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☆ US box office on track to have worst Memorial Day weekend since 1995
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The summer movie season typically starts with a bang during the month of May and, particularly, during Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day weekend (Friday through Monday) movie ticket sales are estimated at $128.3 million, according to Comscore data provided to CNN. In fact, the US box office is on track to have its lowest-grossing Memorial Day weekend since the $117.1 million seen in 1995, when “Casper” haunted the screens — and that’s not even adjusting for inflation. The tepid Memorial Day weekend continues what’s been a lukewarm start to the summer box office, a movie-going season that’s still reeling from the effects of last year’s Hollywood strikes. Industry experts agree that the 2024 box office has been sluggish so far , but remain hopeful that the box office can rebound by the end of the year and beyond.

Persons: it’s, ”, “ Casper ”, that’s, ” Paul Degarabedian, Comscore, “, Max, what’s, ” Dergarabedian, “ Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer ”, Shawn Robbins, there’s, Degarabarian, Deadpool, ” “ Oppenheimer, Barbie ”, Dory, bloomer, Daniel Loria, ” Loria, ” Disney, Loria, “ Deadpool, Fandango, Robbins, “ That’s, ’, ” Robbins Organizations: CNN, Guild, SAG, Labor, “, Warner Bros, Warner Bros ., Star, Walt Disney Studios, Disney, Box, showtime, Century Entertainment, Writers Guild of America, Pixar, Marvel, Industry Locations: United States, “

☆ Japanese stocks are rallying this year. But one key group of investors is missing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Japanese stocks are enjoying a banner year, with foreign investors plowing into the market. Japanese investors are hesitant Japanese investors have long been skeptical of the local stock market after the asset price bubble burst in the early 1990s. Another reason Japanese investors may not be as keen on their domestic market could be the yen falling sharply. Outlook for Japanese stocks still strong Despite the recent bout of selling from local investors and the market's recent struggles, many global investors remain bullish on Japanese stocks. This is another "slow-moving but important tailwind to Japanese stocks," with more room to run, according to Zachary Hill, Horizon Investments head of portfolio management.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Kishida, Julian McManus, Janus Henderson, Bernstein, Zachary Hill, Raymond Chan, Chan, McManus, he's, Warren Buffett Organizations: Japan Exchange Group, Nikkei, Bank of Japan, U.S ., Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Investment, Association, Prime, Nippon, Savings, U.S, Horizon Investments, Federal Reserve, Asia Pacific, Allianz Global Investors, Mitsui, Itochu, Sumitomo Locations: U.S, Japan, Asia

☆ DuPont's split into three companies is a win for shareholders: Here's the math
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

If we apply a multiple of 21.6 on DuPont's business, it puts the enterprise value at $25 billion. So being conservative and using a 20 times multiple, DuPont's water business could have an enterprise value of $7.2 billion. Add these three up and the total enterprise value is about $52 billion. To get the equity value, we subtract the net debt (which is total debt minus cash) from the total enterprise value. If we subtract this from the $52 billion enterprise value, the total equity value could be worth $46.2 billion.

Persons: Ed Breen, DuPont's, Breen, —, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Dow DuPont, Adam Jeffery Organizations: DuPont, Electric, United Technologies, CNBC, Dow

☆ These 'ghost villages' in Indonesia are all that remain after years of volcanic eruptions from Mount Sinabung
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Zoë Ettinger | Gabbi Shaw | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

In 2010, Mount Sinabung erupted for the first time in 400 years in Sumatra, Indonesia. The massive blast of lava and ash forced all villagers in the surrounding area to leave their homes. AdvertisementIndonesia has 120 active volcanoes, and Mount Sinabung is one of the most dangerous. Following this eruption, the government deemed anywhere within a 4.3-mile radius of the volcano too dangerous to live, BuzzFeed News reported. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: Mount Sinabung, —, Sinabung Organizations: Service, CBS, BuzzFeed, Business Locations: Mount, Sumatra, Indonesia

