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☆ How to make the Fed rate cut work for you
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

In its August survey of car shoppers, a majority (64%) said a Fed rate cut likely would affect the timing of their purchase. But here’s the thing: Car loan rates are pretty high — the average is 7.1% for new cars and 11.3% for used cars, according to Edmunds. If you do buy a home this year and are considering buying down points to reduce your mortgage rate, crunch some numbers first, Diodato advised. That’s because you will pay thousands of dollars to buy down your mortgage rate now, and then thousands more in fees to refinance. What to do if you’re not near retirement: Reconsider how much money you’re keeping in cash or cash-equivalent investments.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, “, ”, Greg McBride, McBride, Chris Diodato, Jessica Caldwell, ” McBride, Caldwell, We’re, Diodato, you’ll, won’t, Kathy Jones, Jones Organizations: CNN, Federal Reserve, Bankrate.com, Fed, Treasury, FDIC, Schwab Center, Financial Research, AAA, Bond Locations: Edmunds, Schwab.com

☆ How to position your muni bond portfolio ahead of the election and potential tax law changes
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

With the Federal Reserve rate-cutting cycle expected to begin and the November election just around the corner, now could be a good time to invest in municipal bonds. Interest earned on municipal bonds are free from federal tax. Close said he is already seeing financial advisors start to position their muni portfolios in anticipation of changes. Unlike the Treasury market, the muni market yield curve is upward sloping, Close said. In addition, there's room for lower-rated municipalities to outperform, such as A, BBB and high yield, Norton said.

Persons: Matthew Norton, Norton, Dan Close, Close, It's, Paul Malloy, Malloy, it's, Vanguard's Malloy, Nuveen's Organizations: Federal, Democratic, White House, Congress, municipals, Vanguard, BBB, AAA, AA, Treasury, Investment Company Institute, Fed Locations: Nuveen, California , New York, New Jersey, New York, California, AllianceBernstein

☆ BlackRock's Rick Rieder says a golden age for fixed income begins this week with the Fed rate cut
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

With the Federal Reserve expected to begin its rate-cutting cycle this week, investors should take advantage of this "golden age of fixed income" now, according to BlackRock's Rick Rieder. "The world is changing," said Rieder, the asset manager's global chief investment officer of fixed income. In this environment, Rieder likes the belly of the curve and assets like securitized products , high yield and European credit. BINC currently has about 28% of its assets in non-U.S. credit and about 20% in U.S. high-yield bonds. Rieder is not concerned about the narrow spreads in high-yield credit.

Persons: BlackRock's Rick Rieder, —, Rieder, BINC, We've, CLOs Organizations: Federal Reserve, SEC, Fed, AAA, MBS, AAA CLOs Locations: BlackRock, Europe, U.S

☆ Scenic fall drives in the US: 6 byways for your autumn foliage fix
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-15 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Ozark Run Scenic Byway, MissouriMissouri travel experts say Elephant Rocks State Park is a special stop during any scenic drive on the Ozark Run Scenic Byway. Lake Champlain Byway, VermontLoad up the bicycles for your Lake Champlain Byway drive in Vermont. KRose/Courtesy Local Motion/Lake Champlain Byway CouncilLittle Vermont is a big deal in New England and beyond when it comes to scenic fall drives. It “provides beautiful views of America’s sixth-largest lake, Lake Champlain, as well as of Vermont’s Green Mountains and New York’s Adirondack Mountains,” said Dan Albrecht, chair of Lake Champlain Byway Council, in an email. Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway, CaliforniaTourists flocking to view aspens, cottonwoods and maple trees along Bishop Creek Canyon near Bishop, California, which is along the Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway.

