DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ U.S. home buyers persevere despite high rates, prices: study
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Nupur Anand | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, May 9 (Reuters) - U.S. home buyers are still committed to their plans to buy a property despite rising interest rates, high inflation and slowing growth, according to a study by Bank of America (BAC.N) published on Tuesday. Of the 1,000 respondents surveyed, 54% said they will speed up their home purchase plans, or stick to their original timing, even as prices rise and inventory stays low. Buying a home is an even bigger priority for people under 40 than other age groups, the study showed. Almost half of the prospective buyers surveyed by BofA said they were looking to buy a house because they are tired of renting and rent increases. Reporting by Nupur Anand in New York; Editing by Lananh Nguyen and Sharon SingletonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ After 35 years in flight, the US military says it's done buying one of its most unique and controversial aircraft
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Since its first flight in 1989, the V-22 Osprey has provided a unique capability to the US military. One of them is the V-22 Osprey, a unique and controversial aircraft that has carried conventional troops and special operators around the world for two decades. US Navy/Vernon PughIn the three decades since its first flight, the V-22 Osprey has brought a distinct capability to the US military's aviation fleet, despite its troubled development. Conventional and special-ops missionsUS Air Force special tactics operators fast rope from a CV-22B during an exercise in the UK in April 2021. In August 2022, Air Force Special Operations Command grounded its CV-22s over issues with its clutch, which had caused several "safety incidents."

☆ Instant View: Solid April US jobs report undermines case for Fed cut soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

ANTHONY SAGLIMBENE, CHIEF MARKET STRATEGIST, AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL, TROY, MICHIGAN“It's definitely telling you that the job market is still hot. PETER CARDILLO, CHIEF MARKET ECONOMIST, SPARTAN CAPITAL SECURITIES, NEW YORK“It was a hotter than expected report, it certainly didn’t show any cooling in the labor market. Hourly earnings were a little higher than I was looking for.”“Bottom line, this is a strong report and shows that the labor market is resilient. So I think the real focus is on the inflation numbers, and what's happening with wage growth. We are hopeful the continued strength of the jobs market and signs of slowing inflation will ease market volatility in the coming months.

☆ The British Coronation: A TV Spectacle, Now for the Digital Age
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Alan Cowell | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Some members of the British hierarchy wished to keep cameras out of the inner sanctum of Westminster Abbey, where the queen was crowned. “The world would have been a happier place if television had never been discovered,” the Most Rev. Geoffrey F. Fisher, then the archbishop of Canterbury, who presided over the queen’s coronation, was quoted as saying. Where his mother’s crowning bathed the monarchy in uncontested splendor, Charles’s challenge is to focus a much more diffuse spotlight. While Elizabeth’s coronation required only around 20 cameras, Charles’s crowning is set to be broadcast on the BBC’s hi-definition iPlayer streaming service, alongside television coverage.

☆ Hong Kong: One of the world's most expensive cities raises minimum wage by 32 cents
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

So when the Hong Kong government raised the minimum wage by a measly 32 cents on Monday, activists and community workers were scathing in their response. “It cannot cover basic needs in Hong Kong.”The new minimum wage now stands at 40 Hong Kong dollars ($5.1) per hour, up from the previous 37.5 Hong Kong dollars ($4.78) per hour. But Wong said this new increase will make little difference in Hong Kong, consistently ranked one of the world’s most expensive cities. The city’s median hourly wage last year was 77.4 Hong Kong dollars ($9.86), according to the Census and Statistics Department. A demonstration from the Hong Kong Women Workers Association in front of the Central Government Office on May 1, 2023.

☆ Amazon's $300 million new spy series 'Citadel' debuts to mediocre reviews and could be another high-profile miss for the streamer
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Amazon's ambitious new spy series, "Citadel," starring Priyanka Chopra, premiered today. Costing as much as an estimated $300 million, it stands to be one of the most expensive series ever made. It has a 56% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 41 reviews. Amazon has a lot riding on its new ambitious spy series, "Citadel," but so far critics are less than impressed. Rotten Tomatoes deems a 60% score or less to be "rotten."

