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☆ Ad spend for the big game hits record despite macro headwinds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailAd spend for the big game hits record despite macro headwindsCNBC’s Julia Boorstin joins ‘TechCheck’ to explain why companies are not shying away from spending millions on Super Bowl ads.

☆ Cowen: It's difficult to ignore companies returning a lot of cash to shareholders, so energy stocks should continue to work
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCowen: It's difficult to ignore companies returning a lot of cash to shareholders, so energy stocks should continue to workJason Gabelman of Cowen discusses why investors have been shying away somewhat from the energy sector, even as oil and gas producers continue to report record profits and give back cash to shareholders through dividends and buybacks.

☆ Elon Musk says his Twitter misadventure has only helped Tesla. Wall Street isn't buying it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Asia Martin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Wall Street analysts feel otherwise: They're bullish on Tesla, but think Musk is too distracted. Musk's tweets have gotten him in trouble with shareholders and the courts. Wall Street thinks Twitter is a costly distractionMusk is not wrong in that he and Tesla are reasonably popular on Twitter. But how many of Musk's and Tesla's followers converted to sales based on the content coming from those accounts? As in most things, there's always more to the story — but you can't deny the impact of Musk's Twitter habits, either.

For Republicans, the months following the 2022 midterms have been consumed by a fair amount of introspection — and finger-pointing — about why the results were so underwhelming for the party. The secret ballot vote will take place during the open-press portion of the RNC's three-day winter meeting, which opens Wednesday. McDaniel, who was handpicked by then-President Donald Trump for the role, has faced heat from some Republicans and conservative media figures for the party's lackluster results in November. Meanwhile, an RNC official formally accused a McDaniel ally of engaging in "religious bigotry" aimed at Dhillon’s Sikh faith in discussing the race for party chair. I'm not surprised that folks coalesced behind her or around her as quickly as they did."

☆ Microsoft's $10 billion bet on ChatGPT's maker gives it a powerful new weapon in the cloud wars with Amazon and Google
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Cloud, increasingly important to Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, is slowing down in the short term. But the company has a longer-term strategic weapon that could help it win the cloud wars: its once-in-a-generation bet on OpenAI. Any hint of a slowdown in growth for Microsoft's Azure, Amazon's AWS, and Google Cloud tends to provoke analyst angst. Even if there are immediate challenges for cloud growth, Microsoft sees its OpenAI bet, reported to be worth $10 billion, as a bigger strategic move. Microsoft Cloud, which also includes revenue from Office 365 and other products as well as Azure, represented around 50% of the company's overall revenue.

☆ Layoffs are a nail in the coffin for whatever the metaverse is
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Last week saw both Apple and Microsoft pause on speculative projects involving augmented reality and virtual reality, per reports. Apple has postponed its much-rumored augmented reality glasses because of technical challenges, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported. The metaverse was already a loose concept, a catch-all term for a vague theory that augmented reality and virtual reality is the future of computing, despite little evidence to back this up. Microsoft, reasonably early to the market with its HoloLens headset, has run into issues with one of its biggest customers: the US military. It's possible augmented reality and virtual reality devices do become popular among certain types of consumer, such as enthusiasts or gamers.

☆ Amazon axes its charity donation program
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Amazon is shutting down its “Smile” charity donation program as the company cuts costs and rethinks its strategy. In total, $500 million has been donated since its 2013 launch, with an average donation of less than $230 per charity, the company said. Charities enrolled in the program will get a one-time donation “equivalent to three months of what they earned in 2022,” Amazon (AMZN) said, noting that charities will still be able to accrue donations until the program closes. Amazon recently announced it would lay off roughly 18,000 employees. Amazon and other tech firms significantly ramped up hiring over the past couple of years as the pandemic shifted consumers’ habits toward e-commerce.

When it comes to queer books, the loudest headlines may be about bans and censorship, but a quieter truth about the state of LGBTQ books reveals the resilience of their authors and commitment of their readers. The queer titles debuting in 2023 are as full of joy as they are examples of resistance, and those in the industry say LGBTQ writers are only getting more ambitious. And while queer young adult books are often the target of book-banning efforts, these titles drove the highest gains in the category, the report found. When it comes to considering a queer future, and what’s next for queer books, that’s something that’s been on the mind of Suzi F. Garcia, the editor of Lambda Literary, a nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQ books and authors. She described the book as having a “queer core” and a sense of hope while discussing issues critical to LGBTQ and Black communities.

☆ Many Companies Are Shying Away From Carbon Credits
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Dieter Holger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

Many companies are hesitant to buy carbon credits as the market faces criticism and coming standards remain unclear. Carbon credits are also expected to be discussed at this week’s World Economic Forum annual summit in Davos, Switzerland. As officials work to develop the market, sustainability chiefs must weigh the pros and cons of carbon credits in their climate plans. Carbon solutionsTo address concerns in the carbon market and scale up climate action, there is a movement toward better, widely accepted standards. The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market ended its public comment period in September on the 10 so-called Core Carbon Principles it proposed in July.

