DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Starbucks' turnaround relies on an executive who is no stranger to orchestrating comebacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In today's big story, it's out with the old and in with the new CEO at Starbucks. Starbucks announced CEO Laxman Narasimhan was stepping down after less than two years on the job . Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol was tapped to lead Starbucks' turnaround efforts. In the release announcing the news , Howard Schultz, Starbucks' chairman emeritus and three-time CEO, made no mention of Narasimhan in his statement. At Starbucks, Niccol won't need to navigate a brand crisis like he did with Chipotle in the wake of its E. coli outbreak.

Persons: —, he's Benjamin Button'd, Chelsea Jia Feng, Laxman Narasimhan, Brian Niccol, it's, Grace Dean, Howard Schultz, Narasimhan, Ryan Miller, Rebecca Zisser, Alex Bitter, It's, we've, Katie Notopoulos, Tyler Le, Joe Quinlan, Berkshire Hathaway, Goldman Sachs, Greg Tuorto, Josh Edelson, Justin Sullivan, Timo Lenzen, Mercedes, unmotivated, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock Organizations: Service, Starbucks, Business, Elliott Management, Orange County Museum of Art, Taco Bell, Merrill, Bank of America Private Bank, Getty, BI, Benz, Mercedes, Dolce, Gabbana, Walmart, Walgreens, Cisco Systems, UBS Locations: Chelsea, Narasimhan, Mexican, Berkshire, AFP, Dubai, Miami, New York, London

☆ The United States and Europe need China for clean energy. They will pay a price to break free
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

London CNN —The United States and Europe are racing to narrow China’s commanding lead in clean energy technologies, throwing subsidies at local manufacturers and hiking tariffs on Chinese imports in a strikingly protectionist turn. Without China’s electric vehicles (EVs), solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries, reducing planet-heating pollution could take longer and ultimately increase costs for businesses and consumers. Beijing’s virtual monopoly on the processing of some critical minerals comes with particular risks for the global green transition. Zhu Haipeng/VCG/APAny delay in switching to clean energy will exact a heavy toll on the planet. Birol at the IEA also advocates for trade policies that diversify supply chains while reducing the risk of delays to the clean energy transition.

Persons: “, Margrethe Vestager, ”, ” Fatih Birol, David G, Victor, Michael R, Davidson, ” Victor, Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, Zhu Haipeng, Victor of, Birol, don’t Organizations: London CNN, Russia, Getty, ”, International Energy Agency, Global, University of California, CNN, Monetary Fund, McKinsey Global Institute, Victor of University of California, IEA Locations: United States, Europe, China, Lianyungang, Washington, Netherlands, Japan, Beijing, of Taicang, Suzhou, Brookings, University of California San Diego, Fuzhou, Victor of University of California San Diego

☆ Monaco is 1 of 6 locations hosting the star-studded E1 — a race thought ‘impossible’ before it began
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( Marylou Costa | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

During the Monaco race on July 28, Bernard d'Alessandri, general secretary and managing director of Yacht Club de Monaco, said E1 showcases new technology for boat racing. "Before E1, it was impossible to have a race with electric boats," he said. Acceptance of electric boating among the eliteRacebird creator Sophi Horne said getting the attention of Monaco's boating elite wasn't easy. Team owners Didier Drogba and Tom Brady speak with Alejandro Agag, co-founder and chairman of the E1 Series, ahead of the E1 race in Venice, Italy — the second of the series. The final two E1 races are scheduled to occur in Lake Como, Italy and Hong Kong.

Persons: Shiv, Bernard d'Alessandri, Akin, Racebird, Rodi Basso, Team Rafa, Rafael Nadal, Basso, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Sophi Horne, Cara Delevingne, Lloyd, Horne, they've, …, Will Smith, Marc Anthony, Tom Brady, Didier Drogba, Virat Kohli, Sergio Perez, Steve Aoki, Marcelo Claure —, Alejandro Agag, Italy —, Daniele Venturelli, Brady, Drogba, Nadal, Carlos Duarte, Racebirds Organizations: Port, Media Monaco, Monaco, Yacht Club de Monaco, Formula, Team, NFL, Getty Locations: Monaco, Saudi Arabia, Racebirds, Venice, Italy, Mallorca, Lake Como, Hong Kong

☆ The 'crazy' fix for Google's monopoly that investors are whispering about
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The idea is that the US would require Google to make its Search index publicly available for anyone to use. AdvertisementBots and indexesA Search index is created by a bot crawling the web and collecting keywords and other information from sites. Related storiesGoogle's Search index is the biggest in the world. The Search index as part of the public commonsWouldn't this be taking something that belongs to Google, though? In the same way Bing powers DuckDuckGo, Google's open index could power other rival search engines that could offer different approaches to Google's search engine.

