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He said Franklin Templeton might have worried about people seeing Cooper, a former insurance portfolio manager, display bad judgment and a short temper. Litt said Franklin Templeton crossed a line. Critics labeled Cooper "Central Park Karen," using a pejorative for an entitled white woman. Its lawyer Bryan Killian told the appeals court it was unreasonable to see the company's statements as "anything other than a response to the video." The case is Cooper v Franklin Templeton Investments et al, 2nd U.S.

☆ Retail sales rose 0.4% in April, less than expected as consumers struggle with inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Consumers barely kept up with inflation in April, as retail sales increased but fell short of expectations, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. The advanced sales report showed an increase of 0.4%, below the Dow Jones estimate for 0.8%. Excluding auto-related figures, sales increased 0.4%, which was in line with expectations. As the numbers are not adjusted for inflation, the headline increase equaled the 0.4% monthly rise in the consumer price index. Miscellaneous store retailers led gainers with a 2.4% increase, while online sales rose 1.2% and health and personal care retailers saw a 0.9% rise.

☆ Belgium's Brecel holds off Selby to win world title
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

May 1 (Reuters) - Belgium's Luca Brecel became the first player from mainland Europe to win the snooker world title as he completed a fairytale fortnight by resisting a Mark Selby fightback to triumph 18-15 at The Crucible on Sunday. Brecel enjoyed a 9-8 overnight lead after Saturday's two sessions, but won the opening four frames on Sunday with three centuries to seize command. Selby looked on a roll but fearless Brecel would not be denied the title which lifts him second in the world rankings. After that win he said he had celebrated beating another former champion, Mark Williams, in the previous round by getting as 'drunk as hell'. While Brecel celebrated becoming Belgium's latest and most unlikely sporting hero, Selby, 39, had the consolation of making the first 147 break ever in the final of the world championship, his maximum coming during a storming fightback on Saturday.

☆ A Mysterious Spiral in the Alaska Sky Had an Earthly Explanation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Remy Tumin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At first, Ronnie Cole thought the bright light in the sky over southern Alaska was an airplane. “Then, it moved out of the clouds and the spiral was still there, and it was just getting bigger in the sky. That’s when I realized that it was something else.”The blue spiral made its way across the sky’s green and red hue of the northern lights for about three minutes before disappearing over the tree line near Trapper Creek, about 100 miles northwest of Anchorage. “I’ve spend about 1,000-plus hours out watching the night sky every winter,” Mr. Cole said. “I see a lot of weird things in the sky, but that was definitely the most unusual.”

☆ What Walmart’s pullback from Chicago says about Corporate America’s limits
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

New York CNN —A line of Chicago mayors heavily courted Walmart over the last two decades, brushing aside community protests. Chains like Dollar General and Family Dollar are expanding in low-income areas, but they don’t sell fresh groceries. Walmart is closing neighborhood markets around the country, and three of the four stores closing in Chicago fall into that category. In Chicago, Walmart is closing in both low-income and high-income areas, a sign that it’s struggling across the city. But it’s the stores in low-income areas that will feel the loss most.

☆ Idaho becomes 5th state after Utah, South Carolina, Mississippi and Oklahoma to allow death by firing squads as companies limit use of drugs for lethal injections
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Sarah Al-Arshani | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The ban has created a shortage of drugs necessary to execute death row inmates by lethal injection, the AP reported. Amid the shortage, Idaho became the 5th state to reinstate death by firing squad. Brad Little signed HB 186 The bill would allow the use of the firing squad when lethal injection isn't available. The Associated Press reported that Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma, and South Carolina also allow for the use of the firing squad. Ronnie Lee Gardner was executed at Utah State Prison after he was convicted of killing an attorney during a courthouse escape attempt.

