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☆ Investor Karen Firestone says this group of stocks is the next attractive segment of the market
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Karen Firestone | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

I have written several pieces that touched on the stocks with over $5 billion in market cap that fell hard from 2021's elevated grace. Market cap as a differentiator What might lead to such a wide discrepancy? What stands out is the big difference in market capitalization of the stocks in the top-performing quintile and the bottom group. The average market cap for the top fifth is $79.5 billion compared to $15.6 billion for the lowest performers. There are 4,279 stocks listed on the NYSE and Nasdaq with a market value of $5 billion or less.

☆ What intersectionality actually means and why it matters
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Leah Asmelash | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Here’s what you should know about intersectionality – what exactly it means, and why it matters. Co-founder and executive director of the African American Policy Forum Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the phrase intersectionality in 1989. As part of that larger movement, terms like intersectionality and intersectional feminism became much more prevalent in left-leaning circles. People practice Judaism differently, and thus different sects may face different problems. In that group alone, there may be LGBTQ+ men, men from lower economic backgrounds or men with disabilities.

☆ Why MLM Sales 'Huns' Get so Much Hate on Reddit, TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Aimee Pearcy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

Over the past few years, MLM companies have been under increased scrutiny. MLM companies largely appeal to those who are disconnected and looking for a way to get on solid financial footingAt first, Stimson felt optimistic. And a 2018 AARP survey found that just 25% of MLM participants made a profit. US direct-sales companies, which include MLM companies, earned $42.7 billion in retail sales in 2021, according to the Direct Selling Association — a 21% increase from 2019. And two-thirds of MLM participants said that "knowing what they know now, they would not join the same MLM company again."

☆ MGM Group Gets OK to Build Japan’s First Casino in $8 Billion Project
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Megumi Fujikawa | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Osaka’s plans call for a 5.3 million-square-foot complex with a gambling area, conference center and theaters on Yumeshima, or Dream Island. TOKYO—A group that includes MGM Resorts International won government approval Friday to build Japan’s first casino, which they hope to complete by 2029 on an artificial island in Osaka. The decision finally creates a clear path forward for a long-delayed plan to make casino resorts part of Japan’s tourism mix. Osaka, a popular tourist destination that has a large international airport and is close to the ancient capital of Kyoto, was among the first to raise its hand for a gambling license after legislation in 2016 made that possible.

☆ Pfizer signs strategic cooperation pact with China's Sinopharm
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

April 13 (Reuters) - Pfizer (PFE.N) said on Thursday it has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China's Sinopharm Group (1099.HK), and plans to seek approval to market 12 innovative drugs in China through 2025. Sinopharm's president Liu Yong said during the signing event in Shanghai on Wednesday that the cooperation will involve accelerating the delivery of Pfizer's new drugs to patients, according to a statement from Pfizer. Reporting by Brenda Goh, Meg Shen and Ethan Wang; Editing by Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Global Press Freedom Group Calls for Russia to Release WSJ’s Evan Gershkovich
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Paul Vieira | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/global-press-freedom-group-calls-for-russia-to-release-wsjs-evan-gershkovich-c2c0bd07

☆ JPMorgan, H&M join Google, Meta to buy, collectively, more than $1 billion of carbon removal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

"We see Frontier's advanced market commitment as an important demand signal boost for the carbon removal market. Carbon dioxide emissions from energy production topped 36 billion tons last year, according to the International Energy Agency, with total global carbon dioxide emissions projected to have been 40.6 billion tons in 2022, according to the Global Carbon Project. So far, Frontier has spent $5.6 million buying nearly 9,000 tons of contracted carbon removal from 15 carbon dioxide removal startups that are collectively pursuing seven methods. And Living Carbon is a synthetic biology startup working on engineering natural systems to remove carbon dioxide. "However, the science is increasingly clear: Carbon removal is an increasingly necessary tool for limiting warming.

Noah Barkin, an analyst with the Rhodium Group, said China's chief objective was to prevent Europe from aligning more closely with the United States. Macron travelled to China with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, both pressuring China on Ukraine, but failing to wrest any public shifts in position from Xi. Xi did not mention a possible conversation with Zelenskiy in China's official reports of his comments after the meetings. "Macron seemed to believe he could charm Xi into shifting his approach on the war," he said. "China and Europe can still be partners," said Wang Yiwei, director of Center for European Studies at Renmin University in Beijing.

The news outlet said the frequency of the gifts have "no known precedent in the modern history of the U.S. Supreme Court." Thomas and Chief Justice John Roberts did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "This cries out for the kind of independent investigation that the Supreme Court — and only the Supreme Court, across the entire government — refuses to perform," Whitehouse said on Twitter. The ProPublica report is the latest revelation to prompt ethics concerns about Thomas. Thomas's failure to report the trips provided by Crow appears to violate a federal law requiring justices, judges and other federal officials disclose most gifts, ProPublica reported, citing legal ethics experts.

