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☆ The many states of the brain: What’s going on inside your head and how to optimize it
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Dr. Sanjay Gupta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Honestly, in the beginning, it was to just try to help my own brain; my grandfather had dementia, and that worried me. I’ll also explore what happens to our brain when we express gratitude, swipe on a dating app (over and over again) and eat certain (brain) foods. Our executive function can work really well and can help keep us on track. “There are peaks and valleys of focus throughout the day, and this corresponds with the ebb and flow of our attentional resources,” Mark explained. Also, she said, “if you have some really important task to do, take a really good break before you begin it.

Persons: I’ve, Stephen King, Michael Pollan, I’ll, Gloria Mark, ”, Mark, we’re, ” Mark, Adam Yee, It’s, you’ve, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, “, Andrea Kane Organizations: CNN, University of California, CNN Health Locations: Irvine

The Chicago-based fast food chain plans to eliminate self-service soda machines at its U.S. restaurants by 2032, McDonald's confirmed this week. For years, McDonald's customers have used the machines to fill and refill their beverages without additional trips to a cashier. Behind-the-counter soda machines already exist at some other fast food chains — and a handful of McDonald's locations across the country have also begun the transition. McDonald's digital sales — made up of app, delivery and kiosk purchases — accounted for almost 40% of systemwide sales for the second quarter of 2023. The price increases that have helped fuel McDonald’s sales in recent quarters will moderate as inflation comes down, Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden said during July's Q2 earnings call.

Persons: McDonald's, Uber, Ian Borden Organizations: Associated Press, McDonald's, The State, Revenue Locations: Coke, Chicago, U.S, McDonald's USA, Illinois

☆ Oil prices are surging again, but this time Biden has way less ammunition to bring them down
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Jason Ma | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Oil prices are surging again, but the Strategic Petroleum Reserve remains near 40-year lows. Last year, the Biden administration drained 180 million barrels from the SPR as oil prices soared. Flooding the market with all that supply helped bring oil prices down — and helped cool inflation, which had shot up as well. But while it has ticked up slightly, the level remains near 40-year lows at about 350 million barrels. The stock market has started to feel the ripple effects from rising oil prices.

Persons: Biden, Brent, Enverus Organizations: Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Service, Biden, Petroleum Reserve Energy Department, Energy Department, Federal Reserve Locations: Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Texas , New Mexico, North Dakota

☆ Baratunde Thurston Eats His Feelings (With Ice Cream)
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Kathryn Shattuck | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

1Public LibrariesLibrarians are heroes, and libraries are some of our last truly democratic public spaces, literally open to all. It’s chocolate within chocolate within chocolate. But if you’re feeling like maybe your society is tending toward fascism, Jeni’s ice cream can help you process that feeling. And for Black men, at times it can be even tougher. Kings Corner is a safe space for us to check in with each other, to hold ourselves high and hold ourselves accountable.

Persons: that’s Organizations: Librarians, Patriot, Hydro Locations: ”

☆ JPMorgan, Bank of America and 4 other Wall Street titans are set to pay $8.9 billion after this spring's banking fiasco
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Zahra Tayeb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

JPMorgan, BofA, and Wells Fargo are among those refilling the FDIC's deposit insurance fund. The FDIC's fund recently took a $13 billion hit following the failure of First Republic Bank. Wall Street's largest lenders are set to pay nearly $8.9 billion to refill the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) coffers after this spring's banking fiasco. JPMorgan tops the list as the biggest contributor, expected to pay $3 billion towards the US government's deposit insurance fund, according to Bloomberg. What followed was a $15.8 billion hole in the FDIC's deposit insurance fund.

