DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ MLB roundup: Cardinals blitz Brewers 18-1
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Jack Flaherty (3-4) fanned a season-high 10 while blanking the Brewers on three hits in seven innings as the Cardinals won for the seventh time in eight games. Freddy Peralta (4-3) allowed six runs on six hits and five walks in 5 1/3 innings for the Brewers, whose three-game winning streak ended. Adam Frazier and Anthony Santander each hit a two-run homer and Cedric Mullins added a solo shot for the Orioles. Raleigh, who went 3-for-5, hit two-run shots in the fifth and sixth innings, logging his second multi-homer game of the season. Eugenio Suarez also blasted a two-run homer as part of Seattle's 15-hit attack.

☆ DeSantis’s Legislative Record
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Journal Editorial Report: The week's best and worst from Kim Strassel, Jason Riley and Dan Henninger. But as Mr. DeSantis readies a 2024 presidential campaign, what deserves to get more attention is the agenda he recently helped usher through Tallahassee. Mr. DeSantis is blessed with Republican supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature, so he can’t claim total credit. Some planks of his platform are controversial among conservatives, and others could prove politically unpalatable to a national electorate. Yet there’s no denying that Mr. DeSantis gets things done.

☆ MLB roundup: Mets post 8-run inning, whip Nats in Max Scherzer's return
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

For seven innings, the game was a pitchers' duel between Cleveland rookie Tanner Bibee and the Angels' Patrick Sandoval. Zach Elfin (5-1) got the win after allowing four runs on seven hits in his six innings, striking out nine and walking one. Royals starter Jordan Lyles (0-7) was tagged for seven runs in 2 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and three walks. The loss overshadowed another strong outing by Giants starter Logan Webb, who allowed one run on three hits over seven innings. Boston's Corey Kluber (2-5) surrendered four runs on seven hits in five innings.

☆ Vivek Ramaswamy's firm courts GOP officials as he pushes businesses to stay out of politics
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

Scott Olson | Getty ImagesRepublican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy built his White House bid around urging companies to stay out of politics. The messages show Ramaswamy's firm actively engaged with GOP state leaders who have defended the fossil fuel industry and criticized environmentally conscious investment standards. Ramaswamy on Thursday defended the firm's engagement with GOP officials, saying bigger firms BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street have conducted similar practices with state officials across the country. Strive has become one of the more vocal opponents of ESG investing and has gained enough notoriety to challenge the likes of fossil fuel giant ExxonMobil . Ron DeSantis, have often attacked ESG investing standards and corporations that support social causes — an increasingly common refrain within the GOP.

☆ Vitamin Shoppe owner taken private in $2.6 bln deal with CEO-led group
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 10 (Reuters) - Vitamin Shoppe owner Franchise Group Inc (FRG.O) would be taken private by a group led by CEO Brian Kahn in a deal valued at about $2.6 billion, the company said on Wednesday. Shares of Franchise, which also owns retailer Buddy's Home Furnishings and discount furniture store American Freight, climbed about 3% premarket. The offer price represents an equity value of about $1.05 billion. The company in March disclosed it had received an unsolicited proposal for a buyout, but did not disclose any details about the buyer. Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ MLB roundup: Cards' Willson Contreras stars in return to Chicago
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

[1/5] May 8, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras (40) celebrates team's win against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Colorado starter Kyle Freeland (3-4) gave up two runs and seven hits in seven innings, with four strikeouts and three walks. Cease went five-plus innings, allowing seven runs on nine hits while walking one and striking out six. Miami's Braxton Garrett (1-2) was charged with four runs and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. San Francisco starter Anthony DeSclafani (3-2) got through seven innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits.

Jack Teixeira, the Air National Guardsman implicated in a vast leak of classified documents, was fixated on weapons, mass shootings, shadowy conspiracy theories — and proving he was in the right, and in the know. Even as he relished the respectability and access to intelligence he gained through his military service and top secret clearance, he seethed with contempt about the government, accusing the United States of a host of secret, nefarious activities: making biological and chemical weapons in Ukrainian labs, creating the Islamic State, even orchestrating mass shootings. “The FBI and other 3 letter agencies contact these unhinged mentally ill kids and convince them to do mass shootings,” Airman Teixeira, 21, wrote in an online chat group, sharing a debunked conspiracy theory after a gunman killed three people at a mall in Indiana last summer. In messages posted on Discord, a social media platform popular among gamers, Airman Teixeira claimed that the 20-year-old gunman behind the rampage at Greenwood Park Mall was one of many mass shooters groomed by the American government as part of a secret plot “to make people vote for” gun control.

