By JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70HOUSTON (AP) — Will Levis threw for 278 yards and his 70-yard touchdown pass to Chig Okonkwo put Tennessee on top in the fourth quarter and the Titans held on for a 32-27 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday. Okonkwo grabbed a short pass and rumbled for the touchdown to put the Titans (3-8) up 30-27 with 91⁄2 minutes remaining. Safety Eric Murray missed a tackle that would have stopped him near midfield. The Texans (7-5) had a chance to tie it with less than two minutes remaining, but Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 28-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left. He fell to the ground after the miss before getting up and slamming his helmet on the field. Titans coach Brian Callahan held both hands in the air and smiled after watching the miss that allowed his team to win on a day it had three turnovers. The Texans forced a three-and-out, but couldn’t move the ball after that and Harold Landry sacked C.J. Stroud in the end zone for a safety to make it 32-27 and allow Tennessee to snap a two-game skid. Stroud threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions as the AFC South-leading Texans lost for the third time in four games. Jimmie Ward had a 65-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter and the Texans tied a franchise record with eight sacks. But the offense sputtered for most of the game as Joe Mixon was held to 22 yards on 14 carries. Tennessee extended the lead to 23-17 on a 51-yard field goal by Nick Folk with nine minutes left in the third. Stroud threw his second interception with about 90 seconds left in the third quarter but Ward’s touchdown came three plays later to put the Texans on top 24-23. The Titans fumbled a punt early in the fourth quarter and Houston recovered it. A 54-yard field goal by Fairbairn extended the lead to 27-23 with about 10 minutes to go. Dameon Pierce returned the opening kickoff 80 yards to get the Texans in the red zone. Houston cashed in on the next play when Stroud found rookie Cade Stover on a 19-yard pass for his first touchdown reception. The Titans trailed by four after a field goal by Folk when Nick Westbrook-Ikhine got in front of the defense and was wide open for a 38-yard TD catch that made it 10-7 late in the first quarter. Tennessee extended the lead to 17-7 when Tony Pollard ran 10 yards for a touchdown with about 11 minutes left in the second. Pollard finished with 119 yards and a touchdown. Nico Collins scored on a 5-yard reception with about six minutes left in the second. Levis fumbled on the Houston 32 with 31⁄2 minutes left in the first half and Houston recovered the ball. Stroud connected with Collins on a 56-yard pass on the next play, but the Texans couldn’t move the ball and settled for a 28-yard field goal to tie it at 17-17. Houston forced a punt after that, but rookie Jarvis Brownlee Jr. got his first career interception two plays later to give Tennessee the ball back. Folk’s 56-yard field goal, which tied his career long, put the Titans up 20-17 at halftime. The Titans were without cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, after he was placed on injured reserve with a quadriceps injury, and safety Amani Hooker, who was added to the injury report Sunday morning with an illness. Hooker leads the Titans with three interceptions. ... Houston S Jalen Pitre injured his shoulder in the second quarter and didn’t return. ... CB Ka’dar Hollman left in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. Titans: Visit the Commanders next Sunday. Texans: Visit Jacksonville next Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflBecker's trial started Nov. 6.
