DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ EU fiscal pact ignores green elephant in the room
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

REUTERS/Henry Nicholls Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Nov 21 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The European Union’s troubled fiscal pact, once branded as "stupid" by former European Commission President Romano Prodi, has reached its sell-by date. Average EU debt has been consistently above the 60% target. NEW COURSEThe proposed revamp of the fiscal pact, now under discussion, is an improvement. BRAVE NEW DEBT WORLDFor all of Brussels’ reforming zeal, Europe’s future debt rules ignore a giant elephant in the room: climate change. Another option is to remove green investments from the fiscal rules’ deficit calculations.

Persons: Henry Nicholls, Romano Prodi, Christian Lindner, Giorgia Meloni, Breakingviews, Bruno Le Maire, Olaf Scholz’s, Mario Draghi, Francesco Guerrera, Thomas Shum Organizations: Trust, REUTERS, Reuters, European, Reuters Graphics Reuters, European Commission, French Finance, EU, Intel, European Central Bank, Italian, Union, Thomson Locations: Green Park, London, Britain, Maastricht Treaty, Germany, it's, Italy, Greece, Brussels, EU, United States, Spain, Europe

These food-and-drink gifts offer outstanding value as well as deliciousness and delight. Gifts of food and drink and the trappings that go with them—a party in the making. This tart-sweet marmalade delivers the complex flavor of calamansi—a fruit that’s like lime, kumquat and tangerine all in one—grown on Oahu. There, jam master Akiko White relies on her grandmother-in-law Tutu’s recipe to produce a citrus stunner that makes a marvelous croissant topper, vinaigrette booster and cocktail brightener. Aloha Bites Tutu’s Calamansi Marmalade, $19 for 7 ounces, Zingermans.com

Persons: Martin Ramin, marmalade, Akiko White Locations: Oahu

☆ Meet the typical HENRY: Urban 32-year-olds with no kids who make a six-figure income and have a college degree
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The typical HENRY — high earner, not rich yet — is 32, lives in a city, and makes six figures. The typical HENRY — or high earner, not rich yet — is an urban 32-year-old without kids, makes a six-figure income, and has lots of student debt. This is according to data on 1,500 clients shared with Insider from Stash Wealth , a financial advisor for HENRYs . Five HENRYs told Insider they're saving upwards of 40% to 70% of their income each year. Given many HENRYs got an undergraduate degree, with some pursuing doctorates, student loans are particularly elevated, as the average HENRY student loan balance comes in at $80,000.

Persons: HENRY, HENRYs, —, HENRY —, Priya Malani, Savannah White, She's, White, Gen, Sherry, Zer, Malani, Sarah Baus, it's, Baus Organizations: Service, HENRYs, Shash, Federal Reserve's Survey, Consumer Finances, Bank of America Institute, Olive, SC Locations: New York City, Los Angeles, Savannah, Charleston

☆ October Inflation Report Price Rises Expected to Cool
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Jeanna Smialek | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Airlines lower their fares when they are trying to get more people to book tickets as demand is slowing or they are facing stiffer competition. Early this month, the average price for a domestic flight around Thanksgiving was down about 9 percent from a year ago. But some airlines say demand is slowing outside of holiday and other peak travel periods. Image Thanksgiving this year is expected to set a record for air travel, with nearly 30 million passengers anticipated. If travel demand is dropping, in some ways that’s an even bigger win for people who are never going to give up on travel.”

Persons: Denise Diorio, “ I’ve, ’ ”, Diorio, Hopper, ”, Kyle Potter, Potter, Stefani Reynolds, John Grant, “ We’re, “, ” Barry Biffle, Steve Hafner, that’s Organizations: Airlines, Airlines for America, Credit, The New York Times, U.S, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Miami, Analysts Locations: Tampa , Fla, Chicago, New York, Paris, Europe, Caribbean, Denver, Orlando, Fla, Los Angeles, East, Ukraine

☆ Earnings playbook: How to trade the biggest reports this week, including retail giant Walmart
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Fred Imbert | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Investors will get a glimpse this week on the state of the consumer with a slew retail companies slated to report earnings. Tuesday Home Depot is set to report earnings before the open, followed by a call at 9 a.m. What history shows: Bespoke data shows Target beats earnings expectations 65% of the time. What to watch: Walmart is riding high, with the stock reaching an all-time high last week on bets of a strong holiday season for the retail giant. What history shows: Walmart was higher in four of the last five earnings days, Bespoke data shows.

