoke, GameStop, CNN, Federal Reserve, Bartlett Wealth Management, Global, ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, EOG Resources, Schlumberger, Apple, SpaceX, Bluetooth, OpenAI, Developers Locations: New York, United States, OpenAI

☆ Currency market steadies ahead of U.S. inflation test, Fed decision
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Economists polled by Reuters expect headline consumer price inflation to ease to 0.1% from 0.3% last month, and core price inflation to remain steady on the month at 0.3%. Powell is likely to strike a relatively dovish tone at the press conference, however, given disappointing growth indicators since the last Fed meeting, Williams said. Japanese wholesale prices rose 2.4% in the year to May, Bank of Japan data showed on Wednesday, beating market forecasts for a 2% increase. The yen held steady at 157.16 per greenback after slipping to its lowest since June 3 at 157.40 the previous day. While Japan's central bank will likely discuss bond buying cuts to pre-empt yen selling pressure, dollar/volatility this week largely depend on Wednesday's U.S. CPI and Fed meeting, he added.

Persons: Jerome Powell's, Kieran Williams, Powell, Williams, Emmanuel Macron's, Sterling, Wei Liang Chang, bitcoin Organizations: U.S, Consumer, Fed, Reuters, Asia FX, InTouch, Bank of Japan, Bank of, DBS, CPI Locations: Czech, U.S, Asia, Bank of Japan

☆ 'Put it to rest': DOJ shoots down House Republican conspiracy that it controlled Trump NY case
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

But Uriarte said there is no evidence showing any coordination between the federal government and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the hush money case against Trump. The DOJ conducted a "comprehensive" search for communications between its leaders and the Manhattan District Attorney's office about any investigation or prosecution of Trump from Jan. 20, 2021, through his May 30 conviction in New York, Uriarte said. "The District Attorney's office is a separate entity from the Department. The Department does not supervise the work of the District Attorney's office, does not approve its charging decisions, and does not try its cases," he said. "The Department has no control over the District Attorney, just as the District Attorney has no control over the Department."

Persons: General Merrick Garland, General Carlos Uriarte, Jim Jordan, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Uriarte, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Trump Organizations: Department of Justice, Department, CNBC, The, of Justice, Republicans, DOJ, Manhattan, Attorney, Trump, Manhattan District, Jan, District Attorney Locations: Washington ,, New York, Ohio, York

☆ Hezbollah Says Commander Was Killed in an Israeli Strike in Southern Lebanon
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Ephrat Livni | More About Ephrat Livni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Hezbollah said on Tuesday that Israeli forces killed one of its commanders in a strike in southern Lebanon, stoking concerns about escalating the conflict on another Israeli front. But the group has not referred to a dead fighter as a “commander” since January, when Wissam Hassan al-Tawil, a commander in the group’s Radwan unit, was killed in a strike. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strike. On Tuesday, the Israeli military said that Hezbollah had fired about 50 rockets into Israel from southern Lebanon. Answering calls by Hamas to open a second front a day after its deadly assault on Israel, Hezbollah launched attacks into Israel on Oct. 8.

Persons: Taleb Abdallah, Abu Taleb, ”, Wissam Hassan, Abdallah’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, Hassan Nasrallah, Euan Ward, Matthew Mpoke Bigg Organizations: Tuesday, Israel, The United Nations Locations: Lebanon, Israel, Gaza, Iran, ”

☆ AI just catapulted Nvidia into the $3 trillion club at lightning pace
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-06 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Nvidia just joined the $3 trillion club along with Microsoft and Apple. Jensen Huang has the AI boom to thank for that. Nvidia's chips are in hot demand from AI and tech companies, stoking a euphoric bull run. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . It's a message that Nvidia believers appear to have lapped up, too.

