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☆ Flavored e-cigarette sales are booming despite federal crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Flavored e-cigarettes represented 41.3% of U.S. retail-store e-cigarette unit sales in December 2022, up from 29.2% in January 2020, the organizations found. Overall e-cigarette sales in the U.S. rose about 47% in the period. The spike in sales comes despite a federal crackdown that placed more restrictions on the flavors and marketing for tobacco products. From January 2022 to December 2022, disposable e-cigarette unit share increased from 24.7% to 51.8% of total unit sales. Last year, the FDA ordered Elf Bar and Breeze Smoke off the U.S. market, according to the CDC report.

Persons: JUUL, Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, Robin Koval Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, CDC Foundation, Truth, FDA, Elf, CDC Locations: New York City, U.S

☆ These stocks have 'sizeable upside' and are poised for a second-half breakout, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"Therefore, we think COMP represents one of the best margin upside stories in our coverage," he said. "Our conclusion is there is solid upside left both fundamentally in terms of upside vs consensus and subsequent stock upside for a few reasons," he said. "Reiterate OW- Still sizeable topline (and stock) upside left at elf," he said. elf Beauty- Morgan Stanley, overweight rating "Timeless Beauty; Reiterate OW- Still Sizeable Topline (and Stock) Upside Left at ELF. ... Our conclusion is there is solid upside left both fundamentally in terms of upside vs consensus and subsequent stock upside for a few reasons.

Persons: Compass Oppenheimer, Jason Helfstein, Helfstein, Morgan Stanley, Dara Mohsenian, Mohsenian, Mariana Perez Mora, PLTR, Perez Mora, Palantir, Baird Organizations: CNBC, Compass, TAM, Bank of America, AIP, Oppenheimer, PowerSchool Locations: FQ3

☆ How music lawyers are crafting a new playbook to protect artists from AI imitators
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Copyright and right of publicity laws are top of mind for entertainment attorneys as AI songs surge. Here are four key takeaways from a recent panel on AI music hosted by the law firm Manatt. But the precise manner that AI-generated music, trained on a human artist's body of work, could violate copyright laws is still being defined. Streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube will play a big role in AI's futureThe sheer volume of AI songs spit out onto streaming platforms could create detection challenges for rights holders. Music platforms like Spotify and YouTube could set limits on how much AI music spreads, the attorneys said.

☆ Hundreds of songs using Grimes' AI vocals are on the way. One artist said it's a 'dream come true.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Hundreds of songs using AI vocals that sound like musician Grimes are set for release. It comes after Grimes said she'll split 50% of royalties for approved AI songs. One artist who's produced an approved song said it's a "dream come true." Hundreds of songs made using Grimes' AI vocal platform are set to hit Spotify and other streaming sites next month, the digital asset management platform CreateSafe said. "To have an official release with somebody that has influenced my musical identity, especially an AI release, is really just a dream come true.

☆ Ice Cube says AI is demonic and its use in music will spark a backlash: 'Somebody can't take your original voice and manipulate it without having to pay.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ice Cube has criticized AI-generated music, as well as platforms that distribute it. The rapper called AI-generated music demonic during an appearance on the Full Send podcast. Ice Cube has spoken out against AI-generated music amid a recent boom in the content. The rapper, whose real name is O'Shea Jackson Sr, called AI-generated music "demonic" during an appearance on the Full Send podcast. "I don't wanna hear an AI Drake song," he continued.

With the end of another earnings season in sight, Wall Street's attention has turned to Washington and the debt ceiling deadline. Republican negotiators on Friday walked out of talks on raising the debt limit , abruptly ending a positive week of discussions that appeared to be leading toward a deal. Democrats and the White House have been pushing for a "clean" hike to the debt limit that would push the next deadline past the 2024 presidential election, while Republicans are pressing for spending cuts. Many investors believe this ongoing game of chicken over the debt limit is largely for show, since the U.S. has never defaulted on its debt obligations. U.S. President Joe Biden hosts debt limit talks with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and other congressional leaders in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 9, 2023.