Persons: Seth Sigman, Brian Cornell, Michael Lasser, PANW, Hamza Fodderwala, Morgan Stanley, billings, WMT, Oppenheimer, Rupesh, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Walmart, Home Depot, CNBC, Tuesday, LSEG, Depot, Federal Reserve, Barclays, Investment, UBS, Palo Alto Networks, Management

Data released on Thursday showing a drop in consumer prices to their lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the doubts in China's economic rebound after some months of indicators showing growth stabilising. China's big online shopping platforms did not release final sales figures for 2022, when analysts said COVID-19 restrictions inhibited spending and consumer confidence. Some indicators point to a slowdown in Singles Day sales. Data provider Syntun estimated e-commerce platforms sold 311 billion yuan of products from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, a 7.1% decrease year-on-year. For Tan Jiapeng, a 35-year-old office worker in Beijing, his only Singles Day purchase so far has been a Descente winter jacket, an "essential purchase" for the winter.

Persons: Florence Lo, Jason Yu, Kantar, COVID, Bain, Jacob Cooke, Nomura, Tan Jiapeng, Tan, Casey Hall, Sophie Yu, Marius Zaharia Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, HK, PDD Holdings, Company, Technologies, Thomson Locations: Rights BEIJING, China, Beijing

☆ How some HENRYs are aggressively saving their around 6-figure incomes while still splurging on what matters most to them
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"When some people look at our lives, they say we are really thrifty, that we must feel limited or that we are missing out, but I don't feel held back," White said. AdvertisementAdvertisementWhite is one of the so-called HENRYs — or high earners, not rich yet — who are often younger people with significant discretionary income but who still don't feel financially stable. For many HENRYs, living below their means is the key to relying less on their working income in the future. Coupled with saving for retirement and paying off student loans — averaging $80,000 among Malani's clients — many don't have much money to spend. "In a lot of ways, saving money gives us freedom."

Persons: Gen Zers, —, hasn't, she's, White, Priya Malani, HENRYs, Malani, Sarah Baus, Baus, it's, splurging Organizations: Service, Hyundai Locations: Charleston, SC, Thailand, New York, California

☆ About 3.5 million more American families went hungry after food prices spiked and the pandemic-era child tax credit ended
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

There was also an increase in food insecurity for households with children from 2021 to 2022. AdvertisementAdvertisementAbout 3.5 million more US households were food insecure for at least part of 2022 than in 2021. Food insecurity is when the "ability to acquire adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources," per the report. Around 17 million households, or 12.8% of US households, were food insecure in 2022. Hall said the 40% increase in food insecurity for households with children, from 4.6 million households to 6.4 million households, was also discouraging given the large fall in 2021.

Persons: Chloe East, —, Lauren Hall, Hall, Tom Vilsack, Vilsack Organizations: Hamilton, Brookings, Service, US Department of Agriculture, University of Colorado, SNAP, Budget, Women, USDA Locations: University of Colorado Denver, America

Writer and blogger Kim Anderson and her husband, an engineer, paid off their home 27 years early. They made extra payments to their mortgage's principal, and watched the amortization table closely. Anderson and her husband paid close attention to their amortization table while planning their payoff, and says it became a large part of their strategy. They also started to contribute more towards their mortgage payment each month, adding an extra $1,260 to their their $689 monthly payment, later increasing it to $2,515 per month. By saving on the splurges and extra purchases, they were able to pay off their mortgage quicker.

Persons: Kim Anderson, —, Anderson, doesn't, couldn't Organizations: Service, Andersons Locations: Atlanta, Canton , Georgia, North Carolina, Georgia

☆ US agency fines Zipcar for uncompleted recall rentals
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A 2015 law requires rental car companies with 35 or more vehicles to complete recall repairs before renting vehicles. The agency is requiring Zipcar, a unit of Avis Budget Group (CAR.O) since 2013, to submit an audit report of all Zipcar vehicles with uncompleted recall repairs at any time within 150 calendar days after the effective date of the settlement. On Monday, Zipcar said the settlement stems from a 2017 recall in which less than 50 of 12,000 vehicles of its global fleet were found in violation. Zipcar added the recall "was a unique mileage-based recall that did not require the immediate grounding of the vehicles" and added the vehicles are no longer in its fleet. "Vehicles with open, unrepaired recalls pose a safety risk to everyone on the road," said Ann Carlson, NHTSA's acting administrator.

