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☆ I moved from New York City to Paris at age 79. Some people said I was crazy, but I wanted something new for this stage of my life.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Mary Jane Wilkie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

I'd lived in New York City for 35 years, but Paris had been in the back of my mind since 2016. COVID-19 quashed an earlier attempt to leave New York City in March 2020, so almost two years later, I boarded the plane shortly after my 79th birthday. I chose Paris for a few reasonsHaving spent about half of my adult years enjoying New York City, I wanted something else for the penultimate stage of life. The learning continuesThough I sold my New York apartment for a nice price, it wasn't enough for an appropriate place in Paris. The dream of visiting Paris usually includes spending your days going to museums and having coffee at sidewalk cafés.

Persons: Mary Jane Wilkie, I'd, I've, Paris, Charles, carte vitale, Lauryn Haas Organizations: Service, New, Gaulle, Eiffel, Paris, lhaas Locations: NYC, Paris, Wall, Silicon, New York City, COVID, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Europe, France, New York, York

☆ Earnings this week show shoppers will spend money for value, favoring two retail stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

A busy week of retail earnings revealed that American consumers are spending with value top of mind. This disparity signals that certain discretionary goods categories are working while others are not. TGT YTD mountain Target YTD performance Target on Wednesday reported a second-quarter that reflected weak sales along with a slowdown in discretionary spending. TJX YTD mountain TJX Companies YTD performance TJX tells a different story. COST YTD mountain Costco YTD performance Looking ahead, Costco is set to release its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on Sept. 26.

Persons: Jim Cramer, Matthew Shay, Doug McMillon, Brian Cornell, That's, Maxx, TJX, Ernie Herrman, it's, ROSS, Ross, Jim, Jim Cramer's Organizations: Walmart, TJX Companies, Costco, National Retail Federation, CNBC, Retailers, Health, Wellness, Walmart's, Marshalls, & Beverage, Food & Beverage, Target, Ross Stores, Corbis, Getty Locations: Maxx, TJX, U.S, Teterboro , New Jersey

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhy prosecuting insider trading is so problematicInsider trading is a type of market abuse when an advantageous trade is made based on material nonpublic information. The issue is there's not a specific law defining what insider trading is, which makes it difficult to prosecute cases as they arise. Additionally, a major component of prosecuting a case is proving intent, which requires a lot of evidence to support the claim. Watch the video above to learn more about what insider trading is and why it's so difficult to stop.

☆ Trick That Helps Big Pharma Companies Avoid Paying Billons in US Taxes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Brad Setser | Tess Turner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

But take a look at the corporate disclosures of America's largest pharmaceutical companies, and a puzzling hole opens. Large legal loopholesThe offshore migration of these pharmaceutical companies' profits may seem egregious, but the tax gymnastics are generally legal. On paper, America's corporate-tax rate is 21%, but the country's largest and most profitable pharmaceutical companies don't pay anything close to that. What's more, the superlow rate enjoyed by American pharmaceutical companies isn't necessary for these firms to be internationally competitive. A spoonful of medicine to make the taxes go downAmerica's pharmaceutical companies have made great contributions to medicine.

Persons: Democratic Sen, Ron Wyden, AbbVie, it's, Keytruda, Gilead, Eli Lilly, they've, Brad W, Whitney, Tess Turner Organizations: Merck, National Institutes of Health . Pharmaceutical, Democratic, Pfizer, US pharma, US Treasury, Trump, Treasury, US, Denmark's, Nordisk, Novartis, National Institutes of Health, Whitney Shepardson, Council, Foreign Relations Locations: Oregon, America, Caribbean, Europe, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Germany, Ireland, Singapore, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark

☆ MrBeast sues to shut down the ghost-kitchen that produced MrBeast Burger
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, contracted Virtual Dining Concepts, based in Orlando, Florida, to launch the MrBeast Burger concept in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. The MrBeast burger, of the virtual food delivery chain driven by YouTube celebrity Jimmy Donaldson, in New York, Feb. 24, 2021. Because of that harm, the lawsuit claims Donaldson has the right to end the breached contract and shut down the MrBeast burger business. For example, MrBeast Burger in New York has 2.1 stars on Yelp. In 2022, a physical MrBeast Burger opened at the American Dream mall in New Jersey, sending fans swarming the store on its debut.

