Pelican Press

Apple just gave Final Cut Pro for the Mac and iPad some big upgrades, including a new AI captions tool Apple just gave Final Cut Pro for the Mac and iPad some big upgrades, including a new AI captions tool Final Cut Pro 11 for Mac and Final Cut Pro for iPad 2.1 are available now The anticipated auto captions features is now on the Mac Upgrades include AI boosts plus a new version of Final Cut Camera Alongside brand new versions of Logic Pro for the Mac and iPad – and a few weeks after Apple dropped new Macs and teased a forthcoming version of its pro video editor – the technology giant has officially dropped Final Cut Pro 11, Final Cut Pro for iPad 2.1, plus some major updates to Final Cut Camera. Much like Logic Pro for iPad’s major update in May 2024 and the rollout of Apple Intelligence, these latest updates circle around AI. Well, AI and delivering on many features requested from users. We have a hunch that many of these will make Final Cut Pro fans – either on the Mac or iPad – plenty happy. Final Cut Pro 11 on the Mac is ushering in a number of AI-powered features that use Apple’s own on-device language model and the Neural Engine of M1, M2, M3, and M4-powered Macs. One of the most anticipated after a tease when Apple unveiled the Mac mini is Transcribe to Captions, which, as the name suggests, lets you automatically create accurate captions in an instant. Closed captions will appear after processing the video, and Final Cut Pro does this on-device with Apple’s language model. (Image credit: Apple) Transcribe to Captions joins Magic Mask, which can automatically select and highlight people or objects. This might eliminate the need for rotoscoping or setting up a green screen, among other more time-consuming edits like ****** correction. If you have an Apple Vision Pro or dream of producing a film for the wearable spatial computer, Final Cut Pro can now edit spatial videos. While this was first teased back at WWDC 2024, the ability to edit and create Spatial Videos for playback on Apple Vision Pro is now shipping with Final Cut Pro 11. You’ll be able to import footage from an iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max, as well as a Canon EOS R7 with Canon’s RF-S7.8mm F4 STM DUAL lens. Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. (Image credit: Apple) On the iPad, Final Cut Pro for iPad 2.1 brings four new tools to one of the most unique experiences for the touch-first video editing solution. Live Drawing, which lets you easily create video animations with an Apple Pencil, has new watercolor, crayon, fountain, and monoline pen options to express yourself better. Additionally, like on the Mac, there are new transitions, title cards, ****** presets, sound effects, and video effects within Final Cut. When adding clips to the timeline or browsing it, you can now pinch-to-zoom with your fingers to adjust the clip height. With an Apple Pencil Pro, you’ll now feel haptics based on whatever you’re adjusting – this is long-awaited, especially if you invested in Apple’s flagship stylus. Last but not least, Final Cut Camera is getting some long-request features. For starters, it now has a level with roll and tilt indicators to ensure you get the best shot possible from any angle. Plus, if you’re using this to capture footage on an iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max, you can now record at up to 4K resolution at 120 frames per second. (Image credit: Apple) This latest update also allows you to record Log-encoded HEVC video when ********* with just one or multiple devices, and you can enable a LUT – lookup table – preview simultaneously. While not a complete redesign or major change to Final Cut Pro, these updates across Final Cut Pro for Mac and iPad and Final Cut Camera for iPhone will likely make a big difference. They seek to help folks speed up workflows and edits and answer the call for some directly requested features. You’ll get these updates for free if you already have Final Cut Pro for Mac or iPad. However, if you’re new, you must pay or subscribe. Final Cut Pro 11 for the Mac is $299; on the iPad, it’s $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year. Final Cut Camera is still a free app for the iPhone. You Might Also Like… Source link #Apple #gave #Final #Cut #Pro #Mac #iPad #big #upgrades #including #captions #tool Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Parliament calls for an EU crackdown on Russia’s ’shadow fleet’ | News Parliament calls for an EU crackdown on Russia’s ’shadow fleet’ | News Russia uses old tankers, often uninsured and with unclear ownership, to export its crude oil and petroleum products abroad, despite EU, G7 and international sanctions. These activities have also raised fears over the risk of environmental disasters, including severe oil spills. As part of systematic efforts to undermine EU restrictive measures, the ‘shadow fleet’ provides a key financial lifeline for Russia in its ******** and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine. In a resolution adopted on Thursday, the ********* Parliament calls for more targeted measures against these vessels in the next EU sanctions packages, including all individual ships as well as their owners, operators, managers, accounts, banks and insurance companies. It also demands the systematic sanctioning of vessels sailing through EU waters without known insurance and urges the EU to enhance its surveillance capabilities, especially drone and satellite monitoring, and to conduct targeted inspections at sea. MEPs want EU member states to designate ports capable of handling sanctioned vessels carrying crude oil and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and to seize ******** cargo without compensation. End EU imports of Russian fossil fuels The resolution further calls on G7 countries to better enforce the price cap imposed on Russian seaborne oil, to substantially decrease the oil price cap and to ****** down on the loopholes used by Russia to repackage and sell its oil and oil products at market prices. Stressing that the impact of existing sanctions and the financial and military support to Ukraine will continue to be undermined as long as the EU imports Russian fossil fuels, MEPs urge the EU and its member states to ban all imports of Russian fossil fuels, including LNG. Pointing towards the need for much stricter enforcement of current EU sanctions, the text also states that the EU should seriously reassess its bilateral cooperation with third countries that are helping Russia circumvent EU restrictive measures in place, if diplomatic efforts are unsuccessful. For all the details, the full resolution will be available here (14.11.2024). It was approved by show of hands. Source link #Parliament #calls #crackdown #Russias #shadow #fleet #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Expect rates to stay high Expect rates to stay high Mortgage rates are a bit unsteady today. According to Zillow, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate has increased by three basis points to 6.55%, the 15-year fixed rate is holding steady at 5.91%, and the 5/1 ARM rate is down by three basis points to 6.70%. Yesterday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the October Consumer Price Index (CPI), a key measure of inflation. The report showed that inflation has followed expectations, meaning the Federal Reserve will likely cut the federal funds rate again at its December meeting. Even so, mortgage rates will probably remain high due to speculation about what policies Trump will enact once he becomes president. As far as interest rates go, today could be as good a time as any to buy in the next few months. This embedded content is not available in your region. Dig deeper: Mortgage rates are increasing — Is it still a good time to buy a house? Here are the current mortgage rates, according to the latest Zillow data: 30-year fixed: 6.55% 20-year fixed: 6.35% 15-year fixed: 5.91% 5/1 ARM: 6.70% 7/1 ARM: 6.69% 30-year VA: 5.91% 15-year VA: 5.43% 5/1 VA: 6.24% 30-year FHA: 5.61% 15-year FHA: 5.59% 5/1 FHA: 4.86% Remember, these are the national averages and rounded to the nearest hundredth. Learn more: 5 strategies to get the lowest mortgage rates Here are today’s mortgage refinance interest rates, according to the latest Zillow data: 30-year fixed: 6.67% 20-year fixed: 6.67% 15-year fixed: 5.99% 5/1 ARM: 6.63% 7/1 ARM: 6.34% 30-year VA: 5.95% 15-year VA: 5.55% 5/1 VA: 5.51% As with the purchase mortgage rates, these are national averages we’ve rounded to the nearest hundredth. Keep in mind that refinance rates are usually higher than purchase mortgage rates. This embedded content is not available in your region. Yahoo Finance has a free mortgage payment calculator to help you see how various mortgage rates will impact your monthly payments. Our calculator goes even deeper by including factors like homeowners insurance and property taxes in your calculation. You can even add private mortgage insurance costs and HOA dues if they apply to you. These monthly expenses, along with your mortgage principal and interest rate, will give you a realistic idea of what your monthly payment could be. A mortgage interest rate is a fee for borrowing money from your lender, expressed as a percentage. There are two basic types of mortgage rates: fixed and adjustable rates. A fixed-rate mortgage locks in your rate for the entire life of your loan. For example, if you get a 30-year mortgage with a 6% interest rate, your rate will stay at 6% for the entire 30 years. (Unless you refinance or sell the home.) An adjustable-rate mortgage keeps your rate the same for the first few years, then changes it periodically. Let’s say you get a 5/1 ARM with an introductory rate of 6%. Your rate would be 6% for the first five years and then the rate would increase or decrease once per year for the last 25 years of your term. Whether your rate goes up or down depends on several factors, such as the economy and U.S. housing market. At the beginning of your mortgage term, most of your monthly payment goes toward interest. As time passes, less of your payment goes toward interest, and more goes toward the mortgage principal or the amount you originally borrowed. Dig deeper: Adjustable-rate vs. fixed-rate mortgage — Which should you choose? Two categories determine mortgage rates: ones you can control and ones you cannot control. What factors can you control? First, you can compare the best mortgage lenders to find the one that gives you the lowest rate and fees. Second, lenders typically extend lower rates to people with higher credit scores, lower debt-to-income (DTI) ratios, and considerable down payments. If you can save more or pay down debt before securing a mortgage, a lender will probably give you a better interest rate. What factors can you not control? In short, the economy. The list of ways the economy impacts mortgage rates is long, but here are the basic details. If the economy — think employment rates, for example — is struggling, mortgage rates go down to encourage borrowing, which helps boost the economy. If the economy is