Persons: —, It's, wouldn't, it's, Amit Mehta's, Bing, DuckDuckGo Organizations: Service, Justice Department, Business, Google, Rivals, Mobile Virtual Network, Verizon, DOJ

☆ Google's live demo of Gemini ramps up pressure on Apple as AI reaches smartphone users
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

During Google's Pixel phone launch on Tuesday, a product director named David Citron took the stage to show off the mobile capabilities of the company's new AI assistant, Gemini. Rivals are preparing consumers for a future of AI, but Google's Gemini features are real and are shipping — at least for testing purposes — now. Google's kickoff on Tuesday could put renewed pressure on Apple, as the two smartphone market leaders race to integrate AI into their operating systems. Google's most important presentation on Tuesday was Gemini Live, its next-generation assistant. The company said Apple's approach is less private than Google's, because Gemini "doesn't require hand-off to a third-party AI provider you may not know or trust."

Persons: Rick Osterloh, David Citron, Citron, Sabrina Carpenter, Apple, Siri's, Siri, haven't, we've, CNBC's Deirdre Bosa, Google's, that's, Osterloh, they're, Grace Harmon, Tim Cook Organizations: Devices, Google, YouTube, San, Rivals, Apple Intelligence . Apple Intelligence, Apple Intelligence, Apple, IDC, Nvidia Locations: Mountain View , California, San Francisco

☆ Video: The real estate world is changing in a big way. Here’s how.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( Hazel Tang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

How relevant is this ad to you? Video player was slow to load content Video content never loaded Ad froze or did not finish loading Video content did not start after ad Audio on ad was too loud Other issues

☆ After Democrats' long-held edge, Team Trump starts to close the battleground ad spending gap: From the Politics Desk
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( The Politics Desk | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

After Democrats’ long-held edge, Team Trump starts to close the battleground ad spending gapBy Ben KamisarIf you live in a swing state and are already sick of seeing presidential campaign ads, buckle up. Over that same period of time, the Trump campaign spent less than $230,000. But over the last two weeks, a dramatic shift from the Trump campaign has helped close the gap. It has spent a total of $13 million in those key states, compared to $16.5 million from the Harris campaign. But we’ve written before about how Republicans have cut into the Democrats’ fundraising edge, and these ad spending numbers show the fruits of that effort.

Persons: Ben Kamisar, Alex Tabet, ’, Team Trump, Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Trump, Harris, Biden, they’ll, it’s, Ruben Gallego, “ Ruben Gallego, David Hathaway, Kari Lake, Gallego, —, ” Gallego, Nasr, ted Auto W, ged Organizations: NBC, White House, Capitol, Phoenix, Democratic, Team, Republican, Republican National Convention, Trump, Biden, Democrats, Democratic Rep, Arizona Senate, GOP, NBC News, rac Locations: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Mexico, Santa Cruz County, It’s

Olivia Ott / NBC NewsHow we tested Windmill and July’s air conditionersTwo of my colleagues and I tested Windmill and July’s ACs for at least five weeks in our New York City apartments. July sent me its small 6K BTU air conditioner, which I put in my bedroom. My LG air conditioner was so loud that I felt like I couldn’t hear myself think. JulyEven after over a month, I’m still shocked when I walk into my bedroom and barely notice my air conditioner. For this article, I tested July’s air conditioner for over a month, and two members of NBC Select’s staff tested Windmill’s air conditioner for over a month.