☆ European leaders are planning a $4.3 billion Iron Dome-style defense system
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewEuropean countries are preparing to reveal plans for a $4.3 billion Iron Dome-style air and missile defense system, Poland's prime minister announced on Monday. The European Sky Shield Initiative, or ESSI, is conceived as a means to jointly procure ground-based interoperable air defense systems. There is no reason for Europe not to have its missile defense shield," Tusk said, per The Telegraph. Related storiesIsrael's Iron Dome has long been seen as one of the world's most advanced air defense systems, protecting the country's skies from rockets and other projectiles. AdvertisementWhile a direct hot-war attack by Russia on NATO Europe is not considered an immediate likelihood, many countries — particularly those that border Russia — are deeply alarmed.

Persons: —, . Donald Tusk, Tusk, ESSI, Olaf Scholz, It's, Andrzej Duda Organizations: Service, AVN, European Council, Kyiv Post, Business, Sky Shield Initiative, Telegraph, NATO, Patriots, IRIS Locations: Kyiv, Israel, Europe, Russia, Iran, NATO Europe, Ukraine, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Turkey, Greece, German, ESSI

☆ Embattled AI firm Appen loses more executives, months after Alphabet cut ties
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Hayden Field | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Appen, the embattled artificial intelligence firm that once helped train AI models for tech giants including Microsoft , Nvidia and Google , has lost its executives in charge of revenue and marketing. The departures follow Alphabet 's announcement in January that it was cutting all contractual ties with Appen, which once helped train Google's chatbot and other AI products. Two weeks after that decision, Appen CEO Armughan Ahmad left after just 12 months on the job. After a "strategic review process," Alphabet notified Appen in January of the termination, which went into effect March 19, according to a filing from Appen. Companies are spending far more on processors from Nvidia and less on external AI training from companies like Appen.

Persons: Andrew Ettinger, Alicia Hale, Ryan Kolln, Google's, Armughan Ahmad, Appen's, Kolln, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Appen didn't Organizations: Microsoft, Nvidia, Google, CNBC, Apple, Amazon, Appen, Australian Securities Exchange Locations: Australian

☆ Strong spending is obscuring an economy that isn’t working for many Americans
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

New York CNN —Even after years of inflation, geopolitical chaos and recession in Europe, the US economy remains robust and resilient. Unemployment rose to 3.9% last month, lower-income consumers are spending less and businesses are limiting employee hours and pay. A recent survey by Santander Bank of its customers found that while inflation fears have largely subsided, middle-income Americans are pessimistic about the economy. Those Americans could still be suffering, but their stories are obscured by data that paints a broad picture of a resilient economy. Piepszak, meanwhile, now leads the company’s newly combined commercial and investment bank with her co-CEO Troy Rohrbaugh.

Persons: ”, Gregory Daco, haven’t, Skyler Weinand, Regan, “, ” Nanette Abuhoff Jacobson, Bryan Mena, What’s, Jamie Dimon, Here’s, Dimon, he’s, —, ” Dimon, can’t, “ Dimon, Marianne Lake, Jennifer Piepszak, Piepszak, Troy Rohrbaugh, Rohrbaugh, Mary Erdoes, Jeremy Barnum, Daniel Pinto, COOs Gordon Smith, Smith, Satya Nadella, Bing Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Regan Capital, Santander Bank, Hartford Funds, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, JPMorgan, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Microsoft Locations: New York, Europe, Redmond, Washington

☆ Macy’s Reports Another Drop in Sales
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Jordyn Holman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Macy’s said its comparable-store sales in the United States fell 1.2 percent from the same quarter a year earlier. Sales at the namesake Macy’s brand were the weakest of all of the company’s brands, falling 1.6 percent. Sales at Bloomingdale’s rose 0.8 percent and Bluemercury’s sales rose 4.3 percent. According to the Census Bureau, retail sales at department stores overall fell 2.4 in the first four months of the year, compared with the same period last year. The department store chain said it expected comparable-store sales to be down about 1 percent to 1.5 percent compared with last year.

