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☆ How Legalizing Pot in New York City Became a Farce
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Jason L. Riley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

He is also a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and provides television commentary for various news outlets. Mr. Riley joined the paper in 1994 as a copy reader on the national news desk in New York. He moved to the editorial page in 1995, was named a senior editorial page writer in 2000, and became a member of the Editorial Board in 2005. He joined the Manhattan Institute in 2015. Born in Buffalo, New York, Mr. Riley earned a bachelor's degree in English from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

☆ January CPI accelerates, but trend easing
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Data for December was revised higher to show the CPI gaining 0.1% instead of the 0.1% fall as previously reported. “It's not going to necessarily influence the Federal Reserve one way or another. "You have a little bit of a negative reaction because these numbers are not going to take the pressure off the Federal Reserve. "The real issue is what is the Federal Reserve going to do, it's pretty widely expected that they're going to raise rates both at their March meeting as well as their May meeting. "There's not much there for the Federal Reserve to give them some sort of a justification for taking their foot off the brake and reducing interest rates."

☆ The Pentagon once hid 10 giant red balloons across the US — and offered $40,000 to the first people to find them all
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Pentagon's DARPA group once challenged people to find 10 giant red balloons across the US. Those locations included Union Square in San Francisco, Collins Avenue in Miami, Lee Park in Memphis, Tennessee, and Katy Park in Katy, Texas, Popular Science reported. MIT Media Lab Postdoctoral Human Dynamics researcher Riley Crane, who led MIT's successful group, told Popular Science. Twitter also proved to be useful for the challenge, allowing quick and widespread conversation about the possible locations of the balloons, Popular Science reported. But Crane told Popular Science that MIT's strategy focused more on creating a trusted team with goals of helping themselves, science, and charity.

☆ Eggs are crazy expensive. Plant-based alternatives think you should check them out
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Egg prices are still high at the grocery store — so plant-based egg alternatives are using this moment to make their case. Brands like Just Egg and Zero Egg, which make egg alternatives, say they’ve seen momentum in January. For them, turmoil in the traditional egg market is the perfect opportunity to try to reach potential new customers and highlight the advantages of plant-based eggs. But they’re not interested in plant-based eggs — the texture and flavor is just not there for their needs, Tim Lu said. In the grocery store, egg prices remain elevated, Rispoli noted: “Grocers are not yet passing along those savings.”

☆ Black Students Need Better Schools, Not Lower Standards
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Jason L. Riley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

☆ Movie theaters get creative with food and drink as they struggle to fill seats
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

At many movie theaters, popcorn and soda appear alongside flatbreads, lobster grilled cheese and elaborate cocktails. "It is things like concessions and how that fits into a broader movie theater experience that really are things that movie theaters need to focus on and hammer in," Gallinari said. AMC Entertainment , the world's largest movie theater chain, exited its third quarter with more than $5.3 billion in debt. According to data from research firm EntTelligence, the average medium popcorn at domestic movie theaters is $8.14, while a medium drink runs for $6.20. "With movie theaters and concessions already having a reputation for being overpriced, being subject to the wills of the market in that way can really work against the movie theater's favor," Gallinari said.

☆ Wall Street falls on rate hike worries
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Johann M Cherian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Money market participants are now betting the U.S. central bank's benchmark rate to rise above 5% in May before peaking to 5.18% by July, levels that officials have backed vociferously. Of all the S&P 500 companies that have reported quarterly earnings, 69% of them have beaten expectations, according to Refinitiv. Uber Technologies Inc (UBER.N) rose 0.7% on upbeat earnings expectations for the year. Declining issues outnumbered advancers for a 1.86-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and a 2.05-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded eight new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 56 new highs and 18 new lows.

☆ Retail investors flock to small-cap AI firms as Big Tech battles for share
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Medha Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 7 (Reuters) - Retail investors are piling into small-cap firms that employ artificial intelligence amid intensifying competition between tech titans Google parent Alphabet and Microsoft to secure leadership in the next big driver of growth. The $3-billion AI software firm C3.ai was the fifth most actively traded on Fidelity's platform for small investors on Monday, while drawing record daily retail inflows worth $31.4 million, as per Vanda Research. "Small-cap firms have AI as a much larger part of their business than the larger ones," said Matthew Tuttle, chief executive officer of Tuttle Capital Management on the reason behind retail investors' focus on the smaller firms. SoundHound AI (SOUN.O), which offers a voice AI platform services, and Thailand's security firm Guardforce AI (GFAI.O) have more than doubled so far this year, while analytics firm BigBear.ai gained nine-fold in value. Google-owner Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) on Monday said it would launch a chatbot service Bard and more artificial intelligence for its search engine as well as developers.

