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☆ Tracy Chapman wins CMA Award for ‘Fast Car’ decades years after first released
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Tracy Chapman continues to make history with her 1988 hit “Fast Car” after winning song of the year at Wednesday’s Country Music Awards. Thank you to the CMAs and a special thanks to Luke (Combs) and to all of the fans of ‘Fast Car,’” Evans said on behalf of Chapman. The CMA win is a remarkable achievement given “Fast Car” debuted 35 years ago, and saw a resurgence in popularity in July after country star Luke Combs released a cover of the hit single. Combs’ cover went on to reach No. Chapman, who is the sole writer of “Fast Car,” also reached No.

Persons: Tracy Chapman, Chapman, Sarah Evans, “ I’m, Luke, Combs, ” Evans, Luke Combs, ”, “, ” Chapman, ’ ” Combs, Luke Bryan, Peyton Manning, CNN’s Lisa Respers Organizations: Bridgestone, CMA, Billboard’s, Billboard, ABC Locations: CNN’s Lisa Respers France

School board members refuse to cede any ground. One was a discordant school board meeting in September that stretched over nearly five hours. The other was a school board candidates forum that drew a full room in October. Since then, the school board has hired its own private security to stand guard at meetings. While she does not have proof, Drane thinks it was retaliation for her vocal resistance against the new school board majority.

Persons: ”, ___, Michelle Obama, Belén Rodas, that’s, Jordan Lynch, Dale Swanson, Swanson, Glenn Youngkin, distresses Frank Morgan, “, Tamara Quick, didn't, ” Rabih Abuismail, ” Kirk Twigg, Twigg, Mark Taylor, Taylor, Toni Morrison, Tom Eichenberg, Abuismail, Lisa Phelps, Fabiana Parker, Parker, Heather Drane, we’re, Drane, It's, Lynch, ” Rodas, ___ Swenson, Serkan Gurbuz Organizations: Spotsylvania School, Democratic, Republican, GOP, Spotsylvania School Board, Rappahannock Conservative Women’s Coalition, Republicans, Liberty, Republican Gov, Virginians, ”, Youngkin, NAACP, Associated Press, AP Locations: FREDERICKSBURG, Va, Spotsylvania, United States, Virginia, ”, Spotsylvania County, America, Spotsylvania ., Rockingham County, Goochland County, South Carolina, Manassas, New York

☆ Premarket stocks: American inequality is rising despite higher wages
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The median (or mid-point) net worth for households has also increased. And while the median net worth has increased significantly, it’s still under $200,000 — far short of the estimated amount Americans should have in retirement savings. Bud Light sales keep sinkingBud Light continues to drag on Anheuser-Busch InBev’s bottom line in the United States, reports my colleague Jordan Valinsky. In the summer, Bud Light lost its long-held top-selling American beer title to rival Modelo. In an effort to jumpstart sales, Bud Light has been rolling out marketing campaigns and partnerships it thinks will placate fans.

Persons: it’s, ”, “ Consumers, ” Dana Peterson, Bud, Bud Light, Jordan Valinsky, Dylan Mulvaney, Elisabeth Buchwald, Biden, ’ Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Labor Department, Consumer Finances, Governors, Federal Reserve, Conference, Board, “, Conference Board, Wall, Dow, Nasdaq, Bud Light, Anheuser, Busch, InBev, Modelo, Beer Business, NFL, UFC Locations: New York, Black, United States

☆ Big Companies Push Back on Proposed Expansion of Disclosure on Expenses
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Mark Maurer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The finance chief of Starbucks questioned whether the company could accurately break down its inventory and manufacturing expenses under the U.S. accounting standard-setter’s proposal. Photo: Richard B. Levine/Zuma PressExecutives at large public companies are concerned about the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s plan requiring them to further break down labor and other operating expenses that appear on their income statements, with some saying it would impose significant costs and not aid their investors. The U.S. accounting standard-setter in July issued a proposal that mandated quarterly disclosure of the amounts of employee compensation, depreciation of property and equipment, amortization of intangible assets such as trademarks, and inventory expenses in the footnotes further clarifying the income-statement entries.

