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☆ A new tool shows what the climate crisis could feel like in your city
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Monthlong heat waves. AdvertisementLocal climate hazardsTo make predictions at a city level, Mackres said WRI built on global climate modeling done by hundreds of other researchers. World Resources InstituteIn Bengaluru, India's fifth-most-populous city, extreme heat has caused severe water shortages and surging energy demand. Now it ranks second behind San Francisco after a series of deadly heat waves prompted residents to install AC. If that demand is met with fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal, it could exacerbate the climate crisis, WRI said.

Persons: WRI, Eric Mackres, Mackres, haven't Organizations: Service, World Resources Institute, Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, Resources, Bengaluru, US, San Locations: Saharan Africa, Latin America, Indonesia, Africa, Asia, Seattle, Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, Bengaluru, India, India's, Brazil, US Pacific Northwest, San Francisco, Tehran, Iran, Marrakech, Morocco

☆ China's Alibaba launches over 100 new open-source AI models, releases text-to-video generation tool
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The newly-released models, known as Qwen 2.5, are designed for use in applications and sectors ranging from automobiles to gaming and science research, Alibaba said. AI models are trained on huge amounts of data. By open sourcing the models, Alibaba hopes more users will use its AI. Alibaba also launched a new text-to-video tool based on its AI models. "Alibaba Cloud is investing, with unprecedented intensity, in the research and development of AI technology and the building of its global infrastructure," Eddie Wu, CEO of Alibaba, said in a statement.

Persons: Alibaba, Max, Sora, Eddie Wu Organizations: Baidu, Huawei, titans, Microsoft, Max Locations: Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China, Hangzhou

☆ Stock market today: Indexes close at record highs and tech soars after Fed rate cut
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Kelly Cloonan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Indexes rallied to record highs as investors cheered Wednesday's rate cut from the Fed. Jobless claims reinforced the Fed's message of a strong labor market, with last weeks's claims down 12,000. AdvertisementMajor stock indexes surged to record highs on Thursday, a day after a jumbo rate cut from the Federal Reserve. On Wednesday, the Fed cut interest rates for the first time in four years, slashing its benchmark rate by 50 basis points. The Fed's dot plot shows the central bank will likely cut another 50 basis points this year and 100 basis points next year.

Persons: —, Dan Ives, Ives, Jerome Powell, Powell, Richard Bernstein Organizations: Fed . Tech, Nvidia, Meta, Service, Federal Reserve, Dow Jones Industrial, Nasdaq, Broadcom, ASML, Labor Department, Treasury, Fed, Trump Media Locations: Here's

☆ From mortgages to auto loans, experts weigh in on when — or if — to refinance as interest rates fall
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

So, home loan rates may continue to fluctuate. Don't wait to reassess credit card debtWhen it comes to credit card debt, the math is a little more cut-and-dried. In the wake of the rate hike cycle, the average credit card rate rose from 16.34% in March 2022 to more than 20% today — nearing an all-time high. watch nowAlternatively, borrowers can call their card issuer and ask for a lower interest rate on their current card. Auto loan refinancing options depend on equityAlthough auto loans are fixed, the rates on new-car loans will come down with the Fed's moves.

Persons: Jacob Channel, Matt Schulz, Schulz, you've, Ivan Drury, Edmunds Organizations: Treasury, LendingTree, Auto

☆ Anti-Defamation League suing Intel, its first-ever discrimination case against major American company
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Alexandra Ferreyros | Cnbc Intern | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

For the first time in its century-plus history, the Anti-Defamation League is suing a Fortune 500 company, Intel , joining a case brought by the law firm of Wigdor on behalf of a former Israeli employee of the technology firm. Intel has operated in Israel for 50 years, where it has invested more than $50 billion, and remains one of Israel's largest private employers with more than 11,700 Israeli employees. The company estimated $8.7 billion in exports from its Intel operations, accounting for 5.5% of Israel's high-tech exports and 1.75% of the country's GDP, in 2022. When employers do not meet their legal obligations in protecting their Jewish employees, ADL will not hesitate to act." The former Israeli employee also recently sent an open letter to Intel's board of directors about his complaint.