☆ Jim Cramer says 'brace yourself' for week ahead as lawmakers inch toward debt ceiling deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

CNBCs Jim Cramer told investors on Friday to brace themselves for the week ahead as Washington teases a resolution to the debt ceiling crisis. "If we do we get a debt ceiling deal, it'll certainly move stocks higher, bringing tons of sidelined cash back into the market, even if it's earning more than 5%. Investors also should look out for Monday's Zoom earnings report, which is scheduled to be released after market close. Friday should finally bring a debt ceiling deal, according to Cramer. "Unlike 2011, where the debt limit was an obscure issue that snuck up on us, this year the debt ceiling debacle is well known and weighing down the entire country."

☆ Orlando Bloom auditioned for 'Moulin Rouge' six times before breakout 'Lord of the Rings' role
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Imagine if Orlando Bloom was seen on the big screen serenading Nicole Kidman in “Moulin Rouge!” in 2001 instead of Ewan McGregor. It was a real possibility according to Bloom, who told Howard Stern in a resurfaced 2019 interview that he actually auditioned for the iconic role of Christian in director Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar-winning film six times. “I thought that was going to be the one that was going to go my way just before ‘Lord of the Rings,’” Bloom said, adding that the “Moulin” audition was “around the same sort of time” as his “Rings” audition. Bloom told Stern that the “Moulin Rouge!” filmmakers were originally planning to cast unknown actors, saying, “obviously, I’d have been the unknown” given that he had only a few professional acting credits under his belt at the time. Regardless of the low payday for the original “Rings” trilogy, Bloom knew the value of how it impacted his career, and told Stern that the role of Legolas was “the greatest gift of my life.”

☆ Dr. Fauci Looks Back: ‘Something Clearly Went Wrong’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( David Wallace-Wells | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +55 min

Dr. Fauci Looks Back: ‘Something Clearly Went Wrong’ In his most extensive interview yet, Anthony Fauci wrestles with the hard lessons of the pandemic — and the decisions that will define his legacy. But when people say, “Fauci shut down the economy” — it wasn’t Fauci. But somehow or other, the general public didn’t get that feeling that the vulnerable are really, really heavily weighted toward the elderly. We also had a public-health system that we thought was really, really good. But it was really, really antiquated.

☆ Jim Cramer's top 10 things to watch in the stock market Friday
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

JPM revenue $39.3 billion versus $36.2 billion expected; adjusted EPS $4.32 versus $3.41 expected. WFC revenue $20.7 billion versus $20.1 billion expected; adjusted EPS $1.23 versus $1.13; bought back $4 billion at $46. Dow stock JPM up nearly 6%, the most I have ever seen ahead of regular trading. Dow stock Boeing keeping a lid on the Dow after a big rally Thursday. Revenue $91.9 billion versus $89.4 billion expected.

☆ Lightning Round: Disney is a buy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailLightning Round: Disney is a buyMad Money host Jim Cramer weighs in on all manner of stocks, including Walt Disney, Elf Beauty, Occidental, Sibanye and Rocket Lab.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Bed Bath & Beyond, Digital World Acquisition, Nikola and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

An exterior view of a Bed Bath & Beyond store on February 7, 2023 in Clifton, New Jersey. Digital World Acquisition — Shares of the SPAC linked to former President Donald Trump advanced 6.3%. Nikola — Nikola shares sank 11% after the electric-truck maker announced plans for a $100 million secondary stock offering priced 20% below Thursday's close. Regional banks — Shares of closely followed regional bank stocks advanced, with the SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE) up 0.8%. elf Beauty — The cosmetic company's stock gained 5.2%, reaching a 52-week high.

