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Sept 28 (Reuters) - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has joined a multi-state investigation into whether S&P Global Inc (SPGI.N) violated consumer protection laws over its use of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in credit ratings. The ESG credit indicators, ESG scores, and ESG evaluations that S&P publishes "appear to politicize what should be a purely financial decision", Paxton said in a statement on Wednesday. The probe is being led by Missouri and underscores a push by Republican-led states against what they see as a "woke" bias at financial companies. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterS&P Global did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Interest in ESG investing has exploded in recent years, prompting ratings agencies to come up with new ways to assess how companies fare on ESG factors.

☆ Profit expectations are still way too high. UBS on what to buy and what to avoid
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Even after the stock market tumbled into a bear market this year, profit expectations for the S & P 500 remain way too high, which could lead to even more trouble down the road, according to UBS. The S & P 500 is squarely in a bear market, trading 24% below a record set in early January. The Dow Jones Industrial Average joined the S & P 500 in bear market territory on Monday, down more than 20% from an all-time high reached at the start of 2022. Year to date, the Dow is down 20%, while the S & P 500 has lost 23%. Still, consensus profit expectations for 2023 are elevated, with company margins being the "biggest investor concern," UBS strategist Keith Parker said.

☆ What Cramer is watching Tuesday — market extremely oversold, new signs of housing slowdown
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Counterintuitive: Raymond James says buy homebuilder Lennar (LEN), raises price target to $90 per share from $75, despite surging mortgage rates. Morgan Stanley slashes price target on FedEx (FDX) in half to $125 per share. Citi put Dow stock McDonald's (MCD) on a "negative catalyst watch" and lowers price target to $246 per share from $275. Deutsche Bank raises PepsiCo (PEP) price target to $181 per from $179; keeps hold rating ahead of third-quarter results next month. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

REUTERS/David GraySummarySummary Companies Net zero push stokes hopes for offshore wind projectsVictoria state aims for 9 GW offshore wind by 2040Sector needs new regulations, to lure technology suppliersIndustry also set to face environmental, landowner concernsMELBOURNE, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Under a new government, Australia is shaping up to be the next big market for offshore wind developers, attracting interest from the likes of Shell, Denmark's Orsted and Norway's Equinor. To many in the industry, Australia could well become the next boom market for offshore wind. Community concerns about the impact of wind turbines on bird life, such as orange-bellied parrots, and sealife, such as fish and whales, are also expected. "There's only a limited number of vessels in the world that can be used for erecting turbines offshore. Victoria state's Gippsland coast first in lineThe state, which has spearheaded the country's offshore wind push, plans to procure 2 gigawatts (GW) of offshore capacity with supply due by 2032, enough to power 1.5 million homes.

☆ Apple Music to Replace Pepsi as Sponsor of NFL’s Super Bowl Halftime Show
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Alyssa Lukpat | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Mary J. Blige performing during the Super Bowl halftime show in February. Apple Music is set to be the new sponsor of the NFL’s Super Bowl halftime show, replacing longtime sponsor PepsiCo after Apple signed a multiyear deal with the league. The NFL announced the deal with Apple Inc.’s streaming service on Friday.

The European Commission is set to publish next week a plan to "digitalise" Europe's energy system, as well as laying out new emergency measures to tame sky-high gas prices and help cash-strapped energy firms this winter. The draft plan, seen by Reuters, said electricity grid investments of 584 billion euros are needed until 2030, to support the planned rapid uptake of electric vehicles, renewable energy and heat pumps, and shift away from fossil fuels. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterOf this, around 400 billion euros would target the distribution grid. "Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% and reaching a share of 45% renewables in 2030 can only happen if the energy system is ready for it," the draft said, referring to the EU's climate targets. The EU "action plan", which does not include legal proposals, said the bloc would propose new legislation next year to address cybersecurity risks in energy and gas networks.

☆ Yogurt Maker Chobani Names New CFO as It Still Weighs an IPO
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Jennifer Williams-Alvarez | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +2 min

The New Berlin, N.Y.-based company, known for its Greek-style yogurt, on Thursday named Tarkan Gürkan as chief financial officer. Mr. Gürkan stepped into the role on an interim basis in June after former CFO Jody Macedonio stepped down the same month. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | CFO Journal The Morning Ledger provides daily news and insights on corporate finance from the CFO Journal team. PREVIEWMr. Gürkan previously served as chief investment officer at the family office of Chobani founder and Chief Executive Hamdi Ulukaya. An IPO is still on the table, the spokeswoman said, adding that Mr. Gürkan will help take the company public if market conditions improve.

, said in a statement that Drizly is one of the few places where her company can run multimedia ad campaigns. The database allows the company to charge above-market rates for ad placements, according to Mr. Patel. The company also hired Gina Hardy as its first chief customer officer to oversee all marketing operations. Mr. Patel declined to comment on specific growth goals for Drizly, but said the company sees significant potential in its advertising platform, which is independent of its parent company’s Uber Eats ad business. Drizly sales grew 517% from September 2019 to September 2021, according to market-research firm Bloomberg Second Measure.