Persons: Richard B, Levine Organizations: Zuma Press

☆ US consumer confidence dropped for third consecutive month despite the booming economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

For the third month in a row, the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell — dropping to 102.6 in October from an upwardly revised 104.3 in September. The decline in consumer confidence was not evident across all age groups and household income levels. People above the age of 55 exhibited the biggest monthly decline in consumer confidence. Meanwhile, consumers with a household income between $25,000 to $35,000 saw the biggest decline in confidence about the economy over the past month. In contrast, consumers with a household income between $100,000 to $125,000 saw the biggest jump in confidence over the past month.

Persons: ” Dana Peterson, “ Consumers, ”, Bill Adams, ” Peterson, Jeffrey Roach Organizations: New, New York CNN, Conference, Board, Conference Board, “, Big Three, United Auto Workers, Comerica Bank, LPL Financial, Federal Locations: New York, Israel

☆ Opinion | The Patent Fight That Could Take Apple Watches Off the Market
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Peter Coy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

It has incorporated pulse oximetry into all of its smart watches since then, with the exception of the cheaper Apple Watch SE. case is only one front in the battle between Masimo and Apple. In 2020, Masimo sued Apple in Federal District Court in California, alleging theft of trade secrets. Last year, Apple sued Masimo in federal court in Delaware, charging that Masimo was the one doing the illegal copying and was trying to knock Apple out of the market to make way for its own watch. Masimo counter-claimed that Apple had infringed its patents, falsely advertised its watches’ capabilities and violated antitrust and fair competition laws.

Persons: Biden, Masimo, Apple, Kiani, it’s, ” Masimo Organizations: Apple, Federal Circuit, Federal, Court, Apple Watch, Food and Drug Administration Locations: U.S, Masimo, California, Delaware, Masimo’s

☆ Why Has This 258-Year-Old Mansion Been Left to Fall Apart?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Ginia Bellafante | More About Ginia Bellafante | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Since then, millions more have been needed from elected officials to complete the work. The notion that “the board has been lax in passion is the farthest thing from the truth,” Lisa Koenigsberg, an architectural historian and the board’s chair told me. I understand the frustration and the sadness over the building,” she said. The building is the city’s responsibility.” This is a curious response in a place where public-private partnerships make most of our cultural life possible. When the preservation movement took hold in New York in the early 1960s, the goal was to prevent beautiful buildings from being destroyed.

Persons: ” Lisa Koenigsberg, Camilla Huey, Aaron Burr, Theodosia, “, ” Organizations: Parks Department Locations: New York

☆ Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ May Be Her Biggest Rerecording Yet. Here’s Why.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Ben Sisario | More About Ben Sisario | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Taylor Swift’s “1989” has been a fixture in the Top 20 of Billboard’s album chart for months. But “1989” is about to make an all-but-certain plunge down the chart. That’s because on Friday, Swift will release “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” the latest installment in her ambitious and wildly successful project to rerecord her first six studio albums. “1989” will be the fourth of Swift’s remakes, and each one so far has opened at No. “Speak Now” came out in July and started with 716,000 sales, including a remarkable 268,500 copies sold on vinyl LP.

Persons: Taylor Swift’s, ”, Swift, “ Locations: United States

☆ After Outcry, Writers Guild Tries to Explain Silence on Hamas Attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Nicole Sperling | More About Nicole Sperling | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

They also noted that other major Hollywood unions had issued statements condemning the attack. “I hope this letter goes a long way to sort of calming some of it down,” said Mr. Gordon, who signed the open letter to the guild. He will change his guild membership status to “financial core,” according to his letter. Under that designation, he will still receive the contract benefits earned by the guild but he will no longer be able to vote or attend any guild meetings. “If one cannot condemn, clearly, and without reservation, what Hamas perpetrated, one’s moral compass is absent, not broken.”

Persons: ”, Meredith Stiehm, Michele Mulroney, Betsy Thomas, Jerry Seinfeld, Eric Roth, Amy Sherman, Palladino, Maisel, “, Howard Gordon, Gordon, Dan Gordon, “ Wyatt Earp, Mr, Gordon’s, pusillanimous Organizations: Writers Guild of America West, The New York Times, Toronto Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Polish

☆ Taylor Swift’s ‘Cruel Summer’ Hits No. 1 After Four Years
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Ben Sisario | More About Ben Sisario | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Four years ago, Taylor Swift included the song “Cruel Summer” on her album “Lover.” It became a fan favorite, and had been in line to be released as a single in 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic changed all plans. “That is something that happened that stopped ‘Cruel Summer’ from ever being a single,” the singer said a few months ago. After breaking into the Top 10 in July, “Cruel Summer” has finally made it to No. Over the last week, Swift went all out to promote it. Over the last week, “Cruel Summer” had nearly 19 million streams in the United States, sold 41,000 downloads — up from around 2,500 the week before — and had 78 million “airplay audience impressions,” a measurement of a song’s popularity at radio, according to the tracking service Luminate.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Swift, — Locations: United States

