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☆ Most analysts are sticking with AMD even after 'partly cloudy' fourth-quarter earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

AMD shares popped about 3%. On Wall Street, several analysts reiterated AMD shares as a buy despite the continued overhangs in the chipmaking industry, and project upside for the stock. Goldman Sachs also maintained a buy rating on AMD, saying that despite broader market challenges, the company is on track towards a positive market share trajectory. 'Partly cloudy' results Deutsche Bank analyst Ross Seymore reiterated a hold rating on the stock, citing its "partially cloudy" fourth-quarter results. AMD shares have benefited from January's market and tech shares rally, jumping 16.03% since the start of 2023.

☆ BuzzFeed writers react with a mix of disappointment and excitement at news that AI-generated content is coming to the website
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Some BuzzFeed writers told Insider that they are disappointed by the company's move to use AI for content. But one BuzzFeed staffer said that its an exciting development and that it won't replace jobs. But she worries that the quality of BuzzFeed content will suffer as a result. But a second BuzzFeed staffer told Insider that she isn't worried that AI will replace writers at the company. "I think the actual applications of how this will apply to new quiz formats is exciting," the second BuzzFeed staffer said.

☆ Amid an uncertain economy, American workers are guardedly optimistic about the job market
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Madison Hoff | Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Despite economic uncertainty, US workers are confident about the job market, LinkedIn data suggests. The findings point to American workers' resilience, nearly three years since the pandemic began. A recent LinkedIn survey of more than 2,000 US employees conducted in December offers fresh insight into how workers feel about the job market in 2023. Roughly two-thirds of American workers are considering changing jobs this year, mainly to boost their salary and improve their work-life balance, according to the results. At a time when many organizations remain desperate to hire and keep employees, American workers have seen their leverage in the job market grow.

☆ Iran state body reports 200 dead in protests, Raisi hails 'freedoms'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A top state security body meanwhile said that 200 people, including members of the security forces, had lost their lives in the unrest, a figure significantly lower than that given by the world body and rights groups. Amirali Hajizadeh, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander was quoted as saying on Monday that 300 people, including security force members, had been killed in the recent unrest. Javaid Rehman, a U.N.-appointed independent expert on Iran, said on Tuesday that more than 300 people had been killed in the protests, including more than 40 children. Rights group HRANA said that as of Friday 469 protesters had been killed, including 64 minors. "The people's protest has shown that the policies of the last 43 years have reached a dead end," he said in late November.

☆ Premarket stocks: Consumers are keeping the economy afloat... for now
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

What’s happening: Americans appear to be indulging in a healthy dose of retail therapy despite stubbornly high inflation and the possibility of a recession ahead. Consumer spending is a major driver of the economy, and the last two months of the year can account for about 20% of total retail sales — even more for some retailers, according to NRF. But when the Federal Reserve is actively trying to squash high inflation rates, they risk becoming a fly in the ointment. “Consumers’ spending is more or less unfazed not only by high inflation, but also the rate hikes intended to get prices under control,” economists at Wells Fargo wrote. The high rate of spending could agitate investors in this good-news-is-bad-news economy because it adds to inflationary pressures.

☆ A real estate investor with a 178-unit portfolio worth $50 million explains why he expects housing prices to fall within the next 6 months — and says higher interest rates won't eviscerate new homebuy
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Higher interest rates aren't that big a deal, Ahmed Seirafi, a real-estate investor, said. Seirafi said he believed housing prices would fall in the next six months. Rising interest rates have spooked would-be real-estate investors, bringing down home prices and cooling the red-hot housing market. Even though decades-high inflation is finally showing signs of moderation, the Federal Reserve is unlikely to start cutting interest rates in the immediate future. Housing prices are due for a correctionBecause Seirafi doesn't take rising interest rates into too much consideration, he's not that worried about a dearth of investment opportunities.

