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☆ These people kept New Year's resolutions like saving $20,000 and reading 52 books — here's how they did it
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Eve Peyser | Forge Medium | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

My most successful resolution to date was in 2020, when I vowed to learn how to drive a car. Courtesy of MikeI used to only set unquantifiable New Year's resolutions for myself, like "lose weight." But now I think of resolutions as goals I can accomplish that would be nice for me, not for anyone else. I really just try to frame my resolutions as, "What would make me feel really good this year?" I decided not to spend money on clothing, books, media, and video games, which was really hard because Animal Crossing came out that year.

☆ EIA data shows surprise U.S. crude stock build in latest week
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 29 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil inventories rose unexpectedly last week as imports climbed and exports fell, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Thursday. Oil stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub (USOICC=ECI) fell by 195,000 barrels in the last week, EIA said. Net U.S. crude imports (USOICI=ECI) rose by 1.33 million barrels per day, EIA said. U.S. oil product supplied last week rose to its highest since Dec. 2021, according to Wednesday's EIA petroleum status report. Distillate stockpiles (USOILD=ECI), which include diesel and heating oil, rose by 300,000 barrels in the week to 120.2 million barrels, versus expectations for a 2 million-barrel drop, the EIA data showed.

☆ U.S. weekly jobless claims tick higher as the job market remains tight
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits edged higher last week but remain in a range indicating the U.S. job market remains tight, even as the Federal Reserve works to cool demand for labor as part of its bid to lower inflation. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 225,000 for the week ended Dec. 24, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 225,000 claims for the latest week. The claims figures have been choppy in recent weeks but have held well below the 270,000 threshold that economists see as a red flag for the labor market. The claims report showed the number of people receiving benefits after an initial week of aid rose 41,000 to 1.710 million in the week ending Dec. 17.

☆ Some Medicare costs are heading higher in 2023, while others are going down. Here's what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Part B premium and deductible will be lowerThe standard Part B premium will be lower in 2023 — $164.90, down from $170.10 in 2022. While most beneficiaries pay the standard premium, higher-income enrollees pay more due to income-related surcharges (see table below). However, "they are calculated based on income two years prior," said Elizabeth Gavino, founder of Lewin & Gavino and an independent broker and general agent for Medicare plans. And, some of those options either have no monthly charge or will pay your Part B premium. The maximum out-of-pocket limit for Advantage Plans will be $8,300 in 2023 for in-network services.

☆ Weekly jobless claims tick up again
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

Minneapolis CNN —First-time claims for weekly unemployment benefits increased to 225,000 for the week ended December 24, according to Labor Department data released Thursday. Economists were expecting 225,000 initial claims, according to Refinitiv estimates. Weekly initial claims have been hovering at pre-pandemic levels for the last few months, only slightly above the 2019 weekly average of 218,000. Continuing claims, which are filed by people who have received unemployment benefits for more than one week, increased to 1.71 million for the week ended December 17, from 1.67 million. Weekly jobless claims are volatile — especially around the holidays — and frequently subject to revision.

☆ Tesla shares record rare jump this month on the way to worst year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 28 (Reuters) - Shares of Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) snapped a seven-session losing streak on Wednesday, in their rare rise this month on the way to what will be the electric-vehicle maker's worst year on record. "The shorts are piling on and the stock is way oversold here, which could drive a bounce-back rally," Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said. Tesla short sellers stand to book a profit of $16.94 billion, their first gain since at least 2016, compared with a $10.26 billion loss last year. Short sellers borrow shares to sell them on the open market in the hope of buying them back at a cheaper price and pocketing the difference. There could be more short selling until a firm-priced floor is established, Dusaniwsky said.

☆ How actor Robin De Jesús became a TV show's secret weapon
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Alicia Ramírez | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Robin De Jesús always shows up. Kumail Nanjiani and Robin de Jesús in "Welcome to Chippendales." “With or without my consent, as a Latino actor, even with my light skin, I end up being the representative of my specific demographics: Latino Puerto Rican, working class,” the actor said. “It helped me clarify who my character was and his intentions.”Robin de Jesús and Kumail Nanjiani in "Welcome to Chippendales." “I’m a very fortunate actor that I get to do really, really beautiful work, but I’m still in my come-up,” he said.

☆ Wall St ends higher, Treasury yields rise after data flurry
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] The Wall Street entrance to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is seen in New York City, U.S., November 15, 2022. "Everyone’s waiting for 2023 to have a fresh take again," said Paul Kim, chief executive of Simplify ETFs in New York. "Inflation looks fairly sticky and interest rates keep mounting up," Kim said. "And the punchline is (interest) rates will have to be higher for longer." Treasury yields resumed their upward trajectory after data showed personal income rising more than expected and October inflation data was upwardly revised.