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Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata welcomed final Senate passage last Friday of a bipartisan House bill she co-introduced, the FISHES Act, H.R. 5103. The legislation has been sent to President Biden to become law. Amata is one of a bipartisan group of 11 original cosponsors at introduction, primarily from coastal districts, led by sponsor Congressman Byron Donalds of Florida, and including Congressman James Moylan of Guam. “We live in harmony with a beautiful ocean, but it is capable of sudden, powerful disasters, which we have experienced,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Our bipartisan FISHES Act supports and instructs NOAA in providing strong and rapid response after emergencies to restore fisheries, and direct resources where most needed in those cases.” The FISHES Act is fully titled the Fishery Improvement to Streamline untimely regulatory Hurdles post Emergency Situation Act. The legislation is endorsed by many organizations including the National Audubon Society, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Captains for Clean Water, American Conservation Coalition Action, National Association of Charterboat Operators, and more. SOCIAL SECURITY FAIRNESS ACT In addition, Congresswoman Amata is welcoming final passage of the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act, H.R. 82, which she also cosponsored. The bill originated in the House and has now been sent to President Biden to be signed into law, among a flurry of completed bills as the 118th Congress closes. The bill ends two unnecessary and harmful provisions of the Social Security Act that unfairly reduce benefits for more than 2 million Americans who have had public service careers, such as police officers, firefighters, educators and government employees. The bipartisan effort was sponsored by Rep. Garret Graves (R-Louisiana) and last month passed the House by a vote of 327-75. “I appreciate our many retired public servants who gave many years of dedicated careers to professions that keep our communities safe, healthy, educated, and provide other necessities,” said Congresswoman Amata. “This change is the right thing to do, and it will improve the retired years of many Samoans and other Pacific Islanders who have served all over the United States. This improvement will help 2 million American retirees in receiving their full Social Security and spousal benefits with any other retirement income they are due.” Specifically, the bill eliminates the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), allowing better retirement incomes for public service retirees, rather than having their or their spouses’ Social Security benefits reduced, solely because of the career they had working for federal, state and local governments.Valladolid loses again and Getafe ends winless run in La Liga
This Morning viewers were once again left wondering where to get their hands on Cat Deeley's latest outfit. Fortunately for fashion enthusiasts, we've tracked down the exact dress she wore this week on the ITV show - and it's available at ASOS . On Wednesday's episode (November 20), co-hosting with Dermot O'Leary, Cat donned a sleek satin dress featuring a trendy leopard print pattern . Immediately after the show, her followers flocked to Instagram to find out where it was from. One commented: "This morning you had an amazing leopard print dress. Do you know the brand? I'm absolutely obsessed with your look." Another added: "Today's dress is [heart eyes emoji]." Read more: When is Black Friday 2024, what is it and where can you find the best deals Read next: New Marks & Spencer £40 knitted top is 'just right for Christmas Day' and is 'so soft' The 48-year-old's stylish outfit was an & Other Stories Open Back Satin Maxi Dress , priced at £145. The elegant piece has a 'dancefloor dress code', making it an excellent choice for Christmas parties if you're not into the classic little black dress or sequins, as reported by the Mirror . The satin maxi dress features a boat neck and an open back with a romantic waterfall finish , along with voluminous sleeves and a side split to flaunt your legs. Available at & Other Stories, the dress comes in EU sizes 32 to 44 , though some have already sold out. At ASOS, the sizes have been converted to UK for convenience, ranging from 4 to 16 , with every size currently in stock. Cat Deeley in the & Other Stories leopard print dress (Image: Instagram) For a touch of autumn, Cat teamed her dress with a c hunky waist belt from Pritch, priced at £260 . The corset-style belt, crafted in Italy, offers multiple styling options for a versatile look. She completed the outfit with knee-high boots - a regular feature in the presenter's wardrobe - and wore her hair loose and curled. If £145 seems a bit steep, we also recommend this Brown Leopard Satin Midi Dress, available for £44.99 at Needs No Label . This satin midi is slightly shorter, featuring short puff sleeves and available in sizes 8-18. Cat is known for her classy, elegant ensembles with clean lines and tailored fits, often choosing brands like Mint Velvet, Zara and LK Bennett.Church of Scientology Food Drive Makes Thanksgiving Special for 300 Local Families