☆ Streaming TV shows are 21st-century 'cathedrals', screenwriting guru McKee says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Dan Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Screenwriting mentor Robert McKee speaks at Tel Aviv University on the final leg of the farewell tour for his lecture series in Tel Aviv, Israel November 24, 2022. "I see the future as rather brilliant, but it's not in the cinema," McKee told Reuters during a visit to Israel, the final leg for the farewell tour of his lecture series. "And great television does exactly that," added McKee, the author of five books who has, for decades, delivered what the New York Times dubbed "the most popular screenwriting seminar in the country" to tens of thousands of students. "I don't care," about the changing economics, said McKee, who plans to develop a new seminar which he will deliver online. "My quest is: How can I make these irreducible components of story clearer so that people will get it faster and better?"

In a last minute U-turn, two days before the tournament's opening match, international soccer governing body FIFA said on Friday that alcoholic beer would not be sold at Qatar's World Cup stadiums. Now fans can only consume beer at the FIFA Fan Festival in Doha. "Not having alcohol is not good because the World Cup it's a party of the world," said Brazilian fan Julio Cesar, wearing a felt hat in his country's colours. The 2022 World Cup is the first edition of the tournament held in a conservative Muslim country with strict controls on alcohol, the consumption of which is banned in public. For the fans unfazed by Qatar's dire human rights record, the absence of beer at World Cup venues has proven a major disappointment.

☆ Cathie Wood's Innovation ETF draws $1 billion despite a 60% loss. Here's why investors are standing by her
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Rather, Cathie Wood's loyal investors have been doubling down on her disruptive strategy this year. Wood's flagship Ark Innovation ETF (ARKK) has reeled in $1.3 billion in new money year to date despite a 60% loss, and that is among the top 3% of all exchange-traded funds in the U.S., according to FactSet. Because of the slight weighting, they could afford to be more loyal and patient despite the drastic drawdown. The Innovation fund is focused on advanced technology companies in areas such as genomics, robotics, internet and fintech. She has been buying the dip in her favorite growth names all year, and so have many of her investors.

☆ Cathie Wood, unfazed by crypto collapse and Twitter mayhem, doubles down on Coinbase and Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A crypto crash, worsening results and insider selling didn't faze Ark Invest's Cathie Wood, who this week doubled down on a of host of her innovation stocks, including Coinbase , Tesla and Roblox . Wood snapped up shares of six companies for her flagship ARK Innovation ETF on Wednesday, including adding to some of her largest holdings, Zoom Video and Tesla. The popular investor has been adding to her Coinbase stake for two straight days, purchasing 420,000 shares Tuesday and 207,527 shares Wednesday for ARKK. Shares of the crypto exchange plunged 19.3% over the past two days as bitcoin dropped to its lowest since November 2020 amid the potential collapse of popular crypto exchange FTX. Wedbush's Dan Ives removed Tesla from the firm's "Best Ideas list" after what he called a "very nervous few months" for Tesla shareholders amid the "Twitter train wreck disaster."

☆ Cathie Wood's Innovation ETF surges 13%, on track for its best day ever
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Cathie Wood's flagship ARK Innovation ETF staged a dramatic relief rally Thursday on the back of an easing inflation reading . ARKK's biggest holding Zoom Video popped about 12%, while Tesla jumped nearly 7%. The innovation investor has been calling deflation for some time, betting the high prices were caused by temporary Covid-related supply issue. The innovation investor just doubled down on a slew of her favorite stocks this week, unfazed by the turmoil in many of these names. Wood snapped up shares of six companies Wednesday, including adding to some of her largest holdings Zoom Video and Tesla.

☆ Why Twitter's downloads and usage have surged following Elon Musk's takeover
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Twitter downloads and usage have surged. Elon Musk's leadership of Twitter so far has proved chaotic and unnerving for workers and advertisers, but users appear unfazed: Both the app's average daily downloads and daily average usage have increased considerably. According to data from Apptopia, daily downloads for November are already up 28% compared to October. Why Twitter usage may be soaring. An AI version of Elon Musk talked with us about Twitter, Trump, and Tesla.