strong, mortgage rates go up to temper spending. With all other things being equal, mortgage refinance rates are usually a little higher than purchase rates. So don’t be surprised if your refinance rate is higher than you may have expected. Two of the most common mortgage terms are 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages. Both lock in your rate for the entire loan term. A 30-year mortgage is popular because it has relatively low monthly payments. But it comes with a higher interest rate than shorter terms, and because you’re accumulating interest for three decades, you’ll pay a lot of interest in the long run. A 15-year mortgage can be great because it has a lower rate than you’ll get with longer terms, so you’ll pay less in interest over the years. You’ll also pay off your mortgage much faster. But your monthly payments will be higher because you’re paying off the same loan amount in half the time. Basically, 30-year mortgages are more affordable from month to month, while 15-year mortgages are cheaper in the long run. According to 2023 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data, some of the banks with the lowest median mortgage rates are Citibank, Wells Fargo, and USAA. However, it’s a good idea to shop around for the best rate with not just banks, but also credit unions and companies specializing in mortgage lending. Yes, 2.75% is a fantastic mortgage rate. You’re unlikely to get a 2.75% rate in today’s market unless you take on an assumable mortgage from a seller who locked in this rate in 2020 or 2021, when rates were at all-time lows. According to Freddie Mac, the lowest-ever 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 2.65%. This was the national average in January 2021. It is extremely unlikely that rates will dip this low again anytime soon. Some experts say it’s worth refinancing when you can lock in a rate that’s 2% less than your current mortgage rate. Others say 1% is the magic number. It all depends on what your financial goals are when refinancing and when your break-even point would be after paying refinance closing costs. Source link #Expect #rates #stay #high Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Australopithecines May Have Used Tools Over 3 Million Years Ago, Reveals New Study Australopithecines May Have Used Tools Over 3 Million Years Ago, Reveals New Study New research on australopithecine hand anatomy suggests that Lucy, one of the oldest known ancestors to humans, and her species might have engaged in tool-related activities over 3 million years ago. This revelation, based on muscle attachment studies, implies that some early hominins may have manipulated objects long before the ***** genus emerged. The study, published in Journal of Human Evolution, was led by paleoanthropologist Fotios Alexandros Karakostis from the University of Tübingen, Germany. Researchers analysed hand muscle attachment sites, known as entheses, in three different australopithecine species and compared them with human and ape hand bones. It was observed that muscle attachment points on these ancient hand bones suggest frequent use of grasping and manipulation similar to human tool use. “While there is no direct evidence that these hominins created tools, their hand structures show they likely performed activities involving precise grip and object manipulation,” explained Karakostis. Evolving Dexterity in Early Hominins The study, which was published in the November issue of the Journal of Human Evolution, indicate that australopithecines, particularly Australopithecus afarensis and Australopithecus sediba, may have possessed dexterity akin to modern humans. The recent species among these, A. sediba, had a more humanlike hand compared to its earlier relatives, which retained both ape and human traits in their hand structure. The study further reveals that the placement and adaptation of muscle attachment sites in these species highlight how their hands might have been used to manage tasks such as food preparation, grasping, and perhaps even using primitive tools. Jana Kunze, a paleoanthropologist also from the University of Tübingen, noted that the development of the first dorsal interosseus muscle between the thumb and index finger might have supported a precise grip. This feature, coupled with adaptations in the pinky finger, would have enhanced the species’ ability to manipulate objects effectively, providing essential functionality that may have led to technological advancements among early hominins. Although ***** habilis, known as “handyman” due to its association with early stone tools, is traditionally credited as the first toolmaker, this study challenges the assumption that australopithecines lacked the anatomical ability for tool creation. Tracy Kivell, Director of Human Origins at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, observed that each australopithecine species may have developed unique hand adaptations, potentially using their dexterity for both tool use and climbing. This analysis adds evidence to the hypothesis that certain humanlike traits in dexterity emerged before the evolution of the ***** genus, pushing back the timeline of possible tool use to australopithecines over 3 million years ago. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release) Source link #Australopithecines #Tools #Million #Years #Reveals #Study Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

You can finally use Gemini Live on iPhone as Google launches Gemini app for iOS You can finally use Gemini Live on iPhone as Google launches Gemini app for iOS Google has launched a standalone Gemini app on iPhone The app gives iPhone users access to Gemini Live This new Gemini app is the best way to experience Google AI on iOS Google has unveiled a standalone iPhone Gemini app that includes support for Gemini Live, the incredibly smart AI voice mode. Gemini was previously available via the Google app for iOS by clicking through tabs, but now this standalone version makes it incredibly easy to access Google’s AI chatbot whenever you want. The Gemini app has iOS-specific features like Dynamic Island integration and even supports Gemini Extensions for apps like Gmail, allowing you to ask Gemini questions about your inbox. Earlier this week, the app appeared on the App Store in the Philippines but now users around the world can get a taste of everything Gemini has to offer. Free to download from the App Store, you can subscribe to Gemini Advanced for more features via an in-app purchase which costs $18.99 / £18.99 / roughly AU$30. With Gemini Advanced you can take advantage of Gemini Live, one of the most impressive AI voice assistants we’ve tested so far. Gemini Live on iPhone (Image credit: Google) Gemini Live works very well in our initial testing of the Gemini iOS app. It has seamless Dynamic Island and Lock Screen integration so you can quickly interact with AI without opening the app, and it’s very responsive to even the most difficult prompts. Gemini Live’s natural voice is seriously impressive and considering we’re still waiting for Siri to take its final Apple Intelligence form, this could be the go-to for a lot of people looking for the ideal virtual assistant for the best iPhones. Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. You might also like… Source link #finally #Gemini #Live #iPhone #Google #launches #Gemini #app #iOS Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bank of America says buy this little-known nuclear energy stock Bank of America says buy this little-known nuclear energy stock Nuclear fuel company BWX Technologies is “the nuclear pick [for] yesterday, today and tomorrow,” according to Bank of America. Analyst Ronald Epstein reiterated his buy rating on the stock while increasing his price target to $160 from $115. The new price target indicates more than 20% upside from where shares closed on Wednesday. BWX’s primary business is providing U.S. submarines and carriers with naval nuclear reactors, nuclear fuel and other components. Shares have surged 72.1% in 2024 due to the scarcity premium in the small modular reactor (SMR) market. Although the market for SMRs is still in the beginning phases, BWX is still a key supplier in the market, per Epstein. “Additionally, BWXT is uniquely positioned to the US Navy build up as the sole-source supplier of nuclear power plants for submarines and aircraft carriers,” Epstein wrote in a research note on Thursday. The company’s “monopolistic position” also shields it from any tailwinds from sluggish shipbuilders and shipyards performance, the analyst added. “We view BWXT as a pure-play beneficiary of ***-partisan support for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Indo-Pacific strategy,” Epstein said. Shares climbed 4% Thursday before the bell. Analysts are generally bullish on the stock. Of the 11 covering BWX Technologies, eight rate it as buy or strong buy, LSEG data shows. Source link #Bank #America #buy #littleknown #nuclear #energy #stock Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Storage technology explained: What is S3 and what is it good for? Storage technology explained: What is S3 and what is it good for? While on-premise object storage is a ********* interest, relatively speaking, object storage in the cloud is huge. It is its natural home, and AWS’s S3 is the big ****** that roams there. While it’s hard to get a definitive figure, the most recent AWS (Amazon Web Services) estimates of the number of S3 objects stored approach half a quadrillion – it reached a trillion in 2010 – and volume-wise that’s many exabytes of data. So, here we give an overview of S3; what it is, how it works, what classes of storage it provides, the use cases it is good for, and the on-prem options spawned by the ascension of S3 to de facto standard status. What is S3 storage? S3 gets its name from Simple Storage Service in AWS public cloud. It is object storage and arose as the most basic storage building block of AWS’s cloud services. It has also become a de facto standard, with S3-based products available in object storage from vendors that target customer’s on-site deployments. It is available in a wide variety of service level-based offerings from AWS and other cloud suppliers, as well as storage array and storage software makers. S3 storage: What’s under the hood? S3 is object storage. Any type of data can be stored using it – although it may not suit some application use cases, such as databases – and these can include documents, video and images. Objects are stored with a unique identifier. This is what distinguishes object storage from traditional file and block. There’s no file system hierarchy. Under the covers, object storage data can be in any location, with its unique ID pointing to it. S3 data also has metadata, of which some is system-generated and comprises object management-related variables such as datestamps, service levels, size, content type, encryption, versioning, zone, and upload information. Meanwhile, customers and users can set metadata for storage and data management purposes that might include data classification-relevant details