Persons: MrBeast, MrBeast Burger, Jimmy Donaldson, Adam Friedlander, Donaldson, it’s, Burger, He’s, ” Donaldson, ”, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Court, of, Concepts, YouTube, The New York Times, Beast Investments, Burger, European Union, Investments Locations: New York, Southern, of New York, Orlando , Florida, European Union Canada, Thailand, Singapore, Mexico, Malaysia, New Jersey

China's application, by far the biggest economy, is next in line if they are dealt with in the order they were received, although that is not a given. The free trade agreement has its roots in the U.S.-backed Trans-Pacific Partnership, developed in part to counter China's growing economic dominance. I think that is completely wrong," Tim Groser, a former New Zealand trade minister and chief trade negotiator said. For CPTPP members, China's application is not the only political dilemma. Taiwan is also seeking to join the pact, in a move opposed by China that member trade negotiators remain unsure about.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, Shigeyuki Goto, Damien O’Connor, Trade Kemi, Damien O'Connor, Donald Trump, Henry Gao, couldn't, Tim Groser, CPTPP, Graham Zebedee, Britain's, New Zealand Wang Xiaolong, Hopes, Wang Huiyao, Antony Blinken, Natalie Black, Lucy Craymer, Joe Cash, Jamie Freed Organizations: New Zealand, Economic, New, Trade, Export, State, Business, Malaysian, Beijing, Pacific, New Zealand's Trade, Pacific Partnership, Communist Party, Singapore Management University, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, World Trade Organization, Australia, Center for, Political, Comprehensive Economic, U.S, Asia Pacific, Thomson Locations: British, Trade Kemi Badenoch, Taiwan, AUCKLAND, BEIJING, China, Pacific, Britain, Auckland, Ukraine, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Ecuador, U.S, Japan, Australia, Canada, Beijing, New Zealand, SOEs, Mexico, Center for China, Wellington, Asia

☆ Taiwan-US trade: Deal is key to countering diplomatic isolation, Taipei's top trade negotiator says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Eric Cheung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Taipei CNN —The signing of a trade pact between Taiwan and the United States will play a key role in helping the island counter its diplomatic isolation from China, according to Taiwan’s top trade negotiator. Taipei has described the initiative as the most comprehensive trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan since Washington switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979. But Chinese pressure is not the only hurdle facing Taiwan’s trade negotiators like Deng, as trade deals could also become a politically sensitive issue on the island itself. In 2014, a controversial service trade agreement between Taipei and Beijing — which was passed by the then ruling Kuomintang — resulted in mass student protests, known as the Sunflower Movement. They opposed it because it would allow meat products containing ractopamine, an animal feed additive common in the United States.

Persons: John Deng, ”, ” John Deng, John Mees, Deng, Mao Ning, Kuomintang —, —, Will Ripley Organizations: Taipei CNN, CNN, Taiwan Affairs Office, Trans, Pacific, Sunflower Movement, Student Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, United States, China, Washington, Beijing, Britain, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Singapore, Vietnam, Kuomintang

How much more will arrive in the market of last resort depends on China, which is stepping up imports of refined zinc. China's refined zinc imports, exports and net tradeCHINA FLIPS BACK TO NET IMPORTERChina imported 45,329 metric tons of refined zinc in June, the highest monthly tally since May 2021. The country exported 81,000 metric tons of zinc in 2022, including shipments of 7,800 metric tons to Mexico and 3,400 metric tons to the United States, two destinations that haven't in the past featured in China's zinc trade. The country's monthly refined zinc production has been notching double-digit growth rates since March. So far, however, there is scant evidence of a significant build of surplus metal in the mainland market.