Persons: Aaron Fuhrman, It’s, ”, Katie Blake, “ We’ve, it’ll, ” Blake, • Mark, America’s, Dan Albrecht, Albrecht, •, Peter Norbeck, Johnson, Peter, James Schwabel, Katlyn Svendsen, ” Svendsen, …, Crazy, Alex Byers, Eric Knopsnyder, Frank Lloyd Wright’s, Fallingwater, George Rose, Caroline Beteta, ” Beteta, Mount Whitney, Cindy Robinson, Mabry, Ed Mabry, bibliophiles Organizations: CNN, Missouri, Missouri Department of Conservation, Village Mercantile, • Mark Twain National Forest, Champlain Byway, New England, Leahy Center, Isle State, Mount Rushmore, Travel, Lakota, Laurel, GO, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation, Resources, GO Laurel Highlands, UNESCO, Pennsylvania, CNN Travel, Scenic, California Tourists, Eastern, Sierra, Visit, Historic Park, AAA, Music, Mount Mitchell Locations: United States, Ozark, Missouri Missouri, Rocks, •, Caledonia, • Mark Twain, Terre, Knob, Champlain Byway, Vermont, Burlington, Lake Champlain, New York, Champlain, Little, New England, Green, New, Middlebury, Vergennes, England, Isle, Button, South Dakota, Travel South Dakota, • Custer, Sylvan, Laurel, Pennsylvania, Ohiopyle , Pennsylvania, GO Laurel Highlands, Laurel Highlands, Ligonier, California, Bishop, Bishop , California, Visit California, Topaz, Little Lake, Death, you’re, “, North America, • Bodie, Eastern, Pine, North Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Asheville

☆ Investors can nab extra yield with this under-the-radar municipal bond play, says Nuveen
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-11 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

There's a small part of the municipal bond market that could provide a big opportunity to investors, according to Nuveen. The Nuveen High Yield Municipal Bond Fund , which Close manages, has about 9% of its assets in charter school muni bonds. NHMAX 1Y mountain Nuveen High Yield Municipal Bond Fund Charter school bonds fund construction, renovation or the purchase of school facilities. There are currently about 8,000 charter schools in the United States serving 3.7 million students, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools . Traditional K-12 bonds pay about 3.5%, while charter school bonds yield around 5% — a 150 basis point difference, Close said.

Persons: Dan Close, We've, there's, munis, Nuveen, Close Organizations: Municipal Bond Fund, muni, Municipal, Fund Charter, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, AAA, AA, Standard, The Academy Charter School, Norton Science, Language Academy, of Peace Academy, St Locations: Nuveen, United States, Hempstead , New York, San Bernardino , California, Paul , Minnesota

☆ Harris and Trump kept talking about pumping more oil. There’s a problem with that
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-11 | by ( David Goldman | Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

So why were Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump talking so much about expanding oil production during Tuesday night’s debate? Fossil fuel will be dead,” Trump said. For all the candidates’ talk of promoting fossil fuel production, it’s not clear that America needs drastically more oil. US oil production has already spiked to a record of 13.4 million barrels per day, according to weekly federal data. So it would likely take an extreme — or calamitous — event to get gas prices back below $2.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Harris, fracking, Biden, Trump, they’ll, ” Trump, Andy Lipow, he’s, It’s, it’s, Lipow, ”, Bob McNally, doesn’t, McNally, George W, Bush, “, America Organizations: CNN, Senate, Lipow Oil Associates, AAA, Rapidan Energy, US Energy Information Administration, Travel Locations: America, United States, Pennsylvania, OPEC, China

☆ Sub-$3 gas is making a comeback. Dozens of states could be below $3 by Thanksgiving
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-06 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Andy Lipow, president of consulting firm Lipow Oil Associates, expects that another nine states will join the sub-$3 list in the next two weeks. “Gas prices, after two-plus years of sizzling because of outside factors like Covid and Russia, are finally coming back into balance,” said De Haan. The accelerating drop in gas prices should help ease financial pressure on consumers and contribute to the cooling inflation rate. Some economists say gas prices will likely be a deciding factor, and lower prices will favor the current administration. ‘Panic and fear’ at OPECAnalysts told CNN that this trend of lower gas prices is likely to continue, despite the shift in strategy from OPEC+.