Social media users are misrepresenting a Vermont Supreme Court ruling , claiming that it gives schools permission to vaccinate children even if their parents do not consent. The ruling addressed a lawsuit filed by Dario and Shujen Politella against Windham Southeast School District and state officials over the mistaken vaccination of their child against COVID-19 in 2021, when he was 6 years old. A lower court had dismissed the original complaint, as well as an amended version. An appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was filed on Nov. 19. But the ruling by Vermont's high court is not as far-reaching as some online have claimed. In reality, it concluded that anyone protected under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, or PREP, Act is immune to state lawsuits. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that schools can vaccinate children against their parents' wishes. THE FACTS: The claim stems from a July 26 ruling by the Vermont Supreme Court, which found that anyone protected by the PREP Act is immune to state lawsuits, including the officials named in the Politella's suit. The ruling does not authorize schools to vaccinate children at their discretion. According to the lawsuit, the Politella's son — referred to as L.P. — was given one dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic held at Academy School in Brattleboro even though his father, Dario, told the school's assistant principal a few days before that his son was not to receive a vaccination. In what officials described as a mistake, L.P. was removed from class and had a “handwritten label” put on his shirt with the name and date of birth of another student, L.K., who had already been vaccinated that day. L.P. was then vaccinated. Ultimately, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that officials involved in the case could not be sued. “We conclude that the PREP Act immunizes every defendant in this case and this fact alone is enough to dismiss the case,” the Vermont Supreme Court's ruling reads. “We conclude that when the federal PREP Act immunizes a defendant, the PREP Act bars all state-law claims against that defendant as a matter of law.” The PREP Act , enacted by Congress in 2005, authorizes the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to issue a declaration in the event of a public health emergency providing immunity from liability for activities related to medical countermeasures, such as the administration of a vaccine, except in cases of “willful misconduct" that result in “death or serious physical injury.” A declaration against COVID-19 was issued on March 17, 2020. It is set to expire on Dec. 31. Federals suits claiming willful misconduct are filed in Washington. Social media users described the Vermont Supreme Court's ruling as having consequences beyond what it actually says. “The Vermont Supreme Court has ruled that schools can force-vaccinate children for Covid against the wishes of their parents,” reads one X post that had been liked and shared approximately 16,600 times as of Tuesday. “The high court ruled on a case involving a 6-year-old boy who was forced to take a Covid mRNA injection by his school. However, his family had explicitly stated that they didn't want their child to receive the ‘vaccines.’” Other users alleged that the ruling gives schools permission to give students any vaccine without parental consent, not just ones for COVID-19. Rod Smolla, president of the Vermont Law and Graduate School and an expert on constitutional law, told The Associated Press that the ruling “merely holds that the federal statute at issue, the PREP Act, preempts state lawsuits in cases in which officials mistakenly administer a vaccination without consent.” “Nothing in the Vermont Supreme Court opinion states that school officials can vaccinate a child against the instructions of the parent,” he wrote in an email. Asked whether the claims spreading online have any merit, Ronald Ferrara, an attorney representing the Politellas, told the AP that although the ruling doesn't say schools can vaccinate students regardless of parental consent, officials could interpret it to mean that they could get away with doing so under the PREP Act, at least when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines. He explained that the U.S. Supreme Court appeal seeks to clarify whether the Vermont Supreme Court interpreted the PREP Act beyond what Congress intended. “The Politella’s fundamental liberty interest to decide whether their son should receive elective medical treatment was denied by agents of the State and School,” he wrote in an email to the AP. “The Vermont Court misconstrues the scope of PREP Act immunity (which is conditioned upon informed consent for medical treatments unapproved by FDA), to cover this denial of rights and its underlying battery.” Ferrara added that he was not aware of the claims spreading online, but that he “can understand how lay people may conflate the court's mistaken grant of immunity for misconduct as tantamount to blessing such misconduct.” John Klar, who also represents the Politellas, went a step further, telling the AP that the Vermont Supreme Court ruling means that “as a matter of law” schools can get away with vaccinating students without parental consent and that parents can only sue on the federal level if death or serious bodily injury results.
