Investments and Business

Washington DC —With the Federal Reserve hinting at potential interest rate cuts, market participants are increasingly eager to act. In a press conference following Wednesday's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, Claudia Sahm, chief economist at New Century Advisors, questioned the Fed's delay. "What are they looking for?" she asked. "The bar is getting so high, and that doesn't make a lot of sense. The Fed needs to gradually begin that process of getting back to normal, which means gradually cutting interest rates." Sahm, known for the "Sahm ​​Rule," which uses changes in the unemployment rate to signal recessions, has…

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The dynamic between Microsoft and OpenAI has taken a new turn: Microsoft has now recognized the AI ​​startup as a competitor in its latest annual report. Evolving dynamics Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman introduced their partnership at the OpenAI DevDay event in San Francisco on November 6, 2023. However, the relationship has evolved as Microsoft has added OpenAI to its roster of competitors, which already includes tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Meta. Partnership and competition Microsoft has a deep-rooted partnership with OpenAI, serving as its exclusive cloud provider and integrating…

Kohl's plans to open 200 stores in its facilities by the end of September. The retailer will sell a wide variety of baby items, including strollers, car seats and cribs. WOODLAND PARK, NJ — Kohl's is targeting smaller retailers to boost sales. The retailer will open Babies R Us stores in its locations nationwide starting this week and plans to have 200 by the end of September. The stores will offer a variety of baby items the company has never sold before, including shampoo, strollers and car seats. Previously, Kohl's only sold baby clothing. With the move, the Wisconsin-based retailer…

ALBA, FLORIDA — British oil giant Shell on Thursday reported second-quarter earnings that beat expectations, despite challenges such as lower refining margins and a weak performance in its liquefied natural gas business. Key financial data Shell reported adjusted earnings of $6.3 billion for the quarter ended June, beating analysts’ projections of $5.9 billion, according to LSEG estimates. However, that represents a 19% decline from the $7.7 billion it reported in the first quarter of 2024. Share buybacks and dividends The company also revealed a $3.5 billion share repurchase program that will run over the next three months, maintaining the same…

The U.S. labor market is expected to show signs of cooling in July, due to the gradual economic slowdown and the impact of Hurricane Beryl on hiring rates. The Labor Department’s July nonfarm payrolls report, due Friday at 8:30 a.m. ET, is expected to reflect this slight decline. However, the expected decline is in line with the Federal Reserve’s strategy for a controlled economic slowdown. “If the Fed was aiming for a soft landing, it looks like it’s done it,” said Mike Reynolds, vice president of investment strategy at Glenmede. “We’re seeing some weakness in the labor market, but nothing…

NANTERRE, France — French sensation Léon Marchand continued his impressive run at the Paris Olympics, becoming the first swimmer in history to win gold in both the 200-meter butterfly and 200-meter breaststroke at the same Games. And he did it on the same night. Marchand won his first gold medal of the day in the 200-meter butterfly, setting an Olympic record with a time of 1:51.21, in an incredible comeback over Hungary's Kristóf Milák, who finished second with a time of 1:51.75. About two hours later, Marchand set another Olympic record by swimming the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:05.85. It was…

Amazon reported its second-quarter earnings on Thursday, reporting lower-than-expected revenue and a less optimistic outlook for the next quarter, sending the company’s shares lower in after-hours trading. Here are the key data: Earning per share: $1.26, versus $1.03 expected by LSEG Income: $147.98 billion, below LSEG's projection of $148.56 billion Additional metrics of interest to Wall Street include: Amazon Web Services (AWS): It generated $26 billion in revenue, according to StreetAccount Advertising: It brought in $13 billion in revenue, according to StreetAccount

WASHINGTON D.C. — The United Auto Workers (UAW) officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential race on Wednesday, opposing Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump. The endorsement by the UAW, led by President Shawn Fain, is in line with the union’s historic support for Democratic candidates, including now-President Joe Biden. Fain has been a vocal critic of Trump, and that stance has been reinforced with the recent endorsement. “Our mission in this election is to defeat Donald Trump and support Kamala Harris, who has a proven track record of standing up for the working class,” Fain…

TOKYO — Official data released Wednesday confirmed that Japanese authorities spent 5.53 trillion yen ($36.8 billion) in July to support the yen. The move follows a period of significant volatility in the currency. Japan's Ministry of Finance provided data covering the period from June 27 to July 29, revealing that the amount of intervention met market expectations. The move came after several warnings from Japanese officials about potential measures to address the currency's erratic movements. Japan's recent foreign exchange intervention follows the yen's plunge to a 38-year low against the U.S. dollar. In late May, the government acknowledged the first…

TOULON — The European Union's statistics agency reported on Wednesday that headline inflation in the euro zone unexpectedly rose to 2.6% in July, despite a slight slowdown in the services sector. Inflation stood at 2.5% in June, down slightly from 2.6% in May. Economists polled by Reuters had expected July's inflation rate to hit June's 2.5%. Core inflation, which excludes volatile items such as energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, hit 2.9% in July, slightly above the Reuters estimate of 2.8% and in line with June's core inflation rate. Services inflation, a closely watched indicator, fell to 4% in July from…