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☆ Now that Americans elected Democrats to keep the Senate, here are their 3 major plans to fix the economy and fight inflation
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In addition to abortion rights and fair elections, Democrats appealed to voters on their plans for the economy. Those may be the big takeaways, but Democrats locking down the Senate — and likely only conceding a slim majority to Republicans in the House — also indicate that voters favor Democrats' plan to rein in a tumultuous economy. That's something few economists saw as likely, however, and it looks like Democrats' plan for the economy in coming years gave them at least a slight edge necessary to pull off upset wins. Marginal victories in Nevada and Washington, for instance, were accomplished by candidates in sync with Biden's plan to lower costs for Americans. In addition to Medicare, Democrats like Fetterman have also called for allowing lower-priced drugs to be imported to the US, in addition to limiting drug price costs overall.

☆ YouTube expands shopping features following digital ad slowdown - FT
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 15 (Reuters) - YouTube is bringing shopping features to its TikTok-like short-form video service, as it looks to diversify its revenue stream squeezed by falling ad spending, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. Ad sales on Alphabet (GOOGL.O)-owned YouTube slipped to $7.07 billion in the third quarter from $7.2 billion a year earlier, as some advertisers pulled back on their ad spending in the face of an economic slowdown. The streaming service is also testing new commission schemes for influencers who sell products through links in videos, the newspaper said. The report comes months after YouTube unveiled a new way for creators to make money on short-form videos, introducing advertising on its video feature Shorts and giving video creators 45% of the revenue. Reporting by Bharat Govind Gautam in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu SahuOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

To transfer files between your iPhone and Mac, use AirDrop, iCloud Drive, or Google Drive. AirDropAirDrop is an effective way to quickly share files between an iPhone and Mac. Once you've enabled AirDrop on your Apple devices, you can share files with a few clicks or taps. Open the file you want to share and tap Share icon – the square icon with an arrow pointing up. Open the file you want to share and tap Share icon – the square icon with an arrow pointing up.

☆ Consumer Reports: Best (and Biggest) Portable Speakers for Tailgating
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Allen St. John | Consumer Reports | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

And what’s a party without great sound? SEE ALL Consumer Reports product reviewsTailgate speakers tend to be bulky and heavy, so they might not be ideal for a leisurely stroll about town. These standout speakers have been tested in Consumer Reports dedicated sound lab. But the XG300 is actually one of the better-sounding portable speakers we’ve tested, with bass that’s got a decent amount of sock and a clear, even midrange. By contrast, the bigger and more expensive XG500 fell short of its smaller sibling with bass that’s kind of boomy while that all-important midrange is muffled.

☆ Heavy stock-market volatility should run into 2023 as investors gauge whether the economy will have a soft or hard landing, says UBS
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Investors should expect further volatility in the S&P 500 in 2023 as investors update their economic outcome probabilities, UBS Global Wealth Management said Tuesday. "Fatter" tail risks for the market would stem from divergences in activity between the goods and services sectors of the economy and the Federal Reserve's path of rate hikes. "A soft landing that could materialize in the absence of too much tightening becomes slightly more plausible," Draho said. Meanwhile, the divergence in activity between the goods and services sectors in the slowing US economy adds to the risk of tail outcomes, UBS said. "Investors shouldn't position their portfolios for either of these tail scenarios, but higher probabilities for both do have market implications," said Draho.

Google Keep lets you connect and sync your notes to other Google Workspace programs like Google Docs and Google Calendar. You can use Google Keep in any web browser, or download the app on your Android or iOS device. Google Keep is Google's version of a note-taking app — but there's more to it than basic checklists or quick thoughts taken down in a moment of inspiration. The Google Keep mobile app. Devon Delfino/Business InsiderTo access Google Keep, you can use the mobile app (available on both Android and iOS devices), or go to keep.google.com.

