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☆ She went on vacation to Southern Italy and never returned to the United States
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-26 | by ( Silvia Marchetti | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —With plenty of sunshine, beautiful beaches and a slow-paced lifestyle, it’s little wonder that Southern Italy is such a sought-after vacation destination, with most visitors looking back wistfully over their stay as they finally head home. The Baroque “jewel” of Southern Italy, full of elegant palazzos and cozy piazzas, bewitched her. Blackmon had previously gained experience of life in Northern Italy, all thanks to a Hollywood movie. Courtesy Michele BlackmonHowever, for Blackmon, Florence represented an extension of her lavish LA lifestyle, with the high prices to match. Now, having established her new life in Lecce, she says she’s still dabbling as a lifestyle consultant, helping foreigners who want to relocate to Southern Italy.

Persons: Michele Blackmon, Blackmon, “, Covid, ” Blackmon, I’m, ‘ Florence, Einstein, ”, she’s, ’ Blackmon, Florence, She’s, Villa, it’s, Florentine, Italy, pinches Organizations: CNN, Lecce, Yorkshire, Sun, Villa Regina Locations: Southern Italy, Los Angeles, Italy’s Puglia, Lecce, Italy, Florence, Puglia, ”, United States, Northern Italy, LA, “, Blackmon

☆ Live Updates: Closing Arguments to Begin in Trump Criminal Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Jonah E. Bromwich | Ben Protess | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +15 min

The defense did not call Mr. Weisselberg either, nor did Mr. Trump take the stand in his own defense. And for weeks, Mr. Weisselberg’s absence has loomed large over Mr. Trump’s case, the first criminal trial of an American president. And when Mr. Trump was sworn in as president in 2017, he entrusted Mr. Weisselberg, along with Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, with running his company. Mr. Trump, Mr. Cohen told the jury, “approved” of the arrangement and knew that they would falsify records to cover it up. Over the course of their decades together, Mr. Cohen knew, Mr. Trump and Mr. Weisselberg had become more or less symbiotic.

Persons: Donald J, Allen Weisselberg, Trump, Michael D, Cohen, Allen H, Weisselberg, Trump’s moneyman, Trump’s, lucre —, Eduardo Munoz, Stormy Daniels, Weisselberg’s, beholden, ” Emil Bove, Juan M, Justice Merchan, “, Evan Vucci, Fred Trump, Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, ” Mr, ” “, Mr, Jefferson Siegel, —, Arthur F, Engoron, Justice Engoron, ”, ‘ Frick, Frack, Cohen’s, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, Todd Blanche, Dave Sanders, Blanche, Kate Christobek Organizations: Prosecutors, New York Times, Trump, Mr, Reuters, Manhattan, Trump Organization, “ Trump, New, The New York Times, The Trump Organization, Credit, Frick Locations: Washington, New York, Trump, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, York, tatters

☆ A port-in-the-storm trade if the consumer continues to get pinched by rates and inflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Michael Khouw | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The consumer, making up 70% of the U.S. economy, is being hit by higher interest rates and sticky inflation. Consumer spending, also known as personal consumption expenditures (PCE), typically represents about two-thirds of the U.S. GDP. While that is attributed to easing consumer demand for EVs, dealer inventories of ICE vehicles have recovered significantly since the pandemic. Away from consumer discretionary and towards consumer staples. The Consumer Staples Select Sector ETF (XLP) is trading 21 times trailing earnings and about 19.6 times forward earnings estimates versus 25.7 times trailing and 22.83 times forward for the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector Index.

Persons: there's, Tesla, Power Organizations: Starbucks, Investors, PPI, CPI, Federal Locations: U.S

☆ Walmart launches new grocery brand, as it tries to hang on to inflation-fueled growth
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

And its low-priced reputation has helped the company attract higher income grocery shoppers as inflation pinches budgets. On Tuesday, the big-box retailer said it will roll out a private label called BetterGoods, a line of more trend-and chef-driven foods. Walmart is debuting a new grocery brand, as the discounter tries to retain the shoppers it has attracted during a period of high inflation. Another grocery brand it debuted, Favorite Day, is made up of creative takes on ice cream bars and trail mixes. The new private brand will join Walmart's existing collection of private brands in the grocery department, which includes Great Value — the country's largest private grocery brand by revenue, according to Numerator, a market research firm.

