DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Tesla's April sales of China-made EVs down 14.7% from March -CPCA
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING/SHANGHAI, May 5 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) delivered 75,842 China-made electric vehicles (EVs) in April, down 14.7% from March, data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed on Friday. The figure was a huge jump from a year earlier, when the city of Shanghai - where Tesla has a factory - was in COVID-19 lockdown and the company delivered only 1,512 China-made Model 3 and Model Y cars in the world's largest auto market. Local rival BYD Co (002594.SZ), with its Dynasty and Ocean series of EVs and hybrids, sold 209,467 vehicles in April, CPCA data showed, up 1.6% from March. Reporting by Qiaoyi Li, Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh Editing by Jamie Freed and David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Tesla's price cuts and hikes explained: Why it seems like Elon Musk can't make up his mind on pricing
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The latest price hikes could mean Tesla is done lathering on the discounts for now. Elon Musk is changing his mind about Tesla pricing – again. Recent hikes are a sign to investors that Musk is likely done price-slashing for now. Even with this hike, base Model Y prices are down 24% since January and base Model 3 prices are down 14% over the same period. "When you lease, you can really bypass a lot of the problems that come with pricing," Drury said.

☆ Slower US job growth expected in April; unemployment rate seen rising to 3.6%
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The unemployment rate is forecast to have risen to a still historically low 3.6%. "The labor market is slowly bending, but not breaking," said Sam Bullard, a senior economist at Wells Fargo in Charlotte, North Carolina. "There is continued resilience in the labor market right now, but the trend is one that is continuing to see a decelerating pace of momentum." The service-providing sector likely accounted for most of the anticipated job gains in April. WAGE GAINS MODERATEAverage hourly earnings are expected to have risen by 0.3% in April, matching March's gain.

☆ Tesla hikes price of high-end Model S and Model X in China by roughly $2,750
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla raised the price of its more expensive Model S and Model X cars in China, its website showed Friday, following other hikes to its other vehicles a few days prior. The Model S now costs 808,900 yuan versus 789,900 yuan prior. The Model X now costs 898,900 yuan versus 879,900 yuan before. Tesla appears to be maintaining a higher price of its Model S and Model X in China to play in the premium segment of China's electric car market. However in China, there are not major competitors to Tesla in the price category the Model S and Model X are in.

☆ Here are Friday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, Coinbase, Western Alliance, Playboy, SolarEdge & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Morgan Stanley reiterates Apple as overweight Morgan Stanley said Apple is "delivering under pressure" after its earnings report on Thursday. Guggenheim upgrades Portillo's to buy from neutral Guggenheim said it sees multiple expansion for the restaurant chain. Goldman Sachs downgrades Atlassian to neutral from buy Goldman said the company's "cloud transition [is] likely taking longer than expected." UBS upgrades Shopify to neutral from sell UBS said in its upgrade of Shopify that it sees revenue upside. Jefferies initiates Playboy Group as buy Jefferies said it sees "significant upside" for the adult themed global media and lifestyle company.

☆ House Leaders Call for Release of Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Eric Bazail-Eimil | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained in Russia on March 29 while on a reporting trip and accused of spying. Here’s a breakdown of the events surrounding his arrest and what comes next. Illustration: Todd JohnsonDemocratic and Republican leaders in the House of Representatives condemned Russia’s detention of journalist Evan Gershkovich and businessman Paul Whelan , calling for the prompt release of the two Americans. “We strongly condemn Russia’s ongoing and illegal detention of journalist Evan Gershkovich and call for his immediate release,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D., N.Y.) said Thursday in a joint statement . Messrs. McCarthy and Jeffries called the charges against Mr. Gershkovich “manufactured.”

☆ Italians judge Spanish pizzeria as the best in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Enter 50 Top Pizza, an international guide run by Italians that produces a series of annual rankings rewarding some of the best pizzerias on the planet. The 2023 European list has just been published – and, according to 1,000 anonymous “inspectors” across the continent, the best pizza in Europe is in… Spain. The entity – a pizza guide, which has been ranking restaurants since 2017 – has separate listings for the 50 best pizzerias in the cradle of pizza. The best pizza was judged to be Panatieri's "Salsa de tomates cherry asados, mozzarella y holandesa de albahaca." Today this is not the case.”As for the Italy rankings, they will be revealed in Rome on July 12.

