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☆ OpenAI delays rolling out its 'Voice Mode' to July
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken, March 11, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights New Tab , opens new tabJune 25 (Reuters) - ChatGPT maker OpenAI said on Tuesday that it was delaying the release of its "Voice Mode" feature by a month to July because of technical issues. We're also working on improving the user experience and preparing our infrastructure to scale to millions while maintaining real-time responses," OpenAI said in a post on social media platform X. OpenAI is also working on rolling out new video and screen-sharing capabilities. Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Pooja DesaiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, OpenAI, We're, Juby Babu, Pooja Desai Organizations: REUTERS, ChatGPT, Thomson Locations: Mexico City

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., February 24, 2022. "Presently, the markets price in around a 125bp (basis points) cut from the Fed next year," Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior market analyst at Swissquote Bank, said in a note. Investors will also parse data on U.S. services sector activity from S&P Global and the Institute for Supply Management on Tuesday. ET, Dow e-minis were down 115 points, or 0.32%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 20 points, or 0.44%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 103 points, or 0.65%. Reporting by Amruta Khandekar and Shristi Achar A; Editing by Pooja DesaiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Caitlin Ochs, Ozkardeskaya, Amruta Khandekar, Pooja Desai Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Dow, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Fed, Swissquote Bank, Labor Department, P Global, Institute for Supply Management, Nvidia, Dow e, CVS, PDD Holdings, Baidu, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S

☆ Trucking firm XPO to buy bankrupt Yellow's service centers for $870 mln
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Yellow Corp. trailers sit idle at a YRC shipping facility in North Reading, Massachusetts, U.S., August 16, 2023. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDec 5 (Reuters) - Trucking company XPO Inc (XPO.N) won a bid to buy 28 service centers of bankrupt Yellow Corp for $870 million in a closely watched auction of the nearly 100-year-old firm's assets. Yellow, formerly known as YRC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in August after blaming the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union for its demise. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware will hold a hearing on Dec. 12 to approve the bids. Yellow's bankruptcy process was closely watched after its demise potentially saddled U.S. taxpayers with losses stemming from a government rescue.

Persons: Brian Snyder, XPO, Jonathan Chappell, XPO's, Aishwarya Jain, Pooja Desai, Krishna Chandra Organizations: Yellow Corp, REUTERS, Trucking, XPO Inc, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Walmart, Evercore ISI, Estes Express Lines, Swift Transportation Holdings, U.S, Bankruptcy, Thomson Locations: North Reading , Massachusetts, U.S, North America, Delaware

☆ Tech firms, Wall Street lead job cuts in Corporate America
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA AND TELECOM SECTORMeta Platforms (META.O):The Facebook-parent said it would cut 10,000 jobs, just four months after it let go 11,000 employees. read moreMicrosoft Corp (MSFT.O):The U.S. tech giant said it would cut 10,000 jobs by the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2023. The company laid off under 1,000 employees across several divisions in October, Axios reported, citing a source. Workday (WDAY.O):The software company will cut roughly 500 jobs, or 3% of its workforce, citing a challenging macroeconomic environment. Morgan Stanley (MS.N):The Wall Street powerhouse was planning to cut about 3,000 jobs in the second quarter ended June 30, Reuters reported in May.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Goldman Sachs, Axios, Pat Gelsinger, Elon Musk, Morgan Stanley, Lazard, Coinbase, cryptocurrencies, Phillips, Johnson, Joseph Wolk, Deborah Sophia, Akash Sriram, Granth Vanaik, Eva Mathews, Yuvraj Malik, Sourasis Bose, Priyamvada, Tiyashi Datta, Manya Saini, Jaspreet Singh, Maju Samuel, Sriraj Kalluvila, Pooja Desai Organizations: REUTERS, TELECOM, Meta, Facebook, IBM Corp, Spotify Technology SA, Spotify, Microsoft Corp, Intel Corp, Reuters, New York Times, Elon, Cisco Systems, HP, Rivian, Match, Dell Technologies, Technologies, U.S . Central Intelligence Agency, Goldman Sachs, Wall, Citigroup, Bloomberg News, BlackRock, Bed, Dow, Johnson, 3M, Thomson Locations: New, Wall, U.S, York, New Jersey, Bengaluru