☆ Markets expect Fed to lift policy rate above 5% by March
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Nov 3 (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve will take its benchmark policy rate above 5% by March and keep it there for most of 2023 in a bid to squeeze inflation out of the world's biggest economy, traders of U.S. interest rate futures were betting on Thursday. The U.S. central bank on Wednesday delivered a fourth straight three-quarters-of-a-percentage-point interest rate increase. While Fed Chair Jerome Powell said a switch to smaller-sized rate hikes "may come as soon as the next meeting, or the one after that," he also said there is a still a "ways to go" in the rate-hiking cycle. The view is in sync with that of most analysts' notes following the Fed's policy meeting this week. HOT LABOR MARKETThe Fed's rate hikes - the most aggressive tightening of U.S. monetary policy in 40 years - are aimed at bringing down inflation running at more than three times the central bank's 2% target.

☆ Shopify's startup investments this year include millions into companies that focus on NFTs, Web3 apps, customer-engagement, and financial services
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

In its press release announcing the new funding, Wati said the investment was Shopify's first in a startup operating in Southeast Asia. The goal is to make Thirdweb's tools available to Shopify merchants who want to bring Web3 products and experiences to their online stores. Shopify recently participated in Gorgias' $30 million Series C round, which valued the startup at $710 million. According to the company, merchants using its technology report a 96% increase in sales on average. Flexport announced it had received a strategic investment from Shopify as part of its $935 million Series E on February 7.

☆ Tom Brady addresses divorce from Gisele Bündchen for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Liz Calvario | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Tom Brady got candid about how his personal life is spilling over into his work and making headlines. After 13 years of marriage, Brady and Bündchen announced on Oct. 28 that they officially divorced. “I think there’s a lot of professionals in life that go through things that they deal with at work and they deal with at home,” Brady told Gray. Brady and Bündchen married in 2009 and share two children, Benjamin, 12, and Vivian, 9. As for Bündchen, she said that the divorce was amicable and that her focus remained on their children last week when announcing the split.

☆ Elon Musk might bring back Vine, a predecessor of TikTok shut down by Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( David Ingram | David Ingram Covers Tech For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The possible Vine revival shows the breadth of product ideas — including old ones — that Musk is toying with in his first week heading up Twitter. A person who works for Twitter said exploratory discussions are happening within the social network about a possible Vine revival, which was first reported by Axios. Musk also solicited ideas about how to make a revived Vine better than TikTok. But some said it wouldn't necessarily be easy to bring Vine back after Twitter shut it down in 2016. When Vine didn't take off, Twitter shut it down in 2016, prompting Pornhub to make a joke bid and one of Vine's founders to express regret he ever sold it.

Pros Check mark icon A check mark. No minimum opening deposit Check mark icon A check mark. Debit card included Check mark icon A check mark. Eligible for new accounts after your child turns 13 Check mark icon A check mark. But if you'd like to open a savings account for your child, it only lets you open one of the bank's regular savings accounts as a joint bank account.

Nov 1 (Reuters) - After months of tears and tantrums, bitcoin wants to split up with stock markets. The cryptocurrency, which has been closely correlated with tech stocks for much of its torrid 2022, is staging one of its strongest efforts yet to break away. For some crypto backers, any bitcoin break-up from Big Tech is a sign of strength. Bitcoin and crypto is one of those 'next' growth industries," said Santiago Portela, CEO of FITCHIN, a Web3 gaming ecosystem. Yet it's anyone's guess whether fickle bitcoin will begin to rally, or slide anew, or if it will swiftly rebound to the embrace of technology stocks.

