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☆ The rally in oil cannot be ignored — here's what it means for stock market investors
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

U.S. oil prices have climbed to their highest level since late October, as the rally in the key commodity becomes something equity investors cannot afford to look past. In other words, the latest ISM Manufacturing report serves to support the view that the U.S. economy is doing much better than many believed it would just a few months ago. Oil trading at its highest levels since late October has implications for stock market investors. The Fed's preferred measure of inflation may be the core personal consumption expenditures price index, which removes the impact of food and energy prices, but consumers still pay for energy. The rise in energy prices — particularly at the gas pump — can result in a decrease of discretionary dollars left for other purchases.

Persons: Brent, —, Jim Cramer, Jim Cramer's, Jim, Frederic J, Brown Organizations: West Texas, Coterra Energy, Energy, Organization of Petroleum, PMI, Manufacturing, Reuters, Federal Reserve, Fed, Bank of, CNBC, Afp, Getty Locations: U.S, Russia, OPEC, China, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Russian, Iranian, Syria, Iran, Taft, Kern County , California

☆ Everyone is worried about inflation. Here’s why it’s tracked two different ways
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Housing, housing and more housingThe housing sector carries more than four times as much weight in CPI compared to the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge. But, with PCE, housing has a much more limited impact on the inflation index. Both indexes are faulted for using this metric to calculate housing inflationBoth indexes use a widely criticized metric called owners’ equivalent rent (OER) to track housing inflation. But it can often take months for these trends to show up in either the PCE or CPI housing indexes. Another issue with using OER to track housing inflation is that it doesn’t really affect homeowners.

Persons: Joe Biden, Frederic J . Brown, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Federal, Cleveland Federal Reserve, PCE, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Getty, Commerce Department, Bank of America Locations: New York, November’s, AFP

☆ Microsoft destroys rival cloud firms' profit margins, Amazon-backed group alleges
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Igor Golovniov | Sopa Images | Lightrocket via Getty ImagesMicrosoft was accused Friday of abusing the dominance of its Azure cloud computing unit to squeeze a — and, in some cases, evaporate — the profit margins of rival cloud platforms in Europe. Under those rules, Microsoft required firms to purchase a Software Assurance license and "mobility rights" if they wanted to deploy their Microsoft software on hosted cloud services offered by rival providers. It also formed the basis of an investigation from the European Commission seeking to determine whether Microsoft's cloud practices are anti-competitive. But the growth of the unnamed cloud vendor's profit margins didn't match Microsoft's, and in fact the competing cloud vendor saw their margins fall from a positive mid-twenties percentage in 2018 to double-digit negative profit margins in 2023. The biggest decline in profit margins for this cloud firm occurred in 2019, the same year Microsoft changed its licensing terms to favor licensing software on Azure, the CISPE said.

Persons: Igor Golovniov, Redmond, Brad Smith, CISPE, Frederic Jenny, Jenny Organizations: Ofcom, Microsoft, Getty, European Union, Software Assurance, Google, Italy's, Big Tech, European Commission, CNBC, Amazon, Windows, ESSEC Business School Locations: Europe, CISPE, Washington, Italy's Aruba, Paris

Elena Perova | Istock | Getty ImagesJust ahead of the holiday season, Walmart had encouraging news for inflation-weary shoppers: Prices on food and other staples were falling instead of rising. But the retail giant backpedaled this week, saying higher prices on many grocery items and household staples like paper goods have stuck. Food prices climbed 2.6%, fueled by a 5.1% jump in prices for food away from home, a category that includes restaurant meals and vending machine purchases. That gives their makers the ability to keep raising prices to mitigate higher costs, even as their volume drops. Even some of the biggest U.S. brands have signaled that consumers' tolerance of higher prices has worn thin.

