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☆ Here’s why we eat popcorn at the movies
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

But the perfect (and very profitable) pairing of today wasn’t always the case: For many years, movie theaters wanted nothing to do with the snack. People watch movies in a newly reopened AMC River East theater on Aug. 20, 2020, in Chicago. Popular movies often bring collectible cups and popcorn buckets, or, in industry-speak, Collectible Concession Vehicles (CCVs). The cinema business will continue to evolve, but one thing will remain constant, said Gil of Queen’s University. “Theaters will stop playing movies before they will actually stop selling popcorn.”

Persons: “, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, ” Paul Dergarabedian, Andrew F, ” Smith, Cracker Jack, ”, Smith, ’ ” Smith, hawkers, Peter Stackpole, John Aitkin, John Sr, Aitkin, Alicia Wallace, CNN It’s, Loren Williams, Alicia Reese, Ricard Gil, Jason Wambsgans, Gil, Wedbush’s Reese, Red Robin, ” Nels Storm, Garfield ”, Cory Ryan, Heather Morgan, Alamo’s, ” Andrew Sherburne, Christian Meoli, Camilla Meoli, ” Gil Organizations: Minneapolis CNN, CNN, AMC, Exposition, Bettmann, Riverview, “, Riverview Theater, Wedbush, Queen’s University, Chicago Tribune, Tribune, Service, Waffle, AMC Theatres ’, Walmart, Kroger, Alamo, University of Iowa’s, Cinemas Locations: Minneapolis, America, New England, South America, Philadelphia, Texas, South Minneapolis, Riverview, “ Kingdom, Canada, Chicago, Brooklyn , New York, Iowa City , Iowa, Seattle, Emerald, California

☆ Premarket stocks: Main Street is still investing like it’s 2023
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Before the Bell spoke to Joe Mazola, director of Schwab Trader Education, about the growing importance of retail investors in markets, where Main Street is investing and why people are still enamored with Elon Musk. Why is it so important to single out retail investors and track where they’re putting their money? Is there a big difference between what retail investors and institutional investors are doing right now? That means the Fed is due to cut rates in 2024, which officials themselves projected in December. We just want some more confidence before we take that very important step of beginning to cut interest rates,” he told “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley.

Persons: Elon Musk’s, Tesla, Charles Schwab, Schwab, Bell, Joe Mazola, Elon Musk, Joe Mazzola, it’s, they’re, there’s, They’ve, Powell, Jerome Powell, “ We’ve, ” Powell, ”, Price, “, Scott Pelley, Read, 23andMe, Anne Wojcicki, ” Wojcicki, they’ve, Wojcicki Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Tesla, Big Tech, Nvidia, Amazon, Microsoft, Devices, Schwab Trader Education, Elon, Treasury, Federal Reserve, Investors, CBS, Fed, Nasdaq, CNN Locations: New York, Street, Silicon Valley

☆ 23andMe is low on cash and its stock is worth pennies. The CEO wants another chance
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —Just three years ago, DNA testing company 23andMe was the golden child of Wall Street and Silicon Valley. In 2018, 23andMe agreed to a five-year exclusive drug development partnership with GSK (formerly GlaxoSmithKline). Genetic testing company 23andMe, once valued at $6 billion, is facing the possibility of delisting from NASDAQ. Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesSo far, the partnership between GSK and 23andMe has produced more than 50 new drug targets. But drug discovery is a very long process and it can be anywhere from 10 to 15 years on average from target discovery to an FDA-approved drug.

Persons: New York CNN —, 23andMe, Anne Wojcicki, ” Wojcicki, “, Susan Wojcicki, Sergey Brin, Kyle Grillot, Wojcicki, they’ve, ”, we’re, “ We’ve, Steven Mah, TD Cowen, Mah, they’re, Justin Sullivan Organizations: New, New York CNN, Nasdaq, CNN, Stanford, Palo Alto High School, YouTube, Google, 23andMe Inc, Bloomberg, Time Magazine, P Biotech ETF, GSK, GlaxoSmithKline, NASDAQ, Big Pharma, it’s Locations: New York, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles , California, U.S, London, Sunnyvale , California, United States

☆ Mexican Whiskey Is on the Rise, Powered by Ancient Corn
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Clay Risen | More About Clay Risen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In September, Gran Maizal also began exporting its whiskey to the United States, home to the world’s best-known corn-based spirit, bourbon — a move that its founders see as both a challenge and an opportunity. “Bourbon has been the center of the popularity and growth of whiskey in the U.S. for the last 20 years,” said Gonzalo de la Pezuela, who founded Gran Maizal with Cesar Ayala. ”So why not invite people to try a high-end whiskey from the birthplace of corn?”Despite their common ingredient, Gran Maizal whiskey is a world apart from traditional bourbons, let alone barley-based whiskeys like Irish and Scotch. In bourbon, the charred oak barrel in which it ages is responsible for most of the flavor; in Gran Maizal, the centerpiece is the corn. “And we quickly were able to say, ‘Well, you know what?