HILLTOP, West Bank, Nov 7 (Reuters) - High atop a rocky hill in the occupied West Bank, Israeli settlers exhilarated by a resounding right-wing election triumph surveyed a landscape dotted with Palestinian villages, scouting new spots to put down roots. But among ideological settlers who see themselves as pioneers redeeming Biblical heartland promised by God, hopes are already high for budgets, construction and infrastructure to keep their enterprise thriving. "I sense a chill down my spine coming back to the very places where my ancestors lived," said Baruch Gordon from the settlement of Bet El, where Religious Zionism election banners dot the streets. More than 450,000 people, or less than 5% of Israel's population, are Jewish settlers in the West Bank, home to about 3 million Palestinians who exercise limited self-rule there. About 80% of Bet El's votes went to Religious Zionism, data from the Knesset's election committee showed, and almost 10% to Netanyahu's Likud.

That has given some consumers an opening to spend liberally this holiday shopping season. "Despite the pandemic, holiday sales have grown at a historic pace for the 2020 and 2021 holiday seasons," the economists wrote. "This year, with pandemic fears now largely in the rearview mirror, consumers are looking forward to a more typical holiday shopping season." But simple math dictates that consumers are eventually going to run out of ways to spend, they write. Holiday plansBut consumers should hold up well this holiday season, experts say.

☆ Herschel Walker supporters dismiss the GOP nominee's scandals and say they're focused on boosting Republican control of the Senate: 'We all have our issues'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

At a Saturday rally in Georgia, Herschel Walker supporters dismissed his campaign's controversies. Walker repeatedly blasted his Democratic rival for what he said was an embrace of Biden's agenda. Amid reports that Walker allegedly paid for the abortions of at least two women, rallygoers were largely unfazed by the developments. Frank said it was "more than too important" for Republicans to regain control of the Senate next week. Georgia GOP lieutenant governor nominee Burt Jones speaks before a Herschel Walker rally at The Classic Center in Athens, Ga., on November 5, 2022.

☆ 'I don't lose sleep': Bank of America CEO isn't worried about financing the Twitter deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The CEO of Bank of America , one of the financiers of Elon Musk's Twitter takeover, doesn't appear worried about the deal. In an interview with CNBC on Friday, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, seemed unfazed however. When asked if he would lose sleep over the deal, he said: "I've got experts that handle the clients and I don't lose sleep on them. I lose sleep for a lot of other things, but not for that." When the acquisition closes, the funds will be handed to Musk to finance the deal.

☆ A couple ditched the corporate life to drive around the world. Here's how they're paying for it
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Natalie Tham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy MagennisBut their money quickly ran out, Williams said. Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy MagennisThe van, which they named Helen, has many of the utilities of a regular home. Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy Magennis"Most nights we cook in the van," Magennis said. Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy MagennisThe couple wanted to travel through Russia but the war thwarted their plans, Magennis said. Source: Bradley Williams, Cazzy Magennis

☆ Republicans and Democrats find sympathy for John Fetterman after his post-stroke debate performance: 'Certainly not gonna slam a man who's had a health challenge'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"But he needed way more time to be able to process effectively," McFarland, the chair of Lehigh County's Democratic Committee, told Insider on Wednesday. During the one-hour showdown against his Republican rival Mehmet Oz, Fetterman at times struggled to get his message across clearly, speaking haltingly and stumbling on his words. James Carter, a 71-year-old Democratic voter, told Insider that Fetterman is simply not getting enough credit. "I kind of felt bad," Stacy Garrity, Pennsylvania's state treasurer, told Insider. "I don't even think that John Fetterman should be running," Beth Gdowik, a 59-year-old voter from the Lehigh Valley area, told Insider.

☆ Pennsylvania Democrats defend John Fetterman after his post-stroke debate performance: 'Oz looked like such a smirky schmuck'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Democrats in Pennsylvania have continued to defend John Fetterman after his debate performance. John Fetterman make his case to voters in Pennsylvania's Senate debate on Tuesday evening, one thing became clear to her: time was not on his side. During the one-hour showdown against his Republican rival Mehmet Oz, Fetterman at times struggled to get his message across clearly, speaking haltingly and stumbling on his words. James Carter, a 71-year-old Democratic voter, told Insider that Fetterman is simply not getting enough credit. Some Republicans hope Tuesday's debate, the first and only one before Election Day, would push Oz ahead in the polls.