Persons: wasn't, Jonathan Greenblatt, Greenblatt, Google, we've Organizations: Defamation League, Fortune, Intel, ADL, CNBC, Google Locations: Wigdor, Israel, U.S, boardrooms, Gaza

☆ CNBC Daily Open: Markets need time to digest the 50-point cut
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Yeo Boon Ping | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Anna Moneymaker | Getty ImagesThis report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. By contrast, the prevailing sentiment among experts was that a 25-point cut was more likely, according to a CNBC survey. And he was likely aware that a bigger-than-usual cut might connote that the Fed's worried about the economy. "I don't see anything in the economy right now that suggests that the likelihood of a recession, sorry, of a downturn, is elevated," Powell said.

Persons: Jerome Powell, William McChesney Martin Jr, Anna Moneymaker, Jerome Powell's, Powell, –, Jeff Cox, Yun Li, Hakyung Kim, Samantha Subin Organizations: Federal, Federal Reserve, CNBC, Dow Jones, Nasdaq Locations: Washington , DC

YouTube will also integrate generative AI text and image output into an “Inspiration” feature for creators, which is intended to feed them suggestions and examples for video content. Mohan said that 92% of YouTube creators already use AI tools. The new AI video creation tool is called “Veo.” Creators will input text prompts to create AI images, which can then become the basis of the six-second clips. Mohan teased it with an AI-generated video of a dog and a sheep becoming friends. YouTube is the latest platform to announce AI-generated video capabilities, following demos from OpenAI of their text-to-video technology Sora.

Persons: Neal Mohan, Mohan, ”, Sarah Ali, Sora, Ali, DeepMind, Vivien Lewit, monetize, livestream Organizations: YouTube, NBC News, Microsoft, Meta, Google, Shorts Locations: Google’s Manhattan

☆ The Fed rate cut will boost these kinds of stocks the most, according to UBS
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Federal Reserve's interest rate cut will give a boost to these stocks, according to UBS. UBS strategist Patrick Palfrey identified stocks that have historically outperformed when the Fed lowers interest rates, a move that he expects will especially benefit smaller, more volatile and less-efficient companies. He expects this is true across the large-cap and small-cap universes represented by the S & P 500 and Russell 2000. Here are five S & P 500 stocks UBS expects can benefit most. By comparison, the SPDR S & P Regional Banking ETF (KRE) is up more than 8% year to date.

Persons: Patrick Palfrey, Russell, Palfrey Organizations: UBS, Regional Banking, CNBC, Moderna, Resources, National Bank Financial, Perpetua Resources Locations: ROE, Cleveland , Ohio, Idaho

☆ The 'Fed put' is back. Here's why central bankers will want to support the stock market, according to Fundstrat's Tom Lee.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

That's because the Fed wants a "healthy economy," a big component of which is a strong stock market, he said. AdvertisementThe "Fed put" is back, and stock investors may not be fully pricing in the good news, according to Fundstrat's head of research Tom Lee. The prominent stock bull pointed to the idea that central bankers could move to further ease monetary policy at any sign of weakness in the stock market. AdvertisementA healthy economy, though, hinges on consumer and business confidence, which is largely tied to the stock market, Lee said. We could be seeing turbulence for the next 8 weeks, but this is also in the context of a very strong stock market in 2024," he added.

Persons: Tom Lee, That's, —, Lee, There's Organizations: Fed, Service, Wednesday

Mortgage rates have dropped substantially in recent weeks, with 30-year rates now almost 40 basis points down from where they started the month. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's interest rates will affect your monthly payments. Current 30-Year Mortgage RatesAverage 30-year mortgage rates have gone down this week and are now hovering below 5.60%, according to Zillow data. Mortgage rates are determined by a variety of different factors, including larger economic trends, Federal Reserve policy, your state's current mortgage rates, the type of loan you're getting, and your personal financial profile. Because markets are already anticipating that the Fed will lower rates, mortgage rates might not drop much in response to a Fed rate cut.

