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☆ Why the Fed is stressed about presidential elections
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

New York CNN —Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell sent investors mixed messages on Tuesday during his semiannual testimony to Congress. Powell is stressed about the election: Powell was asked by multiple senators about White House politics, which he dodged. While the Fed head noted that policy decisions are data dependent, “elevated inflation is not the only risk we face,” he said. The September Fed meeting will be “live”: Powell noted multiple times that every Fed policy decision is made “live” using the latest available economic data – in other words, decisions aren’t made in advance. About 75% of investors think the Fed will cut rates, and about 25% think they’ll remain the same.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, “, Donald Trump, reappoint Powell, ”, Joseph Brusuelas, Trump, Gregory Daco, Chris Larkin, Morgan Stanley, Larkin, don’t, aren’t, David Rubenstein, he’ll, Airbnb, Isabelle Chapman, Majlie, Puy Kamp, Audrey Ash, Chris Isidore . Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN — Federal, White, “, Reserve, RSM, Federal Reserve, US Consumer, Treasury, Fed, Economics, Washington DC, Jackson, CNN, Boeing, Alaska Airlines Locations: New York, Powell, Washington, Alaska

☆ Costco membership fees are going up for the first time since 2017
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —It’s soon going to cost more money to get your foot in the door at Costco. The retailer is raising membership fees by $5 to $65 a year in the US and Canada, Costco announced Wednesday. This marks the first time in seven years Costco is raising membership fees. The company estimated that 52 million memberships will be impacted, a little over half of which are Executive members, Costco said. Last year, Costco earned $4.6 billion in revenue from membership fees, an 8% increase from 2022.

Persons: New York CNN — It’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Costco, Sam’s Club, Amazon Locations: New York, Canada

☆ George Stephanopoulos gets blunt after Biden interview: ‘I don’t think he can serve four more years’
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

On Tuesday night, Stephanopoulos expressed regret for his frank remark, saying through a spokesperson, “Earlier today I responded to a question from a passerby. ABC News separately said that Stephanopoulos “expressed his own point of view and not the position of ABC News.” Regardless, any damage inflicted by the comment was already done. Many journalists simply do not buy the narrative that Biden, his campaign, and the White House are selling. The Stephanopoulos interview is the perfect example of that. Instead of helping him move forward, granting the interview has effectively backfired, with Biden failing to even convince Stephanopoulos with his message.

Persons: George Stephanopoulos, Joe Biden’s, “, ”, Biden, Stephanopoulos, TMZ —, Donald Trump, shouldn’t, Stephanopoulos “, bode Organizations: New York CNN, New, ABC News, CNN, TMZ, Biden, ABC, The New York Times Locations: New York, New York City

☆ Boeing sold just three passenger jets in the past month
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Boeing said it sold just 14 new jets in the past month, with most of those coming as freighter sales. It had come into the year with a record sales month in December, but sales ground to a virtual halt following the Alaska Air incident. That certification, originally expected this year, has been pushed back to at least 2025 by the problems brought to light by the Alaska Air incident. The company agreed Sunday to plead guilty to its employees defrauding the FAA during the original certification process for the 737 Max. The plane it sold to Alaska Air is also a 737 Max 10 to replace the plane that lost the door plug in January.

Organizations: New, New York CNN, Boeing, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Alaska Air Locations: New York, Alaska

☆ Fifth Third bank hit must pay penalties for repossessing cars and forcing auto insurance on customers
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The CFPB said it was imposing penalties on the bank for illegally charging customers for unnecessary auto insurance policies. “Fifth Third Bank demanded borrowers pay for coverage they did not need or else face delinquency, additional fees and repossessions,” the agency said in a statement. For its illegal auto insurance activities, the bank must pay $5 million in redress to affected customers, the CFPB said. In 2015, the bank was ordered to pay $18 million to harmed Black and Hispanic borrowers in what CFPB charged was discriminatory auto loan pricing. And it was ordered to pay $3 million to harmed consumers and a $500,000 penalty for illegal credit card practices.