Persons: Costco's Kirkland, Kroger Organizations: Walmart, Aldi, Grocers, Target, Smart Locations: U.S

☆ Tesla reveals what its Uber-like robotaxi app would look like
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla hasn't said when it would launch a ride-hailing service. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementTesla on Tuesday released more details about its planned launch of an Uber-like ride-hailing service. The service would live inside the Tesla app, which Tesla owners can already use for almost all vehicle functionality, the company said. Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced earlier in April that the company would reveal a long-awaited robotaxi in August.

Persons: Tesla, Elon, Tesla hasn't, —, Elon Musk Organizations: Elon Musk's, Service

☆ Demand for french fries reflects resilient consumer as so-called fry attachment rate holds steady
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Responders continue answering affirmatively at a higher-than-average rate, a top potato supplier indicated. It underscores the resilience of consumer spending, even as inflation pinches pocketbooks and pandemic savings dry up. A larger share of customers keep adding the iconic side to meal orders than in the past, according to frozen potato supplier Lamb Weston . Looking at the bigger picture, strength in the so-called fry attachment rate bolsters economic data, showing the willingness of average Americans to still shell out for everyday luxuries. "The fry attachment rate has stayed pretty consistent," said CEO Thomas Werner during the company's earnings call on Thursday.

Persons: Lamb Weston, Thomas Werner, It's Locations: America, U.S

☆ I refused to let my travel dreams die when I became a mom. Here's how I budget to keep my family of 4 traveling the world full-time.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Beth Mccarter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

They maintain a modest budget by renting out their home, spending less, and embracing slow travel. We've since traveled across Europe, Mexico, French Polynesia, and most of the southern United States, all on a modest budget. AdvertisementAuthor and her husband both left teaching and are fulfilling their lifelong travel dreams. We've found that balancing frugal living and quality of life is key to living out our worldschooling dreams while maintaining financial stability. By living out my travel dreams, I'm showing my children, especially my daughter, that your dreams shouldn't die when you become a mom.

Persons: Beth McCarter, —, I'm, that's, I'd, we're, We've, I've, isn't, COVID, worldschooling, Worldschooling isn't Organizations: Service, Travel, Disney, slobbery bulldogs Locations: Tahiti, Europe, Mexico, French Polynesia, United States, Texas, France, Asia

☆ I spent 20 years studying how 100-year-old people eat—and this is the world's No. 1 healthiest breakfast
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Dan Buettner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

As a longevity researcher, I've spent the past 20 years studying the habits of people who live to 100 years old or longer, particularly the foods they eat. And in a tucked-away corner of Nicoya, Costa Rica, I may have found the world's healthiest breakfast. They stoke wood fires in clay ovens, put cauldrons of spicy beans to boil, and mix corn dough with wood ash. The beans cook slowly for about an hour to tender perfection and are then mixed with rice. Add water and stir until a soft dough forms (if the mixture won't form a soft ball of dough, add warm water in one tablespoon increments until it will).

Persons: I've, David McLain, David McLain Nixtamal, masa, Jose Guevara's Gallo Pinto, Jose Guevara, gallo pinto, It's, Cook Organizations: stoke, Worcestershire Locations: Nicoya, Costa Rica, Costa Rican, Worcestershire

☆ The Humane AI Pin won't help you message your friends any faster
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A video shared on X shows it took a user "6 pinches and 15 hand wiggles" to send a message. AdvertisementHumane might have broken the internet with the launch of its AI Pin, but it's probably not going to disrupt the tech world. A video shared on X shows it took a user "6 pinches and 15 hand wiggles" to send a message. When its cofounders, a married couple , demonstrated how it works in the video, the AI Pin gave false information twice . I can see how the feature to translate languages or answer questions using AI with a voice command could be helpful, but I'm very certain that the AI Pin will not change my life.