Derik Queen takes over to lead Maryland men’s basketball over Villanova, 76-75After only a few hours of deliberations, a jury delivered a crushing verdict for Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker, finding him guilty of leaking an explosive civil grand jury report on the San Francisco 49ers’ influence on the city and then lying about it under oath. Becker was full of emotion as the decision was read aloud in Santa Clara County Superior Court in Morgan Hill on Thursday. His husband, Abel Cardona, watched from the front row of the courtroom. Becker, who remains free on his own recognizance, has maintained his innocence since he was first indicted in April 2023. Chris Montoya, a deputy public defender who is part of Becker’s five-person legal team, declined to comment until after sentencing on Jan. 31. Following the verdict, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said “the criminal justice system depends on people telling the truth.” “When an elected official lies under oath, it undermines the criminal justice system, and that’s what Mr. Becker did,” Rosen told reporters. Perjury, a felony, carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, but Rosen said the crime doesn’t feel like “a state prison case.” “There does need to be some accountability whether that’s a combination of jail time and fines because this is very serious what the defendant did,” he said. Becker’s trial began a day after the Nov. 5 election in which the vice mayor came in dead last in a three-way race for his seat, and the prosecution called more than a dozen witnesses to prove its case. Becker opted not to take the stand, and his legal team called no witnesses in his defense. Rahul Chandhok, the San Francisco 49ers’ former chief of communications, served as the prosecution’s star witness. He testified at the beginning of the trial that Becker had leaked the bombshell Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury report, titled “Unsportsmanlike Conduct,” which accused Becker and other members of the council of having an improper relationship with the 49ers and holding closed door meetings with team lobbyists that potentially violated state law. That report was released a month shy of Election Day in 2022 when Becker unsuccessfully challenged Mayor Lisa Gillmor, a critic of the NFL team that began playing at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara in 2014, for her seat. The NFL team spent heavily on the election that year, shelling out more than $1.4 million trying to get Becker elected and another roughly $1 million attacking Gillmor. Chandhok testified that Becker sent him the report on Oct. 6, 2022, via Signal, an encrypted messaging app where the messages can be scheduled to disappear. The report was set to be released publicly on Oct. 10 but appeared in several media outlets on Oct. 7. The 49ers quickly worked to get ahead of the story, describing the report as a “hatchet job” and investigating whether any of the jurors were biased . Rosen criticized the 49ers outside of the courtroom on Thursday for attacking members of the civil grand jury. “We have a lot of large companies in this Valley: Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, the list goes on and on,” he said. “The behavior in this case of the 49ers is not something that I have seen with any of those other companies.” Brian Brokaw, a spokesperson for the 49ers, said in a statement on the verdict that they “respected the outcome of the legal process and look forward to continuing to work with Santa Clara to maximize the benefits of Levi’s Stadium for the community.” The civil grand jury investigated the leak in late 2022 but didn’t find the source. When testifying under oath to the civil grand jury, Becker said he didn’t leak the report. In a social media post, Gillmor said that Becker’s “felony conviction highlights a deeply troubling and consistent pattern of misconduct and betrayal of public trust in Santa Clara.” “As multiple Grand Jury reports have documented, it’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to undue influence and lack of transparency in the way the City Council and some City staff interact with the 49er organization,” Gillmor said. “The people of Santa Clara deserve a government that operates legally and ethically.” During closing arguments on Wednesday, Deputy District Attorney Jason Malinsky sought to persuade the jury that Chandhok had “no reason to lie” about Becker being the source of the leak. “What are his motivations?” Malinsky asked. “He was given immunity. He was actually forced under court order to testify.” Meanwhile, Montoya attempted to convince the jury “that the prosecution failed.” He argued that the defense revealed that evidence had been destroyed by the prosecution during the investigation, that they uncovered new evidence, and that the forensic team who reviewed Becker and Chandhok’s devices were unqualified. Montoya described the case against the vice mayor as circumstantial and said that many questions remained unanswered, such as why Councilmember Kevin Park had a seven-minute call with Chandhok just after 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 6 as the 49ers crafted their response. “They failed to complete a thorough investigation,” he said on Wednesday. “They failed to prove Mr. Becker is guilty.” While the prosecution was unable to find any message or email on Becker’s devices that pointed toward his leaking the report, Malinsky said that it wasn’t just one piece of evidence that proved his guilt. Santa Clara Councilmember Suds Jain corroborated Chandhok’s testimony, he noted. The recently re-elected councilmember testified that Becker told him in a phone call that he gave the report to Silicon Valley Voice, a local news outlet. “When you look at the totality of the evidence, there is only one conclusion — that Becker committed both of these crimes,” Malinsky said in his closing arguments. Vice Mayor Anthony Becker who was found guilty walks out of the courtroom with Grant Fondo, lawyer at Goodwin Procter, at South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) Vice Mayor Anthony Becker was found guilty surrounded by Christopher Montoya, deputy public defender, Shavon Henry, lawyer Goodwin Procter, Hayes Hyde, lawyer at Goodwin Procter, at South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) Vice Mayor Anthony Becker who was found guilty walks from the courtroom with Grant Fondo, lawyer at Goodwin Procter, at South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group) Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Javier Alcala, left, meets with Deputy District Attorney Jason Malinsky, second from left, and Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker’s defense attorneys Christopher Montoya and Hayes Hyde, as they discuss whether to admit a piece of evidence during Becker’s trial at the Santa Clara County Superior Court in Morgan Hill, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Fernando Ramirez Jr., a criminalist with the Santa Clara County Crime Laboratory who performed a forensic analysis of Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker’s phone, checks documents provided by Becker’s defense attorney, Christopher Montoya, as he testifies during Becker’s trial at the Santa Clara County Superior Court in Morgan Hill, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Jason Malinsky talks during Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker’s trial at the South County Morgan Hill Courthouse on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group) Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker’s attorney, Hayes Hyde, appears during Becker’s trial at the South County Morgan Hill Courthouse on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group) Russell Miller, a campaign finance attorney, who works with the San Francisco 49ers, takes the witness stand during Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker’s trial at the South County Morgan Hill Courthouse on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group) Santa Clara County Judge Javier Alcala talks during Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker’s trial at the South County Morgan Hill Courthouse on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group) Vice Mayor Anthony Becker who was found guilty walks out of the courtroom with Grant Fondo, lawyer at Goodwin Procter, at South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)Palantir Stock Is Trading At All-Time Highs: What's Going On?
