More people than ever are using earplugs, not only to help protect their hearing and sleep better when traveling but also to get better clarity when listening to live music. That's why we're recommending these Vibes high-fidelity earplugs for just $19 . A 20% discount has been applied at Amazon in time for Black Friday , with an additional 5% available to claim by ticking the on-page coupon box. Available in a clear design -- blue, green and orange can be purchased for $25 -- the Vibes earplugs utilize attenuating filters to lower the volume via "filter-specific frequencies" as opposed to canceling noise directly. The transparent shell design makes them nearly invisible to any onlookers and a handy hard portable case is included to keep them safe when on the move. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money . CNET senior editor James Bricknall shared their thoughts after having hands-on with the earplugs: "I've been using these for a few weeks now, and they are fantastic at blocking out extraneous noise. I watched a concert this Halloween, and the Vibes brought the volume down to an enjoyable level without making the music dull." Why this deal matters While that $10 discount might not seem huge at first glance, this is the cheapest price we have on record for the Vibes earplugs. Already hugely popular, more than 75% of the stock has been claimed – so don't delay if you are interested. Like all Black Friday sales, when they're gone, they're gone. This is a cheap way to protect your ears alongside enhancing music that you can use time and time again, all for under $20. Why not get your Christmas shopping done early? Here are 22 great gifts for $50 or less featuring Apple AirTags, Oral-B toothbrushes, Ninja blenders and more.
Lucky lottery player wins life-changing prize from $20 scratch-off game in FloridaNEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 12, 2024-- Goldman Sachs Asset Management, the investment adviser for the Goldman Sachs Bloomberg Clean Energy Equity ETF, Goldman Sachs North American Pipelines & Power Equity ETF and Goldman Sachs Future Real Estate and Infrastructure Equity ETF (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”), announced today that the Funds’ Board of Trustees, at the recommendation of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, has approved a plan of liquidation for each Fund (collectively, the “Plans”). Under the Plans, which are effective today, the Funds will begin the process of liquidating portfolio assets and unwinding their affairs in an orderly fashion over time. The Plans are not subject to shareholder approval. Shareholders of the Funds may sell their shares on the Fund’s listing exchange, Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (“Cboe”) for the Goldman Sachs Bloomberg Clean Energy Equity ETF and Goldman Sachs North American Pipelines & Power Equity ETF or NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”) for the Goldman Sachs Future Real Estate and Infrastructure Equity ETF until market close on January 10, 2025, and may incur transaction fees from their broker-dealer. The Funds’ shares will no longer trade on Cboe or NYSE Arca, as applicable, after market close on January 10, 2025, and the shares will subsequently be de-listed. Shareholders who continue to hold shares of a Fund on the Funds’ liquidation date, which is expected to be on or about January 17, 2025, will receive a liquidating distribution of cash in the cash portion of their brokerage accounts equal to the amount of the net asset value of their shares. For tax purposes, shareholders will generally recognize a capital gain or loss equal to the amount received for their shares over their adjusted basis in such shares. The Funds will stop accepting creation orders from Authorized Participants on January 10, 2025. About Goldman Sachs Asset Management Goldman Sachs Asset Management is the primary investing area within Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), delivering investment and advisory services across public and private markets for the world’s leading institutions, financial advisors, and individuals. The business is driven by a focus on partnership and shared success with its clients, seeking to deliver long-term investment performance drawing on its global network and deep expertise across industries and markets. Goldman Sachs Asset Management is a leading investor across fixed income, liquidity, equity, alternatives, and multi-asset solutions. Goldman Sachs oversees approximately $3.1 trillion in assets under supervision as of September 30, 2024. Follow us on LinkedIn . The Goldman Sachs Bloomberg Clean Energy Equity ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Bloomberg Goldman Sachs Global Clean Energy Index (the “Index”), which delivers exposure to companies that are expected to have a significant impact on energy decarbonization through their exposure to clean energy. The Fund’s investments are subject to market risk , which means that the value of the securities in which it invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies, particular sectors or governments and/or general economic conditions. Foreign and emerging markets investments may be more volatile and less liquid than investments in U.S. securities and are subject to the risks of currency fluctuations and adverse social, economic or political developments. Because the Fund may have significant investments in the clean energy sector , the Fund is subject to risk of loss as a