☆ The last chance for some retirees to avoid a 25% tax penalty is April 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In 2022, Secure 2.0 raised the age to 73, which starts in 2023. RMDs apply to both pre-tax and Roth 401(k)s and other workplace plans, along with most individual retirement accounts. Secure 2.0 reduced the RMD penaltyIf you skip your RMD or don't take out enough, there's a 25% penalty, levied on the amount you should have withdrawn. Secure 2.0 dropped the penalty to 25% from 50% starting in 2023, with the possibility of reducing it further to 10% if you take your missed RMD during the "correction window." "In the past, the IRS was lenient about missed RMDs, but with the new reduced penalties, they may get more aggressive," he said.

☆ A year later, the Fed still has a long way to go in the fight against inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The rate hikes appeared to have quelled some of the inflation surge that inspired the policy tightening. Indeed, Fed officials for months stuck to the narrative that inflation was "transitory" and would abate on its own. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell recently insisted that he and his colleagues are taking "forceful steps" now to bring down inflation. The index most recently showed an annual inflation rate of 6.4%, down from a peak around 9% in the summer of 2022. Citigroup economist Andrew Hollenhorst thinks the Fed could tame key inflation metrics to around 4% by the end of this year.

☆ Goldman Sachs shares 4 charts that explain the state of the housing market right now — and show why 4 cities could soon see the biggest price declines
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Housing supply on a national basis will remain tight, Goldman Sachs strategists say. Part of that call — which is less bearish than forecasts from firms like KPMG, Interactive Brokers, and Pantheon Macroeconomics — is due to Goldman's outlook for housing supply levels. In certain areas of the country, supply levels are rising faster than in others. In four cities in particular, supply levels are above pre-pandemic levels, the bank said, which will result in greater price declines than the national average. Goldman SachsSupply developments in the multi-family housing market could also signal trouble for prices down the line, the strategists said.

☆ Say No to the Dress: Why Women Are Trading Gowns for Wedding Suits
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Ann Binlot | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

ON MAY 12, 1971, Nicaraguan socialite Bianca Pérez-Mora Macías married Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger in a shotgun wedding in Saint-Tropez. (Bianca was four months pregnant with their daughter Jade.) Not only did she wed one of the era’s biggest heartthrobs, she shunned froufrou wedding gowns and opted for a risqué white suit by Yves Saint Laurent. While the outfit might not provoke comment now, it did then—in part because Ms. Jagger wore nothing beneath the plunging jacket. Ms. Müller suggested that Ms. Jagger’s suit might have been an offshoot of the late Saint Laurent’s subversive spring 1971 couture collection.

☆ U.S. Commerce Dept. names financial sector, government experts to chips team
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department said Friday it is naming more than a dozen members to a team overseeing $52.7 billion in government funding to boost semiconductor manufacturing and research. The new team members include officials with experience managing large federal programs, experts from the semiconductor industry, and executives with financial sector experience, the department said. The department said Todd Fisher - a Commerce official who previously worked for nearly 25 years at KKR & Co. Inc - will serve as chief investment officer. The department plans to release its first Notice of Funding Opportunity this month, a key step to beginning the process of making funding awards. In September, Commerce Department chief economist Aaron "Ronnie" Chatterji was named White House Coordinator for CHIPS Implementation while former Treasury official Michael Schmidt was named Commerce Department CHIPS Program Office director.

☆ Goldman sees big layoff announcements as 'a ripple, not a wave'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The rash of large layoffs at tech companies are not representative of a major breach in the labor market, according to Goldman Sachs. However, Goldman economists this week say they see a solid labor market and, in fact, less of a chance that the economy will contract over the next year. "We expect the recent round of corporate layoffs to be a ripple, not a wave," Goldman said in a recent client note. "It is also important to bear in mind that not every layoff translates into a lasting increase in unemployment because most workers find new jobs," Goldman economist Ronnie Walker wrote. Already one of the more optimistic forecasters on Wall Street, Goldman this week lowered its recession probability to 25%, from 35%, well below expectations elsewhere.