Persons: —, it's, Sam Sheffer, That's Organizations: Service

☆ They Propelled China’s Rise. Now They Have Nothing to Fall Back On.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Li Yuan | More About Li Yuan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Zhang left his village in northeastern China a decade ago to work as a welder in a big city, jobs were plentiful. He pays $55 a month in rent for a tiny studio apartment but pinches every other penny. The morning we talked, he said he’d had a bowl of instant noodles, one of two meals he eats a day. Mr. Zhang’s family grows corn on a tiny patch of land, generating about $200 a year. At 28, Mr. Zhang, who asked that I use only his surname, is not married and does not plan to have children.

Persons: Zhang, he’s, he’d, “, ” Locations: China, Guangzhou, Beijing

☆ UAW Strike Pinches Automakers and Suppliers, but Spares Consumers—for Now
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Sean Mclain | Ryan Felton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

UAW union members have been striking over job security and pay as automakers push forward in developing EV’s, which require fewer workers and cost more in raw materials. So what does that mean for the future of auto workers and the union? Illustration: George Downs/The Wall Street JournalSix weeks into United Auto Workers’ strike, the impacts of the work stoppages are rippling through the car business, causing pain for the automakers themselves, as well as parts makers and factory workers. One corner of the industry that has been largely spared: dealerships and consumers, due in part to an inventory buildup of both cars and parts before the strikes.

Persons: George Downs Organizations: Street, United Auto Workers

☆ Aldi to acquire Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores in Southern expansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Supermarket chain Aldi plans to acquire hundreds of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket locations across the Southern U.S. in a deal that will expand the fast-growing grocer's presence across the region. Germany-based Aldi said in a news release Wednesday that it will take over operations of all Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket locations — about 400 stores — in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. Some locations will be converted to Aldi stores after the acquisition, while others will continue operating as Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket grocery stores, according to the release. Nationwide, the company plans to add 120 new stores to reach a total of more than 2,400 stores by year-end. The sale of the Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket locations is a part of a larger divestiture by Southeastern Grocers, the chains' parent company.

Persons: Aldi, Jason Hart, Winn, Anthony Hucker Organizations: Dixie, Southern, Winn, Aldi, Harveys Supermarket, Nationwide, Southeastern Grocers, ALDI Locations: Winn, Southern U.S, Germany, Florida , Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, United States, Florida

☆ Jackie Kennedy as You’ve Never Seen Her
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Chantel Tattoli | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Amore!”The words echoed through Studio Salvadore, a family-run glassblowing workshop on Murano, the Italian island near Venice known for its centuries-old glass industry. It was 3 p.m. on a Friday in late July, and Mr. Findletar had been making drinking glasses with a small team since around 6:30 in the morning. At the mouth of a furnace, colorful glass rods lined up on the head of a shovel were melting together. Mr. Findletar, 49, flicked water droplets at the glass, which would become a cup, to make bubbles. “I call this dirtying up the glass,” Mr. Findletar said.

Persons: “ Amore, ” Hugh Findletar, “, Findletar, Mr Organizations: Salvadore Locations: Murano, Venice, India, Paris

The San Francisco-based company's shares rose about 4% in premarket trading, while rival Lyft's shares increased 2%, as Uber also reported a surprise second-quarter profit. However, Uber reported second-quarter revenue of $9.23 billion, missing analysts' estimates of $9.33 billion, according to Refinitiv IBES data, as a weak freight market pinches. Trips across Uber's markets during the quarter grew 22% to 2.3 billion, representing an average of 25 million trips per day. Uber reported a profit of 18 cents per share in the second quarter, while analysts were expecting a loss of 1 cent per share. The company's quarterly net profit of $394 million included a $386 million pre-tax benefit due to unrealized gains stemming from the revaluation of Uber's equity investments.