and user activity. A single S3 object upload maxes out at 160GB. But objects can be as big as 5TB and uploaded in a multi-part structure – up to 10,000 parts – via the GUI, command line or API. What is the structure of S3 object storage? S3 objects are stored in buckets. These are a fundamental of S3 storage and their creation is specific to Amazon regions, which may bring with them particular cost, availability and regulatory characteristics. Customers create buckets and control access to buckets, create lifecycle rules for objects in buckets, track costs, manage replication, track access requests, use object locking and receive alerts, among other things. Management of buckets and the objects within them comes via the S3 Console (if you’re using it in AWS). Here, you can use the Console GUI to upload, download, search for and manage objects. There are also folders in S3, but they are more like a label to group objects and not a fundamental of the way it works, such as buckets. Folders have no relevance to the S3 API, for example. What commands does S3 use? S3 storage is based around core HTTP methods or verbs that include GET, PUT, DELETE etc., and accessed via the AWS browser GUI, the command line, and via API. Customers can use these commands to create, list, change and delete buckets; control access to buckets and objects and receive notifications about access; and upload, download, copy and move objects and sync them with local directories. Commands can go via the command line for one-off work and be built into scheduled scripts etc, or go via API into application code, with the full range available for authorisation, bucket creation, gets, puts, copy, list, metadata access, uploads and downloads. What classes of storage exist in S3? AWS S3 storage classes range from those it intends for use with frequently accessed objects right through to those aimed at archive use cases. At the frequently accessed end of the spectrum, these include S3 Standard and S3 Express One Zone, which gives claimed millisecond access on a single availability zone. S3 Standard-IA and S3 One Zone-IA are the infrequently accessed version of standard S3. They charge a retrieval fee but still offer millisecond access, and target backup workloads and data that may be older but can be accessed relatively rapidly when needed. AWS’s storage classes for rarely accessed objects are Glacier Instant Retrieval (millisecond access), Glacier Flexible Retrieval (minutes), and Deep Archive (12 to 48 hours). In addition, there is S3 Intelligent-Tiering, in which, for a charge, data access is tracked by AWS and moved to the cheapest tier according to usage patterns. What use cases is S3 suited to? By nature, S3 storage – and object storage in general – is not best suited to all types of use case. Object storage can handle almost any kind of data, is very scalable, can come with rich metadata, and is cost effective. But, it is not generally very quick to access – compared to block storage for databases, for example – and lacks the kind of consistency that comes with that kind of high performance transactional storage. All that makes S3 suited to bulk storage use cases and for unstructured data, such as backups, content distribution, as a disaster recovery repository, and for AI and analytics datasets in data lakes, for example. What on-premise or private S3 options exist? AWS offers its own on-premise S3 storage via Outposts, which allows data to be held on-site and near applications or to meet data location requirements. But S3 is fundamentally storage of data objects accessed via HTTP verbs and REST API, so it’s quite possible for any supplier to offer access in a compatible fashion. There are numerous other providers of S3-compatible on-prem storage, including Cloudian (HyperStore storage software), Dell (ECS), Minio, NetApp (in its Ontap and StorageGrid products), Pure Storage, QNAP, Red Hat, Scality (also offered via HPE), and StoneFly. Source link #Storage #technology #explained #good Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ETF flows on track to hit record above $1 trillion by year-end, VettaFi data shows ETF flows on track to hit record above $1 trillion by year-end, VettaFi data shows Investors poured more than $915 billion into exchange traded funds in 2024 as of Wednesday, hitting a fresh record, according to VettaFi. Inflows are on track to hit the $1 trillion milestone by year-end, as the election acts as a new catalyst, the firm found. “We’ve seen an acceleration in the demand for ETFs and the use of ETFs in the past week,” said Todd Rosenbluth, head of research at VettaFi. “The majority of flows continued to be index based,” he added. “ETFs are becoming a preferred way to get exposure to the stock market. You can get diversification benefits as opposed to buying a single stock.” Indeed, the past week has been a strong one for stocks, with the broad market S & P 500 up nearly 1% over the last five trading days through Wednesday. Investors’ enthusiasm over President-elect Donald Trump’s win last week powered the three major averages to fresh highs on Monday. However, the rally has been losing some steam in recent days. Investors have been eager to partake in stocks’ recent run higher. ETFs have seen inflows of more than $58 billion since Election Day, according to State Street Global Advisors. Of that sum, more than $48 billion went toward U.S. equities. State Street’s popular SPDR S & P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) has seen more than $12 billion of new money, since the Nov. 5 election. The Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ) , which tracks the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index, has picked up more than $8 billion of inflows since Election Day. “The type of user in the world of ETFs has really expanded,” said Ryan McCormack, senior factor and core equity strategist for Invesco’s exchange traded funds. “You have, of course, your institutional investors, financial advisors, [registered investment advisors] down to the individual investor. We just see a wider base of people using the instrument.” ETF flavors garnering notable flows The ETFs that track indexes have seen the biggest dollar inflows. However, McCormack said there is growing interest in “factor ETFs” that use fund specific rules or strategies to try and improve portfolio performance. The Invesco S & P 500 Momentum ETF (SPMO) is made up of 100 stocks the firm rates as having the highest “momentum score” in the S & P 500, its inflows have jumped 25% post election and more than 1100% year to date. The Invesco S & P 500 Equal Weight ETF that mirrors the stocks of the market cap weighted S & P 500 has seen inflows increase more than 24% year to date “This sort of alternatively weighted strategy is an easy way to pick up some level of small size exposure from the factor perspective and naturally diversify,” said McCormack. Investors are also turning to ETFs to capitalize on so-called Trump Trades such as bitcoin. “Large flows into Bitcoin ETFs reflects the sizeable optimism towards the industry, as the crypto industry prepares for a more crypto-friendly administration and easing regulatory headwinds,” said Anna Paglia, chief business officer of State Street Global Advisors. “But that optimism will extend to the entire ecosystem, as this sentiment shift goes beyond spot.” State Street said its SPDR Galaxy Digital Asset Ecosystem ETF (DECO) has seen inflows increase by 26% since Election Day. Top holdings in the DECO ETF include bitcoin-related stocks Cipher Mining, Riot Platforms and Terawulf. Overall, Rosenbluth believes the post-election surge and likely crossing of the $1 trillion milestone is a long term tailwind for the ETF industry. “I think demand could further accelerate if we cross that key milestone and as asset managers see that adoption they are likely to continue to bring new products to market.” Specialist traders work inside a post on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange on Oct. 23, 2024. Brendan McDermid | Reuters Investors poured more than $915 billion into exchange traded funds in 2024 as of Wednesday, hitting a fresh record, according to VettaFi. Inflows are on track to hit the $1 trillion milestone by year-end, as the election acts as a new catalyst, the firm found. “We’ve seen an acceleration in the demand for ETFs and the use of ETFs in the past week,” said Todd Rosenbluth, head of research at VettaFi. “The majority of flows continued to be index based,” he added. “ETFs are becoming a preferred way to get exposure to the stock market. You can get diversification benefits as opposed to buying a single stock.” Indeed, the past week has been a strong one for stocks, with the broad market S&P 500 up nearly 1% over the last five trading days through Wednesday. Investors’ enthusiasm over President-elect Donald Trump’s win last week powered the three major averages to fresh highs on Monday. However, the rally has been losing some steam in recent days. Investors have been eager to partake in stocks’ recent run higher. ETFs have seen inflows of more than $58 billion since Election Day, according to State Street Global Advisors. Of that sum, more than $48 billion went toward U.S. equities. State Street’s popular SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) has seen more than $12 billion of new money, since the Nov. 5 election. The Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ), which tracks the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index, has picked up more than $8 billion of inflows since Election Day. “The type of user in the world of ETFs has really expanded,” said Ryan McCormack, senior factor and core equity strategist for Invesco’s exchange traded funds. “You have, of course, your institutional investors, financial advisors, [registered investment advisors] down to the individual investor. We just see a wider base of people using the instrument.” ETF flavors garnering notable flows The ETFs that track indexes have seen the biggest dollar inflows. However, McCormack said there is growing interest in “factor ETFs” that use fund specific rules or strategies to try and improve portfolio performance. The Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF (SPMO) is made up of 100 stocks the firm rates as having the highest “momentum score” in the S&P 500, its inflows have jumped 25% post election and more than 1100% year to date. The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF that mirrors the stocks of the market cap weighted S&P 500 has seen inflows increase more than 24% year to date “This sort of alternatively weighted strategy is an easy way to pick up some level of small size exposure from the factor perspective and naturally diversify,” said McCormack. Investors are also turning to ETFs to capitalize on so-called Trump Trades such as bitcoin. “Large flows into Bitcoin ETFs reflects the sizeable optimism towards the industry, as the crypto industry prepares for a more crypto-friendly administration and easing regulatory headwinds,” said Anna Paglia, chief business officer of State Street Global Advisors. “But