Month: July 2024

Diageo sales plunge on market challenges, but Guinness shines

Diageo sales plunge on market challenges, but Guinness shines

Shares of Diageo, the renowned spirits maker behind Johnnie Walker, fell more than 10% on Tuesday after it reported its first annual sales decline since the pandemic began. By the end of the trading day, the shares had recovered some losses but still closed down 5.08%. The London-based company reported a 0.6% decline in organic net sales for the fiscal year ended June 30, attributed primarily to underperformance in Latin America and the Caribbean markets. Reported net sales fell 1.4%. Despite the overall downturn, Guinness emerged as a bright spot for Diageo. The iconic Irish stout, which has seen a…
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Team USA women aim for eighth consecutive gold amid tighter competition

Team USA women aim for eighth consecutive gold amid tighter competition

PARIS — In a modest gym north of Paris, U.S. team coach Cheryl Reeve pondered what gave her team the upper hand at the Olympics. “Depth,” she mused. “No, size. 1A, 1B.” Reeve’s assessment isn’t far off the mark. With three players over 6 feet 4 inches tall and several guards around 6 feet 1 inch, Team USA boasts a significant height and length advantage over most opponents. Their depth is equally formidable; while other nations might field competitive starting lineups, few can match the talent of the U.S.’s reserves. It’s a scenario where bench players like the WNBA All-Stars…
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June wholesale prices rise slightly more than expected

June wholesale prices rise slightly more than expected

Wholesale prices rose modestly in June, slightly beating expectations, as Wall Street ponders when the Federal Reserve might be inclined to cut interest rates. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday that the producer price index (PPI) rose 0.2% last month. That was higher than the 0.1% increase economists surveyed by Dow Jones had expected. On a year-over-year basis, the PPI rose 2.6%. The PPI measures the prices producers receive for their goods and services in the marketplace. In June, the index's rise was driven by higher service costs, which offset a decline in goods prices. This reading was an…
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Philips shares rise 10.5% on strong second-quarter sales despite weakness in China

Philips shares rise 10.5% on strong second-quarter sales despite weakness in China

Shares in Dutch company Philips rose more than 10.5% on Monday morning after it reported second-quarter earnings that beat analysts' expectations. As of 9.32am London time, the stock had seen a slight decline, up 10.45%. Philips reported a 2% increase in group comparable sales to €4.5 billion ($4.88 billion), mainly driven by strong demand in North America, while sales in China declined. The company, known for its medical devices and personal care products such as electronic toothbrushes, also saw a 9% increase in comparable orders during the quarter. Philips attributed the muted demand in China to the country’s push for…
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Understanding the Current Real Estate Market Through Six Charts

Understanding the Current Real Estate Market Through Six Charts

Today's housing market is significantly different from that of just a few years ago. High mortgage rates and rising home prices have reduced consumer purchasing power, while limited housing supply maintains fierce competition. As a result, housing affordability has declined significantly since the pandemic began. Here are six charts that illustrate the current state of the real estate market and its implications: 1. Mortgage rates:The 30-year mortgage rate, a popular choice among homebuyers, is key to understanding the market. This rate determines the cost of borrowing to buy a home. The rate has recently hovered around 7%, down from a…
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UK regulator fines Coinbase’s UK arm .5 million for high-risk customer breaches

UK regulator fines Coinbase’s UK arm $4.5 million for high-risk customer breaches

Coinbase’s UK subsidiary has been fined £3.5 million ($4.5 million) by British regulators for breaching an agreement aimed at preventing the cryptocurrency exchange from taking on high-risk customers. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has imposed the fine on CB Payments Limited (CBPL), a subsidiary of Coinbase Group, which operates a global cryptocurrency trading platform. The fine comes after CBPL breached a voluntary agreement it entered into in October 2020 to avoid taking on and offering services to high-risk clients. The FCA reported that CBPL served 13,416 high-risk customers despite the settlement, with 31% of those customers depositing approximately $24.9 million.…
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2024 Olympic Basketball Predictions: U.S. Team Favorites for Gold, South Sudan Rising

2024 Olympic Basketball Predictions: U.S. Team Favorites for Gold, South Sudan Rising

The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are just around the corner and, as always, basketball will be one of the sports that will generate great excitement among fans and bettors. After failing to win a medal at last year's FIBA ​​World Cup, the U.S. team is aiming for a strong comeback. The United States has won four consecutive Olympic gold medals and seven of the last eight, dating back to 1992. This year's Olympic roster features a total of 13 NBA titles and eight NBA MVP awards, with key players such as LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, among…
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GM Launches Most Powerful Chevy Corvette Ever: The 2025 ZR1

GM Launches Most Powerful Chevy Corvette Ever: The 2025 ZR1

DETROIT — General Motors has unveiled the latest version of its iconic sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette, set to become the most powerful model in the brand’s history. The 2025 Chevy Corvette ZR1 will feature a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that produces over 1,000 horsepower and 828 pound-feet of torque. This significant increase in power positions the ZR1 among the elite supercars, typically priced in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. “This car accelerates like a freight train,” noted Tadge Juechter, Corvette’s executive chief engineer since 2006, at a recent media event. “We expect this to be the fastest car…
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UK Finance Minister Rachel Reeves promises most pro-growth, pro-business government in history

UK Finance Minister Rachel Reeves promises most pro-growth, pro-business government in history

LONDON — UK Finance Minister Rachel Reeves said on Friday that the newly elected Labour government aims to be the most growth-oriented and business-friendly administration the country has ever seen. In an interview with CNBC, Reeves stressed that improving the living standards of ordinary Britons and increasing investment in public services depend on wealth creation. “This will be the most pro-growth, pro-business Treasury this country has ever seen,” Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, told CNBC’s Steve Sedgwick in a remote interview. “I will work with businesses to ensure we are doing everything we can to generate wealth and attract…
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Warner Bros. Discovery Sues NBA Over Media Rights Dispute With Amazon

Warner Bros. Discovery Sues NBA Over Media Rights Dispute With Amazon

Warner Bros. Discovery has filed a lawsuit against the NBA to secure the rights to broadcast a package of live games, challenging the league’s decision to award those rights to Amazon. “Due to the NBA’s unjustified rejection of our game against a third-party offer, we have initiated legal proceedings to enforce our rights,” said TNT Sports, a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. “We firmly believe this is not only our contractual right, but also the best service for fans who prefer our flexible and widely accessible platforms, including TNT and Max.” The media company seeks to block the NBA from…
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