Persons: Wells, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Jamie Dimon Organizations: titans, JPMorgan, First Republic Bank, Morning, Deposit Insurance Corporation, Bloomberg . Bank of America, Citi Group, FDIC, Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, Fed Locations: Wells Fargo, Silicon

☆ Shake Shack is adding more tech to its stores — and it could mean a big boost to its bottom line
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Shake Shack says it expects to have self-service ordering kiosks in all of its restaurants by the end of Q3. Shake Shack first began experimenting with kiosks in 2017 when it debuted its first kiosk-only store in New York City. Kiosks encourage premium drink ordersAt Shack Shack, Garutti and Fogerty said kiosks have boosted profits in other ways beyond labor. Kiosks are also helping Shake Shack stores to enhance hospitality, a core mission among all Meyer-founded restaurants. For about a year, Fogerty said Shake Shack workers in some stores have been redeployed to run food to tables instead of having customers respond to buzzers.

Persons: Danny Meyer, Randy Garutti, Katie Fogerty, that's, Brandon Barton, Barton, Jessica Tyler, Taco Bell, Shack, Garutti, Fogerty, Meyer, we've Organizations: Service, New York City, Business, Taco, QSR, Shack, Labor Locations: Wall, Silicon, New York City

More actively traded October Brent crude futures rose $1.02, or 1.2%, to settle at $85.43 a barrel. The September Brent contract, which expired at settlement on Monday, rose 0.7% to close at $85.56 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rallied $1.22, or 1.5%, to $81.80 a barrel. Reuters GraphicsPump jacks operate at sunset in an oil field in Midland, Texas U.S. August 22, 2018. REUTERS/Nick OxfordSaudi Arabia is expected to extend a voluntary oil output cut of 1 million barrels per day (bpd) for another month to include September.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Brent, WTI, Nick Oxford, Edward Moya, Phil Flynn, Shariq Khan, Natalie Grover, Florence, Mohi Narayan, Christina Fincher, Louise Heavens, David Evans, Nick Macfie, Paul Simao Organizations: Saudi, . West Texas, Midland , Texas U.S, REUTERS, Organization of Petroleum, Reuters, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Futures, Thomson Locations: Riyadh, OPEC, Goldman Sachs BENGALURU, Midland , Texas, Nick Oxford Saudi Arabia, Saudi, U.S, India, Bengaluru, London, Florence Tan, Singapore, New Delhi

How much more will arrive in the market of last resort depends on China, which is stepping up imports of refined zinc. China's refined zinc imports, exports and net tradeCHINA FLIPS BACK TO NET IMPORTERChina imported 45,329 metric tons of refined zinc in June, the highest monthly tally since May 2021. The country exported 81,000 metric tons of zinc in 2022, including shipments of 7,800 metric tons to Mexico and 3,400 metric tons to the United States, two destinations that haven't in the past featured in China's zinc trade. The country's monthly refined zinc production has been notching double-digit growth rates since March. So far, however, there is scant evidence of a significant build of surplus metal in the mainland market.

Persons: It's, Paul Simao Organizations: London Metal Exchange, China, Shanghai Futures Exchange, Shanghai Metal, International, Study, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Asian, contango, China, CHINA, Mexico, United States, backwardation, Shanghai, Europe, Antwerp

☆ Israel's workhorse Merkava tank could soon be refilling foreign arsenals depleted by the war in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Israel may be about to export its workhorse Merkava tank for the first time. Israel isn't selling the newest version of the 45-year-old Merkava tank family, the Merkava 5, or even the Merkava 4, which is used in front-line Israeli armored units. An Israeli Merkava tank in the Negev desert in November 1997. Israel Defense Forces/Michael ShvadronThough Israel is small, home to less than 10 million people, it's one of the world's top 10 arms exporters. If Merkava tanks are sold overseas, they may yet end up on surprising battlefields.

