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It’s the start of a class known as high-intensity interval training, a combination of treadmill and weight-lifting, at the boutique fitness studio Barry’s. The brothers and Rondeau, who now serves as Planet Fitness’ chief executive, hit upon a concept. Planet Fitness’ tag, “judgement free zone” is true to form. Part of the appeal is its $10 a month basic membership fee – which hasn’t changed – that Planet Fitness primarily collects through electronic funds transfers. Still, with solid and regular profits and a reasonable amount of debt, Planet Fitness has staying power, even if shareholders lose their shirts while its valuation comes in line.

☆ Jim Cramer says these 5 Nasdaq losers could rebound in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

CNBC's Jim Cramer on Friday named four stocks that he believes could mount a comeback this year. To come up with his picks, he parsed through last year's worst-performing stocks listed in the Nasdaq 100. MicronHe advised investors to wait several months to buy shares of Micron, but make sure to do so before the chip glut is over. Investors interested in the stock should buy it gradually on the way down, he added. IlluminaHe said that while the company is "superb," he'd rather own shares of DanaherDisclaimer: Cramer's Charitable Trust owns shares of Qualcomm and Danaher.

☆ Amazon: it’s just like them
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Jan 5 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Amazon.com (AMZN.O) can’t always dominate everything – and that might be a strength. Boss Andy Jassy wrote in a memo Wednesday about plans to hand out pink slips mostly in the Amazon Stores and People, Experience, and Technology groups. Like other digital behemoths, Amazon has been hit by a slowing economy and investors’ souring view on tech. The irony is that showing weakness could actually benefit Amazon. With a market capitalization of more than two Walmarts (WMT.N) and revenue of five Targets (TGT.N), it’s hardly small.

☆ Hong Kong to allow import of hamsters after year-long COVID ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Pedestrians walk past a closed pet shop in Mong Kok district after a hamster cull was ordered to curb the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Hong Kong, China, January 19, 2022. The government aims to "resume commercial imports of hamsters around mid-January," it said in a statement to Reuters. In January 2022, Hong Kong ordered a hamster cull amid an outbreak of Delta variant cases in humans that was traced back to a pet shop worker in the Chinese special administrative region. Hong Kong's pet rodent clampdown had echoed the mainland's zero-tolerance approach to COVID-19. Little Boss, the operating company which owned the pet shop at the heart of Hong Kong's hamster cull last year, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

☆ Hong Kong residents rush to get vaccinated ahead of China border reopening
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] People queue at a community vaccination centre, ahead of an expected border reopening with China, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Hong Kong, China, January 4, 2023. REUTERS/Tyrone SiuHONG KONG, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Hong Kong residents have swamped clinics to get vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the expected reopening of the city's border with mainland China, which some people fear will bring a surge of infections to the financial hub. The number of people getting a fourth shot jumped more than 100% this week from a week earlier. Many mainlanders have been asking on social media about how to get an mRNA vaccine in Hong Kong. A Hong Kong resident surnamed Tsoi said she was relieved to have made a booking for BioNTech's second-generation booster.

☆ Crypto bank run vindicates watchdogs’ vigilance
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( John Foley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

What happened to Silvergate was a classic – and these days rare – bank run. Deposits from crypto firms fell to $3.8 billion in December from $11.9 billion in September. Silvergate hadn’t locked up customers’ deposits in loans, instead stacking its $15 billion balance sheet with government bonds and other easy-to-sell assets. But bank regulators too have kept crypto on a tight leash: They warned on Tuesday that they are closely watching banks with crypto-focused business models. If a go-to crypto bank can lose most of its deposits without failing or spreading chaos to other institutions, it suggests the firewall between digital and traditional finance is holding up.

☆ Meta faces exsanguination by small fines
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Jan 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Another day, another European fine for Meta Platforms (META.O). The social network was penalized nearly $800 million last year in a series of charges for data breaches and privacy violations. Ireland’s data privacy regulator on Wednesday fined Meta $419 million for improperly serving personalized ads without what it considered sufficient consent. In addition to the fines levied to date, the Irish regulator has another 11 inquiries open into Meta’s services. Meta can perhaps avoid these and appeals could reduce fines.

☆ Starbucks will go grande on workforce-lite future
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Amanda Gomez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, Jan 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Starbucks (SBUX.O) will have a workforce that will grow increasingly restless in 2023. Starbucks’ employees started organizing in 2021 in Buffalo, New York, and by late 2022, workers at more than 250 stores, or 2% of U.S. locations, had voted to join a union. At the same time, Starbucks is moving quickly to automate, which will continue into 2023 under incoming CEO Laxman Narasimhan. Even some Starbucks unions might not survive as the company closes stores and drags out negotiations. The coffee company may be getting the heat, but it will only motivate it to go grande on an employee-light future.

