DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Stashing cash: 71% of Americans are setting more money aside amid recession fears, new report finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Renewed fears of a possible recession have spurred more households to adjust their spending habits — finally. Broadly, Americans are cutting back, particularly on discretionary purchases, and saving more, according to recent reports on the state of the consumer by the Bank of America Institute and Deloitte. Now, 71% of Americans are likely to keep cash on hand, according to a new Country Financial security index. Other consumers are driving less to save on gas or canceling some streaming services. Even as Americans are more likely to keep cash on hand, most said they don't know the best ways to save to reach their short- or long-term savings goals, according to Country Financial.

"Our commitment to Juventus is unchanged and no meetings have taken place," a spokesperson for Exor said when asked to comment by Reuters on Friday. Juventus also faces potential new penalties, including further points deductions, in a separate case over alleged irregularities in payments to players. The Agnelli family has owned the club, which it listed in 2001, almost uninterrupted since 1923. New potential co-investors could include Middle Eastern or Asian sovereign wealth funds, or U.S. funds or family offices, two sources said. Juventus ranked 11th in Deloitte's European Money League published in January, based on its annual revenue of 400 million euros in 2021/22.

☆ Work-Life Balance Is Their Second Priority. Work Is Their First.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Callum Borchers | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Early-career professionals prize work-life balance. Turns out many are bad at it. The youngest people in the office say the peers they most admire carve out personal time and live life on their own terms. Fancy titles and fat salaries are far less impressive, according to Deloitte’s annual survey of millennials and Gen Zers, shared with The Wall Street Journal ahead of next week’s release.

☆ The metaverse isn't dead, says the billionaire CEO behind Fortnite— and he's jokingly trying to hold a wake so 600 million gamers can mourn its passing in 'real-time 3D'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tim Sweeney on Tuesday mocked the notion that the metaverse is dead. But Sweeney is a long-term supporter of the Metaverse, putting in some serious money into the platform. Tim Sweeney, the billionaire CEO of Epic Games, doesn't think the metaverse is dead. After all, Epic Games — developer of Fortnite — is putting serious money into the metaverse. Moreover, Meta's still trying to convince users that the metaverse is alive and kicking and could potentially be lucrative.

☆ Metaverse could contribute up to 2.4% of US GDP by 2035, study shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File PhotoMay 9 (Reuters) - The metaverse could contribute as much as $760 billion or about 2.4% to U.S. annual gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035, according to a study commissioned by Facebook owner Meta Platforms (META.O). Social media giant Meta, which pivoted its focus on building metaverse technologies in 2021, has forecast the tech would eventually replace mobile as the main computing platform. In a separate report, Meta said the European Union may see an increased economic opportunity of up to 489 billion euros ($538.29 billion) in annual GDP by 2035 or about 1.3%–2.4% of its total GDP. The metaverse could contribute between C$45.3 billion ($33.88 billion) and C$85.5 billion to Canada's annual GDP by 2035, Deloitte said. The regional projections follow a global economic impact report that Meta commissioned to consulting firm Analysis Group last year, which estimated that metaverse adoption would contribute $3.01 trillion by 2031.

☆ Metaverse could contribute up to 2.4% of US GDP by 2035 - study
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

☆ Generation Hustle: Gen Z Is Reshaping Work With More Jobs, Side Hustles
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Eve Upton-Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

In the midst of an uncertain economy and precarious job market, Gen Z is turning up the hustle. According to a 2022 survey commissioned by Microsoft, 48% of Gen Z respondents were juggling multiple side hustles at once. Broken promisesWhile young people often work multiple jobs through college and early in their career, Gen Zers are extending the work hustle into their formal careers. But after watching that dream die for millennials, Gen Z isn't buying into what they view as a broken social contract. "So Gen Z has seen there's other ways to make money, even as a kid, through platforms like YouTube."

