Tuesday, December 24

Types of News: Bit

Brief bits of news cited with sources

U.S. Stock Ownership Rises to 61 Percent
24Jul By Patti MohrNo Comments
Climate Action, ESG, Sustainable Finance, Finance, Investing, Types of News: Bit

U.S. Stock Ownership Rises to 61 Percent

July 24, 2023—Individual stock ownership in the United States fell after the 2008 financial collapse from 62 percent in 2007 to a low of 52 percent in 2013 and 2016. But now Americans' ownership stake in capital markets is rising. According to a Gallup poll taken in April, 61 percent of respondents said they own individual stock, a mutual fund, or a self-directed 401(k) stock fund. Stock ownership is significant not only as an indication of personal savings but also in regard to empowering individuals. For example, proxy votes, like the one that Disney faced in April, give shareholders to have a say in company decisions. It is a key benefit of capitalism that supports sustainable finance.
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Jamie Dimon’s Brand Of Stakeholder Capitalism
8May By Patti MohrNo Comments
Finance, Investing, Types of News: Bit

Jamie Dimon’s Brand Of Stakeholder Capitalism

May 8, 2023—Since JP Morgan Chase stepped into the midst of another bank crisis last week, observers are taking note of its CEO's brand of stakeholder capitalism. For example, Emily Flitter writes in the New York Times that Jamie Dimon has become a champion of the "publicly championed the concept of 'stakeholder capitalism,' the idea that doing right by shareholders also involved treating communities, workers and customers better." As head of one of the world's largest asset managers, Dimon is in a position to influence the state of capitalism. In 2008, he led JPMorgan's acquisition of troubled competitors. It was a decision that helped save the financial system as a whole. This year, Dimon is acting once again as a savior as regional banks come under stress. A week ago, U.S. regula...
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United States: Inflation Moderates In March
12Apr By Patti MohrNo Comments
Global Economics, Types of News: Bit

United States: Inflation Moderates In March

Housing Prices Rise While Energy Costs Fall April 12, 2023—Consumer prices still rose in March in the United States, yet they rose less than they have in previous months. The Consumer Price Index for all items increased by 0.1 percent for the month, seasonally adjusted, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over the past year, prices as a whole increased by 5 percent—the smallest spike since May 2021. The category for shelter, specifically rent and housing prices, increased the most. It rose by 0.6 percent in March and 8.2 percent in the past year. Meanwhile, the cost of energy commodities and services started coming down by 4.6 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively, in March.
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Inflation: U.S. Prices Rose 6 Percent
14Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates, Types of News: Bit

Inflation: U.S. Prices Rose 6 Percent

Energy And Used Car Prices Come Down While Food And Shelter Still Soars March 14, 2023—U.S. consumer prices increased by 6 percent for the 12-month period ending in February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is the smallest 12-month increase since the period ending September 2021. It is still well below the 2 percent target long held by the Federal Reserve. Prices Dropping Prices fell in February for a few items on the index. For example, the prices of oil, gas, and energy services came down by 7.9 percent, 8 percent, and 1.7 percent, respectively. The cost of used cars and trucks came down by 2.8 percent following months of a downturn that have brought prices down by 13.6 percent for the year. Also, medical care services dropped by 0.7 percent. Prices Rising ...
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U.S. Government Owes $395.5 Billion In Interest On The Debt
26Feb By Patti MohrNo Comments
Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates, Types of News: Bit, United States

U.S. Government Owes $395.5 Billion In Interest On The Debt

Feb. 26, 2023—Here's something to remember when discussing the U.S. budget, national debt, and debt limit: The U.S. government is expected to pay $395.5 billion this fiscal year on interest charges alone. That's a helpful reminder that comes from the Pew Research Center in a recent post. For more information on the U.S. budget, go to the White House's Office of Management and Budget. There you'll find historic tables of the U.S. budget. Moreover, the U.S. government is projected to spend over $1 trillion more this year than it collects in revenue. That money not only increases the U.S. debt, it also fuels rising inflation in America and beyond.
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Adani And Modi, And India’s Industrial Diplomacy
23Feb By Patti MohrNo Comments
Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Diplomacy, Types of News: Bit