Persons: Macy’s, décor Organizations: Census Locations: United States

☆ Jamie Dimon could step down sooner than expected. Here’s who could run the country’s biggest bank
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has bumped up his retirement plans, the longtime head of America’s largest bank said Monday. Over the course of his tenure at JPMorgan Chase, he’s become somewhat synonymous with the largest US bank by assets. But Dimon can’t lead forever, and at 68 years old, the question of succession has grown more important. “Everyone knows they’re going to die, but at one point it’s right here and you realize it’s true and it’s true maybe sooner than you think,” Dimon said. “And so it’s nice to end every day by saying, ‘That was a good day.’ Every meeting, that was a good meeting.

Persons: Jamie Dimon, Dimon, he’s, —, ” Dimon, “, can’t, ”, “ Dimon, Marianne Lake, Jennifer Piepszak, Piepszak, Troy Rohrbaugh, Rohrbaugh, Mary Erdoes, Jeremy Barnum, Daniel Pinto, COOs Gordon Smith, Smith, what’s, hasn’t Organizations: New, New York CNN, JPMorgan, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, CNN, Bloomberg Locations: New York

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Apple, Nvidia, Li Auto and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Apple — Apple shares slipped less than 1% after Reuters reported the technology giant is implementing aggressive discounts on its iPhones in China. Micron Technology — Shares moved 2.3% higher after Morgan Stanley upgraded the semiconductor company to equal weight from underweight. Johnson Controls — Shares rose 5% after Bloomberg News reported Elliott Management has built a more than $1 billion stake in the security and safety company. Teradyne – The semiconductor testing equipment stock rose nearly 3%. Goldman Sachs upgraded Teradyne to a buy rating, citing its recent strong quarter and expectations for a "cyclical recovery" within its system-on-chip design test business.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Li, Johnson, Elliott, Goldman Sachs, —, Alex Harring, Michelle Fox Organizations: Apple, Reuters, Micron Technology —, Micron, Nvidia, Barclays, Stifel, Li Auto, GameStop, AMC Entertainment, Bloomberg News, Elliott Management Locations: China

☆ Brent oil gains after Iran's President dies, Saudi flags issue with King's health
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Brent crude futures extended gains on Monday, inching up amid political uncertainty in major producing countries after Iran's president died in a helicopter crash and the Saudi crown prince cancelled a Japan trip, citing health issues with the king. Brent gained 10 cents, or 0.1%, to $84.08 a barrel by 0454GMT, after rising to $84.30 earlier, its highest since May 10. He added that WTI prices may rebound further toward $83.50 after rising above the 200-day moving average of $80.02. Despite the volatility in the region, oil prices moved only slightly. "Continuity in Saudi strategy is expected regardless of this health issue," he added.

Persons: Brent, Ebrahim Raisi, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, King Salman, Yoshimasa Hayashi, Tony Sycamore, Sycamore, Warren Patterson, Patterson, Saul Kavonic, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's Organizations: Brent, . West Texas, Saudi, Saudi Arabian Crown, Iranian, IG, ING, The, of, Petroleum, Petroleum Reserve Locations: Fort Stockton , Texas, Saudi, Japan, East Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabian, China, U.S, United States, Washington

☆ Inside Oracle's Deadly Gamble on Cerner and Electronic Health Records
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Ashley Stewart | Blake Dodge | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +29 min

That was the promise of Cerner, the medical-records company Oracle bought in 2021 for $28.3 billion — Oracle's biggest acquisition. At the time, Cerner managed the electronic health records for a quarter of all American hospitals, including those run by the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Larry EllisonCerner's electronic records, in short, were a deadly disaster for the VA. Never mind the futuristic, AI-driven healthcare system Ellison envisioned. In 2015, it beat out Epic, its main competitor, for a $4.3 billion contract to handle electronic health records for the Defense Department. It had agreed to process tens of millions of crucial medical records, but it couldn't handle the subsequent deluge of data.