Persons: It's, Paul Simao Organizations: London Metal Exchange, China, Shanghai Futures Exchange, Shanghai Metal, International, Study, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Asian, contango, China, CHINA, Mexico, United States, backwardation, Shanghai, Europe, Antwerp

☆ Japan and UAE agree innovation, climate change cooperation
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Rachna Uppal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

State news agency WAM also said the two leaders discussed a comprehensive strategic partnership between the UAE and Japan. Japan is actively developing greener and renewable energy technologies and aims to be carbon neutral by 2050. Kishida will also try to promote Japanese know-how as energy-producing countries have pledged to achieve a net zero transition, especially ahead of the COP28 climate summit to be held in Dubai in November. The GCC is a six-nation regional union that comprises Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. "The secure energy supply from the UAE has supported Japan's economic growth for many years," Kishida wrote in a piece published by UAE state news agency WAM on Sunday.

Persons: Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Kishida, Ryan Carter, Fumio Kishida's, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, WAM, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Hikariko Ono, Rachna Uppal, Sakura Murakami, Andrew Mills, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Conor Humphries, David Evans, Alex Richardson, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: United Arab Emirates, United, UAE, United Arab, Japan, Qatar, Saudi Crown, Cooperation Council, GCC, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Thomson Locations: Japan, Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, UAE, State, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Tokyo, Saudi, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain

☆ Why Americans are obsessed with peanut butter
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Natalie Rice | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Skippy was the leading peanut butter brand in the U.S. until 1980, a title that now belongs to Jif. Pond, that became the first brand to commercially develop peanut butter in 1920, sparking the way we eat peanut butter today. "We've launched certain innovations specifically in Asian markets to help enable that type of cooking use for peanut butter. Domestically, Americans eat an average of 4.25 pounds of peanut butter per capita, a figure that increased temporarily during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the National Peanut Board. As the family came together in the middle of the day, we saw that it introduced this love and affection for peanut butter to children who will hopefully carry that love and affection for peanut butter into [their] lifetime," he added.

Persons: Skippy, Joseph Rosefield, Peter Pan, Matt Smith, Circana, Costco's Kirkland, Smucker's, Jif, Smith, Rebecca Scheidler, they've, Ryan Christofferson, Christofferson, aren't, they're, Bob Parker, It's, it's, We've, Parker, Domestically, —, Scheidler Organizations: Equity Research, Stifel Financial Corp, Hormel Foods Corp, Post, Holdings, Foods, Hormel Foods, Spam, Unilever, Peanut Board, FDA, Hormel, National Peanut Board Locations: Jif, U.S, Chicago, Smucker, Uncrustables, Longmont , Colorado, McCalla , Alabama, Mexico, Canada, China

☆ US trade group blasts Canada for refusal to extend digital services tax freeze
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, July 13 (Reuters) - The U.S.-based National Foreign Trade Council on Thursday blasted Canada for its refusal to back a global agreement to hold off on implementing digital services taxes for at least another year, and said the move could invite retaliation. NFTC President Jake Colvin said he welcomed news from the OECD that most countries with digital services taxes had agreed to extend the moratorium on implementation. He also said the move would allow countries to keep working a global tax deal in good faith. "Canada joined Belarus, Russia and a small handful of others in not joining because they seem to want to move forward quickly with their digital services tax," Colvin said. Colvin said Washington could retaliate under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement if Canada went ahead and implemented the new tax.

Persons: Jake Colvin, Colvin, We're, Chrystia Freeland, Washington, Katherine Tai, Mary Ng, Andrea Shalal, Anna Driver Organizations: Foreign Trade, OECD, Canadian Finance, U.S, . Trade, Canadian Trade, Thomson Locations: U.S, Canada, Belarus, Russia, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

☆ Trade between the US and China is drying up. That could be bad news for American consumers.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Mexico is now the US's top trade partner. Mexico surpassed China as the US's top manufacturing trade partner in 2023. In 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization, a group that grants members preferential tariffs when trading with one another. That access opened the door to China to become a leading trade and manufacturing hub, as the Dallas Fed pointed out. Mexico, for its part, benefits from increased trade with the US — beating out China in US trade volume means it's climbing on the world stage.

