Author: MNK News
By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. retail sales increased more than expected in November amid an acceleration in motor vehicle and online purchases, consistent with strong underlying momentum in the economy as the year winds down. The report from the Commerce Department on Tuesday had no impact on expectations that the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates on Wednesday for the third time since the U.S. central bank initiated its policy easing cycle in September. Fed officials were due to start a two-day policy meeting on Tuesday. Signs of strong domestic demand have added to warmer inflation readings in recent…
Growing institutional confidence is indicated by Bitcoin’s record-breaking gain and consistent ETF inflows. According to statistics from SoSoValue, Bitcoin (BTC) spot ETFs showed a net inflow of $637 million on Dec. 16, the 13th day in a row that inflows have been positive. Bitcoin is hitting new all-time highs at the same time as this continuous investment boom, indicating rising investor confidence in the cryptocurrency sector. Source: SoSoValue With the largest one-day inflow of $418 million, BlackRock’s IBIT took the lead and accumulated a total net inflow of $36.3 billion. With $116 million, Fidelity’s FBTC came next, increasing its overall…
I can’t remember a recent instance in which the final amount I owed, whether it be for a hotel reservation or a concert ticket, didn’t make my eyes bug out in shock. Now, a new rule from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should limit these bait-and-switch pricing tactics. The FTC has announced the Junk Fees Rule, requiring live-event ticketing and short-term lodging businesses to be transparent about the total price owed. Other companies will continue to be monitored on a case-by-case basis for deceptive pricing.The new rule, first proposed in 2023, should get rid of all those extra “resort” and…
On pornography platform OnlyFans, prostitutes make most of their earnings by directly engaging with their “fans” through messages and conversations. A global industry has popped up of imposters paid to pretend they are the OnlyFans model to trick lonely and desperate men into opening their wallets. Now, those human “chatters” are increasingly being replaced by AI-powered chatbots. Wired reports that the rise of AI has brought about concerns regarding its potential to replace human workers across various industries. One niche occupation that is already experiencing disruption due to AI is the role of OnlyFans chatters. These gig workers are paid…
Electric Vehicle Boom Is (Predictably) Out of Gasgetty The plugin electric vehicle (EV) business in the U.S. cruised into 2024 full of hype and hope. The hope was that a slowdown in EV growth that began in 2023 was just a hiccup in the otherwise inevitable boom cycle that many experts were predicting. The administration had set a goal of EVs making up to half of all new vehicle sales by 2030, and created tax breaks to make EVs competitive with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Enthusiastic policymakers assured us that it wouldn’t be long before gas guzzlers had been…
TAMPA, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 14: (L-R) Opponents Colby Covington and Joaquin Buckley face off prior to … [+] a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Amalie Arena on December 14, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)Zuffa LLC Joaquin Buckley extended his UFC welterweight winning streak to six in a row with a dominant TKO win over three-time UFC welterweight title challenger Colby Covington in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Tampa fight card from Amalie Arena. As for Covington, the ex-interim UFC champ is on the first losing skid of his career after dropping…
At every turn of the road, GM chair and CEO Mary Barra has reinforced the mantra that 2024 was the “year of execution.” Barra and her team made good on that promise to investors who were yearning for better returns, ultimately earning the auto icon the 2024 Yahoo Finance Surprise of the Year award. “There’s been a lot of change. We’re an industry in transformation and GM itself is in the midst of making sure we’re ready and proactive for the changes that are coming,” Barra told Yahoo Finance in an exclusive sitdown. Tightening the grips on EV losses and…
Apple TV+ has renewed its hit sci-fi show Silo for two more seasons. However, the show will end at that point after telling the full story of the Hugh Howey novels on which it’s based.“Excited to share that Silo will return for a third AND fourth season! We’re thrilled to support the imagination and inspiration out of the UK as they continue to create world-class films and series,” Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote on X, perhaps in an attempt to butter up the creative industry in the UK.Apple doesn’t tend to share viewership data for its shows and movies. However,…
Two men are due to appear in court after allegedly flying a drone too close to Boston’s Logan Airport over the weekend, amid a wave of mystery drone sightings long the East Coast that has sparked concern and confusion. NBC Boston reports that Robert Duffy, 42, of Charlestown, and Jeremy Folcik, 32, of Bridgewater, are facing trespassing charges, with potentially more charges to follow, after they were arrested with a drone on Long Island inside the decommissioned Long Island Health Campus in Boston Harbor on Saturday night. Additional charges are possible, according to Boston Police. A drone allegedly controlled by the…
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs throws the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers at GEHA … [+] Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 8, 2024. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)Getty Images When the NFL schedule came out in May, something instantly stood out to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He noticed his team would be playing on Sunday, Dec. 15; Saturday, Dec. 21 and then Wednesday, Dec. 25. “It’s not a good feeling,” Mahomes said. “You never want to play this many games in this short of time. It’s just not great for your body, but at…