Persons: Larry Ellison's, Ellison, Cerner, I'm, Larry Ellison, Neal Patterson, Cerner's, Patterson, Ellison's, they're, David Shulkin, Margaret Albaugh, Cerner couldn't, Charlie Bourg, —, Larry, Marc Benioff, Ellison protégé, Mike Wilson, David Agus, oncologist, Agus, he'd, Steve Jobs, Sensei, We've, Georges De Keerle, Cerner —, hadn't, Mike Sicilia, Sicilia, Oracle, Anthony Jones Jr, Jones, Donald Remy, didn't, Seema Verma, Neil Evans, Sara Vaezy, Ed Meagher, haven't, Charlie Monroe —, it's, Charlie Bourg —, Bourg, Charlie Monroe, Monroe, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, grandkids, We're, there's Organizations: Oracle's, Oracle, Pentagon, Department of Veterans Affairs, Cerner, RAND Corporation, RAND, Big Tech, GE, Siemens, Cerner Corporation, Defense Department, Department of Defense, Business, Spokane, Ellison Institute of Technology, Microsoft, Agency, Health, Amazon, Veterans ' Affairs, Oracle Health, Navy, Columbus VA, BI, Life Sciences, Intermountain Health, UPMC, DOD, Seabees Locations: Las Vegas, antiaging, Silicon Valley, Spokane , Washington, Cerner, VistA, Bourg, Washington, Sicilia, Ohio, Columbus, Providence, Spokane, Monroe, CloudWorld

☆ I'm a Canadian who's lived in the US for over 30 years. I don't get why so many Americans want to move to Canada.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Our money was worth more back then, so we got more value for our Canadian dollar when we went shopping in the States. She was an American living in Atlanta and said, "Hey, why don't you come and spend the winter with me?" It almost seemed like Canada was 10 or 20 years behind, progressive-wise — and I don't mean politically. The amenities, the shopping, the food, and the restaurants in Canada are way behind if you're outside Vancouver or Toronto. I don't see why Canada is so appealing to AmericansCanada used to be an admired country worldwide, and now it's horrible.

Persons: —, Jim D, Zeppelin, Mason, Dixon, I've, I'm Organizations: Service, Business, Fort Frances, Gas, Toyota, Healthcare, Ontario Health Insurance Locations: Canadian, Arizona, Flagstaff, Phoenix, Fort Frances , Ontario, International Falls , Minnesota, America, Fort, Minnesota, Africa, Tanzania, Canada, American, Atlanta, Vancouver, Toronto, Birmingham , Alabama, New Orleans, Baton Rouge , Louisiana, Jackson , Mississippi, Houston, Texas , New Mexico , Arizona , California, Hawaii, Ontario, United States, In Ontario, Fort Frances, Thunder Bay , Ontario, Thunder, Thunder Bay

☆ Treasury yields little changed as investors weigh state of the economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

ET, the yield on the 10-year Treasury was up by less than one basis point 4.3788%. The 2-year Treasury yield was last at 4.7799% after dipping by just over one basis point. U.S. Treasury yields held steady on Friday as investors considered the state of the economy as they digested the week's economic data. Investors weighed the state of the U.S. economy and the path ahead for monetary policy after the latest economic data and comments from Federal Reserve officials. Fed officials in recent weeks have indicated caution when it comes to monetary policy plans, especially regarding interest rate cuts.

Persons: Dow Jones, Raphael Bostic Organizations: Treasury, Investors, Federal Reserve, Atlanta Fed Locations: U.S

☆ 1 in 10 young college graduates is 'idled'—it could affect their earnings long-term
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Kamaron Mcnair | In Kamaronmcnair | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Just over 65% of recent college graduates — workers ages 21 to 24 — are employed and not enrolled in further education as of March 2024, according to a recent study by the Economic Policy Institute. But not all young graduates are thriving. EPI found 1 in 10 young graduates were "idling" as of March 2024, meaning they were neither employed nor going back to school. It's normal for recent college graduates to take time to figure out their next steps or look for work. EPI cited Schwandt's research on recession labor markets and their long-term impacts in its study.

