headlines...by halloapp

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01-05-2024

TECH

• Microsoft is adding a Copilot key to its Windows keyboards, marking the first major redesign in nearly 30 years. The key launches Microsoft’s AI companion and aims to enhance the AI experience for PC users. It will be available on new PCs running Windows 11 and upcoming Surface devices.

• Perplexity AI, a search engine startup backed by Jeff Bezos, has raised $73.6 million in funding to challenge Google’s dominance in web search using AI technology.

• US online holiday sales in 2023 reached a record $222.1B, up 4.9% YoY, with buy now, pay later options contributing $16.6B.

• The White House is granting Microchip Technology $162 million to expand chip production and reduce dependence on foreign factories.

• Qualcomm introduces Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip for mixed reality headsets, partnering with Samsung and Google for improved visuals and performance.

• OpenAI is launching an online store next week, where users can share and sell custom versions of its popular ChatGPT chatbot.

• Apple is settling a lawsuit over a gift card scam, where scammers exploited the cards and Apple kept stolen funds.

• Venture capital fundraising in the US and globally hit a six-year and five-year low in 2023, respectively, with significant declines in tech industry funding.

MEDIA

• ESPN has signed an 8-year, $920 million deal with the NCAA, granting them exclusive rights to 40 championships, including March Madness.

• A 17-year-old student killed a sixth-grader and injured five others in a school shooting in Perry, Iowa. The shooter later died by suicide.

• South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius has been released on parole after serving about nine years for murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

• Martin Scorsese’s ”Killers of the Flower Moon,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, will stream on Apple TV+ starting January 12.

• Warner Bros. and Ernest Cline are partnering to create the Readyverse, a metaverse based on ”Ready Player One” using blockchain, VR, AR, and AI technologies.

CONSUMER

• Next PLC has raised its profit forecast for fiscal 2024 to £905 million, while JD Sports has lowered its forecast for headline pretax profit.

• Peloton’s stock surged 14% after announcing an exclusive partnership with TikTok to create a dedicated fitness hub on the social network.

• Franklin Covey Co. reported strong Q1 2024 earnings, with revenue and adjusted EBITDA exceeding forecasts and expectations for significant growth.

• Lululemon founder Chip Wilson faces backlash for criticizing the brand’s focus on diversity and inclusion, saying it’s not for everyone.

• Amer Sports, the maker of Wilson tennis rackets, has filed for a US IPO aiming to raise over $1 billion with a possible $10 billion valuation.

REAL ESTATE

• Goldman Sachs predicts mortgage rates to remain above 6% until 2025, but expects a drop to 6.3% by the end of 2024.

• TUI, Europe’s largest tour operator, plans to delist its shares from the London Stock Exchange and move to Frankfurt.

ECONOMIC

• The Federal Reserve’s meeting minutes have helped calm the markets, but geopolitical tensions and rising oil prices remain concerns. Geopolitical issues, including conflicts in Russia-Ukraine and the Middle East, could impact global markets. The US stock market traditionally gets nervous in the final year of a presidency. The UK is expected to face a technical recession, with falling employment and inflation. The Bank of England may cut interest rates. Global growth is predicted to slow, with Europe experiencing sluggish growth and China weighing on emerging markets.

• India’s services sector grew at its fastest pace in three months in December, while Japan’s services sector also expanded. In the UK, the construction sector continued to decline but at a slower pace, and the country’s economy showed resilience. China’s services sector also experienced solid growth in December.

• The US Treasury will auction $52 billion in 3-year notes, $68 billion in 6-month bills, $70 billion in 42-day bills, $37 billion in 9-year 10-month notes, $75 billion in 3-month bills, and $21 billion in 29-year 10-month bonds. Settlement dates vary.

• Donald Trump’s businesses received $7.8 million in foreign payments from at least 17 countries, potentially violating the Constitution.

CRYPTO

• Bitcoin rebounds from a flash crash, with investors optimistic about SEC approval of Bitcoin ETFs. Price reaches $45,000.

• Receipts Depositary Corporation (RDC), founded by former Citigroup executives, is launching Bitcoin depositary receipts that do not need regulatory approval. These receipts provide institutional access to Bitcoin securities through US regulated market infrastructure.