Persons: Luis Torres Organizations: Service, Dallas Fed, World Trade Organization, China, U.S, Dallas Locations: China, Mexico, Wall, Silicon, Washington, Beijing

☆ Nvidia dips on report U.S. considering new A.I. chip export restrictions for China
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shares of Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices both fell more than 2% in early trading after The Wall Street Journal reported the federal government is weighing new restrictions on exports of sophisticated chips used in artificial intelligence computing to China. The export restrictions under consideration would be imposed by the Commerce Department and would come after the U.S. government already limited the computing power of chips made for Chinese use. Nvidia responded to the earlier restrictions by building a lower-spec chip for the Chinese market. But under the new controls being considered, even that chip, the A800, would be export restricted without licensing, the Journal reported. The restrictions would also apply to companies that offer cloud-based computing solutions, the Journal reported, which have been used by some companies to skirt export controls.

Persons: Gina Raimondo, Antony Blinken, Katherine Tai, chipmakers Organizations: Commerce, EU Trade, Technology, Nvidia, Devices, Street Journal, Commerce Department, U.S, AMD, Marvell, Broadcom, Qualcomm Locations: U.S, College Park , Maryland, China

☆ Shein and Temu are skirting tariff costs by selling their imported merchandise at super-cheap prices, US lawmakers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Shein and Temu sell products that are so cheap the companies avoid paying import tariffs. US lawmakers found that these fast-fashion companies are exempt from tariffs on products under $800. So low, in fact, that the companies don't have to pay tariffs when the products are shipped to the US. Lawmakers highlighted the Certa Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) which prohibits international imports manufactured by forced labor, particularly in the Xinjiang region of China. Temu's code of conduct prohibits suppliers from using forced labor but does not prohibit them from sourcing products based on region.

Persons: —, Temu, Shein Organizations: Service, Chinese Communist Party, Customs, Labor Locations: China, United States, Xinjiang

☆ TikTok may be preparing to sell its own products in the US as it tests the strategy in the UK, a new trademark filing suggests
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

TikTok is testing a new shopping section in the UK version of its app called Trendy Beat. TikTok may be preparing to sell its own products in the US, per a new trademark application filed by a subsidiary of its parent company ByteDance. It filed a trademark application in the US for Trendy Beat on May 30, listing mostly apparel items such as clothing, bathing suits, and footwear as goods associated with the mark. A spokesperson for TikTok told Insider product selections for its Trendy Beat feature may be informed by popular trends on the platform like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt. It's turned to the UK and Indonesia to test e-commerce features first.

Persons: TikTok's, Patrick Nommensen, TikTok, It's, Nommensen, Marta Biino, Emma Cosgrove Organizations: Financial Times, Beat, YouTube Locations: Indonesia, Asia

☆ Dollar buoyant; yuan wobbles after China cuts lending benchmarks
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. dollar rose broadly on Tuesday and notched a seven-month high against the yen, while the yuan slipped after China cut two benchmark lending interest rates for the first time in 10 months. The offshore yuan dipped slightly following the decision and was down more than 0.1% at 7.1734 per dollar, languishing near last week's roughly seven-month low. The yen has come under renewed pressure amid rising interest rate differentials between Japan and other developed markets globally. Sterling rose 0.05% to $1.2797, ahead of British inflation data and the Bank of England's interest rate decision later in the week. Against a basket of currencies, the U.S. dollar rose 0.03% to 102.51.

