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Since Harris kicked off her presidential campaign, there’s been a string of good news for the US economy. Harris will have Biden’s mostly strong economy to run on. By June 2021, Biden’s sixth month in office, the nation’s inflation rate jumped to more than 5%. After the Federal Reserve hiked interest rate hikes to a 23-year high to stamp out inflation, the economy — eventually — started to run at a slower pace. The Biden administration canceled $168 billion in student loan debt for 4.8 million Americans.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Kamala Harris, Harris, there’s, Biden’s, —, hasn’t, Evan Vucci, Eros Hoagland, Getty, Lina Khan, Jonathan Kanter, Stocks Organizations: CNN, White House, House, Federal, Trump, Biden, Federal Reserve, Gross, Commerce Department, of Labor Statistics, Infrastructure Investment, Jobs, AFL, National Labor Relations Board, United Auto Workers, Union, AP Relief, American, ARPA, Medicare, University of North, Hill, Apple, Google, Federal Trade Commission, Department, FTC, Activision, Big Tech, Justice Department, Fed Locations: Ukraine, Van Buren Township , Michigan, University of North Carolina, America, Valley, Silicon Valley

☆ Automakers Sold Driver Data for Pennies, Senators Say
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Kashmir Hill | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

If you drive a car made by General Motors and it has an internet connection, your car’s movements and exact location are being collected and shared anonymously with a data broker. This practice, disclosed in a letter sent by Senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts to the Federal Trade Commission on Friday, is yet another way in which automakers are tracking drivers, often without their knowledge. Previous reporting in The New York Times, which the letter cited, revealed how automakers including G.M., Honda and Hyundai collected information about drivers’ behavior, such as how often they slammed on the brakes, accelerated rapidly and exceeded the speed limit. It was then sold to the insurance industry, which used it to help gauge individual drivers’ riskiness. The two Democratic senators, both known for privacy advocacy, zeroed in on G.M., Honda and Hyundai because all three had made deals, The Times reported, with Verisk, an analytics company that sold the data to insurers.

Persons: Ron Wyden, Edward J, Markey Organizations: General Motors, Oregon, Massachusetts, Federal Trade Commission, The New York Times, Honda, Hyundai, Democratic, The Times Locations: G.M

☆ Adobe executive compared early termination fees to heroin for the company: court docs
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

US regulators say in a lawsuit against Adobe that an exec likened early termination fees to heroin. The DOJ and FTC sued the software company last month, alleging it violated consumer protection laws. Adobe has disputed the claims and said the government took old employee comments out of context. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAn Adobe executive allegedly likened early termination fees to heroin for the software company, according to newly unredacted documents in the US government's lawsuit against the Photoshop and Creative Cloud maker.

Persons: — Organizations: Adobe, DOJ, FTC, Service, Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission, Business

☆ Openness in AI is necessary to promote fair and competitive markets, said FTC's Lina Khan
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Sri Muppidi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"These conditions have allowed, in some instances, the biggest technology companies to get a layup in the AI space," Khan said. In particular, Khan called for AI models' weights to be publicly available. In the age of AI, Khan said both consumers and enterprises are uncertain of their data's protections when using foundation models. "We only focus on deals that have problems…it's a narrow set of deals that satisfy a narrow set of criteria." In March, Microsoft paid $650 million in a licensing deal to Inflection AI, an emerging OpenAI rival, to use its AI models and hire most of its employees.

Persons: —, Lina Khan, Khan, We've, you've, Jonathan Kanter, Kevin Dietsch, Kanter, execs Organizations: Service, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Big Tech, Microsoft, Google, Business, Meta, Antitrust, Department of Justice, DOJ, Apple, Tech, New York VC, YC, Amazon Locations: OpenAI, America

☆ Judge Refuses to Block F.T.C.’s Noncompete Ban as Lawsuits Play Out
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Danielle Kaye | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A federal judge in Pennsylvania on Tuesday declined to block the Federal Trade Commission’s ban on noncompete agreements, diverging from another judge’s recent finding that the agency’s move was on shaky legal ground. The decision clears one obstacle to the F.T.C.’s move to prohibit virtually all noncompete agreements, which prohibit employees from switching jobs within an industry and affect roughly one in five American workers. Several business groups sued to block the ban as soon as the F.T.C. voted to adopt it in April, saying it would limit their ability to protect trade secrets and confidential information. Denying the company’s motion for a preliminary injunction, she said the lawsuit was unlikely to ultimately prevail on the merits.

