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☆ This week could shift the focus of a key narrative for Harris and Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-04 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Those two events are the kind of thing that, in normal times, are tracked mostly by economists and Wall Street types. For former President Donald Trump and the Republicans, the narrative is simple: Anything bad you’re feeling about inflation or the job market? Harris entered the race trailing Trump on a range of issues, including the economy. If that were the whole story, Trump might have a harder time disparaging Harris’ and President Joe Biden’s economic record. If the data doesn’t behave, however, then jobs — not inflation — may become the key economic narrative that Harris and Trump will start talking about in their stump speeches.

Persons: CNN Business ’, New York CNN —, we’re, pollsters, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Harris, Price, Trump, Harris ’, Joe Biden’s, it’s, ”, Aaron Sojourner, Heidi Shierholz, Biden, — Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Republicans, Biden, Democratic, Trump, July’s, Fed, WE Upjohn, Employment Research, Economic Policy Institute, ”, of Labor Statistics Locations: New York, Washington

☆ Bond market 'yield curve' returns to normal from inverted state that had raised recession fears
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-04 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An inverted yield curve, in which the nearer-duration yield is higher, has signaled most recessions since World War II. However, a normalization of the curve does not necessary signal good times ahead. In fact, the curve usually does revert before a recession hits, meaning the U.S. could still be in for some rough economic waters ahead. Job openings had exceeded labor supply by more than 2 to 1 at one point, aggravating inflation that had been at its highest level in more than 40 years. That part of the curve is still steeply inverted, with the difference now at more than 1.3 percentage points.

Persons: Raphael Bostic, Quincy Krosby Organizations: CME Group, Atlanta Fed, LPL, Labor Department, Atlanta Federal Reserve Locations: Chicago, U.S

Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell said Friday he expects the central bank will cut its key interest rate in the near future in response to slower economic growth and cooling inflation. "The labor market is no longer overheated, and conditions are now less tight than those that prevailed before the pandemic. Starting in the spring of 2022, the Fed raised interest rates to a level not seen in nearly two decades as it worked to combat soaring inflation. "Make no mistake, if the labor market shows signs of further cooling, the Fed will cut with conviction," Shah wrote. Lower interest rates will provide some relief to consumer borrowers, but it will not be immediate, according to Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com.

Persons: Jay Powell, Powell, ” Powell, “, Seema Shah, —, Shah, Greg McBride, McBride Organizations: ”, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, midmorning, Market Committee, Management Locations: Jackson Hole , Wyoming, U.S

☆ She got back in touch with a vacation fling from over 15 years ago. What happened next was unexpected
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-23 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Alex and Ola met in a crowded bar and stayed up all night together on the island. Alex didn’t even know Ola was married – he didn’t post much, and he wasn’t on her radar anymore. To their mutual surprise, the connection Alex and Ola felt that night on the beach in Ko Phi Phi returned right away. In the fall, Alex met Ola’s children, who she immediately loved. Alexandra NelkeA year after she moved to Sweden, Alex and Ola bought a house together in Malmö, Sweden.

Persons: Alex Nelke, Ola Forsmark, he’s, ” Alex, you’re, Alex, ” Ola, Ola, kickstarted, ”, didn’t, Alex reconnecting, “, Alexandra Nelke, Alex didn’t, –, She’d, ’, Berlin Ola, Alexandra Nelke Alex, ‘ Life’s, Ola’s, Wolfgang —, “ I’ve, I’ve, she’s, they’ve Organizations: CNN, CNN Travel, Ko Phi Phi, Phi Phi, Facebook Locations: Thailand, Ola, Ko, Germany, London, Swedish, Asia, Bali, America, Sweden, Berlin, “, Malmö

☆ I went to college for free thanks to a scholarship. I'm still debating whether it was worth it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-21 | by ( Terryn Witherspoon-Woolfolk | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewMy vision in high school was to complete my college degree for free. I dedicated my time in high school to achieving my scholarship dreamIn my senior year in high school, I was selected for a full cost of attendance scholarship program. I did this all in the name of no student debt and a prestigious college experience. Related storiesHowever, I found that I had to give too much of myself to the scholarship program. I typically let feelings of guilt and obligation guide my decision-making, and I'm sure this affected my experiences in the scholarship program.

