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☆ TikTok helped Colleen Hoover sell 14.3 million copies of her books in 2022, new data shows. Here are 3 other key takeaways about BookTok's impact on sales.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Book sales declined 5.8%, but BookTok authors registered a 66% growth in 2022. NPD's BookTok authors list includes over 100 writers "featured prominently on TikTok's BookTok channel." These two charts show how much BookTok has grown over the years, and which BookTok authors have increased their sales in 2022. The power of BookTok goes beyond fictionIt's not just fiction authors like Hoover and Jenkins Reid who find success on the platform. "I cannot overstate the power of what's happening on BookTok," McLean said.

☆ Nvidia pops after strong quarter, guidance — showing why the stock still has long-term promise
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Nvidia (NVDA) reported better-than-expected fiscal 2023 fourth-quarter results after the closing bell Wednesday and a strong current-quarter forecast. As of Wednesday's close, Nvidia has been one of our best performers in 2023, up 42% this year. Essentially, this service provides customers the ability to access an Nvidia DGX super-computer with nothing more than their browsers and allows them to access Nvidia AI Enterprise for "training and deploying large language models or other AI workloads." Guidance Looking ahead to fiscal 2024 first quarter, management forecasted better-than-expected sales, adjusted gross margin and capital expenditures on a non-GAAP basis. Capital Allocation In its fiscal 2023 fourth quarter, Nvidia returned a total of $1.15 billion to shareholders via dividends and buybacks.

☆ There's 'nothing thesis-changing' about Coinbase despite fourth-quarter beat, some Wall Street firms say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The outlook for Coinbase changed little even after it beat analyst expectations in the latest quarter, some Wall Street firms say. Coinbase reported a loss of $2.46 per share on revenue of $629 million. Meanwhile, the firm's user base fell to 8.3 million monthly transacting users (MTUs) in the fourth quarter, down from 8.5 million in the previous quarter and the 8.22 million Street estimate compiled by StreetAccount. Bank of America's Jason Kupferberg was underwhelmed by the results, saying that there was "nothing thesis-changing in the print" despite the solid results. EBITDA beat was helped by lower opex.

☆ I made $363,000 last year from self-publishing my books. Here's how I did it spending less than $20 a week on ads and winning over BookTok.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

She connected with readers through authors' Facebook groups and by posting regularly on #BookTok. I decided to also publish my books through Kindle Select, which made my books accessible on Kindle Unlimited, a KDP subscription serviceI've always been a big reader, and I used Kindle Unlimited when I was struggling with money. I'd found so many authors I loved on Kindle Unlimited — it was important to me to have my book available there, too. I decided to make my books accessible to Kindle Unlimited readers. I connected with new readers by posting videos and doing takeovers of other author's Facebook pagesI hustled hard on social media.

Travel insurance weekly rates at a glance:Average premium: $316.57Average trip cost: $6,747.16Average trip length: 15 daysWhat is travel insurance? See Insider's picks for the best travel insurance »Some credit cards offer a limited amount of travel insurance annually. Insider's Featured Travel Insurance Companies World Nomads Travel InsuranceAllianz Travel InsuranceTravelex travel insurance Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Policy type Average days between purchase to trip Average trip length (days) Average trip cost Average cost of travel insurance Cancellation 53 13 $6,747.16 $396.32 Non-cancellation 16 19 N/A $91.01Source: SquareMouthWhen is the best time to travel? When calculating your travel insurance premium, travel insurance providers consider the likelihood of a medical emergency.

☆ Scoring the best deals on Presidents' Day holiday sales: 3 smart money moves to make as you shop
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Sharon Epperson | In Sharoneppersoncnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"For two reasons – the impact of inflation during a pandemic era and interest rates – what appears to be a deal may not be." Before you charge the purchase to a credit card, remember this is one of the most expensive ways to borrow money. The annual percentage rate on a credit card is at an all-time high of nearly 20%. Credit experts say that a cash-back rewards credit card with a 0% interest introductory offer may be an even better deal. Look for lower loan rates at a credit union: Many car brands offer Presidents' Day deals that lower the purchase price or interest rates or make lease deals more attractive.