Bed Bath said it was planning to raise just over $1 billion through sales of preferred stock and warrants and from securities when the warrants are exercised. Bed Bath will receive a waiver on its recent bank default should the proposed offering succeed, the company said. Bed Bath & Beyond also appointed Holly Etlin, a bankruptcy expert, as interim chief financial officer. "It’s a similar situation in which a deeply financially distressed company is attempting to sell securities," said Lynn LoPucki, a professor at the University of Florida. Sources have told Reuters that Bed Bath & Beyond has lined up liquidators to close additional stores unless a last-minute buyer emerges.

☆ Bed Bath & Beyond lines up funding in a last-ditch bid to avoid bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A Bed Bath & Beyond store in the Brooklyn borough of New York, US, on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. Bed Bath & Beyond will live to see another day – at least for now. Bed Bath will receive $225 million in the offering up front plus an additional $800 million in proceeds over time, the company said. Whatever's left over will be used to aid Bed Bath's attempt at a turnaround, the company said. The efforts have evidently failed thus far, forcing Bed Bath to go to the public markets for funding.

☆ 4 reasons why Amazon's advertising business is still surging while Meta, Google, and Snap are all wrestling with declines
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Amazon's ad business grew 19% over the past year, while rivals like Meta were managing a decline. Amazon's ad business seems to be the only major ad business that's on the upswing. Part of the reason is that Amazon's ad business is newer than Google's and Meta's so a higher growth rate should be expected. Insider spoke with several ad buyers and industry experts to reveal why Amazon's ad business is growing compared to competitors like Google, Meta, and Snap. Both McKenna and Kern Schireson, CEO of the ad agency Known, believe this is the biggest reason why Amazon's ad business is thriving compared to its competitors.

☆ Bed Bath & Beyond moves to raise $1 billion to avoid bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Bed Bath & Beyond said on Monday it was planning to raise some $1 billion through an offering of preferred stock and warrants in a last-ditch effort to stave off bankruptcy. Bed, Bath & Beyond held talks in recent days with an investment firm to underwrite a significant portion of the proposed offering, two people familiar with the matter said. Bed Bath said it was planning to raise just over $1 billion through sales of preferred stock and warrants and from securities when the warrants are exercised. Bed Bath will receive a waiver on its recent bank default should the proposed offering succeed, the company said. “It’s a similar situation in which a deeply financially distressed company is attempting to sell securities,” said Lynn LoPucki, a professor at the University of Florida.

[1/2] A street sign for Wall Street is seen outside the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, New York, U.S., July 19, 2021. Money market participants see the Fed's terminal rate to settle above 5% by May followed by rate cuts in September. More than 69% of the S&P 500 firms have reported results above expectations, according to Refinitiv. Overall, analysts still expect quarterly earnings of S&P 500 firms declining 2.8%. All of the 11 major S&P 500 indexes were in the red with the real-estate sector (.SPLRCR) slumping 1.5%.

☆ Earnings and Fed Chair Powell will again drive markets in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

With few economic releases and the earnings season starting to wind down, an appearance by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell Tuesday could be among the newsiest events for markets in the week ahead. The Fed chair is speaking at the Economic Club of Washington D.C. at midday Tuesday. If he wanted to walk back anything, he could have done it then," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley. Economists said Friday's surprisingly strong jobs report should encourage the Fed to push forward with planned rate hikes. Earnings, earnings, earnings But there continues to be earnings news.

☆ As stocks surge, some chart signals have been looking better despite lingering risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell triggered a surge in stocks when he spoke Wednesday , taking the S & P 500 into a new range. Redler expects a near term peak for the S & P 500 could be around 4,200-4,220. The S & P 500 and Nasdaq were both higher Thursday, as the 10-year Treasury yield continued its slide to a low of 3.35%. He's watching the growing number of three-month highs in the Russell 1000 and S & P 600 , which are now outpacing the new highs in the S & P 500. The VIX is based on puts and calls in the S & P 500.

☆ 7 movie and TV trailers that dropped this week, from 'Succession' to 'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Several new trailers were released this week, including a trailer for HBO's hit series "Succession." Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure." Premiere date: March 31, 2023Where to watch: In theaters"Daisy Jones and the Six"YouTube synopsis: "It's time to hear the real story. Premiere date: March 3, 2023Where to watch: Amazon Prime"Shazam Fury of the Gods"YouTube synopsis: "From New Line Cinema comes 'Shazam! Premiere date: February 9, 2023Where to watch: HBO Max

☆ Stocks may face an inflection point in the week ahead as the Fed meets and Apple posts earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The Fed's meeting Tuesday and Wednesday comes amid a flood of corporate earnings reports, with about 20% of the S & P 500 reporting that week. The most important day for earnings is Thursday, when Apple , Alphabet and Amazon report after the bell. The Nasdaq Composite was up 11% for the month as of Friday afternoon, well ahead of the 6.2% gain in the S & P 500. Traders have been watching the S & P 500 edge closer to the key threshold of 4,100 , its high from December. AAPL 1Y line apple Apple is also important because of the signals it can send about the strength of the consumer, supply chains and China's reopening.