Persons: Elena Perova, John David Rainey, Coke, James Quincey, Gregory Daco, airfares, Tyson, Fernando Fernandez, Arun Sundaram, Kraft Heinz, Chocolate, Hershey, Edward Jones, Brittany Quatrochi, Sundaram, Pringles, Kellanova, Heinz, Stefani Reynolds, Brad Thomas, CFRA's Sundaram, Thomas, Frederic J, Brown, Oscar Mayer, Greg Melich Organizations: Istock, Walmart, CNBC, Federal, Depot, Pew Research Center, Maine Foods, Unilever, Nestle, Bloomberg, Getty, Planters, Target, Kroger, AFP, U.S, PepsiCo, Frito, Evercore ISI Locations: Hershey , Pennsylvania, North America, Washington ,, Rosemead , California

☆ Einstein's last message was a dire warning against nuclear war that's still relevant today. Here's what it said.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

A new Netflix docudrama, “ Einstein and the Bomb ,” uses footage and reenactments of the famous scientist and his shifting view of nuclear weapons. It quotes his 1945 Nobel Prize address expressing concern over the future use of nuclear weapons, saying, “The war is won, but the peace is not.”Albert Einstein warned that nuclear weapons could lead to the end of humankind. The general public, and even many men in positions of authority, have not realized what would be involved in a war with nuclear bombs. But we now know, especially since the Bikini test, that nuclear bombs can gradually spread destruction over a very much wider area than had been supposed. Although an agreement to renounce nuclear weapons as part of a general reduction of armaments3 would not afford an ultimate solution, it would serve certain important purposes.

Persons: Einstein, Roosevelt, —, Albert Einstein, Bertrand Russell, Russell, Franklin D, “ Einstein, “, ” Albert Einstein, Stringer, Joseph Rotblat, Rotblat, Frederic Joliot, Curie, Linus Pauling, ”, White Organizations: Service, Einstein, Manhattan Project, Manhattan, Netflix, Central Press, Science, World Affairs, Communist Locations: Germany, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Manhattan, London , New York, Moscow, East, West, Pearl

☆ E. Jean Carroll wants to donate the millions she was awarded in latest defamation trial to 'something Donald Trump hates.' Here are 5 options.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

E. Jean Carroll said she wants to donate her defamation damages to "something Trump hates." Donald Trump hates a lot of things. AdvertisementE. Jean Carroll wants to spend her newfound riches in a meaningful way after a federal jury awarded her $83.3 million in her defamation trial against former President Donald Trump last week. "I'd like to give the money to something Donald Trump hates," Carroll told ABC News on Monday. "Perhaps a fund for the women who Donald Trump has sexually assaulted," Carroll told ABC News of her potential future donations.

Persons: Jean Carroll, Trump, Trump . Donald Trump, Carroll, —, Donald Trump, defaming, he's, Timothy A, Clary, It's, Las Vegas , Nevada FREDERIC J . BROWN, RINOs Organizations: Trump ., Service, ABC News, ABC, The New York Times, Trump, Getty, Media, Business, The Washington Post, Journalists, Republican, Republican Jewish Coalition, Venetian Conference Center, Immigrants Locations: New Hampshire, AFP, America, Haiti, Norway, Mexico, Canada, California, New Jersey, New York, Las Vegas , Nevada, Washington

☆ How Stanley went from making sturdy bottles for laborers to becoming an 'it' status symbol, and causing chaos at Target stores across the US
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

"Every time we linked it, it would sell out so quickly," LeSueur told The New York Times. The Buy Guide had to pay for warehouse space and shipping and handling fees, but was allowed to keep the profits, The Times reported. "It was a big risk," LeSueur told CNBC. AdvertisementThe Buy Guide placed another wholesale order for 5,000 – and they sold out in an hour, Retail Dive reported. Reilly told CNBC that Stanley was making more products available with each drop but still wanted "a little bit of scarcity" to create a buzz.

