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☆ Viral banana artwork has sold again — this time for $6.24 million
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Oscar Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But artist Maurizio Cattelan’s viral creation, titled “Comedian,” has proven a sound investment for one collector: One of the artwork’s three “editions” smashed estimates to sell for $6.24 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York on Wednesday. The auction house had estimated the work to go for between $1 million to $1.5 million; bidding began at $800,000. Prior to the sale, Sotheby’s confirmed to CNN that neither the tape nor, thankfully, the banana are the originals. The Miami installation was eventually removed amid public safety concerns, but all three editions were sold at the fair. In interviews given since the Miami installation, Cattelan has described “Comedian” as a work of commentary.

Persons: Maurizio Cattelan’s, ”, , Oliver Barker, Sotheby’s, Justin Sun, ” Sun, “, ’, Marcel Duchamp’s, David Datuna, David Galperin, ” Galperin Organizations: CNN, Art Basel Miami Beach, Guggenheim, Art Newspaper, Leeum Museum of Art, Seoul National University Locations: New York, Miami, Americas, Seoul, South Korea, London, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong, Dubai, Taipei, Tokyo, Los Angeles

☆ Oil prices firm as geopolitical tensions raise supply concerns
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A pump jack at an oil lot connected to the Petroleos del Peru SA Talara refinery in Piura, Peru, on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. Oil prices edged higher on Thursday due to supply concerns triggered by escalating geopolitical tensions amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Gasoline inventories last week rose more than forecast, while distillate stockpiles posted a larger-than-expected draw. Adding to supply, Norway's Equinor said it had restored full output capacity at the Johan Sverdrup oilfield in the North Sea following a power outage. However, a slowdown in Chinese and global demand, coupled with rising output outside the group, have potentially thwarted this plan.

Persons: Norway's Equinor, Johan Sverdrup Organizations: del, del Peru SA Talara, Brent, . West Texas, Storm, ATACMS, Energy Information Administration, Organization of, Petroleum Locations: del Peru, Piura, Peru, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Kyiv, OPEC

The stock market has always pulled back when valuations are stretched as they are now, according to Deutsche Bank macro strategist Henry Allen in a note to clients this week. "[T]urning points can happen quickly, and … when valuations are stretched to start with, there can be limited scope for further gains," Allen noted. "[E]xamples of high returns through history have often been followed by sizeable reversals." The bank cited lofty current readings in the Cyclically Adjusted Price-to-Earnings (CAPE) ratio developed by economist Robert Shiller, arguing that "the CAPE ratio for the S&P 500 has only been higher on two other occasions in the last century" than it is today. "Indeed, on both the occasions the CAPE ratio has got as high as it is today, there was then a significant correction."

Persons: Henry Allen, Allen, Robert Shiller, — Scott Schnipper Organizations: Deutsche Bank

☆ Britain’s 'mini-budget' disaster should serve as a warning to the U.S., bond strategists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesFears are mounting that the U.S. could soon experience its own version of Britain's "mini-budget" crisis, with bond strategists warning that Donald Trump's return to the White House brings with it the specter of currency volatility and surging bond yields. The former president's economic agenda has ratcheted up concerns about a surge in consumer prices, which strategists say could spark significant shifts in bond yields and investor behavior. They warn a scenario that mirrors Britain's mini-budget crisis of 2022 is not out of the question. watch nowBritain's mini-budget crisis refers to a tumultuous period under former Prime Minister Liz Truss and ex-Finance Minister Kwasi Kwarteng. Bond yields tend to rise when market participants expect higher consumer prices or a growing budget deficit.

Persons: Donald Trump, Donald Trump's, Trump, Remtulla, Liz Truss, Kwasi Kwarteng, Kwarteng, Althea Spinozzi, Trump's, Spinozzi, Angela Weiss, Paul Ashworth, Ashworth, Thierry Wizman, likelier, Wizman Organizations: Economic, of New, Bloomberg, Getty, EFG, CNBC, U.S ., Finance, U.S, Bank of England, Saxo Bank, White, Treasury, Traders, New York Stock Exchange, AFP, Capital Economics, Macquarie Group Locations: of New York, New York, U.S, Foreign, Treasurys, Treasuries, New York City, America

☆ More than half of non-retired US adults expect to rely on Social Security in retirement
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Social Security is by far one of the most popular government programs in the United States because it is critical for so many retirees’ financial security. More than half of non-retired US adults (53%) overall said they expect they will need to use Social Security to pay for necessary expenses, according to a new survey from Bankrate. Social Security benefits only replace a portion of Americans’ pre-retirement income. Indeed, only 31% of the non-retired adults surveyed said they are not planning to rely on Social Security benefits in retirement, with just 14% saying they will “not (be) at all” reliant on them. Their “normal retirement age” is 67 for the purposes of collecting Social Security benefits.

