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But that bullish prediction is doing little to restore investors’ optimism, as concerns mount about consumer confidence and the health of global economy. Now, concerns are growing about China’s domestic property market after Country Garden, one of the country’s biggest developers, missed debt payments. Those ructions have sent the prices of global commodities, including Brent crude, tumbling on Monday. The group’s woes have sparked contagion fears for China’s shadow banking sector, and hit U.S. business. Despite better-than-expected corporate earnings and signs that inflation is cooling, investors have dumped stocks and bonds this month.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Brent, Bonds Organizations: Deutsche Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, Treasury Locations: U.S, Stocks, Asia, Hong Kong, Silicon Valley

Goldman makes a big executive changeThe man who has been perhaps the most influential executive inside Goldman Sachs for more than a generation has begun to hand over some of his responsibilities. John Rogers, who over his quarter-century at the Wall Street bank has been known as a board and C.E.O. whisperer, will give his role as chief of staff to Russell Horwitz, his onetime deputy, Andrew and DealBook’s Lauren Hirsch are first to report. Rogers has an outsized influence and an intentionally understated public profile. He also wielded considerable influence outside the firm, helping Paulson become Treasury secretary in 2006.

Persons: Goldman, Goldman Sachs, John Rogers, Russell Horwitz, Andrew, DealBook’s Lauren Hirsch, Rogers, David Solomon, Reagan, George H.W, Bush, ” Rogers, Jon Corzine, Hank Paulson, Lloyd Blankfein, Solomon, Paulson Organizations: Goldman Locations: Washington

Paramount said on Monday it had reached a deal to sell Simon & Schuster, one of the biggest and most prestigious publishing houses in the United States, to the private-equity firm KKR, in a major changing of the guard in the books business. The deal, for $1.62 billion, will put control of the cultural touchstone behind authors like Stephen King and Bob Woodward in the hands of a financial buyer with an expanding presence in the publishing industry. While private equity investors have had a significant footprint in the book business — different firms have owned literary agencies, publishing houses and the retailer Barnes & Noble — the acquisition of one of the largest publishers in the country vastly increases the hold of financial interests in the business. Richard Sarnoff, who leads KKR’s media, entertainment and technology group, is a familiar name to many in the publishing industry and his involvement is encouraging, said several publishing executives on Monday. Mr. Sarnoff has held multiple positions at Bertelsmann, the company that owns Penguin Random House, and served as chairman of the Association of American Publishers, a trade group.

Persons: Simon, Schuster, Stephen King, Bob Woodward, Noble, Richard Sarnoff, Sarnoff Organizations: Paramount, KKR, Barnes, Bertelsmann, Random, Association of American Publishers Locations: United States

Paramount is preparing to announce an agreement to sell Simon & Schuster, one of the country’s top publishers, to KKR, a private-equity firm, marking the end of a yearslong attempt to sell the publishing house. The deal, which values Simon & Schuster at roughly $1.62 billion, could be announced as soon as Monday, according to three people familiar with the deal who spoke on condition of anonymity on Sunday to discuss a confidential process. The deal has the potential to reshape book publishing, an industry in which Simon & Schuster is one of the most significant players in the country. Paramount (formerly ViacomCBS) put Simon & Schuster up for sale in 2020. About nine months later, it announced a deal to sell the company to Penguin Random House for $2.18 billion.

Persons: Simon, Schuster Organizations: Paramount, KKR, Penguin Random, & $

When Nikola Swann heard that Fitch Ratings had removed the United States from its list of risk-free borrowers this week, he felt a sense of satisfaction. More than a decade ago, Swann played a key role in a similar decision: He was Standard & Poor’s primary analyst for its sovereign credit rating on the United States when the agency became the first ever to downgrade the nation’s long-term credit rating amid a debt ceiling standoff in 2011. Bloomberg called the reasons for the downgrade “fundamentally political” in 2011, while others argued that it appropriately reflected a worsening debt crisis. Both a decade ago and this week, partisan politics were cited as one reason for the downgrade. S&P cited “the gulf between the political parties.” Fitch, which made the call two months after the United States narrowly avoided defaulting on its debt, cited “the repeated debt-limit political standoffs and last-minute resolutions.”

Persons: Nikola Swann, Fitch, ”, Swann, ” Fitch Organizations: Treasury Department, Bloomberg, & $ Locations: United States

But the tech giants provided a snapshot of the state of the global economy: Consumers and companies are cutting back on some costs, but refusing to stop spending on increasingly essential services. Much of the revenue decline was caused by a drop in iPhone sales, which comprise half of Apple’s overall revenue. But revenue from services — including Apple Music, Apple TV+ and App Store sales — grew 8 percent, reaching a record $21 billion. In India, the company set a record for iPhone sales. The company enjoyed a surge in its core online retail business, showing that customers are still spending despite headwinds like rising interest rates.