Persons: —, Stanley, They've, Alphas, William Stanley Jr, Grace Dean, restocking, Ashlee LeSueur, Taylor Cannon, Linley Hutchinson —, LeSueur, Emily Maynard, Maynard, Terence Reilly, Reilly, he'd, Crocs, Frederic J . Brown, TikTokers, Bon Appétit, Stanley's Quenchers, Lainey Wilson, aren't, Gen Zers, Alpha, Casey Lewis, Lewis, –, Zers, they'll, Grace Mary Williams, it's, Kaitlin Gostel, Barnes, Noble, Harry Potter, Gostel, I've Organizations: Service, Business, Instagram, New York Times, CNBC, Times, The Times, Wall Street, Getty, Target, Starbucks Locations: Brooklyn, workdays, Crocs, AFP, Pendleton

☆ Corporate America's loyalty problem is on display in Big Tech
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In today's big story, we're looking at how there's no more loyalty in corporate America between employers and their workers. Business Insider's Aki Ito, who has covered workplace trends better than anyone, dove into the deterioration of loyalty in corporate America. The best example of the deterioration of loyalty in corporate America these days is in Big Tech. AdvertisementOne year later, Big Tech's layoffs are back and could become the new normal, Business Insider's Peter Kafka writes. However, the best representation of the growing employee-employer chasm in Big Tech is at Google.

Persons: —, hustleharder, Insider's Aki Ito, they're, Insider's Peter Kafka, Kali Hays, BI's Eugene Kim, Ashley Stewart, Long, Sundar Pichai, BI's Hasan Chowdhury, Brian Moynihan, Moynihan, Laura Labovich, Asher, Emerson, Bill O'Leary, there's, Frederic J . Brown, haven't, Christian Dior, Dan DeFrancesco, Diamond Naga Siu, Hallam Bullock, Jordan Parker Erb Organizations: Service, Big, Workers, Amazon MGM Studios, Big Tech, Google, OsakaWayne, Investment, New, Bank of America's, Fed, Washington, Getty, Meta, OpenAI Mafia, Shoppers, Spotify, Couture, United Airlines, The, Business Locations: America, Big Tech, Big, Bethesda, That's, Paris, New York, San Diego, London

☆ Tesla is taking the Cybertruck on a tour of China — but it won't be on sale
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla is taking the Cybertruck on a tour of China, per a company WeChat post reported by Reuters. However, it's unlikely to be on sale in China soon, with Elon Musk saying it'll be hard to make legal. It comes as Tesla tries to fight off a new wave of competition from Chinese EV makers such as BYD. Elon Musk's company is taking the Cybertruck on a tour of China to show off its futuristic pickup, according to a company post on WeChat reported by Reuters . Elon Musk has previously hinted at the plan, posting on X on Sunday that Tesla could ship some Cybertruck prototypes to China for display.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, —, Elon, Frederic J . Brown, Warren Buffett, Xiaomi, Musk Organizations: Reuters, Service, Elon Musk's, Geely, Huawei, New York Times, Business Locations: China, North America, AFP

☆ 10 years in, GM CEO Mary Barra has built her legacy on change and crisis. 2024 will be no different
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

In this article GM Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTMary Barra, CEO of General Motors, at the New York Stock Exchange, Nov. 17, 2022. GM's EV sales last year totaled 75,883 units, or 2.9% of the company's overall sales. However, a vast majority of GM's EV sales were from its now-discontinued Chevrolet Bolt models. Mary Barra, GM chair and CEO, speaks during the unveiling of the Cadillac Celestiq electric sedan in Los Angeles, Oct. 17, 2022. General Motors CEO Mary Barra testifies during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 1, 2014.