that optimism will extend to the entire ecosystem, as this sentiment shift goes beyond spot.” State Street said its SPDR Galaxy Digital Asset Ecosystem ETF (DECO) has seen inflows increase by 26% since Election Day. Top holdings in the DECO ETF include bitcoin-related stocks Cipher Mining, Riot Platforms and Terawulf. Overall, Rosenbluth believes the post-election surge and likely crossing of the $1 trillion milestone is a long term tailwind for the ETF industry. “I think demand could further accelerate if we cross that key milestone and as asset managers see that adoption they are likely to continue to bring new products to market.” Source link #ETF #flows #track #hit #record #trillion #yearend #VettaFi #data #shows Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Amazon launches Temu and Shein rival with ‘crazy low’ prices Amazon launches Temu and Shein rival with ‘crazy low’ prices Amazon has launched a new outlet called Haul which caps the price of products on ***** at $20 (£15.79), in an effort to take on low-cost retailers Temu and Shein. The online shopping giant unveiled Haul as a mobile-only experience available in its Shopping app for US customers on Wednesday. It says shoppers can expect “crazy low prices” on Haul products that are “worth the wait” of up to two weeks for delivery. It marks the platform’s long-awaited foray into the ***** cheaper goods with lengthier shipping times – a business model which has spurred the rise of ********-owned e-commerce apps. Bloomberg journalist Amanda Mull told the BBC in July that positioning itself as a competitor to the likes of Temu would be a near-term priority for Amazon. She said Amazon has “created the spending habits” of western consumers by acting as a trustworthy middleman between them and manufacturers. But shifting away from its speedy delivery and returns options to echo the practices of increasingly popular Temu and Shein apps would allow them to follow in their footsteps by cutting prices, she said. Amazon has said most of the products on Haul will cost less than $10 (£7.90). It cited examples such as a three-piece razor set and an “elegant necklace, bracelet, and earring set” available at just under three dollars each in a press release about the launch. Free delivery will also be available for orders of $25 or over with one to two week delivery. But the mass production of cheap products has come under criticism due to concerns about the impact of their shipping and disposal on the environment. “Finding great products at very low prices is important to customers, and we continue to explore ways that we can work with our selling partners so they can offer products at ultra-low prices,” said Dharmesh Mehta, Amazon’s vice president of worldwide selling partner services. The company says the “beta” Haul shopping experience will see all products sold backed by its product guarantees to provide confidence about their safety. Mr Mehta said it was still “early days” for its new shopping vertical, and customer feedback would be listened to in order to “refine and expand it in the weeks and months to come”. The BBC has asked Amazon if, and when, the service will be launched in the ***. Source link #Amazon #launches #Temu #Shein #rival #crazy #prices Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

CIO interview: Steve O’Connor, Aston Martin CIO interview: Steve O’Connor, Aston Martin For a spy, James Bond’s choice of an Aston Martin is anything but subtle, yet the car and the fictional spook have become synonymous with each other. Since the 1960s, Aston Martin has upheld an image of style and exclusivity, bolstered by its association with the Bond franchise. But as the automotive industry races towards a new era, Aston Martin has had to evolve, much like Bond, and embrace change. Today, the company is responding to broader industry shifts. Rising trade barriers hindering supply chains and keeping EV prices high, as well as growing competition and volatile trade in markets such as China. In September, Aston Martin and a number of other large car brands issued profit warnings. But it’s not all ***** and gloom. Global new-vehicle sales are expected to reach a record 97.2 million units by 2025, with electric vehicles (EVs) leading at a 16% growth rate to 19.4 million units, according to a recent Economist Intelligence Unit report. It’s much-needed positive news for the industry. For Aston Martin, which appointed former Bentley Motors chairman Adrian Hallmark as CEO earlier this year, this will only be of some comfort. It operates in a highly personalised, high-end bit of the market where costs can easily spiral out of control and where increasingly, its technology choices can have a determining role. Speaking at Infor’s recent ********* conference in Amsterdam, CIO Steve O’Connor talks about the completion of an IT transformation and the need for efficiency (unsurprisingly), but it was envisioning a “software-defined car of the future” that he says has shaped the company’s current thinking, especially when it came data, parts and asset management. Aston Martin has been working with enterprise resource planning (ERP) provider Infor for about four years now, but unlike many vendors who approach transformation, Aston Martin went for more of a rip and replace approach – usually the stuff of IT consultant nightmares. Much of this was down to its own Materials Requirement Planning (MRP) platform that the company had built about 20 years ago. O’Connor says that “trying to maintain it and keep the thing alive just became way more complex”, and it didn’t adhere to industry best practice. In short, it was due an overhaul, but what made it even more pressing was the pressure building on meeting changing needs within the industry. “The big driver is obviously the future of automotive,” he says, talking about the need to embrace EVs and how technology is now part and parcel of making cars and in-car experiences. Aston Martin’s electrification strategy was recently awarded £9m of government funding through the Advanced Propulsion Centre *** (APC), so it’s well on the road to developing its own EV platform, but that’s not what O’Conner is concerned about. It is the customisations or personalisation of each purchase that creates some of the biggest challenges for Aston Martin’s supply chain, logistics and product managers. O’Connor talks about this complexity of handling parts at Aston Martin, noting, for example, that a sun visor alone could have almost 3,000 different permutations. This, says O’Connor, adds significant complexity into the manufacturing and supply chain process. “No two Aston Martins are truly alike,” he says, “even among dealer-spec cars.” Customisation extends down to specific details such as stitching colour, leather options and carpet choices, making the planning, processes and management of parts a real headache and open to error. The same can sometimes be said of highly customised legacy ERP installations. So, how does Aston Martin work with Infor? O’Connor talks about “extensibility” and “modular customisations” being key to the company’s ongoing plans and why it decided to transform its entire system and processes. Aston Martin is using Infor’s LN software, the core ERP system for manufacturing in Infor’s CloudSuite Automotive. It’s also using a range of other Infor tools including Warehouse Management, Supply Chain Planning and Inform CPQ (configure, price, quote). “We now have a fully connected ecosystem, starting with the configurator on the website and integrating with Salesforce and CPQ,” says O’Connor, adding that the IT team can do ERP customisations without affecting the core processes of the business, thanks to the modular approach of the software. “We’ve yet to see anything break through that extensibility, which in my experience is actually quite phenomenal.” The ERP system handles SKU-level (stock taking unit) detail and tracks attributes down to specifics like stitching colour and leather type, says O’Connor, enabling a level of granular tracking that will have to be the norm for the business if it is to continue to compete, while at the same time streamlining its supply chain and becoming more resilient in the face of new challenges such as skills gaps. Shifting gears This is where O’Connor sees automation as a big draw. He admits that moving from the old bespoke system to Infor was “a real eye opener” when it came to skills challenges. “There was a huge skills gap to start off with,” he says, “it was a scary prospect.” This underscores the daunting transition from a customised legacy system to a modern, cloud-based ERP. The company had to rely heavily on Infor’s partners and implementation teams to bridge this gap. Automation, however, offers a potential solution to some of these skills challenges, with O’Connor describing the ERP as “open for the automation potential”. By reducing the manual workload involved in tracking and processing customised parts, for example, O’Connor sees automation allowing Aston Martin to manage its extensive customisation options more efficiently, hopefully saving time and money but also importantly ensuring customers get what they want. But it may not be that easy. According to Deloitte’s The future of the automotive value chain 2025 and beyond: “Up to 1,300 IT specialists and mobility managers may be required for the future car company to play a significant role in the market.” The automotive industry, like many industries, will still need significant skills in technology (data and AI) and increasingly mobility and Edge expertise – and that’s where it gets really competitive for talent. Managing resources is becoming increasingly essential if these sorts of businesses want to keep seeing the margins to which they have been accustomed in recent years. “The big driver [of electric vehicles] is obviously the future of automotive” Steve O’Connor, Aston Martin O’Connor seems fully aware that skills will be an ongoing challenge for the whole organisation, and he has learnt a lot from undergoing an IT transformation. He talks up the value of change management, saying it should “not be underestimated” in bringing the business along with you. “We threw all of our core business systems out and went for the three [Infor] platforms,” says O’Connor. “That was huge and in a short ******* of time as well. So, you’ve got to win the hearts and minds and you’ve got to keep your eye on the value. You’ve got to keep telling the story.” The shift has required a careful approach to both process alignment and training, ensuring the team not only understands the technical aspects of the system, but also embraces the new ways of working. This focus on automation and change management reflects the growing role of digital tools in mitigating skills gaps at Aston Martin, but as O’Connor suggests, at the intersection of legacy craftsmanship and high-tech innovation, you can never really take your eye off the ball. Automation will no doubt have an increasing role here. Focus on workflow is already ongoing, but it’s also proving valuable for Aston Martin’s approach to order management. O’Connor explains