Persons: they’re, Apple Organizations: Apple, Apple Music Locations: China, India

The fallout from Fitch’s downgrade continuesStocks appear set to open lower today, after falling yesterday in the wake of Fitch Ratings downgrading the United States’s AAA credit rating. But others have said Fitch’s move, while largely symbolic, still points to long-term troubles for the nation and its fiscal health. “There is no willingness on any side to really tackle the underlying challenges,” Mr. Francis said. But “it doesn’t really matter much,” Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase’s C.E.O., told CNBC yesterday, echoing a common refrain to Fitch’s move. Critics of the move noted that according to criteria laid out last year by Fitch itself, including debt-to-G.D.P.

Persons: Richard Francis, Fitch’s, standoffs, ” Mr, Francis, ” Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase’s, Fitch Organizations: Fitch, United States’s AAA, Wall, U.S, Times, JPMorgan, CNBC Locations: U.S

It’s unlikely that the move — only the second downgrade in American history — will dent investor appetite for Treasury notes. But the decision is another sign that Wall Street is worried about political chaos, including brinkmanship over the debt limit that is becoming entrenched in Washington. The move came two months after Washington narrowly avoided a U.S. default, following a prolonged argument over the debt ceiling. (That said, some on Wall Street remain skeptical that the country is headed for a so-called soft landing.) Fitch’s own model shows the U.S. economy deteriorating during the Trump administration and recovering under President Biden.

Persons: Fitch, “, Trump, Biden Organizations: Fitch, United States ’ AAA, Washington, Social Security Locations: U.S, Washington

The sale of Simon & Schuster appears to be nearing a suspenseful conclusion, like the final chapter of a page-turner from one of the country’s largest and most prestigious publishing houses. Second-round bids for Simon & Schuster — which publishes boldface names like Stephen King — were due earlier this week, according to three people familiar with the negotiations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the confidential sale process. The sale process is expected to conclude in the coming weeks, the people said. A sale would put an end to years of uncertainty for Simon & Schuster, which is owned by Paramount (formerly ViacomCBS) and was initially put up for sale in early 2020. How much suitors for Simon & Schuster were willing to pay couldn’t be determined.

Persons: Simon, Simon & Schuster, Stephen King —, couldn’t Organizations: Simon &, KKR, News Corp, HarperCollins, Paramount, Penguin Random, Department of Justice

Mr. Jobs will still be dedicated to fighting cancer. “My dad succumbed to cancer when I was in college at Stanford,” Mr. Jobs said. “I was pre-med because I really wanted to be a doctor and cure people myself. But he returned to the field after completing his master’s degree and led Emerson’s health care division, which has invested in companies and given grants to labs. Of his career path, Mr. Jobs said: “I had never ever wanted to be a venture capitalist.

Persons: Jobs, “, ” Mr, you’re, — Organizations: Stanford Locations: Yosemite

Infuriated after being blindsided by the PGA Tour’s pact with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, a band of leading golfers has won a series of concessions from the beleaguered circuit’s commissioner — including the elevation of Tiger Woods to the tour’s board — in a star-driven rebuke of the tour. The tour announced the changes on Tuesday, one day after dozens of top players wrote to Jay Monahan, the tour’s commissioner, and insisted on significant overhauls. The demands detailed in the Monday letter amounted to a dramatic effort to reclaim power over a circuit that got its modern start after a player rebellion in the late 1960s. The addition of Woods to the board, one of several changes agreed to by Monahan with a signed acknowledgment, would allow the players to outnumber six to five the independent board members, who come from the worlds of business and law. In addition, the players want to change the board’s rules to avoid a repeat of the negotiations with the Saudis, in which a handful of independent board members acted without the backing of players on the board.

Persons: Tiger Woods, Jay Monahan, Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, Monahan Organizations: PGA Locations: Saudi

has brought back two former heirs apparent, Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, to advise on the future of Disney’s legacy TV businesses were sure to get Hollywood talking. Mr. Mayer and Mr. Staggs will help Iger think about “linear” TV properties like ABC, according to Puck. Both men had once been tipped as potential successors to Iger — Mr. Mayer as head of M.&A. (Mr. Iger chose Bob Chapek to take over, but he was ousted after two years and replaced by … Mr. Mr. Mayer and Mr. Staggs now run Candle Media, an investment company that has bought an array of production studios.

Persons: Robert Iger, Kevin Mayer, Tom Staggs, Iger’s, Mayer, Staggs, Puck, Iger, Mr, Bob Chapek, … Mr Organizations: Disney, ESPN, Media

The principle is that nature is an unpaid worker providing services, like carbon sequestration, soil retention, water filtration, replenishing raw materials and more. It is providing an invisible subsidy to world economies. Take carbon pricing. Poor countries that have abundant natural resources are loaning their economic resources, like the carbon-sequestering value of their rainforests, to rich countries without compensation. Why add such a pricing structure when economies can exploit nature for free?