☆ Here's why a bull market may have already started even though it doesn't feel like it, according to eToro's investment analyst
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A new bull market may already be underway, according to eToro's US investment analyst. If the economy avoids a recession, then it's possible stocks have already bottomed out and will tick higher in 2023, Callie Cox told Insider. "Typically, new bulls don't actually feel like bulls, but it's costly if you miss the beginning of one." In eToro's year-ahead outlook, Callie Cox makes the case that even though it may not seem like stocks are on the upswing, it's rarely the case that bull markets resemble bull markets in the early stages. "A bull market starts at the lowest point of a bear and is confirmed when an index reaches a new 52-week high," Cox told Insider.

☆ European stocks look set to tick higher as markets wind down for the holidays
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Katrina Bishop | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

European markets look set to open higher Friday after ending in the red during the previous session. Trading is expected to be light on the last working day before the Christmas break. The U.K.'s London Stock Exchange is on a half day.

☆ 'How dare he?' New Hampshire seethes at Biden's planned changes to the 2024 Democratic presidential primaries
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Natasha Korecki | Natasha Korecki Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

“How dare he?” Laurie Jasper, a member of the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women, said. Salting the wound was the revelation that South Carolina hadn’t even asked to be first, and officials there contend they were as surprised as anyone to be handed the spot. In South Carolina, the majority of Democratic primary voters are African American. “North Carolina is more diverse than South Carolina. Democrats say they aren’t about to retreat behind South Carolina and anyway, they can’t.

☆ These twins started companies together and other cofounders can learn a lot from them about rivalries, comparisons and being close to your business partner
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Having a business partner you are personally close to can be a huge benefit, they said. Torsten Pieper, an academic at UNC Charlotte, told Insider that twins having distinct roles in a business can be beneficial. Research from the Institute for Family Business showed companies that promote themselves as family-run can gain greater trust and are better placed to attract talent. Phan said family businesses inherently care about their communities, because their identity is often attached to the community where they work. As long as we're together, that's greatAll the twins said their businesses have changed the nature of their relationships.

☆ Stocks slide but dollar gains as central banks continue inflation battle
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Lawrence Delevingne | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Stocks fell, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) slipping 2.5%, the S&P 500 (.SPX) down about 2.6% and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) off 3%. The STOXX (.STOXX) fell by about 2.85% as heavyweight stocks across sectors sank. U.S. Treasury yields fell on Thursday, with the yield on 10-year Treasury notes down 6.4 basis points to 3.439% and the 30-year down 8.1 basis points to 3.459%. China's economy, however, lost more steam in November as factory output slowed and retail sales fell again, hobbled by surging COVID-19 infections. U.S. crude fell 0.75% to $76.70 per barrel and Brent was at $81.85, down 1.03% on the day.

☆ White House announces steps to counter winter wave of Covid infections
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Shannon-Pettypiece-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Shannon Pettypiece | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — White House officials on Thursday announced steps to provide more Covid testing, vaccinations and supplies as case numbers tick up in another winter wave of coronavirus infections. The Biden administration says it will offer more free at-home Covid tests, boost efforts to vaccinate nursing home residents and prepare supplies that can be sent to states in need. Starting Thursday, the White House will make another round of free Covid tests available by allowing households to order up to four at-home tests from Covidtest.gov. The administration official said the White House expects infections to continue to rise as more people gather indoors for holiday celebrations in the coming weeks. The senior administration official said the administration has distributed 6 million courses of Paxlovid to local communities and indicated that it is confident there will be enough supply to meet demand.

☆ Mortgage rates drop for fifth week in a row
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington, DC CNN —Mortgage rates fell once again this week, dipping for the fifth straight week. But mortgage rates have tumbled in the last several weeks, following data that showed inflation may have finally reached its peak. The rate hike was already factored in to where mortgage rates are, but signaled more good news on inflation. Mortgage rates tend to track the yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds. Mortgage applications tick upFor people looking to buy a home, and homeowners wanting to sell, the retreat in mortgage rates over the past several weeks has been welcome.

☆ Advocates Urge Congress to Pass Permanent Residency Status for Afghans
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesConvincing Republican senatorsThe House version of the Afghan Adjustment Act has 143 co-sponsors, including 10 Republicans. Demonstrators gather to support Afghan evacuees outside the Capitol on Nov. 16, 2022. At the moment, one prospect to advance the Afghan Adjustment Act is by attaching it to that larger spending bill, advocates say. But negotiations on the omnibus are ongoing, and whether the Afghan Adjustment Act will be included is up in the air. Yet without a deal by then, passage of the Afghan Adjustment Act appears doomed, advocates say, keeping Afghan evacuees in perpetual legal limbo.

☆ Fact Check-Inaccuracies in claims Florida, Kentucky and Missouri all require drug testing for welfare recipients
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Users on social media have claimed that welfare applicants in Florida, Kentucky, and Missouri require drug testing, which is partly false. A 2011 Florida law that was passed to drug test all welfare recipients was struck down as unconstitutional in 2014. Thank you Florida, Kentucky, and Missouri, which are the first states that will require drug testing when applying for welfare.” (here). FLORIDAIn 2011, Florida passed a law that would drug test all welfare recipients of the federal program known as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (here). A Missouri bill was passed in 2011 to allow for applicants for welfare benefits to be drug tested.