Persons: ”, Rohit Chopra, CFPB, incentivize, ” CFPB, Susan Zaunbrecher Organizations: New, New York CNN — Fifth Third Bank, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Third Bank, Bank, Fifth Locations: New York, Cincinnati , Ohio, Midwest

☆ Sun Valley: Welcome to the secret summer camp for billionaires
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The vibe is trail-dad chic — think puffy Patagonia vests and Apple watches and stealth-wealth cashmere pullovers. Sun Valley is also widely believed to be the place where Jeff Bezos decided to buy The Washington Post, and the site of the meet-cute between Comcast and NBC Universal. There are also some notably absent names from the guest list this year. Bob Iger, CEO of Disney and one of the most recognizable business leaders on the planet, wore a name tag and aviators at last year's Sun Valley summit. Questions about President Joe Biden’s ability to campaign have wealthy donors and Democratic officials in a tizzy.

Persons: ”, Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett, Sam Altman, Bob Iger, Tim Cook, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Google’s Sundar Pichai, Rupert Murdoch, Oprah Winfrey, David Zaslav, Zaslav, Kevin Dietsch, There’s Buffett, Greg Abel, Buffett, Astrid, Elon Musk, Joe Biden’s, Gretchen Whitmer, Josh Shapiro, Wes Moore, Biden, it’s, Hamilton Nolan Organizations: New, New York CNN, Friedman, Allen & Company, Washington Post, Comcast, NBC Universal, Idaho Mountain Express, Disney, Warner Bros, Bloomberg, Variety, Discovery, Paramount, Democratic Locations: New York, Hailey , Idaho, Sun Valley , Idaho, Idaho, America, Sun

☆ What a Trump presidency could mean for the dollar and the stock market
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

There are other reasons the dollar has been propelled higher as some European and Asian currencies have seen lackluster growth. A strong dollar makes US exports more expensive and reduces the profits of American companies operating overseas when earnings are converted back to dollars. And while a strong dollar lowers the cost of imported raw materials, it can boost inflation and hurt foreign investments. The families of victims of two fatal crashes of the 737 Max oppose the deal, the department said. Beyond the fatal crashes of the 737 Max jets, the company has faced a series of questions about the safety and quality of its planes.

Persons: it’s, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, ”, Lisa Shalett, Morgan Stanley, Louis Navellier, Jeanne Sahadi, Read, Max, Chris Isidore Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Fed, Republican, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Navellier, Associates, New York Federal Reserve, Boeing, Justice Department, Alaska Airlines Locations: New York, ”, China, Japan, United States

☆ LinkedIn billionaire bankrolls voting firm Smartmatic as it fights Fox News in 2020 election defamation case
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Matt Egan | Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman is providing significant financial firepower to Smartmatic as the voting technology company fights Fox News and Newsmax over the right-wing networks’ repeated airing of 2020 election lies. A person with knowledge of the matter wouldn’t say exactly how much money Hoffman poured into Smartmatic but told CNN the eight-figure investment surpassed $10 million. Smartmatic is seeking billions of dollars in damages from Fox News, Newsmax and other right-wing figures that falsely accused the company of rigging the 2020 election. The voting technology company’s defamation lawsuit against Fox News is still in the fact-finding “discovery” phase and isn’t expected to go to trial until 2025. Smartmatic is also suing Trump 2020 campaign lawyer Sidney Powell and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell – two of the most egregious peddlers of election disinformation.

Persons: Reid Hoffman, Hoffman, “ Smartmatic, ” Hoffman, “, Donald Trump, Smartmatic, Antonio Mugica, Mugica, Hoffman “, “ doesn’t, Trump, Joe Biden, ” Mugica, Biden, ”, Sidney Powell, Mike Lindell –, Powell, ” Lindell, Christopher Kachouroff Organizations: New, New York CNN, LinkedIn, Fox, Democratic, The Washington Post, CNN, Trump, Republican, Fox News, Fox Corporation, Delaware Superior Court, America News, Fox News Media, Justice Department Locations: New York, Smartmatic, Delaware Superior, Philippines, Fox, Dominion

☆ Money problems can be an early sign of dementia
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

When a family member who has been fairly responsible with money all their lives becomes careless with their finances, it may be one sign of as-yet-undiagnosed dementia. “The harmful financial effects of undiagnosed memory disorders exacerbate the already substantial financial pressure households face upon diagnosis,” the researchers wrote. Two parents with dementia, one daughter’s efforts to reduce financial worryJayne Sibley, who lives in the United Kingdom, knows the pain and stress of dealing with the financial behaviors that can signal dementia. Her mother also would take money out of the cash machine two to three times a day and give it to anyone who asked. Of course, no amount of advanced financial planning can alleviate the heartbreak of watching a loved one with dementia decline.