☆ Automakers won’t go back to normal
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Jonathan Guilford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, Jan 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - For U.S. automakers, 2023 is all about trying to stay in their lane. That left 2021 at around 15 million sales; full-year 2022 sales are likely to come in at 13.7 million, according to Cox Automotive. But while supplies may return to normal, the industry might not follow suit. Automakers’ production may not return either, though. Some automakers may want a controlled exit from the pandemic – but getting everyone to play along is another matter.

☆ Breakingviews: Disney’s next 100 years hinges on a metaverse
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Walt Disney (DIS.N) in October will celebrate its 100th anniversary. In the past century, the Magic Kingdom’s theme parks have survived technological forces. The idea expanded and now the company operates parks in Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai, not to mention the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. The theme parks, and their related consumer products, are an increasingly important part of the company. In the year ending September 2018, the division had a chunky 25% operating margin and represented almost 40% of Disney’s total operating profit of $16 billion.

☆ Disney’s next 100 years hinges on a metaverse
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Walt Disney (DIS.N) in October will celebrate its 100th anniversary. In the past century, the Magic Kingdom’s theme parks have survived technological forces. Taking the real Disneyland as a blueprint for the metaverse that marries its brand and streaming ambitions is not hard to fathom. The idea expanded and now the company operates parks in Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai, not to mention the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. In the year ending September 2018, the division had a chunky 25% operating margin and represented almost 40% of Disney’s total operating profit of $16 billion.

Growing up as a first-generation Vietnamese-American, I learned the value of working and saving. But I also learned lessons that didn't fit my adult life — so I've changed them to suit me better. I save with purpose, take breaks from work, set up a family fund, and adopt an abundance mentality. While I did learn the value of a dollar and have developed a strong work ethic, these money lessons I learned being raised in a Vietnamese-American household didn't serve me well. The beauty of a family fund is that it sets limits as to how much I can give.

☆ UBS reveals its top semiconductor picks for 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Once high-flying semiconductor stocks suffered in 2022, but UBS is betting on these names in the new year. The chip sector suffered as demand for consumer products like PCs and smartphones dwindled, and supply constraints weighed on production. Those issues are far from over, but UBS views some stocks as better positioned to ride out the new year. "Nonetheless, we are bullish on semiconductor stocks for 2023 — expecting stock momentum to really build into CQ2 and 2H:23 before the ISM likely bottoms late in the year." The chip stock, commonly known for its PC and server chips, made history this year as it surpassed its rival Intel in market capitalization .

☆ Lawyers exit Hong Kong as they face campaign of intimidation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +18 min

The event that precipitated his hasty departure, Vidler said, was the appearance of articles in the state-backed media in Hong Kong about him. “This was in my view state-sponsored intimidation and harassment,” said Vidler, whose wife and children later left Hong Kong. One Hong Kong solicitor who has relocated to England told Reuters that she knew of at least 80 Hong Kong lawyers who had moved to Britain since the security law was imposed in June 2020. Another lawyer, now living in Australia, estimated that several dozen Hong Kong lawyers had moved there. Mainland officials have long sought influence over these two influential bodies, according to senior Hong Kong lawyers.

But persistent inflation and skimpier incomes, coupled with high input costs, will make it a tough year for conscious consumers and the companies that serve them. Take plant-based meat substitutes. They produce 30%-90% fewer emissions than their animal-derived counterparts, but a pound of the stuff costs shoppers twice as much, according to the Good Food Institute, a think tank. The price of U.S. pea protein isolate – a key ingredient in many meat substitutes – rose 10% between April 2021 and November 2022, according to Mintec Benchmark Prices. That would edge meat substitutes closer to their goal of one day costing the same, or less, than their animal-based equivalents.

TORONTO, Dec 28 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Like dogs seeking forever homes, stray pet businesses will find new owners in 2023. After a surge in Covid-19 lockdown adoptions, some seven out of 10 U.S. households owned one, according to a recent survey by The American Pet Products Association. Nestlé (NESN.S) boss Mark Schneider, for one, said he is open to opportunities in pet food, while Colgate-Palmolive (CL.N) recently bought additional manufacturing facilities to beef up its Hill’s Pet Nutrition division. Privately held Mars, which acquired Canada-based Champion Petfoods and Nom Nom, also could be on the hunt. Separately, Mars also agreed to acquire pet food brand Nom Nom for an undisclosed price, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 14.

☆ East-West battleground will shift from fossil fuels to metals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MILAN, Dec 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The global trade war will shift from fossil fuels to metals and raw materials. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine highlighted the risk of relying on autocratic states for energy. Europe needs to cumulatively spend $5.3 trillion on clean energy projects by 2050. That requires a sixfold increase in the global production of copper, lithium, graphite, nickel and some rare earths by 2040, International Energy Agency estimates show. It refines 58% of lithium produced globally, 65% of cobalt and over one-third of nickel and copper.