☆ Ford's US vehicle sales slip 0.5% in November
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDec 4 (Reuters) - Ford Motor (F.N) posted a 0.5% drop in U.S. new vehicle sales for November on Monday, as the automaker worked to restart some of its key plants following a lengthy workers' strike that impacted vehicle production. Ford reached a deal with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union in late October, ending an over month-long strike the company said will cost it $1.7 billion. Ford's CFO John Lawler said in October restarting the plants would be complicated after the deal, which UAW workers ratified in November. Sales of Ford's electric vehicles jumped 43.2%, to 8,958 units from a year ago, the automaker said on Monday. The company reported total sales of 145,559 vehicles in November, compared with 146,364 units last year.

Persons: David, Dee, Delgado, Ford, John Lawler, Nathan Gomes, Pooja Desai Organizations: New York, REUTERS, Ford, United Auto Workers, UAW, Detroit Three, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Bengaluru

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., February 24, 2022. Pressuring equities on Monday were higher U.S. Treasury yields, which made returns on stocks less attractive. However, some analysts have cautioned that markets have been too quick to price in lower interest rates. The S&P index recorded eight new 52-week highs and no new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 46 new highs and 17 new lows. Reporting by Amruta Khandekar and Shristi Achar A; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Pooja DesaiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Caitlin Ochs, Jerome Powell, It's, Sam Stovall, Stovall, Santa Claus, advancers, Amruta Khandekar, Anil D'Silva, Pooja Desai Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Companies Alaska Air, Hawaiian Holdings, Dow, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Treasury, Nvidia, Apple, Traders, Research, Alaska Air Group, Dow Jones, Marathon, NYSE, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, New York, Santa, Israel, Red

☆ Canada's Brookfield raises record $28 billion for infrastructure fund
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 1 (Reuters) - Canada's Brookfield Asset Management (BAM.TO) said on Friday it had raised $28 billion for its largest-ever fund, wagering on infrastructure assets the company believes would benefit from a shift to "deglobalization", given recent geopolitical tensions. Brookfield said the fund has already deployed 40% of its capital in six investments including renewable, transport, data center and telecom tower assets. The company, which manages over $850 billion in assets, said it had also raised $2 billion for related co-investment vehicles. Besides "deglobalization", Brookfield's latest fund will also focus on infrastructure assets tied to digitalization and decarbonization, the company said. The company had raised $20 billion for its previous global infrastructure fund in 2020.

Persons: Brookfield, Niket, Pooja Desai Organizations: Brookfield Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Brookfield, Ukraine, Bengaluru

☆ Apple, Paramount discuss bundling their streaming services - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Toy figures of people are seen in front of the displayed Paramount + logo, in this illustration taken January 20, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDec 1 (Reuters) - Apple (AAPL.O) and Paramount Global (PARA.O) have discussed bundling their streaming services at a discount, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The companies have talked about offering a combined Paramount+ and Apple TV+ offering that would cost less than subscribing to both services separately, the report said, citing people familiar with the discussions. The talks are in their early stages, and it is unclear what shape the bundle could take, the report added. Apple and Paramount did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Chavi Mehta, Pooja Desai Organizations: REUTERS, Paramount Global, Wall Street, Paramount, Apple, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDec 1 (Reuters) - Retailers like Amazon.com and Foot Locker are signaling optimism for holiday season sales after stronger-than-expected figures during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as heavy discounts lured budget-strained customers on the peak U.S. shopping days. Early estimates on holiday shopping have been encouraging to some investors after retailers sounded cautious notes in the lead-up to the season. "We know we're buying for wallet share with a value-conscious consumer this holiday season. Deep discounts have been a key feature heading into this year's holiday shopping season and holiday discounts could get even bigger in December, according to some retail executives. Kohl's (KSS.N) CEO Tom Kingsbury said last week the company was "coming out on holiday very aggressively in terms of promotions."

