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☆ Premarket stocks: Jay Powell's dream of the 90s is dead
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The robust jobs market is good news for American workers, but concerning for the Federal Reserve and equity bulls alike. “To be clear, strong wage growth is a good thing,” Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said at the Brookings Institution on Wednesday. “But for wage growth to be sustainable, it needs to be consistent with 2% inflation.” The year-over-year wage growth rate increased to 5.1% in November, more than double that goal. Getting back to a sustainable level of wage growth and tamping inflation will require reducing demand for labor. The dream is over: For the past year, Powell has advanced the optimistic idea that wage growth could be lowered without slowing the economy into recession.

☆ NFL linebacker Blake Martinez retired from football after selling a Pokémon card for $672,000
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Nathan Rennolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

He announced this 11 days after selling an ultra-rare Pokémon card for $672,000. Martinez had recently sold an "Illustrator" Pokémon card, which is "one of the rarest Pokémon cards in existence," according to CGC Trading Cards, which is dedicated to grading popular trading cards and sets. CGC Trading Card vice president Matt Quinn described the card as "the holy grail for Pokémon card collecting" in a video shared on the company's Instagram. In July 2021, Paul paid $5.275 million for another Illustrator card, setting a new Guinness World Record for the most expensive Pokémon card sold at a private sale. Tips for trading Pokémon cardsThose looking to start investing in Pokémon trading cards should make sure to diversify, Thomas Kovacs, the owner of an online store that specializes in selling collectibles like Pokémon cards, previously told Insider.

☆ How Nike's Air Jordan 1 became — and remained — the most prized lifestyle sneaker
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Matthew Kish | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Nike on Saturday will release the Air Jordan 1 Chicago "Lost and Found"Some collectors consider it the "most iconic sneaker of all time." "The Air Jordan 1 is the most iconic sneaker of all time," said Jordan Geller, a sneaker collector and former owner of the ShoeZeum who in 2020 sold a pair worn by Jordan for a record $560,000. Michael Jordan wearing the Air Jordan 1 in 1985. AP Photo/Marcio Jose SanchezScarcity, storytelling, collaborations and the "Last Dance"After 1985, The Air Jordan 1 didn't re-release in original specs until 1994. "All of those releases are coveted by sneaker collectors and the 'Lost and Found' Air Jordan 1 will be as well," Geller said.

Warehouse workers pick items up, sort them and put them down millions of times a day. Warehouse workers at Amazon and other companies are at risk of developing repetitive-stress injuries and musculoskeletal disorders. The Sparrow is “a major leap in technology challenge and technology development,” said Joseph Quinlivan, Amazon’s vice president of global robotics and technology. Amazon workers at the robotics facility in Westborough, Mass. New robots aren’t expected to replace warehouse employees but will lead to more roles to work with the robots, Amazon said.

☆ Illumina cuts 5% of its workforce
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Nov 14 (Reuters) - Illumina Inc (ILMN.O) said on Monday it was cutting 5% of its global workforce to realign its operating expenses as stubborn inflation and a strong dollar weigh on the genetic sequencing equipment maker's business. The company said it was expecting to take a restructuring charge, which would include expenses related to optimizing its facilities, in the fourth quarter. The layoffs come on the back of a near $4 billion impairment it took in the third quarter related to its cancer test unit GRAIL(GRAL.O). The company, which is in the process of launching its next-generation NovaSeq X DNA sequencing systems, has over 9,100 employees globally, according to its website. Reporting by Leroy Leo in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Take a look inside the only large-scale 3D printed housing development in the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Just outside Austin, Texas, massive machines are squeezing out 100 three- and four-bedroom homes, in the first major housing development to be 3D-printed on site. One of the nation's largest homebuilders, Lennar, is partnering with ICON, a 3D printing company, to develop the project. Lennar was an early investor in ICON, which has printed just about a dozen homes in Texas and in Mexico. "I think the sort of Holy Grail is where one person can watch a dozen systems you need one person to watch a dozen systems," Ballard said. The main squeezeAn ICON 3D printer at a housing development in Georgetown, TX.

