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REUTERS/Nick Oxford/File PhotoOct 20 (Reuters) - Oil prices opened mixed in early Asian trade on Thursday as investors balanced caution over tightening supply against lower demand projections. In remarks Wednesday, U.S. president Joe Biden said he plans to sell 15 million barrels of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and repurchase oil if prices fall enough. The reserve release would be the last sale from the planned sale of 180 million barrels of oil announced shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February. U.S. crude inventories fell unexpectedly last week - down 1.7 million barrels, weekly government data showed, against expectations for a build of 1.4 million barrels. SPR levels fell 3.6 million barrels to just over 405 million, the lowest since May 1984.

☆ A 33-year-old real-estate investor with 24 units shares the 9 tech tools she swears by as a landlord
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Dana Bull is a 33-year-old investor who has built a portfolio of 24 rental units. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Dana Bull, a 33-year-old realtor and real-estate investor who leases and rents out 24 units across eight properties in Massachusetts. Rents in these units average about $1,800 a month, which totals about $518,000 a year in revenue before expenses. I'm also a realtor, so many of the tools I use for that role, I use as a landlord as well. LeaseRunner.comIt's also really important to get electronic-signature software — I use DotLoop because it's the premier software that real-estate agents use.

☆ Instagram is expanding its creator marketplace to improve discoverability of brand deals and let influencers include media kits
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Sydney Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Instagram's creator marketplace is also being updated to improve discoverability. In November, Instagram will begin to let some influencers build media kits within the app through a new feature called "creator portfolios." Creator portfolios are part of the Meta-owned platform's broader creator marketplace offerings, which are currently only available to select influencers within the US. "A media kit is really important in that relationship between the brand and the creator, so the fact that they now have a creator marketplace, media kits are a natural fit." Instagram is doubling down on its creator marketplaceAlong with the media kit update, Instagram hopes to improve discoverability on its creator marketplace with "Projects" — Instagram's name for brand sponsorship campaigns.

☆ Iranian officials say Tehran prison blaze killed 4 inmates
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

TOPSHOT - This image obtained from the Iranian news agency IRNA on October 16, 2022, shows a fire truck in front of the Evin prison, in the northwest of the Iranian capital Tehran. Families of inmates gathered Sunday near the prison hoping for news of their loved ones inside. Another man, Reza, who also gave only his first name, said his brother has been in Evin Prison since last year after he was involved in a violent quarrel. Iranian social media posts challenged state media claims over the cause of the fire and apparent explosions at the prison. Evin Prison, which holds detainees facing security-related charges and includes dual citizens, has been charged by rights groups with abusing inmates.

☆ How this 41-year-old went from 'living on credit cards' to retiring at 36 with $3 millon in California
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Today, the 41-year-old lives in San Diego, has a net worth of $4.4 million and runs a small business selling financial literacy courses online. Budgeting while building his business: 'I was living on credit cards'When he graduated from college, Schneider decided to bet on himself. Instead of taking a $74,000-a-year gig with Microsoft, where he'd interned as a software developer, he started his firm. Today, 41-year-old Jeremy Schneider lives in San Diego, has a net worth of $4.4 million and runs a small business selling financial literacy courses online. In 2019, Schneider started an Instagram account where he shared daily personal finance and money tips.

☆ TikTok is arming itself for a looming e-commerce battle as it builds out a US fulfillment services team
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

TikTok is hiring for a slew of new roles around e-commerce fulfillment in the US, Axios reported. New staff will assist with US e-commerce logistics, as well as plan and design fulfillment centers. TikTok is arming itself for a looming e-commerce battle as it staffs up to offer fulfillment services in the US. Social platforms have had a tough time breaking into e-commerceEarly efforts in social shopping have been rocky for social-media platforms in the US. Adding a new layer of fulfillment services for merchants suggests TikTok isn't thinking short-term about how it can capitalize on e-commerce, Goldberg said.