Persons: it's, refinance, you'll, Freddie Mac Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Fed Locations: Chevron

☆ Treasury yields inch higher as investors look to Fed rate decision
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The 2-year Treasury yield was last at 3.6046% after adding over one basis point. U.S. Treasury yields were little changed on Wednesday as all eyes were on the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision expected for later in the day. The focus on Wednesday will be on the Federal Reserve's latest interest rate decision and guidance for the monetary policy outlook. While a interest rate cut is all but guaranteed, traders are divided about the size of the rate reduction. Investors are also hoping for hints about what Fed interest rate policy could look like for the remainder of the year and if more cuts are on the horizon.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Dow Jones Organizations: Treasury, Federal, Investors

☆ In Venezuela, AI news anchors aren’t replacing journalists. They’re protecting them
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Stefano Pozzebon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It was against this backdrop that the idea for “Venezuela Retweets” formed, explained “Roberto,” the managing editor of a digital publication in Caracus that is part of the collective behind it. An AI generated presenter known as "The Girl" is one of Venezuela's latest news anchors. This is where the format of Venezuela Retweets comes into its own, as it is designed specifically to be shared on social media. That does not mean Roberto, Huerta and the many journalists whose work goes into the reports of The Girl and The Dude are blind to the risks. “We still live in Venezuela and at the end of the day we’re at risk despite all the measures we can take,” Roberto said.

Persons: ”, –, Pana, Nicolas Maduro’s, Carlos Eduardo Huertas, Nicolas Maduro, Fausto Torrealba, Espacio, Maduro, “, “ Roberto, Roberto, Consultores21, Venezuela Retweets, Elon Musk, Shelly Palmer, Huerta, ” Roberto, It’s Organizations: CNN, Venezuela –, Reuters, Espacio Publico, United Nations, Venezuela, Government, Facebook, Foro Penal, Caracas NGO, Advanced Media, Syracuse University, The Locations: Venezuela, Colombian, Caracas, Venezuelan, Cuba, Nicaragua

The best iPhone 16 Pro screen protectors provide lasting protection against damage and include a kit or tool for effective and effortless application. Our top pick among the best iPhone 16 Pro screen protectors is the Zagg Glass Elite screen protector, which offers the best overall value and long-term protection. AdvertisementWhat should I look for in an iPhone 16 Pro screen protector? AdvertisementWill an iPhone 15 Pro screen protector fit an iPhone 16 Pro? If you're looking to equip the previous model instead, check out our guide to the best iPhone 15 Pro screen protectors.

Persons: we've Organizations: Business, Apple

☆ I tried Nestlé's new weight-loss meals, and felt full for hours — but nutritionists have mixed reviews
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Hilary Brueck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Vital PursuitThe meals cost less than $5 and are available at retailers including Target and Walmart, starting Wednesday, according to the company. These small meals, branded as protein-rich, are designed to help GLP-1 users lose more fat, and less muscle. "We want to be a brand for those 82% of Americans who are managing their weight," Stoehr told Business Insider, referencing a Morgan Stanley report. "These meals seem like a decent option... but not a great one," Malloy wrote in an email to Business Insider.

Persons: —, Nestlé, Kristen Stoehr, Stoehr, Morgan Stanley, We're, Alix Turoff, Mike Molloy, Hilary Brueck, I've, I'd, Turoff, Malloy, It's, that's, I'm, Nestlé's, Marlene Schmidt, Morgan Stanley's Organizations: Service, Business, Target, Walmart Locations: Nestlé, New York

☆ Gold flat as investors focus on Fed
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Gold prices were flat on Wednesday as investors weighed chances of an outsized interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve later in the day. Gold prices were flat on Wednesday as investors weighed chances of an outsized interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve later in the day. The Fed is expected to announce a cut to interest rates for the first time in more than four years at 1800 GMT. Markets are now pricing in a 65% chance of a 50-basis-point rate cut, compared with 34% a week earlier, according to the CME FedWatch tool. Zero-yield bullion tends to be a preferred investment in a lower interest rate environment and during geopolitical turmoil.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Matt Simpson, let's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Index Locations: ., Lebanon