that while there’s a 12-week “frozen *******” before production, customers can make changes up until that point, sometimes even after. Last-minute changes can be managed more cost-effectively, enabling the business to maintain its customer experience and commitment to individuality. Managing resources efficiently is fundamental and sustainability is now accelerating to the forefront of Aston Martin’s strategy, with the luxury carmaker aiming to meet the rising environmental expectations of its customers and regulators alike. The company’s Racing Green initiative sets ambitious targets to reduce its environmental footprint across every stage of production, from supply chain logistics to vehicle manufacturing. So, will Infor help? “That’s the intention,” says O’Connor, adding that having just finished the Infor implementation, he can now turn his attention to sustainability measures to track resource use, emissions and efficiencies. He was keen to point out that sustainability for Aston Martin is not just about ticking regulatory boxes but reshaping the brand’s future to appeal to environmentally conscious buyers who expect luxury without compromising on sustainability. The inference from O’Connor was that previously the systems were in no position to help with tracking that sort of data. In many respects, Infor has opened up a new world for Aston Martin, giving it oversight of its operations and an ability to manage products, parts and processes in fine detail. It’s a new world for such an iconic, traditional sports car brand, and Aston Martin has certainly been brave in firmly planting its IT transformation flag early. As O’Connor says, it can now focus more confidently on its core abilities of building and marketing luxury cars. It’s less shaken, but definitely more stirred. Source link #CIO #interview #Steve #OConnor #Aston #Martin Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bank of America says buy this little-known nuclear energy stock Bank of America says buy this little-known nuclear energy stock Nuclear fuel company BWX Technologies is “the nuclear pick [for] yesterday, today and tomorrow,” according to Bank of America. Analyst Ronald Epstein reiterated his buy rating on the stock while increasing his price target to $160 from $115. The new price target indicates more than 20% upside from where shares closed on Wednesday. BWX’s primary business is providing U.S. submarines and carriers with naval nuclear reactors, nuclear fuel and other components. Shares have surged 72.1% in 2024 due to the scarcity premium in the small modular reactor (SMR) market. Although the market for SMRs is still in the beginning phases, BWX is still a key supplier in the market, per Epstein. “Additionally, BWXT is uniquely positioned to the US Navy build up as the sole-source supplier of nuclear power plants for submarines and aircraft carriers,” Epstein wrote in a research note on Thursday. The company’s “monopolistic position” also shields it from any tailwinds from sluggish shipbuilders and shipyards performance, the analyst added. “We view BWXT as a pure-play beneficiary of ***-partisan support for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Indo-Pacific strategy,” Epstein said. Shares climbed 4% Thursday before the bell. Analysts are generally bullish on the stock. Of the 11 covering BWX Technologies, eight rate it as buy or strong buy, LSEG data shows. Source link #Bank #America #buy #littleknown #nuclear #energy #stock Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

EU deforestation law: Parliament wants to give companies one more year to comply | News EU deforestation law: Parliament wants to give companies one more year to comply | News In response to concerns raised by EU member states, non-EU countries, traders and operators that they would not be able to fully comply with the rules if applied as of end of 2024, the Commission proposed postponing the application date of the deforestation regulation by one year. Plenary agreed in October 2024 to deal with the proposal under the urgency procedure – Rule 170(6). Today, it approved the postponement with 371 votes to 240 and 30 abstentions. Large operators and traders would have to respect the obligations stemming from this regulation as of 30 December 2025, whereas micro- and small enterprises would have until 30 June 2026. This additional time would help operators around the world to implement the rules smoothly from the start without undermining the objectives of the law. Parliament also adopted other amendments proposed by the political groups, including the creation of a new category of countries posing “no risk” on deforestation in addition to the existing three categories of “low”, “standard” and “high” risk. Countries classified as “no risk”, defined as countries with stable or increasing forest area development, would face significantly less stringent requirements as there is a negligible or non-existent risk of deforestation. The Commission will have to finalise a country benchmarking system by 30 June 2025. Next steps Parliament decided to refer this file back to committee for interinstitutional negotiations. In order for these changes to enter into force, the agreed text will have to be endorsed by both Council and Parliament and published in the EU Official Journal. Background The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 420 million hectares of forest — an area larger than the EU — were lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2020. EU consumption represents around 10% of global deforestation. Palm oil and soya account for more than two-thirds of this. The deforestation regulation, adopted by Parliament on 19 April 2023, aims to ****** climate change and biodiversity loss by preventing the deforestation related to EU consumption of products from cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm-oil, soya, wood, rubber, charcoal and printed paper. Already in force since 29 June 2023, its provisions were to be applied by companies from 30 December 2024. Source link #deforestation #law #Parliament #give #companies #year #comply #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

National Care Service plan ‘delayed not scrapped’ National Care Service plan ‘delayed not scrapped’ Getty Images The Scottish government is again delaying its flagship plans for a National Care Service – but denies reports that the policy has been dropped. Health Secretary Neil Gray said he was “absolutely committed” to the scheme, which aims to transfer responsibility for social care away from councils to a new national body. Opposition parties are opposed to the plans, which have already been delayed by three years due to financial pressures and uncertainty over costs. The Scottish government said that it needed time to consider views and a new timetable would be worked out in the new year. MSPs were due to consider potential amendments to the bill later this month. The health secretary said that the government was “considering all options”. Gray said there had been no decisions yet as to how the final bill would be formulated as he sought support to pass the legislation. It comes after the Scottish Greens voted to withdraw their backing last month, meaning there was not enough support for the plans at Holyrood. The plan was first announced following the Covid pandemic The legislation aims to centralise ****** social care currently delivered by local authorities into a single body accountable to the Scottish government. Councils and trade unions previously withdrew support, while health boards and care organisations also expressed concerns. PA Media Scottish Greens co-leaders Partick Harvie and Lorna Slater *************, Labour and ******** Democrat MSPs stood in opposition to the scheme. They were joined by Greens MSPs last month. The SNP is in power as a ********* administration after a power-sharing agreement with the Greens collapsed in April. They must now rely on the support of other parties to pass legislation at Holyrood. But at the Greens’ party conference in Greenock members voted to withdraw support saying the scheme was “not fit for purpose” in its current form. Scottish Green health and social care spokeswoman Gillian Mackay said the bill was “contrary to Green values” and a “power grab” on local authorities. Source link #National #Care #Service #plan #delayed #scrapped Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

OpenAI Reportedly Planning to Launch AI Agents That Can Control Tasks on Computer OpenAI Reportedly Planning to Launch AI Agents That Can Control Tasks on Computer OpenAI is reportedly planning to release artificial intelligence (AI) agents that can operate tasks on computer systems. As per a report, the company has been working on several agent-related research projects, one of which is dubbed “Operator” which can ******** multi-step actions on computers. The AI agents are said to be released in January 2025 as a research preview for developers. The company is reportedly planning to access its AI agents via a native application programming interface (API) which developers can use to build software and apps. OpenAI’s AI Agents AI Agents have become a recent trend in the AI space. These are smaller AI models that have a limited but specialised knowledge base and can use specific software to ******** actions such as mimicking keystrokes, button clicks, and more. Due to the specialised nature of the models, they can complete tasks with accuracy and speed. According to a Bloomberg report, OpenAI has developed a new AI agent dubbed Operator that can complete tasks on computers. Citing people familiar with the matter, the publication claimed that users will be able to command the AI agent complicated tasks such as writing code or booking tickets, and it would be able to perform them. On Wednesday, OpenAI executives reportedly revealed plans to release the tool in January 2025 as a research preview. The company is said to create a new API for developers through which developers will have access to it. Notably, OpenAI is reportedly working on several agent-related research projects, which are near completion. One such agent is said to be capable of executing tasks in a web browser. Details about the other projects are currently not known. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman mentioned AI agents as the company’s focus earlier this month during a question and answer session on Reddit. Replying to a user, he said, “We will have better and better models. But I think the thing that will feel like the next giant breakthrough will be agents.” Anthropic, OpenAI’s competitor, released native AI agents last month. Dubbed Computer Use, these agents can understand and interact with computers, essentially allowing them to control and complete tasks on PCs. These agents are built on an upgraded version of Claude 3.5 Sonnet. Source link #OpenAI #Reportedly #Planning #Launch #Agents #Control #Tasks #Computer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Is the S&P 500 Due for a Cooldown? Key Technical Levels Could Signal a Pullback Is the S&P 500 Due for a Cooldown? Key Technical Levels Could Signal a Pullback S&P 500’s post-election rally faces resistance as overbought conditions mount. PPI data and Powell’s speech could be pivotal in shaping market direction today. Watch key support zones around 5990 and 595.00 for potential pullbacks in SPY. Get ready for massive savings on InvestingPro this ****** Friday! Access premium market data and supercharge your research at a discount. Don’t miss out – click here to save 55%! Following last week’s Trump victory in the US presidential election, the has rallied and stayed up, while the rest of the global indices have been quite volatile due to worries about tariffs and the potential for US monetary policy to remain quite restrictive in 2025 than would have otherwise been the case. Index futures were flattish ahead of the release of PPI inflation data, even if APAC stocks had another bearish session overnight, following the indecisive lead from Wall Street and the drop in ********* markets the day before. Right now, there is a lack of fresh major catalysts, with investors having factored potentially most of the Trump-related impact on stocks. So far, US stock investors have ignored the weakness in global markets outside of the US as well as the drop in major commodity and bond prices. With the US yield approaching 4.5% amid the hawkish repricing of US rates in 2025, this is something that may ultimately hold the markets back, especially as the major US indices are now at technically overbought levels. What to watch out for today Today’s numbers could be a key driver for bond yields, as they closely relate to the , the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge. Analysts are expecting a slight uptick in headline from 0.0% to 0.2% month-over-month, while the core measure is forecast to stay steady at 0.2%. Adding to the day’s significance, Fed Chair Jerome Powell is set to speak in Dallas, with a focus on the economic outlook. During the Q&A, Powell will likely face questions about the latest inflation trends and the potential effects of protectionist policies under Trump, on monetary policy. For the stock market, downside risks remain given high positioning levels. However, if Powell avoids directly linking potential policy shifts to the Fed’s decisions, this could dampen stock sell-offs and potentially lower US rate expectations. Currently, the market is cautiously pricing in just 50 basis points of easing by mid-2025. S&P 5000 futures: Technical analysis and trade ideas The S&P 500 has managed to maintain most of its post-election gains, reflecting US investors’ trust in Trump delivering his promised tax cuts and spending plans, which should be good news for Corporate America. The 2024 bullish trend thus still ******** quite strong. Every dip, little or big, has been bought so far. Until the time we see the markets make lower lows and lower highs, there is little point in fighting the trend. That said, at current levels, even the most bullish traders would be looking for a dip to buy, as the market is looking quite overbought. I haven’t included the Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator on this chart, but you don’t need that to tell you how overbought the SPX is right now – just look at price action from the left to the right. The RSI is at or near 70.00 on all major long-term charts, such as the daily, weekly and monthly. These overbought conditions will need to be worked off at some point, either through a sell-off or consolidation, before the bulls look for fresh buy-the-dip trades. Therefore, we could see a pullback in the days ahead, although we are still awaiting a clear reversal sign on the S&P for the trigger. For me, a potential break below 5990 on the S&P futures would be the trigger to look for short-term bearish trades until those RSI overbought conditions are worked off. A decisive break below this level would put into focus the area between 5893 to 5927 as the next potential support area to look for a bounce. This zone was resistance for much of October, before the index surged through it last week. Within this zone, we also have the 21-day exponential moving average coming into play, making it a key support area. Below this area, the next potential support zone to watch would be around 5805, where the bullish trend line going back to August comes into play. This trend would need to hold, else it could pave the way for a long-overdue correction. So, there are lots of support levels that would need to break down before the bears regain any sort of control. I am merely expecting to see some short-term weakness from these overbought levels, but for a full-on sell-off to take place, the bears will need to break several support levels. Until that happens, I am only expecting a modest pullback as things. Key levels to watch on SPY One of the ways to gain access to the S&P 500 is through the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust or more commonly known as SPY. This is an exchange-traded fund that trades on the NYSE Arca, and it is designed to track the S&P 500 index by holding a portfolio comprising all 500 companies on the index. Transferring the abovementioned levels onto SPY, the trigger for a short-term pullback to watch is the potential breakdown of near-term support at 595.00. If this happens, then the SPY may drop to the next support levels such as 586.12 (October higher) and 576.74 (the pre-election breakout area). I would look for a bounce around these two latter levels, if we get there. *** Disclaimer: This article is written for informational purposes only; it does not constitute a solicitation, offer, advice, counsel or recommendation to invest as such it is not intended to incentivize the purchase of assets in any way. I would like to remind you that any type of asset, is evaluated from multiple perspectives and is highly risky and therefore, any investment decision and the associated risk ******** with the investor. Read my articles at City Index Source link #Due #Cooldown #Key #Technical #Levels #Signal #Pullback Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

COP29: MEPs want all countries to contribute financially to climate action | News COP29: MEPs want all countries to contribute financially to climate action | News The resolution, prepared by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, and approved on Thursday with 429 votes in favour, 183 against and 24 abstentions, calls on all countries to agree on a post-2025 new collective goal on climate finance that is socially fair, aligned with the polluter-pays principle, and based on a variety of public, private and innovative sources of finance. MEPs want all major and emerging economies with high emissions and high GDP to contribute financially to global climate action. They call on the EU to step up its green diplomacy to help create an international level playing field, avoid carbon leakage, and increase public support for climate action. The EU should encourage and support other countries to introduce or improve carbon pricing mechanisms, such as its emissions trading system and carbon border adjustment mechanism. COP29 must send an “unambiguous signal” as a follow-up to the COP28 commitment to transition away from fossil fuels, MEPs add, including the phase-out of all direct and indirect fossil fuels subsidies as soon as possible and the reallocation of these resources towards climate action. Background COP29 takes place from 11 to 22 November 2024 in Baku (Azerbaijan). A Parliament delegation will attend the gathering between 18 and 22 November. COP29 aims to provide an overview of current progress on the implementation of the Paris Agreement and reach an agreement on new financial resources to support global climate action. Source link #COP29 #MEPs #countries #contribute #financially #climate #action #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fremantle Dockers CEO Simon Garlick praises ‘better balance’ in 2025 AFL fixture Fremantle Dockers CEO Simon Garlick praises ‘better balance’ in 2025 AFL fixture Fremantle will embrace a 2025 fixture that gives it three blocks of travel respite it has been lobbying the AFL for in recent seasons, according to chief executive Simon Garlick. Source link #Fremantle #Dockers #CEO #Simon #Garlick #praises #balance #AFL #fixture Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Zelda designer’s new ‘coziest open-world game’ has a release date Zelda designer’s new ‘coziest open-world game’ has a release date Infinity Nikki, the self-proclaimed ‘coziest open-world game’ helmed by a former Legend of Zelda designer, has announced a release date of December 5 on PC, iOS, Android, and PlayStation 5. Developed by Singapore-based Infold Games, Infinity Nikki sees players explore an Unreal Engine 5-powered world, performing activities such as fishing, **** grooming and fashion contests. Over 30 million players have pre-registered for the game, according to its developer. The game is being helmed by Kentaro Tominaga, who was previously sub-director for Zelda games The Wind Waker, A Link Between Worlds, and Twilight Princess. The designer most recently worked on Switch titles Breath of the World and Tears of the Kingdom. In a new trailer published on Thursday, fans can hear the full Infinity Nikki theme song Together Till Infinity for the first time, performed by pop star Jessie J. Infold said: “After the wildly successful Closed Beta last month, players worldwide will soon be able to float, glide and plunge their way around the world again, tackling cleverly designed puzzles while exploring the possibilities offered by the coziest open-world imaginable, with soaring paper cranes, speeding wine cellar minecarts, mysterious ghost trains, many other hidden secrets to be discovered in an ever-expanding and evolving world.” Source link #Zelda #designers #coziest #openworld #game #release #date Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Latest Meta Quest 3 YouTube app update finally adds an essential VR social feature Latest Meta Quest 3 YouTube app update finally adds an essential VR social feature Watch parties are now available in YouTube VR You’ll all need to own paid content to watch it together You can’t watch 360 video together yet VR gaming, like gaming in general, is always more fun with friends. Hopping into Just Dance VR is fine, but taking it on in a multiplayer session – either online or for couch co-op – is a much more enjoyable experience. The same is true for Walkabout Mini Golf and Beat Saber – and now you can also enjoy shared experiences when watching movies or other content in the YouTube VR app. Whether it’s watching a 4K movie or your favorite YouTube Short, it’s now possible to host a YouTube watch party with up to seven other guests at the push of a button – no matter where you all happen to be (though it will need to be somewhere with an internet connection). You’ll want to boot up the free YouTube app on your Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S (after installing it if you haven’t already), then look above the screen to see the co-watch icon (it looks like a person-shaped outline flanked by two