☆ Uber's chief incrementalist: Sundeep Jain is a divisive leader who shuns flying cars in favor of a steady march toward 'super app' status.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Tom Dotan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Instead, Jain has overseen the introduction of add-on features to Uber's app, such as rental car bookings and party buses leasing. "Spending a half billion a year on flying cars doesn't make sense for the type of business we are," said one current Uber executive. "I don't think innovative people want to work for a non-innovative product leader," said one former Uber executive. "Under Sundeep's leadership the product team has shipped more products, to more users, than ever before," a spokesperson told Insider. That's two billion dollars," a current Uber product executive said.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Monae said she uses both she/her and they/them pronouns. Jerrod CarmichaelJerrod Carmichael accepts Outstanding Writing for "Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel" at the 74th Primetime Emmys in Los Angeles, on Sept. 12, 2022. Charlee CorraCharlee Corra speaks at Human Rights Campaign dinner on March 12, 2022 in Los Angeles. Ellia GreenEllia Green, right, with his partner Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts and their daughter in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 15, 2022. Blair came out publicly this year after serving as a consultant for Amazon Prime’s very queer TV reboot of the decades-old film.

☆ Mary Fitzgerald: I actually hate reality TV and watching people fight — but life after 'Selling Sunset' has meant I don't touch homes worth less than $2 million anymore
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Eboni Boykin-Patterson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Mary Fitzgerald has starred on 'Selling Sunset' for 5 seasons. It's definitely a different show than "Selling Sunset," as the agents are younger and they have a lot more drama going on. That being said, being on "Selling Sunset" has been good for our business. Working in the Oppenheim Group office has also changed a lot since "Selling Sunset." Some of the agents just didn't want to be on "Selling Sunset" — they don't want to put their lives out there, which is understandable.

☆ 'Selling Sunset' realtor Christine Quinn says she buys basic clothes at Costco and Uniqlo to save money for expensive purses
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Christine Quinn, from Netflix's "Selling Sunset," shops at low-cost stores for everyday clothes. Quinn told the WSJ she bought leggings from Costco, crop tops from Uniqlo, and tank tops from Hanes. "I do like Costco," Quinn told the Journal. The realtor said she owns black leggings from American retailer Costco, crop tops from Japanese retailer Uniqlo, and men's tank tops from Hanes. Quinn told the Journal that Uniqlo offers comfortable clothes that "don't break the bank."

☆ Chevron Sells Global Headquarters, Pares Back in California Amid Texas Expansion
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Collin Eaton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Chevron closed the sale Wednesday of its Chevron Park campus in San Ramon, Calif., its global headquarters for two decades. Chevron has sold its current headquarters in California and plans to move into a nearby leased space about one-third of the size, as it continues to relocate employees to Texas. The second-largest U.S. oil company closed the sale Wednesday of its Chevron Park campus in San Ramon, Calif., its global headquarters for two decades, to Sunset Development Co. The family-run company had originally sold the 92-acre parcel to Chevron in the early 1980s.

☆ As Biden vows to 'protect' Social Security, here's what we know about the future of benefits
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"I want to save Social Security, Medicare and Veterans benefits." A spokeswoman for Scott pointed to a recent interview where he said his plan would help make sure people get their Social Security benefits. Specific plans from both parties are needed to secure the future of both Social Security and Medicare, she said. Due to high inflation, estimates show the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment is poised to be the highest in decades, according to The Senior Citizens League. One more month of consumer price index data will come in before the official bump for next year is announced by the Social Security Administration.

☆ Home cheat home: How real-estate agents are ripping off homebuyers
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

The other day, Linda, the real-estate agent whom my wife and I used to buy our home, called me out of the blue. Real-estate agents, like doctors, are the friendly, knowledgeable face of a bewildering, price-gouging system. If Americans paid the same rate as the British, they would save more than $72 billion a year in real-estate commissions. The potential for big money, in turn, has led more and more Americans to become real-estate agents. Every dollar that is paid out in a real-estate transaction — to sellers, agents, inspectors, insurers, and the IRS — comes from you, the buyer.