Persons: That’s, one’s, ’, they’ll, ”, Mark Hamrick, Bankrate —, —, Trump, they’ve, haven’t Organizations: CNN, Social, Security, —, Social Security, Bankrate, Social Security Administration Locations: United States

☆ Bitcoin climbs, reaching a new all-time high above $97,000
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Bitcoin breached the $95,000 level for the first time Wednesday evening as investors continued pricing in a second Donald Trump presidency. The price of the flagship cryptocurrency was last higher by more than 3% at $97,646.68, according to Coin Metrics. Earlier, it rose as high as $97,788.00. Shares of MicroStrategy , a bitcoin proxy, gained 3% in extended trading. Mining stocks rose as well, with Mara Holdings up 4%.

Persons: Bitcoin, Donald Trump, cryptocurrency, Mara Organizations: Metrics, Mara Holdings

☆ The DOJ wants Google to sell its Chrome browser. Here are the winners and losers if that happens.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Hugh Langley | Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The Justice Department on Wednesday asked the judge in its antitrust case against Google to force the company to sell its Chrome browser. "Advertisers would find competitors for their business, rather than needing to pay a dominant search engine." When you open Chrome and type something into the search bar at the top, these words are automatically transformed into a Google Search. And when there's an option for users, Google pays partners billions of dollars to set its search engine as the default. For instance, if most people click on the third result, Google's Search engine will likely adjust and rank that result higher in the future.

Persons: Mehta's, John Kwoka, Judge Mehta, Bing, There's, Bill Gurley, Sridhar Ramaswamy, Neeva, Ramaswamy, Teiffyon Parry, Equativ, Parry, Ben Thompson, John Gruber, Lee, Anne Mulholland Organizations: DOJ, Google, Department, Wednesday, Northeastern University, Chrome, Lens, Google's, Gmail, YouTube, Bloomberg

☆ Dollar pulls ahead as markets focus on Trump policies, Fed outlook
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

After stalling for three sessions, the greenback was back on the march higher, with investors lifting the dollar index measure against its key rivals closer to a one-year high of 107.07 hit last week. The dollar has rallied more than 2% since the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election on bets Trump's policies could reignite inflation and temper the Fed's future rate cuts. The dollar index held steady at 106.56, up from a one-week nadir hit in the previous session. "The Russia-Ukraine conflict is heating up, which is further denting sentiment towards the euro alongside the prospects of trade tariffs," another "bullish cue" for the dollar index given the euro's heavy weighting, City Index's Simpson said. The dollar gave up some gains against the yen, down 0.33% at 154.91 yen , although the Japanese currency remained under pressure.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Matt Simpson, CME's, Michelle Bowman, Lisa Cook, Index's Simpson, Kazuo Ueda, Sterling, bitcoin, Bitcoin Organizations: U.S, Federal Reserve, Wednesday, Storm, ATACMS, Bank of Japan, Bank of England's Locations: Europe, China, Russia, Ukraine, Paris

Voters in California have narrowly rejected a ballot measure that would have gradually increased the minimum wage in the state to $18 per hour, NBC News projected Wednesday. It’s the first time a ballot measure proposing to raise the statewide minimum wage has failed nationwide since 1996. Some cities within New York also implement a minimum wage of $16 per hour, while Washington state’s minimum wage is $16.26 per hour. The defeat is the first time in 28 years that a ballot measure to increase a state minimum wage was defeated. Meanwhile, ballot measures in two other states to increase the minimum wage overwhelmingly passed this month.