Persons: John Kerry, ” It’s Organizations: Democratic, Resilience Locations: Democratic Republic of, Congo

Now, two prominent senators are pushing to create a new federal agency to rein in the power of Big Tech. Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, and Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, plan to introduce the Digital Consumer Protection Commission Act, which they say would restrain tech titans while letting them continue to innovate. But these companies have fought hard against increased oversight, and it’s unclear how a new agency will fit into a Washington already full of regulators. The bill is in the vein of legislation that established agencies to oversee fast-growing industries, much like how Congress created the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Federal Communications Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. “For too long, giant tech companies have exploited consumers’ data, invaded Americans’ privacy, threatened our national security and stomped out competition in our economy,” Ms. Warren told DealBook’s Ephrat Livni.

Persons: Elizabeth Warren, Lindsey Graham, Ms, Warren, DealBook’s Ephrat Livni Organizations: Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Big Tech, Republican, Digital Consumer Protection, Interstate Commerce Commission, Federal Communications Commission, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Locations: Massachusetts, South Carolina, Washington

Legacy admissions in the cross hairsIn opening a civil rights investigation into Harvard’s legacy admissions policy — in which relatives of alumni and donors are given preference — the Biden administration inserted itself into a fierce debate amid efforts to remake the world of higher education. Opponents of legacy admissions have argued that the policy is unfair, especially after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in higher education. But Harvard and other elite schools have defended the practice as a crucial means of raising money. Legacy admissions policies, they say, tilt overwhelmingly toward white and wealthy students and discriminate against Black, Hispanic and Asian applicants. About half of legacy students at the elite colleges examined by the study wouldn’t be there without such an admissions boost.

Persons: Biden Organizations: Harvard, Education

keep Big Tech booming? Nasdaq futures are up on Tuesday morning, ahead of a Big Tech earnings bonanza that kicks off when Microsoft and Alphabet report second-quarter results after the closing bell. Mike Wilson, Morgan Stanley’s chief U.S. equity strategist, apologized to clients on Monday, writing that his pessimistic stock market calls failed to spot the surge in A.I.-related stocks. On the other hand, Marko Kolanovic, JPMorgan Chase’s chief market strategist, is unconvinced that tech fervor will help the markets avoid a sharp decline this year. All eyes will be on Microsoft and Alphabet, which are at the forefront of commercializing generative A.I., the technology behind chatbots like ChatGPT that have captured the public’s imagination.

Persons: Mike Wilson, Morgan Stanley’s, Marko Kolanovic, — Organizations: Big Tech, Nasdaq, Microsoft, Nvidia, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase’s, Google

☆ Cheddar News was meant to be a digital-media darling that could rival Bloomberg and CNBC. Now it's reportedly considering a sale — here's how the network was pushed to the brink.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The owner of embattled network Cheddar News is reportedly considering selling the seven-year-old startup. NYT's DealBook reported on Monday that Altice USA tapped Goldman Sachs to explore a possible sale. NYT reporters Lauren Hirsch and Ben Mullin noted a sale isn't a foregone conclusion and Altice USA could decide not to proceed. Spokespersons for Altice USA did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on Monday morning and a spokesperson for Goldman Sachs had no comment. Check out Insider's exclusive coverage of the chaos at Cheddar News:Are you a Cheddar News or Altice USA insider?

Persons: DealBook, Goldman Sachs, Lauren Hirsch, Ben Mullin, Altice, —, I'd, Baker Machado, Chloe Aiello, Read, I've, Jon Steinberg, Steinberg, Reed Alexander Organizations: News, Telecom, Altice USA, Cheddar News, New York Times, USA, Insiders, Mail, Cheddar Locations: USA, Cheddar, Portugal

Twitter has flown awayBye-bye, blue bird: Twitter overnight began rebranding itself as X, replacing its longtime logo with a stylized symbol that was projected onto its San Francisco headquarters. X!” wrote Linda Yaccarino, the company’s C.E.O., as the social network starting rolling out its new branding. Gone is the stylized bird, once dubbed Larry T. Bird by the Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, which became one of the most famous internet logos — and which the company has described as its most recognizable asset. The platform’s about page hasn’t yet been updated, but Ms. Yaccarino repeatedly referred to X in a series of tweets outlining the company’s ambitions. Expect X to more fully pervade the company: Mr. Musk described an internal message to employees over the weekend as the last he’d send from Twitter, and he told a user that a post should be called an “x” instead of a tweet.