☆ Words including 'fat,' 'ugly' and 'crazy' have been removed from Roald Dahl's books, but the publisher said the 'sharp-edged spirit' of the original text has been maintained
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Stephanie Stacey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Language in the latest editions of some Roald Dahl books has been changed, The Telegraph reported. The Roald Dahl Story Company said the changes mean the books "can continue to be enjoyed by all." Roald Dahl, who died in 1990, is one of the most successful authors of all time. The Roald Dahl Story Company, which manages the copyright of Roald Dahl's books and collaborated with Puffin to update the texts, said that "the irreverence and sharp-edged spirit" of the original books had not been lost. Many of Roald Dahl's books have been turned into films or TV shows.

☆ Israel cenbank to hike rates but analysts split on 25 or 50 bps
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The rate has jumped from 0.1% in what the central bank called a "front loading" cycle. But higher than expected inflation and growth data issued last week has analysts believing a stronger dose of 50 basis points was now possible. The annual inflation rate rose to a more than 14-year high of 5.4% in January, slightly above a Reuters consensus and December's rate of 5.3%. Of the 15 economists polled by Reuters, nine project a 25 basis points hike while six foresee 50 basis points when the central bank announces its decision on Monday at 4 pm (1400 GMT). "Apprehension regarding the negative impact on mortgage borrowers is the only factor that may moderate the increase in interest rates," said Bank Hapoalim economist Victor Bahar.

Identity theft is often a crime of opportunity, so reducing risk goes a long way to protect against identity theft. How to reduce the risk of identity theftEva Velasquez, president of the Identity Theft Resource Center, says it's best to take multiple steps to secure your identity. 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 4.8/5 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 On IDShield's website Learn more On IdentityForce's website1. While this doesn't necessarily prevent identity theft, it does mitigate any potential damages as a result of identity theft. You can report identity theft over the phone; however, you will not receive an identity theft report.

☆ Asia shares skid as rate-hike fears unnerve investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Tracking Wall Street, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was 0.68% lower and was set for its third straight week of losses. China shares (.SSEC) slipped 0.18% while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (.HSI) fell 0.09%. "The latest data supports the Fed view of needing to continue to raise rates and hold them there higher for longer." The market is now pricing U.S. interest rates to peak at 5.28% in July and remain above 5% till the end of the year. The two-year U.S. Treasury yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations, was up 4.2 basis points at 4.661%.

☆ TikTok had a big impact on book sales in 2022, with Colleen Hoover leading the way, according to new data. Here are 4 key takeaways about BookTok's effect on the industry.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

☆ Here are Friday's biggest analyst calls: Tesla, Nvidia, Roku, Coinbase, DraftKings, Disney & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Friday: Compass Point upgrades Coinbase to buy from neutral Compass said the "long-term opportunities outweigh near-term risks." Goldman Sachs reiterates Tesla as buy Goldman said it's bullish heading into the company's investor day on March 1. KeyBanc reiterates Nvidia as overweight KeyBanc raised its price target on the stock to $280 per share from $220. Daiwa reiterates Disney as buy Daiwa said it sees international growth for Disney which will further drive parks outperformance. Evercore ISI adds a positive tactical call on Walmart Evercore said it's bullish on Walmart heading into earnings next week.

☆ Fact Check-‘Democracy is nothing more than mob rule’ quote falsely attributed to Thomas Jefferson
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Former U.S. President Thomas Jefferson never said that “democracy is nothing more than mob rule,” contrary to claims on social media saying he made this statement. Users are sharing variations of this quote on Twitter (here) and Facebook (here), falsely attributing it to him. The website Monticello.org (www.monticello.org/), which is managed by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, included this statement in a list of spurious quotations (here). Reuters has previously debunked other quotes falsely attributed to Jefferson (here), (here). There is no evidence a quote saying that “democracy is nothing more than mob rule” was said by Thomas Jefferson.

