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"Markets reacted positively because they saw the inflation data as a small positive," said Michael Harris, president at hedge fund Quest Partners LLC. The rate-sensitive S&P 500 technology sector index (.SPLRCT) went up 1.22% and the communication services (.SPLRCL) rose 1.69%. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidIndexes were choppy during the session, as investors digested the positive inflation print with concerns about the looming debt ceiling. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners on the NYSE by a 1.32-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.40-to-1 ratio favored advancers. The S&P 500 posted 18 new 52-week highs and 11 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 86 new highs and 152 new lows.

The Labor Department's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 4.9% in April from a year ago and compared with expectations of a 5% increase. The lower-than-expected inflation data drove the Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) up as much as 1.17% to its highest intraday level in more than eight months. The rate-sensitive S&P 500 technology sector index (.SPLRCT) rose 0.82%, while communication services (.SPLRCL) was up 1.21%. Declining issues outnumbered advancers on the NYSE by a 1.17-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.03-to-1 ratio favored advancers. The S&P 500 posted 14 new 52-week highs and 11 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 71 new highs and 135 new lows.

☆ Icahn Enterprises fielding enquiries by U.S. prosecutors
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 10 (Reuters) - Icahn Enterprises LP (IEP.O) said on Wednesday it had received inquiries from U.S. prosecutors about its operations on May 3, a day after a short-seller accused it of over-valuing its assets. The disclosure from Icahn Enterprises that it had received inquiries from prosecutors in the Southern District of New York came as the firm posted a surprise quarterly loss, after volatility in markets hit returns on its investments. It added that the prosecutors had not made any claims or allegations against the company or Icahn. Icahn has called the report "self-serving" and said he stands by Icahn Enterprises statements about his finances. Excluding one-time items, Icahn Enterprises reported a loss of 11 cents per share, missing analysts' average estimate of a 19 cents profit, according to Refinitiv data.

☆ First Citizens BancShares records $9.8 bln gain from Silicon Valley Bank purchase
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

May 10 (Reuters) - First Citizen BancShares Inc (FCNCA.O) on Wednesday reported a gain of $9.82 billion in the first quarter from its acquisition of failed lender Silicon Valley Bank in March. The windfall helped drive a surge in its profit to $9.50 billion, or $653.64 per share, for the three months ended March 31 from $264 million, or $16.70 per share, a year earlier. The Raleigh, North Carolina-based lender's first-quarter deposits stood at $140.05 billion, also rising nearly 57% from the end of last year. More than a third of those deposits came from Silicon Valley Bank, which First Citizens had scooped up with the backing of U.S. regulators. Reporting by Siddarth S in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The Labor Department's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 4.9% in April from a year ago and compared with expectations of a 5% increase. "You still have a reasonably strong economy and rates that are not going any higher." ET, Dow e-minis were up 181 points, or 0.54%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 33.75 points, or 0.82%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 116.25 points, or 0.88%. Shares of regional banks rose after a few volatile sessions last week on concerns about the health of the sector. Oil and gas producer Occidental Petroleum Corp (OXY.N) fell 0.9% after its first-quarter earnings fell short of analysts' estimates.

☆ Icahn Enterprises shares slide on surprise quarterly loss
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 10 (Reuters) - Icahn Enterprises LP (IEP.O) on Wednesday reported a surprise quarterly loss as volatility in markets hit returns on its investments, sending the shares of the company owned by billionaire Carl Icahn down nearly 8% before the bell. "Icahn has been using money taken in from new investors to pay out dividends to old investors," Hindenburg had alleged about the Florida-based company with investments in the energy, automotive, food packaging, real estate and other industries. Excluding one-time items, Icahn Enterprises reported a loss of 11 cents per share, missing analysts' average estimate of a 19 cents profit, according to Refinitiv data. Revenue for the quarter ended March 31 came in at $2.6 billion compared to $4.1 billion a year earlier. Reporting by Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Large-cap technology stocks, including Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), dipped about 0.4% each in premarket trading. ET, Dow e-minis were down 62 points, or 0.18%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 7.25 points, or 0.18%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 25.25 points, or 0.19%. PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) fell 2.5%, while Zions Bancorporation (ZION.O) and Western Alliance Bank (WAL.N) inched up 0.7% and 0.6%, respectively. Oil and gas producer Occidental Petroleum Corp (OXY.N) fell 1.5% after its first-quarter earnings fell short of analysts' estimates. Airbnb Inc (ABNB.O) lost 13.5% as the vacation rental booking company saw fewer bookings and lower average daily rates in the second quarter.

