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☆ 'Barbie' faces DC's 'Blue Beetle' in a late summer box office showdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In this article WBD Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTXolo Mariduena stars ase Jaime Reyes in Warner Bros.' "Blue Beetle." Warner Bros. As "Barbie" continues a historic run in theaters, a little-known superhero called "Blue Beetle" is looking to take the top spot on the charts this weekend. "Blue Beetle" arrives in theaters after several DC Comics-based films have flopped at the box office and while the studio undergoes a major creative regime change. Fury of the Gods," "The Flash," "Blue Beetle" and the upcoming "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom."

Persons: Jaime Reyes, Barbie, Robert Thompson, Thompson, haven't, Paul Dergarabedian, Will, Knight, Shawn Robbins, Robbins Organizations: Warner Bros, DC, Syracuse University, Warner Media, Disney's Marvel Studios, Galaxy, Marvel, Justice League Locations: U.S, Canada

After months of acrimony, administration officials have recently begun visiting Beijing in a bid to reestablish regular communication. “The most intense, the most focus that I’ve ever seen President Biden is in advance of these engagements with President Xi,” the official said. And the extent to which their personal relationship will impact US-China relations overall has yet to be determined. “This summit is formalizing and institutionalizing a major strategic shift of the region,” explained a third senior administration official. “The Biden administration has always been clear that talking is best, they will keep showing up, and communication is necessary.

Persons: David, Joe Biden, –, Xi Jinping Biden, ” Biden, “, ”, Xi, Biden, CNN’s Arlette Saenz, “ You’re, Hikariko Ono, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, “ Xi, Narendra Modi, ’ Biden, “ I’ve, “ That’s, we’re, “ Biden, Obama, Danny Russel, Camp David, Fumio Kishida, Yoon Suk, Antony Blinken, Janet Yellen, John Kerry Organizations: CNN, Korean, Democratic, Foreign Ministry, White House, Biden, State Department, Camp, Japanese, South, ” Locations: China, Utah, Beijing, Bali, US, Tokyo, Seoul, mending, Asia, Sunnylands, Palm, Taiwan, India, San Francisco, Japan, South Korea

Here are some charts illustrating what has changed, and what has not, in meme stocks. Data from JPMorgan illustrate how quickly sentiment can turn among individual investors, who have been among the key drivers of moves in meme stocks. Retail investors sold a net $852 million in single stocks in the past week. The Roundhill MEME ETF (MEME.P), which tracks the performance of a basket of meme stocks, is down about 55% from where it started trading in December 2021, though up about 38% for the year. A quick rise, often followed by a rapid descent, is a fate common to meme stocks of both the past and present.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Marco Iachini, Vanda's, Iachini, Jonathan Krinsky, Tupperware, Saqib Iqbal Ahmed, Laura Matthews, Ira Iosebashvili, Jamie Freed Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, GameStop, Tupperware Brands, Corp, JPMorgan, Vanda Research, Retail, Global, Reuters, AMC Entertainment, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S

☆ We got an early look at TikTok's new music app that hasn't arrived in the US yet. The Spotify rival made great playlists but had a few big flaws.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Now, it's using that influence to kick-start its own music-streaming app, TikTok Music. Like TikTok's interface, TikTok Music includes a "For You" feed of recommended content. This sets it apart from leading streamers like Spotify and Apple Music, which have limited in-app social features. It's still very early days for TikTok Music, and its rivals have a big headstart — Apple Music and Spotify are each in more than 100 countries. TikTok has not yet said when TikTok Music will roll out to other countries including the US.

Persons: TikTok, Tatiana Cirisano, Cirisano, It's, MIDiA Organizations: Spotify, Apple Music, MIDiA Research, TikTok, TikTok Music, YouTube Locations: Singapore, Brazil, Indonesia, Australia, Mexico

☆ Is It Time to Worry About Consumer Debt? What Is Going On in Seven Charts
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Telis Demos | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

One of the biggest debates in the market today is over what exactly is going to happen with consumer credit. Delinquencies on various kinds of debt are rising, but the rate at which people are falling into outright distress remains low. How long can that continue?