"The latest round of China reopening hopes have helped drive us higher here again," he told clients. Any change to that scenario may be a positive impulse for cyclical stocks, it said, but it adds to the inflation headache for central banks. "The somewhat negative implication of stronger China growth is that it would likely add to global inflationary pressure. "We suspect Chinese re-opening (will) imply upside risks to commodity prices and global rates." But even with a G20 summit due next week, global cooperation has been in short supply in fractious 2022.

☆ What it feels like to visit a fusion company lab on a day when wildfire smoke cloaks the horizon
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

The Helion Energy building under construction to house their next generation fusion machine. For the employees of Helion Energy, building a fusion device is their job. Helion Energy's building under construction to house the seventh generation fusion machine on a day when wildfire smoke was not restricting visibility. On the one hand, I had a newfound sense of hope about the possibility of fusion energy. This is the Polaris Injector Test, where Helion Energy is building a component piece of the seventh generation fusion machine.

☆ Self-driving cars were supposed to take over the road. What happened?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Matt Mcfarland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Caitlin O'Hara/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesGeneral Motors bought a self-driving company in 2016. Big talk, smaller resultsUrmson, while leading Google’s self-driving car project before founding Aurora, talked of his preteen son never needing to get a driver’s license. A self-driving car, without a steering wheel or pedals, would have to be able to drive itself in literally every situation possible. “It’s really, really hard,” Waymo’s then-CEO John Krafcik said in 2018 of self-driving technology. Companies developing lidar, widely seen as a key component for self-driving vehicles, as well as self-driving companies, have seen their stocks plummet recently.

☆ Stephen King makes for unlikely antitrust hero
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A U.S. judge blocked Penguin Random House’s $2.2 billion acquisition of rival Simon & Schuster on Monday after the Department of Justice argued it would unfairly limit pay for top authors such as Stephen King. Adding Simon & Schuster would give it 70% of the literary nonfiction market, according to NPD Book Scan. The Department of Justice drew a line in its challenge to Penguin, distinguishing highly paid writers from the rest. Follow @jennifersaba on TwitterloadingCONTEXT NEWSA U.S. judge on Oct. 31 ruled that a planned $2.2 billion merger of Penguin Random House and rival Simon & Schuster cannot go forward. German media group Bertelsmann, the owner of Penguin, agreed to buy Simon & Schuster from Paramount Global in 2020.

☆ The lithium-ion battery is the 'cornerstone' technology of our future. Cowen's stocks to play it
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Optimism is revving up at Cowen over the investment potential of companies focused on lithium-ion batteries. Ultimately, Daoud said the U.S.-based lithium-ion battery industry stands to gain, especially as headwinds resolve and production catches up to demand. Battery swelling has been an inhibitor to lithium-ion batteries. Though Envoix is considered to have the most commercialization potential, Daoud said he is also watching FREYR Battery , SES AI and Solid Power . The report contained initial investment opinions on three of the stocks: FREY (outperform), SES (market perform) and SLDP (market perform).

☆ EU renews order for Illumina to keep Grail as separate entity
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 28 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators on Friday renewed interim measures ordering U.S. life sciences company Illumina (ILMN.O) to keep Grail (GRAL.O) as a separate entity pending an order to unwind the takeover completed before the deal had been approved. The interim order, which was due to expire at the end of the month, was issued by the competition enforcer last year after Illumina jumped the gun and acquired Grail before securing the EU green light. "The European Commission has renewed and adjusted, under the EU Merger Regulation, the interim measures that ensure that Illumina and GRAIL remain separate following the Commission's decision to block the merger," the EU watchdog said in a statement. Under the interim measures, Grail must be run by independent managers exclusively in the interest of the company and it cannot share confidential business information with Illumina, though there could be very limited exceptions with safeguards. Illumina, which has challenged the Commission's veto, will be required to provide funds for Grail to develop cancer detection tests it has in the pipeline.