☆ Big U.S. firms adopt cautious tone on China recovery
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In April, China's imports contracted sharply, underscoring signs of weak domestic demand as a battered property market, worries over job stability and global economic uncertainty kept shoppers wary. "We grew mid-single digits in China, which had previously been a double-digit growth market for us pre-pandemic. "Consumer confidence remains weak and shaken because many Chinese faced job and salary cuts in 2022 and Chinese New Year bonuses in 2023 were low," said Shaun Rein, managing director at China Market Research Group. Still, a rapid recovery in domestic travel demand propped up sales at hotels. "China will be a growth driver for many multi-national companies but will not be at the high growth rates many analysts predict," China Market Research's Rein said.

☆ Vitamin Shoppe owner taken private in $2.6 bln deal with CEO-led group
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 10 (Reuters) - Vitamin Shoppe owner Franchise Group Inc (FRG.O) would be taken private by a group led by CEO Brian Kahn in a deal valued at about $2.6 billion, the company said on Wednesday. Shares of Franchise, which also owns retailer Buddy's Home Furnishings and discount furniture store American Freight, climbed about 3% premarket. The offer price represents an equity value of about $1.05 billion. The company in March disclosed it had received an unsolicited proposal for a buyout, but did not disclose any details about the buyer. Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Private-credit firms see opportunity as banks tighten lending
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Lisa Pauline Mattackal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 10 (Reuters) - Private-credit firms are eyeing fresh opportunities from a potential borrowing squeeze in the United States as battered regional banks tighten lending after the turmoil in the sector, according to fund managers and investment strategists. Such lenders see commercial and residential real estate as particularly attractive, given the prominence of regional banks in these sectors. Regional U.S. banks accounted for about 70% of outstanding loans to the commercial real estate (CRE) sector alone, according to Capital Economics. "Signature was one of the biggest providers of real estate lending in the New York area, commercial real estate is very vulnerable ... as a lender you want to be on the other side of that," Handa said. Many private credit funds have plenty of excess funds, or "dry powder" to invest, said Matt Malone, head of investment management at private investment management firm Opto Investments.

The tally of U.S. companies that have gone bankrupt so far in 2023 is higher than the first four months of any year since 2010, data from S&P Global Market Intelligence showed. There were 54 corporate bankruptcy petitions in April, down from 70 in March, S&P Global said. Still, the year-to-date count more than doubled to 236 from a year ago. Consumer discretionary companies logged a higher number of bankruptcies than any other sector in 2023, according to S&P Global, with the once high-flying retailer Bed Bath & Beyond among the latest victims. Largest bankruptcies of 2023 (with more than $1 billion in liabilities):Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence, Refinitiv EikonReporting by Bansari Mayur Kamdar in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Fox bucks ad weakness to top profit expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 9 (Reuters) - Broadcaster Fox Corp (FOXA.O) beat estimates for third-quarter revenue and adjusted profit on Tuesday, as recession-wary companies continued to advertise on its network even as they cut their spending on other marketing channels. Shares of the company rose more than 4% in premarket trading. Total revenue rose 18% to $4.08 billion, inching past analysts' estimates of $4.03 billion, according to Refinitiv data. Fox's ad revenue also surged 43% to $1.88 billion, well past the expectation of $1.67 billion. The upbeat results from Fox, which operates Fox News and a range of sports channels, underscore the cautious approach by advertisers who are mostly buying ad slots on dominant networks given their reach.

May 9 (Reuters) - Broadcaster Fox Corp (FOXA.O) beat estimates for third-quarter revenue and adjusted profit on Tuesday, as Chief Executive Lachlan Murdoch affirmed the company’s prime-time programming strategy following its recent $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems and dismissal of star host Tucker Carlson. Dominion had sued Fox for $1.6 billion over its coverage of debunked vote-rigging claims about the voting technology firm. Total revenue rose 18% to $4.08 billion, inching past analysts' estimates of $4.03 billion, according to Refinitiv data. Fox's ad revenue also surged 43% to $1.88 billion, well past the expectation of $1.67 billion. The upbeat results from Fox underscore the cautious approach by advertisers who are mostly buying slots on dominant networks.