Persons: Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge Organizations: Federal Trade, ATS Tree Services, Eastern, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, ATS Locations: Pennsylvania, U.S, Eastern District, “

☆ Lawmakers introduce bipartisan bill aiming to crack down on drug middlemen as scrutiny ramps up
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Bipartisan lawmakers introduced a new bill on Tuesday that aims to crack down on the business practices of drug supply chain middlemen who are widely accused of inflating prescription medication prices and harming U.S. patients and pharmacies. The legislation aims to ensure community pharmacies can provide care to patients enrolled in federal health-care programs while being reimbursed "fairly and transparently" by so-called pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs. Those middlemen also create lists of medications, also known as formularies, that are covered by insurance and reimburse pharmacies for prescriptions. Auchincloss said those practices have allowed PBMs to trap $300 billion in revenue in the middle of the drug supply chain between manufacturers and patients. Legislation targeting PBMs advanced through House and Senate committees with bipartisan support last year, and one proposal overwhelmingly passed the House in December.

Persons: Jake Auchincloss, Diana Harshbarger, Auchincloss, Biden Organizations: Medicare, CVS, PBMs, House, Federal Trade Commission, CNBC

☆ A Silicon Valley executive had $400,000 stolen by cybercriminals while buying a home. Here’s her warning
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Hugh Son | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Real estate, with its large transaction sizes and frequent use of wire transfers, has proven to be an especially lucrative target for criminals. In early July, Robillard told CNBC she had no idea whether she would ever see her money again. Courtesy: Rana RobillardRobillard says she decided to publicize her story to boost awareness of real estate wire fraud, besides being a last-ditch attempt at getting her money back. "This is not what I thought my public representation would look like, which is that I've lost all this money," Robillard said. While Martinez, California-based Compass Mortgage denies being hacked, it acknowledged that the email with wire directions wasn't from them, according to Robillard.

Persons: Rana Robillard, she'd, Robillard, HackerOne, Fraudsters, Naftali Harris, Harris, Charles Schwab, she's, —, Robillard Robillard, I've, it's, should've, Kristy Aichinger, Aichinger, Kent Donahue, Donahue didn't Organizations: JPMorgan Chase, CNBC, Citigroup, Ally Bank, San, FBI, JPMorgan, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Chase, FTC, OS National, Opendoor, Robillard, Compass Mortgage Advisors, Mortgage Locations: Oakland, Orinda ,, California, Orinda, San Francisco, Real, Martinez

While you're rarely liable for any fraudulent charges made on a credit card, your liability for fraudulent charges made with a debit card depends on when you report the card missing. You might also cancel a debit card if you're switching banks, but in that case you'll be closing your entire account and your debit card along with it. Reasons to cancel a debit cardCanceling a debit card may be necessary if:It's lostIt's stolenYou never use itYou're closing your accountImmediate steps to cancel a debit cardTurn off the card via the bank's mobile app Report the card missing or stolen Confirm the cancelation with a customer service representative Report any fraudulent transactionsReporting your card as lost or stolenThere are two ways to report a lost or stolen debit card. Cancel automatic paymentsIf you have recurring payments attached to your debit card, you'll need to cancel these so your subscriptions or memberships stay current. After canceling your debit cardThe Federal Trade Commission recommends following up a request to cancel a lost or stolen debit card in writing.

Persons: it's, It's, you've Organizations: Bank and America, Ally Bank, Federal Trade, Social

☆ FTC launches probe into 'surveillance pricing' that it says links cost to customer data
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Contessa Brewer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Federal Trade Commission is launching an investigation into so-called "surveillance pricing," seeking more information about how artificial intelligence is used to change pricing rapidly based on data about customer behavior and characteristics. The FTC says the practice allows companies to charge different customers, different prices. "Firms that harvest Americans' personal data can put people's privacy at risk," FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a news release. Kahn describes surveillance pricing as a "shadowy ecosystem of pricing middlemen." Mastercard said in a statement, "We will cooperate with the FTC in this process."