☆ Staging partial recovery, Russia's April car sales leap 170.4% y/y - Autostat
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 4 (Reuters) - Car sales in Russia leapt by 170.4% year-on-year in April, analytical agency Autostat said on Thursday, with the country's bruised car market staging a partial recovery from the soaring prices and reduced deliveries of the same month last year. All of the top 10 models sold in April were either Russian or Chinese, Autostat's data showed. Avtovaz earlier on Thursday said its April sales had jumped 225% year-on-year in April and rose 18.4% month-on-month. Lada held 33% market share in April, up from 23% a year ago, but the growing share of Chinese models is most noticeable. Sales of South Korea's Kia (000270.KS) and Hyundai, and Japan's Toyota (7203.T) were down 67%, 68.1% and 67.8%.

☆ How to Store Your Bike Like a Professional
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Cassandra Brooklyn | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

SVELTER STORAGE The Cycloc Solo ($100) can be mounted vertically or horizontally, freeing up useful floor space under your bike. Photo: CyclocAS AN avid cyclist and apartment dweller, I have nearly 20 years of experience balancing bikes on banisters and stacking them up against bookshelves. Two broad categories of bike racks eliminate the need for such awkward hacks: those that rest on the floor and those that must be mounted on the wall. For example, while a wall-mounted bike rack saves you floor space, an improperly installed one can rip right off the wall, taking plenty of plaster along for the ride. According to Robin Graven-Milne, owner-operator of repair shop Bike Plant in Brooklyn, N.Y., installation worries are the biggest hurdle people shopping for a mountable bike rack must overcome.

☆ More than 250 business leaders back Julie Su for Labor secretary as nomination hangs in the balance
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Deputy Labor Secretary Julie Su testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee during her confirmation hearing to be the next secretary of the Labor Department in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on April 20, 2023 in Washington, DC. More than 250 business leaders are urging the Senate to confirm acting Labor Secretary Julie Su to helm the department, according to a letter first obtained by CNBC. "Julie Su is a trailblazer whose track record speaks for itself," reads the letter, which cited her experience as Labor secretary of California. Additionally, her experience as U.S. Deputy Labor Secretary has given her a thorough understanding of the Labor Department and the current issues facing the economy, businesses, and workers." She was confirmed to be deputy secretary to former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh in 2021 by a party-line vote, but several key moderate Democrats have yet to say whether they will support her this round.

☆ Tee-k Tock: The ‘appalling’ slow play controversy riling golf’s biggest stars
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Koepka, whose frustrations with slow play lit the touchpaper of a fiery feud with rival Bryson DeChambeau in 2019, made no secret of his grievances. It does become frustrating when you are waiting so long.”1-on-1 with newly minted PGA Tour winner Matt Fitzpatrick 03:48 - Source: CNNFurther complaints came from beyond the confines of the PGA Tour. I was penalized on LPGA for slow play … and it forced me to speed up,” Alvarez said. “It’s not very pleasant to watch somebody stand over the ball for half an hour.”Nicklaus is not a fan of slow play. “We want to keep the focus where it should be: on world-class shot-making.”Solutions: Golf’s shot clock eraSo how do you solve a problem like slow play?

☆ How The Legend of Zelda Changed the Game
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Zachary Small | Rumsey Taylor | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +17 min

More than six million people watched the preview for hints about the next video game in Nintendo’s beloved Legend of Zelda franchise. Tears of the Kingdom, the next entry in the Legend of Zelda franchise, will encourage players to manipulate and combine objects to fight enemies and explore Hyrule. The immersive gameplay of the Zelda franchise is bolstered by its deep mythology , convincing players they are unearthing ancient secrets. Retrieving the Master Sword often marks the point in a Zelda game when the difficulty spikes and the stakes are raised. Clockwise, from top left: The Legend of Zelda (1986), A Link to the Past (1991), Ocarina of Time (1998) and The Wind Waker (2002).