May 8 (Reuters) - PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) shares pared early gains on Monday, dragging down other U.S. regional banking stocks, as the Los Angeles-based lender's decision to slash its quarterly dividend failed to stem worries about its financial stability. Other U.S. regional banks also retreated. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo 1 2The KBW Regional Banking index (.KRX) fell 2.82% after gaining nearly 4.7%. But hedge funds, which often engage in short selling, pushed back on Monday, saying in a letter to Gensler that a ban would be counterproductive. Yellen said it is in the SEC's purview to regulate short selling although there is a high bar for any controls if evidence of market manipulation was found.

May 8 (Reuters) - PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) shares pared early gains on Monday, dragging down other U.S. regional banking stocks, as the Los Angeles-based lender's decision to slash its quarterly dividend failed to stem worries about its financial stability. "The dividend cut is not a good sign," said Jamie Cox, managing partner at Harris Financial Group. Other U.S. regional banks also retreated. The KBW Regional Banking index (.KRX) fell 1.5% after gaining nearly 4.7%. "I have a general fear that smaller banks are going to disappear, and we're going to end up with just a few large banks."

☆ Factbox: Alberta wildfire shuts in at least 145,000 boepd of Canadian production
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 8 (Reuters) - Canada's main oil-producing province Alberta on Saturday declared a provincial state of emergency due to wildfires, shutting in at least 145,000 of oil equivalent per day (boepd). Tens of thousands of Albertans have been forced to evacuate their homes as unprecedented wildfires rage on in Alberta. It added that about 50,000 boepd of production has been temporarily curtailed since the evening of May 5. Crescent Point Energy Corp (CPG.TO)Crescent Point said about 45,000 boepd of production in the Kaybob Duvernay region has been temporarily shut in with a plan to restart production once safe and permitted to do so. Vermilion Energy Inc (VET.TO)Vermilion Energy said it had temporarily shut in about 30,000 boepd of production and that it was assessing the risk to its operations.

☆ Alberta wildfire shuts in at least 2% of Canadian energy production
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

It added that about 50,000 boepd of production has been temporarily curtailed since the evening of May 5. Crescent Point Energy Corp (CPG.TO)Crescent Point said about 45,000 boepd of production in the Kaybob Duvernay region has been temporarily shut in with a plan to restart production once safe and permitted to do so. NuVista Energy Ltd (NVA.TO)The company said it has temporarily shut in and depressured all operations proximal to the ongoing fires in the Grande Prairie region. Vermilion Energy Inc (VET.TO)Vermilion Energy said it had temporarily shut in about 30,000 boepd of production and that it was assessing the risk to its operations. Cenovus Energy Inc (CVE.TO)Cenovus said it has shut-in production and brought plants down in some areas of its conventional business.

☆ PacWest rallies on dividend cut to bolster capital
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

May 8 (Reuters) - Shares of PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) jumped 39% in premarket trading on Monday and led a recovery in the battered U.S. banking sector after the lender sharply cut its quarterly dividend to shore up its finances. "Given the extreme volatility in the stock recently ... we believe this dividend reduction makes sense and can help the pace of capital building," RBC Capital Markets analysts wrote in a note. PacWest shares, which soared nearly 82% in their last trading session, were currently trading at $7.96. U.S. federal and state officials are assessing whether "market manipulation" caused the recent volatility in banking shares, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the matter. Billionaire Warren Buffett, whose views are closely watched by investors, said on Saturday his conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N) was cautious around the banking sector.