Persons: Mike Segar, Jimmy Lee, we've, Mary Dillon, Tom Kingsbury, Cos, Jason Benowitz, Deborah Sophia, Juby Babu, Pooja Desai Organizations: REUTERS, Adobe Analytics, National Retail Federation, Wealth Consulting, Amazon, Black, BofA, Walmart, Abercrombie, Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Roosevelt, Thomson Locations: Robbinsville , New Jersey, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Canada's TD Bank's fourth-quarter profit falls on higher provisions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 30 (Reuters) - TD Bank Group (TD.TO) reported a fall in its fourth-quarter profit on Thursday, as Canada's second-largest lender set aside more rainy-day funds to cover for potential sour loans. Peer Scotiabank (BNS.TO), which kicked off the Canadian banks' earnings season on Tuesday, also earmarked higher funds to prepare for potential loan losses, dragging its profit down. TD's net interest income - the difference between what banks earn on loans and pay out on deposits - fell nearly 1.8%, to C$7.49 billion. The lender's personal and commercial business posted a 1% decrease in net income, while the U.S. retail unit dipped 17%. The bank's adjusted net income fell to C$3.51 billion ($2.58 billion), or C$1.83 per share, for the three months ended Oct. 31, from C$4.07 billion, or C$2.18 per share, a year earlier.

Persons: Arasu Kannagi Basil, Shilpi Majumdar, Pooja Desai Organizations: Bank Group, Bank of Canada, PCL, Scotiabank, Thomson Locations: U.S, Bengaluru

☆ US Thanksgiving weekend sales hit record $38 bln on big discounts - report
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Deborah Mary Sophia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Shoppers crowd a Walmart store ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. November 27, 2019. Online consumer spending jumped 7.8% during Cyber Week, or the five days from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, according to data from Adobe Analytics, outstripping initial expectations for a 5.4% rise. But blockbuster deals rolled out from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday helped spread the holiday cheer for bargain-hunters. Sales on Cyber Monday jumped a better-than-expected 9.6% to a record $12.4 billion, as shoppers clicked "buy" on Hot Wheels toys, PlayStation 5, smart watches and kitchen appliances. Reuters GraphicsAdobe said discounts peaked at 31% for electronics and at 27% for toys on Cyber Monday, which is typically the biggest online shopping day in the U.S.

Persons: Kamil Krzaczynski, Vivek Pandya, trouncing, Klarna, Deborah Sophia, Juby Babu, Pooja Desai Organizations: Walmart, REUTERS, Adobe Analytics, Deloitte, Adobe Digital, Graphics Adobe, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ US Thanksgiving weekend sales hit record on big discounts, online boost
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Deborah Mary Sophia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

More than 200 million shoppers tapped into promotions both in-store and online during the Thanksgiving weekend, the National Retail Federation (NRF) said on Tuesday. That was a jump from the 196 million shoppers seen last year and trumped the trade association's estimates of 182 million. Online shoppers rose 3.1% to 134.2 million, making up for a slight dip in the number of customers who visited brick-and-mortar stores. The weekend saw about 121.4 million in-store shoppers, down from 122.7 million in 2022, according to the retail body. Adobe said discounts peaked at 31% for electronics and at 27% for toys on Cyber Monday, which is typically the biggest online shopping day in the U.S.

Persons: Kamil Krzaczynski, Matthew Shay, Vivek Pandya, trouncing, Klarna, Deborah Sophia, Juby Babu, Pooja Desai Organizations: Walmart, REUTERS, Adobe Analytics, Deloitte, National Retail Federation, Shoppers, Adobe Digital, Adobe, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Bengaluru

Nov 27 (Reuters) - Activist investor Elliott Investment Management on Monday said it was ready to nominate directors at Crown Castle International and push for the ouster of the wireless tower owner's executives and board members, whom it blames for years of underperformance. The hedge fund in a letter released on Monday said the company needs "comprehensive leadership change." It said it was ready to appeal to other shareholders to make changes to the 12-member board, signaling a possible proxy fight next year. Elliott sharply criticized management and the board saying a "lack of oversight ... contributed to its irresponsible stewardship and flawed financial policy." The hedge fund said the company "disregarded our data-driven analysis" and added that "our recommended changes were neither made nor taken seriously."