Persons: you’ll, Zoe Malin, Nikki Brown, Olivia Ott, Bianca Alvarez, you’re, I’ve, ”, Brown, Alvarez, I’d, she’s, “, it’s, Windmill’s, I’m, Both Alvarez, hasn’t, —, TikTok Organizations: NASA, NBC, British, Units, National Council, Aging, Alexa, July’s, ACs, Windmill, AC, July’s AC, LG, Amazon Alexa, decibel, Facebook, Twitter Locations: New York City, BTUs, Taskrabbit, NYC, France

☆ Murdoch family battle highlights Nevada's secret trust boom
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Robert Frank | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The Murdoch family feud taking place in an obscure Nevada court highlights the state’s surging popularity as a global center of family trusts and a friendly home to the world’s biggest fortunes. The Western state’s fast-growing industry of trust and estate attorneys, trust companies and facilitators keeps a deliberately low profile. At the center of the Murdoch case is the Murdoch Family Trust, which holds the powerful voting shares in News Corp. and Fox Corp. that effectively control the companies. (The trust also contains the family farm in Australia, the Murdoch art collection and its Disney shares.) “Normally a family would have some ties in Nevada to establish trust, either living here or having real estate,” Tyrell said.

Persons: Murdoch, ”, Steven Oshins, ” Oshins, Thomas Piketty, Emmanuel Saez, Gabriel Zucman, Rupert Murdoch, Lachlan, James, Elisabeth, Prudence, it’s, Rupert, Elyse Tyrell, Tyrell Law PLLC, Rupert Murdoch —, It’s, ” Tyrell, “ Organizations: IRS, Division, Trust, News Corp, Fox Corp, Disney, The New York Times, Street Journal, Fox, Henderson , Nevada . Trust Locations: Nevada, “ Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee , Delaware, U.S, Australia, Henderson , Nevada

☆ Harris' campaign is transforming big crowds into volunteers on the ground in key swing states
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Yamiche Alcindor | Yamiche Alcindor Is An Nbc News Washington Correspondent. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

“We have this very organic, very real, very palpable energy from people that want to support the ticket,” said Dan Kanninen, the Harris campaign’s battleground states director. Last week in Nevada, 1,000 of the 5,010 volunteer sign-ups were for the next day to join a series of weekly events the campaign holds on Sundays, a campaign official said. The campaign official said the burst of sign-ups made Sunday the biggest day yet for the weekly series. Harris’ campaign sees the moment of enthusiasm as one to build on, not squander. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., a national co-chair of the Harris campaign, also said the campaign has always had a plan to keep fighting until Election Day.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Kamala Harris ’, Harris, Tim Walz, crisscrossed, ”, Dan Kanninen, “, we’re, Joe Biden, they’ll, Kanninen, Obama, “ We’ll, Donald Trump, Trump, Harris ’, Biden, James Clyburn, Walz, Lisa Blunt Rochester, We’ve, … I’m Organizations: Democratic, Minnesota Gov, NBC News, ”, Republicans Locations: Nevada, In Wisconsin, Detroit, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin , Michigan, Georgia, Arizona , Nevada, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio

☆ Ex-Colorado clerk Tina Peters, one-time hero to election deniers, convicted in computer breach
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

DENVER — Former Colorado clerk Tina Peters, the first local election official to be charged with a security breach after the 2020 election as unfounded conspiracy theories swirled, was found guilty by a jury on most charges Monday. Peters, a one-time hero to election deniers, was accused of using someone else’s security badge to give an expert affiliated with My Pillow chief executive Mike Lindell access to the Mesa County election system and deceiving other officials about that person’s identity. Lindell is a prominent promoter of false claims that voting machines were manipulated to steal the election from Donald Trump. Peters stood next to one of her attorneys at the defense table as the verdict was read in a quiet courtroom. In a post on the social media platform X after the verdict, Peters accused Colorado-based Dominion Voting Systems, which made her county’s election system, as well as lawyers for state election officials of stealing votes.

Persons: Tina Peters, Peters, Mike Lindell, Lindell, Donald Trump, Prosecutors, Gerald Wood, Matthew Barrett, “, ”, State Jena Griswold, Phil Weiser, Janet Drake, Drake, John Case, Canada ”, Conan Hayes, Hayes, Wood, Sherronna Bishop, Bishop, Robert Shapiro Organizations: DENVER — Former, My, Voting Systems, Colorado, State, Lindell, Colorado Attorney General’s, Republican Locations: DENVER — Former Colorado, Mesa County, Colorado, Utah, China, Canada, California

☆ How to determine if this comeback rally is for real, according to the charts
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Todd Gordon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Stocks have made a nice comeback after testing support last week in the wake of a violent summer swoon tied to the yen carry trade. I run four equity portfolios at Inside Edge Capital, the most actively managed is appropriately named "Active Opps." In this article I'll cover the technical formation of the resistance zone as well as the option hedge we're using. If this is an ill-fated rally, or a so-called bear market rally, my bet is it will fail around this zone. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR.