Persons: It’s, “ CalChamber, Jennifer Barrera, Gavin Newsom, Newsom Organizations: NBC News, U.S, California Chamber of Commerce, Democratic Gov, Washington, Voters, NBC Locations: California, New York, Missouri, Montana, Alaska

Big retailers’ fortunes are diverging as the holiday shopping season gets underway. On Wednesday, Target cited “lingering softness in discretionary categories” as a top factor in its disappointing third-quarter sales, as many budget-conscious shoppers continue to focus on necessities. It’s the latest sign that discounts will be the driving force this holiday season, as they’ve been for much of this year. “We’re starting to get back to normal here.”U.S. retail sales rose 0.4% overall in October, federal data showed last month, beating analysts’ forecasts. In the meantime, the steady expansion of e-commerce looks set to continue this holiday season.

Persons: ”, Brad Thomas, they’ve, TJ Maxx, John David Rainey, “ We’re, “ They’re, they’re, ” Thomas, Matthew Shay, TransUnion, Neil Saunders, Saunders, Helene, Milton, who’ve, ” Saunders Organizations: Target, Walmart, KeyBanc, Marshalls, CNBC, “, National Retail Federation, GlobalData, NBC

After flatlining the week before, mortgage demand rose last week, despite mortgage rates increasing for the fourth straight week. Total application volume climbed 1.7% compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index. Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home rose 2% for the week but were 1% lower than the same week one year ago. Purchase demand was driven by conventional and FHA loans, with FHA purchase applications seeing a 7% increase. Mortgage rates are about flat so far this week, according to a separate survey from Mortgage News Daily.

Persons: ”, Joel Kan, Matthew Graham Organizations: Mortgage, Mortgage News Locations: Ukraine, Russia

☆ What to know about Transgender Day of Remembrance and violence against trans people
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Wednesday is Transgender Day of Remembrance, which focuses on trans people who have lost their lives because of violence. What is Transgender Day of Remembrance? Transgender Day of Remembrance is marked every Nov. 20 and began in 1999 to honor Rita Hester, a trans woman who was killed in Massachusetts. International Transgender Day of Visibility, which is designed to bring attention to transgender people, is commemorated in March. Rita Hester is pictured on a poster in Boston for Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Persons: Rita Hester, Jessica Rinaldi, Pauly, Jr, Donald Trump Organizations: Transgender, Williams Institute, UCLA Law, Boston Globe, Getty, Human, Rights, U.S, Supreme Locations: Massachusetts, U.S, Boston, Pennsylvania

Target reported earnings Wednesday that came in far below Wall Street's expectations, something the big-box retailer attributed to slower-than-expected demand. The company announced profits that missed forecasts by 20%, its widest miss in two years. Broader stock trading did not immediately react, however, as Wall Street awaits earnings from chipmaker Nvidia, which has helped power the market higher throughout the year. Target's report comes a day after rival Walmart reported earnings and revenues that beat expectations. “We’re expecting this holiday period to be very consistent with that,” Walmart Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey told CNBC.

Persons: Brian Cornell, Michael Fiddelke, “ We’re, John David Rainey, “ They’re Organizations: Target, Nvidia, Walmart, CNBC

☆ Greeks go on general strike demanding higher pay
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

ATHENS — Ships docked at Greek ports, and railway and bus services were disrupted on Wednesday as transport workers, hospital doctors, school teachers together with construction workers joined a nationwide strike to protest squeezed living standards and demand higher pay. Many Greeks saw their wages and pensions slashed in return for bailouts worth 280 billion euros ($297 billion) during a 2009-2018 debt crisis which shaved a quarter off Greece’s economic output and nearly pushed the country out of the eurozone. Workers were expected to protest in central Athens later on Wednesday. The strike comes as the government submits later on Wednesday its final 2025 budget to the 300-seat parliament for debate before a vote due next month. The draft budget sees economic growth of 2.3% next year and higher tax revenues thanks to expanding digital payments and booming property sales.

Persons: Kyriakos Mitsotakis, ”, Greece —, Mitsotakis Organizations: ATHENS — Ships, Workers Locations: ATHENS, Greece, Athens

☆ We're making another trim of a stock under pressure to protect hard-fought profits
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

We're selling 165 shares of Best Buy at roughly $86 each. Following Wednesday's trade, Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust will own 600 shares of BBY, decreasing its weighting to about 1.5% from 1.9%. BBY YTD mountain Best Buy YTD On Wednesday, however, we're selling some Best Buy shares for another reason: discipline. But we have to acknowledge that Best Buy competes with the big three on electronics. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.

