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☆ US set to issue $362 mln loan for vehicle wiring production
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Reuters) - The U.S. Energy Department on Friday said it intends to loan California startup CelLink $362 million to help finance construction of a U.S. manufacturing facility to improve key vehicle wiring components. The conditional commitment from the government's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program is for the development of lighter, more efficient flexible circuit wiring harnesses for automotive and other industries. Once fully operational, the Georgetown, Texas facility is expected to produce flex harnesses to support some 2.7 million electric vehicles per year, the department said. CelLink, which already has products installed in more than a million vehicles on the road, currently operates a manufacturing facility in San Carlos. The new Texas facility will eventually hold up to 25 manufacturing lines that will be brought online in stages over the next several years depending on demand.

☆ US employees are more satisfied than ever, new survey finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

But a new survey released by The Conference Board on Thursday found that US employees’ job satisfaction overall is the highest it has ever been since the survey began in 1987. Just over 62% of survey respondents indicated overall satisfaction with their jobs, a 2.1 percentage point increase over the prior year’s survey and a 5 percentage point jump over that recorded in 2020. … Across the majority of 26 factors surveyed, employees with hybrid work arrangements report the greatest job satisfaction compared to fully remote or fully on-premises workers,” Board researchers said in their analysis. Survey respondents who had recently changed jobs also were more likely to say they were satisfied. “Overall job satisfaction is 3.6 percentage points higher among those who have found a new job since the pandemic began, compared to those who have not,” Conference Board researchers wrote.

☆ China's aircraft carrier Shandong returns to home port after show of might
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

This year, the Shandong has been spotted in the Taiwan strait, the Bashi channel between Taiwan and the Philippines, and even as far as Guam. "The Shandong carrier group, for the first time, in a formation and of scale, went to the waters of the western Pacific," it added. The carrier, commissioned in 2019, has featured prominently in China's military propaganda. During the April drills, China showed extensive images of the Shandong and its fighter jets being launched from the carrier. In March 2022, the Shandong, one of China's two operational carriers, sailed through the Taiwan Strait just hours before the Chinese and U.S. presidents were due to talk.

☆ Ford reveals redesigned Ranger pickup with new Raptor performance model
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

In this article F Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT2024 Ford Ranger Raptor FordDETROIT — Ford Motor on Wednesday revealed its redesigned Ranger midsize pickup truck for the U.S., including a new Raptor performance model. 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor FordFord declined to release the current average transaction price of the Ranger. The Ranger Raptor, which is powered by a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, adds to Ford's Raptor lineup that currently includes the F-150 full-size pickup and Bronco SUV. 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor Ford"The mission has always been to climb the mountain to No. 2024 Ford Ranger XLT Sport FordThe Ranger fits in between Ford's compact Maverick pickup and the automaker's full-size F-150 and larger F-Series trucks.

Google Pixel Fold Google's Pixel Fold is a premium, foldable phone that looks to justify its $1,800 price tag with versatile functionality and multitasking features. In many respects, Google's Pixel Fold offers a design and functionality similar to its main competitor, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 4. Google Pixel Fold: Hands-on impressionsThe Pixel Fold's exterior screen looks and feels like a regular phone screen. Antonio Villas-Boas/InsiderThe Pixel Fold is available for pre-order from Google's Store online now for a starting price of $1,799. Google Pixel Fold: Specs

☆ Meet a boomer who retired from a 6-figure job so he wouldn't have to work remotely full time
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

He said he didn't have the self-discipline for remote work and likes being around people. He found during those couple of weeks that something that makes remote work appealing to many — the ability to structure time away from the eyes of coworkers — didn't really work for him. Remote work is "just not for me," he said. For many people, remote work has allowed them to flex their autonomy over their working conditions and lives. But for Bond, who worried about self-discipline and a lack of separation between home and work, working in person became his ideal.

☆ Lululemon, cult athleisure brand, takes on the booming culture of 'dupes'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

This weekend, athleisure giant lululemon is hosting a dupe swap at the Century City Mall in Los Angeles. Call it recession-core or Gen Z’s anti-consumerism sentiments, but #dupe has amassed more than 3.5 billion views on TikTok. Before, finding knock offs was a lowkey way to way to find affinity to a luxury brand. Lulu has been “hyper aware” of dupe culture, its Chief Brand Officer Nikki Neuburger said in an interview with CNN Business. Though lululemon may be leading in dupe hashtags on TikTok, the Align line that began in 2015 remains its top seller, the company said.

Canelo vs. Ryder live stream quick links US: Watch on DAZN ($55 plus $20/month membership)Watch on ($55 plus $20/month membership) UK: Watch on DAZN (£19.99/month)Watch on (£19.99/month) Start time: 7 p.m. How to watch Canelo vs. RyderYou can watch Canelo vs. Ryder as a pay-per-event on the DAZN streaming service. You can also order Canelo vs. Ryder directly through most TV providers for $80, but the DAZN package is a bit cheaper. Canelo vs. Ryder PPV Fight with with DAZN Subscription The super middleweight title fight between Canelo Alvarez and John Ryder is a $55 pay-per-view event, but you'll also need a $20/month DAZN subscription to watch if you don't already have one. How to watch Canelo vs. Ryder outside the USThe Canelo vs. Ryder price varies in regions outside the US, but DAZN is still the primary broadcaster in the UK, Canada, and Latin America.