Persons: Jensen Huang, — Organizations: Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Service, Investors, Business Locations: Santa Clara

☆ Fake News Reports and Videos Seek to Undermine the Paris Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Julian E. Barnes | Steven Lee Myers | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

With its athletes barred from competing in the Summer Olympics under the country’s flag, Russia has turned its fury on the Games and this year’s host, Paris. Russian propagandists have created an hourlong documentary, spoofed news reports and even mimicked French and American intelligence agencies to issue fake warnings urging people to avoid the Games, according to a report released on Sunday by Microsoft. The report details the disinformation campaign created by a group the company calls Storm-1679. The campaign appears to have accelerated since March, flooding social media with short videos raising alarms about possible terrorist attacks and stoking fears about safety. The operation, while aimed at the Games, is using various techniques to spread disinformation that could also be employed in European and U.S. elections.

Organizations: Games, Microsoft, Storm Locations: Russia, Paris, American

☆ In Singapore, China Warns U.S. While Zelensky Seeks Support
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-02 | by ( Chris Buckley | Damien Cave | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The competing strains on U.S. global power came into sharp focus at a security conference on Sunday, where China accused the United States of stoking tensions around Taiwan and the South China Sea, and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine was seeking greater support for his embattled country. This year, the United States Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and China’s defense minister, Adm. Dong Jun, held talks, something the top defense officials from the two countries have not always done at this gathering. But Admiral Dong made clear that China remained deeply antagonistic to U.S. influence and alliance-building across Asia, especially American support for Taiwan, the island democracy that Beijing claims as its territory. “These malign intentions are drawing Taiwan to the dangers of war,” Admiral Dong told the meeting after making an oblique but unmistakable reference to U.S. military and political support for Taiwan. “Anyone who dares split Taiwan from China will be smashed to pieces and court their own destruction.”

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Lloyd J, Austin III, Dong Jun, Admiral Dong, ” Organizations: United States Defense, Taiwan Locations: China, United States, Taiwan, South China, Ukraine, Singapore, U.S, Asia, Beijing

The meeting, between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and China’s Minister of National Defense Adm. Dong Jun, is the first face-to-face talks between the two defense chiefs and Austin’s first such discussions with a Chinese counterpart since late 2022. The meeting, on the sidelines of an annual defense conference in Singapore, takes place against a fraught regional backdrop. Austin is expected to raise concerns with Dong about China’s support for Russia, US officials said ahead of the meeting. Talks between Austin and Dong are not expected to see substantive progress towards resolving many entrenched issues between them. Several weeks later, US and Chinese top generals spoke in a video call, paving the way for this week’s in-person meeting between the defense chiefs.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Dong Jun, Austin’s, China’s, Austin, Dong, Nancy Pelosi, Li Shangfu, Li, won’t, Xi Jinping’s, Xi, Joe Biden Organizations: Singapore CNN, US, National Defense, South China Seas, Communist Party, Coast Guard, Defense, Washington, Russia, America, East, Communist, Central Military Commission Locations: Singapore, Asia, Pacific, Taiwan, Beijing, East, South, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, China, South China, American, Russia, Ukraine, Austin, Asia –, San Francisco

☆ China wants its nepo-baby and get-rich-quick influencers gone
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China's biggest social media platforms launched a synchronized crackdown on parading wealth last week, removing thousands of posts and punishing dozens of influencers for promoting "bad values." Showing luxury services or goods to exaggerate how one can earn "millions in a month," achieve financial independence or start a lucrative business from scratch. Xu claimed that the barred influencers grew their fame by "showing off their wealth" and, in turn, became rich by selling products on livestreams. AdvertisementMore recently, common prosperity has evolved into a crackdown on "excessive wealth," with the central government stepping up regulations on private industry giants and wealthy families. Beijing seems to have toned down its rhetoric of common prosperity as its economy struggled in the post-COVID era.