Persons: Jim Cramer's, Donald Trump, There's, Jim Cramer, Jim Organizations: Federal Reserve, Walmart, Amazon, Costco —, TJX Companies, CNBC Locations: BBY, Williams, Sonoma

☆ Target sounds the alarm bell on holiday shopping
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Target is expecting a surprisingly weak holiday shopping season, a warning sign for the retail industry. The holiday shopping season is pivotal for retailers. While Target can survive a weak holiday season, many smaller companies depend on strong sales during the holidays. But Target has also slumped because of its merchandise mix and higher prices compared to rivals like Walmart. Walmart raised its financial outlook, a signal it expects a strong holiday shopping season.

Organizations: New, New York CNN, Target, Walmart, Costco Locations: New York

☆ Credit expert with over 20 years experience: 'Nothing good' comes from maxing out your card
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Nearly 40% of cardholders in the U.S. have maxed out a credit card or come close to doing so, according to Bankrate's October credit utilization survey. "Nothing good comes out of running up large balances on credit cards," says John Ulzheimer, a credit expert with over 20 years experience who formerly worked for FICO and Experian. It accounts for 30% of how your FICO credit score is calculated and is an "extremely influential" factor used to generate your VantageScore credit score. Maxing out your credit card can throw off your credit utilization ratio, thus harming your overall score. Why it's worth keeping your credit utilization lowThe credit scoring agencies didn't arbitrarily decide to make your credit utilization ratio an important part of your score, Ulzheimer says.

Persons: John Ulzheimer, Bankrate, Ulzheimer, They've Organizations: FICO Locations: cardholders, U.S

☆ Cheaper turkeys help bring down Thanksgiving dinner costs this year
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Vanessa Yurkevich | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Thanksgiving dinner will cost less this year than last but will still be 19% higher than before the pandemic, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual Thanksgiving survey out Wednesday. The average cost of this year’s dinner for 10 people is $58.08, or about $5.80 per person, the survey found. The center piece of the Thanksgiving meal, the turkey, helped bring down the overall cost. But items like cubed stuffing and dinner rolls both increased by 8% because of higher labor costs, the AFBF said. The cost of the Thanksgiving dinner items varies based on location, the survey found.

Persons: ”, Bernt Nelson, “, Zippy Duvall, Joe Biden, Donald Trump Organizations: CNN, American Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau Federation, Cranberries, Farm Bureau Locations: Puerto Rico, Midwest

☆ Gold gains on softer dollar, widening Russia-Ukraine tensions
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Close up stack of gold bars, financial wealth concepts and businessGold prices rose for a third consecutive session to a one-week high on Wednesday, driven by a softer dollar and escalating Russia-Ukraine tensions that raised the demand for safe-haven assets. Spot gold added 0.32% to $2,640.19 per ounce by 0323 GMT, its highest since Nov. 11. The U.S. dollar rally paused after hitting a one-year high last week, making bullion more appealing to buyers holding other currencies. The market is adjusting its expectations for the Fed's cuts next year as inflation is becoming a bigger concern, which could be negative for gold, Spivak added. Spot silver was steady at 31.22 per ounce, platinum added 0.1% to $975.10 at $973.90 and palladium flat at $1,035.43.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Washington, Ilya Spivak, Donald Trump's, Spivak, Jeffrey Schmid Organizations: U.S ., Federal Reserve, U.S Locations: Russia, Ukraine, , Kansas

☆ What Trump's return to the White House could mean for global bond yields
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesDonald Trump's U.S. election victory has ratcheted up concerns about higher prices, prompting strategists to rethink the outlook for global bond yields and currencies. Trump's return to the White House is seen as likely to throw a wrench in the Federal Reserve's rate-cutting cycle, potentially keeping an upward bias on Treasury yields. Bond yields tend to rise when market participants expect higher prices or a growing budget deficit. "Trump's election advances both possibilities as a trade war and increased fiscal spending work at cross purposes," he added. Germany's 10-year bond yield, the benchmark for the euro zone, stood at 2.337% on Wednesday, marginally lower for the session.