Persons: it's, Rodrigo Catril, Min Joo Kang, Sterling, BoE, NAB's Organizations: U.S, National Australia Bank, NAB, Bank of, ING, South, Reserve Bank of, New Zealand, Central Bank, Bank of England Locations: China, United States, Asia, Japan, South Korea

☆ Private equity risks gorging on its secret sauce
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Liam Proud | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Investors prefer pedestrian but steady management fees over the lumpy share of fund profit that is the industry’s special sauce. Private equity firms with a public listing funnel some of the carry to employees and some to shareholders. TPG (TPG.O) last year went public with a similar strategy of paying around two-thirds of performance-related revenue to employees. Assuming the general idea is to keep overall earnings steady, then higher fee-based income for shareholders must be matched by lower cash compensation for employees. It suggests that for KKR, TPG and the rest, there is a limit to just how much of their own secret sauce employees can eat.

Persons: Steve Schwarzman, Carlyle, Blackstone’s, Schwarzman, Henry Kravis, George Roberts, EQT, Blackstone, Harvey Schwartz, Rowe Price, Thoma Bravo, Jeffrey Goldfarb, Sharon Lam, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Blackstone, KKR, Apollo Global Management, JPMorgan, Reuters Graphics, TPG, Apollo, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Alpha, Bain Capital, Thoma, Ares Management, Thomson Locations: BlackRock

☆ Rising imports, falling exports push US trade deficit to six-month high
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The trade deficit jumped 23.0% to $74.6 billion, the Commerce Department said on Wednesday. The government revised the goods trade data from 2018 while the trade services figures were revised from 2017. There were also increases in imports of industrial supplies and materials, though petroleum imports fell to the lowest level since August 2021. April's drop in goods exports was led by a sharp decline in exports of industrial supplies and materials, mostly crude oil and fuel oil. Adjusted for inflation, the goods trade deficit shot up 16.5% to $95.8 billion in April.

Persons: Christopher Rupkey, Lucia Mutikani, Toby Chopra, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Commerce Department, Trade, Consumer, Federal Reserve, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, U.S, New York

☆ West Coast dockworkers disrupt trade for a fourth day, says maritime group
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Vanessa Yurkevich | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —For a fourth day, dockworkers at West Coast ports in the United States are disrupting international trade, according to the Pacific Maritime Association. The West Coast ports, which once handled the bulk of US trade — especially during the pandemic, have relinquished some volume to the Gulf and East Coast Ports. The West Coast ports have said they are capable and open for business. Much of the diverted cargo may never return to the West Coast,” the PMA said. “We are getting there but it’s important to understand that West Coast dockworkers kept the economy going during the pandemic and lost their lives doing so.

Persons: Biden, ”, David French, Willie Adams, “, dockworkers Organizations: CNN, Pacific Maritime Association, Port, Warehouse Union, PMA, East Coast, National Retail Administration, National Retail Federation Locations: dockworkers, West Coast, United States, Port of Long, Los Angeles, Long, Oakland, Seattle, Port, Tacoma, Gulf, East, East Coast Ports, West, California

CNN —CIA Director Bill Burns secretly traveled to China last month, a US official told CNN Friday, amid efforts by the United States to reset relations with Beijing after a year of extremely heightened tensions. The specific intelligence matter that Burns discussed in Beijing is unclear. “Our assessment at CIA is that I wouldn’t underestimate President Xi’s ambitions with regard to Taiwan,” Burns said earlier this year. National security adviser Jake Sullivan met with top Chinese official Wang Yi in Vienna for “candid” and “constructive” talks in mid-May. A US senior administration official said the meeting was an attempt to put communications back on track after the spy balloon incident.

Persons: Bill Burns, Burns “, Burns, Antony Blinken, Biden, Burns –, Xi’s, ” Burns, Defense Lloyd Austin, Li Shangfu “, Austin, of National Defense Li Shangfu, Pat Ryder, “, ”, Tan Kefei, John Aquilino, Jake Sullivan, Wang Yi, We’re, we’ve, Gina Raimondo, Katherine Tai, Wang Wentao, Wang, ” Raimondo Organizations: CNN, CIA, Financial Times, Taiwan, Defense, Pentagon, “, of National Defense, PRC, China’s Defense Ministry, Pacific Command, People’s Liberation Army, US Trade, Chinese Commerce, D.C Locations: China, United States, Beijing, Ukraine, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Vienna, Sweden