Persons: Delinquencies

USDA’s August corn and soy yields were the season’s highest in three of the last 10 years, most recently in 2022 for both. Looking toward final yields, the August corn yield has a slight tendency to be too high. Final corn yield was lower than in August in six of the last 10 years and in 10 of the last 15 years. The last two times final corn yield was above the August figure were in 2021 and 2017. USDA’s July corn and soy yields were 177.5 and 52 bpa, respectively, and both would be new records.

Persons: maximums, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Agriculture, USDA, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Chicago, Midwest, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa

☆ U.S. band the Killers apologises for bringing Russian fan on stage in Georgia
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

American band The Killers perform the Saturday headline slot at Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, Britain June 29, 2019. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 16 (Reuters) - An American alternative-rock band, the Killers, has apologised for bringing a Russian drummer on stage during a show in Georgia and for describing fans as "brothers and sisters," which prompted boos from the audience. "We recognise that a comment, meant to suggest that all of the Killers' audience and fans are 'brothers and sisters,' could be misconstrued," it added. The reference was to a remark band leader Brandon Flowers made to the crowd, saying he did not want the situation to turn "angry". "I see you as my brothers and my sisters," Flowers added to the sound of boos and whistles in a video published by the Russian state RIA news agency.

Persons: Henry Nicholls, Brandon Flowers, Lidia Kelly, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Glastonbury Festival, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Somerset, Britain, American, Georgia, Ukraine, Black, Batumi, Russian, Las Vegas, Warsaw

☆ Check out the 12-slide pitch deck marketing tech company Simon Data used to raise $54 million in fresh funds
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Martech company Simon Data raised a $54 million Series D round this month. Marketing technology company Simon Data raised $54 million in fresh funds earlier this month as it plans to bolster its research and development division. The problem isn't collecting data — it's enabling data for business stakeholders to access it," said Simon Data cofounder and CEO Jason Davis. He said Simon Data was likely to grow somewhere between 45% and 50% this year. The Simon Data Series D round was led by Australian financial group Macquarie Capital with participation from existing investors, including Polaris, .406, and F-Prime.

Persons: Simon Data, Simon, Jason Davis, Davis Organizations: Macquarie Capital, Marketing, The, JetBlue, Bombas, Australian, Polaris Locations: The New York

☆ 4 Americans moved to New Zealand for safety, scenic hikes, and the small-town feel. "I just felt this calm, like, 'I'm home,'" one said.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

He moved back to his home base of Irvine, California, in 2003 but always hoped to return to New Zealand. Four Americans who moved to New Zealand told Insider their reasons for departing the US. A Los Angeles resident visited for 20 years before making his move more permanentJon Kroll lived in Los Angeles for 35 years and visited New Zealand on and off for 20 years as a break from the congestion of Los Angeles. He downsized from his four-bedroom home in Los Angeles. Wellington, New Zealand, provides the small-town feel his family was looking forNative Wyomingite Ryan Rogers departed for New Zealand more than a decade ago for work.

Persons: Garvey Daniels, Daniels, Daniels —, —, they've, Garvey Daniels Daniels, he's, Jon Kroll, Kroll, WellingtonNZ Kroll, who's, I've, Heather Gadonniex, Gadonniex, Heather Gadonniex Matakana, she's, Wyomingite Ryan Rogers, Rogers, WellingtonNZ Rogers Organizations: Service, New Zealand, Stats NZ, New, NZ, Los, Auckland —, Zealand, CoreLogic NZ, Kiwis, San, San Francisco Bay Area Locations: New Zealand, LA, Wall, Silicon, Auckland , New Zealand, Irvine , California, California, New, Australia, Colorado, Los Angeles, Wellington, Auckland, Zealand, San Francisco Bay, Northern California, Matakana , New Zealand, Oakland, Bay, San Francisco, Wellington , New Zealand, London, Vancouver, Wyoming

But the Crop Watch producers are concerned that this heat could challenge the corn in particular as it continues to fill out kernels. Indiana picked up 2.5 inches last week, western Illinois 2.45 inches, Nebraska up to 1.4 inches, and South Dakota got 1 inch. That ties two other weeks out of the last six for the highest Crop Watch soybean yield prospects of the season so far. Crop Watch producers continue rating both crop conditions and yield potential on 1-to-5 scales. Photos of the Crop Watch fields can be tracked on my Twitter feed using handle @kannbwx.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Crop Watch, Indiana, South Dakota, Southeastern, . Minnesota, Watch, Crop, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gideon , Missouri, U.S, NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Illinois, Nebraska, South, Southeastern Illinois, North Dakota, Ohio, ., Minnesota, South Dakota, government’s, North Dakota , Nebraska, Kingsbury , South Dakota, Freeborn , Minnesota, Burt , Nebraska, Rice , Kansas, Audubon , Iowa, Cedar , Iowa, Warren , Illinois, Crawford , Illinois, Tippecanoe , Indiana, Fairfield , Ohio, The North Dakota, Griggs County, Stutsman County