Persons: —, I've, I'm Organizations: Service, Business, ACT

☆ 'Britain's Bill Gates': Who is Mike Lynch, the UK tech entrepreneur missing after superyacht sinks?
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-20 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Mike Lynch, 59, is the founder of enterprise software firm Autonomy. Lynch, 59, is the founder of enterprise software firm Autonomy. During the trial, Lynch took the stand in his own defense, denying wrongdoing and telling jurors that HP botched Autonomy's integration. "I keep rare breeds," Lynch told LeadersIn during an interview. Weeks before he was reported missing, Lynch told The Times newspaper of how he feared dying in prison if found guilty over the HP allegations.

Persons: Mike Lynch, Hewlett Packard, Chris Ratcliffe, Lynch —, Bill Gates, —, Lynch's, Angela Bacares, Hannah —, Morgan, Jonathan Bloomer, Judy, Clifford Chance, Chris Morvillo, Neda, Stephen Chamberlain, Chamberlain's, Lynch, Autonomy's, Chamberlain, Sushovan Hussain, Hussain, David Tabizel, Richard Gaunt, Thoma, LeadersIn, Weeks Organizations: Autonomy, Hewlett, Bloomberg, Getty, LONDON, U.K, Morgan Stanley, Reuters, HP, U.S, Prosecutors, University of Cambridge, Lynett Systems, Cambridge, South Yorkshire Police, Cambridge Neurodynamics, BBC, Council for Science, Technology, Capital Management, Thoma Bravo, Forbes, East Anglian Times, The Times Locations: Sicily, Porticello, Palermo, Italy, Cambridgeshire, England, Britain, U.S, Ilford, East London, Chelmsford, English, Essex, U.K, British, Suffolk

☆ Travel isn’t dead. It’s just taking a vacation
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-19 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —CEOs of many of the biggest US hotel and travel companies are coming off a bit like doomsayers these days with their warnings about the declining health of consumers and their waning appetite for travel. Gary Hershorn/Getty ImagesMuch of the revenue growth that travel companies reported in recent years resulted from inflation, said David Tinsley, a senior economist at Bank of America Institute. “It was always going to be tough to expect travel spending to be showing the kind of momentum it showed 12 months ago,” he told CNN. “I don’t think the current situation is particularly bleak — it’s reasonable to see more normalization playing out,” he said, referring to travel spending getting back on par with pre-pandemic trends. Still, it’s not hard to see why this mixed picture is prompting travel companies to tread carefully.

Persons: —, ”, Brian Chesky, “ It’s, Ellie Mertz, Chris Nassetta, Airbnb’s Mertz, haven’t, Jan Freitag, ” Freitag, Walt Disney, Gary Hershorn, David Tinsley, Tinsley, “, Steve Hafner, it’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Conference, Bank of America Institute, CNN Locations: New York, ”

Economists like to say the cure for high prices is high prices. In other words, consumers eventually start to hold back on spending when they are faced with increasing costs. On Monday, the New York Federal Reserve reported that consumers' three-year inflation outlook hit a record low. Many economists credit the Federal Reserve's decision to raise interest rates starting in the spring of 2022 with helping to curb the upswing. It is that last factor that the Federal Reserve is keenly focused on.

Persons: “, Andrew Jassy, Wells Fargo, Mark Hamrick, ” Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve's, New York Federal Reserve, Federal, Fed, BLS, Gallup, Federal Reserve Locations: U.S, York

☆ I'm 38, and one of my closest friends is 72. We have more in common than you might think.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( Sarah Klein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

I was trained to chat with an older adult over the phone, considering it wasn't currently safe to visit in person. FriendshipWorks aims to address loneliness in older adults, but one-third of Americans are lonely, regardless of age. I know I was, with just a small social circle of family members and friends from growing up in the suburbs. Our unconventional friendship wouldn't have happened if I hadn't decided to volunteer (and volunteering is a common recommendation to build social connection). We're more than 30 years apart, as she's 72 and I'm 38, we come from different parts of the country, and we have different religious beliefs and racial backgrounds.

Persons: Carolyn, FriendshipWorks, we'd, Sarah Klein, hadn't, we've Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Boston, New York City, Georgia, Cleveland

☆ A key inflation gauge showed price hikes slowed last month. But economic jitters remain
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —US wholesale inflation slowed as expected in July, easing after an unexpected flare-up the month before. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.1%, a slower pace than the 0.2% increase seen in June. Economists had expected that prices would increase 0.2% on a monthly basis and slow to 2.3% annually, according to FactSet estimates. The modest monthly increase in the overall PPI was attributed to a 0.6% jump in goods prices, according to the BLS report. When stripping out energy and food prices — categories that also tend to be volatile — core PPI prices were flat for the month, bringing down the annual gain to 2.4%, its lowest since March.

