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The masked gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” a law enforcement official said Thursday. The gunman is still at large and a manhunt is underway. Here's the latest: Just minutes before the shooting, the suspect was seen on surveillance footage purchasing the two items from a nearby Starbucks. Both the water bottle and protein bar wrapper were later recovered from a trash can in the vicinity of the killing, according to a police spokesperson. They’ve been sent to the city’s medical examiner for expedited fingerprint testing. As the suspect remained at large Thursday afternoon, New York police were sorting through a growing number of leads coming in through a public hotline. Many have been unfounded, including a tip from a commuter who claimed to have spotted the shooter on a Long Island Rail Road train Wednesday evening. Police searched the train, but found no sign of the gunman. Members of the public have also provided police with several different names of people who bear a resemblance to the gunman — though they have yet to confirm the shooter’s identity. NYPD spokesperson Carlos Nieves urged anyone with information to contact the department “even if it seems trivial.” “We ask you to call the tip line because that little piece of information could be the missing piece of the puzzle that ties everything together,” he said. Users’ reactions — and in many cases jokes — populated comment sections teeming with frustration toward health insurers broadly and UnitedHealthcare in particular. “I would be happy to help look for the shooter but vision isn’t covered under my healthcare plan,” one comment read on Instagram. “Thoughts and prior authorizations!” wrote another user. Images released by police of a person they say is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting match the lobby of the HI New York City hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Both feature a black-and-white checkered floor and a distinctive bench in the shape of a semicircle. Matheus Taranto, a guest at the hostel who’s visiting from Brazil, says he saw police at the lodging Wednesday evening. He said an officer wouldn’t let him access a bathroom where he wanted to brush his teeth. “I asked why, he was like, no, nothing happened,” said Taranto, 24. He didn’t connect the dots with the shooting until later. In Minnesota, police in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove, where Thompson lived, said Thursday they believe a bomb threat on Wednesday night was a hoax. Maple Grove police put out a statement Thursday saying a “suspected swatting investigation” was underway. The department said it received a report of a bomb threat directed at two addresses around 7 p.m. CT Wednesday. The Minneapolis Bomb Squad and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office assisted, but investigators found no suspicions devices or other items. “The case is considered an active investigation, while the incident appears to be a hoax. No further comments will be made at this time,” the police statement said. Police reports provided to The Associated Press by the department show that officers made contact with family members at one of the homes and were told they had seen nothing suspicious and had received no direct threats. Back in Thompson’s home state of Minnesota, authorities were investigating a bomb threat that reportedly was made against his home Wednesday night, after his death. It was first reported by TMZ. City Prosecutor Andrew Draper confirmed to The Associated Press via email Thursday that he received an email Wednesday night “regarding a bomb threat. I reported it to the Maple Grove Police Department and do not have any additional information.” Maple Grove police officials did not immediately respond to requests for details Thursday. Local ATF spokesperson Ashlee Sherrill said: “ATF was made aware of the incident in Maple Grove last night, but no ATF resources were deployed. We are unable to confirm any further details.” A local FBI spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for information on the FBI’s involvement in the investigation. The words emblazoned on the ammunition used in the shooting – “deny,” “defend” and “depose” – were written in permanent marker, according to a law enforcement official. The official wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. — Jake Offenhartz As of Thursday morning, police were still searching for the shooter. They released new photos of a person they said is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting. The images match the lobby of the HI New York City hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, including its black-and-white checkered floor and a distinctive bench in the shape of a semi-circle. An employee at the hostel said police had visited but declined to provide further information. Danielle Brumfitt, a spokesperson for the lodging, said in an emailed statement that they are cooperating with the NYPD but can’t comment due to the active investigation. According to the official who spoke to AP about the ammunition messaging, investigators are running DNA and fingerprint analysis on items found near the shooting, including a water bottle, that they believe the suspect may have discarded. Additionally, they’re looking into whether the suspect had pre-positioned a bike as part of an escape plan. Doctors and patients have become particularly frustrated with prior authorizations, which are requirements that an insurer approve surgery or care before it happens. UnitedHealthcare was named in an October