☆ East-West battleground will shift to metals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MILAN, Dec 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The global trade war will shift from fossil fuels to metals and raw materials. Europe needs to cumulatively spend $5.3 trillion on clean energy projects by 2050. That requires a sixfold increase in the global production of copper, lithium, graphite, nickel and some rare earths by 2040, International Energy Agency estimates show. It refines 58% of lithium produced globally, 65% of cobalt and over one-third of nickel and copper. That’s why Western nations’ best option is ultimately to recycle metals from used appliances.

☆ Barbarians at the check-in desk
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

While Vivion’s equity is unlisted, Muddy Waters was betting against its debt. The price of bonds due in 2024 fell to 72% of face value after Block’s report, according to Refinitiv data. Vivion contends that Muddy Waters has overestimated the number of vacant properties, and that its shareholders have put cash in the company in recent years, not taken it out. If so, though, Vivion could always step up its purchase of its own debt at the current low prices. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Climate change will become a CEO dealbreaker
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( John Foley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

While StarMark Financial again delivered record earnings in 2022, my own views on climate change are no longer compatible with my duties as the CEO of a global financial firm. A Pew Research survey last year showed that respondents in nine countries including the United Kingdom, France and Spain ranked climate change as the most pressing of five threats to the country. While we believe that supporting measures that advance climate change mitigation creates value, it is clear that some large public-sector clients disagree. At the same time, some Democrat-led local governments have threatened to take business away from us if we take too mild a stance on climate risk. I believe we face the risk that climate change will prove catastrophic within our lifetimes.

[1/2] Former acting chief editor of Stand News Patrick Lam leaves the court after release on bail over his charge of conspiring to publish "Seditious Publications" in Hong Kong, China November 7, 2022. REUTERS/Tyrone SiuHONG KONG, Dec 22 (Reuters) - A Hong Kong Court on Thursday rejected an application to terminate a sedition trial against now-defunct online media outlet Stand News, a case that could see two former top editors jailed if convicted. Former editors Chung Pui-kuen, 53, and Patrick Lam, 35, and the outlet's parent company, Best Pencil (Hong Kong) Limited, have been charged with conspiracy to publish seditious material related to news articles and commentaries between July 2020 and December last year. Hong Kong's government has said press freedom is enshrined in the city's mini-constitution, the Basic Law. Reporting by Jessie Pang and Darerca Siu; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Missing jobs mystery puts Fed on back foot
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Ben Winck | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A study published by the Philadelphia Federal Reserve last week said 10,500 new jobs were added in the second quarter of 2022. Yet the national statistics bureau had previously reported a total over the same period of more than 1 million. Those seemingly missing jobs put the Federal Reserve, which uses the job market as a signal in its fight against inflation, on the back foot. The BLS jobs report includes job counts from both a household survey and a survey of businesses’ payrolls. The federal government releases monthly jobs data, but revises its numbers once a year as part of a process known as benchmarking, which factors in more comprehensive data only released quarterly.

☆ Divided America will unite under economic duress
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Ben Winck | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

That will happen when a new term begins in 2023, making it difficult for American legislators to accomplish goals. But one thing needs to happen: Congress must raise the debt ceiling so the U.S. government can continue to chug along. The debt ceiling, currently at $31.4 trillion, needs to go higher for government employees to get paid and welfare checks to be delivered, among other things. If only because they are all vying for a win in the presidential election in 2024, Congress could unite under high inflation and economic duress. Republicans will take control of the House of Representatives in 2023, making a bipartisan solution necessary to lifting the limit.

☆ Mark Zuckerberg will split Meta, take the 'verse
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Lauren Silva Laughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, Dec 21 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Meta Platforms (META.O) is the tale of two companies, tied together only by their potential to sell advertising and their owner Mark Zuckerberg. But cash flow from Meta’s operations alone – mostly the business without spending on the metaverse – would represent a yield of 15%. That’s three times the free cash flow yield of consumer giant Procter & Gamble (PG.N), and more than oil major Exxon Mobil (XOM.N), which had a banner 2022. Rather than make Meta shareholders collectively pay for Zuckerberg’s ambitions, he could fund them himself through dividends from the parent company. If Meta were smaller, or the metaverse were a separate company, it might not attract the same attention.

☆ Former mob boss Francis 'Cadillac Frank' Salemme dies at 89 while serving life sentence for murder
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

BOSTON — Francis “Cadillac Frank” Salemme, the once powerful New England Mafia boss who was serving a life sentence behind bars for the 1993 killing of a Boston nightclub owner, has died at the age of 89, according to the Bureau of Prisons. After being released from prison, Salemme was seriously wounded in a shooting outside a suburban Boston pancake house. The racketeering case revealed that Bulger and Salemme’s best friend, Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi, had secretly worked as FBI informants. Just before DiSarro’s death, the FBI told him he was about to be indicted and should cooperate with the government against the Salemmes. “You’re not going to beat the government,” Salemme told a reporter in 2004.

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