Persons: Mary Barra, Mary Barra's, Barra, She's, Tesla, Michelle Krebs, Warren Buffett's Berkshire, EVs hasn't, Frederic J, Brown, there's, Cruise, Cruise's, Jeff Kowalsky, Darryll Harrison Jr, Mary, Barra's, Dan Akerson, Dan Ammann, Mark Reuss, Steve Fecht, Stephanie Brinley, they've, Lyft, David Einhorn's, Einhorn Organizations: General Motors, New York Stock Exchange, NYSE DETROIT, Detroit, GM, Wall, U.S, EV, Cox Automotive, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, —, Hyundai, Kia, Bolt, EVs, Cadillac, AFP, Getty, Honda Motor, Automotive Press Association, Bloomberg, Cruise, CNBC, GM Renaissance Center Global Headquarters, P Global Mobility, Apple, Google, Energy, Commerce, Capitol Locations: Los Angeles, North America, Barra, San Francisco, Detroit, Washington

☆ Thursday's inflation report could challenge the market outlook for big Fed rate cuts
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"The market seems to have gotten excited that the Fed's going to have to do more than what the Fed thinks in terms of rate cuts now. watch nowThere is certainly a wide gap between what the Fed has indicated in terms of rate cuts and what the market is expecting. It probably means that right now, the market needs to give back some of the rate cuts that they priced in." Fed Governor Michelle Bowman said this week that while she expects rate hikes could be done, she doesn't see the case yet for cuts. Still, Brusuelas thinks the market is too aggressive in pricing in six rate cuts.

Persons: Frederic J, Brown, Dow Jones, Jack McIntyre, McIntyre, they've, Michelle Bowman, Lorie Logan, Logan, Joseph Brusuelas, Brusuelas, Richard Clarida, … There's, Clarida Organizations: AFP, Getty, Federal, Brandywine Global Investment Management, Traders, Dallas, RSM Locations: Rosemead , California

☆ CNBC Daily Open: Inflation goal in view
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-26 | by ( Yeo Boon Ping | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Brown | AFP | Getty ImagesThis report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our new, international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. The personal consumption expenditures price index measures how much consumers spend on goods and services. By contrast, the consumer price index tracks the price of goods and services — not actual consumer behavior. For the week, the S&P was up 0.8%, the Dow 0.2% and the Nasdaq 1.2%.

Persons: Frederic J, Brown, That's, Andrew Hunter, Russell, bode, Greg Bassuk, —, Jeff Cox Organizations: HK, AFP, Getty, CNBC, Capital Economics, CPI, Nasdaq, Dow Jones, Nike, Dow, AXS Investments Locations: Rosemead , California

☆ Signs of a Weakening Job Market, in Five Charts
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Austen Hufford | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

People waiting in line to speak with prospective employers during a career fair in Los Angeles last month. Photo: Frederic j. brown/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesThe hot labor market that underpinned a surprisingly strong economy this year is showing signs of cooling, an indication that growth could ease in 2024. The unemployment rate has edged higher this year, Americans are taking longer to find new jobs, and wage growth is slowing. New Labor Department data on job openings, to be released Tuesday, and Friday’s November jobs report could provide additional clues about if the historically tight labor market is starting to loosen.

Persons: Frederic Organizations: France, New Labor Department Locations: Los Angeles

☆ Tesla is selling a $55 Cybertruck decal inspired by Elon Musk's famous window smashing mishap
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla is selling a $55 Cybertruck decal inspired by Elon Musk's infamous window smashing incident. "OMFG decal" references moment a Tesla engineer smashed the Cybertruck's windows with a steel ball. AdvertisementTesla is selling a Cybertruck decal inspired by the windows that famously smashed during a demonstration at the futuristic pickup's unveiling. Elon Musk was left red-faced after the Cybertruck's windows failed in a demonstration. That means it still remains unclear whether the Cybertruck's windows are actually as unbreakable as Musk initially suggested.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk's, —, Franz von Holzhausen, Elon Musk, Frederic J . Brown, Holzhausen, Austin — Organizations: Service, Elon Locations: Austin

☆ An investing legend dies
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementIn today's big story, we're looking back on the life of investing legend Charlie Munger. What's on deck:But first, remembering Charlie Munger. AdvertisementCharlie Munger, the billionaire investing legend who led Berkshire Hathaway alongside Warren Buffett, died Tuesday at age 99. Despite being overshadowed by Buffett, Munger wasn't afraid to share his opinion. Speakers include Vice President Kamala Harris, President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen, Elon Musk, Bob Iger, Jamie Dimon, Lina Khan, Shonda Rhimes, and other major execs.