About a quarter of the S&P 500 companies have reported earnings so far, of which 69% have beaten analysts' estimates, according to Refinitiv data as of Thursday. Both companies were among the biggest boosts to the S&P 500 (.SPX) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI). Seven of the 11 major S&P 500 sectors edged higher with the consumer discretionary sector (.SPLRCD) surging 1.4%. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.32-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.37-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded 12 new 52-week highs and no new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 43 new highs and 21 new lows.

Stripe, the fintech company once valued at $95 billion by private market investors, will make a decision on its plans to go public within the next year, CNBC has confirmed. Co-founders and brothers John and Patrick Collison told employees on Thursday that they will set a goal of taking the company public or letting staffers sell shares through a secondary offering, The Information first reported. The tech IPO market has been frozen since late 2021 after two record-breaking years during the Covid pandemic. In July, Stripe cut its internal valuation by 28%, from $95 billion to $74 billion. Stripe is considering a direct listing or private market transaction and has hired Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan to advise on the deal, CNBC has learned.

☆ Byron Donalds Schools Joy Reid on Social Security
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Jason L. Riley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

☆ Daughter of House Democratic Whip Clark arrested during protest and charged with assault
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Summer Concepcion | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

The daughter of House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., was arrested during a protest in downtown Boston on Saturday and charged with assault after a police officer was injured. Clark tweeted Sunday about her daughter's arrest, saying, “I love Riley, and this is a very difficult time in the cycle of joy and pain in parenting. An officer was hit in the face and was seen bleeding from the nose and mouth, police said. Clark’s daughter was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, destruction or injury of personal property, damage of property by graffiti or tagging, and resisting arrest, and is expected to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court, police said. Clark has expressed concern publicly for her daughter, who she says identifies as nonbinary, in light of recent incidents of bigotry against the transgender community.

☆ Lisa Marie Presley remembered at Graceland memorial service
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Some mourners held flowers as they waited for the service to begin under the tall trees on the lawn of Graceland, the home in Memphis where Lisa Marie lived as a child with her father. She was delicate, but was filled with life,” Priscilla Presley read. She then grew a family of her own.”After reading the poem, Priscilla Presley said: “Our heart is broken. After her father died, she became the sole heir of the Elvis Presley Trust, which — along with Elvis Presley Enterprises — managed Graceland and other assets until she sold her majority interest in 2005. A representative from Elvis Presley Enterprises has told The Associated Press that the mansion is in a trust that will go to the benefit of her children.

☆ Unusual blood cancer cases among US troops who manned nuclear missile silos at a base in Montana are raising new questions for the military
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

US military officers who worked at a nuclear missile base have developed cancer in recent years. An Air Force spokesperson told Insider that leadership is "aware of the concerns." "Senior leaders are aware of the concerns raised about the possible association of cancer related to missile combat crew members at Malmstrom AFB," Rose Riley, an Air Force spokesperson, told Insider. "The information in the briefing has been shared with the Department of the Air Force Surgeon General and our medical professionals are working to gather data and understand more." A spokesperson at Malmstrom Air Force Base confirmed to Insider that the base is aware of the situation but had no further information on the matter.

☆ Mourners gather at Graceland for Lisa Marie Presley memorial
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A sign is seen as music fans pay their respect in memory of singer Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of the "King of Rock 'n' Roll," Elvis Presley, outside of Graceland, at her birthplace in Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. January 13, 2023. REUTERS/Karen Pulfer FochtJan 22 (Reuters) - Mourners were heading to Graceland on Sunday morning to pay their respects to singer Lisa Marie Presley at the Memphis, Tennessee, mansion she inherited from her father, rock legend Elvis Presley. Presley died on Jan. 12 at the age of 54. Elvis Presley and other members of his family are buried at Graceland's Meditation Garden. After the burial, a public memorial service is scheduled to take place on the front lawn of Graceland at 9 a.m. CST (1500 GMT), followed by a procession past Lisa Marie Presley's grave.

☆ Minnesota Timberwolves owner Alex Rodriguez shares 5 of his favorite books, including one that 'changed my financial life'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Alex Rodriguez is just as interested in Prince Harry as the rest of the world. The New York-born Rodriguez — who over the course of his 24-season playing career earned $455 million, according to Spotrac — called "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" the book "that changed my financial life." Rounding out his list, Rodriguez recommended a trio of memoirs all written by the same ghostwriter: J.R. Moehringer. In addition to Prince Harry's "Spare", Rodriguez liked Moehringer work on 2009′s "Open" for American tennis star Andre Agassi and 2016′s "Shoe Dog" for Nike founder Phil Knight. Sign up now: Get smarter about your money and career with our weekly newsletterDon't miss: Prince Harry's 'Spare' ghostwriter wrote these 3 other bestselling memoirs

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