☆ Recession alarm bells are ringing, but (much) less loudly than before
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Feb 10 (Reuters) - The rapid reopening of China's economy, plunging European gas prices and cooling U.S. inflation suggest a global recession may not be as deep and protracted as feared just weeks ago. The International Monetary Fund raised its 2023 global growth outlook and a painful euro area recession that was once seen as all-but-certain is less of a concern. Citi sees a 30% chance of a global recession this year, down from 50% in the second half of last year. But rallying stocks do not mean the world will escape a recession, rather that China's post-COVID economic reopening should limit the downturn. And economists polled by Reuters forecast global growth would barely clear 2% this year, a level associated with significant downturns historically, and flagged the risk that it could be even slower.

Power giant Orsted aims to build a huge offshore windfarm to help the country meet renewable goals. Last year the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), which regulates offshore energy activity, concluded that large crossovers between such ventures were unfeasible with current technology. This largely unreported clash risks undermining Britain's drive to meet its climate goals, according to the companies involved and a North Sea green transition expert. The BP-Orsted showdown could also presage similar disputes elsewhere in an increasingly crowded North Sea, the experts told Reuters. There is hope on the horizon for wind and CCS projects that share ground, say regulators and industry experts.

☆ Goldman Sachs shares 4 cities that will suffer a 2008-size crash in home values — and breaks down why they believe home prices across the US will now fall further than they originally thought
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In some cities, the damage will be as bad as it was across the US in the mid-2000s, the bank said. Attention homeowners and real-estate investors, Goldman Sachs has bad news: home prices are going to fall further in 2023 than they had previously thought. Goldman SachsWhile Karoui, Viswanathan, and Walker see national home prices falling by 10% peak-to-trough, they see prices in cities where home values have soared above average falling more. What other firms are sayingGoldman Sachs isn't the only Wall Street bank calling for further home price declines in 2023. Morgan Stanley strategist James Egan said in a January note that he sees home prices falling by 4% in 2023 thanks to stagnant demand.

☆ The 12 most useless college majors, according to career experts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Rena Goldman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Other majors, like philosophy and anthropology, require a graduate degree and a specific role. PhilosophyPhilosophy is another niche degree that isn't much use outside the field if you don't pair it with a graduate degree. "I've run into hiring managers, colleagues, and friends who really struggle to communicate the value of that degree," Doe added. You might also need a graduate degree for some of those roles, such as professor, librarian, or lawyer. MarketingThere are plenty of career options in marketing, but Doe said the field was rapidly changing.

☆ Final farewell: From Sidney Poitier to Pope Emeritus Benedict a look back at the influential figures who died in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +55 min

Other world leaders who died in 2022 include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died in August. The final days of 2022 saw the loss of some exceptionally notable figures, including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2022 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___Dan Reeves, 77. A Cuban-born artist whose radiant color palette and geometric paintings were overlooked for decades before the art world took notice. A prolific character actor best known for playing villains and tough guys in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ocean’s Eleven” and other films.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried will enter a plea next week in FTX case, court filings show
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sam Bankman-Fried is scheduled to enter a plea on January 3. Two of his top lieutenants, including Caroline Ellison, already pleaded guilty to a fraud scheme. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyFTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is expected to enter a plea at a court hearing next week, court filings show. A docket entry on Wednesday designated it as an arraignment hearing, meaning that Bankman-Fried is now scheduled to enter his plea. On Tuesday, the criminal cases of Bankman-Fried, Ellison, and Wang were assigned to US District Judge Lewis Kaplan.

☆ The judge in the FTX fraud case stepped down because her husband works for a firm that advised Sam Bankman-Fried's crypto exchange last year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ronnie Abrams, the US district judge in the FTX fraud case, stepped down and has been replaced. She said that her husband is a partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, which last year advised FTX. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan has taken over the FTX case. Ronnie Abrams, a judge at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, said in a filing on Friday that she was stepping down. On Tuesday, the case was reassigned to Lewis A. Kaplan, a senior judge at the court, legal filings show.

