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Economic output increased by 0.1% from the previous three months after shrinking by 0.1% in the third quarter, which was a smaller contraction than previously thought. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) had previously said the economy showed no growth in the fourth quarter. Britain's dominant services sector rose by 0.1%, boosted by a nearly 11% jump for travel agents. The ONS said changes to the way it calculates seasonal adjustments to the data were behind the big revision. The ONS said increased foreign earnings by UK companies, particularly in the energy sector, helped narrow the deficit.

☆ S&P changes Turkey's outlook to 'negative'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 31 (Reuters) - S&P Global Ratings revised its outlook for Turkey to "negative" from "stable" on Friday, citing vulnerabilities from the country's low policy rates, directed lending and regulatory control on its foreign currency positions and interest rates. And a devastating earthquake that hit the country earlier in February is expected to keep inflation elevated in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14. Turkey's central bank, on Feb. 23, cut its main interest rate to 8.5% to cushion the impact of the earthquake on its economy. "Given Turkey's elevated current account deficits, limited usable reserves, high inflation and reliance on occasional capital inflows, the outlook for the exchange rate remains, at best, uncertain," S&P said in a statement. Reporting by Saikeerthi in Bengaluru, Darren Butler in Ankara; Editing by Shilpi MajumdarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ March Madness shows how NIL money and the transfer portal are starting to reshape the balance of power in college sports
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Nearly two years into NIL, its impact on college sports is starting to show during March Madness. Most of the teams the Final Four — in both men's and women's basketball — have strong NIL backings. Changes to NIL and the transfer portal have created a "perfect storm that's allowed some schools to bank talent," one expert said. LSU's Angel Reese has the most NIL deals of any college baller, Just Women's Sports reported based on data from SponsorUnited, which tracks NIL deals. "The transfer portal and NIL happening at same time, to me, that's the perfect storm that's allowed some schools to bank talent," Dosh said.

☆ British retail sales rebound unexpectedly in February
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( David Milliken | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, March 24 (Reuters) - British retail sales unexpectedly rebounded by 1.2% in February from the month before, returning sales volumes to their pre-pandemic level, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed on Friday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast that retail sales volumes in February would be 0.2% higher than in January. January sales growth was also revised up to 0.9% from 0.5%. However, Friday's data showed that retail sales volumes in February were still 3.5% lower than a year earlier. British consumers have been squeezed by inflation which hit a 41-year high of 11.1% in October and has remained in double digits since.

☆ How Sam's Club plans to take on its rival Costco
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Shawn Baldwin | Darren Geeter | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow Sam's Club plans to take on its rival CostcoThe U.S. warehouse club industry, which includes Costco, Sam's Club and B.J. 's Wholesale is valued at more than $320 billion, according to an estimate by ResearchAndMarkets.com. In return, they get access to low-priced goods and services in a warehouse setting. With over 65 million paying members, Costco controls the lion's share of the market. But Walmart-owned Sam's Club is tweaking the formula, betting that investments in robotics and technology can help them better engage with budget-conscious shoppers and take on its competitors.

☆ Potential TikTok ban sends advertisers scrambling
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

In recent discussions with ad buyers, TikTok representatives have stuck to the company's current talking points. TikTok employees have played up ongoing plans to separate the user data of Americans and store it in the country. In a section of the email titled "Can the Chinese government request TikTok U.S. user data?" Even with talk of a ban, most advertisers have not changed their spending plans on TikTok, media buyers said, because discussions of a ban have lingered since 2020 without any result. "A ban isn't a ban until it's a ban," he said.

☆ Spring training roundup: Nats score 8 in ninth to beat Astros
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Blake Rutherford hit an RBI single, Cody Wilson -- who pinch-ran for Arcia -- hit a two-run double and Vargas singled home Wilson. The Yankees had 15 hits, led by Wilmer Difo (2-for-4, home run), Benjamin Cowles (homer) and Estevan Florial (2-for-4, three RBIs). Cardinals 16, Marlins 2Masyn Winn went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and Willson Contreras doubled and went 2-for-3 with three RBIs as St. Louis throttled Miami in Sarasota, Fla. The Cardinals collected 17 hits, with Dylan Carlson contributing two hits, two RBIs and two runs. The Marlins' Jerar Encarnacion went 2-for-3 with one RBI.

☆ Clean and Cheap Oil Is a Heavy Lift
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Jinjoo Lee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Darren Woods, Exxon Mobil CEO, says the company is one of the least emissions-intensive producers of fuel. Energy executives are all making the same shiny, new pitch: Let us keep drilling, and we’ll produce cheaper, less carbon-intensive oil and gas. Exxon Mobil Chief Executive Darren Woods said last week at industry conference CERAWeek by S&P Global that the company is one of the least emissions-intensive producers of fuel in the world. As long as there is gasoline and diesel demand, having Exxon make it will be a cleaner option, he said. While he was referring to the company’s refining operations, he touted a similar advantage in the company’s upstream activities, pointing to the Permian Basin as a source of cleaner hydrocarbons.