result of adverse economic, business or other developments affecting industries within that sector. The securities of mid- and small-capitalization companies involve greater risks than those associated with larger, more established companies and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements. The Fund is not actively managed, and therefore the Fund will not generally dispose of a security unless the security is removed from the Index. The Index calculation methodology may rely on information based on assumptions and estimates and neither the Fund, the index provider nor the investment adviser can guarantee the accuracy of the methodology’s valuation of securities or the availability or timeliness of the production of the Index. Performance may vary substantially from the performance of the Index as a result of transaction costs, expenses and other factors. The Goldman Sachs North American Pipelines & Power Equity ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Solactive Energy Infrastructure Enhanced Index (the “Index”), which is designed to deliver exposure to equity securities of U.S. and Canadian listed companies including companies structured as master limited partnerships (“MLPs”), operating in the pipelines and power universe. The Fund’s investments are subject to market risk , which means that the value of the securities in which it invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies, particular sectors or governments and/or general economic conditions. Foreign investments may be more volatile and less liquid than investments in U.S. securities and are subject to the risks of currency fluctuations and adverse economic, social or political developments, including sanctions, counter-sanctions and other retaliatory actions. Investments in MLPs are subject to certain additional risks, including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting MLPs, potential conflicts of interest, cash flow risks, dilution risks, limited liquidity , risks related to the general partner’s right to force sales at undesirable times or prices, interest rate sensitivity and for MLPs with smaller capitalizations, lower trading volume and abrupt or erratic price movements. MLPs are also subject to risks relating to their complex tax structure , including the risk that an MLP could lose its tax status as a partnership, resulting in a reduction in the value of the Fund’s investment in the MLP and lower income to the Fund. MLPs are also subject to the risk that to the extent that a distribution received from an MLP is treated as a return of capital, the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the MLP interests may be reduced, which may increase the Fund’s tax liability upon the sale of the MLP interests or upon subsequent distributions in respect of such interests. Many MLPs in which the Fund invests operate facilities within the energy sector and are also subject to risks affecting that sector . Because the Index currently concentrates its investments in the energy sector , the Fund is subject to greater risk of loss as a result of adverse economic, business or other developments affecting that industry or group of industries. The Fund is not actively managed , and therefore the Fund will not generally dispose of a security unless the security is removed from the Index. The Index calculation methodology may rely on information based on assumptions and estimates and neither the Fund, the index provider nor the investment adviser can guarantee the accuracy of the methodology’s valuation of securities or the availability or timeliness of the production of the Index. Performance may vary substantially from the performance of the Index as a result of transaction costs, expenses and other factors. The Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than “diversified” funds. Accordingly, the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse developments affecting any single issuer held in its portfolio and to greater losses resulting from these developments. The Goldman Sachs Future Real Estate and Infrastructure Equity ETF (the “Fund”) seeks long-term growth of capital. The Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund. The Fund pursues its investment objective by primarily investing in U.S. and non-U.S. real estate and infrastructure companies that the Investment Adviser believes are aligned with key themes associated with secular growth drivers for real estate and infrastructure assets. The Fund’s investments are subject to market risk , which means that the value of the securities in which it invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies, particular sectors or governments and/or general economic conditions. The Fund’s thematic investment strategy limits the universe of investment opportunities available to the Fund and may affect the Fund’s performance relative to similar funds that do not seek to invest in companies exposed to such themes. The Fund relies on the Investment Adviser for the identification of companies the Investment Adviser believes are aligned with key themes associated with secular growth drivers for real estate and infrastructure assets, and there is no guarantee that the Investment Adviser’s views will reflect the beliefs or values of any particular investor or that real estate and infrastructure companies in which the Fund invests will benefit from their associations with secular growth drivers for real estate and infrastructure assets. Different investment styles (e.g., “growth” and “value”) tend to shift in and out of favor, and at times the Fund may underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes. Because the Fund concentrates its investments in certain specific industries, the Fund is subject to greater risk of loss as a result of adverse economic, business or other developments affecting those industries than if its investments were more diversified across different industries . Stock prices of real estate and infrastructure companies in particular may be especially volatile. Investing in Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) involves certain unique risks in addition to those risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. REITs whose underlying properties are focused in a particular industry or geographic region are also subject to risks affecting such industries and regions. The securities of REITs involve greater risks than those associated with larger, more established companies and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements because of interest rate changes, economic conditions and other factors. Foreign and emerging markets investments may be more volatile and less liquid than investments in U.S. securities and are subject to the risks of currency fluctuations and adverse economic, social or political developments, including sanctions, counter-sanctions and other retaliatory actions. Such securities are also subject to foreign custody risk. The securities of mid- and small-capitalization companies involve greater risks than those associated with larger, more established companies and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements. The Fund is “ non-diversified ” and may invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than “diversified” funds. In addition, the Fund may invest in a relatively small number of issuers . Accordingly, the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse developments affecting any single issuer held in its portfolio and to greater losses resulting from these developments. Fund shares are not individually redeemable and are issued and redeemed by a Fund at their net asset value (“NAV”) only in large, specified blocks of shares called creation units. Shares otherwise can be bought and sold only through exchange trading at market price (not NAV). Shares may trade at a premium or discount to their NAV in the secondary market. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. A summary prospectus, if available, or a Prospectus for each Fund containing more information may be obtained from your authorized dealer or from Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC by calling 1-800-621-2550. Please consider a Fund's objectives, risks, and charges and expenses, and read the summary prospectus, if available, and the Prospectus carefully before investing. The summary prospectus, if available, and the Prospectus contains this and other information about the Funds. The Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”) imposes certain limits on investment companies purchasing or acquiring any security issued by another registered investment company. For these purposes the definition of “investment company” includes funds that are unregistered because they are excepted from the definition of investment company by sections 3(c)(1) and 3(c)(7) of the Act. You should consult your legal counsel for more information. Goldman Sachs does not provide accounting, tax or legal advice. © 2024 Goldman Sachs All rights reserved NOT FDIC INSURED. MAY LOSE VALUE. NO BANK GUARANTEE. NOT INSURED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. ALPS Control: GST: 2818 Compliance Code: 402923-OTU-2167293 Date of first use: 12/12/2024 View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212407058/en/ CONTACT: Media: Victoria Zarella Tel: 212-902-5400 KEYWORD: NEW YORK UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ASSET MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE SOURCE: Goldman Sachs Asset Management Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/12/2024 05:12 PM/DISC: 12/12/2024 05:10 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212407058/en
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Tens of thousands of Spaniards marched in downtown Barcelona on Saturday to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in the popular tourist destination. Protesters cut off traffic on main avenues in the city center, holding up homemade signs in Spanish reading “Fewer apartments for investing and more homes for living" and “The people without homes uphold their rights.” The lack of affordable housing has become one of the leading concerns for the southern European Union country, mirroring the housing crunch across many parts of the world, including the United States . Organizers said that over 100,000 had turned out, while Barcelona’s police said they estimated some 22,000 marched. Either way, the throngs of people clogging the streets recalled the massive separatist rallies at the heigh of the previous decade’s Catalan independence movement. Now, social concerns led by housing have displaced political crusades. That is because the average rent for Spain has doubled in last 10 years. The price per square meter has risen from 7.2 euros ($7.5) in 2014 to 13 euros this year, according to the popular online real estate website Idealista. The growth is even more acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Incomes meanwhile have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in