☆ MLB roundup: Orioles score 13, take another series
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

After mounting an 8-1 advantage in the third, the Orioles surrendered the lead on eight straight Royals runs. Marlins left-hander Jesus Luzardo (2-2) allowed seven hits, three walks and four runs (three earned). Rays 3, Pirates 2Zach Eflin threw seven shutout innings to help host Tampa Bay complete a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh. The Red Sox put up a series-high 16 hits -- delivering one more hit in each successive game of the series after 13 on Monday. George Kirby (3-2) allowed three runs and seven hits in his seven-inning start.

☆ Instant View: Solid April US jobs report undermines case for Fed cut soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

ANTHONY SAGLIMBENE, CHIEF MARKET STRATEGIST, AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL, TROY, MICHIGAN“It's definitely telling you that the job market is still hot. PETER CARDILLO, CHIEF MARKET ECONOMIST, SPARTAN CAPITAL SECURITIES, NEW YORK“It was a hotter than expected report, it certainly didn’t show any cooling in the labor market. Hourly earnings were a little higher than I was looking for.”“Bottom line, this is a strong report and shows that the labor market is resilient. So I think the real focus is on the inflation numbers, and what's happening with wage growth. We are hopeful the continued strength of the jobs market and signs of slowing inflation will ease market volatility in the coming months.

Whatever the provenance of the two drones that approached the Kremlin early Wednesday morning, one thing was clear: The Russian government wanted the world to know about them. The Kremlin made a deliberate choice to quickly make public what it claimed was a drone attack aimed at assassinating President Vladimir V. Putin. It published an unusual, five-paragraph statement on its website that named the Ukrainian government as the perpetrator and asserted the right to retaliate against Kyiv. The Kremlin’s messaging diverged significantly from its response to previous episodes involving attacks on Russia or Russian-occupied territory. Now the question is whether Russia will use the incident to justify more and even deadlier strikes against Ukraine.

☆ Why Monumental Cream Puff Towers Are on the Rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Ella Riley-Adams | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

THE CHEF MOST often credited with inventing the croquembouche, the French-born confection that towers haughtily over any table it graces, was, unsurprisingly, an architecture enthusiast. He’d spend his afternoons in the national library across the street, mesmerized by images of architectural marvels. But it was the croquembouche in particular — a conical tower typically rising several feet high and constructed out of cream puffs (a.k.a. choux à la crème) bound together with caramel — that became a staple of French wedding banquets and, eventually, his legacy. Its name translated as “crunch in the mouth,” the pastry, when made properly, should deliver a gratifying crackle with every bite.

☆ Pat Riley, Once Front and Center, Reigns in the Background
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Harvey Araton | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The network camera was drawn to Pat Riley after Jimmy Butler’s 22-foot jumper landed like a kick to the collective groin of the Milwaukee Bucks late in Game 4 of Miami’s first-round playoff series upset. While Butler, soon to complete a 56-point masterpiece, pranced in full-throated fashion, there sat Riley, a gray-haired Buddha, arms folded across his suit jacket and tie, smiling without celebrating, blinking but not moving. By this point in a long basketball life, what has Riley not already seen that would make him compromise on his veneer of calculated, unflappable control? Circulating online, the clip was another striking visual to add to the Riley collection. From the 1966 national championship game in which a Texas Western squad dominated by Black players defeated his all-white Kentucky team to his tenured role as the Heat’s president, Riley has been tethered to basketball history of tectonic magnitude.

☆ The Painter Who Inspired a New Ballet
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Ella Riley-Adams | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In Kylie Manning’s paintings, figures swirl and emerge from broad landscapes. The wall-filling pieces can provoke a physical reaction, akin to looking over the rail of a bridge across a river. But the rest feels less clear: Is there a third figure, head in hands, between the initial two? Manning’s figures aren’t gendered, and she wants viewers to interpret the subjects and settings on their own terms. “It’s about spending time with them, letting them unravel for you like a song,” she says.