☆ Brendan Fraser wins best actor Oscar for ‘The Whale’
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The film was adapted from Samuel Hunter's 2012 play of the same name. The role marked his return to the big screen as a leading man after a nine-year absence from major roles. The film drew criticism from some reviewers who said its depiction of Charlie relied on tropes of depressed, obese people. Some spoke out against its use of prosthetics rather than casting an obese actor. (Writing by Ben Kellerman; editing by Jonathan Oatis)((benjamin.kellerman@thomsonreuters.com))Keywords: AWARDS OSCARS/ACTOROur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

LONDON, March 10 (Reuters) - Children returning to school after an illness-ravaged December provided an unexpected, one-off boost to Britain's economy in January, when growth in output exceeded forecasts, data showed on Friday. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Britain's economy expanded 0.3% month-on-month, after a drop of 0.5% in December - a reading that is likely to further allay recession fears. ONS Director of Economic Statistics Darren Morgan said the economy had shown zero growth over the last three months and the past year. The ONS said half of the 0.3% growth rate comprised the education sector, as a result of children returning to school after a significant drop in attendance in December. Fear of contracting COVID-19 over Christmas may also have contributed to children being taken out of school early.

☆ Dangerous 'forever chemicals' were found in turf at the Philadelphia Phillies' old stadium after six former players died of same cancer, investigation finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"Forever chemicals" were found in turf that was used in the Philadelphia Phillies' old stadium. The Inquirer was researching whether there was a link between the turf and ex-Phillies dying of brain cancer. The artificial turf was used for years and replaced several times at Veterans Stadium, where both the Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies played from 1971 to 2003. The Phillies played their last game at the stadium in September 2003 and it was demolished in March 2004. The six former Phillies — Tug McGraw, Darren Daulton, John Vukovich, John Oates, Ken Brett, and David West — all died of glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

☆ From deepfakes to Bing's chatbot, AI-generated content is everywhere. Here's how to spot it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Researchers have already developed some tools to spot AI-generated content and are claiming they have accuracy rates of up to 96%. Here's what you can do to detect AI-generated content. If you were to feed this tool Spanish-language text or a technical text like something from a medical journal, the tool would then struggle to detect AI-generated content. The second class of tools relies on the large language model's own prediction of a text being AI-generated or human. Other ways to spot AI-generated contentThe effectiveness of detection tools still relies on an individual's better judgment.

Among methods that produce what is known as green hydrogen are electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen using power from renewables. The technology for shipping hydrogen is still in early stages of development, said Chevron's vice president of hydrogen Austin Knight. About 30-35% of the total energy system will need hydrogen to decarbonize, he said. NextEra is working with the U.S. Treasury on rules that govern what can be considered green hydrogen, he said. The process is complicated by the variability of renewable power supply from wind and solar, he said.

☆ Exxon Mobil CEO: There is a need to reduce the emissions and we can do that
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailExxon Mobil CEO: There is a need to reduce the emissions and we can do thatBrian Sullivan sits down with Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods on 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss his thoughts on inflation and reducing carbon.

The Tokyo core consumer price index (CPI), which excludes fresh food but includes fuel costs, exceeded the BOJ's 2% target for nine straight months. The slowdown was mostly due to the effect of government energy subsidies to curb soaring utility bills, the data showed. It marked the fastest year-on-year pace of increase since August 1991, when the index also rose 3.2%. Service inflation, which the BOJ sees as key to achieving sustained wage growth, perked up to 1.3% in February from 1.2% in January, the data showed. Nationwide core consumer prices rose 4.2% in January from a year earlier, hitting a fresh 41-year high, as an increasing number of companies passed on higher costs to households.

☆ Japan's factory output posts biggest fall in 8 months on weak autos, chips sectors
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

In contrast, retail sales posted their fastest growth in nearly two years, separate data showed, highlighting the divergent paths between soft manufacturing and robust service-sector activity. Factory output fell 4.6% in January from a month earlier on a seasonally adjusted basis, government data showed on Tuesday. Separate data showed Japanese retail sales rose 6.3% in January from a year earlier, beating a median market forecast for a 4.0% gain and posting an eleventh consecutive month of expansion. Despite the production cuts, retail sales of autos rose 19.3% year-on-year, suggesting strong pent-up demand among domestic consumers caused by delivery delays. Compared with the previous month, retail sales expanded 1.9% in January, following a 1.1% rise in December, the data showed.

☆ Super Rugby finally rolls into the post-COVID era
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Nick Mulvenney | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SYDNEY, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Finally freed of the COVID travel restrictions that sounded the death knell to the intercontinental edition and fragmented and disrupted the rump competition, Super Rugby returns in its full new normality on Friday. The second season of Super Rugby Pacific will be played with a host of law variations aimed at making the game more attractive to fans but one aspect of the competition is highly unlikely to change -- New Zealand supremacy. The Canterbury Crusaders dominated Super Rugby in the years pre-pandemic and have proved just as hard to beat with or without fans in the stadiums, through lockdowns, biosecurity protocols and in competition hubs. Despite optimistic noises coming from across the Tasman Sea in Australia, the biggest challenge to the Crusaders is likely to come from the North Island of New Zealand. The forgiving and sometimes derided playoff system that offers knockout rugby to eight of the 12 teams will give hope to all but the most hapless outfits.