Persons: Andy Lipow, Patrick De Haan, ”, De Haan, Kamala Harris, “, ” Lipow, Bob McNally, McNally, George W, Bush, Trump, We’re, ” Trump, Tom Kloza, Kamala Harris ’, CNN’s Chris Isidore Organizations: New, New York CNN, AAA, Drivers, Lipow Oil Associates, CNN, “, Federal Reserve, OPEC Analysts, Rapidan Energy Group, OPEC, Trump, Oil Price Information Service Locations: New York, Texas , Kentucky, Kansas, OPIS, Russia, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, OPEC, China, United States, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, America

☆ Many Americans say they won't give up travel in tough economic times. Here's how they're saving on road trips.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-02 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Consumers can cut costs by choosing cheaper hotels, taking shorter trips, and planning ahead. Go to newsletter preferences Thanks for signing up! download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . "They're just looking for ways to make it more affordable, or at least reduce the costs," he told Business Insider. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: —, Rod Griffin Organizations: Labor, AAA, Service, Business

☆ With the A's leaving Oakland, the Pioneer League B's want fan investment in Bay Area baseball
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

That gave birth to the Oakland Ballers, or the B's — the Pioneer League team that debuted earlier this year, co-founded by Freedman and Carmel. Courtesy: Oakland BallersThe Pioneer League, an MLB partner league whose teams aren't affiliated with the pro teams like those in minor league baseball, instantly appealed to Freedman's tech sensibilities because it's a testing ground for baseball evolution. Potential investors will be able to buy their shares on a first-come, first-serve basis "just like you're buying sneakers from the Oakland B's," said Stidd. Oakland Ballers stadium. Courtesy: Oakland Ballers

Persons: Paul Freedman, Oakland Ballers Paul Freedman, Freedman, Bryan Carmel, Charlie Finley, Kelsie Whitmore, Carmel, DealMaker, Jon Stidd, Stidd, It's, Lonnie Murray, Dave Stewart Organizations: Oakland, MLB's A's, Las Vegas, Oakland Coliseum's, CNBC, Golden State Warriors, Oracle, NFL's Raiders, MLB's Oakland, Pioneer League, Freedman, Oakland Ballers, MLB, League, Securities and Exchange, Green Bay Packers, Local, BART, AAA Insurance, Raimondi, Boilermakers, Little League, San Francisco Chronicle Locations: Oakland , California, Las, Palo Alto, Oakland, Chicago, Las Vegas, Sacramento, Carmel, Oakland —, West Oakland, workshopping

☆ What to do now that the Fed is signaling lower interest rates
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Given the many ways lower rates can affect your finances, here are some things to consider when deciding what steps to take in response. Here’s how lower rates may affect key areas of your financial life, along with tips on what to do about it. If that proves difficult to get, see if you can transfer your balance to a credit card from a credit union or local bank that offers lower rates than the biggest banks. And because many variables determine what that factor will be, it will be hard to figure out the impact of lower interest rates. His advice: Don’t keep more than six months’ to a year’s worth of living expenses in cash or cash equivalents.

Persons: ”, Greg McBride, ” McBride, “, Chris Diodato, Diodato, you’ll, McBride, ” Dodiato, Collin Martin, don’t Organizations: New, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Bankrate, Schwab Center, Financial Research, AAA Locations: New York, Schwab.com

Best No Exam Life Insurance of 2024Get Life Insurance Quotes Compare affordable life insurance options with Policygenius. Compare the Top No Medical Exam Life Insurance PlansNo medical exam life insurance is a popular category of the best life insurance and is particularly good for people seeking insurance later in life, forfeiting death benefit amounts and paying higher premiums to qualify. Best no exam life insurance for seniorsAARP Life InsuranceAARP Life Insurance caters to senior clients for insurance and many other financial products. Best no exam life insurance for waiting periodsAAA Life InsuranceAAA Life Insurance offers immediate death benefits for qualified applicants between 18 and 75. Best No Medical Exam Life Insurance FAQsDo life insurance companies use my medical history with a no medical exam policy?