☆ Do digital transformations drive or destroy market value?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Deloitte With Insider Studios | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Tim Smith, Deloitte Consulting's US leader for technology strategy & business transformationWhat digital actions drive the most market value? Digital Strategy adds value: Businesses that are making digital bets in line with enterprise strategy see market value gains, according to Deloitte's Unleashing Digital Transformation value analysis of over 4,500 publicly listed companies. Compared with digital strategy value gains, this action drove double the market value, according to our analysis. "While challenges may be ample across digital initiatives, our research revealed two risks to market value — both relate to digital change capability in unexpected ways." Digital strategy and strategy-aligned tech investments together — without a digital change capability — destroy the most value: Our analysis made it clear that digital change capability is a wild card.

☆ Beijing expects foreigners to trust, not verify
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Pete Sweeney | Thomson Reuters | Asia Economics Editor Pete Sweeney Joined Reuters Breakingviews In Hong Kong In September Previously He Served As Reuters' Chief Correspondent For China Economy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

In recent months, Chinese investigators have detained employees of U.S. due-diligence firm Mintz Group, visited consultancy Bain & Company and suspended auditor Deloitte’s Beijing operations for three months. Security watchdogs have restricted overseas access to financial data providers like Wind Information, as well as academic database China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Local banks loaned 3.9 trillion yuan ($560 billion) in March alone while corporations issued 328 billion yuan of bonds. Besides Wind, other Chinese data providers including company databases Qichacha and TianYanCha have stopped opening to offshore users, according to three of the sources. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Hong Kong's IPO market expected to rebound in 2023, but the biggest one so far flopped in its debut
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Hong Kong's largest IPO so far this year flopped last week suggesting the market still needs time to rebound, despite positive signs pointing to a recovery. "The sentiment in the IPO markets has not built up yet," Ringo Choi, Asia-Pacific IPO leader at EY, told CNBC. We still need some time," said Robert Lui, Hong Kong offering leader of Deloitte China's Capital Market Services Group. Hong Kong's stock market was among the worst-performing last year, shedding 15% in 2022 for its third-straight year of declines. Chinese companies tend to launch secondary listings in Hong Kong as another venue to access investors and capital.

☆ Why Apple TV+ could be hit harder than Netflix, Disney+, and other streamers by a looming Hollywood writers' strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But ahead of a potential Hollywood writers' strike, the streamer faces two key vulnerabilities. Hollywood is bracing for a possible writers' strike that could begin at midnight PT, following an overwhelming strike authorization by members of the Writers' Guild of America West and East last month. But, by comparison, Prime Video, Netflix, and Discovery+ offer viewers thousands of TV series, according to ReelGood data from the end of 2022. "They're building a long-term brand of Apple TV+, which is something apart from all their devices and their cool software. It would not damage the perception that people have of Apple TV+."

☆ As part of the ‘cocktail culture,' consumers are still splurging on dinner and drinks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"Sticker shock" has taken a toll, the report found, with consumers more likely to walk away from a purchase because the price is too high. Further, when it comes to discretionary spending, adults are more likely to treat themselves to dinner out or premium spirits rather than cosmetics. Consumers in the U.S. are four times more likely to have said their latest splurge purchase was food and beverages over personal care, Deloitte found. "Despite the tough economy, consumers continued to enjoy premium spirits and fine cocktails," Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, said in a statement. "Cocktail culture continues to thrive in the United States," Swonger said.

☆ Consultancies are coming off a pandemic boom. Are they still worth hiring?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Management consultancies helped design vaccination programs during the pandemic and are currently providing advice on how to rescue one of the world’s biggest banks. The $230 billion management consulting industry is a broad church: it includes companies offering everything from project management expertise to designing new organizational structures. Many big firms — think EY and KPMG — also conduct audits and advise on their clients’ tax issues, though these services are generally seen as distinct from their consulting work. In The Big Con, published in February, prize-winning economist Mariana Mazzucato and her co-author Rosie Collington argue that management consultancies “infantilize” governments by keeping them dependent on their services. Nearly 80% of firms surveyed globally have told the think-tank that consultants’ work is either of high or very high quality, she noted.