Police officers involved in the deaths have become an intense focus of investigation, protest, and media coverage. Despite being at the heart of some of the most defining incidents in modern policing, most of the officers involved continue to live their lives under the radar. Insider's review of 72 cops involved in two dozen of the most notorious police killings of the past 30 years shows the many different paths officers have taken. There's no nationwide view into what happens to officers involved in egregious incidents of violence. In rare cases, cops involved in these killings have tried to publicly rehabilitate their image rather than seek out anonymity.

☆ Inside Tracy Anderson's cutthroat fitness empire: Legal threats, paranoia, and trainers who say their bodies were 'breaking apart'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Katie Warren | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +29 min

One day around 2015, a dozen or so gift boxes showed up at the Brentwood, California, studio of the celebrity fitness trainer Tracy Anderson. "It was an exclusive boutique fitness studio," the former New York trainer said. Darren Gerrish/WireImageThe method demanded that TA trainers, most of whom were also professional dancers, perform the strenuous workouts full out, every time. Let's help you do it correctly so you don't get injured,'" the former New York trainer said. "This is at a time where everyone is already overworked," one of the former New York trainers said.

☆ UK strikes hit a 30-year high as inflation erodes pay
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Many public sector workers have been offered raises of 4% or 5% for the current financial year, far lower than the 10.5% annual inflation rate in December. Real pay fallsThe UK government has so far refused to grant public sector workers higher pay awards, arguing that doing so risks making the inflation problem worse. For public sector workers, the decline in real pay will have been worse as, without adjusting for inflation, their wages grew a lot less compared with private sector earnings. The ONS said private sector pay growth was at its strongest outside the height of the coronavirus pandemic. “However, median anticipated public sector pay rise expectations of 2% lag those in the private sector at 5%, with the gap providing the context for ongoing discontent and strikes among key public sector workers,” the CIPD said.

☆ Japan's economy averts recession, but rebounds much less than expected in fourth quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A Japanese national flag flies outside the Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, on Sept. 27, 2021. Japan's economy averted recession but rebounded much less than expected in October-December as business investment slumped, a sign of the challenge the central bank faces in phasing out its massive stimulus program. The world's third-largest economy expanded an annualized 0.6% in the final quarter of last year after slumping a revised 1.0% in July-September, government data showed on Tuesday. The increase in gross domestic product (GDP) was much smaller than a median market forecast for a 2.0% rise, due to a downswing in capital expenditure and inventory. "With other advanced economies heading into recessions, we still expect net trade to drag Japan into a recession as well in the first half, especially since business investment is weakening faster than we had expected," said Darren Tay, Japan economist at Capital Economics.

[1/3] FILE PHOTO-A woman in a traditional costume makes her way at a shopping district in Tokyo, Japan November 15, 2022. "From a negative growth in July-September, the rebound isn't very impressive," said Toru Suehiro, chief economist at Daiwa Securities. But it's difficult to project a strong recovery partly due to pressure from rising inflation," he said. RECESSION RISKSFor the full year, the economy expanded 1.1% compared with a 2.1% increase in 2021, the data showed. Economy minister Shigeyuki Goto told reporters the economy was on course for a recovery as the pandemic's impact fades.

☆ UK economy shows zero growth, narrowly avoiding recession
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Britain's economy showed zero growth in the final three months of 2022, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed on Friday, meaning it narrowly avoided entering recession. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast zero growth for the fourth quarter of the year. Monthly GDP data for December - a month marked by widespread rail strikes and bad weather - showed a 0.5% contraction, larger than the 0.3% forecast. "The economy contracted sharply in December meaning, overall, there was no growth in the economy over the last three months of 2022," said ONS statistician Darren Morgan said. Finance minister Jeremy Hunt said the data showed the British economy was more resilient than expected, but still not clear of danger.

☆ Dick's Sporting Goods made a big bet on e-commerce. Here's how it's paying off
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Darren Geeter | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailDick's Sporting Goods made a big bet on e-commerce. Here's how it's paying offDick's Sporting Goods controls an estimated 14.2% of the $76.2 billion sporting goods market in the United States. In 2021, the company posted a record annual revenue, hitting $12.3 billion, and its net income tripled thanks to its timely pivot during the pandemic toward e-commerce sales and curbside pickup. But in 2018, Dick's was a different story. That year, after the Parkland, Florida, mass shooting, the company overhauled its gun sales policies and reported a loss of $250 million.

☆ Why Dick's Sporting Goods succeeded where Sports Authority failed
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Darren Geeter | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The most significant player in the space, Dick's Sporting Goods, controls an estimated 14.2% of the market, the most by a single company. Dick's Sporting Goods was founded in 1948 by 18-year-old Dick Stack who had just $300 in his pocket when he opened his first store. In the 1990s, the company expanded its offerings to include more sports, outdoor equipment, apparel and footwear, and by 1996, there were 50 Dick's Sporting Goods stores. While Dick's Sporting Goods was expanding, its archrival Sports Authority was on the verge of collapse. Dick's Sporting Goods' momentum continued well into 2021 as the company set new records.

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