Persons: Price Organizations: CNN, of Labor Statistics, PPI, BLS, CPI

☆ Americans who locked in a job, home, and stocks are thriving. Everyone else missed out on their ticket to wealth.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Did you have a job, own a home, and have significant investments in the stock market? If the answer was yes to all three, then there's a decent chance you're feeling OK about the current state of your finances. But the job market has slowed over the past year. To be sure, not everyone has enough extra cash to invest in the stock market. This is among the reasons a growing share of Americans have dipped their toes into the stock market.

Persons: —, haven't, there's, There's, It's, what's, Roland Hesmondhalgh, he's, Republicans —, Tiffany Bell, didn't, Bell, she's, she'll Organizations: Service, Business, Federal Reserve, University of Michigan, Republicans, Federal Locations: Virginia, Pennsylvania, Houston

PARIS — Two-time WNBA champion A'ja Wilson scored 21 points as the United States survived an unexpectedly close contest from host France, winning 67-66 for their eighth straight Olympic gold medal in women's basketball on Sunday. The U.S. women last lost in Olympic play when they failed to bring home gold in 1992. But after France drew a foul and Cooper made both free throws, a last-minute shot by Williams was not enough. "The dynasty we've built here at USA Basketball has been incredible," Wilson said in a postgame interview. For the first time in Olympic history, the gold medal games in both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments were between the same nations.

Persons: A'ja Wilson, Kahleah Cooper, Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Plum, Gabby Williams, Cooper, Williams, Williams —, —, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, David K, Li, Susan Baek Organizations: PARIS, France, Bercy Arena, U.S, Fauthoux, Chicago Sky, Seattle Storm, USA Basketball, WNBA, Team USA Locations: United States, U.S, France, Paris, New York

☆ A boomer lives on $1,601 monthly from Social Security and struggles to pay bills. She plans to wait a few more years until she touches her 401(k).
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-11 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementMaureen now lives on $1,601 monthly Social Security payments in northeast Pennsylvania, according to bank documents viewed by BI. For others, fixed Social Security incomes aren't enough to afford basic necessities. Over half of baby boomers have $250,000 or less in retirement assets, per a 2024 report from the Retirement Income Institute . AdvertisementHer husband's Social Security money primarily went to her daughters when they were young, she said, but she recently learned his employer is closing their pension system. With $1,601 monthly Social Security as her only source of reliable income, Maureen is on a tight budget.

Persons: —, Maureen, Patricia Polacco's, Maureen —, hasn't, she's, doesn't Organizations: Service, Business, Catholic, Social, BI, Northwestern Mutual, Income, Social Security, SNAP Locations: Pennsylvania

☆ I never wanted to get married. But when I got pregnant, everything changed.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Melissa Noble | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewI've always been a commitment phobe and was never interested in getting married. Getting pregnant changed how I felt about commitmentBy that point, Sam and I had been together for eight years. Courtesy of Melissa NobleWe've now been married almost 10 yearsAt the very end, it said, "You're the girl of my dreams. AdvertisementGetting pregnant changed my headspace about marriage and helped me think of the future differently. The formality of being married did make a difference, and almost 10 years on, we're still going strong.

Persons: —, Sam, I'd, didn't, I've, Let's, Sam's, Port Phillip Bay, satchel, He'd, Melissa Noble's, Melissa Noble We've, we're Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Black Rock, Melbourne, Port Phillip, Gold

☆ Kursk offensive: Ukraine embarrasses Putin with surprise assault on southern Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Analysis Tim Lister | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The video, released Wednesday by the Kremlin, showed the Russian president was not happy with news from the southern region of Kursk. The head of the city of Rylsk – some distance from the most advanced Ukrainian units – said Friday more than half the population of 15,000 had left. An expeditionary forceUkrainian troops, even if reinforced, cannot expect to occupy several hundred square kilometers of Russian territory. But holding a large chunk Russian territory is beyond their capacity and probably beyond their goal. “The unfolding events demonstrate the extent to which Moscow has deeply depended on sanctuary in Russian territory to wage its war against Ukraine,” Barros told CNN.