Persons: Elliott, Jesse Cohn, Jason Genrich, Jay Brown, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Pooja Desai, Mark Porter Organizations: Investment Management, Crown Castle International, SBA Communications, Intelligence, Svea, Thomson Locations: Houston, Providence, Bengaluru

☆ US Cyber Monday online sales set to cross $12 billion as big discounts lure shoppers - report
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Boxes ready to be delivered are seen during Cyber Monday at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Robbinsville Township in New Jersey, U.S., November 28, 2022. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 27 (Reuters) - U.S. shoppers looking for steep discounts are set to boost Cyber Monday online sales to a record $12 billion to $12.4 billion, splurging on products like Barbie dolls and headphones, data from Adobe Analytics showed. The midpoint of the range represents a jump of nearly 8%, better than Adobe's initial forecast of a 6.1% rise to $12 billion, easing concerns of a lackluster 2023 holiday shopping season. Salesforce also predicted Cyber Monday online sales would grow in the high-single-digit percentage range, both globally and in the United States. Reporting by Juby Babu and Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja DesaiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Eduardo Munoz, Barbie, Salesforce, Juby Babu, Deborah Sophia, Pooja Desai Organizations: REUTERS, Adobe Analytics, Thomson Locations: Robbinsville Township, New Jersey, U.S, United States, Bengaluru

☆ Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway exits India's Paytm in $165 million deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBENGALURU, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Billionaire Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N) has exited India's Paytm (PAYT.NS) after selling its entire stake in the company for about 13.71 billion rupees ($164.70 million) through a bulk deal on Friday. Berkshire Hathaway's BH International Holdings has sold more than 15.6 million shares of the digital payments firm, with a weighted average price of 877.29 rupees per share, exchange data showed. Who the buyers of the Paytm shares are is not known. Paytm did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for additional details, while Berkshire was not available for comment. As of September 2023, BH International Holdings had a 2.46% stake in the company, as per exchange data.

Persons: Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, Paytm, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Hritam Mukherjee, Sonia Cheema, Pooja Desai Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, ., Holdings, BH International Holdings, SoftBank, HK, Ant, Thomson Locations: Kolkata, India, . Berkshire, Berkshire, Bengaluru

☆ Wall St climbs before holiday; investors optimistic Fed done hiking rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Caroline Valetkevitch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Still, stocks have risen sharply in recent weeks on the view the Fed is done hiking rates. Big tech-related shares were among those giving the S&P 500 its biggest boost. Communication services (.SPLRCL) rose 0.9%, leading S&P 500 gains in all sectors except for energy (.SPNY), which fell 0.1%. Among the day's negatives, Nvidia's (NVDA.O) shares fell 2.5%, a day after the chip designer forecast overall fourth-quarter revenue above Wall Street targets, but warned U.S. export curbs could lead to a steep drop in sales in China. The S&P 500 posted 45 new 52-week highs and one new low; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 89 new highs and 104 new lows.

Persons: Quincy Krosby, Brendan McDermid, decliners, Caroline Valetkevitch, Amruta Khandekar, Maju Samuel, Pooja Desai, Richard Chang Organizations: Deere, Dow, Nasdaq, Federal, Financial, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Dow Jones, Communication, Wall, U.S, Deere & Co, NYSE, Thomson Locations: China, Charlotte , North Carolina, New York City, U.S

☆ Wall St gains before holiday, investors optimistic Fed done raising rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Caroline Valetkevitch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 15, 2023. Among the day's economic data, the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week. Still, stocks have risen sharply in recent weeks on the view that Fed is done hiking rates. She said stocks tend to rise just before the Thanksgiving holiday and also to rally heading into year-end. The S&P 500 posted 45 new 52-week highs and one new low; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 80 new highs and 89 new lows.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Quincy Krosby, Caterpillar, decliners, Amruta Khandekar, Maju Samuel, Pooja Desai, Richard Chang Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Deere, Dow, Nasdaq, Financial, U.S, Dow Jones, Wall, Deere & Co, NYSE, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, China, Charlotte , North Carolina