However, with inflation running well over the central bank's 2% target and a still-strong labor market, chances of rate cuts seem less likely. With Monday's manufacturing data giving the Fed enough room for more near-term tightening, all eyes will be on jobs and factory orders data after the opening bell. ET, Dow e-minis were down 79 points, or 0.23%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 7.5 points, or 0.18%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 6 points, or 0.05%. Educational services company Chegg (CHGG.N) tanked 45.6% on a downbeat second-quarter revenue forecast on increasing competition from ChatGPT. Icahn Enterprises LP (IEP.O) dropped 11% after U.S. short seller Hindenburg Research said it has a short position in activist investor Carl Icahn-controlled energy-to-pharma conglomerate.

☆ MLB roundup: Padres prevail in offensive showcase in Mexico City
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +14 min

Trent Grisham hit a two-run double to increase the Padres' lead to 14-11 in the eighth. Machado had three hits with three RBIs and four runs, while Thairo Estrada had four hits and three RBIs for the Giants. Andujar went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while Connor Joe went 1-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs for Pittsburgh. Patrick Corbin (1-4) gave up three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and a walk in 5 1/3 innings. Nationals starter Chad Kuhl (0-2) allowed eight runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and four walks in just 3 2/3 innings.

[1/2] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., April 10, 2023. Chipmaker Intel Corp (INTC.O) gained 6.1% after it said gross margins will improve in the second half of the year. Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) fell 3.5% as the company signaled its cloud growth would slow further, overshadowing its better-than-expected quarterly results. Analysts expect first-quarter earnings for S&P 500 companies to fall 2.4% year-over-year compared with a 5.1% fall expected at the start of April. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 3.01-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and a 2.01-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.

The main U.S. indexes ended up sharply on Thursday, with the benchmark S&P 500 (.SPX) logging its biggest one-day percentage gain since early January. Analysts expect first-quarter earnings for S&P 500 companies to fall 2.4% year-over-year compared with a forecast for a 5.1% fall at the start of April. ET, Dow e-minis were down 115 points, or 0.34%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 10 points, or 0.24%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 14.75 points, or 0.11%. Chipmaker Intel Corp (INTC.O) gained 6.5% after it said gross margins will improve in the second half of the year. Colgate-Palmolive Co (CL.N) inched up 0.7% after the toothpaste maker lifted its annual organic sales forecast betting on consistent price hikes.

☆ The 10 Best Things We Saw at Salone del Mobile
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Ella Riley-Adams | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Dimore Studio’s Cinematic RoomsAt their new Dimore Centrale headquarters and gallery, which opened during last year’s fair, the Dimore Studio designers Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci presented a set of scenes that combined vintage furniture with their own pieces, each one with a distinct narrative and aesthetic. The first four spaces — including Ambulatorio a Chicago (Clinic in Chicago), meant to evoke a therapist’s office, and Pied-à-Terre con Vista Napoli (Pied-à-Terre With a View of Naples), adorned with handmade teal tiles — could be viewed only through holes in their walls. There were windows into the fifth and largest room, which was inspired by the works of the Modernist architects Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and included pieces by them: a wicker D52 armchair by Mies van der Rohe and a cane Breuer desk chair. The studio’s new carpet designs, created in collaboration with the French interior design company Pierre Frey, were on view throughout (in the therapist’s office, the leafy Iris Field pattern covered the walls as well as the floor) along with new lamps and fabrics, which in the final room were spread across antique beds sourced from a monastery.

☆ Knicks vs. Heat: Brawls, Nail-Biters and a Clinging Coach
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Victor Mather | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Riley, who had led the Knicks for three seasons, had become the coach of the Heat, and there was bad blood over the move. The Heat eventually had to send the Knicks a first-round pick after they were found to have tampered with Riley while he was still under contract. It started when Charles Oakley of the Knicks bumped Alonzo Mourning of the Heat and was ejected. Five Knicks were suspended — Ward, Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston, John Starks and Larry Johnson — and only one Heat player, Brown. Because so many Knicks had been suspended, the penalties were staggered: Three Knicks were to miss Game 6 and two Game 7.