French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech at the Sub-Prefecture in Saint-Nazaire after a visit at the Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm, off the coast of the Guerande peninsula in western France, September 22, 2022. Macron, who said in February that he wants France to have about 50 offshore wind farms by 2050, was visiting the country's first, built off Brittany, a project which took ten years to build and which started being connected to the grid this month. "It still takes too much time in France," Macron said, adding that he wants to halve the time it takes to develop renewable energy projects. Macron said he wants France to double the speed of building wind parks in France. Other plans include making it easier to find locations to build wind farms or install solar energy panels.

Standard Chartered (STAN.L), a competitor of HSBC in emerging markets, said earlier this year it would end all direct coal financing for clients by 2032. The Global Coal Exit List, which tracks finance firms' ties to the coal sector, said HSBC's fund arm exposure was $3.4 billion at end-November. HSBC said it will have engaged with all listed companies in its actively managed portfolios with more than 10% of revenues from thermal coal by next year. HSBC said in its 2021 annual report that the bank's thermal coal loan exposure was $1 billion, or 0.2% of its total wholesale loan book. When it comes to holding the boards of companies with significant thermal coal exposure to account, HSBC said its fund arm would vote against the election of board chairs at companies planning to expand production and use of thermal coal.

LONDON, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A sugar-based alternative to vinyl could help to decarbonise the music industry, according to its developer. Acting CEO of Evolution Music Marc Carey said sonically and in terms of equalisation the music recorded on the bioplastic records is "absolutely spot on." 1/5 Marc Carey, CEO of Evolution Music, holds a bioplastic record made with a sugar-based alternative to vinyl, in London, Britain September 8, 2022. A richer sound, cover art and the ability to cradle a vinyl record in the hands contribute to the growing emotional appeal for LPs. "The music industry, the creative arts, should be at the forefront of innovation ... and typically, cultural change is what affects political and social change," Carey said.

☆ Taco Bell to test long-awaited Beyond Meat carne asada in Ohio next month
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Taco Bell will test meatless carne asada made with Beyond Meat at dozens of its restaurants in Dayton, Ohio, starting next month. Around that time, Taco Bell promised to test a menu item made with Beyond, but it took longer than expected to create a carne asada alternative that satisfied Taco Bell, Bloomberg reported in December. Starting Oct. 13, participating Taco Bell locations will sell the steak substitute for a limited time at the same price as its existing carne asada. Taco Bell plans to feature Beyond Carne Asada in its quesadilla, but customers can swap in the meat alternative for other orders as well. The test is meant to help Taco Bell measure the demand for Beyond Carne Asada.

A view shows a shelf with bottles of Pepsi at a grocery store in Moscow, Russia September 9, 2022. The continued production means sodas are still widely available in Moscow and also in Vladivostok in the far east and Krasnoyarsk in Siberia, according to a review by Reuters. The West has not sanctioned food and drink as part of sweeping measures aimed at punishing Russia over its actions in Ukraine. Earlier in the summer, shops in the capital were still selling off stockpiles of foreign beers, months after the brewers said they would halt production. read moreAtlanta-based rival Coca-Cola Co's (KO.N) production in Russia also continued after it said in March it would suspend operations.

☆ ESG tech firm Datamaran gets Fortive backing in latest funding round
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Juliette Portala | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PepsiCo (PEP.O), Walgreens (WBA.O) and Dell also took part in the round, the group said in a statement. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterDatamaran's technology identifies over 400 external risk factors that could impact a company's value, including those related to technological innovation and geopolitical issues, by scanning regulatory, media and corporate disclosures. "Coming from strategic partners and clients, this funding is a ringing endorsement of Datamaran's benefits," she added. Against this backdrop, regulators are starting to introduce mandatory sustainability disclosures for both companies and funds. ($1 = 0.8797 pounds)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Juliette Portala Editing by Simon Jessop and Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Billionaire Lukas Walton’s family office accelerates impact-investing push
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Robert Frank | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Builders Vision, the investing and philanthropy platform of billionaire Lukas Walton, has shifted its $1 billion endowment into what it calls "impact investments," leading a broader shift in family offices to connect their investing and giving. Chicago-based Builders Vision will announce today that its Builders Initiative Foundation has moved 90% of its endowment into "mission-related" investments -- investments in keeping with Builder's broader goals of sustainability and equity. Most foundations have 20% or less of their endowments in ESG or impact investments, so the 90% level sets a new benchmark for family offices and foundations. Walton, 36, is at the forefront of a rapid generational shift in family offices, as inheritors and entrepreneurs in their 30s and 40s use their fortunes to drive social change. For decades, family offices split their philanthropy and investing — making money on one side and giving it away on the other.

☆ 8 reasons your grocery bill is sky-high right now - and what you can do about it
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-17 | by ( Rena Goldman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Flashy store signs, the size of carts, and even where you find the eggs and milk all contribute to getting customers to spend more. Sale signs at the entranceFlashy sale signs not only draw you in, but they also create what's called positive pricing, according to Edward Fox, professor of marketing at SMU Cox School of Business. People who prefer to buy items on sale will buy more when a product is on sale, which works to the retailer's advantage, said Fox. Enticing endcap displaysEndcap displays with seasonal or sale items are meant to distract you. And read the fine print on sale signs.