☆ Greek banks overlooked but on bumpy road to re-rating -Eurobank Equities
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ATHENS, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Rising interest rates will provide a significant tailwind to Greek bank earnings this year and the next, Eurobank Equities said on Thursday, rating Alpha Bank (ACBr.AT), National Bank (NBGr.AT) and Piraeus (BOPr.AT) a "buy". In a research report, it said Greek bank shares were "out of sync with fundamentals", up just 3% so far this year and trading at a steep 25% discount to peers in Europe's periphery. Greek banks will benefit from a new credit cycle following a decade of de-leveraging while rate hikes will boost their net interest income, Eurobank Equities said. Greece's economy is also proving resilient thanks to tourism while banks' asset quality has improved in the last three years. "Besides their higher sensitivity to rate hikes versus EU peers, Greek banks have additional levers to pull, including continuous cost–cutting and accelerated fee generation," the report said.

☆ Cramer: I was wrong about Meta, never thought Zuckerberg would spend without any discipline
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Jim Cramer on Thursday apologized for thinking Meta Platforms (META) would be disciplined on expense growth during this period of economic uncertainty. Cramer's expression of regret came as shares of Club holding Meta plunged in premarket Thursday, falling more than 23% to below $100 apiece. "I had thought there'd be an understanding that you just can't spend and spend right through your free cash flow, that there had to be some level of discipline," Cramer said. I did not think the company would be as ill-advised as to spend through what they have, without any discipline whatsoever," Cramer said. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

Pros Check mark icon A check mark. High APY Check mark icon A check mark. No minimum opening deposit Check mark icon A check mark. No monthly service fees Check mark icon A check mark. Refunds up to $15 per month in out-of-network ATM fees (if you qualify) Check mark icon A check mark.

Some, like fossil fuel-burning Saskatchewan and Alberta, say the federal government's plan for a 2035 net-zero grid is unrealistic. The challenges Canada faces underline how difficult meeting net-zero electrification goals will be globally. Reuters GraphicsUnlike Canada, the United States has a federal electricity regulator and mostly delivers power through regionally integrated systems, which may make it more nimble to transform the grid. Provinces regulate Canada's electricity utilities, but the federal government has some jurisdiction over the environment. The Alberta Electric System Operator in June estimated it would cost an additional C$44 billion to C$52 billion ($38.18 billion) to meet Ottawa's 2035 net-zero mandate.

☆ Drag story time at Oregon pub draws gun-carrying protesters
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

EUGENE, Ore. — Protesters, some of them armed, threw rocks and smoke grenades at each other outside a drag queen story time event at an Oregon pub, but the weekend show that was to have featured a child performer went on as planned. The nonprofit Drag Queen Story Hour was started in San Francisco in 2015 by activist and author Michelle Tea. As part of Drag Queen Story Hour’s programming, drag queens read to children and their parents at libraries, bookstores, fairs, parks and other public spaces to celebrate reading “through the glamorous art of drag.”Other drag events have also been in the headlines lately. Most recently, a half-hour “Drag Kids” program planned for the Boise Pride Festival generated national backlash and anonymous threats. Festival organizers envisioned a short performance where kids could put on sparkly dresses and lip-sync to songs like Kelly Clarkson’s “People Like Us” on stage.

Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsAmong factors fueling the swings is a flood of options trades, many of them short-term in nature. A surge in options trading tends to boost hedging by market makers – typically large banks or financial institutions that facilitate the trades and need to position in equity futures to reduce their risk from unexpected market moves. Their furious buying and selling can heighten short-term swings in stocks, adding to broader volatility, market participants said. LOW POSITIONINGMeanwhile, many so-called "real money" investors such as pension funds and mutual funds have cut their stock allocations to the bone after months of equity volatility, another factor fueling stock swings. At the same time, under-positioned investors have recently tended to jump aboard stock rallies, further extending the moves, market participants said.

☆ Italy's far-right leader Giorgia Meloni forms new government
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

A presidential palace official announced that Ms Meloni and her Cabinet would be sworn in on Saturday. Meloni’s Brothers of Italy, a party with neo-fascist roots, secured the most votes in Italy’s national election last month. Meloni made no public comments before leaving the Quirinal presidential palace. Giorgia Meloni, center, leaves the Quirinale Presidential Palace in Rome on Friday. Berlusconi and Salvini are long-time admirers of Russian President Vladimir Putin; Meloni staunchly backs Ukraine in its defence against the Russian invasion.