☆ Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff celebrate 'Cruel Summer' hitting No. 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Taylor Swift’s latest milestone feels like a complete “fever dream.”“Cruel Summer,” a track off of her 2019 “Lover” album, hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart this week. “We just wanted to say thank you so much for making ‘Cruel Summer’ a Hot 100 No. We love you guys!”Jack Antonoff, a frequent collaborator and co-writer on the song, appeared in the video with Swift and said they felt that “Cruel Summer” was the “best song” on the album. 1 songs on the Hot 100 chart.

Persons: CNN — Taylor, ”, “, ” Swift, “ It’s, Jack Antonoff, Swift Organizations: CNN, Billboard Locations: Pittsburgh

☆ Writers Guild Faces Backlash for Not Condemning Hamas Attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Nicole Sperling | More About Nicole Sperling | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Just weeks after the Writers Guild of America displayed solidarity by ending a monthslong strike and voting overwhelmingly in favor of a new contract with the major entertainment companies, the union is being roiled by a fight over its lack of a public statement condemning the Hamas attack on Israel. On Oct. 15, eight days after the attack, a group of screenwriters signed an open letter to the Writers Guild asking why it had not issued a statement condemning the attack. The letter now has more than 300 signers, including Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Sherman-Palladino (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) and Gideon Raff (“Homeland”). Later Friday, Meredith Stiehm, the president of the Writers Guild of America West, sent an email to members who had inquired about the lack of a response. “For these reasons, we have decided not to comment publicly.”Calls to the union on Monday were not returned.

Persons: Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Sherman, Palladino, Maisel, Gideon Raff, ”, Meredith Stiehm, “, ” Jonathan Greenblatt, Maha Dakhil, Israel, Dakhil, Bryan Lourd, Natalie Portman, Tom Cruise, Reese Witherspoon Organizations: Writers Guild of America, Writers Guild, The New York Times, Defamation League, Hollywood, Creative Artists Agency, The Times Locations: Israel

☆ Florida’s private colleges and universities must comply with rule requiring people to use bathrooms aligning with their sex assigned at birth
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Carlos Suarez Denise Royal | Carlos Suarez | Denise Royal | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Private colleges and universities in Florida must now comply with a rule requiring students and faculty to use bathroom and changing facilities aligned with their sex assigned at birth. LGBTQ advocates have slammed the statutes as an effort to erase them from Florida schools and society. “Right now, in the public schools at least, the unisex restroom is the teacher’s restroom. So we have a situation whereby all the nonbinary and transgender (people) and the teachers all line up for this unisex bathroom. The rule does not yet apply to Florida’s state universities like University of Florida, Florida State University and University of Central Florida.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Emma Roy, ” Roy, Yvette Benarroch, ” Benarroch Organizations: CNN, Private, Florida, of Education, Gov, DeSantis, Liberty, University of Florida, Florida State University and University of Central, Governors Locations: Florida, Collier County, Florida State University and University of Central Florida

Sales rose in the Northeast but fell elsewhere, although sales were down year to year throughout the country. Sales are now running at an annual rate of 3.96 million, down 15.4% from 4.68 million a year ago. On Tuesday, the Census Bureau reported that retail sales rose by 0.7%, more than twice what had been expected, as consumers flocked to eating and dining establishments and shopped more online. Among middle-income households, 25% plan to spend more, while 16% of low-income households will increase holiday spending. “Despite a lot of the negativity you see everywhere, consumers seem pretty resilient,” Rose says.

Persons: ”, Lawrence Yun, LEI, Justyna, Monica, TransUnion, Mark Rose, ” Rose Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Federal, Conference, The Conference Board, “, The, Board, Federal Reserve Bank, Atlanta’s, Census Bureau, Labor Department

☆ Starboard dusts off old plan at News Corp
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A view of the signage outside the News Corporation building in New York, U.S., September 21, 2023. REUTERS/Bing Guan Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 16 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Maybe it takes a pile on to move the Murdoch family’s thinking. Reuters reported on Friday that Jeff Smith’s Starboard is the latest activist to try and unlock value at News Corp (NWSA.O), the publisher of the Wall Street Journal, owner of book conglomerate HarperCollins and Realtor.com. Starboard, which took a position in the $13 billion company, is pushing for a spinoff of the real estate assets, according to the Wall Street Journal. Last year Irenic Capital Management agitated for the same transaction in reaction to the Murdochs’ desire to reunite News Corp with broadcasting company Fox (FOXA.O).