☆ In the Digital Age, Wedding Film Photography Has a Resurgence
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Emma Grillo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Taylor Dafoe and Alex Schulte’s relationship has always included film photography. It was the catalyst for their relationship: after leaving his rangefinder film camera at Ms. Schulte’s house during a party in 2015, Mr. Dafoe went back a few days later to pick it up. “That was part of the appeal, for sure,” Mr. Dafoe said. In recent years, more and more couples are seeking out photographers who can shoot film photos for their weddings. This means that photographers and couples can’t look at the photos until they’ve been developed days or weeks after the wedding.

☆ Finding That Hudson Valley Gem for About $500,000: Which House Would You Choose?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Karen Angel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Ms. Burk still works in Manhattan as a freelance photo stylist for clients like Tory Burch and Coach, but plans to focus entirely on Lotus when she turns 50 in August. “We fell in love with the area,” said Mr. Burk, who began rock-climbing near the local lakes 15 years ago. Email: thehunt@nytimes.com]His retirement thrust the couple into a Hudson Valley house search just as a stream of New Yorkers fleeing the city created fierce competition. Mr. Burk picked up construction skills while working for a plumber when he was in high school and later developed those skills by flipping houses, and Ms. Burk has a background in design. “We were always drawn to ugly-duckling houses,” Ms. Burk said.

☆ How Red Hair Took Over the Runways
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Arden Fanning Andrews | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For others, red hair is not about transforming but rather returning to their roots. “She’s got a strong personality, and that’s something I really associate with red,” Aboah says. “It’s funny that it’s now become so trendy.” In the model’s mind, red hair is as much an attitude as it is a look. Whitley uses Ruby color-depositing shampoo to keep her hair bright and, as a result, has had to invest in red towels and black bedsheets. “Be prepared for the red to go everywhere: your life, your fashion, your identity,” she says.

☆ These Are the Best Pillows for Stomach Sleepers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +16 min

By Lisa LombardiIf you’re a stomach sleeper, you’ve likely shopped for squishy, soft pillows in the past. That’s why finding the ideal pillow for stomach sleepers can prove to be difficult. It cushioned my head without allowing it to collapse into the mattress, like some other soft pillows do. Best upgrade pillow for stomach sleepersCozy Earth Silk Pillow $224 at Cozy Earth $ 299 Save $ 75 Silk-filled with a breathable bamboo cover, this pillow is a luxe pick for stomach sleepers who tend to overheat while they sleep. This flexibility proves particularly helpful for stomach sleepers, since getting the right loft is important to avoiding neck discomfort.

☆ Tesla fans will stay loyal no matter what Elon Musk does
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla trumped all other automakers in terms of overall brand loyalty in a recent study. Tesla has been able to keep a loyal fanbase, but some say Elon Musk might not keep his lead forever. Tesla also won segment model loyalty awards, including luxury small utility for the Model Y, and luxury small car, for the Model 3. Still, that might only go so far as Tesla loses EV market share. Tesla held 65.4% of the EV market in 2022, according to Experian.

☆ Why you should think twice before splurging on all-wheel drive in your new electric car
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AWD EVs have an extra motor, which consumes more energy and decreases range. Two extra drive wheels help increase traction and mean an AWD EV will be more capable and confident in snow and other slippery conditions. Thanks to that boost in horsepower and torque, AWD EVs tend to accelerate much quicker than ones with front- or rear-wheel drive. Ford rates the entry-level Mustang Mach-E at 250 miles for RWD models and 226 miles for AWD ones. AWD gas vehicles are also less fuel efficient than their 2WD counterparts, but it isn't a big deal beyond the added emissions and gas costs.

WASHINGTON, May 3 (Reuters) - Ford CEO Jim Farley said on Wednesday that price cuts in the electric vehicle market were "a worrying trend" after the U.S. automaker dropped prices for its Mustang Mach-E in response to a series of reductions by rival Tesla (TSLA.O). Ford on Tuesday announced a price cut of up to 8% of its Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle, the second cut the automaker announced this year. Farley compared the price war in the EV market to Henry Ford's series of price cuts for the Model T starting in 1913. Ford will follow Tesla price cuts for models such as the Mustang Mach-E that competes head-on with Tesla's Model Y, he said. Ford chose to build a new electric vehicle manufacturing hub near Memphis, Tennessee, in part because the region has cleaner electricity from hydro and nuclear facilities, Farley said.