Persons: Charlie Munger, Charlie Munger Johannes Eisele, Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, Munger, I'm, Buffett, Munger's, they'd, Charles Platiau, Frederic J . Brown, Chelsea Jia Feng, Wall, Peacock, Kamala Harris, Taiwan Tsai Ing, Elon Musk, Bob Iger, Jamie Dimon, Lina Khan, Shonda Rhimes, Costco Monica Humphries, Dan DeFrancesco, Naga Siu, Hallam Bullock, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Getty, Berkshire, Berkshire Hathaway, SevenSix Agency, Delta Air Lines, Toyota, Gucci, Google, Wall, Rockefeller, NBC, The New York Times, Taiwan, Costco Locations: Wisconsin, What's, AFP, California, Omaha, Omaha , Nebraska, Berkshire, Charles, Kensington, Chelsea, New York City, San Diego, London, New York

☆ Elon Musk says the Tesla Cybertruck will be bulletproof. That remains to be seen.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk says the Cybertruck will be bulletproof, boasting that Tesla shot it up with a Tommy gun. Deliveries are set to start next week, with Musk warning that Tesla faces big production challenges. AdvertisementElon Musk has long claimed the Cybertruck will be bulletproof, saying he wants the futuristic pickup to be "really tough — not fake tough." As the Cybertruck's launch date nears, though, it still remains unclear just how bulletproof it is going to be. AdvertisementThis "armor glass" won't be able to stop a bullet — but Musk's said that Tesla will offer the option to buy a "beast mode" Cybertruck with properly bulletproof windows.

Persons: Elon Musk, Tesla, —, Musk's, Musk, Frederic J . Brown, Al Capone, Critics, Tommy Organizations: Service, Auto, Business

☆ Tesla's New CyberBeer Apparently Tastes Like "Hot Garbage"
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Some Tesla superfans who bought it are saying the bottles are rusty and it tastes like "hot garbage." AdvertisementSome Tesla superfans aren't thrilled with Tesla's new CyberBeer — and they're taking to social media to air their grievances. "Tesla Cyberbeer is hot garbage," one person complained in a post on X on Tuesday. "Why does the Tesla CyberBeer feel like something I'm gonna get alcohol poisoning from?" And the unboxing experience was "premium" for the CyberBeer, Judkins said, noting that the two CyberSteins help make the "$150 price tag easier to swallow."

Persons: Tesla, —, aren't, Jeremy Judkins, 7FgRrmGtJm, Cybertruck, Elon Musk, Frederic J . BROWN, Elon, Lakshmi, Judkins, udkins Organizations: Service, Getty, Tesla, Elon Musk, Twitter, ust Locations: AFP, Lakshmi Varanasi, Elon

☆ The Social Gospel movement is changing our politics and reshaping our perspectives
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( John Blake | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Fain’s sermonette underscores a trend that has largely gone unnoticed: The Social Gospel movement is making a comeback. Jemal Countess/Getty ImagesIt might sound like hyperbole to say that this resurgent form of the Social Gospel is changing our politics. He reached deep into the Social Gospel throughout the UAW strike, routinely deploying what one commentator called “strikingly Christian rhetoric.”Christopher H. Evans, author of “The Social Gospel in American Religion: A History,” said he heard the Social Gospel in Fain’s UAW speeches. “It (The Social Gospel) won’t have the institutional muscle it had before, but you could still have these voices and followers.”The climate in contemporary America seems ripe for the Social Gospel message. And the soaring optimism of old Social Gospel reformers may now seem as outdated as wobbly black-and-white silent films.