Persons: it's, Lina Roby, LIA, MLO Lina Roby, Evelyn, Read Organizations: AARP, Insurance, USAA, Prudential Life, Prudential Life Insurance, Mutual, Omaha Life Insurance Mutual, Omaha Life Insurance, Life Insurance AAA Life Insurance, AAA, Better Business, Prudential, Finance, Personal Finance Locations: Montana and New York, Montana, Omaha, New York, Omaha's, New York State

☆ Chicago-area gas prices are surging after a tornado nearly took out a refinery
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Gas prices have spiked in and around Chicago after a tornado sidelined a major ExxonMobil oil refinery last week. A gallon of gas in Chicago is now selling for an average of $4.34, according to AAA. That’s 27 cents more expensive than just a week ago after a tornado narrowly missed the Joliet Refinery and knocked power out to the Channahon, Illinois, facility. Gas prices have also jumped in nearby Michigan, another battleground state in the upcoming presidential election. “It will increase supply and lower prices,” Lipow said.

Persons: it’s, Kamala Harris, Andy Lipow, there’s, Catie Tuley, “ We’ve, ” Tuley, Lipow, ” Lipow Organizations: New, New York CNN, AAA, Joliet Refinery, Chicago, Lipow Oil Associates, Exxon, CNN, Wednesday, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Locations: New York, Chicago, Joliet, , Illinois, Gary, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kenosha County, Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, Michigan, Gulf

☆ ‘Chariots of Fire’ immortalized the 1924 Paris Olympics. Decades later, the film finds a way of ‘really speaking to people’
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

So begins the 1981 Oscar-winning film “Chariots of Fire,” introducing a group of British athletes as they train for the Olympic Games. Based on the lives and gold-medal-winning performances of sprinters Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams ahead of the 1924 Paris Olympics, “Chariots of Fire” won four Oscars – including Best Picture. Athletes and officials process during the Opening Ceremony of the 1924 Paris Olympics. “The film has got a way of really, really speaking to people … something much more than we envisaged or probably had been put into it. He went on to become an influential journalist, broadcaster and athletics administrator, and he remains one of only three British men to win the Olympic 100m title.

Persons: St Andrews, ” David Puttnam, ”, Eric Liddell, Harold Abrahams, Ronald Reagan, Joe Biden, “, It’s, Liddell, Abrahams –, –, Ian Charleson, Allan Wells, ” Eric Liddell, Firmin, Wells, Abrahams, Liddell’s, ‘, ’, I’ve, they’ll, ” Sue Caton, He’d, ” John MacMillan, MacMillan, “ He’s, Robin Hood, ” Abrahams, ” Harold Abrahams, Ben Cross, Sam Mussabini, “ Harold Abrahams, Mark Ryan, ” Liddell’s, Ryan, Puttnam, Oscar, Tom McNab, Nigel Havers –, Andrew Lindsey –, we’d, … I’ve, ” Courage Organizations: CNN, Olympic Games, CNN Sport, Keystone, Hulton, Scottish, international, University of Edinburgh, Olympics, Topical Press Agency, Getty, Eric Liddell Community, Cambridge, AAA, Central Press, BBC, “, Paris, ABC, Disney, Entertainment Locations: Scottish, St, Paris, Scotland, China, Asia, Moscow, Edinburgh, “, St Andrews, England

☆ These 10 U.S. states have America’s best economies in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Scott Cohn | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

We consider economic growth and job growth. We measure the breadth of each state's economy by looking at how many major corporations are headquartered there. Delaware's economy turned in a lackluster performance in 2023 — the only state economy to shrink last year. Mario Tama | Getty ImagesThe Grand Canyon State's surging chip sector is delivering many dividends, including strong job growth and a healthy housing market. But he noted that construction employment grew at a healthy pace last year, evidence that the state economy still has steam left.