Persons: Lina Khan, Kahn Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, CNBC, Summit, FTC, Mastercard, JPMorgan Chase, Accenture, McKinsey, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, Hannaford, Puma Locations: Washington ,

Credit Karma Savings Account FeaturesCurrent Credit Karma Savings Rate and How It ComparesThe Credit Karma Savings interest rate is significantly higher than the average savings account interest rate of 0.45% APY. How Credit Karma Savings WorksOpening a Credit Karma Savings AccountCredit Karma works as an online-only platform, so you'll need to open a savings account using its website or app. For customer support, Credit Karma offers both a phone line and a live chat for Credit Karma Money account holders. Credit Karma Savings Account FAQsIs Credit Karma savings a good idea? Yes, Credit Karma offers the Credit Karma Money Save Account, which is a high-yield savings account paying 5.10% APY.

Persons: It's, Karma, You'll, haven't, Ally, Synchrony Organizations: Credit, Karma, Social, Karma Savings, Credit Karma, Google, Apple, Better, MVB Bank, Intuit, Better Business, BBB, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Ally Bank, Synchrony, Business Locations: Chevron

☆ Hackers are already taking advantage of the CrowdStrike outage chaos
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Brian Fung | Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CrowdStrike has issued its own guidance on what affected organizations can do in response to the issue. One example of that has been targeting Spanish-speaking CrowdStrike customers, the company said in a separate blog post. When opened, the file installs malicious software that phones home to a server the hackers control and may use to give additional instructions to the malware. “CrowdStrike Intelligence recommends that organizations ensure they are communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels and they adhere to technical guidance the CrowdStrike support teams have provided,” the company said. “Bad actors routinely try to take advantage of current events, so it’s not all surprising to see them attempting to take advantage of this one,” Callow said.

Persons: CNN —, ”, CrowdStrike, Kenn White, “, cybercriminals, Lina Khan, Azim Khodjibaev, Brett Callow, ” Callow Organizations: CNN, Department of Homeland Security, Infrastructure Security Agency, CrowdStrike Intelligence, Federal Trade Commission, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, FTC, Cisco, FTI Consulting

☆ The 'Trump trade' is on pause. Political uncertainty is now in the driver's seat
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-21 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

It didn't take long to remember what a second Donald Trump presidential term would mean for the stock market, did it? He talked about how interested he was in the stock market and that he wanted his kids to learn so they watched my show together. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade.

Persons: Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Sen, JD Vance, Mary Elizabeth Lease, Joe Biden, Biden's, Trump, Biden, let's, Kamala Harris, Doug Emhoff, —, Harris, that's, Lina Kahn, Jonathan Kanter, Vance, Mark Spitznagel, Spitznagel, Bristol Myers, ., Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Chris Kleponis Organizations: Republican, Populist Party, Democratic Party, Devices, Nvidia, Biden, White House, Democratic, White, Big Tech, Federal Trade Commission, Biden Democrat, Trump, Nasdaq, Street, Universa Investments, Yahoo, America, Microsoft, Google, Palo Alto Networks, Palo Alto, Starbucks, Apple, PepsiCo, Myers Squibb, Pepsi, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, US, Afp, Getty Locations: Ohio, China, U.S, Taiwan, idiocy, Bristol, . Horton, Washington ,, Pennsylvania

☆ A fashion influencer is suing another creator, alleging she copied her 'aesthetic.' Lawyers say the case could have big ramifications.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The two Texas-based creators met up to talk about potentially producing content together given their similar fashion niches, according to a lawsuit filed by Gifford. Lawyers told BI that if Gifford wins any or all of the counts, the case could set a new precedent for the creator economy. It could drastically change how influencers create content online and protect their rights. She said this case could spark a fire in the creator community regardless of whether Gifford wins or loses. "The audience online is really smart though, and they'll figure it who the original creator is eventually," Puri said.

