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☆ Yellen says U.S. 'soft landing' can weather strike, govt shutdown, student loan risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks during an interview in New York City, U.S., September 18, 2023. President Joe Biden's administration is working to encourage both sides to resolve the strike quickly, Yellen said. The U.S. Treasury market "continues to function pretty well" despite higher rates and some volatility, she said. But nothing that is really out of line with what you would expect given the volatility in the underlying market," Yellen added. CHINA "DE-RISKING"She said China's economic slowdown would have a limited impact on U.S. growth, echoing recent comments from Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Shannon Stapleton, Yellen, Joe Biden's, Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Wally Adeyemo, Gina Raimondo's, David Lawder, Chizu Organizations: Treasury, REUTERS, . Treasury, Reuters, United Auto Workers, Federal Reserve, UAW, Detroit automakers, Republicans, U.S . Senate, U.S . Treasury, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Detroit, United States, CHINA, China

☆ Amazon devices unit morale wanes amid cuts, weak development pipeline
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Greg Bensinger | Thomson Reuters | Greg Bensinger Joined Reuters As A Technology Correspondent In Focusing On The World'S Largest Technology Companies. He Was Previously A Member Of The New York Times Editorial Board | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Amazon hopes consumers will install Alexa-enabled devices in more rooms of their homes and become accustomed to using the system throughout the day, the sources said. Amazon has said its devices and services business is not profitable, without providing figures. Amazon is set to name as successor Microsoft's Panos Panay who oversaw development of the Surface, according to Bloomberg. Alexa employees were included in rounds of layoffs beginning last year resulting in 27,000 job cuts across Amazon. For years, Amazon has said it can sell devices for close to production cost and see a profit through services offered on them.

Persons: Jeff Bezos, Dave Limp, Alexa, Kinley Pearsall, Amazon, hasn’t, “, ”, Avi Greengart, Limp, Microsoft's Panos Panay, Gregg Zehr, Tom Taylor, Ken Washington, Andy Jassy, Siri, That’s, Bruno Borges, I‘m, Greg Bensinger, Ken Li, Claudia Parsons Organizations: FRANCISCO, Reuters, Alexa, Amazon, Devices, Google, Microsoft, Echo, “, Bloomberg, Astro, Medtronic, Intelligence, Amazon.com, Lightform, Thomson Locations: Amazon’s, Lab126, Alphabet’s, Vancouver, Canada

☆ What China's potential iPhone ban could mean for Club name Apple
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

AAPL YTD mountain Apple (AAPL) year-to-date performance Beijing's new rules, as reported by the Journal, come weeks before Apple's highly-anticipated launch event for the nascent iPhone 15 on Sept. 12. China accounts for about 40 million to 50 million iPhone units for Apple, according to Bank of America. The firm estimated Wednesday that the reported new Chinese ban could result in a 5 million to 10 million-unit headwind for Apple. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Customers try out new iPhones at an Apple store as iPhone 14 series go on sale on September 16, 2022 in Shanghai, China.

Persons: Apple's, iPhones, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim Organizations: Apple, Street, Huawei, Journal, Bank of America, CNBC, Visual China, Getty Locations: China, Beijing, U.S, India, Shanghai

☆ Morgan Stanley says China is 'overinvested,' but India's the opposite
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

CFOTO | Future Publishing | Getty ImagesChina is overinvested as its economy continues to get buffeted — but India has room for investment opportunities, said Morgan Stanley. And then it has this geopolitical cloud over it," said Jitania Kandhari, Morgan Stanley's deputy CIO for solutions & multi-asset and managing director. Jitania Kandhari Deputy CIO at Morgan StanleyKandhari added that India is undersupplied in terms of homes and property, whereas "China has so many excesses." "India's beginning a new cycle on the real estate side — made in India, work from India — with the global centers setting up there," she elaborated. That being said, Kandhari feels that some pockets of China are still investable, hinging on the improvement of the country's economic growth.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, It's, Jitania Kandhari, Morgan Stanley's, Kandhari, CNBC's, Jitania, Morgan Stanley Kandhari, — Organizations: Central, Getty, China Locations: Beijing, China, India, hinging

☆ Asia markets fall as Australia holds rates; investors assess inflation, business activity data
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

UBS is sticking by its view of a "softish" landing for the U.S. economy, saying inflation is moving closer to the Federal Reserve's target without a recession this year. "August was a tough month for investors," said Mark Haefele, global wealth management chief investment officer at UBS, noting that the S&P 500 ended last month down 1.6%. Last month's increase in core PCE came out well above the Fed's target, which could sustain the possibility of another rate hike, the analyst said. UBS is also watching for a potential rebound in savings rates and further cooling in the labor market. We expect US Treasury yields to fall by year-end as both US economic growth and inflation moderate," Haefele wrote.