Persons: Gran Maizal, “ Bourbon, ”, Gonzalo de la, Cesar Ayala, de, Ayala, ’ Organizations: Gran Maizal Locations: United States, U.S, Gran

☆ America’s favorite Halloween candy is chocolate
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Christopher Hickey | Will Mullery | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Americans can’t get enough of Halloween candy. Halloween candy sales grew 14% between 2021 and 2022 and this year is on track to be the same. And in the world of chocolate, milk chocolate is king: more people bought milk chocolate last Halloween season than all other non-chocolate candy combined. But while per unit sales of chocolate candy have remained largely stable compared with five years ago, non-chocolate candy is the growth market. Americans bought roughly 7.8% more packages of non-chocolate candy last Halloween season compared to 2018, while package sales of chocolate shrank by 2.5%.

Persons: “ It’s, Beth Kimmerle, “, ”, ” Kimmerle, Susan Benjamin, it’s, Albanese, Kimmerle, Candy, Benjamin, don’t Organizations: Bear Cubs Locations: West Virginia

Although China’s interest has declined, other U.S. corn export demand has been better than a year ago. USDA predicts 2023-24 U.S. corn exports to rise 23% on the year to 52.1 million tons (2.05 billion bushels). Total U.S. corn export sales for 2023-24 minus those to China are almost 40% higher than at the same point a year ago. Corn sales were closer to average over that same time frame, but both corn and soy are being limited by Brazil’s rising presence. Brazilian corn and soybean exportsIn the first eight months of 2023, some 18% of Brazil’s corn exports went to China compared with none in the previous years.

Persons: Rio, corn’s, Karen Braun, Rod Nickel Organizations: Lucas, U.S . Department of Agriculture, U.S, USDA, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Mato Grosso, Brazil, NAPERVILLE , Illinois, China, U.S, Mexico, United States

Romulo Lollato, a wheat agronomist for Kansas State University, examines wheat in a field on an annual crop tour, near Washington, Kansas, U.S., May 16, 2023. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts 2023 corn yield in Illinois will be similar to that of 2021. USDA pegs Iowa’s corn yield just below 2021’s record, which also came amid dry conditions with well-timed showers. The tour uses a rough corn yield calculation, though it does not estimate soybean yield. Final soybean yield across the whole of Nebraska last year was the lowest since 2012 and 18% below the 2019-2021 average.

Persons: Romulo Lollato, Tom Polansek, Pro Farmer, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Kansas State University, REUTERS, Rights, Farmer, U.S . Department, Agriculture, Pro, Farm Journal Media, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington , Kansas, U.S, Rights NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois , Iowa , Nebraska , Minnesota , Indiana , Ohio, South Dakota, Nebraska

The weather story lingered again on Wednesday, but harsher threats from Russia thrust the grain deal into the spotlight. Most-active CBOT wheat futures surged 8.5% on Wednesday, wheat’s largest single-day percentage rise since Feb. 28, 2022, just days after Russia invaded Ukraine. Money managers held a modest net short of 63,052 corn futures and options contracts by that date. Prior to that, grain deal uncertainty failed to spark bullish interest as Ukrainian export volumes far exceeded original expectations. Had the Jan. 3 high stood, it would have been November beans’ first annual high set in January since 1999.

Persons: reconnection, Karen Braun, Matthw Lewis Organizations: Funds, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Ukraine, Chicago, Russia, India, U.S, Moscow, Western

Nine of the 11 Crop Watch corn fields should be tasseling within the next 10 days or so. Although cool July weather generally supports big crop yields, a couple of the Crop Watch producers mentioned that their fields could benefit from some heat and sun. The weekly increase was Crop Watch corn’s largest since late June 2021, when much-needed rain finally fell in the central Corn Belt. Soybean conditions jumped to 4.05 from 3.73 in the prior week, Crop Watch beans’ biggest-ever weekly improvement but similar to that same week in June 2021. Photos of the Crop Watch fields can be tracked on my Twitter feed using handle @kannbwx.

Persons: Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Crop, Crop Watch, U.S . Department of, Watch, Southeastern Illinois, Nebraska, South, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Ohio, North Dakota, Nebraska , Kansas, Indiana, Illinois . North Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota , Kansas, Illinois, North Dakota , Kansas , Indiana, Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Kingsbury , South Dakota, Freeborn , Minnesota, Burt , Nebraska, Rice , Kansas, Audubon , Iowa, Cedar , Iowa, Warren , Illinois, Crawford , Illinois, Tippecanoe , Indiana, Fairfield , Ohio, The North Dakota, Griggs County, Stutsman County

Chicago corn, wheat, soybean and soybean meal futures began rallying sharply in mid-June as expanding U.S. drought and disappointing rain events hammered crop conditions. Trade sources had pegged the week’s net corn selling to be about four times heavier. Trade sources peg funds’ net selling in CBOT corn futures at 55,500 contracts over the last three sessions, and CBOT wheat selling is seen at 20,500 futures contracts. Funds were seen as net buyers of 8,000 soybean futures, 9,500 soyoil futures and 3,500 soymeal futures between Wednesday and Friday. Money managers’ weekly net selling in CBOT corn futures and options has twice exceeded 100,000 contracts this calendar year.

