headlines...by halloapp

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12-03-2023

TECH

• Investors are advised to consider buying and holding Nvidia, Palantir, Alphabet, Microsoft, IBM, UiPath, Adobe, and ASML stocks for their potential in AI technology and strong financials.

• Amazon has made a deal with SpaceX for three launches of its Project Kuiper satellites, in competition with Elon Musk’s Starlink.

• Google has delayed the launch of its AI model Gemini to January 2024 due to concerns about non-English queries. OpenAI has also delayed its GPT store to early 2024 for model improvements.

• Apple has issued an urgent update, iOS 17.1.2, to fix two zero-day vulnerabilities in WebKit, affecting iPhones and macOS.

• Amazon’s AI chatbot, Q, is facing problems like sharing confidential information and giving inaccurate responses, raising concerns about its reliability.

• Nvidia’s stock has surged 226% in 2020, making it the best-performing stock in the S&P 500, thanks to its AI technology.

• PagerDuty’s stock surges 6.6% after beating Q3 earnings estimates, indicating positive growth and potential bargain opportunity for investors.

• Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) stock has surged 11% in the past 3 months, driven by strong financials and a 31% ROE. Analysts expect earnings to accelerate. The company has outperformed the Computer and Technology sector, with a year-to-date return of 70.1%.

MEDIA

• Families of Bedouin Arab hostages in Gaza await news as fighting resumes. Pro-Palestine protests continue in Australia, Tel Aviv, UK, and London. Families of 140 Israelis held hostage in Gaza seek their release.

• German tourist killed in knife attack near Eiffel Tower by suspect with psychiatric disorders, raising concerns of terrorism.

• Beyoncé’s seventh album, ”Renaissance,” celebrates Black queer bravado and explores themes of love and liberation. The accompanying film deconstructs her art and critiques limitations on her impact as a Black woman.

• Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticizes Republican Rep. George Santos for leaving the House chamber during his expulsion vote. Santos plans to file ethics complaints against other representatives and may explore reality TV or writing a book after his trial.

• ITV’s ”I’m A Celebrity” show apologizes for accidentally liking a hate comment about contestant Nella Rose on Instagram.

• Kiss, the rock band, will retire from live touring and use digital avatars created through motion capture suits for virtual performances.

• Amazon unveils teaser trailer for ”Fallout” TV show based on the video game series, set to premiere on April 12, 2024.

• The owner of Miss Universe franchise in Nicaragua is charged with treason, organized crime, and rigging contests to promote antigovernment winners.

• Susan Sarandon apologizes for controversial comments at a pro-Palestinian rally, acknowledging her mistake in diminishing the history of antisemitism. Julianna Margulies apologizes for suggesting that Black and LGBTQ people hate Jews, clarifying her words were not intended to divide.

• Washington defeats Oregon 34-24 in the Pac-12 finale, securing a playoff spot with two receivers gaining over 100 yards.

CONSUMER

• Walmart becomes the first major company to stop advertising on social media platform X after Elon Musk’s controversial comments and endorsement of an antisemitic post.

• Shein, the fast-fashion company, has filed confidentially for a US IPO with a valuation target of $80-90 billion.

• La-Z-Boy raises dividend to $0.20, a 10% increase from last year, resulting in a 2.0% dividend yield. Q2 performance beats expectations, shares rise 11%.

• Christmas tree prices may increase by 5-15% this year due to inflation and higher costs for growers, but demand for real trees remains strong.

• US retailers, such as Amazon and Foot Locker, are optimistic about holiday sales after strong Black Friday and Cyber Monday figures.

• More people, especially young ones, are adopting ”degrowth” to consume less and spend sustainably amid rising costs and environmental concerns.

REAL ESTATE

• NexLiving Communities, Calian Group, and Toromont Industries will go ex-dividend in 4 days, with dividend payments ranging from CA$0.01 to CA$0.43 per share.

• Mortgage rates falling below 7% could lead to bidding wars and a strong housing market, but low supply remains a problem. Realtor.com predicts relief in 2024 with declining rates and home prices, but a worsening supply issue. Buyers may wait for better deals as rates and prices could drop next year.

• China Evergrande, the heavily indebted property developer, faces potential liquidation in a Hong Kong court amid its $300 billion debt crisis.

ECONOMIC

• Stock market had a strong November with significant increases, US equity markets delivered positive returns, and emerging-market assets rallied.

• Concerns arise as SEMrush President sells 39,076 shares, Ralph Lauren CPO sells 3,950 shares, Cogent Communications CEO sells 36,604 shares, SBA Communications EVP sells 5,000 shares, and Vericel COO sells 17,447 shares.

• Former Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan has sued the bank for over $34 million in unpaid compensation, including stock awards and bonuses, following his resignation in 2019.

• Insiders at Copperleaf Technologies, CanadaBis Capital, ECO Animal Health Group, and MedX Health Corp have all made significant stock purchases, signaling optimism and growth potential.

• The US economy is experiencing moderate growth with slowing inflation and steady job gains, leading to a ”Goldilocks” phase.

CRYPTO

• UK lawmakers warn that the introduction of a digital pound by the Bank of England could lead to bank runs and privacy concerns.

• China’s regulator is promoting decentralized financial risk management by encouraging provinces to develop individualized plans instead of a uniform approach.