Persons: Bing Guan, Murdoch, Jeff Smith’s, pushback, Jennifer Saba, Jean, Pierre Mustier, Atos, Larry Fink, Uncle Sam, Lauren Silva Laughlin, Sharon Lam, Aditya Sriwatsav Organizations: News Corporation, REUTERS, Reuters, News Corp, Wall Street Journal, HarperCollins, Wall Street, Capital Management, Fox, X, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Europe

With two wars, a rising price of oil and a shaky bond market, there is plenty of worry for the markets and economists this week, including a slew of corporate earnings reports and data on the state of the housing market and retail spending. Meanwhile, Russia has been pressing its invasion of Ukraine that is now a year and a half old. Last week ended with a surprise increase in consumer’s expectations of inflation in the University of Michigan’s sentiment survey. Where new home construction a few months ago was holding up the housing market, now it has slumped amid mortgage rates that have brushed 8%. The firm published its monthly economic outlook last week and did not include any more Fed rate hikes in the current cycle.

Persons: “, Jerome Powell, Powell, ” Sam Bullard Organizations: Hamas, University of, “, BCA Research, ”, National Association of Home Builders, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, National Association of Realtors, Economic, of New, Wells Locations: East, Ukraine, Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, U.S, Iran, Lebanon, Russia, of New York

A statue of Christopher Columbus is vandalized with the word ‘murderer.’ (Nik Wheeler/Corbis via Getty Images)When did Indigenous Peoples Day come about? Indigenous Peoples Day is an opportunity to reconcile tensions between these two perspectives. Yes, the shift from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day has met resistance from communities across the country. In 2021, parents in Parsippany, New Jersey, protested the local school board’s decision to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day in place of Columbus Day. Now the holidays are just referred to as “days off.”What resources do you recommend for Indigenous Peoples Day?

Persons: “, Columbus, Susan C, Christopher Columbus, Nik Wheeler, Corbis, –, Christopher Columbus ”, James Loewen, Roxanne Dunbar, Ortiz, Faircloth Organizations: Columbus, Indigenous Peoples, Colorado State University, Getty, Indigenous, South Dakota –, District of Columbia, Day, Columbus Day, Young, School of Education Locations: Columbus, United States, Americas, Coharie, North Carolina, South Dakota, U.S, Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii , Idaho , Iowa, Louisiana, Maine , Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina , Oklahoma , Oregon, South Dakota , Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, Parsippany , New Jersey, ”

☆ How Karol G went from a Latin music star to a fashion icon
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Robb Young | Graciela Martin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +24 min

With 66 million followers on the platform, Karol G ranks 70th in terms of follower count but 6th when it comes to engagement rates. But the label’s enthusiasm for its Karol G campaign a half-year after its release is telling, nonetheless. Karol G attends the #BoF500 Gala during Paris Fashion Week at Shangri-La Hotel Paris on September 30, 2023 in Paris, France. By the time Karol G entered the scene in a big way, fashion, luxury and sportswear giants were still warming up to her male counterparts. People aren’t as fixated on that anymore.”Indeed, it is the shift in attitudes toward language that appears to have helped Karol G secure the Loewe deal.