report detailing how the insurer’s prior authorization denial rate for some Medicare Advantage patients has surged in recent years. The report from the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations also named rivals Humana and CVS. Insurers say tactics like prior authorization are needed to limit unnecessary care and help control spiraling medical costs. Frustrations extend beyond the coverage of care. Expensive breakthrough medications to slow Alzheimer’s disease or help with obesity are frequently not covered or have coverage limits. In the U.S. health care system, patients get coverage through a mix of private insurers such as UnitedHealthcare and government-funded programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. That can prove particularly frustrating for doctors and patients because coverage often varies by insurer. Polls reflect those frustrations with the U.S. health care system in general and insurance companies in particular. About two-thirds of Americans said health insurance companies deserve “a lot of blame” for high health care costs, according to a KFF poll conducted in February . Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive. A message left at the scene of an insurance executive’s fatal shooting — “deny,” “defend” and “depose” — echoes a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. The three words were emblazoned on the ammunition a masked gunman used to kill UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson , a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Thursday. They’re similar to the phrase “delay, deny, defend” — the way some attorneys describe how insurers deny services and payment, and the title of a 2010 book that was highly critical of the industry. Police haven’t officially commented on the wording or any connection between them and the common phrase. But Thompson’s shooting and the messages on the ammunition have sparked outrage on social media and elsewhere, reflecting a deepening frustration Americans have over the cost and complexity of getting care. ▶ Read more about the messaging left behind by the shooter The New York Police Department released photos Thursday morning, asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the individual pictured. Police say the person is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO. A Senate panel has been investigating how frequently three major insurers, including UnitedHealthcare, deny care to patients who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. It has also investigated the use of artificial intelligence in deny those claims. Medicare Advantage is the private version of Medicare, which provides health insurance to millions of older Americans. The Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee’s report released earlier this year found that as UnitedHealthcare relied more on its automated system to review claims denials increased for post-acute treatment, which includes nursing home or rehabilitation care. The insurer denied nearly a quarter of claims, a rate that doubled over just a two-year period from 2020 to 2022. Joseph Kenny, the NYPD chief of detectives, says the shooter wore a black face mask, black-and-white sneakers and a distinctive gray backpack. He arrived outside the hotel about five minutes before UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson did, then waited and ignored other pedestrians before he approached Thompson from behind. After the assailant began to fire, his 9 mm pistol jammed but he quickly fixed it and kept firing, Kenny said, another sign of the shooter’s professionalism. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” Kenny said. The hostels were on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and police were following a tip that the suspect may have stayed at one of the residences, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. The official requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the ongoing search. According to an employee of Kama Central Park, two detectives arrived at the hostel at 7 a.m. Thursday with a photo of the shooter and asked staff if they recognized the man. They did not, the employee said, and the detectives left soon after. An employee at the nearby HI New York City hostel also confirmed that police had visited the location Thursday, but declined to provide further information. — Jake Offenhartz New York Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday the shooter used a silencer — something he’d never encountered in his 22 years as a police officer. “In all of my years in law enforcement I have never seen a silencer before,” Adams, a retired NYPD captain, said in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “And so that was really something that was shocking to us all.” The masked gunman used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” a law enforcement official said Thursday. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. The words on the ammunition may have been a reference to strategies insurance companies use to try to avoid paying claims. Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny had said earlier. — Mike Balsamo, Jake Offenhartz and Michael R. Sisak The chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, one of the nation’s largest insurers, was killed Wednesday in midtown Manhattan in what police described as a targeted attack by a shooter outside a hotel where the company was holding a conference. ▶ Read more about the key things to know about the fatal attack
( MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) NEW YORK, Dec. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Celsius Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CELH) between February 29, 2024 and September 4, 2024, both dates inclusive (the“Class Period”), of the important January 21, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline . SO WHAT: If you purchased Celsius common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Celsius class action, go to or call Phillip Kim, Esq. at 866-767-3653 or email ... for more information. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 21, 2025 . A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Celsius materially oversold inventory to PepsiCo, Inc. (“Pepsi”) far in excess of demand, and faced a looming sales cliff during which Pepsi would significantly reduce its purchases of Celsius products; (2) as Pepsi drew down significant amounts of inventory overstock, Celsius' sales would materially decline in future periods, hurting Celsius' financial performance and outlook; (3) Celsius' sales rate to Pepsi was unsustainable and created a misleading impression of Celsius' financial performance and outlook; (4) as a result, Celsius' business metrics and financial prospects were not as strong as indicated in defendants' Class Period statements; and (5) consequently, defendants' statements regarding Celsius' outlook and expected financial performance were false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Celsius class action, go to or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email ... for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: , on Twitter: or on Facebook: . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 ... MENAFN29122024004107003653ID1109039951 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Herro leads Heat over Rockets in game marred by fight and ejections in final minuteHONG KONG , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- China Telecom's Open Gateway API serves as a ubiquitous connection and a full-scenario solution, which is widely applied in scenarios such as online games, online education, and autonomous driving. It significantly improves user experience through dynamic traffic optimization and device collaboration. Common challenges in these scenarios include traffic surges, network fluctuations, critical data transmission, which requires intelligent management, highly available guarantees, priority support for data transmission and unified network quality management of cross-regional devices. To address these issues, leveraging a diverse range of sensing modalities including service perception, network perception, and location perception, we are able to offer dynamic policy control at the service flow tier. By integrating time gating techniques, we can attain meticulous service quality management and optimized distribution of network resources. Based on this, an integrated network optimization solution is constructed to comprehensively improve the network quality in ubiquitous connection scenarios and form a closed-loop mechanism from user access, accurate identification to network optimization, ensuring that in ubiquitous connection scenarios such as online games, online education and autonomous driving, stable and efficient network services can be enjoyed. Ensure the stability of synchronization data: In autonomous driving, ensure low-latency and high-reliability data transmission between the vehicle-mounted system and the network infrastructure to provide a safe and smooth autonomous driving experience and promote the development of intelligent transportation and future cities. Prioritize video transmission: In online education, optimize the teacher-student interaction stream to ensure the smooth and real-time progress of teaching activities. Dynamic bandwidth adjustment: During the peak period of online games, dynamically optimize bandwidth allocation, combine real-time location perception of player distribution, prioritize guaranteeing the core area and player experience, and avoid stuttering and latency. In 2024, China Telecom's QoD API completed the interface transformation in accordance with the standards of the GSMA Open Gateway, it was released as the world's first Open Gateway case study in June 2024 . As of 2024, the cumulative number of calls to China Telecom's QoD API has exceeded 5 billion times. The monthly average number of calls to the number verification API has reached 45 billion times, with a peak capacity call rate exceeding 52,000 times per second. There are 200 million monthly active users, covering nearly 40 million telecom users and serving mainstream domestic and foreign manufacturers such as Bosch, Honor, Huawei Cloud , and Tencent . The cumulative revenue has reached 500 million US dollars , promoting the comprehensive implementation of ubiquitous connections. In the 5G era, we are witnessing a revolutionary transformation in mobile work and entertainment, driven by high-quality, high-speed network services. To meet the demands of this new era, HONOR has partnered with China Telecom based on principles of open collaboration and mutual benefit to introduce an innovative service for the new AI-powered flagship, the Magic7 Series—"HONOR Fast Pass". Through End-cloud Collaboration Technology, "HONOR Fast Pass" automatically activates VIP channels and works with China Telecom's Open Gateway API for seamless connectivity, dynamically adjusting network parameters to optimize the performance of the operator's air interface QoS channels. Bosch is researching future vehicle functions, such as autonomous driving and intelligent transportation, which will rely on cloud computing