In the week ended Aug. 8, money managers established a net short position in CBOT corn futures and options of 26,656 contracts compared with the previous week’s net long of 16,741 contracts. Money managers’ net long in CBOT soybean futures and options in late July was at a seven-year high for the date, but funds have sold aggressively in the last couple weeks. Most-active CBOT wheat drifted fractionally higher in the week ended Aug. 8. Wheat futures tumbled 4.5% in the last three sessions and finished at $6.26-3/4 per bushel, their lowest settle in two months. Funds reduced their net long in Minneapolis wheat to 4,497 contracts from 7,592 a week earlier, and they slashed their K.C.

Persons: Dane Rhys, Karen Braun, Chris Reese Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Department of Agriculture, USDA, Funds, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ravenna , Ohio, U.S, NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City

☆ Jim Cramer gets technical with Disney charts
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Jim Cramer gets technical with Disney charts'Mad Money' host Jim Cramer hits the charts with Disney stocks to see what may be next.

Persons: Jim Cramer Organizations: Disney

☆ We tried TikTok's new music streaming app. Here's how it could win over users — and what it needs to fix.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Now, it's using that influence to kick-start its own music-streaming app, TikTok Music. Like TikTok's interface, TikTok Music includes a "For You" feed of recommended content. It's still very early days for TikTok Music, and its rivals have a big headstart — Apple Music and Spotify are each in more than 100 countries. But other relative newcomers like YouTube Music have shown there's room to break into music streaming, particularly for platforms that can leverage another popular app to drive sign-ups. TikTok has not yet said when TikTok Music will roll out to other countries including the US.

☆ How fast-growing e-commerce app Temu makes money from $10 smartwatches
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Devan Burris | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow fast-growing e-commerce app Temu makes money from $10 smartwatchesBargain e-commerce company Temu has had a whirlwind 2023. Quietly launching its app in September 2022, it only took the company a few weeks to top app store charts, edging out Amazon, Walmart and even fast-fashion brand Shein.

Persons: Temu Organizations: Walmart

☆ How Temu makes money from super-cheap goods like $10 smartwatches
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Devan Burris | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Bargain e-commerce company Temu has had a whirlwind 2023. By February 2023, the 5-month-old company made its TV debut during Super Bowl LVII, airing two commercial spots totaling an estimated $14 million. Temu's popularity is largely due to its ultra-cheap knockoffs. On top of the steep discounts, users are bombarded by coupons, free shipping countdowns, flash sales and discount wheels. Temu's rise in popularity has also courted scrutiny from the U.S. government, accusing the website of exploiting de minimis shipping rules to undercut U.S. retailers.

Persons: Temu, Yeezy, Neil Saunders, They're, Pinduoduo Organizations: Walmart, Apple, GlobalData, U.S . Locations: Boston, China, U.S

☆ Travis Scott’s ‘Utopia’ Repeats at No. 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Ben Sisario | More About Ben Sisario | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

1 on the Billboard album chart for a second time this week, while Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” logs its 16th time as the top single. That total includes 146 million streams and 37,000 copies of the LP sold as a complete package. The last rap album to spend at least its first two weeks at No. 2, while his song “Last Night,” a monster hit on streaming services and pop radio, holds at No. Only Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” with 19 weeks in 2019, had a longer run at the top.

Persons: Travis Scott, Morgan Wallen’s “, ”, —, Tyler, Luis Fonsi, Yankee’s, Mariah Carey, Lil Nas Locations: United States, ”

☆ Naver's 'Webtoon' CEO says barrier for new entrants is high
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Joyce Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The global webtoon industry made $4.7 billion in 2021 and is projected to make $60.1 billion by 2030, according to Spherical Insights & Consulting. But Kim Junkoo, CEO and founder of Webtoon Entertainment - a unit of Naver which originated the format in 2004 - says rivals will struggle to build a viable business. Webtoon Entertainment and its subsidiary have run amateur artists' debut programmes for years, generating 1.6 million titles from 900,000 creators as of January. Naver said in recent earnings calls that it expected to list the Webtoon business in the United States next year, but did not elaborate on size, timing or venue. Webtoon Entertainment reported a 13 billion won operating loss in the April-June quarter, smaller than the 21.4 billion won loss in the first quarter.