☆ Opinion | John Mulaney and the Insatiable Modern Audience
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Jessica Grose | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Judging by the reaction online, not to mention the texts on my phone, people had feelings about this — lots of them. Mulaney made the word “parasocial” go mainstream. But I do think many people’s expectations of celebrities have become unreasonable in the social media age. It used to be much easier for famous figures to maintain a firewall between their public personas and their private lives. Smith turns this idea over and over throughout the book — more than 100 pages later, she writes: “Maybe this isn’t a tell-mine.

☆ Opinion | Why Trump Won’t Let Go of His Dream of Domination
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Thomas B. Edsall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

Once early humans had developed spears, Haidt continues,anyone could kill a bullying alpha male. Anything that suggests the aggressive, controlling behavior of an alpha male (or female) can trigger this form of righteous anger, which is sometimes called reactance. In democracies, voters, on average, favor the taller candidate and often crave a “strong leader." They might ostracize him (the alpha male) but mostly they assassinate him. As far as “coercive alpha males" go, Trump is a bully, as demonstrated by his treatment both of competitors for the nomination in 2016 and of Gov.

☆ Tesla raises car prices globally, with the biggest increase in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The Model Y and Model 3 now starts at 263,900 yuan ($38,179) and 231,900 yuan ($33,550) respectively. Tesla (TSLA) has also hiked the prices of the Model 3 and Model Y by about $222 in Canada and $269 in Japan, respectively. Late last month, Tesla raised the prices of its higher-end vehicles: Model S and Model X by $2,500 in the United States. The recent round of price adjustments reversed a series of significant price cuts by Tesla that were aimed at boosting demand. But analysts said the recent price increases had the same purpose of stoking consumer demand.

☆ Tesla raises prices in US, China, Japan and Canada
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Akriti Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 1 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) has raised prices in a range of up to $290 in Canada, China, Japan and the United States, its website showed on Monday, after having slashed prices on its top-selling vehicles since the start of the year. By Monday, Tesla's website showed it had raised the starting price point by $250 on the base model Model Y and Model 3 in the United States. Prices changed about the same amount in its second largest market of China, as well as in Canada and Japan, those websites showed. In Canada, Tesla raised prices by C$300 ($222) for the performance versions of its Model 3 and Model Y. In China, Tesla raised the price for variants by 2,000 yuan ($289), the website showed.

☆ Tesla hikes prices in U.S., China, Japan and Canada
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 1 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) has raised prices for its Model Y and Model 3 variants by the equivalent of about $300 in the United States, China, Japan and Canada, after having slashed prices on its top selling vehicles since the start of the year. In China, Elon Musk-led Tesla raised the price for variants by 2,000 yuan ($289.39), the website showed. Chief Executive Elon Musk last month signaled the EV maker would prioritize sales growth ahead of profit in a weak economy. In Canada, the car manufacturer raised the prices of its Performance crossover Model 3 and Model Y by $300 each. In Japan, prices for the entry-level Model 3 were increased by 37,000 yen ($269.01)($1 = 6.9110 Chinese yuan renminbi)($1 = 137.5400 yen)Reporting by Akriti Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ This tech stock can rally 25% as PC market bottoms, Morgan Stanley says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Morgan Stanley thinks the personal computer market has likely bottomed and has pegged Dell Technologies as big beneficiary. The firm upgraded shares of the tech and PC company to overweight from equal weight. "We believe the PC market is forming a bottom, and we want to own Dell for the cyclical PC market rebound," analyst Erik Woodring said, noting that the first quarter likely marked the worst of the PC downturn. "Looking at prior PC downcycles, (2011-2013), DELL's stock bottomed one quarter ahead of the PC market bottom. Given we model PC market Y/Y declines bottoming in 1Q23, we believe the trough in DELL's stock could already be behind us," Woodring said.

Search resuls for: "y."

25 mentions found