Persons: —, Xu Qiuying, Xu, Xi Jinping, laud Organizations: Service, Business, Twitter, Weibo, Beijing, Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, China's Locations: China, Weibo, Xiaohongshu, Beijing

☆ Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift Race for No. 1
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Joe Coscarelli | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A cold war between pop music titans — or at least their mobilizing fan bases and record labels — turned into a digital arms race this week as both Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish gunned for the No. 1 spot on next week’s Billboard album chart. But Eilish’s well-reviewed new album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” is challenging for No. 1 in its debut, as its 10 songs prove popular on streaming services like Spotify. (Even before those comments, Eilish’s brother and main collaborator, Finneas, had once been heard on a hot mic joking about being “sued by Taylor Swift” after performing with an artist who had criticized her work.)

Persons: —, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Swift, Eilish, Eilish’s, Finneas, “ Organizations: Poets Department, Spotify

☆ Trump holds campaign rally in the Bronx as he seeks to make inroads with Hispanic and Black voters
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Kate Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a rally Thursday in the Bronx as his campaign looks to make inroads with Hispanic and Black voters ahead of November’s election. A Trump campaign official told CNN that several factors, including the former president’s long history of living and working in New York and his efforts to win over minority voters, played into the decision to hold the Bronx rally. The Bronx is a Democratic stronghold, which Trump lost by about 68 points to Joe Biden in 2020. Residents in the South Bronx, where Trump’s rally is taking place, are mainly Hispanic (64%) and Black (31%), according to the US Census Bureau. Several House Republicans from New York said they could no longer make it to Trump’s event due to changes in the chamber’s voting schedule Thursday.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, “, Elise Stefanik, ”, Barack Obama, Janiyah Thomas, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Ritchie Torres, Torres, CNN’s Kit Maher Organizations: CNN, Trump, New York, Republican, Democratic, Residents, Census Bureau, Republicans, Biden, Americans, African, gaslight, NY1, The New York Times Locations: Bronx, Trump’s New York, New York, Crotona Park, South Bronx, Manhattan, New, “ New York, Central Park, Charlottesville , Virginia, Cortez, Crotona

☆ Buthidaung: Fires rage as Rohingya caught up on the front lines of Myanmar’s civil war
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Helen Regan | Avery Schmitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

This satellite image shows Buthidaung, Myanmar, on January 17, 2024. © 2024 Maxar Technologies This satellite image shows Buthidaung, Myanmar, on May 18, 2024. This satellite image shows a damaged bridge in Buthidaung, Myanmar, on May 18, 2024. Warnings of further atrocitiesAn immediate concern is a humanitarian crisis in Rakhine state, with newly displaced residents unable to access food or clean water. The Myanmar military has blocked all access,” said Nay San Lwin.

Persons: Farooq, ”, Young, Volker Türk, Kyaw, –, Buthidaung –, “, John Quinley, Khaing, Lwin, Rohingya, Pan, Matthew Miller Organizations: CNN, Arakan Army, AA, Resource Management, Free Rohingya Coalition, International Court of Justice, Council, Myanmar, UN Human Rights Council, National Unity Government, Free Rohingya Coalition –, Maxar Technologies, “, ” CNN, Bangladesh, Labs, Medecins, Rakhine . State Department, Unity Government Locations: Myanmar’s, Myanmar, Rakhine, Arakan, Bangladesh, Buthidaung, Lwin, Indonesia, San Lwin, Rakhine State

☆ Is Modi Worried? India’s Long-Deflated Opposition Finds Some Momentum.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Mujib Mashal | Pragati K.B. | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Prime Minister Narendra Modi entered India’s general election projecting supreme confidence. “Ab ki baar, 400 paar” went his party’s slogan, meaning this time his side aimed to surpass 400 seats in the lower house of Parliament, a staggering majority. But as the seven-week voting period enters its final stretch, with results expected on June 4, India is witnessing something unusual from its powerful leader. As Mr. Modi crisscrosses the country for rallies in 100-degree heat, he has often appeared on the defensive, and sometimes rattled. He has resorted to stoking anti-Muslim sentiments to fend off attempts to split his Hindu support base, only to deny his own words later.