Persons: Yair Koles, Israel isn't, Antoine GYORI, Merkava, Mark, Michael Shvadron, Israel —, Efraim Inbar, MENAHEM KAHANA, Recep Erdogan, Michael Peck Organizations: Israel, Service, Israel's Ministry of Defense, Haaretz, Cypriot, El, Getty, Israel Defense Forces, United Arab, Morocco —, US Army, Jerusalem Institute for Strategy, Security, Polisario, Iranian, Defense, Foreign Policy, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Arab, European, Turkey, Cyprus, Morocco, Spanish, El Espanol, Israeli, Soviet, Lebanon, Israel's, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Algeria, AFP, Turkish, Russian, Europe, Eastern, Merkavas, Russia, Syria, Iran, North Korea, Forbes

☆ Energy Secretary vows to 100% refill emergency oil stockpile by Biden's second term
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Fourth of July gas prices took an almost unprecedented plunge on an annual basis. “I forecast oil prices headed higher this decade and, if that’s right, then SPR refilling will largely stop. Although important symbolically, those 12.3 million barrels represents just a drop in the bucket. The reserve held 346.8 million barrels of oil as of the week ending July 7 according to federal data. Beyond the efforts to buy oil, the Energy Department won approval from lawmakers to cancel Congressionally-mandated sales of 140 million barrels of oil through fiscal 2027.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jennifer Granholm, Biden, ” Granholm, Granholm, it’s “, I’m, ”, Bob McNally, George W, Bush, “, McNally, We’re, Granholm ‘ Organizations: New York CNN Business —, CNN, Energy, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Energy Department, AAA, Congressionally, Rapidan Energy Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Saudi, Saudi Arabia

London Metal Exchange (LME) three-month tin has been treading water in a $23,700-26,800 range since the start of May. Although the demand outlook remains subdued, tin supply is facing two big threats, one from Myanmar and one from Indonesia, the world's largest exporter. Global tin supply, meanwhile, is now improving after an early-year drop in Indonesia shipments. Refined tin production fell year-on-year in May and Guangxi China Tin Group, the world's sixth-largest tin producer, has just announced a 40-50 day maintenance break from the end of this month, according to the ITA. Indonesia currently only has enough downstream capacity to absorb 5% of its domestic tin production, meaning that any restrictions will likely come in phases.

Persons: Minsur, International Tin Association . Tin, It's, David Evans Organizations: London Metal Exchange, Global, Shanghai Futures Exchange, U.S, Global Semiconductor, HIT, World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, Local, United Wa State Army, International Tin Association ., ITA, Guangxi China Tin Group, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Midwest, London, imploding, Myanmar, Indonesia, Peruvian, United States, Europe MYANMAR, Wa, China, Wa State, Guangxi China, INDONESIA

LONDON, June 8 (Reuters) - Europe’s gas storage is refilling much more slowly than usual as the drop in prices encourages more consumption by industrial users and power generators while diverting liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes to Asia. The surplus has narrowed from +282 TWh (+80% or +2.41 standard deviations) at the end of the traditional winter drawdown season on March 31 (“Aggregated gas storage inventory”, Gas Infrastructure Europe, June 8). Chartbook: Europe gas inventories and pricesInventories have responded to lower prices, with front-month futures prices down by more than 90% from its peak in August 2022. Lower prices in Europe are also diverting more LNG cargoes to price-sensitive customers in South and East Asia for power generation. Related columns:- Europe’s gas prices slide on swollen inventories (May 11, 2023)- Europe only has space for a small gas refill in 2023 (April 14, 2023)John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst.

Persons: John Kemp, Susan Fenton Organizations: European Union, Gas Infrastructure, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Asia, United Kingdom, Gas Infrastructure Europe, Chartbook, Europe, South, East Asia

☆ Dollar bears bide their time as US economic strength persists
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Saqib Iqbal Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Fund managers in the latest BofA Global Research survey named shorting the dollar as the market's third "most crowded" trade. The dollar is "in a very messy transition from bull market to a bear market," said Aaron Hurd, senior portfolio manager, currency, at State Street Global Advisors. Hurd expects the dollar to remain buoyant over the very short term, but decline steadily over the next few years. Most investors believe the dollar will likely remain elevated until U.S. data turns decidedly weaker, allowing the Fed to cut rates. "The dollar strength is entirely related to the fact that U.S. data is actually pretty good," said Alvise Marino, a strategist at Credit Suisse.