Persons: Nvidia's, Todd Gordon Organizations: Edge, Nasdaq, Inside Edge, CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL

☆ Airbnb's ongoing battle with hotels for travelers has taken a noticeable turn
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Go to newsletter preferencesSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. In today's big story, Airbnb said its struggles are tied to consumers spending less, but it's also because they're opting for hotels instead . The big storyPlenty of vacancyiStock; Rebecca Zisser/BIAirbnb took a noticeable step back in its ongoing battle with hotels. But Airbnb's struggles are also a product of travelers opting for hotels instead , writes Business Insider's Dan Latu. The death of the so-called millennial lifestyle subsidy — for which Airbnb was a key player — resulted in consumers rethinking things.

Persons: —, Airbnb, it's, let's, Rebecca Zisser, Execs, Airbnb's, Dan Latu, haven't, Jenny Chang, Rodriguez, Bloomberg it's, BI Bank of America isn't, Nicolás Ortega, Nate Silver, Chelsea Jia Feng, Alexander, Tal, Oren Alexander, Musk, Trump, Elon Musk's, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock Organizations: Service, Apple, Business, Bloomberg, Getty, BI Bank of America, Viking, Israel, BI, Apple Intelligence, Trump, X, Florida Gov, Google Locations: Iran, New York, London

☆ Whoever can finally coin an effective economic message could win the White House
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Voters keep telling pollsters that their economic insecurities are the biggest issue in the 2024 election. Former President Donald Trump will try to make a case against Kamala Harris’ role in the Biden economy on Wednesday in North Carolina. President Joe Biden dedicated his domestic agenda to restoring economic fairness and sought to revive manufacturing and repair the country’s crumbling infrastructure. As the effective incumbent in this race, Harris is vulnerable to any sudden shifts in the economic outlook. But with Trump seeking an opening to define her negatively — especially on the economy — Harris must act fast.

Persons: Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Biden, Trump, Joe Biden, Harris, Kamala, He’s, Price, “, Biden Administration’s, ”, —, ” Harris, ” Trump, hasn’t, “ You’ve, Scott Jennings, Anderson Cooper, “ You’re, Brad Todd, CNN’s Kasie, he’s, ” Todd, Kevin McCarthy, Elon Musk, Sen, JD Vance, Harris ’, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Clinton, Obama, Obama –, –, — Harris, Tim Walz, She’s Organizations: CNN — Voters, Trump, Home Depot, Republican, Democratic, Biden, CNN, Fox News, Air Force, Democratic National Convention, NPR, PBS, Marist, New York Times, Siena College, Minnesota Gov, pharma Locations: North Carolina, Asheville , North Carolina, Maryland, Raleigh, Ohio, Chicago, Nevada, Phoenix, California, States, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin

As the Fed lowers its benchmark rate, mortgage rates are expected to decrease further. This would likely remove a substantial amount of upward pressure off of mortgage rates. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's interest rates will affect your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates fell to 5.63% last week, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates increased dramatically over the last two years, but they're expected to go down at some point this year.

Persons: they're, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Traders, Zillow Locations: Chevron

☆ 3 data points that could impact how big of a Fed rate cut the market gets next month
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Management blamed "higher interest rates and greater macroeconomic uncertainty" for pressuring consumer spending on home improvement projects. The recent data certainly supports the idea of a rate cut at the Fed's mid-September meeting. However, that's weeks away, we know things can turn on a dime in the data and the stock market. Lower rates can certainly impact the stock market — but when it comes to picking individual stocks, we remain focused on earnings. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

Persons: Thursday's, Stanley Black, Decker, Stifel, bode, Russell, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Spencer Platt Organizations: Nasdaq, PPI, Management, Dow, Home Depot, Trade, Costco, Depot, CNBC, New York Stock Exchange, Getty Locations: U.S, New York City

☆ Starbucks is betting big that Chipotle's CEO can make it special again. He'll have his work cut out for him.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Laxman Narasimhan, Starbucks' current CEO, will step down effective immediately from his roles as CEO and a member of Starbucks' board of directors, the company said. In his tenure at Chipotle, Niccol made several changes. He also oversaw an expansion of Chipotle's online-ordering options just before delivery and pickup became essential to the restaurant business early in the pandemic. The road ahead at StarbucksAt Starbucks, Niccol will face some challenges similar to those he took on at Chipotle. AdvertisementStarbucks sales have also fallen lately in China, which is home to nearly one-fifth of all the chain's stores.