☆ Fed Rate Hikes Mean ‘Fantastic’ Savings Rates. Are You Still Earning Less than 1%?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

A series of rate hikes from the Federal Reserve—including a 0.5 percentage point increase on Wednesday—has left its benchmark federal-funds rate rate in a range of 4.25% to 4.5%, the highest level seen in 15 years. “Savings rates right now are fantastic,” says Joe Duran, co-head of Goldman Sachs Workplace and Personal Wealth. “Banks want to be competitive, so when Fed rate increases happen, they are usually quick to increase savings rates,” says Duran. Where Savings and CD Rates Are Headed NextWith interest rates steadily increasing, the key question for savers becomes: Should I lock in rates now, or wait for even better offers? In fact, the average savings rate nationally is only 0.24%, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp—quite paltry considering where the Fed rate is.

☆ Explainer: Who would the U.S. SEC's proposed stock market overhaul impact?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( John Mccrank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Of the four market structure-related proposals, the "order competition rule" represents the biggest potential change. The rule would require stock orders from individual investors that have no price limits to be sent to auctions where market participants could compete to fulfill them. The regulator will also consider whether to strengthen an existing rule requiring brokers to provide information on the quality of their customer trade executions. The new best execution standard for brokers could also impact payments to retail brokers from wholesalers and exchanges for order flow. The last major shakeup of the markets was Regulation National Market System, adopted in June 2005 but which did not come into law until 2007.

Car buyers are watching the clock tick down for the Inflation Reduction Act’s updated electric vehicle tax incentives to kick in. If you shop right nowState and federal EV incentives already exist. Their car was built in Tennessee and qualified for the full $7,500 federal tax credit, which they were able to combine with a Massachusetts EV tax exemption of $2,500, effectively knocking $10,000 off the price. Plus, caps on how many vehicles can qualify for existing tax incentives have kept some buyers on the sidelines. If you shop in 2024After next year, the IRA makes an important change to how consumers apply their tax credit.

☆ Homebuilders are fronting thousands of dollars in cash to help buyers reduce their mortgage rate and make homes more affordable
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Robert Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Mortgage rate buydowns are a home financing tool that provides buyers with a lower interest rate. Homebuilders are employing rate buydowns the most in areas where home prices are falling the fastest. A prevalent trend that builders are leaning into in order to help them sell more homes amid an increasingly tough economic climate is paying for mortgage rate buydowns for prospective buyers. A rate buydown is an upfront payment for "discount points" at closing to reduce the rate on a fixed-rate mortgage term. The company is offering what's known as a 2-1 buydown where a buyer's mortgage rate is decreased by 2% during their first year and 1% in their second year before returning to a fixed rate for the remaining duration of the loan.

[1/2] The Wall Street entrance to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is seen in New York City, U.S., November 15, 2022. U.S. stocks edged higher in early trading, indicating a cautious start on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) rose 0.55%, the S&P 500 (.SPX) gained 0.27%, and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) added 0.07%. The U.S. consumer price index for November is due on Tuesday, when a slowdown in core annual inflation is anticipated. Two-year yields, which typically move in step with interest rate expectations, rose just 1.4 basis points to 4.342%.

☆ Leading through change is one of the hardest challenges for CEOs — and one they must get right, PwC US Chair Tim Ryan says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Josée Rose | Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

PwC's US chair, Tim Ryan, said leading through change was the toughest challenge for CEOs. Ryan said the "war for talent isn't going away" and urged leaders to focus on the future. "What every company is trying to do is to get their people to do things differently," Ryan told Insider. Did all the things work the way they're supposed to?" Several companies have brought back CEOs to lead through turmoil because there's a "desperate need to reframe management," Ryan said.

☆ Twitter to relaunch subscription service Twitter Blue on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Twitter will relaunch a revamped version of its subscription service Twitter Blue on Monday at a higher price for Apple users, the company said in a tweet on Saturday. The revamped service will allow subscribers to edit tweets, upload 1080p videos and get a blue checkmark post account verification. After Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion in October, he launched a service granting blue checks to anyone willing to pay $8 a month. The relaunched service will cost $8 a month for web users and $11 a month for iPhone users. Twitter says subscribers will see fewer ads, be able to post longer videos and have their tweets featured more prominently.

☆ Elton John quits Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Elton John performs "Bennie and the Jets" as he wraps up the U.S. leg of his 'Yellow Brick Road' tour at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, U.S. November 20, 2022. REUTERS/David SwansonDec 9 (Reuters) - British musician Elton John quit Twitter on Friday, the latest high-profile celebrity to leave the social media platform following its acquisition by billionaire Elon Musk. John, who is currently on his last-ever global tour, blamed Twitter's recent policy change as a reason for quitting. Yet it saddens me to see how misinformation is now being used to divide our world," John tweeted to his 1.1 million followers. loading"I've decided to no longer use Twitter, given their recent change in policy which will allow misinformation to flourish unchecked."

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