a country with chronically high unemployment. Protestor Samuel Saintot said he is “frustrated and scared” after being told by the owners of the apartment he has rented for the past 15 years in Barcelona’s city center that he must vacate the premises. He suspects that the owners want him out so they can renovate it and boost the price. “Even looking in a 20- or 30-kilometer radius outside town, I can’t even find anything within the price range I can afford,” he told The Associated Press. “And I consider myself a very fortunate person, because I earn a decent salary. And even in my case, I may be forced to leave town.” A report by the Bank of Spain indicates that nearly 40% of Spaniards who rent dedicate an average of 40% of their income to paying rents and utilities, compared to the European Union average of 27% of renters who do so. “We are talking about a housing emergency. It means people having many difficulties both in accessing and staying in their homes,” said Ignasi Martí, professor for Esade business school and head of its Dignified Housing Observatory. The rise in rents is causing significant pain in Spain, where traditionally people seek to own their homes. Rental prices have also been driven up by short-term renters including tourists. Many migrants to Spain are also disproportionately hit by the high rents because they often do not have enough savings. Spain is near the bottom end of OECD countries with under 2% of all housing available being public housing for rent. The OECD average is 7%. Spain is far behind France, with 14%, Britain with 16%, and the Netherlands with 34%. Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for Barcelona’s Tenants Union which helped organize the protest, said that renters should consider a “rent strike” and cease paying their monthly rents in a mass protest movement. “I think we the tenants have understood that this depends on us. That we can’t keep asking and making demands to the authorities and waiting for an answer. We must take the reins of the situation,” Arcarazo told the AP. “So, if they (the owners) won’t lower the rent, then we will force them to do it." The Barcelona protest came a month after tens of thousands rallied against high rents in Madrid. The rising discontent over housing is putting pressure on Spain’s governing Socialist party, which leads a coalition on the national level and is in charge of Catalonia’s regional government and Barcelona’s city hall. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presided over what the government termed a “housing summit” including government officials and real estate developers last month. But the Barcelona’s Tenants Union boycotted the event, saying it was like calling a summit for curing cancer and inviting tobacco companies to participate. The leading government measure has been a rent cap mechanism that the central government has offered to regional authorities based on a price index established by the housing ministry. Rent controls can be applied to areas deemed to be “highly stressed” by high rental prices. Catalonia was the first region to apply those caps, which are in place in downtown Barcelona. Many locals blame the million of tourists who visit Barcelona, and the rest of Spain, each year for the high prices. Barcelona’s town hall has pledged to completely eliminate the city’s 10,000 so called “tourist apartments,” or dwellings with permits for short-term rents, by 2028.Luigi Mangione frenzy: It’s time for a national conversation on left-wing violenceHOUSTON — Dillon Brooks scored a season-high 28 points and led the Houston Rockets to a 116-88 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in an NBA Cup game on Friday night. Brooks matched a career-high with six 3-pointers on eight attempts, and the Rockets made 15 of 39 (38.5%) from beyond the arc. Tari Eason scored 22 points off the bench, Jalen Green had 17 and Alperen Sengun added 14 as the Rockets won for the seventh time in eight games. Six of those wins were by double figures. Houston is 2-0 in NBA Cup play For Portland, Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe scores 13 points apiece and Toumani Camara had 11. Portland has lost two straight games to open a four-game trip. They previously won three straight at home. The Trail Blazers are 1-1 in the in-season tournament. Takeaways Trail Blazers: Portland was missing two of its five leading scorers in Scoot Henderson, out for the first time with a left quad contusion, and Deandre Ayton, who remained sidelined with a deep contusion in his right index finger. Rockets: Houston, at 12-5, has outscored opponents by 163 points through 17 games, the highest total through the first 17 games of a season in franchise history. The previous record of 131 was held by the defending champion 1996-97 Rockets, who started the season 15-2. Portland Trail Blazers guard Rayan Rupert, right, defends against Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in Houston, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. Credit: AP/Ashley Landis Key moment The Rockets were trailing early when Eason checked in and provided a spark, scoring 12 points in an energetic 13 minutes in the first half. Eason finished with a game-best plus-minus of +33 points. Key stat Houston outscored Portland 23-7 in fast-break points and generated 28 points off Portland’s 21 turnovers. Up next The Trail Blazers and the Rockets will meet again Saturday night in Houston for the second half of a back-to-back.