Persons: EPI, Hannes Schwandt Organizations: Economic, Institute, Workers, Northwestern University, CNBC

1s ’63 ’70 10 TAYLOR SWIFT 5 ’24 ’06 10 THE BEATLES 5 ’63 ’70 10 TAYLOR SWIFT 5 ’24 ’06 10 THE BEATLES 5 ’63 ’70 10 TAYLOR SWIFT ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ (2012) 5 ’24 ’06 10 THE BEATLES 5 ’63 ’70 10 TAYLOR SWIFT ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ (2012) 5 ’24 ’06 10 THE BEATLES 5 ’63 ’70 10 TAYLOR SWIFT 5 ’24 ’06 Two bar charts: one for the Beatles, one for Taylor Swift. 30 15 5 MICHAEL JACKSON PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS TAYLOR SWIFT PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS 30 ‘Thriller’ 15 5 MICHAEL JACKSON PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS TAYLOR SWIFT PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS 30 ‘Thriller’ 15 ‘Fearless’ ‘1989’ 5 MICHAEL JACKSON PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS TAYLOR SWIFT PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS 30 15 5 Not yet certified MICHAEL JACKSON PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS TAYLOR SWIFT PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS 30 15 5 Not yet certified MICHAEL JACKSON PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS TAYLOR SWIFT PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS 30 30 million 15 15 million 5 MICHAEL JACKSON PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM SALES 30 30 million 15 15 million 5 MICHAEL JACKSON PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM SALES 30 30 million 15 15 million ‘1989’ 5 MICHAEL JACKSON PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM SALES 30 30 million 15 15 million ‘1989’ ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ 5 MICHAEL JACKSON PLATINUM CERTIFICATIONS TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM SALES A grid of 10 Michael Jackson albums covers transitions into charts depicting Michael Jackson’s and Taylor Swift’s album sales. 15 million 10 5 BRITNEY SPEARS ALBUM SALES TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM SALES ‘... Baby One More Time’ 15 million 10 5 BRITNEY SPEARS ALBUM SALES TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM SALES ‘1989’ 15 million 10 5 BRITNEY SPEARS ALBUM SALES TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM SALES Two side-by-side charts depict album sales for Britney Spears and Taylor Swift. 1s ’82 ’12 TAYLOR SWIFT 10 5 ’06 ’24 10 5 ’82 ’12 TAYLOR SWIFT 10 5 ’06 ’24 10 5 ’82 ’12 TAYLOR SWIFT 10 5 ’06 ’24 10 ‘Vogue’ (1990) 5 ’82 ’12 TAYLOR SWIFT 10 5 ’06 ’24 10 ‘This Used To Be My Playground’(1992) 5 ’82 ’12 TAYLOR SWIFT 10 5 ’06 ’24 10 5 ’82 ’12 10 5 ’06 ’24 10 ‘Music’ (2000) 5 ’82 ’12 TAYLOR SWIFT 10 5 ’06 ’24 10 5 ’82 ’12 TAYLOR SWIFT 10 5 ’06 ’24 Two charts show Billboard top hits for Madonna and Swift, over the course of their respective careers. 15 million 10 5 BEYONCE ALBUM SALES TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM SALES 15 million ‘I Am ... Sasha Fierce’ 10 5 BEYONCE ALBUM SALES TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM SALES 15 million 10 5 BEYONCE ALBUM SALES TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM SALES 15 million ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ 10 ‘Cowboy Carter’ 5 BEYONCE ALBUM SALES TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM SALES Two side-by-side charts depict album sales for Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, respectively.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, ”, Swift, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Drake, Billy Joel, Britney Spears, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Kareem, Brady, Marino, Harry Potter, TAYLOR, TAYLOR SWIFT, Swift’s, didn’t, Max Martin, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, McCartney, George Harrison, “, Taylor, Jackson, MICHAEL JACKSON, ’, Michael Jackson’s, …, “ Ben ”, —, Jackson’s, Micheal Jackson, It’s, she’s, Department ”, Spears, BRITNEY SPEARS, Spears’s, Madonna, Dick Tracy ”, Evita, I’m, David O, “ Ray, Bob Dylan, John, Springsteen, Elton John Farewell, Bruce Springsteen Springsteen, Elton John’s, Bruce Springsteen’s Springsteen, Madonna’s, it’s, Beyoncé, Georg Solti, Quincy Jones, It's, Madonna didn’t, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Sinatra, — Beyoncé, Sasha Fierce, Carter ’, Carter ”, Cowboy Carter, DRAKE, Kendrick Lamar, they’re, gunning, she’ll Organizations: Poets Department, MetLife, Beatles, “, Marvel, Billboard, TAYLOR SWIFT, U.S, Swift, MTV, Recording Industry Association of America, Department, Vogue, Veterans Touring, Drake, Beyoncé, Beyoncé’s Locations: New Jersey, U.S, Kobe, ”, “, pigtails, Amsterdam, Texas