Adani And Modi, And India’s Industrial Diplomacy

File photo: Gautam Adani and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauding. Feb 23, 2023—As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with key counterparts in Australia, Bangladesh, and Israel, Gautam Adani is often not far behind. The owner of the Indian conglomerate Adani Group has been making deals worth billions of dollars while Modi builds diplomatic bridges. Reporters in India and around the world are increasingly taking notice. An article in the Financial Times sheds light on relations between the Indian government and industrial giant Adani Group, raising questions about the ethics of public-private dealings. The FT reporting follows similar coverage in other publications, including The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, and Reuters. Moreover, criticisms by Modi's opponen...
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It’s A Rocky Start To The New U.S. Congress
3Jan By Patti MohrNo Comments
Domestic Politics, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Bit, United States

It’s A Rocky Start To The New U.S. Congress

118th Congress begins with no Speaker named to the House. With No Leader Named In The House, Work Cannot Begin January 3, 2023—As U.S. lawmakers opened a new session of Congress today under the slimmest margins of power. Although Republicans won a majority of seats in the House, intraparty conflict is preventing them from establishing control. With slim margins in both chambers, it is likely to be a weak Congress unless the two parties find room for compromise. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R, failed to garner enough votes to become the new Speaker as 19 Republicans rejected him in back-to-back votes. In the first two ballots of the House, McCarthy won only 203 votes. In contrast to Republican infighting, Democrats voted unanimously for their leader Hakeem Jeffries, who received a total of...
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US Senator Raises Concerns About Saudi Funding for Twitter
7Nov By Patti MohrNo Comments
Big Tech, Digital Economy, Human rights, Types of News: Bit

US Senator Raises Concerns About Saudi Funding for Twitter

November 5, 2022—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut is raising national security concerns about Elon Musk's recent takeover of Twitter. Musk bought the social media company for $44 billion in part with financing from equity investors. Up to 5 percent of the loans came from Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and Qatar. In a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the senator asked the Treasury Department's office overseeing foreign investments to use its legal authority to review the deal. Specifically, the senator asked the office known as CFIUS "to examine whether any degree of Saudi influence over Twitter’s operations or access to user data could foreseeably be used to silence government critics and human rights activists, or to further state-sponsored disinform...
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Biden Warns: US Democracy At Risk [Full Transcript]
3Nov By Patti MohrNo Comments
Democracy, Types of News: Bit, United States

Biden Warns: US Democracy At Risk [Full Transcript]

November 3, 2022--Editor's Note: Amid increasing political violence and vitriol in the United States, President Joe Biden warned that "democracy itself" is at risk of being overtaken by "dark forces that thirst for power." The speech comes just days ahead of the Nov. 8, 2022 midterm elections. It's the first national election in the United States since the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capital and U.S. leaders. Below are Biden's full remarks from Wednesday. Columbus Club, Union Station, Washington, D.C. (November 2, 2022) 7:01 P.M. EDT  Full Remarks of President Biden: THE PRESIDENT:  Good evening, everyone.  Just a few days ago, a little before 2:30 a.m. in the morning, a man smashed the back windows and broke into the home of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, ...
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Interpol Embraces The Metaverse
21Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Big Tech, Digital Economy, Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Types of News: Bit

Interpol Embraces The Metaverse

Interpol launched its version of a Metaverse platform in New Delhi, Indian on October 20, 2022. International Policing Agency Plans To Target Financial And Cyber-based Crimes October 21, 2022—Interpol, an international organization that trains and serves as a coordination hub for its 194 members, is embracing the Metaverse. The agency announced today it is now part of the Metaverse, where humans become avatars interacting in a make-believe digital world. The agency plans to use its Metaverse creation to train police worldwide and provide an alternative way for officers to meet each other. "As the number of Metaverse users grows and the technology further develops, the list of possible crimes will only expand to potentially include crimes against children, data theft, money laun...
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