Persons: Mark Haefele, Haefele, — Pia Singh Organizations: UBS, Fed Locations: U.S

The logo of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) is pictured at the entrance to its branch in Beijing, China April 1, 2019. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd (ICBC) (601398.SS), the country's biggest lender, and Bank of China (BoC) (601988.SS) posted in exchange filings first half profit growth of 1.2% and 0.78%, respectively, from a year earlier. "There are some regional risks that have begun to emerge," Liu said, adding that asset quality has declined slightly but remains under control. BoC's NIM narrowed to 1.67% at end-June from 1.7% at end-March. "Chinese banks are likely to continue to face earnings pressure from margin compression," said Ming Tan, director at S&P Global Ratings.

Persons: Florence, Liu Jiandong, Liu, NIM, BoC's NIM, ICBC, Ming Tan, Tan, BoC's, Ziyi Tang, Engen Tham, Selena Li, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Mark Potter, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, REUTERS, BoC, Commercial Bank of China Ltd, Bank of China, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING, SHANGHAI, HONG KONG, ICBC's

☆ Hawaii’s Big Utility Pushes Back on Blame for Deadly Wildfire
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Ivan Penn | More About Ivan Penn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Even before the inferno that engulfed the Maui resort of Lahaina is fully contained, local officials and Hawaii’s leading utility are at odds over a fundamental question: Did a single fire break out in the hills overlooking the town on the fateful day, or were there two? The answer may be crucial to establishing the cause of the disaster and the liability for it. The utility, Hawaiian Electric, acknowledged for the first time late Sunday that its power lines, buffeted by uncommonly high winds, fell and ignited a fire early on the morning of Aug. 8. But the company said that by 6:40 a.m. — minutes after the first reports of a fire — the windstorm had caused its lines in the area to shut off automatically. The cause of that fire, the utility said, “has not been determined.”

Persons: “, ” Organizations: Electric, Maui County Department of Fire Locations: Lahaina, Maui County, midafternoon

☆ BoE's Broadbent: Rates may have to stay high 'for some time yet'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Bank of England's Deputy Governor, Monetary Policy, Ben Broadbent speaks at a press conference at the Bank of England, London, Britain, May 11, 2023. The BoE said earlier this month that borrowing costs were likely to stay high for some time as it raised rates for the 14th time in a row. Investors expect another increase in the BoE's Bank Rate to 5.5% from its current level of 5.25% on Sept. 21, after the next scheduled meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee. Broadbent said the BoE's stance on interest rates would respond to "the evidence on spare capacity, and to indicators of domestic inflation, as and when it comes through." The chair of the Federal Reserve, Jay Powell, told the Jackson Hole gathering of central bankers on Friday that the Fed may need to interest rates further.

Persons: Ben Broadbent, Henry Nicholls, JACKSON, Broadbent, BoE, Jay Powell, Jackson, William Schomberg, Paul Sandle, Christina Fincher Organizations: of England's, Monetary, Bank of England, REUTERS, Federal Reserve, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, , Wyoming, United States, Ukraine, BoE's, Russia

Hawaiian Electric CEO Shelee Kimura received a cash bonus in 2022 based on her performance against 10 measures including profit and customer satisfaction. Wildfire risk mitigation was not on the list, according to the utility’s pay disclosures. Wildfire risk had been a concern for several years before the blaze ripped through Lahaina, a historic resort town in Maui. Idacorp declined to comment on its pay practices and how they relate to wildfire mitigation. “You don’t want a wildfire disaster to be the catalyst for a change in public policy,” said Glazer, who supports linking executive pay to wildfire mitigation.