☆ Chip stocks tumbled in 2022. How to play the sector in the new year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Semiconductor stocks suffered a series of blows in 2022 as demand for consumer discretionary items fell off a cliff and supply chain disruptions continued. Betting on semiconductor favorites Despite ongoing volatility, some analysts and investors are still betting on once high-flying names in 2023, even though the challenges of 2022 continue. One of those is Advanced Micro Devices, a chip stock commonly connected with PC and server chips that fell hard in 2022. Texas Instruments held up better than the rest of the semiconductor market in 2022, shedding a little more than 12%. Bailey is mostly shying away from former, rapid growth names, with small bets on ASML and Marvell for clients looking for possible higher growth.

Then there’s Eve Hewson, daughter of Bono, who claimed that the Vulture team behind the “nepo baby” piece was “jealous” and called out the editor-in-chief for her own familial privilege. But one self-described “nepo baby” has finally cracked the code of how to defuse these attacks: by owning the title, not shying away from it. shutting out countless talented newcomers who might have more talent than a “nepo baby” but lack a famous name or face and thus are denied opportunities — would be a major mistake. More “nepo babies” could take a page out of Williams’ book and recognize this duality. Hollywood isn’t an equal playing field, and any “nepo baby” who pretends like it is is not only ignoring reality, but doing a disservice to their own reputation.

☆ VCs say AI in the classroom and tech meant to help students who've fallen behind will be among the top edtech trends in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

In fact, annual venture-capital funding to edtech startups has more than tripled since 2019, according to PitchBook data. That increased nearly threefold in 2020, to $14.1 billion, and then reached a record total in 2021 with $16.8 billion, PitchBook found. PitchBook estimates that edtech funding in 2022 stood at $8.4 billion as of December 15, as schools reopening led to less need for virtual teaching tools. Edtech startups across all sectors tend to be countercyclical compared with the economy at large, according to Amit Patel, a managing director at Owl Ventures. Here are the top four edtech trends to watch in 2023, according to top edtech investors.

☆ History-making Asian American soccer player describes his journey to self-acceptance
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Kimmy Yam | Kimmy Yam Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

The moment Team USA midfielder Kellyn Acosta’s feet touched the turf at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he said he felt awash with gratitude. The label “Asian American” has been hard won. David S Bustamante / Getty Images“When you think about sports, and you think about my makeup, you think that’s the African American side of me that makes me excel. And he enjoyed the ride with the Asian American community on his mind. Kellyn Acosta during the World Cup Group match between the United States and Wales in Doha, Qatar, on Nov. 21.

☆ Macau casinos' new contracts to sharpen focus on non-gaming activities
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The operators are expected to focus on non-gaming activities in the new term, particularly as Beijing is keen for Macau to diversify away from gambling and attract foreign tourists. Some analysts expect them to make non-gaming investments of up to $15 billion cumulatively over the next decade. Genting, with its strong non-gaming track record and mass market appeal, was a credible threat for the Macau operators, many executives and analysts have said. Previous attempts by Macau to diversify have been unsuccessful, with casino operators shying away from investing in non-gaming due to the high costs, particularly as the gambling industry was far more lucrative. Macau's gambling industry currently accounts for more than 80% of government revenues.

☆ ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ rekindles the wonder in a way that demands to be seen
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —“Avatar” took a very basic story and adorned it with eye-popping spectacle, in a way that made the film a must-see commodity, and a record-breaking hit in the process. Thirteen years later, braving much different theatrical tides, director James Cameron has done it again with “Avatar: The Way of Water,” a state-of-the-art exercise that rekindles that sense of wonder and demands to be seen by anyone with lingering interest in watching movies in theaters. The children, in particular, must grapple with the personalities and pettiness associated with becoming the new kids on the reef. Ultimately, though, “The Way of Water” melts away any skepticism that it might be too late or too long in its return to Pandora. “Avatar: The Way of Water” premieres December 16 in US theaters.

☆ J.Crew embarked on a much-hyped comeback after filing for bankruptcy. Retail experts share what the brand needed to do to right the ship — and whether it's working.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

J.Crew embarked on a comeback after filing for bankruptcy in the early months of the pandemic. But hype alone isn't enough: experts say the stores and product needed a revamp, and the brand is now on the right track. J.Crew has since placed a new CEO at the helm — Libby Wadle, who previously oversaw J.Crew's fast-growing sister brand, Madewell. "In our industry, it begins with product," Quan said. Quan said he's cautiously optimistic, saying that the product improvements hint that the brand is on the right track.

☆ Premarket stocks: Why we think we're in a recession when the data says otherwise
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN Business —It seems like you can’t go anywhere these days without colliding headfirst into another ominous prediction of imminent recession. But hidden behind those “CEO PREDICTS RECESSION” headlines lies a lot of uncertainty. “If I didn’t watch CNBC in the morning, the word ‘recession’ wouldn’t be in my vocabulary,” he said. “You just can’t see it in our data.”It’s almost as though Kirby predicted recession was imminent because other prominent voices predicted that recession was imminent. More than 10,000 ambulance workers represented by the GMB Union will strike again on December 28.

