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☆ Microsoft's Bing A.I. made several factual errors in last week's launch demo
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In Microsoft's demo in front of reporters, the ChatGPT-like technology embedded in the company's Bing search engine analyzed earnings reports from Gap and Lululemon . "Bing AI got some answers completely wrong during their demo. Brereton identified possible factual issues in the Microsoft demo in its responses about vacuum cleaner specifications and travel plans to Mexico in addition to the financial errors. When it came time to demo Bing AI's response to a query on corporate earnings, there were some problems. These are screenshots from Microsoft's demo:

☆ Sommelier who's tasted 15,000 wines: Never spend less than $30 on a bottle
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"That's all that's just living inside your wine." Osborn has tasted more than 15,000 bottles of wine and concedes that you occasionally get very good bottles for cheap and pay exorbitant prices for wine that ends up being disappointing. But that's unlikely to help you find a bottle of wine that actually tastes good. The label you should be focusing on is on the other side of the bottle, Osborn says. Keep an eye out for the same bottlesOne thing that's worth looking out for on the front-facing labels: familiar faces.

☆ Explainer: What is at stake for investors in Nigeria's election?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Rachel Savage | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Multiple exchange rates, widespread insecurity and low oil production due to massive crude theft are all problems that worry investors. Another focus is soaring fuel subsidy costs that devour government revenues and drive up debt. "No investor's going to want to buy into a market where you can't sell stock and get your money out," he said. Foreign investors held 16% of shares on Nigeria's stock exchange last year, sharply down from 58% in 2014, Nigerian Exchange Group data showed. Many investors, however, were cautiously optimistic that Nigeria would see improvements, whoever wins on Feb. 25.

☆ Nina Montée Karp and Dr. Harvey Karp turned the $1,700 Snoo into the holy grail of parenting. But some say they overhyped the crib's abilities and created a nightmarish corporate culture.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Kate Taylor | Jake Swearingen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +31 min

Karp and Montée Karp built the hype into a parenting-media empire that put out three books and two instructional films in 10 years. Karp and Montée Karp met at a Hollywood party in the early '90s. Karp and Montée Karp promised her independence and flexibility to accommodate her two young children's day-care schedules and a 90-minute commute. Karp and Montée Karp insisted on being involved in minutiae that most top executives hand off. Karp and Montée Karp turned the Snoo into an award-winning holy grail of parenthood in just a few years.

☆ A husband-wife duo turned the $1,700 Snoo into the holy grail of parenting, but some say they run their company like a dysfunctional 'surveillance state'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Kate Taylor | Jake Swearingen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +31 min

☆ Hundreds of flexitarians are flocking to this vegan burger upstart. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Plant-based burger chain Next Level Burger is backed by Whole Foods. He'd given up red meat in 2010, after his mother died of cancer at 56. Both became early backers of de Gruyter's brand, Next Level Burger, which has grown to nine restaurants in six states. Following a $20 million raise last fall, Next Level Burger opened its 10th location and second restaurant in Seattle in late January. Next Level Burger patties are made of quinoa and mushrooms.

☆ How 6 workers are using ChatGPT to make their jobs easier
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Madison Hoff | Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

"It's absolutely true that AI applications like ChatGPT can very much improve workers' lives," Mark Muro, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution previously told Insider. But if used correctly, ChatGPT can help some workers with tasks and save them time while doing so. Insider spoke with six workers in sectors that include education and real estate who are using ChatGPT to make their jobs easier. A realtor with eXp Realty also used ChatGPT for a listing in Iowa that was highlighted in a CNN post. Now two months later, LaRue told Insider she uses ChatGPT "everyday" to help write proposals, video scripts, and press releases.

☆ VW to speed up electric shift in five-year plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) will speed up its shift to electric cars and revamp its software strategy in a five-year investment plan presented by management to the supervisory board on Friday, the automaker said in a statement. Bosses discussed how to rejig the German group's production network to accelerate the move to cleaner driving, the statement said, without elaborating. Full details of what was discussed will be presented at the company's annual media conference on March 14. A spokesperson for the works council denied the Handelsblatt report, saying jobs in Hannover were guaranteed under an agreement with the company until 2029. Reporting by Jan Schwartz; Writing by Victoria Waldersee; Editing by Jan Harvey and Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Fabuloso recalls about 5 million bottles because of bacterial contamination
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Nearly 5 million bottles of Fabuloso multi-purpose cleaner have been voluntary recalled because there’s a “risk of bacterial growth,” the company said. Around 3.9 million bottles were never released for sale, the company said. The first eight digits of the lot code of the recalled products are 2348US78 through 2365US78 and 3001US78 through 3023US78, the CPSC said. If a customer has one of the products listed below, the company can get a refund through a special website or by calling the company at 1-855-703-0166. Fabuloso is telling affected customers to “immediately stop using the recalled product” and to dispose of it in its container.