Persons: Robert Galbraith, Zipcar, unrepaired, Ann Carlson, NHTSA's, Hertz, David Shepardson, Chris Reese, Paul Simao, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, National, Traffic Safety Administration, Avis Budget Group, Vehicles, NHTSA, Hertz, Thomson Locations: San Francisco , California

☆ The rise and fall of pharma bigwig Rite Aid, which couldn't keep up with rivals Walgreen and CVS
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Nidhi Pandurangi | Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Rite Aid filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Sunday following slumping sales and a series of lawsuits. Rite Aid, which has over 47,000 employees, has struggled in recent years to compete against larger peers like CVS and Walgreens Boots Alliance, as well as Amazon. Rite Aid has faced growing competition from direct-to-consumer pharmacy startups as well as medication deliveries from the likes of Amazon and Uber. Rite Aid also experienced supply chain challenges after changing supplier for many of its perishable consumer goods and shrink "continued to be a significant headwind," Burr said. Representatives for Rite Aid did not immediately respond for Insider's request for further comment beyond sending statements about Stein's appointment and its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

Persons: it's, —, Jeffrey S, Stein, Elizabeth Burr, Heyward Donigan, Donigan, Burr, there'd Organizations: Service, Rite, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Rite Aid, pharma, Aid, Discount, Rite Aid Corporation, PayLess, Walgreens, Albertsons, New York Times Locations: New Jersey, Scranton , Pennsylvania

☆ In EV battle, Toyota bets on new technology and old-school thinking
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( David Dolan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

He pointed to engineering and technology expertise anchored in "TPS", shorthand for the Toyota Production System. Toyota revolutionised modern manufacturing with its system of lean production, just-in-time delivery and "kanban" workflow organisation. ASSEMBLY LINE, GIGACASTINGOne innovation being emphasised by Toyota is its self-propelled production lines, where EVs are guided by sensors through the assembly line. Toyota also showed off a prototype of the die-casting technology known as "gigacasting" pioneered by Tesla that produces aluminium parts far bigger than anything used before in auto manufacturing. Like Tesla, Toyota says it will produce EVs in modular sections, reducing parts.

Persons: EVs, Goldman Sachs, Kazuaki Shingo, Tesla, Koji Sato, David Dolan, Jamie Freed Organizations: Toyota, TOYOTA CITY, TPS, System, United Auto Workers, Tesla, Thomson Locations: Japan, gigacasting, Toyota City, Motomachi

☆ China state TV slams beauty influencer who told off thrifty viewer
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Casey Hall | Thomson Reuters | Casey Has Reported On China'S Consumer Culture Her Base In Shanghai For More Than A Decade | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI, Sept 12 (Reuters) - China's state television criticised on Tuesday a famous beauty livestreamer who told off a viewer for complaining about the high price of an eyebrow pencil, as many Chinese feel the pinch from an economic slowdown. Livestreaming is big business in China, generating sales of $480 billion last year, and Li gets a commission from the products he sells on his livestreams. Li responded by saying prices were not rising and told the viewer that she couldn't afford the eyebrow pencil because she wasn't working hard enough. Hours later, he apologised to the viewer on this Weibo social media account, and then the following day, he apologised again on his livestream. ($1 = 7.2876 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Casey Hall; editing by Miral FahmyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: livestreamer, Li Jiaqi, Li, Casey Hall, Miral Organizations: Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, China

☆ ‘Scout’s Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America’ Review: A Predators’ Playground
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( John Anderson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Mark Eaton in ‘Scout’s Honor’ Photo: NetflixThe Boy Scouts of America declared bankruptcy in 2020 in the face of a child-sexual-abuse scandal that, in terms of scale, was larger than that of the Roman Catholic Church. Or so it is claimed at the outset of “Scout’s Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America.” Yes, the Scouts taught skills and virtues to many boys: how to be thrifty, brave, clean and reverent; how not to pitch a tent at the bottom of a hill. At the same time, “It was all just veneer, to mask what was a very dangerous organization.”

