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Six-time Miami Heat All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler is apparently at least open to being traded to another team this year. The 6-foot-7 Marquette product has reportedly listed the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Dallas Mavericks among his preferred postseason destinations. Read more: Heat Star Jimmy Butler Open to Trade, Lists Warriors Among Teams He is Targeting Following a three-game winning streak primarily buoyed by the efforts of Butler and 2022 Sixth Man of the Year shooting guard Tyler Herro, the Heat have improved to a 12-10 record on the year, good for the Eastern Conference's fifth seed. The Heat may boast a record above .500 record again at last, but Miami clearly seems to be a tier beneath the 21-4 Cleveland Cavaliers, the 19-5 Boston Celtics, the 17-10 Orlando Magic, and the 15-10 New York Knicks — the East's top four squads. All-Defensive Heat center Bam Adebayo has struggled mightily to score from anywhere. The 27-year-old Kentucky product, a five-time All-Defensive Teamer and three-time All-Star is averaging 16.0 points on a rough-for-a-center 43.9 percent shooting from the field, 10.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocks a night. He's making just 38 percent of his shots from within 3-10 feet, a brutal mark and a steep dip from his 51.5 percent conversion late just last year (and his 46.3 percent shooting efficacy from that distance over the course of his career). Point guard Terry Rozier also seems to have declined from his Charlotte Hornets-era prime. The 6-foot-1 Louisville product is averaging 12.1 points on .406/.364/.886 shooting splits, 3.7 boards, 3.1 dimes, and 0.6 swipes a night in his 20 healthy games. He was recently demoted to a bench role by head coach Erik Spoelstra after 12 starts. Herro has been shifted to a role as the club's starting point guard, while swingman Duncan Robinson has been promoted to a gig as Miami's starting two-guard. After a first-round elimination last spring, it appears Butler is concerned he can't win a title with this current bunch. He has a $52.4 million player option on his 2025-26 season salary when he'll be 36. The five-time All-NBA honoree and five-time All-Defensive Teamer remains a remarkably effective two-way force. He's averaging 19.0 points on .557/.360/.787 shooting splits this year, along with 5.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals a night. Beyond the three aforementioned squads, the capped-out Phoenix Suns have also controversially been floated as a possible destination for Butler. ESPN's Shams Charania first reported the rumor, only to see it refuted by Butler's own agent, Bernard Lee. Charania clapped back at Lee on Thursday, claiming that his intel was thoroughly sourced. Read more: Shams Charania Fires Back at Jimmy Butler Agent Over Trade Rumor Drama Now, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix backs up Charania's contention that the Suns have indeed been sniffing around. Shams is not incorrect. From what I have heard Jimmy Butler is interested in the Phoenix Suns. "Shams is not incorrect. From what I have heard Jimmy Butler is interested in the Phoenix Suns," Gambadora writes. "I don't rush on these things I take my time to make sure what I report is correct." Under the league's restrictive new CBA, it would be incredibly tough for Phoenix to add Butler. Obviously, the $50.2 million contract of former All-Star Suns shooting guard Bradley Beal would be a good match for Butler's $48.8 million salary. But Butler, not Beal, is the asset in that transaction. Though Beal is still a solid scorer when healthy, he rarely can avoid injuries for long and is not nearly the same two-way, clutch postseason presence. The Suns would need to, presumably, attach a lot of assets in an exchange. But Phoenix possesses no tradable first-round selections. At all. The team does have three second-rounders it could deal with and could offer up a pick swap in 2021. That kind of package would hardly appeal to the Heat, however, who could easily add more future equity in a trade with one of the three aforementioned other squads. Naturally, adding Butler to a roster headlined by two other likely future Hall of Famers, All-Star power forward Kevin Durant and All-Star shooting guard Devin Booker, could help lift the Suns above the play-in fray in which they currently find themselves. But would it be enough to push the team into true contention status, with 35-year-old Butler and 36-year-old Durant being no spring chickens, health-wise? For more on the Heat and Suns, check out Newsweek Sports.OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The biggest question facing the Baltimore Ravens right now has little to do with Lamar Jackson or even a defense that started the season poorly. It's about a kicking conundrum that has turned into a crisis. Can the Ravens make it to the Super Bowl with Justin Tucker? One of the more surprising subplots of this NFL season has been Tucker's decline from one of the greatest of all time to a week-in, week-out liability. Sunday's loss to Philadelphia might have been the nadir — he missed two field goals and an extra point in a game the Ravens ultimately lost 24-19 . “Points were at a premium in the game. They have been in a few of these games. Sometimes we haven't made the most of our opportunity to score points,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. "We're racking our brains, talking to Justin, looking at what we're doing. I'm very confident that it's going to get fixed. I believe it will. It has to. “And he's the guy to get it fixed.” Harbaugh has given every indication that he's standing by Tucker, who is in his 13th season and is under contract through 2027. When he's at his best, he's the type of kicker that gives his team a clear advantage in close games, but this season he has missed eight field goals. Sunday showed that against a good defensive team, the Ravens (8-5) can't simply assume their excellent offense will pile up points. There almost certainly will be close games in the weeks to come. Tucker's ability to come through will be tested again, and it's hard for Baltimore