Persons: Mike Blake, ”, Alison Silverstein, Shelee Kimura, Kimura, “, Michael Cerasoli, Michael Underhill, Brian Buckham, ” Buckham, Idacorp, Larry Glazer, Glazer, Tim McLaughlin, Tom Hals, Peter Henderson, Noeleen Walder, Rich Valdmanis, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Workers, REUTERS, Hawaiian Electric, U.S . Federal Energy Regulatory, Electric, Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, San Diego Gas &, Global Renewable Energy Income Fund, Reuters, Capital Innovations, SEC, Portland General Electric Co, Boston’s Mayflower Advisors, Thomson Locations: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S, California, Honolulu, Maui ., Idaho , Oregon, Washington, Idaho

But signs of a slowdown are mounting, highlighting the BoE's dilemma as it continues to grapple with inflation. But the BoE looks set to keep on raising rates with inflation still more than three times its 2% target. Below are key readings of Britain's economy that the BoE will assess before its next scheduled announcement on interest rates on Sept. 21. But many analysts expect the lagged impact of the BoE's rate rises to hit spending soon, adding to the drag on the economy. Many economists think the delayed impact of higher interest rates and still elevated inflation will hit growth in the coming months.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, BoE, Andrew Bailey, GfK, Sumanta Sen, Devika Organizations: REUTERS, Bank, Bank of England, Brexit, P, CIPS, Nationwide, Halifax, Reuters Graphics LABOUR, Employers, European Union, Reuters, Reuters Graphics, Thomson Locations: Britain

China cut its one-year benchmark lending rate on Monday, which is set to further weigh on banks' NIM. Chinese commercial banks' NIM shrank sharply to 1.74% last quarter from 1.91% at the end of 2022, official data showed. Shares of China's biggest five banks have been sliding since early May amid concerns over the weakening economy. Debt-laden municipalities represent a major risk to China's economy and financial stability, after years of over-investment in infrastructure and plummeting returns from land sales. Still, there's really no getting around the fact that banks will need to sacrifice profitability to support the economy this year," Beddor added.

Persons: Florence, headwinds, Gary Ng, NIM, Christopher Beddor, there's, Beddor, Ziyi Tang, Ryan Woo, Sumeet Chatterjee, Himani Organizations: Bank of Communications, Fair for Trade, Services, REUTERS, China Construction Bank, Corporate, Investment Banking, Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, Bank of Communications Co, Agricultural Bank of China, JPMorgan, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING

☆ Olive oil is in trouble as extreme heat and drought pushes the industry into crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —There is a crisis brewing in the olive oil industry. The situation is all the more concerning as it comes on the heels of a bad olive harvest last year, following Europe’s hottest summer on record. In Spain, the world’s biggest olive oil producer, production plunged to roughly 620,000 metric tons, compared to the five-year average of around 1.3 million metric tons, said Holland. This summer, heat gripped swaths of the Mediterranean region, bringing a “heat hell” scientists say would have been virtually impossible without climate change. “It’s getting to the stage where the concerns are significant not just for olive oil but for a lot of crops,” Holland said.

Persons: Kyle Holland, “, ”, Walter Zanre, Filippo Berio, Carlos Gil, Farmer Cristobal Cano, Jorge Guerrero, Holland, Zanre, ” Holland, It’s, Corey Lesk, Lorenzo Bazzana, Bazzana, Claudia Greco, Burger King, Nicholas Paulson, ” Paulson, “ We’re, ” Lesk Organizations: CNN, Getty, International Olive Council, Dartmouth College, “, Reuters, University of Illinois Locations: Europe, Spain, Holland, Jaen, AFP, Italy, Greece, Emilia, Romagna, Forli, India, South, University of Illinois Urbana, Champaign

☆ The Outlook for the Economy Has Improved. And Yet.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Jeff Sommer | More About Jeff Sommer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. economy continues to be buffeted, if not battered, by supply and labor shocks induced by the pandemic and by commodity shortages set off by Russia’s war with Ukraine. Oil prices have been rising again, partly because of restrictions on Russian oil, and partly because of voluntary production cuts by Saudi Arabia and other members of the OPEC Plus consortium aimed at squeezing more profits from fossil fuel. Furthermore, China’s slowdown is weighing on the global economy. Still, on the positive side, falling prices there can be expected to contribute, even if only marginally, to disinflation in the United States and elsewhere around the world. In addition, political polarization in the United States is beginning to dim the country’s financial luster.

