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☆ Tesla under fire in Germany over union concerns on working hours, contracts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Workers were also increasingly fearful about discussing their working conditions openly because of non-disclosure agreements they were told to sign along with their work contracts, IG Metall said. Over time we are observing that this enthusiasm is withering," Irene Schulz of IG Metall Berlin-Brandenburg-Sachsen said in a statement. "Tesla is not doing enough to improve working conditions and is leaving too little time for leisure, family and recovery." Tesla China has also asked some staff to sign non-disclosure agreements, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter. Reuters found several people on LinkedIn with the title of "Security Intelligence Investigator" working for Tesla in Austin, San Francisco and Shanghai.

☆ A major union in Germany says workers at Tesla's Berlin factory face unreasonable working hours and fear speaking out
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A major German union has criticized the working conditions at Tesla's giant Berlin plant. IG Metall said long hours mean workers have too little time for "leisure, family, and relaxation." At the conference, IG Metall, a German union representing workers at Tesla's Gigafactory has criticized the electric carmaker for poor working conditions, Reuters reported. Tesla did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside normal US working hours. Tesla struggled to hire at the Berlin-based factory because of low wages, IG Metall told Bloomberg in June.

When it comes to understanding what happens to people as they go through life, pictures of entire lives—of the choices people make and the paths they follow, and how it all works out for them—are almost impossible to get. Most of what we know about human life we know from asking people to remember the past, and memories are full of holes. The more time that passes, the more details we forget, and research shows that the act of recalling an event can actually change our memory of it. But what if we could watch entire lives as they unfold through time? What if we could study people from the time that they were teenagers all the way into old age to see what really matters to a person’s health and happiness, and which investments really paid off?

☆ Wall St Week Ahead U.S. investors hunt for gains in foreign stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Lewis Krauskopf | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Europe's STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) has gained some 17% since the end of the third quarter, versus 11% for the U.S. benchmark S&P 500. MSCI's gauge of global stocks excluding the U.S. has risen more than 20% over that time. The firm last month rotated more into international equities as it increased its overall stock exposure, de Longis said. US vs European stock performanceInternational stocks were recently touted by investor Jeffrey Gundlach of DoubleLine Capital and BofA Global Research, which projected global stocks would "crush" their U.S peers in 2023. Buying international stocks could be a "complement" to the opportunity domestically, said Mona Mahajan, senior investment strategist at Edward Jones.

☆ ‘The Good Life’ Review: The Habit of Happiness
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Richard J. Mcnally | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

What constitutes a life well-lived? In their captivating book “The Good Life: Lessons From the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness,” the psychiatrist Robert Waldinger and the clinical psychologist Marc Schulz convey key lessons that arise from studying the lifetimes of hundreds of individuals across the 20th and 21st centuries. Dr. Waldinger teaches at Harvard Medical School; Mr. Schulz at Bryn Mawr. They are the current directors of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, an investigation now in its 85th year of data collection. The purpose of both studies, long since merged, was to identify predictors of health, happiness and flourishing in young adulthood and beyond.

☆ Here are some strategies that can help you dig out of holiday debt
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Sharon Epperson | In Sharoneppersoncnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A new LendingTree study found 35% of Americans amassed holiday debt in 2022. And 37% of those taking on holiday debt said it would take them at least five months to pay it off. If you want to pay off your holiday debt well before this summer, here are seven steps you need to take now. Using less than 30% of your available credit can help you maintain your score, credit experts say, while using less than 10% can actually help raise that number. "A 0% balance transfer card, if you have good enough credit to get one, is the best weapon against credit card debt," said Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree.

☆ Building emergency savings is a top financial resolution for 2023, survey finds. Here’s how to get started
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Jenkin, who co-wrote a book called "The 21-Day Budget Cleanse," recommends people take a detox-type approach to their household budgets. "Most people really haven't taken the time to see where they're overspending and size up what the difference is," Jenkin said. That's "troubling" now, as interest rates on those debts are poised to continue to climb, according to Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree. Look for higher rates on your cashAs interest rates climb, that's good news for the money you stand to earn on your cash. Online savings accounts and certificates of deposit, or CDs, are providing the highest interest rates in more than a decade.

☆ Carrying holiday debt may be especially troubling these days. These 5 tips can help you knock down those balances faster
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

High inflation and rising interest rates mean holiday shoppers who turned to credit cards and other methods of borrowing are left with bigger balances this year. Slightly more than a third, or 35%, of shoppers took on debt this holiday season, down from 36% last year, according to a new survey from LendingTree. But the average debt borrowers took on climbed to $1,549 in 2022, a 24% increase from last year's average of $1,249. Most people — 63% — who took on debt were not planning to do so, up from 54% last year. Even in the best economic conditions, most people have a tiny financial margin for error, according to Schulz.