☆ Medical device maker Medtronic raises fiscal 2024 profit view
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Medtronic Plc logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, April 10, 2023. Medtronic joins medical device makers including Abbott Laboratories (ABT.N) and Boston Scientific(BSX.N) that have benefited from soaring demand for non-urgent surgeries. It now expects profit to be between $5.13 per share and $5.19 per share for the fiscal year 2024, above the range of $5.08 per share to $5.16 per share expected previously. On an adjusted basis, the Dublin-based company reported a profit of $1.25 per share for the second quarter, above analysts' average estimate of $1.18 per share, according to LSEG data. Reporting by Khushi Mandowara and Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja DesaiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Medtronic, Khushi Mandowara, Christy Santhosh, Pooja Desai Organizations: REUTERS, Abbott, Abbott Laboratories, Boston, Thomson Locations: Dublin, Bengaluru

The Nasdaq boasted its highest closing level since July 31 while the S&P 500 registered its highest close since Aug. 1. Its biggest boost came from Microsoft (MSFT.O) shares which touched a record high and ended up 2%. The benchmark S&P 500 (.SPX) ended less than 1% below its 2023 closing peak reached in late July. Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., October 27, 2023. The S&P 500 posted 29 new 52-week highs and one new low; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 78 new highs and 90 new lows.

Persons: Bristol Myers, Satya Nadella, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Bruce Zaro, Dow, Brendan McDermid, Germany's Bayer, decliners, Sinéad Carew, Amruta, Maju Samuel, Pooja Desai, Richard Chang Organizations: Microsoft, Bristol, Dow, Nasdaq, Nasdaq's, Nvidia, Apple, Granite Wealth Management, Dow Jones, Federal, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Graphics, Traders, Bristol Myers Squibb, Sunday, Boeing, Deutsche Bank, NYSE, Thomson Locations: Providence , Rhode Island, New York City, U.S, Thursday's U.S, New York

Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., October 27, 2023. The S&P 500 information technology sub-index (.SPLRCT), up 1.6%, was the top gainer among the S&P 500's 11 major sectors, getting its biggest boost from Microsoft's shares (MSFT.O) which touched a record high and were last up 2%. Microsoft will also take on Greg Brockman, another OpenAI cofounder, as well as other researchers. The benchmark S&P 500 (.SPX) was also closing back in on its year-to-date high reached in July, just a little over 1% below the milestone. The S&P 500 posted 25 new 52-week highs and one new low; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 70 new highs and 78 new lows.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Bristol Myers, Satya Nadella, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Bruce Zaro, Germany's Bayer, decliners, Sinéad Carew, Amruta, Maju Samuel, Pooja Desai, Richard Chang Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Microsoft, Bristol, Dow, Nasdaq, Apple, Nvidia, Investors, Granite Wealth Management, Dow Jones, Federal, Traders, Graphics, Bristol Myers Squibb, Sunday, Boeing, Deutsche Bank, NYSE, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Providence , Rhode Island, Thursday's U.S, New York

☆ Anne Richards steps down as Fidelity International CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Anne Richards, CEO of Fidelity International, attends the Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit, in Hong Kong, China November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 20 (Reuters) - Asset manager Fidelity International announced on Monday that Anne Richards has stepped down as chief executive officer after five years and will become vice chair at the company. Richards, who has more than 30 years of experience in asset management, led M&G Investments before joining Fidelity as chief executive officer in 2018, replacing Brian Conroy. “Over the last five years Anne has accomplished a tremendous amount for our organisation in service of our clients," Chair of Fidelity International, Abby Johnson, said. In her new role as vice chair, Richards will help the company with its external relationships and strategic partnerships, Fidelity said in a statement.

Persons: Anne Richards, Tyrone Siu, Richards, Brian Conroy, Anne, Abby Johnson, Pritam Biswas, Pooja Desai Organizations: Fidelity International, Global Financial, Investment, REUTERS, G Investments, Fidelity, Aberdeen Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, China, Bengaluru

The S&P 500 (.SPX), the Nasdaq (.IXIC) and the Dow (.DJI) registered their third straight week of gains. For the week, the S&P 500 added 2.2% while the Nasdaq composite rose 2.4% and the Dow climbed 1.9%. Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 15, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Acquire Licensing RightsEnergy, finishing up 2.1%, was the biggest percentage gainer among the 11 major S&P 500 sectors as oil prices settled up more than 4%. The S&P 500 posted 18 new 52-week highs and 1 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 55 new highs and 97 new lows.