Persons: Narendra Modi, paar ”, Modi, — Locations: India

☆ India’s free press is not so free after a decade of Modi
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Analysis Aishwarya S. Iyer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

And as Modi looks to win another five years in power in an ongoing nationwide election, critics fear further erosion of the protections afforded to India’s free press. “I think many times before I write stories,” Kappan told CNN. Since his bail, Kappan has struggled to find a permanent job to provide for his family. Kumar told CNN he resigned because Adani’s proximity to Modi and the BJP would leave him unable to continue asking tough questions of the government. “They gave no reasons nor any justifications for why they denied my permit,” she told CNN from Paris.

Persons: Siddique Kappan, Narendra Modi’s, Modi, “, ” Kappan, Kappan, ”, Kaushik Raj, Narendra Modi, Gareth Copley, Shakuntala Banaji, RSF, Kunal Majumder, NewsClick, Prabir Purkayastha, Banaji, Kanchan Gupta, Ravish Kumar, Kumar, Gautam Adani, Vishal Bhatnagar, Dinesh Joshi, Gupta, Avani Dias, Vanessa Dougnac, Dias, Gaurav Bhatia, Dougnac Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, CNN, Getty, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, ICC Men's Cricket, India, Journalists, London School of Economics, “, Press, ”, Protect Journalists, Police, LSE, Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, Amnesty, New Delhi Television, NDTV, YouTube, Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s, Ministry of Home Affairs, India’s, Ministry, BBC Locations: New Delhi, India, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, AFP, Hathras, Paris, Ahmedabad, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Delhi, Jaipur, Modi, Asia, Dougnac

☆ Why Jay Powell really wants to lower interest rates this September
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

It’s interesting to me that the equity market is cheering the idea that the Fed is going to be cutting rates. There tends to be a fine line between cutting rates and extending the economic cycle or cutting rates because the cycle is coming to an end (and the economy is softening). When the Fed is cutting rates, it’s cutting rates because a recession is about to happen, right? That’s why I say there’s a fine line between the Fed cutting to extend the cycle and the Fed cutting because a recession is about to happen. The Fed has been in this precarious space where they’re trying to avoid recession while lowering interest rates.

Persons: Dow, stoking, Bell, Tom Porcelli, Jerome Powell, Jay Powell, they’re, that’s, Donald, Goofy, Eva Rothenberg, Mickey Mouse, Snow White, Captain Hook, ”, Kate Shindle, “, Uber, Lyft, Jamie Long, Read Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN — Markets, Federal Reserve, Fed, ’ Equity Association, Equity, National Labor Relations Board, Disneyland, Disney, ’ Equity, Walt Disney Company, Uber, Democratic, Minneapolis City Council Locations: New York, Anaheim , California, Minnesota, Minneapolis

CNN —Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader declared himself the winner of the weekend’s presidential election in a race where crime and safety were among voters’ biggest concerns. Official results are still pending, but the election website shows the former businessman leading by a wide margin as two of his top challengers conceded. “Tonight I called President Luis Abinader by phone to recognize his electoral victory and wish him success in his administration,” candidate Leonel Fernandez wrote on X. “I’d like to wish luck to Luis Abinader, our country has plenty of challenges, I ask God that we overcome them as a nation,” Dominican politician Abel Martínez said in a statement. Federico Parra/AFP/Getty ImagesThe vote comes amid the spiraling political and social crisis in neighboring Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic.