A Star Ferry ship parked in front of the Hong Kong Skyline on October 13, 2022 in Hong Kong, China. (Photo by Vernon Yuen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)Asia-Pacific markets fell on Thursday after minutes from the March Federal Open Market Committee meeting showed that Fed officials see the U.S. economy entering a recession in the wake of the banking crisis. Comments from the Fed erased earlier gains seen on Wall Street after the release of the U.S. consumer price index report that showed inflation cooled in March. The CPI rose 0.1% for the month against a Dow Jones estimate for 0.2%, and 5% from a year ago versus the estimate of 5.1%. Excluding food and energy, the core CPI rose 0.4% and 5.6% on an annual basis.

☆ Jailed former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak loses final bid to review graft conviction
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak (C) greets supporters as he walks out during a break in the trial during an appeal against his corruption conviction over the 1MDB financial scandal, at the federal court in Putrajaya, on Aug. 23, 2022. Malaysia's top court on Friday dismissed a bid by jailed former prime minister Najib Razak to review his corruption conviction over the multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB, ending Najib's judicial efforts to challenge the guilty verdict. Najib was jailed last year after Malaysia's Federal Court upheld a guilty verdict and 12-year prison sentence handed down to him by a lower court. Federal Court Judge Vernon Ong said a five-member panel voted 4-1 to dismiss Najib's application to review the conviction. "In the final analysis, and having regard to all circumstances, we are constrained to say that the applicant (Najib) was the author of his own misfortunes," Ong said.

☆ Jailed Malaysian ex-PM Najib loses final bid to review graft conviction
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Rozanna Latiff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (Reuters) - Malaysia's top court on Friday dismissed a bid by jailed former prime minister Najib Razak to review his corruption conviction over the multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB, ending Najib's judicial efforts to challenge the guilty verdict. Najib was jailed last year after Malaysia's Federal Court upheld a guilty verdict and 12-year prison sentence handed down to him by a lower court. Federal Court Judge Vernon Ong said a five-member panel voted 4-1 to dismiss Najib's application to review the conviction. Najib faces three other trials related to graft at 1MDB and other government agencies. Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Writing by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Ed Davies and Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

A Cruise Ship next to Hong Kong Skyline on March 21, 2023 in Hong Kong, China. (Photo by Vernon Yuen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)Asia-Pacific markets were mixed on Monday as investors continue to assess the impact of the banking troubles in the U.S and Europe. On Friday, Deutsche Bank saw a selloff of its U.S.-listed shares, after the German lender's credit default swaps jumped, without an apparent catalyst. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.26%, while Japan's Nikkei 225 also opened 0.15% higher and the Topix climbed 0.21%. Hong Kong markets were also poised to fall, with Hang Seng futures trading at 19,864 compared to 19,915.68.

☆ Russian state media touts video of schoolchildren in Crimea drilling with rifles and training in hand-to-hand combat
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A new video shows schoolchildren in Crimea training with rifles and completing hand-to-hand combat. The lessons are reportedly part of a training course that will come to other schools this year. The lessons appear to be part of a military training course that students across grade levels are participating in. In the video, originally shared by RIA Novosti Crimea, students first handle rifles in a competitive timed exercise. The new strategy marks a shift from Wagner's previous efforts to recruit Russian prisoners in exchange for reduced jail time.

☆ Instant View: U.S. February CPI increase leaves market guessing on Fed
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Core CPI without food and energy prices increased 0.5% after rising 0.4% in January. Year over year core CPI gained 5.5% vs 5.6% in January. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast monthly CPI and core CPI up 0.4%. So they're going to have to respond to the banking crisis that's probably just not over yet." If the Fed’s worried about saving face or coming off as wishy washy or worried about losing credibility with the market, they're going to raise by 25 basis points.