Persons: Carl Hulse Organizations: OPEC Plus, Treasury, Fitch, reconvenes Locations: U.S, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, disinflation, United States

The Adyen share plunge "was because expectations were much higher. Analysts believed that Adyen would take significantly more share in this difficult market environment," said Jefferies equity analyst Hannes Leitner. Was the share price reaction justified? One European equities trader, who asked not to be named, noted there were orders to sell Adyen shares at any price and referred to "apocalypse selling." According to data from Refinitiv, 17 analysts rated Adyen "buy", 12 "hold", and 4 "sell" before the earnings announcement.

Persons: Eva Plevier, Jefferies, Hannes Leitner, Refinitiv, Adyen, Worldline, Italy's, Marco Simion, Pieter van der, ”, Samuel Indyk, Elizabeth Howcroft, Danilo Masoni, Toby Sterling, Dhara, Alun John, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Analysts, Citigroup, UBS, KPMG, Privately, Thomson Locations: Amsterdam, Netherlands, MILAN, North America, Swiss, Adyen, EMEA, Refinitiv, London, Milan

It's our loved ones," Pelletier said, relating the instructions that a director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency gave rescue workers in a briefing. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsEven as Hawaii officials promised more help for the displaced, some Lahaina residents were taking matters into their own hands. Officials declined to estimate how many remained unaccounted for but promised they were meticulously verifying the status of all. The database includes names collected from "missing persons" notices posted at shelters as well as information submitted by loved ones. Reuters GraphicsBar chart shows visitor spending share of GDP to Maui and Hawaii which are much higher than that for the entire U.S.

Persons: Jorge Garcia KAHULUI, John Pelletier, It's, " Pelletier, Patience, Kanamu, Balindin, Pelletier, Shelee Kimura, ”, Kimura, Josh Green, Jeremy Greenberg, Chris Young, Green, Jorge Garcia, Mike Blake, Brendan O'Brien, Rich McKay, Andrew Hay, Brad Brooks, Sharon Bernstein, Dan Whitcomb, Frank McGurty, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Maui County Police, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Hawaiian Electric Industries, Hawaiian Electric, Federal Emergency Management, Cross, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S, Maui County, buffeted, “, California

Tokyo, Japan CNN —Evacuation warnings have been issued to more than 237,000 people across 11 prefectures in Japan as Typhoon Lan hit the west of the country on Tuesday, according to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency. At least 26 people have been injured in five prefectures across western Japan, according to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, citing police and fire officials. In two towns in Tottori and Okayama prefectures, rainfall over a few hours on Tuesday exceeded the average for the entire month of August. A swollen river as Typhoon Lan makes landfall in Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture on Tuesday. Typhoon Lan follows Typhoon Khanun, which lashed southwestern Japan with wind and rain earlier this month.

Persons: Typhoon Lan, Lan, Takumi Harada, Koji Ito, Khanun Organizations: Japan CNN, Disaster Management Agency, NHK, Japan Meteorological Agency, Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Tourism, CNN, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airlines, ANA Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Shionomisaki, Japan’s Wakayama, Tottori, Okayama, Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Kansai, Chubu, Nagoya

Those winds also battered power lines on the island, and dramatic videos show lines swaying and being toppled in the gusts. Now, some locals are casting blame on Hawaiian Electric, the state’s biggest utility, for not shutting off power to high-risk areas – and claiming that its power lines could have sparked the deadly fire. State officials were well aware of the danger posed by downed power lines during hurricanes. A 2021 state report noted that “downed power lines” and “residential and wildland fires” were hazards related to hurricanes. Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said Thursday that power lines that were “still energized” had fallen on the roads.