☆ 3 reasons why today's Fed rate cut is the beginning of a more aggressive cutting spree than investors expect: chief economist
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe Federal Reserve is expected to slash interest rates today for the first time since 2020 as the labor market and inflation continue to cool. AdvertisementAssuming a 25-basis-point cut at every FOMC meeting until next July, that would leave an extra 75 basis points the central bank would have to work into its policy adjustments over that time. One is that the consumer could be weaker than they appear, and the labor market is likely to deteriorate further. AdvertisementWhile the Fed hopes to stimulate spending with rate cuts, Tombs is skeptical that they'll the impact the central bank wants. Advertisement"New mortgage rates need to drop by about 250bp before they will undershoot the average outstanding mortgage rate," Tombs wrote.

Persons: —, Jerome Powell's, Samuel Tombs, Tombs Organizations: Service, Business, Macroeconomics Locations: Jackson Hole , Wyoming

☆ It’s Fed decision day, and investors aren’t 100% sure what to expect
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Fred Imbert | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Traders across Wall Street expect the Fed to lower rates, ending the tightening cycle that began in March 2022. That said, investors aren't sure how big the rate reduction will be. To be sure, it closed more than 30 points below the closing all-time high of 5,634.58 set in July. We tend to agree with that, but also think the setup for a 'false breakout' remains high," wrote Krinsky. Elsewhere on Wall Street this morning , Barclays upgraded VF Corp to overweight from equal weight.

Persons: Chris Murphy, Susquehanna, Jonathan Krinsky, It's, Adrienne Yih Organizations: Federal, Traders, Barclays, Corp

☆ 2 new YouTube features could make life easier for creators, but come with risks to authenticity and fan connection
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Amanda Perelli | Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

YouTube just announced a slew of new AI-powered features for creators. Go to newsletter preferences Thanks for signing up! AdvertisementYouTube just announced a flurry of new AI-powered features for creators. On Wednesday, at the company's annual Made on YouTube event, the platform announced several new features that use generative AI. The feature can generate ideas based on a creator's content catalog, comments on their YouTube videos, or videos made by other creators.

Persons: — Organizations: YouTube, Service, Business

☆ FBI says it has disrupted major Chinese hacking operation that threatened US critical infrastructure
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

As of June, the botnet included over 260,000 hacked devices from all over the world, from North and South America to Australia, according to US officials. Those hacked devices ranged from webcams to DVRs to routers, and about half of them were located in the US, according to Wray. That Chinese hacking unit is preparing to “wreak havoc and cause real-world harm” to the US, Wray told Congress in January. Lumen researchers are watching for signs that the Chinese hackers will resurrect the botnet. A Chinese company named Integrity Technology Group managed the botnet for the last three years, according to US officials.

Persons: Christopher Wray, ” Wray, Wray, ”, “, Lumen, ” Danny Adamitis, Dakota Cary Organizations: CNN, FBI, Aspen Cyber, US, Embassy, Lumen Technologies, Lotus Labs, Integrity Technology Group Locations: Washington ,, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, North, South America, Washington, China, Taiwan, California, United States, Dakota

☆ I work at Amazon and I plan on 'coffee badging' instead of working from the office 5 days a week
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with an Amazon worker in Germany who spoke anonymously to protect their privacy. Amazon notified all employees on Monday about the new return-to-office mandate requiring us to come into the office five days a week from January. Before Amazon made the announcement this week, I already had a feeling that a stricter return-to-office mandate was coming in 2025. I see the value in coming together occasionally and brainstorming, but outside that, it's unnecessary to always work from the office. The consensus among other Amazon employees I've spoken to is that they plan to leave when the economy and job market improve.

Persons: I'm Organizations: Service, Business, Amazon Locations: Germany

☆ European markets set for lower open as investors weigh UK inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Italy's FTSE MIB meanwhile was set to fall by around 39 points to 33,784. LONDON — European markets were headed for a lower open on Wednesday as investors considered key data from the region and looked to the U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate decision. In Europe, U.K. inflation figures for August were published Wednesday, coming in at 2.2% according to data from the Office for National Statistics. The data comes ahead of the Bank of England meeting and interest rate policy decision scheduled for later this week. The Fed is all but guaranteed to announce an interest rate cut on Wednesday, which would be its first since it started hiking rates in March 2022.