Persons: Marcey Tidwell, ”, Tidwell, Karen Lemay, “, Lemay, hadn’t, ” Lemay, Jayne Sibley, ” Sibley, Sibley, doling, Ditto, ’ ”, ” Tidwell Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York Federal Reserve, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, US National Institute, Aging Locations: New York, Bloomington , Indiana, Ottawa, Canada, United Kingdom, Sibley

☆ $1 billion donation makes medical school free for most students at Johns Hopkins University
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Bloomberg Philanthropies is gifting $1 billion to make medical school free for the majority of students at Johns Hopkins University, joining other high-profile donors who have contributed to tuition-free medical schools across the country. Johns Hopkins said Monday that for most medical school students, the gift will cover the full cost of attendance, including tuition and living expenses. In 2018, NYU’s School of Medicine became the first medical school in the country to offer free tuition to accepted students. An October survey from the Association of American Medical Colleges found that 70% of medical students who graduated in 2023 have taken on some level of education debt. Bloomberg previously donated $1.8 billion in 2018 to undergraduate financial aid at Johns Hopkins University.

Persons: New York CNN —, New York CNN — Bloomberg Philanthropies, Michael Bloomberg, Johns Hopkins, It’s, Ruth Gottesman, ” Bloomberg, CNN’s Eva Rothenberg, Sabrina Souza Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York CNN — Bloomberg, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NYU’s School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins, New York City, Association of American Medical Colleges Locations: New York

☆ ‘We don’t want to leave people behind’: AI is helping disabled people in surprising new ways
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But advancements in AI technology are already beginning to remove the need for volunteer helpers on the other end. Applications for blind users are just one area where AI is helping to advance what’s known as “assistive technology,” tools designed to help people who are disabled or elderly. New generative AI tools are especially promising for accessibility applications because they’re designed to understand and produce information in various formats, including text, audio, photos and videos. The effort, called the Speech Accessibility Project, involves collecting recordings from volunteers with conditions such as Parkinsons, Down Syndrome, ALS and other disabilities that can affect speech. “We don’t want to leave people behind … technology in general has the ability to level the playing field,” Andersson said.

Persons: Matthew Sherwood, Sherwood, Chris, OpenAI, ” Sherwood, Eve Andersson, Google’s, ” Andersson, ”, Clarion Mendes, ” Mendes Organizations: New, New York CNN, Google, Apple, Tech, CNN, Big Tech, Microsoft, University of Illinois, Clarion Locations: New York, University of Illinois Urbana, Champaign

☆ Why McDonald’s removed salads from their menu
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“If people really want salads from McDonald’s we will gladly relaunch salads,” said Joe Erlinger, the president of McDonald’s USA, in a June interview at the Wall Street Journal’s annual Global Food Forum. For McDonald’s, putting salads on the menu was likely a way to avoid the veto vote and stay atop recent healthy food trends. McDonald’s salads were “one likely source of these infections,” the CDC said at the time. McDonald’s removed salads from national menus in 2020 to help simplify restaurant operations, the company said. Another menu item that’s not coming to McDonald’s any time soon?

Persons: New York CNN —, ”, Joe Erlinger, McDonald’s, Covid, ” Erlinger Organizations: New, New York CNN, McDonald’s, Food, Wall Street Journal Locations: New York, McDonald’s

☆ Wall Street thinks the US economy is getting back to normal. The election could change that
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

New York CNN —New data shows weakening in the US economy – Friday’s jobs report showed that unemployment ticked up to 4.1% in June. Inflation is easing, and so is economic growth – that combination means interest rate cuts could be on their way. Before the Bell spoke with Michael Reynolds, vice president of investment strategy at Glenmede, about investors, the economy and political landscape. We recognize that to have a thesis on the economy is to have a thesis on the consumer. The global market value for adult diapers was pegged at $12.8 billion in 2023, according to market research provider Euromonitor International.