☆ New York bike path attacker spared death penalty after jury deadlocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Jane RosenbergNEW YORK, March 13 (Reuters) - Sayfullo Saipov, the man convicted of killing eight people in an attack on a Manhattan bike path in 2017, was spared the death penalty on Monday after a federal jury deadlocked on whether he should be executed. Saipov's case is the first federal death penalty trial since President Joe Biden, a Democrat, took office in 2021 after pledging during his campaign to abolish capital punishment. Jurors agreed that other aggravating factors weighed in favor of the death penalty, including that Saipov planned his attack in advance and carried it out to support Islamic State. Patton said in his closing argument that the death penalty was "not necessary to do justice." Prosecutors sought the death penalty despite U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland's July 2021 moratorium on federal executions so the Department of Justice could review its use of the punishment.

☆ New spy series 'Citadel' is Amazon Studios' most ambitious — and riskiest — bet ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

"Citadel," Amazon Studios' ambitious spy series, is on track to be one of the costliest series ever made. Amazon Studios early on was known for prestige shows like "Transparent" and "Maisel" as well as action hits like "Jack Ryan." Amazon Studios' Head of Global Television, Vernon Sanders, told Insider that "Citadel" is new territory for the company. Inside and outside of Amazon Studios, there are concerns about a lack of clear creative direction as well as the division's future role in the larger Amazon ecosystem. Insider spoke to 21 current and recently departed Amazon Studios executives, Hollywood agents, and other industry insiders about the opportunities and challenges.

☆ How 'Citadel,' Amazon Studios' ambitious new spy series from the Russo brothers, became one of the costliest shows ever made
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

☆ Amazon Studios is growing fast and spending big on shows like 'Citadel,' but insiders say unclear creative direction, leadership shifts, and tech bureaucracy threaten to drive away staff and talent
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Lucia Moses | Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

The dust has been settling at Amazon Studios after a big reorg in the fall that solidified Jen Salke's power. Yet Amazon Studios faces major challenges. Amazon Studios' Head of Global Television Vernon Sanders told Insider that the goal is to deliver content with global cultural relevance. Amazon Prime VideoWhile spending on such big swings has soared, some insiders see far less budgetary support for underrepresented casts. "I do think people wonder what's the commitment to Amazon Studios," the current insider said.

/USThe dollar index fell 0.21% from one-month highs, while the Japanese yen gained 1.21% to 131.08 per dollar after unusually strong Japanese wage data. The Australian dollar bolted 1.02% higher after its central bank reiterated further increases would be needed. Asian stocks stabilized overnight after they, like most global share markets, suffered steep losses following that U.S jobs data. Oil prices climbed more than 3% after Powell eased market concerns over rate hikes, while recovering demand in China also boosted prices. Gold eked out gains, tracking a slight pullback in the dollar, as investors mulled comments by Powell and the outlook for the Fed's rate-hike policy.

"We didn't expect it to be this strong," Powell said, but it "shows why we think this will be a process that takes quite a bit of time." It has just confounded all sorts of attempts to predict," Powell said, noting that wage growth has slowed even with continued strong job gains. Officials raised the target interest rate a quarter point to a range between 4.5% and 4.75% at that session, and said in the latest policy statement that "ongoing increases" would be needed. 1 2 3 4 5As of December, the Fed's preferred measure of inflation was increasing at a 5% annual rate, still more than double the Fed's target. While Powell said he expected "significant declines in inflation" this year, the U.S. economy was still "in the beginning of getting that down."