Law firms Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP FollowDec 27 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried's criminal case over the collapse of his FTX cryptocurrency exchange has been reassigned to a judge recently known for handling defamation lawsuits against former U.S. President Donald Trump and a sexual abuse lawsuit against Britain's Prince Andrew. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan replaces his colleague Ronnie Abrams, who recused herself on Friday after learning that the law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, where her husband is a partner, advised FTX in 2021. Trump has sought the dismissal of both lawsuits, including a battery claim. Kaplan also recently oversaw Virginia Giuffre's civil lawsuit accusing Prince Andrew of sexually abusing her when she was 17 at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, the now-convicted former associate of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware and Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Broken pipes left thousands of residents of Jackson, Mississippi, without running water Monday after a winter storm as the city struggled to return pressure to its frail water system. “There’s no water pressure for most residents in Jackson, again,” state Rep. Ronnie Crudup said Monday. He said he’s one of the only people he knows in his neighborhood with some running water, but it’s just a small amount and not drinkable under the city’s boil water notice. In early 2021, extremely low temperatures left residents without running water after pipes froze. This year, the city lost running water amid problems at the city’s main water treatment facility, the O.B.

☆ Caroline Ellison told a judge she's 'truly sorry' for defrauding FTX customers – and 'knew that it was wrong'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Caroline Ellison told a judge she's "truly sorry" for her role in FTX's collapse, per New York Times. The former CEO of Sam Bankman-Fried's crypto-trading firm Alameda Research told US District Judge Ronnie Abrams in Manhattan federal court "I am truly sorry for what I did. The court unsealed the transcript of her plea hearing on December 22. Ellison told the judge she went along with the decision of her ex-boyfriend Bankman-Fried and others to conceal the close relationship between FTX and Alameda, according to the transcript seen by The Times. She also said she agreed with the decision to divert billions in customer deposits at FTX to pay off loans of Alameda.

☆ Caroline Ellison told a judge that FTX executives secretly borrowed billions from Alameda Research, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Caroline Ellison told a judge that FTX execs secretly borrowed billions from Alameda Research. She said she and Sam Bankman-Fried concealed the credit line from FTX investors and customers. In November, Reuters reported that Bankman-Fried secretly moved $10 billion in FTX customer funds to Alameda Research. Bankman-Fried told Reuters the sum was not "secretly" transferred: "We had confusing internal labeling and misread it." FTX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on November 11 after it imploded, wiping out customer deposits worth billions.

Ellison and FTX co-founder Gary Wang both pleaded guilty and are cooperating with prosecutors as part of their plea agreements. Roos said Bankman-Fried carried out a "fraud of epic proportions" that led to the loss of billions of dollars of customer and investor funds. Bankman-Fried has acknowledged risk-management failures at FTX but said he does not believe he has criminal liability. A flurry of customer withdrawals in early November amid concerns about commingling of FTX funds with Alameda prompted FTX to declare bankruptcy on Nov. 11. Bankman-Fried was arrested in the capital Nassau on Dec. 12 and arrived in the United States on Wednesday after consenting to extradition.

Companies Ledgerx LLC FollowNEW YORK, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Sam Bankman-Fried was released on a $250 million bond package on Thursday while he awaits trial over the collapse of the FTX crypto exchange, which a U.S. prosecutor called a "fraud of epic proportions." His defense lawyer, Mark Cohen, declined to comment after the hearing in Manhattan federal court. U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel Gorenstein set Bankman-Fried's next court date for Jan. 3, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who will handle the case. The bond is meant to ensure that if Bankman-Fried flees, the government could confiscate the family's assets - including their Palo Alto home - up to $250 million. Details of their cooperation were kept under wraps until Bankman-Fried left the Bahamas, according to court papers filed on Thursday.

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