☆ These two strategies can help you stay diversified in any kind of stock market
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Barbell strategy The other way to think about diversification — and one we used heavily during this year's choppy market — is the barbell portfolio strategy. And if inflation persists but also economic activity picks up, you better own energy stocks. That also brings more demand into the oil market, so expect oil prices and the energy stocks tied to it to benefit. But using correlations and the barbell method to create a diverse mix of holdings can help you stay invested in market. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.

☆ A new social media app for high schoolers has dethroned TikTok and BeReal in the App Store rankings — and is surprisingly not toxic
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A new app for high schoolers is ranked #1 in the app store right now, beating out BeReal and TikTok. The app "Gas" lets users send anonymous compliments to their friends and classmates through polls. Gas app screenshotsAnonymous social media apps for teenagers have a history of burning up in flames. "Gas" app screenshotsCurrently, the app is fighting a different kind of controversy: a rumor spreading across TikTok and Snapchat that it's involved in human trafficking. Right now, "is gas a sex trafficking app" is a top Google Search query related to the app.

☆ YouTube is expanding access to its social shopping tools to more creators heading into the holiday season
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Geoff Weiss | Amanda Perelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Previously, the YouTube Shopping beta comprised just 1,000 creators. On November 10, YouTube will premiere its second annual holiday shopping event, "From YouTube To You." YouTube is expanding access to its social shopping tools to more creators, the company told Insider. YouTube Shopping tools, first introduced in 2021, enable creators to tag products with shoppable links in and around their videos, live streams, and Shorts. In July, YouTube told Insider it was experimenting with paying creators for tagging products via its so-called Creator Incentive Program.

☆ Goldman, Lockheed results buoy Wall Street
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Chuck Mikolajczak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The gains helped lift the S&P industrials index (.SPLRCI) as the best performing of the 11 major sectors. Analysts now expect quarterly earnings growth for S&P 500 companies of just 2.8% from a year ago, much lower than an 11.1% increase expected at the start of July, according to Refinitiv data. Netflix (NFLX.O) lost 1.73% ahead of its earnings report after the market close, with all eyes on the video-streaming company's subscriber growth, which is seen falling in the third quarter. Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a 2.70-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.90-to-1 ratio favored advancers. The S&P 500 posted 3 new 52-week highs and 2 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 80 new highs and 102 new lows.

☆ Wall St rallies after Goldman, Lockheed results
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Chuck Mikolajczak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The gains help lift the S&P industrials index (.SPLRCI) 1.79%, the strongest performance of the 11 major sectors. Analysts now expect quarterly earnings growth for S&P 500 companies of just 2.8% from a year ago, much lower than an 11.1% increase expected at the start of July, according to Refinitiv data. Fed officials have largely been in sync in comments about the need for the central bank to tamp down inflation. Netflix (NFLX.O) lost 1.90% ahead of its earnings report after markets close, with all eyes on the video-streaming company's subscriber growth, which is seen falling in the third quarter. The S&P 500 posted 3 new 52-week highs and 2 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 61 new highs and 81 new lows.

☆ Lin-Manuel Miranda's first songbook is out, from 'In the Heights' to 'Hamilton' and 'Encanto'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

So even for Grammy, Emmy, Tony and Pulitzer winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, his first songbook, containing 27 songs from “Hamilton,” “Encanto,” “In the Heights” and more, was a big deal. At the event, his nephew Alejandro performed “Dos Oruguitas” (from “Encanto”) on the piano, and was joined by his own teacher for “You’ll Be Back” (from “Hamilton”). You grew up with musical theater and piano lessons — how does it feel to have your own songbook? And it really was a teacher who brought me out of just writing songs about girls in the back of the classroom. That’s a really fun thing about the whole process: When you’re there early enough, your songs can really be a part of a give-and-take.

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