to feel too confident at the moment. “When he was hitting, three or four years ago, hitting bombs, we were going 57, 58, 56 pretty regularly," Harbaugh said. “That's tightened up a little bit.” The Ravens continue to do a good job stopping the run. Although Saquon Barkley did eventually surpass the 100-yard mark late in the game, Baltimore held the Eagles to 140 yards on the ground, well below their usual output. Even beyond Tucker's problems, Sunday wasn't a great showing by Baltimore's special teams. Tylan Wallace was shaky returning punts, and the Ravens had to start four drives inside their own 20 and two inside their own 10. “They had great bounces, and they downed right down in there,” Wallace said. "I’m pretty sure we’ll come back and talk about those and see what we can do to avoid those.” The Ravens' defense continued to show signs of improvement, holding Philadelphia to 252 total yards. “I think we’ve just locked in on some things, and we’re playing our deep coverages better, bottom line,” Harbaugh said. "You watch the coverage, you watch the guys’ spacing, positioning, eyes, the communication, the checks that get made, and you just keep chasing doing the right things. It’s not (that we) changed the defense. We’re just playing it a lot better.” Harbaugh was vague on receiver Diontae Johnson's situation. He was active Sunday but didn't play, and he has only one catch in four games since the Ravens acquired him in a trade from Carolina. “I’m going to have to wait just to clarify it,” Harbaugh said. "There’s some moving parts there that we’re going to have to figure out and explore and just see where we’re at. I know that’s not the answer you want, but that’s the best I can do in fairness to everybody right now.” The Ravens were missing pass-rushing ace Kyle Van Noy (hamstring/neck) on Sunday, and WR Rashod Bateman was dealing with knee soreness. Through his first 12 seasons, Tucker made field goals at a 90% clip. That's dropped to 70% this season. He had a 95% success rate from under 50 yards, and that's dipped to 83%. The Ravens have this week off before a Dec. 15 road game against the New York Giants. Then comes a home matchup with Pittsburgh that may determine whether Baltimore has any shot to win the AFC North. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflSANTA CLARA — No Brock Purdy. No Nick Bosa. No chance for the 49ers on Sunday in Green Bay? “We’re missing two good players definitely but we’ll have a lot of good players out there,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan countered. “By no means do we not have a chance to win. We’ll fight our tails off. We’ll expect a real good game.” Purdy’s throwing-shoulder soreness will force him to miss his first game due to injury since becoming the 49ers’ starting quarterback nearly two years ago, and that thrusts ninth-year journeyman Brandon Allen into his 10th career start and first since 2021 with Cincinnati. Bosa’s oblique and hip injuries will sideline him for his first game of this wobbly season. Also ruled out were cornerback Charvarius Ward (personal), return specialist Jacob Cowing (concussion), defensive tackle Kevin Givens (groin) and linebacker Tatum Bethune (knee), while left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) is questionable as a game-time decision for a second straight game. Tight end George Kittle (hamstring) and running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) are good to go for an offense that must make do without Purdy at the NFL’s most historic venue. Allen, who last threw a regular-season pass in 2022 as Joe Burrow’s backup in Cincinnati, will guide the 49ers’ offense in a key game as San Francisco aims to make a playoff push. “It’s an opportunity,” Allen said. “The circumstances are what they are. Our team all year long, we’ve been dealing with injuries here or there. It’s been a big next-man-up mentality. It’s definitely an opportunity for me to go out, play well, put our guys in a good position to win the game. “Obviously we want Brock back and healthy and all that,” Allen added. “For the time being, it is an opportunity for me.” Josh Dobbs, who lost out to Allen in training camp and the preseason for the QB2 role, will serve in that capacity Sunday at Lambeau Field, where neither quarterback has played a regular-season game. Rookie Tanner Mordecai likely will be elevated from the practice squad Saturday to serve as the emergency No. 3 quarterback. Purdy wore a resigned, dour expression but offered upbeat words as he walked through the locker room, saying: “We’re all good.” This is not how Shanahan scripted it earlier in the week. “(Purdy) got the MRI on Monday, we thought he just needed some rest and really weren’t concerned about not being there this week,” Shanahan said Friday. “I don’t want to say there’s long-term concern,” Shanahan said Friday. “We got the MRI on Monday. We thought he just needed some rest and really weren’t concerned about him not being good this week.” Purdy rested his arm Wednesday, then left the practice field Thursday after a few light throws. “It surprised him, surprised us how it felt, so we had to shut him down,” Shanahan said. “The MRI doesn’t look like (it’s serious) so it should be alright. But the way it responded this week, it’s really up in the air for next week. We’ll have to see on Monday.” The 49ers follow this week’s trip at Green Bay with a prime-time appearance next Sunday, Dec. 1 in Buffalo. “I know this is like the first time Brock’s missed a game probably in his life,” Allen said. “He’s a tough guy and I’m not too worried about it. I don’t think any of our guys are. He’ll rehab and get back as fast as he can.” No one is saying when Purdy got hurt in Sunday’s 20-17 loss to Seattle, whether it was from diving for the goal line on his first-quarter touchdown scramble or later in the game. Shanahan did note that Purdy struggled to keep his shoulder loose and threw on the sideline, then the pain intensified after the game and into Monday. “It was somewhere during that Seattle game and I’m not sure Brock knows,” general manager John Lynch said on KNBR. “He fought through it through the course of the game. I did see him during the course of the game, anytime there was a pause, he kept throwing. At that point, you’re feeling something but he was so focused on trying to win.” Shanahan lauded Allen as a “really good thrower” who “runs our offense well” and that “guys believe in him.” The feeling is mutual on Allen’s side, as he explained what it was like as Purdy’s stand-in on the starting unit in practice this week: “It’s been a blessing to have them in the huddle with me and the leadership that’s in the huddle, so I can just come in and fill the spot for Brock for now, just try to make some plays and get the ball in their hands.” Added Shanahan: “It’s not a big game-plan adjustment. This is something we didn’t think would happen early in the week. We were fully preparing for Brock to go.” The Packers prepared that way, too. Allen is no total stranger, however. Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters Friday in Green Bay, prior to Purdy’s no-show practice: “I know Brandon. I was with him in L.A. (in 2017). He’s been in the league a long time. But I wouldn’t expect their offense to change a whole bunch.” BOSA WILL REMAIN HOME While Purdy traveled with the 49ers to Green Bay, Bosa was staying behind to rehabilitate the upper-body injuries that forced him to miss Sunday’s fourth-quarter collapse against Seattle. It will be the first game Bosa has missed since Oct. 16, 2022 with a groin injury. The 49ers lost a road game that day to Atlanta 28-14 during a season in which Bosa was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Sam Okuayinonu figures to make his first career start in place of Bosa while Leonard Floyd makes his 11th start at the other defensive end slot. WILLIAMS QUESTIONABLE Williams, with the help of a pain-killing injection, made it through the Seattle loss at what he said afterwards was 65 percent. Although listed as questionable, Shanahan reiterated Williams’ status could go right up to kickoff. Jaylon Moore likely would start in place of Williams, if needed. WARD BACK NEXT WEEK? Ward, mourning the death of his 23-month-old daughter, was declared out but Shanahan hoped to have the All-Pro cornerback next week when the 49ers visit Buffalo. “He’s taken three full weeks off,” Shanahan said. “It’s not like dealing with all that stuff he’s getting workouts in and all that. We’re just happy to get him back in the building this week. We don’t want to put any pressure on him, hopefully he’ll be good to go next week.” Among those listed as questionable is guard/center Jon Feliciano, whose 21-day window of practicing while on injured reserve is about to expire. If the 49ers don’t put Feliciano on the 53-man roster by Monday, he’ll spend the rest of the season on injured reserve. PACKERS INJURIES Cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) was ruled out after being unable to practice all week, and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) also will not suit up for Green Bay’s defense. Defensive tackle Colby Wooden is questionable as the only other Packers player on their injury report.
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British courts would be required to decide whether to enforce an international arrest warrant should Benjamin Netanyahu enter the UK, according to the Government. Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer was repeatedly urged by MPs to give a definitive answer on the UK’s likely action after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for the Israeli prime minister and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza. Mr Falconer said there is a domestic legal process to be followed through the courts that “determines whether or not to endorse an arrest warrant” by the ICC, adding this has “never been tested” as the UK has yet to be visited by an ICC indictee. Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel claimed the “only beneficiaries” of the ICC’s decision are “ Hamas and their terrorist sponsors Iran” and said the Conservatives believe the warrants have “no basis in international law”. In reply to Labour MP Sarah Owen (Luton North), Mr Falconer told the Commons: “I’d like to just be clear that what I have said this afternoon is not that the Government will uphold arrest warrants. “What I have been clear about this afternoon is that due process will be followed. These are questions for independent courts in the UK, and it is independent courts that would review the arrest warrants if that situation were to arise.” Responding to an urgent question on the ICC’s decision, Mr Falconer earlier said: “In line with this Government’s stated commitment to the rule of law, we respect the independence of the ICC. We will comply with our international obligations. “There is a domestic legal process through our independent courts that determines whether or not to endorse an arrest warrant by the ICC, in accordance with the ICC Act of 2001. “This process has never been tested because the UK has never been visited by an ICC indictee. If there were to be such a visit to the UK, there would be a court process and due process would be followed in relation to those issues. “There is no moral equivalence between Israel, a democracy, and Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah, two terrorist organisations. This Government has been clear, Israel has a right to defend itself in accordance with international law, that right is not under question, and the court’s approval of the warrants last week do not change that.” For the Conservatives, Dame Priti said: “In charging Israeli leaders alongside Hamas, the ICC appears to be drawing a moral equivalence between Israel’s war of self-defence and Hamas terrorism. We utterly reject any moral equivalence. “The only beneficiaries of this decision are Hamas and their terrorist sponsors Iran, who are now celebrating this propaganda coup as a great victory for Hamas and Hezbollah. Since the ICC decision, we have had dither from ministers and confused messaging and no clarity. So I’m grateful to the minister today for his remarks. “And as to the issue of warrants, we have raised serious concerns over process, jurisdiction and the position on complementarity principle, and believe the warrants of Mr Netanyahu and Gallant have no