Persons: Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi, Nelson Chai, Lyft, Khosrowshahi, Gross, Akash Sriram, Peter Henderson, Shounak Organizations: Technologies, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, United States, U.S, Canada, Bengaluru

☆ How to make your own salad dressing
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Casey Barber | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Here are my favorite methods and tips for homemade salad dressing from my years of experimentation. Try any of these recipes to get you going:• Creamy Italian dressing with mayonnaise (regular or vegan)• Avocado green goddess dressing• Lime tahini dressing• Miso ginger dressing• Spicy cashew butter dressing, just like Trader Joe’sAs for ranch dressing, I’ll admit: Even though I have a recipe for homemade ranch in my cookbook “Classic Snacks Made From Scratch,” sometimes I can’t resist the craving for the bottled version. However, if you do want to make homemade ranch dressing, it’s not too difficult. Homemade dressing tips and tricksMake your dressing with a blender or food processor to emulsify the oil evenly with the acid. Tetiana Strilchuk/iStockphoto/Getty ImagesTo get a creamier, thicker texture for any homemade dressing, make it in a blender or food processor.

☆ Billionaire LeBron James is 'the cheapest guy in the NBA,' won't pay for Elon Musk's Twitter Blue
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The 38-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star on Friday tweeted that he has no plans to pay for Elon Musk's Twitter Blue subscription, even if it means he loses his blue verification check mark on Apr. "Welp guess my blue ✔ will be gone soon cause if you know me I ain't paying the 5," James tweeted to his 52.8 million followers. Twitter Blue will actually cost $8 per month, not $5, though the distinction probably doesn't mean much to James, who once agreed that he was "the cheapest guy in the NBA." "I don't know how long this could last," James says in the film when asked why he won't pick up the tab. 1 as he pushes users to sign up for Twitter Blue.

☆ EV startup Lucid plans to cut about 18% of its workforce - report
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 28 (Reuters) - Electric-vehicle maker Lucid Group Inc (LCID.O) is planning to lay off about 18% of its workforce, Insider reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter and an internal memo. Lucid, which had about 7,200 employees at the end of last year, will communicate details of the layoffs in the next three days, according to the report. Last month, Rivian said it would let go of 6% of its workforce in an effort to cut costs. Companies in the United States have stepped up cost cuts as they brace for a looming recession amid aggressive interest rates hikes by central banks worldwide. Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Fitness chains add financial muscle as more Americans hit the gym
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Deborah Mary Sophia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Some of the major players in the fitness sector have pushed the envelope on membership rates after the pandemic scare, helping them beef up earnings, when most other industries are under stress from the impact of a cautious consumer. Larger rival Planet Fitness Inc (PLNT.N) added 400,000 members in the fourth quarter, taking the total to about 17 million in 2022. "People that are working out, are working out slightly more than they did in the past ... So even with the recessionary talks and layoffs you see, cancellations are just slightly better," Planet Fitness CEO Chris Rondeau said at a JPMorgan conference last week. A Planet Fitness executive said Gen Z represented 25% of the company's total membership.

☆ I was a die-hard Apple iPad fan for over a decade. But I've grown frustrated and have mostly discarded it — I'm not the only one.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Michael Gartenberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Former Apple exec Michael Gartenberg has an iPad Pro and has owned various iPads over the past decade. His iPad used to be his constant travel companion, more used than his laptop — but not anymore. He says the iPad is at an intersection between failure and ongoing success, and Apple must pay attention. So iPad users, like myself, are paying a premium for hardware that is far more advanced than the software we are able to run on it. If Apple wants to continue to succeed with the iPad, it will need to address these challenges head-on.