☆ Bed Bath & Beyond just missed another debt payment. See the full list of stores it will close, including Harmon and Buybuy Baby locations.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Avery Hartmans | Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

In addition to 87 more Bed Bath & Beyond stores, the company now says it will close all of its remaining Harmon health and beauty stores, and five Buybuy Baby stores. San Leandro: 15555 East 14th St., Suite 24015555 East 14th St., Suite 240 Burbank: 201 East Magnolia Blvd. Marina: 117 General Stilwell Drive117 General Stilwell Drive Vallejo: 105 Plaza Drive, Suite 107105 Plaza Drive, Suite 107 * Palm Desert: 72459 Highway 11172459 Highway 111 * Visalia: 3125 South Mooney Blvd. Arterial * Coralville: 2515 Corridor Way Suite 5Kansas:Lawrence: 3106 S. Iowa St., Suite 2153106 S. Iowa St., Suite 215 Manhattan: 425 3rd Place425 3rd Place * Olathe: 15335 W. 119th St.Kentucky:Elizabethtown: 1998 N. Dixie Ave.1998 N. Dixie Ave. New Hartford: 4805 Commercial Drive4805 Commercial Drive Kingston: 1187 Ulster Ave.1187 Ulster Ave. Plattsburgh: 73 Centre Drive, Suite 10073 Centre Drive, Suite 100 Farmingdale: 251 Airport Plaza Blvd.

☆ Bernstein's David Vernon discusses his favorite airline stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | 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 EmailBernstein's David Vernon discusses his favorite airline stocksDavid Vernon, a senior transportation analyst at Bernstein, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss how to trade airline names, the top airline stock to buy now, and the demand for travel in recession times.

After finding Sayfullo Saipov guilty of committing murder with the goal of joining the militant group Islamic State, also known as ISIS, the Manhattan jury will return on Feb. 6 to consider whether the death penalty is appropriate punishment. The only point of contention between prosecutors and Saipov's lawyers was whether the defendant carried out the attack in order to join Islamic State, which the United States brands a terrorist organization. These included murder and attempted murder to gain entrance to Islamic State, providing material support to a terrorist organization, and damage or destruction of a motor vehicle. The U.S. Department of Justice said in September that it intends to seek the death penalty for Saipov, despite a moratorium on federal executions since July 2021 as the department reviews the practice. Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler, Bill Berkrot and David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with Bernstein's David Vernon
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | 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 EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with Bernstein's David VernonDavid Vernon, a senior transportation analyst at Bernstein, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss how to trade airline names, the top airline stock to buy, and more.

☆ New York girl, 15, sentenced to up to 9 years in jail in fatal stabbing of cheerleader
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

A 15-year-old New York girl who fatally stabbed a 16-year-old cheerleader in April has been sentenced to up to nine years behind bars. The April 8 stabbing unfolded after a parade was held to honor the boys basketball team at Mount Vernon High School for its state championship win. The defendant stabbed Green in the abdomen with a knife on Gramatan Avenue in Mount Vernon, prosecutors said. We had a young lady in school, wreaking havoc in the Mount Vernon school system." NBC News has reached out to an attorney for the teen defendant, and the school district, for comment.

The court trial to decide whether a tweet Elon Musk sent in 2018 cost Tesla investors millions of dollars will resume Friday, with Musk himself potentially taking the stand. Tesla shareholders are suing the company to recoup losses they say they suffered amid Musk's claims that he had "secured" money to take the company private at $420 per share. Had the plan ultimately materialized, people who owned shares of Tesla at the time could have earned profits on their holdings. After the trial adjourned Wednesday, Porritt told The Associated Press he hopes to call Musk to the stand Friday after two other witnesses testify. Littleton told the nine-person San Francisco jury that Musk’s claim about the financing alarmed him.

☆ Wall St Week Ahead Tech stock rebound faces doubters with earnings season ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Lewis Krauskopf | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index (.NDX) has gained over 3% in 2023, double the rise for the S&P 500 (.SPX). The Nasdaq 100 fell 33% in 2022, while the S&P 500 lost 19.4%. Apple, the largest U.S. company by market value, and Google-parent Alphabet report the following week. Fourth-quarter earnings in the tech sector are expected to have declined 9.1% from a year ago, compared to a 2.8% decline for S&P 500 earnings overall, according to Refinitiv IBES. The S&P 500 tech sector still trades at a roughly 19% premium to the broader index, above its 7% average of the past 10 years, according to Refinitiv Datastream.

Search resuls for: "VERNON"

25 mentions found