Persons: Gross, Wheat, Karen Braun, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, corn’s, Funds, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, U.S, Chicago

Records date to 2012, when 15% of corn areas were in at least moderate drought by this same week. Percent of U.S. corn in drought, May versus JulyAround the same date in 2014, 2021 and 2022, moderate drought coverage spanned between 20% and 24% of U.S. corn areas. The central Corn Belt, including Iowa and Illinois, was very wet in May 2013 and mid-month corn planting in those states was very slow, though planting was quicker than normal this year. El Nino never formed in 2012, though it did in late 2014, sticking around throughout 2015 and leading into the 2015-16 super El Nino. Strong U.S. corn yields occur more frequently during El Nino versus La Nina, though El Nino does not guarantee that outcome.

CBOT December corn futures’ high so far in 2023 was printed Jan. 3, the first trading day of the year. New-crop corn made May highs in 2021 and 2022, and it made April highs twice, most recently in 2014.CBOT December corn months of highsSAME SETUP? New-crop corn futures bounced in early May 2013 on slow U.S. corn planting, but a new low was eventually set later that month. December corn futures in 2014 lost 38% between the April high and October low, more than the 32% decline in 2013. Money managers' net position in CBOT corn futures and optionsFOOD FOR THOUGHTExceptionally bearish quarterly stock reports in March and September plagued corn futures in 2013, but while the market was likely misjudging U.S. corn demand, so was the Department of Agriculture.

LATEST DATAIn the week ended Feb. 21, money managers cut nearly 19,000 CBOT corn futures and options contracts off their net long, which fell to 215,928 contracts. They also increased their net long in CBOT soyoil by nearly 12,000 futures and options contracts, and the resulting net long was 34,301 contracts, a one-month high. When adding other reportable traders’ net long, the overall speculative soymeal net long is also a record at 173,690 contracts. and Minneapolis wheat futures and options contracts as of Feb. 21. Most-active CBOT futures hit some milestone lows on Friday.

Corn planting pace in ParanaParana’s 2021 safrinha crop was its latest planted since at least 2009, so it was especially subject to frost and freeze toward the end of the season. 2 producer of first crop corn, but it does not plant a second crop. Corn planting pace in Mato GrossoAlthough Mato Grosso’s planting pace is not necessarily alarming, it may reduce the corn’s resilience to any potentially tough weather conditions later, and last year provides a great example. May followed the exact same pattern, though Mato Grosso’s corn yields were very respectable last year. Mato Grosso’s biggest risk of late corn planting is the onset of dry season, as early as April.

Historically, ratios below 2.3 are supportive of corn planting and soybeans dominate around 2.5 and above, but the middle can be gray. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently slated 2023 corn acres at 92 million, up from 88.6 million this year. Soybean plantings were seen at 87 million acres in 2023 versus 87.5 million in 2022. Prices as of February should better dictate U.S. farmers’ 2023 planting intentions, but for now, corn’s supremacy has slipped. Unsurprisingly, bean acres were higher and corn acres lower than the earliest ideas that year.

☆ Executives at ‘fintechs’ made hundreds of millions handing out PPP Covid cash, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Laura Strickler | Laura Strickler Is A Washington-Based Investigative Reporter With The Nbc News Investigative Unit. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

The report says Reis is not Black or a veteran. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis$80 billion in fraudIt’s well known that the $800 billion PPP program was plagued by fraud, with some fraud estimates as high as $80 billion. In a text message obtained by the committee, Reis commented on his company’s success, noting it made nearly $1.5 billion in less than six months processing PPP loans. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus CrisisThe report cited a text message in which Kristen Spencer described the anticipated windfall from processing PPP loans. In July 2021, two months after the last PPP loans went out the door, the Spencers bought an $8 million, 10,975-square-foot mansion, according to local property records.

☆ Israel's NewMed Energy leaning towards floating LNG expansion
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

JERUSALEM, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Israel's NewMed Energy (NWMDp.TA) said on Thursday it was leaning towards building a floating liquefied national gas (FLNG) terminal to further develop its Leviathan gas field off Israel's Mediterranean coast. "The floating (LNG terminal) is really where we are heading right now," chief executive Yossi Abu told Reuters after NewMed issued third-quarter financial results that beat estimates. NewMed earned a net $123 million in July-September, compared with a $50 million loss a year earlier. Revenue net of royalties from natural gas rose 28% to $265 million in the quarter. Over the first nine months of the year, 8.5 bcm of natural gas has been produced from Leviathan, NewMed said.

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