☆ With Debt Coming Due, Investment-Grade Companies Are Paying Up, Too
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Nina Trentmann | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

What’s more, volatile markets have resulted in fewer opportunities for companies to sell their debt. Investment-grade U.S. companies have between $550 billion and $750 billion coming due per year from 2023 through 2027, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc., with about $59 billion left to pay off or refinance in 2022. Of the $615.54 billion, $504.31 billion were new issuances, compared to $111.23 billion in refinancings, Dealogic said. But investor demand for bonds has been stronger in recent days, leading Amazon.com Inc. and others with near-term debt coming due to the market. Among the businesses that recently took out bond debt at a higher cost is retail giant Walmart Inc.

☆ Hasbro CEO says inflation won't ruin Christmas but Wall Street is worried
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Paul R. La Monica | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN Business —The holidays are rapidly approaching, and for the toy company Hasbro, a slowing economy could be a proverbial Grinch that steals Christmas. Before joining Hasbro, Cocks was an executive at Microsoft (MSFT) from 1999 through 2006 and 2008 through 2016. Cocks said Hasbro is investing “significantly” in digital toys, particularly digital versions of classic Hasbro board games like “Monopoly” and “Scrabble” as well as D&D and the company’s “Magic: The Gathering” game. It’s definitely been a boon for the game,” Cocks said. “If there’s a couple of truisms in life, there’s death, there’s taxes, and there’s parents wanting to have a great holiday for their kids.”

☆ FTX's future went from being in the hands of the young disrupters to grizzled veteran lawyers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The two key lawyers involved — who were profiled here by Insider's Jack Newsham — have quite the track record, including stints working with Enron, Michael Milken, and Elon Musk. In other news:Mia Lee decided to become a professional girlfriend for a living after her Wall Street accounting job left her burnt out. Here's where they say Wall Street got it wrong when it comes to VC. Salesforce evaluated employees in a way that actually set up some of its top salespeople to get axed, insiders say. "You can take the girl off Wall Street, but you can't take the banker out of the whore."

Republican Joe Lombardo has won the race for governor in Nevada, NBC News projects, narrowly defeating Democratic incumbent Steve Sisolak. "Obviously that is not the outcome I want, but I believe in our election system, in democracy and honoring the will of Nevada voters. Steve Sisolak and his wife, Kathy Sisolak, arrive Tuesday at a polling center in Las Vegas. (Nevada state law allows mailed ballots to arrive days later, as long as they are postmarked by Election Day and arrive before Saturday evening). In the weeks leading up to the election, Nevada had emerged as a weak spot for Democratic incumbents, including Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, in part because economic issues have hit its residents particularly hard.

☆ A housing economist shares estimates of where mortgage rates will be by the end of this year and next — and lists the states that may see the most price corrections.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The majority of forecasters estimate mortgage rates will peak at 6.8 to 6.9%. Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas may see the most price corrections in housing prices. The hawkish approach has significantly increased anticipated mortgage rates for this time of year, she noted. The good news is, there's a low probability that mortgage rates will peak above 7%, she said. So I think that is always the one segment of the housing market one has to be a little bit more cautious about."

☆ A self-made millionaire who made his money investing in real estate isn't interested in taking out a mortgage right now: 'I'm not going pay more than 6% interest'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Property investor Todd Baldwin isn't interested in getting a mortgage right now due to high rates. The millionaire is in the unique situation where he can pay in cash if the right deal comes around. "If the deal is over 6%, I'm going to pay cash and hopefully get a discount." With the interest rates where they are now, "I can still make money," he explained, "but my margin of error is a lot thinner. Baldwin understands that not everyone can simply pay cash if they want to invest right now.

☆ Turkey says Russia concerned over security, exports in grain deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ANKARA, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Russia is concerned about its security and the obstacles it faces exporting fertiliser and grains, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlu Cavusoglu said on Wednesday, days after Moscow suspended its participation in a U.N.-brokered export deal. Speaking at a panel in Ankara, Cavusoglu cited two reasons for Moscow's move. "Russia has some security demands after the recent attack on its ships," he said of an attack on Russia's Black Sea Fleet over the weekend. Moscow is also concerned about its fertiliser and grain exports, "which are not on the list of sanctions but the ships that are carrying these still cannot dock," Cavusoglu said, echoing comments by Russian officials. Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen and Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Jonathan Spicer and Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Will Musk break Trump and satire accounts like mine out of Twitter jail?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Kyler Geoffroy | Kyler Geoffroy Is A Freelancer Whose Writing Has Appeared On Vice | Other Publications. He Focuses On Lgbtq Politics | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

As Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter begins, he must make several important decisions that will determine the future of the social media platform millions use for their newsgathering. I got involved in political satire after watching Trump fire off several conspiracy-theory-laden posts to his over 4 million followers on Truth Social daily. I got involved in political satire after watching Trump fire off several conspiracy-theory-laden posts to his over 4 million followers on Truth Social daily. “After careful review, we determined your account broke the Twitter Rules,” read the notification from Twitter Support. But political parody accounts, even bad ones like mine, should be protected on Twitter.

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