A Starbucks-branded drink is being recalled over concerns about the presence of metal fragments in the product. The affected 15-ounce versions of Starbucks Vanilla Espresso Triple Shot drinks were sold in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma and Texas. A total of 221 cases are being recalled. Although it is branded as Starbucks, the product is distributed by PepsiCo Inc., which manufactures a number of food, snack and beverage brands. A spokesperson told USA Today the products have a best-by date of March 20, 2023.

☆ Queen Elizabeth led the UK for 70 years. Here are the most important lessons on leadership from her reign.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-14 | by ( Rachel Durose | Shana Lebowitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Queen Elizabeth II, who died on September 8, was the longest-ruling monarch in British history. Queen Elizabeth II didn't build such a devoted following by merely wearing a crown. Here are the most meaningful leadership lessons from Queen Elizabeth II's reign. To counteract this declining public image, Queen Elizabeth II led the United Kingdom by putting her people above all else, McGovern said. Queen Elizabeth II making her first Christmas broadcast to the nation from Sandringham House in Norfolk, England on December 25, 1952.

☆ Volodymyr Zelenskyy embodies resilience. It's one of multiple traits business leaders can mimic in tough times.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-14 | by ( Marguerite Ward | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The Ukrainian leader's speaking style is characterized by short sentences, vivid imagery, and empathy, all of which make him effective. A 2021 research paper published in the Academy of Management Journal found business leaders who led by example boosted productivity in their businesses. Some of the most convincing business leaders of our time have leaned into emotion when making key arguments. Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty ImagesThough the pandemic has bent the rules of formality, starched suits are still the go-to for world leaders. "President Zelenskyy remains focused on his core assignment.

Target announced Wednesday that Brian Cornell will remain CEO for approximately three more years after the company's board voted to eliminate a retirement policy that could have forced his exit. Since coming on that year, Target's share price has more than doubled — and at one point was up more than 400%. The company's former retirement policy had set a target retirement age of 65 for CEOs. "Our success is fueled by the best team in retail, and I am confident our culture will continue to propel our company forward. In May, Target shares plunged 32% after the company reported a 52% drop in profit.

☆ Inside the career of Brian Cornell, who ran Sam's Club before becoming Target's first-ever outsider CEO
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-07 | by ( Áine Cain | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Target CEO Brian Cornell had decades of retail experience under his belt by the time he took the reins at the Minneapolis-based retailer. In 2014, he became the first outside hire ever appointed as Target's CEO. Target announced in September 2022 that Cornell will remain CEO for 3 more years, past the traditional retirement age of 65. Target CEO Brian Cornell is unique among chief executives of the Minneapolis-based retailer. In September 2022, the retailer threw out its traditional retirement age of 65, to allow Cornell to stay on for three more years.

☆ 4 takeaways from the Investing Club’s ‘Morning Meeting’ on Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-06 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Every weekday the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer holds a "Morning Meeting" livestream at 10:20 a.m. Our trades on DVN and CRM We sold 100 shares of recently rallying Devon Energy (DVN) and bought 50 shares of beaten-up Salesforce (CRM) on Tuesday morning. Watching these bullpen stocks Some of our Bullpen names that we're keeping tabs on for buying opportunities are Palo Alto Networks (PANW), PepsiCo (PEP) and Estee Lauder (EL). (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long DVN, HON, CRM. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ How Netflix's 10-interview hiring process works, according to HR chief Sergio Ezama, and why the streamer's 'shocking' feedback culture helps candidates
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-25 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Netflix chief talent officer Sergio Ezama said Netflix sometimes conducts 10 or more interviews with a candidate. Netflix's feedback process is "a bit of a shocking thing" for newcomers, he told the "Power of Why" podcast. As Netflix's chief talent officer Sergio Ezama told "Power of Why" podcast host Naomi Haile in February, hiring well is paramount to sustaining the company's culture. he told Haile. "It's hard work" jumping into a C-suite role at a new company after decades at another, he told Haile.

☆ Earnings playbook: The investing game plan as Apple and Alphabet lead the busiest week of the season
▼ + stars: | 2022-07-24 | by ( Fred Imbert | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +20 min

Tuesday Coca-Cola is set to report earnings before the bell, followed by a conference call at 8:30 a.m. Chipotle is scheduled to report earnings after the close, followed by a conference call at 4:30 p.m. Meta is set to report earnings after the close, followed by a conference call at 5 p.m. Thursday Amazon is set to report earnings after the bell, with management slated to hold a conference call at 5:30 p.m. Friday Procter & Gamble will report earnings before the bell, followed by a conference call at 9 a.m.

Netflix has overhauled key leadership, naming a co-CEO, talent chief, and heads of TV and marketing. Insider identified 71 of the most powerful execs at the streamer, in an interactive org chart. Insider identified the 71 of the most powerful executives now at Netflix, following the recent executive changes. Netflix has many leaders — not all of whom are included here — but the chart below gives an inside look at who to watch in 2021. The executive shuffle came as Netflix's global audience reached 209 million paid subscribers in March, driven mainly by international viewers.

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