Persons: —, Sydney Nicole Gifford, Alyssa Sheil, she'd, Gifford, Sheil, She's, Kameron Buckner, there's, Buckner, I've, that's, Taylor Tieman, — Gifford —, Tieman, Tiffany Ferris, Haynes Boone, Ferris, Roe, Wade, Brown, I'm, Asmita, Puri Organizations: Service, Business, Meta, Copyright, Business Insider, of Education, Federal Trade Commission Locations: Texas, TikTok, Asmita Puri

It's important to review your credit reports often to check for mistakes, and to do that you need to know how to read a credit report. Because your credit matters so much, it's important to keep a close eye on your credit reports from all three major credit bureaus — Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian — and learn how to read a credit report. How to read a credit reportMost credit reports are broken down into sections that make your information easier to understand and digest. InquiriesThe final part of your credit report, known as the inquiry section, contains a list of who has accessed your credit report in the last 24 months. Editor's Rating 4.6/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Editor's Rating 4.7/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Editor's Rating 4.6/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Learn more On Aura's website Learn More Learn more On IdentityForce's websiteDisputing incorrect informationUnfortunately, errors and fraud wind up on credit reports all the time.

Persons: —, Experian —, You'll, you've, You've, they're, haven't Organizations: Visa, Card, preapproved, Credit Monitoring, Chevron, Federal Trade Commission Locations: AnnualCreditReport.com

☆ The 'Trump trade' has divided health-care stocks into two camps. How to play the next moves
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

UNH 1M mountain UnitedHealth stock over the past month. Think Centene , Molina Healthcare , UnitedHealth and Humana , among others. Managed-care companies historically buck the broader trend of health stocks and outperform in the first year after an election, according to Raymond James. Unlike UnitedHealth, shares have fallen — down 3% — since the June debate. Raymond James sees Oscar Health , HCA Healthcare and Tenet Healthcare as beneficiaries of a victory by the left.

Persons: Raymond James, Chris Meekins, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, quieted, Biden, Meekins, Centene, Trump, Bernstein, Jefferies, David Windley, UnitedHealth, Ben Hendrix, Optum, John Ransom, Piper Sandler, Ransom, Lance Wilkes, Oscar, — Ransom, Oscar's Organizations: Affordable, Trump, UnitedHealth, Republican, Biden, GOP, Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice, ACA, Medicare, Molina Healthcare, RBC Capital Markets, CVS Health, RBC Capital, DOJ, Humana, Healthcare, GoodRx Holdings, Democratic, Oscar Health, Tenet Healthcare, Aetna Locations: Molina, UnitedHealth, U.S, Thursday's, Florida, Texas

Why scammers target student loan borrowersStudent loan scams are common, especially as confusion remains over student loan forgiveness. There are currently forgiveness programs in place for federal student loans, like Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and accommodating repayment options, like Income-Driven Repayment Plans. What are the real student loan forgiveness programs? Real student loan forgiveness programs include Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) forgiveness, teacher forgiveness, etc. Student loan scams: ConclusionDon't let scammers profit off your student debt.

Persons: Scammers, Biden, I've, you've Organizations: Public, of Education, Social, Federal, Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, Department of Education, Chevron, Real

☆ Donald Trump says he wouldn’t fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Don’t hold your breath
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump would not fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell if the former president wins the election in November, according to a Bloomberg interview published Tuesday. Powell, a registered Republican, was first tapped to helm the central bank by Trump in 2017. That still wouldn’t stop Trump from pushing to oust Powell before the Fed head’s term concludes in 2026. “He sued for reinstatement and even though he died while the litigation was pending, the Supreme Court still took up his case. It answers to Congress, not the US president, according to the law that established the central bank.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jerome Powell, he’d, Powell, Trump, “, he’s, reappoint Powell, Powell isn’t, William Humphrey, Franklin Roosevelt, ” Organizations: Washington CNN, Republican, Bloomberg, Trump, Fed, Democratic, House, Federal Trade Commission, Brookings Institution, Fed’s, Governors

☆ J.D. Vance’s A.I. Agenda: Reduce Regulation
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Cecilia Kang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Vance, Republican of Ohio, is a strong skeptic of regulating artificial intelligence. He’s also in favor of reining in Big Tech, companies he says have grown so powerful that they stymie smaller companies’ ability to succeed. That seeming contradiction could play a role in shaping the Trump administration’s stance on A.I. And he has strong ties with some of the tech industry’s most powerful backers, many of whom fund smaller A.I. Last week, during a committee hearing on privacy and A.I., Mr. Vance accused Big Tech companies of predicting that A.I.