☆ Deutsche Bank upgrades Activision Blizzard, says video game stock can rally regardless of Microsoft deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Activision Blizzard can generate returns for shareholders regardless of if the Microsoft deal goes through, Deutsche Bank said. Analyst Benjamin Soff upgraded the gaming stock to buy from hold and raised his price target by $7 to $90. In 2022, Microsoft proposed buying the "Call of Duty" maker for $68.7 billion in cash. Despite headwinds to consumer spending, Soff expects health growth and predicts the company's 2023 releases will be commercially successful. Overall, Soff forecasted growth of 12% for net bookings and 17% for operating incomes in 2023.

☆ Coty raises profit forecast on resilient demand, price hikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Ananya Mariam Rajesh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Gucci fragrances, owned by Coty Inc., are seen for sale in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., February 7, 2022. profit between 35 cents/shr and 36 cents/shrFeb 8 (Reuters) - Coty Inc (COTY.N) raised full-year profit forecast on Wednesday, betting on price hikes and resilient demand for its fragrances and cosmetics even as inflation pinches consumer wallets. The company's shares rose about 4% to $10.80 in premarket trading after also beating expectations for second-quarter revenue and profit. Analysts expect China's move in early December to relax its toughest COVID curbs and lift some travel restrictions to benefit luxury and beauty companies that had flagged a hit to sales in the country. The CoverGirl parent now expects 2023 adjusted profit of between 35 cents and 36 cents per share, against a prior forecast of 32 cents to 33 cents per share.

☆ New York City’s Luxury Apartment Market Under Pressure in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Kate King | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

New York City’s luxury residential market faces numerous obstacles at the start of 2023, ranging from high interest rates to signs of a disappointing bonus season on Wall Street. Sales of the city’s most expensive apartments slowed in the second half of last year, and brokers and analysts said they don’t expect a turnaround soon as the prospect of an economic slowdown pinches even the most affluent home buyers.

☆ Wells Fargo downgrades Qualcomm, says exposure to smartphone industry will hurt chip stock
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Qualcomm will be among the chip stocks struggling in the new year due to its exposure to smartphone sales, Wells Fargo warned Monday. Analyst Gary Mobley downgraded the stock to underweight from equal weight. Mobley also maintained his price target to $105, which implies a downside of 11.8% over Friday's close. "Once investors are convinced we've reached a bottom in the chip cycle, we believe the sector may rally." Mobley said Qualcomm and other companies that have performance tied to smartphone demand will struggle, as the number of smartphones is likely to decline in 2023 and then grow modestly afterward.

☆ Maine Lobster Controversy Pinches Biden’s State Dinner With Macron
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Kristina Peterson | Jon Kamp | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—It wasn’t the cheese selection that became the most contentious item on the menu at President Biden’s first state dinner Thursday night with French President Emmanuel Macron . Instead, the butter-poached Maine lobster landed the White House in hot water. The state’s lobster fishery has been at the center of legal and regulatory fights over whether its equipment harms endangered North Atlantic right whales—a political battle that began boiling over after two conservation groups warned consumers against buying Maine lobsters. Last month, Whole Foods Market paused its sales of the state’s iconic crustacean, saying it doesn’t meet the grocer’s sustainability standards.

☆ Zero-Based Budgeting, Currency Hedges Among the Tools CFOs Can Use to Weather Headwinds
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Nina Trentmann | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

One area to which finance chiefs scouting for efficiencies have turned is zero-based budgeting, a tool that gained popularity early in the pandemic and requires finance executives to question and justify each line item in every new budget period. Reese’s peanut-butter cup maker Hershey Co., based in Pennsylvania, regularly goes through every line of its profit and loss statement, Finance Chief Steve Voskuil said. Detroit-based General Motors Co. is slowing and in some areas even freezing hiring, and homing in on other fixed costs, Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson has said. Facing high inflation and an uncertain outlook, finance chiefs are using zero-based budgeting to lower expenses in areas including operations, real estate, logistics, sales and marketing. Finance executives at large U.S. companies, including Coca-Cola Co. and materials-science company Dow Inc., are increasing their foreign-currency hedges and covering longer time periods.

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