Persons: Elon, ”, Linda Yaccarino, Larry T, Stone, Yaccarino, Musk Organizations: Twitter, San Locations: San Francisco

The cable company Altice USA is said to be weighing a potential sale of Cheddar News, the network once billed as “CNBC for millennials,” less than five years after buying the company. Altice USA has hired Goldman Sachs to help explore strategic alternatives for Cheddar News, according to three people with knowledge of the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. They cautioned that Altice was still weighing its options and could decide against a sale. Representatives for Altice USA and Goldman declined to comment. Among them: Gas Station TV (which, yes, plays at the pump) and MTV’s college campus network (which Cheddar bought in 2018).

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Altice, Goldman, Patrick Drahi, Jon Steinberg Organizations: Cheddar News, CNBC, millennials, Altice USA, New York Stock Exchange, Gas Locations: USA, Altice, French, Cheddar

The extreme heat is prompting violent typhoons in Asia and flash floods in the United States. But to the pragmatist, extreme heat is the new normal. The good news: Investors are spending big on climate projects. Global warming helps make periods of extreme heat more frequent, longer and more intense, and it will continue getting worse unless humans essentially stop adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, scientists say. “There’s been huge, huge progress” in developing green technologies and bringing down their costs, said Bella Tonkonogy, the U.S. director of Climate Policy Initiative whose funders include the Bloomberg Foundation and the German government.

Persons: it’s, El Niño, Carl, Friedrich Schleussner, ” “, ”, DealBook, “ There’s, Bella Tonkonogy Organizations: Analytics, Global, Venture, Initiative, Biden, Bloomberg Foundation Locations: Asia, United States, Berlin, U.S

ESPN has held talks with some of the most powerful leagues in professional sports, including the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball, about taking a minority stake in its business. Disney’s chief executive, Robert A. Iger, said in a CNBC interview last week that the company was “looking for strategic partners” that could help ESPN with either distribution or content. “But we want to stay in the sports business,” said Mr. Iger, whose contract with Disney was recently extended through 2026. Selling a stake in ESPN could give Disney a cash infusion as it faces pricey renewals with sports leagues including the N.B.A., which is sure to demand a premium for the rights to show its games in the coming years. Hearst, the owner of magazines like Cosmopolitan and information services like Fitch Group, owns a minority stake in ESPN.

Persons: Robert A, ”, Iger, Hearst Organizations: ESPN, National Football League, National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, Walt Disney Company, Disney, CNBC, Cosmopolitan, Fitch Group

The White House brokers an A.I. The commitments are voluntary, but industry watchers see the move as an important first step toward protecting consumers and businesses. The White House wants the companies to commit to “responsible” development. The White House said it would work with overseas allies, including Britain, Germany, Japan and South Korea, to develop common groundwork on A.I. It comes as China is developing its own guidelines for A.I.

Persons: Biden, White, “ Organizations: White House, Microsoft, Google, White Locations: Britain, Germany, Japan, South Korea, China

Netflix’s focus on streaming has also helped it dodge some of the other problems bedeviling its peers, including weaker-than-expected box office results for expensive blockbusters. (That was also evident in China, which some in Hollywood had hoped could make up for underperformance at home.) While the company will save on content spending in 2023, it will have to pay for American productions at some point. “This strike is not an outcome that we wanted,” Ted Sarandos, the company’s co-C.E.O., told analysts yesterday. In more strike news: Film production in Los Angeles during the second quarter fell to lows not seen since the middle of the pandemic.

Persons: Hollywood, underperformance, Disney’s Robert Iger, Ted Sarandos, Elon Musk Organizations: Netflix Locations: China, Hollywood, Los Angeles

Regulators under administrations dating to President Lyndon Johnson have set out new guidelines, which serve largely as a matter of policy intent because they are not enforced by law. But the sweeping proposals introduced by Lina Khan, the F.T.C. The guidelines broaden the scope for evaluating deals. The regulators say that current laws are not fit for the contemporary age. (Critics of this approach argue that it is nearly impossible to know what threat young technologies may pose in the future.)

Persons: Lyndon Johnson, Lina Khan, Jonathan Kanter, Ms, Khan Organizations: Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission

Parts of Europe and the southern United States are expected to experience record-breaking highs, with consequences for human health and economic activity. As China faces sweltering heat, John Kerry, the U.S. climate envoy, met with the country’s premier to urge cooperation in fighting climate change. Microsoft and Activision reportedly plan to extend a deadline for their deal. The Competition and Markets Authority, which had previously moved to block the transaction, has set an Aug. 29 deadline for the talks. Under new rules negotiated by the Treasury Department, American businesses now have until 2026 before other countries can start imposing new levies on corporations deemed to have paid too little in the United States.

Persons: Fink, Jamal Khashoggi, John Kerry, isn’t, Elizabeth Warren, Tesla, Elon Musk, Biden Organizations: Investment Initiative, Northern, Microsoft, Activision, Bloomberg, The, Markets Authority, Massachusetts Democrat, Elon, Twitter, Treasury Department Locations: Saudi, Europe, United States, China, U.S, Massachusetts

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