Persons: Mark Eaton, “, ” Organizations: Netflix, Boy Scouts of America, Roman Catholic Church, Scouts Locations: ‘

☆ The divide between retail's winners and losers will be stark this back-to-school season
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Back-to-school spending is expected to reach a record-high of $41.5 billion, according to the National Retail Federation's annual survey . The trends suggest certain retailers will fare better than others, with analysts favoring these stocks for back-to-school. According to a Stifel survey, retro basketball styles from Nike were the most popular choice for back-to-school this year. "These retailers have invested significantly in their private label assortments in recent years and continue to grow penetration," Jefferies analysts wrote in an Aug. 28 note. That could be a warning sign for the holidays as many investors look to back-to-school sales to set the tone for the winter season.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Jefferies, Doug McMillon, Amazon's, Homegoods, Abercrombie —, Abercrombie, Locker, Stifel Organizations: National, Jefferies, Walmart, Target, Costco, Dollar, Ikea, P, Abercrombie, Fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, Barn Holdings, Nordstrom, Nike, FactSet Locations: U.S, Hollister, Thursday's, Banana

☆ Target slashes full-year forecast as retailer struggles to win over thrifty shoppers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Courtney Reagan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailTarget slashes full-year forecast as retailer struggles to win over thrifty shoppersCNBC's Courtney Reagan joins 'Squawk Box' to break down Target's quarterly earnings results.

Persons: CNBC's Courtney Reagan

☆ Target slashes full-year earnings forecast as retailer struggles to win over thrifty shoppers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In this article TGT Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTwatch nowTarget on Wednesday missed quarterly sales expectations and slashed its full-year forecast, as it again had trouble convincing shoppers to buy more than necessities. Target's struggling shares rose 3% Wednesday despite the soft forecast, as its fiscal second-quarter earnings topped expectations and inventory levels improved. CEO Brian Cornell said Target's sales and store traffic improved in July. Comparable sales, a key metric that tracks sales online and at stores open at least 13 months, declined 5.4%. Digital comparable sales dropped 10.5% Sales softened in the second half of May and into June before recovering in July, Cornell said.

Persons: Target's, Brian Cornell, Cornell, Michael Fiddelke, Clawing Organizations: Investors, Amazon

☆ Cava and Sweetgreen see delivery orders fall as customers pick up their own food
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Delivery orders are typically more expensive, thanks to added fees and tips for delivery drivers. But delivery orders have also become an important contributor to restaurants' revenue because customers' receipt totals are higher. Cava's second-quarter sales growth wasn't hurt by softening delivery sales, but the Mediterranean chain's full-year forecast was cautious. After same-store sales growth of 28.4% for the first quarter and 18.2% for the second quarter, Cava is anticipating same-store sales growth of just 13% to 15% for the full year. Uber said its second-quarter delivery sales rose 14%, while DoorDash's total orders climbed 25%.

Persons: Sweetgreen, Mitch Reback, Cava, Tricia Tolivar, didn't, Uber Locations: Cava, North America

☆ Deep discount stores many Americans have never heard of, from Daiso to Dirt Cheap
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Large dollar store chains like Dollar General have gained popularity. Other chains, including some expanding to the US from abroad, attract budget-savvy customers. For some, including mid- and high-income shoppers, that's meant popping into dollar stores and other heavy discounters to buy everything from food to home goods. The dollar store chains are opening more stores to attract more customers. While Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Family Dollar dominate the dollar store space in the US, there are other chains, including a couple of foreign competitors, worth getting to know.

Organizations: Service, Dollar Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Warren Buffett's wife balked at paying $4 for a cup of coffee. That won't surprise the investor's close followers.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Warren Buffett's wife reportedly balked at the $4 cost of a coffee at Sun Valley. Buffett lives simply, seeks value as an investor, and strikes a hard bargain when he cuts deals. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. Her reaction won't surprise close followers of Buffett, or shareholders of his Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate. Indeed, Buffett still lives in the same house in Omaha, Nebraska that he purchased for $31,500 in 1958.