☆ Business travel spending in the US and Europe could bounce back to pre-pandemic levels by 2024, but inflation may shrink the spending pie: Deloitte
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Nidhi Pandurangi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Business travel could recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024, per a Deloitte survey. But travel spending might be 10% to 20% lower than pre-pandemic levels due to inflation, per Deloitte. There's good and bad news for those hoping for a full recovery in business travel to pre-pandemic levels. Of the 106 US-based respondents, 71% told Deloitte they expected companies to revert to 2019 travel spending levels by the end of 2024. In comparison, 68% of the 228 European respondents said business travel could recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of next year.

☆ Sheffield United seal Premier League promotion with 2-0 win over West Brom
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 26 (Reuters) - Sheffield United secured automatic promotion to the Premier League with three games to spare after Wednesday's 2-0 home victory over West Bromwich Albion ensured they will finish second in the Championship behind champions Burnley. The Blades will return to the Premier League after two seasons, having been relegated in the 2020-21 campaign in which they finished bottom of the table. "We want to give back to the club and fans, I came here when we were in the Premier League and now we're back where we need to be." The top two in the division are promoted to the Premier League while the teams that finish third to sixth go into the playoffs to fight for the final spot. Promotion can be worth over 300 million pounds ($373.95 million) over five seasons if a club survives their first season in the Premier League - according to last year's Deloitte Annual Review of Football Finance.

☆ Apple TV+ has 2 big disadvantages compared to Netflix, Disney+, and other streamers as a Hollywood writers' strike looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But ahead of a potential Hollywood writers' strike, the streamer faces two key vulnerabilities. Hollywood is bracing for a possible writers' strike that could begin on May 1, following an overwhelming strike authorization by members of the Writers' Guild of America West and East earlier this month. But, by comparison, Prime Video, Netflix, and Discovery+ offer viewers thousands of TV series, according to ReelGood data from the end of 2022. "They're building a long-term brand of Apple TV+, which is something apart from all their devices and their cool software. It would not damage the perception that people have of Apple TV+."

☆ Chamber of Commerce gets nearly half its funding from those who give at least $1 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce pitches itself as representing the interests of millions of businesses of all shapes and sizes. The chamber, according to the study, brought in 18 contributions from those who donated anywhere from $2 million to over $4 million. The report says that the group raised around $54 million from those big-money contributors alone. And like America, the vast majority of our members — 90% — are small businesses and state and local chambers of commerce." By all measures, our impact for them is substantial and small businesses are strongly engaged with the Chamber."

☆ Opinion | Dads Still Get Extra Leisure Time. Moms Are Still Subsidizing It.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Jessica Grose | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

The only marriage type where husbands devote more time to caregiving than their wives is one in which the wife is the sole breadwinner. In those marriages, wives and husbands spend roughly the same amount of time per week on household chores. (A subsequent reform in 2002 that allowed an additional nontransferable month was not found to lead to more separations.) The cultural hurdles women face at home overlap with hurdles women face in the workplace. First, she told me that she’s done the math based on time-use data and found that women are, in effect, doing about an extra month of unpaid labor a year, while men get an extra month of leisure.

☆ 2023 layoff tracker: The latest on which companies have announced job cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Jennifer Korn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +20 min

New York CNN —BuzzFeed, Lyft, Whole Foods and Deloitte all recently announced layoffs affecting thousands of US workers. With 11,000 job cuts announced in November and the 10,000 announced in March, Meta’s headcount will fall to around 66,000 — a total reduction of about 25%. The company announced in January that it was eliminating some 18,000 positions as part of a major cost-cutting bid at the e-commerce giant. IndeedJob listing website Indeed.com announced cuts of approximately 2,200 employees, representing almost 15% of its total workforce, the company said in March. The cuts come after the company announced several rounds of job cuts throughout the pandemic due to falling demand, followed by rapid hiring last year.