basis in international law.” Conservative MP Sir Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex) asked: “Can we be absolutely clear about what the Government is saying, because it seems that the Government is not saying there would be an automatic arrest should Benjamin Netanyahu arrive in this country but that there would be due process? “And could he confirm that customarily international law does not permit the arrest or the delivering of the serving prime minister of a non-state party to the ICC? “So he’s committing to due process but he’s not committing to arrest. Am I correct in understanding that?” Mr Falconer replied: “There’s domestic legal process through our independent courts, we cannot prejudge that process. “I note that the shadow attorney general has written to the Attorney General on questions of detail in relation to some of the points you allude to and the Attorney General tells me he’ll be writing back on those more detailed points.” Labour MP Abtisam Mohamed (Sheffield Central) asked the minister to “review all diplomatic, economic and political relations with Israel” to ensure the UK is “not complicit with the atrocities taking place in Gaza, the West Bank and in Lebanon”. Independent MP Iqbal Mohamed (Dewsbury and Batley) said: “The ICC arrest warrants are welcome but in themselves will not bring an end to Israeli war crimes and ethnic cleansing and the killing of innocent men, women and children.” Several MPs, including Labour’s Melanie Ward (Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy), also repeated calls for the Government to sanction Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Mr Falconer told MPs: “I recognise the two that I’ve been pressed on the most this afternoon are of intense political interest. But despite their intense political interest, were we to prejudge sanctions and trail them in this House before we made them, we would reduce their impact. “The same is true of the hundreds of sanctions that we have done on Russia over the years and the same in every forum.”
Cyber Monday shoppers expected to set a record on biggest day for online shoppingAre prices actually lower on Black Friday? Report indicates not everything is on saleConsumers in the United States scoured the internet for online deals as they looked to take advantage of the post-Thanksgiving shopping marathon with Cyber Monday. Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of many people's regular routines and the holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday — a term coined in 2005 by the National Retail Federation — has become the biggest online shopping day of the year, thanks to the deals and the hype the industry has created to fuel it. Adobe Analytics, which tracks online shopping, expected consumers to spend $13.2 billion Monday — a record, and 6.1% more than last year. That would make it the biggest shopping day for e-commerce for the season — and the year. Online spending was expected to peak between the hours of 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Monday night, per Adobe — reaching an estimated $15.7 million spent every minute. For several major retailers, a Cyber Monday sale is a dayslong event that began over the Thanksgiving weekend. An Amazon Prime delivery person lifts packages while making a stop Nov. 28, 2023, in Denver. Amazon kicked off its sales event right after midnight Pacific time on Saturday. Target's two days of discount offers on its website and app began overnight Sunday. Walmart rolled out its Cyber Monday offers for Walmart+ members Sunday afternoon and opened it up to all customers three hours later, at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Consumer spending for Cyber Week — the five major shopping days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday — provides a strong indication of how much shoppers are willing to spend for the holidays. Many U.S. consumers continue to experience sticker shock after the period of post-pandemic inflation, which left prices for many goods and services higher than they were three years ago. But retail sales nonetheless remain strong, and the economy kept growing at a healthy pace. At the same time, credit card debt and delinquencies are rising. More shoppers than ever are also on track to use "buy now, pay later" plans this holiday season, which allows them to delay payments on holiday decor, gifts and other items. Many economists also warned that President-elect Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs next year on foreign goods coming into the United States would lead to higher prices on everything from food to clothing to automobiles. A FedEx delivery person carries a package from a truck Nov. 17, 2022, in Denver. The National Retail Federation expects holiday shoppers to spend more this year both in stores and online than last year. But the pace of spending growth will slow slightly, the trade group said, growing 2.5% to 3.5% — compared to 3.9% in 2023. A clear sense of consumer spending patterns during the holiday season won't emerge until the government releases sales data for the period, but some preliminary data from other sources shows some encouraging signs for retailers. Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, noted that discounts from Thanksgiving onward "exceeded expectations" and online spending throughout Cyber Week is on track to cross a record $40 billion mark combined. U.S. shoppers spent $10.8 billion online on Black Friday, a 10.2% increase over last year, according to Adobe Analytics. That's also more than double what consumers spent in 2017, when Black Friday pulled in about $5 billion in online sales. Consumers also spent a record $6.1 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, Adobe said. Meanwhile, software company Salesforce, which also tracks online shopping, estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $17.5 billion in the U.S. and $74.4 billion globally. Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks in-person and online spending, reported that overall Black Friday sales excluding automotive rose 3.4% from a year ago. A United Parcel Service driver sorts deliveries July 15, 2023, on New York's Upper West Side. E-commerce platform Shopify said its merchants raked in a record $5 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday. At its peak, sales reached $4.6 million per minute — with top categories by volume including clothing, cosmetics and fitness products, according to the Canadian company. Toys, electronics, home goods, self-care and beauty categories were among the key drivers of holiday spending on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, according to Adobe. "Hot products" included Lego sets, espresso machines, fitness trackers, makeup and skin care. Other data showed physical stores saw fewer customers on Black Friday, underscoring how the huge crowds that were once synonymous with the day after Thanksgiving are now more than happy to shop from the comfort of their homes. RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in stores, said its early data showed store traffic on Friday was down 3.2% in the U.S. compared to last year, with the biggest dip happening in the Midwest. Sensormatic Solutions, which also tracks store traffic, said its preliminary analysis showed retail store traffic on Black Friday was down 8.2% compared to 2023. Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions, noted that in-store traffic was getting spread across multiple days since many retailers offered generous discounts before and after Black Friday. "Some of the extended Black Friday promotions really ended up leading to a little bit of a softer day-of traffic than expected," Gustafson said. In 2024, staying small on purpose seems to be paying off big for small businesses. They're keeping operations small and targeting niche, highly specialized customers. And some business owners find this strategy results in more time, energy, and money to intentionally capitalize on unique, small cap opportunities. The data tells the story of growth in small businesses for the year. According to NEXT , the Small Business Administration (SBA) reports awarding 38,000 SBA 7(a) loans under $150,000: double the amount they awarded in 2020. Here are the related small-business trends paying off in 2024. Commercial real estate agent Ryan Beckenhauer of Market Real Estate in Boulder, Colorado, has noticed that small businesses are growing smaller, and that their office and warehouse spaces are starting to reflect that as they shop for business space. In commercial real estate, many small business owners gravitate toward industrial condos and other flexible spaces. These are small-scale industrial spaces with a 90:10 or 80:20 split of warehouse to office. "More individuals are leveraging skills acquired at larger organizations to venture out on their own," explains Beckenhauer. And he goes on to say that they don't need a large commercial space as they make that leap to start a business. His clients include engineers, consultants, builders and other tradespeople. Beckenhauer's clients like the flexibility of being out of an office and being close to their inventory and workshop space. "The clients want to see and touch the finishes," he says. Small business owners both rent or buy these spaces. But he's seeing his clients opt to own industrial condos to stabilize costs due to rent increases in Boulder. And because these spaces are smaller, it can be easier for new buyers to qualify for financing. Mariana Alvarez, owner of Controller Works , an online bookkeeping and advisory firm, has noticed that small business owners outsource financial support services because they don't want to increase headcount. "Outsourcing gives them the possibility of having access to the knowledge and the skills of a CFO without having to pay for the salary," she says. "They don't have to manage or deal with the workload, employment taxes , and all that comes with it," says Alvarez. Additionally, many small business owners in fields like construction are family-owned, and this makes it easier for business owners to hand off delicate financial work to a trusted person with financial experience. Every small business has recurring tasks that can benefit from some level of artificial intelligence automation . And Alvarez sees a lot of value in using AI for small business bookkeeping. She explains that you can automate the data entry on Quickbooks. "When you create rules, as long as you create the rules correctly, it pretty much does itself," says Alvarez. From there, you can lean on financial experts to help you analyze the data and make more informed decisions. She uses AI as a background resource when guiding her accounting clients. "I believe that we still need the human-to-human interaction that comes with more perspective for financial analysis," she explains. According to the SBA , 77% of consumers feel that human interaction is still required for a positive customer experience. People turn to small businesses every day for a human experience. According to Arvind Rongala, CEO of Edstellar , small business workers can show up for their customers but still use AI for routine tasks like customer queries. "This balance allows companies to scale their operations without losing the personal touch that makes them unique. It's important to remember that AI isn't there to replace the human element—it's there to enhance it," he says. "By really focusing on one very small weakness that Amazon has, I've been able to carve out a successful business by offering something different," says Lou Harvey owner of Tank Retailer , a retailer of commercial water and fuel tanks. "When you read our customer reviews, many of them actually mention me by name because of how much we focus on customer service and go the extra mile." One of Harvey's most successful business strategies this year has been to lean into his small, niche market and offer the kind of customer experience that large retailers like Amazon don't. "Any small weaknesses that Amazon has (however small those weaknesses may be) needs to become a strength of a smaller business focusing on a niche market," says Harvey. Harvey has his company's customer service phone number front and center on the website to help earn customer trust. "I prominently feature our phone number, and a real person always answers the phone (usually it's me)," says Harvey. Lucie Voves, CEO and founder of Church Hill Classics , an online, woman-owned diploma framing company that uses sustainable materials, has noticed an uptick in customers seeking services from a business on a mission. "This year, we've seen a growing inclination for consumers to actively seek out and support small businesses owned by women and minorities," says Voves. When consumers shop small, they choose to make their dollars count. "Customers are fueled by a desire to promote social impact through purchasing power," says Voves. Long gone are the days of online retailers "building it and they will come." In 2024 we've seen more small businesses than ever turn to social commerce to sell directly on social media platforms like Instagram Shopping , Facebook Marketplace , and TikTok . Small business owners are turning toward influencers, social media ads, and organic content to target their customers. Mike Vannelli of Envy Creative creates online ads for businesses, and he has seen his clients succeed on TikTok of late. "I've seen businesses, especially in retail, use TikTok's short-form video format to make their products go viral. Think of it as word-of-mouth marketing on steroids," says Vannelli. He uses the platform's algorithm to push a company's content to the right audiences, and it works because TikTok loves storytelling. "I know small brands that use behind-the-scenes videos, customer testimonials, and even playful challenges that tap into trends to humanize their products and build trust," explains Vannelli. To stand out on TikTok, he says, smaller brands need to embrace authenticity and emotional connection. Show your team, share your journey, and involve your community in content creation. This story was produced by NEXT and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.
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The Magic Mountain is a sweeping critique of totalitarian Europe. 100 years later, its warnings feel urgentSix-time Miami Heat All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler is apparently at least open to being traded to another team this year. The 6-foot-7 Marquette product has reportedly listed the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Dallas Mavericks among his preferred postseason destinations. Read more: Heat Star Jimmy Butler Open to Trade, Lists Warriors Among Teams He is Targeting Following a three-game winning streak primarily buoyed by the efforts of Butler and 2022 Sixth Man of the Year shooting guard Tyler Herro, the Heat have improved to a 12-10 record on the year, good for the Eastern Conference's fifth seed. The Heat may boast a record above .500 record again at last, but Miami clearly seems to be a tier beneath the 21-4 Cleveland Cavaliers, the 19-5 Boston Celtics, the 17-10 Orlando Magic, and the 15-10 New York Knicks — the East's top four squads. All-Defensive Heat center Bam Adebayo has struggled mightily to score from anywhere. The 27-year-old Kentucky product, a five-time All-Defensive Teamer and three-time All-Star is averaging 16.0 points on a rough-for-a-center 43.9 percent shooting from the field, 10.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocks a night. He's making just 38 percent of his shots from within 3-10 feet, a brutal mark and a steep dip from his 51.5 percent conversion late just last year (and his 46.3 percent shooting efficacy from that distance over the course of his career). Point guard Terry Rozier also seems to have declined from his Charlotte Hornets-era prime. The 6-foot-1 Louisville product is averaging 12.1 points on .406/.364/.886 shooting splits, 3.7 boards, 3.1 dimes, and 0.6 swipes a night in his 20 healthy games. He was recently demoted to a bench role by head coach Erik Spoelstra after 12 starts. Herro has been shifted to a role as the club's starting point guard, while swingman Duncan Robinson has been promoted to a gig as Miami's starting two-guard. After a first-round elimination last spring, it appears Butler is concerned he can't win a title with this current bunch. He has a $52.4 million player option on his 2025-26 season salary when he'll be 36. The five-time All-NBA honoree and five-time All-Defensive Teamer remains a remarkably effective two-way force. He's averaging 19.0 points on .557/.360/.787 shooting splits this year, along with 5.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals a night. Beyond the three aforementioned squads, the capped-out Phoenix Suns have also controversially been floated as a possible destination for Butler. ESPN's Shams Charania first reported the rumor, only to see it refuted by Butler's own agent, Bernard Lee. Charania clapped back at Lee on Thursday, claiming that his intel was thoroughly sourced. Read more: Shams Charania Fires Back at Jimmy Butler Agent Over Trade Rumor Drama Now, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix backs up Charania's contention that the Suns have indeed been sniffing around. Shams is not incorrect. From what I have heard Jimmy Butler is interested in the Phoenix Suns. "Shams is not incorrect. From what I have heard Jimmy Butler is interested in the Phoenix Suns," Gambadora writes. "I don't rush on these things I take my time to make sure what I report is correct." Under the league's restrictive new CBA, it would be incredibly tough for Phoenix to add Butler. Obviously, the $50.2 million contract of former All-Star Suns shooting guard Bradley Beal would be a good match for Butler's $48.8 million salary. But Butler, not Beal, is the asset in that transaction. Though Beal is still a solid scorer when healthy, he rarely can avoid injuries for long and is not nearly the same two-way, clutch postseason presence. The Suns would need to, presumably, attach a lot of assets in an exchange. But Phoenix possesses no tradable first-round selections. At all. The team does have three second-rounders it could deal with and could offer up a pick swap in 2021. That kind of package would hardly appeal to the Heat, however, who could easily add more future equity in a trade with one of the three aforementioned other squads. Naturally, adding Butler to a roster headlined by two other likely future Hall of Famers, All-Star power forward Kevin Durant and All-Star shooting guard Devin Booker, could help lift the Suns above the play-in fray in which they currently find themselves. But would it be enough to push the team into true contention status, with 35-year-old Butler and 36-year-old Durant being no spring chickens, health-wise? For more on the Heat and Suns, check out Newsweek Sports.Political leaders and industry titans pay tribute to former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