Persons: Germany's DAX Organizations: CAC, LONDON, U.S . Federal, Office, National Statistics, Bank of England, Bank of Japan, U.S . Federal Reserve, Traders Locations: Europe, Asia, Pacific

☆ Forget Nvidia? These 2 little-known chip stocks have over 100% upside, Jefferies says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

However, investment bank Jefferies is drawing attention to two lesser-known chip stocks that it believes could rise by more than 100%: Aixtron and Ams OSRAM . Looking ahead, analysts at Jefferies pointed to the ongoing recovery in the semiconductor industry, with global chip sales growth accelerating to 18.7% year-over-year in July. Jefferies expects shares of Aixtron to rise by 115% to 35 euros ($38.80) a share over the next 12 months. The stock is also traded in the U.S. AIXXF 1Y line Ams OSRAM Ams OSRAM , an Austrian-German semiconductor company, recently completed the issuance of 200 million euros ($222.73 million) in senior notes, yielding 10.5% in coupon payments to replace other short-term debt due in 2024. The analysts expect shares of Ams OSRAM, listed on the Swiss stock exchange, to rise 179% over the next 12 months to 2.4 Swiss francs ($2.83).

Persons: TSMC, Jensen Huang, Blackwell, Goldman Sachs, Huang, Jefferies, Janardan Menon, Infineon, Aixtron Organizations: Nvidia, ASML, Jefferies, Ams OSRAM, The SOX Semiconductor, Nvidia's, Infineon, IFX, HVP, Ams Locations: Germany, Infineon, Aixtron, U.S, Austrian

☆ AI voice-cloning scams could target millions of people, Starling Bank warns
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —“Millions” of people could fall victim to scams using artificial intelligence to clone their voices, a UK bank has warned. Starling Bank, an online-only lender, said fraudsters are capable of using AI to replicate a person’s voice from just three seconds of audio found in, for example, a video the person has posted online. These types of scams have the potential to “catch millions out,” Starling Bank said in a press release Wednesday. “People regularly post content online which has recordings of their voice, without ever imagining it’s making them more vulnerable to fraudsters,” Lisa Grahame, chief information security officer at Starling Bank, said in the press release. As AI becomes increasingly adept at mimicking human voices, concerns are mounting about its potential to harm people by, for example, helping criminals access their bank accounts, and spread misinformation.

Persons: London CNN —, Scammers, ” Lisa Grahame, OpenAI Organizations: London CNN, Starling Bank, ”, Bank, Research Locations: Starling

☆ Stock market today: Indexes edge up ahead of major Fed interest rate decision
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

US indexes edged higher as investors waited for a likely interest rate cut from the Fed. AdvertisementUS stocks rose on Wednesday as traders readied for what's likely to be the Federal Reserves's first rate cut in four years. "Though consensus is leaning toward a 50 basis point move, we look for the Fed to cut by 25 basis points today. AdvertisementFollowing the interest rate decision, all eyes will be on Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who will deliver prepared remarks during a press conference. "While the market has usually bounced immediately following the 2 PM rate decision, the sell-off usually starts at or near the end of Powell's post-FOMC press conference."

Persons: Jerome Powell's, —, John Lynch, José Torres, Jerome Powell, Powell, shouldn't Organizations: Fed, Traders, Service, Federal, Comerica Wealth Management, Interactive, Deutsche Bank, Investment

☆ Jim Cramer says Salesforce's collaboration with Nvidia should not be overlooked
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Every weekday the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer holds a "Morning Meeting" livestream at 10:20 a.m. Jim Cramer urged people to be patient once the Fed's decision arrives at 2 p.m. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

Persons: Jim Cramer, Stocks, Jerome Powell's, Jim, Salesforce, Agentforce, Mark Benioff, Brian Niccol, General Mills, Jim Cramer's Organizations: CNBC, Nvidia, Bank of America, Starbucks, VF Corp, Resmed, Marriott International, Alaska Air Locations: China

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