Economists are sounding the alarm bells about a likely recession in 2023.Insider spoke to five personal finance experts to get their tips on preparing for a downturn. Insider spoke to five personal finance experts to uncover the key steps to help you bulletproof your finances ahead of a rocky 2023. Build an emergency fundThe experts advised building up an emergency fund to cover your expenses if you lose your job. If you have the time, finding additional employment is the quickest way to bring in extra income, the experts said. UpskillThe negative effects of a recession, like falling income and higher unemployment, may not become evident until some months into the downturn.

The spin-out structure would make it easier and faster for Kroger and Albertsons to divest stores if they cannot easily sell them outright, people familiar with the arrangement said. The companies may struggle to find many buyers because Albertsons' stores are unionized, making them less attractive to potential bidders such as private equity firms. Kroger and Albertsons are likely to shed their least profitable stores and keep the best ones to themselves, analysts said. That region contains the most store-overlap between Kroger and Albertsons and is where divestitures are most likely, according to analysts. They intend for the spun-off company to not carry any debt, the sources added.

☆ A pair of Levi's from the 1880s just sold for $76,000. They were found in an old mine and could be worn 'to get a Starbucks,' a vintage expert says.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A pair of Levi's jeans from the 1880s sold for $76,000 at an October 1 auction in New Mexico. The vintage jeans were found in an old mine years ago and are still marked by candle wax. Kyle Haupert, a 23-year-old vintage clothing dealer from San Diego, bought the pants at an auction on October 1. Haupert documented the auction and the pair of prized denims on the Instagram account of his shop, Golden State Vintage. A post shared by Golden State Vintage (@goldenstatevtg)"These speak for themselves," Haupert wrote on the Instagram post featuring the jeans.

☆ Juicy Marbles: Can a meat-free filet mignon convert carnivores?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Tom Page | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

With its plant-based prime cut steak, Juicy Marbles thinks it’s mastered the art. The company has raised $4.6 million and its filet mignon was launched online in Europe and the United States earlier this year. It plans to begin selling in shops in the European Union, United States and United Kingdom in 2023. A cross section of a cooked Juicy Marbles filet mignon. Just 7% of the world’s soy — the main ingredient of Juicy Marbles’ product — is directly consumed by humans.

☆ Diagnostics firm Bio-Rad in talks to merge with Qiagen - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 10 (Reuters) - California-based diagnostics company Bio-Rad Laboratories (BIO.N) is in talks to merge with Qiagen NV (QIA.DE), the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. U.S-listed shares of Qiagen rose 8% while Bio-Rad fell nearly 10% after the report. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterBio Rad, which manufactures and supplies products such as laboratory apparatus, instruments and diagnostics, has a market-cap of $12.85 billion. Both Qiagen and Bio-Rad did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comments. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Vinay DwivediOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Biogen’s $11 bln Alzheimer’s gain has cushion
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Robert Cyran | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, Sept 28 (Reuters Breakingviews) - An effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease has long been the holy grail for drug companies. The $11 billion pop in Biogen’s (BIIB.O) market capitalization on Wednesday morning looks impressive but implies some skepticism that Japan’s Eisai (4523.T), and its partner Biogen, have found it. If the drug is priced at $20,000 a patient annually after discounts, it implies around 330,000 take it. Considering the disease affects far more people globally and there are no effective treatments, this seems like a low bar. Eisai will present the study’s results in late November and said it will publish the results in a peer-reviewed journal.

Insider asked 12 top VCs what ad and marketing tech companies excited them the most this year. Check out the 19 most promising adtech startups, and what they do that makes them unique. It hopes to raise a Series A funding round in the coming months. Emperia is currently raising its next funding round. Why it's on the list: Tech companies are being scrutinized for their wasting energy consumption, and the digital advertising industry is no exception.