☆ Biden’s Early Announcement Isn’t a Sign of Confidence
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Jason L. Riley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Potomac Watch: Democrats belatedly admit Dianne Feinstein is too old to serve. Images: AP Composite: Mark KellyPresident Biden isn’t afraid of running against Donald Trump next year, but fellow Democrats appear to have spooked him into announcing his re-election bid ahead of schedule. Mr. Biden initially intended to hold off on a formal announcement until late spring or early summer. Why draw media attention away from Mr. Trump’s legal problems or from his public feuding with Florida Gov. When your political opponents are fighting with one another, it’s better not to interfere.

FRANKFURT, April 26 (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) is undertaking its biggest management shake-up since 2019, the German bank said on Wednesday as it announced the departure of Christiana Riley, who oversaw its U.S. operations. "It is time to focus the management board on the next phase of the bank's growth strategy, which is now more than ever about sustainable profitability, efficiency and effective controls," Wynaendts said. Riley was one of two women on Deutsche's 10-member board, which will now only consist of only nine people - eight men and one woman - in what Deutsche said would be a "leaner" team. Claudio de Sanctis, a Deutsche veteran who has overseen wealth management, will join the board to oversee the retail bank, Deutsche said. And Chief Financial Officer James von Moltke will take on oversight of asset management, which includes its DWS fund management business.

☆ First Republic Bank shares plumb new lows on report government reluctant to intervene
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Niket Nishant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

After a brutal selloff, the bank's market capitalization was about $886 million at its lowest on Wednesday, a far cry from its peak of more than $40 billion in November 2021. U.S. government officials are currently unwilling to intervene in the First Republic rescue process, CNBC reported, citing sources. Reuters GraphicsA trader works at the post where First Republic Bank stock is traded on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., March 16, 2023. "The (First Republic) assets will be sold, but it may take some time and could be sold at a pretty severe discount to par," David Wagner, portfolio manager at Aptus Capital Advisors, said. At least three brokerages have cut their price targets on First Republic's shares since it reported first-quarter earnings on Monday.

☆ First Republic Bank shares plummet day after hitting record low
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 26 (Reuters) - First Republic Bank's (FRC.N) shares fell nearly 10% in premarket trading on Wednesday as analysts highlighted concerns about the troubled lender's plans to turn around its business. The company's shares were last trading at $7.34, paring some losses from a 27% plunge earlier in the day. The stock lost nearly half its value on Tuesday and will hit a record low for the second straight day if current levels hold. At least three brokerages have cut their price targets on First Republic's shares since it reported first-quarter earnings on Monday. A string of earnings reports from regional banks last week had reassured investors, but the banking sector has come under renewed pressure following First Republic's results.

☆ Technology’s year of efficiency faces it first major test: overcoming declining earnings expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Technology's year of efficiency faces its first major test this week as big technology earnings kick into high gear. Across the information technology sector, earnings are expected to decline 15.1% year over year, according to FactSet data. The setup for technology stocks It's hard to pinpoint one specific problem denting earnings expectations this season. Heading into the second quarter, many technology companies already face lowered earnings expectations, with analysts lowering earnings estimates for the information technology sector in the first quarter by 6.5% in aggregate, according to FactSet data. "We plan on being either not in any of these names or hedged or short some of them going into earnings season," Niles said.

☆ In ‘Fatal Attraction,’ Lizzy Caplan Makes a Mess
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Alexis Soloski | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Despite spray tans and brief stints as a blonde, she could rarely convince producers to see her as the heroine, the nice girl. “That’s the journey of every brunette.”The joke came by way of a video call in early April from her home in North London. (She and her husband, the English actor Tom Riley, spend half the year there and the other half in Los Angeles.) Jesse Eisenberg, her co-star in the FX limited series “Fleishman Is in Trouble,” expressed a similar observation. “She has such an unusual, distinctive quality of world weariness and humor, jadedness, but also hopefulness,” he said in a phone interview.

Search resuls for: "Riley"

25 mentions found