Persons: Aaron Hurd, Hurd, Alvise Marino, Bipan Rai, Christine Lagarde, Brian Rose, Saqib Iqbal Ahmed, Ira Iosebashvili, Leslie Adler Organizations: YORK, Futures Trading Commission, Fund, Research, Street Global Advisors, Bears, Federal Reserve, Fed, Traders, Credit Suisse, Reuters, U.S . Treasury, CIBC, UBS Global Wealth Management, European Central Bank, ECB, Thomson Locations: U.S, North America, Europe

☆ Here's our Monthly Meeting rapid-fire update on all 34 stocks in the Club's portfolio
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | In Kevinstankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

Here's a rapid-fire update on all 34 stocks in Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust, the portfolio we use for the CNBC Investing Club. Ford (F): CEO Jim Farley did a fantastic job delivering in the automaker's latest quarter, and we like his decision to scale back Ford's business in China . As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. Here's a rapid-fire update on all 34 stocks in Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust, the portfolio we use for the CNBC Investing Club.

However, an 18.9% year-on-year rise in China's oil refinery throughput in April to the second-highest level on record helped to keep a floor under crude prices. The IEA raised its forecast for global oil demand this year by 200,000 bpd to a record 102 million bpd. It said China's recovery after the lifting of COVID-19 curbs had surpassed expectations, with demand reaching a record 16 million bpd in March. In another bullish development, the U.S. Department of Energy on Monday said it would buy 3 million barrels of crude oil for delivery in August in a move to begin refilling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Meanwhile, U.S. commercial crude stocks fell by about 1.3 million barrels last week, according to analysts polled by Reuters.

Spain has one swimming pool for every 37 residents, and these, too, are now in the spotlight. While her swimming pool has been empty for five years since her children grew up, Garcia, 61, said the town has been stigmatised unfairly for its pools. Pools are being used as a scapegoat for a lack of coherent water policy in Spain, she said. It is a sentiment shared by Gonzalo Delacamara, director of the IE Centre for Water & Climate Adaptation in Madrid. While the use of water to fill swimming pools during a drought is irresponsible, the bulk of Spain's water resources are taken by the agriculture sector, accounting for 70% of water usage, he said.

☆ FDIC plans to hit big banks with fees to refill deposit insurance fund - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A sign reads “FDIC Insured” on the door of a branch of First Republic Bank in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., March 13, 2023. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File PhotoMay 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is planning to exempt smaller lenders from kicking in extra money to replenish the government's bedrock deposit insurance fund, and instead saddle the biggest banks with much of the bill, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The FDIC is planning to release a highly anticipated proposal for refilling its deposit insurance fund as soon as next week, the report added. The FDIC and its flagship deposit insurance fund have been active since the Great Depression to provide an orderly resolution for failed banks and to reimburse certain customer accounts. The regulator estimates the failure of Silicon Valley Bank will cost the deposit insurance fund $20 billion.

☆ Coronation travel guide: Transport advice, London hotels and where to watch
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Take the Conrad London St. James, for example, which sits between the Mall and Westminster Abbey. Most of the roads around Westminster Abbey and St. James’s Park Underground station will be blocked off. How to see the coronationCharles and Camilla will ride in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach to Westminster Abbey for the ceremony. Niklas Halle'n/AFP/Getty ImagesThe coronation itself will take place on the morning of Saturday May 6 at Westminster Abbey. Royal Windsor Racecourse, near Windsor Castle, and on the bank of the River Thames, is having a race night to celebrate the day’s public holiday.

☆ 'Love Is Blind' is hell on earth: Contestants say producers deprived them of food and sleep, preyed on their anxieties, and refused to let them quit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Katie Warren | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +29 min

After the 10 days, cast members must decide whether they want to get engaged to another contestant sight unseen — or go home. The season-two contestant Nick Thompson said "Love Is Blind" didn't adequately support its cast members — during or after filming. Many cast members believed "Love Is Blind" would be a cut above other reality shows. The first evening in Cancún, producers told Ruhl she couldn't attend a party for all the newly engaged couples because they thought she might have COVID-19. In a later episode he again became infuriated and threatened to leave when Reed came home late from clubbing with other cast members.