☆ Holiday shoppers racked up tons of debt — but no one seems to be in a hurry to pay it back
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Americans took on an average of $1,549 in debt for the 2022 holiday shopping season, according to a LendingTree survey. One in three holiday debtors admit it will take them five months or more to pay back what they owe. Over a third of respondents told LendingTree it would take them at least five months to pay off holiday shopping debt. And while two-thirds of shoppers told LendingTree they hadn't planned to go into debt this holiday season, about a fifth of holiday debtors spent $500 or more on the most expensive gift they purchased. However, Schulz wrote, debt easily paid off in a month or two isn't much to be concerned about.

☆ Credit card debt is getting more expensive—here are 3 steps to help pay it off quicker
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

It's getting more expensive to pay down credit card debt. "Credit card interest rates are as high as they've ever been," Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree, tells CNBC Make It. Since most credit cards have a variable interest rate, there's direct connection between the Fed's rate hikes and the interest rate you're charged on your credit card. A higher interest rate also means that your credit card debt will cost more to pay off, Schulz says. If you're feeling discouraged by credit card debt, here are three steps you can take now.

☆ Japan's domestic economy is in 'good shape' but its export outlook is mixed, economist says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | 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 EmailJapan's domestic economy is in 'good shape' but its export outlook is mixed, economist saysMartin Schulz of Fujitsu discusses the factor that's helping the country's overall economy "tremendously."

☆ How 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' became a holiday music hit
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Aj Willingham | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —The familiar tunes of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” transport us. In 1965, when “A Charlie Brown Christmas” first aired, Christmas jazz wasn’t exactly a thing. The musical formula they created didn’t just make “A Charlie Brown Christmas” an instant hit. “Bossa nova was one of the things that helped smooth its way to popularity.”A still from 1965's "A Charlie Brown Christmas." A woman listens to music from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" on her phone in 2013.

☆ Fact Check-USA Today headline saying Musk company killed 3,000 monkeys is not real
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An image of a fabricated USA Today headline is circulating on social media that claims Neuralink, Elon Musk’s company working on brain-implant technology, has killed 3,000 monkeys. The altered headline in full reads, “Elon Musk’s Neuralink implants have killed nearly 3000 monkeys since last December, 98% fatality rate” and was purportedly written by Bailey Schulz, a general assignment money reporter at USA Today. A viral tweet that shared the fabricated headline on Dec. 1 received over 100,600 likes and 8,200 retweets at the time of writing (here). Gannett, the media company that owns USA Today, confirmed via email that the headline is fake and never appeared on usatoday.com. A USA Today headline that says Neuralink killed 3,000 monkeys is fabricated.

☆ People with perfect credit scores have 3 key traits in common, Experian reports
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The few people who do manage to achieve perfect credit scores tend to share three key traits, according to Experian's latest analysis. People with perfect scores are typically older"You're not likely to see many 25-year-olds with a perfect credit score," Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst for LendingTree, tells CNBC Make It. People with 850 credit scores tend to carry about $2,588 in credit card debt, compared to the national average of $5,221. A near-perfect credit score is good enoughAlthough having a perfect 850 credit score may earn you bragging rights, it doesn't come with many additional benefits. "The reality is that you're not going to get anything with an 850 credit score than you wouldn't be able to get with an 830 credit score, or really even a 780 or 790 credit score," says Schulz.

☆ Rolls-Royce successfully tests hydrogen-powered jet engine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Britain's Rolls-Royce (RR.L) said it has successfully run an aircraft engine on hydrogen, a world aviation first that marks a major step towards proving the gas could be key to decarbonising air travel. The ground test, using a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A regional aircraft engine, used green hydrogen created by wind and tidal power, the British company said on Monday. They said they were already planning a second set of tests, with a longer-term ambition to carry out flight tests. Planemaker Airbus is working with French-U.S. engine maker CFM International to test hydrogen propulsion technology. Other technologies backed by companies such as Rolls-Royce include electric engines, which would be initially suitable for short flights, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

☆ Millennials have the most credit card debt in these 10 places — and California's not on the list
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

On average, millennials owe about $4,930 in credit card debt, according to the latest data from credit bureau Experian. But in some places, the average amount of credit card debt for millennials, who range in age from 26 to 41, is even higher. And despite California being one of the most expensive states to live in 2022, it didn't rank as one the top 10 places where millennials have a lot of credit card debt. Here's a look at the places where millennials carry the most credit card debt, on average, as of 2021. How to tackle credit card debt

☆ How a TikTok partnership became a hit station for SiriusXM, as satellite radio courts a younger audience
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"We're really thrilled with the response the station has had," Steve Blatter, the senior vice president and general manager of music programming at SiriusXM, told Insider. "We did go through a very hefty host-selection process," said William Gruger, who works on global music programming at TikTok. Branching out to a younger audienceSiriusXM views TikTok Radio as a path to attracting the next generation of subscribers. "Our first reaction to who might be listening to TikTok Radio is a younger audience, which I think it definitely is," Steinbock said. For the TikTok Radio hosts themselves, preparing for a SiriusXM recording session often just means bingeing on TikTok like a typical user.