☆ Taiwan tensions: It's very likely that Beijing goes beyond rhetoric, research firm says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | 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 EmailTaiwan tensions: It's very likely that Beijing goes beyond rhetoric, research firm saysReva Goujon of Rhodium Group says the "military coercion risk is exactly why the Pentagon and Taiwan were very concerned about House Speaker [Kevin] McCarthy actually going to Taiwan for his visit in this geopolitical climate."

☆ Barkin: It's interesting the Europeans are in China to talk with President Xi, when the U.S. is having trouble doing the same
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | 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 EmailBarkin: It's interesting the Europeans are in China to talk with President Xi, when the U.S. is having trouble doing the sameNoah Barkin, senior adviser in the China practice at the Rhodium Group, discusses what EU leaders like French President Macron are hoping to achieve with their visit to Beijing to meet with Chinese president Xi Jinping.

Macron last visited China in 2019 while it will be von der Leyen's first trip since becoming European Commission president that year. However, some analysts said ostentatious deal-signing would appear opportunistic at a time of heightened frictions between the United States and China. "Both (Macron and von der Leyen) have not only business in mind but also Ukraine," said Joerg Wuttke, president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China. Macron and von der Leyen are expected to echo the message that Xi should also talk to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. China and EU decoupling will only serve U.S. interests, but make both China and Europe suffer," it said.

☆ Netflix restructures film group as it scales back movie output - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 30 (Reuters) - Video streaming service Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) is restructuring its film group, which will result in layoffs and the departure of two of its most experienced executives, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. As part of the restructuring, Netflix will combine small and midsize picture productions units, resulting in a few job cuts, and scale back the company's output to ensure high quality titles, the report said. Lisa Nishimura, responsible for documentaries and smaller-budget films, and Ian Bricke, a vice president in the film group, will be leaving after more than a decade with the company, the report added. Netflix did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Reporting by Yana Gaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Varun H KOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Nike faces shareholder proposal on human rights
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Katherine Masters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, March 30 (Reuters) - Activist shareholder platform Tulipshare is calling on Nike (NKE.N) to offer more transparency on working conditions in its supply chain. In a shareholder proposal released Thursday, London-based Tulipshare requested a report from Nike on whether its policies effectively address its stated equity goals and human rights commitments. The company’s most recently available impact report from fiscal 2021 cites forced labor, supply chain transparency and labor rights as some of its essential priorities. “Nike did not engage with garment worker unions representing Nike supply chain workers about those impacts, despite the OECD Guidelines’ expectation that multinational enterprises do so and despite unions’ requests for dialogue,” the complaint states. In a fiscal 2022 statement on forced labor, Nike said it is growing its business "through long-term relationships with suppliers that are committed to our strict standards of sustainability and human rights, product excellence and compliance with local laws."

"It's a very prestigious thing to host the first visit abroad of the King of England, it doesn't happen every day. "Our message will be clear: There may be a temptation to get closer to Russia, but do not cross that line," a senior French diplomat said. They need a good relationship with Europe so will not want to play on Macron's internal problems," another French diplomat said. Analysts say China's deteriorating relationship with the U.S. gives Europe a bit more leverage, with the EU's vast single market becoming more crucial for China. Reporting by Michel Rose, John Irish in Paris and Laurie Chen in Beijing; Editing by Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ News organizations reject Elon Musk’s demand of paying to keep checkmarks on Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —News organizations have a message for Elon Musk: We are not going to pay you for checkmarks on Twitter. Historically, a blue checkmark placed next to the name of an account has indicated that the social media company has confirmed the identity of the person or business operating it. Musk earlier this year launched Twitter Blue, a subscription service that costs $8 a month. A blue checkmark. POLITICO additionally said it will not pay for Twitter Blue.

March 29 (Reuters) - Elon Musk and a group of artificial intelligence experts and industry executives are calling for a six-month pause in developing systems more powerful than OpenAI's newly launched GPT-4, in an open letter citing potential risks to society and humanity. "Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable," the letter said. The letter detailed potential risks to society and civilization by human-competitive AI systems in the form of economic and political disruptions, and called on developers to work with policymakers on governance and regulatory authorities. Rather than pause research, she said, AI researchers should be subjected to greater transparency requirements. "If you do AI research, you should be very transparent about how you do it."

March 28 (Reuters) - Elon Musk and a group of artificial intelligence experts and industry executives are calling for a six-month pause in developing systems more powerful than OpenAI's newly launched GPT-4, in an open letter citing potential risks to society and humanity. "Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable," the letter said. The letter detailed potential risks to society and civilization by human-competitive AI systems in the form of economic and political disruptions, and called on developers to work with policymakers on governance and regulatory authorities. Co-signatories included Stability AI CEO Emad Mostaque, researchers at Alphabet-owned (GOOGL.O) DeepMind, as well as AI heavyweights Yoshua Bengio and Stuart Russell. Musk, whose carmaker Tesla (TSLA.O) is using AI for an autopilot system, has been vocal about his concerns about AI.