☆ Feds commit $50 million to for-profit nuclear fusion companies, chasing the 'holy grail' of clean energy
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The United States government is putting money behind private-sector nuclear fusion companies for the first time, and that's an indication of how momentum is building behind the "holy grail" of clean energy. At the Global Clean Energy Action Forum in Pittsburgh on Thursday, the Department of Energy officially announced $50 million will go towards private fusion companies in public-private partnerships. Nuclear fusion is when two heavier atoms slam together to form a heavier atom, and is the way stars are powered. But it will help bolster U.S fusion companies and give them credibility. The private sector fusion industry has attracted almost $5 billion in venture and other funding according to the Fusion Industry Association.

☆ Josh Harris co-founded Apollo, but his ownership of the 76ers and Devils was a distraction and a 'source of tension' for former employees.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Aaron Weinman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

He stepped away from day-to-day activities at Apollo Global Management — the private-equity firm he co-founded — in May last year. Josh Harris upset Apollo insiders with the amount of time he spent on personal investments. During meetings for Apollo matters, Harris would sometimes take phone calls unrelated to the company, one person told Insider. Harris would also use Apollo employees to help on personal investments. People who worked on Harris' personal investments became "untouchable" within the organization.

☆ Why an early investor in Blue Bottle Coffee and Sweetgreen says he's found the 'holey grail' in a Hawaii doughnut chain
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Founded by two siblings, Holey Grail sells doughnuts made-to-order with local ingredients. Since it opened, Holey Grail has attracted long lines of customers — and hungry startup investors. Holey Grail DonutsInvestors like True say they've sniffed out a multi-million dollar opportunity with Holey Grail, one that defies the norms of an industry that has focused on the more lucrative software market. With $9 million in funding from investors like Collaborative Fund and Lee Fixel, Holey Grail wants to change up the multibillion-dollar doughnut market. But Holey Grail isn't the only food chain to benefit from the cravings of tech's monied elite.

☆ Illumina's Grail expands use of cancer detection test with life insurer deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Deena Beasley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Mike Blake/File PhotoSept 20 (Reuters) - Cancer detection test maker Grail, acquired by Illumina Inc (ILMN.O) last year despite ongoing antitrust challenges, on Tuesday said it would expand use of its flagship Galleri test through a new agreement with life insurer John Hancock, a division of Manulife Financial (MFC.TO). The test, designed to detect more than 50 types of cancer before symptoms appear, looks at the DNA in a patient's blood to determine whether any come from cancer cells. Data have shown that, across the 50 cancer types, including early-stage to late-stage, the Galleri test correctly identified the presence of cancer in 51.5% of cases. read moreJohn Hancock said it is the first life insurance carrier to offer, under its wellness program, policyholder access to Grail's early cancer detection test. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit in March 2021 to stop the acquisition on the basis that it would slow innovation for cancer detection tests.

☆ Judge denies U.S. bid to stop UnitedHealth plan to buy Change
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Diane Bartz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A U.S. judge on Monday denied the Justice Department’s bid to stop UnitedHealth Group from buying Change Healthcare, a court filing showed, in a blow to the U.S. administration’s tougher enforcement of antitrust issues. UnitedHealth announced the all-cash deal in January 2021, saying it would help streamline administrative and payment processes. UnitedHealth said it was “pleased with the decision” and looked forward to combining with Change as quickly as possible. The Justice Department had said that UnitedHealth and Change Healthcare offer competing software for processing healthcare claims and together serve 38 of the top-40 health insurers in the country. The Justice Department also lost a bid to win convictions of executives at chicken processing companies that it accused of price-fixing.

☆ How an entrepreneur started a doughnut chain in Hawaii and landed $9 million in VC funding from early investors in Sweetgreen and Blue Bottle
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Since it opened, Holey Grail has attracted long lines of customers — and hungry startup investors. Holey Grail DonutsInvestors like True say they've sniffed out a multi-million dollar opportunity with Holey Grail, one that defies the norms of an industry that has focused on the more lucrative software market. With $9 million in funding from investors like Collaborative Fund and Lee Fixel, Holey Grail wants to change up the multibillion-dollar doughnut market. Hole in oneAt first glance, Holey Grail is an unlikely bet for top technology investors. But Holey Grail isn't the only food chain to benefit from the cravings of tech's monied elite.

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