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Wall Street’s main indexes all closed higher today, with gains in megacap and growth stocks bolstering benchmarks in a truncated Christmas Eve session. Both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite scored four straight sessions of gains, with the S&P 500 taking its winning streak to three sessions, marking the first day of the seasonal Santa Claus rally. The Dow had skidded for 10 straight sessions earlier this month, its longest losing streak since 1974. With megacap stocks having an outsized influence on markets, their performance is often a key driver of indexes. When coupled with reduced trading volumes and few other catalysts, as many investors take time off for the holidays, this is even more pronounced. All the so-called Magnificent Seven megacap technology stocks climbed today, led by the 7.4% jump in Tesla shares. The automaker’s best one-day gain in six weeks helped push the consumer discretionary index 2.6% higher. It was the top gaining sector in the S&P, with all 11 ending in positive territory. Elsewhere, chip manufacturers were also buoyant. Broadcom and Nvidia rose 3.2% and 0.4%, respectively, while Arm Holdings climbed 3.9%, recouping most of the losses suffered the previous day from losing a court case. Growth names rose despite U.S. Treasury interest rates remaining elevated – the benchmark 10-year note yielded around 4.61% today, its highest level since May. Traditionally, higher debt costs crimp growth stocks. However, the long-term themes around technology development, including advancements in artificial intelligence, overshadow any near-term moves in Treasuries, said Charlie Ripley, senior investment strategist for Allianz Investment Management. “This reinforces that view that the sector is going to remain strong, and should be well into the new year,” he said. The S&P 500 climbed 65.97 points, or 1.10%, to 6,040.04 points, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 266.24 points, or 1.35%, to 20,031.13. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 390.08 points, or 0.91%, to 43,297.03. Stock markets shut at 1:00 p.m. ET today and will be closed for Christmas on Wednesday. After a stellar run to record highs following the November U.S. election, which sparked hopes of pro-business policies under President-elect Donald Trump, Wall Street’s rally hit a bump this month as investors grappled with the prospect of higher interest rates in 2025. The Federal Reserve eased borrowing costs for the third time this year last Wednesday, but signaled only two more 25-basis-point reductions next year, down from its September projection of four cuts, as policymakers weigh the possibility of Trump’s policies stoking inflation. Allianz’s Ripley said the themes that had driven the market higher in the past two months remained intact, and actions by the Fed had not killed the rally. “Heading into 2025, things are set up with good positioning,” he said, noting factors including economic outlook, consumption in the U.S. and the labor market. Crypto-related stocks traded higher today, with Microstrategy, Riot Platforms, and MARA Holdings all climbing between 4.7% and 8.1%, as the price of bitcoin advanced. NeueHealth soared 75% after the healthcare provider said New Enterprise Associates, its largest shareholder, and a group of existing investors will take the company private in a $1.3 billion deal. American Airlines’ shares edged up 0.6% after trading lower for much of the session. The carrier briefly grounded all its flights in the United States today due to an unspecified technical issue.Oliver Glasner: Crystal Palace are heading in right direction after Ipswich win