Persons: Dupont De Nemours, Ethan Miller, Kevin C, George Frey, Mark Knold, Knold, Zions, Mario Tama, Katie Hobbs, Allison Joyce, they've, Andrew Berger, Gross, Berger, Nina Dietzel, Lawrence Kessler, Kessler, Brandon Bell, Joe Raedle Organizations: Companies, Business, Delaware, Istock, Getty, Fortune, Census, Commerce Department, Aaa, Direct Investment, Corporate, Gem State, Micron Technology, Lamb Weston Holdings, Silver State, Pew, Major Corporations, Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts, Benz, Cox, Mercedes, Nestlé, Purina, Adidas, Georgia Department of Economic, U.S . Commerce Department, Assurant, Intercontinental, Contractors, Bloomberg, Utah's Department of Workforce Services, Arizona Workers, Gov, Democrat, Major, Technology, North, Health, Employers, North Carolina Department of Commerce, Corporate Headquarters, Bank of America, Duke Energy, Tennessee, University of Tennessee, The Volunteer State, FedEx, Texas Employees, Lone Star State, Entrepreneurship, Oracle, Tesla, Amerant Locations: States, Wilmington, New Castle County , Delaware, Delaware, Incyte, Idaho, Boise , Idaho, USA, Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas , Nevada, Southern California, Vegas, Georgia, Atlanta , Georgia, Peach, Utah, Provo , Utah, U.S, Beehive, Buckeye , Arizona, Arizona, North Carolina, Wilmington , North Carolina, Carolina, Tennessee Nashville , Tennessee, Luling , Texas, The Texas, North Dakota, California, Texas, Florida, Sunrise , Florida

☆ Chicago gas prices could soar after tornado narrowly misses refinery
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Chris Isidore | Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Gas prices could soon soar across the Chicago metropolitan area after a tornado narrowly missed a major ExxonMobil refinery outside of Chicago Monday night, knocking out power to the facility. The refinery, know as ExxonMobil’s Joliet Refinery, is located in neighboring Channahon, Illinois. The line of storms that hit the area Monday night produced 11 tornadoes in the greater Chicago area, including the one that hit Channahon, according to the National Weather Service. It will take a few days to return the Joliet refinery to normal production, assuming no damage occurred beyond the power outage, Lipow said. The the Chicago area is already at $4.07 a gallon, according to AAA, but that average price, based on Tuesday’s prices, was down 1 cent from the previous day.

Persons: John Petrakis, Andy Lipow, ”, Tom Kloza, Beryl’s, Lipow Organizations: New, New York CNN, ExxonMobil, Channahon, CNN, Lipow Oil Associates, ExxonMobil Joliet, Chicago, National Weather Service, AAA Locations: New York, Chicago, Joliet Refinery, Channahon , Illinois, Chicagoland, Whiting Indiana, Lemont Illinois, Houston, Joliet, Gulf

It's your last chance to shop Amazon Prime Day deals on tech, beauty products, vacuums and more. SKIP AHEAD The best Prime Day deals | More Prime Day sales to check out | The best sales at other retailersWant more from our everyday experts, straight to your inbox? Other Amazon Echo smart speakers are also on sale during Prime Day, including the Echo Spot ($44.99) and Echo Dot ($24.99). Best Prime Day salesHere are the best Prime Day sales to know about. Best Prime Day clothing, shoes and accessories salesBest Prime Day tech salesBest Prime Day home and kitchen salesBest Prime Day pet supplies salesBest Prime Day beauty and wellness salesBest Prime Day travel salesBest Prime Day food and beverage dealsPrime Day: Best sales at other retailersFrequently asked questions When does Amazon Prime Day end?