☆ Inside TikTok's radio station, where creators are hosts and memes reach parents and Uber drivers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"We're really thrilled with the response the station has had," Steve Blatter, the senior vice president and general manager of music programming at SiriusXM, told Insider. In between tracks, the channel's hosts, who are TikTok creators themselves, often explain how a song went viral on the app. "We did go through a very hefty host-selection process," said William Gruger, who works on global music programming at TikTok. Branching out to a younger audienceSiriusXM views TikTok Radio as a path to attracting the next generation of subscribers. For the TikTok Radio hosts themselves, preparing for a SiriusXM recording session often just means bingeing on TikTok like a typical user.

To combat high inflation, the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates this year at the fastest clip in 40 years. But analysts warn that high interest rates and potentially unfavorable terms can trip up shoppers, eroding the hoped-for savings. That’s the highest interest rate since the credit card marketplace began tracking it for store cards in 2018. Using credit cards can help build credit. And with fees and rates for new store cards even higher than the current record levels for traditional credit cards, “many people’s financial margin for error is basically zero,” Schulz says.

☆ Costlier credit: Some retailers' cards now carry APRs of more than 30%
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Minneapolis CNN Business —There has long been a threshold that few issuers of store-branded credit cards have been willing to surpass: the 30% annual percentage rate. At least a half-dozen major retail credit cards — including those for Kroger, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Shell, Exxon Mobil and Wayfair — recently bumped up their maximum APRs to more than 30%, according to Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst for LendingTree. And that credit is getting costlier as high inflation is forcing American consumers to rack up more debt. The increases come amid robust consumer demand and higher prices for everything from mortgages to food to fuel. “Credit cards are like power tools,” Rossman said.

☆ Interest rates on retail credit cards are 'crazy high,' with some topping 30%. 4 things to consider before opening one
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Getty ImagesThat offer for a store credit card may sound tempting as you're shopping this holiday season. As the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, credit card annual percentage rates — a measure for the yearly cost of borrowing money — are climbing higher. That is especially true for retail credit cards, which tend to charge the most. Credit card interest rates more broadly recently soared to 19.04%. Borrowers with existing retail credit cards may also see the rates they are charged go up soon, Schulz said.

☆ Premarket stocks: What midterm elections could mean for the US economy
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN Business —Tuesday’s midterm elections come at a time of economic vulnerability for the United States. Americans are feeling the pain of rising interest rates and are facing a winter filled with geopolitical tension. If Republicans get the House, tax hikes are dead in the water,” said David Wagner, a portfolio manager with Aptus Capital Advisors. Biden’s stock market record is the second worst since Jimmy CarterThe stock market under President Biden started with a boom, but as we head into midterm elections, markets are going bust, reports my colleague Matt Egan. By contrast, Biden’s two immediate predecessors headed into their first midterm election with stock markets surging.

☆ Former Pope Benedict to mount legal defense over abuse cover-up accusation
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Former Pope Benedict XVI plans to defend himself in a civil lawsuit lodged at a German court by a man who accuses him of helping to cover up historical abuse, a court spokesperson said on Tuesday. A spokesperson for the Traustein court confirmed a report by the DPA press agency that the former Pope would defend himself through a law firm. That does not mean that Benedict, now 95, will himself appear in court in his defense. But a court spokesperson said that the court can demand that defendants appear. "If they don't, the reputational damage will grow and the Catholic Church will hasten the erosion of faith," said Schulz, confirming comments he made to DPA.

☆ US consumers borrowed $25 billion more in September
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Minneapolis CNN Business —American consumers borrowed another $25 billion in September, according to newly released Federal Reserve data, as higher costs led to further dependence on credit cards and other loans. “Generally speaking with cards, it’s getting harder to get a credit card,” Schulz said in an interview with CNN Business. According to the October 2022 senior loan officer opinion survey, standards tightened for approval of credit card loans while demand increased. That’s likely showing up in this consumer credit data, he said. “Any time you have credit card debt growth, it can either be a sign of confidence or a sign of struggle — it’s usually both,” he said.

☆ Here's what the Federal Reserve's fourth 0.75 percentage point interest rate hike means for you
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The Federal Reserve raised the target federal funds rate by 0.75 percentage point for the fourth time in a row on Wednesday, marking an unprecedented pace of rate hikes. The federal funds rate, which is set by the central bank, is the interest rate at which banks borrow and lend to one another overnight. As the federal funds rate rises, the prime rate does, as well, and your credit card rate follows suit within one or two billing cycles. Still, it's not the interest rate but the sticker price of the vehicle that's causing an affordability problem, McBride said. Federal student loan rates are also fixed, so most borrowers won't be impacted immediately by a rate hike.

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