Persons: CNN —, Shawn Fain, Fain, ” Fain, Matthew, Jesus, ”, Moses, Paul, Stellantis, Fain’s sermonette, don’t, Frederic J . Brown, John D, Rockefeller, “, pulpits, didn’t, Charles Sheldon, Fain’s, that’s, Democratic Sen, Raphael Warnock, Cornel West, William Barber II, Liz Theoharis, Matthew Desmond, Martin Luther King, William Barber, Jemal Countess, ” Christopher H, Evans, Heath W, Carter, Luke, Sen, Warnock, Barber, Desmond, Amir Levy, it’s, ” It’s, you’re, ” Evans, Dom Helder Camara, Rebecca Cook, Reuters “ There’s, won’t, —, John Blake Organizations: CNN, Big Three, United Auto Workers, UAW, General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Chrysler, Writers Guild of America, UPS Teamsters, UPS, Getty, Democratic, US, Big Tech, Boston University, ” Mining, Library, “, Princeton Theological Seminary, Yale Divinity School‘s Center, Public Theology, Ivy League, The New York Times, Social, Reuters, Teamsters, Screen Actors Guild Locations: Jerusalem, America, Los Angeles, AFP, Washington, Kingston , Pennsylvania, Chicago, ”, American City, American, Lower Manhattan, New York City, Brazilian, Detroit

☆ The Low-Wage Pay Surge Is Over, Threatening the Consumer Boom
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Amara Omeokwe | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

More workers are seeking jobs, and the economy is feeling the impact of the Federal Reserve’s fight against inflation. Photo: frederic j. brown/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesLow-wage workers were the labor market’s surprise winners of the past few years. As employers clamored to hire from a limited pool of workers, Americans in lower-paying industries gained leverage to obtain some of the largest pay raises and perks. More workers are seeking jobs, and the economy is feeling the impact of the Federal Reserve’s campaign to combat inflation. That has resulted in slower wage growth overall, but particularly at the lower end of the pay scale.

Persons: frederic Organizations: France, Federal

☆ Elon Musk started a price war that Tesla can't win
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Linette Lopez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

Elon Musk has started an electric-vehicle price war that Tesla can't finish. In April, Ford CEO Jim Farley said Tesla's cuts could start an unsustainable price war. If it slides back into the red because of its price cuts, expect investors to run in another direction. In China, Tesla's price cuts even sparked protests among owners who paid more for their vehicles. Waging price war during a downturn is a challenge unlike any Tesla has faced before.

Persons: Elon Musk, Tesla, Mark Schirmer, crumb, John Zhang, Musk, —, he's, hasn't, — it's, Frederic J . Brown, Ford, John Lawler, Schirmer, I've, it's, Jim Farley, Elon, Oliver Zipse, Zhang, they're, they'd, Zach Kirkhorn, Linette Lopez Organizations: Cox Automotive, —, Revenue, Wharton School, Ford, BMW, Getty, GM, Mercedes, EV, Hyundai Locations: AFP, China

☆ Right Now Is a Bad Time to Spend Money
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Oyin Adedoyin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The National Retail Federation forecasts holiday spending will grow to as much as $966.6 billion this year. Photo: frederic j. brown/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesPrices remain high for much of what we buy, even as inflation has slowed. Stingily saving money, meanwhile, is a more profitable activity than it has been in recent memory. Since the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to a two-decade high, any dollar spent today is a lost opportunity to earn as much as 5% or more in savings accounts, certificates of deposit and bonds. High rates also make it significantly more expensive for people to spend money they don’t have, with the annual interest rate on some credit cards pushing 30%.