☆ AMC earnings a hit on Wall Street as 'Ant-Man' attracts more moviegoers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 5 (Reuters) - AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (AMC.N) beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter revenue on Friday, as a string of hit films including the latest installment of Marvel's "Ant-Man" drove more moviegoers to theaters. Shares of the Leawood, Kansas-based company, which operates over 900 theaters globally, rose nearly 4% in trading before the bell. AMC has been trying different combinations to attract audiences to its theaters, including options where moviegoers can choose different seating options to meet their viewing preferences. Revenue for the quarter was $954.4 million, compared with analysts' expectation of $948.5 million, according to Refinitiv IBES data. Reporting by Tiyashi Datta and Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ US retailers cut most number of jobs in April -report
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 4 (Reuters) - U.S. retailers replaced technology firms in cutting the most number of jobs in April, as companies show little signs of easing their belt-tightening drive in an uncertain economy. Higher interest rates to counter the impact of inflation have muddied the outlook for the U.S. economy, forcing Corporate America to undertake stringent measures to protect itself from any fallout from a potential recession. So far this year, major retail and consumer companies including Gap Inc (GPS.N) and Walmart (WMT.N) have announced job cuts. The report also said job cuts last month fell 25% to about 67,000 - the lowest so far in the year, taking total layoffs to around 337,000 jobs since the start of the year. Reporting by Akash Sriram and Tanya Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Cash-strapped Lordstown may tap the brakes on Endurance production
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Foxconn will make Fisker Inc's (FSR.N) PEAR electric compact car at the Ohio factory starting next year, the EV startup has said. Lordstown Motors had cash and cash equivalents of $108.1 million as of March 31, down from $203.6 million a year earlier. Lordstown Motors and its EV peers have been struggling as access to capital tightens from rising interest rates and mounting economic uncertainty. The company had resumed production of Endurance in March after a pause in February to address quality issues. Lordstown Motors had previously warned of substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern, citing liquidity issues.

☆ Factbox: PacWest Bancorp, US regional lender in spotlight
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Here are some details about the bank:* PacWest is a community bank focused on providing business banking and treasury management services to small, middle-market, and venture-backed businesses. PacWest's market value has now fallen to $772 million after its shares tumbled 72% this year. * According to data from the U.S. Federal Reserve, PacWest was the 53rd largest U.S. bank, as of Dec 31. * As of March 31, the lender held total deposits of $28.2 billion and total assets of $44.3 billion. Meanwhile, total insured deposits, which have come into focus since the crisis, were about 75% of total deposits as of May 2.

☆ AMD's lackluster forecast sparks selloff in shares
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Tiyashi Datta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The stock fell more than 6% in early trading and was set to erase nearly $9 billion in market value. Intel, whose shares rose last week on a more upbeat PC market outlook, gained more than 2%. The PC market has been in a slump for the past few quarters after a demand surge during the pandemic, while data center spending has also slowed as the economic outlook worsens. AMD, whose smaller and more efficient data center chips had helped it take market share from Intel last year, missed estimates for both PC and data center chip sales in the first quarter. "AMD results were more vulnerable (to the PC slump) than Intel's because most AMD-based PC customers were consumers.

☆ US FDA approves first RSV vaccine from GSK
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved GSK Plc's (GSK.L) respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, the British drugmaker said on Wednesday, making it the first shot to be cleared for protection against a common respiratory disease that can be fatal for older people. The vaccine was approved for people aged 60 and older, the company said. The approval makes GSK, which has been neck-and-neck with Pfizer (PFE.N) in RSV vaccine development, the first company to tap into a multi-billion-dollar market and puts it ahead of rivals such as Moderna Inc (MRNA.O) and Bavarian Nordic (BAVA.CO). Analysts have estimated the market for RSV vaccines to cross $10 billion by 2030. GSK expects the vaccine to be available before the next RSV season in the United States, Chief Commercial Officer Luke Miels told Reuters on Wednesday before the approval.

May 3 (Reuters) - CVS Health Corp (CVS.N) said on Wednesday it would pause its recent acquisition spree as it focuses on integrating purchases of healthcare service provider Signify Health and primary care provider Oak Street Health. CEO Karen Lynch said CVS will focus on integrating Signify and Oak Street with its other businesses in the near term. CVS cut its full-year profit forecast on Wednesday to account for transaction and integration costs related to the two deals, and its shares fell 3%. The earlier-than-expected closing of the Oak Street deal on Tuesday is likely to result in increased interest costs for the year, analysts said. Morningstar analyst Julie Utterback said investors might be disappointed that the company pushed down its profit forecast after completing the Oak Street acquisition this week.

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