☆ Analysts praise Disney's cost-cutting plan, say focus on profitability is 'restoring the magic'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The cost-saving initiatives unveiled by Disney on Wednesday give analysts another reason to remain bullish on the media giant. The commentary from analysts comes after the company on Wednesday revealed plans to cut 7,000 jobs and slash $5.5 billion in costs . "Bob Iger laid out a plan for cost cuts, content and streaming rationalization and ultimately improved profitability," said Wells Fargo's Steven Cahall in a Wednesday note to clients. "An execution story is a cleaner catalyst path, and the shares should track higher on confidence + estimates." "Bob Iger has a long, strong track record which provides confidence he will manage this transition for DIS," she said.

[1/4] South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks during his 2023 state of the nation address in Cape Town, South Africa, February 9, 2023. "We are in the grip of a profound energy crisis," Ramaphosa said in his annual State of the Nation Address to parliament. State electricity utility Eskom is implementing the worst rolling blackouts on record, leaving households in the dark, disrupting manufacturing and hurting businesses of all sizes. Declaring a national state of disaster gives the government additional powers to respond to a crisis, including by permitting emergency procurement procedures with fewer bureaucratic delays and less oversight. Ramaphosa said on Thursday he would appoint a minister of electricity within the presidency to focus solely on the crisis.

☆ China remains Germany's main trading partner for seventh year
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Trade between Germany and China rose to a record level last year, making the Asian country Germany's most important trading partner for the seventh year in a row despite political warnings in Berlin about excessive dependence. In 2022, Germany imported goods worth 191 billion euros from China, a third more than in 2021. Exports of German goods to China increased by only 3.1% to around 107 billion euros. Overall, Germany had a trade deficit with China of around 84 billion euros. The United States is much more important for German exporters than China, Zenglein said.

☆ U.S. is 'absolutely' behind on supply chain independence from China, Biden advisor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

watch nowThe U.S. has some rapid catching up to do if it is to secure the reliability of its supply chain and its independence from competitors like China, a top White House advisor admitted this week. "We can't have a supply chain that is concentrated in any country, doesn't matter which country that is," he said. Workers transport soil containing rare earth elements for export at a port in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China October 31, 2010. The Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war have also highlighted the fragility of the global supply chain. Globally, China controls most of the market for processing and refining for cobalt, lithium, rare earths and other critical minerals."

☆ Wall Street rewards Linde for a quarter that exemplifies why we own the stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The stock popped nearly 4% as Wall Street showed appreciation for what we've been saying all along about the durability of the company's businesses even in tough times. Excluding foreign exchange (forex) fluctuations, this marks the ninth quarter in a row of 20% or better annual earnings growth —especially remarkable during multi-decade high inflation. Linde's stock is about 5.7% from its intraday all-time high of $352.18 on Jan. 5, 2022. Although about two-thirds of Linde's sales are in more cyclical end markets, Linde's business model is very defensive. The table above is a look at Q4 sales growth numbers for each category.

If usual recommendations like driving for Uber or pet-sitting haven't worked for you, consider these 5 side hustle ideas for extra cash. Here are some of the most common side hustles that people try, and how much they pay on average, according to the employment website Indeed. If you've already exhausted these common side hustle ideas, here are five others that can help you earn an extra $500 per month. If you have extra time on nights or weekends, you can use apps like Handy or Maids App to find extra work. Since most Americans do their shopping online, warehouse jobs are here to stay, plus they offer flexible hours.

☆ ‘Green’ Funds Cost Three Times More Than You Think
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Jason Zweig | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

You might not be able to do well by doing good, but you will certainly pay more to feel good. Wall Street’s latest bandwagon—or juggernaut—is ESG investing, which seeks to make businesses and the world [E]nvironmentally cleaner, [S]ocially fairer and [G]overned better.

☆ Glossier, Ugg, Le Creuset: Product releases this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Krystin Arneson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

There are a ton of great products that drop every week — and we’re here, as always, to keep you up to date on the best of them. This week brings the launch of Otherland’s ’90s-inspired candle collections, Ikea’s stunning collab with Sabine Marcelis and Le Creuset’s new matte navy cookware. Shop our favorite new releases below, but be fast — they’re prone to selling out. The $90 device comes in black, white, brushed steel and brass, so it’s also easy to match to your kitchen fixtures. Loungewear-meets-streetwear from the expertsUggIf anyone knows a thing or two about creating comfortable things to wear, it’s Ugg.