Persons: I’ve, they’re, It’s, Chamberlain, They’re, fanny, —, Siri, Differin, dermatologists, shea, Alexa, Lindsay Schneider, Mili, it’s, you’ll, Chili Crisp, Zhong, TikTok Organizations: Amazon, NBC, AA, AAA, Apple, Netflix, Apple TV, Hulu, Spotify, Apple Music, Sirius XM, Chengdu Crunch, Amazon Prime, Wellness, Facebook, Twitter Locations: Chili, Zhong Sauce

☆ This 'steadfast' muni bond fund strives for long-term outperformance. Here's where it is investing
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

When it comes to investing in municipal bonds, the Fidelity Intermediate Municipal Income Fund (FLTMX) has a "steadfast" approach that has served investors well, according to Morningstar. They look at the yield curve, credit quality and structure of the bond when assessing assets, he added. The result is a 45.5% allocation to AA-rated munis, 31% in A-rated and 7% in BBB-rated municipal bonds. The team also makes a lot of small bets instead of relying on big investments that can make or break a portfolio, Maka added. So we've been buying some of those deep discount securities that were hit hard as rates rose," Maka explained.

Persons: Morningstar, Michael Maka, We're, Maka, FLTMX, Bond, we've, muni, it's, Elizabeth Foos Organizations: Fidelity, Income Fund, SEC, Federal Reserve, Revenue, BBB, AAA, Bloomberg

You can grab some of the best deals of the year on gaming laptops from Alienware, Asus, and MSI. View at AmazonThe best Prime Day Apple MacBook dealsIf you're looking to buy any of Apple's MacBook laptops, now would be the time to do it. Apple's M3 MacBook Air offers the best bang for the buck for most people with fantastic performance and quality. Most people don't need the M3 Pro or M3 Max models, unless you want them for graphically intensive work. For gaming, even though Apple has made great strides in gaming performance, there's realistically only one option — a Windows gaming machine.

Persons: it's, Apple Organizations: Business, Asus, Max, Samsung, HP, Dell, Acer, Google, Amazon, MSI, Apple MacBook, Air, MacBook, Apple, MacBook Air, Intel, AMD, AAA, Amazon Prime

☆ Here's the deflation breakdown for June 2024 — in one chart
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-12 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Physical goods have accounted for much of the deflation over the past year, according to economists. Outside of supply-demand dynamics, the U.S. dollar's strength relative to other global currencies has also helped rein in prices for goods, economists said. However, a shift toward higher tariffs and less free trade could serve to push up goods prices "quite significantly," she added. Why there's been deflation for food, travel, electronicsPrices have also declined for items including food, travel and electronics. Travelers have seen deflation for airline fares (prices are down 5.1% annually) amid factors like an increased volume of available seats.

Persons: Olivia Cross, Cross Organizations: Getty, Capital Economics, U.S, AAA, Travelers Locations: U.S, North America, China

☆ Photos show the most scenic road to drive in every state
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-12 | by ( Amy Daire | Talia Lakritz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

If you're thinking of taking a road trip this summer, there's a must-see road in every state. Among them, Florida's Oversea Highway offers scenic views of piercing blue waters. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementThe American Automobile Association, or AAA, is expecting record-high numbers of summer road trips in 2024, with over 75% of American adults planning to hit the road for vacation this summer, according to a survey conducted by The Vacationer. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, American Automobile Association, AAA, Business Locations: there's, Fire, Nevada

☆ Iconic AI, a London-based game development startup, just raised $4 million using this 10-slide pitch deck
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Iconic AI, which aims to change AAA game development, raised $4 million in pre-seed funding. Iconic wants to use AI to expedite development, the cost and scale of which has "ballooned," its CEO said. AdvertisementIconic AI, a London-based video game developer, has raised $4 million in pre-seed funding. Founded in 2023, Iconic wants to change "AAA game" development: major titles produced by larger developers. Iconic CEO John Lusty told Business Insider that developers' business models were under threat as "development has ballooned" in size.