Persons: Luis Abinader, Abinader, Leonel Fernandez, Abel Martínez, Federico Parra, Black Organizations: CNN — Dominican, Getty, United Locations: Dominican, Santo Domingo, AFP, Haiti, Hispaniola, Dominican Republic

☆ Tsai Ing-wen: the leader who put Taiwan on the map and stood up to China
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Wayne Chang | Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

While supporters applaud Tsai for standing up to China, defending Taiwan’s sovereignty, freedom and democracy, critics blame her for straining ties with Beijing, stoking cross-strait tensions. Beijing, which deems the tacit agreement a precondition for dialogue, has cut official contact with Taipei since Tsai took office. Taiwan President Tsai inspects reservists at a training session at a military base in Taoyuan on May 11, 2023. But under Tsai, Taiwan has sought to enhance its asymmetric defense capabilities, developing and procuring cheaper and more mobile weapon systems that could be instrumental in halting a potential Chinese invasion. Taiwanese military experts have increasingly advocated for such an approach, noting that Taiwan can never match China in military might and assets.

Persons: Taipei CNN — Tsai Ing, introvert, ” Tsai, Xi Jinping, Xi, Tsai, stoking, Taiwan’s, Lai Ching, ”, Alex Chan Tsz Yuk, Wellington Koo, “, Vanessa Hope, Ma Ying, Taiwan's, Jose Lopes Amaral, Wen, Amanda Hsiao, Nancy Pelosi, Chien Chih, Nancy Pelosi’s, Huang, Jameson Wu, ” Sung, ” Hsiao, “ Tsai, Sawayasu Tsuji, Sung, ” Tsai’s, –, Lai Organizations: Taipei CNN, Democratic Progressive Party, DPP, Kuomintang, KMT, World Health Organization, WHO, Atlantic, Trump, Biden, International Crisis, US, Getty, World Health Assembly, National Chengchi University, Getty Images, Taiwan’s Military Academy, ” Tsai’s DPP Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, China, United States, Beijing, Tsai, Asia, Wellington, Ukraine, Gaza, Japan, Czech Republic, Republic of China, Taoyuan, AFP, Washington, Hong Kong

☆ The Fed needs to cut interest rates before inflation comes down, BlackRock's bond chief says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The Fed has a strong case to lower interest rates, according to BlackRock's Rick Rieder. The bond chief said high rates may stoke inflation, as the economy has shifted to being a net creditor. "I would lay out an argument that actually, if you cut interest rates, you bring down inflation," Rieder said. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, BlackRock's bond chief Rick Rieder argued that the Fed needs to loosen monetary policy before inflation falls. That's partly because high interest rates may actually be stoking inflation, thanks to the huge transfer of money in the economy from borrowers to lender, Rieder said.

Persons: BlackRock's Rick Rieder, Rieder, —, Rick Rieder Organizations: stoke, Service, Federal Reserve, Bloomberg, Business

☆ Biden’s tariffs on Chinese imports are boosting these beaten-down stocks
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Beaten-down clean energy stocks have rallied this week. The iShares Global Clean Energy exchange-traded fund, which tracks sectors from renewable electricity to semiconductors to solar energy, has gained roughly 3%. Plug Power shares have climbed 33%, Enphase Energy shares have gained 8% and NextEra Energy shares have added 4%. Some investors warn that though the tariffs could continue boosting clean energy stocks, the recent rally isn’t driven by just improving fundamentals. Damaging hacks expose the weak underbelly of America’s health care systemA pair of recent ransomware attacks crippled computer systems at two major American health care firms, disrupting patient care and exposing fundamental weaknesses in the US health care system’s defenses against hackers, reports my colleague Sean Lyngaas.

Persons: New York CNN — It’s, Joe Biden, CNN’s Kayla Tausche, ”, Steve Sosnick, Roaring Kitty, Keith Gill, Dow, Nicole Goodkind, stoking, Gary Pzegeo, ” Read, Sean Lyngaas, cybersecurity, ” Joshua Corman, Sen, Ron Wyden Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Clean Energy, Enphase Energy, NextEra Energy, Biden, Federal Reserve, Interactive Brokers, CNN, GameStop, AMC Entertainment, Roaring, Dow Jones Industrial, Nasdaq, Markets, Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIBC Private Wealth, “ Industry, Oregon Democrat Locations: New York, China

Search resuls for: "Stoking"

25 mentions found