☆ US corporates and China hug awkwardly in Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Pete Sweeney | Thomson Reuters | Asia Economics Editor Pete Sweeney Joined Reuters Breakingviews In Hong Kong In September Previously He Served As Reuters' Chief Correspondent For China Economy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The final quarter saw a slight rebound, but American FDI into China has been slowing for years. Despite their suspicions of the U.S. government, Chinese officials don’t want American capitalists to stop investing in the country because their firms create jobs, bring technology and best practices. Anecdotal evidence suggests even in harmless industries like textiles and market research, decoupling is becoming the default American investment thesis. If China surprises by dramatically boosting internal demand, U.S. executives and their shareholders will be placated. Cook is in Beijing to attend the China Development Forum, a flagship investment conference organised by the government and held March 25-27.

☆ A viral image of Pope Francis dressed in a stylish white puffer coat that fooled social media users was actually generated by AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An image of Pope Francis wearing a stylish white puffer jacket was actually generated by AI. The image went viral on social media with many people not recognizing that it was actually fake. It was then circulated on platforms like Twitter with posts receiving hundreds of thousands of likes and many believing it's real, including a number of celebrities and high-profile social media personalities. It has taken social media by storm as users generate fake images of former president Donald Trump, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and President Vladimir Putin. Ajder said he's worked with Partnership in AI — a non-profit organization promoting responsible AI use — to set out guidelines for people using AI tools as well as creators of the tool.

The 9th Circuit upheld Hansen's other convictions and ordered that he be resentenced. The 9th Circuit decision applies in the group of western states over which it has jurisdiction including Arizona and California, which border Mexico. Circuit Court of Appeals also ruled against the law in a separate case. The Justice Department told the justices that the 9th Circuit decision wrongly relied on "hypothetical scenarios that the statute would not encompass." These groups argued that the law threatens attorneys, doctors, scholars and anyone else who speaks in support of immigration.

☆ China's debt-heavy local governments look for new ways to raise cash
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Future Publishing | Future Publishing | Getty ImagesBEIJING — Debt-heavy local governments in China need new ways to raise money under a central regime that's made clear its priority is to reduce financial risks. "We should ... prevent a build-up of new debts while working to reduce existing ones," the report said regarding local governments' situation. S&P and other analysts estimate land sales account for about a quarter of local governments' total revenue. But local governments still have bills and public services to pay for. Historically, local governments were responsible for more than 85% of expenditure but only received about 60% of tax revenue, Rhodium Group said in 2021.

☆ Club Med owner is bullish on China's reopening, says resort is ‘definitely not for sale'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In this picture taken on October 12, 2016 a general view shows the Club Med resort in Sanya. Nicolas Asfouri | Afp | Getty ImagesClub Med is "very optimistic" about China's reopening, an executive from Fosun Tourism Group told CNBC Monday, adding that the luxury resort chain is "definitely not for sale." Bloomberg reported in November that Fosun International is exploring "strategic options" for Club Med as a means to reduce debt. "We are actually happy to see if … partners in different parts of the world can give synergy for us, but definitely Club Med is not for sale," said Xu, who is also the CEO of Club Med China. Hong Kong-listed shares of Fosun Tourism Group rose 0.93% while shares of Fosun International were 3% lower on Monday, marking the lowest levels it's seen since December.

☆ UAW Members Elect Reform Candidate as President
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Nora Eckert | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

UAW President-elect Shawn Fain, who talked to employees outside a Michigan plant earlier this year, has vowed to be tough in contract negotiations. The United Auto Workers elected reform candidate Shawn Fain as its next leader, according to Mr. Fain and his opponent, marking an upheaval in the union’s top ranks and creating a wild card for auto makers ahead of contract talks in Detroit. Mr. Fain, a 54-year-old who started his career as an electrician and rose through the UAW ranks while working at factories now owned by Stellantis NV, has struck a more strident tone ahead of negotiations later this year. His reform group has vowed to not give any concessions to the car companies and raised the possibility of a strike when contracts expire this fall.

☆ Historic UAW election picks reform leader who vows more aggressive approach to auto negotiations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The union's new leader will be Shawn Fain, a member of the "UAW Members United" reform group and local leader for a Stellantis parts plant in Indiana. Fain, in a statement Saturday, thanked UAW members who voted in the election. He also hailed the election results as a historic change in direction for the embattled union, which he says will take a "more aggressive approach" with its employers. It has been the honor of my life to serve our great union," Curry said. The election results had been delayed several weeks due to a run-off election as well as the close final count.

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