Persons: HodlCo, —, John Lusty Organizations: AAA, FOV Ventures, Service, Business Locations: London

☆ Investors poured $1.6 billion into this riskier corner of the bond market in June, State Street says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

However, investors were also content to ramp up credit risk, directing more than $1.6 billion into ETFs with underlying bank loans and collateralized loan obligations, or CLOs, State Street found. Big institutional investors can purchase bank loans — which lending institutions make to companies — and benefit from the loans' floating coupon rate. CLOs are similar to bank loans: These are pools of floating rate loans made to businesses, which can be non-investment grade. Bank loans and CLOs tend to have less price sensitivity to changes in rates, meaning they are short duration. "Rate policy is evolving and uncertain, and it's unlikely to be less cloudy as we get into the summer months."

Persons: Matthew Bartolini, CLOs, Janus Henderson, Bartolini Organizations: State, SPDR, SPDR Americas Research, Street Global Advisors, CLOs, AAA, SEC, Janus Henderson AAA CLO, CNBC, Bank Locations: CLOs, SPDR Americas, BlackRock

☆ Here’s where money managers are seeking income at mid-year as rates stay high
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The prospect of "higher for longer" rates has also made short-term fixed income assets especially attractive. "We had a lot of investors who were in, if not cash, then sub-2-year duration fixed income at the start of the year." Takeaways for investors It doesn't hurt for retail investors to review their fixed income allocation now that the year is halfway over. A combination of fixed income assets may be what it takes to benefit from today's higher rates, lock in yields and capture rising prices once the Fed cuts. "We don't buy that there's one fixed income asset class that you should tilt toward," said Calcagni.

Persons: –, Don Calcagni, it's, Shannon Saccocia, Neuberger Berman, Michael Rosen, Rosen, Janus Henderson, Vishal Khanduja, Eaton Vance, Khanduja, Callie Cox Organizations: Federal Reserve, FedWatch, Investment Company Institute, Money, Mercer Advisors, Investors, Municipal, Angeles Investment Advisors, AAA CLOs, Janus Henderson AAA CLO, SEC, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Bond, Ritholtz Wealth Management, Stay Locations: Santa Monica, Calif

☆ Rent a car for a road trip, or drive your own? 5 things to consider
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

For some car owners, it might be more financially savvy to rent a vehicle for a road trip than use their own, experts said. Drivers would need to compare total rental costs — the daily rental rate and potential add-ons like insurance — versus those of operating their own car. "Most people will be shocked at what it actually costs to own and operate their car," Brannon said. The cost of rental car insurance might add $30 to $61 to the daily rate, depending on insurance type, according to Allianz Travel, citing MarketWatch data. Car owners may already get full coverage on a rental via their own car insurance policies, or may have some coverage through credit-card benefits, Brannon said.

Persons: Patchareeporn, Greg Brannon, Brian Moody, Autotrader, Moody, Brannon, Hopper, Alistair Berg, Digitalvision, Kelley, KBB, Autotrader's Moody Organizations: AAA, Toyota, Allianz Travel, Finance, Car, Getty, Allianz, State

☆ How to Handle Crowded Airports and Roads This Fourth of July
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Sara Ruberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Whether they’re driving or flying, people traveling for the upcoming holiday weekend are expected to break records in what is already one of the busiest years yet for travel. The Fourth of July holiday usually marks the peak for summer travel, and this summer is already showing signs of surpassing the past two record-setting summers. Travel records keep getting broken. With people itching to get away in the wake of coronavirus shutdowns, air travel in recent years has taken off. Travel volumes are still growing, despite higher costs and a more volatile industry, according to Paula Twidale, the senior vice president of travel at AAA.

Persons: coronavirus, Paula Twidale Organizations: Transportation, Administration, AAA

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