☆ New reports say business travel isn’t going back to normal — ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Rob Goss | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The days of high-flying, big-spending business travel may be over for good. As a new report by research company Morning Consult declared: Business travel will never return to normal. Tighter corporate budgets and new ways of virtual working have permanently changed business travel, according to the report, titled "Business, but Not as Usual." A different business travel model is slowly but surely becoming entrenched, crystallizing a "new normal" for the industry, according to the report. Bright spots for business travelBut there are several bright spots for those cheering the robust return of business travel, according to the reports.

☆ Groceries, gas, or Netflix? Gen Zers are dropping their streaming subscriptions as inflation hits.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Nearly two-thirds of millennial and Gen Z consumers have canceled a streaming subscription in the prior six months, a Deloitte survey found. Insider spoke with five millennial and Gen Z consumers who blamed soaring inflation for driving them to cut subscriptions in favor of essentials like gas or groceries. On average, consumers spend $48 per month on streamers, Deloitte said. From Deloitte's 2023 Digital Media Trends survey: 32% of millennials and 30% of Gen Zers said they canceled a streaming subscription within the past six months in order to save money. Gen Z-ers, born between 1997 and 2009, were the runners-up with a 57% churn rate over the same period.

☆ Artificial intelligence is a $38 billion revenue opportunity for retailers. Here's how to play the trend
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +15 min

Morgan Stanley estimates that in 2022, only 23% of the $4.3 trillion of U.S adjusted retail spending was online. Add in AI, which can drive better shopper experiences or better conversion, it could bump to 9% or possibly 10% CAGR, he said. Eventually, AI can help retailers pitch tailored products to each potential customer based on their prior history. You might see it in the member services experience in having a better opportunity to get customer support," he said. As retailers move ahead in their plans to integrate AI into their business, some will build the capabilities.

☆ Deloitte to cut 1,200 jobs in the US - FT
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 21 (Reuters) - Deloitte will cut around 1,200 jobs or 1.5% of its U.S. workforce, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing internal employee communications. As growth in select practices moderates, we are taking modest personnel actions where necessary," Deloitte said in an emailed statement to Reuters. Several financial firms have slashed jobs in recent months including major Wall Street banks, asset managers and fintechs amid a turbulent macroeconomic environment that has pressured consumers and soured demand in several mainstay business units. Deloitte is part of the Big Four accounting firms that include EY, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Reporting by Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Streamers have a Gen Z problem: New data reveals why younger subscribers are more likely to cancel as inflation forces them to choose between Netflix and necessities
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Nearly two-thirds of millennial and Gen Z consumers have canceled a streaming subscription in the past six months, a Deloitte survey found. Canceling the subscriptions meant sacrificing entertainment that provided "comfort" and staved off monotony during the coronavirus pandemic, McMiller said. Insider spoke with five millennial and Gen Z consumers who blamed soaring inflation for driving them to cut subscriptions in favor of essentials like gas or groceries. Overall, 44% of total respondents canceled a paid entertainment subscription within the past six months, including for reasons unrelated to cost savings. Millennials, born between 1983 and 1996, spend an average of $54 per month on streaming subscriptions — the most of any demographic, Deloitte said.

☆ No one wants to be an accountant anymore, but a program aimed at high schoolers looks to fix the shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Accounting firms are facing a significant staffing shortage. Between the long hours, stressful deadlines and unflattering stereotype, more people are quitting the profession then going into it. Instead, students straight out of college are choosing to pursue careers in related fields like investment banking, consulting or data analysis. The additional credit hours required to earn a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license don't help either. Starting in the fall, some public high school juniors and seniors can take Intro to Financial Accounting and earn three college credits through the University of Pittsburgh, which they can then transfer to the college of their choice.

Search resuls for: "Deloitte"

25 mentions found