☆ Walmart says more diners are buying its groceries as fast food gets pricey
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Walmart wants diners to find a value meal in its grocery aisles. As fast food gets pricier, the nation's largest grocer sees a sales opportunity. As customers see some grocery items stay the same price or even become cheaper, the gap between buying menu items and cooking food at home has grown even wider, he said. As of April, the price of food at home, a category that measures the total cost of food purchased at grocers or other food stores, was up 1.1% year over year. The price of food away from home rose significantly more: 4.1% year over year.

Persons: John David Rainey, McDonald's, Chris Kempczinski, John Furner, Furner, — CNBC's Amelia Lucas Organizations: Walmart, CNBC, Yum Brands, Management Solutions, Restaurant, U.S . Labor Department, Walmart U.S Locations: U.S, Connecticut

☆ China's Baidu beats quarterly revenue estimates on ad recovery, cloud
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

China's Baidu beat analysts' estimates for first-quarter revenue on Thursday, driven by a recovery in advertising sales and higher demand for its AI-powered cloud products. The company, China's largest search engine provider, reported revenue of 31.51 billion yuan ($4.37 billion) for the three months ended March 31, compared to analysts' average estimate of 31.21 billion yuan as per LSEG data. "Baidu Core's online marketing revenue remained stable, while the end-to-end optimization of our AI technology stack continued to propel the growth of our AI Cloud revenue during the quarter," said co-founder and CEO Robin Li in an earnings release. Revenue from Baidu Core, which includes its search-based ad sales, cloud offerings and autonomous driving initiatives, grew 4% to 23.8 billion yuan. Baidu reported adjusted net income of 7 billion yuan for the quarter, beating the analysts' average estimate of 5.57 billion yuan, according to LSEG data.

Persons: ERNIE Bot, Baidu, Robin Li Organizations: Baidu Locations: ZHEJIANG, CHINA

☆ Netflix and the N.F.L. Sign a Three-Season Deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Nicole Sperling | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On Wednesday, the streaming giant announced a three-season deal with the National Football League that will include showing two Christmas Day games on its service this year. It’s the first time Netflix has become partners with a major sports league, and it likely won’t be the last. The move follows Netflix’s increasingly aggressive push into the business of live events. “There are no live annual events, sports or otherwise, that compare with the audiences N.F.L. football attracts.”The streaming business has matured in the United States, and though Netflix is the dominant service, it still needs to keep growing.

Persons: Tom Brady ”, John Mulaney, Katt Williams, Foke ”, “, Bela Bejaria Organizations: Netflix, National Football League Locations: Los Angeles, United States, America

☆ Stock market today: Stocks jump on cooler April inflation report
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

US stocks rose as traders took in slightly cooler inflation figures. Consumer prices rose 3.4% year-per-year in April, down from the prior month's 3.5% increase. Still, investors have muted expectations for Fed rate cuts by the end of the year. AdvertisementUS stocks jumped on Wednesday as traders took in the latest inflation report, which showed prices cooled slightly in April. Falling inflation has fueled some hope the Fed is set to issue several interest rate cuts this year, which is bullish for stocks.

