July 2024 - Page 9 of 11

Hong Kong IPO market shows signs of recovery, says EY

Jul

Hong Kong IPO market shows signs of recovery, says EY

On June 21, 2024, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing celebrated its 24th listing anniversary, amid growing optimism about the future of the city’s IPO market. In an interview with CNBC, George Chan, global head of IPOs at EY, expressed confidence that the Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) market is set to see substantial improvement over the next five years, starting in the second half of this year. Chan noted that while it may take a few years to reach the peak levels seen in 2021, the trend is clearly positive. “I see light at the end of the tunnel,”…

Greece Introduces Six-Day Workweek, Sparking Controversy

Jul

By Kyle C. Garrison

International

Greece Introduces Six-Day Workweek, Sparking Controversy

In a significant shift from global trends, Greece has introduced a six-day workweek for some companies, aiming to improve productivity and employment. The new rule, effective July 1, is part of a broader labor law reform passed last year. The policy allows employees of private companies that offer 24-hour services to extend their work week from the traditional 40 hours to 48 hours. However, sectors such as hospitality and tourism are excluded from this change. The pro-business administration of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis defends the measure as "worker-friendly" and "growth-oriented." The government argues it will help workers receive adequate overtime…

Powell Highlights Progress on Inflation, But Calls for More Assurance Before Lowering Rates

Jul

By Kyle C. Garrison

Investments and Business

Powell Highlights Progress on Inflation, But Calls for More Assurance Before Lowering Rates

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Tuesday expressed satisfaction with the progress made over the past year in tackling inflation, but stressed that more confidence was needed before considering a rate cut. "We've made quite a bit of progress in getting inflation back to our objective," Powell told a central bank forum in Sintra, Portugal. "The latest inflation readings, and to a lesser extent the previous one, suggest that we're returning to a disinflationary path. We want to be more confident that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2% before we begin the process of reducing or easing policy." Powell spoke…

The Evolving Voices of Artificial Intelligence

Jul

By Kyle C. Garrison

Politics

The Evolving Voices of Artificial Intelligence

What does AI sound like? Hollywood has been thinking about this for a long time, and now AI developers are following suit, creating voices for real machines inspired by movie adaptations. OpenAI recently introduced updates to its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, which now boasts the ability to hear, see, and speak in a natural voice. This voice, called Sky, bears a striking resemblance to the operating system voiced by Scarlett Johansson in the 2013 film “Her.” With a husky, soothing tone, Sky’s voice was designed to be pleasant and versatile. However, Johansson has expressed concerns about the similarities, having previously declined…

Beryl heads to Jamaica after devastating the Eastern Caribbean

Jul

By Kyle C. Garrison

Politics

Beryl heads to Jamaica after devastating the Eastern Caribbean

Hurricane Beryl is moving toward Jamaica as a Category 4 storm, after wreaking havoc across the southeastern Caribbean and killing at least four people. Beryl intensified to a Category 5 storm with winds of at least 155 mph, but was downgraded to a Category 4 late Tuesday afternoon, with sustained winds near 165 mph, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. No Atlantic storm has reached Category 5 strength this early in the season, noted Philip Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University. Major Atlantic hurricanes have sustained winds of 111 mph or more. Kingston, Jamaica’s capital, is in turmoil…

Pereira vs. Hill: Who will win the biggest night in UFC history?

Jul

By Kyle C. Garrison

Politics

Pereira vs. Hill: Who will win the biggest night in UFC history?

The biggest night in UFC history will take place this Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. UFC 300 features an incredible lineup, including two former champions, Deiveson Figueiredo and Cody Garbrandt, in the first fight of the night. The event will also feature a light heavyweight title bout, a women's strawweight title bout, and the BMF belt. In total, 11 current or former champions will compete. Here are some key odds for UFC 300 from DraftKings Sportsbook: Deiveson Figueiredo: -305Cody Garbrandt: +245 Bobby Green: -180Mr. Miller: +150 Jessica Andrade: -135Marina Rodriguez: +114 My Friend Jalin Turner: -230Renato Moicano: +190…

Asia Markets Mixed: China Output Contracts Again, Japan Downgrades Q1 GDP

Jul

By Kyle C. Garrison

Politics

Asia Markets Mixed: China Output Contracts Again, Japan Downgrades Q1 GDP

Shanghai, China – January 1: The sun rises over the Oriental Pearl Tower on New Year's Day, January 1, 2023, in Shanghai, China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images) Asia-Pacific markets got off to a mixed start to the second half of the year as investors weighed June economic data from China and business confidence data from Japan. Official China PMI data released over the weekend showed the manufacturing PMI at 49.5, unchanged from May, marking the second month of contraction. However, a private survey, the S&P Caixin PMI, showed a marked improvement, rising to 51.8 in June from 51.7…