Persons: Kim Junkoo, Kim, we've, Apple, Naver, 1,330.1200, Joyce Lee, Sam Holmes Organizations: WEBTOON, REUTERS, Consulting, Amazon Japan, Apple, Webtoon Entertainment, Entertainment, Korea Creative Content Agency, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, SEOUL, Korean, Silicon, Japan, Korea, United, United States

☆ How U.S. and China Are Breaking Up, in Charts
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Anthony Debarros | Yuka Hayashi | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-u-s-and-china-are-breaking-up-in-charts-282bd878

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Make these 9 top investments in a 'stock-picker's market' as economic growth continues, according to a bear-turned-bull whose hedge fund is up 155% in the last 5 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Standout hedge fund manager Charles Lemonides came into the year careful but is now more optimistic. Heading into 2023, hedge fund manager Charles Lemonides was preparing for the worst. His hedge fund is down 8% in 2023 through May, though it's still up 155% in the past five years. The hedge fund manager said the economy can take another rate hike or two, even though investors may groan about it. The hedge fund manager is currently bullish on energy stocks broadly — particularly those in the oil and gas industry.

Persons: Charles Lemonides, Lemonides, hasn't, it's, We've, he's, Goldman Sachs Organizations: Investors, Federal Reserve, Netflix, Energy, P Oil & Gas Exploration, Production, Unit Corp, United Natural Foods, Yale Materials, Foods Locations: financials

That is by far the most ever spent on clean energy in a year. Solar and Wind Power Have Taken Off Electricity generation per year, in terawatt hours China 600 TWh 500 Solar Wind U.S. China 400 E.U. It would shred regulations designed to curb greenhouse gases, dismantle nearly every federal clean energy program and boost the production of fossil fuels. 1 2 3 4 5 Even Tulsa, with its strong links to oil and gas, is embracing clean energy. “But we also understand that energy is energy, whether it is generated by wind, steam or whatever it might be.”Around the country, clean energy is taking root in unlikely locales.

Persons: ”, Fatih Birol, Al Gore, Crews, Francis Energy, Dewey, Bartlett Jr, “, J.W, Peters, Mr, Lazard, Gregory Nemet, —, Biden, Tesla, Giovanni Bertolino, Jon Creyts, Steve Uerling’s, Uerling, Cathy Zoi, It’s, Mary Barra, ’, Barra Organizations: Buses, Port, International Energy Agency, India India, Energy, The New York Times, Heritage Foundation, Republican, Ford, University of Tulsa’s School of Petroleum Engineering, “ Oil, Drillers, Navistar, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, Francis, Solar Power, U.S . Steel, Gas, University of Wisconsin -, Panasonic, United, European Union, United States ’, General Motors, RMI, Ford Fusion, Tesla, Postal Service, Amazon, Peterbilt, Companies, Francis Energy, BMW Group, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Benz Group Locations: Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Port of Los Angeles, Houston, Europe, United States, America, China, Britain, terawatt, India, U.S, States, Beijing, London, Tokyo, Washington, Oslo, Dubai, Tulsa, Okla, Italian, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Texas, Galveston, In Arkansas, Republican, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Georgia, Korean, Nevada, tailpipes, California, New York, San Francisco, Canada, South Korea, Russia, Ukraine, Steve Uerling’s Tulsa, E.U, G.M

☆ Richard Hanania’s Racism Is Backed by Silicon Valley Billionaires - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Jamelle Bouie | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

And it served its intended purpose: to naturalize inequality of status and resources in an era defined by its yawning gaps between haves and have-nots. I mention all of this as context for Richard Hanania, a rising star among conservative writers and intellectuals. For years before appearing in the pages of newspapers and publications like this one, Hanania wrote articles for white supremacist publications under a pseudonym. “The reason I’m the target of a cancellation effort is because left-wing journalists dislike anyone acknowledging statistical differences between races,” he recently wrote. But his supposedly transgressive views are little more than the warmed-over dogmas of the long-dead ideologues who believed in the scientific truth of race hierarchy.