☆ Tesla gets a big tax credit win as rules Elon Musk called 'messed up' get changed to include more vehicles
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The US government walked back a controversial part of the new electric-car tax credit. The rule change means that more electric SUVs from Tesla and others qualify for the $7,500 incentive. Under the new federal EV tax credit included in Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act, it matters quite a lot, actually. On Twitter, Tesla CEO Elon Musk called the rules "messed up" and "bizarre." The seven-seat Tesla Model Y qualified for the $80,000 price cap, while the five-seat model did not.

☆ Why we expect more cost cuts at Amazon after a solid fourth quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Bottom line All in all, this was a good quarter from Amazon, with beats across business segments. If Amazon takes the hammer to its expenses like Meta Platforms did Wednesday , we think the stock could trade much higher. This was related to Amazon closing down some Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go physical stores, though we appreciate Amazon shutting down stores that offer lower growth potential. First quarter outlook Amazon is generally conservative when providing financial guidance, but the outlook Thursday left more to be desired. An Amazon driver loads packages into a delivery van at an Amazon delivery station on November 28, 2022 in Alpharetta, Georgia.

☆ Saudi Aramco backs Brooklyn-based startup turning ammonia into fuel
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

New technology and new companies are working on turning ammonia into hydrogen to power tractors, trucks and even ships. The technology enables the on-board "cracking" (or decomposition) of ammonia into hydrogen, which is then sent into a fuel cell to power a vehicle. "We are partnering a lot with industry stakeholders in shipping and heavy manufacturing in heavy industries. One of Amogy's investors, Saudi Aramco, is the largest petroleum producer in the world, but sees ammonia as part of its future. In addition to Saudi Aramco, Amogy is backed by Amazon 's Climate Pledge Fund, AP Ventures, SK Innovation and DCVC.

☆ India earmarks $3.7 bln for state oil companies' energy transition
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Nidhi Verma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW DELHI, Feb 1 (Reuters) - India said on Wednesday it would provide 300 billion Indian rupees ($3.66 billion) to help state-run oil refiners move towards cleaner energy, a step aimed at helping the country achieve its 2070 net-zero carbon emission target. "We are implementing many programmes for green fuel, green energy, green farming, green mobility, green buildings, and green equipment, and policies for efficient use of energy across various economic sectors," Sitharaman said. The budget also allocated 50 billion rupees for crude purchases for its strategic oil stockpile. India had released oil from its strategic reserves as part of the US-coordinated programme to calm the global oil prices. ($1 = 81.9225 Indian rupees)($1 = 81.8780 Indian rupees)Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

In recent years some euro zone countries have sought to rein in temporary contracts to promote stable jobs. It also plans to reduce the labour tax costs to employers of temporary contracts, which were raised in 2018. The reform reversed the easy hire-and-fire regime put in place after the sovereign debt crisis a decade ago by abolishing most forms of temporary contracts. Within that total, the number of temporary workers has jumped by 25% from 2.4 million to 3.0 million. Stable contracts should be the norm, not the exception," she said.

☆ Column: Germany needs more baseload power for vital industrial reboot
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Germany output of key industrial productsOther major employers, including steel firms and fertilizer makers, have also been forced to aggressively throttle back production. Germany's power producers have also aggressively ramped up power from intermittent renewable sources, with solar and wind generation totals both rising by more than 50% since 2015. TRIPLE WHAMMYIn 2022, Germany's power sector was roiled on multiple fronts as gas supplies dried up due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict just as dry conditions reduced hydro power and planned reactor shutdowns curbed nuclear power supplies. But Germany's renowned manufacturing economy will not be able to return to its previous dominant position without abundant baseload power. Related columns: Germany energy transition needs faster CO2 cuts from autos, industryThe opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.

SINGAPORE, Jan 31, (Reuters) - Like many rich Chinese, graduate student Zayn Zhang thinks Singapore could be ideal to park his family's wealth. His family might establish a Singapore family office to manage its wealth in the future, he added. Well-known Singapore family offices include those set up by James Dyson of vacuum cleaner fame, hedge fund manager Ray Dalio and Zhang Yong, founder of China's Haidilao hotpot restaurant chain. Though fresher statistics are not available, those involved in the industry said interest in family offices picked up in 2022 and is expected to continue unabated this year. While some are setting up family offices, others are setting up business headquarters in Singapore or investing in funds domiciled in Singapore, she said.

☆ Saudi Arabia to invest about $266 bln for clean energy - minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Jan 30 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will invest up to one trillion riyals ($266.40 billion) to generate "cleaner energy", Saudi state TV reported on Monday, citing the kingdom's energy minister. Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman added that the investments aim also to "add transport lines and distribution networks in order to eventually export the energy to the world and produce clean hydrogen." (This story has been refiled to fix typo in headline.) Reporting By Nayera AbdallahOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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