Persons: Joe Biden, Bell, Michael Reynolds, we’ve, there’s, That’s, We’ve, Fumio Kishida, Read, Nathaniel Meyersohn Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Nasdaq, Federal, DC, Traders, Fed, Federal Reserve, United Nations, UN, Euromonitor, Oji Holdings, Flags Locations: New York, Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, United States

☆ Philadelphia radio host who interviewed Biden leaves station
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-07 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Radio host Andrea Lawful-Sanders has resigned from WURD Radio after admitting her post-debate interview with President Joe Biden included questions that were pre-selected by Biden’s campaign team, the station told CNN Sunday. “As a result, Ms. Lawful-Sanders and WURD Radio have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately.”WURD is Pennsylvania’s only Black-owned talk radio station. In an interview Saturday with CNN’s Victor Blackwell, she said those questions were part of eight that were recommended to her by Biden aides ahead of the interview. Biden’s debate performance has left many top Democrats wringing their hands in frustration and concern amid talk that he should not accept the party’s nomination. The Biden campaign said later Saturday it will no longer suggest questions to interviewers.

Persons: Andrea, Sanders, Joe Biden, “, ” Sara Lomax, Lomax, Black, ”, Biden, CNN’s Victor Blackwell, what’s, Blackwell, Earl Ingram, The Earl Ingram, Biden “, ” “ It’s, he’d, Lauren Hitt Organizations: New, New York CNN — Radio, WURD Radio, CNN, White, Radio, Biden, Democrats Locations: New York, Philadelphia, Milwaukee

☆ John Deere to lay off roughly 600 employees from three US factories
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-07 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —John Deere announced it will lay off about 600 employees across three US factories as the Illinois-based company shifts production to a newly planned facility in Ramos, Mexico. In total, the three factories have roughly 4,175 production and maintenance employees. The Illinois factory primarily produces harvesting equipment such as combines, while the two Iowa factories manufacture construction and forestry equipment. “We do expect incremental demand decline in the back half of 2024,” Josh Beal, the company’s director of investor relations, said in the May earnings call. At the same time, manufacturing jobs across the country have plateaued at 13 million employees after recovering from a sharp pandemic-related downswing in 2020, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Persons: John Deere, Deere, “, Josh Beal Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Labor Statistics Locations: New York, Illinois, Ramos, Mexico, Iowa, Dubuque, Davenport, East Moline , Illinois, United States, South America, Europe, North America

☆ These two amusement park giants just merged. Rollercoaster fans are nervous
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-06 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Six Flags this week completed an $8 billion merger with rival Cedar Fair to create the largest amusement park operator in the United States. The success of the deal will determine the future of these amusement parks, and diehard rollercoaster fans are watching carefully. Many amusement park fans are passionate about the parks’ design and history and notice the smallest of changes. He also worries the “beautiful” Cedar Fair parks will lose their distinct identities and become more like Six Flags. Halloween has become a primary visiting time for theme park fans, and there could be changes to these events.

Persons: Knott's Berry, Allen J, ”, Bill Kneass, Kneass, they’re, Chris Miller, Stan, Gary Rhodes, Richard Zimmerman ., Selim Bassoul, Berry, Matt Kaiser, “, There’s, Dennis Speigel, Chris Woronka, Looney, Michael Musil Organizations: New, New York CNN, Flags, Cedar Fair, Los Angeles Times, Six Flags Entertainment Corp, Disney, Universal, Six, Fair, Six Flags, Kmart, Walmart, Facebook, Park, Deutsche Bank, Warner Bros, Discovery, DC Comics, CNN, Warner Bros . Locations: New York, United States, California, New Jersey, Sandusky , Ohio, Buena Park , California, Bay Village , Ohio

☆ Why you’re seeing lots of teens at work this summer — but still so many empty lifeguard chairs
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-06 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —Your kid’s summer camp is likely fully staffed. The shift is a refreshing change after the pandemic drove many teens away from working during their summer breaks. “Now I’m seeing parents pushing their kids to work again,” said Pritikin, who employs around 350 staff members each summer. Ten years ago, high school-aged camp staff made around $1,000 for an entire summer. Lifeguards prepare for the opening of the Astoria Pool in the New York City borough of Queens on June 27, 2024.

Persons: They’re, ”, Paul Harrington, That’s, it’s, Eric Brotherson, “, Brotherson, he’s, Andy Pritikin, Pritikin, weren't, Frank Burkhauser, Harrington, ” Andrew Challenger, Joshua A . Bickel, Eric Adams, Spencer Platt, Gregg McQueen, We’ll, ” McQueen, Adams, Tom Gill, ” Gill Organizations: New, New York CNN, Rhode Island College, Glenwood, Colorado Rockies, Liberty, Challenger, YMCA Camp Kern, American Lifeguard Association . New, New York City, CNN, United States Lifesaving Association, “ Lifeguard Locations: New York, Glenwood, Glenwood Springs , Colorado, rollercoasters, Liberty Lake, Bordentown, Mansfield Township , New Jersey, Oregonia , Ohio, American Lifeguard Association . New York City, New York City, Queens