Persons: J.D, Vance, He’s, Donald J, Trump, Vance —, —, Lina Khan Organizations: Republican, reining, Federal Trade Commission, Big Tech Locations: Ohio, Big Tech

☆ JD Vance's history shows how he splits from Republicans on some key issues
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-16 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

On Monday, former President Donald Trump selected the Republican senator from Ohio to serve as his running mate. He went from a "Never Trump Republican" to Trump's pick for vice president, and he supports a range of conservative issues, from increased tariffs to opposing abortion rights. When it comes to raising taxes, Vance also hasn't ruled out that possibility. Related storiesStill, on other issues like trade, abortion, and education, Vance has stayed behind Trump's policies. He also aligns with his party on issues like gun control, rejecting Democratic efforts for stricter gun laws.

Persons: JD Vance, Donald Trump, Vance, Trump, Hitler, Democratic Sen, Sherrod Brown, Elizabeth Warren, He's, Warren, Biden, Lina Khan, Khan, hasn't Organizations: Service, Corporate America, Republican, Business, GOP, Democratic, Trump, Biden, Federal Trade Commission, Big Tech Locations: Ohio, Silicon

☆ Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson, and David Sacks personally lobbied Trump to pick Vance: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-16 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewTesla billionaire Elon Musk, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and venture capitalist David Sacks personally lobbied Donald Trump to select JD Vance as his running mate, according to Axios. Axios said that a secret lobbying campaign continued into Monday morning, led by key figures such as Musk, Carlson, and Sacks. Tucker Carlson praised JD Vance after he was announced as Trump's VP nominee. Advertisement"When the Twin Towers came down, JD Vance enlisted in the Marine Corps, gung-ho to exact justice on America's enemies," Sacks wrote on X. Representatives for Donald Trump, JD Vance, Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson, and David Sacks did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Persons: —, Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson, David Sacks, Donald Trump, Vance, Trump, Mike Allen, Doug Burgum, Sen, Marco Rubio —, Axios, Carlson, Sacks, Carlson's, Rupert Murdoch, doesn't, JD Vance, Ivan Apfel, JD, America's Hitler, Sean Hannity Organizations: Service, Fox News, GOP, Business, Truth, CNN, — North Dakota Gov, Trump, Politico, Federal Trade, Big Tech, Marine Corps Locations: Ohio, United States, —, Ukraine, Israel, Europe, American

☆ Google is close to making its biggest acquisition ever
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-15 | by ( Matt Egan | Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Google owner Alphabet is in advanced discussions to buy fast-growing cybersecurity startup Wiz for roughly $23 billion, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to CNN. A takeover of Wiz, which makes cybersecurity software for cloud computing, would represent a major bet by Google on cybersecurity, marking the tech giant’s biggest-ever acquisition. Discussions between Google and Wiz began after the startup raised $1 billion from venture capital investors earlier this year, the source said. Google Cloud is central to the company’s efforts to diversity revenue beyond its core search advertising business. Notable customers include BMW, Slack and Salesforce, and it works with major cloud companies including Amazon, Microsoft and Google.

Persons: Wiz, Dan Ives, Biden, Trump, Ives, — Assaf Rappaport, Ami Luttwak, Yinon Costica, Roy Reznik, Slack Organizations: New, New York CNN, Google, CNN, Wiz, Wall Street, Motorola, Microsoft, Wedbush, White, Federal Trade Commission, Big Tech, Israel Defense Forces, Fortune, BMW, Amazon Locations: New York, New York City

☆ Amazon sellers lose coveted buy box ahead of Prime Day after Target discount snafu
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Even though Fishman is the owner of the VitaCup brand, he said he lost the buy box to a reseller of his coffee products. That meant it was indexed by Amazon's pricing algorithms, Fishman said, causing him to lose the buy box. Angus Mordant | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesWinning the buy box is paramount to a seller's success on Amazon. Nearly 98% of sales made on Amazon go through the buy box button, the FTC alleged in its suit. "The only way to get back the Amazon buy box is to lower our price on Amazon," Arnold said.