Persons: —, Brian Niccol, Niccol, Laxman Narasimhan, Elliott, Chipotle, Brian, Melody Hobson, Peter Saleh, Saleh Organizations: Service, Starbucks, Business, Street, Elliott Investment Management, Taco Bell's, Wall Street, Analytical Research Locations: Chipotle, Denver, Orange County , California, China

☆ Why a Goldman Sachs portfolio manager avoids small-cap indexes, and his 6 top individual stock picks
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Christine Ji | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewAfter over two years of underperformance, it seems like small-cap stocks are finally poised to take off. Because there is such a wide variety of small-cap companies, Tuorto believes investors have to do some digging to identify the best opportunities. Some of the best opportunities are way, way down in cap. Healthy small-cap companies have a clear path to profitability and reinvest cash back into their business to drive growth, he said. Tuorto's top small-cap picksBelow are Tuorto's top six picks for high-quality small-cap companies with strong fundamentals and market caps under $10 billion.

Persons: —, Russell, Greg Tuorto, Tuorto, Goldman Sachs Organizations: Service, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Business, Big Tech, Nvidia, Core Equity ETF

☆ Everyone wants to live in a Nancy Meyers home, but it won't happen overnight
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Samantha Grindell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The quote encapsulates the role homes play in all of Nancy Meyers' films, from "Something's Gotta Give" to "The Parent Trap." AdvertisementThe homes in Nancy Meyers' movies feel true to lifeAs of Monday, there were over 8,000 videos on TikTok with #nancymeyersaesthetic. Diane Keaton in the Nancy Meyers movie "Something's Gotta Give." AdvertisementFor instance, some people fixate on the kitchens in Meyers' movies, ogling over the massive islands or farmhouse sinks they feature. Camille Alexandra InteriorsHutman said to remember that you don't need to spend a fortune to find furniture that reflects the Meyers aesthetic today.

Persons: —, George Banks, Steve Martin, George, Nancy Meyers, Meyers, Sarah Horton's, Horton, Erica Barry's, Iris, Sarah Horton, Sarah Horton Camille Meza, Ruiz, Camille Alexandra Interiors, Meza, Jon Hutman, Hutman, Ariana Madix, Katie Maloney's, Diane Keaton, Erica Barry, Harry Sanborn, Lily, Camille Meza, Camille Alexandra Interiors Hutman Organizations: Service, Business, Warner Bros . Pictures, Columbia, Facebook Locations: California, Nancy, Newport Beach , California

☆ These American cities are heating up the most
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Amy O'Kruk | Angela Dewan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Each has recorded at least 18 extremely hot days this year. San Antonio, Texas, experienced 54 extremely hot days, 16 more than its 2013-to-2023 average, while Nashville, Tennessee has logged 23, also 16 days above average. “The overall trend is clear: major American cities have experienced a significant rise in the number of extremely hot days,” said Tucker Landesman, a senior researcher with the International Institute for Environment and Development. Of the 50 cities, only three — Los Angeles, Omaha and Kansas City — did not experience an increase in extremely hot days over the five-decade period. “As the world’s richest country, the United States has the resources and technology needed to address extreme heat,” Landesman said.

Persons: It’s, ”, Tucker Landesman, ” Landesman, Austin, Houston, we’ve, Kansas City —, Summers, hasn’t Organizations: CNN, International Institute for Environment, Development, Paramedics, “, Kansas City, Phoenix Locations: Arizona, Phoenix, Las Vegas, California, Los Angeles, San Fransisco, Washington, Baltimore, Vegas, San Antonio , Texas, Nashville , Tennessee, That’s, Texas, Texas , Arizona, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Austin, Tucson , Arizona, Fresno , California, Denver , Colorado, Los Angeles , Omaha, Mesa, Tucson, United States

☆ Investors are banking on the Fed to save stocks and the economy, according to Wall Street survey
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ninety-three percent of the fund managers in the survey are expecting lower short-term rates in the next 12 months, marking the highest percentage in the past 24 years, BofA said. .SPX YTD mountain S & P 500 Only 31% of fund managers are overweight stocks now, down from 51% in July, the survey showed. Global growth expectations are at their lowest in 8 months with about half of respondents expecting weaker growth the next 12 months, the survey showed. Still, the majority of investors (76%) expect the Fed to engineer a soft landing, up from 68% last month, the survey said. The August survey from BofA captured the sentiment of 220 respondents with $590 billion in assets under management.