☆ Layoffs hit Recurrent Ventures, the private-equity-backed owner of Popular Science, Saveur, and The Drive
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Steven Perlberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Layoffs have hit Recurrent Ventures, the private-equity-backed owner of digital media properties including Popular Science and The Drive. The cuts come months after Recurrent Ventures shuttered MEL Magazine, the digital media darling it rescued from closure last year. One current Recurrent staffer told Insider that the staff was "totally surprised" at the fresh round of cuts. "The growth in our expenses has outpaced our revenue growth and we need to recalibrate," Johnson wrote in the memo. Since our inception, we have experienced tremendous audience and revenue growth.

☆ U.S. Congress unveils stopgap bill to avert shutdown, aid Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A Tuesday evening Senate procedural vote is designed to speed action once Democrats and Republicans put the finishing touches on legislation. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell urged his fellow Republicans to vote against the temporary funding bill because of the Manchin provision, Politico reported. And I would hope my friends would look at it that way," Manchin said in an interview with CNN, referring to the inclusion of his permitting reforms in the temporary funding bill. The last time Congress allowed funding to lapse was in December 2018, when Democrats balked at paying for then-President Donald Trump's U.S.-Mexico border wall. Following a record, 35-day impasse and partial government shutdown, Trump found ways to circumvent Congress to some degree, but the wall never was completed.

☆ U.S. Congress to press ahead on stopgap government funding bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The bill would set $12.3 billion in new funding to help Ukraine turn back Russia's invasion, House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLaura said in a statement. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell urged his fellow Republicans to vote against the temporary funding bill because of the Manchin provision, Politico reported. SPENDING BILL STILL EXPECTED TO PASSEven if Tuesday's procedural vote fails, House and Senate leaders are expected to switch gears to promptly pass the spending bill by their Friday midnight deadline. The last time Congress allowed funding to lapse was in December 2018, when Democrats balked at paying for then-President Donald Trump's U.S.-Mexico border wall. Following a record, 35-day impasse, Trump found ways to partially circumvent Congress, but the wall never was completed.

☆ U.S. Congress scrambles to pass stopgap bill to keep government funded
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell urged his fellow Republicans to vote against the temporary funding bill because of the Manchin provision, Politico reported. Republicans have been angry at Manchin after he helped Democrats pass a bill this summer addressing climate change and lowering some healthcare costs. SPENDING BILL STILL EXPECTED TO PASSEven if Tuesday's procedural vote fails, House and Senate leaders are expected to switch gears to promptly pass the spending bill by their Friday midnight deadline. The last time Congress allowed funding to lapse was in December 2018, when Democrats balked at paying for then-President Donald Trump's U.S.-Mexico border wall. Following a record, 35-day impasse, Trump found ways to partially circumvent Congress, but the wall never was completed.

☆ Hedge funds dashed to exit energy positions last week, bank data show
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( Nell Mackenzie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pump jacks operate at sunset in an oil field in Midland, Texas U.S. August 22, 2018. And on Friday, oil prices hit their lowest since January as recession fears gripped world markets. DG Partners is up 5.2% so far this month and 37% for the year, according to a source familiar with the matter. The momentum that fueled a stable upward rise in oil prices has changed, said another manager who oversees more than $100 billion and for compliance reasons wished to remain anonymous. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Nell Mackenzie Editing by Mark Potter and Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' star Louise Fletcher dies at 88
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Louise Fletcher, a late-blooming star whose riveting performance as the cruel and calculating Nurse Ratched in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” set a new standard for screen villains and won her an Academy Award, has died at age 88. Fletcher died in her sleep surrounded by family at her home in Montdurausse, France, her agent David Shaul told The Associated Press on Friday. Fletcher had moved to Los Angeles to launch her acting career soon after graduating from North Carolina State University. Estelle Louise Fletcher was born the second of four children on July 22, 1934, in Birmingham. The Fletcher children were helped by their aunt, with whom they lived in Bryant, Texas, for a year.