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The first commercial batch of made-in-Canada low-carbon aviation fuel sourced from non-food grade canola and tallow has been produced and quickly purchased. Fuel retailer Parkland Corp. said Tuesday it has successfully produced about 100,000 litres of the fuel at its refinery in Burnaby, B.C. “using existing infrastructure.” Parkland senior vice-president Ferio Pugliese said it means production can easily be scaled up, but only if Canada provides the necessary conditions to create an ecosystem around the nascent commodity and its adoption across the country. “We need to do more to make low-carbon air travel a reality,” Pugliese said during the announcement in Vancouver on Tuesday. “We need a long-term Canadian solution for low-carbon, sustainable aviation fuel.” While the potential for emission reduction is massive with production in Canada is also significantly more expensive, Pugliese said. He notes that similar low-carbon fuels used in vehicles, buses and ferries have about one-eighth of the carbon content when compared to traditional fuels. Pugliese said other countries such as the United States incentivize production and use of low-carbon jet fuel, creating the necessary ecosystem to support a local industry. “Currently, the Canadian aviation industry purchases low-carbon aviation (fuel) from other countries and imports it from across the globe into Canada. That makes little sense.” Parkland began trying to develop the fuel in 2017, and the entire batch of the first production run has already been bought by Air Canada. Pugliese said the purchase of the fuel by Air Canada completes a value chain within the country that shows local development, production, sale and use of low-carbon jet fuel can be achieved to the benefit of everyone — but only if the support from government is there. “Airlines need very practical solutions, and today, right here in B.C., Parkland has created a made-in-Canada solution to a global challenge,” he said. The comments echoed that of WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech, who in 2023 said the global push for decarbonizing commercial aviation by 2050 will cause spikes in airfares unless governments intervene. Part of the challenge, von Hoensbroech said, is that alternative energy sources such as electric or hydrogen aircraft remains a long way from reality, making the sector difficult to decarbonize. In February, a pair of industry groups, including the National Airlines Council of Canada, said the country needed incentives matching that of the United States to spark production of sustainable aviation fuels. Commercial aviation giant Airbus has said that low-carbon jet fuel can reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by about 80 per cent, and development is ongoing for planes to be able to run completely on it instead of needing to mix it with conventional fuels. But Airbus also said the ecosystem for the fuel is still “in its infancy,” with just 600 million litres produced last year, making up 0.2 per cent of all aviation fuel for 2023. “Appropriate regulatory mechanisms and inventive structures still need to be put in place, and even then, there are challenges associated with the limited availability of land and biowaste,” Airbus said of the technology on its website. Airbus has said it is increasing its own use of low-carbon fuels with a goal of reaching 30 per cent of its total fuel mix by 2030.By Augusta Saraiva | Bloomberg US household wealth rose to a fresh record in the third quarter, fueled by a stock-market rally ahead of the presidential election. Household net worth increased nearly $4.8 trillion, or 2.9% from the prior quarter, to $168.8 trillion, a Federal Reserve report showed Thursday. The value of Americans’ equity holdings rose $3.8 trillion. The value of real estate eased by almost $200 billion after sizable advances in the first half of the year. In the third quarter, investors benefited from a stock-market rally in anticipation of interest-rate cuts from the Fed and that Donald Trump would return to the White House next year. Since his victory in the Nov. 5 election, the S&P 500 has climbed to new highs amid expectations that the president-elect will enact pro-business policies. Households have been the main driver behind robust economic growth in recent years, as healthy balance sheets and strong wage growth have supported resilient consumer spending. That said, economists generally expect a moderation in demand against a backdrop of still-elevated borrowing costs and a higher cost of living. The Fed’s report showed that consumers increased their borrowing at a faster pace last quarter, while business borrowing cooled. Business debt outstanding increased at a 3% annualized rate, while consumer non-mortgage credit rose at a 2.5% pace. Mortgage debt climbed 3.1% for a second quarter. In the public sector, state and local government debt grew at a slower rate. Household liquidity picked up to a record. Deposits held by households and nonprofit organizations, which includes savings and checking accounts and money market funds, rose by $379.5 billion to $18.9 trillion.