silhouettes), and click it to start your watch party. YouTube Co-Watching | Watch Your Favorite YouTube Content Together in VR – YouTube Watch On From there you can invite people from your followers list – provided you follow each other – by sending them a notification. Once they accept they’ll join your virtual group, and then you can decide what you all want to watch. There are a few restrictions to note, however. As mentioned you’ll have to be following each other, and it’s important to note that you want to watch paid-for YouTube content everyone in the party will have to pay for it separately – so you can’t get away with splitting a single rental fee. Additionally, full-360-degree immersive video is not yet supported, which is a shame as these 3D experiences are among my favorite ways to use the YouTube VR app. You might also like Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. Source link #Latest #Meta #Quest #YouTube #app #update #finally #adds #essential #social #feature Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What the Trump Election Win Means for Our CEFs (Including This 11%-Payer) What the Trump Election Win Means for Our CEFs (Including This 11%-Payer) Immediately after President-Elect Donald Trump won his second term last week, the surged, while US Treasuries fell: Election Sends Dollar Up, Treasuries Down in Early Trading Both moves are opposite sides of the same coin: Investors believe Trump’s policies will be inflationary. The theory suggests this would happen for a couple of reasons: The US government will spend more, and interest rates will rise higher than rates elsewhere in the world in response. That will attract foreign capital to America while making it less attractive for capital to leave the US. All of that extra capital in America will boost economic activity and demand for the dollar. But it will also boost consumer prices. Now let me explain why both of these theories are incorrect. (And let me be clear we always take a non-political, data-driven approach here at Contrarian Outlook). Further on, we’ll look at a group of high-income closed-end funds (CEFs) that are set to profit, including a specific one to put on your buy list: It yields a rich 11% today. The best way to ***** in here is to look at how the trend of foreign investment in America affected bond rates and the dollar long before Trump became president the first time. America Is a Capital Magnet Whether the red or blue party is in power, America attracts a lot of money from abroad for a simple reason: It’s a great place to do business. As the head of Norway’s $1.6-trillion sovereign wealth fund recently said, “Americans just work *******” and have a higher “general level of ambition,” which is why a lot of Europeans love investing in America. This has been going on for a long time, which is why foreign direct investment in the US has risen strongly since 2000, when the divergence between ********* and ********* growth grew especially wide. America ******** a Magnet for Investment More investment in the US has helped America’s stock markets grow to become 60% of the planet’s stocks by market cap—even as the US accounts for just 20% of global economic activity. This, of course, is a big reason why our CEF Insider portfolio is heavily skewed toward ********* companies. But all economic success comes with a price, of course. In the case of the US, that price has been an inequality in wealth distribution. This trend grew quickly in the 1980s and early 1990s, and things have leveled off a bit since, as you can tell by looking at the GINI index (a metric of how wealth is distributed in a country). Here’s where the data tells us something else surprising: That inequality has actually helped lower inflation. You can see this seemingly odd correlation by plotting the rate of consumer price inflation (CPI), in red below, from the 1980s to today alongside the GINI index (in blue). This makes sense if you stop to think about it; if a lot of wealth is equally dispersed, more people will bid for the same goods and services, boosting prices. If wealth isn’t equally dispersed, fewer people can bid on many goods and services, and more people struggle to make ends meet. To be sure, this isn’t a recipe for a happy society, but it does point to one with lower inflation. And for the most part, that’s what America has seen in the last 50 or so years. Let’s be honest, no president from either party is going to change this, at least in any rapid way. As a result, we’re probably going to see less inflation than the market expects in the next four years. After all, if we compare inflation in Trump’s first term to Obama’s two terms, we see that they’re almost identical: Trump’s ******* saw 1.9% annualized inflation on average, while Obama saw 1.8% annualized. In other words, Trump’s presidency likely won’t see inflation soar because income inequality isn’t likely to change anytime soon. So in my view, the market is overpricing the odds of a sharp inflation increase. How to Position Your Stocks and Bonds This overpricing is an opportunity for us clear-eyed contrarians, who always set politics aside and look at things like this from a clear, investment-focused perspective. The obvious play is to buy US bonds, which have been oversold after the Trump victory, and sell US dollars, although selling USD is a bit complex for Americans living in the US. That leads us to stocks. But of course, stocks have surged since Election Day. Fortunately, we can easily get into oversold bonds and invest in high-quality US companies that are now well set up to attract foreign capital. The key is to buy oversold corporate bonds issued by US firms. The bond market is a bit complicated, so I wouldn’t suggest buying bonds individually, especially since the best bonds typically aren’t issued on the open market for anyone to buy, like a stock. However, we can “partner” with talented bond-fund managers who are already playing this longer-term trend of America attracting capital. Take, for instance, a CEF called the PIMCO Corporate & Income Opportunity (NYSE:), which is closing in on a 1,000% return over its 20-year history. Smartly Run PTY Has Delivered Big Gains (and Dividends) However, PTY currently trades at a pretty pricey 25.6% premium to net asset value (NAV, or the value of its underlying portfolio). Which is why I recommend PTY’s “sister” fund, the PIMCO Access Income Fund (NYSE:). PAXS, a holding of my CEF Insider service that we’ve reviewed in a couple of recent Contrarian Outlook articles (including our Monday piece), has just a 5% premium to NAV. That’s smaller than the typical markups on PAXS’s siblings in the PIMCO family. PIMCO funds tend to trade at high premiums for good reason: They deliver strong returns (see the chart above) and have great assets. (PAXS, like PTY, holds a range of US corporate bonds and bond derivatives that now yield more due to higher interest rates and America’s strong economic growth). Hence PAXS’s big returns so far in 2024. PAXS Jumps on US Economic Strength Here’s the best part of all this: PAXS yields 11% today. And it has actually increased its distributions in its short history: 11%-Yielding PAXS Boosts Its Dividends, Drops Special Divs, Too Source: Income Calendar This isn’t too surprising: Most of PIMCO’s bond funds raise their payouts over time, in addition to kicking out big current yields. Plus I see more special dividends as likely here. So if you buy PAXS now, you probably won’t get an 11% yield on your initial investment over time. You’ll likely get more. My Top 5 Monthly Dividend Funds Are Perfect Plays on the “Trump Trade” Bond funds are, of course, not our only play here. Other sectors, like real estate investment trusts (REITs) and even a select few tech stocks, are primed to soar as the whole “Trump will cause inflation” narrative gets a serious rethink. The best way to get in? CEFs, of course! PAXS, which we just discussed, is a great fund, and you can build on it with my 5-CEF “Monthly Dividend Portfolio.” These 5 CEFs hold REITs, bonds, blue chips, techs and more, and they’re all perfectly positioned to profit from the current moment. And as I said, they pay 10.5% annually and, yes, they pay dividends monthly, too. I can’t wait to share them with you, so you can kickstart your own monthly income stream (at a 10.5% annualized yield) NOW. And at a bargain price, too. Disclosure: Brett Owens and Michael Foster are contrarian income investors who look for undervalued stocks/funds across the U.S. markets. Click here to learn how to profit from their strategies in the latest report, “7 Great Dividend Growth Stocks for a Secure Retirement.” Source link #Trump #Election #Win #Means #CEFs #Including #11Payer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Miami Valley residents voice opinions after Ohio lawmakers pass transgender bathroom bill Miami Valley residents voice opinions after Ohio lawmakers pass transgender bathroom bill Ohio lawmakers have put a bill on the governor’s desk that would ban transgender students from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] As reported on News Center 7 at 11:00, the Ohio Senate voted 24-7 in favor of the bill. TRENDING STORIES: Governor Mike DeWine has 10 days to decide if Senate Bill 104 will become law. If DeWine signs off on the bill, students at public schools and universities will be required to use the restroom that aligns with their **** at birth. The ********* Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Ohio believes the bill will harm the rights and privacy of LGBTQ+ students and condemns its passage. “We are incredibly disheartened by the Ohio General Assembly’s continuous attacks against transgender and gender non-conforming individuals across Ohio. Senate Bill 104 is a cruel invasion of students’ rights to privacy, which will result in unwarranted governmental disclosures of private, personal information. If allowed to go into effect, SB 104 will create unsafe environments for trans and gender non-confirming individuals of all ages. This bill ignores the material reality that transgender people endure higher rates of ******* ********* and assaults, particularly while using public restrooms, than people who are not transgender. All Ohioans deserve to access the facilities they need, in alignment with their gender identity, without ***** of harassment or bullying. The ACLU of Ohio ******** steadfast in our commitment to standing with trans Ohioans and is closely considering next steps.” ACLU Ohio Policy director Jocelyn Rosnick said in a statement Sen. Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg) released a statement on why he voted for the bill. “Today, I voted to protect our school children across Ohio by ensuring biological males do not use the same restroom with ******. This is common sense policy that will ensure the safety and security of our school children. No young girl should be forced to go into the same restroom with a biological male. I was proud to support this legislation.” Antani said in a statement If the legislation passes, it will not apply to school employees, emergencies, or people helping young children or those with disabilities. Schools will still be able to provide single-use and family bathrooms. News Center 7 talked to people in the Miami Valley about the bill on Wednesday. “I would feel a little something about it, but I mean, if he wanted to be a girl then he’s a girl. If it’s real, then it’s real. If he makes a move then we’ll go that route, but gotta let everyone live,” Riverside resident Joshua said. “As long as they’re not harming anyone, mind your own business. They’re not doing anything to people. I don’t know, people don’t mind their own business. At this point, do what you’re gonna do, just don’t harm anyone,” Kettering resident Dulaney Sargent said. If the bill passes, it will go into effect 90 days later. News Center 7 will continue to follow this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Source link #Miami #Valley #residents #voice #opinions #Ohio #lawmakers #pass #transgender #bathroom #bill Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Piper Sandler upgrades Campbell Soup to buy, highlights sauces brand Rao’s Piper Sandler upgrades Campbell Soup to buy, highlights sauces brand Rao’s Campbell Soup has a promising long-term growth outlook thanks to Rao’s, its popular sauces brand, according to Piper Sandler. Analyst Michael Lavery upgraded shares to overweight from neutral. He also raised his price target to $56 from $47, indicating 26.6% upside potential from Wednesday’s close. The company completed its acquisition of Rao’s parent company Sovos Brands earlier this year for approximately $2.7 billion. Although Rao’s retail sales growth slowed slightly to 18.7% in the fiscal first quarter from 23.9% in the prior quarter, Lavery said further gains lie ahead as the brand enters new markets and expands its white sauce offerings. The stock is also down more than 10% over the past three months, indicating a good entry point for investors, the analyst added. “We consider CPB one of the better-positioned large cap food names,” Lavery wrote in a Tuesday note. “Continued strong growth [is] expected” for the Rao’s brand, he added. To be sure, Lavery added that potential steel tariffs under President-elect Donald Trump’s second administration could present headwinds to Campbell Soup, which uses steel for its soup cans. Steel accounts for around 4% of the company’s costs of goods and services, per Lavery. However, the company has already secured its 2025 annual steel contract and steel prices remain depressed. “Further, roughly 75% of steel used in the US is produced in the US, which obviously would have no tariffs applied to it, helping mitigate any potential tariff risk from steel,” said Lavery. “While Rao’s tomato sauces are imported from Italy, we continue to expect tariff risk on food to be low,” the analyst continued. Analyst sentiment is mixed, with 12 of 21 covering the stock rating it as a hold, LSEG data shows. The average analyst price target signals a gain of 16%. Source link #Piper #Sandler #upgrades #Campbell #Soup #buy #highlights #sauces #brand #Raos Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Humza Yousaf accuses Elon Musk of ‘scouring’ private messages Humza Yousaf accuses Elon Musk of ‘scouring’ private messages Scotland’s former first minister, Humza Yousaf, has accused tech entrepreneur Elon Musk of accessing his private messages as part of a bid to “besmirch” his reputation. The ex-SNP leader claimed in a Tortoise Media podcast that the X owner “scours” the communications of people he views as a “threat”. He said he was “certain” the billionaire had access to his private communications on the platform. The podcast said it understood Musk had denied ever accessing private messages on X. That escalated over the summer during far-right riots in England and Northern Ireland. The former first minister described Musk as a “race baiter” and “one of the most dangerous men on the planet”. The X owner replied by calling Yousaf a ******* “scumbag”, posting: “I dare that scumbag to sue me.” He added: “Legal discovery will show that however big a ******* he’s been in public communications, he is vastly worse in private communications.” Speaking to the Elon’s Spies podcast, Yousaf described the comment as an attempt to “threaten and intimidate” him. “I’m certain he has a whole team of people who are now looking at any information they can gather on me and try to use it to besmirch my reputation,” he said. “And they’ll use any nefarious tactics in order to do that.” The former first minister said he interpreted Musk’s post as a “pointed accusation”, noting that people commented underneath urging the X owner to “release” private messages. Yousaf told the podcast: “I’m thinking, I’ve been on Twitter for a long time, have I made an off-colour joke? Have I said something in a private communication? “So, I thought I better do the belt and braces thing, and as I say there was nothing there, and unsurprisingly so. “But here is somebody who is basically saying to me by the way ‘you better watch out; I’m going to release stuff on you and it’s going to make your life *****’.” Yousaf repeated claims that the Trump-supporting tech entrepreneur was a *******, with “far-right, white supremacist tendencies”. He added: “Elon Musk could have trillions let alone billions and he wouldn’t have enough to shut me up.” Source link #Humza #Yousaf #accuses #Elon #Musk #scouring #private #messages Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Microsoft ramps up small language model effort Microsoft ramps up small language model effort In a bid to make artificial intelligence (AI) more applicable, Microsoft has worked with a number of industry platforms to deliver small language models (SLM) to its Azure AI catalogue. The industry-specific models, built on Microsoft’s Phi family of SLMs, represents an expansion of the company’s industry-tuned AI capabilities, which it said targets the specific needs and challenges in sectors ranging from healthcare to finance and manufacturing. In a blog post discussing the new models, Satish Thomas, corporate vice-president of business and industry solutions at Microsoft, said: “By integrating the Microsoft Cloud with our industry-specific capabilities and a robust ecosystem of partners, we provide a secure approach to advancing innovation across industries. “This collaboration allows us to create extensive scenarios for customers globally, with embedded AI capabilities – from industry data solutions in Microsoft Fabric to AI agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio to AI models in Azure AI Studio – that enable industries to realise their full potential.” He said the models will be available either through the Azure AI model catalogue, which offers a range of AI models to build custom AI applications in Azure AI Studio, or directly from Microsoft partners, adding that those available in the Azure AI model catalogue can also be used to configure agents in Copilot Studio, Microsoft’s platform for creating and deploying customised AI-powered agents. These include ELY Crop Protection from healthcare and agriculture life sciences firm Bayer. According to Bayer, this specialised SLM is designed to enhance crop protection, sustainable use, application, compliance and knowledge in the agriculture sector. Other big names include Siemens Digital Industries Software, which has developed a new copilot for its NX X software. Siemens said this uses an adapted AI model that enables users to ask natural language questions, access detailed technical insights, and streamline complex design tasks for faster and smarter product development. The copilot aims to provide CAD designers with AI-driven recommendations and best practices to optimise the design process within the NX X experience. In the financial sector, regulatory compliance tech firm Safir, backed by Fidelity Investments’ innovation incubator, Fidelity Labs, is planning to introduce four new models in the Azure AI model catalogue. Aimed at financial institutes, Safir said the retail marketing compliance model is focused on compliance in text, while the image detection model looks at compliance in images. There is also a risk interpretation model, which tries to explain why something was flagged, and a language suggestion model, which suggests alternative language that might be more compliant. Rockwell Automation is offering the FT Optix Food & Beverage model, which it claims brings the benefits of industry-specific capabilities to frontline workers in manufacturing, supporting asset troubleshooting in the food and beverage domain. Rockwell Automation said the model provides recommendations, explanations and knowledge about specific manufacturing processes, machines and inputs to factory floor workers and engineers. Other models include fine-tuned SLMs from in-car software developer Cerence, which run within a vehicle’s hardware and Factory Namespace Manager from SightManager, which analyses existing factory data, learns the patterns and rules behind the naming conventions and then automatically translates these data field names into a standardised corporate format. Source link #Microsoft #ramps #small #language #model #effort Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Iran will talk about nuclear, but not under pressure Iran will talk about nuclear, but not under pressure Iran is willing to resolve disputes with the ******* Nations nuclear agency over its compliance with safeguards on its atomic program but will not do so under pressure, Iran’s foreign minister says after meeting the IAEA head. ********* powers were pushing for a new resolution against Iran by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board next week to pressure Tehran over what they view as its poor co-operation, diplomats told Reuters on Wednesday. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has for months sought progress with Iran on issues including a push for more monitoring co-operation at its nuclear sites and an explanation of uranium traces found at undeclared sites. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, writing on X after talks with Grossi in Tehran, said: “The ball is in the EU/E3 court. Willing to negotiate based on our national interest and inalienable rights, but not ready to negotiate under pressure and intimidation.” He was referring to the three main ********* powers, France, Germany, and Britain. The talks took place with Donald Trump due to take office again as US president in January. During his previous tenure, the ******* States pulled out of the 2015 accord between Iran and several world powers aimed at curbing its suspected nuclear missile program. Araqchi said the talks with Grossi were “important and straightforward”, while the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation Mohammad Eslami said they were “constructive”. “As a committed member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, we continue our full co-operation with the IAEA. Differences can be resolved through cooperation and dialogue,” Araqchi said. Source link #Iran #talk #nuclear #pressure Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]