Persons: Karol G, Jonathan Anderson, Karol’s, Shakira, — Karol G, Provenza, “, ”, Nicki Minaj —, Karol, Karol G's, she’s, Lea Colombo, “ Karol G, Charlie Smith, Loewe, couldn’t, Ricky Martin’s, hasn’t, “ I’ve, Anderson, Karol G’s, ” Karol G, Christopher Polk, SocialBook, Kim Kardashian, Julian Martinez, ” Martinez, “ Karol, Miu, Roberto Cavalli, Gina Ferazzi, Loewe’s Smith, Jacquemus, Barbie, Emilio Pucci, —, Vetements, Rick Owens, Pascal Le Segretain, Maykol Sanchez, Spotify’s, Yankee’s, Don Omar’s, Maluma, J, Nicky Jam, . Ivy Queen, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira —, Burberry —, Becky G —, Karol —, Ovy, Bad Bunny, Rich Fury, Karla Martínez, There’s, Leila Cobo, Billboard’s, ” Cobo, aren’t, “ Jonathan, ” Karol, Carolina Giraldo Navarro, Colombia’s, J Balvin, Cobo, She’s, ” she’s, haven’t, ’ ” Karol G, Alexander Tamargo, Nina García, Elle, García, ” García, I’ve, I’m, it’s, Brett Alan Nelson, I’d Organizations: The, Fashion, CNN, —, Billboard, MTV, New York City’s Rockefeller Center, Variety, Los Angeles Times, Getty, Brands, Los, Paris, Spotify, Reebok, Umbro, Dolce, Gabbana, Nike, Guess, Adidas, Trailblazers, Burberry, Levi’s, Kappa, Puerto Rican, Pew Research Center, Limits, Vogue Mexico, reggaeton’s, Loewe, Carolina, Puerto Locations: Spanish, ”, Latin America, New York, Newark , New Jersey, California, Versailles, bejeweled, Paris, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Canada, America, Balmain, Barcelona, Rosalía, American, Panama, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Dominican, Caribbean, Medellín, Colombia, Puerto, Miami, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Chile, Austin, Austin , Texas, Mexico, North America, Europe, Dubai, Singapore, Nairobi, Puerto Rican, Sera, Miami , Florida, Colombiamoda

NEW YORK (AP) — D’Wayne Wiggins and Timothy Christian Riley didn’t realize that Raphael Saadiq was planting the seeds for a Tony! “We have to be us first before we could talk to anybody because that’s what happened the last time.”Cut to last month, when Tony! “I think it’s been really cool to hear younger kids sample our music and make new songs with our music,” Riley said. “We did always feel the love from our peers and fans and people just in general — it felt really good,” he said. He remembers a younger Beyoncé asking to hear some of the music he was working on.

Persons: — D’Wayne Wiggins, Timothy Christian Riley didn’t, Raphael Saadiq, Tony, Toni, “, ”, Wiggins, ” Saadiq, …, Saadiq, Riley, Toné, Raphael Saddiq, Tone, It’s, that’s, “ There’s, Little Walter, Jack Swing, DJ Quik, ” “, “ I’ve, Nat King Cole, Tonyies, ‘, We’d, ” Wiggins, Amar Khalil, Will Smith, Alicia Keys, Badu’s, Lady ”, Whitney Houston, Mary J, Blige, Dawn Robinson, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Lucy Pearl, it’s, ” Riley, ” RAPHAEL SAADIQ, Raphael Saadiq's, D’Wayne Wiggins, Beyoncé, who’s, Knowles, Solange’s, she’s, Oscar, ’ ” Saadiq, Gary Gerard Hamilton Organizations: Music, TLC, En, Associated Press Locations: Oakland, Oakland , California, Southern California, @GaryGHamilton

Dianne Feinstein once stood at the center of a pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history. Decades later, in death, she's being lauded by LGBTQ+ leaders as a longtime ally who, if she didn't always initially do the right thing, was able to learn and evolve. The suspect is Supervisor Dan White.”George Moscone was the liberal mayor of San Francisco; Milk was California’s first openly gay elected official. The Human Rights Campaign, a large LGBTQ+ advocacy group, cited Feinstein’s “sterling record of support for the LGBTQ+ community." And it was one of the hardest moments, if not the hardest moment, of my life,” Feinstein told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2008.

Persons: Dianne Feinstein, she's, didn't, Feinstein, Moscone, Harvey Milk, Dan White, ” George Moscone, Milk, California’s, White, Stuart Milk, supervisor's, “, ” Milk, Feinstein’s, ” Feinstein, “ don’t, ”, Joe Biden, Gavin Newsom, George W, Bush, Matthew S, Kierra Johnson, Randy Shilts, “ Milk, Sean Penn Organizations: of Supervisors, grimly, “, AIDS, Navy, Rights, San Francisco, Republican, Los Angeles Times, National, Task Force, San Francisco Chronicle Locations: San Francisco County, San Francisco, California, Los Angeles, Francisco