☆ Investors look to upcoming earnings to keep stock rally going
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —With interest rate cuts on the backburner, Wall Street is looking to corporate earnings to continue powering the 2024 stock market rally. Analysts polled by FactSet expect second-quarter earnings of S&P 500 companies to grow about 8.7% on average from the prior year. Strong corporate earnings have helped the S&P 500 gain a whopping 16% and notch repeated record high closes this year. Since the Fed isn’t likely to cut rates anytime soon, the onus is on strong corporate earnings to continue driving the market rally. Earnings season kicks off July 12 when big banks including JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Citigroup report results.

Persons: FactSet, Jerome Powell, ”, Jeffrey Buchbinder, Wells, Dow, Lisa Shalett, Jessie Yeung, Hanako Montgomery, Junko Ogura, “, Tadashi Matsubara, ” Read, Laura He, Pan Gongsheng, Read Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Federal, LPL, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Nvidia, Microsoft, Meta, Dow Jones, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Kanpou, “, Beijing Money, Silicon Valley Bank, People’s Bank of China, prudential Locations: New York, Sintra , Portugal, Wells Fargo, Banks, Japan, Nepal, China, Beijing, Silicon, United States, Shanghai

☆ Saks Fifth Avenue is buying Neiman Marcus with Amazon’s help
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus are merging to create a luxury department store empire. “We’re thrilled to take this step in bringing together these iconic luxury names, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman,” said HBC CEO Richard Baker in a release. Saks has 39 stores, while Neiman Marcus, which filed for bankruptcy in 2020, has 36 stores. Neiman Marcus also owns Bergdorf Goodman. Both of them will report to Baker, who becomes the executive chairman of Saks Global.

Persons: New York CNN —, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, “ We’re, ”, Richard Baker, Marc Metrick, Ian Putnam, Baker, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, ” Neil Saunders, “, Amazon, Saunders Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York CNN — Saks Fifth, Saks, HBC, Saks Fifth, Saks Global, HBC Properties, Canadian, Brands, Neiman, Capri, GlobalData, Federal Trade Commission, FTC Locations: New York, Hudson’s, Glendale , California, Columbus , Ohio

☆ Gen Z wants flavorful drinks. Here’s how Big Beer is trying to attract them
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

That’s a problem for Big Beer, which is dealing with flat sales, declining volume and a fickle generation of younger drinkers who are completely ditching the bottle or preferring anything but a regular beer. It’s a non-carbonated drink because “bloating that may come from carbonation is considered a top barrier” for younger drinkers and the trend of “decarbonizing” drinks is blowing up on the app. Last year, it acquired Blue Run Spirits, a cult favorite high-end bourbon and rye whiskey brand, in light of US spirit sales surpassing beer sales. Its aptly titled “Beyond Beer” category is currently a $1.5 billion part of its global business and is helping attract younger, legally aged drinkers. Despite younger drinkers’ hesitance with buying beer and flat sales, Big Beer companies aren’t facing an existential threat.

Persons: youngs, Gen, NIQ’s Kaleigh Theriault, “, ” Theriault, Gallo, Mark Anthony Brands, Miller, flavorful, TikTok Constellation, Corona, ”, Saúl Trejo, TikTok, Molson Coors, Molson, ” NIQ’s Theriault, Bud Light, seltzer, Jason Lowrie, it’s, Bud, Bud Light Seltzer, Dylan, ’, “ Young, ” Bryan Roth Organizations: New, New York CNN — Beer, CNN, Beverages, Big Beer, Molson Coors Beverage Company, Modelo, Constellation Brands, Anheuser, Busch InBev, TikTok, Corona, Corona Refresca, Molson Coors, Molson, “ Suppliers, Busch, Feel Goods Company Locations: New York, Corona, carbonation

☆ Here’s how much more you’ll spend on your Fourth of July BBQ this year
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Americans feeding a group of 10 this holiday weekend will spend an average of $71.22, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. The American Farm Bureau found the price of two pounds of ground beef will cost an average of $12.77 this year, up 11% from a year ago. As inflation skyrocketed across the economy in 2022, the American Farm Bureau estimated a 17% year-over-year spike in the cost of a Fourth of July cookout. The American Farm Bureau notes that, on an inflation-adjusted basis, this summer’s BBQ bill is 5% lower than the record set in 2022. The cheapest Fourth of July barbecue bill is in the Northeast at $63.54, according to the American Farm Bureau.