Persons: CNN — Vladimir Putin, General Valery Gerasimov, Putin, George Barros, “, Volodymyr Zelensky, Aleksander Kots, Andrey Gurulyov, –, Malaya Loknya, Emil Kastehelmi, Barros, Matthew Schmidt, ’, Vladislav Shurygin, Izvestia, That’s, ” Daniel Fried, George Washington’s, ”, ” Barros, Darya Tarasova, Maria Kostenko Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Russian Defense Ministry, Telegram, 61st Mechanized Brigade, Gazprom, Social, –, US Army’s Command, General Staff College, Atlantic Council, National Guard, Ukraine, “ Locations: Russian, Kursk, Sudzha, Russia, Kyiv, Donetsk, Washington, Kharkiv, Rylsk, Europe, Ukrainian, Ivashkovsky, Malaya, Olgovka, Finland, Moscow, Shurygin, Delaware, Ukraine, “ Russia

Mortgage rates fell dramatically this week, with 30-year mortgage rates even briefly dipping below 6% for the first time since early 2023, according to Zillow data. This should remove a lot of the upward pressure off of mortgage rates and allow them to ease. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. As inflation slows and the Federal Reserve is able to start cutting the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to drop.

Persons: they've, Fannie Mae Organizations: Treasury, Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, ARM Locations: Chevron

Average 30-year mortgage rates dropped 26 basis points to 6.47%, their lowest level since May 2023, according to Freddie Mac. If today's mortgage rates are lower than the rate you're currently paying, refinancing could be worth it. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. Now that inflation has decelerated and a Fed cut is looking more likely, mortgage rates have trended down. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Boeing Starliner: What life is like for two astronauts in limbo in space
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

They’re not part of Expedition 71, the international crew of seven astronauts serving as the space station’s official staff. Crew-9 — a routine trip to the space station to replenish expedition staff — is currently slated to fly with four astronauts: NASA astronauts Zena Cardman, Nick Hague and Stephanie Wilson, and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov of the Russian space agency Roscosmos. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are greeted by the crew of the International Space Station on June 6, 2024. In 2012, during an earlier trip to the International Space Station, she became the first person to finish a triathlon in space. Without a suitcaseFlying to the space station without the suitcases they had packed for their mission perhaps complicated the comfort of the Starliner astronauts’ extended stay.

Persons: Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, —, They’ve, Williams, They’re, ” Dana Weigel, “ Butch, Suni, ” Weigel, “, Zena Cardman, Nick Hague, Stephanie Wilson, Aleksandr Gorbunov, Wilmore, they’ve, Sunita Williams, Frank Rubio, yearlong, ’, ”, Bill Spetch, Spetch, they’re, Ken Bowersox Organizations: CNN, Space, NASA, SpaceX, International Space Station, Boeing, SpaceX’s, International, Station, AP, Boston Marathon, Space Station, Northrop Grumman, Space Operations, “ Locations: Russian

☆ Yen dives as BOJ plays down chance of hikes, soothing markets
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A Japanese 10,000 yen and a U.S. 100 dollar banknote juxtaposed against each other in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday, June 20, 2016. The yen dropped on Wednesday after an influential Bank of Japan official played down the chances of a near-term rate hike, soothing investors' concerns that a further jump in the Japanese currency could again rock global markets. The yen fell around 2.5% to a session low of 147.94 per dollar following the comments from BOJ Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida. "I think it's become increasingly clear that the BOJ hawkish turn last week could be a policy error," said Alvin Tan, head of Asia FX strategy at RBC Capital Markets. The yen's decline was broad based, with the Mexican peso, New Zealand dollar and Australian dollar - all carry trade candidates - surging against the currency.

Persons: Shinichi Uchida, Uchida, Kazuo Ueda's hawkish, it's, Alvin Tan, inching, Rong Ren Goh Organizations: Bank of Japan, Asia FX, RBC Capital Markets, U.S, Eastspring Investments, New Zealand Locations: U.S, Tokyo, Japan, Asia

Asia-Pacific markets extended gains on Wednesday, tracking Wall Street benchmarks that snapped a three-day losing streak overnight. It further sold 3.87 trillion yen worth of dollars on May 1, ministry data showed. Customs data showed on Wednesday that China's imports in July grew faster-than-expected, while export growth missed forecasts. Exports in U.S. dollar terms rose by 7% for the month compared to a year ago, missing economists' expectations for a 9.7% increase. Meanwhile, U.S. dollar-denominated imports rose by 7.2%, far more than the economist's forecast of 3.5%.