☆ Beachgoer stumbles upon record-breaking 3 foot-long dinosaur footprint left over 160 million years ago
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A large dinosaur footprint left 166 million years ago was found on the British coast. It appears to capture the moment a Megalosaurus-like dinosaur stopped for a rest by the beach. The 3-foot-long footprint, discovered in Burniston Bay, captures the moment the dinosaur stopped to rest by the beach, according to new findings published Thursday. The footprint was likely left by a therapod, a class of two-legged dinosaurs with three toes that includes the Tyrannosaurus rex. The size of the footprint suggests the dinosaur was probably a Megalosaurus between 8 and 9 feet-high at the hip.

☆ It's far harder to cancel a subscription than it is to sign up for one. A bill in Congress wants to change that.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Consumers and advocates are fed up with it being incredibly difficult to cancel subscriptions. Only last year did the Times begin to allow digital subscribers to cancel their subscriptions directly, Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander told Insider. Planet Fitness is up front that its members must cancel at a gym or by mail, even if they can sign up online. Amazon agreed to change how users cancel its Prime membership after European regulators, US consumer groups, and, finally, the FTC stepped in. Then-DC Attorney Karl Racine went after the food delivery service Grubhub for hitting customers with hidden fees and using deceptive marketing about its subscription service.

☆ FTSE 100 at record high on positive Centrica, StanChart earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies FTSE 100 hits record high, trading above 8,000 pointsCentrica, StanChart, Relx jump on upbeat resultsVodafone rises on report of looking at options for Africa unitFTSE 100 up 0.3%, FTSE 250 adds 0.4%Feb 16 (Reuters) - UK's FTSE 100 rose to a record high on Thursday, underpinned by corporate earnings from Centrica and Standard Chartered, while higher commodity prices drove up heavyweight miners. The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) gained 0.3%, trading comfortably above the 8,000-point mark it had breached in the previous session. The exporter-heavy FTSE has had a stellar start to the year as positive corporate earnings and rising commodity prices supported the index. Shares of Centrica (CNA.L) jumped to top the FTSE 100, adding 4.2%, after the British gas owner's annual profit more than tripled and as it announced an extension of its share buyback programme. Standard Chartered (STAN.L) rose 1.8% after the lender reported a 28% rise in annual pretax profit and unveiled a $1 billion share buyback programme.

☆ Russia's budget deficit has surged. But economists say Moscow won't drain its war chest any time soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

However, both the Russian finance ministry and the central bank maintain that all of this is within their models. Christopher Granville, managing director of global political research at TS Lombard, noted two further factors distorting the most recent deficit figures. watch nowThe actual Urals price dived as a result, averaging just $46.8 per barrel during the period from mid-December to mid-January, according to the Russian finance ministry. The finance ministry also flagged massive advance payments for state procurement in January, which totaled five times those of January 2022. "Also, it has plans to issue debt, but this can only be done domestically so it's like a closed circuit — Russian banks buying debt from the Russian state, etcetera etcetera.

☆ ASML: Dutch chip firm says former China employee stole data
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —ASML, the Dutch chip equipment maker, has accused a former employee in China of stealing data related to its proprietary technology, in a case that highlights its importance in the global semiconductor supply chain as tension grows between the United States and China. The breach may have violated certain export control regulations, the company said Wednesday in its annual report, adding that it did not believe the incident was material to its business. The firm has reported the infraction to authorities and is now adding new “remedial measures in light of this incident,” it added. ASML had already been restricted from exporting its most advanced lithography technology to China since 2019. A Chinese industry group has spoken out about the reported agreement, saying it will hurt consumers and businesses alike.