☆ US and Taiwan reach agreement on new trade pact in boost to economic ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Eric Cheung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The new initiative, titled the US-Taiwan Initiative of 21st Century Trade, was first unveiled in June last year. It will be the first official trade agreement between Taiwan and the United States since US President Joe Biden assumed office in 2021. “This accomplishment represents an important step forward in strengthening the US-Taiwan economic relationship,” US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in the statement. We look forward to continuing these negotiations and finalizing a robust and high-standard trade agreement that tackles pressing 21st century economic challenges,” she added. The new agreement marks the first official trade agreement since Taiwan was excluded from the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a regional economic plan launched by Biden last year.

☆ US exchanges to bust erroneous CDW Corp trades after shares briefly dive 96%
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Medha Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

They would bust all trades in the stock between 04:00 a.m. CDW Corp shares quickly recouped most of their losses and were last up 0.2% at $173.50. ET, closed at $173.25 with a market value of $23.35 billion on Wednesday. Scottsdale, Arizona-based CaliberCos jumped 44.8% to $8.65, a day after it jumped in its Nasdaq debut to notch a market value of $123.7 million. CDW Corp and CaliberCos did not immediately respond to a Reuters requests for a comment.

☆ TikTok has influenced nearly every aspect of book publishing and helped push sales to record highs. 25 insiders describe how it's changed their industry.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The BookTok phenomenon helped send book sales to an all-time high and reignite a love for reading. From authors to stores, the book world is turning to TikTok to drive sales and build community. Still, while authors might feel pressure to try TikTok, industry experts say it's better to focus on craft than marketing. Aster is one of the hundreds of authors who are benefitting from the success of TikTok and its book-related hashtag #BookTok. But TikTok's influence on publishing has also dialed up the pressure on authors to be marketers, as well as writers.

☆ Taco Bell is fighting to cancel the ‘Taco Tuesday’ trademark
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Taco Bell wants to liberate the “Taco Tuesday” trademark from a smaller, rival chain. The taco chain filed a petition Tuesday (naturally) with the US Patent and Trademark office to cancel the trademark, owned by rival Taco John’s for 34 years, because Taco Bell claims the commonly used phrase “should be freely available to all who make, sell, eat and celebrate tacos.”Since Taco John’s owns the trademark, other restaurants and companies must seek permission to use “Taco Tuesday” in branding and advertising. Taco Bell added that “nobody should have exclusive rights in a common phrase.”Maggie Mettler, director of legal for Taco Bell’s parent company, Yum! And it may have a strong case, because “Taco Tuesday” has become a commonly used phrase, according to trademark attorney Josh Gerben. “Taco John’s would like to thank our worthy competitors at Taco Bell for reminding everyone that ‘Taco Tuesday’ is best celebrated at Taco John’s – the trademark owner of Taco Tuesday.”In response, Taco John’s is selling a “Taco Tuesday” deal of 2 tacos for $2 everyday until May 31.

☆ Oil prices ease in cautious trade ahead of US inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Emily Chow | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, May 9 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Tuesday, relinquishing some of the strong gains of the previous two sessions with the market cautious ahead of U.S. inflation figures for April, which will be key to the Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision. "Oil prices have rebounded somewhat in the last two sessions, so now is time for a pause ... with no real positive data coming out," said Suvro Sarkar, lead energy analyst at DBS Bank. "The market is cautious today ahead of the inflation data.... With net long positions declining sharply over the last two weeks, a lot of traders are already out of the market, so volumes are low." "If tomorrow's CPI data remains at around 5% by market consensus, and if the core CPI does not drop significantly, it will likely continue to support the rise in oil prices," said CMC Markets analyst Leon Li. While oil markets fell sharply last week, prices rose on Friday and Monday as fears of recession eased in the U.S., the world's biggest oil consumer, and some traders saw crude's three-week slide on demand worries as overdone.

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