☆ I'm a Twitter employee. Here's what it's like at the company a day before Musk's purchase deadline.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Tekendra Parmar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk is likely to acquire Twitter on Friday, six months after first offering to buy it. One employee described trying to work out who'd be at risk if major layoffs were to happen. Elon Musk is obsessed with puns. I'd be more worried if Musk decides to wipe out teams indiscriminately because then it's just a roll of the dice. I'm still cautiously optimistic about Elon Musk taking over the company, but it's all contingent on how indiscriminate he is if and when he lays off 75% of the staff.

☆ In the span of a month, Kanye West has destroyed his empire
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has lost deals to the tune of billions of dollars this month. Ye later sent a box of the shirts to homeless people on Los Angeles' Skid Row in a move one local advocate said made "a mockery and political prop of Black Angelenos." Adidas and Gap cut their ties with Ye this week. A day later, fashion magazine Vogue and its editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, said they had no plans to continue working with him. This week, famed talent agency CAA dropped Ye, and film and TV studio MRC shelved a finished documentary on him.

☆ Unfazed by yen's slump, BOJ seen keeping ultra-low rates
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Authorities have struggled to tame the yen's relentless declines as investors focus on the BOJ's ultra-low interest rates that make it an outlier among a global wave of central banks tightening policy to combat soaring inflation. Some market participants speculate the BOJ could tweak its dovish policy guidance amid growing public discontent over the weak-yen effect of its ultra-loose monetary policy. "With the Fed determined to combat inflation, a minor policy tweak by the BOJ will do little to narrow the gap between U.S. and Japanese monetary policy," said Iwashita. In July, the BOJ forecast core consumer inflation to hit 2.3% in fiscal year 2022 before slowing to 1.4% the following year. It projects the economy to expand 2.4% in the current fiscal year and rise 2% in fiscal 2023.

☆ The sell-off in Chinese stocks is 'disconnected from fundamentals' and presents an opportunity to investors, JPMorgan's Marko Kolanovic says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

JPMorgan's Marko Kolanovic called the Chinese sell-off "disconnected from fundamentals." "We believe this is a good opportunity to add given an expected growth recovery," he said. But JPMorgan chief global markets strategist Marko Kolanovic is unfazed by Monday's decline, calling the sell-off "disconnected from fundamentals" and a buying opportunity for investors in a Monday note. He is ultimately betting that the Chinese economy will experience a recovery in growth as the COVID-19 pandemic begins to fade. We believe this is a good opportunity to add given an expected growth recovery, gradual COVID reopening, and monetary and fiscal stimulus," he said.

Iranian Americans rally outside the White House in support of anti-regime protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini, in Washington, U.S., September 24, 2022. Belgium's foreign minister and two other lawmakers cut their hair in parliament. "We are not looking to get involved in regime change," said a Western diplomat. Some officials and analysts argue Tehran may not seek a deal given the political sensitivities at home. "Why would we throw a lifeline to a regime that is on the ropes and that is killing young women?"

"There is more asset allocation towards baskets that combine the top five or 10 crypto assets by market cap. TICK BY TICKMost active crypto ETP products are registered outside the United States, though, with Switzerland, Canada, Australia and Brazil racing ahead with spot crypto offerings. One reason is that U.S. regulators have turned down several applications for spot bitcoin funds, which mirror the cryptocurrency's price movements tick-by-tick, citing multiple reasons including a lack of surveillance-sharing agreements with regulated markets relating to the spot funds' underlying assets. The world's largest bitcoin fund, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC.PK), is down 34% in the same time. At Grayscale's Bitcoin Trust, the AUM have tumbled to $12.2 billion from over $30 billion at the end of 2021, data from the firm showed.

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