☆ BlackRock downgrades Japan stocks on possible monetary policy shift
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Kazuhiro Nogi | Afp | Getty ImagesBlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, cut Japanese stocks to "underweight" – as Japan is set to appoint a new governor to lead its central bank. "We downgrade Japanese stocks on policy uncertainty and a worsening economic environment," BlackRock's research arm said Monday, before the government submitted its central bank picks to parliament. U.S. Treasury yields spiked, with the 10-year note and the 30-year note jumping 7 and 8 basis points respectively. One possibility is the Bank of Japan further widening its tolerance range beyond 50 basis points. Nikkei separately reported earlier this month that the central bank purchased 23.7 trillion yen ($182 billion) of JGBs in January, a new record high.

☆ Devon Energy shares drop 12% on disappointing earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Liz Hampton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Devon Energy Corp FollowDENVER, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Shares of U.S. shale oil producer Devon Energy (DVN.N) fell more than 12% at midday Wednesday after the company reported fourth quarter earnings that missed analysts' forecast on higher-than-expected expenses and lower production. The fire-hit gas compression facility will resume operations at the end of the first quarter, executives said during an earnings call on Wednesday. Wall Street analysts had a negative view of the results, pointing to higher capital spending, lower production and a profit miss. "Disappointing print on Q4," wrote analysts for Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co, pointing to capital expenditures, which at $3.7 billion is 5% above expectations, as well as lower earnings and free cash flow. The company posted adjusted earnings of $1.66 per share for the fourth-quarter versus analysts' expectations of $1.75 a share, according to Refinitiv data.

☆ Tesla workers reportedly say the company tracks their keystrokes to make sure they're actively working, the latest complaint of workplace monitoring
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Grace Kay | Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tesla workers in New York say their keystrokes are monitored to ensure they're actively working, Bloomberg reported. The workers emailed Elon Musk to inform him they were campaigning for a union, the publication said. Insider reported last year that Tesla began tracking workers' office attendance using an automated system to track when staff badged in or out of its offices. Last year, The New York Times reported that about eight out of the ten largest private US employers track staff productivity. Do you work for Tesla or have some insight to share?

☆ The behind-the-scenes role that's minting future stars at BlackRock
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Some of the most powerful people on Wall Street are men and women you've never heard of. Click here to learn more about BlackRock's new chief of staff and why the role is rising in importance across Wall Street. Everybody wants macro traders. A fintech helping companies engage with their retail investors got backing from Alexis Ohanian's Seven Seven Six. These are the top 10 holdings in the church's investment portfolio, including one Wall Street titan.

More than 105,000 people were injured in the quake, he said, with more than 13,000 still being treated in hospital. Afterwards, Gungor's relatives hugged the rescue team, made up of military personnel and members of the disaster management authority AFAD. Families in both Turkey and Syria said they and their children were dealing with the psychological aftermath of the quake. A first convoy of U.N. aid entered rebel-held northwest Syria from Turkey via the newly-opened Bab al-Salam crossing. Russia also said it was wrapping up its search and rescue work in Turkey and Syria and preparing to withdraw.

Two-year Treasury yields hit their highest in three months at 4.65%, now on par with the current Fed policy rate. Morgan Stanley's Matthew Hornbach described the payrolls as a "mood changing" print that's seen markets chase rates higher as if gripped by a sort of reverse FOMO - fear of missing out. Reports circulated last week of swaps and options market activity on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange that bet on market rates touching 6%, or at least hedging against that possibility. If that's true, the battle over the terminal rate may now be overtaken by how long the Fed can keep rates higher to achieve its goals. BofA chart on peak rates from fund manager surveyInflationThe opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.

☆ US stocks end volatile session mixed after inflation cools by less than expected
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

US stocks finish Tuesday's choppy session on a mixed note. January headline inflation cooled to 6.2% but the rate was higher than anticipated. Core CPI, which strips out energy and food prices, rose 0.4% for the month. "The journey to get to normal inflation rates will be a bumpy ride as energy and commodity prices should rebound with China dropping its zero COVID policies." A ninth straight rate hike is likely to arrive in March.

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