Persons: Canon, Shinichi Uchida Organizations: Nikkei, Mitsui, SoftBank, Bank of Japan, Bank, Japan's Ministry of Finance, China's CSI, . Locations: Qingdao Port, Shandong province, Qingdao, China, Asia, Pacific

Stock futures pointed to a mild market bounceback following a significant sell-off Monday that left major indexes with their worst day in nearly two years. ET Tuesday, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures, S&P 500 futures, and and Nasdaq futures were each up about 0.4%. The recovery comes as Japan's Nikkei stock index, which saw its worst day in a generation Monday, rallied for its best day since 2008, surging 10.2%Still, Tuesday's gains are unlikely to make up for the losses stocks suffered Monday. Torsten Slok, chief economist at Apollo Global Management, said in a note Tuesday that the economy remains in decent shape. "If the economy were crashing, default rates would be spiking higher, and that is not what the data shows.” he wrote.

Persons: Dow, Goldman Sachs, Torsten Slok, ” Organizations: Dow Jones Industrial, Nasdaq, Nikkei, Federal, Citibank, Federal Reserve, Citi, Fed, Apollo Global Management Locations: U.S

☆ Recession Fears May Be Overstated, but Not Unfounded
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Ben Casselman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

It emerged from the pandemic shock more quickly and more powerfully than many experts envisioned. It proved resilient in the face of both inflation and the higher interest rates the Federal Reserve used to combat it. The prospect many forecasters once considered imminent — a recession — looked increasingly like a false alarm. An unexpectedly weak jobs report on Friday — showing slower hiring in July, and a surprising jump in unemployment — triggered a sell-off in the stock market as investors worried that an economic downturn might be underway after all. By Monday, that decline had turned into a rout, with financial markets tumbling around the world.

Persons: — Organizations: Federal Reserve Locations: U.S

☆ Both of my kids recently started dating and their breakups are hard on me, too. I'm also invested in their relationships.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Terri Peters | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Gone are the days of schoolyard crushes, and in their place are weekend dates and dinner table talks about my kids' relationships. I've genuinely liked the kids my teens have dated, so it's been sad seeing each of those relationships come to an end. I've seen both kids come out of their break-ups wiser and more sure of themselves, and that's taken the sting away just a bit. Terri Peters' kids recently started dating and have gone through breakups. It's also been rewarding to see my kids grow and learn as a result of each breakup.

Persons: it's, I've, It's, sobbed, that's, you've, Terri Peters, we've, We're Organizations: Service

☆ Why an emergency rate cut would be a mistake for the Fed, according to Mohamed El-Erian
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Fed would be making a mistake in delivering an emergency rate-cut, Mohamed El-Erian said. Traders see a higher chance the Fed could trim rates over the next week in response to weakening data. AdvertisementThe Federal Reserve would be making a mistake if it delivered an emergency rate cut. Amid Monday's sell-off Bloomberg reported that markets see a 60% chance the Fed could issue a cut ahead of its scheduled policy meeting. AdvertisementGiving in to the market's demands to ease monetary policy would constitute another mistake for the Fed, El-Erian said.

Persons: Mohamed El, Erian, —, Ben Kirby Organizations: Bloomberg, Traders, Service, Fed, Thornburg Investment Management Locations: El

☆ Why the Fed almost certainly isn’t going to do an emergency rate cut
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-05 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Investors are increasingly hopeful that will push Federal Reserve officials to come to their rescue with an emergency rate cut. But if something comes up in between those meetings that changes their views on the ideal level for rates, officials can gather for an unscheduled “emergency” meeting. By doing two large emergency cuts in succession, Fed officials didn’t have to weigh whether their actions would unnecessarily cause Americans to panic. Before those cuts, the last time the Fed was promoted to do an emergency rate cut was in the thick of the Great Recession shortly after Lehman Brothers collapsed in the fall of 2008. But he said he was “reluctantly” comfortable with an emergency cut since other central banks were doing it.

Persons: Austan Goolsbee, there’s, Lehman Brothers, ” Charles Plosser, “, ”, That’s, Janet Yellen, ” Yellen, Plosser Organizations: New, New York CNN, Federal, Chicago Fed, New York Times, Philadelphia Fed, Bank of Canada, European Central Bank, Bank of England, San, Committee, Fed, Treasury Locations: New York

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