☆ Morgan Stanley says this beauty stock is gaining momentum, can jump nearly 20%
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Elf Beauty was a standout stock during the pandemic and is only gaining momentum, according to Morgan Stanley. Analyst Dara Mohsenian reiterated an overweight rating on elf Beauty, and raised his price target, saying the cosmetics company is accelerating both near- and long-term growth. ELF 1D mountain Elf Beauty shares 1-day Elf Beauty shares had a stellar run throughout the pandemic, being resilient and exhibiting double-digit percentage growth for the past four years. In 2022, when the S & P 500 dropped by 19%, Elf Beauty shares netted a 66% gain. "Importantly, breadth of ELF share gains is also strong beyond impressive magnitude, with 100% of its weighted avg product categories gaining YoY share in calendar Q1 to date US scanner data," Mohsenian added.

☆ Jim Cramer's top 10 things to watch in the stock market Friday: Stars of first quarter and Alphabet's AI risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

AI is a real problem for Club holding Alphabet (GOOGL), according to Piper Sandler, which lowers price target to $117 per share from $120. Raises price target to $75 per share from $72. Baird raises price target on Okta (OKTA) to $100 per share from $92. Morgan Stanley raises price target on e.l.f. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ Here are Friday's biggest analyst calls: Boeing, Tesla, Disney, Generac, Wells Fargo, Alphabet & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

UBS reiterates Wells Fargo and Bank of America as buy UBS said it sees a re-rating for bank stocks such as Wells and Bank of America. Morgan Stanley names Mercadolibre a top pick Morgan Stanley said it sees multiple growth drivers for the LatAm e-commerce company. Deutsche Bank reiterates Charles Schwab as buy Deutsche said it's standing by its buy rating on shares of Charles Schwab. UBS reiterates Disney as buy UBS said it thinks Disney will take a 100% ownership stake in Hulu and integrate it with Disney+. Morgan Stanley reiterates elf Beauty as overweight Morgan Stanley said it sees a long-term growth opportunity for the beauty company.

☆ Here are Thursday's biggest analyst calls: Tesla, First Republic, Coinbase, Boeing, Pinterest & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Here are Thursday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Morgan Stanley reiterates Tesla as overweight Morgan Stanley said Tesla could eventually be a solution to vehicle affordability. Truist upgrades BellRing Brands to buy from hold Truist said the time is right to buy shares of the food products company. Citi moves First Republic to an under review rating Citi moved to an under review rating on First Republic due to too much uncertainty. Piper Sandler reiterates Meta and Pinterest as top picks Piper said it's standing by shares of Meta and Pinterest. Oppenheimer downgrades Coinbase to perform from outperform Oppenheimer said it sees an "unhealthy regulatory climate" for Coinbase.

☆ Mexico's president is being mocked for sharing a photo that he claimed was of a woodland spirit creature similar to an elf
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Mexico's president shared a photo on social media of what he said was an elf-like woodland creature. His widely viewed tweet sparked confused and mocking responses. Journalist Mauricio Schwarz responded to the tweet to debunk the sighting, telling the president that the image has actually circulated on social media since February 2021. López Obrador, who has been president since 2018, has previously expressed an interest in and respect for indigenous cultures. The tweet spread widely in Mexico, being viewed over three million times at the time of writing and sparking confused and mocking responses.

☆ Jim Cramer's top 10 things to watch in the stock market Thursday: Disney delivers, market rally back, another activist in Salesforce
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The outlook for Club holding Wynn Resorts (WYNN) hasn't been this good since the Covid pandemic started. I've been saying more needs to be done to right the ship at this Club holding. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

☆ LGBT Brazilians compete in country's first drag king contest
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Steven Grattan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Egon Maurice LaSand poses with a crown after winning the King of Kings contest, a drag king competition that reunites 15 artists from all over the country, in Sao Paulo, Brazil February 5, 2023. King is taking part in Brazil's King of Kings competition, the first of its kind where 15 drag kings from around the country compete to win the title. Drag kings are mostly female or transgender performers playing exaggerated male characters, but the contest is open to anyone. "It's historic, because we don't have a contest or an event dedicated to drag kings in Brazil," said 43-year-old drag king Lorde Lazzarus, who organized the event. Many of the acts carried messages about social issues affecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community through artistic performances.