Persons: BofA, Michael Hartnett Organizations: Federal Reserve

☆ Putin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza thought he was being executed before his release in historic prisoner swap
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Helen Regan | Mariya Knight | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition politician and one of President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest critics, has described the psychological torture he endured during 11 months in solitary confinement, saying he thought he would die in a Siberian cell. “Just a little over two weeks ago, I was still sitting in my solitary confinement cell in a harsh regime prison colony in Siberia. And I was certain that I was going to end my life in the prison,” Kara-Murza said. But Kara-Murza was taken to a passenger airport in Omsk and loaded onto a plane headed for Moscow. Now enjoying his freedom and time with his family, Kara-Murza has promised to return to Russia.

Persons: Vladimir Kara, Murza, Vladimir Putin’s, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, ” Kara, Alexei Navalny, Kara, Erin Burnett, Evgenia Kara, Murza –, –, Vladimir, “ Vladimir Putin’s, ”, “, Vadim Krasikov, Muza, Joe Biden, Biden, Evgenia Organizations: CNN, Base Andrews, Kremlin Locations: Russian, Russia, Maryland, Siberia, New York, Ukraine, “, Belarus, Omsk, Moscow, Germany, Berlin, Ankara, Turkey, Washington ,, Kara

☆ Warren Buffett's company is so big it's like a mini US economy. Here's what it signals about the state of consumers.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe latest figures from Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway suggest consumers are faring better than they were just a year or two ago. Thomson ReutersHomeServicesReal estate brokerage revenues were almost flat and after-tax earnings rose 21%. New home unit sales rose 11% after dropping 20%, but pre-tax earnings fell 10%, similar to their 12% decline last year. But pre-tax earnings jumped 10% due to higher margins and lower operating expenses that offset the lower sales. AdvertisementRetailThe odd one out was the retailing subdivision, where revenues fell 4.5% and pre-tax earnings fell 23%.

Persons: —, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, Here's, Thomson, Warren Buffett, Clayton, Rick Wilking, Berkshire, They've, There's Organizations: Service, Business, Thomson Reuters, Clayton Homes, Reuters McLane, Berkhire Hathaway Locations: Warren Buffett's, Berkshire, Renton , Washington, Omaha , Nebraska

☆ George Clooney is 'irritated' that Quentin Tarantino apparently claimed he isn't a movie star
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Jason Guerrasio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewGeorge Clooney is friends with his "Wolfs" costar Brad Pitt, but when it comes to Pitt's collaborator Quentin Tarantino, he's okay not playing nice. "He did some interview where he was naming movie stars, and he was talking about you, and somebody else, and then this guy goes, 'Well, what about George?' Related storiesTarantino has, however, criticized the lack of movie stars in this day and age more generally, particularly with the "Marvel-ization" of Hollywood. "But they're not movie stars. Tarantino has also praised Pitt as "one of the last remaining big-screen movie stars" in a 2022 interview with GQ.

Persons: —, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino, Pitt, Clooney, Tarantino, Quentin, Robert Rodriguez, George, he's, America, Thor, Noah Baumbach, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Michael Clayton Organizations: Service, GQ, Business, Miramax, Marvel, Apple, Venice Film Locations: Tarantino's, Hollywood, Venice

☆ American homeowners are in a 'deferral mindset' with spending, says Home Depot CFO
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

US homeowners are doing rather well financially, but they're not ready to spend big right now. Between high prices and high interest rates, they're holding off on major purchases and projects. Home Depot's CFO characterized the moment as one of a "deferral mindset" in consumer spending. Go to newsletter preferences Thanks for signing up! "The consumer remains engaged — our consumer in particular remains quite healthy," Home Depot CEO Ted Decker said Tuesday on the company's second quarter earnings call.

Persons: they're, —, Ted Decker Organizations: Service, Business

Search resuls for: "Big"

25 mentions found