☆ As earnings season winds down, investors turn to Tuesday's debt ceiling meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

With only a small fraction of the S & P 500 left to report quarterly earnings, investors are now turning their focus to another major hurdle for the markets and economy: the debt ceiling crisis. Earlier this week, we looked back to debt limit crisis of 2011 for potential lessons. The protracted fight ultimately ended in an agreement in early August of that year, but it was a choppy summertime ride for investors. Within the portfolio, Wynn Resorts will report Tuesday, after the closing bell, and Disney will report on Wednesday, after the closing bell. Estee Lauder (EL) and Emerson Electric (EMR) reported earnings before the opening bell.

☆ DeSantis collects wins as Florida Legislature caps whirlwind session, teeing up possible White House bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during a conference titled "Celebrate the Faces of Israel" at Jerusalem's Museum of Tolerance, on April 27, 2023. Measures like the restrictive abortion law DeSantis signed could help him in a GOP primary, but may reduce his appeal in a general election. Lawmakers have also passed multiple measures that could help clear DeSantis' path to the White House, if and when he decides to run. "The entire session was focused on Governor DeSantis' run for president," said Jim Clark, a University of Central Florida senior lecturer and political commentator, in an interview. On top of those issues, DeSantis in March waded into the "school choice" debate by signing a bill expanding Florida's school voucher system.

WHEN SAMMY Palazzolo goes out, people constantly ask to see her phone. In late 2022, Ms. Palazzolo and some of her dorm-mates at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign were bemoaning their smartphone addictions. “We were talking about how we [felt] like slaves to our phones, like robots who keep scrolling and scrolling, even when we’re out at parties.” The group hatched a plan to do something about it. The next day, they went flip-phone shopping at Walmart . Ms. Palazzolo ended up with a $40 AT&T Cingular Flex.

☆ Negotiating Financing Provisions in Mergers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +47 min

(For the complete version of this resource, which includes initial considerations and questions counsel should ask when drafting and negotiating financing provisions in merger agreements, see Drafting and Negotiating Financing Provisions in Mergers on Practical Law.) For a private placement under Rule 144A, the financing parties may offer some flexibility regarding the required financing statements. The term refers collectively to provisions that benefit debt financing parties by limiting their liability in an acquisition financing, including provisions that provide for:No recourse to the financing parties. The target company has no recourse against the financing parties and cannot pursue litigation against the financing parties directly. The financing parties are third-party beneficiaries of the Xerox provisions to permit the financing parties to enforce their rights under the merger agreement.

☆ President Biden jokes to dinner guests if you're disoriented or confused, you're either 'drunk or Marjorie Taylor Greene'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Biden mocked Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene during his White House Correspondents' Dinner speech. He said that if guests felt confused, they were either "drunk or Marjorie Taylor Greene." If you find yourself disoriented or confused, it's either you're drunk or Marjorie Taylor Greene," Biden said. A composite image of President Joe Biden and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, booing the president during the State of the Union. This year marked the first time the annual dinner returned to its full form since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

☆ More airlines are selling a cheaper business class where you'll get comfy lie-flat seat but won't get to pick which one. Meet basic business.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Bianca Giacobone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Air France and KLM are the latest airlines to join in on the "basic" business class trend: offering passengers a cheaper business class ticket, without some of the perks usually associated with the class. These are usually sold in comparison to the full business class experience, called "flex", "flex plus", "comfort", and "elite". Here are some of the airlines that have gone basic with their business offerings:Air France and KLMAir France business class seat. Thomas Pallini/InsiderQatar Airways introduced its own unbundled business class in 2020 — offering Classic, Comfort, and Elite business tickets — and it has since then added an additional tier, the Lite business class ticket. Lite business tickets could cost as much as $3000 less than elite business tickets, according to reviews.

☆ Biden set to address White House Correspondents Dinner
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Maegan Vazquez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But undoubtedly, a White House official told CNN, his speech will address the issue of wrongfully detained Americans abroad. US President George W. Bush, left, waves with impressionist Steve Bridges at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2006. Roger L. Wollenberg/Pool/Getty Images The White House Correspondents' Dinner is held in 1923. It was started two years earlier by the White House Correspondents' Association, the organization of journalists who cover the president. Roosevelt was congratulating Brandt for winning the first Raymond Clapper Memorial Award, which was given by the White House Correspondents' Association for distinguished reporting.