☆ This one side hustle for introverts can bring in thousands of dollars in passive income per month
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Gili Malinsky | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

These are pretty social hustles, though, and if you're more of an introvert, spending your off-time interacting with others can be draining. Rachel Jiminez opened her Etsy store in 2019 and sells hundreds of printables ranging from Christmas scavenger hunts to digital planners. February might be a good time for Valentine's ideas, April might be a good month for Easter-based ideas, and so on. Jiminez perfected her Etsy-selling skills after taking Julie Berninger's course about opening an Etsy store for printables. She herself brings in about $1,000 per month in passive income from the site.

☆ Here comes the biggest week of earnings. Plus an AI ode to the Dow
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

While only six companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average are reporting next week, about 20% of the S & P 500 reports, making it the biggest week of earnings this season. The Dow and the S & P 500 gained 2.2% and 2.9% this week, respectively, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 4.7%. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

☆ A micro influencer landed 7 brand deals after improving her TikTok SEO strategy. Here's how much she's earned in the last 4 months.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

When Nadja Marrero first started scrolling through TikTok in 2020, she was frustrated with the skincare content she saw. In the past four months of optimizing SEO, Marrero has made $7,350 through seven brand deals, according to documentation verified by Insider. Before September, when she started prioritizing SEO, she said brands would reach out to her every two months or so. "Brands used to tell me they just randomly found my page, but that's not the case anymore," she said. Companies including Neutrogena and Elf Cosmetics also found Marrero through TikTok and reached out to collaborate in recent months.

☆ I work as a Christmas elf in Arizona dancing and chatting about Santa to visitors
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( Jamie Killin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

I'm an aspiring dancer and actor, and I auditioned for the Christmas elf role in early October through my school. I'm working as a holiday elf at Enchant, a holiday celebration sponsored by the Hallmark Channel in eight U.S. cities. Enchant Christmas features a 100-foot Christmas tree and a maze where guests can find sculptures of each of the nine reindeer. Enchant Christmas ScottsdaleWe also tell the kids stories about how we got to the Phoenix area from the North Pole. My friends and family have come to see me at work s so it's a great experience all around.

☆ Santa Claus undaunted by arctic blast, U.S. military says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Keith Coffman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The Royal Canadian Air Force's 22 Wing holds it’s annual NORAD Tracks Santa promotion at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) North Bay in North Bay, Ontario, Canada December 9, 2021. Corporal Rob Ouellette/Canadian Forces/Handout via REUTERSDENVER, Dec 24 (Reuters) - U.S. military officials have assured anxious children the arctic blast and snowstorm that wreaked havoc on U.S. airline traffic this week will not prevent Santa Claus from making his annual Christmas Eve flight. The Santa tracker tradition originated from a 1955 misprint in a Colorado Springs newspaper of the telephone number of a department store for children to call and speak with Santa. U.S. and Canadian fighter jet pilots provide a courtesy escort for him over North America, and Santa slows down to wave to them, he added. Reporting by Keith Coffman in Denver; Editing by Steve Gorman and Philippa FletcherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ I'm a seasonal 'elf' who makes money decorating people's homes for Christmas
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Jen Glantz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

We offer decorating services for other holidays and events, but our main focus is Christmas. I became a co-owner of The Ultimate Elf and made that my seasonal job from October to January. While we do offer decorating services for other holidays and events, like Halloween and bridal showers, our main focus is Christmas. Clauson moved back to Chicago and, as a co-owner of The Ultimate Elf, made holiday decor her seasonal job from October to January. I put away my Ultimate Elf hat and count down the days until the next holiday season.

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