technology supported by 5G or 6G networks. To achieve this vision, Bosch focuses on developing reliable distributed systems. A key driver of this effort is the Open Gateway APIs provided by China Telecom (e.g., QoD services), which ensure predictable and timely data exchange and function calls. Bosch will work together with China Telecom to advance these technologies and shape a smarter, safer future for mobility. In the 5G era, with the surging demand for network quality in ubiquitous connection scenarios, China Telecom will focus on key areas such as the Internet of Vehicles, the low-altitude economy, and intelligent manufacturing to promote the diversified development of GSMA OpenGateway API capabilities, ushering in a new situation of prosperity. This will not only drive innovation and breakthroughs in the Chinese market but also help the global application of ubiquitous connection scenarios. It achieves seamless connections across regions and devices, enhancing the competitiveness and cooperation depth of the global ubiquitous connection market. SOURCE China Telecom
Marco Silva vowed Fulham will keep pushing for more after they leapt up to sixth in the Premier League following a 3-1 win over Brighton . Alex Iwobi scored twice to catapult the Cottagers six places from 12th in a congested table. Fulham were pegged back after Iwobi’s quickfire opener by Carlos Baleba’s fine strike early in the second half. But Matt O’Riley’s own goal gifted them the lead again and Iwobi hit his second to ensure Brighton have still never beaten Fulham in the Premier League. Silva said: “They are a really tough team to play against, top quality individuals, not losing many games. “We started the game the best way possible but the first half was really difficult for us. They had chances to equalise and were the better team. “The second half was completely different. Even when they equalised we were the best team on the pitch and we reacted well. It’s a big three points for us against top opposition. Credit to Brighton but I think we deserved the win. “We are pleased with the position, we know our reality and we are going to push ourselves.” Just three minutes had elapsed when Brighton handed Fulham the lead after playing the ball back to their goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, a few yards to the left of his goal. The Dutchman was under minimal pressure, but his pass out towards Baleba on the edge of the box was intercepted by Iwobi who strode forward and tucked the ball into an empty net before Verbruggen could scramble back. The equaliser came moments later, and for all Brighton’s slick short passing it came from Jan Paul Van Hecke’s straightforward ball over the top. Joao Pedro did brilliantly to cushion the ball into the path of Baleba, with the Cameroon youngster bludgeoning a low shot from the edge of the box past Bernd Leno into the corner. But Fulham went ahead again with 11 minutes remaining when substitute Andreas Pereira swung in a corner. The ball skimmed off the head of Calvin Bassey and went in off the back of the unfortunate O’Riley. Then, with three minutes left, Iwobi spun away from two Brighton defenders before curling past Verbruggen into the far corner to secure victory for the upwardly-mobile Cottagers. It was an uncomfortable watch for Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler, albeit high up in Fulham’s plush new Riverside Stand while he served a touchline ban. “It’s not the best feeling to watch in the stand,” he said. “I think we all know that’s not the result we deserved. “We created a lot of chances and gave away a goal with an error in the build-up and an own goal. “But it’s football. That’s exactly what I demand from Bart, to find solutions on the ground. We will give him feedback and the players will improve. “But mistakes happen. If there were no mistakes there would be no goals.”
King and PM honour former US president Jimmy Carter after his death aged 100Columnist's note: It is my honor to have as my guest columnist this Sunday one of the most promising linguists in the Philippines, Ma. Kaela Joselle R. Madrunio. She is a multitalented young scholar who began publishing and giving lectures as early as her undergraduate years. She has chosen to focus on forensic linguistics for her research, but she touches on many linguistics topics and themes that also touch on language and forensics. I am certain her mother, Prof. Marilu Rañosa-Madrunio, the pioneer of forensic linguistics in the Philippines, is very much delighted with the work she is doing. SEVERAL academic issues have become increasingly alarming with the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Plagiarism is one of them, but one may ask: Were the suspected parts in a written work reviewed in detail before flagging these as plagiarized? Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Tahj Brooks ran for a season-high 188 yards and three touchdowns in the final home game for Texas Tech's all-time leading rusher, and the Red Raiders rolled to a 52-15 victory over West Virginia on Saturday. Texas Tech (8-4, 6-3 Big 12) kept alive faint hopes for a bid in the Big 12 championship game by winning at least eight games in the regular season for the first time since 2009 under the late Mike Leach. The Red Raiders scored at 50 points for the second week in a row and had a resounding response to consecutive home losses. “It was a big deal for us to play well at home,” coach Joey McGuire said. “Our last two home games, we’ve had incredible crowds that had great energy, that had our backs and we played really, really bad. We were embarrassed.” Garrett Greene threw an interception and lost a fumble on Terrell Tilmon's strip sack in the final three minutes of the first half as the Mountaineers (6-6, 5-4) raised more questions about the future of coach Neal Brown by falling behind 35-3 before the break. Behren Morton threw for 359 yards and two touchdowns, including a 31-yarder to Caleb Douglas to put Texas Tech in front 42-3 early in the second half. Josh Kelly had 150 yards receiving. “I don’t think the first half of football defines who they are, who they are as individuals, who we are as a team,” Brown said of the Mountaineers. “Not pleased with that.” McGuire, who will have his third winning record in three seasons, called timeout with 5:57 remaining and his team leading 45-15 to take Brooks out of the game. Brooks was mobbed by teammates as the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Brooks ran for at least 100 yards in all 11 regular-season games he played, breaking the single-season school record of 10 he shared with Byron Hanspard and Bam Morris. Brooks pushed his career total to 4,557 yards in his first home game since breaking Hanspard's 1996 school record of 4,219 yards two weeks ago at Jones AT&T Stadium. Two of Brooks' TDs came on 2-yard runs from direct snaps, and the other was a 37-yarder when he stumbled on a cut but stayed on his feet and bounced off defensive back Ty French. Brooks has 17 TDs rushing this season and 45 for his career. Brooks set up one of his short TDs with a 30-yard catch. Jahiem White ran for 124 yards with a spinning 21-yard touchdown for West Virginia, and Greene had a 15-yard scoring toss to Rodney Gallagher III. Greene threw two picks. The takeaway West Virginia: A perfect season on the road in the Big 12 ended with a thud. The Mountaineers were 3-0 away from home in conference before allowing 29 second-quarter points followed by another TD just 2:12 into the third. Texas Tech: Tight end Jalin Conyers, one of Brooks' fellow seniors playing his final home game, made up a for a dropped pass in the end zone with a juggling, diving catch for 18 yards to set up Morton's 1-yard scoring toss to Mason Tharp. Conyers, an Arizona State transfer, also had a 2-point conversion run on a swinging gate play from the PAT unit. Up next Both teams are eligible for bowl games. At game's end, Texas Tech's fate for a spot in the Big 12 title game was still up in the air. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Flames bring 3-game losing streak into matchup with the PenguinsNone
The West Coast Customs Experience and Monterey Motorsports Festival Concours Bring Unique Exhibition Features to the 2024 Los Angeles Auto ShowUS government to restrict investments in China's high-tech sectors to safeguard national security
Pride, bragging rights and more than $115M at stake when final college playoff rankings come out
Flames bring 3-game losing streak into matchup with the PenguinsOne more week left in the 2024 regular season and the playoff picture (and first pick in the draft picture) is coming into shape. Nate Tice and Charles McDonald discuss the five biggest results from Week 17's Saturday and Sunday action, leading off with the Minnesota Vikings' well-earned divisional win over the Green Bay Packers. Nate & Charles discuss how Sam Darnold's play and Kevin O'Connor's scheming always kept Green Bay a step behind and why the Packers defense is not quite up to the task of stopping an elite Super Bowl-contending offense. Speaking of elite, the guys look back to Saturday and look at the Los Angeles Rams' 13-9 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Nate explains why sophomore receiver Puka Nacua has entered the top-tier of NFL wideouts and why his play the last two seasons is basically unparalleled from a statistical perspective. Also on Saturday, the Cincinnati Bengals eked out an overtime win over the Denver Broncos, keeping their playoff hopes alive. The guys talk about Joe Burrow's MVP case and how the Broncos still may backpedal into the playoffs against a Kansas City Chiefs team that will likely rest their starters next weekend. Closing out the show, they chat about Drew Lock and the New York Giants extinguishing the Indianapolis Colts' playoff hopes and Saquon Barkley's 2,000-yard season in a Philadelphia win over the Dallas Cowboys. (1:50) - Vikings take out Packers (12:10) - Puka's elite status in Rams win (24:40) - Burrow keeps Bengals playoff hopes alive (30:25) - Drew Lock extinguishes Colts (37:40) - Saquon hits 2k yards over Dallas (40:35) - Week 17 game balls
Intel foundry customers have successfully powered on 18A node engineering samplesBy Wayne Cole SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian shares edged lower on Monday as high Treasury yields challenged lofty Wall Street equity valuations while underpinning the U.S. dollar near multi-month peaks. Volumes were light with the New Year holiday looming and a rather bare data diary this week. China has the PMI factory surveys out on Tuesday, while the U.S. ISM survey for December is due on Friday. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dipped 0.2%, but is still 16% higher for the year. Japan's Nikkei eased 0.2%, but is sitting on gains of 20% for 2024. South Korea's main index has not been so fortunate, having run into a storm of political uncertainty in recent weeks, and is saddled with losses of more than 9% for the year. It was last off 0.35%. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures were both off 0.1%. Wall Street suffered a broad-based sell off on Friday with no obvious trigger, though volumes were just two-thirds of the daily average. .