LONDON, April 14 (Reuters) - Europe needs to put a smaller-than-average volume of gas into storage this year after a mild winter left the region with record high inventories. Chartbook: Europe gas storageThe European Union and the United Kingdom have capacity to store around 1,129 terawatt-hours (TWh) of gas, according to data compiled by Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). On April 1, the start of the traditional refill season, storage was 56% full - a record high for the time of year - with inventories of 633 TWh (“Aggregated gas storage inventory”, GIE, April 14). DEEPENING CONTANGOPrices and spreads are now moving decisively to limit the amount of gas added to storage this summer. Related column:- Europe’s gas outlook transformed after mild winter (April 13, 2023)John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst.

☆ Estonia PM focused on defence spending and same sex marriage law
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Andrius Sytas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas speaks to the media as she attends the European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium March 23, 2023. REUTERS/Johanna GeronTALLINN, April 12 (Reuters) - Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday she was focused on her next term as Estonian prime minister despite media speculation she could be in the running to lead NATO, with plans including legalising same sex marriage and increasing defence spending. Taxes will be raised to fund the spending in a time of economic contraction, Kallas has said. The new government will also legislate same sex marriage equality "as fast as possible", Kallas said, becoming the first Central European country to do so. I'm the prime minister of Estonia, and I try to solve all the problems that we have here."

☆ How FDIC dropped the ball and picked up the tab
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( John Foley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

NEW YORK, April 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Bank watchdogs don’t have a crystal ball when it comes to spotting bank runs. The FDIC is one of several agencies that watches over American banks, but it’s the one that picks up the tab when a lender fails. Gruenberg, on the FDIC board since 2005, did not support the rapid phased prototyping data project, fretting that it amounted to outsourcing supervision, according to people familiar with the situation. For all but the biggest banks, the FDIC continues to rely on quarterly snapshots known as “call reports,” and the findings of its on-the-ground inspectors. Reuters GraphicsThe death of the 2020 project – and the fact it didn’t start years sooner – reflect deeper challenges at the FDIC.

LONDON, March 31 (Reuters) - China’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports fell sharply in 2022 because of the disruption caused by lockdowns to control the coronavirus epidemic and the massive exit wave of infections when they were lifted. But the import rebound could be smaller than some analysts anticipate because domestic gas production is rising strongly and the country has mostly completed its transition to natural gas for urban residents. Both LNG and pipeline imports remained subdued in the first two months of this year with any rebound delayed until later in 2023. China’s LNG purchasers have proved price-sensitive and will likely wait for prices to decline before increasing imports and refilling storage. PIPELINES NOT LNGThe shift from LPG and especially gasworks gas has turbocharged consumption of natural gas over the last decade.

West Texas Intermediate U.S. crude futures fell 70 cents, or 1%, to $69.26 a barrel. Brent futures rose 2.8% in the week while U.S. crude futures rose 3.8%. The dollar rose 0.6% against other currencies, which also pressured oil, making crude more expensive to holders of other currencies. Goldman Sachs said commodities demand was surging in the world's biggest oil importer, with oil demand topping 16 million bpd. That means Russia aims to produce 9.7 million bpd between March and June, according to Novak, a much smaller output cut than Moscow previously indicated.

☆ Oil falls as US holds off refilling strategic reserve
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Yuka Obayashi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, March 24 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Friday, extending the previous day's losses, on worries about potential oversupply after U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said refilling the country's Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) may take several years. The White House said in October it would buy back oil for the SPR when prices were at or below about $67-$72 per barrel. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said a previously announced cut of 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) in Russia's oil production would be from an output level of 10.2 million bpd in February, the RIA Novosti news agency reported. That would mean Russia is aiming to produce 9.7 million bpd between March and June, when the production cut will be in force, according to Novak - a much smaller reduction in output than Moscow previously indicated. On the supportive side, Goldman Sachs said commodities demand was surging in China, the world's biggest oil importer, with oil demand topping 16 million bpd.

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