Persons: frederic Organizations: National Retail Federation, France, Federal Reserve

☆ Right Now Is a Terrible Time to Spend Money
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Oyin Adedoyin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: frederic Organizations: National Retail Federation, France, Federal Reserve

☆ Cooling job market no reason for panic yet, economists say: 'It's a slowdown, not a collapse'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Brown | Afp | Getty ImagesThe job market continues to show signs of cooling, but alarm bells aren't ringing just yet, economists said. The unemployment rate rose to 3.9% in October, from 3.8% in September, the BLS said. "There's almost no exception in this report: Every indicator suggests a slowing, slackening labor market," she said. "The days of explosive growth are gone, as the labor market shifts into healthier and more sustainable territory," said Noah Yosif, lead labor economist at UKG, a payroll and shift management company. The rise in the unemployment rate may also just be a sign that the extremely hot labor market is loosening a bit, Bunker added.

Persons: Frederic J, Brown, Julia Pollak, Pollak, Noah Yosif, Aaron Terrazas, Terrazas, Andrew Hunter, Nick Bunker Organizations: Afp, Getty, U.S . Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS, Workers, Finance, Union, Capital Economics Locations: Los Angeles, U.S

☆ Inflation is cooling, but the price hikes aren’t done
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Lucy Bayly | Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Inflation in the United States has unquestionably cooled after hitting 40-year highs last year. Other key inflation gauges, the more comprehensive Personal Consumption Expenditures price index and the wholesale-focused Producer Price Index, have moderated as well. A spike in gas prices and other components such as persistently high shelter costs have kept inflation elevated. The locally owned Walnut Group restaurant company closed its venerable Mediterranean Restaurant (fondly called The Med), the French bistro Brasserie Ten Ten and the newer Italian entrant Via Perla. Courtesy Tim Romano PhotographyAlthough Brasserie Ten Ten had a nearly two-decade run before its closure, it was like starting a brand new restaurant, Hessel said.

Persons: Marlon Pando, White Lotus, Tony Hessel, he’s, Jerome Powell, Brandon Bell, —, ”, Lydia Boussour, United States —, Pando, “, Price, Frederic J . Brown, Mark Zandi, Chase Castor, hadn’t, Holly Wade, Peggy Romano, Romano, Brasserie, Tim Romano, Hessel, ” Hessel, you’ve, it’s Organizations: Minneapolis CNN —, Disney, Mexican Grill, White, Getty, Moody’s, National Federation of Independent, Washington Post, NFIB Research, shocker, Walnut Group, Via Perla Locations: Minneapolis, New Jersey, Boulder , Colorado, United States, Mexican, Austin , Texas, Alhambra , California, AFP, Marion , Kansas, —, Walnut

☆ A biographer spent years following Elon Musk and Steve Jobs. Here's how he says they're alike — and how they're different
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Sarah Jackson | Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Walter Isaacson trailed Elon Musk for years and interviewed Steve Jobs over 40 times to write their biographies. Elon Musk's biographer, Walter Isaacson, once said that the Tesla CEO was "in some ways the Steve Jobs of our time." AdvertisementAdvertisementBoth Musk and Jobs had a "dark streak""When I was reporting on Steve Jobs, his partner Steve Wozniak said that the big question to ask was 'Did he have to be so mean? AdvertisementAdvertisementIsaacson said Steve Jobs (left) took on the role of "alpha male" at Apple and "marginalized" his cofounder Steve Wozniak (right). "As much as I think Steve Jobs is a total genius, Steve Jobs would design a product, be it the Mac or the iPhone, and then it would be thrown over the wall to some manufacturing facility in China or something.

Persons: Walter Isaacson, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, —, Elon Musk's, Tesla, Jobs, Isaacson, Musk, Steve Wozniak, Grimes, " Isaacson, didn't, Kimberly White, Wozniak, Martin Eberhard, Tom Mueller, It's, Frederic J . BROWN, Musk's, Franz von Holzhausen Organizations: Service, Apple, Jobs, Twitter, SpaceX, Getty, Wall Street, Tesla, Economic, of New Locations: AFP, China, of New York

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