IRACEMAPOLIS, Brazil, April 28 (Reuters) - Brazil's ability to produce and sell hybrid cars that can run on 100% ethanol is a huge asset for its auto industry as global economies push for decarbonization to tackle climate change, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin told Reuters. Alckmin on Thursday attended the opening of a factory by Chinese carmaker Great Wall Motor Co Ltd (601633.SS) that will produce hybrid cars, including a flex-fuel pickup called Poer. Brazil has one of the world's largest ethanol industries, and most cars in the country can run on 100% biofuel made from sugarcane or corn. He highlighted the export opportunities hybrid cars manufactured in Brazil can bring for the country as it pushes for re-industrialization, a process in which he sees the auto industry playing a key role. "It is very important because it is an industry of cutting-edge technology, with semiconductors and the whole decarbonization area," said the vice president.

The risks of doing dealsA British regulator’s decision to reject Microsoft’s $69 billion takeover bid for Activision Blizzard stunned many who had expected the deal to go through. That’s especially because moves this month by the agency, the Competition and Markets Authority, suggested that the transaction might pass muster. Though it narrowed the scope of its Activision deal inquiry to just one issue, cloud gaming, the C.M.A. The tribunal that will weigh Microsoft’s appeal will examine mainly whether the regulator followed proper procedure. That institutional advantage positions the agency as one of the world’s most influential antitrust enforcers, alongside those in the United States and the European Union.

[1/2] Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at the 2023 NHGOP Amos Tuck Dinner in Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S., April 14, 2023. REUTERS/Brian SnyderApril 26 (Reuters) - In his face-off with Walt Disney Co (DIS.N), Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has frequently adopted the pose of a swaggering gunfighter out of the Wild West. “There’s a new sheriff in town,” DeSantis boasts to conservative audiences nationwide as he prepares to launch his 2024 presidential bid. But as his clash with Disney escalates, so does the political risk for DeSantis and his nascent campaign. Billionaire Ken Griffin of Citadel Securities last year remarked that DeSantis’ actions amounted to “retaliation against corporate America.”“The war with Disney made some sense for a time in the context of Governor DeSantis’ presidential aspirations.

The Democrat-led Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted 11-10 to approve Su, a civil rights lawyer and former California labor commissioner who has served as a deputy labor secretary since 2021. If Su is confirmed, she will replace Marty Walsh, who stepped down as labor secretary last month to become executive director of the National Hockey League players' union. Using contractors can be up to 30% cheaper for companies than employees. Industry groups representing companies in the ride-hailing, delivery and other sectors using contractors have launched an aggressive campaign to oppose Su's nomination. “The next Labor Secretary must embrace the flexible earning opportunities that app-based platforms have unleashed for millions of Americans," Sharp said.

☆ McDonald’s, PepsiCo, GM Flex Their Pricing Power
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Heather Haddon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Photo: Angus Mordant/Bloomberg NewsShoppers looking for price breaks on basics may have to wait. Consumers remained willing to pay more for burgers, soda, diapers and other everyday items in the beginning of the year, lifting sales of companies including McDonald ’s Corp., PepsiCo Inc., and Kimberly-Clark Corp. even as some executives warn that shoppers may become more resistant to price increases.

☆ Big businesses flex pricing power: Consumers continue to spend despite price hikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBig businesses flex pricing power: Consumers continue to spend despite price hikesHosted by Brian Sullivan, “Last Call” is a fast-paced, entertaining business show that explores the intersection of money, culture and policy. Tune in Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET on CNBC. Heather Haddon, The Wall Street Journal, joins the show to discuss pricing power from McDonald's and Pepsi.

☆ Reddit, Airbnb and 8 more companies that let you work from home permanently and are hiring now
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

While some companies are pulling back on flexibility, others, like Airbnb and Pinterest, are celebrating one year since permanently switching to remote or hybrid work. That being said, the remote job market has gotten more competitive. Recent remote job openings: Corporate account executive, product designerRedditIndustry: Social media Remote work plans: Reddit switched to a permanent hybrid model in October 2020 where employees have the flexibility to work wherever they want, with options for in-office work. Recent remote job openings: Global category development officer, partnership leadAirbnbIndustry: Travel Remote work plans: Under Airbnb's "live and work anywhere" model, which began in April 2022, employees can work remotely or from one of Airbnb's offices. Recent remote job openings: User operations associate, partner account executiveVerizon

☆ US Senate Republicans go after Biden's labor nominee for stance on Uber, Lyft, others
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Julie Su speaks at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on her nomination to be Labor Secretary, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 20, 2023. She needs at least 50 votes in a Senate where Democrats have a slim 51-49 majority. Industry groups that represent companies employing gig labor have launched an aggressive campaign to oppose her nomination. Cassidy also accused her of eliminating independent contracting during her tenure as Biden's deputy secretary of labor. It is not a given that all Senate Democrats will support Su.

☆ I'm a frequent traveler and these 5 credit cards never leave my wallet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Andrew Kunesh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

So without further ado, these are my top five credit cards as a frequent traveler. My top 5 credit cards as a frequent travelerI use credit card rewards to fund my flights and hotel stays around the world. HyattThe Chase Sapphire Reserve is another iconic travel credit card that took the credit card world by storm when it launched in 2016. Other travel credit cards I keep openI keep a handful of hotel cards open for the annual free night certificate. Read my article to why you should have more than one credit card for more information on creating a credit card stack that works for your needs.

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