Persons: Shane Treu, Treu, ” Treu, kindling, Lisa Treu, –, ”, “, Hurricane Dora, “ inexcusably, Jim Kelly, ” Kelly, Kelly, Richard Bissen, Yuri Iwamura, hydrants –, Cole Millington, Millington, Bradford Ventura, Adam Weintraub, ” Weintraub, Jill Tokuda, Keahi Ho, John Stufflebean, Josh Green, Anne Lopez, ” Green, “ It’s, Dora, Abby Frazier, Dora inched, Josh Stanbro Organizations: CNN, Hawaii Army National Guard, Hawaii National Guard, Reuters, Electric, National Weather Service, Hawaiian Electric Company, Public Utilities Commission, Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, Maui, Volunteers, Getty, Facebook, Bradford, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Democrat, New York Times, Maui County Department of Water Supply, Times, Government, Hawaii Gov, Clark University Locations: Mauna, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, County, California, Paradise, West Maui, Maalaea, AFP, “, Maui County, United States, Massachusetts

☆ Twenty-two Russian diplomats leave Moldova as relations slide
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CHISINAU, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Twenty-two Russian diplomats flew out of the Moldovan capital of Chisinau on Monday, leaving behind a skeleton staff as relations between the two countries deteriorated after Moldova last month ordered Moscow withdraw most of its delegation. Moldovan officials have said the reduction of staff at the Russian embassy to 25 from 80 will establish parity with Moldova's embassy in Moscow. Moldovan media outlets published a video of two buses being escorted out of the Russian embassy by police and driving in the direction of the airport. According to Moldova's foreign ministry, no more than 10 Russian diplomats and 15 support staff can remain in Chisinau from Tuesday. Russia's foreign ministry said on Monday evening that employees of Russian institutions - the embassy, trade mission and Russian centre for science and culture - and their family members who were forced to leave Moldova had already returned to Moscow.

Persons: Maia Sandu, Sandu, Alexander Tanas, Maxim Rodionov, Max Hunder, Nick Macfie, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Moldovan, Reuters, Thomson Locations: CHISINAU, Chisinau, Moldova, Moscow, Russian, Moscow ., Soviet, Ukraine, Moldovan, Sochi, Russia, Romania

☆ No Place Is Home, for the Immigrant Hero of This Debut Novel
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Katie Kitamura | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

It becomes clear that there is a narrative explanation for the radical passivity of our protagonist. At first his nature seems akin to a reflective surface, a mirror held up to a world without sense. Instead, at home nowhere in particular, least of all in his own mind and persona, he sheds the constituent parts of his being, piece by piece. What initially seems like passivity becomes a kind of surrender, not least to the lure of obliteration. “I would never be able to find out why my life had been the way it was.

Persons: Cary Grant’s, ”, “, ” Binyam Locations: Unflappable, North, Northwest

☆ China's capital Beijing battered by heaviest rainfall in 140 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Massive rescue and relief efforts are underway in response to typhoon-induced torrential rains in Beijing. China's capital Beijing has been pummeled by the heaviest rainfall in 140 years, leaving at least 20 dead. China has been buffeted by heavy storms as Typhoon Doksuri swept north after slamming southern Chinese provinces. Doksuri made landfall in China's Xiamen and Quanzhou on Monday morning, and caused "severe flooding in Beijing," according to a report by the NASA Earth Observatory. The typhoon was one of the worst storms to hit northern China in years, and the torrential rain in Beijing has killed at least 20 people as of Tuesday.

Persons: Doksuri Organizations: Beijing Meteorological Bureau, NASA, Observatory Locations: Beijing, China, Doksuri, China's Xiamen, Quanzhou

☆ TSX starts month on weak note as China slowdown hits sentiment
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Fergal Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A sign board displaying Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) stock information is seen in Toronto June 23, 2014. The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index (.GSPTSE) ended down 93.71 points, or 0.5%, at 20,532.93, after posting its highest closing level in three months in the previous session. The materials group, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 1.8% as gold and copper prices fell. Shares of Silvercrest Metals (SIL.TO) were particularly weak, plunging 21.5% after two brokerages cut their price target on the stock. The TSX notched a gain of 2.3% in July, while it has advanced 5.9% since the start of the year.