[.N] The S&P 500 is still up 25% for the year and the Nasdaq 31%, which is stretching valuations when compared to the risk-free return of Treasuries. Investors are counting on earnings per share growth of just over 10% in 2025, versus a 12.47% expected rise in 2024, according to LSEG data. Yet yields on 10-year Treasuries are near eight-month highs at 4.631% and ending the year around 75 basis points above where they started it, even though the Fed delivered 100 basis points of cuts to cash rates. "The continued rise in bond yields, driven by the reassessment of less restrictive monetary policy expectations, creates some concern," said Quasar Elizundia, a research strategist at broker Pepperstone. "The possibility that the Fed may keep restrictive monetary policy for longer than expected could temper corporate earnings growth expectations for 2025, which could in turn influence investment decisions." Bond investors may also be wary of burgeoning supply as President-elect Donald Trump is promising tax cuts with few concrete proposals for restraining the budget deficit. Trump is expected to release at least 25 executive orders when he takes office on Jan. 20, covering a range of issues from immigration to energy and crypto policy. Widening interest rate differentials have kept the U.S. dollar in demand, giving it gains of 6.5% for the year on a basket of major currencies. The euro has lost more than 5% on the dollar so far in 2024 to last stand at $1.0429, not far from its recent two-year trough of $1.0344. The dollar held near a five-month top on the yen at 157.71, with only the risk of Japanese intervention preventing another test of the 160.00 barrier. The strength of the dollar has been something of a burden for gold prices, though the metal is still 28% higher for the year so far at $2,624 an ounce. [GOL/] Oil has had a tougher year as concerns about demand, particularly from China, kept a lid on prices and forced OPEC+ to repeatedly extend a deal to limit supplies. [O/R] Brent fell 37 cents to $73.80 a barrel, while U.S. crude lost 17 cents to $70.43 per barrel. (Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)Cozy winter fare: Make a French-style cassoulet at home
Stock market today: Wall Street mixed at the start of a holiday-shortened weekIntech Investment Management LLC grew its stake in Black Hills Co. ( NYSE:BKH – Free Report ) by 176.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 13,189 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after buying an additional 8,419 shares during the quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Black Hills were worth $806,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its stake in Black Hills by 15.2% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 44,777 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $2,445,000 after purchasing an additional 5,906 shares during the period. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio acquired a new stake in shares of Black Hills in the 1st quarter valued at about $83,000. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Black Hills by 99.3% in the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 127,845 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $6,980,000 after purchasing an additional 63,687 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Black Hills during the first quarter worth about $388,000. Finally, Pathway Financial Advisers LLC acquired a new position in shares of Black Hills during the first quarter worth about $31,000. Institutional investors own 86.71% of the company’s stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on BKH shares. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Black Hills from $61.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on shares of Black Hills from $54.00 to $63.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 20th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, Black Hills has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $60.25. Black Hills Price Performance NYSE:BKH opened at $64.12 on Friday. Black Hills Co. has a 52-week low of $49.33 and a 52-week high of $65.59. The company has a market cap of $4.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.26, a P/E/G ratio of 4.62 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 1.12. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $61.06 and its 200 day simple moving average is $58.20. Black Hills Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 18th will be given a dividend of $0.65 per share. This represents a $2.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.05%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 18th. Black Hills’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 69.89%. Black Hills Company Profile ( Free Report ) Black Hills Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as an electric and natural gas utility company in the United States. The company operates in two segments: Electric Utilities and Gas Utilities. The Electric Utilities segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 222,000 electric utility customers in Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming; and owns and operates 1,394 megawatts of generation capacity and 9,106 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BKH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Black Hills Co. ( NYSE:BKH – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Black Hills Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Black Hills and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Stock market rises with Nvidia as bitcoin bursts above $99,000