Persons: New York CNN —, It’s, grillers Organizations: New, New York CNN, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Farm Bureau, Consumers Locations: New York

☆ Judge delays ban on noncompete agreements for employees
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —A federal judge on Wednesday delayed a ban on noncompete agreements from taking effect for a small number of US workers on September 4. Unless the judge makes another ruling before that date, the ban will go into effect for the majority of employers in the US. The ban, which prohibits employers from enforcing noncompete clauses in most existing employment agreements and bans companies from including them in all future ones, was approved by the Federal Trade Commission in April. The FTC estimates that 30 million people — one in five US workers — are bound by a noncompete clause in their current jobs. In response to the order, FTC spokesperson Douglas Farrar said, “The FTC stands by our clear authority, supported by statute and precedent, to issue this rule.

Persons: ”, Ada Brown, Ryan, Daryl Joseffer, Douglas Farrar Organizations: New, New York CNN, Court, Northern, Northern District of Texas, Federal Trade Commission, Ryan LLC, US Chamber of Commerce, Business, Texas Association of Business, Longview Chamber of Commerce, Plaintiff, FTC, US, of Commerce, U.S, Chamber Locations: New York, Northern District, Texas, Longview

☆ Nestlé and other companies are trying to stake their claims as weight loss drug experts. They’re not
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But health professionals are warning consumers not to take medical advice from the same companies trying to sell them food, supplements and other consumables. “People who are on (GLP-1 drugs) eat less calories. Daily Harvest, a meal kit service, has a GLP-1 food collection. In May it announced a new line of frozen meals called Vital Pursuit, pitching the brand to users of weight loss drugs. Some taking GLP-1 drugs have reported losing hair and muscle.

Persons: Ozempic, JP Morgan, —, ”, Donny Kranson, GLP, Nestlé’s, Jorge Moreno, Jody Dushay, Tom Little, “ I’m, “, 1nutrition.com, Atkins, Robert Atkins, Nestlé, Mark Schneider, Marie Callender’s, Slim Jim, Orville Redenbacher’s, Tom McGough, William Dietz Organizations: New, New York CNN, “, Vontobel Asset Management, GNC, Nestlé, Visitors, Yale School of Medicine, Physicians, Harvard Medical School, Danone, Bloomberg, STOP, George Washington University Locations: New York, United States, Switzerland, Novo Nordisk's, Hillerod, Denmark, what’s, Conagra, GLP

☆ Google’s greenhouse gas emissions are soaring thanks to AI
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

AI systems need lots of computers to make them work. The end result has been that Google’s greenhouse gas emissions have soared 48% since 2019, according to the tech giant’s annual environment report. An October study from Dutch researcher Alex de Vries estimated that the “worst-case scenario” suggests Google’s AI systems could eventually consume as much electricity as the country of Ireland each year, assuming a full-scale adoption of AI in their current hardware and software. It added that data center electricity consumption is currently growing faster than it can bring carbon-free electricity sources online. The company has also used AI to suggest more fuel-efficient routes to drivers using Google Maps.

Persons: —, Sundar Pichai, Alex de Vries Organizations: New, New York CNN, Google, Big Tech, International Energy Agency Locations: New York, Ireland

☆ Record numbers of people are flying. So why are airlines’ profits plunging?
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Airlines face numerous problems, including higher costs, such as fuel, wages and interest rates. And problems at Boeing mean airlines have too few planes to expand routes to support a record numbers of flyers. Labor costs and jet fuel prices, the airlines’ two largest costs, are both sharply higher this year. Jet fuel prices are climbing because of higher demand in the summer. Southwest announced in April that it would stop serving four airports to trim costs — Bellingham International Airport in Washington state, Cozumel International Airport in Mexico, Syracuse Hancock International Airport in New York and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Persons: that’s, Houston’s George Organizations: New, New York CNN, Boeing, Labor, Airline, Jet, International Air Transport, Airbus, Alaska Airlines Boeing, Max, Federal Aviation Administration, Southwest, Bellingham International Airport, Cozumel International, Syracuse Hancock International, Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Locations: New York, Southwest, United, Washington state, Cozumel, Mexico, Syracuse

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