Persons: Warren Buffett's, Astrid Menks, Buffett, Warren Buffett, He's, Charlie Munger, —, Munger, They're, Alleghany, Goldman Sachs Organizations: Service, New York Post, Berkshire Hathaway, Berkshire, Alleghany Locations: Sun, Wall, Silicon, Berkshire, Omaha , Nebraska, Munger, Los Angeles, Omaha

☆ Used cars may never be cheap again — here's what you need to know about shopping for one right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Sometimes shopping used can require even more research and preparation than shopping for a new car. Used car prices have been notoriously volatile since the pandemic and squeezes on inventory have allowed sellers of used cars to jack up prices based on urgent needs. While this option can be great for new car shopping if you're on a budget, used car leases can be dangerous. Even when buying a used car, warranties are an important part of used car shopping. If repair costs are a concern for you, consider purchasing an extended warranty on your used car.

Persons: you've, that's, Kelley Organizations: Morning, Companies, Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, CPO

Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card are offering $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. If you're looking for a rewards business card, it's hard to go wrong with any of the Chase Ink Business credit cards. The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card stands out because it offers more rewards in popular business categories. If you're intrigued about the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you should know that it offers more perks on the travel front.

Persons: Read, Wells, We're, Chase, you'll, that's, You'll, Holly Johnson Freelance, Holly Johnson, Johnson, Joseph Hostetler, Joseph, Guy Organizations: Chase Ink, Card Citi, Card, Target, Walmart, Citi, Chase, FDIC, Reading Chevron, Business, Sapphire, Ink, Chase Travel, United Airlines, Air, Hyatt, Virgin Atlantic, Rover, U.S . News, Club, Finance Locations: Air Canada, Europe, Delta, Chase, U.S

☆ McDonald's Indonesia is offering a $200 wedding package that includes 100 chicken sandwiches
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The fast food chain's Indonesian social media account this week announced that it will begin offering catering for couples who are tying the knot. The "Wedding Mekdi" package includes 100 chicken sandwiches and 100 four-piece chicken McNuggets orders, the company revealed in an Instagram post that includes imagery of both menu items as well as a bouquet of flowers and a pair of gold wedding bands. "Make your wedding more memorable with the Wedding Mekhdi package," the post reads. Larger weddings will be able to increase the size of their orders, and the post also advertises an on-site food stall service. 1 best piece of advice for regular investors, do's and don'ts, and three key investing principles into a clear and simple guidebook.

Persons: McDonald's, Warren Buffett Organizations: The Sun, CNBC Locations: Jakarta, Hong Kong

☆ Designer Clothes at Deep Discounts? Fashion Insiders Divulge Their Shopping Secrets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Aria Darcella | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

STYLE CONNIVERS The fashion pros from ‘Absolutely Fabulous.’ Photo: BBC ArchiveYOU NEEDN’T take out a second mortgage to dress as well as a real-estate magnate. With the rise of luxury consignment platforms like the RealReal and Fashionphile; outlet websites such as the Outnet and Saks Off 5th; and easy access to once-exclusive sample sales via Instagram tips and sites like 260 Sample Sale, nabbing designer clothes at deep discounts has never been easier. But, while thrifty, those are the sort of hacks that style insiders consider bush league. Yes, stylists and even designers hunt for low prices just like the rest of us—but their tricks far outrank ours.

Organizations: Saks

☆ Joseph Pedott, 91, Dies; Made Chia Pets an ‘as Seen on TV’ Sensation
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Alex Traub | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Joseph Pedott, whose decades of commercials for the zany plantlike figurines known as Chia Pets launched them into the pantheon of American consumer culture, died on June 22 in San Francisco. The origins of the Chia Pet’s popularity can be traced to March 1977, when Mr. Pedott (pronounced PEE-dot), an independent advertising executive, wandered around a Chicago home and housewares trade expo looking for new clients. “He said, ‘There’s this stupid item called the Chia Pet. I don’t know why anybody buys it,’” Mr. Pedott later recalled. The sales executive faxed Mr. Pedott a picture of the stupid item in question.

Persons: Joseph Pedott, Chia Pets, Sherry Ettleson, Pedott, ’, faxed Mr Locations: San Francisco, Chicago, Oaxaca, Mexico

Search resuls for: "Thrifty"

25 mentions found