Persons: Mark Blinch, Robert McWhirter, Fergal Smith, Siddarth, Shilpi Majumdar, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Toronto Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Metals, Toronto Stock, Selective Asset Management Inc, Canada's, Silvercrest Metals, TSX, Thomson Locations: Toronto, China, Coast, Bengaluru

☆ Canadian factory activity slows for third straight month in July
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Fergal Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Factory workers operate machine presses at Abipa Canada in Boisbriand, Quebec, Canada May 10, 2023. The S&P Global Canada Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to a seasonally adjusted 49.6 in July from 48.8 in June. "July's PMI results offered a rather mixed bag on the performance of the Canadian manufacturing sector," Paul Smith, economics director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said in a statement. The new orders index, at 49.2, was in contraction for the fifth straight month, although up from 48.5 in June. The port strikes and wildfires limited the improvement in vendor performance, S&P Global said.

Persons: Evan Buhler, Paul Smith, Fergal Smith, Paul Simao Organizations: Canada, REUTERS, Reuters Connect TORONTO, P Global Canada Manufacturing, PMI, P Global Market Intelligence, Bank of Canada, Canada's, P Global, Thomson Locations: Boisbriand, Quebec, Canada, United States

☆ Russian embassy in Moldova to suspend consular appointments
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( Alexander Tanas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CHISINAU, July 30 (Reuters) - Russia's embassy in Moldova has announced it will temporarily stop providing appointments for consular matters in what Moldovan officials say is a situation linked to the order by the country's authorities to reduce staff. A statement issued by the embassy late on Saturday said consular appointments would be suspended from Aug. 5 "for technical reasons." Moldovan officials say the order to reduce staff at the Russian embassy to 25 from the current level of more than 80, to take effect from Aug. 15, will establish parity with Moldova's embassy in Moscow. Much of the embassy's consular work concerns the pro-Russian separatist enclave of Transdniestria, which broke away from Moldova before the collapse of Soviet rule and where 200,000 Russian passport holders live. Embassy staff were previously able to travel to the enclave on the Ukrainian border to conduct consular affairs, but authorities in the separatist region say the reductions will make that arrangement much more difficult.

Persons: Maia Sandu, Igor Zakhahrov, Maria Zakharova, Ron Popeski, Chris Reese Organizations: Russian Foreign, Embassy, Thomson Locations: CHISINAU, Moldova, Soviet Moldova, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian, Transdniestria

"The culture wars are coming to UK businesses, including the financial sector," said Andre Spicer, dean of City University's Bayes Business School. It also cited "risk factors including... controversial public statements which were felt to conflict with the bank's purpose". However, data from watchdog the Financial Ombudsman Service showed complaints about account closures represented a tiny fraction of a bank's overall customer base. Experts say other banks will now be scrambling to ensure their own policies and committees are behaving appropriately, to avoid further scandals. The CEO of Britain's biggest domestic bank Lloyds said on Wednesday the bank's own policies did not include looking at customers' political or personal beliefs.

Persons: Nigel Farage, Coutts, Andre Spicer, Howard Davies, Alison Rose, Rose, Peter Flavel, Charles Dickens, Queen Elizabeth II, Spicer, Harriet Baldwin, Bill Winters, Samuel Gregg, Banks, Gregg, University's Spicer, Rupert Younger, ", Sinead Cruise, Iain Withers, Lawrence White, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Brexit Party, NatWest, Bayes Business School, Coutts, Treasury, Bank of England, BBC, Standard Chartered, Farage, American Institute for Economic Research, Facebook, Financial, Service, Barclays, Lloyds, Centre, Oxford University's Said Business School, Thomson Locations: America

☆ Snap’s Sales Fall for the Second Time in a Row
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Yiwen Lu | More About Yiwen Lu | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Over the past year, the company has performed layoffs, reordered the priority of some of its business initiatives and reorganized some of its executives to deal with the challenges. Yet even as slower ad spending has buffeted large tech companies such as Google and Meta over the past year, Snap’s issues have been particularly difficult. As a smaller social media company with a narrower audience, it is not always the first stop for advertisers. And it faces intense competition from rivals like TikTok, which has gained users more rapidly and is now bigger than Snap. To diversify where it makes money, Snap rolled out a subscription service called Snapchat+ last year, and it has gained more than four million users.

Persons: Evan Spiegel, Jasmine Enberg, ” Organizations: Google, Insider Intelligence

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