☆ Convertibles drive into the sunset as automakers invest in electric vehicles
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Automakers are also investing capital in off-road models and electric vehicles. "In the transition to electric vehicles, and where do automakers put their development money, it just isn't going to convertibles." Even counting those vehicles, sales last year were down by 26% since 2015. Jim Owens, head of Ford Mustang marketing, said only about 15% of the car's sales to consumers — 72,500 units in 2019 — are convertibles. Could we see a possible convertible electric Challenger in the future?

☆ Delta is bringing back 8 transatlantic routes next summer as it continues to rebuild its post-pandemic network — see the full list
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

On Friday, the Atlanta-based carrier announced eight transatlantic routes returning to its network next summer, including one that hasn't flown since 1993. Boxun Liu / EyeEm / Getty ImagesDelta will start flights between New York and Geneva on April 10 using a Boeing 767-400 aircraft. Getty ImagesDelta will start flights between New York and London Gatwick on April 10 using a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. picture alliance / Getty ImagesDelta will start flights between New York and Berlin on May 25 using a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. Getty ImagesDelta will start five-times-weekly flights between Los Angeles and Paris on May 8 using an Airbus A330-900neo aircraft.

☆ A top Twitch creator exec has resigned from the livestreaming giant
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Twitch's SVP of global creators Constance Knight has resigned from the livestreaming company. Her exit arrives amid an explosive week at Twitch that included a divisive change to its monetization model. Twitch's SVP of global creators Constance Knight is leaving the company, a Twitch spokesperson has confirmed to Insider. Knight joined Twitch in July 2021 from Instagram, where she formerly served as global head of content curation for short-form video. The move sparked backlash on Twitter among some top Twitch creators and former employees, with even former COO Sara Clemens seeming to disapprove of the changes.

☆ Hedge funds dashed to exit energy positions last week, data show
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Nell Mackenzie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Nick OxfordLONDON, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Hedge funds around the world fled positions in energy stocks, bonds and futures last week just in time to miss this week's whipsaw moves in oil, according to data from two banks. It could be a sign that hedge funds, which often discover trading ideas from market trends, are finding it too tough to bring in the kind of paydays they received from the surge in oil prices earlier this year. And on Friday, oil prices hit their lowest since January as recession fears gripped world markets. His firm had an "amazing run" trading energy futures the first quarter but eventually, the trend ended. The momentum that fueled a stable upward rise in oil prices has changed, said another manager who oversees more than $100 billion and for compliance reasons wished to remain anonymous.

☆ German economic downturn deepens in Sept, outlook grim -flash PMI
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

S&P Global's flash composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), which tracks both the manufacturing and services sectors which together account for more than two-thirds of Germany's economy, fell to 45.9 in September from August's final reading of 46.9. A Reuters poll of analysts had pointed to a reading of 46.0. Separately, the manufacturing index fell to 48.3 from a final reading of 49.1 in August. The services index dropped to 45.4 from a final reading of 47.7 in August. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterWriting by Paul Carrel; Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ With an eye on the U.S. ballot box, Democrats to push policing bills on Thursday
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Funds would help smaller police departments attract and retain officers and help local governments develop mental health programs to lower crime rates, including gun murders. Prospects for the legislation were unclear in the Senate, split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, where 60 of the chamber's 100 votes would be needed for passage. Congressional Democrats have yet to find a way to enact legislation making it easier to hold police departments and their officers accountable for the use of excessive force, especially against minorities. This is not a substitute for that in any way," Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal said of the legislation being debated on Thursday. Jayapal said a key change in the bill reduced to 125, from 200, the maximum size of small police departments qualifying for federal funds under the bill.

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