The S&P 500 fell less than 0.1% after spending the day wavering between small gains and losses. The tiny loss ended the benchmark index’s three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as US markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.2%. Meta Platforms fell 0.7%, and Amazon and Netflix each fell 0.9%. Tesla was among the biggest decliners in the S&P 500, finishing 1.8% lower. Some tech companies fared better. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.4%, Micron Technology added 0.6% and Adobe gained 0.5%. Health care stocks were a bright spot. CVS Health rose 1.5% and Walgreens Boots Alliance added 5.3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 3%, Ross Stores added 2.3%, Best Buy rose 2.9% and Dollar Tree gained 3.8%. Traders are watching to see whether retailers have a strong holiday season. The day after Christmas traditionally ranks among the top 10 biggest shopping days of the year, as consumers go online or rush to stores to cash in gift cards and raid bargain bins. US-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.1% and 16.4% respectively. The Japanese car makers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. All told, the S&P 500 fell 2.45 points to 6,037.59. The Dow added 28.77 points to 43,325.80. The Nasdaq fell 10.77 points to close at 20,020.36. Wall Street also got a labour market update. US applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labour Department reported. Treasury yields mostly fell in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.58% from 4.59% late on Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar.Ex-NRL Boss Todd Greenberg Appointed New Cricket Australia CEO
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So far in 2024, the S&P 500 index has gained an impressive 26% while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite has soared roughly 28%. Without a doubt, one of the biggest tailwinds fueling these market returns is artificial intelligence (AI). Among AI's hottest stocks through 2024 are data analytics company Palantir Technologies ( PLTR -1.03% ) and semiconductor leader Nvidia ( NVDA 0.28% ) . Both companies have handily topped the markets this year -- with shares of Palantir rocketing by 291% while Nvidia has gained about 179% (as of market close Nov. 29). With Palantir and Nvidia looking like two of the AI realm's most dominant forces, would you be surprised to learn that some of Wall Street's brightest minds are only buying one of these stocks right now? Below, I'll outline moves made by some of the most prestigious hedge funds and detail why I think these decisions could make a lot of sense. How is Wall Street investing in Palantir and Nvidia? Thanks to an incredibly helpful tool called the form 13F , everyday investors can get a glimpse into what stocks large institutional investors are buying and selling. Below, I've quantified the buys and sells between Palantir and Nvidia stock among two notable hedge fund managers during the third quarter: Ken Griffin (Citadel Advisors) : In the September-ended quarter, Ken Griffin's Citadel Advisors sold 5,172,681 shares of Palantir -- reducing the fund's exposure by 91% in the process . At the same time, Griffin and his constituents increased Citadel's stake in Nvidia by 194% -- adding over 4.7 million shares. David Shaw (D.E. Shaw) : Another hedge fund that trimmed its stake in Palantir during the third quarter was D.E. Shaw, which sold 8.7 million shares of the software giant and reduced its position by 45%. Similar to Citadel, D.E. Shaw increased its exposure in Nvidia by more than 50%, buying nearly 6 million shares in the quarter. Let's dig into what may have influenced the decisions to trim Palantir while adding Nvidia over the last few months. Why sell Palantir right now? In April 2023, Palantir launched its fourth major software suite -- the Palantir Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP). The advent of AIP has catapulted Palantir into the forefront of the AI narrative, helping the company accelerate revenue across both the commercial and public sectors, all while achieving notable margin expansion and consistent profitability. While Palantir's current rate of growth and future outlook are impressive , there is one obvious reason to sell the stock right now: valuation. PLTR PS Ratio data by YCharts As of the time of this writing, Palantir is trading at a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 61. As the chart above illustrates, the company has experienced notable valuation expansion throughout 2024 and has emerged as one of the priciest software-as-a-service (SaaS) stocks among its peers. To put it plainly, there is a really good argument to be made that Palantir stock is overbought. Given how much momentum shares have witnessed in such short order, I can't blame the teams at Citadel and D.E. Shaw for reducing their exposure. The stock has had a historic run, and now appears to be a logical opportunity to lock in some profits. Why buy Nvidia right now? Nvidia is one of the most important pillars supporting the entire AI ecosystem right now. The company's chip sets, known as graphics processing units (GPUs), are perhaps the most coveted piece of infrastructure for generative AI development. In my eyes, the two most obvious catalysts fueling Nvidia's bull case thesis over the next few years are rising investment in AI-related infrastructure combined with the upcoming launch of the company's next generation GPU architecture, Blackwell. Similar to why I think investors are selling Palantir, the primary reason influencing the decisions to buy Nvidia could be valuation. NVDA PE Ratio data by YCharts While Nvidia's valuation isn't cheap per se, the company's current price-to-earnings (P/E) and price-to-free-cash-flow (P/FCF) multiples are trading relatively in line with 10-year averages. Given Nvidia is a much larger entity today than it was a decade ago, coupled with its strong position to continue acquiring incremental market share as demand for AI infrastructure continues to soar, investors could argue that Nvidia is actually undervalued -- making it a particularly compelling buy and hold at the moment. The bottom line While I understand the decision to sell Palantir and buy Nvidia right now, I can't say for certain what drove the decisions of the portfolio managers that I mentioned in this piece. As I've written in many other articles, I think competition in the GPU space is going to eat into Nvidia's growth sooner rather than later. For that reason, I haven't entirely bought into the notion that Nvidia's valuation is actually all that reasonable. While I own shares in both Palantir and Nvidia, I won't be adding to either position at their respective prices.