Persons: Tom Williams, Brandon Fishman, Fishman, I've, David Zapolsky, Amazon's, Target, Angus Mordant, Mason Arnold's, Arnold, Sunwink, we're Organizations: Washington , D.C, Cq, Inc, Target, Amazon, Walmart, Federal Trade Commission, JPMorgan, Bloomberg, Getty, FTC Locations: Washington ,, Harriman , New York

☆ Antitrust Regulator Tells Chains: Back Off Your Franchisees
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-12 | by ( Lydia Depillis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the long-simmering conflict between franchisers and franchisees, the federal government has weighed in on behalf of the smaller guys. In a business relationship that has become fundamental to American commerce, franchisers — brands like McDonald’s and Jiffy Lube — license the right to operate their concept to individual entrepreneurs, who provide start-up capital and may own one location or many. On Friday, the Federal Trade Commission issued a policy statement and staff guidance that cautioned franchisers not to restrict their franchisees’ ability to speak to government officials or to tack on fees that weren’t disclosed in documents provided to prospective franchise buyers. In a news release, the commission said it was acting amid “growing concern about unfair and deceptive practices by franchisers — to ensure that the franchise business model remains a ladder of opportunity to owning a business for honest small business owners.”

Persons: franchisers, weren’t, franchisers —, ” Organizations: Federal Trade Commission

☆ Stop & Shop is closing 32 locations. Here’s where
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-12 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Stop & Shop is closing 32 underperforming grocery stores across the US northeast as part of the company’s efforts to improve its financial performance. Shoppers are also being squeezed by higher prices at the grocery store, with food prices experiencing modest upticks last month, according to the newest inflation report. Ahold Delhaize, the chain’s Dutch parent company, revealed the locations Friday adding that they will close in early November. Stop & Shop said it “remains committed to serving its communities through other store locations, online shopping and home delivery services.” Employees impacted by the closures will be offered other opportunities in the company. In addition to operating Stop & Shop, Ahold Delhaize owns Food Lion and Giant grocery stores in the US.

Persons: ”, Gordon Reid, Ahold Delhaize, Albertson’s, “, Delhaize, Newton, Jackson, Johnston, Pittman Organizations: New, New York CNN, Aldi, Kroger, Federal Trade Commission, ” Employees, Food, Here’s, St, Stamford, Plymouth St, Needham St, Highway, Boston Turnpike, Cooley St, Paterson, Edison, Howell, Phillipsburg, Fulton, Sanford, West Haverstraw Rhode, Pittman St Locations: New York, Dutch, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Ansonia, Danbury, Bridgeport, Milford, High, Torrington Massachusetts, North Montello St, Brockton, Plymouth, Halifax, Needham, St, Pembroke, Raynham, Shrewsbury, Cooley, Springfield, Lincoln St . Worcester New Jersey, Franklin Township, County, Piscataway, Richmond, Pleasant Beach, Ringwood New York, Brooklyn, Hempstead Turnpike, East, ., Hempstead, Mt, Vernon, West Haverstraw, Providence, Eastside

☆ Microsoft's decision to give up OpenAI board observer seat doesn't quell key concerns
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Hayden Field | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella (R) speaks as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (L) looks on during the OpenAI DevDay event in San Francisco on Nov. 6, 2023. Microsoft has given up its observer seat on OpenAI's board. Apple , which was reportedly expected to take a similar observer position, will no longer pursue one, according to the Financial Times. "The timing of this move matters," Kak wrote in a message to CNBC. Kak told CNBC that regulators' pursuits are helping to get answers and deliver transparency.

Persons: Satya Nadella, Sam Altman, aren't, Amba Kak, Kak, Lina Khan Organizations: Microsoft, Apple, Financial Times, CNBC, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Justice Department, Nvidia Locations: San Francisco

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