Persons: Michael Barr, Mary Daly, Susan Collins, Robert Phipps, Per Stirling's Phipps, Dow, Jack McIntyre, Brendan McDermid, Russell, Rick Wilmer, Sinéad Carew, Shristi, Maju Samuel, Pooja Desai, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Dow, Nasdaq, Federal, San Francisco Fed, Boston Fed, Applied Materials, U.S . Justice, Stirling, Dow Jones, Brandywine Global, Traders, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Rights Energy, Technology, Microsoft, Ross Stores, Old Navy, ChargePoint Holdings, NYSE, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, Austin Texas, Philadelphia, New York City, New York, Bengaluru

An upswing in the use of GLP-1 drugs has had a notable impact on the higher growth of pharmacy benefit costs under such health insurance plans, Mercer said. GLP-1 drugs, which work by suppressing hunger and making a person feel full longer, are typically priced around $1,000 per patient per month. While employers cover the use of GLP-1 drugs as a treatment for diabetes, the debate around providing coverage for them as an obesity treatment lingers. "It may take another couple of years for price increases stemming from higher healthcare sector wages and medical supply costs to be felt across all health plans." Despite rising health-plan costs, large employers have avoided shifting additional costs to employees through higher deductibles, co-pays, or out-of-pocket maximums in 2023.

Persons: Victoria Klesty, Mercer, Health Actuary, Sunit Patel, Eli Lilly's, Patel, Beth Umland, Khushi Mandowara, Leroy Leo, Pooja Desai Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Food, Drug, Health, Reuters, Novo Nordisk's, Mercer, Thomson Locations: Oslo, Norway, August31, Victoria, United States, Bengaluru

Target's bright outlook lifted shares of other retailers including Macy's (M.N), which rose 7.5%, and Kohl's (KSS.N), which closed up almost 9%. The S&P 500 consumer staples index (.SPLRCS), which includes Target, was the top sector gainer, adding 0.7%. "Those two data points reaffirmed the message from Tuesday that the Fed seems to be navigating the soft landing quite well," said Ronald Temple, chief market strategist at Lazard. Among individual stocks, retailer TJX's (TJX.N) shares fell 3.3% after it forecast current-quarter profit below Wall Street expectations, signaling spiraling costs weighing on margins. The S&P 500 posted 42 new 52-week highs and no new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 106 new highs and 89 new lows.

Persons: ValueAct, Stocks, Ronald Temple, Wall, Temple, Brendan McDermid, Walt Disney, Russell, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Biden, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, decliners, Sinéad Carew, Sruthi Shankar, Amruta, Shinjini Ganguli, Maju Samuel, Pooja Desai, Richard Chang Organizations: Dow, Nasdaq, Federal, Target, Reuters, Lazard, Dow Jones, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Walt, ValueAct Capital, Money, U.S . House, Senate, Republican, TJX's, Sirius XM, NYSE, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, New York, Bengaluru

☆ Citi CEO Fraser touts 'clear benefits' of diversifying supply chains
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jane Fraser, Chief Executive Officer of Citi, speaks during the Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit, in Hong Kong, China November 7, 2023. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 16 (Reuters) - Geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic shocks are spurring businesses and governments into reconfiguring their supply chains, and the increased focus on diversification is leading to "clear benefits", Citigroup (C.N) CEO Jane Fraser said on Thursday. Since the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine shattered global supply chains, a debate has raged over how integrated the global economy will be in the future. Some businesses are responding by "nearshoring" - the trend of locating manufacturing capacity in Mexico, closer to the U.S. market - to keep supply chains more stable. Disruptions to the "old system" signal globalization is changing and would lead to more trade relationships and diversified supply chains.

Persons: Jane Fraser, Tyrone Siu, Fraser, Niket Nishant, Manya, Pooja Desai Organizations: Citi, Global Financial, Investment, REUTERS, Citigroup, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Comprehensive Economic, Trans, Pacific Partnership, Manya Saini, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, China, Ukraine, United States, Beijing, Mexico, U.S, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, San Francisco, Bengaluru

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