Persons: Donald Trump, Donald Trump's, Alim Remtulla, Remtulla, Kamala Harris, there's, Trump, There's, Shannon Kirwin, Kirwin, Sameer Goel, CNBC's, doesn't, Goel, MUFG Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, EFG, Fed, CNBC, Treasury, Democratic, New York Stock Exchange, China News Service, Morningstar, European Union, Deutsche Bank, Trump, U.S, U.S ., Singapore, Malaysian, South Korean, ING Locations: Greensboro , North Carolina, Europe, United States, New York City, U.S, Mexico, Asia, China

If the Fed doesn't cut rates in December, we may see mortgage rates inch up. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowWhat Are Today's Mortgage Refinance Rates? See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. Current 30-Year Mortgage RatesAverage 30-year mortgage rates are hovering around 6.60%, according to Zillow data. But now that inflation has decelerated and the Fed has started cutting rates, mortgage rates have trended down compared to where they were a year ago.

Persons: Jerome Powell, It's, they've, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Fed, Mortgage Research, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, ARM, . Government Locations: Chevron, Government

☆ The 10-year Treasury yield is looming as a potential anchor on stocks
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The runup in the 10-year Treasury yield is proving to be more than a short-term fluctuation, and that is starting to draw nervous looks on Wall Street. US10Y 3M mountain The 10-year Treasury yield started to climb ahead of the election and has moved higher still after Donald Trump's victory. With the 10-year yield close to a key psychological level of 4.5%, there is concern that another move higher could lead to a downturn in the stock market. If the 10-year yield does break through the 4.5% level, technical patterns suggest it could make a significant climb. Strong economic growth and optimism around artificial intelligence are two reasons why stocks may be able to tolerate higher rates, said Solita Marcelli, UBS global wealth management chief investment officer for the Americas.

Persons: Bond, Donald Trump's, Wolfe, Chris Senyek, Trump, Senyek, Paul Ciana, Stocks, Solita Marcelli, Marcelli Organizations: Treasury, Wolfe Research, Bank of America, UBS Locations: 1Q25

☆ Nvidia's stock will continue working higher, says Wells Fargo's Aaron Rakers
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNvidia's stock will continue working higher, says Wells Fargo's Aaron RakersAaron Rakers, Wells Fargo managing director and technology analyst, join 'Power Lunch' to discuss Nvidia ahead of earnings.

Persons: Wells Fargo's Aaron Rakers Aaron Rakers, Wells Organizations: Nvidia Locations: Wells Fargo

☆ Social Security beneficiaries to soon receive notices revealing the size of their 2025 benefit checks
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Westend61 | GettyA new 2.5% cost-of-living adjustmentIn 2025, retirement benefits will increase by about $50 per month, on average, according to the Social Security Administration. Medicare Part B premiums are often deducted directly from Social Security checks. Beneficiaries can also request to have Medicare Advantage or Part D premiums deducted from Social Security benefit payments, according to Mary Johnson, an independent Social Security and Medicare analyst. Income changes may prompt higher taxesSocial Security beneficiaries may request to have withholding for federal taxes deducted from their benefit payments. Social Security benefits are taxed on a formula called combined income — the sum of adjusted gross income, nontaxable interest and half of Social Security benefits.

Persons: Joe Elsasser, Mary Johnson, Jim Blair, Brian Vosberg Organizations: Getty, Social Security Administration, Social Security, Medicare, Centers, Services, Social, Premier Social Security Consulting, Security, Vosberg Wealth Management Locations: Glendora , California

☆ UK inflation rises sharply to 2.3% in October, above expectations
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON — U.K. inflation picked up sharply to a higher-than-expected 2.3% in October, data from the British Office for National Statistics showed Wednesday. The hike marks a sharp increase from the 1.7% rise recorded in September and exceeds the 2.2% forecast of economists polled by Reuters. The latest print once again brings inflation above the Bank of England's 2% target, potentially dampening the prospects of a final interest rate cut this year. Core inflation, which excludes energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, came in at 3.3% for the month, up slightly from 3.2% in September. The uptick was anticipated in part due to an increase in the regulator-set energy price cap that took effect in October, which is expected to lead to higher energy price inflation over the colder winter months.

Persons: Price Organizations: British Office, National Statistics, Reuters, Bank of England's, Institute of Chartered Accountants Locations: England, Wales

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