Persons: —, Seema Shah, Sonu Varghese Organizations: Service, Treasury, Asset Management, Traders, Carson Group

☆ GameStop, AMC extend gains but broader meme stock rally shows signs of fizzling
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Vicky Mckeever | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

GameStop and AMC logged further gains in premarket trading as the broader meme stock frenzy fizzled early on its third day, with Blackberry shares flat and Koss edging lower. Brick-and-mortar video game retailer GameStop was up 10.16% at 6:40 a.m. The meme stock craze resurged on Monday, seemingly reignited by a rare social media update from "Roaring Kitty." The return of the meme stock phenomenon brought GameStop and AMC shares up over 70% on Monday, with the stock extending gains into Tuesday. Speaking on CNBC's "Street Signs Europe" on Tuesday, Smead Capital Management CEO Cole Smead described the meme stock craze as "frankly stupid."

Persons: Keith Gill, Gill, Cole Smead, —, Yun Li Organizations: GameStop, AMC, BlackBerry, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance, Smead Capital

That's why we've gathered all the best Memorial Day mattress sales below. Some of the best early Memorial Day mattress deals include brands that drop prices less often, like Tempur-Pedic, Sleep Number, and Sealy. Top 5 Memorial Day mattress dealsStaff Pick Leesa Sapira Hybrid Mattress (Queen) $1,399.00 $1,999.00 Save 30% The Leesa Sapira Hybrid Mattress has great edge support and motion isolation. Shop at HelixBest Memorial Day mattress salesMemorial Day mattress sales on our top picksChoosing the right mattress is important, especially because you'll spend every night with it after buying it. These are the best mattress deals on picks from our guide to the best mattresses.

Persons: we've, Pick, iComfortECO, you'll, We've, It's Organizations: Business, Sealy, Direct, Helix

☆ Stock market today: S&P 500 closes at a record high as stocks rise on cooler April inflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

US stocks soared on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 notching an all-time high. The benchmark index surpassed 5,300 for the first time after April inflation came in cooler than expected. AdvertisementUS stocks surged on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 breaking its all-time record as traders took in cooling inflation numbers. On a monthly basis, inflation rose 0.3% in April, less than 0.4% in March. Slower economic activity helps lower inflation, though it could also indicate a slowdown in economic growth.

Persons: —, Preston Caldwell, Morningstar, Jeffrey Roach Organizations: Service, Dow Jones, Treasury, Federal Reserve, Labor Department, LPL

☆ The US dollar has become so weaponized that central banks are snapping up politically-neutral gold
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Central banks accounted for one-quarter of gold demand in 2022 and 2023, as the institutions bought over 1,000 tons of gold each year, according to the World Gold Council in a recent report. Related storiesThe world's central banks continued buying gold, snapping up 290 tons of gold in the first quarter of this year — the strongest start to any year on record, according to the council. AdvertisementThis suggests that gold purchases by some central banks may have been driven by concerns about sanctions risk, Gopinath said. Central banks will keep buying, despite high pricesWhile China's central bank gold buying has been hogging the headlines, other central banks are also loading up on gold. The World Gold Council wrote in its recent report that other big gold buyers included Turkey and India.

Persons: —, Gita Gopinath, it's, Gopinath, IMF's Gopinath Organizations: Service, Monetary Fund, Business, World Gold, US Treasury, Agency, JPMorgan Locations: Ukraine, Central, Russia, China, Turkey, India

☆ Photos show what it's like to fall into a black hole
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Ellyn Lapointe | Jessica Orwig | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A NASA video reveals in stunning detail what falling into a black hole would look like. AdvertisementNASA recently released a series of trippy videos showing what it would look like if you plunged into a black hole. But not just any black hole — a supermassive black hole with 4.3 million times the mass of our sun. That's about the size of the giant black hole that lurks at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Black holes are extreme cosmic environments where gravity, time, and light act differently from what we're used to on Earth.

Persons: — Organizations: NASA, Service, Business

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