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Top officials at a Florida school district ordered the removal of all books and material containing LBGTQ+ characters and themes from classrooms and campus libraries, saying that was needed to conform to a state law backed by Gov. The district later backed off a bit, allowing some exceptions for high school libraries. Political Cartoons View All 1185 ImagesThe school district did not respond to calls Wednesday from the AP seeking comment. But the group says Florida Department of Education officials are to blame for any district confusion or overreach. The school district issued a statement to Popular Information this week clarifying some of the superintendent and attorney's remarks, saying some material with LGBTQ+ themes or characters would still be available in high school libraries.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, “, Mark Vianello, Michael McKinley, ”, Read, McKinley Organizations: —, Gov, Charlotte, Florida Parental, Florida, Read, Associated Press, DeSantis, Republican, Walt Disney Co, Florida Department of Education, Vianello Locations: FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla, Florida, Fort Myers, Sarasota

☆ US consumer confidence is the lowest it’s been in four months
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Minneapolis CNN —Rising gas prices and high interest rates contributed to greater economic uncertainty and dampened consumer confidence in September, dropping the key economic indicator to the lowest level in four months, according to data released Tuesday. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell for a second consecutive month, dropping to 103 in September from an upwardly revised 108.7 the month before. The index is at its second-lowest level this year, landing just above May’s 102.5 reading, according to Conference Board data. “Consumers also expressed concerns about the political situation and higher interest rates. “Consumers may be hearing more bad news about corporate earnings, while job openings are narrowing, and interest rates continue to rise — making big-ticket items more expensive,” she said.

Persons: “ Consumers, ”, Dana Peterson, Consumers, Peterson, Matthew Martin Organizations: Minneapolis CNN, Board, “, Conference Board, Consumers, Oxford Economics Locations: Minneapolis, US

But the amount of cybersecurity expertise on boards remains relatively low, at a time when boards are under increased scrutiny for security failings. In responses to that survey from 472 corporate board directors, 76% said their board had at least one cybersecurity expert, including 19% who said their board had at least three directors with cybersecurity expertise. The other 25 directors’ experience comes from either having held a senior government role in cybersecurity or from having led and/or founded a cybersecurity company. Whatever a board’s composition, most directors aren’t very confident in their board’s ability to handle a cybersecurity incident. Cybersecurity company leader: Nineteen directors have founded and / or led cybersecurity or data security companies.

Persons: Jamil Farshchi, don’t, ”, ’, Shamla Naidoo, Netskope, Naidoo, ” Naidoo, aren’t, Shankar Arumugavelu, Nir Zuk, Zuk Organizations: WSJ Pro Research, Securities and Exchange, Pro Research, National Association of Corporate, Business Machines, WSJ, Seagate Technology Holdings, Verizon, Palo Alto Networks, Juniper Networks Locations: cybersecurity, FactSet

☆ Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Guts’ Is Her Second No. 1 Album
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Ben Sisario | More About Ben Sisario | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Olivia Rodrigo’s new album, “Guts,” has a blockbuster opening at No. “Guts,” the second LP by the 20-year-old Rodrigo, becomes her second No. Rodrigo’s new album, which is also No. 1 in Britain, Canada, Australia and elsewhere, had 200 million streams in the United States and sold 150,000 copies as a complete package. Last week, Rodrigo announced a 75-date world tour to begin in February 2024.

Persons: Olivia Rodrigo’s, ”, ” —, Rodrigo, Taylor Swift’s, Morgan Wallen’s, Travis Scott’s Organizations: BTS Locations: United States, Britain, Canada, Australia

☆ Many Boards Are Playing Catch-Up on ESG and Green Issues
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Rob Sloan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

Other findings were that most believed sustainability efforts had brought real benefits and said ESG engagement with investors had been mostly positive. They also reported that while about half of big companies had ESG targets—many linked to executive compensation—smaller, private companies lagged behind. For public companies investors were most influential, followed by regulators, while directors of private businesses ranked their customers as top with investors in second place. “You had a wind that was giving companies and boards energy, and now you have a countervailing wind of political backlash,” Smith said. Despite those changes, half of respondents believe ESG will continue to be an important driver of their business decisions and strategy.

Persons: aren’t, —, ”, Kristin Campbell, Campbell, “, Alan Smith —, Smith, ” Hilton’s Campbell, ” Smith, ESG, ” Campbell, — hadn’t, Rob Sloan Organizations: Pro, National Association of Corporate, ESG, Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Regency Centers, HSBC, Estates, Sustainable Business, rob.sloan@wsj.com Locations: U.S

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