Persons: “, ”, Nell Irvin Painter, Brigham, Adam Cohen, Carrie Buck, John D, Rockefeller, Edwin Black, ” eugenicists, Richard Hanania, Hanania, Christopher Mathias, ” Hanania, ideologues Organizations: White People, Poland, Northwestern, American Eugenics, Rockefeller Jr, The Huffington, Blacks, New, ” Locations: Russia, Italy, “, New York City

Debates over U.S. corn and soybean yield potential have persisted all summer following one of the driest Junes on record. Soy yield’s range of 1.5 bpa is a six-year low, well below the 2.9-bpa average, raising the risk of surprise. The trade nailed corn yield last August, coming within 0.3% of USDA’s figure, analysts’ best performance since 2001. I posted a Twitter poll midday on Thursday asking which yield surprise could be most likely on Friday: corn high, corn low, soybeans high or soybeans low. After about two hours and 555 votes, corn yield surprising high was the clear leader with 40% of the vote.

Persons: Karl Plume, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Department, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Spiritwood , North Dakota, U.S, Karl Plume NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Chicago

If housing cost pressures start to ease more in the coming months, as many economists expect, then the Federal Reserve is almost certainly done. Headline annual consumer price inflation rose a little less than expected last month to 3.2%, and annual core inflation cooled slightly to 4.7%, as forecast. Reuters ImageReuters ImageShelter inflation is running at a 7.7% annual rate and has been far stickier than policymakers would have liked. But Parsons reckons lag effects will soon be bringing shelter inflation down more quickly. Reuters ImageReuters ImageReuters Image(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters)Reporting by Jamie McGeever; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Brendan McDermid, Jay Parsons, Parsons, Jerome Powell's, Phil Suttle, Julia Coronado, Andreas Steno Larsen, Powell, Jamie McGeever, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Federal Reserve, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Federal, Fed, Traders, Reuters, CPI, Suttle, Steno Research, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, ORLANDO, Florida, materializing

☆ Taylor Swift’s Viral Era
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Matt Stevens | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Taylor Swift, wearing a long green gown, takes a swan dive pose and jumps into a hole in the stage. A large crowd of Taylor Swift fans sing together in a parking lot outside of her concert. Taylor performs in a “full on deluge.”Rain pours down on a smiling Taylor Swift as she performs onstage. Taylor Swift, sitting at a piano, explains to concertgoers that it is malfunctioning and playing itself. The actor Taylor Lautner enters the stage with a backflip to greet Taylor Swift.

Persons: Taylor, Taylor Swift, Arlington , Texas Taylor, Joe Alwyn, “, ” Taylor, Matty Healy, Nashville Taylor, Matty, Philadelphia “, ” Taylor Swift, Taylor concertgoer Keith Urban, fanboying, Phoebe Bridgers, Bo Burnham, N.B.A, Taylor’s, Aaron Rodgers, she’s, Chicago Taylor, Minneapolis Taylor, John ”, John Mayer, ”, Cincinnati Taylor, Taylor Lautner, Denver Taylor, Seattle Taylor, “ Taylor, Taylor can’t, Travis Kelce, Mexico City Taylor Organizations: Ticketmaster, Philadelphia, Spice, Taylor, Independence, Swift, Federal Reserve, Seattle Locations: Glendale, Ariz, Arlington , Texas, Tampa, Fla, Tampa’s, East Rutherford, N.J, Chicago, Minneapolis, ” Kansas City, Mo, Philadelphia, Seattle, Inglewood, Calif, Mexico City

☆ ‘Fast Car’ and 5 More Cross-Generational Covers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

In a time of kneejerk polarization, weaponized identity politics and another country song pitting groups of people against one another (ahem), there’s another way to consider the “Fast Car” resurgence. But that’s the thing about music fans: They keep being born, farther and farther from the date that I was. So in honor of “Fast Car,” today’s playlist is a collection of what I’m calling cross-generational covers. Chapman has stayed out of the public eye in recent years, and even given the unexpected attention to “Fast Car,” she has kept to herself. I’m happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced ‘Fast Car.’” Bless her, and her bank account.

Persons: it’s, Combs, “, ”, David Bowie, Chapman, Luke Organizations: “, Spotify Locations: Ohio

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